Ok guys after a lot of time being here in the ML, I decided to really do something about this. This is my first fanfic but, I don't want you guys to be nice just because of that. This is going to be a long series, and believe me guys this isn't a Ranma gets Nabiki fib, at least not yet ^_^ I owe all this fib to my pre readers, without them I whould have been chewed alive here for all the spelling and grammar errors.^_^& Donny, Raistlin, Jason Liao, Emry, Shaun Bedingfield, Thomas Scroggs, KnightHawke, Bombadil, Myrriden and the rest that didn't make it ^_^ Thank you guys, you really made sure that there wasn't almost any error in the story. All Ranma characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, first published by Shogakugan in Japan and brought over to North America by Viz Communications. I don't owe them so stop asking me to lend them ok? The timeline of this story takes place by the half of the Manga 36, that means just a few weeks after the fiancees trashed the Saotome house. The fight with Saffron hasn't happened yet. ***KAZE NO MAI*** By Antonio Flores jflores@foreigner.class.udg.mx ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ <> Indicates thoughts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It was a sunny day in Nerima, but not very warm. The winter was coming soon and the icy winds were already making the weather cold. Everybody in Nerima knew that it would snow any day now. Many people were already wearing their thickest winter clothing. Nobody knew this better than a certain pigtailed martial artist. He may have been flying over Nerima at the moment, this amazing sight wasn't really noticed by the residents of Nerima. They where already used to all the crazy things that the local martial artists liked to do, and sending people soaring over the place seemed to be one of their favorite hobbies. "BRRR... cold, maybe I should wear my long sleeved shirt," thought the afore mentioned martial artist. "What's the problem with that girl? Every time that I try to be nice to her, she only gets mad and either smacks me with her hammer, or pounds me with that gorilla like strength of hers." This particular thought was stopped when he had to get ready for the landing. After all it was already too cold, and getting himself wet wasn't really a good idea right now. Ranma saw that he was going to land in a very conveniently placed puddle in the street. Twisting his body in midair in a way that seemed impossible. (And probably was illegal in some countries) he managed to land away of the puddle. Unfortunately, the added momentum of this maneuvering, made him crash with a near wall. And going through the wall of one of the squash camps, he fell in a park. "OUCH.... that really hurt... maybe I'll just lie here for a while." *********************************************************************************** Akane was fuming outside of Furinkan high school, her left hand was still raised after the uppercut that sent Ranma flying over Nerima. "That... BAKA. Why I put up with that jerk?" Thought Akane out loud. "C'mon Akane, don't you think that you were a little harsh with him?" A brown haired girl next to her spoke. "Yes Akane, Sayuri's right. Why did you hit him this time?" Added Yuka, her other friend. Akane glared at her friend. "Why? Didn't you see that he was making fun of my cooking?" Both girls looked each other with big sweat drops. Everybody in Furinkan knew that Akane's cooking was very toxic. "But... Akane, he tried the... cake you made in economic class. Right Yuka?" "Cake !?! That wasn't cake. It was an okonomiyaki Sayuri, not a cake." Akane narrowed her eyes as she looked at her friend. "And he was really making fun of my cooking." "Well Akane, I don't know if turning blue and making choking sounds counts as making fun you know." Commented Yuka. "You too? I can't believe that you are on his side too!" With that, Akane turned away from her friends and went muttering angrily to her house. Yuka rolled her eyes and commented, "She's really mad this time. Poor Ranma, sometimes I feel pity for him." Smiling sourly, Sayuri answered. "Yes, sometimes I just don't understand Akane. Ranma is one of the cutest guys in Nerima, he's a great martial artist, he's got a great body, and can be really sweet sometimes." Yuka smiled and said in a teasing tone. "Hey, get a grip girl. Stop drooling. Besides, Ranma is one of the biggest chauvinistic jerks that I've ever seen. But he's just too damn sexy sometimes, and lately he's been trying to be nicer... maybe that's why Akane is so mad at him." This particular topic was being discussed a lot among the female population of Furinkan lately. Ranma seemed to be maturing, and was more gentle with the girls. He was still arrogant and cocky most of the time, but his mother influence was starting to show in his character. And this was getting him more admirers lately. *********************************************************************************** Ranma was tired. Worse, he was depressed. He had been in the park thinking