I do not own anything written by Rumiko Takahashi.
Nabiki collapsed back onto her bed, her nude body covered with sweat and her jaws clenched against the need to scream out the orgasm still echoing through her. Slowly, she relaxed, gasping for air as her fiery-maned lover lifted up from between her spread legs and floated up along her quivering body, a wide smile across her face. The nature spirit's face dipped, and her lips gently touched Nabiki's.
After a moment, Ranma floated down to circle her arms around her fiancée, one arm under Nabiki's heaving breasts and the other passing through the bed to press against her back, while her head rested on Nabiki's shoulder. Nabiki got her breathing under control, and reached over to pull the top sheet and blanket over her, shivering slightly as her sweat cooled and evaporated.
"I think I like this way of feeding most," Ranma murmured after a moment. "Ya certainly enjoy it more."
"True," Nabiki agreed with a weary chuckle. "And that means you get more out of it, so we both win."
"Not really," Ranma said. "Between Kasumi's meals and our feeding sessions, I'm usually pretty full up, not much room for more. But yeah, if you win, I win."
"Do you think that's why you haven't been as wiped out by the energy overload, lately?" Nabiki asked curiously, and felt Ranma's slight shrug.
"I dunno," the redhead replied. "Could be that, or it could be I'm just gettin' used ta it."
The two fell silent for a time, then as Nabiki felt herself slipping into sleep, Ranma said, "Nabiki, what's been botherin' ya lately? You've been keyed up — tight, nervous, even scared. Are ya that afraid of how Pop's gonna react when Mom shows up tomorrow? Ya don't need ta worry, I won't let him do anything to ya."
"I know, Ranma, with you around I have nothing to worry about there," Nabiki murmured, turning her head to lightly kiss the top of Ranma's head. The redhead shivered slightly, almost purring at the feeling of love and gratitude she was drinking in. "No, it isn't that," Nabiki continued. "It isn't anything I can talk about just yet." She fell silent for a few moments, then said, "Ranma, will you marry me?"
Ranma lifted her head to look down at her fiancée, a confused expression on her face. "Of course I'm gonna marry you, you're my fiancée. What kinda question is that?"
"An important one," Nabiki answered. "After we were told of the agreement to join the families, I know you agreed to fulfill it with me, but I've been thinking lately that that's a pretty stupid reason to marry someone. I love you, and I know you love me, but that doesn't mean we have to get married. If you'd rather keep it like this —"
"No!" Ranma interrupted. "I'm not my Dad, I'm not just gonna mooch offa you as a ... a food source. I'm gonna be yer husband, and see to it ya don't lack for anything, and we'll have a family, and everything!"
Nabiki lifted a hand to wipe at suddenly teary eyes even as she firmly stomped on the beginning of a spurt of fear. Reaching up, she pulled Ranma's head back down to her shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered. "That means a lot to me. And Ranma, the same goes for me — whatever happens, you're mine. You aren't getting away from me."
"Ya got it," Ranma replied firmly, "You're my wife, and I'm gonna be yer husband." After a moment, she added, "But that doesn't mean we gotta rush out and get married tomorrow."
Nabiki chuckled lightly at the mix of love, eagerness and worry washing over her. "Yeah, I think we can at least wait until I finish high school."
"Good," Ranma said as she felt Nabiki slipping toward sleep, pulling her along in her wake. "See ya in yer dreams."
/oOo\
Nodoka staggered slightly as she finished yet another kata, dripping sweat and every muscle aching. Lowering her bokken, she wiped at her face with one hand, then sighed as she walked over to put the bokken in its holder on the wall.
Walking into the bathroom and stripping out of her sweat-sodden workout clothes, she examined her lithe, smoothly muscled nude body in a full-length mirror with approval as she briefly considered a late-night visit to a bathhouse before settling on a hot shower for her over-stressed muscles and then to bed and hopefully, after the long training, sleep.
Finally, I get to move in with the Tendos, make Ranma a part of my life, truly get to know him after all these years! she exulted as she stepped into the steaming shower and began to lather up, then chuckled to herself. 'Finally'! It's only been a few weeks since he returned to you... But it had seemed so long, each day endless, waiting, hoping for a call from him or Nabiki, trying to think of a reason to call her son's fiancée, living for the weekend like she'd never done since starting her career to make ends meet. But tomorrow, that would be at an end.
