Chapter 5 – Stolen treasures
Prom night came and Nabiki left dressed like a queen and escorted by Kuno and had the time of her life. You had to have fun sometimes, she told her bemused classmates when they dropped in amazement at seeing the relaxed, fun-having Nabiki. Kuno had taught her how to do that, how to really live.
And then Christmas came and brought Shampoo, Ukyo and Kodachi fighting for Ranma's attention and time. This time there was no Nabiki to try to sell him to the fiancées. Akane was no longer involved and there was no need for her to keep an eye. And her life was taking all of her time. University was for next year and Kuno was the best friend she had had in a long time. Christmas slipped into the New Year and January slipped into February.
Kasumi stayed at home and visited doctor Tofu occasionally causing chaos at the clinic.
Nabiki started going to university with Kuno. Neither had much difficulty getting in. But what came as a surprise was that Nabiki chose the nearest university and got to stay home instead of moving away. Kuno had agreed with her choice and followed the same path.
Ukyo remembered Akane's words and started to make plans to go to university by mid-year. She wanted to take a business course.
Shampoo started to have enough of waiting for Ranma and devised new plans to make him her husband. They inevitably failed.
Mousse remained the same and never stopped proclaiming his love for Shampoo.
The Tendos and the Saotomes received a letter from Ryoga. He was staying at Akari's farm and did not know when he would be back.
Cologne still managed the Nekohanten while Happosai showed up for his usual panty raid before disappearing again, most occasionally while following some pretty lady.
Kodachi still brewed potions and poisons for her Ranma's love.
Genma and Soun played Go the whole time. They no longer pushed their children together and anyway, their children seemed to get along better together and they had both learned to respect their children and the latter's decisions.
Ranma and Akane turned eighteen and life changed for them as well.
Mid-year brought a sweating nervous and tense Kuno to Nabiki's feet. It happened one afternoon as he accompanied her home. He suddenly steered her towards the park and a surprised Nabiki asked, "Kuno, why are we going to the park? My place's the other way," was added with a smile as she hooked a finger over her shoulder. Kuno smiled briefly at her and simply pulled her to a bench. He sat down beside her and stared at his hands clasped on his knees. Nabiki stared at him not knowing what was going on. I'm must be losing my touch not to know what Kuno's been up to – the thought flashed briefly through her mind before her concern for her friend overrode it.
"Kuno, what's wrong?" Unconsciously she clasped her hand on his.
And he lifted his beautiful eyes to hers and brought his other hand on hers.
"Nabiki, I have fallen in love with you," he dropped the words softly in the afternoon and Nabiki gasped. He stared into her eyes, searching them.
"You are my best friend, Nabiki but I have fallen in love with you...I'm sorry," he whispered when no answer came after long seconds and looked away. His heart seemed to squeeze painfully then came to a sudden stop as a finger was laid on his lips.
"Oh Kuno," Nabiki whispered, her brown eyes were filled with tears and the wind blew her hair in disarray. Kuno's breath caught and in that moment neither the Akane Tendo nor the pig-tailed goddess to whom he had proclaimed his love to, could match the woman before him. She looked so beautiful, so fragile and so perfect. Her disarrayed hair, her tears and her trembling lips.
"I care too," was a whisper as he bent his head to catch the words and her head fell forward to rest against the side of his face. Her tears gently slid down his cheek and he closed his eyes against the pain, the pain that came from loving her, loving her so much. The woman in his arms was not the cold Nabiki, not the teasing one, not the Nabiki doing a deal but she was all of them and more. The more was the one who made him cry and laugh. The one who laughed as a child, the one who had that tender, oh so tender look when she looked at Akane or Kasumi. The look that made him feel jealous. The look that he wanted her to give him. The one who patiently explained his school work to him. The one who stood up to him and for him. He loved the strong one who shouldered the responsibility of finance for the family and worried about paying the bills. He loved all of these Nabikis. He loved Nabiki completely and wholly and his heart soared as her whisper reached him.
"It's enough for me," he whispered to her and brought his arm around her shoulders for a one-armed hug. She lifted her head to his and he gently wiped her tears with a finger and smiled for her.
