Here's a little something for the holidy... Spooky, what?

Previous parts available on my Ranma ff page: 

http://cyberwheel.simplenet.com/ranma/fanfiction.html

------------------------------
The Clan - Chapter 6:

Nabiki

by Chris Jones
------------------------------

	"I don't know what to think," Ranma admitted.
	He and Akane walked slowly to school. For once, Ranma made his way on the
ground instead of the fence. He was too busy studying the path in front of
him for chain-link to be a viable walk-way.
	"Do you trust your mother?" Akane asked. "I can't see that she's really
done anything bad, even if she is a vampire."
	"Oh, if you ignore that fact that up until two days ago, I had to commit
seppuku if I turned out 'unmanly', then she's only kept a secret from me
for most of my life. I should trust her implicitly."
	"Baka."
	"Bite me."
	Akane slugged his shoulder. She would have malleted him, but her heart
just wasn't in it.
	"So how's Nabiki taking it?" Ranma asked finally, taking a quick look
around to make sure that the girl wasn't hiding in thin air somewhere nearby.
	"She's really enjoying it," Akane responded. "She sat up for another hour
with me after you went out to the dojo, just doing magic tricks."
	"Magic tricks?"
	"Yeah, she was making cards disappear."
	"Really?"
	"Ummm... I *think* she was just making me *think* that they disappeared,
but I'm not sure. She could tell what I had for lunch just by smelling me,
though."
	"That's impressive," Ranma admitted.
	"Her fangs came out about two o'clock. That was kinda creepy." Akane
shuddered slightly. "She says that she thinks that they're 'sexy'."
	"I don't think fangs are sexy," Ranma blurted. "Girls shouldn't drink
blood. *Nobody* should drink blood."
	"That's what Kasumi says. She came in after a while, too. She says we
should only do it if there's a need for it."
	"Akane?"
	"Yes?"
	Ranma just shook his head. "You just said 'we'. Tell me... Tell me you
ain't thinkin' about lettin' my mom turn you into a vampire."
	"No." She wasn't. Not really. Not yet, anyway.

* * *

	Nabiki took her time in striding up to Ranma and Akane. Both were sitting
in front of a tree near the front of the building, but she wanted to be
sure they saw her coming.
	"Nabiki-oneechan!" Akane shouted and waved.
	Ranma raised his eyebrows. 
	For some reason, it disturbed Nabiki for Ranma to distrust her so badly,
but she hoped that this would ease his discomfort.
	It was a lot easier to manipulate a person who trusted you, after all,
Nabiki told herself.
	She walked up to the two and held out her arms, fists clenched.
	"What am I holding," she asked?
	Akane just cocked her head and looked quizzically at her sister.
	Ranma surprised her. After a second of squinting, he grabbed Nabiki's
wrist and held it firmly.
	"It's not a knife, Ranma," Nabiki chuckled.
	It became evident to Ranma and Akane that Nabiki was holding two paper
bags. They bore the logo of the burger shop just down the street from
Furinken, and the smells coming from inside indicated that Nabiki brought
lunch.
	Ranma let go of Nabiki's wrist, grimacing sheepishly as his stomach grumbled.
	"You're so predictable, Ranma-kun," Nabiki chided. "I bought lunch, and
you're still waiting for me to attack you."
	"Well..."
	"That was great, Nabiki!" Akane congratulated.
	"It was, and that's not the best part. The principal is hiding in a statue
by the front gate again, and I walked right by him on my way out. He didn't
even notice me!"
	Ranma nodded appreciatively. "At least you don't have to worry about
getting your hair cut," he conceded. "I don't know that that's a good
enough reason to start drinking blood but..."
	"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma..." Nabiki shook her head. "Eat your lunch. My treat."
	"Quit picking on Nabiki!" Akane smacked her fiance lightly upside the head
and began to eat her french fries.
	"Hey! Okay..." Ranma grumbled. He too, began to dig in the paper bag
Nabiki had given him.
	"You know what's really great?" Nabiki asked.
	"Hmmm?" Akane had a mouthful of burger.
	Nabiki leaned over and whispered in Akane's ear. "What am I wearing?" she
asked.
	"You're wearing your unif..." Akane stopped, realizing that her sister was
still dressed in her pajamas. "I didn't.... I..."
	"That's the trick!" Nabiki exclaimed. "Ranma, what am I wearing right now?"
	Ranma glanced over, and back at his hamburger. "Your uniform. Why?"
	Akane's mouth dropped open in shock.
	"Now if I was threatening him somehow, he'd probably notice," Nabiki
admitted. "Ranma's just like that."

