R1/2 -- Nigel M. & RpM-acct2/5 =========================================================================== RANMA 1/2: Eight Days A Week Story concept: Nigel M. written by: Nigel M. fluff written and edited (barely) by: RpM =========================================================================== Author's note: I AM THE WRITER! THE AUTHOR! I AM GOD! FLEE FROM MY WRATH MORTALS!! FLEE!! AHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!! -NIGEL M.- WRITER & LORD OF ALL HE SURVEYS p.s. "*Like always, this means they're speaking in a foreign language. Like English.*" Otherwise they're speaking Japanese. ------------------------ PART III: A Whirlwind Romance (Keep your eye on the birdie) =========================== ====MONDAY- Strange Days=== =========================== "Isamu! Wake up!" Nabiki shouted, knocking. "We're going to be late!" Ranma was perched on Isamu's fence while Akane leaned against it, tapping her shoe impatiently. "That guy's gonna make us late," Ranma complained. "Oh, yeah, " Akane said sarcastically. "Like you've never made us late before." ---------------------------- Isamu slept the sleep of the dead. Or more accurately, he slept the sleep of people who's internal body clocks have not adjusted yet. "Isamu! Wake up! We're going to be late!" Isamu jerked awake. "Whu-?" He tried. His brain, not accepting the fact that it was indeed morning, stubbornly refused to connect with his mouth. "whuzzzuh?" He tried again. There was a constant thumping in his head. No, wait, that was someone knocking. Why would someone be knocking at... he looked at his watch, and froze. I'm gonna be late! ------------------ "C'mon! We're going to be late!" Nabiki called, still knocking. "....and what about that time where you had a fight with your dad before school? You made us late _that_ time, too." Akane said, smugly. "Which one?" Ranma asked, confused. "I've had a lot of them y'kno-" Ranma blinked, Akane was gone. The door to Isamu's house was still vibrating, Nabiki was gone too. It must be some new villain! He thought. Akane and Nabiki have been kidnapped! Again! I must gather the- "HURRYUPDUMMYORYOURGONNABELAaate..."Akane shouted in the distance, rapidly dissappearing from view. Both her and Nabiki being carried speedily away by a zooming Isamu. Ranma blinked, stared, and blinked again. "Hey! Wait for me!" ---------------------------------- "Good morning, class! We have a new student here today," Mr. Morita introduced. "Class, this is Isamu Hentaii." A few of the guys smirked, most of the girls didn't mind his name. No one laughed. Isamu wondered why. ------------------------------- Akane looked out the window, not really paying attention. Boy, Isamu could sure run fast. She looked at the silhouette in the window beside the door. ----------------------------- Ranma stood by the door grumbling, a pail of water in each hand. ----------------------------- Nabiki looked down at her notes, her mind not really in class. She glanced over at Kuno, who was furiously scribbling away. "Kuno," the teacher began. "What can you tell me about-" "Silence, knave!" Kuno shouted, standing up, his bandages flapping dramatically, immediately earning a hit from eraser the teacher threw. "Kuno, go stand in the hall!" --------------- The last bell rang. Ranma and Akane sat under a tree, waiting for Nabiki and Isamu. "I couldn't believe it!" Ranma said. "The whole school! Nabiki managed to sell the whole school a copy of the game yesterday!" "Tell me about it," Akane sighed. "I was getting teased left and right." "But not for long, right?" Ranma asked, leaning back. "Right!" "You should've seen my 2nd period class," Ranma smirked, remembering. "Mr. Sakura was about to pour some really unstable chemicals into a beaker when-" "Coach Kawamura burst in the door, making him drop the beaker." Akane finished. "How'd you know?" Ranma asked, confused. "Are you kidding? The whole school heard the blast!" Akane laughed. "Half your class is still in the infirmary. Nabiki's really getting overworked. What I didn't find out was why coach Kawamura barged in in the first place." Ranma smiled. "Ahh, that's my fault. Or Nabiki's actually. He got a copy of the tape too." "And?" "He wanted me on the basketball team." They both laughed for a while. "Y'know, howcum we don't get along like this more often?" Ranma asked. "Because you always say stupid stuff, that's why." Akane said matter-of-factly. "Me?" Ranma stood up. "Yeah, you!" Akane said, also standing up. "Like remember the time when we...." She looked around, "why is everybody running?" "Ranma grabbed the nearest student. "Eiji, what's goin' on?" "Saotome!" He said, looking very surprised. "What are you doing here?" "Standing under a tree, talking to you." Ranma said flippantly. "Where's everybody headed?" "Me and Sato, we heard that Kuno was gonna fight somebody in the courtyard after school." He said, scratching his head. "Isn't he fighting _you_?" "Sorry," Ranma shrugged. "News to me. Besides, he passed by me ten minutes ago." "So who _is_ he waiting for then?" Akane asked, looking in the courtyard's direction. "Let's find out," Ranma said, picking up his bag. "I don't get to see Kuno fight anybody else but me." Ranma and Akane caught up to the large crowd surrounding the courtyard. Kuno stood on one end, whipping his bokken through the air. It looked like the whole school had turned out for this. "Hey Akane!" Megumi called, waving some money in the air. "Where's Nabiki?" ----------------------------------- "I can't believe you got in trouble your first day." Nabiki said, walking up behind Isamu. "Don't I know it," he sighed. "C'mon." They walked down the long corridor