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An Artist Among Monsters	By : ClanCrusher Category: +M to R > Ranma ½ Views: 21240 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fan-based work of fanfiction. Ranma 1/2 and Monster Girl Quest are owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Torotoro Resistance respectively.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Fighting back Tamamo's energy was like pushing through wet cement. Every movement felt unnatural and forced, and it took some time before he could even properly put his clothes back on. He'd only just accomplished the feat when voices began to echo through the hallways.
“Ow! Ow! Quit it! I told you it was an accident!”
“And I told you you're lying.”
That was Alice's voice, and Nibi's from the sound of it. Another soon joined, the mimic’s.
“Why am I being dragged along?”
“Because I need something to throw this fox into if she gets her directions wrong again.”
The small group soon emerged into the more open cavern. Alice was in the lead, dangling the small two-tailed fox in her hand by said tails, and behind her was Granberia, holding the mimic underneath her arm.
Alice sniffed at the air, frowned, and then looked to Ranma. “Smells like fox in here. And you look like you're about to tell me some bad news.”
Ranma struggled to his feet. “Vault was mostly empty and Tamamo took the bell.”
Granberia dropped the box with a hard thump. “Tamamo? Why would she get in our way?”
Alice's eyes closed for a moment as if she was lost in thought. “What else did she say?”
“She...said that you're the monster lord now. You need to start acting like it.”
“Of course she would.” Noticing Ranma’s confusion, she continued. “Tamamo was my teacher before I took the throne, and she never wastes an opportunity to work in a lesson.” With a flick of her wrist, Alice sent Nibi flying from her grip to smack against the mimic. “When Tamamo finds you again, tell her that I got the message.”
The fox girl nodded rapidly before she scampered off while Alice's eye focused on the mimic. “I take it you're responsible for the empty vault?”
“I needed something to attract adventurers,” came the muffled reply.
“And you went through the entire vault?” asked Granberia.
“I got hungry!”
With a roll of her eyes, Alice's tail smacked the side of the box. “Beat it. And find a new home. There's nothing left for you here.” As the second captive fled, Alice turned her attention back to Ranma. “Can you walk?”
“In a couple minutes, sure.” The fox's energy had mostly burned away by now, though traces of fatigue remained. “I'll find a counter for this soon.”
Alice didn't reply. Instead, she merely waited while Ranma caught his breath and burned away the last of Tamamo's influence. Her unease was clear, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with theoretical ghosts anymore.
“Was the bell really that important?” he asked finally.
“No, it's not. I...apologize for pushing this on you. Tamamo was right. I need to deal with this myself. Alma Elma is my responsibility, not yours, and this quarantine is my responsibility too, even if I wasn't the one to put it in place.”
Ranma didn't often receive apologies and it took him a few moments to even register that it had happened. “Hey, it's not that big a deal. I did accept her challenge, after all.”
Alice's mouth briefly turned upward into a smile. “Maybe it won't be. I have a few ideas on how we might get across without some stupid trinket.”
The journey back was mostly silent. Alice took the lead and Granberia watched him from behind, but it seemed like all the traps had been triggered. By the time they were back outside, Ranma's fatigue had all but vanished and hunger had set in. Fortunately, the grounds around the cave had been cleared for camping by adventurers past and it didn't take long to set up a fire pit and start a meal.
“So if ships weren't an option, how did you get here the first time?” asked Ranma.
Alice shrugged. “Flew.”
“Flew?” Ranma repeated, trying to picture it in his mind. “How?”
“Through an arduous transformation and a lot of expended energy. It's not something I wish to repeat unless I have to.”
Stirring the pot a couple times, Ranma turned to Granberia. “What about you? Did you fly too?”
“I'm not that sort of dragon,” snapped Granberia. “I enlisted the help of mermaids. They were running a small transport service out of Port Natalia. One way though.”
“Swimming could be an option.”
“I can't,” said Granberia flatly.
Alice blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Never needed to learn. Erubetie always handled disputes in the water along with the four queens.”
Ranma pondered the options as he served the food. It appeared the current choices were inconvenient or unfeasible in some way. Short of intercepting Alma directly, the quarantine seemed fairly impenetrable. Unless...
“That technique you used at the Sutherland Inn...”
Alice smirked. “Oh?”
Ranma choked and hastily clarified, “Not that one! The one where you shielded the room! Just...do that to the entire ship?”
Alice looked thoughtful at the idea. “Hmm...that could work. Would give plenty of protection from a storm and shield it from the wind, too. We can charm a ship captain into letting us try.”
“Why charm them? Just tell them you're the monster lord and you're lifting the blockade. Didn't Tamamo say you should stop sneaking around?” asked Ranma.
“She did,” conceded Alice, “but that doesn't mean every situation calls for throwing my title around.”
Granberia spoke up. “You could always throw your title of hero around.”
Ranma rolled his eyes. “No one is going to buy that I'm a hero.”
“Sutherland did,” said Alice playfully. “And she seems the type to talk to everyone who crosses her path. I wager your tale has already made it to Port Ilias.”
“Bet you a meal it hasn’t.”
Alice smiled. “I'll take that bet. And if we can't leverage your status, I'll see what I can do with mine.
Ranma was awake before Granberia nudged him this time. A small nod was all she needed to communicate her intentions and a couple minutes later they were sparring away from the campsite.
