Here's the next chapter of AMD, tear it apart.
Thanks.
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Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty
Chapter 12: The Black Wars "Out of Africa; Tearful Homecomings"
Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko
Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission
Adulthood of a Modern Dynasty series created, written, and
copyright 2000-2001 by Jim Lazar
An ongoing series set after the end of the Ranma 1/2 manga and anime.
For maximum enjoyment of this fanfic series, please read my Childhood of
Modern Dynasty series before reading Adulthood.
E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: mailto:jimlazar@animeprime.com
Make sure to check out my Modern Dynasty website for
all released AMD stories, graphics files, and other information:
http://www.animeprime.com/ff/md
=======================================================================
Yet more violent and bloody events unfold in this chapter.
=======================================================================
June 9, 2009 - Sudan, Africa
(Black Wars Day 43)
Out of Africa...
Dressed in a loose-fitting army uniform since her regular clothing
had long since succumbed to the ravages of war, Sanma scanned the desert
in front of her. "I swear I saw something moving..." She squinted, as if
that would help her see in the early evening dusk.
"You are incorrect. Thelast Buyierfei activity-" the tall Amazon by
Sanma's side said, pausing to kiss and press her fingers to her
forehead. "-was reported at least twenty kilometers to the south of us."
She glanced at one of the local army soldiers.
The dark skinned soldier nodded his agreement with the Amazon's
statement. He was currently acting as the liaison between the eastern
Amazon force due the simple fact that he spoke Chinese--both Mandarin
and Cantonese--English, Japanese, Swahili, and Tiv. The latter of which
would probably not be of much use to him any longer. The Fourth Monolith
had effectively made it a dead language within minutes.
Regardless, he had quickly turned into the eyes and ears of the
Amazons. One thing the Amazons lacked was long-range intelligence and
contact with the western and southern Amazon forces, both of which they
were able to get from the multinational ground forces they fought
alongside.
News from the southern front line was encouraging. They had been
able to keep the Buyierfei from moving further south than Kinshasa and
had already pushed them back northward to the Central African Republic.
There was great hope that the southern force and the eastern
force--which Sanma was a part of--would soon be one.
The news from the western force was not as good. Hampered by the
terrain and smaller local armies, the western force had only been able
to slow the Buyierfei's advance and had been losing ground steadily. The
Atlantic Ocean might be the only thing that would stop the massive surge
of their enemy westward. But as the scattered battles in Europe, Asia,
and America showed, even water couldn't totally contain the black
demons. The people of the world had found--much to their chagrin--that
the land Buyierfei could float in small numbers across the ocean waves.
So water would only slow them down.
Sanma sighed at the 'wait and be attacked by hordes of Buyierfei'
attitude of the warrior who had taken command of the local Amazon
warriors after Yukiko was put out of commission. She had been sent back
to the Amazon village to heal along with several other wounded Amazons.
Unfortunately, many times more dead also made their last honorable trip
back to the village with them. Sanma was glad Yukiko would be okay, but
would have preferred the next in command to be a little more aggressive.
She turned toward the tall Amazon. "Nailclipper, we can't just wait here
li..."
"There!!" Nailclipper snapped suddenly and pointed at the dark
sands in front of them.
"At last," Sanma said gleefully and shot off a red chi ball in the
direction Nailclipper had indicated.
One explosion later, an English voice rang out over the desert.
"Fuck, what the hell was that?!"
Sanma frowned. What words of the English curse she understood made
her suspect that it wasn't a Buyierfei in front of her. Buyierfei don't
tend to swear like drunken sailors, after all. "Who goes there?!" she
shouted back, regretting the cliche. The English voice replied back
again--without swearing this time--and Sanma looked around to one of the
nearby army soldiers. "Throw a light over there!"
Seconds latter a searchlight from one of the nearby hummers
illuminated a group of figures in the sand a hundred meters or so in
front of the Amazons.
A middle-aged woman with graying hair shielded her eyes from the
glare. She and the three people with her looked tired and had sand caked
in every crook and cranny that could be seen. And many that couldn't be
seen.
"What the..." Sanma gasped in amazement. "How could there still be
humans alive out there?"
Nailclipper shouted out instructions to her warriors, who quickly
pelted the area around them with darts. When no floating wounds
appeared, they moved forward and picked up the previously thrown darts.
Again, the darts flashed forward, trying to locate the enemy.
They got half way to the group of four when one of the darts
stopped in midair.
"Crap!" Sanma shouted and sent a series of small carefully aimed
chi balls into the area right around the four people. "The bastards were
using them as a shield, hoping we wouldn't fire on them!"
Nailclipper nodded. "Fan out and attack anything you can't see!!"
Right next to the gray-haired woman, a tentacle appeared and
flailed about as its central body was blown apart by one of Sanma's chi
balls.
The four people started running.
Fast.
As the battle re-ignited around them, the line of warriors and the
four weary people crossed without a word. The warriors had Buyierfei to
battle and the four people were too eager to get behind what they
assumed--and rightly so--must be the front line to make small talk.
As several army medics rushed up and helped her fellow survivors
away from the front line in order to treat their wounds and scrapes, the
gray haired woman looked back at the battle. As if torn between a story
and her safety, she paused.
"Who are you people?" a British soldier asked.
The woman looked back at the source of the voice and smiled weekly.
"We're reporters..." She looked around the blackened battlefield. "Who
were caught behind the front lines." She looked at the date displayed on
the soldier's sand-covered digital watch. "For over a month, I think."
The soldier's eyes widened. "A month? How did you survive?"
"It's a long story... you'll probably be able to read it in the New
York Times someday." A worried look crossed the woman's face. "Is New
York okay? How much damage have the Buyierfei caused?"
"New York hasn't been hit by anything-" The woman smiled. "-yet...
but Africa is a mess."
The woman understood that last part all too well, but hearing that
New York was still safe meant that all the pain and suffering she had
seen and felt over the past month had not been in vain. Her family was
safe. "Can I get a message back to my family?"
"You can see what they can arrange at a evacuation center, miss,
but I'm afraid there's a long waiting list for the communications
systems that haven't been crippled."
"Crippled?"
"There's been a lot of satellite damage from the explosion on the
moon-"
She filed that little piece of info in her mental notepad.
"-a lot of damage to other forms of communications here in Africa
and some in Europe. And a lot of people were swamping the phone
circuits. Even the Super-Internet is having trouble keeping the
international links from failing on a daily basis due to staffing
shortages."
The woman was amazed. "So much for modern technology."
The soldier nodded. "The problem's gotten so bad that the
governments of the world have commandeered what is working in order to
coordinate the war efforts." He reached for his PDS to make a notation,
proving that not all technology had been thrown back to the Twentieth
Century. "What's your name, miss?"
"Angela." Despite her extreme fatigue, the woman smiled slightly.
"Angela Rodriguez-Davidson."
"So, you're a reporter?" the medic asked as he checked her swollen
arm.
"Yes, although I'm seriously thinking of giving up field reporting
for good this time." Angela sighed. "I imagine you have all kinds of
reporters covering the battle."
"No, not since..." The young soldier trailed off.
"Since?" Angela
"There were some... losses in the early weeks of the war."
"Losses?"
"You know that guy who got famous during the Gulf War?"
"Yeah?"
"His final report was broadcast live and... well, kind of soured
other reporter's enthusiasm for getting the story from the front line."
"Was he..."
The medic nodded. "He never left the battlefield... at least not in
one piece." He looked at the nearby fighting with a pained look. "Then
there was the ABC news crew that got ripped apart by a couple dozen
Buyierfei."
Angela cringed, having come close to sharing the same fate.
"And then some USA Today reporters tried to..."
Deciding she'd heard enough, Angela tuned out the medic as he
treated her wounds. She glanced back at her nameless rescuers, wondering
what kind of stories each of them could tell and if it would be good or
bad. A small redhead in the middle of the battle caught her eye. <Her,
for instance... What drives a pretty young woman like that to fight
demons from hell?> Angela's eyes widened as a string of red chi balls
flew from the woman's hands and blasted apart several newly visible
creatures in a heartbeat. <So many stories...> Then she recalled the
fates of the other reporters trying to get those stories. <I'm going
home for good this time.>
***********************************************************************
>From the personal journal of James Davidson
July 9, 2058
"What was that?" I asked, shaking myself out of my intense
examination of the flight time remaining display. Fifty-three minutes
before I could be at my wife's side. I've talked with her several times
during our mad flight to Nerima, but it's not the same as being there.
So far, Jaki had violated Manchuria's airspace and is probably doing the
same to the United Republic of Korea's at the moment, but then there's
not really anyplace on Earth off-limits to a Task Force aircraft. In
Jaki's own words, "I'll make up an excuse later."
"The old man saved your grandmother's ass, didn't you know that?"
Jaki said, grinning at me from the pilot's seat.
I shook my head. I had only been half listening to Jaki's
description of Sanma's time on the African battlefields, but the last
thing she had said definitely caught my attention. "My grandmother
wasn't at the front line long. She really didn't have much more than a
few minutes before they rushed her and the other reporters away. It
wasn't until she got to an evacuation center near Rome that she even had
a chance to write down anything."
"Yeah, Grandma saved that clipping in a scrapbook."
"Really?"
"Something about a redhead that could make fire dance for her?"
I nodded.
