ShadowSoft Inc. Presents: A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic side-story "Careful Destiny" Part Three by: Todd Hill AKA Shadow Stalker Based on: Be Careful What You Wish For... written by: Richard Beaubien Inspired by the "Ranma 1/2" Manga and Anime by Rumiko Takahashi WARNING! While this story is *NOT* a lemon, it does have some adult situations in it. Read at your own discretion! LATER THAT EVENING... "Daddy! Kasumi! I'm home!" Nabiki scratched her head, puzzled at the emptiness of the house. Her father wasn't in the dojo, and Kasumi wasn't in the kitchen. Curious, she walked upstairs. Peeking her head in Akane's room, she found her younger sister still in her school clothes, asleep on her bed. Nabiki smiled to herself, knowing that Akane needed the rest after the day she had to endure today. Quietly she closed Akane's door, then walked to her room. `I feel like a bath,' Nabiki thought to herself as she entered her room, stretching luxuriantly. She gathered her shorts, panties, and shirt and headed off for the bathroom. Quickly covering the distance from her room to the bath, she closed the door to the dressing area behind her. Not wanting to wrinkle her uniform, Nabiki carefully shrugged herself out of the skirt and shirt, hanging them on a hook next to the door. She then took off her panties, grabbed a towel, and entered the bath. Kasumi turned from her scrubbing at hearing the door opening. "Oh, hello Nabiki." Nabiki blushed at walking in on her older sister. "Sorry, Kasumi. I didn't hear any water running, so I assumed..." Kasumi smiled her winning smile, and patted the empty stool next to her. "That's okay, Nabiki. I needed to talk with you anyway." Nabiki sat next to Kasumi, and began scrubbing herself. "So what's on your mind, sis?" Nabiki smiled at her as she spoke. "I heard about what happened to Akane today. She was really upset when she got home. It took me a while to get the poor girl calmed down." Nabiki nodded. "I saw her in her room just a moment ago. She was asleep, so I assume she's doing better." Kasumi looked at Nabiki directly. "I'm not so sure Nabiki. Akane's very fragile right now. The slightest thing could upset her, and she doesn't need any more problems to deal with." Kasumi placed a hand on Nabiki's bare shoulder. "Now, I want to hear what happened today." Nabiki dropped her soap and rag next to her stool, then crossing her legs, turned to face Kasumi directly. "Now sis, I hope you don't think that *I* had anything to do with what happened ..." Kasumi shook her head, cutting Nabiki off. "I'm not thinking that at all, Nabiki. Akane was so upset that she could only give me partial details of what happened. I want to hear it all, from you." Nabiki nodded, then launched into the details of Kuno's fight with Ranma, and the fight afterwards with the Kendo team. Kasumi sat in silence, absorbing all of the details of Nabiki's story. "And that's all I remember about today. Akane wasn't around when I left school, so I thought she'd come home. Looks like I was right." Kasumi frowned. "Then you didn't see what happened to her after school, did you?" Nabiki shook her head. "No, I had... things ... to take care of, so I didn't stick around. What happened to her, sis?" Kasumi told her what she knew. "According to Akane, Ranma had asked her out on a date. But she didn't accept because she said that Ranma was dating Kinuko Amagi. At least, that's what I was able to get from her. I was hoping you'd be able to shed some more light on that." "Well, it was common knowledge around school that Kinuko had `taken pity' on one of the campus geeks and agreed to date him. If memory serves, it *was* Ranma Saotome that she was dating. But they broke up over three weeks ago. I know that because I had a pool going to see how long their relationship would last." Nabiki smirked to herself, remembering the windfall she'd garnered from that. "As far as I know sis, he's not dating anyone right now. Little sis should be able to date Ranma if she wants to." Kasumi sighed, not yet satisfied. "Well, Nabiki, I'm still worried about our little sister. Akane's not been happy since she was engaged to Kuno. Now that she's free of him, she's going to need some time to heal." "I wouldn't worry Kasumi. Akane's a tough girl, and if today's fight was any indication, she's still quite capable of taking care of herself. Besides, dating Ranma might not be a bad thing. He's got a cute bod." Nabiki laughed slightly. Kasumi smiled at Nabiki's comment. "You're incorrigible sis." She debated something for a moment, her face becoming serious again. "I need to tell you something Nabiki, and I want you to keep it between us for now." Nabiki nodded, always willing to take free information. She crossed her arms, resting them on her knees. She then leaned forward, letting her breasts dangle between her now open legs as she rested her chin on her arms. "Go ahead, sis. I'm all ears." Kasumi adopted the same pose as Nabiki. "You know that the engagement between Akane and Kuno had been arranged." Nabiki nodded. "Well, father did