Urd blinked as she looked around the devastation. What had happened?
She hadn’t left her room for the last several days, sulking while trying to come to grips with the encounter she’d had with Hild, and wishing she wasn’t stuck with this damn assignment. Belldandy had tried coaxing her out with sweets, and even Skuld had tried to cheer her up, but nothing could drag her out of the black mood she had sunk into. She hadn’t even been able to get a good drunk on; she’d drained all the sake the first day and Belldandy wouldn’t buy her any more, so she’d just sat in her room sober and hating her life.
But something had finally prompted her out of her funk, a nagging sense of something ... missing. It had been growing for the last couple of days, and she’d spent several hours this morning trying to narrow down what it might be, and eventually, she had come looking for Mara. Regardless of how strange the demoness had been acting lately, or how frightening she had been since the Terrible Master had possessed Urd, something had told the goddess that Mara needed her.
No matter how she had fought it, that sense wouldn’t go away. It had nagged at her, pushed her out of her room, and finally had driven her to the apartment complex where Mara made her lair. There had been no answer, but all her senses screamed at her as to the residuals of power within. It had taken her all of three seconds to pick the door with a credit card.
Now, surveying the ruins of what had once been an apartment, she wondered if she had come too late. At a guess, this had happened days ago. She looked at the scorch marks on everything, and the two wooden spikes embedded in the wall, trails of blood dried under them…
So much blood.
She touched the dried stain cautiously, and shuddered at the torrent of pain that clung to the blood and the sure knowledge that it was Mara’s. What could have done this to a Demon First Class? She looked around again, sure whatever it had been was gone, but on edge. If it could kill a demon…
A faint groan came from the bedroom. Urd blinked, then pushed on the badly scarred door.
A soft golden glow came from the bed, but Urd couldn’t make out what, or who, was on it. She started to move forward, then stopped as light poured from a magical circle on the floor. The golden glow flared brightly for a second as a pair of burning eyes floated above the circle, seeming to stare right through her. Urd took a step back as the eyes closed and the circle faded. She recognized the signature on the ward, though she’d never seen anything like it before. What was the Dragon up to?
Another groan drew her attention back to the bed, and she tried to step forward again, cautiously touching her toe to the edge of the circle. This time, it raised no protest and she crossed into the ward.
Instantly, she felt the world outside fade from her senses, the ward sealing even her goddess powers. She staggered for a second as she felt herself cut off, but concern for the still figure in the bed overrode her wariness. She knelt next to the still form of Mara and brushed the hair back from the demoness’ face.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she reassured herself that Mara was alive, the silent dread that had driven her here fading. Regardless of how Mara had been acting, they had once been friends. They had grown up together, and played together, inseparable to the point many had thought they were twins, but Urd’s decision to become a goddess had driven a wedge between them, one that had widened over the years as Mara had risen to become her nemesis. Urd had at first been confused by the change in Mara, then resentful, but she’d never been able to bring herself to hate her one time best friend, no matter how angry she had gotten at the demoness for disrupting her life or trying to mess with Belldandy and Keiichi.
She examined the sleeping form more thoroughly, and her breath drew in as she noted one very minor, but very significant change about Mara’s face.
Mara’s demon marks had changed. The scarlet split v and paired triangles on her cheeks had vanished, to be replaced by golden teardrop shaped designs noticeable against her pale skin only by the reflected light of the sun peeking through the window. Urd blinked at the curved teardrops, noting they looked almost like…
Claws?
Mara tossed again and moaned slightly, then her eyes fluttered open. As she focused on Urd, she smiled weakly. “Urd?” she said softly, just barely loud enough to hear. “He said you would come. He promised me you would be here when I woke.”
Urd blinked, but nodded. “Yes Mara. I’m here.” She knelt by the bed.
Mara’s hand shakily rose and touched Urd’s. “I-I’m sorry. I never wanted Ragnarok. Hild - Hild clouded my mind.” She coughed weakly. “She clouded my mind with hate.”
Years seemed to roll back as all Urd could feel was concern for an old friend. She couldn’t even feel the demonic aura Mara had developed over the years. “Don’t try to talk Mara. You’re weak. Let me take you back to Morisato’s. Bell and I can help you get better.”
“Never hated you, Urd. Never…”
Urd nodded. “I know Mara. Rest. You need to get better.” She reached out to stroke the demoness’s hair. “Go back to sleep for now. I’ll get Keiichi.”
The demoness nodded. “He said you’d come.” She smiled. “He promised.”
Her voice faded as her eyes closed again and she drifted back to sleep. Urd sat back on her heels as she contemplated the demoness’ words. Legend had been talking to Mara? And promised the demoness that she was coming? What was going on? More and more she was starting to feel like a pawn being played in some vast chess game, and she didn’t like the feeling.
Whatever was up, Mara wasn’t the psycho she’d been lately. And she was weak and injured. She looked down at the hand that was still holding hers, and shuddered at signs that they’d been healed from being pierced. Had Hild done this to her? Had her mom tortured Mara? Because she wasn’t hindering Urd enough? Or because Mara’s creature had killed Zhu Shu?
She wished she had the answers.
Gently, she extracted her hand and went to the window, looking down to where Keiichi was patiently waiting by his bike. “Yo! Morisato! I need a hand up here.” He looked up at where she had her head poked out and waved before heading towards the building.
He was up a few minutes later, blinking at the rubble. “What happened here? She blow herself up?” He kicked a burned pillow out of the way.
Urd gave him a dirty look. “No. I think she was attacked by my mom. She’s been healed by someone, the Dragon, I think, but she’s too weak to take care of herself. We need to get her back to Bell.”
Keiichi did a double take. “Whoa. She’s a demon, Urd. And our biggest headache! Even you said she’s been acting crazy.”
“She’s hurt, Keiichi.” Urd said, pleading. “And I think she’s back to normal. I can’t leave her here. What if my mom comes back! She’s defenseless!”
Keiichi looked at the blood on the wall and the uncharacteristic desperation in Urd’s eyes and nodded, “Okay. I think there’s room for you both in the side car, but you’re going to have her on your lap.”
Urd let out a sigh of relief. “That’s fine. Let’s just get her out of here.” She looked around the apartment nervously and wiped her hands on her skirt. She led him into the bedroom, noting that the ward had already faded.
As Keiichi looked at Mara, he noted her extremely wan appearance and shook his head. Then he blinked several times, sure his eyes were playing tricks on him.
“Hey, what happened to her markings?”
“I don’t know.” Urd confessed. “This is how I found her.” She lifted the sheets to slide Mara out of bed then dropped them again. “Oh, cripes. She’s naked.”
Keiichi shrugged. “Just wrap her up in the blanket. I’ll come back to grab some clothes for her.”
Urd grimaced, but nodded. She put her hand on Mara’s shoulder and gently shook her.
“Mara? We need to move you. We’re going to take you to Belldandy.”
Mara’s eyes fluttered open and focused on Urd again. “You’re really here?” she whispered, smiling. “I thought it had to be a dream.”
“No Mara, I’m here. But we need to move you. We can’t carry you. You have to stand.”
The demoness smiled dreamily and nodded. She did her best to help Urd and Keiichi as they managed to get her on her feet and down the hall to the elevator. Mara pouted as they waited for the car to go down. “I’m sorry.” she told Urd, trying to focus. “I feel so drifty.”
“It’s okay, Mara. You lost a lot of blood.” Urd said, doing her best to hold up her side of the demoness
Getting her into the side car with Urd was even trickier, but finally, the goddess had Mara arranged on her lap so that Keiichi could drive without having a wreck. Mara giggled softly as they pulled out of the lot.
“He said you’d come for me.” she whispered, so softly Urd barely caught it over the sound of the engine. Her next words were lost to the wind as they merged with traffic.
But Urd still looked down at the demoness in shock at what she thought she’d heard. As Mara laid her head on Urd’s shoulder and fell asleep again, Urd blinked.
Then she passed it off as a trick of the wind. There was no way Mara could have said, “I love you.”
* * * * *
Kasumi came in from shopping and stopped as her rabbit ears twitched at a faint noise. She put the groceries down and listened.
