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Disclaimer :
The characters in this story aren’t mine, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi and other publications… I’m only here so I can practice my writing…lol… I do not own any of the characters and gains no profit from writing this story… so again please don’t sue!… I already have enough problems managing bill payments…
Remember: Mz Kitty plus Ranma 1/2 equals no profit. Which means no money, So please get your lawyers out of my house or I'll be force to sic my dogs at them. Thank you and enjoy the story.
Warning:
There is OOC’s and potential shoujo-ai in the future instalments (because of Michiru and Haruka’s relationship and another couple). There will also be a divergence to AU. You have been dutifully warned.
Warning: This chapter is kinda dark and is also very sad. I kind of got carried away writing it. Well anyways hope you like it….
Italics means Thoughts
xxxxxxx
Ranma jerked awake.
He was having nightmares again as he woke up in cold sweat. He glanced around the room making sure he was still in their sleeping quarters and not within the confines of his twisted dream. His father was still fast asleep and snoring quite loudly. Everything else in the Tendo House was deathly quiet, reassuring himself that he was indeed finally awake and all there was in his mind was remnants of a nightmare that he would rather forget.
He began to massage his temples. It looked too real. He felt like he was there and actually experienced the chaos and destruction. He suddenly felt confined and constricted within the room making it hard for him to breathe, as images from his nightmare flashed before his mind's eye. He needed to breathe.
Without another thought, Ranma went out through the open window and sat up on the roof to think.
This has been the third time he had this nightmare. It wasn’t his usual nightmares either. He was dreaming the end of the world. Except it wasn’t their world. That fact he knew for some odd reason was troubling him. The dream felt too real to ignore.
He shut his eyes as he can still hear the screams of terror and cries. He covered his ears in the effort to block all of it out but one cry in particular bothered him. It wreak havoc inside him twisting his insides. Making him sick. He didn’t even realise he had began to verbalise his thoughts.
“Stop it! Stop it! Make it stop!” He moaned as he began to rock back and forth.
Nabiki was irritated. She had just finally found sleep when the noises interrupted her. She wanted to ignore whoever it was but she felt compelled to go up there and sort this out. Nabiki smirked. Her curiousness will get her one day. She got out of bed and peered from her window, looking up. She heard the noises.
“Yup it’s definitely up the roof,” She resigned to herself.
Nabiki had to haul herself out of her window and climb to the roof. She immediately cursed herself for undertaking such a task but her curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know why he was up there at this time of night.
She knew it was Ranma, since it was one of his favourite hang-outs. Though why would he be there at this time, she didn’t know and that’s exactly what she wanted to find out. She had finally managed to haul herself up the roof when she was surprised what greeted her. There indeed was Ranma, except the sight that greeted her surprised her.
“Ranma?” She called to him tentatively, trying to get his attention and not startle the troubled martial artist.
He continued to rock back and forth mumbling something she couldn’t quite make out. Nabiki began to hastily approach him and began to call to him once again.
“Ranma?”
Again no response.
It was then that Nabiki was overwhelmed by an emotion almost foreign to her. Concern. She was concerned about Ranma. And curious as to what caused this kind of behaviour. She then began to contemplate that perhaps all the mishaps that had happened to him all through his life had finally taken it’s toll.
She hesitantly sat next to him. Just watching him, listening to his pitiful moans. She was finally able to decipher what he was saying.
“Make it stop… Please make it stop…” he mumbled again and again.
Nabiki placed a hand on Ranma’s back in an effort to try and comfort him, trying to soothe him. Nabiki cursed inwardly, wishing at the moment it was Kasumi who was with him and not her. She wasn’t cut out for this kind of thing, as she tried to console him.
“There… there Ranma. Don’t worry they’re gone now. They wont hurt you anymore,” She found herself saying. She reasoned Ranma’s behaviour was caused by his phobia of cats. She was aware of his nightmares about them since Kasumi had spoken to her about them many times but she just never knew that it could cause this much damage to his psyche.