that to cover for a previous arrangement that had been broken a long time ago." Nabiki's eyes widened. "Kasumi, are you telling me that there was a *previous* marriage arrangement for Akane?" "Not exactly. Father had agreed with another family before we were born that should they have a son, and our family have a daughter, they would marry the childern to carry on the Anything Goes school. The agreement was broken when you and Akane were little. You probably don't remember any part of it." Nabiki shrugged her shoulders. "You're right. None of this rings a bell. But what does this have to do with anything now? Akane's free of her engagement to Kuno, and she's free to look for a boyfriend now, assuming there aren't anymore arrangements." "No, there aren't any new arrangements that I'm aware of. But there's a *very* good reason that I'm telling you this." Kasumi paused, not sure how Nabiki would take this. "You see, Ranma's family was the one that broke the original agreement with father. And when Ranma's father broke the agreement with daddy, our family was severely dishonored. Father searched for many years to find another suitor for one of us so that the family name wouldn't remain tarnished." Nabiki's head shot up in shock. "What!? You mean daddy was willing to shack one of us up with some guy just to keep his own honor!?" Kasumi showed Nabiki a hurt look. "Nabiki, calm down! Daddy was desperate, and driven. He'd been unsuccessful for many years in trying to find someone to marry one of us, and that hurt him. He felt that people thought we weren't worth marrying." Kasumi sighed lowly, trying hard to keep her emotions in check. "With him out looking for a suitor for one of us, he hardly had time to be with us." Nabiki nodded. Her father hadn't been too prominent in her life. Kasumi had been her rock while she and Akane grew up. "We owe all of that to Ranma's family. They're the reason Akane's feeling the pain she is right now. They're the reason we didn't have a father around all the time. They're ... they're ..." Kasumi broke off, angry and bitter over what she'd been forced to watch her father and sister endure over the years. Nabiki stood up, and pulled Kasumi to her feet, hugging her tightly. "Kasumi, it's okay. Akane's going to be okay, and so's daddy." She rubbed Kasumi's back in a comforting manner, and noted that Kasumi was covered with cold, soapy water. Kasumi cried on Nabiki's shoulder, holding onto her younger sister desperately. Kasumi had been holding her pain in for so long that it shocked her at how powerfully she wept. "C'mon sis, we could both use a hot soak," Nabiki said as she guided her older sister over to the tub. Nabiki sat in the tub first, then helped Kasumi in. The tub just barely accommodated both women, but Nabiki didn't want to leave Kasumi alone. They sat together, with Kasumi in Nabiki's lap. Nabiki wrapped one of her arms around her older sister to hold her while the other one wiped the tears from Kasumi's cheeks. Kasumi couldn't help but chuckle at her predicament. "What funny, sis?" "Akane and I were in the same position less than an hour ago. She was crying in my lap much like what I'm doing with you right now." Nabiki smiled. "Well, you looked like you could use a friend right now. So get comfortable, sis." Nabiki relaxed herself, enjoying the feeling of the hot water and Kasumi's soft skin on her own. Kasumi reclined against her younger sister, enjoying the companionship and drawing comfort from Nabiki's soft presence. "Thank you Nabiki." Nabiki adjusted herself slightly in the tub so that Kasumi could submerge more of herself in the warm water. They sat together in silence for a long while, resting in the warm water to caml themselves. Nabiki stirred lightly, having dozed off. She reached over and stroked Kasumi's face. "You awake, sis?" Kasumi pushed her head back, rubbing Nabiki's cheek with one of her own. "Mmm. Yes, I was just thinking is all..." Nabiki sighed softly. "Kasumi, I understand why you're upset with the Saotome's, but that's all in the past. We'll be okay as long as us Tendo sisters stick together. Don't worry so much about the past, sis. Things usually have a way of working themselves out." Nabiki wrapped her other arm around Kasumi, letting her hand drift aimlessly across Kasumi's stomach. "It's interesting, though, that the person who saved Akane from a doomed life with Kuno would wind up being Ranma Saotome," Nabiki admitted. "Yes, ironic isn't it Nabiki?" Nabiki's look became thoughtful as she considered Kasumi's words. "I wouldn't go so far as to say ironic, sis. You're assuming that Ranma doesn't know about the arranged marriage. He may very well know about it. In fact, that might explain why a wimpy geek like him would turn into a hot-shit martial artist all of a sudden. Maybe he's trying to redeem himself, or his family." Kasumi's mind was still clouded with feelings of anger and regret. She didn't trust Ranma with Akane. "I guess the only way to be sure what his motives are would be if we actually talked to him about it." Nabiki smiled. "That's