Was that… water?
Yes. It was the sound of someone bathing. She looked out the kitchen window over to the bathing room as the sound came again.
Curious. Soun and Genma had taken Sandal out to a local gaming parlor, so the house should have been empty.
She quietly crept down the hall past the dining room and approached the furo door, rolling pin in hand. As her hand touched the door, there was a sound of the water bucket falling over.
She slid open the door to find a wet and bedraggled kitten on the floor, looking up at her curiously. The overturned water bucket was lying next to her.
“China? Whatever happened?”
The kitten meowed, as if to say “I got wet!”
Kasumi laughed. “You poor thing. Here let me get you dried off.” She picked up the wet kitten and stepped towards the towel draped over a hook by the tub. Noting the strange fact that the furo was full of fresh, steamy water, she failed to see the bar of soap, and with a “Whoops!” and a yowl from China, she pitched forward into the tub.
She rose up out of the water and wiped it out of her eyes to find herself face to nipple with a full breast. Her gaze rose to meet the violet eyes of a very worried Amazon.
“Shan Pu?”
“Please not be angry. Great Grandmother say must do to cure Ranma of cat fear, and learn more about Ai Ren!”
Kasumi blinked, noting the sudden absence of China. “Oh my.” She wrung out her hair as she stood. “Did she curse you just to do this?”
“No. Shan Pu be cursed many years now. Since thirteen.” She frowned. “Musk who attack village. Shan Pu meet before. Make fall in spring. Part why cousin hate so much.” She sighed. “Is why so upset when find Ranma fear cat. Do not want Ai Ren run from Shan Pu. Run from Shan Pu enough already.” she finished sadly.
Kasumi wrung out her skirt as she nodded. “I understand, dear. But are you sure this is the best way?” She finally gave up wringing the water out and began undressing. Nothing in the groceries would spoil, and she’d been intending to get a bath before dinner anyway. “Akane is really happy with having a pet. I don’t know how she’ll take finding out it’s you. She’s not always the most rational or forgiving person.” Hanging her wet clothes from a nearby hook in the washing area, she settled into the water across from Shan Pu. “I mean, I know I told you that you need to work on being subtle, but not outright deception.”
Shan Pu hung her head. “Great Grandmother say must need learn more about Ai Ren. She say be pet for while so be close to Ai Ren, not be pushed away like have been. Learn how make Akane and Ranma love like Shan Pu love. Learn how win heart.”
Kasumi sighed. “I’m sorry she’s like that, Shan Pu. But you were a little bit of a surprise for all of us.” she paused, reflecting, “Then again, so was Ranma. Father neglected to tell us about him until he was on our doorstep.” She sighed again. “Plus, there’s the fact my last advice led to the pair of you destroying the dojo.” She laid her head back against the tub. “Oh dear. I don’t know, Shan Pu. Your grandmother could be right. I guess for now I will keep your secret. But please, don’t do anything to abuse Akane’s trust while you’re a cat.”
Shan Pu nodded. “Shan Pu try very hard. Not even sleep in Akane bed. Sleep under so not even hear words she say in sleep.”
Kasumi smiled at her. “Very well. I will keep quiet and help if I can. Just be careful.”
The Amazon nodded enthusiastically. “Shan Pu try very hard,” she said again.
Kasumi smiled. “Good.” A sudden thought hit her. “Oh my… were you listening to Akane and I talking yesterday?”
Shan Pu colored as she hung her head. “Shan Pu in basket. Could not help but hear.”
Kasumi frowned. “You really should try to avoid that in the future, dear. It’s not polite to eavesdrop. Still I suppose it can’t be helped.”
Shan Pu shook her head. “Shan Pu not do on purpose, but did listen to Ai Ren. Why Akane no wish have babies? Is not proper way show love for husband?”
Kasumi sighed. “I suppose for your village, that is the way, but we have changed here in Japan. We don’t have to have lots of children in the hopes that a few will survive. Father is unusual in that he has the three of us. One or two children is more common these days. And Akane wants to be more than just a mother.” Kasumi leaned back as she let the warm water soak into her bones. “Our mother used to be a martial artist, and was well on her way to being one of the best. When she met Father, they fought like cats and dogs, but she could never defeat him.”
Shan Pu nodded “Is best way. Strong man insure strong children.”
Kasumi smiled. “I suppose that’s true. Anyway, eventually Mother fell in love, and I was conceived. That was the last bit of scandal my mother allowed my father to engage in. They were wed and I was born… and Mother had to give up being a martial artist to take care of me.”
Shan Pu blinked. “Why?”
“Because taking care of me and Father was too demanding to allow her the same kind of time and dedication to martial arts she had previously. And she insisted on stability for the family. She insisted that she and Father could not live as wanderers anymore. Father returned home and took over the school from Grandfather, and Mother learned how to be a mother from grandmother. By the time our grandparents died, Nabiki had been born, and mother had settled into being a housewife. She still practiced in the mornings with Father, but I always got the sense she’d felt like she lost something.” Kasumi traced circles on the top of the water as she stared off into the distance. “I tried as hard as I could to help around the house, and take the burden off of her, but I never understood until later what it was that she missed. I never realized how much she had given up until she died, and I was helping to raise Akane. She is so much like Mother at times it’s scary. Father always used to brag that he had tamed a shrew in Mother, and Akane’s drive and temper came from her.”
Shan Pu giggled as she rubbed the back of her head. “Shan Pu have felt Akane’s anger. Is not worried. Shan Pu proud Akane is such strong warrior. But being mother does not mean is not warrior.”
“Do the women of your village share the responsibility for raising children?” Kasumi asked.
Shan Pu nodded. “Men mainly do housework and watch over young ones, but all village help.”
Kasumi nodded. “In Japan, only the family helps, and men are generally off earning money to support the family. The school was Fathers’ job, but when Mother died, he just kind of fell apart. If it hadn’t been for the money Mother had put back, and Nabiki’s gift for managing it, we would have lost our home years ago.”
Shan Pu gave her a horrified look. Finally she blinked and shook her head. “Japanese very strange. Understand now why Akane not want children right away.”
Kasumi nodded. “We don’t have the same ways as your village, Shan Pu. And it is hard for a woman in Japan with children to be anything but a housewife. It’s what’s expected.”
Shan Pu nodded. “Is same for men in village. Not think Ranma be good househusband.”
Kasumi giggled. “No, I can’t see Ranma in that role.”
Shan Pu nodded. “Shan Pu will think on this. She want make many babies for family, but things not like at village. May be best to wait. Akane want us three be family first. Shan Pu devoutly wish for this as well. When Shan Pu, Akane and Ranma all decide is time, then Shan Pu give many babies.”
Kasumi gave her a warm smile. “That sounds like a very wise plan, Shan-chan.”
Shan Pu blinked, then smiled. “Shan-chan. Will need get used to, but like. Very happy Kasumi will be sister as well.”
Kasumi laughed. “I’m hearing that from a lot of people these days.”
* * * * *
The warehouse was old and rickety, like the dock. Tao-Ching looked it over and grinned. According to his source, Herb’s boat would be here by dusk.
The Prince had done a good job of seeking unobtrusive entry to Japan, having hired a private luxury yacht last night to take him across to Tokyo. His only mistake had been paying in gold. The yacht’s captain had no choice but to try and fence the metals, since had he tried to sell it under normal channels, the PRC would have been sniffing around trying to find out how he had come across such a large cache of antique coinage. Attempting to avoid the PRC had forced the captain to contact a Japanese “merchant”, whose connections reported directly to Tokyo. As a “favor” to Tao-Ching, the yacht crew had been replaced while Herb slept and he had boarded it this morning unaware that the crew was under orders to bring him directly to this old, disused Hibiki warehouse in Chiba. Further arrangements had been made to ensure the docks were empty for a half mile around. Five million American dollars could buy a lot with the Yakuza. Twenty million all told, if you took into account hiring the mercenaries of Area 88 to blow up the Musk fortress. Almost his entire profits for the last six months.
