I combined Chapters One and Two and did some minor revision work and facial work. It's the same story, but with more and less.
Enjoy!
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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: eternalblue1.txt
Eternal Blue
By Silentnova
All characters, with exceptions, are the creations
and property of Rumiko Takahashi. The author is
writing this story with neither intentions of profit
nor designs for acclaim. Please, do not sue this
poor author.
Criticisms and comments are appreciated. Please, I
can be reached at [Silentnova@go.com] if you have
anything to add to the story.
---------------------------------------------------
Thanks to my pre-reader, Allyn Yonge.
---------------------------------------------------
Dramatis Personae:
Genma Saotome
Nodoka Saotome
Ranma Saotome
Cecil Kuroda Saotome
Billy van Burace
Cecilia Kuroda Saotome
Soun Tendo
Kasumi Tendo
Nabiki Tendo
Akane Tendo
Ku-Lon
Shan-Pu
Mu-Tsu
Tofu Ono
Ryouga Hibiki
Ukyou Koniji
Tatewaki Kuno
Kodachi Kuno
Didalus Helena
Sofia Helena
Kain Helena
Rosa Helena
Gremio Lancaster
Cid Lancaster
Ranko Saotome Lancaster
Ashley Buckingham
Mattiu McDohl
Richard Sauron
Iago Heep
Orsic
Enuo
Tetsuo Ramsus
Benardo Ramsus
---------------------------------------------------
Chapter One
A young black-hair man named Ranma Saotome stood
alone in a small, derelict hut, which silently
rested over a lake, on a steep cliff.
He wore a loose red shirt, the sleeves reached past
his wrists. On his chest, an emblem was draped,
which was the signet for a Nano-Evolving Odyssey
Knight pilot in the Atlantis military.
"The son of Lord Genma Saotome," Ranma sighed, "and
a Royal Knight to King Arthur Helena of Atlantis."
He muttered. "Actually, Knight to the late, King
Arthur Helena."
His blue eyes glanced about the hut, a lone remnant
of cold departed battle. He liked to walk from his
home, which was the Guard Tower of Atlantis, to the
lonely hut. It was peaceful, like sleep.
The hut had no walls. It had no windows. It had very
little left. The only remaining reminder it was ever
a hut, was its skeleton frame, which held up the
tattered roof, which protected the bare wooden
floor.
There was very little left of the hut to protect
Ranma from the cold rain, which began to fall.
Whatever little roof there was, hung over the front
doorframe, or what used to be a front entrance.
Moving under the doorframe, Ranma saw the large lake
outside, far below the cliff outside the hut. It was
Atlantis Lake.
Its waters jutted onto the shore, pushing and taking
away whatever may have lain there.
"Long live the King, may he rest in peace." Ranma
muttered bitterly.
A small wind picked up the rain, bringing it to
Ranma and past Ranma. A strong wind picked up the
lake, bringing it onto the shore with a relentless
ferocity.
The leaves of trees, overlooking the lake, near the
hut, shook faster and faster, telling him the wind
was growing stronger and swifter with each passing
moment.
"The bastard, Iago Heep. It's his fault the king is
dead." Ranma struck the doorframe. "His fault!" He
struck the frame again. "-His- fault!"
On his last strike, the frame had a nasty surprise.
Blood sprayed from his hand onto the frame. He had
cut himself.
Ranma clutched his hand. He looked over the lake.
Across the lake, stood a mountain. Rain clouds hid
everything about it. Around the mountain, stood
other mountains.
Across these mountains, called the Atlas Mountains,
far beyond the border of the Kingdom of Atlantis,
was an empire, led by an old man with an aged face.
Though old, Emperor Ashley Buckingham, a mountain of
a man, was dangerous to the person with an
undisciplined eye.
"I hope Athens doesn't attack now." Ranma looked at
his hand. The bleeding hadn't stopped. "I don't
think we could defend against them without a
leader." The bleeding stopped.
The direction of the wind switched. "Why do I even
care? Atlantis is beaten now. The king is dead, and
the country's going to lose the Ageless War."
