Making deals with demons is always a dangerous game where one miss step can lead to disaster. The only question is how do you define disaster especially when your not even the one making the deal. When an old friend of Discords decides to leave his n
Making deals with demons is always a dangerous game where one miss step can lead to disaster. The only question is how do you define disaster especially when your not even the one making the deal. When an old friend of Discords decides to leave his new pony friends a little gift it will be up to the elements to hopefully keep all of Eqeustria and it’s sanity in one peace. And all because Ranma did what he does best. Help someone and have one of his rivals blame him for it in the first place.
I do not own Ranma ½, My Little Pony: Friendship is magic, or Ah! My Goddess.
Happosia, a three hundred year old shriveled old gnome of a human being cloaked in a ninja outfit, was flying through the air of one of the most chaotic places in any dimension in the multi-verse Nerima. He was upset, no that’s not quite right maybe furious beyond reason. Why? Well the answer to that is because the son of one of his last two disciples and heir to the main branch of his martial arts had just used a cheap and dirty trick to defeat him, send him on this particular flight. And why? The boy couldn’t allow the old man his fun. So what if that fun meant groping hundreds of pretty ladies and stealing their silky darlings. It was one of the last pleasures of the old man. Or, at least that’s what he’d tell anyone who asked.
“Oh! I will have to teach that worthless, ungrateful, heir of mine how to properly treat his elders. If only he knew how it felt to taste ki especially emotional ki.” Happosai said. A dark gleam graced his face giving him a most menacing appearance. “Ha, ha, ha, he’ll rue the day, ha, ha, ha…” thump! The world was spared some more of his manic laughter by a wandering telephone pole. Many have speculated why a telephone pole was wondering… but quickly dismissed it as being a part of Nerima. Incidentally, the thud had knocked the bowl of petunias off the top of the pole. The pole was sad when his friend disappeared before smashing into the ground.
In a dark room, watching a screen, on of many that were the only source of light, a creature, who’s eyes gleamed like a child pulling off the wings of small insect, smiled. It was not a pleasant thing, like the smile of a predator who finally had it’s prey cornered.
Sometime later, he retrieved what he needed from the only room in the Tendo compound that emanated a sickeningly dark aura. The room in question was filled with some of the items from the darkest part of the world’s history magical, mythical, and martial all alike stolen from shrines, temples, and ancient tribes. The very air was drenched in a stench both evil and vile. The room, of coarse belong, to none other than the goblin of a human.
Entering the vacant lot, he laid down his supplies. He soon got to work drawing the massive circle with intricate patterns and designs. Using a variation of his demon head he put up a defensive barrier of ki, it would protect the ritual from most of the inconveniences of this district. He lit the incense and placed them at their proper places. He placed the artifacts of power and used his silky darlings to refresh his ki. Ki he used to intertwine their power and charge circles. Then removing a casket from nowhere he let a single drop touch the center of the circle.
The casket a gift to Ranma stole during that whole wedding fiasco a month or so ago. “Fools, like I couldn’t tell the sheer magic in it, the moment it enter that house. My the mischief I can get in now,” once more a malicious smirk touched his face.
The moment the drop touched the ground the circles pulsed pure black, consuming all light, and hummed in an ear piercing screech.
“I summon thy, ole dark ones, come forth so we may prosper,” the residents of the district would have been happy for that barrier if they the laughter that arose.
In the void of the room with endless screens…
“Finally,” the smile spoke.
“Sir, who should we send?” asked a face barely visible from the glow of the screens.
“I will handle this, personally,” the smirk never leaving his face.
“But sir,” the screen monitor began hesitantly, “Hild-sama’s orders were clear. No ranks two or higher are to…”
“I know,” his voice was calm and comforting. The subordinate gulped and feared what her fate would be. “Be prepared to call her when I return.” she sighed with relieve. “Oh, and after that I’ll need you to clean the hellhounds cages with your tongue,” his smile never wavering as he walked past her horrified face towards a waiting portal.
All she could do was stammer, “a-a-all o-of them?”
His smile only grew, “all of them,” and entered the portal. She nearly fainted. Her coworkers just snickered at her misfortune.
Happosai was ready to book it the moment the thing cleared the portal and he confirmed what level the demon was.
“There’s no need for that happi,” a smooth voice came from the portal. As a tall, handsome man with the scent of suffer wearing a black business suit and hat with a crimson tie stepped out of the doorway between worlds he spoke, “… demon first class, category one, unlimited.” As he stood from his bow, he revealed his golden eyes, ebony hair, two red diagonal slashes between his eyes, and a smile exposing fangs.
“Oh, you don‘t say,” smirked Happosai. “And what do I owe this honor.”
“Don’t even bother. I am well aware of the last demon,” he said the last with contempt. “to handle your case’s standing policy of brute force. Unlike my predecessor, I don’t see why so much resources are used on a mere mortal such as yourself. I prefer means that are more subtle and require more finesse.”
It was all Happosai could do to keep from bursting out laughing, “he’s got to be kidding, does he truly not know?”
“What will your wish be? Mind you it will cost you,” he said with that same smile.
“Oh, yes he doesn’t,” Happosai started mentally laughing like a mad man. “I’d give anything to teach that brat how it’s like to have to eat emotional ki so I can finally train him properly as the heir to my school of martial arts,” he said with a mask of outrage.
“That’s child’s play, are you certain that’s what you want the cost is steep,” that smile not even wavering in the slightest.
“And, a rank amateur. This is just perfect,” Happosai thought as they shook hands, sealing the pack. After the demon left a smile graced Happosai’s face and thought, “I’d love to see his face when he finds out my soul and life are both untouchable. Only took them one hundred and eighty-five years to replace that last guy. Maybe, I’ll summon another to ask how that rookie is doing. Arrogant fool,” the residents were so lucky this time as his cackles heard for a few blocks.
“Fool,” was the first word out of the demons mouth, after the portal closed. “Call Hild-sama,” he ordered to the horrified looking assistants.
One brave soul asked, “the message, sir?”
“Tell her we finally have the him.”
In Asgard, in the center most structure of Asgard, sitting at a desk just in front and slightly the right of the most intimidating doors in all of creation, sat a secretary minding her business and typing on the keyboard. She thought, “no meetings, reassignments, or reprimands. Tonight I might finally get home early, yay.”
A shadow loomed over her, she didn’t notice. Fingers began tapping on the desk, she ignored it. Someone cleared their throat, she stopped and sighed, “how may I help you? There is currently no appointments and HE is currently busy,” she said all without looking up.
Had she looked at the smile she was being given, she might have questioned whether she’d really wanted to be a goddess and especially work this particular desk. A silky voice answered, “inform kami-sama that the Daimakaicho, Queen of demons, Hild-sama is here to see him.”
The secretary face drained of color as she refused to look up, “um,” gulp. “Your not allowed here. The Ultimate Force and the test, and, and…”
“Oh, I’m quite aware. And under normal circumstances, I’d agree with you. But, these are unique circumstances, and that same force requires I come here. In person,” she said in a way too sweet voice.
After announcing her, Hild walked up to and pushed the doors open. As she entered she declared, “Kami, have I got a deal for you.”
A young martial artist with his black hair tied in a pigtail was hopping from roof to roof, wearing Chinese silks with crystal blue eyes. As he continued to roof hop, a shimmering vortex opened up in front of him. All he had time to do was have his eyes go wide and utter, “oh, shi…” And, then he was consumed by the vortex.
It was a normal day in Cantorlot. Luna lowered the moon and Celestia raised the sun. Birds sung, foals played, and ponies went about their business. All and all a normal day. Until the commotion outside the doors to the throne room, some rushing, some hollering, and a crash or two.
Celestia, a white coated alicorn mare, magenta eyes, a cutie mark of a blazing sun, and ethereal mane and tail the colors of a sunrise, sat on her throne through the entire commotion.
Then the door slammed open as Pinkie Pie and Discord both came crashing in. Pinkie Pie, a pink coated earth pony mare with a dark pink mane and tail that looked like cotton candy, a cutie mark of three balloons two blue and one yellow in the center, and crystal blue eyes. And, Discord,a creature with a serpentine body covered in fur, a reptile tail, a griffon’s claw, lion’s paw, a leg of a goat and dragon, a wing of a threshal and a peagus, and a the antler of a deer and blue goat horn on the head of a pony. “Princess something big is about to happen,” they both exclaimed, then looked at each other. “That was weird.” They both said in sync. “Stop that. No you stop that. Why? I was talking first.”
Celestia cleared her throat, “is there a reason you… both have come here?” Celestia asked.
“Rock, paper, scissors?” They both asked. After nodding they went, “Rock, Paper, Scissor, Shoot!” Discord’s flat pawed ‘paper’ beating Pinkie’s hoofed ‘rock’.
“Ah, sometimes I think you invented this game to cheat earth ponies.” Pinkie said while staring at Discord.
“Would I do that?” asked while trying and failing to look innocent.
“Well…” Pinkie stared at him intently and Discord started sweating. “I don’t know, sooo no.” She said her expression relaxing.