"You'll learn to say it one day," he grinned and slowly she grinned back and pulled him in one of her very strongest hugs feeling his chest reverberating with laughter against her.
He walked her home with her hand in his. She was his now and he would never give her up. She dropped his hand once they reached the dojo, looked straight into his eyes and said, "Kuno, the pig-tailed goddess is Ranma in his cursed form." She looked into his eyes wanting to see his reaction. She would not be a coward, she told herself, she would face the truth and her mouth fell open when he threw back his head and laughed. And when his hilarity finally abided, he stared at her tenderly and said, "I know. I've known for a long time. Ever since that day you and Akane gave me my life back. I went home and realized it." And then his expression grew serious. "I'm sorry about it. I'm sorry for those things. If I could change..." Her voice stopped him.
"I wouldn't or you would not be who you are today. And the one you are today is the one I care for," she smiled.
He brought her hand to his lips and his arms around her.
Nabiki had stars in her eyes when she finally went inside and floated past a bemused Ranma who stared at her back, a Kasumi whose face was suddenly illuminated in a huge grin, very very unlike her and an Akane who suddenly grabbed her tummy in a fit of extreme laughter. Soun glanced at his daughter and jumped up and the Go board ended in Genma's panda lap. A sign popped up with "What's wrong?" Soun paid him no attention as he laid his hands on Nabiki's shoulders and stared into her eyes. And when he found what he had been looking for, he smiled proudly at his daughter.
"I'm so happy Nabiki," his serious face and yet teary eyes pushed her in his arms and her father grabbed her in a bear hug. "I'm so proud of you daughter," he whispered in her ear and Nabiki knew that her father was still the one who had been here in times of her mother. He just didn't show it. He just let them live their lives in their own way. She had never thought it was so and now she knew.
"I love you, daddy," she hiccupped in his shoulders too.
"I love you too, Nabiki," her father smiled. They stayed that way for a long time before Soun game her another smile and returned to his game and Nabiki rubbed her eyes hastily.
"Genma! You overturned the board!" was the next shout heard and a sign popped up again with "I did not!" It flipped to its other side and "It was you!" was written. A quick scrawl and and another sign which read "What was that about?" danced before Soun's eyes to which he muttered "Nothing, nothing" and waved a hand about, already arranging his pieces on the board as his brow wrinkled in concentration. Genma threw one more look over his shoulder before quickly bringing his attention back to the board. It had seemed to him that the board had flipped and Soun's side had ended up before him. And then he realized that Soun had no yet played and hunched his panda form over the board too.
Nabiki turned away and her eyes met a scene she had never dreamed of seeing. Akane had her hand extended towards Ranma and she was saying in a very Nabiki-like manner "Pay-up time" and a grumbling Ranma was fishing in his pockets for his money. Her jaw hit the ground as she lost all composure and shrieked, "You bet on me and Kuno?"
Akane grinned at her and confided, "It was a safe bet, I knew Kuno was going to declare himself this year" and Ranma grumbled, "He has more guts that I thought. I thought it would take the idiot more time. I bet for next year. And I was so sure too..." He grumbled some more and turned to deposit some bills into Kasumi's hand while Akane concentrated on counting her own money.
"Kasumi!" was Nabiki's breathless exclamation as all the air left her body in a sudden whoosh.
"I'm so happy for you Nabiki," Kasumi's answer was accompanied by her usual charming smile and she added serenely, "I bet less than Akane. If I had known I would have bet some more. Oh well, next time," she exclaimed and returned to the kitchen. Nabiki stared at all her family with a look of utter shock on her face. Had everybody known apart from herself. The next thing she knew was that Akane was hugging her. She stared down at her little sister and lifted a brow, "Now you hug me,"
"The money first," Akane did a good imitation of her sister and Nabiki fell sideways.
The second surprise came in November. Doctor Tofu asked Kasumi out on a date and Kasumi fainted at his feet. He nearly ran away but Ranma attached himself on his arm for life. Akane brought smelling salts for Kasumi and the latter rose gracefully to her feet saying, "Thank you Tofu sensei, I would love to. At what time will you pick me up?"
Akane lifted a hand to her sister's brow asking, "'Sumi, are you ok?"
