Melting

Chapter Three: Melted

When Nabiki opened her eyes she was in her own room, in her own bed. She snuggled in deeper, preparing for another few hours sleep. She felt perfectly at ease, there was nothing to worry about, and she could sleep in and then eat some delicious breakfast and— Shampoo! How could she have forgotten about that crazy Amazon? She bolted upright and then screamed when she saw a body on her floor, then shut her mouth when she realized just who's body it was.

Ranma jerked up, hair disheveled, and blurted "Whozit! Whazit?" before her eyes settled on Nabiki. "Oh yeah . . ." the currently red-headed female calmed down and yawned. "Mornin' Nabs."

Nabiki forbear her usual remark at the nickname, choosing instead to ask "What the hell are you doing in here? And why are you a girl right now?"

Ranma stretched. "Yeah, that. I told everyone I was gonna sleep in your room so I'd know if Shampoo came for ya again, and even though they thought it was a good idea Kasumi said it wasn't appropriate— so I decided being a girl would make the point moot." He shrugged in a well-what-can-ya-do kind of way.

Nabiki pursed her lips. "Oh. Well, thanks, Ranma." She stood up, noticing she was still clad in last night's dress. "I'm gonna go freshen up."

She turned to leave, and stopped by Ranma as though suddenly remembering something. "Oh, yeah."

Nabiki kissed a shocked Ranma with as much passion as she could muster so early in the morning and without having freshly brushed teeth. "Not so much of a moot point. I don't mind your female side." She winked at the stuttering girl and walked out of her room.

Breakfast that morning was more fun than Nabiki could ever remember it being. She made a point of catching Ranma's eye at every opportunity, and the now-male martial artist (having procured some of the water Kasumi kindly kept warm on the stove) would, upon meeting her eyes, turn a bright red and look away as quickly as possible. To her disappointment he quickly figured out that if he was staring down at his soup he wouldn't be able to meet her eyes, and her game ended.

The rest of the family noticed their exchanges but wisely remained silent.

After a while of awkward silence, Soun Tendo cleared his throat and lowered his newspaper, causing the whole family (Genma-panda and Nodoka Saotome included) to turn his way. "I have an announcement."

"Not another one!" Kasumi blurted uncharacteristically, before putting a hand to her mouth, ashamed of her outburst. "I mean . . ."

"She means that we've had enough of big announcements," Akane interrupted, settling a reassuring hand on her older sister's arm. "No offense meant, dad, but the last two completely turned our lives around and now we have a crazy Amazon after Nabiki."

Nabiki shuddered.

Soun turned completely serious eyes on her. "Yes. That is what I wish to speak of." Suddenly Soun looked very uncomfortable, and was obviously looking everywhere than at his old friend Genma. "I, er, that is-"

"What is it, Father?" Kasumi asked gently.

"I believe we should cancel the engagement agreement between the Tendo and Saotome families!" Soun finally blurted, and thrust his newspaper up between him and his shocked family.

"GROWF?" Genma-panda growled, hauling his ever-present sign out of wherever he hid it and bashing Soun on the head.

"What?" Ranma looked like he couldn't decide whether or not to be furious or confused. He glanced at Nabiki who was staring at the table, trying to sort through the crush of emotions that was strangling out her rational thought. She was trying her hardest to understand her dad's thought process. What would lead him to destroying the agreement that he had worked for years to force on his youngest daughter?

With a splash of water, Genma was in human form. He dropped the tea kettle to the side and began shouting.

"Stop." Nabiki's voice wasn't loud enough. She felt too shocked to force the energy necessary to shout. Nobody heard her over the commotion.

"Yo! LISTEN UP!" Ranma shouted, moving over to sit down next to her. He slid his hand under hers and held on tightly.

Silence ensued.

Nabiki glared icily around the room. "Is that really necessary?" she demanded. "Must you all act like children whenever you hear something you don't like?"

Ranma squeezed her hand, bringing her back to the moment and the problem at hand. She gave him half a smile and then faced her father. "Right. So, Dad, you are considering dropping the engagement contract between you and Mr. Saotome, who obviously disagrees with you. I can only assume this change of heart was brought on by recent events?"

Soun Tendo nodded, tears leaking into his moustache. "Much as it pains me to admit it."

Nabiki nodded slowly, understanding coming. "You're worried that Shampoo will actually succeed in hurting me. You were never as worried for Akane because she's a martial artist and can theoretically defend herself."

"Hey!"

Nabiki ignored her younger sister. "Shampoo also never used to attack so viciously, the reason for which hasn't yet been discovered. Based on something she said to me, I suspect she's tired of living in Japan and wants to return to the Joketsuzoku with her 'airen'."

"Like hell she will," Ranma muttered, before holding up his hands in apology for interrupting with a quick grin.

