Nightelf (nwl9354@tam2000.tamu.edu) presents...
The Circe Project
Part 4
Bubblegum Crisis characters created by Kenichi Sonoda
Ranma 1/2 characters created by Rumiko Takahashi
Nodoka Hibiki created by me, with serious Ranma 1/2 influences.
Don't do anything stupid with this fanfic without the author's
permission. If you want to, ask. I'm not unreasonable...usually.
Well, let's have some fun here...
***************************************************************************
Nene sipped her beer at the Hot legs bar as Priss performed her act,
her mind absorbed by thoughts of her life since donning the pink and
purple armor of a Saber. In her travels, she had met the best of
humanity and its worst, gone through hell and back several times over,
lost everything, and gained it back. She had watched a boy change
magically into a woman, then just as magically into a _man_. She had
watched the last moments of a friend, cried as the tape showed her dance
through fire one final time, then fall to earth, broken. She had seen a
friend lose her humanity, be reduced to the level of an animal, only to
gain her humanity back, with interest. Another, who had lost her
humanity years ago with the death of her father, gained it back...with
the temporary loss of her family.
The family had expanded over the past few months, from four up to
seven. Sylia, as always, was the matriarch of the clan, the dark
guardian in blue and white. Ranma, Nodoka's grandfather, had slipped
into the patriarchal role, guiding and training the others for the return
into the night. Nodoka...Nodoka was the new fire dancer, her moves a
blur against the clumsy mass of MegaTokyo. Priss was the hammer, the
punisher in blue. Mackie...Mackie was duality, man and woman, fighter
and technician...Then there was her. Nene, the baby of the group, the
wicked witch of the computers and radio waves.
Tonight...tonight would be the return. Sylia would be revealing the
new suits tonight...waterproof, this time. She looked down at her hands,
a shudder coursing through her as she imagined paws...God, how could she
live like this? Watching for rain, being extremely careful with every
drink in her hand...Who could ever care for her like this? Priss had
Leon. Mackie and Nodoka were an item now. Who was there for her? She
started crying, sobbing at the wreckage of her life.
"What's wrong?"
She turned around to face the source of the voice. A young man,
clothed in black Mandarin-style clothing like Ranma tended to prefer,
stood before her, his sky-blue eyes showing a world of compassion. He
had a rough, weatherbeaten face framed by long, flowing black hair. He
was muscular, in a wiry sort of way. Nene dried her eyes and tried her
best to smile.
"It's...it's nothing."
He shook his head slowly. "Don't lie to me. People don't cry over
nothing." He sat down next to her. "Do...do you want to talk about it?"
"N-Not right now." She looked him over, then glanced at the dance
floor. "Do you want to dance?"
"I dunno....I can't dance very well..."
"Please?" She flashed the most pleading look she could think of at
him.
The stranger looked at the floor for a moment, then reluctantly
agreed. He stood, offered her his hand, and led her onto the dance
floor. He wrapped his arms around her neck, then quickly shifted them
down to her waist.
"Thank God Priss is singing a ballad", Nene thought, trying to
absorb herself into him. She rested her head on his chest, taking
comfort in the feel of his warm skin...his soft heartbeat...The young man
looked extremely uncomfortable for a moment, then moved a shaking arm to
the top of her head. The two melted into each other...
*beep..beep..beep..beep..beep*
"Damn. Not now...please not now..."
Nene raised her head and looked into his eyes. He was so
beautiful...his soft, baby-blue eyes would haunt her dreams for weeks...
"I'm sorry. I have to go."
His voice was shaking. "I...I know. Be careful out there."
"Huh? Uh...what's your name?"
The young man smiled gently, then turned to walk away. "Don't
worry, Nene. I know where to find you." He then disappeared in the
crowd.
Nene stared at the empty space where he was for a few seconds, then
turned to walk away. The night was calling her, and it was time for her
to answer.
**************************************************************************
A few minutes later, the subject of Nene's dreams sat at a table,
numb, watching the dancers as they moved, overcome with shock from the
events that had just transpired. He mumbled to himself, his thoughts too
powerful to be contained in his head.
"She...she tried to hit on me...and...and...Ohgod, I can't deal with
this...I can't return like this..."
"What wrong?"
He looked over to find an old woman, in her mid-fifties, with
purple-streaked gray hair, predator's eyes, and a muscular build. She
stared at him curiously.
"I...I saw an old friend...Nene...and she...wanted me. I...I didn't
know what to do. Now she's gone...to do her duty..."
"Follow her."
"Huh?"
"You hear me. Follow her. I come."
"I dunno...They may not want me anymore."
She smiled at her pupil's lack of faith. "Trust me. You good
fighter now. They want."
*************************************************************************
Everyone had a little bit of anxiety inside of Raven's Garage.
Months of training, of research, of soul-searching...finally some results
were coming in. No more waiting, no more doubting, just fire and
metal...
The Knight Sabers were returning, to take back the night.
The family was there, all seven of them, their eyes occasionally
glancing over the modules like children eyeing the presents under a
Christmas tree. Sylia, clad in a slightly modified bodysuit (as the
other Sabers were), was looking over the suits, making last-minute
checks. Mackie and Nodoka were together, holding hands, comfortable
despite his being in girl-form. Priss and Leon were making small talk in
the corner, while Ranma just watched in contemplative silence.
