Broken Hearts, Mended Souls
By
Nuclear Twinkie

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Disclaimer: Since I have been told to make the disclaimer more serious since Rumiko Takahashi deserves such credit, (she truly does deserve thanks for bringing us a great story like Ranma 1/2, I just like being silly) so I have brought help. Tatewaki, please continue. "Ah, my dear Rumiko Takahashi. The intelligence you used to create this manga is as bright as the sun. It's light is only matched by your beauty and style. As for you, heathen fanfic author, to even insinuate you had any hand in creating this Ranma 1/2 manga doth turn my stomach and blacken your heart. Have at you!"

{} = Character Thoughts
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{I know someone is following me. Akane wanted me home right after school, but some things came up. Next time, I'll listen to her when she says 'right after school'.}

Nabiki was quickly walking down the street. She would occasionally look back to catch just a glimpse of two large guys in unfamiliar school uniforms. The sun was setting, creating a shadowy landscape. As Nabiki turned a corner she noticed a third guy in the same style uniform standing around the corner. {This is not good. This is really not good.} Nabiki backs up and looks in the direction she came from to see the two guys who have been following her standing there.

{This is more than not good. This is scary. Well, I can't fight them like Akane would. Guess I'll try the next best thing. It may not be very good for my image, but running and screaming may get someone's attention and it gets me away from these guys.} She turns away to run and starts screaming when a hand from a fourth assailant is slammed over her mouth. The man's other arm wraps around her waist as Nabiki is dragged down an alley in between two buildings.

{What?!?! He must have sneaked up behind me. Those other guys are following. I have to escape. I have to get away!} Nabiki elbows the man holding her and brings the heel of her foot down on the top of his foot. He grunts in pain and lets her go. She attempts to run past the other three guys when a hand flies out and connects with the side of her head. She stumbles backwards in a daze, as the last two men grab either arm and drag her into the alley.

{NO! I have to get away! I have to get away! Someone help me!} Nabiki attempts to scream and struggle when the man she elbowed walks up and backhands her with his fist. Stars appear before Nabiki's eyes as she is no longer able to struggle. There is now blood running down the right side of her face. The two men walk to the end of the alley and drop her to the ground. The man she elbowed looks down at her and smiles as he says, "You're going to pay for that. And just think, after all is said and done, you have your father to thank for it all."

{My father? Why? No! Please no! Please, someone help me!}

"What you guys doing? Shampoo thought she heard someone screaming."

One of the men had positioned themselves at the entrance to the alley. "There's nothing to see here. You'll leave if you know what's good for you."

Shampoo attempts to look around the man and down the alley. {I know I heard someone screaming and there is something happening down at the end of the alley. Someone is on the ground. Nabiki Tendo! She may be greedy and love money more than honor, but no one deserves this.}

Shampoo draws her bon-bori, one in each hand, and assumes a fighting stance. She glares at the man in front of her. {I almost hope they don't do what I say. People who do this to women deserve the severe punishment I am willing to give them.} "You let Nabiki Tendo go or Shampoo hurt you. Badly."

The man in front of Shampoo immediately attacks, attempting a jab at Shampoo's midsection. As she turns to the side to avoid the blow she brings one of her bon-bori straight in at the man chest. He flies backwards into one of the two men running down the alley towards her, and they tumble to the ground. The man still running at Shampoo is swinging a wooden baseball bat. Shampoo brings up one of her weapons and shatters the piece of wood as her other weapon comes arcing into the man's side and sends him into the wall along the alley.

The man who got hit by his fellow assailant in flight is now standing up. He is holding a knife large enough to be a small sword. He quickly slashes in at Shampoo. Shampoo backsteps, avoiding the slash. She pauses momentarily to judge this man's combat skills. {He may actually know how to use that thing. I may get to hurt him a lot.} Shampoo grins as she commences her attack.

Meanwhile, Nabiki is staring in near-shock at the ensuing battle. She comes to her senses and realizes Shampoo is here to rescue her. {Shampoo? She's here to help me! What?} Nabiki looks up to see the fourth man standing in front of her. His hand is coming out of his jacket holding something. {A gun?!? He's pointing it at Shampoo? I have to do something! I have to!} Nabiki kicks out at the man's leg and connects with the side of his knee. She feels something pop, as the man screams in pain and crumples to the ground. As he falls his gun points into air for split second and fires off a round.

