Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon
Sidestory, Broken Pieces Of A Shattered Carol
Author's Notes: Okay, although this is a sidestory, it is also vital to read it to understand some future chapters of Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon. Oh yeah for you who haven't already, if you liked my stories: Forever Bound, Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon, and The Scarlet Trail then read The Roayl Servant. Even though my poll says I should work on The Royal Servant first I need to keep a balanced writing. *shrugs* Oh well, just send all comments and criticism to silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com and Enjoy!
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens.
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Her high heels clicked sharply on the expensive marble floor and echoed throughout the empty hallway. The servants had to be dismissed 3 hours late today to fit her schedule. Some had families to go home to, children to take care of, but none of that was her problem. She paid them, they worked for her, no excuses or otherwise. Looking at the $20,000 grandfather clock on the wall, Natalie Tanson gave a sigh. It was already past 11:00 at night. As she entered her bedroom and sat down by the roaring fire that her personal maid, Susan, had made for her before she ran to her car to dive to the hospital to her dying father. *Pathetic girl...* Natalie thought. Looking at the embers of the fire burn and crackle, Natalie closed her eyes, remembering when...when...when she was someone else...when she was...
The sound of chains and scraping got Natalie to open her eyes. *Who would dare do that to my beautiful floor?* she thought angrily, ready to blow out at the person...but her mouth just dropped. In the chair beside her sat a deathly pale, almost transparent, figure, leaning back against the chair. The woman's hair once pale, perfect, blond hair was now a terrifying white and her eyes were a pair of large frightened orbs or gray. Nothing was on her but a ripped gray dress that bound tightly around her, her body, her amrs, her legs, seeming to trap her. Yet, these weren't the things that captured Natalie's attention, it was the fact that this woman is...was her business partner. Who had died two years ago.
Now, maybe a normal human being would have ran away in fear or fainted. Too bad Natalie Tanson wasn't normal. The things she had seen, the things she had done, the things she had experienced,...made seeing a 2-year dead ghost that was your business partner at 11:00 at night a walk through the park. Picking up the brandy on the antique table by her chair, Natalie swirled it around, continuing to look at the fire.
"What are you doing here, Cecilia? I gave you a proper burial, you have no need to haunt me. Now, why don't we stop this nonsense and you go back to wherever you came from. I'll forget this ever happened," Natalie said reasonably, not coldly, not kindly, just neutral as if she was talking to a stranger on the street.
Cecilia turned her accusing eyes toward Natalie.
"Don't give me that nonsense, Natalie," she snapped, "I know you were just as happy at getting the rest of the company as I would have been. No, I'm not here to haunt you. I'm here to warn you."
Natalie quirked her eyebrow in interest, "Really? What would I need warning about? Don't walk down the street or I'll get killed? Don't make anyone hating me because I might need them later? Or maybe I shouldn't make the next deal because I'll lose everything? Sorry to say this, Cecilia, but I've always been better at business then-"
"You have already lost everything," Cecilia said quietly, turning her now forlorn eyes back to the raging fire.
Natalie's face hardened, "What are you really here for, Cecilia? To torment me? Sorry to disappoint you, but I-"
Not turning her head, Cecilia explained in a hard tone, "I will say to you one last time, Natalie, I am not here to torment you. It will only add to my own torment. I am here to warn you. Change your ways or you shall regret it, Natalie. Have compassion, have love, have...life. I did not heed my warning when it came to me and now I am eternally tied in binds by my own hatred. Three ghosts will visit you tonight. Each at every hour starting at midnight. They will try and convince you, but where they fail, you will be the one to pay. Good-bye Natalie and good luck."
Before Natalie could get a word in edgewise, Cecilia was already gone leaving the room untouched. Natalie sighed and a little pest of happiness tugged at her about the familiarity of chaos that she hasn't known in years. Changing out of her Gucchi suit, Natalie donned on a fashionable $560 white nightgown and went to bed.
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Natalie opened her eyes, a feeling inside her telling her to wake up. Beside her bed stood a short little girl of about 9 or 10 with dark flaming red hair. On her was a mini-skirt and t-shirt too tight for a child her age. Her eyes were ones of dull amber that Natalie was sure shot fire when she was angry. Swinging her legs over the bed and standing up Natalie looked at the clock which had midnight exactly.
"So, you're the first ghost tonight, little girl?" Natalie asked amused.
The little red-head just turned her beautiful, glittering eyes at Natalie and made her shiver, "I'm not a kid! I'm older then you are! I'm older than this earth is! It's just that when I'm in the mortal realm I have to use a child's body and a child's personality. Now, come on, I don't have all day. Let's go!"
The kid grabbed Natalie's arm before she could protest. Natalie looked around her and saw a misty darkness. The child stood beside her.
"Where are we?" Natalie asked calmly.
