Story: Akane's Gift: Compl-eggated Feelings

Akane huffed and fumed, pacing around Nabiki's room like - Like an angry, uncute tomboy. Ooh, that older sister of hers! Taking the money and putting it next to Mother's - How thoughtless! How insensitive! That girl had no soul. No compassion, no thought for anyone but herself and her wallet! Well then, it was rather a good thing after all, wasn't it? Now that she'd used those eggs she could make certain Nabiki's greed and selfishness didn't bother anyone again!

"Never again," Akane firmly stated. Then froze mid step as her emotions went from one extreme to another at the drop of a hat. Nabiki was completely under her control. She would do anything Akane asked. Want proof? No threat, no better offer. A mere suggestion and off she went to grab the money and give it to Akane.

In exchange for nothing.

"Huh..." Akane gasped. She collapsed on the edge of Nabiki's bed, crossed her legs and sat there calmly for a moment. "How about that?" Control. Power. She had both over Nabiki. Absolute, unquestioned control. It made her feel a little weird. Good weird. It was making her really think things through.

She hated not being in control. She was supposed to be the strong one. The tough chick who took care of herself. A martial artist who looked after the weak, and yet she kept on finding herself, time and time again, in over her head. Relying on others to pull her out of a jam.

Yet these eggs gave her a chance. Reassert herself. Make her own choices about what she wanted. Not what other people wanted, not being manipulated or talked into anything. Turn the people in the way of her goals into allies, and when she was done help them find some other genuine happiness for themselves. The thought made her squirm and feel warm in ways she usually only felt around a certain handsome/cute pigtailed -

"Hey, it's not our fault!" Ranma yelled from outside. "Calm down, you Pantyhose jerk!"

- Tactless idiot with the social skill and grace of a house-trained dog.

She stomped over to the window and threw it open: "Hey!" she yelled. "Do you mind?"

"Gwaaaaaaaaah!" was the answer from Taro's cursed form. Right. Whatever. Let the boys have their fun. She had other things to worry about just now anyway. Things like, oh, how she was going to go about telling Ranma of her plan to essentially brainwash all of her romantic rivals so they could get married in peace and quiet.

"Yeah, I kind of did just turn my sister into my slave..." Akane winced in guilt. "Well, it's not like I'm going to mistreat her or anything. She just needs to learn to be nicer to other people. I won't force her to do chores or rub my feet or whatever. I'll just... Keep her from making trouble."

Still felt guilty about it. Oh well. The die was cast. The eggshells were in the closet. No chance Kasumi would miss that. Maybe if Akane broke them up a little, stuffed them into her pockets she could smuggle them out to the garbage and get rid of them before anyone noticed? Nothing much else for it. She slunk off towards the eggshells, a little glad for something to do to take her mind off those turbulent, conflicting emotions -

"Hey, that's my skirt..." Akane suddenly said, pulling out a cute yellow mini. "And I've been looking for that blouse all year! Nabiki had it? And my shirt! Hey, there's that cute hat and my scarf and my -"

By the time she was done, half the clothes in the wardrobe were sitting on Nabiki's bed. As for Akane herself? The guilt was gone. Obliterated against a tidal wave of stolen clothing. She'd heard of hand-me-downs but never hand-me-ups! This was ridiculous, this was ludicrous but it was also one other thing.

"Ooh, Nabiki's going to pay for this!"

A little bit of motivation for a tiny bit of righteous vengeance.

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Got to go. Got to hurry. Akane wants her money. Akane wants her cash. Nabiki smiled. It was such a simple little thing she was doing for her sister, and it would make her so happy. It really made her think back.

All those boys at school had seemed like complete idiots at the time. Getting themselves beat up for a chance to date Akane. Now, Nabiki kind of understood it. Akane was so brilliant and bright it was the only way they could attract her attention, if only for a little while. Oh. She was blessed for having been born Akane's big sister.

Although, ew: Best not to go down that path. Almost started going full Kuno. Never go full Kuno.

"Hello, Nabiki-chan. How are you today?"

That was Mrs Saotome. It was a funny thing: The two freeloaders had already moved out, but then Nabiki had decided to sell certain information off to a certain trio of fanatics who trashed the Saotome residence and somehow managed to avoid any kind of legal charge. So, they all moved back in here. All three of them this time. Mother, Father, Son/Daughter. Quite the family.

"Oh, you know how it is, Mrs Saotome," Nabiki answered, smiling at the older woman. "Busy, busy, busy."

To Nabiki's surprise, Mrs Saotome moved in line with her hurried steps without missing a beat. It was honestly a little disconcerting, but she could hardly stop to chat when Akane wanted her money back, ASAP.

"You know, we have not had much of a chance to get to know one another," Mrs Saotome cheerily said. "I spend so much time helping Kasumi with the housework, or getting to know my future daughter. It feels like I barely talk to you at all."

That was because they had nothing in common. Nabiki had no intention of becoming anything like a housewife, and had loftier personal goals than anything Mrs Saotome could assist her with.

"In fact, it almost feels as though you are deliberately avoiding me."

"Avoiding you?" Nabiki asked, hurrying up her step. Nodoka was in line without missing a beat. The wife of a martial artist must stay fit and healthy themselves, it seemed. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Nodoka just smiled back at her, and apparently ignored Nabiki's question outright. "I understand you have something of a passion for photography? I would love to see your collection."

Given that Nabiki's collection mostly consisted of Mrs Saotome's cursed son, in girl form and in various states of undress, indulging her seemed unwise. Then again, so did ignoring the polite request. Nabiki might not have the inherent danger sense of a martial artist, but <i>something</i> was tickling the back of her neck.

However: Nabiki was also a smarter thinker than most of the people she met and interacted with. That's why instead of panicking like Akane or Ranma would in this kind of situation, she kept up her quick pace and answered smoothly: "I have some photos of Akane in her wedding dress."

"Oh, that sounds lovely," Mrs Saotome replied, still smiling. "It really is a shame it was so disrupted. By the same people who ruined our home, no less. Why, it really was fortunate the insurance was kept up to date, otherwise..."

Shit. <i>Shit!</I> Now was the rare opportunity for Nabiki to panic! But even so. Nabiki couldn't let this interfere with Akane's instructions. That's why instead of a smooth lie, instead...

"Akane and I were just discussing that, as it happens," Nabiki said. "The wedding being disrupted, I mean. In fact, she just convinced me to bring her the money from my secret hiding place. We could talk this over later if you want?"

"Of course," Mrs Saotome beamed. Thank goodness. "I won't pry into where you keep your secrets, Nabiki-chan. Give that money to Akane, and then we can discuss matters a little more calmly."

The two parted ways, Nabiki heading off towards the dojo... While Nodoka wandered off towards the kitchen, where Kasumi was cutting vegetables.

"I fear you may be correct, Kasumi. I think your little sisters are planning something behind everyone's back. Oh dear. They are not very good at keeping secrets, are they?"

"No," Kasumi agreed. "They're both such proud girls in their own ways. I find it more instructive to teach them without them knowing they're being taught at all."


Akane punishes Nabiki before going any further.
Akane discusses the problem with Nabiki when she returns with the money.
Ranma vs Taro, final round.
Oh yeah, these eggshells should probably be cleaned away before someone notices them.
Something else