She first thought of his phobia of cats as unreasonable and quite hilarious. Though thinking about how he gained his phobia made her think twice. It was certainly no laughing matter if she was in Ranma's shoes. She felt a further dislike towards his father as she thought about the trials he had put him through all for the sake of "art". To think she thought her own father was bad, compared to Genma Saotome her father was a Saint! She felt empathetic to Ranma as feelings of resentment began to grow for his idiotic father. She tried to push all these thoughts away and tried to soothe the distressed Ranma instead.
Feeling someone comfort him, Ranma immediately hugged the person, seeking much needed comfort and reassurance.
Nabiki was first surprised by Ranma’s reaction but did not push him away. Instead she found herself tentatively wrapping her arms around him, as her other hand continued to rub his back. Cooing to him. Comforting him as he continued to sob and rock.
Ranma gradually calmed down and ceased his movements. He hesitantly opened his eyes and look up to the person that had given him much needed comfort and support. His blue eyes were met by chocolate brown eyes full of concern. Then his brain began to register who it was with him and held him. Tendo Nabiki.
He didn’t know what to say or think as just looked at her.
Nabiki continued to rub his back, looking at him to make sure he was finally alright.
“Are you alright now Ranma-kun?” She asked him in a soft tone that no one other than her immediate family knew she was capable of.
Ranma was still bewildered of Nabiki’s presence. How did she get up to the roof? And what exactly was she doing here?
Instead of asking what was on his mind he just nodded to Nabiki’s question.
Nabiki just continued to question him through her eyes, making sure he was fine before finally releasing him from her arms. They just sat there in silence, trying to gauge out each others' feelings. The silence between them became more awkward until finally, Nabiki decided to put an end to this and get straight to the point.
“Want to talk about it?” She asked him, still watching him carefully.
Ranma just looked at her as he hesitated whether to confide in her. She had used him too many times and had taken advantage of him too many times. If he told her what was wrong, she would only laugh at him or blackmail him. He just shook his head.
No.
He wasn’t ready to trust her. She would be the last person he could trust.
Nabiki began to get annoyed. Here she was being nice, and all she gets is the cold shoulder. She then began to stand up and bid her farewell to Ranma.
“Well better get back inside and get some sleep,” She told him as she began to make an awkward descent back to her window.
Sensing her awkwardness, Ranma helped her get back in her room, assisting her by carrying her to her room instead. After making sure that she had made it to her room. Ranma hanged around her window sill.
“Thanks Saotome,” Nabiki said to him. Grateful at least that he didn’t let her make a fool of herself trying to return to her room.
“No. Thank you Nabiki,” He said and with that he jumped back up the roof.
Nabiki just shook her head. Unsure what compelled her to become so nice and amused that Ranma would just jumped back to his old self so quickly.
Back at the Tendo Guest Room…
Ranma was unable to sleep. He was confused and was reluctant to sleep because of his impending nightmares. This last couple of days was really stressing him out. He began to think about his upcoming departure with Nabiki to Juuban. Everything had gone considerably worst since the new arrangement.
His fiancées were now even more relentless in their pursuit, angering Akane even more. This meant he was now her official target practice. His relationship/arrangement with Nabiki was somewhat bizarre as well. After the talk they had the other night he thought that things will be different but they were not. Just like what happened earlier.
He just shook his head and began to remember the morning after, they last talked.
The next morning at breakfast, he had greeted her but she only nodded as though nothing has happened. She still treated him the same way… Well almost…
Whenever Akane was on the rampage, she would somehow distract her long enough so that he could get away. He guessed Nabiki didn’t want to partake in the fiancée mess as much as she can. She had also began talking to Akane about her temper but as usual Akane blamed her problems on him. Nabiki had also deflected his other fiancées and would be rivals that hunted him, giving him much needed time to escape and stop any impending fight that might ensue, but the most surprising change was the most shocking of all.
