Nabiki watched, as Akane walked through the gates of the Tendou home, and waited. She stood still in wait, not out of patience, but out of dreaded anticipation. So far, the score was one and one; one for her return, one against. Akane suggested she go in first, and invite their father out, so that Kasumi wouldn't be a problem just yet. Nabiki took a look around the yard through the gates, remeniscing on fonder memories before things became so insanely complicated, even for her. She loved it at home, and loved her family dearly. When she left, it hurt her so bad, it was like a part of her had been ripped away; a part that was forever to remain in the home she had grew up in. The middle Tendou sister hoped so dearly that she would be able to reclaim it.
Time passed slowly, and it became a great deal of time to Nabiki. What if her father refused to see her? She hadn't heard any shouting, yet, but from what she saw of Akane, lacking the brilliant and independant fire that she had before, she wasn't sure her little sister would even put up a fight.
It felt like a living thread had invaded her stomach, dancing more frantically and faster, as time went by. As soon as Nabiki dropped her eyes from the front door, she heard it open. Not wanting to look up, but forced to do so by necessity of reaction, Nabiki's eyes came to meet her father's, the only man she had loved and known love from other than Ranma.
She refused to flinch, but the expression on her face was not the emotionless mask she had carefully crafted and only perfected perhaps two years ago. It was a bit unsettling to see that expression on the man who sired her. She concentrated on his eyes, and felt her own begin to water, when she noted the hint of betrayal, uncertainty, anger, and wariness.
Soun slowly stepped from the porch, and approached Nabiki, slower still. Kasumi stepped out the door with her younger sister, though Nabiki didn't concern herself with her older sister; she already knew where she lay with her. Akane, if Nabiki had taken her eyes off her father, Nabiki would have seen the guarded expression on her youngest sister; a look of uncertainty that would have brought Nabiki's hopes down further.
As he got closer, he started to pick up speed. Nabiki's eyes began to rain tears, when she saw his eyes much closer. They had settled upon one emotion that stood above all; total, unconditional love.
Nabiki began to cry freely, as she embraced her father for the first time she could recall in eight years.
________________________
Ranma; Hard Core
Book 2
Chapter 2
________________________
Akane was the one to serve the tea, as Kasumi had decided that she was due for a break from servitude, as she had put it. Their father gave her a weak glare, which went virtually ignored, and Soun sighed in resignation.
The Tendou Patriarch's expression became stoic; they had gotten over the hardest part, but it was far from over, "So, how has my daughter been? It has been a while since I have seen or heard from you."
Nabiki eyed the tea her youngest sister poured for her, and looked at Akane guardedly. Akane shrugged, "I've gotten better." Like a mine sweeper setting foot onto a hotzone, Nabiki tentatively tasted the tea, and found it a bit strong, but not all that bad.
"I've..." Nabiki stopped, and began again, "We've been doing well. We... thought it would be best if Ranma left to find himself, and that someone was with him."
"Hmm," Soun said, neither giving approval or scorn, "You do realize that his leaving brought a great deal of problems; Running from the law being one of the greater ones."
"But Hibiki admitted to murdering Mousse," Nabiki replied, guessing as to what her father had meant.
"He was still wanted for questioning," Soun replied in a neutral tone, "But that has passed, fortunately. We currently hold this Mousse's remains, until we may be able to ask Ranma personally where he knew this young man from. Genma was himself unable to place him." By this time, Kasumi had sat at the table, directly in front of Nabiki, deciding the conversation may be worth her intrest.
Nabiki picked up on her father's unasked question, "Ranma had sent me away..." Nabiki said sullenly, and then hastefully amended, "But for a good reason!"
Nabiki ignored Kasumi's harsh snort, and out of the corner of her eyes, Akane's eyes become downcast, as her hands began to fiddle with themselves on the tabletop.
"Has he put you in danger?" Soun asked, displaying the first amount of emotion since the conversation began.
