Ranma stared at the ceiling of his tent, fingers crossed over his stomach while light slowly filtered through the canopy. Being alone with his thoughts was more difficult now that Sylph was a constant presence in his mind, but there were brief times she lay dormant.

It had been two days since they'd set out from Sylph's forest and an icy mood had infused their traveling party. One that Ranma was all too familiar with from his time in Nerima, when his fiancees gathered in a single room but weren't allowed to hit one another.

Ranma wasn't entirely certain where the anger was directed. Granberia treated him and Alice with stiff politeness. Meanwhile, Alma's flirtations…well, they hadn't gone away, but they were definitely more muted. That left Alice, who was as imposing as ever. At this point, Ranma could only hope that when things did come to blows, the collateral would be manageable.

A small tingle in the back of his mind alerted him to Sylph's presence, complete with a cute mental yawn. When she manifested fully on his chest, she wore a miniature nightcap that looked a lot like Gnome's hat. "Morning Ranma!"

"Morning Sylph."

"Ooh, were you doing some heroic brooding? Should I give you more time?"

"No, I was just thinking."

"About heroic things?"

"What qualifies as 'heroic' things?"

"You know…how you're gonna defeat the evil angels, who you're gonna get revenge against, how to prepare for your heroic trials, and how you're gonna win over your true love!"

"I'm thinking about what to make for breakfast," Ranma lied. "Who would I want to get revenge against, anyways?"

"I dunno. That's why you have to brood about it!"

Ranma tried for a tactical subject shift. "Do you and Undine get along?"

"Of course!" replied Sylph instantly. "Our powers work super well together! And she's got great big sister energy!"

Ranma decided he didn't want to know what that was supposed to mean. "Excited to see her after so long?"

"Definitely! I was always the life of the party back in Heinrich's days. Now there was a hero who knew how to brood. Shame he never got to sleep with the monster lord like you have."

"I'm getting up," said Ranma abruptly. Sylph let out a squeak of protest as her resting spot was upended, but quickly took flight and landed on his shoulder. A small shiver traveled down Ranma's body as the warmth of the tent was replaced by the brisk morning air. Leaving San Ilia behind brought with it colder temperatures and rain showers the closer they traveled towards Grand Noah. The forests had also grown thicker and monster girls were a much more common sight.

Monster girl 'attacks' on the other hand, had grown far more infrequent. While Alice may have been content to stay hidden and let Ranma fight his own battles, the same did not hold true for Alma and Granberia. Their mere presence made even the peaceful monsters give them a wide berth, and the one unfortunate centaur that had been brave enough to approach had been sealed by Granberia's sword before Ranma could act.

"You'd have been wasting your time," Granberia explained when asked, while swatting the centaur-turned-pony on the flanks to get her to flee. "This one was in heat. She didn't even notice anyone but you."

Ranma took a quick look around the camp while he kicked some logs together and started up a fire. Alice was still asleep, coiled around a tree. Granberia's tent was closed, and Alma…

"Breakfast is gonna be a minute," said Ranma. "And no, I'm not giving anything other than regular food right now."

"Really?" came Alma's playful reply as she stepped out from behind Ranma's tent. "I wouldn't mind carrying you while you recovered."

"I've got dried meat and rice. Take it or leave it."

"What if I want a friendly sparring match? I need to get back in shape you know."

'What kind of shape?' Ranma quipped internally.

"Her sexy succubus fighter shape, duh!" replied Sylph.

"That was rhetorical, Sylph."

"What kind of match?" asked Ranma aloud.

"A completely innocent one. Honest."

"That makes it sound extremely un-innocent."

"What if I showed you a neat wind technique?"

Ranma glanced down at the pot of rice. It WAS going to take some time to cook. "What kind of technique?"

Alma grinned. "Well, since you're leaving poor Gnome for last in your little adventure, you're going to need more defensive techniques to call on."

"You mean like using the wind as a cushion and to push away projectiles? I'm already doing that."

Alma's tail swayed towards Ranma's wrist and playfully tugged him away from the campsite. "Have you tried it against energy attacks?"

Ranma sighed, but allowed himself to be led, only shaking the tail off once they were some distance away. "You mean pushing my own energy into the wind to deflect foreign energy? Already tried it. The wind loses structure."

Alma extended a single finger in his direction, the tip glowing. "But that was a week ago. Try it again."

She fired the ball of light at him. Ranma had just enough time to bring an eddy of wind to his palm before sending the gust towards the ball, burdened with his ki. The approaching energies collided and the ball detonated in a small flash.

Ranma stared at his hand in confusion. "I don't get it. What changed?"

Alma giggled and now formed a softball sized orb of energy in her palm. "The wind has gotten to know you better."

More prepared this time, Ranma let the wind-infused ki skim the side of the ball, pushing it off course to swerve and detonate behind him. "Seriously? That's it?"

"Sometimes that's all you need." Alma formed two energy balls this time. "Rescuing Gnome definitely helped."

"The rescue thing would have gone a lot smoother if I'd been able to do this, Sylph." Ranma didn't hesitate and pushed his energy fully into the wind. With a twist of his body, both orbs swirled around him before being returned to Alma.

"Hey!" Sylph huffed. "I already liked you plenty!"

The energy balls traveled back and forth between them a few more times before they dissipated. Engrossed in the technique, Ranma's annoyance was quickly forgotten. "S'okay, Slyph, I'll figure this out."

Manifesting his own ball of energy, Ranma pulled the wind around it and let loose. To his satisfaction the guiding wind pushed the orb in a curving path instead of flying in a straight line. Alma, in response, twisted his ki once around her body and sent it back to him in a corkscrew motion.

Ranma grinned. The wind picked up around both of them and the ki ball weaved back and forth in increasingly intricate patterns, only limited by how far Ranma could direct the wind. It didn't take long for a second orb and then a third to be added to the mix, turning their 'duel' into a juggling spectacle with pink and blue balls of ki. Soon, even their wind trails were clashing with one another, wildly diverting their shots in between throws.

At the game's chaotic peak, Alma spread her wings and with a powerful flap, sent all of the balls skyward to dissipate in the air, signaling an end to the game. "You're a quick study, Ran-chan."

"Damn right I am. This world may have different rules, but martial arts are my specialty."

"You'll need more than martial arts against someone like Erubetie. I could tell you more, but it'll cost you."

"Cost me what exactly?" asked Ranma suspiciously, Alma's growing smile making him wary.

"Nothing much," replied Alma, utterly dripping with feigned innocence. "I just want to know if you and Alice are officially 'together' now."

Ranma groaned. "I don't know."

"You don't know? You snubbed both me and Beri to spend the night with her."

"I didn't make a choice!" Ranma snapped. "I was kidnapped!"

"Yeah!" added Sylph as she appeared in a burst of light. "Ranma would have barricaded himself in his room instead of actually committing to something like that!"

Alma's fanged grin was positively predatory. "So it was less a matter of saying 'yes' and more that you couldn't say 'no'."

