'Older'
Ranma tore out the front door, looking around wildly, desperately. He needed not see the white BMW in the driveway to know who had slammed the door. It had also been too much to hope that whomever slammed the door had just been entering, instead of exiting. Even with this hope, Ranma knew all to well, immidiately, that he had unresoundingly messed things up, big time. Things weren't as damning as they seemed to anyone who had observed the simple, thanking kiss offered by Shampoo, but it was signifigant enough towards one person.
Ranma's eyes just barely caught movement across the street; a barely noticable silouette of the top of a head bobbing above the line of a rooftop. It was almost impossible to see against the darkness in the night sky, and Ranma would have potentially dismissed it as his imagination, but things were too desperate to second guess anything.
"NABIKI! WAIT!" Ranma shouted out, quickly taking off for the Shibuya rooftops. He almost felt relieved, when he saw an all too familiar figure launching herself from rooftop to rooftop heading northwards. Ranma pushed himself to close the distance as quickly as he could, straining his muscles to heed how imperative it was for him to catch up with the woman he knew without a doubt he loved. However, Nabiki was proving that his previous accessments of her speed needed to be rethought.
Even forcing himself to his max, any distance lost between the two was intensely minimal at best. Nabiki's run was purposeful, yet almost erratic; it was almost as if she were barely able to focus. Instead she relied on years of praticed skill, as she attempted to put as much distance between her and Ranma as possible. Regardless of how good Ranma was realizing Nabiki possibly was, he was growing excutiatingly concerned for her, and not simply over her emotional state.
She was distraught, that much he could see. Even if he wasn't aware that she walked in on a bad situation, he could see the lack of focus, and the wild, almost uncontrolled sprinting steps she was making. If she didn't start paying more attention to what she was doing she-
"Damn! NO!" Ranma shouted, even more adrenaline pumping through his system, while he concentrated on pouring the majority of his life essence simply into running faster. Nabiki's mis-step sent her sprawling near the edge of the roof she was on, and he hoped to whatever higher powers that heard him would allow him just the simple boon of reaching her before any physical harm could come.
The gods did him a favor more, as the middle-aged woman managed to recover, just as she rolled forward off the rooftop. her hand lashed out, snagging the edge, and swung her other arm over to add support. With both hands soundly latched onto the stormdrain, she kicked both her feet against the wall of the house, launching herself backwards in a fluid somersault that carried her possibly fifteen meters to the next rooftop. She landed facing Ranma, and with her feet barely even touching down, she back hand sprung once, performed a half gator, and continued running away.
Ranma almost paused, just to simply watch Nabiki move, but circumstance forced prudence. Her stumble had awarded him with precious time, as she also had to rebuild the speed she had lost during her fault and recovery. With a growl of determination, Ranma ran hard, before he gave an almost primal shout, launching himself from the roof Nabiki nearly fell from. His jump completely carried him over two rooftops, and if he had been concerned, he would have been completely impressed with setting a new personal record. At the moment, his only care was stopping Nabiki so he could say something, anything, just whatever he could.
He landed just behind Nabiki by only a scant couple of meters, and almost cried out in celebration, but he was well aware that the battle was far from won.
"Nabiki, just stop and listen for a minu-" Ranma demanded, closing their small gap, and reaching out to grab ahold of her shoulder. Suddenly, the middle-aged woman ducked, surprising Ranma with the speed of her reflexes. The pigtailed boy looked down to follow her descent, prepared for anything.
Anything exept her expression. Gods, it was both beautiful, and terrible, heartbreaking and breathtaking at once; paradoxes that left him frozen. The shed tears that glistened from her eyes and cheeks via the moonlight, the snarl that mangled her beautiful, matured face with betrayal and unyeilding pain, the reddened eyes caused by the sting that was brought to them by her heart; they all held Ranma rapt, and shattered him more forcefully than any physical blow.
And thus, he was unprepared for the heel Nabiki launched into his chin through a vertical kick. Ranma's head snapped back, as he was sent careening off the roof, idly glad he had just enough presence of himself to at least attempting to roll with the blow. A quick tuck and somersault backwards allowed him to regain his equalibrium, as he landed in the house's back yard. Not even interested in checking his injuries, and the first spatters of condensation from skyward, Ranma leapt back up to resume his chase. He had to admit, though, her blow was definitely potent, and he had to fight the sensation of swimmingness through his senses. She also had exellent reflexes, and had to wonder where she developed them. He had watched her train almost every day, but never saw her display any of the qualities she did just now.
Happosai... Ranma then remembered the broken window in his room, and Nabiki explaining the incident to him. He knew from experience that the old pervert was *fast*, and hadn't considered until within that brief split second of gaining back to the roofs, that the old man would have made Nabiki's life miserable, if she hadn't been able to evade him well enough.
The clever little... he'd been training both Nabiki and him!
Ranma landed; his feet pushing off in preparation to dash in whatever direction he saw his quarry. Unfortunately, he saw naught a sign of Nabiki. There as no movement that he could make out, there were no sounds other than the typical late pedestrians that disturbed the serenity of the neighborhood. He strained, as if he would only hear Nabiki's flight, or her quiet sobs, but it was a futile effort at best.
"NABIKI!" the pigtailed boy cried out, knowing a responce would not willingly come. "NABIKI!!!"
Ranma was not willing to give up, fueled by both desperation and determination. The growing downpour wouldn't even deter her, as the redheaded girl continued to methodically scan both the rooftops and the streets below. Ranma could only hope he found Nabiki before it was too late, if it wasn't already. If she could simply explain things, tell Nabiki that the woman was mistaken, that there was nothing between him and Shampoo. She wanted to tell Nabiki that everything was alright, that she could never in a million years take someone over her. Just... talk to her.
In a shadowed alleyway, Nabiki leaned her forehead against the cold, brick surface with her arms folded on her head, allowing the lightly pounding rain to drench her hair, and mingle with her tears. The droplets of sorrow, both from a destroyed woman, and the heavens, met with the remorseless cement foundation under her. Slowly, she sank down, pulled to the earth almost bonelessly by her own grief.
Ranma, the one who had been so sincere that no other girl would attract his attention from her. Ranma,the one who had been so adimant in how he felt about her. Ranma, who vowed his sole desire was for her happiness... he... he...
It hurt too much to even think the word, as Nabiki looked to the night sky for whatever answer it could give. Now the moon had gone into cover beyond the angry rainclouds, leaving only a fuzzy darkness that was tainted by the light polution that reached skywards. Even the heavenly body refused to witness her pain, nor would it or its celestial kin provide answers. The wet, apathetic ground under her gave no comfort, and the temporate, stale air gave no sympathy. She was alone; a lonely, miserable woman, once again broken, possibly this time beyond repair.
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It was almost four, when Ranma finally stumbled back into Nabiki's home; her movements listless, automatic. Shampoo approached the red headed girl cautiously, as if she were nearing an injured deer that she only wished to offer help. It was well past either of them to have been in bed, but understandably, the Amazon couldn't sleep, and chose to await Ranma or Nabiki's return, praying it was at the same time.
"I...I couldn't find her," Ranma said, in a hauntingly giddy voice. A ghost of a smile gave some emotional hue to her face beyond the pale shock, but it lacked any mirth, and possibly any genuine purpose but for irony. "I.. just lost her... I..."
Ranma didn't even realize she was suddenly hugging Shampoo back, as the expression on Nabiki's face, the last one she had seen on it, remained burned into her mind like a ruined projector.
"I... I lost her," Ranma whispered through shuddering breaths. The double-meaning was not lost on the equally tearful Shampoo.
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Kasumi growled to herself, it wasn't even six yet, and she heard the doorbell. She had already been up for the morning, but it still irritated her that there were people who didn't comprehend when it was most proper to make a visit.
Opening the door with her mastered faux smile, it took a moment to register who stood before her. "Oh... God, Nabiki?"
"You... you were right... deities... you were right."
______________________
Morning, things didn't feel as bad as they did last night; last night when...
Ranma forced the sudden swell of emotion from the front of his mind, leaving only a numbness that had lingered since he failed to locate Nabiki. He raised his head from his knees, feeling the wooden door against his back as it rolled against his spine. His eyes adjusted to the dim light that was offered by the scarce rays of the sun, finding himself in the hallway he had fallen asleep in.
He began to stand up, looking over his shoulder to the door he had been against. He had stayed at the entrance to Nabiki's room, as in some sort of vain hope that she would return. It almost seemed humorous to him, once again something just had to happen. They should have been happily ever after by now, there was nothing left to get in their way.
Wrong. Of course, something would happen, something ALWAYS happened, and it always started with her. She wouldn't admit her feelings, she didn't believe the sincerity of his feelings, and now, she simply didn't even give him the chance to speak his innocence. The pigtailed young man fought the urge to pound through something, anything nearby. The picture was all clear to her, why was he even bothering?
No, he, firmly declared to himself, he would not let this all just... just go away. He had fought too hard for this; a battle that was beyond exhausting, gained inch by perilous inch up the practically vertical incline, and he was right there. He wasn't simply going to slide back down, this was FAR from over.
As he stood up, a phone in the room to his left rang. He peered in the slightly ajar door, finding himself in Nabiki's den. This had been the one room he hadn't been in, and it had never occured to him the reason why. His eyes scryed the room: catching the fuzzy light eminated from the computer moniter, the shelf full of books and technical manuals, the filing cabinets against the pale burgundy walls that were almost soothing in their hue, and the wooden almost skeletal computer desk that the ringing phone sat on.
He jolted, when he heard Nabiki's voice suddenly, before realizing it was the answering machine. The tone sounded, allowing the caller to voice their message.
"[Hello, Mr. Saotome, this is Kasumi, Nabiki's sister. I see you are unable to answer the phone at the moment, but I sincerely hope you are capable of recieving this message. I think it would be best if you leave soon. I am positive your mother will be more than accomidating. If you would like, I can call her-]"
Ranma picked up the phone suddenly, "Nabiki, let me speak with her."
The long pause at the end allowed him to feel the knot building in his chest, before the reply came, "I'm afraid I can't do that, nor am I willing to do so."
"Damn it! I NEED to talk to her!" Ranma demanded, not being deterred in the slightest.
"No." If anything, Kasumi's voice became colder, "You've done enough to her. Get out of her house, before someone has to remove you... and one other thing. I am not oblivious, stay away from my son."
"What? Hey? HEY!" Ranma shouted over the phone, already knowing the other party was gone. His eyes rolled downcast, as he gently hung the phone back up.
"Quite a situation you got there."
For the second time that morning, Ranma jumped, and looked to find Happosai sitting calmly on Nabiki's computer moniter. Allowing a shadow of annoyance to cross his expression, Ranma turned away to leave Nabiki's home office, "I'm not in the mood for this."
"Boy, if you walk out that door, you'll lose one of the few allies you have at the moment."
Ranma paused, and turned back to the diminuative martial artist, "What do you want?"
"What I want, is a happy ending to this fairy tale," Happosai quipped, before taking a puff of his pipe, "By the way, you won't tell Nabiki about this. If she found out I was smoking in her office, she'd skin me alive."
"You think you can help me with this," Ranma asked, sceptically.
The tone wasn't lost on Happosai. "Listen, I should be one of those few and building legions of people who would like nothing more than to beat the crap outta you six ways till doomsday," the old martial artist said with a threatening tone, before he leaned back, "Lucky for you, I happen to advocate playing the fields, nothing like testing the waters before settling down, HA!"
Ranma almost felt disgusted at the comment, "No thanks, your help I can do without." Ranma turned to walk away, reaching the threshold of the room.
"STOP!" Happosai shouted, as if commanding one of his student's obedience. Ranma did pause, more surprised at himself for doing so than Happosai's demand.
"That..." Happosai continued, leaping from the moniter, and walking up to Ranma. He passed under the young man's legs, and stood in front of him, "is why I trust you, boy. I'm not as stupid as to believe it was something as clean cut as infidelity. Quite frankly, I doubt you have it in you for that sort of thing."
"You done playing games with me? I have things I need to do."
"Not yet, you don't," Happosai countered, "Here, let's go to the kitchen to get a pack of ice for that glass jaw of yours."
Ranma felt his jaw, tenderly caressing the red mark where Nabiki's heel connected soundly. "See what you get for underestimating her? There's always more to it than meets the eye, boy. Nabiki's not a master of the art, she didn't push herself as far as her sister, or as far as I even would have liked her to go."
"You were training her the whole time." Ranma asked, though it was more of a statment, "All the grope attempts, the harrassments..."
"Not as dense as the granite sound your head makes suggests," Happosai quipped, as they entered the kitchen. He leapt up to the top of the refrigerator, opened it from above, and reached in for an ice pack that Nabiki tended to keep just in case. "She's still a martial artist, just one in a more civilized world. The two of you were so afraid of hurting one another at that laughable attempt at a spar, that it made me want to just simply revoke your rights to practice. I hoped that eventually, the two of you would get to know each other better in the... heh heh... physical sense... and maybe understand that each of you aren't as delicate as your hearts wanted to tell you."
"Do you know where she is?" Ranma asked, deciding to at least put a tenuous trust in the old man.
"She's at the Tendou home, the only other place she would probably feel safe... since you're here," Happosai replied, sounding empathetic to the young man.