Despite Tamamo's warning, Ranma was finding it near impossible not to feel that serene state and utilize it. Even without pushing himself into the 'flow', parts of it were reflected in his movements when he dodged Granberia's strikes and delivered his own. Trying to shut it off felt like trying to dampen his own hearing.
“You ever fight with Tamamo?” asked Ranma during a lull.
“Once, during the fight for the throne. Her mastery over the earth was so great my sword couldn't even cut her tails.” Granberia’s stance relaxed, giving Ranma silent permission to continue his line of questioning.
“So, what did you do?”
“I trained my strength until my sword could cleave through mountains with ease. If we ever fight again, I will put that strength to use.”
Ranma wasn't sure how much that was going to help. He'd punched through his share of boulders after all, and the most he'd done was make her slide around a bit.
“If you want my opinion, you should seek the spirits out.” Granberia commented.
Ranma looked at her in confusion. “What about that whole 'noble purpose' thing?”
“Even if they do not make a contract with you, they might still decide to grant you insight into their power. As a martial artist, don't you wish to realize your full potential?”
“I do,” said Ranma instantly. “But borrowing power from others doesn't really feel like my own potential.”
“Hmph. What a ridiculous notion.” Granberia's sword cut out in his direction. The blade narrowly missed his shoulder and severed the tree behind him as Ranma dodged.
His retaliatory kick knocked her sword arm upward. “What's wrong with that?”
“The idea that the spirits are some shortcut to power.” Granberia's offense moved fast and the sweeps of her sword pushed Ranma towards the edge of their makeshift arena. “Their power is a tool you train with, just like I train with my blade.”
Ranma wasn't certain they were entirely similar, but Granberia made a compelling point nonetheless. If monsters here were going to be using that power against him, maybe it was worth a visit if only to better understand them.
Weathering the assault for a bit longer, Ranma waited until the right moment. His hand then struck out to catch her wrist in a tight hold. His other fist swung, only to meet her open scaly palm and get grabbed in turn. Ranma used the stalemate to speak. “What's your stake in this anyways? Is this one of those dragon things?”
Granberia's eyes narrowed. “'Dragon things'?”
“Well Tamamo said that fighting was like dating to dragons and Alice-oof!”
The kick broke the stalemate and landed Ranma on his ass. “Absurd! I am a Heavenly Knight in service to the monster lord. I don’t have time for those things.”
“Do you have time to wake me up for your morning sparring sessions, at least?”
Granberia tensed at Alice's voice, but avoided any overt show of surprise. “My lord, I-”
“Spare me the excuses,” said Alice and slithered past Granberia. “Go start the campfire and get some water boiling. I'm not traveling without breakfast.”
With a quick bow of her head, Granberia hurried off, leaving Ranma with Alice.
“Well? Don't tell me she tired you out already. Get on your feet and give me a workout. Don't worry, I'll make sure you can still cook by the end of this.”
By the time Ranma was on his feet again, Alice was in her human form and ready to fight. In the back of his mind, however, Ranma couldn't help but think that maybe this 'sparing-as-dating' thing wasn't just limited to dragons.
“Welcome to Ilias Port, the only port on Ilias continent with no active ship traffic. Please tour our lovely empty shops, our taverns full of bored, drunken sailors, and our other places of little importance.”
Ranma eyed the town greeter who hadn't even bothered to open his eyes as they approached. “What kind of greeting is that?”
“An honest one. They pay me to greet people They never said I had to like it.”
“Do they let you sleep on the job, too?” asked Alice.
“I'm not sleeping, I'm conserving energy. Besides, if I don't open my eyes, I can't be disappointed by what I see.”
“Whoever employs you is clearly paying you too much,” muttered Alice as they left the man to his nap.
The greeter's depiction of the town was accurate. The market stalls were threadbare, only containing essential foods, and a lot of storefronts were closed. The port was equally devoid of traffic, with all of the ships docked and anchored with no cargo to be seen. Others looked like they'd recently been in fights, with broken masts, splintered decks, and oft times giant holes in the sides. The only boats that still seemed to be out on the water were small fishing vessels making a visible effort to stick close to land.
“All this for your protection?” asked Ranma.
“The last monster lord had some...problems with her reign. Relations with humans were strained while she was on the throne and a group of adventurers put an end to her rule.”
The cold way in which she delivered that line made it clear to Ranma that she didn't want to speak further on the subject. He kept silent until Alice chose to speak again.
“Regardless of whether or not it was a mistake, I will end it. We just need to find a captain willing to risk their ship.”
Ranma's head turned as he picked up the sounds of hammers and saws. Right near the end of the docks a group worked at cutting lumber and patching holes in one of the more badly damaged ships. “I'd start with them.”
“That ship looks like it'll fall apart in a strong wind, never mind a storm.”
“Yeah, but why bother fixing it up if they weren't going to try again?”
Finding the captain didn't take long, the working crew readily pointing them towards a gray haired sailor who, despite his age, was enthusiastically working alongside his crew to make repairs.
“If yer looking to set sail, it's gonna be some time. Damn monster did a number on us in the last attempt,” said the captain without turning around.
“But you're going out again,” confirmed Ranma.