A war between Atlantis and Athens, it was older than
memory. Its reasons for continuing thousands of
years were forgotten long before Ranma's birth. "Who
ever thought the war would be lost so easily? Who
would've ever thought it would ever start again?"
He grimaced. "Why do I even care? I could leave, and
look for her..." He referred to his twin sister,
lost long ago in the city of Asopus, a broken city.
The speed of the rain increased.
"It's my duty to care." Ranma slowly decided. "It's
my fate to care, forever." He stepped from under the
doorframe to under the clouded sky.
Ranma opened his hand and looked at his palm. "For
King and country." It began to hurt again. Bringing
his other, unhurt hand up, he gripped its hurt twin.
"Heal." he whispered. A magical glow grew from his
unhurt hand and enveloped its brother.
Magic was common on the world of Orpheus, but it was
uncommon for people to have Ranma's talent for
magic. Still, he was human, and could faint from
exhaustion if he overextended himself using it.
"That feels a little better." Ranma said. He flexed
his hand, loosening it.
Suddenly, the wind changed speed and direction. The
rain, which the wind carried, pelted his face with
speed swift enough to sting.
"Ouch, damn it! When's Cecil going to get here?" he
asked.
The wind didn't answer.
Cecil Kuroda Saotome, Ranma's adopted brother, did
though, "Right now, actually."
Ranma turned about, and saw Cecil standing beyond
the doorframe Ranma had just been between.
Cecil was Ranma's age, but taller. He wore a shirt
that seemed to want to be a robe. It was white and
green. His pants were brown, and, although the waist
fit fine, extremely loose. He had a green and grey
hair colour combination. His eyes, which were cross
between green and brown, peered frankly through a
thin pair of glasses.
"We just decided to take a spin over here." Cecil
said. He pushed his glasses up relieving a small
discomfort. He smiled though, ignoring the
irritation. "Because Dad asked us to come."
Ranma smirked. "Then you guys really didn't decide
to come here, did you?"
"Actually, we could've just decided not to listen to
Pa." Beside Cecil, halfway in the sunlight and
shadow, stood William van Burace Saotome, Ranma's
other adopted brother.
William, or Billy, looked small beside Cecil, but he
was taller than Ranma. He wore a green sweater and
black pants. He had brown hair and eyes.
Billy continued speaking, "We could've just listened
to our consciences and left you here, forever." His
eyes sparkled with candidness.
"What do our consciences have to do with anything?"
Cecil frowned.
"Nothing, or maybe everything. Who knows?" He walked
through the derelict house and through the back
doorframe.
Cecil looked at Ranma. "We better hurry. Father
wants to speak with you about something urgent.
We're to bring you to the Guard Tower."
Strangely, with the end of Cecil's words, the end of
the wind and rain also stopped.
"An entire Athenian army is coming towards Atlantis
City, led by the genius Admiral, Mattiu McDohl."
Ranma sighed. "Then we've already lost, haven't we?
After all, McDohl's never lost."
Shrugging, Cecil turned to the lake. "Maybe, but I
just hope everything turns out alright for the
city."
Laughing, Ranma began to follow Billy. "It's our
duty to make sure everything turns out alright."
'Am I really serious? Or am I...' Ranma wondered.
He shook his head. 'I shouldn't worry. Or I'll
become like Pop.'
Behind him, Ranma was sure Cecil was watching him
with a curious eye.
Usually, his father's office was brighter, with an
air of contentment. Nothing had been moved though,
the bookshelf, the computer, the weapons on the
walls. Everything seemed the same.
"It's the curtains." Ranma suddenly thought, walking
into the room. "They're closed. He never closes
them...It's so dark..." He didn't want to finish his
thought, instead looking elsewhere about the gloomy
room.
The Guardian Tower of Atlantis City, built to
withstand the mighty Athenian Empire of nine
thousand years ago.
Lord Genma Saotome's office sat near the pinnacle,
both overlooking the castle and city of Atlantis.
The Saotome family lived a floor beneath Genma's
office.
After reflecting a moment on his family's good
fortune in life, Ranma's eyes settled on his father
who was sitting back in his large chair behind a
large, shiny oak desk.
