A Fist Full of Tendous
Chapter 02: The Name's Thomas... Florida Thomas!
By Kevin D. Hammel
A fanfic crossover involving 2 fanfics (diced and separated), a dash
of Ranma, and a pinch Sailor Moon.
Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi. Publication Rights are
held by Viz in The US and Shogakukan in Japan. Sailor Moon is
property of Naoko Takeuchi. Publication rights held by Kodansha Ltd.
in Japan and Mixx Entertainment in the US. My purpose is to honor
these creators and their works. No infringement intended.
This story is a bit out of continuity of both of the fanfic series it
combines. Also, if the names "Children of Fire" and "Honor and Love"
mean nothing to you, here there may be spoilers. If they DO mean
something to you, you just might enjoy the story, maybe...
***
By the time they hit the dirt behind one of the monolithic standing
stones, three Sailor Senshi had again joined the other three women.
Another shot rang out, closer than the last. A small rain of stone
fragments showered the six crouched people.
"Wonder why they're shooting at US?" Tourmaline idly asked nobody.
"Perhaps they detected the disturbance that resulted when we ended up
here. Who knows what happened before we showed up?" Moonstone
replied.
"But... why would they be shooting us?" Charon asked.
Suddenly, the loud screeching of a vehicle taking a corner too fast
attracted their attention to a roadway behind them.
An ATV careened rapidly their way, spraying divots of turf in its
wake. But the amazing thing was what was mounted on the truck. A
large film camera was securely fastened on top of the vehicle, with a
flame-haired girl perched next to it. With a shout, the girl leapt up
in the air and almost took flight as she flipped in the direction of
the gunshots. Not unexpectedly, the camera panned to follow her every
move.
Then, unfortunately, she disappeared from the limited field of view
afforded by the rock the women were hiding behind. Sailor Europa
peeked over the stone to see what was going on. It seemed their
assailant was now occupied. "Wow..." the Senshi whispered.
That was enough to coax another five pairs of eyes to have a cautious
look.
The shooter was a girl with long purple hair that flowed down the
back of her bright pink, very short, silk dress. She had turned to
face the flying redhead, who ended her leap by lightly landing behind
another stone.
The presence of another person nearby drew Feldspar's attention away
from the battle shaping up across the circle. A bespectacled man
dressed in a stylish business suit stopped to look her in the eye.
"Uh oh," he sheepishly whispered.
"Yeah, you can say that again!" Feldspar spat.
The man tried to draw a bright silver firearm from under his coat
when Feldspar used a blast of wind to toss the careless fool across
the circle toward the stone that separated the other two women.
"That'll teach you to try to sneak up on me!" She shouted over the
roar of her attack.
The girl who had jumped off the truck popped up from behind her
cover, and with lightning speed and a crack like thunder, shot out a
dark green bullwhip at the purple haired girl.
"Nice try, Shampoo!" she shouted as the whip coiled around the girl's
firearm, and then jerked the gun out of her hand. "But I'll discover
the," she paused for a moment, adding to the drama before continuing,
"'Mystery of the Standing Stones', or my name ain't," She looked up
at the camera, offering a photogenic smile, "DOCTOR Florida Thomas!"
Unfortunately, the guy flying across the circle intervened at this
point, crashing into the redhead. If she hadn't been mugging for the
camera, she might have dodged. Instead both the girl and the man
disappeared behind the stone.
The red haired girl shook some cobwebs the impact dislodged out of
her head, allowing the other two a few unhindered moments.
Taking advantage of her opponent's preoccupation, the purple haired
girl hurried around the stone and hefted the unconscious man. With a
comment of "Stupid Mousse, you lose glasses again!" the girl ran
behind a large bush, The roar of an engine was soon followed by a
jeep backing from behind the shrub, turning, then roaring away.
The redhead rose and shook a fist at the retreating jeep. "Next time,
Shampoo. I let you get away!"
"Cut!" came a yell from behind the camera. A bespectacled girl with
short brown hair appeared from behind the camera. "Great job,
Florida."
"Uh... thanks!" the somewhat woozy redhead said in response.
By now, the six visitors were standing behind a lower stone that
allowed them both cover, if needed, and a better view.