* * *

	While the rest of the day passed uneventfully for Ranma, Akane was treated
to the sight of her sister walking down the school halls between classes in
various costumes and a few different states of undress. She could tell that
absolutely no one but her was privy to the fact. 
	On their way home, Nabiki let a disbelieving Ranma in on the fact that she
had been wearing her pajamas (mostly) for the majority of the day.
	Nodoka greeted them on their arrival, but Ranma quickly made his way to
the dojo, and began working out. No one in the house really doubted why.
	Nabiki, having exercised during the day and after spending a few minutes
with Nodoka and Kasumi, decided that her main strengths lied in deception
and illusion, where Kasumi was apparently super sensitive and Nodoka was
adept at mind control.
	"I have *got* to work on these some more!" Nabiki announced to the two women.
	"What do you have in mind?" Nodoka asked.
	"Actually, I was thinking of going out, just seeing how large an illusion
I can pull off, or how many people I can show it to," Nabiki mused.
	Kasumi's brow wrinkled in worry. "That doesn't seem very wise..." she began.
	"But Nabiki must know where her limits are," Nodoka continued. "It is
acceptable, so long as you don't put your self, or your secret in danger."
	Nabiki nodded. "I already know I can affect a fairly large group with a
minor illusion."
	"Yes, I saw you come in from school in your pajamas," Nodoka revealed.
	Nabiki did her best to hide her wince.
	"Remember that another vampire will almost always be able to see through
all but the best illusions," the older woman warned. "And to any who are
sensitive as Kasumi, you might as well not be casting an illusion at all."
	Kasumi nodded, confirming that she, too, could see through Nabiki's charade.
	Flustered, but undaunted, she strode from the room.

* * *

	Nabiki had bought the dress on a dare. While it was not exceptionally
revealing, the cut and manufacture of the gown gave the impression of
licentiousness.
	It was very short, but it was composed of two pieces. The inner garment
was an unimpressive, but very well cut evening dress. It came up just above
Nabiki's bustline, and reached well below her buttocks.
	The outer garment was what created the illusion, however. While it had a
turtle-neck, and was long sleeved, the whole thing had the opaqueness of
wet cheesecloth. It was just slightly more sheer than the thigh-high
stockings she had been saving for such a special occasion.
	"Perfect!" She breathed.
	With a sharp knife and a pair of scissors, Nabiki cut the four strands of
thread that held the two pieces together. She roughly discarded the dark
dress into her dirty clothes hamper and shucked her bra and panties.
	She slid into the sheer part of the dress, pulling the collar over her
neck. She smoothed the dress, luxuriating in feel of the thin, silken
material between her hands and breasts. The sensuous feeling was only
intensified by her new abilities.
	"Oh, this is wonderful!"
	She stood on her tiptoes in the mirror. Clad only in the perfectly sheer
dress and the thigh-highs, Nabiki marvelled at her figure. Her nipples and
the thin, dark hair of her delta were clearly visible, as well as the lace
tops of the stockings. 
	"Better and better," she quipped, bending slightly, and pulling a pair of
dark pumps out of her closet.
	Nabiki made her way downstairs, pausing briefly in the kitchen, where
Kasumi and Nodoka were cooking dinner.
	To say that Kasumi was shocked was an understatement. 
	Nodoka only narrowed her gaze, allowing no real emotion into her expression.
	"How do I look?" Nabiki asked, letting her fangs rest lightly on her lips.

(illustration: http://cyberhweel.simplenet.com/clan/nabikisdress.jpg)

