Nabiki was separated from her family at the tender age of six and was raised by the amazons. How will this affect the story line? Will things change or more trouble will brew? This story is inspired by lack of sleep and too much caffeine. Hope you all like it.
Disclaimer :
The characters in this story aren't mine, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi and other publications… I'm only here so I can practice my writing…lol… I do not own any of the characters and gains no profit from writing this story… so again please don't sue!!!… I already have enough problems managing bill payments…..
Soun watched over his daughters with such delight as they leaned over the rails of the ship pointing at dolphins that were swimming along side the cruise ship. His eldest daughter Kasumi aged eight was holding both her younger sisters' hand. Nabiki aged six and the youngest Akane aged five. They watched in amazement as the dolphins swam along side the ship occasionally jumping. Akane screamed in delight while Nabiki excitedly watched. Watching his daughters filled with such happiness almost brought tears to his eyes. After his wife passed away a month ago, he thought he would never again see his daughters smile.
He had to thank his dear friend's wife Nodoka. She had supported his family during his wife's passing. It was also probably due to the fact that her husband and only child Ranma was out in the road in what proved to be along and tiresome training trip. It was also her idea that he and his daughters should go and spend some time with each other. This cruise trip was what they really needed. It lifted his spirits as well as cured what ever manic depression he had.
Happosai stayed behind to look after the dojo. He didn't want to ruin their trip, since he was sure he would have a hard time controlling his "passions". Soun appreciated his master's small gesture. Just gazing at his daughters loving faces and smiles gave Soun the will to carry on. Soun was so preoccupied in watching his daughters that he didn't see the brewing dark clouds over the horizon.
The storm came fast and furious. The down pour of rain announced the first sign of the upcoming storm. The ship's intercom had already advised the passengers to return to their rooms. As they were about to face the storm. Many of the passengers began to scramble as the vicious waves had caused the ship to toss and turn.
Soun was dragged by numerous passengers all trying to get back into the cabins. Kasumi held on tightly to her two younger siblings as best as she could as they to try to make their way towards the cabin. Due to the constant pushing and shoving, Nabiki's most prized possession, a silver heart necklace given to her by her mother was torn away.
They had just made it in the ship's corridor when Nabiki had noticed she no longer wore her necklace.
"MY NECKLACE!" Nabiki cried out as she suddenly let go of her older sister's hand determine to retrieve her necklace.
"NO! NABIKI!" Kasumi cried out as she felt her sister let go of her hand. She saw her sister ran back outside toward the front deck of the ship where they had just been. Kasumi tried to follow her wayward sister but was blocked by the other passengers.
"NABIKI!" Kasumi cried out once again.
-Meanwhile at the ship's front deck-
Nabiki searched frantically for her necklace. The ship was rocking uncontrollably, making her sea sick. She pushed it aside and tried vainly to look for her most precious possession.
"I have to find it! I just have to!" She kept muttering to herself.
The necklace was given to her by her mother as a birthday present. It was also very expensive. It was probably the most expensive item she ever owned. But to her it wasn't just because it was expensive or a piece of jewellery. It was the fact that it was the last thing her mother ever gave her before she passed away made her cherish the necklace.
She was knocked to the ground when the ship began to tip to the left side, loosing her balance she fell. Then she saw it. She saw the necklace sliding near the front of the ship. She scrambled to get it.
-Inside the Ship-
Soun was glad to meet with his daughters in the dinning area, where the people where being counted for. He quickly wrapped his arms around his two daughters.
Wait a minute… two?
"Where's Nabiki?" He asked his eldest daughter Kasumi, with great worry and fear in his voice.
Kasumi sobbed and cried. "S-she.. W-went back outside…" she managed to say.
Soun grew pale. His middle daughter was outside where the storm raged. He soothed his daughters before turning to Kasumi.
"Watch over Akane, Kasumi. I'll be right back I promise. I'm going to get Nabiki." he said. Before engulfing his daughters into a hug, then ran back towards the front deck.
-Outside-
"GOT IT!" Nabiki cried out in triumph as she finally manage to grab hold of the necklace.
Due to the ship's constant rocking and the waves crashing into the deck's floors, it made it nearly impossible for her to get the necklace. After numerous attempts., finally she had it. She hastily clasped it around in her neck to make sure that she will not loose it again.
She had just managed to stand up when she saw her father with a few other men trying to get to her.
"DADDY!" She called out to her father. Relief in her features.
"NABIKI!" Soun called out. He saw her at the front deck holding on to the side rail as the ship rocked/ swayed violently due to the waves.
He had managed to persuade the ship's crew to let him outside after telling them that his daughter was still outside of the ship. A few of the crew followed him. The ship again rocked, making them slip and slide in all directions.
