Disclaimer: Ranma and all related Characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Communications.
Note: I know about Sasuke, but he's not in the manga; that's why he's not in this story.
The stolen photo albums.
A Nabiki Mystery
By
Dr Facer
-I-
Kuno Tatewaki was angry; one of his most precious possessions was missing, and presumably stolen! Among the hundreds of albums filled with pictures of both his beloved redheaded goddess and the sweet Akane, this one album that was missing was the one he cherished the most, for inside that album was the only picture of Akane Tendo without a bra. The album had plenty of other pictures of the pigtailed girl too; but it was easier to get pictures of his red-haired goddess showing her charms. That picture of Akane showing some skin was the rarest treasure of his collection, and he had to have it back! Normally, Kuno wouldn't be so worried; usually he could just buy the pictures from Nabiki Tendo, but not this time. The picture of the semi-naked Akane was the doing of Gosunkugi Hikaru; and that cursed Ranma destroyed the negatives! That was what made that photo so important; it was the only one in existence!
Kuno closed his eyes and tried to think of a solution; who committed this theft against him? his evil sister? His deranged father? The treacherous Saotome? The thief was obviously one of them, but WHO? Tatewaki decided to left reason aside and do something; he was, after all, a man of action! Silently, Kuno went to his sister's bedroom.
"Brother!"
Kuno stopped and turned, Kodachi was in front of him, but instead of being royally pissed at him as he imagined she would, his sister was sad. "What is it sister?"
"The album! It's missing!" Kodachi yelled.
"I know, I noticed that this morning." Kuno replied.
Kodachi stared blankly at Kuno, "Wait, I didn't tell you that I found an old family photo album yesterday, did I?"
Now it was Kuno's turn to stare blankly at his sister, "No dear sister, you certainly didn't. Where did you find that album?"
"In the attic," Kodachi said. "But if you didn't know about it, then that means you didn't take it."
Kuno sighed, "No I don't have it." He responded, "Have you searched your room yet?"
"Yes I did! Who do you think I am?"
"Calm down sister, perhaps you were so excited that you didn't see the album."
Kodachi walked to her room, "Maybe you are right, but I'm sure I put it inside my desk."
"Let me help you." Kuno offered; this was a great chance to check his sister's room and see if she had his album.
Two hours later, the Kuno siblings stood in the center of Kodachi's room, they had found nothing, Kodachi's family album was not in the room; and it wasn't in any other part of the house; for the Kuno siblings had already searched for their respective albums in every conceivable place of their mansion. Well, for Tatewaki that left only two other suspects: His father or Ranma Saotome. He decided that a visit to the Tendo dojo was very much obliged.
Not too long after, Kuno rushed inside the Tendo house, storming his way until he entered the dojo, where he finally found Ranma. Not the smartest man in the world, Kuno attacked first, with the intention of questioning Ranma once he had punished him. After the usual outcome of all his battles against Ranma, Kuno sat silently in the dojo, Kasumi and Nabiki treating his wounds.
Nabiki examined the walls and shook her head, "Seriously Kuno, you better pay for the walls Ranma broke with your big head."
Kuno sighed at the comment and pulled out his wallet, "I assume this will be enough."
Nabiki grabbed the money Kuno handed to her and counted it, "Yes, this ought to pay for the damages."
"And what brought you to our home, Kuno?" Asked Kasumi.
"It is a personal matter." Said Kuno.
"Well, what is it?" Insisted Nabiki, "Since you trashed our house, it is a personal matter for us too."
"I was robbed." He said, as he expected, Kasumi was impressed, but not Nabiki.
"And you blamed Ranma." Nabiki stated. "You are so predictable."
"I want to see you doing better." Kuno teased.
"I could." Nabiki replied, "I'm sure I can find what you are looking for so fast that you would never imagined that you lost it."
"You lie."
"Oh, of course Nabiki is not." Kasumi interrupted, "She always finds anything that is lost in the house."
"See? My sister wouldn't lie to you."
Kuno closed his eyes and meditated for a moment, "So, let's say I want you to find this thing I lost, do you think you could find it?" He asked.
Nabiki blinked, was Kuno here asking her to play Sherlock? She scratched her elbow and then looked at Tatewaki, "Yes, but that depends on how much you will pay for the job."
Kuno looked at Kasumi, who was putting the alcohol and cotton and Band-Aids inside the first aid box and then looked at Nabiki, "Can we discuss this in private?"
