[soundtrack for this: Umbrella, by Marié Digby]

[2016-11-08
This is it, the story is coming to a close. Thank you for waiting patiently while I did some editing, and dealt with real life. I will be releasing one chapter a day from here out, until I close the story. I will mark the story complete when I load the final chapter.
I think I have learned all I can from this experiment, and it is time to move on with working on publishing my novel. Thank you all for reading and reviewing, you have helped my writing a lot! :)
However, there is still a CONTEST running. To enter the CONTEST, simply send me a couple of sentences detailing why you have stuck with this story until the end. For full details of the contest, see my profile.]

Nabiki felt ... empty. It wasn't just that she had been separated from Ranma. It wasn't just that Ranma was off alone with Akane; and it wasn't just because of the apologetic look Akane had given her before disappearing around the corner of the house with him. It was all of that together with the knowledge that she absolutely knew that Ranma had romantic feelings for Akane. That knowledge was coupled with the fact that as for her own relationship with him went, he hadn't made her any long term promises so far. She knew how she felt, and she knew how Akane felt. But she didn't know, for certain, how Ranma felt ... at least, not as far as his long term intentions were anyway.
She stood awkwardly in front of her still smoldering house and hugged herself tightly. She did her best to control her breathing as she waited, but she still found her heart rate and breathing rates increasing as her anxiousness grew. She had a plan for how to handle the Amazons today, which she was ready to share with Ranma as soon as he returned. But, instead of running through that plan and making sure it was airtight, her mind was busy teasing her with images of Ranma and Akane alone together.
Akane had every right to do whatever she might decide to do in private with Ranma, just like she did. She certainly hadn't been shy about exercising her own rights when she had been alone with him. But knowing that didn't make the idea of Akane together with him any easier for her to imagine.
She's taking him back. There's nothing you can do, it's over. Her insecurities taunted her.
Shut up. She growled to herself.
You didn't fight hard enough. It wasn't enough, he's going back to her. Her doubts told her.
I did everything I could. She protested.
You're not good enough, you're not attractive enough. Her self-image chimed in.
I am who I am. He has to accept me for who I am, or it would never work anyway. She fought back.
Akane has the stronger claim on him, she has the history with him; she's the one who put in the time with him, she's the one who's fought with him. She's the one he loved first. Her fears reminded her.
She had no comeback for that. It was true. She was pretty sure that if Akane really wanted him back, her little sister could get him back.
Mom didn't know everything. She thought sadly. There's more to it than being sure. There's more to it than fighting for them when you're sure. They have to ... return the feelings, or none of it will make any difference. She concluded as she swiveled her head slowly side to side and watched both sides of the house for them to reappear. She didn't dare go looking for them. She couldn't handle stumbling on them re-kindling their relationship hot and heavy in each other's arms.
She rolled her eyes at herself. Get a grip, girl. You can barely get him to hold you in a locked room while giving him a green light even he couldn't possibly misunderstand. There's no way he's going to do much with Akane while standing outside in full view of everyone. And Akane isn't exactly the type to throw herself at a guy while stripping out of her clothes and shouting for him to take her right then and there. She smiled at herself. The ridiculousness of the thought was amusing to entertain, even with the painful subject matter.
Maybe if I— Stop. Just stop. It's over. Either Akane is going to get him back right now, or she isn't. There isn't anything more I can do. I'll know as soon as they come back if Akane has taken him back, I'll be able to see it in—
She interrupted her own thoughts as she caught movement out of the corner of her right eye. She turned her head to fully look in that direction, and held her breath as Akane came into view. Akane's right hand was trailing behind her. A moment later the reason why became apparent as Ranma came into view. He was holding Akane's hand and looking nervous.
Oh no, she did it she... She thought in despair as they came closer. She watched them carefully as her heart sank in her chest. She was grateful that the soul-chilling coldness wasn't returning. But the sudden emptiness she felt as she watched them together, holding hands, was almost as bad. She had a feeling when she could see in his eyes his rejection of her, that how she felt would get worse.
Something happened between them. Something's changed. Akane must have... Her thoughts trailed off sadly as she did her best to keep her emotions off her face. If Akane had managed to get him back, she would be happy for her. Well ... she would act like she was happy for her. She didn't want Akane to suffer, and she wanted Ranma to be happy.
