On Fri, 26 Apr 2002 00:50:06 -0700 Brian Randall <brian@azurite.org> wrote:
The second that he cried out, Ryu and Ryouga surged {towards : toward} one another,
Ryouga's solid strength allowing him to charge with the rushing power of
a freight train. Ryu, however, was faster, and led {in :} with a strike to
Ryouga's sternum. A quick, experimental jab.
Halting himself some distance beneath the ground, he floated back
{upwards : up}, returning to the room. Nuku stared at him with wide eyes from
her pallet on the floor, blinking. "Ranma-papa-san?" she asked, cocking
her head to one side. "Is something wrong?"
The reception {deck : platform} atop Phoenix Mountain was deserted when Ranma
arrived,
{though : since} the majority of Saffron's people had gone through the Gate to
Australia the previous night. He glanced at the sun, not completely
clear of the distant mountain, and settled to the deck, trying to get
used to the dual gems in his wrists.
The courtyard, a few minutes later, was allowed to witness what Cologne
guessed would be the final gathering of warriors in her lifetime. She
didn't voice {those opinions : that opinion}, instead marveling over the collected
defenders. The eastern quarter was lined with Norris's Marines, standing
in careful formation. To the west, the Musk, slowly shaping into some
semblance of order with Herb's angered instruction. The northern quarter
was lined with Amazon warriors, far more relaxed and casual than the
Marines, but attentive of Cologne as she stood atop the challenge log.
A small number of other warriors stood in groups off to the right and
left, but Jim was unsettled to see none {behind : ahead of} them. That meant that his
group was the vanguard. Shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably, he sank
to one knee, and licked his lips nervously, waiting. He was aware of
Eric doing the same, the Musk warrior remaining as still as a statue.
Jim wasted no time, firing directly for the thing's hide, joined
quickly by Eric.
I don't recall anyone trying for a mouth shot. It'd be rather scary, but
that may be the most vulnerable spot a reaver has.
Ranma turned to look at him sharply but Saffron ignored the
{glance : glare},
swinging the Kinjakan at the nearest shadows. The ring burst from the
tip of the stave, heating up as it did so, and slinging fire behind it.
In the time it took to reach the nearest trees, it was a disk of flame
three meters wide, trailing intense heat and force behind it. Saffron
channeled his own energy into the wake of that fire, the heat of the
Phoenix god burning intensely, turning trees into ash rather than
setting them ablaze.
From the very beginning Jim knew that something was wrong. {The
shot : His rifle}
projected a beam of light that struck the reaver, and carried the same
deafening crack that it did the last time he had fired it. But this
time, the beam simply deflected off the reaver's hide, shearing through
a stand of trees and sending them crashing to the ground.
Ranma was at the fore of the group of slowly moving warriors, out if
sight in the distance at the moment, while the other defenders were
scattered about in loose ranks, Yosho himself near the back, but not in
the {vanguard : rearguard}. He fingered the key that Washuu had lent him, grimacing in
anticipation, and glanced around. Lime grumbled constantly about the
beacon he bore, too distracted -- for once -- to try and eye the women
behind him.
The vanguard is in front and the rearguard in back.
"Everyone on guard!" Yosho snapped, turning about and summoning his blade
with {an errant : a quick} thought. A small force of Musk and Amazon warriors took
up ready stances, the smaller ones hiding in trees and vanishing into
bushes, the larger ones readying all manner of weapons. "How close are
they?" he asked worriedly.
"Fair enough. We'll divide our forces and aid the {other flanks :
flanks : other fronts : other lines}," Yosho
suggested. "You two should go to Ranma, I'll head south." Not waiting
for them to respond, Yosho dashed off, a goodly number of the still
armed Marines and assorted other warriors following.
Shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably, Ryouga stood amid his comrades at
the southern {flank : edge} of the army. The Musk and Amazons were drawn up into
a defensive line, the Marines behind them a short distance. "Why did
they put me in charge?" Ryouga finally asked, watching the reavers
milling about in the forest, maintaining their distance without
attacking.
Smiling brightly, Minako explained, "It's the binds that tie, remember?"
Just keep her away form Mihoshi.
Ryouga tore bandannas from his head and flung them with nearly reckless
abandon -- if the ki in his simple attacks could keep the reavers from
phasing, it offered that much aid in the battle. Ryu gritted his teeth,
clapping his hands together and then sweeping them apart viciously. The
vacuum-blades he attacked with {reeled : struck} another reaver. Rearing upward, it
leapt over its brethren, angling directly towards Ryu.
Slumping, Makoto nodded, and Mousse {unfurled : unwrapped} his chains from about her,
slinging them towards the rushing charge.