Nabiki has also stopped taking photos!
As much as Ranma was relieved by that fact, he was now a bit worried. He had recently found out that the money coming from her selling information and photos, is where she gets the money for paying the bills. Without it, the Tendo household will be in financial difficulty or will be worse off….
The move to Juuban also got him feeling a little hesitant and anxious. He has to deal with telling Ami, Nabiki’s cousin about his curse. A person he didn't know. Nabiki advised him that while she had told her cousin about Jusenkyou curses, it will take a great more proof for her to believe it. Although Nabiki assured him that her cousin didn’t sound much surprised about it.
It gave Nabiki a feeling that her cousin is more accepting than dubious but according to her “seeing is believing” and it will be for everyone’s benefit to get it out in the open. The tricky part is wether to come out and tell everyone straight off about his curse or keep it to a minimum.
Perhaps all his stress was making him a bit edgy, causing him to suffer from recurring nightmares. He shut his eyes as her tried to block out the images that flashed in his mind. He can still hear screams and crying from the sounds of destruction and chaos that seemed to have surrounded him but one cry in particular wreaked havoc to his very core.
It didn't differ from the cries like the many screams that surrounded him, but the one thing that made this cry unique was there was a sense of betrayal laced within it. The cry pierced his very soul, making his heart constrict painfully as it resonated through his ears.The dream felt like it was real, like it had happened before. Though none of the voices sounded familiar to him. It worried him that he has been experiencing these nightmares these last couple of nights for no apparent reason at all. He wanted to confide to someone about it but unable to do so.
He wanted to tell Akane, but she might use it against him, besides her temper had gotten worst since Ukyo, Shampoo and Kodachi redoubled their efforts for his affection. There’s no way he was ever going to tell his father about it. He considered Kasumi, but didn’t want to bother her or worry her. She seemed a little distracted lately too… and then there was Nabiki.
He wouldn’t even consider confiding in her, but after she had comforted him moments ago, made him think twice. She seemed to be the most reasonable person to talk to. Problem is he feels very hesitant about it. He was still a bit weary of her. He was still unable to trust her, after all the things that she did to him but lately she has changed.
He didn’t have much friends, most of them ends up badly. Just look at Ukyo and Ryoga and how his friendship to them turned out. Most people actually avoid making contact with him because of his fiancées mess and how much trouble seems to follow him around.
Another thing that bothered him was that Mr Tendo and his father was hardly lounging in the house anymore. They were always out now for some strange reason. Nonetheless, no one seems to be bothered by their unusual behaviour probably because everyone else is too caught up with their own lives to care.
Funny how he notices these things. Normally, he would be happy not to see his father but he also wished he could talk to someone about his nightmares. He’s still not that sure to trust Nabiki. It’s just too soon. He’s also unsure of involving her in case there was something more to his dreams than he himself was aware of.
Ranma just sighed out loud before laying back down on the futon with his arm resting on his forehead. He didn’t know what feels worst. Leaving Nerima and moving to Juuban where, he was quite sure that will land him in trouble. Why wouldn’t he? Everywhere he went trouble seems to follow him… Or stay in Nerima which will drive him out of his mind.
All his thinking however, had exhausted him, enough that he fell into a dreamless but troublesome sleep…
Meanwhile in Nabiki’s Room…
Nabiki laid down on her bed as she kept tossing and turning. She thought she was exhausted after dealing with Ranma’s ordeal and trying to comfort him but it seemed her efforts weren't enough to let her find her much desired sleep.
Nabiki hated this feeling. For the past couple of nights sleep eluded her. She had so many things to do before she left and so little time to do them in. She had to ensure that her family will be taken care of before she left Nerima, now that she would be out of reach in case of any dire emergency. So naturally, she was frantic. She had done so many things in such a little time, a feat she wouldn't have thought possible to achieve but overcomed. But like many things, it wasn't easily resolved without a great price.
