Sharing a mutual shudder, the two exchanged a glance, and hurried on.
The Kuno family, as Kodachi had explained it, was very discrete about how they handled their money. The vast majority of it was kept in banks, separate accounts that each member of the family could access, the majority in her father's hands.
The remainder was kept in the form of actual treasures -- precious jewels and jewelry, along with a fair number of very tasteful pieces of art. Kodachi walked past all these things, though Nabiki paused to drool, and opened a bank of drawers set into the far wall.
"Nabiki-chan," she called, turning to look over her shoulder, where Nabiki was gawking at a diamond necklace with a central jewel the size of her thumb. "Oh, don't be distracted by those," she said dismissively. "Do you know how hard it is to sell a stone that large?"
Returning to her senses, Nabiki blinked, and shook her head, turning to look at Kodachi curiously. "What ... are we taking, exactly?"
"Well, I imagine my brother's ... new wives will ransack this place shortly," she said dryly. "None of these things have sentimental value to me. However, all of our account information is stored in these," she said, pointing at the drawer she opened. "I doubt that anyone can access all of the accounts we hold without this information."
"Thinking smart," Nabiki agreed. "We'll hang onto the paperwork, since that's where the real money is anyway, right?"
"Exactly," Kodachi replied, smiling. "I simply need to make sure that only we retain the critical information by the time anyone else arrives."
***
After a quick stop to investigate what Cologne realized was an impressive herb garden, Cologne was able to collect everything she needed. And then, since Kodachi had made the offer, she helped herself to a good deal of things she doubted she'd need, but could probably find a use for anyway. And then, since the greenhouse was so large, and it wasn't really obvious that Cologne had done any judicious pruning, she went ahead and grabbed several dozen things she doubted she could find a use for anyway.
She repressed the urge to chortle in glee; with a few ancient scrolls, Kodachi could probably quite easily cultivate plants and potions that would rival.... She trailed off, blinking at that thought. The neighbors of the Joketsuzoku were not exactly enemies; they shared a newspaper, even though they didn't always get along. Shampoo especially had a vicious rivalry against Pink and Link.
But Kodachi, if she had knowledge of less ... scientific plants.... "Hmm," she mused, frowning as she set down her sack of purloined goodies.
If Ranma married Shampoo, and was already married to Kodachi, that meant that if she could convince Kodachi and Ranma to consider the wedding to be a Joketsuzoku wedding, all of Ranma's wives would be adopted into the tribe. Of course, they didn't seem to want to leave, but Cologne was beginning to get the inkling that they could probably establish a whole new tribe right in Nerima.
It certainly seemed a more intensive and less lethal training ground, and it was filled with powerful martial artists. In that frame of mind, she thought, she really didn't mind any of the extra wives Ranma would pick up. Kasumi might be a bit domestic, and really not bring a lot of combative or warrior-like traits, but all of the children would need at least one gentle mother among them. Nabiki's intelligence would probably help serve....
Smiling widely, she realized she rather liked the idea. Of course, some new provisos would need to be set up to avoid gratuitous kisses of death.... And possibly marriage, though she doubted that would be a vast concern for the remainder of this generation. Perhaps new laws entirely. The point was strength of a people. And what she hoped would become her newly adopted family had it in spades.
With this cheerful thought, she marched into the Kuno vault just as Kodachi and Nabiki had finished sorting all of the papers in the archives into two separate piles. One tiny pile, and one quite large one. "Impressive collection," she noted, respect in her voice. She frowned slightly spotting a familiar Joketsuzoku artifact. Why, that's where that other Nanban mirror had gone. "Would you sell this to me?" she asked, pointing.
Kodachi seemed surprised at the question, and squinted, peering at the mirror. "That piece of rubbish?" she asked dubiously. "You may have it, truly. I would not ask for money."
"Oooh! Oooh! Can I pick something?" Nabiki asked, eyes widening in joy.
Kodachi laughed, and shook her head. "Sorry, Nabiki-chan, only if you bring gifts for Ranma-sama's other wives, as well."
Nabiki took that in stride, and tore across the vault with force.
After pocketing the mirror, Cologne indicated the papers, and asked, over Nabiki's sustained cry of glee, "May I ask what these are for?"
"Ah," Kodachi said, gathering the smaller pile of papers in her arms carefully. "These are my father's final will, instructions on how to access various accounts ... this will be what will see to it that our family has a good home. A nicer one than this," she mused, gesturing at the treasure-covered floor of the vault.
"I'm sure," Cologne replied dryly. She pointed at the larger pile of papers. "And this?"
"Those are all of the things that would help my brother control the fortune," Kodachi said, smiling. "I must secure these before I burn them, however."
"Allow me," Cologne offered, smiling as she touched her staff to the stack of papers, and then began turning it in her hands. In a second, the stack of papers was ablaze, and a moment later, there was a puff of flame, and then nothing -- not even smoke. "Are we done here?"
Kodachi blinked, impressed. "Er," she said, as Nabiki came up to the pair, grinning widely, and covered in jewelry. "It appears so."
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(Posted Tue, 19 Jul 2005 22:20)
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