A Lesson in Love Chapter XV: Obsessions
By Marisa Price
This story is copyright to Marisa Price, 1997, all rights reserved. Based
on characters created by and copyright to Rumiko Takahashi.

Dear Readers,

First of all, I think I need to make a brief statement concerning my
feelings about Nabiki Tendo. I think she is one of the most manipulative,
conniving, selfish, arrogant, and conceited characters in the Ranma 1/2
Universe. This does not come across so clearly in the anime episodes that
have been released so far by Viz (nor in the manga they have released 
in English), and I have not seen any of the later Japanese-only Ranma 1/2
anime episodes from later on, so I don't know how she acts there either.
I HAVE had access, however, to the Japanese manga and the subsequent
translations on the net, and I have read the entire Ranma 1/2 manga series
as Takahashi herself presented it, and (after finishing it) that's how I got the
idea for this whole saga... I digested what I believed to be Takahashi's 
"characterization" plan, and then tried to take it to a whole new level, 
fleshing out characters as if they were finally changing and growing up,
instead of the constant "on and off" again situation in the manga, the 
characters frozen perpetually in their Sophomore year.
	Obviously I didn't stick to a lot of the steps that seemed 
obvious from the conclusion of the Ranma 1/2 manga; namely my setting
up of Ryouga and Ukyou. However, I feel that I gave reasons enough
from the plot of _A Lesson in Love_ to support their relationship, and
I did not try to depend on sources for their relationship within the manga
(which were, quite frankly, tenuous at best). However, with Nabiki, I feel
that I am doing my best to work with Nabiki's attitudes and cold-hearted
ways as depicted in the manga.
	Nabiki does some really rotten things in Ranma 1/2. Here, in
the first of my chapters to be put into HTML so far, is a picture
from one of the mangas of Nabiki dressed as a devil, manipulating
the strings of the people around her as if they were marionettes. 
She sets up Ranma time and time again, even though she knows it will
jeopardize the relationship that everyone can see is forming between
him and Akane (even though neither will admit it). She does everything
from "stealing" him from Akane as a fiancee (to the point where it
hurts both Ranma and Akane before she gives in and "lets them" get
back together), to purposely inviting every arch-enemy and potential
wife of Ranma's to his and Akane's wedding (which both Ranma and
Akane seemed ready to accept, having basically admitted their feelings
after the whole China saga) in order to get more wedding gifts/$$ from
the wedding!
	Do not fear, Nabiki-lovers. I see redemption for her, and this
chapter and the next are going to be dedicated to figuring out what makes
Nabiki tick. After all, the question is, 'WHY is Nabiki like this?' Somehow
I see all of this linked to the Tendo mother's death (as many other authors
have  done). However, I think there IS a heart inside Nabiki, but she needs
to find her own soul first. I hope, once I get there, you see why I went down this 
path.

Thank-you for reading,

Marisa Price



Chapter XV: Obsessions

*Note: This takes place the night of and the day after Chapter XIV: Lost Causes*

Dear Diary,

	What a year it's been so far! I still can't believe we've
come such a long way. Sorry it's been awhile since I have 
written, but sometimes it's easier to write when you are depressed
then when you are happy; and I have been so happy these past few
weeks! I decided that I should finally fill this book with my joys 
instead of my complaints. After all, so many things have been
happening and I have been really busy.
	Well, Ranma proposed to me, and we made it official that
we are going to get married... eventually. But I told you that awhile
ago. I still love him, more and more each day it seems.
	Ryouga and Ukyou look as if they might have finally got it
together too, to the surprise of just about everyone, but it seems
that he wasn't quite as hopeless as everyone thought. I'm not sure if
they have admitted their feelings to each other yet, but after
that whole mess a while back the two of them settled down into
a life of school and work and training. They spend just about every 
minute of the day with each other! Ranma and I both agree that it's 
bound to turn into love (sort of like Ranma and I did, I guess). I don't
know what that means for Akari, and I am a bit worried about her. She
is such a nice person. I guess we'll find out more eventually. But, despite
that worry, it's nice to see Ukyou and Ryouga happy for once. Ryouga
doesn't get lost nearly as much now, and Ukyou actually has a smile on
her face whenever Ranma and I come to visit, and she is genuinely trying
to become a true friend to me. To be quite honest, I am glad that Ukyou
and Ryouga look like they are going to end up together. Of all of the 
people that Ranma  attracted to Nerima since he first came, I like them the
best; I am glad that they were the ones who stayed even after Ranma and I 
got together and life seemed to completely change.
	The "change" included the loss of Shampoo and Mousse, who
went back to China. I thought I would be glad when she was finally gone,
but somehow it feels empty here without her bright smile and crazy antics. 
I just hope that she is happy back in China, and that she will finally give up 
on Ranma as a lost cause.
	Speaking of lost causes, Kuno finally gave up on Ranma! Why? 
Because he fell in love with my sister Nabiki! That shocked me at first, 
when Ranma told me tonight, but now I think that she must have been 
really jealous when he had made that speech at the beginning of sophomore
year about defeating me in order to date me. I didn't realize it back then, but
she might have had a crush on Kuno. I still don't really understand why she 
likes him, but he HAS been a lot better since the two started dating.
	I wonder if he is going to ask her to the Senior Dance coming up?
It's been combined with the Junior Dance, and Ranma already asked me to go.
I guess I will have to ask her in the morning! I really want to look
good for Ranma... and to make all those other girls jealous! Hah!
	Well, that's all I can really tell you right now, Diary, except to
say again that I am happy with Ranma, and I love him so much. He said 
that as soon as school gets out in May, he is going to leave for China
with Ryouga. I don't want them to go, but I know that it means a lot to 
him. I guess we'll just cross that bridge when we come to it.
	Well, he's back from brushing his teeth and nagging at me to 
come to bed. It turns out that the baka is actually a romantic at heart,
he likes to just hold me at night "to make sure that I am safe." Of course 
our fathers thought that there HAD to be something else going on, but, 
after nights of spying, it looks as if they finally gave up. After being 
'checked on' by them and by Nabiki, even Nodoka decided to 'assess' how
her son was acting by cracking open the door hours after we had gone to
bed. I hope she didn't think it was 'unmanly' of Ranma not even to TRY
anything... but she didn't say a word about it, so I suppose she must 
already be convinced of his manliness.
	It looks as if Ranma decided to go to bed without me, as he's
curled up on the side of the bed closest to the wall, snoring loudly. Either 
that or he is just trying to irritate me enough to get me to come to bed.
Well, it's working.
	Sorry to cut this short, diary, but it is getting late and we have 
school tomorrow!
		More later,
			Akane


