A Man of Honour

“Add the odds on a quick fight today Akane’s having her time” Nabiki told her assistant. “And Yuka you need to get Hiroshi’s money today, he has had far too many extensions as it is.”

“Hai sempai!” Yuka replied.

Nabiki was sat at her usual window in Furinikan waiting for the morning rituals to commence. The weather was a little off for September but she was refusing to let it get hr down. The new semester had started wonderfully, the idiot Kuno’s proclamation was like money in the bank. His continuing obsession with her sister could have made her jump for joy. Already it had paid off the mortgage and was looking like it would go a long way towards college tuition. A happy smirk crossed her face, one that said everything was just peachy in a world lucky enough to have her in it.

But there was a sudden note of discordance.

“Sempai does Kuno have a brother?” Htomi asked. Nabiki turned to look and indeed there was a second boy dressed in samurai garb this morning. From this vantage she could make out his expensive clothing and bright red hair but little else. She looked at Hitomi. “I’m on it boss” the girl replied, speeding off.

“Who are you?” she wondered aloud. Then she stopped, blinked and checked agaon. Kuno was armed with his normal bokken but his companion appeared to be wearing real swords in his obi.. “Mido,” she called, “Go help Hitomi.” Interesting very interesting.

Kuno was taking up his usual position behind the tree, absent-mindedly twirling a rose while composing today’s sonnet of love. Two paces away stood the new boy. He was dressed in an expensive silk Hakama and traditional geta. As Hitomi approached she saw the twin swords at his waist. She slowed for a moment wondering what sort of boy brought steel to school. Then all of a sudden she was looking straight into his face. The first thing she noticed was the eyes. They were brilliant blue pools of emotion that seemed in direct contrast to the rest of his face, set as it was in a stern mask. The next thing she noticed was the scar that ran down his face from his hairline to his chin. It stood out against his tanned skin like a bolt of lighting in the night sky. She let her eyes wander a little more, taking in his bright red hair, tied behind him in a pigtail that reached below his waist, and his very well toned muscles.

“Hello Kuno-sempai” she said to the kendoist, “Won’t you introduce me to your friend?” Kuno looked at her, annoyed by the interruption to his ruminations.

“Hitomi-chan, Saotome; Saotome, Hitomi” he said waving his hand and then going back to his composition.

“Pleased to meet you Saotome-sama” Hitomi ventured. The boy in question bowed formally. After a moment she followed suit, bowing just a little deeper as a mark of respect.

“And I you Hitomi-san” the boy replied with a voice that was all velvet. The deep undertones went straight to her gut and lit a fire there.

“Please call me Hitomi” she said blushing and offering her hand western style. He looked at the hand apparently confused. He looked to Kuno who motioned for him to kiss it. With a shrug he complied.

“Thank you Hitomi, I would be honoured,” he said, just as Mido arrived.

“What?” the new arrival asked, “You’ve already asked him out? God you’re a slut Hitomi.” The boy’s reaction was something to see. First he was shocked then confused and then angry. He stepped forwards towards the girl.

“I don’t know who you are but it is not customary to insult a lady so!” he said, dropping a hand to one of his sword hilts. “This lady is a friend of my lord Kuno and as such is beyond your vile insinuations. I suggest you apologise.” The steel in his voice scared the hell out of her and she was blabbing apologies before she even knew she was talking. When she did she ran off, tears falling as she went.

Hitomi for her part was deeply in love. The boy was chivalrous as well as drop dead gorgeous. So he was a little crazy but hey a girl can’t have everything. Her face lit up with a huge smile. It was only when she came down to earth that she noticed the boy in question was standing in front of her with his head bowed. Confusion replaced happiness.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Forgive me Hitomi-san,” he said.

“Of course” she replied and he finally straightened.

Then Aknae’s warcry was heard and Hitomi moved to a position where she could see the battle.

“Kuno-dono” she heard the boy whisper in a harsh tone. “Must this be done?”

