'Older'
Nabiki rapped her fingertips together, as she considered what was on her mind. Granted, she had already taken a few days off, but they were hardly for what she would consider a vacation. And regardless of the front she had put on, she was having a great deal of stress to handle.
The timing was impeccable, as if she did go, she wouldn't be going alone. Vacation time for Ranma was now rolling around, which left him with a couple of weeks free.
The more she thought of it, the bigger the smile on her face grew without her realizing it. With her decision made, the middle aged woman paged her secretary. "Yuko, I know this is short notice, but could you schedule me off for the next couple of weeks?"
"[Catching up on vacation time?]"
Nabiki's smile was traded for her subtle smirk and sanguine expression, "Well, I have let it build up, haven't I?"
"[Not that it matters, you ARE the boss, after all!]"
"Yes, but the bosslady has to set a proper example, doesn't she?" Nabiki enquired with mirth equal to her secretary's.
"[I'll have it taken care of. You just enjoy your time off... same with that boyfriend of yours.]"
Nabiki's face broke, before she could replace it with a strained imitation of her previous expression, "And Yuko, would you mind sending Charles into my office, please? I would like to talk to him about respecting one's privacy... oh yes, and go ahead and inform him he'll SOLELY be handling my paperwork, since I 'trust' him so..."
_________________
Ranma looked at his alarm clock sitting on the floor of his and Happosai's room, realizing Nabiki should be back soon. He had a two week break from school next week, a full two weeks to do whatever he wanted. He considered some of the things he wanted to do, like head up north and possibly spend some of the break training... actually, that was about all he could come up with. He wasn't too sure on what Nabiki would say, since she still had to work. He figured that she would at least be willing to take a few days off to join him, then they would head back home. If they scheduled it sometime near the weekend, they would have a couple more days free.
Adjusting himself in his lotus position, Ranma folded his arms over his chest, concentrating on keeping his nervousness at bay. He couldn't understand why he felt so antsy over simply asking Nabi... his *girlfriend* a question. As a couple, he knew they were supposed to do things together, so obviously Nabiki would be understanding, seeing as how she was his girlfriend and all, and be willing to take a few days off to... well... spend some time with him. It wasn't as if she was going to immidiately say 'no', and even if she did decline, it wouldn't hurt him to spend his vacation at home-... with Nabiki in her house.
"Ranma, Demon pervert here?"
Being broken from his reverie, Ranma answered, "Na, the old letch said something about visiting his old stomping grounds, I think Nerima."
"Good," Shampoo replied. Ranma heard her footsteps ascend the stairs, before her head poked around the doorframe to his rooma few moments later.
"Hey Shampoo," Ranma greeted, albeit a subdued and guarded manner. He wasn't sure how to handle the girl, as one minute she could be acting indifferent to him, the next she'll be outgoing and friendly, and the last minute she'll be all over him. It was getting fustrating trying to predict whatever mood she was in at any given moment, so Ranma just chose to watch out for her at any given moment, period. Nobodie's explained to him what 'Airen' meant, either.
"What are you thinking about?" Shampoo enquired, coming to sit next to him. Ranma shifted away from her only slightly, causing the young Amazon to sigh. She was being friendly, and he was acting as if she was going to bite his head off if he made any sudden movement. Well, it didn't help that she glomped him at any moment her Great Grandmother was present, but she expected him to see the pattern by now.
"Ah, um... school vacation stuff," Ranma replied, trying to remain vague about his intentions.
"So you are going with Nabiki somewhere nice?" Shampoo asked, keeping up the conversation.
Ranma gave her a wary look, not sure how his 'second fiancee' was going to take his reply. "Well, yeah."
"That is good!" Shampoo chirped, causing Ranma to jump at her bubbly attitude. The reaction subdued Shampoo, as she rolled her eyes, "Where are you to take Nabiki?"
"I dunno, probably a short training trip or something. You've seen how her skills have probably suffered from lack of challenging training."
"Nabiki may want to do something else," Shampoo suggested, internally groaning at Ranma's none-too-inventive vacation idea, "Women in city do not want to be out in the elements."
"Oh," Ranma replied, finding his nervousness rebuilding, as whatever enthuesiasm he had was draining from him.
The lavender haired girl noticed the change, and sighed, "Ranma, maybe Nabiki just be happy that she is with you? So it does not matter where you go?"
Ranma looked at Shampoo again, this time with a twinge of hope, "You really think-"
"I'm home!" Nabiki shouted from downstairs, interrupting the conversation between the two youths.
Shampoo tilted her head towards the door, "You are to go ask now, yes?"
Knowing the pressure was on him now, Ranma mutely nodded, stood up, and went to greet Nabiki.
The older woman entered the living room, and looked up to see Ranma descending the stairs. Favoring him with a smile, Nabiki strode to the base of the stairs to meet him. "Hey, Ranma, I got some great news!" she told him, before giving him a light peck on the cheek.
Ranma gently rubbed where Nabiki had kissed him, still having difficulty getting used to her displays of affection, as infrequent as they came, "What's up?"
"Ranma, I know you have Spring vacation coming up, sooooooo.... how would you like to go somewhere for a couple of weeks?"
Ranma blinked owlishly, "Uh...sounds great!"
"It sounds like a too good... a very good idea!"
Nabiki looked up, a bit startled to see Shampoo standing at the top of the stairs. She easily hid it, "Hello, Shampoo. You're Great Grandmother let you off for the day?"
Shampoo nodded, "She also said paperwork for school is in now. I will go to school after break."
"That's good to hear," Nabiki commented, though wondering how Cologne managed to get the confirmation when she was supposed to be the first to hear about it. Nabiki then realized how close she was standing to Ranma, and subtly tried to back away.
Shampoo gave a coy smirk, "Already see everything, no use hiding Nabiki loves Ranma."
Ranma blushed, as Nabiki groaned, and rolled her eyes to the heavens. "It isn't exactly what you would call love, Shampoo."
"Whatever you call it, you are too happy to see Ranma, yes?"
Knowing it was pointless to even attempt to downplay it, Nabiki gently grabbed Ranma's forearm, and gave him a warm smile, "Yeah, I'm happy to see him." Directing her full attention to Ranma, Nabiki continued their conversation, "So, you have anywhere in particular you want to go?"
Ranma opened his mouth to answer, but the answer wasn't given by him.
"The beach! THE BEACH!"
Shampoo already had her sword drawn, as soon as she heard the voice of the perverted martial artist. It was the only weapon she was allowed to carry on her by her Great Grandmother to deal with the old pervert, as it was decided that it was the weapon that would do the least irrepairable damage.
"Happosai," Nabiki sighed, already sensing things were about to go downhill.
"Hey! I wanted to go train-" Ranma began, before the old letch landed on his shoulder.
"Ah, the golden sands, the crystal blue waters, the scantly clad girls in their barely there navy blue two piece bikinis, lounging obliviously in the radiant sun as their tender, snow white flesh becomes an creamy caramel tone..."
Whatever rebuke Ranma had got caught in his throught, as the description reminded him of a certain image he had managed to comfescate from Happosai.
Nabiki mused at the suggestion. It had been a while since she had lay in the gorgeous sun. Unfortunately, it was the resident water-magnet and current boyfriend to consider. The middle aged woman leaned against the rail of the staircase towards Ranma, "Sounds like a good idea to me, Ranma-hon. You interested?"
Ranma's eyes involintarily glance down. Nabiki's rather thin light lilac colored golfshirt was pushed to the limits of hiding her modesty, as the plain, possibly sapphire blue bra was forced to take up the rest of the shirt's weak efforts. Quickly glancing up, Ranma could only nod, finding his throught way too dry. He wasn't sure what Nabiki had asked him, but at the moment, he was inclined to agree with whatever she asked.
Nabiki blinked, she had expected Ranma complaints about his curse, "Um, are you sure? I mean we *will* be next to a large body of water."
"Ranma is sure," Shampoo answered for him, deciding going to the beach was infinitely better than Ranma's original idea.
"Maybe you guys could let *Ranma* answer for himself?" Nabiki asked, becoming irritated by everyone speaking for him. Ranma was still trying to shake himself out of a hormone induced stupor... not something he was wholly accustomed to experiencing.
"Ranma, as a healthy teenage boy, it is paramount we go to the beach!" Happosai commanded.
"Wait a minute," Ranma found himself saying almost automatically, "What is this 'we'?"
"Indeed, Leave the old goat at home. He would only get in the way of Shampoo and Ranma getting to know one another better!"
Nabiki quickly whirled, having to forcably choke down a startled yelp, "Cologne! When... how...?"
"AIREN!"
"ACK!" Ranma cried out, as the young Amazon practically wrapped herself around him.
Cologne, Nabiki, and Happosai all favored a smiling Shampoo with a hooded gaze, attempting to convey the universal thought of exactly who was she trying to kid, before the Amazon matriarch gave Nabiki a smile, "I apologise, you all seemed preoccupied, so I let myself in. I hope you don't mind."
"Sorry, you old hag! Family trip only! You and Shampoo will have to freeload off of someone else for a vacation!"
"Exactly *who* said you were going, you little freak?" Ranma demanded, causing Happosai to stare at him with hurt filled eyes.
"You wouldn't leave an old man at home, would you? I could fall and hurt myself!"
"Ensure you do it the day they're gone, so they can be sure you starve to death before they return," Cologne commented, "Oh, and as to 'freeloading'..." Cologne handed Nabiki several large bills, "This is to pay for Shampoo and her husband's rent. I cannot continue to allow them to live off of your hospitality without something in return."
Nabiki began to rub her temples; she distinctly remembered reminding herself about her stress levels skyrocketing, "Cologne, they're both guests, and it's Ranma's say if he accepts the marraige or not."
"I AIN'T MARRIED TO SHAMP-ACK!"
"Hee hee, did you say something, beloved?" Shampoo asked, as her arms constricted around Ranma, cutting off the function of his lungs.
"Pish posh! Take the money and leave the old ghoul and her brat here!"
"Yeah!" Ranma managed to finally say, enforcing his own strength against Shampoo's to get some breathing room. He was doing well to hide the strain from his voice, because the girl wasn't without her own power, that's for sure. "And let's add a geriatric pervert behind in the mix!"
"You ingrate/jerk/impetuous boy!" Happosai, Shampoo, and Cologne exclaimed in unison, as they retracted a pipe, flat of a sword blade, and staff head from a dazed Ranma's skull respectively.
Cologne gave her heir a withering glance, as Shampoo shrugged meekly, "He deserve it?"
Nabiki quietly slipped away, going to get some asprin for Ranma... and herself.
_________________
Nabiki strode up to the front desk of the luxurious Kagoshima Tokyu Hotel. On such short notice, she managed the fortune of grabbing three rooms in the five star hotel during a prime vacation season in less than a couple of days, much less the ten required prior to check in. As she thanked the desk attendant and received the room card keys, she thought wryly how she hadn't lost her touch. Didn't even require any of her big favors to pull this one off.
Unfortunately, she was only able to reserve three rooms, which left the difficult task of room assignment. Granted, it would not have been any sort of problem if the vacation remained exclusive to only two, as two rooms (though Nabiki amusadly considered one being enough) would have sufficed. Unfortunately, disbutes managed to make themselves known.
Nabiki refused steadfastly Cologne's suggestion that Shampoo stay with Ranma, before both women, along with Shampoo herself, heatedly refused Happosai's suggestion. As Happosai bawled about not having a cute young girl to keep his old bones in spirits, Cologne shot down Shampoo's suggestion of Ranma staying with Happosai, as he usually did. It was then Ranma's refusal, much to Nabiki's well hidden disappointment, that he stay with the woman, as it was Happosai's suggestion, claiming that it wouldn't be right.
After a trio of sighs and a quintuple eyerolls, Nabiki proposed Shampoo stay with her, Ranma recieve his own room, and Happosai stay with Cologne. Shampoo and Ranma had no problem with it, in fact, Ranma was relieved that he didn't have to bother with the old letch for two weeks. Cologne begrudgingly accepted the arrangements, and much more surprising, after a considerable thought, Happosai agreed.
Nabiki sincerely wasn't expecting the old perv to go along with it, and even issued the last pairing more than half jokingly. She shrugged,deciding if he was willing to accept to accomidations, she wouldn't attempt to talk him out of it. She was sure Cologne would possibly be able tokeep the old pervert out of trouble for the most part, which would give her a good respite from time to time.
Turning away from the desk, Nabiki found the rest of the group now entering, with Ranma carrying the majority of the luggage. "Honestly, Ranma, you don't have to let them take advantage of you like that," Nabiki commented, taking her own luggage which had luckily been place on the top of the mountain Ranma was carrying, managing to do so without dropping the two percariously balanced piles.
The pigtailed boy only shrugged, "It's not like it's all that heavy, just think of it as training."
"Well," Nabiki started, motioning for the other four to follow her, before she was intercepted by a bellhop with a luggage carraige, "You're not here for training. So lets see if we can keep everyone from bothering with anything exertive, alright? Shampoo, help Ranma with that,please." Shampoo ignored the whispered comment from her Great Grandmother, and complied with Nabiki's wish.
