Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Switching Iinazuke... ( Chapter 4 )

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.

The sound of a harsh scream shattered the quiet of the Tendo Dojo, just before Saotome Ranma set about the task of taking perfectly good building materials and reducing them to their constituent components.

Ranma effortlessly shattered ten cinderblocks with a single blow of his hand, then calmly scraped the remains off the hard calluses of his skin as he considered going for a new record of eleven. The way he was feeling at the moment, he wouldn't even mind using his head to try for an even dozen. Akane often said his head was hard enough to break boulders, so maybe he should try it?

He cast around the dojo, looking for new release, surveying the other remains of his previous victims, and instead found Nabiki standing a short distance away eyeing him in a speculative manner.

"What do you want?" he asked, more harshly than he meant to.

Nabiki actually blinked as she registered the anger in his tone, then said, "Cool your heels, Saotome. I just wanted to know what you were up to is all. Sure seems like a lot of destruction in here, or is this just the way you feel like venting your tensions?"

"What do you care?" Ranma asked, then relented somewhat as he realized how coarse he was behaving. He tried again, but found himself typically saying the first thing that came into his mind, "What was that business between you and Kuno? Don't tell me you actually fell for that line of bull he was feeding?"

"Is that what's bothering you?" Nabiki almost laughed, but the experience was still an unpleasant subject for her, so she just idly shrugged it off and said, "He's a client, nothing more than that. I thought I'd sound him out to find out what makes him act the way he does around Akane. It was convenient that he seems to have gotten some notions about me, but that doesn't mean I'm going steady or anything like that."

"Oh?" Ranma asked, trying not to sound like he cared too much about her answer.

"Relax, Ranma-kun," Nabiki nodded in her best reassuring manner, "I'm not going to take your friend to the cleaners, unless he gives me too hard a time. I just wanted to know more about him. Hey, can I help if I've got a thing for rich, eligible bachelors?"

The word rich brought a scowl to Ranma's face, but he turned away rather than show how much it upset him and said, "Well, you could have asked me to introduce you two. I go by his house all the time, and I can visit whenever he lets me."

"Oh, really?" Nabiki was suddenly at his side as though she had willed the distance between them to vanish, "So good of you to offer, Ranma! When do you plan on next stopping by?"

"I…uh…" Ranma found himself unprepared for this sudden change in direction. That was his basic problem in dealing with Nabiki: she was too mercurial. He had trouble figuring her out, let alone predicting her behavior.

"You know," she leaned forward, giving him a rather coy look that was almost flirtatious, "You're not really that bad a guy, you know. Fact is, I think you're really kind of nice, offering to help me out like this when you barely even know me."

"I, um…" Ranma faltered, his mind seizing up as he tried to figure out just what she was trying to tell him.

"Come on," she said as she patted him on the arm, "Let's spar. That should help you loosen up those tensions. Then we can talk about our visit to the Kuno place, and you can look up your girlfriend, Kodachi."

"K-Kodachi?" Ranma had almost forgotten Kuno's beautiful sister. The sight of long black hair and a trim athletic form in a green leotard danced across his mind before he was snapped back to reality as he saw Nabiki begin to limber up in preparation for some sparring.

"Ah," he finally got his mind back in working order, "You sure you want to do this? I mean, didn't we do enough this morning?"

"Are you kidding?" Nabiki chuckled, "Don't let Uncle hear you say that or we'll both be on the floor doing finger pushups! We only fought for a few minutes, tops, barely enough for a warming-up exercise. I need to stay in top form if I'm to put my talents to get use."

"Are you planning on fighting someone else?" Ranma asked in deepening confusion.

"Tatawaki," she answered, then sighed as she said, "He ran into my male half and I think he got some pretty funny ideas. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I think I'd better be ready just in case he challenges me the next time he see me."

"You mean he knows you turn into a…?" Ranma started to say, then saw her shake her head negatively.

"Nope," she said emphatically, "I told him I was a cousin named Tendo Kaneda. The surprising thing is…he bought it."