"In the in-betweens. This is where we travel. Oh yeah, I'm the ghost of Past and I don't really have a name, but everyone calls me Sil. Don't ask why," the child replied.
Nabiki looked skeptically around her, "Okay Sil, isn't it a little, bit cliché and overused to have to in-between as a misty darkness. I mean, how many Sci-Fi movies had I seen with this setting?"
Sil smiled, "Don't you know-? Of course not. All ideas that mortals have are true. Did you know that? Every movie you have seen, every book you have read, all the ideas in this world has happened before in another world, another realm and it came here. Muse, talent, inspiration, gift...whatever you want to call it."
Natalie seemed to contemplate this, but then the setting swirled again and she and Sil were on sunny sidewalks. Natalie knew without a doubt that it was Nerima.
"W-why d-d-did y-you bring me here?" Natalie stuttered.
Sil smiled mischievously, "Oh you know who you are. You may be Natalie Tanson now, but you weren't always...Nabiki Tendo. Now, close your jaw, it's not that big of a surprise I know, I am a ghost, after all. Oooh, candy." With that she snatched up a candystick from a running child. The little boy turned around and looked into his hand wondering where his candy went.
"Can't he see you?" Nabiki asked after she got over her shock.
"Nope, no one can see us because this is just an illusion, it's not real. Sort of like a video after editing. It's not live," Sil said as she ate the candy, "Now come on, I've got some things to show you."
As they walked down the street and Nabiki's wondering eyes turned up and down the street she heard the little girl comment, "You know I heard something once. I heard that in most families with only three children, the middle child gets the least love. The oldest gets the pride and happiness of their parents, the youngest gets the attention and petting while the middle child gets unnoticed. Do you believe that's true Nabiki?"
"No," the other said stiffly.
"You do," Sil stopped eating the candy, "Now look."
Nabiki did look, though she didn't want to. There stood three little little baby girls playing in the backyard. The oldest was 6, the middle was 4 and the youngest was barely 3. They were sisters, obviously since at such young ages, their difference wasn't shown yet. Suddenly, a beautiful woman appeared in the back doorway. Nabiki blinked back tears and stepped forward whispering, "mom" but Sil held her back. The lady shaded her eyes from the sun a minute before walking, smiling and walked toward the three girls.
"Look, mommy, look at this teddy bear I sewed for you," little Kasumi said, always eager to please her mother.
"My, what a good child you are, Kasu-chan," the mother beamed. The little Nabiki looked enviously at her sister's clean dress spread out before her as she sat on a tidy rock. A half-finished beautiful brown bear sat in her lap and a nice hat on her head. Looking regretfully at her own slightly dirty dress and hat thrown across the pond, Nabiki sighed.
"Mommy, can I help you in the kitchen today?" Kasumi asked, her little face glowing with cuteness.
"Sure, honey," the mother replied and picked her little daughter up and walked into the house.
Nabiki stared longingly at the doorway awhile, listening to her mother and Kasumi laugh. Sighing she sat down next to Akane as her little sister stuffed grass and mud into her mouth. The white dress she once wore was torn and ripped in all places as well as muddy and brown. The hat she once wore was now lying lifeless beside her, stomped and torn upon.
"Akane, no, don't eat the mud," Nabiki said as she grabbed at Akane's fistful of mud.
"Mine! Let go, 'biki!" Akane yelled as she threw her other fist and punched Nabiki hard in the stomach. As Nabiki doubled over Soun came running out of nowhere and picked Akane up as he gave a big smile.
"What strength! My baby girl has such talent. You would make a wonderful martial artist! Come on now," Soun grinned as he carried his youngest daughter into the dojo, not noticing the one on the floor. Of course the little Nabiki didn't know that Soun was too happy to notice his own nose in front of him that moment.
"I guess that just proved my theory as correct, huh?" Sil asked softly.
"I didn't care," Nabiki denied.
"Didn't you? Well, maybe this had hurt you more..."
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Nabiki felt the world faze until she was once again in a familiar surrounding. One that had haunted her nights for years. It was a hospital room. Nabiki knew who was in the bed with the tubes inside of her on the bed without looking or asking. It was her mother. Soun stood by the window, not looking at his wife, afraid to, while Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane laid on the hospital bed with their dying mother, their faces washed with dried tears. Their hearts empty and pained.
The mother absently stroked her daughters' heads as she said in a rasped voice, "You know, girls, I'll always be here. Inside each and everyone of you. Everytime that you cry, it'll be me washing and scrubbing away the hurt, every time you smile, it'll be me lighting the world, everytime you meet a new friend, it'll be introducing you...and everytime you get your heart broken, I'll be there inside giving you a gift called hope that tells you life does go on and the pain does heal."
The girls stayed silent, their crying already done, the pain there still.
"But we won't see you," a 9-year old Akane whispered.
