SHADOWS ON THE WATER

CHAPTER ONE

	Umikaze Island, situated several miles off the northern coast of Japan,
should have been a much more popular resort than it actually was.  That,
in fact, was the only thing it was useful for - it was too rocky for
decent farming, yet it contained few useful mineral deposits.  On the
other hand, it was sunny and pleasant for most of the year, and fit the
stereotype of a tropical paradise quite well.  The development company
that had bought the rights to build a resort there thought they'd been
onto a sure thing.  For some reason, though, the company barely managed
to break even each year, and had never reclaimed their original
investment - Umikaze just had never caught the general public's
attention. 
	Until now.
	There was a... well, call it a sporting event, scheduled to take place
on the island.  Though the event wasn't of national interest, it still
had its own following, and would-be spectators were arriving in droves. 
Though the vendors on the island were caught somewhat by surprise by the
sudden surge in business, they rallied quickly and were soon making more
profit than they had in the previous five years.  It seemed that, at
long last, the eye of Japan was finally on Umikaze. 
	And other, more sinister eyes as well, as it turned out... 

	Since the event wasn't scheduled for the next day, most of the
spectators - and a few of the competitors - had decided to take
advantage of the perfect summer day and spend some time at the island's
beach.  The shore thronged, for the first time, with swimsuit-clad
bodies and the occasional wandering vendor. 
	"Aaaah!  This is the life."
	The red-haired girl stretched happily as she walked along the sand,
slightly ahead of the rest of her group.  "It feels good to get away
from everything for once.  No school, no perverts, no daily duels to the
death, no fiancees..." 
	"*Ahem*."  A girl with short dark hair, dressed in a blue one-piece,
looked at the redhead in slight annoyance.  "What am I, chopped liver?" 
	"Hey, as long as you don't cook it..."
	*WHAM!*  Witnesses, later on, would not be able to say where exactly
the large mallet came from, but suddenly there it was, pounding the
smaller girl's head into the sand.  The dark-haired one continued on
without a second glance back.  "Jerk."  Behind her, two other girls also
made their way past - one of them politely detoured around the crumpled
girl, while the other deliberately walked across her. 
	Two figures rose up, casting their shadows over the girl's prone form. 
"Get up, m'boy," one of them said.  "This is no time to be relaxing. 
Remember, the way of Anything-Goes Martial Arts is the way of discipline
and self-denial." 
	Ranma-chan pulled herself out of her personal crater with difficulty
and glared up at the two figures.  "Yeah, right.  Then explain why you
two are wearing those stupid flower necklace things and drinking papaya
coolers!" 
	Soun, at least, had the decency to look embarrassed.  "Uh, well, you
see... once you are a master of the Art, like us, you'll understand." 
	"In other words, you ain't got no excuse."  She brushed the sand from
her body - considering the rather skimpy bikini she wore, this simple
act threatened to cause nosebleeds in several of the young men who had
been discreetly (and not so discreetly) watching her.  She left the two
old men behind her as she started following the other girls.  *Well, I
ain't gonna let them ruin this,* she decided.  *This is too good a
situation to worry about those two morons.  And for once we managed to
get out of Nerima without everybody in town followin' us.  I could
really use a break from all that.* 
	Her gaze fell on Akane, who was studiously ignoring her.  *Man... there
she goes again, blamin' *me* because she can't cook.  Still, it's gonna
be a long trip if she pounds me every time she turns around...* 
	She increased her pace until she was walking at Akane's side.  "Hey...
wanna snowcone?" 
	Akane turned to her in surprise.  "Huh?"
	"C'mon... my treat."
	She smiled a bit hesitantly and nodded.  "O-okay."
	Ranma-chan grinned, then jogged toward a nearby refreshment stand. 
Despite the crowd, there was only one other person at the stand, so she
turned around and tried to see over the masses of people.  *There they
are... I shoulda splashed Pop before I came over here.  It'd be easier
to keep track of where everyone is that way...* 
	The person ahead of her in line finished her purchase, and turned to
leave.  Unfortunately, Ranma-chan turned around at the same time, and
they collided - Ranma-chan fell backwards, the wind knocked out of her,
while the other girl frantically tried to catch the snowcones she
carried before they fell into the sand.  After much yelping and waving
of arms, the girl succeeded in this task, though it did leave her almost
on top of Ranma-chan. 
	She lifted herself up slightly, looking somewhat abashed.  "Gomena...
eh?"  She peered closer, then grinned widely.  "Ranma-kun!" 
	As the girl pulled her into a big hug, Ranma-chan tried to get a better
look at her.  "Who...?" 
	It was just then that the girl accidentally pressed a snowcone against
Ranma-chan's uncovered back. 
	Alerted by Ranma-chan's screams, Akane came running over, only to see
Ranma in the arms of yet another girl.  With a scowl, she produced the
mallet and started forward.  "I leave you alone for ONE minute, you...
Huh?"  She stopped, and blinked in surprise.  Only one person she knew
had long pink hair like that.  "Nuku Nuku?" 

