Nimu stared out of the window as she and Sanya waited to be seen and to report. She looked over at Sanya and noted the girl's hand shaking a bit.
Symptoms were starting.
Of course, the Mistress only sent girls out if they were getting close to needing their "vitamin supplement". She and Sanya had a good week, and, assuming the Mistress did not punish them for their failure, that was plenty of time to get an injection.
Yonjuu, however. Yonjuu was off on her own who knew where. And if she was injured...
If she was injured, then she was even closer to her "expiration date" as "Mother" liked to call it.
****
Deimosu looked out from the edge of the cliff out into the open air, frowning.
When he'd first realized where he was, he'd been ecstatic.
He was that much closer to taking out his revenge on the gods that had attacked his mother.
Now, however, he was feeling more than a little...concerned.
He put that aside, however, and concentrated instead on the auras of white magic he sensed out past the cliffs. The elements of the spells that held this place between worlds.
Deimosu didn't want to break the spell, of course. He needed this place to remain between worlds so he could use it to access the truce world. However, he also needed to know how to get in and out of the place.
First he needed to get back to Earth for three reasons.
The first was that he didn't have the equipment he wanted yet. The chi-enhancing devices Sousuke's people and their enemies had.
The second was a bit more of an immediate concern. They needed food and water, because he was running out of trail bars and there was nothing to hunt in the labyrinth.
And the third: he needed a safe place to put Yaku and perhaps Yonjuu as well.
Nodding he turned back toward the lab and leaped.
Yonjuu was sitting morosely at a table, her face still a collection of rather vivid bruises from the rock that had slammed into her. That had Deimosu more than a little concerned, even if she was nominally an enemy. The bruises should have been healing quicker.
Yaku was on the other side of the lab, messing around with the computer now that she knew what it was. Every once in a while the girl gave her elder sister a cautious look, just in case their current trapped status was forgotten and Yonjuu tried to make off with her again.
"Brother," Yaku called out happily on seeing he was back. "Is there a way out?"
Deimosu frowned and shook his head as he looked to Yonjuu nibbling on one of the ration bars.
"How much have you eaten?" he asked, with narrowed eyes.
"I'm not really hungry," Yonjuu said, crossing her arms. "I just have this one."
She'd barely started eating that one.
"Maybe you'd heal faster if you ate more than a bar a day," the demi-god noted.
"I'm conserving the food," Yonjuu protested. "We only have so much, and she needs to live."
"Right," Deimosu said.
He walked over to see what Yaku was doing and found her playing some sort of computer game on the hologram. Looking closely, it looked at the very least extremely similar to Starcraft.
"Was that on the computer?" he asked.
"No," Yaku said, legs shaking back and forth out underneath her and the chair she was sitting on.
"Where'd you get it?" he asked.
"I made it, Brother," she said cheerfully.
"You made it?" Deimosu said in surprise.
She nodded firmly and turned back to her game.
"It took me all night," she said.
"Can I play?" Yonjuu asked curiously.
"No," Yaku said, turning about with sticking her tongue out at Yonjuu.
"How the he...heck did you make a video game in one night?" Deimosu asked, ignoring the interchange briefly.
"She's a Go," Yonjuu said. "Mistress wanted assistants in her research, so they're all hyper-intelligent in some way or another."
"Go means skillful," Yaku said proudly as something bright and colorful exploded on her hologram screen.
"Is there anything else on that computer?" Deimosu asked.
"MmmHmm," Yaku said. "But I can't read it. It's all funny letters."
"Can you show me?" Deimosu asked.
"Can I finish?" Yaku asked hopefully.
Deimosu took a deep breath and shrugged.
"Fine, I need to go look for water again," he said. "When I get back, we're looking at the funny letters, okay?"
"Okay," Yaku said proudly.
"You come with me," Deimosu said pointing toward Yonjuu. "I need someone with a nose and my sister isn't available."
"Right," Yonjuu said, standing up. "And are we blowing up anymore walls?"
"Not unless we have to," Deimosu said. "I've been marking paths. I'm sure the gods will get annoyed when they come back here, but I don't really care."
"Gods, old powers," Yonjuu said as she followed behind Deimosu into the hallways of the labyrinth. "Between worlds, what are you talking about? You just say nonsense."
"Stay here, Yaku," Deimosu said.
