Chapter 12: Things are Changing

Me and Azou saw this woman with short hair nearly identical to Vu Rachel. She got on one knee and hugged us both. She was at least six feet tall. A giant in my eyes. She removed the dragon armour and scar after scar were on her stomach,some across her chest just overlapping her breast. But one on her arm was strangely discolored. She caught my gaze and pat my head. "That was from nearly losing my arm to the Grand Ulmus eight months ago. Such a viscous beast. But thanks to well..immortality the wound healed. Just not right. Now. Lets talk about you Luna."

She smiled while standing back up. "Me? What about me?" I asked. She folded one arm and put her fist under her chin resting it. "You have a lot and I mean a lot of power in you but. You have a few weaknesses. One. Your easy to anger,Two ya get distracted way too easily and three you tend to get over your head when ya have the upper hand. Oh and four most of the time you barely defend yourself. Not sure if that's intentional, but it can be fixed." She pointed out. I was a little offended by that but took a deep breath.

Grandma Umi rushed to her daughter and embraced her. She was dressed in what seemed like training attire. She looked at me and then before I knew it. I was sent flying off my feet. I landed gracefully meeting her gaze. "Bravo. So you can defend yourself. Hehe. Well I've been thinking of that. I also managed to talk with your father on something. Something you had before but lost due to Fafir." She said while trying to stun me with her knife hand technique.

"W..what do you mean Grandma?" I asked getting poked in my belly falling to my knees. She went for a overhead punch and landed. Thankfully I held my left arm up just in time to absorb the damage. She leaped back and sped forward with a low kick that got me good in the jaw knocking me off my feet. "Come on Luna if your so strong. That shouldn't have even hurt you. Although I did add a little bit of force in that hehe. I'll tell ya if you beat me in our sparring match." She smirked. I nodded and stood up not even phased. We collided and send each other flying in opposite directions. I once again fell to my feet.

My grandmother was really strong. Well so it seem. She landed a few hits on me knocking me over. If I was gonna practice defense now was the time. Each punch she landed was like a bomb. I put my arms to the side of my head. I heard her giggle even. "Not bad. You actually listened. I told Emma what your weaknesses were. So its only natural you focus on improving them. Although since you were born blind. Why not fight with that vision you were given by me." She taunted. I managed to kick her off me.

She did a backflip and landed to her feet in the white void. We collided again. This time she had the upper hand. Each hit landed on my gut nullifying my defense. I was getting my ass handed to me on a silver platter. She took notice of my struggle and picked me up by her one hand and tossed me straight to the ground. "Gaaahh!!!...o..ok that one hurt" I said a bit wounded.

She walked over to me and showed me a new form of hers. Her body was completely enveloped in a black fog. A grey crest around her neck form. Hair was wavy and white and her mouth disappeared entirely. The creepy thing about this form to me was her glowing blank,emotionless eyes. "This..I once arrogantly called Ultimate Umi because it was the full mastery of all I've learn. But now I see there are those stronger than I am even like this. I congratulate you Luna. Its been quite a decade since I was pushed to this state." She said happily..I guess.

Next thing I know Im hit so hard in my gut blood comes out. I couldn't breath for a few seconds. Papa was about to rush to my aid until auntie Emma stopped him. I notice with my blurry eyes that the other girls inside were coming out to see. I waved for them to go back inside but they didn't understand it. I clenched my gut and took deep long breaths. Slowly I stood back up just to be beaten countless times in the face by my own grandmother. By the time she was finished I laid there embarrassed.

Tears started to form down my face as my grandmother looked disappointed. "You call her the Saviour of our world? huh Zuma. The girl is about to cry and didn't even make a effort to fight back! How will she fair with that other thing we talked about huh? You raised a weak..worthless child and here I thought I was actually gonna see something special. Turns out everyone saw a illusion." She said balling her fist and reeling her hand back one more time for a final blow. I looked at her as she did this. Those insults she hurled at me didn't do it. But I did knee her in the face breaking her nose and began my own assault of punches. "Don't ever mock me. Don't ever underestimate me. And don't ever mistake me for being some weak,defenseless blind girl!!" I yelled. I tossed my grandmother through a window in the palace. She struggled to get back to her feet. I picked her up and tossed her through the building. She bursted through a wall and started to laugh. "B..Bravo you passed your first test Luna hehe. I..I wow..what a monstrosity of strength you have even to damage this form..I..Im amazed. But..let that form out..Prove to me..it wasn't a illusion." She begged.