“Aye. I'll be out on the sea soon enough. I've a wife and kid waiting for me in Natalia and I'll either get there or die trying.”
“What if I told you I have a way across?”
“Then I'd either call you mad, or you're the hero Lady Sutherland told me about.” The captain put aside his hammer and turned, fixing Ranma with a stern look. “Ranma Saotome?”
Alice smirked and Ranma inwardly groaned. Well, he'd definitely lost that bet.
The elderly captain looked as though he'd spent his life at sea. Tanned skin, a toned physique, and a short gray beard spoke of experience and skill. A patchwork of scars ran the length of his arms and a particularly vivid one curved across his cheek.
“Yeah, that's me,” said Ranma. “And I might have a way across if you don't mind bringing monsters onto your boat.”
Reaching a hand into the pouch at his side, the captain withdrew a pipe and clenched it between his teeth. “Is that a condition boy, or are they the ones gettin' us across?”
“Does it matter?”
“Not to me, but the crew might get a little jumpy,” the captain explained. “A year ago, I might have too, but at this point I'd take a kraken's help if it'll get me across.”
Ranma frowned. Alice's dark energy barriers weren't exactly subtle. “I'll need their help to get across and it's going to turn heads.”
The captain's gaze turned from Ranma to Alice. “Show me.”
Alice obliged and picked up a board. Her hand glowed briefly before the dark energy enveloped the plank. “This, except around the entirety of your ship.”
Taking up his hammer, the captain grabbed the board and struck it hard. The barrier flashed but the wood didn't even dent. “Looks promising, lass. And it's a better plan than what I've come up with. What about the ship-destroyer?”
“That's what my friend is for,” said Ranma. “She's a short red haired girl. Specializes in fighting monsters.”
“Then the Cuttlefish will be at yer service. I'll talk the crew 'round one way or 'nother. It'll still be a few days work before she's seaworthy again.”
Ranma smirked. “I think I could lend a hand with that.”
Making one final adjustment to the line of nails, Ranma pulled his palm back and let fly with a series of strikes, pounding them in with one hit apiece and sealing the last hole in the starboard side. Above, the newly mended mast was being set in place, and furious hammering could be heard all around the ship. With the promise of a way across, the workers had been quite motivated, and while the patchwork job was unlikely to last, it had met the captain's approval for the journey to Port Natalia.
“So, where did you learn woodworking skills?” asked Alice from behind.
“I was forced to learn after the dojo I stayed at kept getting broken. Got bored with the work so I made a martial art out of it.” Ranma paused a moment as he centered a piece of lumber and severed it with a quick chop of his hand. “Turns out I wasn't the first though. A group showed up later who were actual construction martial artists and declared me a rival school.”
With a toss, Ranma sent the planks into the pile with the others. “It was probably the only fight I’ve been in where more property was built than destroyed. They weren't great fighters but they could build a small house around someone and trap them in ten seconds flat. Anyway, how did your thing go?”
Alice stared at him for several unblinking seconds before finally responding. “It went well, but there's a small problem we'll need to deal with first.”
Recognizing the significance of the 'we' in that statement, Ranma whistled to get the captain's attention. “Hey cap, can you handle things from here?”
“We'll be ready by afternoon at this pace,” came the reply. “Give yer lady attention if she needs it.”
“Guess she's been spreading that rumor too,” mumbled Ranma as he put his tools aside and followed Alice. “So what's going on? You can make the barrier, right?”
“Oh I can make it just fine,” assured Alice as she led him through a few alleys and towards one of the larger two-story buildings away from the docks. “Maintaining it might be a problem though.”
“Oh, I guess I didn’t think of that. It’ll be a few hours of travel.”
Alice's path took him through the door and into a tavern then up the stairs. “My energy isn't unlimited. Even I need to recharge once in a while.”
A small tingle began to form at the back of Ranma's neck. It was that same tingle he felt right before he was ambushed back in Nerima. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere I can let my tail out.” A flick of her wrist produced a key that opened one of the doors in the hall.
Ranma’s tingle became a sinking feeling in his stomach when he saw the bed. “You need that kind of energy?”
The door closed behind him with a click and Alice was soon out of her disguise, her tail stretched out along the floor and her torso now a few feet higher in the air. “Yes, I need that kind of energy,” she confirmed.
Ranma tensed, and waited for a barrier to spring up or for Alice to lunge. After a handful of seconds passed with no motion from her. “So...are you—”
“Planning to trap you in here? No. I thought I'd simply ask. Although if you'd prefer I chase you around the room first...” A smirk appeared on Alice’s face as Ranma blushed. “It's either this or we use what little money we took from the treasure cave to buy a feast. You did lose our bet after all.”
The need seemed genuine, but Ranma wouldn't have put it past her to fabricate the problem. Of course, his night at the Sutherland Inn had shown how capable she was of merely taking what she wanted. Despite her asking...well, sort of asking permission, it felt like she'd trapped him with the logic of the situation just as if she'd used her coils. “Alright...fine. You can...take some energy.”
Moving away from the door, Alice slowly slithered towards Ranma, and then once around to encircle him. “Are you going to take off your clothes or did you want me to do it?”
Ranma was tempted to say the latter. If anything, he was feeling far more tense and nervous now than when Alice had attacked him the first time. Still, his pride was strong and he huffed at her question. “I can do it.”
