Well now, this fic seems to be stretching out a lot farther than the
original one did. Ah! Such an accomplishment for someone, ne? Of course, I
get to continue this for as long as it takes. I started it and somehow, by
GOD!, I gotta finish it right!
So, any of you out there who had braved reading through all this, I hope
all of you are satisfied with the way I’m writing. I may not be the best,
BUT I’m trying to be… or at least do a good impression of it. None of this
is going to do me any good if you guys/gals out there aren’t around to
help. Give me C&Cs! Lots of them! Okay?!!
Send them over at..
And for all those who've sent their ideas and C&Cs of my fic. Thanks guys
and gals!!
Story starts here….
Insert obligatory denials and such of the author’s illegality of doing
anything to these anime characters. Hope no one minds…
A fic started because I so loved to write and because of two particular
people in the net…I hope I can do them both some justice with what I have
made thus far..
Sit back and please enjoy what a certain human’s twisted imagination can
come up with…. : )
A final NOTE:
So. To clear a few things up. We've got the gang from Ranma 1/2,
SailorMoon, El-Hazard, and now Tenchi Muyo. If anyone's as surprised at
this sudden medley of anime characters, don't be surprised if I've got more
up my sleeve.
I've always hated alternate universes unless it was done nicely. Of
course, I still read 'em. Anyway, all these people are here and mixed up in
one Earth and one timeline. I'm sure no one will dispute that these groups
of anime titles can't be properly mixed together.
After so many people doing alternate universes and sliding to parallel
dimensions and other types of fics, I've developed my own formula for
mayhem. It's not much but I'm trying to do my best. This story is not too
funny but have some elements in it that I try to keep.
This is basically a Chibiusa goes a-hunting for some poor fools who'll
protect her until the time comes for something she must do story. Please
also note that this IS not nor will it ever be an otaku fic like most
people seem to think. My handle may carry my character's name, but that
does not mean I'm in it. I like that handle and that name. It's silly and
totally weird. Don't ask why I like it.
Just humor me, 'kay?
Now to clear on a few things. Radler -- one of those characters here --
he/she does not have her memory back at the end of Chapter 15. Nana. Zip.
Zero.
Sayoko [Sailor Andromeda] is Pluto's little sister. There are other new
author-made characters in here. Some of the new characters here, *some* of
them are taken -- with permission -- from a famed name in the ML. Need I
say more?? The others are solely mine and I've got first claim on them. ^_^
That's about it.
Ranma 1/2
Anything Goes Misadventures
Book One of the Angel’s Chronicles
* * Angel’s Folly * *
Chapter Sixteen: A Legacy of Sorrows
The image of her queen disappeared; leaving Tia stunned with the
revelations her queen had given. Tears fell from her eyes, staining the
cold metal floor with her sorrows. Tia gripped the weapon she held tightly.
She glanced at it for a moment; wishing to see its blade on her enemy’s
heart. She may not know who the bastard was, but she found this of no
consequence.
Tia smirked. Like she cared at all. All she wanted was the guy's heart in
her fists for all the grief he's done to everyone especially to her.
<Amanae…>
Seeing she had little use for it now, a brief mental command caused it to
disappear into some pocket dimension where she could easily summon it back.
Tia stared at the floor before her; eyes wide with shock. She could not
find the voice to speak out. The shock was enough to have left her
speechless. So, it all fell to them – or would have considering her case --
to see to it that Serenity’s daughter live to reach the Age of Ascension.
She gripped her hands till it hurt to even unclench it. She had no power to
do what had to be done and little time to regain what she had lost.
Time was something she did not have the leisure of squandering. Her powers
were weak and fighting anyone right now would prove fatal. Time was
something she did not have. Yet, she _had_ to make the time. Tia smashed a
fist to the floor and managing little more than added discomfort to herself.
Washuu winced. That *HAD* to have hurt.
<But why?> Tia asked herself angrily. <Why was it that she could not tell
anyone of that? Why did she have to keep silent about it?>
Then something else dawned on her. Serenity's words….
"No…." she breathed disbelievingly. "She couldn't have…." But it was. No
matter how much she wanted to believe that it was a lie. Yet her words
spoke true. The reason why she could never recall her dreams…
Serenity had suppressed her memories of it!!
"WHY?!!!" she screamed out, as the rage within her became unbearable to
control. "Why did she do it then?!! _WHY_?!!!" Tia unconsciously bit back
the sobs that threatened to overwhelm her once more.
Her heart anguished over what had been revealed. Tia hugged herself; as if
feeling a chill no one in the room could feel. Her mind was a chaotic
jumble of feelings. And one of those was to do harm to someone. Someone she
very much hated. Her body twinged as it too felt the aching need of her
mind.
And yet, her heart wanted something else.
She ached for someone to comfort her in her pain. Wanted someone she could
share her pain with and understand them for what they were. She had kept it
bottled up inside of her. She had always been alone to take care of it
after the others had died or been taken by the Shadow Moon.
And here she was once more, all alone in her pain.
She would not cry. She would not!
Tia closed her eyes; trying to sort through her jumbled emotions.
All these years…. all this time….
"@#@$$#%~@$$#%#!" she mouthed.
Her temper flared to life.
Tia vented her rage on the floor; denting the composite alloy that made up
the floor which should have been resistant to most things. Tia shrieked at
the top of her lungs as her fist smashed through the floor. The pain her
hand did not register through the haze of her anger. Her very countenance
blazed with her anger as it sought to slack its hunger. She was mildly
surprised when something wet splattered onto her bruised hands.
It all felt like she had woken up from some dream only to find out that
reality stank more than the dream itself. She could almost curse herself
for this. One clear thing that did not escape her notice was that the
nightmare of reality was just beginning.
She had a feeling it was about to get a lot worse than it already was.
She needed – wanted – to see her charge. Yet, for now, she had to put her
faith in Ranma and his friends. She was sure the young man was resourceful
enough to get around until she could get of the bind she was in.
"Chibi. Be safe." she murmured softly.