for some time. This alone would have surprised many people that knew him. After all he was famous for getting in a lot of trouble by doing things without thinking about them first. Thought Ranma bitterly. "Maybe I need to ask somebody who is out of all this heat, or just take a training trip to the mountains to relax and take a break from all this." He had been thinking about a lot of things laying in the park. All the misunderstandings, the fiancees, his enemies, his mother and all the troubles that had been plaguing his life lately. The outcome of all those reflections was bad for his self-image. Most of all those troubles were his own fault, albeit indirectly. He had been letting the things happen to him without really taking responsability for them; he had not been trying to fix the situations, hoping that they would resolve themselves alone. however, just like a snowball rolling down the hill they had been growing and becoming more complex and difficult with the time. He admitted that he enjoyed some of the attention he recived and all the training from all those fights had made him one of the best martial artists of Japan, but now they were becoming too much even for him. He couldn't just shrug of his shoulders and let the things go on like that anymore. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't feel the time passing until he noticed it was becoming late. At that moment he saw a very unusual sight for Nerima. A group of four punks were hassling a group of girls. He saw a familiar face amongst the girls. *********************************************************************************** Nabiki Tendo was having a very bad day. Usually this simply meant that her profits for the day were under the 10,000 Yen mark, but today it was due something completely different. The day had started as she liked. That is to say, very profitable. She had sold many pictures of Ranma, but the funny thing was that lately she had been selling more pictures of his male form that his female one. She liked to think that it was because most of the boys already knew how Ranma's female form looked like, but she had to admit that since Ranma got back with her mother he had changed. Yes he still was a self centered jerk, and he still talked too much, but now when he made a mistake or he put his foot in his mouth he apologized, or at least tried to mutter something like that. However, most of his recent popularity with the girls was Nabiki's fault, and deep down she knew it was her own doing. And it started rather innocently of her part. All happened when one of the new teachers started teaching drawing classes. She needed some models to teach the students how to draw bodies. Getting photos of female bodies was rather easy. Nabiki had a lot of photos of Ranma-chan with little or almost nothing by of clothes, but when she was asked about some photos of Ranma's male body, she got in a little more troubles, they weren't that easy to take. Not many girls bought photos of Ranma. Usually they were just for the fiancees, so she had to take some more tasteful photos of him. After all the photos initially were to be used as models of bodies in movement. She had taken photos of him when he was doing one of his katas. It had been a long and beautiful kata and he was wearing only his black pants. He had been so entranced in the flow of the forms that he showed a part of him that rarely was seen; he was a more relaxed Ranma whitout his usual condescending smile or his macho facade, just him inmersed in the movements of the kata something that he really enjoyed, and it really showed. The photos had been an inmediate success with the teacher who was actually a very talented drawing. She made some very beautiful sketches of the pictures. Nabiki was surprised when some of the girls in the class started asking her for copies of the photos for themselves. All could have ended there but a couple of weeks later, the teacher had started showing how to draw faces, and how to express emotions in those faces. Then Nabiki found herself taking photos of the different moods of Ranma, from rage to happiness, from sarcasm to confusion, from gentleness to rude. It had been really hard to get them, but the most prominent picture was one of Ranma sitting with his legs crossed in the roof of the Tendo dojo. He had some cuts showing and looked like he had been in another of his infamous fights, but the look of his face was indeed a very strange one for Ranma. His eyes were melancholy and sad, and he looked so lonely and tired, the anathema of his usual carefree and cocky expression. He was looking at the sunset, and the rays of the sun seemed to play with his features, making his already handsome features look even more beautiful. That picture in particular had been one of the best that Nabiki had ever taken, but even she was surprised with the sales of that particular photo. It seemed that the more vulnerable and lonely Ranma looked, the more romantic he seemed in the eyes of the girls. That photo still sold from time to