Disclaimer - I do not own Ranma 1/2 or Tokyo Mew Mew (Mew Mew Power)

Nabiki stepped back by Ranma's statement. Her tail froze behind her. "I…" Nabiki paused. "I don't think I should."

"I can protect you," Ranma said his checks gained a soft red shade "You won't need to worry."

"I really do not like going in public," Nabiki answered. Her right hand reached behind her to grab her left elbow. She tried to think of the way to speak without using her ice queen style. Her sly tongue is as far from her now as the strength of her mew mew form is from her normal form.

"I know of a really private place," Ranma responded, "I can also get food."

"I need to get away before they start chasing me again," Nabiki answered. She frowns that she acts as a prey for a growing list while she is fighting the monster they can not.

"Only I know about this private place," Ranma said, "Those around here been chasing me longer than you and they have not found there yet."

Nabiki just look at the pony tail teen. 'What are my options?' she ask herself, 'Ranma may chase me if I run and that may cause a show that the other will notice. I can slip away when Ranma turn his back.' Nabiki took a step closer. "I have nothing to lose," Nabiki said.

Ranma smiled as he turn. He drops from the building. Nabiki quickly followed. He run down the alleys and streets with many sharps turns. He did not look back to Nabiki but slow when the gap between them grew. Nabiki took some pride that she could stay with Ranma rapid steps. She knew that Ranma was not running at his full speed but she somewhere in her she found it fun to chase him. She even followed him as he ran over a fence.

His steps lead her to an old wear house. The walls weathered by abandonment. Most windows are now just shards of glass in the frames. The few windows remain unbroken are fogged over by dirt and grim. A door screamed as Ranma forced it open. Ranma slipped pass large rusty door and Nabiki followed. She covered her ears as the door squealed as it closes behind her. After a soft moan, she looked around her. The main area was a large room with a floor that was clean but for the trash gathered near the walls. The rest was filled with debris. The walls and roof shows the naked metal that hold the building up. "It not much," Ranma said, "but it is large enough for me to train in. And they have not found it."

"You must like being alone," Nabiki replied.

"I need to get away to relax or to make new moves," Ranma said, "I face many that do not hold back so I need to be one step ahead. You know thinking about the next move."

"Are you afraid that I will learn these new moves?" Nabiki asked.

"No, I know you would use them to save other," Ranma answered as he stepped closer to fox tail girl.

"How do you know me?" Nabiki asked as she stepped to the side.

"I know enough to tell you're different. The only time I see you fight is too help others. You help others even when we chase you," Ranma said. "You can hurt monster that we can't. An artist must protect the weak. Even if it is teaching some one else."

"You help with the monster just now. You can deal with the new monsters."

"You still defeated it," Ranma answered. "Wait here, I will get the food I promise."

"If you want," Nabiki said.

Ranma turn and walk. He looked back at the fox tail girl. "Promise to stay?"

"Alright," Nabiki said without her normal careful thoughts. She watched him slowly and this time he softly pushed the door close while his eyes focus remain on Nabiki the entire time. Nabiki listened to the step slowly fades away. She follow Ranma step in the dirt to the door. "He's gone," The fox tail girl said, "I can slip away." Her hand reached for the door handle. She found she could not force her arm to open the door.

"Why did I make that promise," Nabiki asked. Her ears and tail fell as she understood she was now in a cage. Worse is that it did not bars and locks but broken windows and a door she could that she can easily push open. It was her word that that made it prison for her. It was not honor that keep her there. She has done too many unpleasant deeds to have that. She is there by the simple fact that as the ice queen she needed to show that she will do what she said she would. Trust in her word was what kept the costumers returning.

"Stop it!" Nabiki yelled, "I'm not the ice queen now." Her grip on the door weakened. Tears start slithered down her checks. "Why? Why?" She turned to the large space. She sauntered to the center. "Why was I picked? There are better people out there. Some stronger and some with better hearts." Her hands tried to stop the strong tears. She struggled to dull the power of the emotions. The fear of being hunted. The unstableness of battle. Her old life was slowly fading away.

"Nabiki Tendo is the Ice Queen," Nabiki said, "I been both the same for so long that I can not be tell them apart." She looked at the orange gauntlets. "Like this I wield fire. The element that melt ice. Melt like the life I had before and it is slipping through my grasp." She drops to the ground. She remained slump on the ground trying to understand all that happen.

Meanwhile, Ranma landed near the Mew Mew café. He looks at the close sign and walk to the back. He knocked on the back door. "Kasumi," he called.

