Chapter 6

"Sis tell me you didn't!" Akane demanded. "You only just met him an now the two of you are shakking up in seedy sex-motels. The guy's a pervert. Did he make you do stuff, I bet he did. Perverted stuff, probably with cheese whiz. No even you wouldn't do that. That's it isn't it, he forced himself on you, that's why you've got a sore neck. He probably used drugs too didn't he, something really nasty like heroin flavoured cocaine injected straight into your eyes or something. Bet he used date-rape drugs too, in all of your drinks. Oh god I am so sorry for you, I'll Kill Him I'LL KILL mmph-

"Slow down, take a breath." Nabiki interrupted. " No we didn't. He didn't, I didn't and you won't." Nabiki said all of this without opening her eyes, and after she shoved the apple into her sisters mouth she put her head right back into her hands. The two of them were sitting on opposite sides of the table, or at least they were now that Akane had slumped back down. Now Nabiki was not a morning person, even at the best of times. Add a hangover from hell and a distinct lack of sleep, the pillow may have been nice but the couch was just too damn soft. For a few moments she lost herself in remembrance of falling asleep on Ranma's lap while he absent-mindedly stroked her hair.

Soun was dragging his friend in from the garden, the panda not being able to do it himself since his son pointed out to him how little he appreciated the assumption that he would be off form this morning.. Soun gave up and came to the table as Kasumi came in from the kitchen. " Oh my, is Ranma not through with his bath yet?" she asked.

"Here Kasumi" Ranma said coming into the room, still toweling his hair. He sat down next to Nabiki, leant over and kissed her on the cheek.

Everything went still, Ranma in place with his hand halfway to his chopsticks, Kasumi with a bowl hovering over the table. Soun was staring at the two of them over his paper, and Akane, well Akane was doing her Volcano impression.

"Waaahhhh!" Soun

"PERVERT!" Akane
"Oh My" Kasumi loudly

"Oh my" Nabiki stunned

"oops" Ranma very small.

Then the table swung (covering Soun in breakfast and connecting with the newly disturbed Panda's head.) and Ranma ran. He was out the door and into the yard before even the flying Panda. Of course Akane was only a few heartbeats behind, (running over the grounded Panda) and already limbering up mallet-sama. Kasumi scowled at the ruined breakfast, looked at her father and gave her usual exclamation at the unusual sight of his rice-ified visage. Nabiki sat. She sat and sat.

"well that was unexpected" she said at length. Then she stood up and stepped into the yard (over the panda) and into the shed. On the running pair's next circuit she grabbed Ranma and dragged him through the door into the shed, kicking it shut before her unbalanced sister could spot. Ranma suddenly found himself pressed up next to her, already breathing hard. As he was about to speak she placed a finger on his lips, and then slowly moved the hand round to grasp the base of his pigtail. She guided his lips to hers and his arm around her. The kiss was not the chaste little expression of before, later he could have sworn he heard his toes curl.

It went on for some time.

"What was that for? He whispered, inches from her face. Nabiki kissed him again, well he was there.

"Last night." She replied.

"I did good?" he asked, more for something to say than any doubt.

"Real good." She replied and kissed him again. "Now scoot, make yourself scarce while I do some damage control."

"But-

"Down boy, later. Okay" she silenced his next question with a finger to his lips. "Meet us in the park where I left you last time at lunch. We'll have a picnic."

"But-"

"Go" she ordered, so he went.

"Now to get a few things sorted." She said determinedly walking back into the house, stopping only to let her little sister run by on yet another circuit. As soon as she got through the door ( passing over the panda on the way) she was leapt upon by her father, still bawling.

"Waaah, my baby's getting married, the schools will be united, she's not a lesbian after all…"

"Tendo Soun. HUSH!" commanded Nabiki "Nobody has proposed to anybody else, so as of this moment nobody is getting married. "she said slowly and evenly.

Soun of course misunderstood. "Wahh my daughter is becoming a single mother. SAOTOME WHAT SORT OF SON HAVE YOU RAISED! First he seduces his fiancé's sister and then he abandons her when she is with child -"

"I am not pregnant and I am NOT a lesbian! Now sit down and be quiet." Nabiki said, her ire rising slowly. As he began to draw breath for another shout she just fixed him with THAT look and he finally did as he was told. "Kasumi how about having a picnic for lunch?"