I can be brave and get through today. I'll make sure they're okay, and then I'll ... why is Akane stopping? She asked herself as she watched them intensely while she tried to force herself to control her breathing.
Akane slowed to a stop. Ranma took a moment to catch on to Akane's change in momentum and he ended up being a step in front of Akane before he stopped too. He looked back at Akane and she lost sight of his face. She could see Akane's face though. Akane looked ... thoughtful? She couldn't read Akane very well at the distance her sister was at.
Akane said something to him she couldn't hear, then made a shooing motion with her hands and smiled a small smile. Nabiki's breath froze and her heart skipped a beat.
It can't ... be ... can it? She thought in confusion as Ranma nodded and walked over to her. She shifted her gaze to him, and dared to allow herself to hope. Can it be ... did Akane fail? She asked herself as he approached her with an eager smile on his face. She unconsciously adjusted her stance so she could hug him easily. His smile got a little larger as he approached her. She had to force herself not to leap into his arms, bury her face in his neck, and cry and ask him not to leave her.
He stepped up to her with the same strong purpose and the same casual familiarity with her that he had shown earlier in her room after he'd protected her from Shona's attack. She pressed in to hug him as he slipped his arms around her and pulled her in warmly. He leaned his head in and she could hear him breath her scent in.
Can it be? She asked herself again as she squeezed him as strongly as she could. What's going on? She asked herself as she looked up from Ranma to find Akane.
She found her little sister walking slowly towards them with mixed emotions on her face. Akane looked both happy, and pensive. Her little sister was watching them carefully. Akane's eyes darted over to Ranma, and she could see the longing in Akane's eyes. Clearly her little sister had feelings for him. But ... she sent him back to me ... what does that—
"Can we talk real quick?" Akane interrupted her thoughts with a small smile. She could tell Akane was putting on a show though.
She nodded hesitantly and stepped back from Ranma. As his body heat left her, she shuddered slightly. Her craving for him was off the charts. She wanted nothing more than to take him up to her room, throw him into bed, and to just ... cuddle with him for the rest of the week — consequences be damned. But I can't do that. I have responsibilities too, just like he does. She thought regretfully.
Akane angled her head off to the side and she nodded and stepped to match Akane's indicated path. Ranma started to follow them, but both she and Akane turned back to face him and smiled as they each held up a silent hand for him to stay put.
He gulped and nodded. She saw several emotions flit across his features, among them were anxiousness, passion, desire, determination and ... guilt? She didn't want to dwell on what he might be feeling guilty about.
She turned and matched Akane's pace and walked with her slowly along the same path Akane and Ranma had taken. They were each silent until they had walked a dozen steps or so. She opened her mouth to ask Akane what she wanted, but Akane beat her to it.
"You two are ... good together." Akane whispered.
She looked over at Akane and found her little sister looking at her steadily. Unlike when speaking with Ranma, Akane had never had any problems speaking from the heart to her. It hadn't happened very often over the years, but it had happened occasionally. Siblings usually were close like that ... especially sisters.
"So are the both of you." She whispered back as she looked into Akane's eyes for some clue as to how she should proceed. Was Akane just coming to her to seek a formal release of his engagement before fully taking him back?
Akane sighed and broke eye contact with her. They walked in silence accompanied only by the soft crunching sounds of the ground as they strode slowly over it. It took another few steps before Akane spoke again.
"I still can't tell him. I don't know what's wrong with me." Akane whispered even more quietly. She could barely hear her little sister over the soft calls of the birds in the trees.
She looked sharply over at Akane as her mind raced. "There are ways to show how you feel, even if you can't say the words." She whispered back.
Akane smiled softly at that and looked away again. "I know." Was all Akane said. After another few steps Akane stopped walking. They were standing at the corner of the house. Akane stepped off to the side and faced her. Her little sister's eyes kept darting over her shoulder. She knew Akane had to be looking at both Ranma and herself. It was almost like Akane was trying to position herself to speak to both of them. Akane drew in a deep breath and locked her eyes on hers for a moment and spoke in a low, shaking voice.
"I've been watching you two together since this all started." Akane said in an unreadable tone.
She nodded her head but didn't reply yet. She had been aware of Akane's observations.
"He opens up to you. He doesn't really fight with you. And you've got him doing stuff I never thought I would see him doing. He listens to you." Akane said in that same unreadable tone.
