Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Reluctant Bet (2nd Labor) ❯ Reluctant Master ( Chapter 22 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

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Reluctant Bet segment 22 "Reluctant Master"

Dis Claimer: Dis is it.

What's gone before: you've *got* to be kidding.

"I don't want be a problem."
-Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader

--------------------

Jared opened the tomb and wasn't that surprised at the contents. "Shan?!" OK, maybe he was a little surprised.

"Similar setup to the marionette tubes used for fine tuning, storage, and recharging." Sakyo looked it over with a critical eye. "I find the presence of the empty tube to be worrisome, clearly in this altered timeline that would be mine. However the whole installation is of considerable age, possibly predating the Silver Millenium if such existed on this timeline."

"Big brother? I'm pretty sure she wasn't breathing when we came in." Ranko pointed to Shan's chest, now showing signs of movement.

"Well, maybe if I just hide here out of sight." Jared suggested, with the hope that he could avoid doing this a second time.

Shan's eyes fluttered. "Ranko? Where's Master?"

Ranko blinked. "Master?"

"Master, huh? Doing something kinky, Jay-chan?" Urd snickered.

Jared followed up Hiding In Shadows with Improved Invisibility.

"Identifying Master: Ranma 'Jared' Saotome, aka the Pheonix Mage, alias Ashida Sanzennin. Presence detected. Also identifying sister Ranko Saotome, mother Nodoka Saotome, fiancee Belldandy, fiancee Urd, fiancee Makoto Jupiter." Shan's eyes glowed briefly. "Also noting defective unit Sakyo."

"I am NOT defective!"

"What did she mean Makoto *Jupiter*?"

"Shan remembers the previous timeline?! Ooops?"

Shan's attention snapped on the location with a nearly audible click. "Master. It has been a long time."

"Eh-heh." Jared couldn't help but shoot a glance at Ranko. "Well, I tried."

Shan held a hand up and pointed at Sakyo. "I now have the ability to correct your malfunction."

Sakyo turned to run, only to get tangled up in Nodoka's sword. Nodoka kept her footing, Sakyo slammed into the wall.

"SHAN, NO!"

The bolt struck. Jared realized with a certain inevitable horror that Sakyo was looking right at him.

The transforming cyborg's expression went from startled to adoring.

Jared tore his gaze from Sakyo to Ranko, and saw a look of utter despair melt to Ranko's confusion.

----------------

Olympus:

Hephaestus heard a bleep from his aiMac 3590 and checked the display. And swore.

After several minutes he calmed himself enough to get back to work on his current project. "Not that the boy needs any MORE romantic subplots, but a promise is a promise. Damn. And I thought that Sakyo would work out."

-----------------

Target Timeline:

"What do you mean you can't reach the ghost, Ranko?"

"It's like before that pirate, Mama. Except it felt like he went into a room, closed and locked the door, and isn't answering when I knock." Ranko was reaching for concepts to explain how it felt.

Jared didn't get angry very often. He was now. "SHAN! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Don't blame my sister, I see it all now!" Sakyo respectfully stood two steps behind Jared. "I was malfunctioning. My true Master was you all along. I apologize for not seeing this before."

Jared cut her off with a glare. "What of when you spoke to Grey about loyalty and love? Oh yes, I heard. You argued that it didn't matter whether it was a line of programming or an electrochemical reaction."

"A malfunction, obviously, Master." Sakyo paused, looking down.

"You said you were past the point where the cybernetic brain was dominant... Right, magic." Jared went to grumbling about the unfairness of it all. "TOLTIIR!"

The scene froze. Jared looked around to notice that he was the only thing moving. Save one.

An elf was now leaning against the "crypt" and eating an apple. Except that normally elves did NOT wear plaid. "Wrong tree, O Druid. I'm into mischief, yes. Pratfalls, certainly. Pounding people in their most sensitive areas until they want to curl up and die, NOT the Toltiir."

