Ohh-k, people... here it is, my very first post to the FFML! Comments, 
Criticism and black pearls welcome!

Cyao--> Kaye Jax ['Danna Girl]

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Money Talks
By Cassandra Jackson

Nabiki sat in her room that night, counting the day's profits. That's 
8500 yen off Kunou-baby for Akane and Ranma-chan's pictures, 1000 yen 
off Ranma for not telling Akane about Shampoo's 'visit' earlier...

She stopped and sighed. For some reason, her heart just wasn't in it 
today. Maybe I'm just tired, she thought. Her school workload had been
particularly heavy lately; it was already midnight and she had just
finished her homework.

Who would've guessed Naruya-sensei could get so TOUGH? she thought 
wryly. The new teacher had been quiet for a week, then *BOOM*!

She suddenly remembered that lunch, when she'd sold Kunou the 
pictures...

"Nabiki Tendo, have you the merchandise I so duly desire?"

"Oh, hello Kunou-baby. Yes, I have the pictures. Do you have the money?"

She'd turned to him with the absolute coolest of expressions, without 
the slightest bit of guilt. They'd haggled over pricing, and as usual 
Nabiki had won. She'd done it a million times.

It was almost exactly the same with Ranma. He had pleaded with her not 
to tell Akane, and in the end he had paid. When it was Nabiki, people 
*always* paid. Always. She had made sure of that.

So why did she feel so...guilty about it now? Why couldn't she stop
thinking of Ranma's desperate eyes, of Akane's well-violated privacy...

Nabiki shook her head to clear it. No. There's nothing wrong with it!
Nothing! They're the ones who make the choice to pay!

Are they? Yet again her conscience intruded. You _don't_ give them a
choice! You blackmail people constantly! Is that giving them a *choice*? 
You do it so they don't have a choice except to pay!

"No," she whispered, if only to hear her own voice. "No, I'm not like
that!"

The voice inside seemed to sneer. Aren't you? Look inside yourself, 
Nabiki Tendo! Look at what has become of your soul!

Images danced before her eyes. Ranma begging her not to tell Akane 
things, the fianc�es paying her for 'advice' and privacy with Ranma, 
getting money out of bets on Ranma's fights...

There was more. Akane practically seething, and close to crying, when 
she saw rather private pictures of herself being sold, Ranma with an 
expression of total disgust as he paid her, various people appalled by 
her horrendous 'interest rates' as she collected loans...

The images blurred into a dark sea, splashing over the shimmery silver 
of her soul. They stained the bright color until hardly any was left.

Nabiki stared. Do they really see me like that? Am I really like that? 
Am I really such a *monster*?

The picture cleared. Nabiki realized she was sitting in bed with the 
money she had earned.

Disgust came over her face, and she picked up the money and threw it at 
the wall. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered what she had seen of 
herself.

No more, she promised. I can't be totally like that anymore.

She buried her face in the soft pillow and fell into a fitful, 
sob-racked sleep.

%%%%%%%%%%

"Here."

"What?" Ranma asked unbelievingly. Nabiki was actually giving HIM money. 
"For ME? You're actually GIVING ME MONEY? All right, Nabiki, what's the 
catch?"

"Do you really think so little of me?"

The obvious strain in the girl's voice caused Ranma to look up. He 
noticed a tear falling slowly out of the auburn eyes, and immediately he 
was shaken.

"Nabiki! I'm sorry...it's just..."

"Well, do you? Do you really think I'd never give you money for no 
reason?"

"Umm..."

"You do, don't you? I'm not that BAD, Ranma!"

"Hey, Nabiki, chill! I'm sorry, okay?"

She just sighed. "Just take the money." She wiped the tears away with 
her handkerchief.

He took it. "What is it anyway?"

"All the money Kunou paid me for the pictures of your girl form." With 
that she walked outside, leaving Ranma staring after her in total 
disbelief.

%%%%%%%%%%

Nabiki sat on a park bench, feeling one of the burdens lifted from her
soul.

It really does feel better, she thought.

A soccer ball landed _hard_ on the CD next to her, breaking it. A tall
young man walked over and smiled sheepishly. "Um, sorry about that." He 
looked at the CD. "How much do I owe you for that?"

In the old days, she would've charged triple the cost.

Instead, she considered twice the cost, then half, then thought, What 
the hell, just this once. "No, it's okay, really. Here." She handed him 
the soccer ball, and watched as he thanked her profusely and walked 
away.

For a long time, she had only wanted to be rich in money.

Maybe now, she could be rich in something else.

Nabiki got up and began walking home, feeling the peace settle into her 
soul. 

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Well, what didja think?

__________________________________________________________________
This is from Cassandra Jackson :P -> bandanna_girl@hotmail.com
http://www.crosswinds.net/japan/~kyoko/fanfics/
Visit or... um... wait, let me come up with a good threat!
"If you don't succeed, run back and cover all evidence you tried"


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