"Sure. Kasumi, sister, could you please leave Kuno and me alone? We have business to talk about."
"But of course." Kasumi said and walked out of the dojo.
"Okay, we are alone." Announced Nabiki and sat in front of Kuno, "What is it that you lost?"
"I said that it could have been stolen."
"Whatever, I need to know what it was."
Kuno cleared his throat, "It was one of my photo albums."
"You want me to find that?" Nabiki said angrily, "Why Kuno, I could sell you the photos that were in that album again."
"I only want one of the photos. I care not for the rest."
"Hmm? Why?"
"I cannot tell you."
"Is it one of my photos? I have all the negatives and I could replace it, for a fee of course."
"It's not one of yours! This photo is truly unique! I must have it back!" Kuno yelled, "That's all I will say. Now, are you going to find my album or not?"
Nabiki brought her hands together and linked her fingers, then she moved her head a little to the left and sat silent for a few minutes, just when Kuno was about to yell at her, she spoke, "This photo you so much want; Is it the infamous 'Akane without a bra'?"
Tatewaki went pale, "How did you know? Do you have it?"
"No, but it's so obvious!"
"Oh yeah? How is it obvious?"
Nabiki took a deep breath, "First, you admitted it wasn't one of my pictures."
"And?"
"Then, I remembered that you sometimes have Gosunkugi take pictures of my sister." Nabiki said as she rose to her feet, "And finally, you said it was a unique photo, which meant there were no negatives for that same picture. This also made me remember that the good Gosunkugi developed a photo that featured my little sister while she was exposing her chest. How come there are no negatives? Well, as you know, Ranma found out about that picture and he destroyed the roll of film."
"But how did you know that Gosunkugi gave me that picture?"
"I blackmailed the information out of him." Said Nabiki, "Now Kuno, why should I help you? Akane still ignores the existence of that picture, if I give it back to you; I would be betraying my sister's trust."
Tatewaki reached for his wallet, "How much?"
"Hmmm, if you really want me to do this, I'll do it for sixty thousand."
"WHAT?" Kuno shouted, "That's too much!!"
Nabiki remained calm; "You want the photo, right?"
Kuno slammed his hand on the floor "Of course I do!"
"Then pay me."
Tatewaki considered his options for a moment, "Very well. I shall pay, but not until you return the complete photo album."
"Fair enough," Nabiki said, "Let's go, I'll have to check your house."
-II-
Nabiki crouched and looked carefully at the base of the huge closet Kuno used to keep his albums. Kuno stood at the door, watching as Nabiki analyzed every corner of his room.
Nabiki found a little splinter under the closet, which she kept; then, she checked the window and finally, under the bed, "No, there's nothing here."
"I told you so." Kuno said, bored.
Nabiki walked to the closet again and this time, she checked the lock; she wasn't expecting to find anything, but she did; the lock had a small scratch under it, "Was this scratch here yesterday?"
Kuno looked at the scratch, "I don't know; maybe, my sister often opens this closet without my authorization."
"I see. Did you go out your house yesterday?"
"My sister went to buy a new dress, I went with her."
"Anyone stayed here?"
"I don't think so, the maids are not allowed to enter our rooms but early in the morning; and the album was still here at that time. I know it because the last time I saw the photo was before my sister and I left."
Kuno slapped his forehead, "I forgot! You might want to know that an old family album my sister found yesterday was also stolen!"
"Really? Interesting."
"Interesting?" Kuno asked.
Nabiki didn't reply.
"I'm talking to you!" Kuno shouted.
"I'm done here." Nabiki said simply, "All I have to do now is to check your sister's room."
"I don't think she will allow us do that."
"Just take me there." Nabiki said and followed Kuno.
Kodachi allowed Nabiki to check her room only after the Tendo girl said she was searching for clues about the lost album. Of course, she didn't say which album.
Inside Kodachi's room, Nabiki found that the lock of the Kuno girl's desk had a small scratch near the lock too, and under the desk, she also found a small splinter. "Finished," Nabiki said as she put the second splinter in her shirt's pocket, "I only need one more thing before I find the thing."
Both Kuno siblings stared at Nabiki, "Are you sure?" Asked Kodachi.
"I am sure." Assured Nabiki, "Kodachi, did you or your brother got visitors yesterday?"
"Yes." Kodachi said, "My brother had a visit."
"Kuno? Tell me who visited you." Inquired Nabiki.