Florida was a redhead that looked awfully familiar to most of the
visitors. She was dressed in tailored green jeans, a white shirt, and
a dark green leather jacket. A dark green hat sat perched atop her
head, held in place by a leather strap. Her pants were tucked into a
pair of forest green, lace-up, work boots that stopped just short of
her knees.
"Gotta love that lady's style," Tourmaline whispered with an
appreciative smile.
"I'm not surprised, Big Sister," Feldspar chimed in as she shook her
head knowingly.
The redhead looked their way, and then walked over. A girl with
short, black hair who could have passed for Europa's twin, or
Feldspar's, joined her. The camerawoman went back toward the truck.
Stopping a few meters short of the six women, the redhead used her
coiled whip to tilt her hat back. "Seems you girls were having some
trouble. Glad I could help ya out."
"So what is this, some movie set?" Sailor Charon asked.
"No... a voice from behind stated. It was the bespectacled girl, who
looked not unlike two of the other women, namely Tourmaline and
Charon. "We're shooting a documentary called 'Doctor Florida Thomas
and the Mystery of the Standing Stones'. She looked at the redhead as
she continued. "My... uh... sister-in-law's a lecturer in the
Department of Archeology at Queen's University in the Royal Crown
Colony of Tokyo. I'm her business manager, Carolina Thomas."
The black haired girl continued. "And I'm Dr. Thomas' personal chief
of security, Atlanta Thomas."
The redhead smirked as she interrupted, "You mean hired thug, you
tom..."
"Why, you! Can't you EVER close your idiotic mouth?" A notable blue
aura surrounded the black-haired woman as she spoke.
Reactions to the two women's conversation were varied amongst the
observers. Charon and Tourmaline smirked, Titan frowned (only very
slightly of course), Moonstone nodded knowingly, and the 'Temper
Tantrum Twins', Europa and Feldspar, really felt for the girl.
The green-clad scientist's attitude and smirk both seemed to
dissolve, replaced by an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Atlanta. It's an
old habit that's tough to break."
Atlanta winked conspiratorially at Feldspar before she responded.
"And, by the way, 'Doctor' Florida only has an honorary Ph.D. And,"
She jabbed a thumb the redhead's way as she continued, "My husband's
part of the security team too. I guess that makes for TWO thugs."
The redhead scowled at Atlanta for some reason.
Europa, Charon, and Titan shared a secretive smile.
A pleasant voice called out from the vehicle, "I think we should go
now. There are some disagreeable sirens heading this way... So please
hurry over here right away!" To punctuate the statement, the speaker
gunned the engine of her truck.
The bespectacled girl gave Tourmaline a card. "Gotta go."
With that the three women ran off and hopped into the truck. After
gunning the engine a final time, it rumbled away.
Let's get out of here!" Sailor Europa shouted.
"First, why not revert? Three Sailor Senshi running around might
attract attention!" Charon suggested. After quite a magical light
show, six seemingly normal women walked away from the scene.
Tourmaline looked at her opposite, frowned, and then spoke. "Hey,
Nabiki! Let's conjure up some real clothes for you!"
A few moments later, Tourmaline, wore a conservative knee-length
green dress, as did Nabiki. Glancing at the card for a moment, and
she looked up. "I think we need to look this Carolina Thomas girl up.
I wonder how to get to Tokyo, though?"
"Well, first we need to know... Where the heck we are right now,"
Nabiki deadpanned.
"That's for sure, not to mention find out where exactly Tokyo is in
this place," Tourmaline concluded while shaking her head.
"I think we're probably somewhere in the British Isles," Moonstone
replied in response to both girls. "So we need to travel to Japan."
With that, the six people left the stone circle bound for... wherever
the poorly paved road led.
***
A little later, two pairs of binoculars peered through a hole in a
billboard to follow the six people as they walked down the road. It
was the shooter and the other agent.
"Shampoo wonder where Magic Girl go?" The purple haired girl
whispered.
"I don't know, Shampoo, but they seem to know Florida," came a hushed
response.
"Shampoo find artifact AND take husband home to China. Artifact make
Emperor happy. Ranma make Shampoo happy." She turned to her
companion. "We follow."
"Sure, Shampoo. Of course," the man in the suit quietly concluded.
As the six women walked, Tourmaline glanced at the card.
