DB Sommer wrote:
And getting closer to catching up:
I'll have to post the next chapter soon, then....
"She achieved a great many unlikely and unexpected results, but
we've grown used to that from her. Her new partner, however, was like a
rising nova among glow-lights -- I don't know that I've seen a finer
Galaxy Police officer in all my time."
Commander in Chief, Galaxy Police, further identification withheld
Heh. never a good sign when the speaker asks for anomyinity.
Considering who's on hand....
Washuu thanked Ranma quietly as he set her down, a few steps away
>from the Galaxy Police cruiser. Mihoshi jumped when the pair appeared,
and Oe nodded from where he was, leaning against the side of the craft
and looking more than a little winded.
Or terrified at the idea of riding with Mihoshi
What happened to part one?
She shook her head, pointing at Kintaro. "Nope!" she exclaimed
brightly, her surprise at Ranma's appearance dismissed instantly. "He's
flying for me, now! He's pretty good at it!"
Oh, my bad.
Yeeah!
Oe pulled a book that was tucked into his belt out, and snapped it
open, setting pen to paper instantly. "Where is it?" he asked.
Oe and Mihoshi. What a pair.
I kind of thought so myself. :)
Ranma gathered her into his arms and teleported them again, moments
before the ship lifted off, climbing upwards swiftly. Back at the
caravan, Eric and Norris were already poring
uncertain if that's the correct 'poring' there. I could be wrong, though
Will investigate.
"Backing off," he replied, one hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes
distant. "I guess they decided it's not worth it. I think they know
exactly what the decoy is, and they just don't care."
Reaver: Gotta eat them all anyway. One things as good as another.
Pretty much.
"Once these are loaded up," Washuu said, indicating the weapon
crates. "Norris, your men should use these, Fuji-san, you might want one
too. They work a little bit like the positronic laser rifles, but
they've got slightly better power-sources.
And hopefully they haven't adapted to them yet.
There's always hope.
Rei felt her face grow slightly warm, remembering how he had carried
her about the moon to retrieve the sword. She could have stepped away
>from him without worry for the atmosphere, but something felt...
right... about being close to him
No one is immune to Ranma's charm. :)
Um.... You could be right. Maybe that's an ability that he got that
Ryouko didn't. Like that statue stuff.
"We're not normal people," Hotaru countered.
She's learning
Or she's known for some time.
"Well, we're going to be reaching Cologne's village soon, right,
Ranma? Once we get there it's pretty much all over. We'll be able to
hold out there until everyone can be evacuated."
Well, that's what they're hoping for. Still think sitting in one place is a
bad idea, though.
Could be....
Ran-oh-ki made a quiet noise, curling up comfortably in Washuu's
lap. The scientist absently scratched the creature's ears,
I see they've made their peace with one another over the laser eating
incident.
The missile-defense worked nicely, in that regard.
Washuu sighed, while Ranma cast about curiously. At the very least,
she'd gotten him to relax a little, if his stories were all quite
strange.
Even by her standards? She's been around for a while, you know.
Will revise.
Still there were more pressing matters to attend. She rose,
stepping off of
can drop 'of'
Dropped: Word deleted by fusion-rifle-bearing-marines.
Washuu pursed her lips thoughtfully, then turned her attention to
Ryouga and Nuku. "Okay, I'll need you two to get that back in the river
-- it's just blocking the road here."
Ryouga better be careful or he'll 'Pig out'
He might indeed!
The resultant splash washed up over the bridge, leaving Nuku soaked,
and rendering Ryouga.... Gone. In his place, a small black piglet
wrapped in Ryouga's clothes sat, staring at the river in annoyance.
Heh. Thought so.
You're good at this. ;)
The Chinese boy immediately collapsed to his knees and retched
violently.
Morning sickness, I see. Mousse is obviously pregnent. :)
Oh, yeah, which is why Cologne's been giving him the ginger and hot
water.
Mousse nodded, taking a deep breath, and looking towards the trees
that carpeted the area. "I'm okay," he said after a short pause. "I
don't like cars."
Obviously.
Well, it could also be the
"I can't make Ranma-dono support Tenchi-san, Ayeka-san," she said
softly. "Who he follows is his choice."
But once the situation is explained, he'll undoubtably do it.
Well... maybe.
"Footprints," Ranma said quietly. "I mean, heat, I guess. I can see
where someone stepped. And then they left, walking away."
Nifty ability.
It let him see through Haruka's clothes once.
Mousse turned
extra space
Lots of them, actually.
Ryouga -- human again, thanks to Washuu -- sat at the side of the
road, face darkened from the embarrassment of the situation. Yakumo sat
a short distance away, and Ryu much closer, finally free of the clinging
girl that habitually clung
Two 'cling' tensese together. I'd drop the first.
Done. Word dropped into reaver-nest.
"I guess," he said quietly. "I still get the feeling there's more to
this."
Ditto. Smells like a trap.
Could be.
"Then again," Ranma drawled, "you like Akane's cooking."
Ryouga: Only because it tastes fine too.
HAH!
As though to punctuate his comment, Ran-oh-ki began eating the
discarded packaging.
He wins. :)
Ran-oh-ki's good at that.
