Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Umbra Aureola ❯ Chapter 14 - Aphrodite's Bracelet Pt 2 ( Chapter 14 )

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

CHAPTER XIV : APHRODITE'S BRACELET pt 2


Ranma-chan's eyes danced madly as she maneuvered the tool into position. Akane witnessing the event said uneasily. "Is that really safe?"

"I hope he doesn't hurt himself." Kasumi said in what perhaps could be pseudo agreement with Akane's position.

The panda in the background lifted up a sign that read. "Go son." One could suppose that the words where supposed to cheer Ranma-chan on, however the panda failed by several measures to apply any conviction to the words. Then again applying conviction was rather difficult when you are a panda.

Scattered about the dojo was a selection of tools chisels, hacksaws, knives, heavy duty clippers, even an abandoned acetylene torch. Ranma-chan had recently moved up from these items to a rather hefty chain saw. Now a chain saw is usually a difficult tool to start while only using one hand. However, the laughing red headed pigtailed girl managed to stroke the saw into action. "Ha ha ha ha, survive this!" With the words spoken she applied the tool to the golden bracelet intelligently avoiding the super hard diamonds. A terrible metallic screech filled the air as sparks flew from the contact point from the massive forces applied.

Ranma-chan lifted the chain saw from bracelet to view her victory only to see the object without even a scratch. The chain saw, on the other hand, had seen better days. Its blades ragged and warped from the contact with the impressive material. It looked like the chain saw had been chewed up by a rather vicious animal.

"Wow that is one tough bracelet, its not even scratched." Akane said.

"It brings a whole new meaning to the words: they don't make things like they used to." Nabiki added.

Soun merely cried at the loss of his chain saw. Kasumi comforted her father. "Don't worry I'm sure Ranma will buy you a new one when he has the money." If anything the words only made Soun cry harder.

Ranma-chan stared at the bracelet around her wrist the entire time. The thing seemed to survive everything Ranma-chan could throw at it, without being bothered in the least. Not that she didn't expect a magical tool to be tough, but this tough? "Yeesh! Who made this thing? I'm goina have to ask the old ghoul."

"Oh come on Ranma, it can't be that bad." Akane said. She was rather leery about Ranma-chan talking to the old ghoul for obvious reasons. Those being of course the fact that Cologne would undoubtedly try to use this to get Ranma-chan into marrying Shampoo once again.

"Hey, you weren't the one that had that dream." Ranma-chan retorted and then promptly shuddered upon thinking about it. There was definitely no way she was going to be wearing this, thing, any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Dream eh?" Nabiki said thoughtfully.

Akane snorted. "I can't believe your that scarred of one stupid dream."

The panda lifted up a slew of signs. "Woe is me, my son terrified of a simple dream."

"Hey, you weren't the one that had it!" Ranma-chan replied angrily.

"So what was the dream about?" Akane asked.

"Don't wanna talk about it." Ranma-chan said quietly. Then with resolve the red headed girl said, "Well I am going to see the ghoul."

"Son remember that the schools must joined." Soun cried out.

"Come on, It ain't like I'm stupid enough to let the old ghoul marry me to Shampoo."

Akane rolled her eyes. "As if you've never done anything to make us think otherwise."

If Ranma-chan caught the implication of those words she made no indication. Instead she just trotted off towards her declared location. Akane trailed Ranma-chan accompanying the pig tailed girl as she was want to do. After a while of quiet Akane asked, "So do you think Cologne will help?"

"If Happosai knows how the thing works, then Cologne has probably heard of it as well." Ranma-chan replied.

"Yeah, but what makes you think that she will help you even if she does know what the bracelet does, and how to take it off? She hasn't been exactly that helpful in the past. You can't have forgotten about those times she tried to get you to marry Shampoo."

"I figure that even if the old ghoul tells me what the thing does I am one step up from where I was. Besides, if I know what the thing is called I might be able to use some of Anito's books to figure it out myself, or at least figure out how to beat the old freak down without imitating a blown fuse."

"Wow that is pretty smart." Akane noted in some shock.

