Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Ranma 1/2 characters. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.
Ranma walked down the street. His trim, muscular body drew many admiring glances from passerby's. His gray blue eyes and long black hair tied in a ponytail earned him a staring role in many fantasies. Ranma, however, was oblivious to the attention he was getting.
They had just arrived in New York, yesterday, but already he wanted to go home. In fact, he hadn't wanted to come here in the first place. He remembered how a few months ago, Akane had come rushing in as the family was sitting down to lunch. Her face was flushed and her brown eyes glowed with excitement. She was clutching a letter in her right hand which she was waving about excubantly.
"I'm in," she said racing around the table.
"In what?" Kasumi asked.
Too excited to talk she handed the letter to Kasumi.
"Oh my," she said.
"Go on, read it out loud," Akane said.
"Dear Akane Tendo, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Julian School of Fine Arts..."
Akane interrupted Kasumi. "Isn't it great. I only applied as a lark. I never thought I would get in."
"Akane, that's wonderful," Kasumi said.
"Akane, there's no way we can afford that," Nabiki said.
"Oh that's no problem. There's a contest for several full scholarships. All we have to pay for is the trip to New York so I can compete."
"Akane, what if you don't win?" Ranma asked softly.
"Well, then I won't go there. But I'm sure I'll win."
And so it was decided Akane, Ranma, Kasumi, and Nabiki would head to New York. Soun and Gema would remain in Japan. Noduk would stay with them keeping them out of trouble.
Ranma entered the hotel. He knew Akane really wanted to win the full scholarship to Julienne's. If she won this week, she would be returning to New York to attend school. Ranma was worried. He was scared of what would happen to their relationship. Already they survived multiple fiancées, interfering parents, and his curse. But he was afraid that a long distance relationship would be the straw that broke the camel's back. Was their relationship strong enough to withstand four years of separation? He honestly didn't know.
He opened their room door. The four of them were sharing a room in order to save money. Ranma entered the room. He was stunned to see Nabiki huddled in a corner. Her arms were warped around her legs. Her head rested on her knees. She was slowly rocking back and forth.
"Nabiki?" Ranma said softly as he closed the door.
Nabiki didn't respond.
"Nabiki," he said again.
Nabiki lifted up her head allowing Ranma a clear view of her tearstained face.
"Ranma," she whispered sounding dazed.
When he saw her black eye and torn lip, anger washed over him sharping his voice. "Who did this?"
Nabiki whimpered and pulled her knees closer to her chest.
Ranma immediately softened his voice. "Nabiki, what happened?"
Nabiki looked up. "I...I..I.." she stammered before giving up the effort. She laid her head back down.
Ranma got down on the floor and began approaching her as he would a wild animal.
"Nabiki, it's just me, Ranma. I won't hurt you. I promise."
Ranma closed the distance between them. He reached out his hand. His hand paused inches away from her knees.
"Come on Nabiki. You know you can trust me. I won't hurt you or allow anyone to hurt you."
Nabiki head raised. She stared at Ranma and then she slowly reached out her hand. Just when their hand almost touched, Nabiki pulled her hand away.
"Nabiki?" he questioned softly.
Ranma moved to get up and leave her alone. Nabiki shook her head no. Ranma sat back down his weight resting on his heels.
He waited patitently for Nabiki to speak. After several minutes of silence, Nabiki started her story speaking in a monotone voice.
Ranma walked down the street. His trim, muscular body drew many admiring glances from passerby's. His gray blue eyes and long black hair tied in a ponytail earned him a staring role in many fantasies. Ranma, however, was oblivious to the attention he was getting.
They had just arrived in New York, yesterday, but already he wanted to go home. In fact, he hadn't wanted to come here in the first place. He remembered how a few months ago, Akane had come rushing in as the family was sitting down to lunch. Her face was flushed and her brown eyes glowed with excitement. She was clutching a letter in her right hand which she was waving about excubantly.
"I'm in," she said racing around the table.
"In what?" Kasumi asked.
Too excited to talk she handed the letter to Kasumi.
"Oh my," she said.
"Go on, read it out loud," Akane said.
"Dear Akane Tendo, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Julian School of Fine Arts..."
Akane interrupted Kasumi. "Isn't it great. I only applied as a lark. I never thought I would get in."
"Akane, that's wonderful," Kasumi said.
"Akane, there's no way we can afford that," Nabiki said.
"Oh that's no problem. There's a contest for several full scholarships. All we have to pay for is the trip to New York so I can compete."
"Akane, what if you don't win?" Ranma asked softly.
"Well, then I won't go there. But I'm sure I'll win."
And so it was decided Akane, Ranma, Kasumi, and Nabiki would head to New York. Soun and Gema would remain in Japan. Noduk would stay with them keeping them out of trouble.
Ranma entered the hotel. He knew Akane really wanted to win the full scholarship to Julienne's. If she won this week, she would be returning to New York to attend school. Ranma was worried. He was scared of what would happen to their relationship. Already they survived multiple fiancées, interfering parents, and his curse. But he was afraid that a long distance relationship would be the straw that broke the camel's back. Was their relationship strong enough to withstand four years of separation? He honestly didn't know.
He opened their room door. The four of them were sharing a room in order to save money. Ranma entered the room. He was stunned to see Nabiki huddled in a corner. Her arms were warped around her legs. Her head rested on her knees. She was slowly rocking back and forth.
"Nabiki?" Ranma said softly as he closed the door.
Nabiki didn't respond.
"Nabiki," he said again.
Nabiki lifted up her head allowing Ranma a clear view of her tearstained face.
"Ranma," she whispered sounding dazed.
When he saw her black eye and torn lip, anger washed over him sharping his voice. "Who did this?"
Nabiki whimpered and pulled her knees closer to her chest.
Ranma immediately softened his voice. "Nabiki, what happened?"
Nabiki looked up. "I...I..I.." she stammered before giving up the effort. She laid her head back down.
Ranma got down on the floor and began approaching her as he would a wild animal.
"Nabiki, it's just me, Ranma. I won't hurt you. I promise."
Ranma closed the distance between them. He reached out his hand. His hand paused inches away from her knees.
"Come on Nabiki. You know you can trust me. I won't hurt you or allow anyone to hurt you."
Nabiki head raised. She stared at Ranma and then she slowly reached out her hand. Just when their hand almost touched, Nabiki pulled her hand away.
"Nabiki?" he questioned softly.
Ranma moved to get up and leave her alone. Nabiki shook her head no. Ranma sat back down his weight resting on his heels.
He waited patitently for Nabiki to speak. After several minutes of silence, Nabiki started her story speaking in a monotone voice.