Washuu, out of what motherly instinct she had left, quickly gathered the
distraught Tia into her arms; trying to soothe whatever pain the young
woman was definitely feeling. She soothed the woman’s pain; trying to ease
its passing. Tia did not struggle and even snuggled into the scientist’s
arms.
Washuu brushed Tia’s thick, silky mane of dark blue hair as the young
woman cried out her pain.
<So much pain> she thought sadly. <So much to bear for such a young woman.>
"Tia….." she couldn’t form the words she truly wanted to say. Could not
give voice to what she truly felt. Tia continued to bury her head on
Washuu’s shoulder as gut-wrenching sobs wracked her entire body.
"Its okay, Tia. You’re with friends now. And ones that will doubtless help
you with your problems. It doesn’t take a ether wave researcher to figure
that out."
Tia managed to look at least grateful for the proffered help. She smiled;
but the pain was still there deep within the depths of her azure eyes. IT
would leave but God only knows when that would be.
"Arigato."
"No charge."
Tia winced for some reason Washuu could not fathom.
"Want to talk about it, Tia?" she asked, hoping she would _at least_
loosen up enough for her to get some answers. She was not one to be
complacent about half-told truths and revelations.
Tia nodded. "Sure. I guess I owe it to you people." She sucked in her
breath before saying, "It’s not something I normally do since I try and
avoid getting anymore people involved as it is."
Washuu shook her head. "I have a feeling that avoiding involvement in
whatever disputes you seem to have were out of the question long before you
woke up, my dear."
Tia sighed. "Oookay."
* * * * *
Washuu sat on her floating pillow, the vidscreen before her neglected as
she digested the things that Tia had told her. One could even see cute
little crabs moving to and fro in the screen. She found little to doubt
what had been told. And yet, so many things were still unclear. Why was it
that the crystal which was attuned to Tia spoke not of her but another? And
something about the tale worried her deeply.
<What was it then?> she wondered.
Her mind replayed all that had been said during that long discussion.
Washuu’s mind did a double take.
Shadow Moon.
Washuu shivered. The very name brought out the fears within her. Yes.
Such an apt name. What could it be that such fears as deeply hidden within
the recesses of her being suddenly surface? Fragments of long buried
memories came to her yet she was unable to grasp it fully; yet tantalizing
her with the information that she needed.
Washuu gasped. Fear flooding her features like never before.
"No….."
She stared at her computer but her eyes held a distant look in it. Washuu
waved her arm before the terminal; causing it to fade. She was at a loss
for words as the fear within her kept twisting her guts around. The Royal
Council of Jurai had decreed the destruction of an entire civilization to
ensure it from never happening again.
What did that bring? Nothing more than just another senseless waste.
Something the families of House Jurai does best.
Funny how things had a way of getting back at people.
And this world would be the first to pay the price for Jurai’s mistakes.
* * * * *
Tia lay staring at the ceiling of her room. The sounds of fighting could
be clearly heard from outside. No doubt Ayeka and Ryoko had found something
new to argue about. They always did. Tia closed her eyes, willing herself
to shun the outside world.
She needed to think.
All the facts were spread out before her. The dangers were clearly marked
unlike before. And unlike then, this was the first time she was feeling a
true reason to actually hope for something. Having lived in a world that
had reverted to total chaos, being pessimistic about things kept you sane
and alive.
Much as she wanted to check on Chibi, she could not. With her powers
nearly non-existent for the time being and her being stuck in her female
form, she could do little but hope Ranma and the others were safe. Every
night she prayed to the heavens to keep her charge safe until she could get
her.
For now, she needed to sort through her own problems and to find more
about her own past.
The past… So much did she want to have it back. She briefly recalled
someone saying she’d have it back… sometime.
<Soon.>
Feeling a sudden wave of tiredness sweeping across her body, Tia snuggled
deep into the bedding; making herself as comfortable as possible before
drifting into sleep.
She was floating in nothingness. A black void of nothingness that left her
body in a comatose state yet allowed her mind to retain its awareness. But
what could her mind fathom of the dark depths that she had found herself in?
Was she dreaming?
She found it difficult to answer that particular question. She could be
dreaming but what sort of dream could summon her awareness like this? Dream
and reality _was_ only separated by a thin line of distinction that the
human awareness could differentiate.
Time held little meaning in this void she had woken up in. A second could
have lasted an eternity and still not finish. With little else to get her
mind off the tedium of cataloging the various shades of black, she was
quite close to loosing it. Every moment she spent here, the fears within
her was growing. She needed to find a way out of this. She had to or lose
what sanity she had left.
The dark void all around her suddenly changed.
Tia blinked. She was lying on the ground, her nose smelling the rich scent
of grass and flowers. She lay on a field where various flowering plants had
made their home. She recognized the place. The flower gardens atop the
mountain that overlooked the Crystal Palace. And sure enough, the Crystal
Palace gleamed in the distance; the sun's rays bouncing off the transparent
walls of the palace.
She had little chance to satisfy her curiosity as her surrounding shifted
once more. The palace was gone now, replaced by a door supported by two
large columns of black marble. The doors were etched in gold and bore the
mark that she found familiar.
Tears rolled down her cheeks as a faint memory stirred within her. The
twinge in her heart becoming unbearable once more. So much loss….
"Long have I awaited thy coming, child." a voice behind her pronounced.
"It is good to see that you have come at last."
Tia whirled around and found herself somewhere again. This time; however,
she was in a large high-ceilinged hall filled with various flora
decorating the entire hall; lending a calming effect that only the best Zen
gardens could hope to achieve. A small, bubbling artificial waterfall
gurgled in the distance. Its pristine waters circling the entire hall
through various canals built all over the floor of the hall.
A few feet from the platform she was standing on, lay a large circular
dais that gleamed dully as it reflected the light that rained down through
the crystal dome above.
As if on cue, dazzling globes of multicolored light appeared above a
brilliant pool of white light that seemed to have appeared all on its own
above the dais. The light globes hung over the pool; slowly revolving as
well as increasing in number and brilliance.