	"Scandalous!!!" Kasumi muttered.
	"It's rather daring," Nodoka commented. 
	"Nabiki!" Kasumi demanded. "You must go upstairs and change at once."
	Nodoka shook her head slightly. "Are you quite certain you want to be
caught in such a garment if your powers fail you, dear?"
	Nabiki smiled wickedly. "Watch." She turned, and called out of the
kitchen, "Akane, Ranma, come here for a second."
	After a few seconds, the two entered the kitchen. Ranma looked away from
his mother, who suddenly bore a hurt expression. 
	Nabiki winced slightly. She had forgotten about that.
	"How do I look?" she asked, doing her best to ignore the tense situation.
	Akane had been staring wide eyed at her sister since she had stepped into
the room. Rather than answer Nabiki, Akane let her jaw hang loosely.
	"'S okay." Ranma commented calmly. You gotta a date or somthin'?"
	Nodoka raised her eyebrows speculatively. "That *is* impressive. Illusion
is usually an all or nothing thing. To apply it selectively..."
	"What?" Ranma asked.
	"Nabiki is casting an illusion on you, Ranma-kun," Kasumi informed him.
Ranma was quite puzzled at her displeased tone. 
	"I don't see anything unusual..." Ranma noted.
	"That's the point, baka!" Akane scolded. "What's she wearing?"
	Irritated at being chastised, Ranma stared grumpily at the girl. "A brown
dress. So what?"
	Flustered, upset and more than a little embarrassed, Akane growled and
stormed out of the room. Ranma looked after her in confusion.
	"I *really* don't get what's going on here..." Ranma wondered.
	"Come on, Ranma," Nabiki commanded, taking the uncomfortable youth by the
hand. "I'll tell you."
	Both Kasumi and Nodoka raised their eyebrows sharply as Nabiki led Ranma
from the kitchen.
	Kasumi poked her head out of the kitchen just in time to see Nabiki
whispering in Ranma's ear. 
	Much to the youth's shock, she pecked him on the cheek once, and walked
down the hallway.
	As the door closed behind Nabiki, Kasumi noted Ranma's shocked, wide-eyed
expression, and the slight trickle of blood dripping off his upper lip.