towards the exit. "How'd you like the principal?" She asked jokingly. "Huh! With a dad like that I can see why Tatewaki and his sister are so unbalanced." He grumbled. "Besides, how come Ranma gets to wear whatever he wants?" "Don't ask me," Nabiki shrugged. "I'm still trying to figure that one out myself." "A uniform! He tells me I gotta wear a bloody uniform! By the way," he added, glancing at her. "Did anyone ever tell you that you look fantastic in one?" He said, pushing the door open, the sunlight brightly greeting them. Isamu shielded his eyes. He had the impression that a large crowd was gathered outside. "At last! Wherefore hast thou been? The Blue Thunder waits for no man, not for warriors nor for mages, Hentaii!" Kuno greeted from across the schoolyard. Isamu put his hand down. "What did he say?" He said, turning to Nabiki. "Don't know. Something to do with blue waiters or something." She said, as she cupped her hands around her mouth. "KUNO-CHAN! YOU HAVE TO SPEAK LOUDER!" "THEN LET THIS SPEAK FOR ME!" Kuno shouted, hurling an envelope at Isamu. The aerodynamic piece of paper whizzed through the air, hurtling inexorably towards Isamu. Isamu made no move to catch it until it was inches from his face. His hand moved with lightning quickness. *WHPSHH*! ----------------------------------------------- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS Case #_221025_ transferred to: X-files division. Federal Agent(s): Fox Mulder, Dana Scully X-FILES CASE #342345- From the reports of Federal Agent Dana Scully Although I still fervently believe that there are logical explanations to the mystery of the American tourists [Report 1], Agent Mulder's fanciful theory of 'cursed springs' may be gaining credibility. A chinese man, approximately in his late 40's to early 50's referring to himself only as the 'Jusenkyo Guide', has come forward to substantiate Agent Mulder's theory. I took samples of some of the thousand-odd springs. Although my training was in human medical care. I have more than a nodding acquaintance to microbiology. Tests under high-powered microscopes show an unusual amount of amino acids and proteins in the water. The 'Guide' has pointed us to a district in Japan where a high concentration of these allegedly 'cursed' people reside. There are still a battery of tests I would like to perform on the springs. Samples have also been sent back to the Microbiology lab in Virginia, to confirm or deny my results. Agent Mulder is pursuing leads here in China, paying particular attention to the legendary 'Chinese Amazons' of this region. Reports from locals indicate that at least one member of their tribe has been 'cursed. After tests and investigations here are satisfactory, Agent Mulder and I will proceed to Japan, Nerima District. ---------------------------------- "Owww!" Isamu groaned, trying to get up and unplastering the paper projectile from his face. "Y'know," Nabiki said, smirking. "Akane could've caught that." Isamu grumbled and unfolded the piece of paper. He frowned, looked menacingly at Kuno, and thrust the paper into Nabiki's hands. "Can you read this for me? I think it has something about him and me doing something together." "Learn to read," she said, smoothing out the paper. "It says: 'I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, the undisputed champion of the high school kendo yaddayaddayadda...' oh, here 'challenge you Isamu Hentai', he spelled your name wrong by the way, 'Isamu Hentai, mage, practicer of the ebon arts, mystic of the underworld yaddayadda to a challenge at the Furinkan High School Courtyard after school hours.'" "Huh," Isamu grunted, shifting his backpack. "How come you didn't know about this?" He asked as he walked towards the center of the courtyard. "I was busy... FOUR TO ONE... working in the... AGAINST ISAMU... infirmary," she said as she started gathering bets from the crowd. "Why is it four-to-one now?" Isamu complained. "Yo Isamu!" Ranma called, Akane in tow. Isamu veered towards them. "What's up, guys? Sorry about this," he said, pointing over his shoulder. "You could go on home without us if you want to. Nabiki's covering bets again and I'm being bet on." "You kidding?" Ranma grinned. "This is the first time Kuno's getting into a fight that I'm not involved in. No way am I gonna miss this!" "Be careful, ok?" Akane warned. "Kuno's better than a lot of people give him credit for." She added, staring meaningfully at Ranma. "Ahh, don't worry about me Ms. Tendo," he said playfully, picking a small leaf off of her shoulder. "But if he does beat me, can you bring me some food?" "Sure," Akane nodded happily. The people around them heard this and started betting on Isamu to win. They thought he had a better motivation to win than Kuno did. "You'd better win," Ranma whispered conspiratorially. Meanwhile, Kuno was waiting impatiently. Isamu reached the center of the courtyard. "Hello Tatewaki," Isamu said pleasantly. "Disrespectful cur! You shall address me as Upperclassman Kuno or Blue Thunder!" Kuno raged. "I don't think so, junior." "What!" "I'm a senior. You're a junior." Isamu said pleasantly, his hand snaking into his bag. "You have to address _me_ as upperclassman Hentaii. I met your dad by the way. I see the resemblance." "GRRRRAHHH!!" Kuno howled, running full steam at Isamu. "You have insulted the Kuno name, and my esteemed self in particular, for the last time, hentaaaai!" Isamu threw the watermelon towards the speeding Kuno. Kuno's reflex took over and sliced down on the fruit. To everyone's utter surprise, Kuno's wooden blade shattered against it. Unable to decrease his forward momentum, Kuno dove headlong into the watermelon with a resounding *KLANG!