"What I really want to know," Nabiki continued, "Is if Cologne is aware that her great-granddaughter has progressed from annoyance to attempted murderer."

Silence.

" . . . do you think Cologne would care?" Akane ventured, looking kind of confused. "I mean, she wants Shampoo to succeed. I thought she wanted Ranma for the Joketsuzoku."

Nabiki nodded. Ranma was silent, but had an expression of growing appreciation on his face as he looked at her.

"Cologne may want Ranma to come to the Amazon village, but she must realize that if Shampoo kills a Japanese citizen then the Japanese government will take a very pointed interest in the Amazons. Interest that a village that small can't afford if they want to survive another 3,000 years."

"You mean to threaten the existence of a whole culture," Akane breathed, looking kind of fierce.

"Isn't that . . . vindictive?" Kasumi asked, and Nabiki turned to her with a shark's smile.

"Would you rather wait until I'm dead before attempting revenge?" she asked, and Kasumi looked horrified. "Because I'd prefer attacking them first."

"Oh, no, Nabiki!" Kasumi protested, "I would never want— of course, if you think it's necessary—"

Nabiki wasn't paying attention to her sisters anymore. Ranma was looking at her, his eyes burning with a fierce flame. "It's perfect," he said, voice low. "Nabiki—"

"But what of the engagement?" Soun interrupted, and annoyance flashed through the couple's eyes.

"Honestly!" Akane muttered in the background. "Timing, daddy!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes at her slow father, before looking pointedly at their entwined hands. "There is no point to breaking off the engagement," she said slowly. "Ranma and I are together now."

"Not to mention I've had just about enough of you two interfering," Ranma continued, looking menacingly at the two patriarchs. "Nabiki and I are the only ones calling the shots for the engagement now." Ranma turned to Nabiki. "Let's go deal with Shampoo." He cracked his knuckles absently.

"Cologne," Nabiki corrected, smiling at him at his obvious anxiousness to get to the fight. He smiled back. That did it.

"Waaaaaaaah! The families will be joined!" Happy tears gushed from Soun Tendo's eyes.

Genma danced over. "The schools will be joined!"

They clasped hands, looking upwards soulfully for a moment before snapping their heads around to Ranma and Nabiki. "The wedding will be tomorrow!"

Nabiki felt a headache brewing. "Oh. My. God. Get a grip."

Ranma stepped protectively in front of her. "No way, Pops, Mr. Tendo. You guys want the families to be joined? The only way that's gonna happen is if you give us our space. Let us do this our way."

With his aura crackling menacingly, the two fathers would have been even bigger fools to challenge him. They immediately backed down. "P-perhaps we should continue this discussion at a later date, Saotome," Soun Tendo squeaked.

"Indeed, Tendo." Genma cowered behind his friend.

Ranma turned his back on the cowardly duo and lifted Nabiki effortlessly to her feet.

"Thanks for breakfast, Kasumi," Nabiki said as she was dragged happily from the building. "Wish us luck with Cologne!"

Akane and Kasumi looked kind of flabbergasted. "Er . . .good luck!"

Ranma pulled Nabiki to his side and she smirked up at him, ready to do battle. Her way. "Let's do this."

Nabiki strode her way through town, feeling powerful, feeling strong, remembering how it felt to crush someone beneath her heel with manipulation and cunning and threats. She was ready to crush Shampoo. The damn Amazon had caused enough trouble for her family and more than enough trouble for Ranma— there was no way she was letting Shampoo think she was the boss anymore.

Her eyes swept the streets, aware of all that was happening, feeling completely aware of her body and in control of her mind and what was going on and— she blinked. Somehow she had been moved from streets and into a side alley without being aware of it and was now being kissed to within an inch of her life. Nabiki shut off her mind, wound her arms around Ranma's neck, and returned his kiss.

When Ranma broke away and rested his forehead against hers he was panting. Nabiki was surprised to realize that she was too.

"That was so hot," he breathed, closing his eyes before reluctantly sliding his hand from underneath her shirt.

"What?" she asked, slightly bewildered.

He smirked. "You— planning how to take out Shampoo, telling off our dads, being in control. I like you like that."

His eyes swept down her body and Nabiki straightened her shirt, feeling frazzled and wishing they were at home and in her bedroom, not in an alley off a busy street.

Peeking surreptitiously out to make sure no one noticed them creeping from the alley, they dashed back onto the main road before settling into a sedate pace. All too soon, they ended up at the entrance to the Nekohanten. It wasn't yet the lunch hour, and so the sign on the door indicated the restaurant wouldn't open for another two hours.

"Ready?" Ranma asked, steeling his shoulders, and with a nod from Nabiki, he knocked.

