Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Umbra Aureola ❯ Chapter 26 - Through the Aether ( Chapter 26 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

CHAPTER XXVI : THROUGH THE AETHER



Ranma-chan cast her gaze about taking in the sights that surrounded her. Below the pigtailed girl sat the shell of the world. A thick, hard, smooth wall that stretched on into the infinite. The surface a dull gray neither absorbing nor reflecting the silvery light that filled the Aether illuminating everything in a soft glow. The mists thinned and then rolled away from the colossal construct as if in terror. There was a sense of wrongness, of malice that it radiated from the grayish sphere in a potent aura. As if the entire thing were a blight, a festering wound upon the universe.

As her gaze trailed along the great curved horizon Ranma-chan spotted a pin prick of differentiation. It was the mouth. Here at its opening was a perfect emptiness amongst the eternal mists of the Aether. A bubble of void where silvery fog was shoved away by the same invisible winds that had carried the three through the corridor and to their position high above the world. It was through watching this tiny hole that Ranma-chan could tell they had stopped. For they drew no further from puny gate, and the size shrunk not at all in her sight.

Ranma-chan cast her eyes away from her world and instead looked deep into the other worldly mists themselves. There was no single source of light. No sun, no moon, no stars that gave off illumination. Instead as far as the eye could see all was filled with a ethereal silvery glow. Searching the infinite skies Ranma-chan scanned for her backpack in a vain hope that she would be able to spot the tiny object. There were no illusions in Ranma-chan's mind of what she would find. She had no doubt that given the speeds they had moved before coming to a halt that the bag was far beyond her grasp. Still she looked, more out of habit than purpose.

Ranma-chan let out a sigh yet did not turn her gaze from the dull gray sky. "There go my books." She declared mournfully.

Anito shrugged. The wizard's posture had relaxed as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Now that Ranma-chan thought of it she equated this to the moment they passed beyond the shell. "You can borrow mine. I brought my entire library. My books however are quite a bit more advanced than what you were working with." Anito paused and then added sternly the arch-mage's powerful grin not diminishing in the least even with the shift of tone. "Don't lose them, they may very well be impossible to replace where we are going."

"Thanks I might look at them later." Ranma-chan returned to the wizard as she tore her gaze from the otherworldly heavens.

"And where exactly are we going?" Nabiki asked raising an eyebrow questioningly at the wizard. Unlike Anito her agitation hadn't decreased in the least with the change of scenery.

Anito shrugged again. "Not a clue."

Ranma-chan scratched her head. "So is that why we are just sitting here instead of flying off like my pack?"

"Exactly."

"Presuming that I would be correct in working with the premise that you are conducting a search to solve this lack of knowledge, when do you suppose that you will have a clue?" Nabiki asked her displeasure being made clear by both her tone and her word choice.

"Hmm... That is difficult to say. I figured I would probe around trying to get a feel for an optimal world and then head off in that direction." Anito responded. "My guess is that a search of nearby bubbles of reality will probably take a couple of hours. After the search it may take a few more, or even a day to move to that location. Really it depends on how lucky we get."

Nabiki nodded seeming at least partially satisfied that the arch-mage had an actual plan. Still the mercenary added another question. "Is it exactly safe to just sit here? You did say that the Aether is where demons naturally make their homes, and I wouldn't think, given your story, that this would be the most welcome grounds for human kind."

Ranma-chan glanced about nervously. It hadn't really occurred to her that demons might be waiting to ambush them when they left. However, she couldn't feel anything lurking out there in the mists, but then again Ranma-chan wasn't sure exactly what she would have to look for. "You know, she's got a point."

Anito grinned. "Your words indeed have strength Nabiki, and should we have stood here three thousand years ago undoubtedly we would be beset upon in a moment. However, as great a time that has passed even demons forget their grief. The inability to pierce the shell, the highly limited travelers and eternal reminder of what was actually acts more as a bane for their kind rather than a lure. Much like few would stake out a graveyard as a place to stay."

"Still I wouldn't move past the edge of the barrier if I were you. Not out of fear of demons though, but instead because of the dangers the Aether itself represents. Out in the mist you are your own worst enemy. Nightmares and self doubts can become reality. The mists aren't safe for humans, especially when exposed to their effects for an extended duration. For one, or for things, with a strong life force the side effects are dramatically reduced, the same is true for one with an unbreakable focus, especially an external focus."

"Heh, so then I have nothing to worry about." Ranma-chan replied filling her hand casually with confidence ki.

"So long as you can maintain such a focus, yes you would be fine." Anito said addressing Ranma-chan before moving on to the more general information. "However, the human mind at least amongst the sane, is not made for maintaining such a focus for such lengths of time. It instead relies on the physical body to maintain itself. A body which, in the Aether, can be as mutable as anything else. A fairly normal person for instance, such as Nabiki, would probably rend herself into non-existence in a matter of hours." Anito explained in further detail.

Nabiki eyed the walls of light carefully. "Thank you Anito, I will sleep much more soundly knowing that. I trust that the barrier will hold?"

"Barring an encounter with an especially powerful force or will, yes. There are some real monsters that live in this place, especially the deep Aether where reality holds the least sway." Anito replied.

Ranma-chan perked up. "Eh? Something worse than demons."

"Not exactly. In the Aether like a mindscape reality can be bent by a will, even your own. In general a person's life force, or even the power of a magic item maintains itself. One could say that your reality is self actualizing. It is very fact though that makes the Aether so dangerous to humans. Even a slight shift can compound itself into another and another and another until all sense of self vanishes and you too cease to exist. Equally shifts may cause a person to write themselves into a new existence, one which has the strength of stability in the Aether. Mental natural selection if you will."

"Keep in mind, that even then you still only have so much essence or energy to work with. Thus a god complex will not suddenly grant enormous power, or even knowledge. Equally there are still rules out here... it is just that many of the ones you take for granted are mutable." Anito said continuing his explanation.

"So I can reshape things just with a thought?" Ranma asked.

"Yes, though the strength of your will is not potent enough to create self actualizing material. In other words as soon as you removed your will it would return to its natural state, mist. The exception being changes made to material that already has a self actualizing existence, like those books you brought with you. However they can be rent by a being with a strong enough will, or equally disastrous the stability of their existence disrupted. For most normal materials a human will is sufficient to change or mutate them, all your magic items though would require a much greater force."