Nene...Nene stood by herself, trying to hold the feeling of a warm
heartbeat...
A loud warning bell went off, snapping the group to attention.
They all crowded around Sylia, who stationed herself at one of the
monitors.
***** SECURITY ALERT 073 *****
The monitor then showed a strange sight: A young man was banging at
the doors while an older woman stood, watching. A commotion came from
the group as they looked at the unlikely pair.
"What's with them?"
"Gee, he's pissed..."
"Hey, it's him..."
"They know about us..."
"Shampoo?!?"
"One at a time, one at a time..." Sylia raised her hand for
silence. "Does anyone recognize any of them?"
Nene and Ranma raised their hands.
Nene sighed. "He's this guy I met at Hot Legs earlier tonight. He
was so..."
"Ranma?"
Ranma frowned thoughtfully. "Well...It has been over thirty
years...and I could be mistaken...but the woman looks like an old friend
of mine."
"Okay. You two go down there and talk to them. We'll wait."
**************************************************************************
"Open up! I know you're in there! Open up, dammit!" The young man
was getting hoarse as he banged his fists against the doors.
"You sure this is right place?"
He looked up at her, the fire in his eyes unmistakeable. "Of course
it-"
*CRASH*
He stared, wide-eyed, at what...was...the door. It was just gone,
with small pieces of rubble lying here and there. "Been long time I do
that," she said contentedly. They walked through the hole and out of the
cloud of debris.
"Shampoo?"
The old woman stiffened at the sound of her name. She stared,
disbelieving, at the man before her. "Ranma? That you, Ranma?"
"Waitasec..._this_ is the Ranma you've been telling me about?"
"I see you still know how to make an entrance. What are you doing
here?"
"I bring her home." She gestured to the man next to her.
Nene begged to differ. "Her?!? Trust me, this is a guy."
The young man smiled as he turned to Nene. "Pardon me, Nene, but
could you bring me some hot water?"
"Sure...what do..." Realization hit her. "...ohmygod...linna?"
"Mm-hmm."
"So...Ranma...why you here?"
Nene reached a shaking hand toward the comm panel. "Uh...Sylia...
you'd better get down here. Now."
***************************************************************************
The group sat around in an uncomfortable silence in the main room
above Raven's Garage, snatching glances at each other or looking down at
the floor in embarassment. Nobody knew what to say...Shampoo glanced
around, and noticed the obvious:
"So...where Akane?"
Ranma shook his head. "She's...she's gone." Shampoo looked ready
to ask further, but thought better of it when she saw the look in his
eyes..."Mousse?"
This time it was her turn to mourn. "Genom..." He held up a hand,
indicating he didn't need to hear any more.
Nene shot a wary glance at a now-female Linna. "What happened to you?"
Linna sighed. "It's rather difficult to explain...I got dunked in
Nannichuan...my suit got messed up...I fell. Shampoo found me, then
started to train me. I am now her heir, whatever that means."
Ranma just rolled his eyes. "Oboy...Have you learned the Kashuu
Tenshin Amaguriken yet?"
Linna's face darkened. "Yes...that witch kept me in guy-form for
three weeks...By the way, what happened while I was gone? And who are
these two?" she asked, gesturing to Mackie and Nodoka.
Sylia tried to repress her laughter. "Well...the one with the
pigtail's Nodoka Hibiki, Ranma's grandfather. The other one...(giggle)
well...you remember how Mackie always liked to look at girls?"
Linna looked at Mackie, realizing. "Yes...ohmygod...(giggle) Mackie?"
"Hey, I wouldn't laugh too loud, Linna. Until you showed up, Nene
was having fantasies about you."
"Was not!"
"Okay, enough...Shall we open the hardsuits?"
Linna's eyes went wide at this. They had gone on without her...
"The...hardsuits?"
Sylia smiled. "Don't worry, Linna. I built one for you, just in
case."
Sylia went to a console, where she typed a few commands. The modules
opened with a hiss, revealing the suits inside. The first four were
easily recognizeable: Sylia's blue-and-white, Priss' blue with pink
pinstripes, Linna's lime-green suit, and Nene's pink and purple outfit.
The last two were new designs. One was red, with black pinstripes. The
overall design was for agility, with slightly less armor thickness than
usual, but with far more flexibility and maneuverability. This was
designed for a fast, agile warrior...like Nodoka. The other was
matblack, with nonreflective paint. The overall body design was similar
to Sylia's, with the small wings in back, though it had additional radio
and computer equipment in it. This was for a good fighter who happened
to be a good computer and radio operator...like Mackie. The six women
quickly put the suits on, eager to test them out and take them into
battle. Sylia turned to look at the group, a tear forming in her eye.
She'd waited a long time to say this:
"Knight Sabers...Sanjo!"
************************************************************************
Thanks to Kenichi Sonoda and Rumiko Takahashi...for their amazing
imagination.
Thanks to the folks on the ML and all those who have sent their comments.
Thanks to my roommate, Doug, for the use of his computer.
Take care, all. As always, C&C is appreciated.
Nicholas W. Leifker
"Nightelf"
nwl9354@tam2000.tamu.edu
May 4, 1996