"Apparently, recording news reports and clipping newspaper stories
about Sanma kept my grandmother occupied during the months of waiting
before the old man finally returned to her.... at least for the short
breaks between wars."
"According to my mother, that article was how my father and
grandfather found out she was still alive." I noticed how surprised Jaki
looked at hearing that. "Somehow the article got to the New York Times
offices before the telegram from my mother got to them."
"Well, I guess those primitive communications systems couldn't
handle all the damage and traffic at the time."
I nodded. "Not to mention all the people fleeing the big cities
leaving some serious understaffing."
***********************************************************************
Excerpt from the New York Times, June 15th, 2009
One Step Ahead of the Buyierfei
By Angela Rodriguez-Davidson
(feature reporter)
Reporting from Rome, Italy
A strange thing happened on my way to a refuge camp in Africa.
As my long-time readers will remember, I was in Florida during
ninety-nine and just barely survived the shock wave caused by the
explosion of the First Monolith.
Imagine my surprise when I was forced to outrun another shock wave when
the Fourth blew in Africa.
Call it fate, call it bad luck, or call it being in the wrong place
twice in one lifetime. But whatever you call it, I am thankful to have
survived so that I can return to my loving family.
I just wish the rest of the world could share in the happiness I will
feel when I step off the evacuation plane--again--and into the loving
embrace of my family--again. But for every happy story, there is another
story--many more stories, in fact--of death, pain, and loss. The good
and the bad stories sometimes cross each other's paths and sometimes
they don't.
The pain I suffered to survive in the war torn desert of Africa paid
off. For others, that pain ended, but the pain of their families
continues.
If not for an old, broken-down bus, our busload of reporters would have
arrived on time at the eastern Chad refugee camp we had been heading to
and died in the process. A twist of fate saved us from a quick, painful
death with those closer to the Fourth Monolith. As he tried to repair
the bus, the driver didn't even have a chance to know why he died in the
initial earthquakes caused by the Fourth's explosion.
Abib Jaken
I only know his name from the license he left behind on the bus' visor.
Acting out of fear or out of determination to see my family again, I got
the bus started somehow--with thanks to whatever the driver managed to
do under the engine--and kept one step ahead of the onrushing Blackness.
Again. In the end our bus was tossed into the air by the shock wave and
ended up buried under the black sands left in the wake of the blast.
Jack Rimmer
Hiroshi Sato
Vlad Forester
Fellow reporters. That's all I know of these three men. They didn't
survive the crash of the bus.
After several attempts to dig ourselves out of the bus only ended in
more sand coming in and almost burying us all over again, we waited for
a rescue that we knew would likely never come.
We were fortunate to have plenty of food and water with us--which we had
intended to deliver to the refuge camps--and with the engine compartment
of the bus apparently sticking out of the sand, enough air got in to
keep us alive.
For a while.
Rosetta Johnson
She never woke up one morning. Be it from age, from internal injuries,
or just because she had given up hope in her mind, I don't know. All I
know is her three grandchildren will never be told a bedtime story by
their grandma again, but I am grateful that she kept the rest of us
entertained by reciting those stories from her sharp memory. My own
children will now be able to enjoy those stories that are forever burned
into my memory. And if we manage to live through this nightmare that has
engulfed the world, they will tell the stories to their children and so
on and so on.
Gary Trud
He died of madness, while saving the rest of us. He was a simple man,
used to a simple life of factual reporting. He traveled, but only as
much as he needed to get the facts for his next story. He didn't try to
get the big scoop, he just tried to get the facts. "Just the facts,
Ma'am," he would always insist as we talked quietly in the dark tomb we
found ourselves buried in.
I won't go into the details of how he died, it's not important. Know
only that his death gave the rest of us a chance to live again. And for
that we are eternally grateful to him and the other six people who never
left that desert.
Seeing the sun for the first time in over four weeks was unsettling to
us at first, but soon we set off to the east with the last of our almost
exhausted food and water.
Why east? Because there was nothing but blackness to the west.
What signs of civilization we came across was not very encouraging and
convinced us that we were behind enemy lines, as it was. Ruins of
buildings, burned vehicles, and the remains of the Buyierfei's victims.
Florida and the southeastern United States got off easy in retrospect.
And worse of all, not a sign of military equipment or battles. By our
fifth day in the desert, we had started to believe that we were the last
five humans alive. Our first signs of life did not help prove that
belief wrong.
That's when we became four.
Fiona Wildman
She of all people should have made it. Young, fit, always driving us on
to continue our march through the desert. She had her whole life ahead
of her.
Was the Buyierfei that tore her apart a straggler or part of a large
group of the creatures? We'll never know. All we could do is crouch down
in the shadows of ruined buildings and hope that none of the unseen
creatures had seen us.
On the seventh day a burning ball of red energy showed the four of us
the way to salvation. The red fireball came out of nowhere and blew
apart the sand less than a yard from us. When we looked at where it had
come from, we saw an endless line of women armed to the teeth. Our
salvation.
Amazons
I had never been so happy to see so many large breasts in all my life.
My son would have been in heaven.
They fight like demons themselves. Using primitive armor and weapons,
they seem to have been taken out of time. But while modern weapons can
kill the Buyierfei, sometimes simpler methods prove more effective.
Weapons from medieval times against demons that may predate the human
race. Hopefully, the demons won't outlive us.
And then there was the fire and wind. I had heard reports from
ninety-nine of Amazons that could will the winds to do their bidding and
generate fire from thin air, but there are no words that can adequately
describe the sight of Amazons in action. From a redheaded Amazon who
could make fire dance from her fingers to a group of Amazons that could
form tornadoes with an intricate dance, I will never forget my brief
time at the front line with them.
And neither will I forget the seven people who were left behind in the
desert.
Seven names added to the estimated six to seven hundred million people
feared dead during what most have called the blackest war in history.
The Black War.
The name is fitting. Even the survivors will never be the same again.
The Blackness has touched us all.
Does the future hold more pain for the world? Pain for my children? My
children's children? When will the pain end?
-A- -M- -D-
June 15th, 2009 - New York, New York, USA
(Black Wars Day 49)
"Bobby!!"
Bobby didn't move from his comfortable position on his bed. That
position had his head hanging over the edge of the mattress, his left
foot folded under his butt, and his right arm tied in a bed sheet. It
looked painful, but it was comfortable for him.
"Bobby!!" The voice was followed by a loud knock on the apartment's
door.
Bobby didn't move.
More pounding followed. "Bobby, there's a naked girl out here for
you!!"
Bobby's eyes shot open and he rolled over, only to crash to the
floor, wrapped in a sheet. "What?"
"Bobby!!" the voice repeated.
Bobby rubbed his eyes as he stumbled out of his bedroom towards the
front door. "Huh?" he grunted as he opened the door.
He was immediately tackled by a pair of breasts. It wasn't the
worst way to be woken up. "Deborah?" He recognized the breasts
immediately.
"I'm so happy for you!" Deborah said, even as she squeezed the
stuffing out of Bobby.
"Um... I'm happy now too."
Something told Deborah that they weren't talking about the same
thing. That 'something' was pressing into her leg. "Haven't you seen
it?"
"What?" Bobby said, glancing down at Deborah's cleavage.
Deborah slid off Bobby and held up that morning's New York Times.
Bobby refocused his eyes from Deborah's bosom onto the newspaper.
"What..." His eyes shot wide open. "Mom!!"
Deborah smiled. "I'm so happy for you!!" She threw her arms around
Bobby.
Tears flowed out of Bobby's eyes. "Mommy..."
"What's all the racket... out... here..." Mike Davidson trailed
off. "Oh... um... I'll leave you two al...."
Bobby's head shot toward his father. "Dad, Mom's alive!!"
"What?"
Deborah smiled as she held up the paper again.
"Angel..."
-A- -M- -D-
"She can't stay away from the story, can she, Dad?" Bobby said as
he put down the New York Times.
His father shook his head. "Nope, the story always seems to find
her."
"Outrunning the explosions of two monoliths in one lifetime, what
are the odds?" Deborah shook slightly as her own memories of ninety-nine
threatened to surge to the forefront of her mind.
Mike sighed and looked at Deborah. "Pretty bad, I would think."
Deborah looked accusingly at Bobby. "Now about that comment that
you'd be in heaven if you were surrounded by Amazon breasts?"
Bobby flinched. "Um... no... um... she meant that I have always
respected strong women."
Just then, the doorbell rang and saved Bobby further embarrassment.
"I'll get it, Dad," Bobby quickly offered, getting up and tying his
robe tighter around his waist as he left the kitchen.
Mike reached over the breakfast table and clasped the younger
woman's hand. "Thanks for bringing this over."
"It's my pleasure, but I expected you to have known already when I
spotted it on the newsstand when I went out shopping."
Mike nodded. "I may have to ream her editor a new one."
Bobby reappeared with an envelope and several pieces of paper.
"Hey, Dad, Mom's alive and in an evacuation center near Rome." He
couldn't help chuckling.
"You don't say?" Mike replied, a wide smirk on his face.
-A- -M- -D-
June 16, 2009 - Sudan, Africa
(Black Wars Day 50)
A week after rescuing the odd group in the desert, Sanma slept
peacefully in a large tent that had been used as barracks for the
Amazons during the month-long battle with the Buyierfei. The various
armies that were fighting alongside them had provided the tent, as well
as food, water, medical attention, spare clothing, and anything else
they needed. Their own supplies had run out a couple weeks into the
battle. Needless to say, they had expected a shorter battle. Or maybe
they just didn't want to admit the odds they were up against when they
left the village.
