After standing in front of the door for several minutes, Nabiki had almost drummed up the resolve. She couldn't tell for sure how her family would react to her sudden return, particularly after not making contact for the year and two months her and Ranma had been... away. The way things had been left between her and Kasumi were sketchy, though she was sure her eldest sister, though for some reason harbored a grudge for Ranma at the time, didn't have any ill will towards Nabiki. She may be extremely upset that her own sister hadn't kept contact with them, but Kasumi would understand.
Akane, that's who Nabiki was worried about. The word that Nabiki had shouted in the heat of rage, fustration, and anger had hurt her almost as much as it probably hurt Akane. Her younger sister was pretty outgoing, and would have probably forgotten them by now. It was the fact that she ran off with Ranma that would set them apart. How much did *that* hurt Akane? Nabiki knew Akane had growing feelings for Ranma, just as she had at the time. What Nabiki had said to her sister was just as much to scare Akane away than it was anything else. Nabiki had quite a few fitful nights, filled with dreams of her heartbroken sister running into the rainy evening.
That had troubled Nabiki's concience for a great time. She had considered that Akane had done something... desperate, but with a little subtle checking around, she found both her sisters were okay. Still, Akane was on Nabiki's concience, and it would not rest until it was settled.
That wasn't the reason for her return, though. Ranma had insisted that she go back to her family rather adimantly. She knew he wasn't trying to get rid of her, Kami grace his soul. He was genuinely worried about her, and knew eventually that no matter how hard he would try, he wouldn't be able to weather out the newest upcoming storm with her.
Nabiki smirked for a sec, wondering if this was even 'home' for her anymore. For all she knew, her father cast her out of the family, she didn't have the heart to check on that. Now that she was standing at the front door of the home she had known for seventeen years, she condemned herself thoroughly for that oversight. She scoffed at her self, when she thought a bit more about it; no matter what, her father wouldn't go near that far. Even if Nabiki stabbed him in the back, he wouldn't abandon any of his daughters. Besides, he was too much of a cream-puff.
Realizing that it was now do or die, Nabiki set her small suitcase with the meager belongings she kept the whole while, and knocked on the door. The middle Tendou sister almost gasped, when she saw Kasumi's face without a smile. In an instant, Kasumi's face grew to as Nabiki had remembered it, serene and caring, when she realized who was standing at the door.
Still, that didn't make Nabiki feel any less nervous. Her sister apparently welcomed her back, but she still had two family members to go. With a gulp and a breath to steady her nerves, Nabiki spoke, arbiet with a jilted voice, "Ka-Kasumi? I... I-I'm home."
Kasumi, with the affectionate smile across her face that carefully displayed love for her sister. The smile that she had spent over a year perfecting again, the smile she wore for everyone now, including those she counted among her bane, slammed the door on Nabiki's face.
Ranma; Hard Core
Book 2
Chapter 1
Nabiki didn't even bother to knock again; who could argue with a message like that? Most the life wretched from her as if she never deserved it, almost all her hopes broken like fine crystal upon a stone, unforgiving floor, what little innocence she retained through it all crumpled and skewed upon the ground like useless confetti after a great and lively parade; all done in a single, uncaring motion by her own older sister.
Refusing to cry, and failing utterly, Nabiki ignored the tears running down her face, picked up her bag, and turned to leave. She had enough money for a hotel for a while, in fact she had enough to pay rent on an apartment in even one of the more established parts of older tokyo for a half a year, as her mysterious benefactor had been rather generous. Then, she would head back to Ranma.
With a slow gait, Nabiki left the grounds of what used to be her home... at one time, a lifetime ago. As she arrived at the gate, she saw someone approaching with a similar sorrow in their step. The figure drew closer, not seeming to notice Nabiki, and accidentally but slightly bumped into Nabiki.
A soft, sullen, but terse 'sorry' was uttered, as the apparent girl walked around Nabiki. Nabiki's eyes went wide. The hair was shorter, much shorter, past the point of androgenous into butch, she seemed a bit thicker, and with a slightly frailer step; very much unlike the confident one she used to have. She was wearing dark clothes with a nearly black blue jacket that drapped down her unflatteringly, practical to cover her from the crisp, slightly chilled air. The gray haze that was cast in the sky seemed to be thicker around her, unlike the warming light she seemed to unconciously radiate from her. She had changed, changed greatly.
"A-Akane?" Nabiki asked, incredulously, before hastefully wiping the tears from her face. The other girl paused, and turned to Nabiki with a curious expression. The face was as changed as her voice, as it's cheer was completely replaced by necessity, and the rest of her appearance. Akane's face lit up in recognition, not quite becoming a smile, but growing seemingly lighter. Nabiki held her breath, and even after, when Akane did smile a sad, but grateful smile.