Kuno scratched his head, "Well, yes; Gosunkugi came yesterday, he brought me some stuff I asked him to buy for me."
"Do you remember what time it was when he visited?" Nabiki asked.
"It couldn't be after five, because at that time me and my sister were out of the house."
"Does Gosunkugi has free entry to the mansion?"
Kuno shook his head, "No; and I don't think he stole the album."
"Why not?" Said Nabiki.
"Because he was not in Tokyo last night."
"How are you so sure?"
"I saw he had a ticket for a bus ride to Kyoto." Kuno answered.
"And I remember he said his parents and he were going to pay visits to several temples." Kodachi added.
Nabiki blinked, "Well, that destroys my first theory."
Nabiki walked to the hall, "You don't mind if I ask the maids if they saw something, do you?" She said to the Kuno siblings.
"Do as you please." Kuno answered while heading to his room.
"But don't forget to report to us before you leave." Kodachi added before she also left. The Tendo girl went to the laundry room first, where she found some of the maids and she began the next part of her investigation. Apparently, none of them had seen anything, since they were the morning shift; and according to what the maids said; only two maids worked in the mansion in the afternoons, and none at night. Nabiki told Kuno and Kodachi that she had a good lead to the thief and that she was sure the album would be in their hands again.
Once out of the Kuno mansion, Nabiki did a short stop and studied a gloomy looking house; all windows there were closed, so probably nobody was at home. But what if there was? The Tendo girl walked to the back of the house and found a set of stairs that went down to the basement door; she climbed down the stairs and checked such door, it was locked. This ended up being a waste of time; sighing, Nabiki returned to her house; she needed to compare a few things. Once in her bedroom, Nabiki analyzed what she had; two splinters, two scratches on both locks, and for what she knew, none of the maids had stole the albums; she was sure of that. Whoever took the album was not working in the Kuno mansion; but the thief knew enough of the habits of the people in the house to be able to enter unnoticed. Nabiki put the splinters in her desk and stared at them, they were small, not more than 2 centimeters each, and they were part of something else; but she didn't know what. Nabiki kind of recognized the color and texture of the splinters, but she could not figure out where did they belong initially. She was sure that this two splinters were the key to find the thief, but she had to discover who the thief was and why was he or she using wooden tools instead of metal ones.
A few hours later, Kasumi entered the bedroom and found her sister sitting in a corner of the room, with her eyes firmly set on the desk and her fingers tapping the wall.
"Are you alright Nabiki?"
Nabiki didn't move.
"Nabiki?" Kasumi said again, this time louder.
"I heard you the first time sister." Nabiki replied, still looking at the desk.
"What are you doing?"
"Thinking," she said dryly, "And, if you don't mind, could you please leave? I need some privacy right now."
Kasumi sighed; then she closed the door and left her sister alone.
Once she was alone again, Nabiki opened her closet and pulled out a box filled with things other persons would describe as garbage, searching in the box, she finally found a voodoo doll. She had got this doll from Ranma only a few months back, and if it wasn't because she could use this doll to blackmail Genma, she would have tossed it into the garbage can. Now, this doll was truly very interesting, especially the wood fibers it was made of. Nabiki placed the doll besides the splinters and as she suspected, they were the same kind of wood; but the problem was that the original owner of the doll was not in Tokyo the night the crime was committed, "Darn!" Thought Nabiki, "This is not as easy as I first thought!"
Three hours later, Nabiki entered the kitchen; she had ignored the call for dinner an hour ago, and she was hungry. After she reheated some rice and some soup, she left the house.
"Wait Nabiki."
"What is it this time Kasumi?"
Kasumi smiled and hurried to her sister's side, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to take care of something."
"But where?"
Nabiki sighed, "You want to come with me?"
The older Tendo nodded.
"Alright, I guess I could use your help."
"Thanks!" Kasumi said happily.
-III-
During the walk to their destination, Nabiki ended up telling Kasumi everything about the missing albums, omitting, of course, the part about Akane's photo. Sometimes, Kasumi's way of seeing things was effective, and Nabiki needed fresh ideas in case she was wrong with her current theory.
"Where are we?" Kasumi asked when she saw the gloomy house, "Is this house where you expect to find what Kuno lost?"
"Yes." Nabiki answered and knocked the door.
"It seems nobody's home." Said Kasumi when some time passed and no one came to let her and her sister in.