* ----------------------------------------------- "I thought of dragging the fight out and tossing it at him in the end," Isamu was explaining to Akane as they walked down the street. "Y'know, like a final attack or something. 'Unfolding Wing, Rising Watermelon Defeat' or "Roaring Watermelon Bullet' or something like that." He said, waving his hands in the air. "But I thought: what's the point?" "But why did the watermelon break his bokken?" Ranma asked, finally giving up on borrowing some money from Nabiki. "It was made out of metal," Nabiki answered, stuffing wads of yen into her bag. "How'd you guess?" Asked Isamu, obviously impressed. "Hey, It's what I would have done." She beamed. "Besides, you barely won last time, I knew you'd bring insurance with you." Isamu deflated while the rest of them laughed goodnaturedly They continued walking home, idle talk wafting through the air. They got to Isamu's house first, so they bid him goodbye and the trio walked towards the dojo. -------------------------- In a secluded part of Japan, an incospicuous laboratory houses the greatest minds alive. "*Egads, Brain!*" Pinky shouted, grabbing his toes and spinning on his tail happily. "*I love these kung-fu movies! POW! ZOK! eehee- heeheehee NARF!*" "*Silence, Pinky!*" Said the Brain, using his tail to unlock their cage. "*It is fortunate that Acme Labs decided to expand to Japan," he said, hopping out. "This benefits our plan greatly.*" "POW! ZOWIE! NARF! POIT!" Pinky responded eloquently. "*Cease Pinky, or I shall have to hurt you," Brain warned. Suddenly he stopped, watching the film Pinky was watching. A small smile formed on his face. "Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?*" Pinky looked at him for a moment. "*I think so Brain, but I'm pretty sure Mick didn't swallow him.*" A few moments later, as Pinky rubbed the beaker shaped dent on his head. "*Listen, Pinky! We shall disguise ourselves as a master martial artist rise through the ranks of the martial arts, then use our fame to take over the WORLD!*" "*Egads, Brain! That's brilliant!" Pinky shouted, hopping. "Oh, nono, wait. How are we suppose to become master martial artists? Poit.*" "*WITH THIS!*" Brain shouted, pulling off the cloth covering of a mysterious object in the corner. It was about half a man's size, approximately 4 ft. tall. It looked like Happousai's brother. --------------------------------------------- "How was school today, m'boy?" Genma asked cheerily. He and Soun were sitting in the patio, playing shogi. "It was great!" Ranma laughed, remembering. "My chemistry class blew up! Then, Kuno got hit in the head with a steel watermelon. HAHAHAHAHA!" Genma and Soun stared. Akane and Nabiki shrugged and walked inside. Ranma sighed, "You had to be there, Pop." He said, following the sisters. "Saotome," Soun asked, as they turned back to their game. "Do you think we should worry?" "I don't think so Tendo," Genma said. "Let's just concentrate on getting my son and your daughter married. Look! A blue banded falcon!" "Where?" Soun asked, swinging his head frantically as Genma fiddled with the game pieces. ------------------------------------ Kasumi was sitting in the living room, reading a medical book when her sisters came in. She glanced outside, watching Ranma talk to his elders. The sisters talked for a while, Kasumi enjoyed these quiet times when it was just the girls. Kasumi watched over her sisters like their mother did. She saw that Akane really did love Ranma, and was ever ready to be there when the inevitable "What should I do?" talk arrives. Now there was Nabiki. The strong one, the smart one. Kasumi sighed inwardly. In truth, Nabiki was the one who made Kasumi worry a bit. Kasumi saw that Isamu was the first guy that Nabiki truly had any deep interest in. But her sister was, like Akane, and in some ways, Kasumi admitted, like she was, very strong willed. She snapped back to the present, Ranma was arguing with Akane over the tv. Kasumi sighed. When will those two ever- "Excuse me? The door was open, so I let myself in." "Oh, hello Isamu," she smiled. "Please, sit down." Kasumi noted with amusement that the handsome young man had an effect on her.... sisters? Nabiki imperceptibly changed her posture to a more regal one. But Akane had a slight sparkle in her eye too. My, my! "What's up, man?" Ranma said, cheerfully. "I heard there's a mall a few blocks away. Has anybody been there yet?" "Nope." Ranma replied. Neither did the Tendo sisters. "Y'wanna go there now?" He asked. "I guess," Akane replied as the others nodded. "Let me ask Dad." Soun agreed heartily. He saw this as a double-date. Ah what fortune has the gods blessed this house with? Nabiki has found a husband also! "Go with my blessings." -------------------------- Akane walked into Nabiki's room. "Are you ready?" Nabiki waved her into silence, then talked into the receiver. "Mr. Muhoshin? Hi, you know who this is. I've just gotten confirmation of your payment. Is your fax number still the same? Uh-huh, uh-huh, alright, I'm sending them now. Thank you for your business." She hung up the phone. Akane looked at one of the papers that Nabiki was faxing. Gosunkugi Hikaru: Mostly Harmless Nabiki took it from her, faxed it, and then put it through the shredder. "It's just business, Akane," she smiled. "As usual." ------------------------------ They walked off. Nabiki and Akane had changed out of uniform and were wearing quite nice sundresses. Kasumi wore a nice blouse, and left the apron at home. They passed by Ucchan's upon Isamu's request. "Ukyo?" He said, peering in. "Hi! Hey everybody! Thanks for the sign!" She beamed. "That's