Ranma ½, a new beginning.
by: A New H Production
I just wanted to take a quick moment to remind everyone that I do not own ranma 1/2 or any other anime that I make reference to in this story. This story was not written for profit please do not sue me.
I would also like to thank my editor ThreadWeaver he has done a great job with getting my story cleaned up.
Chapter 1: Contracts and Promises.
The dojo was silent as the middle Tendou was going over what she was told. She was weighing the pros and cons of her current predicament. What just happened was playing over and over in her head. She could accept the engagement to this cute boy that she doesn't even know and by doing that, possibly be well off and not having to worry about money, if he could be trusted. Or she could say no, lose face and family honor, but she would be free.
"Kami, what am I going to do?" she whispered. "I've been the Ice Queen for so long… My business sense is telling me to take it but is that what my heart wants?" She sat there for another five minutes before deciding to rejoin the rest of the family. When she arrived in the room, all eyes were on her.
"Saotome, about the agreement…"
"Yes?" Ranma answered.
"I will accept it with two addendums." There was a little frost in her voice when she addressed him.
"Name them and I will add them to the contract that we have." Ranma replied.
"No… This is between us. I want your word on this, not a contract."
"That is fine with me. Please continue."
"One, You keep me in the lifestyle I'm accustomed to, or better. Two, I still can go to college and continue my education." She stated.
Ranma smiled at the turn of events. "I thought she was going to ask for something difficult." He thought.
"You have my word," Ranma stated then smirked. "Pops got something right for a change," Ranma thought while signing the paper in front of him and passing it to Nabiki.
Nabiki looked over the paper she had been handed, "It's infallible. There are no mistakes or loopholes. This guy is good," she added to her train of thought. After going through a few more of the terms and thinking about them, she signed the paper before she had any doubts and tried to back out of it. One of the things that she didn't like in the contract was that the only way for a divorce for her is to commit seppuku.
Akane sat there fuming. She couldn't stand this for two reasons: Akane was pissed that he did not pick her, and she was watching her sister sign her life away. But the icing on the cake for her was what happened next.
"Nabiki, I'm a little worn out. Where will we be sleeping tonight so I can grab a quick nap before we go out?" Ranma asked calmly.
Everyone stared in shock. When Akane recovered, she jumped out of her seat and picked up the dinning room table. "You pervert! I will not let you sleep with my sister!"
"Akane!" Nabiki yelled, causing Akane to drop the table on her own head.
Akane yelled back, "What this pervert needs is to be hit for suggesting to sleep in your room!"
"It's none of your business. I'm the one who signed the contract." Nabiki was spitting icicles by this point.
"But… But, he's a pervert!" she stammered
"He is also soon to be your brother-in-law."
Akane didn't know how to react. Her mind was telling her punish the pervert but it was also saying never to cross Nabiki or she will end up broke. Nabiki grabbed Ranma's hand and took him upstairs. The two fathers looked at each other and started to dance with fans in their hands. Nabiki kept quiet until they reached her room.
Kasumi spoke to her father when the two disappeared, "Daddy, this is not proper. They're not married yet and they're too young."
She was answered with, "It will be fine," as she was handed a copy of the contract to read.
Kasumi read the contract and scrunched her face. "It's still not proper and I don't approve of it."
Nabiki sat on her bed as Ranma rolled out his futon. Lost in thought, she smiled at the turn of events. "Things were going to become more profitable and I won't be lonely anymore," she thought to herself as yen signs danced in her eyes, "I'm still in shock of how jealous Akane was that he picked me, even though I tried to pawn him off on her." Nabiki looked at her fiancé as he laid down on his futon. "Where are we going tonight?" She asked him.
Ranma smiled at her. "It is my first night here and I want to take in some of the sights and see what this town has to offer. Plus I want to surprise you with something." He closed his eyes and said, "Wake me about seven." Before she could respond, he was fast asleep.
"Surprise me? You have done that too much tonight. I don't know if I can take another surprise," she murmured to herself as she walked down downstairs.
Ranma smiled and pulled out his cell phone.
Nabiki sighed as she walked into the living room and turned on the TV. The middle Tendou turned on the box and scanned the channels looking for something to watch for the next two hours. The time seemed to creep by she watched the clock. "It's 6:30. I better take a bath before I wake him," she thought. As she walked to the bathroom, there was a knock at the door. Kasumi went to answer it so she just continued on.
Kasumi looked at the package the deliveryman handed her. She was curious about what was in the box, but she knew better than open someone else's mail. The box was for Ranma. Kasumi decided that the best thing for her to do is take the package to him. One thing lingered on her mind though… Why was Ranma getting mail here so soon?
Nabiki was getting out of the changing room when she saw her older sister leaving her room. Kasumi didn't see Nabiki as she went down the stairs towards the kitchen.
"What was Kasumi doing in my room?" she wondered to herself. She opened the door to her room to find the package next to Ranma's sleeping form. She tried to tiptoe over and pick it up when she heard, "I wouldn't do that if I were you," come from the sleeping form.
"W-why not?" Nabiki stammered.
