Ranma smiled. She didn’t really want to leave Nabiki yet, so going to school with her was welcome. Besides, it wasn’t actually shirking her training. She could practice while Nabiki was studying. That wasn’t as good as sparring with Pops, but that wouldn’t have happened anyway. The old panda wouldn’t be rid of his hangover until halfway through the day anyway.
Ranma sighed. It was a toss-up if her father having a job or not was worse. If he didn’t, food was scarce and they often ended up fleeing from whatever people the old man ended up scamming. On the other hand, when he had a regular income, he’d get drunk every night and wouldn’t be good for practice most the day, between his work, the bar, and his hangover. Maybe that was why Pops when on this trip? He knew he wouldn’t be able to stay in top form if he settled down?
She shook her head. It was too early in the morning to start realizing things, especially when she had a girl nearby who would do things like that to her.
“What are you thinking about?” Nabiki asked from behind Ranma as she stopped nibbling on the redhead’s earlobe.
“Nothin’ really,” Ranma replied, focusing on her, well, her lover, Ranma realized. A girl who didn’t care about the curse and was nice even when she said something stupid. “Just thinking about how much better this day is gonna be than what I thought I’d be doing.”
“Even if you get bored?” Nabiki asked, grinning.
“Hey, I already promised not to do that again,” Ranma protested.
“Yup,” Nabiki agreed, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t bring it up again, and again, and again...”
“Just wait until you don’t think something out, or don’t realize something,” Ranma mock threatened. She blinked as Nabiki headed for the door; she wasn’t wearying anything under her skirt. After a moment’s thought, though, it made sense. Boys needed underwear to keep from catching themselves in their flies. Girls only really would need them so they didn’t flash people during jumps or walking on roof, or making high kicks. Nabiki didn’t do martial arts, so she wouldn’t really them, right?
“But you forget,” Nabiki countered, “I’m perfect, so you’ll never get the chance.”
“Well, you’re pretty close to perfect,” Ranma admitted, “but you don’t practice the Art, so you’re not there yet.”
“Being able to defend yourself is important,” Nabiki conceded, “but that doesn’t always mean learning to fight. I could, for instance, have someone with red hair, a killer body, and who’s good with her hands stand ready to defend me.”
Ranma blinked twice. Nabiki meant that Ranma was good at martial arts, right? ‘Cause she might have meant Ranma was good at girlfriend type stuff. Come to think of it, Ranma wasn’t sure if she wanted recognition of her years of training, or a compliment from Nabiki about how happy she was with Ranma’s performance. Or maybe Nabiki meant both? Words could do funny things when Nabiki used them, and while she always was happy to explain things to her without being mean or calling her stupid, Ranma wasn’t sure she wanted the ambiguity resolved.
By the time Ranma had worked her way through this chain of thoughts, Nabiki was already grabbing some food and she couldn’t talk with the rest of the family there.
When they approached the school, Ranma was really, really glad she was invisible. A big crowd of boys were standing near the gate, all seeming to look directly at her and Nabiki - and Nabiki wasn’t naked. And a- well, Nabiki was a girl, but she was supposed to be a girl.
However, the boys didn’t track their progress across the lawn, so they obviously didn’t see Ranma. Nabiki walked up to her classroom and leaned her arms on an open window sill. Ranma floated a short distance outside, so they could talk in soft voices without anybody noticing.
“What’s with all the guys?” Ranma asked. “They serve bread before classes?”
“Nope,” Nabiki replied. “One of Akane’s admirers said that anyone who defeats her in combat gets to date her.”
“So all the boys start attacking Akane?” Ranma asked, surprised.
“Well, yeah,” Nabiki answered, “but not to date her. Kuno is the best fighter in the school when he’s not up against a girl, and he’d start beating on anyone who implied Akane wasn’t a perfect girlfriend by not attacking her. They prefer Akane’s bruises to Kuno’s broken bones.”
“That’s stupid.”
“Yup,” Nabiki agreed, “but it gives her a taste of- Oh! She’s here.”
Ranma turned around to watch the mass of boys surge forward. He would have missed it if he’d been concentrating on Akane, but the boys were doing their best to get eliminated from the brawl as quickly as possible. Once all of the crowd had acquired real or feigned injuries, Akane turned towards a figure still standing between the girl and the entrance. He wore archaic clothes and carried a boken. Ranma could feel his ki easily.
“That’s Kuno,” Nabiki confirmed, nodding towards him just before the swordsman began a speech.
“The heavens weep, fair Akane,” he began, “for some scurrilous rouge has spirited from me the token of your love, devotion, and longing you gifted to me. But worry not, for I do not blame you and my ardor has not cooled from this setback. I will allow you to replace it, preferably with those that you are currently wearing.”
For some reason, that made Akane really angry, and she began to hammer Kuno with her fists.
Ranma turned back to Nabiki, to find her smiling. “What’s that all about?” Ranma asked.
“Well,” Nabiki replied, but was cut off by the bell. She quickly kissed Ranma on her lips, then ran to her desk and sat down.
Not limited by the walls, Ranma’s practice often took her in to the class rooms surrounding, above, and even below Nabiki’s. He ended up in Akane’s class during one the breaks, and when she and her friends started talking, Ranma couldn’t help but listen in.
“Why were you late, Akane?” one of the girls asked.
“Stupid Kuno,” Akane complained.
“But you usually beat him in time for class,” another girl noted. Akane sighed.
“It was my older sister,” Akane explained. “Kasumi decided I needed a lecture on virtue and chastity.”
“It’s like she thinks you’ve started dating,” the first girl said.
“No, it’s Nabiki’s fault,” Akane sighed. “She’s gotten some new sex toy or something and is really loud, setting Kasumi off. Honestly, Daddy lets her get away with everything. If I was that loud, never mind doing something like that, I’d be in so much trouble. But Nabiki? She can do whatever she wants.”
“Except make friends,” A girl snickered.
“Hey!” Akane protested. “Nabiki just has a hard time connecting with people, okay?”
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(Posted Thu, 13 Oct 2005 05:21)
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