[Episode 233571] [Episode 233571]Pa Fum glanced up as Xian Pu stepped up beside where she was sitting, watching the light fade with the gathering dusk, the last remnants of the sunset losing their luster. “How are you feeling?” she asked in their native tongue. “Any unusual twinges, unexpected pain?”
“No, nothing unusual, and what there is, is fading, as usual for your work,” Xian Pu assured her as she dropped down to sit beside the healer, and the two watched the approaching night together in silence.
“This has always been my favorite part of the day,” Pa Fum finally said in a voice almost to quiet to be heard. “When, barring some accident, all work is finished or put off for another day, and everything goes soft and muted, and it sometimes seems as if in the haziness anything is possible.”
Xian Pu chuckled as she leaned back and gazed up as what stars could be seen through the light pollution began to twinkle. “For me, this is a dangerous time, when warriors are tired from the day’s exertions, thinking of their bedrolls ... careless. The only time more dangerous is pre-dawn. But for all that, it is beautiful,” she admitted.
The two again fell silent for a time, listening to the nighttime insects beginning their serenade. “I expected you to seek me out hours ago,” Pa Fum eventually said, a questioning lilt to her voice.
“I had to collect my own gear and bring it here. Besides, I had a lot to think about,” Xian Pu responded with a sigh, sitting up and instinctively feeling to make sure her chúi were still beside her.
Pa Fum glanced at the dark shape sitting beside her. “I know I’m everyone’s favorite helpless child to be protected at all costs,” she said, Xian Pu wincing slightly at the touch of bitterness in her voice, “but was it really that hard to tell me that you need to beat me like a drum? It’s not a problem, really — once I found myself with a husband I did some deeper research into our laws, so I knew it was coming as soon I saw who you were fighting. And while Rwo An may not be my equal as a healer I’m sure he could handle any wounds you might have to inflict on me.”
Xian Pu shook her head. “No, it wasn’t that — if it had simply been reluctance to hurt you, the duel would already be done with and you’d be without a husband. No, it’s ... Pa Fum, would you consider taking me as Second Wife?”
Pa Fum whipped around to stare at Xian Pu. “What!? Why? You never struck me as leaning that way, and as for using my increasing authority to advance your own, the idea’s ludicrous! What increasing authority?”
Xian Pu laughed, shaking her head. “No, I don’t lean that way. Not that an occasional girl can’t be fun, but don’t you think it’s all foreplay without the main event?”
“Uh ...” Pa Fum instinctively turned her head, eyes dropping, to hide the blush that Xian Pu couldn’t see in the darkness, anyway.
“Oh. You don’t know, do you?” Xian Pu said quietly in sudden realization. “You aren’t a virgin, are you? I know you’re shy, but surely there’ve been at least a few men you’ve been attracted to enough to proposition?”
“I ... no, but ... there have been a few men that have taken mercy on me, and offered. They were kind, gentle, I enjoyed it, but what man in the tribe would want a weakling like me for anything but an occasional bedmate?”
Xian Pu stiffened at the self-loathing that came through Pa Fum’s last statement. You really mean that, don’t you? I wonder how many of those men wanted to become your husband but couldn’t get the message through to you? Well, probably too late now. She reached out to lay a gentle hand on the healer’s shoulder. “No, Pa Fum, you may be no kind of warrior, but you are no weakling. I don’t think so, and neither does my great-grandmother — if she did, she wouldn’t have suggested that I seek to become your Second Wife instead of challenging you for your husband.”
Pa Fum stiffened in shock, staring again at her younger companion. “Elder Ku Lon suggested that?” she asked in amazement. Xian Pu nodded.
“She did. She says you have an ... ‘an instinctive gentleness and urge to peace’ is how she described it, that we are going to need badly as a voice on the Council. And with me as your Second Wife, you’ll get the support you need to eventually get us that joint seat.”
“I ... do you really mean it? She really said that? You aren’t just being nice to the poor girl that can’t muster the courage to get anything for herself?”
Xian Pu laughed softly. “No, we’re not just ‘being nice’. Surely you’ve heard comments on how ambitious I am?” Pa Fum nodded stiffly. “Well, the comments are true — I’m the youngest Champion in generations, and until now intended to eventually be the youngest Elder. I may be willing to abandon that dream, take a secondary role, for the good of the tribe, but just to ‘be nice’? Not a chance.”
Pa Fum looked away, staring out over the nighttime park. Finally, she murmured, “You know that as Second Wife you’ll be expected to share my bed and ... and see to my needs?”
“Of course,” Xian Pu responded instantly, her shrug unseen by her companion. “That’s no hardship — you’re hardly going to be a demanding, overbearing First Wife, and I have no problem with foreplay at all. And I suspect our husband will be ‘main event’ enough for both of us.”
“When he’s around, assuming we can hold him somehow,” Pa Fum commented drily.
“What? Why wouldn’t he be around?” a now confused Xian Pu asked.
“Because he’s a Wanderer,” Pa Fum replied. “Do you know anything about them?” Turning to see Xian Pu shake her head in the dim light of the night, the healer continued, “Neither did I, before I found myself married to one. Very well, for the good of the Joketsuzoku, if we can find and keep this man for our husband, I will accept you as Second Wife. Let’s go announce our decision to the Elders, then I’ll tell you about the husband hunt we’ve set ourselves.”
Even as she agreed, Pa Fum found herself beginning to shake as just what her decision meant for her future, her voice quavering at the end. Xian Pu glanced up sharply at that, then reached over and pulled the older woman into a hug. “That can wait until morning. Let’s get to sleep — just sleep,” she quickly added as she felt Pa Fum stiffen. “Even if I didn’t still ache, I think we should wait for more until we capture our husband.”
