Notes:
< > These used to indicate someone using communicators or telepathy or
other language, normally Chinese.
* * Used to express thoughts or feelings.
Reminders:
There are times in this fanfic that certain gender-bender problems
had to be allowed. Reimi and Pluto call the woman Radler has become as
Radler. I still use the feminine pronoun equivalent for Tia, but Reimi
and Pluto tend not to. I know it's confusing, but it helps with the
story...
And... oh!! before I forget, Hinako-sensei gets some action here
too... ^_^
HAVE FUN...
Hmmm... Oh, yeah... forgot something. All things here are copyrighted by
their respected creators. Everything else that is unfamiliar or original
belongs to me.
"In difficult ground, press on;
In encircled ground, devise stratagems;
In death ground, FIGHT."
- Sun Tzu in The Art of War (circa 400BC)
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Angel's Chronicles Book One: Angel's Folly
Chapter 19: Final Sacrifices
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Part 4 of 4
"This is really getting us nowhere, fast," Ranma opined as he
fought off the pair of omega-droids, as that blue-haired woman called
them. "I really think we should have taken that right back there."
Sayoko readily agreed to that. Of course, it was kinda too late for
them to turn back now. She ducked under the punch and sliced upwards with
her staff, cleaving the thing in two. She turned around just in time to
block a pair of blades thrown at her. Sayoko smiled as she threw her
staff like a javelin. The droid found itself hurtling through the air,
the staff driven right through it.
"Ranma? You about done?"
Ranma grunted as he broke through the mass of droids that
surrounded him. "Not yet. Give me a sec," he replied back.
He jumped high as high into the air as was possible, within the
tight confines of one of the numerous hallways of the Eye of God. A
bluish glow formed around him, glowing brighter as Ranma began powering
up for another chi-blast. He was careful about using them, as he did not
want to expend his energy before they reached the control room hidden
within the depths of the Eye.
"Rensha-Happadan Revised!!! Cyclone Raid!!!!"
A fierce storm of chi-energy flashed out from Ranma's outstretched
fists, his arms blurring as he performed the Amaguriken technique. A
virtual hail of chi-balls rained down upon the droids, spiraling
downwards as well.
They tried to block it, but it was in vain, unable to withstand the
ferocity of the attack.
"Impressive," complimented Sayoko. "You're even performing better
than expected."
Ranma smirked. "Well, I ain't the best martial artist for nothing."
"And humble, too," she added.
"Well, that's my brother for you," Mizuki answered in amusement.
Both looked up to see Mizuki bathed in ethereal fire, shaped, much
to Ranma's surprise, like a phoenix.
Ranma was amazed at how it accentuated her form. His sister seemed
so different, like she somehow became someone else.
"You really shouldn't ogle at me like that, big brother. I mean, I
don't mind, but I'm sure some of the others would, if you get my drift."
Ranma grinned. "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure they're not here,
Mizuki-chan."
"Hmm... interesting how you manage to conceal your true power like
that from my mystic senses, Mizuki-chan. If I did not know any better,
someone's been training you for quite some time."
"Family secret."
"Family secret??" asked Ranma.
Mizuki nodded. "Yup. Our family has its own secrets to keep, Ranma.
Tell you about it later, when we have time."
"Mom's or dad's??"
"Our mother side of the family, of course!!!" Mizuki sounded hurt.
Not that Ranma blamed her.
* * * * * *
Ryouko turned, summoning her energy sword as her raised arm slashed
downwards, the sword coming to life in her hands almost immediately. The
figure suddenly dodged sideways, managing to duck under the tight arc of
Ryouko's swing.
Ryouko snarled, swinging her sword once more at her target.
"Meow!! Wait!! Nuku Nuku no enemy!!!"
"Really now?!!" voiced out Ryouko, disbelievingly.
"Me not enemy!!" it repeated. "Me good person!!"
"What makes you think I'll believe that??!" Ryouko asked, swinging
her sword once more, inwardly impressed by her attacker's dexterity.
Nuku Nuku danced away from the woman's swinging. She did not feel
anything bad about the lady in front of her - it felt more like those of
Mama-san or those two other girls that kept playing with Nuku Nuku, time
and again.
Of course, considering the dangers of what the lady was wielding,
she was not stupid enough to let those hit her.
"Please. Nuku Nuku prove to you!"
"And how, pray tell, will you be doing that??" Ryouko demanded,
swinging her energy sword at the girl, causing her to back up a little.
Seeing no other recourse but to prove it, Nuku Nuku stood still,
unafraid of the sword that was bearing down on her. She closed her eyes
and waited.
