{These characters are not property of me. I would never attempt to claim them as my own. This story may not be used without my permission, and may not be used to make money in any way, shape or form. Characters and certain situations were created by Rumiko Takahashi, so don't try any funny stuff!}
"Did you hear what happened?"
"No. What?"
The girl pulled her friend aside. "You don't know? Where have you been?" They stood away from the rest of the crowd, off the sidewalk. "It's all over the school. I don't think anyone knows exactly what happened..."
Her friend's excited tone peaked her interest. "So? What is it?"
"Well, have you noticed how a couple of our less than illustrious upperclassmen have been missing for the past couple weeks?"
"Missing? I haven't noticed..." She thought for a moment. Things had seemed more normal than usual. "Now that you mention it," she said thoughtfully. "You know, I haven't seen that freak Kuno or that Tendo bitch..."
"Exactly!"
"Exactly what? What are you talking about?"
"Well, I heard from a girl in PE, who heard from her boyfriend, who heard from his friend, who overheard the secretary on the phone that Nabiki Tendo would be out of school for at least two weeks. And that Tatewaki Kuno would be unenrolling." She could barely contain herself.
"Unenrolling? Why?"
"Little bird told me that one afternoon Kuno was seen carrying Tendo away from school."
"Carrying? You're kidding!"
The girl shook her head.
"I always knew he was a freak but that's downright scary..."
"What's scary?" another girl asked, appearing behind them.
"The thing with Kuno," the first girl answered.
"Oh yeah. You know what I heard about it..."
"I don't want to. Everyone will stare at me."
"You can't hide here at home. You need to go to school."
"But Kasumi... Look at me. I... I just can't."
"I've never known you to give up, Nabiki."
"I'm not giving up. I just don't think I can deal with it."
"Yes you can. You'll do fine."
Nabiki frowned and ate carefully, holding her chopsticks gingerly. It was a fight, but she refused all offered utensils. The chopsticks sent her hands through agony and she couldn't use them very well, but she had been through worse.
She picked at her breakfast, unhappy about returning to school. She wasn't allowed to shed the heavy bandages on her hands for at least another two weeks, but at least the bruises on her face had healed up.
Nabiki knew she had to go back, but she had been hoping Kasumi could convince her that everything would be fine. So far, Kasumi wasn't helping. She dropped her chopsticks and stared sullenly at her food.
"Come on, Nabiki!" Akane said harshly, rushing around. "We'll be late!"
"Oh, darn," Nabiki said, rising slowly.
"How was school?"
"It sucked."
"Nabiki, you shouldn't use language like that."
"Kasumi, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck..."
"Oh my, were there ducks at the high school?"
Nabiki looked disgusted and shook her head. "No. I'm going to do my homework."
"All right." Kasumi continued with her cleaning.
"He did what?"
"You heard me. He raped..." The girl's voice trailed off as Nabiki walked by.
"Eww," the other girl said, wrinkling her nose as she watched Nabiki walk away. "I always knew there was something wrong with him."
"Are you sure that's what happened?" another girl asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe it's just a story. Maybe he didn't rape her."
"But he took her from school... And her hands..."
"Maybe they were playing some twisted sex game. I don't know."
"I bet she did it to get his money."
"Do you think?"
"Could be. I wouldn't put it past her."
The trio of gossipers hadn't seen Nabiki double back to stand behind them. She was going to give them a little surprise, come back with a witty remark, possibly get on their good sides... She was, until she heard the comment about doing it for money.
She deal with the joke about it being a game; there were people like that in the world. But the money thing... She didn't know if the girl had meant blackmail or prostitution, but it hurt all the same.
"Daddy? Can I talk to you?"
"Why of course. What seems to be the problem?" Soun looked at his middle daughter and tried to appear wise and helpful. He almost burst into tears.
Nabiki sat across from her father, looking very serious. "Daddy, do you..." Her father was a good man. He always tried his best; sometimes he just got overemotional. She didn't need to ask the question.
"What is it, Nabiki?"
"Daddy, what do you think about this baby?" Nabiki blurted out.
Soun blinked once, then twice. "Why, whatever do you mean?"
"Please, I... I need all of you. Not just Kasumi." Nabiki scooted around to sit next to her father.
"I..." Soun maintained his strength for a moment, then his body sagged. "I don't know how I could have allowed this to happen. It's such a dis..." He looked at his daughter and considered what he was about to say.