After the talk with Ranma a couple of nights before, the very next morning she had contacted her cousin Ami Mizuno about Ranma’s condition. She explained that Ranma had a Jusenkyou curse. Her cousin didn’t seem too amazed or surprised at all about her news, but seemed rather interested. They eventually began to talk about what has been happening with each other’s lives. Nabiki was quite happy to hear that her cousin had finally made friends.
Ami was very quiet and not at all sociable, plus with her IQ level not many people her age wanted to associate with her. She was a nerd in other words but she got along with Ami quite well; she enjoys her mind games with Ami. They often converse about school projects, books and have numerous debates and intellectual talks. She considers herself the same level of intelligence as Ami, but differs in using them.
Nabiki had used her knowledge to gain the upper hand while Ami never took advantage of anyone. Nabiki was interested about how Ami had described her friends and was somewhat eager to see who were the people that brought her cousin out of her shell.
With one problem solve, she was then faced by the others. Her “Business Empire” in Furikan. She didn’t want her “empire” to crumble while she was away. She had invested so much in it to simply just let the business dwindle. Besides, there were others that were dependant on the business.
Her so called “lackeys” and “Hench women” derive most of their pocket money from the business. The business provided them a job where they wouldn’t have to look for casual work and divert their energies away from their school work. At least with them working for her, they don’t miss a day in school.
And then there was their current financial situation. With her leaving Nerima, the best bet was there will be little money that will pay for the bills. She needed to convince her father to once again resume working. But she needed someone for support. She had asked her older sister, Kasumi for assistance. She had revealed to Kasumi about her “business dealings” and where the money to pay the bills come from. She had told Kasumi what lengths she had to go to in order to ensure their family’s welfare.
Kasumi in the other hand was not surprised by her younger sister’s revelation. Kasumi assured Nabiki that she had never once questioned her, but was hoping that she would have gotten the money in some other means but understood that it was the only way to get enough money in such a short period of time. Kasumi knew how hard Nabiki worked for their family, sacrificing most of her energies and time to ensure their welfare. She also knew the pressure she was under especially since the Saotome’s came. But what surprised Kasumi the most was, that Nabiki had never once asked for anyone’s help. Until now...
Begin Flash Back...
They both confronted their father a couple of days ago. Akane was out with her friends while the Saotome’s went back to their home to prepare Ranma’s things. They both confronted their father about their current financial situation.
At first Soun didn’t want to listen to their pleas. Soun was quite sure that they were never in financial danger and that their family savings was enough to keep them well and alive. Nabiki tired of the responsibility she had undertaken lashed out in frustration. She had yelled at her father, revealing the truth about their welfare.
The family savings were almost gone if it wasn’t for Nabiki’s interference. She had lashed out on her father how much she had sacrificed in order to keep their family fed, clothed and keep the dojo. Kasumi had tried to ease the burden by bargaining at the vendors at the market place to get a lower price on their groceries and meticulously tried to save as much money Nabiki had given her for their household budget.
Nabiki due to her frustration, began to list how she sacrificed almost everything coming just short into selling herself, where in times she thought of considering in order to keep her family out of the gutter. All her frustrations came out so fast; that she didn’t realised how badly she was crying or shaking in so much anger.
Soun and Kasumi in the other hand were shocked.
Soun felt guilty, looking at his middle daughter and saw the hatred in her eyes. Yes it was hatred not anger.
Hatred because of his uselessness and what was forced unto her. Given that no one actually asked Nabiki to pick up his responsibility for him, he still felt immense guilt of how much he had left his family down. He then looked at Kasumi and confirmed how blind he was. Looking at his oldest daughter’s eyes, the sadness and disappointment in there was heart breaking.
It was then that he broke down and cried. It wasn’t his typical wailing; it was a heart wrenching cry. The cry of a broken man…
Kasumi was unable to hold back the tears looking at her younger sister’s exchange with their father. She knew how much her sister has sacrificed for the good of their family. Nabiki had sacrificed her pride and reputation but Kasumi never knew the true depth or extent of that sacrifice. It was their own family that was pushing her to her end. Her own family that invoked such thoughts of selling herself in order to keep them happy. The thought alone made Kasumi cringe from both guilt and shame.
