[Episode 137418] [Episode 137418]Nabiki blinked. Ranma was gone. A moment's thought supplied the answer: Nabiki's summoning ritual had finally run its course. With a sigh, Nabiki stood and began heading for home. She wasn't sure if she wanted to summon Ranma immediately or not, but there was no reason to say in the park without the redhead.
Nabiki would have to perform a summoning to see Ranma again. That felt so odd; she'd gotten used to Ranma controlling when she popped in. It seemed more natural for the spirit to have control over her comings and goings, and the unexpectedness of it all was kind of nice. Well, it might be nicer if Ranma were always around, but there was little chance of the spirit abandoning her father figure and staying with Nabiki forever. At least, not as their relationship stood.
For that matter, it might be best for Ranma not to always be around. Nabiki didn't even know what kind of nature spirit Ranma was, after all. There were spirits whose mere presence could cause problems, no matter how benign their intentions towards those around them. It would probably best for her to learn more about Ranma before becoming more involved with her. Nabiki frowned, that didn't sound right., she meant before becoming closer to Ranma. Closer friends, of course.
Nabiki absently waved to Kasumi as she entered the house and swapped her shoes for slippers. Nabiki quickly walked up the stairs and entered her room.
Things had changed.
On one wall hung a plastic or plaster rack fashioned to imitate stone. At each tier two claw-shaped hooks jutted outward and upward. Her summoning circles were rolled up like scrolls, resting one to a tier. A small black lacquered cabinet stood in one corner, the steel knobs to its doors shaped like human skulls. Opening the doors revealed the handful of books on summoning that Nabiki had hidden in the back of her closet under a few shabby dresses. "What the hell?" Nabiki asked aloud.
"Do you like it?" Nabiki turned to see Kasumi at her door. "I thought you might like some things to hold your not-satanist things," the elder sister continued. "These seemed to be in the proper style."
"Kasumi, I'm not-" Nabiki stopped her knee-jerk protest; it would only confirm Kasumi's mistaken assumption. "I'm glad you understand that these have nothing to do with Satanism," Nabiki eventually said. "But I wish you wouldn't redecorate my room without asking me."
"Of course, Nabiki," Kasumi answered serenely. "If you don't like them, I saved the receipts and we can get something else."
"I'll think about it," Nabiki responded, "Right now I need some time to think." Kasumi took the hint and left, closing the door behind her. Nabiki began skimming her books, looking for something that would help her identify what kind of spirit Ranma was. After a half hour of searching Nabiki gave up. Most of her books had nothing to do with nature spirits; Nabiki concentrated on dealing with demons for surgical tasks that exposed her to as little danger as possible. Her own resources weren't going to cut it. Nabiki was going to have to do something she didn't like.
"Hikaru," Nabiki greeted her colleague. She didn't particularly like the other summoner, but they shared the bonds of being outcasts and of being summoners. They understood each other and could talk freely. Hikaru always immediately walked home after school, so he was easy to intercept.
"Nabiki," Hikaru Gosunkugi greeted her in return. "You've been pretty busy lately, no time to talk to your peer?" That was a joke, of course; Hikaru wasn't close to her peer. The boy barely had enough talent or understanding to qualify as a summoner; he was lucky to summon a flea spirit. Instead of bringing spirits to himself and confining them until they agreed to his terms, like Nabiki did, Hikaru had to woo local nature spirits that he saw, trying to entice them into helping him. If this had garnered him spirit friends Nabiki might have emulated him. However, the local spirits treated the entire relationship as business, just as Nabiki's summoned ones did. The only difference that Nabiki saw was that she could bargain from a position of strength, while Hikaru had to bargain from a position of weakness.
And now, Nabiki had to ask Hikaru for a favor.
"I do have other people I talk to, you know," Nabiki replied.
"Not in this school," Hikaru bantered.
"We both know there's a lot more to life than school. I need some help."
"Really?" Hikaru didn't bother to hid his surprise.
"Really," Nabiki confirmed. "You work with nature spirits a lot more than me. I'm trying to figure out what kind of spirit I've found."
"I don't suppose you can just show it to me?"
Nabiki snorted. As if she'd let anyone else see Ranma. Maybe after she learned to wear clothes, but there was no way she'd let Hikaru ogle her redhead. "Nope, sorry."
"Well, what can you tell me?"
"She's a nature spirit and insubstantial," Nabiki began. "I figure that means she's not an animal or plant spirit. She's got a human like form, so that rules out being a spirit of some process or natural force, right?"
"That's right," Hikaru agreed. "A human form like that means she's associated with some human abstract. Any effects on people or things around her? Any distinguishing features?"
She's really hot, but I'm not about to tell you that. "I can't think of anything else," Nabiki replied. "Well, except that she doesn't feel slick or clammy, like most insubstantial spirits do."
"You're kidding me, right?" Hikaru asked. Nabiki stared at him. "You found a succubus, Nabiki! You've got to introduce me to her. I've been looking for one forever."
"I'll see what I can do," Nabiki mumbled, moving off. A succubus?
Nabiki sat on her bed, her back against the wall; Ranma lay with her head in Nabiki's lap. The redhead was talking about something her idiot father had done, but Nabiki couldn't keep her mind on the spirit's words, or her eyes on the spirit's face. Ranma was a succubus, a sex spirit. She hadn't asked Nabiki to give her power, so either Ranma didn't swing that way or she knew enough about human relationships not to risk their friendship with sex. Either way, it meant that Nabiki's growing attraction to Ranma's form probably wasn't the product of Ranma's abilities.
Nabiki wasn't sure why she was attracted to Ranma. The redhead was hot in away that none of the humans Nabiki knew were, male or female. It was quite possible she was wired to only find spirits attractive. On the other hand, Ranma was Nabiki's first friend for a while; maybe she was just attracted to the spirit because of that. Or maybe Nabiki was just excited by the chance at having the most mind-blowing sex possible on the planet.
If she really wanted it. It was a big chance at something amazing, but it would be a big step as well. Not to mention that there was no guarantee that Ranma would say yes. Nabiki didn't think she could take Ranma refusing her and losing their friendship just because Nabiki wanted a thrill. She shook her head at her thoughts. If Ranma were human, she wouldn't even be considering this. It was only because Ranma was a spirit, because she belonged to a different part of Nabiki's life, that she thought about it. Unlike any other chance at sex, the only consequence Nabiki had to worry about was affecting their friendship. That made it really tempting, but such a risk.
Nabiki almost wished she never found out what kind of spirit Ranma was. Before, they were friends and if she had some flashes of attraction, well, it wasn't like anything could come from it. Now, there was the possibility that Ranma would let her act on those feelings and Nabiki couldn't keep her eyes from the redhead's eyes and crotch. Ranma was funny and cute and somewhat clueless, she was a lot more than just sex and she was letting that take over her mind. She had to do something!
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(Posted Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:26)
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