(cONT. FROM PART ONE)

               THE POCKET DIMENSION THEATRE

Within moments, the six had lost sight
of each other, picking through the rubble with determination.

        Akane shuddered as she walked past what appeared to have once 
been a
mecha helmet. About half of it was still intact; its surface was done
in purple tones, and a broken horn jutted from its forehead. A
shattered metal jaw hung from the helmet, reminding Akane entirely
too much of images of damaged skulls she'd seen.
Shigeo: how did unit one's binding end up in Cephiro?

 She carefully walked
past it, as though afraid some demon would awaken within it and cause
it to attack her. 
        After a few moments of picking through the rubble, Akane felt an 
odd
tingle. She looked about, and noticed that a large sheet of plating
that had torn loose from something was rattling. She cast a minor
lightning spell, which blasted the plating across the canyon. The
tingling intensified; Akane summoned her katana just to be on the
safe side. As she neared the rubble that had been buried beneath the
plating, a massive metal paw shot up through the debris. She
screamed, falling backwards.
        "WHO DISTURBS MY SLUMBER?" rumbled a voice. The mounds of scrap
trembled. 
Ash: looks like old Bill Door is going to be something he's never been.
Miyuki: what's that?
Ash: Annoyed.

        Akane scrambled backward. "Ummm...I'm sorry? I..."
Shigeo: (Akane voice) entirely too violent for my own good.

        "SILENCE," the voice boomed. After a pause, it continued, "I
SENSE...THOU ART A WARRIOR."
        "Umm...yeah, I guess so," Akane said. 
        "YOU POSSESS A WEAPON OF ESCUDO." 
        "Yes, yes I do," Akane said, regaining her footing. She held her
katana aloft. 
        "PERHAPS THOU HAST COME TO THIS SACRED RESTING GROUND,
IN THE HOPES
OF AWAKENING A MASHIN TO WEAR?" the voice inquired.
        Akane found the rest of her wits at this point. "Yes, that's 
right.
I'm here to find a Mashin."
        "AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE WOULDST THOU WEAR THE MASHIN?"
Shigeo: to beat the tar out of Ranma.

        "Cephiro's in trouble. A lot of people are going to be hurt, 
maybe
killed, if whoever's attacking this place isn't stopped."
        "I SEE. YOU SEEK TO DEFEND THIS WORLD WHICH IS NOT YOUR
OWN."
        "How...how did you...?"
        "KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT OF CEPHIRO? THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT THE MASHIN
ARE ABLE TO SENSE," the voice responded, with a touch of amusement
this time. "I SHOULD ADVISE YOU, THAT IF YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO
BECOME A MAGIC KNIGHT..."
Shigeo: you're way outclassed.

        "Oh...no," Akane said. "The Magic Knights already awakened their
Mashin quite some time ago. It's a long story," she said.
        "INDEED? I MUST LEARN OF THIS STORY SOME TIME," the voice
rumbled.
"HOWEVER, FIRST WE MUST DEAL WITH THE MATTER AT HAND. I
SENSE THINE
MAGIC CONTROLS THE CLOUDS IN THE HEAVENS."
Ash: Shigeo....

        "That's right, I have storm and lightning magic," Akane said. 
        "THEN IT IS THINE POWER WHICH HAS AWAKENED ME." Suddenly,
the rubble
shifted, and Akane lost her footing again as a massive form burst
from the debris with a mighty roar. Akane sat, stunned, as a massive
yellow tiger stood before her. "I AM CALLED TORA," the tiger said.
All: OI! Ushio!

"IN AGES PAST I HAVE BEEN WORN BY THUNDER MAGES. NOW, I AM
THINE TO WEAR."
        "You're...you're really a Mashin!" Akane exclaimed.
Shigeo: no. I'm a youma.

        "WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT TO BE BURIED IN A
GRAVEYARD OF MASHIN?"
Ash: Jimmy Hoffa?
Miyuki: Jim Morrison?
Mason: Mylene Jenius?

Tora asked, amusement in his rumbling voice.
        Akane laughed nervously. "Yeah, um, right. I'm Tendou Akane. Do 
you
think we can help the others find Mashin now?"
        "THEIR MASHIN WILL COME TO THEM, WHEN THEY COME TO
THE RESTING PLACE
OF THE MASHIN," Tora told her. "FOR NOW, WE CAN ONLY WAIT
ABOVE, IN THE DESERT."
        "Alright...our caravan is that way," Akane said, pointing. 
        Tora shook his head. "NO. WE MUST WAIT UPON THE OTHER BANK
OF THE CANYON."
        "Huh? Why?" Akane asked.
        Tora lowered his head. "I AM PART OF A UNIT OF MASHIN WHICH
FOUGHT TOGETHER IN AGES PAST. IF WHAT I SENSE IS CORRECT, THE
REST OF MY UNIT IS AWAKENING...INCLUDING OUR LEADER. IF THE
LEADER IS AWAKENED,
Ash: So, Ferio will get a Mashin.