"Oh, but you will. When you really need help, just close your eyes and picture my face. Don't be afraid to let the pain go, either, because you'll be afraid to forget me. You won't. I will always-" but before she could say anymore the monitor beside her went still and a dull beeeeeppppp filled the air. Akane broke down crying and screaming towards her father and Kasumi just stood up and left the room. Nabiki didn't move, but just hugged her mother's lifeless body tighter as she closed her eyes...
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Nabiki saw the darkness around her again. She wasn't crying, her eyes only wistful as Sil waited beside her.
Finally Nabiki spoke, "She always had a way with words, my mother. She could persuade anyone to do anything and make them happy to. She always had everyone wrapped around her little finger, but the way that she did it made it seem as though she was doing us all a favor. Is this all? Are we done?"
Sil sighed, "Unfortunately, there is still one more aspect of your life that you must watch."
The air shimmered this time and she saw it. The part of her life that guilt almost killed her with every time she was reminded of it. It was her when she was 18, Akane was 17 and Kasumi was 20. They were in Dr.Tofu's house, days after her father's death and the bankruptcy was filed. All of their stuff was gone. It was night and she saw herself sneaking out of Dr. Tofu's house, a suitcase in once hand, a plane ticket in the other.
The older Nabiki stood there, wanting to scream *No! Don't go! Stay! Help them! Don't be a coward, don't run away! They love you...they're the only ones who ever had* but the words died into her throat as the other Nabiki blended into the night.
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After one more shimmer, Nabiki found herself in bed again, suddenly very sleepy so she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. The clock still reading midnight...
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Nabiki woke up as soon as the clock hit the first gong for 1:00. There at the end of her bed stood a short, plump man in a dark green shirt and dark green pants. Nabiki stood up and took his hand into hers.
Looking down at him she asked, "Ghost of the Present?"
The man gave her a toothless grin and said, "Yes, my name's Ofalo if you want to speak to me. I'm going to show you the present, alright?"
Nabiki nodded, already expecting this, but she asked fearfully, "Nobody's dead, right?"
"No, but some things are worse than death," was all he said as the world began to spin and shimmer.
Suddenly, they were standing in a nice hotel room with two beds. Two, obviously twins, boy and girl were jumping on one of the beds while a lady and man unpacked suitcases on the other bed. Nabiki's face brightened at the familiar warm face of Kasumi after 7 years. Kasumi had aged beautifully and gracefully, like a swan spreading its wings. Her delicate brown hair looked like spun gold and her face was enchanting as well as heart-warming like a fairy stepping out of the pure imagination of a child. Dr. Tofu stood beside her and without her knowing it, was smiling devotedly down at his loving wife.
"So, let me guess, Kasumi married Tofu and had those two 'bundles of joy' over there, right?" Nabiki guessed although her heart had already been lost to the two kids at the first glance.
Ofalo took her hand and said, "Don't get to happy, honey, this is the only good part of our trip."
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The air shimmered and when Nabiki opened her eyes she saw herself looking into an office even larger, better designed, and more expensive then her own. Expensive paintings hung on the wall and tasteful furniture were designed with great delicacy to form the perfect pattern. A huge window showing the whole city was behind an oak desk and leather chair.
A one-step staircase in the room led to an open mini-bar and couch with TVs lined against the wall to catch the latest news. Nabiki saw a figure sitting in the leather chair typing furiously on her computer. Nabiki took a closer look at seeing her younger sister Akane. *This is Akane? The little tomboy who always tried protecting her older sisters? The same little girl who wore ripped pants and shirts and ran around with a face full of mud? The same martial artist that had no patience? Sitting at an office table?!*
"That's Akane?" Nabiki asked Ofalo in shock.
"Yes," he replied ready to dish out information, "Known throughout the world as the multi-millionaire CEO of Falcon Industries, Akane...Varshardi. At only 24, she had already built quite an empire."
"But why would she change her name?" Nabiki asked confused.
The man smiled wickedly, "Maybe for the same reason as you Natalie Tanson. To not be recognized and identified as who she really is. She doesn't want Kasumi and Tofu to know how hard she had to work to get here and now there is not way of telling them without rising suspicion."
Nabiki noticed the scar on Akane's left cheek and wondered how she had gotten it. Her little sister sure was grown and in all the right places too.
"Who does she remind you of, Nabiki?" Ofalo asked softly and Nabiki looked away. She knew who Akane reminded her of. The cold, steel, emotionless eyes, the tight-lipped mouth, the determined, confident stance. Akane reminded her of herself and that was what brought Nabiki the most guilt. If she had been there, Akane would have known who not to be...would have had a choice...but she wasn't...
Suddenly, a tall brown-haired girl who seemed innocent enough barged into the room...but her eyes said differently. It took Nabiki a moment to notice Ukyo.