Discord looked up at Celestia and restarted, “Something really big is coming, if I had to judge on a scale of one to ten with me being a seven I’d say it is at least an eleven.” As Discord finished Celestia’s eye was starting to twitch.
“Oi! Oi! My turn.” Pinkie exclaimed while bouncing in place, not even batting an eye at Discord’s statement. “Something big and unexpected. And, it will crash right here.” She said pointing at a spot on the floor. Just as Celestia was about to say something, there was a loud crash. “Oops! Forgot about the ceiling,” Pinkie said as she looked up at the cracks in the ceiling.
“Did Pinkie just more accurately predict a chaos that puts Discord to shame?” One of the guards asked the other.
“Don’t know, don’t care. Not just Discord put Pinkie, I’m just hoping to make it through today with at least some semblance of sanity left.” The second guard said.
“You forgot the big, bad chaos that is about to fall in our lap. So same rooms at the asylum, or should we try for an upgrade to a padded suite.” The first guard said while eying the growing cracks on the ceiling, “so what if your going to the nut house later your still on duty,” he thought with a smile.
Celestia looked at the two guards by the door after the impact and couldn’t help but think, “I should’ve known with those two on at once, I wonder whose on tomorrow, so I know what disaster I’ll be facing next.”
In the time Celestia had to think that, the cracks had increased, splintered, fractured, and spread.
This was unnoticed as Pinkie and Discord were discussing the merits of using chocolate whip cream as opposed to regular whip cream to fill party balloons with extra treats. Pinkie was mildly concerned about ponies eating the plastic, while Discord was trying to help her come up with more edible balloons. Both seemed to be neglecting the fact that the laws of physics would make it so the balloons wouldn’t float.
That is until Pinkie whipped out a floating balloon and popped it causing chocolate whip cream to explode over the room.
Celestia let out a heavy sigh. “maybe I should send somepony up…” her thoughts were derailed as the roof gave out and there was a second crash.
As the dust settled standing there in the middle of the throne room of Equestria, in front of Princess Celestia, the Element Bearer of Laughter, and the master of chaos was a changeling. Changelings are ponified insectiods that feed on love and other emotions. The relevance of this event is that several years ago a changeling swarm under the control of Queen Chrysalis had not only invaded but successfully took over the capital city of Equestia, before they were ultimately defeated and vanquished.
This particular changeling was unique compared to the one’s they had seen before. She was a drone as far as the ponies could tell. Her legs had the tell tale holes, and her carapace was black. But, her wing covers, fins, and tail were a bright crimson instead of turquoise. Lastly her eyes when she opened them had the most expressive crystal blue iris they had ever seen.
“Did anyone get the number of that rocket?” the changeling asked.
“It wasn’t a rocket, silly. It was an inter-dimensional transit. So more than likely it was just a stray beam of light that added resistance,” Pinkie supplied. Everyone including the changeling gave her a weird look.
“Okay… anyone else here want to make some sense,” stated the changeling, as she sat up.
Celestia glared at the little changeling. It took every ounce of strength she had not to show her rage on her face. “Changeling, why are you here? And, why have you destroyed my roof?” Celestia asked through gritted teeth. She wasn’t expecting the answer she got.
“What’s a changeling?” everyone but Pinkie, Discord, and the changeling face faulted.
Shortly after everyone pulled themselves up off the floor. Luna, an alicorn mare with a dark blue coat, cyan eyes, a cutie mark of a crescent moon against a starless night, and ethereal mane and tail the color of a spring night littered with stars, enter through the hole in the ceiling.
“Is anything wrong, sister?” Luna said as she arrived.
In that instant Ranma’s eyes widened.
“I am not sure…” Celestia began, as she turn to Luna.
But was interrupted by a black blur tackling Luna. As Celestia stared agape everypony else turned to see what happened.
“Luna?” The changeling asked looking her in the eyes after landing on her barrel. “It is you.” The look of excited joy turned to fierce determination as she turned to Celestia. “You haven’t been being mean to Luna have you?” She asked in an artic tone as a blazing aura snapped to life around her.
After a few awkward moments of silence and an awkward explanation of Celestia’s and Luna’s relationship…
“Tell me, why you think my sister would bring me harm?” asked a curious Luna.
“Because she’s royalty, right?” asked Ranma pointing at the throne in the room. They both nodded, even Celestia was curious what that had to do with this. “Well my track record with important people, or those who think themselves important, isn’t so great. Especially when my friends,” she glanced at Luna, “are involve. Usually, they think they can do whatever they want with whomever they think are unimportant.”
“How do you know my sister, little Changeling?” Celestia asked awkwardly.
“You know I have a name right? And besides you still haven’t told me what a changeling is,” the changeling stated with a glare at Celestia.
“What is you name, little one?” Luna asked politely.
“It’s me, Ranma, please, tell me you remember me?” Ranma practically beg her.
“I’m sorry. Maybe if you tell me about when we met it might help me remember,” stated Luna calmly.
“About eight years ago,” Ranma missed the looks of shock from Celestia and Luna, “after my father had done something incredible stupid which almost destroyed my mind, you were the kind old lady who helped bring me back to sanity.”
“I’m sorry but during that time I was still banished on the moon,” Luna answered sadly.
“But your aura is exactly the same,” Ranma began a little distressed. “Wait, what do you mean banished on the moon?”
“My sister used a powerful artifact to…” Luna was interrupted by a sudden flash of movement.
When everyone else registered what happened, the blazing aura was back up around Ranma and she was currently holding Celestia up against her own throne with a single hoof. There was a look in her eye that promised pain if she didn’t get a great answer and whispered one thing, “why?”
“Because I had lost myself to madness and nearly destroyed this world,” Luna stated in a calm and regretful voice.
“But, she was your own sister?” neither one knew who she was asking, but the look of betrayal was clearly pointed at Luna. “Sorry,” was all she said as she let Celestia go.
“Hello, Discord,” said a voice in Discord head that he hadn’t heard in millennia.
“Why, Hello Hild. It’s been forever. What brings you here?” Discord asked her in his mindscape.
“Oh, same old, deals and lost souls,” she replied.
As Discord was getting reacquainted with his old friend, a scheduled rain storm began before the pegasi noticed the hole in the ceiling and could stop that one spot.
The inevitable occurred… Ranma got splashed.
Ranma felt the usual change, in an unusual way. The ones in the room who have seen changelings change before weren’t certain what they just saw. The others just assumed that’s how they change. Ranma just sighed and asked, “of coarse the curse still works. What do I change into?”
Celestia hesitantly replied, “um, an alicorn princess.”
“Come again?” asked the black coated alicorn mare, with crimson mane and tail, and the same expressive eyes. Those eyes showing shocked disbelief, almost pleading for it to be untrue.
“An alicorn princess,” Celestia restated.
“So I’m a magical pony princess?” Ranma asked.
Luna and Celestia nodded. Ranma faced-hooved.
“What did I do to deserve this?” Ranma asked rhetorically.
“I got the list right here.” Hild said in Discord’s head as she pulled out a sheet of paper that rolled on the floor of Discord‘s mindscape.
“Do you want the long or short list?” Discord asked innocently.
“How do you know?” Ranma asked.
“The little demon in his head.” Pinkie pied in. everyone stared at her blankly.
“She’s good.” Hild remarked, Discord’s inner self just nodded. “Did you take a look at his cutie mark?” Hild continued.
“She’s a changeling, she doesn’t have a cutie mark.” Discord pointed out.
“She’s right, that is a peculiar cutie mark.” Pinkie stated.
“Who are you talking to?” asked Celestia.
“The little demon in Discord’s head.” Pinkie stated as if it was the most obvious fact.
“You wouldn’t happen to know someone named Loki would you?” Hild joked.
“He whispers in my head all the time.” Pinkie stated. “For example, if I stand here and you lose sight of me for a second…” as Pinkie said it everyone in the room adverted there gaze for one reason or another. “I end up here.” She finished on the other side of the room with out having crossed the path of anyone’s gaze. “But I don’t think he knows I’m the voice in his head.” She stated while giggling.
“That explains why he keeps muttering about little pink monsters.” Hild pointed out. As Pinkie started bouncing in place saying, “bouncy, bouncy, bouncy,” Hild’s eye started twitching because at that exact time another part of her who went to check up on Loki noticed he was doing exactly the same thing in sync with Pinkie. “She’s kinda scary.” Hild said with a smile.
Nabiki was not a morning person. In fact, if she wasn’t worried that she’d miss something important she wouldn’t wake before two in the afternoon on most days. And, five on the days she felt particularly lethargic. So it was with no surprise that she didn’t descend the stair until ten a.m., a full two and a half hours after breakfast on the one day a week students got off. What was strange was that in stead of only being a half asleep zombie, she looked like she dead on her feet.
“Where the hell is he?” was all she could keep thinking, over and over again.
“Good morning, Nabiki. I’ll reheat some breakfast for you and get you a cup of coffee,” offered a young, woman with brown hair in a conservative house dress and apron.
“No need, Kasumi. I can do it myself, just enjoy your show,” Nabiki responded with a small smirk through the dead tone.