How long was she going to keep sacrificing?
How much more is she willing to sacrifice to put our family first?
How long was she going to keep all her hardships to herself?
If it wasn’t for her leaving Nerima would she really reveal all her pains and grief?
Kasumi was torn. It was then that she realised that hiding under the mask of obliviousness does not excuse you from pain. That after all the happy façade and aura she created and emanated, it was still not enough to stop their family from drifting apart. Or stop them from harbouring hate, anger, resentment and pain which she now could see looking at Nabiki.
Soun feeling enormous guilt at his uselessness had carelessly blurted out a solution that he thinks that would absolve his sins from being an incapable father. He wanted to end his family’s suffering and shame by declaring himself to commit sepukku but Nabiki’s next words both surprised him and stopped him.
“THAT’S RIGHT DADDY LEAVE! LEAVE US LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE!… ABANDON US JUST LIKE YOU ABANDONED US WHEN MOM DIED!” Nabiki cried out, wiping the tears angrily from her eyes.
“That’s just typical of you isn’t it Daddy?” Nabiki emphasised, as she sneered at her so called father.
“WHAT GOOD ARE YOU TO US WHEN YOU’RE DEAD!” Nabiki screamed flailing her arms.
“WHAT GOOD IS OUR FAMILY NAME BEING RESTORED WHEN IT WON’T KEEP US ALIVE?!… WHAT TYPE OF HONOUR DO YOU HAVE?!… ABANDONING YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD JUST WHEN WE NEED YOU THE MOST?…” Nabiki continued, her emotions running wild as her pain and resentment kept flowing out.
Soun cried. Never before had he seen such pain in his daughters. It hurts the most when he realised it was him that hurt them. No one else. Just him and it was now tearing him apart. He couldn’t look at his daughters in the eye. How could he ever look them in the eyes again, after what had been revealed to him?
“YOU CLAIM TO PROTECT THE WEAK WHEN YOU YOURSELF IS WEAK?! THAT’S RIGHT DADDY, JUST RUNAWAY! LEAVE US JUST LIKE YOU DID BEFORE!” Nabiki continued her tirade, tears burned her eyes blurring her vision but the ache in her heart continued to soar.
“WASH YOUR HANDS FREE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS!” Nabiki couldn’t help but let her feelings reign free. Deep within herself, a dam where she had kept all her feelings and emotions has been opened. Releasing all her angusih and pain.
“Nabiki, That’s enough” Kasumi said trying to calm her sister down as she stood by her side, trying to stop her younger sister's tirade but knew deep inside it was already far too late to apologize. All that Nabiki had stated were true but despite the shortcomings the man infront of them has caused or how much they had quietly suffered and burdened with the responsibilities that he himself should have taken, it doesn't change the fact that the weeping man in front of them will always be their father.
What have they done to her?
What have we done to her? Kasumi thought.
“NO ITS NOT!” Nabiki then turned her attention to Kasumi, angry at her older sister for trying to stop her tirade. Their father needed to know about his sins. His shortcomings. His inability to provide for them and most of all for ignoring them and letting them grow on their own and face the cruel and harsh world.
“HE WANTS TO COMMIT SEPPUKU SO LET HIM!” Nabiki then left the room, leaving Kasumi to comfort their father.
--
Soun clung to his oldest daughter for support. He never knew how much damaged he had caused his daughters, especially Nabiki. He broke down on the floor as the gravity of his actions began to assail him. Kasumi kneeled down to try and comfort him.
Nabiki then came back into the room carrying their family sword/katana. She stood defiantly over Soun and Kasumi and thrusted the sword in Soun’s face.
“Go on Daddy take it… It’s what you want isn’t it? Restore the family name that died so long ago.” Nabiki coldly told him as she angrily glared at her father, her tears obscuring her vision.