"He listens to you too, Akane." She said softly.
Akane smiled and shook her head slowly. "That's not what I mean. Yes, he listens to me when I speak with him. But, Nabiki ... he listens to you ... even when you're not speaking. He has some kind of connection with you that he never had with me. I don't know what it is, but I know I can't compete with it." Akane said sadly. The brave features of the mask Akane had been wearing were starting to crumble.
"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.
Akane smiled and shrugged. "It's hard to put into words. Let's see ... um ... well, it's kind of like Martial Arts I guess. When I spar with someone, part of what I do is I try to read their energy. You can call it Ki or an aura or just their body language. Whatever you call it, its something you have to tune into and learn to focus on, in order to do it. Once you can though, it changes how you fight. Ranma's ... almost a master of it. That's why I can't touch him when we spar. He can feel what I am going to do next before I even do it. I'm getting to that level of sparring, but I still have a little ways to go." Akane said sardonically with a half smile curving up the right side off her lips.
"But what does that—"
"I'm getting to it." Akane said with a touch of annoyance in her voice. She didn't know where Akane was going yet, but she knew it concerned her and Ranma, so it didn't surprise her that Akane felt upset. "Anyway..." Akane added in a softer tone. "...Anyway... that's what I feel when I watch him together with you. He's listening to you. He doesn't do that with me. He waits for me to speak to him, and then he listens. With you, I see him constantly trying to anticipate what you might say or do next.
"I think it's because he didn't know how to deal with you like he did with me. With me ... we shared a common bond; Kenpo was the language we both spoke. But ... with you ... he didn't know what to do with you, so I think he went into sparring mode and did his best to read you. He probably was just trying to avoid being embarrassed. But ... I think it became a habit for him, and he never stopped doing it, even after he figured out how to interact with you." Akane said softly. Her sister's eyes were looking over her shoulder right now.
"I never had that with him. We never shared a real connection. I know he has feelings for me, and I ... have feelings for him. But ... that's all I know. We don't talk. And it shouldn't be so hard to talk. I don't know why I have so much trouble talking with him, but it's probably the same reason you've had such trouble letting yourself feel anything since Mom died." Akane said in a shaking voice.
"Oh ... Akane..." She said nervously. She really didn't want to talk about Mom right now. She had that area of her mind carefully under quarantine at the moment. She fully intended to talk it out and deal with it completely, but not today. Last night had been ... rough. Once the Amazons were done with she'd ... talk to Kasumi, or Akane, or ... Ranma ... and get it sorted out. But ... not now.
"We don't have a connection, not like you two do, anyway. I think that's one of the reasons I had such a hard time telling him how I felt. I always felt like we weren't quite right for each other. I was waiting for the connection, I think." Akane said softly. Her sister's eyes were still gazing over her shoulder.
"Yeah, but, Akane, there's more than—"
"He never picks me up." Akane interrupted quietly. "He picks you up." Akane added.
"Yeah but—" She tried to say, but Akane cut her off.
"That's the difference, Nabiki. He wants to hold you, right now. With me, we might have something, we might not. It's all still feelings, and fighting, and guessing, and hoping. With you, he wants you so much, he picks you up so you're closer, so he can smell you, and look into your eyes, and feel you. I can see it when I watch him do it. He needs you. I think he's been looking for you his whole life." Akane said in a detached tone, like she was doing her best to not feel what she was saying.
"He picked you up yesterday, I saw him." She argued.
Akane nodded absently. "He did, I think ... I think he did it just to test it out, to see if it felt right."
"Did it?"
"It did for me." Akane said wistfully.
"Oh, Akane..." She said, not sure what to say. She felt fear welling up inside her while she also worked to contain the growing joy inside of herself. She couldn't believe it was happening. Was Akane really letting him go?
Akane held up her hand and shook her head with a small smile etching the corners of her mouth. "Nabiki, when I look at him, I see someone I could ... l-love. When he looks at me, I can tell he has feelings for me. And when we're alone together, sometimes I can almost feel us making a real connection. But I don't think we will ever connect like you two have. Not that I haven't tried, but it just isn't the same as when I watch him when he's with you. When he looks at you ... I can see him ache for you. He loves you more than I think he could have ever loved me. And I can see it all over your face when you look at him, you love him just as much." Akane said softly to her. Nabiki opened her eyes wide in surprise.