Tao-Ching felt the scar along his side and smiled. A small price to pay for revenge. Mint and Lime had already paid with their lives for his humiliation at their hands. They should have made sure he was dead. This time, he wouldn’t give Herb a chance to use his fancy chi techniques and throw him over a cliff. That had cost Shan Pu a lifetime cursed to be a cat and him six months healing from being impaled on a bamboo pole. Herb had a lot to answer for…
* * * * *
“I can’t believe you asked her to introduce you to VENUS!” Ayeka screamed, causing Kyoko to wince.
Ai looked at her coolly, leaning back in the hot tub she’d arranged to have installed in the cheerleaders dressing room. She stretched her arms out along the side, lifting her breasts to just above the waterline as she got comfortable. She gave the raven haired cheerleader a slow examination, making the naked girl feel like her skin was being flayed, and Ayeka resisted the urge to cover herself. Finally, Ai spoke.
“Yes,” Ai said icily. “We talked about the Senshi. I needed information on exactly how involved with them she is. The last thing I want is to beat her down only to have to fight five super powered magical girls. It’s called intelligence gathering.” Ai shook her head at Ayeka’s failure to see the obvious. She should have avoided mentioning asking for Sailor Venus’ autograph.
“It looked more like flirting!” Ayeka said, crossing her arms under her breasts as she cocked one hip in annoyance. “And most of the school thinks so too!”
Ai sighed, wishing Ayeka’s eagerness to be her pet wasn’t part of a massive inferiority complex that made the girl a great submissive, but incredibly insecure. “Enough Ayeka. Attractive as Zhu Shu is, until this matter of challenge is settled, she’s off limits.”
Ayeka wouldn’t be mollified. “Attractive! What does that little Chinese bitch have that I don’t!” she screamed, lifting her arms and turning to display her lithe figure.
Ai shook her head. Telling the girl to shave had been a mistake. Nice as she looked bare, Ayeka had obviously taken it as an attempt on Ai’s part to make her substitute for Zhu Shu. It hadn’t been. She’d just discovered she liked the look, and had made Ayeka her first experiment, trying to decide if she was going to have the entire squad shave. In the tall girl’s mind, it had been far more significant.
“She does have bigger breasts.” Kyoko added helpfully from where she was busy massaging Kaede’s legs. The redheaded girl was watching the fight with an air of “enough already”, supporting herself on her arms as she lay on the massage table, her legs spread to let Kyoko rub muscles sore from practice. She looked down at the other girl’s comment and rolled her eyes with an amused smile.
Ayeka glared at the chestnut-haired girl, her hands rising into a strangulation grip as she almost advanced on the kawaii brunette.
Ai waved her off. “I said enough! Seriously Ayeka, you’re acting like you’re jealous. You’ve never raised a fuss like this over anyone else I was looking at as a play toy. You’ve been just as eager to play with them as I was.”
Megumi looked over from where she was filing her nails on the other side of the hot tub. “No one else you’ve played with could fight us to a draw.” she said, matter of factly. She examined her perfect nails and dropped the file on the side of the tub as she stretched out, her toes casually finding a soft and furry target. “Akane doesn’t count because you weren’t ever interested in her. She’s always been too much of a tomboy for you. You like your women feminine, and your guys masculine.” she finished, her toe stroking up and down gently. Ai spread her legs slightly but didn’t react otherwise.
“She certainly isn’t acting that way as much since Zhu Shu started living with the Tendos.” Kyoko added. “She’s nowhere near as violent.” She sighed. “Which makes Kuno give her googly eyes worse than ever.” She stopped rubbing Kaede’s thigh as she frowned.
Kaede looked down at Kyoko over the mute evidence that she was no more a natural red-head than Ai was blonde, and rolled her eyes. “Why you care that Kuno chases her is beyond me.”
Kyoko gave a pretty little pout. “Well, I don’t really. I used to, but then I met Ai.” She gazed at the oblivious blonde adoringly. “But he’s only done that since he came to Furinkan. He always used to chase me when we were in junior high and I sort of miss it. It was fun making him run around in circles.”
“And I remember him being just as obnoxious about it.” Kaede shook her head. “And you playing hard to get just made him worse. Now he assumes every girl is doing it. It’s one thing to be chased for being desirable, but that boy is like a dog who can’t tell who’s in heat and tries to hump everyone.” She fluttered her eyes at the brunette and looked down meaningfully. Kyoko blushed as she started rubbing again
Ayeka growled. “And all of that is beside the point!” She turned to Ai. “When are we going to challenge that bitch again!”
“When I can find some way to cancel out those ki attacks!” Ai exclaimed. “As good as we are, none of us know any ki based attacks that sophisticated. We need some way to counteract those.” Ai rubbed her temples, tired of the argument. She laid her head back against the tub’s soft side as she felt Megumi’s toe begin making small circles.
“We could always insult Ayeka until she explodes.” Kaede suggested, to a glare from the dark haired girl that the red-head ignored. “It worked against your sister’s school.”
“Mariko’s squad got cocky. She needed to be reminded who the real master of combat cheerleading was in the Konjou family.” Ai said with a frown. She reached down to tap Kaede’s foot away. “And Ayeka is uncontrollable when she’s berserk. It’s like she wants to rip people’s throats out with her teeth and drink their blood.” Ai said as she rose from the tub and began drying off.
The dark haired girl glared at all of them, her eyes flashing red as the faintest hint of an orange aura shimmering around her. “Keep it up and you’ll find out just how uncontrollable I am!”
“Calm down Ayeka. We will redeem ourselves against Zhu Shu. As soon as I feel we are ready.” Ai said as she picked up her bra and started dressing. “You all did well in practice today. I just need to figure out how to even things up in our favor, and we’ll teach the entire school who’s still the best.”
The rest of the squad nodded, except for Ayeka, who fumed still. “I won’t wait forever Ai!”
Ai fixed her with an icy glare that dissipated Ayeka’s aura. “You will wait until I say or I will do something far worse than punish you.” She made very sure Ayeka met her eyes. “I’ll stop.”
The cowed girl nodded as Ai turned and left, her yellow skirt flaring as she stalked out of the room. Kaede’s eyes followed her before turning back to Ayeka. “Stop pouting. Ai’s never let us down yet. She’s right. You’re acting like you’re jealous. Ai’s had plenty of other girls and guys and you’ve never acted like this.” She looked down at Kyoko and smiled, shifting her hips.
Ayeka looked at her. “Why shouldn’t I be jealous, you damn succubus? That fucking dragon has all the guys in school drooling over her, and half the girls! And ever since she’s come, Ai’s barely even looked at me!” She looked down at herself, running a hand along her flat stomach and over her freshly shaved pubis, then sighing as she sat on the edge of the tub.
“Zhu Shu’s not even interested in any of them, Ayeka. Haven’t you realized she’s barely noticed anyone other than Akane or Ranma?” Kaede said. “I don’t think you need worry about Ai ditching us for the little tramp.” She lay back on the table, her hands behind her head as she hooked one foot behind Kyoko and pulled her closer, smiling as the brunette knelt.
“Besides,” Megumi added, coming up beside the tall raven-haired girl and rising out of the tub to press against Ayeka’s back, her pale skin cool despite the water’s heat. Her arms encircled Ayeka’s neck as she nuzzled the raven haired girl’s neck then murmured in her ear “We all know how obsessive she gets over anyone challenging her martial arts prowess. Or any other prowess she has. She’ll figure out how to counter those ki attacks, and then, perhaps, we’ll turn Zhu Shu into our personal pet.” Megumi’s finger traced lazily down Ayeka’s breast bone. “Once she’s been broken in, she’ll make a fine addition to the squad, just like you were, Ayeka. Just like we all were.”
“Exactly.” Kaede added. “Think about how much fun that will be. Just like it was breaking in Kyoko here.” She reached down to stroke the curly chestnut hair of the other girl.
Kyoko nodded, too polite to speak with her mouth full. The motion caused Kaede to gasp as her back arched and she moaned softly.
