Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Sobering Reflections... ( Chapter 16 )

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.

It was a somber quarter that began its weary trek back towards the dojo, and to pass the time Nabiki was explaining to Ranma and Ukyo about the adventure that she and Genma had had on the way back from Jusenkyo.

"I guess it seemed kind of funny at the time…as in funny weird," Nabiki noted, "But when we got to this village there was a ceremony going on where the contestants were women fighting each other with weapons on this log supported by ropes, and our guide said this was an annual thing with the Chinese Amazons where they determined who were their best and brightest fighters."

A subdued Shampoo trudged along faithfully at Nabiki's left side, filling in details whenever necessary. Ranma was to Nabiki's right, and Ukyo was to the right of him as they gradually left the Furinkan business district towards the suburbs of Nerima where they lived, a little more than two kilometers distance.

"What funny about contest?" she asked in her peculiar singsong pigeon Japanese, "Amazons battle to show how good they are, is good motivation to train, to learn new and special techniques. Shampoo train real hard with her cousin for many weeks prior to contest, and training pay off. Shampoo easily dispatch all her opponents. Look forward to prize banquet, much celebrations."

"Why do you do that?" Ranma asked.

"Do what?" Shampoo looked at him curiously.

"Always refer to yourself in the third person," Ranma pointed out, "Don't you know what the words for I, Me and Mine are?"

Shampoo shrugged, "Shampoo know, just not used to funny way Japanese talk. Shampoo think name is easier than silly...what word again?"

"Pronouns," Nabiki informed her, "I believe you actually mean tenses, past, present, future perfect…"

"Yes, those," Shampoo said, "Not used to silly rules Japanese have for…" she paused again.

"Inflections?" Ukyo noted, "Yeah, foreigners usually have a hard time understanding the nuance of proper pronunciation…"

"Whatever," Shampoo sighed, then continued, "Shampoo look forward to being victor, giving away her prize feast to other villagers. She much pride of village, nobody of her own age better than Shampoo, not even Cousin. Then Shampoo see boy with panda eating prize…"

"Actually, Pops was doing most of the pigging down," Nabiki corrected, "He hadn't eaten anything except bamboo since leaving Jusenkyo. I was pretty hungry, too, and I thought I could pay for the food since there seemed like enough of it to go around."

"That attitude you have when Shampoo demand know what you do," Shampoo sniffed, "So arrogant, Shampoo think boy need lesson in manners…"

"You mean you thought she was a boy?" Ukyo glanced at Nabiki, who looked beautiful in spite of being barefoot in a ruined red dress with what little makeup she was wearing showing the signs of wear that came with intense fighting.

Even given all of that, Nabiki was certainly as much of a woman as Ukyo herself, even more if you counted curves and chest-size. Ukyo had gotten into the habit of taping her breasts down whenever she went out in public in order to hide her sex around others, but it was becoming increasingly hard to keep her padding from giving away the game, even after ten years of practicing a boy's walk.

Nabiki sighed, "Trust me on this, Ucchan, that's the part you are never gonna believe."

"Shampoo no idiot," Shampoo resumed, "Know boy when see one…" she paused, giving Ukyo a glance as she belatedly remembered how even she had been taken in by this stranger's ruse.

"Forget it, Sugar," Ukyo smiled, "Go on with your story."

"Not much tell," Shampoo shrugged, "Nabiki challenge Shampoo and Shampoo get beaten…"

"Actually there is quite a lot to tell besides that," Nabiki noted, "Such as why I made that stupid challenge. You were pointing at Pops with that bonbori of yours and threatening to serve him up as a replacement for all the food he'd eaten."

"You mean cannibalism?" Ukyo's voice registered disgust.

"No, stupid Spatula girl," Shampoo snorted, "Amazons no barbaric, just because live in small, remote village…"

"What did you call me?" Ukyo's voice arched an octave.

"Hold it!" Ranma urged, "Let's hold off on the name calling until we get back to the dojo. I'd think you two would have had enough of fighting for one night."

"Anyway," Nabiki resumed, "I asked if by challenging you I could win the right of safe passage out of that place, and you took me up on it. I thought it was a simple challenge match with no formal rules except one-on-one combat."