HE WILL SEE FIT TO TEST THE METTLE OF THOSE WHO WOULD WEAR
US. IF
SUCH A TEST COMES TO PASS, IT MUST BE ON THE SIDE OF THE
CANYON WHERE THE LEADER SLEEPS."
        Akane blinked, then shrugged. "You'd know better than I would," 
she
said, as she jumped onto the tiger's back. Tora blinked his glowing
eyes, but said nothing, opting to leap for the rim of Edosel Canyon.

        "AAAGGGGHHH!!! Where the hell is it?" Ryouga bellowed, as he 
drove a
fist through...a fist. "I don't even know what I'm looking for! This is 
nuts!"
Mason: no, these are nuts. (Hands over a can to Shigeo) Here.
Shigeo: (opens can and snakes fly out) AAAUUUUUGGNN!!!
Mason: (Snickers)

        Something snuffled behind him. He spun, but saw nothing. "Who's
there? Show yourself!"
        The snuffle came again. Ryouga roared, and drove his fist deep 
into
the pile of metal beneath him.
        This time, he heard snorting laughter. "CAREFUL THERE, SOME OF
THESE USED TO BE FRIENDS OF MINE," rumbled a deep voice, punctuated
by occasional snorts. Ryouga froze, and slowly turned.
        Standing less than a meter away was the largest brown boar he'd 
ever
seen. "GYAAAAAAAAAH!!!" he shouted as he leapt backward, summoning
his claidhmore.
        The boar narrowed its eyes, steam puffing around its tusks. "AN
ESCUDO SWORD," it said. "TELL ME, DO YOU SEEK TO AWAKEN A
MASHIN HERE?"
        "That's right," Ryouga said uncertainly. He peered inquisitively 
at
the boar. "Who...or what, are you?"
        The boar's laughter sent gouts of steam drifting in front of
Ryouga's face. "YOU SEEK SOMETHING, YET KNOW NOT WHEN YOU
HAVE FOUND IT."
Mason: that's Ryoga for you.

        Ryouga blinked. "You...*you're* a Mashin?"
        "THAT IS CORRECT," the boar said, effecting a porcine bow. "I AM
KJATA, AN EARTH ELEMENTAL MASHIN. THE POWER OF YOUR
FIGHTING SPIRIT, COMBINED WITH YOUR POSSESSION OF AN ESCUDO
WEAPON AND AURA OF EARTH MAGIC, AWAKENED ME FROM MY
SLUMBER."
Miyuki: oh look. An FF7 plug. I wonder, how much longer for an FFTactics 
plug?

        Ryouga's shoulder slumped. "Perfect. I awaken the Mashin, and 
it's a pig."
        "HEY! LET'S NOT GET PERSONAL, OKAY?" Kjata huffed.
All: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

        Ryouga sighed. "Sorry, sorry...it's just, I have a problem with 
pigs." He
closed his eyes and concentrated. After a moment, he shrank into his 
P-chan
form. His sword fell, burying itself to the hilt in a broken mecha 
torso. 
        Kjata blinked. "WHAT IN THE WORLD--?"

Mason:   has Carmen Sandiego done this time?

      Ryouga transformed back. "I can control that here in Cephiro, but
when I'm in my own world, it's a curse. Cold water transforms me into
a piglet, and hot water changes me back."
        "INTERESTING. ALTHOUGH I DON'T SEE HOW BEING A PIG COULD
BE CALLED A CURSE..."
        "Of course not...you're an enormous boar. Do you know how many
cookpots I get tossed into?" Ryouga demanded.
        Kjata made a sound of comprehension, and nodded. "I...SEE. WELL
THEN, SOMETIMES-PORCINE ONE..." Ryouga glared at the boar, "I SENSE
THAT ANOTHER OF MY UNIT HAS AWAKENED. LET US GO
INVESTIGATE." With a clanking, grinding sound, a hatch slid open on the
Mashin's back, sending up a cloud of purple dust. "CLIMB ABOARD," Kjata
said. Ryouga picked up his sword, banished it, and leapt onto the 
Mashin's back.
He discovered a cockpit where the hatch had opened, and slid into it.
With Ryouga secured, Kjata leapt for the edge of the Canyon, and
charged along the sand. 