Fidgeting Kasumi asked, “any luck?”
Nabiki froze mid step, and with a sad expression that her sister couldn’t see she shook her head.
As she entered the kitchen there was a loud slamming and the sound of wood splintering. From the hallway came a shout, “if I ever get my hands on that perverted bastard I gonna kill him.”
A girl with short dark blue hair walked into the living room sat down hard. She had a leg in a cast and an arm in a sling. Her clothes were torn and ragged, her hair was frazzled and messy, and she was sporting the start of a swollen black-eye, in all, she was in shambles. As she sat, she began to glow as a blood red aura started pulsating around her.
“Ran into Shampoo and Ukyo, again?” asked the walker from the kitchen.
“It’s not my fault the perverted coward ups and runs. Probably doing something perverted with all kinds of floozies and sluts,” ranted the girl like a tea kettle releasing steam.
“Maybe, those comments and opinions are why they keep beating you up, Akane?” came the ominous tone of the dead.
“Ha, ha, ha! Even more dead than alive she’s smarter than you,” came the voice of Happosai from the hallway as he entered.
“Says the perverts master,” pointed out Akane a smug look on her face.
“I’m just an innocent old man who only has his equally innocent hobbies. Speaking of my ungrateful heir where is he?” Happosai called to the kitchen.
“Not hide nor hair,” came a slightly less dead response as Nabiki enter with a coffee.
As they went on and on about the missing martial artist as being the perverted, ungrateful, and lazy, courtesy of his own father Genma Saotome, Kasumi and Nabiki ignored them, vehemently. Nabiki because she was at her limit with dealing with these idiots. Kasumi on the other hand was worried that if they saw her worry they would further blame the young man who has gone missing. She didn’t want the person who has become a brother to her and her family to suffer. To avoid the others’ attention she watched the screen with one of her favorite shows on, but she wasn’t listen to it. Instead, she listen to them and quietly seethed. “Maybe, I’ll let Akane cook tonight,” she thought darkly.
The arguing and insulting was broken by a sudden and loud, “OH, my!”
Every head turned as one to the eldest Tendo sister as Nabiki asked, “what’s wrong, Kasumi?”
“I’m sorry, it just that it almost looks like one of the characters has a Jusenkyo curse.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing and a single thought ran through Nabiki’s mind, “it can’t be, dear god, it can’t be.”
The pink pony on the screen turned to face them and said, “you don’t know the half of it.”
The same thought occurred to both Kasumi and Nabiki, “of coarse it is. But, how did he do that?”
“She’s quite something, isn’t she?” asked a sultry velvet voice.
“It’s about time,” said Happosai a smug and content smile on his face.
As a dark skinned woman with voluptuous curves, long platinum hair, magenta eyes, and a star symbol on her the center of her forehead she began, “yes, Happi, it is. Long past time, even.” The predatorily grin on her face unnerved everyone in the room.
“Why Hildie, are you here to fulfill our little deal,” her grin took on a little bit of a bemuse quality.
“Oh, most definitely, Happi.”
“Well, where is my heir?” Happosai demanded a little irritably and with great impatience.
“Now Happi, miss Tendo here has pointed it out to all of you,” Hild stated the grin never wavering.
As they all turned to Kasumi and then the television, the pink pony stated to no one in particular, “yes she did, I saw her.” Nabiki’s eye started twitching. Kasumi was worried.
“So I’m not the only one she has that effect on,” Hild thought with great humor.
“But I thought we were friends,” came a voice in her mindscape. Hild smile dimmed every so slightly.
“Oh, hell no!” Hild screamed in her mind. “OUT! Get out, right now, do you hear me?”
“Okay, I’m leaving,” said the voice dejectedly. Then, it suddenly brightened, “but, we are good friends, right?”
“Fine! Whatever just leave me alone!” Hild declared.
“Okay!” Hild could hear the voice’s smile as it began to fade. Then it popped right back without skipping a beat, “but, I’ll see you one way or another in two hundred thirty-seven, I’ll have a wonderful birthday present for you.” And, then the voice gone. At first Hild sat there in her mind and then, what the pony had said sunk in. No one saw the tear run down the cheek of her inner self.
Hild missed the conversation the rest had as they worked out what was going on. Happosai turned to her and demanded, “what is the meaning of this?”
“Well,” Hild began in a sugary sweet voice. “According to the deal you made a week ago, you want him to see what it’s like to have to eat emotional ki, and then to be taught in every aspect of your school to the point of grand mastery, correct?”
“Yes,” was all Happosai could say, as everyone turned to him in shock.
“And how do you determine mastery in your school,” Hild asked innocently.
“Ha, to become a master in my school, one has to be able to def…,” realization crossed Happosai face and donning horror as well. “But, but, he’s a pony how does that have to do with eating emotional ki,” he declared triumphantly.
“True, but a miss Tendo can testify Ranma was originally a changeling.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Happosai’s temper was getting the better of him.
“Changeling on the show eat emotions, especially love,” answered Kasumi.
“But, he’s was a pony?” asked Nabiki.
“Well, Jusenkyo is a divine curse and refuses to be denied,” the predator grin was back in full force. “Which, means that thanks to the way a certain someone in this room taught him,” she glanced at Genma. “All we have left to do to fulfill our end of the deal is deliver the knowledge of all the techniques of your school and a few others, for reason I can’t go into, to him. So, I’m here to collect the techniques of all the branches of your school, and your payment,” the grin turned into a smile with far to many teeth.
“But, we have a deal you can’t take my soul or my immortality,” Happosai desperately wailed.
“Quite right. And, thanks to that spear of yours we have made quite a bit of mischief over the last two millennia,” Happosai breathed a sigh of relief.
“Wait!” exclaimed Nabiki who stared wide-eyed at Hild and Happosai. “A spear of great importance from two thousand years ago? You don’t mean the Spear of De…”
Hild held a finger to her lips and Nabiki found herself unable to speak, “spoilers!” she said with an infuriating smile.
“That’s right. So what are you going to claim as payment?” Happosai asked triumphantly.
“Your life and your soul, you horrible little monster,” Hild answered matter-of-factly.
The look on his face nearly made Nabiki laugh, Soun, and Genma weren’t so reserved and started a celebratory dance. “But, you just said…” Happosai began.
“I know but the deal you had with the spear was made with Niflhiem. Ranma on the other hand, especially after the Saffron incident and a few other reasons falls squarely in the jurisdiction of Asgard. So, to make a long story short in order to pull off the deal you requested required a Divine Damned Contract. Or, in this particular case a Damned Divine Contract. Basically, because this deal requires an agreement on both sides it supersedes any previous agreement made on either side. You made it easier by requesting the deal yourself. Not to mention, Niflhiem would like to thank Tendo Kasumi. If it weren’t for you liking that show we may have never gotten him. As such we will offer you a wish no strings attached at all.”
“Wait! You made a world simply to get rid of him,” Akane shouted while pointing at Happosai.
“Don’t be silly. Some of the greatest artist can quite simply see other worlds. No work require, just a minor teleportation,” Hild answered. “I’ll give you a day to think what you want. As for you two,” she said to Kasumi before she turned towards Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo. “I leave you a choice volunteer your entire collection of techniques or follow your teacher.”
There was a bright flash and she was gone.
Kasumi had been sitting in her room thinking what to wish for. The fathers wanted her to wish Ranma back and to have him marry Akane. Akane in her rage shouted she should leave her alone and do whatever else she wanted with the wish. Nabiki hadn’t said anything.
There was a knock on her door. “Come in,” she called.
Nabiki came in and only said five words, “please, take me with you.”
“Well, while I’d love to continue watching as she threatens Royalty, I must say my goodbyes,” Hild said in Discord’s mind.
“Wait!” Pinkie called grabbing Discord’s head. “Aren’t you going to meet all of Discord’s new friends?”
“I’m afraid, my little overenthusiastic pink bundle of confetti, that we are unfortunately well acquainted,” replied Hild.
“Wait, wait, wait! You know each other,” Pinkie’s smiled ear to ear. “That’s great,” she shouted.
“Who are you talking to, Pinkie?” asked a curious Luna.
“The demon in Discord’s head,” Pinkie’s smile widened. “She’s your bestest, best friend, Hild.”
“I believe that’s my cue, t-t-f-n,” Hild said laughing as she faded.
“Did you say, Hild? As in Hild-sama,” the last word said with begrudging respect. “As in queen of the demons, master of damned souls, mistress of the nether, ruler of hell, that Hild?” Luna said as each syllable only further enraged her.
Pinkie looked to Discord and innocently asked, “is that who that was?”
“Well, yes,” Discord answered with an awkward smile. “Those are some of the titles she goes by?”
“That’s great!” Pinkie shouted in joy. “I can throw a huge reunion party.”
As everyone else sweat dropped, Luna face faulted, “a party? A PARTY???” Luna’s eye started twitching. “That thing,” she declared pointing at Discord’s head, “is the reason for Nightmare Moon.” Discord gulped hard realizing what his friend had just done to him. “Get her out here, now! Or I’ll make her get out here.”
The first guard turned toward the second, “did I hear that right?”
