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…..
Author's Pre-notes:
Thanks to all that reviewed and expressed they're ideas for the next chapter. That gave me motivation to write and prevent any writer's block I always experience. Thank you.
To Tai Khan: Thank you for the Idea of making Shampoo and Nabiki blood sisters. This chapter goes to you and Den Scurman.
To Den Scurman: The idea of Nabiki changing names will be most appropriate since she is in Amazon Country. Thank you for that as well. (Sadly it is written in the next chapter , Nabiki's Amazon name.)
To everyone else: Thank you all very much!!!
Now with that taken care off, please enjoy this next chapter!
( ) - Means spoken in Chinese
Italics - Means thoughts
Nabiki had slowly began to regained her senses. She felt light headed. Her vision was still a blur.
"Where am I? Am I dead?" She asked herself as she massaged her temples. She could hear voices.
"No child. You are still very much alive and is still among the living." answered a gravely voice.
Nabiki frowned as she tried to make out the blur beside her. Her vision was beginning to get clearer. She was surprised to find that she was lying in bed and on her bedside, a very old woman with a stick was beside her. She was so surprised that she automatically sat up but winced because her sudden movements made her sick.
The old woman chuckled. "I'm sorry to have surprised you child but I was curious to see just who it was that saved my great-granddaughter." She explained.
"Great-granddaughter?" She asked still frowning.
"Yes. My great granddaughter I believe you two have met. My great granddaughter Xian Pu." She replied and indicated another person in the room.
Nabiki followed the older woman's hand to where she indicated her supposedly granddaughter. She was surprised to find the purple haired girl in the room. The same girl that tried to rescue her earlier.
"Shampoo?" She repeated the name. Finding it odd that the girl was named after a hair product.
"Xian Pu means Mountain Girl in Mandarin. Most of our names will sound quite absurd in the language your used to." The old woman explained aware of the girl's thoughts.
"I see." She answered. Still unsure to trust the old woman in front of her.
"How rude of me not to introduce myself to you. You must be feel very uncomfortable speaking to someone you hardly know. My name is elder Koh Lon. And your name child?" Koh Lon asked seeing the girl's distressed expression.
"I don't really know. I think my name is Nabiki." She answered the elder truthfully.
"What do you mean child? You don't know your own name?" Koh Lon asked her.
She only nodded. In the verge of crying but willed herself not to. Koh Lon was impressed at how the girl reacted and behaved. She had a very strong character about her.
"Elder may I ask where am I?" She asked the Koh Lon.
"You are in China my child, in Joketsuzoku to be exact." She answered.
"Joketsuzoku?" She asked.
"Yes child. You are in Joketsuzoku. Land of the Amazons." Koh Lon answered with much pride.
After a long conversation with the girl. Elder Koh Lon felt sorry for her. It is quite clear that the girl has lost her memory. The only thing the girl was certain for sure was that she was Japanese. Other than that, she knew nothing else about her background. The girl wasn't even certain about her own name. But the girl had great character in her. She had a very strong aura. She will be a great addition to the amazons. She only needed to convince the council members to let her stay.
Koh Lon also scolded his granddaughter Xian Pu about her rash actions after speaking with Nabiki. While her intentions where good, it was still dangerous. The men had guns with them. She thanked the Gods that they were only tranquilliser guns, and that none of them where harmed in a serious way all except for Nabiki of course. The other amazons that came had brought her in, were quite distraught. The men in the other hand was another story. They will be sorry they ever step foot in Amazon territory ever again. They made sure of that.
While the dart only contained sedatives. It was meant for a panda, and the effects are quite harmful. Simply putting that a panda alone is huge and is quite heavy in mass, while the girl looked quite frail. Nabiki was lucky she was not put into a coma! Though it did knock her out for three days.
Koh Lonwas now headed towards the Council Meeting about what to do about Nabiki. While she wanted the girl to stay she didn't know how the other council members felt about the young girl. She was an outsider. But she has no family or known family to go to. They simply can't turn the poor girl away. As for the men they were severely punished and made sure that they will never set foot in Juketsuzoku ever again. For now her only worry was the meeting.
Xian Pu was quite relieved that the girl finally woke up. She didn't like the idea of the girl being harmed because of her. That and the fact that she was meant to rescue her. Not the other way around. She winced as she remembered her great grandmother's lecture. She felt sorry for the girl too. Her great grandmother had told her that apparently the girl has lost her memory and has no idea where she came from only that she was from Japan. Judging from the blow she had on her head which looked like it was poorly maintained when they had brought her to the tribe's healer. She smiled as her great grandmother told her that the girl's name is Nabiki.
Nabiki? Who would name their child Fluttering? She asked herself.
Still she owed the girl. Nabiki. The tribe's healer, her mother Koh Homb told her that she was lucky that the dart did not hit her. Her mother told her the implications of sedatives and their toxicity. Her mother was surprised that Nabiki survived since she didn't look like was likely to make it due to her condition. A blow in the head and looking quite malnourish made her condition quite critical. She was at risk with succumbing to a severe coma and susceptible to infection.
Xian Pu entered the room, bringing the young girl some much needed food. She looked way too skinny. She was glad that the Nabiki didn't seemed to be angry at being disturb but was positively brightened up when she saw the food she had brought her.
Nabiki looked at her happily and said something in Japanese, before devouring the food. Xian Pu was amazed by the girl's appetite. It seemed like Nabiki hadn't eaten for days. In which case she was but Xian Pu didn't know for how long.
Nabiki sent Xian Pu a grateful smile and thanked her before devouring the food. She hadn't eaten since the incident, which meant she hasn't eaten for quite some time. During her stay with her captors she was barely fed. She must have looked like quite a pig in front of the other girl, but she didn't care. She was just so famished. She literally cleaned the whole tray. Again she thanked Xian Pu.