        Mousse was in heaven.
All: heh. ^_^

        Sure, he had no idea what it was he was actually *looking* for, 
but
he was finding a lot of useful stuff as he dug through the rubble in
the canyon. Every few minutes, a surplus mecha part would disappear
into his robes, everything from shards of armor to sharp-toothed
gears, and even a few mecha weapons. "I seem to have virtually
infinite storage space here," he commented to himself. "This could
come in handy. Hmmm...I wonder if I can convince Presea-san to loan
me some of those chains again." Even as he thought this, he picked up
a long coil of something resembling bicycle chain. 
        "DOING A LITTLE SHOPPING, BOY?" a voice rang out. There was an 
odd
quality to the voice, like the cries of a water fowl. 
Mason: Fowl, I say! Fowl!

        Mousse snapped his head up, and peered around. His now-keen 
eyesight
noticed a section of the debris moving. "That's right," he said. "I
was just about to check out."
Ash: heh.

        "YOU SHALL BE CHECKING OUT, INDEED, IF YOU DO NOT
REPLACE THOSE OBJECTS WHERE THEY BELONG."
Shigeo: (snickers)

        Mousse summoned his falchion, wielding it in his right hand 
while he
produced three sharp gears with his left. "Sorry, I need this stuff.
I've got a lot of fighting to do in the near future..."
        "ESCUDO," the voice said. "YOU WIELD ESCUDO."
        "That's right," Mousse said. 
        The mound of mecha erupted before him. With a mighty cry, a 
large
white crane rose from the debris. It circled above Mousse, its grand
wings creating a powerful wind. "YOU ARE NOT A SCAVENGER, THEN, OR
A
COMMON THIEF. NONE SUCH AS THAT COULD WIELD THE
LEGENDARY MINERAL OF CEPHIRO."
Miyuki: You got that right, bub.

        "I've come to seek a Mashin, so that I can fight to defend 
Cephiro
from a powerful evil force," Mousse said. He narrowed his eyes. "I
take it you're one of the Mashin?"
        "THAT IS CORRECT," the crane squawked. "I AM SUTRAN, THE
MASHIN OF THE TRUE LIGHT."
Ash: According to my research, the animal/creature most often associated
with pure light in Chinese mythology was the Chi-lin, which was often 
confused
with the western unicorn. However, I concede that you're trying to go 
with a bird
motif for Mousse though.

        "I am Mousse, a visitor to this world, and master of the art of
Hidden Weapons."
        Sutran flew closer, and landed, examining Mousse intently. 
"HIDDEN
WEAPONS?"
        Mousse banished the gears, and produced various other surplus 
he'd
salvaged. "I secret weapons on my person to use in combat."
        "I SEE. A VERY USEFUL TALENT. I SENSE YOU POSSESS THE
POWER OF THE TRUE LIGHT."
        "The white light magic? That's right, I do."
        "VERY WELL THEN. I PERMIT YOU TO RETAIN THE THINGS YOU
HAVE GATHERED HERE, AND I SHALL ACCOMPANY YOU ON YOUR
JOURNEYS, THAT YOU MAY WEAR ME INTO BATTLE."
        "I would be honored," Mousse said. "Now, we need to rendezvous 
with
the others."
        "YES, I SENSE THAT SOME OF MY FELLOW MASHIN HAVE
AWAKENED."
Mason: Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. Do we have to go through that line for 
every
Mashin?


        Mousse rubbed his chin. "So, the others are having luck as 
well." He
leapt into the air, and landed on Sutran's back. "Let's go meet up
with the others then." Sutran gave a mighty shriek, and took to the
skies. 

        "This stupid," Shampoo said as she picked her way through the 
piles
of dented metal in the canyon. "Shampoo know better way," she mused,
as she converted her body into a shadow, and slipped down through the
twisted mecha.
        As she passed through the rubble, Shampoo sensed many dormant 
minds.
Some were simply *there*, others were active...dreaming, she
supposed. *What this?* Shampoo wondered. *This so strange...* Images
of battles long past flitted through Shampoo's mind as she ghosted
among the wreckage.
        Suddenly, one mind reached out to her. *SHADOW MAGE*, rang a 
voice
in her mind, which seemed to be louder than a gong, while taking on a
whispering quality. 
        *Who there?* Shampoo asked(thought?). 
        *WHY DO YOU TRESPASS UPON THIS SACRED RESTING SITE?*
Miyuki: (Shampoo voice) ano... Shampoo miss blatant billboards that say 
'go
away' ?

