Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ School Daze Are Here Again... ( Chapter 3 )

Nabiki 1/2

(A Very Scary Thought)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Based Upon the Altered Destinies Storyline

Inspired by the works of such fans as

Wade Tritshler

Richard Lawson

James Jones

And Many Others

Standard Disclaimer: This is inspired by the work of Takahashi Rumiko and is not my original creation. All characters belong to her. This is only a fanfictional work, and is not intended to compromise the rights of the original owners, distributors and publishers of the Ranma series. I have no money to spare and would very much appreciate if no one tries to sue me.

"I'm what?" Nabiki asked after stepping out of the bathroom, toweling her hair off.

"You're going to school," Genma replied as somberly as if he were ordering her to go into battle.

"This isn't a joke, right?" Nabiki asked him, "You're serious?"

"Hai," her longtime mentor replied, handing her a ready-made school bag.

A very slow smile crossed Nabiki's lips, and then she grinned, "Great! I can't wait to get started!"

"Are you serious?" asked Ranma, who was standing just to the side of his father, waiting for his turn to use the bathroom, "You want to go to school?"

"Of course," she replied, "I've been falling behind, and I was half afraid I'd never get the chance to get my grades back up. I've missed too many days because of that stupid training mission…"

"We'll talk about that another time," Genma said diplomatically, not wanting to be berated again for his faults, both real and imagined, "Perhaps you'd like to go on ahead to your first class?"

"No, I'll wait for Akane-chan and walk with her," Nabiki said as she got out of Ranma's way, making a point to hold her nose as he passed, which earned a dirty look from his direction, "We are going to the same school, right?"

"Furinkan High, Oneechan," said Akane brightly, already in her school dress and holding her bag in both hands, looking rather pretty as she did so, "Ranma and me are in the same homeroom."

"That's good," Nabiki smiled as she walked with her towards the stairway, "Fiancées should spend a lot of time together…"

"Will you stop that!?" Akane snapped.

"Stop what?" Nabiki looked at her in surprise.

"I don't want you on my case, too," Akane said, then sighed, "Sorry, didn't mean to bite your head off, but this whole iinazuke business…'

"Touchy subject, huh?" Nabiki asked, "Okay, I won't mention it again unless you want to."

"Domo arigato," Akane said, smiling in relief.

"Although…" Nabiki made a point of adding, "If you ever really want to talk about it with somebody…"

"Domo," Akane said with even more sincerity, then sighed, "Not that you can do much about it. Ranma and me…we've tried talking our folks out of this whole stupid marriage business…"

"Doesn't sound like you've had too much success," Nabiki observed.

Akane was about to say something more when Kasumi popped out of the kitchen with her usual cheerful smile and said, "Akane-chan, you weren't thinking of going on to school without Ranma-kun?"

The pained look in Akane's eyes intensified, "I'll wait for the slowpoke, Kasumi," to Nabiki she sighed, "Ranma's always late getting out, although usually its from oversleeping.'

"Somehow I don't think that will be too much of a problem with his father around," Nabiki said with smug certainty. She was not much of a morning person herself, but ten years on the road with Genma had made it practically impossible for her to sleep past sunrise.

"I envy you being that certain about yourself," Akane sighed in what seemed like a complete change of subject matter, "Do you really mean it when you say you're looking forward to going back to school?"

"Hai," Nabiki replied, "I'm very serious about graduating with a good grade point average so I can make it into the college of my preference. I intend to get a degree in Business with a minor in Economics."

"Oho?" Akane looked at her with a knowing smile, "Don't tell me my sister intends to be a rising Corporate Robber Baron?"

"Well, why not?" Nabiki asked her, "What's so bad about making a lot of honest money? I've had to do more distasteful things in my travels."

"About that," Akane hesitated, then said, "Oneechan…is it true you and Ojisama had some…shady dealings in the places you went to?"

"If you mean did we get involved with some sordid types along the way," Nabiki said cautiously, "I'd have to reply in the affirmative. Don't worry, we're not criminals, and we're certainly not Yakuza."

"That's good," Akane sighed with relief, "I didn't mean to suspect you of anything, it's just…"

"No apology needed," Nabiki assured her, "There are a lot of crooked types in this world, and it never pays to let your guard down."

Ranma finally came down the stairs dressed in a school uniform clutching his bag and moving in a great hurry. He caught up with Akane and said, "I'm ready, let's get going!"

"About time," Akane snorted as the three of them exited the house together.