Ranma's face scrunched up, as he handed one of the two piles he was carrying to the lavender haired amazon, "Uh... then what else am I supposed to do for the whole time?"
Nabiki tilted her head in Ranma's direction, and was about to answer before Happosai interjected, "Ranma. m'boy, we're on an island full of pretty women bearing all the flesh possible without getting arrested-"
"Happosai, you promised you would behave," Nabiki warned, cutting the old man off.
Happosai shot back an incredulous stare at his gracious hostess, "Why, Nabiki dear! How could you think that I wouldn't be on my best behavior?!?"
"Because we're on an island full of pretty women bearing all the flesh possible without getting arrested?" Nabiki countered with a hooded glance, "And I would also like it if you weren't to bring Ranma into your perversions."
"Don't worry, I'll personally make sure the old freak stays in line," Ranma stated, solumnly and almost anxiously, after handing the bellhop the last piece of luggage, and cracking his knuckles anticipatingly.
"No fighting, either, Ranma." Nabiki commanded, while hiding her endearment with a stern composure. Obviously Ranma was willing to sacrifice his own enjoyment so she wouldn't have to worry, although she also considered that Ranma just wanted an excuse to beat on the old man.
The pigtailed boy groaned, before crossing his arms over his chest. "Just relax, Ranma," Nabiki consoled, as she followed the bellhop to the large elevator that would take them to their designated floor, "You're here to relax. If you really want to make me happy, try to enjoy yourself for a bit."
"Indeed, Son-in-law," Cologne added, earninga surrupticious sideways glance from Nabiki, "Even the most staunchest martial artist understand the importance of respite. Shampoo would be more than willing to assist you in regards to that."
"Sounds like a good idea, as long as it stays PG," Nabiki almost growled out, earning an ackward smile from Shampoo and a chuckle from Happosai. Ranma simply shrugged, deciding whatever was meant wasn't all that important.
Cologne glanced cooly at Nabiki, "They're both young kids, let them to their own devices."
It was subtle, very subtle, but Nabiki caught the emphesis on the word 'young'. Cologne of course was not a fool, so she could easily see that something was going on between her and Ranma. "I have no problem with their own devices, as long as said devices don't come in contact with one another."
"They're a married couple in a paradise... well, as close as a paradise as you can get in this coun-"
"Damn it, Cologne, they're not married!" Nabiki almost shouted, "I thought we agreed on this that Ranma was free to make his own choice. Don't presume it for him."
"I don't recall to any such agreement,"Cologne commented, innocently, "Besides, what other choice does he have? I sincerely doubt there are many girls, even in lovely country that can compare with my Great Granddaughter. She is a prize beyond much comparison."
"Eh, Shampoo's a cutie, I'll give you that, but I can find better," Happosai interjected, taking offense to his nationalistic pride. Why, the girls of Japan just radiated cuteness!
"Guys, can you not talk like I'm not here?" Ranma voiced up, irritated at having no say in the conversation about his life.
"I apologise, Son-in-law, but sincerely, are you with any other options?" Cologne enquired, raising an eyebrow.
Ranma turned to look at Nabiki, who returned the look, staring at Ranma's expression. Closing her own eyes after they met his and read the silent plea in them, Nabiki turned to stare at Cologne, tilting her head slightly to the side, "I guess I'm the other candidate."
Cologne, if anything, seemed more irritated than surprised at the middle aged woman's proclimation, "I see."
"H-he's not your son?"
All eyes turned to look at the bellhop, having totally forgotten he was there. At the intense stares, the young man decided it was best to make his escape, and as soon as the elevator opened, he darted out, mumbling back as to follow him to their room.
Nabiki glanced tersely at Cologne, "We'll discuss this later, let's not spoil what moods we have to enjoy this trip."
"Indeed, I hope you do not intend to let disappointment shadow your indulgence," Cologne replied, before both stepped from the elevator, to opposite sides of the hall, and followed the retreating bellboy.
Ranma, Shampoo, and Happosai stood staring after the two. "Ah... this is going to be a problem, isn't it?" Ranma enquired, already knowing the answer.
_________________
Nabiki looked out the window of her room, as it overlooked the sparkling Kinko-wan Bay. Her intention was to enjoy the view it afforded her, but unfortunately her mind was elsewhere. She was berating herself for allowing Cologne to get under her skin like that, and then acting like some jealous teenager. It was painfully apparent that Shampoo was far from serious about Ranma, with her all too transparent act to appease her Great Grandmother, but it was more than a little upsetting to see her hanging all over Ranma in any instant.
"You okay?"
Managing to reign in her irritation, Nabiki sighed, and turned to Shampoo, deciding to speak her language, "{I'm fine, Xian Pu, it's just that I wasn't ready to butt heads with your elder. I was caught off-guard.}"
"{I understand. As much as I revere Elder Cologne, she tends not to see beyond her own interests at times. Do not take it as direct will to conflict with you, it is that she only wishes the best for those involved.}"
"{And how is it best to force you into a relationship you obviously don't want, while trying to edge me out of the equation, and leaving Ranma with no say in who he's supposed to love?}" Nabiki enquired sharply, not seeing the logic in Shampoo's reply.
"{She knows I tend to be a bit... selective when it comes to romantic interests,}" Shampoo stated with a sigh, "{She probably believes that because of this I would never make a choice. We both have to admit that Ranma is a fine specimen for the opposing sex... but his and my personalities tend to conflict. She probably believes the same thing about Ranma, considering his lack of acknowledgement to any sexual interest.}" Shampoo sat on the bed that was for her in the room, "{As for you, she probably rationalizes herself with how your society works with such relationships. In the far reach of things, she probably believes that prying you from Ranma would be for your own good.}"
"That's some piece of work, that Great Grandmother of yours," Nabiki sighed, switching back to her native language.
"She is, and she not ever disbute you on that claim," Shampoo stated, almost smiling.
"Well, i think I'm going to go take a shower, before we all decide on what to do first," Nabiki stated, changing the subject.
Shampoo did smile this time, "You want to look presen-pres-... good for Ranma?"
Nabiki returned the smile, "I guess it wouldn't hurt."
Shampoo paused in thought, before replying, "Perhaps you hurry up with shower, yes? I do not mind looking good for Ranma, too." Shampoo's smile wilted under Nabiki's unamused glare, "Is kidding! Is kidding!"
_________________
Nabiki and Shampoo stepped from their shared room, before Nabiki headed over to Ranma's room, and knocked on the door, "Hey Ranma, we're going to go get some dinner. You ready in there?"
The pigtailed boy opened the door, and poked his head out, "Great! I'm starv'n here! Jus' lemme get some clothes on, just got outta the shower."
Nabiki raised an eyebrow, "Shower? Didn't think you would bother with one until you were going to turn in."
"Ah," Ranma started, "I felt kinda gamey since the plane ride, alright?"
"Alright, alright, no need to get defensive, Ranma-hon," Nabiki commented, "Mind if we come in while you get dressed?"
Ranma's eyes went blank at the question, "Wuzzat?"
After giving a coy smirk towards Shampoo, Nabiki turned back to Ranma, "Well, you're not going to let a couple of lovely ladies just sit outside your door, waiting for their handsome young date for the evening to finish getting ready, are you?"
"Aiyah," Shampoo started in, switching to her old pidgin speech pattern, "Is too, too cold out in hall. Ranma allow Nabiki and Shampoo stay in room," Shampoo then fluttered her eyes, "Maybe we keep each other warm, yes?"
"..."
"How wonderful for you to say such a thing," Nabiki commented jovially yet sarcastically towards Ranma's speechlessness.
Ranma forcably managed to calm himself down to mere panic levels, "Ah... holdonasecandI'llbeready!" With that, he shut the door quickly. Shampoo and Nabiki giggled to themselves at Ranma's agitation, finding the flustered pigtailed boy all too adorable for words. As humorous as it was, the older of the two felt a slight disappointment and dejection on not having the offer taken up. She was going to let Ranma dictate the pace of their relationship, but she wouldn't have minded a free show.
Ranma was stepping out of his room less than a minute later, this time leaving the girls speechless. For several moments, they almost didn't recognize him, and if not for the way he nervously shifted under their quiet scruteny, they would have knocked on the door again, and asked Ranma to hurry up so they could go to dinner.
Nabiki admired Ranma's dress tastes, being the first time he had really shown any other than his usual attire. The midnight violet hensly shirt held a single design of a Japanese style dragon embroidered in subdued gold that wound from the right bottom of the shirt, around the back, and ended with the head peaking over Ranma's shoulder. The matching violet buttons were outlined in gold, with the collar button just slightly larger than the others and convex instead of concave. He wore black pants of his usual attire, with his standard black slippers. It was apparent he had only thought to buy the shirt, but it still worked extremely well with the ensemble.
"Ah... do I look okay?" Ranma managed to finally ask, as he smoothed back the hair he had rapidly combed.
"You do all that in a minute?" Shampoo enquired indisbelief.
Relaxing slightly, Ranma replied, "Well, we're all in a hurry, right?"
Nabiki draped her arms on Ranma's shoulders, before she remembered where they were,and stepped back from the somewhat intimate distance to grasp onto his shoulders with her hands, "Ranma, if you don't mind me for saying, I wish you could dress up like this more often."
"Um, well, this was kinda the only shirt I got," Ranma replied, becoming even more at ease now that he knew Nabiki liked it. Truth be told, the shirt had cost him quite a bit, much more than he thought to spend for clothing, anyhow, and he was hesitant to buy any more. The reason he had picked it up in the first place was in the event that he took Nabiki out on a date. So far, this had been the closest event to one.
"Well, I guess one other thing we can do while on vacation is help expand your wardrobe," the middle aged woman decided, giving Ranma an anticipating smile. The pigtailed boy hesitatingly returned it, not knowing what he was silently agreeing to.
"So, shall we go?" Nabiki enquired, setting herself to Ranma's left.
"Sure! I mean, if you're all ready," Ranma replied, "Um, where's the freak and the old ghoul?"
"Great Grandmother tell us she need to get away from the irritating demon letch," Shampoo explained.
"And Happosai said he was going out to take in the scenery," Nabiki replied; her tone expressing a certain disbelief that it was anything as benign as how it sounded. "Anyhow, it's just the three of us for dinner."
"Alright! Let's get going,then!" Ranma started a couple of steps, before the sound of Nabiki clearing her throat. Turning around, he found Nabiki standing there with her hands on her waist, looking at him expectantly.
Ranma had no inkling of what she was asking, "Whaddi do?"
Shifting her eyes in resignment, Shampoo stepped before Ranma, and pushed him back in line with Nabiki. Then, she took his left arm, and hooked it around Nabiki's right.
Giving a nod of gratitude to Shampoo, Nabiki turned to Ranma, "Why, aren't you the gentleman, Saotome."
It didn't fly over his head the sarcasm in Nabiki's comment, "Aw, let's just get goin', alright?"
"Definitely, we've wasted time enough... Shampoo?"
The lavender haired girl looked at Nabiki expectantly, "Yes?"
"You know, you *are* Ranma's 'wife', after all."
Ranma went ridgid, though Shampoo picked up on the subtle suggestion.
"Understand, two beautiful women for two arms, yes?" With that, Shampoo hooked her own left arm around Ranma's right. When Ranma wasn't showing any signs of moving on his own power, both women sighed, and almost dragged him down the hall.
Several moments after the trio stepped into the elevator, Cologne stepped out from the adjacent hall. Well, even if Shampoo wasn't completely behaving like a proper wife, at least she wasn't acting adverse to the idea. With just a little prodding, pushing, and subtle direction, she could finally convince her Great Granddaughter that Ranma was a suitable enough husband for her, and they could finally return home. Of course, the Amazon elder was in no rush, but she couldn't just remain away forever.
With that in mind, Cologne decided that it may be of some prudence to join them for dinner, she was feeling a mite peckish, herself. Just as she was about to go in pursuit of the three, the tell-tale stampeed of outraged women sounded behind her, "Oh, ancesters..."
"OUTTA THE WAY, YOU OLD WART! VERILE OLD MAN COMIN' THROUGH!" Happosai shouted, as he leapt onto Cologne's head before she could react, and rebounded off of her onto the ceiling, before bouncing back to the floor.
Cologne growled in unquestionable anger. Shampoo and her Son-in-law would have to wait, she could not let this outrage go. With murder in mind, Cologne joined the mob of hostile women calling out for old goat blood.
_________________
After dinner, which Nabiki had surprised both with a reservation of one of the nearby prominant restaurants, the three returned in a quiet stroll in the streets livened graciously by the nightlife about, trading words every so often more almost to hear each other's voice than anything. Shampoo had drifted a few feet behind them, smirking to herself as neither of her companions seemed to notice. In an all too short trip, they returned to their respective rooms after a couple of thank yous for an exellent dinner, and one in turn for the accompanyment to said meal.
Hooking her laptop into the dataport supplied by the hotel, Nabiki waited a few seconds for it to detect the connection. She opened her email program, only half concentrated on skimming through the contents.