Ryouko pounced on the cat-girl, slashing at the pink-haired girl
once more. She was surprised to see her stop in front of her, doing
nothing. A part of her quickly reined in the sword before it could
decapitate the girl.
"Nice to know that there are still people in here who haven't been
turned into those zombies," Ryouko remarked, letting the sword dissipate.
The cat-girl smiled. "Well, Nuku Nuku been dealing with plenty of
them. Nuku Nuku wonder where they all come from as well, and why they
attack Nuku Nuku."
Ryouko could not resist the urge to smile at the cat-girl. She
reminded her way too much of Sasami, with her cute and innocent act.
"Do you want to find out?" she asked.
Nuku Nuku nodded. "Hai."
"Sure?"
"Hai," Nuku Nuku answered. "I need to find out if Papa-san and
Ryuunosuke are safe. Maybe you help me find them, too - save them from
these bad creatures that have been running around the park."
Ryouko grinned, liking the strange girl already. "Okay then, follow
me."
* * * * * *
"Are you sure you're okay there, Shampoo?" Kurumi queried,
worriedly over the ashen-faced Amazon.
Shampoo nodded, trying not to let them worry over her wounds. They
had managed to come across one of the crystal pylons Tia had told them
about and had promptly tried to destroy it. Well, they actually did
destroy it, but had to wade through the mass of the Soulless, as Mihoshi
had named them. Indeed, in the heat of battle, the usual airhead klutzy
blonde had transformed to something else - it was like a whole new
different persona had surfaced to take control.
They had managed to beat many of the Soulless, save for those that
had run away when they found the four more than a match for their number.
That victory had come with a price - Shampoo had gotten swamped by six of
them.
She would have died, if it was not for Kurumi and Natsume's quick
thinking. Forced to use their combined chi-technique, they had been able
to save Shampoo - but it was not without its own cost.
Shampoo had been slashed by one of them across the stomach. It was
just pure luck the cut had been less than severe, but it still put
Shampoo's fighting ability down by quite a bit.
Of course, they were doubly thankful for the first aid Mihoshi had
done. Somehow, it still looked like magic to the three of them,
considering there was nothing but a small scar left of the gaping wound.
Whatever it was that Mihoshi had placed over the gash had done its
job. Still, the body could only do so much to itself.
Shampoo was weak, that much had been certain. But, no matter how
hard they tried, Shampoo had insisted that they continue.
The destruction of the crystal pylon had caused some of the
Soulless to revert to human form. Only a few, but it was enough to prove
that the destruction of the pylons would cure the people that had been
trapped by the Soul Web earlier.
"You really shouldn't even be trying to move, Shampoo," Mihoshi
scolded, sounding so very unlike herself. "Your internal organs are still
bruised, and your body has yet to recover from the drain caused by the
accelerated healing."
"I think it best if you waited here for us," suggested Natsume.
Shampoo shook her head. "Shampoo no care what happen!!" She held up
her bandaged arm. "THIS no prevent Shampoo from fighting. Blood loss too
little to let Shampoo stay out of fight. Shampoo will _no_ allow injury
pull Shampoo down!!!"
"That's just it! Your injuries are slowing you down. You wouldn't
have been swamped like that, if you had full use of your other arm.
You're damn lucky you didn't just die, when they ganged up on you like
that," scolded Kurumi. "I know you want to help, but it would be better
if you just kept yourself safe for now."
"Besides, dying is not an option for any of us right now," Mihoshi
added, her tone seriously.
"Why you so suddenly smart?" Shampoo asked.
Mihoshi sighed, shaking her head a little. "You cannot understand
what I've been through in the past - no one does - and it matters very
little. This fight is not merely for saving a child - it is saving the
whole of mankind from what will consume it in the future."
"Is this for real??" Kurumi asked.
"All of it true. We never think you two be involved in any of this.
Then again, we all martial artist, one way or other. Must be fate,"
answered Shampoo.
"Shampoo??"
Natsume eyed the young Amazon, praying that she would relent and
stay here, where it was safe. The others looked at Shampoo as well - they
were all worried for her. Short a time as it was that they had known the
Amazon, she was a good friend to have around, once you got past all those
Amazon traditions Shampoo had wrapped around her all the time.
Shampoo sighed. "This not something Shampoo would do."
"But it is for the best," Natsume told her.
Shampoo hated it when people are right. "Fine. I stay away from
fight. Let you all handle fights."
* * * * * *
Tia stared at the _large_ number of things before her. She did not
recognize what they were.
Clearly, they were not the usual types of creatures the Dark Senshi
used for cannon fodder. They were large and stupendously muscled. Their
ebony hides gleamed under the noonday sun. Piercing red eyes stared at
her with one thing in mind: to destroy anything.