"You'll see..." Ranma replied.
Nabiki walked over to her closet to pick out an outfit.
"You don't need anything from in there."
She whipped around to find a beautiful blue and gold Chinese style dress. "Were did you get that?" she asked, trying to hide her surprise.
"China," Ranma answered as he walked out of the room.
Ranma lowered himself into the furo, letting the hot water soak his body. Ranma started to think about what he had done and proceeded to go through his checklist. "I hope I made the right choice of which one to marry, instead of going back to China. I may know nothing about the area but the operator was a big help. After tonight, even though we both just met, I'll find out if I made the right choice." After about 10 minuets of soaking, he got out and dressed in the nicest clothing he had. It was nothing as grand as what he gave to Nabiki, but close.
Ranma was in awe as he looked at Nabiki. The dress fit her perfect. The way she was standing showed a little of her slender leg through the slit on the side.
"What do you have in mind for tonight Ranma?" Nabiki inquired.
"I was thinking dinner and a nice walk through town," he said while smirking.
"Ok, I have the perfect place to eat," the girl stated.
"I already have reservations somewhere," was his reply.
Nabiki was in awe, "I thought you said you've never been here before?"
"I haven't, I had a little help finding the place while you were in the bath."
With that, Ranma put his finger to Nabiki's lips, took her hand and walked her out the front door.
Soun watched as his baby girl left and broke into a light cry, which threatened to flood the dojo. Nabiki looked stunning tonight. Only one thing stunned him more: The two that were being forced to marry were getting along with each other. "I didn't think that they would handle it so well…"
Ranma and Nabiki were standing on the porch looking out at the wall. "Nabiki, how do we get to this restaurant?" Ranma questioned.
Looking at the name on the slip that Ranma handed her she flipped out. "Do you know how much it costs to go here?"
"Not really. I was just told that it was the nicest restaurant in town. So, how do we get there?"
"It's about 3 blocks from here."
The two walked side by side down the road talking about their hobbies and what their lives were like before tonight. Unbeknownst to them, a shadow was following them to their destination.
"I know he's a pervert, but why would he pick her over me? All the boys at school like me more than anyone else," the shadow whispered as it followed. When Akane looked in the window of the French restaurant that Ranma had taken Nabiki to, her jaw dropped. She watched Ranma and Nabiki laughing and carrying on. "Why wasn't she being cold to him like all the rest of the boys?" she whispered to herself again.
"Nabiki there is something that I want to do, and I want to do it right. Please just listen to me till I'm done."
Nabiki nodded her head not knowing how to respond to what the boy just told her. After receiving the ok to continue, Ranma got down on one knee, "Tendou Nabiki, will you marry me?"
"Ranma, what are you talking about? We're already engaged."
"I wanted to ask you outside of the contract, because doing only on paper doesn't seem too romantic. Now, Tendou Nabiki, will you be my wife and my partner?" Ranma pulled a small box out of his pants and opened it. Nabiki's eyes grew large. In the box was what looked like a half carrot diamond engagement ring.
"Ranma were did you get this?" was her stunned reply.
"You will find out once I get my answer."
Nabiki sat there without saying a word. The thoughts stewed in her brain, "Ranma's just a hopeless romantic. He wines and dines me then proposes? He wanted to do this for me? He doesn't even know me! We are engaged though… Stupid father, I'm going to get him for this."
"Nabiki... Nabiki… I just want you to give me a chance and not feel completely forced into this. I'm hoping that this doesn't become a loveless marriage. I want you to fully except me. " Ranma told her.
"Ranma, I will, I will marry you."
Ranma kissed the girl he just met and slipped the ring on her finger. The ring glowed for a second then stopped.
Nabiki touched two fingers to her lips in shock of what just happened.
"I knew I made the right decision and the ring just proved it." He thought to himself.
Outside, Akane was turning red. "How dare that… that… pervert… do that to my sister! I'm going to kill him!" Akane stormed off back to the dojo. "Just wait till they get home…"
Ranma and Nabiki exited the restaurant and walked to the nearby park and sat on the swings while getting to know each other better. Nabiki was giggling and laughing as they looked up to the stars. After a short while, Nabiki was reminded that she had school the next day and they proceeded to walk back to the dojo.
It was about 11 pm when they finally made it to the front door of the Tendou dojo. Nabiki turned and looked at Ranma in the moonlight. She was getting lost in his blue eyes. Ranma leaned down and kissed her as deeply and passionately as one can hope to do on the first day they meet. Every time Ranma put more force in the kiss, Nabiki returned it. Then without warning the front door opened, revealing a crying Soun while Kasumi was saying that kissing like that before marriage is not proper. Ranma and Nabiki looked at the two and decided it was best that they both go to bed.
Ranma lay on the futon on the ground in his black pants and white shirt. Nabiki laid on the bed in her yellow pj's trying to fall asleep.
"Nabiki, what are you thinking about?"
"Right now, how much my life has changed in a matter of hours."
"Any regrets?"
"Hasn't been long enough for me to regret anything. I'm going to bed. Goodnight Ranma."
"Goodnight Nabiki."