"In other words I can't have Ranma go out there and create a couple of bars of gold for me because the reality of the gold wouldn't be sufficient to maintain itself. Further, I can't have Ranma take existing material and shape it into gold because likely as not it will also result in material that fades from existence or even barring that doesn't quite meet the specifications of gold, because Ranma couldn't correctly imagine it." Nabiki said thoughtfully summing everything up.

"Hey!" Ranma-chan shot out glaring at Nabiki.

"Correct. An additional problem is the possibility that the imagined material wouldn't be able to maintain itself in the forces in acted by reality. Especially if it had physically impossible properties. There is however, an art to producing aetherial creations. Indeed the use of aether in the creation of magic items was considered necessary until new methods arose from that lack of aetherial access following the use of Daedalus's Key. Still the aether is excellent for the creation of otherwise impossible properties. Such as a bag that is larger on the inside than on the out. A weapon that has mass yet does not have mass. So on and so on."

"So kinda like my bracers." Ranma-chan said.

"Yes, though I created all the artifacts your bracers, Nabiki's ribbons, my staff and Kinjakan without using the Aether." Anito replied.

"Your staff, so that's what you made for yourself." Ranma-chan said her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. She had yet to see the weapon, at least she didn't remember seeing it. However, now that Ranma-chan knew where to look she was going to take care to see the tool Anito put in his own hands.

"As interesting as this is I am far more concerned with where we are going than how we are going to get there. So tell me Anito what exactly is an optimal world?" Nabiki said cutting in forcefully.

Anito shrugged. "That depends entirely on what is in the neighborhood. The primary statute is of course the capability to support life. However, after that a large selection of traits are desired, notably the most possible similarity to our own home, barring of course our current situation."

Nabiki nodded. "That is acceptable."

Anito grinned. "I thought it would be."

Ranma-chan gazed out into the Aether again. Now a bit curious to what it would be like to be out there, in the depths. Would it be like when she fought that demon in the mindscape? How much could she create? What would it feel like and could Ranma-chan adapt her art to fighting in such an arena?

"Go ahead." Anito said.

"Huh?" Ranma-chan replied turning to the wizard her thoughts broken.

"Go ahead, just don't spend too much time out there. As long as you don't do any soul searching someone as strong as you can survive in the mists for a long time. I need to do some scanning anyway so you might as well take the chance while you have it." Anito explained.

"Nah I'll be fine." Ranma-chan replied nonchalantly. "I have wanted to take a nap for a while anyway."

"Suit yourself. Nabiki I trust you can find something to do?"

"Yes, I can entertain myself by gazing at an absurdly empty sky for hours on end." Nabiki returned with dry sarcasm.

"Good, because I have work to do."


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"Whithht Thump!" A black dart shot across the room in a lightning fast blur. The small object embedded its sharp point smack in the middle of the bull's-eye. The accuracy of the throw brought a feeling of relief to the private that had been ordered to hold up the scoring device.

The man who had thrown the dart paid this little heed to the private's condition. Instead he sat relaxed in his chair his feet thrown up lazily on the desk just barely avoiding stacks of paper. Shifting slightly the sword sheath bumped softly against the chair as the man lifted up another dart holding it laxly in his hand. Not paying attention to the board the man looked at the Corporal that was directly across the desk.

Face shrouded by shadow the man spoke. "So tell me Corporal Jones why is it that you required two hours to get troops to the scene when I have been repeatedly informed that it can be done in half that time." The shadowy man said his blue eyes flashing cruelly in the darkness. A lazy smile sat on the man's lips as if filled with madness and delight and he pronounced his words.

The Corporal shivered as ghastly claws of fear climbed up his spine. Colonel Caerul Lucis was a terrifying man. Recently there had been rumors that getting on the Colonel's bad side was fatal. Fatal in a very real and very physical sense. Jones had the great misfortune of knowing that this was no rumor, as his own promotion followed the failure of his predecessor. Driven by self preservation the Corporal sputtered out his apologies. "I-I-I am sorry Colonel... its- its just that they moved too fast. By the time that the message got through they were gone."

"Whithht Thump!" Another dart embedded itself in the center of the board with unerring accuracy the sharp point piercing all the way through the wood so that its tip gleamed on the other side. "Is that so." Colonel Caerul Lucis said the words hanging thoughtfully from his lips. "How unfortunate Corporal. I was hopping for better results from you after the failure of your last superior. However the problem at hand isn't the missing fugitives, but rather the lack of prompt response on your end."

"Well... you see...." The Corporal tried to make out the words he had prepared for the meeting, but his throat felt thick from the fear that was borrowing its way into his head.

"Whithht Thump!" The sound of a third dart striking the bull's-eye cut the Corporal off. The blue eyes of the Colonel flashed darkly. "Now Corporal you know very well how I feel about excuses."

Jones gulped audibly his mind trying to recover the thread he had lost the moment he had stepped into the room. The Corporal was saved however from further inquiry when another man strode with sure steps through the door. The new arrival was big and bulky standing over six feet in height and looking very much like he could wrestle a tank and win. Unlike the Corporal, Sergeant Major Raul showed no fear in the presence of Colonel Caerul instead giving a hard salute in spectacular military fashion.

"Whithht Thump!" Another dart found its way into the bull's-eye of the board. "At ease Raul. What brings you here?"

"Command has sent orders." Sergeant Major Raul said handing the Colonel a piece of paper. While Caerul read Raul asked. "If I may sir."

"Of course." Caerul responded while he browsed the papers a look of glee spreading across his face.

"Corporal Jones cannot be blamed for the failure. Instead that can be owed to Private First Class Sanders who was in charge of the coms. He has been taken care of."

"Whithht Thunk!" This dart flew differently than the last its trajectory high and to the right and its speed much lower. The private's attention saved him, his head swinging out of the way narrowly avoiding the small object as it slammed into the wall it point still managing to grip the wood. Shaking the private let out a breath carefully holding the board in place and watching the Colonel with the utmost attention.

Caerul didn't even glance at the private. Instead he leaned forward far enough that rays of light shined off the Colonel's golden blond hair. Burrowing his eyes into Corporal Jones Caerul spoke with a measure voice. "In the future I trust that you will deal with your subordinates yourself Corporal."

