Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Taking Stock of the Family Jewels... ( Chapter 9 )

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.

Nabiki sighed as she looked over the pile of bills, receipts, monthly estimates and a table of estimated earned income that lay piled up on the desk before her. Things were worse than she could even have imagined. The family was earning a lot less than it generally spent, there was the monthly cost for all the bricks and timber that got used up every month in the course of regular practice, and the dojo was in double-mortgage with next month's payment only a few days off, and plenty of threats of immanent closure.

Not that Auntie Nodoka had not tried to manage things in a reasonable fashion, but the cost of daily expenses far outweighed the estimated earning power of what Nodoka brought in from that job she had taken with a local hospital. If Soun Tendo were still running the dojo it would have made sense to keep things running as they had, but it appeared that her father had lost all interest in teaching after the death of her mother. What was the point in having a dojo if you were not going to take in any students?

She stifled that thought, realizing how close she was coming to blaming her father for the family's financial mess. No one else was doing very much to help out, she noted with a bit of resentment, even Kasumi confined her activities to the household. Ranma and Akane just went to school and hung about with their friends, only occasionally getting a summer job now and again when school time permitted, not that the stupid rules concerning students working on their off-time helped very much. Between the food costs and the amount of building materials they destroyed, those two were working the Tendo household into the poor house!

She sighed, reminding herself that these two were just kids and could hardly be blamed for a situation that was clearly the fault of their elders. No one in the family seemed to have much financial sense, except for Kasumi and Nodoka, and between them it was a miracle that the dojo was even here for Nabiki to find again, but this situation clearly demanded someone take a firm hand at controlling the financial rudder. For someone of Nabiki's considerable talents, it ought to be--at worst--a moderate challenge.

Maybe to start with she should offer a loan to her father to cover the cost of the mortgage, her rates being considerably more generous than the local bankers. No, wait! That might mean having to reveal her true net worth, and she was not exactly prepared to explain to Soun and Nodoka just how a seventeen year old girl had managed to come across such a large sum of money, let alone a Swiss Account that was set aside in her name with some false credentials that gave her age as a year or two older. No, better if she just paid the mortgage quietly and not tell anyone about her sources. She'd just concoct some reasonable balance figures to convince Aunt Nodoka that she'd found some extra cash after balancing some figures, then quietly set about getting the whole thing taken care of once she'd convinced her aunt and father to let her handle the family finances.

The more she thought about it, the more certain she was that they would have to reopen the dojo. It ought not to be too much of a problem finding students in Nerima, what with the reputation she and Ranma were gaining…

Ranma. She'd actually managed to go five minutes without thinking about him, which was a considerable record. She sighed and put her stylus pen down, then rubbed the sides of her temples, thinking how much easier it was to balance financial accounts than trying to keep any kind of account on their on-again/off-again relationship. Since meeting him, her personal life had been one long emotional roller coaster.

It had not always been this way for her. There was a time when the craziness that seemed to surround her life had not gotten to her this way. The problem was that Ranma and she were two very different people, whereas Ranma and Akane were virtually the same, excluding gender. She was worldly and pragmatic, he was idealistic and naïve, even a bit provincial in an annoyingly masculine way. He saw the world in terms of basic right and wrong, while she had seen too much out of her young life to define anything in such simplistic terms. She looked for the bottom line, he looked to the example he could set for others. He was a hero by definition, while she was a survivor.

And yet…he could be so insufferably charming in his naïve, idealistic little ways, and when he looked at her as though considering her good points…she felt something there that had been missing in her life. He was cute, even funny, and a damned good martial artist. He didn't take his schoolwork quite as seriously as he ought to and never thought beyond the point of graduation. The only career goals he had were to excel at sports and Martial Arts. If he thought at all about what he might be doing in another few years it was probably to imagine himself as one of those Martial Arts Movie Stars he idolized so much. He needed someone with both feet planted firmly on the ground to steer him towards his destiny, and Nabiki flattered herself to think that she might be the one with the right set of talents.

Heck, she ought to be just right for any guy she set her sights on, but in the first week of her arrival she had abandoned her best prospect by turning down a chance to court Kuno Tatawaki, who might have more than his share of faults but was certainly the richest guy she was likely to find in Nerima. She had deliberately turned her back on her goal to seduce a rich millionaire for his money in favor of her father's ruinously insidious notions about family honor and an arranged marriage to a prospective money pit. She knew that she ought to seek psychiatric counseling, yet somehow she could not bring herself to regret her decision to actively pursue Ranma.