She idly wondered what these creatures could be.
"You guys wouldn't mind if I destroyed that thing behind you, would
you?"
They growled in reply.
Tia shrugged. "Guess we have to do this the hard way."
They charged at her, an ebony tide that threatened to engulf her.
She grinned savagely as she summoned her sword from where it lay.
There were many advantages to her current form: speed and agility
were greatly improved, as was her capacity for self-healing. Still, she
missed her old body. There were quite a bit of things she did not
understand of the female anatomy that made her so very nervous to even
broach the question properly to anyone.
Ah, well, there was time to worry over that later. For now, she had
business to attend to.
Tia raised her sword into the air, the sword gleaming a brilliant
bluish-gold. As the creatures drew close all around her, she plunged the
sword into the ground, causing the earth to vibrate as a ring of solid
energy solidified and drew outwards, engulfing the creatures, burning
them into nothingness.
Within seconds, there was nothing left of her foes, and only the
burned-out ground gave any evidence of battle. Tia drew out her sword
from the earth, feeling drained by the attack. It seemed that Washuu was
indeed right about her condition - she had to be careful on how she used
her powers for the time being.
She turned her attention to the black crystal pylon in front of
her. It pulsed with dark energies.
Tia tightened her grip of her sword, eyeing the crystal for a
moment before she leapt high into the air, sword pointed down, her hands
around its hilt as she descended rapidly.
Her sword struck deep into the crystal, a maze of cracks began to
run across its surface.
Sensing an imminent explosion, Tia launched herself into the air
just as a powerful force disintegrated the crystal, sending a mist of
particles into the air. A spiral of energy shot out into the heavens,
coagulating into a sphere above her, before it exploded into tiny flecks
of light, rushing out in all directions.
"One down. Just a couple more to go."
* * * * * *
Ryouko and Nuku Nuku bounded towards the center of the park, wading
through the ever-increasing horde of monsters that barred their passage.
Both sported plenty of cuts and bruises, but these weren't enough to slow
the two down.
A space pirate and a cat-girl duo made a great team, it seemed.
"Ha!! Take that, you overgrown slug!!" crowed Ryouko.
Nuku Nuku bounded over to another group, grabbing one by the legs
and using it to bat everyone else aside and/or into unconsciousness. They
were tough, harder to put down than the others, but it did not worry her
too much. Ryouko-san seemed so very strong and always seemed to be happy
about something.
Nuku Nuku liked her very much!!!
They were back to back now, waiting as more of them came to try and
quell them. They had no chance of succeeding.
Nuku Nuku and Ryouko struck out simultaneously, rabbit-punching the
first ones to close in on them. Splitting up, Nuku Nuku charged in close,
making use of her innate agility to dodge the numerous assaults made upon
her as she wove in and out of them.
Ryouko floated amongst them, phasing in and out as she punched
available targets into oblivion. None of them could seriously hurt her,
but she could, and had to be extremely careful not to go overboard. These
were people, too.
<Ryouko!!!!!!>
Said space pirate faltered a bit, nearly getting clawed into two as
she ported too close to one of them.
<What do you want now, MOM?!!!> she asked. <I'm in the middle of
something!!!>
<Look, I really can't stay too long and baby-sit you, okay? So just
listen!!!> Washuu thought back. <Tia's in there somewhere, taking on
heavens knows who and how many. Tia and Mihoshi plus a bunch of female
martial artists were going and taking out the crystals around the park.
My scanners have already detected two of the crystals coming offline.>
<That's supposed to be good, right?> Ryouko asked.
<Yes,> came the reply. <But that's not what's worrying me. I've
detected a couple of powerful energy signatures running around the park.
Type unknown.>
<How many?>
<Two.>
<Big deal?!!! I could take care of them, easy.>
Washuu resisted the urge to kick some sense into her child. There
were times when she wished she had found the time to correct her
daughter. Not that she'd been anywhere near successful.
<I'm not worried over that - not too much, anyways,> Washuu
answered. <It's Tia I'm worried about. She's out there alone and fighting
one of those two signatures.>
<Why the hell are you so worried about her, anyway?> she asked,
trying to hide her own worry over the young woman, who had become a close
friend to all of them. <I mean she's pretty much capable of handling her
own against anything.>
<No need to hide your _own_ concern, daughter,> Washuu answered
back. <Just get going and find her. I did not go to all that trouble of
keeping her alive to have her die on me again.>
Ryouko smirked. <You just want her to be your guinea pig.>
<That, too.>
* * * * * *
Tia bent her knees, eyes closed as she tried to regain her
strength. The sword's gem began to pulsate weakly. She had been terribly
winded by her ordeal. The last crystal had been even more heavily
defended than the last - being alone did not help matters much.