actually a good idea, sis. The only question is, how do we get Ranma alone and talk to him away from Akane?" Kasumi patted Nabiki on the arm. "If anyone could figure out a way to do that, you can Nabiki." Nabiki smirked the smirk of the victorious, and raised a hand in the air. "I gladly accept all praise of my abilities." Both ladies broke into a fit of giggles. Kasumi stood in the bath. "I'm turning into a raisin, sis. We'd better dry off." Nabiki agreed, standing up and facing Kasumi directly. Kasumi looked down at her younger sister sa she stood from the bath, her eyes widening as she stared at Nabiki's body for the first time in a long while. "My goodness, Nabiki! You're a grown woman. I feel so old..." she said, half- joking. Nabiki blushed at the praise. "Kasumiii... You're only two years older than I am. You're not an old lady!" "True enough. Although maybe you should finally consider wearing a bra since it looks like we're the same size now," Kasumi chided her sister softly. Nabiki's blush deepened. "I like my breasts just the way they are, thank you very much. A bra would cramp my style." Kasumi shook her head in disbelief. "Nabiki, they'll start to sag if you don't wear a bra. Besides, people can see them through your shirt if you don't wear one." "You don't think I didn't already know that, do you? I always thought that the first part was an old wive's tale. And about the second part..." Nabiki got a sly look on her face. " ... how do you think I manage to do so well in business negotiations with guys, sis?" Nabiki winked at Kasumi. Kasumi looked absolutely scandalized. "Nabiki... shame on you!" Kasumi blushed scarlet over her entire body, and covered her mouth with her hand. "What's wrong with taking advantage of your natural attributes, sis?" Nabiki asked, swaying her hips seductively which caused her breasts to jiggle. Nabiki took one look at Kasumi's expression and laughed out loud. "Nabiki, cut that out!" Kasumi said, an embarrassed look on her face. "Okay Kasumi, I'll stop." Nabiki assumed a relaxed pose, then returned Kasumi's inquisitive glance. "I don't see what your problem is though, Kasumi. You're a definite looker. You should be proud of your body. You know, stop hiding it behind an apron and cut loose once in awhile." Kasumi smiled at the compliment. "Thanks for saying so, Nabiki. But I'm not as willing to show myself off as you are." "Prude," Nabiki said, not unkindly. She stepped next to Kasumi, slipping an arm around her sister's waist. "Let's get dressed, sis. We don't want daddy thinking we've left him alone." They grabbed their towels and headed into the dressing area. "Yes Nabiki. I've got to get dinner started anyway," Kasumi said as she closed the door behind her. **** Ranma trudged down the street, his home finally in sight. He wouldn't admit it to his sister, but his arms were damn tired. And as much as he loved his sister, he wanted nothing more at the moment than to set her down. He picked up his pace, hoping to get in the house before he dropped Ranko on her butt. Ranko had somehow managed to doze off while riding on her brother. She was snoring softly in her brother's ear, the exhaustion of the day catching up with her and replacing her earlier sexual tension. Her head lolled on Ranma's shoulder, and her arms were draped lazily around his neck. Ranma smiled to himself, noting that she could probably fall asleep anywhere. He arrived at the house, and figured that he'd have an easier time getting Ranko in the house from the back door. Ranma walked around the house and entered the back yard. To his satisfaction the back door wasn't locked, and he slid it open with his foot with little effort. Carefully he stepped inside, mindful of not hitting Ranko's head on the door frame. He looked around, and didn't see anyone. Nor could he hear anyone in the kitchen. Ranma frowned to himself. His father would be home any minute, but where was his Mom? He ascended the stairs slowly, Ranko's burden making the climb difficult. Only colliding with the wall twice, he managed to get to the top. Once at the top of the stairs, Ranma could hear water running in the bathroom. `Mom must be in the bath,' Ranma thought dismissively. He walked to the door to his sister's room, and sliding it open, shuffled in still carrying Ranko on his back. He sat down on her bed and unwrapped her arms from around his neck. Ranko moaned slightly at being disturbed in her sleep, but otherwise did nothing. Releasing her legs, Ranma turned at the hips. He removed both bookbags that Ranko had been carrying on her back, and set them on the floor next to her bed, then gently laid Ranko down. Standing up, he picked both of her legs up and moved them so that she was laying properly on the bed. `I don't know how, but she's still asleep,' Ranma chuckled to himself. He put his hand against her forehead, and happily noted that she felt normal. `I'd better let her know she's home.' Ranma slid up on the side of the bed, placing one of his arms across her as he bent down. Placing his lips near her ear, he whispered to her. "Ranko-chan, wake