Reluctant Bet segment 22 "Reluctant Master"
Dis Claimer: Dis is it.
What's gone before: you've *got* to be kidding.
"I don't want be a problem."
-Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader
--------------------
Jared opened the tomb and wasn't that surprised at the
contents. "Shan?!" OK, maybe he was a little surprised.
"Similar setup to the marionette tubes used for fine
tuning, storage, and recharging." Sakyo looked it over with
a critical eye. "I find the presence of the empty tube to be
worrisome, clearly in this altered timeline that would be
mine. However the whole installation is of considerable age,
possibly predating the Silver Millenium if such existed on
this timeline."
"Big brother? I'm pretty sure she wasn't breathing when
we came in." Ranko pointed to Shan's chest, now showing
signs of movement.
"Well, maybe if I just hide here out of sight." Jared
suggested, with the hope that he could avoid doing this a
second time.
Shan's eyes fluttered. "Ranko? Where's Master?"
Ranko blinked. "Master?"
"Master, huh? Doing something kinky, Jay-chan?" Urd
snickered.
Jared followed up Hiding In Shadows with Improved
Invisibility.
"Identifying Master: Ranma 'Jared' Saotome, aka the
Pheonix Mage, alias Ashida Sanzennin. Presence detected.
Also identifying sister Ranko Saotome, mother Nodoka
Saotome, fiancee Belldandy, fiancee Urd, fiancee Makoto
Jupiter." Shan's eyes glowed briefly. "Also noting defective
unit Sakyo."
"I am NOT defective!"
"What did she mean Makoto *Jupiter*?"
"Shan remembers the previous timeline?! Ooops?"
Shan's attention snapped on the location with a nearly
audible click. "Master. It has been a long time."
"Eh-heh." Jared couldn't help but shoot a glance at
Ranko. "Well, I tried."
Shan held a hand up and pointed at Sakyo. "I now have
the ability to correct your malfunction."
Sakyo turned to run, only to get tangled up in Nodoka's
sword. Nodoka kept her footing, Sakyo slammed into the wall.
"SHAN, NO!"
The bolt struck. Jared realized with a certain
inevitable horror that Sakyo was looking right at him.
The transforming cyborg's expression went from startled
to adoring.
Jared tore his gaze from Sakyo to Ranko, and saw a look
of utter despair melt to Ranko's confusion.
----------------
Olympus:
Hephaestus heard a bleep from his aiMac 3590 and checked
the display. And swore.
After several minutes he calmed himself enough to get
back to work on his current project. "Not that the boy needs
any MORE romantic subplots, but a promise is a promise.
Damn. And I thought that Sakyo would work out."
-----------------
Target Timeline:
"What do you mean you can't reach the ghost, Ranko?"
"It's like before that pirate, Mama. Except it felt like
he went into a room, closed and locked the door, and isn't
answering when I knock." Ranko was reaching for concepts to
explain how it felt.
Jared didn't get angry very often. He was now. "SHAN!
WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"Don't blame my sister, I see it all now!" Sakyo
respectfully stood two steps behind Jared. "I was
malfunctioning. My true Master was you all along. I
apologize for not seeing this before."
Jared cut her off with a glare. "What of when you spoke
to Grey about loyalty and love? Oh yes, I heard. You argued
that it didn't matter whether it was a line of programming
or an electrochemical reaction."
"A malfunction, obviously, Master." Sakyo paused,
looking down.
"You said you were past the point where the cybernetic
brain was dominant... Right, magic." Jared went to grumbling
about the unfairness of it all. "TOLTIIR!"
The scene froze. Jared looked around to notice that he
was the only thing moving. Save one.
An elf was now leaning against the "crypt" and eating an
apple. Except that normally elves did NOT wear plaid. "Wrong
tree, O Druid. I'm into mischief, yes. Pratfalls, certainly.
Pounding people in their most sensitive areas until they
want to curl up and die, NOT the Toltiir."
"If not you, who?"
"Can't tell you. Lotsa players, and not all of them are
on the same game. This is one of those cases where I don't
interfere in other people's games. At least not much." The
plaid elf finished the apple, threw the core into the dirt,
and watched a tree spring up.
"Why plaid?"
"Motley is a fool's garb, don't ya know?" The elf
shrugged. "I *will* tell ya a couple of things cause I am
looking over this mess and can see some problems heading
your way."
"Oh joy."