"Oh my, yes that sounds like a great idea. I have just the thing. Do you think you could fetch the basket from the laundry?" replied Kasumi

"Dad fetch!" commanded Nabiki, Soun immediately moved to obey (walking over the Panda). Nabiki then told her sister that their dad volunteered to help and that she was going to her room to lie down for a while.

Some time later the panda finally peeled his footprint patterned body off the floor and waddled upstairs to change. By the time he came back down again bandaged an bruised, Soun was back in his place, once more reading the morning paper. "Ah there you are Genma," he said. "We need to talk about the boy. Seems that we may not have made the best match for the schools after all." Genma raised a sign asking why (wither he had forgotten he wasn't a Panda or his face was still too swollen to talk). "He and Nabiki seem to have developed an attraction, perhaps we might-

"Nuh, 'efinately 'Kane shes artial artis' " Genma replied, glaring at the fruit bowl. Of course he was far more worried that Nabiki might suddenly be family and break his last hope of controlling the boy. One domineering woman was bad enough, the last thing he needed was another, imagine if Nodoka met Nabiki. Even worse imagine Nabiki with a katana.

"Genma, what's the matter, you look like you saw the master?" Soun inquired, concerned by his friend's sudden blanching and quivering.

"Efinetely 'Kane" Genma mumbled more emphatically.

"But how?" Soun inquired, before striking a thoughtful pose. Genma suddenly leapt to his feet, throwing his hand upwards to point in the eureka pose. Only he leapt a little too high and his hand was in no shape after the mauling to withstand sudden contact with thee ceiling.

"Ow" he said before his eyes crossed and he fell like so much timber, flat onto his back.

The morning turned out to be bright and sunny, a nice contrast from the rain that had poured on Ranma's first day. He was enjoying being in a city where people weren't running for cover, where nobody was screaming. He found himself sat in a local shop, just enjoying his Japanese pizza and reminiscing about his buddy Ukyo. Now that was a long time ago. But the late night, lazy morning and the fact he had missed one of his pills because he left soon had him drifting into a daydream.

Two young kids were sitting down by a stream, trees can be seen in the background, slowly shedding leaves towards the two. They are taking it in turns to throw pebbles into the water.

"Ranchan. Will we be friends forever?" chibi-Ukyo asked with all the seriousness of a determined six-year-old.

"Yeah sure will will Ucchan-ol-buddy" replied chibi-Ranma, more flippantly. "Can't catch me." Chibi-Ranma dared, splashing Ukyo, and running off. Ucchan followed laughing. Then all of a sudden Ukyo caught him. Ranma had stopped, a chill running through his body. Everything had gone quiet, no birds, no anything. Wait there was a noise an odd scrunching like…

Ranma burst through the trees the Kuonji yattai was on its side, burning slightly. In front of it was… was a creature black and chitinous, six limbs and an elongated head, a mockery of its host. Its face turned from where it had been buried in the chest of Ukyo's father. The evil green eyes flared the mandibles opened to screech its warcry. Time slowed

It leapt, claws reaching blood trailing from its face.

Ranma couldn't move, this time it had him, this time he would be the one.

"NO !" he screamed wrenching his body sideways.

The creature passed him by, twisting in the air. It landed. For a second the two stared, locked in a battle of wills, of courage against hatred. Then the moment broke, Ukyo came through the trees and the creature turned.

Ukyo's hands lifted, spatulas flying towards the abomination, uselessly.

And then Ukyo died, crimson gore torn from the childlike body as the beast tore ribs and guts asunder. Ranma's boyhood friend screamed and broke off into a bubbling gurgle.

Ranma's fist tore through the creature, shattering carapace and cartilage in one strike, green viscera splattering, drenching him. Ranma hardly noticed, in a flah he was next to the child, not even noticing his own adult form. "Ucchan, no. Not you too. Don't die, please don't." And then Ukyo lashed out, arms grabbing Ranma's shoulder's

"Why? Why did you kill me?" the child asked, each word ejecting black blood from child like lips. "Why?" and then the face changed, this time it was a friend from the team again demanding answers "why did you …" and it changed again and again. An endless procession of dead friends with ruined faces and blood running down them, coating Ranma. Lastly Xian Pu "why? She whispered "why?"

Ranma awoke with a start, the café lady, a delicate looking girl in a kimono was shaking him. "Are you alright?" the girl asked.

"Who, where, what?" Ranma exclaimed.