"Dad, you wanted to speak with me?" Ranma asked,
cutting through his own unease.
Lord Genma Saotome sat up suddenly. Darkness fell
off him like dust. He was a large man, both strong
and agile. He wore a white suit, decorated heavily
with medals. His eyes were brown and his head was
bald.
Gaining his composure, Genma put his elbows on the
desk. "Sorry son. You spooked me. Didn't even notice
you come in." He nodded at the two flanking Ranma.
"Cecil, Billy, thank you for bringing him here."
Not waiting for his brothers to return courtesy to
Genma, Ranma asked, "Did you want to speak about the
defence around the city?"
"Heh, it's been seven years since we've been in a
position like this." Genma smiled. "I've almost
forgotten what it's like!" Ranma heard Genma add
under his breath, "I wish I never had to remember."
Genma waved his sons over to the computer. After
standing, he walked over to it as well.
Placing a finger on the large screen, it flared to
life showing images of a scaled down model of
Atlantis City.
"Ranma, with your sister, at 1200 hours I want you
two to meet the enemy here..." He pointed to the
northwest boundary of the city. "Then force them
here..."
Cecil looked at Genma. He saw his father become
darker. "Only Ranma and Cecilia, Father?"
"They'll be using the new prototypes, and also, the
First Division isn't battle ready yet." Genma
replied.
Returning attention to the screen, he pushed a key
bringing up three dots on the screen. "This large
object is an airship Admiral McDohl rides in."
Genma looked at Cecil and Billy. "You two will ready
the First Division. I need you at the Tower Command
Centre right now."
"Yes sir." the two responded. They quickly ran from
the room.
Turning the computer off, Genma suddenly clenched
his hand and grimaced. After a moment, he suggested,
"Ranma, since you some time before 1200 hours, let's
pay Heep a visit."
"Dad, you okay?" Ranma heard a stutter in Genma's
voice. "Something wrong?"
"Ha! Boy, you're as gentle as your mother!" Ranma
cringed at the remark.
Spying his father's face though, Ranma saw a distant
and troubled frown.
A sardonic smile crossed Genma's face, erasing the
frown. "But don't worry Ranma, smashing that
traitor's face in will pep me right back up. I plan
to leave no reminder of his ever having a nose
before today is over!"
Changing the subject, Ranma asked, "Has he told
anyone anything about who he's working for?"
Genma shook his head. " No, he's too stubborn,
yet...Yet I have an idea of who it could be." He
began walking to a door leading outside. "We better
hurry. You don't have very much time."
Alarms blared themselves awake, startling father and
son, as they were about to enter the prison of the
Guard Tower.
"Ranma! Genma!" A girl, with a cross between green
and grey long hair and a cross between green and
brown eyes, ran up to the two.
She was Cecilia Kuroda Saotome, Cecil's biological
sister, and another adopted sibling of Ranma. Her
clothes resembled Cecil's.
"It's Iago Heep!" she said.
Ranma and Genma looked Cecilia, waiting for her to
continue.
"Heep escaped! Some strange guy walked right into
the prison inside and flashed some papers around...I
heard the entire thing!" She looked at Genma. "No
one did anything because they all thought you let
him go!"
"What!?" Genma stormed into the castle. Ranma and
Cecilia followed him. Genma shouted at the nearest
officer, "Damn it! Where the hell is Heep!?"
The officer cringed. "Lord Genma, we know about the
escape! We beg your forgiveness! It was our
mistake..."
Before Genma could burst apart in pure agony, Ranma
motioned for Cecilia to take Genma aside for a
moment. With his father out of the way, Ranma asked
the officer, "What did Heep's benefactor look like?"
The officer bowed his head. "Nobody knows. Even
though there's surveillance everywhere around the
castle..."
The officer looked at Ranma to punctuate his next
point. "No one actually saw this man entering or
leaving the castle, which leaves..."
"Magic..." uttered Ranma.
"Yes sir, a very powerful spell. Even the
surveillance tapes never filmed this man." The
officer took his cap off. "Sir Ranma, I fear there's
something terrible happening..."