what I came by for," He beamed back. "We're off to the mall. Wanna come?" "Sorry," she said sadly. "Work," she nodded her head in the direction of her customers. "I'll just catch up later." "Oh, ok," He said. " See you later!" ----------------------------- Kasumi, Akane and Nabiki sat in a booth in the food court as they watched the boys play in the arcade. Soon, they were a group of fifteen, as they were joined by their classmates. They sat around and talked for a while, the conversation eventually turning to their lovelives. "...and we had to break up because he was moving to the States. I still think of him." The others sat in rapt attention. After a while more, as most conversations generally do, it turned to the new guy. "Hey, I think he's cute." Michiko said. "You would. You think every boy is cute." Yuri said, sipping her tea. "He kept smiling at everybody in the hall. Doesn't he know you're suppose to ignore people you don't know?" "He's weird." Arisa interjected. "Hey Akane, how come when you introduced me he said *Hi! How are you*? What did that mean?" "I think that was English for 'How are you?'" Akane said, frowning. "He's only been here two days or something." "I saw him at lunch. Couldn't use chopsticks to save his life. He dresses nice though," Minako chimed in. "Ah, but the whole school is wondering," Sayaka whispered. "Who's he dating?" She said, looking straight at Nabiki. ------------------------------------ "Damn!" "You do it like this," Isamu gestured, showing the motions with his own joystick. "Right," Ranma said, imitating the move. "That's that one with the hands, right?" "Yeah, but don't worry. Adon's a tough character to play." The boys continued to play. To Isamu's surprise, Ranma had never played Street Fighter Alpha. To add to his amazement, Ranma was starting to kick his ass. Ranma beat him again, using Adon's Super Combo. In a few minutes, Ranma was beaten by the computer Ken. "What about that one?" Isamu asked, pointing at the corner. "Samurai Spirits 2?" Ranma replied. "I liked '1' better." "Isn't that Kuno playing the game?" Isamu pointed. "FOUL GENJURO! FEEL THE MIGHT OF THE BLUE THUNDER!" "Yup, that's Kuno alright." "MK3?" Isamu tried. "You _like_ that game?" "No. Actually I hate it." "Me too. No strategy." "X-Men?" "Why not?" Ranma used Wolverine while Isamu picked Omega Red. After a few matches, Ranma had mastered the game and was giving Isamu a tough match. "You know, from what I've heard, you're a world class fighter." "Yup. Haven't found anybody who can beat me." "Huh," Isamu grunted. "Wish it was that easy for me." "Hey," Ranma quipped, putting another quarter in. "You like Nabiki?" "Not very subtle are you?" Isamu laughed. "Yeah, I guess I do." ----------------------------- "Heard he likes you Nabiki." "So?" She asked, sipping her drink. "Do you like him?" Yuri said, watching Isamu put another token in. Kasumi smiled. Will she tell? Nabiki's always been quite good about her feelings. She was quite sure none of these girls could read Nabiki. Only because I'm her sister that I can, Kasumi reasoned. "Nah," Nabiki waved her hand dismissively. "He's just rich, that's all." Kasumi took this in stride, nodding wisely. Akane, for her part, looked a bit shocked, and a bit more hurt. The group thought about it. Nabiki was very good at lying. "By the way girls, our deal is still in effect. No name jokes." "So how are you and Ranma doing?" The gossipers asked Akane. ------------------------------------------ Kuno's hits hurt. slamming into a wall hurt. Getting kicked by Ryoga hurt. A lot. But at least that was just physical pain. "Nah. He's just rich, that's all." Hidden by a pillar, Isamu's face fell. And if you listened very carefully, you would hear the tinkle of a cracked heart. He walked back towards the arcade. "Hey, Isamu!" Ukyo said enthusiastically, walking into him unexpectedly. Then she noticed his face. "What's up? You look terrible." Isamu gave her a weak smile. "I think it's just jetlag. Give Ranma and the Tendos my apologies, eh?" He said, walking off with his head low. Ranma walked back to the now crowded booth. Ukyo was there before him. "Where's Isamu?" Akane and Ranma asked. "He went home," Ukyo said, putting her hands in her pockets. "Said it was jetlag." She looked at the exit that Isamu left by. "If you ask me, he looked like he lost a friend." ================================ ==TUESDAY- The Downward Spiral== ================================ "So, explain this bucket thing to me again?" Ranma sighed. Akane and Nabiki went to school early, for their own reasons. Ranma and Isamu both woke up late and both ended up in the corridor, a bucket of water in each hand. Ranma explained that it was suppose to build discipline, how it was good for character, and how it was just a sadistic little sod who thought of a punishment like this. Ranma wanted to broach the subject of Isamu's sudden disappearance, but thought better of it. "Oh, right." Isamu said, still looking a bit downcast. "How about the uniform thing? Howcum you don't have to wear one?" He looked down in distaste at his own uniform. Ranma smiled knowingly. "He can't make me. And believe me, he tried." ---------------------------------- "About time!" Mousse grumbled watching the potion in front of him turn green. He was getting tired of wearing this wig. As if he didn't have enough problems with Saotome and everything, now some stuttering idiot is making passes at Shampoo. Well, I'll put a stop to that! He thought as he dumped the boiling hot hairgrower on his shiny, bald head. Shampoo walked into the kitchen as he was putting a big, cold and damp towel on his head, as prescribed. He