I AM IRON MAN!!! DUH DUH DUHDUHDUH!!!^_^ Gee, go away for about a week, and after
sifting through tons of email and whatnot (1200+ messages...I RULE!) from the various
ML's and whoever else, I find this little gem on my computer. ^_^
Greetings, once again!
Welcome...Megatron...Heh.
Well, here I am. Thought you'd gotten rid of me, eh? ^_^
Next time I'm using the adamantium spikes to seal you in that tomb, damnit!
As always, I request any and all C&C you want to give. Especially on this
chapter. For everyone wondering, yes the action will start to pick up in
chapter 10. I'm afraid this is just more of that "plot" crap that I keep
sticking in-between my fight scenes. ^_^
No...that's Dragon Ball Z. Heh, much as I love that series, it's very weak on
anything but fighting and plot relating to more fighting. Wonder what that says
about me? ^^
Anyways, I reiterate (I love that word!) that I would love to hear from you.
My address is in the "Cc:" line of this message, and also repeated down in
the fic itself. Or, you can press the "Reply"... do I really have to do this
every time, or do you know the spiel by now?
Hey, at least YOU get C&C. I posted the first chapter of the rewrite of my first
Tenchi fic and haven't gotten anything back. J-Pikachu posted a fic (and quite a
good one I might add) taking place in the Pretty Sami universe, and I haven't seen
him get anything either.
OK...OK...I'm a bit sore about that one. ;_; I mean...we all thrive on some
C&C...don't we...WAAHHH!!! Heh. I'm feeling much better now though. Well...kinda.
And a bonus prize to anybody who catches the Bubblegum Crisis reference I
made in this chapter. It's pretty obscure. ^_^
If you are referring to the original series, it's been years since I've seen that
one. As for 2040, I get that as I can rent it. ^^
Now, let me just send this fic, and I can get to finishing off those
pre-reads I still owe some people!
Don't take on too many at once. Did that last year, and oh God it took me forever to
get back to writing.
Chapter Nine : Let Us Compare Mythologies
Naa, let's kill them all and let God sort em out...wait a sec. That don't sound
right...heh.
Vyne idly paged through the book he held, perched on the edge
of his bed. His room was surprisingly spartan, with little in it that
was not of vital necessity to him. Aside from a small dresser with
Gee, sounds like my room.
four drawers and a mirror, a large door that led into his closet, and
his bed, there was nothing other than the bare stone walls and he
Cept for the walls. Damn soooo many wall scrolls and posters of anime characters.
Most are of Belldandy, if you could believe that.
himself. Vyne didn't believe in wasting things like space or time,
like his brother Pedri so obviously did.
Sounds like my talking to my superiors at work...who themselves are wastes of space
and time. I still find it amazing that anything of import gets done.
The young man snorted softly and grimaced. Even when he was
only talking to himself, he couldn't avoid the subject of his brother.
If there was one thing that he would never understand, it was how
their Mother could have chosen that arrogant, anal retentive little
snot to be their leader when such an obviously better choice had stood
before her. Namely, Vyne himself. The man's huge wings trembled in
Yeah, and then you too can hear the voices telling you to kill people. Heh
irritation, a few ebony feathers drifting free and floating away on
the gentle breeze that filled his quarters. With great effort, he tore
his mind from the contemplation of life's great lack of fairness and
refocused on his book.
Oh, it's fair. It treats everyone liks shit. I mean, you don't get much more fair
than that. ^_^
Somebody knocked lightly on his door. Vyne sighed dejectedly
and tucked the book under one arm, staring angrily in the door's
general direction. It was Tuls, of course : even her knocks managed to
be seductive, somehow. He had better see what she wanted, before she
An extra space where that : is. And that sentence sounds weak somehow. I'd
recommend getting rid of either the somehow or the of course.
came in to get it. Getting trapped in that giant birdcage of hers and
spending another decade begging for crackers was hardly on his list of
things to do again. His taloned feet clicked softly on the marble
THANK YOU MISTRESS! CAN I HAVE ANOTHER? ^_^
floor as he crossed the room. He had a big room, and he was glad for
it, especially the high ceilings. Vyne had always suffered from slight
claustrophobia. Pausing with his hand on the door handle, he took a
deep breath and held it. Thus prepared, he opened the door.
Not to mention that cold shower he took awhile ago. Heh.
Tuls braced her hands on either side of the frame, leaning
back and looking up at him through her long eyelashes. Her wild mane
of long violet hair tumbled well past the small of her back, with a
single forelock dangling fetchingly between her large golden eyes.