"Officer, contact Cecil Saotome at the Guard Tower
Command Centre." Genma ordered, behind Ranma. "Tell
him to meet me at my office in the Guard Tower."
"Yes, Lord Genma." The officer scurried away,
leaving Ranma, Cecilia, and Genma alone.
"Dad, what's happening?" Ranma asked.
Genma put his hand on Ranma's shoulder. "We're in
big trouble now, but you shouldn't worry about this
problem." Walking outside of the castle, Genma
turned to Ranma and Cecilia.
"I'm pushing the schedule ahead by two hours. That
leaves you fifteen minutes to prepare."
Summoning another officer to his side, Genma turned
back towards Ranma and Cecilia. "When you two get up
in the air, give them a bloody nose."
"Dad, don't worry..." For a second, Ranma thought he
saw his father's true smile. Suddenly, he thought to
himself, "I've never seen that...Never in my entire
life."
Cecilia stirred beside Ranma. "Genma...I mean,
Father. We'll make you proud! Right Ranma?"
"Yeah! Dad, we'll give them a bloody nose, just for
you!"
With a laugh, Genma walked away from the two. "Get
going!"
Three airships flew, sailed on and over the air,
travelling silently towards Atlantis City, which was
not a half-hour away.
On the largest airship though, the Lyra, a cold,
dark feeling prevailed.
It emanated from two figures standing near the
central bridge monitor. Lieutenant's Ranko Lancaster
and Tetsuo Ramsus. They were two of the brightest
and youngest Nano-Evolving Odyssey Knight pilots in
the Athenian military.
Ranko had red hair and blue eyes. She wore a red
long-sleeved shirt and black pants.
Ramsus had black hair and red eyes. His clothes were
black.
Their shirt and pants contained no markings. They
were design specifically for piloting the NEO
Knights.
"Ramsus, how did you manage to get on this
assignment?" asked Ranko, icily. "You weren't on the
duty roster last night." She glared at Ramsus, her
eyes filled with displeasure. "Why did you come?"
"Your first question, and the answer I -could- give
to you, is really none of your business, Ranko."
Ramsus coolly replied.
"Although, I will feel it kindly on my part if I do
concede my main reason for coming on this particular
assignment -is- like yours." A smile full of mirth
spread on his face. "It's personal."
"Humph, I find -that- hard to believe."
Ramsus' smile grew. "I'll let you know a little bit
more about myself then, if this is how you're going
to be." He pointed to a small holographic model of
Atlantis City. "My -father- is there."
"Father and I have no end of animosity towards each
other, Ranko." Ramsus said. "So, with my NEO Knight,
I'm going to bring fire and brimstone to Atlantis
City and make sure Father -knows- he is where he
belongs!" He feigned holding a gun at the model
Atlantis city.
"When the city is nothing but a flame, it will
become a hell." Smiling at Ranko, Ramsus pulled the
imaginary trigger. "And Hell should be where my
father belongs."
Ranko pictured the city collapsing from Ramsus'
imaginary gun: a city built of straw. After blowing
the imaginary smoke away from his finger, Ramsus
commented, "That's how it's going to be."
"And exactly -who- is your father?" Ranko asked.
"He's...someone who deserves to die, but refuses to
comply with the voices of billions, Ranko." Ramsus
smiled reflectively. "He's Enuo."
Ranko turned away. "You're sick! Enuo's just a
legend!"
Behind her, she heard Ramsus reply quietly, "No, I'm
not sick...and besides, you're the one who asked."
The bridge entrance slid open quietly allowing
Captain Cid Lancaster access.
He was a tall and well-built man, with brown hair
and blue eyes. He looked a captain, even though he
was only twenty-four years old, and without facial
hair. His suit, navy-blue and heavy, was decorated
in medals.
He looked about. Seeing a terribly tense crew, he
was only too glad to follow his new instructions.
"Lieutenant Ranko and Lieutenant Ramsus, as of now,
you are ordered to your NEO Knights."
"Yes, Sir," the two chorused, leaving and relieving
the room of their presences.
Captain Cid sighed in relief. "Ranko may be my
sister, but sometimes..."
