The Return
A Ranma Sailor Moon fic thingy.
By Sunshine Temple
Naturally, I own neither Sailor Moon nor Ranma. So here's the disclaimer
Ranma 1/2 and its characters and settings belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC.
Previous chapters and other works can be found at my fanfiction website.
Temporary Backup Site.
fic/
Other website Temple of Ranma's Senshi Seifuku
C&C is appreciated.
Book 6: Bonding Allure
Chapter 5: Filling Voids
Serenity walked up to the redhead and leaned on the railing next to her. The silver-haired woman pursed her lips as she looked down at the city spreading below her. The traffic noise was louder, the scents were more acrid, and the lights were brighter. She also had an itching between her shoulder blades.
Glancing behind her, she could only see a few people drinking at the bar that made up the bulk of the semi enclosed balcony that curved along the edge of the circular neoclassical building.
No one looked suspicious. Though a couple with dark hair and pale dresses by one corner did look a bit too pretty. Serenity sighed, a dangerous opponent would try to blend in and look harmless, be a part of the background.
The redhead tilted her head.
"Why is it I feel more awkward in a human city?" Serenity grumbled.
The demoness gave a bright smile.
"I suppose it helps that we're pretty sure those cyborg assassins couldn't follow us there."
Ranma picked up the glass she had put on the little table just below the balcony. "They do have some type of magical support. That mess in Ottawa indicated major interest in inter-dimensional stuff."
"Stealing a Jammer and summoning star Squids..." Serenity was pensive for a moment and then wordlessly accepted the glass of clear liquor that Ranma slipped into her hand.
"It's not wise to underestimate them." Ranma looked out over the city spread below them.
"Still, after Silvana coming back here..." Serenity huffed. "I do miss Tokyo."
Ranma shrugged. "Any of these places smell better than Chicago."
Serenity sipped her drink and gave a thin smile. "You travel to multiple worlds, and you complain about the smell?"
The redhead smirked. "BlackStone got all defensive, said it was due to the lake, that it was built on a swamp, the meat packing, even blamed the fires I caused, whine, whine, whine."
"Demons can be very petty." Serenity smiled.
"You're lucky you look good in that dress." Ranma leaned back giving the fall of Serenity's silver skirting an appreciative look.
"And you call yourself a seductress?" Rei stated as she strode up, as she tried to keep some distance from the woman keeping pace with her.
"Does she?" Rei's undesired companion asked. She was a calm woman with auburn hair cut in a short bob and wore a charcoal black suit over a leather bodice. Combined with her slim glasses and choker and dainty black heels it gave her a certain professional air.
"Mira," Serenity nodded to the demon. She found it a bit... odd to see BlackSky's librarian in a human guise. Seeing succubae hide their wings and horns was common to her. Even tails and pointy ears. But there was something about shifting their skin tone that...
Serenity sipped her drink. Maybe she just got used to Mira being a purple-skinned succubus.
"Highness," Mira bowed her head in return. The gesture precisely calibrated to show respect but not fealty.
Rei eyed the demure-looking woman.
"DarkStar is one of the Family, I could not possibly speak to her seductive capabilities," Mira politely said. "But perhaps when her sister arrives she could evaluate."
The Senshi of Mars gave a slight smile. "I get it: can't speak ill of the Princess."
Serenity pouted. "You mock me all the time. Worse back in Japan in the early days."
"You were more of a brat back then," Rei defended.
"There's also that Mira works for Grandmother and doesn't know me as well. Where Rei, you're very close to Serenity," Ranma sipped at her dark amber drink.
Pausing, Rei tried to parse if the redhead sounded jealous.
"How are you finding Earth?" Ranma asked Mira.
"It's been informative. My duties don't have me getting that far away from the Court. Most of the time." Mira gazed out across the city. "But the libraries alone more than make up for so many human foibles."
"There are other ways to get books," Rei offered.
Mira nodded. "There is a richness of information. And the lament of books going out of print."
"Just wait until you find the internet."
The librarian returned Rei's smile, and pulled out pair of thin rectangles of black glass. One was a bit thicker than the other, and was translucent all the way through while the glowing surface of the other was a bit sharper and with more colors. "There are some similarities, but the problem with advanced information systems is compatibility. A project for another time."
She sighed and pocketed the smart phone and the other device. "Well, that's not why I'm here anyway. Maybe I'll have a friend of mine sift through things while we're here; she does have an artistic eye."
Bristling a bit, Rei shook her head.
"Now, now, it's not like Miss HeartWood is at the spearhead of some demonic invasion," Serenity joked. "I mean she's getting books."
"Knowledge is power," Rei said.
"Knowledge is potential. It is via application that it becomes power," Mira cheerfully said. "And why would we invade this world?"
"History?" Rei countered.
Mira pushed up her glasses. "We have learned from that. Besides-" she brightened. "-we already have our claimant to this world. At least by your reckoning."
Ranma shook her head at the attention. "Really?"
"Yeah, the Senshi of Earth would be the least human of us," Rei sighed.
The redhead frowned but did not counter that, despite what she knew of Sailor Venus' nature and what she suspected of Sailor Pluto's.
Serenity shook her head and looked up at the night sky. It was more reassuring.
"That's yours," Mira gestured to the gibbous moon.
"It's the seat of my mother's empire, before..." the silver-haired woman stared up at the sky.
"But no one else has claimed it."
"The Americans have visited, but no... no one lives up there." Serenity frowned. "What about the two moons you have? Any colonies? I mean you can teleport up there right?"
Mira smiled. "They are contested; we have strong allies on Lantia, the smaller moon, but are friendly with those Houses on the larger moon of Emuria. It takes a special attitude to want to live up there, but all of the Homeplane is sacred to us. Thus we do have a colony or two and a large fleet facility on Lantia. Which is well positioned to teleport to anywhere on the Homeplane. That is partially why House Andromache, despite being small in population and holdings on the Homeplane, is still considered a Great House. Surviving an invasion of Lantia and managing to keep their territory will do that.
"That and they are strong allies with us, to where most of their airships were constructed in our yards. Though they're also close with Luxon. House. Family. Empire." She gave a lazy shrug. "Do you have any affinity towards Luna?"
"My cat? Sure I like her but... oh."
"Wait space succubae have moon wars?" Rei gave the librarian a long blink.
"Why not? We did back during the Unification wars," Serenity turned to Mira. "I have visited the Moon. Been to the remains of Mother's Palace."
The demoness gave a polite smile. "That must have been quite the moment."
"You're just wondering if the Queen squirreled away any books up there," Ranma laughed.
"The art Lunarian culture produced alone would be an amazing find," Mira looked over the great freshwater sea. "So much turns to dust with time, but things remain, artifacts linger."
"You're a cheerful little demon," Rei sighed.
"Part of studying history is to try to mitigate survivor bias," Mira perkily said..
Serenity blinked and took a sip.
"Say you send two squadrons, 24 legionary fliers in Ritual Plate on an arduous mission. Only five return. You interview them to figure out what happened. But while they had a difficult time they didn't see anything unexpected."
Ranma nodded. "Right, by only interviewing those who made it out you've got an incomplete picture."
Mira clapped.
"Well, that's quite the endorsement of necromancy." Rei rolled her eyes.
"You use necromancers?" Serenity asked.
The librarians' face clouded as her glassed inched back up her nose. "No. Never," she hissed.
Rei stepped back as her stance bladed and the ends of her raven hair started to spark.
Mira turned thoughtful. "But the historical definition of necromancy is one who speaks to the dead, and not one who raises is. Well... the Silvan Necromanti, from classical Latin, itself from the Greek neckros and manteria which is divination of."
"Right," Rei stepped a bit closer to Serenity.
"You guys don't like necromancy?" the Moon Queen looked between the two demons. "I mean like as a cultural thing."
"We're a very empathic and brood-based species that transfers life energy," Ranma stated.