****************

Part I: Memories

	Nabiki fingered a heavy green jade pendant that hung between her
breasts. It was trivial, really, and merely one of the long list of gifts
she had received recently from dear Kuno-chan.
	She held a pale sunflower up to her nose and breathed in its
fragrance as she stared calmly out at the stars. It was late, and everyone
else had gone to sleep long before; Akane was no doubt wrapped in the arms
of her fiancé, content with life.
	Nabiki pulled petals off the sunflower one by one and let them
fall out the window, sending them floating on the mild breeze to land 
gently on the pond below, barely disturbing its surface. She looked after
the yellow blades impassively, and relaxed back against the window sill,
staring idly at another slightly-wilted sunflower in a vase on her desk.
	A voice called in the back of her mind, a breath of memory, "A
bright girl like you deserves equally magnificent flowers..."
	She shrugged the whisper aside, tossing it into the pile of her
past.
	Nabiki liked to stay up late. It was one small freedom she had,
and Nabiki felt like those minute freedoms were important enough to hold
onto with both fists. She needed a little something to help her get through
each day in this house of lunacy where she had to live. Only a few more
months. If she could just hold tight a little bit longer...
	She finally hopped off the windowsill and slid open a drawer,
grabbing out a faded blue cotton shirt.
	Nabiki started to dress for bed, and slipped into the long T-shirt
and a clean pair of underwear before she stretched out her arms and yawned,
suddenly dropping to the floor in the splits. She turned herself sideways
and brought her legs together in front, and then started to do her nightly
leg lift exercises. She counted 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26... and mused as she 
kicked out at the air as if it was a punching bag.
	Somehow the numbers began to change into the chant, "Fight, fight,
fight..."
	Nabiki had always had to fight for what she liked... fight to be
herself. She had fiercely resisted both Kasumi and her father's efforts to
make her dress in frilly dresses and such. Father was obsessive about 
having ideal daughters, wanting them to be "just like their mother."
	Nabiki snorted at that and then switched legs. Whatever her mother
had been, she seriously doubted she would have approved of Soun's
fathering techniques, nor of his tendency to compare them to a dead model,
a model perfect in that she was long past making mistakes.
	Only Kasumi had met his expectations. She was perfect, accomplished,
modest, and excessively feminine. She did the cooking and cleaning and
took care of her father and sisters. Kasumi catered to her father's every
whim, always with a benign smile and a cheerful tone.
	24,25,26,27...
	It was ridiculous.
	Kasumi had, in the process, effectively lost her entire
personality, her spark, her vitality. Instead she lived for the family,
and not for whatever it was that Kasumi might have once wanted.
	Nabiki would NEVER let such a thing happen to herself.
	Nabiki had tried to talk to Kasumi about it for years, conscious
that the enigmatic older sister she knew before their mother's death had
become almost a zombie, a facade. Kasmui had been a wonderful student,
quick to learn anything, including martial arts skills from her father and
cooking from her mother. Kasumi had been almost as much of a tomboy as
Akane was later on, always climbing things and getting into trouble.
Nabiki remembered being the younger sister, trying to catch up with
Kasumi, but never quite able.
	Nabiki dropped her leg to the floor and took a few deep breaths,
and then lowered her back to rest on the floor, turning her eyes up to stare
at the ceiling.
	Mom had died and everything went crazy.
	Nabiki was halfway to seven when it happened, and she remembered
just that the house suddenly lost its warmth and its life; as if a huge
dark storm cloud had decided to come sleep on the Tendo rooftops. Akane was
so little then that the initial pain of their mother's death had confused
her more than anything. Akane spent days afterward asking "When is Mommy
going to come home?"
	Soun was, of course, disconsolate at every query; he could not
seem to look at any of his daughters, they reminded him so much of his
wife. Especially Kasumi and Akane, who were her mirror images. Soun had
finally locked himself up in the family shrine, and no one, friend nor
family, and been able to persuade him to come out. Eventually everyone
gave up and just decided to wait it out.
	At the time, Nabiki hadn't been able to answer Akane's questions
either. Nabiki was still young enough that she had only a small comprehension
of death- all she knew was what they had been told. Mommy had to go away,
and she couldn't come back.
	It was Kasumi who finally answered Akane.
	Nabiki remembered Kasumi's transformation as if it was yesterday,
and her older sister's words still echoed in her ears. It all began with
that answer.
	Kasumi had been hit the hardest by their mother's death, as she
had found her on that horrible morning, asleep but not asleep. Kasumi had
come in to find out why her mother was taking so long to get up, as they
had so much laundry to do that day, and she had told Kasumi to be up early.
Soun had been up since dawn, practicing in the Dojo with the students he
had at the time.
	Apparently Kasumi had tried to wake their mother up, but Mother
would never wake again.

	"A hole in the heart...."
	"She must have had it since childhood...."
	"There was nothing anyone could do, it just stopped beating while
she was sleeping...."
	"If only we had known that she had this problem before this
happened...."

