Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A New Future 2 - First Blood ❯ The NWC Ride: Were and Are Aren't Synonyms ( Chapter 22 )

This was originally published by me under the name Anduril at Anime Addventures, with the only changes being a few corrections in spelling, punctuation and the occasional word choice to make things clearer. If you like the beginning of my story but think I've gone off the rails, or have your own ideas for a great branch-off, or think I'm taking too long to update and want to continue the story yourself, come to Anime Addventures and join in the fun!

I claim no ownership rights to any of the works of Rumiko Takahashi, Naoko Takeuchi, or anything in the GURPS Ogre and GURPS Tales of the Solar Patrol settings published by Steve Jackson Games. Everything else is mine.

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Nabiki looked up at the sound of a key in the lock of the apartment she shared with Akane and Ranma, and sighed with relief as her sister's lover and her kinda-sorta older sister came through the door. Nabiki smiled at the new arrivals as she set her abacus and pencil down on the kitchen table beside her typewriter. “You're late,” she said nonchalantly, “what happened?”

“Nothin' bad,” Ranma assured her, “we just had an unexpected delay at Uc-chan's.” She headed over to the refrigerator to get some cold water for Usagi and herself, then the two sat down at the table. “While I was talkin' things out with Uc-chan, Moon and Pluto stepped in ta help Konatsu handle the restaurant. By the time Uc-chan and me got done, there was a line out the door of people waitin' ta be served by Sailor Senshi, an' Moon didn't have the heart ta disappoint any of them. So Vanguard, Pluto an' Moon stuck around for a few hours more.”

Nabiki nodded, careful to hide her relief even as she suppressed the snarky comment that had leaped to mind. She'd recognized how much of a beating Ranma's self-image had taken because of The Day — had fought to suppress her normal biting sense of humor because of it — and while she hadn't been all that concerned about Ranma's meetings with the fathers (Ranma had no more illusions about them than Nabiki did), Ukyo had been another matter. Ranma had counted the chef as one of his few friends, the break had hurt, their reunion could have been devastating to the redhead's recovery, and Nabiki felt herself relax as the realization that it had been a smashing success instead sank in.

Damn, no cutting comment, Ranma thought with irritated disappointment. At first she had been too shaken to notice how ... gentle ... Nabiki was being. Then, when she'd recovered enough to realize she hadn't had a shot to the ego from the Ice Queen in weeks, she was grateful. Now, she was beginning to deliberately leave herself open for one. Guess she still thinks I'm damaged goods. “So where's Akane?” she asked as she put down her empty glass. “When me an' big sis got back too late ta meet her when school got out, I thought she'd be here.”

“When she didn't find you here after school, Usa-chan and `Taru-chan decided to help her drown her worries in sugar as soon as they finished practicing their katas; they're down at the Ice Cream Emporium,” Nabiki said with a shrug. “So why don't the two of you tell me all about it, then join them while I finish this up” — waving at the papers and textbooks scattered across the table — “and make my own run to Nerima?”

Ranma and Usagi exchanged glances. “I know it's a bad idea for Ranma to go with you, but would you like some company?” Usagi hesitantly asked. The blonde former queen-to-be had found it hard to warm to the middle Tendo, in spite of the way she normally tried to see the best in everyone and the fact that Nabiki was Akane's sister. The memories of the part Nabiki had played in the file Pluto had passed out on The Day had gotten in the way, even when she had been reluctantly impressed by Pluto's reports on Nabiki's changed behavior. Still, that didn't mean she wanted anything serious to happen to the younger girl, and the pageboy-haired Tendo was trying to help.... And on the train trip back out to Nerima I won't have to shield her from the gropers like I did Yasuko on the trip back, Usagi thought with an internal smirk.

But Nabiki instantly shook her head, suppressing a wince at the thought of the likely results of a brawl between Kodachi and Sailor Moon. “No,” she said firmly, “I'll be fine — Kodachi never considered me to be a threat and that's not likely to have changed.”

“If you're sure ...” At Nabiki's firm agreement, Usagi put down her own glass. “In that case, if I could use your telephone to check in again with Mamoru I'll leave Ranma to tell you what happened and visit Minako, tell her how happy I am she's all right. Tell Akane I'm sorry I missed her,” she added, turning to her sister, “but the hubby's waiting.”

