Zen:  Come in...

The door opens, and Kei and Yuri wander in.

Kei:  Heya, Zen... guess what?

Zen:  <suspicious>  What?

Yuri: <brightly>  It's Revenge Season!

Zen:  <groaning>  No, it's Duck Season!

Yuri: Duck Season?  No... it's Revenge Season.

Zen:  <patiently>  If YOU'RE Revenging, then Zen is Ducking.  Duck

Season.

Lurker: <groan> 

Kei:  <rolls eye>  THAT joke has more hair on it than...

Zen:  Your...

Yuri: <menacing> DON'T go there...

Lurker: O_O!

Skuld: Hentai!

Yuri: We've been getting a lot of complaints that one of your fics is WAY
behind schedule...  So we figured that if you weren't going to do what

you

were *supposed* to do with your copious spare time, that we'd come up

with

something else for you.

Zen:  <notices data cartridge in Yuri's hand... pales>  You don't mean...

Kei:  <grinning evilly>  That's right!  Fanfic Reviews!  Until you get

back

to work!

Lurker: <MML>

Zen:  <relaxes slightly>  This might not be too bad...

Lurker: ^_^

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

liberties.

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.

Zen:  <startled>  More creative than killing off Hikaru and shoving her
into Ranma's body?

Lurker: Heh...

Yuri: <darkly> At least when HE kills them, he brings them *back*...

Zen:  <sweatdrop>

Lurker: <snicker>

       Everyone groaned. They knew just how big Cephiro was.
       "However," Presea said, "By caravan, we can cover the distance

in

under a
week."
       The young warriors blinked. "Caravan?"

Zen:  From Dodge.  The industry's safest minivan...

Lurker: <groan>

Kei:  <warning tone>  Zen...

Zen:  Though, wouldn't a Quest be more appropriate?

Yuri: <suspicious>  Another Van?

Zen:  <nodding>  Yes... though it makes sense... none of them have an

older

brother.

<sweatdrop>

Yuri: <taking the bait, knowing she'll regret it>  What has THAT got to

do

with it?

Zen:  <innocently>  No Niisan!

<facefault>

       "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."

Kei:  <mouth full of popcorn>  That'd have to be a *big* wagon...

Lurker: Not really...<waves volume 2 of MKR around> Anyone watched it
lately? 

       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."

Zen:  Ahh...

Yuri: DON'T

Zen:  <oblivious> A Wagon Train....

Kei:  <whaps Zen>  THAT was a warning...

<a whistling sound can be heard. Zen looks up, yelps, and does the Tokyo
Shuffle for a few seconds, before being squished by a giant lavender dragon
statue>

       "So where's the Escudo?" Ukyou asked.
       Presea picked up a pointer and tapped a map hanging on the wall.
"It's in
the tunnel system of the Wasteworms, south of Edosel Canyon, in the
wastelands of Cephiro."
       Clef frowned. "That's dangerous territory, especially in the

tunnels

themselves."

Zen:  <Chichiri voice>  Well Duh, no duh!

Kei:  <Whaps Zen>  Cut that out!

<Chichiri pops up through the floor, whacks Zen with his staff, and
disappears>

       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."

Zen:  So they keep carrion on...

Yuri: ugh.  I son't know which is worse... that joke, or the worms...

Lurker: The joke. You can at least *kill* the worms...

Zen:  Anou... what weapons do they have?  Have they chosen their temps

already?

<sweatdrop> They chose them back in chapter 11 or so...

       Ryouga raised a fist to the sky. "Let's do it!" The group

cheered an

affirmative, and filed out to the wagons.

Kei:  Whoa... harsh transition... Maybe a scene-break would go well

here...

Yuri: Or maybe a short commercial, so the reader could go to the

restroom...

Zen:  ...

Lurker: ^_^;;;

       Lantis nodded. "It's one of the worlds neighboring Cephiro," he

said.

"When Guru Cologne was talking about the technology here, it reminded me

of

Autozam, although they use different sources of power than
this...electricity."

Zen:  Dilithium Crystals?

Lurker: <facefault>

Zen:  Then their environment was a victim of battery...

<a whistling sound is heard. Zen looks up, panics, does the Tokyo Shuffle
for a few seconds...and is flattened by a five-story lavender pagoda>

       Fuu nodded. "Earth is beginning to have similar problems. Large
corporations are destroying its forests and jungles, and filling the air
and water with toxic chemicals. Some people are trying hard to combat

it,

but..." she shrugged.

Zen:  Wow... Sermon...

Kei:  It *is* kinda preachy...  oh well, at least they're not blaming

*us*!

Lurker: ^_^;;;

       Umi frowned. "Yeah...after seeing how beautiful Cephiro is, it

makes me

appreciate things I used to take for granted...the things that are being
torn apart by people here."

Yuri: They're just too concerned about Fencing Tournaments, don'cha

know...

Zen:  Now now, be nice...  She's learned a lot since then...

Lurker: ^_^

       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..."

Zen:  So... this is an ALTERNATE Earth, ne?  Drink water in China without
boiling?  With all those yaks around?  Not in *this* lifetime... 

