Ranma sat down at the desk in Nabiki's, their, room, and sighed. On the way home from school, they had stopped off at a computer store. Using the newly set up banking account, they had bought several state-of-the-art items, and he was setting up them, while Nabiki went to the kitchen to cook dinner.
After setting it all up, he could not help feeling depress. It was all so primitive to him. Many of the worlds he had visited either had no technology to speak of, or, were more advanced then their homeworld was. And despite his efforts not to be dependent upon anything, be it technology, Art, or power set, he found he missed the more advance computer power of those other worlds. The most advance being the Galactic Republic's, although, a few worlds came close in some areas, even surpassing in others.
A sortment of items sat upon the desk: various computer parts, a Galactic Republic Power Cell, vibro-blade, a Multi-Format Media Writer that could handle any data media from five and a quarter floppy disk to quantum data-crystal, a wireless internet server system, color laser printer no larger then a book, and a optical flatbed scanner filled up the desk.
In only matter of moments, he had fused several different technologies, which were based on different sciences, into a merged system that was, at least, several centuries beyond anything currently available anywheres on Earth. Most of the computer's software was hand-written by Ranma, using several samples of software programs he had seen at the computer store as templates, to ensure conpatibility with current Earth computers, while still being able to interface with any Galactic Republic system that might enter the Solar System.
With his internet server system, it was a simple matter to get into the Internet, and establish accounts for himself and Nabiki. After which, he surfed the 'Net to see how it set up and what was available. Although vast, the 'Net was still primitive by his standards, no holographic interfaces or data available, primitive virtual realities that were, at best, two-dimensional, and mostly text-based chats and message boards. He checked the local news for the past several months, noting with some amusement, that he and the others were local urban legends in their abilities and actions. Stories of their exploits were exaggerated, or twisted to have little to do with the reality of his life, such as it was back then.
As Ranma walked up to their room, Nabiki headed to the kitchen, hummed a tune that she vaguely recall from someplace in their travels. It was a song about a woman too foolish to know what she had until she lost it all, and only because of the love of a man did she get it back. Or something like that.
Once in the kitchen, she went to the cabinet where, in the morning, she had put her cookbooks, and got a few out. She, absently, noted that someone, probably Nodoka, had looked through the top book. She set about, magically, making dinner, the standard stuff, and some of Ranma's favorite dinner foods.
Although mostly done through magic, Nabiki enjoying the physical efforts of the simplier preparations of cooking, mostly because Ranma did not like magic involved with his food, especially magically conjured food. While slightly busy, she did not miss Nodoka and Kasumi's entrance into the kitchen, nor their surprised looks at her presence as well as her activities. She quietly sighed at the lost look Kasumi had as she realized that she would not be needed or required to make the evening meal. She also noted the gleam in Nodoka's eyes as she observed her.
Nabiki knew it was only a matter of time, and it would seem now was the time. From her mother's diaries, she knew that Nodoka was as big a hentai as Happosai was, in her own way. She also knew that Nodoka 'wore the pants' in the Saotome Clan, in that and a few others, Ranma got from his mother. Both were 'alphas', and a clash between alpha male and alpha female, especially, son and mother, was inevitable. Especially, since Nodoka wanted her son to be a 'man among men', yet still her little boy.
So Nabiki was not surprised when Nodoka sent Kasumi out to get something from the market. She knew it was simply to get her out of the house, rather then any true need of anything. Knowing what was going to happen, she set up a control spell for the magic that was making dinner, so she could contentrate on the coming interrogation.
On cue, Nodoka asked, "so how manly is my son?"
With an honest smile on her face, she answered, "Oh, Mother, Ranma is very manly... So manly, she can turn a goddess of lesbian and chastity into a willing slut... With just a smile, he can make a hardest-hit girl cream her shorts... His touch is divine... and addictive... No girl can resist him, especially, since no girl would want to."
The more Nabiki, the more happy Nodoka became. Nodoka even had some fans in her hands and was doing her 'victory-dance' thinking of grandchildren...
A sweat-drop appeared over Nabiki's forehead, embarassed at her mother-in-law's action and enjoyment at hearing the sexual exploits of her son. Towards the end of her little 'speech' she had tried to shock or push Nodoka's acceptance of manliness, with stories of some of the demoness and succubii that Ranma had dealt with, but Nodoka took it all in stride.
