ShortYes@aol.com wrote:
"Are you sure that this is where they'll be, Tanthus?" asked Ambyra.
Ambyra had been preparing her latest servant, when Tanthus had appeared in
her chambers, claiming how he had found the enemies that she now so
desperately sought. The same enemies who had killed all of her family while
she was in another part of the solar system. They had all gone into the past
and left her behind and alone.
That was until the Master came. He had shown her what had happened to
her family, and who was responsible. Now, she would make them pay.
"I assure you, Lady Ambyra, my powers tell me that this is where they
will all be gathering. You can pick them off one at a time or simply kill
the lot of them," he told her.
She smiled in anticipation. *They will not escape me this time,* she
swore. Turning to Tanthus, "Don't worry, I'll put in a good word with the
Master when I have destroyed the enemy," she said, and teleported out.
Tanthus gazed back at his viewing crystal. *Yes* He thought wickedly *Run
off to your doom, WITCH! When you are destroyed, as my magic tells me, I will
have your place,* he chuckled nastily.
* * * * *
Creator of Kings and Lord Talon
Proudly present
A Crossover of the Biggest Stars
of the Anime Fanfiction world!
Ranma 1/2
and
Sailor Moon
In
"EYES OF A STRANGER"
Chapter Eight
* * * * *
"Isn't this exciting?" Minako exclaimed.
"Yeah! I know my Mamo-chan will win though," Usagi answered.
"Wish Ami was here to see this," Rei said.
"I wouldn't be too sure princess. I think Haruka has more than a good
chance of winning," Michiru replied.
"Haruka-papa will win," Hotaru said.
"I just wondered why Setsuna wanted us to come in the first place?"
Michiru asked.
"Me too," Rei answered.
* * * * *
Quarter Finals
* * * * *
Tatewaki Kunou versus Tenoh Haruka
* * * * *
Kunou swung his bokken a few times, warming up. *How the Kami must grace
this tournament since I, the Blue Thunder, have entered,* he thought to
himself.
Stepping up onto the mat, Haruka smiled. *So he's into kendou is he
now?* she thought.
"I think you might be needing this?" someone spoke behind her.
"said".
Turning around, surprised, Haruka found a smiling Setsuna holding a
bokken in her right hand.
"Uh. . . thanks," Haruka finally manage to reply. *How did she know I
might need one?* "Setsuna, can you tell me why we were suppose to come
"supposed"
here?" she asked.
"It's a surprise," Setsuna answered. *A surprise to me as well,* she
thought to herself. Still wondering why her future self had forbidden her to
look at what's to come.
Sentence fragment.
"Figures," Haruka muttered to herself. From the sidelines, she could
hear cheers and encouragement being shouted her way. The loudest was her
Princess and Michiru.
Looking at his blond opponent, Kunou raised his bokken and pointed it at
Haruka. "Know this lowly peasant that I, Tatewaki Kunou, the rising star of
Comma after "this" and "peasant"
Furinkan High School, shall smite thee, lowliest of peasants, and then
vanquish the evil sorcerer Saotome and free the beautiful Pigtail Goddess
from his evil spell!" he exclaimed. From outside, people could hear thunder
and lightning followed by rain after Kunou had finished his statement.
Haruka was amazed that her opponent had said all of that in one breath.
"You can try," she smirked. *Ranma? Pigtail Goddess?* Haruka wondered
though.
Getting into a loose stance, Haruka waited until the referee started the
match. Kunou got ready as well, his stance was a very traditional one with
the bokken held out in front, pointing at his opponent.
Raising his hands, the referee signaled the match to begin.
Kunou wasted no time, "Have at thee!" he shouted, closing the distance
between him and his opponent and then executing a near perfect slash.
Haruka blocked the blow and delivered one of her own, which was blocked
by Kunou. Raising one eyebrow, *He's good, though full of himself.*
As the match went on, it was clear to many people that the match was
fairly even.
Looking over to Michiru, "Mama? Why is papa holding back?"
Smiling to Hotaru, "It would be unfair if Haruka-papa used some of her
Senshi abilities on a normal person.
"Smiling to Hotaru" what?
How can Haruka tell the difference between what she gets from
being a senshi and what she would normally have?