Megumi watched for a few seconds before concentrating on Ayeka. “Just watch,” She purred in Ayeka’s ear as she held out her wrist before Ayeka. “Ai will find some way to handle Zhu Shu. ”
Ayeka nodded, her finger tracing along the throbbing vein in the blonde’s wrist before she gently cupped Megumi’s arm in her hands… “Alright, but if that wench makes a move on our Ai, I’m gonna kill her.” She lowered her mouth and bit gently as Megumi moaned in pleasure.
* * * * *
Ranma looked around the dojo, then down at her watch. “Okay, so where are the girls?”
Akane shrugged, the motion making her rabbit ears sway. “I don’t know. Zhu Shu said they were going to come by and to give them their lessons this week. I don’t know where they are.” Her ears twitched towards the house. “Hang on, Kasumi’s calling.”
Ranma blinked, not having heard a thing. “Okay.”
Akane was back a few minutes later. “Kasumi said Mrs. Tsukino called to let us know the girls apparently went to Hong Kong with her husband. He had to cover a story on a festival or something and they went as part of a school cultural project.” Her frown showed annoyance.
“Oh, man. Zhu Shu’s gonna kill em.” Ranma shook her head.
Akane stepped up behind her and picked up Ranma’s long braid, idly playing with it. “Especially after she made them swear they’d stay here until she had a chance to scout it out.”
“Oh, I take it you heard the girls went to Hong Kong?”
They both turned to see Luna coming into the dojo. Ranma let out a yelp and backed up to the far side of the dojo in one leap, Akane fortunately having let go of her braid. “She talked!” the terrified red-head squeaked.
Luna gave Ranma a curious look. “Usagi said you knew about the Senshi.”
Akane laughed. “Ranma does. We forgot to tell him you talk though, and he has a phobia of cats.”
Luna gave Ranma a curious look. “Oh. I’ll be quick then. Sorry I’m late. It’s ever such a long walk on foot. The girls tricked us and took off. We don’t know what’s going on, but they’re okay so far as we’ve been monitoring. I just came to let you know that we felt a major surge of Silver Millennium energy a few days ago, when you went to China. Artemis and I are sure it came from Zhu Shu.”
Akane nodded. “We were attacked at the Amazon village.” She pointed to her rabbit ears. “These are a remnant.”
“Oh my. I thought they were a headband. Usagi has a pair just like those.”
“Well, these are real. Zhu Shu saved the village. Shan Pu said that she had run to Jusenkyo for water from the spring of drowned girl to turn everyone back from being bunnies.” She turned to show the fluffy pink and white tuft poking out the top of her pants. “We’re no longer rabbits, but as you can see, there are still some issues. I was in the village square when Zhu Shu got back, and she just appeared on the dais in a small explosion of light.”
Luna blinked. “Oh? Interesting. It takes all five of the girls joining powers to teleport.”
“She collapsed afterwards, exhausted.” Akane said. “The elders say she overused her chi severely.”
Luna nodded. “Well, I just wanted to let you know what was going on. Artemis is waiting outside and it’s a long walk back.”
“Why’s he outside?”
“Said he smelled a strange cat.”
“Oh, that’s China. She’s mine. Shan Pu gave her to me.”
Luna looked over at the still cowering Ranma. “And he’s afraid of cats?”
“We’re hoping repeat exposure will help him overcome the phobia.”
“Ah. Well, I suppose that’s all to the good. Anything I can do to help?”
“Don’t really know. Right now I guess not.”
“Well, at least now we know why he had a fit the first day I came with Usagi.” She tilted her head at the unmoving girl. “Good luck with the phobia, Ranma!”
“Gah!” was the red-head’s response.
Akane sauntered over to the smaller girl as Luna nosed back out the dojo door. “Well, it looks like we’re stuck with no class to train. Care to spar?”
Ranma’s eyes stayed glued to the door until Luna’s tail disappeared, then let out a sigh. “Dammit, I did it again!”
Akane tugged the smaller girl away from the wall and rubbed her shoulders. “It’s going to take time Ranma. You did very well. Especially considering that we didn’t warn you about her speaking.”
“I hate this. I used to like cats!”
“Give it time. No-one but you expects results overnight.” She stepped back and gave the red-head a mischievous look as she untied her gi top. “Now, are you going to spar with me, or not?”
Ranma watched as Akane removed her gi, admiring the curves her body was developing, and smiling as Akane’s bunny tail came fully into view. Akane noticed her watching and gave her rear a shake. “So, do I have a nice tail?”
Ranma gulped hard. “Umm…”
Akane laughed as she reached behind her back and pulled her swords. Ranma barely had time to blink as she blurred towards her, Akane’s long braid whipping into a loud crack as she moved. She stopped behind Ranma, her breasts pressed against the red-head’s back and her arms encircling the other girl, swords once more put away. Ranma turned her head to give the grinning girl a raised eyebrow.
“What was that about?” she asked, prompting Akane to giggle.
Then, Ranma’s gi fell off, the garment sliced neatly into pieces.
“I wanted you naked.” Akane explained with a quirked eyebrow.
Ranma gave her the evil eye. “You could have asked.”
“It’s more fun this way.” Akane smiled. “Besides, it gives me a chance to let my hands wander.” she added as her hands began to do just that, one hand moving up, the other down.
Ranma blushed. “Um, are you feeling okay? I mean, Kodachi wasn’t even in school today, so I don’t think she slipped you something.”
“I’m horny. It’s a natural thing for most people, Ranma. Especially people in love.” Akane murmured as her fingers began playing with Ranma’s curls. “I’ve been horny since we left China, and this is the first time I’ve been able to express it.”
Ranma gasped as Akane’s fingers found their target. “Ah, okay. It’s just your usually so- so-“
“Sexless?” Akane teased. “I thought I broke you of that idea.” She tossed her head so her braid wrapped around them both, pulling Ranma closer.
“Ah… yeah… um… well… I… just never expected you to be so forward.” She leaned back against Akane as the dark haired girl’s fingers began provoking the responses Akane sought.
“So? I want to make out like bunnies. I…” Akane stopped and blinked. “Oh my god.” she said, her lips right next to Ranma’s ears. “That’s exactly what I want to do.” Her ears twitched. “I’ve wanted to drag you off and play with you ever since I got cursed.”
The red-head blinked. “Huh?”
“Since I got cursed, whenever I’m not doing something, I’ve been daydreaming about having sex. With you, with Shan Pu, even Zhu Shu. Gods, I’ve been fantasizing about just about everyone,” She nuzzled Ranma’s ear. “And getting hornier and hornier.”
Ranma blinked. “Everyone?”
Akane pulled her head back and gave the red-head a sour look. “Get over yourself. Like you haven’t done it too. I have noticed your tendency to let your eyes wonder towards pretty girls.”
Ranma blushed. “Okay, okay.”
“Besides, the only people I’d actually do something with are you, and eventually Shan Pu.” She leaned back in to start nuzzling again. “I love you, and I never meant to hurt you.”
Ranma smiled. “I know. I’m sorry. Just have a hard time accepting that you really find me desirable.”
Akane blinked. She leaned forward to look at Ranma’s face. “Jeez. I should have known the overbearing ego had a hidden insecurity problem.”
“Hey, I ain’t insecure!” Ranma protested
Akane giggled. “Of course you are. When it comes to me anyway. I think it’s cute.” She hugged Ranma tighter for a second, then her hands resumed their explorations again. “Anyway, I wonder if being a bunny girl has side effects, like an increased sex drive.”
Ranma sighed softly as Akane’s fingers slid deeper. “Umm… I dunno. Maybe. I ain’t complaining.”
Akane nipped him lightly on the neck. “Of course not. You’re the one being molested.” She grabbed Ranma’s hand with her unoccupied one and guided it. “A fact that I expect you to correct immediately.”
Ranma smiled as her fingers complied.
* * * * *
Nabiki growled as she closed the cell phone. Tao-Ching still wasn’t answering. And after she’d gone and spent so much effort buying clothes!
She looked down at the pair of stiletto heeled platforms she had bought, and sighed. All dressed up and no place to go. Stepping in front of the mirror, she examined the deep v front dress she’d bought, the neckline plunging down so far that she’d had to shave, and the lower hem barely hiding the fact she’d dispensed with underwear too. The back of the dress actually plunged below her tail, leaving the soft brown puff of fur fluffed out behind her. The black heels accented the ensemble, the open toes showing off her candy apple red nail polish, and the extra two inches of height from the platforms and the seven inch heels would have brought her almost level with Tao-Ching. The daringness of the outfit had left her feeling incredibly sexy.