"No, no he hasn't," Nabiki replied, hesitatingly, telling everyone that she may not be truthful, "He has been really good to me, Daddy. Don't think badly of him, please."
"How else are we supposed to think of him?" Kasumi said, sweetly. Nabiki refused to leap for the bait.
"Kasumi, please," Soun urged, and then turned back to his middle daughter, "I'll reserve my judgement, for his sake. What is it you two have done in your absence?"
"Well..." Nabiki gulped at what she was about to tell her father, "Ranma told me that his father forbid him to practice the art. But, I insisted he continue."
Akane perked up at this, while Soun barely managed to school his expression. Kasumi didn't care to be reserved, "So, has he broken a few more good backs, lately?"
Nabiki slammed her palms into the table, causing everyone but Kasumi to flinch. Kasumi just grew a nasty smirk, and then leaned back haughtily.
"KAMI KNOWS RANMA HAS MADE MISTAKES! IF YOU *ONLY* KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HIM!" Nabiki's eyes shifted to her father's cool expression, and her sister's calm but anticipating one. Nabiki settled back down, and dropped her eyes down to the table, before continuing, "Please, don't judge him to harshly. There is a lot more than you know."
"That may be true, but he was not to continue his training for a reason," Soun spoke up, after a moment of silence.
"It's.. it's the only thing that made him happy, Daddy. If that was taken away from him, I don't... I don't think I would have been gone away from home so long." Nabiki's allusion did not go unnoticed. Kasumi was about to open her mouth, but Akane's warning, yet non-hostile look, coupled with her father's stern glare closed it for her.
"Nabiki, there are people who can help him."
"Oh yeah, like a shrink could fix him up in a jiffy," Nabiki mocked, turning to look sullenly out the window.
"But you think this sabbatical would help him with any better results?"
"If I'm one to judge, it did," Nabiki countered.
"And when is it you recieved your phsycological degree, dear sister?" Kasumi pressed with a bored tone.
"I'm his *wife*! It's my DUTY to understand these things about him!" Nabiki waited for the words to sink in, and found a small victory in the shocked expression on her older sister's face.
"Well, at least you're not merely his comfort girl," Kasumi taunted, quickly recovering. Kasumi pulled back, but it was Soun's hand grabbing his middle daughter's wrist that stopped the slap from coming.
"Kasumi, leave the table." It was a command, her father actually commanded Kasumi to leave. Nabiki was surprised at the amount of gumption her father had developed over the time.
"Fine, I need to start preparing dinner, anyway," Kasumi got up, and headed for the kitchen. She stopped, and turned her head back, "Should I be fixing a meal for four, or will this pleasant visit end anytime soon?"
"Kasumi, go." Kasumi waved her father's command off, and entered the kitchen. "Well, I see at least our families were joined, just as me and Genma had pledged," Soun stated for levity, "But, tell me, did you marry him because you truly loved him?"
Akane seemed to shrink to her spot a bit, as if fearing the answer. Nabiki snorted, "What? My sense of obligation for your pledge not enough?"
Soun's expression became slightly tired, "I... have been blinded in the past to your wants, and did not consider your feelings as they would be on the subject. But I did have the best of intentions in this, and thought you would be happy with a son of Genma's."
Nabiki was placated enough. She sighed, before replying, "Yes, Daddy, I do love him, I love him more than I myself probably realize. I wouldn't have married him unless I was absolutely sure about it.
"I have to go change," Akane said, getting up from the table, and heading upstairs. Soun watched with sad, knowing eyes, as his youngest went upstairs to hold up in her room until dinner was done.
"She spends a lot of time in her room. I think she spends the time just thinking about things, up there," Soun theorized, not taking his eyes off the path Akane retreated to. He then shrugged, and turned back to Nabiki, "Or she could very well spend a good amount of it asleep, I choose not to invade on her privacy."
"I understand," Nabiki replied.