Well…pursue was a bit of an exaggeration. More like the two of them would hang around together, occasionally talking to each other like best friends, going over the few interests that they actually had in common. Martial Arts was an obvious topic, but lately Ranma had gotten somewhat resentful of the fact that Nabiki knew more about fighting than he did. Genma had taken charge of their training and now spent more time and hurled more abuse Ranma's way, which Nabiki was sincerely pleased about since it gave her more time for personal matters such as reviewing the family fortune. Ranma was improving with a speed that was incredible, but he was a long way from being in her class. Nabiki could not stand having him feeling sorry about himself on her account, but anything she did at this point would most probably prick the stupid pride of his young male ego.

Things had only gotten worse with the introduction of Arigami Keiko, Nabiki's sometime friend and oftime rival. Keiko had wasted no time at all trying to strike up their relationship, as if the intervening year were but a pause in her own relentless pursuit of a relationship that blew hot and cold with the seasons. Having her around complicated things mightily as she represented a part of Nabiki's past that she did not want to have to explain to her father. Worse was explaining it to Ranma, who had some pretty typical male attitudes regarding the proper roles of men and women in a sexual encounter.

Of course that was assuming Ranma could think about sex without passing out. He seemed to do a lot of that any time he accidentally caught a glimpse of Nabiki in some compromising situation…

She smiled. Yes, Ranma could definitely be charming in his naïve little way. She just hoped he would not be too badly freaked out if Keiko finally did spill the beans about what really happened between them the night following their Mu Tai battle. It was a very fond memory for her, and she would hate to spoil it by allowing it to become a wedge between herself and Ranma.

Okay, change of subject. Now Nabiki turned her focus to the problem of her two siblings.

Akane was even worse than Ranma in taking matters the wrong way. She kept assuring Nabiki that she was not resentful so often that it was plain that she did indeed resent her, even while she seemed to cheer her sister on whenever Nabiki had to demonstrate her superior talents. Kuno had been as good as his word about calling off the morning onslaught, and Akane assured her that she was grateful for that, but somehow she also seemed a bit deflated that she was no longer the focus of every schoolboy on the campus.

Unless you counted that camera-hungry worm, Gosunkugi.

Kasumi, on the other hand…well, that was a problem for which Nabiki lacked even a suitable definition.

It had taken her a few days to figure out why Kasumi kept splashing her with water every time the opportunity arose, often much to the embarrassment of an ambushed Nabiki. Every time Kasumi would apologize she'd have a different kind of face from her usual overly cheerful one, and her breathing would quicken as she looked Nabiki over, not meeting her eyes but staring at HIS body. It had been a rather awkward realization that Kasumi could actually feel that sort of attraction to her own sister's cursed form, but it did demonstrate once and for all that--appearance aside--Kasumi was actually quite human.

The other problem in that regard was Doctor Ono Tofu, whom Nabiki had finally deduced was the fellow who was most interested in Kasumi, and yet who was so incredibly tongue-tied in her presence that it was no wonder her sister was oblivious to his interest.

Yes, indeed, a very tangled snarl of a domestic situation. Even with all of her skills, Nabiki rather doubted that she could get this mess straightened up before graduating High School.

At the moment she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a pair of arms go around her, and then the weight of a female body draping itself over her was followed by a pair of soft lips pressed against the side of her neck.

"What are you doing?" Keiko asked her in a sultry purr that caused her warm breath to caress the hollow point of Nabiki's shoulder.

"Uh…" Nabiki gasped, unprepared for the sudden shift in her attention. "Nothing but family business! Ah-um…aren't you supposed to be helping Akane-chan with her lessons?"

"Not much point," Keiko said, "I'm way farther behind in that stuff than she is. You know that the guys who kidnapped me weren't exactly interested in me maintaining my grade point average."

Nabiki knew that well. In point of fact, she had helped Keiko escape from her captors when the two of them broke out together from the Mu Tai arena. They had left a lot of bruised and battered men behind, some of whom had considerable influence with the local Chinese government. Amnesty International might have been interested in the story that proceeded this, but not the authorities currently in power back in Hong Kong. Besides the Triads, there were a lot of less influential Warlords who had set a price on both their pretty heads, not to mention Genma's.

