Hmm, I like Nabiki and I feel that she is one of the more underdeveloped

characters in Ranma 1/2. So, I decided to write a story to showcase
Nabiki
in business and at play. Of course, you know the saying - Business is
War.
Very appropos here. There are some Babylon 5 references in here, just
for
fun. Anyway, enjoy and as always, C&C is welcome.

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan in Japan,
and Viz Communications in the US. I'm just borrowing the characters for
profit-free entertainment purposes (heh, heh), and fully intend to
return
them ... at some point in the future.

NABIKI'S WAR
Part 1: Shadows Over Za'hadu ... er ... Furinkan? Ranma in Trouble!
By Kagami

 "So, oneechan, why are we going to school early and without
Ranma?" Akane asked curiously.

 "Hmm?" Nabiki shrugged aside the question. "I thought you could
do with a break from carrying water buckets. Besides ..."

 "Besides ... ?" The first part had sounded good but Akane knew
her sister too well to believe in such an altruistic notion.

 "Well ... he might have a little trouble on the way to school
this morning."

 "Nabiki! You didn't!" Akane exclaimed indignantly. What had her
sister done now?

 "Just think of it as extra training. And they did pay me well."

 "Still ... it's only money."

 "A lot of money."

 Akane sighed as they walked through the school entrance. Nabiki
could be so thoughtless sometimes. Ranma, she knew, wouldn't be very
happy. Not at all.

***

 "RANMA!!! Prepare to die for what you said about Akane's cooking
last week."

 "Out of the way, P-chan! I'm late."

 "Why, you ... Die, Ranma!"

***

 As they walked towards the main school building, Akane noticed a
couple of students approaching, but surprisingly, no Kuno.

 "Not Kuno as well?"

***

 "Saotome, free the pig-tailed girl and Akane Tendo from your
sorcerous grasp or face the wrath of the Blue Thunder!"

 "Aw, man. I ain't in the mood for you, Kuno."

 "Feh, Nabiki Tendo has spoken of the marvelous opportunities for
further challenges provided by your daily journey to school. I see no
reason not to avail myself of such encounters. I shall bring you to
justice, Saotome!"

***

 Nabiki didn't reply as the two students approached her. One of
them was Kagami, her chief lieutenant in the business.

 "Hi, boss. Everything's running smoothly. Hiroshi here would
like a word with you."

 She nodded to Kagami, before turning and purring in her best
silky voice. "So, Hiroshi, what do you want?"

 Beside her, she noticed Akane start in surprise but her attention
was too focused on Hiroshi to find out what had startled her.

 "Uh, Nabiki-san, I'd like to arrange a loan to take Yu...ah...
a friend out."

 "Sure. How does five thousand yen sound?"

 "That'll be fine, Nabiki-san."

 "Standard repayment options. Kagami can fix you up." Nabiki smiled
as the pair left, doing business always put her in a good mood.

 "What's the matter with you?" She asked her sister.

 Akane giggled. "Oh, say it again."

 "What?"

 "You know ... 'what do you want?'. It sounds so funny."

 "And what is so funny about it?" Nabiki asked frostily. It was a
standard question after all.

 "Nabiki, you watch Babylon 5, don't you?" Akane said, referring
to her favourite gaijin TV show. "It makes you sound so much like the
Shadows. And those ..." She pointed at the departing Kagami.

 Nabiki was somewhat disconcerted. Did Akane really see her like
that?

 "And what about her?"

 Akane drew in her breath and spoke in the most pompous tones she
could manage.

 "The minions of Nabiki Tendo."

 Then she dissolved into helpless laughter. After a few moments,
Nabiki joined her.

 "Ah, it feels good to laugh like that. Ever since Ranma arrived,
I think we've all been on edge."

 Akane nodded in agreement. "True enough."

***

 "Nihao, airen!"

 GLOMP!!!

 "Shampoo, what are you doing here?"

 "Mercenary Girl find good spot for wait. You date with Shampoo
today?"

 "Uh, well ..."

 "So, Nabiki Tendo was right. How dare you molest Shampoo?!
Die, Saotome!"

 SPLASH!!!

 "Arrrghhhh!! Ca...Ca...Cat!!! Get it off!"

***

 "So, if I represent the Shadows, who are the Vorlons?"

 "Hmm." Akane thought for a moment. "I know! It's Kasumi!"

 "Kasumi?"

 "Because ... she really cleans up."

 That sent them both into laughter again.

 "And frankly, in an argument, she'd win."

 Nabiki snorted at that, despite knowing the truth. She grinned
suddenly, determined to get her revenge on her sister.

 "Who would the Kunos be, I wonder?"

 "The Centauri." Akane smiled in amusement. "It all fits. Both
groups are traditional, faded, itching for greatness and fight amongst
themselves."

 "How about Shampoo and the Amazons?"

 "The Narn. Violent, blunt but sneaky. Not to mention Shampoo and
Kodachi hate each other."

 "Ukyo?"

 "Hmm, the Psi-Corp? They both want to be your friend, but there's
always a hidden agenda."

 "Ranma?"

 "Sheridan, of course."

 "Akane?"

 "Delenn ..." Akane flushed crimson. "NABIKI!! That was mean!"

 "Well, I don't know if I can agree with that last one. Somehow,
I can't see Delenn malleting Sheridan with an over-sized hammer."

 "HEY!"

 "It just goes to show," Nabiki said as she ran away from her
angry sister, "that you can take parallels too far."

***

 "OHOHOHOHOHOHO!!! Where is my Ranma-sama, pig-tailed wench?"