Toltiir tsked and checked a pocket watch. "First is, the
Amazons have been leaving this city for generations. One of
the most recent sold out her heritage and the Chinese
government now knows that the myths about a Hidden City up
here are correct. They're on their way to loot it and take
control. Ya got six hours before the main force arrives."
"WONDERFUL. Drop the other shoe."
"All those marionettes are about to figure out the
riddle you left 'em. Due to the magic of this valley,
they'll appear here. In a little over eight hours." Toltiir
checked his watch again. "Any other questions, while ya got
me here?"
"Well..."
"The Sailor Marionettes appeared different because they
were cyborgs like Sakyo but achieved through dimensional
merging of different Analogues. They WERE the ones off a
timeline called the Dead Millenium mixed with their
Marionette doubles. Except Usagi, or Serena as I expect
you'll call her. SHE is different because Sakyo downloaded
the memories of Usagi Son from the Sailorjin timeline into
her. Other than that she's just a pretty strong marionette.
Persona downloads by Sakyo were done on the Usagi,
Belldandy, Kasumi, Nabiki, Shampoo, and Ukyo models - so
those are fairly complete mentally if inexperienced."
"Then there's..."
"The Sailorjin timeline? Simple enough. It's a fusion
timeline, Sailor Moon and Dragonball, as you might have
guessed. Makoto there is the Heir of the Jupiter line, one
of the Royal Guardian families that swore allegiance to the
throne. Usagi Son is the Heir to the kingdom. Usagi and the
four Guardian Heirs were ejected to Earth during a coup led
by the father of Haruka Uranus, Chronos. In case your
wondering that was the Sailor Scouts as you know 'em. The
Outers are all survivors of Freezer and the Vogons blowing
up their homeworld.
"Take what you know of the villains common to both
series, combine some, mix up a few others, and you've got
the basics. Queen Beryl and her minions, Red Ribbon, Freezer
and Princess Diamond." Toltiir shrugged. "So Makoto, if she
re-learns 'em, is able to use the attacks of both Sailor
Jupiter and the desert bandit Yamcha as she kinda fills both
roles."
"That wasn't..."
Toltiir nodded. "Actually that was a screw up from
another goddess. She backed up Ranko and these three
fiancees as being valid parts of the timeline instead of as
inserted agents. Hence the seperated personalities and
apparent amnesia."
"Actually, what I wanted to ask was..."
"No. I won't cast a 'Transfer Romantic Subplot' for
you. You're a spellcaster, YOU do it."
Jared made a note to research that spell. It sounded
mindbogglingly useful. "But..."
"You can't see the Binding any more because it's fixed
on Grey, who isn't present in Ranko at the moment. He's been
seperated as a result of Celeste seeing two souls stuck in
one body and figuring it was another screw-up from Kitchiri.
Not really her fault as she's scrambling at half a dozen
quick fixes at once.
"Oh yeah, there's also a BIG problem. See, Shan doesn't
know about the marionettes and doesn't think that her and
Sakyo can protect you adequately- you having a higher danger
level than Grey. So she's about to go firing off 'Arrows Of
Obsession' into the Amazon Tournament so as to remedy that
situation." Toltiir morphed into a humanoid rabbit and
munched idly on a carrot. "Y'know, you ought to order her to
not use that attack at all, thereby saving you a few
problems in the future. She'll obey any direct order from
you that she doesn't perceive as contradicting her main
programming."
"Eeep!"
Toltiir vanished. Time resumed. Jared started to run at
his full considerable speed. He could run faster than a
pegasus could fly.
There was a difference between being fast, and being fast
enough. Realizing this, he slammed on the brakes. 'Anime
Physics' would require that whatever tragedy he ran off to
avert would happen anyway. The only way to counter was to
skip to the next step.
He scanned the party he came with. ~Oh well, they had to
learn SOME-time.~ The youth shook his hair out, manifesting
his pearl and gemstone armor. He was amused to note Nodoka's
reaction when he acted on a premonition and shook out the
wings that he so rarely bothered with.
If her jaw went any slacker it would fall off.
Jared took the steps back and tickled his mother under
the chin while his large and graceful shimmering wings of
white flame stretched out behind him. "Now, now, I'm *still*
your son. I'm just not Genma's child. You naughty girl."
Nodoka flashed beet red and glanced apprehensively to
the girls beside her.
With a powerful thrust from his wings, the youth
propelled himself up to the top of a nearby building, where
he pulled a staff out of his quiver and held it to the sky.
"Heed, my followers!
Hear the cry!
The time to battle an evil is nigh!
Seize thy weapons
and come with grace!