"So no one tell Nabiki-chan about laws on outsiders?" Shampoo asked.

"Not at the time," Nabiki winced, "I never asked. Anyway, I'd studied your moves during the last fight and thought I had at least a chance with you. You were good with those Bonbori, but you'd fought all day and were clearly tired. I knew I had the speed to get around your defenses, but just the same I pretended to be less good than I really was to throw you off your guard. I only showed my hand when I saw an opening…"

"It good strategy," Shampoo said approvingly, "You fast thinker. Shampoo like clever tactic, very sneaky."

"Ah…yeah," Nabiki colored, "After I won I'd expected maybe some grumbling from the crowd, but I wasn't prepared for the wholesale enthusiasm I was greeted with. Your people actually cheered me…"

Now it was Shampoo's turn to look embarrassed, "Amazons…no always like Shampoo. Shampoo very quick to brag she best in village, many villagers no like that. See Nabiki victory as Shampoo comedown."

"Nobody cheered you on?" Ranma asked, "That's terrible!"

"Shampoo…Shampoo think it Shampoo's fault," Shampoo sighed, "Shampoo always win, victor in three consecutive contests. Always best of age, then best in village. Great Grandmother train hard, Shampoo no disappoint her. Make other Amazons feel small. Other Amazons no like Shampoo, fear her."

"Didn't you have any friends growing up?" Ranma asked her.

"No friends," Shampoo paused before adding, "Only cousin. Great Grandmother think have friends, no fight as hard. Had friend once…but…Great Grandmother send away…"

"That's…that's terrible," Ukyo frowned, "Why did she do that?"

"Lo-Xion no good fighter," Shampoo looked away, "Weakest in village, no compete, very clumsy. Shampoo feel sorry, try help, become Lo-Xion's defender…"

"You were only looking out for somebody who needed a friend," Ranma said, "Why would your Great Grandmother object?"

"She think Lo-Xion bad…what word?" Shampoo hesitated.

"Influence?" Nabiki was looking at her in dismay. No friends growing up? Even she could not imagine that!

"Influence," Shampoo tested the word as if filing it away for later study.

"Wait a second here," Ukyo frowned, "Shampoo, Lotion? What kind of names do they use in your village?"

"Why names seem funny?" Shampoo asked her back, "Know what U-kiyo mean in Chinese…?"

"Look, we're getting no where this way," Nabiki intervened, "Why don't we just get to the part that I thought was my victory celebration? You were pretty friendly towards me at the time, as I remember."

"No victory celebration," Shampoo shook her head, "Wedding ceremony."

"Wedding ceremony?" Ranma's eyebrows shot upward.

"I…" Nabiki gasped, then tried again, "I thought your people were a…little too friendly at the time…but I just thought they were just being good losers…"

"Didn't my father say anything at the time?" Ranma sounded as appalled as he looked. He had a mental image of Nabiki as a man standing at the altar of a Shinto wedding ceremony, such as one he'd attended for a distant cousin.

"What him say?" Shampoo shrugged, "No change what happened. Shampoo only see guide talk to panda. Panda look very surprised, but Amazons take him somewhere to be fed. No know at time he man who be to Jusenkyo."

"So that's why he came to bail me out the next morning," Nabiki frowned, "He was more agitated than usual when he told me to get dressed and follow."

"The next morning?" Ranma looked at her in confusion.

"Ah," Nabiki had a sudden look not unlike a deer caught in the headlights, "Well, what I can remember is that there was some partying and somebody slipped me a drink that must have contained alcohol, or something even more potent…"

"Special potion give to husband," Shampoo said, "Make feel very brave with Amazon bride when we alone that night…"

"Hold it!" Ranma halted in mid-stride and rounded on Nabiki, "You slept with her…as a guy?"

Nabiki cringed at the tone of his voice, looking as if she wanted to crawl off somewhere and hide, "I…ah…Shampoo?"