As hard as her own life had often been, Nabiki could not conceive what it must have been like for Keiko, living in actual slavery for three years, fighting her way to the top like some Roman gladiator from one of those Western-style historical movies. Men had paid a lot to see Keiko fighting for her life against both men and other girls, slowly rising to the top in her class and receiving more favorable (all right, make that less unfavorable) conditions for her imprisonment. A gilded cage, though, was still a cage, and Keiko had endured a lot worse than simple mistreatment. In spite of appearances, she was actually quite frigid around men, and for very understandable reasons.

Of course, she was openly interested in female companionship, as she had amply demonstrated by giving her savior a generous helping of her considerable affections…

Nabiki blushed, coming back to the present. As much as she might have liked Keiko's companionship at other times, now it was a very awkward topic that she did not want to bring up where her father or anyone else would witness.

"Cut it out, Keiko-san," Nabiki finally sighed, shaking her shoulders in an attempt to dislodge the kickboxer from her efforts at securing a firm body-lock, "I can't be with you this way,…and if somebody sees us…"

"Your boyfriend will get to know the other side of you that you've been hiding," Keiko teased, "How do you know he won't find us intriguing? Most men would pay a lot of money to see two hot babes like us doing it together…"

"Not here they won't!" Nabiki said firmly, and with more of an edge of panic than she liked in her voice, "Keiko, please…I like you, but we can't do this in my own house! I've just started to build a life here, and you'll blow it for me…"

"Oh, pooh!" Keiko huffed as she released her, "You used to be a lot more fun to hang around with. What happened to you, Nabiki? Where's that cocky mercenary I fell in love with?"

"In love?" Nabiki gasped. This was worse than she had imagined!

"Don't tell me you didn't guess?" now Keiko seemed genuinely hurt, "I didn't just follow you because I wanted a sparring partner. You were the most intriguing thing to ever enter my life, and I knew I had to have you…"

"B-but…" Nabiki sputtered.

"I don't mind sharing you with another," Keiko said, "Just as long as he doesn't resent me, or expect me to be his back-up girlfriend. I'm only interested in you, though I have to admit your iinazuke's got his charming points. If I went for guys, I'd probably consider him an option."

"Ah, Keiko-chan," Nabiki said, then winced a bit as she realized the slip she had just made, and that it might convey the wrong sort of impression to Keiko, "Ranma's not the type of boy who might consider sharing his iinazuke with anybody. He's kind of old fashioned in an annoying sort of way…"

"So I noticed," Keiko smiled, "And he doesn't much like me. When I'm human, that is. He seems to like me better in my cursed form."

"Well…he's a guy, and guys do like pets," Nabiki began, then winced once again when she considered what that sounded like, "I'm pretty sure he doesn't actually dislike you, but he's feeling bad because our little fight intimidated him somewhat. He can't bring himself to fight girls, but he wants to test himself against you."

"He seems willing enough to fight with you," Keiko pointed out, "Or is that only because you do it in your guy form? Guess the illusion helps, right?"

"Hai," Nabiki replied, realizing that there was a trace of bitterness in her voice, and she sighed, feeling abjectly defeated.

"You like him a lot, I can see that," Keiko noted, "Funny thing, he doesn't seem at all your type."

"I know," Nabiki admitted, "But I can't help myself around him. I…I…I think I like him…"

It was Keiko's turn to sigh. In spite of her perpetual cheerfulness, even she could have times when she seemed on the verge of depression, "So I guess I'll just have to wait my turn and see which way the wind blows. Hope you don't mind that I kind of hope you come back to your senses and realize that with me you can have all kinds of fun that you'll never have as a dreary housewife."

"Who said anything about me turning into a housewife?" Nabiki challenged.

"You think your iinazuke's going to settle for having you earn a living, let alone practice beating him up every morning?" Keiko asked with that lopsided smile of hers, "Now who's being naïve?"

"Ranma wouldn't do that to me," Nabiki said, "For one thing, I wouldn't let him get away with it."

"You may not have a choice," Keiko replied, "This may be the 20th-going-on-21st Century, but in a lot of ways things haven't changed much from the bad old days of universal male domination. Trust me on this, I found that out the hard way."