Without warning an amorphous cloud of silvery mist flowed out of the pool
of light and spreading all around the circular dais; whirling on imaginary
vortices of air. The multicolored light globes sparkled briefly before it
was sucked into the pool that was now swirling violently.
Tia shielded her eyes from the sudden glare that had flashed before her
eyes. Opening them once again, she was greeted by the sight of two women,
one shrouded in darkness whilst the other was shrouded in the light of her
very being.
Of what she could see of their features, only their eyes appeared to be
the only thing that she could clearly distinguish. Tia had no doubt that
these two were the ones who had apparently summoned for her presence.
"Why did you bring me here??" she demanded.
"The circle is complete. You will do well." spoke the woman who stood
cloaked in a veil of shadows that soaked up the light of its companion.
"The time has come!" pronounced the other in a clear voice that seemed to
echo from deep within her. "You will have that which you desired most."
"Wait!!" Tia pleaded. "Who are you?!!!"
"Remember now….." they chorused as they began to fade into the silvery mist.
"Wait!!!!" she pleaded at them.
It came without warning nor mercy. Liquid fire burned within her; pain
coursing through her body. She collapsed onto the floor; twitching in the
pain that she felt.
Tia groaned; feeling like every part of her body had been stretched out to
dry under a hot desert sun. Tired muscles protested the movements she was
willing it to do. From the reddish-orange glare of the sun; she deduced she
must have slept through lunch and the usual snack times Sasami and Mihoshi
seemed to adore.
"Some dream." She winced as a particularly nasty headache bloomed within
her. "Ouch." She said a bit weakly; sagging into the bed once more so as to
let the pain pass.
The door slammed open.
Tia winced as the sound carried back to her came very LOUD to her rather
_now_ sensitive hearing. Coupled with this headache she was suffering from,
it did little to help with her condition. Seeing she had little to offer
her a sudden guest, she did what she thought was most appropriate to her
current situation.
"Owwwwwww…" Tia moaned.
The sounds of small feet trudging directly for her did little to help her
in her current state. She was fervently wishing for a new brain. After all,
she was quite content with her looks. She just needed a replacement on her
brain. One of similar qualities to this one would surely do. She thought
Washuu would not begrudge her this one little request.
Tia did not need to glance at the person who so loomed before her; fists
at her waist. Red eyes flashed a grimly as one dainty foot tapped the floor
boards with an even rhythm.
"Hiii…." was all she could say to a rather irritated Sasami. One does not
wish to see an irritated Sasami; in just the same way as one did not try to
kill Mihoshi. Dire consequences await both thoughts. And Tia _really_ did
not want to know which one was worse.
"Hmp!" glared Sasami from her position. "Just how long are you going to
lie there moaning and tossing all over?"
She cast her the Evil eye and doing that looming thing that women did to
make them appear taller. She wondered just how they learn that? It
_certainly_ looked intimidating enough.
Tia sucked in a surprised – and painful --breath as Sasami unexpectedly
sat on her. Yet another of her vast arsenal of tactic she employed to make
people suffer more than they already were – specially those who've
irritated her.
Missing her cooking certainly ranked as one. Something about people
missing out on her cookings too often forced her into this sort of reaction.
"You missed lunch and snack time. Are you going to miss dinner as well? I
cooked your favorite." Knowing she could not bait the woman into leaving on
her own, she resorted to blackmail. People who's favorite food were set on
the table were more pliable to 'suggestions.'
Tia moaned; trying not to move too much. Movement seems to have quite an
adverse effect on her stomach. And right now, with her very soft bed was
bobbing up and down from the slightest body movement, it was a wonder why
she wasn’t turning blue or a healthy shade of purple.
It was times like this that she hated this bed.
"Owww…."
"You okay?" she asked, a bit worriedly this time.
Tia shook her head. "Nope. Got a large bucket handy?" Sasami blinked,
puzzled by her need for a bucket. "Forget it." she voiced out hoarsely.
"I’ll do it myself." With that, Tia ran down the stairs at warp speed,
dashing towards the safety and comfort of the baths and accidentally
spilling a rather speechless Sasami down on the floor with her haste.
Sasami, as always, quickly accepted the situation and left to start
dinner. It did little good to dwell on things she did not understand. For
now, it was better to just ignore all the strangeness and continue with
life as if nothing’s happened.
Ignorance was bliss, after all. Times like this that wisdom could be found
in those words. There were some great things one could actually learn from
Mihoshi. If the others simply tried to understand the strange woman better.
She liked her very much, more of a sister who actually showed just how much
she cared about everyone every so often.
Something that was quite refreshing around a house like this.
Now if only Kiyone would come home… she could have some fun again.
* * * * *
Washuu was not having a good night.
In fact, she’d almost do anything to have Mihoshi accidentally blunder her
way in here and set the self-destruct button like she almost did countless
times before. She might even go as far as do it herself right now. Nearly
twenty thousand years of her life had she foolishly wasted trying to stop
what she had once considered unstoppable. How could the others simply
cajole her into helping them with their plans?
She sighed, turning off the screen that was displaying two cute crabs
running back and forth in it. The lights from outside began to darken. No
time for dinner, she thought to herself as she heard Sasami’s familiar
voice echoing around the house.
"AAAaaaRRRRGGGHHHhhhh!!!!" Washuu clawed at her hair; almost on the verge
of tearing it out by the roots from frustration and anger. So much energy
and time spent to ensure that this one event would never happen. But it
did. And it seemed no matter what powers they possessed, it could do little
to stave off the inevitable.
<Damn me for being played the fool.> she thought.
"Damn Tokimi!!!"
* * * * *
Tia did not feel like moving from the comfort of the baths. She’d spent a
good deal of time here throwing up what was left of her breakfast and last
nights dinner.
Tia groaned still tasting the bile in her mouth. Not even the scented
water could alter the taste of it. Sighing, she decided it was better to
unwind inside the hot baths Washuu had thankfully installed in the women’s
portion of the bathroom. There were times when this form was good for some
things… And thank the heavens she was locked in this form for the time being…
The pools were thankfully empty as the others were busily eating dinner.