Shampoo switched to her own language and said, <"Don't tell me you've forgotten about that? I was afraid you might have had too much of Great Grandmother's beverage and pass out, but it was all I could do to keep you satisfied until morning.">

Nabiki closed her eyes. She could very well remember the night that followed…in excruciating details. Very little of the wedding ceremony itself was clear, her mind being hazy from the moment she had accepted the drink. Being a temperate drinker, and one who never liked losing control to strong spirits, she had only taken a moderate swallow of the strange tasting brew they offered. Apparently that was enough. She was damned by her own suddenly uninhibited libido.

In another circumstance she would have been impressed. Whatever was in that concoction, it sure could make somebody a fortune! Nabiki had lost what little restraint she had and was overwhelmed by the sensations that came with having a male body. Shampoo had been incredibly attractive to her, even more than with Keiko a few months before this. It was only her second time, but it had been very special, no doubt because Shampoo had a larger share of the love potion to bolster her nerves, and with both of them it had been awkward in the beginning, but they had gotten very good with continued practice.

"I'm sorry," she lowered her face, "This is not something I wanted to share with you, Ranma. I didn't know how you'd react…"

"I still don't get it," Ukyo said, "How could she still think you were a guy when you undressed?"

"It no hard," Shampoo sniffed, giving Nabiki a sidelong glance.

Nabiki winced at the Amazon's choice of words. As she recalled the matter, IT was VERY HARD, which was a part of her problem. She was just as amused and fascinated by the discovery of what men took so much for granted that she had allowed Shampoo…

She forced herself to look at Ranma, unsure what he was thinking about her, but unable to stand not knowing. His expression was…strange…not his usual look of curiosity, concern or even anger. It was as if he were trying to discover something in Nabiki's own face, not having yet made his mind up, and clearly just as dumbfounded as she.

Did he think she had deliberately fooled him into believing her a woman of virtue?

Very softly she said, "I told you I'd never slept with a man, Ranma. In that I was honest."

She half expected to get slapped, but Ranma was not that sort of guy. He was clearly hurt, but he fought his own emotions not to give into his pride or react as if she had deliberately betrayed him.

With great effort he asked, "What happened the next morning?"

"Ah…like I said," Nabiki swallowed, "Your father appeared by our hut and tried to wake me without waking up Shampoo. He told me to get dressed, and since he'd already splashed me with hot water I was back to being female at the time. Well, we tried to sneak off, but Shampoo woke up and…" Nabiki swallowed, unable to continue.

Unfortunately for her, Shampoo did, "Shampoo very surprised when she find out you really woman and no handsome man. It…very difficult thing to accept…"

That was a considerable understatement! Nabiki had been preparing to leave when Shampoo had called out to her, only the moment when she had greeted the Amazon girl in her true form her nocturnal companion had reacted in shock and disbelief. Then, Shampoo had sunk to her knees with a look of total devastation, and in that moment Nabiki felt something wrench within her own guts, and the realization that she had behaved badly with the other girl the night before left her unaccountably feeling guilty, even though she had not intended to practice any such deception.

Nabiki had managed to stumble out one word that explained everything: Jusenkyo.

What she had expected Shampoo to do next was difficult to say: scream, slap her face, faint or fall down. Instead what happened was that Shampoo began to cry, and cry she did, refusing Nabiki's clumsy attempted at reassurance and instead pointing towards the edge of the village and telling her to leave, as if to totally terminate their tentative friendship.

Genma stumbled to explain about the Amazon law about outsider women, and what it meant to defeat one, but Nabiki had only half-heard this explanation, too numb from shock at her own misbehavior, for sleeping with a girl who had not intended her any harm without explaining in advance about the nature of her true sex and the curse that she was under. They had left the village without another word, Nabiki only glancing back once to see the girl whom she was leaving behind, finding Shampoo still kneeling outside her house, a hurt and miserable expression leaving Nabiki to feel like a Class A jerk, a fault she blamed upon the curse for making her so irresistible to women. Even so, she had not truly understood the full depth of the girl's situation or the true extent of what her own terrible deeds had done to leave her looking so forlorn and devastated…

And now Nabiki had a more complete picture of what had happened to create this travesty. Now she knew why Shampoo had been so hurt at the revelation of her curse, why she felt such betrayal over her abandonment at the hands of her HUSBAND. Without realizing that she had married the girl the previous evening, Nabiki had allowed herself to be seduced and had taken advantage of the other girl's ignorance. No wonder Shampoo had attacked her just now with such fury! She could not even guess how she might have reacted under similar such circumstances. If some girl with whom she had opened her heart (not to mention everything else) had lead her on like that, only to shatter her dreams and betray her confidence the next morning…

There were tears in her eyes as she turned around to Shampoo and very softly said, "I'm sorry."