Corporal Jones nodded quickly. "Of course Colonel."

Caerul Lucis stood and smiled darkly. "Good. Now Sergeant Major Raul I have something special for you. It seems that our little birds won't be so far out of our reach after all. How would you feel about going on a special trip?"

"It is always my pleasure to serve you Colonel." Raul responded promptly.

"Excellent, excellent." Caerul said with a wicked smile. Then he turned his cold eyes upon the private dangling a dart thoughtfully in his hand.

"Shing!" Rang out a metallic resonance as the sword at the Colonel's side left its sheath in a blur. As fast as the movement was for Corporal Jones it may as well have been in slow motion for the moment the weapon was free of its cage a dread feeling of absolute doom washed over Jones. It tore at his soul a mind numbing hunger. It rolled off the blade a cloud, a miasma of evil. It was psychic emanation so powerful that even one such as he knew it to the depths of his soul. The weapon hungered, it hungered for flesh and blood.

"Thung!" The tone of steel as it slid through the dart board in rang out like a death toll. The Corporal had hardly seen the weapon move, the speed was so fast it could have been a bullet. The steel blade like the darts before it found the center of the dart board and passed through it, and through the private behind it. The weapon did not slow until the hilt slammed home against the board nailing it and the private to the back wall.

The soldiers eyes widened in pain and a terrible expression filled his face as horrors the like man should never know were visited upon him. The Corporal turned his eyes away from the sight a shudder rising through him, bile filling his mouth. Turning from the sight did little good he could still feel it. Black dark tendrils spreading through the body like creeping vines. They sliced into the flesh, into the soul boiling it like water as it fed. The remains fell like an ooze onto the ground a foul dark sludge its stench that of raw sewage. Yet still it hungered. Jones could feel it the soldier wasn't even an appetizer to that, that, thing.

The Colonel crossed the distance lazily and plucked the weapon free without the slightest effort. The Corporal dared not even think until the blade slid back into its sheath the monster caged once more. Finally then Jones breathed letting out the breath he had swallowed.

"You two are dismissed." Caerul said seeming to have noticed they where still there. As they left Jones heard the Colonel's a sickening giggle. "Perhaps this is a good day after all."

Outside Corporal Jones vomited his lunch up into the bushes. Breathing in and out until he recovered his breath he looked at Raul. The Sergeant Major stood calm and cool unshaken in the least by the events. "How, how can you be so calm!"

Raul looked down at the Corporal almost as if evaluating him carefully. Then the Sergeant Major reached up with his powerful fingers and plucked out his left eye. Still staring at Jones so that the Corporal could clearly see the network of metallic connections that where beneath the surface Raul spoke coldly. "I didn't move." Then as if that were explanation in and of itself the Sergeant Major turned and left.


************************


Ranma-chan lay back resting on the strangely solid ground and let out a sigh. She had taken a quick nap earlier to help pass the time. While it had seemed like a good idea at the time it had turned out to be a bad decision. Instead of being greeted by the three when she awoke and then losing herself in another conversation Ranma-chan instead had woken right as Nabiki decided it was time for herself to turn in. To top it all apparently Anito had gone to sleep a mere half a hour earlier after finishing whatever ever esoteric thing the wizard had been doing to find a world for them. This of course left Ranma-chan with literally nothing to do.

Staring into the Aether passed the time for a while, but that had proven itself to be one of those novelties that faded quickly with exposure. There was quite simply only so much time you could spend looking at what was essentially an infinite wall of nothingness. Even a ceiling had more variation and could carry more interest than the mists did. So instead Ranma-chan had taken to prowling the lengths of the dome in which the three where staying.

Even that did little to ease Ranma-chan's boredom. Letting out another sigh Ranma-chan mumbled to herself. "Why did I have to lose my books?" For that matter why hadn't she let Anito lend some of his books?

It wasn't that Ranma-chan really liked reading. She didn't. This especially applied to books as technical as the ones Anito offered. In fact, the only reason Ranma-chan found herself drawn to the books at all was that she was interested in the subject matter and information that was located in the tomes. That interest was of course drawn from the fact that she had real world use for the implementations of that knowledge. Right now though Ranma-chan would have even gone even for an English book. That was simply how bored she was.

Thinking of the books turned Ranma-chan's mind back to the Aether. Eyes locked onto the mists she, without really willing it, scanned for her pack. The pack was of course long gone, but Ranma-chan looked anyway. Letting out a third sigh the pigtailed girl murmured, "I have got to find something to do."

Caught by this idea Ranma-chan tentatively looked into the mists for a different reason. There was something she could do. Anito had said it himself that it should be alright for her to go out there. So despite all the warnings the wizard had delivered she should be fine. Still Ranma-chan wasn't exactly lacking in experiences that should have been alright, but turned out to be the opposite and Anito's track record didn't look all that much better. So she instead of hopping on through she experimentally reached a hand for the barrier first.

Ranma-chan's finger's touched the wall of light softly. Applying a small amount of force she could feel a slight pressure as if she was pushing against a curtain. Adding a little more force her hand slid through the barrier breaking out into the grayish mists. Before the pigtailed girl could register this new feeling a strange flash crossed her awareness causing Ranma-chan to jerk her hand back in surprise. Frowning Ranma-chan concentrated on her aura sight feeling around... what had that been? It hadn't been from the barrier... at least it didn't feel like it was from the barrier. The search though turned up nothing. So shrugging Ranma-chan pushed a hand through again.

Her fingers slipped through the barrier of light a second time like it were water. The wall had an almost liquidly texture as it applied an odd but gentle pressure to the flesh caught in its width. The Aether though was different. Unlike Ranma-chan's expectations it didn't feel like a cool fog or a morning mist. Neither did she feel the soft lick of the wind as it rustled and moved across the Aether's unlimited expanse. Instead she felt... nothing. No, not nothing. The pigtailed girl could feel a soft rustle of a strange and foreign life energy.

Intrigued Ranma-chan stepped through the barrier, the light rippling like the surface of a lake at her passage. Now her entire body was immersed into the mists. As with her hand, Ranma-chan's skin sent no signal, but the world felt thick to her mind. Like it was mutable, changeable. It reminded Ranma-chan of the mindscape, but this place was much more alive, much more real. It was like standing in a waking dream.

