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Been a while since I posted the draft I've made a fair number of corrections
myself, so heres Ch 5
ALL C&C welcome
Founding Fists
Chapter Five - Attention Divided
Standard Disclaimer: apologies for borrowing from
Rumiko Takehashi: for most of the heroes
Buronson and Tetsuo Hara: some concepts and some direction
Villains and method are mostly our own
Omega Point and Immortal Wanderer
Story Concept
Omega Point and Immortal Wanderer
Written by Omega Point
rd decision
Four Distinct groups where converging on Nagano, three of them
deliberately, and well the fourth, Ryoga was letting his frustrations
lose, "Where am I now?"
Following some way behind was Eonneh, the feline guardian of a
pendant that Ryoga had foolishly given to Akane, and was still
blissfully unaware of its consequent result. Close on Eonneh's heels
where Tofu, Ranma and support, wanting vengeance on Eonneh for being
that consequence. The fourth group was not related or rather not as
yet.
********************
Nabiki had finally tracked Eonneh down, in fact any one would have
thought he wanted to be tracked down. A large exchange of money for
some artefacts believed to be Incan in origin by one E. Neh provided
a name to search airline records for destinations. Strangely enough
his appearance was that of a medium built business man, totally
destroying any scientific theories of mass conservation. The give
away though was the strange syntax that he used.
His current destination seemed to be to the north west of Tokyo,
Nagano.
"Okay we're going to be coming into the outskirts of Nagano shortly,
I tracked him this far but I have no real way of knowing where in the
city he'll head." Nabiki needlessly reminded The other occupants of
the car.
"We know, we know." Ranma sighed it was the closest they'd been able
to get for over a fortnight. His extra extensive training had toned
him even more, and together with Tofu made a very dangerous weapon.
If he was still uncontrollable around cats, that was something he may
just have to live with.
"We'll at least you've gotten us this close." Tofu interjected, Tofu
had become colder over the last few weeks but hadn't been consumed by
his grief of Kasumi instead he had gained a aura of menace that made
people step back. Tofu had over the last two weeks managed to learn
one of the more advanced Amazonian techniques. That and producing a
ki claw simular to Ranma's Nekoken though not yet as powerful, and
requiring most of Tofu's concentration depleting speed and
coordination. But it was a good technique for surprise value, but
would be better if he could get it to the instinctive level, making
it no longer as draining on concentration, but Tofu defiantly did not
want it to be as instinctive as the Nekoken (or at least not in that
manner.)
"Leave it to us." Ranma's confidence had started to re-emerge over
the last few weeks, as his more resilient psyche began to deal with
the trauma of loosing Akane. While he would probably never fully get
over her loss, the learning of new techniques and his burning desire
for revenge was helping him overcome depression. His learning of the
Amaguriken hopefully would allow his body to move faster when he
wasn't fully in control, and when he was people better watch out.
"Remember we found you after all." Cologne decided to remind Ranma.
"Yeah well, find Eonneh or whatever it calls itself." Ranma was still
put out by the fact that Cologne had insisted on coming with them,
bringing along shampoo. As much as he hated to admit it he was
thankful to the old ghoul for the training, and even her presence but
he really didn't need shampoo here.
************************
In the south of Nagano a group of fifteen well trained operatives
made their move. A blast of staccato gunfire burst through the air.
The hundred or so people nearest the guns dropped to the ground, with
those further away braking into a wild run away from the group with
guns still standing. Quickly and methodically the gunmen nominated
people to get up and move into a building nearby. Young females,
children, and anyone who appeared well off were those separated out,
when they had separated out about forty people, they were sent into a
nearby building where the gunmen's colleagues waited. The terrorists
outside followed the chosen hostages into the building and settled
down to wait.
*********************
"How do I get to Tokyo?" Ryoga was doing his usual effort to find his
way home.
"Head along this road there are great big signs marked on most main
intersections follow the arrows." Ryoga immediately turned and headed
off in the wrong direction, "Look I'm going in sort of the right
direction follow me for a bit." Managing to do that much Ryoga
sullenly followed behind.
*********************
Eonneh was making a beeline straight for Ryoga's location, only a few
suburbs away, and to cap it off there was no chance of Ryoga
teleporting anytime soon, as the guardian had gotten this close less
than a day after the previous jump. Eonneh had become bored since
reaching full strength, he'd been able to travel in the form of a
human *being despicable weak things* where Eonneh's thought on them.