<<bleah>>

Lurker: Hey, there's *some* places you can get away with it...

       The three natives of Earth sighed. Lantis shook his head.
"Unbelievable,
that people could be so destructive to their own world..."

Yuri:  Well *that's* cute - coming from a world where the 'pillar'

abdicated...

Lurker: Heh....how true...then again, at least Cephiro *can* get by without
its Pillar...

       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.

Zen:  What about the Magic Rabbit?  It carried all the supplies last

time!

Lurker: True...but it really doesn't make sense to be traveling across
China without *some* kind of wilderness equipment...

       Ranma frowned, and rubbed his chin. "The two of you live in the

Juuban

area, right?"

Kei:  Juuban?  Hey, isn't that where those Bimbos in the skimpy outfits
fight all those monsters?

Zen:  ...

Kei:  What are YOU lookin' at, Zen-CHAN!?  <waves soda threateningly>

Zen:  <innocent look> Nothing... nothing...

Kei:  ...

Lurker: <cackle>

       Mokona considered this for a moment. "Puuuuuuuuu......" it said

at

length,
and the jewel on its forehead flashed. Then, a pair of folders

materialized

on the bench beside it. Ranma picked up the folders, and examined their
contents. He grinned. "This'll definitely do it," he said. He handed the
two girls a folder each. "Excellent work, Mokona-san," Fuu said.

Zen:  "Each of the girls a folder" would sound more natural...

Lurker: Point...

Kei:  AND it's bad form to have multiple speakers in one paragraph.

Lurker: <winces> Ack. How did I let *that* slip past? I'm usually the one
who bitches at *other* people for doing that...

       "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."

Zen:  Yo, Ranma!  Weren't you watching?  <points at Rabbit>  You got

Harvey

there.

Yuri: Hate to admit it, but this *does* seem inconsistent...

Lurker: Well, look at it this way: if you were going to be hiking across
China, with a rabbit that can create anything it wants to...wouldn't you
still rather have some kind of backup supplies, just in case something
happened to Mokona?

       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?"
       Ranma's face became unreadable. "Taking care of some business,"

he

said.
As an afterthought, he added, "Lantis...you'll be with me." The

swordsman

nodded.

Yuri: Well, THAT was mysterious... HAS Ranma got any rivals left on Earth
to deal with?

Lurker: Tarou, Ryuu, ummmm....the main villain of this act... ^_^;;;

Zen:  <shrugs>  Dunno... <looks at display>  And Zen is willing to bet
it'll be at LEAST another chapter before anyone finds out.

Lurker: If you haven't figured it out by now, you will by Chapter 20.

Kei:  <Growls>  It had better NOT be a LONG wait...

Lurker: It won't.

Zen:  <hmphs>  Maybe YOU can 'persuade' Morrison-san to finish "Faux
Existance" while you're at it...

Lurker: No dice. I'm not writing regular Ranma fics anymore for a
*loooooong* time. When I *do* start again, though...Faux Existence will be
my first priority.

       Suddenly, Mokona began chattering rapidly, as it bounced up and
down. The
rest of the group looked at it in confusion. "What's it doing?" Lantis
wondered.

Zen:  Obviously not trying to remain inconspicuous...

Kei:  <grins>

Lurker: <snicker>

       Mokona's jewel began flashing, and four wallets appeared on the
bench. One
was red, one was green, one was blue, and one was black. It began

gesturing

>from the wallets to each of the four warriors respectively. "These are

for

us, Mokona-san?" Fuu asked.

Kei:  No doubt about it.  She's the clever one...

Lurker: Indeed.

       "Puu!" Mokona nodded. It shoved the green wallet towards Fuu

with its

foot. It then shoved the red one towards Ranma.
       "I get it!" Ranma said. "The blue one's for Umi, then, and the
black one
is for Lantis."

Zen:  <Chichiri voice>  Well duh, no duh...

Kei:  Whaps Zen harder.  I TOLD you to cut that out!

<Chichiri appears again, and whaps Zen several times>

       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."

Kei:  Only one more third to go... Then she;ll have to start on the bad
things she's GOING to say about that... thing...

Lurker: <snicker>

       The group wrapped up their plans for the day, while Mokona

hopped

around
acting cute.

Zen:  <drawing blaster>

Yuri: Zen!  All that'll do is blow up the monitor...

Zen:  <sighs>  Drat...  and it was gonna be *such* an easy shot...

Lurker: <sweatdrop>

       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?"

Zen:  It can't manage to forge a token for the pay toilet?

Yuri:  Eeeeewww!

Lurker: ROFL!

       "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.
       Suddenly, there was a loud *pop*, and something glitterly

tumbled away

>from Mokona, bounced twice on the ground, and fluttered up into Lantis's

hair, hiding. Ranma blinked.

Zen:  Eeeeeeeewwwwww!

Lurker: <cackle>

       Mokona, for its part, looked immensely relieved.
"Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu," it
said.
       "You sure did," Ranma remarked, earning a glare from the

creature.

Zen:  <glares at Ranma>  Oh, wot the hell... Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaah ha ha ha ha
ha ha ha!