After a moment or two, Nodoka composed herself and asked bluntly, "So are you pregnant? Have you had any children already?"
Nabiki blushed and simply stated, "It's a bit complicated..."
Nodoka blinked and inquired, "Complicated? What's complicated about it? You do know how to make babies, right?"
Not waiting for an answer, Nodoka launched into a very graphic, very detailed explanation about where children came from and how to make sure the children would be one gender over the other.
Not wishing to hear the details, Nabiki interupted, "Mother... It's complicated because of some of the ki techniques at Ranma and I practice."
Nodoka blinked in confusion.
Nabiki sighed. "The techniques slow down the aging process... which has the side-effect of slowing-down our reproductive cycles as well."
Worried, Nodoka asked, "Can you have children?"
Nabiki knew if she answered in the negative, Nodoka would do everythin in her power to get them divorced and Ranma married with some girl that could. Fortunately, she could and told her mother-in-law, "yes, we can... It's just that my menstrual cycle is annual, instead of monthly, at best, and my cycles can be very irregular. So I can't always predict when I'm fertile... or for how long that period would be. Sometimes, I can go a few years without any such a period."
Nodoka blinked in confusion. She was doing that a lot. This conversation was not going the way she had planned. So she decided to change topics, "Are you a good wife to my son?"
Smiling at the change of topic, and enjoying the subject matter at hand, she answered, "Oh yes, Mother. I'm a good wife and slave to my Master.... There isn't anything I wouldn't do for my Master."
Happy to be on a somewhat more firmer ground, Nodoka started to question Nabiki about their relationship, the extent of it, how it started, and what they've done.
More the happy to share, Nabiki talked about her fantasies growing up, her hopes when Ranma came into their lives, her dashed hopes when Ranma seemed only a dumb jock at first, and the her hopes rising as she began to see the true Ranma underneath the upbringing of Genma and the situations that happened to him. She talked of the freedom of being a slave, no worries, the love, and care that Ranma gave her. She talked about how Ranma was her archor, and how that had kept her from falling into the Dark Side, several times.
At some point, Nabiki was not sure when, Nodoka had drifted off to her own fantasy world. Bit curious, she used a bit of magic to glimpse into that fatasy world.... Surprisingly, the fantasy was tame, compared with what she thought Nodoka might come up with. In it, Nabiki went around bare-footed and pregnant all the time, as well as several unidentifiable females as well, with Ranma sitting nude upon a throne like some barbarian king over looking his property. Incidentally to the fantasy, all the children were taken care of by a very happy Nodoka.
While Nodoka was in her own fantasy world, Nabiki made sure to finish dinner and to clean the kitchen up.
Not fully back in the real world, Nodoka mentioned, "Well, if you're not a good wife to my son, I guess, I'll just have to punish you if you're not."
Nabiki blinked in confusion, where did that from?
"No, Mother," Ranma's voice cut through the room.
Nodoka blinked and turned to face her son. She was going to say something, she was not sure what, but the look on Ranma's face silenced her.
"Nabiki is mine," Ranma stated. "If you have a problem with her, you come see me."
"But, Ranma-chan," Nodoka began. Nabiki winced at the "chan" being used to address her Master, especially, when he was in one of his moods.
Firmly, he stated again, "No buts, Mother. It is not your place to deal with what is mine in such a manner."
Stubbornly, Nodoka continued, "Not my place? But I'm your Mother... Of course ---"
"What is between Nabiki and me, is just that," Ranma stated once more. The Look in his eyes told both Nodoka and Nabiki that he was very serious and would not change his mind on this issue.
Unsure, Nodoka asked, "will you punish your own mother if..."
Without hestiation, Ranma answered firmly, "Yes, I would."
Nodoka swallowed nervously, this conversation was becoming more and more stranger then she had originally thought it would be. And Ranma's eyes... so much like her father's... and of the story of her grandfather... It was because of the fact that Ranma seem to have his great-grandfather's eyes that she had allowed Genma to train him so much in the martial arts, to give him the disciple of the Art that Genma and her father talked so much about.
As Nodoka looked over her son, she realized that her son had grown up, without her. And he was a man now, answerable only to himself and no other. She swallowed again. She tried to look her son in the eyes, but found she could not. With trembling hands, she took the ever-present Family blade from her side, got down on her knees, and formally presented it to her manly son.
Ranma blinked at his mother's action. He wanted her to get off her knees and hold onto the Family blade, but the Force whispered to him that, that would not be a good thing to do. That for the sake of Harmony, he would have to accept it.