"Hey, Ne-chan, ready to go meet Anthony and co. now? We have to be able to seal this deal by 2:00," Ukyo said professionally and Akane nodded just as the air shimmered.
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"Now, I can't show you the present for this, but I'll show you something that happened 2 weeks ago," Nabiki hazily heard Ofalo say.
Suddenly, she was in a dark alleyway beside Ofalo watching the crowd of masked people meet. In the center of the terrifying crowd was stood a tall, confident fire-eyed woman with red tips at the ends of her hair and a scarlet phoenix mask on her. The girl practically oozed with confidence and courage and Nabiki noticed in shock at how those other hundreds of men and women were obviously intimidated and terrified of her. It took Nabiki a moment to realize they were discussing illegal activities and spoke of it naturally.
"Why am I here?" Nabiki asked as she hugged her nightgown around herself.
Ofalo just ignored her question and pointed at the girl with the red mask, "That girl right there is the Scarlet Phoenix, one of the two most feared crime bosses. She owns half of this city."
"What does she have to do with me?" Nabiki questioned, afraid of what the answer would be.
"Look closely, Nabiki and tell me who is behind the mask," Ofalo commanded.
Nabiki did, she looked deep behind the mask onto the face and whispered a soft "no" to deaf ears.
"That is your sister Akane," Ofalo explained, but the air already shimmered again and Nabiki found herself in a warehouse faced with almost the same group of people again, only this time the leader was a tall, dark, handsome man with tied hair and a blue dragon mask on.
"I don't think I want to know who he is," Nabiki whispered.
"You don't, but you must," Ofalo said, "he is the Blue Dragon and he owns the other half of the city as well as the other most feared crime-boss. He also happens to be a man named Ranma Saotome."
"He wasn't my fault!" Nabiki protested, "He left before I did!"
"Nobody's blaming you for anything, Nabiki, but I guess you should know that the Scarlet Phoenix and the Blue Dragon are at a blood war. So, I leave you with this question, every war must end, how will this one?"
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Nabiki couldn't sleep this time and sat on her bed waiting impatiently for the last hour to come. When it did she gasped at seeing a cloaked figure grab her hand, though nothing was there, and the room spun. When she had opened her eyes again, Nabiki saw a crying Kasumi being walked away from a cemetery by a crying Tofu. Nabiki saw three graves and she asked the masked figure, "What? I guessed one of these gravestone is mine? It won't frighten me, you know. I don't fear death anymore," but the masked figure just pointed his finger at the three graves...although there was no hand.
Nabiki walked up to the graves, but whatever she expected wasn't this. Behind the first three graves were hundreds of others lined perfectly and as Nabiki went along the dates she found out everyone of them died on the same day. Gulping, Nabiki went up to the first three graves and read that it was Ranma Saotome, Asako and Mayabi Tofu. Nabiki knew without a doubt that these were the two children she saw with Kasumi earlier.
Backing up she backed right into the masked figure.
Turning around she pleaded helplessly, tears running down her face, "No...No!... No!!!!!! I didn't do this! I didn't! Just because Akane and Ranma had a war and ended up killing everyone isn't my fault!!!!"
But in her mind she heard an anguished voice say, "But you could have prevented it."
Shaking her head hysterically, the girl said, "No, no, no, no, take me home, take me home..." The masked figure just gripped her hand and the air shimmered again. When all was clear, Nabiki found herself in a jail cell staring at her little sister rocking back and forth, her eyes dazed.
"Akane," Nabiki reached out to comfort her rocking sister, but her hand passed right through. She heard Akane's chant pass through her mind *Ranma...Ranma...Ranma... Ranma...I'm so sorry, so sorry...didn't know...i...didn't know...ranma...left...died...blood... everyone...ukyo...ryoga...so sorry...asako...mayabi...sorry...hurt...ow...kasumi...tofu...stop hurting...sorry...my fault...didn't know...ranma..love you...love all of you...didn't know...join you...*
Nabiki watched helplessly in hour as Akane made a chi ball and hit the ceramic toilet shattering it to pieces Akane picked up a large piece. With a quick movement, she slashed her wrists and blood gushed out... *so sorry...love you...i love you ranma...*
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Nabiki woke up with a start, sweat coming down her face as her radio rang on about how clear the weather was today in California. The fear and pain was still inside her, raw and carnal. Quickly running out of bed, Nabiki ran to the top of her stairs and yelled at the top of her lungs to the servants below, "Everyone, I'm going on a vacation so all of you can take a paid-for vacation until I return!"
As she quickly left the cheering 1st floor, Nabiki went into her room and dialed her secretary.
"Hello Eliza?" Nabiki Tendo said, "Book me the earliest flight you can manage to Tokyo, Japan. I have business to finish."
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Author's Notes: This is probably most anguished chapter if any of my stories.