"Don't look so shocked. I can read you sometimes, when what you're feeling is really strong. Your acting skills don't always work." Akane said with a small smile.
"Damn it, was I fooling anyone?" She said with no small measure of irritation.
Akane shrugged. "Don't worry. Ranma can read me too, and I can read him. It doesn't change anything. If anything, it makes it easier to be who you really are. All the times we fought, I was trying to tell him what I couldn't say, and he was doing the same. It was kind of our way of sharing our feelings." Akane said sadly.
"Oh, Akane..." She said, heartsick.
Akane shook her head gently. "It's all right, Nabiki. I'm all right." Akane said in a voice that was rapidly breaking apart as her little sister worked to hold back tears that obviously wanted to come out. Akane took a deep breath and continued doggedly. "If it was anyone else but you, I wouldn't be. But it is you. I see you with him, and I see real love. The kind of love I read about. I never thought I would ever see it for real. Most people don't ever find it. But you ... did. And, he's so right for you, and you're so right for him. I can feel how much you two love each other. I think he loves you in a way I just couldn't match for him. It's like... like he can't breathe and he's looking for you to be the oxygen that saves him. I can't really explain it, but that's what I feel when I look at him when he's looking at you. I know Ranma would walk through the fires of Hell for you." Akane said with a sniffle as her voice shook.
"He'd come for you too." She interrupted as her heart broke for her little sister.
Akane smiled. "I'm sure he would do it for me too. But, for you, I think he would do it gladly, with a smile on his face. I've never seen anyone love someone as much as he loves you. The fact that he has bonded with you so strongly, in just the last week, is the proof of that. He has bonded more with you in a week than he and I did after months together."
Akane's breath shuddered for a moment as emotions hit her little sister; she was sure they were sad ones. She reached out and took Akane's hands into her own as a tear slid down Akane's cheek.
Akane smiled bravely and continued. "You two belong together. You fit together like corner pieces of a puzzle that were meant to be together. You make him stronger, and he makes you stronger. You're both so much better together. It's like you two weren't quite whole people without each other ... like each of you was missing a tiny part of yourselves. It isn't too obvious that either of you are missing those parts, until you two are together. When you're together, and you give those missing parts back to each other ... it's ... it's like watching magic, Nabiki. You're perfect together. He needs you, and you need him. I want to cry when I see you two together." Akane said in a voice that was at war with itself as her sister tried to be happy in the face of her own sadness.
"You need him too." She said in her own shaking voice.
Akane shook her head firmly. "You need him much more than I do. And I'm not going to lose him, he'll still be my ... my friend. I l-love him, but not like you do, Nabiki."
Everything stopped for a moment. The world was frozen. She was sure the Earth itself was frozen on its axis momentarily.
Akane had finally said it. She didn't know who was more shocked, Akane or herself. She wondered what had changed inside Akane that had finally allowed her little sister to say the words.
"He loves you too, you know." She whispered to Akane a moment later when she had recovered from the shock of hearing Akane say the words out loud, and she felt reality unfreeze.
Akane looked into her eyes in silence, and jerked her head forward into a quick nod. Then her little sister pressed forward again with clear determination written across her face. It was obvious that Akane was rushing to try to get everything out while she still had the nerve to say it.
"I ... I know. I think ... with enough time, we could have gotten past our issues, and we might have been really good together. But, we also could have ended up killing each other. With you ... it's like watching Mom and Dad together, only more so. Remember? How they used to be, before Mom got sick?"
"I remember." She whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks. She knew the soldiers were probably staring at her. She didn't care.
"I love you, big sister." Akane said sweetly.
"Oh, Akane!" She said as she pulled on her little sister's hands and yanked her into a fierce hug. "Thank you." She whispered into Akane's ear. She knew, she just knew that if Akane hadn't given him up, she and Ranma never would have been able to stay together. She would have felt too guilty, and he would have as well. She buried her face into her little sister's neck, and squeezed her eyes shut while intense emotions raced through her as Akane's hair cascaded across her face.