"I will," Yaku promised.
They were well into the labryinth when Deimosu turned toward the bosom akira.
"So if there's more than one like her, why is she so important?" Deimosu asked.
Yonjuu hesitated to answer.
"Not every Go is the same," Yonjuu said. "And she's more important than most."
"Why?" the blonde Satomi asked.
"Every batch produces some psychics," Yonjuu said. "I...had a sister that was an object reader."
"And what happens to these psychics?" Deimosu asked.
"They...they go to Mother...the Mistress," Yonjuu said. "And we don't see them again."
"And you want that for her?" Deimosu asked.
"It's not a matter of what I want," the bruised girl said. "I don't have a choice."
"Everyone has a choice," Deimosu said.
They travelled several more minutes before he spoke up again.
"Smell anything yet?"
"Yes, I smell Yaku," Yonjuu said. "All the air is coming from behind us. We're looking for stuff upwind of where we are I probably won't smell anything until we're right on top of it."
The demi-god nodded and then turned to the side to burn a mark on the wall with a electrical discharge.
They turned about a corner several minutes later when Yonjuu perked up.
"I can smell something now," she said. "There's water...and mushrooms this way!"
The girl shuffled ahead swiftly and eagerly, Deimosu behind her, marking paths as quickly as he could while keeping up.
"Slow down," Deimosu instructed. "We really don't want to get lost here."
"We won't get lost as long as I can smell out the exit," she protested.
"And what if you try to lose me," Deimosu said, pulling her back. "Stay close."
"You have to take care of Yaku," Yonjuu protested, slowing down despite that.
"And you can't?" Deimosu asked.
"For a little while maybe," she said. "But I...wouldn't last long."
Deimosu frowned at that statement, before he could press the issue however, they turned the corner onto a large pool of still water fringed by an extensive growth of mushrooms. Water was gathering up on the ceiling and then dripping down into the pool, forming numerous rock formations.
And with it all, the first sign of chi that he'd found in the labyrinth aside from them. In fact, while the chi elsewhere seemed non-existant, here it was practically glowing.
Moving off to the wall as Yonjuu moved into the mushrooms and started to sort between which ones were poisonous and which weren't. It was quickly easy to find that, under the grey shell of limestone, that the walls of this chamber were built of thick crystals.
He didn't know the kind of crystal, but he did see the potential. The teen silently thanked his mother for taking the time to make them all learn at least the basics of crystal cutting. He could do some basic chi-enhancing crystals from the walls here. Especially since it looked like the crystals had been growing rampantly for a long time.
He was turning about towards Yonjuu with his water bag, ready to tell her to start grabbing stuff and getting ready to go back.
What came to his eyes was the girl sprawled over the ground, her fall softened by the mushrooms about her.
"Damn it," he snapped. "What did you eat?"
Moving to her side, however, found that there was no sign she'd eaten any of the mushrooms that fallen out of her hands. She was just unconscious for no apparent reason.
She woke up as he started to lift her off the floor and gasped, backing away from him quickly.
"Sorry," she said, embarrassed. "I must have slipped."
"Then I would have seen signs," Deimosu said. "This is what you mean that you'd only last a little while taking care of Yaku. What's killing you?"
She crossed her arms.
"The mistress needs to give me a vitamin shot," Yonjuu said after a long silence.
"Or you die, right?" Deimosu asked.
"I said we don't have a choice," Yonjuu explained hollowly. "Without her, we all die."
"We'll see about that," Deimosu said. "Let's go back.
****
Naiki stared across at Mara and Mara stared back.
"I told you," Mara said finally. "The rules don't work, so we don't use them."
"You mean the end justifies the means and it doesn't matter if people get hurt?" Naiki asked.
"Of course it matters," the older demoness said. "But sometimes its unavoidable. And sometimes...we do lose control."
"So how many times have you almost destroyed the world?" Naiki asked.
"Err, let's talk about something else," Mara said.
"And you're supposed to be the good guys?" Naiki shouted.
Mara sighed and took a deep breath.
"It's perspective," the blonde demoness noted soberly. "We were here first. We don't deserve to be shunted off to the side by anybody. Gods or Humans. Used to be we tried to eliminate you and the Gods. The demons that believed in that are mostly locked away now. What we do instead is...make ourselves room. If we have to eliminate the poisonous parts of their people to do it, that's just beneficial to both us and them."