time, and little by little the market for the photos had been growing, even if they were treated like a secret. Many of the girls still resented the popularity of Akane, and they would have loved to get Ranma for themselves, however everybody knew about Akane's short temper and destructive capabilities not to mention those of the other suitor's of Ranma, so they preferred to keep the activities more discrete that that usual. Even so, some of the photos had begun to spread to other schools. Yes it had been a nice and profitable day for Nabiki. She went out to a park in the outskirts of Nerima to sell a full set of photos to some girls of other schools of Tokyo. They seemed to be very interested in the apparent tough but sensible guy that the photos showed, and many rumors were starting to spread in some of those schools from the battle with the golden pair, the hiryu shouthen ha incident during a phase when he was supposed to be weak, to his battles with demons, monsters, perverts and some of the best martial artists in Japan. The high schools were places were the gossip was practiced from almost everyone, and the strange events that happened in Nerima were starting to become one of the most usual topics, even if most of them were treated like exaggerations. She had been just dealing with the aforementioned girls when a group of punks that seemed to be out of place in that part of the city approached them. "Hey babe, you seem to be dealing with a lot of money there" said a tall, gaunt looking guy. Smiling evilly one of his companions spoke. "Yes and you don't seem to really need it that much, so why don't give it to us and we will not have to hurt that pretty face of yours." Looking at them coldly Nabiki answered. "You guys seem to be a little out of place here, so why don't you get out of here before you truly get hurt. This is Nerima were some of the best fighters of Japan live and they don't really like geeks like you guys." A very fat and massive one laughed and said. "Martial artists? Don't make me laugh bitch. I've fought some of those so called martial artists and they're nothing more that just a couple of fancy kicks and punches, but when it comes to a real fight they are just a bunch weaklings. Now give me that money or I and my friends are going to hurt you. The same goes for you too bimbos. Give us all your money." The last thing was said to the other girls. The tall punk turned and spoke to the shortest member of the gang. "Hey Shiro get the money from them now will' ya. I don't know too much this part of the city and I don't want to have troubles with the police here." The short one then approached to the girls and tried to get Nabiki's bag but since she resisted. The punk pushed her her roughly to get her bag, and Nabiki fell to a nearby puddle were she slipped in the mud, twisting her ankle and dirtying her clothes in the process. "I can't believe this. This stuff happens to Ranma or Akane, not me. These idiots will pay dearly for this." Though Nabiki feeling her temper rising. She hadn't feel this humiliated in a long time. Many people in Nerima knew that if you mess with one of the martial artist you will get a one way ticket to the hospital, but if you mess with Nabiki Tendo you get your life messed up for a long, long time. "Hehehe.. the broad seems to have gotten what she deserves." Said the fat one almost laughing at her. "Now stop fooling around and give us the money." The girls cowered at the sight of the big guy approaching them. In that moment somebody approached the group and said in a mocking tone. "What'cha doing boys? You seem to be awfully troubled with all those girls to handle. Do you want some help? I can call some friends to help you all." Looking back to the newcomer the punks face darkened. The tall one said. "Great, just what we needed! One of those heroic type of morons. Look pretty boy, get lost or we'll going to kick your ass." The smirk on Ranma's face became then a full smile. "Look guys, I'm not in the mood for this today, so get lost while you still can." And to accentuate this he cracked his knuckles. The big one then stepped forward smiling and he seemed to be aching for a fight. "So the big bad martial artist it's going to teach us a lesson? Well teach me this!" and he threw a punch at Ranma. He was really surprised when the pigtailed guy caught the punch like as if it were nothing, and with a twist of his wrist, forced the punk to the ground. The punks were surprised to see their leader being subdued that easily. He was supposed to be one of the strongest guys it their own territory, and yet the pigtailed guy seemed to be much more stronger. At that moment Ranma relased the fist of the other guy, put a foot over a nearby head sized rock and said in a more serious tone. "Do you bakas see this stone? Think of it as your heads if you don't scram now." Then he shattered the stone with seeming ease. Everybody except Nabiki were shocked too see that display of power. The punks decided that they liked their heads too much as they were, and