Ranma; Hard Core
"Yes, well, these are quite indeed nice in appearance," the jewel appraiser stated, examining each bauble that was layed before him.
"They are but a few of the gems that my people have aquired through out time. To us, they are largely worthless, but we take them with us when venturing abroad."
"Yes, well," the white-haired man mumbled, "I can see where these would seem invaluable to your people to, how would you say, 'outside world'? But I'm afraid I must tell you that the karat isn't all that much remarkable, and the cut of..."
"Try not to look down," the Chinese woman in the impeccible black women's business suit warned, "You wouldn't want yourself to get cut before I have explained the situation. If you haven't guessed by now, I am holding a knife to your throat. The reason you may ask? Ah-ah, don't nod, just listen. The reason is because I do not enjoy being played for a fool by men who think they can take advantage of a foreigner with a cute, tight ass. Now, we shall start this discussion from the beginning, and hopefully, I will find it more to my satisfactory, and we will both be happy, that sound fair to you?" Once again, Xian Pu warned against nodding, and took the look of petrified fear in his eyes as an affirmative. She pulled the dagger from the jewel appraiser's throat, and sat back down comfortably.
She smirked at the red mark against the man's throat, and started the conversation again, "Good then. Now, as you were saying?"
"Um, w-well t-these jewels are a l-little rough on the c-cut, but th-they are of stunning quality."
"I'm glad you approve," Xian Pu smiled and nodded, "I hope you can offer an even exchange for them? I believe in fairness, an eye for an eye..." Xian Pu's eyes gained a deadly gleam, "...compounded with interest."
______________________
Akane jolted at the knock at her door, genuinely surprised that someone would bother her while she was in her room. Before she could answer, Nabiki walked in, seemingly a little shaken for some reason, but otherwise in good humor.
"I come home after a year, and you hide out in your room. If I was more sensitive, I would think you don't want me here," Nabiki said with feigned humor, while internally wincing at the thought of her younger sister answering that rhetorical implied question.
"I'm sorry, I just felt like being alone."
"Daddy says you're alone an awful lot," Nabiki answered, seriously, "What is it you do all the time up here, anyways?"
"I think, about things," Akane answered, taking a breath, and leaning forward at her desk.
"That's a lot of time for thinking," Nabiki commented.
"I guess..."
Nabiki looked around the room, attempting to ignore the akward silence. Akane had turned back to looking at her desktop, seeming to forget that Nabiki was there. Finally, unable to take the silence any longer, Nabiki spoke up, "I see your room hasn't changed much."
"I haven't had a reason to change it."
Nabiki was growing tired of the curt answers, being used to the lively conversations that she used to have with her sister so long ago, "What happened to you, Akane? You've changed."
"People change," Akane answered with sincerety, as she turned to look at her sister with a neutral expression that had a seemingly curious and contemplative pout to it.
"I guess so," Nabiki tried to reply nonchilantly, but found herself more than a little intimidated by her own little sister. Nabiki smiled as best she could, and attempted to change the subject, "So, how can I get to know my little sister again? I mean, I almost didn't recognize you, after all."
"There's not much to know, really." Nabiki noted her sister's body posture and tone, finding it slightly mousey. She figured her sister obviously was no longer the social flower she used to be, and wondered what could have happened to change that.
"What do you think about up here? Just something," Nabiki urged, not wanting silence to settle again.
"I..." Akane started, then reconsidered what she was about to converse about, "Sometimes school."
"You're on your final year, how you coming along?"
Akane's glance turned back to her desk, "I'm doing okay."
Nabiki frowned, Akane wasn't exactly a straight 'A' student, but she was proud of her grades. On a hunch, Nabiki replied, "That bad, huh?"
Akane turned slightly towards Nabiki, but then looked back down at her desk. "Geez, you have changed," Nabiki stated with the utmost seriousness, "Something happened, out with it."
Akane turned to Nabiki, her eyes flashing intense hurt and betrayal, before becoming dull again, "Just some things."