Ranma immidiately stood up, "Then I-"
"Will sit there, now." Happosai closed the freezer, leapt down, and then jumped onto the table to be at least somewhat level with Ranma. The ancient martial artist handed him the ice pack, and motioned Ranma to sit down. "What are you going to do when you get there? Demand she see you? Tell her it's all some misunderstanding? Tell her you love her and you never meant to hurt her? Yeah, that'll be a real hoot; I'm almost tempted to let you go just to see the sparks fly."
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Ranma enquired.
Happosai ignored the question, "You see, son, I know you already are aware of her previous man problems. Quite frankly, as long as I knew her, Nabiki isn't quite as secure with herself as she would like you to believe."
"What do you mean?" Ranma asked, finding the information conflicting with how he saw the woman.
"For the longest time, when she was a teenager, she didn't have a boyfriend, at least a real one. Sure she dated a few guys, but in the end blackmailed them to never mentioning their outtings, after milking them for all they were worth... I had to admit, the girl had charm back in her youth!"
"Why are you telling me this?" Ranma asked, impatiently.
"College she was a little better, from what I'm told," Happosai continued, "Wasn't there myself, had a little incident with my students, a keg of dynamite, and a cave up north. At least these old bones got a good nap from it."
"Get to the point."
"Some guy name Saito managed to spoil it for her, though," Happosai grunted in irritation at the name, "At least you didn't attempt to blame Nabiki, when she caught you with Shampoo."
"There was nohing between us, I dunno what happened, honest!"
"I'm not the one that needs to be convinced of this," the old man replied, "And I believe you anyways. Back to the point, once bitten, twice shy," Happosai said, solumnly, "Twice bitten..."
"So, now she thinks I'm like this Saito jerk? Great!"
"There's nothing 'great' about it, that's what we're going to change... her opinion on you, back to the way it should be."
"And what's this ingenious plan you got for me?"
Happosai smiled a devious smile, "Why, you will meet her, of course, on your own terms..."
______________________
"Father! Father I must speak with you!" Shampoo demanded, running into the Cat Cafe, as her father was beginning preparations for opening.
At the distress of his daughter's voice, Ku Shui immidiately ceased what he was doing, "Shampoo? What is amiss?"
The young lavender haired girl stopped before her father, attempting to swallow her breaths, "I... I greatly need your assistance. I do not know who else to turn to!"
Mr. Xian's expression grew even more worried, "Please explain as best you can!"
"Nabiki, and Ranma, they, she..." Even as the names were mentioned, Ku Shui's blood ran cold, not just from the thought that something may have happened to the two of them, or between the two of them, but of another overlooked fact by his daughter.
"Xian Pu, perhaps we should continue this conversation else-"
"No, it is rather comfortable here, and my great granddaughter has apparently tirelessly made it here with great urgency," a third voice came in.
The young Amazon paled, realizing the disasterous error she made, as she turned to find the foremost elder of her family, Xian Khun Lon, standing at the door to the kitchen. "Why don't you sit," Cologne requested in Japanese, gesturing to one of the tables within the restaurant, "and start from the very beginning."
______________________
Nabiki held the cup in her hands tightly, unsure if her grip would remain steady if she didn't. The bags forming under eyes from crying and lack of sleep marred the nearly flawless complextion she had taken for granted at her age. Reddened eyes that still stung with heartache no longer carried the youthful and vibrant gleam that she hadproudly maintained; douncast towards the small pool of dark, luke warm liquid in ceramic that she held. The subtle smile that her face always rested in that hinted at a playfulness and intelligence now drew into an emotionless frown. Neck length cropped hair that just seemed to always fall perfectly into place, now showed signs of discare from her vain attempts at slumber. For once, Nabiki looked, and felt, old.
Like battlescars within her psyche, two painfully similar memories drew ghost pains of the past that seemed to pain her more the longer they remained fresh on her mind, and no matter what she thought, they wouldn't go away. Two men, one young, one older, both tearing into her heart like dual serrated blades, ensuring to leave damage that would be next to impossible to recover from. Two women, one young, one older, both friends that she had at one point put a great deal of trust in; too, too much trust as it appeared.
Her bottom lip trembled, as she once again desperately attempted to banish older and newer betrayals, but futility prevailed. Oh, how she wished she could give Ranma the benefit of the doubt. She had seen Shampoo kiss him several times in the past. The girl even kissed her once, simply to prove a point. The difference that shredded into her soul and heart... was that Ranma was kissing back.
She could remember her outrage, her shouts and demands for the two of them to get out of her house. She also remembered his audacity, as he proclaimed it was she who pushed him to such desperation. She was more apologetic, but it did not help her case any. Neither of them did Nabiki ever see again, exept in the hallowed, shadowed hall of her mind that the worst of her experiences lurked.
Her nearly blind flee remained vivid on her mind, as she still felt the shock through her being like angry jolts of electricty. Her mind still buzzed like a swarm of bees, intermingling with the confusion she felt thick in her thoughts. Why would he have done this? Did he truly do it? Was there more to this?
Unfortunately, these questions would not be confronted, for that was the tragic flaw of Nabiki Tendou. She feared intimacy, because of her greater fear of betrayal. Even to her own family, she rarely showed any signs of deep affection, afraid they would one day be gone like her mother. Her friends mostly knew her carefree, confident facade, with only one ever being fortunate enough to meet the woman beneith that craved, yearned for a deeper relationship. That friend was gone now, pushed away because of her own self conciousness.
Impossibly, a boy, a young man old enough to be her son, doggedly fought against her, working to claim the prize within her breast that demanded it be taken. And in a single instant, Ranma had discarded it, as if her heart were no longer of value in his posession.
Nabiki jolted, as she felt a gentle hand against her back, before turning to find the concerned eyes of her eldest sister looking back at her.
"Nabiki... are you...?" Kasumi trailed off, chiding herself for such a rediculous question. She knew full well Nabiki couldn't handle this situation. She wasn't as strong as she pretended to be.
"I'll be fine," Nabiki replied, almost mechanically. Then, the first signs of emotion since Kasumi laid her sister to bed in her own room bled through, as the middle-aged woman snorted, while attempting to form a smile. "It's funny, like I was expecting this the whole time. I just didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to think that someone that I had... he..."
Kasumi embraced her sister, allowing Nabiki some of her strength to pull together, muttering hollow words of comfort that the woman in her arms couldn't feel.
Nabiki managed to hold the shudders down, and regain her voice, "Pretty much a self-fulfilling prophecy, isn't it?"
"No," Kasumi retorted, "You are not to blame for this. Don't think because you suspected the truth, that you brought it on yourself."
"Maybe," Nabiki replied, wiping the tears from her eyes.
A few more moments of silence progressed, before Kasumi pulled away, and stood. "Do you think you will be okay to eat breakfast?"
"Why did he do it, Kasumi?" Nabiki counter-questioned.
"Because he's too young to understand things. He's brash, impulsive, and unthinking," Kasumi stated. "It's best that things happened this way, though I truly wish they handn't."
Nabiki remained silent, somehow not believing that to be the truth. Not in the least.
______________________
Ranma watched the large home, not actually seeing Nabiki, but feeling her presence like stale flood waters; choking and dampening everything in their vicinity. It affected him like nothing else ever had.
"I don't.. I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore," Ranma whispered, almost too quietly for his partner.
"Ranma, this isn't about feeling sorry for one or the other anymore," Happosai scolded, "Now, it's a battle, and whining about things ain't gonna win it for you!"
"I can't just *fight* her!" Ranma retorted, finding Happosai's analogy ludicrous.
"Ranma, if you want this, really want this, you will have to take her seriously." The old man closed his eyes, "Not as some fragile old woman, but as an equal. You want her to listen to you, you have to demand her attention."
"This isn't something I can punch at, old freak! And it ain't like I haven't ever taken her seriously!"
Happosai refrained from showing his displeasure, understanding the duress Ranma was under, "Then do what you want. Screw it up, and you'll have to deal with me, too!"
Ranma could feel the undercurrent of hostility Happosai finally relenquished his hold on. If Happosai himself was also angry at him, then...
"Why?"
"I told you already," the ancient martial artist responded, "I believe the two of you can work out just fine, if the both of you would just grow up." Happosai turned away, looking over Nerima, "Don't think I'll let you get away with finishing her off, though. Nabiki is... she's the only one who's treated this old man with some respect. It's time I did something truly to express my gratitude to her."
Ranma nodded, though not sure what was being explained.
"She was the only one that would have anything to do with me, and still considered this 'old freak', as you enjoy calling me, family." Happosai turned back to Ranma with a serious expression, "And if anything, Happosai does right by family."
Before Ranma could reply, the old man grinned, looking towards the house, "Show time... it's been a while since I've actually had the pleasure of Kasumi's aquaintance!"
Ranma felt a mild satisfaction from that comment.
______________________
Kaoru quietly came downstairs, after dressing for school. He wasn't sure what was going on, but avoided his aunt for the morning best he could. Not once in his life had he seen her like she was now, and it actually scared him. She was the cool aunt, the unflappable one,the one that pretty much set te definition for 'collected' in his opinion. And now...
Not wanting to contemplate it anymore, he decided to leave early, and stop on the way to school for a bite.
"IIIIEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
His hand froze, as he was reaching down to pick up his schoolbag. That shrill scream was his mother's! With trained reflexes that had been recently honed and pushed to become better, the young Ono quickly rushed to the kitchen, and found his mother dancing around, as a lump moved around her dress. His face dropped at the surrealness before him, locked into place.
Kasumi screamed, drawing Nabiki's attention, just in time to witness the lump that had been shifting rhoughout Kasumi's outfit suddenly jump out of her neckline, boucing around with a bra.
"WONDERBRA! WONDERBRA! This beauty's keep'n you look'n ten years younger, Kasumi dear!"
Kaoru's eyes went wide in utter terror. Happosai was back, and he just accousted his mother, most likely before she had her morning nicotine fix. She would be impossible to live with for the next few days. With that in mind, the young man decided that he hadn't been all that fair to his father, and he should spend some time with him. He would call his Mother to inform her of his decision from his father's home.
Nabiki ignored her nephew's departure, concentrating on the scene before her. How dare he. How dare the old letch pull this stunt, especially at this time. She sat there, clutching her fists until her short nails bit into her palms, seething, and finding her anger preferrable to what she was experiencing previously.
Kasumi didn't take her molestation nearly as well as Nabiki, as her battle-aura flared to life, and she reached into the knife holder, pulling out the largest butcher knife available.
"Uh oh," Happosai chirped, before leaping from the ceramic tiled counter, just before the knife Kasumi was holding buried into it up to the hilt without shattering the tiles. Tracking the bouncing object of her ire, Kasumi turned, and swung. Happosai barely managed to twist in time, and landed on the opposite side of the room. Just as he was about to comment about Kasumi's aim, he felt a breeze on his naked back. Looking over his shoulder, he realized just a few more millimeters, and she would have shaven his shoulderbones off. Suddenly, he quickly got serious, remembering exactly how 'lucky' Kasumi always was with him.
The old man just barely escaped, as Kasumi dove at him, holding the knife over her head in a two handed grip. "Get back here, you... you..." the eldest Tendou sister seethed, as she picked herself off her stomach.
Nabiki almost got whiplash, attempting to follow the speed the two were rushing out of the room at, and made motion to follow.
"Nabiki..."
A single word from him held her in place like a spear through her chest. A single word inviting her and eveloping her in a mountain of pain that she just couldn't deal with.
"Nabiki, we need to talk."
Spinning, she found Ranma standing behind her, with an apologetic expression. In her perspective, it seemed insincere, patronizing. Her anger was still fresh.
"No we don't Saotome," Nabiki growled, "and you have no business being here."
Ranma baulked at the level of her hostility, and took a step back, "It's not what you thought! Just let me-"
"Explain? Just let you explain, yourself? You want to tell me that it was an accident? That you just fell into that damn little bitche's lips? You want to tell me that it didn't mean anything? How about that I pushed you into it? That it's ALL MY FAULT?!?"
"What?" Ranma whispered, stepping back at each word spoken in vehemance.
"This time, I'm not going to feel sorry for myself, Saotome. I'm not going to offer an apology, and I sure as hell will not pine over you. You were so adimant that I was 'the one' for you, I was your soulmate or some bullshit like that!"
"Will you just LISTEN to me for a-"
"NO! For once YOU will listen to ME!" Nabiki barked, letting the fiery rage burn through the sorrow like flames through dry, thorny thicket, "I gave you a chance, against my better judgement, against better advice, I WAS WILLING! AND YOU FUCKED IT ALL UP!"
"DAMN IT, DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT? IT *IS* MY FAULT!" Ranma shouted back, losing his own temper.
Nabiki blinked, not expecting such a reply.
Finally finding her silent, Ranma looked around, finding both Happosai and Kasumi present; the former looking on with a passive expression, while the latter with a cold, neutral one. Disregarding the audience, Ranma spoke, "You think you had anything to do with me kissing Shampoo? I don't even know how that happened. But you had the right idea, it didn't mean a damn thing to me."
Ranma approached cautiously, but for every step forward, Nabiki took one back, so he ceased his attempt to close the gap, "I screwed it up, and we both know that's the truth, and even if you still think otherwise, and nothing I can say convinces you otherwise, I..." Ranma stalled, forcing himself to calm down, "I want no one else but you... please..."
Nabiki couldn't help the flash of uncertainty that passed through her face. She could forget it like a bad dream, and he seemed so sincere. He..."
"Get out of my family's house," Nabiki replied in a cool, collected voice, as she released her fists, revealing he slight smears of blood in them.