Sidestory, Broken Pieces Of A Shattered Carol
Author's Notes: Okay, although this is a sidestory, it is also vital to read it to understand some future chapters of Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon. Oh yeah for you who haven't already, if you liked my stories: Forever Bound, Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon, and The Scarlet Trail then read The Roayl Servant. Even though my poll says I should work on The Royal Servant first I need to keep a balanced writing. *shrugs* Oh well, just send all comments and criticism to silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com and Enjoy!
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens.
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Her high heels clicked sharply on the expensive marble floor and echoed throughout the empty hallway. The servants had to be dismissed 3 hours late today to fit her schedule. Some had families to go home to, children to take care of, but none of that was her problem. She paid them, they worked for her, no excuses or otherwise. Looking at the $20,000 grandfather clock on the wall, Natalie Tanson gave a sigh. It was already past 11:00 at night. As she entered her bedroom and sat down by the roaring fire that her personal maid, Susan, had made for her before she ran to her car to dive to the hospital to her dying father. *Pathetic girl...* Natalie thought. Looking at the embers of the fire burn and crackle, Natalie closed her eyes, remembering when...when...when she was someone else...when she was...
The sound of chains and scraping got Natalie to open her eyes. *Who would dare do that to my beautiful floor?* she thought angrily, ready to blow out at the person...but her mouth just dropped. In the chair beside her sat a deathly pale, almost transparent, figure, leaning back against the chair. The woman's hair once pale, perfect, blond hair was now a terrifying white and her eyes were a pair of large frightened orbs or gray. Nothing was on her but a ripped gray dress that bound tightly around her, her body, her amrs, her legs, seeming to trap her. Yet, these weren't the things that captured Natalie's attention, it was the fact that this woman is...was her business partner. Who had died two years ago.
Now, maybe a normal human being would have ran away in fear or fainted. Too bad Natalie Tanson wasn't normal. The things she had seen, the things she had done, the things she had experienced,...made seeing a 2-year dead ghost that was your business partner at 11:00 at night a walk through the park. Picking up the brandy on the antique table by her chair, Natalie swirled it around, continuing to look at the fire.
"What are you doing here, Cecilia? I gave you a proper burial, you have no need to haunt me. Now, why don't we stop this nonsense and you go back to wherever you came from. I'll forget this ever happened," Natalie said reasonably, not coldly, not kindly, just neutral as if she was talking to a stranger on the street.
Cecilia turned her accusing eyes toward Natalie.
"Don't give me that nonsense, Natalie," she snapped, "I know you were just as happy at getting the rest of the company as I would have been. No, I'm not here to haunt you. I'm here to warn you."
Natalie quirked her eyebrow in interest, "Really? What would I need warning about? Don't walk down the street or I'll get killed? Don't make anyone hating me because I might need them later? Or maybe I shouldn't make the next deal because I'll lose everything? Sorry to say this, Cecilia, but I've always been better at business then-"
"You have already lost everything," Cecilia said quietly, turning her now forlorn eyes back to the raging fire.
Natalie's face hardened, "What are you really here for, Cecilia? To torment me? Sorry to disappoint you, but I-"
Not turning her head, Cecilia explained in a hard tone, "I will say to you one last time, Natalie, I am not here to torment you. It will only add to my own torment. I am here to warn you. Change your ways or you shall regret it, Natalie. Have compassion, have love, have...life. I did not heed my warning when it came to me and now I am eternally tied in binds by my own hatred. Three ghosts will visit you tonight. Each at every hour starting at midnight. They will try and convince you, but where they fail, you will be the one to pay. Good-bye Natalie and good luck."
Before Natalie could get a word in edgewise, Cecilia was already gone leaving the room untouched. Natalie sighed and a little pest of happiness tugged at her about the familiarity of chaos that she hasn't known in years. Changing out of her Gucchi suit, Natalie donned on a fashionable $560 white nightgown and went to bed.
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Natalie opened her eyes, a feeling inside her telling her to wake up. Beside her bed stood a short little girl of about 9 or 10 with dark flaming red hair. On her was a mini-skirt and t-shirt too tight for a child her age. Her eyes were ones of dull amber that Natalie was sure shot fire when she was angry. Swinging her legs over the bed and standing up Natalie looked at the clock which had midnight exactly.
"So, you're the first ghost tonight, little girl?" Natalie asked amused.
The little red-head just turned her beautiful, glittering eyes at Natalie and made her shiver, "I'm not a kid! I'm older then you are! I'm older than this earth is! It's just that when I'm in the mortal realm I have to use a child's body and a child's personality. Now, come on, I don't have all day. Let's go!"
The kid grabbed Natalie's arm before she could protest. Natalie looked around her and saw a misty darkness. The child stood beside her.
"Where are we?" Natalie asked calmly.
