See Chapter 1 for Disclaimer.

A Year Ago…

"That…that…" Akane was trying to come up with an appropriate phrase for her erstwhile fiancé, that's just how pissed off she was at him this time.

"What exactly did he do this time?"  Nabiki asked nonchalantly.

"I caught him making out in his girl form—with Mousse of all people!  It isn't bad enough he's got all his…sluts to cheat on me with, but now he's cheating on me with guys!  Next thing you know, I'll probably catch him sleeping with Ryouga."

The middle Tendo took a deep, cleansing breath.  She'd heard about what happened through her network of informers, and Ranma wasn't at fault for this latest blow up.  A water balloon, courtesy of the Furinkan hentai squad, had hit the pigtailed boy.  Kodachi saw the "redheaded harlot" who vied for the affections of her "Ranma-sama", and hit the pigtailed girl with a bouquet of roses with a more effective paralysis powder she'd been working on.  Mousse mistook the paralyzed redhead for Shampoo and acted out one of his…safer fantasies regarding the Amazon.

Akane saw the myopic Chinese boy glomp her aquatransexual fiancé, and nailed both of them with a convenient lab table before storming off in a huff.

"Akane," Nabiki said, "have you ever thought that what happens to Ranma is not necessarily his fault?"

"How can it not be his fault?  He doesn't do anything when his harem latches on to him.  He always insults me, doesn't eat my cooking, and had never taken me out on a date.  As far as I'm concerned, I wish I'd never met the jerk!

"I'm going to tell Daddy that I want out of the engagement and I want that jerk out of my life."

As her younger sister stormed off, Nabiki pursed her lips.  "This is not good.  She wants out of the engagement, then I'll have to do something before Daddy and Ojisan do something…stupid."  She sat at the dining room table, and pulled out a pad of paper and began doodling while she thought.  "The Saotome-Tendo agreement demands that a Saotome marry a Tendo.  Now, if Akane wants out of the agreement, that leaves two Tendo daughters left.

"Even though Daddy doesn't know it yet, Kasumi's been seeing her English teacher on the side.  Kasumi could be engaged to Ranma, but still see her American on the side.  That would be a huge can of worms though.  And Ranma, even though he won't admit it, has a jealous streak.  And that could be…bad."

Nabiki sighed.  And she could hear her little sister yelling at their father and Genma.  "It looks like it's up to me to salvage family honor.  So much for me earning my first million by the time I'm thirty."  She was about to stand when her father and pandafied "uncle" came into the dining room.

"Nabiki, we need your help," her father wailed.  "Akane refuses to even acknowledge Ranma's existence."  Genma was growfing in agreement with what his friend was saying.

"Have you asked Ranma about how he feels about this?"

Genma started pulling out signs.  [Of course not.  This is a matter of honor.  The feelings of my honorless son don't count in this matter.]

Nabiki held her tongue, even though she wanted to yell at the panda man.  His twisted notions of honor were what caused most of his son's problems.  Especially since Ranma was required to marry two girls to unite their respective families, and marry a third because her honor was at stake.  The fourth fiancée was just a bloody loon.  Counting to ten slowly, she formulated her plan.  "I will agree to be engaged to Ranma, but only on the following conditions.

"First, we will be allowed one year to get to know each other before we formalize our engagement, dependent on condition two.  Second, if at any point during our year we do not get along for a significant length of time, or find that we are not compatible, or Ranma chooses to wed one of his other fiancées, then the Saotome-Tendo union will be held off at least until the next generation.  Third, the two of you will not interfere with Ranma and I in any way, shape or form.  To do so would be considered a breach of contract, and will delay the union until at least the next generation."  She smirked at her potential father-in-law.  The panda began sweating…heavily.  "This contract is nonnegotiable once we agree on these terms. To do so would be considered a breach of contract."

"Why are you doing this to us, Nabiki?  Don't you love your family?"  Soun wailed, the tears starting.  "Don't you trust your father?"