With steady hands, Ranma formally accepted the Family blade from his mother's offering hands. Expertly, as the Armsmaster he is, he examined the blade carefully. His voice trembled a bit as he realized the Name of the blade of his family, "Rekka."
Rekka. Wild Fire.
In an awed whispered, Ranma commented, "The stories this blade could tell... From Kabukimono to Hitokiri... From Samurai to Ronin... From Emperor to Shogun... From Kami to Mortal... And Back again..."
Both Nodoka and Nabiki blinked.
Upon hearing the Blade's name and hints of its history, Nodoka nodded her head in confirmation. She was curious how her son knew of the Family Blade's name. It was never spoken aloud.
Nodoka smiled and stated in a proud voice, "That blade has been in our family since it was forged..."
Ranma blinked and stated, "I knew our family was old... but that old?"
At Nodoka's inquiring look, he said, "There's a magical potion called the Blood Hertiage Potion. After brewing it, you add three drops of your blood to it, and then pour the potion onto a specially-treated book or parchment, and a detailed family tree will be magical created. Even gives bio's of the people on the tree... but only up to the point where the offspring was conceived."
"We were curious, as well as, we had to prove a point," Nabiki added to the conversation. Nodoka surprised at Nabiki's voice jumped, she had forgotten she was there.
Nodoka heard Ranma grumble something, it sounded a bit like Mal something... but she was not sure. Nor from the look in Ranma's eyes did she wish to know.
Three loud pops filled the silence.
Nodoka stared.
Ranma groaned in annoyance and pain.
Nodoka stared again.
In the kitchen, three... things... creatures... small humanoid shapes... stood there. They were small, wearing something that looked like a sack-cloth. They had large bat-like ears and enormous eyes.
Ranma growled, "Sithspawn... House-elves.."
Nodoka blinked, unfamiliar with either term, nor sure which applied to whatever they were in front of her.
The middle House-elf looked at Ranma and in a very squeeky and luanghing voice said in English, "We've found you, Lord Ranma! Saccy is found you!"
The other two House-elves, both female, but not much different in appearance from the male, Saccy, nodded their heads. Essy on Saccy's right, moved towards Ranma to hug him, but he growled in English, "Don't touch me."
"Ranma-chan," Nodoka exclaimed in a hurt voice. Her son just gave her a look that clearly said not to interfer.
Seeing that Ranma would not cooperate, the three House-elves hugged Nabiki happily, who returned their hugs with affection.
Ranma growled in English, at the House-elves, "What are you do here? How did you get here?"
"Lord Harry Potter was worried about you'is," Saccy answered in English. "We free... Lord Harry Potter said'ed so."
"What?" Ranma roared. In English, he continued, "But without the bond, you'll die... What was Harry thinking of? Who am I kidding, he wasn't... Hermione does his thinking..."
"Ranma, that's not nice to talk about your friend like that," Nabiki remarked. As an after-thought, "Even if it is true."
Ranma just stuck his tongue out at his wife.
In English, Nabiki said, "We would love to have you here."
The House-elves cheered and Nodoka looked confused and a bit worried.
Ranma grumbled in English, "This is a muggle neighborhood..."
The House-elves's eyes got large.
"The rest of the family are squibs," Ranma growled in English. He did not like being in the presence of House-elves, their unnatural-ness was as unsettling as Trollocs and Fades to his ki senses. That they were not inheritly evil as Shadowspawn was their saving grace. And most House-elves were a joyful bunch, it was not their fault there were created by an evil sorceress wishing to make her own shadow assassins by combining troll, goblin, and elven DNA.
As an after-thought, he added in English, "Don't let the family see you... especially Akane, the youngest Tendo. You'd not survive when she mallets you..."
Nabiki was going to deny that Akane would do that, but she held tongue, realizing that, yes, Akane would, as her first response was voilence, and she would not understand that as magical creatures, House-elves were very susceptible to physical assualts. Thus, what might have have been a soft blow for a human, would be fatal for a House-elf. Not that Akane understood the concept of restraint, nor the inherit wrongness of overkill.
When Kasumi returned from the market, with several items in hand, she noticed that the house was cleaner then she ever recalled it being. Many of the things she never noticed or could get around to fixing were fixed. The house looked brand new, and yet, still felt like home. For one wild moment, she thought that maybe her mother had finally came back home, but dismissed it as a child's wish for the impossible.
