High in the air, Fey looked down with dragon eyes, and his sharp sight easily picked out the high school, then traced along the streets until he located the Tendo Dojo. He watched it for a while, before deciding that they must be out, for the only person he saw was Kasumi, hanging out clothes to dry.
Scanning across the neighborhood, he was quite startled to see a sign saying 'Nekohanten.' There had been a Nekohanten in his world . . . but why would the Amazons here in this world have come to Nerima? Could it be that this world was much closer to his own than he thought? His attention sharpened when he saw a purple haired young woman dash out of the restaurant and hop onto a bicycle. Circling lower, he saw that she was carrying a single takeout box.
He steadily dropped his altitude, until he was flying only a few hundred feet above the girl. He considered her path, and realized she was heading for the school. He glanced up at the sun, and realized that it was just approaching its zenith. Midday . . . lunchtime, and she was just now heading for school. There was a difference. In his world, she would be attending school, assuming that this was indeed Xian Pu. It was possible school was out here in this world . . . he wasn't sure that time moved the same between worlds, but if it was out, then there would be little reason for her to be going there.
He looked ahead, and over the school walls, he could indeed now see people pouring out of the school onto the grounds. He followed the girl as she leapt the wall on her bike, and landed with her wheel planted in a young man's face.
She called out a happy greeting, and Fey watched in amusement, realizing that the young man was Ranma, and the girl beside him was Akane. That implied that his assumption about Genma's behavior was accurate. Then he heard something that quite startled him . . . Xian Pu, and it was her, for he heard Ranma call her Shampoo, called Ranma 'airen.'
So . . . that explains the Amazon presence, Fey thought to himself. Then he glanced about, until he spied Nabiki sitting beneath another tree, dealing with her factors as she ate her lunch. He sailed down towards her, and settled onto a low branch over her, where he could watch her.
Nabiki was feeling a little tired, and more than a bit depressed. She had arranged for the breakup of Akane's wedding, and three weeks later, things had gone back to the way they were. Now, on this return visit, she had observed that Shampoo was hounding Ranma again . . . but Akane wasn't taking things well at all. She hadn't attacked Ranma for it . . . so she had been able to see that Ranma really wasn't enjoying her behavior. But she had grown steadily more despondent, ever since Ranma's reaction to Ukyou's attack at the wedding had led him to finally explain to her why he felt he could not choose.
When Nabiki finally understood that Akane had in fact wanted to marry Ranma, and that Ranma's constant waffling was not due to his dislike of Akane, but to his inability to choose without staining his honor, and the honor of his family, and the honor of two of his fiancees, she had felt like a heel. She had thought she was protecting Akane . . . instead she had hurt her, badly.
What was worse, was that it made her realize that Ranma was not the thoughtless jerk she had thought he was, but a surprisingly caring and sensitive guy, whom she should have been happy to have as a friend. Instead, she had tormented him to keep from having to admit her own desire for him, and in the process, locked herself away from affection from anyone. Never had she felt so lonely.
Indeed, that was a considerable part of the reason she had come back to Furinkan several times this week, to meet up with her old . . . associates. She could not call them friends, unfortunately. She had not allowed herself to have friends while she attended here, and she found herself regretting that now.
She was startled out of her discussion when one of her former factors suddenly turned pale, and started back away slowly, pointing up into the tree. Nabiki felt a sudden chill, and spun quickly to look up, but saw nothing. She looked back at her factor, but saw her already some distance away, stumbling through the crowd.
"I wonder what that was about . . ." she mused to herself.
Fey sighed inwardly. He had noticed the girl's reaction a moment too late. He had instantly vanished, pulling invisibilty about himself, but it was too late. Now Nabiki would be on edge. He would have to think of some other way of insinuating himself into her care.
---
It took only five minutes to get from the stream to where the readings had come from, and no time at all to verify that they were at the right place. Skuld and Urd stood at the edge of the burn, staring at the scene of destruction.
"What happened here?" breathed Urd, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat.
Skuld tested the wavy, glassy looking ground with a stick, before walking slowly into the clearing, scanning it with the small but complex device she held.
When she reached the center, she looked up at Urd, and Urd was startled to see the fear in her eyes. "He raised his battle aura for a short time."
"What?! You mean he didn't even do anything? This wasn't from an attack?!" Urd sputtered, gesturing at the charred trees and glassy ground.