Some of the Amazons complained about having so many men around.
Likewise, some of the men--mostly those from Arabic countries where the
women dress slightly more modestly than the Amazons did--in the
multi-national force didn't like fighting alongside women.
Fortunately, they all knew that there wasn't any choice in the
current situation. On the battlefield, the blood was the same color, be
it from a man or a woman.
The spirits of all the fighters in the eastern force were lifted
when they merged with the southern force and pressed westward. Slowly,
but surely, they were beating back the wave of Buyierfei that had
threatened to engulf them all.
Sanma's much needed sleep was interrupted by the sounds of some
hushed voices. She opened her eyes and shut them again to block out the
midday sun that was illuminating the tent. <How long have I been
asleep?> She opened her eyes slowly and looked over at the sound of the
voices. He recognized one of them right away.
"What was that?" Nailclipper asked, rubbing her eyes as if she'd
just been woken up herself.
"The western front line has collapsed," a young man in a Japanese
SDF uniform said.
"Oh no, we were so close to full containment too."
The young man nodded. "We'll have to..."
Sanma sat upright in her bed. "What was that?"
The middle age woman looked at Sanma. "The western front has
fallen, but you should get some more sleep," she said, walking over to
Sanma's cot.
Sanma shook her head. "No... we've got to redouble our efforts."
She started to get up, but her legs and arms didn't seem to want to keep
her vertical. She fell down, slipping off the cot and crashing to the
floor with a crash.
Nailclipper and the young man helped get Sanma back onto the cot.
"See?" Nailclipper said, sounding like a worried mother. "You get
some rest. You of all people should know that anyone generating large
amounts of chi like you have been leads to severe exhaustion."
"Nonsense... I just stood up too fast," Sanma insisted, knowing it
was a lie. <It seems like every chi blast rips out a piece of my soul.
And without a break in the fighting I can't...> Her thoughts ended when
she passed out from exhaustion.
Or maybe it was the right hook Nailclipper landed to Sanma's jaw.
"Um... is that the way all Amazon mothers put their kids to bed?"
the Japanese soldier asked.
Nailclipper shook her head. "Sanma is neither my child nor an
Amazon by birth, but she has an Amazon warrior's heart and soul," she
said, looking out the open tent flap toward the tent that they were
using as a morgue. It wasn't much different than the tent they used for
sleeping, but the air around it seemed to be thicker and smelled of the
death that permeated the entire battlefield, just stronger. <Goodbye, my
honorable daughter.>
-A- -M- -D-
June 16-July 2, 2009 - Mali, Africa
(Black Wars Days 50-66)
The Amazon's chest exploded outward when two black tentacles
pierced it, showering the ground in front of her with her own blood.
Seconds later she was torn in half and the pieces of her mangled body
fell to the red sand.
All the pieces hadn't even settled by the time the blood
covered--red blood--Buyierfei tentacle pierced its next victim.
The small redheaded Amazon screamed as her leg was pierced by the
tentacle. While using her shield to deflect another meant for her chest
first, she lashed out with her sword and sliced the tentacle that was
sticking through her leg off at the source. Rolling to the side, she
thrust up and then to the side, effectively ending the creature's
killing spree.
The Amazon had a second to breathe a sigh of relief before another
Buyierfei's tentacle charged with black energy sliced off her arm. As
her sword dropped onto the sand, the Buyierfei gutted the Amazon and
drew the proud warrior's internal organs into itself.
Leaving the remains that contained very little of the energy the
Buyierfei thrived on behind, it shuffled off to find more energy to feed
on.
It didn't have to go far on the bloody battlefield.
-A- -M- -D-
"What's that?" Ranma asked as he stuck his face against the
helicopter's side window.
Neither of the two American pilots in the front of the helicopter
responded, mostly since they didn't speak Japanese.
From her seat on the other side of the helicopter, Ranko smushed
her face against the glass and followed Ranma's gaze. "That doesn't look
good," she said when she saw the plumes of thick black smoke rising
above the blackened ground that the helicopter was headed toward. She
looked down at the unblemished grasslands they were flying over,
wondering if the same fate awaited this pristine land.
Hairwax was busy sharpening the high-tech swords provided by the
U.S. Army for the three of them. Shortly after deciding to go to Africa,
they discovered they had no idea how to get there. If they hadn't
already sent the telegram to Akane, they might have called off their
trip into Africa.
After several failed attempts elsewhere, Ranma managed to use what
English he had learned during his time at Disney World to convince the
diplomats at the American embassy in Mexico City that they were Amazons
in need of transport to Africa. Which was technically the truth, of
course. At first, they weren't convinced since Ranma didn't look
anything like an Amazon woman, despite his five-o-clock shadow making
him look very similar to some of the hormonally challenged warriors. Not
even the new Amazon names that Hairwax had given Ranma and Ranko helped.
It took a little chi ball demonstration to convince the Americans.
Within an hour, they were on a plane to the U.S. to join a troop
transport to West Africa. They had been given new clothing to replace
their torn outfits, several of the high-tech swords the U.S. Army had
been using as standard issue since two thousand, and other various
survival gear.
The other three hundred U.S. Army soldiers that shared the ride to
Africa with them weren't quite sure what to make of the strange trio, so
they ended up treating each of them differently.
Ranko was easy. She quickly drew most of the attention and marriage
proposals.
Ranma got questions about how to become a male Amazon. He also
received one marriage proposal. Ranma decided not to tell.
Hairwax was avoided. It might have been the razor sharp swords she
was swinging around to test the balance, but it was mostly to do with
her five-o-clock shadow and hairy armpits.
The somewhat upbeat attitude on the plane changed midway when they
heard news that the already precarious western front had collapsed and
they were needed even more urgently.
The young soldiers grew even more nervous as they neared their
first battle. For some of them it would be their last battle.
Ranma and Ranko discussed the best ways to assist the fighters now.
With the front line in shambles, they weren't sure where they could help
the most.
And that's how they ended up flying toward the worst possible place
on Earth at that moment for anyone to be headed toward.
If that wasn't bad enough, there was the totally insane thing they
were going to do when they spotted the enemy. Their wife was used to
their moments of stupidity, but she'd have been beyond speechless if he
knew what they planned to do. That's why they didn't bother to tell
their wife in the telegram they sent.
A black chi ball flashed by the helicopter, only missing the rotors
due to a quick maneuver by the experienced pilot. "Buyierfei below!" the
co-pilot shouted in English.
Ranma and Ranko understood the first word, but didn't need to be
told what the black chi ball meant. They exchanged a look that dared the
other to stop their insane plan, but neither would be the one to chicken
out.
This usually resulted in them doing something their wife would call
insanely stupid.
This time was no exception.
"GO!!" Ranma yelled.
Two U.S. Army privates standing on opposite sides of the helicopter
behind Ranma and Ranko slid open the large side doors of the helicopter
with a bang.
Ranma and Ranko jumped.
The fact that they weren't wearing parachutes would have freaked
their wife out.
Fortunately, they weren't the total idiots their words and actions
sometimes made them seem to be.
As the three-point harnesses that each of them were wearing pulled
taut, they both grunted with the sudden jolt to their bodies.
"Light them up!!" Ranma shouted as he hung off one of the skids at
a forty-five degree angle.
"They won't know what hit them!!" Ranko replied from the other skid
in a similar position as Ranma, except she was showing more cleavage due
to the position of her harness and the fact that she had breasts, where
Ranma didn't. Not anymore, that is.
A stream of red-hot chi balls flashed from each of their cupped
hands and traced a path in front of the helicopter.
The helicopter pilot was so started by their sudden appearance that
he jerked the control stick, causing the helicopter to shake.
"Hold it steady!!" Ranma yelled in vain, since the pilots didn't
understand Japanese. Had he not been concentrating on the battlefield
beneath him, Ranma might have recalled that he could speak English.
Each stream of chi balls impacted against the ground in front of
the helicopter, tracing a straight line at first and then turning into a
wild pattern when the shaking of the helicopter screwed up Ranma and
Ranko's aim.
It didn't really matter; nothing below was hit. Nothing living at
least.
"Nothing!!" Ranko yelled to Ranma.
"Fire a wider pattern this time!!" Ranma replied even as he started
to generate another stream of chi balls.
"Right!!" Ranko yelled over the wind that assailed her senses.
Seeing small groups of Amazons and soldiers fighting below, she sent a
burst of chi balls into the empty areas between the groups. "Two!!" she
called out as she scored two kills.
Ranma grumbled something and then sent out his third volley,
focusing on a patch of blackened earth that had smoke floating over it.
The only problem was the strange patterns the smoke made, as if there
was something there, but not there. "Five!!" Ranma shouted gleefully as
his chi balls met their intended targets.
The strafing runs continued as the helicopter soared over the heads
of the fighters, both human and non-human. Unfortunately, the chi blasts
ended up hitting both as well. Ranma and Ranko did their best, but with
the defenders and attackers so close together they occasionally hit the
humans as well as their intended targets. They could only hope the
humans they hit weren't hurt too badly, since they were moving too fast
to see more than where their blasts were hitting.
Over the course of their aerial assault, their aim improved as they
got used to the motion of the helicopter and the feeling of hanging over
a field of blood by three tethers. Those tethers suddenly seemed much
smaller than when they had decided on this plan.
