Chapter Two
A Mind Mended
Shortly..
Nick had finished explaining the full story of his current existence, from him and Ruca's accident and Nick gaining his Spectral powers to that morning and Ruca's unexpected and hostile return. He explained in detail how Sephiroth had been on a mission to turn him to the darker side of the alignment spectrum, and figured having Nick fight his beloved would give Nick that push from the edge. Gina, the Queen of the Succubi listened with a frown, her eyes softening at the way Nick had described who Ruca was and how she had made him fall for her. ".. And Eona sent me here for your counsel and possible aid, if any can even be provided."
Gina nodded with a small smile. "For Eona and for the way you speak of your love for this Ruca, I shall aid you in any way I can. Do you know where your love is right now?"
"Yes, with my godfather and two best friends, the latter keeping Sephiroth from making a move while I'm here. I kept Ruca contained so she didn't start attacking anybody. Sephiroth's brainwashing is pretty formidable."
"Do not worry, young one. If your girlfriend's soul does still exist within her new form, then I will erase the fool's meddling. Let us go. My people will feel more relaxed once you are no longer in our realm."
"Why's that? I'm not ugly, am I?"
Gina smirked, a fang showing from the quirked up side of her lips. "No, you most certainly aren't. However, if your love is as strong as you say, then I have no doubt Ruca has already found her own mate. We succubi abhor even the attempt to take one's mate away, and we will in turn kill to protect our mates."
"That's.. Definitely not how the living realm views your kind, but I know better than to judge first."
Gina smiled again. "Yes, to the humans of your world, succubi and Incubi alike are regarded as nothing more than heartless whores only looking for a good fuck to satiate our own demonic desires. It's not entirely untrue, either, but there is much more to my kind than meets the eye."
Nick nodded. "I can see that, your highness. Thank you for helping. I can't think of how I can repay you for- mmph?!" He started to say as Gina pressed her lips to his.
The kiss was tender but still as passionate as Nick could ever remember kissing Rica. When the Queen pulled away, her fang was showing again. "My, my. No wonder your Rica is so in love with you." Nick stood there, both shocked and confused as Gina giggled. "Oh, you probably wouldn't know of such methods, would you?" Nick shook his head. "Think of that kiss as.. Well, a couple of things. Most relevant, Succubi can reveal much about those we kiss. Like how hotly the fires of love burn within you for your precious Rica despite current circumstances. Or of just how unfulfilled your bond truly is."
"Unfulfilled? What do you mean by that?" Nick said as Gina created a portal back to the human world.
"Oh, nothing much. You see, there are some people who cannot find just one true love, but instead find themselves with more. Think of it like the sultans of old, all gathering harems. It is similar to you. While you do love Rica as deeply as you say," a blush crept over Gina's face like she didn't want to continue speaking but pushed forward anyway. "You indeed have more than sufficient love for more, you just have to find them." Or figure out what I'm really saying..
Nick nodded dumbly. "Alright. Guess I could understand that. Go figure. Shall we?" He asked, motioning to the portal still active in front of the two. Gina shook herself from her own thoughts and nodded. "Then after you, your majesty." Like a true gentleman of the ages, Nick even bowed like one would in the Victorian era which only made the red creep back into Gina's face.
With a semi-annoyed huff, Gina led the way through the swirling portal, Nick following close behind.
Human World..
Even Grant was surprised by the sudden portal of pink- not green- spectral energy appearing in the middle of his lab. Tim was on his feet with the containment dish in his hands as Gina stepped out. "Ah shit, here we go again. Another succubus?!"
Nick had heard his friend's words as he began exiting the portal and shouted. "Don't! Tim, you know that isn't going to do anything unless our target is a ghost and despite that possibility, I know she's way too powerful for me to even attempt a siphon." As he stepped out fully, his form shifted back into his human form, Gina's eyes wide at the sight.
Nick cracked his neck as the light faded. "So, everyone, this is Gina, the Queen of the Succubi." He introduced as Grant quite literally began sweating like he had been locked in a sauna.
"Wait, queen? As in, the Succubi have a ruling party?!" Elliot asked.
Nick nodded. "Yeah, seems like a regular old matriarchy, too. Has he behaved?" He looked over at Grant.