Ranma... Nabiki recalled earlier when her pigtailed boyfriend came out of his room in what was his best dressed. It needn't be mentioned that he dressed up exclusively for her, simply for pleasing the middle-aged woman. The notion filled Nabiki with a comforting warmth, yet that warmth didn't compare to the one she felt as she savored his appearance as he stood before her, quietly and nervously awaiting her scruteny.
Ranma's appearance did make him appear that much older, though not exactly out of his youthful years. He lost a bit of his adolecent cuteness, replacing it with a mild suave. She could hardly mistake him for refined and sophisticated, but to her, Ranma had an easy masculine handsomeness that she wouldn't lie by saying it was far from sexy, that his current formalness didn't make him so much more appealing, and she couldn't truthfully deny the desire she felt just from his appearance then.
She almost forgot just who she was, as she was ready to pull Ranma close, just to check how clean his teeth were with her tongue. Fortunately for appearances, she did restrain herself out in the hall of the hotel, lest someone observe the event. Even if it wasn't anyone she knew, Nabiki felt obligated to keep her face in public.
The whole evening Nabiki had managed to keep herself reserved, even feigning her typical sanguine attitude, regardless of how Ranma unwittingly disappointed her. It was almost infuriating how he didn't seem to be willing to go farther. Eventually, she hoped, he would soon be willing to explore a much deeper aspect of their relationship, lest it remain stagnant. Simply spouting his love for her and willingness to do anything for her was not cutting it.
Closing out the email program. Nabiki forced the somewhat despairing thoughts out of her head. Tomorrow was another day, maybe something would happen then.
She hoped.
_________________
Nabiki approached Ranma's door, feeling somewhat nervous. She looked around to ensure nobody else was in the hall, before listening in. Funny, even if it was early in the morning, she knew how much of a morning person Ranma was. From the lack of sound in his room, he must have been still asleep.
Nabiki thought about the fact that she had an extra keycard to his room, since it wasn't decided how many people would stay in there. It took only a split second to squelch her consideration of invading Ranma's privacy, even if she was his signifigant other.
She leaned away from the door, resting one hand against it, and looking at it as if she could see the resting pigtailed boy beyond it. Ever since yesterday after that minor 'disbute' with Cologne, Nabiki found it a bit easier to see Ranma closer to her than she previously considered. *Her* boyfriend, she thought, before repeating the phrase in her mind, Ranma was *her* boyfriend, her love interest, the one she had intentions for, the one she considered closest to her heart than all others.
With a quiet smile, Nabiki backed away from the door, and turned to her room. "Nabiki?"
"ACK!!!" The middle aged woman jumped, turning to see the resident of the hotel room, standing on the same side of the door as she, "R-Ranma? Wh-what are you doing out here?"
The pigtailed boy held up the leather covered bucket of ice, "The old letch wouldn't stop whining until I brought him some. Not that I was gonna be asleep now, anyways."
"Old letch..." Nabiki recovered, before raising an eyebrow, "You mean Happosai? What's he doing in your room?"
Ranma scratched the back of his head with his free hand, "Ah, he came in pretty banged up last night. From the way he was crying and all, I guess I kinda felt sorry for him. He also said the old ghoul's gunning for him, and I figured I would be helping the lesser of the two evils."
Nabiki already guestimated what happened, exept for the factor of Cologne,"I see. Well, hurry up and get the old man the ice for his lumps, I wanted to ask you something when you got back."
Ranma nodded, and went to open the door, before realizing his room key was still in the room. Growling in fustration, Ranma was about to knock, before he was stopped by Nabiki, who handed him the spare. At the questioning look, the older woman shrugged, "I had an extra for the room."
Nabiki waited patiently, as she heard Ranma and Happosai's muffled voices from the other side of the door. She couldn't make out what was being said, until Ranma shouted exasperatedly that he couldn't do something because she was waiting at the door for him. After a few more moments, Ranma came back out, and gave Nabiki his full attention.
"Ranma... I was wondering if... you wouldn't mind hanging out at the beach with me today?"
Ranma didn't even have to think about the question, "Sure! Sounds great!"
Nabiki exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, before she recalled the reason she was holding it in the first place, "Um... Ranma, you do realize we're going to the beach, right?"
"Well, that's what you just asked me to..." Ranma realized what she was pointing out, "Oh...." Almost instantly following, Ranma shrugged, "I guess I'll just stay away from the-"
The solitary fire sprinkler over him directly suddenly broke.
"...water." the redhead replied, sighing and slicking her damp hair back. "I guess I'll just haveta take a raincheck... or something."
Nabiki shook her head, "Oh no, you already agreed, and I would like to spend as much time with you as possible, if you don't mind."
"Well, I can't exactly go to the beach. I guess I could go in a shirt, but if I get drenched enough, which will most likely happen, I may as well be topless in public in my girl form."
Nabiki smiled in a way Ranma wasn't too sure he liked, "Then it looks like we have some errands to run before we hit the beach. Let me go wake Shampoo up, and we'll be on our way."
_________________
Two hours later, Nabiki, Shampoo, and a thoroughly irritated Ranma left the second store that morning. Shampoo's grin was almost malicious in nature, while Nabiki's was strained with agitation. "Honestly, Ranma, you needn't make this a drama."
"I'm not wearing this," the pigtailed girl grumbled, holding up the small bag she was carrying.
"Yes you are," Nabiki counter-argued, "It looks cute on you!"
"Too true." Shampoo added, still barely refraining from breaking into outright laughter.
"I'm not a doll for you two to play dressup with."
"Ranma, you're wearing it, and that's final. Really, you should have said something earlier when you tried it on... like the hundreds you rejected outright."
Truthfully, Ranma had been ready to reject it, before she saw Nabiki's eyes light up when she appeared in it. All the other outfits, the older woman simply had an appraising eye, before giving a comment, this time she had taken notice. Of course, Nabiki noticed Ranma in an outfit she would never have considered the boy to even consider, as skimpy as it was, and she was pretty positive she didn't pick it out. With that notization, the middle aged woman felt a twinge of jealousy and a great deal of envy at seeing the way the boy-turned-girl filled out the thin black two piece with jade bordering and ties.
Ranma naturally mistook the look of shock on Nabiki's face, and spoke on automatic, "I guess this one will do, then."
At Ranma's declaration, Nabiki blinked, before looking at him with a dubious glance that was just literally DARING him to take that particular outfit, and wear it to the beach. Ranma was still typically being herself, and even if it was subconciously issued, every challenge was accepted.
And that brings them to now, as Nabiki continued to guilt the redhead with the fact that her loving girlfriend bought the outfit for her, and no matter how she attempted to steadfastly refuse it now, the conclusion was inevitable.
"This sucks, can we just return it, with a plea of temporary insanity?"
"Do not worry yourself, Son-in-law, it looks quite flattering on you."
After Ranma, Shampoo, and Nabiki smoothed their hair back down, all three turneda venomous glare towards the old woman. "It's not very sporting to sneak up on people like that," Nabiki complained, silently cursing herself for having her guard down. That would have been a prime moment for Happosai to strike, and she would have to let it slide since he would then berate her on being so lax in her training.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't think it polite to interrupt the conversation," Cologne commented, smiling like a cheshire cat. "Ah, so today is the beach, is it? I remember my days as a young girl, frolicing in the surf."
"That would have been about the time life crawled from the sea," Nabiki mumbled under her breath, before she blinked, realizing it came in stereo. She turned to look at Ranma, who was looking back at her with the same surprised expression.
Cologne couldn't decide which one to hit first, so let the comment slide. "Shampoo, I took the liberty of finding the appropriate outfit for you."
The lavender haired girl blinked as she took the bag handed to her, "But Great Grandmother, I already have..." Shampoo opened the back, before looking back to her Great Grandmother, "...what outfit?"
"Don't play dumb, child, it's in the bag," Cologne retorted.
Shampoo looked in the back, before turning it upside down, and shaking it. After a few moments, a few straps of lilac colored cloth and some string with a tag attached fell into her hand. Shampoo held it to her face, still puzzled, "Is defective, yes? Someone forget to put rest of this together?"
Nabiki had to baulk at what Shampoo was holding, before turning a scandalized look towards the Amazon elder. "You're rather liberal for a parental figure, don't you think?"
"I wouldn't want my Great Granddaughter marring her lovely appearance with unsightly tan-lines. What would Ranma think?" Cologne asked, innocently.
"First of all, I don't think Ranma would mind tan-lines, if he ever got to that point. Secondly, he would have to actually see Shampoo in... in the..." At Cologne's obvious smirk, Nabiki forced herself to drop the line of thought, not willing to play into Cologne's obvious mindgame.
"Not familiar with this term, 'butt-floss'," Shampoo stated, reading the tag.
_________________
The clear waters contrasted with the stone gray sands of the beachfront that consisted of fine volcanic rock worn away from the source of an active volcano over centuries. the sun graced the sky with presence, benevolently casting it's mild rays upon those who deemed it a lovely idea to spend the day outside. Nabiki, Shampoo, Ranma, and Cologne found the idea no less appealing to the teems of pedestrians indulging in the splended atmousphere and availible recreation.
After sampling the outfits the two young women accompanying her wore, Nabiki chose not to be outdone. Granted, she actually had the bikini more in case she had decided to become bold, and make a move on Ranma, but it served just as well to support her own competitive nature. From the stares Nabiki and the two younger girls were recieving, it was a close race indeed.
"Oooh, do I ever miss this!" Nabiki almost groaned, as she stretched languishly on the beach towel, delighting in the soothing sun's rays that coated her skin like a warm balm.
Taking a cue from the older woman, Shampoo decided to indulge in a little sunbathing, herself. There was nothing better to do for her, since her bikini was most assuradly not made for swimming. "I shall agree, this feels too, too good, yes?"
Ranma sat in lotus position, staring out longingly into the ocean. As much as she wanted to feel herself submerged in the warm waters, her own outfit shared a comment defect with Shampoo's, being they wouldn't stand up to much resistance.
There was also the issue of the boys standing nearby ogling the three of them. Shampoo, Ranma would have decked them on principle. Herself, she would have hit them for making her feel rather disturbed. Nabiki, she would bury them in that very beach if they didn't stop staring. Furthering Ranma's dwindling attitude was the fact that Nabiki seemed to be soaking up the attention. As brazen, shameless, and ostentatious as Ranma thought Nabiki was being, she held her tongue... since she could look down upon herself, and realize she had no room to let that loose tongue fly.
Nabiki looked over at the redheaded girl, and sighed. With Ranma's mood falling, it was taking hers with it, "Ranma, something wrong?"
The pigtailed girl shrugged, "S'nothing important."
"Well, if it's not all that important, why are you acting like you've got your own personal raincloud?" Nabiki enquired in a jovial tone, hoping to at least get the girl to lighten up a little.
Ranma sighed, getting the feeling the subject wasn'tgoingto be dropped, "I dunno, I just gotta lot on my mind, alright?"
"Well, how about sharing?" Nabiki enquired, as Shampoo looked over to see what the commotion was about.
"Not right now," the redhead replied, sternly, turning away to look back out to the ocean.
"Come on, Ranma," Nabiki urged, turning over onto her side to fully face the girl, "This obviously is going to eat at you until you say something about it."
"I'll, we can talk about it later, okay?"
"Why not now?" Nabiki continued to coerce, genuinely feeling put down by Ranma's refusal to open up.
"Later." Ranma said with finality, a tone Nabiki could never recall ever hearing from Ranma. Deciding it was best not to provoke her signifigant other, Nabiki let it drop for the time being. Unfortunately, a couple of emboldened young men didn't realize they picked one of the worst possible moments.
"Hey... I've never seen a girl around here with red hair before," one boy started, coming up from behind Ranma, "That's pretty exotic looking. I bet your boyfriend must love it."
Ranma grimaced at the thought of having a boyfriend, as Nabiki rolled her eyes at the bumbling introduction the boy was giving. "I ain't got a boyfriend," Ranma stated, firmly, wondering when this day decided to take a right turn straight into her personal hell. Nabiki's hand shot up to her forehead, as she and Shampoo internally groan. Leave it to Ranma to say the exact wrong thing that would encourage the punk.
"Oh really?" the boy turned to look at his friends in the distance, giving them a triumphant smile, "Well, I can't see a beautiful girl like you being single like that. It's really a crime!"
At the success the first boy was having, a second became brave enough to approach Shampoo, "Hey... Chinese, right? I would like to say that I don't have anything against your people, especially if the girls are as cute as you."
Shampoo yawned, and remained reclined on her back. with a flick of her left wrist, she seemed to produce a nearly foot long dagger from thin air. After doing so, she stabbed it into the ground, burying the blade deep into the sand.
The second boy gulped at the display, "Um, maybe I'll see you around?"
Shampoo didn't even turn to look at the boy, "Maybe."