“Of course it must Saotome” kuno rplied aloud “For how else may I pursue the fierce tiger that is Tendo Akane.” Saotome bowed and stepped back but Hitomi could see the swirl of emotions in his eyes. She recognised his disapproval immediately.

“Are you not going to fight her too Saotome-san” Hitomi asked, eyes narrowing.

“It would not be seemly for me to woo my daimyo’s intended” the samurai boy replied seriously and turned to watch the fight.

Hitomi sidled over closer to him. “What do you think?” she asked.

“Her defence is worse than sloppy,” he replied, “were she fighting anyone of skill she would be their thrall in moments.” Hitomi looked at him askance.

“Are we watching the same fight” she asked. “She’s destroying them.”

“Ah but they do not really want to hit her” he answered. “Observe the man with the curved stick.” He finished pointing to a hockey player. Indeed as Hitomi watched the boy in question hesitated rather than strike Akane across the back of her head. In turn she rewarded him with a massive groin kick that lifted him end over end to fall at least ten paces away.

“But she does have impressive strength” Saotome said, wincing. Hitomi nodded and joined him in quiet sympathy for the fallen player.

Soon Akane had demolished the hapless hentai horde and was talking towards the school.

Then Kuno stepped forwards and announced himself to be ‘the Blue Thunder of Furinikan high’ come to claim his bride the ‘fierce force of fury’ Tendo Akane. She belted him in mid-spout and knocked him clear across the yard.

Hitomi turned to see Saotome’s reaction. HE had merely raised one eyebrow and was turning to her. “Forgive me Hitomi-san” he said “My master requires my aid.”

But as he arrived a good looking girl in a slightly modified version of the scandalously short Furinikan uniform was already there to help him. Her pageboy cut framed what was an undeniable beautiful face and her large brown eyes were full of dark mystery.

“Can I help you Saotome-san” she asked. Quietly crowing at his obvious appraising gaze. She just loved having legs like hers.

For a moment he wondered how she knew his name and then he bowed instead.

“I am here to help Lord Kuno” the redheaded boy replied. “I was unaware that he had an arrangement with you.”

“That’s all right Saotome” the girl replied, causing a slight twitch as she left off the honorific. “you can do the lifting.” He bowed to her and effortless ly lifted the older boy from the ground.

“Follow me Saotome” Nabiki said, getting another twitch.

“That will take some getting used to” he said aloud.

“What will Saotome?” she asked, adding just a little extra sway to her hips.

“People are very rude here” he replied.

“How so Saotome?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“Where I come from unmarried girls know better than to be familiar with men they do not intend to marry” he admonished.

“Familiar” she asked, flicking her hair back. “You must come from a very repressed area.” She added, noting the way his eyes followed the flick. “Just where is that exactly?”

“Not far from here” the boy replied, “but seeming further every day.”

Together they took Kuno to the nurse. Nabiki was a little wary about charging Kuno with this intense boy standing near him but decided the money was worth the risk. As it turned out she found it very revealing. The boy plainly had no idea how much money was being handed over and pointedly turned away from the transaction as if the mere mention of money was distasteful.

He alos had no apparent knowledge of even the small sick room that was in the school, attempting as he did to hide his discomfort in such strange surroundings.

Nabiki resolved then and there to find out more about the boy in question.

At lunchtime she was again gathered with her operatives. They were sat at a table behind the school, receiving payments due and handing out requested loans. It was Nabiki’s favourite part of the day, and today was very good. Nobody had bet that Kuno would change his name today, nor that he would be felled so fast. Nabiki was raking it in.

“So tell me what you found out Hitomi,” Nabiki said counting a sobbing boy’s life savings.

“His personal name is Ranma and he claims to have recently returned from a very long trip.” Hitomi started, only to be interrupted by Nabiki.

“Taki you’re light!” she pointed out harshly.

“Its all I have” he begged.

“I’ll have the rest by the end of the week,” Nabiki seemed to relent, “At tice the interest rate” she added.

“But I can’t afford that” he sobbed.

“Then maybe you should have thought of that before peeping on the girls locker room.”