Nabiki didn't pay attention to her sister's comment and pointed to a window in the second floor of the house, "If nobody's home, why is that window open?"
"Maybe the house gets too hot if the windows are closed?"
"Hm-hm."
"What?"
"Come with me Kasumi."
The Tendo girls circled the house until they were behind it.
"Why are we here?" Asked Kasumi.
"We are waiting for someone." Nabiki answered, "Don't worry, I'm sure it won't take long. Now, we should hide behind that mailbox over there."
"Okay."
The hiding place the sisters got was perfect; they could see the stairs and if someone tried to leave the house from that exit, they would see the person. Not too long after they hide, a young man crawled to the streets; he was carrying a plastic bag; coincidentally, the young man walked straight to the mailbox.
"Got you," whispered Nabiki as she stepped into the path of the young man; her big sister followed her. To say the young man was not scared and impressed would be a lie, he fell to his knees at the sight of Nabiki.
"Good thing you show me the proper respect, Gosunkugi." Nabiki smiled, "So, are you sending back the albums by mail?"
Gosunkugi couldn't speak; he just babbled an incoherent excuse.
"Calm down Gosunkugi." Said Nabiki, "Why don't you pick those albums and invite me some tea?" Nabiki looked at her sister, "Kasumi, do me a favor and phone Kuno from our house, tell him I have his album."
"Okay." Kasumi replied and walked to the Tendo dojo, "It was interesting." She said before turning left in the corner of the street.
The kitchen in Gosunkugi's house was as gloomy as Nabiki had imagined, and once she had her cup of tea, Gosunkugi spoke.
"How come you know about the albums?"
"Because you are the only person who could have done it; I recognize that you did a good job, I almost follow a false lead." Admitted Nabiki, "But you were a little bit careless."
Gosunkugi blinked, "I was going to return the albums!"
"That doesn't matter." Said Nabiki and finished her tea, "What matters is that I got you with them."
"But…"
"I already know why you wanted Kuno's album; but I have my doubts about the other. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be kind enough to tell me why you stole the family album from Kodachi's bedroom."
Gosunkugi gulped, "That's a secret."
"Is it? We'll see about that later." Nabiki smirked, "Now, I'm going to tell you what I think happened."
Gosunkugi laughed nervously, "You can't possibly know!"
"Correct me if I'm wrong." Said Nabiki, "Last week, you somehow managed to take a picture of my little sister when she was semi nude, unfortunately for you; you told Kuno about the picture and he took it from you, right?"
Gosunkugi nodded.
Nabiki continued, "Now, I remember Ranma found out about that photo and he destroyed the film, is that correct?"
Gosunkugi nodded again.
"Then, Kuno tells me that his album, precisely the one with Akane's special photo was missing." Nabiki reached for the album and flipped through the pages until he found Akane's picture, "I suspected of you since the very beginning Gosunkugi, only you and Kuno knew the photo existed; and me of course, after I forced that information out of you a few days ago. I admit that taking Kodachi's album confused me; I even thought that the thief was someone who wanted to blackmail the Kuno siblings."
"I would never!" Gosunkugi yelled.
"Of course you wouldn't, you get a good deal of money working for them." Nabiki mocked, "Then, I thought about the splinters I found and the scratches in the locks in both Kuno's closet and Kodachi's desk; the scratches were useless because Kuno admitted he and Kodachi always take things from each other without permission; but I still had the splinters."
"Splinters?"
"Don't play innocent with me Gosunkugi." Nabiki said and pulled out a wooden doll from her pocket, "I know you always carry these dolls!"
"Yes, I admit that, but how did that help you?"
Nabiki pulled out the splinters, "These little things are from a special kind of wood." Then she pulled out a third splinter, "I got this one from the doll in my hand, when I compared it to the pair I found before, I was sure you stole the albums."
"But I still don't understand! Didn't Kuno tell you that I was going to be in Kyoto for the rest of the week?"
"He did mention a trip, but I came to check your house this afternoon. All the windows were closed. But tonight, one window in the second floor was open; that confirmed my impressions that you were indeed here."
"But…"
"Let me see the copy you made of Akane's photo." Nabiki demanded, "That's why you 'borrowed' Kuno's album, didn't you?"
Gosunkugi frowned a little and sighed, "Okay, here it is." And then he pulled a perfect copy of the picture in question from his wallet.
"Excellent job!" Praised Nabiki, "I'm very impressed!"
"I am the best in my photography class." He said proudly.