smiled at her, she just ignored him. He felt his hair grow, he rubbed vigurously and took the towel off. "Tad-dah! New hair for a new Mousse!" He said with pride. Shampoo looked at him. "BWAHA-HA-HAHAHAHAHA! Mousse have afro!" -------------------------------------- Her teacher was rattling off some formulae that she really should be trying to understand, she thought. Nabiki was having an increasingly dificult time concentrating on the work in front of her. Her thoughts kept coming back to this morning, before school. "Nah. He's just rich, that's all." She muttered under her breath. Akane had quite a lot of her mind to share this morning. "Naki-chan," Akane started. "I know what you're gonna say Akane," Nabiki cut her off. She knew Akane, Naki-chan was only used in situations of _extreme_ importance. This must mean a lot to Akane to confront her away from the family. "Ok, fine. Answer me then." "The answer is because." Nabiki snapped. "Because? You put down a guy you obviously like 'because'? He likes you, Naki-chan. A lot. Ranma talked to him about it yesterday." "Oh, I 'obviously like' him, do I?" Nabiki said sarcastically, ignoring her last few statements. "Since when were you such a good judge of character?" "Maybe since I met Isamu. Maybe since I'm your sister. Maybe since I saw you kiss him after dinner last Saturday." Nabiki stopped walking and faced her sister. "Akane, what I do or say, is _my_ business. I suggest you stay out of it." "I suggest you stop treating your life like a business," Akane said, brushing past her sister. "For someone who thinks she's so smart all the time you can be pretty dumb Naki-chan." Thinking back, Nabiki thought she could have handled the mall situation better. Thinking back, she could've handled this morning better, too. But were situations like this 'handled'? For once in her life, she had cracked under pressure. She had said the first thing that came to her mind. The first thing she thought everybody expected her to say, as fitting her image. Unfortunately, you can't bluff yourself, she sighed. So Nabiki, she thought to herself. _Do_ we like him? Are we trying to fool ourself? Why are we angry with Akane? Because she's telling the truth? Nabiki sighed a long, deep sigh. Does he really like me? ========================================= ==WEDNESDAY- Further Down the Downward Spiral== ========================================= He roared. The sky roared back. Thunder and lightning struck all around him. His aura flared. Where he stood, the ground boiled. Who can stand between him and his prize? Mousse lay defeated at his feet. His voice was gruff, probably because of all that roaring. "You.... are next." Kuno stood, bokken at the ready. "Taste defeat at my hands," he said, thunder punctuating his words. His opponent smiled. ---------------------------- Isamu strode down the hall. He was extremely late. He didn't care. He wore what he thought would look rebellious; torn jeans stuffed into steel-toed biker boots, a plaid shirt and a leather jacket with the word 'TWISTER' patched onto the back. Principal Kuno strode happily down the hall. There was lots to be happy about! The day was shaping up to be as perfect as a hawaiian sunset. All he needed now was someone to terrorize. He spied someone about ten feet in front of him as the wave of students parted before him. He smiled. "Excuse me, young man." He said genially, tapping Isamu on the shoulder. ---------------------------- There was darkness. There was a haze. There was a shape. The shape was pretty. It had dark brown hair and wore a blue uniform. "Wake up!" Nabiki said, tapping him lightly on the cheek. "*I'd like two number three's to go,*" he said, sitting up suddenly. Nabiki hit him lightly on the head. "Do you know who you are? Do you know what happened?" Isamu shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind. Unconsciousness brought him comfort, at least he didn't wallow in self-pity. Seeing Nabiki this close was too much. He pushed off the bed and stood groggily up. "I'm ok," he said unsteadily. He wavered. "Sure?" Nabiki said, moving to support him. He pushed away. She was shocked. He was so weak that his push floored him. "Of course I'm sure! I'm rich." "What does that have to do with anything?" She said, sitting on a chair as he struggled onto the bed. "That's what I thought." He said, eyes misting up. "It seems to make a difference to you though." "What-" "'Nah. He's just rich. That's all'" He said bitterly. "..." "Funny what you hear, huh?" He said, smiling sadly. "Isamu..." "No need to explain," he said, closing the door. "I won't understand. I just thought you liked me too that's all." Nabiki stood alone in the infirmary. "I do," she whispered. "I do like you." "You do?" He said, popping back into the room. "Yaah!" Nabiki jumped back. "Wh-what are you doing back here?" She said, startled. "Don't change the subject," he said insistently. "Do you?" Nabiki looked at him. She's a good judge of character, she thought to herself. She was also a woman of decision. He liked her, she judged. And she liked him back, she smiled. And nodded. He embraced her and, to her utter surprise, kissed her deeply, passionately. He was rewarded with a deep, passionate slap on the face. ".......OWWW!" He said, rubbing his cheek. Nabiki smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips.I'll go out with him, she decided. Whenever the poor lunk gets around to it. For now, it's damage control. Shut those blabbermouths from the mall up. Apologize to Akane. Nabiki smiled. "Ask me out," she whispered in his ear as she pushed him out the door. When Nabiki Tendo sets her mind on