"Nope, no sign of such. But the aura he had when you scanned him earlier couldn't have done this. I suspect this is confirmation of what I feared . . . he released his limiter some, and his power flared before he brought it back under control. I don't think this was deliberate . . . there seems no reason for it."
Urd whimpered. "You're saying he's even more powerful right now?"
"Yep. Hmmm . . . Alright, I've got all I can get here, let's go home."
---
Nabiki sighed again as she entered the house. She greeted Kasumi absently, still thinking on Ranma and Akane, and wondering if anyone would ever love her, ever trust her again. As she moved slowly up the stairs, she wondered if there was anyone who even really liked her anymore.
She entered her room, and went about her normal routine for several minutes before pausing suddenly. Something was wrong . . . something was out of place . . . She looked around, fully awake and aware now. What was not where it should be? She saw it at once.
On top of her dresser, her photos had been moved aside, and a large bowl sat there, cradling an exquisite statue of a dragon lying on a bed of gems. Her mind reeled as she tried to imagine its worth . . . even fake, ceramic as she suspected it to be, it would be worth more than . . . she moved to look closer at it, and as she did, she saw the way the light shifted as it moved through the gems, and she realized with startlement that they were not ceramic. Perhaps not real, but . . . If this thing was actually made of metal and crystal, its worth had just shot up considerably.
She reached out cautiously, avoiding the statue for the moment, to touch one of the gems. She gasped when the gem she touched shifted. She picked it up, and held it up to the light, where it gleamed and sparkled. Was it possible . . . could this truly be real? She set it down, and reached out to feel the metallic looking dragon. She brushed her hands across its scales, then jerked her hand back in shock. It had been warm! She reached out slowly, laid a single finger on its side, and pressed lightly. It gave slightly under the pressure, and to her distinct shock, she felt the beat of a heart. She leapt backwards, scrambling for the door, eyes locked on the sleeping beast, comforting herself with the fact that it had not moved.
She forced herself to stop at the door. She was not a silly girl, she was not going to go running to find someone to rescue her. She was going to stand here, and think logically about this. Now . . . there was a bowl, containing gems, and a live . . . dragon-type thing on the dresser. Why? If it was meant to frighten her, it would be hidden in her bed, or somewhere she would notice it when least expecting it. If it was meant to hurt her, then again, it would be concealed, to strike when she was unaware. In either case, would it be lying on a pile of gems . . . potentially, real gems? No.
It was not some creature that had invaded her room on its own . . . or it would not have a bowl of gems to lie in. So . . . it was put there . . . by someone. Probably so they could see her go screaming into the hall, hmmph, she wasn't going to play that game! Or . . . could it be a gift? She moved slowly back into the room, locking the door, and sat lightly on her bed, pondering.
Now that she considered it, it almost seemed symbolic. First, she was called the Ice Queen of Furinkan High . . . while this was a . . . or at least looked like, a lizard, a 'cold-blooded' creature. Second, she was well known for her love of money, and dragons were known to hoard wealth . . . and indeed, this one seemed to have a little hoard.
The problem was, if it was a gift, symbolic or otherwise, who could have given it to her? Only the Kuno's had that kind of money, and Tatewaki would never have given such a thing in secret. Not his style. As for Kodachi, she'd have no reason to. She supposed, given its symbolism, it could be a trap from Cologne to get her out of the way . . . but then why hadn't it gone off, when she prodded it?
She heard a rustling noise, and eeped when she looked up to see the dragon awake and looking at her, its wings half spread. She forced herself to remain calm. Think ice, Nabiki, ice. Don't scare it, and it won't hurt you . . . She stood up slowly, very, very slowly, and moved carefully towards the dresser, doing her best to appear non-threatening.
Now that it was moving, she was enthralled by it. It was absolutely beautiful. Its scales were an iridescent dark blue, with a hint of green, and its eyes were pools of deepest crystalline blue. It shifted slightly in the bowl, and reached out with one delicate claw to grasp the edge of the bowl, its claws tapping against the ceramic surface as the gems shifted beneath it. It followed her movements with its eyes, but didn't seem frightened.
She reached out one hand slowly, towards the creature. She was startled, when as soon as she was close enough, the little dragon moved, butting its head against her hand. It took her a moment to place the behavior, then she realized it was acting like a cat, demanding attention. She rubbed her middle finger on the top of its head, and it pushed up against the digit. She scratched lightly behind the little flaps where it ought to have had ears . . . she thought they looked more like little wings . . . and it seemed to croon softly, like a purr, but more musical, the miniature winglets twitching and rattling as they unfurled wider, as if to obtain greater sensation.