"Oh yeah. Despite being your nemesis, Sephy here has been nothing but compliant to staying here."
Gina walked in front of Grant, her eyes full of fire. "You are the one who caused this, are you not?"
Grant gulped. "Yes, that would indeed be me."
Gina smirked with a hum, her one fang appearing to lengthen as she made the noise. "Your experiments must stop now. If you do not cease your.. playing with the Corruption like it's nothing but an infants' toy, you'll be lucky if only my people find out. If the other Demon Clans knew someone- a halfa at that- was creating their own demons, a war you couldn't possibly think you could win would surely fall upon all of creation. There is a reason why no demon shamelessly comes to this world and begins converting humans to our kind." She said, crossing her arms over her ample chest.
Grant stuttered. "I- I had no idea. If I'd have known.."
"Give up the act, uncle. Gina already knows everything. I had to tell her before she agreed to come help Ruca."
"And how is another succubus supposed to fix the problematic one we already have?" Tim asked, the natural skeptic.
"Due to the limited and bigoted information you humans have pertaining to my kind, your skepticism is fair. However, we Succubi and Incubi are not totally evil monstrosities. In fact, despite our lustful tendencies, love is first and foremost above all else." She narrowed her eyes at Grant, who now officially knew just how badly his conversion of Ruca had in fact screwed up his own plans. "Now, where is the girl I am to help?"
Elliot pointed towards one wall of the lab. "Over there. Surprisingly, she hasn't woken back up but her succubus form rematerialized soon after Nick left for Eona's tower." Gina walked over to the unconscious form of Ruca.
Her hand began glowing with a hot pink- colored fire, the same fire Ruca had in fact been wielding in their fight earlier. Gina ran the hand over Ruca's form, a tsk and tut now and then as she inspected the damage of Sephiroth's work. Finally, she turned back to the men with a frown aimed at Grant. "You imbecile! I don't want to know how you figured out the correct amount of Corruption energy to funnel into her body, but doing it for six months?! You're lucky she didn't rip your own head off! You infused Ruca with enough Corruption to convert an entire city!" Nick glared hatefully at his godfather. "You should have stopped at no more than three infusions, which would have made her much more stable off the bat."
"Wait, Gina. What do you mean? Can you help her?" Nick asked, trying to still sound hopeful but failing which made Gina frown sadly.
But the Queen shook her head. "I can, but not in the way you originally wanted. Nick, there's no way I can revert her back to her ghostly form. Sephiroth has done far too much damage to her body with the excess of Corruption energy. I can stabilize her, but she will forever be a Succubus now. That is the best I can do." She admitted with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Will she at least be able to turn back and forth between forms if you do? You mentioned Succubi and Incubi being able to mimic humans if needed, right?"
Gina nodded. "Yes, she will. But, she can never stay in human form for more than a few hours at most. If she does, the Corruption could still explode out of her involuntarily, and that would only create more demonkyn in this world. Are you sure this is what you want me to do?"
"It is. Even if I have to swear loyalty to you in the case of shit hitting the fan. If I can just bring her old personality back, that's all I want." Tim and Elliot looked at each other, both knowing Nick's words were absolutely true. It was cliché to say the least, but there was nothing in the world Nick wouldn't have done for Ruca.
Gina looked at the young man in both shock and amazement. This boy.. no, this man is like none I've seen before. A Halfa so pure in his ideals, but a weary soul tortured by loss.. It's really no wonder the Bond Sense went crazy, Nick has.. Excited me in ways I have all but forgotten. And his potential as a Master.. Mmm..
By this point, Gina's face had darkened to a shade close to crimson before she realized the others- all men, she now realized- were looking at her. "You okay, Gina? I don't know what you saw in my head, but if it affects you that much, I can step out while you perform your ritual or whatever." Nick said with a smirk, noticing how the Succubus Queen had been blushing a lot ever since she had given him that kiss, not that he was going to tell his godfather/nemesis and two best friends that particular fact.