something...... ----------------------------------------------------- Isamu walked down the hall, much more confident than before. He hummed 'I don't have that not-so-fresh feeling anymore'. Brief flashes of memory were seeping back. He distinctly remembered Principal Kuno stuffing pineapples into his backpocket. He realized that a breeze was definitely blowing where it shouldn't be, tied his shirt around his waist, and started walking faster. He didn't notice that the patch in his jacket was also torn, or more accurately, sheared. Where it used to say TWISTER, now it says TWI T. "Delinquent! Transvestite! Stop!" Ranma-chan rounded the corner and barreled through the corridor. Isamu was about to raise a hand in greeting when the pursuit came into view. A buxom woman in a short, yellow dress bounced after Ranma-chan. Ranma-chan, Isamu noted, looked genuinely scared. "Hey! Ranma, old boy, er, girl!" He said cheerily. "Guess what? NabikieEEK!" He shouted, as tendrils of ki emanated from the woman's hand. Isamu plastered himself into the wall. Where the tendrils brushed him, he felt incredibly weak. "Can't talk... Runningforlife..." Ranma-chan panted, disappearing around the corner. His pursuit turned briefly, assessed Isamu, and fired a backwards blast at him. "Delinquent! Happo-5 yen-satsu!" She said, running after Ranma-chan. "AAAHHH!" Isamu screamed, scrambling for cover. He dove into the nearest open door. Isamu collected himself off the floor. He looked up at the collected might, er, strength, hmmm... numerical superiority of...The Chem Club. "Don't you know this is a restricted area?" The president asked testily. A member on his right tugged on his sleeve. "Not now." Isamu tried to get a word in but he spoke again. "You're the new guy aren't you?" He said haughtily. "Hentaii-two-i's. Well Mr. Hentaii, maybe you haven't heard, but_we_rule Furinwhat?!" He shouted angrily, yanking his arm out of the member's grasp. "How long is the compound #1017 suppose to be heated?" He asked tentatively. "I told you! Thirty seconds! Any more and it becomes explosive!" He shouted. The student looked at his watch. "Then I think we better-" *KAAABOOOOOOM!!!!* Isamu dove headfirst out the door, the blast field right on his heels. Unfortunately, extra adrenaline made him miss the floor. In fact, he missed the whole corridor as he sailed out a third story window. Isamu assessed the situation calmly. "*I'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie*" Then he remembered a quote from a book he once read. It said: ...'use the language of the country you are currently living in. Adapt and acclimate yourself to make life easier.' He shrugged, passing the surprised faces of students on the second floor. "I'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie!" He shouted in perfect Japanese. --------------------------------- "Doesn't she.... ever give up?" Ranma-chan panted. She burst out into the courtyard, wearily dodging Miss Hinako's blasts. Unfortunately, Ranma-chan looked back at her pursuer and collided with a tree. Miss Hinako triumphantly raised her coin, ready to give the power-draining of her life. Ranma-chan fully expected to hear a throaty "HAPPO-100 YEN SATSU" and a dark tunnel with a light at the end of it. What he heard was this: "HAPPOOOFF!" "Happoooff?" She woncered, taking a break from sucking dirt. Isamu, charred and burnt, lay on Miss Hinako's back. He looks happy, she thought as she passed out. --------------------------------------- Kasumi closed her door. She had spent the last two hours making peace between her sisters. It wasn't easy, but if she wanted easy she would've forced Dr. Tofu to marry her already. "So you see Akane," Nabiki whispered conspiratorially. "It's not that I didn't like him. It's just that, well, you know my rep, my business. If people went around and saw that I actually cared about other things other than money and power, then I would lose a lot of face." "Not to mention yen," Akane smiled, covering her mouth. "Hey," Nabiki pushed her lightly on the shoulder. "I'm serious here." "I know," Akane said, crossing her legs and starting to brush her hair. "Y'know," Nabiki said, imitating her sister. "I would never expected getting advice from you." "Why's that?" "Let's just say I know a lot of stuff that you don't." ------------------------------------------- With the group spirit intact, Nabiki, along with Ranma and Akane, went over to Isamu's after dinner. "Hey!" He smiled at Nabiki, moving in to kiss her. He hesitated, remembering the last time he tried that. Nabiki smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips as she walked in. Ranma jabbed him in the ribs, waggling his eyebrows. "You sly dog." Akane knocked both their heads. "Perverts." "Yeah, you're part of the group now." Ranma said, rubbing his head. "She would never hit a total stranger like that." "Dinuguan?" Isamu offered, after a few minutes in the kitchen. "What is it?" Akane eyed it suspicuously. "It's Filipino. It's blood soup," he explained. "Eww, gross!" Akane said, making a face and sticking her tongue out. "That _is_ disgusting," Nabiki agreed. "What's _this_ crap?" Ranma pointed at the TV. On the screen, a man with a rubber face was making an absolute fool of himself. "Jim Carrey. Biggest selling idiot in the world." "You mean people watch this?" "Let's see what else is on," he said, flipping through the channels. //Bora Bora Motors! One pig and two sacks of rice everytime you buy a truck! That's right! One pig and two sacks of rice! Buy today!!// "New Guinea, I think." Isamu said shaking his head. //NDAY!! SUNDAY!! MILLER LITE PRESENTS WEINERDOG RACING!!!