She reached out with her other hand, and slowly, gently, slid her hand under the little beast. It didn't seem to care, and when she lifted slowly, it draped itself about her hand. She brought it close to her body, and placed it in the crook of her left arm. She felt its musical purr against her stomach, and a slow grin formed.
Her eye was caught by something in the bowl. Rather than being full of gems, as she had expected, there had been something else beneath the little dragon . . . a book. She picked it up, noting that there were indeed more gems beneath it, and read the title as she walked back to the bed. "Care and Feeding of Your Dragon. By The Lord Fey"
She sat lightly on the bed again, then shifted, and set the dragon on her pillow. It curled up there, and she thought that it seemed to be watching her face.
She looked away from it, back at the book she held, noting the excellent realism of the image of the beautiful castle, with the peculiar white rose bush in the foreground, then opened the hard cover, and looked at the first page.
It was signed . . .
To Tendo Nabiki, May this book find you in good health, and relentlessly plying thine trade. Thy dragon is unnamed, and is thine for but a time, so waste not thy efforts on solving the mystery it poses, but enjoy it while it lasts. If answers ye seek in spite of my warning, then its time with thee shall be short indeed, for like thyself, dragons are beings of secrets and mystery. Treat him well, and enjoy his company while he is with thee. It is time that thee opened thy heart once more, lest when thee try, thee finds the lock has rusted shut.
Ironically yours,
Lord Fey, Ruler of the Land of Fey, Beloved of the Dragon Alana, ArchMage of the Court of Farallon
She stared at this for several minutes, before muttering beneath her breath, "This kind of stuff doesn't happen to me . . . I'm not the weird one around here." Sighing, she lay back on the bed, not noticing the little dragon's quick leap from where her head landed, and turned the page to begin the book proper. She did notice when it crawled onto her stomach, as she was surprised that its claws did not prick her skin in the slightest, even as it used them to make its way up, and then ignored it as it simply curled up on her belly. She did glance once at it, and note that again it seemed to have positioned itself to watch her face.
She quickly became engrossed in the book. It seemed very curious . . . it looked to be a properly published book, very professionally done, and yet the printed pages themselves seemed written directly to her, mentioning her by name. It was rather unnerving, particularly when it used things she had done in the past as examples of what to do and not do in caring for her companion.
She was quick to note the way the book always mentioned the dragon as a companion, and never as a pet. She was not surprised in the least when she read the section describing the similarities between the beast and a cat, for she had noticed them herself already.
When she finally finished the book, she looked up, feeling as though she had spent several hours reading. She was quite surprised to note that according to her alarm clock, she had been reading for no more than fifteen minutes.
"Nani?" Oh well, too weird, just ignore it.
She sat up slowly, and the dragon dropped into her lap. She looked down at it. "So I need to name you, huh?" It nodded, to her surprise. She hadn't really quite credited the book when it mentioned their intelligence. "And the note said you're male?" It . . . no, he . . . nodded again. "Uhm . . . well, you came to be on a bed of gemstones . . . ooh . . . what has your color . . . Sapphire? No . . . that sounds too . . . female . . . Why not just go with Diamond? They're worth the most." The dragon cocked its head at her, then nodded slowly.
She glanced at the clock again. "Chikuso, dinner's gonna be ready soon, and I need to catch up on my homework. You don't mind, do you?" Diamond shook his head and leapt easily from her bed to her desk, where he climbed back into the bowl and curled up on his bed of gemstones. She grinned, pulled out her school books, and started in on her homework.
When she heard Kasumi call out that dinner was ready, she stood quickly, and turned to the door. Just as she paused to turn back and ask Diamond if he was hungry, she felt him land on her shoulder. He lay there, and curled his tail lightly about her neck. She shrugged, which jostled him, eliciting a startled chirp, which she realized was the first real sound she'd heard him make, and started down the stairs.
Everyone except Kasumi was already at the table when she entered the room. She flushed slightly as every eye focused on her, and tried to maintain her icy facade, but ended up flushing harder when she heard a startled "Oh my" from behind her. She moved quickly to the table and took her place, ignoring their questioning gazes.
Soun gave the traditional "Itadakimasu" and everyone began eating, but all eyes remained on Nabiki as she ate her meal. She considered just telling them what happened . . . it was a delicious story, after all, and she could just see their reactions now. It would be even better if she could combine those reactions with a bunch of yen. So she ignored their pleading expressions, and just ate, enjoying the tortured look on their faces. She knew they were dying to ask, but afraid of the price.
