***

    The TME faded around several shadowed shapes beamed in. They spoke in
gutteral language to each other, but they said this...

    "<Is this it?>" asked one.

    "<Yes, it is,>" answered another. "<Remember our mission. The humans
are too hard for our Pfhor masters to enslave. That is why they must be
dealt with in the harshest way possible. Lure them in, and then...destroy
them.>"

    Nine figures disappeared into the catacombs.

***

    Skywise tended to the wounded Animates who had survived the first Pfhor
assault. He sighed; this was just not what he was prepared for. The
vicious-ness of the Pfhor assault, the savagery of the response by his
fellow MONForcers. He was beginning to have his doubts about being in
MONForce.

    Wyrm had said that if he was faced with leathal force, then he would
respond in kind if neccessary. By extension, the same thing went for
Wyrm-chan. Skywise understood his position; when your life is at stake,
morals have a tendancy to get put on the back burner as the survival
instinct kicks in.

    "Hello, Skywise," came a whispering voice from behind. The elf all but
jumped out of his skin in startlement. He turned to see that Larva was
behind him, floating a few inches above the ground and cloaked in his
customary clothes.

    "So Wyrm didn't eat you after all," Skywise murmured.

    A low chuckling came from his throat. "All part of his ruse," he
whispered. "He only engaged me while his female twin approached
stealthfully from behind and MALLETed me."

    "I'm sorry about Miyu..." Skywise said, sincerely.

    Larva percieved the sincerity and replied, "Don't be. I do not blame
you, or even Wyrm." At the elf's surprised look, Larva explained. "As a
Shinma, I have a knowledge that goes beyond mortal senses, even beyond what
Miyu could sense.

    "Miyu, indeed all the Revenging Characters are not completely
responsible for their actions. They are being influenced by some greater
being. Even I have lost some of my freedom to this being. Only those who
spin words into stories and shape reality with their imaginations are
immune."

    "You mean the authors, don't you?"

    Larva nodded.

    "Miyu died because our master influenced all of us into this futile
war. We cannot survive without the authors, you see. It is your belief in
us that gives us life. It is your fanfictions that make our lives
interesting after our creators abandon us.

    "I didn't see that before, but I do now, and once an Animate becomes
aware of this knowledge, he gains a small amount of freedom from our
master. I am still being influenced, but I have enough freedom to tell you
this. Know that it is our master that I blame, not you or Wyrm."

    Skywise's curiosity was piqued. "And who is your master?"

    "(?)" came the single sound from Larva's throat, before he turned and
left a confused Skywise to think it over.

***

    Mousse pined away in one of the rooms in the bunker. From the stories
that had been going around, one would think that his dear Shampoo was dead.
This was impossible! Struck down by a Pfhor electical bolt? She was too
good for that! She was distracted by the Pfhor that killed Ranma?!
Ludicrous, it was he that was Shampoo's love!

    They're liars...or at least misguided. "I shall find you, Shampoo! This
I swear!" he bellowed.

    "Mousse! Shampoo thought she never find you!" came a voice like the
tinkling of bells behind him. Mousse turned to see a red blob with a purple
top. He lowered his glasses, and the image of Shampoo snapped into focus.

    She was smiling sweetly at him, hands behind back (^_^). "Shampoo love
Mousse. Give Shampoo kiss!" The vision of beauty ran toward an overjoyed
Mousse, yet all his senses told him that there was something wrong. His
emotions told his senses to take a hike, and Mousse stood arms
outstreached, and rushed to grab her into a hug.

    "Shampoo!"

    "Mousse!" she giggled.

    The last thing Mousse saw was Shampoo's striated red eyes and snaggled
teeth...

***

    ***BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!*** "AAAAAAIIIAGH!"

    An explosion rocked the bunker, immediately followed by a scream of
death. Skywise jumped to his feet and ran. He quickly approached the room
and threw open the door. His stomach lurched at the sight.

    Two corpses were on the floor. One was Mousse's, his ribboned clothes
stained red with his blood. The other corpse looked as if it were once
human, except that its blood was yellow, like the Pfhor. What shocked
Skywise was that its face was Shampoo's.

    "Oh my god..." Skywise choked.

***

    Mike Loader lead the rest to the bunker, which would serve them until
Wyrm could get through with the _Marathon_. Wyrm-chan would have to
concerve ammo until then; she had already fired one of her proton
torpedoes, leaving her with three more. She decided to save those for the
Juggernauts, should they come.