A shame Tao-Ching couldn’t see it. She lifted the dress to look at the small tuft of fur she’d left as a teaser and pouted. She’d so looked forward to driving the furball crazy with tantalizing glimpses until he couldn’t take it anymore, then letting him take the dress off of her for a little fun.
She sighed again and headed down to the kitchen to tell Kasumi she wasn’t going out after all. Pausing at the kitchen door, Nabiki blinked, then gave a slow smile.
“Umm… Kasumi?”
Kasumi smiled at Nabiki. “Yes?”
“Um… you did realize you weren’t wearing anything but that apron, right?” Nabiki took advantage of the fact to admire Kasumi’s excellent curves.
Kasumi blushed prettily, but didn’t seem too bothered by Nabiki’s appraising looks. “Oh my. I was… well… I took a break for a few minutes. If you must know, I was fantasizing and didn’t want to mess up my clothes. I was so caught up in my daydream I didn’t notice I hadn’t gotten re-dressed.” She took in Nabiki’s clothes. “That’s a new look for you.”
Nabiki thought about it, looking down at herself. “You’re right.” She looked around. “Good thing Genma and Sandal aren’t here. I’m practically giving a free show, too.” She shrugged. “Though they’d probably run for the hills in terror if they were. The Ice Princess on the prowl.”
Kasumi laughed, the motions making her breasts bounce rather enticingly. Nabiki licked her lips, feeling a sudden urge to nibble.
“Mr. Saotome is currently rather… occupied, with Mrs. Saotome.” Kasumi confessed. “She actually dragged Mr. Saotome into his room.” Kasumi nodded out at the dojo. “And if I’m interpreting the noises coming from over there correctly, I believe Akane is entertaining herself with Ranma-chan.”
“Ranma-chan?” Nabiki grinned. “How cute. I can’t wait to call him that.”
“Her. We really need to treat Ranma as a girl when he’s female. After all she’s not going to get rid of the curse any more than we are.” Kasumi said brightly. She played with one of her ears, pulling it down to toy with idly. “We’re bunny girls for life.”
Nabiki nodded. Then did a double take. “Hey, wait a minute.”
Kasumi nodded. “You didn’t realize being a bunny girl was throwing your sex drive into high gear.” She smiled. “Yes. I noticed that earlier. I was going to warn you before you went out.” She looked down at herself and gave Nabiki an amused grin. “And as you can see I got distracted.”
Nabiki laughed. “So I see. Nice to see you’re normal in that regard too.”
Kasumi blushed again. “Well, I am human, Nabiki. I’m just not usually so… blatant about it.” She turned to finish draining the sink from washing, her pale brown tail accenting her pear shaped rear.
Nabiki licked her lips absently thinking about how nice a closer inspection would be. She shifted her hips. “Well, hopefully, if Tao-Ching isn’t home, he got some lead on where Herb is so we can get this damn lock broken.”
Kasumi nodded as she wiped her hands on the apron. “Well, I should definitely get dressed before anyone comes in.”
Nabiki gave her a evil grin. “Want some ‘help’?”
Kasumi raised an eyebrow. “Nabiki!”
Nabiki shrugged. “Hey, I’m incredibly horny,” she admitted unapologetically. “And you were the one to kiss Zhu Shu. And is currently running around naked! Can I help it if the entire Tendo family has the trait of being at least curious about lesbianism?” She stepped into the kitchen with a teasing whirl, showing the dress off in full. “Just watching you at the moment has made me want to lay you back on the table and have you for a snack.”
Kasumi wrung her hands. “Oh my. I can’t say I’m not tempted,” she admitted, unable to hide the signs of that temptation behind her thin apron. “But I know it’s just the effects of being a bunny girl. Besides we’re sisters.”
Nabiki laughed. “Don’t give me that. I heard you talking to Akane about geisha stuff.” She stepped up to Kasumi and backed her against the counter. “Did it ever occur to you that I might be interested too?” she asked, reaching around Kasumi to grab the ties to her apron and pulling them loose as she stepped back, drawing the apron up to reveal Kasumi’s curly locks, as impeccably trimmed as always.
“But Nabiki, Akane and I aren’t doing any thing like what you’re suggesting.” Kasumi protested, gently tugging her apron out of Nabiki’s hands.
Nabiki laughed and hiked her skirt to reveal what she wasn’t wearing underneath. “Does this tell you how horny I am?”
Kasumi blushed prettily. “Yes, but we’d probably regret it later.”
“Now you’re rationalizing.” Nabiki sing-songed. She continued pulling the dress off and tossed it on the table as she sat down on it with her legs spread. “Now, I wanted Tao-Ching tonight, but he’s not available, nor has he actually even asked me to be his girlfriend yet, or out on a date, and I am getting rather tired of waiting.” She casually traced down the joint of her thigh, drawing Kasumi’s eyes to her mostly shaven state as she smiled languidly. “And in retrospect, he’s not as safe to play with as you are. Akane is playing with Ranma, and even Genma is getting some.” She batted her eyes playfully at her sister. “Now I could just go and find some random individual to play with, I suppose. But then I’d never be absolutely sure they wouldn’t use this little weakness I’ve acquired to blackmail me, and there’s always the possibility I’d get pregnant…”
Kasumi’s apron sailed past her sister’s head as she smiled indulgently. “You’re terrible. I just want you to know that.” she said as she turned and sashayed out of the kitchen.
Nabiki just smiled as she sauntered out after Kasumi. “Of course I am, but you love me anyway.”
“True… but that doesn’t mean I’m going to say yes.”
“You haven’t said no either.” Nabiki said as they headed up the stairs
Kasumi just laughed.
* * * * *
China watched the two girls disappearing up the stairs and laughed internally. She really hadn’t meant to spy, having just come down to beg some milk from Kasumi and catching the show between Nabiki and her sister. She didn’t think Kasumi was actually going to give in to Nabiki, considering she’d seen the mischievous look in the older girl’s eye as she’d taken off her apron, but she wasn’t sure why the older girl was being so resistant. Must be another of those weird notions these Japanese had.
It was amusing watching some of the antics her Japanese sisters went through about something as simple as sex. Sex was a natural expression of love, whether it was between sisters or mates. Amazons kept it simple. Sex for fun was fine between fertility periods; procreation was reserved for marriage. Sex with a sister was always for fun, regardless of whether they were blood or not. Really, how else was anyone to learn the proper ways to stimulate a partner without practice? She’d been surprised that all Zhu Shu’s training had been rote memorization, and that she had never been trained to read her body’s own signs of when she was fertile, though she had been trained in herbal techniques to control conception. She’d remedied at least that much during their two months hunting Ranma, teaching Zhu Shu how to note the various signs of the feminine cycle.
Still, judging from the little exchange between Kasumi and Nabiki, and Akane’s concerns about playing with Ranma as a male, it looked like she would need to educate her new sisters and Ai Ren as well. Some of these outlander customs were just too silly.
She nosed the refrigerator door open and stood on her hindquarters to reach the bowl of milk Kasumi had promised her she’d leave and drank. Thirst satisfied, she returned to contemplating, realizing she also needed to let Kasumi know about the lecture her great-grandmother had given her about avoiding being in her cursed form as she approached her fertile phase, as the animals instinct’s could become strong enough to overcome her rationality. The Tendo girls were unprepared for anything like this, and were locked in cursed form. And, like most women who shared living spaces, their periods were probably fairly close to each other. This increase in their sexual appetites was probably going to get worse as their periods drew closer, though hopefully, being only half rabbit would mitigate it somewhat. She’d learned the hard way exactly how overpowering that instinct was in the animal form, and was glad Ke Lun had been nearby with hot water. As it was, she still had a problem with attracting felines when she was on her cycle, even in human form, and went to great lengths to avoid cold water those three days.