Kasumi passed Akane in the hallway as she was heading for the kitchen and Akane was going to her room. She heard Akane grumbling about 'magic', 'sorceress', and 'unfairness.' But Akane was just being Akane, so she paid it no mind.
She saw that the kitchen was almost done preparing the dinner meal, and sighed. She really enjoyed cooking, it helped her to relax and be close to her mother. But Auntie had asked her to get something, so she did. Timidly, and with a bit of pain in her voice, she asked Auntie Nodoka and her sister where she could put the items she got at the market. The pain came from the fact for the past several years, she, and she only, was the mistress of the kitchen. But she had to give that up when Auntie Nodoka can into the Tendo's life... and now that Nabiki was married and will inherit the house and dojo. She sighed again.
She did not see the calculated look that Ranma gave her, nor the worried look that her sister had for her.
She did feel Ranma as he guided her to the table for dinner. She felt his strength and hard-body against her. Not for the first time, she regretted passing him on to her sister.
She had a sad smile as she saw Ranma sit down next to Nabiki, and how Nabiki leaned into him. She blushed as she realized that Nabiki was almost in Ranma's nap and they were shared a 'tender moment' together. She did see the huge smile on Auntie Nodoka's face.
Absently, she heard Akane was still grumbling about something, but then Akane was usually grumbling about something so she still paid it no mind.
She and Akane were surprised when Nodoka sat at the table empty-handed. And even more surprised when magically piles and piles of food appeared.
The fathers did not even know that the food had just magically appeared, nor that anything was different from any other meal.
In a stage whisper that all but the fathers heard, Akane remarked with a bit of venom in her voice, "Show-off." But she had been accusing Ranma of that for so long, neither Nodoka nor Kasumi paid it any mind, but Ranma and Nabiki did. Especially Nabiki, since it was directed at her, for a change.
The rest of the meal was consumed in silence. No one but Ranma and Nabiki noted that as food was eaten, it was constantly replaced with more. Nabiki smiled knowing at Ranma, who only scawled in response.
After the meal, but before either Nodoka or Kasumi could grab any of the dishes, they disappeared, along with the left over food.
Akane growled something, no one could understand, and stormed off to her room. After several minutes, the slamming of her room door could be heard.
The fathers went to play a game of shogi before bed, Nodoka and Kasumi watched a bit of television. And Ranma whispered something into Nabiki's ear, and walked out towards the street.
Nabiki paled a bit, and walked slowly, but calmly up to her room.
Once in the safety of her Master's room, Nabiki strip off all her clothing, as was her custom. She shivered slightly, not from any cold, but from what Ranma had whispered in her ear. That she had behavioured poorly that day and reserved to be punished. He had also whispered that she should go to their room and make herself ready for said punishment. She noted that he did not give her any other details.
Firstly, she renewed the silence spell on the room, so that no sound from the room would leave the room, even if the window or door was open, yet, any sound from outside the room would still come in as was normal. Next, she transfigured her desk chair into a saw-horse with a bit of padding, facing the bed. She lended over the saw-horse and used her magic to bind her wrists and ankles to the saw-horse's legs. She raised her ass, in hopes that the punishment would be a simple spanking. And waited for her Husband/Master's return.
Her wait was short, only a few moments. Through their bond, she felt him enter the room. She felt her spell being absorbed into the wall, mixing with Ranma's ki and the wall's chi. Now, the spell was permanently, and would remain until the entire walls fell, without needing to be renewed. She also felt her magic being sealed away.
It was the fading of their bond that panicked Nabiki. She tried to save something... anything... but she found herself without a voice. She tried to scream at Ranma as she watched him undress and then go to bed without her... Purposely, laying on the bed before her and then trying away from her.
Her panic grew... She tried to break her bond to go to him, to beg... but to no avail. With going horror, she realized that her punishment was that he was going to ignore her for a time.
Being ignored might not sound like a terrible punishment to those that do not understand what true slavery is about. For a slave, to be ignored is like a flower being denied the Sunlight that substains her. It was a denial of her existance. It was the very opposite of her reason to live. To be alone, after experience with with a Master was something she could not even conceive of and never contemplate. How she would have taken blows to her most tender places if she could avoid being ignored. Better to fell pain or anything, then nothing.
Nothing, that was what she was...
Nothing.
