Sakura Park, Nerima, Tokyo
Sakura Park is one of the most popular date spots in Nerima, especially in the springtime. The entire place consisted of nothing but cherry blossom trees and clear ponds. Very romantic. Usually, couples would wander around, climb trees, throw fallen blossoms at each other, hold hands and kiss, but today, there was a couple that seemed determined to buck the trend.
Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome were the couple this lovely evening, though with all the screaming it could hardly be called lovely. The two had been engaged by parental arrangement; both fathers determined that they would eventually fall in love and get married. That was almost six months ago, and frankly, things weren't looking so great for the odd trio hiding behind a particularly old and thick cherry tree.
Soun, Genma, and Nodoka were hiding by their children's date spot. The date, in question, had been forced upon the two martial artists in hope that this romantic place would awaken the love in their hearts, and Ranma would finally propose to Akane. This was just one of many desperate tactics used by the three, and honestly, they were almost ready to go off to China and buy a love potion for the both of them.
"… You dumb tomboy! Can't you be cute for one millisecond?" snarled Ranma, his annoyance at his idiotic parents building up to a dangerous point. Of course they would decide that he should be engaged to the manliest girl in all Japan.
"At least I'm a full girl! You have no right to insult me, you… you… gynandromorph!" Akane threw back, equally annoyed.
"Bah! I'm better built then you, and I'm half guy!" This sent Akane over the edge. Screaming like a demon, she hurled her fiancée into one of the crystalline ponds, causing the water to shatter as though it were a mirror. Half a second later, a female and very mad Ranma came spluttering up to the surface. "What'd you do that for?" yelped Ranma, shivering as the cold evening air hit her wet skin. The two picked up right where they left off, yelling at each other, causing the few remaining couples to scurry away in fright.
"Maybe we should just give up," sighed Nodoka, her curly brown hair filled with pink and white flowers. Genma was appalled.
"Give up? After we're so close? Nodoka, I have never known you to be a quitter. Don't give up now."
"You call that close?" Nodoka asked testily, pointing to the bickering children. Genma shrugged.
"Well, they're still fighting, but surely they must have developed some feelings for each other… Maybe…."
"Shh!" hissed Soun, joining the conversation, "we have to keep quiet. Otherwise they might hear us! And that would ruin everything!"
"Yes, dad," snapped a familiar voice from behind, causing the adults hearts to skip a beat, "that would be rather bad, now wouldn't it?" The trio turned to see Ranma and Akane standing behind them, arms crossed and eyes flashing dangerously.
"Err…" began Genma, but he never finished what he was going to say. Ranma curled her delicate fingers into a fist, and rammed them home in Genma's gut. "What's the matter, Pops?" snarled Ranma, "Too tired from spying on us to fight back?"
"We were just worried about you," stammered Nodoka, standing quickly. She knew Ranma would never hit her, and neither would Akane, but if Genma decided to fight, things could get ugly. "I mean, you two fight so much… we worry that you might hurt each other. I mean, you still are at an unstable age, so to speak…" Soun quickly followed Nodoka on her retreat. Genma would have fled too, but he was too busy being beat up by his son… err, daughter.
"I can't believe you guys!" snapped Akane. She would never hurt her dad or Mrs. Saotome, but that didn't mean she was above getting mad at the two. "I thought you would have realized by now Ranma and I don't love each other!"
"We were never in love!" said Ranma from the middle of what had become an all-out brawl between daughter and father, "Why can't you guys just accept that and move on?"
Little did they know there was someone else watching, a wide grin plastering her wrinkled face.
Cat Café, Nerima, Tokyo
The night air blew gently through the open door of the café, whipping through the curtains. Usually, the café would be closed at this hour, but Cologne and Shampoo were making a special exception tonight. This night could be the key to their success. Of course, this notion was riding on the hope that they had enough money for the enormous secret that they were hoping to weasel out of their guest tonight.
The noise of Nabiki sipping her free ramen was deafening in the confined space. Everyone, even Mousse, was gathered around the middle Tendo child, watching her every move. Nabiki wasn't particularly disturbed. She was used to impatient customers staring at her. She ate slowly, taking her time. Why rush? If they were really desperate, as they had sounded over the phone, they would be willing to wait a little.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Nabiki set her bowl and chopsticks down, leaning against the woven chair casually. "I'm assuming there's something you want to talk about," she said, steepling her fingers, "most people don't call me just for some coffee and a chat."
"There is something we want to discuss." Answered Cologne, her ancient voice crackling like styrofoam. "I have a question… and a business proposition."
"Go on."
"Great-grandmother hear at park Ranma no love Akane," Shampoo cut in, "so we want know who Ranma love." Nabiki laughed.
"From the way you were building up the drama, I'd expected a much more challenging job than finding out Ranma's true love. As it just so happens, I already know who Ranma loves." Mousse choked on the tea he was drinking.
"Who?" he asked. Nabiki wagged a finger at him, as one might at a small child who wants candy or toys.
"This information isn't free. As a matter of fact, Ranma's paying money to keep me quiet. Quite a large sum, I might add."
"Hold on," said Cologne, "back up. How do you know in the first place?" Nabiki smiled evilly.
"Ranma should hide his 'journal' a little better, especially when he knows I'm in the house. He also tends to talk to himself when he thinks there's no one around."
"Heartless money-grabber." Shampoo muttered, but no one really paid attention to her. Nabiki leaned forward, pulling something out of her pocket and placing it on the table. Cologne squinted at it suspiciously.
"What's that?" she asked, reaching out to touch the box. Nabiki deftly scooted it away with a delicate finger.
"This is a little something I was thinking of selling to Ranma. You can see it… for a price, of course." The object was innocent enough, a 4x6 thin white box, tied together by a satin black ribbon. There was a tag tied to the bow. Shampoo tugged the tag out from under the ribbon.
"¥2,500. Is no much. We pay ¥2,500 no problem, as long it tell who Ranma love." Said Shampoo confidently. Nabiki wagged her finger.
"Firstly, of course it will tell you who Ranma likes. I may have extravagant prices, but I do not cheat with false promises. Secondly, ¥2,500 is the price for Ranma, and it's only that low because I feel sorry for the poor idiot. For you however…" Mousse groaned.
"How much?" Cologne asked, a tone of impatience creeping into her voice.
"Hmm… well, its ¥2,500 for the original box, then add Ranma's weekly fee to keep me quiet… ¥500 to even out the number…"
"How much?" Shampoo snapped.
"¥9,000, and that's a bargain. You're lucky I'm in a good mood tonight." Cologne sighed, pulling out a silk wallet emblazoned with gold and silver dragons, popping it open and handing the correct sum of money to Nabiki, who smiled mischievously and pocketed the money. Mousse grabbed the box and tore off the ribbon and tossed it away unceremoniously. Nabiki lunged forward to catch it. "Be careful. This thing has to be in prime condition for Ranma." Mousse didn't comment, instead choosing to pick out a small, glossy piece of paper.
"Photos." He muttered, "They're photos." He squinted at the picture, pulling it closer. "Ranma's in love with a kangaroo?"
"Give Shampoo that," Shampoo snapped, snatching the photo and the box away from Mousse. She took a moment to study the picture, and then her mouth dropped open. "Aiya," she said, "no can be true… can it?" Cologne took the picture, glanced at it, then stood quickly.
"It's been nice doing business with you," she said briskly, handing the photo and box back to Nabiki, who promptly began to reassemble the package.
"Same here," she said, smirking. "if you don't mind, I have to go. Business to attend to." None of the Chinese standing around the table paid her any attention. They were far too absorbed in the whispering ghoul that was relaying a plan to the teenagers.
Nabiki felt a pang of guilt about betraying Ranma, but her money-obsessed half soon overcame the feeling. There were no repercussions for tonight, except maybe Ranma would be harassed a bit. He was a big boy. He could handle it.
It's amazing how wrong one person can be.
Tendo dojo, Nerima, Tokyo
Ranma, needless to say, was in a very bad mood. He couldn't believe that he had let Nabiki blackmail him; again. Not only had she demanded that he pay the weekly bribe to make her shut up, she also insisted that he buy this stupid box of photos, which she had subtly hinted at that this was part of the fee, and if he didn't buy it, she might "accidentally" slip up and reveal his secret crush. The box, in question, was being stubbornly ignored by Ranma, who had no wish to associate with Nabiki's blackmailing, even though his perverted side was crying out for a peek. The box was almost teasing him, because no matter how he tried to ignore it, Ranma still knew that it was on the other side of his bed.
"Fine!" Ranma growled to no one in particular, turning and ripping open the box, "I'll look, okay?" The photos were exquisite; nothing like the nearly-naked pervy photos Kuno was so fond of. They seemed to balance light and shadow, perfectly catching the innocence of their subject. Ranma found that his nose was bleeding; nothing huge, but nevertheless bleeding. Quickly wiping his lip with his hand, he spread the photos out into a circle around him, touching each one with his forefinger. "Amazing," he breathed. Nabiki must've gotten a new camera or something. Suddenly, ¥2,500 seemed like nothing. And really, it was nothing compared to the beautiful images before him.
"What's amazing?" asked a familiar voice. Ranma cursed under his breath, gathering up the photos as quick as he could without rumpling them. It figured that Akane would interrupt him at the climax of his marvel. Akane opened the door, just in time to see Ranma slipping something under his bed. "What was that?" she asked, stepping closer to the makeshift bed to peer down at Ranma.
"None of your business." Ranma muttered, blushing in spite of himself. He really was quite lucky to have stopped the nosebleed before Akane came in. Things would have gotten awkward and, knowing Akane, violent.
"What do you want?" Akane sighed.
"I'm just saying I'm sorry. You know, for how I behaved today, on our little… date." Ranma winced. Even the thought of their date sent shivers down his spine. It wasn't that he hated Akane, it was just… well, he didn't love her. And he detested going on dates with someone he wasn't in love with.
"Don't worry about it. I mean you've always been this way. Violent, un-cute, tomboyish…" Ranma never got to finish his sentence, because a large mallet crashed down on his head.
"You jerk!" Akane screamed, "Here I am, trying to apologize, and all you do is comment on how un-cute I am, and how you would rather be engaged to some hottie like that stupid Shampoo! Well, Ranma? Do you lover her? Do you want to marry her?" With that, Akane ran out of the room, sobbing hysterically. Ranma sighed, gingerly taking the mallet off his head and setting it down beside him.
"What should I do?" he asked the lump under his bed that was the box of photos. "You're the expert in love, here." Ranma chuckled. Expert in love. As if. Turning off the lights, he lay down, stroking the lump, not daring to take it out in case Pops or Soun came in unexpectedly.
"Wish you were here," he mumbled, closing his eyes.
Author's notes: I know it's so painfully obvious who Ranma likes, but I had to try to make it at least a little suspenseful. Also, this fanfiction is based off the manga. Not the anime. The manga. Get it straight, people.