Ranma; Hard Core
Book 2, Chapter 8
Ranma stepped from the train with his duffel bag held snugly over his shoulder. He was back, back in a place where he had nothing to gain, but lost a great deal for his efforts. He smirked to himself; back then, the curse had really messed him up, put him off balance. Thanks to Nabiki, he managed to somewhat put that behind him, though he still wasn't comfortable with his cursed side.
Shaking the thought off, he recalled the reason for his return; obviously something happened with Nabiki and the rest of her family. Before he made any decisions, he would find out what all happened. First, though, Ranma figured he needed to find Nabiki.
When he had recieved the call from Nabiki last night, he hadn't thought to ask where she was staying. Just as well, because she was probably going to be stubborn about it, and he would most likely break down and comply with her wishes to come back to him.
With his first task in mind, Ranma decided to visit the only person in Nerima that he had maintained at least sparse contact with.
____________________
Nabiki sat in the cafe, staring into a cup of coffee she hadn't even touched, but was cool enough to freely guzzle. Well, her worst fears were realized, regardless of what Ranma insisted; her family disowned her.
Correction, she mentally stated, *she* disowned them. They merely made her the odd one out, the stranger. Her father... Soun Tendou hadn't officially stated that he had intentions of never acknowledging their relationship, but in her eyes, his failure to counter Kasumi spoke louder than any vemently spoken 'you are no longer my daughter'.
A single drop of clear liquid was added to the mug of coffee; disturbing the dark reflection of the once middle Tendou daughter with its wake. She watched the ripples spread from the impact, and collide with the edge, while she gripped the mug all the more tighter.
Life wasn't fair. The expression fleeted through her mind, making her almost want to laugh. She knew that quite well from finding out about her husband's experiences. Now, after being removed from her past sheltered life, she got to gain experience in that fact all to her own. Life just threw a nice curve at her, leaving her in a distraught state; unable to clearly think, and making such a gruesome mistake as calling her husband like some helpless housewhelp who couldn't survive on their own. Of course she would have suspected Ranma's reaction, but that was then, this was now.
Now, Ranma would probably held good on his promise, and would be in town, looking for her. It was fortunate that he was still a great deal impulsive, for once she thanked the heavens that she wasn't successful at removing that character flaw, to allow her time to figure out what to do about all this.
She was still Nabiki Ten... Nabiki. She was scheming well since junior high, easily convincing her father of signatures she forged, confusing her teachers enough to allow her to run havoc, and could wrap any person around her finger with carefully placed words. She knew her husband well, now it was just a matter of getting herself together in order to think straight.
She closed her eyes tightly, bleeding the buildup of tears through her tensed eyelids, further spoiling the now unappetizing cup of coffee. This time, the tears didn't go unnoticed.
"This early in the morning would leave me to believe that you had realized you were just used last night to satiate hormones..."
Nabiki looked up, and took a few seconds to focus on the woman that had been striding by her table. She first noted the foreign features of the other woman, wearing an fine women's business suit that seemed so out of place on someone of her age, and the slight violet sheen off of her jet black hair that had to be dyed in order to become that dark. The first thing Nabiki thought upon fully sighting the other girl, was, "That could have been me... at some time in the future."
"Pardon?"
The woman smirked, placing her right hand against the table, bracing herself to lean over to the apparently distraught girl, and used her left hand to wipe away the tear stains on her cheek, "Take this opportunity to learn. And when you do finally understand, you will become stronger for it."
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you're talking about?" Nabiki asked with a slightly shakey voice.
"What was his name?" the woman asked instead of answering, while handing the other girl her hankerchief.
"It's... it's not that," Nabiki replied, using the prooffering to dab under her eyes; not that it was needed, but she did it in gratitude for the other woman's concern, "I... I kind of walked out on my family, after some... unpleasantness."
"Ah," the other woman replied. She recalled Japanese customs from what she knew, and figured the girl no longer had a family name. She decided it wouldn't be polite to ask whatever she would go by now, and besides which, it may lead to a drawn out conversation the foreign woman didn't have time for.
Instead, the other woman chose to impart words of wisdom from her own experiences, "Nonetheless, what I said still applies. Learn from this situation, and grow from it. It is not the end, even the crippled can learn to walk again, as long as they focus on what they strive for."
"Um, thank you, miss...?" Nabiki asked, realizing she hadn't made introductions.
"Xian Pu," the other woman stated with a formal bow. "I will leave you to your contemplations, I am afraid I have much to progress upon today."