She especially enjoyed the near universal gasp of surprise when she lifted a piece of fish to the dragon's mouth and he ate it. She realized then that they had assumed it was a toy of some kind, and were curious about the gift. Now that they knew it was alive, their looks of hunger were pure pleasure for her, and she wondered if maybe this was one secret she might just enjoy not selling at all.
Everyone jumped when Genma reached out to snatch a pickle from Nabiki's plate and his chopsticks fell into pieces. Only Ranma was really good enough to see the motion, and had there not been interference, no-one would likely have realized that Genma was stealing from more than just Ranma, but he froze in shock when his chopsticks were diced, and thus let everybody realize what he had been attempting. Nabiki smirked at him, as he slowly drew back, shaking slightly.
The rest of the meal passed in silence, as no one else had the temerity to question Nabiki, though whether for fear of her and her predatory ways, or of her new pet, was an open question. After dinner, as Nabiki walked back to her room, she considered more seriously whether or not she should sell the information about her dragon.
As she settled into the chair before her desk, she came to her decision. The book had talked several times about the mystery of dragons, and their secretive ways. If dragons preferred an air of mystery, then this one's mysterious appearance would certainly provide that, and she would not be the one to dispel it.
Nonetheless, she wondered if there was someone she could take into her confidence. She was a little nervous. All the strange things that had happened around Ranma had seemingly inevitably led to a fight, often a very dangerous one. Most often these fights had centered around Akane or Ranma . . . but if this dragon was an indication, the next might center around her, and that made her uneasy.
It had been a long time since Nabiki had studied the Art seriously, but she had maintained the knowledge that she had gained. It was one of the reasons that her incessant snacking had so little effect on her figure. It amused her to no end that all Akane's fervor in the art couldn't keep her from gaining when she ate sweets, but then, Nabiki did have enough skill in the Art to see that Akane's style of practice . . . breaking bricks and demolishing training dummies . . . was not really an effective workout. Of course, much of that had changed with the arrival of Ranma. Akane's endless attempts to pound him, in spite of her anger over his unwillingness to properly spar with her, had indeed had a profound impact on her skills and speed, though she did not seem to realize it herself.
Nevertheless, while her skills might suffice to protect her from boys her own age, or street thugs, or the like, it would be as nothing to the sorts of villains that regularly seemed to star in the sideshow that was Ranma's life. So who could she trust with this, and who could help her ensure that she would not be a victim in whatever it was that was coming up, she wondered.
Cologne is probably the most knowledgable, and the most likely to have the power to help, but she's not really trustworthy, Nabiki thought to herself. Ranma certainly has the power, but not the brains to prevent whatever is coming. Besides, he will come after to save me even if I say nothing to him . . . so confiding in him gets me nothing.
Aha! Now it came to her. Dr. Tofu. He had disappeared some time before, but her concern for her sister had led her to seek him out. He did not know that she knew where he was, but she did, and he could help her. However, she still did not know why he had left, and was unsure whether she was up to facing him. She had no doubt that Dr. Tofu could assist her in this . . . but was it worth the price?
She finally put it from her mind, and set to work on her books. She would worry about it later.
---
Nabiki moaned softly, as the insistent buzzing of her alarm clock impinged on her dreams, dragging her unwillingly back to consciousness. She reached out in a practiced motion, flicking the little switch that silenced the annoyance, then sat up. Such a strange dream...
She had had such dreams before. It was hard not to, hard to watch Akane being rescued in proper fairy-tale fashion, and not imagine herself in the role, not to see herself finally becoming entwined in the magical happenings that surrounded them.
A pleasant fantasy, but now she had awakened back to reality, she thought, as she stood slowly, and arched her back, stretching the sleep from her muscles. Releasing the stretch, she felt invigorated, ready to face the day. She selected her clothing quickly, and turned to leave the room, and head for her morning bath. She stopped in mid-motion, held transfixed by the glittering presence on her desk.
"Not a dream... not a dream..." Her mind caught in the cycle of thought for several long moments, until she was shaken from it by a slight rustle as the little dragon adjusted its wings and wriggled deeper into its bed of gems.
The full memory of the previous day's events crashed back upon her... all the details she had read in the book, taking the little dragon to dinner with her, the startlement and painfully restrained curiousity so evident on the faces of her family; all the memories came back to her now and her eyes narrowed.