"Hey get off my case, will ya? I was still feeling the aftermath of that cruelty attack."

"Oh, don't worry, I already knew something like that had happened. This was for Beri-chan's sake."

"I didn't ask you to do a damn thing," came Granberia's voice from behind. Moments later, the dragon girl emerged from the treeline.

"But you wanted to know," Alma teased.

"The only thing I want to know is why you've suddenly rediscovered your interest in martial arts. I've been trying to get a proper fight out of you for years!" Despite the deflection, Ranma couldn't help but notice a small blush in Granberia's cheeks.

"Aww, did my last forty victories not count?" asked Alma with a pout.

"I want to see your martial arts, not your succubus arts!"

Ranma stared at Granberia. "You lost to Alma forty times?"

"Shut it!"

"I can't stop being a succubus Beri-chan," chided Alma. "Just like you can't stop being a hot-headed dragon."

Granberia's sword came out. "Why don't you let your fists talk for you instead?"

"Kinda proving her point, Beri," murmured Ranma.

"I said shut it!"

"I've got a better idea," said Alma. "Ranma, hold your hand up with all your fingers spread."

Confused, Ranma did as he was bidden. "Like this?"

"Perfect." With a small strut, Alma raised her own hand and clapped Ranma's. "Tagging you in now. I'll go check on breakfast. Good luck!"

"What? Hold on a sec!" But Alma had already flown off.

"Unbelievable," Granberia growled. "Fine then. Ranma! We're having a match!"

"We are?" Ranma gave the Angel Halo a wary look. "With that?"

"I'd prefer steel, but this is what I have. Now defend yourself!"

Granberia's irritation manifested itself in her swordplay, and without the need to hold back on account of live steel, her blows were fierce. Angel Halo proved challenging to fight against, as even glancing blows skimmed away his energy. Although the sword didn't 'cut', blocking was out of the question.

Briefly, Ranma considered the 'Akane Approach', but unlike the tomboy, the dragon was unlikely to burn herself out. Preparing himself for an exhausting fight, Ranma pushed through the energy drain and hit back.

With little thought to defense, Angel Halo took its toll and several wind-backed blows had Granberia breathing heavily from exertion. Far from calming her though, a different sort of fury had taken hold. "What are you waiting for? Use that new technique!" she demanded.

"What for?"

"I want to see if I can block it!"

"Do you even know what a sparring match is?"

"Fine, let's make it a real fight then! Vaporizing Rebellion Sword!"

"Gimme a break!"

Whatever magic powered her flames had no trouble extending to Angel Halo. The air grew hot, sweat gathered on Ranma's brow, and Granberia's assault came at him like a fiery tornado.

Ranma had few options. With a hard lean into Sylph's power, Ranma stepped and…nearly ran chest first into Angel Halo. She'd been ready. More than ready. Another inch forward and he would have impaled himself.

Granberia bared her teeth. "Is that it?"

Ranma smirked back. "Nah, that was just the warmup." He twisted his foot, shifted his angle, and in two quick steps, Ranma struck from a different direction near instantly, except it was a feint, and the third strike hit at yet another angle. The shadow strikes paid off and the final blow plowed straight into Granberia's chest. A swell of wind followed and the explosion of air knocked both of them afield, with Ranma only barely keeping his footing.

Slowly, Granberia picked herself up from the ground. "Weaker than I was expecting."

Ranma grunted. "You want another?"

Granberia grinned and readied her sword. "Think you can land another?"

"Think you two could keep it down while I'm sleeping?" Both Granberia and Ranma stiffened at Alice's voice. "Also, whose bright idea was it to leave Alma in charge of cooking? Did you WANT extra crispy rice?"

Alice's presence immediately put a damper on the adrenaline. "She said she was going to watch it," Ranma defended.

"She's not," said Alice flatly. "And next time you want to work out your aggression, try sex instead of starting a forest fire."

Granberia's gaze shifted between Alice and Ranma. Far from embarrassed, she looked curious. "You mean you haven't claimed him?"

Ranma sputtered. "T-that's what you're focused on?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Focus on breakfast, idiot. We don't have time to waste."

Granberia's mind was still on other things. "But back at the elven outpost—"

"I saw an opportunity and I took it," said Alice bluntly. "Maybe next time you'll do the same rather than wait for someone to go through that stupid pyramid."

Ranma cleared his throat. "Okay, what is this pyramid everyone keeps talking about?"

"Why are you still here? Breakfast is burning."

"You'd still eat it," Ranma grumbled, yet nonetheless slipped back through the trees to check on the food.

It was not the disaster scene Alice had made it out to be. In fact, Alma was there just like she'd promised. Ranma put the pieces together. "Is it really that hard to get Granberia to stop fighting?"

Alma chuckled. "Like you wouldn't believe."

By the time Alice returned with Granberia, a hearty breakfast was ready for them. The elven outpost had been lean, but their supplies had been of great quality and made for decent meals. With some practice under his belt, Ranma's skills had also improved, to where Alice was paying him the occasional compliment.

The icy mood in the camp appeared to have lifted as well, though a different sort of tension had replaced it. One Ranma was familiar with, but so long as Alice was around to play peacekeeper—

"I'm taking a detour to Plansect Village," Alice announced.

Ranma tried to recall if he'd heard the name before, but his mind came up empty. "Is that like… a village made up of plant and insect monsters?"

"Precisely."

Granberia sighed. "Is that idiotic war still going on?"

"It never stopped, and today marks their ten year anniversary."

Ranma stared at Alice. "Ten years? What are they fighting over?"

Alice took a deep breath. "The fighting broke out around the time my mother died. Back then it was a fight over territory. Tamamo settled the dispute and then a year later another fight broke out over the water supply. That lasted another two years. After that, it was about habitats and homes. I think at one point the plant queen said the bee queen looked at her funny and that started another years long skirmish. Every diplomat Tamamo sent to them came back with a new story and a migraine. At this point I don't think they'd know what to do with themselves if they weren't fighting."

"In the end though, they're fighting over what monsters always fight over," provided Alma. "Men."

Ranma took several seconds to process what he'd been told. "And… you're going to make peace NOW of all times?"

Alice scoffed. "Hardly. I'm going to beat up both queens and force them to play nice. If Ilias and her angels are on the move, I can't afford this petty, distracting nonsense."

"How long is this trip going to take us?" Granberia asked.

"It's not going to take you anything. You two are going to take Ranma to Undine's Spring, then we'll all meet up in Grand Noah."

Granberia frowned. "Shouldn't we, as your knights, deal with Plansect Village?"

Alice shook her head. "All of the other intermediaries have failed. At this point they need to know I'm serious."

"Does that mean we get Ranma to ourselves?" Alma's painfully innocent smile had returned.

"If you don't make it to Grand Noah before I do, I'll feed you both to the slimes," Alice threatened. "Also, Ranma, I have a job for you specifically."

Ranma blinked. "For me?"