"Nabiki? Is that really you?" The elder sister nodded her head a bit shakily, still weary of her sister's reaction. Finally, Nabiki let out her breath, as her younger sister rushed to hug her in a tight embrace which didn't have the strength it used to, "Oh, Kami, we all missed you. Why didn't you ever call us? We were worried, you know?"
Nabiki bowed her head guiltily, and focused on another part of what Akane had said, instead of answering the question, "Kasumi didn't seem to happy to see me."
Akane suddenly realized what she was doing, and backed away from Nabiki, averting her eyes from her sister. "S-sorry," Akane said with a stutter, before replying about Kasumi, "She's... she's been like that since you... left." Nabiki nodded her head and made a confirming noise, when she realized Akane didn't want to continue on that subject. Akane lifted her head so that Nabiki could see her eyes. The elder sister was able to see her deep dark chocolate irises had lost their gloss, before Akane turned her eyes down again.
"Well... I haven't seen you in a while. You want to go get something to eat before... you know?"
Nabiki smiled, seeing that she was at least accepted by one sister, "I would like that... sister."
_______________________
Nabiki had order a meal; unusual for the time of day, while Akane had only ordered a miso soup. They both sipped on their complimentary green teas, enjoying the contentful silence between them. Alas, the feeling was not to last, as Nabiki knew her sister wanted answers.
"Where's Ranma?" Akane asked plainly. What comfortable tone she had that managed to put Nabiki at ease was now gone. It was a simple question, delivered with a calm emotionless tone that spoke volumes of what Akane expected from Nabiki.
Nabiki attempted to hide behind her tea, before realizing it wouldn't work, "He's currently finding work. Mostly we've been..."
"Um, 'we've'?" Akane enquired.
Nabiki nodded her head, "Yes, we have been working to support ourselves. Ranmaa's mostly been doing construction work or heavy labor when he could find it with someone willing to pay us cash, while I've been working at inns and such that needed help for either free food and board, or money also."
"Why did you leave?" Again, delivered with the same tone.
"I..." Nabiki caught herself, "We had to, things were just getting worse."
"The police wanted Ranma for questioning for the death of Mousse, but Ryoga Hibiki had fessed up to it immidiately. They didn't care to pursue Ranma after that."
"Mousse? Who's he?" Nabiki asked, wondering what this had to do with Ranma.
Akane took a sip of her soup, "Ryoga said that he was trying to kill Ranma the day you two left. He was a Chinese national without a visa or pass to be in Japan, so they threw the case out, and let Ryoga off easy, saying it was in the defense of Ranma."
"I see," Nabiki stated, hiding her true anger over the fact that Ranma never did tell her what happened that night, dismissing the bruises and lacerations he got from his earlier fight with Ryoga.
"Father said we would take care of Mousse's remains, as he felt indirectly responcible for the situation. We have his ashes in a small shrine for him entirely."
"So, someone attempts to kill my husband, and Daddy honors him?" Nabiki said with a growl. First chance she got, she would dump those damned ashes in the canal.
"Husband?"
Uh oh, "Er..." Nabiki slumped, and then picked at her fat tempura shrimp, "It... it made things easier for us, when we got married." Nabiki wanted to laugh, but it came out as a choked bark, "In a nation so technologically advanced, we're so primitive with our attitudes, you know that?"
Akane didn't answer, looking down at her soup that she had barely touched. The silence reigned once again, but this time with an uncertain tension between them. Nabiki silently thought to herself that she would give all the money she had and more to know what was on her sister's mind, but the exchange in legal tender would raise too many questions she didn't have answers for. It was apparent that her father had nothing to do with her money. The Tendous were not of the exclusively wealthy families, but they were pretty well-to-do; owning a great property in a Tokyo province for their home, and stock shares that dated back since Japan's reconstruction. Not to mention the stipends her father pulled in from relatives for being the caretaker of the Tendou Dojo and land; she was sure her father could well afford it, even if he acted rather tight about it. That left the question of whom, then. She had a feeling the answer would be revealed with her return.
"Akane, are you ready to go?" Nabiki said, knowing she was going to have to face her father sometime.
"Go ahead and finish, you seem like you're half starved," Akane replied.
"Well, traveling, I have to eat light," Nabiki replied, and then gave a shadow of the teasing smirk she used to wear over a year ago, "Though, it seems like you haven't been spared a few meals. How is it the guys would put it? 'Chunky in all the right places'?"