"Shampoo, it really isn't a good idea to be carrying weapons onto the beach," Nabiki chided, wondering why Cologne didn't stop the girl, herself. The middle-aged woman then turned to meet Ranma's dilemma, "And young man, if you hadn't noticed, my *daughter* isn't in the mood right now." The pigtailed girl then turned to look at Nabiki curiously, not sure what Nabiki was up to.
The young boy nearly baulked at the obviously over-protective mother, but quickly recovered, "Daughter? I thought the two of you were sisters!"
"Hey!" Ranma shouted, feeling indignant at the comparison.
"How flattering of you," Nabiki replied, fighting a sigh down; it seemed as if pickup lines didn't get any better with generations, "but as sweet as you seem, I'm afraid that us four girls are enjoying a private party."
The boy blinked, and looked around, "Four?"
"If you like, sonny-boy, I'm available!"
Turning around, and looking every direction severaltimes but one, the boy finally looked down to find a decrepid mummy that had managed to escape it's tomb, and from the gear it was wearing, planned on enjoying some fun in the waters.
"Um.... I have to be somewhere." Cologne didn't seem all that dejected when the boy and his friend took off, running.
"My, young men are so bold these days, do you girls not agree?" Cologne enquired, almost cackling.
Nabiki looked over at Ranma, "Sorry about that, Ranma-hon, sometimes you just have to learn to ignore the guys. Eventually they'll get the hint."
Ranma jolted slightly at the comment, before standing up, "I'm gonna go take a walk." Without waiting for any reply, the pigtailed girl was already jogging away.
Nabiki blinked, turning to look at Shampoo, who shrugged, just as confused as her, and then Cologne, who was smiling cryptically. Nabiki could only guess from the smile that she managed to say something that didn't set well with her potential love interest.
_________________
Nabiki quickly got up, and was about to jog after Ranma, before rmembering her own modesty. The bikini she was wearing was far from supportive, and she doubted it would make it even a couple of yards before she was giving a free show. Intead of having to bother with keeping her arms over her chest, she grabbed her beach towel, and wrapped it around her torso. Once it was secure, she took off in pursuit.
Cologne turned to her own heir, who was still staring after Nabiki with concern, "Well, what are you waiting for, girl? Go after your husband, and at least show him that you can be a caring friend to him as well as a dutiful wife!"
Shampoo snapped back to look at her Great Grandmother, and almost argued against Ranma's status to her. Her mouth slammed shut and with a sigh, obediently nodded.
Shampoo was trained well enough to continue fighting in a reduced outfit, and didn't have the same issues as Nabiki about gaining in pursuit. Watching her descendant take off in prsuit, Cologne smiled to herself. Now, all she had to do was impede Nabiki's progress, possibly with some misleading clues as to where Ranma headed. She doubted the middle aged woman would catch up with Ranma immidiately, which would give Shampoo a chance to be the one that caught up with the pigtailed girl. As it was, whatever Nabiki said to set Ranma off would most likely make her persona non grata to the redhead, so it was probably for the best that Shampoo be the one that found her first.
Cologne began in a different direction, hoping to be fast enough to intercept Nabiki. Yes, it was a good thing she was around to make sure things didn't get worse...
"YOU! DIE!!!"
At the sound of her Great Granddaughter's scream of outrage, Colgone stopped short, almost tumbling onto her face from her staff. From the outright indignant rage Shampoo managed to convey in her cry, Cologne already had an inkling of what just happened.
"Hotcha! Shampoo dear! Did you wear this for me? Why, there's barely anything there!"
With a gutteral growl, Cologne went to join Shampoo, and the current onslaught of girls chasing him. She decided that beating him until he stopped breathing just wouldn't suffice this time.
_________________
Nabiki was sorely tempted to give up the search after two hours, with no sign of the pigtailed girl or boy. She could assume that if Ranma wanted to stay hidden, she would.
At the moment, she was merely walking aimlessly along the beachside. She wasn't self-concious of roaming around in only her bikini, since it wasn't a rare sight, but she held the beach towel around herself a little tighter.
Her own attitude had taken a steep decline since she went after Ranma, as well as her morale. She felt irritated and downtrodden, because she was angry at Ranma for her abrupt departure without telling her that anything was wrong, and because she wanted to tell Ranma she was sorry for whatever she did or said.
It was infuriating, not even knowing what had gotten the girl's goat, plus that Nabiki didn't even know she was walking on eggshells until it was too late. When she finally did see her... or him, she wasn't sure if she was going to plead for Ranma's forgiveness, or pound her signifigant other flat for worrying her like that.
Chances are that Ranma would be back at the hotel by now, but at the thought, Nabiki wasn't so sure if she really wanted to confront him... or her right now. Reaching into her cleavage, Nabiki pulled out a money pouch that she kept on her just in case. She walked into a nearby store, and moments later walked out wearing a baige tanktop and khaki shorts. Putting her hands into her pockets, Nabiki continued her pointless meandering, looking along the beachside with a tired and saddened gaze. Every so often she would have to shift her expression to irritation to scare off any potential suiters that thought a distressed looking woman such as herself would be easy pickings.
For the first time since they started the vacation, Nabiki some time to herself. It wasn't intentional, and truthfully, all that much wanted. She really wanted to spend time with Ranma, just enjoying his company... if nothing else of his, but she took the time regardless.
Only the second day, and she was already regretting this vacation. Starting it with the flight, in which it took the combined efforts of herself, Cologne, and Shampoo to keep Happosai at a restrained manner, as to which Ranma himself wasn't helping any, unwittingly encouraging the old man by responding to his antagonization. Then, arriving at their hotel, she was forced to make her intentions clear to Ranma before Shampoo, Happosai, Ranma, and a total stranger (that bellhop's been giving her peculiar looks everytime she'd seen him, now), starting a cold war between her and Cologne. The old woman wasn't going to be direct about it, but Nabiki was sure she was going to take every opportunity to drive a wedge between her and Ranma.
Disbarring Happosai's romp last night, which thankfully she hadn't heard about from the hotel management, she managed to unintentionally tap a nerve with Ranma. Normally, being experienced with relationships, Nabiki would have simply let Ranma blow off steam, and let the whole incident slide. Unfortunately, even if they fundamentally acted the same, Nabiki wasn't sure how Ranma would take being blown off like that. She was afraid that she could manage to tick Ranma off enough for even him to decide not to bother with them as a indesclosed couple, since he already didn't like the idea about hiding their relationship from the public, but understood the prudence of it.
Nabiki didn't want to lose him, she was very aware of her still growing feelings for him. They were already powerful, but now they've seemed to gain a new vigor and potency. Every stolen glance Ranma gave her, Nabiki cherished, even if she did pretend to not notice them. She could feel Ranma's eyes occasionally trace down from her face, down to her chest, before orbiting the silouette of her figure. It was a feeling like laying in the sun's light, having it warm you in the somewhat chilled air. The fluttering sensation made it hard for her to turn to acknowledge Ranma shy attempts at checkingher out, lest she scare him away. Just subtly altering her body language or 'unintentionally' enhancing herself with an available platform at chest level, she hoped she was encouraging him, because she was becoming addicted to the attention.
Nabiki sheilded her eyes, as the streetlight overhead switched on. It was then she noticed how dark it was getting, and turned to look west to see the sun setting over the island. She wished she had the foresight to stay in the most western part of Kogashima, so that she could watch the sun fall into the ocean, as night took its turn in the sky. Nonetheless, the sky over towards the land was painted in oranges and pinks that faded to hues of purple. She turned to the oceans looking out to the Pacific ocean, looking into the calm, barely crested waters and violet sky that faded to midnight at the horizon with twinges of diamond dust twinkling within. It certainly looked tranquil, and with the sparse crowds on the beach stonewalk, it helped the ambiance. As beautiful as the whole enviroment was, Nabiki could only feel... lonely.
It was too romantic, it was a sight that brought couples closer together, as they quietly sampled each others presence. Lonliness was something Nabiki had been able to accept for a great deal of time. Now, she had Ranma, and with the realization she didn't HAVE to be alone, that feeling of solice stung.
Wistfully tearing her eyes from the sight, Nabiki decided that she walked far enough to where she would probably need a cab to get back already, considering how long she had been walking, she continued down the beach. She stopped at a point where the beachwalk was at the edge of a steep drop into the ocean, the base of it littered with tiny islands that jutted out of the not too shallow water.
Looking out into the now dark evening sky for what she thought would be the last time this night. Nabiki began to turn to get a ride back to her hotel. Just as she was turning away, her eyes managed to catch movement on one of the small islands below her. Looking closer, she almost gasped in deligh; it seemed the fates had intentionally directed her to where she needed to be.
The girl sitting on the island didn't even turn around, when she heard the soft landing just a few feet behind her. "Hey, Nabiki."
The middle aged woman paused, "How did you know it was me?"
Ranma shrugged, not turning around still, "Landing was too heavy to be either Shampoo, the old Ghoul, or the Letch, and I doubted anyone else would bother trying to get down here without making a scene."
"Was that a crack about my weight, Ranma?" Nabiki retorted in mock indignation, extremely happy to see the girl. Ranma didn't respond to the jibe, causing Nabiki to remember the reason she had been chasing Ranma in the first place, "Ranma-hon, what's wrong?" Nabiki sat next to Ranma, and watched the redhead with concentrated concern.
Ranma sighed, bowing her head down to look at the water below them, "Nabiki, if you... if you would rather not have me as your boyfriend, I'd understand."
Nabiki managed to hide her shock at the question, "Ranma, what in the world put that idea in your head?"
The pigtailed girl rubbed her toe against the smooth rock under them, "Well, it just seems as if you're kinda doing this to humor me. This ain't about me, you know? If you really want me to get the point, you can just come right out and tell me, instead of beating around the bush and all."
Nabiki suddenly realized what she had said wrong that caused Ranma to take off like she did. Feeling the hollow pit just under her sternum, all Nabiki could manage was a whisper, "Oh, Ranma, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." She herself turned to look out into the ocean, "Does it really seem like that to you?"
Ranma took a while before answering, "Nabiki, I... I just don't know, alright?" The pigtailed girl turned to look at Nabiki, not bothering to hide the emotion on her face, or finding it impossible to even attempt, "You finally admit it that we're, well, a couple, but it was like you did it just to spite Cologne." Ranma turned away, "At the time, I didn't think much of it. In fact, I was pretty happy about it. But then later on, it was like, well..."
Ranma looked down at herself, causing Nabiki to follow her glance, "It was like you weren't even gonna listen to what I want after that. I mean you chose the restaurant for us. It was nice, I admit, but it wasn't really what I had in mind." Nabiki distinctly recalled Ranma's eyes staring lustfully at an 'all you can eat' buffet sign hard enough to make Nabiki jealous, before she had told him she had somewhere in mind for the three of them.
"Then, you get me into this getup, even after I told you, several times, that I didn't want to wear it." Nabiki had the good graces to be shamefaced at that. She knew she had guilted Ranma into it, more for her own amusement than any true practicality. Basically, she had treated Ranma like a barbie doll, and considered the pigtailed *boy* turned girl's feelings about as much as she would said toy.
"I could overlook all that, because..." Once more, Ranma looked back at Nabiki, this time the streetlights above them managing to reflect the gloss tha was now coating her eyes, "...because you were enjoying it, and I guess I was glad you were." Ranma closed her eyes tightly, as if willing herself to remain calm, Nabiki knew from experience that what Ranma was holding back would not stay unabated. Without the girl having to say anymore, Nabiki knew and understood all she had to make up to Ranma.
Nevertheless, with a shakey voice, Ranma continued, "You... when you said... back with Shampoo... and... and..."
Nabiki wrapped her arms around Ranma, and began to speak so that Ranma wouldn't have to continue. "Ranma... I don't think I could ever tell you how sorry I am."
"You're always telling me you're sorry," Ranma managed to stay above a whisper, her voice tainted with a hint of anger.
"But this time, I mean it far beyond anything I've ever put my word to," Nabiki answered, adimantly, without any of the timidness of the previous times she had apologised to Ranma. "Ranma, look at me."
Ranma managed to force her eyes open,as she felt Nabiki's thumb trail along her cheek to catch a tear. Nabiki took a deep breath, before saying what she felt had to be said. "I didn't really think you felt that deeply about this. Hell, I didn't even understand my own feelings on the matter." Giving Ranma a weak version of her sardonic smirk, the older woman continued, "I mean, this isn't the most orthodox of relationships." The smile left her face, as she replaced it with a passionate seriousness that Ranma had never seen from her, "but I guess you've always, as corny as this is going to sound, understood where your heart was."
Nabiki's own voice almost cracked, as she had to drop it to a whisper, "You love me."
Ranma's eyes were cast downward, before they closed, and she whispered her reply, "Yeah, I do." Ranma felt her chin lightly grasped, and lifted. She opened her eyes once again, and nearly broke down at the silent tears Nabiki was shedding.
Nabiki didn't care about Ranma's age, or her current gender. She now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt where she lay in Ranma's heart, and the spot the cursed teen resided in hers.
The street lamps above could only cast a miniscule light upon the couple sharing their most sensuous, most intimate kiss they could ever muster.