"Yes. I need you to convince Erubetie to leave her spring and join our party."

Alma and Granberia looked surprised at the news while Ranma was just confused. "Who?"

Some time after Alice had parted ways, Ranma was still mulling over his assigned 'task'. Alice, Alma, and Granberia had a lot to say about Erubetie. Very little of it was nice. A slime queen of infamy, Erubetie had been the only 'real' challenger to Alice's throne and nursed a healthy hatred towards humans.

"Whenever humans expand, the water-based monsters tend to suffer most," Alice had explained. "Weaker slimes need fresh water habitats, and Grand Noah is going through a renaissance right now. That means lots of expansion, lots of resource gathering, and territory encroachment."

Alma's voice drew him from his thoughts. "You know, Beri, this might be our one big chance to steal him away from Alice."

"We have a mission to complete." The reply from Granberia was instant. She'd been expecting Alma's temptation.

"We still have some time between then and now."

"He's going to need that energy to fight Erubetie," countered Granberia.

"I ain't gonna start a fight if she won't!" Ranma protested.

"You're human. That's reason enough for her to fight."

"Yeah, about that. Why does Alice think I'll be able to convince her to leave her spring?"

Alma shrugged. "No clue, but you'd still have a better chance than Alice."

"At least she's unlikely to detonate her slime if you fight her inside her spring," Granberia added.

"I'm sorry, did you just say she can explode her slime?" Ranma asked, baffled.

"Not without sacrificing parts of her body, but yes, she can," Granberia affirmed. "Still…should we really be giving him this much information about his trial?"

"I'm not letting Erubetie get her slimy fingers into him any more than I'll let Alice have her way with him," said Alma with a wink. "Also, you should probably think of a way to stick to your male form in the spring."

Ranma frowned. "What's wrong with my female self?"

"Nothing," Alma assured. "Related question. How much do you like slime tentacles?"

Several hours later, Ranma was looking at the glass-like surface of Undine's Spring and wondering just how he was supposed to stay male. On the outside, the spring looked exceptionally peaceful. The lake shined, the trees were lush and plentiful, and there wasn't a piece of trash or refuse in sight. It looked like the type of scenery that would appear in a landscape painting.

The air smelled as pristine as the scenery and reminded Ranma a fair bit of Jusenkyo... and like Jusenkyo, everything about this place put him on edge.

"She knows we're here, doesn't she?"

"I'd be shocked if she didn't," Granberia replied. "Erubetie guards this place quite zealously."

Ranma sighed. "I can feel the bloodlust from here."

"Do you have a plan to fight her?" asked Alma, her voice unusually serious. "Blunt force only does so much good against slimes."

"Scatter her slime until she doesn't have enough energy to reform," said Ranma simply. "Although I'm not planning on fighting anyone."

"Heeeeeelp!"

The piercing cry shattered the still air. Ranma jerked back towards the lake. A small brown speck in the distance, barely within view, though Sylph's wind picked up the cry all the same.

"Someone! Anyone!"

"So how about those fighting pla— aaaaannnnd he's gone." Alma sighed.

It took seconds for Ranma to round the shore. It took even less time for him to assess the situation. Two men were in a simple row boat with fishing lines over the side, and pooling up around them was an ominous red goo with a healthy amount of ill intent.

Ranma didn't hesitate at his transformation before he dashed into the water. Her speed briefly pushed the water to either side, and with a mighty blast of wind, the slime was scattered across the surface of the lake.

The puddle on the water shuddered and slowly reformed into a dark red slime girl with a humanoid upper half. "What was that for? I was just having a bit of fun!"

"You said you were going to eat us!" shouted one of the fishermen.

Ranma glanced at the slime girl. "Were you?"

"...maybe?"

"Moko Takabisha!"

"Eeep!"

The ball of energy scattered the slime again. This time she didn't resurface. "Yeah, that's gonna be annoying to fight…" Ranma grumbled.

"Is that…?"

"Is it really…?"

"I mean, that red hair…"

Ranma turned to the two whispering fishermen. "You two okay?"

One of the two men found the courage to speak. "Are you the legendary shapeshifting hero Ranma Saotome?"

"The legendary what?!"

"Yeah! The bandit butcher! The tempest conqueror! Dragonslayer! Windwalker!" said the other excitedly. "I didn't think you were real!"

"I don't know what half of those titles are supposed to mean," Ranma deadpanned. "Where did you even hear this crap?"

"All the innkeepers are talking about it!"

Ranma sighed. "Dammit Sutherland… look you two should get out of here. I'm gonna have a chat with the owner of this lake." And from the looks of it, she'd already gotten off on the wrong foot. "Wait, hold on, did you say shapeshifting? Explain that one."

"Erm…it's said that you carry the souls of two legendary heroes within yourself. That of a dark harried male and a fiery red-headed female."

"...you know what? Close enough. Seriously though, get out of here. This place is monster territory."

"But not for long, right?" asked one of the fishers excitedly. "Since you're going to drive them away?"

"They live here, idiot. Go find somewhere else to fish." With that, Ranma dived into the water and swam back to shore. She had little doubt that the red slime was rushing to warn Erubetie. On the wind, she could still hear the fishermen talk behind her.

"I told you we shouldn't have gone to the 'Forbidden Spring'. Did you ever think there was a reason it was called that, you moron?!"

"I thought it was just a fisher's tale to keep people away from their spot!"

Granberia and Alma were waiting for her when she surfaced. "Not a damn word," Ranma grumbled as she shook the water off.

Alma simply smiled while Granberia stepped forward and offered the hilt of Angel Halo. "Take it. Do it your way first, but keep it close just in case. Whatever you do, don't get caught."

Ranma accepted the sword without protest and kept her reaction to a flinch when she touched the hilt. "The angels didn't get me, the slimes won't either."

Seeing beneath the lake was quite simple, and with the help of the Ball of Guidance, the path to Erubetie's underground spring was as clear as a cloudless sky. The sight should have been soothing, but the ill feelings grew the closer she got to the caverns. Every slime in the lake was likely on alert now.

"You should really lean into this hero thing more."

Sylph's offhand comment broke the tension. "Why?"

"You're already doing the job, you should get the benefits," Sylph insisted. "Think about it! You saved a town from Granberia—"

"More like a stay of execution."

"—made peace between the harpies and Happiness Village-"

"That was me being yanked around by Alice."

"—solved Illiasville's bandit problem-"

"They were kids."

"—delved into a dungeon to get treasure-"

"And lost the one thing I was actually there for."

"—broke the storm separating Ilias continent and Sentora-"

"Again, Alice's doing."

"—and you beat up a bunch of angels!"

Ranma remained quiet.

"Okay, so maybe that last one only counts for monsters, but come on! Hero it up a bit! I know Undine will be impressed!"

"I don't think Undine is going to be impressed by my accidental heroics. All I'm really trying to do is keep Promestein away from my home and get back there before Alice kills me," muttered Ranma mentally.

