Chapter 52 Realizations
Sayuri walked into what had become the master bedroom to find Akane brushing Ranma's long red hair. Ranma had changed for bed already, wearing a pair of boxers, and one of her muscle shirts. Sayuri cleared her throat causing Akane to turn around. "Just a moment, Sayuri, and then we can get started. Just put your things on the floor next to ours," Akane said.
"Did you get a hold of your mother?" Ranma asked. "Ouch, I think you found a tangle," she complained.
"Finally. The first few times the line was busy. I told her I was fine," Sayuri replied, "And that I'd talk with her some more once I had cooled down. She sort of understood, I guess. Anyway she agreed to give me some space. Then I called Souta. He was pretty frantic when I talked to him. I guess Mom must have called over there and he was worried about me. I told him we needed to talk tomorrow. I also got a hold of Hiroshi, but he already knew. I guess Daisuke had called him to let him know I was fine. I hope that was okay."
Ranma waved it off and said, "No problem."
"There, all done," Akane said, as she put the brush down. She pulled Ranma's hair back and gathered it into a loose tail, using a rubber band to hold it in place.
They walked over and plopped down on the floor next to Sayuri. "So what should we work on first?" Akane asked, once the three girls got settled.
Ranma shrugged, causing an interesting ripple in her shirt and replied, "Let's get the pre-calculus out of the way. I think that'll be the hardest, at least for me."
"Sounds good, then history, I think. The essay for English composition we'll have to do by ourselves, and then physics was mostly reading," Akane suggested.
"Literature was mostly reading, too, though wasn't there a short set of questions we were supposed to answer?" Sayuri asked.
"Yeah, there were, but they didn't look too hard," Ranma said.
They opened their math books, and looked at the problem set. "Great, limits," Ranma groaned, "I hate limits."
"Just shut up and work," Akane said with a giggle.
Kasumi stuck her head in the door and asked, "Homework on the first day?"
"Yes, our new homeroom teacher is a real slave driver," Sayuri said.
"I've got some cookies baking in the oven. Once they're cool enough I'll bring a plate up," Kasumi said.
"Better bring up two, one for Ranma and one for the two of us," Akane teased.
Ranma stuck her tongue out and said, "Nah, one should be enough. I don't want to ruin my girlish figure."
Sayuri's jaw dropped and then the three of them began to giggle. "I've missed you, Ranma," she said softly.
"I think we're closer than that now, Sayuri-chan. You're one of my closest friends," Ranma said softly.
Sayuri's eyes grew misty for a moment and then she reached over and hugged the smaller girl. "Thanks, Ranma-chan. That means a lot to me," she replied softly. She turned to Akane and asked, "You don't mind, do you Akane-chan?"
"Of course not. I feel the same way about you, Sayuri-chan," Akane replied.
Sayuri worked on the second problem and then asked, "What's the deal with Nabiki and Hinako?"
"That's a difficult question to answer, but, I think it's safe to say that what is going on there is mostly a mother-daughter, or big-sister, little-sister relationship. I haven't quite decided which," Akane replied after a moment of thought.
"When Hi-chan moved in, she stayed in the room you're in, but she was suffering from some horrible nightmares, nightmares that she still refuses to describe. Nabiki being the nearest to her, heard her cry out the first night and went in and was somehow able to comfort her. Ever since then, they've shared Nabiki's bed," Ranma added, "They care a great deal for each other, but like Akane said, it's platonic. They like to mess with people's heads though, so they tease about it being something else."
"That's so like Nabiki," Sayuri said with a giggle, "But who is this Hinako?"
The other two girls exchanged glances. Ranma shook her head, and Akane sighed in acceptance. Ranma said softly, "It's not really our story to tell. She has had an extremely difficult life, and we've helped her solve her biggest problem, or more accurately, Nabiki did. That's one of the reasons that they are so close. There's very little about Hinako that Nabiki doesn't know. She was living by herself, and we really didn't think that was the best thing for her, so we invited her to stay with us."
"Whoa, she's what, all of eleven, maybe twelve, and she was living by herself? And I thought I had problems," Sayuri said, shaking her head.
"Akane, could you help me with this one? I don't think I've got it set up right?" Ranma asked, pointing to her paper.
Akane glanced at it for a while, and then said, "There it is, baka. You have the sign wrong in this term. It should be positive, not negative. Then it'll reduce correctly. See, you did the transform wrong when you went from this step to the next."
Ranma looked at the paper for a moment, and then colored. "Baka isn't quite strong enough. That was simply carelessness. Damn," she said quietly.
Kasumi brought in a large plate of chocolate cookies fresh from the oven, with three glasses of milk. "This should take your mind off that, Ranma," she said gaily.
"Since you three are here, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Sayuri asked.
The three other girls looked at each other and shrugged. "Ranma-chan, Akane-chan, when did you know that you loved each other, and how did you know? Kasumi-san, the same thing with Tofu-san," Sayuri asked softly.
Ranma's eyes darkened for a moment and then she said, in her soft, soprano, voice, "I felt something the first time I met Akane, and then when she asked me to be friends that first day, I felt something stronger. I wasn't sure exactly what it was, partially because I hadn't really been exposed to a lot of love growing up, but finally I realized what it was. As to how did I know, I guess it was when I realized that I would die for her, even kill for her, but more importantly, I want to live for her." She reached out and gently caressed Akane's cheek with one hand.
Akane smiled at her and said, "It took me a bit longer, of course I had to get over that whole I hate boys thing that those idiots at school had instilled in me. But, Ranma was patient and kind, and nothing like them. The first day we actually sparred and he, well, she, beat me so easily, I saw that I wasn't close to her skill level, and then when I found out that she was really a he, I was scared because of Kuno and company. But, Ranma refused to take advantage of me, and showed me that not all guys were like Kuno. And somewhere in there, we started dating, and well, I fell for him."
Kasumi looked pensive for a moment, and said, "I don't remember when I knew that I was in love with Tofu. There's a quote that I read once, by the American author Heinlein, where he wrote that 'Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.' I can't think of a better working definition than that. That is how I feel about my family, and have for a long time. I then realized I felt the same way about Tofu, only stronger, if that was possible. I was scared a little, because it was such a strong feeling. But that's also when I knew that not only did I love Tofu, but that I was in love with him as well, and hoped that eventually he would feel the same way."
"Of course, he already did, but being a typical clueless male, he didn't know how to behave around her," Ranma said, with a grin.
"Sounds like the voice of experience there, huh, Ranma-chan?" Sayuri asked, with a cheeky grin.
"Won't disagree that I'm clueless a lot of the time about girls," Ranma said with a grin, "But, I've gotten some hands-on experience so I'm getting a little better."
Akane leaned into her and said, half in jest, "The only hands on experience you get better be with me."
Ranma grinned at her as the other two girls giggled.
"Does that answer your question, Sayuri?" Akane asked, softly.
"Yeah, I think it does. Thanks. I especially liked what you said, Kasumi-san," Sayuri replied. 'And I've got a lot of thinking to do,' she thought.
"Looks like all of this is hard work," Kasumi said as she picked up the now empty plate of cookies.
Sayuri woke up the next morning to the sound of Kasumi's voice calling her. "Sayuri, it's about time for you to get up. If you hurry, you can take a turn in the furoba before Ranma and Akane get back from working out in the dojo, and then breakfast will be ready," the older girl said from the door.
"Thanks, Kasumi-san. I'll be down in a minute. Just let me grab my uniform," Sayuri said, once she was completely awake. She got up and walked over to the closet and picked out a skirt and blouse, and then a change of underwear and walked downstairs and then around the house to the furoba. As Kasumi had said, it was currently unoccupied, so she was able to get cleaned up and changed. As she walked out the door, she was met by Ranma and Akane, who had definitely been working out pretty strenuously. "It's all yours, you two," she said in passing, "And take a good long bath. You both need it."
"Morning, Sayuri-chan," Akane said.
"Good morning," Ranma echoed as the two of the vanished into the furoba, where shortly, Sayuri heard them laughing at something. She sighed, wondering when she would be able to be that happy, and walked back to the kitchen to see if Kasumi needed any help with breakfast. When she got there, she found Kasumi bustling around, humming some little ditty as she prepared breakfast. Nabiki was finishing a cup of coffee and idly chatting with Hinako, who was preparing lunches for everyone.
"Good morning, Sayuri," Hinako said brightly, "Is there anything special you would like in your bento?"
