Nabiki carefully climbed down from the tree she had chosen to hide in. So Ranma had learned new tricks from that book. Impressive, not the techniques in themselves but the fact that Ranma Saotome, of all people, learned something from such a mundane thing. Old scrolls, she could see it. Books, no.
She shook her head. Reading a book does not change your personnality. Either the book is magically altering Ranma (this is Nerima, a cursed book would fit here) or... Nah, couldn't be. Ranma can't be maturing and growing up, not a chance in Hell.
Ranma sat in the middle of the clearing, assuming a zazen position with seemingly no effort. Nabiki was nervous but managed to not show it. As long as he doesn't float in the air... "I assume that you are here to question me on my recent changes, don't you, Nabiki ?"
His voice was smooth and flowing like a gentle stream of water, not the brash and arrogant tone she was used to. His grammar had improved too. *I don't know what game you're playing, Saotome. But it takes more to faze me !* she thought in her usual smug way.
"So, Saotome" She smirked "You've freaked out everyone back home with your 'silent and thoughtful' act. It is no surprise everyone wonder about the how and why of this miracle... If it is genuine and not another one of your jokes"
The old Ranma would have sputtered and forcefully denied her accusation. She wasn't prepared for a calm and reasonable explanation "I have been training in meditation and chi mastery since I found this manual of martial arts. Anything Goes is sorely lacking in internal training, it is a physical hard style after all"
Nabiki was stunned. He was telling the truth ? He actually admitted his martial art style had weak points and sought to correct them !?
Ranma wasn't finished "A martial artist always tries to push back his limits to better himself. Since I settled in Nerima, I learned new techniques only as counters from something that was forced on me. Saffron and Phoenix mountain showed me the error of this way of thinking, had I been better prepared maybe Akane would never have been in so much danger"
A reasoned argument now !?! Ranma Saotome capable of learning from his mistakes and smart enough to think of solutions !!? This was beyond abnormal, it was a catastrophe for her and the dojo's finances !
"What is the matter, Nabiki ?" He smiled benevolently, it reminded her of Kasumi when she tried to explain something to you, making you feel childish and stupid at the same time. It was scary "I would have thought that my maturing would have made you happy. You've always thought I was unworthy of your sister like I was until recently"
And now he was able to read people !? Proving she was her father's daughter, she fainted when confronted with too much information that was contrary to her world view *THUD !*
"Was it something I said ?" Ranma was a little miffed. Nabiki prized straight and intelligent conversations. He gave her what she wanted and she just drops like that, umph...
He sighed and tried to revive her then noticed something on the book. The page it was stuck on showed a technique/spell that could help !
See other episodes by Jamil Nate
(Posted Tue, 12 Nov 2002 12:22)
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