"Oh."
Staring at his opponent, "Though low born, you are a worthy opponent,"
Kunou had to admit. *No one had lasted this long with me before,* Kunou
thought to himself. *Was he not the undefeated champion of Furinkan High?
No, the world?* he thought.
"You have no idea," Haruka stated.
"Have at thee! Strike, strike, strike, strike!" Kunou shouted,
unleashing his most powerful attack.
Having felt an unusual power building up in her opponent, Haruka tensed
and got ready for whatever was to come. It was this preparation that had
saved her, as she barely dodged out of the way of the first few stabs, Kunou
had launched. Backing away from her opponent, Haruka stared at him with a
different eye. No normal human should have been able to do that. The speed
of each thrust was inhuman that even when she was out of Kunou's range the
air pressure alone still managed to make numerous cuts on her gi.
Narrowing her eyes, Haruka started to take this match seriously. *He
might be a Daimon in disguise,* she warned herself. Getting back to a ready
position, Haruka grew forth a little of her Senshi powers.
"drew"
"Warning to Tenoh Haruka. Stepping out of the ring again will lead to a
disqualification," the referee warned.
In the crowd, many stared at the match between Haruka and Kunou.
"Luna, do you feel any negative energy from Haruka's opponent," Rei asked.
question mark
Luna answered by shaking her head.
"Could he be like another Tuxedo Kamen?" Usagi asked.
Michiru was about to ask Luna if she was sure when she heard someone's
comment.
"Wow! Someone else actually managed to avoid Kunou's special."
"Turning to the person who had spoken, "Excuse me, but could you tell me
more about this Tatewaki Kunou?" she asked.
"Until last year, I never heard of anyone ever besting Tatewaki Kunou in
a fight," he replied.
"He's that good?" Michiru muttered. *Hmmm. Interesting.* "You said he
was undefeated until last year? Who bested him in battle?" Michiru asked,
curious.
"Saotome Ranma," he answered.
And Akane.
"Saotome-san doesn't seem to be that good," she commented, remembering
the previous matches that he had fought and barely won.
"As far as I know, he's undefeated. Never lost a fight. Some say he
could be the best martial artist of his generation," the young man answered.
"So you are saying he's holding back?"
"Yes. I saw him fight once. I was traveling through Nerima and I saw
Saotome-san fight Hibiki-san. Let's say that the construction business will
never fall into the red with those two around. Now if you excuse me, I would
like to concentrate on the match. The boy with blond hair is quite powerful
and skilled."
"Thank you." Turning her attention back to the ring, *You have no idea,*
Michiru thought, after hearing the later part of his statement. As the fight
continued, Michiru was not fully concentrating on the fight. She was
thinking about the enigmatic Saotome Ranma.
In the ring, Haruka had finally been able to land a series of punch and
kicks on her opponent yet for some reason, he still got up. *Man, this guy
can take a punishment,* Haruka thought. Even though she was not transformed,
being a Senshi gave Haruka a few perks. One was faster healing and the
others were more power and speed, though not up to par with her transformed
state. Still, it amazed her that this boy still stood after being repeatedly
pummeled into the ground.
Getting up from his last beating, "You think you can defeat the great
from his last beating, what?
Tatewaki Kunou, you are sorely mistaken. No man shall ever defeat me!!" he
shouted.
Having finally had enough, Haruka, charged. Instead of going for the
head, she aimed much lower. Dipping the tip of the bokken down, Haruka
sliced upwards when she was within range. Seeing Kunou's eyes cross, Haruka
smirked. "So you weren't wearing a cup, huh?" Haruka asked the slowly
crumpling kendouist.
"What sort of man are you to strike so low. Not even the vile sorcerer
Saotome would stoop to using such a tactic," Kunou managed to groan.
"This is anything goes and if you haven't noticed I am a female," Haruka
stated, turning around and walking off.
"Such power," Kunou muttered, as his vision blacked. Just as he fell
unconscious, a vision of Onna-Ranma, Akane, and Haruka popped into his mind,
all cuddling close to him.
* * * * *
Next up was Ranma versus Makoto.
Seeing that he was about to face one of Ami's friends, Ranma smiled.