His fingers fumbled at the task. The watchful eye of Alice made the feat far more difficult than it should have been. Even after he'd accomplished, Alice merely watched, seeming to take a moment to just admire his body.
“Just...do what you need to do,” said Ranma finally.
The feeling of her tail caressing his back nearly made him jump, but it was only that, a caress. “We're in no hurry,” she reminded him. “You can relax and enjoy yourself.”
Even with her insistence, Ranma couldn't quite let go of his tension, yet Alice didn't strike. Instead she reached to the nearby table and picked up a familiar looking jar that had passed hit notice until now. The sight of it replaced his nervousness with indignation. “Hey! Did you go through my pack?”
For a response, Alice opened the jar and dipped a single finger inside. The golden honey shined briefly on the tip of her black glove before her forked tongue licked it off.
“You're just gonna eat that straight from the jar?”
The tail rubbing along his back curled slightly and pushed him closer to Alice as she dipped two fingers in. Again, her tongue slid over the digits until her lips were thoroughly sweetened, and now she pressed forward, that tongue effortlessly sliding into Ranma's open mouth.
Sweetness flooded his senses as Alice's tongue coiled around his own, trapping him and giving him a real taste of undiluted Happiness Honey combined with her own sweet taste. It was dizzying, though Alice's tail kept him steady as it continued to stroke along his bare back. Just when it felt like the kiss was going to steal all of his breath away, Alice released him, moving back just a bit. “Don't tell me you're going to just stand there and let me take advantage of you.”
Ranma knew it was a trap and Alice's taunt was the bait, and yet he couldn't refute what she'd said, either. Later, he'll blame the honey, but in the moment Ranma stepped forward, his arms wrapping around Alice's waist before he initiated his own kiss, aggressively pushing his tongue against the monster lord's mouth.
Alice's tongue indulged his clumsy efforts as her coils closed in and her tail gave another push. She nudged his legs apart while her arms threaded around his waist. Suddenly, Ranma was straddling her coils with his feet dangling slightly on either side.
“Isn't this much better than rushing things?” teased Alice as Ranma backed off for breath. “This may be a meal, but you can't enjoy it if you go too fast.” From the feel of it, she intended to take her time. The coils that had been circling closed in, squeezing him tight against Alice's body, particularly her breasts.
The contrast between her warm body and her cool tail was intense. Flawless skin and soft breasts were complemented by her scaly tail as both rubbed against him. Already hard from the aggressive kissing, the sensation of his length rubbing against her bare stomach was enough to make him squirm in pleasure.
“I bet Tamamo went on and on about her tails, didn't she?”
Ranma swallowed. There was a competitive edge to Alice's voice. “She...talked about them.”
“Every fox thinks their tails are the greatest gift to humans,” scoffed Alice. “But any man who gets caught in an echidna's coils knows which one is truly superior.”
Alice squeezed and Ranma gasped, his body pressing even tighter against Alice's own. Her tail shifted, and with the way he was straddled, those scales aggressively caressed his groin while the tip of his length rubbed more against her stomach. Right as he was about to cry out, Alice kissed him again and swallowed the sound.
Ranma tried to concentrate. His arms retained some freedom and he used them to hug her in return and rub his hands along her back. His tongue tangled with hers, twisting and entwining with the serpentine appendage. He knew he was outmatched, but Alice seemed pleased with his efforts, and a few pleasant sounds passed her lips.
By the time Alice's coils relented and her tongue retreated, Ranma was shaking with need. He couldn't explain why, but this didn't feel like a mere feeding. Was Tamamo really that much of a sore point for her? Or had something changed and he just hadn't realized it?
“Wha...what now?” asked Ranma, still breathless.
Alice smiled. “Now I take you to the bed and show you what else my tail can do.”
The coils around his body relaxed, but Alice's arms remained, and kept hold of him as she traveled the short distance, deliberately swaying her hips to continue stimulating his groin all the while. When she finally dropped him on the bed, it came with a harsh reminder of how cold the room was compared to Alice's body.
“Spread your arms and legs out.” Alice's command came with a light flash of her eyes. Normally Ranma would have pushed the mental order aside, but the needy state she'd left him in made it easy for the hypnotic gaze to take hold and coax his body into a spread out position on the bed.
“Nnh...was that really necessary?” groaned Ranma as his limbs involuntarily moved.
“Not at all, but I need to practice my art, too.” Her tail began to move around Ranma's paralyzed body. It coiled once around his left leg, traveling up his side to tighten around his arm, and then slid behind his neck before repeating the process with his opposite limbs. The end result had Ranma bound while leaving the front of his body exposed and vulnerable to her.
Ranma couldn't resist getting in a small taunt. “If you're just going to do that thing you did at the Sutherland, then Tamamo's tails have you beat.”
Alice didn't visibly react to his jab, but Ranma could feel her coils squeeze just a little bit more around his limbs. “As if I'd be that predictable.”
The tip of her tail slowly circled the head of his shaft, the touch light as a feather. Ranma waited with held breath for it to go further...but it didn't. Instead it pulled back and promptly split open like a flower.
Alice tilted the newly formed orifice in his direction. The inside was a brilliant purple color, slick with fluids and lined with what looked like small tendrils moving back and forth as they were exposed to the light.