Akane grew visibly uncomfortable at her sister's comment, as she slumped into her side of the booth more, with her eyes cast down to the table, causing Nabiki's attempt at levity to fall short, bringing her humor with it, "I... sorry." Nabiki went back to concentrating on her zaru soba noodles. Akane kept her eyes on her cooling bowl of miso soup, nodding a couple of times in reply.
Akane, that's who Nabiki was worried about. The word that Nabiki had shouted in the heat of rage, fustration, and anger had hurt her almost as much as it probably hurt Akane. Her younger sister was pretty outgoing, and would have probably forgotten them by now. It was the fact that she ran off with Ranma that would set them apart. How much did *that* hurt Akane? Nabiki knew Akane had growing feelings for Ranma, just as she had at the time. What Nabiki had said to her sister was just as much to scare Akane away than it was anything else. Nabiki had quite a few fitful nights, filled with dreams of her heartbroken sister running into the rainy evening.
That had troubled Nabiki's concience for a great time. She had considered that Akane had done something... desperate, but with a little subtle checking around, she found both her sisters were okay. Still, Akane was on Nabiki's concience, and it would not rest until it was settled.
That wasn't the reason for her return, though. Ranma had insisted that she go back to her family rather adimantly. She knew he wasn't trying to get rid of her, Kami grace his soul. He was genuinely worried about her, and knew eventually that no matter how hard he would try, he wouldn't be able to weather out the newest upcoming storm with her.
Nabiki smirked for a sec, wondering if this was even 'home' for her anymore. For all she knew, her father cast her out of the family, she didn't have the heart to check on that. Now that she was standing at the front door of the home she had known for seventeen years, she condemned herself thoroughly for that oversight. She scoffed at her self, when she thought a bit more about it; no matter what, her father wouldn't go near that far. Even if Nabiki stabbed him in the back, he wouldn't abandon any of his daughters. Besides, he was too much of a cream-puff.
Realizing that it was now do or die, Nabiki set her small suitcase with the meager belongings she kept the whole while, and knocked on the door. The middle Tendou sister almost gasped, when she saw Kasumi's face without a smile. In an instant, Kasumi's face grew to as Nabiki had remembered it, serene and caring, when she realized who was standing at the door.
Still, that didn't make Nabiki feel any less nervous. Her sister apparently welcomed her back, but she still had two family members to go. With a gulp and a breath to steady her nerves, Nabiki spoke, arbiet with a jilted voice, "Ka-Kasumi? I... I-I'm home."
Kasumi, with the affectionate smile across her face that carefully displayed love for her sister. The smile that she had spent over a year perfecting again, the smile she wore for everyone now, including those she counted among her bane, slammed the door on Nabiki's face.
Ranma; Hard Core
Book 2
Chapter 1
Nabiki didn't even bother to knock again; who could argue with a message like that? Most the life wretched from her as if she never deserved it, almost all her hopes broken like fine crystal upon a stone, unforgiving floor, what little innocence she retained through it all crumpled and skewed upon the ground like useless confetti after a great and lively parade; all done in a single, uncaring motion by her own older sister.
Refusing to cry, and failing utterly, Nabiki ignored the tears running down her face, picked up her bag, and turned to leave. She had enough money for a hotel for a while, in fact she had enough to pay rent on an apartment in even one of the more established parts of older tokyo for a half a year, as her mysterious benefactor had been rather generous. Then, she would head back to Ranma.
With a slow gait, Nabiki left the grounds of what used to be her home... at one time, a lifetime ago. As she arrived at the gate, she saw someone approaching with a similar sorrow in their step. The figure drew closer, not seeming to notice Nabiki, and accidentally but slightly bumped into Nabiki.
A soft, sullen, but terse 'sorry' was uttered, as the apparent girl walked around Nabiki. Nabiki's eyes went wide. The hair was shorter, much shorter, past the point of androgenous into butch, she seemed a bit thicker, and with a slightly frailer step; very much unlike the confident one she used to have. She was wearing dark clothes with a nearly black blue jacket that drapped down her unflatteringly, practical to cover her from the crisp, slightly chilled air. The gray haze that was cast in the sky seemed to be thicker around her, unlike the warming light she seemed to unconciously radiate from her. She had changed, changed greatly.
"A-Akane?" Nabiki asked, incredulously, before hastefully wiping the tears from her face. The other girl paused, and turned to Nabiki with a curious expression. The face was as changed as her voice, as it's cheer was completely replaced by necessity, and the rest of her appearance. Akane's face lit up in recognition, not quite becoming a smile, but growing seemingly lighter. Nabiki held her breath, and even after, when Akane did smile a sad, but grateful smile.