"Shampoo no want pity from Airen," Shampoo's tone held bitterness, but the sadness was greater.

"What a weird story," Ukyo murmured softly, "Are you trying to tell us that you married this girl and don't even remember it?"

"Ah," Nabiki forced herself to say, "I didn't know it was a marriage. I was too new to Amazon customs, and I…I…"

"You thought she was like Keiko?" Ranma asked her.

Nabiki winced, understanding how that would make her seem in his eyes. She found herself on the defensive as she cried, "Well, it's not like I had that much experience! It was only the second time for me, and I was a guy at the time…and…and…and that damned potion…!"

It was a feeble excuse, and she well knew it. If Ranma decided to hate her from that moment on she could hardly have blamed him.

Instead he just sighed, "Well, you always told me you used to get into some weird situations…but this…"

Nabiki felt the emotion drain out of her. The casual way he said that…didn't he care? Wasn't he hurt at all that she had never shared something like this with him, had never trusted him to know her secrets? But then again, when had she ever shared anything this intimate with anyone? Even Keiko did not know, although it was very likely that the kickboxer suspected…

Ranma shook his head, then turned to Ukyo, "This sure has been some date. You were just telling me something almost as shocking as this: that my father traded me for food…!"

"Actually," Ukyo replied, "It was a deal he worked out with my father, involving his yatai. It was supposed to be my dowry, and by accepting it, your father was going to take me off my father's hands and raise me with Nabiki."

Ranma looked to Nabiki and asked, "Did you know about this?"

"No!" Nabiki said with greater force than she had meant to, then fought to control her panic and said, "All I remember that first year with Genma was that we were always going hungry. Your father had about as much business sense as a cheese peddler in a fish market, so when we weren't busy training together we'd be begging on street corners and dodging the police. Of course, your father had the bright idea that we ought to steal what we needed using our martial arts to escape trouble, but I wanted no part of that since it would have brought shame to the honor of my family, and it's wrong to take what you want just because you can do it."

"Hah!" Ukyo snorted, "That sure didn't stop you from trying. And what about my father's okonomiyaki cart?"

"Ah…" Nabiki winced, "That's…kind of the part that I don't remember all that clearly…

"Well, I do," Ukyo responded, "You're dad made an agreement with my dad and sealed the deal using our okonomiyaki cart. It was supposed to be my dowry for engaging me to Ranma and I was supposed to use it to support all three of us during our travels. But you took the cart and left me stranded!"

"Hey, I don't remember this, remember?" Nabiki frowned, concentrating hard before amending her last statement, "Ah…but, wait a minute…I do remember something now. Uncle Genma…ah…" she winced.

"Dad stole her cart?" Ranma was appalled at this revelation.

"Not exactly stole," Nabiki scowled in concentration, "I remember him showing me a paper…it was that marker we took from the Gambler King…remember him, Ucchan?"

"How could I ever forget that creep who tried to rip me off?" Ukyo glared off into the distance as though imagining another time long ago, then she reluctantly added, "But you helped me get that marker back by exposing the creep…"

"Right," Nabiki nodded, "Only the marker bore your dad's signature, like it had been turned into a legally binding contract…or something. I remember Uncle telling me that your dad loaned the yatai to us to help us feed ourselves while on the open road…"

"Hah!" Ukyo flared again, "I'll just bet he said that!"

"I didn't believe him, of course," Nabiki continued, "I was convinced that the cart was stolen goods and wanted nothing to do with it…and besides, neither Uncle nor I knew the first thing about cooking okonomiyaki."

"Then why you uncle take stupid cart?" Shampoo asked with a puzzled look turned towards Nabiki.