Bowing to his opponent, he got into a loosely ready stance. Ranma was taking
Makoto more seriously than any of the other opponents had had faced in this
tournament. He had fallen into a stance he had created himself that
emphasizes speed and precision. It was the first step in his attempt in
"emphasized"
creating a new branch of Anything Goes.
In earlier matches he had used straight kenpou, without deviating or
adding to the base style. The reason for the switch was because of this
feeling he kept getting from Ami and the four girls she usually hangs out
with. He sensed a hidden power lurking within each of them yet it was so
unlike ki or chi. He had felt something similar but could not place where
and that was the base for his decision to finally use the one style he was
sole heir to since Akane's death.
Makoto approached the ready line with an air of confidence. She'd seen
how Ranma had faired in his earlier bouts and knew he was good but not good
enough to beat her. He won most of his matches either by luck or by a slim
margin. Bowing to Ranma, Makoto got into a classic karate stance. Having
had to fight often and moved from place to place since she was young, Makoto
had experienced many different varieties of martial artists. What puzzled
her was the stance Ranma had chosen. It was different from the kenpou stance
he had been using earlier.
"Go, Makoto!" Usagi cheered. "Go, Ranma! Make Ami proud!"
Makoto shook her head at the display a little embarrassed while Ranma's
face took on a light reddish hue at the last part. Moment's later, Ranma
shook his head, trying to get rid of the blush he knew was there.
Seeing the referee raise his right hand, both combatants got ready.
The instant the ref's hand fell, Makoto launched herself at Ranma, hoping to
catch him unprepared and ending the match quickly. She was surprised when
her fist met only air.
Smiling inside as he dodged Makoto's fist, he backed away slightly while
placing both hands behind his back. Tilting his head a little, he smiled.
"Wow! Ranma is really confident," Hotaru commented.
"He should be," Mamoru said, having finally reached the bleachers Usagi
was sitting at. "After Michiru told me about how Ranma was holding back, I
went and asked around. It seems that Saotome Ranma is quite a celebrity in
the martial arts circle."
in martial arts circles
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi shouted, having discovered her one true love standing
next to her.
"Not so tight, Usako. I have a match coming up and if you squeeze me any
tighter, I might explode before the match," Mamoru said whenever he got
enough air.
"Gomen," Usagi apologized.
"Anyways, I just wanted to check on some of the competitors. Who knows,
I might have to face one of them in the finals," he explained.
"Don't be too sure, my prince. You still have to get pass Haruka,"
Michiru grinned.
What is certain about "who knows?"
"Yeah! Haruka-papa will win!" Hotaru declared.
"Hehehe," Mamoru chuckled, a little embarrassed that he forgot that he
had to face Haruka before reaching the finals.
"What about this Hibiki Ryouga?" Minako asked. "He's so cute with those
fangs of his."
"Not many people know much about him except that he is Ranma's rival,"
Mamoru said.
"Be careful then," Michiru cautioned, "I don't want Haruka to lose the
chance to beat you in front of the princess and millions of your majesty's
loyal followers in the future," Michiru cautioned him with a feral grin.
Inside the ring, Makoto was tired and sweating. For the past half-hour,
she had constantly been on the offense or if she tried to rest, the defense.
Staring at Ranma, she was jealous that he had yet to break a sweat. *I'll
get you if it's the last thing I do!* she swore.
As the match approached the hour mark, Makoto fell to her knees, panting.
"Give up?" Ranma asked.
"It's . . 'cough' . . not over yet . ." weezed Makoto.
"Yes it is," Ranma said and clocked Makoto with his right fist.
"Winner, Saotome Ranma!" the referee announced.
* * * * *
Amy Anderson versus Eric Stryker
* * * * *
Stryker looked at the crowd and gave his usual 'devil-may-care grin' and
began his warm-ups. Stryker was known in many underground circuits. The
reputation he had earned in most of them did were in no case related to the
word fair play. When asked, he usually defended himself by saying, "Is it my
fault I like breaking things?" or, "I didn't know he would fall apart that
easily." It was this tendency to break things, usually parts of his
opponents' body that earned him the nickname, 'The Crippler.'