// "U.S. Definitely the U.S." he said, as everyone laughed. Isamu thought a moment. "You know? With all that's been happening around here, I haven't even seen all the rooms yet." "What do you mean all the rooms?" Akane asked. "I mean the rooms in this house." "You mean you don't know your own house?" Ranma said, trying the blood soup, to his surprise, he liked it. "Yeah, now that I think of it," he said, pursing his lips. "There was a bunch of stuff on my inventory list that I didn't recognize, either." "Like?" Nabiki asked. "Like," he said, digging under the living room table for his writing tablet. "Like 'FlytSym'. What's a FlytSym?" "Dunno." Ranma said, standing up. "Let's go find out." "C'mon," Isamu said, motioning them to follow. "Let's get a few crowbars from the garage. I bet that stuff is still in crates." "Who needs a crowbar?" Ranma sniffed. "I'll just smash it open." "And smash the thing inside too." Akane said, popping him in the head. "Ow, quit it!" ---------------------------------- "Er, um, Isamu?" Nabiki said tentatively. "Uh-huh?" "What's that?" "I think it's a Jag." "Ok," Nabiki said, running her hands on its sleek surface. "What's it doing in your garage?" "I think it's his," Akane whispered. "How do you figure that?" Asked Ranma. Akane pointed at the license plate. It said: HENTAII. "BWHAHAHAHA!" Ranma burst out. Isamu looked at him irritatedly. He opened the unlocked door and peered inside. There was a key, and a letter. "What does it say?" Nabiki said from inside the car. She peered into the glove compartment, the smell of new car overpowering her senses. "It says, 'Dear son, Since we most probably won't be able to make it to your birthday, think of this as an advancedbirthday present. We know the hardships of moving and although we love you, we know you're not very quick on the uptake either. We figured it would be several days before you'd find this. See? I told you there was a reason I wanted you to get a license. You did get one didn't you? Ah, well. Happy birthday son! Love, Mama and Papa'" "You don't have a license yet, do you?" Ranma asked, getting into the car. "Nuh-uh. I have a temporary one. Got it a few hours before I met Nabiki." "I don't think a spin around the block would do much harm," he smiled as they piled in. --------------------------------------- "AHHHH!! We're gonna die!" Ranma shouted ducking under the backseat. "You're overreacting," Isamu said, sweating, swerving into a parking lot. "I'm pretty sure there was a lot of inches between that car and me." "Isamu," Nabiki who was riding shotgun, grabbed his arm. "Let's try this again. Where are you?" "Japan." "Right. And which side of the road are you suppose to drive in Japan?" "The ri-" "THE LEFT! THE LEFT!" They all screamed at him. "Ok, ok," He said, shrinking. "Geez, a few near head-on collisions and you think I don't know how to drive." ------------------------------------------------------ There is a cliff. This cliff overlooks the city. There are many cliffs like this all over the world. With the city lights blinking at them below, some people decide to connect with each other. This cliff has many names. In all languages, in all dialects, it boils down to MakeOut Point. This cliff is particularly powerful. Able to melt the most frigid hearts in seconds. "I've faced monsters," Ranma said, leaning over the edge, his heart racing like a jackhammer. "I've faced kidnapping martial arts island princes. I've never,_ever_been as scared as I am now." Isamu sat on the hood of the car, breathing deeply. "We're all still alive aren't we?" "One of us might change that," Nabiki wiped the sweat from her brow. Unfortunately, it has absolutely no effect on four of martial artists on an adrenaline rush. "Akane?" Ranma said, as Akane stood transfixed. "It's beautiful," she said simply. They all gazed out. The city's lights blinked at them, as if trying to imitate the stars above. All talking ceased as they sat down on the grass and enjoyed the scenery in silence. Ok, some effect. ================================= ==THURSDAY- A Prelude to a Kiss== ================================= There was a field. It wasn't a very pleasant one, but at least it was there. There is a crater. A big one. It squats where the field used to be. There is a man. Or is he? He stands in the middle of the crater, magic and physics bend to his will, swirling around him. He turns the air around him into diamonds with less than a thought. He floats out of the crater, the rocks turning molten where he stood. The bodies of his opponents were strewn around the blast field. Mousse. Kuno. Ryoga. They were never powerful enough. He looked at their bodies contemptuously, his mere glare disintegrating them, scattering them to the four winds. He floated a little farther, the air sizzling with his power, to the bodies of the last to fall to his might. At first, he did not know who they were. A mere thought let him shuffle through their decaying grey matter for the information he needed. Twister. A powerful foe. Considering he lasted a minute. Shuriken. A martial artist. Not worthy of his full might. Crys. Not as powerful as Twister. Teneme. Another martial artist. Rei. A ninja. A formidable one. Ed. The man laughed as he remembered Ed burning, spouting 'This wasn't supposed to happen...' A more depressing creature the man has never met. The man floated away. His prize awaited. She sat on the crest of a hill, legs tucked under her, her kimono pristine. She smiled beguilingly at him and said: "ISAMU! COME ON! WE'RE GONNA BE LATE AGAIN!" Isamu blinked. He shot up from his bed and frantically got dressed. "*Why the hell am I having these dreams?" He said, trying to brush his teeth and pull on some pants at the same time. "I don't even know those people.