Answer my summons unto this place!"
Belldandy noted with some apprehension that the boy she
was supposed to marry was 1) winged, 2) apparently
illegitimate, 3) of a power level that was almost painful
for her spiritual senses, 4) in the act of summoning an
army, 5) very kind to his sister.
The last made her wonder if the marriage contract could
be gone through with anyway. Not every boy could be so kind
and thoughtful toward his sib. Boys who respected a girl
could be hard to find.
Makoto noted with respect the army as it phased in
around her. Not much individually, but taken as a group
they'd be a heavy workout. It all depended on how well they
worked together.
Urd raised an eyebrow and grew a smirk. Her plans were
unguessable but probably fell along predictable lines.
Jared flew down and gestured with his blazing sword to
what would be the command group of this newly arrived elvan
army. "Dorothy, Annette, Mary, I need full Skywing coverage
of the upcoming battle. Chinese Army is coming up the hill
to take the city, I need tapes of the Amazon tournament
concluding just over on that side of the city, my own
entrance, and when we clash with the bad guys. Beth, take
the Tiger Cavalry and Archers and prepare to receive an
invasion army. Elvraemae, the Knights and Magic Columns are
yours. And would somebody *try* and make the enemy more
interesting? We're going to be on air!"
Nodoka blinked as the well ordered troops streamed off
on those hasty orders.
She had so many people unquestioningly obeying her son?
She wondered where this came from but concluded that it was
manly. She wracked her brains trying to remember if and when
she'd been unfaithful to Genma, and how she might find the
father again.
The three sisters shared a long look and stayed out of
the way.
Ranko bore the appearance of a little girl on a candy
rush as she flitted about, watching the squads of troops on
tigers stream away in company with so many elves in plate
armor, the milling camp of cavaliers on pegasi, and the
elves with audio/visual filming equipment as they set up.
The perky demoness was in visual sensation luxury.
Jared flew over and kissed Urd full on the lips.
--------
Asgard:
Celeste all but wept. In five hours, Kitchiri had
managed to not only foul up the filing system but hopelessly
corrupt five Timelines (there was now an EVA line where the
Evangelion pilots were Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, and a
half-angel dog named Snoopy) AND spill Salusian Syrup on her
copy of the duty roster.
There was also a knot formed from several timelines, and
how Kitchiri had managed THAT was anyone's guess.
The only good thing Celeste found was that Kitchiri was
now banned from Yggdrasil access of any kind. She hadn't
known there WAS a 'goddess fifth class' qualification.
-------
Olympus, Hermes' audience chambers:
"You've got it, you've got him, but the question is...
why?" Hermes, aka Mercury, asked slyly of the other. "This
doesn't seem like you at all, and part of my price was to
know what you intend. So speak, Astrild."
"You know of the challenge. Grey, who has never had a
REQUITED love that turned out to be anything more than a
woman sharpening her claws, was to get one."
"Of course," the messenger god indicated, pulling a
scroll out to display.
"Hephaestus - Sakyo and Shan - STATUS: failed, transferred
to Pheonix Mage.
Amaterasu - the goddess Urd - STATUS: failed, love potion
cured.
Eros - Ami Mercury - STATUS: missed repeatedly.
NOTE: has instead struck Hotaru Saturn, Michiru
Neptune, Haruka Uranus, Usagi Son. current status: have
given up trying to track Grey due to loss of trail.
Sif - Dead Millenium Scouts - STATUS: failed, Scouts
returned to original timeline
Edema - Dead Millenium Scouts merged with marionettes from
SMJ timeline - STATUS: failed, transferred to Pheonix Mage.
Sakyo - Marionette Elite Group - STATUS: failed,
transferred to Pheonix Mage. Backup plan: pending.
Kitchiri - the goddess Fleece - STATUS: untried, expected
to fail spectacularly.
Aphrodite - Ryouga Hibiki - STATUS: failed due to current
removal of Grey from Ranko."
"Now, while you MIGHT have done this just to foul
Aphrodite's little plan," Hermes shrugged to indicate that
NO ONE except Aphrodite had thought it would work, "I know
better than that. What IS your game, Astrild?"
"How private are we?" Astrild considered the messenger.
Hermes looked a little startled but then stamped his
staff against a rune which glowed in response. "No one short
of Thoth or Agamotto is going to see or hear what goes on in
here. That secretive?"
Astrild nodded. "Apollo and a few others know, others
have deduced. ALL know well that it is a matter of the
utmost secrecy. Will you keep this secret, Hermes?"