"I'm Konatsu, you were having a nightmare, are you okay?" the waitress replied, fluttering her eyes slightly.

"Yeah, sure, uh thanks. Oh crap, what's the time" Ranma spurted, grabbing girl's arm. "Twelve thirty, shit I'm late. Thanks for the meal, here, keep the change" Ranma rushed, pushing notes into Konatsu's hand. "Gotta go" he said, hurdling the table and flying out the door.

"What is it Konatsu" said the bishonen chef as they emerged from the storeroom.

"Nothing Kuonji-sama, just a customer who nodded off," replied Konatsu pushing the money into the front of her kimono. "had a potty mouth too" she mumbled as she got back to work.

Ranma was hurtling towards the park as fast as his over-developed legs could propel him, leaping cars and people as if such things were effortless. "If that waitress hadn't woken me… Sheesh must have looked a right idiot, at least she was cute even if there was something odd about her. Wait a mo, that girl had an adam's apple, kami this town's weird." HE thought, having no idea how right he was.

By the time Ranma found them the rest of the household was already laying out their lunch. Kasumi had brought a large picnic cloth, in traditional red and white checks and was laying out all manner of fantastic dishes from a wicker basket while the rest looked on with baited breath. Nevertheless Nabiki looked up in time to see him arrive. "What's the matter soldier-boy nobody teach you how to tell the time?"

"Well fatso there certainly didn't" Ranma said, adding "not even sure he can count." The panda just stuck out his tongue.

"Hello Ranma, you're just in time," said Kasumi happily.

"Hello Kasumi" Ranma said taking his place between Nabiki and her father. Soun looked over at Genma winked and then coughed pointedly.

"Ranma I have decided to overlook your unpleasantness this morning" he held up a hand to stall Ranma's retort " on one condition."

Ranma sighed knowing a set up when he heard one "What?" he said arching an eyebrow.

"You must train Akane in anything goes!" Soun proclaimed, smug grin splitting his face. One that was mirrored on his compatriot in crime's.

"No way!" screamed Akane, leaping up. "No way I'm letting this pervert teach me anything. He'll only use it as an excuse to cop a feel.

"She' right" said Ranma. "Not about the copping a feel but about the fact she ain't capable of leaning even the basics."

"What!" she screamed. "I am ten times the martial artist you are. I don't use dirty tricks, don't cheat, don't hit people before they are ready and don't use the art for hentai, disgusting BOY things!!"

"As I said not a chance. Doesn't even know the most basic tenets of the ryu."

"I am the one true heir to the Matsubeto Kakuto Ryu!" she screamed, fists clenched and pushed down to her sides. Ranma held up a hand, and looked at her, she stopped ranting

"Chopstick-fu" he said quietly. She answered with a blank look.

"What the hell is that?" She asked. He just looked at his father.

"It is a basic technique that teaches speed and accuracy combined with hand-eye co-ordination. I myself originated it many years ago!" Genma lied as pompously as he could manage. Which in all fairness was fairly pompous for a bandaged bespectacled idiot with a bandage on his head.

"never heard of it" said Akane.

"I learnt it when I was, what about six?" Ranma replied, looking again to his father. Genma nodded, proudly.

"rubbish" Akane said.

"Six and a half, took him a whole week," asserted Genma "Ranma's a bit thick." As he added the last Ranma kicked him sideways into a tree.

"Says you Woody" Ranma finished.

"Can't be that hard then" sneered Akane. "what do I have to do?"

"Simple, defend your food while stealing mine! You aren't fast enough, you don't eat" Ranma said with a smile on his face, and stealing the contents of her plate.

"OI! " she screamed and attempted to steal them back with her hands. Only to have them painfully rapped by Ranma's chopsticks.

"CHOPSTICK-fu" he emphasised. She proceeded to try again with her chopsticks, only to be thwarted again. "Gotta be faster." He admonished. So she tried again, and failed again. "Faster" he repeated. This went on for some time before Akane stormed off in a huff.

"Is it really fair to put her up against you, an accomplished Master of the art?" Nabiki asked with irony and a smile.

"I had to face pops, at six, every meal until I learnt" Ranma replied

"He didn't eat until he did" said Genma with pride. Nabiki just looked at him like he was nuts.

"And you are proud of that?" she asked. Genma just looked puzzled, why shouldn't he be proud of starving his infant son into learning a new form?