Nabiki rapped her fingertips together, as she considered what was on her mind. Granted, she had already taken a few days off, but they were hardly for what she would consider a vacation. And regardless of the front she had put on, she was having a great deal of stress to handle.
The timing was impeccable, as if she did go, she wouldn't be going alone. Vacation time for Ranma was now rolling around, which left him with a couple of weeks free.
The more she thought of it, the bigger the smile on her face grew without her realizing it. With her decision made, the middle aged woman paged her secretary. "Yuko, I know this is short notice, but could you schedule me off for the next couple of weeks?"
"[Catching up on vacation time?]"
Nabiki's smile was traded for her subtle smirk and sanguine expression, "Well, I have let it build up, haven't I?"
"[Not that it matters, you ARE the boss, after all!]"
"Yes, but the bosslady has to set a proper example, doesn't she?" Nabiki enquired with mirth equal to her secretary's.
"[I'll have it taken care of. You just enjoy your time off... same with that boyfriend of yours.]"
Nabiki's face broke, before she could replace it with a strained imitation of her previous expression, "And Yuko, would you mind sending Charles into my office, please? I would like to talk to him about respecting one's privacy... oh yes, and go ahead and inform him he'll SOLELY be handling my paperwork, since I 'trust' him so..."
_________________
Ranma looked at his alarm clock sitting on the floor of his and Happosai's room, realizing Nabiki should be back soon. He had a two week break from school next week, a full two weeks to do whatever he wanted. He considered some of the things he wanted to do, like head up north and possibly spend some of the break training... actually, that was about all he could come up with. He wasn't too sure on what Nabiki would say, since she still had to work. He figured that she would at least be willing to take a few days off to join him, then they would head back home. If they scheduled it sometime near the weekend, they would have a couple more days free.
Adjusting himself in his lotus position, Ranma folded his arms over his chest, concentrating on keeping his nervousness at bay. He couldn't understand why he felt so antsy over simply asking Nabi... his *girlfriend* a question. As a couple, he knew they were supposed to do things together, so obviously Nabiki would be understanding, seeing as how she was his girlfriend and all, and be willing to take a few days off to... well... spend some time with him. It wasn't as if she was going to immidiately say 'no', and even if she did decline, it wouldn't hurt him to spend his vacation at home-... with Nabiki in her house.
"Ranma, Demon pervert here?"
Being broken from his reverie, Ranma answered, "Na, the old letch said something about visiting his old stomping grounds, I think Nerima."
"Good," Shampoo replied. Ranma heard her footsteps ascend the stairs, before her head poked around the doorframe to his rooma few moments later.
"Hey Shampoo," Ranma greeted, albeit a subdued and guarded manner. He wasn't sure how to handle the girl, as one minute she could be acting indifferent to him, the next she'll be outgoing and friendly, and the last minute she'll be all over him. It was getting fustrating trying to predict whatever mood she was in at any given moment, so Ranma just chose to watch out for her at any given moment, period. Nobodie's explained to him what 'Airen' meant, either.
"What are you thinking about?" Shampoo enquired, coming to sit next to him. Ranma shifted away from her only slightly, causing the young Amazon to sigh. She was being friendly, and he was acting as if she was going to bite his head off if he made any sudden movement. Well, it didn't help that she glomped him at any moment her Great Grandmother was present, but she expected him to see the pattern by now.
"Ah, um... school vacation stuff," Ranma replied, trying to remain vague about his intentions.
"So you are going with Nabiki somewhere nice?" Shampoo asked, keeping up the conversation.
Ranma gave her a wary look, not sure how his 'second fiancee' was going to take his reply. "Well, yeah."
"That is good!" Shampoo chirped, causing Ranma to jump at her bubbly attitude. The reaction subdued Shampoo, as she rolled her eyes, "Where are you to take Nabiki?"
"I dunno, probably a short training trip or something. You've seen how her skills have probably suffered from lack of challenging training."
"Nabiki may want to do something else," Shampoo suggested, internally groaning at Ranma's none-too-inventive vacation idea, "Women in city do not want to be out in the elements."
"Oh," Ranma replied, finding his nervousness rebuilding, as whatever enthuesiasm he had was draining from him.
The lavender haired girl noticed the change, and sighed, "Ranma, maybe Nabiki just be happy that she is with you? So it does not matter where you go?"
Ranma looked at Shampoo again, this time with a twinge of hope, "You really think-"
"I'm home!" Nabiki shouted from downstairs, interrupting the conversation between the two youths.
Shampoo tilted her head towards the door, "You are to go ask now, yes?"
Knowing the pressure was on him now, Ranma mutely nodded, stood up, and went to greet Nabiki.
The older woman entered the living room, and looked up to see Ranma descending the stairs. Favoring him with a smile, Nabiki strode to the base of the stairs to meet him. "Hey, Ranma, I got some great news!" she told him, before giving him a light peck on the cheek.
Ranma gently rubbed where Nabiki had kissed him, still having difficulty getting used to her displays of affection, as infrequent as they came, "What's up?"
"Ranma, I know you have Spring vacation coming up, sooooooo.... how would you like to go somewhere for a couple of weeks?"
Ranma blinked owlishly, "Uh...sounds great!"
"It sounds like a too good... a very good idea!"
Nabiki looked up, a bit startled to see Shampoo standing at the top of the stairs. She easily hid it, "Hello, Shampoo. You're Great Grandmother let you off for the day?"
Shampoo nodded, "She also said paperwork for school is in now. I will go to school after break."
"That's good to hear," Nabiki commented, though wondering how Cologne managed to get the confirmation when she was supposed to be the first to hear about it. Nabiki then realized how close she was standing to Ranma, and subtly tried to back away.
Shampoo gave a coy smirk, "Already see everything, no use hiding Nabiki loves Ranma."
Ranma blushed, as Nabiki groaned, and rolled her eyes to the heavens. "It isn't exactly what you would call love, Shampoo."
"Whatever you call it, you are too happy to see Ranma, yes?"
Knowing it was pointless to even attempt to downplay it, Nabiki gently grabbed Ranma's forearm, and gave him a warm smile, "Yeah, I'm happy to see him." Directing her full attention to Ranma, Nabiki continued their conversation, "So, you have anywhere in particular you want to go?"
Ranma opened his mouth to answer, but the answer wasn't given by him.
"The beach! THE BEACH!"
Shampoo already had her sword drawn, as soon as she heard the voice of the perverted martial artist. It was the only weapon she was allowed to carry on her by her Great Grandmother to deal with the old pervert, as it was decided that it was the weapon that would do the least irrepairable damage.
"Happosai," Nabiki sighed, already sensing things were about to go downhill.
"Hey! I wanted to go train-" Ranma began, before the old letch landed on his shoulder.
"Ah, the golden sands, the crystal blue waters, the scantly clad girls in their barely there navy blue two piece bikinis, lounging obliviously in the radiant sun as their tender, snow white flesh becomes an creamy caramel tone..."
Whatever rebuke Ranma had got caught in his throught, as the description reminded him of a certain image he had managed to comfescate from Happosai.
Nabiki mused at the suggestion. It had been a while since she had lay in the gorgeous sun. Unfortunately, it was the resident water-magnet and current boyfriend to consider. The middle aged woman leaned against the rail of the staircase towards Ranma, "Sounds like a good idea to me, Ranma-hon. You interested?"
Ranma's eyes involintarily glance down. Nabiki's rather thin light lilac colored golfshirt was pushed to the limits of hiding her modesty, as the plain, possibly sapphire blue bra was forced to take up the rest of the shirt's weak efforts. Quickly glancing up, Ranma could only nod, finding his throught way too dry. He wasn't sure what Nabiki had asked him, but at the moment, he was inclined to agree with whatever she asked.
Nabiki blinked, she had expected Ranma complaints about his curse, "Um, are you sure? I mean we *will* be next to a large body of water."
"Ranma is sure," Shampoo answered for him, deciding going to the beach was infinitely better than Ranma's original idea.
"Maybe you guys could let *Ranma* answer for himself?" Nabiki asked, becoming irritated by everyone speaking for him. Ranma was still trying to shake himself out of a hormone induced stupor... not something he was wholly accustomed to experiencing.
"Ranma, as a healthy teenage boy, it is paramount we go to the beach!" Happosai commanded.
"Wait a minute," Ranma found himself saying almost automatically, "What is this 'we'?"
"Indeed, Leave the old goat at home. He would only get in the way of Shampoo and Ranma getting to know one another better!"
Nabiki quickly whirled, having to forcably choke down a startled yelp, "Cologne! When... how...?"
"AIREN!"
"ACK!" Ranma cried out, as the young Amazon practically wrapped herself around him.
Cologne, Nabiki, and Happosai all favored a smiling Shampoo with a hooded gaze, attempting to convey the universal thought of exactly who was she trying to kid, before the Amazon matriarch gave Nabiki a smile, "I apologise, you all seemed preoccupied, so I let myself in. I hope you don't mind."
"Sorry, you old hag! Family trip only! You and Shampoo will have to freeload off of someone else for a vacation!"
"Exactly *who* said you were going, you little freak?" Ranma demanded, causing Happosai to stare at him with hurt filled eyes.
"You wouldn't leave an old man at home, would you? I could fall and hurt myself!"
"Ensure you do it the day they're gone, so they can be sure you starve to death before they return," Cologne commented, "Oh, and as to 'freeloading'..." Cologne handed Nabiki several large bills, "This is to pay for Shampoo and her husband's rent. I cannot continue to allow them to live off of your hospitality without something in return."
Nabiki began to rub her temples; she distinctly remembered reminding herself about her stress levels skyrocketing, "Cologne, they're both guests, and it's Ranma's say if he accepts the marraige or not."
"I AIN'T MARRIED TO SHAMP-ACK!"
"Hee hee, did you say something, beloved?" Shampoo asked, as her arms constricted around Ranma, cutting off the function of his lungs.
"Pish posh! Take the money and leave the old ghoul and her brat here!"
"Yeah!" Ranma managed to finally say, enforcing his own strength against Shampoo's to get some breathing room. He was doing well to hide the strain from his voice, because the girl wasn't without her own power, that's for sure. "And let's add a geriatric pervert behind in the mix!"
"You ingrate/jerk/impetuous boy!" Happosai, Shampoo, and Cologne exclaimed in unison, as they retracted a pipe, flat of a sword blade, and staff head from a dazed Ranma's skull respectively.
Cologne gave her heir a withering glance, as Shampoo shrugged meekly, "He deserve it?"
Nabiki quietly slipped away, going to get some asprin for Ranma... and herself.
_________________
Nabiki strode up to the front desk of the luxurious Kagoshima Tokyu Hotel. On such short notice, she managed the fortune of grabbing three rooms in the five star hotel during a prime vacation season in less than a couple of days, much less the ten required prior to check in. As she thanked the desk attendant and received the room card keys, she thought wryly how she hadn't lost her touch. Didn't even require any of her big favors to pull this one off.
Unfortunately, she was only able to reserve three rooms, which left the difficult task of room assignment. Granted, it would not have been any sort of problem if the vacation remained exclusive to only two, as two rooms (though Nabiki amusadly considered one being enough) would have sufficed. Unfortunately, disbutes managed to make themselves known.
Nabiki refused steadfastly Cologne's suggestion that Shampoo stay with Ranma, before both women, along with Shampoo herself, heatedly refused Happosai's suggestion. As Happosai bawled about not having a cute young girl to keep his old bones in spirits, Cologne shot down Shampoo's suggestion of Ranma staying with Happosai, as he usually did. It was then Ranma's refusal, much to Nabiki's well hidden disappointment, that he stay with the woman, as it was Happosai's suggestion, claiming that it wouldn't be right.
After a trio of sighs and a quintuple eyerolls, Nabiki proposed Shampoo stay with her, Ranma recieve his own room, and Happosai stay with Cologne. Shampoo and Ranma had no problem with it, in fact, Ranma was relieved that he didn't have to bother with the old letch for two weeks. Cologne begrudgingly accepted the arrangements, and much more surprising, after a considerable thought, Happosai agreed.
Nabiki sincerely wasn't expecting the old perv to go along with it, and even issued the last pairing more than half jokingly. She shrugged,deciding if he was willing to accept to accomidations, she wouldn't attempt to talk him out of it. She was sure Cologne would possibly be able tokeep the old pervert out of trouble for the most part, which would give her a good respite from time to time.
Turning away from the desk, Nabiki found the rest of the group now entering, with Ranma carrying the majority of the luggage. "Honestly, Ranma, you don't have to let them take advantage of you like that," Nabiki commented, taking her own luggage which had luckily been place on the top of the mountain Ranma was carrying, managing to do so without dropping the two percariously balanced piles.
The pigtailed boy only shrugged, "It's not like it's all that heavy, just think of it as training."
"Well," Nabiki started, motioning for the other four to follow her, before she was intercepted by a bellhop with a luggage carraige, "You're not here for training. So lets see if we can keep everyone from bothering with anything exertive, alright? Shampoo, help Ranma with that,please." Shampoo ignored the whispered comment from her Great Grandmother, and complied with Nabiki's wish.