"Nabiki..."
"Get. Out."
"Damn it, I'm..." Ranma closed his eyes, "Then, we're giving up, just like that?"
"You gave up, Ranma. Like you said, I shouldn't take the blame for any of this," Nabiki replied, turning away.
"No..." Ranma whispered, only to himself.
"Now that that is all settled, allow us to remove my Son-in-law from your presence for good," a withered voice stated, drawing everyone's attention.
Cologne stood before Shampoo and Ku Shui, wearing a smile that fell short of her eyes. The old woman felt no glee in this, but now that everything was settled, it was time to move on.
"Old Ghoul!" Happosai shouted, ready to ask how she found out, before turning to the answer standing behind her to the left.
Shampoo kept her eyes downcast for several moments, before turning an apologetic glance towards Ranma. The pigtailed young man baulked, realizing her betrayal, before his own face became a mask of barely contained animosity.
Nabiki once again turned away, and looked over her shoulder, "Take him, he has no place here."
"No, I can not do so," Shampoo whispered, just loud enough to be audible for everyone. Ku Shui went and stood beside Ranma, resting a reassuring hand on the pigtailed young man's shoulder. Ranma looked up, finding the man's apologetic smile a little comforting, but not enough.
"What is the matter with you, girl? There is no longer anything between them!" Cologne retorted, "This is, not better or worse, the most satisfactory solution that can be reached."
"But I am far from satisfied," Shampoo countered, "There is nothing satisfying about an empty victory."
Ranma didn't have to say anything, nor did he feel obligated to. In his mind, he decided that the only way he would be going with Shampoo, was by force. And there wasn't enough force in the world that would suffice.
"What? You decided you don't want your 'trophy husband'?" Nabiki hissed, not even bothering to hide her hatred for the lavender haired girl, "I broke him in for you, take him with my compliments."
"I can't," Shampoo responded, pleading each word.
"Why not? I am giving him to you freely. It's what you and your Elder have been trying to do the whole time, even if you were pretending to be the unwilling party." Nabiki looked away, "You can drop the charade now, nobody was buying it in the first place"
"I CAN'T just take him from you! He doesn't... doesn't..." Shampoo trailed off, as she realized an epipheny. That... that was the key.
"Enough, Cologne, do whatever it takes," Nabiki ordered, washing her hands of the whole ordeal.
Ranma immidiately went on guard, watching the old woman as if she were a cobra. With the grim expression of an executioner, Cologne prepared herself, knowing full well this wouldn't be an easy fight.
"Stop."
The command came from Shampoo. The young girl surveyed everyone in the room, recorded every expression in her mind, from Kasumi's contempt, to her father apologetic and almost solumn smile. She then turned to Ranma, locking eyes for a moment. With her eyes, she tried to tell Ranma her current thoughts, "Ranma, there is nothing I could say that would relay how sorry I am for this whole ordeal. But, for this one moment, please grant me your faith."
Ranma understood full well that something was about to happen, something that he needed to stop immidiately. His muscles tensed, just as Shampoo gave the command, "Restrain him."
Immidiately, Ranma positioned himself to counter anything the old woman may be able to do from her current position, ignoring the potential threat from behind him. Frozen, Ranma could only curse Shampoo's father, who had an well versed knowledge of pressure points.
Turning to Shampoo, Ku Shui nodded, trusting that his daughter knew the right thing to do, even if he had no idea what.
"This has all been brought about by the laws of my people, it will be finalized in the same way," Shampoo proclaimed, before purposely striding over to Nabiki, turning the woman to face her, and swiping the back of her hand across her cheek.
Everyone stood frozen, as Nabiki collapsed from the force of the blow, and stared up balefully at the Amazon.
"If I'm to take Ranma from you, so be it. I challenge you, Nabiki Tendou, for the right to claim Ranma."
The older woman brought herself slowly to standing, dragging the back of her hand across her burning cheek. She made it abundantly clear that she no longer wanted anything to do with Ranma, but maybe it was the the hate and betrayal that she felt towards Shampoo, or that the honor of her martial arts school demanded she accept all challenges. Perhaps it was just the fact that she just didn't like being slapped, but Nabiki decided she was going to make the little bitch pay.
"I accept."
Ranma wanted to scream out, demand to know what was going on, but he was locked in the prison of his own body. All he could do was fester in his own anger and concern, as he watched Nabiki turn, and stride towards the back yard.
Shampoo followed, though almost hesitantly, yet her own posture seemed anxious. Quickly, her great grandmother made it to her side, glaring up at her heir. "Shampoo, I demand to know the meaning of this!"
The young Amazon favored her elder with a cool expression, "If I am to do this, it will be by the laws created for such a situation. I will not just simply take what she deserves from her, Nabiki will be given a chance to defend what is rightfully hers until the battle is decided."
Cologne narrowed her eyes, "This is not necessary. She has willingly forfeited her claim. This trial is a worthless waste of everyone's time!"
"The laws, as I know them, state that there is no such clause that the battle is won before they have ceceeded the fight to the opponent. If she wishes to forfeit, she will do it as we prepare to face off or in the midst of combat."
"She will not simply quit, do you not see how angry she is at you?"" Cologne urged, unable to reign in the tone of worry in her voice, "She means to harm you greatly, and do not be foolish to believe she is not capable of it."
"I'm well aware of her intent," Shampoo stated, smiling faintly, "It is the state I wanted her to be in."
The old woman's eyes shifted towards Nabiki, as she turned to face them in the middle of the back yard. Her eldest sister approached her, initiating a private conversation. Nabiki nodded, before replying, earning a nod from Kasumi. The older woman walked towards the training hall, and entered. Cologne then glared once again at her heir, "What is your game, girl?"
Ranma wanted to know the answer also, but was unable to voice a comment. He was fortunate that Ku Shui had carried him out so that he could witness the fight, but had yet to release Ranma from his state of suspended animation. "I am afraid, young one," Ku Shui began in a conversational tone, "That I can not allow you to interfere with this bout. Please be patient with my daughter, and believe her intentions be be in benefit for everyone." Ranma was able to shift his eyes towards the man, allowing the Chinese chef to read the anger within.
"Game?" Shampoo replied, almost incredulously, "This is no 'game', Elder. You had demanded I take this seriously from the start. Well, I'm being gravely serious." Shampoo then produced her twin bonbori maces, and held them at her sides, before calling out to Nabiki in Japanese, "This fight we are allowed our weapons, is this understood?"
Nabiki turned towards the training hall, just as her sister was exiting with a six foot ratton quarterstaff. A lightweight weapon with reach; and her once preferred tool in the art. The middle aged woman accepted the staff that she had practiced for years in her past youth, and looked towards Shampoo, "I presumed as much." Happosai himself almost cackled, feeling a pang of sympathy for Shampoo. Irking Nabiki off the way she did was probably the dumbest move he had seen in a long time, most assuradly one of the top five he had seen in his lifetime.
"Then we are ready to begin," Shampoo announced, falling into stance. Nabiki nodded, standing lax with her staff in her right hand resting low.
Cologne stood between the fighters, ready to call the match. Before doing so, she attempted to salvage things; she had no interest in seeing either party harmed for such a worthless conflict, "Nabiki Tendou, you may submit, if you truly do give up your claim to Ranma. This fight is superficial at best, and potentially disasterous at worst."
"If I defeat her, she will be honor-bound to make an attempt on my life," Nabiki replied, not caring about the consequences.
Cologne nearly baulked, but held her stoic expression, "That is correct, yet you wish to continue?"
"Call the match," Nabiki ordered.
Disregarding the woman's impudence, Cologne did so, "So be it... BEGIN!"
Shampoo held her place, concerned about the skill level of the other woman. She had seen Nabiki practice, but did not know truly where her ability lay. Prudence suggested that the Amazon allow the other woman to make the first move. Nabiki did so, aproaching Shampoo with her left side turned towards the girl, as her staff was kept away. Shampoo didn't see anything of an apparent guard, which worried her even moreso. Nabiki was either uncaring of what blows she'll recieve, or she was that confident in herself.
Shampoo shifted back warily, as Nabiki got within a meter of her, anticipating any move. A sudden twitch, and Shampoo was using the head of one of her weapons to parry away the butt of Nabiki's staff from her gut, before blocking a second blow aimed for her head.
Nabiki began the fight, suddenly turning away from Shampoo, and thrusting the back of her staff towards Shampoo's midsection. Immidiately when she felt it contact, she spun back around, swinging the other end of the staff towards the girl's temple. Shampoo's haste to block left her midsection open again, and Nabiki swung the other end under from behind.
Shampoo gasped, leaping back in time to avoid being struck. Nabiki almost never shifted position exept for her initial strikes, and even then her movements were nearly unreadable. This posed a problem in Shampoo's confidence that she would win the match. For this to work, for everything to be set right, she *had* to win, lest things go from dim to ebon.
Pursing her lips in determination, Shampoo began her retaliation. She twirled her maces before her in elaborate and puzzling patterns in an effort to confuse her opponent enough to not allow the woman to guess where her strike would come first. Nabiki stood, unpeturbed by the display, passively awaiting for the girl's offensive.
Frowning deeper at the lack of reaction, Shampoo suddenly jabbed her left at Nabiki's head, hoping to force her to open her mid area. Nabiki once again turned away, bringing her staff against the back of her left shoulder, while holding with both hands to bend it into an arc. Shampoo's mace riccoched off of the curve Nabiki forced her staff into, and was followed up by the second bonbori.
Nabiki spun to her right on her left foot, bringing her right knee up to her chest. As she did so, she swung her staff around her front and across her knee, using her shin to once again bend it.
Once again, Shampoo's attack grazed along the shaft of Nabiki's weapon, but the young Amazon continued to attack, spunning into a backfist with her left bonbori. Nabiki turned the staff over, crossing her arms so that her right elbow was overlapping her left elbow, and then used her top elbow to force the staff into a third arc. Almost immidiately after Shampoo's weapon skimmed off of it, Nabiki let go of the end of the staff in her left hand, using the torque caused by the bend of the bow, adding more power as she twisted with the momentum, to snap the tip of it into the base of Shampoo's skull. The girl was launched forward, and landed in a roll. Still kneeling, she looked back at a dispassionate Nabiki with more than a little shock.
Cologne was rather surprised by the staff technique the middle aged woman was using, and looked towards Happosai. The old man was nodding in approval, expecting such results. She knew of the style herself, but it was rare that she found anyone that used it. The arch was one of the strongest structures that can be formed, and by warping her staff into one, even the lightwood ratton it was composed of would deflect the steel heads of Shampoo's maces. "I suppose you are responsible for her instruction?"
Happosai grinned.
Shampoo recovered hastefully, as Nabiki made quickened strides towards her. Almost without thinking, the young Amazon was forced into a furious conflict, as her opponents weapon moved at her with a speed she had only seen from some of the most season warriors of her village. She doubted Nabiki a vetran of battle, and could only figure that Nabiki was channelling the fury she was feeling towards the lavender haired girl into her attacks.
Suddenly, Shampoo felt her left arm crossed over the other, and looked down in shock to find the bo staff entangled between her wrists. Nabiki used her right leg to keep the staff verticle and holding Shampoo's arms secure, and freed her own hands from gripping her weapon to knock away the younger girl's maces. Shampoo's hands wretched at painful angles, forcing her to relenquish her hold on her weapons, and she quickly retracted her arms in order to get them back into a sembalance of defense.
Nabiki was already two steps ahead of her, as she suddenly thrust her palm into the shaft of the staff, sending the weapon that was still between Shampoo's arms into her face. The younger girl reeled back, as Nabiki caught the staff with her other hand.
The young girl's eyes watered, as her nose flashed with sharp pain. Unable to see, Shampoo chose to retreat, back hand springing away for space between them. Nabiki spun around, twirling the staff above her head, before launching it at Shampoo like a whirling disk. Just as the Amazon was landing, the staff entangled her legs, tripping her to the ground. Slamming into the dirt and grass, Shampoo looked up just in time to find Nabiki stalking towards her... with her own bonbori maces in hand.
Ranma began to feel vindicated at the retribution Nabiki was issuing. He played his own part in the tragedy that was being performed, but took consolence in the way that the woman he loved controled the fight. Unfortunately, he knew when the fight was over, it would be an empty pleasure for him, since it would avail him nothing.
Shampoo rolled out of the way, just before Nabiki slammed one of the maces into the ground where Shampoo's knee had been. Regaining her footing, Shampoo jumped back from the wide swing at her side. The older woman wasn't attempting any deadly blows, which was a minor consolence to Shampoo. She was just going for life-crippling ones.
Fortunately for the young Amazon, Nabiki wasn't accustomed to the weight of the maces, and allowed the girl to understand why Nabiki prefered such a light weapon. Hooking her foot under the staff at her feet, Shampoo kicked it up and caught it; she would show Nabiki that she wasn't as inhibited with her opponent's weapon as Nabiki was with hers.
Quickly, Shampoo parried away Nabiki's strikes, stopping the wide swings just behind the heads of the maces where the least force could be garnered, and struck out for the offensive. instead of retreating or dodging, Nabiki stepped in, jamming the swing before it could build any true power.
Once again countered, Shampoo felt a knee driven into her stomach, doubling her over. Immidiately, she felt hard steel slam into her back, forcing her onto her hands and knees. Nabiki remained coldly silent, as she raised the mace above her head for what she presumed would be a final blow, one aimed for Shampoo's right shoulder since the girl was right handed. Even as Shampoo managed to take what had become to matter most to her, she would be damned if the girl left with her pride.