"Because he is and was very stupid," Nabiki sighed, "But so was I for letting him talk me into believing that you and you and your dad had left us and not the other way around I should have followed my instincts and chased you down to get your side of the story. As it was, I feared that our activities would draw the attention of the police and then uncle would have been in jail and I'd wind up a ward of the state or something, so I had him ditch the yatai the first chance we got…"

"You what?" Ranma demanded.

"Well, I didn't know how to contact Ucchan to give it back," Nabiki winced, "And neither me nor Uncle Genma knew the first thing about cooking our own okonomiyaki. I did offer to help you get it back when we met again some years later…"

"That yatai belonged to me," Ukyo frowned, "You had no right to take it, let alone dispose of it like yesterday's batter…"

"I know," Nabiki sighed, "But give me a break…I was seven years old back then, and I didn't know it was supposed to be your dowry for kami's sakes…"

"Then why did Dad take it in the first place?" Ranma asked.

"Like I said," Nabiki sighed, "Your dad often did things like that without thinking things through. It took me years to teach him enough animal cunning to avoid making blunders like that…"

"But you say cart belong to Spatula girl," Shampoo remarked, "And she father give to boy's father as promise to marry, so him and Spatula girl is married, yes?"

Nabiki blanched at this while Ranma got extremely uncomfortable and said, "Hey, nobody ever told me anything about this! I never agreed to take her dad's yatai as part of any promise!"

"I know," Nabiki sighed, glancing at Ukyo and adding, "This really is an awful mess, Ucchan…any chance I can get you to hold off long enough for me to figure out how to fix this?"

"Hey, I came here intending to pummel the guy senseless who thought I was some kind of trophy wife that my dad could trade off like I was a some kind of a wild horse," Ukyo paused to consider the boy walking beside her and added, "…Ah…but I didn't know anything about what dad was getting me into, and now that I've actually met you, Ranma-san…"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked as he glanced back uneasily in her direction.

Ukyo gave him a hard look and said, "What's the matter, Sugar? You don't think I'm woman enough for you?"

"Ah…that isn't it…" Ranma hastily insisted.

"Shampoo no understand why stupid panda man make stupid promise to trade son for cart," the Amazon said in softly voiced frustration, "Or why Airen is friends with Spatula girl who think she betray her."

"I don't blame your for being confused, Shampoo-chan," Nabiki sighed, "All I can tell you about our first meeting is that we happened on Ukyo and her father during the first few months of our training mission. We were broke and hungry when we caught the scent of freshly cooked okonomiyaki. Your dad had one of his usual brilliant notions about sending me to steal some food but I decided instead to approach the elder Kuonji and plead for food directly…"

"And naturally my dad volunteered to give you free samples," Ukyo snorted, "Then after you beat me in our first fight he wanted you and Genma to teach me some of your martial arts as payment for the meals you had after that. Turned out your uncle and my dad knew each other from long ago and were the best of buddies, so after a few weeks of training together my pop has the stupid idea of engaging me sight unseen to Genma's son in return for the yatai."

"And dad agreed to this?" Ranma was appalled at the implications.

"Ranma," Nabiki sighed, "By now you ought to know that your father does his best thinking with his stomach."

Shampoo scowled and said, "You no wonder he take cart belong to Spatula girl and try to trick you?"

Nabiki flinched from the expression on the Amazon's face and replied in a tiny voice, "I was hungry, and I really didn't think much beyond my next meal at that time either.."

Ukyo sniffed, "If you'd just taken me with you like my father asked you would have had as much okonomiyaki as you could eat on the road, and then some. All I know is that you disappeared on me and stole my dowry leaving me with my stupid father and his even stupider promise. I should have known better than to trust you back them, but I was in awe of you as a fighter since you were older, bigger and a whole lot faster than me…"

"But that didn't give me the right to betray your trust, Ucchan," Nabiki sighed, "I'm sorry, it was inexcusable of both uncle and me. I didn't think much beyond my own hunger…I had no idea what the consequences would be like for you…"

"Yeah, well…I guess maybe I should have said something to you about it when we met again a few years later," Ukyo sighed, "Back at Crossroads a couple years back, when I had some fool notion about punishing you for the crime your uncle committed…"

"Ah…yeah," Nabiki said somewhat nervously, "So…how come you didn't?"