"I've been tellin you I ain't stupid." Ranma-chan said back annoyed.

"Could of fooled me."

Ranma-chan rolled her eyes as they entered the Neko Haten. Almost immediately after entering the door one of the usual assailants showed his face. "Saotome, undoubtedly after my darling Shampoo." Mousse said.

"Stuff it bird brains, I am here for the ghoul."

"You think to fool me Saotome? There is no way you would give up the wondrous Shampoo to marry a shriveled old gnome."

"Hey that is not what I meant!" Ranma-chan exclaimed. There was no way she would have anyone thinking that she would marry an old ghoul. Not even if it would get Mousse off her case.

"So I was right you are after my darling Shampoo! I will have to defeat you and teach you the error of your ways!" Mousse said flashing his new glasses.

"Hey cool! I like the new glasses." Ranma-chan said noticing them for the first time.

Mousse looked a bit embarrassed and thrilled at the same time. "Is-is that so?"

"They look great on you Mousse." Akane added.

Mousse looked happy for a bit then he stopped. "Ha, you thought you could fool me Saotome. You are just trying to distract me so you can take Shampoo!"

"Yeesh, you really do have a bird brain." Ranma-chan declared annoyed. The last thing she needed now was a fight. Ranma-chan didn't want the rest figuring out that an attempted attack resulted in her electrocution. Not that Ranma-chan knew for sure yet, but given her luck there couldn't be much doubt.

Mousse flashed his glasses again and yelled as he prepared his attack. "Die Saotome!" The male amazon's arms swept up to throw innumerous bladed weapons at his hated foe. Mousse's attempt was foiled when a wooden bon bori slammed into the top of his head crashing the amazon face first into the ground.

"Stupid duck boy no kill Shampoo's Airen." The purple haired amazon warrior declared. Looking back up to Ranma-chan Shampoo practically threw herself at the pig tailed girl, well to be accurate she did throw herself at the pig tailed girl... "Ranma come to take Shampoo on date yes?" Shampoo said while squeezing the life out of Ranma-chan.

"Leggo of me." Ranma-chan managed to make out.

"Hey we didn't come here so you could fondle your girl friend." Akane exclaimed, while pounding her fiancee into the floor.

With Ranma-chan now on the floor Shampoo leveled her bon bori at Akane. "What kitchen destroyer doing with Airen."

"Hey, hey, I just want to see the ghoul and ask her about the bracelet." Ranma-chan declared having managed to make it to her feet.

"Twack! Who's an old ghoul?" Cologne asked after pounding her son-in-law of his insolence.

"Out of my way shriveled up mummy. I must make Saotome pay for trying to steal my darling Shampoo!" Mousse declared having recovered from the blow to the head by Shampoo's bon bori.

"Twack! Back into the kitchen part timer. You too Shampoo there is plenty of work left to be done today." Cologne said while nailing the master of hidden weapons on the head with her staff. "So son-in-law what brings you here? Come to declare your love for Shampoo?"

"I ain't your son-in-law." Ranma-chan said annoyed. "I wanna know if you know what this thing does." Ranma-chan said showing the amazon matriarch the golden, gem studded bracelet.

"Hmm, quite a bracelet you have there son-in-law." Cologne said eyeing the high quality and obviously expensive accessory.

"Yeah, yeah heard that before. Happosai slapped it on me during one of our fights and the darn thing started frying me whenever I tried to hit the old bastard. Then it did the same when I tried to change back. For whatever reason I can't get the thing off its like its invulnerable or something." Ranma-chan explained.

"Hmm, well my first thought is dismissed. The bracelet I was thinking shouldn't behave in the manner you described." Cologne said thoughtfully. "I could help you get it off though I wonder..."

"I ain't marrying Shampoo." Ranma-chan said with great resolve before Cologne could name that as her price.

Cologne cackled. "Well, well, aren't we sharp today son-in-law. I think I will be able to come up with something a bit more acceptable. Hmmm...," Cologne eyed the bracelet a while longer. "Is there anything else that you can tell me about it, it would make things much easier."