She had to be. Considering that, of the others, only Shampoo and
Mihoshi had the necessary experience. Well, Shampoo, yes - after all,
she'd been training with the others for this sort of thing.
For Mihoshi... well... she really had no idea why Washuu insisted
on her to be with Shampoo and the others. Well, actually, she did
somewhat understand why. Of course, she still wasn't too sure about it.
Mihoshi was competent enough to handle herself in any given situation.
But with everything happening right now... well... she wondered how
Mihoshi would handle it.
Still, Tia was confident she could still take care of herself, even
in her weakened condition. Tia wanted the others to have a maximum amount
of survival.
Tia wondered who it would be that would be guarding the central
crystal. No doubt, one of the Senshi - plus a couple of others, as well.
With great effort, Tia forced herself to get moving. She had time
to rest later. Right now, she could not afford to waste time. They needed
to destroy the crystals before they could even try going for the Eye of
God.
Tia's eyes narrowed, feeling the presence of someone close by. She
whirled about, sword in hand, waiting. It did not take long for her to
see whom she faced.
"Kodachi."
"So... it would seem that the mistress was indeed right. You're
still very much alive."
Tia forced herself to smile. "It takes a lot more to kill me," she
said. "Tell me, Kodachi, do you really think what you're doing to
yourself is right? Will this help you gain what you've always wanted?"
Kodachi laughed, a chilling sort that still set Tia on edge. This
time, it was a lot worse. Tia winced, wishing the bad guys would stop
laughing like that - it just made them look insane, which they were
anyway.
"Of course. What I am now will help me attain what I have always
wanted as a child: the power to make people regret denying me the
happiness I deserved. I lost my mother to sickness; my father followed
soon after, becoming besotted by anything Hawaiian. My brother succumbed
to the madness in time. Only I was left sane for quite the while. It took
a year for me to succumb to it. But, before I did, I swore I would make
everyone pay."
"Is that what you really want?" she asked, hoping to avoid having
to fight her. Tia knew her from all those tales Ranma and the others told
during those times they got together back then - no, she could not.
Kodachi had been tricked into joining with them.
Vengeance? Hmmm... never could guess she'd be the type to hold such
a grudge against everyone. Then again, being a young child of a family
that had gone insane who saw everyone else leading a happy life would
twist anyone's personality.
Tia sighed - this was _not_ going to easy.
Sometimes, she wished she had managed to save the Ginzishou. She
was suddenly reminded of the silly poses and stuff she had to do. Ummm,
no - perhaps it would have been better if she did not.
"You shouldn't blame others, Kodachi. I know how bad it feels,
seeing everyone else lead a happy life, when your life was nothing more
than a living hell. But this revenge thing will only hurt you in the end.
Please, Kodachi - let me help you. Let me free you from all this."
"There is nothing more I need from anyone. I am loyal to my
mistress. She alone understood my pain - everyone else had laughed at me,
never really caring about what I had gone through."
"I know how you feel, Kodachi. You embraced the madness to shelter
yourself from others. But it twisted you, turned you into something you
could never be." Tia spoke in haunted tones. "I should know. Part of my
past deals with just that."
Kodachi was silent for a moment, eyeing her curiously. "Your offer
is quite tempting, Guardian," she replied slowly. "But it is in vain."
Tia sighed, feeling very angry and disappointed.
Was it not enough that they controlled the lives of the people in
the future? What was it that the Shadow Moon wanted? Surely, it was not
just to pursue them - but what?
"Who is your mistress?"
"Venus."
"Let's get this over with," Tia suggested.
"Indeed. Prepare yourself to die. PERMANENTLY!!!"
Tia smirked at that. "Make me," she challenged.
Kodachi lunged forward, her ribbon snaking out like a living thing
before her. Tia moved a fraction of an inch, letting the ribbon pass by
her. With lightning speed, she jumped up as the ribbon arced back towards
her. Tia quickly summoned her sword in mid-air, twisting around just in
time to sever the ribbon that snaked towards her.
"You'd better do better than that, Kodachi-chan, if you really want
to kill me," she taunted, hoping to make her furious enough to make
mistakes.
Kodachi smiled. "I intend to."
Kodachi swept her arms in an arc, leaving a black line of
nothingness in her wake. Tia looked on with shock as a burst of green
energy shot towards her. Having little time to raise any form of defense,
Tia used her sword to block it. The impact dragged her back a couple of
feet, gouging the ground with her feet.
Tia smirked. "It will take more than that to kill me, Kodachi," she
informed her opponent.