"That's biology, but it contributes: succubae... Live. Add in that House BlackSky has informed consent as a cultural cornerstone. It makes things... complicated and we have our fractions, but it has us better than the likes of House Elena or Ziox. Not only do necromancers take life but they take will."
Rei exhaled. "I guess I can see that. You really don't like being controlled."
"It's a historical thing," Mira agreed. "Even an Elena would be loathe to be controlled by an outsider."
The Senshi of Mars frowned. She remembered how easily Alexia could enthrall people and turn her daughters into mindless minions. Though, Alexia was considered a monster by these succubae. The more pragmatic part of Mars whispered that it was also wasteful.
There were far superior ways to build a powerful brood. The method the redhead stumbled onto was one among many. Rei smirked. "It's also aesthetically unappealing. The undead aren't exactly photogenic are they?"
"Ugh," Ranma shook her head. "Black Court Vampires."
Mira nodded. "The vampires of that world are particularly troubling. Even without the Red Court."
Rei shot the demoness a look.
"As opposed to the ones here," Ranma murmured.
"That's your fault," Serenity sighed.
"Really? Because Mina's the one who knew him and the police girl from her days as Sailor V," the redhead replied.
Rei shook her head and wished for a stronger drink. "More of Minako's time in England?"
Serenity nodded and finished her glass. "Remember the tall guy she'd talk about, who liked to go for... walks."
Rei rubbed her forehead. "Oh, him. Lovely."
Mira gave a politely curious look.
"He didn't seem that bad." Ranma shrugged. "Well... we did have to leave Bolivia very quickly."
Serenity eyed her. "I thought your mission was in Brazil."
"It was."
Rei exhaled and looked over Mira. "Vampires of that world?" she quoted.
The librarian nodded. "Black Court, White Court, Jade Court and more. The Black Court is oh... basically the Bram Stoker version. Though I'd guess the Court inspired that book, which hurt their numbers, as it exposed many weaknesses, greatly diminishing them. Some remain, those most able to survive and escape."
"Lovely," Rei drawled.
"The Red court were a more conventional chiropteran blood sucker, but Dame BlackStone gave them an existential blow. Leaving The White court, who are more energy vampires taking life force, pretenders to succubae and inccubae and feeders of fear and depression and the Jade Court who we know little about, and possibly others. But we know the White and Jade Courts are still organized into something akin to nation states. Albeit on a shadow basis being a bit less explicit than say the Fae Courts or Svartalfheim"
"We?"
Mira made an agreeable noise.
"See, you're gathering intelligence on rival powers on yet another planet."
"Of course." The librarian blinked. "Not me specifically, obviously."
Rei gave her a cross look.
"Dame BlackStone has had several troubling incidents, and the Family takes care of its own." Mira gave a perky smile that flashed her fangs.
Ranma gave her an inquisitive look.
"We also encourage independence," Mira added.
"Right, because you'd never have an ulterior motive." Rei scoffed.
"I dunno, BlackStone's world is probably far too much trouble to deal with. Between the damn vampires and the tricky Fae and all the other supernatural factions." Ranma shook her head. "To even make a dent would require a like a full expeditionary force."
"Says the magical girl demon princess mercenary." Serenity poked her.
The redhead looked up at her. "So?"
"Indeed, that would be like saying DarkStar training you has an ulterior motive," Mira happily added.
Rei's face clouded.
Ranma waggled her hand. "That's like saying the training we've been giving the Canadian military has some hidden purpose."
Rei snorted.
Mira laughed.
The raven-haired Senshi tuned to the librarian, "I get the impression you think that world and this world would be too much trouble to take over."
Mira crossed her arms. "We of House BlackSky learn from experience. It is easy to get drawn in and over-commit. And, frankly, our military forces are built around strike and punitive missions. Occupation forces are not something we are well-suited for."
Rei eyed her. The smoldering in her hair faded. "Yeah... during the Invasion you gave up and you let us take over."
"I thought you were a supporter of Unification?" Serenity teased.
"Not as much as Pluto," Rei murmured. "That was a different world... a different solar system." She looked up at the sky. In those says the Silver Millennium was an empire. Now...
"It's the same solar system... it's just everything... everyone else is different." Serenity sipped her drink pensively.
Mira made a thoughtful noise and looked to Ranma.
The redhead tilted her head and smiled slightly
"You look like you're thinking about the future." Mira stepped back slightly.
"My mother is going to be turned soon."
"Our mother," Eve's crisp voice said as she stepped onto the high-rise patio with Minako and Nabiki in tow.
With her hair done up in twin golden ponytails and a face not her own, Minako wore a breezy golden dress that moved stiffly in the wind, and Nabiki had on a pastel blue dress with pink piping. She ran up and hugged her mother.
"Did you have fun with grandma?" Ranma asked.
"Yeah, I was helping her plan her school schedule, Mima Lumina is such a neat place." Nabiki smiled.
"Those plans are, alas tentative, some of what BlackSky has planned needs... fleshing out," Mira said giving Nabiki a little nod.
"I could help," Nabiki offered.
Ranma ran a hand through her daughter's pastel blue hair. "You could."
"As long as it doesn't interfere with the timeline," Eve noted.
"There is quite a lot of flexibility build into it, given BlackSky's commitments and responsibilities," Mira assured.
Eve nodded. "And it would be good to go back and make sure everything is in order."
"Before going to BlackStone's Chicago?" Ranma teased.
"Quite the frequent flier miles," Minako dryly stated.
"You did get to spend more time with her last time," Eve sniffed to her sister.
"Most of that was with her pretty-boy brother." Ranma smirked. "Still, I know you'd like to go back." Besides family, the redhead knew her eldest sister liked networking and setting up caches and contingency plans.
New worlds were new opportunities.
"Maybe we should use Pluto's inter-dimensional taxi service." Rei made a point of rubbing her chin. "Why should the demon Senshi get all the fun?"
"But where would we go?" Minako asked.
"I could give you a list of destinations," Mira happily offered.
Rei eyed the librarian and paused to ponder.
Minako put her arms around the dark-haired woman. "Don't mind her, her distrust is warring with her curiosity."
"You probably don't want to go to any place that has alternate versions of you." Ranma advised.
"Wasn't your first exposure to all this dimensional nonsense when the good magical girl version of you popped in for a visit?"
"Something like that," the redhead admitted. "And she wasn't as much the good magical girl me, as she was the magical super-weapon version."
"Not that you're a bad magical girl, more of a... dark one," Serenity offered.
Minako poked her Queen. "She is Sailor DarkStar, even for me that's a bit on the nose."
Eve stepped over to her sister. "Concerns?"
"The usual," Ranma shrugged.
"Ah. Invasion, collapse, cybernetic assassins, and extended family?"
Mira looked up from her chat with Nabiki and smiled.
Ranma sipped her drink. "Come on, I know you're excited about Mother."
Eve gave a small smile.
"Besides there's so much to organize and setup." The redhead sighed. "I just did your change in a bedroom."
"You mean you helped me change," Eve smirked. "But that's far different than what... Mother will go through; the species change is the start of her journey."
"Same with you," Ranma smiled.
Rei shook her head and murmured.
"They're not that saccharine," Minako pouted.
"Yes, they are," Rei said, watching as Nabiki was pulled into what became a group hug.
"How late will you be out tonight?" Eve asked her.
"Yes, yes I know I have training tomorrow," Ranma rolled her eyes.
"Technically tomorrow, the JTF2 exercise will be very early in the morning."
Serenity looked between the blonde and redheaded demons. "How early?"
"I'll be picking her up at three in the morning."
Mira perked up. "Busy, busy."
"We'll still have plenty of time tonight," Ranma slipped out of the hug and ran her fingers up Serenity's arm before slipping close to her side. "I mean, I don't need that much sleep tonight."