Not long after this, they came upon a storm drain system, and out both habit and reflex Nabiki jumped up on the fence and began walking it like a tightrope. She noticed Akane and Ranma giving her funny looks and she smiled, easily keeping pace with them even though the thin soles of her shoes afforded only minimal protection for her feet against the railing.

"Why are you doing that?" Ranma asked her after a few awkward moments.

"Doing what?" she feigned innocence, then smiled and said, "Mostly habit, mainly to work some more on my balance. Pop always said that I should treat every situation as if it were a part of the training mission."

"You're pretty good," Akane admitted.

"Hah, I could do that!" Ranma scoffed.

"Oh really?" Akane grinned at him, "I'd like to see you try."

"No problem," Ranma said, vaulting up onto the fence behind Nabiki and actually managing to remain upright as he fought to control his balance, "Whooah! See, no problem!"

"Is that a fact?" Nabiki smiled as she turned around then touched him with an index finger.

"WHOOOAH!!!" Ranma cried out, followed by a splash as he landed in the running water of the storm drain.

"Better work some more on your balance, Ranma-kun," Nabiki called down at him with clinical detachment.

"That's just great!" Akane snarled, "Now he has to change into some dry clothing before we get to school. We're going to be late because of that Baka!"

"My fault, I guess," Nabiki shrugged, "But I just couldn't help doing that. Good thing for him he doesn't have a Jusenkyo curse."

"Har-har!" replied a soggy-wet Ranma from down below her, "You think it's so funny, why not come down here with me?"

"No thanks," Nabiki replied, "I'm registered as a girl, remember? Wouldn't do to look like a boy on my first day…I'd have trouble getting dates."

"Not with the other girls in school you wouldn't," Ranma snarled as he got back onto dry ground, then climbed up the fence to land beside them, wringing his shirt out as he did so.

"What's so great about getting dates?" Akane wondered with a shrug.

"You're kidding, right?" Nabiki looked at her younger sister in surprise, "You must have a lot of boys after you…'

"Hah!" Ranma snorted, "If you only knew…!"

"Shut up, Ranma!" Akane snapped at him.

"Yeah, right," Ranma sniffed as he picked up his school bag, which he had dropped by good fortunate before falling over the fence. His shoes made a sort of squishing sound as he resumed his walk, being sure to put as much distance as he could between himself and Nabiki.

In spite of the considerable amusement she had just derived out of deflating Ranma's ego, she felt a certain guilty sense of having wronged him, so Nabiki tried to be coy as she said, "You must have a lot of girls asking you out on dates, Ranma-kun."

"A few," he said tersely, then sighed, his expression as forlorn as he was soggy.

"He only has eyes for one girl who won't give him the time of day," Akane snorted, "She's one of my best friends, but she goes to another school, a private all-girl school named Saint Hebereke."

"Kodachi," Ranma sighed, then caught himself and said, "I wasn't thinking of her! I was just…um…thinking about what I learned from Otosan."

"There's a lot you can learn about Martial Arts from your father, Ranma-kun," Nabiki replied, but silently added to herself that there were a lot of things both male Saotomes could learn on the subject of women. Despite his protests, Ranma looked pretty forlorn at the mention of this Kodachi person. She was surprised that Akane did not voice a louder protest at having her best friend for a rival. Definitely not a good sign, yet for some reason Nabiki felt mildly irritated, and not just because of the slight to her sister.

Akane signaled a detour, and they stopped by a local clinic where a curious fellow with horn rim glasses and long brown hair showed them inside, rather attractive looking and clearly in his early thirties. Akane started to act very girlish for some reason, explaining how Ranma had gotten wet on the way to school and asking politely if the Doctor would allow him to dry off inside his office.

"Certainly," said the man who was introduced as Doctor Tofu Ono, then when she was introduced to him he smiled and said, "So you're Tendo Nabiki, heh? I've heard you were abroad on some kind of training mission?"

"With Uncle Saotome, Ranma's father," Nabiki nodded as Ranma disappeared into the Doctor's office, "He's raised me for the past ten years, but now I'm home again to try and get my life back to whatever passes for normal around here."

"Well, well," Tofu studied her more carefully, then said, "You've been to China?"

She said a few words in Mandarin, which caused him to smile and reply in the same language. Akane began to look crossly at her, so Nabiki switched back to Japanese and said, "I've spent a few months on the mainland learning my way from one place to the other. I just got back the other day, but I'm surprised you knew that."