"You know you'll have a much easier time fighting her if you get the help of all the spirits," Sylph teased. "Although I'd still go with the hero angle over that."

"What makes you think I'm itching to fight her?" asked Ranma defensively.

"Because I see you replay the fight in your head from time to time," replied Sylph smugly. "Ooh, maybe that counts as heroic brooding! The one time you were truly bested in a fight and the inevitable rematch looming in your future!"

Ranma was saved from trying to deflect her fantasies when the underground cave came upon them. "Trial time, Sylph. Let's focus. Any last minute advice?"

"Well, Deeny is probably gonna fight you," Sylph said as Ranma surfaced into the cave. "Most spirits do that."

"Really? Why didn't you?"

"Because I was mixing it up! And Gnomey needed saving!

"You don't know how to fight that well, do you?"

"Umm…hey look, a distraction! Do your hero thing!"

There was indeed a distraction in front of Ranma. Three of them in fact, all in vividly different colors. None of them looked pleased to see her. "Human! This spring is forbidden to your kind."

The one who had spoken was a mature looking purple slime girl, far bigger than the red, teal, and green girls around her.

"Sure, I'll be happy to leave just as soon as I talk with Undine," Ranma said.

"Undine wants nothing to do with your kind," came the steadfast reply. "You've already shown your violent intentions towards us."

"You mean that red slime? The one that just tried to eat two fishermen?"

"They were trespassing as well."

"Really? Why don't you put a sign up if you're going to eat anyone that disturbs your pond?"

"We have given sufficient warning—"

"Hey, how much damage can you take before you can't pull yourself back together?" Ranma interrupted.

The purple slime girl faltered. "You…still intend to—"

"I mean, I scattered that last one pretty far. Is there a limit to that?"

"I… that…"

"Look, I'm not trying to kill anyone here, but I ain't all that familiar with slimes. Help me out. Should I scatter you about the room, or do I need to reduce you to raindrops?"

"Sis… she's scary," squeaked the smallest green slime girl.

"M-maybe we should let Erubetie handle her…" said another.

"She must be one of those 'dark' hero types with no regard for life!" said a third.

Ranma angrily took a step forward. "Will you all just relax? I'm just trying to figure out how far I can push you all without killing… okay, that does sound kinda dark."

"Uwaaaah!"

"Erubetie! Heeeelp!

"She's gonna almost kill us!"

Ranma stared, mouth agape as the slime girls scattered and disappeared into small cracks and crevices. Soon there was nothing more than an empty cave.

"That went well!" said Sylph cheerfully. "You didn't even have to throw a punch!"

"I wasn't trying to scare them off!" Ranma protested. "Maybe I can still salvage this." A quick rummage through her pack produced Granberia's water pouch. One pour later and she was back to her male self. "Gah! Still boiling. How does dragonfire stay this damn hot?"

"Because dragon, duh," said Sylph. "You don't get fire hotter than that."

Ranma tossed the empty pouch aside along with his pack. He hesitated briefly, but took Angel Halo as well, fixing it to his back with a length of rope. Its presence still caused discomfort, but having it bundled up in the tatters of his last destroyed shirt mitigated it somewhat.

"You know, being male isn't gonna stop slime girls from using tentacles, right?""

Ranma's eye twitched.

"I mean, when it comes to male pleasure, you can do a lot with a tentacle in a boy's—"

"Sylph, focus time," Ranma reminded. "No more talking."

"Fiiiiine."

Ranma hoped that the rest of the denizens of the spring would stay out of his way. A fight with Erubetie felt unavoidable, but attacking the other slimes, even in self-defense, was certain to draw further ire. Unfortunately, his way was quickly barred by a pink slime not twenty paces later.

"Stop right there, human! This spring is protected… hey wait a second, weren't you female?"

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Ranma deadpanned. "What were you saying?"

"Oh! Um… hold on a moment!" The pink body rather suddenly shifted into a pool before a far more fully figured humanoid form rose up. "So uh… hi there! My name is Bess. Do you come here often?" Her declarative voice had shifted into a much more relaxed and easygoing cadence.

"Er… no, this place is forbidden, right?"

Bess flapped her hand. "It's a dumb rule, honestly." She slid closer, her gelatin chest jiggling. "Sooooo, what's your name, handsome?"

"Ranma." Around him, he could see other slimes emerging from the gaps in the stones, watching curiously as he spoke with Bess.

"Ranma! What a nice name. You like slime girls, right?" Bess asked as she inched forward.

"Kind of? Not fond of being eaten though."

"Only red slimes do that," Bess insisted.

"But you are a red slime."

"I'm pink! That's a huge difference!"

"Isn't that just a lighter shade of red?"

"It doesn't automatically mean I'm going to eat you!"

"You just said red slimes eat people," Ranma reminded.

Bess jiggled angrily, her chest bouncing up and down. "Well I'm different! And it's not just red slimes. Purple slimes eat people too!"

Before Ranma could respond, the mature looking purple slime from before came out of hiding. "That's rude! I haven't eaten anyone!"

Bess interjected herself between her and Ranma. "Hey, back off, will you? I'm trying to score here!"

"Don't listen to her, Ranma," shouted a third slime. The small, childlike green one. "Bess brags all the time about eating people!"

"Only because every other slime was doing it!" Bess snapped back.

"Well he's clearly not interested so shove off and let someone else try!" Purple retorted.

"You want him? Come and take him from me, you malnourished puddle!"

"Maybe I will you tar-bodied carnivore!"

Several yards further into the cave, Ranma winced as the insults turned into incomprehensible shouting. None of the slimes had noticed his hasty exit. Well, one had, and was following him, but he paid her no mind. Erubetie was ahead and he doubted his male side had left a better first impression than his female side.

At last, the narrow tunnel opened up into a smoothly worn cavern. A pool took up the far edge and a waterfall fed into it, providing a soothing, gentle sound that drowned out the bickering behind him. The air felt cool and the crystals adorning the walls glittered with a soft, inner light. It was a beautiful place with a forbidding undercurrent of tension.

"Why are you still here, human? We only wish to be left in peace."

The female voice echoed around the sanctum, dripping with tightly restrained anger. Ranma had little doubt who the owner was.

"Left in peace? One of your slime girls tried to kill two guys who were just looking around!"

"They were trespassing, as are you."

"Sure they were. Did you put a sign up somewhere or is everyone just supposed to know you're here?"

"I have made my intentions known to the humans several times. What happens now is of their own doing."

Ranma drew in a breath and slowly let it out. "You know what? Fine. Maybe they were trespassing. But I'm not. I'm here to speak with Undine."

"That doesn't mean you aren't trespassing."

"It's not like you have a doorbell here. Am I supposed to stand at the shore and shout?"

"If Undine wished to see you, she would seek you out," came the cold reply.

"Whaaat? That's not how it works!" Sylph's shrill protest accompanied her manifestation. "Deeny, stop being such a lazy spirit and get out here! Ranma's gonna gather us all up for a big adventure! It'll be just like five hundred years ago!"

