Hey, this is a revision of Traveler, formerly Nabiki: Traveler. (pretty
dumb name if you ask me) If you already read the last version you don't
need to bother with this one. I just corrected grammer and a few other
minor changes. I should also be sending Chapter 2 in a few minutes as
well, so look for it.
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Nabiki: Traveler
Chapter 1
There was a flash of light.
If one were to later question the peaceful citizens who
witnessed this flash (occurring as it did late one Saturday afternoon in the
middle of one of the numerous shopping districts in Nerima) one would
find that most witnesses would describe the color as a kind of mauvish
periwinkle. In reality however it was more of a bluish greenish yellow.
Suffice to say, it was more than just your ordinary run of the mill flash.
It portended strange things to come.
As soon as the flash had gone something had changed. A
rather travel weary warrior was now collapsed onto the road side. She
wore a jet black bandanna which, combined with her short dark brown
hair served to give her a rather exotic, almost European, look. On her
back was a rather heavy looking backpack which seemed to weigh her
down almost to collapsing.
Her clothing was simple yet practical, a dark brown shirt and
black pants. On her feet she wore leather traveling shoes bound with
leg bindings to prevent her pants from snagging on whatever strange
form of underbrush she happened to encounter. On her wrist was what
at first glance appeared to be a watch, but, upon closer inspection
seemed to have a trifle too many buttons.
She was young, sixteen, perhaps seventeen, and had a look on
her face that could only be described as resigned. Overlaying this,
however, were the signs of almost complete exhaustion. All in all, her
appearance said only one thing about her, she was not your typical
Japanese citizen.
She was however, a typical Nerima citizen. The people of this
fair city had long ago given up on being surprised at anything. Well,
almost anything. Suffice to say it took a lot to catch their attention.
Besides, people in the habit of getting involved in any of the strange
things which seemed to form the background of city life, tended also to
be in the habit of showing up bruised, beaten, or worse.
Nabiki looked around. This was Nerima alright. At least it
was here this time. Cautiously she approached one of a small group of
the less cautious citizens who had decided to stick around and see the
show.
"Excuse me," she said exhaustion evident in her voice, "could
you tell me what planet this is?"
The man stared at the strange young girl for an instance then,
deciding that, for someone who appeared from out of nowhere in a
flash of light, this was probably a valid question, replied, "The Earth."
Nabiki breathed a sigh of relief. Ok, so far so good, the name at least
was the same.
"And this is Nerima, Japan right?" she continued, trying not to
sound too hopeful. This wasn't actually a problem, seeing as how the
only thing she really had enough energy to sound like was tired.
"Yes," the man responded, cautiously beginning to edge away.
Nabiki tried to smile as she thanked the man. She knew better
than to get her hopes up. Experience was a harsh teacher, but her
lessons were not easily forgotten. The weary traveler quickly pulled
off her pack, and, after rummaging around for a few quick seconds,
pulled out small black device, somewhat resembling a calculator
without any keys. On the front was a small display with characters
that, though Japanese, seemed slightly off somehow. Currently, the
only text visible on the screen was what seemed to be a some sort of
command prompt.
Replacing her pack, Nabiki held the object in her right hand.
Speaking carefully directly at the box she asked, "Where is the Tendo
dojo?" For a second nothing happened, then, suddenly, the prompt was
replaced by a quick message:
WAIT.EXTRAPOLATING POSITION.
She waited with a patience born of long practice. She had
used this thing enough times that she almost didn't even notice the wait
anymore. Soon another message appeared.
POSITION CONFIRMED. TENDO DOJO LOCATION:
1.56 KM E - 2.65 KM N
"Direction display," the bandanna clad girl said simply, the
exhaustion once again evident in her voice. The text on the device was
instantly replaced with a large red arrow. With an air of determination
Nabiki began to walk in the direction of the arrow, completely ignoring
the small crowd which had gathered to see the strange girl who talked
to her calculator.