---
Dr. Florida Thomas, Lecturer
Queen's University
Tokyo, RCC
Contact: Carolina Thomas, MBA
Thomas Training Hall
Nerima, Tokyo, RCC
---
She flipped the card over; finding another embossed message.
---
You want artifacts?
We've got artifacts, collected by world-famous
archeological researcher Dr. Florida Thomas(tm).
Complete catalogue of current inventory, including
documentary footage of the renowned Doctor and her
research: 10 Pounds.
Signed, glossy photos of Dr. Thomas, 20 Pounds each.
Dr. Florida Thomas documentary catalogue alone, 5 pounds.
---
<Pounds?> The girl asked herself, puzzlement clear in her emerald
eyes. Out of the corner of her vision, she noticed a billboard
following slowly behind. "I don't believe this! What's going on?" She
whispered to Nabiki, who now dressed in an outfit identical to hers.
"What?" Nabiki asked, then snatched a glance behind. "What do those
idiots think they're doing?"
With that, Tourmaline picked up the pace. Each stride left more space
between the group and the sign. The girl smiled as the two people
pitched the sign, to run and hide behind a tree. They did this
several times in succession until a cleared field left the trailing
pair without cover.
Feeling her exertions, and sweating a bit, Nabiki looked at her
opposite. "So, what country did you say you were from?"
Tourmaline frowned, "I don't know if I really should tell you. We're
fighting a war with Sailor Senshi back home."
Nabiki sneered in response, "Oh, so how will I be able to do anything
to hurt you? All I want to do is get home, and I think we have to
cooperate to do that. Besides the monsters we fight aren't even
remotely human."
"So, what happened to Queen Beryl in your world?" Tourmaline asked,
already guessing the answer.
"Beryl was the first to attack the earth. We..." Nabiki waved an arm
to include her sisters, "weren't even Sailor Senshi back then. It was
just the four Senshi of the innermost planets and Sailor Moon who
defeated Beryl."
Tourmaline blinked in shock. Were they doomed? But there were some
inconsistencies in Nabiki's story. Most glaring of them there was,
"Sailor Moon? Who's that?"
Nabiki weighed what to say. The fate of another Earth full of
innocent people hung in the balance, against that of her sisters and
mother. "She's the most powerful of the Sailor Senshi."
Tourmaline shook her head, "There was no Sailor Moon where we come
from. There were the eight Sailor Senshi, eight Guardians, and seven
Thunders, but there never was a Sailor Moon." Her gaze narrowed, "Who
is she?"
Nabiki's jaw firmed. "Sorry, I can't tell you that one. You may be...
me... in another world, but if it's anything like our world, there
are a lot of innocent people involved." It felt weird to say
something like that, but it also felt right. She'd changed a lot in
the last few weeks.
Tourmaline decided to keep her thoughts about the relative
'innocence' of said people private. "Okay. I don't think I'd be
willing to share our military secrets with you either. Maybe... once
we... finish the battle on our world..."
Akane had heard just about enough. Unable to contain herself any
longer, she shouted. "Why would you be fighting with the Sailor
Senshi anyway? They're the good guys!"
Feldspar had gotten her fill of Akane, but tried to keep from
yelling. She sort of succeeded, and didn't holler too loudly in
response. "Because! They're not the good guys! Your high and mighty
Sailor Senshi stole our world from us, blew it up, and then locked us
away in another dimension!"
Akane didn't even try to hold her temper, "So, you're just some
monster from the Dark Kingdom? All you are is a minion of Queen
Beryl!"
"And you're just a lackey of Serenity... The same Queen who released
the six scourges to destroy all of humanity!" Feldspar responded,
punctuating each word with a jab of her pointer finger ever closer to
Akane.
Kasumi looked a little cross, "Akane-chan, please be nice to your...
sister. She comes from a different world, where things are different.
Feldspar-chan, please don't argue with Akane-chan. For right now,
let's just be a family. If you girls don't kill each other, maybe all
of us will get home."
Feldspar bit her tongue, and then looked at Kasumi. She was a lot
different from the sister she had fought in her dojo, before those
Senshi trashed it. That Kasumi was a real warrior, this one was a
mother to her sisters, but as a Sailor Senshi wasn't to be trifled
with either. "Okay, Kasumi!" she replied, finding it easy to smile by
the end of her declaration. If only her big sister had joined them
when they had returned home...