Full, red lips were curved into a permanent smirk, and her features
were almost deliberately delicate, with a heart-shaped face and a
small pug nose. She was wearing pink, he noticed with a sense of
So she's out for the same sex today? ^_^
relief, rose-coloured pants that were made of some gauzy type of cloth
which left nothing at all to the imagination. If there had been any
flaws on her body, Vyne would have been able to see them clearly, but
his sister was blessed without the slightest scar, birthmark, or
blemish. Her skin was the colour of fresh cream, and as the silver
Shit, all she'd have to do is visit my old highschool if she were feeling anxious
like that. She'd have no shortage of volunteers to satisfy her appitites...unless
she really did eat them. ^^
belt around her waist was the only thing holding her shirt closed,
there was a lot of skin to see. The shirt was baggy, as were the
pants, and made from the same see-through pink material. The way in
which the thin material shifted and moved with every breath she took,
it was almost more revealing than if she were merely naked.
However, do not underestimate the power of a fully nude female. ^_-
"Hello, love," she said breathily, and her smile grew slightly.
<Kintaro Oe> YES! I SHALL BE YOUR SLAVE!!!
"Tuls," Vyne said coldly, and made sure to keep holding his
breath. He wasn't going to risk falling for her pheromones : even if
Great, like the head of the Dark Sun Criminal organization in Shadows of the Empire.
Heh.
she wasn't currently interested in him, his sister had never been one
to turn down an opportunity. "On the prowl again, I see. What do you
As he turns pink...then blue...then passes out on the floor...^_^
want from me?"
"Well," Tuls drawled, leaning forward and letting her index
finger trail down his bare chest, "I can think of all sorts of fun
answers to THAT question, but right now I wonder if you've seen our
dear, beloved sisters Erdge and Holts?"
Question: Are they even capable of reproduction? And if so...where did they come
from to begin with? Or is that one of those questions that will be answered in time?
heh.
"Nope," Vyne said flatly, folding his arms across his chest,
"haven't seen either of them. Go away." His sister looked at him
suspiciously, then tried to step around him and into his room. Arms
still folded across his chest, Vyne kicked up one foot and easily
caught her, straightening his leg and slamming her back against the
stone wall on the other side of the corridor. His feathered ebony
wings snapped out, blocking off the door. "Perhaps," he said, "you
didn't hear me." His middle toe was curled inward, the knuckle
pressing firmly against Tuls' chin as his talon rubbed against her
sternum. His other two front toes were splayed, curved talons digging
And then her unbound burgeoning bosoms will fall right into the palms of his hands.
Yep...perfect...heh. Damnit!!! Now my mind is in the gutter again...do you have any
idea how impossible it will be to get out now? ^_-
into the wall on either side of her head. The opposable toe on his
heel slowly began to move upwards, delicately dragging the tip of its
massive claw along the middle of his sister's body, a thin line of red
marking its passing. "Leave me alone."
"Now, Brother Vyne," Tuls pouted, "is this any way to treat
me? You know that Pedri said all of us siblings should love each
other..."
There was a movie about the Roman Empire that reminds me of this scene. Rather
graphic movie as I recall...would have been pornographic, had it not been actually
illustrating some of the stuff that actually went on in Rome's decline.
"He didn't mean it as literally as you do," Vyne snarled.
Besides...there is a fine line between love, and hot monkey lovin. ^_^
"I just thought that maybe we could both get a little more
comfortable." Tuls smiled seductively. "After all," she said in a
throaty voice, "it's so cold and drafty in this hallway. Aren't you
even going to let me in to sit down for a while? I've been searching
for so long, and I'm so very tired." Her smile became far more wicked,
No comment. I'm not touching that one. ^_^
as Vyne's expression slowly became slightly dazed. His knee began to
Yep...there he goes, told you not to hold yer breath for so long.
bend, and Tuls sagged forward against it, holding his outer toes like
the handlebars of a bicycle.
Vyne suddenly shook his head and straightened his leg again,
slamming Tuls back with such force that her head cracked against the
hard stone wall. His delicate, bishounen features twisted with rage,
and his emerald eyes were all but glowing.
Glow. C'mon, we'll let ya.
"Hey," Tuls groaned, rubbing the back of her head and staring
at the blood that coated her fingers, "if you wanted to get rough,
baby, you should have arranged for a safety word!" She smiled, and
<Kintaro Oe> YES!!! PUNISH ME!!!
ran her tongue over her lips as she licked her fingers clean. "Not
that we need one," she added, "but it's nice to know what to ignore."
ARMAGEDDON! I pity any and all who got that one. He he he he.
"For the last time," the winged man seethed, "I don't know
where Erdge and Holts are. If I DID know where they were, I would lie
to you. I despise you, Sister Tuls, in case you have forgotten!"
Tuls stared at Vyne for a moment, then nodded. "This is about
that little thing I did a while back, isn't it? That was almost one
little thing I did awhile back...*snicker...heheh...LOL!!!* BTW: Isn't awhile one
word?
thousand years ago, you adorable little feather duster! Can't you just
Is that one of the things she made him do? Be a feather duster? ^^
let bygones be bygones?"