"Oh? Some important business matters?" Nabiki enquired, subconciously seeking out conversation in order to take her mind off of present issues she didn't want to consider.
"I am just attempting to locate someone from my past, but somewhat ran into something of a dead end."
"Ah, missing person, huh?" Nabiki replied, before continuing in a quiet tone, while looking back morosely at her now luke warm coffee, "I used to be pretty good at that."
Xian Pu saw an opportunity to maybe somewhat cheer up her current aquaintance, "Oh? Perhaps I may have to request your services in the future. But in the meantime, I must be leaving. The rising sun will constantly seek to outrace you, and leave you behind at the end of the day." With that, she took another formal bow, and departed.
"My name is Nabiki Tend.... Saoto..." Nabiki stopped when she realized the other woman was no longer paying attention to her, instead making her order to the cafe register. Nabiki sighed, as she watched the infinitely confident woman pay for a wrapped pastery, and leave the hotel cafe. The woman didn't even ask her name, meaning her statement of requiring Nabiki for assistance was only to humor her. She stared after Xian Pu had long been out the door, considering her self-asserted sway and strides fueled by determination. Nabiki knew that the foreign woman was one to be feared in whatever she did, because she would not allow anything but success.
____________________
Ranma dusted off his jeans, as he walked into the open door. He continued forward, looking for anyone who might be available. Once he saw none, he finally called out, "Hey, Dr. Tofu!"
"Hello," a kind and upbeat voice called from the examination room up ahead of him, "I was organizing some of my... Ranma."
"Hey doc," Ranma replied, not sure of the tone of which Dr. Tofu said his name. Playing it safe, Ranma gave the man his most courteous bow, "Hello again. I'm sorry to trouble you, but you're the only one who may have an idea of Nabiki's whereabouts. She came back to Nerima in order to see out her pregnancy, and apparently something went sour."
Dr. Tofu's neutral expression, almost bordering on indifference, nodded, before he turned and walked back to his desk, "I'm afraid that you've wasted your time. It's good to hear that she took my advise, but I didn't know she had returned until just now."
"Oh," Ranma was wary of Tofu's guarded and formal tone, and knew it was probably best to take his leave, if the doctor was indeed upset about something, "Thank you for your time." As Ranma turned away, he thought of something that would at least salvage any potential relation he may have had with the doctor, "And... thank you for keeping me and Nabiki's relationship and whereabouts discreet, if not for supplying the doctor she was seeing with the medical records he needed."
Dr. Tofu was sitting at the desk, making his memos for the day, "Realize this, Mr. Saotome, I did all that out of professional courtesy. It was a request made on necessity, and it would have gone against my professional obligation to not honor them." He looked up at Ranma with hard, piercing eyes, "I didn't do it for you."
At that, Ranma became defensive, "What's this all about? I thought you would at least understand what we've gone through, what I've gone through!"
"Understand, yes," Tofu said with a sigh, before firming his voice again, "Respect your actions, no. Only cowards run from their problems, and for so long. And cowards bring whoever is close to them down with them." Dr. Tofu returned to his notes, "Frankly speaking, you're already intent on never facing your problems. I can't help you, and unfortunately, by extent, I can't help Nabiki. For what its worth, I do hope you two succeed, but I don't forsee that."
Ranma left the clinic without another word.
____________________
"What do you mean they've returned to Nerima?" Kodachi asked in a heated, arched tone. She swore at the predicerment, knowing this may make things complicated for everyone involved. "Yes, go ahead with securing them funds, but I'll see to their... supervision while in the area to myself. Good day."
"Trouble, sister?"
Kodachi looked up to spy her brother, standing at her door way, dressed, as usual, in that rediculous hakama he insisted on wearing. What made it all that more rediculous was the symbol for 'atonement' he wore on the back. The consideration of that suddenly made her grow nervous. Her brother had been intensely practicing his form, and with grave seriousness and determination, bore two bokkens, sometimes even wearing live blades, since he aquired his liscense, and pledged to the Niten no Ichiryuu style of Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin.
The worst thing was that wasn't what made him so much more dangerous than he was before. Tatewake Kuno was exellent par before, but now, there was a sharper edge to him all together, after his confrontation with Ranma.
"I found that an old aquaintance was back in town, nothing to be concerned about," Kodachi replied, hastefully.
"Ah, this isn't another one of your childhood rivalries? The White Lilly was a trifle... tiresome ordeal to contend with as it was."
"No, pay it no mind, brother-dear. It's best if you left this matter alone."