Desperate, Shampoo suddenly lunged at Nabiki's leg, using her shoulder to shove against the knee, as she held the back of the woman's angle with both hands. Nabiki was not expecting the maneuver, and felt her knee extend painfully. She fell backwards onto the ground, and rolled away.
With a fierce cry, Shampoo met Nabiki as the woman came to kneeling, kicking her in the throat with a side kick. Nabiki gagged, as she slid back, choking because of her bruised esophagus. Shampoo saw now she had a chance; before, Nabiki's movements were very conservative, never relying on any brute power and mostly on momentum. By forcing the woman into a wilder fight, she lost the advantage.
Shampoo leapt into the air, and came down at Nabiki intending to drive a knee into the woman's sternum. It was countered, as Nabiki suddenly kicked both her feet up and pulled herself into a handstand, driving her heels into Shampoo's chin. The momentum from her decent, along with the force Nabiki issued made for a powerful blow, sending the lavender haired girl reeling. Shampoo unsteadily brought herself to standing, only able to see the world in a blur that signaled an obvious concussion.
Nabiki took a bit longer to bring herself to her feet, while attempting to force air through her throat to breath. Her chest was shuddering, as her lungs worked to retrieve oxygen that had been burned, and expel the carbon dioxide that was trapped. Her eyes watered from the pain of her throat, and needed a few moments to regain her bearings. She was not allowed those moments, as a feral cry from Shampoo sounded, and the girl tackled her hard. Nabiki lost the precious oxygen she had gained in her lungs when Shampoo slammed into her, making an already difficult situation even more dire.
Ranma felt his muscles strain, as he watched Shampoo throw herself into Nabiki. That had been the first sign he had felt that he may be regaining even a slight control over his body. If he could just concentrate, he could finally put an end to this once and for all.
Shampoo straddled Nabiki's waist, and drew back her fist while concentrating all her might into the upcoming blow. She made the same mistake Nabiki did in taking too long, allowing the woman under her to slam the web between the thumb and index finger of her right hand into Shampoo's neck. Shampoo choked, and fell off of Nabiki, holding her own throat.
Turning onto her side, Nabiki delivered a kick into Shampoo's chest, knocking her away. Once the girl was forced to deal with her own pain from a good distance away, Nabiki turned onto her hands and knees, staying in the position long enough to regain her lost wind. Once a bit more recovered, she brought herself to kneeling, then to standing. She turned and looked at Shampoo, who was on her knees gasping in ragged breaths, and unable to focus on Nabiki.
Shampoo looked up, seeing the manic glee on Nabiki's face, as the woman slammed her fist down into the side of Shampoo's jaw, making the most decisive blow thus far of the match. Everybody witnessing the brutal fight winced as they could, as the savage punch most assuradly took the fight out of Shampoo. The attack was uncharacteristic of Nabiki, but she had long since given up caring, and wanted to convey all her hurt into one final blow. She wanted to invite Shampoo into her current world of pain, and let her get to know it just as intimately as she did.
Finally steadying herself, Nabiki leaned down, and with what strength she had left, picked up Shampoo by the front of her shirt with her left hand. She looked the girl in the eyes; angry oak irises meeting drowsy purple ones, and spoke in a way only conveyed through the abyssal deepness that the soul dwelled in, within the eyes.
"I don't care if Ranma goes with you or not," Nabiki said in a solumn voice, "but don't think you're getting out of this without a price." Nabiki suddenly pulled up Shampoo's right arm, and wrapped her own right under it, while holding the wrist under locked under her left armpit. She then hooked the inside of her right foot behind Shampoo's ankle, and forced her shin against the girl's knee. Nabiki leaned back while pressing her leg against the girl's, beginning to muster all the strength she could.
Shampoo began to feel the strain against her elbow and knee, as they were forced to bend in unhealthy ways. Shampoo head swam, the only sensation registering were the multiple pains she felt. Maybe this would work out better in the long run. Nabiki next move may effectively end her career as a warrior, so there would be no retaliation driven by honor from her. If she was no longer capable of fighting, she couldn't carry out a Kiss of Death.
No, her Great Grandmother would either enlist someone to uphold her honor, or do it herself. She had already proven that she was a slave to their laws, and unwilling to give herself freedom from them. It was humorously ironic, that it was because of unecessary laws that place her in this whole situation, and it was yet another unecessary law that brought her to this end. She saw a tentative way out, and took it brashly. Again, her arrogance proved her undoing, as she was sure she would be able to defeat Nabiki.
She heard Nabiki's breath begin to exhale; a hollow sound that brushed against the back of her throat in order to calm her mind and focus her ki. Just as the older woman began to shift herself, just as the primal 'kiyah' was beginning to rumble in the woman's throat as she focused all her force. Shampoo made a decision.
She decided that she just couldn't lose.
"NO!" the Amazon suddenly screamed out, as she suddenly resisted Nabiki, and shifted her left side forward. The haymaker into Nabiki's gut carried all the strength, determination, and resolve she had left in her. It was enough power to lay out a rampaging elephant; she could only hope it was enough to stop Nabiki.
"HURRRUGH!" Nabiki felt her stomach cave in deeply, as she was sent flying away like a bullet. The end of her flight was met with the stone wall arond the Tendou compound, as her back flattened against it, her arms and legs splayed into it, and the back of her head dribbled from it.
"NABIKI!" Ranma suddenly shouted. His tone wasn't of concern, but of despair. Ku Shui jolted, surprised the young man had regained control of himself, and knew what forces Ranma had to invoke in order to miraculously override such a potent series of pressure points.
Nabiki staggered from the wall, a dazed expression on her face. She had heard Ranma's cry, and turned towards him slowly. As if it were knocked out of her by the impact, Nabiki's lost expression held none of the anger or fury she had been harboring, only a deep shock and sadness.
"Ranma..." she whispered, before collapsing onto her knees, and then onto her stomach, with her arms across her face.
The pigtailed young man too collapsed to his knees, feeling as if he truly, truly lost everything.
Shampoo herself was in tears, the whole ordeal accumilating to this point. After getting unsteadily to her feet, she limped over to one of her maces, and picked it up. After the side trip, she hobbled over to Nabiki, who was now stirring once again. Shampoo looked down upon the woman with her own concern, before she wiped it away, and replaced her expression with one of neutrality.
"Finish it."
Shampoo's face changed once again, surprised, "What?"
Nabiki slowly brought herself to sitting on the side of her legs, and shook her head to eleminate some of the fuzz, "Go ahead and end this fight. Just be gone by the time I wake up again."
Shampoo's bottom lip trembled, before she stilled it, "You have fought honorably for that which you had once claimed. Your devotion does you credit, and convinces me that you are an honorable warrior; worthy of my respect."
Nabiki looked up at Shampoo, glaring defiantly. The girl won, must she continue this blatant humiliation? Cologne's eyes widened slightly, as her Great granddaughter spoke. That was a deadly gambit her heir initiated. It also dawned on Ku Shui what was beginning to take place, and his ever present smile broadened, as he grew more proud of his daughter than he had ever before.
Shampoo raised her mace, "To impress an Amazon is not a casual task..." Shampoo brought the mace down swifty, and Nabiki reacted, awaiting the blow, but did not look away. The head of the mace stopped just an inch from her nose, and Shampoo then flipped it around, presenting the handle to the defeated woman.
"...and it is something this one highly regards," Shampoo finished, "I offer a choice..."
Nabiki looked at the mace being presented to her, and then to Shampoo. The middle aged woman remained confused, and saught answers from the Aazon's eyes. The expression Shampoo wore asked for Nabiki's faith.
With the tense pause between them, Shampoo strained against the urge to demand Nabiki take hold of the weapon. Unfortunately, she knew if she gave in, her Elder could justly cancel out what she was attempting. All the Amazon could do was have faith, and hope that Nabiki truly hadn't become totally embittered. This was a trial, one that tested everything she believed about Nabiki, and she prayed that her previous assessments were not sadly mistaken.
"Why?" Nabiki whispered, needing understanding.
Shampoo gave a teary smile, "Because, it is the only thing I can do..."
Any of the hate Nabiki had felt towards the girl had fled her, as she slowly reached out, and gently grasped the handle of the bonbori. Then, her grip firmed, allowing Shampoo to hoist the older woman to her feet, and into her embrace. "Welcome to the family of Xian... sister." Shampoo whispered, before finally allowing herself to cry. It wasn't too long before Nabiki joined her, finally able to bleed out the hurt that had overwhelmed the both of them since the previous night, and possibly beyond.
Happosai cackled, thoroghly entertained by the show. Cologne gave him a scowl, before turning a neutral expresion to the scene. Kasumi wasn't sure what to make of it, and chose to reenter the house. Ku Shui bowed his head, enjoying the humor in having daughter, at least in the spiritual sense, as old as he was. And Ranma...
"Uh... did I miss something?"
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"You do realize I do not necessarily have to allow this," Cologne warned, both irritated and impressed at the solution her heir created.
Shampoo cradled her arm within her sling, and turned towards her elder, "You do not, no."
"You have put a lot of faith into her. Do you realize the price if she had refused?"
Shampoo nodded, leaning back into the booth seat of the Cat Cafe, "I have faith in her."
"You also know she now reflects directly upon our family's honor, and you will have to explain to her the responsibilities being a woman of the Neichiizu curtails."
"Can you think of a single other person more deserving to represent our honor?" Shampoo asked, switching to Mandarin. She turned to watch her father preparing to open the restaurant for the next day, and smiled, "And she was already among the 'couragious women'."
"She had you in the throes of defeat..."
Shampoo chose not to respond to that. She looked down at the table, seeing her contented smile reflected in the oolong tea before her, "It all worked out in the end."
Cologne chuckled, "Not quite, it hasn't..." Shampoo blinked, and looked over at her elder.
"What you mean?"
"There's still the matter of getting my newest daughter wedded with son-in-law..." Cologne chortled, deciding she won in the end, as well.
Shampoo allowed her great grandmother her mirth, but knew that there was still a battle to be fought. "Good luck, Ranma," the young Amazon whispered, hopeful for the outcome.
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Ranma remained kneeling before Nabiki laying on the couch, douting on her as if her injuries were mortal. Nabiki had already grown tired of it, but felt a comfort from his presence. She knew it was simply the ki regenerating technique she had learned from Happosai that only responded to the opposite sex, but she would liked to have believed it was something more.
Ranma paused, and watched Nabiki. Just watched her as if she would suddenly disappear from him, like it seemed she almost did too many times. Feeling his intense gaze, Nabiki finally turned to look at him. Her eyes still held apprehension, and it ripped through Ranma like jagged rocks in a river's flow.
"Nabiki..." Ranma began, only to be cut off.
"Don't, Ranma. Please... just don't say anything."
"I'm not just going to give what we have up," Ranma continued, unabated.
Nabiki closed her eyes, and turned to face the ceiling, "I'm just not sure I can trust you, Ranma, understand?"
"No, I don't understand," Ranma responded, "What is it going to take?"
"It's... it's nothing with you." Nabiki stated, just feeling tired and drained from everything, "I'm pretty sure you feel sincere, but I just can't go through this again."
"Damn it! You won't go through this again! At least with me!" Ranma countered.
"Ranma, it just isn't going to work."
"Nabiki," Ranma stood up, and sat on the edge of the couch at Nabiki's torso. The middle aged woman shifted away as much as possible, but did nothing else. "I'm not going to stop trying, even if you tell me to. You ain't gonna get me to quit on this, no matter what you say."
"It's not like we can't be friends still."
"But that isn't enough," the young man replied with a gentleness he rarely displayed, "So it's just a matter of trust?" Nabiki nodded, finding that response the only one necessary.
Ranma's expression became determined, "Nabiki, I promise, on my honor, that I will do my best to never harm you again. You said that I take my honor too seriously, so you probably have an idea of how much this really means for me." Ranma leaned close to Nabiki's face, "I'll do whatever it takes..." With that, he closed the rest of the distance between them, and attempted to force all his desire, yearnings, and dedication through his lips.
Nabiki didn't respond at first, and vainly fought her eyes from slowly closing. She had hurt too much, it was a pain that broke her down to her lowest, and refused to allow her to recover. She probably never would by herself...
...but Ranma would not let her try alone.
Before she even realized it, her own lips were pressing back, responding with just as much tenderness and emotion that she was recieving. Oh gods, how she missed his taste, his smell, how he felt as she slowly wrapped her arms around him. She thought it just wouldn't work with him, that the emotional scars would remain opened, and that always in the back of her mind, she would feel that subtle dark presence of suspicion and distrust. But as she drank in what she knew was his total, unconditional love, she realized it would never again work without him.
They weren't sure how long they had remained embraced, until Ranma shifted to look at the time: one in the morning. "I guess I better get to bed... then," Ranma whispered, dissappointed in having to break away from Nabiki. He lingered on her expression, her uncertain and almost timid expression, before he started to get up, "Good night, Nabiki."
"Ranma... wait..." The pigtailed boy stopped, completely attentive to whatever Nabiki wished.
"I..." Nabiki gulped down the sudden flare of nervousness she felt, "I... could use some company... tonight..."
Ranma responded the only way he was capable, "Huh?"
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Hmm, yes... yes I think I will write a lemon here...
