Life's Times
By oberen
Prologue
Nabiki set her cup of coffee on the table, looking about the busy place. She was in a coffee house in the busy Shinjuku ward of Tokyo.
Sighing as she mused about lost chances, she took the opportunity to reminisce about the almost ten years since the wedding incident that destroyed not only her dreams and chances of a well to do lifestyle, with a good job to boot, but also her family's dojo and home. Not only that it brought to ruins the Saotomes' house and had quite a few personalities thrown to jail without trial for placing innocent people in danger.
Ranma of course tried to help but instead of putting the attackers like Ryouga and Mu-Tsi down fast and out, which she was certain he was more than capable of, he used the dodging and taunting routine of his to disastrous results. The consequences: a good number people were injured with a few seriously wounded by the weapons he dodged. And the fight didnt stop there. It spread from the dojo, destroying quite a few building and houses before finally ending at the Saotomes' home. The authorities finally decided to step in after ignoring the battles until now. Everyone involved in the fight was arrested, the Amazons, the fiancees, the rivals, the parents and lastly but not least Ranma himself.
Nabiki had been warned not to commit illegal moneylending and other activities after evidence of her selling pictures and notebook had been found among the ruins. However this left a mark on her otherwise unblemished records. Kasumi had been made head of the Tendo clan and she went to medical school. She was now a doctor at Tokyo General Hospital. After the incident, Nabiki had tried to get a good job but it seemed that the employers had either heard of her heydays or obtained a copy of her records. She was eventually offered a clerk position with a mid-tier japanese company specialising in precision engineering.
She was brought out of her musings by a tapping of the table and a soprano voice asking, "Excuse me is this seat taken? I am sorry for disturbing you, but the coffee house is full so I was wondering if I can share the table with you? I am willing to pay for part of your tab if you agree."
She looked up at the speaker and was confronted with a beautiful face framed with black hair flowing down to the shoulder blades. Sensuous lips curved in a smile that looked like a smirk to Nabiki and crystal blue eyes that somehow seemed to emit amusement greeted her. Somehow Nabiki found the woman a little familiar but did not recall seeing or meeting the woman in person. The woman was wearing a simple blue dress and maple high heels, carrying an expensive looking handbag over her shoulder.
"Oh no. You may have the seat. It is crowded alright." Nabiki sipped her coffee.
"Why, thank you Miss. I appreciate it." She ordered a cappucino. "So I take it everything is well with you, Tendo-san?"
Nabiki almost spat out her coffee and forced herself to swallow it before she choked on it. "H-How do you know my name? Do I know you Miss?"
The woman smiled at her. "Oh I dont think you really know me. But I do know everything about you back in the days where you and your family lived in Nerima. Come to think of it, they are going to be released today is it not? How is Kasumi-san doing? I heard she is a competent doctor."
Nabiki was ,well, speechless. Here was a total stranger who came up to her from who knows where and first reciting her family name,
next asking about her sister and lastly knowing the Wrecking Crew's release from prison. What did she mean by knowing everything back when they lived in Nerima? She tried to sift through her memories for any recollections of ever encountering the woman but came up with blanks. Furthermore, the blue eyes looked a little familiar. The more she looked into those eyes the more frustrated she became.
"Well I'll be leaving now. I've paid for the coffee. Here's my name card. Call me if you are free." She winked at Nabiki and left a bluish silver card on the table before walking off.
Despite her frustrations, Nabiki managed to stamp them down. After all she was the "Ice Queen of Furinkan". She picked up the card and read the name on it: Asagiri Furiko. Wait a minute... Asagiri Furiko. Her eyes widened at the mention of the name. No wonder she found the lady familiar. She was none other than the renowned fashion designer Asagiri Furiko, whose fashion line Mirror Tune had spanned the world over! But that still did not answer the question of how such a dignitary would know her much less her past. Well there's only one thing to do.
She would have to pay Miss Asagiri a visit.
----------
She stepped into the Tokyo General Hospital looking for a particular person. When she found her, she quickly crossed the short distance between them and greeted her. "Hello, Oneechan!" Kasumi looked up from her medical duties to see who had called her.
"Oh hello Nabiki-chan. So nice to see you." Kasumi smiled.
"Not too busy are you eh?" She questioned. "Not too many emergencies here. So what brings you here?" Kasumi was brooding about something and being as sharp as she is, Nabiki caught the slight hestitation and immediately asked what was wrong.
"Oh my, nothing really. Just that a day ago, a young lady came to visit me. A complete stranger. Yet somehow she knew my name and Dr Tofu's as well and she seemed familiar with what Ranma and the others did back then. Although she looked a little familiar but I cannot recall meeting or seeing her anywhere. Dr Tofu tried to scan her ki aura but he did not find anything similar to people we knew or met."
"Well is her name Asagiri Furiko?" At Kasumi's confirmation, Nabiki continued, "She came to me in a coffee house a few days ago and did the same thing to me. Funny that I did not recognise her until she showed me her card. She is the renowned fashion designer and owner of the Mirror Tune fashion brand. I was planning to pay her a visit after Dad and the rest of the crew settle down following their release."
"Maybe I can come with you. I am curious also. How a complete stranger know delicate parts of the past, even those events not known by any outsiders, is a mystery."
And so it was agreed upon that they visit Mirror Tune's head office and put everything to the open once and for all.
Author's Notes:
I've always wondered when the martial artists would hurt some people who are not involved and what the consequences would be like. Also when the authorities would act on it.