"Just a lucky guess," he said, "But your clothing was a giveaway. It's not a typical School uniform."

"Ah," Nabiki said, "Guess I'm not quite that typical just yet. Haven't had time to get a uniform in my size, but I'll probably be wearing it as soon as it's issued."

Ranma suddenly appeared again with a towel in hand, rubbing it vigorously through his hair as he said, "Well, I'm done, so let's get going.'

"But you're still soaking wet, Ranma," Akane protested.

"I'll dry off on the way to school," Ranma insisted matter-of-factly, "But we'd better get going if we're going to make the last minute rush."

"Why bother," Akane said in exasperation as they said their good-byes to Doctor Tofu, then hurried on their way, Nabiki following them since she did not as yet know her way to the school grounds.

"What a nice man," Nabiki mused matter-of-factly, then saw Akane tense once again and said, "What did I say now?"

"Not your fault, Nabiki-san," Ranma snorted, "Akane's just got this thing about Doctor Tofu…"

"Shut up, Ranma!" Akane snapped.

"Oh," Nabiki said nonchalantly, "You mean like a schoolgirl crush?"

"I…" Akane's anger faded out, causing her to sigh, "I guess maybe it seems like it…but he doesn't even notice me. He only seems to notice…somebody else he's hung up about."

"What's his problem, then?" Nabiki asked, "Doesn't he like school girls?"

"He's not that kind of guy!" Akane protested.

"Don't mind her, Nabiki-san," Ranma continued to say in a tone that sounded calculated to rile Akane, "She just hates boys her own age. I guess an older man is what she's after.'

"Why should I like boys?" Akane growled, "You're such a fine example…"

"At least I don't have to fight off my own dates," Ranma retorted.

"And whose fault is that?" Akane's temper seemed to be deteriorating badly, "If you'd only help by getting Kuno to lay off…"

"There's nothing I can do about it," Ranma protested, "He's got this major crush on you…"

"Well, I don't want him!" Akane snarled, quickening her pace as they got nearer to a building that Nabiki recognized as a local High School that had a placard that read "Furinkan High School."

"Is there something I should know here?" Nabiki asked, feeling suddenly uneasy for no definable reason.

"Well, yeah," Ranma said with a shrug, "It's kind of complicated…"

"What's complicated?" Akane growled in a feral snarl as she tossed her book bag back towards Ranma, who caught it one-handed as if from considerable practice, "I--HATE--BOYS!!!!"

As though on cue the schoolyard was suddenly filled by an army of students all dressed up in athletic gear. They charged right at Akane as she set foot on the school grounds, while Akane continued on a direct heading their way, running flat out as Nabiki and Ranma fell behind, the former with her mouth hanging open.

Before she could ask what the heck was going on, Akane was laying out her attackers with savage blows that contained a lot of power and anger. Akane demolished her assailants one or two at a time with well-placed kicks and punches that sent more than forty boys sprawling, some looking injured, others flat out unconscious. Nabiki started to rush to her sister's aid when Ranma restrained her with a hand to her forearm.

Very calmly he said, "Don't worry about it. She goes through this every morning, so its not like she's in any real danger."

In spite of her well-earned reputation as an Ice Queen in ports as remote as Canton, Nabiki looked at Ranma, totally appalled by his seeming indifference to the welfare of her sister. Then she turned and saw the last of Akane's attackers go down and realized at once that Ranma was speaking from experience. The attackers had been very clumsy, which meant that Akane was never in any real danger.

Never the less, she could not keep her emotions entirely in check as she said, "Every morning?"

Then something went speeding through the air at Akane, who reflexively caught the object, groaning audibly as she held up the single rose before turning to say, "Don't you ever get tired of this, Kuno?"

Nabiki sensed before she saw the new arrival, a tall, good-looking man of about her age, only dressed in a Kendo outfit, complete with bokken.

"Tendo Akane-chan," the young man said with grand flourish, "Such an unexpected pleasure to see you here yet again, as fragrant as the wondrous flower you are holding."

Akane crushed the rose in one hand then said, "Don't know why you'd be surprised, Kuno. After all, we go through this every day!"

"Alas, but thy beauty grows more exceedingly wondrous every morning that I behold you," Kuno replied, "Nay, it is like meeting you for the first time, which makes my warrior's heart beat quicker with desire…"

"Oh, give me a break!" Nabiki snorted, "Is this guy for real?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Ranma sighed, "But he's a friend of mine, so give him a few points if you can look past his poetry obsession."

