Ranma ½ Frozen Flame
- Thread starter Dreamingfox
- Start date
Author's Notes û
There's a new poll on my profile page, please vote.
That said, I'm really enjoying writing this fic. Yes, I haven't updated it as much as I have in the past or in comparison to some of my other fics, but I really have been putting a lot of myself into updating this fic and the others. Still, it is the summer, and lots of things are going on so I won't be able to update as regularly as I once did. I do encourage you all to go out and enjoy the weather if it's nice out wherever you are.
That said, I just started watching the Witchblade anime, and I have no idea what's up with those guys who turn intoà well, whatever they turn into. Aside from the look of the Witchblade from the comics, I don't see any resemblance between the series. At least it's not like the manga Witchbladeà
I have seen the Guyver, and wish that it would resolve. I also recall seeing the original series of the Guyver and the American movies with Mark Hammelà it does make me wonder if I should start reading the manga. I might just do that since Full Metal Alchemist is over, but I do spend too much time online in the first place, so maybe not.
Oh, and in regards to the polls and this fic, well, not all of the characters in the polls are in this fic, but do keep an eye out for them. I'll try to do some justice to the fighters.
No, I am not going to do a cross-over with Gundam Wing. At least not this fic.
X X X X X
"Generator 7 is down!" the petty officer announced as another lightning strike took out the power supply for the security systems. "Switching to back up generator 2."
Leonard scowled. At least Mithril hadn't shown any indication that they were in the Indian Ocean, else he might have been concerned. Yet something about the strikes concerned him. "Bring up a map of the facility."
Another petty officer brought up a map of the island.
"Which generators are down?"
"Generator 7 and 8," the first petty officer replied.
The silver-grey haired youth scowled. Though it could be coincidence, the fact that the two generators were relatively close on the southeast side of the island concerned him. "What does Generator 8 power?"
"The factory."
"Another strike on Generator 2!"
Unable to shake the strange feeling in his gut, the young commander nodded. "Have all forces on standby û I want to be ready for anything that happens," he ordered. "I'll be with our guest in the Villa, if anyone does show up let me know and I'll greet them personally."
X X X X X
Sousuke Sagara couldn't help but be amazed by the Witch-gun in his hands. Though it looked, well, odd, it was proving to be much more than he had expected. Not only could the gun essentially shoot through anything, the magical bullets could allow him to do virtually anything.
Shooting a piercing round into one of the miniature and unmanned AS units, he found that he could control it. True, it wasn't like he was actually piloting it, just giving it orders. With his growing reserves of magic or mana as Ranma/Moe had explained to him, his powers would grow, allowing him more control over a greater area û but for now he was content to simply give orders to four of the experimental units.
X X X X X
"Sir!" the petty officer exclaimed as he shouted into the microphone. "We have reports from unit 729 that three of the prototype miniature AS units have gone rogueà correction, four of the units have gone rogue."
Leonard scowled. Though they were not his prized creations, the mass produced mini-Belial types were sturdy and should have been protected from any EMP strikes as well as simple lightning bolts. No, something was clearly wrong.
"It's Sagara," the teal haired beauty stated as she read the look of concern on the boy's face. "He's finally come for me. If he's here than the rest of Mithril is here too."
"Perhaps you're right," he said, standing tall.
"Ranma," a voice interjected.
Both teens looked at each other.
"If Ranma is here, than I may not need you after all," Leonard sighed. Reaching out, he pressed his hand against the book shelf, triggering the fake wall to open.
An eerie teal green glow filled the hidden chamber. "I guess it's time for me to introduce you to your host."
Stepping into the concealed room, he didn't bother waiting for Kaname to follow.
The sight of the platinum haired girl floating in some sort of bluish-green gel seemed to shock Kaname as she gazed at the lone occupant of the room.
"Sophia is perhaps the most powerful of the Whispered," Leonard stated. "Unfortunately her body was nearly destroyed when the machine that created all of the Whispered was destroyed. That's why I brought you here û to be her new host."
"Resonance," the teal haired girl muttered.
"Yes," the silver-grey haired boy smirked. "You were to resonate with her so that she could enter your body, but she wants this Ranma Saotome." Turning around he smiled at the woman inside the tank. "So, who is this Ranma Saotome?"
Suddenly a picture on the wall slide into the wall, revealing a hidden monitor that came to life. Five figures could be seen despite the fierce winds and rain. Slowly the screen focused on a petit redhead wearing antiquated samurai armor and wielding two katanas.
"Sir, we're under attack!" a voice reported from the com-system.
Leonard shook his head. "Employ plan Delta-Lambda," he ordered.
"Yes sir."
"I thought Ranma Saotome was a guy," Kaname said as she recalled the name. Blinking, she suddenly recognized some of the figures. 'Ranko? Keitaro and Kanako? What are they doing here?'
"I did too," Leonard shrugged, "when I first met the male Ranma Saotome, he somehow managed to produce Lambda energy and fought back my Arm Slave. With only a sword in hand he forced me to retreat. I wonder if Genma really did kidnap more kids than we all gave him credit for."
Again Kaname blinked. "Genma Saotome? The rogue martial artist and assassin?"
"My, you do know your history," Leonard smirked. "But we must call an end to this conversation," he stated as he pointed at her.
A sudden stabbing pain lanced up Kaname's leg, forcing her to look at the wires that were now protruding out of her leg. Realization dawned on her just as a current of electrical energy shorted out her nervous system. Unable to control her own muscles she fell into Leonard's arms.
"I really did want you to be Sophia's host," Leonard said as he lifted her into his arms. Walking over to the desk, he set her down.
Unable to control her body as every muscle spasmed, she could only watch in horror as he lowered his face to hers, stealing yet another kiss from her. "But at least Ranma Saotome is a girl û a rather cute girl too."
X X X X X
"We're being watched," Ranma announced as he cut down another soldier.
Sagara nodded, "Probably û it looks like there's a lot of surveillance cameras around the place." Drawing an intricate circle into the sand, he stepped on it even as he took aim at the miniature AS. With two of the first four units that he had controlled destroyed, he was forced to take control of another one to help even the odds.
"Fine," Ranma grumbled. "End the rain and give us some cover. That should free up more of your magic for taking over those AS units."
Sagara blinked. 'Why didn't I think of that?'
Drawing another spell into the wet sand, he stepped on the magic circle before leveling the gun at the angry sky. Suddenly the rain and howling winds stopped only to be replaced by the warm sun.
Dashing out from behind a wall, Ranma cut down two soldiers before ducking behind a wall. Stabbing Kien through the wall he felt the cursed blade cut into one of the soldiers on the other side, allowing the blade to drain the unfortunate soldier's soul out of his dying form. Not waiting for the dying soldier's companions to react, the cursed martial artist kicked the wall, blowing a hole through it and startling the unnerved soldiers. A quick slash with the Hina Blade beheaded three more soldiers while a swift diagonal slash cut through another soldier's shoulder, rifle, ammo belt, and chest. The spray of hot blood filled the air, giving Ranma the cover he needed to jump behind the wall as bullets reigned down on his position.
But that also gave away the position of the next squad of six as Sousuke loaded ammo into his Witch-gun. Not even bothering to aim, he simply pointed the powerful gun at the balcony before unloading three powerful blasts that blew the balcony off the face of the building. "I never thought a gun this small would be as powerful as the shotgun that I use when I'm piloting Al," he commented as he reloaded the gun.
Kanako furiously reshaped the wall of ice that she and Seta hid behind. Expertly she shifted and grew the ice wall so that it protected them from the hail of bullets and rocket propelled grenades that came their way.
Unexpectedly a black pole shot out, crashing into the balcony where another squad of six defenders resided as they peppered the mysterious assailants. The crumbling stone and wood structure quickly gave way, spilling out the startled soldiers. As the men braced themselves with trying to land on the stone below they were mercilessly cut down by Keitaro as he leapt into the air to intercept them. Expertly he somehow managed to grab one of the rifles out of the air even as he kicked the ammo belt of another towards Sagara. Landing, he ducked behind a tree even as the sturdy plant came under fire.
Rushing to aid his companion, Ranma cut down the few dozen bullets headed his way as he navigated the destroyed terrain. Leaping over a carefully manicured shrub he planted his foot on the face of a miniature AS, smashing the machine's sensor and CPU before launching himself towards the squad that had pinned down Keitaro.
Stabbing the back of the squad leader, Ranma flicked his wrist, eviscerating the man with Kien even as he beheaded another with Hina.
With the end of his weapon imbedded in the building, Seta retracted the staff, allowing it to carry him over the fighting in the courtyard and towards the building. Reaching the second floor room the experienced adventurer secured the room, making sure that there were no more soldiers occupying the area. A hail of bullets greeted him as he peeked his head into the hallway. With no other options, Seta leapt back down to the ground level.
"Kanako, the water!" Ranma ordered as inspiration hit him. Grabbing the gardening hose, he sprayed it up into the destroyed balcony that Seta had just vacated. Swiftly he turned the hose on the other troops rushing the yard, coating the bricked walkway with more water.
Nodding, the gothic girl concentrated on her ring. The others quickly jumped for cover as she unleashed a terrible, frozen breeze. With much of the ground still wet from the recent magically enhanced storm, there was water virtually everywhere û all of which froze as the Glacier Ring robbed them of any heat. Soldiers rushed through the water and wet sand found their feet frozen in solid ice. Miniature AS units were doused with the water, covering their shiny, water-proof exteriors. Crushing ice soon coated the metal behemoths, hampering their mobility even as it turned their armor brittle.
As if on cue, Seta raised his mighty staff, extending it into the air above and letting the head drop onto the frozen surface. The thick ice shattered on impact, as did at least a meter of the frozen ground/sand and every soldier and Arm Slave caught up in the freezing spell blast.
Ranma blinked as he watched in morbid fascination as the death toll jumped up inexplicitly. The soldiers hadn't just been trapped in the ice, they'd been frozen themselves and the impact of Seta's staff shattered their bodies.
"Well, that went better than I expected," Sagara stated as he eyed the destruction before him. "It looks like we won't have any problem getting inside the villa now."
X X X X X
A sudden chill ran up the teal haired girl's spine as she watched the almost casual destruction that Sagara's companions wrecked on Leonard's rogue Amalgam forces. In one fell swoop the four fighters had taken out virtually all of the defenders on the southeast approach to the villa.
"Issue the order to retreat," Leonard grimaced as he tallied the losses û 36 loyal soldiers and twelve mass produced miniature AS units against four attackers. Those were not good odds. No, those were not good odds at all. Still, he had a final trump card to play.
Kaname would have smiled if she could, though her muscles continued to contract and spasm as she lay on the table. Still, the gruesome display was frightening. She'd previously delighted in the knowledge that Sagara would go to the ends of the Earth for her, but to see him employ such cold-hearted tactics just to retrieve her was another thing altogether. And there was Ranko and Kanako, both of whom had been so, well, normal the other day when she'd met them û well, normal compared to Sagara.
"Initiate Alpha protocol," Leonard stated as he clicked away at his terminal.
"Initiating Alpha protocol," the AI that ran the villa replied. "Ten minutes until Alpha protocol complete."
Leonard nodded. Taking a deep, calming breath he turned back to the monitor, watching as the odd group approached the villa cautiously. "Soon," he finally said, "you'll have your new body Sophia."
Turning to his monitor, he sighed. "Lock down the villa and get Belial ready."
X X X X X
"Ma'am," the helmsman shouted, "we have activity."
The diminutive figure nodded, "Show me."
"On the main screen," the soldier stated as he brought up a visual. "Our satellites picked up this storm in the Indian Ocean. Then suddenly it dispersed, revealing this."
Hinata nodded.
"Arm Slaves, but what happened to them?"
"Can you get a better visual on those figures?" the former Mithril agent asked as she eyed her second in command.
"Yes ma'am," the helmsman reported. "I can actually show you footage from the island. I've managed to hack into the AI server that Leonard has set up for the island."
A second monitor on the side came to life, showing a close up of the four travelers.
"Seta!" the second exclaimed.
"Keitaro, Kanako," the old woman grumbled as she recognized her adopted grand-daughter and grandson. Glancing at her adopted daughter and biological granddaughter, the commander clenched her fists. "Have the Eligor and my Codarl prepped. Also have all mobile forces ready to be deployed."
X X X X X
"It feels like a trap," Sagara stated as he walked behind Ranma.
As much as he hated to admit it, Ranma couldn't help but agree with the scarred mercenary. Something was screaming 'Danger!' deep inside of him and even the cursed weapons and armor were silent inside his head. Yes, something just felt very wrong. For the past ten minutes they entire group had seen nothing but the occasional fleeing soldier in the distance. No grenades, bullets, or anything had greeted them since they'd entered the building.
It was just too quiet.
X X X X X
The first stirrings of power jolted the Tsukumogami, startling her even as she watched the assault on the villa. Without working legs the self-aware marionette could do nothing but watch. Even if she had a voice she was well outside of Ranma and Keitaro's range as neither would be able to hear her voice over the gunfire and neither was close enough to pick up on her psychic pleas.
Looking up at her metallic companion, she held out her arms, 'Take me to Ranma.'
The altered and enchanted miniature Arm Slave turned its camera onto her. Slowly it lowered itself, before taking her into its massive arms.
X X X X X
"Amalgam launch detected," the AI announced.
"I plan to be long gone before they get here," Leonard smirked as he watched the monitor. "Neither of us will be here when they get here."
X X X X X
The sound of voices carried through the nearly vacant villa. While most would have approached cautiously, Ranma simply did what he was used to and rushed down the corridor towards the odd, blue-green light.
Only Sagara's training kept him from calling out to the reckless redhead as the martial artist advanced at nearly impossible speeds. Suddenly the corridor came to an abrupt halt, at least for him and the others as a half meter of transparent plate glass fell into place, barring their path and separating them from the cursed martial artist.
So caught up in the chase was he that Ranma failed to consider the fact that he was now isolated.
"Shit!" Keitaro shouted as he approached the glass.
"Stand back!" Sousuke cautioned as he loaded his weapon.
X X X X X
Heedless of the situation that he found himself in, Ranma advanced into the strange room. A quick glance told him that Kaname was alive, though currently useless as she appeared to have been disabled by something. Seeing her athletic body twitching as muscles convulsed and contracted he was briefly reminded of Motoko at the hands of Tatewaki Kuno.
"You must be Ranma Saotome," the silver-grey haired boy said as he looked up at Ranma. "I must say, I was thinking that I'd have to deal with some muscle-headed martial artist. When I saw that crazy fighter challenge me in the Eligor and create a Lambda Driver energy I knew that Sophia had picked a suitable host, but"
"You're that guy in the AS!" Ranma exclaimed. "The jerk who tried to kidnap Tsuruko and attacked the Martial Arts Alliance."
Leonard glared at the busty girl.
"Man, even in a full sized AS you lost to me."
"I never lose."
"Yeah, tell that to everyone who's watching me stop your AS with my bare hands on Youtube."
The silver-grey haired boy scowled.
"Since you're the only thing standing between me taking Kaname back, well, this'll be quick."
"Oh, you can take Kaname," Leonard smirked. "But Sophia and I are leaving here first."
Ranma rushed the boy even as the Whispered boy slammed his hand onto the control panel.
A sudden wave of nausea knocked the martial artist to the ground.
X X X X X
Sagara shook his head, trying to will the ringing in his ears out as he did so. Stepping through the ruined glass wall, he lead the others down the corridor. After a few steps he could make out the distinct form of Kaname Chidori as she lay on an examination table. Spurred on by the sight of the helpless girl, he ran into the room.
"What the hell happened?" Keitaro asked as he followed Sagara into the room.
"Kaname! What happened to you?" the scarred soldier asked as left the others to scan for threats. Setting down the Witch-gun he helped the teal haired girl sit up.
"T-taser," she mumbled as she felt the Mithril agent wrap his strong arms around her.
"Where's Ranma?" Kanako asked as she spotted his discarded armor and weapons.
Seta eyed the weapons, "He wouldn't have gone after Leonard without his weapons."
X X X X X
The feel of immense cold enveloping him was the first sensation he recognized as he slowly regained consciousness. 'What happened?' Though his eyes were too heavy to open, he could tell that only his eyes, mouth, and nose weren't enveloped by the cold. 'My arms û why can't I move them? My legs too!'
Try as he might, Ranma couldn't move a muscle. 'It feels like I'm swimming in syrup or something.'
Slowly, he forced his eyes to open, only to have his vision filled with blue-green light.
'No, not light,' he thought, 'more like a filter.'
Forcing his eyes to focus on what was before him, Ranma could make out several distinct shapes and figures.
"Kanako! Keitaro!" he tried to shout only to find that his mouth was not responsive. "What's going on?"
X X X X X
"Who is that?" Sagara asked as he helped the still recovering Kaname to her feet. "What did Leonard do to you?"
"I-I don't know," the girl replied.
Suddenly the four fighters turned around, each gripping their weapon while Sagara stood between the AS and Kaname.
"Moe?" Keitaro said as he lowered his weapon. "What are you doing here?"
'Ranma,' the marionette replied. 'He's in trouble.'
Kaname blinked. Had she just heard someone's voice inside her head?
"She says Ranma's in trouble," the Todai student asked.
"Where is Ranma?" Seta asked.
Moe pointed behind them, 'He's in there.'
Kanako approached the strange tank and the girl inside it, "Behind this?"
Moe shook her head, 'He's inside her.'
Keitaro blinked. He couldn't have heard her right.
'That is Ranma,' the marionette repeated.
"That's Ranma?" Kaname repeated. She didn't know why, but she found herself walking towards the girl in the tank. "Resonance."
"What's going on?" Kanako asked as she rushed towards the other girl.
"Tessa told me that resonance allows two Whispered to share their thoughts and memories," the teal haired girl stated. "She never told me that it could be used to trade bodies."
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.
Please Read and Review.
Dreamingfox
There's a new poll on my profile page, please vote.
That said, I'm really enjoying writing this fic. Yes, I haven't updated it as much as I have in the past or in comparison to some of my other fics, but I really have been putting a lot of myself into updating this fic and the others. Still, it is the summer, and lots of things are going on so I won't be able to update as regularly as I once did. I do encourage you all to go out and enjoy the weather if it's nice out wherever you are.
That said, I just started watching the Witchblade anime, and I have no idea what's up with those guys who turn intoà well, whatever they turn into. Aside from the look of the Witchblade from the comics, I don't see any resemblance between the series. At least it's not like the manga Witchbladeà
I have seen the Guyver, and wish that it would resolve. I also recall seeing the original series of the Guyver and the American movies with Mark Hammelà it does make me wonder if I should start reading the manga. I might just do that since Full Metal Alchemist is over, but I do spend too much time online in the first place, so maybe not.
Oh, and in regards to the polls and this fic, well, not all of the characters in the polls are in this fic, but do keep an eye out for them. I'll try to do some justice to the fighters.
No, I am not going to do a cross-over with Gundam Wing. At least not this fic.
X X X X X
"Generator 7 is down!" the petty officer announced as another lightning strike took out the power supply for the security systems. "Switching to back up generator 2."
Leonard scowled. At least Mithril hadn't shown any indication that they were in the Indian Ocean, else he might have been concerned. Yet something about the strikes concerned him. "Bring up a map of the facility."
Another petty officer brought up a map of the island.
"Which generators are down?"
"Generator 7 and 8," the first petty officer replied.
The silver-grey haired youth scowled. Though it could be coincidence, the fact that the two generators were relatively close on the southeast side of the island concerned him. "What does Generator 8 power?"
"The factory."
"Another strike on Generator 2!"
Unable to shake the strange feeling in his gut, the young commander nodded. "Have all forces on standby û I want to be ready for anything that happens," he ordered. "I'll be with our guest in the Villa, if anyone does show up let me know and I'll greet them personally."
X X X X X
Sousuke Sagara couldn't help but be amazed by the Witch-gun in his hands. Though it looked, well, odd, it was proving to be much more than he had expected. Not only could the gun essentially shoot through anything, the magical bullets could allow him to do virtually anything.
Shooting a piercing round into one of the miniature and unmanned AS units, he found that he could control it. True, it wasn't like he was actually piloting it, just giving it orders. With his growing reserves of magic or mana as Ranma/Moe had explained to him, his powers would grow, allowing him more control over a greater area û but for now he was content to simply give orders to four of the experimental units.
X X X X X
"Sir!" the petty officer exclaimed as he shouted into the microphone. "We have reports from unit 729 that three of the prototype miniature AS units have gone rogueà correction, four of the units have gone rogue."
Leonard scowled. Though they were not his prized creations, the mass produced mini-Belial types were sturdy and should have been protected from any EMP strikes as well as simple lightning bolts. No, something was clearly wrong.
"It's Sagara," the teal haired beauty stated as she read the look of concern on the boy's face. "He's finally come for me. If he's here than the rest of Mithril is here too."
"Perhaps you're right," he said, standing tall.
"Ranma," a voice interjected.
Both teens looked at each other.
"If Ranma is here, than I may not need you after all," Leonard sighed. Reaching out, he pressed his hand against the book shelf, triggering the fake wall to open.
An eerie teal green glow filled the hidden chamber. "I guess it's time for me to introduce you to your host."
Stepping into the concealed room, he didn't bother waiting for Kaname to follow.
The sight of the platinum haired girl floating in some sort of bluish-green gel seemed to shock Kaname as she gazed at the lone occupant of the room.
"Sophia is perhaps the most powerful of the Whispered," Leonard stated. "Unfortunately her body was nearly destroyed when the machine that created all of the Whispered was destroyed. That's why I brought you here û to be her new host."
"Resonance," the teal haired girl muttered.
"Yes," the silver-grey haired boy smirked. "You were to resonate with her so that she could enter your body, but she wants this Ranma Saotome." Turning around he smiled at the woman inside the tank. "So, who is this Ranma Saotome?"
Suddenly a picture on the wall slide into the wall, revealing a hidden monitor that came to life. Five figures could be seen despite the fierce winds and rain. Slowly the screen focused on a petit redhead wearing antiquated samurai armor and wielding two katanas.
"Sir, we're under attack!" a voice reported from the com-system.
Leonard shook his head. "Employ plan Delta-Lambda," he ordered.
"Yes sir."
"I thought Ranma Saotome was a guy," Kaname said as she recalled the name. Blinking, she suddenly recognized some of the figures. 'Ranko? Keitaro and Kanako? What are they doing here?'
"I did too," Leonard shrugged, "when I first met the male Ranma Saotome, he somehow managed to produce Lambda energy and fought back my Arm Slave. With only a sword in hand he forced me to retreat. I wonder if Genma really did kidnap more kids than we all gave him credit for."
Again Kaname blinked. "Genma Saotome? The rogue martial artist and assassin?"
"My, you do know your history," Leonard smirked. "But we must call an end to this conversation," he stated as he pointed at her.
A sudden stabbing pain lanced up Kaname's leg, forcing her to look at the wires that were now protruding out of her leg. Realization dawned on her just as a current of electrical energy shorted out her nervous system. Unable to control her own muscles she fell into Leonard's arms.
"I really did want you to be Sophia's host," Leonard said as he lifted her into his arms. Walking over to the desk, he set her down.
Unable to control her body as every muscle spasmed, she could only watch in horror as he lowered his face to hers, stealing yet another kiss from her. "But at least Ranma Saotome is a girl û a rather cute girl too."
X X X X X
"We're being watched," Ranma announced as he cut down another soldier.
Sagara nodded, "Probably û it looks like there's a lot of surveillance cameras around the place." Drawing an intricate circle into the sand, he stepped on it even as he took aim at the miniature AS. With two of the first four units that he had controlled destroyed, he was forced to take control of another one to help even the odds.
"Fine," Ranma grumbled. "End the rain and give us some cover. That should free up more of your magic for taking over those AS units."
Sagara blinked. 'Why didn't I think of that?'
Drawing another spell into the wet sand, he stepped on the magic circle before leveling the gun at the angry sky. Suddenly the rain and howling winds stopped only to be replaced by the warm sun.
Dashing out from behind a wall, Ranma cut down two soldiers before ducking behind a wall. Stabbing Kien through the wall he felt the cursed blade cut into one of the soldiers on the other side, allowing the blade to drain the unfortunate soldier's soul out of his dying form. Not waiting for the dying soldier's companions to react, the cursed martial artist kicked the wall, blowing a hole through it and startling the unnerved soldiers. A quick slash with the Hina Blade beheaded three more soldiers while a swift diagonal slash cut through another soldier's shoulder, rifle, ammo belt, and chest. The spray of hot blood filled the air, giving Ranma the cover he needed to jump behind the wall as bullets reigned down on his position.
But that also gave away the position of the next squad of six as Sousuke loaded ammo into his Witch-gun. Not even bothering to aim, he simply pointed the powerful gun at the balcony before unloading three powerful blasts that blew the balcony off the face of the building. "I never thought a gun this small would be as powerful as the shotgun that I use when I'm piloting Al," he commented as he reloaded the gun.
Kanako furiously reshaped the wall of ice that she and Seta hid behind. Expertly she shifted and grew the ice wall so that it protected them from the hail of bullets and rocket propelled grenades that came their way.
Unexpectedly a black pole shot out, crashing into the balcony where another squad of six defenders resided as they peppered the mysterious assailants. The crumbling stone and wood structure quickly gave way, spilling out the startled soldiers. As the men braced themselves with trying to land on the stone below they were mercilessly cut down by Keitaro as he leapt into the air to intercept them. Expertly he somehow managed to grab one of the rifles out of the air even as he kicked the ammo belt of another towards Sagara. Landing, he ducked behind a tree even as the sturdy plant came under fire.
Rushing to aid his companion, Ranma cut down the few dozen bullets headed his way as he navigated the destroyed terrain. Leaping over a carefully manicured shrub he planted his foot on the face of a miniature AS, smashing the machine's sensor and CPU before launching himself towards the squad that had pinned down Keitaro.
Stabbing the back of the squad leader, Ranma flicked his wrist, eviscerating the man with Kien even as he beheaded another with Hina.
With the end of his weapon imbedded in the building, Seta retracted the staff, allowing it to carry him over the fighting in the courtyard and towards the building. Reaching the second floor room the experienced adventurer secured the room, making sure that there were no more soldiers occupying the area. A hail of bullets greeted him as he peeked his head into the hallway. With no other options, Seta leapt back down to the ground level.
"Kanako, the water!" Ranma ordered as inspiration hit him. Grabbing the gardening hose, he sprayed it up into the destroyed balcony that Seta had just vacated. Swiftly he turned the hose on the other troops rushing the yard, coating the bricked walkway with more water.
Nodding, the gothic girl concentrated on her ring. The others quickly jumped for cover as she unleashed a terrible, frozen breeze. With much of the ground still wet from the recent magically enhanced storm, there was water virtually everywhere û all of which froze as the Glacier Ring robbed them of any heat. Soldiers rushed through the water and wet sand found their feet frozen in solid ice. Miniature AS units were doused with the water, covering their shiny, water-proof exteriors. Crushing ice soon coated the metal behemoths, hampering their mobility even as it turned their armor brittle.
As if on cue, Seta raised his mighty staff, extending it into the air above and letting the head drop onto the frozen surface. The thick ice shattered on impact, as did at least a meter of the frozen ground/sand and every soldier and Arm Slave caught up in the freezing spell blast.
Ranma blinked as he watched in morbid fascination as the death toll jumped up inexplicitly. The soldiers hadn't just been trapped in the ice, they'd been frozen themselves and the impact of Seta's staff shattered their bodies.
"Well, that went better than I expected," Sagara stated as he eyed the destruction before him. "It looks like we won't have any problem getting inside the villa now."
X X X X X
A sudden chill ran up the teal haired girl's spine as she watched the almost casual destruction that Sagara's companions wrecked on Leonard's rogue Amalgam forces. In one fell swoop the four fighters had taken out virtually all of the defenders on the southeast approach to the villa.
"Issue the order to retreat," Leonard grimaced as he tallied the losses û 36 loyal soldiers and twelve mass produced miniature AS units against four attackers. Those were not good odds. No, those were not good odds at all. Still, he had a final trump card to play.
Kaname would have smiled if she could, though her muscles continued to contract and spasm as she lay on the table. Still, the gruesome display was frightening. She'd previously delighted in the knowledge that Sagara would go to the ends of the Earth for her, but to see him employ such cold-hearted tactics just to retrieve her was another thing altogether. And there was Ranko and Kanako, both of whom had been so, well, normal the other day when she'd met them û well, normal compared to Sagara.
"Initiate Alpha protocol," Leonard stated as he clicked away at his terminal.
"Initiating Alpha protocol," the AI that ran the villa replied. "Ten minutes until Alpha protocol complete."
Leonard nodded. Taking a deep, calming breath he turned back to the monitor, watching as the odd group approached the villa cautiously. "Soon," he finally said, "you'll have your new body Sophia."
Turning to his monitor, he sighed. "Lock down the villa and get Belial ready."
X X X X X
"Ma'am," the helmsman shouted, "we have activity."
The diminutive figure nodded, "Show me."
"On the main screen," the soldier stated as he brought up a visual. "Our satellites picked up this storm in the Indian Ocean. Then suddenly it dispersed, revealing this."
Hinata nodded.
"Arm Slaves, but what happened to them?"
"Can you get a better visual on those figures?" the former Mithril agent asked as she eyed her second in command.
"Yes ma'am," the helmsman reported. "I can actually show you footage from the island. I've managed to hack into the AI server that Leonard has set up for the island."
A second monitor on the side came to life, showing a close up of the four travelers.
"Seta!" the second exclaimed.
"Keitaro, Kanako," the old woman grumbled as she recognized her adopted grand-daughter and grandson. Glancing at her adopted daughter and biological granddaughter, the commander clenched her fists. "Have the Eligor and my Codarl prepped. Also have all mobile forces ready to be deployed."
X X X X X
"It feels like a trap," Sagara stated as he walked behind Ranma.
As much as he hated to admit it, Ranma couldn't help but agree with the scarred mercenary. Something was screaming 'Danger!' deep inside of him and even the cursed weapons and armor were silent inside his head. Yes, something just felt very wrong. For the past ten minutes they entire group had seen nothing but the occasional fleeing soldier in the distance. No grenades, bullets, or anything had greeted them since they'd entered the building.
It was just too quiet.
X X X X X
The first stirrings of power jolted the Tsukumogami, startling her even as she watched the assault on the villa. Without working legs the self-aware marionette could do nothing but watch. Even if she had a voice she was well outside of Ranma and Keitaro's range as neither would be able to hear her voice over the gunfire and neither was close enough to pick up on her psychic pleas.
Looking up at her metallic companion, she held out her arms, 'Take me to Ranma.'
The altered and enchanted miniature Arm Slave turned its camera onto her. Slowly it lowered itself, before taking her into its massive arms.
X X X X X
"Amalgam launch detected," the AI announced.
"I plan to be long gone before they get here," Leonard smirked as he watched the monitor. "Neither of us will be here when they get here."
X X X X X
The sound of voices carried through the nearly vacant villa. While most would have approached cautiously, Ranma simply did what he was used to and rushed down the corridor towards the odd, blue-green light.
Only Sagara's training kept him from calling out to the reckless redhead as the martial artist advanced at nearly impossible speeds. Suddenly the corridor came to an abrupt halt, at least for him and the others as a half meter of transparent plate glass fell into place, barring their path and separating them from the cursed martial artist.
So caught up in the chase was he that Ranma failed to consider the fact that he was now isolated.
"Shit!" Keitaro shouted as he approached the glass.
"Stand back!" Sousuke cautioned as he loaded his weapon.
X X X X X
Heedless of the situation that he found himself in, Ranma advanced into the strange room. A quick glance told him that Kaname was alive, though currently useless as she appeared to have been disabled by something. Seeing her athletic body twitching as muscles convulsed and contracted he was briefly reminded of Motoko at the hands of Tatewaki Kuno.
"You must be Ranma Saotome," the silver-grey haired boy said as he looked up at Ranma. "I must say, I was thinking that I'd have to deal with some muscle-headed martial artist. When I saw that crazy fighter challenge me in the Eligor and create a Lambda Driver energy I knew that Sophia had picked a suitable host, but"
"You're that guy in the AS!" Ranma exclaimed. "The jerk who tried to kidnap Tsuruko and attacked the Martial Arts Alliance."