"If keeping it means being able to learn it, go ahead.
But if you mean that each of these labors is actually
supposed to teach demon-boy some life lesson and guide his
development, I've already got that."
"Just so," Astrild was unsurprised. Hermes WAS both
messenger and spy of the gods. "If Grey succeeds in his
various Labors, then he should be ready at the end of them
to take a position within the scheme of things."
"Not the guardian of Mimir's Well, eh? Grander things?"
Hermes considered. "So why steal him out of the Ranko
gestalt?"
"What could he learn there? Eventually Ranko will marry,
have children, and do all the normal things one would expect
of a girl in her culture. At the end of that time, she may
merge with Grey again, adding that lifetime of experience to
him. But that will take time." Astrild gestured at the
scroll. "Currently Ranko has no less than four people after
her to take her as a lifemate."
"Ryouga, Mousse, Akane Tendo, but who's the fourth?"
Hermes considered. "Not Tatewaki Kuno?"
"Yes, though he was not the one I referred to. No,
eventually Happosai will try to take her."
"Eeeeewwww. I think out of that lineup she really is
better off with Akane." Hermes made a face. "Though it's a
pretty close race. So is that what this whole 'romantic
subplot' challenge is about?"
"You have to admit that if he can't bring himself to
trust or love anyone, he's going to be quite limited..."
"Kind of like Ares without the ego. Got you." Hermes
shook his head. "Not fun. So you are trying to arrange some
relationship with someone so that there is some mutual
benefit or growth."
"You already knew the whole thing?" Astrild asked.
Hermes, knowing of the rivalry between Astrild and Freja,
tactfully didn't mention that he'd had a clue from the OTHER
Norse goddess of love. (Not counting Urd.) He also didn't
mention that Hephaestus had known and had *given* Hermes the
new incarnation. For once he hadn't had to steal something,
imagine that! "Most of it I was able to deduce. So WHO are
you planning on getting the boy together with?"
Astrild smirked. "Someone who has craved something like
this in her heart, though she'd deny it. Someone who could
be healed by association with one who has a gentle and
loving heart. Observe." Astrild conjured the image.
Hermes blinked. "Now THAT I didn't see coming."
---------
Target Timeline:
It was an odd contradiction within the Amazons, one of
many to be sure. They treated their own menfolk rather
poorly, as slaves and second class citizens. (Well, most of
them, there WERE
exceptions. Just visit any timeline with an irascible Elder
Healer named Lilac and ask about "her Douglas" and be
prepared to spend some time.) Yet the Sacred One who was to
return and lead them to a new Age was male.
The Amazons had long welcomed women who were fleeing
abusive males, yet their own law about an Outsider Male
defeating an Amazon led to the potential for abuse. They
practically worshipped strength but their rule was by the
Elders who could exhibit wisdom with their strength.
Shampoo posed triumphantly over the defeated Mousse.
Then, expecting disappointment as had been the case among
Champions for centuries, turned to scan the crowd for He who
was to be her husband. Then came a rain of golden light that
touched many among the crowd as someone came shouting in the
Plaza.
"He's coming!!" An excited voice rang out.
"Who's coming?" An equally excited voice cried. "Is it
Merlin?"
"No."
"Is it Robin Hood?"
"No." By now Shampoo's gaze had tracked down the
excited girls bouncing around and noted that she didn't
recognize them. Then came a third running up to shout in
unison with her friends.
"Here comes Skysaber!"
The oncoming wave of music shook the challenge log.
Scores of women Shampoo didn't recognize stepped up to the
crests of rooftops all around and began dancing as they
sang.
All the new girls stepped forward in unison and swayed
their hips to the right.
"High tension, when he's on the loose!
Powerful One, turning on the juice.
Nice and Cool!
The Ultimate Idol!
(The new girls swung their arms left then right and took a
pace to the left in perfect synchronisaztion)
"Standing free, excited by the talk!
Every girl, is getting really hot.
An Easy Paradise!
The True Idol!"
(By now Shampoo was getting *really* anxious to see him. The
girls' chorus all took three steps forward and faced to the
west.)
Shampoo had leapt out of the Challenge Area before she
realized she was moving. "AIREN!"
The male with fiery white wings and pearl armor caught
her in his arms. Adjusting his plans like the connsumate
stage performer he was, he sang down to her as if that had
been his plan all along.
"I can't show anyone less than they are due
Together we must have a bright future.
If you hold onto the passion inside you
This world could never resist your lure!"