Book 2, Chapter 8
Ranma stepped from the train with his duffel bag held snugly over his shoulder. He was back, back in a place where he had nothing to gain, but lost a great deal for his efforts. He smirked to himself; back then, the curse had really messed him up, put him off balance. Thanks to Nabiki, he managed to somewhat put that behind him, though he still wasn't comfortable with his cursed side.
Shaking the thought off, he recalled the reason for his return; obviously something happened with Nabiki and the rest of her family. Before he made any decisions, he would find out what all happened. First, though, Ranma figured he needed to find Nabiki.
When he had recieved the call from Nabiki last night, he hadn't thought to ask where she was staying. Just as well, because she was probably going to be stubborn about it, and he would most likely break down and comply with her wishes to come back to him.
With his first task in mind, Ranma decided to visit the only person in Nerima that he had maintained at least sparse contact with.
____________________
Nabiki sat in the cafe, staring into a cup of coffee she hadn't even touched, but was cool enough to freely guzzle. Well, her worst fears were realized, regardless of what Ranma insisted; her family disowned her.
Correction, she mentally stated, *she* disowned them. They merely made her the odd one out, the stranger. Her father... Soun Tendou hadn't officially stated that he had intentions of never acknowledging their relationship, but in her eyes, his failure to counter Kasumi spoke louder than any vemently spoken 'you are no longer my daughter'.
A single drop of clear liquid was added to the mug of coffee; disturbing the dark reflection of the once middle Tendou daughter with its wake. She watched the ripples spread from the impact, and collide with the edge, while she gripped the mug all the more tighter.
Life wasn't fair. The expression fleeted through her mind, making her almost want to laugh. She knew that quite well from finding out about her husband's experiences. Now, after being removed from her past sheltered life, she got to gain experience in that fact all to her own. Life just threw a nice curve at her, leaving her in a distraught state; unable to clearly think, and making such a gruesome mistake as calling her husband like some helpless housewhelp who couldn't survive on their own. Of course she would have suspected Ranma's reaction, but that was then, this was now.
Now, Ranma would probably held good on his promise, and would be in town, looking for her. It was fortunate that he was still a great deal impulsive, for once she thanked the heavens that she wasn't successful at removing that character flaw, to allow her time to figure out what to do about all this.
She was still Nabiki Ten... Nabiki. She was scheming well since junior high, easily convincing her father of signatures she forged, confusing her teachers enough to allow her to run havoc, and could wrap any person around her finger with carefully placed words. She knew her husband well, now it was just a matter of getting herself together in order to think straight.
She closed her eyes tightly, bleeding the buildup of tears through her tensed eyelids, further spoiling the now unappetizing cup of coffee. This time, the tears didn't go unnoticed.
"This early in the morning would leave me to believe that you had realized you were just used last night to satiate hormones..."
Nabiki looked up, and took a few seconds to focus on the woman that had been striding by her table. She first noted the foreign features of the other woman, wearing an fine women's business suit that seemed so out of place on someone of her age, and the slight violet sheen off of her jet black hair that had to be dyed in order to become that dark. The first thing Nabiki thought upon fully sighting the other girl, was, "That could have been me... at some time in the future."
"Pardon?"
The woman smirked, placing her right hand against the table, bracing herself to lean over to the apparently distraught girl, and used her left hand to wipe away the tear stains on her cheek, "Take this opportunity to learn. And when you do finally understand, you will become stronger for it."
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you're talking about?" Nabiki asked with a slightly shakey voice.
"What was his name?" the woman asked instead of answering, while handing the other girl her hankerchief.
"It's... it's not that," Nabiki replied, using the prooffering to dab under her eyes; not that it was needed, but she did it in gratitude for the other woman's concern, "I... I kind of walked out on my family, after some... unpleasantness."
"Ah," the other woman replied. She recalled Japanese customs from what she knew, and figured the girl no longer had a family name. She decided it wouldn't be polite to ask whatever she would go by now, and besides which, it may lead to a drawn out conversation the foreign woman didn't have time for.
Instead, the other woman chose to impart words of wisdom from her own experiences, "Nonetheless, what I said still applies. Learn from this situation, and grow from it. It is not the end, even the crippled can learn to walk again, as long as they focus on what they strive for."
"Um, thank you, miss...?" Nabiki asked, realizing she hadn't made introductions.
"Xian Pu," the other woman stated with a formal bow. "I will leave you to your contemplations, I am afraid I have much to progress upon today."