And I'll finally get some answers from my former husband, she thought grimly, mood darkening as she thought again of the years of silence, except for visits from the police and the people Genma had cheated, then jumped slightly as the bar of soap shot out of her tightening grip and bounced off the wall. Chuckling to herself, she shook her head as she knelt to pick up the soap. Relax, Nodoka, Genma is no longer your husband, and whatever happened in the past, Ranma is back. Be happy with that. She washed off the soap then simply stood in place as the heat seeped into her aching muscles, again relaxing as her mind returned to the handsome raven-haired young man her baby had become (and the cute redheaded succubus he sometimes became, and she firmly squelched speculation on how useful her daughter could be in her side job, once again telling herself to let her son/daughter finish growing up, first). Finding herself yawning, she smiled. And it looks like you'll actually get some sleep tonight, after all.
/oOo\
The next day:
Akane frowned as she walked over and picked up the towel lying against the dojo wall and wiped the sweat off her face. The morning training under her sensei had been going as usual; certainly she hadn't come close to tagging Ranma. She never did, and now didn't expect that to change any time soon (though she'd never admit it). And truthfully, now that she knew just how Ranma had become so good at the Art she didn't want to — not if the kind of abuse his father had put him through was what she'd need to face.
Still, even if he was completely out of her league, he'd been ... distracted ... all morning. Not so much as to give her an opening, but still obvious to anyone that sparred with him regularly.
"All right, Ranma, what's been bothering you today?" she growled as she draped the towel around her neck.
" 'Sensei', while we're in the dojo," Ranma said, frowning.
Akane shook her head. "This doesn't have anything to do with training or fighting, so 'Ranma' it is. So what have you been thinking about instead of my training?"
Ranma opened his mouth to deny the accusation, then paused and finally shrugged — she was right. "It's Mom," he said. "She's coming today. I'm thinkin' about how Pop is gonna take it."
"Your mom's coming here!? Today?" Akane almost shrieked. "Why now!? And why didn't you tell me?"
"I don't know why now; Nabiki thought it was a good idea, and that's enough for me," Ranma said nonchalantly. "And fer why we didn't tell you ... Akane, ya tend ta blurt things out when ya get angry, and ya get angry at Pop a lot." The pigtailed boy shrugged again. "I don't blame ya fer that, he's a piece a' work, but that doesn't change how ya act."
"And it doesn't matter now, anyway," came Nabiki's voice from where she was leaning against the dojo's doorframe. Holding up her cellphone, she continued, "She just called me — she's gotten off the train and is walking here now. She'll be here in a few minutes."
Ranma jerked around at the sound of his fiancée's voice. Then her words registered, and a hard grin broke across his face. "Great! Where's Pop?"
"In the family room playing shogi with Father."
"Good," Ranma replied. "I'm gonna get around so I'm in the yard on that side a' the house. That way, when Pop sees Mom walk through the door an' uses the Saotome Final Technique I'll be in the way."
"Saotome Final Technique?" Akane asked as both sisters looked at Ranma curiously. "I don't think you've taught me that one."
"Well ... no, I haven't, I wasn't sure how you'd take it," Ranma admitted, reaching up to rub his neck behind his pigtail. "Basically, Pop says ... when you find yourself in a no-win situation ... you run away."
The girls stared, then Akane broke out laughing. "Oh, yes, the big, tough, I-can-beat-anyone Ranma, and you run away!" she chortled.
"Yes, you run away!" Ranma growled. "When the fight's lost, there's no point in stickin' around an' takin' a beatin' fer nothin' — ya buy time ta think, figure out how ta come back an' win."
Nabiki nodded, one eyebrow lifting in surprise. "That's a surprisingly pragmatic rule, I like it," she said, then glared at the still-laughing Akane. "And little sis, before you get too high and mighty, ask yourself what you would have done if you had a choice between closing to the Hentai Horde or running away. Would you have really stayed around to get beaten and maybe raped?"
The blood drained from Akane's face and she swayed, her laughter cut off as if Nabiki had flipped a switch. Ranma stepped over to steady her as he shot a hard look at Nabiki. "That was a bit harsh, Nabiki," he growled.