	The voices had echoed uncomprehendingly around them at the funeral,
as they watched their mother's ashes carefully deposited in the family shrine.
The girls had all lit a stick of incense and prayed, little Akane saying, "I don't
know why we're here, but they say we're supp'sed to talk to Mommy.
Mommy, this incense smells really pretty, I think you would like it a lot.
Do you think we can buy some the next time we go to the market? I feel
funny talking to you even though you aren't here, Mama...."
	Nabiki and Kasumi just held hands, staring at their sister, having
already finished their offering. Kasumi had tears freely running down her
cheeks, and her hair hung in bunches around her face. The lacy dark
crinoline dress she wore was crumpled up in one hand, and the other held
Nabiki's fiercely. Nabiki remembered looking up at her sister and
wondering why she was crying, not understanding at that point, as Akane
didn't, what being dead meant.
	Three days after the funeral, Akane had come up and thrown herself
at Nabiki and Kasumi. Kasumi reached her arms down and held the small
mirror of herself close.
	Akane began to sob and then flooded Kasumi with questions,
"Oneesama, where is Mama? Why won't she come back? Doesn't she love us
anymore? Why is Daddy being so mean? Why are there so many people in our
house, people we don't know? They smell funny and they aren't very nice. I
want my mommy! Where IS she?"
	Kasumi began to cry too, and then swept her two little sisters to
her. She said, softly, "Akane, Nabiki. Mommy didn't REALLY go away
forever. See, Mommy couldn't stay here anymore because her body wasn't
very strong, and she had to leave that body behind and she became a
beautiful spirit."
	"A spirit?" Akane asked, her eyes wide.
	Kasumi nodded and then added, "Yes, a beautiful glowing spirit,
dressed in the most wondrous gold and white kimono, but invisible.
Mommy was sad that she could see us, but we couldn't see her, and sad that
she couldn't give us hugs anymore or kiss daddy. So you know what?"
	"What?" Nabiki remembered herself asking, chagrined though she was
now that she had fallen into the same trap as Akane.
	"Well," Kasumi smiled a distant smile, "Mama said that she would
combine her spirit with mine if I would help to take her place. So from
now on, -I- am going to be Mommy. Her spirit is still in me, and I will
take care of you and cook and clean and make everyone happy just like she
used to do."
	Akane's eyes were still round, and she peered differently at
Kasumi, as if expecting to see her glowing with her Mother's spirit.
Finally she poked Kasumi softly, and then said, "You don't feel like a
spirit of Mama, Oneesama!"
	Their older sister had smiled a secret smile and said, "Oh, you
can't see it or feel it, but she's there inside me. I promise. And I'll
make sure that Mommy is always there for you while you still need her."
	Nabiki finally stood and went to go turn off the light. She
flopped down on her bed, and looked outside the window at the quiet
evening glow. She sighed, wondering why she was having all these memories
rush at her. All they did was make her angry.
	Kasmui DID become their mother, by emulating their mother in every
way, until, effectively, she had BECOME their mother.
	But their mother had been vital, alive with hope and dreams and
happiness with her life, her husband, and her children. Mother had what
Kasumi didn't: a knowledge of herself and her passions. Kasumi had buried
her emotions, buried her dreams.
	Father wasn't any better. Kasumi had finally cajoled him out of
his retreat into the shrine with the smell of his wife's famous pork buns.
He had come outside and stared at the tray that Kasumi held, and then at
her.
	Nabiki stood tentatively behind her sister, staring with fascinated
horror at her bedraggled father. 
	Soun said, "Kasumi? Nabiki?"
	Kasumi smiled her mother's angelic smile, the smile that was to be
her trademark, and said, "Father, come eat, please. . ."
	And, entranced, Soun followed her as she turned to walk to the
dining room, Nabiki lagging behind the two of them.
	Soun was never the same, despite the fact that Kasumi broke
through the wall of his pain with her transformation. He had always been a
weak man, but he was far worse these past twelve years. He had from that
point on ignored the pain his children were suffering, preferring to never
mention his wife's death unless necessary. He had never taught again.
	Nabiki often hated him for his weaknesses, just as she had long
ago lost her admiration for the sister who had sold her soul.
	Akane had handled it all in a different way. Nabiki had to
grudgingly admire her younger sister, despite her naiveté. Akane had
thrown herself into her martial arts, even though their father had been
too useless to train her. Akane had focused on the basic things she
had been taught before their mother had died, and perfected those to the
best of her ability. Everything else was secondary, and Akane never did
learn to cook or to do any of the arts that Nabiki and Kasumi had been
taught by their mother.
	Nabiki had felt sorry for Akane, and watched as she grew into a
beautiful young woman, far more lovely than her sisters, an exact picture
of their mother but without the grace and the ethereal calm. Akane had
come to be violent and to despise all men. It was a joke really, that 
someone as lovely and special as Akane would hate men; but, as the major
male figure in her life had always been so incredibly weak, it was no surprise.
	Nabiki actually had to agree with Akane that men were relatively
despicable, but Nabiki never thought they were USELESS. Nabiki again
fingered the warm pendant. In fact some men were useful, even. . .
profitable.
	Akane had changed.
	Akane had failed in her oath that she hated men, she had lost her
whole heart to one, one as useless and despicable as they could come. Or
at least that was how Nabiki saw it.
	Ranma had sailed into the Tendo household like a full-winded boat
on the edge of a storm, his thunder and lightning disturbing the routine
that they had established in the decade since the passing of their mother.
The return of Genma Saotome and later Happosai had brought her father out
of the last of his dark world, and he began to laugh again with his old
friend and to remember the days when he was young and still full of life.
Ranma brought Akane alive, and instead of being the obsessive
boy-hater/amateur-martial-artist, she actually began to learn new lessons
and spend more time with a boy her age than she ever had before.
	Nabiki had observed the changes around her impassively, excited at
first about Ranma's arrival in that he might be a profitable resource. But
Ranma was a bit... DIFFERENT... than they had all expected, and Nabiki
quickly decided that Ranma might be useful, but definitely NOT as a
potential mate for herself. 
	Besides, the last thing she wanted in life was to inherit the
Tendo Dojo, which was Ranma's future as husband to a Tendo daughter.
Nabiki wanted to get the hell out of the place as soon as she came into
her inheritance.
	But Ranma. Ranma was perfect as AKANE'S fiancee. Nabiki figured
that Akane would beat him and pound him into submission, just as she had
done with all the other men in her life. Nabiki wasn't particularly worried
about Akane falling for Ranma. After all, Ranma was the epitome of all that
Akane disliked about men: unable to make decisions about his life, his 
desires, his feelings, and he was about as intelligent as a sack of bricks.
	At the time Nabiki had noticed that Akane liked another sort of
man: older, intelligent, kind, calm, dedicated. Someone like Dr. Tofu.
	Nabiki saw a brief shooting star fire across her window's square
patch of sky, and blinked to rid of herself of the light streak it left
behind.
	The worst had happened. Ranma had turned out to be a bit more than
Nabiki had bargained for, and that irritated her to no end. He wasn't
bright at book-learning, but he was a strong martial artist and clever at
techniques and strategy; and, although his love was occasionally a bit
obscured and convoluted, that strong emotion fairly glowed from him
whenever he looked at Akane. Ranma managed to poke and prod at Akane's
steel emotional barriers, trying to get behind and get close to the gentle
woman contained by them. Gradually the walls melted away, and Akane began
to return his fire and in the process helped to pull down Ranma's own
barriers. Ranma defended and protected Akane time and time again, and her
younger sister had finally fallen -and fallen hard- for a man.
	Nabiki damned him, gritting her teeth. She had attempted
everything to break them up. First in little ways, later by encouraging
the "other" fiancees that had shown up. She didn't like Ranma, didn't like
the way that he was changing and interfering with her family's (and
therefore her own) life. But nothing seemed to break Ranma and Akane's
bond. Finally, Nabiki had just decided to make a profit off of the
relationship. She managed to get money out of the other "fiancees" for
"advice" on how to win Ranma, Kuno bought countless of pictures of
female-Ranma, and then there were all the gifts that came with the
"unexpected guests" at the "wedding."
	Nabiki knew that money was everything.
	It was her key to getting out of this madhouse.
	She would have even sold those pictures of her sister and Ranma,
when they first started to be able to love each other. She WOULD have.
	But Ranma, damn him, had once again stopped her, and made her
think about things which were best suppressed. That time Ranma actually
turned his powerful will on Nabiki, and, she clenched her fists, she had
actually let him win.
	He had forced her to glimpse that which she had long ago tapped
down in herself: her loneliness, her fear, her need. Today when she was
telling him about Kuno was supposed to be nonchalant, letting Ranma know
that she was dating Kuno for her own purposes, and that she had not done
him any favors. But Ranma, in that enigmatic way of his that crept him
under your skin, had hugged her, HUGGED her! And once again made the voice
nag that perhaps she should let it go.
	But Nabiki knew that she would never let herself care about people
like that again. People were pawns, and she moved them about on the
chess-board of life, waiting for a checkmate.
	It took awhile, but Nabiki's thoughts finally stopped dueling with
memories and frustrations, and she made herself relax. Pulling the covers
up over her shoulders, she finally closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.