"Well Ranma did mention something about a dream." Akane said glaring at Ranma-chan for the slight of not informing her what the dream was about. Probably something perverted Akane figured.

"A dream eh? And you think the bracelet is responsible for this?" Cologne asked.

"Er... yeah." Ranma-chan said obviously uneasy about the way the conversation was going.

Cologne almost cackled in amusement at her son-in-law's obvious embarrassment. "And what was this dream about?"

Now Ranma-chan looked very nervous. Leaning down close to the shriveled old woman the red head whispered some words into the old matriarch's ears. This time Cologne did cackle in delight. "Well, well that was quite an interesting dream. I'll tell you when I have some information on that bracelet of yours."

"So Ranma am I not good enough to hear what the dream was about!" Akane demanded angrily.

"Hey, that don't got nothing to do with it!" Ranma retorted.

"Oh so why won't you tell me what it was about then!"

"Cause it ain't none of your business tomboy!"

"Smack!" Ranma was floored again by Akane as she smashed him into the ground with one of the Neko Haten's tables. Akane stomped out of the room presumably heading to the Tendo Dojo.

"Stupid macho chick, why does she always have to hit me. It ain't like its goina hurt her or something if I don't tell her about one stupid little dream." Ranma-chan muttered peeling herself off the ground.

Seeing a vulnerability Shampoo moved in to attack. "Ranma no need violent girl he go out with Shampoo instead."

"Saotome how dare you steal my darling Shampoo!" Mousse yelled out as he threw a selection of kitchen knives at the pigtailed martial artist.

Ranma-chan dodged the knives easily. "Hey, I'm not doing nothing!"

"You can't fool me Saotome!" Mousse yelled not letting up on the attack.

"I ain't fooling anybody bird brains. You're doing that just fine on your own." Ranma-chan retorted. Forgetting the bracelet for the moment Ranma-chan flipped a kick toward Mousse's head and promptly got electrocuted with a resounding "Zaaaaappppp!"

Seeing smoke coming off his dreaded enemy Mousse gloated. "Defeated by your own devices Saotome. I shall finish you and take Shampoo as my .... quaack!"

"Stupid duck boy no take Shampoo." Shampoo said annoyed after dumping a glass of cold liquid on her frequent admirer.

Ranma-chan sat up painfully after that the shock. "Stupid bracelet."

"What happen to Airen?" Shampoo asked figuring that Mousse was without a doubt not the type to learn how to throw lightning bolts and if he did duck boy would have been bragging about defeating Saotome instead of trying to land a finishing blow.

"Stupid bracelet is frying me whenever I try to hit someone." Ranma-chan complained.

Shampoo paying half a mind fetched some hot water pouring it on Ranma-chan she said. "Ranma go on date now?"

Of course given the high voltage energy that coursed through Ranma-chan's body at the application of water she was laying unconscious and unable to reply. Shampoo looked at the steaming, smoking, still female Ranma-chan startled. "That not supposed to happen."

Cologne entered the room and seeing a fried Ranma-chan, Mousse in duck form and Shampoo still holding a kettle of hot water. Putting all the events and earlier sounds together she let out a sigh. Not for the first time Cologne wondered what she had possibly done in her past life to deserve two such charges. Ah if only the world had more people like son-in-law or that wily arch-mage Anito. Well scratch the last, Cologne didn't want to think of what a world filled with Anitos would be like. Sighing again the old matriarch spoke. "Shampoo take Ranma back to the Tendo's. He can't change back until that bracelet is removed so it would be best to avoid hitting him with hot water for some time."


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


Ranma-chan looked around finding herself in her room once again. There was a slight feeling in the air, a strangeness. A feeling that reality was somehow liquid. That reality would change or morph to ones will. In other words the feeling of a dream.

The strange thing about dreams is that though you may be able to identify them for what they are, changing or controlling them is far more difficult. Control slips from the conscious mind, and only with the greatest will can one do in a dream what the waking mind demands. As such even upon knowing it was a dream Ranma-chan still was trapped in it, like a fly on fly paper. Burnt like a moth to the flame.

