Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Third Chances ❯ Do You Know Why? ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

Do You Know Why?

 

 

Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.

 

I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.

 

I find that if I let thinks sit for a while in my head; I can play them out farther. Plus by trying and keeping my chapters between 2500 and 3000+ words, it helps keep me from making the story slide out of control, turning a diamond to a pile of shit.

 

Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.

 

Also, please check out my other stories. I try to keep a constant level of dedication to all of them.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------

 

“Nihao, mercenary girl.”

 

The color began to drain from her face as she slowly turned to face Shampoo. This was a girl who she feared the most. She could see Shampoo in her imagination, finding out about the pregnancy, finding out that Ranma didn't know, and simply saying `Airen no know, good. Me take out obstacle now.'

 

But for the moment, Shampoo was oblivious to Nabiki's current condition. This fact, however, did little to lessen her apprehension of Shampoo's presence on the middle Tendo girl.

 

“Hello Shampoo, what are you doing in this part of town? I didn't think you delivered this far from the Cat Café.”

 

“Oh, is easy. Customer who live here come in all the time. Him big tipper. So when he ask for delivery, great-grandmother say yes. Customer always give Shampoo big tips, say Shampoo remind him of own grand-daughter.”

 

Nabiki tried not to think of any bad possibilities of what this guy might actually be after, since it was very likely Shampoo could kill the guy five different ways with her delivery bike alone should he try something less than honorable with her; especially since those same possibilities went for her as well should she discover Nabiki was pregnant and who the father might be. I need to definitely stay away from Cologne, she'd probably be able to tell before I even say hello. “Shampoo, could I talk to you for a minute?” Might as well try and drop one of his potential, and most lethal, fiancées while I can.

 

“Sure thing. You no charge? Or maybe you help Shampoo get Airen, yes?” The two sat down on the bench that Nabiki had just left from.

 

“Shampoo, I need to ask you some things, and I don't want you to get mad at me. I want you to be patient, and really think about what I am saying, OK?”

 

“Shampoo no get angry. You Shampoo friend, not obstacle like Kitchen Destroyer. She threaten Shampoo, say if I attack in home again, she send food to Amazon tribe, kill many warriors.”

 

Nabiki strained hard not to laugh at that comment. Her little sister did that, under strong pressure from both of her sisters, to prevent Shampoo from literally dropping in to see Ranma, tearing through a wall, roof or stray door. It had been a bluff, as Akane didn't see her food as toxic, until they forced her to eat it first. Needless to say when she awoke and finished puking in the bathroom for half the night, she agreed to do it.

 

But the threat had been enough. “Shampoo, what I need to ask you is this: do you love Ranma because of who he is or what he is?”

 

Shampoo for once looked confused. Despite what many around Nerima thought of her as, this was not a common occurrence. “Shampoo no understand, is not same thing?”

 

Nabiki shook her head. I forgot she doesn't quite grasp subtlety in the language yet. “What I mean is, do you love Ranma because of the type of person he is, or because your laws say you have to be with him? How do you know you really love him?”

 

“Shampoo not dumb, me know what love is. Airen love Shampoo and Shampoo love Airen. We go back to Joketsuzoku and we have many children. Him be good Amazon husband.”

 

Nabiki shook her head again. “Then you really don't know him at all then Shampoo.”

 

“What mercenary girl mean?”

 

“Shampoo, you know how men are treated in your village. Do you honestly think Ranma will allow people to treat him like that?”

 

Shampoo had been getting upset at Nabiki questioning her love for Ranma, until that last statement hit. Why is she asking me that? Ranma will do whatever…

 

The realization at what Nabiki was trying to say finally hit her. No he won't. He won't be told what to do; will he? The only time he ever went out with me was to get a possible cure. Great-grandmother only taught him those moves to try and trick him into marriage with me.

 

Nabiki decided to press her advantage. “You have seen how Akane treats him. We both know it's only a matter of time before she hits him one to many times and Ranma fights back. Imagine what he would do when he is treated as sub-standard property in your village. How long before one of your warriors tries to push him, and ends up releasing his full, unstoppable rage like when he faced Herb or Saffron?”