Right now, she did not feel like eating. All alone in here brought back the
things she saw in her dream. She did not need to hear the fact that she
could now remember what she could not before.
<Remember now….>
Tia groaned as her head began to throb painfully once more. She closed her
eyes; willing the pain to leave. It did not and only intensified. Tia bit
back a scream. She pulled herself out of the waters; only to stagger back
into it, face first.
Lungs burned to find more air. She barely registered this need as she
screamed at the pain she was feeling. The water served very well to muffle
these screams….
The pain was intense. Too much for even her to endure. White hot flashes
of pure pain streaked into the very center of her mind. Penetrating
defenses that she had learned and harnessed. She had her hands clapped at
the sides of her head. She was hardly breathing now but she paid this
little head.
Air. She needed to breath.
Her body reacted instinctively. She lurched to her feat once more and
staggered out of the of the pool. It took her a long while to get there as
the pain went through her again and again.
The pain. She endured it. Or tried to, at least until unconsciousness
claimed her.
She woke up once more; coughing up what water remained in her lungs. Her
head still throbbed with the pain. She sat back down on the shallow portion
of the pool to sort out her thoughts. The past was hers to remember now. To
hold and to keep. Right now, she did not feel like celebrating the return
of her memories.
*Oh, well. I got what I asked for. I guess I’ll have to live with all of it.*
"I should’ve learned from the last time." She muttered irritable to
herself. "But _Noooo_!!!!"
She was suddenly reminded of something an old friend of hers had once
remarked about her quest. 'Be careful with what you wish for, Radler.
Ignorance is disturbing, but knowledge can be _very_ painful.
Tia smiled. Wolfe forgot one thing though. Knowledge too was as dangerous
as wanting it.
* * * * *
A few hours after dinner, Washuu still was not feeling good. In fact, she
felt even worse. There were times when she envied Mihoshi.
The genius scientist Washuu did not feel very much like what her title
described her to be. Right now, she felt like the proverbial idiot. She
still had yet to get over the fact of how well she had been manipulated by
Tokimi.
Her console started to beep. She almost dove towards it from where she sat
on her floating pillow. She immediately called up the flag and found the
reasons for it.
Another battle was raging out in Nerima. The tenth she had registered in
the past month since Tia had been here. Her scanners; however, was picking
up another strange energy spike located near the vicinity of the battle.
Quite unlike the usual readings she had been registering for the past weeks.
This was not good.
She needed to get over there and see what she could do to help.
Fingers flew over the keyboard as she locked on her long range scanners at
the battle. Locking on to its location, she keyed in a series commands
before she disappeared.
The lab went dark. The only light came from the forgotten crystal that
hung where it had been last left. The crystal flashed briefly; its light
illuminating the darkened lab before it shattered into a million pieces.
"Washuu?" Tenchi called out as he appeared out of the maglift.
Harsh laughter greeted his arrival.
* * * * *
A blonde woman lounged upon the mass of pillows that had been thrown
haphazardly in one corner of the vast chamber that the Guardian Sisters
used to unwind from the stress their duties now entailed. She of all the
others loved – no! reveled – in this new found experiences. She gazed into
the crystal chalice that she held with her hand. The dark amber liquid
sloshed around the chalice when the woman had raised it into the air. She
stared at it for a while before drinking up the contents in one swig.
Upon closer inspection, one would attribute the words beauty in her honor.
She was, after all, breathtakingly stunning possessing of a maturity that
belied her age. Still, one would immediately detect the aura that this
woman projected.
So much darkness.
The woman known as Venus casually smashed the chalice with her fist,
unmindful of the blood that flowed from her wounded hand. Pulling herself
out of the mass of pillows, she went to a large, ornate full length mirror
and wiped her blood upon it.
Casting the necessary spells, the mirror’s surface swirled; first becoming
cloudy and darkening before these effects faded to reveal a city. One that
so many countries around the world boasted of. But one thing that set this
city apart was the prominent outline of the Tokyo Tower…..
<Yes. It’ll do perfectly.> she thought nastily.
Jupiter had once more failed with her plans. The screams emanating from
her room attested to just how mad she was. Her own spies had given her
their reports of yesterday’s battle. Even they were puzzled as to how
Mako-chan's plan had failed considering just how well into the trap the
prey was in.
Venus shook her head and disintegrated the report with her powers. She had
little time to think of how other people’s plots had failed them. She had
her own to hatch. Besides, she could make it up to her later tonight.
Yes. All she had to do was time her own plans with Mako-chan’s next strike.
She smiled. One that did not match the way she looked at the mirror and at
the scene it showed. It was far better to compare it to a predator about to
lead the kill of its prey….
The bait was set.
Time to wait and find out what she would catch with it. She had little
doubt about what it would be. Now, if only she could find out where good
old Ami-chan hid that weapon she stole from that world. It would certainly
help with her …. _other_… plans.
* * * * *
Ranma and Ryouga landed heavily on the practice mats. Their breathing
coming in ragged gasps as both fought to feed starving lung tissues. Tired
muscles protested angrily at the extent that they were being driven. Sweat
plastered both clothing and hair to their skins. Ranma, tongue lolling out
like he was starving or something, sucked in the air as fast as possible
while his mind kept asking himself how he kept getting himself into these
things. Ryouga was glumly thinking along those same lines.
Ifurita smirked from her corner. She had already replaced her formal
battlewear with a yellow cotton blouse and black silk pants. She hardly was
sweating from her exertion but was breathing rather hard. She was most
pleased with the way the their sparring sessions were going. And so long as
their enemies kept quiet for a while more, they should be able to up their
defense capability by a BIG margin.
An amused Mizuki, wearing shorts, sat near the wall. While her own
training was done for the day with Ifurita, she had decided to stay to
watch her brother and Ryouga train as well as take a damn breather. Having
a week practically spending every after school time on training did a lot
to a human body. She hated it but she knew that it was also necessary.
In their case, VERY necessary.
Even Chibiusa trained whenever she could find some time off her own
training under Sayoko's care.
