Mark of the Wolves/ Ranma 1/2
Quiet Control Chapter 5
"Questionable price"
Rock wasn't sure how to handle the situation at the moment, he knew the girl was hostile towards him; and apparently from his credit info, she figured out who he was. In his mind that was far from a good thing. He deduced also that she wanted something from him, and with all the enemies he and his birth father, Geese Howard, have accumilated together, it would be in his best intrests if he complied.
The young blond man waited with a stone stoic face for the shoe to drop. The girl sat down at her desk and stared at him, tapping her pen on her desk as if she was contemplating something. In truth she was waiting for a crack in his facade, some emotion that she could exploit to make her bargaining much more fruitful.
Despite her businesslike demeanor, Nabiki was more frightened than she had ever been in a while. In her room, her own room, stood the heir to what is probably the greatist criminal empire in the eastern hemisphere. She hoped he was as nervous as she was, at least to give her more than equal footing.
For once, the brown haired girl was not negotiating for money, but for the safety of her family and the Furinkan district in general. It may not be perfect, but it had remained Yakuza free since Ranma's appearance in the area. Most Oyaban feared the area because of it's powerful martial artists, others just considered it not worth the effort for the same reasons. Unfortunatly as of recently, some of the smaller thugs have been trying to force their way into the area, and it has been Nabiki along with a few other associates who have been working to keep them from gaining a foothold.
"So," Nabiki started, "did you have business in Nerima?"
"I am on holiday," stated Rock, his voice staying unemotional and almost mechanical.
"Good, he is just as nervous as I am," Nabiki thought to herself, noting the mechanical and distancing tone in his voice, "then I apologise for the circumstances, but I'm afraid your presence here needs to be taken into consideration.
"Then you know who I am," Rock's reply sounded like a statement, not a question. Instead of verbally replying, Nabiki tossed Rock's card back at him then turned to her computer moniter.
"For a vagabond, you're pretty well off."
"My... relatives set up a trust fund for me," Rock still not giving on emotional ground, rising the tension a few notches.
"I see, but you must be 18 to access a trust fund...."
Rock felt himself cornered, he could see the older girl before him was definatly a shark, and he was far from business orientated himself, "well..."
Nabiki knodded her face down by a couple millimeters in leu of her usual smirk, "got him," she thought to herself, just barely stopping the impulse to put her pen to her mouth, "the only Howard that has been this overly wealthy died 10 years ago, a fall from his office building, there are a few people who would be rather interested in the wearabouts of his offspring."
Rock Howard's face darkened tremendously when she said this, truly this girl wasn't that stupid. "You have no idea what you are hinting at, it wouldn't just bring danger to me, but to you and to anyone else involved."
"Please, I do not scare easily," replied Nabiki, her face going tight when she heard the sincerity in her opponent's voice, "but I have a proposition for you. I don't want any more trouble than there already is in Nerima, sooooo..." Nabiki trailed off as if considering her point before continuing, "well, lets just say your presence should be limited with your stay here."
"Fine," answered Rock, realizing it wasn't a good idea to walk into the Dojo and stick his nose where it didn't belong. Before Nabiki could reply or stop him, Rock turned back to the door and curtly swung it open. Without anything to lean on, Soun, Genma, Akane, Ranma, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Ryoga fell flat into Nabiki's room.
"Honestly, you would think that nobody in this household believes in privacy," stated Nabiki in her usually sardonic yet playful voice. She was far from worried after having her walls and door soundproofed after losing many nights of sleep to Akane and Ranma's fighting.
"Well, now that you two have finished, how about you get reaquainted with each other, there are many nice restaurants I'll be more than happy to pay for," said Soun, Nabiki instantly realizing her father had alterior motives.
"Come again?" asked Rock in English.
"Yes, it's easy to see a connection between you two, so why fight it?" Added Genma, Ranma now wondering what his old man and Mr. Tendou were up to. Rock 'hmphed' at the idea while Nabiki glared at her father, thinking of how she was going to make her father pay, literally and dearly, for this one.