The female chorus joined up on them and swayed hips
right, then left, rejoining their song.
"So lucky! When he comes to call.
So happy! We can't resist at all!
Smoothly! Surely!
The Smartest Idol!"
Shampoo was radiant from her position in his arms. Urd
came up and put an arm on him from behind as the chorus
performed a synchronized spin.
Belldandy had torn a perfectly good apron to little
white shreds. That girl didn't LOOK like she thought it was
a stage performance at all!
Nodoka was ready to faint with pleasure as she looked
on. Duty overcame pleasure and she began to coo and comfort
Belldandy, assuring her that she could indeed marry her son.
The shrine maiden failed to notice the gleam that persisted
in her mother-in-law's eye.
Mistresses! GRANDBABIES!!! By the SCORE!!
...and how manly her son was, too.
(If Jared had heard that last thought he would've abandoned
the performance and run screaming for the hills, followed by
nearly the *entire* population of the village, barring the
men of course, but still)
"Loved by me, are his every action
Every time, they fill me up with passion.
Strong and Clever!
The Unbeatable Idol!"
The female chorus spun into final positions, pointing
toward Jared, and sang the *un*-altered words, that made his
blood run cold.
"Look! Look!
Why don't you touch him!
Everyone loves Skysaber!"
The Sacred One looked surprised and somehow resigned at
the same time as he was dogpiled by happy Amazons.
It was odd, it had actually sounded like he'd whispered
"oh no, not again." That couldn't have been right, of
course. He was the Sacred One, and each member of her
family's line had been sworn to be the Bride should he
return. And now, finally, at her moment of triumph, he had
indeed returned.
Shampoo glowed with happy triumph - literally.
-----------
"NEVER ever ever use that attack again without my
direct permission."
Shan meekly responded with a "yes master..."
"Do. You. Understand. Me."
"You don't want me to use that attack any more. I
understand, Master."
"No. You don't understand. If you use that attack again
without me calling specifically for it, you're out of here.
I didn't ask for or seek to have you following me around in
the first place. I suffer your presence because I understand
it's not YOUR fault either. I don't NEED to put up with
this, and one more act like this, I will send you FAR far
away. And your programming is to serve my interests, so if I
send you away, you'll go."
Shan's eyes teared up. "I understand, Master."
Jared nodded after a moment, seeing that she HAD
gotten the idea.
-------
Olympus:
Hephaestus didn't understand that the manga and anime
that Grey had collected came from dozens of timelines. He
didn't know that Sakyo had gotten Grey's collection from the
RRO and had been basing her marionette designs of of these,
including characters that would have sent Grey reaching for
the Excedrin Migraine formula in very short order.
All he knew, a deal had been struck, and he kept his
bargains.
Four marionettes had been upgraded to levels that a
scientist named Washu would have respected.
They could (and would) eat, drink, and sleep. Food and
fluids would be "digested" by nanobots to supply energy and
repair internal systems. Among other things. These would be
"Third" units among those other things.
Hey, if he was going to upgrade a marionette (reminded
him of Galatea) then he was going to UPGRADE the units. He
had a creative flair so the challenges here were quite
intriguing. And just to amuse himself, he'd tag a "watcheye"
onto the e-mail he sent to the Pheonix Mage explaining
*some* of their capabilities.
Units ready. Transporting after final adjustments. Enjoy
yerself, Mage.
Name: Lina Inverse STYLE: Heavy Artillery
MANGA SOURCE: Slayers SOURCE CLASSIFICATION:
Black Sorceress
OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES: As black magic use would likely
foul your ability to sense evil, a technological equivelant
has been developed.
PRIMARY WEAPON: Particle beam cannons located along
forearms. Requires configuring and deploying a magnetic
field "barrel" so there is a set-up time. So that you would
be capable of anticipating its capabilities, I made them an
exact match of the particle beam cannon PBC-11 of Destroid
type Excalibur Mark VI.
SECONDARY WEAPON: In keeping with her magnetic field
capabilities needed for the Particle Beam equivalent of the
Dragon Slave, minor electromagnetic field manipulation
within a 60' radius is also useable. The unit will be able
to "bend" energy attacks, ground them, or manipulate
electrical systems within that area.
PRIMARY DEFENSE: The magnetic field control will allow the
unit to deflect some energy attacks.