After a few moments, Kasumi opened the door. She smiled at Ranma before she spoke. "Ranma, what can I do for you?"

"I promise some one I would get food," Ranma said, "Please, I need some food."

"We're close," the gentle woman said, "but I can make so something." She walked into the kitchen. She gathered what she needs. As place a pan on the counter, she watch Ranma shift his weight to his left foot and then to his right and back to his left. "So why do you want the food so bad?"

"Well…I…she," Ranma struggled to understand what the answer to himself.

"She," Kasumi said as she started the oven. "Your first crush."

"It's not like that," Ranma said as he rubbed his red check. "I just think she should get something special."

"And why is that?" Kasumi ask.

"It…just…thanks to helping me," Ranma said, "She fights monsters that I could not."

"Is this one of the animal girls I hear about?"

"That right. She calls herself Mew Mew Fox. I know that is not get real name. I think it from this café so I was hoping to get her some food from here."

"That is thoughtful," Kasumi said, "In fact, I've been working on some new items that are not on the menu. So why do you and Mew Mew Fox test them for me."

"Alright," Ranma answered.

A little later, Ranma walked from the café. He quickly took off running. His arms wrapped around the bag of food keeping it safe. Even with his speed, he was careful not to gain attention.

At the warehouse, Nabiki lifts her head. Her ears flicked by the weak sounds of something landing on a nearby metal roof near. She stood and readied herself for Ranma to enter. She moans as she noticed that she did not even think about acting on sounds that a normal human can not hear. She just did it as if she has been doing it for years. She raised her arms up and arc her back. She stood there trying to think of how to cover her tears that came down her face. Right now she did not want to deal with Ranma pity.

"I guess I should copy what I saw Ranma did," she told herself. She tries to copy the movements of Ranma during his fight with the Mouse as that monster. She moved to how Ranma stood before the fight. Before, her practice was a tool to protect her from cowardly thugs. She tried the punch Ranma use. Now, she needed it to fight the monsters. She tried a kick. Also, there are the two human that she can not stand up to. She tried a block.

She paused as she listened to Ranma steps by the door. After the door squealed once more, Ranma spoke, "Not a bad stance." Ranma closed the door behind himself. "I got some food."

"Alright," Nabiki said. She watched Ranma walk closer.

"Sorry, it is not cleanest place," Ranma said as he sat on the ground.

"Its fine," Nabiki said as she walked closer to Ranma.

"It from a cook at the mew mew café," Ranma said, "I though you would like it since you name yourself after it."

"That is very thoughtful," Nabiki said. 'Just great,' she thought, 'he linked me as a mew mew to the café.' She licked her lips from the strong, sweat smell. 'Best to use what he think.' She smile and said, "I need a fake name so I pick my favorite place to eat."

"I guessed you did not want use you real name," Ranma said, "I was chasing you at the time."

Nabiki lowed herself down to the floor. Her tail curled around her. She lifted a fork and slowly moves the food to her mouth. She took more scooped careful to keep her clothes clean. Only the distance sounds of cars come to them. She stopped and looked at Ranma.

She noticed that Ranma also slowly eat his meal. She never seen Ranma eating so calmly. She continued to glance at Ranma trying to understand why Ranma is acting the way he is. She watched as Ranma use a knife to push the last piece of his cake onto his fork. He lifted it and carefully chewed it.

"I need to get going," Nabiki spoke. She placed her fork and knife onto the plate. She rose to her feet. Ranma swiftly came to his feet as well.

"I don't know the next time that I'll see you." Ranma paused as he walked closer. "But I promise to help anyway I can."

Nabiki just watched as Ranma lean closer. The noised fade. Then a gentle warmth came to her lips. Her tail becomes stiff. She yields all to the warmth on her lips. Her fox ear rose up. After a few moments she pushed herself off Ranma. One of the better male her age just kissed her. If the knowledge get out it would only add to Nabiki's hunter list. She stepped back once more.

Nabiki look into Ranma face. There is something different about it. Something beyond her knowledge "I'm sorry," Nabiki said. "Right know is not a good time for me to get involved with someone." Nabiki silently asked herself why she did not just dumped Ranma right now. "I need to get going," Nabiki said, "Why would you kiss me? You don't know me."

"I know you are a hero," Ranma answered.

"I'm not a hero," Nabiki answered as wrapped her tail around her.

"You save others from monster they can't fight," Ranma states, "Even after they chase you or try to trap you still fight the monsters and leave. Not wanting a thanks or praise."