Only half an hour later the arrow present on the strange device
disappeared. Instantly looking up, the weary traveler noticed the
building before her. Fighting a rising hope within, she once again
placed the small device in her pack. Carefully walking up to the door
she knocked. For a second there was no response, then slowly the door
opened.
"Yes, who is it?" the girl at the door asked with only the
minimal politeness. Then she saw who was at the door. And froze.
The terrified girl blinked her eyes, then shook her head, the slowly
swallowed. No question, she must have gone completely insane.
As Nabiki saw the girl she felt the weight of the past week
come crashing down on her. Another failure. This was not her world.
She was so close though, so very close. This was the first time there
had been a dojo, or even the house for that matter. Home couldn't be
too far now. She took a few seconds to look over the girl in the
doorway. Young, dark brown hair, wearing a short pants and a casual
shirt, nothing elaborate, but still quite in style. Looking into her eyes
you seemed to get the feeling that this girl was someone to be reckoned
with, someone who always knew what to do in any given situation.
Though, not this one, apparently, as she continued to just stare,
beginning to tremble violently.
Nabiki took one more careful look at the girl, then, dropping
her pack to the ground, and with a deliberate air, slowly bowed.
Speaking quite clearly, using her final reserves of energy she said,
"Hello, my name is Nabiki Tendo, glad to meet you." With that she
allowed herself to collapse onto the front step of the Tendo home as the
exhaustion of the past couple of weeks finally caught up to her.
Nabiki's first thought upon awaking was to wonder why her
room seemed so messy. As memory returned she almost cried out.
This wasn't her room, and this wasn't her house. With the greatest of
effort she fought down the urge to weep. Once again in control, she got
out of bed, realizing she still wore her traveling clothes. The others,
were probably still too nervous to know what to do with her, she knew
she certainly didn't.
Seeing her pack laying across the room she quickly went over
and began to clean herself up. Deciding against a shower, she changed
into her only other outfit, an exact duplicate of the one she had on. If
there was one thing she learned from that fang-faced fool it was how to
pack light.
As soon as she felt at least mildly presentable she took a deep
breath and cautiously headed for breakfast. Carefully she walked into
the dinning room, noting how closely this house resembled her
memories. There were a few differences, a chair moved, a different
lamp, larger TV, but nothing truly strange or out of place. It was
almost like coming home after a long trip. It wasn't exactly like it had
been, instead, just changed enough to make her feel as if it was her
memory that was at fault and not reality.
Except of course, the other version of herself sitting at the
dinner table. Not to mention the giant Panda and tiny red head fighting
over the food. She stared for a few moments wondering why they
allowed pets at the dinner table, and why that girl kept calling it `Pop.'
No one seemed to notice her as she stood in the doorway, reluctant to
intrude upon what must be a typical morning for the residences of the
house.
"Good morning," Kasumi said as she noticed their guest,
flashing the nervous girl a pleasant smile. Nabiki tried to return in
kind, but was doubtful of her success. Pleasant was one thing she just
didn't do.
"Good morning," she said with a formal bow to all present.
Suddenly everyone looked up as all movement ceased. A silence
engulfed the room.
"Do you mind if I get some breakfast?" she asked as she
slowly walked toward the table. As she approached, Akane and the
other Nabiki quickly, almost frantically, made a spot for her between
them. As no one had yet protested her presence she helped herself to
some rice. Her travels had taught her to always take a meal when she
could get it, you never knew when you would get another. Besides, it
had been weeks since she'd had some decent food, and anything
Kasumi made, even rice, was heaven sent compared to the travelers fair
she'd been living on for so long.
As she ate the others simply stared at her. She tried not to feel
too self conscious, she would probably do the same thing if this
happened to her. Heck, she was, at least this version of her. She
repressed a shiver, she'd been in a lot of strange places, but sitting at
the table next to herself was a first. After about a half minute of silence
the red headed girl spoke.
"Who are you?" she said sounding on edge.
"I'm Nabiki Tendo," she replied evenly as she continued to
eat.