"Then it will be a pleasure killing you ever so slowly."
Tia raised one delicate eyebrow. "Really now."
"DIE!!!" raged Kodachi.
Kodachi attacked furiously, her arms blurring as she fought to
batter down Tia's guard. Tia backed away, careful not to let Kodachi
sting her again with her ribbons. That one hit had hurt a bit, even
drawing a bit of blood - she could even feel her body moving just a bit
sluggishly.
*Damn. My body's counteracting whatever poison was in that ribbon
of hers - but even that has made me a tad bit slower than I would like.
Can't let her get to me like this, or I'm dead.*
Tia was really beginning to hate herself. While she was far from
powerless, she was still too weak from her rather recent bout with death
that she was unable to make use of her other techniques. Still, she knew
she had to join the battle. Her friends needed her help - and she would
be damned if she did not do anything at all.
She needed to beat Kodachi fast - no use in dragging this fight for
too long. Right now, she did not have the luxury of waiting.
"Time to end this little game, Kodachi," she called out, raising
one hand high into the air.
Arcs of blue energy came to life about Tia's palm, snaking all
around her upraised arm as a small purple globe of light began to form in
the cusp of her hand, the blue arcs of energy being continually sucked
into the small sphere.
Kodachi's eyes narrowed, a smile playing upon her blood red lips.
"Two can play at this game."
A black aura shone about her form, drawing into itself the light
around her. Tia could feel the evil emanating from within that darkness.
She felt its hunger for flesh and blood - the very same desires she felt
amongst the Senshi and her own beloved Reimi.
Tia promised herself she'd get even. One way or another, she would
find out who was responsible for all this - and when she did, she'd make
it pay: very, very, very, very dearly.
But for now, she had other pressing matters to worry about.
"Last chance, Kodachi," she warned. "It does not have to end like
this."
Kodachi laughed insanely. "Don't be a fool!!! Only one of us will
walk away from this battle alive."
Tia sighed, a look of sadness crossed her face briefly before it
was replaced one more by a mask of grim determination. She hated it -
loathed it with such a passion. She was sick and tired of killing, enough
to last her a thousand lifetimes over.
She did not have much of a choice. It was killed or be killed - and
she had no intention of getting killed just yet. She had a promise to
keep, one she intended to see through to the end.
"Fine by me."
"Shiiiiiiiineeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!"
* * * * * *
Somewhere not far away, in a small ice cream stand, a group of very
shaken Nerimans huddled close together, fearing the various noises they
heard. Everything seemed so unreal - like a nightmare you could not wake
up from. Things had never been this way before. True, the resident
martial artists made enough of a racket to make the JSDF nervous at
times, but they were never like this.
People were dying out there - or worse, get turned into those
horrible monsters.
"Look!!" a child cried out, pointing outside. "Look at that!!"
All eyes turned to see an expanding blue dome growing at a terrific
rate before it collapsed unto itself.
Silence.
They stared at it in mute astonishment, wondering once more just
what under the heavens was going on.
A sudden flash of light.
A deafening explosion that drowned everything else.
Then came the all-consuming light...
* * * * * *
Death.
How she was sick and tired of it all. What reasons could there be
in the slaying of another life? Good or bad, what difference did it make?
She was tired of it all. She wanted to rest, but she could not. There was
still a long, long way to go before she could - an oath to fulfill, a
promise she had given at the price of her life.
But why?
She detested the reasons she knew all too well. But it had to be
done.
Now was not a time to question motives or needs.
There was no future. No past, nor present.
There was only now. And that very instant was in peril.
She hated it still.
*You were always so soft-hearted, my love,* a voice whispered
softly. *You must learn not to give in so. For in it, will lie your
salvation.*
Tia could only feel the sadness in her heart at that voice. Her
heart ached, burning with the need to be with Reimi. Even this woman's
body she was trapped in, she still wanted... needed her. The only woman
to ever truly understand what he felt.
She closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry, not to show any
emotion. This was not the time to lose it.
*Reimi...* she whispered in a voice aching with sadness.
Reimi. Her... his wife.
Beloved, one she would give everything and more to have returned to
her.
Reimi was the final Senshi. The Senshi of Orion.
She was the culmination of countless ages of waiting. Of Death, and
rebirth.
But now she was one of them - and there was precious little that
she could do to bring her back.
A sudden thought struck her.
Was there a way? Could there be a chance? But the question was how.
The breaking had been through - nothing was left of the woman she once
knew and loved deeply. Her mind... no... it was her heart that rejected
that thought.
There _was_ still a part of her that remained. Even her own mother,
the mysterious Senshi of Pluto, still held onto a part of who she was, if
only for a little while.