Moonstone was glad Kasumi had stopped the argument, but was still
intrigued by these girls. She shook her head as she glanced at them.
To think... in another world, her daughters had grown up to be Sailor
Senshi of all things. But... Senshi of moons? He gaze settled on
Nabiki as she spoke in her most motherly voice, "Nabiki-chan, were
you Sailor Charon before? In the," she fought a grimace, "Silver
Millennium?"
Nabiki decided her story, and her sister's wasn't a problem. "No, the
three of us sort of got drafted as Sailor Senshi by the spirits of
some of the larger moons."
Moonstone decided to see if she could pry a little information out,
now that she had an opening, "So, was this 'Sailor Moon' drafted
too?"
"No..." Nabiki clamped her mouth shut for a few moments. Usagi was
the Moon Princess, maybe she hadn't shown up yet on the other world.
Time to change the subject. She pasted saccharine smile number
twenty-two on, then commented, "Nice day isn't it?"
Kasumi turned to the woman who might have been her mother, but
wasn't. "Please, let's not talk about this. Let's just try to get out
of here." Her composed smile quivered for a moment, but she pressed
on. "I'd would like to get to know each of you too, though," she
said. As she continued she was unable to take her eyes off Moonstone.
"Let's try not to make this wonderful chance we have into something
any of us might regret when it's over." Kasumi concluded.
Akane looked disappointed, "I hope I at least get a chance to spar
with these other guys..."
Feldspar offered her hand to Akane, "Akane-chan, who knows WHAT we're
gonna need to do to get out of here? But until we find a way back
home, we're in this together. " She cast a glance Tourmaline's way,
then her eyes snapped back to Akane. "Having a sister who wants to
fight alongside me will be nice..." As she finished, she thrust a
hand Akane's direction.
"I already have two, but I wouldn't mind a couple more for a while."
Akane said as she accepted the handshake.
"Let's get moving a little faster, the baka battalion is gaining on
us." Nabiki said as she jerked a thumb over her right shoulder.
Picking up the pace again, they put more distance between them and
their pursuers.
They hadn't walked much further when Feldspar suddenly stopped. "This
is ridiculous!" she shouted. "I'm gonna take care of these losers."
The girl turned to face the pair.
The man froze in his tracks. "Sh... Shampoo, " He whispered loudly.
"This girl means business."
Shampoo stopped and pirouetted, hands on her hips as she faced her
partner, "Stupid Mousse, Magical Girl not scare Amazon warrior!" Her
face contorted into an exaggerated sneer as she continued. "Shampoo
show Mousse how Amazon take care of silly Magical Girl."
Akane decided to lend support and quickly became Sailor Europa as
Shampoo made her great pronouncement. Feldspar summoned her own
violet-trimmed gray uniform to stand alongside her erstwhile sister.
Shouting, "Enough is enough!" she glared at the purple-haired girl,
with hands on her hips.
Mousse swallowed. He didn't relish facing two women, after the
violet-eyed vixen had handled him with little trouble. And now she
had another Magical Girl to help out.
"Amazon show Magic Girl real power!" Shampoo shouted as she leapt in
the air to narrowly avoid a blast of ice and water that hit Mousse.
The hidden-weapons master used a small grappling hook to snag a fence
post, preventing him from sailing over the horizon. Delaying was
probably a better word for it as the fence post began to give way
under the relentless assault of Europa's Pressure Wave.
With a plop, the ground released the fence post. To the cry of
"Shampoo..." Mousse went flying down the shoulder of the road, until
he plowed into the muddy ground, a good fifty meters behind his love.
With a grown, he picked himself out of the mire.
The Amazon warrior had no way to defend herself as she came out of
her flip. It only took two of Feldspar's winds to plant Shampoo in
the mud next to Mousse. Shampoo pulled herself up, anger hidden by
her encasement of muck.
The two shell-shocked Amazons stared as Europa and Feldspar reverted
to civilian guise. Shampoo began to shake in anger as the two girls
joined their compatriots on a leisurely stroll from the battle scene.
"I call... backup," Shampoo said as she flipped open a communicator.