Nabiki stepped back. "I need to get going."

"I told you that you're free to leave," Ranma said.

True to his word, Ranma watched the foxtail girl run away. "So what now?" Ranma asked himself. Fighting always had an easy an easy. In a fight it is simply stop the opponent from defeating him and after, train for the next fight. This is different. This is about… He did not know what it is about. Ranma was able to think of only one person he can trust to honor his request to keep the talk secret. He reached into his wallet and pull out money.

Later, Nabiki walked down the street. She happily hummed as a small roll on money bounce off her hip. Cuddy happily hummed with her as it flew around her head. Then something gripped her shirt and yanked her from the street. With the smell of alcoholic around her, she was forced into the rough wall of the alley. The three men stood before her. The one holding Nabiki shirt three buttons undone and his neck tie remain untie just hang. His glaze floated around Nabiki.

"We heard of a teeny that carry a large amount of money one her," The man one the right said. His word slips of his tongue. His glasses resting one the tip of his nose. His eyes lazily looked where Nabiki was.

"And you look like the rumor is," the last man said. His voice was clean. His green eyes easy follow Nabiki's movements.

Silentlys, Nabiki hook the drunk mans leg with her foot. As the man drop, she pulled his grip from her shirt. She twisted his arm pinning him to the ground. While Nabiki pressed on her knee into the man, the man in glass charged at her. Without even getting up, use her other leg to kicked the man in the gut. The man release a short gasp as he fell backwards.

"It looks like you have some skill just as I though," the green eyes man spoke as body shift into a fighting stance. "Why else would someone sell the information instead of using it."

Nabiki rose to her feet and kicked the head of the man on the ground. She turned her back to the two fallen man as she watched the green eye man rush at her. Nabiki watch as he came closer as he raised his fist. Nabiki raised her right arm. The man thrust his fist at her. Nabiki quickly twisted herself and slamed her palm into the man's wrist. Nabiki watched as the man rotated and as the man lifted his leg. Nabiki kicked with her right leg. She gasped as a force slamed into her left shoulder. She looked to see her foot less than an inch from the man face.

"You know," The man spoke as he pushed Nabiki foot back. "I was just going to use the money so I can train for the coming tournament but now I think I want a personal finical advisor."

Without a word, Nabiki moved her body into a new stance. Nabiki blocked two punches. Then Nabiki watched as the man spin his body. Nabiki readied to kick as fast as she could. Second later, Nabiki once again grunted as a her left shoulder erupted in pain. She watched as the man step back rubbing his gut.

Nabiki lowed her left arm trying to remove the pain from it. Nabiki stepped back as another punch came at her. Next, Nabiki punched with her own only to have the man not only block. The he forced his fist into Nabiki's hurt shoulder Nabiki watched as the man readied another of his high spin kick. Nabiki stomped into the back of his knee. The man stopped as his knee came to the ground. She slipped in front of the man. She punches into his face. He grunted as he fell back a foot or two.

After a short time, the man climbed to his feet. "You are good," The man said, "I am going enjoy taken you when this fight is over."

Then a voice came from behind him the saying the fight is over. The man turns to see a teen with long ponytail. "Care to fight me?" Ranma asked.

"You think I am going to fight you," the green eye man said, "If haft of what is said about you is true then I will not risk it." Nabiki watched as the man turn a walk away.

Nabiki lower her head as try to hid relief that Ranma saved her. She looked at Ranma after he spoke her name. "Sorry," He said softly, "I ended your fight early."

After some time Nabiki turn to Ranma. With a weak voice she spoke, "There is nothing to be sorry about you saved me. I was just a few attacks away from being kidnapped."

"No you weren't," Ranma said.

"Come on," Nabiki said, "He got more hits on me and my should her."

"He keep using one mover. A move you stop with a simple attack. You didn't use your most powerful attack. If the fight lasted a little long he would been on the ground."

"I not sure."

"I shock you practice an art. Even more that you may be better than Akane," Ranma answered, "Listen I don't have much time and I want to talk to someone."

"Talk to Kasumi," Nabiki spoked.

"I want to know that someone that can keep it a secret," Ranma responded, "And the way you took care of those thug show that you can."

Nabiki stepped closer to Ranma, "Just how long have you watch the fight?"

"When they pulled you into the alley," Ranma answer, "I was going to help you but when you took down the two easily. I decide to wait until it was done but I got board. You have some skills."

"What do you want to keep it quite?" Nabiki asked.

"I don't understand."

