Deluded? You lie! Part Two
Using whatever means she had to. And if this meant handing over a ridiculous amount of money to Nabiki Tendo, so be it. The advice of a mercenary such as the middle Tendo daughter was not easily bought. Yet even Kodachi would have refused to part with the sum named had this not been a matter concerning Ranma.
"So," said Nabiki "you want to know why Ranma's avoiding you, hmm?"
"I do. Every second away from my darling is an eternity!" said Kodachi.
"And you want to, ah, make sure he's yours, as you said?"
"Indeed. Now tell me what you know!" said Kodachi, irritated by Nabiki's smug tone. Had she no reverence for the incredible skill and beauty that Kodachi possessed?
"Patience, patience, Kodachi. One more question. To what lengths would you go to get Ranma?"
"Why, to any!" proclaimed the Black Rose.
Nabiki smiled. Not a nice smile.
"The answer's simple. You're being too pushy. If you-" the mercenary pointed at Kodachi "don't change your methods, you'll scare him off forever."
Forever! The words clanged in to Kodachi's brain with the force of a falling piano. How could this be!? No, it couldn't!
"Explain." She hissed, drawing her ribbon out of her school uniform's pocket.
"If you want to know more, then you'll put that ribbon away." said Nabiki icily. "Alright. Now, normally to ensnare Ranma, you try to drug him, bribe him, or just turn up in skimpy outfits. Am I right? That's just not going to work."
"Nonsense. My methods are all perfect! And I would never try to poison or bribe Ranma-darling!"
"…Heh…"
"What man could resist the charms of the Black Rose? Stop your laughing, Tendo!"
It was obvious to Kodachi that soon she would have to punish this fool for her ill respect.
"If your methods are perfect, why do you need my help, pray tell?"
Kodachi supposed that was true. Perhaps her efforts to get Ranma, however brilliant they were, could use a little revision. She, Kodachi the Black Rose, should not be accused of inflexibility! Maybe she should ditch the paralysis potions and use sleep potions instead.
"What you need to do is change your style. And I could tell you how to do that if your time limit for this little session wasn't up. Ciao."
Nabiki sauntered off. Probably, thought Kodachi, to swindle yet another member of the Kuno household out of money. Nabiki Tendo would sell pictures and information about even her own sister, if the price was right.
Kodachi froze.
But that, that meant…that Nabiki would CERTAINLY sell information on Kodachi's beloved.
"O-HOH-HOH-HOH-HOH!" Kodachi leapt in to the air, landing gracefully on a tiled roof.
"My darling Ranma…Once I find you, I will never let you go!"
***
Elsewhere…
"A-a-a-ACHOO!" sneezed Ranma.
"Someone must be talking about you," said Akane.
"Yeah, right."
***
Snickering, Kodachi rifled through her wardrobe. Now, what would be the perfect thing to wear for when she next saw her Ranma-darling? A kimono? An evening gown? A black leather bodysuit? But wait…wasn't that the sort of thing that Nabiki had told her to avoid? Not that the Black Rose cared for the opinion of a peasant.
She clutched in her hand a piece of paper that was, for now, her most prized possession. The schedule of Ranma Saotome for the next week…Detailing, for example, the route he took to school each morning. Bought for an emperor's ransom from the unscrupulous middle Tendo daughter.
It couldn't be perfect – her darling always seemed to attract strange occurrences, for some reason – but the level of detail Nabiki provided would be enough. Enough that she would be able to get some time alone with her darling…
Aha! The perfect outfit. Pretenders to Kodachi's might would quail before her…And Kodachi would win the heart of her beloved forever!
"I have only till tomorrow to wait! OHOHOHOHO! Ranma-darling and I will be together for eternity! OHOHOHO! Eternity!"
***
Elsewhere…
"Oh, for pity's sake, Ranma! What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"It's nothin', Akane. Just…a sudden chill."
End of part two