It is a strange irony to be aware that one is dreaming, but to still act in the dream as though all events are real. Despite the fact that events themselves declare their unreality. Yet, such was the nature of dreams.

Thus there was no shock, no dizzying nonacceptance when Ranma-chan looked at her dresser and saw instead a makeup desk. Just a knowing that things where not as they should be. Walking over to the desk Ranma-chan looked at it oddly. Frowning she muster up the will to act with consciousness through the dream with the knowing of its dream state. "I ain't fallin for nothin stupid bracelet."

The feeling of unreality eased slightly allowing Ranma-chan further control. She then heard a soft female giggle and twisted her head in the direction of the sound. Ranma-chan found herself looking into a mirror a mirror that reflected her, yet did not reflect her.

How such was possible might boggle the mind in reality. Ranma-chan while wore her normal red shirt and black pants her reflection in the mirror was different. Somehow the half length mirror reflected the whole of her body despite the impossibility of such an event. Further, the clothes she wore outside the reflection where not those of inside the reflection.

Instead her image was dressed in that same white and pink fuku. The clothing so tight it seemed to hug every curve making it almost as if no clothes where worn at all. The skirt was so short as to seem redundant. White stocking came up her legs giving a glimpse of flesh before they vanished under that short skirt. Her feet where captured in pink high heeled shoes, and not cute little ones either but ones with a full four inches of height.

What caught Ranma the most was the makeup the touch of pink to the lips, the thickened eyelashes, the shaped brows. It was as if all manhood was washed away leaving only the girl behind. Not just any girl, but a girl that seemed to embrace her female side with the same fervor that Ranma-chan embraced her manhood. A girl that some how managed cute, innocent and sexy all at the same time.

The reflection giggled at Ranma-chan's blatant distaste. It reached forward as if to reach through the mirror and grasp Ranma-chan. A feeling of dread filled the red head at the reflection's act. Without thinking Ranma-chan lashed forward with a fist to smash the terrible image from existence.

Instead the reflective surface shimmered giving off small circles as the hand sunk into the surface as if the mirror where liquid. The reflection's hand touched Ranma-chan's own and a cold feeling swept through the limb. Withdrawing her hand as fast as she could Ranma-chan glanced at the affected limb. Her hand was perfectly manicured, her nails shaped into pinkish elongated ovals. Glancing back up at the mirror Ranma-chan could see the the ghostly reflection slipping out of the silver surface into whatever reality Ranma-chan now stood.

Thinking fast Ranma-chan grabbed the chair in front of the makeup desk and threw it at the mirror. Where her fist had no effect the chair seemed to react in the more expected fashion shattering the mirror into a thousand pieces. So too shattered was both the reflection and the dream.


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


Ranma-chan woke up in a gasp. In almost panic she glanced around feeling the world with her aura sight. The sharp solidness belied reality instead of dream. Then she immediately looked at her hand to see that it was as it was before the dream. Letting out a sigh of relief Ranma-chan noted that this time there was no one watching over her when she awoke.

Glaring at the bracelet that encircled her left wrist Ranma-chan said. "I don't know how but I am goina to make you pay." If the bracelet heard the red head or was even capable of hearing it gave no indication.

Hearing her stomach grumble Ranma-chan decided that it would be best to go down stairs for a while. Heading down she was met by the sight of Anito, Cologne, and even Happosai all gathered in one room. Blinking in surprise Ranma-chan asked, "What's goin on?"

"Ah good son-in-law you are awake. We where just discussing possibilities of what that bracelet could be. Anito just arrived a few minutes ago and we just finished filling him in. So it seems you woke up right on time." Cologne said.

"Oh, so I see that the real discussion is about to begin." Nabiki commented slipping into the room. Most of the rest of the Tendos began to slip into the room as well.

"So what do ya got." Ranma-chan asked.

"My first thought upon seeing the bracelet was that it was the legendary Bracelet of Aphrodite a powerful artifact forged by the gods. Yet, according to what books I have that is clearly impossible as the effects of the said bracelet are not those displayed by the bracelet that you are wearing." Cologne explained.