Sayuri smiled gently at the kindly little girl and replied, "There's nothing that comes to mind. Mom usually didn't put much effort in fixing it up, just plain fillings, in fact, so whatever you make will be fine."
"Would you like some tea, or coffee?" Kasumi asked.
"I can wait until breakfast," Sayuri replied, and then asked, "Is there anything I can do to help? I don't want to just sit here and watch you work."
"You could go check on the rice cooker in the family room. The rice should be about finished, and if so, the cooker needs to be turned off," Kasumi replied.
"I can do that," Sayuri said, as she turned around and went into the family room.
Ranma and Akane walked into the family room and sat down, Akane wrapping her arms around his waist, as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Tofu and Soun were also present, though Soun was oblivious as he was engrossed in his newspaper. Shortly, the rest of the household walked in as Kasumi and Hinako fetched the meal.
"Is there anything special you would like for dinner, Sayuri, any favorites that I could prepare?" Kasumi asked after she had served the meal.
"No, Kasumi-san, I'm not that picky, whatever you want to make is fine with me," Sayuri said, quickly, "I don't want to be a burden on you at all."
Akane replied, "You would never be a burden, Sayuri."
"She's right, you're our friend, and that's all that matters," Ranma said.
"Well, in that case," Sayuri said bashfully, "I like gyozas and tempura."
"I haven't made those in a while," Kasumi said, with a gentle smile, "I'll try to remember to get the ingredients at the market today."
"Did you sleep well?" Soun asked.
"Yes, sir, I did. Thank you for asking," Sayuri replied. She stared down at the table for a moment, and then said, "I really appreciate you allowing me to barge in like this, but please don't do anything out of the ordinary for me. I'm nothing special."
Akane smiled sadly and said, "But you are special, Sayuri-chan. You're my, no, our friend, and friends take care of each other."
Ranma reached out and clasped her hand and said, "Sayuri-chan, I'm gonna go farther. You're my family by my choice. Somewhere I read, don't laugh, Nabiki, I do read something other than mangas, anyway, somewhere I read that it's the family that you chose that is important, not necessarily the family that you are born with. We chose you as part of our family."
"And as part of our family," Kasumi said, "If one of us wants to do something special for you, that's part of what being a family is all about."
Sayuri wiped a tear from her eye and whispered, "My parents never cared for me like that."
"Then that's their loss," Nabiki said, as she reached over and laid her hand on top of Ranma and Sayuri. Akane reached out and joined her hand with them.
"Son, daughters, I am proud of each and every one of you," Soun said, his eyes moist.
Sayuri watched in amazement as first Ranma jumped up onto the fence running beside the street, and then Akane surprised her by joining him. Akane flashed a smile at her and said, "It's balance training, among other things. Maybe you ought to try it."
"No thanks, I'm gonna keep my feet firmly planted on the ground," Sayuri said quickly.
Nabiki looked thoughtfully at Ranma and asked, "You two have given me a little training. Should I try?"
"Maybe not today, sis," Akane replied, "Unless there's something under your skirt that you don't mind showing everybody."
"Don't tell me they've corrupted you with their wicked ways," Sayuri said with a grin.
Nabiki giggled, causing everyone's chin to drop and she replied, "No, not really, though I've gone on one training trip with them and learned a few things. And like I said, I've worked out with them a few times in the dojo doing some simple katas. So some of the things Daddy taught me have come back. I'm never going to be as single-minded in doing martial arts as those two are, but performing the exercises has been good for my peace of mind."
"Huh?" Ranma asked.
"It's like what you told me. When I'm doing the movements, I'm not thinking about what I am doing, instead I'm just living in the moment," Nabiki replied, "And that allows me to forget about the problems that I may face, at least for a little while, and regain my focus on what's important."
Sayuri stared at her and said, "All that from simple exercises." She thought about that for a moment and then said, "Ranma, Akane, you two suggested that I might benefit from learning a few exercises. I think I'll take you up on that. What they taught us at school wasn't very much fun, though."
"Great. We can start after school this afternoon. One of us has a gi you can borrow, and a sports bra," Akane said.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but we probably ought to do whatever schoolwork we get assigned first," Ranma said, with a grin.
"I don't believe you said that, either," Nabiki teased.
Akane grinned and said, "He just wants to try Martial Arts Homework, that's what it is. I'm sure of it."
"Martial Arts is a way of life for you two, isn't it?" Sayuri blurted out.
Ranma stopped for a moment, unfortunately Akane didn't and ran into him. She kept herself from falling by wrapping her arms around her husband. "Sorry, no brake lights," Ranma muttered. "It's really more than just a way of life. It's a philosophy, a lifetime study, at least if you do it right. The way I do it, it's also supposed to be fun. Like I've told Akane on more than one occasion, if it isn't fun, you're doing it wrong. You should enjoy what you're doing."
"You've also told me to do, not think," Akane retorted.
Nabiki snorted and said, "That's sounds more like your philosophy, Ranma. No offense, but you aren't the deepest of thinkers."
"Never said I was, Na-chan, never said I was. Sometimes, if you stop to think when you're in a fight, you'll lose. The way I was taught, it has to almost be instinctive. But, sometimes, when I'm faced with something I haven't seen before, and don't have a counter, then I have to think, but even then it has to be quick. At my level, and the level that Akane is getting to, though she's still a ways from, a lot of people play for keeps," Ranma said, "So you can't get too distracted by thinking, but you can't just react. It's gotta be a balance of the two. The trick is to find that balance."
"There are unplumbed depths to you, Ranma, I'm impressed," Nabiki said.
Akane muttered something, that Ranma swore sounded something like, "I've plumbed most of his depths. That's my job."
Ranma blushed, for a moment, and then said, "Hey, we're there. Oh, and Sayuri, looks like Souta is waiting for you at the steps." Ranma and Akane jumped down, and joined the other two girls as they made their way into the courtyard. Even at that distance, Ranma could see the look of relief on Souta's face.
"Sayuri!" Souta cried as he swooped down upon her and placed her in an enormous hug.
Sayuri squirmed free, and said, "I told you I was fine. I'm just staying with friends until things blow over."
Souta looked a little hurt for a moment and then said, "I know you told me that, but I was still worried about you. That's all right, isn't it?"
Sayuri looked at the ground for a moment and then replied, softly, "Of course it is, I didn't mean that. I know you care, and that helps. I'd better get inside though. I'll see you at lunch, okay?"
"Sure," Souta replied. He bent down and kissed her, though she moved so he only kissed her cheek. She walked up the stairs, and through the front door, missing the slightly hurt look in his eyes.
"She's just got a lot of things on her mind, right now, Souta," Ranma said softly as he, Akane and Nabiki followed Sayuri.
"Ranma, wait, could I ask you something?" Souta asked.
Ranma stopped as Souta joined him.
"What's going on with her, do you have any idea?" Souta asked.
Ranma looked at him in surprise and replied, "Just because I can turn into a girl doesn't mean I understand them any better than you can. This has just been a couple of rough weeks for her. Seeing Yuka almost get hurt, she and Hiroshi breaking up, you two getting together, and then this thing with her mother. Just give her some space until she can pull herself back together, is about the only thing I can suggest." He grinned suddenly and asked, "I don't have to tell you what I'll do to you if you hurt her, do I?"
"Not the overprotective big brother speech," Souta groaned, "Do you know how many times I've heard that?"
"You're a good guy at heart, Souta," Ranma replied, "Just be gentle with her when you leave her, okay?"
"I just started dating her, Ranma, what gives you the idea that I'm planning on stopping?" Souta asked, a bit amused.
Ranma shrugged and held up two fingers. "One, your past track record, you'll date a girl for a few weeks and then let her go. Two, you're heading off to college at the end of this year. I doubt you'll be interested in an underclasswoman for the entire time," Ranma said.
"Hey, that's not the way it usually happens. If this is about Ukyo, she's the one who broke up with me," Souta protested in a slightly affronted tone, "And besides, I'm not so shallow as to dump Sayuri just because we'll be attending different schools. Anyway, I'll see you at lunch."
"Later," Ranma agreed as he headed into the building to catch up with his wife.
Hiroshi was busily reading the latest copy of his favorite manga as Sayuri slid into her seat at the desk next to his. At the sound of her bookbag slamming into the back of the chair as she hooked it over the chair, he looked up, concern evident in his brown eyes. "Are you doing okay, Sayuri-chan?" he asked quietly.