That wasn't all. Out here Ranma-chan could feel it. Threads of life like plankton in the sea filled the air. It was soft gentle feeling, barely within the depth of her senses. So light was this sparkle of life that she knew it only by touch. Yet, in its own way it was dazzling. Like the stars on a clear dark night and with a sky unpolluted by the light of man. A strange and breath taking feeling, as if she stood now where the gods themselves had stood as they forged the world.

Perhaps it was too. Things could be created here, by mind and will or so the arch-mage had said. Could not reality itself have been forged by a god? A perfect work of art given self reality by an incredibly will, or perhaps a passing fancy, a dream, an idle vision that passed the mind of one so strong that it bent the Aether giving it form. From there perhaps like a forgotten spark it engulfed the mists into a fire of it's own expanding in the passing aeons warping the Aether and swallowing more and more until it reached maturity.

Ranma-chan let out a laugh. That thought seemed more a fantasy than anything else. Dismissing such ephemeral ideas the red head turned her mind to the real reason she was out here. Holding out her hand Ranma-chan concentrated trying to warp reality like Anito had said it could be warped. "Apple. Be an apple." Ranma-chan said trying to focus on the image.

It took some time, but the mists bent slowly in response to her will. The soft life energy that filled the gray air moved in response combining with itself and the stray trails of her own aura as it flowed into a small sphere. As it tightened into a knot it twisted in form and design. The mists fluxed taking on a slight spherical shape that seemed almost physical. From there one thing flowed to the next. That one instant of reality made her vision easier. In turn the solidity increased becoming a translucent red. Caught in a feedback loop a moment later everything fell into place as with a click.

Ranma-chan tossed the newly formed apple into the air and then caught it as it fell back into her hand. "Heh, that wasn't so hard. I wonder what it tastes like."

Driven by curiosity Ranma-chan took a bite. For the briefest moment it seemed to be plain, flat, tasteless and as if in response to these thoughts the construct filled her mouth with everything she would have expected. The soft crunch of the fresh fruit, the trickle of juice in her mouth. Still though there was a wrongness left over as each trait dropped as soon as the awareness shifted to another that was missing. The fruit was amorphous in her mouth gaining and losing tastes and flavors as her mind cycled again and again over what was missing.

Swallowing Ranma-chan looked down at her apple, only to find it too had vanished into mist the moment she had forgotten about it. Gone with it was the aftertaste. "I suppose I should have expected that." Ranma-chan said sheepishly.

Again a sharp flash burned against her mind calling her thoughts away instantly. Ranma-chan's head jerked up looking at the barrier that seemed to waver slightly from the outside. She could only barely feel Anito and Nabiki's presence inside guarded as they were. However, her aura sight drew her eyes to something else.

Frowning Ranma-chan stepped toward the object ignoring the fact that no ground was underneath her feet. Walking on she closed on the shape that sailed slowly through the mists its trajectory telling her that it had escaped the barrier. Something familiar tickled the back of her mind as she approached. The gleaming golden surface. The circular shape. The studded diamonds that filled its surface.

A dread filled her as she realized what it was. Unconsciously Ranma-chan fell into a combat stance as she looked upon her bane. "Aphrodite's Bracelet." Ranma-chan growled her thoughts bringing up strong emotions. The bracelet's escape could mean only one thing. The demon had somehow found a way out. Something it could not do anywhere but here, in the Aether where it could effect the very fabric of reality.

Ranma-chan stood still her body motionless as she stared at the bracelet. Its shape brought up memories of the demon inside, and what it had done to her. How it had jammed its essence down her throat. How it had defeated her twice in battle. How her own mind betrayed her filling the pigtailed girl with dark thoughts. Thoughts not her own.

The tendrils of demon energy burned as if response. Ranma-chan felt a heat raise from her feet captured as they were in the pink high-heels. She had become so used to their presence that until now Ranma-chan had almost forgotten about them amongst all other chaos that swirled around her like a whirlwind. Her lips burned too in reminder of the demon's taunting kiss and the lasting mark it had left upon her.

The bracelet twisted unfolding into a rod under the pigtailed girl's gaze. Its form became liquid expanding like a cloud of golden darkness. Ranma-chan knew instantly what was happening. The demon was trying to free itself and take its demonic form. Sudden realization crashed onto Ranma-chan even as the creature took demonic form. "Dang it, you used my mind to break free!" Ranma-chan accused knowing that her own memories of the demon had lent their strength to the creature's freedom.

The demon finalized its form before the red head's eyes. This time it didn't take a mockery of Ranma-chan's own instead choosing a body for itself that was unique, yet strangely not so different from the last. The demon's hair fell in a golden pool tied back with a length of pink ribbon. The image was not so different than that when the creature had reflected her. The creature's eyes burned with light, a pair of emeralds as opposed to Ranma-chan's stormy blues, yet the demon's face was close enough from them to have been sisters.

Equally the form of dress was much the same as the demon had worn in the mindscape, but this time it held a stronger and more taunting sexuality. Both stood near the same height, but Ranma-chan noticed that the demon's heels topped six inches making her own seem modest in comparison. Equally the white stocking's had been replaced by a smoother and sexier silk.

The demon flicked its blond hair back giving a seductive smile with her gleaming pink lips as it lazily stretched out. "And what is it to you if I did? Hmm? Perhaps you want me to make up for it... I could you know." The demon's voice was tauntingly playful.

"Don't play games with me! I already know what you want." Ranma-chan growled in response. In preparation she pulled her ki up aggressively pooling it in her hand for an opportune Moko Takabisha. At the same time Ranma-chan judged the distance between herself and the barrier of light. The pigtailed girl noticed uncomfortably that she had come further than she had really desired. Still Ranma-chan felt that if worst came to worst she could escape to relative safety.

The demon giggled. "Don't be silly I already have what I wanted. Freedom. Do you have any idea what it was like to be stuffed in there for thousands of years? Can you imagine being caged while you are slowly and excruciatingly torn apart by external forces and left to feed upon disgusting god energy to survive?"

The demon slid up near Ranma-chan as she talked. "No, you could not possibly imagine such a thing. When I saw you and when you gave me the chance I took it. Better a half life than none at all." She whispered into the pigtailed girl's ear pressing her breasts into Ranma-chan's back.