He'd make a good pawn of the bad guys.
Eric could have cared less what they thought of him. Fighting was his
life and if anyone was stupid enough to step into the ring with him . . .
well let's just say their lesson would be most painful, not that he minded of
course. He just wished that some of his opponents were tough enough to take
a beating so he could beat on them some more.
With this in mind, some would not fault him for his reaction when he saw
this slip of a girl enter the ring.
"Are you nuts!" he complained to the referee. "This skinny little
chick," Eric pointed at Ami, "won't last five minutes against me," he ranted.
"I'm sorry but she's your quarter final opponent. This is anything goes
and females are allowed to fight the other gender," the referee replied.
Ami tilted her head and assessed her opponent. Having done that, she
smiled sweetly at him, "So that means you're not going to fight me? I guess
you're backing out then. What a relief, I needed a break before the
semifinals," she said.
Eric stopped complaining to the referee and slowly swung his head in
Ami's direction. That little dialogue had gotten his full attention. Eric
stared at Ami for what seemed like an eternity opening his mouth once and
then closing it. After a few more moments had passed, "Little girl, go home
and play with your dollies before you get seriously hurt. I fight to win,"
he threatened.
Geez, what a lame taunt. If I was him, I'd sadistically describe all the
damage that I intended to do to my opponent in some detail.
"Really? I thought that you talked your opponents into submission," Ami
asked, using the same pitch most secretaries used to greet clients, the
higher than normal voice. Ami smile grew a little as she saw Eric face get
beet red. Normal Ami wouldn't taunt the person she was going to fight but
had to see if it worked for her as well as it worked for Ranma-sensei.
*Ranma-sensei's tactics work. I just hope I haven't bitten off more than I
can chew,* she thought to herself
The referee lowered his hand, signaling the fight to begin. As Ami had
predicted, Eric came charging at her like a mad bull. 'If a guy is bigger
than you, then he is usually stronger but slower,' Ami recalled Ranma's
advice. Eric was fast but Ami was faster. This was evident when Eric's fist
connected with air. Having thrown caution to the wind, Eric overextended
when he missed Ami. This left Ami with a great opportunity to bring her knee
straight into Eric's midsection. As he was doubled over and slowly backing
away, she quickly delivered a roundhouse kick to his temple, sending him
crashing to the mat.
Eric quickly recovered. This `little girl' he was so ready to teach a
lesson to had just humiliated him at the outset of the match. *No one
humiliates 'The Crippler' and gets away with it,* he swore.
Seeing that his female opponent had some skills, Eric started to circle
her, trying to get a feel for her rhythm. Throwing a few jabs and quick
kicks, he tested her defense. After he was satisfied that he had her pattern
down, he began his assault. Throwing a fake punch, he was happy when he saw
her take the bait.
Having dodged the punch, Ami realized too late that it was ruse as a
side-sick from Eric connected with her midsection.
Seizing the initiative, Eric launched a combination of kicks and punches
at Ami.
Ami was able to block most of them but not all and the ones that had
gotten through rocked her enough that it left her wide open for a viscous
roundhouse punch that sent her sprawling to the canvas.
Ami slowly got to her feet but had no time to recover as Eric was on her
in an instant. Again he delivered a flurry of punches and kicks that Ami was
hard pressed to block or avoid. Ami was sent sprawling to the mats once
again when an axe kick connected.
"Get up!" Eric yelled at her, "I'm not through with you yet!" Still mad
at the way she had made humiliated him at the beginning of the match, he came
up to the slowly rising Ami, who was slowly getting to her knees and wiping a
little blood from the corner of her lips, back down onto the mat.
There were many in the stands that were more than a little pissed at the
way Eric was behaving. Many of the quarterfinalist were fuming at the
blatant bad sportsmanship Eric was showing and swore that if he were to reach
the semis, he would get his dues.
As Ami had gotten onto her knees, Eric threw a vicious kick, aiming to
send her back onto the mat.
Seeing the kick, Ami reached out this time and grabbed his foot. Using
some of her knowledge of human anatomy, as well as a dose of Ranma's
teaching, she twisted his foot at a bad angle, causing him to drop to the mat
howling in pain.