Ranma tore out the front door, looking around wildly, desperately. He needed not see the white BMW in the driveway to know who had slammed the door. It had also been too much to hope that whomever slammed the door had just been entering, instead of exiting. Even with this hope, Ranma knew all to well, immidiately, that he had unresoundingly messed things up, big time. Things weren't as damning as they seemed to anyone who had observed the simple, thanking kiss offered by Shampoo, but it was signifigant enough towards one person.
Ranma's eyes just barely caught movement across the street; a barely noticable silouette of the top of a head bobbing above the line of a rooftop. It was almost impossible to see against the darkness in the night sky, and Ranma would have potentially dismissed it as his imagination, but things were too desperate to second guess anything.
"NABIKI! WAIT!" Ranma shouted out, quickly taking off for the Shibuya rooftops. He almost felt relieved, when he saw an all too familiar figure launching herself from rooftop to rooftop heading northwards. Ranma pushed himself to close the distance as quickly as he could, straining his muscles to heed how imperative it was for him to catch up with the woman he knew without a doubt he loved. However, Nabiki was proving that his previous accessments of her speed needed to be rethought.
Even forcing himself to his max, any distance lost between the two was intensely minimal at best. Nabiki's run was purposeful, yet almost erratic; it was almost as if she were barely able to focus. Instead she relied on years of praticed skill, as she attempted to put as much distance between her and Ranma as possible. Regardless of how good Ranma was realizing Nabiki possibly was, he was growing excutiatingly concerned for her, and not simply over her emotional state.
She was distraught, that much he could see. Even if he wasn't aware that she walked in on a bad situation, he could see the lack of focus, and the wild, almost uncontrolled sprinting steps she was making. If she didn't start paying more attention to what she was doing she-
"Damn! NO!" Ranma shouted, even more adrenaline pumping through his system, while he concentrated on pouring the majority of his life essence simply into running faster. Nabiki's mis-step sent her sprawling near the edge of the roof she was on, and he hoped to whatever higher powers that heard him would allow him just the simple boon of reaching her before any physical harm could come.
The gods did him a favor more, as the middle-aged woman managed to recover, just as she rolled forward off the rooftop. her hand lashed out, snagging the edge, and swung her other arm over to add support. With both hands soundly latched onto the stormdrain, she kicked both her feet against the wall of the house, launching herself backwards in a fluid somersault that carried her possibly fifteen meters to the next rooftop. She landed facing Ranma, and with her feet barely even touching down, she back hand sprung once, performed a half gator, and continued running away.
Ranma almost paused, just to simply watch Nabiki move, but circumstance forced prudence. Her stumble had awarded him with precious time, as she also had to rebuild the speed she had lost during her fault and recovery. With a growl of determination, Ranma ran hard, before he gave an almost primal shout, launching himself from the roof Nabiki nearly fell from. His jump completely carried him over two rooftops, and if he had been concerned, he would have been completely impressed with setting a new personal record. At the moment, his only care was stopping Nabiki so he could say something, anything, just whatever he could.
He landed just behind Nabiki by only a scant couple of meters, and almost cried out in celebration, but he was well aware that the battle was far from won.
"Nabiki, just stop and listen for a minu-" Ranma demanded, closing their small gap, and reaching out to grab ahold of her shoulder. Suddenly, the middle-aged woman ducked, surprising Ranma with the speed of her reflexes. The pigtailed boy looked down to follow her descent, prepared for anything.
Anything exept her expression. Gods, it was both beautiful, and terrible, heartbreaking and breathtaking at once; paradoxes that left him frozen. The shed tears that glistened from her eyes and cheeks via the moonlight, the snarl that mangled her beautiful, matured face with betrayal and unyeilding pain, the reddened eyes caused by the sting that was brought to them by her heart; they all held Ranma rapt, and shattered him more forcefully than any physical blow.
And thus, he was unprepared for the heel Nabiki launched into his chin through a vertical kick. Ranma's head snapped back, as he was sent careening off the roof, idly glad he had just enough presence of himself to at least attempting to roll with the blow. A quick tuck and somersault backwards allowed him to regain his equalibrium, as he landed in the house's back yard. Not even interested in checking his injuries, and the first spatters of condensation from skyward, Ranma leapt back up to resume his chase. He had to admit, though, her blow was definitely potent, and he had to fight the sensation of swimmingness through his senses. She also had exellent reflexes, and had to wonder where she developed them. He had watched her train almost every day, but never saw her display any of the qualities she did just now.
Happosai... Ranma then remembered the broken window in his room, and Nabiki explaining the incident to him. He knew from experience that the old pervert was *fast*, and hadn't considered until within that brief split second of gaining back to the roofs, that the old man would have made Nabiki's life miserable, if she hadn't been able to evade him well enough.
The clever little... he'd been training both Nabiki and him!
Ranma landed; his feet pushing off in preparation to dash in whatever direction he saw his quarry. Unfortunately, he saw naught a sign of Nabiki. There as no movement that he could make out, there were no sounds other than the typical late pedestrians that disturbed the serenity of the neighborhood. He strained, as if he would only hear Nabiki's flight, or her quiet sobs, but it was a futile effort at best.
"NABIKI!" the pigtailed boy cried out, knowing a responce would not willingly come. "NABIKI!!!"
Ranma was not willing to give up, fueled by both desperation and determination. The growing downpour wouldn't even deter her, as the redheaded girl continued to methodically scan both the rooftops and the streets below. Ranma could only hope he found Nabiki before it was too late, if it wasn't already. If she could simply explain things, tell Nabiki that the woman was mistaken, that there was nothing between him and Shampoo. She wanted to tell Nabiki that everything was alright, that she could never in a million years take someone over her. Just... talk to her.
In a shadowed alleyway, Nabiki leaned her forehead against the cold, brick surface with her arms folded on her head, allowing the lightly pounding rain to drench her hair, and mingle with her tears. The droplets of sorrow, both from a destroyed woman, and the heavens, met with the remorseless cement foundation under her. Slowly, she sank down, pulled to the earth almost bonelessly by her own grief.
Ranma, the one who had been so sincere that no other girl would attract his attention from her. Ranma,the one who had been so adimant in how he felt about her. Ranma, who vowed his sole desire was for her happiness... he... he...
It hurt too much to even think the word, as Nabiki looked to the night sky for whatever answer it could give. Now the moon had gone into cover beyond the angry rainclouds, leaving only a fuzzy darkness that was tainted by the light polution that reached skywards. Even the heavenly body refused to witness her pain, nor would it or its celestial kin provide answers. The wet, apathetic ground under her gave no comfort, and the temporate, stale air gave no sympathy. She was alone; a lonely, miserable woman, once again broken, possibly this time beyond repair.
______________________
It was almost four, when Ranma finally stumbled back into Nabiki's home; her movements listless, automatic. Shampoo approached the red headed girl cautiously, as if she were nearing an injured deer that she only wished to offer help. It was well past either of them to have been in bed, but understandably, the Amazon couldn't sleep, and chose to await Ranma or Nabiki's return, praying it was at the same time.
"I...I couldn't find her," Ranma said, in a hauntingly giddy voice. A ghost of a smile gave some emotional hue to her face beyond the pale shock, but it lacked any mirth, and possibly any genuine purpose but for irony. "I.. just lost her... I..."
Ranma didn't even realize she was suddenly hugging Shampoo back, as the expression on Nabiki's face, the last one she had seen on it, remained burned into her mind like a ruined projector.
"I... I lost her," Ranma whispered through shuddering breaths. The double-meaning was not lost on the equally tearful Shampoo.
______________________
Kasumi growled to herself, it wasn't even six yet, and she heard the doorbell. She had already been up for the morning, but it still irritated her that there were people who didn't comprehend when it was most proper to make a visit.
Opening the door with her mastered faux smile, it took a moment to register who stood before her. "Oh... God, Nabiki?"
"You... you were right... deities... you were right."
______________________
Morning, things didn't feel as bad as they did last night; last night when...
Ranma forced the sudden swell of emotion from the front of his mind, leaving only a numbness that had lingered since he failed to locate Nabiki. He raised his head from his knees, feeling the wooden door against his back as it rolled against his spine. His eyes adjusted to the dim light that was offered by the scarce rays of the sun, finding himself in the hallway he had fallen asleep in.
He began to stand up, looking over his shoulder to the door he had been against. He had stayed at the entrance to Nabiki's room, as in some sort of vain hope that she would return. It almost seemed humorous to him, once again something just had to happen. They should have been happily ever after by now, there was nothing left to get in their way.
Wrong. Of course, something would happen, something ALWAYS happened, and it always started with her. She wouldn't admit her feelings, she didn't believe the sincerity of his feelings, and now, she simply didn't even give him the chance to speak his innocence. The pigtailed young man fought the urge to pound through something, anything nearby. The picture was all clear to her, why was he even bothering?
No, he, firmly declared to himself, he would not let this all just... just go away. He had fought too hard for this; a battle that was beyond exhausting, gained inch by perilous inch up the practically vertical incline, and he was right there. He wasn't simply going to slide back down, this was FAR from over.
As he stood up, a phone in the room to his left rang. He peered in the slightly ajar door, finding himself in Nabiki's den. This had been the one room he hadn't been in, and it had never occured to him the reason why. His eyes scryed the room: catching the fuzzy light eminated from the computer moniter, the shelf full of books and technical manuals, the filing cabinets against the pale burgundy walls that were almost soothing in their hue, and the wooden almost skeletal computer desk that the ringing phone sat on.
He jolted, when he heard Nabiki's voice suddenly, before realizing it was the answering machine. The tone sounded, allowing the caller to voice their message.
"[Hello, Mr. Saotome, this is Kasumi, Nabiki's sister. I see you are unable to answer the phone at the moment, but I sincerely hope you are capable of recieving this message. I think it would be best if you leave soon. I am positive your mother will be more than accomidating. If you would like, I can call her-]"
Ranma picked up the phone suddenly, "Nabiki, let me speak with her."
The long pause at the end allowed him to feel the knot building in his chest, before the reply came, "I'm afraid I can't do that, nor am I willing to do so."
"Damn it! I NEED to talk to her!" Ranma demanded, not being deterred in the slightest.
"No." If anything, Kasumi's voice became colder, "You've done enough to her. Get out of her house, before someone has to remove you... and one other thing. I am not oblivious, stay away from my son."
"What? Hey? HEY!" Ranma shouted over the phone, already knowing the other party was gone. His eyes rolled downcast, as he gently hung the phone back up.
"Quite a situation you got there."
For the second time that morning, Ranma jumped, and looked to find Happosai sitting calmly on Nabiki's computer moniter. Allowing a shadow of annoyance to cross his expression, Ranma turned away to leave Nabiki's home office, "I'm not in the mood for this."
"Boy, if you walk out that door, you'll lose one of the few allies you have at the moment."
Ranma paused, and turned back to the diminuative martial artist, "What do you want?"
"What I want, is a happy ending to this fairy tale," Happosai quipped, before taking a puff of his pipe, "By the way, you won't tell Nabiki about this. If she found out I was smoking in her office, she'd skin me alive."
"You think you can help me with this," Ranma asked, sceptically.
The tone wasn't lost on Happosai. "Listen, I should be one of those few and building legions of people who would like nothing more than to beat the crap outta you six ways till doomsday," the old martial artist said with a threatening tone, before he leaned back, "Lucky for you, I happen to advocate playing the fields, nothing like testing the waters before settling down, HA!"
Ranma almost felt disgusted at the comment, "No thanks, your help I can do without." Ranma turned to walk away, reaching the threshold of the room.
"STOP!" Happosai shouted, as if commanding one of his student's obedience. Ranma did pause, more surprised at himself for doing so than Happosai's demand.
"That..." Happosai continued, leaping from the moniter, and walking up to Ranma. He passed under the young man's legs, and stood in front of him, "is why I trust you, boy. I'm not as stupid as to believe it was something as clean cut as infidelity. Quite frankly, I doubt you have it in you for that sort of thing."
"You done playing games with me? I have things I need to do."
"Not yet, you don't," Happosai countered, "Here, let's go to the kitchen to get a pack of ice for that glass jaw of yours."
Ranma felt his jaw, tenderly caressing the red mark where Nabiki's heel connected soundly. "See what you get for underestimating her? There's always more to it than meets the eye, boy. Nabiki's not a master of the art, she didn't push herself as far as her sister, or as far as I even would have liked her to go."
"You were training her the whole time." Ranma asked, though it was more of a statment, "All the grope attempts, the harrassments..."
"Not as dense as the granite sound your head makes suggests," Happosai quipped, as they entered the kitchen. He leapt up to the top of the refrigerator, opened it from above, and reached in for an ice pack that Nabiki tended to keep just in case. "She's still a martial artist, just one in a more civilized world. The two of you were so afraid of hurting one another at that laughable attempt at a spar, that it made me want to just simply revoke your rights to practice. I hoped that eventually, the two of you would get to know each other better in the... heh heh... physical sense... and maybe understand that each of you aren't as delicate as your hearts wanted to tell you."
"Do you know where she is?" Ranma asked, deciding to at least put a tenuous trust in the old man.
"She's at the Tendou home, the only other place she would probably feel safe... since you're here," Happosai replied, sounding empathetic to the young man.