He also hadn't seen from those two fighters in the last few weeks,
though they would surely be out matched now, but they would at least
provide some diversion. Due to his magical compulsions to track Ryoga
he hadn't had time to do his usual hunting which was the one thing he
had enjoyed on previous visits to this plane of reality.
Eonneh Wondered, *Be thinking, priestess careless in forgetting to
adjust owner's curse, be also being foolish and not be sending Eonneh
home?* certainly a pleasant thought if not overly likely, but given
the god invoked entirely possible, as Eonneh well knew, that god did
so like hunters.
*********************
"I've got every agent I have scouting the area." Nabiki attempted to
calm Tofu and Ranma down. "Look I've at least one agent in most of
the suburbs all on the look out for him, they'll ring." She taps the
mobile phone in her hand. "Besides you've got Cologne out looking and
she should be able spot it if its aura is unleashed."
"I know, I just feel helpless waiting here." Ranma complained rather
loudly.
Nabiki's phone rang, hardly giving the phone time to finish the first
tone it was answered. "No that's not who we're after but I think it
may explain some things."
"Where?"
"Okay, stay there and ring if you notice anything out of the
ordinary." Depressing the end call button.
"We haven't spotted Eonneh but we did find one of your other
friends." Nabiki goaded Ranma, "Would you be surprised to know that
Ryoga is in town."
"WHAT? Why would that pig brained idiot be doing here." Ranma
privately admitted to himself that he was overdue for a fight with
Ryoga. *He hasn't challenged me since before all this started.*
"We'll I think it might explain a few things." Nabiki continued over
the top of Ranma."
"Like what?" both Tofu and Ranma had their aura start to flicker with
indications of barely contained rage. Ranma as he began to have a
sinking feeling he knew what Nabiki was indicating. Tofu, was attuned
enough to Ranma that the reaction had spread, he also had a feeling
of dread but couldn't place why, maybe it was Nabiki's voice.
"Well Ryoga came to our place on the night it happened."
"You never told us that."
"I forgot." Nabiki countered momentarily concerned because she
normally never forgot anything, but then she could hardly have been
thinking straight that night or the following few days when the
events had been analysed.
"Giving that which must not be given." Ranma attempted to quote,
"Sounds just like Ryoga."
"But you know as well as I do that he would never have allowed harm
to come to Akane deliberately."
"I know but still..." Ranma was fuming rage burned in his eyes. "He
is responsible."
"No he isn't. Ryoga is most likely innocent, particularly of intent.
Eonneh was still the one who killed them." Tofu attempted to calm
Ranma down, while fighting to stay in control himself.
"I still want an explanation!" Ranma gave Nabiki a stare that chilled
her to the bone. "Where is he."
****************
In the building in the south. Negotiations where taking place on a
phone.
"This is One, you have our demands, meet them or we start on the
hostages."
"Look it takes time, give us more time half an hour is not enough."
"You will not have more time, get our commander released from the
prison and the money then we'll talk."
"Look at least give us some of the hostages as a measure of good
faith."
"I'll give you a hostage in twenty-eight minutes, if you don't get
what we want. They won't be alive though." And hung up the handset.
The negotiator turned to his commander, "It's no good they know the
play book and what I can and can't do."
"Will they shoot the hostages."
"Without a doubt, they are fanatics." The doctor sighed. "I will not
be able to get them to change their deadline you people will have to
go in."
"Cut the power to the building see if we can get them to negotiate
more."
****************
Ryoga had thanked his temporary guide, wandered past a police
blockade and continued on his way, *Must keep eyes on road and don't
take any turnoffs.* he continually repeated these directions to
himself walking though the crowd of spectators and onwards to Tokyo.
Eonneh was having slightly more problems the level of fear and
tension in the air was distracting him from his prey. Forcing himself
to concentrate on the task at hand his mind momentarily stopped
holding his human form. Clothes ripped apart as his shape shifted to
the much larger frame of his true form. As his muscles rippled
bulging outward and his bones realigned with audibly. People around
him quite understandably screamed, and on a rooftop looking though a
pair of binoculars a teenage girl hit the speed dial on her phone.