    As they opened the door to the bunker, they found Skywise looking very
worried behind it. "What's wrong?" asked Wyrm-chan.

    Skywise said nothing, but beckoned that they follow him. He lead them
to an operating table in sickbay were the yellow-stained corpse that they
found lay. Wyrm-chan took a look at it and gasped. "Simulacrum!"

    "Simul-what?" asked Mike.

    "Pfhor-made kamikaze androids, basically." Wyrm-chan opened the eye,
revealing it to be striated and red. Pulling open the lips, the snaggle
teeth were revealed. Pulling off a shoe, the foot had only two toes.
"They're designed to infiltrate a base and explode when they near their
intended targets." She examined the face. "I see they must have gotten
readings for Shampoo and used her as a template for this Sim."

    "It got Mousse," Skywise explained.

    "Ah," Wyrm-chan whispered. "They must be playing off Ranma character's
inherent habit of not accepting death. Ranma, Akane, Linna and Shampoo are
dead; if you see someone who looks like one of them, kill it. And don't let
it get too close to you, about three meters." She drew out the .44-G MMC.
"Let's go."

***

    The two remaining Norse goddesses of the Future and Past waited
patiently with Keiichi for the return of their sister. She went out to tend
to some of the injured, the sweet goddess she is, and still hasn't even
contacted them. She had said that communication might be difficult, and
that she could take care of himself, but Keiichi was getting more than a
little worried.

    Finally, the door opened to reveal a tired-looking Belldandy.
"Kei-i-chi," she whispered and stumpled forward. Keiichi gasped, and rushed
forward to catch her should she faint.

    "KEIICHI, STOP!" came a yell from his right. Automatically, all four of
them froze and looked right. Keiichi saw a planted Wyrm-chan pointing a
pistol at Belldandy. "Get away from her, Keiichi. She's not what she
seems."

    "I know! She's a goddess!" Keiichi answered annoyedly.

    Wyrm-chan shook her head. "No, she only looks like your love, but she's
not."

    The two sisters cast an alarmed glance at each other. Skuld pulled out
a doohicky that looked like a tricorder and pointed it at Belldandy. "No
spell is active on her. She is Belldandy."

    "The Pfhor don't use magic," Wyrm-chan snapped back. "That's not
Belldandy; the _real_ Belldandy's in the ICU ward tending wounded!" With
that, she fired.

    Urd erected a quick shield spell, deflecting the bullet from her
sister. She then gathered her power into a force-bolt. "No one harms
Belldandy! NO ONE!" She let loose the force bolt on Wyrm-chan. By reflex,
she wrapped herself with the supershield, which turned most of the
force-bolt's damage. She was flung back into the wall.

    "BELLDANDY!" shouted Wyrm-chan, "HOW DID URD CHEAT IN THE NEW YEAR'S
GAME OF LIFE SHUGOKAN?"

    Urd was stilled. How did SHE know that?! Oh right, she was an author.

    Belldandy glared at Wyrm-chan. She didn't know that!

    "ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

    She had to conclude this quickly. Roaring, she threw herself at
Keiichi, screaming in blind rage. Keiichi jumped back; this was not the
Belldandy he knew. A shot tore through the air, and Urd was too startled by
Belldandy's reaction to defend her from the .44 slug that tore through her
chest. A carnal scream filled the room as yellow blood exploded out her
front, and then the Belldandy simulacrum detonated.

    ***BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!***

    Keiichi looked pale as he watched the remains of the simulacrum fall at
his feet. "Wha...wha...wha..."

    "It was a simulacrum, brought to you by the Pfhor," Wyrm-chan
explained. "Like I said, the real Belldandy is in the ICU."

    Then another Belldandy stepped in. "Keiichi, I heard the news. There
are Pfhor copies of humans in the bunker and..." She stopped as she spied
the remains of her doppleganger at Keiichi's feet. "...kami-sama! Are you
alright, Keiichi?" She approached.

    Keiichi shrank back, not knowing whether to trust this person. Was this
really Belldandy? Urd had similar thoughts as she charged a force-sphere.
Skuld reluctantly took out a grenade.

    Belldandy saw their reactions and backed away, looking hurt. "I
understand...you think I'm one of those...things."

    "She's the real thing, guys," Wyrm-chan said with absolute conviction,
approaching Keiichi and Belldandy. She unwrapped the supershield.