Ranma immidiately stood up, "Then I-"
"Will sit there, now." Happosai closed the freezer, leapt down, and then jumped onto the table to be at least somewhat level with Ranma. The ancient martial artist handed him the ice pack, and motioned Ranma to sit down. "What are you going to do when you get there? Demand she see you? Tell her it's all some misunderstanding? Tell her you love her and you never meant to hurt her? Yeah, that'll be a real hoot; I'm almost tempted to let you go just to see the sparks fly."
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Ranma enquired.
Happosai ignored the question, "You see, son, I know you already are aware of her previous man problems. Quite frankly, as long as I knew her, Nabiki isn't quite as secure with herself as she would like you to believe."
"What do you mean?" Ranma asked, finding the information conflicting with how he saw the woman.
"For the longest time, when she was a teenager, she didn't have a boyfriend, at least a real one. Sure she dated a few guys, but in the end blackmailed them to never mentioning their outtings, after milking them for all they were worth... I had to admit, the girl had charm back in her youth!"
"Why are you telling me this?" Ranma asked, impatiently.
"College she was a little better, from what I'm told," Happosai continued, "Wasn't there myself, had a little incident with my students, a keg of dynamite, and a cave up north. At least these old bones got a good nap from it."
"Get to the point."
"Some guy name Saito managed to spoil it for her, though," Happosai grunted in irritation at the name, "At least you didn't attempt to blame Nabiki, when she caught you with Shampoo."
"There was nohing between us, I dunno what happened, honest!"
"I'm not the one that needs to be convinced of this," the old man replied, "And I believe you anyways. Back to the point, once bitten, twice shy," Happosai said, solumnly, "Twice bitten..."
"So, now she thinks I'm like this Saito jerk? Great!"
"There's nothing 'great' about it, that's what we're going to change... her opinion on you, back to the way it should be."
"And what's this ingenious plan you got for me?"
Happosai smiled a devious smile, "Why, you will meet her, of course, on your own terms..."
______________________
"Father! Father I must speak with you!" Shampoo demanded, running into the Cat Cafe, as her father was beginning preparations for opening.
At the distress of his daughter's voice, Ku Shui immidiately ceased what he was doing, "Shampoo? What is amiss?"
The young lavender haired girl stopped before her father, attempting to swallow her breaths, "I... I greatly need your assistance. I do not know who else to turn to!"
Mr. Xian's expression grew even more worried, "Please explain as best you can!"
"Nabiki, and Ranma, they, she..." Even as the names were mentioned, Ku Shui's blood ran cold, not just from the thought that something may have happened to the two of them, or between the two of them, but of another overlooked fact by his daughter.
"Xian Pu, perhaps we should continue this conversation else-"
"No, it is rather comfortable here, and my great granddaughter has apparently tirelessly made it here with great urgency," a third voice came in.
The young Amazon paled, realizing the disasterous error she made, as she turned to find the foremost elder of her family, Xian Khun Lon, standing at the door to the kitchen. "Why don't you sit," Cologne requested in Japanese, gesturing to one of the tables within the restaurant, "and start from the very beginning."
______________________
Nabiki held the cup in her hands tightly, unsure if her grip would remain steady if she didn't. The bags forming under eyes from crying and lack of sleep marred the nearly flawless complextion she had taken for granted at her age. Reddened eyes that still stung with heartache no longer carried the youthful and vibrant gleam that she hadproudly maintained; douncast towards the small pool of dark, luke warm liquid in ceramic that she held. The subtle smile that her face always rested in that hinted at a playfulness and intelligence now drew into an emotionless frown. Neck length cropped hair that just seemed to always fall perfectly into place, now showed signs of discare from her vain attempts at slumber. For once, Nabiki looked, and felt, old.
Like battlescars within her psyche, two painfully similar memories drew ghost pains of the past that seemed to pain her more the longer they remained fresh on her mind, and no matter what she thought, they wouldn't go away. Two men, one young, one older, both tearing into her heart like dual serrated blades, ensuring to leave damage that would be next to impossible to recover from. Two women, one young, one older, both friends that she had at one point put a great deal of trust in; too, too much trust as it appeared.
Her bottom lip trembled, as she once again desperately attempted to banish older and newer betrayals, but futility prevailed. Oh, how she wished she could give Ranma the benefit of the doubt. She had seen Shampoo kiss him several times in the past. The girl even kissed her once, simply to prove a point. The difference that shredded into her soul and heart... was that Ranma was kissing back.
She could remember her outrage, her shouts and demands for the two of them to get out of her house. She also remembered his audacity, as he proclaimed it was she who pushed him to such desperation. She was more apologetic, but it did not help her case any. Neither of them did Nabiki ever see again, exept in the hallowed, shadowed hall of her mind that the worst of her experiences lurked.
Her nearly blind flee remained vivid on her mind, as she still felt the shock through her being like angry jolts of electricty. Her mind still buzzed like a swarm of bees, intermingling with the confusion she felt thick in her thoughts. Why would he have done this? Did he truly do it? Was there more to this?
Unfortunately, these questions would not be confronted, for that was the tragic flaw of Nabiki Tendou. She feared intimacy, because of her greater fear of betrayal. Even to her own family, she rarely showed any signs of deep affection, afraid they would one day be gone like her mother. Her friends mostly knew her carefree, confident facade, with only one ever being fortunate enough to meet the woman beneith that craved, yearned for a deeper relationship. That friend was gone now, pushed away because of her own self conciousness.
Impossibly, a boy, a young man old enough to be her son, doggedly fought against her, working to claim the prize within her breast that demanded it be taken. And in a single instant, Ranma had discarded it, as if her heart were no longer of value in his posession.
Nabiki jolted, as she felt a gentle hand against her back, before turning to find the concerned eyes of her eldest sister looking back at her.
"Nabiki... are you...?" Kasumi trailed off, chiding herself for such a rediculous question. She knew full well Nabiki couldn't handle this situation. She wasn't as strong as she pretended to be.
"I'll be fine," Nabiki replied, almost mechanically. Then, the first signs of emotion since Kasumi laid her sister to bed in her own room bled through, as the middle-aged woman snorted, while attempting to form a smile. "It's funny, like I was expecting this the whole time. I just didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to think that someone that I had... he..."
Kasumi embraced her sister, allowing Nabiki some of her strength to pull together, muttering hollow words of comfort that the woman in her arms couldn't feel.
Nabiki managed to hold the shudders down, and regain her voice, "Pretty much a self-fulfilling prophecy, isn't it?"
"No," Kasumi retorted, "You are not to blame for this. Don't think because you suspected the truth, that you brought it on yourself."
"Maybe," Nabiki replied, wiping the tears from her eyes.
A few more moments of silence progressed, before Kasumi pulled away, and stood. "Do you think you will be okay to eat breakfast?"
"Why did he do it, Kasumi?" Nabiki counter-questioned.
"Because he's too young to understand things. He's brash, impulsive, and unthinking," Kasumi stated. "It's best that things happened this way, though I truly wish they handn't."
Nabiki remained silent, somehow not believing that to be the truth. Not in the least.
______________________
Ranma watched the large home, not actually seeing Nabiki, but feeling her presence like stale flood waters; choking and dampening everything in their vicinity. It affected him like nothing else ever had.
"I don't.. I don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore," Ranma whispered, almost too quietly for his partner.
"Ranma, this isn't about feeling sorry for one or the other anymore," Happosai scolded, "Now, it's a battle, and whining about things ain't gonna win it for you!"
"I can't just *fight* her!" Ranma retorted, finding Happosai's analogy ludicrous.
"Ranma, if you want this, really want this, you will have to take her seriously." The old man closed his eyes, "Not as some fragile old woman, but as an equal. You want her to listen to you, you have to demand her attention."
"This isn't something I can punch at, old freak! And it ain't like I haven't ever taken her seriously!"
Happosai refrained from showing his displeasure, understanding the duress Ranma was under, "Then do what you want. Screw it up, and you'll have to deal with me, too!"
Ranma could feel the undercurrent of hostility Happosai finally relenquished his hold on. If Happosai himself was also angry at him, then...
"Why?"
"I told you already," the ancient martial artist responded, "I believe the two of you can work out just fine, if the both of you would just grow up." Happosai turned away, looking over Nerima, "Don't think I'll let you get away with finishing her off, though. Nabiki is... she's the only one who's treated this old man with some respect. It's time I did something truly to express my gratitude to her."
Ranma nodded, though not sure what was being explained.
"She was the only one that would have anything to do with me, and still considered this 'old freak', as you enjoy calling me, family." Happosai turned back to Ranma with a serious expression, "And if anything, Happosai does right by family."
Before Ranma could reply, the old man grinned, looking towards the house, "Show time... it's been a while since I've actually had the pleasure of Kasumi's aquaintance!"
Ranma felt a mild satisfaction from that comment.
______________________
Kaoru quietly came downstairs, after dressing for school. He wasn't sure what was going on, but avoided his aunt for the morning best he could. Not once in his life had he seen her like she was now, and it actually scared him. She was the cool aunt, the unflappable one,the one that pretty much set te definition for 'collected' in his opinion. And now...
Not wanting to contemplate it anymore, he decided to leave early, and stop on the way to school for a bite.
"IIIIEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
His hand froze, as he was reaching down to pick up his schoolbag. That shrill scream was his mother's! With trained reflexes that had been recently honed and pushed to become better, the young Ono quickly rushed to the kitchen, and found his mother dancing around, as a lump moved around her dress. His face dropped at the surrealness before him, locked into place.
Kasumi screamed, drawing Nabiki's attention, just in time to witness the lump that had been shifting rhoughout Kasumi's outfit suddenly jump out of her neckline, boucing around with a bra.
"WONDERBRA! WONDERBRA! This beauty's keep'n you look'n ten years younger, Kasumi dear!"
Kaoru's eyes went wide in utter terror. Happosai was back, and he just accousted his mother, most likely before she had her morning nicotine fix. She would be impossible to live with for the next few days. With that in mind, the young man decided that he hadn't been all that fair to his father, and he should spend some time with him. He would call his Mother to inform her of his decision from his father's home.
Nabiki ignored her nephew's departure, concentrating on the scene before her. How dare he. How dare the old letch pull this stunt, especially at this time. She sat there, clutching her fists until her short nails bit into her palms, seething, and finding her anger preferrable to what she was experiencing previously.
Kasumi didn't take her molestation nearly as well as Nabiki, as her battle-aura flared to life, and she reached into the knife holder, pulling out the largest butcher knife available.
"Uh oh," Happosai chirped, before leaping from the ceramic tiled counter, just before the knife Kasumi was holding buried into it up to the hilt without shattering the tiles. Tracking the bouncing object of her ire, Kasumi turned, and swung. Happosai barely managed to twist in time, and landed on the opposite side of the room. Just as he was about to comment about Kasumi's aim, he felt a breeze on his naked back. Looking over his shoulder, he realized just a few more millimeters, and she would have shaven his shoulderbones off. Suddenly, he quickly got serious, remembering exactly how 'lucky' Kasumi always was with him.
The old man just barely escaped, as Kasumi dove at him, holding the knife over her head in a two handed grip. "Get back here, you... you..." the eldest Tendou sister seethed, as she picked herself off her stomach.
Nabiki almost got whiplash, attempting to follow the speed the two were rushing out of the room at, and made motion to follow.
"Nabiki..."
A single word from him held her in place like a spear through her chest. A single word inviting her and eveloping her in a mountain of pain that she just couldn't deal with.
"Nabiki, we need to talk."
Spinning, she found Ranma standing behind her, with an apologetic expression. In her perspective, it seemed insincere, patronizing. Her anger was still fresh.
"No we don't Saotome," Nabiki growled, "and you have no business being here."
Ranma baulked at the level of her hostility, and took a step back, "It's not what you thought! Just let me-"
"Explain? Just let you explain, yourself? You want to tell me that it was an accident? That you just fell into that damn little bitche's lips? You want to tell me that it didn't mean anything? How about that I pushed you into it? That it's ALL MY FAULT?!?"
"What?" Ranma whispered, stepping back at each word spoken in vehemance.
"This time, I'm not going to feel sorry for myself, Saotome. I'm not going to offer an apology, and I sure as hell will not pine over you. You were so adimant that I was 'the one' for you, I was your soulmate or some bullshit like that!"
"Will you just LISTEN to me for a-"
"NO! For once YOU will listen to ME!" Nabiki barked, letting the fiery rage burn through the sorrow like flames through dry, thorny thicket, "I gave you a chance, against my better judgement, against better advice, I WAS WILLING! AND YOU FUCKED IT ALL UP!"
"DAMN IT, DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT? IT *IS* MY FAULT!" Ranma shouted back, losing his own temper.
Nabiki blinked, not expecting such a reply.
Finally finding her silent, Ranma looked around, finding both Happosai and Kasumi present; the former looking on with a passive expression, while the latter with a cold, neutral one. Disregarding the audience, Ranma spoke, "You think you had anything to do with me kissing Shampoo? I don't even know how that happened. But you had the right idea, it didn't mean a damn thing to me."
Ranma approached cautiously, but for every step forward, Nabiki took one back, so he ceased his attempt to close the gap, "I screwed it up, and we both know that's the truth, and even if you still think otherwise, and nothing I can say convinces you otherwise, I..." Ranma stalled, forcing himself to calm down, "I want no one else but you... please..."
Nabiki couldn't help the flash of uncertainty that passed through her face. She could forget it like a bad dream, and he seemed so sincere. He..."
"Get out of my family's house," Nabiki replied in a cool, collected voice, as she released her fists, revealing he slight smears of blood in them.
