Ukyo hissed slightly as she sat down on the seat. She had come to this restaurant to relax a bit.
The pit fight had been kind of brutal, the Narn hitting harder than Ryoga at times ... or seeming to. But it was more than likely due to her still uncertainty at hand-to-hand combat, due to her worthless father saying she no longer had the right to practice the Kuonji family art.
Like that worthless bastard has the right to claim any title to the school.
Right now though, she just wanted a good meal, before she went to a public bath to freshen up. Odds were she would have another fight she would need to head out to in a few days.
“Mind if I join you?” came a calm female voice.
Ukyo sighed a bit. Even if they knew she was female, it often didn’t stop other females from hitting on her. And to be honest, she was beginning to get curious. “Listen, Miss.”
“After all, you think you’d be happy to see an old friend.”
“Friend?” asked Ukyo, looking up, to see an Earth Forces uniform, and ... “Nabiki?”
The middle Tendo smiled. “So, may I?”
Flashback, a few years ago...
Nabiki sat silently cursing herself for her stupidity, rubbing her aching wrists, which still had the handcuffs on them.
She could and did blame her weak-willed father for this. After the Chardin incident, he had sworn up and down on his honor that there were no other marriage contracts aside from the Saotome one, which promised one of his daughters in marriage.
Surprise, he lied.
Kasumi had been safe, Tofu having shown up a few months ago and proposed to her. Before Soun knew what had happened, Nodoka had set up a formal omiai, and it was set.
And when said new-fiancé had shown up to claim a Tendo, the uncertainty between Ranma and Akane had forced her to be the defacto fiancée.
And of all of the ones she had ever met, including the fiancés that Genma had set up for Ranma in exchange for bar bills and all-you-can-eat passes, this guy was the worst. He was violent, obsessive, and about every other dark trait one could imagine. He expected her to be a stay-at-home wife, no outside life, a basic slave to his perverted and drunken whims.
It was little wonder that the man in question was still roaming around free and not in some prison.
So, she ran, hoping to make a big enough score quickly so she’d have the cash to lay low, and let the fool get defeated by Ranma in some stupid martial arts challenge to nullify the agreement. Then she could return home safely and without worry.
Sadly, said score had also ended up catching her in a police sting operation. Greed had been her undoing.
And as she sat in the cell, and tried to avoid becoming some big rabid Amazon’s fuck buddy, she had time to wonder if she could have simply tricked Ranma into doing it and risked a little at home. Some quick words here or there, have that engagement transferred to her, and have Akane deal with the asshole.
So she was trapped. Her father had nothing to put up for bail, with the Dojo being listed as dowry for the Saotome-Tendo agreement, also something Nodoka filed.
So, she was stuck here ... with no escape.
For the first time, the middle Tendo began to feel fear and helplessness. And she hated it and herself for being so weak.
And then, her only hope came walking through the door to the interrogation room.
Ukyo stared in awe. “They drafted you into the Earth Forces?”
Nabiki nodded. “They liked my skills and talents. And it was either this or prison, not exactly a difficult choice at the time. And the signing bonus was more than enough to have that little prick investigated and arrested. Seems his old man didn’t cover up his mistakes as well as he thought.”
Ukyo nodded, remembering when the guy had been arrested. Charges kept piling on as the man attacked the police. With good behavior, he might get out ... in fifty years. “But you’re an officer,” she stated, seeing the Ensign rank on Nabiki’s uniform.
“Basic followed by a stripped down Officer training school,” she answered. “I’m working in the accounting department for the moment. And since the EF pays for classes, I’m taking my college courses online.”
“And the others?” asked Ukyo. She hadn’t heard much from Nerima after her falling out with her own father.
“Kasumi got married. I’m talking with the head of the Medical Department to see if they can come work here,” she replied with a smile. “Doctor Franklin seemed very interested when I should him what little I knew about pressure points and ki paths.”
That alone had raised both girls’ admiration for the doctor. Most current doctors tended to ignore the Eastern medicinal ideas as superstitions and nonsense.
“Akane?”
“Well, let’s say her acting skills are better than anything else. Last I heard from the bulletins, she’s staring in some remake of a twentieth century movie. Apparently she found something she actually can excel at ... other than knocking perverts around.”
Both girls had a giggle at that.
“And ... Ranma?” asked Ukyo.
Nabiki smiled. “He’s been assigned here as a Star Fury pilot.”
Ukyo gave an honest smile at that, the first in a long time. If he was here, then maybe she could find him ... and apologize for everything she ever did. And then maybe, just maybe, they could be friends again.
A sudden commotion caught their attention, as loud yells began to be heard from outside the restaurant ... right before a Psi Corp officer crashed through the window and onto a nearby table.
On the other side of the window, power arcing across his body, stood one pigtailed warrior.
And he was pissed.
“Welcome to the New Nerima,” muttered Nabiki, as she finished her drink.
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(Posted Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:20)
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