The door flung open so fast Nabiki nearly fell over from the wind, but Ranma caught her easily with one hand and set her back on her feet, all without taking his eyes off the purple-haired Amazon.

"Airen! You come to take Shampoo?" she squealed, before her eyes landed on the brown-haired Tendo scowling at Ranma's side. All the light left Shampoo's eyes and her voice hardened. "What you want here?"

Ranma pushed past Shampoo, pulling the suddenly reluctant Nabiki behind him. It was one thing to plan when she was safe at the Tendo breakfast table, and another to face Shampoo in a closed building.

"I ain't here to see you," he said to Shampoo, and Nabiki marveled at how even though he was doing his best to ignore the Amazon as she trailed him Ranma never let Shampoo disappear from his vision, the way you always keep your enemy in your sights.

"What Airen mean?" Shampoo pressed close and Nabiki had to stop herself from shoving the Amazon off her man. Another pushing match really wouldn't help matters at the moment, as satisfying as the mental picture of Shampoo flying ass over teakettle was.

Ranma did it for her.

Shampoo let out a gasp as she stumbled back a few steps, and he took a step towards her before roaring, "Dammit! What the hell does it take to get it through your head, Shampoo? I don't want you! Your stupid law doesn't mean a thing to me, and I wish I'd never laid eyes on you and your damn first place prize! I want you the hell away from me, and," his voice dropped menacingly, as did the temperature in the room, "I swear, if you lay a finger on Nabiki again, I will end you."

"What's all this, Son-in-law?" Cologne hopped into the room on her staff, and Nabiki felt the tension in the room skyrocket. She flinched closer to Ranma.

"Ranma! How dare you speak that way to my Shampoo!" Mousse rocketed into the room and dropped faster than Nabiki could blink, knocked out courtesy of the Amazon Elder.

"Stupid interfering boy," Cologne grumbled at her part-time waiter. She turned rheumy eyes on Ranma and Nabiki. "So. What is you have come to say to me, son-in-law?"

Nabiki stepped forwards. "We," she stressed, "Would like to talk to you. In private."

Cologne inclined her head. Shampoo started shrieking in Mandarin, jumping up to argue with her great-grandmother, jabbing her finger at Ranma and Nabiki respectively before gesturing to herself. Cologne replied in short tones, and both youths were surprised to see Shampoo stalk outside and hop on her bike before taking off.

"There. We are alone," Cologne said calmly, and she hopped into the back kitchen, Ranma and Nabiki following, and they saw that they had apparently interrupted Cologne's morning tea. "Thirsty?"

"No thanks," Nabiki said swiftly, cutting off any reply Ranma might make. She would hope that after being drugged so many times by Shampoo that he would be wary of any foods or drinks offered, but he thought with his stomach so much of the time . . .

"Suit yourself," Cologne cackled slightly as she settled in her seat.

Ranma and Nabiki sat down at the small table, glancing uneasily at each other. Shrugging mentally, Nabiki leaned forward.

"We are here to discuss Shampoo's recent attempt on my life," Nabiki said plainly, and was satisfied to see Cologne's eyebrows go up in surprise.

"I am unaware of any such proceedings," Cologne replied slowly, "Furthermore, I find it unlikely that Shampoo would take such measures without my approval."

Ranma slapped his hands down on the table, leaning forward, practically snarling. "Believe it, Old Ghoul—"

Nabiki touched his arm and he relented. "Shampoo hasn't yet done anything that could be construed as attempted murder," she said coolly, "but she has threatened and assaulted me, and made it plain that if I don't give up Ranma, that 'obstacles are for killing'."

"Yes, that does sound like my great-granddaughter," Cologne murmured, before folding her hands on the table. "And what would you like me to do about this?"

Nabiki thought about her answer, taking a second to look at the man being fought over. Ranma was practically vibrating in his seat with impatience, and she bit back a smile. He obviously would rather be fighting this out than discussing it rationally.

"My first choice is for you to bop Shampoo on the head like you just did Mousse and take her home to China," Nabiki answered bluntly, startling a laugh from the withered village elder.

"That would never work," Ranma interjected, "Shampoo chased me across an ocean when she wanted to kill me, and now that she's been here so long trying to marry me her honor would be irreparably damaged if she returned empty-handed. She wouldn't stay in China."

Nabiki favored him with a grin. "Exactly."

"And so?" Cologne prompted, for all appearances having all the time in the world.

Nabiki got serious again, but left a smile on her face, sure this next suggestion would be shot down as well. "Make Shampoo realize Ranma will never be hers and get over it."

This time she caught Cologne in the middle of sipping her tea, and she dodged as the elder shot tea out of her nose before subsiding into a wheezing pile.