Shampoo has gotten several good hits on her opponent in just a few seconds time. {This almost isn't worth it. This man doesn't have a chance of defeating me. WHAT?!?! That other man has a gun!} Shampoo jumps up and over the man she is fighting, coming down bon-bori first. The bon-bori connects with the hand of the man holding the gun. Shampoo is rewarded with the crunching sounds of several bones breaking.

The man that was fighting Shampoo is now behind her. He looks at Shampoo for just a moment and starts sprinting down the alley. Shampoo turns around and deftly flicks her bon-bori through the air. It connects with the back of the man's skull. He falls over unconscious. Shampoo then turns all her attention to Nabiki.

"Nabiki Tendo, you are hurt! I get you to airen and others at home right away!" Shampoo reaches down and picks up Nabiki.

"Shampoo, wait! We need to find out who they are! Shampoo, don't... AAAAHHHHH!!!!" Nabiki is now flying over buildings, as Shampoo is roof hopping towards the Tendo Dojo at tremendous speeds. {Damn it! We needed to find out who they are! Shampoo is... is...} The jostling of rapid paced roof hopping is too much for Nabiki. She grows increasingly groggy and then passes out just as her home comes into view.

Shampoo lands in the backyard and approaches the back porch. {Nabiki is not conscious. That injury may be worse than I thought. I need to get her help now!} "Someone help! Bad men hurt Nabiki! Airen, where are you?"

Kasumi is the first to greet Shampoo, but she stops and screams "Nabiki!" This brings everyone else in the house running to see what is going on. Akane is the first to arrive and helps Kasumi take Nabiki and set her down on the floor. Ranma and Soun come running into the room. Soun suddenly appears at Nabiki's side and starts wailing in sadness over what he feels is his "dying" daughter. As Kasumi runs off for the first aid kit, Ranma turns to address Shampoo.

"Shampoo, what happened?" Ranma suddenly feels a huge build-up of energy and turns around.

Akane stands up while a large battle aura suddenly forms around her. She turns to face Shampoo with a look of horribly violent anger in her eyes. In a voice much more quiet than it should be, Akane says, "Shampoo, if you did this to my sister..."

Shampoo turns to look directly at Akane. "Not me. Shampoo hear girl scream and run to see what wrong. Four men in alley and Nabiki lying on ground hurt. Shampoo rescue Nabiki and bring her here."

Akane is still angry and her aura is still flaring brightly. Her reply is much louder than her last one. "After everything you've done to us, you expect to believe anything you say! After what you did at the wedding, I'm surprised Nabiki is still alive! You are going to..." Akane suddenly stops as she hears a very quiet voice coming from Nabiki.

"Akane, she didn't do it, and she did save me. Keep it down, will you? I'm trying to sleep and I have this huge headache." Nabiki turns to look at Kasumi, who is back and starting to clean and bandage the wound. "How is it sis? Am I going to die or what?"

Kasumi is applying a bandage to the wound on her sister's head. She stops for just a moment to smile at Nabiki and brush Nabiki's bangs from her eyes. Nabiki sees a slight bit of fear in her sister's eyes. {Wow, Kasumi looks a little scared. Maybe I'm actually going to die? No, it can't be. There's too much money in the world that isn't mine yet.}

Kasumi is still smiling as she finishes bandaging the cut Nabiki's head and says, "Nabiki, you're going to be just fine. You bleed way too much for the little cuts and scrapes you get. I would like you to stay in bed until Doctor Tofu can come take a look at you, however."

Before anyone can do anything, Soun is lifting Nabiki in his arms. "Daddy will make sure you get better! My little girl will be all right! I promise!" Soun turns and starts slowly carrying his daughter upstairs. Kasumi goes to phone Doctor Tofu, and then heads upstairs after her sister and father.

Akane's aura fades out of existence as she realizes what just happened. {I just accused the person who rescued Nabiki of hurting her. It may be Shampoo, but she does deserve an apology.} "Shampoo, I know this may sound weird coming from me, but... I'm sorry I accused you of hurting Nabiki." Ranma's jaw hits the ground in stunned amazement.

