Tales of a Journey (Private!)

"We're from. . . all over the place! It's all one big COLOSSALLY long story, and I'd rather not get into it!" Ranma blurted, attempted to divert as much focus off the question as possible. "So, uh, yeah! Where's your mother, Audri?"

"Smooth going, kupo!" Monty whispered to Ranma, earning a "Shaddup!" and a glare in response.

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But Kinta soon found himself lost in the passages, and eventually found himself at another marble door.

"I know I shouldn't open it. . . But I guess anywhere's better than being in this confusing place," He admitted with a sigh, then opened the door.

The mage found himself in a blue valley, overlooking a massive castle.
"Waitaminute, isn't this-"

"And then the biggest sap of them all shows up!"

 

Audri just shrugged as Blood thought to himself for a moment before he walked a little faster. "ROSE, WHERE ARE YOU?!!" Blood shouted as he started to run before he can to a fork on the hallway.

"Well, damn... Trying to get rid of her much?" Riri asked as Blood glared at her before shouting again, "AUDRI'S HURT!"

A red blur came out from one of the passages and snatched Audri from Blood's grasp. "Audri! There you are!" Rose said as Andre and Xenlo ran over, gasping a wheezing from running the whole time.

"Blood, you demonous-" "Rose, not now. Get Audri and yourself out of here now. Get home and lock the door." Blood said looking up at her with a pleading look on his face.

 

"Wait, what? What just happened?" Ranma asked, completely lost as to what the hell just occurred. "What's with all the hubbub? And for that matter, what the hell are you doing here, Xenlo?!"

He pointed an accusing finger at the time mage, totally bewildered about the entire situation.
"Ranma, shaddup. You'll embarrass yourself in front of Audri's mother, and then Alice will know, and she'll mock you to you grave, kupo."

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"But you can't be here, right? Or at least, not know anything about me!" Kinta exclaimed, turning and meeting a young Akira.

"Aw. C'mon! I'm really just a projection of Audri's mind! All that's required is a little knowledge, and everything changes! Now I know what she knows, and I know that you're an even bigger sap now than you ever were!"

"Shut up. You're just a kid. A kid that's like Ranma, but with even fewer restraints."

"I'm both you AND Ranma, smartass! You're too modest to let a lack of restraint get to you!"

 

Rose raised an eyebrow at Ranma before looking over at Xenlo, "What is he-" "Blood, get her home," Xenlo snapped as he opened a portal, making the black-haired man push Rose and Audri through before the portal closed behind them.

"I'll explain, but I have to go deal with another problem first," Xenlo said as he made a portal and went through himself. "Hold on!" Lizabeth said, but she was too late as Xenlo already closed the portal.

"So, who the hell are you?" Riri asked as she looked over at Andre before she stepped over to her and pat her on the head, "I'll give you guys the rest of your memories back later if you guys shut up as I try to explain the situation. At least for now.."

"Our memories? What is he talking about?" Scarlett asked as Ace stepped over to his side, "Andre, should I take my leave?" "...Nah, stick around. The fireworks haven't even started yet," Andre said as he let out a small sinister laugh making the others slightly nervous and confused.

 

"Audri. . ." Neli mumbled as she watched the young child be taken away.

Ranma pointed an accusatory finger at Andre, glaring at him.
"And just who the hell are you to think you can boss me around? We've only just met, and I REALLY want to give you an ass-kicking! Like so badly!"

"You've got issues, kupo. You know that?"
"Shaddup."

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"I'm not letting you get to me. You're nothing but a figment of mine and Audri's past, and you no-longer exist," Kinta said indignantly, turning away from Akira.

"Really? Because it looks to me like a little bitch is turning and running away with the tail between her legs!"

"Oh come on, I wasn't nearly that bad when I was you!"

"Figment of mind, remember? I'm just as bad as everything put together."

"Then what happens if I erase you?"

"H-hey! Not cool! You'll hurt Audri if you do that! Or something!"

"If it's to rid her of YOU. . ." Kinta grumbled, his body crackling with magical energy.

 

Andre ignored Ranma's idiotic ranting as he went over and pat Neli on the head, "Hey, everything is going to be all right. We'll see Audri soon, ok Neli? Oh, before I forget to ask, is Malisa ok and all?"

Ace just looked at Ranma before facepalming, "You're picking fights with demons? Nah, what the hell. Like I care.." "Look, who the hell are you because we've been running a lot today without answers!" Scarlett snapped glaring over at Andre as Lizabeth just stood by shaking her head.

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"Like hell you two fight right now!" Xenlo appeared from a portal with his staff his hand and got in between the the bickering nitwits.

He closed his eyes trying to keep his temper down as he spoke to Kinta, "You're not understanding the situation, meaning that Andre didn't fill in all the details to you yet."

"If you try and erase Akira here now, it affects the present timeline, meaning that if he is killed while we're in Audri's mind, you BOTH will become non-existant and be erased from Audri's memory for good this time. Neither me, Andre, nor Justis would be able to fix that mistake if you screw this up!" Xenlo growled as he kept a firm grip on his staff.

