KISS the one you want most
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½ or the band KISS. I just happen to be very huge fans of the both of them as well as a loyal member of the KISS army.
Author's Notes One: Hey everyone. I hope all of you had a happy holiday season. Welcome to my first story for 2005. I started this during the summer of 2004 but wanted to perfect it before I put it on the site. Now, after several tries it is ready. Please enjoy the tale of two hearts finding each other. Let me explain a bit of how this story works. Each chapter is named after a KISS song and they will also contain references to the band. Also, I'm thinking of a concert chapter for the future but I haven't decided on it. Maybe if I get enough requests in my reviews, I'll write it. (Hint, hint.) Now, please enjoy the first chapter.
"" Speaking>>Thoughts
# Sound effects
( ) Author finds a chance to make a pun or comment and uses it
Chapter One: Ladies RoomIt was a rarely quiet night in the Tendo household as Nabiki sat in her room to go over the monthly bills. Since her father had stopped teaching students, it fell on her to pay to keep them fed, clothed and have a roof over their heads. Things had been even tighter since the Saotomes moved in, but she still found a way. She wished at times she could enjoy a normal teenager's life, but that never seemed to look like it would happen.
"Kasumi and I have given up so much for this household." Nabiki muttered under her breath. "When do we get to have a life?"
#Knock, knock, knock#
"Who is it?" asked Nabiki slightly annoyed someone would interrupt her while she was working.
"It's me. Can I come in?" A voice Nabiki recognized said, but never thought would ever ask to enter her room.
"Sure." Nabiki responded as moments later the one and only Ranma Saotome entered looking like he was in a blind panic.
"Something wrong?" asked Nabiki.
"The fiancées and rivals are out in full force!" said Ranma out of breath. "Can I hide out here for awhile?"
"Why here?"
"They'd never look for me here." Ranma confessed. "Please! I'll pay whatever you want! I'll do anything!"
Nabiki's mind flashed on all the yen she could make on that promise until she felt something she hadn't in awhile. Pity. Here she was wishing she and Kasumi could live a normal life, and here was Ranma who's life was anything but normal. So, against her usual judgment, she decided to be nice for a change.
"Sure. You can hide out here." Nabiki said. "No charge."
"Really!" said Ranma shocked. "Are you feeling alright? You didn't get kidnapped and replaced by aliens did you?"
"No." said Nabiki coldly. "But if you keep that up then I'll change my mind about the no charge."
"Sorry." Ranma said sheepishly. "It's just that I'm not used to this. Usually nobody does anything for me unless they want something in return. Yourself included."
"Whatever." Nabiki said as she turned back to her desk. "Just don't bother me while I do the books."
"You got it." Ranma said as he sat on the floor next to her bed, pulled a copy of the manga, graphic novel 'Sarai' issue three out of his red Chinese shirt and began reading.
Nabiki continued to go over her books and Ranma read for the next couple of hours in complete silence. Then Nabiki decided it was too quiet and got up to put on a CD. She was about to hit play when she remembered she wasn't alone.
"Mind if I listen to some music?" asked Nabiki to the pigtailed martial artist.
"Huh?" said Ranma turning his attention away from his book. "Oh! Go ahead. It's your room after all."
"Just checking." Nabiki said as she turned it on and seconds later the sounds of KISS filled her room with the song, 'Detroit Rock City' from 'Greatest KISS'.
Nabiki walked back to her desk letting her hips sway to the music a bit. Then she noticed Ranma looking at her with a surprised look on his face.
"What?" Nabiki asked wondering what he was looking at.
"Isn't this KISS?" asked Ranma.
"Yeah, so?" said Nabiki surprised Ranma knew the band.
"I thought so!" said Ranma excited as he got up and turned the volume up. "I haven't heard them in a long time."
"You listen to KISS!" exclaimed Nabiki in shock.
"Are you kidding?" exclaimed Ranma. "Only every time I can get within distance of a radio. I'm constantly calling the station requesting their songs."
"Whoa." Nabiki muttered. "I never pictured you as a KISS fan."
"I could say the same about you." Ranma responded.
"Point." Nabiki said as she sat on her chair at her desk and turned it to look at him. "So, how'd you get to listening to KISS?"
"While I was on that training trip with pop." Ranma answered. "We camped out near one of their concerts. Of course, pop did it so he could steal food from the vendors."
"Sounds like him alright."
"Yeah, so there I am lost cause pop ran off with about several hundred angry vendors chasing him and with nothing to do myself, I start listening to the music. Pop never really let me listen to music a lot. Claimed it would make me weak." Ranma continued. "So I found a nice place to rest and listened to the entire concert until pop found me and dragged me off. Since then whenever I can, I listen to KISS. I'm even an official member of the KISS army."