The second guard adamantly chanted, “See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak NO EVIL!”
The first simply ignored him, “that some big bad evil, the one specifically responsible for Nightmare Moon, just dropped a changeling off with a curse that turns her into an alicorn princess?”
Deciding he wasn’t going to get out of this by ignoring it the second guard answered, “supposedly turns into an alicorn. But, I wonder, does that mean we have to answer to her orders and treat her like royalty when she‘s an alicorn?”
“Well she not really a citizen of Equestria, so I suppose she’d merely be a diplomat with all the benefits when she’s not a changeling, or would it be more like an international exchange student at all times, like that one griffon we had at school.”
“Oh, you mean that dude that tried to bribe the instructors,” the second guard winced. “I still have nightmares about that.”
The only response from the first was a full body shiver.
Celestia, having heard her guards’ conversation, eye twitching, couldn’t help but think, “is that why the griffons have all but closed off their borders.”
“Um, I think she left,” stated Pinkie Pie as she pulled the otoscope out of Discord’s ear causing the light shining out of his eyes and other ear to fade.
Luna rounded on the changeling, currently alicorn, “so what is this? Some new attempt to tempt me? I let my jealousy almost destroy me and those I care about once I won’t fall for her schemes a second time,” she declared while glaring at Ranma with her nostrils, and wings flared.
It wasn’t fear, it wasn’t hesitation, the look in her eyes was hurt and betrayal. With a resigned sigh, her head dropped and she said, “it figures, leave it to the kami, or in this chase the devil, to ruin one of the last friendships I have.” Dejectedly she laid down, not caring what the world did with her at the moment.
Luna was stunned, what had happened? Wasn’t she suppose to deny it, or confess? Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. “What have I done?” Luna realized that she had more than likely played right into the devil’s hand, ruining a friendship she didn’t even know she had, and there was almost nothing she could do about it. “It has to be some kind of trick! She feverously thought, “Doesn’t it?”
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
Earlier today a changeling arrived at Canterlot. The details of this arrival are in the enclosed envelope. She will be arriving in Ponyville, accompanied by your friend Pinkie Pie, later today.
There are extenuating circumstances that make this matter more complicated, and of the utmost importance. Among these, are a mutual acquaintance, as well as an unconfirmed friendship.
The changeling has claimed to have know Princess Luna eight years ago, now I understand that at this time my sister was still banished on the moon as Nightmare Moon. However, there exists the possibility that the two do in fact know each other. Unfortunately, due in part to the rash actions of my sister, as well as a maleficent entity, their relationship has become strained. Apparently, this is not the first time this particular changeling has lost such a friendship.
I would be honored if you would do me the favor, as Princess of Friendship, of investigating, discreetly, their supposed friendship, and the extent this creature has suffered. As well as help her in anyway you can, if possibly.
Considering your personal history with this particular species, I understand I am asking quite a lot of you. But, I believe it will be beneficial to both you and the changeling.
Sincerely, Princess Celestia of Equestria
“Look Pinkie, was it?” At the pink pony nod, the alicorn continued, “I know your trying to cheer me up and I appreciate it, I really do, but I just need my space, right now. Trust me, I’ll bounce back. I always do,” the smile she gave was half-hearted at best.
A slightly less cheerful Pinkie replied, “Okie dokie loki.”
As they disembarked the train Ranma was blasted right back into the side of the locomotive. As the purple aura continued to hold her, a violet coated alicorn mare with a mane and tail of violet shades that had a stripe of magenta, a cutie mark of a starburst surrounded by five white stars, and violet eyes, walked up to her. The purple mare seemed to be struggling to do something, “I don’t get it. This is a spell should be working?”
“You must be Ms. Sunshine’s former appreciate, Twilight Sparkle, right?”
“That is Princess Celestia,” Twilight glared.
“Whatever you say. So mind telling me what your doing?” stated the other alicorn, and sometimes changeling.
“This spell is a combination which could counter any disguise or transformation spell a mere changeling could perform,” she stated with pride.
A look of mild worry appeared on Ranma’s face, “so, your saying your attempting to counter Jusenkyo’s curse?”
“There’s no such thing as a curse. Magic can be misused, but it is still magic,” explained Twilight.
The look of worry on Ranma’s face only went from mild to severe, “so, I’ll take that as a yes.” She hesitated before saying, “if I were you I’d stop what I was doing.”
“Afraid I’ll reveal your lyes?”
“No, it’s just that the curse doesn’t like to be messed with at all,” she answered while gulping nervously.
“Oh! The magic is sentient now. That’s the most ridiculous, superstitious, nonsense I ever heard in my life,” Twilight only got more determined as she forced more power into the spell.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”
There was a crack followed by the feeling that something on the most fundament of levels had snapped. Then, there was a blinding flash that engulfed the three ponies.
As Pinkie and Ranma walked through Ponyville, toward the crystal palace, they were accompanied by a strange pony. The pony had a violet coat with a mane and tail of violet shades that had a stripe of magenta, and violet eyes. The peculiar thing was this adult earth-pony stallion had no cutie mark.
Pinkie and Ranma were smirking while desperately trying and utterly failing. “Not A Word! Either of you,” came the deep reply of Purple stallion.
With that the two other ponies lost it and couldn’t stop laughing. As they passed a pegasus and unicorn Ranma absently greeted them, “hey Kasumi and Nabiki.”
Ranma stopped in her tracks, turned to the two they just past and said something of the utmost wisdom and understanding, “uh, what?”
“Please, take me with you,” Nabiki simply stated, her eyes practically begging as the rest of her face remained emotionless.
Kasumi dropping her mask of serenity and donning one of shock, nervously asks, “I don’t…” At this Nabiki merely raises an eyebrow and a flash of worry crosses Kasumi face, “I mean I would never…” She sighs and drops the pretense. “Please don’t stop me,” she pleads as desperate tears begin forming in her eyes.
For a second Nabiki has a shark like smile on her face before a much warmer and lighter one graces her face. “You didn’t hear what I said,” she almost laughs. “‘Please, take me with you,’ I don’t want to stay .”
“But… but why?” Kasumi asks confused. “What about college, your career, your friends?” After a few seconds hesitation she add, “Our family?”
Nabiki’s look lost any softness it might have had and harden to the point where even the title ‘Ice Queen of Furinkan High School’ was a gross understatement. “What family? Besides you all that’s in this house, which hasn’t been a home in years, is a spoiled brat with delusions that could do a Kuno proud, a human shaped waterfall that demands more maintenance than a faulty time piece, and a fur rug that does a decent imitation of a waste disposal plant,” she seethed. “I want to be with my brother again, and I don’t want to bring him back to this mad house. Even if it is mad, I prefer an asylum where they actually care about each other,” she admitted quietly to herself as much to her older sister.
“Your friends? And, what about college?” asked a Kasumi with grow reluctant resignation.
Laughing unpleasantly, Nabiki began, “friends? …let me think… Nope no one that fits that description. I do have a few business associates that would love nothing more than to stab me in the back if it wasn’t for the fact they fear retribution.” A small smile gracing her face she continued, “I remember having some a long time ago, but after…, after I just push them and everyone else not family away.” Her smile took on a hint of melancholy, “by the time I started seeing my surroundings again all I had was a broken family and people who didn’t even want to be around me.”
Kasumi got out of her bed rushed over and enveloped the sister she failed to see the pain of, in a much needed hug. Nabiki returned the hug after she got over her initial surprise, but still refused to cry at all.
Her older sister pulls her away a bit to stare her in the eyes, “what about college and your education?” The absolute resolution in her sister’s eyes tells Nabiki that what how she answered would determine her sister’s choice.
Nabiki’s smile was somewhere between a shark’s and a warm smile, “do you think I would pay those ridiculous prices for a piece of paper?”
Confusion ran across Kasumi’s face, “what do you mean?”
The smile shifted more towards shark, “all you need to do is read the books and take the tests, right?”
“I suppose so.”
“Now a days one doesn’t even need to take entrances exams to get college credits, there are a multiple ways to simply get credit through exams. And, with enough credits in the right place one can even get one of these,” Nabiki said as she held up a Master’s degree in one of the fields of business. Kasumi was stunned.
It took Kasumi a few moments to come out of her stupor, and when she did she weakly asked, “Akane?”
“I don’t think she should come, she seems pretty fine sleeping with the pig,” sneered Nabiki.
“Oh, is Ryoga pulling the old P-chan routine?” asked Kasumi innocently.
“No he’s actually sleepi… wait,” Nabiki mouth agape turned to Kasumi who was still smiling innocently. “You knew?”
“Even Akane knows,” Kasumi stated matter-of-factly. “For at least a couple of months, now.”
Nabiki just sat there with her mouth opening and closing wordlessly like a fish trying to breath. Kasumi found it quite humorous.