wisely started running away. Turning back to the girls Ranma asked in a more concerned tone. "Are you all right girls?" But the girls were just staring at him with those love starved looks that he knew too well. Feeling a little uneasy he tried to help the girl that was down, and was really surprised when he saw who was in the floor. "Nabiki?" Then looking at the state of the girl he smirked at her. "What happened to you?" Giving him a glare that seemed more fitting for Akane than her she said. "Not a single word of this Saotome or you are going to regret it." Putting his hands in a in front of him in a defensive posture he answered. "Woah !! Easy Nabiki, don't get too worked up. Here let me help you stand up." He offered his hand to her and started to pull her to her feet, but she made an exclamation of pain. "Ow! Stop! I think that I twisted my ankle. " Taking a look at her feet he said. "Hmmmm... let me check it out... well it doesn't seem to be too badly twisted. You just need to rest for a while." "And since when do you know so much about medicine?" Asked Nabiki not trusting in him that much. Looking at her with a more thoughtful look he answered. "Well when you get hurt so often as I do you learn a couple of things about this kind of stuff." Looking back at the girls he noted that they were still ogling at him and they looked even more love struck. He decided that it was time to get going. "Hmmmm... well Nabiki, if you are done here I can help you to get back to the dojo." Seeing that Ranma was getting rather uncomfortable whit the looks that the girls were giving at him, she composed herself and said. "Ok just let me fix a couple things and we can go back." Getting the hint, Ranma walked away from them. After he had moved away from them, Nabiki told to the girls in the group. "Ok girls I don't want a single word of this to get out, okay. If you want to do more deals later you know were to find me." *********************************************************************************** Ranma was feeling rather uneasy, even if he was out of earshot. He could still see the expressions of the girls while they were talking with Nabiki. He really was surprised, Nabiki was in her all business mode completely forgetting about the ankle. Even though he knew that it was nothing serious, it must hurt a lot. After a couple of minutes the girls seemed to finish talking. Nabiki sent an. look to Ranma. Nabiki smiled. He seemed to be a little intimidated by the girls. For someone who had a lot of admirers Ranma could be very shy around large groups of girls. Ranma approached the group of girls and then turning to look at Nabiki, he made motions to carry her in his arms. "What are you doing Saotome?" Said Nabiki glaring at him. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm going to carry you back to the dojo, or do you want a piggy back ride?" The girls started to whisper amongst themselves after hearing this. Ranma felt his cheeks reddening as he heard some of the comments that the girls were making. To make the things worse Nabiki seemed to be in a very bad mood at the moment. So, opting for a quick exit, he scooped Nabiki into his arms, and muttering a good-bye to the girls, he jumped to the roof of the nearest building. When they were a few blocks away from the park Ranma asked to Nabiki. "Do you want to go at Doctor Tofu's clinic to get your ankle checked?" Looking at him a little more calmly, Nabiki answered. "No, I just want to go back and change my clothes. I can't believe this. I just bought this skirt. Why didn't you beat those punks Ranma?" She added in a low tone. Looking at her with his cocky smile said. "Those guy's didn't even know how to fight properly. Why should I try to beat them when just scaring them would do the job?" He looked little more thoughtful, jumping to a nearby roof before continuing. "Besides you shouldn't be too mad. After all it's just a skirt you can buy a new one tomorrow." Sounding mad again, Nabiki told him. "Humph... typical of you to think that it's that easy to get the money." Looking directly at his face Nabiki noted that Ranma seemed to be thinking for a second, and then looking apologetic. He told her. "Ok, let's make a deal. I will take you to the place where I go to calm down when I'm really mad, and you will tell me why are you so mercenary." Nabiki was about to give him a piece of her mind when Ranma went faster and she had to grip him even more tightly. thought Nabiki as she pressed to him. Suppressing that particular line of thought, she raised her head from Ranma's chest and tried to see where Ranma was taking her. He sure wasn't taking the direct route to the dojo. In fact, he seemed to be heading away from the usual places that he liked to visit. Ranma felt relief. Nabiki seemed to be calming down a little and trying to enjoy the view. Nabiki was still wondering just where was their destination, when Ranma gave a very big jump to a nearby chimney, and then to another, and from there to a water container that was one of the highest