Ranma could not suppress the chuckle that escaped him, "Yeah that's Tatawaki all right! I don't think he could handle the idea of you changing into a guy, so he'd probably invent some reason not to believe it. He's done stuff like this before, you know, like the way he twists all the fights he's had with Akane into some pervert idea of a love match."

"He sounds like a real wacko," Nabiki said, "How did you ever meet him?"

"Long story," Ranma said as he watched her continue to stretch out, finding the sight a lot more interesting than breaking bricks with his forehead, "Actually the thing you've gotta know is that the Kuno family isn't really the great success story they'd like everyone to believe. Sure his dad made a lot of money before he disappeared six years ago, and he left it all in trust to Taichi and Kodachi. They've got guardians who see to their every need, and a staff of faithful retainers, including one guy who thinks he's some kind of Ninja, and yeah their monthly allowance is bigger than the budget for the city council, but even with all of that those two aren't really all that happy."

"They're not?" Nabiki asked with some surprise. In her mind being rich was part of the formulae for being happy. To be rich and unhappy was, for her, a contradiction.

"No way," Ranma sighed, "Which is why I don't exactly envy Kuno for his millions. You see…their mother committed suicide when they were ten and eleven. It's affected them both pretty badly."

Nabiki stopped flexing her legs over the level of her chin and turned to look at Ranma with an appalled expression.

"That's…that's terrible," she said sincerely, several theories falling neatly into place.

"From what I've been able to figure out," Ranma continued, "She wasn't really all that nice a person. She taught Kodachi gymnastics with the intent of making her Olympic level, but she was too much of a perfectionist and when 'Dachi didn't do things as good as she was supposed to she'd…um…get punished pretty bad. Their father was never around to look after them, and I think that's partly why her mind snapped. Anyway, we met the Kunos when we were visiting Mrs. Tendo's grave. Their mother was being buried when Akane stumbled by and got into trouble. She and Kodachi were starting to argue when I got involved, and somehow I wound up getting into a fight with Kuno. I won, naturally," he added matter-of-factly.

"And that's how you both became friends?" Nabiki asked him.

"Well, Kuno respects strength, just as long as it makes him look good and noble," Ranma explained, "I think he does the Samurai bit because he wants to believe in something shiny and noble about the Bushido code his mother lived and died with. He gets these funny ideas, but so far he's never really hurt anybody, and I do what I can to keep him out of trouble."

"Sounds like he needs a friend like you," Nabiki said, "What about Kodachi?"

"Kodachi…" Ranma sighed, looking away, "I wish I could figure her out. She's actually kind of nice in some ways, but she's so aloof and hard to handle. I don't know how Akane manages to get through to her, some girl-thing, I guess. All I know is that she's so pretty, but she won't even look at me without calling me a peasant."

"And you just fall all over her when she does it, right?" Nabiki smiled, as if it were not even a question.

Ranma wanted very much to know how she had figured that out, but was too annoyed to ask her, "Well, 'Dachi has her share of faults, I'll admit. For one thing she's very sneaky, and for another thing she can be very cruel to people who cross her. Sometimes I don't think she's all that different from Kuno, and other times they're like day and night. At least Kuno believes in behaving honorably, even when he doesn't always fight fair, like with guys who are weaker than him. Kodachi is a notorious cheater, always playing cruel jokes on other girls she competes with in Rhythmic Gymnastics. She never did make the Olympic team…they disqualified her for using some special roses coated with drugs. She's a very good chemist and knows a lot of things about herbal medicine…"

"Think I'll keep that in mind," Nabiki nodded, "You never know when you might need somebody who's good with drugs. I take it she isn't an addict?"

"Never touches the illegal stuff," Ranma assured her, "Her style is more like Paralysis than hallucination. She's never actually hurt anybody too bad, but I think that's mostly because Akane tries to keep her out of trouble. Akane even saved her life, once, when there was a fire in her laboratory that did a lot of damage to her greenhouse."

"What did Akane do?" Nabiki wondered.

"Carried her to safety when 'Dachi got hit with one of her own agents," Ranma explain, "The doctors think she might have suffered permanent brain damage if Akane hadn't gotten to her in time."