Nabiki swallowed, realizing that Keiko had merely voiced one of her own doubts about the whole idea of marriage. Men in Japanese society were largely brought up to expect a wife to be docile and obedient, compliant with their every wish, little better than domestic labor…like Kasumi! And that was only counting the times when they weren't thinking with the part of their anatomy that usually did all of the thinking…

But still Ranma did not seem to be in any way that sort of typical male imperialist. Oh, he might consider himself innately better than a woman, but that was largely for the sake of his ego. Genma had that same attitude, but Nabiki had never had much trouble twisting him around her little finger. Ranma was very different from his father, however…he had integrity and courage. He did not force himself on other people, and he was sincere in seeking to console people who needed his protection. She could not imagine him forcing others to do his bidding, as he simply did not seem to have the kind of mean streak that took such pleasure inflicting pain on those weaker than himself, and certainly not to make himself feel better.

"I don't think that's going to be our problem," Nabiki said, then hesitated before saying, "I want Ranma to feel good about himself. I never wanted to trap him into an arranged marriage with somebody he doesn't like and couldn't respect, the way he used to be trapped in his relationship with Akane…"

"No problem there," Keiko sighed, "The guy's definitely interested in you. I've sounded him out and there's no question in my mind that he really does like you."

"I…what?" Nabiki blinked, "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Keiko replied, then lifted her voice, "Or why is he eavesdropping on us right now when he thinks I can't see him hiding around that corner?"

"Ulp!" came Ranma's tiny gasp, followed closely by the sound of hasty footsteps retreating from the back porch towards the dojo.

"Oh," Nabiki said, then in sudden panic she wondered just how much Ranma had overheard of their conversation.

Keiko stretched out her long, heavily muscled legs and rotated her feet, showing off their limberness as if seeking Nabiki's reaction, then she smiled as she stood up and said, "Well, that's enough freeloading for now. Think I'll go check out what Akane-chan's doing with her homework. Hope she doesn't ask too many questions about the way I'm reading stuff over her shoulder.'

"If she does, what will you tell her?" Nabiki wondered.

"That I was kidnapped by pirates and sold into slavery at the age of puberty," Keiko replied with a smirk, "What, did you think I was going to make something up?"

"Just don't give her too many details," Nabiki warned, "She doesn't know about…that. She's still at the age when she thinks there's something unnatural about it. You know what she's always saying about boys her own age."

"I know," Keiko cocked her head and considered the point, "You think maybe she might actually be a…?"

"Don't try it," Nabiki said very evenly, making certain that Keiko understood her feelings on the subject.

"Fair enough," Keiko shrugged, "Don't much fancy robbing the cradle anyway, that's more your bag than with me. Just remember to tell the truancy officers that I'm a lot older than I look…I certainly feel it."

"I'll remember," Nabiki sighed, privately wondering if a public education might not be wasted on someone like Keiko, who was even more of a "live for the moment" sort than Ranma.

Keiko paused before making her grand exit, glancing over her shoulder as she smiled, "Just for the record, I'm still after you, but I won't push myself on you. If you ever feel like you need a friend to talk to, though…"

"Right," Nabiki softly murmured, "I'll remember…"

"Ranma-kun?" said Soun as he found Ranma was back in the dojo, kicking and punching at a wooden post, flexing his arms against the pegs as though battling an imaginary opponent, "Kasumi-chan said that you might be out here. It's almost time for dinner."

"Thank you, Ojisama," Ranma replied as he continued to batter his imaginary opponents, not even pausing for drawing breath though he had been doing this for the last fifteen minutes.

"Ranma?" Soun asked the boy who was as much like a son to him as if he were the offspring of his late wife, instead of his friend Nodoka, "Are you feeling all right, son?"

"Never better."

Soun heaved a sigh. He knew Ranma well enough to know when the boy was troubled. Soun realized that he had not been much of a substitute father, but he had earned Ranma's respect on occasion, so he decided it was long since time to play the part of the concerned uncle.

"So how are you and Nabiki-chan getting along?"

Ranma's swing was so far off balance that he actually staggered and completely missed his target.

"Ah, just fine, Sir!" Ranma lamely stammered as he recovered his bearings, but relented on further abuse of the hardware, "Couldn't be better…"

"Ranma-kun," Soun said simply, "I know my daughter is a handful, and she certainly makes quite an impression everywhere she goes, but I know Nabiki is the right woman for you. I can see it in her smile when she thinks you do not see her stealing a glimpse in your direction."