"Bygones be-?" Vyne narrowed his flashing emerald eyes,
fighting the urge to incinerate her on the spot. "You slept with my
entire invading army the night before I attacked! They didn't even
The entire army???? HOLY CHRIST!!! She that good, did she stop time, what the hell?
^_^
have the energy to lift their swords! I had to destroy the whole
country by myself! I was nearly killed!"
Oh boo hoo. You got it easy compared to Vegita. He's wiped out whole planets single
handedly before. Heh.
"Well," Tuls said helpfully, "that's no reason not to go to
bed with me NOW, is it?"
^_^
"My ENTIRE," Vyne hissed, "invading ARMY!" His sister shrugged
and slowly began to lean forward again, pressing her body against the
sole of his large foot and rubbing against it like a cat against the
leg of its owner. Vyne steeled his nerves and did his best to ignore
her.
"So I took her back and I made her desert. I know, I'm being used...that's okay
becaus I like the abuse!"
Tuls continued to writhe beneath his foot for a few minutes,
then sighed deeply and hung her head in dejection. "Wow," she said,
"not even a twitch? You really have been practising that 'Soul of Ice'
thing you were blathering on about a few centuries ago." The
purple-haired temptress heaved a deep sigh that nearly caused her to
fall out of her shirt. "Well, can't blame a girl for trying. I'm off
Damn! I'd have loved to have received a description of that. ^_^
to find a different game." With a fetching smile, Tuls removed the
fishing net that hung from her silver belt and slung it over her
Fishing net? Is that like one of those enchanted silver ones that are used to
capture beings with power and render them...powerless? ^^
shoulder. "Wish me luck!" A bawdy wink later, she was gone, melting
from beneath his talons as if she had never been there.
Vyne growled and went back into his room. As the door closed
behind him, he released a shaky breath and wiped the sweat from his
brow. He had been so very close to giving in. Unfolding his arms, he
opened his hands and stared at the bleeding marks he had dug into his
palms with his fingernails. Fortunately, Sister Tuls hadn't noticed,
or she might not have given up so easily. If she had been wearing
blue, she might not have given up at all : she was as persistent as
she was perverted, and she ALWAYS got what she wanted, eventually.
I recommend buying her a Vibrator...the Darth Maul model...long and dual sided.
But not this time. After his shaking had subsided, Vyne
staggered back across the room and rapped on his closet door with his
knuckles. "She's gone," he said, and the door slid open. A tall woman
dressed from head to toe in form-fitting black leather stuck her
<Tenchi> Ohh...look It's the S&M queen!
<Sasami> Cool it's the S&M queen!
Those who know of the soundfile would get that one. Heh.
masked head out and looked from side to side before emerging the rest
of the way. Her long blonde braid swung down around her ankles, and
was a bit frayed from the way she had been twisting it nervously in
her hands.
"Thanks," Erdge said to her brother, and placed a hand on his
bare shoulder. "Do you mind if we stay here until she calms down a
little? We don't really want to risk going back to our rooms, because,
well... that's one of the first places she'd check."
"No problem," Vyne said, flopping onto his bed and opening his
book once more. "There's some food in the dresser, if you don't mind
hard tack and beef jerky. Where's Holts, anyway?"
A light snore from the direction of his closet answered him
before his sister could, and Vyne smiled. Only Holts would fall asleep
They need to invest in Mountain Dew. Lots and Lots of Mountain Dew. Maybe some Jolt
and some no doze.
while hiding in terror. Turning a page, he stared at The Art of War as
if he hadn't read it six million times before. So, Pedri, he thought
to himself, if you're so damn special, why wasn't it YOU who helped
protect your sisters from that deviant? His lips twitched in a smile
deviant? Like he's one to talk.
as he turned another few pages at random, watching Erdge from the
corner of his eye. He'd have to make sure Erdge and Holts were asking
themselves that same question, before they left his quarters.
He'd be Mother's Pride yet, and then she'd talk to HIM,
instead of Pedri. Then HE'D be the special one, the one Mother loved.
So if they don't feel they are loved, why bother following her?
And what would Pedri be then, without his position to protect him?
Well, Vyne thought, surely Brother Tytoung was getting hungry again.
Pedri could be a peace offering to him. Pedri could be lunch.
I'd put that last sentence as it's own paragraph for added emphasis.
**********
"Pedri," Nasuti tried to explain, "could be the single most
dangerous creature any of you have ever faced." Pausing, she took a
deep breath and looked around the clearing. "If," she added, "he's the
same Pedri I came across in my research. He might not be."
"Right," Haruka Ten'ou replied sarcastically, running one hand
through her short mop of blonde hair. "Because Pedri was SUCH a common
name, especially in ancient Japan."
The world's a far larger place than Japan, and the Universe itself even more so. Heh.