Part II: An Invitation to the Dance

	It seemed like only seconds later when Nabiki's ears jangled with
the sound of her alarm, and she reached her hand out to slap down the OFF
button. She opened her eyes slowly and noticed pale sunlight glowing 
on her soft lightweight comforter. Nabiki blinked a few times in the
sudden white brightness, then yawned and stretched her arms over her head.
	Turning slightly to peer at her alarm clock she saw the hands read
6:58 am; just enough time to get cleaned up, eat breakfast, and head off
to meet Nakoto at her house before walking the rest of the way to school.
Nabiki swung her legs over the side of the bed and then stood up, slipping
her feet into her fuzzy blue house-slippers. As she stood she caught the
faint shouts of Ranma and his father already dueling it out on the pond.
	"Don't they EVER take a break?" Nabiki muttered, her own voice 
sounding strange and sleepy in her ears. Grabbing a brush off the white 
vanity table, she ran it quickly through her hair, not bothering to look
at the result as she tossed it back down, clanging it against the mirror.
	Nabiki pulled her robe off the hanger on the back of the door and
shrugged into it, wrapping the tie around her waist before opening the way
to the hallway. The wood door slid open to reveal a disheveled, sleepy 
Akane, dressed like Nabiki, except in shades of yellow instead of blue.
	Akane visibly brightened upon seeing her sister, and Nabiki
inwardly sighed at her sister's cheerful smile.
	"Good MORNING, Oneechan!!" Akane enthused.
	Her eyes glazed over, but Nabiki hid it well as she turned to close
her door. She replied over her shoulder, "Yeah, mornin' Akane."
	Nabiki turned back to look at her sister and noticed that Akane's
smile was unusually bright, and, now that she was fully awake, she seemed 
to be on Cloud Nine. Akane had been a lot happier since her "understanding"
with Ranma, but this state of enthusiasm was unusual.
	"So, why are you so...HAPPY... this morning, Akane-chan?" Nabiki
probed, following her sister as they headed to the stairs to go down to
the bathroom.
	Akane giggled and Nabiki tried not to grimace. Akane, giggling,
was still too strange for Nabiki to deal with, especially so early in the 
morning. Then, to Nabiki's even greater shock, Akane looped her arm 
through her sister's and turned shining eyes up at her.
	She said jubilantly, "Oh, Oneechan! I KNEW you would notice! Only
someone as in love as I am could possibly notice!"
	Nabiki rolled her eyes. Only someone absolutely dead or stupid 
wouldn't... Then she paused, mid-thought, as she realized what Akane
had just said.
	"In love? What are you talking about?" Nabiki asked, puzzled
and a bit wary.
	Akane laughed again, starting down the stairs, her arm still 
linked through Nabiki's. "Oh come on Nabiki, you don't have to keep it
a secret! Ranma told me last night about you and Kuno! I'm so happy for
you!"
	She didn't even notice that Nabiki stood still for a moment on
the stairs and murmured, "Um...!"
	"Anyway," Akane continued, "Ranma is so wonderful, he asked me
to go to the Junior Dance last night! You know how much he hates that
stuff, so it was really nice of him to even come up with the idea on his own.
It shows he's FINALLY learning to..."
	She paused as she realized that Nabiki wasn't following her
down the stairs anymore.
	"Oneechan?" Akane asked, curiously.
	Nabiki shook herself out of her stupor at Akane's supposition
that she was "in love" and managed to get out, "Um, Junior Dance?"
	Akane rolled her eyes at her older sibling and said, "Yeah,
you know! Everyone does! It's combined with the Senior Dance this
year because that useless principal..."
	"I know about it, Akane," Nabiki interrupted.
	"Then why...?" Akane started to ask.
	Nabiki started to move forward on the stairs again, this time
dragging Akane behind her, before she said, "I just don't understand
why you would be so excited over a silly dance."
	Nabiki knew all too well about the combined dance, she had made
quite a bit of money through bets on who would ask who; one of those 
had been heavily weighted on Akane's and Ranma's potential match.
Thankfully she had bet in the right direction on that one! Everyone 
else thought that Akane wouldn't be able to drag Ranma there in a 
million years... The prospect of a new influx of funds was enough to 
cheer Nabiki up considerably, and she prudently decided to just 
avoid the whole topic of her "love" for Kuno.
	They both entered the bathroom, and Nabiki started to brush her
teeth, basically ignoring Akane's chatter except for an occasional tooth-
pasty grunt.
	Then Akane dropped the bombshell.
	"Well, I guess I just figured you would be going, since it's being
held at Kuno's mansion and all. . ."
	"What?!" Nabiki practically choked on her toothbrush and 
splattered the toothpaste into the sink. She desperately tried to recover
her decorum as Akane stared at her in surprise.
	"You mean, you didn't know?"
	Nabiki rinsed out her mouth and the sink while she tried to calm
her nerves.
	"Last I heard it was at the Chateau Blanc restaurant in that French
'Hotel Marceau'," she said slowly.
	Akane's faced brightened.
	"OH! Well, it was! See, the Chateau double booked us with the 
wedding reception of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and they couldn't 
very well tell HIM that his party was canceled."
	"So why didn't  the school just move it to another hotel or
something?"
	"Well, the committee thought of that. But it turns out that it was too
late to make a reservation. We made that one at the Chateau Blanc MONTHS
ago. Lots of other schools are having their dances on the same day, so most
of the nice places are already booked. They were getting so desperate that it
was going to be called off, and then on Friday morning. . ."
	Nabiki interrupted, "Let me guess. Kuno-chan offered to host it at
his mansion."
	"Yeah," Akane nodded. "I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."
	"I missed school on Friday, remember? I had to go to the dentist
to get that cap put on my molar," Nabiki ground out, frustrated at the 
position she was in. She figured that Kuno was going to ask her to go, and
if she didn't show up there was going to be a lot of gossip concerning HER.
Nabiki liked to be behind the rumors, not the subject of them.
	Akane paused while washing her face and said, "But wasn't Kuno
over here Saturday morning? I thought he would have asked you then, or at
least told you about it."
	"It never came up in the conversation."
	"Hmm. But. . ."
	Akane never got a chance to finish her sentence. The door burst 
open and a sweaty girl and a panda fell into the bathroom.
	"Ranma!" (Slap) "Don't you know how to KNOCK? We could have
been undressed or something!" Akane shouted.
	Panda-Genma held up a sign, "Maybe that's what he hoped to see!"
	"POP!!" Ranma yelled, trying desperately to get away from Akane
before she could hit him again.
	"Ranma you HENTAI!!!"
	Nabiki decided this would be a good time to get out of the bathroom,
and pushed her way through the door as she made her way back to her room to
finish getting ready for school.