"If not you, who?"

"Can't tell you. Lotsa players, and not all of them are on the same game. This is one of those cases where I don't interfere in other people's games. At least not much." The plaid elf finished the apple, threw the core into the dirt, and watched a tree spring up.

"Why plaid?"

"Motley is a fool's garb, don't ya know?" The elf shrugged. "I *will* tell ya a couple of things cause I am looking over this mess and can see some problems heading your way."

"Oh joy."

Toltiir tsked and checked a pocket watch. "First is, the Amazons have been leaving this city for generations. One of the most recent sold out her heritage and the Chinese government now knows that the myths about a Hidden City up here are correct. They're on their way to loot it and take control. Ya got six hours before the main force arrives."

"WONDERFUL. Drop the other shoe."

"All those marionettes are about to figure out the riddle you left 'em. Due to the magic of this valley, they'll appear here. In a little over eight hours." Toltiir checked his watch again. "Any other questions, while ya got me here?"

"Well..."

"The Sailor Marionettes appeared different because they were cyborgs like Sakyo but achieved through dimensional merging of different Analogues. They WERE the ones off a timeline called the Dead Millenium mixed with their Marionette doubles. Except Usagi, or Serena as I expect you'll call her. SHE is different because Sakyo downloaded the memories of Usagi Son from the Sailorjin timeline into her. Other than that she's just a pretty strong marionette. Persona downloads by Sakyo were done on the Usagi, Belldandy, Kasumi, Nabiki, Shampoo, and Ukyo models - so those are fairly complete mentally if inexperienced."

"Then there's..."

"The Sailorjin timeline? Simple enough. It's a fusion timeline, Sailor Moon and Dragonball, as you might have guessed. Makoto there is the Heir of the Jupiter line, one of the Royal Guardian families that swore allegiance to the throne. Usagi Son is the Heir to the kingdom. Usagi and the four Guardian Heirs were ejected to Earth during a coup led by the father of Haruka Uranus, Chronos. In case your wondering that was the Sailor Scouts as you know 'em. The Outers are all survivors of Freezer and the Vogons blowing up their homeworld.

"Take what you know of the villains common to both series, combine some, mix up a few others, and you've got the basics. Queen Beryl and her minions, Red Ribbon, Freezer and Princess Diamond." Toltiir shrugged. "So Makoto, if she re-learns 'em, is able to use the attacks of both Sailor Jupiter and the desert bandit Yamcha as she kinda fills both roles."

"That wasn't..."

Toltiir nodded. "Actually that was a screw up from another goddess. She backed up Ranko and these three fiancees as being valid parts of the timeline instead of as inserted agents. Hence the seperated personalities and apparent amnesia."

"Actually, what I wanted to ask was..."

"No. I won't cast a 'Transfer Romantic Subplot' for you. You're a spellcaster, YOU do it."

Jared made a note to research that spell. It sounded mindbogglingly useful. "But..."

"You can't see the Binding any more because it's fixed on Grey, who isn't present in Ranko at the moment. He's been seperated as a result of Celeste seeing two souls stuck in one body and figuring it was another screw-up from Kitchiri. Not really her fault as she's scrambling at half a dozen quick fixes at once.

"Oh yeah, there's also a BIG problem. See, Shan doesn't know about the marionettes and doesn't think that her and Sakyo can protect you adequately- you having a higher danger level than Grey. So she's about to go firing off 'Arrows Of Obsession' into the Amazon Tournament so as to remedy that situation." Toltiir morphed into a humanoid rabbit and munched idly on a carrot. "Y'know, you ought to order her to not use that attack at all, thereby saving you a few problems in the future. She'll obey any direct order from you that she doesn't perceive as contradicting her main programming."

"Eeep!"

Toltiir vanished. Time resumed. Jared started to run at his full considerable speed. He could run faster than a pegasus could fly.