 "Urkk! S..Stop...choking..."

 "Ranchan, Nabiki mentioned ... Hey! How dare you attack
Ranchan?!"

 "Wait, Ucchan, don't ... ack!!"

***

 Lunchtime in the cafeteria passed pleasantly for a certain Tendo
sister as she counted the morning's takings. Delicate fingers caressed
paper yen of high denominations and Nabiki shivered with sensual delight

as the sensation sent trails of fire crawling down her spine. Then, she
shivered for another reason.

 "Naaabiiiiikiiiii...."

 Ranma was angry. No, he was more than angry. He was furious. Ryoga
and Kuno had been merely aggravating, the Amazons had brought him close
to the snapping point, but Ukyo and Kodachi had been the final straw.
Getting caught in the middle of a flour bomb explosion and a cloud of
paralysis gas had cost him most of the morning and all of his temper.

 Nabiki turned and paused. Ranma was looking somewhat battered
and bruised, his clothing torn from close brushes with various weapons.
But it wasn't his appearance which stopped her from replying
immediately.
No, it was the luminous blue aura surrounding him that gave her pause.
The brightness equaled Akane's infamous aura at its greatest intensity.
Hmm. This could be trouble.

 "What can I do for you, Ranma?" she asked insouciantly, pretending
calm.

 "You know what I'm talking about, Nabiki," Ranma fairly snarled
the words out. "Ryoga, Kodachi, Mousse, Shampoo, Kuno, even Ukyo. You
must have ..."

 "Are you accusing me of something, Saotome? Moi?" She hooded her
eyes and stared at him dispassionately. There had always been a good
possibility that Ranma would learn about her setup. Normally, she would
have been more worried, but then she had a cunning plan. One that would
throw Ranma off-balance. And besides, it would be fun.

 "Yes, I am." Ranma was boiling over, anger feeding his
determination not to lose out to Nabiki yet again. He had to stop her.
Otherwise, she'd be taking advantage of him forever. "Stop setting me
up, Nabiki, or I'll ..."

 "Or you'll what? Very well, I accept your challenge." Nabiki gave
a saturnine smile.

 "Challenge?"

 "We'll settle this here and now. The contest will be ... one kiss.
Loser will be the first person who wimps out. The prize will be one full

apology and a month of free services determined by the winner."

 "A KISS?!"

 Ranma looked dumbfounded, but Nabiki wasn't paying attention to him.
Her gaze edged towards the one person who counted. She had already
eliminated most of the other interested parties this morning. Hmm, Akane

was simmering but not quite ready to boil over yet. Time for action.

 "That's right, Ranma. What's the matter? Are you ... chicken?"

 "What?! Nobody calls Ranma Saotome chicken! I'll show you ... mmph!"

 Nabiki stepped in close, and dragged his head down for a long, deep
kiss, cutting Ranma off in mid-rant. Off to one side, she could hear her

sister's loud protest, "ONEE-CHAN!!" But the kiss kept most of her
concentration. Hmm, this was pretty nice actually.

 Ranma's eyes bugged out as he felt Nabiki's lips press firmly
against his own. He wanted to resist, to pull away, but somehow he
couldn't. That soft, silken mouth seemed to draw away his strength as
the kiss continued. Wait ... what was that? Tongue?!!!

 Nabiki sank into the kiss, enjoying the warmth and sweet taste
of Ranma's lips. She hadn't kissed in such a long time. Ever since she
had gained her reputation as the Yen Queen of Furinkan High, every boy
had been wary of associating with her. Even this kiss with Ranma was
stolen from her sister. Still, she was enjoying it. Time to get serious.

She began using her tongue as a delicate probe, darting into Ranma's
mouth with quicksilver speed. She felt him freeze in shock at the new
assault.

 The sensations stunned him. Ranma had never expected to be
Frenched by Nabiki, of all people. As her tongue dueled with his in his
mouth, he began feeling faint. Damn, he thought as he felt himself
pulling a Ryouga. Even as consciousness left him, he held on to a final
thought. It had been pretty nice.

 Nabiki smiled as she pulled away from the frozen Ranma. "Looks like
I win," she commented to the stunned crowd of students. She left the
cafeteria, humming a cheery tune.

 Akane glared angrily at her departing sister's back, before rushing
over to Ranma's still figure. She waved a hand in front of his blank,
staring eyes and received no response. "Whoa, he's completely
unconscious!"

 "Do not fear, Akane Tendo," Kuno joined her in front of Ranma, "I,
Tatewaki Kuno, know the correct action to perform in such a situation."

 "Kuno-sempai ..."

 "Yes, one should ... ," Kuno smiled as he pulled out a marker pen,
"... take full advantage of such a situation." With that, he scrawled
the
words 'Pervert' and 'Foul Sorcerer' on Ranma's cheeks.

 "Baka!" shouted Akane as she snatched the marker away and malleted
Kuno into the ground. She turned to face Ranma's unconscious form once
more. Still ... he looked so funny like that. She was torn between her
concern and the humour of the situation. Oh, well.

 She added to Kuno's script with 'Baka' and 'Choose Someone Already'.
A horde of boys and girls swarmed up beside her, eager to help.

 "Akane-san, please let me have a turn."

 "No, Akane-san, let me."

 Somebody tossed a bunch of markers into the air, which were quickly
snatched up by the eager students. As Akane left, she took note of the
rapidly increasing comments on Ranma. 'Arrogant Jerk', 'Stop Hoarding
All
The Girls', and 'Date me, Ranma'.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"What do you _want_?"
 - Minion of Nabiki Tendo