Avarice

Part 3

Nabiki went down, This was bad she seemed to be telegraphing
her mood to everybody around the table. She struggled to get
herself under control. Ranma was eyeing both Akane and her up,
ready to use the Saotome secret technique if necessary. It
was flattering in a way to think that Ranma feared her but
it was also annoying her for some reason.

Nabiki remembered the bidding war with Ranma. She compares
how she treats him with how Akane does. Ranma is naive certainly 
but he is no fool. Nabiki understood why he had believed her
when she said  she had loved him since he arrived. Nabiki bit 
down a scream.  Nabiki could if she had worked captured Ranma,
but when she had him as her fiancee she had used him. She did
eventually try to get him back. What a waste of time that had
been. Total profit -5000 yen. Nobody managed to buy Ranma. 
That was annoying. Always the complex schemes went wrong 
except when protecting the family's investments. It was as if
there was some perverse God over her.Oh well.

Nabiki needs a lot of food. She managed to sneak of some under 
Genma's and Ranma's noses when they were duelling. She had to
be careful of Genma. He'd started booby-trapping his meals 
with Akane's food. As if he knew someone else was stealing
from his bowl. Akane was glaring at Ranma. Ranma didn't know
why but Nabiki did. She smiled to herself. Maybe she had an
opportunity after all. By playing both ends against the middle
and blame the spice on Shampoo she could...

"Um, Nabiki, I know this is nearer 'normal', but haven't you 
injured him... ?" came from the back of her mind.

"Shut up!"

"NABIKI!", the others declared surprised. 

Drat, she said it aloud. She must be losing her grip. Compared
to what Ranma must be going through, this was a walk in the 
park . Perhaps not considering Nerima's Parks. It was her 
fault. It was her fault. Nabiki looked down and got herself
under control. She headed out the door like a whirlwind. 
Genma dropped his guard and Ranma managed to get all the
non-Akane food from under Genma's snout.


Nabiki knew she had to repair the damge she'd done and so she
went to Dr Tofu's.

"I could swear you have eaten the legendary inhibiton spice"

"WHAT?"

"I was only joking."

"Then from what I've been told of your abilities that's the
diagnoses. But Ranma has swallowed passion spice."

"Hmm, Truth spice is a good cure. But the passion spice shouldn't be enough to get
round his blocks. He'd need something else like...."

*Inhibition Spice* thought Nabiki as she rushed out the surgery knocking 
over several people. No not now. Akane was on the warpath and looking
for her. Nabiki brightened when she realised the photos could remove
all opposition except one - Kodachi - and she'd no longer be trying to
kill Ranma. This could work out after all.

'If he lives.' pointed out the inner voice.

*Thanks a lot.* Nabiki thought back crossly. *Hey I'm talking to you*

'Yourself actually. Been a long time since you've listened to me.
Don't worry your not mad. Everybody does it occasionally.'

Nabiki just manages to avoid Akane. *Close too close. Next stop Nekohanten*
Nabiki sneaks into the Nekohanten and says thee huge jar with a big red label
on. The label says as you've no doubt gathered:

'Truth Spice. Danger. NEVER EVER USE. Truth CAN KILL.'

Nabiki nods knowingly as she puts in in her pocket. The she notices a hand
snatch it out of hers. And in Hammerspace to. Only one other person is
as good as manipulating it as she is. Genma and Akane are dabblers compared
to....

MU TSU!

'That is dangerous.'

'Not so much as Passion spice, mixed with Inhibition Spice.'

'You didn't?'

'No Ranma did.'

'But Cologne never authourises the use of Passion spice ever since the
incident 12 years ago.'

Nabiki looks extremly guilty, head downwards to hide her blushing. Mousse
looks shocked. He'd always thought Nabiki had a conscience, not much of one
to be sure but one all the same. Then he understood why she wanted the Truth
spice. He took some and swallowed it. He then considered what he remembered
in the texts.

"Don't get it in your eyes. You'll see true."

"Surely thats a good thing"

"Knurd!"

After agreeing that Mousse would use the Truth Spice on Ranma,
Nabiki nods, understanding what he means. She heads home to find Akane
and Ukyou confronting Ranma. Actually going to kill him. She'd never
used this particular voice on her sister before. This would be the most
dangerous thing she'd done.

'After the passion spice'

*Don't remind me.*

Nabiki speaks three words a chilling mix of ice and venom. "That is enough."

Akane stops more in shock than anything.
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