It seems like every time I post a snipped I'm apologizing for the wait. Sorry about that too. But there was some writer's block on the exact nature of the shenanigans below, and then I picked up BBS, and well, with FONV last week and SWFUII tomorrow, I guess I was lucky to have found time at all.
Still, sorry.
On with the show:
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A flying chunk of stone hit Akta in the back of the head even as she attempted to rise at the sound of the explosion, knocking her over and back into the water, sending the woman from a doze into a daze.
As she tried to get her senses back, a pair of strong arms lifted her up, cradling her to a decidedly masculine chest as there was another explosion that carried them out into open air.
She was still naked.
This thought tried to make itself known, but it didn't seem too terribly important to her concussed brain at the moment. What was important was the man cradling her to his chest, Yuuno Scrya. The bump on her head was curiously painless, and she wrapped her arms around his neck for support.
Energy blasts flew past them as Yuuno frantically dodged, and she looked back to see the Bishop, Prelate, and even one of her own (ridiculously short) guards chasing them, yelling profanities and waving weapons.
Akta's addled mind, having gone from a doze to dazed almost without pause, concluded that she had never actually woken up, and so she snuggled a bit closer to her raider, certain he would take her off into the jungle and take her mercilessly in his tent once he'd shaken off pursuit, claiming her in true Artanian fashion. It was rather rare that her dreams were this pleasant, but she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
He looked down at her, his face lined with concern. "Akta-"
As she really didn't trust her voice at the moment, she answered the only way she could. She tilted her head up and kissed him as deeply as she could.
---
Ranma cursed as he dashed over the rooftops after Yuuno's retreating form. While it was fantastic that the man was still alive, his Umi-sen ken had worked a little too well, causing Yuuno to flee outright, rather than try to turn around and let Ranma catch the two zealots from behind. Plus, Ranma was carrying what was probably the guard chick's clothes and sword, and she might want those whenever she stopped sucking on Yuuno's face.
Fortunately, the two religious idiots were so busy focusing on Yuuno that they'd forgotten his presence entirely. Ahead of everyone except the girl he was carrying, Yuuno poured on a little more speed and started to pull away.
The bishop followed him, leaving her own subordinate behind. Figuring that now was as good a time as any, he dropped the umi-sen ken. ôMeteor Kick!ö
The white haired woman spun around, only to catch the kick straight to the jaw, Ranma sacrificing the momentum build up in order to catch her off guard. It would have been easy to use his magic to build up the momentum through gravity manipulation, but the stupid bracelet he was wearing denied him that shortcut. Still, it was strong enough to snap the woman around and send her flying.
ôGuh!ö The pink robed woman's reply was incoherent, but at the same time eloquent, perfectly suited to describing the feeling of impacting a roof edge with your stomach.
There was a crunching sound as Ranma followed up by landing on her head, the sudden impact knocking the woman unconscious. Ranma, noting how limp she went, spared only quick second to angle a kick that sent her through a window on the opposite side of the street before continuing on, throwing the thieve's cloak back up as he did so.
---
Vaalea knew the scum could not dodge forever, and indeed, he hadn't. Distracted by his prisoner, the guard captain his foul magics had clearly corrupted, she had managed to force them down to the ground in this jungle clearing. ôSmite!ö
A condensed wave of her holy power flew from her hands, slamming down onto Scrya's hastily raised shield. She sneered at the effort. Even the shield was a dark, tainted thing. After a few seconds the smoke cleared and they were fine, she was reluctantly impressed. For a shield so hastily raised, there was obviously some power behind it.
Given the way the normally stoic captain was hanging off his side even now he would have to be strong. Vaalea grimaced at the woman's seemingly oblivious stance on her nudity even as she dodged a volley of return fire. She would have to examine the queen for corruption most closely when she returned to the palace. Given her reluctance to turn over the sacred artifact earlier it was a near certainty, well disguised as politics. She only hoped Herce would be up to the challenge of ruling.
This time she simply raised her own shield, noting worriedly when it showed signs of wear after only a few hits. No matter, she was almost done charging her next move. ôLight of Judgment!ö Her faith in Lider swirled around her, wrapping her in its warmth, before pouring out of her hands, and bathing the two below in its purifying light.
Another shield, this one looking stronger than the last emerged. That was fine. This infidel was not nearly as strong on the offense as the other. It was only a matter of time now. Her hair rumpled a bit as she poured on the power. It wasn't important anyway, not with victory so close at hand.
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Yuuno wasn't sure how (and wasn't sure he wanted to know how) Ranma was standing on top of the bishop's head without her noticing a thing, but the savage grin that came over his young friend's face after a moment frightened him a bit.
Ranma then stuck his index fingers in his mouth. For half a second Yuuno though he was going to whistle, but then he took them out and leaned over so far that he was in Kirkko's face. ôHeya!ö
Giving half a second for shock to set in, he then jammed the moist fingers into the girl's ears while yelling. ôWet Willy!ö
Shrieking like a banshee, the bishop lost complete control of her spell, the backlash toasting her lightly as Ranma flipped off her head, kicking her in the face on his way down.
Shaking his head, Yuuno let his shield drop for the moment as the incensed Hellig leader lost all sense and started firing off bolt after bolt of power after Ranma's laughing and dodging form.
After a few moments, Ranma tossed him a wink and a package of blue fabric wrapped around a sword before leading the enraged young girl off deeper into the jungle. Turning back towards Akta, he made to offer the woman her clothes, and check on the healing and numbing spell he'd placed on the bump on the back of her head. Given its placement, it also had the effect of disorienting the redhead, though Yuuno wouldn't terribly mind if she thought this morning's events a dream.
And given her behavior, it was panning out. It was the type of dream she thought she was having that disturbed him. She was wearing a dazed smile and nothing else as she lay back on the soft blue grass invitingly. Or provocatively, rather.
There hadn't been a lot of time or magic to spare earlier, but this was obviously going way too far, worries about a head injury or no. Besides, it hadn't been bleeding much, so it was either fine or far beyond his modest capabilities. He tossed her clothing over her and released the spell, spinning around.
Finally coming down from the combat high, Jed's senses were separating from his own. Yuuno knew this for a fact.
She wants you. That fact, specifically. You should do her. Right now.
Yuuno closed his eyes and massaged his head. She's not in her right mind Jed. Even if I was inclined to 'do her', I certainly wouldn't at the moment!
A soft, obviously nude, form pressed into his back. ôDo I not please you... husband?ö
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I think I'll just leave it there for now.