Leonard glared at the busty girl.
"Man, even in a full sized AS you lost to me."
"I never lose."
"Yeah, tell that to everyone who's watching me stop your AS with my bare hands on Youtube."
The silver-grey haired boy scowled.
"Since you're the only thing standing between me taking Kaname back, well, this'll be quick."
"Oh, you can take Kaname," Leonard smirked. "But Sophia and I are leaving here first."
Ranma rushed the boy even as the Whispered boy slammed his hand onto the control panel.
A sudden wave of nausea knocked the martial artist to the ground.
X X X X X
Sagara shook his head, trying to will the ringing in his ears out as he did so. Stepping through the ruined glass wall, he lead the others down the corridor. After a few steps he could make out the distinct form of Kaname Chidori as she lay on an examination table. Spurred on by the sight of the helpless girl, he ran into the room.
"What the hell happened?" Keitaro asked as he followed Sagara into the room.
"Kaname! What happened to you?" the scarred soldier asked as left the others to scan for threats. Setting down the Witch-gun he helped the teal haired girl sit up.
"T-taser," she mumbled as she felt the Mithril agent wrap his strong arms around her.
"Where's Ranma?" Kanako asked as she spotted his discarded armor and weapons.
Seta eyed the weapons, "He wouldn't have gone after Leonard without his weapons."
X X X X X
The feel of immense cold enveloping him was the first sensation he recognized as he slowly regained consciousness. 'What happened?' Though his eyes were too heavy to open, he could tell that only his eyes, mouth, and nose weren't enveloped by the cold. 'My arms û why can't I move them? My legs too!'
Try as he might, Ranma couldn't move a muscle. 'It feels like I'm swimming in syrup or something.'
Slowly, he forced his eyes to open, only to have his vision filled with blue-green light.
'No, not light,' he thought, 'more like a filter.'
Forcing his eyes to focus on what was before him, Ranma could make out several distinct shapes and figures.
"Kanako! Keitaro!" he tried to shout only to find that his mouth was not responsive. "What's going on?"
X X X X X
"Who is that?" Sagara asked as he helped the still recovering Kaname to her feet. "What did Leonard do to you?"
"I-I don't know," the girl replied.
Suddenly the four fighters turned around, each gripping their weapon while Sagara stood between the AS and Kaname.
"Moe?" Keitaro said as he lowered his weapon. "What are you doing here?"
'Ranma,' the marionette replied. 'He's in trouble.'
Kaname blinked. Had she just heard someone's voice inside her head?
"She says Ranma's in trouble," the Todai student asked.
"Where is Ranma?" Seta asked.
Moe pointed behind them, 'He's in there.'
Kanako approached the strange tank and the girl inside it, "Behind this?"
Moe shook her head, 'He's inside her.'
Keitaro blinked. He couldn't have heard her right.
'That is Ranma,' the marionette repeated.
"That's Ranma?" Kaname repeated. She didn't know why, but she found herself walking towards the girl in the tank. "Resonance."
"What's going on?" Kanako asked as she rushed towards the other girl.
"Tessa told me that resonance allows two Whispered to share their thoughts and memories," the teal haired girl stated. "She never told me that it could be used to trade bodies."
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.
Please Read and Review.
Dreamingfox
Ranma is stuck in Kaname's body, and Sophia took Ranma's. If we go by how long Serge was stuck in Lynx' body and the items in questions he was required to find to even get it back, plus the fact that a timeline had to be eliminated...
This will take a while. Ranma is at a disadvantage though. Serge had Lynx' body in which he could still fight, but Kaname? He's in trouble.
EDIT:
The old and eternal Heero Yuy vs Sagara? Not very original.
This will take a while. Ranma is at a disadvantage though. Serge had Lynx' body in which he could still fight, but Kaname? He's in trouble.
EDIT:
The old and eternal Heero Yuy vs Sagara? Not very original.
So, he and Kaname are sharing bodies. I don't see that working. Kaname isn't likely to just let him as he pleases.
Even if he does, will the new body be in tip top shape. Remember, you did say that if it were not for the possession, Ranma would have been dead. So, how is that taken care of? What will he gain, what will he lose?
Even if he does, will the new body be in tip top shape. Remember, you did say that if it were not for the possession, Ranma would have been dead. So, how is that taken care of? What will he gain, what will he lose?
The body steal happened way to fast. I mean if they had the time to steal Ranma's body, strip it and then evac before the rest got there then Sagara (going by how fast he used the gun in the battle) must have stopped to take a nap somewhere along the way.
And that is even taking into consideration that the Body Swap might be instantaneous (which I find way to implausible.)
And that is even taking into consideration that the Body Swap might be instantaneous (which I find way to implausible.)
Author's Notes û
Yeah, there's a new poll on my profile. Not much else to say.
'Italics' is thought or conversations that are happening non-verbally. 'Bold' will indicate when they are speaking in English, and 'Bold Italics' indicates speaking in Chinese. All other languages will be indicated when used.
X X X X X
"I can't believe that's Ranko," the teal haired girl exclaimed as she watched Keitaro pull the girl out of the strange tank.
"Actually, that's Ranma," Keitaro corrected as he helped his dimension jumping cousin adjust to her new body.
"I know," Kaname exclaimed as she looked at the frail girl.
A sudden buzzing from Sagara's pocket kept the scarred boy from joining in on the conversation. Reflexively he reached for his phone. "This is Sagara," he said as he flipped open his cell phone. Nodding, he glanced out the window. "I understand."
Everyone looked at the scarred soldier.
"We've got company," he stated. "The Indian Ocean Fleet detected our fight, and they also detected an entire battalion of Amalgam forces that are on their way here right now."
"They can get an entire battalion here?" Seta exclaimed, clearly impressed by the proclamation.
"This world is more technologically advanced," Kanako replied.
"How many soldiers are in a battalion?" Kaname asked.
"Usually between 300 to 1300 men," Sagara stated. "Judging from how quick they've mobilized I would assume that they have deployed several divisions û probably one AS division with at least two divisions of air support. I would think they've sent probably 200 units though."
"Why?" Keitaro asked.
"The Pacific Fleet could only field 100 soldiers at a time," Sagara explained, "and we could only deploy so many AS units or tanks given their size."
Seta nodded.
'Give Ranma the swords,' Moe suggested as she clung to the still enchanted Arm Slave. As commanded, the metal construct followed the marionette's orders.
"What are you doing?" Kanako asked as she watched the machine reach for the discarded weapons.
"She wants Ranma to have his, er, her, weapons," Keitaro explained.
'Kei,' Moe said as she turned towards the Todai student, 'tell Sagara to use the healing bullet.'
"Sagara, use the healing bullet," he ordered.
The scarred mercenary blinked, "Affirmative." Grabbing hold of the Witch-gun he emptied the chambers.
"Healing bullet?" the teal haired girl asked.
"Yeah, magic and all," Kanako replied.
"Magic?"
"Long story," Seta interjected. "First we have to get ready for whatever Amalgam is going to send against us."
Kaname watched as her appointed guardian from Mithril drew out a magic circle on the floor then stepped on it. An odd energy seemed to emanate from the ground where he had stepped, sending a tingling sensation through her body as she watched.
Taking aim, Sagara shot the frail girl. A golden glow surrounded the frail girl as the atrophied muscles on the sickly girl strengthened.
"I put enough magic into that shot to last an hour," Sagara stated.
The busty girl simply blinked in astonishment. "Wh-what did you just do?"
"We'll explain later," Seta reiterated. "What's their ETA?"
"Three minutes," Sousuke replied.
"Can you re-animate the Arm Slaves?" Kanako asked.
"They're in too many pieces," the soldier answered as he shook his head.
'You need to make it rain again,' Moe suggested.
"Moe says you need to make it rain again," Keitaro said.
"Wait, why are you paraphrasing what she just said?" Kaname shouted.
Everyone looked at the busty girl.
"You can hear her too?" the wispy girl that was Ranma spoke up.
'She is a Whispered,' Moe stated, 'of course she can hear me. She does not need to have a special bond with me like Keitaro does to speak with me.'
"Are you alright?" the lithe girl asked as she turned to her 'cousin'.
"This body is so weak," the cursed martial artist grumbled. "Even with the enhancements it's not even close to being a fourth of what my cursed form is."
"Kinda full of yourself, aren't you?" Keitaro teased as he helped Ranma over to his discarded weapons. "What happened?"
"Tell ya later," the bald girl said as she allowed Keitaro to help her.
'It seems you are in a predicament,' Hannya mused as the sickly girl reached out for the cursed armor. 'Our agreement still stands, regardless of the loss of your true body.'
Slipping the armor over her nearly skeletal frame, Ranma couldn't help but feel a bit eager for the next confrontation. Forced to endure this weaker body, he knew that he'd have to accept the energy that the Hannya and Kien stole from his victim to supplement his once considerable ki reserves. The thought of having to rely on the demonic weapons turned his stomach, then again, this sickly body probably couldn't stomach much anyways.
'At least we still have plenty of energy from your previous victims,' Hina said soothingly. 'But now that Sophia knows that we are your allies she will start to take us into account.'
Ranma nodded as he allowed Hannya to adjust to his current body. A sudden rush of burning power coursed through every fiber of his new body. Grasping hold of Kien and then Hina, Ranma felt a similar influx of energy.
Kaname gasped as she looked at frail boy trapped in a girl's body.
"Um," Kanako said as she followed the teal haired girl's eyes, "your eyes are glowing."
"Demonic energy," Ranma said as he stood up and flexed his new body's arms, getting a feel for the new power as well as his new limbs. Even with the enforcements and the power being supplied to him, the martial artist knew that he was well short of the full potential of his true body in either form.
"Three minutes," Sagara stated as he completed a magic circle. Stepping on it he focused as he aimed the gun out of the large window then fired. The others watched as the once sunny sky became dark and cloudy. "That took everything I had."
"At least you still can fire off those cannon like blasts," Seta stated as he tossed a pack of bullets at the mercenary. "We've still got plenty of ammo, three rifles, and six shot guns, not to mention the weapons that we the Arm Slaves had û anti-tank weapons with armor piercing rounds. Unfortunately no one's strong enough to use the guns."
Ranma scowled. Things definitely weren't looking good for them. "Kanako, remember what we did in the court yard?"
The lithe girl nodded.
"Save your energy and wait for my signal," he ordered. "Keitaro, find whatever you can to use as cover. We're going to need everything we can get our hands on. Seta, see if you can find us an alternate way off the island û I'm sure that Leonard had some escape pods or boats for his men and that's going to be our way off this rock."
X X X X X
"One minute!" Colonel Urashima announced. All around her the men and women under her command acknowledged their commander.
"Are you ready?" Brigadier General Urashima asked, her wrinkled face appearing on the screen before the Colonel.
"Yes ma'am."
"This time, bring him back alive," the older Urashima ordered. "I want to know how he survived."
Haruka nodded. "Yes ma'am."
X X X X X
For the longest time, Kaname had considered herself to be rational person. And then she met Sousuke Sagara and her world had started being turned on upside down. First it were all the various antics that the military otaku pulled with his guns in and around school, then there was her subsequent abduction by Guron, a member of Amalgam, and the rescue by Sousuke and the discovery that she was being protected by an international para-military outfit. It didn't help that Mithril had counterpart in Amalgam and that they were working just as hard as Mithril was to disrupt the already fragile world peace or that Amaglam (and its agents) appeared to be intent on ruining all of her precious high school memories.
As a rational person she could accept that Amalgam wanted her because she was a Whispered, even though she was still coming to terms with what a Whispered was. Given the abilities of the Whispered to decipher information that normal people didn't know, possession of a Whispered could throw off the balance of power between industrial nations.
Yes, that was all rational and easily acceptable.
But shooting a strange gun into the air to create rain was, well, unbelievable. Not to mention the little ring that could create freezing blasts of air that made Absolute Zero believable. But there was no way that the tiny ring could store that much liquid nitrogen or anything cold enough to instantly freeze a single human much less several hundred at once, not to mention what it did to the Arm Slaves.
Still, there was only so much that the handful of defenders could do with their 'magical' weapons.
"It looks like they've withdrawn," Sagara announced as he peered through the binoculars at the currently stalled enemy forces.
"Well, it looks like we know the range of your weapon," Keitaro shrugged as he glanced at Kanako.
"Kami û these boobs are so flat!" Ranma exclaimed as he lay on the ground and put his eye up to the scope of the rifle.
The two true females of the group looked at the gender-confusing martial artist.
"I've found us a way out," the cursed fighter stated as he eyed the frozen troops. "We surrender."
The others looked at the scrawny girl with disbelief.
"Trust me," the martial artist stated. "I've got a plan."
X X X X X
"They've got some sort of freeze ray," the first lieutenant reported. "The first infantry company was completely frozen by it."
'Damn, I had no idea that Mithril had developed something like this,' Haruka thought as she listened to the first reports of the assault. "Have the artillery units set up at 150 meters û we'll just force them out of the villa."
"Ma'am," a second lieutenant interjected, "six figures have emerged from the villa and are waving a white flag."
"They're surrendering?" Haruka asked skeptically. "Have them turn over all their weapons."
"Yes ma'am."
X X X X X
'I can't believe you're actually surrendering,' Hannya grumbled.
'That's so ingenius,' Hina interjected.
'Though I would have preferred to retain my usual appearance rather than thisà this isà'
'Humbling?' Hina again interjected as the demonic blade noted the slight distain that the demonic armor had for its current appearance.
'I can't protect you from a blade much less a mosquito,' Hannya lamented. Rather than appearing as form fitting samurai armor, Ranma had managed to convince the demonic spirit to appear less menacing. Rather than completely giving in to what the cursed martial artist wanted, Hannya had decided to go with a simple, unflattering bikini.
'You know they're going to search you,' the black blade stated. 'But it is creative.'
'I can't believe how flat my chest is,' Ranma lamented. 'And my hips are so narrow û they don't give me much power for my kicks or punches. I thought the muscles on this body were bad, but the shape of the hips, shoulders, and pretty much all of my spine are horrible.'
'You're sure that they won't be able to detect the weapons?' Keitaro asked, trying to change the subject.
Looking at his cousin, Ranma shrugged. 'I can manage the hidden weapons technique,' he thought, 'and it'll be easier than cutting our way through all one thousand of them. Even in my real body I would be hard pressed to get us all out of this alive, but this way we only have to deal with the, um, general or whatever.'
'Colonel at the least,' Keitaro sent back.
'General, colonel, what's the difference?'
Keitaro would have sighed had he not been wiry of drawing attention to himself. With his psychic connection to his cousin through Moe, at least he was able to hear some of what was going through Ranma's head, though that was a bit more than he really wanted to know at times.
'This is insane,' Kaname interjected. 'If Sousuke's capable of pulling off magic why the hell didn't you have him create some clothes for me? But no, now I've got to endure all those soldiers leering at me in this barely there bikini.'
'Hey, you didn't want him to shoot you,' Ranma replied. 'He can't just create things out of nothing, he's got to shoot something, just like he did when he shot himself to merge the witch-gun with him.'
The teal haired girl scowled. This was not how she envisioned her rescue.
X X X X X
"Where are the prisoners?" the busty woman demanded.
Immediately the two guardsmen snapped to attention as the dark brown haired colonel approached the brig. "Inside," the senior guardsmen replied. "We've kept each of them in separate cells."
"They had no weapons on them?"
"None ma'am," the guardsman replied. "One of the girls, a Kanako Urashima, had a ring and earrings. Another girl, a Kaname Chidori, had a pair of earrings that were determined to be flash grenades and a bracelet with a broken tracer inside, we confiscated those and destroyed them. Aside from watches and cell phones none of the men had anything of interest, of course we confiscated those items just to be safe."
'What's Kanako doing here?' Haruka nodded. "I'd like to see them right now."
The four guardsmen nodded, breaking off their salute before the senior guardsman moved to unlock the door.
Stepping through the portal, the brunette woman eyed the two rows of cells. To her right were the three men and to her left the three girls, though the first cell on each side was empty.
Turning to her left she eyed the first girl, a sickly looking brunette, probably of Russian or Eastern European descent. It was clear that the girl was physically weak, though she did radiate an aura of confidence and malice. Still, just seeing the Colonel had caused the girl to recoil. Clearly she wasn't as confident as she had tried to be. Then again, with that frail body it was much easier to put on airs than to back it up.
Opposite of the sickly girl was the scarred Mithril agent û Sousuke Sagara. Though he simply glared at her, Haruka couldn't help but wonder what the others had done to convince him to surrender. From all the intel that they'd gathered on him (most of it from Gauron), the colonel had expected him to go out with guns blazing rather than surrender willingly.
The second girl was familiar, if only because of the files that the now deceased rogue Gauron had on her. Kaname Chidori, the teal haired Whispered that had fascinated so many within both Amalgam and Mithril. Had she perhaps been the designer of the prototype freeze ray/gun that Leonard's now abandoned villa had used on her troops?
"Haruka?" the man behind her gasped as he looked at her.
Though she tried to ignore him, Haruka immediately recognized the dark haired man. Though he wore simple jeans and a tight shirt, it was clear that he really was the man she once knew. Yes, he had aged, but it had nine years since she'd apparently failed to kill him.
Walking past the second set of prisoners the brunette turned on the third female prisoner.
"Haruka?" the girl gasped. Having heard her companion call out the woman's name, the lithe girl immediately rushed to the front of the cell. "Auntie Haruka?"
SMACK!
"Don't call me 'Aunt'!" the colonel ordered as she slammed a rider's crop against the front of the girl's cell, the end of the crop connecting with a glancing blow to the girl's pristine skin of her face, knocking her back.
"Haruka! Kanako!" the young man opposite of the lithe girl shouted.
Immediately Haruka turned around, 'No, it can't beà Keitaro!' Facing her cousin/nephew, the colonel froze. "What the hell are you doing here Keitaro?"
"Wh-what do you mean what am I doing here?" the young Todai student shouted. "What are you doing alive? I thought you died nine years ago!"
"Obviously I didn't û so why the hell are you here? Is the Martial Arts Alliance working with Mithril now?"
"I see," Sagara stated from the back of his cell, "your adopted mother, Hinata Urashima, must have had Amalgam forces bomb the hospital to kill Seta."
The displaced Mithril agent blinked.
"What?" the Urashima siblings exclaimed.
"Almost years ago a hospital in Tokyo was bombed," the Mithril agent stated. "That same day a Mithril agent, Noriyasu Seta, was at the same hospital to visit his newly born daughter, Sarah McDougal. Listed among the dead was Urashima Haruka, who was also there to visit her friend and the mother of Seta's child."
"You're wrong," the calm brunette stated, silencing the prisoners. "Clearly I didn't die, nor did Seta, though how you survived I don't know. I was sure you'd died" she glared at Seta "after all, I was the one who shot you before strapping the bomb to your body."
Despite his best efforts to stand, Seta crumpled to the floor in disbelief.
"This world is really fucked up," the sickly girl in the first cell muttered. "Everything's so perverse and twisted."
"Because you're family," Haruka stated as she glance first at Keitaro then at Haruka, "you'll be spared. Unfortunately I can't say the same about the others. Of course we'll keep the Whispered girl û we really do want that freeze ray weapon that killed my soldiers. I'm sure you'll enjoy being part of our think tank."
Ranma nodded at Sagara.
Focusing, the Mithril agent extracted the Witch-gun from his forearm even as Ranma pulled the Kien and Hina out of stuff-space.
Expertly the gunman drew a magic circle on the floor before stepping on it. Raising the magical gun he shot Ranma in the head, infusing the cursed martial artist with power.
The sound of the powerful gun filled the brig, alerting the guardsmen and the colonel. Spinning around, Haruka saw the door open and the first guardsmen enter the brig just as Ranma cleaved through the steel bars of his cell. A second swing decapitated the first guardsmen. Instinctively Haruka pulled her gun even as the sickly girl leapt out of her cell. Raising her gun she instinctively brought it up even as she jumped back to avoid the black iron rod that came flying out of her former lover's cell.
Suddenly the world went cold as she collided with an icy wall. No, it wasn't that she had collided with a wall of ice, more that she was now encased in it. Trapped as she was, Haruka had a clear view of the deaths of the remaining three guardsmen as Ranma cleanly and almost effortlessly killed each of them.
And with each death more power coursed through his borrowed body. With the magic from the bullet and from his now dead victims, Ranma was radiating power. Effortlessly he cut down the doors to the other cells, before finally turning his sights on his twisted aunt/cousin.
"I should kill you," Ranma stated, "for all the crimes you've committed, but that's not my decision to make."
"Leave her," Seta stated as he gazed at the woman. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he couldn't trust himself to say it right, not right now at least.
"I'm going to come after you!" Haruka proclaimed. "I'll chase you down wherever you go and kill you! And you" she glared at Keitaro and Kanako "I'll hunt you two down as well. Blood or not, you've clearly sided with him, so that makes you my enemies as well! Granny and I are going to come after you all!"
Swinging around, Seta slammed the butt of his enchanted staff against the brunette's head, knocking her out. "Just because I'm letting you live for now doesn't mean I'm going to endure your screaming."
Ranma nodded grimly as he cleaned his cursed blades. "Let's go."
X X X X X
Hinata Urashima was not happy. Watching the security footage of the escaped prisoners as they cut a bloody swath through her granddaughter/adopted daughter's elite soldiers was unsettling. The fact that her grandson and adopted granddaughter were part of those forces made her feel even worse. But it was the weapons that they were using that really twisted her stomach into knots.
"Damn them!" she cursed. "Mithril's given them the same magical weapons that I acquired for them."
Haruka raised her brow.
"That girl," the older Urashima pointed to the frail looking girl as she cut down two soldiers, "she's using the cursed armor Hannya and the cursed sword Kien. They allow the user to absorb the souls of their victims and uses that power to strengthen the user û it's the only way such a weakling could take out so many soldiers - in the hands of a truly powerful fighter that armor and sword would make them virtually unstoppable. See how she effortlessly cuts down bullets and even cuts down several men at once, even through their guns? That's the power of the armor and sword."
"What about the other sword?" the younger Urashima asked. "It almost looks like she's using the same sword as you."
"That's impossible," Hinata grumbled. "The Hina Blade is unique, as are all of the weapons that they're using. They must be the same ones who intercepted our raiding party in Okinawa. See, that's the staff that the Monkey King used when he escorted the monk to India."
"You mean the Monkey King? As in the character from Journey to the West?"
Hinata nodded as she watched Seta extend his staff so that it knocked out the supports to a walkway overhead, spilling the soldiers onto the ground so that the armored girl could finish them off.
"And that?" Haruka asked as she pointed to a screenshot of the Mithril agent and the unusual gun the used.
"That is the Witch-gun," the older woman replied. "It allows the user to shoot magical bullets, but I never did find any. Still, just shooting regular bullets it is a formidable weapon."
Finally the older woman turned her attention to her grandchildren as their images appeared on several screens. "Keitaro has become an accomplished fighter, but he still doesn't know how to incorporate a sword into the Urashima Fist Style. Still, with the Kusanagi in his hands he should be able to cut through anything." As if to prove her point, one of the images was of the young Urashima Heir cutting through a meter of reinforced steel.
"Kanako must have the Glacier Ring," the woman stated. "They must have used that on your soldiers on the island. See how she points her hand at the wall and suddenly it freezes and become brittle enough for them to break through solid steel?"
"So what do we do?" Haruka asked. As one of the younger generation she was one of the few who actually believed that magic existed. Still, actually seeing it in action was much different than just believing that it did exist.
"We continue to follow them," Hinata stated. "They're hunting for Leonard as well, so we might as well pit them up against each other and weaken each other before we come in and finish them all off. Contact all our sleeper agents in Japan and have them keep an eye out for my grandchildren and their companions."
X X X X X
A/N
Hmmmà I think I'll leave things as they stand.
Please Read and Review.
Oh, and there's a new poll on my profile. Please check it out.
Dreamingfox
Yeah, there's a new poll on my profile. Not much else to say.
'Italics' is thought or conversations that are happening non-verbally. 'Bold' will indicate when they are speaking in English, and 'Bold Italics' indicates speaking in Chinese. All other languages will be indicated when used.
X X X X X
"I can't believe that's Ranko," the teal haired girl exclaimed as she watched Keitaro pull the girl out of the strange tank.
"Actually, that's Ranma," Keitaro corrected as he helped his dimension jumping cousin adjust to her new body.
"I know," Kaname exclaimed as she looked at the frail girl.
A sudden buzzing from Sagara's pocket kept the scarred boy from joining in on the conversation. Reflexively he reached for his phone. "This is Sagara," he said as he flipped open his cell phone. Nodding, he glanced out the window. "I understand."
Everyone looked at the scarred soldier.
"We've got company," he stated. "The Indian Ocean Fleet detected our fight, and they also detected an entire battalion of Amalgam forces that are on their way here right now."
"They can get an entire battalion here?" Seta exclaimed, clearly impressed by the proclamation.
"This world is more technologically advanced," Kanako replied.
"How many soldiers are in a battalion?" Kaname asked.
"Usually between 300 to 1300 men," Sagara stated. "Judging from how quick they've mobilized I would assume that they have deployed several divisions û probably one AS division with at least two divisions of air support. I would think they've sent probably 200 units though."
"Why?" Keitaro asked.
"The Pacific Fleet could only field 100 soldiers at a time," Sagara explained, "and we could only deploy so many AS units or tanks given their size."
Seta nodded.
'Give Ranma the swords,' Moe suggested as she clung to the still enchanted Arm Slave. As commanded, the metal construct followed the marionette's orders.
"What are you doing?" Kanako asked as she watched the machine reach for the discarded weapons.
"She wants Ranma to have his, er, her, weapons," Keitaro explained.
'Kei,' Moe said as she turned towards the Todai student, 'tell Sagara to use the healing bullet.'
"Sagara, use the healing bullet," he ordered.
The scarred mercenary blinked, "Affirmative." Grabbing hold of the Witch-gun he emptied the chambers.
"Healing bullet?" the teal haired girl asked.
"Yeah, magic and all," Kanako replied.
"Magic?"
"Long story," Seta interjected. "First we have to get ready for whatever Amalgam is going to send against us."
Kaname watched as her appointed guardian from Mithril drew out a magic circle on the floor then stepped on it. An odd energy seemed to emanate from the ground where he had stepped, sending a tingling sensation through her body as she watched.
Taking aim, Sagara shot the frail girl. A golden glow surrounded the frail girl as the atrophied muscles on the sickly girl strengthened.
"I put enough magic into that shot to last an hour," Sagara stated.
The busty girl simply blinked in astonishment. "Wh-what did you just do?"
"We'll explain later," Seta reiterated. "What's their ETA?"
"Three minutes," Sousuke replied.
"Can you re-animate the Arm Slaves?" Kanako asked.
"They're in too many pieces," the soldier answered as he shook his head.
'You need to make it rain again,' Moe suggested.
"Moe says you need to make it rain again," Keitaro said.
"Wait, why are you paraphrasing what she just said?" Kaname shouted.
Everyone looked at the busty girl.
"You can hear her too?" the wispy girl that was Ranma spoke up.
'She is a Whispered,' Moe stated, 'of course she can hear me. She does not need to have a special bond with me like Keitaro does to speak with me.'
"Are you alright?" the lithe girl asked as she turned to her 'cousin'.
"This body is so weak," the cursed martial artist grumbled. "Even with the enhancements it's not even close to being a fourth of what my cursed form is."
"Kinda full of yourself, aren't you?" Keitaro teased as he helped Ranma over to his discarded weapons. "What happened?"
"Tell ya later," the bald girl said as she allowed Keitaro to help her.
'It seems you are in a predicament,' Hannya mused as the sickly girl reached out for the cursed armor. 'Our agreement still stands, regardless of the loss of your true body.'
Slipping the armor over her nearly skeletal frame, Ranma couldn't help but feel a bit eager for the next confrontation. Forced to endure this weaker body, he knew that he'd have to accept the energy that the Hannya and Kien stole from his victim to supplement his once considerable ki reserves. The thought of having to rely on the demonic weapons turned his stomach, then again, this sickly body probably couldn't stomach much anyways.
'At least we still have plenty of energy from your previous victims,' Hina said soothingly. 'But now that Sophia knows that we are your allies she will start to take us into account.'
Ranma nodded as he allowed Hannya to adjust to his current body. A sudden rush of burning power coursed through every fiber of his new body. Grasping hold of Kien and then Hina, Ranma felt a similar influx of energy.
Kaname gasped as she looked at frail boy trapped in a girl's body.
"Um," Kanako said as she followed the teal haired girl's eyes, "your eyes are glowing."
"Demonic energy," Ranma said as he stood up and flexed his new body's arms, getting a feel for the new power as well as his new limbs. Even with the enforcements and the power being supplied to him, the martial artist knew that he was well short of the full potential of his true body in either form.
"Three minutes," Sagara stated as he completed a magic circle. Stepping on it he focused as he aimed the gun out of the large window then fired. The others watched as the once sunny sky became dark and cloudy. "That took everything I had."
"At least you still can fire off those cannon like blasts," Seta stated as he tossed a pack of bullets at the mercenary. "We've still got plenty of ammo, three rifles, and six shot guns, not to mention the weapons that we the Arm Slaves had û anti-tank weapons with armor piercing rounds. Unfortunately no one's strong enough to use the guns."
Ranma scowled. Things definitely weren't looking good for them. "Kanako, remember what we did in the court yard?"
The lithe girl nodded.
"Save your energy and wait for my signal," he ordered. "Keitaro, find whatever you can to use as cover. We're going to need everything we can get our hands on. Seta, see if you can find us an alternate way off the island û I'm sure that Leonard had some escape pods or boats for his men and that's going to be our way off this rock."
X X X X X
"One minute!" Colonel Urashima announced. All around her the men and women under her command acknowledged their commander.
"Are you ready?" Brigadier General Urashima asked, her wrinkled face appearing on the screen before the Colonel.
"Yes ma'am."
"This time, bring him back alive," the older Urashima ordered. "I want to know how he survived."
Haruka nodded. "Yes ma'am."
X X X X X
For the longest time, Kaname had considered herself to be rational person. And then she met Sousuke Sagara and her world had started being turned on upside down. First it were all the various antics that the military otaku pulled with his guns in and around school, then there was her subsequent abduction by Guron, a member of Amalgam, and the rescue by Sousuke and the discovery that she was being protected by an international para-military outfit. It didn't help that Mithril had counterpart in Amalgam and that they were working just as hard as Mithril was to disrupt the already fragile world peace or that Amaglam (and its agents) appeared to be intent on ruining all of her precious high school memories.
As a rational person she could accept that Amalgam wanted her because she was a Whispered, even though she was still coming to terms with what a Whispered was. Given the abilities of the Whispered to decipher information that normal people didn't know, possession of a Whispered could throw off the balance of power between industrial nations.
Yes, that was all rational and easily acceptable.
But shooting a strange gun into the air to create rain was, well, unbelievable. Not to mention the little ring that could create freezing blasts of air that made Absolute Zero believable. But there was no way that the tiny ring could store that much liquid nitrogen or anything cold enough to instantly freeze a single human much less several hundred at once, not to mention what it did to the Arm Slaves.
Still, there was only so much that the handful of defenders could do with their 'magical' weapons.
"It looks like they've withdrawn," Sagara announced as he peered through the binoculars at the currently stalled enemy forces.
"Well, it looks like we know the range of your weapon," Keitaro shrugged as he glanced at Kanako.
"Kami û these boobs are so flat!" Ranma exclaimed as he lay on the ground and put his eye up to the scope of the rifle.
The two true females of the group looked at the gender-confusing martial artist.
"I've found us a way out," the cursed fighter stated as he eyed the frozen troops. "We surrender."
The others looked at the scrawny girl with disbelief.
"Trust me," the martial artist stated. "I've got a plan."
X X X X X
"They've got some sort of freeze ray," the first lieutenant reported. "The first infantry company was completely frozen by it."