"No you're not! I'm Nabiki Tendo!" her double spoke up
instantly, seeming very disturbed.
"Well, I'm A Nabiki Tendo," Nabiki admitted grudgingly.
"Young lady, you have some explaining to do!" Soun spoke
up, rather sharply. Knowing that this could probably go down hill fast,
the uncomfortable new addition tried to find a way to explain it. This
wasn't going to be easy.
"I'm.well.I'm a traveler," she began, "I got a little
lost.I.I can't find my world," she finished up rather quickly not
knowing any way to break it to them gently.
"Oh dear I'm confused," Kasumi spoke up with a frown on
her face. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it was definitely not
something good.
"What do you mean YOUR world?" Akane asked, a challenge
evident in her voice.
Nabiki again tried to explain, speaking quietly, in an almost
pleading tone, "I'm Nabiki Tendo from another dimension," she paused
again as she let her words sink in, "and I'm looking for the way back to
my original world." There was another silence as everyone digested
the implications of what she was saying.
"So what you're trying to say," the Nabiki native to this world
began, after a minute or two of complete silence, "is that you somehow
have the power to travel through different the multidimensional paths
postulated to existed in quantum physics, but somehow, though you
have attained this power, you either lack the ability to direct it, or else
you somehow lost the knowledge of the location of your home
universe."
Nabiki stared across at.herself. After a few seconds of
concentration she was able to figure out just what, exactly, her twin had
said. (she wondered if this Nabiki was really that much smarter than her
or she was simply still too tired) Nervously she nodded an
acknowledgement, biting her bottom lip as she did so.
"You mean," the red head began slowly, "that your really
Nabiki, but from another dimension, only you somehow became a sort
of world hopping Ryoga," she finished, managing to sound both
disbelieving and insulting at the same time.
Trying to restrain her sudden rage Nabiki responded through
clenched teeth, "I have nothing to do with that stupid, Ridiculous,
Bumbling!, IDIOT!" she said, her voice slowly building as she spoke
until she was almost screaming. Noticing the looks around the table
she blushed and bowed her head, "Sorry" she said really embarrassed.
"Yea, right," Nabiki's twin seemed to have collected herself,
none of her earlier nervousness was evident. To Nabiki, she seemed
almost harsh in her tone. "What I think, is that this is some new trick
of Cologne's, or maybe your some sort of demon or clone or
something. You're going to need a lot more than your face to prove a
story like that." As she spoke Nabiki thought she could almost hear
fear in her double's voice beneath the outer bravado. This little
encounter had really shaken the girl up badly.
Hesitation for a moment, she responded, "How about this,"
pulling a tiny locket out from underneath her shirt. She didn't know if
this world were close enough to her own for this to work, but she really
didn't have much else to go on. Proving her story had not been a
problem she had expected. The other girl stared for a second, then,
with shaking hands, slowly reached under her own shirt and removed
an identical locket.
Carefully, almost in unison, the two girls opened the tiny heart
shaped pendant to reveal a picture of their mother, exactly identical in
all ways. Shaking, the other girl, closed her locket and placed it back
underneath her shirt. Glancing around with a very disturbed look on
her face she gave one brief nod, then silently got up and left the table.
"Oh my," Kasumi, for once, said it all.
It was almost a full minute before anyone spoke. Nabiki
simply sat respectfully in silence waiting for the questions she knew
would come.
"So," Akane paused, very unsure of this strange
interdimensional sibling, "you really are her?" Nabiki didn't know
what to say to that. Once again she simply nodded.
"Oh, my daughter. I weep for you!" Soun burst out in tears, as
he hugged the small girl. It was his hysterics which served to finally
break the tension. Suddenly everyone was talking at once.
"How do you travel?"
"What's your world like?"
"Do you know how to cure this stupid curse?"
"Would you like some more rice?"
"Yes please," Nabiki answered Kasumi first, almost desperate
for more food, more of Kasumi's food. As her older sister left the table
Nabiki posed a question of her own.
