Story: Drive

 

The air around Rei seemed to shimmer with an intensity she hadn’t experienced since the height of her EVA piloting days. The Sailor Moon-Rei and Tuxedo Mask-Rei, who had moments ago been calmly discussing the merits of Sailor Moon’s canonicity, now faced each other like rival generals preparing for battle, their discussion having spiraled into the contentious world of Ranma 1/2.

"You cannot deny it," Tuxedo Mask-Rei declared, her voice laden with conviction. "Akane Tendo is the quintessential romantic lead. She is both endearing and deeply flawed, a balance that makes her the perfect partner for Ranma."

The Sailor Moon-Rei shook her head, gripping her Moon Wand as if preparing for an actual fight. "Your devotion blinds you to the truth. Akane's appeal is nothing more than author fiat. She is forced into that role, despite her being outshone by more dynamic characters, like Shampoo and Ukyo. Ranma’s relationship with her is contrived."

Tuxedo Mask-Rei pointed her rose with the sharpness of a blade. "Her appeal is natural and undeniable. Her brashness masks vulnerability. She is what Ranma needs—"

"—because the author said so," Sailor Moon-Rei interrupted, her tone dripping with disdain. “It’s no different from declaring a doctrine of canon in the face of contradictory evidence! Her primacy is imposed upon us, not earned!”

This last statement made Tuxedo Mask-Rei recoil, her eyes narrowing. "Heresy," she whispered. “To deny Akane’s worth is to deny the very foundation upon which the series rests.”

Before their argument could escalate, a new Rei arrived, stepping forward with the deliberate grace of someone meant to draw attention. She was dressed unmistakably as Akane Tendo: her short blue-black hair styled perfectly, a matching school uniform accentuating her resemblance to the character, and a mallet strapped across her back. This Rei carried herself with an air of bemusement, as if the debate amused her deeply.

"You’re both wrong," Akane-Rei said in a voice that carried a quiet, almost smug authority. "If Akane wanted Ranma, truly wanted him, she could have had him wrapped around her little finger before the first volume was over."

Both debaters turned to her, stunned into silence for a moment. Tuxedo Mask-Rei found her voice first. "You dare suggest Akane could stoop to—"

“Seduction?” Akane-Rei cut her off, smirking faintly. “Of course. Ranma may act oblivious, but he’s a teenage boy. He’d fall in line easily enough, especially if I—” she paused, gesturing toward herself, “—had a body more like Shampoo’s.”

Sailor Moon-Rei took a step back, her grip on her wand loosening. "This... This goes against everything Akane represents," she said, her voice trembling. "To use such... methods... would make her no better than Shampoo or Kodachi!"

“Exactly,” Tuxedo Mask-Rei hissed, her expression dark. “This is heresy. You twist Akane’s essence into something unrecognizable.”

Akane-Rei’s smirk grew. "Heresy, huh? Or maybe I just understand what makes her truly powerful. She could take control of the situation instead of waiting for Ranma to notice her. Call it heresy if you want, but I call it winning.”

As the debate threatened to spiral further, a sharp voice cut through the tension. “You’re all missing the point.”

Rei turned to see another version of herself, dressed in a crisp white lab coat over a sleek black jumpsuit. A pair of goggles rested on her head, and she held a clipboard brimming with notes. Her precise, clipped tone gave her an air of authority. “I’ve been working on something important,” Scientist-Rei said, glancing at her clipboard before looking directly at Akane-Rei. “I’ve found the Ranma 1/2 universe.”

For a moment, even the arguing Reis fell silent. Then Akane-Rei’s face lit up. “Perfect,” she said, striding toward Scientist-Rei. “Let’s put this to the test. I’ll show you all how easy it would have been for Akane to win.”

Curiosity overriding caution, Rei followed as the group made their way deeper into Central Dogma. The air grew heavier with each step, the fluorescent lights giving way to a dim, red glow that seemed to emanate from nowhere and everywhere at once. It felt like walking into the heart of some ancient, forbidden chamber. At the center of the room, a massive, glowing portal swirled, its edges lined with crackling energy. Scientist-Rei approached it with the calm detachment of someone handling routine equipment.

“This will connect directly to the narrative structure of the Ranma 1/2 universe,” Scientist-Rei explained. “From here, you can—”

Before she could finish, Akane-Rei stepped forward and leaned into the portal, her hand stretching into the swirling energy. Rei could only watch, her unease growing, as Akane-Rei began to alter something—subtle but deliberate movements that sent ripples through the portal.

"You can’t rewrite what’s been written!" Tuxedo Mask-Rei cried, horrified. “This is blasphemy!”

“Not rewriting,” Akane-Rei replied without looking back, her voice calm but triumphant. “Just... improving.”

Rei turned to Scientist-Rei, searching for clarity. “This... This isn’t canon.”

Scientist-Rei adjusted her goggles, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Canon is a construct,” she said. “A human attempt to impose order on chaos. What we’re doing here is nothing short of divine.”

And as the portal pulsed brighter, Rei felt a strange, sinking dread. Was this heresy... or creation itself?

She watched through the portal, as Akane Tendo slumbered in bed. Her hair was still long, which threw Rei off a little bit, but it was assuredly her from the very start of the series. To look at her one might conclude that she was having a restless sleep. That she was unable to quite reach full slumber, and was attempting to make herself comfortable by any means she could. She was pounding the mattress beneath her, flailing around with all her limbs in a way that seemed chaotic at first, but soon had a pattern to it. As if she was fending off a whole horde of boys. 

Then, midnight struck. An ethereal hand from the Akane-Rei reached out to her, and brushed her forehead. "Too hot..." Akane whispered to herself, and then the change began in earnest. Her breathing deepened. Her hands balled into fists. In her sleep, to divest herself of the excess heat, she removed her pyjama top, discarding it across the room with nary a care in the world, then she kicked off her trousers as well leaving her naked in bed but still unconscious.

Fascinated by what she was seeing, Rei watched on as Akane began to rub her hand down her body, and where her hands touched she became more curvaceous. Her breasts, a modest size, became much larger, hips rounder, ass fuller and rounder, stomach slimmer.

And then, in her sleep, she began to masturbate. Moaning and writhing around. Despite herself, Rei found the sight fascinating. Intriguing. So this was the effect that Drive had on someone when it was first being implemented...?

"Soon she will encounter Ranma Saotome for the first time," the Akane-Rei said. "And then, I shall encourage her to seduce him. When she does, we shall have our foothold into their world. It cannot be stopped."

Corrupting another universe, much as her own was being corrupted. This was Drive at its core. A dangerous, corruptive influence which they were spreading far and wide. The trust heresy! Was it any wonder this circle had that name...?

In that case, what should Rei do about it?