There was a difference between being fast, and being fast enough. Realizing this, he slammed on the brakes. 'Anime Physics' would require that whatever tragedy he ran off to avert would happen anyway. The only way to counter was to skip to the next step.

He scanned the party he came with. ~Oh well, they had to learn SOME-time.~ The youth shook his hair out, manifesting his pearl and gemstone armor. He was amused to note Nodoka's reaction when he acted on a premonition and shook out the wings that he so rarely bothered with.

If her jaw went any slacker it would fall off.

Jared took the steps back and tickled his mother under the chin while his large and graceful shimmering wings of white flame stretched out behind him. "Now, now, I'm *still* your son. I'm just not Genma's child. You naughty girl."

Nodoka flashed beet red and glanced apprehensively to the girls beside her.

With a powerful thrust from his wings, the youth propelled himself up to the top of a nearby building, where he pulled a staff out of his quiver and held it to the sky.

"Heed, my followers!
Hear the cry!
The time to battle an evil is nigh!

Seize thy weapons
and come with grace!
Answer my summons unto this place!"

Belldandy noted with some apprehension that the boy she was supposed to marry was 1) winged, 2) apparently illegitimate, 3) of a power level that was almost painful for her spiritual senses, 4) in the act of summoning an army, 5) very kind to his sister.

The last made her wonder if the marriage contract could be gone through with anyway. Not every boy could be so kind and thoughtful toward his sib. Boys who respected a girl could be hard to find.

Makoto noted with respect the army as it phased in around her. Not much individually, but taken as a group they'd be a heavy workout. It all depended on how well they worked together.

Urd raised an eyebrow and grew a smirk. Her plans were unguessable but probably fell along predictable lines.

Jared flew down and gestured with his blazing sword to what would be the command group of this newly arrived elvan army. "Dorothy, Annette, Mary, I need full Skywing coverage of the upcoming battle. Chinese Army is coming up the hill to take the city, I need tapes of the Amazon tournament concluding just over on that side of the city, my own entrance, and when we clash with the bad guys. Beth, take the Tiger Cavalry and Archers and prepare to receive an invasion army. Elvraemae, the Knights and Magic Columns are yours. And would somebody *try* and make the enemy more interesting? We're going to be on air!"

Nodoka blinked as the well ordered troops streamed off on those hasty orders.

She had so many people unquestioningly obeying her son? She wondered where this came from but concluded that it was manly. She wracked her brains trying to remember if and when she'd been unfaithful to Genma, and how she might find the father again.

The three sisters shared a long look and stayed out of the way.

Ranko bore the appearance of a little girl on a candy rush as she flitted about, watching the squads of troops on tigers stream away in company with so many elves in plate armor, the milling camp of cavaliers on pegasi, and the elves with audio/visual filming equipment as they set up.

The perky demoness was in visual sensation luxury.

Jared flew over and kissed Urd full on the lips.

--------

Asgard:

Celeste all but wept. In five hours, Kitchiri had managed to not only foul up the filing system but hopelessly corrupt five Timelines (there was now an EVA line where the Evangelion pilots were Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, and a half-angel dog named Snoopy) AND spill Salusian Syrup on her copy of the duty roster.

There was also a knot formed from several timelines, and how Kitchiri had managed THAT was anyone's guess.

The only good thing Celeste found was that Kitchiri was now banned from Yggdrasil access of any kind. She hadn't known there WAS a 'goddess fifth class' qualification.

-------

Olympus, Hermes' audience chambers:

"You've got it, you've got him, but the question is... why?" Hermes, aka Mercury, asked slyly of the other. "This doesn't seem like you at all, and part of my price was to know what you intend. So speak, Astrild."

"You know of the challenge. Grey, who has never had a REQUITED love that turned out to be anything more than a woman sharpening her claws, was to get one."

"Of course," the messenger god indicated, pulling a scroll out to display.