Considering his options *Be killing? No need be attracting more
attention, be being better to run and be changing back.* changing
straight back, would have been hopeless as he would be slower,
weaker, not to mention naked. Almost down to the level of a normal
human.
****************
Ryoga ran into a man loading stuff in a van, "Excuse me, are you by
chance going to Nerima?"
"How did you guess?"
"Uh, the sign on the side." Ryoga pointed to the sign, 'Nerima
General'
"Do you think you could give me a ride?"
"Sure, just help me load this stuff in the back would you."
*****************
Eonneh finally managed to get round a corner where no one could see
him and changed back, fortunately there was some clothing hanging on
lines within reach. Unfortunately they were not quite the right size,
or style for that matter. Shortly a middle aged man walked out in a
mismatched array of clothing that would make anybody shudder.
*****************
"Where did you say?" Ranma asked as he moved quickly along the
street.
"Just over a few blocks."
"Near where we were heading for Ryoga?"
"Right." Nabiki's response came just as the sound of a rifle was
heard, followed by dozens of screams. Tofu and Ranma dropped lower,
trying to track where the sound came from, it sounded like it was on
the over side of the block.
"I've got to investigate." Tofu looked apologetically to Ranma.
"Right lets go think it's this building?", then looking up and
spotting the dark silhouette of a gunman on the second story, "It's
this building."
Ranma and Tofu split up to find a way in to investigate.
On the other side of the building some men where suiting up into
combat equipment, bullet proof vests, assault rifles, flash bangs,
and tactical radios.
"I guess they didn't like losing their lights."
The phone rang. "This is One, turn the power on or you lose another
one."
"Okay the powers coming back on." Motioning with his hand to get the
power restored.
"Okay you can collect the body."
Two first aid workers ran out and collected the body of the little
boy who had been let out of the building only to be shot mere yards
in front of the police. Unfortunately despite having a clear shot at
the gunner, they had been unable to take it due to the consequences
for the remaining hostages.
Ranma had found a window a few feet off the ground and easily leapt
to the still's level and found his way in. The one terrorist who had
seen him enter the side alley to walk along the side of the building
had ignored him figuring him for a kid who was unaware of what was
happening, wrongly assuming that the kid would exit into the police
cordon. Tofu was having a few more problems as he was aware that he
must not be seen, and took sometime moving underneath a small baloney
that had a gunman regularly stepping onto for a check of the back.
Tofu waited till he saw the barrel pointing over the edge and leapt
upwards grabbing the barrel (training with Ranma in midair grappling
was proving useful), and hitting the gunman three times rapidly to
cause him to collapse fingers open. Tofu looked at the gun and
checked the rounds inside, they where defiantly real bullets, this
was not a movie.
**************
Eonneh finally having obtained real clothes went to find his prey,
carefully isolating out the very high levels of fear he could sense
around him, he discovered that he couldn't sense his bearer at all.
*Be being angry right now.*
***************
Ryoga was very uncomfortable in the back of what was obviously a
storekeepers van, with a rope tied around his porcine neck. How he'd
managed to firstly get splashed by cold water then secondly caught by
the shopkeeper was a matter of considerable internal debate. But at
least he was heading towards Nerima, but not for the first time he
just prayed he could find hot water before ending up on someone's
table.
***************
Ranma was using his typical method of clinging to the ceiling to
avoid detection, when he heard the discussion in the next room.
"Get two more of the hostages ready, I don't think they are going to
give us what we want yet." Pausing in thought, "Tighten up defences
they know we aren't bluffing so their assault will be soon." A hiss
of static emitted from the room, "Within the next 10 minutes would be
my guess. I'll tell you when they decide how to attack."
The boss or at least so Ranma picked him to be walked out a door in
the far wall. The lackey moved through the arch and came directly
under him.
*I'd better get this guy now or things might get a little difficult
for me and Tofu.*
Dropping lightly to the ground behind the guy Ranma sent a dozen very
rapid, but relatively light (The guy didn't get sent flying into the
nearest wall) punches it the guys face and stomach once the guy had
dropped to the ground, supported the last few inches by Ranma. One
last heavy punch made sure that he wasn't getting up for a while,
removing the guys gun and pulling the terrorist himself out of sight.
Ducking into the room from which he heard the voices, Ranma
discovered a radio, and no exits. *I think the good guy's may have
someone they don't need on their squad, we'd better move faster if
the others are expecting news."