 

Shampoo would have preferred if she hadn't mentioned that. When news reached Cologne about what had occurred between Ranma and Saffron, to say she was disturbed was to say the Kunos were mildly weird. Even Mousse had been afraid of what Ranma was truly capable of when pushed beyond rational thought. It had been the main reason he had not attacked Ranma since then, preferring to keep his body intact and alive.

 

Every scenario placed before the elders said that if Ranma returned and was pushed, even if they tried to break him, he could destroy the village with little to no effort. Even using the moxybustion burn would only limit his strength, not his speed or ki reserves. All that would do would buy the village an extra three seconds before he removed it permanently from the Earth.

 

The village was still trying to decide alternatives to get Ranma to join the tribe, or at the least, become an ally. For the moment, whether or not he returned with Shampoo was not of major importance.

 

Nabiki stared at Shampoo as her perky face went to the palest color she had ever seen. It was obvious to her the Amazon was imagining what Ranma was really capable of, could envision her village being destroyed because some woman made a “stupid male” comment. “You could live here in Japan, but you would have to leave almost all of your old traditions behind. I know you and Ranma would probably end up teaching a dojo and to be honest, I could see you two living a happy life. But do you think the people of your village would allow that for you?”

 

Shampoo merely shook her head no, her mind so clouded with the possibility of an angry and out-of-control Ranma, she didn't think before she answered Nabiki's question truthfully. “Village send party to bring Shampoo and Ranma back, keep sending until too many die or we back. They take Shampoo's family and curse as well, maybe worse. Shampoo's family maybe not be able to change back. They no lock curse like Musk do, but can mix curse, so no difference with hot or cold water. Same thing happen if Shampoo no bring Ranma back. Maybe worse, maybe kill all Shampoo's family, followed by Shampoo. Me and airen's kids no safe either, they target as well.”

 

It was now Nabiki's turn to be shocked, not really expecting Shampoo to open up to her completely. It was well known to the Nerima Wrecking Crew what had occurred the only time Shampoo had returned from Japan back to the Amazon village without either killing female Ranma or returning with male Ranma. Many had wondered, including Nabiki herself, what would happen if she failed a second time. Even though Ranma had never said anything, she knew it was a thought also on his mind, maybe a reason he never outright excluded Shampoo and put up with Cologne's interference and tricks.

 

Shampoo shouldn't be punished anymore for his own mistakes. And Ranma was trying to make certain of that.

 

Now she had been given a missing piece of the puzzle. When Shampoo returned the first time after Ranma was revealed to be cursed, she had ended up cursed herself, though her situation had been very, very unique. It made one wonder whether or not the village elders had any thoughts outside their obvious ridged minds and views of what life should be like.

 

But the fact that if Shampoo didn't return with Ranma for a second time, her punishment could and would be much worse, even passed onto her family. No wonder she is constantly trying to seduce him, using every potion and trick in the Amazon book. She may love him completely, but she can't let him go. Too many people are counting on her.

 

I need to help her just as much as Ukyo. I don't know if I can, but I need to try.

 

Besides, there isn't a contract out there I haven't found some wiggle room in. Maybe I can see a way out for her, but first I need to know the rules of the game before I play.

 

“Shampoo, I need your Amazon Rule Book.”

 

“Why?”

 

“If Ranma doesn't choose you, I need to find a way to save your honor. Since that book contains the base rules for your entire society, I should be able to find a way for you to save honor and not have to either suffer yourself or drag your family into it.”

 

Shampoo, finally coming out of her dreary mental images of Ranma's final attack on the Amazon village, turned towards Nabiki. The mercenary girl was offering to help her, help her preserve herself if Ranma failed to choose her. He won't choose anyone but me. He loves me, even if the law says he must. He will choose me in the end.

 

But I have to be prepared. He has gotten closer to the Kitchen Destroyer than anyone, and she hits him all the time for no other reason than we are near him, we talk to him, we hit on him affectionately. If he does choose Akane or Ukyo…

 

My family…

 

My friends…

 

To lose all of their humanity or lives because I didn't get Ranma…

 

Because I didn't do my Amazon duty…

 

Shampoo handed over the full copy of the book to Nabiki. “Here full book, all laws and recent interpretations. If you find way, let Shampoo know so can make certain great-grandmother believe it work. Shampoo no want family to suffer because Shampoo am weak Amazon.”