"You know Tendou, I think these two may be as difficult as Akane and Ranma, prooffered Genma, gaining a worried glance from Soun.
"HEY RANMA! GET YOUR {censored} {censored} SO I CAN TELL YOU THE RULES FOR WHEN I {censored for the duration of this paragraph............}
"Oh my, what colorful language," exclaimed Kasumi from downstairs. Ranma didn't even bother going back down stairs through the house as he opened up Nabiki's window and jumped out to the front and landed face to face with Toma, the guy who challenged him the other day, "That's no way to talk with ladies present!" "So you're my {censored}, huh? Well excuse me if I {censored} hurt your delicate {censored}, does my language burn your {censored} virgin ears, you little {sigh, such a potty mouth}?"
Rock now had made it downstairs with the rest of the cast to see what the commotion was all about, "Who's this idiot?"
"Correction, expressionate idiot" insisted Ukyo.
Toma turned and regarded Rock for a second before turning back to Ranma, "who's the foreigner?"
Rock caught the term 'gaijin' used with a derogatory tone to it, and narrowed his eyes as he stiffened up, "my name is Rock, try using it instead of 'foreigner'. In fact, just call me Howard-san, I am not your friend and I do not wish to be informal with you."
Na, I can pronounce 'foreigner' correctly," chuckled Toma, noting how he was getting under the blond haired boy's skin, "In six days, an hour after classes are out, Ranma, you meet me on the courts at Furinken High, three on three basketball, no rules exept when the ball goes in it's either 2 points, or 3 points if it's from the three point line."
"And the terms to this fight?" asked Ranma, being wary that Akane may become the prize or something.
"Heh, winner names his price AFTER the match," replied Toma, a dangerous gleam appearing in his eyes.
"Heh, ain't gonna matter what you want for your terms then, you ain't winn'n," replied Ranma, arrogant as ever.
"Heh heh, we'll see, you agree to the terms?" Ranma just knodded. "Good, then see you on the courts, {censored}," with that Toma walked back out of the yard.
"Ranma, what's this all about?" asked Akane, confused and flustered from the language her dainty tomboy ears had to endure.
"Ah, some jerk who was pushing Gos around yesterday, that bully's nutt'n to worry about.
"Tall boy say lots of words Shampoo not know," stated Shampoo with a bit of confusion in her voice, "What (censored) (censored) mean?"
"Do not worry about it," replied Rock in Mandarin to Shampoo, "they're not worth repeating." Shampoo herself blinked as she just realized he replied in her native tongue, everyone else looked in confusion.
"I spent a lot of time in Hong Kong, it payed to know the port town language Cantonese and mainland Mandarin," Rock defended, switching back to Japanese.
"Well, it's Ranma's problem, now Nabiki, where would Daddy's little girl like to be taken to dinner?" asked Soun, with a fake grin and stuffing money into Rock's leather jacket pocket.
"I do not need your money, Tendou-san, even if I did I will not be taking your daughter anywhere," replied Rock coldly, inciting Soun to instant tears.
"He's got it for Nabiki, doesn't he?" Ranma asked Akane, his answer a nod from her, Shampoo, and Ukyo.
Rock felt lightly disgusted from seeing a grown man reduced to waterworks like that, and decided that he may as well appease the man, at least this will give him a chance to argue his part to Nabiki, who already seemed to label him as a gangster after his father, "Alright, but not tonight, I feel I need to rest. I will be back tomorrow."
Rock started towards the back door to where his motorcycle was brought in.
"Uh, where are you going?" Asked Genma, nervous that the young man may try to make a break for it.
"I am going to go find a hotel for the night," Rock replied simply, putting on his backpack and getting on his bike.
"Nonsense, you're welcome to stay in the dojo for as long as you like," exclaimed Soun. Rock turned and looked towards the mixed expressions of his newfound peers, Ranma had a weary yet slightly negative expression as if he didn't want much more to do with Rock, Shampoo's expression was curious, Ukyo's was slightly disconcerned with the situation, while Akane's looked....hopeful? Finally Rock turned towards Nabiki, who was barely hiding her sour expression.
"I do not want to impose..."