"I must ask, however... why did you decide to return, and without Ranma?"
"We... he decided it would be best, if I did so," Nabiki replied, simply, while linking her hands together on the tabletop.
"So, did he abandon you?" Soun asked, just as simply.
"No," Nabiki answered in a tiny voice.
"Then, my question remains unanswered."
"I'm pregnant."
Time passed slowly, and it became a great deal of time to Nabiki. What if her father refused to see her? She hadn't heard any shouting, yet, but from what she saw of Akane, lacking the brilliant and independant fire that she had before, she wasn't sure her little sister would even put up a fight.
It felt like a living thread had invaded her stomach, dancing more frantically and faster, as time went by. As soon as Nabiki dropped her eyes from the front door, she heard it open. Not wanting to look up, but forced to do so by necessity of reaction, Nabiki's eyes came to meet her father's, the only man she had loved and known love from other than Ranma.
She refused to flinch, but the expression on her face was not the emotionless mask she had carefully crafted and only perfected perhaps two years ago. It was a bit unsettling to see that expression on the man who sired her. She concentrated on his eyes, and felt her own begin to water, when she noted the hint of betrayal, uncertainty, anger, and wariness.
Soun slowly stepped from the porch, and approached Nabiki, slower still. Kasumi stepped out the door with her younger sister, though Nabiki didn't concern herself with her older sister; she already knew where she lay with her. Akane, if Nabiki had taken her eyes off her father, Nabiki would have seen the guarded expression on her youngest sister; a look of uncertainty that would have brought Nabiki's hopes down further.
As he got closer, he started to pick up speed. Nabiki's eyes began to rain tears, when she saw his eyes much closer. They had settled upon one emotion that stood above all; total, unconditional love.
Nabiki began to cry freely, as she embraced her father for the first time she could recall in eight years.
________________________
Ranma; Hard Core
Book 2
Chapter 2
________________________
Akane was the one to serve the tea, as Kasumi had decided that she was due for a break from servitude, as she had put it. Their father gave her a weak glare, which went virtually ignored, and Soun sighed in resignation.
The Tendou Patriarch's expression became stoic; they had gotten over the hardest part, but it was far from over, "So, how has my daughter been? It has been a while since I have seen or heard from you."
Nabiki eyed the tea her youngest sister poured for her, and looked at Akane guardedly. Akane shrugged, "I've gotten better." Like a mine sweeper setting foot onto a hotzone, Nabiki tentatively tasted the tea, and found it a bit strong, but not all that bad.
"I've..." Nabiki stopped, and began again, "We've been doing well. We... thought it would be best if Ranma left to find himself, and that someone was with him."
"Hmm," Soun said, neither giving approval or scorn, "You do realize that his leaving brought a great deal of problems; Running from the law being one of the greater ones."
"But Hibiki admitted to murdering Mousse," Nabiki replied, guessing as to what her father had meant.
"He was still wanted for questioning," Soun replied in a neutral tone, "But that has passed, fortunately. We currently hold this Mousse's remains, until we may be able to ask Ranma personally where he knew this young man from. Genma was himself unable to place him." By this time, Kasumi had sat at the table, directly in front of Nabiki, deciding the conversation may be worth her intrest.
Nabiki picked up on her father's unasked question, "Ranma had sent me away..." Nabiki said sullenly, and then hastefully amended, "But for a good reason!"
Nabiki ignored Kasumi's harsh snort, and out of the corner of her eyes, Akane's eyes become downcast, as her hands began to fiddle with themselves on the tabletop.
"Has he put you in danger?" Soun asked, displaying the first amount of emotion since the conversation began.
"No, no he hasn't," Nabiki replied, hesitatingly, telling everyone that she may not be truthful, "He has been really good to me, Daddy. Don't think badly of him, please."
"How else are we supposed to think of him?" Kasumi said, sweetly. Nabiki refused to leap for the bait.