Happosai nodded and with tears in his eyes. "I hope you can forgive your master for an honest mistake."

"Twack!" Cologne's staff met Happosai's head before the old master could react. Which was quite surprising considering the speed which Happosai usually moved at. Absently Ranma-chan noted that the chains around Happosai's feet just might have had something to do that. "Fool, the effects of the true bracelet would be far worse than those displayed by this item." Cologne said.

"If my ungrateful student had shown me the respect I deserved I wouldn't have had to resort to such extreme measures." Happosai retorted.

Cologne gave a short laugh at this statement. "It seems to me your student gave you exactly the respect you deserve."

"You got that right!" Ranma-chan said with hearty agreement with the old ghoul's analysis of the statement.

"Ah phewy I just wanted to see my Ranma-chan in all those beautiful clothes." Happosai said sliding off into a dream land where a happy Ranma-chan did all her master said. Ah, what a wonderful world where such a beauty could offer all her master deserved and still carry on his wondrous school of martial arts.

Knowing that Happosai's mind was capable of only focusing on a single subject for long periods of time Cologne continued the discussion. "In any case given that it could not be the Bracelet of Aphrodite Happosai and I pooled our resources. Unfortunately we could find no other bracelet that met its description, much less displayed the powers you described."

Anito chuckled, "That would be because that IS the Bracelet of Aphrodite."

"Impossible!" Cologne said. Happosai just went dewy eyed at the thought.

Anito gave a grin and shook his finger. "Don't forget, when it comes to magical artifacts I am the foremost expert in the world. My analysis is not incorrect."

"So how is it that the bracelet is not displaying the properties that it should?"

"We will get to that, but I think it would be best to start from the beginning for the benefit of all." Anito said happily.

Ranma-chan let out a groan, this was goina take a while. "Can't we just skip to the important parts?"

Anito ignored the red head and forged on. "The Bracelet of Aphrodite was made by Hephaestus god of the forge. It was one of the many gifts he showered upon his love after Zeus married the two. This bracelet is by no means the only such bracelet that he made for her, it was just one of many."

Anito took a sip of tea that Kasumi had provided while the discussion was going on. "To skip to the pertinent points at this time the magic the bracelet had was by no means spectacular. Just some simple spells to make the wearer more desirable to men. Aphrodite however, gave the bracelet to a Greek amazon warrior who had caught her attention. The bracelet was then passed onto that amazon's daughter who then became matriarch at a very young age."

"It was here that the problems started. You see this Amazon had little respect for Aphrodite. In fact she had so little respect that within a week of receiving the bracelet at one of Aphrodite's sacred temples she not only refused the priestesses an offering, but declared that 'A true warrior wouldn't give that flighty harlot anything. She is only useful to serve as a man's play toy and I will not demean the amazon's by even speaking her name.'"

"Ouch, I'm taking it that Aphrodite didn't take kindly to those words." Nabiki said.

"To say the least. The Greek Gods have long been known for their petty tempers. Aphrodite used the bracelet to strike the offensive woman with a curse. Not without a sense of irony Aphrodite decided to make the amazon warrior into the 'real thing' if you catch my drift."

"That is terrible!" Akane declared. She wouldn't stand for women being demeaned no matter the reason.

Nabiki however, had another mind of the subject. "I'm liking her better already." Nabiki commented her eyes gleaming. A woman that knew real revenge was a woman Nabiki could respect.

Cologne and Happosai already knew all this. Ranma-chan though was fighting off sleep incurred by the impromptu history lesson. Anito ignored most of this giving only a little chuckle at Nabiki's words. "Yes, the Greek Gods where never quite as simple as they looked at first glance. In any case the story did not end there. A nearby king heard about this bracelet and raided the Amazon's capturing the stricken matriarch. Taking the woman as his wife he gave the bracelet to a wizard of my order with instructions to give the bracelet the power to do the same to all women who wore it. This was of course so that the king could subjugate the Amazons who had fought so hard against his kingdom."