"Got them!!" Ranko yelled as she counted at least three Buyierfei
being blown apart by her latest stream of chi balls.
Suddenly, the helicopter banked left and turned around in a tight
circle.
"Hey!" Ranko snapped as she was slammed into the side of the
doorframe.
Ranma, eyes wide, feared he'd fall from the helicopter, but the
tethers held him tight.
Hairwax looked at Ranko. "I think they are almost out of fuel,
Tampon."
Ranko rolled her eyes at hearing the Amazon name Hairwax had picked
out for her. What bothered her the most was the snickers from the
American soldiers when anyone called her by her Amazon name. <At least
it's better than the name Ranma is using.> She looked through the open
doors at her brother. "Here we go, Hemorrhoid."
<I wonder what word that means? Deedee never taught me that one,>
Ranma thought at he sent a barrage of chi balls at the approaching
ground to clear their landing area of Buyierfei.
Their fight from above was about to end.
It was time to get their borrowed boots dirty.
Or, by the looks of the battlefield, bloody.
-A- -M- -D-
When their fight entered its second week, Ranma and Ranko knew
their hopes of getting out of Africa quickly had been wishful thinking.
Ranko danced around the tentacles of her latest opponent, slicing
away each tentacle with her sword as she went. When she was done, the
tentacle-less central mass of the Buyierfei tipped over onto the
black-blood covered ground with almost comical thud. Ranko ended its
pointless wobbling with a single precise cut through its thick hide.
Then--as she'd done several hundred times before--she went onto the
next floating wound that identified a Buyierfei on the battlefield. <At
least the guns are useful for finding the buggers,> she thought as she
sliced into black flesh.
The sounds of gunfire cut off by a gasp for breath made Ranko look
toward her left. She shuddered and sent a large chi ball in the
direction of the gasp. The Buyierfei was blasted into a thousand
different pieces that fell to the ground along with its last victim.
<Dammit, I'm slowing down...>
Nearby--but not out of sight or earshot of Ranko--Ranma cast a wide
spread of chi balls across the corpse-laden battlefield. "Shit..." he
spat when he didn't hit anything. "Where the hell are they coming from
if not here?" He looked around toward the group Ranko was with. Nearby,
he saw a squad of 'locators', which was the term the fighters had come
to use for the squads of soldiers who sprayed the so-called 'empty'
areas with bullets in hopes of identifying the enemy.
What worried Ranma the most is that they still couldn't seem to
find the source of the Buyierfei. That was why he was trying to locate
any sign of them behind the main battle.
He and Ranko had already had several helicopter journeys deeper
into enemy territory, but found that there were no great concentrations
of Buyierfei behind the thousands that they fought at the front. Which
left the obvious question.
"Where the hell are they all coming from?" Ranma asked himself as
he let another series of chi balls fly.
-A- -M- -D-
"Where the hell am I now?" Ryoga called out as he looked for any
sign of life in the black landscape spread out in front of him.
He kicked the ground, causing a cloud of black dust to drift away.
That dust was what as left of the life that once flourished along a
river in northwestern Nigeria. "I can't figure out how I keep missing
Japan! I have been headed east for weeks now!" He looked into the
distant sky, not noticing the rising sun behind him.
"Akari..." He muttered as he walked toward what he thought was the
west. "Tonkatsu..." He sighed. "Subuta..." He squinted. "Gyouza...
ooof!" He ran into something and fell backwards.
As the sun behind him shown its rays across the barren black
desert, he couldn't see what he ran into. Putting two and two together,
he arrived at the obvious answer.
"Buyierfei!!" He cupped his hands together and generated a yellow
chi ball between his hands. "How the hell did they get to China
already?"
Right enemy, wrong location. Nothing new for Ryoga there.
"Golden Pig Blast!!" he called out the name of a heavily refined
chi blast based on negative Shishi Houkou Dan energy. Normally he didn't
like being reminded of his curse, but since his oldest
son--Tonkatsu--named this particular technique it only helped to remind
him of his family. Which in turn made the chi blast possible since it
was based on the joy he experienced when he was with his family.
It was a joy he hadn't experienced firsthand lately.
-A- -M- -D-
Ranma's sword sliced through ten tentacles before it finally
embedded itself in the Buyierfei's central mass. He grinned and sent a
surge of green energy down the blade, blowing apart the Buyierfei.
Through trial and error, he'd learned that the green energy that Ukyo
used to charge her spatulas was less tiring to generate in large
quantities than a full blown Moko Takabisha blast. It wasn't as damaging
either, but every fight was different and called for a different amount
of force.
At the exact moment that he was sure the Buyierfei was dead for
sure--also learned from trial and error--Ranma leapt into the air. "Moko
Takabisha!!' he called out and spread a salvo across the empty
battlefield in front of him. It wasn't empty for long. Parts of
Buyierfei flew everywhere.
Of course, sometimes he resorted to a good old MT blast for some
serious carnage.
Ranma smiled until a light caught his eye. "Crap!!" He landed and
did a back flip. Ranko, we've got a big problem!"
Ranko already had a big problem of her own. That problem being the
approximately thirty Buyierfei that had cut her off from the other
fighters. She could only see the floating wounds of five multi-tentacled
creatures, but the African fighters had quickly learned to multiply the
Buyierfei they could see by six to get an idea of how many unseen
attackers they truly faced. Deep down, they figured their estimates were
probably still too low.
Ranko drove her sword into the central mass of a Buyierfei, pinning
it to the ground. Swinging around with her foot outstretched, she kicked
another Buyierfei and sent it crashing into her other attackers.
With the blocks caused by the Buyierfei pinned to the ground behind
her and the bowled over Buyierfei in front of her, Ranko concentrated on
the creatures attacking from her sides. Arms outstretched to the side,
Ranko sent dozens of small--but highly concentrated--chi balls screaming
into those Buyierfei she could see, and several that she couldn't.
Feeling a slight change in the air pressure around her, she pivoted
to the side and avoided a tentacle from a Buyierfei that had escaped her
chi balls. Shoving a chi ball against its leathery hide, Ranko leapt
into the air to avoid being covered in black blood. Or more black blood,
since her clothes and skin were covered in spots of black blood, both
dried and fresh.
As her leap reached its peak, she laid down a ring of fire and
punctuated it with a diamond shaped chi blast to clear her landing spot.
She had learned long ago when fighting the Buyierfei, that an empty
landing spot wasn't always empty.
This time it was. As she landed, Ranko scanned the immediate area
for signs of any surviving Buyierfei. <Only two... probably.>
Jumping forward, she grabbed her sword out of the ground and swung
it up into the air, gutting one of the surviving Buyierfei in the
process. The other half-visible Buyierfei's life was ended on the end of
the sword a second later.
Only then did Ranko look toward Ranma. "This had better be good,
I'm kind of busy here!"
Ranma pointed toward a yellow glow that could be seen against the
black battlefield to the south of the rising sun. "I think Shuma's son
is coming."
Ranko swore. "This is not good."
-A- -M- -D-
Ryoga was minding his own business--well, actually, he was blowing
apart some Buyierfei--when dozens of chi balls, Hiryu Shoten Ha
vortexes, and assorted sharp pointy things rained down on him.
Fortunately, some of them rained down on the Buyierfei he was
fighting and saved him the trouble of killing them.
Unfortunately, the rest hit him and blasted him across the black
ground. Ryoga grunted as he came to a stop, smoke rising from his singed
clothing. "Crap..."
He looked up just in time to see a second salvo coming at him.
Using all four of his limbs, he sprang into the air and avoided the
entire second volley. Charging up a chi ball between his hands he
scanned for his attacker.
His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the hundred or so Amazons
approaching across the blackened battlefield. He was even more surprised
to see Ranma and Ranko in the front of the pack of Amazons. "What the
hell did you do that for?!"
Ranma shielded his eyes from the rising sun. "Ryoga?"
Ranko was still scanning the battlefield for the yellow glow they
had seen earlier. "Where did it go?"
Ryoga dropped down in front of Ranma. "How'd you guys get here?" he
asked, ignoring the fact that most of the 'guys' had breasts.
"That's my line. How'd you get to Africa from Moscow?" Ranma asked,
knowing the reason already.
The lost boy frowned. "Africa?" Not for the first time, he looked
at his miniature GPS watch his wife had given him for an anniversary
present two years earlier and sighed. "This thing is no use at all!!"
"Can you two greet each other sometime when we're not looking for a
Buyierfei that can kill with a single touch?!"
Ryoga spun around and charged up a yellow chi ball. "Where?"
Ranko flinched and dove to the side when the yellow glow suddenly
appeared. "Blast it!!"
Ranma gulped as he realized that he had mistaken Ryoga's yellow chi
for Shuma's golden son. "Oops..."
-A- -M- -D-
"This is pointless!!" Ranma snapped and hit the planning table,
around which stood Ranko, the Amazon in charge of the western force, and
several of her high-ranking warriors. Ranma and Ranko were the oldest at
the table, mostly due to attrition on the battlefield.
The young Amazon leader flinched. "What would you have us do?
Surrender?"
"No, Garter, I wouldn't. We have to fight, but..." Ranma sighed.
"Trying to re-form the front line isn't working; it's just costing us
lives."
"Those warriors died honorably!" Garter snapped back.