Last night she had felt such intense relief at the lack of aggression, at the discovery that it was not something sent to kill her, that she had accepted things just a little too quickly. Thinking on it now, the most probable explanation for the existence of such a creature in the modern world was Jusenkyou. This was probably another Jusenkyou cursed martial artist using her to get closer to Ranma. Well, the book had mentioned that the miniature dragons enjoy water, and should be given regular opportunities to bathe.
She moved to the dresser and lifted the limp dragon in her hands. It awoke as soon as she touched it, a contrast to its lassitude the previous night. It threw off the lethargy of sleep rapidly, and stretched out on her forearm, wrapping its tail about her arm for support and resting its head in the palm of her hand. She smirked at it and picked up her clothes again.
In the bathroom, she noticed that the furo was ready, as usual. Kasumi always had her bath first and no-one ever rose before her, so in the mornings one never had to run the furo water. She set the dragon on a bathing stool, and splashed it with cold water. No change, and it didn't seem to mind the cold much. She lathered her hands quickly, and worked over the dragon's smooth scales, which felt much sleeker than she had anticipated. She splashed it with a second pail of water, washing away the suds.
She lifted the beast again and smirked as she walked to the furo and reached towards the hot water. She eyed the beast as she lowered it, looking for the tell-tale signs of apprehension, but instead she saw delight and expectation. Sighing, she sat the dragon in the water, and watched, as it spread its wings and floated on the surface, tail idly swishing back and forth. It dipped its head beneath the surface, sending a stream of bubbles up and she giggled. Okay, so maybe she hadn't been too quick to accept it last night.
She stepped back into the changing room and stripped then re-entered the furo, eyeing the little beast as she sat on a stool and began to soap herself. If it was a Jusenkyou cursed person under the effects of the Chiisuiton, which would lock it in its cursed form, then it should still show interest in the sight of a nubile and nude young woman. The dragon simply floated, occasionally raising an arcing sheet of water with its tail, or spinning itself about by blowing under water.
She dumped a pail of cold water over her head, shivering, then a second, to wash all the suds away, then stepped up to the furo, and lowered herself into the water. Again she watched for any signs of interest, and indeed, this time the beast perked up. Its tail thrashed beneath the surface, sending it moving smoothly towards her. It floated somewhat indirectly to come to rest by the edge of the furo just beneath where her outstretched hand lay on the furo side. It raised its head, and imperiously butted her hand, and let out a soft cry. She grinned, realizing that her fears were unfounded, and dropped her hand to its head, caressing it as she enjoyed the warm waters of the furo.
Behind the dragon's eyes, Fey calmy noted the success of his strategem. By using his experience with Neko and Ranko, he had split his mind again, dividing himself. The physical control of the body was in the hands of a very animal intelligence, lightly influenced by the neko-ken, and strongly influenced by the impulses gained when he partook of the dragon blood of his second mother, the Lady Alana. His consciousness proper was still there, but only acted by influencing the behavior of the lesser part.
He considered his time-sense, and when he felt she had soaked long enough, he launched himself from the water, as it sluiced from his scales, and landed lightly on the bathing stool. She was startled by his sudden motion, and sat up in the furo, watching him. Her eyes grew wide and startled when he heated his skin surface with his ki, causing the water on him to flash to steam, leaving him completely dry. She stood then and stepped from the furo, heading towards the towel rack. Before she could reach it, she was wrapped up in a warm wind that dried her rapidly, and left her skin feeling smooth and warm. She smiled... now this she could get used to very quickly indeed.
She slid open the door to the changing room and stepped through, noting Diamond's swift passage overhead before sliding it shut behind herself. She had thought to dress quickly then go back for him... but obviously he had other ideas. She dressed with practiced motions, not wasting any thought on it. Instead, she was already planning out her day.
She smiled inwardly as Diamond came to rest on her shoulder when she turned to exit the bathroom.
After breakfast and watching Ranma and Akane head off to school again, she made her way to the train station. Shortly thereafter, she was standing outside a clinic on the other side of Tokyo. She took a deep breath to steel herself, then walked into the clinic.
The interior was as expected, clean, brightly lit, white walls with carefully placed images designed to soothe, soft music just barely heard. She stepped smartly up to the desk, giving the receptionist a quick once-over. Pretty enough, but not in Kasumi's class. Not a ditz though, either. Possibly a medical student.
