The explosion of a wall, caused by a black and red missile, sent stone and dust flying and people scattering, one of them even limping as a rock clipped him in the leg. Said missile bounced again before crashing into a car. With a groan, Saotome Ranma stood slowly and looked blearily at the incoming figure.
Akane was in a high dudgeon, infuriated at another meal ruined by Ranma. Nevermind the fact that Akane had ruined the so-called meal to begin with. Akane stormed after Ranma, who’s dulling eyes looked back at the girl, before bashing the martial artist down the street, tearing the hood off a car, and nearly killing the person within it as Ranma bounded through the street the hard way. The youngest Tendou daughter continued after Ranma, heedless of the chaos she was igniting.
Failed to see
How destructive we can be
Taking without giving back
Till the damage can be seen
“I simply don’t understand him,” Nabiki remarked to herself as a battered, bruised and dirty onna-Ranma stumbled toward the furo. “Why does he let her get away with it?” The ‘her’ was muttered with some heat, as she just finished speaking with both the construction company and the owner of the car that was destroyed. Many, including Akane, would place the blame on Ranma, but Nabiki new better. She could tell from a distance that Akane’s breakfast was just a few steps from biohazardous. Then she was almost at the front seat for Ranma’s ricocheting across Nerima Ward. He was about as morally responsible for the damage done as a bullet from a gun. No, the real fault had lain with her sister.
“Is he a masochist?” Nabiki asked herself as Ranma left the room. “I don’t think even Kunou’d put up with that much abuse. And I’m almost certain he is a masochist. He’d have to, to have started the whole hentai horde debacle.” Nabiki sighed. “I’m going to have to keep an eye on him. If he’s going to snap, I’m going to need plenty of warning.” She looked down. “I’d probably be the second person he’d come after if that happened.”
The more you take,
The more you blame,
But everything still feels the same.
The more you hurt,
The more you scream,
The price you play to play the game,
Then all you see,
And all you gain,
And all you step on with the shame,
There are no rules,
No one to blame,
The price to play the game.
Every day, reports came in to Nabiki from her fellow students and information gatherers. Akane’s abuse upon Kunou barely rivaled that she lavished upon Ranma, but that hardly seemed new. On the other hand, Ranma had seemed quite different as of late. His grades took a sharp increase, though perhaps the times he disappeared after school could explain that.
After a week or two, Nabiki became very suspicious, and began to search through Ranma’s records and tests. It was not easy, even for her, but she began to track down Ranma’s entire scholastic record. It began to form one ugly picture.
“He’s been playing with us,” Nabiki stated to herself as she looked over her notes that night. “He can’t be that stupid. He’d answer these hard questions perfectly, but gets the simple ones wrong? Nobody can be that good and that stupid.” Nabiki frowned. “Why? What kind of game is he playing?”
Nabiki paused, then sat back. “No… there’s more to it.” She stood and started pacing a little. “Putting up with Akane even though he could defend himself easily… he could succeed in class, but refuses to. He can’t be dumb enough to fail that badly and get so many random answers right. So what am I missing?”
Empathy, the chosen way to be,
Blindly look the other way,
While you waste away with me,
Can you see?
Kasumi watched as Ranma slowly stepped from the kitchen, and tried not to swear. Like Nabiki, she knew something was wrong. Unlike her, she knew what was wrong. And unfortunately, there was nothing she could do. She had been watching Ranma for a long time, ever since she had foisted him off on Akane. And for all but the first month, she had regretted her actions. She knew the secret wisdom that Ranma kept concealed so well, the maturity he showed very rarely.
She wished she could have done more, but she couldn’t. Father all but asked her to do everything to bring Ranma and Akane together. She began to suspect it was impossible as oil blending with water about two months after they met. She knew Ranma was eventually going to say ‘enough is enough’ sooner or later. If only Tofu-sensei were still here, maybe he would know what to do.
The more you take,
The more you blame,
But everything still feels the same.
The more you hurt,
The more you scream,
The price you play to play the game,
Then all you see,
And all you gain,
And all you step on with the shame,
There are no rules,
No one to blame,
The price to play the game.
Nabiki continued to watch Ranma, becoming more and more troubled. She attempted to confront Ranma, but was blown off.