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Sipping from her Worlds Greatest Mom mug in the commissary, Ranma flipped through the pages of the debriefing report making notes. A slim locking valise was next to her. There were a couple empty plates in front of her and she reached out to take a thick slice of bacon from one that still had a bit of food.
Colonel Jacob Edwards strode up to the brood mother. He noted the decolletage of her flared purple dress and the extra shine of some of the crimson tresses to her teased bangs. "Good meal?" He sat down, holding a mug of his own.
"More of a nosh," Ranma smiled. "Or do you mean earlier?"
"I couldn't say," he sipped. He eyed the marginalia. "At least you're not using a red pen."
Ranma straightened her shoulders and looked up. "The Canadians aren't bad. They were great in Ottawa and their artillery and support was vital at the Park Institute."
"But?"
Ranma chewed her lip. "My notes are only on the performance of JTF2. How they handled the scenario from the helo deployment to when they found the lake freighter was set with scuttling charges."
"Ah, this is about Gagnon and the other SIS observers."
The redhead gave an absent shrug. "They didn't mind when the scenario turned and we dropped phase two on the Canadian troopers."
"They were happy when JTF2 won. Despite the simulated losses."
"I can get putting the mission first. No, it's that I understand the motivations of the Joint Task Force Two operators."
"Ah, trusting footsloggers over the spooks," Jacob's tone was very mild.
"Please, my eldest sister is a spook and Major Sifton and his men are no mere footsloggers. But they are keeping secrets from us. How many 'Options' do they have?" she asked leaning back and scanning the room as she ate more bacon.
"At least one more than they'll reveal to us," Jacob murmured.
"And isn't the first rule of mercenaries, they don't have to pay you if you don't live?" Her tail merrily swished.
"Why Miss Saotome. That is both inaccurate and cynical. You're well aware of our death benefit policy. And no legitimate nation sate would ever be so crass as to openly liquidate a PMC. Ejection from the country, yes. Criminal charges and the prospect of imprisonment, perhaps. But we are dealing with civilized people."
The redhead snorted as her tail flipped over towards the officer "Yeah, House BlackSky likes to talk up their civilized nature too."
"House BlackSky does have some... classical elements. They do take much from the Western canon. There are countries that were founded as a type of Roman Republic Fantasy Camp. Why not have demons do the same thing with Imperial Rome?"
The redhead smiled. "And how is hosting Miss HeartWood?"
"BlackSky is luck to have a librarian of such skill," Jacob patted her tail with his free hand.
Ranma purred then chuckled. "I guess that's the thing, navigating all these groups. I never wanted all this horse-trading and political skullduggery."
"You are trading on your reputation to get an Empress to personally turn your mother. To your, no to your mother's, specifications," Jacob reminded.
The redhead eyed her tail as her fins flexed a bit under the officer's hand. "You're riding the tiger aren't you?"
Jacob snorted. "It is a bit on the nose."
"How many of your officers and agents will be turned?"
He gave her careful look. They knew both had memorized the name of everyone in the D Program. Long term, the brood of Company agents and contractors would grow.
"How close does the Company want to be with House BlackSky?"
"With Major Saotome's change it's hard to imagine things reversing," Jacob sipped his coffee.
"And the Senshi, the Pattern Silvers you think are so critical?"
Jacob simply looked to the strands of silver hair in the brood mother's bangs and then to her slightly more gravid tail.
"If I didn't know for a fact that you couldn't have planned this..."
"Of course not," Jacob idly waved a scarred hand and covered a slight wince from the pain in his fingers. "We simply tried to make allies of you, and support you. That so much has come from your potential is..."
"Hey, Dresden dropped into my lap."
Jacob gave her a mild look. "We both know it wasn't that simple."
The redhead's tail swished, brushing his arm again. "It will be a delay. Even Grandmother can't just snap her fingers and make... well... there's a lot of work."
"How many of you will be in Silvana for the entire process?"
Ranma exhaled. "Honestly? None of us. Two, three, more months is far too long to be away. The Academy schedule is pretty intense, and they're wrangling in other students." She shook her head. "And things are getting intense in BlackStone's city too."
"Peers are vital especially when going through critical development."
Ranma shook her head. "Yeah, if both of us were ready earlier... imagine how things would be if I had Eve before Alexia died. And not after my pregnant magical girl double visited."
Jacob gave a thin smile. "Self criticism is vital, but when overdone it can be self-destructive. You'll go from learning from past failures to having them eat you alive."
The redhead murmured as the tip of her tail flicked. "Yeah, I don't want this to screw up. I don't want Mother to be..."
The officer nodded. "Trust is hard. Even with an abundance of caution one can never be certain."
"Faith?"
Jacob shrugged. "You've had more spiritual experiences than I."
The redhead gave the older man a skeptical gaze. "You've never worked with the Sisters of Purity? Or the Papal Expeditionary. You seemed... unsurprised by that Knight of the Cross."
"And your reaction upon seeing Kusanagi?"
Ranma huffed.
"Call it faith, in fellowship, and the growth of trust. But traitors are reviled because they betray trust."
"There are contingencies," Ranma murmured.
"Always." His finger went over a tailfin. "But if the trust is well-placed. Consider the results, especially from the earnest efforts of a being like your grandmother."
Taking another bite, the redhead smiled. "Yeah, I can see what Felisia and CloudFire, and even DawnStrike and AshRain have talked about with my mother. Their... baby sister. And Mira and Gloria and Grandmother's other aides all chatting about the plans."
"It has been a long time since BlackSky acquired a new Daughter."
Ranma folded the report closed, put it into the valise, and locked it up. "And that's what has me curious. Not all the stuff my aunts are preparing, or my grandmother's minions, but what Grandmother herself has got in surprise."
"There is a contract."
The redhead nodded. "I don't... expect her to violate the letter, or the spirit of it. But even so... her ideas on what the sprit of the deal is versus mine..."
"Or Major Saotome's?"
"Yeah, you've met BlackSky. I've seen her in her Palace. Out in Silvana... but behind the legions of troops the war fleets, the Empire she's ruled since before Serenity's Unification War, the civilization she's overseen and tended... she'll still be a brood mother with a new broodling."
The officer's cold eyes softened a bit. "Ah. That is something you understand."
"She has far more power and experience but... we have that much in common. She wants a daughter. I don't know what sort of powerplay kept her waiting centuries, but now she has a reason that no one in the Family, the Court, the Curia, or the House would gainsay."
"Oh we can think of several reasons why a nigh-immortal Empress would slow the production of Daughters. The balance of power among her established Daughters alone..."
"Factions and politics," Ranma snorted.
"Did you not conduct an impromptu negotiation with a Fae Queen?"
"That was just because BlackStone's an idiot."
Jacob sipped his coffee. "And how was your visit? Met the... I suppose 'extended family' will suffice."
The demoness rolled her eyes. "House Raith."
"What they lack in unity they make up for in influence, information, and infiltration networks. Their hard power is nothing to sneeze at, but their capacity for soft power is immense, Given your report."
The redhead smiled. "Lara didn't get her claws into BlackStone."
"Not into Dresden. Your newest sister may be more vulnerable than he was."
Ranma glanced to her mug. "Mother should be able to help with that."
"Help with our gangly aunt?" Misako said, slinking up to the table. She gave Jacob a somewhat guarded glance and gave a tiny bow of her head before sitting next to her mother.
Glancing at the redhead's tail, the green-eyed demoness smirked and her OWN tail swished behind her. "While her makeup is good, Aunty BlackStone is even more clueless in relationship than you are, Mom."
Taking a brush, Misako touched up her mother's bangs. "Honestly, we never thought you'd get even this far."
Affecting a put upon look, Ranma and let her daughter brush her.
Misako made a tisking noise as she worked.
Watching the demons' tails swish. Jacob gave a tiny ghost of a smile.
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Eve looked up from the sheaf of papers as her daughters entered the room. Morrison glanced out the window with a little frown at the crowded sky.