"No, not right now," Sayuri replied, sadly, "I can't believe Mom could pull that shit with me." Her lip trembled for a moment, until Hiroshi reached across and placed his hand over hers, and clasped it lightly. Her face firmed then, and she said, strongly, "But I will be, Hirosh-chan. I will be!"
Hiroshi smiled then and said, "That's my girl." His face fell slightly, while Sayuri resisted the urge to run her hand through his messy brown hair. He brightened and continued, "I know you'll get through this. But, I'm here if you need someone else to talk to. Though, I'm betting that since you're staying with Ranma and Akane, you've already gotten several offers of support."
Sayuri grinned and said, "That's a sucker bet if ever I heard one. Yeah, Kasumi, Akane and Ranma have all talked to me, but the one who has helped me the most was Nabiki." At his raised eyebrow, she giggled and said, "Yeah, surprised me, too."
"That's what friends are for, though, to be there when you need help," Hiroshi said, "And they are very good friends. I knew that before I decided to be stupid."
Sayuri gently squeezed his hand and said, softly, "I know why you tried to pull us away from them. It was the wrong thing to do, but your motive was good. That's in the past, though, and we can't change what happened. All we can do is put it behind us and move forward, okay?"
Hiroshi replied, "That's what we agreed to do yesterday, so yeah, we can move forward." He squeezed her hand and then released it and sat back in his chair.
Akane and Ranma walked in and sat down together. Akane glanced over at Hiroshi and Sayuri, and smiled happily. 'At least they're getting back together as friends,' she thought.
Ranma glanced around the classroom as the period drew to its close. 'Amazing what a difference those two deciding to be friends made after yesterday,' he thought, 'There's none of that chill that was filling the room.' The bell rang, signaling the beginning of the lunch break. He waited for a moment as the class moved as one out the door, and then gathered up his bento, as well as Akane's. The two of them headed to the door, and went outside to their tree where they were quickly joined by their gang. Souta and Sayuri sat down next to Shampoo. Nabiki patted the spot next to her, and Hiroshi sat down with a smile of thanks.
Ukyo pulled out her portable grill and started making various kinds of okonomiyaki for everyone, while Shampoo passed around a large bowl of shrimp ramen. Yuka groaned, and said, "You guys are going to make me fat with all of this good food."
Sayuri shot her a grin and said, "Maybe you ought to join me at the dojo. Looks like I've been drafted by the martial arts maniacs. I could use some help."
"I resemble that remark," Ranma said with a grin.
"Seriously, I am going to take you up on that offer, Ranma-chan. I need to regain some peace of mind after what's happened," Sayuri said.
"Oh no, another person drawn to the dark side," Daisuke said, "Run my beloved, I will protect you from their evil ways."
"That was so hokey," Yuka said as she kissed Daisuke on the cheek.
"Hey, I just don't want my fiancée to be able to beat me up," Daisuke said with a smile.
Yuka got an evil look in her eyes and asked, "Just how long would it take for you to teach me some of your moves, Akane?"
Akane gave her an innocent look and asked, "Exactly what kind of moves would you like me to teach you? After all, many of my moves I only do with Ranma."
"And what moves might those be, sister of mine?" Nabiki asked with a smirk. Ranma's cheeks turned bright red.
The pleasant interlude was interrupted as one of the upperclass girls walked over. "Hey, Amayi, when's the baby due?" she asked, snidely.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not pregnant, never been pregnant, not planning on getting pregnant," Yuka replied, heatedly.
"That's not the word on the street," the other girl said, as she leered at Yuka.
"Don't know who's spreading that crap, but we won't be having any children until at least nine months after we get married. Anybody who says otherwise has their head up their ass," Daisuke said.
"I find it amazing that some people can be so crude," Kodachi interjected, mildly, "That's just so like you commoners, no manners whatsoever. Coming over here and interrupting a friendly gathering with such ugly insinutations. I, for one, find it refreshing that these two are engaged, yet plan on marrying after graduation."
The girl goggled at Kodachi as she attempted to work through what she had just heard.
"I'm a little surprised you're listening to all of that gossip," Nabiki drawled, deciding to put her oar in, "You should know better than to believe anything that you don't find out from me. And I can assure you; these two aren't having a baby." She narrowed her eyes, and added, "I won't even charge you for the information."
The older girl gulped quietly and said, "I didn't see you there, Nabiki-san."
"Didn't think you had, or you wouldn't have come over here to insult my friend," Nabiki replied, a tad condescendingly, "You're not quite that stupid."
"Uh, why don't I just leave?" the girl suggested.
Nabiki smiled and said, "Good idea. I would suggest you pass on the information about Yuka's status, though."
"Yeah, of course, you didn't really need to ask," the girl said backing away, wide-eyed. Soon she was back with her crowd of friends, and by the anxious looks coming from them, they were all unhappy about the turn of events.
"That's was truly scary," Ranma said, with a grin.
"What was?" Nabiki asked.
Ranma replied, "The way you demolished that girl."
"Thank you for that, Nabiki-san," Yuka said.
"I meant what I said, Yuka. You and Daisuke are friends, and I won't let my friends get insulted. And I agree with Kodachi, I think it's sweet that you two are engaged," Nabiki said, with a grin.
"So, you gonna join us?" Sayuri asked.
"What?" Yuka replied.
Sayuri sighed, and said, "Me, Akane, and Ranma in training."
"You forgot me, didn't you, Sayuri?" Nabiki asked, rhetorically.
Ukyo dropped her spatula in shock. "Since when did you take martial arts seriously?" she asked.
"I've been working out a little bit with them, not a whole lot, but enough to know that it's better for me than the leg lifts, and things like that, that I was doing in my spare time," Nabiki replied, "I just want to learn a few things. The centering exercises that Ranma was talking about, for instance, would come in handy when I get into the business world. Being able to remain calm while everyone else around me loses their head would be very helpful. I can do a lot of that now, but I need to be able to do it instinctively."
"The Anything Goes School of Martial Arts Business! Now I've heard everything!" Souta exclaimed as he began to laugh.
Sayuri smiled briefly until she saw the true martial artists shaking their collective heads.
"He just doesn't get it does he, Ranchan?" Ukyo asked sadly.
"No, I don't think he does," Nabiki replied, surprising them all. She turned to Souta and said, "Martial Arts isn't just something we do, Souta, it's something we live. It's a way of looking at life. Ranma said it to Sayuri this morning, but he was right. Daddy taught it to all three of us, though Akane practices the physical forms more than Kasumi and I. It's a philosophy that permeates everything that we do, and a study that is never finished. Our school also doesn't mind borrowing from other schools, that's why it is called Anything Goes. Ranma and Akane are learning several different styles and bringing them into harmony with the existing techniques, keeping the ones that work, and pruning off the ones that don't fit."
"I don't think I could have said it any better," Ranma said proudly.
Akane nudged him with her elbow and said, "You couldn't have said that at all. Sis, that was beautifully put. And it does describe what our school is like." 'Or what it is now that Ranma has taken it over,' Akane thought, 'Since Daddy gave up teaching.'
"The only thing that I would have added, seriously, is that you have to have fun doing it. You can't just go through the motions, you need to enjoy doing them," Ranma added.
Nabiki shifted slightly and her bento started sliding off her lap. She reached to catch it at the same time Hiroshi did, and they touched hands as they prevented the box from spilling.
Hiroshi reddened as he realized that somehow he had ended up holding Nabiki's hand, especially when she leaned over and whispered, "Moving a little fast, aren't you?" He quickly dropped her hand in embarrassment, hoping that no one had seen that and misunderstood.
Souta glanced over at Sayuri and saw an odd look in her eyes, as she stared at Nabiki and Hiroshi.
That afternoon, after everyone had finished their homework, the gaggle of girls invaded the kitchen to see about scoring some cookies. As luck would have it, Kasumi had just pulled a cookie sheet out of the oven, and had placed it on the cooling rack. Ranma walked in at that moment, after making a strategic stop at the furoba to change genders and clothes. Now, a she, Ranma was dressed in jogging shorts and a sports bra.
"Don't eat too many of those cookies, Sayuri. The workout won't be too strenuous, but it's still better to exercise on an empty stomach," Ranma said, "Especially for beginners."
"Can I come?" Hinako asked from where she was sitting at the table, idly kicking her feet.
"Sure, but if you're gonna work out, you need to change out of your dress," Ranma replied, with a smile.
Nabiki and Sayuri traded looks and then Nabiki asked, "I guess we should have changed too." Akane had already changed into an outfit similar to Ranma's before she had joined them in the kitchen.