A blob of mud oozed out of the useless device.
"Glad I have one too, Shampoo, " Mousse said as he reached in the
pocket of his jacket, withdrawing shards of smashed plastic and
circuit board. His own coat of mud camouflaged his scowl.
Shampoo blew a kiss at each of the young women who had defeated them.
"Someday, Shampoo give girls Kiss of Death."
Hearing the threat, Feldspar wheeled around, "Bind them!" She
shouted, as two of her winds held the two opponents' arms and feet
fast.
Mouse looked toward to the uprooted fence post as he responded,
"Uh... is that really necessary, Shampoo? Now look what she's done."
Shampoo smiled her deadliest smile, which looked almost comical
amidst the mud dripping off her face, "Silly Mousse. Shampoo let
Magic Girl win. Now Shampoo kiss girl and kill!"
Mousse big-sweated.
Feldspar sneered at Akane as they walked, "That should keep them off
our backs for a while!"
Akane wasn't sure how to respond, "okay... I guess," would have to
suffice.
***
After another two hours of walking, a tired and sweaty troupe of
visitors came across a medium-sized city. The dilapidated road they
had been walking on didn't see much traffic, but the city was
bustling.
They stopped for a moment on the outskirts of the mini-metropolis to
get their bearings. About three kilometers away a cluster of ten-
story office buildings probably indicated the city center.
"Finally. Civilization!" Akane said as they turned right on a road
leading to the central city.
"But, Akane... Doesn't civilization require money?" Nabiki commented
with an arched eyebrow.
"That shouldn't be too much of a problem, " Moonstone replied. "We've
got a bit of hard... currency."
"Yeah, but we need to convert it to cash, if we want to spend it,
Mom." Tourmaline added.
Nabiki looked thoughtful for a moment, "Hmmm... you probably need to
fence some of those jewels. I wonder if we can find a place that will
take them?" Her face showed a little pain as she realized how tired
she was. "And to think, some people actually pay to run ten
kilometers. It's bad enough walking. I need a hot bath... and a
bed... and... Huh?" She said in response to a finger tapping her
shoulder.
"No rest yet, Nabiki-chan. First we need money!" Feldspar said as she
pointed to the bag she had pulled the gem from earlier.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Nabiki wearily replied.
"All I need to find is a shady place that will take these jewels.
Wanna help?" Tourmaline asked Nabiki.
"Sure!" Nabiki replied. The prospect of money was a good balm for the
aches and pains she felt.
"I'm sure Big Sister will have no problem finding the seediest places
in this dump!" Feldspar said with teasing assurance.
"At least I contribute." Tourmaline teased back. "Besides, the more
disreputable a place is, the easier it is for us to sell them
something." She finished with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Well, I don't want you girls getting into trouble." Moonstone added,
with just a touch of concern.
"Don't worry mom. I don't think there's much anyone here can do to me
or Nabiki-chan." She looked at her potential partner for
confirmation.
"Uh... right. What could they do to us?" Nabiki replied, still
unconvinced.
***
Two twins, petite blondes wearing identical pink dresses, ran down
the street.
"I TOLD you that was enough money, but NO, you had to ask for more!"
Blonde One somewhat breathlessly said to Two.
"Well I got it, didn't I?" Two asked.
"Yeah but..." A concerned One answered. She was silenced by the sound
of a gunshot. One took the opportunity to swallow, even though she
knew they were completely safe. She hoped.
"This way!" Two shouted, pointing down an alley.
Two out-of-shape thugs in cheap black polyester suits wheezed in
exertion as they struggled to pursue the girls. The white shirts they
wore were already showing huge gray patches of sweat. Running into
the alley, they almost ran into two girls rather taller than their
prey. One of the well-dressed ladies had brown hair; the other's was
an emerald shade. The two young women both wore outfits that spoke of
power, grace, and green.
"'Scuse... me... ladies!" The slightly taller of the two ruffians
managed to say between ragged breaths. "Did you... see a couple... a
bimbos..."
Both of the men were far too preoccupied with breathing to notice a
small hand gesture the emerald-haired girl made. A crashing noise
down the alleyway did manage to attract their attention, however.
The larger man jerked his head toward the sound. "It's them!" he
excitedly yelled, ignoring the two women.