The training had left Ryouga and Ranma with a firmer physique not to
mention a lot more stamina for taking extended punishments. Although, she
privately though that Ranma really didn't need it considering that he
_should_ have one if he could survive Dr. Akane's prescribed daily mallet
dosages.
The extended and harsh training techniques had left their mark on the two.
While she was not being worked as hard as these two, she still had her own
share of pain and stresses from her own training. Mousse had been training
under the guidance of Sayoko as she had claimed the guy had some sort of
untapped power within him that allowed him to keep all those stuff under
his sleeves.
Then again, most of Ranma's female acquaintances could pull off almost
anything they desired from out of nowhere. Of course, seeing a guy do that
was another thing. She wondered if Ryouga counted. He often did make use
of those disposable bandannas of his….
Ranma was still trying to renew his acquaintance with the life-giving air
called oxygen when Ifurita mercilessly resumed the training session. Ranma
groaned. If someone killed him right now, he’s liable to pay the person –
if he was alive, that is. A second groan, this time a lot louder, issued
from his lips. Three more hours ‘til they finished THIS session. He was
gonna be sore all over in school tomorrow, he thought grimly.
"All right, let's try that again shall we?." Ifurita spoke up as the two
combat-weary males slowly lifted themselves off the mat. "Hopefully, both
of you just _might_ get me." she added with a smile.
Both emitted double groans.
The woman was damn fast. Faster than any of them could be. Tagging the
woman was going to be murder on the both of them.
Mizuki made a futile gesture to suppress the giggle that bubbled from her
throat. Both males gave her the evil eye but she just shrugged it off. She
sighed as her mind wandered to her dreams of last night. She shivered; as
if still feeling what had she had seen in those visions. What were they and
what relevance did it have to them? Something in the back of her mind kept
bugging her. What it was, she could not place but felt it important in a
way. And somehow, this training would be one of the keys in surviving
whatever it was that was supposed to happen.
Her mood lightened a bit as she watched both combatants on the practice
mats try to avoid the ‘toned-down’ force bolts she shot at the both of them
while they tried to nail her with the techniques she had taught them. As to
be expected, Ranma’s overconfidence resulted in getting nailed squarely on
the chest and legs. While Ryouga’s penchant for in-range combat brought him
some added pain in his torso area. Both winced slightly; both concentrated
on trying to ignore the pain they were feeling while remaining alert to any
attacks she might fling at them. With Ifurita, not even God would know what
she'd hurl at them.
One thing Mizuki noticed of her brother and Ryouga was that, while both
were obviously very good, they tended to ignore other possible areas to
exploit. Still, both were well versed in combat – both in fair and *unfair*
tactics. But this limited their options and thus prevented them from
becoming full masters of their selves. She hoped that both found out about
it before their respective arrogance killed them.
Ranma launched a fury of blows; each aimed at making his opponent back out
enough for him to utilize another technique.
"White Serpent Strike!"
Ifurita found herself assaulted by Ranma’s glowing hand as it touched
vital points all over her body. It should have worked – if she had been
human. The attack still caught her by surprise and even if they did not
work the way they should have, it still caused quite a bit of pain. She
smiled in spite of the pain she felt.
It seemed that Ranma had evaluated her pattern before revealing his true
abilities. Too bad he had a bad tendency to overestimate his opponents. She
avoided the next blow and landed a fierce uppercut on his jaw; sending him
sprawling back and crashing into a section of wall. Ifurita jumped with
surprising agility and speed. She landed just before Ranma could hit the
wall and caught him with a fierce swing of her staff.
Ranma gasped as he found himself embedded on the floor; pain coursing
throughout his battered body. He groaned as he groggily tried to stand up,
his breath whooshed out of him as a piece of metal slammed home on his
stomach. He doubled over once more as he sucked in vast amounts of air into
his system. Fighting the spots that swam in his field of vision, he stood
up; intent on extracting vengeance.
Ranma; disregarding the pain he was feeling leapt away. Ifurita gave him
little chance to regroup as she intercepted him in the air. Ranma dodged
the oncoming attack but was surprised by what came next. A hundred blows
rained down on his chest a second. The force of those punches flung him
towards a nearby wall.
Ifurita blinked as she watched the young martial artist twist around so
that his feat landed first. Using the wall as a springboard, Ranma leapt up
to greet the floating woman. Ifurita raised her staff to block the strike
but was astonished to find that Ranma had expertly changed his trajectory
at the last moment. Ranma grinned impishly as he sat on one end of the staff.
Ifurita just smiled nastily and sent a powerful electroshock to deal with
the young man.
Mizuki groaned as Ryouga slapped one hand on his face. There were times
when Ranma was such an ass…
Ryouga cocked his head to the side; his hawk-like senses alerting his body
to an impending attack. Instincts honed from years of combat and dodging
flying objects and the like as P-chan had allowed him to dodge the strike
aimed at him by Ifurita. He rolled out of the way as a steady stream of
energy bolts rained down from above.
He executed a hand spring to lift him into the air as his fists started
charging up his own ‘chi’ shots. A thin bar of energy leapt from his hands,
growing larger as it left. Still, Ifurita saw it coming light years away
and blocked it with a negligent sweep of her power key staff. However, what
she did not see was that Ryouga had used this opportunity to hit her with a
number of baby Shishi Hokoudan. It did little damage but provided enough of
an opening for Ryouga to slip in a couple of hard, well-directed hits; the
last one sending her hurtling at very high speeds towards the rear of the
training hall.
Ryouga smiled as Mizuki cheered him on.
Seeing that her velocity was too high for her to stop in time, she decided
to just ‘phase’ through the wall. Ryouga’s jaw dropped to the ground at
this. Ranma was not in mood to be surprised as he was still effectively
down considering the amount of juice she had poured on him.
It took a while for him to regain his bearing once more but that did not
last long as their sparring partner reappeared; wearing a very pleased
expression on her face. After a week of hard combat ‘simulation,’ they had
managed to get through _some_ of her defenses. Seeing that both were tired,
she idly toyed with giving them some rest.