Nabiki had thought the young man quite handsome, even intriguing, but the fact that he was hitting upon her sister--who quite obviously did not appreciate the attention--disgusted her in a way that was not characteristic. In fact, something about this whole situation seemed disturbingly familiar…

Akane took a fighting stance and said, "Let's just cut the poetry for once and get down to it, shall we, Kuno-Sempei? I'm running late this morning and I don't want to stand out in the hall, like last time."

"Alas," said Kuno, extending his bokkem in an expert manner that made Nabiki's combat reflexes go to full alert, "You know that I cannot permit you to pass without at least once challenging you to test my mettle. I will allow you to date me if you…"

"Kuno, right?" Nabiki asked as she slipped away from Ranma and approached the young man with her best imitation of a "normal" schoolgirl, "Is he bothering you, Sis?"

"Stay out of this, Oneechan," replied Akane without taking her eyes off Kuno.

"Oneechan?" Kuno repeated as he looked to the new stranger with a curious expression, "Who are you?"

"I'm Tendo Nabiki," Nabiki smiled in a disarming fashion, "Akane-chan's older sister."

"Tendo Nabiki?" the young man repeated, as if trying to make the connection, "I had thought your only other sibling was Tendo Kasumi, fair Akane."

"Nabiki's been away for ten years training with my Uncle Saotome," Akane explained, "She just arrived here yesterday. Now would you let me pass so I can walk with her to her Home room."

"Perhaps that honor should fall to me," Kuno said as he extended his bokkem towards Nabiki, but not in a threatening fashion, "I am Kuno Tatawaki, Senior Classman and Captain of the Furinkan Kendo club, Blue Thunder and Avenger of the Heavens!"

He struck a heroic posture, and suddenly there was a rumble in the sky. Nabiki did not dare to look up but she tensed inwardly from reflex, then forced herself to smile and bat her eyes as she said, "Are you offering to walk me to my homeroom?"

"A fair rose such as yourself can hardly go unsheltered from the roughians who unfortunately populate our fair school," he said, turning back towards Akane as he added, "But first Honor demands that I contend for the privilege of dating with your sister…"

"Really?" Nabiki asked, and suddenly she snatched his bokken out of his grasp while pivoting to plant a kick that knocked him five meters, sending him sprawling on his backside. Ranma winced in sympathy, though neither Tendo sister caught his reaction.

"That's too bad," Nabiki smiled as she turned away, resting the bokken against one shoulder, "You're kind of cute. Let me know when you're ready to date women your own age, Sempei."

Akane just looked at her, then at Kuno, then turned and caught up with her sister, who only paused long enough by the door to slip the bokken into a rack normally reserved for umbrellas.

All around her there were muted whispers, which Nabiki caught as she passed unwary gossipers. The general tone conveyed that she had just done something they considered exceptional. She smiled inwardly at that. Maybe this place had some interesting potential for a betting pool. Something else she would have to look into.

"Oneechan," Akane hesitantly murmured as they continued down the hallway, "It's not that I mind you trying to look out for me, but I wish you hadn't done that."

"Hey," Nabiki smiled, "I just wanted to meet him. Like I said, he's kind of cute."

"He's a rich, obnoxious, thick-witted jerk is what he is!" Akane snorted, "He's been after me since the beginning of the semester! It's his stupid idea that causes me to get challenged like that every morning!"

"Excuse me?" Nabiki blinked. Her mind had stopped following Akane's diatribe once the words "he's rich" had been uttered, "What does he have to do with your fight?"

"It's a long story," Akane sighed, "I'll explain it when we have more time. I just wanted to warn you that Kuno's going to be after you for this. He's got an ego the size of this building…'

"Oh really?" Nabiki smiled, already sensing market potential…

Ranma waited until the girls were out of sight before approaching Kuno, kneeling down and murmuring, "I have to say it, Tatawaki, old buddy, that was a pretty pathetic performance."

"Who was that beauteous woman?" Kuno murmured without attempting to rise from where he was still sprawling, then answered his own question, "Tendo Nabiki…so rare a flower can only grow from the same root source as her equally fair sister."