Morgan followed her sister to look at the sleek rigid airships with their dark grey hulls with red and black accents and pale green tailfins. Instead of being a pure cigar shape they were oval-like with contoured hulls that worked as lifting bodies. Many of them were behemoths half a kilometer in length made up of two or three hulls linked together.
"Where do you think they're all going?" the diminutive redheaded sniper asked as several of the rigid airships lifted from one of the vast landing fields downriver from Silvana itself.
"Many are a rotation of new units to the Emurian Fifth Landing Fleet on Mursam." Eve stated without looking up. "The Empire maintains two major fleet branches: one that uses zeppelins to protect and deliver Legions, the other that uses them as warships. Primarily as platforms for Squadrons of Ritual Plate, Torpedoes, or Torpedo boats."
"And those are troop and armor transports," Sophie pointed out a set of particularly stout ships that were twice as wide and looked a bit like three zeppelins stuck side by side by side with the central section above the outers, allowing for a cavernously-wide gondola section in the keel.
"Despite the preeminence of the Legions as a shock infantry they are primarily deployed as an airborne asset. Something akin to paratroopers, with the limitations in heavy equipment," Eve said.
Stepping into the room, Ranma snorted. "Was that a joke?"
Eve gave a small shrug and looked up and out the window. "But heavy lift capacity is what those Typhoon and Palisade ships are for, both based around the Sancus Heavy Hull. A Legion is heavy. The supplies alone to keep that many soldiers fed for maybe a week..."
"And the self-walking artillery, mages, and grenadiers?" Ranma asked. "Not to mention the Legions have a variety of armored vehicles."
"And the heavy transports to deliver them. Logistics are still logistics." Eve stated.
"Even with magical assets?"
"Primes with that level of power and training are difficult enough to find. They also get drained of power. There are ways around that, but now that's another magical item, a volatile item that needs to be shipped to the front. Finding enough people capable of using Ritual Plate is a constant concern of the Fleet. The number of pilots and suits and maintainers is breathtaking.
"It's why the Legion isn't just a handful of super-powerful magic users in enchanted armor. Not to say that magic uses aren't very useful," Morgan surmised.
"That's why Magnus Engineering and Grenadier are among the few front-line positions open to humans in the Legions," Sophia noted.
"The armaments industry here is... complicated," Eve shook her head. "We could sink whole teams into analyzing the defense side of their economy. Did you know the over half of the capital ships, not counting those little recon scouts, in the Household fleet are cargo transports? And those are fleet ships, there's almost as many civilian contracted cargo ships running deliveries within Household and Imperial lands, not to mention all the rail and ship supply. It's a sensible number, and investment, for a force serious about supply and forward operations. And getting that much aluminum for the frames, that much material for lifting gas, of that many engines and their fuel supplies and depots."
"No wonder Mira took so many dry business books." Morrison shook her head. "This job."
"You're part of a demon royal family in their palace," Sophie reminded. "Better than being dead right?"
"Sure. She also picked up chemistry books too," Morgan noted.
"Books and technical data packages are the start, of knowledge, and they'd get it in time, but to really learn fast, they'll need teachers. Instructors on methods and processes. That's where we come in." Eve adjusted her reports. "They've learned about scalability and industrialization, even interchangeable enchanted components, but they still have guilds, few automated manufacturing, and other limitations."
"Mother can be key. She can bring the knowledge the company can offer, make the House stronger," Ranma watched the airships. There seemed to be a fairly steady amount of fliers, both succubae and of some kind of dragon-fly like transport craft moving between the ships. They came in a variety of sizes, but most had rotating engine nacelles on the tips of their wings.
The scale was impressive. Those little scouts were not even a hundred meters long and just a bit over twenty-five in diameter. And they were utterly dwarfed by those half kilometer-long triple-hulled monsters.
And those were puny next to Grandmother's personal ship the Vault of the Heavens, which was twice as long and over four times the mass. She had seen the stats. A Celestial class was capable of delivering an entire Legion, enough cargo supplies to keep multiple legions active in the field, or transport a four and a half thousand ton frigate.
Once they disgorged their contents a Celestial Class could act as a mobile base and supply depot. Many would carry a teleportation gateway which would act as a direct link to one of the Empire's major ports.
It was more of Grandmother's power, all of it.
Ranma knew they were wading into yet another collection of power-plays and factions.
Shaking her head, Ranma then turned back to the guest suite in the Upper Palace. It was the same one they had been given during her last visit. Her tail flicked.
Eve nodded. "Is this about her?"
"Nabiki can help, if she goes first." She glanced to the doors into their suite.
"Are you sure about it?" Eve asked.
"It's her decision. Just like when she asked to be sent to Middle School back on Earth."
"Is it?" Eve straightened her shoulders. "I know the concept of being a legal adult is fluid with our kind."
Sophie smiled while Morgan coughed and Morrison's tail flicked.
"Yeah, yeah, and it gets even murkier when a daughter wants to get even younger."
"I presume you've made your decision," Eve noted.
Glancing about, Ranma sighed.
"You're not an indecisive person, Aunty," Morrison said.
The redheaded brood mother gave a slight shrug. "I could still uncover something that'll change my mind."
"Which would throw a wrench in everything with Mother." Eve stopped writing and looked out the window.
"And that's why I want to talk to our aunt again."
"You need any support?" Eve let the implication hang.
Ranma smiled. "I could handle a 'succubus' Queen of the White Court by myself."
"Ah, yes must have slipped my mind, maybe I should ask the woman who edited your report."
The redhead crossed her arms. "Just because you're jealous that you were stuck doing all the boring diplomacy and paperwork while I was out searching for our little sister with our vampire quarter brother."
"Is that really something to brag about?" Morrison asked.
"I don't think quarter brother is a thing," Sophie added.
"Bah, I learned a lot about that branch of our extended family."
"Miami." Eve said in a crisp voice before she went back to her paperwork
"How was I supposed to know that?" Ranma pouted.
Eve continued to work
"Fine, fine, I mean that was the point of looking for her." Ranma stomped away to the bar on the other side of the large central room to the suite and poured herself a small plum schnapps. Her tail swished as she sipped.
There was a knock on the door and a pair of golden-haired, purple-skinned maids in frilly red-satin uniforms swept in. "Princess DarkStar, Aedile Felisia is here. Are you receiving Family?"
"Yes, please," Ranma smiled.
The twin maids left and ushered in a succubus with cascading blonde curls. Sapphires and diamonds set in golden ornamentation sparkled from ears, brow, throat, wrist, tail, horns, and just about every possible place.
Slightly aloof, platinum lips were on her cool bronze-dusted features. Though her turquoise eyes were friendlier. A black dress with shining blue accents flowed down her hips to just above the floor.
One of the maids removed a shimmering, sheer mantle threaded with silver wire and deep opals off her wings and shoulders while the other announced her presence.
Felisia's heels clicked on the inlaid stone tiles. Her eyes fell upon Ranma's leather skirt and black blouse. "Ah, pardon for catching while you were still in... your dressing clothes," she said in crisp Japanese.
"Please, take a seat if you will," Ranma offered in Silvan Latin as she grabbed a bottle, another glass, and went to a cluster of chairs beside a large copper-bowled brazier. "Ellia, Alia , some refreshments?"
The two maids bowed and busied themselves.
"Niece, it would not be rude of your to tell them that you were temporarily indisposed but would be happy to see me shortly. We don't take that long to get dressed."
Ranma filled another delicate glass and handed it over by the stem.
Felisia's lip quirked but she accepted with a slight bow of her horns and sipped.
"I'm not really one for all the fancy gowns and stuff." Ranma shrugged continuing in Silvan.
Turquoise eyes brightened. "That is a lie, little fledgling. You have a flair and carry your mantle well, Princess. And you're welcome as well niece," she saluted to Eve with her glass. "And your broodlings."
Ranma nodded in understanding. "Sorry to disappoint you by not wearing some new, interesting fashion."