"The wizard though could not duplicate the magic of the gods. However, some of the magic remained so instead the wizard summoned a minor lust demon and bound it to the bracelet to imbue it with the powers that the king demanded. His work was effective, though not as complete as the original. It was however close enough and thus the king was satisfied with the work and began to capture the amazon warriors and break them using the tool so that they would serve his kingdom."

Cologne nodded. "Those where dark days for our Amazon sisters."

Akane looked decidedly sick at the story. Kasumi summed it up with an "Oh my!"

"So what happened then?" Nabiki asked with interest. She could already figure that the bracelet's effects must somehow have broken or else Ranma-chan would not be as she was now. "I take it Aphrodite was not one to let her toys be played with in such a manner."

Anito grinned. "No she wasn't, however she never heard of the incident. You see her son Eros, Cupid as he is better known, had a rather bad sense of humor. He thought the whole thing was as funny as hell and made sure his mother never heard of it. Althena though was another story. A Goddess of war and the domestic arts she was sickened by the bracelet's abuse and pressured one of her hero's to do something about it. That hero grabbed the bracelet from the king and took it to Mount Olympus where it was to be destroyed."

"Unfortunately the work of Hephaestus is a great thing indeed and not even Zeus could break the bracelet. Hephaestus himself declared he made it with all his soul and not even he could destroy such a work. Thus they had Hermes throw the bracelet into a volcano so that the earth itself could slowly destroy the bracelet. There it remained until a hundred years ago when an eruption threw it back into the world of the living."

Cologne nodded. "I have heard the story before, but not the last and nor that the magic's of a wizard and the power of a demon where used to create the bracelets final and dreaded form."

Ranma-chan however had finally put two and two together and was running around the room yelling. "Get it off, get it off!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "I take it since Ranma there is still acting like his old self that the effects of the bracelet have changed."

"Rightly so. The magic was broken down in the earth over years and for a large part is no longer functional. However, old and powerful magic is almost a living thing in all likelihood while the bracelet no longer retains its old functions the magic in it is probably a twisted blend of all three. As the bracelet is now I see very little danger. The sole exception being the dreams as those seem to be an attempt of the demon to gain contact with Ranma." Anito said staring at the flailing pigtailed girl.

"Hey aren't you listening Ranma Anito said you'll be okay." Akane said trying to calm down her fiancee. Ranma-chan continued to ignore her running around the room in panic. Annoyed Akane hammered her fiancee into the ground where Ranma-chan immediately regained her composure.

"What was that you said Akane?" Ranma-chan asked rubbing the back of her head.

"I said Anito said you'll be okay."

"But, but but..." Ranma-chan stammered.

Anito broke in with his voice. "As I was saying for the most part the bracelet's function is destroyed. The only danger of the bracelet is the dreams and in that all you need to do is remember the golden rule when dealing with demons. Don't accept any deals and they can't touch you."

Ranma-chan looked relieved. "So how do I get it off?"

"Simple really, a basic unlocking spell will release the bracelet. The other possibility is to willingly let the magic incorporate itself with you after which it will unlock automatically." Anito with a grin.

"So get it off already!"

"Well I suppose I could, however it was built to resist stealing efforts and broken as it is there is no telling what ... might happen." Anito said with a large smile. "So unless you want to risk something, catastrophic, I suggest you work the magic yourself."

"Ranma can't do any magic!" Akane said.

Anito shrugged. "I could teach him how in under a week. That is, if he, or perhaps I should say she... wants me to."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow at that statement. "Well, well making another move again eh Anito." She thought to herself. Perhaps she could profit from this as well, if she played her cards right.

"Hey, I aint a girl!" Ranma-chan yelled loudly.

"Hmm perhaps I better not teach him the demon might give her some manners." Anito said out loud and then took another drink of tea completely ignoring the fist that was flying at his face.

"Zaaaaapppppp!" White lighting left a charred Ranma-chan on the ground once again.

Anito smiled and said in a lecturing tone of voice. "Control is of the utmost importance when studying magic."