    "How are you so sure?" asked Urd.

    Wyrm-chan knelt by the Sim's left foot (the right was on the other side
of the room) and removed the shoe. It revealed that the foot was two-toed.
It was then that all realized that the new Belldandy was barefoot, and had
normal feet with five toes each. A collective sigh went through the room.

    "I'm sorry, Bell-chan," said Keiichi.

    A forgiving smile brightened her face. "I know. You were scared that I
was one of those things. Don't blame yourself; it's natural to think so,"
she cooed, and enwrapped Keiichi in a tender hug.

***

    "Ryouga?" Akane asked. The said lost boy stood, tears streaming from
his face.

    "Akane...You're-You're alive! It's a miracle!" he whispered. And rushed
to hug her. "Thank god! Thank god!"

    The Akane simulacrum smiled to itself. <For the masters!>

***

    ***BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!*** "AAAAAAAAAAAIGH!"

    "Ryouga!" shouted Sailor Moon. She threw open the door to find a
deathly still Ryouga and a yellow pile of yellow-stained flesh and raw
bone. Sailor Moon went to Ryouga's side and checked him over. "He's still
alive! Get the medics!"

***

    "Ran-chan!" Ukyou sobbed. He was safe; the rumors were wrong; Ranma was
alive and well. "I'm so happy! You're alive!"

    "Hai, Ukyou-chan," replied Ranma, walking confidently to her and her
patient. "The way you've always treated me nicely, I've decided to marry
you instead of that tomboy Akane."

    Ukyou melted with glee at his words, but as he neared, a few thoughts
raced through her mind. There are dopplegangers out there; one of them was
shaped like Shampoo, another like Belldandy-chan, yet another like Akane.

    He had called her "Ukyou-chan". Ranma never called her "Ukyou-chan",
always "Ucchan".

    "YOU'RE NOT RANMA!" Ukyou screamed, backing away.

    Ranma looked surprised for a second, then snarled, revealing snaggled
teeth. The Ranma simulacrum charged, but Ukyou was ready. 'How dare these
things make a copy of Ran-chan!' she though hotly, and let fly a barrage of
spatulas at the Sim.

    They struck home, and the Ranma simulacrum exploded in a rain of yellow
guts and blood.

    Ukyou collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face. Ranma was
dead, she realized. If it wasn't for the Revengewar, Ranma would still be
alive. If it wasn't for the Pfhor, Ranma would still be alive. If it wasn't
for Wyrm, Ranma would still be alive. If it wasn't for Mike, Ranma would
still be alive.

    "I can't do this anymore..." she whispered. "This war is pointless, and
it took Ran-chan away from me..."

***

    Kunou Tatewaki wept bitter tears. He had seen it with his own eyes
before a frantic Madoka pushed him into the catacombs. The sweet goddess
Akane had been killed by the dishonorable Pfhor devils. "The flower hath
been cut before its beauty had been fully realized, and I, Kunou Tatewaki,
shall avenge you, sweet Akane!"

    "What about me, Kunou?" came a light voice from behind. Kunou turned to
see his kimonoed pigtailed goddess standing in the doorframe. Her eyes were
glistening. "Am I to be cast aside by your magnificence?"

    "Heaven forbid, pigtailed girl..." Kunou declared. "Though I now am
clear where the future of my love lies, I cannot let the tarvisty of
justice that Akane's death go unpunished. Even if I did not love her, as a
samurai I must protect and avenge the innocent, and so I shall avenge Akane
to these Pfhor."

    The pigtailed girl sighed, closing her eyes to bask in Kunou's rant. "I
love it when you talk honorably, Kunou-sama..." she said huskily. She
reached back and untied her obi, letting it uncoil and drop to the floor.
The pigtailed girl approached, her kimono held only by a cloth belt about
her waist, and slowly bared her shoulder to Kunou.

    "Pigtailed girl...This is so forward of you! Wouldn't you like me to
romance you first, or--" Kunou began.

    The pigtailed girl opened her striated red eyes. "No, Kunou-sama," the
Ranma-chan simulacrum whispered, nearing its objective, "I want you now..."

    Kunou rushed forward, "PIGTAILED GIIIIRRRRRLLLL!!!!"

    <For the masters!>

***

    "Neesan, what's wrong?" Mackie asked, approaching his sister with concern.