Nodding, Ranma explained, "He says tells me
drop 'says' I think
Done. Word thrown to Mr. Tymes for recycling.
things to add to himself before he does it. He wants to make come
some
Whoops.
"Yeah," Ranma said very quietly, setting the remains of his meal
within Ran-oh-ki's reach. "Just like me."
Ranma: When I'm a girl, you can just grab my breasts and a beam of energy
comes out of my mouth.
Kinda Guyver-esque, idn't it?
"Because I was made to destroy the world," she delivered in the same
calm tone.
Ranma: Okay. You win that round.
And every subsequent round, likely.
His face fell instantly, though he didn't meet her eyes. "So am I a
weapon or a tool after all?" he asked quietly.
Washuu: We all are in one way or another.
In some senses.
Once the small group passed the shrubs that concealed the tank, the
reason there was no response was immediately evident. The entire rear
portion of the tank had exploded, scattering scrap metal across the
area. "What the hell happened here?" Norris grumbled.
Breaking point from the looks of things.
Could be. :)
that covered them. "I speak better English," she noted. "I am Jian-Di,
that," she pointed at the redhead, "Kura-Wan, and that," she pointed at
the mace-bearing woman, "Pei-Lin. You think you help warrior women?"
Eric: Damn straight. I eat ravers for breakfast.
Nah, he doesn't. But Pavel does.
Cologne narrowed her eyes. Why would the Chinese government chose to
do that now, of all possible times? They could have attempted it at any
point in the past, after all.
And with the reavers around, they have more important things to worry about.
Hmm.
Pei-Lin answered swiftly, "They said that they were looking for a
power. I think they were looking for...." She shivered uncomfortably,
and uttered a quiet prayer. "I think they were looking for Saffron."
That would make sense.
In a desparation kind of way, yeah.
Kura-Wan looked offended as she answered, "We're not stupid, Elder.
That's why we're on guard here."
But out in the boonies, coming by info his difficult. And it's not like
standard lines of communication work anymore.
Of if they ever had, out there.
Cologne shook her head, looking away again. "The enormity of the
situation is staggering, Son," she said quietly. "Things I had thought
locked away and no worry to anyone are being touched on again, and that
worries me."
Oh?
Saffron is dangerous, methinks.
Cologne choked, and swung her staff about, knocking Ranma sharply
over the head. In a grave voice she announced, "Maybe, and maybe not.
Some dreams are nightmares, and best left sleeping."
Herb: Hey!
Heh.
"Ran-oh-ki can load up everything and take it so you don't slow
yourselves down," he suggested. "I want to hurry things up."
Better warn the villagers or they'll freak.
Probably.
One of the women stepped forward, and grumbled, "For all of his
vaunted skill, he's still a man.
Skill makes no distinction in gender.
Er.... Mostly, yes.
Nuku gleefully leapt onto Ranma's back, wrapping her arms about him,
and still carefully carrying Ran-oh-ki. "I want to go with
Ranma-papa-san!" she exclaimed.
She might have fun playing with Lime, a distant relative of hers. :)
Being that SMJ Lime has the same VA, yes. On a side note, I think I
lost track of the number of characters with her as a VA in this story.
Nuku leapt from Ranma's back as he dropped her off, and peered
around curiously. Ranma waved a hand at her in warning, and advised,
"Stay away from the springs down there, Atsuko."
I doubt if they'll affect her organic systems since they should be sealed
>from water, but who knows.
Exactly.
"Ooh! A girl!" a voice shouted triumphantly from behind the boulder.
Washuu glanced up in time to see a massive form rise from the boulder,
leaping towards her. Nuku didn't wait for the woman to react, instead
tossing Ran-oh-ki towards her, then racing to block the assailant's
charge.
Told you.
So you did. :p
"Yeah, well, you probably ask him for really stupid things, like to
touch his cursed form,"
Lime: Wow! That's right. How'd you know?
Ranma: Call it a lucky guess.
Washuu snorted, as the group began to descend a winding path to the
floor of the valley. "From what I can tell, you martial artists are like
gangsters of some sort, and your gang is you, Ryouga, and Mousse.
Heh. Hardly.
Well, they haven't been really forthcoming about details....
Lime stopped at the edge of the carpet, and motioned Ranma forward.
"Go on," he mumbled.
extra line break.
Huh. Okay.
Rolling his eyes, Ranma muttered, "Great." Clearing his throat, he
spoke up, explaining, "They're really big and ugly monsters that have
destroyed most of the world already, and are coming towards the
Joketsuzoku next. There are only a few hundred left,
Of course there were only a few hundred to begin with.
That's true.
The Prince of the Musk shook his head, frowning. "You may ask any
favor of me, Ranma. I am in your debt. But I am not so much in your debt
as to help every single person you bring along with you. I have no
dealings with them -- no obligations. I will not have anything to do
with them."
It might be good to point out here that the reavers don't really care who
they eat; they just do it.
Point.
And I'll have to get to the next part soon.
Coolness!
Nice work. Things continue to move along at a good clip. Will get to more
before too long.
Thanks for the C&C, though part one seems to have gotten lost along
the way somewhere....
D.B. Sommer