* * * * *

	Nakoto met Nabiki at their usual meeting point.
	"Good morning, boss!"
	"Yeah, morning," Nabiki said sullenly.
	"Gee, you don't sound very chipper today," Nakoto noted.
	"Have I EVER sounded chipper?"
	"That's a good point," Nakoto laughed. "How's your tooth feeling?"
	"Fine. It hurts a bit with hot and cold water though. So what happened 
at school on Friday?" Nabiki was being very casual, interested in what Nakoto
had to say.
	Nakoto shrugged. "Not much. You know I would have called you if
anything interesting happened, Boss. I just collected a few more bets on the
Dance couples."
	"Ah. What about the Dance being held at Kuno's house now? You 
didn't think that was important enough to tell me?"
	Nakoto looked surprised. "Why, no, Boss. I mean, I knew he was going
to visit you over the weekend, so I figured he would tell you. Hey, I never asked
him OR you. Are the two of you going together or what?"
	"Would I not go to the Dance if it's going to be held at Kuno's house?"
Nabiki asked, careful to say something that didn't answer the question, but that
Nakoto would hear as "Yes I am going".
	Nakoto sighed. "You are SO lucky Boss. To have a guy like Kuno, I
mean. He is so handsome. I haven't been asked yet."
	"Really?" Nabiki asked, surprised. Nakoto wasn't the most popular of
girls at their school, but she had several guys who found her attractive.
	"What about Kanzaki-kun?"
	"He got a girlfriend last month in Hokkaido."
	"That's pretty far away. Is she still coming?"
	"Yeah."
	"Hmm. So what are you going to do?"
	"Well, I thought about calling in one of my debts to get a date. But, you
know, I'm not THAT desperate. Maruka and Kei and I are thinking of going in
a group."
	Nabiki knew how Nakoto felt. She had been in the same position herself
last year, which was why she didn't bother to go to the Junior Dance. She wondered
if Kuno's plan was to ask her. He hadn't said a word about it yet, and the thought
hadn't even crossed her mind. Now, however, it was a matter of appearance that
they go together.
	"Nabiki?"
	"Hmm? Sorry I was thinking. What did you say, Nakoto?"
	"Silly, they must have given you too much Novocain at the dentist and it
numbed your brain," Nakoto laughed.
	"Very funny," Nabiki rolled her eyes.
	Nakoto smiled and repeated, "I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping
for dresses after school today."
	After school. That meant she would need to talk to Kuno at lunchtime and
settle this matter.
	"Sounds great. I'll meet you by the water fountain near the HomeEc classroom."
	The two entered the gate to the school five minutes before the last bell.

* * * * *

	As usual Ranma and Akane were running late, it having taken most of their
remaining pre-school time to finish arguing, kiss and make up, and, of course, eat
breakfast. Ranma ran along the fence above her, and Akane did her best to keep up.
	"Come on, slowpoke."
	"Oh, shut up Ranma."
	"Akane!!" Akane stopped as she heard a voice yelling behind her. She turned
around and saw Ukyou dragging along Ryouga and speeding towards them. Ukyou
finally caught up, a bit breathless, and said to Ranma, "Could you take Ryouga to
school? I need to talk to Akane for awhile."
	"I can make it to school without Ranma's help!" Ryouga protested loudly,
adjusting his slightly askew bandanna.
	"Sure you can, Porky. What's up, Ucchan?" Ranma looked a bit concerned.
	Ukyou actually blushed and looked down at her feet. She mumbled, "Well,
uh, it's sorta private. You know, GIRL stuff."
	"Girl stuff? Ucchan! I didn't..." Ranma began, and Akane stomped on his 
foot, silencing him before he could further embarrass Ukyou.
	"Ak..." Ranma yelped. Akane inclined her head toward Ukyou and Ryouga,
and they both stared.
	"You going to be okay, Ukyou-chan?" Ryouga asked, reaching his fingers
under her chin to gently lift her eyes up to look into his.
	"Ukyou-chan??!" Ranma and Akane both wondered to themselves.
	She gave him a sweet smile, and said softly, "Yeah, you just go on ahead,
OK?"
	"OK." Ryouga nodded, as if satisfied, and added,"I'll see you in class,"
before he finally turned to go to school
	"Uh, Ucchan? Are you and...." Ranma wanted to know.
	Akane interrupted, "Just take Ryouga and go on to school, Ranma.
Look, he's already headed in the wrong way." 
	Ranma looked from his girlfriend to his best friend and back again, then
said, "Uh, OK, sure. Ryouga, wait up man!!" 
	Ranma ran after the eternally lost boy before he could get any further.
	Ukyou was bright red, and Akane patiently waited a moment for her to
regain her composure. Finally she said, "We are going to be late if we don't hurry.
You want to tell me what's up as we walk to school?"
	"Oh! Sure, sorry about that, I'm just not used to talking about this kind
of stuff." Ukyou started walking and Akane followed.
	"What stuff?"
	"Well. . . Uh. . . Ryouga and I got together last night," Ukyou said
shyly.
	Akane teased, "You're kidding! I never would have known."
	Ukyou grinned and giggled. "Yeah, I never thought it would happen,
but he finally had to make a decision. . ."
	"And he chose you."
	"Yeah."
	"Ukyou, I'm so happy for you. I really like you both, and more than
anything I want you to be happy."
	Ukyou blushed again. "Thanks Akane, for understanding and all."
	"That's what friends are for, right?" Akane smiled.
	"Akane, I was wondering if I could ask you a favor. . ."
	"Sure! What do you need?"
	"Well, Ryouga also mentioned that there is going to be this school
dance. . . And without thinking I said that I would go. Then he told me that
it's a formal thing, and that I'm going to have to wear a dress if we go."
	"Eek. You're right. Guys have to wear suits and girls dresses. So does
that mean you aren't going to go?" Akane asked.
	Ukyou smiled at her and shook her head. "No, I decided that I should
go. I want to try and develop the feminine side of myself a bit more. But, the
problem is that I really don't know what kind of dress to get or anything."
	"Ohhhh!" Akane said in realization. "And you want me to help you
pick out something!"
	"Would you?"
	"Sure!! Do you want to go shopping after school?"
	"That would be GREAT. Thanks again, Akane. . ."
	"Hey, like I said, no problem. But we better run if we want to go 
shopping after school. If we're late, we'll have detention instead!"
	Ukyou laughed and the two girls started to run, evenly pacing 
each other, running through the gates and the halls to slide into their 
respective desks just as the bell rang.