"Yes, I know they did." Ranma looked at Ranko for help, knowing his
sex wasn't exactly helping him in this argument
"What my brother means is that we've lost the battle here. We'd
best pull back and let the combined African defense force do some aerial
bombing runs to cut the enemy's numbers down," Ranma suggested.
Garter shook her head. "The last time they tried that, Libya was
overrun."
Ranko flinched. "Really?"
Garter nodded. "Look... we appreciate you both coming here to
help." she glanced at Ranma. "Despite one of you being male... you are
fine Amazon warriors, but fighting the Blackness on a wide battlefield
like this is not the same as defending a single compound against them or
even fighting them inside the monoliths."
Ranma pounded the table again. "Don't tell me I don't know how to
fight the Buyierfei, little girl!"
He would soon come to regret those words.
Ranko jumped forward and caught Garter's blade between her palms
before it could slice into Ranma's neck. "He didn't mean it, Garter."
Ranma tried not to show any fear as the tip of the blade hovered
over his Adam' s Apple. It could have been worse, she could have aimed
for another male-only body part.
Garter glared at Ranma. "I might not have fought the Blackness in
ninety-nine, but I've trained in all the ancient Amazon techniques
designed to battle them and I've been here on this hellish battlefield
since the first Amazon blood was spilled!" She leaned forward to give
Ranma a close look at her eyes. "So don't tell me how to fight a battle
that you have yet to experience in its worst possible way!"
Ranma almost backed away from the intensity he saw on the
blue-haired girl's eyes, but having Akane for a wife had made him used
to the glares of blue-haired women. "Um... I'm sorry. I just wanted to
help." It had also had taught him when not to push an argument too far.
Garter lowered her sword. "Apology accepted. Be glad that we are at
war with the Blackness and that personal conflicts between Amazons are
forbidden until the it is vanquished."
"I'm sorry, Garter, I'm just getting worried that we may be
fighting a losing battle here."
Garter glared at Ranma. "That kind of attitude is not proper for
those warriors under my command."
Ranma opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it and
closed his mouth again. <She's a fine warrior, but just doesn't have
enough experience to be leading what's left of the western force.> He
sighed. <But she is right about one thing, fighting out here on the open
battlefield is a lot different than when I've fought the Buyierfei
before.>
-A- -M- -D-
Several days after Ryoga joined the western force, something
unusual happened to him. Even more unusual than the fact that he hadn't
wandered off and gotten lost yet.
He grew depressed.
People who knew him back in the nineties wouldn't find that unusual
at all.
But Ryoga had changed. He had the love of a wonderful woman, three
fantastic kids, and a prosperous pig farm. True, he wasn't always able
to be with his family or find his farm, but even then the fond memories
and hope of returning home kept him from growing depressed.
So why was he depressed now?
A thunderstorm had just passed through the area and there was no
hot water to be found within fifty kilometers ever since the Buyierfei
took out the mess tent. And, of course, Ryoga thought the Buyierfei had
done it just to spite him personally.
Ryoga squealed irritably as he watched the battle from on top of a
Humvee. Although he could generate his chi attacks in his pig form,
fighting Buyierfei physically would be difficult. Not only were the
Buyierfei bigger and faster than him while he was in his pig form, the
human fighters tended to step on him if he was in the thick of battle.
He had figured the latter out only after being stomped on by dozens of
Amazons.
With nothing else to do, he waited on top of the Humvee for a
supply truck with cooking equipment and fumed. <Man has known how to
make fire for thousands and thousands of years, but when a pig needs
some hot water... nada!> Thoughts of his wife and family alone on their
farm drifted through his troubled mind. <Akari, I hope you and the kids
are okay without me there.> He squealed softly as he remembered what day
it was. <I'm not going to make it back in time for little Gyouza's
birthday... I guess.>
That last thought caused his despair to deepen to the point where a
yellow aura appeared around his round black body.
Elsewhere, Ranma was dodging tentacles and doing his best to keep a
couple dozen half-visible Buyierfei occupied. Deep down, he knew there
were probably a couple times that number that he couldn't see around him
as well.
"The more the merrier," Ranma said as he jumped into the air, just
barely avoiding several tentacles aimed at his body. As he traced a
graceful arc through the air, he laid down a series of chi blasts at his
attackers, both visible and invisible. His smile and graceful part of
his leap ended when a Buyierfei tentacle suddenly snagged his right leg.
He had a second to see the Buyierfei that had caught him hovering in
mid-air before he was slammed face first into the ground.
With no time to worry about the shooting pains spreading through
his body or why a ground Buyierfei was floating, Ranma rolled to the
side and fired of a chi blast at his floating attacker. When it went
low, he found out why it was floating. Or had been floating until the
invisible creature it had been standing on was blasted into small
fragments by his chi ball. "Clever little bastard, aren't you?" he said
as he made sure that particular Buyierfei couldn't be clever again with
a well placed chi blast.
His immediate foes vanquished, he scanned for something to blast.
Instead he saw a little black pig glowing with yellow energy that
had waves of blue rippling through it. Ranma had seen that aura often
enough to know what was about to happen. He smiled as a plan formed in
his head. "Waste not, want not."
Ryoga was almost at the bottom of his current depression spiral
when he was grabbed around his collar and lifted off the Humvee. He
squealed loudly.
Ranma raced for the front line, gritting his teeth at the energy
that washed over him. "Sorry, Ryoga," he said as he launched the pig at
about a hundred half-visible Buyierfei that seemed to be massing in
order to break through the Amazon's line of defense.
Ryoga was not happy about this. He was downright angry, in fact.
Most people would be if they were thrown into the middle of what might
be hundreds of killing machines. That anger mixed with the depression
that had been building up inside him and triggered a perfect Shishi
Houkou Dan blast.
The blast rippled away from the pissed off pig, blowing apart the
already blackened ground. Multi-tentacled forms flashed into view just
before they were vaporized or blown apart by the searing yellow shock
wave.
The nearby Amazons were out of range of the blast, but got showered
with dirt and debris anyway. The dirt just added to the layers and
layers of dirt already covering them from head to toe and barely made
any noticeable difference in their appearance. Weeks of fighting with
very little access to bathing water--it being more valuable for drinking
in the hot desert--tended to make even the most beautiful Amazon look
like a skid row bum.
War isn't pretty, after all. Not even with the Amazons fighting it.
Ranma smiled at the carnage his plan had caused. "Worked even
better than I thought."
"What was that?!" Ranko shouted as she ran over.
"Pig bomb," Ranma said straight-faced.
Ranko's jaw dropped open and looked at the crater and saw an
extremely pissed off pig at the bottom of it. "Wow... he must have been
seriously depressed."
"Yeah... let's go clean up any stragglers."
Ranko nodded and set off toward the crater with her brother. As
they got closer and got a good look at the debris, Ranko skidded to a
halt.
Ranma looked back. "What's wrong?"
Ranko pointed to some small pillars and spires that had been
revealed by the blast. "Those pillars are just like the ones Akane and I
found on our honeymoon."
"What?" Ranma gasped and looked back at the crater. Some of the
pillars were split open, revealing small blobs with short tentacles.
Some were dead, but others were bouncing around aimlessly. "It's a nest
of Buyierfei babies."
Ranko frowned and looked around. "Oh crap!! That's why they seem to
come from nowhere!!"
Ranma immediately realized his sister was right. "Dammit..."
"Let's see how far the nest goes." Ranko leapt toward the south
side of the crater, charging up a large chi ball between her hands.
Ranma was right behind her. The two chi balls hit the ground in
front of the Amazons who had barely taken notice when the pig exploded.
The dual chi balls blasted a small crater out of the ground, but it was
enough to see that the pillars were under that ground as well.
Ranma and Ranko exchanged a silent look that expressed the hope and
exhaustion they both felt inside.
***********************************************************************
>From the personal journal of James Davidson
July 9-10, 2058
I burst through the doors of the clinic and raced down the
hallway. The dust kicked up by Jaki landing the hoverjet just in front
of the entrance to the Clinic drifted down the hallway with me, but
couldn't keep up with this soon to be father. I burst into the birthing
room. "Hanaki!!"
"Push!!"
I had never seen something so disgustingly bloody and glorious at
the same time. "Hanaki!"
"Grrrrrr...." Hanaki replied.
"See, I told you my son wouldn't miss this for all the stories in
the world.," my mom said from Hanaki's side. She was sitting it a chair
and holding my wife's hand. "This family learned that family came before
the story a long time ago-" She looked at me. "-isn't that right, Dear?"
I nodded absently, not even sure what I was agreeing to. I rushed
to my wife's right side and gave her a kiss and a hug. "How are you
doing, Honey?"
"How am I doing?! I'm in labor here, you jerk!!"
I flinched backward, surprised at the angry out burst.
"Don't mind her, all the Ono women tend to be a bit cranky giving
birth."
I looked at the source of that voice and was surprised to see
Kasumi between my wife's legs. "Grandma, aren't you retired?"
Kasumi smiled. "Yes, but I've delivered all my grand kids and I see
no reason not to deliver my first great-grandson too."
I nodded and then looked back at my wife. "I'm sorry I'm late,
Honey."
"Oh, that's okay. You're here now." Hanaki smiled pleasantly at me.
My eyes widened and I looked back at Kasumi. "Mood swings too?"
Kasumi nodded.
I smiled and gave my wife anther kiss. "I love you."
-A- -M- -D-
"I hate you!!"