	An explanation is, perhaps, in order.
	For reasons unknown to most of the occupants of the Tendo Dojo, Natsume
Akiko brought her 'niece' Nuku Nuku along with her on a business trip to
Nerima.  A chance meeting with Ranma (involving a large train) resulted
in the two women spending the weekend at the Dojo. 
	Without going into too much detail, suffice to say that the combination
of (A) Ranma's knack for attracting fiancees and (B) Nuku Nuku's
tendency to drive other females into a blind fury caused Ukyo, Shampoo,
and Kodachi to decide that the cat-girl was trying to get Ranma to marry
her, and took appropriate steps. 
	Fortunately very little of Nerima was destroyed before the confusion
was cleared up, and most everyone parted company as friends.  Akiko and
Nuku Nuku had promised to come back and visit some time - to date, this
has not happened yet. 
	[The whole story, titled "Catling Rivalry", can be obtained by request
from the author.  You're welcome.] 

	During the shameless plug, Nuku Nuku had collected the Tendo and
Saotome families, and had ushered them to where her own family was
waiting.  Introductions were exchanged, and Akiko (to her husband and
son's surprise) seemed genuinely happy to see them. 
	Something seemed to be weighing on Kyusaku's mind, though. 
	"This is Ranma?" he asked in confusion.  "Nuku Nuku, I thought you said
Ranma was a boy." 
	Nuku Nuku blinked.  "He is."
	"Don't let the looks fool ya," Ranma-chan added, pointing a thumb at
herself.  "I'm a guy, all right.  Most of the time.  I'm just in
girl-form right now, so I don't have to change clothes if I wanna go
swimming." 
	Kyusaku and Ryunosuke exchanged glances.  Nuku Nuku had told them all
about her trip to Nerima, of course, but considering the weird things
she had told them, they had decided that the cat-girl was confused once
again.  However, it was starting to look like she'd been right all
along... 
	Akiko gestured around herself.  "Please, sit down.  It's so nice to
talk to you again." 
	The newcomers settled down on the large beach blanket (which was
emblazoned with the Mishima Heavy Industries logo, of course) and made
themselves comfortable.  "I assume you're here for the competition,
Ranma-kun?" Akiko asked with a slight smile. 
	"You kiddin'?"  The redhead smirked confidently.  "This is the kinda
thing I *live* for." 
	"Especially when we got free tickets out here along with our
invitation," Nabiki added, leaning back on the blanket.  "We figured we
were due a vacation." 
	"Well, you might be along for the ride," Akane told her sister, "but as
for me, I'm here to fight!" 
	"Oh, come off it, Akane.  You ain't got no chance, and you know it." 
	"Shut up, Ranma!  I'll give you a run for your money this time!" 
	"Yeah, sure.  Unless you trip over yourself like ya usually do." 
	"Why, you...!"
	Nuku Nuku giggled.  "Nuku Nuku's glad you're here - I was afraid the
fight was going to be boring." 
	"Oh!"  Kasumi smiled.  "Are you going to be in the competition too,
Miss Nuku Nuku?"  Akane paused in the act of throttling Ranma-chan, who
was also surprised by the revelation - Nuku Nuku wasn't very skilled,
but she was fast and strong enough to make this competition much more
difficult than they'd expected. 
	"Hai!  Nuku Nuku can't wait until it starts, so I can meet all sorts of
people to play with." 
	A sweatdrop developed on Ranma-chan's temple.  "Uh... right."  She knew
that, to Nuku Nuku, 'playing' was synonymous with 'battle royale'. 
	Akiko raised an eyebrow.  "You aren't worried, are you, Ranma-kun?" 
	"What, me?  No!  It's just... that... I don't like fightin' girls. 
That's all." 
	Genma pounded her on the back.  "Oh, don't be such a wimp, boy!  This
is just a sporting event - it's not like it's for real."  He pointed at
Ranma-chan.  "Though you can rest assured that I'll go all out when it's
time to beat you into the dirt!"  He laughed loudly and confidently. 
	Ranma-chan was unimpressed.  "Gee, I'm so scared."
	"Well," Akiko said with a bright smile, "it sounds like it should be an