"We'll just make it up somehow," Felisia gave another dainty sip. "This is where Mother is having you stay? I suppose she was in one of her humble moods."
"And I suppose I am more accepting of Grandma BlackSky's wisdom. Maybe you have a reason to question her?" Ranma innocently asked.
Felisia gave a thin smile, but her eyes sparkled. "Was it you who taught her to twist the knife, Niece?" she asked Eve.
Eve stepped over and smoothed her grey uniform skirt before sitting. "Oh, she knew the blade, I simply helped her apply it to her words. Though her recent events show perhaps that was not the most wise."
The twins had returned with a platter of sweet, savory pastries and other easy finger-foods and a platter of assorted drinks.
Felisia's expression clouded. "Ah, the errands Dawn burdened you with."
"It was no trouble we were there to talk to our little sister about Mother," Ranma said.
"And we learned much," Eve added.
"Yes, those pretenders will be trouble. The similarities to us alone... and they are established on that world." Felisia nibbled on an apricot turnover. "And they are so aesthetically... unpleasant: unalloyed with their Hungers with many feeding via such disquieting means."
"I have tasted their leader; they are not to be underestimated," Ranma's purple eyes met Felisia's.
"Noted." She gave another bow. "You know what that means if we must make an enemy of them."
Ranma looked to her sister.
"Yes, the maps you made and reports of the disposition of their chateau have been passed to the War College Secure Archives, Castra Argentum's Map Room, and the Palace Library," Eve explained.
"You mean the files were given to a certain HeartWood Librarius. I'm sure she'll also pass them along to the curious girls in the Office of Cultural and Strategic Reconnaissance," Felisia then nodded to the maids. "And how is Mira doing?"
"Contented with so many new books to catalogue and dispense-" Ellia started.
"-and busy with her new spirit project," Alia finished before both bowed and added the required honorifics.
"Lovely, it is always a pleasure to catch up." Felisia gave a tiny bow that barley tilted her horns before going to Ranma. "And now that the small talk of empire and intrigue are over."
Ranma twitched a bit at the idea of preparing to wage war against the White Court as small talk, but she nodded.
"Your youngest?"
"Yeah, your little academy." Ranma ate a fluffy pastry with a meaty filling.
"I don't own the Mima Lumina Academy, but yes, I have influence." Felisia let her glass be refilled. "You are aware of the schedule? Mother plans to take your Mother shortly. The society broadsheets are all a chatter."
"It has been, four centuries since the last Daughter, yes?" Eve asked.
Felisia nodded. "Quite, but no one will begrudge Mother from taking the human mother to the DarkStar reborn, not openly, not if they value their good standing."
Ranma folded her hands. "Is there even time to, to, help Nabiki... to help Yuki?"
Felisia relaxed her posture slightly. "We have time, Niece."
"We do? I mean... don't classmates have to be rounded up, who have parents who agree to this, there's a lot of logistics." Ranma looked to Eve.
Felisia's eyes flashed. "Oh, yes. But your daughter will not be aged nor shaped into a brood mother. Also, you can take a larger part, as is your right."
"And with your help," Ranma stated.
Felisia folded her hands on her knees.
The redhead gave her sister a look.
"Come, we are all aware of how this old game is played."
"Really?" Exhaling, Ranma shyly looked around the room as her tail flicked. "I'm pretty new to all this."
Cocking an eyebrow, Felisia looked to Eve. "Did you help her with the naive outlander performance? It's rather good."
Eve tilted her head and simply sipped her drink.
The redhead sighed. "Why do folks keep assuming I'm secretly some sinister, plotting temptress?"
Felisia's lip quirked. "Blood tells, fledgling. You are one of us. Consider the first real favor you ask of Mother. Consider your choice in sisters. The subtle ones, the not so subtle."
"Would you believe incorporating their skills and abilities was not my intention?"
"Ah, and that is what appeals. You intuit our values, our ways." Felisia purred it as a delicate little rumble that still caused her dangling ornaments to sway.
"For example, take an expert in, what do you call it? Yes, social engineering." She slipped into English briefly. "Counter intelligence. Various skills at using words to get information out of people, to get into places, to get trust from strangers, to know when your trust is betrayed. Take an expert in those abilities, and give them our powers. My. I can think of several places here where you could bloom. The Office of Cultural and Strategic Reconnaissance is the start of special services that could be opened to you."
"Your flattery is appreciated," Eve noted. "But that is not why I asked to be turned."
Felisia waved a hand. "What you bring to better the Family, to secure the House, to expand the Empire is not why you were made one of us. Mind, your services are appreciated." She finished her glass and waited for Ellia to refill it. "We are not soulless Elena looking only to make newcomers aesthetically-pleasing but functional automata or indulgent Luxon using flesh as a canvas of hedonism and power or the covetous Trosier who seek to dominate and take what they can not freely trade for."
"No, we are civilized," Ranma flatly stated.
"You are here talking with me, niece. You are the one that wants to have your mother and daughter shaped by us. I would hope you have been convinced in our virtue, and are not simply aligning out of some realpolitik."
The redhead and blonde gave Felisia a measured look.
"Obviously, that is a factor." The Daughter admitted. "But there has to be more than that. It is not enough for us to merely survive, but there has to be meaning to what we do, to who we are. Otherwise my position would be simply ensuring the Cura Annonae supplies grain, meat and life to those in need. And not ensuring such a precious gift brings value."
She laughed. "Caught myself. The rhetoric on duties to House lieges and vassals, the responsibilities of and to Subject, Citizen, and Family, even the importance of keeping your Library Card up to date, it all comes too easy. We Daughters have our groves, our roles to play."
"And our mother?" Ranma asked, while Eve gave at tiny nod
.
Felisia flashed her teeth. "Yes. She will grow into hers."
Her tail swished. "And where are they?"
"Mira invited them to a tour of Grandmother's personal library."
"Ah, the more select stacks in the Upper Palace?" Felisia asked.
Eve nodded.
"Though there's nothing wrong with the Lower Library. At forty levels and fifty million books and manuscripts it is the largest store of knowledge on the continent of Diyu and the Homeplane. And is the biggest single entity in the whole of the Palace. The entirety of the village of Antemella surrounding the base and lower slopes of the Palace could fit in the Lower Library multiple times."
Felisia laughed. "There I go again."
Tail swishing, Ranma nodded and looked to the doors.
Ellia and Alia had also started walking to the entryway.
The redhead noted Eve's slight tension. "You know it's them," she calmly stated.
"But if it's not, best to be ready."
"Caution, in the seat of Mother's power," Felisia slowly rose and gave a sad smile that lasted for a flickering moment.
Nodoka and Nabiki entered the room with Mira at their heel. The Auburn-haired librarian smiled and moved to have a mostly silent conversation with her twin cousins.
"Did you have a good time?"
"It was informative," Nodoka sat down and hugged her daughters while Nabiki slipped up and squeezed herself onto Ranma's seat.
Felisia offered her a glass. At the human's surprised look she laughed. "No reason to not let the HeartWood girls catch-up for a moment."
Nodoka gave a small sip. "There is much we can offer each other, but design information only goes so far, experience and production scales..."
Felisia's hand fluttered a bit before she came up with the tray. "Fortunately, I'm not here for such technical matters."
Pausing Nodoka looked to Nabiki who smiled as she cuddled her mother.
"Is this about our school?" she asked, her powder blue hair pulled behind her with a pair of bows.
Ranma smiled. "It is Yuki. Are you sure about this?"
The younger broodling nodded. "Yes mother, I think it is a wonderful opportunity, if you'll have me," she said in Silvan, and gave Felisia another bow.
"My, polite. Yes, little one let us talk of your new school." Felisia smiled. "And you too new sister," she nodded to Nodoka. "I think you will also find this informative."
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Mistress Mercury glowered out the window at the cityscape spreading below her. She drained the glass and handed it to Orion. The jade crystalline girl lifted the bottle, but the blue-haired dark Senshi shook her head.