Gina shook her head fervently. "N-no you don't have to leave. Why are you teasing me, anyway? I could snap your neck before you even knew what was going on." She threatened, but her voice didn't sound nearly as convincing as it should have. Damn him! He's only but a child while I have lived for centuries and he is the one I am fated to? It's almost cruel.. "Just come stand over here. I need to have contact with you as well." And maybe I just wanted to hold your hand.. She admitted to herself, as Nick came over and clasped one of his hands in her own. The fiery spark that rested where their hands touched didn't delay Gina taking hold of Ruca's hand as well.
Gina began speaking in tongues, or at the least a dead language the world hadn't heard in millennia. Her eyes began glowing with an outline of the hot pink energy as Ruca's body changed once again. Her Succubus features all began to shrink back into her human form as Nick began to feel the building Corruption present in his hand. He hissed as Gina sent him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the Corruption hurts you as you absorb it."
Nick grit his teeth. "It's fine, Gina. Just keep working your magic. I can handle feeling sick for a few hours."
Gina looked at him, noticing the determination in his eyes. "Alright." She started chanting again as Ruca's body began flickering between Succubus and human before finally settling on the demonic form. "There. It is done. Your Ruca is restored as far as my powers allowed me to." Gina backed up as Ruca's eyes opened, the dullness of Sephiroth's brainwashing gone as she focused on Nick. "Nick? Where am I? I didn't.. hurt you, did I?"
Nick smiled with tears of happiness in his eyes. "No, you didn't hurt me, baby. I'm just glad to see you well again. Well, as much as that is actually possible now.."
Ruca looked at him. "What do you.." She looked down at herself and shrieked as she realized she was still barely dressed. "Why am I still like this?!"
Gina stepped forward. "You have this miscreant to thank for that," She said, pointing out Grant. "How much do you know about the Corruption?"
Ruca looked at the new woman with confusion. "Corruption? It's a negative energy that alters the structure of spiritual beings depending on the amount they take in. But.."
Gina nodded. "Yes, Sephiroth managed to turn you into a fully-realized demon. A Succubus to be exact, like me."
"And who exactly are you?" Ruca asked.
"My name is Gina, and I am the Queen of the Succubus race. You would do well to heed my words, young one. Thanks to your beloved, your return to yourself is the best I can do, as you are unfortunately unable to be your old human self again."
"But why can't I become human again?"
"I fear that is my own fault," Grant said. "I infused your body with all too much Corruption, and it has thus permanently altered your existence."
"Yes," Gina agreed. "And I could only regulate the excess Corruption and therefore have brought your mind back from the brainwashed version. And you may still be human, but you must be careful. Succubi in human form can be much more volatile than in their natural state. You, however, still have some excess energy coming off of your body, making you only able to hold your human form for several hours before you risk creating more unnecessary demons." Ruca nodded as Gina continued to explain her new existence. "Now, once a week I will come and check in with you to see how you can control your powers. Nick may be powerful, but I have the feeling his love for you has always driven him to feats of greatness. Only now, you can help him, for with your creation I fear much worse events upon the horizon."
"Oh, so we will see each other again? Or are you just going to see Ruca and portal back to your Realm?" Nick asked teasingly with a smirk.
Gina just shook the comment off, knowing Nick was just trying to rile her up again. "Oh yes, I must make sure my new Knight is still up to snuff, mustn't I?" Her once again flirtatious tone made Ruca narrow her eyes at the Queen as they continued speaking.
Later..
Nick sighed as he, Elliot, Tim and Ruca (now in human form) reached Nick's house. "Well, today has been more than eventful."
"Understatement of our lives, and that's saying something " Tim agreed, Elliot nodding along. "Well, either way, this is where we clock out unless necessary. See you guys later, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." He said as him and Elliot walked off with a last glance at the reunited couple.
Nick and Ruca both blushed, the jab at Ruca's now different existence obvious. "Stupid.." Nick turned to her. "I guess you're going to have to stay here with me for a while. At least, until we can figure out what to do."
"Can't Eona just.. I don't know, transplant false memories into everyone, make me a twin and the survivor of the crash where it was really my sister who died?"
Nick was impressed at the depth of her suggestion. "You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you?"
"Of course I have! We were always planning something to have everyone think I hadn't really died. We needed a story for that and now, despite the exact circumstances, we have that option. Don't we? I don't want to have to stay hidden away, even if Gina says I can't." She pouted, crossing her arms.