"Cool! Me too!" Nabiki said actually excited.
She didn't know any other KISS fans that went to Furinkan High School so this was a rare opportunity to talk to someone else about her favorite band.
"So, what's your favourite song?" asked Nabiki.
"Two sides of the coin. Yours?"
"I was made for loving you." Nabiki answered.
"That's a good song." Ranma said as he got a strange look on his face.
"What?" asked Nabiki curious.
"Do you realize this is the longest we've talked about a subject we both like since I moved in here?" Ranma said.
"Yeah, it is isn't it!" Nabiki said amazed as she also realized in all that time she really didn't know anything about Ranma at all.
"So, tell me more about yourself." Nabiki said.
"Why?" asked Ranma.
"Because I want to know more about you." Nabiki responded. "I just realized I don't know a whole lot about you."
"I don't know a lot about you either, so what's your point?"
"Well, I guess I like talking to you." Nabiki said.
"I see." Ranma said thoughtfully. "I can agree there. The only ones who ever want to talk to me are guys wanting to know how far I've gone with my fiancées. No one seems to care about the fact that I don't want anyone of those girls."
"Really?" said Nabiki pouncing on some gossip. "How come?"
"Well,…" said Ranma as he remembered who he was talking with. "…You promise no one else will hear about this?"
"I swear on all that is holy." Nabiki said as Ranma didn't look convinced. "Okay. I swear to destroy every KISS CD I own if I tell another living soul. As well as all my other KISS memorabilia."
"What KISS memorabilia?" asked Ranma.
"I keep it in a safety deposit box downtown." Nabiki said. "I'd be foolish to keep it here in a place that's constantly under attack and has people smashing through the walls."
"Makes sense. Alright then." Ranma said convinced. "First, lets start with Shampoo. Those amazons treat men like breeding stock and slaves. I'd never fit in there."
"Point. Okay, Ukyo?"
"She's been my best friend for years. She's like a little sister to me."
"I can see that. What about Kodachi?" asked Nabiki as Ranma gave her a look that asked if she were crazy. "Right, sorry. Should have known that one. What about Akane?"
"No offense, but there is no chance in hell I will ever marry your sister!"
"Why? Isn't she good enough for you?"
"No, I did love her once, but then I fell out of love with her."
"Why?"
"One simple word." Ranma said. "Trust."
"She never trusts you." Nabiki said understanding.
"Exactly." Ranma said. "How can I marry someone who hits me with a mallet just for looking in another girls direction."
"You've got a point." Nabiki said agreeing. "She overreacts to everything."
"Yeah." Ranma said as a knock came to the door.
"Nabiki? It's time for bed." The voice of the lovely Kasumi Tendo said from the other side of the door.
"Okay Kasumi." Nabiki said as she listened for her sister to leave. "Man. Where'd the time go?"
"I know. It just flew by." Ranma said surprised. "Well, I should go."
Ranma headed for the door when he found himself, stopped by Nabiki.
"It might be safer if you use the window." Nabiki said.
"Good point." Ranma replied with a chuckle as he changed direction.
"Ranma, would you like to hangout tomorrow?" asked Nabiki as he opened the window.
"Huh?" said Ranma confused. "Why would you wanna hangout with me?"
"Lots of reasons." Nabiki responded. "You're a fellow KISS fan. Plus, I kinda enjoyed talking with you."
"But, wouldn't you rather hang with your friends?"
"Well, the truth is, I don't really have any friends." Nabiki said embarrassed. "Not many people want to be friends with the ice queen."
Ranma started to feel sorry for the middle Tendo sister. He knew exactly how she felt. Not many people wanted to be friends with a guy who would be attacked for no reason like he was every single day.
"I'd be honored to hang out with you tomorrow Nabiki." Ranma said with that smile of his that made the woman of Nerima weak in the knees. "I would also be honored to be your friend, if you'll also be mine."
"I'd like that." Nabiki said with a warm and sincere smile that made Ranma realize that she was absolutely beyond cute.
With that said, Ranma took a bow and left through the open window. Nabiki then closed it and dressed for bed.
As she lay in bed, she could help but think about what just happened with the pig-tailed martial artist.
>Who'd have thought.> She thought as she lay there. >The Wild Stallion and the Ice Queen as friends.>
Nabiki then went to sleep with a huge smile on her face.
To Be Continued…Author's Notes Two: That's it for Chapter One. Be here for Chapter Two which takes place a couple of months after this one as Ranma buys his friend a present. It Chapter Two: Anything For My Baby. See-ya then. Ciao.
P.S.: The story of Sarai is one of my favorite manga series. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do. It's actually got a good story line.