Alone with her thoughts...
She tried to scream, to break free... but she could not...
Slowly she realized she deserved this...
She had come within a hair width of killing everyone in Tokyo and its suburbs, if Ranma had not interfer. Millions killed by her and her uncontrolled magic. Her friends... Her family... Everyone... would have been killed...
She was out of control... She, who, had strived for control... Who craved control... And not even twenty-four hours or so back, and she was no better then Akane...
She realized for so long she and Ranma had longed to return home... but had not truly thought of what would happen when they did returned home.
According to her calculations, they should have been gone for, at least, ten years, not the thirty days as it turned out. She was sure none of Ranma's so-called fiancees would have stuck around that long. The Amazons would have moved on to Ryouga or Kuno... Ukyou could have been adopted by the Saotome and married by the time they returned.
Everyone would have been perfect.
Ranma and Nabiki Saotome could have lived in peace back home... in a place of their own...
But the Universe had the last laugh.
Such thoughts floated in and out of Nabiki's mind as she laid on the cold saw-horse, with only her thoughts....
After a bit more introversing, she realized that a part of her hated her blood-sisters... Kasumi, for stealing their mother away from her and then accepting the live of a House-elf... Worse, Kasumi was meant to be as Eldest Daughter, their mother's Heir to her Art, but Kasumi was not up to the challenge. Yet, still, their mother had wasted what little time they had trying to teach her her Art. An Art that none of the surviving Tendos were suited for. But her Mother's Art would live on with Ranma. As a wedding gift from her mother, her mother had told Ranma of her Art and where she placed the scrolls and books of her Art away so Soun or one of the children could find them and misuse them.
How Nabiki was proud when her mother called her Master, 'son,' and appointed him her Heir. Oh how she wished her mother could have lived to have met Ranma. She knew Ranma was the type of son she always wanted to have, or the type of man that would marry her daughters. Had she been alived, Ranma and her would have been married that ever weekend the Saotome first arrived. Of course, their married life would have been busy, between school and Ranma's training in her mother's Art... but within a year or less, everything would have been paradise.
And then there was her sister, Akane... always stealing their father from both her and Kasumi. How Akane always made it a point to upstage her at every turn, and how their father just encouraged her. Akane always had to be better then her, stronger then her, faster then her. Akane quickly became the eye of their Father's eye, his Heir. At first, Akane threw herself into the Art, like Ranma had... but the first difficulty she encountered, Akane just gave up and remained as she was, so very un-Ranma-like. And things just got worse when their mother died.
She understood her Father a great deal better now. She understood that their Mother was the Head of the Household, that she was Soun's archor, as much as Ranma was her's. Would she fair any better her father if she lost Ranma? Probably not... He had the Dojo and the Promise to keep him going... just as it is... but she... She did not even have that... Only the burning desire to please her Master and bear his children... as others had been priviliged to do.
She realized that she was slowly going insane, left alone as she was... She no longer knew how much time passed... who she was... where she was... only that something very important was missing from her being.
So lost in her thoughts, Nabiki did not feel Ranma undoing her bonding or lovely carrying over to the bed. Nor feel him snuggling her close and re-opening the bond between them.
Mentally exhausted, she did not notice, consciously, but subconsciously, her body relaxed and she fell into a confortable sleep quickly.
Ranma sighed, he hated to that to his wife, but she needed it. He know that the mere fifteen minutes on her own almost broke her. A full thirty would have broken her completely. Forty-five minutes, she would have been so depressed she could have launched a perfect Shishi Houkoudan that would have, easily, been hundred times greater then any of Ryouga's on his worst day, as even after being emotional drained by the technique, she would have been suicidial.
He knew he could go without Nabiki, if he had to. He would be broken-hearted and could pass as Ryouga's brother for a some time, but he could continue on. But Nabiki... in his heart, he knew the day he died, she would follow him in death the very second after him. Well, he just had to make sure that he did not die any time soon.
But it was important for Nabiki to realize, on her own, her feelings for family. That she had, subsciously, wanted to kill her family and others when she was anger at Reiko. He could have gone into her mind and found out. But Nabiki would not have learnt anything from that. Instead, he left her alone with her thoughts, and subtly guided her away from depression and towards the Truth.
Better to get it out of the way now, then later.
Nabiki will have to deal with Akane on her own... and Kasumi, he'd already had a plan for her.
Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day...
Round Two, Fight!
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