"Make yourselves room," Naiki said. "What about Nifelheim? Isn't that enough room?"
"For a quarter of a million, ideally. Thankfully not many of us are born every century, but even so, there's twice as many demons and others living in Nifelheim than it should hold," Mara explained. "It's artificial, it doesn't hold or support as much as Earth. It was only supposed to be a shelter through the latter days of fire, after what you call the KT event. When we stepped out, the Gods were picking the remains of our cities and our dead. Then came the war."
"They stole the secrets of dimensional crafting from us, and they built Asgard, which is built with more long-term goals in mind," Mara continued. "We stole the secrets of how to create a central processor to enhance the available energy, which is how we built Nidhog. It went on and on until we both retreated and when we came back, humans were here."
"So everything you told me about punishing evil, that's just...propaganda?" Naiki said.
"No," Mara said. "Not entirely. Many of us Believe. Just there's more than one motive. Everything is complex. Nothing is black and white. When we thought black and white, that's when we started the first war."
"You shouldn't have lied to me," Naiki protested.
"Yeah, well, deal with that later," Mara said. "Right now, we have a job to do."
"A job?" Naiki asked.
"We need you to talk to Persephone," Mara said. "Coming down from Hild. We need to find Hecate and whatever demons she's allied with before her plans take off."
"You want me to hunt down the bitch who hurt my mother?" Naiki said firmly. "I'm in."
"Hecate is a first class goddess, Naiki," Mara said. "Even without Yggdrasil, she's more than you can take. And she's war-trained, unlike me. We just find her. Let other people handle the taking her down."
"Try and stop me," Naiki protested.
As she posed, she felt a thought filter in from outside and realized that Tessa had dropped the privacy screens that she usually maintained.
Err, Naiki, I keep letting myself get distracted from asking you this, but would you be able to help me with so... the thought paused. Is something wrong? You feel like you're angry.
****
Tessa stared out at the gym several hours later.
Okay, and for once the irritated side of their link was Naiki. We got that you can't handle the five pound hand weights...or the two pounders...let's try ONE pound.
One pound, is that enough to build anything? Tessa asked.
At your level, yes, came Naiki's response. Now, again, you want to hold it out in your hand straight out for about five seconds, then bend your elbow all the way hold it there for five seconds, straighten your arm. Do that ten times, rest, and ten more times, five rests, five sets and then switch arms.
Okay, Tessa noted. So what are you up to?
So is that a question from a friend or from an officer in Mithril asking about a demon recruit?
It can be both Tessa said.
It's private, Naiki said in response. Are you making sure to hold five seconds each time?
I am, Tessa assured her. I might be able to help you.
It's nothing, okay? I'm just supposed to talk to my sister's 'grandmother'. Focus on your exercises.
Your grand...oh, Tessa grimaced, she figured that talking to her godly relatives would be...trying on Naiki.
Oh, get on with it! Oh, get on with it!
Excuse me? Tessa asked.
The threesome are getting sappy, Sousuke's off to his plane.
The thre... And she realized who Naiki was talking about and the weight slipped out of her hand. Oww!
Did you drop ANOTHER weight?
****
Ukyou, Konatsu, Mousse and Naoko looked across at each other as they discussed the situation before them.
"Okay," Ukyou said. "Ranchan's daughter is a demon, and he...she wants us to train her."
"A demon?" Naoko said, surprised. "She seemed a bit rough, but not that bad."
"Ukyou means literally a demon," Konatsu said. "It would explain why can feel no chi from her. Still, Ranma-san would not support anything evil."
"The Ranma we knew perhaps," Mousse said. "If she's had truck with demons?"
"The chi I feel from Ranma is strong, and touched by white magic," Konatsu said. "Surely she is blessed and someone blessed would not support someone evil."
"If a demon is not necessarily evil, then are gods necessarily good?" Mousse asked.
"How about you train her first and if you decide she's good, then bring Issei and Kouta into it," Naoko suggested.
"I can go out on a limb for Ranchan that much," Ukyou agreed after a moment.
"It'll be some time for us to think," Mousse noted. "As I heard, Ranma's daughters will be sent somewhere else while she's...out on business for the next few weeks."