'Damn, I had no idea that Mithril had developed something like this,' Haruka thought as she listened to the first reports of the assault. "Have the artillery units set up at 150 meters û we'll just force them out of the villa."
"Ma'am," a second lieutenant interjected, "six figures have emerged from the villa and are waving a white flag."
"They're surrendering?" Haruka asked skeptically. "Have them turn over all their weapons."
"Yes ma'am."
X X X X X
'I can't believe you're actually surrendering,' Hannya grumbled.
'That's so ingenius,' Hina interjected.
'Though I would have preferred to retain my usual appearance rather than thisà this isà'
'Humbling?' Hina again interjected as the demonic blade noted the slight distain that the demonic armor had for its current appearance.
'I can't protect you from a blade much less a mosquito,' Hannya lamented. Rather than appearing as form fitting samurai armor, Ranma had managed to convince the demonic spirit to appear less menacing. Rather than completely giving in to what the cursed martial artist wanted, Hannya had decided to go with a simple, unflattering bikini.
'You know they're going to search you,' the black blade stated. 'But it is creative.'
'I can't believe how flat my chest is,' Ranma lamented. 'And my hips are so narrow û they don't give me much power for my kicks or punches. I thought the muscles on this body were bad, but the shape of the hips, shoulders, and pretty much all of my spine are horrible.'
'You're sure that they won't be able to detect the weapons?' Keitaro asked, trying to change the subject.
Looking at his cousin, Ranma shrugged. 'I can manage the hidden weapons technique,' he thought, 'and it'll be easier than cutting our way through all one thousand of them. Even in my real body I would be hard pressed to get us all out of this alive, but this way we only have to deal with the, um, general or whatever.'
'Colonel at the least,' Keitaro sent back.
'General, colonel, what's the difference?'
Keitaro would have sighed had he not been wiry of drawing attention to himself. With his psychic connection to his cousin through Moe, at least he was able to hear some of what was going through Ranma's head, though that was a bit more than he really wanted to know at times.
'This is insane,' Kaname interjected. 'If Sousuke's capable of pulling off magic why the hell didn't you have him create some clothes for me? But no, now I've got to endure all those soldiers leering at me in this barely there bikini.'
'Hey, you didn't want him to shoot you,' Ranma replied. 'He can't just create things out of nothing, he's got to shoot something, just like he did when he shot himself to merge the witch-gun with him.'
The teal haired girl scowled. This was not how she envisioned her rescue.
X X X X X
"Where are the prisoners?" the busty woman demanded.
Immediately the two guardsmen snapped to attention as the dark brown haired colonel approached the brig. "Inside," the senior guardsmen replied. "We've kept each of them in separate cells."
"They had no weapons on them?"
"None ma'am," the guardsman replied. "One of the girls, a Kanako Urashima, had a ring and earrings. Another girl, a Kaname Chidori, had a pair of earrings that were determined to be flash grenades and a bracelet with a broken tracer inside, we confiscated those and destroyed them. Aside from watches and cell phones none of the men had anything of interest, of course we confiscated those items just to be safe."
'What's Kanako doing here?' Haruka nodded. "I'd like to see them right now."
The four guardsmen nodded, breaking off their salute before the senior guardsman moved to unlock the door.
Stepping through the portal, the brunette woman eyed the two rows of cells. To her right were the three men and to her left the three girls, though the first cell on each side was empty.
Turning to her left she eyed the first girl, a sickly looking brunette, probably of Russian or Eastern European descent. It was clear that the girl was physically weak, though she did radiate an aura of confidence and malice. Still, just seeing the Colonel had caused the girl to recoil. Clearly she wasn't as confident as she had tried to be. Then again, with that frail body it was much easier to put on airs than to back it up.
Opposite of the sickly girl was the scarred Mithril agent û Sousuke Sagara. Though he simply glared at her, Haruka couldn't help but wonder what the others had done to convince him to surrender. From all the intel that they'd gathered on him (most of it from Gauron), the colonel had expected him to go out with guns blazing rather than surrender willingly.
The second girl was familiar, if only because of the files that the now deceased rogue Gauron had on her. Kaname Chidori, the teal haired Whispered that had fascinated so many within both Amalgam and Mithril. Had she perhaps been the designer of the prototype freeze ray/gun that Leonard's now abandoned villa had used on her troops?
"Haruka?" the man behind her gasped as he looked at her.
Though she tried to ignore him, Haruka immediately recognized the dark haired man. Though he wore simple jeans and a tight shirt, it was clear that he really was the man she once knew. Yes, he had aged, but it had nine years since she'd apparently failed to kill him.
Walking past the second set of prisoners the brunette turned on the third female prisoner.
"Haruka?" the girl gasped. Having heard her companion call out the woman's name, the lithe girl immediately rushed to the front of the cell. "Auntie Haruka?"
SMACK!
"Don't call me 'Aunt'!" the colonel ordered as she slammed a rider's crop against the front of the girl's cell, the end of the crop connecting with a glancing blow to the girl's pristine skin of her face, knocking her back.
"Haruka! Kanako!" the young man opposite of the lithe girl shouted.
Immediately Haruka turned around, 'No, it can't beà Keitaro!' Facing her cousin/nephew, the colonel froze. "What the hell are you doing here Keitaro?"
"Wh-what do you mean what am I doing here?" the young Todai student shouted. "What are you doing alive? I thought you died nine years ago!"
"Obviously I didn't û so why the hell are you here? Is the Martial Arts Alliance working with Mithril now?"
"I see," Sagara stated from the back of his cell, "your adopted mother, Hinata Urashima, must have had Amalgam forces bomb the hospital to kill Seta."
The displaced Mithril agent blinked.
"What?" the Urashima siblings exclaimed.
"Almost years ago a hospital in Tokyo was bombed," the Mithril agent stated. "That same day a Mithril agent, Noriyasu Seta, was at the same hospital to visit his newly born daughter, Sarah McDougal. Listed among the dead was Urashima Haruka, who was also there to visit her friend and the mother of Seta's child."
"You're wrong," the calm brunette stated, silencing the prisoners. "Clearly I didn't die, nor did Seta, though how you survived I don't know. I was sure you'd died" she glared at Seta "after all, I was the one who shot you before strapping the bomb to your body."
Despite his best efforts to stand, Seta crumpled to the floor in disbelief.
"This world is really fucked up," the sickly girl in the first cell muttered. "Everything's so perverse and twisted."
"Because you're family," Haruka stated as she glance first at Keitaro then at Haruka, "you'll be spared. Unfortunately I can't say the same about the others. Of course we'll keep the Whispered girl û we really do want that freeze ray weapon that killed my soldiers. I'm sure you'll enjoy being part of our think tank."
Ranma nodded at Sagara.
Focusing, the Mithril agent extracted the Witch-gun from his forearm even as Ranma pulled the Kien and Hina out of stuff-space.
Expertly the gunman drew a magic circle on the floor before stepping on it. Raising the magical gun he shot Ranma in the head, infusing the cursed martial artist with power.
The sound of the powerful gun filled the brig, alerting the guardsmen and the colonel. Spinning around, Haruka saw the door open and the first guardsmen enter the brig just as Ranma cleaved through the steel bars of his cell. A second swing decapitated the first guardsmen. Instinctively Haruka pulled her gun even as the sickly girl leapt out of her cell. Raising her gun she instinctively brought it up even as she jumped back to avoid the black iron rod that came flying out of her former lover's cell.
Suddenly the world went cold as she collided with an icy wall. No, it wasn't that she had collided with a wall of ice, more that she was now encased in it. Trapped as she was, Haruka had a clear view of the deaths of the remaining three guardsmen as Ranma cleanly and almost effortlessly killed each of them.
And with each death more power coursed through his borrowed body. With the magic from the bullet and from his now dead victims, Ranma was radiating power. Effortlessly he cut down the doors to the other cells, before finally turning his sights on his twisted aunt/cousin.
"I should kill you," Ranma stated, "for all the crimes you've committed, but that's not my decision to make."
"Leave her," Seta stated as he gazed at the woman. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he couldn't trust himself to say it right, not right now at least.
"I'm going to come after you!" Haruka proclaimed. "I'll chase you down wherever you go and kill you! And you" she glared at Keitaro and Kanako "I'll hunt you two down as well. Blood or not, you've clearly sided with him, so that makes you my enemies as well! Granny and I are going to come after you all!"
Swinging around, Seta slammed the butt of his enchanted staff against the brunette's head, knocking her out. "Just because I'm letting you live for now doesn't mean I'm going to endure your screaming."
Ranma nodded grimly as he cleaned his cursed blades. "Let's go."
X X X X X
Hinata Urashima was not happy. Watching the security footage of the escaped prisoners as they cut a bloody swath through her granddaughter/adopted daughter's elite soldiers was unsettling. The fact that her grandson and adopted granddaughter were part of those forces made her feel even worse. But it was the weapons that they were using that really twisted her stomach into knots.
"Damn them!" she cursed. "Mithril's given them the same magical weapons that I acquired for them."
Haruka raised her brow.
"That girl," the older Urashima pointed to the frail looking girl as she cut down two soldiers, "she's using the cursed armor Hannya and the cursed sword Kien. They allow the user to absorb the souls of their victims and uses that power to strengthen the user û it's the only way such a weakling could take out so many soldiers - in the hands of a truly powerful fighter that armor and sword would make them virtually unstoppable. See how she effortlessly cuts down bullets and even cuts down several men at once, even through their guns? That's the power of the armor and sword."
"What about the other sword?" the younger Urashima asked. "It almost looks like she's using the same sword as you."
"That's impossible," Hinata grumbled. "The Hina Blade is unique, as are all of the weapons that they're using. They must be the same ones who intercepted our raiding party in Okinawa. See, that's the staff that the Monkey King used when he escorted the monk to India."
"You mean the Monkey King? As in the character from Journey to the West?"
Hinata nodded as she watched Seta extend his staff so that it knocked out the supports to a walkway overhead, spilling the soldiers onto the ground so that the armored girl could finish them off.
"And that?" Haruka asked as she pointed to a screenshot of the Mithril agent and the unusual gun the used.
"That is the Witch-gun," the older woman replied. "It allows the user to shoot magical bullets, but I never did find any. Still, just shooting regular bullets it is a formidable weapon."
Finally the older woman turned her attention to her grandchildren as their images appeared on several screens. "Keitaro has become an accomplished fighter, but he still doesn't know how to incorporate a sword into the Urashima Fist Style. Still, with the Kusanagi in his hands he should be able to cut through anything." As if to prove her point, one of the images was of the young Urashima Heir cutting through a meter of reinforced steel.
"Kanako must have the Glacier Ring," the woman stated. "They must have used that on your soldiers on the island. See how she points her hand at the wall and suddenly it freezes and become brittle enough for them to break through solid steel?"
"So what do we do?" Haruka asked. As one of the younger generation she was one of the few who actually believed that magic existed. Still, actually seeing it in action was much different than just believing that it did exist.
"We continue to follow them," Hinata stated. "They're hunting for Leonard as well, so we might as well pit them up against each other and weaken each other before we come in and finish them all off. Contact all our sleeper agents in Japan and have them keep an eye out for my grandchildren and their companions."
X X X X X
A/N
Hmmmà I think I'll leave things as they stand.
Please Read and Review.
Oh, and there's a new poll on my profile. Please check it out.
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes û
Hmmà. Not much to say really. There's a new poll on my profile pageà that's about it.
# # # # #
The giant skyscrapers of Tokyo slowly gave way to smaller, shorter buildings that slowly gave the traveler a better view of the sky overhead. Nerima, though still a part of Tokyo, was a distinctly different part of the large city. Still, her wanderings through the ward had led her to discover the source of the strange energy signals that Claire had detected.
The busty purple haired woman had never seen such a city before. True, she'd seen many larger and more impressive cities, but none like Tokyo with its towering skyscrapers and masses of so similarly appearing people. Then again, the people of this world had yet to travel beyond their moon, and appeared to be content with exploring their own solar system still, thus limiting their perspective and knowledge of the galaxy and the other races beyond this star system.
As the only 'humanoid' member of the flight team sent to observe this undeveloped planet she'd been chosen to be sent to the planet's surface to further investigate the strange energy signals that had originated in the section of the world known as "Japan".
"It seems that that strange symbol is the origin of the strange energies," her commander stated, his rumbling voice hitting the higher frequencies of her communicator. "Claire, please zoom in on it."
The tiny figure on the young woman's shoulder turned then focused on the symbol. As one of the many AI holograms assigned to the crew, Claire had been assigned specifically to assist her in her surface travels as the rest of the crew remained on the orbiting ship.
"Scan with for all frequencies and known energy signatures," Hatsuho ordered, making sure that none of the 'humans' around her could hear. Though she had rushed to learn "Japanese" the interstellar traveler knew that she still did not have full command of the language. The fact that she had dark purple hair and green eyes were as the majority of the populace had either dark brown or black hair and brown eyes instantly made her stand out. Still, it wasn't unusual as she had spotted a young woman with light purple hair the other day.
"Odd," the voice of the science officer proclaimed. "I've never seen anything like this before," he stated. "But judging from the energy fluctuations it's clear that the energy is reaching its full capacity. Those symbols are merely batteries for something, but when it reaches full capacity it starts to lose power even though the energy hasn't been used. It's almost as if it's waiting for something to happen or for a catalyst so that the energy can be consumed.
"It's very similar to the energies we were studying over the red planet, though the closest things are the energies that we found in the region of 'Japan' known as Kyoto or in the north in 'England'."
"Is this going to happen every time?" Hatsuho asked. "You've told us the same thing each time I found one of these symbols."
"Just find the last symbol and record it," her commander ordered gruffly. "If we don't get something more than just a small energy signal you can return to base. We'll simply send a report to command and request that they send a full science team to investigate."
X X X X X
Ranma was not happy. Not only had he lost his wonderful body, he'd been stuck inside of a significantly inferior one as a result of his trip to the Indian Ocean to find Kaname Chidori. True, they had found the teal haired Whispered and had returned her to Japan, but the cost of the endeavor was much more than what Ranma was willing to pay.
The news he received upon his return though made everything even worse.
"What do you mean they've been kidnapped?" the wisp of a girl shouted with all her might. Even the angry shout was weak and pathetic.
"While you were gone your father snuck into the compound," the proud swordswoman replied.
Looking at the various injuries that still lingered on the woman's face and arms it was hard for Ranma to be upset with Tsuruko considering that her sister was one of the girls abducted by his father.
"It appears that he discovered a secret path into the Hinata Sou," the injured swordswoman stated.
Keitaro blinked. "He came out of the lower levels."
"Yes," the shrew master eyed the Urashima heir.
"So my old man took Motoko, Ryoko, and Ukyo," Ranma grumbled.
Tsuruko simply nodded.
"We have yet to discover a way after Genma," the ancient master interjected. "He collapsed the passage"
"Using the sealed techniques," the frail girl finished.
Happosai nodded. "Even I was surprised by Genma's ingenious styles. He's had a week to prepare for you û your original body. In the body you have now there's no way you could defeat him."
"So what do we do?" Tsuruko asked.
"I go back," the sickly girl replied. "Well, we'll see if I can go back first."
"But" the swordswoman exclaimed.
"We'll explore the technological aspect of what happened to Ranma," Happosai said, cutting off the other master. "Sousuke will take Ms. Chidori back to Mithril and they'll see if they can find out about this 'Resonance' and how they were able to take Ranma's body. Back in his native world Ranma will consult with the magi there to see if there's anything he can do to get his body back."
"If I can go back," Ranma muttered darkly.
X X X X X
"Sir," the young woman exclaimed as she eyed the image of her commander, "I must protest û I'm an officer of the law, not a scientist or researcher!"
"I realize that," the dark haired humanoid figure replied, "but you're the only one on in the region. We've dispatched a science team to investigate, but they won't get there for another cycle. If the readings are accurate then another phenomenon should occur soon in the region of the planet that you are currently in."
"But what about abduction case I'm on?" the athletic woman with two toned hair interjected.
"It's possible that this strange phenomenon is related to that case û our readings indicate that such a phenomenon is well beyond the technology that that back-world planet is currently capable of û it's beyond anything that anyone in the Federation is capable of."
"But the rogues and non-Federation scientists might be involved?"
"Birdy, we know that rogue elements of the Santovasku were involved in the assault on the Alpha Cygni Royal Transport, and everyone knows that they practice what most scientists consider 'mysticism' or 'magic' and this reading is very similar to what the Santovasku delve into to bypass some of our most advanced technology."
Birdy shook her head. Though she'd been on this planet for over two weeks and had managed to kill one of the criminals who was involved in the attack on the Alpha Cygni ship, her leads had dried up. "Fine, I'll check it out," she ceded. It was a lead, though she couldn't help but feel a bit put off by the request.
The bald alien nodded. "Good, due to the nature of things I've been able to requisition some special equipment for you."
X X X X X
Years of training had provided Ranma with an exceptional awareness of what was around him. Though he could fall sound asleep his highly trained body and subconscious mind always moved to avoid any physical threats. It was something that Ranma realized he'd taken for granted. Then again, in this significantly weaker body Ranma knew that many of the things he'd become used to in his original body were virtually impossible in his current one. Like standing up to peeà Hell, if this body could stand up for more than a few minutes at a time he'd be impressed, then again, this body didn't need to stand up to pee.
'No,' he chastised himself, 'I need to focus. I need to find out what's escaping my attention.'
Yes, he was nervous, but he couldn't blame it all on the fact that he wasn't sure if the portals would still work for him in his current body.
Looking around Motoko's empty room, he glanced at Tsuruko and Happosai. Neither of the master martial artists seemed to notice the other presence. But maybe it was just a figment of his imagination, something he'd come up with subconsciously to distract himself from his concern about returning home.
"It looks like it's time," Seta stated as he helped Ranma walk towards the glowing symbol.
"Yeah," Ranma grumbled. "Let's go."
Turning around, he gave the elegant swordswoman a final look. "I promise, I'll come back and we'll find Genma and your sister."
The kendoka nodded. "I know you will."
# # # # #
"Where are they?" Keitaro grumbled as he paced outside of Motoko's room. Glancing up at the special clock that Su had built; the dorm manager couldn't help but gravitate towards the kendoka's room whenever the face started to glow.
"Don't you have a practice exam to prepare for?" Naru interjected as she approached the distracted young man.
"Just taking a break," the ronin replied.
Over the past week the pair had resumed their usual studies, though around this time of day Keitaro was usually found right here waiting for some sign of his adopted sister and cousin's return. And if Keitaro was here than one or more of the girls wasn't far behind.
"There you are, Keitaro," the slender kendoka grumbled. "Could you pick up some more rice the next time you're in town?"
"Sure," the usually absent minded manager replied. "I keep forgetting that we've got company."
With Nodoka, Tsuruko, Eishin and the other magi from Mahora investigating the magical rune in Motoko's old room, the Hinata Sou was seeing significantly more traffic than usual. Ever the gracious host, Keitaro couldn't help but insist that the others join them for their meals, even if he hadn't budgeted for them when planning the meals for the week.
But at least the Nerima crew had returned to Nerima. Happosai had proven to be more of a distraction, and regardless of what the ancient Amazon Cologne brought to the table, the presence of the ever aggressive and easily agitated Shampoo didn't help û especially considering that the younger Amazon had recently defeated Motoko's childhood friend.
Though Su's special watch had recently been glowing orange, the sudden shift to green caught the trio's attention as a matching glowing light illuminated Motoko's former room.
Taking a tentative step forward, Keitaro fought the urge to slide the door open.
"I guess you can still jump," a deep, strong voice proclaimed.
"Yeah," an unfamiliar female voice replied.
Reaching out, Keitaro opened the door, sliding the thin barrier to the side. "Kanako, Seta," he exclaimed even as his eyes locked on the sickly girl between them.
"Who's that?" Motoko asked, voicing the thoughts of her companions.
"It's a long story," the frail girl mumbled. "But it's me, Ranma."
# # # # #
"There's a huge spike in energy!" the stony faced science officer shouted, his voice booming in the receiver in her ear. "This is just as big as the reading we picked up over 8 cycles ago."
"They're called 'days' here," the explorer grumbled as she ran.
Claire simply pointed at the long flight of stairs that lead up the side of the hill towards an unknown building.
"Switching to full cloak," she stated as Claire began to warp the light molecules around her, removing any visual trace of her being there.
"Good idea," her commander said. "That's some quick thinking Kazami."
"Thank you sir," she mumbled as she raced up the stairs. 'It'd be so much easier if I had brought the flight suit too. Still, this planet's gravity is nothing compared to home, but it is a switch from being in artificial gravity to a planet's real gravity.'
Reaching the top of the stairs she took a deep breath even as she eyed the building before her. "Scan for life-signs," she ordered Claire.
"Life signs detected," the holograph chirped in the ear piece. "I've acquired a map of the building as well."
"Good," she huffed.
"Three, no, four individuals appear to have been tainted with the unknown energy signals," the science officer reported. "The ship wouldn't have picked anything like this up, but with Claire there we were able to do a scan all the humans there û the four that are tainted just arrived."
"Teleportation technology?" the commander offered.
"I'm not sure," the scientist replied. "But looking at our scans of the other markers, I doubt it. If it is teleportation technology it's not like anything I've seen before."
"And you've clearly seen a lot," Hatsuho sniped as she checked the display that showed Claire's findings.
"This is nothing like anything that is legal in the Federation if it is teleportation technology," the science officer replied. "Samantha's completing a tally of global scans and it doesn't appear as if anyone anywhere on that planet teleported. It's as if those three signatures just appeared."
"I thought the inhabitants hadn't traveled past their moon," the commander interjected.
"They haven't," the young explorer stated. "I've checked all their history texts and nothing indicates that they've done anything beyond shooting satellites into 'space' since they've apparently abandoned their moon."
"Find that last symbol," the commander ordered. "We'll scan the planet again but in the meantime I want you to get me a better scan of those three travelers."
Taking a deep breath, the purple haired woman nodded, rushing into the building. She could tell that there was some sort of commotion going on, though none of it seemed to be directed at her direction.
"They're back," a tanned young girl proclaimed.
"Yay!" a young blond girl exclaimed. "Papa's back!"
The two girls immediately turned and ran up the hallway towards another set of stairs, ignoring the adults that chased after them.
"Stop!" a blond male shouted. "There isn't enough room for everyone to fit upstairs. They're coming down here and we'll meet in the lounge."
Immediately the adults in the corridor turned around, dashing back towards the lounge.
"They're coming down," Claire stated, affirming what the blond man had stated.
Finding a secluded corner of the lounge to stand in, Hatsuho watched as perhaps a dozen or so adults and several younger figures entered the room.
"Where's Ranma?" one of the younger females asked as several figures seated themselves towards the front of the room. The blunette appeared to be fairly young, though the explorer couldn't tell just how old she was.
"Papa!" the young blond shouted as she leapt at the scruffy haired man wearing a tattered white coat.
"Sarah!" he smiled as he hugged the young girl.
"He's one of the three," Claire stated as she scanned the man, the strange energy still emanating from the man.
Hatsuho nodded.
"The girl, the lithe one in black and the other girl, the sickly one," the AI pointed out, "they also are tainted by that energy."
"Interesting," the science officer exclaimed.
"Record everything they say," the commander ordered.
Hatsuho simply nodded as all eyes turned to the sickly girl.
X X X X X
"I picked up those unusual readings again," the muscular woman muttered as she eyed her companion. "But it just ended."
"A beacon?" the mechanoid asked.
"I've never seen anything like this before, that's for sure," the horned woman replied. Though it was fairly easy for her to pass as one of the 'natives' of the world, the horned 'alien' was assigned to repair their damaged ship rather. As the only Santovasku in the team, she was the only one who could pilot or repair the organic ship that they used. Then again, as the only Santovasku she was the only one who could detect the magical energies without any special equipment.
"What about the Fed?" the artificial being asked.
The woman shrugged. "We've lost her for now."
"Good," the android replied. "We need to focus on repairing the cruiser. Let Liza and the others find the Princess and deal with the Fed."
# # # # #
"So, that's about everything," Ranma stated as he looked out at the gathered crowd. Having spent the past two hour explaining the events of the past week or so had exhausted his frail body. If not for Kanako and Seta, the cursed martial artist was sure that he wouldn't have completed it as he could not go more than a few minutes without breaking into a coughing fit.
Even in this new body, some of the instincts that had been engrained into his psyche remained. The persistent feeling of being watched told him that they weren't alone. Still, without his actual body he couldn't actually find the intruder, though he did have an idea of where they were.
"It seems that I was right to send my great-granddaughter to acquire this then," Cologne stated as she hopped onto the table and nodded at the violet haired girl.
Urged on by her honored elder, Shampoo stood up, withdrawing a cloth wrapped bundle which she set on the table.
"This is an ancient artifact," the ancient Amazon stated as she actually stood on the table and used the end of her cane to prod the bundle. "Though we are not sure what this artifact does exactly, we do know that it is tied to the Frozen Flame."
Happosai and the others glanced at the crystalline blade that shone with an inner fire. Immediately the room went cold as the enchanted cloth no longer covered the magical blade, allowing it to siphon the heat from everything around it.
'There is a way for you to regain your original body,' Moe nodded as she looked at the weapon.
"But I have to merge it with the other one," the displaced boy grumbled. "How do we find it in the other world?"
"It is an artifact that should be under the protection of the Phoenix Tribe," Cologne stated. "You are fortunate that they are in disarray and that my great-granddaughter is familiar with their mountain. If they still exist in the other world then they would possess it."
Ranma eyed the old ghoul, fully expecting her to name the price for the crystalline blade.
"Normally I would have provided this item in exchange for something," the Amazon elder stated, "but it seems that it is too late. Returning you to your own body is in the best interests of my great-grand daughter and the Amazons. Your death by the hands of another would simply mean that she has not fulfilled her vow or of acquiring your seed for the future of our people."
The cursed martial artist nodded. "So"
"It was Hikaru Gosunkugi," Eishin stated, cutting Ranma off before he even had the chance to start speaking and then coughing. "We interrogated your rivals, and each of them indicated that this other boy had contacted them and asked them to destroy the doorways."
The scruffy blond mage nodded. "We found him pretty easily and acquired the Frozen Flame as well."
Ranma couldn't help but glance at the founder of his school. Though the old man had carelessly tossed the artifact aside not really knowing what it was capable of, the idea that he could have done the same to Ranma didn't escape his mind. Still, the old man was trying to help.
Forcing his frail body to stand up, Ranma grabbed first the Frozen Flame then the Demon's Tear. The moment he touched the crystalline blade the temperature in the room began to warm, returning to the way it was before the blade had been uncovered.
Infused with the ambient magical energy from the Frozen Flame and Demon Tears, Ranma now saw the hidden observer. Glancing at the special clock, he grimaced. "Three hours until I go back," he grumbled, forcing his still weak body to stand. Despite the infusion of magical energy that allowed him to sense and see the hidden stranger, Ranma knew that his current body would not benefit from the infusion of energy.
'You see her too,' Moe stated as the Tsukumogami turned to face Ranma.
'Yeah,' he replied.
'Who?' Keitaro interjected.
'In the corner, behind the palm tree,' Ranma indicated. 'Don't look, just extend your senses.'
'Ah, I'm not a martial artist like you,' the runty ronin replied having giving up quickly.
Ranma shook his head. 'I can't believe how different you are from the other you û that Keitaro is a Todai student and a master martial artist. He's dedicated to those around him, not just to some idea or distant promise!'
Keitaro pulled back in his seat as his cousin glared at him.
'Grow a fucking spine!' the cursed boy sent his cousin. 'You could be so much more if you weren't so damned wish-washy! Just grow a pair and stop over-thinking things!'
Forcing himself to walk, Ranma urged his body on. "I'm going back to Nerima," he stated.
"Wait!" several voices called out.
Turning his head, Ranma glanced back towards the assembled crowd.
"Son-in-law," Cologne shouted as she hopped onto her cane.
"Ranma," Happosai muttered as he slammed the hot stone in his pipe against Ranma's spine.
"Ah!" the cursed martial artist shouted as a burning pain ran through his body.
"That is the Ultimate Strength Moxibustion," Happosai stated. "It wouldn't have helped your other body as Cologne already used it to neutralize the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion, but in your current body it'll make you stronger."
Ranma blinked. He could feel the power coursing through his body as his chi network increased its efficacy, allowing his sickly body to handle greater strains and demands. True, it wasn't as strong or fast as his old body, but it was at least 75% of what his original body could do. Armed with Hannya, Kien and Hina he was at least a match for his old body and Sophia.
Opening his mouth, Ranma found himself choking on the rare words of gratitude for the grandmaster. Fortunately he was saved from that endeavor as the ancient Amazon splashed him with cold water. "What was that for?"
"You were on fire," Cologne stated.
Ranma tried to look over his shoulder, the smell of burnt cotton and flesh from the hot stone and pipe that Happosai had used on him still stinging his back.
"Ranma!"
The martial artist deftly dodged the energetic blonde's attack. Smirking he looked down at Su.
"I created these," the foreign princess smirked as she pointed at Kanako and Seta.
Only the keen eyes of the experienced martial artist managed to spot the slight bulges beneath both of his companions' clothes.
"I got an idea from the muscle packs that the Arm Slaves use to move them," Su grinned. "It beats hydraulics any day!"
Ranma glanced at the others, still not sure what the girl was talking about. The moment's hesitation was enough for Su and Sarah to strip what little clothes that the boy trapped in a sickly girl's body as the pair shredded the burnt and tattered remains of his clothing before deftly replacing it with the silvery metal bikini-thingy that he now wore.
"That bio-exo-suit will increase your strength by a magnitude!" Su proclaimed.
"We tested it on Keitaro and Motoko," Sarah proclaimed triumphantly.
Ranma glanced at Keitaro, who had been sent through the wall via Naru at the first glimpse of female flesh. 'He he thinks I'm hard on him.'
Seta simply looked at his bio-exo-armor, flexing his fingers. Having changed discretely during the long winded explanation of the past week or so, he'd wondered just what his daughter's new friend had developed. Though he'd seen some of the advanced technology of the other world, it was clear that this hybrid technology was more than just a simply adaption on the Bonta-kun Arm Slaves. Eyeing the triple eye markers on the back of his palms he searched his memory for the unusual symbol.
"It uses a combination of magic and technology to enhance your strength," Su stated proudly. "Drawing in ambient magical energy from your jumps to power up the suit, though it might slow down the charge time of the jumps as a side-effect."
Ranma eyed the inventive girl.
"It's just speculative, though you guys were gone for over a week, much longer than we had anticipated. Still, I've been monitoring the gates, and they've been peeking every 24 hours now rather than 12, so it might not affect the gates," Su rationalized.
Eishin shook his head, "I think that the portals are charging up at the same rate, but because it takes more energy to open it'll take longer for them to acquire the right amount of energy needed to transport you between dimensions."
"Is it because there are more people traveling through the portals?" Seta asked.
Again Eishin shook his head. "No, I think that the portals are designed to stay open for so long before they finally exhaust their energy and can't be activated again. I studied Hikaru Gosunkugi's spell and it leads me to believe that you originally only had a week to solve your dilemma before the portals closed completely, but with the markers that he originally created and then the last one that Motoko created, the spell was thrown off."
"That doesn't make sense," Ranma said aloud.
"Think of the symbols not just as markers for the portals, but as energy collectors," the scruffy blond mage elaborated. "Gosunkugi isn't a mage or wizard, so to perform magic he needs something to power his spell. If someone with magical ability created a rune or glyph they use their own magical energy to fuel it, but since he has no magical energy, the rune must draw on the ambient magical energy so that he can cast his spell or even access the magical energy in the artifact. But he didn't just use one glyph, he used several. Each of them is drawing power and works with the others to supply that power when needed, thus extending the life of all of the other glyphs as well."
The cursed boy turned girl nodded. "So how long do I have?"
"Two, maybe three weeks," Eishin replied.
"Can't we just create more glyphs?" Kanako asked. "Like we did in Okinawa?"
"That'll only extend it, but it's hard to do," Ranma grumbled. "It's hard enough to coordinate things in one world, much less two."