"We have guests," she met Virgo's eye.
The purple gem girl gave a stiff nod.
"You should be happy," Mercury's blue lips formed to a smirk at the former Amazon. "I promised you revenge. No more hiding in Tokyo; we are in the belly of the beast, now."
"The others remain in Tokyo," Orion stated.
Mercury's smile turned cold. "They are there to maintain the illusion of our presence. Besides, they can get used to their new bodies. Think of it as a second honeymoon." She looked to the door. "Let them in, Virgo."
The purple girl turned and marched across the length of the narrow hotel room and opened the heavy wooden door. With a stiff bow, she ushered three figures inside.
Mercury went to a pair of leather couches and hesitated before meeting her guests with Orion at her heel.
The girl with pink hair done up with roses gave a little bow of the head, but her eyes were amused. She was in a black dress with pink trim that made her look a bit older that she did, though her diminutive height worked against that.
Next to her was an equally young woman, with the willowy form that came with growth spurts. She had glossy black hair and carried a silvery cane held to one shoulder of an ash-grey suit coat and matching pencil skirt over a purple blouse.
Behind the pair was a blatantly demonic woman with horns curling out of her double-braided chestnut hair. A tail swished behind her and she carried a spear tipped with a sullen, red metal.
"Yohko of House RedStorm, welcome," Mistress Mercury smiled and stretched a gloved hand to one of the couches.
Preceded by the two Senshi, Yohko strode over with a lazy, cocky grin. "You are a hard person to get in touch with, Miss Muzino." She turned to study the crystalline Senshi as she took the offered seat.
There were no idle movements from either one: no blinking, breathing, twitches of hands, or shifting to adjust their balance. When not in motion they were statue-still. Sharp changes in shading and demarcated shoes, hosiery, and skirts while subtle, careful highlights and changes in polish, gloss, and finish gave a sheen to legs, hair, lips, and clothing. Gradients of opacity helped add depth to bodices and limbs and even accentuated their faces and their sculptured coiffures.
"Subtle use or color and accenting, someone with a real artistic eye worked on them." Yohko said as she watched Orion gracefully fill a glass and smoothly hand it over. The chokers bearing the Mercury symbol over constellation patterns worked into the gem girls were a bit blatant, but that was a styling theme common enough on Diyu.
As was the chiseled little M each bore on an upper thigh visible under the transparency of their pleated skirting or the silver tiaras inlaid on each brow centered with flush-set faceted gems that shone like the idealized symbols of their bodies. They were similar to the faceted gem irises of their crystalline eyes. A little above the left bosom of the jade one a silver heart with a small sapphire snowflake was embossed into the crystalline substrate..
Mercury smirked. "I knew someone skilled." The people who had been her parents had adapted beautifully, with Libra taking to her leadership and research roles and Pictor diving deep into the aesthetics of their new forms. Having found her muse she first worked with Cassiopeia who had experience working with gems in a previous life, but given her skills, jeweler and medical doctor, both Libra and Pictor wanted Cassiopeia's help.
And from there Pictor's artistic refinements were packaged with the more functional updates Orion, Libra, and Cassiopeia had developed.
"You should have seen them before when they were two-toned and more... crude," Chibi Usa laughed.
Mercury frowned as Orion stepped closer to her.
"Still, impressive creations," Yohko said. Though the with how her gaze lingered on the way the polished skirting was filled with flared hips or how the gleaming ice corset pulled in her waist and presented sapphire-adorned full decolletage showed that the gem girls were not the only ones with artistically-shaped figures.
"Conversions," the dark-harried Senshi stated tapping the silver cane to her shoulder.
"Thank you, but conversions is what they started as," Mercury preened. She lifted her free hand and ran it up Orion's glassy, cool thigh. The gem girl cocked her hip towards her Mistress in response. After this, when it was just the two of them, Mercury would talk with her. Despite all the changes they had both been through, Orion was still a valid sounding board, and the only person she could be... vulnerable to.
The pink-haired girl laughed. "Oh Hotaru, who in this room hasn't been shaped by dark forces against our will?"
The demoness looked around at the various dark magical girls. Her own past well... Yohko used to be a demon hunter. That is she used to be a human demon hunter but then she went after the wrong demoness.
Mercury sighed and crossed her legs as she sat. "Are your daughters enjoying visiting the city?" she asked Yohko.
"They're having fun," the demon mother, martial artist, and mercenary's cocky smile returned. "They've spent more time up north in House RedStorm, but the City of Trees is always a treat."
Leaning back, Mercury held out a hand and Orion filled a glass for her.
"Too on the nose?" the pink-haired girl challenged.
"She is similar to the woman who has been sniffing around your mother, Usagi," Mercury stated, holding the stem of the glass in her hand.
"I'll take that as a compliment," Yohko purred. "And it's more than sniffing around." She pulled an envelope out of her cheongsam and passed it over.
"Did you know Ranma's got a new sister? One who has ice powers of her own? And is also goth, but she's part sidhe, and landed gentry," Chibi Usa teased.
Reaching for the envelope, Mercury sniffed.
"But your ice corset is far lovelier," Chibi Usa assured.
Mercury shook her head. "You're still an imperious spore aren't you?"
Flopping onto the couch, the pink-haired girl shrugged, but her red eyes sparkled deviously.
Mercury went from Chibi Usa's gaze to track the pacing Hotaru. Her attention focused on the silver cane. "Really? Carrying the Glaive openly?"
"It's disguised," Hotaru shrugged. "Unlike other weapons."
Yohko shrugged and idly twirled her spear. "Your reputation precedes you Miss Mizuno. And you're stalling. You can look."
Mercury sighed and opened the envelope. Inside was a set of photographs, they were more rounded in the corners and printed on a flimsier paper than she was used to. But they showed a certain redheaded demon and a certain silver-haired queen. Most were of the pair standing on a balcony one of many on a truly immense rock spire, but some were of the two dressed up for an evening out, and a couple were in a slightly more intimate setting.
"How did you take these?" Mercury asked as she stood. Her eyes briefly went from her own dark gown to those in the pictures. A spike of jealousy was met with a creaking of the ice in her corset. shoes, choker, and tiara.
Yohko laughed. "I know people."
"That's why I brought her in," Chibi Usa smirked. "Besides Akumi, you knew this would happen. Or are you jealous that Serenity is doing dark Princess cosplay with Ranma and not you?"
Mercury stared out the window, at the cyclopean semi-artificial mountain that was the Palace. "It was a risk coming here."
"Oh? But there's no human Senshi here," Hotaru murmured as she paced.
Mercury turned back to eye her.
"Present company excluded." Chibi Usa's smile was bright.
"You think your Mother and her Guardians are the only risk to me?"
"Please, you know what would happen if Ranma found out you were here," Chibi Usa motioned and Orion gave her a glass.
Mercury pressed her lips together.
"The redhead would likely critique your clothing and offer to take you shopping," Orion stated.
"And how are you enjoying the shopping?" Yohko asked. "They say if you can't find it in Silvana then-"
"It's a deviancy that's extra fun?" Chibi Usa laughed while Hotaru stopped her pacing. "For that stuff you'd best go to the Khemi, the capital of House Luxon."
"I may have found a few things," Mercury admitted.
"Having any trouble with the language? Or the culture; I mean there's just so many of us demons out there," Yohko purred, leaning forward. "What about your friends? Golems are not unheard of here, but their livery is... notable."
Virgo stiffened.
Mercury looked up at Orion with a smile. "They can pass as human, they do not like concealing that part of themselves, but it works."
"Really? Even to our noses?" Yohko asked.
Chibi Usa chuckled. "Our Akumi is ambitious. Now, if she had not abandoned the Venus Prototype. That would have fit in."
Yohko gave an inquiring look.
"An enchanted suit of magical armor stylized as a succubus, though the armor was just a... transition," Mercury explained.