An uncomfortable silence filled the cave. Sylph charged ahead, oblivious. "Come on Deeny, didn't you miss having me around? Deeny? Deeeeny? Hey Deeny, you here? Hey Deeny, remember that traveling song I used to sing? Deeeeeeeee—"

"Erubetie?" A voice like flowing water interrupted the start of Sylph's 'song'.

"Yes, Undine?"

"Kill them. Kill them both."

The calm pool against the back wall of the cave surged upward. When the water settled, Erubetie was there, quiet rage coming off of her in waves. Unlike the slimes he'd rushed past on his way here, Erubetie had a very defined form and markings along her body similar to Alice and Alma. Most striking of all, however, was the single red eye that glared at him.

Ranma sighed. "Sylph, I hate to break it to you, but I don't think Deeny is all that thrilled to see you."

Sylph turned and gave Ranma a puzzled look. "What makes you say that?"

Erubetie's eye glowed bright. The way her figure had formed, it looked as though her slime was acting as 'hair' covering her other eye. Behind her, more slime rose from the pool she had emerged from. "Die."

Like a tidal wave, Erubetie sent her slime forward. Sylph squeaked and vanished while Ranma leaped and clung to the rocky ceiling while it rushed underneath.

Erubetie remained motionless from where she had formed. Without so much as a glance in Ranma's direction, the slime around her legs bubbled and shot out like bullets. Amidst a dust cloud, Ranma dropped back to the floor and dashed clear of the second wave.

"The heck is all this slime coming from?" Ranma shouted.

"This is only a fraction of my body," came Erubetie's reply. "There is no escape."

Tendrils of slime burst outward from the waves and twisted through the air. This time, Ranma struck back. He knew full well that any attempt to hit the slime directly would only end with him caught, and once caught things would get very bad very fast.

Fast, however, was something Ranma did exceptionally well. Quick chopes and rapid kicks dispersed the slime before it could cling to him. Methodically, Ranma pushed his way through Erubetie's defenses, dispersing her faster attacks and dodging the slower ones until he was mere feet away from her humanoid body.

"Moko Takabisha!" A wall of slime rose to meet his energy blast, but a gale skewed it to the side before a second curved it around the wall. The explosion lit up the cave. For a moment, all of the slime stopped. Then the wall in front of him shrunk and shifted into a new body.

"You didn't really think that was going to work, did you, human?"

"Ranma."

"What?"

"Ranma Saotome. It's my name."

"And you expect me to use it?"

"It'd be nice. I'm not going around calling you 'slime'."

Erubetie's aura was chilling. "I had intended to take your feeble body to the heights of pleasure before you perished, but now I think I'll simply crush you."

Above him, Ranma saw slime slipping through the rocks in the ceiling. Below, pools were forming with more bubbling upwards. Even the walls were oozing with her substance, until not a speck of the original rock surface was visible.

"Hey Ranma?"

"Yeah Sylph?"

"I don't think Eru likes you very much."

"Yeah… I know."

Erubetie's slime crashed down towards Ranma while waves came at him from the sides. Ranma planted his foot, spun in a circle, and sent a dome of wind outward, scattering her attack before sending another ki blast into the wall. Then, he was dashing along the gooey ground, too fast for the substance to catch hold of him, but everywhere he went, there was more slime.

Tentacles burst from the walls and ceiling to try and snag him. Walls and waves sprung up in his path, each one taller than the last, and as far as he could tell, there was no main body to attack.

"Kinjin Raishu Dan!" Ranma's arms swept the air and sent blades of wind ahead of him. With Sylph's enhancement, his technique took out large chunks from the obstacles Erubetie threw in his path, but for every mass of slime he scattered, two more formed. Being overwhelmed felt imminent.

Erubetie knew it too. "Struggle as much as you wish, human. Your defeat is inevitable."

Ranma's squinted. Erubetie's newly formed body hadn't moved from the room's center. Attacking it was no different than striking any other bit of her slime, and yet…

"Flash Kill!" Ranma briefly felt the touch of slime as he burst through one of the waves, but none of it clung to him.

"Flash Kill! Flash Kill!"

Slime fell to pieces as Ranma pushed through in short bursts. The time between each flash grew shorter and shorter until even his shouts were lost to the wind. New slime barely had time to form before it was decimated, and Ranma's last step took him directly in front of Erubetie's body.

"My name…is Ranma Saotome!" The cave lit up as a Moko Takabisha scattered Erubetie's body, the wind pushing it even further afield for good measure. "Now can I please speak with Undine?"

Erubetie's body regrew from the pools of slime not even a second later. More bodies formed until Ranma was surrounded by Erubeties, their red eyes glowing bright and filling the cave with an unsettling glow. When she spoke, her voice resonated off the rocks and from every individual body. "You will not be seeing Undine. Our form will be the last thing you witness."

"Hey Ranma?"

"Yeah Sylph?"

"I think Eru really wants to kill you. And not in a sexy way."

"Seems like it."

"You don't seem worried."

"I'm used to it."

"Sooo…you think she's gonna become your fiance soon?"

"Don't put that out in the universe!"

Ranma's eyes flicked back and forth between the clones. All of them gave off an equal amount of power. There was no core or focal point of energy. Each held just as much power as the goo around his feet, and unlike the red slime he'd fought before, Erubetie had no trouble pulling herself together. Either he had to fight until she used up her vast reserve of energy, or…

Slowly, Ranma's hand went to the hilt of the sword on his back. "I really didn't want to use this." The surge of images hit him the moment his fingers made contact, but he shoved them aside. With a swing of his arm, the tattered shirt fell away to reveal Angel Halo in all its twisted glory.

For the first time, Erubeite looked taken aback. "Where did you get that?!"

"From a good friend," said Ranma through gritted teeth. Around him, the images of dead angelic bodies appeared. Erubetie's form shifted briefly before he forced himself back to reality. He needed to finish this fast.

"Let's finish this in one go, Sylph! Typhoon Rebellion Sword!" Three times was all it took to memorize Granberia's technique. It wasn't refined and the sword was awkward in his hand, but the speed and precision was exceptional. The wind raged around him as he went from one body to next, the world a blur while he cut through one slime after another. Balls of slime came at him from every direction, tentacles shot out at his legs from the ground, and the copies tried to grab onto him, but Angel Halo cut through everything, draining energy with every strike.

Every time Erubetie tried to corner him, Ranma pushed himself faster still, flashing past one wall of slime after the next. With no target to focus on, his blade simply cut at everything within reach, and when there were no more targets within reach, he charged towards the largest part of her body to keep up the assault.

It was taking a toll. His mind was growing hazy, while his limbs were aching. The visions of the sword brought distant screams to his ears that grew louder, and it was getting harder to separate Erubetie from the visions of the angels.

Faster. Faster still. The slime wasn't reforming. The remaining Erubetie clones looked panicked. She pulled back. Retreating and gathering power. What for, he didn't know, but it didn't matter. Angel Halo cleaved through her body once again. She was reforming, rebuilding her body. Slower though. Much slower.