Luckily, that had just passed, and she had most of a month left. Ke Lun would be in Japan long before then and she’d be able to just avoid being China during the danger period.
She wandered over to the dojo and climbed up to the sill of one of the high windows, her sharp ears and nose having caught the evidence of loveplay within. She arranged herself on the ledge, watching as her two beloved fiancées played with each other, wishing she could join in. Comforting herself with the hope she’d learn enough about Akane and Ranma to win their hearts, she laid her head down on her paws to study what her fiancées seemed to enjoy most, for future reference.
* * * * *
In another part of Tokyo, Ai was rummaging through the dusty shelves of a curio shop, indulging in her secret vice, antique jewelry. She had quite a collection of rings and brooches, and one could never tell when one might find something nice in a little shop like this. She had sighted the shop when she’d been on her way home from school, and grumbling about her squad complaining and the way Ayeka had been bitching about her talking to the Chinese girl instead of fighting her. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Ayeka really was such a good sub…
She sighed. The problem was, she did want to beat Zhu Shu, but she wanted to do it more to save face for the cheerleading squad than out of pure animosity. As aggravating as losing to her had been, she had to admit that Zhu Shu had fought fairly, and had been graceful enough to call it a draw, when she could have possibly won. Zhu Shu had been tired, but Ai hadn’t been certain the metamorphosing girl hadn’t had another trick to pull out of her bag, and with the rest of her squad down, Ai had lost a lot of the mobility she counted on in a fight. She still had to be defeated, but Ai couldn’t make herself hate Zhu Shu like she did most of her rivals. And it wasn’t because she was attracted to the Chinese girl, regardless of what Ayeka thought. Beyond making her a pet, Ai had absolutely no romantic interest. Not in Zhu Shu anyway…
She had to find away to soundly beat Zhu Shu, to humiliate her like the squad had been, so that there was no question of who the ruling beauties of Furinkan were in the mind of the students, while still leaving a means for her to talk the Chinese girl into introducing her to Sailor Venus! Then she’d be able to tell the incredibly lovely blonde Senshi how much she worshipped her from afar… and Sailor Venus would…
“Humm. I sense a spirit searching for answers.” A voice said from next to her, disrupting her fantasy. Ai turned to see the shop keeper, a wizened old man of indeterminate race. “You seek to best a rival?”
Ai nodded. “How did you know?”
The old man laughed. “You get to be my age dearie, it’s a lot of been there, done that. You’re looking, but not at what your hands are touching. Deep in thought.”
Ai raised her eyebrow. “Yeah, so?”
“I might have something that can help.” He waved at the back of the store. “Come, let me show you my real stock, not this useless trash I keep out here for the common herd.
Curious, Ai moved in the direction indicated. The old man took her to a small room behind a curtain, and turned on the lights. Ai stopped and blinked.
The walls were filled with shelves containing a vast array of knick knacks ranging from grotesque to indescribably lovely. Rings, mirrors, daggers, shrunken heads, and other less identifiable items, crowded the various displays, and the very air felt strange, like it was filled with static electricity just below the level of lightning.
The old man crackled. “Here, my dear, you will find a means for what you seek.”
Ai looked at the disarray. “In here? How?”
“Magic. I have charms for all sorts of things.”
Ai blinked, then grinned. “That would be rather appropriate. My ‘rival’ uses magic. She turns into a dragon girl.”
“A dragon, you say?” The shopkeeper chuckled. “I’ve always appreciated a fine piece of tail, though I prefer kitsune myself.”
Ai sniffed. “What am I, a side of beef?”
“Not at all. Not at all.” the shop keeper chuckled. “But I never molest customers, however much I might want to. Bad for business.”
Ai nodded, mollified. “So what do you have that can help me beat her, without actually permanently hurting her?”
The old man rummaged the shelves for a few moments before emerging with a flask. “This. Dragons are very magical. This is the juice of a rare berry that affects only dragons. It will disrupt her magic, and cause it to fluctuate wildly. She will be unable to use her powers for a time. But be aware, its effect is short term. A matter of fifteen to twenty minutes, then she will experience a surge that she will not be able to control. Then it will leave her weak and intoxicated.”
Ai raised an eyebrow. “I see. Will it harm her?”
“No more than you drinking an entire bottle of sake, sweet cheeks. It’ll leave her with a huge hangover. It’s not called Dragon Wine for nothing.”
Ai’s eyes glittered. “That will be perfect. Imagine her trying to fight me drunk.”
“Make sure you give it to her in her true form. It won’t work otherwise. If she’s human when you give it to her there will be no effect.”
Ai nodded. “That can be arranged.”
* * * * *
Tao-Ching watched as the yacht pulled up at a slow pace and a lone figure jumped to the dock. His eyes narrowed as the yacht bounced off the pier and veered off into the night. He studied the figure on the dock.
The figure turned. “You may as well show yourself, assassin. I can sense your presence. You do not wish to anger me, as your friends aboard yon boat found out.”
Tao-Ching didn’t move from the shadows. “Saves me some money paying them then. Long time no see, Herb.”
The cloaked figure turned more fully. “Your voice is familiar, assassin.”
“Yours is a bit higher pitched. Mint’s words make sense now, ‘princess’.”
The figure lashed out, a line of explosions crossing the dock to shatter the crate Tao-Ching had been behind, but he’d already moved. His last encounter with Herb had taught him the value of not being seen until he was ready to strike.
“You are quick, assassin, but you cannot hide forever. I will kill you.” Herb said.
“You make a lot of threats, Herb. Last time you swore you’d douse me in Nannichuan and lock me as a woman for your amusement. I see the worm has turned.”
The figure reached up and lowered its hood, revealing Herb’s face. Tao-Ching blinked. Other than Herb’s hair coloring, she could have been a twin of Zhu Shu’s cursed form. Herb finished drawing off the cloak, revealing the dragon scale armor she had always favored.
“Yes, I do indeed find myself in an unpleasant situation, Tao-Ching. But I am still more than a match for an orphan castoff that the Amazons took pity on.”
“I have found my family name, Herb. But it seems you have lost yours. You were a fool to join with the Scorpion.”
Herb turned further, her eyes probing the darkness trying to find Tao-Ching’s hiding place. “The Scorpion have their uses. When I have retrieved the Kaisufuu, I will dispense with them.”
“It’s much too late for that Herb. They have already dispensed with the Musk. I slew Lime not four days ago when he dared to assault the Amazons. Mint died two days after, sacrificed by your ally to keep us from questioning him. You are the last, Herb. When I kill you, the Musk will be gone.”
Herb lashed out again, destroying a large pile of crates. “You will pay for this murder, Tao-Ching.”
Tao-Ching laughed from another shadow. “Murder? You dare accuse me of murder? Your assault left twenty Amazon warriors dead, and half the rest of the village cursed. Ripping out Lime’s throat with my teeth has barely even begun to repay the debts you owe, Herb.”
Herb lifted off the dock as the air swirled around her. “So, have you brought more Amazons to their deaths in a futile attempt to best me? Even as a woman, I am far your better!” The wind lashed out, destroying all the crates between the dock and the warehouse wall.
The warehouse groaned as the explosion shattered the wall as well, leaving a huge cloud of dust. The wind grabbed it and blew it away, leaving Herb a clear view of the devastation, but no sign of Tao-Ching.
“Your fortress looked a lot like that as it slid down the mountain.” Tao-Ching’s voice mocked from the depths of the warehouse. “It was very pretty how it fell apart.”
Herb began to glow. “I will slay you and every single Amazon who ever drew breath for this outrage Tao-Ching!” The glowing wind tore the warehouse apart.
“I’ve heard your threats before, Herb. Like your attacks, they’re full of flash and fury, but you keep missing the target.”
“Coward! Face me!” Herb screamed. “Fight me like a man!”
There was the sound of a metallic click. “I see you’ve misunderstood the situation Herb. This isn’t a fight…”
A red pinprick of light touched Herb’s temple and she started to turn as Tao-Ching continued.
“…It’s an execution.”