"In the in-betweens. This is where we travel. Oh yeah, I'm the ghost of Past and I don't really have a name, but everyone calls me Sil. Don't ask why," the child replied.
Nabiki looked skeptically around her, "Okay Sil, isn't it a little, bit cliché and overused to have to in-between as a misty darkness. I mean, how many Sci-Fi movies had I seen with this setting?"
Sil smiled, "Don't you know-? Of course not. All ideas that mortals have are true. Did you know that? Every movie you have seen, every book you have read, all the ideas in this world has happened before in another world, another realm and it came here. Muse, talent, inspiration, gift...whatever you want to call it."
Natalie seemed to contemplate this, but then the setting swirled again and she and Sil were on sunny sidewalks. Natalie knew without a doubt that it was Nerima.
"W-why d-d-did y-you bring me here?" Natalie stuttered.
Sil smiled mischievously, "Oh you know who you are. You may be Natalie Tanson now, but you weren't always...Nabiki Tendo. Now, close your jaw, it's not that big of a surprise I know, I am a ghost, after all. Oooh, candy." With that she snatched up a candystick from a running child. The little boy turned around and looked into his hand wondering where his candy went.
"Can't he see you?" Nabiki asked after she got over her shock.
"Nope, no one can see us because this is just an illusion, it's not real. Sort of like a video after editing. It's not live," Sil said as she ate the candy, "Now come on, I've got some things to show you."
As they walked down the street and Nabiki's wondering eyes turned up and down the street she heard the little girl comment, "You know I heard something once. I heard that in most families with only three children, the middle child gets the least love. The oldest gets the pride and happiness of their parents, the youngest gets the attention and petting while the middle child gets unnoticed. Do you believe that's true Nabiki?"
"No," the other said stiffly.
"You do," Sil stopped eating the candy, "Now look."
Nabiki did look, though she didn't want to. There stood three little little baby girls playing in the backyard. The oldest was 6, the middle was 4 and the youngest was barely 3. They were sisters, obviously since at such young ages, their difference wasn't shown yet. Suddenly, a beautiful woman appeared in the back doorway. Nabiki blinked back tears and stepped forward whispering, "mom" but Sil held her back. The lady shaded her eyes from the sun a minute before walking, smiling and walked toward the three girls.
"Look, mommy, look at this teddy bear I sewed for you," little Kasumi said, always eager to please her mother.
"My, what a good child you are, Kasu-chan," the mother beamed. The little Nabiki looked enviously at her sister's clean dress spread out before her as she sat on a tidy rock. A half-finished beautiful brown bear sat in her lap and a nice hat on her head. Looking regretfully at her own slightly dirty dress and hat thrown across the pond, Nabiki sighed.
"Mommy, can I help you in the kitchen today?" Kasumi asked, her little face glowing with cuteness.
"Sure, honey," the mother replied and picked her little daughter up and walked into the house.
Nabiki stared longingly at the doorway awhile, listening to her mother and Kasumi laugh. Sighing she sat down next to Akane as her little sister stuffed grass and mud into her mouth. The white dress she once wore was torn and ripped in all places as well as muddy and brown. The hat she once wore was now lying lifeless beside her, stomped and torn upon.
"Akane, no, don't eat the mud," Nabiki said as she grabbed at Akane's fistful of mud.
"Mine! Let go, 'biki!" Akane yelled as she threw her other fist and punched Nabiki hard in the stomach. As Nabiki doubled over Soun came running out of nowhere and picked Akane up as he gave a big smile.
"What strength! My baby girl has such talent. You would make a wonderful martial artist! Come on now," Soun grinned as he carried his youngest daughter into the dojo, not noticing the one on the floor. Of course the little Nabiki didn't know that Soun was too happy to notice his own nose in front of him that moment.
"I guess that just proved my theory as correct, huh?" Sil asked softly.
"I didn't care," Nabiki denied.
"Didn't you? Well, maybe this had hurt you more..."
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Nabiki felt the world faze until she was once again in a familiar surrounding. One that had haunted her nights for years. It was a hospital room. Nabiki knew who was in the bed with the tubes inside of her on the bed without looking or asking. It was her mother. Soun stood by the window, not looking at his wife, afraid to, while Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane laid on the hospital bed with their dying mother, their faces washed with dried tears. Their hearts empty and pained.
The mother absently stroked her daughters' heads as she said in a rasped voice, "You know, girls, I'll always be here. Inside each and everyone of you. Everytime that you cry, it'll be me washing and scrubbing away the hurt, every time you smile, it'll be me lighting the world, everytime you meet a new friend, it'll be introducing you...and everytime you get your heart broken, I'll be there inside giving you a gift called hope that tells you life does go on and the pain does heal."
The girls stayed silent, their crying already done, the pain there still.
"But we won't see you," a 9-year old Akane whispered.