"Oh, you wouldn't be imposing any more than the two freeloaders here," Akane stated dryly, in which Ranma and Genma replied indignantly towards.
"But..." Rock started before he was cut off by Soun.
"No buts about it, you are a guest of our house and that's final!"
Rock sighed in resignation, "Then at least allow me to pay for my expenses here."
"We don't 'need' your money here," stated Nabiki, colder than even her usual ice queen tone. Nabiki's reply earned a gasp from everyone around her exept for Rock, who's eyes narrowed.
"She must really hate his guts," whispered Ukyo.
"Is true love, yes?" replied Shampoo.
"Now Nabiki, it's not proper to be rude to guests," chided Kasumi.
"I'm sorry," Nabiki apologised to Kasumi, not intending it for Rock.
"If I am to be staying here tonight, at least allow me to make dinner, the very least I can do," Asked Rock.
"Yellow hair boy cook?" asked Shampoo.
"Yes, it is something that relaxes me in fact, if someone would kindly point me towards the direction of a store...."
"Oh, I've been meaning to to to the market anyhow, I'll be more than happy to show you the way," answered Kasumi who walked back in the house and a few seconds later out with her wicker shopping carrying basket.
"Okay, just give me a second," asked the blond haired boy as he put the kickstand back down on his bike.
"Oh, wouldn't you rather drive us there?" enquired Kasumi, she had always thought it would be fun to ride on such a vehicle.
"Huh?" replied Rock intelligably. Everyone else facefaulted and tripped to the ground.
"K-Kasumi?" questioned Akane.
"W-Welllllll" stumbled Rock in English, trying to think of a reason not to have to take his motorcycle, then switching back to Japanese, "I suppose there is no harm to be done."
Rock scooted foward and offered Kasumi the back of the seat and his helmet that he kept in his backpack {instead of wearing it like he should, remember helmet safety as a rule, children!}.
"Oh my, this is exiting," replied Kasumi cheerfully, then gave another 'oh my' when Rock reved up the moter, then as Rock immidiatly picked up and rode, Kasumi clutched Rock tightly from behind at chest level, exclaiming once more, exept with a little more feeling, "OH MYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....*"
Everyone sweated for Kasumi's safety.....
_______________________________________________________________________
"Yeah Dad, looks like I'll be getting the {censored} Furinkan district to run, don't look like there's going to be much in the way of competition," said Toma over the phone, his smug attitude almost overbearing to his father.
"First of all, watch your language with me, young man. You may be my son, but I will cut your tongue out. Secondly, YOU FOOL!"
Toma flinched at his father's chastizing, "wha, what did I do?" "That district contains no less than eight of Japan's most powerful martial artists, possibly the strongest among them is one Saotome Ranma."
"Ranma? That little {almost censored, false alarm}, er, weakling? I'm gonna be taking him on 6 days from now in a game of b-ball. I'll mop the courts with him and his foreigner friend Howard Rock."
Oyabun Youru's blood went cold at the mention of that name, "Son, was he blond haired?"
"Er, yeah, what of it?"
Youru rubbed his forehead as if a headache was coming on, "nothing, do not worry about it, inform me of what your plans are tomorrow."
The Yakuza Oyabun hung up the phone before his son could reply, his own blood has gotten a well over his idiot head this time. Unfortunatly his son he knew wouldn't be talked out of a challenge, and though his son is gifted in martial arts and basketball, he had no fantasies of young Toma and his two bodyguards Din and Kaze being able to take Rock and Ranma alone, much less whoever they add to their roster.
"Maybe I can turn this to my benefit," thought Nobayuki Youru to himself, "heh, in fact, this may be the perfect oppertunity!" A plan formed in the Oyabun's head that would allow his son glory and most assuradly set him a place as an upcoming head of the Yakuza. If he managed to defeat Ranma AND Rock, and earn Nobayuki himself more notice with his own superiors if his offspring managed to best the scion of the great Geese Howard. But as he realized earlier, he didn't think his son had a snowball's chance in a blastfurnace...
Picking up the phone and pressing the autodial on his phone, the Oyabun was greeted by one of his employees.....