“Wha...what the hell is that?!” exclaimed Ranma with widening eyes.
Alice clearly enjoyed his surprised look, letting it drift towards his face so he could get a closer view. “It's my tail, and the hole you're going to be feeding, hora~”
Every moment he looked at it some new detail jumped out at him, like the shifting inner walls or the way all those tendrils seemed to move in wave like motions. The sight of it was unsettling and Alice clearly knew it. The flower-tailtip brushed against his cheek once before it began to trace a path down his stomach and towards his manhood.
Ranma squirmed on instinct, but Alice had been prepared, keeping her coils snug around his limbs. She held him in place, helpless to do anything but watch. The tail dribbled out a small trail of nectar that made his skin tingle.
“Nothing more to say?” teased Alice as she lowered her human half to his side. Her gloved fingers gathered up some of that nectar and spread it across his chest. “It's alright, you should save your breath, hora~”
Alice's tail poised over his manhood, ready to strike. Small drops of her juices landed on his painfully hard shaft...and then it dropped, enveloping him all the way to the base. Ranma's cry filled the room. The reality was even more potent than his imagination! Tendrils assaulted his shaft from every side like small tongues, stroking every inch while the petals of her ‘flower’ closed in around him.
Without shifting her tail, the internal muscles clenched and began rippling in a milking motion. Each spasm of muscle drawing him in deeper while the tendrils sought out sensitive spots around the tip to exploit. The nectar that had been dripping on him before now completely coated him adding a hot, tingling feeling to his member..
The result was inevitable and with a defeated moan of pleasure, Ranma came into that massaging tail. Her petals adapted quickly, working from the base and drawing upward to the tip, the milking getting more intense as he began to peter out. Not a single drop was wasted either, her walls absorbed his seed, though the aphrodisiac in the nectar kept him hard.
“Hora~ Letting out this much. Tamamo must have left you wanting. A kitsune tail won't give you this kind of pleasure.”
Taunting her had been a mistake. Maybe he should have learned that from Tamamo, but it was too late to walk back his words now. He could feel the tendrils working him over as the walls released, keeping him potently aroused. “Is...is that enough?” he panted out.
“It's plenty,” admitted Alice. Her chest pressed down against his and her arms slid beneath his shoulders. His view of the tail was blocked now, taken up by Alice's playful expression. “But just to be sure...”
The kiss wasn't unexpected, but this time Alice didn't even leave him a chance of fighting back. Her tail began to draw on him once more and her tongue outright conquered his mouth. Ranma had thought she'd been aggressive before, but it was even more potent now, the tail’s tendrils wrapping around him like a cocoon and the walls squeezing like a vice.
Each squeeze made his hips reflexively jerk upward as if trying to penetrate deeper despite already pushed to the base. Desperate, pleasured cries were being swallowed up, his body straining uselessly against her coils. Alice was intent on finishing him quickly this time, and she was going to get her wish.
Within minutes of the last, fresh pre leaked out, whetting the tail-flower’s appetite, and the finishing blow came when her gloved fingers traced between his legs and gave his balls an encouraging squeeze. The flood of seed came instantly, his climax hitting hard and soaking the inside of her tail anew without a single drop escaping the trap.
Ranma's body slumped in her coils, the sinuous motions coaxing out every drop before the tendrils unwound and her coils relaxed. Their lips parted a moment later, her tongue giving his cheek a playful lick. “Still alive?” she murmured.
Weakly, Ranma nodded, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. Alice's coils had loosened enough to where he could move again, but the monster energy was keeping him in a near comatose state. “Find a counter yet?” asked Alice sweetly.
Ranma took a breath, trying to channel his ki through his body. Alice's energy was powerful, and pushing it back took time and patience. Her fingers idly teased through his hair as he worked at it, until finally his arms moved, reaching upward and encircling her middle. “Getting...there,” he panted out finally.
“Do you want more practice?” Her eyes flashed and Ranma's breath caught in his throat, stuck between two answers. Alice pressed close, her lips nearly touching his as she spoke again. “Do you still have energy?”
“Y-yes...”
Her tail squeezed and Ranma gasped. A second later he was moaning anew.
The light coming through the window informed Ranma that he hadn't slept for long, but it felt like he'd been out of it far longer. Alice seemed to have napped as well, snugly entwined around his body with her head resting on his shoulder and an arm across his chest.
“Damn glutton,” Ranma murmured to himself. She'd really put him through his paces this time, and even now the tip of her tail remained between his legs, as if preparing to strike again.
“It's only because you keep taunting me,” came Alice's reply. “Comparing me to Tamamo like that, you were asking for it.”
Silently, Ranma conceded the point. “Did you really need that much energy?”
“Maybe. Besides, this was a good opportunity to relax.” She was definitely doing that much, not even opening her eyes as she responded to his questions.
Ranma resisted the urge to retort. He had, in essence, given her permission to do this after all. “I'm going to need to change before we go.”
“No rush. Captain can't leave without us.”
“Yeah, but how long until Granberia comes looking for you?”
“A little bit longer. I told her the gist of our plan.”
“You're not...competing with her, are you?”
“I might be,” said Alice lazily. “But you're trying to get back to your own world. There's no point committing to a competition if the prize is going to disappear.”