"Domo Arigatou Shampoo-san." She said as she bowed in front of the girl, still wearing a grateful smile.
The girl only smiled back in response.
(The girl proved she can be every inch of an Amazon when she risked her life for someone else other than her own.) Koh Lon explained to the council elders.
Things weren't going to well. The council was unsure of the girl. They don't know for sure if the girl brought trouble or if she was more trouble than she was worth. In other words the council were quite divided.
(She is also fairly young. She is no older than six I believe, so what possible harm can she perform?) Supported Elder Lo Xion.
(But we also don't know anything about her! For all we know she might be curse!) Elder Soh Op protested.
(Don't be absurd! If she was cursed shouldn't the lore master and demon hunters been alerted yet?) defended Koh Lon.
The council erupted with various arguments. Arguing with each other. Their voices were soon raised as the tension in the air thickened.
(Order! Order! ORDER I SAY!) Commanded Elder Xo Wir. The voice of reason and the oldest of all council members.
(All of you raised rather valid points. But I see where Koh Lon stands. It is cruel to just cast the girl aside especially after what she just did for one of us and given that she also suffers from memory loss. I am afraid I have made a decision. The girl stays. Since Koh Lon had argued most passionately for her, she will be under her care. At such time she wants to leave. She will be granted so. But until that time comes she will remain in the care of the amazons as one of us.) Elder Xo Wir declared.
There was of course another uproar, but the decision was made. Even if the other elders wanted to protest and demand another judgement, their attempts would be futile since most would never question Elder Xo Wir's words. That and the other council members were persuaded by Koh Lon and Lo Xion's reasoning.
(You showed a great deal of passion in there.) War Master Lo Xion said to Koh Lon after the council meeting was finished.
(I never thought, I'd see the day where you would one day support me Lore Master.) Koh Lon replied back.
(You are getting way too soft for your age War Master. What ever happened to all the Brawns and no Brains attitude you once had?) Chided Lo Xion.
(It's still around here somewhere, though wizened with age.) She smiled back.
Koh Lon was quite surprised to see the two girls together. Both girls were giggling. Both speaking slowly for the benefit of each other while making ridiculous hand gestures to emphasize what they were saying. Trying to teach each other their own language. Koh Lon sighed. If only it was easy as this.
Xian Pu noticed her great grandmother and immediately stood up, blushing slightly while Nabiki only looked confused.
(What happened at the meeting great grandmother?) She asked curiously. Xian Pu didn't like the idea of the girl being cast away, especially after what she did for her.
Koh Lon was quite surprised that Xian Pu knew about the meeting, but then again it was only logical that the council would meet about the Nabiki's fate. She was also quite surprised that Xian Pu had already formed an attachment to Nabiki, despite the language barrier. The child was really interesting.
(No need to fret child. Your friend can stay. As for today, she is officially your clan sister.) Koh Lon told her great granddaughter who couldn't hide her happiness nor her relief after what she told her. She was positively ecstatic!
Koh Lon was quite amuse when Xian Pu turned to Nabiki and excitedly told her about the news. Which only brought a frown on her face as she doesn't know why Xian Pu had said or why she was so happy. She looked for Koh Lon for an answer.
Nabiki frowned. She had no idea what Xian Pu was saying nor what she was so happy about. To her Xian Pu just unleashed a plethora of gibberish. She looked for Elder Koh Lon for support as well as an explanation for Xian Pu's behaviour.
"To simply put it, my child. Welcome to Joketsuzoku. Your new home!" Elder Koh Lon informed her.
"My home?" Nabiki repeated, unable to believe what she just heard.
"Yes your new home. Xian Pu here is your clan sister." She explained.
"Clan sister? What is a clan sister?" Nabiki asked the elder.
"Just like the word means. We amazons are a clan. Xian Pu is your sister in a sense of the word." Koh Lon answered her.
"Sister? Does that mean I'm an Amazon now?" Nabiki asked once again.
"Yes andas soon as you get your strength up,you will be trained and educated into one." Koh Lon replied, a bit tired of the questions Nabiki keeps asking her. The child sure has a very inquisitive mind.
To her relief Nabiki didn't have any further questions as Xian Pu with barely contained joy hugged Nabiki, unleashing again in Chinese how happy she was that Nabiki was now one of them and how she always wanted to have a sister.
Nabiki couldn't do or say anything but returned the hug. From the look of things Xian Pu was really happy to have her as a sister. She smiled in gratitude.
She has a family now.
She now belonged to a family.
Another family, a family of amazons.
Did she have a family?
Questions began to bombard her, momentarily loosing the smile she had. But looking at how Xian Pu happily accepted her as well as Elder Koh Lon, made her push all her negative thoughts aside. The important thing was she was safe now. She had met kind and nice people who had taken her in as their own. She once again belonged to a family. She was no longer alone.
Author's Notes:
Hope you all like it. I know I haven't been updating some of my stories for a while now and I got good reason. Lol. I'm still recovering from the holidays! Well since this is the only story that had a chapter ready in advance I might as well use it to keep you guys occupied till I write the others.
I know I'm pretty sad and will probably get stoned for making fun of the Amazon's Names but I just can't help it. For those who couldn't decipher the names here they are:
Lo Xion: Lotion
Koh Homb: Comb
Soh Op: Soap
Xo wir: Shower
Fragrance: Nabiki's Amazon Name!
Most of the Names are taken from Jim Bader's Story which can be found in the Ranma and Nabiki archive.
The concept of War Master and Lore Master was from Jim Bader as well.
Thank you all! And Once again please review!
Ja Ne,
(",)
