Valentine’s TripValentine’s Trip Targhan Ranma ½ and all associated characters were created by Rumiko Takahashi, with distribution rights granted to Viz, Shoguken, and Kitty. This is a work of fanfiction, and is for entertainment purposes only. Further, this work is non-profit, and written only for personal enjoyment. ---- “Ladies, ladies,” I begin, trying to calm my dorm-sisters, “I know I have plenty of opportunities.” “It’s Valentine’s day!” one of them exclaim, and another add, “You mean that you aren’t seeing anyone?” I sigh, this is going to be a long night. “Ladies, I just can’t,” I try to explain simply, but my dorm sisters aren’t fooled by my façade of strength. “You’re prettier than all of us, and we don’t ever see you go on a date with anyone,” another states; obviously, she is trying to goad me for information. Of course, they don’t explain why they are here, either. This is our senior year in college, they should be well on their way to marriage, and not concerned with me. I suppose it couldn’t hurt to tell them about Valentine’s Day, could it? Hmm, I think they may be amused by my story. Naturally, I begin with, “It was four years ago to this day, I was in my senior year in high school…” ---- After yet another failed wedding attempt, my father, the genius that he was, began planning for a Valentines party. Now, you and I know this was a recipe for disaster, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. Oh no, not him. “Ranma, NO BAKA,” that of course was my younger sister, Akane, belittling her fiancée. A standard occurrence, but this time, on Valentine’s Day, no less, she decided to make Ranma pay for being unfaithful. It’s a bit fuzzy now, but she ran out of the house, throwing down her box of chocolates, that Ranma had so thoughtfully borrowed money from me to afford. Ranma, dilly-dallied around for an hour or so, before he ran after her. It was ironic, really, as he would sometimes wait for four or five hours to chase her down. I suppose, he would have been better off waiting, but it was Valentine’s Day, after all. Oh Ranma? He was a very unique guy that had been engaged to my sister through our fathers for family honor. Yes, he was quite handsome, and could be very sweet at times. Now, you’re just going to have to let me finish, okay? I guess it was two or three hours later that we finally see Ranma come back, but Akane was not with him. So, I ask, naturally. “She’s at Doc Tofu’s, something about a broken hymen,” the baka tells me. I give him a cross look, and drag him to my room. Don’t look at me so funny, Ranma no more knew what a hymen was than a horse knows what a subway is. Yes, ladies, he was cute and sweet, but not “educated.” Where was I? Oh yes, I took him to my room to talk to him. Ranma was quite disturbed, because our family doctor, Doc Tofu, had apparently had his face up my sister’s skirt on an examining table. Why did Ranma go to the doctor’s office on Valentine’s Day? Well, I’m glad you asked that. You see he had a slight condition that required a medication that the doctor kept on hand. Anyway, as I was saying, Ranma had apparently caught them in the act. He caught my sister, his fiancée, and the doctor in unscrupulous acts. Akane may be my sister, but Ranma was a one in a million guy. He didn’t deserve to go through life believing this lie. “My hymen got broke, and the doctor is trying to help me heal it,” was the nonsense she fed him. I couldn’t let that stand, this guy risked his life for her. I’ll tell you about the life-risking later, girls. Unless, you would prefer another story? Ah, just as I thought. Needless to say, Ranma didn’t take to my explanation very well. So, when Akane finally got home, Ranma let her have it. Right in front of our fathers, he told her that he would sooner live in a monastery than to marry her. About me? Just wait sisters, I’m getting there. Our fathers immediately tried to change the agreement to me, but Ranma would have none of it. Of course, he was angry at the time. Kasumi, my eldest sister, was going to get stuck with the engagement. Yet, she demanded that Akane straighten up; which, wouldn’t happen by then. Sometimes my older sister just misses important things, and she didn’t seem to catch “cheating” as a sexual act with another person. I guess because I’m silly, I told Ranma, “Take a break from all of this. I’m still your friend, and I still consider you family. Go, take a training trip, and when you come back—look me up. We’ll laugh about this one day.” Ranma cocked a half grin at me, and said, “I promise, when I’m over all of this that I’ll look you up, Nabiki.” So, Ranma left. While he was walking out the door, our fathers declared that since we were still friends that the engagement between families was not to be broken. That was the last time I saw Saotome Ranma. Now, every Valentine’s Day, I stop and try to remember all of the adventures that Ranma, my sisters, and I shared. You know, before Valentine’s day. ---- “Well, girls,” I say, “I guess that’s it. End of story.” Sure, one of them had to ask, “Is that why you aren’t seeing anyone? You think this guy will actually look you up?” “Yup,” I answer confidently. Another dorm-sister asks me what I think he’ll want, and I have to answer honestly, “I don’t know. Knowing him, he’ll want to propose.” “That’s ludicrous,” one of my dorm sisters tell me. Another says, “The chance of that happening is one in a million!” Cocking my own grin, I reply, “I told you, he’s a one in a million guy. He’s held off to give it a chance, that’s the way he is. I. I… It wouldn’t be right for me not to believe in him.” There they go, laughing again. Just like they did last year, and the way they did the year before that. They think I’m insane. I really don’t mind, because they don’t know the same Saotome Ranma that I do. ---- “I’m silly and I know it,” I tell my closest friend, Akemi. I sit at home every Valentine’s Day hoping for a phone call. Hoping for a chance to prove that Ranma’s trust isn’t misplaced. I know we may not hit it off, but after all he went though…. After everything that happened, I wouldn’t be Nabiki Tendo to let some dumb jock prove that the Tendo’s had no honor. If it takes another four years, or five, or ten, I will wait. “Hello?” I hear Noriko’s voice. Then… Is it? Grinning at the drooling girls, I proclaim, “Welcome back, Ranma.” His voice finally reaches my ears, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Nabiki.” Were my dorm-sister here? I can’t hear laughing anymore… ---- Notes: I had seen several stories with Ranma cheating on Akane, and vice versa. I’ve even seen a Valentines’ Day fic or two. Heck, I’ve even seen stories written from Nabiki’s perspective. Yet, this thing demanded to be written. I hope everyone enjoys it! --Targhan