"Kasumi, please," Soun urged, and then turned back to his middle daughter, "I'll reserve my judgement, for his sake. What is it you two have done in your absence?"
"Well..." Nabiki gulped at what she was about to tell her father, "Ranma told me that his father forbid him to practice the art. But, I insisted he continue."
Akane perked up at this, while Soun barely managed to school his expression. Kasumi didn't care to be reserved, "So, has he broken a few more good backs, lately?"
Nabiki slammed her palms into the table, causing everyone but Kasumi to flinch. Kasumi just grew a nasty smirk, and then leaned back haughtily.
"KAMI KNOWS RANMA HAS MADE MISTAKES! IF YOU *ONLY* KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HIM!" Nabiki's eyes shifted to her father's cool expression, and her sister's calm but anticipating one. Nabiki settled back down, and dropped her eyes down to the table, before continuing, "Please, don't judge him to harshly. There is a lot more than you know."
"That may be true, but he was not to continue his training for a reason," Soun spoke up, after a moment of silence.
"It's.. it's the only thing that made him happy, Daddy. If that was taken away from him, I don't... I don't think I would have been gone away from home so long." Nabiki's allusion did not go unnoticed. Kasumi was about to open her mouth, but Akane's warning, yet non-hostile look, coupled with her father's stern glare closed it for her.
"Nabiki, there are people who can help him."
"Oh yeah, like a shrink could fix him up in a jiffy," Nabiki mocked, turning to look sullenly out the window.
"But you think this sabbatical would help him with any better results?"
"If I'm one to judge, it did," Nabiki countered.
"And when is it you recieved your phsycological degree, dear sister?" Kasumi pressed with a bored tone.
"I'm his *wife*! It's my DUTY to understand these things about him!" Nabiki waited for the words to sink in, and found a small victory in the shocked expression on her older sister's face.
"Well, at least you're not merely his comfort girl," Kasumi taunted, quickly recovering. Kasumi pulled back, but it was Soun's hand grabbing his middle daughter's wrist that stopped the slap from coming.
"Kasumi, leave the table." It was a command, her father actually commanded Kasumi to leave. Nabiki was surprised at the amount of gumption her father had developed over the time.
"Fine, I need to start preparing dinner, anyway," Kasumi got up, and headed for the kitchen. She stopped, and turned her head back, "Should I be fixing a meal for four, or will this pleasant visit end anytime soon?"
"Kasumi, go." Kasumi waved her father's command off, and entered the kitchen. "Well, I see at least our families were joined, just as me and Genma had pledged," Soun stated for levity, "But, tell me, did you marry him because you truly loved him?"
Akane seemed to shrink to her spot a bit, as if fearing the answer. Nabiki snorted, "What? My sense of obligation for your pledge not enough?"
Soun's expression became slightly tired, "I... have been blinded in the past to your wants, and did not consider your feelings as they would be on the subject. But I did have the best of intentions in this, and thought you would be happy with a son of Genma's."
Nabiki was placated enough. She sighed, before replying, "Yes, Daddy, I do love him, I love him more than I myself probably realize. I wouldn't have married him unless I was absolutely sure about it.
"I have to go change," Akane said, getting up from the table, and heading upstairs. Soun watched with sad, knowing eyes, as his youngest went upstairs to hold up in her room until dinner was done.
"She spends a lot of time in her room. I think she spends the time just thinking about things, up there," Soun theorized, not taking his eyes off the path Akane retreated to. He then shrugged, and turned back to Nabiki, "Or she could very well spend a good amount of it asleep, I choose not to invade on her privacy."
"I understand," Nabiki replied.
"I must ask, however... why did you decide to return, and without Ranma?"
"We... he decided it would be best, if I did so," Nabiki replied, simply, while linking her hands together on the tabletop.
"So, did he abandon you?" Soun asked, just as simply.
"No," Nabiki answered in a tiny voice.
"Then, my question remains unanswered."
"I'm pregnant."