I smiled, having gotten accustomed to Hanaki's mood swings over he
last eight hours. "You're the love of my life."
"Hanaki, push for me, please," Kasumi said, looking at one of the
nurses.
Hanaki gritted her teeth and pushed. I helped her sit up, glad now
that I took all those Lamaze classes with Hanaki.
"Okay, relax..."
I lowered Hanaki onto the bed and wiped her brow.
"I love you."
I smiled, as my wife swung to the happy side again. "I'm so proud
of you. I know that I..."
"I see his head!"
Hanaki strained to see anything in the mirror that was set up
behind Kasumi. "Is he okay?"
Kasumi smiled. "He has an adorable scalp."
Hanaki giggled.
"Push..."
The giggled turned into a deafening scream.
-A- -M- -D-
"Red Tofu Davidson."
We all smiled as Hanaki told everyone the name for our child,
Kasumi most of all. In addition to Hanaki, Kasumi, and myself; my mom,
Mary, Akane, Sanma, and Jaki were crowded around Hanaki's bed. There
were many more well wishers outside, but the small room wouldn't hold
any more.
Hanaki stroked the strands of red hair on his little tiny
head--which was as adorable as the top of his scalp. "Red for his hair
and Tofu for his great-grandfather."
"My Tofu would have been honored," Kasumi said from where she sat
next to Hanaki's bed. She looked very tired after the long hours of
labor.
So did Hanaki and I, for that matter.
My mom reached over and touched her grandson. "You know, James,
your grandmother's favorite color was red."
I nodded. "I know. She always wrote about it in her journals after
she got out of Africa." I looked at Sanma. "According to Jaki, that
might be because you saved her in the desert."
"Did I?" Sanma asked. "I really don't remember much about that
battle. It seemed endless."
Jaki punched her grandfather playfully between her breasts. Of
course, to this family a playful punch would be strong enough to knock
over Mike Tyson. "Come off it, Old Man."
"Well, I didn't know who she was until much later," Sanma admitted,
seemingly not even fazed by Jaki's heavy blow.
I smiled. "Well, I hope you'll accept a belated thank you from her
grandson."
"No big deal, I saved a lot of people back then."
"How many?"
Sanma shrugged. "I stopped counting after the first billion."
Before Sanma's head could explode under the pressure of her
over-inflated ego, Yohachi poked his head into the birth recovery room.
"Excuse me, but there's an angry mob at the South Gate."
Akane sighed and rolled her eyes. "What part of me do they want me
to cut off for them this time?"
Yohachi smiled devilishly. "Actually, they're here for James."
I frowned. "Me? Why?"
Yohachi smiled even more devilishly. "I guess you forgot what the
date is."
I glanced at the time and date indicator on my wristtop. "July
10th..." My eyes widened. "The anniversary of the end of the First Black
War in Africa!!"
"Yes, but what else..." I could tell Yohachi was enjoying this.
"Well... the birth of my son." I looked at Hanaki. "Guess we won't
have trouble remembering the date."
"And why else might be hundreds of readers be here for?"
"Oh!! The Childhood hit the stores yesterday!! I completely forgot
with my trip to Siberia and little Red here."
Yohachi smiled. "Bingo. I think they are upset at how badly you
shattered their perfect image of my Mom and Dad."
I sighed, having expected some negative reactions to revelations
contained in Childhood.
Akane walked over and took my hand. "Well, in this case, the truth
is stranger than all the fictional accounts of my life."
"I guess." Akane suddenly pushed me towards the door. "Hey!" I
yelped.
"It's your turn to face those jackals."
I looked back over my shoulder at her. "You don't have to enjoy it
so much."
"If you've faced as many angry mobs as I have, you learn to relish
the moments when the angry mobs are after someone else's head for once."
"I'll be back, honey," I told my wife as I was ushered out to meet
my readers. "I hope," I added as I disappeared out the door. Of all days
to have to do this, it had to be the day my son was born.
And all because my editor wanted the book on the shelves for the
annual celebration of the end of the First Black War. Considering all
the other anniversary dates surrounding the Black Wars, it's amazing
that the end of the first is still one of the few that is celebrated
annually by most of the world.
Maybe because it was a reminder during all the other Black Wars
that it was possible to win.
According to my grandmother's journals, that knowledge was
sometimes all people had to get them through the hard times that
followed the First Black War.
***********************************************************************
July 10, 2009 - Former Country of Niger, Africa
(Black Wars Day 74)
For seven days and seven nights, bombs rained down on the land
immediately in front of the reformed western front. After the dust
settled, the mixed force of Amazons and traditional soldiers moved in
and cleared out the nests of Buyierfei that had been replenishing the
Buyierfei numbers.
Similar operations were being carried out all over Africa as the
world's military finally felt they were winning for the first time since
the war started.
Ranma and Ranko sensed victory, but it was only when they
accidentally blasted Sanma that they knew the battle for Africa was
essentially over.
Sanma wasn't exactly happy to see them. "Dammit, look where you
fire those things, you jerks!" she yelled as she rolled on the ground to
put out her clothes.
"Sorry," Ranma said. then smiled. "But it's great to see you, man."
Ranko looked around as the Amazons slowly stopped fighting and
began to greet the other Amazons that had appeared from the east. "So...
we won?"
Sanma looked around, her face showing the exhaustion of her months
on the blood-caked battlefield. "No... this is only the beginning, I
think."
Ranma and Ranko knelt down in front of Sanma and wrapped their arms
around each other. Silently, they relished their reunion after a battle
that they knew wasn't truly over.
-A- -M- -D-
July 10, 2009 - Nerima, Japan
(Black Wars Day 74)
"Oh my!" Ukyo gasped and turned away from the television. "Akane,
everyone, get in here!!!"
Moments later the other residents of the Tendo house stumbled in
and made various noises of astonishment.
Akane stumbled forward and put her hand on the image. "Ranma...
Ranko..."
The image on the screen showed a large group of Amazons gathered
together at the point where the eastern/southern force met the western
force. The Amazons were greeting their comrades who they hadn't seen in
over two months. In that mass of bosoms, the three Ranmas held tightly
onto each other.
"All three of them are alright." Ukyo wiped a tear out of her eye.
Soun reached forward and turned the sound up.
"That was the scene earlier today when the two groups of Amazons
fighting in Africa met in the ruins of Niger. While erratic fighting
continues in various spots around the world with Buyierfei from the
Iranian Monolith and those that escaped the cordon around Africa, the
victory in central Africa is a significant turning point in this war."
"They... they cleared out the mass of Buyierfei in Africa?" Akane
asked, unable to believe it was possible.
Ukyo had waited for this day and could hardly believe it was
possible. Sanma would be coming home to her. She knew that now, but dare
not think or speak about it, lest she jinx Sanma's return. So she just
pulled Akane into a hug and cherished the moment.
It was a day that would come to be known as the end of the First
Black War.
But only after it became clear that many more wars would be fought
with the Buyierfei.
-A- -M- -D-
July 11, 2009 - New York, New York
(Black Wars Day 75)
"Is it over?" Bobby asked as he watched the news report closely.
Mike shrugged. "The battle in Africa is, but..."
Bobby finished the sentence. "It's probably not the end of the
war."
"What's a war?" little Susan asked from where she was wrapped up in
her father's arms.
Mike looked down at his daughter. "Well... a war is when two groups
of pe... beings fight each other."
"Why?"
Mike looked uncertainly at Bobby, uncertain how to answer. "Well...
there are various reasons that we go to war. In this case, the Buyierfei
are beings that attacked us and we have to fight back to survive."
Susan smiled and looked down at her Amazon Barbie doll. "So Barbie
fights too?" She straightened the doll's armor that covered her 44DD
scale breasts.
Mike held back a chuckle. "In her own way, yes." He kissed his
daughter's head.
"Why are all the Amazon's chests bouncing up and down?" Susan
asked, looking at the footage of various celebrations in Africa. Once
the fighting was over--and thus the danger to themselves--the news
personal had quickly descended on Africa to get the story. She shook her
Amazon Barbie doll and frowned when her doll didn't jiggle or bounce
like the real Amazons.
Mike gulped and opened his mouth to answer--although he wasn't sure
what he was going to say--but the doorbell interrupted.
Bobby stood up. "I'll get it." He smiled. "You explain bouncing
breasts to Susan. Okay, Dad?"
Mike sighed heavily and looked down at his daughter, who was
eagerly awaiting his explanation.
Bobby was chuckling to himself as he opened the front door. His jaw
dropped. "Mom!" He flung himself into his mother's arms, almost knocking
her over.
Angela smiled and returned the hug and gave her son a peck on his
cheek, a little surprised when he didn't complain like he always did. He
even returned the peck. "How's my baby?"
"I'm fine..."
"Oh, hello."
Angela looked down the hallway and saw a well-endowed blond girl
dressed only in a towel. She scowled and looked at her son. "What have
you done to that poor girl, Bobby?!"
"Mom!!" Bobby replied as only a son being scolded by his mother
could.
Deborah smiled. "You must be Mrs. Davidson. Don't worry, Bobby and
your husband are just letting me stay here during..." She searched for
the words. "All this."
"Yeah, her mother was in Hawaii and she didn't have anyone else to
stay with and I never touched her and..."
Deborah giggled. "You can stop now, Bobby." She smiled at Angela.