Normally Ranma would have taken great amusement in seeing his best friend once more smitten by the love bug, but for some reason--this time--Kuno's comment left him feeling oddly agitated, "Well, you might as well forget her. She's way out of your league, trust me on that…"

"Out of my league?" Kuno snorted with indignation, "Surely you must jest, Saotome-kun! I am the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! No woman can resist my charms! I will make my suit to the fair Nabiki at my earliest opportunity…"

"Ah," Ranma wondered why he suddenly felt like punching Kuno, "Like I said, that's not a good idea. My father's been training her in the Martial Arts for ten years, and I have to say that she's pretty good…"

"Maybe to a peasant such as yourself, Saotome," Kuno scoffed, "But I shall make it my mission to win her to my side! Mark me well, Ranma-kun, I will win the fair Nabiki's hand or die trying!"

"You mean you're giving up on Akane?" Ranma was more appalled than he dared to admit. This was definitely not going the way he wanted…

"Akane," a pained expression crossed Kuno's face, "I cannot forgo the pleasure of her company, having fought so hard to win her to me. Oh, alas! I must have both of them or the humiliation will be my end!"

Unaware of just how near his end would be if Ranma had not worked on gaining self-control, he continued to rant, oblivious of Ranma's slowly darkening expression. At last Ranma could stand no more and said, "You can't have both of them, you idiot! Akane would kick your ass just for suggesting she share you with her sister!"

As usual, Kuno did not understand what Ranma was trying to tell him, but he did know insubordination when he heard it and scowled, "What brings this on, Saotome? Surely you have not come to your senses and relented of your intentions to end your relationship with fair Akane?"

"What?" Ranma blinked, then said, "That isn't it! I--arrrgh! You can be so thick sometimes!"

"Love clouds my senses," Kuno said as he slowly rose to his feet, then looked around, finding his wooden sword was no where in sight. He squared his shoulders then said, "Come, it is almost time for class, and it would do neither of us proudly to be sent to detention."

"I'll agree on that point," Ranma growled, beginning to wonder why he ever put up with a major-class jerk such as Kuno…

Nabiki saw Kuno arrive at their homeroom but briefly, as the besotted fool made a fuss trying to pass notes to her and got sent into the hallway. By that time lunch came around, she already devised a plan she wanted to set into motion, so she smiled rather than tense up at his approach, while Akane scowled and looked ready to leave the area.

Ranma had a sullen look about his eyes when he glanced at the boy who was reputedly his best friend, and Nabiki wondered what could be the matter there. She kept her attention focused mainly on Kuno, however, who was holding a bouquet of roses that he must have gotten from somewhere. When he came up to their table he extended this to both herself and Akane.

"What do you want, Kuno?" Akane growled her displeasure.

"Forgive this intrusion, fair ones," Kuno replied suavely, "But time is fleeting and I wished to spare none of it in extending my warmest courtesies to you both. I most especially wish to greet you, fair Tendo Nabiki, and welcome you to Furinkan High, being class President and therefore the only man fit enough to meet you as an equal."

"Really?" Nabiki purred, "That's very nice of you, Sempei. I've been receiving a lot of warm greetings from the other students today. They seem to think I did something rather noteworthy."

"I cannot imagine what it may be," Kuno replied, "But I am certain it was of quality worthy of such a beautiful lady as yourself. Allow me the honor of asking you to date me."

Ranma had been on the verge of exploding, but Nabiki's reply took him totally by surprise, "Sure thing, Kuno-chan. I haven't had time for socializing as yet, but it's nice for a girl to waste as little time as possible getting to know her fellow classmates."

Ranma's jaw nearly hit the table, which was even truer of Akane, who was looking at Nabiki as though she had taken leave of her senses. Both looked in dismay at the casual display of affection they saw written on Nabiki's face. Of course, had either of them known her any better they might have instantly developed an acute case of sympathy…for Kuno Tatawaki!

Nabiki had just finished off the delicious lunch that Kasumi had packed for her (both Ranma and Akane had been astonished at the speed with which she had wolfed down the excellent fare, but neither one of them had spent as much time as she had fighting over scraps with Genma), so she set it down and rose to her feet, still smiling, "Matter of fact, I was wondering if you could show me around for a bit? I need to learn my way around, after all, it is a such a large building, and I might get lost here.."

"A-are you feeling okay, Oneechan?" Akane asked her in a very tiny voice.

"Never felt better," Nabiki said as she came up beside Kuno and took the arm he extended to her, "I'll check back with both of you later. Right now Kuno and me have a little business to discuss."

Ranma and Akane continued to stare as the much-bemused Kuno found himself being led by the arm by the woman he had just met. Then Akane started, for Ranma had just crushed the remains of his box lunch in both hands and murmured something darkly about the probable ancestry of the Kuno family.