The receptionist looked up and smiled at her, "Do you have an app..." She broke off, staring at the little face grinning at her from Nabiki's shoulder. Her eyes flicked to Nabiki's face, and they widened with recognition, which surprised Nabiki, and sent a thrill of concern down her back. She didn't recall ever meeting this girl before... was it possible that Dr. Tofu had warned her about them?
The receptionist smiled half-heartedly. "Uhm... excuse me just a moment, please?" She quickly pulled open a drawer, and opened what looked from Nabiki's perspective like a small book, and flipped through several pages, before glancing up at Nabiki. She smiled, nervously this time, and reached for the phone. She lifted it, eyes fixed on Nabiki, who was beginning to wonder just how weird this was going to get, and pressed a single button. "Dr. Tofu, Code Half Red in the lobby, Half Red in the lobby."
She smiled sweetly at Nabiki, though a sudden sheen of sweat was visible on her brow. "If you would take a seat, Tendo-san, the doctor will be with you shortly."
Nabiki eyed the girl, arching a single eyebrow at her, then turned towards the seats in the waiting room. Before she reached them, Dr. Tofu stepped into the lobby.
"Oh, Nabiki-san, it's you. Please, come to my office." He lead her down a hallway to a door that had his name on it, and into his office. She sat in the chair across from his desk, and watched as he sat easily in his seat. She searched but did not find any sign of nervousness about him.
"What can I do for you, Nabiki-san," he asked pleasantly.
She held a hand up to her shoulder and Diamond eyed her, then moved onto it. She set him lightly on the desk, then rubbed his head. "Do you know what this is, Doctor?"
He peered at it for a long moment, then sat back. "I have never seen nor read of such a thing. It resembles the mythical western dragon in outward form..."
"It was on my desk when I returned home yesterday afternoon, Tofu-san. It was resting in a ceramic bowl atop a pile of gemstones and a book." She held the book out to him.
He gazed at the title for a minute, then hmmphed. "Lord Fey... Court of Farallon? Never heard of it..." He opened the book and noted the signed dedication, then flipped through several pages. His eyes widened and he looked closer, then sat back and looked up at her. "Someone went to a great deal of expense for a one-time print. This whole book is written directly to you. Why should that be?"
"I don't know, Tofu-san. I was hoping you could assist me in finding out why."
"Hmm... yes... well, Nabiki-san, the author of this book titles himself an arch-mage. Now, assuming that certain legends and patterns are accurate, mages sometimes have familiars. The legends aren't terribly clear about the purposes for which they keep them. Some imply it is to borrow their energy for magical purposes, others imply that it is merely for companionship, and others say it is for collecting information."
"Information-gathering?" Nabiki's eyes lit up at the prospect, then some of the deeper implications of his statement began to hit her, and they dimmed, but before she could react further, he continued.
"You are not a mage, at least, I don't think you are, unless you've been keeping a rather large secret from everyone for a rather long time? Though I suppose if anyone could do it, you could."
"Anyway, I see three basic possibilities. If this creature is a mage's familiar, than it could have been sent to you so as to provide a means for the mage to focus his magic either on you, or someone in your immediate vicinity, or, and this second option gives at least a reason why you should have been chosen, it is his familiar and is being placed so as to gather information."
"The third possibility is that you have the potential to become a mage, and someone is preparing you for that."
"Eeep. Uhm... well, that's certainly something to think about. Anyway, Tofu-san, I hope this won't disturb you too much, but I don't know who else I could trust with this. I'm telling you about this to hedge my bets. If I should happen to disappear, then certain individuals will make certain that the Tendos and Saotomes know how to contact you. Just in case. Are you alright with that?"
"Certainly, Nabiki-san," he replied, then smiled softly, "and, to assuage your curiousity, yes, I will be returning to Nerima. My course of treatment should be completed in about two months, at which point I intend to ask your father for permission to court someone who's name I still cannot say."
"I... I see. I admit, Tofu-san, I was curious. I had intended to allow you to retain your privacy, but I thank you for your confidence. I shall speak of this to no-one. I... I will be very happy to see her finally have a chance at happiness." Nabiki grabbed the book, turned, and left the room quickly, wiping futilely at the tears that fell from her eyes. Come on Nabiki-chan, think ice... no emotion, no pain, no feelings. Chikuso! Only as she reached the outer door did she pause to take note of the weight that had returned to her shoulder, whereupon she firmed her stance, and strode from the clinic.
She took the train back to Nerima, but did not return to the Dojo, choosing instead to make for a small park, where she encouraged Diamond to exercise. She sat and watched his aerial acrobatics, ignoring the comments and curiousity of the few passersby, engrossed in her own thoughts.