"What will it take to keep that I practice the art a secret?"

"I don't know. I came to you for to talk to you about something," Ranma said.

"Why me?"

"I wanted someone who would give me his…her word to be silent."

"Fine," Nabiki said, "I'll keep your secret and you keep mine."

"Alright," Ranma answered, "I'll keep you secrets if you do not tell anyone what I talk to you about when we are alone."

"It's a deal," Nabiki said, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Not here," Ranma answer, "I know a place. My secret," Ranma stretch that word, "place."

Once again, Nabiki sat in the old warehouse. The smell of the food fade away. She rests her right elbow on the ground with her legs kick off to the side. She grunts as strain on her right side. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Well," Ranma said tried to get the best to get the best words, "A crush. I mean I think I have a crush on a female."

"Which one?" Nabiki asked.

"You know the animal tail girls that fight the monsters?" Ranma asked. Nabiki slowly nodded. "Well I think I have a crush on the fox tail girl."

"How can you like here?" Nabiki asked, "They had been around for a short time. You do not the fox tail girl."

"I fought beside her so I know her better than you," Ranma said. Nabiki remained silent as Ranma's words echo through her heart. Ranma continued, "and I…um…kiss her." Nabiki's heart pounded faster as she remembered it. "It was the first time that I kiss a female. I mean I had female give me kisses but this is the first time that I was the one who gave the kiss."

Nabiki eyes widened as she remained silent for a little while before she forced out the only word that came to mind. "Well." She lowered her head as she spoke, "As I said before I never dealt with all this before."

"Well thanks for just listening to me," Ranma said as he turn to walk away.

"Wait," Nabiki said as she stood up. "What is it about this fox tail girl?"

Ranma calmly spoke, "She has something that none of the other have around here. I first notice her because she fought the monster and left not wanting a thanks or anything. Something even I can not do. While we talk I just moved my lips to her. We remain like that for a while. I don't know what I felt but I know that she is strong and sweet and cute." Nabiki remained still as ghost lip of Ranma toughed her once more. When Nabiki recovered, Ranma was gone.

Nabiki quickly exited the old factory. On the darkening streets, Nabiki made her way home. 'Stupid Ranma,' Nabiki though, 'Why could he not use his foot in mouth this time.' Her hands restted on her warm cheeks. Nabiki felt his ghost lips pressed to hers. 'What was with him?' Nabiki though, 'I though he was smooth only when he is fighting.'

Then, a call of her name came from behind her. Nabiki turned to her younger sister, who was running to her. Akane came closer and asked, "So did you learn anything about those fox tail girl?"

"Not much," Nabiki answered, "I do know that she talk with Ranma after she fought a monster. And that was all I could get."

"Did you hear what they were saying?"

"No they were on a roof top out of my nor… hear range. They ran away not long after."

"Did you follow?" Akane grunted.

"They were jumping along the roof so I could not keep up with…"

Nabiki stop by a mighty force to her face. After several steps, Akane looked down at her sister. "I know that! I want you to give me more. Or did you choose something else over blood?" Akane yanked Cuddly to her. She threw the orange fur ball at Nabiki.

Nabiki remained on the ground as her sister walked away. Nabiki pushed herself into prone. Nabiki covered her pain filled eye. She removed her hand from her painful face and toughed cuddy. The small creature eyes were closed. Nabiki gently she stroke the soft fur. Then the creature's eye opened. Nabiki made a small grin as she forced her body to stand.

Later, Kasumi walked from the hidden lab. She stepped into the kitchen only to stop to see Nabiki closed the freezer. Kasumi watched as her sister turned to Nabiki's hand held ice on her eye. Kasumi run up to her sister. "What happen?" Kasumi asked as she pushed the ice away.

"I am fine," Nabiki answered as her sister examined her eye.

Kasumi stopped at her and looked closer at her eye. "Who hit you?" she asked.

Nabiki tried to turn her head but Kasumi's hand on her cheek keep her from turning. Slowly Nabiki spoke, "Akane."

Kasumi gasped as she stepped back. "Oh my," Kasumi said. She remained silent for a while. With a shaking voice she spoke, "She will calm down. It may be better you have a different place to stay." Kasumi slided her hand to Nabiki's hands. Kasumi lead Nabiki through the café. They came up to stair to a small a room. There was not much in the room. A small bed and a nightstand. "You can stay here until Akane feel better."

~

I decided to make Ranma have crush on Nabiki mew mew self because I think Ranma would be attracted to a female that act with ideal like his.