Sitting at the feet of her partner, Michiru Kaioh calmly ran
a brush through her damp, sea-green hair and smiling over at the
flustered young woman. "Don't worry, Nasuti," she said, "Haruka doesn't
mean anything by it. Just tell us what you know."
"Well," explained Nasuti, scratching her head, "it all depends
on what this Pedri is like. Kayura, would you mind describing him to
me?"
Seated on a nearby rock, the frail raven-haired empress
shrugged as she pulled on Nasuti's white short-sleeved shirt. The young
woman had offered to let Kayura borrow a few clothes, and the empress
had taken her up on the offer. "Pedri? Nothing special." Tugging on
Yeah, Latin D was right about this one. Kayura actually offered her kingdom first
for the hair pins and the offers and counter offers went from there. All jokes, but
the idea was the same.
the dark, nearly black, denim jeans, Kayura fiddled with the belt for
a moment or two and stared down in disgust as the pantlegs flopped
several inches past her feet. "He was rather tall, slim, maybe a bit
Heh, better for you to move about in my dear.
older-looking than me, but younger than Anubis or Rajura. Short, dark
hair, and wearing some kind of dark toga with a weird gold clasp. He
walked through the wall, told us he was going to end all life in the
Dark Kingdom, then melted through the floor."
And one wonders if he's been taking lessons from Kagato. Heh.
"Huh. Did he, by any chance, have a violin?"
Kayura blinked. "A what?"
Michiru smiled happily. "Pedri plays a violin?"
I'm not sure that's something to be happy about ya know. Or was Haruka doing
something else to make her smile. ^_^
"No." Nasuti shook her head. "The violin was for his victims,
according to the legend I remember. Pedri was l'esprit d'amour propre,
or at least, the Pedri I read about was. Apparently, he was a very
volatile creature too : il est tres mal. Even mentioning his name
without proper reverence was supposed to earn his ire. He was supposed
Sort of like mentioning the real name of Death or the Devil?
to be relentless in his goals, with one exception. Namely, the violin."
"I'm still confused about the violin," Haruka admitted. "Does
this Pedri guy play it, or give it to people, or what? And whatever
happened to just giving flowers?"
"The legend has it that one of his six siblings -Holts, I
believe her name was- once played Pedri a duet on two violins at once.
The song entranced him, and he fell in love with it. Unfortunately,
Holts had been making the song up as she went, and couldn't remember
what she had played. So, Pedri was supposed to offer a violin to those
who had angered him. If they could manage to reproduce the tune Holts
had played, he would spare them and grant them any one thing it was
within his power to give. If they didn't..." Nasuti looked embarassed.
"Let's just say it wasn't very pleasant."
Awee...c'mon! Go ahead and describe it to us! Can't be any worse than watching the
new Sailor Moon hacks on Cartoon Network.
Kayura bent over and began rolling up the cuffs of her borrowed
jeans, which were at least one size too large for her. "So," she said,
"if this Pedri we're up against is the same as the Pedri you were
reading about, then what is he? A youma? A demon?"
"A god, actually, and not the kind of god that other gods
<Skeletor> I AM A GOD!!!
invite to many family picnics." Nasuti pulled on her denim jacket and
glanced over at the three women watching her intently. "Like I said,
Pedri was l'esprit d'amour popre. That was how the scrolls usually
So his origin is French? And just out of curiosity, how did anyone from this world
get any info on him?
referred to him, since even mention of his name was supposed to anger
him. It's French for 'the spirit of ego'. He was called 'l'incarnation
de fietre', too : the incarnation of pride. My theory at the time was
that Pedri's ancient legends were what led to the current myths about
Satan challenging people to a fiddle contest."
I was about to make the joke, but you already did below. Have you heard the recent
rap song about the Devil going up to South Central (I think that's what it was
anyway)?
Haruka chuckled. "You mean it was PEDRI who went down to
Georgia, looking for a soul to steal?"
He was in a bind, he was way behind and he was looking to make a deal. In which case
they need to look up Charlie Daniels and have him play for Pedri. Heh.
"Possibly, although it was likely somewhere in Greece or Rome,
not America. The scroll I was reading was translated into French from
Latin - they called Pedri the deus fastosus, the god of haughtiness-
and it may have been based on an even earlier tale."
So is he the guy the devil was based off of...or is Lucifer still the Devil?
"Oh." Kayura sat up and stared off into space for a few
seconds. "So it's possible that Pedri is some kind of god? Or at least,
powerful enough that it made no difference to the people who knew
about him?"
Or maybe something altogether different from a God or Demon or Mortal.
"Well," Nasuti was quick to offer consolingly, "I doubt it
really is the same Pedri. It's likely just someone using his name,
or trying to convince people of his own divinity. Frankly, he could
have picked a more stable god : according to the few legends I can
recollect, Pedri was as tempermental as Thor with a toothache."