"There is a trick to it," Ranma supplied. Nabiki arched an eyebrow in response. "First, grasshopper, you must become one with your weapon, " he said in 'wise master' voice. "Try this." He said demonstrating a spin with his chopsticks. She tried, he corrected her and she tried again, getting it right. "Now practise that until the chopsticks move to fast to see and you will be most of the way there."

"That's it?" Nabiki asked

"Basically, there is a little bit more to it but once you've got that move down all else will just fall into place," he answered before giving the traditional blessing and starting to eat his enlarged portion.

When Akane cooled down and came back the whole family were eating happily. She slumped down in her place and started to load up a new plate. Only to find it continually disappearing. She leapt once more to her feet "Ranma No Baka!" she cried. He just waved his hands out innocently.

"Not me girly-chan." He said, not looking at Nabiki or her enlarged plateful.

"Nabiki" said Kasumi, frowning slightly, "don't be mean to your sister, she can't help being slow."

"Nabiki!" screamed Akane, fists once more formed by her hips.

"I'm full, fancy a walk to help it settle Saotome?" hurried the middle daughter, not waiting for his reply before grabbing his hand and running off towards the trees.

"DAAAADY!" cried the little princess.

"Don't worry rabbit daddy'll show you," replied Soun.

"Have a good morning" asked Nabiki, when the two had stopped in the trees, her smile however was almost from ear to ear.

"Yeah," replied Ranma "very…restful" Nabiki quirked an eyebrow again but he declined to fill in the details. For a little while the two just walked, lost in their own thoughts.

"You never said how long you are staying for," Nabiki asked, playing with a daisy between her hands as they walked along.

"I'm sort of on indefinite leave." He replied "Basically I'm under orders to wind down a bit before the big one."

"I won't ask when that is." Nabiki added.

"You an ask, I just can't tell you, even if I knew." Ranma supplied "I'll know when my beeper goes.

"You still use beepers?" Nabiki said with a scornful smile "how very… retro of you."

"They are linked into one of the most advanced encryption and projection systems the world has ever known." Ranma replied. "But please lets not talk about that, you just have this way of making me say things I shouldn't"

"If its any consolation you aren't alone." Replied Nabiki, still smiling. Ranma raised his eyebrow. "Another part of my job, information gathering. And before you worry I do know better than to tell anyone what I find out from you. This X-com has heavy hitter written all over it, and I value my continued freedom." Again companionable silence reigned for a while.

"So what would you rather talk about?" she asked.

"Dunno, how about you. What do you do for fun?"

"Oher than going out with my girlfriends and almost letting one get dat-raped you mean?" Nabiki said "Thanks again for the save by the way. Don't think that much of Jess' smarts but wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"No worries. Woulda done it fer anyone." He replied

"Two huge bouncers and three rockstars, yeah I guess he would at that" she thought. Instead of saying it though she said "So I'm just anyone now, that's not what you said in the shed" her smile was now all tease.

"Uh that's not what I meant, I mean you're not, I mean you are…"

"I'm what, stud." She said pressing her body against his

"Uh, I mean, um er" he replied in a flustered whisper. She finally silenced him with a kiss, a long one.

Some time later the two had sat down under a tree, Nabiki was lounging on her front, twirling another daisy while Ranma stared off into the distance. "Ranma, if you don't mind can I ask a personal question?"

"And if I do?" he replied smiling

"Tough." She answered. "Shampoo, the two of you were intimate right?" she asked

"Xian Pu, and yes fairly often." He replied.

"Then how come some times you act like a schoolboy who has never even been touched by a girl?" she asked once more raising an eyebrow. Ranma finally turned to look at her.

"Long story, but I guess most of it is that I just ain't that good with my own feelings. Flirting's easy but when it looks like something might atually come of it I'm just a little lost ya know."

"Pretty observant for someone not good with their feelings," Nabiki added.

"What can I say I got a good shrink," Ranma replied.

"So what does he tell you to do in situations like this?" Nabiki said moving so hhe was leaning up against him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"SHE don't say a lot, its not really something I would ask her about." Ranma replied.

"why not?" Nabiki asked nuzzling his neck

"The two of us had a thing after I lost Xian"

"Oh?" Nabiki asked adding a little nip to her nuzzle.

"Yeah, she was a lot like you in some ways." Ranma said, starting to return the attention.

"Oh Yeah!" Nabiki said pulling her face away "How?"

"Pushy" he supplied before kissing her again.

It was quite some time before the two even thought about rejoining the others.