Ami got to her feet unsteadily but was able to stand nonetheless.
Watching Eric struggle to his feet, Ami felt a little better as the magic
given to her by being the bearer of the power of Mercury, healed her
somewhat.
After somehow getting his foot to work again, Eric rose to his feet.
There was nothing but fury in his eyes now.
Both of Ami and Eric were hurting and neither believed that the other was
still up. At an unseen signal, both charged one another and started to
exchange punch for punch and kicks for kicks.
Ami blocked a flying elbow from Eric while Eric shifted his left foot a
small fraction, having skillfully avoiding the counter throw.
Disengaging, Ami was the first to act, lashing out with a double
roundhouse kick.
Side-stepping the kick, Eric performed a low sweep, which sent Ami
airborne. Eric cursed when he saw her roll with the fall, coming out none
the worse.
An axe kick from Eric was blocked and a rising uppercut from Ami's
counter split Eric's lip. This, of course, infuriated him even more. In the
underground circuits, people feared him and most of the people he fought had
the good sense to stay down but not his chick.
He decided it was time to bring this match to a close. He began launching
a series of rapid high and low kicks, alternating between the two rapidly. By
doing this, he was hoping to force Ami into adopting a pattern he was setting
up. After he was satisfied that she would be locked in the pattern, he faked
a high kick which, as he predicted, Ami moved to block the kick.
At that moment, Eric lashed out with a nasty stomping kick towards Ami's
unprotected shin. Her grinned ferally as he felt something crack from his
"Her opponent"
kick. Ami dropped to the mat, screaming in pain.
Eric looked down at his fallen opponent and smiled nastily. He did tell
her to go home. Was it his fault that she hadn't listened? Now, she was
paying the price. The crowd roared it's disapproval but Eric didn't care.
This match was his.
Ami gritted her teeth through the pain. All through her life, people
thought of her as the weak one among her friends and, this . . . person had
done the same. Treating her like she was weak. Well, she'd show him.
Grinding her teeth and focusing, Ami was able to block most of it from her
conscious mind. Reaching up, she removed the bandana that had been keeping
her hair up wrapped it around her shin as she carefully got up. The crowd
roared in approval!
Eric shook his head in disbelief after having turned around and seeing
Ami on her feet. After a few seconds, his face lit up as he smiled. He had
gotten what he wanted, an opponent who could withstand punishment. He
quickly got into a stance, and waited for his to move. When she did, she
would be his!
Ami saw that her opponent, despite the numerous blows she had given him
was still capable of fighting. *I don't have much left in me,* she thought
to herself. *I need to beat this guy. Need to prove that I can defend
myself in battle and not be a liability but a commodity. I'm just not sure I
can in this condition. I don't think I am fast enough to . . . avoid . . .*
The thought suddenly died as a plan emerged in her head. It was risky
and she didn't know if she could successfully pull it off but this was the
time and place to try. If she failed, at least she had done her best. *Now,
how to get him to take the bait* She wondered and then smiled as an idea
formed in her head.
"What are you smiling at, little girl?" Eric demanded of her.
She cocked her head. "Oh, just remembering how you said you fight to win.
So far, this 'little girl' had taken the everything you've dished out, blow
for blow, and I'm still standing," she smiled sweetly.
"You can't win! Your leg won't hold!" he told her
"I'm still standing here!" she reminded him.
Growing a little frustrated at his failed attempts to crush this puny
little girl, Eric began attacking anew. There a gleam of insanity in his
eyes that no one saw. Yet as each blow raced towards Ami, she somehow
managed to dance her way around his attacks. She didn't even try and block or
fight back.
With each successful dodge, Ami would add a little comment on how he
could improve his techniques, even though some of them were wrong or just
outright taunt the man.
"Too slow. Oops, almost got me but you have to extend some more. Whoa,
that might've hurt if it had connected," Ami droned on.
"Fight me DAMNIT!" Eric roared at his opponent. He wanted to hear the
sound of fist meeting flesh, even if the flesh was his own.
"And let you hurt my leg again? That's silly!" she responded.
"You, die!" he screamed and charged at Ami, throwing caution to the win.
No comma.
The only thing on his mind now was the broken body of this girl. No one
made fun of him.