The elder Aoyama sibling nodded. "With the Frozen Flame in your hands the glyphs should stabilize though," he added. "But again, that's only hypothetical. We've never dealt with something like this. It's unlike any of the teleportation spells that the magi use and even those can be destroyed without constant care."
"So what if we have the Magi in the other world help out?" Kanako suggested.
"It's possible," Takahata ceded. "Worth a shot at least, but you'll still need the other half of the Frozen Flame."
Ranma nodded. "So if the gates don't open along the same scheduleà"
"You have until tomorrow," Keitaro stated.
Su glanced at Ranma. "What happened to the watch I gave you?"
# # # # #
"This isà unprecedented," the commander stated, still wrapping his mind around the entire story. "Parallel dimensions, unexplained energy signatures that allow people to jump between dimensions."
"Actually," the science officer interjected, "it has been theorized by several acclaimed researchers. This could be the key they're looking for."
"But this is an undeveloped planet," the commander interrupted. "Federation Law forbids us from interfering with them or helping to advance their technology so that we can study some anomaly that only occurs on their planet."
"But we're not interfering," Hatsuho stated, "I'm just here to observe."
The commander sat back in his seat, his thick brown hair matted to his face as he eyed his subordinate's image on the monitor. "Cadet, I order you to return to the ship," he growled.
"But Sir," the science officer objected.
"You may have Claire infiltrate the group and observe, but you are to return to the ship," he repeated.
"Aye Sir," the busty woman nodded.
For her part the tiny holographic AI nodded. Changing her visual settings so that she no longer was visible to the human eye, she levitated off of the young cadet's shoulder.
# # # # #
"I can't believe he's in there with thatà pervert!" Naru shouted as she stalked the corridor outside of the open-air bath.
"They're not alone," Motoko stated as she eyed the busty Amazon. The swordswoman found no fault in letting the currently female Ranma bath with the men considering that even the usually pervy Happosai wasn't very interested in the cursed boy turned girl's sickly and under-developed body. Besides, Tsuruko, Eishin, Keitaro, Hinata, and Cologne were all in there, each in bathing suits as was the cursed Ranma. Only Kanako and Seta were absent as the two were making other preparations for their next trip. Then again, the two of them weren't stuck in a foreign body as Ranma currently was.
But it was the cursed weapons and armor that he wielded that concerned her.
"I don't see why that Baka is included in on the meetings," Naru grumbled.
The slender kendoka simply shrugged, "I don't know why either."
# # # # #
"You're sure she's going to follow your orders?" the alien first mate asked as the Science officer left the bridge. "Lepton isn't part of the Federationà"
"I really don't know," the furry captain stated as he leaned back in his captain's chair. "What did I ever do to get an Alpha Cygni assigned to me? Everyone knows that they hate taking orders from males.
"Keep an eye on her, and make sure that Fran keeps a teleporter ready in case we need to pull her out suddenly," the hairy alien ordered. "I've read her file and there's a reason why she's still a cadet even though she's nearly 40 cycles. Who knows what kind of chaos an Alpha Cygni is going to get us into?"
"Sir," the helmsman interrupted, "I analyzed the readings of the travelers, and one of them is definitely Alpha Cygni, though she's heavily cloaked.
"Great, just great," the furry captain groaned. "Now we've got two Alpha Cygni on the planet."
"Actually, I was scanning the entire planet and picked up a Santovasku ship as well," the first mate replied.
"Crap," the captain exclaimed. "Call up the Feds û if I'm right, then the Santovasku are behind the mysterious energy we're detecting and behind the attack on the Alpha Cygni Royal transport.
"Get the Cadet on the horn and then get her back on the ship. If she figures out that her princess was abducted by those pirates she might go rogue on us."
# # # # #
"This Flame should lead me to the other," Ranma stated as he looked at his hand. With the magical artifact now inside of him he could feel the slowly gathering energies from the glyphs or symbols that were the markers for the portals. Eishin had been right, they were starting to break down, though they had stabilized a bit when he'd merged with the Frozen Flame. Still, he needed to find the Frozen Flame in the other world if he wanted to stay here. With the half that he'd consumed he could feel the pull of the portal growing stronger as it gathered more power.
"It should lead you to the other Genma," Happosai stated. "But if he's as good as I am I do wonder if you really stand a chance against him."
The cursed martial artist nodded, "I'll beat him."
"I know you're determined to get those girls back," Eishin added, "but your current form isn't nearly as powerful as your original body, even with the Ultimate Strength Moxibustion and the suit that Su gave you. And even with the cursed weaponsà"
Forcing his body to stand, Ranma shook his scarred head.
"Where are you going son-in-law?" Cologne asked.
"I need to think," he replied with a backward glance.
Happosai and Eishin nodded, acknowledging the cursed youth's need to get his head straight.
Taking a deep breath Ranma leapt over the tall fence.
# # # # #
'That was definitely an Alpha Cygni signature,' Hatsuho thought as she examined Claire's scan. 'I have to investigate this.'
Ignoring her commander's orders, the purple haired alien eyed a map of the terrain. 'There appears to be a labyrinth structure beneath the building that I can't scan û a hidden ship maybe? But what about the strange portal? I need to get Claire up there û perhaps the hidden passage?'
Eyeing the tiny opening, the experienced cadet dashed for the hidden passage.
# # # # #
'There's an Alpha Cygni,' the young officer thought as slipped out of the Hinata Sou. 'Did she escape from her captors? If she did, why aren't they looking for her? Or is she one of the Royal Guard survivors?'
So many questions, but no definitive answers drove the young alien mad.
Spotting the fleeting image of the mysterious girl that had been assisted through the portal by her two companions, the disoriented officer rushed to pursue. Someone had to have some answers.
# # # # #
Having spent the past year being pursued by the initially vengeful then lustful Amazon, Ranma knew a thing or two about having someone on his tail, even in his new body. Leaping off a springy branch, the cursed martial artist slipped into the Umisenken, he made sure to suppress even the magical energies that traveling through the dimensional portals as well as those provided to him through the cursed armor and weapons, making him virtually invisible to his mysterious pursuer.
Gifted with an unnatural sight due to the influx of magical energies from the Frozen Flame and from the Demon Tears, Ranma easily saw the mysterious woman despite the equipment that she was using to mask her presence.
Grabbing a stone, he slipped behind the strange female with two toned hair he threw the stone several paces ahead of the woman, drawing her attention away from him and exposing her back to him. Just as she turned towards the sudden sound, Ranma swept the feet out from underneath her before tackling her to the ground and disrupting her cloaking devices.
"Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?" the frail girl demanded.
A surge of surprising strength was the cursed martial artist's reply as the woman with white and pink hair forced her way free of the frail girl's grasp. A sudden spin kick forced Ranma to back away, giving the stranger a chance to turn around and get a good look at the cursed fighter.
"Where's the Alpha Cygni?" the woman demanded.
"Alpha wha?" Ranma replied as his body instinctively dodged a punch. 'Shit, still not fast enough.'
Springing over a low leg kick, Ranma panted his foot into the unusual woman's face, sending her sprawling. Though she clearly had some power behind her attacks, it was clear that she wasn't trained in any style that Ranma knew. Still, she appeared to be little more than a female version of Ryoga. Even in this body, Ranma was sure that he could defeat her. "That all you got?"
# # # # #
The sound of fighting quickly reached the ears of the experienced ensign just as she reached the hidden entrance to the secret passages. Turning to the sound of breaking branches, the purple haired alien spotted sudden movement as two fighters engaged each other.
Though one figure appeared to be physically weak, significantly so when compared to the very healthy advisory, the bald girl appeared to be holding her own against the more powerful alien. A swift punch turned into a feint that led to a knee, all gracefully dodged by the strange girl.
Backpedaling, the girl leapt over a vicious punch, barely dodging the blow as she did so. Turning nimbly in the air she captured the off-balance girl, driving her feet into the alien's back even as she slammed the Alpha Cygni into the unforgiving ground.
Unwilling to allow a fellow Alpha Cygni to go unaided, Hatsuho rushed the bald girl. Though she lacked the full training of a Royal Guardsman, the ensign was an accomplished fighter among a species/race that was renowned for producing exceptional fighters.
The powerful overhead punch was merely a feint for the flying axe kick that followed, both of which were skillfully dodged by the human fighter though the attacks did force the smaller fighter away from the other Alpha Cygni fighter.
"Who are you?" she asked as the woman with pink and white hair forced herself to her feet.
"Officer Birdy, Federation Police."
"Hatsuho Kazami, Cadet on the Stratos."
"Stratos? Isn't that an observer class?" Birdy asked as she eyed the frail girl before her. "I thought there weren't any science ships in the solar system."
Ranma blinked. "Wait a minuteà You two are aliens?"
The two women glanced at Ranma.
"Ensign," a voice cut in, roaring in the ensign and officer's ear, "this is Captain Furby of the Stratos. Why have you not only exposed your presence to a native, but engaged her in combat?"
The two Alpha Cygni paused, glancing at each other then at the bald girl before them.
"Okay," Ranma said, holding his hands up, "magic I get, and inter-dimensional travel too, but aliens?"
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll leave it at that. Have a good weekend everyone, and have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July to all us Yanks.
Dreamingfox
Hmmà. Not much to say really. There's a new poll on my profile pageà that's about it.
# # # # #
The giant skyscrapers of Tokyo slowly gave way to smaller, shorter buildings that slowly gave the traveler a better view of the sky overhead. Nerima, though still a part of Tokyo, was a distinctly different part of the large city. Still, her wanderings through the ward had led her to discover the source of the strange energy signals that Claire had detected.
The busty purple haired woman had never seen such a city before. True, she'd seen many larger and more impressive cities, but none like Tokyo with its towering skyscrapers and masses of so similarly appearing people. Then again, the people of this world had yet to travel beyond their moon, and appeared to be content with exploring their own solar system still, thus limiting their perspective and knowledge of the galaxy and the other races beyond this star system.
As the only 'humanoid' member of the flight team sent to observe this undeveloped planet she'd been chosen to be sent to the planet's surface to further investigate the strange energy signals that had originated in the section of the world known as "Japan".
"It seems that that strange symbol is the origin of the strange energies," her commander stated, his rumbling voice hitting the higher frequencies of her communicator. "Claire, please zoom in on it."
The tiny figure on the young woman's shoulder turned then focused on the symbol. As one of the many AI holograms assigned to the crew, Claire had been assigned specifically to assist her in her surface travels as the rest of the crew remained on the orbiting ship.
"Scan with for all frequencies and known energy signatures," Hatsuho ordered, making sure that none of the 'humans' around her could hear. Though she had rushed to learn "Japanese" the interstellar traveler knew that she still did not have full command of the language. The fact that she had dark purple hair and green eyes were as the majority of the populace had either dark brown or black hair and brown eyes instantly made her stand out. Still, it wasn't unusual as she had spotted a young woman with light purple hair the other day.
"Odd," the voice of the science officer proclaimed. "I've never seen anything like this before," he stated. "But judging from the energy fluctuations it's clear that the energy is reaching its full capacity. Those symbols are merely batteries for something, but when it reaches full capacity it starts to lose power even though the energy hasn't been used. It's almost as if it's waiting for something to happen or for a catalyst so that the energy can be consumed.
"It's very similar to the energies we were studying over the red planet, though the closest things are the energies that we found in the region of 'Japan' known as Kyoto or in the north in 'England'."
"Is this going to happen every time?" Hatsuho asked. "You've told us the same thing each time I found one of these symbols."
"Just find the last symbol and record it," her commander ordered gruffly. "If we don't get something more than just a small energy signal you can return to base. We'll simply send a report to command and request that they send a full science team to investigate."
X X X X X
Ranma was not happy. Not only had he lost his wonderful body, he'd been stuck inside of a significantly inferior one as a result of his trip to the Indian Ocean to find Kaname Chidori. True, they had found the teal haired Whispered and had returned her to Japan, but the cost of the endeavor was much more than what Ranma was willing to pay.
The news he received upon his return though made everything even worse.
"What do you mean they've been kidnapped?" the wisp of a girl shouted with all her might. Even the angry shout was weak and pathetic.
"While you were gone your father snuck into the compound," the proud swordswoman replied.
Looking at the various injuries that still lingered on the woman's face and arms it was hard for Ranma to be upset with Tsuruko considering that her sister was one of the girls abducted by his father.
"It appears that he discovered a secret path into the Hinata Sou," the injured swordswoman stated.
Keitaro blinked. "He came out of the lower levels."
"Yes," the shrew master eyed the Urashima heir.
"So my old man took Motoko, Ryoko, and Ukyo," Ranma grumbled.
Tsuruko simply nodded.
"We have yet to discover a way after Genma," the ancient master interjected. "He collapsed the passage"
"Using the sealed techniques," the frail girl finished.
Happosai nodded. "Even I was surprised by Genma's ingenious styles. He's had a week to prepare for you û your original body. In the body you have now there's no way you could defeat him."
"So what do we do?" Tsuruko asked.
"I go back," the sickly girl replied. "Well, we'll see if I can go back first."
"But" the swordswoman exclaimed.
"We'll explore the technological aspect of what happened to Ranma," Happosai said, cutting off the other master. "Sousuke will take Ms. Chidori back to Mithril and they'll see if they can find out about this 'Resonance' and how they were able to take Ranma's body. Back in his native world Ranma will consult with the magi there to see if there's anything he can do to get his body back."
"If I can go back," Ranma muttered darkly.
X X X X X
"Sir," the young woman exclaimed as she eyed the image of her commander, "I must protest û I'm an officer of the law, not a scientist or researcher!"
"I realize that," the dark haired humanoid figure replied, "but you're the only one on in the region. We've dispatched a science team to investigate, but they won't get there for another cycle. If the readings are accurate then another phenomenon should occur soon in the region of the planet that you are currently in."
"But what about abduction case I'm on?" the athletic woman with two toned hair interjected.
"It's possible that this strange phenomenon is related to that case û our readings indicate that such a phenomenon is well beyond the technology that that back-world planet is currently capable of û it's beyond anything that anyone in the Federation is capable of."
"But the rogues and non-Federation scientists might be involved?"
"Birdy, we know that rogue elements of the Santovasku were involved in the assault on the Alpha Cygni Royal Transport, and everyone knows that they practice what most scientists consider 'mysticism' or 'magic' and this reading is very similar to what the Santovasku delve into to bypass some of our most advanced technology."
Birdy shook her head. Though she'd been on this planet for over two weeks and had managed to kill one of the criminals who was involved in the attack on the Alpha Cygni ship, her leads had dried up. "Fine, I'll check it out," she ceded. It was a lead, though she couldn't help but feel a bit put off by the request.
The bald alien nodded. "Good, due to the nature of things I've been able to requisition some special equipment for you."
X X X X X
Years of training had provided Ranma with an exceptional awareness of what was around him. Though he could fall sound asleep his highly trained body and subconscious mind always moved to avoid any physical threats. It was something that Ranma realized he'd taken for granted. Then again, in this significantly weaker body Ranma knew that many of the things he'd become used to in his original body were virtually impossible in his current one. Like standing up to peeà Hell, if this body could stand up for more than a few minutes at a time he'd be impressed, then again, this body didn't need to stand up to pee.
'No,' he chastised himself, 'I need to focus. I need to find out what's escaping my attention.'
Yes, he was nervous, but he couldn't blame it all on the fact that he wasn't sure if the portals would still work for him in his current body.
Looking around Motoko's empty room, he glanced at Tsuruko and Happosai. Neither of the master martial artists seemed to notice the other presence. But maybe it was just a figment of his imagination, something he'd come up with subconsciously to distract himself from his concern about returning home.
"It looks like it's time," Seta stated as he helped Ranma walk towards the glowing symbol.
"Yeah," Ranma grumbled. "Let's go."
Turning around, he gave the elegant swordswoman a final look. "I promise, I'll come back and we'll find Genma and your sister."
The kendoka nodded. "I know you will."
# # # # #
"Where are they?" Keitaro grumbled as he paced outside of Motoko's room. Glancing up at the special clock that Su had built; the dorm manager couldn't help but gravitate towards the kendoka's room whenever the face started to glow.
"Don't you have a practice exam to prepare for?" Naru interjected as she approached the distracted young man.
"Just taking a break," the ronin replied.
Over the past week the pair had resumed their usual studies, though around this time of day Keitaro was usually found right here waiting for some sign of his adopted sister and cousin's return. And if Keitaro was here than one or more of the girls wasn't far behind.
"There you are, Keitaro," the slender kendoka grumbled. "Could you pick up some more rice the next time you're in town?"
"Sure," the usually absent minded manager replied. "I keep forgetting that we've got company."
With Nodoka, Tsuruko, Eishin and the other magi from Mahora investigating the magical rune in Motoko's old room, the Hinata Sou was seeing significantly more traffic than usual. Ever the gracious host, Keitaro couldn't help but insist that the others join them for their meals, even if he hadn't budgeted for them when planning the meals for the week.
But at least the Nerima crew had returned to Nerima. Happosai had proven to be more of a distraction, and regardless of what the ancient Amazon Cologne brought to the table, the presence of the ever aggressive and easily agitated Shampoo didn't help û especially considering that the younger Amazon had recently defeated Motoko's childhood friend.
Though Su's special watch had recently been glowing orange, the sudden shift to green caught the trio's attention as a matching glowing light illuminated Motoko's former room.
Taking a tentative step forward, Keitaro fought the urge to slide the door open.
"I guess you can still jump," a deep, strong voice proclaimed.
"Yeah," an unfamiliar female voice replied.
Reaching out, Keitaro opened the door, sliding the thin barrier to the side. "Kanako, Seta," he exclaimed even as his eyes locked on the sickly girl between them.
"Who's that?" Motoko asked, voicing the thoughts of her companions.
"It's a long story," the frail girl mumbled. "But it's me, Ranma."
# # # # #
"There's a huge spike in energy!" the stony faced science officer shouted, his voice booming in the receiver in her ear. "This is just as big as the reading we picked up over 8 cycles ago."
"They're called 'days' here," the explorer grumbled as she ran.
Claire simply pointed at the long flight of stairs that lead up the side of the hill towards an unknown building.
"Switching to full cloak," she stated as Claire began to warp the light molecules around her, removing any visual trace of her being there.
"Good idea," her commander said. "That's some quick thinking Kazami."
"Thank you sir," she mumbled as she raced up the stairs. 'It'd be so much easier if I had brought the flight suit too. Still, this planet's gravity is nothing compared to home, but it is a switch from being in artificial gravity to a planet's real gravity.'
Reaching the top of the stairs she took a deep breath even as she eyed the building before her. "Scan for life-signs," she ordered Claire.
"Life signs detected," the holograph chirped in the ear piece. "I've acquired a map of the building as well."
"Good," she huffed.
"Three, no, four individuals appear to have been tainted with the unknown energy signals," the science officer reported. "The ship wouldn't have picked anything like this up, but with Claire there we were able to do a scan all the humans there û the four that are tainted just arrived."
"Teleportation technology?" the commander offered.
"I'm not sure," the scientist replied. "But looking at our scans of the other markers, I doubt it. If it is teleportation technology it's not like anything I've seen before."
"And you've clearly seen a lot," Hatsuho sniped as she checked the display that showed Claire's findings.
"This is nothing like anything that is legal in the Federation if it is teleportation technology," the science officer replied. "Samantha's completing a tally of global scans and it doesn't appear as if anyone anywhere on that planet teleported. It's as if those three signatures just appeared."
"I thought the inhabitants hadn't traveled past their moon," the commander interjected.
"They haven't," the young explorer stated. "I've checked all their history texts and nothing indicates that they've done anything beyond shooting satellites into 'space' since they've apparently abandoned their moon."
"Find that last symbol," the commander ordered. "We'll scan the planet again but in the meantime I want you to get me a better scan of those three travelers."
Taking a deep breath, the purple haired woman nodded, rushing into the building. She could tell that there was some sort of commotion going on, though none of it seemed to be directed at her direction.
"They're back," a tanned young girl proclaimed.
"Yay!" a young blond girl exclaimed. "Papa's back!"
The two girls immediately turned and ran up the hallway towards another set of stairs, ignoring the adults that chased after them.
"Stop!" a blond male shouted. "There isn't enough room for everyone to fit upstairs. They're coming down here and we'll meet in the lounge."
Immediately the adults in the corridor turned around, dashing back towards the lounge.
"They're coming down," Claire stated, affirming what the blond man had stated.
Finding a secluded corner of the lounge to stand in, Hatsuho watched as perhaps a dozen or so adults and several younger figures entered the room.
"Where's Ranma?" one of the younger females asked as several figures seated themselves towards the front of the room. The blunette appeared to be fairly young, though the explorer couldn't tell just how old she was.
"Papa!" the young blond shouted as she leapt at the scruffy haired man wearing a tattered white coat.
"Sarah!" he smiled as he hugged the young girl.
"He's one of the three," Claire stated as she scanned the man, the strange energy still emanating from the man.
Hatsuho nodded.
"The girl, the lithe one in black and the other girl, the sickly one," the AI pointed out, "they also are tainted by that energy."
"Interesting," the science officer exclaimed.
"Record everything they say," the commander ordered.
Hatsuho simply nodded as all eyes turned to the sickly girl.
X X X X X
"I picked up those unusual readings again," the muscular woman muttered as she eyed her companion. "But it just ended."
"A beacon?" the mechanoid asked.
"I've never seen anything like this before, that's for sure," the horned woman replied. Though it was fairly easy for her to pass as one of the 'natives' of the world, the horned 'alien' was assigned to repair their damaged ship rather. As the only Santovasku in the team, she was the only one who could pilot or repair the organic ship that they used. Then again, as the only Santovasku she was the only one who could detect the magical energies without any special equipment.
"What about the Fed?" the artificial being asked.
The woman shrugged. "We've lost her for now."
"Good," the android replied. "We need to focus on repairing the cruiser. Let Liza and the others find the Princess and deal with the Fed."
# # # # #
"So, that's about everything," Ranma stated as he looked out at the gathered crowd. Having spent the past two hour explaining the events of the past week or so had exhausted his frail body. If not for Kanako and Seta, the cursed martial artist was sure that he wouldn't have completed it as he could not go more than a few minutes without breaking into a coughing fit.
Even in this new body, some of the instincts that had been engrained into his psyche remained. The persistent feeling of being watched told him that they weren't alone. Still, without his actual body he couldn't actually find the intruder, though he did have an idea of where they were.
"It seems that I was right to send my great-granddaughter to acquire this then," Cologne stated as she hopped onto the table and nodded at the violet haired girl.
Urged on by her honored elder, Shampoo stood up, withdrawing a cloth wrapped bundle which she set on the table.
"This is an ancient artifact," the ancient Amazon stated as she actually stood on the table and used the end of her cane to prod the bundle. "Though we are not sure what this artifact does exactly, we do know that it is tied to the Frozen Flame."
Happosai and the others glanced at the crystalline blade that shone with an inner fire. Immediately the room went cold as the enchanted cloth no longer covered the magical blade, allowing it to siphon the heat from everything around it.
'There is a way for you to regain your original body,' Moe nodded as she looked at the weapon.
"But I have to merge it with the other one," the displaced boy grumbled. "How do we find it in the other world?"
"It is an artifact that should be under the protection of the Phoenix Tribe," Cologne stated. "You are fortunate that they are in disarray and that my great-granddaughter is familiar with their mountain. If they still exist in the other world then they would possess it."
Ranma eyed the old ghoul, fully expecting her to name the price for the crystalline blade.
"Normally I would have provided this item in exchange for something," the Amazon elder stated, "but it seems that it is too late. Returning you to your own body is in the best interests of my great-grand daughter and the Amazons. Your death by the hands of another would simply mean that she has not fulfilled her vow or of acquiring your seed for the future of our people."
The cursed martial artist nodded. "So"
"It was Hikaru Gosunkugi," Eishin stated, cutting Ranma off before he even had the chance to start speaking and then coughing. "We interrogated your rivals, and each of them indicated that this other boy had contacted them and asked them to destroy the doorways."
The scruffy blond mage nodded. "We found him pretty easily and acquired the Frozen Flame as well."
Ranma couldn't help but glance at the founder of his school. Though the old man had carelessly tossed the artifact aside not really knowing what it was capable of, the idea that he could have done the same to Ranma didn't escape his mind. Still, the old man was trying to help.
Forcing his frail body to stand up, Ranma grabbed first the Frozen Flame then the Demon's Tear. The moment he touched the crystalline blade the temperature in the room began to warm, returning to the way it was before the blade had been uncovered.
Infused with the ambient magical energy from the Frozen Flame and Demon Tears, Ranma now saw the hidden observer. Glancing at the special clock, he grimaced. "Three hours until I go back," he grumbled, forcing his still weak body to stand. Despite the infusion of magical energy that allowed him to sense and see the hidden stranger, Ranma knew that his current body would not benefit from the infusion of energy.
'You see her too,' Moe stated as the Tsukumogami turned to face Ranma.
'Yeah,' he replied.
'Who?' Keitaro interjected.
'In the corner, behind the palm tree,' Ranma indicated. 'Don't look, just extend your senses.'
'Ah, I'm not a martial artist like you,' the runty ronin replied having giving up quickly.
Ranma shook his head. 'I can't believe how different you are from the other you û that Keitaro is a Todai student and a master martial artist. He's dedicated to those around him, not just to some idea or distant promise!'
Keitaro pulled back in his seat as his cousin glared at him.
'Grow a fucking spine!' the cursed boy sent his cousin. 'You could be so much more if you weren't so damned wish-washy! Just grow a pair and stop over-thinking things!'
Forcing himself to walk, Ranma urged his body on. "I'm going back to Nerima," he stated.
"Wait!" several voices called out.
Turning his head, Ranma glanced back towards the assembled crowd.
"Son-in-law," Cologne shouted as she hopped onto her cane.
"Ranma," Happosai muttered as he slammed the hot stone in his pipe against Ranma's spine.
"Ah!" the cursed martial artist shouted as a burning pain ran through his body.
"That is the Ultimate Strength Moxibustion," Happosai stated. "It wouldn't have helped your other body as Cologne already used it to neutralize the Ultimate Weakness Moxibustion, but in your current body it'll make you stronger."
Ranma blinked. He could feel the power coursing through his body as his chi network increased its efficacy, allowing his sickly body to handle greater strains and demands. True, it wasn't as strong or fast as his old body, but it was at least 75% of what his original body could do. Armed with Hannya, Kien and Hina he was at least a match for his old body and Sophia.
Opening his mouth, Ranma found himself choking on the rare words of gratitude for the grandmaster. Fortunately he was saved from that endeavor as the ancient Amazon splashed him with cold water. "What was that for?"
"You were on fire," Cologne stated.
Ranma tried to look over his shoulder, the smell of burnt cotton and flesh from the hot stone and pipe that Happosai had used on him still stinging his back.
"Ranma!"
The martial artist deftly dodged the energetic blonde's attack. Smirking he looked down at Su.
"I created these," the foreign princess smirked as she pointed at Kanako and Seta.
Only the keen eyes of the experienced martial artist managed to spot the slight bulges beneath both of his companions' clothes.
"I got an idea from the muscle packs that the Arm Slaves use to move them," Su grinned. "It beats hydraulics any day!"
Ranma glanced at the others, still not sure what the girl was talking about. The moment's hesitation was enough for Su and Sarah to strip what little clothes that the boy trapped in a sickly girl's body as the pair shredded the burnt and tattered remains of his clothing before deftly replacing it with the silvery metal bikini-thingy that he now wore.
"That bio-exo-suit will increase your strength by a magnitude!" Su proclaimed.
"We tested it on Keitaro and Motoko," Sarah proclaimed triumphantly.
Ranma glanced at Keitaro, who had been sent through the wall via Naru at the first glimpse of female flesh. 'He he thinks I'm hard on him.'
Seta simply looked at his bio-exo-armor, flexing his fingers. Having changed discretely during the long winded explanation of the past week or so, he'd wondered just what his daughter's new friend had developed. Though he'd seen some of the advanced technology of the other world, it was clear that this hybrid technology was more than just a simply adaption on the Bonta-kun Arm Slaves. Eyeing the triple eye markers on the back of his palms he searched his memory for the unusual symbol.
"It uses a combination of magic and technology to enhance your strength," Su stated proudly. "Drawing in ambient magical energy from your jumps to power up the suit, though it might slow down the charge time of the jumps as a side-effect."
Ranma eyed the inventive girl.
"It's just speculative, though you guys were gone for over a week, much longer than we had anticipated. Still, I've been monitoring the gates, and they've been peeking every 24 hours now rather than 12, so it might not affect the gates," Su rationalized.
Eishin shook his head, "I think that the portals are charging up at the same rate, but because it takes more energy to open it'll take longer for them to acquire the right amount of energy needed to transport you between dimensions."
"Is it because there are more people traveling through the portals?" Seta asked.
Again Eishin shook his head. "No, I think that the portals are designed to stay open for so long before they finally exhaust their energy and can't be activated again. I studied Hikaru Gosunkugi's spell and it leads me to believe that you originally only had a week to solve your dilemma before the portals closed completely, but with the markers that he originally created and then the last one that Motoko created, the spell was thrown off."
"That doesn't make sense," Ranma said aloud.
"Think of the symbols not just as markers for the portals, but as energy collectors," the scruffy blond mage elaborated. "Gosunkugi isn't a mage or wizard, so to perform magic he needs something to power his spell. If someone with magical ability created a rune or glyph they use their own magical energy to fuel it, but since he has no magical energy, the rune must draw on the ambient magical energy so that he can cast his spell or even access the magical energy in the artifact. But he didn't just use one glyph, he used several. Each of them is drawing power and works with the others to supply that power when needed, thus extending the life of all of the other glyphs as well."
The cursed boy turned girl nodded. "So how long do I have?"
"Two, maybe three weeks," Eishin replied.
"Can't we just create more glyphs?" Kanako asked. "Like we did in Okinawa?"
"That'll only extend it, but it's hard to do," Ranma grumbled. "It's hard enough to coordinate things in one world, much less two."
The elder Aoyama sibling nodded. "With the Frozen Flame in your hands the glyphs should stabilize though," he added. "But again, that's only hypothetical. We've never dealt with something like this. It's unlike any of the teleportation spells that the magi use and even those can be destroyed without constant care."
"So what if we have the Magi in the other world help out?" Kanako suggested.
"It's possible," Takahata ceded. "Worth a shot at least, but you'll still need the other half of the Frozen Flame."
Ranma nodded. "So if the gates don't open along the same scheduleà"
"You have until tomorrow," Keitaro stated.
Su glanced at Ranma. "What happened to the watch I gave you?"
# # # # #
"This isà unprecedented," the commander stated, still wrapping his mind around the entire story. "Parallel dimensions, unexplained energy signatures that allow people to jump between dimensions."
"Actually," the science officer interjected, "it has been theorized by several acclaimed researchers. This could be the key they're looking for."
"But this is an undeveloped planet," the commander interrupted. "Federation Law forbids us from interfering with them or helping to advance their technology so that we can study some anomaly that only occurs on their planet."
"But we're not interfering," Hatsuho stated, "I'm just here to observe."
The commander sat back in his seat, his thick brown hair matted to his face as he eyed his subordinate's image on the monitor. "Cadet, I order you to return to the ship," he growled.
"But Sir," the science officer objected.
"You may have Claire infiltrate the group and observe, but you are to return to the ship," he repeated.
"Aye Sir," the busty woman nodded.
For her part the tiny holographic AI nodded. Changing her visual settings so that she no longer was visible to the human eye, she levitated off of the young cadet's shoulder.
# # # # #
"I can't believe he's in there with thatà pervert!" Naru shouted as she stalked the corridor outside of the open-air bath.
"They're not alone," Motoko stated as she eyed the busty Amazon. The swordswoman found no fault in letting the currently female Ranma bath with the men considering that even the usually pervy Happosai wasn't very interested in the cursed boy turned girl's sickly and under-developed body. Besides, Tsuruko, Eishin, Keitaro, Hinata, and Cologne were all in there, each in bathing suits as was the cursed Ranma. Only Kanako and Seta were absent as the two were making other preparations for their next trip. Then again, the two of them weren't stuck in a foreign body as Ranma currently was.