 

Neli stared at this man, bewildered. He knew about Malisa? What's more, he even seemed like Audri in a way, though she couldn't quite place it.

"Malisa? Just fine," She told him, the astonishment showing on the robot's face.

"Wait, this guy is a demon? How can you tell?" Ranma asked, but cut off any response by saying, "Oh right. Wolf-boy and stuff."

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"Prove it!" Kinta spat, glaring at Xenlo. "Just how would a thing inside her mind erase the real me? Huh? Answer me that!"

The magical energies increased, an aura beginning to form around the man.

 

"That's good. I was beginning to worry, thinking that she wouldn't recover at all," Andre said with a smile on his face as he noticed the expression on her face, "Oh, right.. I cut my hair so you don't remember what I looked like.."

"He's an old friend of mine," Ace said as Scarlett looked over at him before a surprised look came into her face, "And mine... but how?" "I'll explain later," Ace muttered as a portal opened up nearby and the young Audri came through crying her eyes out, and she was covered in something that looked like blood. "Audri? What's wrong what happened?" Riri asked as she swiftly went over to the girl as Audri clung to her as she shook in fear.

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"Because... Audri, has this power, it probably was through the genes from me and her father's brother, but she has this thing that can manipulate time streams. She can somehow control time lines around her, and that involve people around her. Meaning, that even though this is a figment in Audri's mind, we're in that present time of an alternate universe of some sort!" Xenlo said as he held his ground, a tad nervous of the man but he needed to do something!

 

"Blonde Man?" Neli asked, realizing what he meant, and her eyes widened. She blushed and went bashful for a moment, turning her head away. But she finally summoned the courage and said, "Thank you. . ."

"Uh. . . Audri, what's wrong, kupo?" Monty asked, walking up to the girl, pom-pom in full sway.

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"For the love of- RAGH!" Kinta yowled, throwing an arm up and shouting. This caused the magical energy to dissapate in a magical blast, launched towards the sky. He fell to the ground, panting.

"Serves ya right, sap."

 

"You're welcome Neli." Andre muttered as Audri whimpered, "That blue hair lady attacked Blood and mommy. Blood sent me through the portaul to get away!"

"Blue haired... Oh, no. Altessa's already getting ahead of her game." Andre groaned as he looked up at the ceiling while Lizabeth just looked away.

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Xenlo just sighed as he helped Kinta up, "Now, let's head back since I feel Altessa already on the move."

 

"Uh, what's an Altessa?" Ranma asked, scratching his head. "Is that like one of those plant lady things. . . whatchmacallem's. . . Aluraunes?"
"And why would one attack Audri's family, kupo?"
"Don't ask me, I'm not a plant person!"

"Audri, danger?" Neli asked, her eyes widening.

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"I can get up by myself. . ." Kinta growled, wobbly detaching himself from Xenlo's side. "Now, where are we going to pummel this lady at?"

 

Audri just started sobbing again as Andre went over and hugged the younger version of his sister, "Everything is going to be ok, calm down."

"Altessa is a very evil lady, let's just leave it at that." Ace said as Lizabeth rolled her eyes, "Yay! Let's throw a party." "We should get out of here for the moment," Andre said standing up with Audri in his arms, "At least to a room to sit down and think for a moment."

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Xenlo just looked at him before opening a portal, "Just shut up and go through the damn portal boy. I'm really starting to regret my decision in letting Audri date you every single second I'm standing here with you. Also, why the hell did you run off earlier?!"

 

"We went from one crazy lady to another. Fan-freaking-tastic," Ranma groaned. "Well, let's get moving. I'd rather not get threatened to be mauled to death twice in one day."
"Preach to the choir, kupo!"

Neli simply just took Andre's hand and led him and the others to the room where they were before they left to find Blood.

"Safe?" She asked, looking up to the man.

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"Because I wanted to spend as little time with that woman as possible. Something didn't rub me right about her. it was probably the whole 'memory existence' thing," Kinta told Xenlo, not even looking at the man as he walked into the portal.

 

"Yeah, this will work for now," Andre muttered as he went inside and swiftly inside with Audri. Audri was whimpering into quiet sobs now as Andre put her down. Kinny the peacock came through the doorway and nuzzled his head against the girl's tear-soaked face.

Andre turned back to the others as he clapped his hands together, "Right, well... While we wait for Xenlo and Kinta to possibly show up, I might as well explain the situation, correct?" "Right, let's start with vague points until more detail is needed," Riri said as she sat down by a nearby chair.

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"Well... possibly," Xenlo shrugged as he followed the man through the portal before they found themselves at a four way cross-road of a sense through the maze of hallways. There was one way that went down the hallways, while the other three ways were closed off by three different doors. One of the doors however, was covered in wines and thorns.

 

"Wait wait wait, Kinta? Didn't he run off to who knows where to go find something?" Ranma asked, now even more confused than he was several minutes ago. "And oh crap. What about the rings? Aw, man! Too much stuff happening right now! One thing at a time! You, demon dude, what's going on here?!"