“If I can even figure out a way back. I'm only vaguely sure of how I got here in the first place. Grangold is already feeling like a long shot.”
“Do you miss your home?”
The question caught Ranma off guard. Did he miss things back home? Some things, sure. Kasumi's cooking, having a reliable place to sleep at night, and access to hot showers was definitely a plus, but at the same time, Nerima was a small blip compared to the majority of his life that had been spent in the wilds of China. If anything, this traveling lifestyle felt far more 'normal' to him.
“Dunno,” he said finally. “Nice having challenges again. Back home, I was the only one who took my training seriously and I was kinda outpacing everyone else. Here it feels like I'm meeting some crazy new opponent every other day.”
“I promise you there are more monsters in this world like Lime than there are Granberia. They're only on this continent because of me,” reminded Alice. “Although you seem to have a talent for attracting them.”
“I've been meaning to ask, why were you on this continent to begin with?”
Alice moved her coils, her arms folding across Ranma's chest as she rested on him. “I was here to fight Ilias. Once every year, on her 'birthday', Ilias comes down and blesses a hero and gives them a quest. Usually to kill the Monster Lord. In fact, it's almost always to kill the Monster Lord. This time, I intercepted her.”
“And you...lost?”
“I got knocked out of the sky and she ran off! If she hadn't surprised me...anyways, I can only assume Tamamo caught wind of my plan and rushed here. Granberia probably wasn't far behind once she learned what I was doing.”
“If Ilias hates you so much, why didn't she finish you off?”
“Probably too embarrassed about the black eye I gave her. She's incredibly vain.”
Ranma doubted that was the whole story, but Alice was starting to uncurl from his body, a clear sign that the conversation was finished. Still, there was one more question on his mind. “Is Alma Elma gonna try and pick a fight?”
“I'll give you fifty-fifty odds. The only question is whether or not Granberia mouths off first.”
“You're going in your female body?” asked Granberia. “Is it because Alma is a flying opponent?”
“We're on a ship, surrounded by water, sailing into a storm,” deadpanned Ranma. “If I don't splash myself now, it'll happen when I'm not expecting it.”
Bringing Granberia into Ilias Port had been easier than expected. Once it was clear that she hadn't come to conquer the port town, the guards were happy to give her a wide berth and keep a wary eye on her. Far more challenging was getting the sailors to board their newly refurbished ship.
“I ain't afraid of no storm, captain, but that ship just ain't right.”
“That's a cursed ship if I ever saw one.”
“Like it's about to be swallowed by blackness.”
“Is that really supposed to protect us?”
Ranma couldn't blame them. Alice's barrier had enveloped the ship in dark energy and faint flashes of red rippled across the wood and the water below. The power was tangible in the air, making Ranma’s senses tingle.
“If you lot don't get aboard, I'll be casting off without ye.” The group parted as the captain walked past, not a trace of hesitance in his steps as he boarded the ship.
“But captain! Look at it! It's evil!”
“It's my way across and I'll be taking it.”
And that was the end of the argument. The first mate soon followed, the rest of the crew hesitantly shuffling behind as it became clear the captain wasn't going to burst into flame upon contact with the deck.
Alice waited for them on board. Visibly, it didn't seem like the effort of maintaining such an elaborate barrier was bothering her. With nothing to do but wait, Ranma found a place out of the way of the sailors and observed Alice's maintenance of the barrier.
Granberia joined her a moment later, prompting a question from Ranma. “So Alma is the wind knight, right? Is she better or worse than the Harpy Queen?”
“Much better,” said Granberia without hesitation. “She embodies the element. Fast, unburdened by responsibility, free from doubts or worry, and playful. It's a wonder she even let herself be tied down with a task like this, given her lack of commitment to anything. When she took part in the fight for the throne, she was the first one to yield.”
“Why would she fight for the throne at all if she's as lazy as you say?”
Granberia shrugged. “She never said. But you'll get a chance to ask her directly soon.”
Dark clouds started to roll in from above, their movements clearly unnatural and spurred along by something above. The gale-force winds came soon after, pushing the storm right on top of the ship.
Rain washed over the deck and wind battered the sails, but the ship itself barely listed, Alice's barrier held strong and glowed brightly against the building maelstrom. The power that had been on the edge of Ranma’s senses seemed to focus on the ship itself. The waves crested onto the deck, but the ship barely even rocked under the force. All the while, Alice kept her head turned towards the sky, the rain only seeming to briefly land on her body before it slid off.
“Here she comes,” murmured Granberia.
A lone figure broke through the clouds, the wind shifting to propel the form through the air. Large pink wings extended to either side as it neared the ship with the rain halting abruptly as Alma Elma slowly descended to the deck.
The succubus knight was exactly what Ranma was expecting, yet still a bit strange. Her body was enticingly curvy with full breasts, a shapely rear, and long purple hair that fell far past her waist. In a sense, it was almost like he was looking at a grown up version of Shampoo, albeit one who had added large wings, pointed horns, and a tail to her body.
Her tail in particular was one of the strangest features, as thick as a limb and tipped not with a spade, but a strange sort of flower shape. Her pose was relaxed and her expression playful, yet she gave off the same vibe as the combat ready Granberia, and much like the dragon swordsman, a cape covered her back, even as her body was barely covered by a tight fitting bustier that barely held her chest.