"Why yes Akane, why do you ask?" came the serene reply with the serene smile.
Akane stared some more and finally left Kasumi to walk back inside as Ranma let go of the good doctor's arm with a sigh of relief and wiped his brow.
"A few more minutes and he would have dragged me away with him," he complained to Akane who raised a hand absent-mindedly and rubbed his shoulder. The action rendered Ranma completely still and he raised haunted eyes to her but she was staring away and his sigh was one of deep sadness as he gently broke away.
Doctor Tofu showed up on time and Kasumi was dressed to kill thanks to Akane and Nabiki.
Soun bade them good night, "Take care of my daughter Tofu, she's a very special person" and Kasumi stepped into her father's embrace just as Nabiki had. Soun's eyes shone with pride as he regarded his daughters that night. They had turned into fine young women and his wife would have been proud of them. Soun pulled Akane and Nabiki into his sides and smiled down at them. Behind them Genma laid a hand on his son's shoulder and for the first time, his son placed his hand on his and squeezed gently. Together, they all watched doctor Tofu and Kasumi as they started down the road of life.
The next day brought a radiant Kasumi humming brightly in the kitchen. The menu was a special one.
"Kasumi, why all these special dishes?" Genma asked having been oblivious all the time.
"To thank Akane and Nabiki for their help, Uncle Genma," was her smiling reply as she lifted proud eyes on her sisters.
"Thank?" Genma started shaking his head in confusion.
"Yes, they were the ones who helped Tofu out of his... confusion," she smiled at him as he stared still in utter confusion.
Ranma snickered, laid his hand on his father's arm and proceeded to explain.
"What she means pop, is that Akane and Nabiki showed pictures of Kasumi to doctor Tofu until his sense of reality no longer got clouded. Then they dressed as Kasumi and finally they shoved him to the window each time Kasumi passed by the clinic and in the end, he got rid of his...uh... disease. Got it pop?" he finished and Genma finally understood and lifted his head to smile brightly at Kasumi. By that time Akane and Nabiki were lost in hilarity both remembering the good times they had had with the good doctor.
And so the year slipped by and left some of the most beautiful memories in Akane's life. She had enjoyed every moment of school where things had gotten much much smother and Ukyo and her friendship had developed. And she had beautiful memories. Ranma had started to grow up. He still used the "tomboy" but now he teased and no longer shouted. They had grown closer the words not flowed between them freely. They were finally friends. Real friends. Her sisters were happy and her life was full with school, her family and friends. Akane cherished the memories and stored them safely away looking forward to the future.
Ranma knew he had changed. He knew he was growing up and as Akane had told him, it had come on its own. Just like that, it had happened one day and he had not even noticed. And Ranma had put away memories too. Most of them were about Akane. Their long talks in the night on the roof. He had been astonished when one night she had jumped up and asked if she could keep him company and just like the morning training, the talks became a routine. She was his best friend now, closer than even Ukyo who now seemed stuck in her role of a fiancée and he had found that talking to Akane was easier. He had his own store of her smiles too, each one different, each one special. He had caught her laughter and slipped it away in his heart. He had taken each and every piece of all their time together and had put it away; the morning training where she would soon be as good as him – he felt proud of her achievements even though he had restrained himself from teaching her the more dangerous techniques and he liked to think that one day he would be able to, the run to school, the school classes where she still bumped his head when he fell asleep, her tutoring in the afternoon and their late nights talks. He had pictures of their teasing, their joy, their problems and all that had happened through the year. Soon the year would be over and Akane would leave. She wanted to go to university but where, Ranma had no idea. He refused to think about her departure. He refused to believe that she would go far away when even Nabiki had stayed. But each new day brought fresh pain when each morning he sat next to her and watched the beauty that she was becoming. Someday some lucky man would sweep her off her feet but Ranma refused to think about that. Just as he knew that he would soon have to settle the matter of his fiancées but refused to think about it. Every day was a juxtaposition of memories that Ranma seized and stored away as his worried heart asked him to, worried just in case Ranma's hopes and beliefs got broken, worried just in case Akane left and his world got destroyed. But still he refused to think about it.