"Missed opportunity," Ukyo said frankly, "And I thought, maybe, you could lead me to my real quarry, my so-called iinazuke…"

"Me?" Ranma blinked.

"You were the reason I trained so hard to become a martial artist," Ukyo explained, "I wanted to be better than any guy my dad thought to engage me to, but also because you're all tied up in my family's business…"

"What kind of business?" Ranma asked nervously.

"The kind where I'm supposed to inherit the family fortune from my pop," Ukyo answered, "Oddly enough, Nab-chan and me became good friends, in spite of our quarrel. She even visited me where I was staying at the time and we talked about old times when our fathers were on speaking terms and even did a bit of training together and went on a couple of adventures…"

"Which lasted until Pop up and decided to yank me out of class and drag me with him on a tour of the orient," Nabiki sighed.

"But all the while I was looking to pay you back for making my life such a mess," Ukyo frowned, "And all because my dad made that stupid agreement. The way he tells it, one day he and Genma started talking about the son your uncle said he'd left behind when he took Nabiki as his student. Dad explained how he was teaching me to cook and fight in the family tradition, then mentioned how he wished I was a boy, and how I was growing up to look a lot like my mother. That's when I suppose he made the offer to have me get married off to you, Ranma."

"I never knew," Ranma whispered, "Dad never told me…"

"Funny," Ukyo sniffed, "My father's done nothing but tell me about it ever since, and while he didn't put up much of a fuss at the time, I always knew that he was pretty angry when you and your uncle left me behind, Nab-chan, taking the yatai with you. Dad said I probably didn't seem like much of a prize to Genma because I didn't know how to act like a lady. Ain't like he made it easy for me to ever find out how to behave like a regular girl," she sniffed in bitterness, "He always treated me like I was his son, but that insult made me feel small and insignificant. That's when I decided I wasn't ever going to grow up to be a woman! I'd be the boy he wanted me to be, and I was never going to marry!"

"Why you no want be woman?" Shampoo wondered, "Women is best, better than man. You be good Amazon if you raised in Joketsuzoku."

"Maybe I'd have been better off if I was," Ukyo sighed, "The last ten years have been pure hell! I've trained myself to be the best Okonomiaki chef in all of Japan and to beat the daylights out of the guy who I blamed for all of my problems: Saotome Ranma."

"Hey, don't blame me," Ranma said, "If Dad made this agreement then he's the one who wronged you! Take it out on him…"

"Don't worry," Ukyo growled, "I intend to."

"Ranma…" Nabiki hesitated, not certain if he wanted to hear this from her lips, "Your father…isn't the most honorable man I've ever known, but he's always tried to do what he thinks is right. He probably made up some lame excuse to justify taking the Yatai while leaving Ukyo behind. I can't defend what he did, but I've known him long enough to believe that he's not intentionally a cruel man…"

"Maybe," Ranma said, "But he's hurt both of you, and I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to forgive that."

"Nani?" Nabiki looked at him strangely.

"Look," he turned to her with a sigh, "I'm not happy about finding all of this out when all I wanted was a nice evening alone with you, but I guess I can't really say it's your fault. You were just a kid when Dad cheated Ukyo and her father. You were trying to spare him from his own gluttony when you challenged Shampoo for a fight, and what happened after that…well, I guess that's his fault too. I…give me some time to get over this business about you being married to another woman. That can't be legal or anything, not if you didn't know what you were doing…"

"Ignorance no excuse," Shampoo said, "Law is law. Shampoo no have choice. Shampoo no kill Nabiki. Nabiki Airen. No go home without Airen, no go home at all if forced to kill Airen."

Nabiki just gave out a sigh that left her as drained of emotion as she might be of physical energy after working out for several hours, "I'm sorry, Shampoo, but that's not the way it is here. I won't send you away if you promise to give me time to try and figure this all out. I'm going to try and do what's best for you, but you have to understand…I'm…I…Ranma and me…"

"You and Ranma what?" Ukyo asked, "In case you've forgotten, Sugar, he's MY iinazuke."

It was Ranma's turn to blink and look at her, "I thought you didn't want to get married?"