The sun lazily drifted over of the peacefully sleeping eldest Tendo sister. The light of its rays irritating Kasumi forced her to start stirring. She lifted a hand to her face to shield it from the abuse of the sky tyrant. Groggily she opens up her protected eyes and thinks, “I wonder when’s the last time I’ve been woken up by the sun…”
In a panic she sat bolt up, “oh, my!” She franticly began looking for her clock. “Oh no, it already so late. If I don’t make breakfast soon, Akane will…” a shiver ran down her spine. Forgoing changing out of her sleeping gown she ran out her room and down the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom step, her face became neutral before slipping on her ever-present serene smile as she made her way to the kitchen.
“I so sorry Akane, I most of forgot the alarm. Don’t worry about breakfast, I can handle it. Why don’t you…” Kasumi stopped when she noticed the auburn haired lady in pace of her youngest sister. Backtracking she began again, “Soatome-san, I sorry I didn’t realize you were visiting.” Her smile became a little more genuine, even as she unconsciously tried to cover herself a little more. “I’m sorry to say your son hasn’t returned yet.”
“Oh Kasumi how wonderful to see you today,” Nodoka greeted her with a smile of her own. “Your father and my Husband have both told me what happened with the ‘master’ making a deal with a demon allowing it to steal him away. They also thought that since you do so much around here you could use a day to yourself. I told them I would be honored to help with the cooking.”
Kasumi didn’t know what to do with herself sat at the family table. It wasn’t the first time Nodoka had helped cooked, but it was the first time she handle all the cooking with Kasumi doing anything. It felt weird, strange, different “what does one do when another makes their meal.”
Genma and Soun were playing their eternal game of shoji. (Read using stupid distractions to cheat each other for position)
Soun got up and approached his daughter. “Daughter, for all that you have done for this family over the years I, as head of the Tendo clan, wish to show my appreciation,” he declared before offering her a box. As she opened it, she realized that it did indeed show his appreciation. Contain within was a complete box set of the first season of MLP:FIM. Of coarse, what he failed to realize is that it was a box set for ‘Male Licking Ponies: Fetish Is Magic.’ Kasumi shivered at the implications of her own father handing her something like that.
Genma wasted no time making his move. Soun would find several pieces missing and his opponent’s in advantageous positions. Genma with his victory assured got up and said, “to thank you for your hospitality, here.” What he handed her was a small supply of cleaning materials, all used of coarse.
Anyone else’s face would show a sign of what they thought, but Kasumi’s was as saintly as always as she thank the two for their ‘thoughtful gifts.’
Akane carrying P-chan(her pet ‘pig’ for any not in the know) walked in shortly afterwards, clearly having just gotten out of the furo. A smug smirk on her face, “so the pervert still hasn’t returned?”
“Kasumi has yet to wish him back,” answered Soun assured of himself.
“Oh, to be cursed with a worthless son who needs to be saved by a… kind and sweet girl,” Genma nervously finished.
“Definitely got the worthless part right, right P-chan,” a oink was her answer.
Breakfast had been a somber affair with Nibiki join sometime before it start. All the while Mrs. Nodoka kept asking about what her son had been up to before his disappearance.
Just before Kasumi got up to gather the dishes, a light coughing from behind made her jump a bit as everyone else turned to face the source. “So Ms. Tendo have you decided on a wish.”
“Oh, you must be the nice demon who took the ‘master’ away?” asked Nodoka with a smile.
“In a matter of speaking,” Hild replied smiling as well, and even sharks would shiver.
“She wishes…” Genma and Soun replied in unison before Hild gave them a glare that literally made voices freeze.
“I’ll get to you two shortly,” the smile was predatorily. As she looked at Kasumi it softened a little, “your wish dear?”
“I wish…”
So there they were standing in the middle of the town square with ponies wondering to and fro going about their everyday lives. While Nabiki took account of her new form and disappointingly discovered she would have to learn to wield her now inherent magic, her sister was standing in wordless awe. Kasumi stood there as her already large eyes widen more and more by the second at the onset of the world’s greatest nerd-gasm. Her head kept whip lashing unable to decide which sight she wanted to see more at the moment. A smile both full of innocent wonder and manic obsession, to do a Kuno disserves, spread across her face. The sound that finally came out of her mouth was less a squeal and more a supersonic whistle. Nabiki turn in shear shock at her sister. Everypony in the area turned to find what made that sound, upon noticing it was just another weird pony in a town full of unusual ponies they went about their own business.
Nabiki jabbed an elbow, or at least what would be an elbow if she were still human, in to her elder sister’s ribcage, “you’re making a scene,” she whispered.
“But…, but…, but there’s so many. Look, look there’s Lyra and Bonbon,” she stated barely able to keep her voice below an excited shout. “Oh my, there’s Derpy and…, and Mayor Mare,” she gasped in awe and delight. “Oh and there’s Pinkie Pie, this is absolutely lovely,” Kasumi was practically dancing in place.
There walking down Mane St. one of her favorite ponies in the flesh. Standing next to her, was an earth pony stallion that looked a lot like Twilight. “I wonder who that is,” and, on the other side of the Twilight look-a-like was. “Ranma,” she whispered.
Nabiki turned and they listened to the conversation between the three.
Between the laughing, Ranma got out, “…so. But, ya should’a seen your face. It was all like, bam, blink, blink ‘what just happened,’ she fell over laughing.
“But that should have work. If it was a disguise spell it should have removed the illusion, and transformation magic is too unstable to hold up to a spell of that level,” the stallion desperately pleaded with reality.
“I’m surprised the princesses didn’t warn you. Especially, after their own disastrous attempt,” chimed the cheerfully bouncing pink pony.
Shock and worry crossed the stallions face as he turned to his companion, “what do you mean? What happened? Are they okay?”
“Well…,” Ranma began hesitantly. “When I said it was a curse Celestia…”
“Princess Celestia!” corrected Twilight.
“decided that,” Ranma went on deliberately ignoring Twilight’s correction, “there was no such things as curses, and went about undoing the… how did she put it Pinkie?” she asked the pink pony.
Pinkie sat on her hunches as she lifted a fore-hoof to her chin in contemplation, “I think she called it a ‘blasphemous attempt at corrupting the purity of magic and friendship,’ but I think that was more her venting her anger at Hildy-wildy.” With the question answered she went back to bouncing.
“Yeah that,” Ranma declared. “Anyway, so then she starts casting a dispel spell, and as Jusenkyo refused her, she kept pouring more and more power into it. When it looked like even that wouldn’t be enough she asked Luna…”
“Princess Luna,” corrected an enthralled Twilight absently.
“Luna,” Ranma repeated defiantly, “to help her. So, she started pouring on the power. All the while I was kinda hoping they’d succeed. But, I think the curse was just waiting for her to add her power. There was a blinding flash and the next thing I know everyone but me, Pinkie, and Discord have changed…”
“What do you mean? What happened? Are they okay?” Twilight repeated her earlier inquires.
Ranma turns and waves a hoof absently, “hey Kasumi and Nabiki.” She stops, more accurately her front hooves stop but her back keep going. The result is Ranma finding out what the pavement tastes like first hand. Ignoring a now silent, but still panicking Twilight, she went to the two ponies, “what are you two doing here?” Just as the words her mouth, Ranma’s eyes began bugging out, and she began nervously looking around. “The others aren’t with you are they?” Then she realized what she was and tried desperately to cover herself. “This isn’t what it looks like, it isn’t my fault. I can explain,” after a moments pause she continued, “well maybe not explain, but I didn’t do it. I swear.”
Kasumi has a genuine smile while Nabiki just smirks before saying “oh! You mean how Happosai bit off more than he could chew and finally gave a demon the upper hand. Or, how he pissed off the demons in the first place by making himself untouchable by trading a special spear. Maybe it’s the fact that the demons made a deal with the kami to get you here,” as she made her list Ranma’s face went from shock to understanding to resignation. Nabiki’s part her eyes just kept filling with more and more mirth.
“I knew the kami were out to get me,” declared Ranma. “But that spear most of been something special if demons couldn’t even touch him. I wonder if it’s that same spear from that library in New York?”
“Wait you went to a library before Nerima?” asked Nabiki in wonder.
“Well it was more a warehouse to store and maintain the magical items of the world or, tried to anyways. At least, it was more interesting than the one in Europe with all those ‘Rare Books.’ Though, I couldn’t tell which was more fun dodging that flying sword or the paper lady,” Ranma began laughing.
Nabiki was interested, but before she could find out more Kasumi interrupted, “I don’t mean to be rude but if you don’t tell Twilight what happened to the princesses she might explode.” Then whispered under her breath, “again, just like with Pinkie.”
“Oh that,” Ranma glanced over to the stallion. Eye twitching, practically bouncing on his hoofs, but the biggest sign of impending doom was the static discharge coursing through his mane and tail. Nervously Ranma said, “um, where was I?”
“You were at the best part, just after the big magical explosion and on the reveal,” Pinkie was a like filly waiting for the punch-line of a joke so she could laugh.
“Right, so the blinding flash fades and there where Celestia was is this giant white wolf with paint swirls on her shoulders, paws, and tail, and a floating disk on her back. Luna became a giant swan. The pillars turned in to nymphs and the throne started chasing them after becoming a satyr.”
Twilight stopped bouncing, eye just twitching uncontrollably.
“Oh, and there was those two guards,” Ranma was smirking.