"How do you propose I do that?" Cologne asked after getting a hold of herself. "Shampoo is a headstrong girl."

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Please. You're one of the village elders. Your word is practically law; she has to obey you. As for the how, I don't care if you order her, or if you stick that stupid Reversal Jewel on her, or if you use that memory-loss shampoo . . . just get her outta here."

"Mmm." Cologne sipped her tea, casting an eye over the mule-faced Ranma. He was slouched in the chair, arms crossed, glaring at Cologne. "And you, son-in-law? What do you think of all this?"

"Ya know how I feel, Old Ghoul," he said tightly. "I want Shampoo the hell outta my life and away from Nabiki."

"And you care nothing for her honor? For the punishment that awaits her should she fail in her mission?" Cologne persisted.

"Hell with that!" Ranma bolted upright, glaring ferociously at her. "Where was Shampoo's honor when I was fighting her for that stupid prize my pops ate? An honorable martial artist would have laid out the stakes before fighting! All I think is I gotta fight some Amazon chick and if I win the prize is ours anyway, so it doesn't matter that my old man at it. It's not 'till after I defeat her she kisses me and says she's gonna kill me! Same thing with her stupid Kiss of Marriage."

He stopped, breathing hard. "It was one thing when she was just like Ukyo, ya know, with their stupid competitions to get me, and even with them sometimes attackin' Akane, she could hold her own. Mostly."

Ice started forming around Ranma's body in his cold rage, spreading out until Nabiki was shivering and Cologne's tea crackled as it turned to ice. "But no honorable martial artist threatens someone who ain't got a way to protect themselves. Shampoo threatening Nabiki was the last straw."

Cologne was looking serious now. Nabiki suspected that the village elder had just been humoring them at the beginning and it wasn't until she saw how dead-serious Ranma was that it sank in, and just now realized they weren't playing around.

"Regardless of your feelings, Shampoo must follow our laws," Cologne said slowly, setting down her frozen cup and looking directly at Ranma. "She has done nothing that I need rebuke her for. She still has my support in her pursuit of you, son-in-law."

Ranma started to trembled with rage.

Nabiki quickly changed tactics and disengaged her big guns. She leaned closer, smiling disarmingly. "So, Cologne. Let's talk business."

Twenty minutes later Ranma and Nabiki showed themselves out the door, leaving a shell-shocked Cologne sitting motionless in the kitchen.

Ranma was practically leaping in the air with uncontainable glee. "That was amazing, Nabiki! How did you know all that?"

"Oh, it was nothing," she said modestly, smiling her thanks as he held the door for her and they started on their way home. "Just some things I've picked up over time."

"That was even better than using a Hiryu Shoten Ha on her!" he crowed triumphantly, nipping his hands in at her waist and tossing her up in the air. Nabiki shrieked and clung to him when she came down to prevent another flight, but he was too exuberant to notice. "Didja see how she just froze when you started talking?"

She smiled in fond reminiscence. He kissed her, missing her mouth in his excitement, and just kept talking. "C'mon, Nabs, how'd you get all that to blackmail her with?"

"Oh, here and there," she said, laughing. "And don't call me that!"

"Seriously," he said, slowing down to actually look her in the eye. "You threatened to remove her diplomatic immunity, get Shampoo and Mousse sent back through something with a working visa, have the Nekohanten closed down within a week, to dry up any resources they had in Japan, call the police and some ninjas, write the newspapers and sell their information, and something about a black-ops team extraction if all else failed."

"It pays to have your ear to the ground," was all she would say. " I learned a lot when daddy was into politics when we were younger. Some of his old sake-buddies weren't as good a guy as daddy is, and they let a lot slip when they were drunk. It also helps to cultivate friends in high places. And have them owe you a favor or five." She smirked at her finally speechless boyfriend.

"Come on, Ranma," Nabiki pulled him along faster, feeling like she might catch fire at any moment. The ache that had started when he pulled her into the alley had built throughout the meeting— especially when Ranma had used his Soul of Ice technique unwittingly— and she desperately needed him touching her.

"What?" he asked blankly, still high from their battle of wits with Cologne, before his eyes settled on hers.

She watched the light-bulb go off above his head as his eyes settled on her flushed face, her suddenly too-tight shirt. He flashed her a smirk, her teeth sank in her lower lip, and suddenly she was in his arms and they were speeding towards the Tendo home, laughing with the thrill of it all.

Fine.

A/N Thank you all for your lovely reviews and suggestions, I appreciate them more than I can say. Though Melted does not have a traditional ending where all the plot strings are tied up into a neat bow, I like to think that the main idea, that of Nabiki allowing Ranma in close enough to met her heart, was presented in a way that leaves you in no doubt of the ending. Please let me know what you think of it! Love always, Princessvamp