She had never had a plan for dealing with Akane. That had been the big gaping hole in her whole get-rid-of-the-circus idea. Every time she had tried to come up with a way to help Ranma end things with Akane, she had ended up staring blankly at her paper, or at nothing at all. She would never have been able to keep her promise to Ranma, because of Akane. Despite her reputation, she didn't have it in her to hurt anyone who got in her way, especially her family. Oh sure, getting rid of Kodachi and Shampoo didn't cause her any emotional turmoil. Even Ukyo barely gave her any pause. But Akane ... she would never have been able to help Ranma end things with Akane. Only Akane could have ended it.
"Take care of him." Akane whispered to her as her little sister's body shuddered in her arms while Akane finally let go of the emotions she'd been so valiantly fighting against.
"He ... hasn't chosen me yet." She said in a small voice. Voicing that fear made her feel ... blank.
"He will, I know he will." Akane whispered confidently into her ear.
"I ... hope so. If he chooses you, though ... don't look back, Akane. Promise me, promise me that if he chooses you, you'll take him, and keep him. He's ... very special." She whispered fiercely as she hugged Akane as tightly as she could.
"I know ... I promise." Akane whispered back as she hugged her just as fiercely.
They stayed that way for minutes. She was determined to hold Akane until her little sister had regained her composure and her dignity. It was the least she could do for Akane at the moment. She knew she had tears of her own streaming down her cheeks, but she didn't care. Ranma certainly wouldn't, and she didn't care if anyone else present saw her or judged her for crying in public.
Akane slowly stood up straighter in her arms as her little sister's breathing slowed, and Akane regained her composure. Akane snaked her right hand up between them and wiped her eyes as best she could. Then Akane pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she looked into her own eyes again. Akane's eyes were red-rimmed and it was obvious she had been crying. But there was a certain peace in Akane's eyes now that hadn't been there before.
"You two should get going." Akane said with a small smile.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
Akane smiled more broadly at that. "I'll be okay. Don't worry, I'm strong, Nabiki. This is just one little bump in the road of my life. You two go take care of the Amazons, I'll help watch Kasumi until it gets settled." Akane said in a brave voice as her little sister stepped back away from her, turned on her heel and started to walk around the house.
"You sure?" She called out after Akane.
Her little sister paused and looked back at her and winked. "Sure I'm sure. Good luck out there, be safe." Akane said with a wide and genuine smile. Then her little sister turned around again and continued walking around to the back of the house. Akane never once had turned back to look at Ranma again as she'd left. She was sure that had been deliberate.
She stood there and looked blankly at the corner of the house for several long moments after she lost sight of Akane. Strong emotions, her sense of family duty, and her desire for Ranma were in an all-out war inside of her.
The enormity of what had just happened weighed heavily on her. The field had been cleared. If Ranma wanted her, there was no longer anyone left to stand in the way. She had, in a way, finally fulfilled her promise to him.
She was trying to think of a way to say that in which she wouldn't sound like she was gloating, when she felt him next to her. She could still feel his presence. She knew it was him before he put his hand on her shoulder.
"You okay?" He asked in a small voice. He sounded ... concerned. There were other elements in his voice which she couldn't quite identify, but concern was definitely there.
Her answer to him was to turn quickly to him and to pull him into a strong hug. She laid her head down on his shoulder and allowed herself to luxuriate in the heat of him, the smell of him, the total experience that was being in his arms. She pressed her lips up against his ear and whispered to him.
"You remember the promise I made to you in the park last week?" She breathed softly to him.
"Yeah?" He replied just as quietly.
"Promise kept." She said simply.
"You mean ... Akane..."
"Yes... she's said she'll step aside, if you don't want her." She said to him in a shaking voice. She didn't know how he was going to react to that news, and she was afraid of his reaction.
Ranma didn't say anything. Instead he looked at the corner of the house Akane had disappeared around for many long moments with an unreadable expression on his face. His lips moved and she heard him mumbling something softly to himself. She couldn't make out what he was saying, but it sort of sounded like, why did she, over and over again.
She stayed in his arms and did her best to give him the time he needed to wrap his mind around the news. It wasn't every day that a person one had feelings for backed away and gave up on a relationship.
"You didn't..." Ranma asked in an unreadable tone.
"I didn't hurt her, Ranma. I didn't even bring the subject up. She came to me to tell me that she was bowing out. She thinks ... we're good together." She whispered to him.
He turned and looked at her, and smiled nervously before he turned back to look towards where Akane had gone. "Is she going to..." He trailed off in a quavering voice.
"I don't know, Ranma. She didn't say. She still has to finish high school though, same as you. I don't think she's going anywhere anytime soon." She said gently.
