Hmm, I mentioned to a few people that this would probably take a
week to finish. Well, I sat down and the story wrote itself. So,
here it is. Enjoy, and as alway, C&C is much appreciated. Heck,
just writing to tell me you liked it (if you did) would be much
appreciated. ^_^

Acknowledgements: Thanks (and blame :) go to HK Miller and RpM
whose stories inspired the Babylon 5 overtones in this. If you
haven't read 'A Comedy of Errors' by HK Miller or 'The Pursuit of
Happiness Act 2: The Kings of Nerima' by RpM, I recommend them both.

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 2: The Gathering of Shadows! Nabiki at Play!
By Kagami

 "And why should I do this?" Nabiki asked in a bored tone. Her
gaze lingered on the hidden figure, shrouded in the uncertain light.
The shadowed head murmured a soft reply, a quick nod sending fingers
of darkness reaching out across the walls and ceiling. Nabiki paused
to consider, then answered.

 "Very well. However, I want oversight on this. The right to
recruit outside help, freedom to cast roles as I see fit, and
thirty-five percent of the festival budget. Agreed?"

 The palm-tree atop Principal Kuno's head bobbed its assent.

***

 "Hmm, who should I recruit first?" Nabiki muttered as she went
down a short list of names. She paused at one of them and smiled.
"Easiest first."


***

 Ranma was brooding. No, worse than that. He was sulking. Of
course, the term he would have preferred was 'contemplating his
recent defeat' but that might have been a bit more complicated than
his vocabulary allowed. A certain refrain played out in his head,
to the tune of 'It's not fair!". Until it was stopped by a sudden
yank and a quick splash into a certain koi pond.

 "What'dya do that for, Pop?!" he shouted at the fat, bald figure
who nonetheless skipped nimbly aside to avoid the spray of water.

 Genma Saotome frowned in disapproval. "Feh! I'm disappointed
in you, son. Losing to a girl and at a kissing contest at that." He
paused to pose dramatically. "I didn't bring you up to be so weak!
We going to do some special training, Ranma. And these are just the
perfect people to help."

 "Nihao, airen. You come kiss wife, okay?"

 "Ah, hiya Ranchan! Just here to help."

 "Ranma-sama, take me into your arms and make passionate ... urk!"

 CLANG!! BONG!!

 "Enough from crazy rose girl," Shampoo smiled with satisfaction
as Kodachi slid to the ground unconcious. Only two others to remove
and airen would be all hers for the afternoon. Panda-man had promised.

 "Got that right, sugar," Ukyo agreed as she cast a suspicious
glance at her rival. Only Shampoo and Akane stood in her way of a
evening together with Ranchan. Or so Genma had promised.

 Hmm, this could be trouble. Ranma's thought processes were
notoriously slow when it came to girls.

 "RANMA!!! I can't even take my eyes of you for a second!"

 Uh oh.

***

 Nabiki carefully sidestepped the uninhibited brawl in progress
as she made her way towards a dazed and semi-concious Ranma, who had
gotten into the middle of yet another fiancee mess. Out of the corner
of one eye, she noticed Genma sneaking away. No doubt to bemoan the
failure of his 'perfect' plan. Sigh. Who in their right mind would
consider buying a used car from that man? She stopped beside Ranma's
slumped form.

 "So, Ranma, the school's holding a play next week for the
festival and Principal Kuno has me producing it. Since you owe me a
month's services from the contest, I thought I'd rope you into it. You
want to do it, don't you?"

 Glazed eyes stared reproachfully at her. Hmm. "Well, nod your
head then." She placed her hand behind his lax head and nodded it for
him. "Right. I'll need your thumbprint on the contract as well." A
quick daub, press and done. "Okay, thanks. I'll get the details to you
later."

 Too easy.

 She sighed and considered the brawling girls.

 Perhaps later.

***

 "Will you help me, oneesan?" Nabiki asked her sister.

 Kasumi continued to sweep the floor of the hall as she
contemplated the question. Then, she smiled as a humourous twinkle
developed in her eye.

 "I don't know if I should, Nabiki. After all, aren't the
Vorlons and the Shadows supposed to be enemies?"

 Nabiki stared at her sister in shock. How did she know about
that? Unless ... could Kasumi really be a Vorlon?

 "How did you ...?"

 "Akane told me."