A small smile escaped her lips. <Nah.> With that, she pressed on with the
attack.
Ranma and Ryouga had a split-second of time to emit tired groans as both
individuals readied themselves for her onslaught. She was fast – faster
than both had thought possible. She was practically all over the place;
raining blows which both fighters managed to dodge somehow. Ranma scanned
the hall with his battle senses since sight and hearing were proving
useless now. she was _FAST!!
Ryouga had his fangs bared as he tried to catch the woman who was
harassing him. He let out a low growl as he moved to intercept her; having
judged here destination. Ranma, having spotted her as well jumped up and
over Ryouga. He swung a kick aimed at what had been initially ‘thin air.’ A
startled ‘oooOOF’ was all Ryouga needed as he launched a hail of
‘chi’-reinforced bandannas at her. Unfortunately for him, she had raised a
shield to counter his bandannas.
"Hey! No fair!" protested a startled Ryouga. He was even more startled as
he was casually flung aside by Ifurita's greater strength. A pulse blast
followed him into and through the wall. Ryouga groaned; pulling himself up
before collapsing on the ground; unconscious. Having rid herself of him,
she swung around just in time to avoid Ranma’s sweepkick.
She ducked under another flurry of punches and delivered a blow to Ranma’s
stomach once more. Ranma, having learned earlier, sucked in his stomach
before she had a chance to hit it. She missed but the butt of her staff
connected with his chin quite nicely. Ranma winced painfully but had
managed to deliver his own hit in.
Ifurita felt her breath whoosh out of her.
Both combatants were flung to opposite walls and stayed there for quite a
bit. It could be observed that Ranma was straining his body to continue
while Ifurita was just a tad bit winded.
"Break!!" Ifurita called out.
Ranma answered this call by collapsing on the ground.
* * * * *
Sayoko glanced at the others who were panting heavily on the dojo floor.
She was amazed at the rate that these martial artists were soaking up these
new techniques that the woman Ifurita was teaching them. They were quite
precocious indeed. But then, why was she surprised? These people break down
walls, throw an unlimited number of anything closely resembling a weapon,
punt people into orbit, smash people with giant sized mallets from nowhere,
and fight amongst themselves in no time flat.
Why _EVER_ could she ever be surprised?
She smirked. The answer was obvious. Given the fact that they normally
fought over anything, they’d casually put aside their differences against
anyone who dare to threaten their lives. Ranma and his friends stuck
together in whatever crisis they faced no matter what the odds. Yes.
Somehow, Radler had found, for her, what could be the perfect guardians for
the Moon Princess.
She nodded.
It seemed right. They were masters in the manipulation of their ‘chi.’
Something the Guardian Sisters were woefully incapable of doing. Their
‘chi’ attacks so far out of the norm that it wasn't funny anymore.
They were indeed gifted. Perhaps they were what Radler had been looking
for all this time. She was quite interested about the way they manipulated
it. Dangerous yet never life threatening. Although, one slight drawback
would be the terrible amount of _PAIN_ someone would have to endure when
they get hit with one. A definite plus. Hurting someone badly was
preferable to killing. Even she was sick with all the killings back in
their time.
She’d seen them use one that could actually kill someone. They used it
only once, however. And it was damn near effective an attack as she’d ever
seen. Rei-chan was at the receiving end of it too.
They were powerful in their own way. They did not fight unless it was
warranted. Sure, some may rebuke _that_ particular claim considering the
way they keep on ‘arguing’ with one another. But that wasn’t important.
They knew how to fight and they deeply cared for one another – even if they
never bother to show it. In the end, that might just be the thing to keep
them all together.
She glanced about the room until she locked on to Ifurita’s lithe
dancer's figure near the entrance of the dojo where she was cooling off in
the cold night air that wafted through the wide open doors.
She sighed. Ifurita was ever the mysterious warrior as she made herself
look. Definitely drop dead gorgeous and with a damn lithe figure to make
females – including herself -- cry over in bed. If she had been a male,
she’d definitely make a pass on Ifurita. She gave a tired sigh. Like she
wasn’t thinking of kinky thoughts right now.
The woman was a big enigma to her. One moment she was prone to avoid any
fighting as if somehow she was afraid -- not for her safety but for her
enemies. The next, she became an absolute demon of the battlefield where
no one living or dead could dare to touch her.
Ifurita fought unlike any of the others. She had experience, Sayoko was
sure. Why then did she appear to be holding back against the enemy? She
sighed; wondering just what she was to do. She barely trusted the woman and
yet she could not help feel attached to the woman. She felt as if both of
them had shared something in their individual pasts.
"I need to talk to you." someone before her asked.
Sayoko yelped; nearly jumping out of her skin with the way the woman had
come up to her so suddenly. Ifurita gave an amused smile before she fled
the dojo. Sayoko stretched up a bit before following the woman towards the
gardens.
Under the amber glow of moonlight, the place looked very peaceful and
relaxing. Just the way the owner had once made it to be. The fish in the
pond were content that their aquatic home remained undisturbed and were
making the very best of it.
Ifurita gazed sadly at the skies. The moon was a muted amber orb that lit
the darkened heavens. She wished Makoto was around. She missed him
terribly. But he needed to be sent back to El-Hazard to get some added
help. This world stood in dire peril should the Eye's abductors used its
deadly powers. But that did not lessen what she felt in her heart. She
could never give voice to her longings.
She could never be human.
Ifurita started as she heard someone behind her loudly cleared her throat.
"Ifurita?" Sayoko hesitantly spoke.
She did not like the woman one bit. Only the fact that her charge liked
the woman stopped her from doing something to send the woman away. It
wasn't the fact that she was envious or anything but something about the
woman greatly disturbed her. She did not like this fleeting feeling of fear
she found in her heart whenever she was this close to the woman.
Whatever it was she felt, she liked it not one bit. Then, there was that
tiny – yep.. TINY – voice that spoke within her. It whispered to her of the
wrongness of her thoughts but like any other human being since the dawn of
time, she failed to listen too well. [There goes that famous female
instinct!!]