"Oh? Some important business matters?" Nabiki enquired, subconciously seeking out conversation in order to take her mind off of present issues she didn't want to consider.
"I am just attempting to locate someone from my past, but somewhat ran into something of a dead end."
"Ah, missing person, huh?" Nabiki replied, before continuing in a quiet tone, while looking back morosely at her now luke warm coffee, "I used to be pretty good at that."
Xian Pu saw an opportunity to maybe somewhat cheer up her current aquaintance, "Oh? Perhaps I may have to request your services in the future. But in the meantime, I must be leaving. The rising sun will constantly seek to outrace you, and leave you behind at the end of the day." With that, she took another formal bow, and departed.
"My name is Nabiki Tend.... Saoto..." Nabiki stopped when she realized the other woman was no longer paying attention to her, instead making her order to the cafe register. Nabiki sighed, as she watched the infinitely confident woman pay for a wrapped pastery, and leave the hotel cafe. The woman didn't even ask her name, meaning her statement of requiring Nabiki for assistance was only to humor her. She stared after Xian Pu had long been out the door, considering her self-asserted sway and strides fueled by determination. Nabiki knew that the foreign woman was one to be feared in whatever she did, because she would not allow anything but success.
____________________
Ranma dusted off his jeans, as he walked into the open door. He continued forward, looking for anyone who might be available. Once he saw none, he finally called out, "Hey, Dr. Tofu!"
"Hello," a kind and upbeat voice called from the examination room up ahead of him, "I was organizing some of my... Ranma."
"Hey doc," Ranma replied, not sure of the tone of which Dr. Tofu said his name. Playing it safe, Ranma gave the man his most courteous bow, "Hello again. I'm sorry to trouble you, but you're the only one who may have an idea of Nabiki's whereabouts. She came back to Nerima in order to see out her pregnancy, and apparently something went sour."
Dr. Tofu's neutral expression, almost bordering on indifference, nodded, before he turned and walked back to his desk, "I'm afraid that you've wasted your time. It's good to hear that she took my advise, but I didn't know she had returned until just now."
"Oh," Ranma was wary of Tofu's guarded and formal tone, and knew it was probably best to take his leave, if the doctor was indeed upset about something, "Thank you for your time." As Ranma turned away, he thought of something that would at least salvage any potential relation he may have had with the doctor, "And... thank you for keeping me and Nabiki's relationship and whereabouts discreet, if not for supplying the doctor she was seeing with the medical records he needed."
Dr. Tofu was sitting at the desk, making his memos for the day, "Realize this, Mr. Saotome, I did all that out of professional courtesy. It was a request made on necessity, and it would have gone against my professional obligation to not honor them." He looked up at Ranma with hard, piercing eyes, "I didn't do it for you."
At that, Ranma became defensive, "What's this all about? I thought you would at least understand what we've gone through, what I've gone through!"
"Understand, yes," Tofu said with a sigh, before firming his voice again, "Respect your actions, no. Only cowards run from their problems, and for so long. And cowards bring whoever is close to them down with them." Dr. Tofu returned to his notes, "Frankly speaking, you're already intent on never facing your problems. I can't help you, and unfortunately, by extent, I can't help Nabiki. For what its worth, I do hope you two succeed, but I don't forsee that."
Ranma left the clinic without another word.
____________________
"What do you mean they've returned to Nerima?" Kodachi asked in a heated, arched tone. She swore at the predicerment, knowing this may make things complicated for everyone involved. "Yes, go ahead with securing them funds, but I'll see to their... supervision while in the area to myself. Good day."
"Trouble, sister?"
Kodachi looked up to spy her brother, standing at her door way, dressed, as usual, in that rediculous hakama he insisted on wearing. What made it all that more rediculous was the symbol for 'atonement' he wore on the back. The consideration of that suddenly made her grow nervous. Her brother had been intensely practicing his form, and with grave seriousness and determination, bore two bokkens, sometimes even wearing live blades, since he aquired his liscense, and pledged to the Niten no Ichiryuu style of Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin.
The worst thing was that wasn't what made him so much more dangerous than he was before. Tatewake Kuno was exellent par before, but now, there was a sharper edge to him all together, after his confrontation with Ranma.
"I found that an old aquaintance was back in town, nothing to be concerned about," Kodachi replied, hastefully.
"Ah, this isn't another one of your childhood rivalries? The White Lilly was a trifle... tiresome ordeal to contend with as it was."
"No, pay it no mind, brother-dear. It's best if you left this matter alone."