Sounds about right actually. However that might explain a few power outages we've
had recently. Heh.
"Either way," Kayura responded, "I want you to try to recall
as much as you can about the Pedri in your legends. Especially try to
remember any weaknesses he or any of his siblings might have."
"Tea," Nasuti said instinctively, then blinked in confusion.
"That is, I'm pretty sure one of them has a real soft spot for tea.
Something about the sugar, or the caffeine - it does something strange
to them. But it wasn't Pedri, it was one of the other ones..."
Maybe No Doze isn't the thing for her after all.
"As for the rest of us," Kayura said, sweeping her arm in a
gesture that encompassed Haruka, Michiru, and their teammate Setsuna
Meioh, who was still relaxing in the hot spring, "we don't tell anybody
about this. I don't want our troops being disturbed by some vague
rumours. Is that understood?"
<Soldier> We're going to fight a God?
<Shinock> I told you there would be penalties for breaking the sacred rules.
<Kayura> Now pay attention: I'm going to show you how to kill a god.
Wonder if I could pull any more out? ^_^
"Right," the three Outer Senshi chorused, and Kayura nodded
to herself.
What about Rajura? Heh.
"Then let's get back to camp, before Anubis starts to worry
about me. The Storm Senshi probably have Naaza up a tree by now, too."
What is the problem? Why not just bed them a few times to get it out of their
system?
Or did they already do that?
Turning to where Sailor Pluto remained in the water, Kayura raised an
eyebrow questioningly. "Aren't you coming, dear Setsuna?"
^______________________________^ OK...I'll quit with the orgasm jokes.
"That's all right," Setsuna replied, closing her eyes and
sinking a little lower into the steaming water. "I'll be along soon
enough, thank you very much."
That last "Thank you very much" honestly sounded a bit too...curt to be put into that
kind of warm and friendly setting, and I saw no reason for her to use it...it doesn't
sound right is what I'm saying.
**********
Pedri sat back in his throne and stared at the figure before
him. Nearly eight feet tall, the giant creature was nearly all muscle,
with a broad, barrel-like chest and a head that seemed attached
directly to its shoulders. The head was rather interesting in shape :
lacking ears, chin, or nose, it was little more than a thick skull
with a broad snout and a mouth that stretched back nearly to its neck.
Oh my GOD! It's Gonzo's Older Brother!!! ^_^
Sharp, curved teeth could be seen peeking out behind the scaly lips,
and a thick tongue rubbed along the edge of the jaws. Those jaws were
large enough to engulf Pedri's entire torso in a single bite, he
reflected, and noted the hungry gleam in his brother's beady eyes.
I get the feeling, that out of all of the siblings here, Tytoung would be the one
most...honorable. If that concept or any concept of honor could be applied to him.
Tytoung sat forward slightly on his haunches, clawed hands
resting on his knees as his wide tail swung back and forth in an
attempt to keep him on balance. His entire body was covered in small,
bead-like scales, black with a strangely beautiful coral pink pattern
that shifted in the light. He looked most unpleased.
"What," he asked, in his usual dry hiss, "do you think I am?"
*looks through Togen's spirit guide* I'll get back to you on that one.
"A lizard," Pedri answered honestly. "A particularly large
and venomous lizard, and one which has no place telling me how to run
my people."
Oh...so now it's his people, not Mother's. ^_^
"You," Tytoung suggested, "are full of shit. That's what I
think. I think that you're asking me to put my troops at risk fighting
creatures that have already managed to shame half of our family, and
that you thought I was too stupid to find out how dangerous they are.
Well, let me tell you, Pedri : I'm not going out there. Count me out."
If such a concept could be applied to him.
"You're going," Pedri answered coldly, tightening the black
leather gloves he wore. "Mother has asked that you go."
"Let Mother ask me in person," Tytoung said, pointing towards
the large crystal tube in which a nude woman floated serenely. "If
my presence is so important, why can't she ask for it WITHOUT your
help, you little parrot?"
"You know as well as everybody else that Mother only speaks
to her chosen one, Brother." Pedri paused and looked over at the tube,
And has he been saying that for so long that they believe him, or did she really tell
them all that at one time or another. Damnit...the suspense is killing me here! ^_^
Good job.
head cocked as if listening to something. Tytoung winced at the use of
his full name. He hated his slurred nickname, but at least it wasn't
said with that icy tone that Pedri reserved for speaking to him.
Yep, you forgot to mention his name in the above paragraph.
The last time Tytoung had faced Pedri, the young man had used
those same tones. "Tytolung," he had said, "Mother feels that your
presence in the castle is disturbing to others. She thinks that perhaps
Why? Cause he's big and ugly? ^^
you would be more comfortable elsewhere." And Tytoung had gone, because
he HAD to obey Mother, even when she was saying she didn't want him
anymore.