Ranma's face scrunched up, as he handed one of the two piles he was carrying to the lavender haired amazon, "Uh... then what else am I supposed to do for the whole time?"
Nabiki tilted her head in Ranma's direction, and was about to answer before Happosai interjected, "Ranma. m'boy, we're on an island full of pretty women bearing all the flesh possible without getting arrested-"
"Happosai, you promised you would behave," Nabiki warned, cutting the old man off.
Happosai shot back an incredulous stare at his gracious hostess, "Why, Nabiki dear! How could you think that I wouldn't be on my best behavior?!?"
"Because we're on an island full of pretty women bearing all the flesh possible without getting arrested?" Nabiki countered with a hooded glance, "And I would also like it if you weren't to bring Ranma into your perversions."
"Don't worry, I'll personally make sure the old freak stays in line," Ranma stated, solumnly and almost anxiously, after handing the bellhop the last piece of luggage, and cracking his knuckles anticipatingly.
"No fighting, either, Ranma." Nabiki commanded, while hiding her endearment with a stern composure. Obviously Ranma was willing to sacrifice his own enjoyment so she wouldn't have to worry, although she also considered that Ranma just wanted an excuse to beat on the old man.
The pigtailed boy groaned, before crossing his arms over his chest. "Just relax, Ranma," Nabiki consoled, as she followed the bellhop to the large elevator that would take them to their designated floor, "You're here to relax. If you really want to make me happy, try to enjoy yourself for a bit."
"Indeed, Son-in-law," Cologne added, earninga surrupticious sideways glance from Nabiki, "Even the most staunchest martial artist understand the importance of respite. Shampoo would be more than willing to assist you in regards to that."
"Sounds like a good idea, as long as it stays PG," Nabiki almost growled out, earning an ackward smile from Shampoo and a chuckle from Happosai. Ranma simply shrugged, deciding whatever was meant wasn't all that important.
Cologne glanced cooly at Nabiki, "They're both young kids, let them to their own devices."
It was subtle, very subtle, but Nabiki caught the emphesis on the word 'young'. Cologne of course was not a fool, so she could easily see that something was going on between her and Ranma. "I have no problem with their own devices, as long as said devices don't come in contact with one another."
"They're a married couple in a paradise... well, as close as a paradise as you can get in this coun-"
"Damn it, Cologne, they're not married!" Nabiki almost shouted, "I thought we agreed on this that Ranma was free to make his own choice. Don't presume it for him."
"I don't recall to any such agreement,"Cologne commented, innocently, "Besides, what other choice does he have? I sincerely doubt there are many girls, even in lovely country that can compare with my Great Granddaughter. She is a prize beyond much comparison."
"Eh, Shampoo's a cutie, I'll give you that, but I can find better," Happosai interjected, taking offense to his nationalistic pride. Why, the girls of Japan just radiated cuteness!
"Guys, can you not talk like I'm not here?" Ranma voiced up, irritated at having no say in the conversation about his life.
"I apologise, Son-in-law, but sincerely, are you with any other options?" Cologne enquired, raising an eyebrow.
Ranma turned to look at Nabiki, who returned the look, staring at Ranma's expression. Closing her own eyes after they met his and read the silent plea in them, Nabiki turned to stare at Cologne, tilting her head slightly to the side, "I guess I'm the other candidate."
Cologne, if anything, seemed more irritated than surprised at the middle aged woman's proclimation, "I see."
"H-he's not your son?"
All eyes turned to look at the bellhop, having totally forgotten he was there. At the intense stares, the young man decided it was best to make his escape, and as soon as the elevator opened, he darted out, mumbling back as to follow him to their room.
Nabiki glanced tersely at Cologne, "We'll discuss this later, let's not spoil what moods we have to enjoy this trip."
"Indeed, I hope you do not intend to let disappointment shadow your indulgence," Cologne replied, before both stepped from the elevator, to opposite sides of the hall, and followed the retreating bellboy.
Ranma, Shampoo, and Happosai stood staring after the two. "Ah... this is going to be a problem, isn't it?" Ranma enquired, already knowing the answer.
_________________
Nabiki looked out the window of her room, as it overlooked the sparkling Kinko-wan Bay. Her intention was to enjoy the view it afforded her, but unfortunately her mind was elsewhere. She was berating herself for allowing Cologne to get under her skin like that, and then acting like some jealous teenager. It was painfully apparent that Shampoo was far from serious about Ranma, with her all too transparent act to appease her Great Grandmother, but it was more than a little upsetting to see her hanging all over Ranma in any instant.
"You okay?"
Managing to reign in her irritation, Nabiki sighed, and turned to Shampoo, deciding to speak her language, "{I'm fine, Xian Pu, it's just that I wasn't ready to butt heads with your elder. I was caught off-guard.}"
"{I understand. As much as I revere Elder Cologne, she tends not to see beyond her own interests at times. Do not take it as direct will to conflict with you, it is that she only wishes the best for those involved.}"
"{And how is it best to force you into a relationship you obviously don't want, while trying to edge me out of the equation, and leaving Ranma with no say in who he's supposed to love?}" Nabiki enquired sharply, not seeing the logic in Shampoo's reply.
"{She knows I tend to be a bit... selective when it comes to romantic interests,}" Shampoo stated with a sigh, "{She probably believes that because of this I would never make a choice. We both have to admit that Ranma is a fine specimen for the opposing sex... but his and my personalities tend to conflict. She probably believes the same thing about Ranma, considering his lack of acknowledgement to any sexual interest.}" Shampoo sat on the bed that was for her in the room, "{As for you, she probably rationalizes herself with how your society works with such relationships. In the far reach of things, she probably believes that prying you from Ranma would be for your own good.}"
"That's some piece of work, that Great Grandmother of yours," Nabiki sighed, switching back to her native language.
"She is, and she not ever disbute you on that claim," Shampoo stated, almost smiling.
"Well, i think I'm going to go take a shower, before we all decide on what to do first," Nabiki stated, changing the subject.
Shampoo did smile this time, "You want to look presen-pres-... good for Ranma?"
Nabiki returned the smile, "I guess it wouldn't hurt."
Shampoo paused in thought, before replying, "Perhaps you hurry up with shower, yes? I do not mind looking good for Ranma, too." Shampoo's smile wilted under Nabiki's unamused glare, "Is kidding! Is kidding!"
_________________
Nabiki and Shampoo stepped from their shared room, before Nabiki headed over to Ranma's room, and knocked on the door, "Hey Ranma, we're going to go get some dinner. You ready in there?"
The pigtailed boy opened the door, and poked his head out, "Great! I'm starv'n here! Jus' lemme get some clothes on, just got outta the shower."
Nabiki raised an eyebrow, "Shower? Didn't think you would bother with one until you were going to turn in."
"Ah," Ranma started, "I felt kinda gamey since the plane ride, alright?"
"Alright, alright, no need to get defensive, Ranma-hon," Nabiki commented, "Mind if we come in while you get dressed?"
Ranma's eyes went blank at the question, "Wuzzat?"
After giving a coy smirk towards Shampoo, Nabiki turned back to Ranma, "Well, you're not going to let a couple of lovely ladies just sit outside your door, waiting for their handsome young date for the evening to finish getting ready, are you?"
"Aiyah," Shampoo started in, switching to her old pidgin speech pattern, "Is too, too cold out in hall. Ranma allow Nabiki and Shampoo stay in room," Shampoo then fluttered her eyes, "Maybe we keep each other warm, yes?"
"..."
"How wonderful for you to say such a thing," Nabiki commented jovially yet sarcastically towards Ranma's speechlessness.
Ranma forcably managed to calm himself down to mere panic levels, "Ah... holdonasecandI'llbeready!" With that, he shut the door quickly. Shampoo and Nabiki giggled to themselves at Ranma's agitation, finding the flustered pigtailed boy all too adorable for words. As humorous as it was, the older of the two felt a slight disappointment and dejection on not having the offer taken up. She was going to let Ranma dictate the pace of their relationship, but she wouldn't have minded a free show.
Ranma was stepping out of his room less than a minute later, this time leaving the girls speechless. For several moments, they almost didn't recognize him, and if not for the way he nervously shifted under their quiet scruteny, they would have knocked on the door again, and asked Ranma to hurry up so they could go to dinner.
Nabiki admired Ranma's dress tastes, being the first time he had really shown any other than his usual attire. The midnight violet hensly shirt held a single design of a Japanese style dragon embroidered in subdued gold that wound from the right bottom of the shirt, around the back, and ended with the head peaking over Ranma's shoulder. The matching violet buttons were outlined in gold, with the collar button just slightly larger than the others and convex instead of concave. He wore black pants of his usual attire, with his standard black slippers. It was apparent he had only thought to buy the shirt, but it still worked extremely well with the ensemble.
"Ah... do I look okay?" Ranma managed to finally ask, as he smoothed back the hair he had rapidly combed.
"You do all that in a minute?" Shampoo enquired indisbelief.
Relaxing slightly, Ranma replied, "Well, we're all in a hurry, right?"
Nabiki draped her arms on Ranma's shoulders, before she remembered where they were,and stepped back from the somewhat intimate distance to grasp onto his shoulders with her hands, "Ranma, if you don't mind me for saying, I wish you could dress up like this more often."
"Um, well, this was kinda the only shirt I got," Ranma replied, becoming even more at ease now that he knew Nabiki liked it. Truth be told, the shirt had cost him quite a bit, much more than he thought to spend for clothing, anyhow, and he was hesitant to buy any more. The reason he had picked it up in the first place was in the event that he took Nabiki out on a date. So far, this had been the closest event to one.
"Well, I guess one other thing we can do while on vacation is help expand your wardrobe," the middle aged woman decided, giving Ranma an anticipating smile. The pigtailed boy hesitatingly returned it, not knowing what he was silently agreeing to.
"So, shall we go?" Nabiki enquired, setting herself to Ranma's left.
"Sure! I mean, if you're all ready," Ranma replied, "Um, where's the freak and the old ghoul?"
"Great Grandmother tell us she need to get away from the irritating demon letch," Shampoo explained.
"And Happosai said he was going out to take in the scenery," Nabiki replied; her tone expressing a certain disbelief that it was anything as benign as how it sounded. "Anyhow, it's just the three of us for dinner."
"Alright! Let's get going,then!" Ranma started a couple of steps, before the sound of Nabiki clearing her throat. Turning around, he found Nabiki standing there with her hands on her waist, looking at him expectantly.
Ranma had no inkling of what she was asking, "Whaddi do?"
Shifting her eyes in resignment, Shampoo stepped before Ranma, and pushed him back in line with Nabiki. Then, she took his left arm, and hooked it around Nabiki's right.
Giving a nod of gratitude to Shampoo, Nabiki turned to Ranma, "Why, aren't you the gentleman, Saotome."
It didn't fly over his head the sarcasm in Nabiki's comment, "Aw, let's just get goin', alright?"
"Definitely, we've wasted time enough... Shampoo?"
The lavender haired girl looked at Nabiki expectantly, "Yes?"
"You know, you *are* Ranma's 'wife', after all."
Ranma went ridgid, though Shampoo picked up on the subtle suggestion.
"Understand, two beautiful women for two arms, yes?" With that, Shampoo hooked her own left arm around Ranma's right. When Ranma wasn't showing any signs of moving on his own power, both women sighed, and almost dragged him down the hall.
Several moments after the trio stepped into the elevator, Cologne stepped out from the adjacent hall. Well, even if Shampoo wasn't completely behaving like a proper wife, at least she wasn't acting adverse to the idea. With just a little prodding, pushing, and subtle direction, she could finally convince her Great Granddaughter that Ranma was a suitable enough husband for her, and they could finally return home. Of course, the Amazon elder was in no rush, but she couldn't just remain away forever.
With that in mind, Cologne decided that it may be of some prudence to join them for dinner, she was feeling a mite peckish, herself. Just as she was about to go in pursuit of the three, the tell-tale stampeed of outraged women sounded behind her, "Oh, ancesters..."
"OUTTA THE WAY, YOU OLD WART! VERILE OLD MAN COMIN' THROUGH!" Happosai shouted, as he leapt onto Cologne's head before she could react, and rebounded off of her onto the ceiling, before bouncing back to the floor.
Cologne growled in unquestionable anger. Shampoo and her Son-in-law would have to wait, she could not let this outrage go. With murder in mind, Cologne joined the mob of hostile women calling out for old goat blood.
_________________
After dinner, which Nabiki had surprised both with a reservation of one of the nearby prominant restaurants, the three returned in a quiet stroll in the streets livened graciously by the nightlife about, trading words every so often more almost to hear each other's voice than anything. Shampoo had drifted a few feet behind them, smirking to herself as neither of her companions seemed to notice. In an all too short trip, they returned to their respective rooms after a couple of thank yous for an exellent dinner, and one in turn for the accompanyment to said meal.
Hooking her laptop into the dataport supplied by the hotel, Nabiki waited a few seconds for it to detect the connection. She opened her email program, only half concentrated on skimming through the contents.