Out the front of the building the counter-terror squad was in
conversation.
"I don't like this, to much light we'll be seen if we try storming
and they've already warned not to bring choppers anywhere near the
building."
"The back doesn't seem well guarded from the reports I'm getting we
can go in that way."
"No doors and the window's are too small to get more than one person
in with speed. The only use of that side is for them to make a escape
using a balcony on the first floor."
"And no we can't use it, you'd have to be a superman to get up it
quick enough, (Or a Nerima style martial artist.) they'd spot the
ladders or ropes."
"Roof to roof?"
"All the surrounding buildings are too low."
"We have 9 minutes till the next hostage dies, people we need a
workable plan, and now."
Tofu had progressed through two rooms leaving three more unconscious
forms behind him. Moving up to a closed door he could her the sounds
of children whimpering, and the trembled mutterings of the adult
hostages. He was unable however to determine the number of terrorists
present in the room positioning himself to move into action should
anyone come through this door he glanced concerned at the third door
in the room, the one as yet unchecked.
Ranma was having a harder time of it as he had not been taught
pressure points, something that he decided to remedy immediately once
they got back to the Dojo, meaning he had to be careful how to hit
them as he didn't want a trigger to be squeezed. Alerting others to
his presence and possible getting himself or someone else killed,
besides that not everyone could take the pounding the average
Furinkan high student could. Ranma had not reached a point where he
was willing to kill fellow humans. (Though Ryoga had better have a
good explanation.)
Bad guys down 8, (Tofu - 5 Ranma - 3) half the terrorist force was
depleted and none of them where even aware of it, with only three
minutes having elapsed since the gunshot. Ranma approached a door
peeking through the key hole he could see Tofu tensed in front of
another door, but didn't appear to be about to go through it. Having
cleared all the rooms he could get to Ranma did his best not to make
Tofu jump without making too much noise entering.
"How many on the other side?" Ranma whispered to Tofu.
"I'm not sure but I think they are holding hostages in there."
"How to go about this, there's no other entrances on this floor, I
think the staircase must be in that room."
Tofu grimaced, "Guess we'll get to see how fast you can be. Remember
they're using gun's even your rate of healing won't help if your
dead."
"Well we won't be getting back up there's a radio back there someone
is telling these guys what the police are doing."
"Well I'm ready when you are."
"On three."
"one, two, three." Ranma twisted the handed and gave a quick powerful
shove to the door, sending the door flying back, imbedding the handle
into the wall. Five terrorists looked up expecting to see the person
who _WAS_ manning the radio, and instead saw a youngish boy bearing
down on them at high velocity.
Before any off them could even raise the barrels, Ranma had leapt,
twisting in mid air to deliver a flying kick to the furthest of the
guys heads. Ranma was expecting a bit more resistance to the impact,
even Kuno was more solid, but Ranma compensated for it by throwing
his legs forward to bring his arms into line for a horizontal upper
cut to be placed across the jaw bone of his next target. The blow
popped the jaw out of alignment, and causing multiple fractures to
the lower jaw considerably. Ranma didn't like fighting like this, but
from the moment he dove into the room he realised that if he took
longer than one punch or kick to put someone out, someone would
probably end up shot. After all there was no way of telling how
strong any of these people were, after all what happens if one of
them is tougher than Ryoga. And he was still trying not to kill
anyone.
In the instant Ranma had taken his first two down Tofu had sprinted
up to the nearest gunman and knocked him unconscious with a deft tap
on the throat, bringing his arm down to block a gun starting to
elevate, Tofu brought his knee up and into the mans thigh, causing
intense pain for the time he remained conscious, a fraction of a
second, courtesy of Tofu's other hand finding a vital point.
The one remaining gun man in the room had almost gotten his gun level
with Ranma, who having just landed on the ground was moving for
another attack. Tofu was the closer but also wasn't in a position to
move fast enough, due to the weight of the terrorist he last fought
having landed across his feet Tofu pushed himself at the man.
Predictably tripping just out of arms reach, Rage and desperation
flared and much to his own shock, not to mention Ranma and the
unfortunate terrorist, the gun fell in a number of pieces, sliced by
Tofu's 'Claws'.