Monty, though he was as lost as Ranma was, snickered at the man because of his reaction.

Neli walked over to Audri and knelt down next to her, patting her head.

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"Uh, you know the way right? Down the open passageway?" Kinta asked, looking around. That thorn door seemed ominous and almost hateful to him, and he felt like as much distance should be put between him and that door as possible.

 

"Kinta's here because I brought him here, and what about rings?" Andre asked as Scarlett went over to the demon, "Kinta can be possessed by any time by this powerful and dangerous mage inprisoned within a white ring he's wearing."

"Oh, great. Two psychopaths to deal with just great.." Andre growled as he calmed down before looking at the others, "My name is Andre, and I'm Audri's twin brother. I tinkered with her memories, it affected yours somehow, and our dead aunt Altessa is trying to kill us to get out of this hellhole."

"....What?!" Riri snapped making little Audri jump and cling onto Neli and the peacock.

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"Well, I would say yes at this point, but I can only think that opening the door which no one wants to open is the more likely choice for me," Xenlo said as he walked over as he looked over at the vine-trapped door before holding his staff up. The vines started to decay and fall apart as the pocket watch glowed on the top of the Noah's staff.

 

"It affected my memories? Oh come on, the days when I was Akira were a little fuzzy, but I still remember everything just fine! What could've possibly changed?" Ranma asked, pointing at Andre. "And really? Could this family get more dangerous? What with the murderous aunts and the immortal grandmothers and did I forget to mention the MAGICAL WINGS? Come on!"
"You quite done there, kupo?"
"Yeah, I think I got it out of my system."
"Good."
Slap!

Neli just held onto Audri, unsure of what to do.

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I just know that this is going to go wrong. Kinta thought, watching as the vines crumbled. Once they were fully gone, he walked over and opened it, keeping his fan in his other hand to be ready for what might come.

 

"Yeah, I know. My family is pretty fucked up. Not to mention that my other relatives run brothels, are dead, or just criminally insane!" Andre said as Lizabeth went to lean on the wall, "So, what do we do now?" "Well, depends what you morons want to do next," Andre sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair before Lizabeth pulled something out from her dress.

"Andre, I got this from Xenlo. Told me to give this to you," Lizabeth said as she tossed him a package of cigarettes. "I'm been looking everywhere for these!" Andre said jumping up as he caught them and whipped the package open.

Audri just held onto Neli as Kinta lifted his head, looking around the room, in alert.

Andre tossed the cigarrette into his mouth before looking back at Ranma, "Well, I erased your memories as Akira when you and Audri were dating, and before you met Rhode. But I got caught and have been restoring memories for the last year, so yours should be back altogether. Though Audri's I've been fixing since I kept adding false facts and ideas into her head with the Lust Drive and some other things..."

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As what was in there, it looked like a meadow with a garden nearby. "Oh, come on. I think we came the right way," Xenlo said as he passed Kinta and walked towards the garden.

After a few moments of getting through some rosebushes and shrubs, Xenlo was standing in front of a tree where he saw a familiar blonde figure, caked in blood as she was barely conscience. "Oh god..." Xenlo said in awe as he saw her wings nailed up to the tree as the blonde tilted her head up to look at the newcomers.

"Audri!" Xenlo shouted as he went towards her before she spoke up, "Don't come any closer. The blue-haired bitch is watching nearby." Xenlo came to a stop as Audri lift up her head to look at the two with a smile on her face, "Nice to see you guys are safe, for now at least..."

 

"Oh right, the brothels. Alice's heritage or something, right?" Ranma asked.
"That sounds familiar, kupo. I'm surprised you aren't complaining more about the memory loss."
"Yeah, well, this guy did a crappy job patching things up. When I was stuck in Akira's head, I still remembered lots that the Kinta side didn't. Remember that conversation in his head we had with Audri, Riri?"
"Oh, and what is a younger version of Audri doing here, kupo?"

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"Oh god oh god oh god please just be a memory Audri, please don't be the real one. . ." Kinta whimpered as he saw her nailed to the tree. "Come on, please tell me this is a joke. . ."

 

"I... don't really remember Ranny," Riri said scratching her head confused of the situation.

"I don't know. Audri has this... memory bank of some sort where "people and creatures" from her memory escape from time to time. Audri's mother and this Audri here are from there," Andre explained as Lizabeth looked at the blonde confused, "That's pretty weird. How is that possible?" "Well, we're in Audri's mind, what else can we expect?" Andre said as he bit onto the cigarette in his mouth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Audri glanced over at Knta before the smile on her face weakened, "Well, this isn't a joke, but I'm part of Audri's mind. I'm partly a memory of myself, but I know of what goes around inside my head. Every single thing and moment happens through me without me not knowing anything! Also, I don't feel pain right now, so I'm not suffering."

"If that's true, then why is Altessa here and attacking everything in sight?" Xenlo asked as Audri glanced at her grandfather, "Revenge. Also, she thought she would want a vessel to escape from here."