Ever since her mother had died, Nabiki had fought to take control of her life, indeed, to control everything around her. Any mystery she came upon, she swiftly unraveled, because she could not control what she did not understand.
That had all changed with the arrival of Ranma and his father, bringing with them as they did all the chaos, the strange people and peculiar adventures, that now afflicted Nerima. It was at that point that she first began losing control.
Manipulating Ranma reassured her, confirmed for her that she was still in control. After all, he was the best martial artist in the region, he was the one who resolved all the problems and crises that resulted from his presence, and so if she controlled him, then she controlled the chaos. Right?
Now that little fantasy had come crumbling down around her. This little flying package of chaos, this diminutive example of the unknowable that surrounded them now, was not something Ranma could help her with. What was worse, she could only exert a minimal degree of control over it by accepting its source and past as a mystery, which itself implied a loss of control.
For once, there was no way out, no way to remain in control. She had lost the reins, and was now being carried along by the flood she had heretofore ridden so expertly.
The most frightening thing about it, was the emotion she had felt when she finally realized that she had unequivocably lost control. She would have expected to feel tension, nervousness, anger, frustration, or any of a dozen other emotions. What she least expected to feel was what she actually felt... a profound and deep sense of relief, of a burden being lifted, a burden she had not even been aware of bearing.
What was worse yet, was that she could not understand why she felt this way. The terrible implications of this were frightfully clear to her... not only had she lost control of the storm of chaos that was Nerima, of her very life indeed, as this bit of chaos focused on her and not Nerima, but she had lost control... lost understanding even, always the first precept of control, of her own feelings.
She wanted, at this point, strongly, to feel the expected emotions. She wished she could feel anger at Ranma for having brought the storm that finally brought this drifting piece of chaos to center on her. She wished she could feel the intense frustration of having fought to remain in control for so long, and then having finally lost the battle. She wished she could feel the despair she ought to feel at having control of her life stripped from her grasp. Anything, she wished she could feel anything, anything but this peculiar and overwhelming relief.
It was wrong, surely, to feel relief that she was no longer in control. It made no sense, especially since it was such a fundamental shift from how she had been. She wondered for a brief moment whether this sudden wrenching change in her emotions had been the goal of the one who gave her the dragon.
She cast the thought from her mind, feeling an intense shudder of fear. If she herself had been unable to predict or even understand this change, then the one who engineered it would have to understand her better than she understood herself, and the thought of someone knowing that much about her frightened her deeply.
Tiring of the circles her thoughts were running in, she glanced at her watch, and decided it was time to get lunch. As she stood from the bench, Diamond swooped down from above, and settled lightly on her shoulder, a movement which triggered the memory of the flight she had witnessed without thinking of it. Now, watching the flight in her mind as she walked from the park, she found herself wishing she could experience flight like that.
She returned to the dojo after eating lunch, and a short time later, she sat in her room, working on her books in silence. After the third time she had begun the same series of calculations, having each time been interrupted by the thoughts that had plagued her during her quiet rest in the park, she put the books away and sat in thought. Finally, she looked up at the bowl wherein Diamond lay, watching her with enigmatic slitted blue eyes.
"I don't normally talk about my problems, you know," she said, sighing, "but then, I'm not really feeling much like myself at the moment."
She proceeded to talk, imagining that the watching lizard was in fact someone who could understand her speech, but at the same time feeling comforted by the knowledge that he could never speak of it to anyone, could never betray her confidences. She explained the thoughts that had disturbed her in the park, and why she had gone to Dr. Tofu. Then she found herself responding for Diamond in her mind, asking herself the questions she felt he would have asked, if he could have.
She found herself explaining Kasumi and Akane's relationship with Dr. Tofu, to clarify why exactly she had felt uncomfortable going there. Then she backed up further, and slowly, she began to tell Diamond about her mother. He seemed to sense her distress at the topic, and slid from the bowl to the desk, his talons making little clicking sounds as he made his way to her, to where he could rub his head against her cheek. She held him then, stroking him softly, as she spoke of her mother's death.
She told him of how Kasumi, on realizing the delight Nabiki took in playing with numbers, gave to her the task of keeping the family books. She haltingly explained how taking on that responsibility had seemed to inure her against Kasumi's attempts at mothering her. She simply couldn't accept Kasumi in that role, when she herself was responsible for managing the funds that allowed Kasumi to run the household. Instead, it became a relationship of equals.