"Sounds like Sis is a budding hero," Nabiki smiled, then assumed a fighting crouch, "Let's spar. I'm feeling the urge to test my limits."

"Oh?" Ranma asked, trying not to sound as worried as he felt, "Lucky me."

"Hey," Nabiki grinned, "Look at it as a compliment. You've given me the best workout I've had in a long while, not counting your father. Why, in no time at all I'll bet you'll be giving me instructions."

Ranma had the vague suspicion that he was being buttered up, but in spite of this his ego was massaged, so he just smiled back and said, "Okay, but this time I'll try and pretend you're not a girl."

"Gee, thanks," Nabiki snorted.

"Um," Ranma wondered how to best say what came to mind right then, but in true Ranma fashion he just blurted out, "I mean, it's hard not to think of you as a girl…I mean…you do look like one…a lot…I just…well…you're not exactly fragile…"

"Why, Saotome Ranma," Nabiki smiled sweetly, "Is that a compliment you're trying to pay me? To what do I owe this pleasure, or do you always hit on your fiancée's sister?"

"I…" Ranma started to protest when he discovered too late that he had again been suckered. Instead of concentrating on her movements he had let himself be distracted by his emotions, and he paid for that mistake by landing flat on his rump, having had both legs kicked out from under him before he could even notice.

"Why you…" he lunged to his feet, now intending to wipe that smug look off her face. For no reason he could determine he found himself grinning like an idiot, then attacked her in earnest…

"I don't know, Saotome-kun," Soun said gravely as they both concentrated on their game of Shogi, "At the time it seemed like such a good idea, but…"

"I see," Saotome replied, studying his pieces without seeming to notice as Soun palmed one to even up the balance.

"I mean," Soun continued as though nothing had happened, "Who could know it would turn out this way? They are both the same age, have many of the same interests, and most of the time seem agreeable to each other. It is just…" he let his voice trail off.

"I understand, Tendo-kun," Genma studied the Shogi board without hardly seeming to notice that he was losing at the moment, "I saw it the first night I was here. There is no spark, no life, just mutual antagonism."

Soun heaved a fatherly sigh, "It has been like this for a very long while between them. It's like they are actively opposing the marriage…"

"Couples can disagree and still be joined in happiness," Genma said solemnly, "My own marriage is ample testament to--WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT??"

"Eh?" Soun turned to look in the direction is friend was pointing but saw nothing. By the time he looked back, something had changed on the Shogi board, and Soun discovered that he was now missing a few pieces.

"Must have been my imagination," Genma mumbled evasively, "As I was saying, a couple can argue and fight yet still remain loving and devoted to one another."

"Perhaps so," Soun said grimly, "But you have to admit that it would not be much of a marriage, save a marriage of convenience."

"Very true," Genma sighed, looking down in a thoughtful manner.

"Things cannot continue as they are," Soun said gravely, "Akane and Ranma may defy us only so far, but if a father neglects taking into consideration the emotional needs of his child--Ah Megisama! Is that a UFO I see?"

"Where?" Genma turned around, then paused a moment before saying, "It's only a flock of birds, Tendo-kun. Are you sure you are not the one who needs glasses?"

"Perhaps you are right," Tendo said, sitting as placidly as the Buddha while Genma studied the board in front of him with a look of dawning suspicion.

"Come back here!" they heard Ranma cry, sounding either excited or very angry.

"Make me!" Nabiki teased, vaulting into a tree as Ranma ran smack into the trunk, then she alighted behind him with a knowing smirk that somehow speeded his recovery.

"They get along very well," Tendo mused speculatively, neither one paying attention to the Shogi board, while their hands deftly rearranged the pieces.

"They do indeed," Genma remarked, his thoughtful tone resolving into a firmer reply, "Tendo-kun…"

"Hai?" Soun said as if anticipating his friend's next statement.

"Is it possible that we might have been in error thinking that it was your youngest daughter that my only son should marry?"

Tendo took only a moment before replying, "No one is perfect."