“But I didn’t see anything,” he protested.

“Somehow I don’t think my sister would care” Nabiki pointed out, waving her hand to dismiss him. “Now you were saying,” she said to Hitomi.

“He’s unattached, straight, and wealthy,” Hitomi said, “He is staying on the Kuno estate and they are paying him a sizable retainer.”

“What for?” Nabiki asked.

“I asked the same thing” Hitomi offered, “he told me that it was his due as the House Hatamoto.”

“Isn’t that some sort of adviser?” Mido asked.

“In this case it also seems to include being a swordsman” Nabiki added. “This bears further investigation. Well done Hitomi, there will be a little extra in your wages this week.”

“Thank you sempai” Hitomi said happily.

“Now girls to this weeks activities” Nabiki started and began laying out plans for the week’s scams.

“So tell me more about your hatamoto” Nabiki said. She was sitting in an ice-cream parlour with Kuno after school, his treat of course. They were halfway through a small transaction of the weekend’s Akane snaps and Nabiki was fishing for information while the boy’s mind was elsewhere.

“Oh him” Kuno said. “He turned up at the house durong the holiday claiming that he was a retainer of the house. I had our clan historian look into it and apparently a few hundred years ago we had a hatamoto by the same name. So I hired him.”

“That’s it?” Nabiki asked.

“Well that and the fact that he is a very accomplished swordsman, almost as good as me” he boasted.

“So what is he like as a person?” Nabiki asked,

“As a person, I must admit I hardly know.” Kuno replied “He is after all merely a retainer of the house.”

“You must know something Kuno-baby” she prodded, pulling the photos back to her.

“Fine.” He capitulated, “He has an admirable sense of honour and propriety,” he said, leading Nabiki to read that the boy was probably as nuts as Kuno, “But he has no idea as to the correct way to woo a woman such as Akane”

“How so?” she asked.

“He has his silly notion of cancelling the fights and talking to her father instead,“ Kuno explained. “Ridiculous! As if the fierce creature that is your sister could be bought with kind words and flattery.”

“Kind words and flattery?” Nabiki asked.

“He also suggested that I actually address some of my poems to her rather than about her.” Kuno scoffed, “As if the dervish of my heart would fall for tender words lovingly expressed.” Nabiki arched an eyebrow, she knew for a fact that Akane was a sucker for the romantic rubbish.

“I would like to meet him” Nabiki said.

“If you will” Kuno said dismissively forking over the usual amount and scooping up the pictures. “I will command him to meet you for dinner.” Nabiki’s eyes lit up, information and a free date, Kuno really was a gift from heaven.

Nabiki was sat in her room waiting for the doorbell. She was a picture of perfection, knowing this Ranma’s tastes ran to the traditional she had dressed to please. Her hair was bundled up in a traditional bun, her dress a formal kimono and hr makeup deliberately pale.

“Won’t know what hit him,” she said to herself just as the doorbell rang. Sh waited for her sister to invite him in and serve tea and then stood and made her final checks before proceeding down the stairs.

Ranma was very pleased indeed to be welcomed by Kasumi. She was polite and traditional, playing the part of a hostess to perfection. It was the most at home he had felt since coming here. Even the tea reminded him of happier times. When he thanked the girl it was with real warmth and when she offered an open invitation to return he was genuinely moved. His bow of thanks was heartfelt and sincere, it also seemed to embarrass the poor girl but he could not help it.

Then he heard someone on the stairs and turned to see who it was. It was an angel coming to earth. The attractive girl from school had been transformed into a stunning beauty of the classical mould. She even carried a bamboo umbrella to complement her stunning golden Kimono. He was struck speechless.

Nabiki could not have been happier at his reaction. She flicked open her fan and discretely hid her smug smile. At the same time she checked him out. Gone was the drab Haori and Hakama of the morning, replaced by am understated formal kamishimo combination. The sleeveless jacket was a deep red and bore the mon of a noble house other than Kuno’s, the kimono it covered was likewise very tasteful classically speaking, being of a sheer black broken only by the red obi that wound around his waist and kept his swords in place.