He hugged Nabiki tightly, forgoing the tears. "I'm sorry. I'll be here to help anytime you need it."
Nabiki hugged him back. "Thanks, Dad." She stayed silent, sharing the moment with her father. "Uh," she proceeded to ask hesitantly.
"What is it?" he asked with his arm around her shoulders.
"What do you think about Kuno?"
Soun stiffened. "Do not mention that name ever again. He's lucky he's already been locked up or I would tear him apart. And his sister... If I thought they had parents, I'd... I'd..."
Nabiki was surprised at her father's anger. Real anger, not his 'bark is worse than his bite' demonhead yelling.
"If I ever hear that he's been released, I'll..."
Nabiki's hand was on his arm. "Don't. It's not worth it." It wasn't worth it, but she couldn't help but feel it was important. After all, it hadn't really been Kuno's fault... had it? And why was she so concerned about it?
The entire situation had taken her sensibilities and emotions and thrown them to the wind. It was all so... confusing.
ALMOST 4 MONTHS LATER
"Oh my god. Look at her. She's as big as a water buffalo."
"Yeah, she must have let Kuno do it to her if she got pregnant. Who could have guessed she was a slut?"
"I always knew she was a bitch. Serves her right."
"I bet the kid's going to be greedy and stupid and have the personality of a brick. I pity it."
"How long did she think no one would notice?"
"You know the whole family is..."
"Did I hear someone talking about MY family?" Akane appeared behind the group, looking ready to hurt something.
The group looked at her fearfully then scattered. Akane was left alone, watching her sister eat quietly not more than seven feet away.
"Thank you, Akane," she said quietly, her head down.
Akane couldn't see the tears but knew they were there.
"This is Kasumi. She's 19. And this is Akane. She's 16." Kasumi was smiling gently and Akane was scowling.
"Well, Akane has much more in common with Ranma than I do. They would make a much better match," Kasumi offered sweetly.
"Kasumi!" Akane exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"So it is! Akane and Ranma will be the ones to carry on the school!" rejoiced Soun.
"Dad!"
"Agreed!" Genma shouted.
The two proceeded to down their beer and congratulate each other. Kasumi went to the kitchen to start on dinner and Akane headed to her room in a huff.
Ranma sighed wearily and headed outside. It was a pretty nice setup, but marriage was not his idea of a fun time. He wandered over and looked at the koi pond. The Tendo home was very nice, a good home. He walked towards the dojo.
A dojo to use. That would be nice. No more streetfighting, no more tournaments unless he wanted. A place to stay. It was something he might be able to get used to. He strolled around to the back of the house.
Teaching his own students one day... That would definitely be cool. But the whole marriage thing was... a problem. He sighed and looked up at the darkening sky. The sun sure went down early. It wasn't a concern to him anymore, though. When it got dark he could just go inside, get a snack, relax... Home life; he had missed it.
His travel days hearing picked up a noise from above him. He turned around and looked up. There were two lighted windows, one closed and curtains drawn, the other open. The noise was coming from the open window and it sounded like crying.
He leaped, propelling himself to the window sill. Looking in, he expected to see Akane crying over her fate. Maybe like he should be... Holding on to the frame, he ducked his head in.
"Hey, Aka..." He stopped when he saw a girl he didn't recognize crying on her bed.
She looked up, her eyes red, and stared at him.
"Uh... 'Scuse me," he apologized, expecting a desk to come flying at him.
The girl wiped her eyes. "You must be Ranma."
"Uh, yeah."
"So they chained you to Akane? Sometimes Daddy can be so dense."
"Yeah. Who are you?" Ranma asked, more confused than when he arrived.
The girl got off her bed and walked towards the window. Ranma could see she was pregnant. "I'm Nabiki." She received only a blank stare. "I'm Akane's older sister."
"Oh. Well nice ta meet ya. Why weren't you..."
"Why wasn't I downstairs with my name in the hat?" She sat in the chair at her desk.
Ranma nodded, seeing a check for more money than he could imagine sitting on the desk.
Nabiki laughed a little. "Look at me." She gestured to herself. "I'm not in exactly the best condition to be engaged to anyone, not that anyone would want me. And my knowledge of martial arts is zero to none anymore."
Ranma nodded again. Pop would have a cow if Ranma's fiancee was pregnant with another man's kid. Though it might be funny to see... "So," he started to change the subject. "What's Akane like? Is she always so... crazy?"
Nabiki laughed with genuine humor. "Come in, Ranma. Let me explain some things about my family..."