* * *
	'The Rose Garden' was a fashionable downtown Tokyo club. It was one of the
most exclusive clubs in the city.
	Nabiki walked right past the bouncer. She even patted him on the shoulder
as she passed.
	Coming in from the dim sunlight of the early evening into the dim club,
she had to stand several seconds for her eyes to adjust. Apparently, they
were much more sensitive now. It was something she'd have to remember.
	Careful not to forget her illusion, she made her way to a table, and waved
down one of the passing cocktail waitresses. She ordered a glass of wine,
and set back to let her illusion settle in.
	"Hey, sugar!" A drunk young business man shouted at her. "Why don't you
come dance with me and my friends?"
	Nabiki smiled cooly, and shook her head. "Maybe later," she offered. "I'm
waiting for someone."
	The business man swaggered over to her table, and plopped down in the seat
across from her. "And just who are you waiting for that could possibly be a
better date than me, honey?"
	"Him." Nabiki pointed to the door. 
	The man yelped, seeing a bulky body builder walking into the club. He was
clad in a fine Italian suit, but the sleeves stretched across his biceps
ridiculously.
	He caught sight of the businessman and glared intently. Cracking his
knuckles, he strode over to the table. 
	The businessman scurried off, not ready to face the monster of a man
staring at him with such a murderous expression.
	The cocktail waitress who reached the table with Nabiki's drink was quite
puzzled. 
	"Why did he run off from me like that," the girl asked out of curiosity.
"There's not anything wrong with my costume, is there?" she asked, checking
to make sure her 'bunny' outfit was in order. 
	Nabiki, doing her best to keep her breath, accepted her glass of wine and
shrugged. "Some men just fear women," she said, glancing off in the
direction of the bathroom, where the man was currently hiding.
	When the waitress left, Nabiki let her breath out in a whoosh. Two
illusions at once very nearly floored her. She almost lost both of them.
She would have to start smaller.
	Not wanting to let alcohol erode her concentration, Nabiki sipped lightly
at the wine as she surveyed the room.
	There was certainly a crowd tonight. Everyone was dancing and drinking and
just generally having a good time. Nabiki idly wondered if you could get
drunk by drinking the blood of someone who was already drunk.
	One particular couple lurched away from the dance floor and into seats at
a table near hers.
	Nabiki could *feel* their hearts pounding from dancing and their shared
arousal. The girl was dressed very nearly as scandalously as she was, and
the young man was pawing at her continuously. With little ado, they leaned
their chairs up against the wall and began to neck.
	"Ahh," Nabiki uttered sarcastically. "Young love..."
	"Is that such a bad thing?" A deep, masculine voice asked from behind her.
	Nabiki whipped around, again careful to keep her illusion in place.
Standing behind her was a tall, dark skinned man with a rougish expression
and his hands in the pockets of his obviously *very* expensive Italian suit
jacket.
	Impressed, but refusing to show any indication of her surprise that he was
able to sneak up on her, Nabiki only raised one eyebrow speculatively.
	"It depends," Nabiki responded, keeping her cool. *It must be the alcohol,
or the smell of it that kept me from noticing him,* she theorized, keeping
her eyes on the man. "If 'love' puts you in a bad spot..."
	She motioned to the young couple. She could hear the scraping of the legs
of the chair. Waiting for it, but looking almost like she had commanded it,
Nabiki smiled merrily as the chair came out from under the girl.
	She slipped, pulling the young man down with her by his tie. Having hit
her head, the young woman sat on the floor drunkenly crying while the young
man struggled for air as he ripped at his tie.
	Titters of laughter began to circulate through the club, causing the
useless girl to cry harder and even more pathetically.
	Nabiki smirked at the handsome man. "I'm not the sort to put myself in bad
spots."
	The man chuckled at the scene, sitting down next to Nabiki anyway.
	"Oh, I'd say you're already in a bad spot. You haven't chased me off yet."
	"Don't think I won't..." Nabiki warned, allowing a glint of steel come
into her eyes as the man began to appraise her figure.
	"You are a rare woman," The man complimented her. "It's rare that I meet
an attractive woman that's not afraid to show her mind. Can I buy you a
drink?"
	"I'm fine, thank-you," Nabiki replied coldly, using a fingernail to tap
her glass. The man was dangerously attractive, and quite the talker. If she
hadn't been so ill at ease, she would have had a difficult time keeping the
flattery from going to her head.
	Was it just that he managed to sneak up on her? Nabiki bit a lip in thought.
	"So what brings you to 'The Rose Garden', Miss...?" he prompted for her name.
	"Mother told me never to give my name or address to strangers," Nabiki
responded, idly tapping at her wine glass. 
	"Now, how can I be a stranger?" he asked in mock indignation. "Why...
We've been talking for over a minute now!"
	Oddly, Nabiki felt herself loosening up around the man. He seemed more
interested in their verbal sparring, rather than ogling her still-concealed
body like most of the men who had passed by her.
	"Can't a girl have a good time by herself?" Nabiki poked.
	The man shook his head. "No can do. It's an absolute crime to deny your
charming wit and lovely face to some lucky man."
	Still smiling he held out a name card to her. Aside from an unimaginative
company logo, the card was rather unadorned.
	"Akuji Oto," Nabiki read, raising her eyebrows slightly.
	"You're not afraid of me, are you," Akuji asked.
	"Why would I have any reason to be afraid of *you*," Nabiki parried.
	Akuji clutched his chest, and arched back in his chair. "Shot to the
quick! You really are something, Miss...?"
	"Tendou, Nabiki Tendou."
	"Ah, Nabiki Tendou. Next you'll be telling me that you are a demon ninja
and will be able to tear me apart if I try anything too forward."
	"Daddy does run a dojo," Nabiki admitted cooly, the warning implicit in
the statement.
	"Would it be too forward to ask you to dance, then," he prompted, a
serious expression replacing his jovial smile.
	"Dance?" Nabiki let a narrow smile grace her lips. "I don't see that would
be opening myself up *too* much.
	Akuji smiled mischievously and took her proffered hand. Gently, but
firmly, he led Nabiki out to the garishly lit dance floor.
	Nabiki did her best to keep the illusion going. It was always more
difficult when she was moving, as she had found in the Furinken hallways.
To alter one's appearance when you were sitting still was one thing. To
keep the illusion going when your dance partner was swinging you around
thirty or forty other people was quite another.
	Nabiki didn't *think* she let it drop. She was getting worn out from the
dancing, however. Akuji was a great dancer and he had incredible endurance. 
	Akuji didn't show any indication that he had seen anything unusual, but
after an hour or so, Nabiki led him from the dance floor to a quiet spot
sheltered with long vines from the potted rose bushes, the club's trademark.
	"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Akuji asked. 
	Slightly out of breath... her senses singing with the heartbeats of all
the people still on the dance floor, Nabiki shook her head demurely,
brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
	"I hope you won't think I'm too forward then..." Akuji began.
	"For what?"
	"For this," he leaned in and cupped her chin. Gingerly at first, but then
more forcefully, he pressed his lips to hers.
	Nabiki jerked forcefully, but the kiss was not unpleasant. In fact, after
a second, she felt herself leaning into it.
	*This is getting WAY too serious,* she thought as she began to suck
lightly on Akuji's tongue. All the warning bells were going off in her head.
	Part of Nabiki wanted to run. The other part wanted to simply stay where
she was, and hope that the night never ended. Still... Nabiki couldn't help
her cold analytical nature from stepping in.  
	Still experimenting, she allowed her illusion to drop a fraction.
Akuji didn't seem to notice, as his hands continued to roam Nabiki's back.
	She shifted slightly, allowing her now slightly translucent dress to catch
the wildly pulsating light from the dance floor.
	Still seemingly unnoticing, Akuji continued to caress her back. After just
a second, however, he turned her slightly, and gripped her left breast
forcefully through the shear fabric.
	Nabiki gasped into their kiss, again struggling to keep up the illusion as
Akuji began to gently tease her erect nipple through the fabric.
	"What else aren't you wearing," Akuji asked, pulling away from the kiss,
still gripping her in the semi-privacy offered by the bushes.
	Breathily, Nabiki chuckled lightly. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she
asked. She slapped his hand lightly before he could reach around to grip
her buttocks.
	"I certainly would," Akuji admitted. "And the garden is just a bit public
for my tastes. I've got a flat nearby..."
	"Are you trying to pick me up, Oto-san?"
	"I thought that I had already done that."
	Nabiki smiled, doing her best to keep her excitement and nervousness from
showing. Besides the good time she was having, it would be a good
opportunity to max-out her illusion. 