“Yeah, one was barking up the walls,” Pinkie opened.
“And, the other was quacking mad,” Ranma finished.
“So let me guess, one became a dog and the other a duck?” Nabiki asked.
“Nope, one became a balloon wiener dog, and the other duck call,” Ranma answered chuckling. Pinkie was just laughing her flank off. Kasumi was gently giggling, while Nabiki’s and Twilight’s expressions mirrored each other’s incredulousness. “They were safely placed into a padded room while Celestia and Luna try to figure out how to fix it,” Ranma supplied.
Not far from the little group a set of eyes watch the events unfold and couldn’t help but laugh merrily. That is until she was tackled from behind by a pink blur she lost track of while watch it directly. After they tumbled and rolled a distance they ended up in front of the very group that the shadowy figure had been watching.
“Hild, is that you?” asked a curious Kasumi as a d’aw expression lit up her face. “You look so adorable, how’d you get so small?”
The miniature queen of the demons tried to stand up only to find herself restrained by pink forelegs in what might be affectingly called a passionate hug. Most would describe it as the warm embrace of death. “Yay this means I get to throw you all a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ pary,” the pink pony exclaimed in excitement.
She had seen chaos. Faced down the source of it’s machinations. Watched as the very foundations of her world were flipped on their heads. She had overcome and order restored.
She was no stranger to mayhem. It’s in the very nature of ponies, to panic and ultimately bring about wonton destruction. They have worked themselves into a frenzy over and over again. She had been calm and made them see reason.
But this… this was just ludicrous. She just couldn’t understand it. Half of Ponyville lay in ruin, the other half was ablaze. Ponies were frolicking, laughing, and enjoying life, while monsters of all shapes and sizes ran in mortal terror for their lives.
The truly strange part, Discord was trying to bring back order while Celestia, the princess of Equestria, her mentor, merely sat there and watched. “Would you like some popcorn!”
Sometime ago Nightmare Moon had come prancing around like a cat. That had freaked her out until Luna came over and hugged her. Then Nightmare hissed and ran away, with Luna barking in hot pursuit.
Enemies from her past decided today was a great day to show up.
Chrysalis had showed up singing about love, and changed anyone into what ever they wanted. Fluttershy became a tree, Derpy an uneatable muffin, Lyra was what she called a human. For some reason ‘he’ found that incredibly funny. And, the list goes on.
Sombra came spreading sunshine and daisies. He would build staircases and podiums for any who wanted it. Rainbow Dash received more than a few.
Tirek scared her half to death, right before he started turning every pony he came into contact with into alicorns. Now there were princesses, and princes for just about everything under the sun. One for carrots, one for pies, two for cakes, a rose princess, and so on, and so on.
Her world wasn’t crumbling, or fading. It had imploded only to explode, and then for the fun of it, imploded again.
And there, at the epicenter of it all, the bane of her existence. Just standing there, looking all innocent and doe-eyed, as if to say he neither knew what happened nor how it came to this.
Her eye-twitched, how did it come to this? Where did they go wrong?
It all started out innocently enough, with but a question, a simple, simple question. How the worlds can be so easily undone.
Earlier that same day, the second day since Ranma arrived in Ponyville…
“WAIT!” screamed Pinkie Pie. “You left everyone hanging with me and Hildy last chapter. The masses want to know, what the hay?”
Fine, yesterday just after Pinkie tackled a tenth dimensional being, who was using a seventh dimensional pocket to spy on the group of ponies…
So the pink menace…
“Hey!”
The pink menace was hold the chibi form of the Diamakaicho, and squeezing the ever-loving stuffing out of her.
Hild turned to Pinkie, “how’d you find me, dear?” the last word was spoke a little too sweetly.
“Oh, that’s easy! My Pinkie sense was saying someone was watching us while hiding, so I looked around until I found a place that I saw that I couldn’t see so I looked in there and there you were, and I was so happy I just had to give you a hug. Then the author tried to skip this and I thought the readers would be upset and that made me sad to think that they might be sad, so I made sure that the author made sure to add this part before explaining the insanity that hits Ponyville tomorrow,” everyone just sat there and blinked trying to put together what Pinkie just said. After a moment of that fruitless endeavor they shook their heads and went back to the task at hand.
“Hild-sama, it’s so nice to see you again,” Kasumi said as she bowed respectfully.
“You’re a demon,” this exclamation was followed by an explosion.
“You really shouldn’t try to channel unicorn magic in an earth pony body, dear,” Hild told Twilight in a motherly way. “When it destabilizes it will give you such a headache.”
“Um,” Nabiki began a little nervously, “if you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?” After a pause she added, “you’re not going to do anything drastic, are you?”
“Sorry to disappoint, but shortly after I made Nightmare Moon, little Discy’s lawyers got upset,” Hild pouted. “They didn‘t want me to interfere. ‘Just because he’s in stone doesn’t mean he can’t spread chaos,’ and it might not have helped that I may have broken a few dozen elder rules and laws. But seriously, what are laws but to be broken. So, I’m only limited to sit and watch. And really, where talking Ranma Saotome, THE Ranma Saotome, what more do I need to do but watch?” She said innocently as an atmosphere of foreboding descended on the gathered and Ranma sighed in resignation.
“Yay, you’ll be staying, that means so much,” Pinkie said as she once again hugged the chibi Hild. She suddenly turned Hild around and stared her straight in the eye, “But, no more hiding okay? I‘m sure no one will mind you being around.” After thinking a moment she side up to her and staged whispered conspiratorially, “maybe just for Luna, at least until she becomes your friend.”
“Maybe not no one,” Hild answered indicating the still dazed Twilight.
The next morning, Ranma’s second day in Ponyville, hours before the mayhem…
Twilight awoke and immediately jumped out of her bed in a panic. Checking herself over thoroughly she noted, one unicorn horn, two pegasi wings, and the most important a distinct lack of male parts. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, she realized she was in her room, and it was all a bad, very bad dream.
There was no alicorn changeling things, no high level demons, no sentient magical curses, and absolute no chaos (outside the Ponyville usual). All was right with the world.
“A-a-achoo!”
…
…
…
The scream that followed has been censored to prevent permanent damage to the audiences’ ears. Five minutes later.
In the dinning hall Spike and Kasumi were both fidgeting a little at the scream.
“You two might not want to be near her for a bit,” Ranma stated to which they both of them gave her a look that said ‘why.’ “Right now she’s venting her rage at the circumstances, anyone she can find might get the bad end of it. Give her a few minutes and her fury will be redirected at me.”
They both looked at her incredulously, until after a few minutes they heard what sounded like a stampede.
“You,” Twilight accused, “what did you do to me?”
“Me,” Ranma answered innocently. “All I did was tell you I was telling the truth and warn you not to mess with dangerous magic. I believe you chose to ignore both.”
“You, you, you… argh!” Twilight steamed.
“I’ve never seen Twilight like this,” Spike commented. “She’s been annoyed with Discord and frustrated with Pinkie but this is on a whole new level.”
“It’s so nice to see Ranma making friends with Twilight,” Kasumi stated. Both Spike and Twilight looked at her as if she grew a second head on her tail that was singing polka, off key.
“I’m pretty sure that Twilight hates her guts,” Spike pointed out.
“Exactly!” exclaimed Kasumi. “She isn’t trying to kill him, so obviously they’re friends,” she stop for a second to think. “That’s how it usually works.”
Twilight was speechless. “Let me get this straight, anyone not trying to kill her is her friend?” Spike asked.
As Kasumi and Nabiki nodded, “that’s how it works for me,” Pinkie exclaimed from the chandelier before disappearing.
“But, what… huh?” it took a few moments for Spike and Twilight to minds back on track. “But, that’s not how friendships worked,” they both thought.
“So… what are you planning on doing today?” ask Twilight of her house guests, through grit teeth.
“Spike agreed to show me around town and introduce me to some of the locals,” Kasumi said barely able to contain her glee.
“I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind, showing me how to use some magic?” asked Nabiki. “I’m a little new to having a horn,” after a moment a thought occurred to her and she started blushing.
“Maybe later, I can have Rainbow Dash teach me how to fly,” Kasumi mumbled to herself.
“Me, I was planning on doing some training,” answered Ranma. “I’m not entirely use to this body yet.”
“Training? Training in what?” asked Twilight.
“Martial arts,” the three Nerimans said in unison before braking out in laughter.
It started off simple enough there was an explosion in the Everfree Forest. It shook Ponyville and the surrounding areas for a few miles. The residents held their breathe and waited. When no further destruction was forthcoming they past it off as just a minor occurrence of the forest.
Then a few hours later the parasprites came. As they descended, the flowers bloomed, harvests came early, and oven were mysteriously fill with baked goods. The ponies were too shocked to panic.
And it only got worst from there.
A scheduled shower ran into problems as the houses and any nonliving thing the rain touch burst into flames. It took them a few minutes to figure out the water had become combustible.
The unicorn’s that tried to help out, ran into a similar problem. When they used their magic to try to repair the buildings, some of the more normal stuff, or just lift anything in their magic it just disintegrated.