Ranma politely stood and bowed deeply, clearly showing his appreciation. He waited for her to return a bow before straitening.

“I am here at the behest of my master, It is his desire that I entertain the sister of his intended” Saotome intoned with that beautiful deep velvet voice.

“I hope it shall not be too much of a burden upon you” she replied just as formally. He quickly moved to cover his gaff.

“Of course not Tendo-san” he said “Forgive me if I implied otherwise.”

“You are forgiven Saotome-san” she said “But please call me Nabiki” the way he blushed scarlet at the suggestion almost had her in stitches, he was just so wonderfully repressed.

“If your ladyship commands so shall it be” he replied bowing. It was then that Nabiki had worked out where he had fit her into his traditional world-view. The poor sap had obviously equated Kuno’s interest in Akane as an attempt to woo another family. Obviously his master would not woo a woman who was unworthy therefore Akane was noble too. Therefore Nabiki was a daughter of a noble house. She smirked knowing she had him now.

“Shall we be off?” she asked, offering her arm in a familiar way. Blushing again he took it in his and nodded.

As they reached the door he turned to Kasumi. “Thank you again for your warm welcome Tendo-san. You have honoured me with your courtesy.” Nabiki was surprised to see her sister blush as she bowed in response. So that was what the girl looked for in a man.

“So where are we going Saotome?” she asked, expecting him to come up empty, and having already made reservations at a very fancy french restaurant.

“I have booked the finest tea house in the area” he replied, “I only hope that they can live up to their reputation.”

“What is the place called” she asked walking with him to the car that awaited them.

“It Is the Cha No Kyoto, of the Urasenke school” he replied. “They claim that they keep to the old tradition of simplicity but should it turn out to be less than tasteful I have a backup plan.” Nabiki was stunned. The tea house he talked of was exclusive in the extreme and cost a small fortune to book even months ahead.

“I am surprised that they were available” she observed, demurely stepping into the car.

“You know of it then,” he replied, sitting down next to her. “I hope that it will suffice.” She nodded. “Indeed they were reluctant at first but I had Sasuke present my credentials and they quickly changed their minds.”

“Your credentials?” she asked as the car began to speed up.

“I was trained in the Urasenke school by a master of the art” he replied as if that explained everything.

“Really?” she asked. “I would have though that the tea ceremony was a little….feminine for you,” He seemed genuinely confused. “Around here it is mostly women who practice the art”

“Strange” Ranma replied “The Sen no Rikyu designed the school only for men.” She filed his apparent knowledge of the historical figure under very interesting. Especially since he apparently knew little of the school’s current status.

The drive was pleasant if a little fast and they quickly arrived at the teahouse. It was a marvel of traditional design, built to model exactly the original teahouse in Kyoto. It took Nabiki a while to take it all in but she noticed that Ranma gave it barely more than an approving nod.

They were greeted by name just inside the door. Whatever ‘credentials’ Ranma had had presented had caused quite a stir and the master of the house was among those to greet them. Nabiki luxuriated in the attention but Ranma reacted in the opposite manner, becoming more formal and withdrawn. As they took their places at the central table he leant forwards and whispered a quick apology, he had not apparently expected this sort of attention. She bowed her forgiveness and he flashed her a quick smile. It took her breath away. The pure at of smiling turned hi from this stern distant stranger into a warm generous and very desirable human being.

As he formally went through the ceremony Nabiki was struck at just how seriously everyone was taking this. He silently guided her through her part with the calm understanding of a fine teacher, and she found herself trying hard to please him, not least of all to gain the reward of one of his silent smiles. She was quickly lost into the magic of the simple ceremony but even as the rest of the world slid away she was aware of the almost reverential awe that their audience was offering up to Ranma’s performance.

It was during that simple but moving ceremony that she realised something. This Ranma was nothing like Kuno. Kuno lived in a dream world, tried hard to emulate his mixed metaphors and postured as hard as he could. Ranma on the other hand was living the dream. Here he was, the poet warrior of the histories, both killer and artist blended into a harmonious whole.