"Sorry." apologized a still spaced out Ifurita. Sayoko had to admit the
woman held little trace of the cold arrogance that had been present with
her since she had first appeared. Here before her was a woman who was lost
in an ocean of despair and unspoken fears.
"You okay?" she asked, a trace of worry in her voice. She wasn't _ all _
that heartless!
Silence reward her effort of appearing to care. Sayoko sighed knowing full
well what the woman was thinking. She wasn't quite the mind reader her
sister was but knew enough of body language to figure out that something
was truly bothering the woman whom she had conveniently labeled as the Ice
Queen.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, a bit of heat creeping up on her
voice.
"You don't like me." Ifurita suddenly spoke up; her tone suggested –
implied – that this was true and could not be refuted. "Why?" she asked,
her voice cold and emotionless as the face that gazed at her.
Sayoko had little intention in backing down on this battle of wills. The
woman was positively irritating her. Setting her thoughts firmly on
permacrete, she prepared herself for what would be a stimulating talk.
"Perhaps its because something about you doesn't exactly ring too true?"
half-mused Sayoko with a bit of heat. "Or is it because I just plain don't
like you for no other reason than because I hate you."
The woman shook her blue hair. The light of the amber moon playing with
the shadows that lurked in her pale face. "No." she stated with surety.
"Not that. Nor has it ever been that." Ifurita told her cryptically. "No. I
know the reasons why." Sayoko chose to protest but Ifurita simply rode over
her vehement objections. "The truth is that you distrust me. My very
presence upsets you. As well as it should."
Sayoko blinked in confusion. She felt she had missed something when
Ifurita's words reached her ears. "Huh?!!"
"I am Ifurita. The inhabitants of El-Hazard call me the Demon Goddess. The
destroyer of all that was righteous and true. A soulless being that served
those who had the power to control me. That is what I am to them and to all
those who were yet to be born." Ifurita gazed sadly upon her reflection on
the calm surface of the pond. Her eyes held the visions of the countless
she had slain.
Sayoko stared; rendered speechless by what she had just heard. This was
not what she had envisioned. They were supposed to fight over something
other than this! Something as pointless as what usually ticked off any of
the others.
But not this!!
"I've lived for thousands of years. Serving masters whose very souls were
devoid of anything. They made me. Built me and gave me these abilities that
none could hope to challenge. I was given life for one purpose and one
purpose alone. To destroy what they wish me to. In my hands lay the
judgment they wish me to give."
"Goddess…" murmured a shocked Sayoko. These things the woman told her. She
knew them as true. She could feel its truth from the tone the woman used
when she spoke of it. It was the same one she had seen so many people used
when they recounted events they'd rather have buried under a thousand tons
of rubble.
"My creators, feeling that their automaton lacked something relatively
simple but important decided to give me an awareness that I've branded as a
curse since the moment I woke up. I had a will but one that would submerge
when the possessor of my staff – " Ifurita summoned her staff from its
usual place of concealment. [No.. Not where people stuff their mallets,
extra clothes, weapons to use for killing just about anyone… you know] The
staff glowed bluish, the twin transparent orbs set along the length of it
emitting a strange glow characteristic of what ball lightning tend to
appear. "My staff. The Power Key Staff. The source of my energy. With it in
my hands, I am invincible. For with this, do I deliver death."
Ifurita eyed the woman she was with. She could not fault the woman for
feeling this way. Even Makoto had been disturbed by it all when he had
first seen that which she had told this woman.
<It had to be done.> she insisted on herself. She hated it. The memories
of what she had done in the past were still sharp in her mind. Makoto had
helped her through it all but that had not been enough to stem pain she
felt whenever she thought about it.
"Sayoko," she began once more. She eyed the shell-shocked woman beside her
with some concern. People who tend to hear her life story often reacted
most adversely to it. This woman was strange one though. "I don't expect
you to understand all that's what I've told you. I wouldn't blame you for
how you're acting right now. Definitely understandable. Most would have
acted a lot more violently than just staring dumbly at me like that. My
life had been one hell of a curse. Death came at my beckoning like some
trained dog. It was there when I needed it. I claimed more lives than
anyone could possibly imagine. And I am their prisoner. I hear their cries
of pain and suffering. All of which I had callously inflicted upon them."
Ifurita paused; her thoughts filled with the visions she had seen
countless times in her sleep. Makoto had always been there for her; but now
that she had sent him away for a while, she did not know who to turn to in
her hour of need.
Perhaps that was the reason she was turning to this woman for comfort. Why
she was telling the woman her life's story. She shook her head. Whatever it
was, it paled against the need to gain this woman's trust.
Trust.
Something she had little of before one unassuming Earthling came to her
life and changed it to the way it was now. Someone who had given her the
freedom that she had longed for.
"I know that I cannot change the things about my past; but I can, at
least, make amends for my crimes. That is why I am here, Sayoko." She
looked directly into the woman's eyes. "I can chose my fights now unlike
before. I'm here because I see the need in that child's eyes. Ranma and the
others may be good but not _that _ good to take on the child's hunters for
too long."
"I wish to atone for my faults. I want to help. That's it. Nothing else."
She stressed those final few syllables to emphasize her point.
"What about the Eye?" Sayoko asked.
"I have to return it before the situation in my world grows any worse."
She gazed longingly at the stars, her thoughts centered upon one
individual. "If you want," she began, turning her attention to her
companion, "when this is all over, you might want to visit my world. It
isn't much but its one great place to relax. Just don't mind the bugs that
keep visiting now and then." She added as an afterthought.
"BUGS?!" Sayoko glanced; wearing a puzzled frown.
"Well…."
And so began her tale of her homeworld. Of all her memories, those were
the times she cherished the most since she had first gained consciousness.
It wasn't much but to her it was one time in her life that she was glad to
have been who she was.
Makoto. Yes. She'd be glad to be his wife. He's proposed to her already
but it was one she had yet to decide upon. Makoto knew of what she was but
even that had not stopped him from proposing to her. Too bad it had to be
postponed because someone was nice enough to steal the Eye of God from
under their noses. You'd think they'd had noticed it considering the place
where Makoto had proposed to her.