"Probably," Akane agreed. The three girls each grabbed a cookie and headed out the door of the kitchen to go back upstairs.
"We'll meet you in the dojo," Nabiki said as she vanished around the corner.
Kasumi smiled serenely and said, "That was nice of you to offer to train Sayuri and Hinako."
"She could use something to take her mind off the situation she is in," Ranma said simply, "And the exercises that I plan on showing her aren't very difficult to learn so she won't get frustrated."
"Why'd you change to a girl?" Akane asked.
"So they can see how everything moves," Ranma replied with an odd smirk. She grabbed some bottles of water and said, "Let's head to the dojo."
When Nabiki, Sayuri and Hinako walked into the dojo, dressed in shorts and sports bras, they found Ranma and Akane seated on the floor of the dojo, rapidly tossing several pair of gymnastic clubs at each other. The three of them stopped as one as the pace began to pick up, with Ranma slapping the floor with her free hand after she made the toss to the grinning Akane. Soon, Akane caught the rhythm as she too began to slap the ground as she threw. Finally, Ranma would catch a club and lay it on the floor until all six of the clubs they had been juggling were still.
"Nice job, Akane, your hand-eye coordination is great! Pretty soon we can add the next two clubs," Ranma enthused with a bright smile.
"You're not going to teach us that, are you?" Sayuri asked nervously.
Ranma giggled attractively and replied, "Not for several months, I would imagine, Sayuri. Go ahead, sit down for a few moments and let's talk a bit."
The three girls obeyed, with Sayuri and Hinako dropping down on their knees, while Nabiki sank gracefully into the lotus position.
Ranma grinned at her and then said, "I thought we'd pick up with some more of what we talked about at lunch as a way to ease into this first lesson." She nodded her head at Nabiki and continued, "A lot of what Na-chan said was very accurate, and it definitely described what this school is all about. But, one of the things that you said was a little bit wrong."
"What was that, Ranma?" Nabiki asked, bristling slightly at the suggestion that she was wrong about something.
"Nothing much, it was just that you said that you and Kasumi don't do the physical forms of the school," Akane replied.
"She's right. You may not, but have you ever stopped to watch Kasumi as she's working around the house, cooking, cleaning, whatever?" Ranma asked.
Nabiki's eyes narrowed in concentration and then she shook her head. "I still don't get it," she said in exasperation.
"Don't worry about it. I spotted it right away, but you grew up with it so you just got used to it. Until I mentioned it to Akane, she hadn't seen it either," Ranma replied.
"Next time she's cleaning or whatever, watch her. She's moving around, with no wasted motion, looking calm and serene, graceful as a swan swimming on the surface of a pond" Akane said.
A look of dawning comprehension appeared on Nabiki's face. "She's actually working with everything in tension, some sort of aerobic exercise," she finally said.
"Right," Ranma agreed, "So what does that have to do with what we'll do today?" She grinned at the blank expressions on everyone's face but Akane. With a smile she continued, "That's easy. What I've decided to show you is some things I've borrowed from Tai Chai." She flowed gracefully to her feet and said, "Okay, everybody up. We're gonna start with the meditation exercise that I showed you, Akane."
Ranma moved into the first position, and then slowly moved to the next, while Akane watched the other three girls. She set herself into the second position and then moved with Ranma into the third position. The other three girls moved, a little jerkily.
"Do it smoothly," Ranma said, "And empty your mind. The only thing that you should be thinking about is the motion from one form to the next, as you seek your center. Leave all of your emotions behind, only think of the kata." She moved to the next form, and waited until the four girls had joined her. She continued that until she had run through the entire set of forms for that exercise.
"Okay, that's the kata that I wanted to show you," Ranma said, "Now, we'll do it again, the same speed, only this time, Akane you'll lead while I watch." She stepped back behind the other four girls, while Akane went to the front.
Akane smoothly moved to the first position, and held it. Then she worked slowly through the cycle while Ranma watched the other three girls, correcting them quietly as necessary. Not to her surprise, Nabiki was performing almost as gracefully as Akane, with only a couple of slightly misplaced limbs. Hinako was a treasure to watch, as she quickly copied each movement, her body flowing from one position to the next. Sayuri needed more correction, but that was not unexpected by either of them.
"Okay," Ranma said, "Let's take a short break. Grab a water bottle and get a drink or two and then let's talk." The girls gathered around her as they sat back down on the floor, each of them taking a long pull on their water bottle.
"First of all, Hinako, you're doing great. I think you must have neglected to tell us something about your past," Ranma said with a smile, "Sis, you're doing pretty good. I think in another hour or so, you'll have this exercise down pat. Just remember to keep your mind clear and concentrate on flowing from one form to the next. And Sayuri, you're doing fine. Don't worry about the few mistakes that you're making, I can tell that it'll come to you."
""What are you feeling when you're doing the kata?" Sayuri asked.
Ranma rubbed her chin thoughtfully and replied, "I'm just trying to seek perfection in my movements, keeping everything under control, yet at the same time, allowing myself to be free."
"I try to push whatever is troubling me into the back of my mind and not concentrate on it, just the exercise. Then when I'm done, often, the problem has gone away or I've found a way to get past it," Akane added.
"That's why this kata and several like it are good for meditation," Ranma finished, "And that's why I've added them to our school."
"So enough resting on our butts, it's time to practice some more," Akane said, as she sprang to her feet.
The other four girls sprang up, and put themselves into position. "I'll lead this time, Akane, you watch and correct as need be," Ranma said. She glanced over at the other three girls and said, "We'll do it just a touch slower so you can concentrate on moving smoothly from one position to the next. So set up in the ready stance that we started in." She moved to that stance, and then said, "On three. One, two, three." As she said, "Three," she moved smoothly but noticeably slower into the second position. Saying, "Next," she continued through the cycle.
Akane saw a noticeable improvement in all three girls, as she only had to correct Nabiki twice and Sayuri four times.
"Ranma, my turn to lead, and then we can compare notes," Akane said.
Ranma glanced at her wife and simply nodded. The pair traded places again, and this time Ranma watched as the other three girls followed Akane's lead. She grinned openly as all of them performed the exercise flawlessly this time, with even Sayuri moving smoothly.
"Okay, ladies," Ranma said once they were done, "Get a couple of drinks, and then we'll do another run through."
"Actually, Ranma, why don't you run through that other kata, the one you taught me last week," Akane suggested.
"After they do that one last run through," Ranma agreed. She turned to the neophyte students and asked, "So what felt different, this time?"
Hinako replied, with an odd giggle, "I did what you suggested, I just emptied my mind and thought only of how I was supposed to move."
Nabiki added, "Same here, Ranma. It was definitely easier that way. I shoved all of my problems back into a corner of my mind and locked them there. I bet that if I do that more often, when I come out of the exercises I'll have a solution to one or more of the issues."
Sayuri stilled looked a bit unsure, but said, "I don't think I quite have the hang of the emptying my mind trick. But I can see where it will help me get through the next several days." She smiled sadly and added, "If nothing else, if I do this as much as you two, I'll be too tired to think about any of my issues."
"Neither of us expected you to get it the first day, Sayuri. That would be too much to hope for, but you're doing much better than I had figured. You'll pick up these meditation exercises, don't worry," Akane said.
"Okay, then," Sayuri said, springing to her feet, with a look of determination in her eyes, "Let's have some fun, shall we?"
"That's the spirit," Akane said as the rest of them joined her. Once more, they ran through the meditation kata, while Ranma watched each of the three students, though she kept sneaking a peak at Akane as she worked through the forms. 'Damn, she is so cute especially when she is teaching like this. She'll be a great teacher one of these days when we can finally open the dojo,' she thought.
Once they had finished, Ranma applauded. "All three of you did that last run-through perfectly," she said.
"Okay, Ranma, your turn," Akane said, as she stepped away from the center of the dojo, "Everyone else give her some room."
Ranma moved into the center and breathed deeply for several seconds, her chest swelling with each breathe. She closed her eyes and began to move slowly, languorously from one position to the next, each movement delicately placed, yet showing her total control of her body, her muscles rippling under her skin, each step in some sort of sensual dance.
Akane stepped next to her sister and whispered, "You're gonna hate me for this, put picture male Ranma doing this."
Nabiki's eyes widened and she bit her lip, as she realized exactly what HE would look like doing these movements, showing off his physique. She felt suddenly moist, while other parts of her body stiffened, and whispered back, "You're right. I'm gonna hate you for that picture, you lucky bitch. You knew exactly what that would do to me."