* * * * *

Lunchtime.

	"Dating" Kuno could have it's advantages, Nabiki thought as she
took a bite of her spaghetti. Kuno, as the Principal's son, got to go off 
campus for lunch, and Nabiki was allowed to join him. It sure beat 
cafeteria food, or even Kasumi's cold lunches. Today, however, Nabiki 
wasn't in the best of moods. She stirred her food around, not really that 
hungry, and looked up at Kuno.
	He was staring at her as she ate.
	"What?" She asked.
	"Nothing, Nabiki-chan. Just admiring your beauty."
	"Hmm," Nabiki mused as she wiped her hands off on her napkin.
	Kuno, surprisingly astute, commented, "You do not appear to be 
in the best of humors this fine day."
	"You could say that again."
	"You do not appear to be in..." Kuno began.
	Nabiki slapped her hand over his mouth. "I didn't mean that
LITERALLY, Kuno."
	"I see," Kuno intoned.
	Nabiki wondered what he DID see, because it obviously wasn't
what everyone else saw. He seemed to truly have no idea why she wasn't
in a good mood. Nabiki sighed and decided she might as well broach the
subject.
	"So, Kuno-chan, I hear that you are having the Senior and Junior
Dance at your house. . ." She offered leadingly.
	"Ah yes, I did offer to do that. As there were no other options, 
and as my father will be in the Islands on that date, I decided that the
most noble thing for me to do would be to host the event."
	"I see... And... ?" Nabiki pressed.
	"And what, my dove?"
	Nabiki groaned and threw her napkin down on the table. She 
steamed, "Are we supposed to be going to this 'event' together?"
	Kuno looked surprised. "But of course, Nabiki my love."
	"I see." Nabiki rapped her fingers impatiently. "So, when were
you planning to ask me?"
	"Ask you?"
	"You know, usually the boy asks the girl to go to the dance, and
she says yes or no...."
	"Oh, that foolishness. I saw no need for that, in our situation."
	Nabiki was startled by that response, her eyes open wide, blinking.
	"What?"
	"Well, as we are dating, I would of course expect you to attend
any function that I host," Kuno droned.
	"Well, well, Kuno, " Nabiki said coldly. "I guess I should have 
known better than to have an opinion on the subject. I should just let you
take care of all my problems for me."
	Kuno thought it over for a minute before responding, "Yes, that
would be a good idea."
	Nabiki put her hands up to her face and sighed in defeat. "If he
wasn't so stupid, I would be more mad at him than I am right now. There's
just no reasoning with an idiot like this," she thought to herself.
	Kuno put his hands on the table and leaned forward toward her,
proclamating, "I will send a driver over to pick you up at 7:30 pm on 
Friday evening. I, of course, will not be able to pick you up personally 
as I will be preparing for the guests."
	"Of course," Nabiki said numbly.

* * * * *

	The week passed slowly for those who were excited about the dance.
For Nabiki, the week went by far too quickly.
	"Nabiki-chan, your guests are here!" Kasumi called up the stairs.
	"Coming, Oneechan!" she yelled back.
	Nabiki gave one last look at herself in the mirror. She looked svelte and
chic in her black velvet form-fitting dress. It was short, two or three inches above
the knees, and it had an open back and shoulders, fastening around her neck with
a white silk choker. There was a heart-shaped cut in the front, revealing her cleavage
in a way that was daring, yet still within the bounds of morality. She had pinned a
faux-diamond brooch to the choker, and small strands of the rhinestones glittered 
on her chest. There wasn't much she could do with her hair, as short as it was, so she
had just washed and brushed it until it shone. She wore makeup, something she 
avoided usually, and the dark brown eyeliner made her eyes look large and as
brilliant as her brooch, and her lips were a red that made them look pouty and
seductive.
	"Perfect," Nabiki thought to herself.
	Memories hit her then again.
* * * * *

	"You look. . . Beautiful. But, of course, you know that don't you?" He
said to her, staring at her in open admiration.
	She laughed back at him. "Of course I know I look beautiful, it's one
of my best weapons."
	"Why do you always have to be on guard, Nabiki?"
	"Because it's a dangerous world; everyone wants something from you.
You have to take from them before they take everything from you," she said
gravely, not looking at him, but staring out over the ocean outside.
	"Nabiki, I don't want anything from you. I promise I won't take, I 
only want to give," he said soothingly, and took her hand, bringing her into
a room where candles of every size, shape and form burned like small suns,
giving the room a magical warm glow.
	"Oh," she gasped, staring at the tiny fires. He was always like this.
Giving her gifts that cost nothing: a book to read as she sat relaxing, sunflowers
to brighten her room, a handful of seashells, or a secret cave on the beach where
seals slept in the heat of the midday. Gifts that cost nothing, but meant everything.
	A tear slid down Nabiki's cheek as she stared at the beauty before her.
	"Nabiki? I wanted to make you happy, not to make you cry!" he was 
saying, shocked. "What did I do?"
	"You say you don't want to take anything from me, but every time you
do something like this, you take pieces of the most important thing to me. . ." 
Nabiki whispered.
	He reached down to gently stroke her cheek. "Is that so wrong, Nabiki?
Would it be so bad for you to fall in love?"

* * * * *

	"Nabiki!" Akane's voice broke into her  thoughts and jarred Nabiki back
to the present. "Nabiki, didn't you hear Kasumi? Nakoto and your other friends are
waiting downstairs, and Kuno's limo just pulled up to take you all over to the 
mansion."
	Nabiki shook the memories away and let her eyes focus on her sister as
she said, "Oh, sorry. I was just making sure I looked all right."
	"You look beautiful, Oneechan!" Akane smiled.
	Akane looked spectacular herself, in a pretty rose-colored chiffon dress
that had once been Kasumi's. Akane had decided on the dress because it was 
finer than anything that she could find in the stores, and Kasumi had hand-made
it out of a dress that used to be their Mother's. The long pale gloves and the pink
silk choker were Akane's addition to the ensemble. Silk rosebuds clustered in 
gatherings on the skirt and on the front of the sleeveless bodice, and fresh rosebuds
were gathered on a barrette and fastened to her hair. Overall the effect was sweet 
and soft, much like Akane. At least, when she was in a good mood.
	"You look really nice yourself, Akane-chan," Nabiki offered back, and
she meant it.
	Akane blushed.
	Ranma blundered in the room behind Akane and said, "Akannnn-ne. I
can't get this darn tie to fasten. Can you help me? Hey, Nabiki," He looked her
over, "You look great! Did you know your friends are here?"
	"Yes, yes, I know. I'm going down. I keep getting interrupted. You 
look good too, Ranma. Are you sure you don't want to borrow a dress for the
Dance, just in case?"
	He stuck his tongue out at her. "Very funny."
	"I thought so," Nabiki said, laughing, as she breezed through the door
and down the stairs.