"Was it the morning goon squad?"
"No, they stopped after... after Ranma and Kuno fought."
"Suuuuurrrreee they did," Nabiki drolled, "As soon as Ranma was out of the way, they would have been at it double time to make up for the lost days."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Akane had been sullen ever since Ranma and her sister had left three nights ago. Already the rumors had gotten around school, that Nabiki had run off with Akane's fiancee and eloped. Akane didn't meet the eyes of anyone since then, but not for the reasons everyone assumed. Her fellow students took her meek and sullen composure as confirmation, which in turn brought the thought to many of the boys of the school that Akane needed 'cheering up'.
The next school day, Akane walked up to the gates to the school, to find the old army of boys waiting to gain the 'privilege' of dating her, by any means necessary. Akane stared, wide eyed in shock, as the boys charged her while hollering praises of love and immense violence, completely taken aback that they would initiate this again. It had terrified her far more than when it first happened, and this time she couldn't find it within herself to deal with it.
So she turned, and ran.
All the boy stopped, confused at Akane's actions, while the girls that looked upon the battle with their usual distain, perked, and found themselves a bit concerned. All of Akane's friends were very concerned.
Akane ran, nonstop, to the nearest safeplace she could think of, Dr. Tofu's. She burst into his office, just as he was about to meet with one of his usual elderly patients.
"Akane?" The doctor was only slightly irritated, but knew that Akane would only do such a thing if there was a severe emergency, "What's wrong? Someone hurt? Ranma and Nabiki return?"
Akane suddenly realized what she had done, and coupled with the names of the sister that had intimately betrayed her, the girl or boy she was starting to grow feelings for that had shunned her for the worst side of her notorious temper, and the immense pressure she had been feeling trying to cope with the way everything went dramatically wrong, she collapsed to the ground in tears. The elderly woman looked up at the doctor expectantly, and gestured to the overwhelmed girl who was wretching and sobbing on her knees with her hands over her face.
It wasn't necessary, as Tofu had went into action after recovering from his shock. It took a bit of coaxing, but Akane opened up to the doctor; confessing all that weighed down and buried her heart. All of it needed to be addressed, lest it lead to serious psychological problems for the young teenage girl, but Tofu found his concern, and anger, focused on one thing at that moment.
That night, he had went to the Tendou home, and addressed the situation to Soun, and the next morning, they both addressed the school. Dr. Tofu threatened that anyone initiate these attacks on Akane, he would personally press charges on the offending party. Soun put it in no uncertain terms that whatever they felt from his daughter, would pale before whatever he would do if he got his hands on them.
The incident ended up alienating Akane from all the boys, and many of the girls. That only served to bring Akane down further, no longer opening up to her friends as she had before. One by one, they gave up, as one girl put it, put their efforts into 'the living'. A few stragglers remained, and even fewer still remain, but Akane now felt completely alone in the sea of students.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Could, could we talk about this another time?" Akane asked, once more staring at her desktop, willing herself not to cry, as she had for months after then. Her reply was almost a whisper, but Nabiki caught it. Respecting her sister's wishes, Nabiki nodded.
"I see my room became an office or something. You're still even using my old desk. I guess I'm staying in the guest room for the time being."
"Kasumi thought you weren't coming back, and decided that she could use the extra space."
Nabiki fought the twitch in her eye, "Of course." With a sigh of resignation, Nabiki leaned against the doorframe, "What happened to Kasumi? I didn't think my leaving with... my leaving would upset her so bad."
"It wasn't just you," Akane answered, before sitting up straighter, "Nabiki, a lot of things happened since you've been gone, and it's kind of hard to talk about it all."
"Apparently so," Nabiki hid the dissapointment she was feeling in her voice; she was sure that she was on the outs with Kasumi, regardless on how hard she tried, and Akane was doing just as well to shut her out. If she was going to be there a while, she was going to have to find answers with someone...