Sayuri had overheard enough of the conversation that her breathing speeded up, and she sat down suddenly. "You are an evil woman, do you know that Akane?" she said sotto voce, "You must be destroyed."
Akane giggled at her sister and her best friend. "Sorry, but I can't help bragging a bit," she said back at them while they stared enraptured at the girl moving around the dojo, "Pleasant dreams, you two."
"Oh, Na-chan has pleasant dreams already, should I tell you what she moans in her sleep?" Hinako said saucily.
Nabiki glared at the young girl, who looked innocently back at her. "I don't moan in my sleep," she snapped.
"Sure you do," Hinako said, "You keep moaning about piles of yen."
Ranma's eyes widened in astonishment as he glanced at the homework assignments that the teacher had just returned to him. Apparently the combination of the three of them working through the assignments had struck gold, at least for him. He couldn't wait until lunch when he would be able to compare his grades with Akane and Sayuri, but from the smiles on their faces, he could tell that they were equally satisfied with the results. 'Of course, I did go through this once before, so I suppose I must have learned a little bit, even though I slept through most of the classes this year then,' he thought, 'Miss Morisato is a better teacher than poor Hinako, so that's part of it, I bet. If only I'd paid more attention the last time. Oh well, that's water under the bridge. This time through, it'll be better.'
"I need the Saotomes and Miss Sato to stay after for a few moments. Could you three stop by my desk before going off to lunch?" Miss Morisato asked.
"Of course," the three students replied dutifully. As they did, the bell rang, signaling the start of the aforementioned lunch period. They waited until the room cleared out and approached the teacher's desk, with identical worried looks on their faces.
The attractive young teacher chuckled dryly at the apprehensive expressions of the three students. "Don't worry, the three of you aren't in any trouble. I just wanted to congratulate the three of you on having the best grades on this first set of assignments of everyone in the class. Mr. Saotome, in particular, I looked at your grades over the last year, and while passable, I was impressed by the improvement during the last part of the year," Miss Morisato said.
Ranma blushed and replied, "Well, I had a great deal of help from my then fiancée, and wanted to prove myself as worthy of her, I guess."
"Well then, I must say that you've been a good influence on him, Mrs. Saotome," Miss Morisato said.
"Thank you," Akane replied, as she squeezed her husband's hand.
"Miss Sato, I understand that you are also studying with the Saotomes," the teacher said delicately, "Your improvement, while not quite as dramatic as Mr. Saotome, was impressive on this assignment."
Sayuri blushed prettily and murmured, "Thank you."
"Please, whatever the three of you are doing, keep it up. I expect this level from each of you from now on," Miss Morisato said, "Now, on a slightly different matter, Mr. Saotome, Mrs. Saotome, I did notice a pattern of absences last year. Could you explain those?"
Ranma replied, easily, "Akane and I are martial artists, ma'am, and sometimes we get swept up in some of the craziness that seems to center around Nerima. I don't know if you paid any attention to some of the things that happen here, but we always seem to get involved."
"Try to keep that to a minimum if you could. I would hate for you to fall behind due to excessive absences from class," the teacher asked.
Akane said, wryly, "We'll try to schedule our adventures so that they don't interfere. And if we can't, we'll try to at least give you some notice."
"That's all I can ask. Now the two of you are free to join your friends for lunch, but I did have a couple of questions for Mr. Saotome," Miss Morisato said.
Akane looked a question at Ranma, who nodded. The two girls gathered their bentos and walked out the door, closing it behind them.
"One of the other things that I noticed in your records was that they were changed midyear to reflect a change in gender," the teacher began. She stopped for a moment and then added, "After talking to several of the teachers that were here last year, I found out that was not a mistake. Would you care to explain how that is possible?"
"I'm sure they explained about the curse?" Ranma replied, with his own question. At her nod, he continued, "That much is a true statement. I was born a boy, but through my Pop's foolishness, I picked up a curse. Because of it, I'm a, what was that word, oh yeah, an aquatransexual. In other words, when I get wet with cold water, I change to a girl. Hot water restores me."
"Fascinating," Miss Morisato said, "How do you cope?"
Ranma sighed and said, "Since there doesn't appear to be a way to get rid of it, I've accepted the fact that sometimes I'll be a girl. There's not much difference in who I am, regardless of my gender, so everyone has gotten used to that. When I'm female, I'm pretty much a tomboy, so my behavior isn't much different. Just don't be too surprised if a soprano voice answers occasionally when you call on me."
"Thank you for being candid with me, Mr. Saotome," the teacher said, "And I'll try not to overreact if it happens in class. Now, I'll let you get back to your friends, and your wife. I could tell she was worried about you."
"Thank you, sensei," Ranma said, with a slight bow. He left the class and headed outside to join the rest of his crowd. As he joined the group, he saw that once again, Hiroshi was sitting next to Nabiki, idly talking to her, while Sayuri was looking oddly at them. He sank down next to his wife, and gratefully opened the bento that she handed him.
"What did Miss Morisato want with you?" Akane asked.
"Nothing much. She just wanted to find out about the curse," Ranma replied, "She saw the change in the records and it interested her."
"I guess I can understand that," Akane said, with a shrug. She turned to Sayuri, and asked, "How are you feeling after those exercises yesterday?"
"I'm fine. I was a little stiff this morning, but walking to school worked most of the knots out. I thought I was in pretty decent shape, but I must have used some new muscles," Sayuri admitted, "I should be limber enough to work out when we get back to your place this afternoon."
"That was my fault. I should have had you do some stretching exercises before we started," Ranma said with a brief frown, "And then we should have rubbed you down afterwards.
"Be careful if you give her a massage, Ranma, her ribs are very ticklish," Hiroshi interjected.
Sayuri blushed and said, "You weren't supposed to tell."
"Like they wouldn't have figured it out," Hiroshi scoffed.
"He has a point, Sayuri," Nabiki said, "Ranma's pretty good at massage. I should have had him work on me. I'm a little sore, and I think I'm in better shape than you are."
"Damn, you mean you could have given me a massage?" Sayuri asked, a little too eagerly for Souta's taste.
Souta scowled slightly, but Ranma noticed. "I taught Akane. She's about as good as I am, so don't worry about your girlfriend," he said, with a grin, "But you know you can trust me not to do anything inappropriate."
Shampoo grinned and said, "Maybe Shampoo come over so Ranma can put his hands on Shampoo."
"I don't think that Ryoga would like that much," Ranma said, "Would you, buddy?"
Ryoga glanced at his wife and shrugged. "I trust both of you. Besides, Akane wouldn't let anything happen, she'd hurt you if you tried," he said.
Ranma chuckled and said, "True enough," as Akane swatted him.
"Hush you," she said, grinning as the rest of the group laughed.
Nabiki sighed happily as she sank up to her chin in the hot water of the furo, the steam rising to the ceiling. Hinako snuggled next to her as Sayuri joined them, hoping that the warmth of the water would get rid of the remaining aches from the exercise session that Ranma and Akane had led them through for the last hour.
"Ooooh, that feels good," Nabiki sighed.
"How did I let them talk me into this again?" Sayuri asked.
Hinako replied, "You have to admit, the meditation does help with clearing your mind, Sayuri-chan."
Sayuri looked at the young girl and smiled. "Sayuri-chan?" she asked, teasingly.
Hinako blushed and asked, "Is that okay? I know I didn't ask, but that's what seems right."
"Sure, I don't have a problem, Hi-chan," Sayuri replied. She looked around for a moment, and then said, "It was tough being an only child. My father always hated the fact that he didn't have a son, but Mom couldn't have any children after I was born. Complications during the delivery, from what Mom said one time when she'd had too much to drink. I'm glad I'm here with you guys; it's given me a chance to see what having a sibling would mean."
"I hope that's a good thing," Nabiki said with a grin.
"I was actually referring to the two of you," Sayuri replied, "You've got that big sister-little sister thing going."
Hinako pouted, and said, "I was hoping for the star-crossed lovers actually."
"Stop that, you'll ruin my reputation," Nabiki teased.
"Your secret is safe with me, Nabiki," Sayuri interjected. She hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Actually, what's going on with you and Hiroshi?"
Nabiki sighed heavily and said, "Didn't we already have this conversation? There's nothing going on between us. We're just friends, that's all. He just needs someone to talk to and well, I volunteered." She giggled, and said, "Though I have to admit, he is cute."
"Should I be jealous, Na-chan?" Hinako asked, as she leaned her head against Nabiki's shoulder.
