"Damn it, Nabiki, what's with you? You trying to kill me or something?" Ranma complained.
Nabiki narrowed her eyes. "Somehow, I knew it was you Ranma... But how is it that you're a werecheetah, and I've got the powers of Scorpion form Mortal-"
Nabiki was surprised as she felt an incredibly strong kick smashed the side of her head and she went flying into a grouping of trees. The most disgusting wet sounding 'snap' could be heard.
Britanny was surprised with the effect her kick had. When she saw Ranma in trouble, she and the others were shocked at first. Some harpoon-like object came from out of nowhere and stabbed Ranma through the shoulder. The spurt of blood was more than enough proof for Brit that this was an attack meant with killer intent. For some reason, she was stuck in shock, even as she saw Ranma being dragged off at a very fast pace. Finally, seeing some woman grabbing Ranma by the collar, and staring him down was too much. Britanny really just meant to knock the girl unconscious, NOT kill her. And that scared her. "Oh my God! I killed her!!!"
Ranma couldn't speak. He was shell-shocked. Nabiki had to be dead with that. He heard her neck snap. He saw her bend around a tree as her body went flying. He...
Watched as Nabiki statred standing back up, her head on backwards!? What the hell!?
Nabiki was groaning. That had hurt, but surprisingly, not as much as she thought it would. As she stood up, she noticed the oddest sensation. She knew she was moving her right arm, but it was moving the arm on the left side of her field of vision. Wait... That WAS her right arm.
Looking directly at Ranma, Nabiki said, "Ranma! Why the HELL is my head on backwards!?"
Britanny grinned sheepishly. While she was relieved the girl was still standing, this whole concept was freaking her out. "Sorry. I was trying to defend my friend."
Nabiki groaned. She looked down at herself and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, geeze! Why didn't someone tell me my butt stuck out?"
Ranma was blushing red. This whole situation was just too odd. Even the Diggers, for once were speechless. This was weird even beyond their standards!
Scratching her head, Jetta began to wonder if chasing down that Hibiki kid was really such a good idea. She crept her way over to Theodore Diggers and tapped him on the shoulder. "Dr. Diggers, you're a mage. Can you decipher what in the world that girl is?"
After a moment, Theo nodded his head. "I could try. But I think it would be easier if I got her to agree to it."
Yohko meanwhile, just looked on in shock. This was odd. Girls just do not wear their heads on backwards. There must have been something more to the Tendo girl than she was originally letting on.
Out of curiosity, Nabiki placed her hands on the side of her head. There was another wet snap as she straightened her head out, putting it back on track. She turned around to look at the others and started creaking her neck to loosen it up a bit. "Okay, joke's over Ranma. Just what the hell is going on with me? There is no way that I should possibly be able to live after having my spine broken. Hell, there's no way I should have been able to put my head back into place!"
Ranma was at a loss for words. "I have no clue, Nabiki."
Nabiki groaned.
"Excuse me." Theo said, "If I might inspect your aura. Perhaps I could figure out what is happening to you."
"Inspect my aura?" Nabiki asked. "Are you some sort of martial artist?"
"No." Theo stated. "My wife is a martial artist. I am an Aura Mage."
"Riiiiiiiiiiight..." Nabiki said as she rolled her eyes... Which made complete 360 degree turns in her eye sockets. Nabiki then linked her eyes in shock. There was no way she should have been able to do that. "Then again, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing..."
Theo nodded his head. He concentrated his aura so that it extended and engulfed Nabiki. His eyes were glowing with a golden light. The aura soon matched teh same golden color. When it was done, Theo's aural essences moved back to his own body. He looked at Nabiki with an intrigued look on his face.
"So, what is with her, dad?" Gina asked.
"It's quite amazing actually..." Theo Began. "She is most definitely alive, but... She's also dead..."
Everyone just stared at Theodore. "Huh?"
"Could you please elaborate?" Nabiki said.
"Simple. You still have your soul. That is a given. However, your body and it's functions are not working at the 'normal rate' an average person does. Your heart is only pumping once a minute, and I can see your breathing is shallow. A true undead is truly that, dead with limited brain-waves and slight motor functions. You are not decaying at all, but your body, I believe is not only gaining the vulnerability to most pain, but you will also be gaining the enhancedundead strength. Otherwise, how would you explain you having the strength to pull Ranma across the park in the span of three seconds AND survive a kick from my daughter without feeling that much pain?"
Nabiki groaned. "So I'm dead, yet not dead?"
Nodding his head, Theo said, "One might say you are in a state of 'pseudo necro'. 'False Death'."
Nabiki groaned. "Great... Just f*cking great..." Sighing, she said, "Well, at least I still have my soul, right?"
"Yes." Theo answered. "You still have your own soul. It's just that now your body is stopped half-way between a stage of being alive and being undead."
Ranma chuckled lightly. "Look at it this way, Nabiki... Now you no longer have to worry about being caught up in the fights that go on around here. Now you could kick as much butt as you want."
Nabiki eyed Ranma. She wanted to be angry. Oh, how she so wanted to be angry... Yet for some reason, whenevr she looked at Ranma, even when he was a werecheetah, she couldn't help but start to feel a 'cold part of her begin to melt. Looking at the purline of his muscles through his shirt, Nabiki began narrowing her eyes as if glaring. She wasn't going to let him no she was attracted. Not yet at least. Best to cover it up with disgust and anger. Akane seemed to have done that very well, it would seem to some.
"Ranma..." Nabiki said.
"Yeah?" Ranma asked.
"Just shut up..." Nabiki said as she continued to glare at Ranma.
Sighing, Ranma said, "Yes Nabiki."
Nabiki walked back over to Yohko, idly noting how all those women in that group seemed to be fussing over Ranma's welfare. She'd have to pay attention to them. Could mean possible profits for her later. "Well, Devil Hunter. I know the circumstances are odd, but would you still be willing to help us?"
"Of course!" Yohko said, still eyeing Ranma herself. She couldn't help but just stare at that masculine male werecheetah. Sure, there were many girls crowding around him, but that didn't matter. He was a hottie! Maybe she could talk him into helping her with her own 'problems'...
Seeing the look on Yohko's face, Nabiki made a note to talk to Yohko later. After all, if she couldn't use her old business to make money, than Nabiki would have to start setting-up a new clientel. She was sure these girls would pay decent cash for all sorts of informatio and photographs of Ranma.
Another thought then hit Nabiki. Since Ranma IS the Cheetah-man that is currently the number 1 hero among female fans, then perhaps she could try talking him into a photo-shoot... That would definitely get the Tendo Dojo out of the red.
Did Nabiki feel guilty about such thoughts? Let me put it this way? If you were suddenly a fake form of Undead being because of some person who you had the hots for, but didn't dare go after, what would you do? That's right. Make them agree to lots of cheesecake pictures.
"And on a similar note," Nabiki thought, "Perhaps I should talk to those other girls and guys about photo-shoots as well." Nabiki had to admit. She had never seen such a colllection of different types of cat-people in all her life.
Even 'undead', Nabiki was not one to loose out on money.
"Yeah, mom?"
"YOU'RE SO MANLY!"
See other episodes by Red Priest of the 17th Order
(Posted Sat, 11 Jan 2003 06:25)
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