Kei:  I *hate* pungent humour... **oof**

Yuri: <elbowing Kei in the ribs>  Stop that.  You're starting to sound

like Zen.

Zen:  HEY!

Lurker: <chortle>

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.

Zen, Kei & Yuri:  Eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww....

Lurker: <MML>

       Lantis sighed. "Primera, please, calm down. We're on another
world, and I
don't think they believe in fairies here."

Zen:  Huh.  YOU'VE never been to San Francisco...

Lurker: <sweatdrop> Uhhh...not *that* kind of fairies! 

Kei:  Well, YOU'D fit RIGHT in, Zen... <splashes Zen with soda>

Zen-chan:  <glares at Kei>  ...

Lurker: <snicker>

       "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.

Kei:  Time out! And they go into a huddle...

Lurker: ^_^

       <Ranma-kun...what are you planning?>
       <I got to thinkin', Hikaru...it just ain't right. I mean, you

miss your

family. I know you do. And it sucks that they don't know you're still
alive.>
       <But...it's too complicated. How can I...?>
       <Hikaru...I spent ten years of my life away from my mom. When I
came back
home, I couldn't let her know I was back, even when we were in the same
room, because of the stupid promise my old man made. I...haven't been

able

to see her, as her son, even when she came to the Tendou dojo to visit.>

Yuri: Awwwwwww... that's so sweet!

Zen-chan: It *is*, isn't it?  Alright, who are you and what did you do

with

the REAL Ranma?

Lurker: Hey! Ranma can be sensitive too, sometimes...

       <Ranma-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.>

       <Ranma-kun...I don't know what to say...>
       <Say you'll go let your brothers and your mom know you're

alive.>

       <...I'll do it. Ranma-kun? Thanks.>
       <No problem, Hikaru.>

Zen-chan: Well, aside from the fact that She'll have to go back to the

dojo

to live, and that she's about to go off to China...

Yuri: You think her parents would let her go?

Kei:  <shrugs>  We'll see... If it weren't Ranma, I'd say he had a

plan...

Lurker: He does, probably...

       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.

Zen-chan: These two *really* need to get a multi-tasking OS...

Lurker: Brainpan95! ^_^

"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.

Kei:  Oi!  You!  Yes, you!  The Writer!  You could use a scene break
thingie here!

Lurker: I gave you one, dammit! A whole friggin' line of blank space!
Sheesh!

Hikaru: Anou...I think she means some little asterisks or something...

Lurker: <shakes head> They cost too much. Need to keep the budget for this
fic down.

       Deep in the Qinghai province of China, something stirred. It

sensed the

presence of the One it had waited millenia to meet.
       As it stirred, its power began to turn inward. It had settled

far

too long
in this place, and had unwillingly become part of the land itself. It

would

take a tremendous amount of its own power to restore itself so that it
could present itself upon the arrival of the One and issue its test of
Heart.

Zen-chan: Oooh.  Hope Ranma has studied for this test...

Yuri: <Baps Zen-chan>  Philistine

Zen-chan: <rubbing head>  That's MISS Phyllis Steen to you...

Lurker: <facefault>

       It became vaguely aware that something outside of the shell of
rock it had
become encased in was siphoning its power. It struggled to sever the

link,

and realized with irritation that it was going to take a great deal of
doing.

Zen-chan: Water's like that... insidious stuff...

Kei:  <grins>

Lurker: <snicker>

       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.

Zen-chan: Go to Volume 38 - Go directly to Volume 38 - do not pass go, do
not collect 20,000 yen...

Lurker: Yay! Someone figured it out! ^_^

Kei:  Well, THAT was interesting...

Yuri: I *liked* it.  Nice job, Lurker-san!

Lurker: Arigatou!

Zen-chan: Oh, so did Zen... things are really gonna start getting
interesting now.  But if they are gonna be heading to Mount Phoenix...

you

think there's gonna be a cure for Ranma and Hikaru?

Lurker: Maybe, maybe not...

Kei:  Naaaaah.  That'd be too easy.  Still, with magic water...

Zen-chan: <growling>  DON'T remind Zen...

Kei:  <oblivious> and HOT magic water at that...

Zen-chan: <grabs bowl of popcorn and upends it over Kei's head>

Kei:  Hey! <taps replicator for a tin of chocolate syrup, and dumps it on
Zen-chan>

Lurker: Ooooh. That's gonna stick...

Yuri: <moving away from the scrapping pair>  Well... If Zen doesn't get
back to work on his... er... HER fics, we'll be back soon...

Zen-chan dumps hot caramel on Kei, followed by more popcorn.  Kei looks
like she's been tarred and feathered, and is reaching for the custard pie
on the replicator stage...

Yuri:  Bye, y'all!  <bolts for the door>

Fade to black on scene of total culinary carnage...

<Lurker, Hikaru, and Skuld disappear into the swimming pool in their review
chamber>

Zen no Itan-sha
(Always wanted to do one of these...)

Lurker: ^_^!

--------------------------------------------------------------------
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

1 disc down, 2 to go...
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