Quiet Control Chapter 5
"Questionable price"
Rock wasn't sure how to handle the situation at the moment, he knew the girl was hostile towards him; and apparently from his credit info, she figured out who he was. In his mind that was far from a good thing. He deduced also that she wanted something from him, and with all the enemies he and his birth father, Geese Howard, have accumilated together, it would be in his best intrests if he complied.
The young blond man waited with a stone stoic face for the shoe to drop. The girl sat down at her desk and stared at him, tapping her pen on her desk as if she was contemplating something. In truth she was waiting for a crack in his facade, some emotion that she could exploit to make her bargaining much more fruitful.
Despite her businesslike demeanor, Nabiki was more frightened than she had ever been in a while. In her room, her own room, stood the heir to what is probably the greatist criminal empire in the eastern hemisphere. She hoped he was as nervous as she was, at least to give her more than equal footing.
For once, the brown haired girl was not negotiating for money, but for the safety of her family and the Furinkan district in general. It may not be perfect, but it had remained Yakuza free since Ranma's appearance in the area. Most Oyaban feared the area because of it's powerful martial artists, others just considered it not worth the effort for the same reasons. Unfortunatly as of recently, some of the smaller thugs have been trying to force their way into the area, and it has been Nabiki along with a few other associates who have been working to keep them from gaining a foothold.
"So," Nabiki started, "did you have business in Nerima?"
"I am on holiday," stated Rock, his voice staying unemotional and almost mechanical.
"Good, he is just as nervous as I am," Nabiki thought to herself, noting the mechanical and distancing tone in his voice, "then I apologise for the circumstances, but I'm afraid your presence here needs to be taken into consideration.
"Then you know who I am," Rock's reply sounded like a statement, not a question. Instead of verbally replying, Nabiki tossed Rock's card back at him then turned to her computer moniter.
"For a vagabond, you're pretty well off."
"My... relatives set up a trust fund for me," Rock still not giving on emotional ground, rising the tension a few notches.
"I see, but you must be 18 to access a trust fund...."
Rock felt himself cornered, he could see the older girl before him was definatly a shark, and he was far from business orientated himself, "well..."
Nabiki knodded her face down by a couple millimeters in leu of her usual smirk, "got him," she thought to herself, just barely stopping the impulse to put her pen to her mouth, "the only Howard that has been this overly wealthy died 10 years ago, a fall from his office building, there are a few people who would be rather interested in the wearabouts of his offspring."
Rock Howard's face darkened tremendously when she said this, truly this girl wasn't that stupid. "You have no idea what you are hinting at, it wouldn't just bring danger to me, but to you and to anyone else involved."
"Please, I do not scare easily," replied Nabiki, her face going tight when she heard the sincerity in her opponent's voice, "but I have a proposition for you. I don't want any more trouble than there already is in Nerima, sooooo..." Nabiki trailed off as if considering her point before continuing, "well, lets just say your presence should be limited with your stay here."
"Fine," answered Rock, realizing it wasn't a good idea to walk into the Dojo and stick his nose where it didn't belong. Before Nabiki could reply or stop him, Rock turned back to the door and curtly swung it open. Without anything to lean on, Soun, Genma, Akane, Ranma, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Ryoga fell flat into Nabiki's room.
"Honestly, you would think that nobody in this household believes in privacy," stated Nabiki in her usually sardonic yet playful voice. She was far from worried after having her walls and door soundproofed after losing many nights of sleep to Akane and Ranma's fighting.
"Well, now that you two have finished, how about you get reaquainted with each other, there are many nice restaurants I'll be more than happy to pay for," said Soun, Nabiki instantly realizing her father had alterior motives.
"Come again?" asked Rock in English.
"Yes, it's easy to see a connection between you two, so why fight it?" Added Genma, Ranma now wondering what his old man and Mr. Tendou were up to. Rock 'hmphed' at the idea while Nabiki glared at her father, thinking of how she was going to make her father pay, literally and dearly, for this one.
"You know Tendou, I think these two may be as difficult as Akane and Ranma, prooffered Genma, gaining a worried glance from Soun.