up." Ranko's eyelashes fluttered as she heard a soft voice whisper in her ear. Seeing her brother leaning beside her, she smiled. "Hey bro. Where are we?" she asked in a weak voice. Ranma sat back up a bit to look at his sister face-to- face. "We're home, Sleeping Beauty," he whispered as he reached his hand up and caressed her cheek. "How's the cut feel, sis?" Ranko smiled at Ranma's reference to `Sleeping Beauty'. She brought her hand up and caressed Ranma's cheek in return. "I guess it's better, although it's still a little sore." Ranko dropped her hand from his face and draped it on his shoulder. "Thanks again for what you did for me today, bro. I couldn't have gotten to the doctor without your help." She pulled him onto her, wrapping her arms around his back in a sudden hug. Ranma struggled for a second, surprised at the suddenness of the gesture, but then relented happily and curled his arms underneath her to return the embrace. "It was my pleasure sis." Ranma held his sister to him, listening to her heartbeat as his head lay against her chest. A few moments later he pulled his arms out from under her and sat up a bit as Ranko released her hold on him, their faces very close. He looked at her lingeringly, her warm breath cascading against his face. Then acting on a sudden impulse, he bent down and kissed her fully on the lips. Ranko's cheeks colored furiously as Ranma kissed her, but she didn't want to push him away. Ranma sat up suddenly, realizing what he was doing. "Oh God! Umm... Ranko... I'm sorry! I..." Ranko covered Ranma's lips with a finger, quieting his stammered apology. "It's okay. Granted, it felt weird, but after everything we've been through today you're excused." She winked at him. Ranma blew out a big sigh of relief, sitting up completely. "I don't know what came over me, Ranko. I mean, I love you, but it wouldn't be right for us to keep doing that." Ranma put a hand to his head, which was starting to ache. "Actually, now that I think about it, it probably has a lot to do with Akane and Kinuko." He looked at her guiltily. "I hope you're not upset with me." Ranko shook her head. "Ranma, I already told you it was cool. I could think of a lot worse people to kiss than my own brother." She chuckled softly. "And by the way, I love you too bro." She brought a hand up and clapped Ranma on the arm. "Now I want you to answer the question you ducked back at Dr. Tofu's." Ranma's eyes showed a puzzled look. "I didn't duck a question, Ranko... Which question are you talking about, anyway?" Ranko shook her head slightly. "You never answered my question about what you were going to do about Akane." Ranma nodded. "Yeah, that's right. We were going to discuss it after we got home from Dr. Tofu's..." Ranko gestured to her room. "Well, we're home now." Ranma smiled to her. "Yeah. I guess that..." Their heads turned as Nodoka yelled from downstairs. "Ranma! Ranko! You kids home yet?!" Ranma grimaced. He wasn't looking forward to explaining Ranko's injuries to his parents. But as far as he was concerned, Ranko's safety was his responsibility. Ranma stood up. "I'll talk with you after I get through talking to Mom and Pop." Ranko blanched as she realized that he'd be in hot shit for her condition. She sat up and tried to get out of her bed. Ranma quickly held his hands out and stopped her from getting up. "No Ranko! Remember what Dr. Tofu said. You're to stay off that leg for the rest of the day." Ranko looked at him angrily. "Ranma, I can't let you take the rap for what happened to me. I'm responsible for this," she said, indicating her ankle. "And I'm responsible for you," he said, poking her gently in the chest. "Now I want you to stay right here and wait for me to return." Ranko looked like she was going to object again, but Ranma stared her down. "Dammit, listen to me! You're going to make things worse if you keep walking on it, so stay there!" Ranko relented, and flopped back against her pillows, angry. "Fine! Be that way!" She turned her head from him, crossing her arms across her breasts. Ranma's look softened. "Now cut that out, Ranko! I'm not punishing you. I just don't want to see you get hurt any worse than you already are." Ranko turned her head to face him, her look softening. "I understand that Ranma, and I appreciate your concern. But I'm old enough to be responsible for my own actions." She held her arms out to him. "I'm not gonna take `no' for an answer. But I do have a compromise. You can help me walk downstairs, and we'll talk to her *together.