"Oh, but you will. When you really need help, just close your eyes and picture my face. Don't be afraid to let the pain go, either, because you'll be afraid to forget me. You won't. I will always-" but before she could say anymore the monitor beside her went still and a dull beeeeeppppp filled the air. Akane broke down crying and screaming towards her father and Kasumi just stood up and left the room. Nabiki didn't move, but just hugged her mother's lifeless body tighter as she closed her eyes...
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Nabiki saw the darkness around her again. She wasn't crying, her eyes only wistful as Sil waited beside her.
Finally Nabiki spoke, "She always had a way with words, my mother. She could persuade anyone to do anything and make them happy to. She always had everyone wrapped around her little finger, but the way that she did it made it seem as though she was doing us all a favor. Is this all? Are we done?"
Sil sighed, "Unfortunately, there is still one more aspect of your life that you must watch."
The air shimmered this time and she saw it. The part of her life that guilt almost killed her with every time she was reminded of it. It was her when she was 18, Akane was 17 and Kasumi was 20. They were in Dr.Tofu's house, days after her father's death and the bankruptcy was filed. All of their stuff was gone. It was night and she saw herself sneaking out of Dr. Tofu's house, a suitcase in once hand, a plane ticket in the other.
The older Nabiki stood there, wanting to scream *No! Don't go! Stay! Help them! Don't be a coward, don't run away! They love you...they're the only ones who ever had* but the words died into her throat as the other Nabiki blended into the night.
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After one more shimmer, Nabiki found herself in bed again, suddenly very sleepy so she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. The clock still reading midnight...
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Nabiki woke up as soon as the clock hit the first gong for 1:00. There at the end of her bed stood a short, plump man in a dark green shirt and dark green pants. Nabiki stood up and took his hand into hers.
Looking down at him she asked, "Ghost of the Present?"
The man gave her a toothless grin and said, "Yes, my name's Ofalo if you want to speak to me. I'm going to show you the present, alright?"
Nabiki nodded, already expecting this, but she asked fearfully, "Nobody's dead, right?"
"No, but some things are worse than death," was all he said as the world began to spin and shimmer.
Suddenly, they were standing in a nice hotel room with two beds. Two, obviously twins, boy and girl were jumping on one of the beds while a lady and man unpacked suitcases on the other bed. Nabiki's face brightened at the familiar warm face of Kasumi after 7 years. Kasumi had aged beautifully and gracefully, like a swan spreading its wings. Her delicate brown hair looked like spun gold and her face was enchanting as well as heart-warming like a fairy stepping out of the pure imagination of a child. Dr. Tofu stood beside her and without her knowing it, was smiling devotedly down at his loving wife.
"So, let me guess, Kasumi married Tofu and had those two 'bundles of joy' over there, right?" Nabiki guessed although her heart had already been lost to the two kids at the first glance.
Ofalo took her hand and said, "Don't get to happy, honey, this is the only good part of our trip."
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The air shimmered and when Nabiki opened her eyes she saw herself looking into an office even larger, better designed, and more expensive then her own. Expensive paintings hung on the wall and tasteful furniture were designed with great delicacy to form the perfect pattern. A huge window showing the whole city was behind an oak desk and leather chair.
A one-step staircase in the room led to an open mini-bar and couch with TVs lined against the wall to catch the latest news. Nabiki saw a figure sitting in the leather chair typing furiously on her computer. Nabiki took a closer look at seeing her younger sister Akane. *This is Akane? The little tomboy who always tried protecting her older sisters? The same little girl who wore ripped pants and shirts and ran around with a face full of mud? The same martial artist that had no patience? Sitting at an office table?!*
"That's Akane?" Nabiki asked Ofalo in shock.
"Yes," he replied ready to dish out information, "Known throughout the world as the multi-millionaire CEO of Falcon Industries, Akane...Varshardi. At only 24, she had already built quite an empire."
"But why would she change her name?" Nabiki asked confused.
The man smiled wickedly, "Maybe for the same reason as you Natalie Tanson. To not be recognized and identified as who she really is. She doesn't want Kasumi and Tofu to know how hard she had to work to get here and now there is not way of telling them without rising suspicion."
Nabiki noticed the scar on Akane's left cheek and wondered how she had gotten it. Her little sister sure was grown and in all the right places too.
"Who does she remind you of, Nabiki?" Ofalo asked softly and Nabiki looked away. She knew who Akane reminded her of. The cold, steel, emotionless eyes, the tight-lipped mouth, the determined, confident stance. Akane reminded her of herself and that was what brought Nabiki the most guilt. If she had been there, Akane would have known who not to be...would have had a choice...but she wasn't...
Suddenly, a tall brown-haired girl who seemed innocent enough barged into the room...but her eyes said differently. It took Nabiki a moment to notice Ukyo.