But how? Was there even a way? Could there be one?
But how?
What price must she pay that she had not done so already?
She began to weep, a little at first, then a torrent - each tear
encapsulating her sadness, draining it away from her body. She knew it
would return - it always did. She could never be truly happy any more -
not with her loss...
Tia wiped away her tears. This was not the time.
She looked back at the still form of Kodachi, wondering if this was
the only way to help any of them.
*Is this the way?* she asked herself bitterly. *Is death the only
help I could give them?*
No answer.
She expected as much.
With one last look, she turned and left.
It was time.
* * * * * *
"So what now?" Kurumi asked in a slightly amused tone of voice.
Around the four of them, a circle of the roughly thirty or so of
the Soulless stood.
None of them were all that worried.
Well, not by much. All four of them eyed their opponents carefully,
sizing them up, trying to divine possible ways of disabling them without
the need to do any undue amount of harm.
After all, they were still human...
"We fight," Natsume answered, voice devoid of any emotions.
"That no problem," Shampoo remarked, eyeing their opponents warily.
"We can't afford delays here," came Mihoshi's reply. "We need to
take out the crystal. It's the only way to help these people."
"Who goes after it then?" Natsume asked.
"I will," Shampoo volunteered. "Shampoo only choice. Is only one
who can be spared. Shampoo too weak to handle fight right now."
They nodded in understanding, knowing it took quite a lot for
Shampoo to even admit that.
"All for one and one for all, ne?" quoted Mihoshi.
* * * * * *
Mercury could hardly believe her eyes. Down below, specifically in
Nerima, a battle was raging across its one park. Three out of the five
crystals were destroyed, perhaps spelling the end of her _true_ plans.
Without the energy she could harvest from the souls absorbed by the
crystals, there was no way she could ever hope to fully complete the
experiment the Dark Queen had tasked her.
It was the main reason why she had to steal this archaic weapon of
total destruction, as it was the only thing she found that could actually
breach the dimensions that blocked the doorway.
She gripped the armchairs hard, anger suffusing her features. She
could not understand how those accursed group of _children_ could be
doing this to her!! How in the Seven Hells were they even doing it?!
Of all the people that had to be the ones to even have a chance at
fighting them on an even footing, it had to be a bunch of children at
that. The irony of it!!
And to think that, if these children should ever beat them...
Mercury shuddered at the thought. It was positively revolting. To
be beaten by mere children would be the height of utter shame...
She watched through the live feeds, watching and weighing her
enemies as they gathered in strength. She could not believe the number of
people who were coming out of the woodwork, trashing her droids and the
new types she had built, not to mention the Soulless.
What kind of place could Nerima be to breed such an incredible
amount of individuals?
* * * * * *
Minako gazed irritably at her surroundings from her perch atop the
final crystal. Mercury had already relayed to her information about the
possible opponents she would face. She was not really convinced that she
had _anything_ too serious to worry about - well, not too much, anyways.
A savage smile played upon her full, blood red lips, lending her face a
chilling beauty that could literally freeze a man's heart.
It would be nice to finally find someone who could measure up to
her. All the ones she had fought were anemic at best, not really worth
the effort of even making use of a decent special attack. It was high
time that someone could actually give her the fight she so craved.
*Damn you, Mako-chan, for making me love such barbaric methods of
pleasure,* she thought idly.
She glanced up to that strange orb Ami had brought back with her.
She still felt chills run across her spine from looking at it.
A weapon of pure and utter destruction. What she wouldn't do to
have one of those babies.
Already, some had reached the Eye of God and were plowing through
the mass of dispensable units with which they flooded the Eye's every
nook and cranny. They were the ones she was worried about, just as much
as the ones who had been responsible for the breach in the Soul Web.
These events gave evidence of another hidden player in this little game.
That was not a good thing.
Already, they were having their hands full handling these children.
True, she really wasn't all-too-worried, like Mako-chan and
Mercury, as she was confident that they'd win in the end. They've always
done so, in the past, and would continue doing so for all eternity. A
part of her reminded her of the fate Rei had suffered under Radler - of
how Rei had been just as self-assured as she was now.
But Radler was dead, slain by the one person he truly cared for in
the entire universe.
So why worry that much? Without Radler, these children were
nothing.
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she watched several forms speeding
towards her position. She licked her lips expectantly, her blood singing
in her ears as it called out to her, wanted her to stain the ground she
walked in blood.
"'Come to me', said the spider," she purred.
* * * * * *
Chibiusa glanced worriedly at the small black speck in the sky. She
did not need a map to know exactly where that strange orb was hanging
above. She was worried over the others. They were the ones out there,
fighting her war. One she had fought by Radler's side for so long - it
was hard not to look over her shoulder and fail to see Radler looming
over her, watching and worrying.