As Eric made his charge, Ami pulled back and prepared for her final
attack. She was gambling that it would take Eric out of the match with her
health. As Eric got into range, Ami let out a fury of punches while silently
calling out, "KATCHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" She didn't want Ranma to know she
was at the tournament. Though her punches were quite a bit slower than
Ranma's and less precise, it was enough to defeat her opponent. Lifting her
head to see the outcome, she was happy when Eric crumpled to the mat as the
crowd roared their approval of her performance. *I did it, Ranma-sensei!*
The referee raised Ami's hand, signaling the winner of the match. "The
winner of the match, Amy Anderson!" Again, the crowds cheered her on. It was
a hard fight but in the end she won. As she limped off the mat, she smiled.
*The next monster that attacks us will be in for a very big surprise,* she
thought.
* * * * *
Chiba Mamoru versus Hibiki Ryouga
* * * * *
As the referee led Ryouga to the ring, he asked him "Are you sure this is
the way?"
The ref sighed in aggravation. "Yes, Mr. Hibiki, I am sure that it is the
proper way. Look, there is your opponent now," her said, pointing to a young
man wearing a black gi top and bottom combination.
Ryouga shrugged and stepped on to the mat.
Mamoru sized up his opponent. After making a couple of decisions on how
to approach this fight, he decided on an answer as to how to deal with this
opponent.
As the referee lowered his hand and cried, "FIGHT!" Mamoru quickly sprang
into action. He sped across the mat, and delivered a flying kick to Ryouga.
He followed it up with a couple of quick jabs, and a solid right cross that
would have left most people sprawling on the canvas.
Unfortunately, that list did NOT include Ryouga Hibiki.
After absorbing the punishment from Mamoru's blows, Ryouga began his
assault which consisted of two simple moves. A punch to Mamoru's midsection,
which forced the breath out of him and a head-butt that, dropped him to the
mat.
Given that Mamoru has the same enhanced resilience of any senshi, isn't
he going down a little too easily?
Ryouga looked own at his fallen opponent. Perhaps he had hit him too
hard? Ryouga shook his head, *This guy was supposed to be a martial artist.
He should have been able to take the hit.* Ryouga thought to himself. It
never occurred to him that not all fighters had the endurance training that
the Nerima gang had. Ryouga with the boulders, Ranma with the mallet, Kunou
with the constant pounding from his two beloved and so forth. Ryouga walked
Beloveds
off the mat as the referee declared him the winner still not having noticed
Ranma or Kunou at the tournament.
* * * * *
Seeing her Mamo-chan fall unconscious from a single blow angered Usagi.
Two blows.
She was mad at Ryouga for hurting her future husband and at Mamo-chan for
losing so easily.
It was all Michiru and Minako could do to get Usagi in place and not draw
too much attention.
"He'll be all right," Michiru assured her.
Finally relenting Usagi sat down a little worried until Haruka's match
came around.
* * * * *
Semi finals
* * * * *
Haruka versus Ryouga
* * * * *
Looking around, Haruka was confused. *Where's my opponent?* she thought
before going to ask the referee the same question that was plaguing her mind.
Looking a bit embarrassed, "We lost him," the female referee for Haruka's
match replied.
"Lost him?" Haruka repeated trying to see if she had heard right.
"You see, the Hibiki boy has a bad scene of direction, as stated in his
profile. Well, we turned our head away for a second and he was gone," the
referee tried to explain.
"Lost him? I don't believe this," Haruka commented. *I was really
looking forward to facing him too. I mean if someone could pound cape boy
like that is someone I would like to challenge,* she thought.
"The winner is Tenoh Haruka!"
"Go, Haruka!" Michiru shouted. Although her lover had won due to a
disqualification, she just felt like cheering Haruka on.
* * * * *
Ranma versus Amy
"Ami"
Seeing his opponent, Ranma felt that she looked familiar. Heaven knows,
there were enough people with a grudge against him. *It was all Oyaji's
fault too,* Ranma thought.
Ranma lies to himself quite a bit.
Already knowing the outcome to this fight. Ami star
Since Ami was gimped up in the previous fight, her forfeit should come as no
surprise.