"Hey, Ne-chan, ready to go meet Anthony and co. now? We have to be able to seal this deal by 2:00," Ukyo said professionally and Akane nodded just as the air shimmered.
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"Now, I can't show you the present for this, but I'll show you something that happened 2 weeks ago," Nabiki hazily heard Ofalo say.
Suddenly, she was in a dark alleyway beside Ofalo watching the crowd of masked people meet. In the center of the terrifying crowd was stood a tall, confident fire-eyed woman with red tips at the ends of her hair and a scarlet phoenix mask on her. The girl practically oozed with confidence and courage and Nabiki noticed in shock at how those other hundreds of men and women were obviously intimidated and terrified of her. It took Nabiki a moment to realize they were discussing illegal activities and spoke of it naturally.
"Why am I here?" Nabiki asked as she hugged her nightgown around herself.
Ofalo just ignored her question and pointed at the girl with the red mask, "That girl right there is the Scarlet Phoenix, one of the two most feared crime bosses. She owns half of this city."
"What does she have to do with me?" Nabiki questioned, afraid of what the answer would be.
"Look closely, Nabiki and tell me who is behind the mask," Ofalo commanded.
Nabiki did, she looked deep behind the mask onto the face and whispered a soft "no" to deaf ears.
"That is your sister Akane," Ofalo explained, but the air already shimmered again and Nabiki found herself in a warehouse faced with almost the same group of people again, only this time the leader was a tall, dark, handsome man with tied hair and a blue dragon mask on.
"I don't think I want to know who he is," Nabiki whispered.
"You don't, but you must," Ofalo said, "he is the Blue Dragon and he owns the other half of the city as well as the other most feared crime-boss. He also happens to be a man named Ranma Saotome."
"He wasn't my fault!" Nabiki protested, "He left before I did!"
"Nobody's blaming you for anything, Nabiki, but I guess you should know that the Scarlet Phoenix and the Blue Dragon are at a blood war. So, I leave you with this question, every war must end, how will this one?"
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Nabiki couldn't sleep this time and sat on her bed waiting impatiently for the last hour to come. When it did she gasped at seeing a cloaked figure grab her hand, though nothing was there, and the room spun. When she had opened her eyes again, Nabiki saw a crying Kasumi being walked away from a cemetery by a crying Tofu. Nabiki saw three graves and she asked the masked figure, "What? I guessed one of these gravestone is mine? It won't frighten me, you know. I don't fear death anymore," but the masked figure just pointed his finger at the three graves...although there was no hand.
Nabiki walked up to the graves, but whatever she expected wasn't this. Behind the first three graves were hundreds of others lined perfectly and as Nabiki went along the dates she found out everyone of them died on the same day. Gulping, Nabiki went up to the first three graves and read that it was Ranma Saotome, Asako and Mayabi Tofu. Nabiki knew without a doubt that these were the two children she saw with Kasumi earlier.
Backing up she backed right into the masked figure.
Turning around she pleaded helplessly, tears running down her face, "No...No!... No!!!!!! I didn't do this! I didn't! Just because Akane and Ranma had a war and ended up killing everyone isn't my fault!!!!"
But in her mind she heard an anguished voice say, "But you could have prevented it."
Shaking her head hysterically, the girl said, "No, no, no, no, take me home, take me home..." The masked figure just gripped her hand and the air shimmered again. When all was clear, Nabiki found herself in a jail cell staring at her little sister rocking back and forth, her eyes dazed.
"Akane," Nabiki reached out to comfort her rocking sister, but her hand passed right through. She heard Akane's chant pass through her mind *Ranma...Ranma...Ranma... Ranma...I'm so sorry, so sorry...didn't know...i...didn't know...ranma...left...died...blood... everyone...ukyo...ryoga...so sorry...asako...mayabi...sorry...hurt...ow...kasumi...tofu...stop hurting...sorry...my fault...didn't know...ranma..love you...love all of you...didn't know...join you...*
Nabiki watched helplessly in hour as Akane made a chi ball and hit the ceramic toilet shattering it to pieces Akane picked up a large piece. With a quick movement, she slashed her wrists and blood gushed out... *so sorry...love you...i love you ranma...*
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Nabiki woke up with a start, sweat coming down her face as her radio rang on about how clear the weather was today in California. The fear and pain was still inside her, raw and carnal. Quickly running out of bed, Nabiki ran to the top of her stairs and yelled at the top of her lungs to the servants below, "Everyone, I'm going on a vacation so all of you can take a paid-for vacation until I return!"
As she quickly left the cheering 1st floor, Nabiki went into her room and dialed her secretary.
"Hello Eliza?" Nabiki Tendo said, "Book me the earliest flight you can manage to Tokyo, Japan. I have business to finish."
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Author's Notes: This is probably most anguished chapter if any of my stories.