She gave an inward sigh, praying silently to whoever may be
listening to keep her friends safe.
"Chibiusa?" Usagi called out. "Are you okay?"
Chibiusa looked away. She could not risk any of them learning
anything.
"Chibiusa -" Usagi walked up to her future daughter. "What's
wrong?"
The others turned to watch mother and daughter staring at one
another.
"What's wrong, Chibiusa?" repeated Usagi.
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong, Usagi," she replied with as much of her
usual self as possible. *I'm just worried sick about everything else
right now,* she added to herself.
Chibiusa fingered the small pendant in her hand, weighing her
options. She could not bear to wait here and let her friends out there
fight _her_ war. If she had not entered their lives, they would never
have to suffer like this.
And now... with everything that was happening, she had to stay
here, with the very people that would one day become her enemies.
What choice did she have?
Her friends were out there, risking their lives for her sake.
NO!!! Too many people already have given up their lives for her.
They had placed their faith upon her, to bring about the end to this
millennia-long struggle. Radler was gone, too, dead at the hands of the
woman who was his wife.
She _had_ to do something to help.
Without another word, she ran outside, oblivious to the shouts of
her future mother and those of her Senshi. She was not needed here - but
there was a place where she was....
* * * * * *
Panty- errr... Tarou was extremely pleased with himself. So
pleased, that he probably wouldn't even bother irritating Ranma for the
rest of his life. He took another look at the still unconscious
Happousai, not believing his luck. Whatever crap was happening in this
town had given him the opportunity he's been looking for all this time.
He had the old fool in his hands.
And now... now he would finally be able to change his name into
something respectable...
He would make it happen. Nothing would deter him from this!!
Nothing!!!
Tarou repressed the urge to laugh out loud. It simply would destroy
the moment.
On second thought...
Happousai came to just then, groggy from the pounding he'd
initially taken from the women who had managed to get the better of him.
He wasn't all too offended, as it meant they were evolving better
strategies against him.
He really didn't mind, considering the women were his usual source
of energy nowadays. He was no fool - age was creeping up on him, just as
surely as it had, for hundreds of years past. To him, Death was a
companion in his journeys. And, if the stuff he had read were true, he'd
definitely like the afterlife. After all, the only way he could obtain
some of Death's tastier apparels would be if he was in her domain.
Still, that was not what he ought to be thinking about.
It looked like Pantyhose caught up with him again.
Ah, well...
"Finally came to, old man?" said Tarou blandly.
"Hiya there, my boy?" Happousai greeted, unperturbed by the cold
indifference that was Tarou's normal attitude towards anyone. "Been to
any pantyhose sale?" he asked conversationally. "I'm proud to see you've
developed better tastes. Not bad. Grade A stuff."
Tarou's features darkened as he felt the rage coming to the fore.
He _hated_ being called by THAT name.
Tarou conveniently slammed Happousai into the nearest object,
mainly his knee, to rid himself of his anger. Certainly wouldn't do to
have a temper when he was bargaining for something here. He needed his
wits about him, if he were to finally attain what he had always wanted -
dreamed about - craved - and he was not about to let it go, until he got
what he wanted from the old goat.
"You know what I need, Happousai," he grated.
"What's wrong with it, anyway?" Happousai asked. "I mean, it's a
fairly nice name. Got great character and st-urk!!"
"I don't care what you think about it, old man. I've had to live
with your taint for so long. Do you have any idea what it did to me? Do
you have any idea to what hell I've been through, just because some
pervert was the only one around who could name me???!!!"
"Your point being?"
"I WANT A NEW NAME!!! AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!"
"Okay."
It took a few minutes for Happousai's answer to sink in. Quite
understandable, really.
"I don't believe you."
Happousai shrugged. "Your loss, then."
Tarou grit his teeth, all the while cursing himself for a foolish
idiot a thousand times over - but he had no choice.
Tarou chided himself. Who was he kidding?!! So long on the road,
searching for the one responsible for the ruination of his life, alone
and with no one to share that journey with.
Until now.
Tarou briefly closed his eyes, wondering if he should just accept
his name and leave it at that. Who cared about his name as long as...
Yes. She did not care. She knew of his name, never made fun of it,
accepted it without question.
He sighed, feeling all his carefully hoarded anger and -
*DAMN IT!!!*
He turned his attention back to the old man in his - WHAT THE
HELL?!!!
Tarou frantically cast his eyes around, trying to locate where the
old man had managed to slither to.