But it was the cursed weapons and armor that he wielded that concerned her.
"I don't see why that Baka is included in on the meetings," Naru grumbled.
The slender kendoka simply shrugged, "I don't know why either."
# # # # #
"You're sure she's going to follow your orders?" the alien first mate asked as the Science officer left the bridge. "Lepton isn't part of the Federationà"
"I really don't know," the furry captain stated as he leaned back in his captain's chair. "What did I ever do to get an Alpha Cygni assigned to me? Everyone knows that they hate taking orders from males.
"Keep an eye on her, and make sure that Fran keeps a teleporter ready in case we need to pull her out suddenly," the hairy alien ordered. "I've read her file and there's a reason why she's still a cadet even though she's nearly 40 cycles. Who knows what kind of chaos an Alpha Cygni is going to get us into?"
"Sir," the helmsman interrupted, "I analyzed the readings of the travelers, and one of them is definitely Alpha Cygni, though she's heavily cloaked.
"Great, just great," the furry captain groaned. "Now we've got two Alpha Cygni on the planet."
"Actually, I was scanning the entire planet and picked up a Santovasku ship as well," the first mate replied.
"Crap," the captain exclaimed. "Call up the Feds û if I'm right, then the Santovasku are behind the mysterious energy we're detecting and behind the attack on the Alpha Cygni Royal transport.
"Get the Cadet on the horn and then get her back on the ship. If she figures out that her princess was abducted by those pirates she might go rogue on us."
# # # # #
"This Flame should lead me to the other," Ranma stated as he looked at his hand. With the magical artifact now inside of him he could feel the slowly gathering energies from the glyphs or symbols that were the markers for the portals. Eishin had been right, they were starting to break down, though they had stabilized a bit when he'd merged with the Frozen Flame. Still, he needed to find the Frozen Flame in the other world if he wanted to stay here. With the half that he'd consumed he could feel the pull of the portal growing stronger as it gathered more power.
"It should lead you to the other Genma," Happosai stated. "But if he's as good as I am I do wonder if you really stand a chance against him."
The cursed martial artist nodded, "I'll beat him."
"I know you're determined to get those girls back," Eishin added, "but your current form isn't nearly as powerful as your original body, even with the Ultimate Strength Moxibustion and the suit that Su gave you. And even with the cursed weaponsà"
Forcing his body to stand, Ranma shook his scarred head.
"Where are you going son-in-law?" Cologne asked.
"I need to think," he replied with a backward glance.
Happosai and Eishin nodded, acknowledging the cursed youth's need to get his head straight.
Taking a deep breath Ranma leapt over the tall fence.
# # # # #
'That was definitely an Alpha Cygni signature,' Hatsuho thought as she examined Claire's scan. 'I have to investigate this.'
Ignoring her commander's orders, the purple haired alien eyed a map of the terrain. 'There appears to be a labyrinth structure beneath the building that I can't scan û a hidden ship maybe? But what about the strange portal? I need to get Claire up there û perhaps the hidden passage?'
Eyeing the tiny opening, the experienced cadet dashed for the hidden passage.
# # # # #
'There's an Alpha Cygni,' the young officer thought as slipped out of the Hinata Sou. 'Did she escape from her captors? If she did, why aren't they looking for her? Or is she one of the Royal Guard survivors?'
So many questions, but no definitive answers drove the young alien mad.
Spotting the fleeting image of the mysterious girl that had been assisted through the portal by her two companions, the disoriented officer rushed to pursue. Someone had to have some answers.
# # # # #
Having spent the past year being pursued by the initially vengeful then lustful Amazon, Ranma knew a thing or two about having someone on his tail, even in his new body. Leaping off a springy branch, the cursed martial artist slipped into the Umisenken, he made sure to suppress even the magical energies that traveling through the dimensional portals as well as those provided to him through the cursed armor and weapons, making him virtually invisible to his mysterious pursuer.
Gifted with an unnatural sight due to the influx of magical energies from the Frozen Flame and from the Demon Tears, Ranma easily saw the mysterious woman despite the equipment that she was using to mask her presence.
Grabbing a stone, he slipped behind the strange female with two toned hair he threw the stone several paces ahead of the woman, drawing her attention away from him and exposing her back to him. Just as she turned towards the sudden sound, Ranma swept the feet out from underneath her before tackling her to the ground and disrupting her cloaking devices.
"Who are you and what the hell are you doing here?" the frail girl demanded.
A surge of surprising strength was the cursed martial artist's reply as the woman with white and pink hair forced her way free of the frail girl's grasp. A sudden spin kick forced Ranma to back away, giving the stranger a chance to turn around and get a good look at the cursed fighter.
"Where's the Alpha Cygni?" the woman demanded.
"Alpha wha?" Ranma replied as his body instinctively dodged a punch. 'Shit, still not fast enough.'
Springing over a low leg kick, Ranma panted his foot into the unusual woman's face, sending her sprawling. Though she clearly had some power behind her attacks, it was clear that she wasn't trained in any style that Ranma knew. Still, she appeared to be little more than a female version of Ryoga. Even in this body, Ranma was sure that he could defeat her. "That all you got?"
# # # # #
The sound of fighting quickly reached the ears of the experienced ensign just as she reached the hidden entrance to the secret passages. Turning to the sound of breaking branches, the purple haired alien spotted sudden movement as two fighters engaged each other.
Though one figure appeared to be physically weak, significantly so when compared to the very healthy advisory, the bald girl appeared to be holding her own against the more powerful alien. A swift punch turned into a feint that led to a knee, all gracefully dodged by the strange girl.
Backpedaling, the girl leapt over a vicious punch, barely dodging the blow as she did so. Turning nimbly in the air she captured the off-balance girl, driving her feet into the alien's back even as she slammed the Alpha Cygni into the unforgiving ground.
Unwilling to allow a fellow Alpha Cygni to go unaided, Hatsuho rushed the bald girl. Though she lacked the full training of a Royal Guardsman, the ensign was an accomplished fighter among a species/race that was renowned for producing exceptional fighters.
The powerful overhead punch was merely a feint for the flying axe kick that followed, both of which were skillfully dodged by the human fighter though the attacks did force the smaller fighter away from the other Alpha Cygni fighter.
"Who are you?" she asked as the woman with pink and white hair forced herself to her feet.
"Officer Birdy, Federation Police."
"Hatsuho Kazami, Cadet on the Stratos."
"Stratos? Isn't that an observer class?" Birdy asked as she eyed the frail girl before her. "I thought there weren't any science ships in the solar system."
Ranma blinked. "Wait a minuteà You two are aliens?"
The two women glanced at Ranma.
"Ensign," a voice cut in, roaring in the ensign and officer's ear, "this is Captain Furby of the Stratos. Why have you not only exposed your presence to a native, but engaged her in combat?"
The two Alpha Cygni paused, glancing at each other then at the bald girl before them.
"Okay," Ranma said, holding his hands up, "magic I get, and inter-dimensional travel too, but aliens?"
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll leave it at that. Have a good weekend everyone, and have a safe and enjoyable 4th of July to all us Yanks.
Dreamingfox
the two he's should either be separated by a comma or '...', or the first should be changed to something like 'heh' and separated, instead. As it is to me at least it reads wrong.
It is curious, that this would be about the time that Hatsuo became pregnant with Kazume... So is Ranma going to be the father?
It is curious, that this would be about the time that Hatsuo became pregnant with Kazume... So is Ranma going to be the father?
Author's Notes û
I must apologize. I had thought that I was well on my way to ending this fic, but it appears that I've simply set up the first of many divergent tales in this adventure. This fic will probably consume much more of my time than I had originally estimated as well as keep me from working on other fics that I'm sure some of readers who follow my writings prefer. Still, that's how it goes sometimes.
Oh, there's a new poll on my profile. Maya easily creamed Ukyo 17-3.
Enjoy.
# # # # #
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor, announcing the walker's presence to all those inside. It annoyed him. Hours ago when he'd walked the other way he'd barely made a sound, but now, well, now they were different.
"You're injured," a deep, husky voice stated.
Nodding, the walker scanned the shadows.
"What of the officer?" the mysterious speaker asked.
"Dealt with," the injured man answered. "She's tougher than she appears, but nothing that I couldn't handle."
The other man audibly sniffed the air, "Plasma grenade?"
"I'm not that stupid," the first man replied. "I know that there's a research ship in orbit û they would have noticed a plasma discharge. I lured the officer into a factory, and then trapped her in molten steel."
"Trapped? Sounds like she's dead."
"Either way, she's no longer our concern."
"Until they send another to investigate."
"But how long will it take the Feds to send someone to this backwater?"
"Who said that the Feds were going to do anything? She was an Alpha Cygni û they always look out for their own. They'll send a squad to check."
"Again," the injured man interjected, "how long will it take them to send someone here? They don't even know she was on this planet, much less this quadrant. Besides, this solar system and the ones around it are still being contested û no one is supposed to be here without the consent of the Feds and the Santovasku. There's no way the Santovasku would allow the Alpha Cygni to send a team here just to find one Federation Officer."
"What about the research ship?"
"They're researchers; if they become a problem then we shoot them down once the ship is repaired," the husky voiced speaker stated. "But for now, we have to prepare things for the ritual."
# # # # #
This little rock, the third from its sun, was a promising planet. Though the majority of the planet's surface was covered with water, it was home to a variety of life forms and species. One particular species seemed to dominate the dry surface, building towering constructs and even managing to send objects into orbit around the planet. Though this relatively young species had yet to voyage beyond the planet's lone moon, it possessed the potential to eventually go beyond the solar system.
As the lone planet in the solar system capable of supporting life, Earth, as the inhabitants of the planet dubbed the rock, had garnered the attention of many. Many of the Santovasku claimed that the planet was once their ancestral home, though some of them claimed that the now destroyed fourth planet in the solar system had been their ancestral home and that Earth had been their first colony.
The Alpha Cygni were interested in the planet because the Humans, as the dominant species of the planet called themselves, were one of the few races that appeared to be capable of breeding with the all female race naturally.
Staring up at the girl named Ranma; the young detective bristled at the thought of losing to such a sickly young girl. Yes, the girl had superior technique and speed but she lacked power and durability. Still, the girl had managed to defeat her. As a proud Alpha Cygni warrior (and officer of the Federation), Birdy couldn't help but feel a bit put out by her loss.
Like all Alpha Cygni, she'd been raised on the home world, endured the planet's high gravity, and trained rigorously. It was the combination of training and the planet's gravity that produced such stout, durable, and strong women. For a man of any race to be allowed to marry and Alpha Cygni, he had to prove himself worthy of her and endure a year of life on Cygni Beta, the least populated but most dangerous of the worlds in the Alpha Cygni system.
The all female race had thrived because the women only settled with the strongest males that they could breed with. Considering the size of the planet and the lower gravity, Birdy had been surprised by her discovery that a native of the planet had been able to best her. True, the girl had a strength augmenting suit, but still, that didn't account for the fact that the girl had managed to hold her own against two Alpha Cygni warriors at once.
"I'm impressed," the shriveled Amazon stated as she glanced at Ranma, "you seem to have adapted to your new body remarkably well in such a short amount of time."
"What can I say, I'm a quick learner," the bald girl replied.
"Well, I'm impressed as well," the shriveled grandmaster added as he glanced at the two alien women, "you still manage to attract the hottest babes to you even though you're stuck in a girl's body."
"My son," another woman exclaimed, "your manliness cannot be denied û even in a woman's body women are attracted to you like flies to honey!"
Birdy blinked, not sure what to make of the strange interaction and dialogue.
"It's a long story," the other Alpha Cygni muttered. "Claire, transmit recording 1 to the officer's visual uplink."
Birdy blinked as a visual recording was uploaded to her visor.
"Ooh," the dark-skinned blond girl exclaimed as she planted her face a few centimeters from Birdy's. "Alien technologyà" she drooled. "Can I see?"
"Su!" a slender girl exclaimed. "What are you doing?" Grabbing old of the smaller girl she dragged the strange girl away.
"They're really aliens?" an auburn haired girl asked.
Ranma rubbed his bald head. "Yeah," the boy turned girl replied. "This just keeps getting weirder and weirder."
"So," Birdy said as she finished processing the long recording, "you're saying that if there was a me in this world that I had died, and that allowed me to travel here with you from this parallel dimension?"
Everyone turned to look at the alien with two toned hair.
"Yeah," the sickly girl replied. "Only those of us who don't exist in the other world can travel between dimensions."
"He got my other self killed," the girl known as Kanako shrugged as she pointed at Ranma.
"I don't know how the other me died," the tall man in the long white coat lied, "and our other companion is a native of the other world, like you, but we don't know how he died in this world."
"You're lying," the other alien stated.
Seta glanced at Ranma, who in turn glanced at Kanako.
"Keitaro," the adopted Urashima said, "why don't you take your residents and guest to make us a late night snack before we depart."
"Um, sure," the Urashima heir replied. "Su, why don't you bring Sarah? She looks like she could use something to eat."
"Yay!" the tanned blond exclaimed. "Come on Sarah û we're gonna enjoy some bananas!"
"Maybe we should bring her something to wear," Naru suggested as she lead Shinobu and Motoko down the stairs.
"For an advanced alien race, you'd think that their officers would wear something more modest," Motoko chimed in as she fell into step beside the older girl.
Before the Sarah could even protest the energetic Su grabbed hold of tiny blond, dragging her down the stairs behind Keitaro and several other girls. "Bananas!"
Waiting to make sure that the younger girls and Keitaro were gone, Seta pulled out a cigarette.
"Hey, no smoking!" Haruka exclaimed.
"I didn't light it yet," Seta stated as he eyed his former lover, a slight tinge of sadness in his eyes. "The truth is I know how I died and who killed me." Turning away from the brunette, Seta sighed. "I was killed in a terrorist attack when I went to visit my lover after she'd given birth to my child."
Haruka froze.
"Haruka," he said, "promise me that you won't let Sarah near the portals."
The brunette froze, realization dawning on her. "I promise," she finally replied.
Though she knew that he'd left something out, Hatsuho knew better than to press the issue. Turning to the sickly, bald girl, she eyed the formidable fighter. "So you're not really a female?"
Ranma blinked, not sure how to reply. "I'm really a guy," he replied. "They did something to put me in this body and took my body in exchange."
"Look," Birdy exclaimed, "I don't care about that. I just need to get back to the other world so that I can find whoever it is that assaulted the Alpha Cygni royal transport."
"That happened in your world too?" the older alien exclaimed.
"Wait, you mean that it happened here too?" the energetic and rash alien replied.
Hatsuho nodded. "The youngest princess"
"is missing," Birdy finished.
"So," Ranma said, putting two and two together, "what if you were sent to investigate this in this world? Would that mean that you died?"
A chill ran down Birdy's spine. "I need to get in touch with Command."
The others looked at Ranma, clearly expecting him/her to object. Seeing none, the white and pink haired alien proceeded with her call, "Command, this is Officer Birdy."
The younger alien could feel her heart pounding beneath her ample breasts as she waited for a reply.
"This is Commander Khan," a stern voice replied, "why are you using this frequency Officer Birdy? You're supposed to be using frequency 199.1"
"My apologies sir," the officer replied. "My com unit was damaged when I encountered one of the suspects."
"Did you apprehend the suspect?"
"Negative, he was incinerated when he fell into a pool of lava."
"That is unfortunate. Did you at least discover who he is and who he works with?"
"I'll send the information," the young officer replied as she tapped the communicator on her wrist. "Transmitting."
"I'll have Officer Leforge go over the information," the commander replied. "But we'll be using frequency Tau Kappa. I'm sure you understand the situation you're in."
"Yes, commander, I do," Birdy replied. "I won't be receiving any back up due to the nature of the world I'm currently on."
"The higher ups don't want you to know this, but I'm sure you understand the significance of that world and the incident in question," the stern commander said, his voice growing more serious. "But the Cygni ambassador to the Federation has stated that if we can't find the culprits behind the assault, they're going to leave the Federation. I'm sure you know that if they leave, then they're going to send a squad to that back-water planet, and that would re-ignite the Cygni- Santovasku war."
Birdy nodded. "I know. I'll do my best."
"I know you will. Report in once you have some more information," the commander ordered. "Good luck."
Ranma waited for the girl to stop paying attention to her communicator before voicing his thoughts, "If this is such an important investigation, why did they send only you?"
"You don't understand," Hatsuho cut in. "Your species haven't even gone past your own moon. Under Federation law we aren't supposed to be interacting with you. We can observe, but that's it. That's what I'm supposed to be here for. If not for those strange energy flares caused by your dimensional portal I wouldn't have come down to the planet's surface.
"Officer Birdy is allowed to come down here because she's pursing criminals. But she's not supposed to interact with you 'Humans' unless it's utterly necessary. The fact that you discovered us should lead to each of us being stripped of our ranks and position.
"Then there's the fact that your world is supposedly the ancestral home to the Santovasku. They wish to reclaim your world for themselves, which makes this planet and the entire solar system a political landmine. For the Federation to send even one Alpha Cygni to this planet is a major victory for the Federation and the Cygni."
"So it's like the Neutral Zone," the raven haired mage offered. Everyone else simply looked at the mage strangely. "You know û Star Trek. You know how there's the Demilitarized plot of land between North and South Korea? Well, that's what the Neutral Zone is in Star Trek û a section of space between both the Federation and the Romulean Empire that acts as a buffer area.
"Earth, and this solar system, is in that DMZ or Neutral Zone, and both sides have to agree to send forces into the Neutral Zone or there could be total war between both sides."
"So why was there an Alpha Cygni transport in the area?" Ranma asked as he tried to keep abreast of what Eishin was saying.
"Alpha Cygni is relatively close to this solar system," Hatsuho replied. "We are in what you call the 'Alpha Centuri' star system."
"Wow," Seta exclaimed. "That's the solar system closet to ours that is capable of supporting life."
Birdy nodded. "There are two planets and over five dozen moons in the Cygni contingent, Alpha Cygni which is the first planet from our sun, and Beta Cygni, the largest planet in our solar system and the second from the sun. The Royal Transport was attacked on rout to Gamma Cygni, the last planet in our solar system. They were on their way back from Hyperion Two, the home of the Federation."
The gathered humans nodded.
"Um, as much as I'd like to hear more," Ranma interrupted, "we gotta get going. The portal's about to open."
"What about the snacks that the girls were going to bring us?" Seta asked.
"I thought you didn't want Sarah to come close to the portal," Haruka interjected.
"Right," the taller man replied.
"If you agree to help me with my investigation, I'll help you find your body," Birdy offered. "If I can't find the princess in this world, your planet will be in the middle of a galactic war."
Ranma glanced around at the others. "I was going to help you just because I was a nice guy, but if you put it that way û no."
Birdy blinked, astonished by the girl's boldness.
"Please," Hatsuho pleaded as she reached for Ranma's hand.
Seeing the older alien woman start to tear up, Ranma tried to pull away from her. "Fine," he responded as the room began to brighten.
"Thank you," the ensign said, pulling Ranma into an embrace.
Ranma seemed to melt in the busty alien's embrace. Even Shampoo's glomps and seeing the Amazon naked had failed to get such a response from him û and he was in a girl's body. Feeling the woman's ample breasts pressed against his, Ranma did all that he could to get out û which is to say not much really.
"Um," Kanako said, interrupting them, "we really should get going."
"Yeah," Ranma replied as he tried to pulled away from Hatsuho. "We'll be back once I get my real body back."
A bright light enveloped the room, forcing everyone to cover their eyes.
Hatsuho simply felt the body in her arms melt away then vanish, leaving no trace of the boy trapped in a sickly girl's body except for the lingering heat on her skin. Turning to the woman who claimed the cursed boy as her son, the older alien blushed. "Just how manly is your son?"
X X X X X
"Are you alright?" Keitaro asked as he looked at the sickly girl that was Ranma.
"Um, yeah," the bald girl replied.
"You sure? You look like you've got a fever."
Seta merely smirked while Kanako diverted her eyes.
"Who's you're new companion?" Tsuruko asked as she eyed the scantily clad woman with two-toned hair.
"Everybody," Ranma said as he turned to Birdy, "is Birdy. She's an alien."
"What?" several people exclaimed.
"Ià I thought you weren't going to tell them!" the alien shouted.
"Not part of our agreement," Ranma shrugged. "The deal was I help you find the Princess in this and the other world, and you help me with my quest. If you can't trust those who are helping me then you can't trust me."
"So in your world you lack the technology we have but you have aliens?" Eishin smirked.
"Actually, she's from this world," Seta cut in. "She snuck in when we jumped to the other world and Ranma discovered her."
"So we have advanced technology and aliens while you have magic?" Happosai asked.
"Well, both worlds have magic, though mine has more," Ranma replied. "And both worlds have aliens."
"Hot, busty aliens wearing barely there clothing?" the ancient grandmaster asked as he eyed Birdy's revealing outfit.
"Always a pervert," Ranma grumbled.
"So, Keitaro, you know the tunnels, right?" the older man asked, trying to direct the conversation back on topic.
"Yeah," the young Todai student replied as he pried his eyes from the attractive alien. "Do all aliens look like you?"
Kanako smacked her adopted brother over the head. "Moron, stay on task!"
"Right," Keitaro mumbled as he rubbed his head.
"What about the Princess?" Birdy objected.
"Claire," Ranma said as he pulled out a small device.
The holographic AI resumed its assumed form in the cursed martial artist's hand.
"That's why you were hugging her," Seta smirked. "Roaming handsà"
"Claire," Ranma repeated, ignoring the looks that his companions were shooting him, "this is Eishin. He'll help you find the Princess."
"Princess?" the mage asked.
"Yeah, we have to stop an intergalactic war," the cursed boy replied. "Long story, but Claire will fill you in while we hunt for my old man and get my body back."
"Um," Keitaro grumbled, "about that."
The dimension jumping travelers looked at the Urashima heir.
"You had some visitors while you were away."
Ranma followed Keitaro's gaze towards the opening to Motoko's room. "Rogue? Taro?"
"You know these two?" Tsuruko asked, her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"You," the bald girl pointed to the woman, "fell into the pool of drowned Asura."
The woman nodded.
"And you were the one that Happosai bathed in the Spring of Drowned Yeti riding on an Ox while carrying a Crane and Eel."
"And you are the one that the Demon Tears is calling out for," the woman replied.
Ranma blinked. "You're from the Phoenix tribe?"
Rogue nodded.
"And you are the bearer of the Demon Tears," he added as he sensed the magical energy radiating from the cursed woman. "Um, so how do I get it out of you?"
Rogue blinked. Clearly she had no idea either.
'Kiss her,' Hina suggested.
'I'd vote for that,' Kien seconded.
'Me too,' Hannya added.
Before he could even think of objecting, Ranma found himself pulling the beautiful cursed woman towards him. Pressing his lips against hers he felt a sudden surge of power as their lips met.
Blinking, Ranma realized that he was no longer kissing Rogue. Actually, he wasn't even standing. "What happened?"
"You passed out," Keitaro replied.
"Really?" the cursed martial artist asked.
"Yep," Kanako answered. "It's already morning."
"We all got some sleep," Seta's reassuring voice added.
Lifting his head from the pillow, Ranma craned his neck and glanced towards the corner of the room.
"We're about to get some food before we set off for the tunnels," the older man stated. "Sagara is on his way here and Birdy is with Eishin setting Claire to scan for alien energy frequencies or whatever."
Ranma nodded as he sat up. "Looks like we've got all the bases covered."
"Covered, but we still need to get your body back and find Genma to get Motoko and Ryoko back," Keitaro grumbled. "We're all rested up and ready to go."
"Good," Ranma replied.
"But we're not going alone," Seta interrupted.
"Rogue and Taro?" the cursed boy hoped.
"They went back," the older man shook his head.
"Ukyo," Kanako supplied. "Birdy's going too, once she finishes setting up her equipment with Eishin."
"She'd been through the Underground with me, and she lived there before with Ryu," Keitaro explained. "We're going to need someone who knows their way around down there."
Ranma nodded. "Fine."
# # # # #
"Sir," the helmsman exclaimed, "we've lost our readings from Claire."
"What?" the furry captain shouted. "What about the ensign?"
"She's still observing, but the readings from Claire have been fluctuating for the past couple of hours before finally dying when the last flare up of energy occurred."
The captain growled as he considered his options. Though he didn't want the lone Cygni ensign surface side much less alone, he knew that he had no real options. "Send her another AI immediately. I want her to keep her distance from the anomaly for now."
X X X X X
It had taken the better part of an hour for the group of adventurers to get ready. Though they were well rested and fed, Ranma had soon discovered another draw back to his current body. Having spent the week slowly getting his new body used to food, Ranma knew that he couldn't just pig out as he'd end up spending much more time throwing up the same food moments later. Forced to actually chew his food and take time to allow his stomach to digest everything took time, time that the speedy boy wasn't used to giving up.
Still, the time had been well spent as Sagara once again rejoined the group. As skilled as the young soldier was, it took the better part of the hour to get accustomed to the bio-boosting suit that Su had created.
"This is truly ingenious," the scarred mercenary stated as he crushed a boulder. "It may not be as strong as a full Arm Slave, but it's much stronger than anything of comparable size."
Kaname simply eyed the very revealing suit, "Um, couldn't she have made it, um, less, um, skin-tight?"
Ranma eyed the teal haired girl and shook his head, "It's meant to be worn under everything else, and it leaves more to the imagination than Birdy's suit."
"She's really an alien?" the Whispered girl asked, her skepticism clearly dripping with each word.
"Yes," Birdy answered. "This is why you're species hasn't gone past your own moon. I can't believe you're so ignorant."
"How is that thing supposed to protect you from bullets or knives?" the skeptical girl asked.
"It's not," the alien replied. "It's supposed to keep my insides from bursting out. The planet I'm from has higher gravity, so my body is used to having more pressure put upon it. But in a low gravity planet like this my inside would probably pop out"
"Oh, I think you'll find that it's not your insides popping out in that outfit," Happosai snickered.
Birdy shot the old woman a dark look. "As I was saying, this suit created an artificial gravity field around me so that my body thinks that it is still enduring nearly normal gravity. It's skimpy because anything more and it would get in my way."
"It looks like a skin tight bathing suit," Tsuruko sneered.
"You barbarians just don't know Galactic fashion," the alien sniped back.
"That outfit screams 'Sexual Harassment'," Kaname added. "Or 'Easy'. I'd expect to see a Gravure Model wearing that, not an officer of the Galactic Federation."
Though he normally didn't like to get in the middle of a brewing catfight, Ranma knew that he couldn't spare the time to watch the two females from throwing down. "That's enough," he said as he stepped between them, "we've got to get going. You can save your snarky comments for when we get back."
Reluctantly, the two women backed down, putting the 'greater good' before their own individual egos.
"If anything ever does go down between them, my money is on Birdy," Keitaro muttered.
"Same," Ranma replied.
"Though Ms. Chidori is a prime example of an athletic female," Sagara added, "she does appear to be statistically disadvantaged against a highly trained officer. But she has surprised me and others as well. My money's on Chidori."
The two cousins looked at each other, then at Sagara and his straight face.
Before Ranma could open his mouth to insert his own foot into it, Keitaro nodded, "The entrance is beneath the Tea House. It's still on the family land so no one not associated with the Alliance would be there. There's also a secret passage from the Hinata Sou to the Tea House so we don't need to be too cautious, though we will need to crawl."
Ranma nodded. "Fine, lead the way."
# # # # #
"Sir," the cloaked soldier said as he approached the dais. Waiting for his superior to acknowledge him, the figure knelt on one knee and lowered his head.
"Yes?" the armored warrior finally said, his attention now on the cloaked soldier.
"We picked up an unusual energy signature," the soldier reported. Pulling out a small display, he waited for a response.
"Put it on screen three," the warrior replied as he turned towards said screen.
Pressing a few buttons, the soldier did as he was ordered, displaying a blue, green, and brown planet along side various energy readings and graphs as well as a star chart and map of the solar system.
"When did you first detect these energy signatures?" the armored figure demanded.
"We just received them," the soldier replied, "but judging from the distance the planet in question was to where we are, the first of the signals was over 4 daily cycles."
The warrior nodded. "I will take this to the Emperor himself."
X X X X X
It didn't take long for the group of six to reach the Tea House through the secret passage, despite the fact that there were many seemingly unnecessary twists and turns. The cramped tunnels down to the "Underground" though were very much like the passageway linking the Tea House to the Hinata Sou, though they were straight forward and direct. Then again, they were pretty much straight vertical drops leading to either 90 or 45 degree turns that ultimately led towards Tokyo. Most of the passages were perfectly smooth stone, almost as though something had blasted through the stone. Every hundred meters though the group would encounter a slowly turning fan that helped force the air out from below. The strange, magical seals that lined the tunnels kept the vents from caving in as well as kept the passage ways from being detected.
After traveling over two kilometers under the surface, the group finally reached a slightly sloping cavern.
"It's a good thing you got us these goggles," Ranma said as he stretched. Even after a week of slowly training his new body his new muscles were not completely recovered from the decade of sitting in the tank. But at least they hadn't atrophied. Still, they were growing stronger with each day thanks to Happosai and Cologne.
Sagara held up his fisted hand, silencing everyone.
Too late as a dozen figures in black descended on them.
Instinctively Ranma kicked his attacker, connecting with the man's face and breaking his mask even as he sent the man flying into another fighter descending on Sagara. A swift punch dispatched the other attacker as the still airborne fighter lacked Ranma's finesse in the air.
Seeing three of their own fall so quickly the other attackers hesitated, allowing Seta to extend his staff into the chest of another attacker, knocking him into the wall. A swift flick of the wrist was all he needed to bat two more aside.
"Take them down before they can call for reinforcements!" Keitaro shouted as he rushed in to engage a masked fighter.
Parrying a strike from the clawed fighter, he lashed out with his right, cutting the man in half with the Kusanagi. Stabbing with the blade, he pierced the next fighter's chest before eviscerating the man's lungs.
Ukyo needed no urging as she effortlessly slipped past one attacker's guard before slamming her palm into the masked man's nose. A vicious uppercut to the stomach lifted the man off his feet, allowing her to use him as a shield as she barreled into the next fighter and pushed him into the cavern wall. Her hand flat, she drove her fingers and hand through the chest of the first victim, not stopping until she'd pierced the rib cage of the second man. Feeling his beating heart, she wrapped her and around it before crushing his heart.
Though not as vicious or ruthless, Kanako dispatched the two fighters easily as she employed the basics of the Urashima Fist against them. Her first punch knocked out one opponent while a knee to the groin felled the other.
Deciding against firing off the Witchgun (or any other gun he had on him), Sagara simply grabbed hold of the remaining fighter's arm as he ducked under a punch. Executing a traditional Judo throw, he slammed the man against the unforgiving floor, hard. Before the man could recover, Sousuke followed up with a straight punch to the face, knocking the man out.
"We're not going to get any information out of them," Keitaro stated as he cleaned off the Kusanagi.
"Why is that?" the scarred soldier replied.
"They're mute," Ukyo replied. "Only the third class soldiers travel this far out from the Underground, and all of them are mute by nature. If we'd encountered an elemental user that would have been different, but these are probably just a regular patrol."
Keitaro nodded. "They only handle simple and routine missions. The higher level fighters can manipulate the elements û usually fire, water, and earth."
The brunette girl nodded. "I have heard of a lightning user, as well as a gravity user, though I've never seen them. Water and Earth are the most common."
"And there's so much of both around," Ranma grumbled.
"So," Seta interjected, "what do we do with them?"
Drawing his Hina, Ranma swiftly beheaded the unconscious fighter. Fighting back the urge to throw up from the cruel act, the cursed martial artist stabbed the next figure.
Sagara nodded. Grabbing his fallen opponent, he slammed the man's head against the solid floor. The sickening sound echoed off the cavern walls as blood freely flowed from the man's smashed mouth, nose, and from his cracked skull. "We cannot leave enemies behind us."
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.
Please Read and Review.
Dreamingfox
I must apologize. I had thought that I was well on my way to ending this fic, but it appears that I've simply set up the first of many divergent tales in this adventure. This fic will probably consume much more of my time than I had originally estimated as well as keep me from working on other fics that I'm sure some of readers who follow my writings prefer. Still, that's how it goes sometimes.