Looking about, he noticed his crew staring at him.
"People, Admiral McDohl believes we are to meet the
new Atlantis prototypes at any moment. Be prepared."
Turning about, he saw on a sidewall monitor two NEO
Knights launching from the hanger.
Although the machines relatively were new to combat,
with the speed of jets and the armour of tanks, the
NEO Knights revolutionized the art of war. Because
the machines were modelled after the human body,
they had unlimited freedom too.
A NEO Knight could be called a flying tank with
opposable thumbs.
The one drawback was only people with strong
spiritual and mental ties to magic could operate
them. Pilots would also suffer through incredible
physical and mental stress, since the machine was
controlled through both mental commands designed to
direct its course and a virtual reality designed to
allow the machine to mimic -every- movement the
pilot made inside the cockpit.
Ultimately, the NEO Knight pilot is a rare breed.
Impressively, both Ranko and Ramsus possessed
qualities even few NEO Knight pilots could match.
Captain Cid bit his lip, warding off the ill feeling
growing in his stomach. "But still...Why are those
two here -together-? Ranko I can understand, but
Ramsus is...overkill. And they can't even get along
either..." Mentally sighing, he wondered. "What is
the Admiral thinking?"
Even though he was Admiral McDohl's premier captain,
helming McDohl's personal airship, Cid -knew- he
could never hope to comprehend McDohl's mind.
In fact, Cid knew no one ever could.
As she coming out of the hanger, Ranko's radio
buzzed with life, "Now Ranko, a word of friendly
advice. Stay out of my way! Or else you might get
hurt." Ramsus nipped, his voice stifled by static.
"Yeah, good luck to you too, Ramsus!"
"Luck?" Ramsus laughed, his voice bitter. "Luck has
never been -my- friend! I've always fought against
luck, and fate!"
Looking out her starboard monitor, Ranko saw Ramsus'
NEO Knight speed up. It wasn't a machine she had
ever seen before. Its dark paint and pointed edges
reminded her of Ramsus, mysterious and sharp.
She wouldn't be left behind though, even if Ramsus
had the superior NEO Knight. Ranko's own Knight, a
Titan, could easily pace his.
Speeding up, she was soon by Ramsus' Knight,
Chronos. "Pilots, be alert! We have detected two
enemies at twelve o'clock, over!"
"Copy that. We are moving to intercept." Ranko
replied. "Aren't we, Ramsus?"
"Of course, if you think you can keep up with me!"
Chaos shot ahead of Ranko's Titan. "Chronos is the
greatest Knight ever built, Ranko. You can keep up
with me when I let you..."
Ramsus' laughter burned Ranko's ears. From the pit
of her stomach, she growled, "Damn you!"
The earth far below flowed by quickly and quietly,
as though the Olympian Knight was drifting through
the air. "Isn't it great Cecilia?" Ranma asked.
"These new Knights are a hundred times better than
the Titan series!"
Rather than the answer expected, Cecilia responded,
"Ranma! There's something on the radar at twelve
o'clock!" Seconds past by. "No way! It's too fast to
be a Titan!"
"It's too fast to be an Olympian!" Ranma stopped his
Knight mid-flight. "Damn it! We have to stop them
here! Otherwise, we'll shoot right by them if we
keep going!"
Looking outside, in the distance and approaching
swiftly towards -him-, Ranma saw the strange Knight.
"It's pitch black..."
Unbidden, the memories came.
Flames ate away the buildings all around him, then
spurned the buildings, which had given the flames
life, searching for new benefactors. His father
below, carrying him and galloping through the
streets, and -not- caring, did not bother looking
back, and he did -not- see what Ranma had.
Pitch Black, it commanded the flames, commanded the
will of destruction.
"What is he doing?" asked Cecilia quietly, referring
to her brother, still, seemingly in daze. "Ranma,
watch out!" Cecilia threw herself in front of the
speeding black Knight.
The sound of metal scraping itself woke Ranma from
his daydream, memory. Suddenly jerking the machine
down towards the earth far below, a thousand tiny
reflections of the sun above passed through his old
position. "Another one?" he asked.