"Back off." Ranma-chan said with a growly shoving a glowing ball of ki only inches from the demon's face. The demon vanished again backwards with a giggle. Ranma-chan whirled around in response. "Fine then. Go!" Ranma-chan growled out shoving out an arm pointing out to the great Aether that surrounded them.

"Oh you aren't any fun. Don't tell me that you haven't been appreciating your little gifts?" The demon said teasingly a slight pout on her lips.

"I didn't ask for them, I didn't want them, and I just as soon that you took them back." Ranma-chan shot out at the demon.

The demon sniffed false tears flowing from her eyes. "Don't you know how I suffered? It isn't easy to rip off part of yourself and give it away knowing that you can never take it back."

Ranma-chan lifted up a hand the burning ki blast sitting in it. "You see this." She said hoisting her hand in emphasis. Then with a flick she threw it, the blast passing within centimeters of the demon's face causing the creature to hiss in anger. "That is how much I care. Now I am going to be nice because being stuck in there probably isn't exactly a whole lot of fun, so if you leave now I won't blast you into oblivion."

The demon glared at her and then its eyes became softer and an insidious smile crossed the creature's beautiful face. Letting out a giggle it spoke, "Now I see, it isn't that you hate my gifts. It is that you don't want to admit that you enjoy them."

Ranma-chan stopped startled and than spoke with irritation at the insinuation. "Hey! What do you know about anything!"

The demon giggled. "Deny it all you want, but I know the truth. Why is it that you haven't dismissed my marking's already? You could, you know you could. But that isn't the only gift you carry. You enjoyed that one as well didn't you? Tell me what is it like being able to see the surface of other's minds. To watch as their emotions flux, and to pluck them like a violin making them sing as you want? Isn't it something that you indulge in isn't it something you enjoy?"

Ranma-chan eye widened. Could it be the truth? Now that she looked at it all of it seemed so clear. The fast pace that her, aura sight, had improved since the merge. The way she had read Nabiki, and the others. Was it really a power given by the demon? Was that an after affect sliding into her soul like the blood lust that had held Ryouga a moment from death in her hands? Or was the demon lying simply to throw her off? To confuse her and leave her vulnerable to attack. Then suddenly Ranma-chan's eyes narrowed in implication. If the gift was from the demon, then what did that mean for the demon's ability? "You are reading my mind aren't you?"

The demon laughed brushing a hand lightly down Ranma-chan's back in a soft caress. Like smooth silk the demon whispered softly into the pigtailed girl's ear. "Of course I am. How can I resist such a power? How can you? Look, look into my soul and see for yourself the truth."

Curiosity was like a siren's call. Ranma-chan could not help but look. Her sight was dragged to the demon's aura. It flowed in a strange mix carrying energies that tasted both foreign and yet hauntingly familiar. It was a convoluted mix of colors, emotions and of edges strange sharpness. The shape of it was mesmerizing like it was reaching around her and engulfing her mind. Ranma-chan's felt her own aura, her own demonic essence that pooled at her feet and lips hum with a strange emotion. The pigtailed girl however could find no deceit inside. Then again amongst such strange patterns she didn't know what to look for either.

"I could teach you. I could help you release what is inside you. Together we could call it up and set it free. We could be irresistible. Beautiful... Yes that is it. No man... no woman could resist us." The demon's voice whispered seductively into Ranma-chan's ear as a small feminine hand played lightly on her abdomen.

Ranma-chan pulled herself away from the demon nervously. "I- I'm not interested in that stuff." She said with a faltering voice. Something felt wrong, like a heavy pressure was pushing down inside from every angle. It was wrong, such a feeling shouldn't exist. Still though it shoved against her body, against her mind. It pressed inside trying to find the tiniest cracks through which to gain access. The effect made her feel dizzy. It scattered her mind amongst a thousand memories.

The demon pressed itself against Ranma-chan's back a second time. An erotic warmth spread into Ranma-chan from the contact. One arm encircled the redhead drawing her closer still. The other swept up plucking the dragon's whisker free letting Ranma-chan's hair fall down in brilliant wave that shaped itself into a sculpture of feminine perfection in a single moment. "Of course you do. Don't you remember? You have... prided... yes prided in beauty... remember?"

The pressure increased with the demon's words Ranma-chan's mind swirled in response. The red head's will flailed out and about seeking an answer to what pressed upon her. She could grip it, the idea, the knowledge, but it slipped through her hands like oil. Then Ranma-chan's memories stopped their insane spinning and for a moment and with perfect clarity Ranma-chan remembered Tsubasa's challenge so long ago. It burned into her mind like a fuzzy light wavering and warping slightly under the force that surrounded her.

The demon smiled a wide and cunningly smile. "Yes, now you remember don't you how you have prided in your beauty. How you have loved being beautiful. How you have enjoyed the fruits of your femininity. Yes, just like secretly you enjoy the gifts I gave you. Isn't that so?"

The Aether warped around the two in a dark bubble, a boiling miasma created by the friction of two powerful wills clashing with such might. Ranma-chan's mind though battled inside itself, its attention diverted from casual side effects by a war that was much closer to home. Inside her mind the red headed girl fought against the demon's words as if they were a physical thing. In there deep inside ideas and questions spiraled around in an endless loop. She hated everything the demon gave her. Ranma-chan knew that with a certainty... right? But could she deny her pride in her beauty? And what was the source of that pride? Was it true? Did she like being beautiful? Was pride nothing more than a convenient excuse used to deny what was the truth?

It was hard to tell. The force on her was scattering the ideas that would show her for certain. Those that held questions warped and wavered before Ranma-chan eyes burning into her mind in their newly reincarnated forms. Oh she knew that they were doctored, damaged and worthless, but even that thought kept being brushed aside by the demon's skilled hand. She knew she had to resist. "No- no I never." Ranma-chan struggled out the words.

The demon giggled softly at Ranma-chan's weakening resistance. "You loved it. The feel of the heels on your dainty feet. The way they make you hold your body, how they make you walk, how they make you stand. Their sleek beauty that fits perfectly with your long silky legs. Oh yes, you love it. Just as enjoy the light touch of make up on your face, your pink feminine lips curled into a sexy inviting smile. All surrounded by your gorgeous red hair."