"Maybe a girl can change her mind," Ukyo sniffed, "You're not all that bad looking, and if you can accept what she's just told you on faith, it means you're either a very nice guy or probably very stupid. Either way, I've decided I'd like the chance to get to know you better."

Nabiki thought it was impossible for her to feel anything more at this point, but now she learned how mistaken that had been. The casual tone Ukyo had used rekindled the spark in her soul, and suddenly she felt incredibly angry. Jealousy was better than any tonic!

"Ah…" Ranma hesitated, "I'm flattered, but a good looking woman like you could have lots of other guys if you wanted. Why would you want to tie yourself down with me?"

"Maybe she like stupid boy," Shampoo sniffed, seeming amused, "She say you nice or dumb, either way she think you good catch."

"Hey!" Ranma protested, but Shampoo just laughed at his reaction, as did Ukyo. Nabiki found herself smiling for the first time since leaving the restaurant.

"Ranma…" she began when a car drove by and struck a puddle, splashing her and the others with water, "Hey! Jackass!"

"People in Japan very rude," Shampoo sputtered, looking at her silk dress with evident disgust.

Ranma looked at Nabiki and just sighed. What were the chances?

Ukyo was looking at Nabiki, too, only her expression was shocked amazement, "You…Nab-chan?"

Nabiki belatedly realized that his voice had deepened an octave, not to mention she was now a few centimeters taller and could look Ranma in the eye, "Ah…remember what I said about the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo…?"

"Cold water turn Airen into man," Shampoo said matter-of-factly, "Airen turn back to woman with hot Water. Tried forcing change in restaurant, but Nabiki stay woman. Very confusing."

"Ah, well…" Nabiki had to admit he found it pretty incredible that he had successfully dodged all of Shampoo's efforts like he had, but then he remembered that he was getting pretty good at dodging Kasumi's similar attempts at ambush, so he supposed it had been something like training.

"A magic spring that can turn you into a man?" Ukyo whistled, "Wish somebody had told me about that when I was growing up! It would have made life a lot less cumbersome…"

"Why would you want to do that?" Ranma asked, "Don't you know how this curse has made life hard for Nabiki? She used to be afraid that I was going to reject her because of this guy thing, but I've adjusted…mostly."

"You have?" Ukyo looked at him as if wondering about his sexual preference.

"I'm not that way," he insisted, as though anticipating her thoughts, "I just mean I can be her friend when she is a guy, but it's the woman I'm after. Besides, I keep wondering what life would be like for me if I had a curse like that. I mean…what if I turned into a girl every time I got hit with water?"

"Shampoo think Spatula girl right," Shampoo quietly marveled, "You either very noble or very stupid."

"Probably a lot of both," Ranma snorted, then said, "Let's get you home for a hot bath, Nab-chan. We need to talk, and I'd prefer we did it man to woman."

"Ranma…" in spite of the fact that she was now a man, Nabiki wanted to hold him and cry. He did the latter rather than embarrass him in front of the others, but he smiled nonetheless when he took her hand and squeezed it. It was as much contact as he would allow while he was this way, but it felt as though the weight of the world had suddenly been lifted off his shoulders.

They continued the rest of the way in relative silence, four people recently strangers now coming to grips with the revelations they each were having to process. No one felt like adding much in the way of thought until the time when they reached the Tendo dojo, then Ranma took the lead and said, "Better let me explain everything, Nabiki. Your dad's going to have kittens when he sees you like this."

In spite of her/his joy at Ranma's tacit acceptance, Nabiki felt a shudder along his spine at the word "kittens." Something else she owed Genma! Well, hopefully Ranma would never have to learn about that particular part of her training mission…

Kasumi met Ranma at the door and said, "Oh, Ranma-kun! Thank heaven you're back! There's been terrible news, and your father…"

She stopped talking, distracted by the quite disconcerting sight of a male Nabiki in drag. Nabiki flinched from his sister's curious expression and said, "Sorry about the dress, Oneechan. What about Genma?"

"My father?" Ranma could not keep the note of fear out of his voice, "Has something happened to him, Oneechan?"

"Worse than that," Kasumi looked close to tears, "Aunt Nodoka…she…she's ordered him to commit seppuku…!"

Continued

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