 

Nabiki decided to hug Shampoo, which surprised the both of them. Must be those damn hormones kicking in. “Shampoo, you aren't weak. You just refuse to be a weak minded Amazon. You choose to do the right thing. That is not weak, and that is why Ranma likes you so.”

 

Shampoo cheered up at those words, gratified to know that at least Ranma liked her. She could build on that. But then she remembered who she was talking to. “What mer…Nabiki want for helping Shampoo?”

 

“Simple, a few things. One, you need to stop glomping onto Ranma, since it sets Akane off. Remember when you wore the Contrary Gem, you ignored him and he came after you. He may not be so strong as to try and revitalize your feelings, but he should show more interest in you. Two, no more fighting the other women, as it only hurts him to see you guys fight. Three, if he chooses someone other than you, you cannot attack them in any way shape or form, as he will only do this if he can preserve everyone's honor. Don't worry about the last one, as it won't occur unless I can safely find a way to preserve everyone's honor and save you from punishment. So, do we have a deal?”

 

Shampoo; finally agreeing that it was better to be safe than sorry, accepted Nabiki's offer; not realizing that Nabiki was doing it for herself as well as for Shampoo and Ranma.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------

 

Nabiki slowly made her way to the new Saotome home. The trip, even from her starting point at the park, should have at most taken an hour walking. But it was taking twice that as she often stopped, her eyes glued to the Amazon rule book in her hands.

 

She was constantly comparing this book to the one Shampoo had left behind when she had first arrived at the Tendo Dojo. She had spent a good two days going over that book, trying to understand the Amazons, seeing if there was a way to make profit from the perky Amazon's new addiction to Ranma.

 

But this book held nothing back. It showed several rituals to celebrate a “blooded” warrior, as well as how a warrior's status was viewed from a defeat of a Musk Warrior or a Phoenix warrior. It described in great detail weaknesses, strengths, as well as what would occur if you failed to defeat such warriors. There had been numerous listings of what failures of being an Amazon would entail, possible curses, punishments, and listing what offences would result in the person's death.

 

It took several tries for her not to begin to vomit after reading some of the trials, rituals, and punishments that Amazons had to deal with.

 

It took even less time for her to understand how much pressure was currently on Shampoo's young shoulders.

 

It also produced the equally unsettling feeling of guilt for anything she did to take advantage of Shampoo for her own pocket, even if it was for the family to survive.

 

The things we have to do so that our family can survive. Shampoo and I aren't so different then, are we? We each have done everything but sell our souls so that our families will continue to survive.

 

And to think all this time I misjudged her, we all did.

 

At first, I thought it would be simple. I would wait until Ranma and Akane finally declared their love and offer them this as a present, minus my usual fee for such expenditures. Then everyone, minus the Kunos, would be happy.

 

But now, I have to worry about everyone, not just those two. I have to save Shampoo's honor, Ukyo's honor, while protecting myself and my unborn child.

 

The thought made Nabiki stop, her eyes closing as she put her free hand over her stomach. I guess that means I've decided to keep the child. Weird, I thought I would be working on that decision for weeks, but it seems so simple now. I am keeping the baby. Even if I have to move in with Mrs. Saotome and raise this child by myself, even if I can never tell the father that he is the father, I am keeping this child.

 

It may end up being a curse for a while, but this has already brought some blessings into my life. It has helped me make friends with Ranma and even save the Dojo for a while. It's much easier when someone helps you, and Ranma has been helping me since I confessed to him the true state of affairs at the Dojo. I got Shampoo to trust me, and now I have to help her get her life back.

 

Ukyo was always an easy plan to deal with; simply adopt her into the Saotome family, thus fulfilling her father's decree that she either kill Genma and Ranma or become a Saotome. I'll have to remember to ask Ranma to take her out a few times; no sex of course, to prove to her and him that he can't get beyond seeing her as a friend. But at least she'll still have Ranma in her life.

 

I might not even have that in a few more months.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------

 

She finally arrived at the Saotome household, feeling the panic creep in as if she was before the gates of Hell itself. This was the residence of the most feared woman in all of existence, someone who strikes fear in a person whom had killed a God, someone who even Happosai and the Amazons never messed with, even whom the Kunos left alone. To put it simply, this was a person you never, ever, fucked with!