Oh, there's a new poll on my profile. Maya easily creamed Ukyo 17-3.
Enjoy.
# # # # #
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor, announcing the walker's presence to all those inside. It annoyed him. Hours ago when he'd walked the other way he'd barely made a sound, but now, well, now they were different.
"You're injured," a deep, husky voice stated.
Nodding, the walker scanned the shadows.
"What of the officer?" the mysterious speaker asked.
"Dealt with," the injured man answered. "She's tougher than she appears, but nothing that I couldn't handle."
The other man audibly sniffed the air, "Plasma grenade?"
"I'm not that stupid," the first man replied. "I know that there's a research ship in orbit û they would have noticed a plasma discharge. I lured the officer into a factory, and then trapped her in molten steel."
"Trapped? Sounds like she's dead."
"Either way, she's no longer our concern."
"Until they send another to investigate."
"But how long will it take the Feds to send someone to this backwater?"
"Who said that the Feds were going to do anything? She was an Alpha Cygni û they always look out for their own. They'll send a squad to check."
"Again," the injured man interjected, "how long will it take them to send someone here? They don't even know she was on this planet, much less this quadrant. Besides, this solar system and the ones around it are still being contested û no one is supposed to be here without the consent of the Feds and the Santovasku. There's no way the Santovasku would allow the Alpha Cygni to send a team here just to find one Federation Officer."
"What about the research ship?"
"They're researchers; if they become a problem then we shoot them down once the ship is repaired," the husky voiced speaker stated. "But for now, we have to prepare things for the ritual."
# # # # #
This little rock, the third from its sun, was a promising planet. Though the majority of the planet's surface was covered with water, it was home to a variety of life forms and species. One particular species seemed to dominate the dry surface, building towering constructs and even managing to send objects into orbit around the planet. Though this relatively young species had yet to voyage beyond the planet's lone moon, it possessed the potential to eventually go beyond the solar system.
As the lone planet in the solar system capable of supporting life, Earth, as the inhabitants of the planet dubbed the rock, had garnered the attention of many. Many of the Santovasku claimed that the planet was once their ancestral home, though some of them claimed that the now destroyed fourth planet in the solar system had been their ancestral home and that Earth had been their first colony.
The Alpha Cygni were interested in the planet because the Humans, as the dominant species of the planet called themselves, were one of the few races that appeared to be capable of breeding with the all female race naturally.
Staring up at the girl named Ranma; the young detective bristled at the thought of losing to such a sickly young girl. Yes, the girl had superior technique and speed but she lacked power and durability. Still, the girl had managed to defeat her. As a proud Alpha Cygni warrior (and officer of the Federation), Birdy couldn't help but feel a bit put out by her loss.
Like all Alpha Cygni, she'd been raised on the home world, endured the planet's high gravity, and trained rigorously. It was the combination of training and the planet's gravity that produced such stout, durable, and strong women. For a man of any race to be allowed to marry and Alpha Cygni, he had to prove himself worthy of her and endure a year of life on Cygni Beta, the least populated but most dangerous of the worlds in the Alpha Cygni system.
The all female race had thrived because the women only settled with the strongest males that they could breed with. Considering the size of the planet and the lower gravity, Birdy had been surprised by her discovery that a native of the planet had been able to best her. True, the girl had a strength augmenting suit, but still, that didn't account for the fact that the girl had managed to hold her own against two Alpha Cygni warriors at once.
"I'm impressed," the shriveled Amazon stated as she glanced at Ranma, "you seem to have adapted to your new body remarkably well in such a short amount of time."
"What can I say, I'm a quick learner," the bald girl replied.
"Well, I'm impressed as well," the shriveled grandmaster added as he glanced at the two alien women, "you still manage to attract the hottest babes to you even though you're stuck in a girl's body."
"My son," another woman exclaimed, "your manliness cannot be denied û even in a woman's body women are attracted to you like flies to honey!"
Birdy blinked, not sure what to make of the strange interaction and dialogue.
"It's a long story," the other Alpha Cygni muttered. "Claire, transmit recording 1 to the officer's visual uplink."
Birdy blinked as a visual recording was uploaded to her visor.
"Ooh," the dark-skinned blond girl exclaimed as she planted her face a few centimeters from Birdy's. "Alien technologyà" she drooled. "Can I see?"
"Su!" a slender girl exclaimed. "What are you doing?" Grabbing old of the smaller girl she dragged the strange girl away.
"They're really aliens?" an auburn haired girl asked.
Ranma rubbed his bald head. "Yeah," the boy turned girl replied. "This just keeps getting weirder and weirder."
"So," Birdy said as she finished processing the long recording, "you're saying that if there was a me in this world that I had died, and that allowed me to travel here with you from this parallel dimension?"
Everyone turned to look at the alien with two toned hair.
"Yeah," the sickly girl replied. "Only those of us who don't exist in the other world can travel between dimensions."
"He got my other self killed," the girl known as Kanako shrugged as she pointed at Ranma.
"I don't know how the other me died," the tall man in the long white coat lied, "and our other companion is a native of the other world, like you, but we don't know how he died in this world."
"You're lying," the other alien stated.
Seta glanced at Ranma, who in turn glanced at Kanako.
"Keitaro," the adopted Urashima said, "why don't you take your residents and guest to make us a late night snack before we depart."
"Um, sure," the Urashima heir replied. "Su, why don't you bring Sarah? She looks like she could use something to eat."
"Yay!" the tanned blond exclaimed. "Come on Sarah û we're gonna enjoy some bananas!"
"Maybe we should bring her something to wear," Naru suggested as she lead Shinobu and Motoko down the stairs.
"For an advanced alien race, you'd think that their officers would wear something more modest," Motoko chimed in as she fell into step beside the older girl.
Before the Sarah could even protest the energetic Su grabbed hold of tiny blond, dragging her down the stairs behind Keitaro and several other girls. "Bananas!"
Waiting to make sure that the younger girls and Keitaro were gone, Seta pulled out a cigarette.
"Hey, no smoking!" Haruka exclaimed.
"I didn't light it yet," Seta stated as he eyed his former lover, a slight tinge of sadness in his eyes. "The truth is I know how I died and who killed me." Turning away from the brunette, Seta sighed. "I was killed in a terrorist attack when I went to visit my lover after she'd given birth to my child."
Haruka froze.
"Haruka," he said, "promise me that you won't let Sarah near the portals."
The brunette froze, realization dawning on her. "I promise," she finally replied.
Though she knew that he'd left something out, Hatsuho knew better than to press the issue. Turning to the sickly, bald girl, she eyed the formidable fighter. "So you're not really a female?"
Ranma blinked, not sure how to reply. "I'm really a guy," he replied. "They did something to put me in this body and took my body in exchange."
"Look," Birdy exclaimed, "I don't care about that. I just need to get back to the other world so that I can find whoever it is that assaulted the Alpha Cygni royal transport."
"That happened in your world too?" the older alien exclaimed.
"Wait, you mean that it happened here too?" the energetic and rash alien replied.
Hatsuho nodded. "The youngest princess"
"is missing," Birdy finished.
"So," Ranma said, putting two and two together, "what if you were sent to investigate this in this world? Would that mean that you died?"
A chill ran down Birdy's spine. "I need to get in touch with Command."
The others looked at Ranma, clearly expecting him/her to object. Seeing none, the white and pink haired alien proceeded with her call, "Command, this is Officer Birdy."
The younger alien could feel her heart pounding beneath her ample breasts as she waited for a reply.
"This is Commander Khan," a stern voice replied, "why are you using this frequency Officer Birdy? You're supposed to be using frequency 199.1"
"My apologies sir," the officer replied. "My com unit was damaged when I encountered one of the suspects."
"Did you apprehend the suspect?"
"Negative, he was incinerated when he fell into a pool of lava."
"That is unfortunate. Did you at least discover who he is and who he works with?"
"I'll send the information," the young officer replied as she tapped the communicator on her wrist. "Transmitting."
"I'll have Officer Leforge go over the information," the commander replied. "But we'll be using frequency Tau Kappa. I'm sure you understand the situation you're in."
"Yes, commander, I do," Birdy replied. "I won't be receiving any back up due to the nature of the world I'm currently on."
"The higher ups don't want you to know this, but I'm sure you understand the significance of that world and the incident in question," the stern commander said, his voice growing more serious. "But the Cygni ambassador to the Federation has stated that if we can't find the culprits behind the assault, they're going to leave the Federation. I'm sure you know that if they leave, then they're going to send a squad to that back-water planet, and that would re-ignite the Cygni- Santovasku war."
Birdy nodded. "I know. I'll do my best."
"I know you will. Report in once you have some more information," the commander ordered. "Good luck."
Ranma waited for the girl to stop paying attention to her communicator before voicing his thoughts, "If this is such an important investigation, why did they send only you?"
"You don't understand," Hatsuho cut in. "Your species haven't even gone past your own moon. Under Federation law we aren't supposed to be interacting with you. We can observe, but that's it. That's what I'm supposed to be here for. If not for those strange energy flares caused by your dimensional portal I wouldn't have come down to the planet's surface.
"Officer Birdy is allowed to come down here because she's pursing criminals. But she's not supposed to interact with you 'Humans' unless it's utterly necessary. The fact that you discovered us should lead to each of us being stripped of our ranks and position.
"Then there's the fact that your world is supposedly the ancestral home to the Santovasku. They wish to reclaim your world for themselves, which makes this planet and the entire solar system a political landmine. For the Federation to send even one Alpha Cygni to this planet is a major victory for the Federation and the Cygni."
"So it's like the Neutral Zone," the raven haired mage offered. Everyone else simply looked at the mage strangely. "You know û Star Trek. You know how there's the Demilitarized plot of land between North and South Korea? Well, that's what the Neutral Zone is in Star Trek û a section of space between both the Federation and the Romulean Empire that acts as a buffer area.
"Earth, and this solar system, is in that DMZ or Neutral Zone, and both sides have to agree to send forces into the Neutral Zone or there could be total war between both sides."
"So why was there an Alpha Cygni transport in the area?" Ranma asked as he tried to keep abreast of what Eishin was saying.
"Alpha Cygni is relatively close to this solar system," Hatsuho replied. "We are in what you call the 'Alpha Centuri' star system."
"Wow," Seta exclaimed. "That's the solar system closet to ours that is capable of supporting life."
Birdy nodded. "There are two planets and over five dozen moons in the Cygni contingent, Alpha Cygni which is the first planet from our sun, and Beta Cygni, the largest planet in our solar system and the second from the sun. The Royal Transport was attacked on rout to Gamma Cygni, the last planet in our solar system. They were on their way back from Hyperion Two, the home of the Federation."
The gathered humans nodded.
"Um, as much as I'd like to hear more," Ranma interrupted, "we gotta get going. The portal's about to open."
"What about the snacks that the girls were going to bring us?" Seta asked.
"I thought you didn't want Sarah to come close to the portal," Haruka interjected.
"Right," the taller man replied.
"If you agree to help me with my investigation, I'll help you find your body," Birdy offered. "If I can't find the princess in this world, your planet will be in the middle of a galactic war."
Ranma glanced around at the others. "I was going to help you just because I was a nice guy, but if you put it that way û no."
Birdy blinked, astonished by the girl's boldness.
"Please," Hatsuho pleaded as she reached for Ranma's hand.
Seeing the older alien woman start to tear up, Ranma tried to pull away from her. "Fine," he responded as the room began to brighten.
"Thank you," the ensign said, pulling Ranma into an embrace.
Ranma seemed to melt in the busty alien's embrace. Even Shampoo's glomps and seeing the Amazon naked had failed to get such a response from him û and he was in a girl's body. Feeling the woman's ample breasts pressed against his, Ranma did all that he could to get out û which is to say not much really.
"Um," Kanako said, interrupting them, "we really should get going."
"Yeah," Ranma replied as he tried to pulled away from Hatsuho. "We'll be back once I get my real body back."
A bright light enveloped the room, forcing everyone to cover their eyes.
Hatsuho simply felt the body in her arms melt away then vanish, leaving no trace of the boy trapped in a sickly girl's body except for the lingering heat on her skin. Turning to the woman who claimed the cursed boy as her son, the older alien blushed. "Just how manly is your son?"
X X X X X
"Are you alright?" Keitaro asked as he looked at the sickly girl that was Ranma.
"Um, yeah," the bald girl replied.
"You sure? You look like you've got a fever."
Seta merely smirked while Kanako diverted her eyes.
"Who's you're new companion?" Tsuruko asked as she eyed the scantily clad woman with two-toned hair.
"Everybody," Ranma said as he turned to Birdy, "is Birdy. She's an alien."
"What?" several people exclaimed.
"Ià I thought you weren't going to tell them!" the alien shouted.
"Not part of our agreement," Ranma shrugged. "The deal was I help you find the Princess in this and the other world, and you help me with my quest. If you can't trust those who are helping me then you can't trust me."
"So in your world you lack the technology we have but you have aliens?" Eishin smirked.
"Actually, she's from this world," Seta cut in. "She snuck in when we jumped to the other world and Ranma discovered her."
"So we have advanced technology and aliens while you have magic?" Happosai asked.
"Well, both worlds have magic, though mine has more," Ranma replied. "And both worlds have aliens."
"Hot, busty aliens wearing barely there clothing?" the ancient grandmaster asked as he eyed Birdy's revealing outfit.
"Always a pervert," Ranma grumbled.
"So, Keitaro, you know the tunnels, right?" the older man asked, trying to direct the conversation back on topic.
"Yeah," the young Todai student replied as he pried his eyes from the attractive alien. "Do all aliens look like you?"
Kanako smacked her adopted brother over the head. "Moron, stay on task!"
"Right," Keitaro mumbled as he rubbed his head.
"What about the Princess?" Birdy objected.
"Claire," Ranma said as he pulled out a small device.
The holographic AI resumed its assumed form in the cursed martial artist's hand.
"That's why you were hugging her," Seta smirked. "Roaming handsà"
"Claire," Ranma repeated, ignoring the looks that his companions were shooting him, "this is Eishin. He'll help you find the Princess."
"Princess?" the mage asked.
"Yeah, we have to stop an intergalactic war," the cursed boy replied. "Long story, but Claire will fill you in while we hunt for my old man and get my body back."
"Um," Keitaro grumbled, "about that."
The dimension jumping travelers looked at the Urashima heir.
"You had some visitors while you were away."
Ranma followed Keitaro's gaze towards the opening to Motoko's room. "Rogue? Taro?"
"You know these two?" Tsuruko asked, her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"You," the bald girl pointed to the woman, "fell into the pool of drowned Asura."
The woman nodded.
"And you were the one that Happosai bathed in the Spring of Drowned Yeti riding on an Ox while carrying a Crane and Eel."
"And you are the one that the Demon Tears is calling out for," the woman replied.
Ranma blinked. "You're from the Phoenix tribe?"
Rogue nodded.
"And you are the bearer of the Demon Tears," he added as he sensed the magical energy radiating from the cursed woman. "Um, so how do I get it out of you?"
Rogue blinked. Clearly she had no idea either.
'Kiss her,' Hina suggested.
'I'd vote for that,' Kien seconded.
'Me too,' Hannya added.
Before he could even think of objecting, Ranma found himself pulling the beautiful cursed woman towards him. Pressing his lips against hers he felt a sudden surge of power as their lips met.
Blinking, Ranma realized that he was no longer kissing Rogue. Actually, he wasn't even standing. "What happened?"
"You passed out," Keitaro replied.
"Really?" the cursed martial artist asked.
"Yep," Kanako answered. "It's already morning."
"We all got some sleep," Seta's reassuring voice added.
Lifting his head from the pillow, Ranma craned his neck and glanced towards the corner of the room.
"We're about to get some food before we set off for the tunnels," the older man stated. "Sagara is on his way here and Birdy is with Eishin setting Claire to scan for alien energy frequencies or whatever."
Ranma nodded as he sat up. "Looks like we've got all the bases covered."
"Covered, but we still need to get your body back and find Genma to get Motoko and Ryoko back," Keitaro grumbled. "We're all rested up and ready to go."
"Good," Ranma replied.
"But we're not going alone," Seta interrupted.
"Rogue and Taro?" the cursed boy hoped.
"They went back," the older man shook his head.
"Ukyo," Kanako supplied. "Birdy's going too, once she finishes setting up her equipment with Eishin."
"She'd been through the Underground with me, and she lived there before with Ryu," Keitaro explained. "We're going to need someone who knows their way around down there."
Ranma nodded. "Fine."
# # # # #
"Sir," the helmsman exclaimed, "we've lost our readings from Claire."
"What?" the furry captain shouted. "What about the ensign?"
"She's still observing, but the readings from Claire have been fluctuating for the past couple of hours before finally dying when the last flare up of energy occurred."
The captain growled as he considered his options. Though he didn't want the lone Cygni ensign surface side much less alone, he knew that he had no real options. "Send her another AI immediately. I want her to keep her distance from the anomaly for now."
X X X X X
It had taken the better part of an hour for the group of adventurers to get ready. Though they were well rested and fed, Ranma had soon discovered another draw back to his current body. Having spent the week slowly getting his new body used to food, Ranma knew that he couldn't just pig out as he'd end up spending much more time throwing up the same food moments later. Forced to actually chew his food and take time to allow his stomach to digest everything took time, time that the speedy boy wasn't used to giving up.
Still, the time had been well spent as Sagara once again rejoined the group. As skilled as the young soldier was, it took the better part of the hour to get accustomed to the bio-boosting suit that Su had created.
"This is truly ingenious," the scarred mercenary stated as he crushed a boulder. "It may not be as strong as a full Arm Slave, but it's much stronger than anything of comparable size."
Kaname simply eyed the very revealing suit, "Um, couldn't she have made it, um, less, um, skin-tight?"
Ranma eyed the teal haired girl and shook his head, "It's meant to be worn under everything else, and it leaves more to the imagination than Birdy's suit."
"She's really an alien?" the Whispered girl asked, her skepticism clearly dripping with each word.
"Yes," Birdy answered. "This is why you're species hasn't gone past your own moon. I can't believe you're so ignorant."
"How is that thing supposed to protect you from bullets or knives?" the skeptical girl asked.
"It's not," the alien replied. "It's supposed to keep my insides from bursting out. The planet I'm from has higher gravity, so my body is used to having more pressure put upon it. But in a low gravity planet like this my inside would probably pop out"
"Oh, I think you'll find that it's not your insides popping out in that outfit," Happosai snickered.
Birdy shot the old woman a dark look. "As I was saying, this suit created an artificial gravity field around me so that my body thinks that it is still enduring nearly normal gravity. It's skimpy because anything more and it would get in my way."
"It looks like a skin tight bathing suit," Tsuruko sneered.
"You barbarians just don't know Galactic fashion," the alien sniped back.
"That outfit screams 'Sexual Harassment'," Kaname added. "Or 'Easy'. I'd expect to see a Gravure Model wearing that, not an officer of the Galactic Federation."
Though he normally didn't like to get in the middle of a brewing catfight, Ranma knew that he couldn't spare the time to watch the two females from throwing down. "That's enough," he said as he stepped between them, "we've got to get going. You can save your snarky comments for when we get back."
Reluctantly, the two women backed down, putting the 'greater good' before their own individual egos.
"If anything ever does go down between them, my money is on Birdy," Keitaro muttered.
"Same," Ranma replied.
"Though Ms. Chidori is a prime example of an athletic female," Sagara added, "she does appear to be statistically disadvantaged against a highly trained officer. But she has surprised me and others as well. My money's on Chidori."
The two cousins looked at each other, then at Sagara and his straight face.
Before Ranma could open his mouth to insert his own foot into it, Keitaro nodded, "The entrance is beneath the Tea House. It's still on the family land so no one not associated with the Alliance would be there. There's also a secret passage from the Hinata Sou to the Tea House so we don't need to be too cautious, though we will need to crawl."
Ranma nodded. "Fine, lead the way."
# # # # #
"Sir," the cloaked soldier said as he approached the dais. Waiting for his superior to acknowledge him, the figure knelt on one knee and lowered his head.
"Yes?" the armored warrior finally said, his attention now on the cloaked soldier.
"We picked up an unusual energy signature," the soldier reported. Pulling out a small display, he waited for a response.
"Put it on screen three," the warrior replied as he turned towards said screen.
Pressing a few buttons, the soldier did as he was ordered, displaying a blue, green, and brown planet along side various energy readings and graphs as well as a star chart and map of the solar system.
"When did you first detect these energy signatures?" the armored figure demanded.
"We just received them," the soldier replied, "but judging from the distance the planet in question was to where we are, the first of the signals was over 4 daily cycles."
The warrior nodded. "I will take this to the Emperor himself."
X X X X X
It didn't take long for the group of six to reach the Tea House through the secret passage, despite the fact that there were many seemingly unnecessary twists and turns. The cramped tunnels down to the "Underground" though were very much like the passageway linking the Tea House to the Hinata Sou, though they were straight forward and direct. Then again, they were pretty much straight vertical drops leading to either 90 or 45 degree turns that ultimately led towards Tokyo. Most of the passages were perfectly smooth stone, almost as though something had blasted through the stone. Every hundred meters though the group would encounter a slowly turning fan that helped force the air out from below. The strange, magical seals that lined the tunnels kept the vents from caving in as well as kept the passage ways from being detected.
After traveling over two kilometers under the surface, the group finally reached a slightly sloping cavern.
"It's a good thing you got us these goggles," Ranma said as he stretched. Even after a week of slowly training his new body his new muscles were not completely recovered from the decade of sitting in the tank. But at least they hadn't atrophied. Still, they were growing stronger with each day thanks to Happosai and Cologne.
Sagara held up his fisted hand, silencing everyone.
Too late as a dozen figures in black descended on them.
Instinctively Ranma kicked his attacker, connecting with the man's face and breaking his mask even as he sent the man flying into another fighter descending on Sagara. A swift punch dispatched the other attacker as the still airborne fighter lacked Ranma's finesse in the air.
Seeing three of their own fall so quickly the other attackers hesitated, allowing Seta to extend his staff into the chest of another attacker, knocking him into the wall. A swift flick of the wrist was all he needed to bat two more aside.
"Take them down before they can call for reinforcements!" Keitaro shouted as he rushed in to engage a masked fighter.
Parrying a strike from the clawed fighter, he lashed out with his right, cutting the man in half with the Kusanagi. Stabbing with the blade, he pierced the next fighter's chest before eviscerating the man's lungs.
Ukyo needed no urging as she effortlessly slipped past one attacker's guard before slamming her palm into the masked man's nose. A vicious uppercut to the stomach lifted the man off his feet, allowing her to use him as a shield as she barreled into the next fighter and pushed him into the cavern wall. Her hand flat, she drove her fingers and hand through the chest of the first victim, not stopping until she'd pierced the rib cage of the second man. Feeling his beating heart, she wrapped her and around it before crushing his heart.
Though not as vicious or ruthless, Kanako dispatched the two fighters easily as she employed the basics of the Urashima Fist against them. Her first punch knocked out one opponent while a knee to the groin felled the other.
Deciding against firing off the Witchgun (or any other gun he had on him), Sagara simply grabbed hold of the remaining fighter's arm as he ducked under a punch. Executing a traditional Judo throw, he slammed the man against the unforgiving floor, hard. Before the man could recover, Sousuke followed up with a straight punch to the face, knocking the man out.
"We're not going to get any information out of them," Keitaro stated as he cleaned off the Kusanagi.
"Why is that?" the scarred soldier replied.
"They're mute," Ukyo replied. "Only the third class soldiers travel this far out from the Underground, and all of them are mute by nature. If we'd encountered an elemental user that would have been different, but these are probably just a regular patrol."
Keitaro nodded. "They only handle simple and routine missions. The higher level fighters can manipulate the elements û usually fire, water, and earth."
The brunette girl nodded. "I have heard of a lightning user, as well as a gravity user, though I've never seen them. Water and Earth are the most common."
"And there's so much of both around," Ranma grumbled.
"So," Seta interjected, "what do we do with them?"
Drawing his Hina, Ranma swiftly beheaded the unconscious fighter. Fighting back the urge to throw up from the cruel act, the cursed martial artist stabbed the next figure.
Sagara nodded. Grabbing his fallen opponent, he slammed the man's head against the solid floor. The sickening sound echoed off the cavern walls as blood freely flowed from the man's smashed mouth, nose, and from his cracked skull. "We cannot leave enemies behind us."
X X X X X
A/N
I think I'll just leave things where they're at for now.
Please Read and Review.
Dreamingfox
Author's Notes û
I guess it's time for more disclaimers.
I do not own the rights to Ranma ¢, Love Hina, Full Metal Panic, Chrono Cross, Guyver, WitchBlade, Journey to the West, Project Ako, Please Teacher, Outlanders, Tokyo Underground, or Negima. This work is for the pure enjoyment of the writer and the handful of readers who feel that this fic is amusing, entertaining, or whatever.
X X X X X
Silence filled the dark cavern. Though stray lights dotted the cavern, they did little to brighten the darkness while also wrecking havoc for the special goggles that Sousuke had provided the team.
"We're getting closer to a settlement," the brunette girl stated. "Then we might run into non-combatants, but its unlikely this far out. Their eyes are better tuned to the darkness, but they still need some degree of light."
"Could we stop and examine the next group of guys we encounter?" Birdy asked as she took off her goggles. Blinking, she allowed her eyes to adapt to the darkness.
"Why?" Ranma asked.
"I want to check them for something," the alien police officer replied. "I'm pretty sure that one of those guys I fought during that last skirmish had horns."
"There's a reason why some of the people in the Underground live here," Keitaro stated. "Some of them have physical mutations. Japan is very much about fitting in and belonging û you don't do that by sticking out."
The cursed martial artist nodded. In his short tenure at Furinkan he'd been the largest nail that the faculty and administration had failed to make less noticeable. Though Nerima, his Nerima, was more forgiving, it was only because he and the majority of other strange martial artists were, well, strange. Labeling them all as eccentric martial artists was a way to explain their odd behaviors, sort of like calling others 'otaku' for whatever they were passionate about went about explaining why those people did what they did. "So you're saying that they're like the Morlocks from X-Men?"
"Morlocks?" Birdy asked.
"Humans who had physical mutations that made them stand out and eventually seek refuge in the sewers of New York City," Keitaro explained.
"If this were Hiroshima or Nagasaki, the radiation might explain the mutations," Kanako added, "but this is Tokyo."
"Radiation isn't the only source of mutations," Keitaro countered, "not all mutations are caused by radiation û there are inbreeding as well as evolutionary mutations."
For his part, the cursed martial artist simply shrugged. "We should encounter any settlements," he stated. Feeling the burning energy of the Frozen Flame inside of him, he knew that they were getting closer to Genma. "I'm pretty sure that Genma wouldn't be in a settlement with others, he's probably just using the tunnels as a means of getting around Tokyo undetected.
"If we come across another squad, we'll try to keep some of them alive for you to inspect them if you want, but right now, our primary goal is to find Genma and the girls." Taking off his goggles, he eyed his companions. With the aid of the demonic spirits his eyes quickly adapted to the darkness. "For now, we take off the goggles, but if it gets darker, we'll put them back on."
X X X X X
"Sir," the cloaked fighter said, bowing his head as he knelt before his master, "there are more reports of our scouting parties going missing."
"What sector?" the lean figure atop the dais asked.
"Sector six."
"Send out all available hunter agents," the president ordered. "I want them to scour the entire sector.
"Yes, sir," the fighter replied. Though he was only a junior agent without his own squad, he knew that the senior agents were more than a match for any surface fighter. Still, to send six hunter agents and their squads was probably overkill, especially considering that sector six was relatively small.
Standing up, the junior agent kept his head bowed out of respect for the President of the Company. Still, as an observant agent, he could clearly see the distinctive horns on the President's head.
Turning around, he strode purposely out of the chamber, only to stop several paces short as an unusual woman appeared in the doorway. Offering a curt bow, he stepped aside, allowing the woman to pass.
"Ah," the President's booming voice greeted, "I was wondering when you'd get here Christella."
Being the good, aspiring agent that he was, the young fighter simply left, not bothering to ask the guards about the new stranger as he sought to complete his task.
# # # # #
"You're sure about this?" the cloaked figure asked as he eyed the readings.
The armored general before him simply nodded.
"Gather all the generals," the regal figure ordered. "I must make an important address."
The general blinked. "But sir," he said raising his horns ever so slightly, "what of the treaty with the Federation?"
"Do you not see?" the emperor demanded. "There are more important things than our treaty with the Federation! This could endanger our entire empire. Once before the Flame Champion destroyed our ancestral home û do you think he will stop with just one world this time?"
The general shook his head. "No, sir, butà"
"I am sure that the Federation and their spies will see the broadcast anyways," the mighty emperor stated. "You are right in that we should not overlook them, but our primary concern is the Flame Champion. While Xena may have been able to summon the Dragon God, only the Flame Champion could control him. We must not give him the time to complete the summoning."
X X X X X
The cold darkness greeted her as she opened her eyes. Blinking, she took a breath. Blood û liberal amounts of blood.
"You're awake," her companion asked.
"He's not here?" she asked.
"No," the other girl replied. "He's taking care of the bodies."
Though time appeared to have been lost to her in the darkness, Motoko had hoped for a time that the masked men with claws would save them from the muscular man that now held the prisoner. Instead she's seen the true vile power that Genma Saotome possessed as the most feared martial artist in the world effortlessly executed the seemingly hapless warriors that he engaged. As a swordswoman and a member of the Shinmeiryu she'd seen plenty of violence, but nothing like this. She was glad that the darkness of the Underground tunnels had kept her from seeing more than she already had. Still, what she had seen was more than she could imagine.
The sound of heavy feet gently grinding against the rocky floor told her than he wasn't approaching. Though she feared the man, she knew that she couldn't rely on them to save herself or Ryoko.
Beside her, the busty kendoka stiffened, straining her ears and hoping that Genma hadn't gone too far.
Once, not too long ago, he had ventured off to scavenge for food, leaving the two tied and bound girls alone. They hadn't thought anything of it at the time as he often did that when he thought they were asleep or had found somewhere safe to settle in. But then a patrol party had found the two captive girls all alone. They were just three fighters, but they quickly made it clear that they weren't there to rescue the girls. No, they only cared that the girls were valuable to the male who had killed so many of their comrades. Killing them would enrage him, just as the death of their comrades had enraged them.
Whatever their reasoning, the trio was never able to capitalize as Genma silently returned, killing each man just after they'd shredded the girls' skirts and blouses, one of them even leaving a shallow cut on Ryoko's ample bosom.
Having spent what felt like weeks in the semi-darkness of the tunnels, the two martial artists had thought that their eyes had adapted marginally well, though not as well as what Genma or the men with claws were capable of. Both knew that the masked fighters could easily spot their pale white skin in this darkness, and their current state of undress and the chains binding them left them completely defenseless.
Still, both girls huddled against the rocky wall, hoping that they were just hearing things while also hoping that Genma was close by. Neither dared to cry out in case there weren't any scouts or whatever they were present as there might be more around.
"You girls are pretty nervous," Genma stated as he announced himself. "But I guess that's to be expected û I have kept you down here for over a week."
Both girls blinked, soaking in what the terrible man was saying.
"I guess you didn't mean too much to the boy," the muscular fighter stated. "Or he's doing a bang up con job."
"You don't know Ranma," Ryoko growled. "He's nothing like you. He's honorable and kind, and a true martial artist."
Genma snorted, "Like a girl like you would know what a true martial artist is. You wave your little bokken and call yourself a kendoka, but you're pathetic û both of you are pathetic. When I was your age I could outrun a mob that was easily faster than either of you."
"You could swim across the sea from Japan to China," Motoko cut in, recalling what she'd heard from the pigtailed martial artist's past. "Wait, that's what Ranma did. This Ranma also survived the Neko-ken training û being tied down with fish products and being thrown into a pit of hungry cats."
The muscular man looked down at the girl.