Nabiki closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then her shoulders slumped and she walked over to pull Akane into a hug. "Your sensei is right, that was over the top," she admitted, wincing at the feeling of shivers running through the younger girl's body. Then, pushing herself back with her hands on Akane's shoulders, she added, "I'm sure Ranma has no problem thinking of things he'd fight to the death for, but just for honor? No, that's one thing 'Uncle' Saotome got right."
She held her gaze fixed on Akane's face until the younger girl nodded, then glanced over at Ranma. "The technique might be fine, but not this time. Get moving, your mother will be here any minute." Ranma nodded and dashed out of the dojo, and Nabiki turned back to Akane and gave her a grin worthy of any shark. "Come on, let's go enjoy the show."
/\
Genma sighed as he gazed down at the shogi board; his mind wasn't on the game, and his desperate position on the board reflected that fact. He glanced about out of the corners of his eyes, looking for something — anything — that might distract his old friend for the brief moment needed for some creative adjustments, but nothing came up, and he sighed louder. "A good game, Soun. Shall we play another?"
"Of course!" the muscular, mustached man sitting across the board instantly agreed.
As the two began setting up the board for another game, Genma found his thoughts again drifting to his son — and his son's fiancée. He had known there was going to be trouble within minutes of meeting that girl. She was more than smart, she was clever, just the kind of woman that he had avoided at all costs over the years — the kind that saw right through his act, impossible to fool, and ready to deal out pain if he tried. Why couldn't Ranma have latched onto Kasumi? Genma thought despairingly once more. She's gentle, submissive, knows her place, and the girl can cook! Even Akane would have been better — that girl has a temper, but lets it control her and lacks the skill to match Ranma even if she kept in control. There's no way Ranma would let her henpeck him.
But Ranma hadn't chosen either the youngest or the oldest of the sisters, instead latching onto the middle Tendo as if he'd known her all his life, and for some reason that cold, angry girl had gone along with it. Probably wants some muscle to protect her in case anything goes wrong, the balding martial artist thought bitterly, and now I'll have to fight to get my son out of her clutches and listening to his father again. Not that Ranma had been doing all that much listening lately, even before they'd arrived at the dojo.
The elder Saotome had been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the sound of someone at the front door, or even the approaching footsteps of a small crowd, so the first warning was Kasumi's excited voice: "Oh, my! Father, Uncle Genma, we have a guest."
Looking up, Genma froze as he felt his heart turn over at the sight of the woman carrying a cloth-wrapped sword-length bundle standing beside the eldest Tendo daughter carrying a tray for tea. She had ... changed, over the past almost ten years, faint lines around her eyes that hadn't been there before, hair perhaps faded a bit. But he couldn't remember the sleek muscles revealed by the short-sleeved blouse and knee-length skirt she wore, nor the self-confidence her body language fairly shouted — nor the cold stare fixed on him like a limpet. Nodoka. Ranma's not ready, and she knows it! the bit of his mind not stunned by shock wailed. Genma took a deep breath, then rose and whirled in a single motion and dashed for the yard, only to fold over as a fist slammed into his gut.
Ranma stepped away from the outside wall. "Runnin' away again, Pop? Not this time. Get back —" Ranma's demand ended in a squawk as Genma spun, kicked his son's feet out from under him, then caught the falling boy with feet and hands to lift him up and over and toss him into the koi pond. The self-appointed master of the Saotome School might have been lazy outside of the Art, but the truth was that, so far as skill was concerned, his master status was deserved — he'd long since realized that Ranma's spirit form was nimble enough, but slow. Even as Ranma's shout turned into an uncomfortably feminine shriek (a fact he once again unconsciously ignored), he sprang to his feet, dashed for the wall, and bounded up and over. Racing across the street, he leaped up to the roof of the nearest one-story building then roof-hopped away as quickly as he could. It was going to take some serious thinking to come up with a way out of this mess.
/\
The suddenly red-haired Ranma shot out of the water and looked around frantically even as her father ran for the wall. Hot water, dammit, where's — ! There, on the tray Kasumi was holding, but in the wrong direction — by the time the succubus turned human and got dressed, Genma would be well out of sight.