"Yes, well, these are quite indeed nice in appearance," the jewel appraiser stated, examining each bauble that was layed before him.
"They are but a few of the gems that my people have aquired through out time. To us, they are largely worthless, but we take them with us when venturing abroad."
"Yes, well," the white-haired man mumbled, "I can see where these would seem invaluable to your people to, how would you say, 'outside world'? But I'm afraid I must tell you that the karat isn't all that much remarkable, and the cut of..."
"Try not to look down," the Chinese woman in the impeccible black women's business suit warned, "You wouldn't want yourself to get cut before I have explained the situation. If you haven't guessed by now, I am holding a knife to your throat. The reason you may ask? Ah-ah, don't nod, just listen. The reason is because I do not enjoy being played for a fool by men who think they can take advantage of a foreigner with a cute, tight ass. Now, we shall start this discussion from the beginning, and hopefully, I will find it more to my satisfactory, and we will both be happy, that sound fair to you?" Once again, Xian Pu warned against nodding, and took the look of petrified fear in his eyes as an affirmative. She pulled the dagger from the jewel appraiser's throat, and sat back down comfortably.
She smirked at the red mark against the man's throat, and started the conversation again, "Good then. Now, as you were saying?"
"Um, w-well t-these jewels are a l-little rough on the c-cut, but th-they are of stunning quality."
"I'm glad you approve," Xian Pu smiled and nodded, "I hope you can offer an even exchange for them? I believe in fairness, an eye for an eye..." Xian Pu's eyes gained a deadly gleam, "...compounded with interest."
______________________
Akane jolted at the knock at her door, genuinely surprised that someone would bother her while she was in her room. Before she could answer, Nabiki walked in, seemingly a little shaken for some reason, but otherwise in good humor.
"I come home after a year, and you hide out in your room. If I was more sensitive, I would think you don't want me here," Nabiki said with feigned humor, while internally wincing at the thought of her younger sister answering that rhetorical implied question.
"I'm sorry, I just felt like being alone."
"Daddy says you're alone an awful lot," Nabiki answered, seriously, "What is it you do all the time up here, anyways?"
"I think, about things," Akane answered, taking a breath, and leaning forward at her desk.
"That's a lot of time for thinking," Nabiki commented.
"I guess..."
Nabiki looked around the room, attempting to ignore the akward silence. Akane had turned back to looking at her desktop, seeming to forget that Nabiki was there. Finally, unable to take the silence any longer, Nabiki spoke up, "I see your room hasn't changed much."
"I haven't had a reason to change it."
Nabiki was growing tired of the curt answers, being used to the lively conversations that she used to have with her sister so long ago, "What happened to you, Akane? You've changed."
"People change," Akane answered with sincerety, as she turned to look at her sister with a neutral expression that had a seemingly curious and contemplative pout to it.
"I guess so," Nabiki tried to reply nonchilantly, but found herself more than a little intimidated by her own little sister. Nabiki smiled as best she could, and attempted to change the subject, "So, how can I get to know my little sister again? I mean, I almost didn't recognize you, after all."
"There's not much to know, really." Nabiki noted her sister's body posture and tone, finding it slightly mousey. She figured her sister obviously was no longer the social flower she used to be, and wondered what could have happened to change that.
"What do you think about up here? Just something," Nabiki urged, not wanting silence to settle again.
"I..." Akane started, then reconsidered what she was about to converse about, "Sometimes school."
"You're on your final year, how you coming along?"
Akane's glance turned back to her desk, "I'm doing okay."
Nabiki frowned, Akane wasn't exactly a straight 'A' student, but she was proud of her grades. On a hunch, Nabiki replied, "That bad, huh?"
Akane turned slightly towards Nabiki, but then looked back down at her desk. "Geez, you have changed," Nabiki stated with the utmost seriousness, "Something happened, out with it."
Akane turned to Nabiki, her eyes flashing intense hurt and betrayal, before becoming dull again, "Just some things."