Though he was one of the last of the great martial artists, Motoko knew that even Genma Saotome was skeptical of the fact that this boy who claimed to be his son from another dimension. It was just too much to believe, but had she not seen it herself, the slender kendoka wouldn't have believed it either.
"Than I guess we'll wait to see if he can really live up to being my son," the powerful martial artist finally said.
X X X X X
The busty redhead scowled.
"Is there something wrong Sophia?" the silver-grey haired youth asked.
"You're sure that your equipment is working properly?" the girl replied.
"Yes," Leonard replied. "Though I am at a loss to explain those readings myself, I am certain that the equipment is functioning properly."
The redhead nodded. "We must speed up the construction of the Omni sphere," she stated. "It appears as though there are others who are seeking to do the same thing that we are."
"I'll have my men work even harder and faster," the young man replied.
Sophia simply nodded. Though she trusted Leonard to fulfill his role, she was sure that had he known the true purpose behind her schemes, he would not have agreed to follow her. He was after all, just a a minion. As a Santovasku-human hybrid and techno-mage, she alone understood the meaning behind the readings on the machine. There was a Santovasku ship on Earth. That meant that she wouldn't have to recreate the dragon ship that had lay buried beneath Tokyo.
Yes, the Omni Sphere would increase her powers, but if she could get her hands on a Dragon Ship then she could use its power to help her take control of the weak minded humans. The superior fire power that a Santovasku ship was more than enough to deal with the pathetic technology that the Humans had. And if the solar system was still being disputed between the Santovasku and the Federation, than none of the other alien races would dare to interfere with her plans. Yes, with the resources of the entire planet at her desposal as well as the remains of the Santovasku's home world still orbiting this planet she could easily create a galactic power that threatened both the Federation and the Santovasku.
"I want you to send a squad here," Sophia ordered her minion, pointing to a rejoin just outside of Tokyo.
Leonard eyed the coordinates. "As you command."
# # # # #
"Our ancient enemy has awoken!" the mighty and imposing figure of the Emperor stated, his image displayed on millions of monitors throughout the empire. "We must mass our forces once again and prepare for war!
"You all know the stories of how our ancestral home world was destroyed by the flames û and though we now reside on multiple planets we cannot allow even one of them to be destroyed by those flames of destruction!
"Brothers, sisters û our fathers and mothers before us and their fathers and mothers before them for over twelve millennia wanted us to become strong because they knew that one day our former neighbors would once again threaten us. That day is now upon us! Let us not disappoint our forefathers and ancestors! We shall prevail!"
X X X X X
Looking at the readings on her monitor, the lone Santovasku growled. Having been raised in an orphanage, she had heard of the story of the Santovasku's ancestral home world and how it had been destroyed. Then she had heard rumors that this planet was her people's ancestral home, which conflicted with the stories she'd heard as a child.
Living a rough life, she never gave it much thought, though she did hear those stories whenever she stopped by the orphanage to visit the younger children. Still, they were only fairy tales.
Eying the display though, she had to wonder if there as some merit to the 'fairy tales' that she'd dismissed.
"How's the ship?" the mechanoid asked the mechanic.
"She's doing alright," the horned alien replied. "What happened to the Princess, Gomez?"
The mechanoid shrugged, "That's up to Revi to decide. "How long until we get the ship up and running?"
"She's healing," the taller alien stated. "But she's going to need some time to gather some fuel before she can launch."
"How long?"
"Two or three light cycles to completely heal and two more before she's gathered enough fuel."
The mechanoid nodded. "The boss should be back before then," the artificial creature replied. "At least we don't have to worry about the brat princess anymore."
X X X X X
There was something about the caverns and tunnels that Birdy just couldn't put her finger on. Something about it was, well, familiar, yet not.
Slamming her fist against the chin of another masked warrior, the Galactic officer focused on more pressing matters.
Using her mighty muscles, she easily kicked through the feeble guard that another masked fighter hastily put up, shattering his forearm before connecting with his head, sending him flying as well.
"You know," Sagara stated as he slammed his palm into one of the attackers, "it'd probably be easier for you to leave one of your own opponents alive and for you to investigate or examine if you left one of them alive."
A light, knife edged chop to the back of one of the masked assailant's neck knocked the man out, freeing Sagara.
Though the scarred mercenary was a trained soldier, he had the least martial arts training of the group. Without his firearms he had proven to be the weakest link of the group in close combat. Still, Ranma did not want to leave the soldier behind as his Witchgun could prove to be very useful in the right situations. Unfortunately close combat and such was not the situation.
"Thank you," he said curtly as he swiftly bound the man up.
"Thanks for reminding me," the Alpha Cygni replied. As she spoke the rest of the party finished off the last of the attackers.
"Everyone alright?" Ranma asked as he beheaded an already dying warrior.
The boy trapped in a girl's body was definitely powerful, but he definitely could learn to be more merciful. Still, it was never a good idea to leave one's enemies behind.
Pulling the mask off of the unconscious fighter, she motioned to Sagara.
Nodding, the scarred soldier pulled out a chemical flare. Cracking it, he shook it quickly, allowing the fluids to interact.
As the glowing yellow-green light illuminated the chamber, Birdy scowled. "I knew it."
"What?" Keitaro asked as he wiped the blood off of his blade.
"Scan DNA," the officer ordered her personal AI.
"Scanningà"
"What?" Sagara repeated as the older boy approached them.
"If I'm right, these scouts are alien," Birdy stated.
Ranma eyed the dead body at his feet, 'Alien?'
'Our kind call them 'Ravagers',' Hina stated.
'Wait, you knew they were alien?'
'Why else would I insist that you kill each and every one of them?' the cursed blade replied. 'They have much more spiritual energy than an average human but they have shorter lives. Plus they're breed in vats just like thrulls because they're asexual.'
"Scan complete," the AI announced. "Analysis complete."
"Just as I thought," the scantily clad alien said. "These scouts are Santovasku thrulls û an asexual species that the Santovasku created to be expendable shock troops."
Seta rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Kind of like the Jem'Hadar."
Keitaro looked at his aunt/cousin's former lover, "You're a trekie?"
"Wait," Kanako said, shaking her head, "if those are alien thrulls then why the hell are they down here?"
A sinking feeling seemed to fill Birdy's stomach. "There's much more to this than I anticipated."
Suddenly the roof above them began to shower them with rocks.
Ranma blinked, 'The Breaking Point!' "Everyone - find some cover!" he ordered as he grabbed the chemical flare from Sousuke. Throwing it hard at the ceiling, he was rewarded with the sight of it breaking against the hard stone, splashing the ceiling and illuminating the cavern with the light, yellow-green light.
"My, my," a familiar yet gruff voice greeted, "I'm surprised you noticed me. I must say, I was hoping to meet the boy who claimed to be my son, but I guess that Happosai and the others were just lying."
Ranma shook his head, standing tall even as he stood between the others and the voice. "He's mine."
# # # # #
"Shit!" Captain Furby exclaimed as he turned off the recording. "This isn't good."
"I had no idea that those readings were going to be interpreted this way," the science officer stated.
"What do we do now, sir?" the first mate asked.
"Contact Ensign Kazami," the fury alien ordered. "We're pulling out of here. I don't care what the Federation brass say û if the Santovasku fleet is on their way to blow up this planet, I'm not going to be standing in their way!"
X X X X X
Ranma eyed the man that passed for his father in this world. Though the shadows kept him from getting a good look at him, it was clear that this Genma Saotome was not the lazy bastard that his version had become.
"Looks like you haven't been slacking off," the bald girl stated.
"Who are you?" the scarred man asked.
"I'm Ranma Saotome," the boy trapped in a girl's body replied. "I had my consciousness trapped inside this body."
The muscular man eyed the scrawny girl.
"No, it's not because of the Neko-ken," Ranma replied. "But I need something you have to get my body back."
"And here I was thinking you were here for the girls," Genma smirked.
Ranma shook his head, "Don't."
"We're here to get Motoko and Ryoko back, as well as get it," the young Mithril agent stated.
"Yeah, but let me try things my way first," the young martial arts master countered. "This is something between martial artists."
Sheathing his swords, Ranma tossed his weapons at his cousin.
"You're going to need those," Genma taunted.
"Maybe," Ranma stated as he removed the cursed armor, "but the version of Musabetsu Katuto Ryo I learned from my old man is weaponless. We learn to use weapons so that we know how to fight against them. As good as I am with the swords, I'm better without them.
"Seta, Keitaro, make sure no one interferes," he ordered as he assumed a casual stance.
"This must be another one of Happosai's tricks," the powerful martial artist stated as he threw a vacuum blade at the assembled fighters.
Channeling ki into his hands, Ranma deflected the attack. "Actually, why don't you guys go find the girls? I'll keep my old man company."
"You think you can take me by yourself girl?" the other fighter scoffed.
Ranma smirked. "Of course I do."
X X X X X
"Sir," the officer at the com called out, "I can't reach officer Birdy."
"*#$%!" the commander exclaimed. "%#*^! Keep trying! The last thing I want to do is leave one of my agents on a planet that the Santovasku are about to destroy!"
X X X X X
Ukyo simply watched as Ranma easily batted away the deadly attack. As a student of the Yamasenken, she knew the limits of the school and even though she'd been defeated by Ranma before, she hadn't used any of the higher level attacks of the school.
"Actually," Ranma said as he eyed his father, "why don't you guys go find the girls? I'll keep my old man company."
Beside her, the others moved to comply. Really, it was the smart thing to do. In hostile territory and with the limited space in the cavern with two high level master martial artists, it wasn't a good idea to stay around.
X X X X X
"But what about the Princess?" the experienced ensign demanded as she eyed her commanding officer's image.
"I'm sorry, but I can't keep the ship in orbit!" Captain Furby shouted. "The Santovasku fleet is mobilizing and they're headed to this planet!"
"But"
"Not buts," the captain said, cutting her off, "there's nothing the Federation can do about it. Well, if they do, then this entire solar system is going to be largest battle field that the galaxy has ever seen."
"Ià I understand," Hatsuho finally said, tearing her eyes from the display to the people she who were currently around her, "but I cannot leave. I have to stay and see this through."
The captain gulped. He knew she was stubborn, but this was outrageous. "Fine, but we're leaving. If you make it out of this somehow expect to be court-martialed."
X X X X X
"This way," the brunette suggested as the five fighters reached a forked passage, "that way leads towards a settlement, and if Genma is avoiding the scouts, he's going to try and stay away from the settlements."
Seta nodded. As the oldest and arguably most experienced of the remaining fighters, it had fallen on his shoulders to lead the group as they searched for Motoko and Ryoko. Trusting in Keitaro and Ukyo's knowledge of the Underground, he kept a mental map of the passageways that they had taken since leaving Ranma to face Genma Saotome.
"We've got company," Sagara called out from the rear.
Keitaro turned around, spotting the dark masses moving in the shadows some fifty meters down the other passageway.
"There's another small cavern another thirty meters up," Ukyo suggested.
"Go!" Seta ordered. "Sagara!"
"Yes!" the soldier replied as he pulled out the Witchgun. With Ranma fighting Genma not too far way, he knew that they could not afford to have their fight interrupted. Drawing out a magic circle, the scarred boy shot at the clawed thrulls. The powerful blast echoed in the passageway, signaling to Ranma that they had encountered more fighters while also forcing the pursuers to pause as they had experience with guns. But the shot did more than just slow the pursuers down. Even though none of the fighters were hit, the blast knocked out a chunk of the wall. A towering stone golem emerged from the wall, startling the thrulls.
"You've got a Witchgun!" Birdy exclaimed.
Sagara nodded as he unloaded another shot. "How do you know about the Witchgun?"
"Santovasku officers use them," the alien stated. "I've never seen that model before as most use smaller arms, but that's definitely a Witchgun."
Sousuke filed that information away as he unloaded another magic bullet, creating a fiery dragon to aid the two stone golems. "That should keep them occupied."
X X X X X
"We're under attack!" the mechanoid known as Gomez shouted as a missile exploded against the ship's organic-metal hull.
"#%&*!" the engineer exclaimed. "The ship doesn't have any weapons that can be used while its grounded."
"Stay calm," the slender woman ordered. Though she was not on hand to witness the assault on her ship, she knew that none of the weapons that the humans had developed were capable of penetrating the hull of the organic Santovasku ship. Still, other pirates could have hidden themselves on this backwater planet, but who and why would they be attacking the ship directly and not the crew individually? "Gomez, mobilize your brethren û arm them with the laser rifles for now. But if the fighting gets serious then use the sonic cannons."
"Yes ma'am," the loyal mechanoid replied before cutting off the transmission.
"Problems?" a smooth voice asked, prompting the woman to turn around.
"Some," the criminal mastermind replied. "But we've concluded our business here, so I shall be returning to my ship."
"Do you need an escort?" the blond alien asked.
For a moment the woman considered her companion. The horns and lack of body hair immediately marked him as a Santovasku, just like her ship's engineer. Clearly he wasn't the only Santovasku on the planet, not if he had access to a vat to create a small but dependable number of thrulls. Could he have been interested in her ship?
"No," she finally replied, "that is not necessary. My men should be enough to handle anything that happens in the Underground."
Nodding, the President of the Underground smiled. "It's always a pleasure to do business with you."
Christella returned the fake smile, "Always a pleasure. We'll leave once my men are done unloading the package."
X X X X X
"Ma'am," the helms man said, "there appears to be some fighting just outside of Tokyo."
Tessa immediately looked up, "Get me eyes on the fighting."
X X X X X
As much as he hated to admit it, Genma Saotome was impressed. This wisp of a girl before him had lasted much longer than he'd expected. Only master Happosai had lasted longer, and that was a decade ago. Still, that didn't mean that the girl was who she claimed to be.
Leaping in, the experienced fighter lead with a swift flying middle kick only to have it answered with a middle kick of her own as she blocked and countered his attack with a follow up spinning back kick with her left. Shifting his leg, Genma forced the girl's aim off just enough so that her kick sailed a few centimeters short of his face. Thrusting up with his Iron Fan Fingers, he was surprised when the girl twisted around, grabbing his hand and countered with another spinning back kick with his right.
A flick of his wrist though was all he needed to free himself of the girl's hold and attack as he sent her flying. Still, the girl managed to spin in the air before her feet made contact with the wall. Springing off the wall, she adopted a casual stance again.
"You're pretty good," the muscular man stated.
"I've been training since I could walk," the girl replied. "Even though this isn't my original body, I've always been a quick learner and adapted easily to things."
"But your body is weak," Genma stated as he rushed in for another pass. A stiff straight left thrust with his Iron Fingers was easily dodged by the girl as she stepped back, kicking dirt at him as she retreated. It was a cheap trick, but in the near darkness of the cavern it would do little but annoy and irritate the large fighter as he pulled back just enough to avoid the dirt screen. Spitting out several poisoned needles in a spray pattern, he was surprised when the girl rolled out of the way of the surprise attack.
"I've been weaker," the girl smirked as she regained her feet. "But nothing that's happened to me has kept me down. Anything Goes after all."
Genma nodded, "Anything Goes."
X X X X X
"Go ahead," Sagara shouted as he unloaded another shot into the wall several paces ahead of the pursuing thrulls, "I'll slow them down."
Seta glanced at the professional before him. "Birdy, assist him. We're going to go ahead and try to find the girls."
The alien with two toned hair nodded, cracking her knuckles. She'd show these thrulls what a true Alpha Cygni was capable of.
X X X X X
"Sir," the young junior agent said, announcing himself to the President. Feeling the powerful man's eyes finally glancing over at him, the agent looked up. "There are reports of fighting in the Sector Six."
"They've found the intruder?" the horned man asked.
"They've found more intruders."
The horned alien scowled. That was where Christella was headed. Had her pursuers followed her into the underground? "Send out six more agents and their squads, and have all other agents report for duty. I want Central locked down."
X X X X X
"We've got company!" Ukyo shouted as she unsheathed one of the many katanas that Keitaro had brought with him. Though Ranma had given both of his blades over to the older boy, Keitaro had decided to leave them in the cavern where the two Saotomes fought. Favoring the Kusanagi, the Todai student had more than enough to spare, having brought four more blades (one for Birdy, Ukyo, Motoko, and Ryoko). Unfortunately the alien fighter didn't know how to use the elegant blade, leaving a free blade for anyone who wanted it. Even though she was a practitioner of the Yamasenken, Ukyo knew that she lacked the energy and endurance to be as proficient at it as her late lover had been. Still, she could use some of the moves, but fighting with the katana also helped.
Parrying a wicked slash from one of the scouts, she deftly cut the fighter with her blade, leaving a bloody trail along his chest. The wound was more than enough of an opening for her to slide her Iron Fingers into the man's chest and heart, ending his short life.
"Keitaro," Seta shouted, "take Kanako and search further ahead. We'll hold them in this cavern."
The young martial artist eyed the older man, still unsure if leaving them behind was the right thing to do.
"Go!" Ukyo urged as she looped off the arm of another fighter. "It's too small in here for all of us to fight."
She knew she was right, and she knew that he knew she was right. Still, that didn't make it any easier for him.
"Fine," he said as he rushed to the other end of the cavern, "but we'll be right back."
X X X X X
'Twenty minutes,' Sagara thought as he felt the sharp claws of his opponent rake his chest. Enduring the hit, he slammed his steely fist into his attacker's face. The feel of several teeth being dislodged and of breaking bone told him that that fighter would not be rejoining the fight anytime soon.
Behind him Birdy caught her assailant's punch in her palm. Using her inhuman strength she crushed his hand before ripping his arm out of its socket and driving her point across with a vicious head butt that knocked the fighter out.
"I'm impressed," a cocky voice called out even as it waved back the other fighters. "No wonder you've caused so much trouble for us. But I promise you, you won't make it out of here alive."
"I've heard that before," the scarred soldier replied.
"I'm sure you have," the cloaked man nodded. "But you've never fought someone like us before."
"There are twenty of us, and only the two of you," a feminine voice stated. "Do you really think we'd let you join up with your friends again?"
"You surface dwellers have no idea how much worse this is going to be for you," the man said. "Just tell us why you're down here and we'll consider killing you quickly."
"I've heard that before too," Birdy replied as he contemplated their position. Trapped between two squads, there was no way they'd get out of the cavern without a fight. Still, none of them had moved towards Ranma's location. Grabbing the unconscious man at her feet, she threw him at the cloaked man.
A blast of blinding light filled the cavern, incinerating the thrull and leaving only ashes behind.
"Ah, I was wondering why the scouts' claws weren't affecting you," the green haired woman stated as she eyed Sousuke. "You must be one of those rare Steel types. I know that Earth types can fortify their bodies with rocks and stone, but to actually turn your skin into metal, now that is interesting. Perhaps we'll keep you alive so that you can pass down your special skills."
"I wonder," the cloaked man said as the flames overhead died down, "if my flames would be enough to melt your skin."
"Oh, but I so wanted to try my ice against him," the woman pouted.
Birdy blinked. "Hey! I'm not chopped liver you know!"
"Well, maybe you aren't," the girl replied, "not yet at least."
Pale blue light filled the green haired girl's hands as she leapt towards Sousuke, "I wonder how cold you'll have to get before you break?"
Seeing that the girl was committed to her attack, Sagara quickly pulled out the Witchgun. A quick shot from the powerful weapon filled the entire cavern with its thundering boom. Even without a magic circle the gun was fearsome as the bullet it propelled at the girl was unavoidable despite the fact that she'd hastily created an icy shield. Suddenly the room was filled with blood and ice as the heavy bullet destroyed the shield and its creator before sending her now limp body crashing into the wall.
"Rumina!" the cloaked man screamed as several scouts rushed Sousuke. "You killed my sister!"
Unable to reload the Witchgun, the Mithril agent pulled out a sawed off shotgun, firing both rounds quickly and expertly at the two closest clawed scouts, stopping their forward momentum and sending them flying into their companions.
Seizing the opportunity, Birdy rushed in, connecting with a powerful haymaker to the cheek of the third assailant.
"Bastards!" the cloaked man shouted. Overhead a giant ball of yellow and orange flames grew.
A thundering boom again filled the cavern as Sousuke took another shot with the magical gun, this time sending the cloaked fire wielder crashing into the unforgiving wall. Overhead the fireball slowly descended, crashing into the remaining thrulls and immolating them.
"You know," Birdy said as she eyed the thrashing bodies of the unfortunate thrulls, "that was kinda anti-climatic."
X X X X X
The sound of two thundering shots rang in Seta's ears as he slammed the black iron staff into the stomach of a masked thrull. With just a simple thought he extended the staff, sending the end crashing into boulder the size of his head, deflecting the projectile away from the perky brunette beside him.
"Thanks," Ukyo grunted as she hamstrung a fighter. Grabbing the crippled fighter, she used him as a human shield against the powerful water blast that was thrown her way.
Using the staff, Seta batted aside several more rocky projectiles. Forced to defend, he eyed the young boy that was directing the assault. Judging from the way that the two elemental users attacked, it was clear that neither one could maintain a constant offensive, relying instead on their thrulls to distract their targets as they prepared their attacks. Still, with nearly a third of the two dozen fighters already dead, it was clear that the pair of children were going to have to change their tactics.
A rumbling from overhead though told the experienced Mithril agent that they'd already put their next plan into motion.
Grabbing hold of Ukyo's waist the tall man planted the end of his staff into the ground, willing it to extend.
"Did you think we wouldn't have anticipated that?" the water manipulating woman asked. "By combining water and earth under your feet, we've trapped you. There's nothing you can do to get out!"
Unable to get any solid footing, Seta extended both ends of the staff, hoping to find some purchase below while also deflecting the larger boulders that were crashing down on them.
Stabbing her sword into the ground, Ukyo began to swat the boulders that made it past Seta's staff, her Iron Fingers sorely tested by the hard boulders.
A thunderous blast echoed through the cavern mere seconds before a powerful bullet knocked the water user off her feet.
"Janus!" the boy shouted as his partner hit the floor hard.
His focus broken, the ceiling began to crumble without his control. "Retreat!" the boy ordered.
Another booming blast filled the cavern, this time the bullet hit the floor beneath Seta. A giant stone hand emerged, solidifying the floor even as it reached up to support the crumbling ceiling.
With solid footing beneath him, Seta pushed himself and Ukyo out of the make-shift quicksand.
"They're gone," Birdy stated as she rushed to where the pair landed.
"They'll probably get some more help," Sousuke added as he aimed for the entrance. "But this should keep them from coming back too soon."
Drawing a magic circle, he leveled his weapon at the entrance that their attackers had fled through. Blasting the ceiling above it, he blocked the passage as the cavern collapsed.
Seta nodded, grateful that they hadn't killed the young earth user. "Lets go, Keitaro and Kanako shouldn't be too far ahead."
X X X X X
"I've got eyes on the fighting!" the helmsman stated. "Putting it on the main monitor."
Everyone who wasn't doing something turned their attention to the giant monitor.
"Arm Slaves?" someone exclaimed.
"Those are Leonard's unmanned, miniature Arm Slaves," Tessa stated.
"But what are those?" the gruff Englishman asked. "They're about as big as a man, yet they're holding their own against the Mini-AS."
A streak of red suddenly impacted an Arm Slave, cutting it in half.
"Lasers?" Tessa exclaimed. "Send SRT 2 with as much support as we can get them."
"But SRT 2 is watching over the Hinata Sou," Mardukas replied.
Tessa nodded. "But they're the closest squad we have to the fighting. Send them all available air support."
X X X X X
Ranma eyed his old man, well, this world's version of his old man. He was very different from the man he knew. Driven mad by the loss of his son and hardened by a life of crime, the man was definitely not soft. Muscles rippled with unspoken power, yet the man was deceptively fast. True, Ranma was faster, even in his handicapped body, but just barely. This Genma was much more formidable than his old man. Though he'd been confined for so many years he'd continued to hone his body and art in secret, something his father had not done.
Ranma panted as he eyed the powerful martial artist before him. 'He's tough û tougher than Taro and stronger too. But he fights like Happosai and Cologne combined.'
Dodging another series of Iron Finger thrusts, Ranma slapped at the man's wrists, countering with pressure point attacks to the nerve clusters on his hand and wrist. Against any other fighter that counter might have worked, but Genma managed to twist his wrists just enough to keep the pinpoint attacks from connecting correctly.
Still, the counter was enough to force Genma to abort his assault.
"Impressive," he stated as he shook his hands, checking them for any lingering damage from the nearly precise attacks. "You know pressure points."
The boy trapped in a girl's body nodded. "So do you."
Again Genma rushed in, leading with a series of Iron Finger thrusts.
Though Ranma knew that he was faster, he had little room to work with. Parrying the first three attacks, he felt his opponent's powerful fingers wrap around his wrist as he parried a fourth strike. Hitting a pressure point on Genma's wrist he freed his hand, allowing his opponent to connect with a kick to his stomach.
Rolling, he caught a punch, then countered with a kick to Genma's muscled stomach even as he fell back, a modified version of the Shichuu Rakuchi Sei to change their positions. Still, Genma had created the Umisenken, thus he spotted the modified attack and knew of the subsequent follow up attack. Pulling his fist free of Ranma's hand, the larger fighter rolled to his side, preventing the smaller fighter from capturing his back and unleasing several Haku Dato Shin Shou to his back.
"Not bad," he admitted as the sickly girl backed off. "So you do know some of the Umisenken."
Charging in, the big man threw a straight right.
Ranma countered with Happosai's favorite move, stealing the momentum of the attack and throwing his attacker against the ceiling. The sound of flesh impacting against hard stone filled the cavern.
Rattled, but far from knocked out, Genma managed to grab hold of the ceiling before kicking off and landing several meters away from the younger fighter.
"That's Happosai's favorite counter," he stated. "You should have impaled me on the stalactite."
Rubbing his shoulder, the experienced fighter rushed in.
Again the air between them was filled with motion that most would have been hard pressed to follow. Swift strikes and counter strikes, feints and parries filled the air between them as they fought. This was the essence of the Saotome Musabetsu Kakut¶ Ry¹.
Ranma blocked a knee with his foot, stealing the force of the attack to connect with a kick to Genma's mighty chest. "You're not bad," he stated. "Seeing what you turned out to be, I wish my old man hadn't slouched off. If he was more like you I'd still be able to get a good spar in every morning instead of waiting for one of my rivals to challenge me."
Genma simply eyed the girl as he landed on his feet several paces away. "You're still sticking to that story?"
"Because it's the truth," Ranma growled as he charged. Kicking several rocks at Genma, he watched as his opponent side stepped the barrage. Tucking his arms to his side, the cursed martial artist unleashed a barrage of lightning quick Haku Dato Shin Shou.
The large man made the mistake of blocking the first strike even as he set up a counter. The sudden loss of muscle control in his hand told him that something was wrong, prompting him to pull back. Avoiding the second and third strikes, he slammed his elbow into Ranma's stomach, allowing him to roll to the side as he put some distance between them.
The feel of hot blood on his arm though told him what he needed to know. "Cord cutting," he grumbled as he recalled how Ranma had curled his finger and thumb the moment before the block had been made. "I'd never teach you something like that."
"You wouldn't," Ranma replied. "Up until a few months ago I never had taken a life û never crippled or maimed an opponent. But recent events have forced me to become more ruthless. I don't like what I've had to do, but if it means I get to go home and no one I care about gets hurt, I'll do it."
"Ranma!" a familiar voice shouted.
"Ranma!" several voices shouted.
Genma eyed the nine figures. "So you've gotten your girls back," he growled.
"I want the Frozen Flame," the sickly girl stated. "The artifact you stole from Happosai."
The powerful fighter stood tall, relaxing as he reached into stuff/hammer space. Pulling out a bundle of cloth, he threw it at Ranma. "I suppose you've earned this."
Ranma deftly caught the bundle. In the split second that it took him to catch it, Genma was gone.
"Let him go," he stated. "We got what we came for."
"But what about your weapons?" Keitaro asked.
Ranma blinked. "I gave them to you."
"And I left them over there," his cousin replied.
Ranma looked at the entrance where his cousin pointed. "Dammit! He took the cursed weapons!"
X X X X X
A/N
Tokyo Underground is a relatively good anime/manga. The premise is that there are humans who live far beneath Tokyo (thus the name). Many possess special abilities and are able to manipulate certain elements.
Yes, I've obviously altered the story to fit into this mega crossover fic. If you're familiar with Tokyo Underground, you'll know what I'm talking about and you might have an idea about where I'll take one of the arcs of this fic.
Please Read and Review.
Dreamingfox
I guess it's time for more disclaimers.
I do not own the rights to Ranma ¢, Love Hina, Full Metal Panic, Chrono Cross, Guyver, WitchBlade, Journey to the West, Project Ako, Please Teacher, Outlanders, Tokyo Underground, or Negima. This work is for the pure enjoyment of the writer and the handful of readers who feel that this fic is amusing, entertaining, or whatever.
X X X X X
Silence filled the dark cavern. Though stray lights dotted the cavern, they did little to brighten the darkness while also wrecking havoc for the special goggles that Sousuke had provided the team.
"We're getting closer to a settlement," the brunette girl stated. "Then we might run into non-combatants, but its unlikely this far out. Their eyes are better tuned to the darkness, but they still need some degree of light."
"Could we stop and examine the next group of guys we encounter?" Birdy asked as she took off her goggles. Blinking, she allowed her eyes to adapt to the darkness.
"Why?" Ranma asked.
"I want to check them for something," the alien police officer replied. "I'm pretty sure that one of those guys I fought during that last skirmish had horns."
"There's a reason why some of the people in the Underground live here," Keitaro stated. "Some of them have physical mutations. Japan is very much about fitting in and belonging û you don't do that by sticking out."
The cursed martial artist nodded. In his short tenure at Furinkan he'd been the largest nail that the faculty and administration had failed to make less noticeable. Though Nerima, his Nerima, was more forgiving, it was only because he and the majority of other strange martial artists were, well, strange. Labeling them all as eccentric martial artists was a way to explain their odd behaviors, sort of like calling others 'otaku' for whatever they were passionate about went about explaining why those people did what they did. "So you're saying that they're like the Morlocks from X-Men?"
"Morlocks?" Birdy asked.
"Humans who had physical mutations that made them stand out and eventually seek refuge in the sewers of New York City," Keitaro explained.
"If this were Hiroshima or Nagasaki, the radiation might explain the mutations," Kanako added, "but this is Tokyo."
"Radiation isn't the only source of mutations," Keitaro countered, "not all mutations are caused by radiation û there are inbreeding as well as evolutionary mutations."
For his part, the cursed martial artist simply shrugged. "We should encounter any settlements," he stated. Feeling the burning energy of the Frozen Flame inside of him, he knew that they were getting closer to Genma. "I'm pretty sure that Genma wouldn't be in a settlement with others, he's probably just using the tunnels as a means of getting around Tokyo undetected.
"If we come across another squad, we'll try to keep some of them alive for you to inspect them if you want, but right now, our primary goal is to find Genma and the girls." Taking off his goggles, he eyed his companions. With the aid of the demonic spirits his eyes quickly adapted to the darkness. "For now, we take off the goggles, but if it gets darker, we'll put them back on."
X X X X X
"Sir," the cloaked fighter said, bowing his head as he knelt before his master, "there are more reports of our scouting parties going missing."
"What sector?" the lean figure atop the dais asked.
"Sector six."
"Send out all available hunter agents," the president ordered. "I want them to scour the entire sector.
"Yes, sir," the fighter replied. Though he was only a junior agent without his own squad, he knew that the senior agents were more than a match for any surface fighter. Still, to send six hunter agents and their squads was probably overkill, especially considering that sector six was relatively small.
Standing up, the junior agent kept his head bowed out of respect for the President of the Company. Still, as an observant agent, he could clearly see the distinctive horns on the President's head.
Turning around, he strode purposely out of the chamber, only to stop several paces short as an unusual woman appeared in the doorway. Offering a curt bow, he stepped aside, allowing the woman to pass.
"Ah," the President's booming voice greeted, "I was wondering when you'd get here Christella."
Being the good, aspiring agent that he was, the young fighter simply left, not bothering to ask the guards about the new stranger as he sought to complete his task.
# # # # #
"You're sure about this?" the cloaked figure asked as he eyed the readings.
The armored general before him simply nodded.