“Well this is a surprise! The monster lord and Beri-chan traveling together. Was there a monster revolt I wasn't invited to?” Her voice had an alluring quality with the tone light and playful while suggesting a hidden promise. “My deepest apologies for attacking your ship, my lord. I shall part the storm immediately.”
“You're going to do more than that,” said Alice flatly. “You're going to find Leviathan and tell her that the blockade is no longer necessary. It's purpose has been served.”
“Ooh, does that mean we're letting adventurers cross again? It's been ages since I got to play with one!”
“Something tells me you didn't go hungry. Well, what are you waiting for?”
Alma pouted. “Can't I at least say hello to Beri-chan? It's been ages since I've seen her.”
“It's been a few months at most,” retorted Granberia. “But fine. Hello. Now go do your job.”
“Always so serious! And here I thought all our matches would have helped you relax around me.”
Granberia's expression darkened. “Lord Alice, may I-”
“Absolutely not. No fighting on this ship,” said Alice firmly.
For the first time since she'd arrived, Alma's gaze turned in Ranma's direction. “What about the hero? Can I fight her?”
Ranma had been getting used to seeing predatory monster gazes, but Alma was in a league of her own. There was a trace of that familiar charm magic that Alice had used, but her sheer presence seemed to communicate without words all the things she would do to someone she 'caught'.
The effect was potent enough that Ranma’s body faltered for a moment, but she quickly brought her aura to bear and pushed away Alma's influence. “You're gonna have to keep looking, I'm not a hero.”
Alma's expression didn't change but it felt like she was gazing far more intently at Ranma now. “Hmm...no, I'd say you're a martial artist.”
Ranma couldn't quite hide her surprise as Alma continued talking. “Precision ki control, internally focused aura, no weapon but not threatened by my presence, and Beri-chan isn't completely ignoring you. Well? How about it? I could show you a technique or two.”
“Alma, repeat to me the first edict I made as monster lord,” said Alice sharply.
Alma's playful expression fell slightly. “Only in self defense are you allowed to do harm...but there's nothing wrong with a sparring match, is there?”
“Did I not just tell you to relieve Leviathan of duty? Why are you still wasting time here? Honestly, between you and Granberia, I'm starting to think my knights have forgotten I'm the Monster Lord.”
With a sigh, Alma turned and slowly bowed in Alice's direction. “As you command, my lord. I apologize.”
“Hey Alice, can I spar with her?”
Poised to take flight, Alma paused at Ranma's query. “Really?”
The question was echoed by Granberia, who continued, “If you're expecting a serious fight from her, you're going to be disappointed.”
“She says she wants to spar. I'm not in the habit of refusing challenges.”
Alice's eyes narrowed before she shook her head. “Don't do anything to break the boat. Otherwise I'm revoking your Grand Noah vacation.”
Alma wasn’t phased by the threat and smiled brightly at Alice. “I'll behave myself.”
“First time for everything,” retorted Granberia as she glanced at Ranma. “The only techniques you're going to see are succubus ones.”
“We'll see,” said Ranma vaguely as she stepped forward. The ship's deck didn't provide a whole lot of room for a fight even after the sailors began to clear the way for them. Alma didn't seem bothered by that, however, practically strutting forward and not trying to hide her eagerness.
“Now, what's the name of the one who has Beri-chan so enthralled? Honestly, is it the red hair, or have I always just been too tall for you?”
The last part was directed at the increasingly irritated Granberia but Ranma answered first. “Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes school of martial arts.”
“Anything, Ranma-chan? What a boldly named school. This is going to be fun!”
Ranma did her best to keep the teasing from getting to her and focused instead on the succubus herself. Casual and relaxed, but alert. It was a style she was all too familiar with given how often she'd used it herself.
The first series of blows came out faster than the eye could track, Ranma taking the initiative and leading in with a very particular style, feinting several times in quick succession before even one of her blows threatened to land. Alma's stance broke, the succubus' smile vanishing as she shifted and gave appropriate space to the feints, reacting on instinct as the real blows came and were blocked by her forearms.
Alma's counter came exactly where Ranma expected it, and she was ready, her palm meeting the succubus' fist with a loud smack. “So what school do you practice?” asked Ranma casually. “Takes a martial artist to know one.”
“Me? I don't practice anything,” said Alma, her smile sliding back into place as her wings spread out. Wind gathered at her back and with a hard flap all that energy was channeled straight towards Ranma, blowing her off her feet. A flip and a leap off the deck helped her recover, but Alma was already on her, propelled forward by her wings and the wind both.
Arms locked with hers and Ranma found herself pinned against the cabin. Alma's chest pressed against her own and a thigh pushed between her legs, raising her slightly off the ground. “The only thing I ever practice is being a succubus, and I'm very good at it.”
Ranma didn't doubt the statement but she didn't buy the ignorance either. Wrenching an arm free, her palm struck down hard on Alma's knee and the moment her feet touched the ground, she flipped over the succubus' head and narrowly avoided a swipe from her tail. When Alma turned, it was accompanied by another sweep of her wing, the gust sending Ranma off balance before she struck out.