"Nabiki? Is that really you?" The elder sister nodded her head a bit shakily, still weary of her sister's reaction. Finally, Nabiki let out her breath, as her younger sister rushed to hug her in a tight embrace which didn't have the strength it used to, "Oh, Kami, we all missed you. Why didn't you ever call us? We were worried, you know?"
Nabiki bowed her head guiltily, and focused on another part of what Akane had said, instead of answering the question, "Kasumi didn't seem to happy to see me."
Akane suddenly realized what she was doing, and backed away from Nabiki, averting her eyes from her sister. "S-sorry," Akane said with a stutter, before replying about Kasumi, "She's... she's been like that since you... left." Nabiki nodded her head and made a confirming noise, when she realized Akane didn't want to continue on that subject. Akane lifted her head so that Nabiki could see her eyes. The elder sister was able to see her deep dark chocolate irises had lost their gloss, before Akane turned her eyes down again.
"Well... I haven't seen you in a while. You want to go get something to eat before... you know?"
Nabiki smiled, seeing that she was at least accepted by one sister, "I would like that... sister."
_______________________
Nabiki had order a meal; unusual for the time of day, while Akane had only ordered a miso soup. They both sipped on their complimentary green teas, enjoying the contentful silence between them. Alas, the feeling was not to last, as Nabiki knew her sister wanted answers.
"Where's Ranma?" Akane asked plainly. What comfortable tone she had that managed to put Nabiki at ease was now gone. It was a simple question, delivered with a calm emotionless tone that spoke volumes of what Akane expected from Nabiki.
Nabiki attempted to hide behind her tea, before realizing it wouldn't work, "He's currently finding work. Mostly we've been..."
"Um, 'we've'?" Akane enquired.
Nabiki nodded her head, "Yes, we have been working to support ourselves. Ranmaa's mostly been doing construction work or heavy labor when he could find it with someone willing to pay us cash, while I've been working at inns and such that needed help for either free food and board, or money also."
"Why did you leave?" Again, delivered with the same tone.
"I..." Nabiki caught herself, "We had to, things were just getting worse."
"The police wanted Ranma for questioning for the death of Mousse, but Ryoga Hibiki had fessed up to it immidiately. They didn't care to pursue Ranma after that."
"Mousse? Who's he?" Nabiki asked, wondering what this had to do with Ranma.
Akane took a sip of her soup, "Ryoga said that he was trying to kill Ranma the day you two left. He was a Chinese national without a visa or pass to be in Japan, so they threw the case out, and let Ryoga off easy, saying it was in the defense of Ranma."
"I see," Nabiki stated, hiding her true anger over the fact that Ranma never did tell her what happened that night, dismissing the bruises and lacerations he got from his earlier fight with Ryoga.
"Father said we would take care of Mousse's remains, as he felt indirectly responcible for the situation. We have his ashes in a small shrine for him entirely."
"So, someone attempts to kill my husband, and Daddy honors him?" Nabiki said with a growl. First chance she got, she would dump those damned ashes in the canal.
"Husband?"
Uh oh, "Er..." Nabiki slumped, and then picked at her fat tempura shrimp, "It... it made things easier for us, when we got married." Nabiki wanted to laugh, but it came out as a choked bark, "In a nation so technologically advanced, we're so primitive with our attitudes, you know that?"
Akane didn't answer, looking down at her soup that she had barely touched. The silence reigned once again, but this time with an uncertain tension between them. Nabiki silently thought to herself that she would give all the money she had and more to know what was on her sister's mind, but the exchange in legal tender would raise too many questions she didn't have answers for. It was apparent that her father had nothing to do with her money. The Tendous were not of the exclusively wealthy families, but they were pretty well-to-do; owning a great property in a Tokyo province for their home, and stock shares that dated back since Japan's reconstruction. Not to mention the stipends her father pulled in from relatives for being the caretaker of the Tendou Dojo and land; she was sure her father could well afford it, even if he acted rather tight about it. That left the question of whom, then. She had a feeling the answer would be revealed with her return.
"Akane, are you ready to go?" Nabiki said, knowing she was going to have to face her father sometime.
"Go ahead and finish, you seem like you're half starved," Akane replied.
"Well, traveling, I have to eat light," Nabiki replied, and then gave a shadow of the teasing smirk she used to wear over a year ago, "Though, it seems like you haven't been spared a few meals. How is it the guys would put it? 'Chunky in all the right places'?"
Akane grew visibly uncomfortable at her sister's comment, as she slumped into her side of the booth more, with her eyes cast down to the table, causing Nabiki's attempt at levity to fall short, bringing her humor with it, "I... sorry." Nabiki went back to concentrating on her zaru soba noodles. Akane kept her eyes on her cooling bowl of miso soup, nodding a couple of times in reply.