Nabiki fixed the dim-witted duo with a firm gaze.  "Do you really have to ask?  Would you like me to site chapter and verse about how the two of you screwed up Ranma and Akane's engagement?"  The fathers both flinched at the venom coming from the middle Tendo's voice.  By trying to force the engagement, it ruined whatever peaceful life the two teens had hoped for.  "Now then, are we agreed on the terms?  Mind you, even if you try to dump this in Kasumi's lap, she has her own methods of revenge.  Which makes me your best and only choice."  Soun nodded.  "Ojisan?"

[Agreed] the panda signed.

"Good.  I'll have a contract drawn up tomorrow for the signatures of all parties involved."  With that, Nabiki stood and left the fathers to their own devices.

[I would have preferred it if we went to Kasumi first,] the panda "said".  [I really don't like dealing with Nabiki.]

"I know, Saotome.  I know."

It was unfortunate that Nabiki's pigtailed fiancé walked through the compound's gate.  Even up in her room, Nabiki could hear the mighty morons jump on Ranma for being a faithless fiancé to Akane, and his reply that nothing was ever his fault, and how no one ever believed him, least of all his fiancée.  Two meaty slaps could be heard, followed by the sounds of his footsteps up the stairs.  Nabiki made her choice, and decided to meet her fiancé head on.

"Ranma," she said, intercepting the teenage martial arts god in the hall, "I take it that our fathers told you the news." 

"News, what news?"  Ranma said.  "All they told me was that I should go and make up with Akane for being so faithless to her.  It wasn't my fault that Mousse thought I was Shampoo."

Nabiki squirreled her face.  "Oh, they are in so much trouble," she said, as she dragged her fiancé into her bedroom.  "Akane has given up entirely on the engagement."

Ranma snorted.  "That's nothing new.  She breaks it every time she feels like it.  And its not like she wanted to be engaged to me in the first place; you and Kasumi all but forced it on her."

Nabiki actually managed to look abashed, which threw Nerima's favorite aquatransexual for a loop.  "I…I know.  Our fathers asked me to honor the agreement."

"Oh great.  Does this mean I'm going to be sold to my other fiancées for dates like the last time?  Or you get to take dirty pictures of my girl side for Kuno and the rest of the perverts at school without having to bother Akane?"

"Ranma, I…" Nabiki was about to say she would be a better fiancée this time around, but Ranma interrupted.  "I don't trust you, Nabiki.  You've hurt me too many times to forgive you."

"Ranma, please, all I ask is for one chance.  I promise that I won't screw it up this time."

The pigtailed teen looked at his new fiancée.  "I'll give you this one last chance.  And I'm not going to ruin Kasumi's chances with her 'friend', because if it doesn't work out between us, I'm declaring the Tendo-Saotome agreement void."

Nabiki smiled.  And it wasn't one of her usual "I know something you're going to pay me for" smiles.  It was, for all intents and purposes, a warm, friendly smile.  And that seemed to make Ranma unsettled.  "Oh, I understand entirely.  Would you like me to help you with your studies?  I've already had your classes, so I have a good idea of what to do.  And I've seen your grades, so I know what help you need."

"Yeah, I guess so."  Ranma said, nervously at the prospect.

Downstairs, the dimwitted duo looked up at the ceiling.  "They're not arguing," Soun said.

[It's strangely quiet.  You don't think…].  The rest of the comment was left unsaid.

"Ranma…and Nabiki…I don't want to have a shotgun wedding," Soun said, as he began to wail.

[Then we need to interrupt them!]  Both fathers ran up the stairs and threw open the door to Nabiki's room.

"Yes, Father?"  Nabiki asked, pencil in hand.

"What?  How?  When?  Aren't you two supposed to be…" Soun said confused at the sight of the two fully clothed teens. 

"We were studying, Mr. Tendo.  Pop, did you say what I think I said?"  Ranma said, looking up from his English text.

[I did no such thing, foolish boy.]

"You do realize that I could consider this a breach of contract, Daddy.  You are, after all interrupting our study session."

Both fathers went into the Crouch of the Wild Tiger.  "Gomen nasai, gomen nasai," they said, bowing as they backed out of the room.

"What was that all about?  What contract?"

"Oh, just something I did to keep our fathers from interfering," Nabiki said.  "I'll tell you about it later."

"Um, ok."  Ranma replied, going back to his homework.


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