{The aura was the typical violent girl response, but the apology was not. Maybe we should set aside our differences long enough to punish those who hurt Nabiki.} "It OK Akane. If one of Shampoo's sisters from village get hurt, Shampoo be mad too. Once we get men who hurt Nabiki and hurt them worse, Shampoo and Akane can fight. Is OK?"

"Yeah, thanks Shampoo. We will get them won't we? We will make them pay for attacking my... my..." {Oh no! I got attacked this morning and now Nabiki gets attacked. If I had warned somebody, this might not have happened. Is this all my fault?} A growing look of fear and sadness appears on Akane's face as she turns and sprints upstairs.

Ranma is over the shock of Akane apologizing to Shampoo and appears concerned. {Akane was sad and scared. I don't know why, but I'm gonna find out.} "C'mon Shampoo." Ranma and Shampoo head upstairs after everyone else.

Upstairs in Nabiki's room, Nabiki is in serious thought. {How do I state this? If I say it the wrong way, I may get no information from him, but if I don't say enough he'll just start crying again. They said 'you have your father to thank for it all'. How does daddy fit into anything like this? I know I'm missing something, but this with this headache I can't remember what.}

Akane slowly walks into the room where Kasumi and Soun are sitting next to Nabiki's bed. Nabiki looks up at Akane. {Geez, does Akane have to look that sad.} "Akane, I'm going to be OK. You don't have to look so depressed you know."

Akane can't even look at her sister anymore. She lowers her head and says and a very quiet voice, "It's my fault you got hurt. I'm sorry, Nabiki."

Nabiki now looks concerned. {Wait, Akane wanted to talk to me right after school today. Is it connected to this somehow?} "Akane what are you talking about?"

Akane slowly walks over to kneel next to Nabiki's bed. "Remember how I said I wanted to talk to you after school. It... it was because four guys attacked me too. I defeated them, but I didn't want to worry everybody. If I had only warned everybody sooner, you wouldn't have... have been..." Akane crosses her arms and sets them on the bed and then puts her head on her arms as she starts to cry. "It's all my fault! I'm so sorry Nabiki! I'm so sorry!"

Nabiki struggles to sit up and Kasumi helps her. Soun enters another crying fit as he screams, "Someone is attacking my little girls!! WWWAAAAHHHH!!!"

Behind the slightly open door where Ranma and Shampoo are listening, Ranma suddenly starts to glow a dark reddish color. {Someone attacked Akane. Before I was mad. Now, someone will pay!} Shampoo notices how angry Ranma is getting and is not sure how good it is that Ranma has become so concerned after hearing that Akane was attacked, but continues to listen anyway.

Nabiki reaches over and puts a hand on top of Akane's head. "Akane, in no way is this your fault. You didn't tell them to do this, or assist them in any way. How could you have known this would even happen? The last person in the world at fault is you." {I just hope daddy isn't at fault.}

Kasumi kneels down next to Akane and gently lifts her head up. "Akane, Nabiki is right. It isn't your fault. You would never hurt Nabiki, and everyone here knows it. Please stop crying Akane. We need you to be strong right now, OK?"

Akane sniffles and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Thanks, guys. You two are the best."

Nabiki looks at her crying father. {The only way I know of to communicate with him in his current condition is to be as blunt and straightforward as possible. I hope everyone here can take this. I hope I can take this.} In a saddened yet determined voice, Nabiki said, "Daddy, when they dragged me into that alley, they said you were responsible for them attack me. Why?"

All three Tendo daughters were suddenly staring at their father. He had stopped crying and was looking at Nabiki with a look of sheer terror. He then focused his gaze on Akane and Kasumi, before bowing his head in total depression. "You're right, it is my fault, not Akane's. I suppose I should finally tell you why."
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Thanks to Langdz for help pre-reading this.
Author's Notes: [UPDATED 08/10/02] Final draft. I hate it when fanfics end chapters at cliffhangers, and then I go and do it. Bad me! No biscuit! Anyway, please e-mail me with opinions, criticisms, and suggestions. Please be constructive with all C&C. I don't mind being told what someone doesn't like, as long as they provide some direction to make it better. (ntwinkie@effectnet.com)