* * *

	The door unlocked with a click.
	As it opened, Akuji traipsed inside, and flicked on a lightswitch. Nabiki
followed shortly after.
	"Have a seat, my dear, and I'll make us a drink," He offered, motioning
Nabiki to the plush sofa sitting in the middle of the room.
	Nabiki smiled, graciously accepting. As Akuji began to make noises in the
kitchen, Nabiki sat back and took in the apartment. It was a large,
spacious affair. Not quite a studio, but far, *far* too large in Tokyo to
be owned by anyone who didn't have serious money to drop.
	The walls were a dark creme color, some with tasteful paintings. The
apartment was moodily lit.
	Something was off, though. After a few minutes, Nabiki realized that there
was a faint staleness to the air, as if the room had been locked up for too
long with no air conditioning.
	In fact, the bowl of fruit on the table smelled too ripe. Almost... rotten.
	*He must travel extensively,* Nabiki realized. *Doesn't get a chance to
tidy up very often.*
	Nabiki got up too look around at some of the paintings.
	"It's fairly abstract," Akuji said from behind her. "Picked it up in
Seoul..."
	"Who painted it?" Nabiki asked, moving out from in between Akuji and the
painting. She could almost feel his eyes slipping past her disguise as he
gazed intently at the painting.
	"A young village woman. I never got her name. I understand that she passed
away shortly after I met her... Quite tragic, actually."
	Nabiki raised one eyebrow speculatively. This was the sort of conversation
you used to get a woman in bed?
	"She lived life with a passion, though. You can see it in her work. How
important do you think passion is, Nabiki?" Akuji asked in a low, dangerous
tone.
	Nabiki, careful not to interrupt the man's line of sight, turned and moved
closer to him. She took the proffered drink and sipped lightly, allowing
her body to press up against his as she did so. She let her free hand come
to rest on his broad chest.
	"There's a restroom in the back, if you'd like to... freshen up a
little..." he suggested.
	Nabiki was letting the illusion run at a little less than half strength.
The man was trembling slightly, his hands resting on her narrow waist.
Nabiki *thought* that the illusion was having it's intended effect,
arousing the man subconsciously while not allowing him to see what she was
actually wearing.
	Disengaging herself, Nabiki smirked and walked toward the hallway,
allowing a little more of the illusion to drop with each step. The effort
was incredible, and by the time she reached the bathroom, she was certain
that her buttocks were *almost*, but not quite visible to the man.
	She gasped with the effort as she closed the door behind her.
	It was too much. She had almost exhausted herself with that stunt.
Feverishly, she looked around the narrow bathroom. The rotten smell was
more intense here, only adding to her anxiety. She had to leave, and *now*.
	A glance out the window revealed a fire escape leading down a story to the
ground. Feeling very slightly guilty about leaving Akuji in the lurch,
Nabiki began to work at the window's latch.
	*CLICK* 
	The window latch snapped off in her hands.
	"Trying to leave, are we, Tendou-san?"
	Nabiki turned around in shock as the bathroom door was thrown open. 
	What stood in front of her.... was not the same man she had left the club
with. 
	Akuji had disrobed completely. He stood menacingly over her, as she
cowered near the window. But... where his suit had covered, Nabiki could
see... flaws... in his body. There were patches of skin where the normal
tan flesh had broken or had been torn away. Behind the bloody gashes was a
dead, pasty white. 
	Where his member should have been, the flesh was torn away entirely.
Instead of normal equipment, the monster had a huge, calloused spike the
same sick white color. The rotten meat smell was horribly intense now. From
the smell and sight, Nabiki had to fight to keep from retching. 
	The thing that was Akuji smiled wickedly, licking its lips. "Shall we
dance again, my dear? It's so seldom that I get to taste the blood of a
vampire, let alone a virgin vampire."

* * *
Chris Jones - hamster@arn.net 

The Ranma 1/2 Gallery: http://cyberwheel.simplenet.com/ranma