* * * * *

	"There. I got it. You look great, sweetheart." Akane stood on her 
tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Ranma's cheek. "You know, I think you are
growing. I didn't used to have to stand on my tip-toes to kiss you."
	Ranma smiled. "And you are even wearing your high heels. This
is great! Maybe I will pass up Ryouga in height. Hmm, I wonder how the
added inches will affect my. . ."
	Ranma started to mumble to himself and do some sort of kata. Akane
watched him for a moment, loving the way his muscled form filled out his 
traditional black tux. A blue-grey bow-tie, exactly matching his eyes, was tied
perfectly (by herself) at his throat. He was handsome, and he was hers.
	"Ranma, you are going to mess up, or worse rip, your tux. Stop doing
those moves," she said finally, noticing that he was getting too involved with
what he was doing.
	He stopped, straightening his outfit, and stared at his love. She was 
so soft and sweet looking. Ranma stroked his hand on her soft hair and 
lowered his lips to hers for a short, sweet kiss.
	"I'm going to have the cutest date there," he said softly, looking 
into her deep brown eyes.
	"I love you, Ranma. . ."
	"Jeeze, will you two quit all that mushy stuff already!" Ryouga said
as he was pushed into Nabiki's room by Ukyou.
	Ryouga and Ukyou had decided to get dressed at the Tendos, as 
neither of them were quite sure what they were supposed to wear.
	"Akane, HOW do you tie these things?" Ukyou asked, pointing at
Ryouga's yellow bow-tie.
	Akane laughed and went to help a flustered Ryouga, and Ranma
went over to calm Ukyou.
	He straightened the white bow in her hair, and complimented her dress.
It was a plum-purple with a flared short skirt and a white satin brace, which
covered her breasts and her lower shoulders, and tied in the back with a white
bow. Ukyou had fastened an antique-looking gold and amethyst brooch in the
front, and Ranma vaguely remembered her showing it to him in their childhood
and telling him that it was her mother's. Ukyou looked very pretty and very
feminine, but Ranma hesitated to tell her so, not sure what her reaction would
be. So he finally just said, "Ryouga must be really proud to be going to the 
dance with you."
	Ukyou blushed and gave Ranma a small shy smile, and looked over at
the newly bow-tied and black-tuxed Ryouga to give him a meaningful look.
He returned it, smiling back at her with his fangy smile.
	"Doesn't Ukyou look nice, Akane?" Ryouga asked.
	"She looks really pretty," Akane smiled. "And you look very handsome.
You two make a great couple."
	Ryouga turned red and started to twiddle his thumbs. "I... I...."
	"He wants to say thanks," Ukyou translated.
	Ranma took Akane's small hand in his and said, "Well, guys, I think
it's time to go. Mom and Pop and Kasumi want to take some photos of us and
stuff. Besides, we have to make those dinner reservations."

* * * * *

Several hours later.

	"Nabiki-chan, would you care to step outside for a breath of fresh air?"
Kuno asked her, approaching the chatting circle of girls where she stood.
	Nabiki was not having a good time. She didn't want to be at this function
in the first place, and now that she was here she found it even more undesirable
than she could have possible imagined. The room was heavy with oppressive warmth,
the smells of sweat and too much perfume reeked and her head clattered with the 
voices of gossiping girls and sullen young men. Kuno hadn't commented once on
her outfit, and everyone was asking about the fact that she had arrived separately
from Kuno. Then Kuno had only danced two dances with her, excusing himself
after to gone off to do his "hosting". It was partially a relief in that she didn't have
to spend too much time with Kuno, but it also fueled the gossip. Maybe he had 
noticed himself, and that was why he was suddenly offering to take her outside. 
Nabiki decided without hesitation she could use a breath of fresh air.
	"That sounds wonderful, Kuno," Nabiki sighed in relief, and pushed
away from the confining circle, making her excuses as she passed, and then
found herself chagrined at the winks and nudges she received in reply.
	"God, can't they give it a rest," she thought angrily, and flinched as she
finally made her way outside the circle and Kuno took her arm in his, validating
her friends' unspoken words and knowing glances.
	Nakoto called after her, "Don't do anything -I- WOULD do, Boss!"
	Nabiki didn't bother to turn around and acknowledge the comment or
the giggles that soon followed after Nakoto's outrageous remark.
	Kuno didn't say a word, thankfully, probably ignorant of the implications.
At least, she hoped that was the reason. He escorted her to the door, and then 
outside into the fragrant gardens surrounding the house. The gardens were a 
mixture of traditional Japanese flora and various imported flowers. Stooping
down a bit, difficult in her tight dress, she bent to touch a delicate white flower
gently, inhaling its fragrance.
	"These are really beautiful flowers, Kuno. Do you know what they are?"
	"I do not know. We have gardeners for that sort of thing."
	"Oh, I see," Nabiki mused, wondering once again what had persuaded
her that becoming a "couple" with Kuno was an advantageous decision. She 
finally looked up at him and tried a different tact.
	"Kuno, I was think....."
	She never got to finish her sentence as Kuno reached down to tug her
up from the ground and pull her to his chest. Startled, Nabiki broke off
and looked up into Kuno's eyes, which were filled with an emotion that she 
didn't want to acknowledge.
	"Enough about flowers," he said sternly, "These flowers are not as
fair as thou art fair, Nabiki my love. Your beauty makes such frail things
fade into obscurity." His eyes bored into hers, and she suddenly saw his 
lips descending toward hers. She could feel his body pressed against her, and
there was no way to escape the fact that he was aroused by her.
	"Kuno, I!..." She tried to pull back, but his lips caught hers and 
suddenly his tongue invaded her mouth. She gagged at the taste and at
the violation. Her mind was screaming for her to get away. He suddenly
broke off, loosening his hold on her and grinning like a tiger at it's meal.
	"You liked that, didn't you, my fair Nabiki. That is only a small
taste of all that I can give you, all that I can make you feel."
	What Nabiki felt was nauseous, but she tried to hide it by 
laughing nervously and heading a bit further down the path, realizing
that they were now quite far away from the Dance, and she felt a
sudden desperation to once again be surrounded by people; protected.
	"Um. You flatter me Kuno. These flowers are much prettier
than I am, see? Don't you think that we have had enough fresh air? We
should. . ."
	He was suddenly behind her, holding her around the waist, 
breathing on her neck in hot, stifling, bursts. She knew he was eyeing
her cleavage from his advantageous height. Nabiki tried to keep walking
forward, but he pulled her back.
	"Kuno. . ." she tried again, and then stiffened as his hands slid
up to cup her breasts.
	"The only flowers I want are these rosebuds here, Nabiki."
She felt his lips descend to her neck, and then the slimy wet trail of his
tongue.
	Chills broke out all over Nabiki's body and she began to shake,
her stomach roiling. That was it. She pushed his hands off of her
forcefully and then turned to face Kuno. She was completely disconcerted
for the first time in years, her face red and angry. 
	"What the HELL do you think you are DOING, Kuno?!"
	Looking at her with half-lidded eyes, he replied, "Come, come,
Nabiki. It is well-acknowledged by all that we are a couple, and I 
think I have waited more than long enough for you to overcome any
maidenly hesitations."
	"Maidenly hesitations?!" Nabiki spat in disbelief, her fury growing.
"What makes you think that I don't want to be mauled by you because of
maidenly hesitations?! Did you ever stop to think that maybe I wasn't
interested in you that way?"
	Kuno smiled a knowing grin.
	"Ah, Nabiki. I see that you are embarrassed of your passion. Just
give over to it, my love. After all, it is not as if I have not paid well for 
your affections."
	All color drained from Nabiki's face and she stood there, frozen,
realizing that he had just branded her a whore, saying that she was 
selling her love to the highest bidder.
	"HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE THAT I AM SOME SORT
OF PROSTITUTE!!" She screamed.
	Kuno shrugged. "A rose is a rose is a rose. . ."
	Calling on skills which she had forgotten that she still possessed,
Nabiki struck out, striking Kuno simultaneously in the windpipe and the
groin, and he fell to the ground gasping with shock and pain.
	"You BASTARD. You stupid, horny, malicious, BOY-LOVING
bastard!! How DARE you!!"
	"Foul woman, you wound and insult me! I will have vengeance for
this," Kuno ground out between clenched teeth, his body hunched.
	She continued to rail at his pain-wracked form, "You, the one who
was obsessed with another man to the point of insanity, presume to judge
ME? I saved you! I salvaged your pitiful honor! That's the ONLY
reimbursement you are EVER going to get from me."
	"Bitch." He said it quietly, trying to stand.
	She froze.
	"That's right Kuno. I'm a bitch. But this bitch owes you NOTHING."
	Nabiki turned, summoning her dignity, and strode out toward the 
gate to the outside of the mansion, waiting until she reached the street before
she dared to break into a run.