Name: Kodachi Kuno STYLE:
Infiltration/Assassin
MANGA SOURCE: Sword Of The Wildhorse SOURCE CLASSIFICATION:
Ninja
OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES: A number of magical tools such as a
Ninjato of Sharpness, an infinite supply of explosive
shuriken (actually force constructs), and a pair of war fans
that can project a minor force-wall effect.
PRIMARY ABILITY: Stealth mode. The unit can activate a
cloaking field that will allow her to remain undetected by
most systems. Think of it as a form of Improved Invisibility
with a Move Silently and Hide In Shadows bonus in excess of
your own. Gravimetric sensors and certain spells *will*
still detect her.
Name: Naga the White Serpent STYLE: Annoyance
MANGA SOURCE: Slayers SOURCE
CLASSIFICATION: Black Sorceress
CAPABILITIES: As her abilities in the files received via
the Kasumi unit are similar to but lesser than Lina Inverse,
the same basic capabilities were used, but at 1/2 power.
PRIMARY DEFENSE: As she appears to be somewhat tougher than
Lina, the defensive capability is increased. The Naga unit
will be able to absorb 40% of energy attacks utilizing a
damper field.
Name: Shayla-shayla STYLE: Anti-personnel
ANIME SOURCE: El Hazard SOURCE CLASSIFICATION:
Elemental Priestess
CAPABILITIES: Elemental fire magic
PRIMARY CAPABILITIES: Generation of plasma and the ability
to shape streams of it seemed the most likely way to go. As
this was a bit of a "rush job" though, technological short
cuts were used in the other three. The Shayla unit utilizes
an old project which was a "firebird" helm. Those
enchantments were merely transferred to Shayla. Therefore
she has the normal capabilities one would associate with a
Ring Of Elemental Command Fire.
PRIMARY WEAPON: As you seemed to be looking for weapons per
your comments earlier, Shayla was substituted for the Dirty
Pair. She can surround herself with a magical flame aura
that is capable of burning through megadamage alloys. Just
in case.
Have fun.
Hephaestus, Smith
-------------
"Bravo Four, this is Bravo Leader."
"Bravo Leader, roger. Coming up on target." Bravo Four's
pilot moved a plastic cover off a switch, then held his hand
ready. "Delivery enabled."
"Delivery is good. Codeword 'Breaking Bottles'."
A hand flicked the switch, then lightly tapped four
buttons. "Delivery sent. Pulling up to monitor."
Four missiles streaked towards the lightly fortified
village, the gas inside guaranteed to be absolutely without
ill effect on the environment. Any animal whose skin it
contacted would die in convulsions within three minutes, but
by then the gas would already be degrading.
The pilot circled around, marking the contrails as they
arced for four different sections of the village. Only to
end abruptly as some sort of force dome enclosed the
village.
"Bravo Leader, this is is Bravo Four, they have erected
some kind of shield. Impact on the surface with no apparent
penetration. Using Thumper." Another button was pressed, and
this time the pilot was NOT going to stick around for
observation. A very intense flash of radiation would soon be
scouring the Valley, and he had no intention of being
present for it.
*tap* *tap* *tap*
Lieutenant Jing Zao of the Red Army stiffened, then
slowly turned in his seat to regard a purple haired girl who
was tapping on his canopy. The part of his mind that wasn't
gibbering noted off-handedly that the girl was holding the
*front half* of the neutron bomb in one hand, an odd staff
in the other and was keeping pace with his jet.
She smiled at him, went underneath the plane, then came
back out *without* the warhead. She waved cheerily at him,
then flew off as if without a care.
Lieutenant Jing Zao, Bravo Four, Red Army Air Corps,
realized he had two choices. One, he could aim his plane in
an odd direction, set it on autopilot, eject, and hope that
the jet ended up far enough away that he wouldn't be cooked
from the inside when the bomb went off. Two, the 'die with
glory' option where he piloted his ship into the target. The
only problem he had with that was the 'die' part. THAT he
wasn't too keen on.
With considerable regret, Bravo Four turned his plane
back towards the village.
He didn't even get within the blast radius this time.
-----------
Akane Tendo stopped criticizing the news for
interrupting dinner, focussing completely on the scene shown
on the television. "Ranko?! She's in DANGER! I've got to go
help!"
"Maybe it's not Ranko, just someone who looks like her."
Kasumi offered wearily.
"Now THERE'S a thought, how many batwinged redhaired
Japanese girls her age do you think there are, sis?" Akane
spared a glance at her sister before putting a foot on the
table and going into Righteous Declaration mode. "If Ranko's
in trouble, I can't be slow, so it's off to China, I've got
to go!"