"Hephaestus - Sakyo and Shan - STATUS: failed, transferred to Pheonix Mage.
Amaterasu - the goddess Urd - STATUS: failed, love potion cured.
Eros - Ami Mercury - STATUS: missed repeatedly.
NOTE: has instead struck Hotaru Saturn, Michiru Neptune, Haruka Uranus, Usagi Son. current status: have given up trying to track Grey due to loss of trail.
Sif - Dead Millenium Scouts - STATUS: failed, Scouts returned to original timeline
Edema - Dead Millenium Scouts merged with marionettes from SMJ timeline - STATUS: failed, transferred to Pheonix Mage.
Sakyo - Marionette Elite Group - STATUS: failed, transferred to Pheonix Mage. Backup plan: pending.
Kitchiri - the goddess Fleece - STATUS: untried, expected to fail spectacularly.
Aphrodite - Ryouga Hibiki - STATUS: failed due to current removal of Grey from Ranko."

"Now, while you MIGHT have done this just to foul Aphrodite's little plan," Hermes shrugged to indicate that NO ONE except Aphrodite had thought it would work, "I know better than that. What IS your game, Astrild?"

"How private are we?" Astrild considered the messenger.

Hermes looked a little startled but then stamped his staff against a rune which glowed in response. "No one short of Thoth or Agamotto is going to see or hear what goes on in here. That secretive?"

Astrild nodded. "Apollo and a few others know, others have deduced. ALL know well that it is a matter of the utmost secrecy. Will you keep this secret, Hermes?"

"If keeping it means being able to learn it, go ahead. But if you mean that each of these labors is actually supposed to teach demon-boy some life lesson and guide his development, I've already got that."

"Just so," Astrild was unsurprised. Hermes WAS both messenger and spy of the gods. "If Grey succeeds in his various Labors, then he should be ready at the end of them to take a position within the scheme of things."

"Not the guardian of Mimir's Well, eh? Grander things?" Hermes considered. "So why steal him out of the Ranko gestalt?"

"What could he learn there? Eventually Ranko will marry, have children, and do all the normal things one would expect of a girl in her culture. At the end of that time, she may merge with Grey again, adding that lifetime of experience to him. But that will take time." Astrild gestured at the scroll. "Currently Ranko has no less than four people after her to take her as a lifemate."

"Ryouga, Mousse, Akane Tendo, but who's the fourth?" Hermes considered. "Not Tatewaki Kuno?"

"Yes, though he was not the one I referred to. No, eventually Happosai will try to take her."

"Eeeeewwww. I think out of that lineup she really is better off with Akane." Hermes made a face. "Though it's a pretty close race. So is that what this whole 'romantic subplot' challenge is about?"

"You have to admit that if he can't bring himself to trust or love anyone, he's going to be quite limited..."

"Kind of like Ares without the ego. Got you." Hermes shook his head. "Not fun. So you are trying to arrange some relationship with someone so that there is some mutual benefit or growth."

"You already knew the whole thing?" Astrild asked.

Hermes, knowing of the rivalry between Astrild and Freja, tactfully didn't mention that he'd had a clue from the OTHER Norse goddess of love. (Not counting Urd.) He also didn't mention that Hephaestus had known and had *given* Hermes the new incarnation. For once he hadn't had to steal something, imagine that! "Most of it I was able to deduce. So WHO are you planning on getting the boy together with?"

Astrild smirked. "Someone who has craved something like this in her heart, though she'd deny it. Someone who could be healed by association with one who has a gentle and loving heart. Observe." Astrild conjured the image.

Hermes blinked. "Now THAT I didn't see coming."

---------

Target Timeline:

It was an odd contradiction within the Amazons, one of many to be sure. They treated their own menfolk rather poorly, as slaves and second class citizens. (Well, most of them, there WERE
exceptions. Just visit any timeline with an irascible Elder Healer named Lilac and ask about "her Douglas" and be prepared to spend some time.) Yet the Sacred One who was to return and lead them to a new Age was male.