The words seemed to sear themselves deep into Ranma-chan's soul like burning spikes driven into her mind. They drove in so hard, so deeply that all other thoughts fled in their light. Ranma-chan had nothing to name them truth or fiction. She could see it so clearly though, the image, the memory that the demon jammed into her head like it was truth. It was as clear as crystal. She stood there before a mirror admiring the smooth length of her legs capped in the gorgeous pink pumps. She could see herself smiling at the silvery reflection her pink feminine lips curved in a flirtatious smile. Her beautiful well proportioned face framed by a fountain of luscious red hair. A strange warmth flowed from the image. It poured into Ranma-chan filling her with what almost could be called contentment.

The demon smiled as the creature felt the mental knife bite flesh. The blond haired beauty lowered the hand encircling the the red headed girl down so that it floated over Ranma-chan's genitals. From there the demon slowly swept it up trailing the fingers across Ranma-chan's body the touch burning like ice. With its movements the mists of the Aether curled and span combining themselves with the threads of cloth that made up Ranma-chan's boxers. These in turn unraveled and rewove themselves into into a pair of gossamer pink undergarments that hugged Ranma-chan's flesh holding barely with their lacy composition.

"Yes," The demon breathed into Ranma-chan's ear like a conspirator. "That's your secret isn't it? Just like the seductive lingerie you wear underneath those clothes. The truth you have hidden from everyone but yourself. You don't need to hide it though. Why should you? Why should you hide something so beautiful, something so feminine, something that calls out from your soul for release?"

Ranma-chan's eyes had never left it, the mirror that stood so real reflecting her image with silvery perfection. It was like looking into physical reality so defined that it could be touched. The tiny pink bra cupped her breasts in its soft confines holding the full breasts that threatened to roll out of its grip. Tight pink panties gripped her hips. Their delicate lacy structure showing hints of the pink flesh underneath. She gazed upon an image of perfect femininity. Her own beauty called out to her wanting release. It was her secret thou- wait something... something was wrong. But what could be wrong with such perfection? Yet... yet... something was definitely wrong.

The demon frowned as the martial artist's mind jerked hard against the ethereal cage the creature had constructed. The smile returned as as soon as it left confidence replacing a moment of doubt. The fight wouldn't matter soon enough as each of the demon's strokes seared their way into Ranma-chan's core. Each stroke turned more and more of the red head's will against herself. Each stroke brought the redhead closer and closer into being the perfect puppet.

With a flash of the demon's thoughts the image tightened around Ranma-chan's mind like a noose. It strangled out other thought asserting itself as absolute truth. Caught with only that in the emptiness Ranma-chan felt it reflect inside herself as if she were caught in house of mirrors. Ranma-chan could feel it move through her mind like a virus.

With mental cage closing like steel the demon pulled upon the Aether bending her will. She drove the celestial strands into Ranma-chan's shirt like a cork screw. As the demon drove the wedge into Ranma-chan's clothes she grasped it with her will. Applying incredible pressure to force the change she spoke softly and seductively into the marital artist's ear. "But you don't have to hide it any longer. It-"

The demon's voice stilled in surprise as the power she applied to the shirt ripped out of her control. The pressure of her will had built up like a spring driven down with violence. Like the same when it found no purchase upon the powerfully enchanted cloth it returned full force upon its creator. The chaos ripped the demon's cage from around Ranma-chan's mind. Leaving the red head with a moment of clear thought.

For a single moment Ranma-chan's mind saw everything. She knew what it had done all of her memories standing in perfect order offering an answer. The creature had reached in and tried to twist her own mind against her. It had polluted Ranma-chan's memories with its foul hand violating her soul.

Rage boiled inside Ranma-chan. It stroked its self into an inferno as Ranma-chan remembered all that pain the demon had brought her. All the questions she had to ask about herself wondering how deep the creature's influence went. It was more than just this newest offense, no it went deeper. It went all the way back when the thing had first touched her with its impurity. Ranma-chan remembered it all and tossed it in like fuel onto the fire.

Ki blazed alive in Ranma-chan's hand. This was not Ranma-chan's first battles with the demon in the mindscape. Now her mastery over her ki was much greater, much stronger. The clean flow in which the ki filled her hand was proof of that. So was the ease with which she drew her anger molding it like clay into pure force.

The demon's shock lasted moments, but the moment ki began to flow the creature slipped backwards like a wraith flying away from the enraged red head. The distance gave both parties time and Ranma-chan used it well. Even as the girl whirled her mind tracked with a clarity that only a hundred battles could bring. A clarity untainted by even the rage that filled her now. Though Ranma-chan had the barest instant to target her attack, it flew true anticipating the dodge with intuitive mastery.

The demon if any thing only looked amused at the red headed girl's attack. With almost a casual air the beautiful creature lifted up a finger. Tapping it gently to the side the grayish mists bent in response folding the air into a distortion. The ki blast veered off its path changed with only the most minimal of effort.

The demon giggled softly at Ranma-chan's attempt. "You didn't really think you could win against me here in the Aether? Now my little doll we can do this the easy way or the hard." She cooed out in response sauntering up to Ranma-chan her hips swaying sexily.

Ranma-chan glared silently at the demon rage burning in her just waiting for release. The redhead's eyes never left the creature as a vicious plan slowly formed itself in her mind. Ranma-chan's eyes almost sparkled in bloodlust as the pieces fell together with the demon's approach. This time Ranma-chan would end it for good.

"There is no need to resist. I merely need flesh to exist in the human world." She breathed out seductively. "Besides I want your all your wondrous and beautiful talents, so it wouldn't do for me to destroy your mind completely. I just want to change just a tiny bit, don't worry when I am done you will be happier than ever before, and I will show you things you never dreamed of."

Ranma-chan dropped her eyes almost as if in submission. Carefully Ranma-chan lowered her ki deflating her battle aura as if the will to fight had left her. At the same time she slowly slipped this energy into cloak much like that Anito used against her. Carefully the red headed girl extended her hidden aura around the nodes of demonic essence that had spread throughout her soul.

With awareness Ranma-chan finally recognized the demon's cunning stroke. The blow it had made while she searched its aura for untruths. It was so simple. Because Ranma-chan had never mastered that demonic essence she had never learned to sense it, control it, and more importantly protect it. In a manner of speaking it was a hole in her armor, a hole that the demon had all the keys to use. It was through this hole that the demon had struck slipping into her mind, into her soul. This time though it wouldn't find that armor so weak.