She described her desire to have control over her life, how it arose from her pain over finally losing her mother, and even more, her anger at having never been told how truly serious her mother's condition was until it was over. A secret had been kept from her, and she had vowed that never again would such a thing happen without her knowledge.
She told of watching the balance in the ledger steadily decline, as her father had lost interest in teaching the art when her mother died, indeed, he had basically lost interest in everything. She told of her and Kasumi's mutual frustration, that the rules and laws were such that while in school, they could not hold even a part-time job elsewhere, and so were unable to obtain an income.
She told him in detail of the first time she had observed the foolish actions of a classmate and captured them on camera. She had considered for several hours, ignoring her classes, until finally she forced herself to face him with the fact, and ask for money in return for her silence. She told him of how she spent that night, dreaming of someone doing the same thing to her, and thinking about how it must have felt to him. In the end, she could think of no other way to obtain the money that the family absolutely had to have in order to survive.
So she became the Ice Queen of Furinkan High. She couldn't allow anyone to get too close to her, lest they obtain the material to blackmail her in return, and so she buried her emotions, and slowly began to enjoy plotting, and arranging for the blackmail worthy events, instead of merely waiting for opportunities as they presented themselves.
She slowed, and paused, and probably would have stopped. She had talked out the basis of her fear, her misunderstanding, but Fey wanted more, he knew that since Ranma was here, he probably had had a part to play in this little crisis she was having, and so if he could just keep her talking, he might learn much of what he had come here to know. So he placed a gentle compulsion on her, an urge to talk. Nothing specific, just... giving her a need...
So she continued, and she told him of the rainy day when her life, and the lives of her sisters, had been turned upside down by the arrival of a red-haired girl and her panda. She told of her disappointment, and the subsequent foisting of the engagement on Akane, only to discover too late what she had given up.
Her voice dropped low as she revealed how much she regretted that initial panic-filled reaction when she got to see the male Ranma in action, and how she used her manipulation of him to suppress her own desire, and ensure that he felt nothing of the sort for her, lest she dishonor her own sister.
Slow hot tears startled trickling down her cheeks, as she spoke of her own desperate loneliness, her feeling that she had passed by the only man who might have loved her, her anger at her sister over her complete inability to see how honorable and compassionate the damned boy was. It wasn't fair, that he should turn out to be so damned perfect, and it hurt even worse that Akane never seemed to see what she had, was never willing to admit her love. If only, if only Nabiki wasn't able to see the evidence of that love, she might still have tried to take him for herself, but she could never place her welfare above her sisters, or all her sacrifices over the years would be meaningless.
Nabiki finally lapsed into sleep, leaning against her desk. Fey looked about to ensure that no-one was watching, then reached out with the eleventh dan, and working with amazing speed and deftness, redressed her in a nightgown, lifted her to her bed, and slid her under the covers. Just as he finished, and pulled back his ki, the door sprang open, and Ranma leapt in, looking wildly about, Akane right on his heels.
"Damnit, Ranma, what are you doing!?" she shouted at him.
"Quiet, tomboy, Nabiki's sleeping. Someone just burned a massive amount of ki in here." The insult set Akane off, but his second comment caused her to pull herself just short of malleting him through the window. The mallet disappeared and she gaped at him, then looked about.
"I don't see anyone," she complained.
"Yeah... but still, when it was being burnt, I could feel the aura behind it, for just a moment. It rivaled Happosai's, at least."
"Happosai?! That damned pervert better stay away from my sisters!"
Ranma prowled the room, looking for the source of the activity. Meanwhile, Akane moved to the bed, and looked at her sister.
"Damn...," she whispered, and instantly, Ranma was at her side.
"What is it, Akane?"
"Look at her eyes... she's been crying."
"Nabiki?!" Ranma sounded startled, but he looked closer, and gave a low whistle when he saw the unmistakable signs of tears. "Damn... maybe you ought to try and wake her up, and make sure she's not hurt, huh?"
"No, Ranma. If she was injured, she would have screamed, or something. Besides, she's sleeping fine now. I don't think she's physically hurt... and if she was crying for any other reason, do you really want to know what she'll do to us when she finds out we know about it?" Ranma was already out of the room, shivering in the hall as he pictured Nabiki's revenge, before Akane finished her statement. Akane took one last look around, made sure the window was latched, and then closed the door and shut off the light as she left.
"That was close," thought Fey, "I've got to be more careful about using my ki. I really wasn't expecting him to be that sensitive."