Nabiki grinned as she kissed Hinako's forehead. "Never, my love," she said.
"You two are scary. You have that down pat," Sayuri said.
"Actually, we started that for a reason, and it's fun to play with people's minds," Nabiki admitted. She widened her eyes and said, huskily, "I have to admit, I find you very attractive." She reached out and carefully drew one finger down Sayuri's arm.
Sayuri smiled sexily and said, "You're pretty cute yourself." She slid over next to Nabiki and put her head on Nabiki' shoulder. Then she started giggling.
"Not bad for a first try," Nabiki said, "At least until you started to giggle."
Akane knocked on the door and said, "Hey, Ranma and I need to get cleaned up."
Nabiki got a wicked look in her eyes and said, "Just come on in. After all, we're mostly family. And the three of us have bathed together on the training trip. This isn't any different. And you know what they say, the family that bathes together, stays together."
"You just want to see Ranma naked and find out what you're missing," Akane shot back.
"That just isn't proper, Nabiki," Ranma chimed in.
"Since when did you channel Kasumi?" Nabiki asked.
"Ha-ha, sis. Are you going to get out of the furo or not?" Akane asked.
Nabiki looked at the other two girls, both of whom had an identical impish grin on their face. "Naw, doesn't look like it," she replied. To her surprise, the door began to open. With a shriek, Sayuri sank down into the water until her chin was touching the surface.
Akane walked in wearing only an enigmatic smile and a towel draped around her neck, the ends dangling down her chest. She picked up the rinse bucket and filled it with cold water and handed it through the door.
After a yelp from the changing room, Ranma backed into the bathing chamber, wearing only a towel wrapped around her neck. Akane guided her to the stool, and they tossed their towels on the remaining set of hooks.
"See, it's okay, we're all girls here now, and besides Ranma isn't looking," Akane said, smugly.
"That's no fair, sis," Nabiki pouted.
Sayuri giggled as she sat back against the side of the tub. "Missed your chance to see what he looks like, huh?" she asked, "I can tell you that you're really missing something too."
Nabiki turned to Sayuri and exclaimed, "You've seen him, nude!"
"Sure she has, Nabiki," Ranma replied, calmly, wincing slightly as Akane scrubbed her with the sponge just a little roughly, "And I got a good look at her, when we went after that stupid scroll of the old freak's. Not so hard, Akane, please." She whispered, "Besides, she doesn't hold a candle to you, and you're the only one I want to look at, anyway."
Akane grinned suddenly and said, "I know I'm being silly."
"A little possessive, that's all," Ranma replied, "Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. Kinda makes me feel tingly inside knowing that you care that much." Akane started working shampoo into Ranma's long red hair, starting at the crown and working down.
"Akane, I can do that. You need to wash up too, or Kasumi will be holding dinner for us," Ranma said.
Akane walked over to the other stool and began rinsing herself off. "So, what do you think, Ranma, should we get Nabiki up on the fence tomorrow?" she asked.
"I don't know, Akane," Ranma said. She pretended to turn, just enough for the three girls in the tub to cover themselves as she asked, "What do you think, Nabiki? After all, it's your body that we're talking about."
Nabiki thought for a moment and replied, "I think I'd like to try. Just remind me to wear shorts under my dress. Wouldn't want to flash my panties at you."
"I know what they look like, I've helped Kasumi with the laundry," Ranma said, artlessly.
"It's supposed to be different when she's wearing them," Akane said.
Ranma shrugged and said, "It's not like I don't know that that looks like, either. That last swimsuit she wore the final day we were at the beach last summer was damn near a thong. Didn't leave much to the imagination."
"Like yours was any better," Nabiki groused, "I was still outclassed."
Ranma reached down and filled the rinse bucket with lukewarm water, which was hot enough to rinse out the soap, but not so hot that it would change her back. She rinsed off several times, and stood up from the stool. After drying herself off with her towel, she wrapped it around her hair, filled the rinse bucket with hot water, and walked into the changing room, closing the door after her.
The other three girls breathed a sigh of relief. Nabiki glared at her sister and said, "I can't believe the two of you did that."
"Like you said, we shared the hot springs last summer. As I recall, it was your idea," Akane said with a smirk. She rinsed herself off, and reached for her towel. "Don't stay in here too much longer," she said, as she dried off, "Dinner should be about ready."
"You sure about this, Nabiki?" Akane asked from where she was standing on the fence.
Nabiki rolled her eyes and replied, "For the four thousandth time, yes, I'm sure. Now how do I get up there?"
Ranma chuckled and said, "That's easy. Just relax."
Nabiki jumped as Ranma wrapped his arms around her waist, and jumped. Before she knew it, she was standing on the brick fence, still with Ranma holding her.
"Now, the trick is to forget about the ground, and only think about where you are placing your feet," Akane said, "Just watch me, and then follow." Akane started walking, her balance perfect.
"Okay, I'll be right behind you, so if you start to look out of balance, I'll catch you," Ranma said in her ear, his breath tickling the back of her neck, sending a thrill down her spine. He released her and said, "Just follow Akane."
Nabiki slowly slid one foot forward and then the next, moving slowly, with her eyes firmly planted on the top of the wall.
"Don't look at where you are placing your feet," Ranma said, "Just walk. You're thinking too much."
"That's what I do," Nabiki growled, "I think. Someone in this family has to."
"Very funny, little sister. Now move it, or we'll be late for school," Ranma said, with a chuckle.
Sayuri looked at the three people up on the fence, Akane and Ranma moved assuredly, while Nabiki was walking gingerly. "You couldn't get me up there for a million yen," Sayuri said.
"Don't give Nabiki any ideas!" Akane exclaimed from where she was a meter in front of her sister. She yelled back, "And don't use this as an excuse for Ranma to put his arms on you, Nabiki!"
"Would I do that?" Nabiki asked, pretending to be affronted, "Who do you think I am?"
"Someone who needs acting lessons," Ranma replied. Nabiki looked surprise when everyone else broke out laughing.
At the end of lunch on Thursday, Hiroshi asked, "Nabiki, do you have a moment?"
Nabiki shrugged and said, "Sure, Hiroshi. What is it?"
Hiroshi looked a little embarrassed and said, "Well, you know the carnival is supposed to be in town this weekend, right?" At her nod, he continued, "Well, it, uh, it happens that I have a couple of tickets, and well, I don't need them anymore. I had gotten them early because, never mind, I just don't need them. Not now." A brief look of pain flashed across his face, and then he said, "I thought, well, maybe you might like to take Hinako to it." He pulled out the two pasteboard tickets and tried to hand them to Nabiki.
An odd look appeared in Nabiki's eyes and she said, "That is so sweet of you." She cocked her head and looked at him, then smiled. "Tell you what, I already have a comp ticket for it, so why don't the three of us make a day of it. Kami knows, you look like you need some fun," Nabiki said.
"Looking for another date with me? Why, Nabiki, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were interested in me," Hiroshi said with a smile. He added, "I'd like that. I was looking forward to going, but well, after last week, I didn't have a reason."
Nabiki laced her arm in his and said, "Don't you dare feel sorry for yourself. You made a mistake; get over it and get on with your life." She grinned and said, "Besides, you'll have two of the hottest girls in town with you, so that should do wonders for your reputation."
"Hinako is a little young for me, but she is cute. She'll have to beat them off with a stick when she gets to high school," Hiroshi agreed. He chuckled and said, "And, you're right about my reputation. 'The Boy that melted the Ice Queen!' What a name!" He smiled to take the sting out of his words and asked, "Meet you at your place after school on Saturday?"
"That'll work. Besides, that way Sayuri can see your hotness picking us up," Nabiki said with an evil smirk, "And see what she gave up."
Hiroshi goggled at her and squeaked, "Hotness? Where the hell did that come from?"
Nabiki smiled and said, "You are a good looking young man, Hiroshi. Not my type, mind you, but still not bad."
"I don't want to do anything that will upset her, or get her mad at you," Hiroshi warned.
"We're both big girls, Hiroshi," Nabiki replied, "I won't hurt her feelings, if that's what you're worried about. Besides, it's not like she can take the moral high ground here. She broke up with you, and then was scooped up by Souta."
"Thanks then," Hiroshi said, his eyes looking a little happier than she had seen all week. He turned and walked into the building.
'Now I need to score another ticket,' Nabiki thought as she waved one of her people over.
"Yes, boss," the girl asked, hesitantly.