The sword came up again. Ranma saw a flinch. Her face flashed. He was looking at a bloodied angel. The blade in his hand was live steel. This would make a hundred—

"Haaaa!" Ranma drove Angel Halo into the rocks beside Erubetie's last remaining body. With a grunt of effort, Ranma ripped his fingers from the hilt and let it clatter to the ground.

Erubetie was still. The cave was silent, save for Ranma's heavy pants. His mouth felt dry. Around him the slime continued to flicker between Erubetie's blue body and rivers of red. "Please… don't make me pick that up again," said Ranma.

"Waaaaaait!"

Ranma and Erubetie both jerked in surprise as a slime rushed into the arena. He had just a moment to recognize her shape and color before she interjected herself between him and Erubetie. "Lime?"

"Ranma is a good human!" said Lime cried. "He helped me when I was hungry and alone and he tastes really good so killing him would be a super waste!"

"Yeah, we hardly ever get males down here," said another slime, hot on Lime's heels. His fight with Erubetie had drawn a crowd, which included all the slimes he'd passed to get here. "If you don't want him, let us have him!"

Erubetie's expression shifted back into her calm facade. The awkwardness in the room was growing as more slimes entered the arena to join Lime. "Yeah! He didn't hurt any of us! If you wanna eat a human, eat the violent red-head instead!"

Ranma looked to Erubetie for guidance but the slime queen was silent. Well if she wasn't going to say something…

"Hey Lime?"'

The curvy blue slime suddenly turned and glomped Ranma around the middle. "You made it! I thought for sure the monster lord would have drained you to death! Or some other monster would have married you! You're still available, right?"

"Umm…"

"Lord Alipheese is traveling with you?" asked Erubetie suddenly. "Was she the one that gave you that blade?"

"Well—"

"Oh yeah, him and the monster lord are super close!" boasted Lime to the attentive slime audience. "She and Ranma fed me personally and his seed was incredible!"

"Lime!" Ranma cut in. "We can share stories later. Erubetie is in the middle of giving me a trial."

Lime turned back to him, oblivious. "A what?"

"A trial. Erubetie is testing whether or not I'm worthy to see Undine," Ranma explained before he turned to the queen. "Right?"

"...yes, that is correct," said Erubetie after a long pause. "If he fails, rest assured I will spare him and allow him to remain a plaything for the colony."

Lime let out a squee of joy. "Yaay! Well, good luck, Ranma! Maybe not too much luck because it'd be really neat if you could stick around, but I know you've got hero things to do so maybe you could win and visit every now and then? I've got to introduce you to all the friends I've made!"

Ranma looked at the multitude of eager slimes grouped with Lime. There were enough colors there to make a rainbow. "Um…sure, if I have time."

His half-hearted promise was met with a renewed slimy squeeze. Lime had definitely grown stronger since they'd last met, if her grip was anything to judge by. Awkwardly, Ranma stroked his hand along her head. "I gotta get back to it, Lime."

"Aww…alright then. Come on everyone!" The rest of the colored slimes followed behind her, finally leaving him and Erubetie alone.

"She… seems popular," said Ranma once they were out of earshot.

"Lime brought stories from outside the spring. Many of the slimes here are not strong enough to survive outside it."

A silence descended onto the cave. It took some time before Ranma found the proper way to breach it. "Sooo... truce?"

Erubetie's eye flicked towards the sword and back to him, her expression unreadable.

"Yes. Truce." A voice like flowing water projected itself directly into Ranma's mind. From the way Erubetie's body shifted, she'd heard it as well. "I will listen to Ranma."

From the same pool Erubetie had emerged, a new figure appeared. At a glance, she looked like a cross between a slime and a mermaid, though much like Sylph, her form belied the power she wielded.

For the first time since she'd spoken, Erubetie's voice was soft. "Undine, are you certain?"

"The only thing I'm certain of is that if this fight continues, this spring will pay for it. Now leave us," Undine ordered.

Ranma raised a finger. "I actually came to see her, too. Is it alright if she stays?"

Erubetie glared at him. "You did?"

"Yeah, Alice wanted me to give you a message."

Erubetie's fury was tangible. "Then why didn't you mention that immediately?"

"Because we were in the middle of the trial."

"You thought this was a TRIAL?"

"Well yeah. Alice, Alma, and Granberia all said you were going to attack me on sight. Even Undine told you to do it." Ranma looked between the furious slime queen and the suddenly bashful Undine. "Am I missing something?"

"No, nothing at all," said Undine quickly. "You performed the trial admirably. In fact, it's time to move on to the second part."

"There's a second part?"

"My trial, my rules. Now come. Sit down."

Ranma shrugged and did as he was told, sitting with legs crossed and hands on his knees. He could feel Erubetie's single red eye glaring at him, but tried to ignore it.

"This isn't the first time we've spoken," said Undine.

Ranma nodded. "I was pretty sure I felt you back when I first touched Poseidon's Bell."

"And you're already somewhat proficient with my power."

Ranma nodded again. "I've had similar training in the past. I've tried my best to avoid using it, but it's kinda hard when you're like… everywhere."

Undine allowed a soft smile to slip through. "You are correct. More than the water itself, my power encompasses a state of being. The ability to sense the flow of everything and everyone, from their emotions to their physical presence. Mine is the hardest element to truly master, but also one of the most powerful. So tell me, Ranma, why should I grant you my power?"

Ranma took a deep breath. "Because I want to protect this world. I may be a visitor here and I may not know everything about Ilias, but I've met her angels and those who serve her, and I know she needs to be stopped."

Undine was silent for a long while. Ranma tried not to fidget under her steady gaze.

"How long have you been practicing that?"

"Gah. Was it really that obvious?"

"Yes."

"Utterly rehearsed," added Erubetie.

"I thought it was good!" chimed in Sylph.

"That doesn't mean it ain't true!" Ranma protested. "I just…thought it would be better to practice."

"I suppose I should appreciate the effort." Undine sighed. "Now tell me the actual reason you want my power."

"What?" Ranma's question was echoed by Erubetie.

"I don't doubt your conviction, but it's not the primary reason you sought me out. I can sense strong emotions. Especially nervousness."

"Better just tell her," said Sylph. "She's gonna find out anyway if you make a pact."

Ranma looked at the ground and muttered under his breath. "I want to beat Alice."

"You want to kill the monster lord?" Erubetie asked sharply.

"No! I want to beat her. In a fight."

"To prove you're worthy of her? Are you trying to marry her?"

"The only thing I want to prove is that I can do it!"

Erubetie stared at him, uncomprehending. "Why?"

"Because I'm always trying to push myself to get better and improve my skills. Alice is the strongest opponent I've ever faced."

"That has to be the most asinine reason to seek out a spirit's power that I've ever heard!" Erubetie exclaimed.

"Everything else I said is still true!" Ranma huffed. "But constant self improvement has always been my goal."