"Excuse me, but.I don't know you, could I get your name,"
she asked of the red head across the table. The girl stared for a second,
then with a smile held out her hand.
"I'm Ranma," Nabiki stared in shock. There was no way.
"B-But.," she stuttered, her confusion getting better of her
verbal communication skills, "Ranma's a boy!" she yelled out.
Ranma stared at her, "You don't know about my curse?" she
asked, surprised.
"I'm sorry," Nabiki said again once more looking down in
embarrassment. She mentally berated herself. This was a great way to
be introduced. It was a different world, of course it wouldn't be
impossible for Ranma to have been born a girl, and not a boy. Still, she
thought, frowning in confusion, why would the Saotomes be here if
Ranma was a girl, and what did she mean by curse?
"I think there is something you need to see," Akane said. She
and Ranma exchanged a knowing glance. "Wait here," she added as
she quickly left the table. Nabiki was really getting confused now. She
knew she was missing something but couldn't even guess at what it
could be.
"Here you go dear," Kasumi said as she returned with the rice.
Nabiki thanked her, and deciding that worries and questions could
wait, began to eat again. After she had taken only a few bites, Akane
returned with a kettle of hot water. Slowly watching her guest's face
the whole time she poured the water out over Ranma's head.
Nabiki froze. Where the tiny red-head was there was now a
young black hared boy, wearing the same Chinese style clothes, and
with the same braid down the back of his head. Carefully she placed
her chopsticks down. That was.amazing.
"How.?" she began, not sure of a good way to phrase the
question.
"Pop took me to Jusenkyou without being able to read
Chinese," as he spoke he switched from speaking to her to the Panda
sitting next to him at the dinner table. "Isn't that right Pop?"
Suddenly something clicked. Nabiki stared at the giant
panda.eating at the dinner table.with chopsticks.the one Ranma
had called Pop.
"Mr. Saotome?" she asked, suddenly sure of the response she would
get. The large Panda simply gave a quick bow in reply as he slowly
backed away from his enraged son.
"So, how was your rice, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked, trying to
defuse the situation that was rapidly developing between Ranma and
his pandified father.
"This is definitely the best breakfast I've had in months," she
said without the slightest hint of exaggeration. She had forgotten how
good her sister's cooking was.
"Why thank you," the elder Tendo responded, obviously
pleased, then she added, "but this isn't breakfast, it's lunch, you slept
quite a while. You must have been very tired." Nabiki stared, then
reflexively glanced down at her wrist. The chronometer said 12:45.
She relaxed, only a bit, a few minutes left, enough to get her pack. She
shuddered at what might have happened. Just a minute or two more
and she could have lost all her supplies, or maybe even gained a
traveling companion.
"Excuse me I have to get my stuff," she said as she bolted
from the table. Quickly she found her room, the other Nabiki's room
actually. Luckily, her twin wasn't present, Nabiki was sad that she
wouldn't get to talk to girl, but there wouldn't be any time now.
Quickly she began to pack her belongings.
"Hey, whatd'ya run out for?" Ranma asked from behind her.
Surprised Nabiki turned quickly to see him standing in the doorway,
not five feet away.
"I'm fine, I just needed to get my things. Thanks," she said
trying to sound curt but only accomplishing scared.
"I'll help," he said as he bent down and began to gather her
things. Nabiki, deciding that if he was anything like her Ranma the
fastest way to get rid of him would be to let him help, got her pack set
up in record time. Quickly shouldering her burden she gave him a
quick smile.
"Great, thanks a lot," she said rapidly, "I'm all done now," she
couldn't believe how annoying Ranma could be at times. There were
only seconds left to go, she had to get away from him.
"Hey wait, there's a flap untied," he said and before she could
protest he grabbed the offending pocket and began to tie it. Suddenly,
there was a blinding flash of light, and the world disappeared from
around them.
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There you go. C&C still welcome (as always!)
Cat
travis.mcintosh@student.oc.edu