Tao-Ching’s finger tightened on the trigger of the AK-47, and the first three round burst of steel-jacketed armor-piercing rounds left the muzzle of the machine gun, propelled by high velocity charges. Blood sprayed from Herb’s temple as she was twisted around in the air, and the object she had clutched so tightly in her hand flew away to clatter across the dock. A second round of bullets flew, striking Herb in the shoulder. The glowing wind around her flickered out as the bullet’s impact threw the dragon princess through the air like a rag doll. She crashed into the waters of the bay and floated face down, blood staining the water around her before she slid beneath the waters of the bay, pulled under by the weight of her armor.
Tao-Ching stood on the dock, grimly watching as Herb sank, waiting nearly ten minutes as fins circled the red water before lowering the weapon and putting the safety back on. Finally sure Herb wasn’t going to re-surface, he walked over to the object Herb had dropped, picking up the narrow bucket and fishing the ladle out from under the boards it had wedged into. He held up the bucket and laid the ladle across the handle like Lo Shen had advised him, and smiled as a beam of light shone off into the darkness. With a smile, he took the bucket to his Humvee. With a guide like this, there was no way he’d get lost! He’d have the Kaisufuu back to the Tendos before morning!
* * * * *
As the lights of the Humvee faded into the night, silence reigned across the devastation. Hours passed before finally the scavengers came out. Dark shapes combed the wreckage pulling out whatever valuables could be found, before scurrying into the darkness again. One of the scavengers looked up as a faint noise came to his ears. He motioned to one of the others and they moved off in the direction of the noise. After several minutes of searching, they found the source.
Under the dock, tossed carelessly by the tide, was a naked girl. Blood was clotted from a bruised cut on her temple, a long line that creased her skull just above her ear. Another obvious bullet wound pieced her left shoulder blade, the wound far cleaner than any the men had ever seen. She was pale from blood loss, and unconscious, but didn’t seem to be in danger of dying immediately. The first scavenger grinned. “Well. This is a pretty happenstance.”
The other nodded. “Indeed. He’ll pay nicely for a beauty like this.”
“Truly. But we certainly can’t deliver her untested can we?” The first said as he used his foot to roll the girl over and spread her legs to reveal her virginity.
“Absolutely not.” the second grinned nastily. “Let me get the rope.”
* * * * *
Several days passed without word from Tao-Ching, and Nabiki was starting to get worried.
And even hornier. Despite teasing her, Kasumi had so far been unbeddable, and she was getting enormously frustrated. She’d tried everything she could think of, including outright begging, and all her older sister had promised her so far was that if she was still that interested once the curse was unlocked, she might consider it. Nabiki had been amazed by the iron will her sister hid under that calm, smiling exterior. She knew Kasumi was feeling the same effects of being a bunny girl that Nabiki was, and was good naturedly putting up with them far better than either of her sisters… or even Nodoka. Both of the Saotome men had been wandering around in a happy daze half the time, and even though she knew Akane was making sure that Ranma was female when they were playing, the fact that her younger sister, who had finally discovered sex, was out doing Nabiki annoyed her. So far, she’d managed to maintain a modicum of control at school, though it took almost every ounce of willpower she had, but it kept getting worse. Tao-Ching needed to show up before she lost total control of herself!
It had become obvious that Kasumi’s theory about her animal instincts getting worse as she came closer and closer to her period was correct, but it didn’t make it easier to deal with. She still had a few days to go before her period, and the drive to mate was getting unbearable. It was rare that anyone perked her interest enough for her to feel attracted to anything but their wallet, and she wasn’t used to having her mind wander constantly back to sex. It was getting harder and harder not to look at everyone around her as a potential partner. Her reputation as an Ice Queen was already in peril with Tao-Ching chasing her, but if he didn’t get back soon, she’d end up with a reputation as a slut worse than Ai!
Of course if she seduced Ai…
She sighed. Maybe if she told Kasumi she was contemplating such drastic measures, Kasumi would relent and give her a little relief. It was far more than frustrating hearing Akane and Ranma in the next room, and even with the fiber optic camera she’d drilled through the wall, she just wasn’t satisfying herself. She couldn’t figure out how her older sister was managing to deal with it so well. Kasumi had specifically avoided Doctor Tofu, and Ryouga hadn’t been around, and while she might have suspected Zhu Shu was helping… Zhu Shu wasn’t back from Hong Kong, or Nabiki would have long since dragged her into a bed. And it wasn’t that Kasumi wasn’t feeling it too. Being a bunny girl had heightened more than just Nabiki’s hearing, and some smells were impossible to hide from her nose. She knew she was getting Kasumi aroused, sometimes very highly, but her elder sister would just smile, tease her back a little, then gently worm her way out of the situation without giving in. That one concession from Kasumi was the farthest she’d gotten so far! And if it weren’t for the fact that Akane had Ranma…
Ooooooh, when she got this curse unlocked, she was going to seduce Kasumi just on principle!!! It was totally unfair that she was being left here as horny as a rabbit in heat while both her sisters were finding ways to satisfy their own urges!
The thought was broken off before it could lead into the inevitable fantasy that would have followed by the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside. Nabiki ran downstairs and threw open the door to see a weary, battered, and bruised Tao-Ching coming up the short walk from an equally bruised and battered Humvee. She paid no attention to the muck as she threw herself on top of him, actually knocking the solid man down despite his larger mass.
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Nabiki yelled. “Oh, never mind where you’ve been!” She grabbed him by the collar, straddling his lap as she half lifted him from the ground. “Are you ever going to actually ask me out officially?” She drew his face close to look into his eyes. “Are you going to be my boyfriend?” She shook him. “And if the answer’s yes, DO YOU HAVE A CONDOM?”
Tao-Ching blinked, and calmly smiled, unaffected by the shaking. “Nice to see you too, Nabi-chan.”
“DON’T CALL ME NABI-CHAN! You have left me here for days with a rabbit’s sex-drive! DON’T GRIN LIKE THAT!”
Tao-Ching gave her a long looking over, taking in the extremely short skirt and top she was wearing, as well as the evidence she wasn’t wearing anything under them. Nabiki felt the reaction under her and knew he liked the look. Finally, he held up an old brass kettle. “Will this help?”
Nabiki looked at the kettle and blinked. “Is… is that it?”
Tao-Ching tipped the kettle over and a stream of hot water poured on Nabiki. Instantly, she felt a twist as her rabbit ears and tail vanished.
Along with the overwhelming urge to… well… you know.
Nabiki sighed in relief. “Gods. Thank you. You have no idea how maddening being a bunny girl is.” She released his collar and sat back, realizing the change hadn’t apparently dimmed her appeal to Tao-Ching.
He shifted his hips under her. “I turn into a smilodon, Nabiki. I do have some idea. I can smell a feline in heat for miles.”
A cleared throat caught their attentions and they both looked to the house. Soun was standing there with his arms crossed, Kasumi peeking over his shoulder. Soun was giving them a hard look, and Nabiki slowly realized what he was looking at so sternly.
In the process of knocking Tao-Ching over, Nabiki’s really short skirt had ridden up even further, and the fact that she was sans undergarment was extremely obvious. She blushed as Soun took out a cigarette and lit it, taking a long drag.
Finally, he spoke. “Well, young man. I think I need to ask what your intentions are towards my daughter, since it seems she’s made her intentions towards you rather clear.”
Nabiki rolled off Tao-Ching and pulled her skirt down. “Umm.”
Tao-Ching waved her to silence as he stood and bowed. “My intentions are the same as they have been since I first met her, Soun-sama. I intend to woo her and win her heart, and eventually to win her hand.”
Nabiki blinked at him in shock.
“I see.” Soun said, taking another long drag on his cigarette. “Very well, I approve the engagement. It’s a suitable one for Nabiki, as you come from a fine family, and Akane has accepted her familial duties to the School.” He took Tao-Ching’s hand and pumped it. “Welcome to the family, son.”
Nabiki’s stared at her father in even more shock. They were deciding on this FOR her? “Hey... But... What...” she sputtered.
Tao-Ching grinned. “You’ve been waiting to do that since I got you drunk to tell you about Shan Pu, haven’t you.”
Soun puffed his cigarette, not saying a word.
“DADDY!!!!!” Nabiki yelled. Soun gave her a calm glance.