        *Uhhh...Shampoo looking for Mashin?*
        There was a pause, during which Shampoo got the impression that
something was sizing her up. A snarl assaulted her senses. 
        The next thing Shampoo knew, she was hurtling through the 
surface of
the debris pile, as her body reverted to the usual three dimensions
and flesh structure. As she landed rather unceremoniously on what
looked like a Mack truck cab with the front grill bashed in, a large
dark shape erupted from the debris, 
Mason: heh. It's good to see that Ultra Magnus has come to be of some 
use.

somehow managing not to disturb
so much as a scrap of wire. The darkness landed a few paces from
Shampoo, who scrambled to her feet and summoned her sword. 
        The Amazon found herself facing a large, flickering,
three-dimensional shadow of a large cougar with glowing yellow eyes.
Said eyes narrowed, and once again the voice that was both loud and
soft said, *AN ESCUDO WEAPON. TELL ME...WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE
HERE?*
Miyuki (shamps voice) To look good for airen?

        "Shampoo come here to find Mashin," the Chinese girl repeated.
"Shampoo have to help friends defend Cephiro from attack."
        *INDEED*, the cat growled. *AND YOU ARE A SHADOW MAGE, I
SEE.*
        "If meaning Shampoo have shadow magic, that right," Shampoo 
said.
"Guru Clef give Shampoo and others magic to fight here."
        *SO, YOU ARE FROM ANOTHER WORLD,* the shadow said.
        "That right," Shampoo said. "Shampoo and others come here with 
white
rabbit thing."
        The shadow cougar chuckled, a sound which caused Shampoo to back 
up
a step. *VERY WELL, THEN. YOU SEEK A MASHIN TO WEAR IN
COMBAT.* The shadow began to flicker wildly. Suddenly, what had formerly
absorbed the sunlight began reflecting it, as the cougar ceased to be a 
large
shadow, and instead...
        "Aiyah!" Shampoo exclaimed. "You...you is Mashin?"
        The now-solid cougar nodded its smooth, black metal head. "I AM 
THE
MASHIN OF SHADOW, SABLE. I WILL COME WITH YOU, THAT YOU
MAY WEAR ME IN BATTLE." 
        Shampoo sent her sword back into the ether, and slowly walked 
around
Sable, examining the Mashin from all sides. "Aiyah," she said. She
climbed aboard the cougar, sitting just behind its neck. "We go find
others now, yes?"
        Sable said nothing, but merely leaped out of the canyon and 
walked
along the edge. 

        As Ukyou strolled through the canyon, she amused herself with a 
few
magic tricks. She drew bits of scrap metal and mecha parts out of the
rubble in the canyon, magnetizing them together in interesting
sculptures. So far she'd managed to assemble scarecrow likenesses of
Akane and Shampoo, a maimed Genma, a headless Kodachi, and a limbless
Tsubasa. She giggled at the last one.
Mason: So, Ukyo's true evil nature stands revealed, eh?

        *Come on, girl, it's time to get serious,* she thought. She 
spied a
pile of shredded red mecha armor nearby, as well as some flexible
black joint pieces. *Hmmm...okay, one more,* she decided. With a
quick spell, she put together a rather nice sculpture of Ranma. She
sighed. "Oh, Ranchan..."
        "Nice work," a familiar voice said. Ukyou jumped, and began 
looking
all around. 
        "Who's there?" Ukyou asked, nervously summoning her naginata.
        "Over here," Ranma's voice said. Ukyou glanced over at the Ranma
sculpture...
        ...which was currently flexing its arms, and examining itself. 
It
took a step towards her.
        "What the--? Hold it right there, you..." Ukyou said, 
brandishing
her naginata. 
        The Ranma sculpture made a peaceful gesture, and managed to 
affect a
hurt expression. "Aww, c'mon, Ucchan. It's me, Ranchan! Your darling
Ranchan?"
        "I dunno what you are, but...but..."
        "But it's true," another voice said. This one chilled Ukyou, as 
it
was much more familiar. She dropped her naginata in shock as a
metallic Ukyou replica appeared out of nowhere and hugged the Ranma
sculpture. 
        "What the hell's goin' on here?" Ukyou gasped. 
Miyuki: You've wandered into a Steven King story.
Ash: or the Twilight Zone.