Ranma-chan shuddered mentally at the foreign feel of the demon's essence as she cupped it with her normal ki. The martial artist banished this discomfort by dancing images of the demon's death through her mind. This act caused Ranma-chan to pause. Were such dark and deadly thoughts really right? For some reason a chilling reminder of Ryouga suspended in her grip slipped into Ranma-chan's mind. It sent a spike of doubt through the red head's mind telling her to seek another path.

The blond haired demon lifted up a finger and ran it in a gentle caress across Ranma-chan's cheek. "There, there in a moment I will make you into the beautiful feminine creature that you have always wanted to be. You do you remember that desire, don't you?"

A shudder ran through Ranma-chan's mind as the demons dark seed rose up inside her, the memory called by the demon's words. For a second she could see that crystal image closing around her again. It flooded through her soul like the song of a siren. The demonic essence answered in harmony its voice resonating inside her. Part of her gave slightly to the call bringing the image sharper. She could feel for a moment her ki finally finding synchronization with the demonic energy. For a single moment it was in her control and it reformed to match the demon's image. The heels slowly lengthened growing another inch. Her lips darkened slightly the light touch of pink blossoming into a dazzling lipstick covered mouth.

The part of Ranma-chan that gave in though was but a spark amongst the inferno that made up the whole. For the rest this final blow was the last straw. All morality crumbled like a house of cards and was replaced with an eruption of hell fire. Filled with wrath Ranma-chan discarded the demon's attack with only the slightest effort, her raw will and power stomping away the creature's fine tuned finesse. Mind clear and free Ranma-chan's fist shot out burying itself in the demon's chest.

The demon giggled in response not taken back at all with what had happened. "You didn't really think that would work did you? It isn't any different now than it was then."

Ranma-chan smirked her eyes filled with a powerful conflagration. "You never could truly read my mind could you?" The question was filled with a dark amusement and a promise of death. Then with nary a thought Ranma-chan unleashed the ravenous orange flames that filled the golden bracers like sleeping gods of death.

The demon's eyes widened in surprise as the fires exploded from the bracers flowing out with the potency of a river overrunning its flood banks. Free of its confines the orange fire screamed like a banshee as it caught the mists and burned it with its power. Had the fires been mere physical creations the demon would have been fine, but instead the ravenous flames clawed forth shredding everything. Even the blond haired seductress was not immune to the effect, and with Ranma-chan's hand buried in the demon's chest the hungry flames grasped onto the creatures ki like it was a solid object and tore at it like a horde of beasts starved for a thousand years.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" The demon screamed in pain her voice traveling throughout the infinite void with its power. The with a brief moment of clear thought the demon jerked herself off the red headed girl's burning arm flowing back in a lightning fast blur. Gasping the blond creature clinched its chest where a huge wound nearly half again the width of Ranma-chan's fist had seared its self into the demon's spiritual flesh. Ranma-chan felt both a thrill of delight, and a slight turning in her stomach as she watched the demon's aura pour like blood from the gaping whole. The deadly loss was cut short when the spirit closed itself sealing the terrible wound and stopping the seepage.

Through the haze of pain the demon glared at Ranma-chan with an infernal hatred. Then her lips curved into a curious smile. "It seems your are more demonic than I thought. Enjoy my gifts and come back when you are ready to stop denying what you have already become, little sister." The demon's voice spat out mockingly as it vanished into the mists.

Ranma-chan stood still her body so tight it quivered as she awaited coiled like a snake for another attack, for another trick. It was nearly a minute before the rush of battle left her ears and Ranma-chan relaxed not feeling a sliver of the demon's aura. Free of her enemy the reality of what had happened hit her like a sledge hammer.

She had tried to kill, and very nearly succeeded. Never mind what it had done to her. The mere thinking of it set the red head's mind ablaze. To kill out of hate, to kill out of vengeance. The thought that she could want to do something like that, that she could enjoy something like. It filled the girl with disgust. Looking down at her hand Ranma-chan whispered to herself. "What am I becoming?"

Ranma-chan suddenly stilled her thoughts. Without the incredible aura of a living thing it was easier to see again how the Aether warped to the thinking of the one inside it. Feeling the difference of her taller heels and the fake memories that still lay inside her mind Ranma-chan realized that this was no place to search for answers.

Composing her mind into its battle functions Ranma-chan lifted herself shifting slightly to find the her new balance. Then with a lighting fast movement the red head snapped up the loose dragon's whisker. Then she thrust herself toward the bubble that hovered not far away. There was a safe haven. For some reason moving away from the danger did not make Ranma-chan feel any better. Perhaps it was because the red head feared facing herself far more than she would ever fear any enemy that she could tear apart with either her will or her hands.

That thought though gave no comfort to Ranma-chan as she settled down on the ground inside the dome. Instead as she searched inside for answers Ranma-chan did her best to recover all that she could from this battle. In this case it consisted of nothing more than tying her red hair back into her trademark pigtail.


******************


"We are here!" Anito pronounced with a wide grin.

Nabiki turned her eyes from the pigtailed enigma and looked toward Anito. "About time." The cold hearted mercenary muttered under her breath.

"You got that right." Ranma-chan herself added quietly to Nabiki's statement.

Nabiki turned toward Ranma-chan and raised an eyebrow. That was the first time the pigtailed girl had spoken since Nabiki had awoken and Nabiki was itching to know exactly what had happened to put Ranma-chan into such a state. Nabiki though knew enough to know that this was one of those situations where information wasn't going to flow freely merely by her own tampering. No, Ranma-chan was going to have to take the first step herself.

That of course didn't stop Nabiki from trying to ascertain the unknown from what was left unsaid. In this case the unsaid certainly had a whole lot to say. The most obvious of which was the physical cues. Nabiki had noted these instantly only moments after she awoke. Now Nabiki catalogued them yet again in light of what Nabiki reluctantly considered Ranma-chan's improved mood.

The mercenary's cold eyes started at the top of the subject of interest and slowly drifted down. A quick overview of the face revealed stronger than previous indications of applied make up. Ranma-chan's eyelashes had been elongated making the eyes seem bigger and a bit brighter. The cheek bones stood a bit more defined, and of course the girl's mouth was now covered in what was clearly a layer of pink lipstick that slightly reflected the light off the curved surface of Ranma-chan's lips. In addition Nabiki marked the pigtail which may have been redone recently, and if she didn't miss her guess Nabiki would say that the hair had been sculpted as well.