"Cecilia! Take care of that one!" he ordered, his
sister grappling with the black Knight. "I'll take
care of the new arrival." Moving again, the tiny
metal shards tore apart the air whence he came.
"No! Stay still!" Ranko ordered, to no effect. The
Knight she was shooting at never seemed sit still,
and seemed to draw closer to her when she wasn't
shooting at it. "Damn it! Just my luck! How can the
enemy have new Knights too!?" Expending the last of
her ammo and tossing her weapon aside, Ranko flew to
meet her enemy.
Grabbing his exhausted opponent and pulling it
closer to him, Ramsus repeatedly began punching
machine's head. When the machine began falling from
loss of power, Ramsus turned his attention towards
his 'partner'. "Humph, she's outmatched."
Taking his gun from his holster, Ramsus levelled it
at the enemy. "This should make things more
interesting..."
Before he reached the Titan, a jolt in his left hand
from the machine told Ranma, he lost his machine's
corresponding appendage. "What the..." Bringing the
stump to his sight, he quickly understood what had
happened. "Cecilia?" Quickly turning about, he
watched his sister's Knight falling towards the
earth. "No!"
A thin line of air passed in front of his eyes.
Turning his head, Ranma saw the pitch black Knight,
still, pointing a gun at him.
Suddenly, Ranma's machine flew forward from a
massive force behind him. "Oh yeah! The Titan!"
Before he could realign himself to face the threat,
the Titan took hold of him and commenced driving him
towards the ground.
The ground was far away, but Ranko knew she
could...Unexpectedly, the enemy Knight caught hold
of one of her hands and pitched her wildly away.
It would be difficult for him to fight the Titan
with only one hand, but Ranma had no choice.
Grasping violently about, he miraculously caught a
hand then threw it and the rest of its body over his
head.
The Titan drew further and further away from him.
It, Ranma knew, was hurtling towards the ground.
There was no way the pilot, however skilled, could
bring the machine back under control. Curiously, the
Titan's hand caught his attention.
It was a memory, long forgotten.
~An outstretched hand, grasping for help, for
safety, Ranma reached his own hand towards it. From
behind him though, in the smoke, someone took him.
Brushing only his fingers against the outstretched
fingers, Ranma watched the smoke cover them.
"You're very lucky." a voice coolly said, through
Ranma's radio speaker, startling him from his
daydream, memory. "If my compatriot hadn't worried
about your Knight's strengths, and fought to the up
most of hers, she might've had a chance of beating
you. Especially so, since you have no hand!"
"Who are you?" Ranma asked. He turned his Knight
about to see the pitch black Knight a fair distance
away. The ground was not any further.
The strange Knight moved as though the pilot were
chuckling. "Many have asked, but the most I can say
is, Tetsuo Ramsus." The Knight began to move, but it
stayed the same distance away from Ranma. "I know
who you are though, I know the style. Ranma Saotome,
right?"
"Yes." Ranma replied.
"It is strange. I've heard you're an excellent pilot
Saotome, but today, you've seemed so...distracted."
The Knight switched direction heading towards Ranma.
"Please Saotome, change my impression of you."
Suddenly, the pitch black Knight burst towards
Ranma.
Later, Ranma couldn't remember whether the darkness
of the machine had grown, or if he had been
dreaming. The only memory left, was of a fall, which
could never end, and had already begun: the collapse
of Heaven.
Chapter One will be continued...
---------------------------------------------------
Notes:
I'm not sure when I'll have the next part out. It's
taken me nearly a year to write this much. I -do-
know how the next part will progress though:
painfully yet strangely fulfilling.
Anyway, I combined Chapters One and Two. The reason
I did so, was to tie the two chapters together more
strongly with events in the future of the story.
I intend to keep increasing the size of Chapter One
until a very important event occurs, which will be
its climax.
By Chapter One's end, I expect it to be very large,
at least 120-140K.
If I were to give a time frame for the next part to
be completed, I expect by next June, at the most. At
the least, I expect by the beginning of January or
the beginning of February.
Anyway, thanks for reading.