        Something behind her giggled. Ukyou snatched up her naginata and
spun around.
        Behind her was a large silver fox. The fox had its mouth covered
with one forepaw. "OH, THAT WAS TOO GOOD. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN
YOUR FACE!" the fox said in an echoing feminine voice. 
        "Who...what are you?" Ukyou asked. The Ranma and Ukyou 
sculptures
walked up to either side of her, and bowed before gesturing like game
show spokesmodels at the fox. 
        "She's the mistress of metal..." the Ukyou clone said.
        "...the queen of comedy knocks..." Ranma-sculpture continued. 
        "A lean, mean, silver Mashin..." Ukyou-clone added on.
        "PLATA!" both chorused. Then, without fanfare, they collapsed 
into
piles of scrap once more.
Mason: looks like a match made in heaven.
Miyuki: or hell.
Mason: too true.
Miyuki: Quite.

        The fox giggled as Ukyou facefaulted. "YOU are a Mashin?" Ukyou 
said
incredulously.
        "THAT'S RIGHT. SORRY DEAR...I FELT YOU PLAYING AROUND
WITH METAL SPELLS AND I JUST COULDN'T RESIST HAVING A LITTLE
FUN," Plata said. Becoming slightly more serious, she leaned forward and 
peered
intently at Ukyou. "YOU'RE HERE LOOKING FOR A MASHIN,AREN'T
YOU?"
        Ukyou nodded. "That's right..."
        "I THOUGHT SO. I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ESCUDO WEAPON QUITE
LIKE THAT...THEY USUALLY COME IN SWORDS," Plata said.
        Ukyou frowned. "Well, it's not what I'm used to. It's a weapon 
from
my homeworld," she added. 
        Plata nodded. "I SEE," she said. 
        "I can't figure it out though...I've tried changing this into my
usual weapon..."
        "DIDN'T WORK, EH?" Plata said, her voice taking on an amused 
tone
again. "THAT'S BECAUSE METAL SPELLS WON'T WORK ON ESCUDO."
        "Oh," Ukyou said, blinking. 
        "SO, WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE THAT REQUIRES THE
SERVICES OF A MASHIN?" Plata asked.
Mason: A blatant crossover.

        Ukyou sighed. "Someone's been causing a lot of trouble...evil 
spells
cast on the Princess, a town blown up..."
Shigeo: Someone must've struck a match.

        Plata frowned. "HMMM. ALRIGHT, I'LL HELP YOU OUT."
        Ukyou looked dubious. "I dunno, sugar..."
        Plata rose up to a haughty sitting position, and raised one 
forepaw.
"I PLEDGE TO SERVE THEE AS THINE MASHIN, THAT THOU MAY
WEAR ME INTO BATTLE TO DEFEND CEPHIRO." She lowered her paw, and
leaned over into Ukyou's face. "THAT SOLEMN ENOUGH FOR YOU?"
M&M: Run away! Run away!

        Ukyou blinked. "Uhhh...yeah."
        Plata chuckled. "TRUST ME, WE'RE GOING TO GET ALONG JUST
FINE." She
looked off into the distance. "I SENSE THAT SOME OF MY COMRADES ARE
AWAKE AS WELL. WE SHOULD GO CHECK IT OUT."
        Ukyou shrugged, and leaped onto the silver fox's back. "HOLD ON
TIGHT NOW," Plata said, as she leapt into the air, pulling her legs
under her. There was a roar of jet engines, and Ukyou screamed in
surprise as the Mashin began flying at high speed across the canyon.
All: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

        Ferio cursed as he turned over yet another rusted hulk, digging
through the rubble in the vain hope of finding an operable Mashin.
"This is no good," he grumbled. "I hope the others are having more
luck than I am."
        No sooner than he'd said that, he was buzzed by something silver 
and
extremely fast, flying low enough to knock him over with a
speed-borne burst of wind. "What the hell?" he muttered as he
scrambled to his feet. The silver object paused briefly, and the
sound of laughter carried on the gentle breeze. Loud, ringing,
metallic laughter. The laughter died out, to be replaced by a
familiar human voice, amplified by some unknown means: "Sorry 'bout
that, sugar. She's got a mind of her own...WHOA!" the voice shouted
in surprise as the silver object took off again.
        Ferio scratched his head. "Ukyou?" he wondered. "Did she...?"   
Ash&M&M: Yes she did!
        After only a moment of stunned hesitation, Ferio leaped to the 
rim
of the canyon and ran off in pursuit.

(END PART TWO)

"...But cats are sneaky," I added.
She tossed her head, raised a paw and studied it.
"There are certain pleasures to be had in lurking."
"For cats," I added.
"...and certain knowledges gained."
"Such as...?"
 Snuff and Graymalk from,
     A Night In The Lonesome October


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