"Ah yes... that is similar to Ritual Plate, at least in appearance," Yohko said.
"Far slower in flight but heavier armor," Chibi Usa elaborated.
"Enchanting metal had complications, especially for making a body, a crystalline medium is far more pleasing to work with," Mercury gave Orion a smile. "But... it would be interesting to see how these demons enchant and bind."
"Still, best be careful, golems are common enough here, but the Legions use them as more of strider style for cargo walkers, carriers of crew-served size weapons, and self-walking artillery," Yohko relaxed in her seat.
"Really? No melee golems or large combat frames?" Mercury asked as she motioned to Virgo.
"That is more of a House Elena system. They prefer to use large stone constructs animated by Earth spirits. House Luxon are somewhat similar, I suppose," Yohko shrugged. "And variations of Ritual Plate flying suits are common enough."
"And House BlackSky is different?"
"You didn't research this?" Chibi Usa smiled at the blue-haired woman.
"I only had so much time to prepare," Mercury's tone was cold.
The pink-haired girl waved her off. "It's simple, stone golems are heavy." She gave Orion and Virgo a winning smile. "Not you, you girls are svelte and lovely. But a big fifteen meter tall rock war monster? You have any idea how much that would weigh?"
"About a hundred metric tons," Mercury automatically replied.
"That's right!" Chibi Usa giggled while Hotaru rolled her eyes.
Glaring for a moment, Mercury then nodded. "It's airlift right? All those zeppelins above us and downstream at that base. Even with those lifting-body hulls and whatever magical extras they have to be limited in the mass they can transport."
Orion tilted her head to her Mistress as if to ask: Why else have so many giant airships half a kilometer in length?
"To move Legions," Mercury replied, her tone flat. "But even so..." she nodded. "Right, giant golems. Really any heavy equipment just takes up too much mass."
"Especially when your Legions are air-mobile," Chibi Usa agreed.
"A BlackSkyvian Armor Legion, a Legion specializing in armored vehicles only has what... 64 vehicles if that?" Yohko ventured.
"If you're talking about one with Vestal Light Tanks or Triarii IFVs maybe, but most Armor Legions use Palisade class airships those come with extra capacity and even the smaller Bastion class has some extra."
"I'd hardly call an airship based around two 60 meter diameter hulls and over 400 meters in length small. Those Fides Hulls are giants," Yohko said. "That's far more lift capacity, even on a per capita basis, than my House has."
"Compared to an airship that uses three of those hulls stuck next to each other?" Orion asked.
Yohko nodded.
Chibi Usa shrugged. "Either way, an Armor Legion has about 40 to 64 armored vehicles. That smaller end is if they're using the bigger Lavin battle tanks. And we're not counting utility vehicles, artillery and Ritual Plate support."
"Still, dozens more than you have," Hotaru noted.
Mercury sipped her wine. "Even a Legion dedicated to heavy equipment has to go light on it. It's not just the weight of the vehicles; I'm sure there's all sorts of tiresome supply issues."
Chibi-Usa shrugged. "Grandmother Serenity had similar problems to overcome. Though she used more magically intensive solutions." Her gaze went to her fellow Senshi, both human and... non-human.
"Still, the weight is a limitation," Mercury mused.
"Acutely for House BlackSky, and only because they like air deployment. We of House RedStorm uses similar Legions, but have twice the armored capability. Not to mention Luxon and Elena's capabilities. House BlackSky does have weaknesses. Keeping their legions supplied in the field alone is a major task, and their Air Power airships also need a steady fleet train for munitions, fuel and more."
"Or the Naval powers. Sea-vessels have quite the transport capability," Chibi Usa smirked. "There's a reason House Trosier and House Alecto fight for who controls the seas."
"Or after BlackSky's far smaller navy establishes a beachhead and teleport reinforcements in." Hotaru stated.
Mercury sighed and slowly put her glass down.
"Why it's like she's an interdimensional world-conquering demonic empress," the pink-haired girl laughed.
"Oh, the Silvan succubae are far to civilized for that," Yohko piously said.
"You wanted to play with the big girls, Akumi." Chibi Usa leaned forward. "You still think you have something to offer demon queens?"
"I'm not that desperate."
"Not yet," Chibi Usa smirked. She glanced to the various crystalline Senshi. "But where do you go now? I think you're out of friends and family, unless you want to take Mina-chan back. Or maybe upgrade Rei or Mako-chan. Or the Outers."
"She could try going after Momma and Poppa," Hotaru's tone was flat as she tapped her silver cane on the floor.
Yohko gave Mercury a smile. "A bit of advice, don't bite off more than you can chew."
Chibi Usa giggled. "Oh, it's far too late for that with our Akumi."
"Save us from ambitious princesses," Yohko murmured.
"One of the largest challenges in defining strategy is deciding where you are going to stop," Chibi Usa stated.
"You would know, given your mother and Grandmother," Mercury snapped back.
The pink-haired girl laughed. "Oh, Serenity the First had a clear stop-line. She did not go much beyond the Solar system no?"
"Other than expeditions such as Mistress Lyra's ill-fated one." Hotaru gave Ami a smile.
"Exploration, not conquest," Chibi Usa waved off. She leaned in and studied Ami's cold features with a smile. "Tell me, Mistress of Mercury what would you do if you could get my Mother? If her dearest friends-"
The pink-haired girl looked to Orion and then back to Ami and gave a bright smile. "Her other dearest friends were not in your way?"
Mercury's expression clouded. "You know my intentions. And you would not be here if you did not at agree with them at least in some level."
"Intentions are air," Chibi-Usa held up a hand. "And no, don't give me some long laborious process of how you'd retrain her or empower her or other fantastical processes. I don't want methods, I want your goals."
Mercury sipped her wine and simply looked at Yohko.
"I really don't need to be here for this," the demoness said as she stood.
"No desire to learn more secrets and to leverage them?" Hotaru asked.
Yohko snorted. "Not particularly."
"And that is a valuable and wise trait," Chibi-Usa nodded. "Isn't it?" she cloyingly asked Mercury.
"Oh come on, you've been a nosy bag of secrets since you first arrived, you creepy little spore," Ami spat.
Chibi-Usa pouted.
"The least you could do is enjoy yourself," Hotaru glanced over to Yohko. "Or maybe Elena's second city Eroma or Luxon's Yomi would be more their style?"
"It depends on Mercury's tastes, and what her servants can do," Yohko stated. "And if she wants to bring other Houses into this.
Ami smirked. "I am here because Serenity is here. My Queen. here because Ranma is here. DarkStar is the legend, the favored granddaughter of BlackSky. Thus I must concern myself with House BlackSky." She sipped her wine."
Yohko tilted her head. "You're in her capital. You've got eyes. You've got quite the brain. Are you that arrogant?"
"Naturally." Mistress Mercury laughed. "But I am not against any of you demons. And... as much as it pains me to admit, you are not the greater threat to my Queen. She has other temptations." She shot Chibi-Usa a look.
The pink haired young woman gave a slow nod.
Yohko tilted her head. "You're not against DarkStar being Serenity's suitor. You're concerned, so you came here to check on her family. And you... approve."
Ami sipped her wine. "My Queen could do worse."
"Taking a brood queen, an Imperial Princess?" Chibi-Usa giggled.
Ami glanced at her guests and her creations.
"Long term, you know what that means for you queen, to be mated to a demon?" Yohko asked.
"My Queen could do worse," Ami repeated. "You do not understand what I'm afraid of. Why I am doing this for her."
"I'm no sure if I should be reassured that a magical girl is comfortable with the idea of her queen becoming a demon, or worried about what you think will be worse," Yohko observed.
"Do you really think I would care if my queen had some horns or a tail?" Ami gestured to the two crystalline magical girls standing statue still, ready to serve.
"Maybe I should give these demonic accouterments. What do you think Orion?"
