Chapter 1

AN: Hello my dears! Very sorry for this, I have been overwhelmed with work, life, and sitting in a place where I could not proof the story. But now, I should have a little more time to upload and edit this, so if we are lucky, I may get up another couple of chapters this week.

For now enjoy! The scene is being set...

Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing other than a headache and an army of plush penguins.

Saotome Nodoka sat in her house at the dining table, watching her guest with hidden apprehension.

Nabiki appeared to be relaxed, but as she took a sip of tea, she eyed the Saotome clan blade and her eyebrow twitched almost imperceptivity.

They sat this way, in the absolute still and quiet, waiting for someone to finally make a move.

Just as Nodoka was about to lean forward and question her guest as to her presence there, Nabiki put her cup down and spoke. "Saotome-same, thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

"Tendo-san, of course. May I inquire as to why you are here and how much this visit will cost me?"

This time, the wince was quite visible to the untrained eye, as the middle sister clearly deflated from her normally stoic and composed cool self.

"Nothing Aunty. I think it is time we ended all of this nonsense. But I will be needing your help to pull it off."

The matriarch of her family considered the statement. On the one hand, the girl before her seemed to truly be tired of the madness and wanting to make amends. More than once in the last month she had seen Nabiki eye her sister with sadness, and as far as Ranma's mother was aware, the middle Tendo had not actually done anything to sabotage the relationship since the failed wedding. On the other, it was Tendo Nabiki, a well known manipulator, who was not about using any situation to her advantage.

"Tell me, why would you be willing to help Ranma after all the times you have exploited him?"

"Exploited him? He and that stupid pand – Saotome-san – they were living off a family that had no income, eating more than we could ever afford and allowing our hopes for the future, financial stability, independence to be destroyed! To be told that you had to marry someone on the whim of a father, someone that we had never met was low, not to mention the pressure that the fathers were exerting was illegal! And they never contributed to the household in any way! I was just protecting Kasumi!" For the first time in her memory, Nodoka could see the middle girl truly angry, practically fuming at the ears.

More worryingly, it was probably true, at least in part, if the Saotome matriarch considered the way she had seen her husband act. So instead of getting angry at the mention of her family's honour being tarnished, she nodded and asked a more pressing question.

"So, what has changed."

Nabiki had clearly been ready for a fight, not quiet acceptance, as she blinked and relaxed her shoulders. "He loves her, Aunty. I didn't believe it at first, but Jusendo proved it. Ranma killed for her, and I know that he hates killing. And before you ask about why I did what I did at the wedding, do you really think that either of them are ready for marriage now? Kasumi and I agreed it would be for the best to stop them, so the whole fiasco was not just my doing. We just didn't expect the devastation, and the other fiancés have gone too far now. I am not sorry about the wedding failing, but I am sorry for all the damage. So I need to end this. Now, before anyone gets hurt or killed."

"Very well child. I agree that your reasoning is sound. What assistance do you need from me?"

"I need you to persuade my father and Saotome-san to not pressure them into a wedding until they have both completed university or at least some sort of training that would allow them to understand how to run a dojo. It's not just about money – there are taxes, reports, advertising. They need the education or experience somewhere else if they are to succeed. I don't want them unprepared, or anyone interfering and exploiting them. I will not be letting my life be controlled by Father's need to preserve the dojo – I will thus never agree to do more than advise them when they need it."

Nodoka nodded. "I see. It is a valid argument, in our ever changing world. Do you want their word, I presume?"

"I want their world that they will leave the two alone. Ranma needs time to have a normal life."

"My son needs a normal life? Surely, his father has allowed him to experience it on their travels?"

Nabiki blanched and then turned very calm and cold. "Aunty, perhaps I need to tell you what really happened since you sent the two away. How long do we have?"

It was much later in the day, when afternoon had turned to evening that Nabiki had finished telling her companion about the abuse that Ranma had suffered at the hands of his father. "I didn't think that Ranma had been serious at first, but the way the panda treats him and the fact that he was surprised to learn you were alive told me that the way his father had treated him seemed to be normal to him. And what's worse, the old man is proud of it."

Nodoka had been silent for some time, her hand clutching the sword to her side. A few times, she had began sliding the weapon out of its sheath, but she always came back to her senses and slid it back in.

As Nabiki came to the end of her tale, the woman stood up gracefully and walked out of the room. Without turning, she said, "Nabiki-chan, if I may call you that. May I request that you stay for dinner, so that we may discuss the course of action that we will take?" Anticipating the girl's questions, she continued. "I believe that I can assist you in resolving the situation once and for all, and having someone in a position of authority, with connections such as mine would be useful, would it not? I suggest that we call the family lawyers first thing tomorrow morning and see how else they can help."

Nabiki stood up and murmured, "In that case, may I use your phone? Kasumi will worry, and I need to make sure that no one will look for us, until we are done."

The beautiful woman turned back to her new younger partner in possible crime with an uncharacteristic glee. "Perhaps, it is time to teach the others what law and real love can do when combined together. Are you coming, Nabiki?"

The rest would have no idea what hit them.

Even in Nerima.

AN: Hope you are liking this. Other characters will start appearing in the next few chapters :) Feel free to send me any questions that you have. Miran xx