"Very true," Genma nodded sagely, his glasses gleaming as he added, "Then you must know what we should do to resolve this."

Tendo nodded his head once, then squared his shoulders, "Hai. I will speak to them at dinner."

"Good," Genma agreed, "I will go talk to Nodoka…"

Dinnertime at the Tendo House was usually a warm and cheerful occasion when the family got together to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by the culinary team of Kasumi and Nodoka. This night was no exception, except that the two new parties at the table seemed to come with appetites far in excess of anything anticipated.

Ranma and Akane just stared in disbelief at the speed with which Genma and Nabiki devoured their portions, then politely asked for seconds. Nodoka herself raised both eyebrows when she caught Genma trying to steal some food from Nabiki, but before she could say anything in protest, she saw Nabiki snatch back an even greater portion. Rice disappeared as though it were evaporating out of their bowls, the two competing bottomless pits pausing only long enough to wash it down with mouthfuls of hot tea, which they scarfed as though their mouths were heavily insulated.

It was Nabiki who first noticed the silent looks being fixed her way. A strong student of observation, she realized at once that her behavior was both shocking and irregular, so she paused in mid bite, washed it down with a single swallow of hot beverage, then looked innocently at them and asked, "What? Is there something wrong with my table manners?"

"Ah…Oneechan?" Akane hesitated.

"It is good that you have such a healthy appetite, Nabiki-chan," said Kasumi pleasantly as she came back into the room holding a pitcher of ice-cold water, which she carefully set down on the table, "If you and Ojisama are this hungry from your work outs, then perhaps next time we can cook you extra portions."

"Oh, very good," Genma smiled broadly, "You are such a nice girl, Kasumi-chan. Some day you will make some lucky man an excellent wife."

Kasumi colored brightly as she smiled while pouring herself a glass, "That is a very nice thing for you to say, Ojisama, but I am in no great hurry to leave this house…oops!"

She seemed to stumble as she started to get up, and the contents of her glass splashed a startled Nabiki, who had not been prepared to suddenly transform into a man at the dinner table.

"Oh, I am so clumsy!" Kasumi declared as she reached for a napkin, "Can you ever forgive me, Nabiki-chan? Let me help to dry you off…"

"Ah, no problem, Sis, you don't have to…" Nabiki sputtered, completely off her guard, but Kasumi gently persisted in her endeavor, and Nabiki could think of no polite way to dissuade her, so she instead endured a few moments of her older sister's attention.

But there was something about this situation that was…very disturbing. Kasumi seemed to linger a bit too long where she dabbed her napkin, and her hand was trembling slightly, causing Nabiki to blink as she thought to herself: What the Hell…?

Ranma was also watching her in a way that was disturbing, only without any warning on his part the sound of his chopsticks snapping in two reverberated into the sudden silence all around them.

Akane herself was sitting with very round eyes, her expression almost comical as she watched one of her sisters fawn over the other. Fortunately, Kasumi only kept this up for a few moments before getting up and retreating back into the Kitchen.

"I am going to have to have a private chat with that girl," Nodoka sighed as everyone sat around looking stunned for another minute.

"Ah," Genma managed to come out of his daze, turning to Nabiki with his best fatherly tone and asked, "So, Nabiki-chan, I noticed you and Ranma were sparring after school."

All of Nabiki's warning senses came on full alert. She glared back at Genma warily and wondered what the old panda was up to this time.

"Ranma," Genma tried again, having elicited no response from his longtime pupil, "What is your assessment of Nabiki-chan's abilities?"

"Ah," Ranma was caught in the grip of conflicting emotions, but obedience to his elders won out over his normal rebellious instincts and he replied, "Nabiki-chan…" he faltered as he spoke the words, then forced himself to continue, "She is very good, Father. I am very impressed. She is so much better than Akane…"

"NANI?" Akane suddenly snapped at him, "Just what do you mean by that?"

"I just mean she's twice as good as you is all," Ranma innocently protested, "Maybe even better than that…"

"BAKA!" she snarled and upended her rice-bowl on the top of his head, then slammed her palms down on the table with enough force to make it splinter, "I'm not taking any more of that from you--!"