It was some hours later that the ceremony finally ended. Nabiki had not marked the time, she had been that absorbed in the moment. As they walked to the door they were seen off by a procession of bowing staff. The culmination of which was the house master himself who greeted them with tears in his eyes and choked out his heartfelt thanks.

As the cold air hit them outside Ranma turned to her and bowed again. “I am very sorry for all the fuss” he said, apparently having missed hr enjoyment of the spectacle. “I will ask them not to do it again next time” he added.

“Next time?” she asked, smiling. He stuttered and blushed.

“I w-was honoured to treat you tonight” he managed to say “and it is my firm desire to do so again. If you will honour me so, again” he seemed to be barely managing the words. She put him out of his misery with a light touch on the side of his face.

“I would like that very much” she replied with a smile. His face lit up like a kid with a candy bar. His happiness radiated out from him like a beacon in the darkness, and once again that smile took her breath away.

“Sasuke has been called and will be here momentarily” he said and it hit her like a blow. She realised the night was ending and realised that she was actually resenting it.

The ride back to the Tendo-ke was quiet and almost sad after the elation of moments ago. As Ranma stood on her doorstep to bid her goodnight Nabiki made a decision and smiled with new resolve.

“Won’t you please come in for some sake” she offered. His face was suddenly stripped of its mask and once again the eyes told only of confusion. The poor boy had no idea how to react. “My sister will still be up.” Nabiki said, “we shall not be alone.” That seemed to relax him and make his mind up. He favoured her with one of his killer smiles and accepted gracefully.

Half an hour later Nabiki was in the middle of another happy revelation. Her elder sister, who she had always thought of as lacking in personality almost the point of non-entity was actually a warm human being.

They had sat down in the family room with a warm bottle of sake and some cups and Nabiki had invited Kasumi more as a chaperone than anything else. The girl had demurred repeatedly until Ranma had asked her, saying that they would relish the opportunity to know more about her.

That had broken a dam and now all three of them were sitting around swapping stories and laughing at each other’s jokes. Nabiki could honestly not remember the last time that she heard her sister laugh and the sight of it warmed a part of her that had been long dormant.

The cause of all this was sitting opposite her, telling another of his ‘educational fables’ that always seemed to involve a very stupid princess, crossdressing and numerous misunderstandings. Somehow Ranma’s formality had drawn them into talking and as he shed it piece by piece they had followed suit. Breaking down barriers that had been there as long as Nabiki could remember.

“So then she turns to her maid, who you may remember is in fact the prince of Kwang-gon and says ‘that’s no stick!’” Ranma finished, causing the two girls to laugh uproariously.

Which is what eventually stumped the whole thing because Akane just couldn’t leave things alone. She came stomping down the stairs and curtly pointed out that some people were trying to sleep. This tore the wind from Ranma’s sails. He was immediately massively apologetic, and before the other two girls could stop him he was making his exit into the night rain.

Kasumi sat there quietly, disappointment written all over her face. Nabiki stood and turned to Akane, pushing down her anger at the spoilt child. “Thank you very much!” she spat. She turned to Kasumi “Good-night oneesan” she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow for my breakfast lesson” and then she whirled around and left for her room.

“Breakfast?” Akane angrily enquired.

“Nabiki has agreed to help me with the breakfasts n future so I can lie in once in a while” Kasumi answered, lips taught. “It was very kind of her, please do not discourage it.”

“But I could help you” Akane protested.

“No Akane” Kasumi objected, “you really can’t. Now goodnight.” And with that she was just going to leave.

“What about this mess!” Akane demanded. Kasumi stopped, unconsciously tightening her grip on the banister.

“If it bothers you then go to bed and trust that it will be gone in the morning”

“But it should be away tonight” Akane objected.

“Don’t you dare” Kasumi replied in a very unfriendly tone. “I like those cups.” And with that she left.