"Nabiki..."
"Get. Out."
"Damn it, I'm..." Ranma closed his eyes, "Then, we're giving up, just like that?"
"You gave up, Ranma. Like you said, I shouldn't take the blame for any of this," Nabiki replied, turning away.
"No..." Ranma whispered, only to himself.
"Now that that is all settled, allow us to remove my Son-in-law from your presence for good," a withered voice stated, drawing everyone's attention.
Cologne stood before Shampoo and Ku Shui, wearing a smile that fell short of her eyes. The old woman felt no glee in this, but now that everything was settled, it was time to move on.
"Old Ghoul!" Happosai shouted, ready to ask how she found out, before turning to the answer standing behind her to the left.
Shampoo kept her eyes downcast for several moments, before turning an apologetic glance towards Ranma. The pigtailed young man baulked, realizing her betrayal, before his own face became a mask of barely contained animosity.
Nabiki once again turned away, and looked over her shoulder, "Take him, he has no place here."
"No, I can not do so," Shampoo whispered, just loud enough to be audible for everyone. Ku Shui went and stood beside Ranma, resting a reassuring hand on the pigtailed young man's shoulder. Ranma looked up, finding the man's apologetic smile a little comforting, but not enough.
"What is the matter with you, girl? There is no longer anything between them!" Cologne retorted, "This is, not better or worse, the most satisfactory solution that can be reached."
"But I am far from satisfied," Shampoo countered, "There is nothing satisfying about an empty victory."
Ranma didn't have to say anything, nor did he feel obligated to. In his mind, he decided that the only way he would be going with Shampoo, was by force. And there wasn't enough force in the world that would suffice.
"What? You decided you don't want your 'trophy husband'?" Nabiki hissed, not even bothering to hide her hatred for the lavender haired girl, "I broke him in for you, take him with my compliments."
"I can't," Shampoo responded, pleading each word.
"Why not? I am giving him to you freely. It's what you and your Elder have been trying to do the whole time, even if you were pretending to be the unwilling party." Nabiki looked away, "You can drop the charade now, nobody was buying it in the first place"
"I CAN'T just take him from you! He doesn't... doesn't..." Shampoo trailed off, as she realized an epipheny. That... that was the key.
"Enough, Cologne, do whatever it takes," Nabiki ordered, washing her hands of the whole ordeal.
Ranma immidiately went on guard, watching the old woman as if she were a cobra. With the grim expression of an executioner, Cologne prepared herself, knowing full well this wouldn't be an easy fight.
"Stop."
The command came from Shampoo. The young girl surveyed everyone in the room, recorded every expression in her mind, from Kasumi's contempt, to her father apologetic and almost solumn smile. She then turned to Ranma, locking eyes for a moment. With her eyes, she tried to tell Ranma her current thoughts, "Ranma, there is nothing I could say that would relay how sorry I am for this whole ordeal. But, for this one moment, please grant me your faith."
Ranma understood full well that something was about to happen, something that he needed to stop immidiately. His muscles tensed, just as Shampoo gave the command, "Restrain him."
Immidiately, Ranma positioned himself to counter anything the old woman may be able to do from her current position, ignoring the potential threat from behind him. Frozen, Ranma could only curse Shampoo's father, who had an well versed knowledge of pressure points.
Turning to Shampoo, Ku Shui nodded, trusting that his daughter knew the right thing to do, even if he had no idea what.
"This has all been brought about by the laws of my people, it will be finalized in the same way," Shampoo proclaimed, before purposely striding over to Nabiki, turning the woman to face her, and swiping the back of her hand across her cheek.
Everyone stood frozen, as Nabiki collapsed from the force of the blow, and stared up balefully at the Amazon.
"If I'm to take Ranma from you, so be it. I challenge you, Nabiki Tendou, for the right to claim Ranma."
The older woman brought herself slowly to standing, dragging the back of her hand across her burning cheek. She made it abundantly clear that she no longer wanted anything to do with Ranma, but maybe it was the the hate and betrayal that she felt towards Shampoo, or that the honor of her martial arts school demanded she accept all challenges. Perhaps it was just the fact that she just didn't like being slapped, but Nabiki decided she was going to make the little bitch pay.
"I accept."
Ranma wanted to scream out, demand to know what was going on, but he was locked in the prison of his own body. All he could do was fester in his own anger and concern, as he watched Nabiki turn, and stride towards the back yard.
Shampoo followed, though almost hesitantly, yet her own posture seemed anxious. Quickly, her great grandmother made it to her side, glaring up at her heir. "Shampoo, I demand to know the meaning of this!"
The young Amazon favored her elder with a cool expression, "If I am to do this, it will be by the laws created for such a situation. I will not just simply take what she deserves from her, Nabiki will be given a chance to defend what is rightfully hers until the battle is decided."
Cologne narrowed her eyes, "This is not necessary. She has willingly forfeited her claim. This trial is a worthless waste of everyone's time!"
"The laws, as I know them, state that there is no such clause that the battle is won before they have ceceeded the fight to the opponent. If she wishes to forfeit, she will do it as we prepare to face off or in the midst of combat."
"She will not simply quit, do you not see how angry she is at you?"" Cologne urged, unable to reign in the tone of worry in her voice, "She means to harm you greatly, and do not be foolish to believe she is not capable of it."
"I'm well aware of her intent," Shampoo stated, smiling faintly, "It is the state I wanted her to be in."
The old woman's eyes shifted towards Nabiki, as she turned to face them in the middle of the back yard. Her eldest sister approached her, initiating a private conversation. Nabiki nodded, before replying, earning a nod from Kasumi. The older woman walked towards the training hall, and entered. Cologne then glared once again at her heir, "What is your game, girl?"
Ranma wanted to know the answer also, but was unable to voice a comment. He was fortunate that Ku Shui had carried him out so that he could witness the fight, but had yet to release Ranma from his state of suspended animation. "I am afraid, young one," Ku Shui began in a conversational tone, "That I can not allow you to interfere with this bout. Please be patient with my daughter, and believe her intentions be be in benefit for everyone." Ranma was able to shift his eyes towards the man, allowing the Chinese chef to read the anger within.
"Game?" Shampoo replied, almost incredulously, "This is no 'game', Elder. You had demanded I take this seriously from the start. Well, I'm being gravely serious." Shampoo then produced her twin bonbori maces, and held them at her sides, before calling out to Nabiki in Japanese, "This fight we are allowed our weapons, is this understood?"
Nabiki turned towards the training hall, just as her sister was exiting with a six foot ratton quarterstaff. A lightweight weapon with reach; and her once preferred tool in the art. The middle aged woman accepted the staff that she had practiced for years in her past youth, and looked towards Shampoo, "I presumed as much." Happosai himself almost cackled, feeling a pang of sympathy for Shampoo. Irking Nabiki off the way she did was probably the dumbest move he had seen in a long time, most assuradly one of the top five he had seen in his lifetime.
"Then we are ready to begin," Shampoo announced, falling into stance. Nabiki nodded, standing lax with her staff in her right hand resting low.
Cologne stood between the fighters, ready to call the match. Before doing so, she attempted to salvage things; she had no interest in seeing either party harmed for such a worthless conflict, "Nabiki Tendou, you may submit, if you truly do give up your claim to Ranma. This fight is superficial at best, and potentially disasterous at worst."
"If I defeat her, she will be honor-bound to make an attempt on my life," Nabiki replied, not caring about the consequences.
Cologne nearly baulked, but held her stoic expression, "That is correct, yet you wish to continue?"
"Call the match," Nabiki ordered.
Disregarding the woman's impudence, Cologne did so, "So be it... BEGIN!"
Shampoo held her place, concerned about the skill level of the other woman. She had seen Nabiki practice, but did not know truly where her ability lay. Prudence suggested that the Amazon allow the other woman to make the first move. Nabiki did so, aproaching Shampoo with her left side turned towards the girl, as her staff was kept away. Shampoo didn't see anything of an apparent guard, which worried her even moreso. Nabiki was either uncaring of what blows she'll recieve, or she was that confident in herself.
Shampoo shifted back warily, as Nabiki got within a meter of her, anticipating any move. A sudden twitch, and Shampoo was using the head of one of her weapons to parry away the butt of Nabiki's staff from her gut, before blocking a second blow aimed for her head.
Nabiki began the fight, suddenly turning away from Shampoo, and thrusting the back of her staff towards Shampoo's midsection. Immidiately when she felt it contact, she spun back around, swinging the other end of the staff towards the girl's temple. Shampoo's haste to block left her midsection open again, and Nabiki swung the other end under from behind.
Shampoo gasped, leaping back in time to avoid being struck. Nabiki almost never shifted position exept for her initial strikes, and even then her movements were nearly unreadable. This posed a problem in Shampoo's confidence that she would win the match. For this to work, for everything to be set right, she *had* to win, lest things go from dim to ebon.
Pursing her lips in determination, Shampoo began her retaliation. She twirled her maces before her in elaborate and puzzling patterns in an effort to confuse her opponent enough to not allow the woman to guess where her strike would come first. Nabiki stood, unpeturbed by the display, passively awaiting for the girl's offensive.
Frowning deeper at the lack of reaction, Shampoo suddenly jabbed her left at Nabiki's head, hoping to force her to open her mid area. Nabiki once again turned away, bringing her staff against the back of her left shoulder, while holding with both hands to bend it into an arc. Shampoo's mace riccoched off of the curve Nabiki forced her staff into, and was followed up by the second bonbori.
Nabiki spun to her right on her left foot, bringing her right knee up to her chest. As she did so, she swung her staff around her front and across her knee, using her shin to once again bend it.
Once again, Shampoo's attack grazed along the shaft of Nabiki's weapon, but the young Amazon continued to attack, spunning into a backfist with her left bonbori. Nabiki turned the staff over, crossing her arms so that her right elbow was overlapping her left elbow, and then used her top elbow to force the staff into a third arc. Almost immidiately after Shampoo's weapon skimmed off of it, Nabiki let go of the end of the staff in her left hand, using the torque caused by the bend of the bow, adding more power as she twisted with the momentum, to snap the tip of it into the base of Shampoo's skull. The girl was launched forward, and landed in a roll. Still kneeling, she looked back at a dispassionate Nabiki with more than a little shock.
Cologne was rather surprised by the staff technique the middle aged woman was using, and looked towards Happosai. The old man was nodding in approval, expecting such results. She knew of the style herself, but it was rare that she found anyone that used it. The arch was one of the strongest structures that can be formed, and by warping her staff into one, even the lightwood ratton it was composed of would deflect the steel heads of Shampoo's maces. "I suppose you are responsible for her instruction?"
Happosai grinned.
Shampoo recovered hastefully, as Nabiki made quickened strides towards her. Almost without thinking, the young Amazon was forced into a furious conflict, as her opponents weapon moved at her with a speed she had only seen from some of the most season warriors of her village. She doubted Nabiki a vetran of battle, and could only figure that Nabiki was channelling the fury she was feeling towards the lavender haired girl into her attacks.
Suddenly, Shampoo felt her left arm crossed over the other, and looked down in shock to find the bo staff entangled between her wrists. Nabiki used her right leg to keep the staff verticle and holding Shampoo's arms secure, and freed her own hands from gripping her weapon to knock away the younger girl's maces. Shampoo's hands wretched at painful angles, forcing her to relenquish her hold on her weapons, and she quickly retracted her arms in order to get them back into a sembalance of defense.
Nabiki was already two steps ahead of her, as she suddenly thrust her palm into the shaft of the staff, sending the weapon that was still between Shampoo's arms into her face. The younger girl reeled back, as Nabiki caught the staff with her other hand.
The young girl's eyes watered, as her nose flashed with sharp pain. Unable to see, Shampoo chose to retreat, back hand springing away for space between them. Nabiki spun around, twirling the staff above her head, before launching it at Shampoo like a whirling disk. Just as the Amazon was landing, the staff entangled her legs, tripping her to the ground. Slamming into the dirt and grass, Shampoo looked up just in time to find Nabiki stalking towards her... with her own bonbori maces in hand.
Ranma began to feel vindicated at the retribution Nabiki was issuing. He played his own part in the tragedy that was being performed, but took consolence in the way that the woman he loved controled the fight. Unfortunately, he knew when the fight was over, it would be an empty pleasure for him, since it would avail him nothing.
Shampoo rolled out of the way, just before Nabiki slammed one of the maces into the ground where Shampoo's knee had been. Regaining her footing, Shampoo jumped back from the wide swing at her side. The older woman wasn't attempting any deadly blows, which was a minor consolence to Shampoo. She was just going for life-crippling ones.
Fortunately for the young Amazon, Nabiki wasn't accustomed to the weight of the maces, and allowed the girl to understand why Nabiki prefered such a light weapon. Hooking her foot under the staff at her feet, Shampoo kicked it up and caught it; she would show Nabiki that she wasn't as inhibited with her opponent's weapon as Nabiki was with hers.
Quickly, Shampoo parried away Nabiki's strikes, stopping the wide swings just behind the heads of the maces where the least force could be garnered, and struck out for the offensive. instead of retreating or dodging, Nabiki stepped in, jamming the swing before it could build any true power.
Once again countered, Shampoo felt a knee driven into her stomach, doubling her over. Immidiately, she felt hard steel slam into her back, forcing her onto her hands and knees. Nabiki remained coldly silent, as she raised the mace above her head for what she presumed would be a final blow, one aimed for Shampoo's right shoulder since the girl was right handed. Even as Shampoo managed to take what had become to matter most to her, she would be damned if the girl left with her pride.