"AKANE!" Tendo Soun's sudden tone caught everyone by surprise, never having heard the man speak with such authority before. So unexpected was this that Akane at once subsided and looked up to her father as though she had just been thoroughly scolded.

"Akane-chan," Genma spoke more evenly, "Tell me the truth: what are your feelings concerning my son, Ranma?"

"N-nani?" Akane blinked, then swallowed as she saw the hard look her father was giving her, so she replied very softly, "I don't love him, if that's what you mean…"

"I thought as much," Genma replied, then he fixed his son with his stare again and said, "Ranma…what are your feelings towards Akane?"

"I-I…" Ranma hesitated, then replied, "I feel the same way. I mean…I don't love Akane-san, and I certainly don't want to marry her…"

"It is all right, my boy," Genma said solemnly, "Tendo-kun and I have been discussing your engagement and we have come to a decision: if you and Akane do not wish to be iinazuke to one another, we will call off your engagement."

Akane and Ranma both visibly sighed, then looked surprised as the implications slowly started to sink in. Not engaged? Certainly they had wanted this for a very long while, but their engagement had gone on for as long as they both could remember. It was like having one of the linchpins of their existence suddenly taken away from them, and neither one knew exactly how or what to feel about that at the moment.

Nabiki, on the other hand, had just gone to DEFCON III as the implications suddenly took shape in her mind. She knew instantly what their parents were going to say next and started to form the words of protest she knew she would have immediately used to talk her way out of this mess under any different set of circumstances.

But…she faltered, hesitating for a crucial minute, her mind suddenly drifting over other thoughts that intruded into her consciousness, memories of her first meeting with Ranma, their several fights, and the way he had smiled at her while chasing her around the garden. She enjoyed seeing him smile like that…it made her feel…special in some indefinable way, so her focus was not entirely centered on the present as she allowed a crucial few seconds to escape her, and by that time her fate had been sealed. She gaped in astonishment, unable to believe that she could be so utterly careless!

With her uncanny ability to instantly recall sights and impressions she had not actually been noticing at the time, she recalled in crisp detail her father saying to them all, "However…Saotome-kun and I have made an inviolable pact to unite our families so that the Anything Goes School can stand with one raised fist against the challenges of the future."

"Tendo-kun and myself will not live forever," Genma agreed with equal solemnity, "When we retire this Dojo must continue with the best and strongest of our heirs to ensure its survival. It is therefore logical that the two best fighters of your generation should unite our Houses to keep our traditions strong that you may pass them along to your children and grandchildren."

"Therefore," Soun said with all the finality of a man pronouncing a death sentence, "We have decided that Ranma-kun will marry my second daughter, Nabiki."

"What?" Ranma gasped as Nabiki returned to the present with a gnawing sensation of futility. Without a word the two of them turned and stared at one another.

"But…but.." Ranma started to protest, "Nabiki's a guy now!"

"That's only temporary," Genma replied, upending the teapot over a shocked Nabiki, who was too slow in her reaction time to dodge the hot liquid.

"Gaaaah!" she screamed, leaping to her feet and kicking the old man out into the garden. She stood for a moment shaking with anger and dismay, regretting bitterly her poor aim as the old man had entirely missed the Koi pond.

"Ranma-kun," Soun was looking towards Ranma with the same solemn tone of before, "Your father wishes this, as do I, but we would not wish you to be offended that we have made this decision for you. It is for the best, you must realize…but if you would truly prefer to remain engaged to my Akane…"

"I…" Ranma swallowed, not wanting to offend the man who had been like a father to him for more than a decade, but this was too much! He got to his feet and said, "I can't believe you two! Don't I have any say in the matter?"

Nabiki turned around, looking at Ranma in shock and confusion.

"I'm--I'm not marrying that…Hentai freak!" Ranma pointed to Nabiki.

"Hentai?" she softly whispered.

"Ranma!" Nodoka scolded, "Do not call Nabiki-chan a Hentai. She is now your iinazuke!"