Pushing aside his puzzlement for a moment Ranma now closed on the
gunman, more than a little annoyed at almost ending up shot, Ranma
called out.
"Amaguriken"
And promptly sent one bad guy to bed, with _LOTS_ of bruises.
Tofu looked at Ranma, attempted to ignore the fact that he had
managed to use the Cat-fist without much concentration (And unlike
Ranma no cat in sight.) and stated what was on his mind.
"Um there may be more bad guys around this is the SECOND floor, and
neither of us have been on the first yet."
"Oops."
Unfortunately the hostages where starting to realise that they were
being saved, and didn't have the sense to be quiet. Tofu looked
concerned for a moment then bowed to the hostages.
"I'm sorry to do this but It's for your own safety."
Tofu then rapidly stuck each of the hostages causing them to fall
asleep.
"Is that what you always do to me when I'm suffering the Nekoken?"
"No this will wipe their memories for the previous day or so, and
they won't remember anything that happens for the next hour or so
either, They might as well not have nightmares over this if we can
help it. And it keeps them quiet."
Luckily for Tofu and Ranma though the shout was heard, it was mostly
ignored by the two remain terrorists in the building. However the
increase in noise levels was.
"Go see, if what's going on, surly between 5 of them they can manage
to keep them quiet." One motioned to the other.
"Be quick though, they could come at any time." Not that he was
particularly worried, as the first group though the door weren't
going to survive long with the package he'd set up there. The trip
bomb was armed and that should let him know when they breached the
door.
Motioning the hostages to be quiet Ranma was just about to go down
stairs when he heard footsteps coming, slipping back a bit he warned
Tofu to also move back. The terrorist was most of the way up the
stairs when Ranma, not thinking very far ahead jumped down at him.
While quite successfully managing to knock the man out, it made a lot
of noise though and he was falling backwards down the stairs. While
this was not exactly painful for Ranma, he did it alarmingly
frequently at the Tendo house, it he heard it break a large number of
the man's bones, ribs, his arms and judging from the angle of that
leg, it was defiantly broken too. He then realised would attract the
attention of any remaining gunmen, and that it hadn't been one of his
better ideas.
Tofu already realising this moved with high speed leaping over
Ranma's tumbling form to land in a ready stance for whoever was going
to appear. He wasn't waiting long, the one remaining gunman
approached gun at the ready. Tofu realised he was only going to get
one chance at this and started the splitting cats hair, he timed it
well completing his circle just as the gunman walked through the
door.
Surrounded by a group of identically clad, martial artists, The
terrorist took the easy way out and pulled the trigger this was he
believed what a automatic was for. He picked the wrong image, Tofu
took aim and landed a blow just behind the ear, the other Tofu's
vanished, the blow had not quite landed where he intended. Tofu's
attention had been too divided. The terrorist fell finger gripping
the trigger, dead. A spray of bullets, (The remaining 30 odd rounds
of the magazine.) splattered into the entrance one bullet connected
with some electronics, shorting out the detonating mechanism a hair's
breath before the front door flew inwards.
Before the SWAT team even made it through the door, Tofu had dragged
Ranma upstairs told Ranma to act as if he had no memory then sat down
with a blank expression on his face. Not having a clue what was going
on Ranma did the same.
"Clear." Somewhere the entrance one of the SWAT could be heard
"Clear." "We have a dead one."
"Clear." "Live"
"Clear." The last was at the foot of the stairs.
Ranma did his best to keep a straight face as the SWAT team checked
the prone bodies, "Alive. Live. Hey this one's going be tender
tomorrow, he's just one big bruise, Alive."
The SWAT men moved to check on the hostages and to satisfy curiosity
as to what happened in here.
"Hey who did this."
"I don't remember. Where am I? Where's my mother?" one little girl
responded.
They all go sent down to be checked out by the ambulance, Tofu and
Ranma discretely pealed away and down a side street.
"What was that about? We could've gotten a reward." Though Ranma's
ego was more after the attention.
"I missed"
"What do mean missed?"
"That last guy is dead."
"Oh."
"Besides didn't you say that there was at least one person on the
SWAT team working with them."
"That's right there's still at least one bad guy about, the one on
the radio. I don't think we can do anything about it."
"They have a radio in there, and none of them and portable radios so
I think they'll work it out."
"Hope so, it's not like we'll get the chance."
"Let's find Nabiki."