Just like the Harpy Queen before her, Alma's movements flowed with the wind. Unlike Lucretia though, she was blindingly fast and used all of her limbs to fight. Her purple wings were tough, easily guarding blows, and her tail often grabbed at Ranma whenever she tried to flank. She was already leaning into the Soul of Ice technique to try and resist Alma’s teasing, but when blows slipped through, they were more sensual caresses across the body and playful gropes, aimed at putting Ranma off balance.
It was working. Even without her aura of sheer sex appeal, Alma seemed to know exactly where to touch and squeeze for the most pronounced effect. Combined with the way she flaunted her body as she fought, and the subtle charm magic that probed at Ranma every time their eyes met, the battle was coming down to a test of willpower rather than speed or strength.
Ranma needed some way to turn this back into a martial arts fight. Alma’s style was familiar, but modified to make use of her wings and tail. Her body was mostly human though, which meant some fundamentals had to be the same.
“Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!” Ranma yelled.
The flurry briefly put Alma on the back foot, but Ranma was more interested in how they blocked and moved, feeling for the flow, and finally something clicked. Ranma’s arm shifted and her hands went from fists to fingers, a precise strike knocked away Alma's arm and arced right towards her neck.
Alma Elma moved on instinct, her open palm intercepting the elbow and deflecting the strike, and Ranma’s follow up was met with an open palm.
Ranma smirked and pushed the attack, leaning hard into Alma's own style as everything turned into a dizzying mixture of attacks and counter-attacks, too fast to think about but not too fast to react to. Ranma pushed her speed hard, barely even noticing as the wind shifted around her as she waited for a particular opening, and made her strike.
Alma dodged, but only barely, her wings snapped out to propel her backwards from the blow. Ranma didn't chase, taking the chance to catch her breath. “Modified Serpent style. Took me a bit to recognize.”
“Hmph. That's playing dirty, making me fall back into bad habits like that, Ranma-chan. We succubi have an image to maintain.”
Ranma raised an eyebrow. “What's wrong with a succubus knowing martial arts?”
“We provide pleasure, not pain, and I think it's time I showed you how a succubus really fights.”
Behind her, Ranma could distinctly hear Granberia's sigh along with a muttered, “And here we go.”
Alma's hand came up to her cape, and with a tug at the clasp, the piece of clothing fell to the ground. It was the first of several as buttons were undone and straps were pulled free. By the time Alma was finished, only her arm gloves and leggings remained. “Always the more natural way to fight.”
Ranma vehemently disagreed, and yet she could feel Alma’s power with the wind growing steadily as she prepared for the next bout. To say that the sight of the curvy succubus' near naked body wasn't distracting would have been a terrific lie, too. Not that she didn't try. “If you think a pair of tits is gonna distract me, just try it. I've got your technique all figured out.”
Alma grinned, her tail swaying side to side behind her, and then-
CRASH!
The boat listed onto its side, a wave crashing into the wood and briefly tipped the deck at a sharp angle.
“Hero of Ilias your time has come!” A deep feminine voice pierced the air like thunder followed by a waterspout that soared into the air before something emerged and crashed onto the deck. The sea creature was enormous, and pushed everyone else to the edges of the ship as she filled it with her presence. Ranma had a second to take in the blue serpentine body and the golden trident in her grasp before she charged.
With no room to dodge and no time to jump high enough, Ranma could only brace herself, avoiding the thrust of the weapon and taking the powerful blow. The force sent her over the edge of the ship and right before she hit the water, Alice's voice rang out. “Leviathan! Stand down!”
The call went unheard by the sea serpent as she dived after Ranma. Twisting to face her, Ranma grabbed the prongs of the thrusting trident and held tight, the momentum carrying down to the depths as she stopped the fork from piercing her chest. The pressure of the water rapidly increased, the light from above faded, and the bottom of the ship soon disappeared from view.
Ranma's mind raced as the pressure built, but all the options she came up with were bad ones. Size, strength, and mobility were all against her here, and air was becoming precious. With a titanic effort, Ranma twisted her body and let go of the trident, just managing to get out of the way and avoid being smacked by the serpent's tail.
Leviathan was already turning, and the motion of her tail left a powerful current in her wake. The golden trident flashed against the few rays of light that managed to pierce the surface as she rounded for another attack.
Panic ate at Ranma, but she fought it back. The serene state was easier than ever to call upon here in the water, the presence of Leviathan like a giant wave of bloodlust racing towards her.
Tamamo's warning nagged at the back of her mind, but there were no other options now. Her hands thrust out, and her palms gathered the energy of the water around her. She mixed it with her willpower, and with an explosion of bubbles, Ranma released the blast, sending it crashing into Leviathan.
The charge was halted, and the great serpent recoiled in surprise. However, it only stalled her for a moment and Leviathan was already starting to shake off the damage.
Ranma's body went limp. That strike had taken a lot out of her and she was helpless under Leviathan’s second charge.
Something then flashed in the corner of Ranma’s eye. A pink blur arcing into the water, and cutting through it like a shark before it slammed into Leviathan, sending her wildly off course. Ranma twisted and pushed at the water, trying to get a look at the conflict taking place, but fatigue was overtaking her and the lack of air was catching up.
As the muted sounds of Alma and Leviathan's fight grew faint, consciousness began to slip away, and soon darkness claimed her.
- 5
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- 7
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An Artist Among Monsters