"I'm not marrying her, or Akane, or anybody else for that matter!" Ranma was all but shouting, "I want to make my own decisions, live my own life, and you can't just tell me who I'm going to marry…"

"It is your duty to obey your father," Nodoka said with even firmness.

"But Mom," Ranma sounded as though he were pleading against the steel in her tone, "She turns into a guy…what do you think I am? Weird or something?"

"BAKA!" Akane was suddenly on her feet, livid with anger, "You can't talk that way about my sister!"

She took a swing at him, but Ranma easily avoided her. Akane was about to take another swing when someone caught her by her wrist, causing her to turn around with a shocked expression.

"It's all right, Akane-chan," Nabiki forced herself to smile, wondering why her throat felt so tight all of a sudden, "I agree with Ranma. If he doesn't want to get married to me, no one should force him."

"Daughter," Soun said reprovingly, but Nabiki gave him a look that chilled him to his marrow.

"You're so big about tradition and responsibility, Daddy," Nabiki said as evenly as she could manage, "But what about your responsibility to me? Didn't you even think once about asking me if I agreed with you or not? I'm your daughter, but you don't own me!"

"Nabiki-chan," Nodoka said softly, "There are some things you can't escape about tradition."

"Don't talk to me about tradition, Auntie," Nabiki looked harder at the woman than she really meant to, "What about your agreement with Uncle to take me away from my family for ten years so that Ranma and Akane could grow up together? See how that turned out? I hope you are both happy."

She let Akane's wrist go, sensing that the threat there was ended, along with Akane's burst of sisterly temper, "Akane-chan…please don't hate me or think I've been trying to take Ranma away from you or anything rude like that. You have to know that I would never do anything to hurt you."

"Oneechan," Akane looked up at her with a tearful expression.

"Ranma-kun," Nabiki forced herself to look at him, finding it difficult to look him in the eyes as she said, "You're off the hook. You don't have to marry me if you don't want to. I wouldn't want to force you to marry a Hentai freak like me, if that's what you're afraid of."

"N-n-nani?" Ranma asked in a very tiny voice, his expression totally blank as though he were just now noticing her existence.

"I-I think I've caused enough trouble for one day," Nabiki said, turning away, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone for a bit…"

She forced herself to walk away slowly when in fact all she wanted to do was to run until she dropped from exhaustion. She would not do that, not betray herself, not give them any idea about the fractured state of her emotions. Nabiki did not like feeling this way, losing self-control and the discipline that she had built up over a lifetime. How could Ranma, in a single day, do this to her? She had to get away, to sort things out, to rebuild the walls of her self-control, to understand just why it hurt so much when he called her a Hentai…

Ranma stood staring after her, unable to get a grip on himself until he felt Soun Tendo's eyes on him, and heard Kasumi's gentle voice murmur,

"What are you waiting for, Ranma? Go after her. You know that you have to."

Ranma turned to look at Kasumi saw something he had never seen before in the eyes of the girl who was so much like his older sister. Somehow Kasumi always seemed to understand a lot more than most people credited, and at this moment, he realized that she was only speaking for his conscience.

"Hai, Kasumi-chan," he said with a quick smile to her, then vaulted over the table, catching up to Nabiki in three long strides and startling her utterly in the process.

"A-Ano," he said simply, not looking at her, his head bowed in tacit apology as he and Nabiki continued on into the garden, neither one of them saying anything for a full minute.

This was not good, Nabiki knew, but somehow his apology--one word at that--had released some of the tightness she was feeling. She forced herself to come to a halt and turned to face him, which compelled Ranma to do likewise. They stared at each other in silence for a very long while, then Nabiki heaved a deep sigh and said, "You don't have to apologize. I understand perfectly well what you must be feeling.'

"Do you?" he asked, and suddenly Nabiki was not so certain. There was an element here that she had never previously encountered, and it was making her feel totally off-balance.