 "Of course." The simple and obvious answer. Nabiki shook her
head as she dismissed the image of Kasumi's voice issuing from a
suit of Vorlon exo-armour.

 Kasumi continued in a joking tone. "You must be cleansed!" She
handed something to Nabiki.

 Nabiki burst into laughter as she looked down at the folded
square of bath-towel in her hands.

 "So, will you help me?"

 "Of course."

***

 "All right, then. Two scenes alone with Ranchan. You have a
deal, Nabiki. Anything else?"

 "Icepack?"

 "Thanks, sugar." Ah, relief.

***

 A coffee-shop, a large icecream sundae, Kuno paying; what could
be better?

 "Kuno-chan, can I ask you a question?"

 "Certainly, Nabiki Tendo."

 "What do you want?"

 "Pray tell what you mean by that. Do you perchance have more
photos of your sister and the lovely pig-tailed girl for me?"

 "No, no, Kuno-chan. _What_ do you want?"

 "Hmm, a difficult question indeed. I wish ... I wish to have
the love of Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl. I wish to defeat
the foul sorcerer, Saotome, in battle. I wish to be great once more.
I wish for my name to be righteously feared once again!" Kuno sat
back, tense with emotion. "Why do you ask? You know all of this."

 Nabiki shrugged, a cool smile playing across her lips. "I can
help you obtain your desires, Kuno-chan. At least, some of them. For
a reasonable price." She slid a small folder across the table to
Kuno. "Here, read this."

 "A PLAY?!!"

***

 "Ranma-sama will be in this play? Then, you may count on the
Black Rose to appear as well. OHOHOHO...owww."

 "Panadol?"

 "My thanks." A very quiet voice.

***

 "Go away, Nabiki."

 The flat, no-nonsense voice promised severe pain to the person
disturbing Akane Tendo's sulk. Akane, she noted, had already seen
Kasumi for proper bandaging. Nabiki slipped the roll of bandages
into her pocket. This might be the hardest sell yet. What was her
best option? Casual. Yep, keep it casual.

 "Oh, come on, Akane. Don't tell me you're still upset about
that kiss?"

 "No. I expect that kind of thing from you. After the wedding
and the time you took Ranma as a fiancee, it doesn't surprise me
anymore."

 Ouch. That hurt. It was all true which made it hurt even more.
Could she cheer Akane up? And get what she wanted?

 "It was just a contest, Akane. It didn't mean anything." I wish
it had. "I'm sorry about it though. I'll make it up to you. How about
two tickets to the new B5 movie? You could go with Ranma."

 Akane brightened immediately. "You'd give us two free tickets?"

 "Sure." Nabiki counted the lost profits and hid an internal
wince. All in a good cause. And her sister was looking more cheerful.
"Forgive me?"

 Akane nodded solemnly. "Just this once, I'll let it pass." A
thought struck her and she eyed Nabiki suspiciously. Nabiki was being
too nice. She knew her sister too well. "But why are you being so
nice? Is there something that you want?"

 "What? I can't do something to cheer up my little sister?"
Nabiki paused, realizing that Akane wasn't buying it. "Well, there's
this play for the school festival..." she let her voice trail off
tantalizingly.

 "A play?" A flicker of interest.

 "Yup, I'm producing it. Ranma and the rest of the gang are in
it. So is the drama club. I've got the perfect role for you.
Interested?" She baited the hook. "I can even make you assistant
director if you want to try out some directing."

 "Assistant director?" Akane asked curiously. "Why can't I be
the director?"

 Nabiki looked faintly embarassed. "Um, well, I promised that to
Kasumi."

 Silence.

 "It was the best option. Everyone in the cast would be on their
best behaviour around her. Kasumi's perfect for that role. Come on,
Akane, what do you say? Please?"

 Nabiki being polite? Nabiki practically begging? Akane couldn't
believe her ears. "I know I'm going to regret this..."

 "Thanks, Akane!" Nabiki left, humming a cheerful tune.

 Akane resisted the urge to count her fingers.

***

 "What Mercenary Girl want now?"

 "The school's holding a play. I have a role that would be perfect
for you." Hmm. Bored indifference. "Ranma's in it."

 "Shampoo in."

 Well, that was easy.

***

 Nabiki smiled as she checked the last name on her list. Now the
fun could begin.

---