"I really think Akane should learn about this photo."
"No! You can't tell her! Please!"
"We'll talk about that in a minute, okay?" Nabiki then tossed the photo to the boy, "Now, there's only one thing I still want to know."
"What?"
"Why did you take Kodachi's album too?"
Gosunkugi lowered his head.
"You don't want to tell me?"
"I can't."
Nabiki stared at the boy for a while, then, she said, "Don't tell me you like Kodachi too!"
The blush in Gosunkugi's face confirmed what Nabiki had said, "God! I can't believe this!" Then, the Tendo girl smiled. This little secret could be very profitable, "Well Gosunkugi, I'm afraid I will have to tell Kodachi."
"NO!" Gosunkugi shouted, "Please don't tell her!! I'll do anything, but please don't tell her!"
Nabiki grinned, the fish was in the bag, "Okay, I won't tell her, but you'll have to sign this contract." As she said that; Nabiki put a paper sheet on the table and handed it along with a pen to Gosunkugi, "You can read it if you want."
Gosunkugi paled when he finished reading the contract, "Why don't you buy a slave instead?"
"Do you want me to tell Kodachi?" Nabiki threatened, "What about Akane? Should I tell her about the photo?"
The boy, realizing he was in Nabiki's hands; accepted his bad luck and signed the contract.
"It wasn't that hard, was it?" Nabiki said as she folded the contract and put it in her purse, "Now, give me Kodachi's family album too."
"Here it is."
Nabiki checked the album to see if it was damaged, when she finished, she looked at Gosunkugi, "Don't forget that from now on, you will be under my orders. I might not need you immediately; but you will have to be ready to do what I say at any given time, understood?"
"Understood."
"Great, you are smart after all! Well, I don't want to abuse your hospitality anymore; so I will be leaving." As she said that; Nabiki grabbed both albums; then, she left Gosunkugi's house.
-IV-
Next day; a Saturday, Nabiki was waiting impatiently for Kuno to call; according to Kasumi, Kuno was very happy with the news, and he had promised to call as soon as possible, "Now, why hasn't he called?" Nabiki asked herself.
Just then, the phone rang.
"Nabiki, phone!" Kasumi called from downstairs.
Nabiki went downstairs and talked to Kuno for a while, when she finished, she returned to her room and changed her clothes.
"Are you leaving?" Asked Kasumi from downstairs.
"I have to go do business." Nabiki explained.
"Will you be eating with the Kunos?
"No, but I won't eat here though."
Nabiki, standing in the middle of a large room of the Kuno Mansion, waited for Kuno to show up. "It was about time!" Nabiki said when Kuno entered the room.
"You have it?" He asked.
"Yes, I have your photos; and I also got your sister's album."
Kuno smiled, "Good job; but How?"
"The thief had them both."
"I see; how..?"
"Look Kuno, I'm not here to talk, I'm here for my money."
"Yes, your salary." Said Kuno and searched for his wallet. "Here, sixty thousand as we accorded, you've earned them!"
"I'm afraid my fees increased to eighty thousand."
"WHAT!!" Kuno yelled, "Why is that!?"
"The extra is for finding your sister's album."
"I refuse to pay for that!"
Nabiki grinned, "Sorry Kuno, it's either both or none."
"This is intolerable!" He shouted. "To do this to me! And in my own house!"
"You want the picture or not?" Nabiki asked, "I could burn it you know, as a favor to my little sister."
Kuno's face twisted, "Very well; I will pay." He said and reached again for his wallet.
"Thank you!" Nabiki smiled after she counted the money, "It's always great to do business with you Kuno!"
"Just give me the albums." Kuno mumbled angrily.
"Oh yeah! I had forgot that little detail." Nabiki said and put the albums in a near table; "Here they are Kuno, as good as new."
"I hope so." Tatewaki picked his album, searching desperately until he found Akane's 'special' photo, "You may leave now."
Nabiki bowed slightly and exited the room and then the mansion; once in the streets, she thought that playing detective wasn't such a bad idea.
Epilogue.
It was not until after the sunset that Nabiki returned home.
"Where were you? And what's with those books?" Asked Kasumi just at the same moment Nabiki entered the house
"I was doing some research." She explained, "That's what these books are for."
"Hm? Conan Doyle's Best Selection? Poe Greatest stories? The manual of the great detective? What is this for?"
"Well, I think I've found a great way to make easy money." Nabiki said happily.
END