"HEY RANMA! GET YOUR {censored} {censored} SO I CAN TELL YOU THE RULES FOR WHEN I {censored for the duration of this paragraph............}
"Oh my, what colorful language," exclaimed Kasumi from downstairs. Ranma didn't even bother going back down stairs through the house as he opened up Nabiki's window and jumped out to the front and landed face to face with Toma, the guy who challenged him the other day, "That's no way to talk with ladies present!" "So you're my {censored}, huh? Well excuse me if I {censored} hurt your delicate {censored}, does my language burn your {censored} virgin ears, you little {sigh, such a potty mouth}?"
Rock now had made it downstairs with the rest of the cast to see what the commotion was all about, "Who's this idiot?"
"Correction, expressionate idiot" insisted Ukyo.
Toma turned and regarded Rock for a second before turning back to Ranma, "who's the foreigner?"
Rock caught the term 'gaijin' used with a derogatory tone to it, and narrowed his eyes as he stiffened up, "my name is Rock, try using it instead of 'foreigner'. In fact, just call me Howard-san, I am not your friend and I do not wish to be informal with you."
Na, I can pronounce 'foreigner' correctly," chuckled Toma, noting how he was getting under the blond haired boy's skin, "In six days, an hour after classes are out, Ranma, you meet me on the courts at Furinken High, three on three basketball, no rules exept when the ball goes in it's either 2 points, or 3 points if it's from the three point line."
"And the terms to this fight?" asked Ranma, being wary that Akane may become the prize or something.
"Heh, winner names his price AFTER the match," replied Toma, a dangerous gleam appearing in his eyes.
"Heh, ain't gonna matter what you want for your terms then, you ain't winn'n," replied Ranma, arrogant as ever.
"Heh heh, we'll see, you agree to the terms?" Ranma just knodded. "Good, then see you on the courts, {censored}," with that Toma walked back out of the yard.
"Ranma, what's this all about?" asked Akane, confused and flustered from the language her dainty tomboy ears had to endure.
"Ah, some jerk who was pushing Gos around yesterday, that bully's nutt'n to worry about.
"Tall boy say lots of words Shampoo not know," stated Shampoo with a bit of confusion in her voice, "What (censored) (censored) mean?"
"Do not worry about it," replied Rock in Mandarin to Shampoo, "they're not worth repeating." Shampoo herself blinked as she just realized he replied in her native tongue, everyone else looked in confusion.
"I spent a lot of time in Hong Kong, it payed to know the port town language Cantonese and mainland Mandarin," Rock defended, switching back to Japanese.
"Well, it's Ranma's problem, now Nabiki, where would Daddy's little girl like to be taken to dinner?" asked Soun, with a fake grin and stuffing money into Rock's leather jacket pocket.
"I do not need your money, Tendou-san, even if I did I will not be taking your daughter anywhere," replied Rock coldly, inciting Soun to instant tears.
"He's got it for Nabiki, doesn't he?" Ranma asked Akane, his answer a nod from her, Shampoo, and Ukyo.
Rock felt lightly disgusted from seeing a grown man reduced to waterworks like that, and decided that he may as well appease the man, at least this will give him a chance to argue his part to Nabiki, who already seemed to label him as a gangster after his father, "Alright, but not tonight, I feel I need to rest. I will be back tomorrow."
Rock started towards the back door to where his motorcycle was brought in.
"Uh, where are you going?" Asked Genma, nervous that the young man may try to make a break for it.
"I am going to go find a hotel for the night," Rock replied simply, putting on his backpack and getting on his bike.
"Nonsense, you're welcome to stay in the dojo for as long as you like," exclaimed Soun. Rock turned and looked towards the mixed expressions of his newfound peers, Ranma had a weary yet slightly negative expression as if he didn't want much more to do with Rock, Shampoo's expression was curious, Ukyo's was slightly disconcerned with the situation, while Akane's looked....hopeful? Finally Rock turned towards Nabiki, who was barely hiding her sour expression.
"I do not want to impose..."