"Let's... get 'em Sammy!" The smaller one added as he took off toward
the noise. His partner ran in pursuit. After a meter or so, neither
of them even remembered the two teenagers they had talked to.
Both women watched the boorish display with haughty indifference.
After both girls composed their features into masks of disapproval,
one spoke. "Well, I never..." the brown haired girl said with an
imperious twist of her head away from the disgusting spectacle.
"Indeed!" The other agreed, before she followed her companion back to
the street.
After they made it back to the street and had turned the corner, both
young women bust into laughter. Such frivolity was most unbecoming of
young ladies of their high station. But then, things are not always
what they seem.
"See, it's really no problem!" The green-haired girl said. "We're
just the hunters among the sheep."
"Uh... yeah." The girl with brown hair responded. It was still hard
to see things the way the other girl did, but she was trying.
The green haired girl's face became angry as she spoke her response.
"Besides, those jerks ripped us off! They didn't give us nearly what
those stones were worth!" Anger fled her face as she considered more
pleasant things. "Let's meet the others back at that mall. Now we can
finally do more than window-shop."
"Okay," Her compatriot emotionlessly replied.
"Don't worry, Nabiki-chan. It's okay. We didn't do anything wrong.
Those jerks ripped us off, and then they wanted to kill us! They're
not even worth saving, but I did, because they weren't worth killing
either." The girl with green hair said as disgust made its presence
visible.
"Okay... thanks," Nabiki replied, her unease melting away as she
walked down the street with her sister. "I don't know if I've ever
gone shopping with this much money!" She whispered to Tourmaline.
"But, I have the strangest feeling you know how to spend it." The
green-haired girl responded.
***
That night, a cold and wet Shampoo and Mousse still lay by the
roadside. No traffic during the day led to the impression that it was
either abandoned or little-used. Crickets alone kept them company in
the darkness.
"So, what happens now, Shampoo? How do we get out of this?"
Shampoo turned her neck to look at Mousse, "Shampoo have plan...
soon. Then Shampoo go kiss and kill Purple-Eye-Girl." Looking back up
at the stars, she began to formulate her plan, but nothing came to
her. She sighed, wondering if the Magical Girls had won after all.
This was not the end an Amazon dreamed of, caked with dried mud and
laying by the roadside.
In a hotel a few kilometers away, Feldspar sneezed. "Oh, I guess I
forgot to release those two who were following us!" She said, and
then summoned her two winds back.
Mousse and Shampoo both felt freedom at the same time. "See, Mousse!
Shampoo plan work!"
Mousse knew better than to ask what it had been.
"Now, Purple-Eye-Girl dead!" Shampoo whispered.
Mouse shivered for a moment as he considered their joint fate. "Let's
just forget about this and go back to China, Shampoo! These girls are
way out of our..."
"Silence! We kill Magic Girls. Purple-Eye-Girl Shampoo kill first!"
Shampoo shouted back.
"B... but Shampoo, there's six of them and two of us." Mouse
stammered, hoping reason would triumph over Amazon pride.
"Three, when you count great-grandmother. Shampoo get sneaky, and
kill one by one. Purple-Eye-Girl just first of six."
Mousse could only swallow.
***
The country they ended up had indeed been England, or what passed as
that in this universe. It was actually named the United Kingdom of
the British Isles, North America, and Pacifica. The party of six
headed by train to take the first step of their journey home.
A fair amount of money had been spent at the shopping area. Each of
the young women and their... mother, for lack of a better term, was
well dressed. Business suits abounded, ranging from dark green with a
fairly short skirt for Nabiki and her twin, to dark gray with slacks
for Feldspar and hers. Kasumi wore a long navy skirt and jacket with
a white silk blouse. Moonstone went with a dark purple dress. Each
woman carried a garment bag and a suitcase to hold all their clothes
and travel paraphernalia.
"You won't tell me HOW we're going to get to Tokyo, Mom? Why the
secrecy?" Tourmaline asked as the green countryside flew by the
window.
Moonstone smiled at her daughter, "Trust me. We can't get there by
conventional means like teleport, so we're going to take mundane
transportation. But it's not that mundane, you'll see."
