(Scene:  SKJAM!'s study, the wizard and Officer Midori still presiding.)

Kira:  I can't believe you talked me into doing this for something with 
over 20 chapters!

SKJAM!:  So who knew?

Lurker: Turk 182 knew. That's who.

Foreword: This is where I *really* begin to take some creative

liberties.

Kira:  Well, so far you've killed a couple of people who would normally 
be alive (though they're still moving) and kept a couple of people alive 
who should be dead...Going to be tough to top that.

Lurker: ^_^

If I manage to screw anything up *too* badly, be sure to flag me on it.
Special thanks to Jorge Pratt, who provided some much-needed missing

info,

and gave some great plot suggestions for this act, helping me shape the
coming chapters more smoothly.

SKJAM!:  Smooth, supple shapes...

Hikaru: Anou...was that a hentai comment?

	Chapter 19: Quests

Kira:  Sea, Johnny, for Tomorrow...

Lurker: I'll refrain from comment on that atrocious pun...

	Akane, Ryouga, Ukyou, Mousse, and Shampoo stood gathered in Presea's
Armory, along with the master weaponsmith herself, Clef, and Cologne.
	"You'll all be pleased to know that I've located the Escudo," Presea

said.

"Unfortunately, it's on the other side of Cephiro."

SKJAM!:  The under side, where they all talk with Australian accents.

Skuld: <blinks> Is Brett-san reading this?

Lurker: <shakes head> He's on vacation.

Skuld: <phew>

	Everyone groaned. They knew just how big Cephiro was.

Kira:  They've seen an accurate map with scale indicated?

Lurker: Uhhh...yeah! Yeah, that's it...

	"However," Presea said, "By caravan, we can cover the distance in

under a

week."

SKJAM!:  A week?  That's either a very fast caravan, or Cephiro is a very

small planet.

A little of both. After all, they'll be using spirit beasts to pull the
wagons...

 > 	The young warriors blinked. "Caravan?"

	Presea grinned. "I've had Prince Ferio arrange for transportation,"

she

said. 

Kira: (Ferio voice) Hello, U-Haul?

Lurker: <groan>

	Clef interrupted. "I can summon several land-roaming seijyu, which can
pull wagons," he said. "Ferio will provide the wagons."

SKJAM!: o/~ Seijyu, don't feel so bad, take a sad song, and make it 
better ~\o

Lurker: <scowls, and bonks SKJAM!>

	"Clef, Cologne, and myself will be accompanying you," Presea

continued.

"I'm taking along a special wagon, so that I can craft your weapons as

soon

as you retreive the Escudo."

Kira:  "retrieve"

Lurker: Ack. Typo demon. <borrows Skuld's mallet and whacks the bastich>

	The warriors were agreeable to that prospect. "Clef and I will be

coming

along," Cologne said, "to train you during the hours in which we are

not

traveling."

SKJAM!:  Ryouga, you'll be happy to hear that everyone else will be 
getting to have giant rocks swung at them.  For you, we have 
something...advanced.

Lurker: <snicker>

the tunnel system of the Wasteworms, south of Edosel Canyon, in the
wastelands of Cephiro."

Kira:  Now, were the Wasteworms named after the wastelands...or vice 
versa? 

Lurker: Good question!

	Clef frowned. "That's dangerous territory, especially in the tunnels
themselves."

SKJAM!:  You wouldn't believe the muggers.

Lurker: Oh yeah. Nothing like being held up by a humongous nightcrawler for
your wallet...

	Presea nodded. "Hai, it is. You'll all have to be extra-careful. In

the

wastes of Cephiro dwell giant carrion worms...and they don't

particularly

care if their meals are dead yet or not."

Kira:  Oi, Cyril, are they dead yet?

SKJAM!:  Don't know, Edmund.  Shall we have a bite to find out?

Kira:  Don't mind if I do.

Lurker: <facefault>

	"Not to worry, though. You have your weapons, your fighting skills,

and

your magic. You should be alright. The Escudo is buried in the Nest

region

of the tunnels. You'll have to be on guard at all times while

retrieving

it. Find it, and make it out of the tunnels, and I'll make your

weapons."

	Ferio entered. "The wagons are ready."
	Ryouga raised a fist to the sky. "Let's do it!" The group cheered an
affirmative, and filed out to the wagons.

Kira: o/~ Load 'em up, move 'em out, roll along, RAWHIDE ~\o

Lurker: <pulls a whip out of hyperspace and makes Kira's hide raw>

	Lantis smiled. "Reminds me a little of Autozam," he said. "Only not as
bright, I think."

Kira:  Yes, Earth's definitely less intelligent.

Lurker: Beam me up, Scotty. There's no intelligent life on this planet.

	Umi's brow furrowed. "Autozam?"

SKJAM!:  And in a flash of lightning, she became Optimus Prime!