I stopped and thought about it. It wasn't gonna be easy to do what I did that day. "I..I don't know if I have full control just to bring forth Aether at will. I..I don't think it'll be that easy ya know?" I told her. But I did try to meditate and blank out everything around me. Minus a sherik headed my way a sudden echo flared around me. Once I opened my eyes Everyone was cheering. My grandmother's hand tightly coupled in mine. She looked ecstatic and pleased. "Its..beautiful. You really are a light in the darkness. I just wanted to show it for myself.

Now..the next part. Training like that. Oh..and your clothes evaporated as soon as your took this form." I blushed covering myself. But realized im glowing in every spot possible. Not like anyone could see anything except the outline of my figure. "Take a look in the mirror Luna. You mentioned the first time you had no idea what this was but I believe according to your countless meditations,something happened. It stirred up that thing inside your mental or spiritual state and boom!! Aether. That has to be it..Aether is a spirit. Yours." She deduced. I looked at my hands,feet and even notice my hair. It was gently flying upward. When I moved it did also. "T..this is amazing. Is this what its like being Aether? All this power is unbelievable. But..training like this. You may have to combine this with your original state. Cause right now..I don't want anyone hurt." She said worrying if I ever got into a fight in this state.

"That's why your here. One Fafir can't detect you and two. To not only get accustomed to that form but hopefully make it second nature. Hehe. Til then. Your not allowed to de-transform. For everytime you do. I'll have your clothes burned and you'll be naked for real. Hehe." She giggled. She returned to her normal state as I was simply struggling to not destroy the table. I did notice my hair relaxed to a smooth downward motion. Papa used a brush to brush it. He kissed me good night and went to bed. That night Grandma Umi had me sleep outside in the void. It was cold and didn't help I was naked on top of things.

"Can I get a blanket or something Grandma!!? Im freezing out here!!" I yelled. She yelled no back and came outside reminding me on what I was supposed to be doing. "Train in that form. I felt a tremendous warmth from that state your in. Maybe if ya focused on that instead of you being naked than that would keep ya nice and toasty. Oh and tomorrow. Me and your parents are gonna talk about schooling. Have a goodnight" She giggled. Schooling! I wondered. B.But last time I was in school was...wait..before Fafir's stupid stunt. In fact I was on summer break. If..Im to go back to that school like..this..then everyone is gonna make me a target.

I contemplated and stressed myself out even more. My Aether form just grew brighter. So I started to meditate. The next morning I'm surprised I fell asleep at all. Ember of all people came outside in her usual pj getup. "Heya beauty. How ya holding up out here? I came to give ya some breakfast. Hehe. You do have a sexy figure. But we were all warn to not get to close to you otherwise we'd be burnt by this energy your giving off. Also. I can see more details now." She stated. I looked in the standing mirror and saw my hair. It was long..really long and white. "Whoa..h..how'd that happen? Must've been the sleep or..something else." I said feeling my hair. It felt soft and warm. I looked at Ember and smiled. "I think..If I can fully manifest this form into a mortal like body..I'll be able to go back to the academy. My old friends may not recognize me. But I'll tell them its me." I said excited.

I ate my breakfast and was starting some light exercises. Not before long I was doin some shadow boxing and unaware. Some mini Aether critters emerged from my own aura. They served as cute little training dummies. But if you were to get hit by one. They hit like a truck. Also they can take several strong hits. This didn't last long as Papa,Mama and Grandma Umi came outside and called me over.

"Wow. You're getting used to that state already. Such beautiful long white hair. Hehe. Just like me in my Goddess form." Momma pointed out. She had me sit in a small circle and talked with Papa and Grandma Umi. The three stopped and looked my way. "Luna. As you know. Grandma so carelessly revealed our plan for you before today. Well..As you know we're looking to send you back to school.

Vei Shong Academy that is. I informed the dormmistress and the Headmistress of your..current state. She said you had to master this form enough to at least being able to wear clothes. Without evaporating them or your peers. Hehe. We all agree you should be training for Fafir,but think of schooling as..mental training. Meditating. Furthering your youth and have fun. While in that state. Hehe. Papa agreed to having you be gone for a good year. Maybe that will set things straight by then. But we as respectable deities want to know your thoughts." She addressed towards me. I looked down then up and played with my little Aether critter. His name is Uffu. He snuggled next to my cheek which made me giggle. "Luna. Pay attention child!!" My Grandma yelled.