"Ah…" Ranma's brain seemed to go into a fuse lock, "Really?"

"Hai," Soun stared off into the distance, his mind drifting over memories before he spoke again, "Do you know that my marriage was also arranged? My wife and I never had any choice about the matter. Our parents were most insistent…"

"You…?" Ranma looked at the man in surprise, "Ojisama…"

"If I have seemed overly harsh in the past because I have insisted that you marry one of my daughters, it is not because I have no regard for your welfare," Soun replied, "And yet…I can remember what it was like to be a young man with prospects, to feel trapped and confined as though my wishes were of no great importance. Our family has a very long and noble tradition behind it…even…granted that we have our share of…demons in the closet."

For some reason Soun shuddered slightly, then clapped his hands together and made a gesture of prayer before continuing his speech.

"In truth it took time for me to understand exactly what it was I felt for my late wife," Soun continued, "Kimiko was such a strange and fascinating creature, as delicate as a bird, yet with such a strength as I had never before seen. I never felt worthy to be around her, and I never truly confessed all of my feelings…"

He paused, clearly on the verge of one of his crying jags, into which state he could slip at a moment's notice, but for once he seemed to be fighting the urge, keeping his voice as steady and level as could be expected, "I never told her that I loved her."

Ranma just stared, overcome with the sense that Soun had made a confession that had eaten away at his soul for many years. Clearly the effort cost Soun very deeply, yet he seemed to think it was important enough to tell Ranma now, and out of respect for the man who had helped to raise him and had given him a roof over his head, Ranma kept his silence, waiting until Soun could speak again without interrupting.

"One day all that you love can be taken away from you by fate…Karma has little regard for what we would wish of our existence. I lost my chance to tell Kimiko how much I appreciated her for coming into my life. I hope and pray that you will not make the same mistake with Nabiki. She deserves to know how you feel, and I know you will never be happy unless you are as certain about her feelings."

"Ojisama," Ranma whispered.

With great effort Soun forced himself to smile, then said, "After all, the alternative could be to live like Genma and Nodoka. Your parents love each other very much, when they are not each driving the other to distraction."

"H-hai," Ranma found himself smiling in total agreement.

"Ranma," Soun was sober once again, "I know you must wonder why it was that I allowed my daughter to be raised by your father in your stead."

Ranma had indeed wondered, even though he knew the standard explanation.

"There is something I have never revealed to you," Soun's tone was solemn, "My wife's death affected all of us in very different ways. I…lost a vital part of myself, my will to carry on. I might have gone completely to pieces if not for your mother coming to live with us to take care of you and the children. Kasumi, on the other hand, was closest to her mother and felt her death in ways that she has never been able to express. She assumed the duties of a faithful daughter and has cared for me, you, and Akane in ways that I could not. I have always been grateful to her for her sacrifice, but some day she will find a life for herself, and I wish her all the happiness to which she is entitled.

"Akane, on the other hand, took her mother's death very badly. You wonder why she is often so angry and bitter? Why did she press herself so hard to study Martial Arts? Why is she resentful of men, such as you and me? And why was it so hard for the two of you to be raised in the same house? Because, deep down, she harbors some guilt and suspicion that her mother's death was as much her fault as the cancer."

"What?" Ranma blinked, "But…that's crazy!"

"It may not seem logical to us, Ranma," Soun replied, "But to a six year old it made perfect sense. Losing her mother made her feel vulnerable in ways you cannot imagine. She felt that she had to learn how to defend herself, to be strong and capable, to know how to take care of those she loves so that she never has to lose them again. Her anger is based on guilt and feelings of inadequacy, and I have come to see this in the way she has started harboring such resentments to her sister as she once reserved in your case."

"That doesn't make any sense at all," Ranma murmured, "Nabiki loves her sister, she'd never try to hurt her…"

"The same way that she makes you feel less like a man?" Soun said pointedly, causing Ranma to stop and stare at the realization.

"I…" Ranma fumbled.

"There is no shame in meeting someone who is better than you at the thing you most love doing," Soun informed him, "Budo teaches us to respect the fact that all beings possess qualities that make them exceptional and unique. Better to learn from someone who has so much to teach you than to hold it against them for being unusually gifted."

"H-hai," Ranma said, slowly coming to the realization of what Soun was trying to tell him.