Erubetie was about to respond but a chuckle from Undine interrupted her. "Now you're sounding like a proper, painfully honest hero. But that's not enough. Entering into a pact with a spirit means that your goals must align with mine. Or I must be assured that you'll use my powers magnanimously."

Ranma furrowed his brow while he thought the problem over. Well, if it had worked for Happiness Village, maybe he could make it work again. "What if I helped you with Grand Noah?"

Erubetie responded before Ranma could elaborate. "The only help you could offer us is by burning that city to the ground."

"Let's… call that option B," said Ranma carefully.

"You speak as though it's a simple matter," said Undine a touch more calmly. "Grand Noah is a city in renaissance. They care little about what impact their actions will have on monster habitats."

"Yeah, about that. I'm pretty sure no one in Grand Noah even knows you're here. The fishermen I rescued called this the 'Forbidden Spring'. Not 'Undine's Spring' or 'Erubetie's Spring' or even the 'Slime Spring'."

"I warn everyone who approaches to leave or suffer the consequences," said Erubetie.

"That just makes people more eager to see what's forbidden," Ranma countered. "My dad was exactly like that. You wouldn't believe the number of 'forbidden' training grounds I got dragged to."

"What exactly are you proposing?" asked Undine.

"I dunno. Talk to them? Negotiate? Ask for the place to be made into a monster reserve? Something besides sitting and waiting for Grand Noah to roll over you?"

The temperature in the cave dropped significantly in proportion to the heat coming from Erubetie's glare.

"Ooh, touched a nerve with that one," Sylph remarked internally.

Erubetie's voice was icy cold. "And do you have any sway with the Grand Noah Queen?"

"No, but if every innkeeper and their social circle thinks I'm a hero, I can use that."

"And what if an agreement can't be reached?"

Ranma sighed. "If the Grand Noah Queen is an Ilias fanatic who wants to callously wipe out your home, then I'll defend it. You have my word as a martial artist…or hero. Whichever one carries more weight."

"And what if—"

"Do you want to speak to her or not?" Ranma demanded. "Because it's sounding like you just want to pick a fight."

"I always prepare for the worst when it comes to dealing with humans," Erubetie retorted. "Rarely have you given me cause to do otherwise."

"Enough." Undine spoke up now, calm but with a firm tone. "As bitter a pill it might be to swallow, Ranma is right to an extent. Our only path forward for this spring is a negotiated agreement with Grand Noah."

"And you're going to trust this human?"

"I'm going to test him."

Ranma raised a brow. "There's another trial?"

"Do you want my power or not?"

Ranma kept quiet.

"That's what I thought. All you must do is ensure my spring's protection from Grand Noah, and my power will be yours. If you fail, then you'll return to the spring as our prisoner for the slimes to do with as they wish."

"Sounds like a win-win to me," interjected Sylph privately. "Erubetie aside, slimes are great lovers."

"I'll pass on the tentacles and being eaten," Ranma responded mentally. Out loud, he replied to Undine. "Deal. But you've gotta stop attacking humans, too."

Undine gave a small nod and held out her hand. "It's been five hundred years since I last entrusted my power to a human. Do not disappoint me."

Ranma braced himself and held out his hand. A flash of light filled the cave, and just like Sylph before her, Undine's power embraced him. His senses were quickly overwhelmed, but instead of sounds it was emotions. Erubetie's anger. Undine's trepidation. Lime's excitement. Other slimes in the spring were feeling various levels of nervousness. Trying to take it all in was exceptionally taxing on his mind.

"Interesting," mused Undine. "I'm used to heroes taking years to master my power, but you have a solid foundation in my fundamentals. I imagine you're going to have a much harder time with Gnome and Salamander."

Ranma was inclined to agree. Having a fiery battle spirit and the durability of a mountain was far more in the realm of Ryoga, but he'd cross that bridge once he came to it. For now, he needed to wrangle his senses back down to a manageable level so he wasn't feeling every errant emotion of Undine's spring.

"Deeny! Yaaaay! You're here!" Sylph's voice cut through his focus like a paring knife.

"Ugh, why couldn't you have picked up Gnome first?" Undine groaned.

"Was I supposed to do this in a particular order?" asked Ranma.

"We're gonna have so much fun, Deeny! We're gonna swap stories, talk about boys, brag about whose power is better, make snide judgments of Ranma's fetishes…"

"No…" said Undine hesitantly. "But Gnome is the only one who can keep this spaz in check."

"Just wait until you see what Ranma has done so far. He's been with three of the monster lord's knights and the monster lord herself!"

"So you're trying to build a harem," Undine accused.

"I'm not!" Ranma shouted.

"You're not what?" asked Erubetie sharply.

Ranma realized a bit too late that he'd said that last part aloud. "Um…"

Sylph appeared in a flash of green light. "We were just discussing whether or not Ranma's trying to build a harem," she helpfully clarified.

A flash of blue preluded Undine's materialization into a form of similar size to Sylph. "Although from a casual glance at his memories, it looks more like the harem is chasing him."

Undine's gift allowed Ranma to feel a tangible weight associated with Erubetie's annoyance. "I knew all humans were scum. Lime was a fool to trust you."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ranma protested.

"Erubetie thinks that anyone who gives up a slime lover is worse than salt water," Undine explained.

"Okay, we're getting way off track here—" Ranma began.

"How so?" interrupted Erubetie. "You are Undine's holder and you've entered into a contract with her. An assessment of your character is more important than anything."

Ranma groaned and buried his head in his hands. These arguments had been bad enough in Nerima, but with Undine's power he was keenly aware of the rapidly shifting emotional states, too.

"I agree!" said Sylph excitedly. "Let me tell you, it's a real trip at times. He's still trying to work out whether fox tails or snake tails are better."

"But he's not going to have an accurate metric until he's experienced what a slime tendril can really do," countered Undine. "We can make it look like a tail, too."

"Can we PLEASE talk about something else? Anything else?" pleaded Ranma.

"I'm in favor of talking about everything," said Erubetie cooly. "Tell me your whole story from the beginning, with Undine to verify what you're saying."

"And it'll be a great opportunity for me to get to know you as well," added Undine. "The more trust between us, the more my powers will work for you."

Ranma sighed but conceded the point. "Fine. The long version it is. Everything started several weeks ago when I got lost and traveled to this world by mistake."

"Ridiculous," said Erubetie immediately.

"No, he's telling the truth," countered Undine.

Ranma sighed a second time. This was going to take a while.

The retelling of his adventures was not a particularly flattering one. With Sylph and Undine constantly skimming his thoughts, every embarrassing detail made its way to the surface eventually, while Erubetie's mistrust had her constantly probing Undine for verification. By the end of it, Ranma was having trouble looking anyone in the eye.

"So to summarize," Erubetie began, "You stumbled into this world on accident, ran into the monster lord by mistake, got led around by your nose due to circumstance, made yourself an enemy of Ilias by merely existing, and are now playing the role of the monster lord's messenger boy while pretending to be a hero."