At that, Pa Fum relaxed again. “Thank you,” she whispered softly. Then her own arm went around Xian Pu’s waist, and the two sat silently for a time listening to the night sounds of Tokyo before rising together to walk hand in hand toward the camp and Pa Fum’s tent.
Nabiki collapsed back onto her bed, her nude body covered with sweat and her jaws still clenched against the need to scream out the orgasm still echoing through her. Slowly, she relaxed, gasping for air as her fiery-maned lover lifted up from between her spread legs and floated up along her quivering body, a wide smile across her face. The nature spirit’s face dipped, and her lips gently touched Nabiki’s. Nabiki’s lips parted and her tongue slipped out to slide along and around those lips, savoring the taste of her juices.
After a moment, Ranma floated down to circle her arms around her fiancée, one arm under Nabiki’s heaving breasts and the other passing through the bed to pres against her back, while her head rested on Nabiki’s shoulder. Nabiki got her breathing under control, and reached over to pull the top sheet and blanket over her, shivering slightly as her sweat cooled and evaporated.
“I think I like this way of feeding most,” Ranma murmured after a moment. “Ya certainly enjoy it more.”
“True,” Nabiki agreed with a weary chuckle. “And that means you get more out of it, so we both win.”
“Not really,” Ranma said. “Between Kasumi’s meals and our feeding sessions, I’m usually pretty full up, not much room for more. But yeah, if you win, I win.”
“Do you think that’s why you haven’t been as wiped out by the energy overload, lately?” Nabiki asked curiously, and felt Ranma’s slight shrug.
“I dunno,” the redhead replied. “Could be that, or it could be I’m just gettin’ used ta it.”
The two fell silent for a time, then as Nabiki felt herself slipping into sleep, Ranma said, “Nabiki, what’s been botherin’ ya lately? You’ve been keyed up — tight, nervous, even scared. Are ya that afraid of how Pop’s gonna react when Mom shows up tomorrow? Ya don’t need ta worry, I won’t let him do anything to ya.”
“I know, Ranma, with you around I have nothing to worry about there,” Nabiki murmured, turning her head to lightly kiss the top of Ranma’s head. The redhead shivered slightly, almost purring at the feeling of love and gratitude washing over her. “No, it isn’t that,” Nabiki continued. “It isn’t anything I can talk about just yet.” She fell silent for a few moments, then said, “Ranma, will you marry me?”
Ranma lifted her head to look down at her fiancée, a confused expression on her face. “Of course I’m gonna marry you, yer my fiancée. What kinda question is that?”
“An important one,” Nabiki answered. “After we were told of the agreement to join the families, I know you agreed to fulfill it with me, but I’ve been thinking lately that that’s a pretty stupid reason to marry someone. I love you, and I know you love me, but that doesn’t mean we have to get married. If you’d rather keep it like this —”
“No!” Ranma interrupted. “I’m not my Dad, I’m not just gonna mooch offa you as a ... a food source. I’m gonna be yer husband, and see to it ya don’t lack for anything, and we’ll have a family, and everything!”
Nabiki lifted a hand to wipe at suddenly teary eyes even as she firmly stomped on the beginning of a spurt of fear. Reaching up, she pulled Ranma’s head back down to her shoulder. “Thank you,” she whispered. “That means a lot to me. And Ranma, the same goes for me — whatever happens, you’re mine. You aren’t getting away from me.”
“Ya got it,” Ranma replied firmly, “Yer my wife, and I’m gonna be yer husband.” After a moment, she added, “But that doesn’t mean we gotta rush out and get married tomorrow.”
Nabiki chuckled lightly at the mix of love, eagerness and worry washing over her. “Yeah, I think we can at least wait until I finish high school.”
“Good,” Ranma said as she felt Nabiki slipping toward sleep, pulling her along in her wake. “See ya in yer dreams.”
Nodoka staggered slightly as she finished yet another kata, dripping sweat and every muscle aching. Lowering her bokken, she wiped at her face with one hand, then sighed as she walked over to put the bokken in its holder on the wall.
Walking into the bathroom and stripping out of her sweat-sodden workout clothes, she examined her lithe, smoothly muscled nude body in a full-length mirror with approval as she briefly considered a late-night visit to a bathhouse before settling on a hot shower for her over-stressed muscles and then to bed and hopefully, after the long training, sleep.
Finally, I get to move in with the Tendos, make Ranma a part of my life, truly get to know him after all these years! she thought exultantly as she stepped into the steaming shower and began to lather up, then chuckled to herself. ‘Finally’! It’s only been a few weeks since he returned to you... But it had seemed so long, each day endless, waiting, hoping for a call from him or Nabiki, trying to think of a reason to call her son’s fiancée, living for the weekend like she’d never done since starting her career to make ends meet. But tomorrow, that would be at an end.
And I’ll finally get some answers from my former husband, she thought grimly, mood darkening as she thought again of the years of silence, except for visits from the police and the people Genma had cheated, then jumped slightly as the bar of soap shot out of her tightening grip and bounced off the wall. Chuckling to herself, she shook her head as she knelt to pick up the soap. Relax, Nodoka, Genma is no longer your husband, and whatever happened in the past, Ranma is back. Be happy with that. Washing off the soap then simply standing in place as the heat seeped into her aching muscles, she again relaxed as her mind returned to the handsome black-haired young man her baby had become (and the cute redheaded succubus he sometimes became, and she firmly squelched speculation on how useful her daughter could be in her side job, once again telling herself to let her son/daughter finish growing up, first). Finding herself yawning, she smiled. And it looks like you’ll actually get some sleep tonight, after all.
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(Posted Sun, 23 May 2010 07:14)
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