"I need a ticket to the carnival this weekend," Nabiki said, "Get it to me tomorrow."
Nabiki smiled once she opened the door. Hiroshi had obviously taken some pains with his appearance. He was dressed very nicely, in fact perhaps a bit overdressed for a carnival, but overall the effort that he had taken was impressive. She was glad that she had decided to dress up a bit herself, in a smart pantsuit that showed off her assets quite nicely.
Hiroshi smiled shyly as he handed her a flower. "If we're gonna do this, I thought we ought to do it right," he said looking down at the floor.
"Why thank you, kind sir," Nabiki said, "This is nice. Let me go put it in a vase and then the three of us can go." Hiroshi followed her in, but stayed in the hallway waiting for her to come back.
Sayuri entered the front hallway and stopped in surprise. "Hiroshi, what are you doing here?" she asked.
Hiroshi noticed that his shirt collar had suddenly gotten tighter. He swallowed hard.
"He's taking Nabiki and me to the carnival," Hinako replied from behind her, "Hi, thank you for taking me with you." Hinako walked over, and began to change her shoes.
"Not a problem, Hinako. I think you'll have a lot of fun," Hiroshi managed to say.
Sayuri stood there looking unhappy about something. "You're going on a date with Nabiki?" she finally asked.
"Well, yeah, I had these tickets, and it seemed a shame to waste them," Hiroshi said, "Nabiki should be here in a second, she just had to find a vase."
"A vase?" Sayuri asked.
Hiroshi shrugged and said, "I brought her a flower from my mother's garden."
"And it was lovely," Nabiki said. She glanced between the former couple and said, "Just let me change shoes and we can go." She quickly slipped into her outdoor shoes, and asked, "Shall we?"
"You three have a good time. Maybe Souta and I will see you there," Sayuri said.
"Oh, the two of you are coming?" Nabiki asked.
"Yes," Sayuri said, "In fact, I thought he would be here by now."
"Oh, well have fun then," Hiroshi said akwardly. He hesitantly offered the two girls his arm, and the three of them walked out the door, leaving Sayuri looking oddly forlorn.
Nabiki glanced back once, with a compassionate look on her face, just as the door shut. 'This is working fine,' she thought.
Several hours later, Hiroshi finally said, "We've got to get a locker or something. I can't carry any more."
Nabiki glanced over at the heavily laden Hiroshi and giggled. "Sorry, Hiroshi, I didn't realize we'd won that many things. I can at least carry that stuffed doll. And Hinako can carry a few things too." She reached over and plucked a large dog out of his hands. Unfortunately, that caused the entire bundle to collapse and fall to the street.
Hinako started giggling uncontrollably, as she watched Nabiki and Hiroshi attempt to pick up the dozen or so prizes that the three of them had won at the various arcades.
Hiroshi glared at Hinako and said, "You could help, you know, most of these belong to you, little one."
After a several minutes of scrambling around, the three of them had managed to collect all of the various prizes. "You win, Hiroshi, let's get a locker," Nabiki said, her face red from her exertions.
The three of them headed over toward the lockers and found one empty. They shoved all of the stuffed animals into the locker and paid the fee, and slammed it shut, pulling the key as they did. Hiroshi put the key into his pants pocket and asked, "Where to, my ladies?"
"I wanna do the rollercoaster," Hinako said.
"After everything you ate?" Hiroshi asked.
Hinako shrugged and said, "Sure." Hiroshi glanced over at Nabiki, who nodded, and the three of them headed over towards the line to the towering wooden rollercoaster. As they neared the entrance, Hinako stretched slightly as she was just barely tall enough to ride.
"You better not fall out," Nabiki hissed, as they climbed into the car. They ended up with Hiroshi at one end, and Nabiki in the middle.
Hiroshi pulled the bar down so that it snugged against their laps. "She'll be okay," he said glancing over at Nabiki.
After a few moments, the ride attendant came by and checked their safety bar. "Nice and snug," he said, "You three have a good ride." He continued on to the next car.
After a short delay, they felt the car jerk, as the train began to move slowly from the boarding station. Then, with a loud clatter, the train began to rise, as it was ratcheted up to the top of the first hill. Higher, and higher they climbed, until they reached the top. The train hung there for a moment, and then it was released. It began to move down the incline, faster and faster, as it plummeted down the track. It reached the first curve, tossing the two girls into Hiroshi. He grinned at Nabiki and placed his arm around her shoulders, while Hinako shrieked in excitement. The train continued to move, jerking them around the car as it began to climb once more, this time through the first of two loops.
Nabiki felt the blood rush to her head, and her body rise slightly from the seat as they turned upside down as the train continued through the loop. The young girl next to her was whooping with glee. Nabiki leaned a little harder into Hiroshi's shoulder, glad that he was holding her. The train finished going through the loop, and then before she could recover, it made its way rapidly through the next loop.
Finally, after a series of corkscrew turns, the train climbed up one last hill, allowing them to see for miles around. Then, the train made a slow curve back toward the station, until it plunged down the far side of the framework, picking up a horrendous head of steam so it could make one final loop on its approach to the end. As they entered the station, they could feel the rush of deceleration as the train slammed to a stop, causing them to lean forward before slamming back into the padded seat. Once the train came to a complete rest, the bar automatically rose, allowing them to get out of the car.
Hiroshi climbed out first, and then helped the two girls out of the car. Nabiki impulsively kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blush.
"Stop that, little children here, don't want to make me sick," Hinako said, spoiling her stern words with a giggle. Hiroshi grabbed their hands and the three of them headed toward the ride's exit.
"Now what?" Hiroshi asked.
"We haven't ridden the Ferris wheel yet, and then there's the octopus ride," Hinako replied, excitedly.
"Oh, look, there's Sayuri and Souta!" Nabiki exclaimed, as she saw the couple rounding the corner in front of them, and walking toward them through the throng.
Hiroshi glanced up and saw them. A brief flash of pain appeared in his eyes as he saw Souta wrap his arm around his ex-girlfriend's waist, pulling her tightly to him, as they bumped hips. Then to his surprise, he felt Nabiki release his hand, and pull his arm around her, so she could snuggle against his shoulder. He looked down at her for a moment, surprised at another public display of affection, while Hinako giggled.
Sayuri's eyes darkened in displeasure as she saw Nabiki hanging on Hiroshi, a smile gracing his face. She deliberately turned her head away as they walked past, ignoring Hiroshi's awkward nod of recognition.
Souta felt Sayuri stiffen against him, almost at the same moment he recognized two of the three people approaching them. 'Nabiki and Hiroshi!' he thought, amazed at that couple, 'What do they have in common? And who is that little girl?' As Sayuri turned them down another path, he smiled apologetically at Hiroshi, who shrugged his shoulders.
"Let's go do the Ferris wheel!" Hinako exclaimed, seeing the entrance to that ride.
Hinako rushed into the house carrying her prizes, while Nabiki and Hiroshi walked slowly behind her. They entered the house, and dropped their burden down on the floor and turned to each other.
"Nabiki, I want to thank you for a very fun afternoon," Hiroshi said, hesitantly, his cheeks lightly tinted red.
Nabiki smiled shyly and said, "I had a good time too. I'm glad you came with us." She chuckled and added, "I don't think I could have kept up with Hi-chan without you being there with me. She's got so much energy."
Hiroshi smiled and said, "That she does. I don't remember being that active when I was her age." He hesistated and then bent down and lightly brushed her lips with his. "I'd like to do this again, sometime, though maybe just you and me," he said as he released her.
Nabiki lightly touched her lips with her fingers and replied, "I'd like that. But just as friends, okay?" She blushed and said, "I'm not ready for any kind of relationship."
"I understand, but," Hiroshi began only to have Nabiki put a finger against his lips.
"Hush, let's not rush this. If something happens, fine, but you need a friend more than you need a girlfriend," Nabiki said.
"Am I not allowed both?" Hiroshi protested. At her sad expression, he hung his head and said, "Sorry, I know that you care. And I know that you're afraid that it's just a rebound. See you at school on Monday."
"Goodnight, Hiroshi," Nabiki said as he walked out the door. She leaned against the wall, her face lightly flushed, and her heart racing.
"You're playing a dangerous game, little sister," Kasumi said from the shadows, "I'd hate to see anyone get hurt because of what you are doing."
Nabiki sighed heavily, and said, "The only one likely to get hurt is me when Sayuri and Hiroshi get back together. But I can handle it."