"I ... see..." He said slowly, in a neutral voice.
"You can go talk to her ... if you want..." She said carefully. She didn't want him running after Akane, but she wasn't going to say that to him.
He shook his head and turned back to look at her with a soft smile on his face. "Nah, we'd probably just get into a fight. Maybe ... maybe later I'll talk ta her." He said quietly. "We should probably get goin'." He added as he reached for her hand.
She nodded eagerly as she grasped his hand and stepped by his side. "I agree." She said with her own small smile on her face.
I did it, I did it, I DID IT! She shouted to herself in joy as she walked side-by-side with him.
Don't get cocky, just because Akane stepped aside, doesn't mean he'll pick me. Hell, just because Akane bowed out doesn't mean she won't change her mind ... I changed my mind after all. She admonished herself.
She could see him sneaking little glances at her out of the corner of her eye and closed her eyes briefly as they reached the gate. No matter how the day turned out, she knew she would never forget the last week she'd had with him. She mentally shook herself and steeled herself to focus on the here and now, and resolved to think about everything else later.
They stepped through the gate without anyone else calling them back. She actually let out a little sigh of relief as they closed the gate behind them. Captain Maki turned around, came to attention, and saluted her. She returned the salute absently, but her eyes were on the other person standing under the arch of the gate.
Miso was leaning up against the post of the gate again, like she had yesterday. Miso looked like she always did, calm, confident, and decidedly unconcerned about everything happening around her. The woman was an enigma. She held up a finger and tilted her head to the side in a silent question for the woman to wait for a moment. Miso nodded her head a fraction of a millimeter but otherwise made no outward sign of communication.
She sighed and turned back to regard captain Maki with her full attention. She regarded him silently for a moment before she spoke. She could see in his eyes that he didn't think his mission was a joke anymore. She sighed and softened her expression a little bit.
"Were any of your men killed?" She asked in her professional tone of voice. She wanted to convey sympathy to him, but she wanted to still keep the interaction on a professional level. This man and his soldiers were in charge of her family's security. If it came to it, she was willing to sacrifice every single one of them in order to spare her family the same fate.
Captain Maki shook his head. "No, ma'am. We suffered some casualties but no fatalities." He said in a clear, sharp voice. His eyes were showing some nervousness, but his voice was the typical soldier's voice.
She nodded respectfully. "Will they be able to resume their duties? Do you have enough men to complete your mission, or do I need to call general Nagai for reinforcements?" She asked.
"Negative, ma'am. We came equipped with two hundred percent of the personnel and matériel anticipated as required to complete the mission. We would have to suffer a greater than fifty percent casualty rate in order to need reinforcements." He said briskly.
She smiled sadly at that. "You may want to send for reinforcements anyway, just in case. I sincerely doubt the Amazons will stop attacking today." She said as gently as she could. "I am assuming you have a better idea of what you're up against now?" She added.
Captain Maki nodded firmly. "Correct. Your father, and his friend have been working with my platoon lieutenants. That doctor fellow has also been helping to instruct some of the sergeants commanding at the squad level on effective fighting strategy against the invaders' preferred tactics."
"How did they manage to get through your lines this morning?" She asked in a cooler voice. If she hadn't had the foresight to have a backup plan for the soldiers, the damage and injury to her home and family could have been much worse.
"Ma'am, they crept up to the walls and tried to disable the soldiers they encountered, to slip through the lines. Fortunately, your doctor friend was up on the roof and he called out warnings in time to prevent the tactic from working. Your father and his friend joined the battle shortly after that and helped push them back beyond the walls. It was an all-out melee for a while, and all hand-to-hand combat too. They were in too close for firearms at that point. We repelled them though ... with ... the help of some of those ... professionals ... you allowed inside yesterday." He said with an obvious tone of wounded pride. She was sure it pained him to admit that he and his men had needed help.
Well, tough. They wouldn't have wounded pride at all if none of the Amazons had gotten past them. She growled to herself. Out loud she continued her neutral and professional demeanor. "I saw that you have brought in the martial artists in my family to stand watch next to your soldiers now." She said calmly.