* * * * *

	"Did you see Ryouga?" Ukyou asked, handing a cup of punch to 
Akane as she walked up to their table in the corner of the crowded room.
	"Nope, not him OR Ranma." Akane answered, taking a sip of the
bright red punch and grimacing slightly.
	Ukyou shook her head. "I was hoping that they might have come
back or at least stopped to check in by now. I mean, how long does it 
take for two GUYS to go to the bathroom? Guys usually are so quick, you
know?"
	"Hmm..." Akane mused and swirled her punch around to try to mix
it a bit more before taking another sip. "I wouldn't be surprised if they were
off fighting somewhere."
	"The sad thing is, you're probably right. Those two just aren't cut
out for getting dressed up and acting like gentlemen," Ukyou sighed, 
absentmindedly rubbing her calves, commenting, "Jeesh, these heels are
gonna do me in."
	Akane chuckled to herself, noting that Ukyou wasn't exactly used
to getting all dressed up and acting like a lady herself.
	"You know, Ukyou, I really thought this would be a romantic 
evening. I guess I was hoping for too much. Those two WOULD feel that
it was unmanly to dance. A couple of slow dances and they were already
itching to leave."
	"No kidding," Ukyou grumbled, fiddling with her corsage and
scowling at the wilting flowers, suffering in the heat of the room. "Not
to MENTION that if I hadn't been leading, Ryouga would have waltzed
us all the way to Kyoto."
	At that comment Akane couldn't help but laughing aloud.
	Ukyou gave her a dark look and said, "Go ahead, laugh it up.
It IS pretty funny I guess. But at least MY boyfriend didn't get turned
into a girl in the middle of the Lambada."
	"Oh, you know that was just Daisuke playing a joke."
	"Well, we wouldn't be sitting her waiting for him to go change
back if it hadn't happened."
	"Yeah, well, you're right about that. At least Ryouga didn't get
turned into a pig too."
	"It was a close thing," Ukyou grumbled.
	Ukyou stared out at the dance floor, eyeing the various couples.
	"Hey Akane," she asked suddenly, "Why is Nabiki's friend... what's
her name? Oh yeah. Nakoto. Why is Nakoto dancing with Kuno?!"
	"What?" Akane asked, not bothering to look. "He's probably
dancing with her because Nabiki asked him to. I think she came without
a date. He's probably just trying to be nice."
	"I think making out with her in public like that might be taking
it a LITTLE too far though, don't you?" Ukyou asked dryly.
	Akane started and turned to look among the couples until her
eyes fell on the two plastered to each other on the dance floor.
	"Why that. . .!!" Akane blustered, standing up so suddenly that
her chair toppled to the ground.
	Just as rapidly, Akane and Ukyou were suddenly surrounded by
a cluster of chattering girls.
	"Akane! There you are! We've been looking EVERYWHERE for
you!"
	"Did you SEE, Akane?!"
	"I heard that Kuno took Nabiki out into the garden and dumped her!"
	"Yeah, I guess she took it so hard that she ran off."
	"Well, she WAS stringing him along. . ."
	"What are you talking about, HE'S the JERK!"
	"He is not!"
	"He liked Nakoto anyway I hear."
	"He is too!"
	Akane's voice finally broke through. "ENOUGH!!!! Where is my
sister?!"
	The girls, surprised by Akane's outburst, tittered to a stop. Maia,
one of Akane's friends, said, "I heard she went home and that she was really
upset. I guess Kuno chewed her out for manipulating him."
	Naomi added, "And he went to Nakoto afterward and told her that
he'd really liked her all along."
	"I see," Akane said quietly. "That bastard. And she wasn't manipulating
him. She loved him."
	Naomi shrugged. "Well, if you say so, Akane. It's sure always seemed
to me like the only thing Nabiki loves is herself. And money, of course."
	"Why you. . !" Akane snarled, and Ukyou tried to restrain her from
scratching Naomi's eyes out.
	Fortunately, Ranma and Ryouga chose this time to reappear. Or 
perhaps not so fortunately, as they were both a bit ruffled, and it was 
pretty obvious that the both had been off tackling somewhere.
	Akane, already not in the best mood, screamed, "RANMA!!!!"
	Ryouga looked in askance at Ukyou as Ranma disappeared, 
Akane and a mallet hot on his trail.
	"I think, for us, the Dance is over," Ukyou said softly, looking 
after the retreating pair before taking Ryouga's arm and heading to the
door to leave the Kuno mansion.

End of Chapter XV