Within the hour monster started appearing from the Everfree. Hydras were chase by prancing foals, timber wolves ran from dancing ponies, and manticores tried to flee from the shuffling elders.
That was when they began to show up.
Starlight Glimmer declaring individuality boosts morale and happiness. Chrysalis singing songs of love and joy. Sombra preaching peace and liberty. Finally, Tirek giving out power like it was candy.
All her worst nightmares had come true. But, they had been twisted into some sick parody of what they were. There was only one hope to save the day.
As Celestia appeared, Twilight sighed in relieve, “PRINCESS, I really need your help!”
“If this has anything to do with that abomination that pretends to be magic or its host, you can count me out,” Celestia stated to a horrified Twilight.
“But… but,” Twilight stammered.
“Don’t worry,” Celestia used her horn to summon Discord, “I’m sure he won’t mind keeping it from getting to far out of hand.”
“Now Celly, why would I mess with this piece of artwork,” Discord asked.
“Discord, you couldn’t help with my sister and my problem, ahem,” Celestia blushed. “So if her ‘problem’ is involved, there would be little you could do. Besides these things tend to sort themselves out. So, I merely suggest that while you enjoy it, just keep from being dangerous.”
“Dangerous, DANGEROUS, I’m sorry princess but if you hadn’t noticed there are monsters and fires running free!!!” screamed Twilight.
“Twilight, dear, if you keep screaming like that you’ll scratch your throat raw. Now if you look around, you’d notice that though there is a lot of destruction, no ones live is in jeopardy, there isn’t even any injuries. In fact though there’s a lot of chaos it seems to be avoiding actually hurting anyone which is why I’m asking Discord if he wouldn’t mind making sure it stays that way.” She looked at Twilight with smile and asked, “Now would you like some popcorn?”
Twilight just sat there eye twitching, and mouth agape, “I think you broke her, Celly.”
“Oh my!”
Somewhere nearby, Kasumi fainted, and began twitching in fangasm.
“What did you do?” Twilight was practically snarling at Ranma.
“I didn’t do nothing,” complained Ranma. “I been passed out for the last few hours.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight yelled in frustration.
“Well, I was practicing in that forest you told me about, when a branch I landed on snapped. Next thing I know I’m in the middle of this field of blue flowers.” After moments thought she added, “it felt kinda weird like something was messing with the curse. Then boom, there’s this big explosion and the next thing I remember is waking up a few minutes. I heard the…” waves her hooves around, “whatever you call this and came to see what was up.”
Twilight’s eye began twitching, “you mean all off this, is because you took a roll in Poison Joke, and your curse acted up.” She threw her hooves up in defeat.
“So you know how to fix this?” Ranma asked hopefully.
“Yes, you just need to take a bath in a brew of herbs,” said a second Twilight to the right of Ranma.
“WHO ARE YOU???” screamed the first Twilight.
“Oh! I guess I’m the first to show up,” stated the new Twilight. “Let’s see, what did she say… oh yes, I’m a temporal clone from a few minutes from now.” The two just stared at her. “Time just seems to being sporadic here and there. No reason to panic, just get her,” pointed to Ranma, “to the spar, for a Poison Joke Special.”
“Just make sure you go straight on Main,” said a third Twilight.
“Oh, a right on Mare St.,” said a fourth Twilight.
“And, you absolutely can’t forget that left turn at Albuquerque,” reminded a fifth Twilight.
Just as Twilight was getting confused, and long after Ranma already was, there was a pull. Then…
Splash, and Ranma found herself in a spa bath in an unfamiliar building. “wha…” they both began before all the memories of their temporal clones slammed into their heads, and with a massive migraine they passed happily into unconsciousness.
The Devil smirked and there was a blind flash of light. Where Kasumi and Nabiki once stood there was nothing.
Akane was stunned, not only did she lose Ranma, but now that pervert took her sisters with him. When she saw him again, Mallet-sama would smash him into a fine paste. Ryouga could make sure he didn’t run from what was coming.
Genma was worried, really, really worried. The only one of the sisters to know what a women was good for and actually good at, was gone. The dreaded one remained, how dare that boy leave behind his fiancée and jeopardize his retirement. The boy needed to apologize, or at the very least take the girl before she tried to cook something. He unconsciously shuddered.
Soun normally a man with a single emotion, despair, snapped. First his wife taken too soon and now his first and second born children. Of course without Nabiki the poor man would find it hard to keep up his current level of Saké consumption. Furthermore, without Kasumi he might have to suffer Akane’s attempts at cooking. His shuddering mirrored his friends without either noticing. Not to mention Ranma leaving Akane here, now how would the schools be joined?
“What did you do to my daughter, you monster?” wailed Soun Tendo.
“Why thank you, I do try,” Hild took a stage bow. “And to answer your question, merely granting her wish as per our agreement,” She smirked.
“My daughter would never betray and dishonor our family. You must have manipulated and possessed her,” Soun accused. Then he wailed, “My precious babies have been tainted and stolen!”
“You pervert!” shrieked Akane. “What have you done to my sisters? If you don’t return them I’ll…” She stopped mid rant as a miasma thick and lethal spread from Hild.
“While I won’t deny being a pervert, in fact I am the original pervert. I’ll have you know that I take free will seriously. And I do not ‘appreciate’ those who take it or my word lightly,” Hild’s tone was calm but held a stare that was as sharp as steel.
Akane gulped and took an unconscious step backwards, but refused to look away.
“As for returning them, the deal is struck and no force in heaven or earth can undo it. So, they’ll return when and if they want. Your sister is a clever girl,” She gave a smirk that would make a shark flinch. Her gaze then fell on the two elder males, “now I believe our business is not yet settled. Will you part with your knowledge, willingly?”
Soun was about to refuse until she returned his daughters, when he felt something. He turned to look at the Dojo, specifically the shrine to his late wife, and for a second he could have sworn he heard someone say ‘please, let his evil go’. Another shudder ran down his spine, and he let out a sigh as a content smile formed on his face. For a moment of clarity, he was the man he use to be.
“Fine take it, if for no other reason than to be rid of ‘The Master’.”
‘Fool…’ Genma thought as a gleam entered his eyes. “So you're saying I have something you need to fulfill a deal between heaven and hell?”
“Genma, what are you doing?” Soun asked in a near panic. “Do you wish to bring Him back?”
Genma smirked, “Of course not old friend, but I haven’t gotten where I am by throwing away perfectly good opportunities.” He turned to look at the demon his smile only widening, “now then if you want what I got then I want something in return. Or, was that line about free will only for show?”
‘Well I was hoping for both of them to push the issue, but oh well a bird in the hand and all that. Though, I‘ll have to have a chat with kami about that spirit‘s interference,’ Hild thought to herself glancing for a moment at the same shrine.
“Very well, in exchange for the techniques I will grant you one wish, but remember your son is out of the question,” the look on her face was that of the cat that caught the mouse.
He sat there and did something unusual for him, he thought. He no longer needed the boy, which was good since the brat had been less and less cooperative as of late. No the boy was only a means to an end just as much to himself as this lady here, and now the ends were in reach. No catches, no problems, he had what she needed and offered everything he wanted.
“Well, since you refuse to return my dishonorable son, I wish for the retirement I deserve. Where I’ll want for nothing, have to do nothing, and be undisturbed by those who would harass me. All while being immortalized as the great parent I have always been,” He harrumphed in triumph. That is until he saw her smile had only grown more predatory.
“Deal.”
The world swirled in a kaleidoscope of colors, barely veiling the flames and shadows that clearly powered the spell. When the light faded Genma found himself in a courtyard surrounded by alabaster walls that glowed faintly with magic. Just in view were towers both beautiful and moderate. Genma turned around to find the demon hovering just above the ground.
“Where the h*** am I-,” he blinked. “-What was that?”
“This is the sacred land, Avalon, resting place of King Arthur. It has not had a mortal step foot on it since Merlin laid him to rest. As punishment for an ancient trespass I have not been allowed to set foot on these hollow shores for eons,” Hild stated fore-longingly. “As for what happened, not only were you going to curse but you were going to mention the place of eternal damnation by one of it’s many names on these shores,” at his incredulous face she merely smirked. “Yes, you were censored.”
“But why are we here?” Genma growled.
“Your debtors and everyone you’ve ever wronged will never be able to reach you here,” Hild answered and Genma’s jaw dropped.
“And… and the rest?”
A bright flash of light consumed Genma and in his place stood a statue.
“Just as I promised you are immortal. You have become a goddess, though in name only. You have none of the powers, benefits, or perks of your new role. In truth your more of a focus for your new realm,” Hild smirked like a shark. “Speaking of your realm of influence, you may or may not have noticed but you’re currently female. Not only female, but…” she paused as she put a hand on a very noticeable bulge on the new goddess’s abdomen. “My word you are quite a ways along, now aren’t you?”
Silence.
“Ah, the mother to be is shy and embarrassed,” Hild said in motherly joy. “Don’t worry, you’ll know the joys of childbirth very soon,” her smile twisted. “As the ‘great parent’ you are, your domain is the safety of newborns and those yet to be born. To ensure their safety you shall experience the ‘joys’ of birth, and of course all credit will go to the mortal sciences. Doesn‘t that make you happy?”
