Pride 3

Ranma's mind is wandering. He is having a terrible nightmare
where he sees his kisses received and given. This makes it
especially terrible. because the participants are always him 
and a male, or rather Ranma-chan and a man. He wakes up 
screaming.

It gets worse Nabiki is by his bedside. She has a concerned
look on her face. Then as if she can't resist it, she hands
a letter to him. He  recognises the writing. It says 'To the
kindest and most beautiful girl in the world.'

"Ain't this supposed to go to Akane?"

"No. It's for you, I'm afraid. But I thought you liked
Ryouga?"

"I did, until now. Where's Akane?"

"She broke off the engagement. After all the kiss with Ryouga
was enough. Coupled with the fact you can't remember  it you
can't really blame her."

"Me kiss Ryouga!"

"You've done it before. What about being his fiancee?"

"Cruel joke."

"Koi rod?"

"Enchantment!"

"Okay I can't get you back on marrying terms. But I'm willing
to get you out of this for a price. I will not mention the
fact you enjoyed it."

"You never change."

"Nor do you, Ranma. However the price is simple. Admit you
kissed Ryouga to stop Kodachi poisoning you and get Kuno off
your back. Also part of it was because you got fed up of
waiting for Akane to choose."

"Oh no! Never again. I am not going to be your fiance."

"That's odd that you assume I want that. Perhaps you'd like
it to happen."

"No way, Nabiki."

"I didn't want to sell you -I had no choice.!"

"You had no choice. Sure we all understand that."

"Anyway the only thing that was wrong was I had to sell you
to get 'dear', 'kind', 'cute' Uc-chan off my back."

"I'm no more than a prize, am I? My enemies are better
friends than my fiancees."

Ranma's mind is awhirl with possibilities. He's always liked
Nabiki but surely she just here to get money off him. If she
isn't though. No I'm engaged to..

Suddenly something clicks. As honourable as he tries to be,
Akane could only have one reason for hitting him that hard,
she had to know Ryouga was P-chan. 

"That Pervert"

Ranma looks at Nabiki who then presents something to him.
Ranma shakes his head. He doesn't want any more presents
from Ryouga. Nabiki tells him to open it. The are some 
very dirty photos. What's more they're the negatives. He
knows they haven't done the rounds at school. And some of
them are old. Nabiki is looking embarrassed.

"I didn't just take photos of you out of avarice."

"Then why?"

"Lust, jealousy, wrath. I would like to convince you
that I love you but its too late now."

"You've made a good start anyway. BUT I probably will 
disappoint you."

"It's no less than I deserve."

Ranma faints believing Nabs has been taking away by aliens
and replaced by something strange.  Nabs isn't demanding
money? When he woke up he realised he'd thought of her as
Nabs. Not Nabiki, Blackmailer, or mercenary. he'd thought of
her as Nabs. HE couldn't be. He was. No, not Nabiki.  Why was
he thinking that, nothing was wrong with Nabiki. What about
Ryouga? What about him?

After two days Ranma had finally recovered. Nabiki entered
the hospital with a set of flowers for him.

Ranma throws the flowers thinking *Can't Ryouga get a hint.*

"Um, I bought those flowers, Ranma."

Ranma goes beet red. And starts trying to apologise and gets
tongue tied. Then he eventually manages to speak.

"Should we try again? But please don't sell me."

"I may have to, but you'll get a cut, Okay?"

"It'll have to do. Attempt to sell me to Kodachi, or Kuno.."

"I'm not that stupid. But time to go."

They leave the hospital and we see them talking as they leave.
Nabiki initiates hand to hand contact.

"NO!" comes Ryouga's despairing cry.

--------------------------------------------------
David Houghton E-mail houghtod@dcs.kcl.ac.uk
Fanfiction www.spods.dcs.kcl.ac.uk/~houghtod/fanfic.html
Church of Ranma and Nabiki www.spods.dcs.kcl.ac.uk/~houghtod/church.html