places of Nerima. Looking around Nabiki couldn't help but gasp. The view from there was great. You could see half of Nerima, and a good part of Tokyo. Looking at Ranma in awe Nabiki asked. "Nice view Saotome. Do you come here often?" Nabiki noticed that Ranma's face saddened for a second, before he answered with his usual confident smile. "Nope, I just come here when I feel that I'm about to explode." And then pointing at the sun he continued. "Just wait a few seconds." The sun was starting to set at that moment, looking like it was melting in the mountains. "Sometimes when I feel like I can't go on, I come to this place to see the sunset. It's so beautiful and peaceful here, that I can't help but feel that my own troubles are small and insignificant compared with the rest of the world." After a few minutes of staring at the view Ranma continued. "Some time ago an old lady told me that the best things of the life are free." Looking a little more cold and using a sarcastic tone Nabiki answered. "Yes, but unfortunately even a beautiful view like this, isn't going to pay the bill's or give you some food you know." Nabiki was really surprised at Ranma. She was very good at reading people and he seemed to be much more thoughtful. She saw other emotions pass across his face at that moment. Emotions he usually displayed in other situations. She could see anger, shame, sadness, depression and some other emotions, in his eyes. One of the most prominent features of Ranma were his eyes. They displayed his emotions very well. You could easily tell what mood he was in just by looking at his eyes. Nabiki couldn't help but remember one thing that one of the girls said in their drawing class. "Whoever said that the eyes are the window of the soul must had someone like Ranma in mind. Just looking at those blue-grey pools of emotion is enough to make your knees go weak." Lowering his face Ranma answered with calm and somewhat distant voice. "Yes Nabiki, I know that it must be hard for you to pay all those bills to keep the dojo afloat." Nabiki looked at him in shock "You know?" She gasped. Ranma seemed a little disappointed by this and said. "Aww c'mon Nabiki, I'm not that dense. I've noticed that you are the one that pays all the expenses of the dojo." Something was nagging Nabiki. When Ranma first came to live at the dojo he didn't like her to take photos of him/her to sell, but after a little time he stopped complaining and seemed like he didn't care about them. Now she understood that Ranma had tried to help her in his own clumsy and prideful way. He just withstood the trouble that the photos caused whitout complaint. "So that's why you never said anything about the photos." Said Nabiki grinning a little. Ranma looked flustered when he answered. "Well... yes I had never liked to freeload, and since it seemed to be the easiest way to help you..." "But it has gotten you in a lot of trouble. You really like troubles, isn't that so?" Said Nabiki, still grinning. Rolling his eyes Ranma answered. "Of course not ... I admit that it's a good training sometimes, but lately it has become a real pain. All my problems have become bigger. Sometimes I wish I was as intelligent as you, that would keep me out of many trouble." Ranma was smiling a little when he said this. Nabiki couldn't help but laugh at this. "What? Why are you laughing at me?" Asked Ranma in a defensive tone. "Sorry Ranma, but this is so much fun. The great Ranma Saotome is envious of somebody else." Answered Nabiki, and then added in a quieter voice. "Besides sometimes I couldn't help but get a little jealous." This time it was Ranma who seemed confused. "You jealous? Why?" Nabiki had a cold expression her face as she continued. "Why? C'mon Ranma, you are always the center of the attention. You have too many people after you, both male and female. Even Akane, who seems to hate boys has lot's of them begging for a chance to go out with her." Then in a more bitter voice she asked him. "Do you have any idea when the last time was that one guy invited me to a date just to be with me? Not to make some deal, or to try to get me to speak to Akane for them... or whitout a little extortion on my part." Looking surprised Ranma said. "But... you don't know?" "Know what?" Asked Nabiki. Ranma started fiddling with his pigtail and spoke nervously. "Well you see, many of the guys at school want to invite you out, but they are afraid. You see, Akane is... well, sort of cute. She's like a challenge to many of them... but you're different. You are cold and beautiful, just like a diamond... besides you are one of the most intelligent people in Nerima. Many of the guys just don't know what to say to a girl like you. Hmmm, well you know you have class, and you can make life a living hell of for them if they do something stupid and anger you." Frowning a little Nabiki said. "Are you trying to tell me that I haven't got a single suitor all this time because I intimidate them?" A sweat drop appeared in Ranma's head when he answered. "Well... yes. You should loosen