“Sure, she'll understand,” Ranma agreed, then mimed ducking with a chuckle as Nabiki imperiously pointed a finger at her.

“Okay, Saotome, spill! Tell me everything,” Nabiki ordered even as the corners of her lips twitched at Ranma's antics.

“Yes, ma'am!” Ranma intoned, saluting smartly. “Well, we — I — decided to start with Tofu's clinic and you won't believe what he an' Kasumi have been up to....”

/oOo\

Nabiki took a deep breath to steady her nerves as she gazed at the front gate to the Kuno estate. She had meant everything she'd said and thought back at her apartment, both about not being in any real danger and the effects of a meeting between Ranma's new sister and Tatewaki's old one. (She smirked for a moment at the thought — repressing her normal instincts at home wasn't easy and she enjoyed being able to relax.) But now that she was at the entrance to the lion's den, she found her certitude weakening more than a little — she was finding that the difference between holding to a theory and actually acting on it was greater than she'd thought.

Taking another deep breath, she walked forward toward gatehouse and the guard that had been eyeing her for the past five minutes while she built up her courage. “Can I help you, Tendo-san?” the guard asked politely.

Nabiki fought to keep an eyebrow from rising in surprise. Kuno security knows me by sight? Ranma and Akane I can understand, but me ... that goes beyond caution into paranoia! “Yes, I'm here to see Kuno Tatewaki. Would you please let Kuno-san know I'm here?”

“Of course. Is he expecting you?”

“No,” Nabiki replied, then paused. Actually, that's not quite true. While he isn't expecting me right now, I imagine he's been praying to all the kami for this visit for months.”

“Ah ... so Ranma has sent you to request his help, has she? You're right, he's been training like a madman —” The guard grimaced but continued, “He will more than happy to join Vanguard and the Senshi in battle.” Now Nabiki's eyebrow did climb into her hairline, and the guard chuckled. “We are normal people here, whoever our employers may be,” he said. “And we do attend the movies even if the masters and mistress don't — except for that Elvis Presley movie and the Hawaii 5-0 American TV series,” he added with a shudder. “Give me a moment to call my relief and I'll escort you in past the booby traps.”

/\

“Of course I will answer my Princess's call to arms!” Tatewaki forcibly intoned from where he sat in the luxuriously appointed sitting room. “But must I truly wait for a month before coming to the aid of Her Majesty and her handmaiden? Surely there must be something I can do to aid them now in this time of need!”

Nabiki firmly shook her head from where she sat across the small coffee table. “Your eagerness to help is appreciated but no surprise in a soul so noble,” she replied, then suppressed a wince. Now he's got you talking like that! Better get out of here fast. “But neither the Princess nor her handmaiden will be going into battle until you join them at the final showdown — we seek to lure the enemy into a false sense of security by convincing them that their opposition is being weakened and decreased by their probes. Instead, Princess Yasuko and my sister will be training in new techniques to unleash against the foe.”

“Then surely I can help them in their training?” Tatewaki asked eagerly, leaning forward in his seat. “While Her Majesty is truly incomparable in the unarmed arts I have not observed that she has much interest in weapons. Surely my own skills —”

“Don't match the training she needs,” Nabiki broke in to say. “My apologies for my brusqueness in the face of such devotion, but the training she seeks involves sword and shield. She is receiving that training from an American who has devoted his life to preserving the old fighting arts of Europe.”

“What American can match my noble skill?” the obsessed Kuno demanded, stiffening.

“I'm sure he can't. But in this case it isn't the level of skill but rather what weapons those skills encompass,” Nabiki said soothingly, trying not to sweat.

“OH HO HO HO HO!”

Thank you, kami! Nabiki thought as she brushed the shower of black rose petals from off her shoulders, even as she fought back a self-deprecating laugh at her gratitude for the appearance of the cackling lunatic.

“So, the sister of she who helped betray and murder my beloved Ranma-sama and dared to hint that the red-haired trollop is of the most noble lineage when she is clearly nothing but a murderous tramp has dared return to the scene of her heinous crimes!”