"Akane." Nabiki held her hands in a "T" for timeout
signal. "Reality check. How are you getting to China?
THROUGH the Red Army. Into a warzone? And HOW are you going
to convince Ranko to leave?"
Akane drooped a bit on the last question. How could she
convince Ranko it wasn't safe?
"They're rerunning that first bit of footage," Soun
fumbled for the remote.
*****
On the screen, screams were heard as a missile hit directly
overhead. People were running back and forth in the
background as a siren wailed. The correspondent (Sakyo
duplicating a Chinese newsanchor she'd briefly viewed on
television) managed to convey her own alarm.
Sakyo: "This is terrible! An annual children's festival here
in this quaint village was rocked by a sneak missile attack.
We... we just have learned that the missiles were targetted
at these Festival Grounds, a children's center, the local
hospital equivelant, a school, and a home for the elderly.
This was also determined to be GK-950, a deadly air-based
neurotoxin that is clearly in defiance of international
treaty!"
More explosions can be heard in the background.
Sakyo: "With me here is one of the elderly of this quiet and
harmless village. Lilac, you're one of the village Healers,
are you not?"
Lilac (withered 125 year old): "Yes, child. Though actually
I came up to tell you that tanks and infantry are heading
this way and you might want to resume this from the
belltower or get into shelter, depending on your bent, of
course."
Sakyo: "TANKS?! Why a full scale assault on such a remote
and unimportant location?"
Lilac: "Oh, you get used to it, child. The Chinese
government routinely stomps its citizens flat as part of a
training exercise. What a pity that my Douglas isn't around
to see this."
Sakyo: "This is ROUTINE?! Attempting to gas children and
murder the elderly in their beds is just accepted as a
'training exercise'?!"
Lilac: "Oh no, the elderly here tend to be up and about
quite early. In fact, I was just enjoying a pint of Guinness
and a game of darts down at the pub when the attack
started."
Sakyo: "Oh dear. Well, my cameraman is giving me a signal
that we're about to lose the satellite feed. This is Cutey
Wing signing off until next time!"
The camera feeds past a smiling, peace-sign showing,
batwinged (and somewhat batty) redhead to focus on tanks and
war machines in the distance, heading closer.
*****
Akane went into a credible imitation of her father,
wailing about how her beloved Ranko was about to be passed
around like a bottle of cheap sake by the Chinese Army.
"Oh, I don't think they'll do that," said Kasumi,
trying to be cheerful though she fondly remembered the
little cherub herself. "Most likely they'll just shoot her."
Akane was NOT comforted.
-----------
In China, Shan sniffled disdainfully. "Remember that
manuever Shan show you?"
Makoto would have been more alarmed if they were lobbing
kimchi. "You sure this'll work?"
"Sure. Just focus and do as Shan show you."
"Kame..." said Makoto and Shan simultaneously.
"It's a pity that Jared-san got into that strategy meeting
with the Elders," said Sash, holding a box of Pocky out for
Ranko, well behind the two ridiculously powered martial
artists.
"...hame..."
"Isn't it though?" Ranko accepted the chocolate covered
pretzel stick with glee. As much flying as she did, she
*really* required a high sugar intake. "Poor big brother..."
Makoto moved her cupped hands forward, Shan flipped her
staff around and pointed it. "HA!"
Twin blasts shot through armored steel as if they had
been snow sculptures. The blasts continued onwards,
eventually making medium sized craters.
"HA!" A second set of blasts went forward, with a repeat
of the same performance.
"They're making a ring!" Ranko headed up slightly then
dropped back down.
"A ring?" Sash blinked and munched on another pretzel
stick, this one strawberry flavored. "Oh, they're
overlapping the craters to make a moat?"
Ranko nodded and made a little sound of agreement.
"Shan think Lita ready for the next stage," suggested
Shan. Watch carefully and do as Shan do."
"Great, now *everyone* is calling me that." Makoto
nonetheless watched the way the girl built and channelled
her ki.
"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"
"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"
Makoto blinked as the blast actually went through an APC
before rearing up and *biting* a tank. "...that's... NEAT! I
gotta do it again! JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON! JUPITER THUNDER
DRAGON!"
"Remind Shan to show Lita 'Sparkling Wide Pressure' and
'Thundercrash Zap' and 'Wolf Raging Piledriver'." Shan wore
an amused smile as Makoto quickly exhausted her ki
practicing her attack. "In the meantime... WORLD SHAKING!"