"And he's their food source, too!" added Sylph. "Once they get a hit of his energy, they can hit the angels!"

"I never called myself a hero," Ranma muttered.

"Heroes rarely do," Undine replied. "Heinrich's quest was not a noble one. Five hundred years ago, his only goal was vengeance against Black Alice. However Ranma got to this point, his story bears the weight of truth and I see no reason to doubt his resolve."

Erubetie simmered, but the murderous intent had died down significantly. Her energy had also recovered during the retelling of his tale which had put her in a better mood. Or at least a less irritable one. "So what is the message you are here to deliver?"

"Oh right. Alice wants you to join us."

Ranma flinched as the murderous intent returned. So much for that.

"I think you're getting the hang of this hero thing," complimented Sylph as Ranma made his way back through the spring.

"How so?"

"You passed a trial, talked down an enemy, accepted a noble quest to help someone in need, and gained a new ally in the fight to topple the big evil!"

"Not sure I'd call Erubetie my ally," said Ranma sourly. "She really doesn't like me."

"She'll come around," Sylph insisted.

"I think I'm okay with loathing instead of lust. It's refreshing."

"Ranma! Are you leaving already?" From one of the numerous pools, a familiar blue slime emerged, flanked by a small green and a small purple slime.

"Hey Lime, thanks for the save back there."

Lime beamed. "Don't mention it. It's only thanks to you I was strong enough to make it here. Your energy is really something else!"

"Please don't spread that around."

"Don't worry, I only told my new friends! And they may have told a couple friends, but that's it! Probably. I just wanted to say that if you do end up as a food source of the spring, we'll take good care of you and not let any of the carnivorous slimes get their tendrils on you!"

"That's… reassuring. Thanks Lime," said Ranma carefully. "Hopefully, it won't come to that."

"Are you sure you can't stay a bit longer? I've been working on my technique since last time and I heard how much you like tails so—"

"Ranma has an important mission for the good of everyone living here," said Undine as she manifested. "Once he's finished that, then you can try to seduce him."

Line pouted but quickly relented to the spring owner's demands. "Aww… alright. Come back soon, okay?"

"Sure will." Ranma waited until Lime and her group of friends were out of sight before he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Undine."

"Don't expect me to save you every time. I have a keen interest in your hero career. Less so your love life."

"Noted."

Ranma's hand delved into his pocket for the Ball of Guidance. One flash of light later and that familiar yet strange feeling bubble enveloped him. A quick look around confirmed no one was watching and Ranma dived into the lake, letting the transformation wash over her.

"Fascinating," mused Undine. "You've described it to me already, but seeing and feeling it happening is an entirely different experience. I've never seen water magic like this before."

Ranma allowed herself a faint sliver of hope. "Could you maybe do something about it?"

"Unlikely. The magic is very tightly entwined with your soul. Trying to remove it could prove fatal."

"Of course it is," Ranma mentally grumbled.

"That doesn't mean YOU can't do something about it."

"Because it's up to me to find out what I can do with your power and utilize those abilities to their full potential?"

Ranma could feel Undine smile. "Precisely."

"Hey. Hey Deeny," Sylph mentally stage-whispered. "What knight do you think has the best shot with Ranma?"

A flicker of irritation precluded Undine's response. "I just said I'm not interested."

"I think Beri has the best chance," continued Sylph, undaunted. "He already took her first time."

"There's nothing 'special' about the 'first time' when it comes to a lover," countered Undine. "A long term relationship needs more than sex, no matter what most monsters say."

"But they have so much in common! They like fighting, they hate angels, and they both want to beat the monster lord!"

"None of those are relationship building blocks!"

Ranma tuned out the bickering spirits and thought about the task ahead. She'd talked a big game back in the cave, but she had no real idea how to get an audience with Grand Noah royalty, or how best to present Erubetie's case. Even her knowledge of Grand Noah itself was all secondhand. Maybe there was a small chance she could lean on her growing reputation, but she had no idea how far that influence went.

Perhaps there would be something in Grand Noah she could do to grow her reputation. Lady Sutherland had said there was no shortage of need for heroes.

A final push and Ranma's head broke the surface of the water. Alma was at the edge waiting for her, offering a hand to the shore. "Welcome back. Did you have fun?"

Ranma rolled her eyes before taking the hand. "Played out exactly like you said it would."

"Did you have to seal her?" asked Granberia.

Ranma handed the wrapped sword to Granberia. To her surprise, she was handed a hot kettle in return. "Thank you, and no. It almost happened, but she should be along soon."

"And Undine?" asked Alma.

"Present, conditionally," replied the water spirit as she manifested beside Ranma.

"Oh? On what condition?"

Ranma let them talk while she stepped aside and doused herself with the kettle. The Enrikan Clothing was already drying out, far faster than his hair, and by the time the story had wrapped up, there was little evidence Ranma had been swimming at all.

"So you need to talk to the queen? That's simple," said Alma.

"It is?" Ranma asked, blinking..

"It is. All you need to do is win the Queen's Cup tournament." Alma's painfully innocent look was back. Her face revealed nothing, but his newly awakened senses hinted at an ulterior motive.

"What's the catch?".

"Well…it might be a mixed monster and human tournament, and a lot of people might go there to see what happens after the fights," Alma answered.

"So it's a sex show," said Granberia bluntly.

"There's still plenty of fighting!"

"How do you know so much about this?" Granberia pressed.

"Because I've been the champion five years in a row."

"So YOU turned it into a sex show!"

"I did not! Every other monster just followed my example."

Ranma sighed. "You're already entered, aren't you?"

Alma smiled. "It'll be the perfect stage for our grand rematch!"

Sylph gave him a mental nudge. "You know, I bet if you sleep with her right now, she won't try to do it in public."

Ranma shivered. The lust from Alma had never been subtle, but now he could sense it far more potently. "Somehow, I feel like that's only going to make it worse."

"I'm entering too," said Granberia suddenly. "If everyone in Grand Noah thinks a fighting arena is a place for carnal acts, it's only right I remind them what a proper fight should look like."

"Oh ho, is that defensiveness I see? Trying to defend Ranma's honor?" Alma teased. "I won't hold back against you if we meet in the bracket."

"At least it'll be a match you can't run away from," Granberia shot back. "And when I encounter Ranma in the finals, our fight will be sure to impress the queen. Unlike your play-fighting."

"Oh I fully intend to give Ranma everything I have," said Alma with a conspicuous wink. "So what are you going to do if you beat Ranma in the finals, Beri?"

"Absolutely nothing!" There was a blush on Granberia's cheeks.

"You should at least make out with him if you win. That'll stop the other monsters from going after him."

Sylph gave him another mental nudge. "Maybe you should sleep with Granberia, too. She might just make a go of it in public if she's too riled up."

Ranma rubbed his forehead and went to the prepared fire to start fixing dinner. "I'm already starting to miss Erubetie just trying to kill me."