 

She made her way to the front door, making certain that the gate was shut and locked, more for her own need to regain some confidence of her Ice Queen self than to make certain no one would enter without permission. It wasn't everyday she felt like this, her mind a mixture of fear and confidence, trying to both force her to talk to Nodoka Saotome and run screaming from the yard.

 

She finally stopped before the door, her hands clenched at her sides. I need to do this, I need her help. Granted her first idea will just be for him to have them all, like Ranma is some sort of playboy. But I need to use her honor against her. If I don't control both myself and this situation, a lot of people are going to get hurt, both mentally and physically.

 

I need to do this, as much for myself as for Ranma.

 

She knocked on the door loudly, hoping both that Nodoka would answer and that no one was home. Her mind kept playing out possibilities of how the meeting might go; from Nodoka embracing the mother of her grandchild to grabbing her sword and rushing off to the Dojo to kill Genma and Ranma. She was so engrossed in these possibilities, that she never saw Nodoka open the door, or begin to shake her when she wasn't responding.

 

Nabiki quickly snapped back to reality. “Oh, sorry Auntie. I was lost in my own world there for a second.” Nabiki had to take another calming breath, trying to suppress the fears that were still welling up inside her.

 

Finally, she managed to calm herself down. “Auntie, I need to talk to you about some things, things it is best not to mention outside here, can we go inside please.”

 

Nodoka noticed the way Nabiki was acting, sensing how truly scared the child really was. She looks like she is about to jump out of her skin. I hope nothing happened to Ranma or Genma. “Of course child, please come in.”

 

Things progressed quickly after that. Nodoka showed Nabiki to the dining room while she went to prepare some tea. Nodoka had already set the water to heat while she looked for a particular brand of tea, one that always helped to calm her nerves when nightmares about her missing family would creep into her sleep. Having found what she was looking for, she prepared the tea and returned to the dining room, noticing Nabiki was once again lost in her own thoughts. Poor girl, I wonder what has upset her so much. Maybe she is in love with my son as well, oh how manly of him to woo two sisters.

 

It was a weird site to behold for any outside viewer. One woman at the table was lost in her own world, a look of apprehension on her face, trying to discern what approach to take with Nodoka, trying to keep her from promptly going to kill Ranma; not really giving a damn if she did kill Genma, as her story would almost assure that outcome. Nodoka was lost in her own world, a look of pure bliss on her face, dreaming of how many grandchildren her manly son would give her with so many beautiful girls after him.

 

Needless to say, only one truly had any idea what was going through the other's mind, knowing that the other had no idea how close to the truth she already was.

 

Nabiki finally steeled herself enough to begin the discussion, calling out Nodoka's name to get her out of her dream state. “Auntie, before we begin, I need to ask you something very important. What I wish to talk with you about is very difficult for me, and I wish your help with it. But I also wish to handle things in my own way. I would like you to promise, on your honor, that what I am about to discuss with you will not leave this room without my permission, even if you think you are simply doing the best for me. I honestly don't know how you will take what I am about to tell you, and to be honest the possibilities scare the hell out of me. I want you to promise on your honor as well that you will take no action against those currently living at the Tendo Dojo or anyone associated with them, even if you feel they have done a great offense to you, without my permission. Do you promise?”

 

Nodoka was shocked out of her dreams to say the least. Nabiki admitted to being scared of her, but what more, Nabiki wanted her vow that she would not act on this information, under any circumstances. What has the child so worried that she would ask this of me? “I agree dear. I promise on my honor to do as you have asked. Now please tell me why you are so afraid of what I might do?”

 

Nabiki once again had to take a calming breath, preparing to begin a story she had practiced for a few days now when the thought she might be pregnant entered her mind. “Auntie, I wish to tell you the true story about your son, and the honorable man he has become.”

 

----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------

 

Story ideas are here again, as I will in all likelihood wrap up some stories, or add others to keep my mind unfocused.

 

Idea #1.) The What If Chronicles: The Ranma Editions: These will be stories of how things may have been different if certain things had happened, such as what if Ranma had arrived at the Amazon village, and waited to fight Shampoo until she had rested. Another one is what if Ranma had shown up to the Tendo Dojo as a guy. Or what if Ranma knew Ukyo was a girl, and promised to marry her.

 

Idea #2.) Ranma