No, that wasn’t quite right. In all honesty, Nabiki broke off the questions before she even began. His eyes answered the only question she ever needed. When they met, they were shiny blue, like well-cut sapphires. But when she looked into his eyes, they were dull, dead, like old paint. It actually hurt to look into those eyes. It touched a part of her that hadn’t been touched since she had lost her mother. She had sheathed her emotions in diamond-hard ice. But somehow, Ranma melted through a part of it. She wasn’t in love with him, at least she didn’t think so. But she began to realize that she did care for him, almost like she cared for Kasumi, like she used to care about Akane. Now, she wasn’t sure anymore. Denial of reality always frustrated her, whether it was Kasumi’s attempt to shut out the world, or the vigilant attempt by several people, her sister and Kunou among others, to deny almost every aspect of reality altogether. Kasumi’s she could forgive somewhat, as Kasumi’s life had been hard enough. But people like Kunou, Mousse, Shampoo, Ukyou, and even her little sister, set her teeth on edge. Ranma was among them, until she began to realize that it was merely a disguise for him.
Perhaps that was what got Nabiki’s attention upon this, the fact that Ranma could quite easily be as guileful as she was. Perhaps the only things that irked her about it, were the fact that he had been able to conceal it from her, and that it did not gain him anything, that perhaps he did it just to get his kicks.
“No,” She realized that night. “It’s just as much a protection as Kasumi.” She tossed on a house robe as she moved toward the guest room. Two people, or rather a person and a panda, everything seemed fine. At first. It was on her way out that she began to realize that there was something wrong. It was the backpack in the corner that got her attention. She crept toward it, and began to examine it. As she finished her examination, her heart froze for a moment, and she strained not to burst into tears right there. It couldn’t be what she was thinking, could it? Struggling to keep her composure, she slipped to her room. A few moments later, she returned to the pack and placed something within it, before returning to her room.
The next day, Genma growled in pure irritation. Ranma was not in the room. When everyone gathered at breakfast, Akane was in a state that rivaled Genma’s. Soun was bawling about the schools not being joined. Kasumi was stunned and saddened. But Nabiki merely sat back. “Yes, he left, I should have figured earlier but…” But honestly, it was the contents of the backpack that tipped her off. It was packed, as usual, except for some perishable foods. Who would pack perishables in a backpack, unless they had planned to leave?
It was obvious, that Ranma decided not to play the game anymore.
Epilogue
Nabiki found the notes on her desk after coming home from school that day. She didn’t really want to go, but couldn’t afford not to. As she read the note, the icy slab about her heart cracked just a little more.
Nabiki
I’m sure you’re irritated with
me right now, but I’m tired of playing the fool. My whole life, I’ve been
played around with, and I’ve decided enough is enough. I might come back some
day, to explain everything, but right now, I need to find out who Saotome Ranma
really is. If you care any bit for me, do not let anyone read this note. The
other is safe, just telling everyone I’m on a training trip. I do not want to
be found, and think it would be best for everyone if nobody finds me. Tell
Kasumi if you have to, but nobody else. I want a clean break, and it would be
best for certain people if I did.
Good luck, Nabiki.
Ranma.
Enclosed were some pictures of Ranma, both beefcake and cheesecake.
Ranma
relaxed in a cavern in the far side of
Ranma
This is the first time in a long
time I’ve ever apologized to anyone but Kasumi and meant every word, so please
bear with me.
I should have known better. For
the longest time I thought you were a dumb jock, maybe
a few steps ahead of Kunou. You did well in
concealing your intelligence, and for that I salute a fellow mind. This may
sound sarcastic, but it’s the truth.
However, this also brings up
some regrets. I want to apologize for foisting Akane off on you. If I had known
what I had known now, I never would have been so foolish. I do hope you return
soon, Ranma, if only to let me apologize in person.
Consider the money payment for
services rendered. Far too many to count.
Nabiki.
This story came to me while listening to Staind’s “The Price to Play”, from their coming album 14 Shades of Gray, from which the lyrics were used (without permission, please don’t sue, you wouldn’t really get that much, and I can’t wait for the album to come out). Of course, Ranma and characters are Takahashi Rumiko’s.
Yes, I am working, and am almost finished with, chapter 7 of
Blood Calls Out For Blood, and hope to have them both done by the end of the
week, so I can get them on this update of the PRFL.