* Okay bro." Ranma sighed, then smiled at her. "You remind me of me, you know that sis?" He bent down and pulled Ranko up to a standing position, pivoting on her good foot. Ranko laughed at his comment. "I thought that was the other way around, bro." Ranma snorted, then put Ranko's arm around his neck and guided her out of the room and down the stairs. `I hope Mom and Pop don't overreact when they see her,' Ranma hoped as he guided his sister down the stairs. **** Nodoka prowled the downstairs again, looking for her kids. `They should've been home over an hour ago. I hope nothing's happened to Ranma.' She worried as her search continued to turn up nothing. She went out to the training hall, and only found Genma in there, working out. "Genma dear, have you seen the children?" Genma stopped his forms routine and turned to his wife. Grabbing a towel, he dried his bald pate off as he walked towards Nodoka. "What was that dear? I didn't hear you." Nodoka looked at him impatiently. "I *said*, have you seen our children?" Genma shook his head. "No, I haven't dear. I came straight here after work, so I didn't look in the house. They haven't been out here, as far as I know." "I'm worried, Genma. I've been looking for them for the past five minutes, and they're not anywhere around here. They should've been here long ago..." Nodoka began biting her nail nervously, her worry for Ranma's safety clearly eating away at her. Genma saw the look on her face and reached out, holding her to him. "I think Ranma's okay, dear. But let's go inside and wait for them." Nodoka put her arms around her husband and lay her face against his broad chest. "Yes, let's go inside." Genma put an arm across Nodoka's shoulders and went inside. `Nodoka's worrying too much about the boy. If he's as good as I saw last night, he should be okay.' But Genma couldn't help but acknowledge the twinge of doubt that was eating away at his confidence in his son's abilities. Quickly the two turned and walked out of the training hall and back into the house. **** Ranma knelt down so Ranko could sit at the table. He heard her gasp as she tried to fold her bad leg behind her in a standard sitting position. She opted instead for crossing her legs, leaving her good leg underneath the damaged one. Once Ranko was seated comfortably, Ranma sat beside her. He kept one of his arms around her shoulder in case she suddenly dropped or fell. Their heads snapped up suddenly as the back door whipped open, and their parents stepped inside. Nodoka saw her children sitting casually at the table, and exhaled deeply in relief. "Thank goodness you two are home. We were so worried about you!" She dropped her arm from Genma and ran to her children, wrapping one arm around each and hugging them to her tightly. Nodoka's pleased expression changed to a puzzled one as she noted the tension in both of her children. The fact that Ranma had his arm *willingly* around his sister added greatly to her confusion as well. "What's going on Ranma, Ranko?" She looked at each of them, trying to see what was wrong. Getting nothing from Ranma, she turned to Ranko and noticed the bandage on her face. [to be continued...] Author's notes: Well, here I go again. ^_^ (those of you who've read "The Prince and the Lecher" will understand that remark...) I was simply minding my own business, and reading the first two sections of the story "Be Careful What you Wish For" by Richard Beaubien. After completing that, I re-read part one, and said to myself "What if *this* happened instead of *that.*" Well I shouldn't have done that, because here I am clattering away at my IBM keyboard like a man possessed. Some people may wonder about the content (boy *that* was obtuse!). Well, as of this writing: (3/4/96): Just got started with part three. At this point it is only a partial alpha release. Acknowledgments: I'd like to thank Richard Beaubien first and foremost for granting me the permission to write this side-story based on his. Prior to writing this thing, he's never even heard of me. I understand that he's continuing the mother- story from which this one is based. All I have to say is, "Go for it man!" ^_^ It's been a real treat writing this thing and playing around in his dimension (so to speak). It wouldn't have been possible without his work as the base. So to him, I say Domo Arigato Gozaimashita! Bert Van Vliet. You're the one who gave me the writing bug . Prior to picking up my first BubbleGum Zone printout, I was clueless as to the ways of writing fanfic. What a difference a year makes. You're a good friend, and I thank you for the support. Hail SkyKnight! ^_^ Izzy-chan for inspiring the now infamous bathroom scene in part one Wing/Nagisa for being an invaluable proofer for part one. Your contributions helped make part one what it is today. Thank you! Thank You for tolerating my unusual style of writing. I'll get better, I promise ^_^ My music library, for inspiring me in times of need: * Robotech 10th Anniversary Perfect Soundtrack Album * Char's Counterattack Soundtrack * Gundam 0083 Soundtrack * Gundam Singles History Soundtrack * Entire BubbleGum Crisis Soundtrack set * The Macross Complete Soundtrack * Macross II Soundtrack * Macross Plus Soundtrack * Vampire Princess Miyu Soundtrack * Ranma 1/2 Calendar CD `94 * Project A-ko #1 Soundtrack * Megazone Two-Three part 2 Soundtrack * Babylon 5 Soundtrack * Mortal Kombat Soundtrack * The Collected works of John Tesh and Bob James And now for my .sig! Later, Shadow Stalker (Protoculture Addict) (Moderator: The Robotech Echo) sstalker@delphi.com -or- sysop@newberry.edu <--- try this address first!