“Yes, daughter?”
“You can’t just engage me like this!”
Akane poked her head around the door. “Why not? It’s what happened to me.”
“But, but, but...”
“Nabiki, you asked him if he had a condom, and you were sitting on top of him, giving every indication you wanted to indulge in certain activities that should only occur between a wedded, or at the very least, an engaged couple. That certainly tells me you wanted to marry him.” Soun tossed the stump of his cigarette into an empty flowerpot, earning a sigh from Kasumi. “Now, I try to be a modern and liberal father, Nabiki, but there are proprieties that must be observed. At least I’m now certain that one of my daughters will be in something approaching a normal relationship. Now kiss him for pity’s sake and drag him upstairs. I’m not getting any younger, you know.”
Nabiki raised her eyes to heaven. “Am I the only one in this family who’s sane?”
“So far, I haven’t seen anyone who matches that description.” another voice broke in.
Tao-Ching straightened like he’d been shot.
The rest of the group looked over at the woman who was casually leaned against the Humvee, dressed in a simple Amazon style tunic and breeches. She was fairly tall, and whip thin, with long hair tied into a crest that rose above her head, and fell almost to her feet in a cascade that shifted through various shades of magenta. She was holding a long shaft topped by a massive blade, kind of like a naginata, but the sword blade was almost eighteen inches wide and nearly four feet long, making the over all weapon nearly ten feet in length. Nabiki hazily recalled seeing one in a museum and the name she recalled was guan dao. Despite its size, the woman carried it like it weighed nothing.
Tao-Ching turned slowly.
“Mother?” he whispered.
The woman smiled, her soft expression a warm contrast to the obvious shock and dread on Tao-Ching’s face. “Long time no see, Son. I hear you’ve been a bad boy. Lo Shen sent me to collect you, and the Kaisufuu.” she said lightly.
“Oh shit.” Tao-Ching groaned.
The woman moved in a blur, bopping Tao-Ching on the head with her guan dao. “What did I teach you about cursing!” she asked, the amused lilt still in her voice.
Tao-Ching rubbed his skull. “Alright, okay. I’m sorry. I went after the Kaisufuu alone because I wanted to get it for Nabiki and her family. I was afraid if I told Lo Shen first, she’d demand I bring the Chisuitton back to the village and that would take forever. I’ve seen the elders work, Mother. They’d have debated for days on who would need to be sent to retrieve this.” He shook the kettle.
“That was not for you to decide, Son. I have been sent to bring you back to the Council. Don’t make me have to tie you up and spank you.”
Nabiki decided the most disturbing thing about the woman was the air of ineffable good cheer, like she would smile as she was cutting your head off.
“Alright. I submit, mother. You know I can’t beat you.” Tao-Ching raised his hands in surrender. “I don’t even have my sword on me.”
“It is good that you submit, my son, but foolish of you to wander around weaponless. But we shall speak of that later.” She turned to look at Nabiki. “So, my son has chosen you as a mate?” She stepped around the younger girl, looking her up and down. Nabiki got the impression that the woman was highly amused by the short skirt and halter top. “Well, she has a nice body, but she’s not a warrior is she?”
Nabiki let out a “Hey!” in protest as Tao-Ching smiled. “Actually, she is Mother. A warrior of the mind and intellect. In our first battle, she bested me in fair combat, mind to mind. Rather easily I might add.”
“So what’s this business about engagement? You should have begged her to be your wife already.”
Nabiki gulped. “Oh my. You mean those rules apply to the men too?”
Tao-Ching smiled. “Yes, but you didn’t know, and I wasn’t about to try and force them on you, regardless.” he turned back to the Amazon. “This is Japan, mother. I can’t apply all the Amazon laws to modern life.”
The Amazon raised her eyebrow, the dark violet blending into her pinkish lavender hair. “Since when, son?”
Tao-Ching sighed. “Since I’m a legal citizen of Japan. I don’t have the diplomatic immunity you have. Bribes only go so far. I can’t just insist Nabiki marry me because she beat me in a deal. And besides, I want her to have a chance to make her own fortune, so she won’t feel like I’m richer than she is anymore.”
Nabiki blinked at him while the Amazon nodded approvingly. “At least you haven’t succumbed to these foolish outlander notions of female inferiority. I’d have had to beat you senseless.”
“Mother!” Tao-Ching rolled his eyes. “I may not be living in the Amazon village these days but I haven’t lost my senses.”
She ignored him as she stepped around to face Soun. “So, you are the father of my new daughter-in-law? I am Rin Se, daughter of Lat Her. Mother to this mannerless lout.”
Soun blinked. “Um… Pleased to meet you.”
“Is Tao-Ching in trouble?” Kasumi asked. “He did get the kettle, after all.”
Rin Se shrugged. “I don’t know. Lo Shen was hopping mad when she ordered me to retrieve my son. He’s always been trouble ever since I found him. Makes me wonder sometimes why I adopted him.” She gave Tao-Ching a fond smile.
“Because you could never be bothered with any of the Amazon men, mother, only the women. It was either adoption or nothing.” Tao-Ching said with an air of something said a million times.
“Paugh, weaklings all. I brought Tao-Ching up to be a real man, almost the equal of a woman. Not a shy retiring man like most males.” Rin Se said dismissively, patting Tao-Ching on the head proudly.
“Well, that explains most of the arrogance.” Akane muttered.
Nabiki poured water from the kettle over her head, far more than was necessary to unlock her curse. “You’re one to speak.”
Akane glared at her as she moved on to Kasumi. A few seconds later all the Tendo girls were back to normal. Kasumi took the kettle back to the kitchen to fill a bottle with the water to unlock Nodoka and for emergency purposes before returning the kettle to the Amazon.
“Is Tao-Ching going to be punished for bringing this to us first?” Nabiki asked finally.
Rin Se gave Tao-Ching a mock stern glance. “I don’t know. I suspect that to gain the Chisuitton he had to kill Herb…”
Tao-Ching shrugged. “He deserved death. The Warleader was going to kill him anyway.”
“This, as my son is not an accomplished enough fighter to meet him in a fair fight, means he has likely acted dishonorably and ambushed the Prince.” For the first time, Rin Se’s smile turned into a small frown
“Princess.” Tao-Ching noted.
“Ah. Still, you were ordered to report to Lo Shen and instead took matters into your own hands. None of the Elders have much tolerance for that. I’m sorry, Son, but you brought this on yourself.” Rin Se shook her head.
“Yes, Mother.”
“What will happen to him?” Nabiki asked worriedly, visions of executions running around her head.
“The usual. An impossible quest. Righting some great wrong in repayment for his transgression. Slaying a demon. Rescuing a princess. Something no sane person would ever attempt, or something no-one can succeed at doing.” Rin Se shrugged. “Still, he’s a male. They’ll go easier on him than they would a Warrior. Don’t worry daughter-in-law. They’ll leave enough of him to make sure I have grandchildren.”
“Mother!” Tao-Ching said exasperatedly.
“What? Your mate’s father is correct. We’re not getting any younger.”
Tao-Ching shook his head. Stepping up to Nabiki, he reached out and took her hand, raising it to his lips. “Don’t worry Nabi-chan. I’ll be back. If they were really all that mad, they’d have sent a whole troop instead of just my mother. Whatever punishment they set, it was still worth it to repay Herb for the debt he owed Shan Pu for her curse, and for nearly killing me. And if they punish me for bringing you the Kaisufuu first, well that was worth it too, considering the greeting I got.”
Nabiki smiled. “Don’t get used to that. I wasn’t entirely myself.” She blushed. “I’m not a full time bunny girl anymore.”
“I’ll see about that.” Tao-Ching said with a grin. “You’re way too cute with those ears.”
He turned back to the Humvee to leave, only to have his mother push him towards the passenger door. “What, you think I trust you not to get us lost? Lo Shen said with all haste.”
Tao-Ching rolled his eyes before giving a “what can you do” shrug and climbing in the Humvee. Nabiki watched as they drove off, hoping he wouldn’t be gone too long.
Then she did a double take.
Shan Pu’s curse?
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