"Gather all the generals," the regal figure ordered. "I must make an important address."
The general blinked. "But sir," he said raising his horns ever so slightly, "what of the treaty with the Federation?"
"Do you not see?" the emperor demanded. "There are more important things than our treaty with the Federation! This could endanger our entire empire. Once before the Flame Champion destroyed our ancestral home û do you think he will stop with just one world this time?"
The general shook his head. "No, sir, butà"
"I am sure that the Federation and their spies will see the broadcast anyways," the mighty emperor stated. "You are right in that we should not overlook them, but our primary concern is the Flame Champion. While Xena may have been able to summon the Dragon God, only the Flame Champion could control him. We must not give him the time to complete the summoning."
X X X X X
The cold darkness greeted her as she opened her eyes. Blinking, she took a breath. Blood û liberal amounts of blood.
"You're awake," her companion asked.
"He's not here?" she asked.
"No," the other girl replied. "He's taking care of the bodies."
Though time appeared to have been lost to her in the darkness, Motoko had hoped for a time that the masked men with claws would save them from the muscular man that now held the prisoner. Instead she's seen the true vile power that Genma Saotome possessed as the most feared martial artist in the world effortlessly executed the seemingly hapless warriors that he engaged. As a swordswoman and a member of the Shinmeiryu she'd seen plenty of violence, but nothing like this. She was glad that the darkness of the Underground tunnels had kept her from seeing more than she already had. Still, what she had seen was more than she could imagine.
The sound of heavy feet gently grinding against the rocky floor told her than he wasn't approaching. Though she feared the man, she knew that she couldn't rely on them to save herself or Ryoko.
Beside her, the busty kendoka stiffened, straining her ears and hoping that Genma hadn't gone too far.
Once, not too long ago, he had ventured off to scavenge for food, leaving the two tied and bound girls alone. They hadn't thought anything of it at the time as he often did that when he thought they were asleep or had found somewhere safe to settle in. But then a patrol party had found the two captive girls all alone. They were just three fighters, but they quickly made it clear that they weren't there to rescue the girls. No, they only cared that the girls were valuable to the male who had killed so many of their comrades. Killing them would enrage him, just as the death of their comrades had enraged them.
Whatever their reasoning, the trio was never able to capitalize as Genma silently returned, killing each man just after they'd shredded the girls' skirts and blouses, one of them even leaving a shallow cut on Ryoko's ample bosom.
Having spent what felt like weeks in the semi-darkness of the tunnels, the two martial artists had thought that their eyes had adapted marginally well, though not as well as what Genma or the men with claws were capable of. Both knew that the masked fighters could easily spot their pale white skin in this darkness, and their current state of undress and the chains binding them left them completely defenseless.
Still, both girls huddled against the rocky wall, hoping that they were just hearing things while also hoping that Genma was close by. Neither dared to cry out in case there weren't any scouts or whatever they were present as there might be more around.
"You girls are pretty nervous," Genma stated as he announced himself. "But I guess that's to be expected û I have kept you down here for over a week."
Both girls blinked, soaking in what the terrible man was saying.
"I guess you didn't mean too much to the boy," the muscular fighter stated. "Or he's doing a bang up con job."
"You don't know Ranma," Ryoko growled. "He's nothing like you. He's honorable and kind, and a true martial artist."
Genma snorted, "Like a girl like you would know what a true martial artist is. You wave your little bokken and call yourself a kendoka, but you're pathetic û both of you are pathetic. When I was your age I could outrun a mob that was easily faster than either of you."
"You could swim across the sea from Japan to China," Motoko cut in, recalling what she'd heard from the pigtailed martial artist's past. "Wait, that's what Ranma did. This Ranma also survived the Neko-ken training û being tied down with fish products and being thrown into a pit of hungry cats."
The muscular man looked down at the girl.
Though he was one of the last of the great martial artists, Motoko knew that even Genma Saotome was skeptical of the fact that this boy who claimed to be his son from another dimension. It was just too much to believe, but had she not seen it herself, the slender kendoka wouldn't have believed it either.
"Than I guess we'll wait to see if he can really live up to being my son," the powerful martial artist finally said.
X X X X X
The busty redhead scowled.
"Is there something wrong Sophia?" the silver-grey haired youth asked.
"You're sure that your equipment is working properly?" the girl replied.
"Yes," Leonard replied. "Though I am at a loss to explain those readings myself, I am certain that the equipment is functioning properly."
The redhead nodded. "We must speed up the construction of the Omni sphere," she stated. "It appears as though there are others who are seeking to do the same thing that we are."
"I'll have my men work even harder and faster," the young man replied.
Sophia simply nodded. Though she trusted Leonard to fulfill his role, she was sure that had he known the true purpose behind her schemes, he would not have agreed to follow her. He was after all, just a a minion. As a Santovasku-human hybrid and techno-mage, she alone understood the meaning behind the readings on the machine. There was a Santovasku ship on Earth. That meant that she wouldn't have to recreate the dragon ship that had lay buried beneath Tokyo.
Yes, the Omni Sphere would increase her powers, but if she could get her hands on a Dragon Ship then she could use its power to help her take control of the weak minded humans. The superior fire power that a Santovasku ship was more than enough to deal with the pathetic technology that the Humans had. And if the solar system was still being disputed between the Santovasku and the Federation, than none of the other alien races would dare to interfere with her plans. Yes, with the resources of the entire planet at her desposal as well as the remains of the Santovasku's home world still orbiting this planet she could easily create a galactic power that threatened both the Federation and the Santovasku.
"I want you to send a squad here," Sophia ordered her minion, pointing to a rejoin just outside of Tokyo.
Leonard eyed the coordinates. "As you command."
# # # # #
"Our ancient enemy has awoken!" the mighty and imposing figure of the Emperor stated, his image displayed on millions of monitors throughout the empire. "We must mass our forces once again and prepare for war!
"You all know the stories of how our ancestral home world was destroyed by the flames û and though we now reside on multiple planets we cannot allow even one of them to be destroyed by those flames of destruction!
"Brothers, sisters û our fathers and mothers before us and their fathers and mothers before them for over twelve millennia wanted us to become strong because they knew that one day our former neighbors would once again threaten us. That day is now upon us! Let us not disappoint our forefathers and ancestors! We shall prevail!"
X X X X X
Looking at the readings on her monitor, the lone Santovasku growled. Having been raised in an orphanage, she had heard of the story of the Santovasku's ancestral home world and how it had been destroyed. Then she had heard rumors that this planet was her people's ancestral home, which conflicted with the stories she'd heard as a child.
Living a rough life, she never gave it much thought, though she did hear those stories whenever she stopped by the orphanage to visit the younger children. Still, they were only fairy tales.
Eying the display though, she had to wonder if there as some merit to the 'fairy tales' that she'd dismissed.
"How's the ship?" the mechanoid asked the mechanic.
"She's doing alright," the horned alien replied. "What happened to the Princess, Gomez?"
The mechanoid shrugged, "That's up to Revi to decide. "How long until we get the ship up and running?"
"She's healing," the taller alien stated. "But she's going to need some time to gather some fuel before she can launch."
"How long?"
"Two or three light cycles to completely heal and two more before she's gathered enough fuel."
The mechanoid nodded. "The boss should be back before then," the artificial creature replied. "At least we don't have to worry about the brat princess anymore."
X X X X X
There was something about the caverns and tunnels that Birdy just couldn't put her finger on. Something about it was, well, familiar, yet not.
Slamming her fist against the chin of another masked warrior, the Galactic officer focused on more pressing matters.
Using her mighty muscles, she easily kicked through the feeble guard that another masked fighter hastily put up, shattering his forearm before connecting with his head, sending him flying as well.
"You know," Sagara stated as he slammed his palm into one of the attackers, "it'd probably be easier for you to leave one of your own opponents alive and for you to investigate or examine if you left one of them alive."
A light, knife edged chop to the back of one of the masked assailant's neck knocked the man out, freeing Sagara.
Though the scarred mercenary was a trained soldier, he had the least martial arts training of the group. Without his firearms he had proven to be the weakest link of the group in close combat. Still, Ranma did not want to leave the soldier behind as his Witchgun could prove to be very useful in the right situations. Unfortunately close combat and such was not the situation.
"Thank you," he said curtly as he swiftly bound the man up.
"Thanks for reminding me," the Alpha Cygni replied. As she spoke the rest of the party finished off the last of the attackers.
"Everyone alright?" Ranma asked as he beheaded an already dying warrior.
The boy trapped in a girl's body was definitely powerful, but he definitely could learn to be more merciful. Still, it was never a good idea to leave one's enemies behind.
Pulling the mask off of the unconscious fighter, she motioned to Sagara.
Nodding, the scarred soldier pulled out a chemical flare. Cracking it, he shook it quickly, allowing the fluids to interact.
As the glowing yellow-green light illuminated the chamber, Birdy scowled. "I knew it."
"What?" Keitaro asked as he wiped the blood off of his blade.
"Scan DNA," the officer ordered her personal AI.
"Scanningà"
"What?" Sagara repeated as the older boy approached them.
"If I'm right, these scouts are alien," Birdy stated.
Ranma eyed the dead body at his feet, 'Alien?'
'Our kind call them 'Ravagers',' Hina stated.
'Wait, you knew they were alien?'
'Why else would I insist that you kill each and every one of them?' the cursed blade replied. 'They have much more spiritual energy than an average human but they have shorter lives. Plus they're breed in vats just like thrulls because they're asexual.'
"Scan complete," the AI announced. "Analysis complete."
"Just as I thought," the scantily clad alien said. "These scouts are Santovasku thrulls û an asexual species that the Santovasku created to be expendable shock troops."
Seta rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Kind of like the Jem'Hadar."
Keitaro looked at his aunt/cousin's former lover, "You're a trekie?"
"Wait," Kanako said, shaking her head, "if those are alien thrulls then why the hell are they down here?"
A sinking feeling seemed to fill Birdy's stomach. "There's much more to this than I anticipated."
Suddenly the roof above them began to shower them with rocks.
Ranma blinked, 'The Breaking Point!' "Everyone - find some cover!" he ordered as he grabbed the chemical flare from Sousuke. Throwing it hard at the ceiling, he was rewarded with the sight of it breaking against the hard stone, splashing the ceiling and illuminating the cavern with the light, yellow-green light.
"My, my," a familiar yet gruff voice greeted, "I'm surprised you noticed me. I must say, I was hoping to meet the boy who claimed to be my son, but I guess that Happosai and the others were just lying."
Ranma shook his head, standing tall even as he stood between the others and the voice. "He's mine."
# # # # #
"Shit!" Captain Furby exclaimed as he turned off the recording. "This isn't good."
"I had no idea that those readings were going to be interpreted this way," the science officer stated.
"What do we do now, sir?" the first mate asked.
"Contact Ensign Kazami," the fury alien ordered. "We're pulling out of here. I don't care what the Federation brass say û if the Santovasku fleet is on their way to blow up this planet, I'm not going to be standing in their way!"
X X X X X
Ranma eyed the man that passed for his father in this world. Though the shadows kept him from getting a good look at him, it was clear that this Genma Saotome was not the lazy bastard that his version had become.
"Looks like you haven't been slacking off," the bald girl stated.
"Who are you?" the scarred man asked.
"I'm Ranma Saotome," the boy trapped in a girl's body replied. "I had my consciousness trapped inside this body."
The muscular man eyed the scrawny girl.
"No, it's not because of the Neko-ken," Ranma replied. "But I need something you have to get my body back."
"And here I was thinking you were here for the girls," Genma smirked.
Ranma shook his head, "Don't."
"We're here to get Motoko and Ryoko back, as well as get it," the young Mithril agent stated.
"Yeah, but let me try things my way first," the young martial arts master countered. "This is something between martial artists."
Sheathing his swords, Ranma tossed his weapons at his cousin.
"You're going to need those," Genma taunted.
"Maybe," Ranma stated as he removed the cursed armor, "but the version of Musabetsu Katuto Ryo I learned from my old man is weaponless. We learn to use weapons so that we know how to fight against them. As good as I am with the swords, I'm better without them.
"Seta, Keitaro, make sure no one interferes," he ordered as he assumed a casual stance.
"This must be another one of Happosai's tricks," the powerful martial artist stated as he threw a vacuum blade at the assembled fighters.
Channeling ki into his hands, Ranma deflected the attack. "Actually, why don't you guys go find the girls? I'll keep my old man company."
"You think you can take me by yourself girl?" the other fighter scoffed.
Ranma smirked. "Of course I do."
X X X X X
"Sir," the officer at the com called out, "I can't reach officer Birdy."
"*#$%!" the commander exclaimed. "%#*^! Keep trying! The last thing I want to do is leave one of my agents on a planet that the Santovasku are about to destroy!"
X X X X X
Ukyo simply watched as Ranma easily batted away the deadly attack. As a student of the Yamasenken, she knew the limits of the school and even though she'd been defeated by Ranma before, she hadn't used any of the higher level attacks of the school.
"Actually," Ranma said as he eyed his father, "why don't you guys go find the girls? I'll keep my old man company."
Beside her, the others moved to comply. Really, it was the smart thing to do. In hostile territory and with the limited space in the cavern with two high level master martial artists, it wasn't a good idea to stay around.
X X X X X
"But what about the Princess?" the experienced ensign demanded as she eyed her commanding officer's image.
"I'm sorry, but I can't keep the ship in orbit!" Captain Furby shouted. "The Santovasku fleet is mobilizing and they're headed to this planet!"
"But"
"Not buts," the captain said, cutting her off, "there's nothing the Federation can do about it. Well, if they do, then this entire solar system is going to be largest battle field that the galaxy has ever seen."
"Ià I understand," Hatsuho finally said, tearing her eyes from the display to the people she who were currently around her, "but I cannot leave. I have to stay and see this through."
The captain gulped. He knew she was stubborn, but this was outrageous. "Fine, but we're leaving. If you make it out of this somehow expect to be court-martialed."
X X X X X
"This way," the brunette suggested as the five fighters reached a forked passage, "that way leads towards a settlement, and if Genma is avoiding the scouts, he's going to try and stay away from the settlements."
Seta nodded. As the oldest and arguably most experienced of the remaining fighters, it had fallen on his shoulders to lead the group as they searched for Motoko and Ryoko. Trusting in Keitaro and Ukyo's knowledge of the Underground, he kept a mental map of the passageways that they had taken since leaving Ranma to face Genma Saotome.
"We've got company," Sagara called out from the rear.
Keitaro turned around, spotting the dark masses moving in the shadows some fifty meters down the other passageway.
"There's another small cavern another thirty meters up," Ukyo suggested.
"Go!" Seta ordered. "Sagara!"
"Yes!" the soldier replied as he pulled out the Witchgun. With Ranma fighting Genma not too far way, he knew that they could not afford to have their fight interrupted. Drawing out a magic circle, the scarred boy shot at the clawed thrulls. The powerful blast echoed in the passageway, signaling to Ranma that they had encountered more fighters while also forcing the pursuers to pause as they had experience with guns. But the shot did more than just slow the pursuers down. Even though none of the fighters were hit, the blast knocked out a chunk of the wall. A towering stone golem emerged from the wall, startling the thrulls.
"You've got a Witchgun!" Birdy exclaimed.
Sagara nodded as he unloaded another shot. "How do you know about the Witchgun?"
"Santovasku officers use them," the alien stated. "I've never seen that model before as most use smaller arms, but that's definitely a Witchgun."
Sousuke filed that information away as he unloaded another magic bullet, creating a fiery dragon to aid the two stone golems. "That should keep them occupied."
X X X X X
"We're under attack!" the mechanoid known as Gomez shouted as a missile exploded against the ship's organic-metal hull.
"#%&*!" the engineer exclaimed. "The ship doesn't have any weapons that can be used while its grounded."
"Stay calm," the slender woman ordered. Though she was not on hand to witness the assault on her ship, she knew that none of the weapons that the humans had developed were capable of penetrating the hull of the organic Santovasku ship. Still, other pirates could have hidden themselves on this backwater planet, but who and why would they be attacking the ship directly and not the crew individually? "Gomez, mobilize your brethren û arm them with the laser rifles for now. But if the fighting gets serious then use the sonic cannons."
"Yes ma'am," the loyal mechanoid replied before cutting off the transmission.
"Problems?" a smooth voice asked, prompting the woman to turn around.
"Some," the criminal mastermind replied. "But we've concluded our business here, so I shall be returning to my ship."
"Do you need an escort?" the blond alien asked.
For a moment the woman considered her companion. The horns and lack of body hair immediately marked him as a Santovasku, just like her ship's engineer. Clearly he wasn't the only Santovasku on the planet, not if he had access to a vat to create a small but dependable number of thrulls. Could he have been interested in her ship?
"No," she finally replied, "that is not necessary. My men should be enough to handle anything that happens in the Underground."
Nodding, the President of the Underground smiled. "It's always a pleasure to do business with you."
Christella returned the fake smile, "Always a pleasure. We'll leave once my men are done unloading the package."
X X X X X
"Ma'am," the helms man said, "there appears to be some fighting just outside of Tokyo."
Tessa immediately looked up, "Get me eyes on the fighting."
X X X X X
As much as he hated to admit it, Genma Saotome was impressed. This wisp of a girl before him had lasted much longer than he'd expected. Only master Happosai had lasted longer, and that was a decade ago. Still, that didn't mean that the girl was who she claimed to be.
Leaping in, the experienced fighter lead with a swift flying middle kick only to have it answered with a middle kick of her own as she blocked and countered his attack with a follow up spinning back kick with her left. Shifting his leg, Genma forced the girl's aim off just enough so that her kick sailed a few centimeters short of his face. Thrusting up with his Iron Fan Fingers, he was surprised when the girl twisted around, grabbing his hand and countered with another spinning back kick with his right.
A flick of his wrist though was all he needed to free himself of the girl's hold and attack as he sent her flying. Still, the girl managed to spin in the air before her feet made contact with the wall. Springing off the wall, she adopted a casual stance again.
"You're pretty good," the muscular man stated.
"I've been training since I could walk," the girl replied. "Even though this isn't my original body, I've always been a quick learner and adapted easily to things."
"But your body is weak," Genma stated as he rushed in for another pass. A stiff straight left thrust with his Iron Fingers was easily dodged by the girl as she stepped back, kicking dirt at him as she retreated. It was a cheap trick, but in the near darkness of the cavern it would do little but annoy and irritate the large fighter as he pulled back just enough to avoid the dirt screen. Spitting out several poisoned needles in a spray pattern, he was surprised when the girl rolled out of the way of the surprise attack.
"I've been weaker," the girl smirked as she regained her feet. "But nothing that's happened to me has kept me down. Anything Goes after all."
Genma nodded, "Anything Goes."
X X X X X
"Go ahead," Sagara shouted as he unloaded another shot into the wall several paces ahead of the pursuing thrulls, "I'll slow them down."
Seta glanced at the professional before him. "Birdy, assist him. We're going to go ahead and try to find the girls."
The alien with two toned hair nodded, cracking her knuckles. She'd show these thrulls what a true Alpha Cygni was capable of.
X X X X X
"Sir," the young junior agent said, announcing himself to the President. Feeling the powerful man's eyes finally glancing over at him, the agent looked up. "There are reports of fighting in the Sector Six."
"They've found the intruder?" the horned man asked.
"They've found more intruders."
The horned alien scowled. That was where Christella was headed. Had her pursuers followed her into the underground? "Send out six more agents and their squads, and have all other agents report for duty. I want Central locked down."
X X X X X
"We've got company!" Ukyo shouted as she unsheathed one of the many katanas that Keitaro had brought with him. Though Ranma had given both of his blades over to the older boy, Keitaro had decided to leave them in the cavern where the two Saotomes fought. Favoring the Kusanagi, the Todai student had more than enough to spare, having brought four more blades (one for Birdy, Ukyo, Motoko, and Ryoko). Unfortunately the alien fighter didn't know how to use the elegant blade, leaving a free blade for anyone who wanted it. Even though she was a practitioner of the Yamasenken, Ukyo knew that she lacked the energy and endurance to be as proficient at it as her late lover had been. Still, she could use some of the moves, but fighting with the katana also helped.
Parrying a wicked slash from one of the scouts, she deftly cut the fighter with her blade, leaving a bloody trail along his chest. The wound was more than enough of an opening for her to slide her Iron Fingers into the man's chest and heart, ending his short life.
"Keitaro," Seta shouted, "take Kanako and search further ahead. We'll hold them in this cavern."
The young martial artist eyed the older man, still unsure if leaving them behind was the right thing to do.
"Go!" Ukyo urged as she looped off the arm of another fighter. "It's too small in here for all of us to fight."
She knew she was right, and she knew that he knew she was right. Still, that didn't make it any easier for him.
"Fine," he said as he rushed to the other end of the cavern, "but we'll be right back."
X X X X X
'Twenty minutes,' Sagara thought as he felt the sharp claws of his opponent rake his chest. Enduring the hit, he slammed his steely fist into his attacker's face. The feel of several teeth being dislodged and of breaking bone told him that that fighter would not be rejoining the fight anytime soon.
Behind him Birdy caught her assailant's punch in her palm. Using her inhuman strength she crushed his hand before ripping his arm out of its socket and driving her point across with a vicious head butt that knocked the fighter out.
"I'm impressed," a cocky voice called out even as it waved back the other fighters. "No wonder you've caused so much trouble for us. But I promise you, you won't make it out of here alive."
"I've heard that before," the scarred soldier replied.
"I'm sure you have," the cloaked man nodded. "But you've never fought someone like us before."
"There are twenty of us, and only the two of you," a feminine voice stated. "Do you really think we'd let you join up with your friends again?"
"You surface dwellers have no idea how much worse this is going to be for you," the man said. "Just tell us why you're down here and we'll consider killing you quickly."
"I've heard that before too," Birdy replied as he contemplated their position. Trapped between two squads, there was no way they'd get out of the cavern without a fight. Still, none of them had moved towards Ranma's location. Grabbing the unconscious man at her feet, she threw him at the cloaked man.
A blast of blinding light filled the cavern, incinerating the thrull and leaving only ashes behind.
"Ah, I was wondering why the scouts' claws weren't affecting you," the green haired woman stated as she eyed Sousuke. "You must be one of those rare Steel types. I know that Earth types can fortify their bodies with rocks and stone, but to actually turn your skin into metal, now that is interesting. Perhaps we'll keep you alive so that you can pass down your special skills."
"I wonder," the cloaked man said as the flames overhead died down, "if my flames would be enough to melt your skin."
"Oh, but I so wanted to try my ice against him," the woman pouted.
Birdy blinked. "Hey! I'm not chopped liver you know!"
"Well, maybe you aren't," the girl replied, "not yet at least."
Pale blue light filled the green haired girl's hands as she leapt towards Sousuke, "I wonder how cold you'll have to get before you break?"
Seeing that the girl was committed to her attack, Sagara quickly pulled out the Witchgun. A quick shot from the powerful weapon filled the entire cavern with its thundering boom. Even without a magic circle the gun was fearsome as the bullet it propelled at the girl was unavoidable despite the fact that she'd hastily created an icy shield. Suddenly the room was filled with blood and ice as the heavy bullet destroyed the shield and its creator before sending her now limp body crashing into the wall.
"Rumina!" the cloaked man screamed as several scouts rushed Sousuke. "You killed my sister!"
Unable to reload the Witchgun, the Mithril agent pulled out a sawed off shotgun, firing both rounds quickly and expertly at the two closest clawed scouts, stopping their forward momentum and sending them flying into their companions.
Seizing the opportunity, Birdy rushed in, connecting with a powerful haymaker to the cheek of the third assailant.
"Bastards!" the cloaked man shouted. Overhead a giant ball of yellow and orange flames grew.
A thundering boom again filled the cavern as Sousuke took another shot with the magical gun, this time sending the cloaked fire wielder crashing into the unforgiving wall. Overhead the fireball slowly descended, crashing into the remaining thrulls and immolating them.
"You know," Birdy said as she eyed the thrashing bodies of the unfortunate thrulls, "that was kinda anti-climatic."
X X X X X
The sound of two thundering shots rang in Seta's ears as he slammed the black iron staff into the stomach of a masked thrull. With just a simple thought he extended the staff, sending the end crashing into boulder the size of his head, deflecting the projectile away from the perky brunette beside him.
"Thanks," Ukyo grunted as she hamstrung a fighter. Grabbing the crippled fighter, she used him as a human shield against the powerful water blast that was thrown her way.
Using the staff, Seta batted aside several more rocky projectiles. Forced to defend, he eyed the young boy that was directing the assault. Judging from the way that the two elemental users attacked, it was clear that neither one could maintain a constant offensive, relying instead on their thrulls to distract their targets as they prepared their attacks. Still, with nearly a third of the two dozen fighters already dead, it was clear that the pair of children were going to have to change their tactics.
A rumbling from overhead though told the experienced Mithril agent that they'd already put their next plan into motion.
Grabbing hold of Ukyo's waist the tall man planted the end of his staff into the ground, willing it to extend.
"Did you think we wouldn't have anticipated that?" the water manipulating woman asked. "By combining water and earth under your feet, we've trapped you. There's nothing you can do to get out!"
Unable to get any solid footing, Seta extended both ends of the staff, hoping to find some purchase below while also deflecting the larger boulders that were crashing down on them.
Stabbing her sword into the ground, Ukyo began to swat the boulders that made it past Seta's staff, her Iron Fingers sorely tested by the hard boulders.
A thunderous blast echoed through the cavern mere seconds before a powerful bullet knocked the water user off her feet.
"Janus!" the boy shouted as his partner hit the floor hard.
His focus broken, the ceiling began to crumble without his control. "Retreat!" the boy ordered.
Another booming blast filled the cavern, this time the bullet hit the floor beneath Seta. A giant stone hand emerged, solidifying the floor even as it reached up to support the crumbling ceiling.
With solid footing beneath him, Seta pushed himself and Ukyo out of the make-shift quicksand.
"They're gone," Birdy stated as she rushed to where the pair landed.
"They'll probably get some more help," Sousuke added as he aimed for the entrance. "But this should keep them from coming back too soon."
Drawing a magic circle, he leveled his weapon at the entrance that their attackers had fled through. Blasting the ceiling above it, he blocked the passage as the cavern collapsed.
Seta nodded, grateful that they hadn't killed the young earth user. "Lets go, Keitaro and Kanako shouldn't be too far ahead."
X X X X X
"I've got eyes on the fighting!" the helmsman stated. "Putting it on the main monitor."
Everyone who wasn't doing something turned their attention to the giant monitor.
"Arm Slaves?" someone exclaimed.
"Those are Leonard's unmanned, miniature Arm Slaves," Tessa stated.
"But what are those?" the gruff Englishman asked. "They're about as big as a man, yet they're holding their own against the Mini-AS."
A streak of red suddenly impacted an Arm Slave, cutting it in half.
"Lasers?" Tessa exclaimed. "Send SRT 2 with as much support as we can get them."
"But SRT 2 is watching over the Hinata Sou," Mardukas replied.
Tessa nodded. "But they're the closest squad we have to the fighting. Send them all available air support."
X X X X X
Ranma eyed his old man, well, this world's version of his old man. He was very different from the man he knew. Driven mad by the loss of his son and hardened by a life of crime, the man was definitely not soft. Muscles rippled with unspoken power, yet the man was deceptively fast. True, Ranma was faster, even in his handicapped body, but just barely. This Genma was much more formidable than his old man. Though he'd been confined for so many years he'd continued to hone his body and art in secret, something his father had not done.
Ranma panted as he eyed the powerful martial artist before him. 'He's tough û tougher than Taro and stronger too. But he fights like Happosai and Cologne combined.'
Dodging another series of Iron Finger thrusts, Ranma slapped at the man's wrists, countering with pressure point attacks to the nerve clusters on his hand and wrist. Against any other fighter that counter might have worked, but Genma managed to twist his wrists just enough to keep the pinpoint attacks from connecting correctly.
Still, the counter was enough to force Genma to abort his assault.
"Impressive," he stated as he shook his hands, checking them for any lingering damage from the nearly precise attacks. "You know pressure points."
The boy trapped in a girl's body nodded. "So do you."
Again Genma rushed in, leading with a series of Iron Finger thrusts.
Though Ranma knew that he was faster, he had little room to work with. Parrying the first three attacks, he felt his opponent's powerful fingers wrap around his wrist as he parried a fourth strike. Hitting a pressure point on Genma's wrist he freed his hand, allowing his opponent to connect with a kick to his stomach.
Rolling, he caught a punch, then countered with a kick to Genma's muscled stomach even as he fell back, a modified version of the Shichuu Rakuchi Sei to change their positions. Still, Genma had created the Umisenken, thus he spotted the modified attack and knew of the subsequent follow up attack. Pulling his fist free of Ranma's hand, the larger fighter rolled to his side, preventing the smaller fighter from capturing his back and unleasing several Haku Dato Shin Shou to his back.
"Not bad," he admitted as the sickly girl backed off. "So you do know some of the Umisenken."
Charging in, the big man threw a straight right.
Ranma countered with Happosai's favorite move, stealing the momentum of the attack and throwing his attacker against the ceiling. The sound of flesh impacting against hard stone filled the cavern.
Rattled, but far from knocked out, Genma managed to grab hold of the ceiling before kicking off and landing several meters away from the younger fighter.
"That's Happosai's favorite counter," he stated. "You should have impaled me on the stalactite."
Rubbing his shoulder, the experienced fighter rushed in.
Again the air between them was filled with motion that most would have been hard pressed to follow. Swift strikes and counter strikes, feints and parries filled the air between them as they fought. This was the essence of the Saotome Musabetsu Kakut¶ Ry¹.
Ranma blocked a knee with his foot, stealing the force of the attack to connect with a kick to Genma's mighty chest. "You're not bad," he stated. "Seeing what you turned out to be, I wish my old man hadn't slouched off. If he was more like you I'd still be able to get a good spar in every morning instead of waiting for one of my rivals to challenge me."
Genma simply eyed the girl as he landed on his feet several paces away. "You're still sticking to that story?"
"Because it's the truth," Ranma growled as he charged. Kicking several rocks at Genma, he watched as his opponent side stepped the barrage. Tucking his arms to his side, the cursed martial artist unleashed a barrage of lightning quick Haku Dato Shin Shou.
The large man made the mistake of blocking the first strike even as he set up a counter. The sudden loss of muscle control in his hand told him that something was wrong, prompting him to pull back. Avoiding the second and third strikes, he slammed his elbow into Ranma's stomach, allowing him to roll to the side as he put some distance between them.
The feel of hot blood on his arm though told him what he needed to know. "Cord cutting," he grumbled as he recalled how Ranma had curled his finger and thumb the moment before the block had been made. "I'd never teach you something like that."
"You wouldn't," Ranma replied. "Up until a few months ago I never had taken a life û never crippled or maimed an opponent. But recent events have forced me to become more ruthless. I don't like what I've had to do, but if it means I get to go home and no one I care about gets hurt, I'll do it."
"Ranma!" a familiar voice shouted.
"Ranma!" several voices shouted.
Genma eyed the nine figures. "So you've gotten your girls back," he growled.
"I want the Frozen Flame," the sickly girl stated. "The artifact you stole from Happosai."
The powerful fighter stood tall, relaxing as he reached into stuff/hammer space. Pulling out a bundle of cloth, he threw it at Ranma. "I suppose you've earned this."
Ranma deftly caught the bundle. In the split second that it took him to catch it, Genma was gone.
"Let him go," he stated. "We got what we came for."
"But what about your weapons?" Keitaro asked.
Ranma blinked. "I gave them to you."
"And I left them over there," his cousin replied.
Ranma looked at the entrance where his cousin pointed. "Dammit! He took the cursed weapons!"
X X X X X
A/N
Tokyo Underground is a relatively good anime/manga. The premise is that there are humans who live far beneath Tokyo (thus the name). Many possess special abilities and are able to manipulate certain elements.
Yes, I've obviously altered the story to fit into this mega crossover fic. If you're familiar with Tokyo Underground, you'll know what I'm talking about and you might have an idea about where I'll take one of the arcs of this fic.
Please Read and Review.
Dreamingfox