"Oh, you wouldn't be imposing any more than the two freeloaders here," Akane stated dryly, in which Ranma and Genma replied indignantly towards.
"But..." Rock started before he was cut off by Soun.
"No buts about it, you are a guest of our house and that's final!"
Rock sighed in resignation, "Then at least allow me to pay for my expenses here."
"We don't 'need' your money here," stated Nabiki, colder than even her usual ice queen tone. Nabiki's reply earned a gasp from everyone around her exept for Rock, who's eyes narrowed.
"She must really hate his guts," whispered Ukyo.
"Is true love, yes?" replied Shampoo.
"Now Nabiki, it's not proper to be rude to guests," chided Kasumi.
"I'm sorry," Nabiki apologised to Kasumi, not intending it for Rock.
"If I am to be staying here tonight, at least allow me to make dinner, the very least I can do," Asked Rock.
"Yellow hair boy cook?" asked Shampoo.
"Yes, it is something that relaxes me in fact, if someone would kindly point me towards the direction of a store...."
"Oh, I've been meaning to to to the market anyhow, I'll be more than happy to show you the way," answered Kasumi who walked back in the house and a few seconds later out with her wicker shopping carrying basket.
"Okay, just give me a second," asked the blond haired boy as he put the kickstand back down on his bike.
"Oh, wouldn't you rather drive us there?" enquired Kasumi, she had always thought it would be fun to ride on such a vehicle.
"Huh?" replied Rock intelligably. Everyone else facefaulted and tripped to the ground.
"K-Kasumi?" questioned Akane.
"W-Welllllll" stumbled Rock in English, trying to think of a reason not to have to take his motorcycle, then switching back to Japanese, "I suppose there is no harm to be done."
Rock scooted foward and offered Kasumi the back of the seat and his helmet that he kept in his backpack {instead of wearing it like he should, remember helmet safety as a rule, children!}.
"Oh my, this is exiting," replied Kasumi cheerfully, then gave another 'oh my' when Rock reved up the moter, then as Rock immidiatly picked up and rode, Kasumi clutched Rock tightly from behind at chest level, exclaiming once more, exept with a little more feeling, "OH MYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....*"
Everyone sweated for Kasumi's safety.....
_______________________________________________________________________
"Yeah Dad, looks like I'll be getting the {censored} Furinkan district to run, don't look like there's going to be much in the way of competition," said Toma over the phone, his smug attitude almost overbearing to his father.
"First of all, watch your language with me, young man. You may be my son, but I will cut your tongue out. Secondly, YOU FOOL!"
Toma flinched at his father's chastizing, "wha, what did I do?" "That district contains no less than eight of Japan's most powerful martial artists, possibly the strongest among them is one Saotome Ranma."
"Ranma? That little {almost censored, false alarm}, er, weakling? I'm gonna be taking him on 6 days from now in a game of b-ball. I'll mop the courts with him and his foreigner friend Howard Rock."
Oyabun Youru's blood went cold at the mention of that name, "Son, was he blond haired?"
"Er, yeah, what of it?"
Youru rubbed his forehead as if a headache was coming on, "nothing, do not worry about it, inform me of what your plans are tomorrow."
The Yakuza Oyabun hung up the phone before his son could reply, his own blood has gotten a well over his idiot head this time. Unfortunatly his son he knew wouldn't be talked out of a challenge, and though his son is gifted in martial arts and basketball, he had no fantasies of young Toma and his two bodyguards Din and Kaze being able to take Rock and Ranma alone, much less whoever they add to their roster.
"Maybe I can turn this to my benefit," thought Nobayuki Youru to himself, "heh, in fact, this may be the perfect oppertunity!" A plan formed in the Oyabun's head that would allow his son glory and most assuradly set him a place as an upcoming head of the Yakuza. If he managed to defeat Ranma AND Rock, and earn Nobayuki himself more notice with his own superiors if his offspring managed to best the scion of the great Geese Howard. But as he realized earlier, he didn't think his son had a snowball's chance in a blastfurnace...
Picking up the phone and pressing the autodial on his phone, the Oyabun was greeted by one of his employees.....