Desperate, Shampoo suddenly lunged at Nabiki's leg, using her shoulder to shove against the knee, as she held the back of the woman's angle with both hands. Nabiki was not expecting the maneuver, and felt her knee extend painfully. She fell backwards onto the ground, and rolled away.
With a fierce cry, Shampoo met Nabiki as the woman came to kneeling, kicking her in the throat with a side kick. Nabiki gagged, as she slid back, choking because of her bruised esophagus. Shampoo saw now she had a chance; before, Nabiki's movements were very conservative, never relying on any brute power and mostly on momentum. By forcing the woman into a wilder fight, she lost the advantage.
Shampoo leapt into the air, and came down at Nabiki intending to drive a knee into the woman's sternum. It was countered, as Nabiki suddenly kicked both her feet up and pulled herself into a handstand, driving her heels into Shampoo's chin. The momentum from her decent, along with the force Nabiki issued made for a powerful blow, sending the lavender haired girl reeling. Shampoo unsteadily brought herself to standing, only able to see the world in a blur that signaled an obvious concussion.
Nabiki took a bit longer to bring herself to her feet, while attempting to force air through her throat to breath. Her chest was shuddering, as her lungs worked to retrieve oxygen that had been burned, and expel the carbon dioxide that was trapped. Her eyes watered from the pain of her throat, and needed a few moments to regain her bearings. She was not allowed those moments, as a feral cry from Shampoo sounded, and the girl tackled her hard. Nabiki lost the precious oxygen she had gained in her lungs when Shampoo slammed into her, making an already difficult situation even more dire.
Ranma felt his muscles strain, as he watched Shampoo throw herself into Nabiki. That had been the first sign he had felt that he may be regaining even a slight control over his body. If he could just concentrate, he could finally put an end to this once and for all.
Shampoo straddled Nabiki's waist, and drew back her fist while concentrating all her might into the upcoming blow. She made the same mistake Nabiki did in taking too long, allowing the woman under her to slam the web between the thumb and index finger of her right hand into Shampoo's neck. Shampoo choked, and fell off of Nabiki, holding her own throat.
Turning onto her side, Nabiki delivered a kick into Shampoo's chest, knocking her away. Once the girl was forced to deal with her own pain from a good distance away, Nabiki turned onto her hands and knees, staying in the position long enough to regain her lost wind. Once a bit more recovered, she brought herself to kneeling, then to standing. She turned and looked at Shampoo, who was on her knees gasping in ragged breaths, and unable to focus on Nabiki.
Shampoo looked up, seeing the manic glee on Nabiki's face, as the woman slammed her fist down into the side of Shampoo's jaw, making the most decisive blow thus far of the match. Everybody witnessing the brutal fight winced as they could, as the savage punch most assuradly took the fight out of Shampoo. The attack was uncharacteristic of Nabiki, but she had long since given up caring, and wanted to convey all her hurt into one final blow. She wanted to invite Shampoo into her current world of pain, and let her get to know it just as intimately as she did.
Finally steadying herself, Nabiki leaned down, and with what strength she had left, picked up Shampoo by the front of her shirt with her left hand. She looked the girl in the eyes; angry oak irises meeting drowsy purple ones, and spoke in a way only conveyed through the abyssal deepness that the soul dwelled in, within the eyes.
"I don't care if Ranma goes with you or not," Nabiki said in a solumn voice, "but don't think you're getting out of this without a price." Nabiki suddenly pulled up Shampoo's right arm, and wrapped her own right under it, while holding the wrist under locked under her left armpit. She then hooked the inside of her right foot behind Shampoo's ankle, and forced her shin against the girl's knee. Nabiki leaned back while pressing her leg against the girl's, beginning to muster all the strength she could.
Shampoo began to feel the strain against her elbow and knee, as they were forced to bend in unhealthy ways. Shampoo head swam, the only sensation registering were the multiple pains she felt. Maybe this would work out better in the long run. Nabiki next move may effectively end her career as a warrior, so there would be no retaliation driven by honor from her. If she was no longer capable of fighting, she couldn't carry out a Kiss of Death.
No, her Great Grandmother would either enlist someone to uphold her honor, or do it herself. She had already proven that she was a slave to their laws, and unwilling to give herself freedom from them. It was humorously ironic, that it was because of unecessary laws that place her in this whole situation, and it was yet another unecessary law that brought her to this end. She saw a tentative way out, and took it brashly. Again, her arrogance proved her undoing, as she was sure she would be able to defeat Nabiki.
She heard Nabiki's breath begin to exhale; a hollow sound that brushed against the back of her throat in order to calm her mind and focus her ki. Just as the older woman began to shift herself, just as the primal 'kiyah' was beginning to rumble in the woman's throat as she focused all her force. Shampoo made a decision.
She decided that she just couldn't lose.
"NO!" the Amazon suddenly screamed out, as she suddenly resisted Nabiki, and shifted her left side forward. The haymaker into Nabiki's gut carried all the strength, determination, and resolve she had left in her. It was enough power to lay out a rampaging elephant; she could only hope it was enough to stop Nabiki.
"HURRRUGH!" Nabiki felt her stomach cave in deeply, as she was sent flying away like a bullet. The end of her flight was met with the stone wall arond the Tendou compound, as her back flattened against it, her arms and legs splayed into it, and the back of her head dribbled from it.
"NABIKI!" Ranma suddenly shouted. His tone wasn't of concern, but of despair. Ku Shui jolted, surprised the young man had regained control of himself, and knew what forces Ranma had to invoke in order to miraculously override such a potent series of pressure points.
Nabiki staggered from the wall, a dazed expression on her face. She had heard Ranma's cry, and turned towards him slowly. As if it were knocked out of her by the impact, Nabiki's lost expression held none of the anger or fury she had been harboring, only a deep shock and sadness.
"Ranma..." she whispered, before collapsing onto her knees, and then onto her stomach, with her arms across her face.
The pigtailed young man too collapsed to his knees, feeling as if he truly, truly lost everything.
Shampoo herself was in tears, the whole ordeal accumilating to this point. After getting unsteadily to her feet, she limped over to one of her maces, and picked it up. After the side trip, she hobbled over to Nabiki, who was now stirring once again. Shampoo looked down upon the woman with her own concern, before she wiped it away, and replaced her expression with one of neutrality.
"Finish it."
Shampoo's face changed once again, surprised, "What?"
Nabiki slowly brought herself to sitting on the side of her legs, and shook her head to eleminate some of the fuzz, "Go ahead and end this fight. Just be gone by the time I wake up again."
Shampoo's bottom lip trembled, before she stilled it, "You have fought honorably for that which you had once claimed. Your devotion does you credit, and convinces me that you are an honorable warrior; worthy of my respect."
Nabiki looked up at Shampoo, glaring defiantly. The girl won, must she continue this blatant humiliation? Cologne's eyes widened slightly, as her Great granddaughter spoke. That was a deadly gambit her heir initiated. It also dawned on Ku Shui what was beginning to take place, and his ever present smile broadened, as he grew more proud of his daughter than he had ever before.
Shampoo raised her mace, "To impress an Amazon is not a casual task..." Shampoo brought the mace down swifty, and Nabiki reacted, awaiting the blow, but did not look away. The head of the mace stopped just an inch from her nose, and Shampoo then flipped it around, presenting the handle to the defeated woman.
"...and it is something this one highly regards," Shampoo finished, "I offer a choice..."
Nabiki looked at the mace being presented to her, and then to Shampoo. The middle aged woman remained confused, and saught answers from the Aazon's eyes. The expression Shampoo wore asked for Nabiki's faith.
With the tense pause between them, Shampoo strained against the urge to demand Nabiki take hold of the weapon. Unfortunately, she knew if she gave in, her Elder could justly cancel out what she was attempting. All the Amazon could do was have faith, and hope that Nabiki truly hadn't become totally embittered. This was a trial, one that tested everything she believed about Nabiki, and she prayed that her previous assessments were not sadly mistaken.
"Why?" Nabiki whispered, needing understanding.
Shampoo gave a teary smile, "Because, it is the only thing I can do..."
Any of the hate Nabiki had felt towards the girl had fled her, as she slowly reached out, and gently grasped the handle of the bonbori. Then, her grip firmed, allowing Shampoo to hoist the older woman to her feet, and into her embrace. "Welcome to the family of Xian... sister." Shampoo whispered, before finally allowing herself to cry. It wasn't too long before Nabiki joined her, finally able to bleed out the hurt that had overwhelmed the both of them since the previous night, and possibly beyond.
Happosai cackled, thoroghly entertained by the show. Cologne gave him a scowl, before turning a neutral expresion to the scene. Kasumi wasn't sure what to make of it, and chose to reenter the house. Ku Shui bowed his head, enjoying the humor in having daughter, at least in the spiritual sense, as old as he was. And Ranma...
"Uh... did I miss something?"
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"You do realize I do not necessarily have to allow this," Cologne warned, both irritated and impressed at the solution her heir created.
Shampoo cradled her arm within her sling, and turned towards her elder, "You do not, no."
"You have put a lot of faith into her. Do you realize the price if she had refused?"
Shampoo nodded, leaning back into the booth seat of the Cat Cafe, "I have faith in her."
"You also know she now reflects directly upon our family's honor, and you will have to explain to her the responsibilities being a woman of the Neichiizu curtails."
"Can you think of a single other person more deserving to represent our honor?" Shampoo asked, switching to Mandarin. She turned to watch her father preparing to open the restaurant for the next day, and smiled, "And she was already among the 'couragious women'."
"She had you in the throes of defeat..."
Shampoo chose not to respond to that. She looked down at the table, seeing her contented smile reflected in the oolong tea before her, "It all worked out in the end."
Cologne chuckled, "Not quite, it hasn't..." Shampoo blinked, and looked over at her elder.
"What you mean?"
"There's still the matter of getting my newest daughter wedded with son-in-law..." Cologne chortled, deciding she won in the end, as well.
Shampoo allowed her great grandmother her mirth, but knew that there was still a battle to be fought. "Good luck, Ranma," the young Amazon whispered, hopeful for the outcome.
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Ranma remained kneeling before Nabiki laying on the couch, douting on her as if her injuries were mortal. Nabiki had already grown tired of it, but felt a comfort from his presence. She knew it was simply the ki regenerating technique she had learned from Happosai that only responded to the opposite sex, but she would liked to have believed it was something more.
Ranma paused, and watched Nabiki. Just watched her as if she would suddenly disappear from him, like it seemed she almost did too many times. Feeling his intense gaze, Nabiki finally turned to look at him. Her eyes still held apprehension, and it ripped through Ranma like jagged rocks in a river's flow.
"Nabiki..." Ranma began, only to be cut off.
"Don't, Ranma. Please... just don't say anything."
"I'm not just going to give what we have up," Ranma continued, unabated.
Nabiki closed her eyes, and turned to face the ceiling, "I'm just not sure I can trust you, Ranma, understand?"
"No, I don't understand," Ranma responded, "What is it going to take?"
"It's... it's nothing with you." Nabiki stated, just feeling tired and drained from everything, "I'm pretty sure you feel sincere, but I just can't go through this again."
"Damn it! You won't go through this again! At least with me!" Ranma countered.
"Ranma, it just isn't going to work."
"Nabiki," Ranma stood up, and sat on the edge of the couch at Nabiki's torso. The middle aged woman shifted away as much as possible, but did nothing else. "I'm not going to stop trying, even if you tell me to. You ain't gonna get me to quit on this, no matter what you say."
"It's not like we can't be friends still."
"But that isn't enough," the young man replied with a gentleness he rarely displayed, "So it's just a matter of trust?" Nabiki nodded, finding that response the only one necessary.
Ranma's expression became determined, "Nabiki, I promise, on my honor, that I will do my best to never harm you again. You said that I take my honor too seriously, so you probably have an idea of how much this really means for me." Ranma leaned close to Nabiki's face, "I'll do whatever it takes..." With that, he closed the rest of the distance between them, and attempted to force all his desire, yearnings, and dedication through his lips.
Nabiki didn't respond at first, and vainly fought her eyes from slowly closing. She had hurt too much, it was a pain that broke her down to her lowest, and refused to allow her to recover. She probably never would by herself...
...but Ranma would not let her try alone.
Before she even realized it, her own lips were pressing back, responding with just as much tenderness and emotion that she was recieving. Oh gods, how she missed his taste, his smell, how he felt as she slowly wrapped her arms around him. She thought it just wouldn't work with him, that the emotional scars would remain opened, and that always in the back of her mind, she would feel that subtle dark presence of suspicion and distrust. But as she drank in what she knew was his total, unconditional love, she realized it would never again work without him.
They weren't sure how long they had remained embraced, until Ranma shifted to look at the time: one in the morning. "I guess I better get to bed... then," Ranma whispered, dissappointed in having to break away from Nabiki. He lingered on her expression, her uncertain and almost timid expression, before he started to get up, "Good night, Nabiki."
"Ranma... wait..." The pigtailed boy stopped, completely attentive to whatever Nabiki wished.
"I..." Nabiki gulped down the sudden flare of nervousness she felt, "I... could use some company... tonight..."
Ranma responded the only way he was capable, "Huh?"
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Hmm, yes... yes I think I will write a lemon here...