"He's just a friend-" Bobby visibly flinched at her use of 'friend'.
"-helping out his former tutor."
Recognition dawned on Angela's face. "Ah, you're the one he was
drooling over."
"Mom!!"
"What's all the..." Mike trailed off as he saw who was in the
doorway. "Angel..."
Angela separated from her son and took one step towards her husband
before Susan tackled her.
"Mommy!!"
Angela smiled and knelt down and pulled her daughter into a tight
embrace, kissing the young girl all over. It wasn't long before little
Susan was sandwiched between her father and mother and the three of them
were reunited.
"I hope my mom can get home soon," Deborah said wistfully. "She
finally got to Seattle on an emergency flight a week ago, but..."
"I'm sure she..." Bobby trailed off as he glanced at Deborah. That
was when he first noticed that she was wearing only a towel.
"Watch were you're looking, mister." Deborah swatted his nose and
returned to the room she was sharing with Susan to get dressed.
Bobby watched her all the way, blushing from head to toe.
Angela watched her run off as well. <I'm sure I've seen that girl
before, but where?>
-A- -M- -D-
July 13, 2009 - Joketsuzoku, China
(Black Wars Day 77)
Yukiko stood near the main gate with the other Amazon warriors,
awaiting the first of the returning heroines. Her husband and children
were on either side of her, with little Razor being carried by Shashiki.
As she waited, Yukiko stood up straight and tried not to show any
sign of the wounds that had forced her to leave the battleground. Not
only was it to show respect for the returning heroines, it was to make
sure the rest of the tribe and--most importantly--Calluse didn't think
her unfit to lead the tribe in these troubled times.
She knew her problems with the Circle weren't over, just postponed.
The laws that allowed Calluse to call for her removal as Matriarch and
for Yukiko's fight to the death challenge with Calluse weren't allowed
to be exercised during times of war with their ancient enemy.
But there were other ways to force her removal as Matriarch.
The Matriarch's place was traditionally at the front line with her
troops. Calluse wasted no time in reminding the Circle of this when
Yukiko had first returned injured from Africa.
If the fight in Africa had gone on much longer, Yukiko could have
been out of a job.
Her husband wouldn't have been that disappointed if that had
happened. Like many spouses that had to see their loved ones go off to
war, he had spent endless nights and days worrying about her. When she
had first been carried into the village on a stretcher, he had fussed
over her and tended to her every need until she told him to relax and
get some rest. Mostly so she could get some uninterrupted rest herself.
"How many are returning?" Shinuma asked softly.
"About five hundred today," Yukiko replied without taking her eyes
off the gate. "Some of the warriors that held up the best over the
course of the African battle have been transported to other hot spots
around the globe, but now is the time for the bulk of our warriors to
rest and prepare for the next battle."
Shinuma nodded, knowing that the Buyierfei weren't destroyed, only
repelled.
Without fanfare, the large gates that protected the village were
swung open. Beyond the normal fence that had protected the village for
untold years, two more recently constructed anti-Buyierfei fences could
be seen. Entry to the village could only be accomplished by passing
through a series of carefully laid out chambers in the fences that were
designed to prevent any invisible Buyierfei from getting through
undetected.
Proud Amazon warriors marched proudly with their bosoms held high
through the open gates, their weariness from the long battle evident on
their faces. Despite their fatigue, they marched with pride of
victorious warriors returning from a successful battle.
But not all of those returning could stand tall. In addition to the
many wounded warriors being carried in on stretchers, the simple caskets
containing the honored dead were at the front of the procession as
befitted their honorable status in the tribe.
"When is Nair coming back?" little Shashiki asked, straining her
neck to find her friend and mentor in the crowd of Amazons.
Yukiko stiffened and looked toward the bonfire that already blazed
brightly on the western side of the village. That bonfire was the final
resting place for the honorable warriors who had already returned to the
place of their birth, but it would bestow the final honor of many more
in the days to come.
A tear ran down Yukiko's cheek, for she knew Nair had earned her
honor just like hundreds of other warriors that she had sent into battle
had.
But she had no idea how to tell her daughter. <Being Matriarch is
almost easier than being a Mother sometimes.>
-A- -M- -D-
Outside the triple fences and well out of sight of the village,
three figures stood and studied the returning warriors through
high-powered binoculars. Their black suits made them look very out of
place against the bleak mountain terrain.
The short one suddenly lowered his binoculars and turned away from
the village. Silently, he started to walk away, followed by his two
taller partners.
-A- -M- -D-
July 14, 2009 - Central Japan
(Black Wars Day 78)
"I'm home," Ryoga said, knowing without a doubt where he was.
That certainty was because of the young beautiful woman, three
kids, and dozens of squealing pigs that surrounded him to welcome him
home and to keep him from wandering off again.
"Welcome home," Akari said and gave him a long kiss
"Welcome home, Daddy!" the kids chorused repeatedly and hugged any
part of their father they could grab. It was somewhat painful for Ryoga,
but he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
He was home.
-A- -M- -D-
July 15, 2009 - Washington D.C., USA
(Black Wars Day 79)
Transcript of President Hogan's Speech in front of the Emergency Joint
Meeting of the House of Representatives and Senate.
"Thank you.
"Today, I come before you after our country and world have withstood
another attack by the creatures known as the Buyierfei.
"Although some criticized my decision to send our troops into Africa to
assist the multi-national forces and the Amazons fighting there, I
felt--and still feel--that the best defense to the Buyierfei is a good
offense. We can't sit back and wait for them to reach our own borders
before taking action, we must fight them when and where they appear.
"Nine years ago, we thought them gone for good. But did we sit back and
do nothing? No. Our armed forces changed to prepare for a possible
return of the creatures that devastated the former state of Florida.
"Sword training is now a required skill of most soldiers around the
globe and swords standard equipment. Special techniques were discussed
and refined in the years since ninety-nine. Many of these techniques
proved invaluable in the war we have just fought and won.
"But even with these preparations, the magnitude of the waves of
destruction that hit central Africa, Iran, Moscow, and Mexico City
overwhelmed us.
"My thanks, as should the world's, go out to the brave Amazon warriors
that we fought alongside. As you know, shortly after the Fourth Monolith
destroyed most of central Africa I ordered all United States military
forces to provide any and all aid necessary to any Amazon, anywhere.
Transportation, weapons, food, and clothing; it's a small price to pay
for their assistance in fighting the Blackness.
"As the changing face of the Moon yet again reminds us; the Buyierfei
are not an enemy to be taken lightly.
"Three African countries have already been rendered non-existent due to
the loss of their capitols, leaders, and most of their populations. A
fourth is questionable whether it can recover from the devastating
losses they suffered.
"We may never know the exact count of lives lost in the past three
months, but it is without a doubt the blackest war in history. Half a
billion at least and up to a billion by some estimates. We cannot allow
that to happen again.
"We continue to clean up the small pockets of Buyierfei activity, but we
must be prepared if... no... WHEN the Buyierfei return in force yet
again.
"I do not come before you to ask for money to help rebuild Africa beyond
the emergency refuge relief operations I already re-authorized
yesterday. The time will come for the rebuilding of Africa in due
course, but now our resources are needed elsewhere.
"I do not come before you to ask for your approval of my plans. There is
no other choice.
"I come before you to make a simple statement.
"Today, July fifteenth, Two-thousand and nine, I declare that a
permanent state of war exists between the United States of America and
the beings known as the Buyierfei and any allies of those beings until
such time that they are defeated once and for all or they cease any and
all hostilities against the United States of America, the world, and the
entire human race.
"I take this step knowing that it will cost our country
dearly--financially and in the lives of our sons and daughters--but the
cost of doing nothing would be much greater.
"Tomorrow, I will go before the United Nations Emergency Security
Council and urge them to do the same.
"Next week, Vice President Rodham shall go to China.
"Not to Beijing, but to meet with the Amazon leaders and to see how we
can work together to rid the world of our common enemy.
"This is not a battle between one nation and another; this is a battle
between the whole world and an enemy unlike any we have ever faced
before.
"It is a fight for survival of the human race.
"It is a fight I intend for us to win.
-A- -M- -D-
July 16, 2009 - Nerima, Japan
(Black Wars Day 80)
"One pork and bean curd okonomiyaki!"
Ukyo flipped a half-done okonomiyaki on her grill. "You got it,
Sugar."
The older man who had just ordered settled into one of the stools
by the grill counter. "So how are you and your kids holding up during
all this?"
Ukyo started ladling out the batter for his order. "Good, but they
miss their father."
"Where's Sanma been anyway?"
"Africa."
The man paled. "I didn't know you married an Amazon?"
Ukyo laughed. "Not exactly. He just couldn't resist a good fight."
"Is he..."
"He's fine." Ukyo flipped a finished okonomiyaki onto a plate and
picked it and another plate up. "Excuse me." She slipped out from behind
the counter and approached a young couple with their orders.
"One fried pork and red onion okonomiyaki, please."
Ukyo stopped in her tracks. A second later the two plates of
okonomiyaki crashed to the floor; the plates shattering, the contents
splashing across the floor. Her eyes wide open, Ukyo started to shake.
She almost jumped out of her skin when two familiar arms wrapped around
her body. "Sanma..."
Sanma pressed her head against her wife's and whispered into her
ear. "Honey, I'm home."
If not for the fact that Sanma was holding her tightly, her legs
would have collapsed under her and sent her sprawling into the two
hungry patron's meals that were already splashed across the floor.