"Affirmative. They proved instrumental in helping repel the initial attack. I didn't want them in danger earlier. But after seeing what they could do, I felt it was wisest to use their skills as they offered them. Your father is anchoring the defenses in the North-West corner, and his friend is anchoring the South-East corner. The doctor is acting as a rear-guard up on the roof. I have placed some of my own men up there as well to act as scouts and informational relays. Of course ... they had to use a ladder." Captain Maki said in a self deprecating tone.
She smiled at that. That had been military-speak for, yeah, we screwed up and got cocky, and it almost was a disaster, sorry about that. She turned towards Miso and tilted her head towards the street. Miso nodded and stepped away from the gate and started walking casually towards the street.
Nabiki turned back to captain Maki and hardened her gaze. "Ranma and I will be leaving shortly. Your orders are the same, protect my family ... at any cost. Additionally, if any of the four young women who came in yesterday with Miso here ask you for a status update, please give it to them, exactly as you would give it to me. The chain of command will stay in place though, Doctor Tofu is in charge in my absence. Also, since I am taking Ranma with me, if Doctor Tofu is incapacitated, please defer to my father. If they are both incapacitated, I leave you to your best judgment to protect my family. My family is more important than the house. If you have to sacrifice the house to save my family, then do it.
Captain Maki nodded, and saluted. "Don't worry, ma'am. We'll keep them safe." He said in a more serious tone than he had yesterday. He clearly understood the threat was real now.
She held his gaze for a moment, then nodded and stepped to the side. Ranma followed her, and she met up with Miso after a few more paces. They stopped in the middle of the street and regarded each other silently for a few moments as Ranma hung back and waited.
She smiled at Miso. "I barely know you, but I feel like I've known you all my life." She said hesitantly.
"I get that a lot." Miso said with a half smile curving her lips upwards.
"You have been doing a lot of stuff that I haven't seen, haven't you? You are more than just casual friends with Tofu, aren't you?" She asked.
Miso smiled more warmly at that. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Miso asked as she waved towards their rooftop. A moment later Tofu bounded down off their roof, hopped off the top of the wall, and landed in the street next to Miso.
"And where are you two off to?" He said in his usual warm voice.
She smiled at him and ignored his question. "Miso is ... Miso is ... your instructor, isn't she? She's your master, right? That's the only thing that makes sense." She guessed. She was pretty sure she was right though.
Miso turned and winked at Tofu. "See, I told you she'd figure it out. You owe me a week's worth of gardening, Tofu." Miso said with a laugh.
Tofu smiled good naturedly and nodded.
Ranma squinted at Miso and looked her up and down with suspicion, then over at Tofu, then back over to Miso.
Miso stared back at him with a goofy face that was a parody of his serious stare.
Ranma looked back at Tofu with wide eyes. "She's ... your ... master?" He asked, perplexed.
"Yes Ranma. She is." Tofu stated simply.
Nabiki was done with the theatrics. She rushed over to Miso and grabbed the older woman's hands earnestly. "I know how good you are, I saw it yesterday when you helped protect me and my friends. Can you help us end this?" She asked in a voice that she was trying to prevent sounding desperate. She knew she wasn't succeeding.
Miso smiled softly at her and removed one of her hands from Nabiki's grasp and used it to enfold Nabiki's right hand softly. The older woman stared into Nabiki's eyes for a moment, then softly shook her head.
"This story isn't about me, Miss Tendo. It's about you. I've always liked how Shakespeare put it, 'all the world is a stage, and we are merely actors upon it.' And I ... I'm just a bit-part character on an already crowded stage. It isn't my role to upstage you." The nurse said softly to her.
"But ... you protected us..." She said in a voice wounded with disappointment.
"I did, and I would do so again ... at the school. As a favor to Tofu, I agreed to watch over you, and those you loved, while you were at school. My student is good, but he can't be everywhere at once. He is trying to do what he can to help your family, for his own reasons. I support him in his efforts. But that doesn't mean I am going to just start fighting everyone's battles for them. Have faith in yourself, and in young Saotome here. I will keep your friends safe. You have my word on that. But as for the greater conflict happening, I am afraid that is for you to resolve. If all the world's a stage, then you are the leading lady right now, Miss Tendo. You have a role to play. You can call it destiny if you wish, or you can call it stage direction. However you think of it, the world is waiting to see what you do, and I will not interfere with that."