"I don't like the idea of you getting hurt, sis," Kasumi said tenderly, "You've been hiding behind that wall of yours for so long I'm not sure you're as strong as you think you are."
"What can I do? Those two belong together, and it was stupid of them to break up," Nabiki cried, shocking her sister.
Kasumi walked over and pulled her sister into a hug. "Just be careful, sis, that's all. You're not as unbreakable as you pretend," she said.
Nabiki nodded and said, "I'll be okay, sis. Now all I have to do is work on Sayuri some more." She yawned and said, "I'm wiped out. I think I'll head to bed. Night, sis." She slowly trudged down the hall toward the stairs.
Kasumi whispered, "I sure hope you know what you are doing, Nabiki. This could blow up in your face."
Nabiki pulled the latest copy of her financial magazine toward her and began to read it. She was immersed in an article on business trends, when she heard a light tap on her door. "Who is it?" she called.
"Ranma," the familiar voice said.
Nabiki checked to see what she was wearing and said, "Come on in, I'm decent."
Ranma opened the door and said, with a smirk, "Maybe dressed. Decent is open to discussion."
"Ha ha," Nabiki replied, "Now are you done being funny?"
"Yeah, I just remembered something you told me once several years from now," Ranma said.
"That almost made sense," Nabiki said, "So spill."
"You wished that you had bought some computer software company, Micro something or other, and then there was computer manufacturer somewhere in Texas, Glen or Meadow or something like that. Stupid gaigan names," Ranma replied, "Something about if only you had bought more shares in those companies."
Nabiki narrowed her eyes, and said, "Are you sure about that?"
"Pretty sure, if I remember correctly, you were pretty angry about it. That's why I remembered it; you actually went into the dojo and started breaking boards. It was the first time that I remember you going in there to work out," Ranma replied. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "You asked me if I could remember something that might help. For what it's worth, that's what I came up with. See ya at dinner."
Nabiki tapped her fingers together and said, "Thank you, Ranma. Now skat, I need to do some research." She turned to her computer and turned it on. Ranma watched for a moment and then left, closing the door behind him. 'Ranma, you are something else. Only you wouldn't know the name of one of the biggest software companies, and computer manufacturers. Glen, for kami's sake,' she thought in amusement. After a couple of minutes perusing the information her search engine pulled up, she said, "It'll have to be an odd lot purchase, I can't afford a full one hundred shares, not immediately. If I wait some though, I might could." She tapped her teeth with one finger, pondering what she should do. 'Buy now, and get a partial lot, or wait. The last closing price was good, in fact a six week low,' Nabiki thought. Her musings were interrupted by another knock on her door.
"Nabiki, can I talk to you?" Sayuri asked.
Nabiki rolled her eyes. 'What took her so long?' she thought. "Sure, Sayuri, come on in," Nabiki said.
Sayuri opened the door, and walked in, closing it behind her. Nabiki raised an eyebrow at that.
"What can I do for you?" Nabiki asked, pleasantly.
Sayuri wrung her hands together, and replied, "I thought you weren't interested in Hiroshi. That sure looked like a date to me this evening."
"Why should you care?" Nabiki asked, "You broke up with him, remember?"
"I-I just don't want to see him get hurt," Sayuri stammered, "He's still my friend."
Nabiki smirked, and said, "That's noble of you." She frowned and asked, "But I'm appalled that you think so little of me that you think I would hurt Hiroshi. I know you don't know me that well, but I'm not that kind of person."
"Your reputation says otherwise!" Sayuri exclaimed.
"What reputation? That of being cold, the Ice Queen, perhaps?" Nabiki asked, amused, "Don't you think that whatever is going on between Hiroshi and I is our business?"
"You're just using him," Sayuri said, angrily.
"How? He had tickets to the carnival, and asked if Hinako and I would like to go with him. We accepted and had a good time. I even paid for some of the stuff we did. How is that using him? Or are you just upset that he's talking to some other girl? Did you honestly think that you could dump him and he would just mope around?" Nabiki asked, coldly, "All I'm doing is being a friend to him, nothing more, nothing less."
Sayuri eyes glinted coldly and she said, "There's an angle that I just not seeing. There's no way you're just being his friend. What's in it for you?"
"Sayuri, there's no angle. I'm not playing him for a fool; I'm not using him. We're just having some good times together," Nabiki said with a sigh. She shook her head and continued, "You need to make up your mind about what you want. If I didn't know better, I'd say you still want Hiroshi. You're the one who broke up with him; you're the one that started dating Souta. If anyone is playing games with people's emotions, it's you, not me. Now, if you don't mind I have things to do."
Sayuri stared at her for a moment, so Nabiki returned a bland expression. "We're not done with this yet," Sayuri finally said.
"Yes, we are. There's nothing for us to discuss. You need to figure out what you want. As for Hiroshi and I, at the moment there is no us," Nabiki replied in exasperation, "Now, as I said, I have some business to take care of. If you're not gone in thirty seconds, I'll start charging for my time."
Sayuri sputtered incoherently for a moment, and then stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
"That went well," Nabiki said sarcastically, as she turned back to her computer.
Sayuri plopped down on the grass next to Yuka and Daisuke, Souta sitting down beside her. Yuka and Daisuke traded looks, and then glanced over to where Nabiki and Hiroshi were sitting, oblivious to the angry glare that Sayuri was sending their way. Yuka sighed, inaudibly and exchanged another look with Daisuke as if to ask, "Do you want to stay and watch this?"
Daisuke shrugged his shoulders and cut his eyes over to where Ranma and Akane were watching the situation with worried eyes.
Nabiki pretended to ignore what was going on around her and opened her bento. "Here, Hiroshi, Hinako made this for you as a thank you for taking her to the carnival," Nabiki said as she pulled out a wax-paper wrapped bundle.
"Tell her thank you for me, but I enjoyed the afternoon with both of you," Hiroshi said.
"And she also told me to give you this, too," Nabiki said, as she bent over and kissed his cheek.
Hiroshi blushed furiously, and bent down to examine his gift. "Cool, gyozas," he said, "I'll have to figure out a way to steam them."
"Hey, Ukyo, do you have a steamer with you?" Nabiki asked, raising her voice a little.
"Sure, sugar, I do, why?" Ukyo asked.
"Oh, Hiroshi has four gyozas that need to be heated up," Nabiki replied.
Ukyo pulled a double boiler out from somewhere and set it on her grill. "Hand 'em over, sugar, and I'll have them warmed up for you in a jiffy," the chef said, pleasantly.
Hiroshi handed the bundle to Ukyo who placed them in the steamer.
"Looks like you may have made a conquest," Nabiki teased, "I think she has a crush on you."
"Oh please, she's what, all of twelve," Hiroshi protested.
Sayuri asked, a bit brusquely, "Who has a crush on you?"
Hiroshi smiled weakly and replied, "Nabiki is just teasing me, that's all. She was saying that Hinako has a crush on me."
"Hinako!" Ranma exclaimed, then he paused for a moment, and grinned. "I think she's probably right. Don't you remember, this morning, Akane, every time Hiroshi's name was mentioned, Hinako blushed and hid her face."
"I don't re-" Akane began, only to catch the shake of her husband's head, and the eager gleam in his eyes. "Oh, yeah, I remember now. You're right! And then when she gave Nabiki that wrapped bundle that she had slaved all morning over. Yep, Hiroshi, I'm afraid you've made another conquest."
"Another conquest? Someone else besides Nabiki has a crush on him?" Kodachi asked, joining in on the game.
"I don't have a crush on him," Nabiki groused.
"Sure you do, sis. You're always leaning in to listen to him talk, and you keep touching him," Akane said, her eyes dancing with mirth.
Sayuri jumped up and exclaimed, "I don't think this is very funny! Stop teasing him!" She covered her face with her hands for a moment, and then ran off, leaving Souta and her bento behind.
"You'd better go after her, Souta, she looked upset for some reason," Ukyo said, as she handed the steamed gyozas to Hiroshi.
Souta leapt to his feet and raced after Sayuri, but he lost her in the crowd. He turned and walked despondently back to the group and said, "I lost her. She took off somewhere and I didn't see where she went."
"Why don't you come by the house and talk to her there?" Akane suggested.
"I'll just wait for her in your homeroom," Souta said, as he picked up his things and walked off.
Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to all the people who have read this story and provided comments. As always, comments and criticisms are welcomed and encouraged. Now that we have a method for replying to signed reviews, I will no longer be able to provide comments in the story itself, but I will attempt to reply to those of you who have questions.