"How... how did you get back so fast?"
"Does it matter?" Sanma whispered as he turned her wife around to
look into the eyes she hadn't seen in three months. At least not in
person; she had seen them often in her dreams.
Ukyo took one look at the weary face in front of her and knew it
didn't matter how her husband got back from Africa. All that mattered
was that her husband had returned to her in one piece. Heedless of the
stares of her customers around her, she let herself drop into Sanma's
waiting arms and welcomed her man back with a long kiss.
At the counter, a young man snickered. "Don't see lesbians kissing
in public like that often."
The older man laughed. "You must not be a regular. The redhead's a
man, despite her breasts."
"No way..."
"Yeah... cutest man I know." The man suddenly remembered something
and snickered. "Well... one of the two cutest men I know."
Ukyo almost fainted after the prolonged kiss ended. As she steadied
herself on a table, she noticed that the crowd in the restaurant had
doubled in size thanks to the large windows that looked out on the busy
shopping street and park. "We have to put on show like this more often."
Sanma smiled. "I was a little surprised to see the restaurant open,
but I guess since the fighting's mostly over..."
Ukyo shook her head. "I've kept the restaurant open almost every
day."
"But..."
"The kids are safe in the compound," Ukyo quickly reassured her
husband, knowing what he was worried about by the look on his face. "But
the bills don't stop coming because there's a war. In fact, some prices
have already gone up."
Sanma relaxed at hearing the kids were safe in the Compound. He had
assumed Ukyo would go to Akane for help, since he knew their little
combination house and restaurant was not made to defend against
attacking inhuman demons. <That might have been an serious oversight in
retrospect... we should have hired a local architect.> She looked
around. "Well, let's get these customers taken care of then and then I
want to go see our kids. It's been way too long since I've seen my
babies."
Ukyo smiled and looked at her customers. "Okay, folks, my husband
is back from fighting the Buyierfei in Africa and wants to go see our
kids. So get out..." She smiled more. "And please come again tomorrow."
There were some gasps of amazement at seeing someone who had fought
in Africa and some grumbling at being told to leave.
"You don't..."
Ukyo interrupted Sanma with a kiss. "Some things are more important
than money, my love," she said after their lips parted.
Sanma smiled broadly and looked at the grumbling customers. "You
heard my wife... GET OUT!"
-A- -M- -D-
North of Ucchan's, another reunion was taking place.
If fighting the Buyierfei in Moscow, inside the monoliths, and in
Africa for two months wasn't hard enough on Ranma and Ranko, imagine the
pain of being buried by their four kids, their wife, and Sanma's six
kids that mistook Ranko for their father.
They loved every painful moment of it.
There's no place like home after all.
"Hey kids, what are you doing with Uncle Ranko?"
Six heads popped out of the pile covering Ranma and Ranko.
"Daddy!!"
Ranma and Ranko suddenly found the pile lighter by six kids as they
swarmed toward their real father and Ukyo. That just allowed them to
relish every second with their own kids and wife.
"How was the war, Daddy?" little Seto asked as he pulled on Sanma's
pigtail.
Sanma frowned. "Not pleasant." She ruffled her son's hair and then
pulled him into a hug. "I missed you all."
Ranma pulled back and looked into Daiji's eyes. "How are you,
Daiji?"
"Fine, Papa," Daiji replied back, her blue eyes sparkling in the
sunlight.
Seeing those beautiful eyes, Ranko stopped tickling Yohachi and
looked at Akane. "How did..."
"We had some visitors here..." Akane sighed.
Ranma looked around, but didn't see any signs of damage. But then
the Amazons were always very good at repairing battle damage. "Is
everyone okay?"
"We lost Crybaby and three Amazons."
Ranma and Ranko gasped in unison. It was a gasp of sadness and of
relief. Having experienced much more death on the front lines in Africa,
they knew it could have been worse.
Much worse.
-A- -M- -D-
July 17, 2009 - Nerima, Japan
(Black Wars Day 81)
As dusk fell over Nerima, Mousse, Nabiki, and their two kids walked
up to the second fence that now surrounded the recently reinforced fence
that had protected the Compound ever since it had been rebuilt after the
events of ninety-nine. Needless to say, the Amazons felt they needed a
little extra buffer space from the Buyierfei. So the second fence had
been the first thing built after the escape tunnel was cleared out after
the glowing Buyierfei's attack on the Compound.
Unseen by Nabiki's family or the Amazons patrolling the Compound's
double fences, three figures surveyed the area with electronic
binoculars. Ironically, the binoculars were one of Tendo Enterprises
little side ventures.
"How come the local police don't have any details on this obvious
Amazon fortress in the middle of Tokyo?" the short one asked.
"We haven't figured that out yet. Possibly the local police are
Amazons too," the tall one suggested.
"Or totally clueless," the short one added.
"One of the neighbors I interviewed talked about frequent property
damage and naked people running around, but that's about all they had to
offer," the other tall one reported.
The short one's eyebrows suddenly raised. "There." He pointed at
the gate to the inner fence. "The woman with the long, blue hair. She
has to be their leader."
The tall one nodded. "Yes, the other Amazons all seem to defer to
her."
"After we identify as many of the people entering and leaving this
fortress as we can, we'll report to Control."
The three figures continued to survey the Compound and surrounding
streets for several minutes until one of them spotted something new.
"Two... no three more targets approaching from the south," the
other tall one said.
-A- -M- -D-
"Are you sure this is alright?" Nabiki asked as Akane led them into
the Tendo house. Mousse and their two kids were right behind her and
Akane.
"Yes... don't be silly," Akane insisted as she stepped into the
house and removed her shoes. Flipping her long ponytail back over her
shoulder, she stepped into the hallway.
"I was a little worried that we wouldn't be welcomed since we
stayed away during... all this," Nabiki said as she added her shoes to
the large pile of shoes of all sizes stacked in the entryway.
Akane sighed. "Nabiki, I didn't like your decision, but considering
that we did get attacked here, you were probably right to stay away."
She smirked slightly. "Although, I was a bit annoyed that you sent back
the Amazons I sent to protect you."
"They were a bit obvious and overbearing." Nabiki laughed. "You'll
notice that I didn't bother complaining about the second group you
sent."
Akane gulped. "You knew about them, did you?"
"Well, they weren't quite as obvious, but when you have a two and a
half meter tall woman in a way-too-short sailor school uniform walk by
the street in front of your house every fifteen minutes, you start to
get suspicious."
"Well, I didn't want to chance you getting caught in some kind of
cross-fire." Akane gave Nabiki a quick hug.
"Thanks, little sister."
Mousse smiled as the two sisters hugged. "See, Honey, I knew you
were worried for nothing."
"Partytime yet?" little Nijiko asked.
Akane giggled and tweaked Nabiki's daughter's nose. "You bet,
cutey." She looked at Mousse and Nabiki. "This is a night for our
families to celebrate Ukyo and my idiots' return from a war that may
restart at any time. So stop worrying about the past and let's celebrate
our good fortune at getting through this nightmare more or less intact."
-A- -M- -D-
The celebration of the three returned warriors was in full swing
when the latest arrivals walked down the hall and stood in the open
doorway of the family room with a fidgeting two-year-old clutched in her
arms.
Ranma was the first to notice her. "Mom!"
Everyone's head snapped around and saw Nodoka and her young
daughter, Tsugi.
Ranma, Ranko, and Sanma all quickly surrounded their mother and
greeted her and Tsugi with hugs and kisses.
Akane and the others were right behind them.
"Are you okay, Mom? You look exhausted," Ranma asked after the
initial hugs, kisses, and greetings were exchanged.
Nodoka nodded. "Just tired from the long trip. We've been shuffled
between trains, busses, and boats for the past three weeks in order to
get here from the evacuation center in Istanbul."
"So, where's Mr. Saotome and Kenage?" Akane asked
A loud crash from outside identified Kenage's present location.
Nodoka looked towards the sound. "Kenage's working off some pent up
energy."
"And the old man?" Ranko asked, wondering how much flabbier her
father had gotten since she had last seen him.
Nodoka reached into a large bag she had over her shoulder and
pulled something out.
The room went deathly silent as they all saw what she held in her
hands. Engraved across the front of the small urn was a panda's face.
"Father..." Ranma gasped.
Ranko just shook her head and stumbled backwards. Her mouth opened
and closed soundlessly in disbelief.
Sanma dropped to her knees in front of her mother and traced the
engraved lines that made up the image of the panda.
Soun unconsciously glanced at his dust covered shogi board and shed
his first tear in over two years.
Tearful reunions...
[End - Chapter 12]
Coming soon: Chapter 13 - Ally or Foe?
=======================================================================
The real author's (Jim Lazar) notes/ramblings:
Well, as usual, it's taking me more chapters to tell the story than I
planned (these events should have been chapter 10 or so). AMD is going
to be a long one. Please hang in there.
I'd like to thank my pre-readers David Johnston, Micki Hibiki, Thomas C.
Kinnen, Kus Kus, and Michael A. Chase for helping me find and fix
problems with this story.� Thank you all. Of course in the end, any
mistakes and botched characters are my fault.
Revision 0.0 - Rough draft began (February 9, 2001)
Revision 0.1 - Rough draft finished (March 17, 2001)
Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (July 23, 2001)
Revision 0.4 - FFML draft (August 19, 2001)