She wondered, oddly, if that was a good sign, or did this mean real trouble brewing in the very near future…?

"And here we have the baseball diamond," Kuno was explaining a short time later as they walked side-by-side across the school grounds. Nabiki was not really paying much attention to his flowery explanations, but she was studying the man himself, trying to discern his likes and dislikes, his strengths and weaknesses. It was an interesting study and it helped support a budding suspicion she had developed concerning Kuno's unusual behavior.

For one thing, Kuno was quick to mention his family in a general sense, but when she asked any personal question concerning other members of his house, he quickly changed the subject. He was very good at promoting what he imagined to be his own strong points, but she sensed that there was greater insecurity there than he was letting on, as if it were as much an act for himself as it was to promote himself above the level of his fellow classmates.

Nabiki was trying to determine if his problems were related to upbringing, or did he simply enjoy living in his own personal fantasies where he was a noble Samurai living out the heroic reputation of his ancient forebears. He did have some pride underneath his pompous self-deceit, but it seemed more like a defensive cocoon he used to keep the world itself at bay, which went a long way towards explaining how he could justify laying an ambush for Akane as some twisted idea of winning her affections.

In truth, there were aspects about Kuno that fairly disgusted her, but on the whole, she sensed that he was not truly a bad person. She had known a lot of people in her time who had emotional disorders and serious cases of dementia, and compared with many of these Kuno was an isle of sanity. At least he was functional, and he did get good grades in his studies.

Of course, the woman who would actually claim the jerk would have to have nerves of steel and a stomach to match it. Nabiki knew just enough psychology to understand something about his mental workings, enough to know how much work it would take to get him over his obsessions. That was more of an investment than she was quite ready for at the present. She decided that she would lead him on for a while and milk a semi-relationship for as much commercial potential as she could manage, then she would dump him hard and make certain he forgot all about her. It was a reasonable enough strategy, one she had employed in the past, and she had no doubt that it would be effective.

Unfortunately, she had failed to take into account one factor, which sprang to life with a suddenness that even her skills at evasion could not protect her against. Without warning, the sprinkler system came on line as an automatic timer somewhere decided that this was just the right moment to keep the baseball diamond green.

Kuno sputtered and complained bitterly about the poor peasants they employed as janitors for the school when he turned around and found a stranger standing beside him. Tendo Nabiki was no where to be seen, but this stranger bore an odd likeness to her, which made Kuno frown as though trying to figure something out. As was typical for him, he made an incorrect assumption.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Tendo Nabiki!"

Nabiki had been cursing herself for failing to consider the possibility of getting wet without warning. Great, she thought to herself, another lucrative opportunity spoiled by the muse of Fate! She had turned towards Kuno expecting the same reaction that she had gotten the last time when she almost had a guy snared, but she was totally unprepared for the evident hostility of Kuno's tone, so she gasped out the word, "Nani?"

"Bounder!" Kuno took a half step back and reached behind his head, pulling out his bokken from wherever it had been hidden and used it to threaten the masculine Nabiki, "Cad! Tell me at once what you have done with my lady love or I shall thrash you senseless!"

"Ah…" Nabiki hesitated, not quite able to believe the extent of Kuno's dementia. She tentatively said, "I'm…a friend of hers. Actually, more like a cousin. My name is Kaneda."

She had drawn the first name that popped into her head, which somehow felt right for some reason, and it worked like a charm as Kuno swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker, "Kaneda? Of what family name are you?"

"Tendo," she replied, "Like I said…I'm Nabiki's cousin."

"Then tell me, Tendo Kaneda, what became of your fair cousin?" Kuno asked sternly.

"She, um, had to go inside rather sudden-like," Nabiki thought quickly, "She needed to dry off…"

"Without a word to me?" Kuno frowned, "That is most suspicious. You would not, by chance, be attempting to hide her from me?"

"Why would I do a thing like that?" Nabiki wondered.

"Why indeed?" Kuno's frown deepened as he leveled his bokken to just under Nabiki's chin, "Very well, I will accept your explanation for now, but should I learn that you have attempted to deceive me, my vengeance will be terrible to behold! You had best stay out of my way until I know what has become of my sweet flower."

"Sure," Nabiki said, "Whatever," then she watched Kuno strut away, head held high with a look as stern as the Samurai he fancied himself to be. She let out a massive sigh at the last the said, "Just great…like I need this?"

She privately wondered if Ranma or Akane ever had days such as this, but she doubted it sincerely…

Continued

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