*****
"Okay, Sergeant Sagara," Kaname said. "I'll see you when you get back. And you'd better get back on time so that I don't have to kill Kurz."
"Understood, Chidori, Ma..." Sousuke said crisply.
"Enough of that 'ma'am' stuff, I keep telling you!" Kaname snapped playfully, enjoying the power of the moment. "And definitely no 'sirs' either."
"Of course, Chidori-san," Sousuke said. "Satomi-san, I expect you to make sure Kaname is safe."
"Hai, Sousuke," Eija said with a bow and a smile. "I shall watch Weber-san constantly. If he must be punished, I will see to it."
"Please," Kurz said at the doorway. "I'm not freaking pervert after all."
"All evidence points to the contrary," Sousuke noted with sage nods from Kaname and Eija.
More seriously she followed that up.
"I won't let her be...touched," she said quietly, drawing a look from Kaname and an understanding nod from Sousuke.
"Oh, get on with it," Naiki demanded from where she was leaning against a pillar.
"You're going to be late, Sousuke," Kurz said irritably.
"Understood," Sousuke noted, turning about to shake Eija and Kaname's hands.
When Kaname grasped his hand she drew him into a headlock and growled quietly.
"If you don't come back in one piece, you'll be sorry," she said firmly before letting him go and watching him walk down toward the exit ramps for the small private jets.
That left Eija and Kaname behind and the waiting started.
I wish he had longer to talk about...things with Sousuke, Kaname thought quietly.
It was rather...abrupt, Eija noted. But I think you managed to get across that you accepted...what we were.
What did you think I'd do? Run screaming from the building? Kaname asked with a slightly angry frown. Do you think I'm some sort of insensitive jerk?
I have blood on my hands, Eija said. You can't know how it got there.
Oh, would you quit being stupid? Kaname demanded. We're in each other's heads. We've been through life and death situations. I know the difference between a cold killer and someone...whose had an unpleasant life.
Kaname gave exaggerated breath that attracted Kurz's moderately confused attention.
And what was all that about "she won't be touched" Kaname asked.
Well...
Eija, spill it!
Sousuke and I agreed, Eija finally answered. If there's killing to be done, we'll do it for you. No reason you have to...
"What the hell does that mean?!" Kaname shouted out loud.
Kurz shook his head and sighed.
"Would you two not do the creepy mind meld thing, please?" he asked. "Anyway, here comes everybody else."
"Kaname!" Kyoko shouted out waving as she ran up to greet them. "Isn't this great?! We're going to see Okinawa after all! And we get to meet Eija and Naiki's family! Too bad Deimosu is still...you know...missing."
She waved at Naiki, and failed to notice as the demoness immediately straightened and started to preen herself.
Behind Kyoko a few other people were coming, Mizuki and Shinji among them.
As the kids gathered, Kurz dialed out on his cell phone.
****
Ranma closed her cell phone and turned toward Melissa.
"Okay, Kurz is off with the kids," Ranma said. "Akane said they'd be safe over there. Are you ready for this?"
Melissa went over her gear, taser, stun rod, a pistol and four clips, lockpicks, PDA of pertinent information and a small tiara with a crystal that Ranma had provided for her to shield against casual telepathy.
"This is a bit risky for you, isn't it?" Melissa asked. "Your cover is near here, isn't it?"
"I've got a way around that now," Ranma said with a smirk.
"What's that?" Melissa asked.
"Someone fixed a problem I've had for the last sixteen years," Ranma explained. "So I've now got two faces to use."
"Two faces, what do you mean?" the Sergeant Major asked, turning about to face the red-head.
The older woman smirked at her and stretched out her fingers as a change started to work over her body. The woman grew a little more than a foot and bulked out as her features became distinctly male...and not a bad looking male either.
"Uhhh," Melissa said, her jaw dropping. "Wha..."
"Now, I haven't been in this body for a long time," Ranma said. "So I ain't going to be top form."
"Are you a man or a woman?" Melissa asked.
"So, are we thinking about our first attempt to seduce me as a young woman way back when, now?" Ranma asked with a bit of a smirk.
Melissa noted sh...he didn't really answer the question and decided not to press the issue, instead taking on the joke Ranma had offered.
"Are you still attracted to women, or does that change too?" she asked tartly.
"Male, female," Ranma said, shrugging. "Doesn't change my mind. Are we ready for this?"