More silence.
“Oh my, so overjoyed you’re speechless,” Hild exclaimed in glee. “And isn’t it wonderful? Being a statue you won’t have to do a thing, because statues usually do nothing but stand there. Just like you wanted.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief, “and as an added bonus, your made of 24-Karat gold. That means your finally worth your weight in gold!” she laughed merrily. “You shouldn’t have taken advantage of my generosity, twice.”
“I presume I won’t be able to remove that,” said a tall man with a mane and beard of wild silver hair.
“Ah, Merlin, I presume you heard all that?” Hild asked without turning to the voice.
“Though your cause may be just, don’t you believe you may have been a bit cruel?” Merlin asked.
Hild began laughing, “Maybe a little over the top, but…” She snapped her fingers and a large bulky folder appears before Merlin. He gently took hold of the floating folder. “His file,” Hild answered the unasked question.
After five minutes of reading the highlights. “My apologies for insulting your generosity,” he says to Hild. “And, my earlier question?”
“The only way to remove him is for me to separate him from the very ground,” Hild supplied.
“I take it that would require you being in contact with said ground?”
Hild’s only response was a smirk. “So be it, but do call ahead next time you drop by. Would you like some tea? It’s been awhile since you last visited.”
“Sadly, I need to get back to my soaps,” Hild replied.
The most painful sound to wake up to. The sound of your blood pumping roughly through one’s head. It is a sound most often ignore, unfortunately impossible for those lucky few suffering from the evil, the dreaded, the all consuming hangover.
Not yet wanting to succumb to the effects of a party she couldn’t remember and the waking world in general, Twilight curled up hugging her pillow close. Her warm, squishy, pony sized pillow.
Her warm, squishy, pony sized pillow that was currently groaning from its own headache.
Snapping her eyes open was an action Twilight immediately regretted. The first thing she became aware of after she got the needles out of her eyes was the cold hard tile floor she and her pillow were lying on.
But the second thing made her blood run cold. “Oh, don’t they make such the cute couple?” Her and her ‘pillow’ had an audience.
“Your so silly, Hildy.” Twilight turned her head to her pink friend and presumably Queen of the Damned (read immortal pain in her butt). Remembering her earlier mistake slowly opened her eyes and just stared, blankly.
After a few moments she found her voice, “um, Pinkie, why do you have a horn?”
“Because, Hild said I could keep it. And, the wings,” she said flashing said wings. Twilight was speechless.
Ranma awoke with a splitting headache and being squeezed for all he was wroth. “Great! Drugged, again,” he sighed mentally. “And, while I was out Shampoo snuck into my bed, again.” There was some talking and ‘Shampoo’ let go of her ‘pillow.’ “And here comes Akane jumping to conclusions and going to smash me with Mallet-sama, AGAIN!”
As he was about to open his eyes a thought occurred, “ever time I‘m awake for what comes next she hits me.” He closed his eyes from the sliver they had opened. “Maybe if she thinks I’m still asleep, things will be different… yep, the strangling is definitely different.” He would have sighed, if not for the pressure closing off his lungs from the sweet, sweet air.
His eyes snapped opened. “BAD IDEA!” It took a moment for the pain to subside, and his eyes to adjust. “How is Twilight strangling me with hooves.” More pressing matters demanded his attention. “gak cough hack hack cough hack gak?” (why are ya choking me?)
“You are never leaving my sight again, do you hear me?” Twilight said. Ranma was worried she was losing it. It wasn’t the throttling of him or the weird location, no it was subtle things like, the frazzling of her hair, the twitch of her left eye, not to mention the murderous glare, and the bit spittle from her mouth as she issued her threat/warning/demand.
Curse Form: Subject’s curse form (probably disguise) as she would have you believe is that of a mare in her teens.
Race: Apparent race is that of Alicorn.
Fur Color: Her fur is a black with a sheen, almost ebony quality.
Mane Color Two: Her mane is a dark crimson color. (Note to self look into correlation for its near blood like color)
Tail Color: Her tail color matches mane.
Eye Color: The most beautiful Sapphire blue eyes.
Cutie Mark: Golden Apple with stem and two leave, encircled by two thorn vines. (Note find out why associates/accomplices keep laughing whenever this is brought up)
Magic Aura: N/A
True Form: Changeling(investigate possibility of dissection)
aside: look into plague as a means for second invasion
Eyes: Allegedly blue irises(instead of turquoise compounded eyes)
Carapace Color: Black(unconfirmed)
Wings: N/A
Wing Cover Color: Crimson. (Possible correlation to mane color)
Fin Color: Crimson. (See attach to Wing Cover Color)
Tail Color: Crimson. (See attach to Wing Cover Color)
Magic Aura: N/A
Experiment One: Magical Aura in Alicorn form;
“Okay, lets start with something easy,” as Twilight turns around she notices Nabiki just standing there. “Um, Why are here?”
“I figured, since you were going to try and teach him magic, I might as well figure out how this thing works as well,” she said as she indicated the horn on her head with a hoof.
After a moments thought, Twilight beamed, “that’s a great idea. Since you don’t know how to use magic you can be the control.”
“This is going to be fun,” Hild said.
Before Twilight could question why she was here as well, Pinkie popped in. “Here Hildy, I brought the popcorn.”
“Popcorn?” Twilight and Nabiki asked.
“Well, duh, you can’t have fireworks without popcorn,” proclaimed Pinkie
Any comment the two had was interrupted when Kasumi hugged Pinkie and sat down next to her. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“No Probblamo, shows are more fun with friends,” Pinkie failed to notice the blush her comment produced.
Deciding it best for her sanity that she didn’t pursue this further, Twilight stated, “Can we please get back to the test… er, lesson.”
“By all means don’t stop on our account,” Hild said with an unsettling smile.
“Right… let’s start with something easy,” Twilight went on. “First we’ll test your current potential.”
She then pulled out an ornate box with three coat of arms. The first and most prominent was that of The Royal Pony Sisters, Luna’s crescent moon superimposed on Celestia’s sun. The second was a white star burst with two light blue stars swirling around it. The third a salamander wrapped around a shard of volcanic glass. Inside were about twenty crystals in silk lining. The crystals glowed in an ethereal light-blue hew.
Pinkie noticed one of the smaller insignia and excitedly called, “oh my, those are Mudpie originals!”
“You know the craft-pony?” Twilight asked. “All I could find was some land and titles currently held by his family.”
“Well of coarse silly, she’s one of history’s greatest gem smith and enchanters. She’s practically a family legend.”
“What do you mean by family legend?” Twilight asked.
“She’s my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great-aunt on my mother’s father’s side.” Pinkie answered.
“Your family really likes rocks?” Was all Twilight could get out in her stunned surprise. Turning somewhat mechanically toward the two awaiting students. “Lets get started.” She levitated two of the crystals over to them. The crystals’ light dimming. “Just try to focus energy into these and they should give a reading of your current levels.” She stated before mumbling, “and let me analyze just what type of magic you have.” She eyed the alicorn.
After several minutes of concentration Nabiki’s crystal shown like a light bulb.
Twilight inspected the results. “Slightly above average, good consistency, nice potential. Interesting, your magical aura doesn’t match your eyes. That only happens in a tenth of the population. I wonder if it has to do with how you came here.” She noted as observed slight blue aura of Nabiki’s horn.
They both turned to Ranma who had been going at it with an intense look on his face. His eyes a glaring at the rock as it taunted by staying unlit.
“Ah, Ranma?” Nabiki began in a worried tone.
“What do you want? I’m kinda busy,” Ranma snapped as he tried to push more Ki into the stone.
“Are you focusing Ki into that stone?” Nabiki asked as she began to step back to where their audience was. Twilight hesitated a moment before follow her.
“Yeah, so?”
“You’re suppose to be channeling magic not Ki. I don’t know if these stones are capable of detecting Ki, or for that matter handling it.” Nabiki and Twilight both looked on in horror as there was a loud crackling sound from the crystal. Ranma blinked just as a cracked ran down the stone’s surface.
There was a blast of colors and sounds as Ki was let loose from the artifact, through the castle wall, and carried on for about half a mile. Nearby ponies almost panicked at the explosion until they realized where it originated from.
“What a wonderful display,” commented Hild with a smirk.
“It was quite, um, beautiful,” added Kasumi, trying to suppress her glee.
Pinkie had no such qualms, “do it, again. Do it, again.”
“Um, Twilight,” Spike waved a claw in front of her face. “A fly just flew in your mouth. Twilight? Twilight, Twilight…”
Conclusion: Inconclusive; While the crystal has trace amounts of the magical imprints of Earth pony, Unicorn, and Pegasus Magic, the fragments were too faint to properly distinguish from background magical radiation. (Note: investigate this strange energy source subject referred to as Ki)
“This test just raises more questions,” Twilight sighed in defeat.
Side Note: While repairs are being made gather information on this supposed relationship to Princess Luna.
Side Note 2: See if Zecora has anything for migraines(and buy in bulk).