Or is this some kind of weird genetic imperative. This is driving me nuts here. Heh.
Well he'd be damned if he did it twice. If Mother wanted her
scaly son to be sacrificed for some stupid crusade, or quest, or
whatever the hell Pedri was calling it this century, she could damn
well ask him with her own voice.
"Still," Pedri said, "he is most contrary. I feel that some
form of punishment may be in order." He paused again, listening to
something Tytoung couldn't hear. "A reward? I suppose that could be
suitable, as well. Of course, Mother, I never meant to imply that any
course of action could be as suitable as your own. I am eternally
sorry." Turning back to Tytoung, Pedri sighed. "Mother," he said
imperiously, "has informed me that should your behaviour be acceptable
on this mission, She would be willing to accept you back into our
home."
Tytoung twitched. Home? Out of the stinking, wet, grimy, cold
tunnels and caverns where he had been forced to reside for... how long
was it, two or three thousand years? He couldn't even remember. She
BTW: Two or three thousand of who's years? Ours or someone else's? If you think
about it, that could be far longer or even shorter than we realize.
would actually let him come into the light whenever he wanted? Was this
some kind of trick?
Of course it was. Pedri was baiting him. There was no way that
he would let Tytoung within a hundred feet of him without Mother to
And he seems to suspect that it's all Pedri here, if your wording is any indication.
protect him. No matter what was promised, it would almost definitely
be taken back after the mission was over. Almost. He sighed. Damn it.
"I'll go," he groaned. "But if this turns sour, you had better
start wondering which kind of wine you go best with."
You keep hints coming but would he have a chance against Pedri? Heh.
Pedri smiled. "Red, of course. Now go and turn your teeth
against the Masho and their allies. Prove that Mother was right to
place her faith in you."
**********
Setsuna watched her friends go and leisurely swam out across
the pool, currents streaming and rippling luxuriously over her bare
skin as she glided through the steaming water. In the growing shadows
of night, she almost felt as though she was floating through the silky
blackness of space itself as she spread her arms apart and stared up
at the stars. It was rare, she reflected, that she could have such
Remind me to send you part of the Tenchi fic I wrote, where I describe Tsunami
bathing in the waters of her own private dimension. ^_^ I love these kinds of
scenes, where movement is described like poetry; this is very nice.
times of peace. Everything in the universe seemed to require her
personal permission to keep running at times, and she had to admit
that she had needed a chance to relax. Although, she admitted with a
hidden smile, her husband Shutendoji had all but spoiled her with his
constant affection, the last time she had been to the Gates of Time,
and with such a peaceful and wonderful hot spring to bathe in, she
could soon find herself actually enjoying her life if she wasn't
careful. Surely, that was against some kind of cosmic rule...
Yeah, and those rules were made by a guy called Murphy, also goes by the name God on
certain occasions, so we can blame that entity, not that it would do us any good mind
you. God always did have a twisted sense of humor; the duck billed platypus for
example.
And we are waiting for that lemon side story. ^_-
Kicking her legs into the air, Setsuna dove beneath the surface
of the water and sliced through the velvety black pool, her hands
sifting through the soft, almost ash-like sand that coated the bottom
of the hot spring. The heat was glorious so far down, palpable as it
washed over her skin in waves. The green-haired Senshi stayed under
as long as she could, until her lungs began to strain for air and
forced her to kick off of the sandy floor and rocket back towards the
surface.
Nice. A nice image; a sensual and poetic image if you want to get right down to it.
She broke through the invisible barrier between dark water and
dark air, the cold breeze biting at face and arms as she shook the
excess liquid from her thick tail of forest green hair and rested her
hands on the edge of the spring.
No. Not on the edge. On a pair of clawed, armoured feet.
A pair of clawed, PURPLE armoured feet.
Oh my GOD!!! It's TRYPTICON!!!
Wouldn't that just ruin everyone's day?
"Hello," Rajura said pleasantly as he glared down at the nude
woman, "I thought those others would NEVER give us a chance to be
alone together." He extended a gauntleted hand, his expression
Cue bad porno music. ^_-
inscrutable behind the steel grille that covered his nose and mouth as
he offered her the fluffy pink bath towel Nasuti had so thoughtfully
left behind. "It's time to get out, Setsuna dear. You're going to tell
me a great many things that I want to know."
Honestly with the way they hate each other, I can almost imagine one standing in
front of the other totally nude, and neither seeing more than someone they'd rather
be throttling. In fact, that image would have far more impact...though I suppose the
towel is only the polite thing to do. Heh.
Setsuna pulled herself out of the pool, water pouring off of
her body and forming a puddle around her feet as she accepted the towel
she had been offered and wrapped it around her body. "Where," she
asked, in a resigned tone of voice, "are my clothes?"