“Nabiki… I’m so sorry,” Soun bowed his head and hugged his daughter’s torso and sobbed pitifully.
For several minutes, Nabiki was still. Her father clinging on her waist was too much for her to handle. She fought hard to reign over her anger and rage. She struggled vainly to try and stop the urge of pushing her own father away from her person. To try and see the man on his knees as her father and not the stranger he once were, to try and forgive him for his misgivings but it was just too hard when all she could feel was hate, anger and so much pain, numbing all other emotions of empathy.
She then closed her eyes. She felt her shoulders relax before finally letting go of the sword she was carrying. The sword dropped almost soundlessly against the floor as she then wrapped her hands around her father.
She was tired, so very tired…
“I’m sorry too daddy,” as Nabiki knelt down on her knees and hugged her father, not sure if she meant what she had said or not.
Kasumi was relieved. This was at least progress. She was afraid of how Nabiki had acted and was unsure how bad the situation was, especially how much Nabiki had lost control for a while but she knew from what just happened that things will now change.
Kasumi just hoped that the confrontation they had didn’t end up like that, but it at least gave her the chance to see how much Nabiki was hiding from her family. How much hurt and pain she was harbouring. She then approached the two and hugged them both, consoling them.
Nabiki sighed. She wished she didn’t let go of her anger and lash out on her father like that. She felt guilty on the way she carried on and behaved yet she didn't regret her actions. Her anger and hate almost consumed her. It was still consuming her, simmering just below the surface of her emotions as she tried to reign in her own feelings once again.
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That very night her father had come up to her room. She pretended that she was asleep. She felt her bed shifted as her father sat down next to her on the bed and gently brushed a few strands of hair away from her face.
“I’ll prove to you that I’m strong Nabiki, I’ll prove to you that I never abandoned any of you and that I’m still worthy of your love” Her father whispered to her, then ever so gently left her a kiss on her cheek.
Soun then turned and left her room but not before taking a look back at his now slumbering daughter. His heart ached to know that his own daughter felt such animosity towards him. He would give them everything he has even give his life for them but he was so blind to see that it was him that caused them so much pain.
He found life was just cruel. He had promised his dearly departed wife that he will protect their daughters. Protect them from harm and pain. When it was him, they needed protecting from. He cannot erase the image of Nabiki’s hate nor the coldness in her eyes when she had thrusted the katana to his face.
Tears began to drop from his eyes.
He swears on his life that he will change for the better.
Soun once again looked at his daughter’s form before finally closed the door. Not noticing that once he left, Nabiki’s eyes fluttered open.
Soun never saw the tears that flowed down Nabiki’s cheek… Or see the overwhelming sadness that consumed his middle daughter as Nabiki silently cried herself to sleep.
End Flash Back...
While her father made good of his promise by looking for a job, she still felt hesitant in trusting her father. She didn’t want to get her hopes up and she certainly didn’t want to be let down, the repercussions itself would just be too damning to bear.
What kept her awake was the fact that, when she was lashing out at her father that couple of days ago, realization hit her. It wasn’t rage or anger she felt but hate.
Hate.
Hatred towards her father… towards her family…
Was that how I truly felt for them?
Or was it hatred in life itself?
What has truly become of me?
Have I truly become what I feared the most?
She began to cry yet again, like she had a couple of nights before, she cried until she cried herself to sleep.
xxxxxxx
Author’s Notes:
Bet you weren’t expecting that didn’t you?
I didn’t expect it either but it just came out and I couldn’t stop myself from writing…
Please review….
I’m also writing Nabiki and Ranma’s departure in the next chapter, sorry its taking so long but I hope you like the build up. Please bare with me on this, this is a pretty long series and I’m still researching the senshi’s special attacks and powers while trying to come up with some of my own. If you would like to help it would be very much appreciated. Once again thanks for reading!
Ja Ne
(“,)