*" ------------------------------------------ In a place that was neither here nor there, in a time that can't be, Dream of the Endless walked away. %HE NEEDED THAT% ------------------------------------------- After school, the four lounged around Isamu's house. Again. The cd player was blasting Elastica as they all headed upstairs. Isamu had a lot of stuff, most of them still in bags and crates. With the help of Ranma and the Tendo sisters, Isamu bagan unpacking his junk. "Gee, you think you have enough games?" Nabiki said as Ranma and Isamu unpacked his game systems. "I was bored a lot, ok?" He said, tossing a foam packing ball at her. "What's in this one?" Akane pointed at a large box. "Dunno," Isamu said, crossing the room quickly as Nabiki tossed some packing balls at him. "Ooh, cool! I thought I forgot these!" Isamu said, holding a large pistol up. "Whoa! Watch it!" Ranma ducked. "Huh? Oh, don't worry." He said lifting a few more out of the box. "Harmless laser guns. Y'know, for wargames. Laser Tag and all that." "Huh," Akane hefted it up. "Never played it before." "The armors have to be around here somewhere," Isamu said, opening a box full of comic books. "Nope, that's not it. Aha!" He smiled pulling out some hard, plastic breast plates. A few minutes later, they were all suited up. Helmets and breastplates, knee and elbow pads too. Isamu connected each gun to the the plug located in the lower half of the owner's breastplate. "Me and Nabiki versus you and Ranma?" Isamu asked, connecting Akane's gun to her plug. "How about guys versus girls?" Ranma asked, spinning his pistol. "Because it wouldn't be any fun if we beat you too easy." Nabiki said, sighting her gun. "Ok," Isamu said, pointing to the LED displays on their guns. "This is your ammo, this is shots fired, this is how many times you've been hit, and this will tell you after the game how many points you've scored." They agreed to stalk each other starting from each side of the house. Isamu and Nabiki started near the front door and Akane and Ranma at the back. Isamu turned off the lights, signaling the start of the game. "Nabiki?" Isamu whispered as they crept forward. Their weapons gleamed dimly in the darkness. "Mm-hmm?" "Um, it's Friday tomorrow and um, y'know, you told me to er, ask you out so, um, y'know..." He trailed off, tripping on some wires along the way. The cd changer switched from Elastica to The Crow Soundtrack. A hard techno beat started pumping through the house. "Gods," Nabiki groaned. Isamu could see that she was rolling her eyes in the darkness. "Is this how you ask all girls out?" Isamu blushed a little, this didn't escape Nabiki's sharp eyes. "Yes?" He asked tentatively. "Yeah, ok." Nabiki smiled. "Tomorrow, pick me up at about eight, ok?" "Cool." "Now let's go get'em!" Nabiki grinned wolfishly, creeping ahead of him. "Now_that_ is a remarkable woman." He muttered to himself. ----------------------------------- Dear Mr. Masters, The day is approaching. He is in Nerima. Bring your friend. Ken smiled. He got on the phone and booked a flight to Japan. ----------------------------------- Dear Mr. Madrox, The day is approaching. He is in Nerima. Bring your friend. Jamie smiled. "Hey! You-" "-think we-" said Jamie, walking into the living room. "-should-" said Jamie, getting up from the floor. "-go?" said Jamie, stepping down from the ladder. Jamie thought. "Why not?" He smiled as the other Jamies smiled back. "How many friends do you think I should bring?" -------------------------------------- In the darkness... "Uh, Akane?" "Uh-huh?" "Y'know, you're kinda.... y'know, and um, what I'm trying to say, um......." "What is it, Ranma?" "You're kinda stepping on my foot." "JERK!" ======================================================== ====NEXT: NERIMA AFTER DARK (or Friday I'm in Love)==== ======================================================== ---------------------------------- AUTHOR'S ENDNOTES --------------------------------- I generally don't like angst. If I wanted angst I'd stay in reality. This fanfic is an escape from reality for me. And hopefully, for you too. Unfortunately, I told me that there had to be angst somewhere in the story. So if the angst bits were a bit small, that's because I like it that way. It's token angst scenes, y'know, just for some variety. The end to the plotted parts is near. Mind you, I've decided_not_ to resolve anything Ms. Takahashi refuses to resolve herself. I mean, why make a fool of myself? More that I already have? In fact, there may be more loose threads hanging than when I started. CAMEOS There's a point to them. I think. Or maybe not. BTW This fic is set about a year before 'THE MORE THINGS CHANGE'. THANKS TO: Writers like: David Eddings, Piers Anthony, Peter David, Mark Waid, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett. All sprinkle humor shamelessly into their works. From these people I stole with pride. Don't sue me. RpM: who let's me send my stuff through his account, let's me use his computer and occasionally let's me eat at his house. BTW If you didn't recognize the characters that the 'godlike' Isamu defeated. Those are characters from other fanfics. Sorry, guys. Hope you didn't mind. NEXT: The fate of the free world rests on the shoulders of.... oh, wait hehehe, wrong fanfic. Nabiki goes out with Isamu! Stuff happens! Be here for Part 4 of 'EIGHT DAYS A WEEK': Friday I'm In Love! Nerima After Dark! --------------------- Editor's note: oh, NOW he's acting humble towards Twister, Ed, and the rest of the bunch. Sheesh. -Rod "I swear it ain't my fault" M. ---------------------