Ranma... Nabiki recalled earlier when her pigtailed boyfriend came out of his room in what was his best dressed. It needn't be mentioned that he dressed up exclusively for her, simply for pleasing the middle-aged woman. The notion filled Nabiki with a comforting warmth, yet that warmth didn't compare to the one she felt as she savored his appearance as he stood before her, quietly and nervously awaiting her scruteny.
Ranma's appearance did make him appear that much older, though not exactly out of his youthful years. He lost a bit of his adolecent cuteness, replacing it with a mild suave. She could hardly mistake him for refined and sophisticated, but to her, Ranma had an easy masculine handsomeness that she wouldn't lie by saying it was far from sexy, that his current formalness didn't make him so much more appealing, and she couldn't truthfully deny the desire she felt just from his appearance then.
She almost forgot just who she was, as she was ready to pull Ranma close, just to check how clean his teeth were with her tongue. Fortunately for appearances, she did restrain herself out in the hall of the hotel, lest someone observe the event. Even if it wasn't anyone she knew, Nabiki felt obligated to keep her face in public.
The whole evening Nabiki had managed to keep herself reserved, even feigning her typical sanguine attitude, regardless of how Ranma unwittingly disappointed her. It was almost infuriating how he didn't seem to be willing to go farther. Eventually, she hoped, he would soon be willing to explore a much deeper aspect of their relationship, lest it remain stagnant. Simply spouting his love for her and willingness to do anything for her was not cutting it.
Closing out the email program. Nabiki forced the somewhat despairing thoughts out of her head. Tomorrow was another day, maybe something would happen then.
She hoped.
_________________
Nabiki approached Ranma's door, feeling somewhat nervous. She looked around to ensure nobody else was in the hall, before listening in. Funny, even if it was early in the morning, she knew how much of a morning person Ranma was. From the lack of sound in his room, he must have been still asleep.
Nabiki thought about the fact that she had an extra keycard to his room, since it wasn't decided how many people would stay in there. It took only a split second to squelch her consideration of invading Ranma's privacy, even if she was his signifigant other.
She leaned away from the door, resting one hand against it, and looking at it as if she could see the resting pigtailed boy beyond it. Ever since yesterday after that minor 'disbute' with Cologne, Nabiki found it a bit easier to see Ranma closer to her than she previously considered. *Her* boyfriend, she thought, before repeating the phrase in her mind, Ranma was *her* boyfriend, her love interest, the one she had intentions for, the one she considered closest to her heart than all others.
With a quiet smile, Nabiki backed away from the door, and turned to her room. "Nabiki?"
"ACK!!!" The middle aged woman jumped, turning to see the resident of the hotel room, standing on the same side of the door as she, "R-Ranma? Wh-what are you doing out here?"
The pigtailed boy held up the leather covered bucket of ice, "The old letch wouldn't stop whining until I brought him some. Not that I was gonna be asleep now, anyways."
"Old letch..." Nabiki recovered, before raising an eyebrow, "You mean Happosai? What's he doing in your room?"
Ranma scratched the back of his head with his free hand, "Ah, he came in pretty banged up last night. From the way he was crying and all, I guess I kinda felt sorry for him. He also said the old ghoul's gunning for him, and I figured I would be helping the lesser of the two evils."
Nabiki already guestimated what happened, exept for the factor of Cologne,"I see. Well, hurry up and get the old man the ice for his lumps, I wanted to ask you something when you got back."
Ranma nodded, and went to open the door, before realizing his room key was still in the room. Growling in fustration, Ranma was about to knock, before he was stopped by Nabiki, who handed him the spare. At the questioning look, the older woman shrugged, "I had an extra for the room."
Nabiki waited patiently, as she heard Ranma and Happosai's muffled voices from the other side of the door. She couldn't make out what was being said, until Ranma shouted exasperatedly that he couldn't do something because she was waiting at the door for him. After a few more moments, Ranma came back out, and gave Nabiki his full attention.
"Ranma... I was wondering if... you wouldn't mind hanging out at the beach with me today?"
Ranma didn't even have to think about the question, "Sure! Sounds great!"
Nabiki exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, before she recalled the reason she was holding it in the first place, "Um... Ranma, you do realize we're going to the beach, right?"
"Well, that's what you just asked me to..." Ranma realized what she was pointing out, "Oh...." Almost instantly following, Ranma shrugged, "I guess I'll just stay away from the-"
The solitary fire sprinkler over him directly suddenly broke.
"...water." the redhead replied, sighing and slicking her damp hair back. "I guess I'll just haveta take a raincheck... or something."
Nabiki shook her head, "Oh no, you already agreed, and I would like to spend as much time with you as possible, if you don't mind."
"Well, I can't exactly go to the beach. I guess I could go in a shirt, but if I get drenched enough, which will most likely happen, I may as well be topless in public in my girl form."
Nabiki smiled in a way Ranma wasn't too sure he liked, "Then it looks like we have some errands to run before we hit the beach. Let me go wake Shampoo up, and we'll be on our way."
_________________
Two hours later, Nabiki, Shampoo, and a thoroughly irritated Ranma left the second store that morning. Shampoo's grin was almost malicious in nature, while Nabiki's was strained with agitation. "Honestly, Ranma, you needn't make this a drama."
"I'm not wearing this," the pigtailed girl grumbled, holding up the small bag she was carrying.
"Yes you are," Nabiki counter-argued, "It looks cute on you!"
"Too true." Shampoo added, still barely refraining from breaking into outright laughter.
"I'm not a doll for you two to play dressup with."
"Ranma, you're wearing it, and that's final. Really, you should have said something earlier when you tried it on... like the hundreds you rejected outright."
Truthfully, Ranma had been ready to reject it, before she saw Nabiki's eyes light up when she appeared in it. All the other outfits, the older woman simply had an appraising eye, before giving a comment, this time she had taken notice. Of course, Nabiki noticed Ranma in an outfit she would never have considered the boy to even consider, as skimpy as it was, and she was pretty positive she didn't pick it out. With that notization, the middle aged woman felt a twinge of jealousy and a great deal of envy at seeing the way the boy-turned-girl filled out the thin black two piece with jade bordering and ties.
Ranma naturally mistook the look of shock on Nabiki's face, and spoke on automatic, "I guess this one will do, then."
At Ranma's declaration, Nabiki blinked, before looking at him with a dubious glance that was just literally DARING him to take that particular outfit, and wear it to the beach. Ranma was still typically being herself, and even if it was subconciously issued, every challenge was accepted.
And that brings them to now, as Nabiki continued to guilt the redhead with the fact that her loving girlfriend bought the outfit for her, and no matter how she attempted to steadfastly refuse it now, the conclusion was inevitable.
"This sucks, can we just return it, with a plea of temporary insanity?"
"Do not worry yourself, Son-in-law, it looks quite flattering on you."
After Ranma, Shampoo, and Nabiki smoothed their hair back down, all three turneda venomous glare towards the old woman. "It's not very sporting to sneak up on people like that," Nabiki complained, silently cursing herself for having her guard down. That would have been a prime moment for Happosai to strike, and she would have to let it slide since he would then berate her on being so lax in her training.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't think it polite to interrupt the conversation," Cologne commented, smiling like a cheshire cat. "Ah, so today is the beach, is it? I remember my days as a young girl, frolicing in the surf."
"That would have been about the time life crawled from the sea," Nabiki mumbled under her breath, before she blinked, realizing it came in stereo. She turned to look at Ranma, who was looking back at her with the same surprised expression.
Cologne couldn't decide which one to hit first, so let the comment slide. "Shampoo, I took the liberty of finding the appropriate outfit for you."
The lavender haired girl blinked as she took the bag handed to her, "But Great Grandmother, I already have..." Shampoo opened the back, before looking back to her Great Grandmother, "...what outfit?"
"Don't play dumb, child, it's in the bag," Cologne retorted.
Shampoo looked in the back, before turning it upside down, and shaking it. After a few moments, a few straps of lilac colored cloth and some string with a tag attached fell into her hand. Shampoo held it to her face, still puzzled, "Is defective, yes? Someone forget to put rest of this together?"
Nabiki had to baulk at what Shampoo was holding, before turning a scandalized look towards the Amazon elder. "You're rather liberal for a parental figure, don't you think?"
"I wouldn't want my Great Granddaughter marring her lovely appearance with unsightly tan-lines. What would Ranma think?" Cologne asked, innocently.
"First of all, I don't think Ranma would mind tan-lines, if he ever got to that point. Secondly, he would have to actually see Shampoo in... in the..." At Cologne's obvious smirk, Nabiki forced herself to drop the line of thought, not willing to play into Cologne's obvious mindgame.
"Not familiar with this term, 'butt-floss'," Shampoo stated, reading the tag.
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The clear waters contrasted with the stone gray sands of the beachfront that consisted of fine volcanic rock worn away from the source of an active volcano over centuries. the sun graced the sky with presence, benevolently casting it's mild rays upon those who deemed it a lovely idea to spend the day outside. Nabiki, Shampoo, Ranma, and Cologne found the idea no less appealing to the teems of pedestrians indulging in the splended atmousphere and availible recreation.
After sampling the outfits the two young women accompanying her wore, Nabiki chose not to be outdone. Granted, she actually had the bikini more in case she had decided to become bold, and make a move on Ranma, but it served just as well to support her own competitive nature. From the stares Nabiki and the two younger girls were recieving, it was a close race indeed.
"Oooh, do I ever miss this!" Nabiki almost groaned, as she stretched languishly on the beach towel, delighting in the soothing sun's rays that coated her skin like a warm balm.
Taking a cue from the older woman, Shampoo decided to indulge in a little sunbathing, herself. There was nothing better to do for her, since her bikini was most assuradly not made for swimming. "I shall agree, this feels too, too good, yes?"
Ranma sat in lotus position, staring out longingly into the ocean. As much as she wanted to feel herself submerged in the warm waters, her own outfit shared a comment defect with Shampoo's, being they wouldn't stand up to much resistance.
There was also the issue of the boys standing nearby ogling the three of them. Shampoo, Ranma would have decked them on principle. Herself, she would have hit them for making her feel rather disturbed. Nabiki, she would bury them in that very beach if they didn't stop staring. Furthering Ranma's dwindling attitude was the fact that Nabiki seemed to be soaking up the attention. As brazen, shameless, and ostentatious as Ranma thought Nabiki was being, she held her tongue... since she could look down upon herself, and realize she had no room to let that loose tongue fly.
Nabiki looked over at the redheaded girl, and sighed. With Ranma's mood falling, it was taking hers with it, "Ranma, something wrong?"
The pigtailed girl shrugged, "S'nothing important."
"Well, if it's not all that important, why are you acting like you've got your own personal raincloud?" Nabiki enquired in a jovial tone, hoping to at least get the girl to lighten up a little.
Ranma sighed, getting the feeling the subject wasn'tgoingto be dropped, "I dunno, I just gotta lot on my mind, alright?"
"Well, how about sharing?" Nabiki enquired, as Shampoo looked over to see what the commotion was about.
"Not right now," the redhead replied, sternly, turning away to look back out to the ocean.
"Come on, Ranma," Nabiki urged, turning over onto her side to fully face the girl, "This obviously is going to eat at you until you say something about it."
"I'll, we can talk about it later, okay?"
"Why not now?" Nabiki continued to coerce, genuinely feeling put down by Ranma's refusal to open up.
"Later." Ranma said with finality, a tone Nabiki could never recall ever hearing from Ranma. Deciding it was best not to provoke her signifigant other, Nabiki let it drop for the time being. Unfortunately, a couple of emboldened young men didn't realize they picked one of the worst possible moments.
"Hey... I've never seen a girl around here with red hair before," one boy started, coming up from behind Ranma, "That's pretty exotic looking. I bet your boyfriend must love it."
Ranma grimaced at the thought of having a boyfriend, as Nabiki rolled her eyes at the bumbling introduction the boy was giving. "I ain't got a boyfriend," Ranma stated, firmly, wondering when this day decided to take a right turn straight into her personal hell. Nabiki's hand shot up to her forehead, as she and Shampoo internally groan. Leave it to Ranma to say the exact wrong thing that would encourage the punk.
"Oh really?" the boy turned to look at his friends in the distance, giving them a triumphant smile, "Well, I can't see a beautiful girl like you being single like that. It's really a crime!"
At the success the first boy was having, a second became brave enough to approach Shampoo, "Hey... Chinese, right? I would like to say that I don't have anything against your people, especially if the girls are as cute as you."
Shampoo yawned, and remained reclined on her back. with a flick of her left wrist, she seemed to produce a nearly foot long dagger from thin air. After doing so, she stabbed it into the ground, burying the blade deep into the sand.
The second boy gulped at the display, "Um, maybe I'll see you around?"
Shampoo didn't even turn to look at the boy, "Maybe."