interesting match.  Perhaps we could meet for breakfast beforehand. 
Where are you staying, Genma-san?" 
	The laughter abruptly stopped.
	"Uh..." Genma glanced at Ranma-chan guiltily.  "Staying?" 
	Akiko nodded.  "Why, yes.  I hope you reserved a room in advance. The
hotels are quite full," she added with a trace of pride. 
	"Well... uh... you see... a true martial artist... Some help here,
Tendo?" 
	"Ah... what my friend means is... to keep from losing our edge, we...
ah..." 
	"What they're *trying* to say," Ranma-chan growled, "is that they were
too cheap to pay for a hotel room, so they decided we should sleep on
the beach." 
	Nuku Nuku blinked.  "Honto?  That doesn't sound very comfortable..." 
	"Tell me about it."
	Kyusaku scratched his head.  "If you don't have a room, how did you get
dressed in a bikini?" 
	"They made me change in the men's room at the airport."  Ranma-chan
held up a hand.  "Just... don't ask." 
	"A little hardship is good for you, boy.  It builds character."  Genma
might have said more, but Ranma-chan's knee in his face quickly silenced
him. 
	Akiko turned to Soun's daughters with a questioning expression. 
"Nabiki-chan?  Surely not you, as well." 
	"Hardly.  I knew something like that would happen, so I took the
precaution of renting a room at the Cameron." 
	"Just for us girls," Akane added smugly.  "Us *real* girls." 
	"Well, the Cameron is nice, but I can hardly have such good friends
split up, can I?"  Akiko produced a business card and wrote a short note
on the back of it, then handed it to Nabiki.  "Take this to the front
desk of the Royale - I'm sure you'll find it to be a much nicer hotel." 
	Ranma-chan blinked.  "Didn't you just say..."
	"I get it," Nabiki interrupted.  "Mishima owns the Royale, doesn't it?" 
	Akiko smiled.  "You were always so perceptive, Nabiki-chan.  I've told
them to give you the Presidential Suite.  If they have any questions,
tell them to call me." 
	Genma scrambled forward on his knees.  "You... you mean we don't have
to sleep out on the cold, uncaring sand?"  Suddenly both he and Soun
were grovelling at her feet.  "Thank you!  Thank you!" 
	"We're not worthy!"
	Nabiki watched them cynically.  "How pathetic."
	"Whatever happened to 'building character'?" Akane asked, her arms
folded. 
	Meanwhile, Kyusaku had leaned toward his wife in concern.  "Akiko, are
you sure you're feeling all right?"  He put a hand to her forehead. 
"Giving things away isn't like you.  Maybe you've been in the sun too
long..." 
	"Urusai!"  She slapped his hand away.  "I can be generous every so
often!" 
	"Since when?"
	"I always pay for the damage Arisa and Kyoko cause to your apartment,
don't I?" 
	"Sure, sure... after taking it out of their pay!  It's amazing that
they make enough money to eat!" 
	"How I treat my employees is none of your business!"
	"No?  Then how can I know you won't treat Ryunosuke the same way?"  He
smirked.  "That's partly why I took him away in the first place." 
	She glared at him.  "Don't even *think* about bringing that up,
Kyusaku..." 
	As the argument raged on, Ryunosuke shrugged to the guests with an
embarrased expression.  "They do this all the time.  It's best to just
ignore them." 
	Nuku Nuku giggled.  "They argue because they love each other so much. 
They don't really mean it." 
	"It's all right," Kasumi assured her.  "We're used to quarrels." 
	Nabiki nodded.  "Yeah.  You build up a tolerance after a while."  She
smiled sweetly at Ranma-chan and Akane.  "Better take a good look -
that's what you two will be like in about ten years." 
	"Honestly!" Akane replied in annoyance.  "We're nothing like that." 
	"Yeah.  I don't see her hittin' him, or nothin'."
	"I only hit you because you're too thick-skulled to learn anything!" 
	"At least I'm not an uncute tomboy!"
	"Why, you...!"
	As the crowd around them watched this unseemly display, Nabiki (who was
regretting bringing the subject up in the first place) covered her
ears.  "Just what I always wanted," she grumbled.  "Squabbling in
stereo." 