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE NABIKI! I'LL COME GET YOU!" Soun yelled out. He could hardly see his daughter as the storm continued to howl and rain poured down obscuring his vision.
"DADDY!" Was all Nabiki could shout. She was terrified. She saw the men tried to get up and make their way towards her. She also saw her father trying vainly to reach her. He was so close!.
"GIVE ME YOUR HAND NABIKI!" Soun called to her.
Nabiki hesitantly tried to reach out.
Their fingers brushed against each other.
"Almost there" Soun prayed.
Then a massive wave came. Knocking them both over board.
"MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!" The ship crew man cried out.
Kasumi sat on the chairs sobbing while holding on to Akane.
"It's all my fault." She sobbed.
Akane who was not accustomed in seeing her older sister cry tried to cheer her up.
"Don't worry oneechan. I'm sure Nabiki is alright. She probably just wants to see if the dolphins are fine as well." Akane said as she tried to make her sister smile.
Kasumi looked up at her little sister's smiling face. She couldn't help but hope that Nabiki was alright. She then hugged her younger sister for comfort.
"There, there Oneechan." Akane soothed her older sister's back. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. Dad will find her and then we will tell her how worried we are about her and then everything will be fine. You'll see…"
Soun tried desperately to keep afloat, as the waves and rain obscured his vision. He dived under water searching vainly for his daughter. He searched frantically then went up to the surface to once again call out to her.
"NABIKI!" he called out.
"DADDY!" Nabiki struggled to call out as water engulfed her. She struggled to remain afloat. The roaring wind distorted her hearing. She tried her best to listen for his father's voice. Anyone.
"DADDY!" She called out once again before her vision darkened. She felt everything go dark as she was tossed and turned by the sea waves like a lifeless doll. The last thing she heard was a very faint voice of her father calling her name.
Soun felt himself being dragged into the small lifeboat. A few men grabbed and tried to subdue him from getting back into the water.
"LET ME GO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! MY DAUGHTER IS STILL OUT THERE!" He struggled against the men.
The men struggled to subdue the hysterical man. They felt sorry for them. From the look of things the girl didn't make it. And it looks like the storm wouldn't let up.
"PLEASE YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME! WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR HER! PLEASE!" Soun begged them, half hysterical as he broke down crying.
The men felt sorry for him. They continued to search for the girl, hoping that she was still alive but deep down they knew she was already lost.
Soun didn't give up. He continued to call out his daughter's name. Again and again. He cried out her name till his voice became hoarse. He didn't stop until his throat began to hurt. But he didn't give up. He continued to call her. Tears welling in his eyes.
With one last cry for hope, he yelled out.
"NABIKIIII!!!"
Back in the ship…
Akane was playing with the seam of her dress, while Kasumi watched her. Kasumi still had tears on her eyes as guilt gnawed at her consciousness. She was wracked with worries and could not keep still as she began to pace back and forth. Still keeping an eye on her youngest sister.
Finally one of the ship's steward came. He hesitantly approached the Kasumi and had asked her to accompany him to her father.
Akane didn't understand what was going on. The stewards where talking too softly for her to understand. When they have finally reached their father in the infirmary he was wrapped in blankets and was shivering with cold. But he looked so sad and devastated. Her father then said something to Kasumi which made her broke down and cry.
Kasumi's legs gave away as her father told her the news. That Nabiki was lost at sea. The shock she felt took her breath away, the guilt hitting her in full force as despair began eat her. Her father hugged her trying to comfort her.
Akane was about to ask what was going on when she heard the two stewards' conversation.
"Poor man. We did everything we could but we couldn't find her." they said.
"Poor girl. She was too young."
"She was lost in the savage Sea." The other steward said before taking off his hat as a sign of respect.
That was when Akane understood. As she watched her sister and father break down and cry in emotional turmoil. They had lost Nabiki to the mercy of the sea. Tears began to well in her eyes. She had yet again lost a loved one.
Author's Notes:
Well here is the next chapter, and I hope you all like it.
To Innortal: I must admit that the prologue was a bit misleading, but I wanted to explore the changes in each character starting from it's very source: The loss of Mrs Tendo.
The story is actually triggered by the promises made on Kimiko's death bed. Thus the original title "Nabiki's Promise" apply. But Like I said I had experienced a lot of trouble continuing the story and decided to revise the story but the prologue was just too good for me take out or exclude.
I also apologise for this particular chapter for being rather abrupt and short. But I simply can't extend this little chapter any further or it would loose it's quality and therefore making it lag.
I also wanted to establish Akane's fear of water. The reason why she can't swim. This event would have traumatised her. Well again I hope you all like it.
Please review and again please read my other stories
Ja Ne,
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