"But—"
"No, Miss Tendo. I am not your guardian angel. I am also not a mercenary to be hired. I will assist you by protecting your friends, because I want to. But this situation is essentially of your making and Ranma's, and I am a firm believer in letting people learn the lessons from the choices they make." Miso said in a voice which wasn't unkind, but wasn't kind either.
"We didn't—"
"I know you didn't ask for this, Miss Tendo. But the fact is that the situation could have been avoided or defused, and you chose not to. I know it was a choice you felt you couldn't make, and I know Ranma felt he couldn't make the choice either. But, regardless, it was possible to stop this situation from developing into what it now is. All Ranma had to do was agree to their demands, and all you had to do was let him. I know that wasn't what either of you wanted to do, but such is life." Miso said with a wink.
"I see." Nabiki said slowly as she considered what Miso had said.
"You and Ranma chose to fight, and you, Miss Tendo, chose to stick with him, no matter the cost. You both will have to own those decisions, and your family will have to own them with you. Your friends are innocent, and I agree, they should not be made to suffer from this situation, one way or another — so I will not let them. But as for you and Ranma, I'm sorry, but you're on your own." Miso said softly.
"Master, couldn't you—" Tofu started to say pleadingly, but Miso held a hand up to silence him.
"I have been keeping the Joketsuzoku off balance, and putting just enough fear in them to keep them from launching an all-out assault, because you asked me to, Tofu. But that was when there was still a chance for these two to change their minds. That time has passed now. It's time for them to face the consequences of their choices." Miso said softly as she turned back to face her.
"This isn't about me, and it isn't about Tofu. It isn't even about Ranma. This is about you, Nabiki. I won't fight your battles for you. You've chosen to let Ranma do that for you and your family. Now we have to see if that was a wise choice for you to make."
"I ... understand." She said heavily.
Miso smiled at her then. "Don't look so glum. I will keep your friends safe, you can count on that. And Tofu has pledged himself to your cause as well. And, obviously, young Saotome here will fight for you. Those are some powerful forces at your disposal. The Joketsuzoku might very well be evenly matched."
Nabiki looked at her, and nodded firmly.
"In the end ... it isn't going to be about who wins what fight, or who dates who, or who marries who. In the end, it is going to be about you, Nabiki. Not because of selfishness, not because of destiny. It is simply your time. Miso said kindly as the older woman put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.
She understood what Miso was saying. She didn't really like it, but she understood it. She sighed and nodded. "All right. I guess there isn't much more to say. Let's get going, Ranma." She said as she started walking away from home.
Ranma hurried to join her, and was at her side a moment later. He didn't reach out to hold her hand though. He was scanning the rooftops, looking for threats. She looked back at Miso and found the older woman watching her and smiling warmly.
"Go make your destiny, Miss Tendo. I'll see you when you get back." Miso said as Tofu sighed and hopped back up towards the roof. She held her eyes on Miso's for several moments, then nodded and turned to start walking with Ranma again. Ranma waited until they were out of earshot before he finally said anything.
"It'll be OK, Nabiki. Don't worry." He said seriously.
She sighed and didn't say anything for a few moments. Then she looked over at him, took a deep breath, and smiled. "I know it will, Ranma. You made me a promise. And you keep your promises, and you never lose. That's what you told me, right?" She said in reply. She was trying to joke, but it came across more like an accusation.
"Yeah, that's right." He said in a steady voice. She smiled at him to reassure him that she believed him.
Ranma looked over at her and stopped walking. "You ready to go find the Old Ghoul and finish this?" He asked as she stopped next to him.
She looked into his eyes and took another deep breath. The cold morning air invaded her nose and chilled her. She clutched her satchel tighter in her hand and nodded. The stiff leather of the handle felt heavy in her hand, and the weight of everything else that was happening was sitting heavily on her shoulders.
She reached down into her center and grasped her courage tightly. She knew she couldn't let go of it today, even for a second, or she might break and run, or crumble into a pile of quivering fear. She met his eyes slowly and let out a shuddering breath and nodded as she reached for his hand. "You lead, Ranma, and I'll follow you." She said as bravely as she could. She was proud that her hand was only shaking a little bit.
He nodded back, and reached out and took her hand. "Don't worry, after today, this should be done."
She nodded, and they set off at an easy pace away from home. She would fill him in on her plan as they walked.
I'm not worried, Ranma ... I'm terrified. She thought as she followed him. In many ways, for possibly the last time.