There were many books sitting on a shelf amongst the various curios, but seeing the title 'Jusenkyo Secrets' on the cover of one got Nabiki's attention. Even if the book turned out to have no good useful information for any of the various cursed martial artists in town, she should be able to extort a small fortune out of one or more of them for the information it contained. She smirked to herself - the book almost certainly had nothing that would help any of them, if history was any guide.
The shop owner noticed Nabiki's attention. "Ah, you are interested in legends of Chinese curses?"
"I have a passing curiosity, is all," Nabiki answered, trying to sound as disinterested as possible. "I've never seen this shop before, actually. Sort of strange, isn't that?"
"Not really, the shop wasn't here yesterday. The building was, of course, but I just opened for business today. Moved from Hokkaido to be closer to my grandchildren," he answered. He tilted his head sideways. "Strange how low the rent is here. Or how nervous the insurance man was about issuing a policy."
"I'll give you some free advice if you'll give me this book," Nabiki offered.
The owner laughed heartily. "Well, you have some nerve, don't you, young lady? Alright, let's hear your advice?"
"Under no circumstances should you allow the insurance salesman to talk you into not covering 'martial arts' related property damage," Nabiki said, clutching the book. "Trust me, that's why the rent is so low here."
The owner blinked. "How did you know he..." He shook his head. "Of course, you're a local. Thank you very much, miss...?"
"Nabiki Tendo."
"Miss Tendo, I appreciate your advice. Even if it will double my insurance costs."
"In the long run, it will save you money and pain," she said, sincerely. Just because she was greedy, didn't mean she was going to give bad advice, after all. "So, may I?"
"Oh, sure, sure. I've had that for thirty years, you're the first person to even look at it, actually," he answered.
Nabiki flipped through the pages on her way home. The book seemed to be a bust for the most part, at least at first. A chapter explaining what the curses were, and how one acquired one. Several more on tragic individual stories. Theories about how the pools of sorrow formed in the first place. But then the stuff actually worth some money to Nabiki began. Formulas for a few temporary treatments. A strong warning against mixing permanent curses. And then, bizarrely, a tea recipe. Nabiki flipped back, wondering why there was a tea recipe in there.
"If a cursed individual drinks a tea brewed with the essence of both his cursed and natural halves, and the essence of a second person, that cursed individual will be bound to obey the commands of the second person by the magic of the curse. Only the instinct of self-preservation will be able to override and break this power, as one unfortunate Chinese Warlord learned yadda yadda yadda," Nabiki read, her eyes dancing with Yen. "The Essence? I wonder... ah! A weaker, temporary form may be brewed using the hair (or scales, or whatever) instead of the essence, which may make it easier for the aspiring master to obtain the essence for the permanent form."
She tilted her head again. "Strange that Shampoo has never tried... ah! A warning that the victim may become infertile as a side effect. Another warning that the victim's intelligence and emotions are not affected, and victims will usually resent being controlled." Nabiki chuckled. "Well, she wants his babies, so that probably explains it."
She closed the book, and made her way towards her family home, pondering. It really made no difference to her if Ranma couldn't get anyone pregnant - especially if only she knew that fact. She smiled the entire way home, creeping out a few of her classmates who got a glimpse of her. It was time to make a little tea.
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