up a little. There's no need to be so ruthless and cold. If you were a little nicer to them you would have more suitors that you can handle." And then he added in a more joking tone. "I can even lend you a couple of mine to train with them." Nabiki was grinning as well as she answered. "But I'm not the nice kind of girl you know." "C'mon Nabiki. I still remember when you were supposed to be my fiancee. You treated me nicely and you were a good fiancee... I know that you can be really nice when you want to." Ranma seemed to remember something and added in a sarcastic tone. "When you weren't selling me to the other girls that is." To this Nabiki said in a more businesslike voice. "Well in that case if you think that I can be more nice let's make a deal. You can give me pointers on being nicer, and I can help you with that big mouth of yours." Ranma looked very funny with a surprised expression. "Me? Give you pointers on how to be nicer? I'm the one who was voted the most inconsiderate, insensitive jerk of the school five times in a row." "Well yes, but you also are the most popular guy in the school." and grinning mischievelousy, Nabiki added. ."And the most popular girl too." Ranma's expression changed from a surprised one to a frown. Nabiki felt like laughing at this. He looked too funny. "Besides." Nabiki continued. "I need someone who can see things from another perspective and it has to be a trusted person. I don't want everyone to find out about this, and if there is one thing that you can do well it's to keep your word and don't speak about this." Ranma still didn't seemed too convinced with the argument so Nabiki keep talking. "And I know that you can be nice too, you just have to watch that mouth of yours." Suddenly Ranma looked depressed again when he answered. "I know but... sometime it's really hard to not say anything back. I'm always being accused of things that aren't my fault." "I didn't say that you should just shut up. Just try to think before answering, and if you are going to say something that you know it's going to make somebody mad it's better to not say anything... or at least try to say it politely." Ranma seemed to be really thoughtful at this. Nabiki decided that he needed sometime to think, so she gave all her attention to the sunset. They had been talking for quite sometime and the sun was almost set. The view was even more beautiful. She felt herself more calm and relaxed that she had been in a long time. >From that point Nabiki could see almost all of Nerima. She could see Furinkan High school, The Dojo, The Nekohanten, and even a obscure red haired girl in a school uniform, chased by a futuristic looking airplane and a short haired blonde girl near that new restaurant called Akie's. After the sunset, Ranma got up and said. "Let's go Nabiki it's getting late and cold. If we don't hurry back they're going to start worrying about us." He then offered her his hand to help her stand up. Nodding her head Nabiki spoke. "Yes, you are probably right but I still have one question." Looking directly into his eyes she asked. "Why are you doing all this? I mean bringing me here and talking about all this. Why are you trying to be nice all of sudden?" Ranma seemed to be getting nervous. He started to scratch his head, and looking down at her he said. "Well, you see... I've been talking with my mother and ...well... stuff you know, and she has told me that being nicer doesn't make me any less manly, but actually even more." Ranma felt a lot of pressure looking at Nabiki. He knew that she wasn't believing a single word of what he was saying. He seemed to deflate and then he sighed before continuing. "Well you see it was just that you seemed mad and out of your normal cool exterior, about to explode, I felt like helping you. When I'm about to explode I come here... besides, I wanted to talk with you. After all, you are the most intelligent girl I know." Nabiki's eyes grew cold for a second but they seemed to be more friendly as she answered. "Flattering me will take you to nowhere Saotome and besides, if you want my advice you know that it has some price." Nabiki was surprised when Ranma had confessed that he had some ulterior motives to take her there. She felt her anger rising, but she only had to look at his eyes to see that he wasn't trying to get in her good side. Ranma was too honest for his own good. No he wasn't asking something from her. She could see that in his eyes that he seemed to be offering something instead, and she had a very good idea of what it was. She just needed to see the reaction to what she said to know the truth. When she saw the disappointed look of his eyes at her answer, she knew that he was in his own clumsy way, offering her his friendship. Nabiki thought. He has a lot of people who would gladly do anything for him. another part of her answered. Nabiki knew that even when he was the center of all the chaos that happened around him, he didn't really had a friend to talk and really open up. The closest thing that he had to a friend