Quite a bit of time had been taken with Ifurita's tale of deceit and
blunders. Sayoko was very much entertained by it all and by the time it was
finally over, she had revised her opinion of the woman greatly.
Enough to call her….
"Friends?" Sayoko offered.
Ifurita blinked. It wasn't often someone actually said that to her. Most
people, including those in the Royal Palace, feared her and generally
avoided her company for too long. No telling what a person like her could
do if she's insulted or something.
She smiled wryly at that thought. She eyed the proffered hand.
Here was a woman who was offering her just that. Friendship. Pure,
unconditional friendship. She was a fool not to have accepted it.
Ifurita smiled. "Yes. I’d love that."
Ifurita did the one thing she had never done before in her life. For the
first time, she truly pulled down her defenses and allowed her true self to
emerge. Something she had never done in all the thousands of years she had
lived.
Sayoko grasped the woman's hand and shook it. For her, the woman's
confessions had laid to rest all her doubts and misgivings of the woman.
Her tale was one of woe. And the things she had seen in the woman's eyes
proved it all true.
Now she understood. And for the first time in a long time was she glad
that she had been wrong. This woman was as scared as she was -- or the rest
of those back in her timeline.
"Tea anyone?" someone asked.
Both started; nearly jumping out of their skins from fright. They were
born warriors. Trained in the arts of fighting for many a number of human
lifespans. They've honed their bodies to a fine edge. All who had dared to
slay them in stealth and deceit were met with utter failure. They were the
perfect warriors. Fearless and possessing little hesitance in killing
anyone who opposed them. Their senses unique in a way that allowed them to
detect and deter any threats who came their way.
And yet, someone had managed to get through all that.
To see Kasumi Tendo sneak up on them was most disturbing.
"Tea?" Kasumi repeated in her good-natured voice that somehow set them
both at ease.
Both stared at one another for a brief moment before nodding their heads
in agreement. Kasumi had such a wonderful way of making them feel so very
safe.
"Hai!" both chorused.
Laughter soon followed, something people at this particular dojo had heard
little of.
* * * * *
Tia lay in her bed; staring disconsolately at the ceiling as if trying to
derive answers to earth-shaking questions that plagued her thoughts with
worry. She needed to be with Chibiusa. Every moment she stayed her meant
another second of added dangers to her charge.
The pesky, little girl she had been forced to stand in wait with all those
years ago had managed to bury herself in her heart. She cared for the
little one like she was her own daughter. She hated leaving the kid alone.
And even with Ranma and his friends around to help guard her, it did not
alleviate her fears. She trusted Ranma to see to her safety and she had
little doubt of them being able to stand up against the Sisters on their
own. What she worried about was that none of them -- even Chibi -- knew
enough of the Sisters to guess at their possible plans of action.
That worried her to no end.
But, then again, she'd have to get herself back to fighting condition.
Which was still a long way off considering the problems she was having even
making a stupid light sphere.
Tia cursed. Hateful as it seemed, she had to wait until the proper time.
It would not serve to fight at her current power levels. The others would
cream her in a second if they found out she was still alive.
From all the reports she'd managed to wheedle out of Washuu, things did
not look all that promising at the moment. Things were awfully quite around
Nerima ever since that last battle not a few days gone.
That was not a good sign.
What could possibly be keeping them from pressing their advantage? It's
not like they were the type to play fair. Sure, they work alone, but the
others usually exploited what weakness they could find against the rebels.
Why were they waiting?
It was right there in front of her!!
"What could it be that I'm missing?!!" she fumed acidly.
Tia blinked. Mist had mysteriously surrounded the floor of her room. Blue
eyes narrowed as she watched the mist slowly coalesce into an image of a
regal woman with hair that trailed down the floor.
<Wow.> she thought. <Must be tough cleaning that.> She knew from numerous
experience just what a hassle it was to have hair as thick and as long as
hers especially when bathing. She wondered how this woman lived with such
hair.
"Patience, young one." spoke the woman. Her voice having that strange
melodic quality that Serenity also had. "You will be at your charge side
when the time is right. For now, rest and regain your strength. The battle
has barely begun and you will need all of your power when it truly does
begin."
"Who are you?!" Tia wanted to know.
The mysterious woman smiled. One that conveyed an array of things. "Time
will come, little one. Only then will you truly understand what your role
in all of this." With that, the woman faded. The mist that had formed the
woman had completely broken down and dissipated one more. But not before
she saw the sadness in the strange woman's eyes.
"Who are you?!" she asked, her voice pleading to be heard.
<In time you will understand my reasons….. my son.>
Tia, mouth hanging open, stared. Her mind’s eyes fixed upon the shadow
that she saw within. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
<Okaa-san……> Then she screamed it out once more with all her heart and soul.
"Ooookaaaaa-saaannnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Tenchi and the other male residents promptly fell off the roof where the
two elder Misakis had been enjoying their unrestricted viewing of the women
who bathed in the hot baths Washuu had recently redesigned.
Ryoko, who was at the time, dead drunk, as usual, fell off the timber
bracing of the roof and promptly fell flat on her face and was definitely
wide awake now.
"The time has come. The true battle has now begun." whispered an older
Sasami.
=========
And so ends another portion of Angel's Chronicles.
Kinda larger than the others. Well, this is just about as far as I can go
for now. Expect the next one to be way shorter than this monster I've made.
Argh!!! Anyway, with this other fic I'm now writing, it might be a while
before I set to work on editing the next chapter.
I hope you enjoyed reading this one.
Any comments and suggestions are most welcome.
BTW: Is the Newbie forum still around. I haven't heard a peep from Josh and
the rest... You people still around. I'd like to know....
==============================================
RADLER <radler@tri-isys.com>
All praise the names of the Red-Haired Goddess
Nene-chan and Icer-2
"They're so damn kawaii!!!"
==============================================
"TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON, AND A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN"