Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki: Who wants to Marry a Millionaire? ❯ Chapter 1

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Standard Disclaimer: Don't own, but will sure mangle to my hearts content in fanfiction.
To note, Akane and Ranma are married. Happily for them. The wedding disaster still happened,
but the people involved trying to break it up were too late. HA!

* Denotes personal thoughts

Chapter 1

It had been a month since the infamous Tendo-Saotome wedding fiasco and things were back to normal for the town of Nerima. It was a beautiful, quiet Saturday morning. The birds were singing, the bees were buzzing and Ranma and Akane were having their usual discussion.

"Ranma you jerk!" followed by the familiar splash of the koi pond.

Nabiki sighed as she looked up from her position on the couch. "So much for peace and quiet. Don't they ever get tired of that constant fighting." It was one of those lazy weekend days were all you wanted to do was relax and vegetate. Decked out in her barely legal short, shorts and orange tank top, Nabiki was dressed for leisure. Putting down her financial ledger, she watched with amusement as a grumbling wet Ranma-chan came charging into the house and went straight for the kitchen. Minutes later Akane angrily marched, quickly running up the stairs and slamming the door to her and Ranma's new bedroom.

Might as well go find out what Ranma did this time to tick Akane off." Nabiki said to herself, hopping off the couch to stroll into the kitchen. Inside Ranma stood quietly as Kasumi poured a kettle full of hot water over his head.

"Okay Saotome, what did you do this time?" questioned Nabiki, leaning against the counter.

"I didn't do nothing! It ain't my fault Shampoo still glomps onto me everytime she sees me." Ranma glared, squeezing the water from his hair and wiping at his chinese style red shirt.

Nabiki smirked. "Well, technically everything usually is your fault."

"Hey!"

"Nabiki, what a terrible thing to say. Now Ranma, did you try to explain to Akane that Shampoo grabbed you?" Kasumi inquired.

"Yeah, but she wouldn't listen to me. Stubborn uncute tomboy. Never listens to my side of the story." grouched Ranma.

"Well, your flattering compliments are sure to win her over. Ranma maybe if you two would stop insulting each other for two seconds, the fighting would stop. And so would our high repair bills, water bills, insurance..." Nabiki said.

"Hmph! What do you care if we stop fighting? If that happened you'd lose half your money from the betting pool. And we all know how much money means to you. Nothing else matters to you." Ranma snapped, turning away from her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nabiki questioned, stepping away from the counter to stand directly in front of Ranma. She lifted her eyebrow and gave off a cold stare in challenge.

Ranma had tried for weeks to rid himself of the anger he'd felt after the wedding disaster.
If not for Nabiki and those interferring idiots, Akane and he might have actually had a wonderful memory of the day. Instead he spent his honeymoon in bandages,unconscious and to this day he still got a chill when anyone mentioned the word wedding. He had not forgiven anyone who had participated in the whole mess, especially not Nabiki. Sister-in-law or not!

"I'm saying you don't care about anyone but yourself and money. You couldn't care less who you hurt as long as it makes you some cash!" shouted Ranma.

"How dare you! I've had to struggle to keep this family out of the poor house, while you and your greedy, freeloading father do nothing! The only thing either of you ever contributed to this household are bills and unparellel destruction." Nabiki was burning up with anger. She'd had to use every trick in the book to keep money coming in and what what her thanks.

"You have some nerve talking about the destruction I've caused! After what you pulled at the wedding!"

"I've never caused-"

"No, you just sold information to everyone, not caring what you'd be doing to Akane and me. You may not have taken part in the mayhem, but you're just as responsible. If not more so. I blame you and only you! You're nothing but a selfish, money grubbing witch who.."

Ranma never got to finish that statement because Nabiki slapped him across his face. Caught off guard, Ranma staggered backwards and stared at her in disbelief. *Damn, that actually hurt!*

Nabiki could feel tears in her eyes and almost felt genuine hatred for Ranma. Trying to calm herslf, she repeatedly clenched her right hand to get the sting out. She hated him at that moment but she mostly hated herself because his accusations rang true.

"Nabiki, Ranma please calm ..." Kasumi started to speak, but Nabiki wasn't in the mood to listen to anyone. With one last teary eyed glare, Nabiki stormed out of the kitchen and out of the house.

Back in the kitchen Kasumi stood silently staring at the door, feeling her heart break for her sister. She'd seen the tears and knew Nabiki was truly hurting. Sighing, she walked over to the freezer and handed Ranma an ice pack for his reddened cheek

Quietly placing the ice pack on his stinging check, he thought about what just happened. *Did I really see Nabiki crying?* They'd had harsh words before and she'd pretend to cry, but it had always been a trick. These tears were real. He was still royally pissed off at her, but he never could stand to make a girl cry. *Crap!*

"Ranma you must apologize to Nabiki when she comes back." Already interrupting him from speaking at the mention of an apology, Kasumi raised her hand to silence him. "And I'll see that she apologizes to you for her thoughtless words and actions."

"Ranma, you haven't know Nabiki as long as I have. You don't understand her like I do. She does do very unkind things to others at times, but she also looks out for her family. She may to you seem obssesed with money, but the money she brings in goes immediately into keeping us a float. With all the damages to our home and dojo, how do you think we pay for repairs? Pay our bills? Daddy has no students, Ranma. Nabiki handles all of it."

Frowning slightly, Kasumi led Ranma over to the table to sit. "Ranma, I'm not saying your anger isn't justified, but you both were out of line. What she did at the wedding wasn't very considerate, still I honestly don't believe she imagined it would end as badly as it did. The others are just as responsible. I know you to be a very forgiving young, so please try to to put this unpleasantness behind you. We're all a family now."

"Yeah. You're right Kasumi. I'll apologize." Ranma sighed.

"Now you should go upstairs and talk to Akane. I think it's time you both sat down and aired out everything, don't you?" Kasumi encouraged sweetly.

He nodded, though he dreaded the mood Akane could be in. She was now his wife, but they still had the same old problems. Handing the ice pack to Kasumi he went up the stairs to his former room he now shared with Akane. Knocking softly on the door, he waited anxiously in the hallway.

*Here goes nothing.* "Uh, Akane can I come in?"

"Yes, You can come in Ranma." answered Akane.

*********************

Nabiki finished wipping any evidence of crying from her face. Afraid of someone seeing, she hid herself in the woods behind Furinkan High. There was no one around, for which she was grateful. *Damn Ranma, damn everybody!* But mostly she was damning herself. Was she really as awful as Ranma said? Did Akane hate her too? Ranma did, that was obvious. Akane had not so much as mentioned the wedding in weeks, but did she secretly despise her for what she did?

"I wouldn't blame her if she did. I totally screwed up." Nabiki leaned back against the tree. She truly felt shame for her actions and to be called on it was humilating. The thought of Akane truly hating her wrenched her heart. Strangers and associates, she probably wouldn't have cared, but family was different. She did love her family, even if she didn't show it.

Just then, Nabiki was distracted by rustling in the bushes behind her. Thinking it was an animal or worse, someone she knew, she started to move away.

"WHERE ON EARTH AM I NOW?!?" screamed a voice, accompanied by the sound of something smashing to the ground. Probably some poor, defenseless tree.

Nabiki couldn't help but roll her eyes. That could only be one person. Nerima's part-time resident, the eternally lost boy himself, Ryoga Hibiki.

Ryoga looked around his surroundings. It all looked familiar. Could it be Nerima? Dusting himself off, he was relieved to be finally back in Japan. This was Japan wasn't it?

Nabiki, not wanting to get caught tried to sneak away, but luck wasn't on her side today. Ryoga, alerted to the sounds of movement, turned his head and saw Nabiki trying to skulk away through the bushes.

"Nabiki Tendo? Is that you? Are you crying?" Ryoga asked, rushing toward her in concern.

Chagrined at be discovered, Nabiki tried to push the matter aside. "Don't be silly, Ryoga. Me cry? It' s just these darn...allergies. Guess, it's not too smart to be hanging out in the woods, huh? Well, talk to you later. "

Ryoga looked skeptically at her and gently grabbed her left arm preventing her from leaving. "I don't think it's allergies I see.What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong." she said, keeping her head down, hoping he'd catch a clue and leave her alone.

"Nabiki-" He put his left hand under her chin and raised it up so she was forced to look at him. "I want to help you Nabiki. You can talk to me. I'm a really good listener and I can keep a secret. Boy, can I keep a secret."

"Well, I'm a horrible person, that's what's wrong." Nabiki said, embarrassed to have blurted that out loud.

"What? Who said that you were a horrible person?" Ryoga said, outraged on her behalf.

"Ranma. We got into an argument earlier over the whole wedding fiasco."

Ryoga was shocked by what he was hearing. Sure, Nabiki was no saint, but neither was Ranma. He had a lot of gall passing judgement on anyone. Looking down at her face, he was amazed by her vulnerbility. He'd thought Nabiki had only two emotions. Bitch and bitchier. Guess I was wrong. *Ranma, you jerk! Can't you ever stop hurting people? First Akane and now Nabiki.* Still, the mention of the wedding brought back painful feelings for him.

"You're not a horrible person, Nabiki. We've all behaved in ways that are pretty shameful. It doesn't make you any worse than the rest of us. I know I've done things I'm not particularly proud of." Thinking of his secret life as a certain pet pig, Ryoga inwardly cringed.

"Besides, Ranma is the last person who can talk. That insensitive jerk has done plenty of despicable things. Hell, I could spend all day naming his faults. If you have the time, we can sit and chat about how idiotic he is? Of course, it'll be an all day event. You might want to go and get a chair." He said with a little smile, showing off that cute fang of his.

Smiling, she shook her head. "Thanks Ryoga, for cheering me up. You're an all right guy."
She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Ryoga blushed a deep scarlet. "No problem."

"Well, I'd rather not go back home at this moment, so how about I take you to lunch, my treat?" Noticing the surprise on his face, she smirked. "You can pick your face off the ground, Ryoga. I owe you one. Ucchan's okay?"

His blushed intensified. "Sure Nabiki." He stepped back and presented her with his arm. Her smile widened as he took the lead and tried to take her Kami knows where. Not saying anything, she preceded to lead him in the correct direction to Ucchan's.

********************

Hidden away in the shadows, (aren't they always?) a figure lurked watching the scene with Ryoga and the unknown brown haired girl. After mentally cursing the bandana boy and lustfully eyeing his seeing eye human in the impossibly short shorts, the figure stepped out of the shadow of the trees.

"I've finally found you at last Ryoga Hibiki. I'll finally make you pay for ruining my life.
And I'll start by taking your pretty little girlfriend away from you."

Insert evil laughter....

*That's it for the first chapter. So I hope you liked it. I must warn you I'm a slow ass typer. I swear I can only type up to 10 freaking wpm! So I'll try to have the next chapter out before the next Ice Age. Nabiki is my favorite character of course, because she's smart, a little sneaky and can wheel and deal. My kind of gal. I also think she has a lot of hidden depth, so my purpose is to show another side to her. I don't think she's the evil bitch with no soul as the fanfics portray her as. As for the other characters, they'll all be in here. I promise to resolve all the conflicts I can as I go along. And please tell me who you want Nabiki to hook up with! I have an idea, but would like feedback. Please? Bye!