"Shampoo, it really isn't a good idea to be carrying weapons onto the beach," Nabiki chided, wondering why Cologne didn't stop the girl, herself. The middle-aged woman then turned to meet Ranma's dilemma, "And young man, if you hadn't noticed, my *daughter* isn't in the mood right now." The pigtailed girl then turned to look at Nabiki curiously, not sure what Nabiki was up to.
The young boy nearly baulked at the obviously over-protective mother, but quickly recovered, "Daughter? I thought the two of you were sisters!"
"Hey!" Ranma shouted, feeling indignant at the comparison.
"How flattering of you," Nabiki replied, fighting a sigh down; it seemed as if pickup lines didn't get any better with generations, "but as sweet as you seem, I'm afraid that us four girls are enjoying a private party."
The boy blinked, and looked around, "Four?"
"If you like, sonny-boy, I'm available!"
Turning around, and looking every direction severaltimes but one, the boy finally looked down to find a decrepid mummy that had managed to escape it's tomb, and from the gear it was wearing, planned on enjoying some fun in the waters.
"Um.... I have to be somewhere." Cologne didn't seem all that dejected when the boy and his friend took off, running.
"My, young men are so bold these days, do you girls not agree?" Cologne enquired, almost cackling.
Nabiki looked over at Ranma, "Sorry about that, Ranma-hon, sometimes you just have to learn to ignore the guys. Eventually they'll get the hint."
Ranma jolted slightly at the comment, before standing up, "I'm gonna go take a walk." Without waiting for any reply, the pigtailed girl was already jogging away.
Nabiki blinked, turning to look at Shampoo, who shrugged, just as confused as her, and then Cologne, who was smiling cryptically. Nabiki could only guess from the smile that she managed to say something that didn't set well with her potential love interest.
_________________
Nabiki quickly got up, and was about to jog after Ranma, before rmembering her own modesty. The bikini she was wearing was far from supportive, and she doubted it would make it even a couple of yards before she was giving a free show. Intead of having to bother with keeping her arms over her chest, she grabbed her beach towel, and wrapped it around her torso. Once it was secure, she took off in pursuit.
Cologne turned to her own heir, who was still staring after Nabiki with concern, "Well, what are you waiting for, girl? Go after your husband, and at least show him that you can be a caring friend to him as well as a dutiful wife!"
Shampoo snapped back to look at her Great Grandmother, and almost argued against Ranma's status to her. Her mouth slammed shut and with a sigh, obediently nodded.
Shampoo was trained well enough to continue fighting in a reduced outfit, and didn't have the same issues as Nabiki about gaining in pursuit. Watching her descendant take off in prsuit, Cologne smiled to herself. Now, all she had to do was impede Nabiki's progress, possibly with some misleading clues as to where Ranma headed. She doubted the middle aged woman would catch up with Ranma immidiately, which would give Shampoo a chance to be the one that caught up with the pigtailed girl. As it was, whatever Nabiki said to set Ranma off would most likely make her persona non grata to the redhead, so it was probably for the best that Shampoo be the one that found her first.
Cologne began in a different direction, hoping to be fast enough to intercept Nabiki. Yes, it was a good thing she was around to make sure things didn't get worse...
"YOU! DIE!!!"
At the sound of her Great Granddaughter's scream of outrage, Colgone stopped short, almost tumbling onto her face from her staff. From the outright indignant rage Shampoo managed to convey in her cry, Cologne already had an inkling of what just happened.
"Hotcha! Shampoo dear! Did you wear this for me? Why, there's barely anything there!"
With a gutteral growl, Cologne went to join Shampoo, and the current onslaught of girls chasing him. She decided that beating him until he stopped breathing just wouldn't suffice this time.
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Nabiki was sorely tempted to give up the search after two hours, with no sign of the pigtailed girl or boy. She could assume that if Ranma wanted to stay hidden, she would.
At the moment, she was merely walking aimlessly along the beachside. She wasn't self-concious of roaming around in only her bikini, since it wasn't a rare sight, but she held the beach towel around herself a little tighter.
Her own attitude had taken a steep decline since she went after Ranma, as well as her morale. She felt irritated and downtrodden, because she was angry at Ranma for her abrupt departure without telling her that anything was wrong, and because she wanted to tell Ranma she was sorry for whatever she did or said.
It was infuriating, not even knowing what had gotten the girl's goat, plus that Nabiki didn't even know she was walking on eggshells until it was too late. When she finally did see her... or him, she wasn't sure if she was going to plead for Ranma's forgiveness, or pound her signifigant other flat for worrying her like that.
Chances are that Ranma would be back at the hotel by now, but at the thought, Nabiki wasn't so sure if she really wanted to confront him... or her right now. Reaching into her cleavage, Nabiki pulled out a money pouch that she kept on her just in case. She walked into a nearby store, and moments later walked out wearing a baige tanktop and khaki shorts. Putting her hands into her pockets, Nabiki continued her pointless meandering, looking along the beachside with a tired and saddened gaze. Every so often she would have to shift her expression to irritation to scare off any potential suiters that thought a distressed looking woman such as herself would be easy pickings.
For the first time since they started the vacation, Nabiki some time to herself. It wasn't intentional, and truthfully, all that much wanted. She really wanted to spend time with Ranma, just enjoying his company... if nothing else of his, but she took the time regardless.
Only the second day, and she was already regretting this vacation. Starting it with the flight, in which it took the combined efforts of herself, Cologne, and Shampoo to keep Happosai at a restrained manner, as to which Ranma himself wasn't helping any, unwittingly encouraging the old man by responding to his antagonization. Then, arriving at their hotel, she was forced to make her intentions clear to Ranma before Shampoo, Happosai, Ranma, and a total stranger (that bellhop's been giving her peculiar looks everytime she'd seen him, now), starting a cold war between her and Cologne. The old woman wasn't going to be direct about it, but Nabiki was sure she was going to take every opportunity to drive a wedge between her and Ranma.
Disbarring Happosai's romp last night, which thankfully she hadn't heard about from the hotel management, she managed to unintentionally tap a nerve with Ranma. Normally, being experienced with relationships, Nabiki would have simply let Ranma blow off steam, and let the whole incident slide. Unfortunately, even if they fundamentally acted the same, Nabiki wasn't sure how Ranma would take being blown off like that. She was afraid that she could manage to tick Ranma off enough for even him to decide not to bother with them as a indesclosed couple, since he already didn't like the idea about hiding their relationship from the public, but understood the prudence of it.
Nabiki didn't want to lose him, she was very aware of her still growing feelings for him. They were already powerful, but now they've seemed to gain a new vigor and potency. Every stolen glance Ranma gave her, Nabiki cherished, even if she did pretend to not notice them. She could feel Ranma's eyes occasionally trace down from her face, down to her chest, before orbiting the silouette of her figure. It was a feeling like laying in the sun's light, having it warm you in the somewhat chilled air. The fluttering sensation made it hard for her to turn to acknowledge Ranma shy attempts at checkingher out, lest she scare him away. Just subtly altering her body language or 'unintentionally' enhancing herself with an available platform at chest level, she hoped she was encouraging him, because she was becoming addicted to the attention.
Nabiki sheilded her eyes, as the streetlight overhead switched on. It was then she noticed how dark it was getting, and turned to look west to see the sun setting over the island. She wished she had the foresight to stay in the most western part of Kogashima, so that she could watch the sun fall into the ocean, as night took its turn in the sky. Nonetheless, the sky over towards the land was painted in oranges and pinks that faded to hues of purple. She turned to the oceans looking out to the Pacific ocean, looking into the calm, barely crested waters and violet sky that faded to midnight at the horizon with twinges of diamond dust twinkling within. It certainly looked tranquil, and with the sparse crowds on the beach stonewalk, it helped the ambiance. As beautiful as the whole enviroment was, Nabiki could only feel... lonely.
It was too romantic, it was a sight that brought couples closer together, as they quietly sampled each others presence. Lonliness was something Nabiki had been able to accept for a great deal of time. Now, she had Ranma, and with the realization she didn't HAVE to be alone, that feeling of solice stung.
Wistfully tearing her eyes from the sight, Nabiki decided that she walked far enough to where she would probably need a cab to get back already, considering how long she had been walking, she continued down the beach. She stopped at a point where the beachwalk was at the edge of a steep drop into the ocean, the base of it littered with tiny islands that jutted out of the not too shallow water.
Looking out into the now dark evening sky for what she thought would be the last time this night. Nabiki began to turn to get a ride back to her hotel. Just as she was turning away, her eyes managed to catch movement on one of the small islands below her. Looking closer, she almost gasped in deligh; it seemed the fates had intentionally directed her to where she needed to be.
The girl sitting on the island didn't even turn around, when she heard the soft landing just a few feet behind her. "Hey, Nabiki."
The middle aged woman paused, "How did you know it was me?"
Ranma shrugged, not turning around still, "Landing was too heavy to be either Shampoo, the old Ghoul, or the Letch, and I doubted anyone else would bother trying to get down here without making a scene."
"Was that a crack about my weight, Ranma?" Nabiki retorted in mock indignation, extremely happy to see the girl. Ranma didn't respond to the jibe, causing Nabiki to remember the reason she had been chasing Ranma in the first place, "Ranma-hon, what's wrong?" Nabiki sat next to Ranma, and watched the redhead with concentrated concern.
Ranma sighed, bowing her head down to look at the water below them, "Nabiki, if you... if you would rather not have me as your boyfriend, I'd understand."
Nabiki managed to hide her shock at the question, "Ranma, what in the world put that idea in your head?"
The pigtailed girl rubbed her toe against the smooth rock under them, "Well, it just seems as if you're kinda doing this to humor me. This ain't about me, you know? If you really want me to get the point, you can just come right out and tell me, instead of beating around the bush and all."
Nabiki suddenly realized what she had said wrong that caused Ranma to take off like she did. Feeling the hollow pit just under her sternum, all Nabiki could manage was a whisper, "Oh, Ranma, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." She herself turned to look out into the ocean, "Does it really seem like that to you?"
Ranma took a while before answering, "Nabiki, I... I just don't know, alright?" The pigtailed girl turned to look at Nabiki, not bothering to hide the emotion on her face, or finding it impossible to even attempt, "You finally admit it that we're, well, a couple, but it was like you did it just to spite Cologne." Ranma turned away, "At the time, I didn't think much of it. In fact, I was pretty happy about it. But then later on, it was like, well..."
Ranma looked down at herself, causing Nabiki to follow her glance, "It was like you weren't even gonna listen to what I want after that. I mean you chose the restaurant for us. It was nice, I admit, but it wasn't really what I had in mind." Nabiki distinctly recalled Ranma's eyes staring lustfully at an 'all you can eat' buffet sign hard enough to make Nabiki jealous, before she had told him she had somewhere in mind for the three of them.
"Then, you get me into this getup, even after I told you, several times, that I didn't want to wear it." Nabiki had the good graces to be shamefaced at that. She knew she had guilted Ranma into it, more for her own amusement than any true practicality. Basically, she had treated Ranma like a barbie doll, and considered the pigtailed *boy* turned girl's feelings about as much as she would said toy.
"I could overlook all that, because..." Once more, Ranma looked back at Nabiki, this time the streetlights above them managing to reflect the gloss tha was now coating her eyes, "...because you were enjoying it, and I guess I was glad you were." Ranma closed her eyes tightly, as if willing herself to remain calm, Nabiki knew from experience that what Ranma was holding back would not stay unabated. Without the girl having to say anymore, Nabiki knew and understood all she had to make up to Ranma.
Nevertheless, with a shakey voice, Ranma continued, "You... when you said... back with Shampoo... and... and..."
Nabiki wrapped her arms around Ranma, and began to speak so that Ranma wouldn't have to continue. "Ranma... I don't think I could ever tell you how sorry I am."
"You're always telling me you're sorry," Ranma managed to stay above a whisper, her voice tainted with a hint of anger.
"But this time, I mean it far beyond anything I've ever put my word to," Nabiki answered, adimantly, without any of the timidness of the previous times she had apologised to Ranma. "Ranma, look at me."
Ranma managed to force her eyes open,as she felt Nabiki's thumb trail along her cheek to catch a tear. Nabiki took a deep breath, before saying what she felt had to be said. "I didn't really think you felt that deeply about this. Hell, I didn't even understand my own feelings on the matter." Giving Ranma a weak version of her sardonic smirk, the older woman continued, "I mean, this isn't the most orthodox of relationships." The smile left her face, as she replaced it with a passionate seriousness that Ranma had never seen from her, "but I guess you've always, as corny as this is going to sound, understood where your heart was."
Nabiki's own voice almost cracked, as she had to drop it to a whisper, "You love me."
Ranma's eyes were cast downward, before they closed, and she whispered her reply, "Yeah, I do." Ranma felt her chin lightly grasped, and lifted. She opened her eyes once again, and nearly broke down at the silent tears Nabiki was shedding.
Nabiki didn't care about Ranma's age, or her current gender. She now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt where she lay in Ranma's heart, and the spot the cursed teen resided in hers.
The street lamps above could only cast a miniscule light upon the couple sharing their most sensuous, most intimate kiss they could ever muster.