was Ukyo one of his fiancees. She remembered one thing that she once heard. "There isn't a lonelier person than one that is always around people and yet they are still lonely." While she was thinking all this she could see Ranma's expression. First disappointed, then sad, and then confusion when he saw that she was still smiling at him. Yet he just did what he usually did in those situations. Reaching down at his wallet he said. "Ok, Nabiki how much?" Nabiki's smile just broadened. "I just want a friendship too." Ranma seemed to be in shock from the surprise. Even then Nabiki continued thinking about the reasons of his offer. Then another part of her answered Ranma was speechless. He knew that Nabiki was good at reading people, but to discover all of this even before he really told her. She was to intelligent. He just felt the smile creeping all over his face. "Then you knew?" "Ranma, Ranma, you should know that you are like a open book to me." Nabiki smiled. She offered him her hand in a gesture to stand up and then continued. "And tell me what's the other thing that you wanted me to help you with." Ranma's face became more serious when he answered. "You see, I want to fix all the troubles that are raging around me. I had been watching all the problems, and doing nothing expecting them to resolve themselves, but they've just been growing worse an worse. I can't just let them grow. I need to do something, but I don't know were to start." "Are you really that afraid to get married?" asked Nabiki. "Afraid me? I'm not afraid of nothing... it's just that I'm too young to be married." Answered Ranma in a defensive tone. "Yeah, sure Ranma. You aren't afraid of anything." Smirking she continued "Look Ranma you need sometime alone to think about this, and decide what do you really want to do. Go on a trip or something like that. Just don't rush things, or you are just going to make the things even worse." Smiling in his usual way he said in a playful tone. "Ok boss, lets go back to the dojo or we are going to get chewed out by the others." And then as he scooped her in his arms he told her. "By the way are you afraid of heights or high speeds?" "Not really Ranma why?" "Because this is going to be a fast ride." Then he jumped from the tower to the nearest roof that was several yards away from him. Nabiki felt her heart racing. The speed that Ranma was traveling at while he was jumping from one roof to another was incredible. It was by sheer will alone that she hadn't yelled. She thought. But then she saw an expression of pure bliss on his face. He really seemed to enjoy the speed and the freedom of their race across the roofs of Nerima. Feeling the first rush of adrenaline pass and calming herself, Nabiki even started to enjoy the ride. She knew that Ranma would rather get hurt than let her fall, and the excitement of the ride was making her feel more alive that she ever remembered. After a few more minutes of running, they came to the garden of the Tendo dojo. Ranma let go of Nabiki just in time to hear a very angry Akane. "What were you doing with my sister you pervert?" Ranma seemed like a deer caught in headlights of a truck and before he even could form a comprensible answer a smiling Nabiki spoke up. "Thanks Ranma, I had a lovely time. We have to do that sometime soon. " And as if they were summoned, the rest of the gang appeared. "What Ranma and Mercenary girl doing all day?" Said a purple haired beauty from the new hole... err door in the wall. "Ranma-honey you'd better have a good excuse for this." A voice with a kansai accent from a brown haired spatula wielding beauty continued. "RANMAAA!!! How can you dare to cheat Akane like this!! Prepare to DIEEE!!" A fanged warrior yelled. "HOHOHOHO, Ranma-Sama forget all about those commoners and come with me." This came from a dark haired gymnast. "Ranma my boy, it's not nice to sneak off with the sister of your fiancee, but don't worry. Just wear this bra for me and I will forgive you." Said a little old man "SAOTOME, you cur! Don't tell me that you plan to slave the fair Nabiki Tendo with your black arts." Said a boy with a bokken. "GROUF" Said the panda. "Saotome, for your crimes against my lovely Shampoo you will die." Said one long haired boy as he attacked with chains. "Oh my that's a tree." Said other voice. The chaos ensued with a confused looking Ranma in the middle of it. "But I'm telling you guys it's not what it looks like." Just like always nobody paid attention to him. Looking on from the sidelines Nabiki said in an amused tone "Poor Ranma. He'll need to learn to think faster if he wants to live much longer. Sometimes I feel sorry for him." *SPLASH* "PIGTAIL GIRL!!! Come to me." "And sometimes I don't. Helping him out of this is going to be a reeeaaal challenge." Continued Nabiki as she walked into the house. End of prologue. Tony Well this is it, what do you think good, bad, worse? send comments ok even if it's to say, "Hey I liked it" ^_^ C&C, Flames, MSTs, Death Treats, Marriage propositions jflores@foreigner.class.udg.mx