Rajura: Jun took them. I expect they are being taken up a very tall tree by Naaza
right now. If you hurry you might be able to catch them. ^_^
"You can have them back," Rajura answered, "after you tell me
what you meant back in our camp, when you kept talking about 1569.
What in the world did you think you were talking about, and why on
earth did you think I would know, or care?"
So he doesn't know or remember? Or is he confirming what she knows?
"I think," Setsuna said as she slowly turned, trying to keep
her eyes on the armoured form circling her, "that in 1569, a passing
troop of soldiers were sent to check a border fortress that hadn't
been heard from in months. They found it burned and gutted, with every
creature under its roof murdered. Even the crickets had been poisoned."
What about the microscopic bacteria and such? Did he whack them too? ^_^
"Now what," Rajura asked, "would that have to do with me?"
"Hanako."
Rajura's right eye twitched slightly. "I told you," he hissed,
"I don't know anybody by that name."
And his body language tells such a different story. Heh.
"Oh? That's very strange." Setsuna lifted one eyebrow and
smirked at Rajura. "You see, as far as I can tell, Hanako was a young
girl who lived in a small town near Kanto at the time. Your hometown,
actually."
"I left home at an exceptionally early age."
"I suppose I was mistaken, then. I assumed you must have known
her : she would have been born to her parents only a few years after
Yet another big space where the : is.
you were, and it was such a small town, and all."
"As I said," Rajura snarled, "I left home very young. I must
not have met this person."
"Still," Setsuna countered, "it's odd. She was kidnapped by a
general named Torio Tsugakuro. And one year later, ON THE EXACT DAY OF
HER FIFTEENTH BIRTHDAY, Torio and every living thing in his fortress
were brutally murdered."
That's like one of those really prophetic moments. Sounds like she was to be married
and someone else took...exception to that.
Rajura smiled behind the steel grate of his mask and spread his
arms in a shrug. "Perhaps," he suggested, "it was a case of bad karma.
That can come back to haunt people, you know."
Yeah, just ask Unicron. Serious case of indigestion I hear.
"Perhaps," Setsuna admitted, holding her towel slightly tighter
around her and extending one hand, "but a deal is a deal, and you only
asked me what I thought. My clothes?"
Rajura reached behind him and produced a tightly rolled package
of blouse, skirt, jacket, underwear, and shoes. Looking at the dark,
green-haired woman one more time, he held his arm out and dropped the
entire package into the hot spring with a loud splash. "You should
Heh he he he he. Nothing like a little immature revenge.
be careful," he hissed as he walked back towards the camp, "with your
tongue, apprentice. I would hate for someone to find YOUR household
in such a horrid condition."
"I'm not your apprentice, Rajura. Not for many years, now."
You have been well trained my dark apprentice. They will be no match for you. ^_^
"A slip," Rajura said as he vanished into the underbrush, "of
the tongue, I assure you. Good luck fishing for your clothing, dear.
We're heading out in an hour."
**********
Care was of the utmost importance. One wrong step could lead to
disaster, and that was to be avoided at all costs. Mistakes were not
to be tolerated. Tuls was on the prowl, and she could be anywhere.
Tolerated? More like one mistake and she'd be on the wrong end of a very painful S&M
session. Heh.
Slowly, Erdge lowered herself to the floor and pressed against
the wall. Sliding the small mirror she was carrying past the corner,
she stared intently at the reflection. Good. The hallway was clear.
Staying low to the ground, the blonde woman scurried around the
curve and raced up the hallway as quietly as she could. Reaching the
doorway she had been aiming for, she drew a handful of throwing knives
and broke through the solid oak panel, knocking the door from its
hinges and hurling her blades through the air as she tumbled across
the floor. Stopping in a crouch, she scanned the area. No Tuls. So far,
so good. Next came the hard part.
One wonders what would have happened had any of those knives connected with Tuls had
she been there?
Her tower was just across the courtyard, a gleaming pillar of
silver with fine gold trim and delicate filligre all along its
surface. Golden dragons and lions stood gaurd, encrusted with jewels
and beautifully carved. All she had to do was get to her tower, and
then she and all her treasures could be alone together... it had been
nearly two days since she was there to care for her pretty little
babies. In her mind, she could see all of the coins going uncounted,
the rings and tiaras going unworn, the art going unappreciated... her
stuff, going UNTOUCHED! It was criminal!
She related to Asuza on Ranma 1/2 by any chance?
But the courtyard seemed so very big, and she had no way of
knowing where Tuls was. Holts was still safe ; she was snoring away in
Another big space where the ; is.
Vyne's closet, and Vyne hated Tuls too much to betray one of his other
sisters to her. Erdge, however, had accidently caught a glimpse of
her treasure cache from Vyne's window, and immediately began to hear
her precious things calling out to her.
<Recovering Alcholoic> and the bottle says "Drink me, Drink me, Drink me..."