"Was it the morning goon squad?"
"No, they stopped after... after Ranma and Kuno fought."
"Suuuuurrrreee they did," Nabiki drolled, "As soon as Ranma was out of the way, they would have been at it double time to make up for the lost days."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Akane had been sullen ever since Ranma and her sister had left three nights ago. Already the rumors had gotten around school, that Nabiki had run off with Akane's fiancee and eloped. Akane didn't meet the eyes of anyone since then, but not for the reasons everyone assumed. Her fellow students took her meek and sullen composure as confirmation, which in turn brought the thought to many of the boys of the school that Akane needed 'cheering up'.
The next school day, Akane walked up to the gates to the school, to find the old army of boys waiting to gain the 'privilege' of dating her, by any means necessary. Akane stared, wide eyed in shock, as the boys charged her while hollering praises of love and immense violence, completely taken aback that they would initiate this again. It had terrified her far more than when it first happened, and this time she couldn't find it within herself to deal with it.
So she turned, and ran.
All the boy stopped, confused at Akane's actions, while the girls that looked upon the battle with their usual distain, perked, and found themselves a bit concerned. All of Akane's friends were very concerned.
Akane ran, nonstop, to the nearest safeplace she could think of, Dr. Tofu's. She burst into his office, just as he was about to meet with one of his usual elderly patients.
"Akane?" The doctor was only slightly irritated, but knew that Akane would only do such a thing if there was a severe emergency, "What's wrong? Someone hurt? Ranma and Nabiki return?"
Akane suddenly realized what she had done, and coupled with the names of the sister that had intimately betrayed her, the girl or boy she was starting to grow feelings for that had shunned her for the worst side of her notorious temper, and the immense pressure she had been feeling trying to cope with the way everything went dramatically wrong, she collapsed to the ground in tears. The elderly woman looked up at the doctor expectantly, and gestured to the overwhelmed girl who was wretching and sobbing on her knees with her hands over her face.
It wasn't necessary, as Tofu had went into action after recovering from his shock. It took a bit of coaxing, but Akane opened up to the doctor; confessing all that weighed down and buried her heart. All of it needed to be addressed, lest it lead to serious psychological problems for the young teenage girl, but Tofu found his concern, and anger, focused on one thing at that moment.
That night, he had went to the Tendou home, and addressed the situation to Soun, and the next morning, they both addressed the school. Dr. Tofu threatened that anyone initiate these attacks on Akane, he would personally press charges on the offending party. Soun put it in no uncertain terms that whatever they felt from his daughter, would pale before whatever he would do if he got his hands on them.
The incident ended up alienating Akane from all the boys, and many of the girls. That only served to bring Akane down further, no longer opening up to her friends as she had before. One by one, they gave up, as one girl put it, put their efforts into 'the living'. A few stragglers remained, and even fewer still remain, but Akane now felt completely alone in the sea of students.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Could, could we talk about this another time?" Akane asked, once more staring at her desktop, willing herself not to cry, as she had for months after then. Her reply was almost a whisper, but Nabiki caught it. Respecting her sister's wishes, Nabiki nodded.
"I see my room became an office or something. You're still even using my old desk. I guess I'm staying in the guest room for the time being."
"Kasumi thought you weren't coming back, and decided that she could use the extra space."
Nabiki fought the twitch in her eye, "Of course." With a sigh of resignation, Nabiki leaned against the doorframe, "What happened to Kasumi? I didn't think my leaving with... my leaving would upset her so bad."
"It wasn't just you," Akane answered, before sitting up straighter, "Nabiki, a lot of things happened since you've been gone, and it's kind of hard to talk about it all."
"Apparently so," Nabiki hid the dissapointment she was feeling in her voice; she was sure that she was on the outs with Kasumi, regardless on how hard she tried, and Akane was doing just as well to shut her out. If she was going to be there a while, she was going to have to find answers with someone...