Moving past the face of the object of interest Nabiki again glanced at the upper chest. Here Ranma-chan's breasts seemed to have a bit more support than usual. The thick cloth hid too much for any real conclusions, but Nabiki added the possibility of a bra to the mix. At this point there was nothing until the mercenary's eye's dropped the rest of the way down settling on the pink pumps, which had gained an inch of height.

Now Nabiki understood that sometimes a girl might find a sudden urge for a change in wardrobe. However she was equally smart enough to know that Ranma-chan definitely did not that type. In fact, Nabiki could say from personal experience that the only way to get Ranma-chan into such a getup was either through force of cunning.

Ranma-chan looked back at Nabiki irritated as the cold hearted girl eyed the pigtailed girl from head to toe. "Don't ask."

"What makes you think I would, Ranma?" Nabiki said in an innocent response her thoughts broken by the pigtailed girl's words. Ranma-chan's disbelieving glare though quickly dismissed any illusions that Nabiki's plea of innocence had any effect.

"Suit yourself, I will find out one way or another." Nabiki said in reply to Ranma-chan's unspoken words. As if to make the statement immediately true Nabiki asked Anito, "What do you think happened to him?" She was instantly rewarded for the effort when Ranma-chan glared even harder.

Anito's grin widened at the scene. Joining the game without a second thought the wizard responded. "I have a few suspicions, but I feel that Ranma is too emotionally unstable to bring them up right now."

"Hey, I am right here!" Ranma-chan shot out indignantly.

Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And here I thought you were all alone in your own little world. Really, I apologize for my mistake." Her dry tone left no doubt of the girl's real intentions.

"I could probably create a sound proofed barrier if you would like." Anito offered kindly.

Ranma-chan's eye twitched in response. The the pigtailed girl suddenly stood up wobbling slightly as she adjusted her balance her annoyance showing clearly on her face. Prowling up to the two she said, "Fine fine I get it. You happy now."

Anito nodded. "Yes, the mere illusion that you are better is enough to assuage my slim morality."

"Have I ever told you Anito, that you have a way with words." Nabiki responded in what could almost be called agreement.

"Gee thanks, it is nice to see that you two care." Ranma-chan responded agitated.

"Rest assured that the depths of my caring cannot be rivaled by even a twenty milliliter lake." Anito replied his seriousness disrupted by the light tone voice with which the wizard spoke. "Now however is not the time for the such deep discussion on sophisticated matters like human relationships. For in this place the shadows of our pasts may very well rise forth and devour us all! So instead gaze upon our new world."

"You wouldn't know the least of it." Ranma-chan murmured in response to the arch-mage's words before turning to the sight that expanded before them as they closed in through the deep silvery mists that filled the Aether.

"Amazing." Ranma-chan breathed out in awe at the vision.

Nabiki didn't miss Ranma-chan's quiet words, nor did Nabiki fail to notice that Anito had also taken note of what the pigtailed girl had said. The slight, almost imperceptible nod showed Nabiki that Anito perhaps cared a bit more than he professed. Still though the wizard was right about one thing, they had already pressed enough for now. The ball was rolling and it wouldn't be long before it returned to their side of the court.

Instead Nabiki turned and took in the sight that had made Ranma-chan pause in wonder and almost let out a gasp herself. Below them the heavens danced with unrivaled beauty. A thousand bands, a thousand ripples, a thousand dreams all sang in an infinite symphony of colors, and shapes that made the most marvelous display of fireworks look as if they were done by an amateur. These flights of light and wonder pranced about as if to some celestial rhythm known only by themselves. It had a strange harmony that that captured the eye and never let it go. Here before them the all the Aether that touched the surface of the world danced in tune with the thoughts and wills of its denizens casting all its beauty in the heavens for all to see.

"I wish I brought my camera." Nabiki said in amazement before her pragmatic mind caught up with her. "However, who wants to bet it looks better on the outside than the inside?"

Ranma-chan let out a slight laugh at that. "Do I look like a sucker to you Nabiki?"

"It is best not to ask questions you would rather be left unanswered." Nabiki responded promptly ignoring the look Ranma-chan gifted the cold hearted girl with.

Anito threw in a grin of his own. "That question is answered simply enough. So shall we?"

Ranma-chan stopped her hearty glare at the mercenary girl to pronounce her opinion with an improved mood. "Heh, there is no point holding back and worrying about things. So let's just dive right in a find out."

Nabiki found herself grinning with the others. Somehow the turn of the mood and the two powerful personalities that surrounded her had dragged Nabiki along for the ride. "By all means, throw us down the mouth of hell."

Anito smiled evilly at the girl. "Just remember Nabiki you asked for it."


****************


Far, far away, and deep, deep within the all encompassing mists of the Aether a lone object rolled and tumbled as it careened through the infinite. It flew straight as an arrow on an unerring path at breakneck speeds. Inside this strong canvas bag something shifted and shuffled slightly changing the spin of the object is it made its way through the cosmos. Then it paused. After a moment again it struggled this time attacking a completely different direction.

Finally, after much effort and time little black pig poked its tiny head out container and looked blearily around in the deep thick mists. Left and right it glanced once and then twice, but the animal still hadn't the slightest clue where it was. Not that it would have mattered for this particular pig as it couldn't have identified where it was no matter the situation. Still though the small black creature was able to derive one single clear thought. Never in all its long and very wide travels had it encountered anything quite like this. With careful though P-chan came to a singular and startlingly useless conclusion. The pig was very, very lost.

The pig pondered this occurrence in deep thought using all of its little, and mostly ineffective piggy brains to figure out what had happened. Incredibly P-chan came up with a conclusion that wasn't quite right, but yet, wasn't quite wrong either. There was only one person to blame for situations like this. There was only one person in the entire universe that could cause such an event. That person was without a doubt Ranma Saotome.

Filling its little piggy lungs with air that hadn't existed until the pig thought it ought to exist the small creature shouted out its rage at the universe. "Bweeeeee! Bweeeeeee! Bweeeeeee!"



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Sorry about the long delay on this chapter. Really I should have finished it even with its absurd length a week or so ago.