Lurker: <groan>

	Ranma nodded. "I know what you mean. I spent a lot of my time in the
wilderness over the last decade, training with my Pop. We've only been

back

in the Tokyo area for a year now. When I was in China, I didn't see

many

places where stuff had been cut down or paved over. It was nice. Clean

air,

water you could drink without having to boil it first..."

SKJAM!:  (Ranma voice)  Of course, we also avoided any city with normal 
people in it too...Only visited small villages with weird customs.

Lurker: <snicker>

	The three natives of Earth sighed. Lantis shook his head.

"Unbelievable,

that people could be so destructive to their own world..."

Kira:  Your brother's girlfriend wasn't very kind to hers until

reminded...

Lurker: Funny how they always forget stuff like that, ne?

	The group continued on in silence for a while, until they reached the
train station.
	"We're going to need supplies, if we're going to have to go to China,"
Ranma said as the group sat down on a vacant bench some distance from

the

ticket windows.
	Fuu nodded. "Also, there's one other thing: we're in our own world

now, so

time is going to pass."

SKJAM!:  It goes down the field to Eternity, and it's good!  SCORE!  The 
crowd goes wild!

Lurker: <grabs Skuld's mallet, and *whacks* SKJAM!>

	Umi nodded. "Which means our families are going to be sick with worry
about us."
	Ranma frowned, and rubbed his chin. "The two of you live in the Juuban
area, right?"
	Fuu nodded. "Hai, Ranma-san."

Kira:  (Fuu voice) For fun, I get drained by youma.

Lurker: <groan>

	"Hikaru lives there too, I recall..." Ranma paused to think for a

moment.

SKJAM!:  Lived is more accurate...

Lurker: It wouldn't be nice to talk about her in the past tense...she's
listening in...

"Mokona?"
	"Puu?"
	"Do you think you can create some documents that look official enough

to

convince Umi and Fuu's families that they're going to China as exchange
students?"

Kira:  While Umi and Fuu stay here in Japan?

Lurker: <piku> Baka...

	"I take back a third of the bad things I ever said about you, Mokona,"

Umi

said. Mokona beamed.

SKJAM!:  The destructive rays destroyed the nearby train.

Lurker: <groan>

Skuld: <sweatdrop> Does he *ever* run out of bad puns?

Hikaru: Nope. He's been making them ever since chapter 1.

Skuld: <cringe>

	"Okay, here's the plan," Ranma said. "You two should go see your

families,

and tell them you'll be away for a while. Meet back at the Tendou Dojo

in

Nerima, and we'll stay there until we've got everything we need for the
trip."

Kira:  Um, I don't think the other girls know where the dojo is.  
Everyone met at the Nekohanten...

Lurker: Hey, *everyone* is able to find the Dojo. Think about it.

	Mokona tuned the group out for a moment, scanning the ticket windows.

It

frowned in concentration. Meanwhile, Fuu asked, "What about you,

Ranma-san?

What will you be doing while we're with our families?"

SKJAM!:  (Ranma voice) Enjoying life without any of my fiancees! Bwahaha!

Lurker: <grin>

	"Puu!" Mokona nodded. It shoved the green wallet towards Fuu with its
foot. It then shoved the red one towards Ranma.

Kira:  He stared at it, never having heard of putting one's money in a 
container before.

Lurker: And when did he ever actually have money to put in one? <g>

	"I get it!" Ranma said. "The blue one's for Umi, then, and the black

one

is for Lantis."
	"Puu!" The four retrieved their respective wallets. Umi looked inside
hers, and gasped. "What the--? Where'd you come up with all this,

Mokona?"

SKJAM!:  In other news today, the First Tokyo Bank was robbed at gempoint

by a small round white animal of unknown species.  Jyuusenkyo springs are

believed to be involved.

Lurker: <chuckle>

	Fuu looked around for a moment, and her eyes caught on the ticket

windows.

"I see," she mused. "Mokona-san provided us with train fare," she said.
Counting hers, she added, "And a little extra."
	"Puu."
	"Sugoi, Mokona!" Umi said. "I take back another third of the mean

things I

ever said about you."

SKJAM!:  But to get rid of the last third, you have to introduce her to a

handsome young millionaire.

Lurker: <snicker>

	After Umi and Fuu boarded their train, Lantis and Ranma spent some

time

making plans. Both knew what a long wilderness hike entailed, having

been

on them many times. While they talked, Mokona began grimacing, as

though it

was constipated. Ranma noticed, and frowned. "Mokona? What's wrong?"

SKJAM!:  (Ranma voice)  I ain't got no prune juice.

Lurker: <groan>

	"Puuu...." Mokona said, its voice strangled. It shuddered violently

for a

moment, and then began to hunch down. It looked for all the world like

the

egg-shaped rabbit was going to relieve itself. Ranma glanced around
nervously, hoping nobody was watching. 

Kira:  And him without his pooper scooper.

Lurker: Heh...

	Suddenly, there was a loud *pop*, and something glitterly tumbled away

SKJAM!:  "glittery"

Lurker: <blink> Urk. How the hell did *that* happen? <sets traps for typo
demons>

from Mokona, bounced twice on the ground, and fluttered up into

Lantis's

hair, hiding. Ranma blinked.
	Mokona, for its part, looked immensely relieved.

"Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu," it

said.
	"You sure did," Ranma remarked, earning a glare from the creature.
Meanwhile, a tiny voice  rang out from Lantis's hair, "Laaaannntiiisss!

Did

you see what that horrible creature did to me?"
	Lantis blinked. "Primera?" Oddly, he realized that there had not been

a

trace of the fairy since they'd arrived on Earth.

Kira:  In fact, not since before their trip to Lake Eterna.  It is a 
testament to Primera's importance that absolutely *no one* had noticed.

Lurker: Primera serves two purposes. One is to annoy people. The other,
you'll find out later. 

	"It aaaaate meeeeeeeee!!!!" Primera wailed. "Kiiiilllll iiiiit,
pleeeeeaaaaaaase?"
	Ranma rolled his eyes. Mokona acted cute.
	Lantis sighed. "Primera, please, calm down. We're on another world,

and I

don't think they believe in fairies here."
	This only served to make Primera cry more. 

SKJAM!:  Lantis!  Don't you know a fairy dies every time a child says "I 
don't believe in fairies?"  Quick, everyone start clapping to save 
Primera's life!

	(dead silence)

SKJAM!:  Oh well.  Small loss.

Lurker: <cackle>

	There was a pause in the wailing. "If it *promises*," Primera said.
	"Puu," Mokona offered solemnly.
	"Sounds like a promise to me," Ranma said. Lantis idly wondered how

the

martial artist understood Mokona. 

SKJAM!:  Sadly, Ranma did not understand Mokona.  What it had actually 
said translates out to "I like eating her, and I'll do it again as soon 
as your backs are turned."

Lurker: <snicker> It probably will!

	 "So, what do we do now?" Lantis asked.
	Ranma looked apprehensive for a moment, then said, "First, I need a

cup of

cold water. Then, we have a family to reunite." Without warning, Ranma
slipped out of consciousness.

Kira:  (Primera voice) I'm booored!

Lurker: Kusooooooo.............<pulls out a fairyswatter>

Hikaru: <sweatdrop> Anou....calm down, Lurker-kun...

	<You...you just, gotta be with your family, Hikaru. Even if it's just

for

a little while. To let them know you're alive. I don't wanna see them

hurt

the same way I see my mom hurt when she doesn't find me at the dojo.

I...I

don't wanna see you hurt, either. I know you miss 'em. You can be with
them. There's not any kind of stupid promise hangin' over your head.>

SKJAM!: (Hikaru's oldest male relative voice)  Well, since you're alive, 
I can reveal that years ago, I promised to marry a daughter of my family 
to a son of the Saotome family...

Kira:  (Hikaru voice)  Well, since we're already intimate...

Lurker: <chortle>

	 <Ranma-kun...I don't know what to 

say...>

Kira:  (Hikaru voice)  The reason I've been missing two years?  Well, I 
have this problem with turning into a macho male martial artist in hot 
water...

Lurker: <snicker> That would go over well...

	A pair of red eyes blinked open, to find Mokona and Lantis peering

into

them intently. "Sorry about that," Hikaru, in male form, said sleepily.
"Just a little conference." Mokona pushed a small flask of water across

the

bench. "Thank you, Mokona," Hikaru said, and upended the flask over
himself. Now in the more comfortable female form, Hikaru stretched.

"Okay,

let's see about catching a train," she said, and shuffled off to the

ticket

booth.

SKJAM!: o/~ Shuffle off to Buffalo ~\o

Lurker: <whacks SKJAM!>

	The source of the drain was a large spring atop the mountain. Bracing
itself for the effort, and sighing at the amount of power it would have

to

expend, it began to exude more heat through the connection than it had

been

for all these centuries. It was going to take some time, but the spring
would eventually evaporate...and then, it could concentrate on the task

of

repairing itself.

SKJAM!:  Of course, we suspect there are those who aren't going to be too

thrilled about their hot spring drying up...

Lurker: <MML>

Kira:  And that's another chapter wrapped up!  See you next time.

Thanks once again! Next one in a couple days...if I can tear myself away
from FF7 long enough to write it...

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Kunou makes a challenge to Rei, while more than 
one person is snooping around for information on the 
enigmatic albino. 
Jikai ni: ReGenesis: Half Impact, 3:3. 
Saabisu, saabisu!

---
Reunions and tearful farewells in Tokyo, and the
start of a dangerous trek to find the Escudo, as
the young defenders of Cephiro prepare for the
dangerous battle to come.
Jikai ni: Onna: Red Side, Chapter 20.
Don't miss it!

---
Also coming soon:
BlueSeed: Rainbow of Souls chapter 2
JenSutoun III: Into Elanthia

---
The Eternal Lost Lurker
EternalLostLurker@worldnet.att.net

...the place even the sunlight doesn't reach is where the key is...
-------------------------------------------------------------------