Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Character(s): Nabiki

Shocking News
by pahlee

Tapping her foot the rhythm of the music, Nabiki adjusted her ear buds to enhance her listening pleasure. Her lips moved slowly to the words as the pen in her hand moved across the paper. Her eyes darted over each word carefully as she articulately read, but not that far into the document she stopped.

Abruptly standing up, the chair she was seated in skidded across the floor, the paper arms length. Her fingers gave way and the paper flitted down to the ground. Turning on her heel and throwing her mp3 player down, Nabiki made her way downstairs. Passing Kasumi on the stairs with her arms full of a basket of folded laundry, almost bumping into her as she ran past.

With a quick 'sorry' thrown over her shoulder, Nabiki made her way into the family room where her father and Genma were seated at the kotatsu drinking their afternoon tea while the television blared an unfamiliar soap opera. Soun looked up to acknowledge his middle child, but she ignored him as made her way through.

The only thought in her mind was, "How could this have happened?"

As fast as she could, or as fast as her legs could take her, Nabiki arrived at the dojo. Out of breath, with trepidation in her movements, her hand reached for the door and swung it open. Eyes widening in disbelief and a muttered curse following in return, Nabiki slammed the dojos' door closed.

Peering behind her in the walkway that connected the dojo to the house, Kasumi, Soun and Genma watched with anticipation what the sly girl would do next. A silent agreement amongst the three housemates concluded that they shouldn't interfere until they knew what was going on. After all, it was Nabiki.

Narrowing her eyes, Nabiki turned on her heel and came face-to-face with the peeking toms. She saw their surprise and all clattered to the ground and stood up in an attempt to be nonchalant; however, she wasn't going to have any of that.

"Where's Ranma and Akane?" she said, in a calm matter, trying to maintain appearances.

It was Kasumi who answered, her soft voice filled with worry and anticipation, "Why? What's the matter?"

The shocked faces of the trio could not be described as the middle Tendo child collapsed onto the floor while clenching her fists in an exasperated way as she wailed, "I can't believe it! I lost the bet!"

Confused, Kasumi turned to look at her father and Genma, but they merely shrugged as Nabiki began to pout as she stood up from her fall. Her arms crossed her chest as she groaned, throwing her head back.

"J-just what's the matter, Nabiki?" Soun asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Nabiki turned a scornful look at her father, her eyes ablaze from anger, "Should you guys know," she looked down at the ground, as if she was about to spat, "Ranma has confessed his love to Akane."

At that news, the fathers cheered and happily began to rejoice, leaving the two sisters alone together. Kasumi approached her, placed a comforting hand on her sisters' shoulder, "Ah, well, what's the surprise in that, Nabiki?"

"It's not the feat itself," Nabiki spat, "It's the fact that that Casanova son-of-a-gun confessed to her first."

Raising an eyebrow, Kasumi was now thoroughly confused as Nabiki tore away, "I told Akane that he wouldn't ever have the balls to do confess first - that in the end she'd have to be the one to drop her pride and say it!"

Kasumi couldn't help but laugh and smile at her sister's discomfort, stifling a giggle, she heard Nabiki go off, "Now that little brat's got something over me and now I owe her money! Damn it all!"

Author's Note
Uhm, well...let's just say I got bored this Sunday afternoon and decided to write a little tidbit on Nabiki. I tried my hand at humour...I'm not a funny person apparently! (I think I am...but. hahahah - well if you can't laugh with them...) Ohh, and it was question about the pen thing; let me explain. I tend to (it's a personal habit) to read with the end of pen, it helps me read quicker and I'm a fast reader, so it helps me "keep in line". And the "document" she's reading is like one f those "inboxes" that Nabiki would get - basically it's would be like "Nabiki - Ranma confessed. You owe me. Love, Akane."