"Gina isn't the bad guy here, and you know it. In fact, Eona is the one who sent me to the Succubus realm in the first place. Very out of my element, you know."
"Doesn't mean I have to like her. Maybe it's some kind of Succubus-related possessiveness or something but she was acting way too friendly to you. I mean, she was openly flirting with you, Nick!"
"Hey, hey. None of that. Yeah, she flirted, but she also did the one thing I didn't have the power to. If it means I have to deal with her flirting, so be it. You can't really argue about it either, seeing as she's going to be keeping you in check herself."
"I still don't like it. It's like she's going to steal you away from me.."
"Oh, none of that Ruca. She's not out to steal anyone." But then again, she made it sound like she could possibly join in instead.. "Anyway, you'll be fine staying in the attic, right?" Nick's attic was basically a spare bedroom but none of his family ever visited long enough to see the extra room get used.
"Yeah, that'll be fine. Finally get some use of the room, right? Can we go in, now? Or maybe you should phase me through the attic and then enter? God, not being able to phase sucks."
"You're more deadly now, take it as a win." Nick said, looking around before grabbing her arm and- becoming intangible- phased them both through the attic wall into the modest bedroom.
"I may be more deadly, but now that technically applies to you too. I can kill you if I'm not careful.." Ruca found it more and more difficult not to like her new existence in life with every little fact that Gina had explained to her about Succubi.
"Come on, Ruca! This is your chance at a new start. Yes, there may be some issues with your.. control, but we'll get through it like we always did: together."
Ruca pouted but still hugged Nick tightly. "Thank you, Nick. For not giving up on me."
"I would be a terrible boyfriend if I did that. Not when you need that extra encouragement. Get some sleep, we'll see how things go tomorrow." Nodding, Ruca went over to the bed, shifting back to her now true form as Nick phased back out of the house down to the front door.
Before he could open it, however, the door opened to reveal Nick's older sister Elise. "There you are! Is everything okay?" Elise was the only other person who knew about Nick's ghostly powers other than Tim and Elliot. "Did Sephiroth do something again?"
"You have no idea, sis. But, if you really wanna know why I'm so late, because I am tired, then head up to the attic. There's a surprise bigger than I technically wanted." Nick said as he bid Elise goodnight and went upstairs to his room.
Watching after her brother with worried and curious eyes, Elise decided to make her way up to the attic, which was truly the only room in the entire house that was barely ever used. She knocked on the door lightly, not wanting to wake up her parents who slept relatively close to the stairs leading to the attic. Moments later she gasped as Ruca opened the door, thinking Nick was there. "Elise..?"
Elise shot forward, startling Ruca as the older girl pushed the door opened and gripped her in a crushing hug. "Ruca?! How are you.. Did Nick..?"
"Not what you're thinking. I'm.. Different now.." Ruca said as they broke the hug, Elise was now able to really look at the younger, ghostly girl. Ruca, however, was definitely not just ghostly anymore, judging by the form she now took.
In her nervousness, Ruca's tail swished slowly to one side, Elise noticing the movement as her eyes widened, the new look Ruca sported sinking in. "Wait, you're not a ghost anymore, are you?" Ruca shook her head. "But you're not a Halfa or whatever it's called? Like Nick and Sephiroth?" Another shake of her head. "Then you're a.. Succubus now, then?" She wouldn't look into Elise's eyes, but Ruca still nodded. "Oh, God.. Ruca, what happened?"
"Sephiroth happened, what do you think? You know about the Corruption energy that Nick has been pulling from his latest attempts by his enemies? Well, Sephy pumped me full of it and turned me into this." She motioned to her entire body. "And now there's this bitch named Gina.." Entering the attic room, Elise listened to Ruca's ramblings until, finally, she fell asleep as her brain finally caught up with the rest of her. Smiling, Elise draped the comforter of the bed over the girl and left her in peace.
"Well, little brother. It isn't what you had in mind, but maybe there's some good to come out of all this, yet. Although, I very much would like to meet this Gina that has Ruca so hysteric. Hmm, maybe I'll ask him about it tomorrow." She said to herself as she went to her own bedroom to finally sleep herself.