"You really shouldn't be daydreaming at a time like this, boy! The
world is in danger and all you're doing is a selfish quest that you know
you need not do anymore."
Tarou blinked, wondering when Happousai suddenly decided to reveal
himself to be Kami-sama.
"What are you talking about, you old pervert?!!" he grated. "What
_do_ you know?? And since when did you decide to become Buddha or
something?"
Happousai sniggered, biting hard on his favorite pipe. "Most people
tend to think so, too. I tend to let them think of me that way. Makes it
easier for me in the long run."
"Yeah, right," snorted Tarou.
"The others need your help, Tarou. Ranma and the others are helping
to save the future of this world - a future I'm quite sure you are also
interested in." Happousai cast a sly glance at Tarou. "Not for yourself,
maybe, but for someone else. If you hold that future dearly, Tarou, you
_will_ help."
Tarou could not believe it!!
Well, he could hardly believe hearing an honest-to-goodness sermon
from Happousai.
"How much does the old pervert know?" he wondered out loud.
"Not much. Just this and that - general rumors, really. You could
learn a lot from listening to women, boy," Happousai answered.
"Yeah. I'd bet."
Unperturbed, Happousai continued. "So, tell me - do you think you
are strong enough to do what must be done? To take hold of your dreams
and protect them from harm? Are you willing to do all - sacrifice all -
not for anything, save for merely because you must?"
"What the hell are you talking about?!!" Tarou burst out.
"You care about someone. That much I know, Tarou." Happousai
pointed towards the black speck in the sky he had seen appear out of
nowhere. "Something is amiss with the world. Ranma and the others felt
it, too. They're doing something about it right now. They don't see it as
a duty, a reason to fight, no. They're out there fighting for the sake of
one child." He eyed Tarou once again, giving him a serious glare. "Are
you man enough to face the future without your pessimism and arrogance?
To do what must be done?"
"Don't you think I won't get what I want from you, even if you're
pretending to be insane, old man," warned Tarou.
Happousai chuckled. "Perhaps, my boy. Then again, age does things
to you. I'm sure you'll understand, once you get to my age."
Tarou lost it then, grabbing the old man firmly as he tried to
impress his need to him.
"You don't need me, Tarou. You already have what you need."
"I want a new name."
"What for?"
"Because."
"Why?"
"I need it."
"Again, why?" he asked.
"I don't want her to live the rest of her life with my... my...
name to taint her."
"You care about someone. That is good."
Tarou grinned. "Yeah. So, what about it? I need a new name."
"You don't need me for that, Tarou." He took a long draw from his
pipe. "Then again, perhaps you do." Happousai looked up to the sky once
more. "There are others who need your help - help to preserve the future
of everything."
"What for?"
"They need you just as surely as you need them. You are all gifted
with the power to protect others. You may not see it that way for now,
Tarou, but you are slowly seeing it."
Tarou briefly considered it.. then just as quickly rejected it. But
then, the image of that girl he met...
Raine...
Tarou sighed inwardly. Perhaps Happousai was right.
*Damn you, old man,* he cursed. Out loud, "Fine. Help for a new
name."
Happousai nodded.
"No tricks."
Happousai sighed, muttering something about trust and something
else Tarou could not catch clearly.
"Fine. What do I do?"
"Go to the Tendou dojo. You'll find out what you'll have to do
there."
Minutes after Tarou left, Happousai blinked, somewhat confused. He
could hardly believe all that drivel he'd been spouting moments ago.
True, there were times when he concerned himself with things other than
lingerie and groping.
Right now was one of those times. Still, he was confident Ranma and
the others were more than capable of handling it on their own, without
any real need for his expertise.
Happousai suddenly grinned.
Truly, things were, while (in a way) getting to be a real
rollercoaster ride, just too good a situation to pass up. Oh, yes.
Definitely not. With everyone gone, he had the whole ward to himself.
Not to mention all those silky beauties....
*Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!!*
* * * * * *
Somewhere within the realm of Heaven, Kami-sama sat in his office,
trying very hard not to facefault into the ground. True. He was, in a
sense, manipulating the old man, letting that little used part of his
soul get some usage hours, so to speak.
True.
Happousai was as perverted as they came. But, notwithstanding, he
was a good man at heart, even if only to certain people, such as that new
child of his, Kasumi, and of course, the children he'd helped throughout
his travels.
Kami-sama shut off the monitor.
There were times when he really hated himself...
to be concluded in the twentieth chapter
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
RADLER
Nikholas F. Toledo Zu
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Wings of my angel,
Shelter me in your faith.
In you, I find my soul.
In me, I find your love.
We are one, forever more.
Personal Email Addy: makoto@smarqweb.com ; radler@tri-isys.com
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