"S-sure," she replied, then silently cursed her own voice for betraying her in that manner, "After all, I've got this stupid curse that makes me…different from other girls…"

"My father did that," Ranma said, "So in a way, I guess I'm also responsible…"

"What?" she blurted, "How the heck do you figure that? You can't be held to account for everything your father has ever done, Ranma...and believe me, you don't want to know just how much that is! If you knew him as well as I do…"

"I know he may have put you to a lot of trouble," Ranma looked down, "But I think I'm envious as hell. It might have been worth it…just to be with him, like you've been."

Nabiki utterly did not know where to go from there. This entire situation was confusing her in ways with which she had no intellectual ability to grapple. Ranma could be so insensitive one minute, so sweet the next, it was driving her to distraction! She forced herself to calm her mind, ignoring the way her heart was racing, and the quickening of her pulse making her feel unlike any Martial Arts duel in which she had ever taken part. She looked at him squarely and saw the honesty and integrity in his eyes. That was when the alarm bells really began to sound in her, for these were two qualities with which she had the least experience, so she simply did not know what to say. How could she deal with this boy when she could not even get a handle on her own emotions?

"Look," Ranma tried again, unable to read her silence, "I'm sorry I called you a freak…and a Hentai. It was thoughtless and cruel of me. I know it's not your fault you can change. I just…have this problem saying stuff that I don't mean when I get angry…"

"I think you meant it," Nabiki said as evenly as she could, "The fact that I change really must upset you."

"Ah…yeah," Ranma replied, "Only…it's not so bad as all that."

"What do you mean?" she blinked.

"It's just…" Ranma faltered, then he leaned closer to her and whispered, "Don't tell anybody I ever said this, especially not Akane? Do you promise?"

At any other time Nabiki might have negotiated for terms in her favor, but now she very much wanted to know what he was going to say, so she reluctantly said, "I promise."

"It's…just…" he faltered again, then in barely audible words said, "…You're kind of cute when you're a guy…at least as guys go."

Nabiki staggered a half-second and looked at him in surprise. Ranma thought he knew what she was about to say and hastily protested, "I'm…I'm not like that! I'm not that way! Really! I like girls! I mean, I like them a lot…like…you…you…you…" he swallowed, then forced himself to say the next words with greater effort than she could imagine, "I think you're really kind of pretty…"

Nabiki was not entirely certain if it was the world that was spinning all around her, or if she were suddenly coming down with something. She had never really been sick a day in her life, so she decided that maybe she was suffering from an allergy, either that or maybe the food was bad, but whatever the cause she was having trouble maintaining her balance.

"Easy, are you okay?" Ranma asked as he reflexively caught her.

"I'm fine!" Nabiki instantly replied, her head clearing with a suddenness that made her brief dizzy spell seem like an ephemeral dream, "I'm just fine…thank you."

"Okay," he said, but for some reason he did not release his hold on her, as though he was reluctant to break contact.

"R-Ranma?" Nabiki asked, then hesitated.

"H-Hai?' he replied, now his voice was shaking.

"I…I just want to say…" Nabiki tried to summon up the words, unable to believe that she could be so tongue-tied at this one instant. What's the matter with me? She frantically asked herself. Words have never been a problem in the past! Just take a deep breath and get it out, girl, and then get some control over this crazy situation.

"I just wanted to…to…" Nabiki took another deep breath. This was not working. She had never felt so out of control as she felt at that moment. This was worse than when she got cursed, or when she stumbled into that stupid Amazon village and…

She did not want to think any more about it. She closed her eyes and forced out the words, "I…just want you to know that I…want to be your friend. I hope you'll like me, even if we're…engaged…is that all right?"

It had not been what she had wanted to say, but it was much easier to speak this way, and he seemed to relax and accept that.

"Sure," Ranma smiled back at her with as much relief as sincerity, "I'll be your friend…even if you are my…iinazuke."

"Deal," Nabiki took his hand and shook it, as she would with any business prospect.

"Wonderful news!" Genma cried as he suddenly popped up beside them, laying a paternal hand on either of their shoulders, "I'll tell Tendo-kun at once…"

Without a word, and in silent agreement, both Ranma and Nabiki side-kicked Genma all the way into the Koi pond…

Continued

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