"C'mon, mom. You can tell me..." Feldspar argued in the voice that
usually got what she wanted from her parent. She was used to getting
what she wanted, and was growing just a little upset.
"Sorry, I won't tell you. If I do it won't be a surprise then, will
it?" Moonstone responded with a small smile.
She wanted to say 'be that way', but Feldspar couldn't. This was Mom,
so she had to give her a little leeway. "Okay, I understand." She
whispered, struggling not to pout.
Rounding a bend, they all saw a row of sheds in a clearing. As the
train continued to approach, the sheds seemed to grow larger and
larger. Then they saw it, a great silver airship like the one they
had seen the day before. The leviathan of the sky dwarfed all but the
buildings that had birthed it. Soon, they passed a sign reading
'Cardington Aerodrome'.
"I guess we're going first class..." Feldspar almost whispered.
"Yeah..." Akane agreed.
Hidden near the back of the train car, Shampoo looked up from the
copy of the New London Times. Sometimes, it was almost funny how fate
favored a great warrior. It looked like the Magical Girls, Florida,
Ranma, and herself were all taking the R-111 to Tokyo. It would be an
interesting trip. A bit messy for the Magical Girls, of course, but
nothing she couldn't clean up. She turned to the wrinkled woman that
sat next to her, "See, great-grandmother, we found all of them this
trip."
The elderly woman seated next to Shampoo reached out with her senses
to get a reading on the party that had humiliated her heir. A frown
creased her brow. "Shampoo, we must be careful." She nudged her head
in the direction of the six travelers. "They are surely demons,
great-granddaughter. These creatures are not of this Earth."
For one of the few times in her life, Shampoo knew fear... for a
moment. "Don't worry, great grandmother... I... I'm not scared. These
Magic Girls defeated me. I'll give them the Kiss of Death. Then kill
them. Like a good Amazon warrior is supposed to."
Mouse didn't share his comrade's bravado. "I almost wish I had
your... over... confidence," he whispered to himself.
"Shampoo, I don't think our tribe's laws were ever designed to
include demons. There is no need to pursue this path..." The crone
said to the younger woman.
"Shampoo, listen to Great Grandmother. You don't need to seek your
revenge on these creatures." Mousse pleaded.
"I live an Amazon. I will die an Amazon. I see girls, not monsters.
Those outsiders defeated me. I must kill them, or die trying." She
turned to glare at Mouse as she concluded her speech, "men don't
understand."
"I will let you play your game, great-granddaughter. But I will not
let your folly destroy my heir. If I order you to, you will stop any
attacks against them." Cologne said in a commanding voice that
brooked no dissent.
Shampoo bowed her head, "Yes. I hear, and obey." She turned to face
the aged woman again, her gaze full of steel. "But first, I will try
to defeat them."
"As you wish," Cologne concluded.
The train reduced speed as it approached the station. "Cardington!
Cardington station!" a voice called over the intercom. As the train
slowed, the passengers prepared to leave.
Nabiki glanced around the seating area. She had sensed something,
either a threat or an annoyance. But now, the compartment was empty.
Frowning slightly, she concentrated. There had been someone behind
them, she was certain. She felt a tap on her shoulder.
"C'mon, let's go," Tourmaline suggested, offering a hand to help
Nabiki rise. Bowing to her sister's ear level, the emerald-haired
girl whispered in the other's ear. "I felt it too... I think it's
those goons who followed us earlier."
Nabiki smiled, "yeah, I bet you're right. I don't think we've got
much to worry about from them!"
With that, Nabiki stood and followed her near twin out of the
carriage and into the station.
***
C&C always welcomed. Thanks to my pre-readers: John Biles, William
Dix, Art Hansen, Bryan Neef, Andrew Norris, and Chad Walker.
By the way, if you are interested in such a topic, the "Airship
Heritage Trust" website has a lot of interesting information on the
British airship program, including the R-100 and R-101. It's at:
http://www.aht.ndirect.co.uk/.
The 'Onna-Ranma as Indy' idea came to me after looking at Bryan
Neef's 'ideas' on his webpage (where he had 'her' as Lara Croft).
Used with permission.
Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think!
Kevin D. Hammel
April 6, 2000
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khammel@anime.sobhrach.com
kevinsff@pacbell.net
http://www.anime.sobhrach.com/~khammel/
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