"Kokoru," Soun said simply, speaking the word for harmonizing with nature, "Learn from your mistakes, my son. Never repeat them. Now, something you have wished to know concerning Nabiki and why I chose to let your father teach her: the plain truth is that I feared doing an injustice to my middle daughter. I was broken inside, unable to reach out and offer the support I knew Nabiki needed from me. She was always so bright and quick-witted, highly intelligent for her age, able to grasp matters well beyond her tender years, but she was always able to connect with her mother. Somehow Kimiko could make Nabiki-chan smile like no other, and when she smiled…the entire room filled with sunlight. And then her mother died and Nabiki ceased smiling.

"She shut down emotionally, closing off her grief and blocking her emotional center so that she could function on intellect alone, not permitting herself to feel vulnerable. I watched her draw into herself and feared that she might grow into a remote and distant person with few friends and very few prospects. She had already spent a year with your father and had gotten accustomed to living in the Saotome house, but she had counted on regular visits to her real home as if her mother were the sun of her existence. With that tie gone I knew that she would never be the same, so I told Genma that I wanted her to learn to be happy again. I trusted my old friend to see that she learned to balance herself both emotionally and intellectually. I hoped maybe that having an understanding uncle could make an acceptable substitute to an emotionally distraught and overly protective father. Perhaps I was mistaken."

Soun sighed, then added, "Or perhaps not. Nabiki is not quite what I had imagined she would be, but she is a daughter I can feel proud of, and in her I have great hopes that the Anything Goes School will be in capable hands, provided she marries a husband who can appreciate her true worth and not try to contain her. I have come to believe very firmly that you are that man who can make her smile, Ranma. I trust you to know what is best, and when the time is right I am certain you will make both your parents and me very proud for the way that I have raised you."

"H-hai," Ranma said, then bowed his head and very faintly said, "Domo arigato, Ojisama."

Soun laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him with almost fatherly affection, "Well, now, then that's enough time away from your iinazuke. Go see Nabiki and talk about the things that are bothering you so much. She may not always give you a straight answer to a question, but she cares about your opinions regarding her. I am sure there are many things she would like to tell both of us but is afraid of how we may react to such revelations. Try not to be too upset by new surprises. A careless word can do more hurt than all the weapons we have trained with in this dojo."

"Hai, Ojisama," Ranma said, taking a deep breath, "I guess maybe I do owe Nabiki-chan that…"

"Excuse me…?" a voice asked from just outside the dojo, "I'm…kind of lost, and I was wondering if either one of you could offer me some directions on how to find the Tendo Dojo?"

"What?" Ranma gasped as he and Soun turned to see a stranger standing just outside the sliding door, a boy about Ranma's age and general build who wore a yellow shirt with black pants held up by a belt, and leather boots that had been tied to his feet by ropes. Oh yes, and he also had a yellow-and-black tiger-stripped bandanna around his head, and a backpack slung behind that cradled a bamboo umbrella.

"Excuse me?" asked Soun, "How did you get into my garden?"

"I wish I could explain it," the boy sighed, "I was looking for the front door and somehow I wound up back here. Could you tell me where I am, sir?"

"This is the Tendo Dojo," Ranma replied, "Now who the heck are you?"

The boy suddenly broke into a broad smile of relief, "At last! I've finally got here! After all these months of searching…can you tell me where I can find one Tendo Nabiki?"

"My daughter?" Soun blinked, "Are you a friend of hers?"

"A friend?" the boy suddenly blushed crimson and had a goofy kind of smile, "I-I guess you could say that…we met a few years ago, and I've been wanting to see her since I heard that she came back to Japan…"

"Who," Ranma all but barked the word, "Are you?"

"My name is Hibiki Ryoga," the boy said, "And who might you be? Nabiki's brother?"

Before Ranma could say anything, he heard Nabiki's voice say, "Ryoga-kun? Is that you?"

"Nabiki…" Ryoga's voice had a kind of lost-boy charm that made him seem like a man on the verge of fainting from happiness, then he reached behind himself and brought forth a small bouquet of wild flowers, "I…I…wanted to give these to you…"

"Ryoga-kun?" Nabiki said in surprise, not reaching out to the flowers but staring at the boy in a way that conveyed as much surprise as confusion.

That was the point where Ranma suddenly saw the color red. Something exploded out from him, and without stopping to think at all he launched an all-out attack upon Ryoga…

Continued

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