	Later that day,  the Saotomes and Tendos had settled into their new
room... though the word hardly did justice to the gleaming, opulent
accomodations they had been given.  Even Nabiki was impressed.  There
were large, comfortable beds, and enough of them so that each person had
their own bedroom, as well as a fully-stocked bar and snack-filled
refrigerator.  The suite's balcony offered a magnificent view of the
island and ocean, and it was there that, after a quick shower and change
of clothes, Ranma and Akane were practicing for the next day's
competition.  Which, as usual, consisted of Akane attempting to punch
and kick Ranma, and Ranma dodging every single attack.  Genma and Soun
watched their practice critically, though the effect was slightly marred
by the glasses of sake in their hands. 
	"Why don't you fight *back* for once?" Akane growled inbetween kicks. 
	"'Cuz you'd get flattened, that's why."
	"Don't underestimate me!  I'm not helpless, you know!" 
	"Yeah, yeah..."
	Just inside the balcony doorway, the two elder Tendo sisters were
sitting comfortably on a couch, paying the practice session only minimal
attention.  "My," Kasumi interjected, "it certainly was lucky that we
bumped into Miss Nuku Nuku." 
	Nabiki looked up from the small pamphlet that she was reading.  "Luck,
dear sister, had very little to do with it.  I don't know about Nuku
Nuku, but I'm positive Akiko was expecting us." 
	"What makes you say that?"
	"Well, after I found out that Mishima owned this hotel, I took the
liberty of grabbing a few informational booklets from the lobby - they
point out places you can go on the island, a little of its history,
stuff like that.  Anyway, this one says that about a month ago Mishima
Heavy Industries bought the rights to this island from the previous
owner, and took over the operation here.  Looks like they're branching
out from military hardware, at the very least..." 
	"Wait a second." Akane paused in her assault, and Ranma took that
opportunity to balance on the balcony's railing.  "If Mishima is in
control here, then that would mean..." 
	Nabiki nodded.  "Exactly.  The competition is sponsored by the Umikaze
Tourism Committee, which is undoubtedly made up of Mishima employees. 
Mishima runs the island, Mishima is sponsoring the competition, and
Mishima sent us those tickets out here.  I'd be willing to bet Akiko had
a personal hand in that part of it, too." 
	Kasumi looked vaguely alarmed.  "Oh, my!  And we didn't thank her for
them!  Do you think we should call her?" 
	"Not so fast, sis.  Remember, she acted surprised to see us - for some
reason, she doesn't want to let on that she paid for our ride here." 
	Ranma scratched his head.  "But... that don't make no sense.  If Nuku
Nuku's in the match, why would Akiko pay to bring her competition here? 
Wouldn't she want to keep the prize money for herself?" 
	"With fifty thousand yen as the grand prize?  Please.  We're talking
about the president of a trillion-yen corporation here.  No, I'm sure
it's nothing like that." 
	"But you think she's up to something."
	Nabiki smiled sweetly at him.  "It must be nice to be so naive."  She
ignored his glare as she continued.  "Natsume Akiko runs one of the
largest businesses in the world.  You can't manage that without being up
to something *all the time*.  The only question is, what's her angle
*this* time?" 
	"Huh.  Well, whatever it is, I'm still gonna win this thing." 
	"You're sure of that, are you, son-in-law?"
	"What the..." Ranma turned, and very nearly fell off the railing in
shock.  "Ack!  It's the ghoul!" 
	"Why, hello, Miss Cologne," Kasumi said brightly.  "What a surprise it
is to see you!" 
	"It is, isn't it?"  Cologne hopped off the railing, her cane tapping
lightly on the balcony floor. 
	Ranma, meanwhile, had managed to keep from plummeting to his doom, and
glared at the ancient Amazon suspiciously.  "I knew it was too good to
last.  Okay, where is she?" 
	"Why, son-in-law.  If I didn't know better, I'd say you didn't want to
see Shampoo." 
	"Gee.  Whatever gave you that idea?"
	"Well, you can relax."  Cologne jumped onto a table and wandered over
to a plate of rice crackers.  "Shampoo is on a trip back to China, and
so when I heard about this match, I decided to sell my authentic Chinese
ramen to the spectators.  Done pretty well so far, too." 
	Ranma crossed his arms.  "Why don't I believe you?"
	Cologne pointed her cane at him, a cracker in her other hand.  "You
didn't answer my question.  Do you think you can beat Nuku Nuku without
going all-out?  Or are you willing to use your full power against a
woman?" 
	He shrugged.  "Hey, like Pop said, it's just a tournament.  Nobody's
gonna be goin' for the kill.  Besides, she ain't exactly a normal girl,
either, bein' an android and all." 
	"She's also a cat, you may recall.  Doesn't that bother you?" 
	He shuddered.  "Don't remind me."  He had never quite gotten used to
the concept that Nuku Nuku had been born feline.  "I don't think it's
gonna be a problem, though.  She's good, but I can handle it, and
without hurtin' her, too." 
	"You'd better hope she'll give you the same consideration.  Good luck,
son-in-law - I think you'll need it."  And with that, Cologne leaped
over the railing and was gone.  Nobody was worried, though - they knew
that a little thirty-five story drop wouldn't even faze the Amazon. 
More's the pity. 


	"Report."
	"All is in readiness, Master."
	"Excellent. Be prepared to strike when I give the signal." 
	"Yes, Master."
	"And then... ah, and then, my loyal servant, we shal wrest the scion of
the Ice Queen from her very grasp!" 
	"..."
	"In other words, we'll grab the kid."
	"Yes, Master."


---------------------------------------------------------
Visit the Nuku Nuku Otaku Haven at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/8492/

With images, fanfics, and a wealth of information from
the new Bannou Bunka Nekomusume TV series!
---------------------------------------------------------