*BOOM* *RATTLE* *CRASH*
"Not bad, why can't I learn that one?" Makoto inquired
between bouts of panting.
Shan shrugged. "Shan not know. But Shan not think you can
use."
"I thought you didn't like to be called 'Lita'?" Ranko
inquired hesitatingly now that it appeared that the blasting
was done.
"I don't," replied Makoto.
"Oh! Let me try!" Ranko settled into place and began
doing what she'd seen the others do. "HAME KADABRA KA!"
"That's 'kamehameha'," groaned Sash. "Let me give it a
shot. 'KAME HAME HA!'"
"Sash do okay, Sash just not have enough ki to do
manuever."
"KAME HAIRY BALL! Er, no that wasn't it, was it? KAME
HAME... What's that mean anyway? KANDY... oops. Must be
getting hungry. Maybe the words are too hard. How about..."
Ranko thought for a moment.
"Or it could be that Ranko or Sash not able to use
Makoto's attacks because she no can use others. Maybe need
other sort of attack." Shan considered. Certainly Ranko had
enough chi that she should be able to manifest *something.*
"Try phrase that is more like 'Ranko'."
"AMASA YUREI!"
Makoto found enough energy to cover her face. "Sugar
apparition?"
"It got a flicker," Shan noted, all business. "Ranko
almost have it, try again. Focus all your strongest emotions
into it."
Makoto groaned. "Now what? 'Perky Punch'? 'Cheerful
Heart Attack'? 'Friendly Fist'? 'Ingenue Beam'? Maybe
something horrific like the 'Cutey Bomb' or 'Pink Sugar
Frosting Blitz'?"
Ranko nodded and made a little agreement noise, her
tongue stuck cutely out of the side of her mouth as she
pointed her hands at the fleeing tanks. She didn't want to
actually hurt anybody, but wouldn't her brother be SO proud
if she mastered a ki attack! She reached deep inside herself
and found something.
"What's she doing?" Makoto stared at the altering ki
flows.
"She's drawing and building strength from the earth,
sky, and water." Shan was so startled that she didn't go
into Shampoo-speak. "Power level increasing. Ranko, you
might want to start a little bit lighter."
"You have harmed the Earth, and seek to damage," said
Ranko in an odd voice. "This will not be tolerated."
"Green? What the heck is a GREEN aura?!" Makoto
shielded her eyes as Ranko continued to build up energy.
"Get behind Ranko! Shan should have figured out. Ranko
not destroyer, she builder, not warrior but healer."
"This land is old and bears many scars. Let them now be
washed away." Ranko said, her wings and hair flaring golden
in color.
Shan frowned. "Power level 500. 750. 900. 1150. 1600.
2100. Ranko, let go, you build up too much! 3200! 4800!
9700! 11,000!"
Ranko released it. "DEEP VERGE!" And promptly fainted,
which was really a pity as she missed everything that
happened.
---------
Jared felt the discharge of something odd, and left the
Elders in mid session. He'd known the two fighters were
going to hold off the tanks and planes, but he just hadn't
been able to get free himself. That last thing, though, had
felt like a cross between summoning and healing magic. He
thoroughly expected to see a blasted and devastated
landscape.
He did *not* expect to see grass and trees and fields
of flowers. LOTS of flowers. As in someone ran amuck and
planted darn near the entire gardening section at K-mart. He
did not expect to see what looked like rich black soil
covering what had once been barren rock. He did not expect
to see thick vines and creepers and bushes scattered about,
expecially the ones near the valley enterance that were
covering tanks and APCs from which the crews were running in
pure horror. Except for the soldiers who were weeping near
their machines, looking as if they had just had a religious
experience.
Jared did not expect to see Shan sitting near a supine
Ranko, putting a cold compress across the girl's forehead.
Nor Sash and Makoto staring at the forest that hadn't been
there a half ago but now looked as if it had been there for
centuries.
Landing, Jared looked over the group, then back at the
forest. "Okay. Does *someone* have an explanation for this?"
Sash giggled. "Ranko found her 'ki attack'..." She
fell, doubled over, laughing hysterically.
Jared had to wait for explanations as none of the
conscious three seemed able to communicate in a rational
manner at the moment.
============
We now temporarily go with alternating chapters dealing with
the adventures of Jared and the misadventures of Grey.
-------
-------------------------------
"At times like this, I prefer using overwhelming
amounts of force."
-Jared Saotome, Reluctant Bet
metroanime@mindspring.com
http://metroanime.home.mindspring.com/