Squeezing her eyes shut, Erdge lowered her head and rushed
across the open area as fast as her legs could carry her. Subtelty be
damned, she decided : I'm close enough! I can make it! The air burned
in her lungs, and she was already sweating horribly -black leather not
being the best suited attire for sprinting- but she could already see
the huge platinum doors with their golden lock. Forcing herself to
run even faster, her body seemed little more than a blur of motion as
she darted to the doors and grabbed the lock.
<Kaiyo-sama> That speed! It's so fast even I can't see them!
"Eighty-five," she muttered, rubbing her fingrs together and
glancing nervously over her shoulder as she worked the combination
lock, "fifty-seven, eighty-six... come on! Open!" The lock popped, and
<Ultra Magnus> Open! Damnit OPEN! ^_^
the doors swung open with a loud hiss. Slipping through the crack as
the door seperated, Erdge turned and began pushing them shut again,
frantically tapping on the small box sitting next to the left door's
hinge. "Ninety, fifty-eight, ninety!" The box beeped as it approved
her code, and a thick steel bar slammed across the doors.
And just to be sure she deadbolted the thing. Heh...at least that's what I would have
installed there.
With a sigh of relief, Erdge sank down to the floor and felt
her heart pounding in her chest. "I am staying here," she whispered,
"until someone digs me out!" Shakily climbing back to her feet, she
looked around the first room of her vault. Open chests spilling with
coins and jewels, ivory statues with diamond necklaces hanging from
arms and around necks, thick tapestries of rich silk piled haphazardly
around the place... she really did need to clean eventually. Still,
she thought happily, every pack rat knows its nest. And, although she
would be sure to give every one of her babies the attention and love
and polish they deserved, she had one particular precious that she
needed to tend to right away.
Yep. Latin D hit this one right on the head too. That weird thing off the Hobit
that kept on saying "My precious..."
Picking her way across the messy room, Erdge pushed her way
towards one pile in particular. Rummaging through the towering mass
of valubles, she picked up first one item, then another, examining
each before tossing them over her shoulder. "Manuscript," she mumbled,
And about a billion video game references.
"magic sword, emerald necklace, magic sword, scrolls, potions, magic
sword, Merlin's hat, a magic AXE, well, there's a change... Let's see,
Gee, an RPGer would have loads of fun in that room. Either that or that's where the
smith hid all the items I sold her from my trials in battling the dark forces of the
Prime Evils. Heh.
Prime Evils. *snicker*
here... where did I put that blasted thing?" Grabbing a simple wooden
box, the blonde woman shook it vigorously. No clinking : that meant
no coins. Hopefully, she undid the clasp and slowly creaked open the
two panels that made the box top. Staring into the box, she smiled.
"There you are!" she cooed. "You had me worried. Let's unwrap
you, and see how pretty you are." Reaching up, she undid the clasps
and straps that concealed her greatest treasure, and pulled its
protective cover away.
"Don't worry," she whispered to the contents of the box, "I'll
always take good care of you. Pedri would break you, and Tuls would
take you away from me, but I'm going to keep you safe, and happy.
This girl is in desperate need of a hug.
Nobody will ever know about you, except for me." Feeling suddenly
paranoid, Erdge glanced over her shoulder and held the box a little
tighter to herself. "You're mine," she whispered to it, "mine, mine,
mine, and I don't have to share if I don't want to. Vyne says I should
help him fight Pedri. He says we could actually kill him for good, if
we all worked together. But Pedri is supposed to be Mother's chosen.
This girl has a few mental problems...but then don't they all?
What if killing him makes Mother mad? And what if we fail? Then PEDRI
Does it occur to them that their Mother is presently in that little tube thing and
seemingly incapable of any form of action?
will be mad. I've never seen him mad before. He's bad enough when he's
just upset. What should I do? Holts won't turn on him : she thinks
You keep doing that thing with the :
he's great. Of course, she's never gotten hit with that whip, either."
The box didn't answer, but of course Erdge hadn't expected it
to. She knew she was just talking to an inanimate object. Still, it
helped her to sort her thoughts out.
I'm telling ya, she needs a few thousand years with the same counciler the collective
cast of Tenchi Muyo is visiting. Heh.
"I think," she said to herself, "I don't know. I think this is
too big a deal to trust myself with. I'll have to ask somebody else
what to do."
And she knew exactly who she wanted to ask.
<Galvatron> The Glorious Sword of Obliteration? Yes, that will be the perfect
payment for my help.
**********
TO BE CONTINUED...
Again, not much technically to comment on, aside from that nagging thing you do with
the : and the ; You are raising quite a number of questions and driving this reader
insane with the possible answers that are floating around in my head you bad bad man!
^_^ Heh, can't wait to see what you are going to do with it.
Hope this helped.
Take it easy.
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