    "Linna's gone, Mackie..." Sylia whispered.

    Mackie lowered his head, then continued his approach. "I see..." he
whispered, then grinned wryly. The grin revealed snaggled teeth.

    Sylia looked at it in alarm. "You're not Mackie!" she shrieked and
stumbled back over her chair.

    The Mackie simulacrum pounced...

***
    Nene laid over her terminal quietly weeping. It was all Mike's fault.
If he hadn't gotten that plot-hole, then...Linna would still be alive.

    "A great writer once said, 'Reports of my death have been greatly
eggagerated.'" The all-too familiar voice startled Nene out of her slump
and caused her to look around. Linna was standing in the doorframe, good as
new.

    "It's you!"

    "Of course it's me!" Linna answered. She stepped into the room. Nene
sighed and gripped the carpet with her toes. Linna was back, and it was all
just a misunderstanding. Now they could share the feeling of carpet
tickling their toes, and... Nene looked down at Linna's still-shoed feet.

    "Take off your shoes, Linna," Nene prodded goodnaturedly, "This is
expensive carpet and I don't want you tracking dirt across it."

    Linna froze in her advace. She scrutinized Nene for a second and
removed her shoes, but not her socks and left them by the door. Before she
could start back, Nene added, "Your socks too, Linna! The carpet feels
sooooo nice on bare feet."

    "NO!" Linna snapped, then calmed herself, "No, I'll...just...keep them
on this time."

    'Since when did Linna pass up an opportunity to feel carpet...' Nene
thought, then paled. 'Unless...No, she can't be a...Could she?' Already,
Mousse and Kunou had been killed by the Sims, and Ryouga had been gravely
injured. Keiichi and Ukyou survived because either she or someone else
recognized the simulacrums for what they were.

    Kunou, Mousse, Ukyou and Ryouga had encountered what they thought were
dead loves reincarnated. Only one survived unharmed. A picture was forming
in Nene's mind, and she didn't like it at all.

    Fear washed over her as she commanded lightly, "Linna, take off your
socks." Her hand slipped to where her gun lay.

    Linna looked slightly annoyed. "Why should I, Little Miss Cyberpunk?"

    Nene was too afraid to even notice the barb. She stared at Linna with a
determined eye and ordered again, "Take off your socks, or leave. Those are
your two choices."

    Linna stared at her for a second, and smiled. "Okay, worry-wart! I'll
take off the bloody socks." She knelt down and started removing the left
sock. Nene relaxed as she watched Linna struggle with the sock. The sock
came off.

    Nene gasped. Linna had only two toes. Immediately, her mind screamed,
'SHE'S A SIM!' The Linna simulacrum took the initiative and dove for Nene.

    <Die, Nene Romanova. Your computer skills will not threaten our masters!>

    Nene snatched her police-issue service pistol. Correction, her
_slitghty-modified_ service pistol with "Tank killer" AP rounds. She was
tired of the flak that she got from the others for wielding a weak gun, so
she made some modifications to her pistol to make it as powerful as Priss's
Boomer Killer.

    Three shots tore through the simulacrum's body, spraying yellow blood
on Nene. The sheer energy of the shots blew it backward, killing it almost
instantly. However, the assassin's body was flung back with just enough
force to put four meters of space between them.

    ***BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!***

    Nene fell out of the chair onto her gut-ruined carpet. She drew her
knees in and cried.

***

                           ---------------------
-wyrm/dm(AKA Tom Jefferys; Time Lord for Hire, "Have TARDIS; Will Travel.")
      <wyrm@mail.utexas.edu>           <JEFFERYSTR@rascal.guilford.edu>
   Member of the AFSS    {MOUNTAIN DEW ROCKS!!}    Vidboi (Marathon Pfhreak)
             Depraived Kawaii Thing of the First Order, Martin
   =<SIG>= Wyrm-chan @_@ H-Wyrm @_@ Ten @_@ Chibi-Usa @_@ Azusa =</SIG>=
=<^_^>= R1/2#_#BGC#_#Sailor Moon#_#Dr Who#_#Star Trek#_#Monty Python =</^_^>=

   Currently operating at <wyrm@middle.of.nowhere.void> for the time being

"I gotta lot of great ideas! Trouble is, most of them suck."

Childras, the <wyrm@mail.utexas.edu> Mailbox Deamon
Still trapped in Eternal Crystal and loving it!