Nabiki had twisted to look at the Kuno sister during her rant and was shocked at the sight. Kodachi did not look good — not dirty, but ... not healthy. Her hair no longer shone, her face was slightly splotchy, her clothes slightly messy. And there was a glitter in her eye that sent a shiver of fear down Nabiki's spine. Before, Kodachi had been crazy but mostly harmless — now she was dangerous. Nabiki found herself weighing getting out of the mansion as fast as humanly possible against calling the Cat Café and waiting for an escort home while staying as close to Tatewaki as she could.

Suddenly a new voice broke into the scene: “Has the Princess's instructions been delivered, My Lady? Her Highness and your sister are getting anxious.”

Nabiki and the Kunos whirled to find Sailor Pluto standing in a corner of the room in all her regal, skimpy, beautiful glory, hokey staff and all, and Nabiki fought to keep from melting into a puddle of sheer relief. “Yes, I'm done here,” she said calmly even as she tried to stop the tremor in her hands.

Standing, she turned toward the elder sibling. “Tatewaki-san, my thanks for your —” She broke off her farewell as out of the corner of her eye she caught a purple glow suddenly surrounding the large garnet at the tip of Pluto's staff. Then Pluto was leveling the staff and the purple ball of light flew past Nabiki and she whirled to see it smash Kodachi into the wall. Even as the ponytailed girl slid down the wall into an unconscious heap, her outflung ribbon settled across Nabiki's shoulder.

As Nabiki simply stared, stunned into a frozen statue, Pluto stepped forward and bowed slightly to Tatewaki, on his feet and holding his bokken. “My apologies for the violence within your home, warrior. Do not think we hold your sister's shameful behavior against you. But as you can see, it is perhaps not safe for Nabiki to remain in the same house as your sister. I think it best if we take our leave.”

Tatewaki bowed deeply to the emerald-haired woman. “It shames me to have to agree with you, but perhaps you are right. Kodachi has already shamed the Kuno family almost beyond repair, it would be best not to give her the opportunity to increase our disgrace. Let me escort you to the gate. Unless you and Nabiki wish to leave the way you came?”

“The gate will be fine,” Pluto responded regally, then laid a hand on Nabiki's shoulder and gave her a gentle shake.

Looking away from the unconscious girl, Nabiki quickly reran the immediate conversation and vigorously nodded her agreement. “Y-Yes, l-leaving is g-g-good,” she stammered, then blushed in embarrassment.

/oOo\

In an alley barely out of sight of the Kuno estate, Nabiki crouched dry-heaving on hands and knees, the former contents of her stomach pooling on the concrete below her head. Finally bringing herself under control, she sat back on her heels and shook. In the more than two years she had known Ranma, she had never come so close to dying. “She ... she almost ... if you hadn't been there ...” she managed to get out.

“Then you would have been dead, Kodachi as well within moments at her brother's hand, and Ranma would have never forgiven herself for letting you come here alone,” Pluto said from where she leaned against the alley wall. Straightening, she offered Nabiki a bottled water. “Akane would have actually been able to forgive her, but it would create a strain between the two that we definitely don't need right now, not to mention the impact it would have on Soun. And as well, when the final attack goes down Tatewaki would be in jail.

“You can count yourself very lucky that all that's the case,” the Senshi of Time continued. “If it wasn't, I might well have been forced to let you walk into that insane asylum and die, for the future's sake.”

Nabiki's eyes shot to the young/ancient woman's face, her accusation dying at the pain in Pluto's eyes. After a moment's pause she finished opening the plastic bottle and cleaned out her mouth, then drank. Finishing off the water, she said thoughtfully, “You're playing for serious stakes, aren't you? I wouldn't have your powers for all of the yen in the world. Come on, let's get out of here, I have a sudden urge for Ranma's company.”

Pluto nodded, and in a flash reverted to her regular weekday business suit. “That sounds like a very good idea,” she replied.

As the two left the alley, Nabiki glanced slyly at her companion. “And don't worry, I won't mention what you said to Ranma and Akane, or anyone else for that matter — about letting me die, that is. I won't even charge you for my silence.” She grinned at the hints of relief she caught in the older woman's stately posture.

Pluto looked over at the middle Tendo, trying for a repressive glare, but Nabiki's grin refused to fade. After a moment, Pluto's glare faded. “Thank you,” she said softly.

“Think nothing of it.”