"You did that for Venus when she was a prototype," the jade gem girl replied.
"You're not learning about House BlackSky because you want to fight them," Yohko shook her head. "No... you're learning about your Queen's potential in-laws?"
"Shouldn't I?" Mercury's tone was mild as she motioned to have her creations refill everyone's wine glasses. "If Serenity the Second were to pursue such a relationship then House BlackSky, BlackSky herself would have a measure of sway over her. Best to get her measure now."
"And do you like what you've learned?" the pink-haired purred. "You wanted a strong dark queen, one who could recreate the greatness of the Lunar Empire. A new Silver Millennium? Who better of a mentor for Usagi?"
"BlackSky is the mother of my empress, First Citizen RedStorm," Yohko admitted. "BlackSky helped and taught her much. And now House RedStorm is another Great House on Diyu. Maybe one of the younger and smaller, but we still count."
"Does Usagi want this?" Hotaru quietly asked.
Emptying her glass again, Mercury sighed. "She's the heir of Serenity. I'm afraid she doesn't have much choice. Her mother's blood, her mother's pride runs through her veins."
Yohko tilted her head while Chibi-Usa made a small sigh.
"Are you going to warn me about delving into things I'm better off not knowing?"
"If your... fears are correct. Does that not make me just as at risk? I'm Serenity the Third am I not?"
"You're here, talking to me, and Usagi and her girls, Ranma and her girls, or even BlackSky and her Legions have not tried to stop me."
"Maybe it's all a ploy on my part," Chibi-Usa sweetly said.
Mercury rolled her eyes. "It certainly is. As you said, you're Serenity the Third. I know you'll ensure you still exist. Given your father's dead, and the time travel." She said that last part with clear distaste.
"So you say," Chibi-Usa smirked.
The Mistress of Mercury gave the pink-haired girl a skeptical look.
"Have you been having any trouble with the culture or language?" Yohko asked. "Needing an interpreter or guide may raise your profile but could avoid incidents.
"I have already made sure we won't say the wrong thing or give offense," Mercury sniffed.
Yohko nodded. That was another bit of evidence in her evaluation of this dark magical girl: Arrogant but cautious. Yohko knew it was a dangerous combination
"I will admit that learning more about BlackSky has..." Mercury gave a wry smile. "Settled some of my concerns."
"And now you are free to focus on those of a pressing issue?" Chibi-Usa's crimson gaze shone.
"The real threat to our queen?" Hotaru's tone was dry.
Mercury raised her glass. "Yes, we may all disagree over the details and methods." She gave her crystalline creations an almost guilty look but the mad gleam returned. "But we know our queen is in a grave danger. One that the others do not understand, that they refuse to see. We will save Serenity, save her from her inheritance."
Yohko sipped her wine. Mercury was paying well, but... the ice magus was feverously fervent. And the other two magical girls were playing alone. She would see how far things went, but made a note to make sure she had an exit plan before she got too committed.
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Ranma and her daughter descended the steps from the funicular station. When they reached the street, the redhead took her daughter's hand. Carts, carts, trucks and other vehicles puttered down the curving road.
In the redhead's other hand was a shiny sky-blue leather bookbag
Nabiki looked down at the hand holding hers and smiled. "Are you worried I'd walk into traffic, Mother?"
Ranma blinked. "I mean... the other moms are doing it with their girls." Tail swishing, she turned to sweep at several women who were waiting at the side walk. They were all different hues of skin and hair color, and one even seemed to be human and another had fluff ears and tails, but they all had at least one daughter with them in a prim little uniform with bows and ruffles and pleated skirting identical to Nabiki's.
Only the ones who looked a bit younger than Nabiki did at the moment were behind held hand in hand with their mothers however.
"Are you nervous Mom?" Nabiki asked. "It's my first day," she teased.
"No. I mean... I've had you go to school, at your own age before."
"But that was with humans," the blue-haired girl said with amusement. As a light hanging from a pole next to them changed colors and they all crossed the street.
"I mean, you don't have to hide here."
"And neither do you, Mommy," Nabiki happily said. "Here you can be the demon princess."
Ranma blushed a bit as a few of the other succubae mothers turned to her with smiles.
The redhead gave a wave and bowed her horns. "Oh geeze..."
"It's okay," Nabiki happily said. "Mima Lumina has a pedigree, so members of the Imperial family attending isn't that unusual."
Ranma squeezed her daughter's hand.
"Like grandma soon enough!"
The redhead smiled. "Yeah, Mother has been working towards this. It's just..." She looked down the road to the park with its statues and the walls of the academy, then down another road to see a set of more shops and beyond that a plaza.
A mix of the scent of smoking meat, charcoal, bread, leather and a hint of sulfur and perfume was on the air, with just a hint of the scent of the river many stories below. The air was crisp and the sun was bright.
"What, Mommy?"
"I mean... it's all this other world stuff. I've met people from other worlds, even other versions of me. I've gone to other worlds, my baby sister, but it's... even here it is still amazing to have a whole other world." Ranma's tail flicked and she blushed slightly.
"But you knew about Grandmother, everyone did," Nabiki teased as a shadow drew over the street.
Expecting a cloud, Ranma looked up. Nodding at the airship, she went back to her daughter. "It's one thing to hear rumors about her demonic empire, it's another to enroll your little girl in a fancy private school."
As they neared the school, Ranma saw several more schoolgirls, many up to teen age waiting in the park. Their uniforms were more abbreviated than those of the younger grades with miniskirts and a bit of bare midriff on some. Quite a few of them were making their way into the academy.
Ranma gave a slight smile.
"Mommy?"
"Oh, just thinking I was their age not too long ago."
"Silly Mommy, that goes for both of us." Nabiki giggled as she slapped the redhead across the back of her purple skirt.
"Hey!" Blushing slightly, Ranma turned to look at her diminutive daughter.
"Am I interrupting?" a refined voice inquired.
The redhead turned. "Oh, Auntie Felisia." She bowed her horns to the coiffed blonde woman. "What a pleasant surprise to meet you here."
Felisia strode a bit closer and smiled beatifically at some of the awed students who passed her. "You are a delight. I just wanted to welcome you and your daughter to their first day of her school."
Ranma gave a smile. "A pleasure. I'm still getting used to all..." she gestured about. "To, well, all of this."
Looking the redhead's purple skirt, blouse and matching jacket up and down Felisia, nodded. "At least you're dressing the part. A bit more business heiress than princess, but that's a valid role."
"Is that how you see me?"
"You do with for that mercenary company," Felisia noted.
"As does much of my family," Ranma replied.
"Oh, no ill-intent, fledgling. The Guilds can be quite respectable. And myself and my sisters employ many personal troops. Why there's even a Duchess who is quite the patron of Ritual Plate pilots who-" the blonde paused when the bells over the academy started to ring. "But we mustn't delay your little one."
Ranma squeezed Nabiki's shoulders and hugged her. "Now, you have a good day at school. Will you be okay with Silvan?"
"I'm already bilingual, Mommy, I can handle another language," Nabiki dryly said after returning the hug.
Felisia stepped closer to the redhead as they watched the powder-blue haired broodling flounce towards the school.
"She knows where her first class is?" Felisia asked.
"Acadia Hall room 3B," Ranma replied.
"Ah, Mistress WillowWhip good choice."
Once her daughter had passed though the gates Ranma turned and gave her aunt an inquisitive look.
"She'd be who I'd recommend teach your mother, when she's that age. And maybe a bit older." Felisia smiled. "It is good to have you back, niece."
"I'm not sure about back, but I am getting used to visiting," Ranma admitted.
End Chapter 5
Apologies for the long delay. In related news I've been working on a story called The War Chronicles of a Little Demon. It a Youjo Senki fic where Tauria finds herself in House BlackSky. And thus is set in the same world as this story.
Thanks to DCG, Ellf, Kevin D Hammel, Henry Stickman, and . for their help with this chapter.