Instead, Ranma headed skyward. As soon as she cleared the roofs of the houses across the street she searched and — yes! There was her father, already a block away and gaining distance. The nature spirit set off after him at her best speed even as she climbed higher, hoping to keep him in sight as he pulled away from her. This isn't gonna work! she thought despairingly even as she clawed for altitude. Either he's gonna get lost in the clutter or I'll hafta climb so high he'll be too small ta see or he'll have an attack of brains and drop ta street level and get lost in the maze. I hafta go faster!
Again, Ranma pushed for more speed, struggling to force her way through the wall that she'd found just after she'd first fallen in the spring at Jusenkyo and had been unable to break through ever since. In the weeks since then she'd never seemed to get tired when in this form, no matter how long she practiced her Art, but neither could she seem to push herself for the little bit of extra effort that could make a difference in a fight. And now that lack was going to cost her, she'd never get the answers she and her mom wanted so badly. Gritting her teeth, Ranma threw every ounce of willpower she had at forcing her limits.
Suddenly, Ranma faltered as she felt the strangest sensation run along her back and shoulder blades, a hot shifting, as if her back muscles were twisting and reshaping like the taffy pulling machine he'd once seen. As quickly it came the weird feeling was gone, and a grin spread across her face as suddenly she was swooping down toward the bouncing Genma at a speed she'd never imagined. "Woohoo!"
At her shout of glee, Genma jerked and whipped around, looking wildly in all directions but up (not that it would have helped him), and Ranma's grin grew wider — here she was approaching fast, and Genma couldn't see her! Approaching really fast. Oh, crap, this is gonna hurt... And with a tackle to do any rugby player proud, she smashed into her father's chest. Her new red bat-like wings wrapped around them, thanks to her momentum, as the collision knocked Genma off the roof. Ranma's sole thought as they plummeted toward the ground was, Wings?! Where'd they come from?!
/\
Genma twisted as he and his son plummeted toward the ground below, grabbing blindly at the invisible body pressed against him even as Ranma pushed away. His hands made contact, one hand grasping something that felt like skin-covered bone much too thin to be human and the other squeezing hard on something too soft to be muscle, eliciting a high-pitched shriek of outrage from his boy ... Genma's eyes widened as he stiffened in shock. No, it can't — And Ranma pushed herself out of his grip and away even as he smashed back first onto the lawn.
As Genma desperately fought to pull air back into his lungs, Ranma's voice came from empty air — now that Genma was finally accepting reality, an obviously feminine voice. "Ya might as well give it up, Pop — ya can't outfight me like this, and now ya can't outrun me."
Coughing as his lungs refilled, Genma gasped out, "Ranma, y-y-you're a girl!"
"Finally figure it out, did ya? Yeah, well, so are you when you're a panda, so what?"
Genma's eyes flashed over the ambush he'd suffered when leaving the Tendo compound with a sudden sick feeling that had nothing to do with his fall — Ranma had known about No-chan's coming before she arrived. "Does your mother know?" he asked faintly as he sat up.
"Yeah, she does," the disembodied voice responded. "Now come on, let's get back." Invisible arms slipped under Genma's arms and suddenly he found himself lifted from the ground to soar up above the houses he had just been running over.
Forcing himself to ignore the obvious source of the two points of pressure against his back as Ranma flew them back toward the dojo, the balding master closed his eyes and thought furiously. Okay, No-chan knows about the curse — knows more than I do, apparently — and she hasn't handed him a tanto, yet. That means she must not have inquired too deeply into his sex life and found out it's nonexistent. So, there's still a chance, if I can convince her that our stay at the dojo was simply to give Ranma an opportunity to get to know his fiancée before we start a quest for a cure. Then Ranma and I can head out to get it fixed, and get him laid, and a cure for the Cat Fist ... Genma's thoughts faltered, then firmed. Okay, so we probably will never be able to go home, or even return to the Tendos — at least Ranma will live, which he won't if No-chan tells him about the seppuku contract and demands he fulfill it. Where the boy got that over-developed sense of honor ...
Opening his eyes, the middle-aged master took a deep breath as he watched the Tendo compound rapidly rise toward them. Showtime.