The Amazons had long welcomed women who were fleeing abusive males, yet their own law about an Outsider Male defeating an Amazon led to the potential for abuse. They practically worshipped strength but their rule was by the Elders who could exhibit wisdom with their strength.

Shampoo posed triumphantly over the defeated Mousse. Then, expecting disappointment as had been the case among Champions for centuries, turned to scan the crowd for He who was to be her husband. Then came a rain of golden light that touched many among the crowd as someone came shouting in the Plaza.

"He's coming!!" An excited voice rang out.

"Who's coming?" An equally excited voice cried. "Is it Merlin?"

"No."

"Is it Robin Hood?"

"No." By now Shampoo's gaze had tracked down the excited girls bouncing around and noted that she didn't recognize them. Then came a third running up to shout in unison with her friends.

"Here comes Skysaber!"

The oncoming wave of music shook the challenge log. Scores of women Shampoo didn't recognize stepped up to the crests of rooftops all around and began dancing as they sang.

All the new girls stepped forward in unison and swayed their hips to the right.

"High tension, when he's on the loose!
Powerful One, turning on the juice.
Nice and Cool!
The Ultimate Idol!

(The new girls swung their arms left then right and took a pace to the left in perfect synchronisaztion)

"Standing free, excited by the talk!
Every girl, is getting really hot.
An Easy Paradise!
The True Idol!"

(By now Shampoo was getting *really* anxious to see him. The girls' chorus all took three steps forward and faced to the west.)

Shampoo had leapt out of the Challenge Area before she realized she was moving. "AIREN!"

The male with fiery white wings and pearl armor caught her in his arms. Adjusting his plans like the connsumate stage performer he was, he sang down to her as if that had been his plan all along.

"I can't show anyone less than they are due
Together we must have a bright future.
If you hold onto the passion inside you
This world could never resist your lure!"

The female chorus joined up on them and swayed hips right, then left, rejoining their song.

"So lucky! When he comes to call.
So happy! We can't resist at all!
Smoothly! Surely!
The Smartest Idol!"

Shampoo was radiant from her position in his arms. Urd came up and put an arm on him from behind as the chorus performed a synchronized spin.

Belldandy had torn a perfectly good apron to little white shreds. That girl didn't LOOK like she thought it was a stage performance at all!

Nodoka was ready to faint with pleasure as she looked on. Duty overcame pleasure and she began to coo and comfort Belldandy, assuring her that she could indeed marry her son. The shrine maiden failed to notice the gleam that persisted in her mother-in-law's eye.

Mistresses! GRANDBABIES!!! By the SCORE!!

...and how manly her son was, too.

(If Jared had heard that last thought he would've abandoned the performance and run screaming for the hills, followed by nearly the *entire* population of the village, barring the men of course, but still...)

"Loved by me, are his every action
Every time, they fill me up with passion.
Strong and Clever!
The Unbeatable Idol!"

The female chorus spun into final positions, pointing toward Jared, and sang the *un*-altered words, that made his blood run cold.

"Look! Look!
Why don't you touch him!
Everyone loves Skysaber!"

The Sacred One looked surprised and somehow resigned at the same time as he was dogpiled by happy Amazons.

It was odd, it had actually sounded to Shampoo like he'd whispered "oh no, not again." That couldn't have been right, of course. He was the Sacred One, and each member of her family's line had been sworn to be the Bride should he return. And now, finally, at her moment of triumph, he had indeed returned.

Shampoo glowed with happy triumph - literally.

-----------

The war group had been plagued with problems. First the support helicopters had developed rotor problems, then the quite capable Captain Wing of Supply had proven to be sympathetic for the enemy and had arranged for all the parts to go to Tibet while the Air Support 401st had gotten two hundred orders of thermal underwear.

Captain Wing was now in a brig, awaiting trial for treason. As it had now turned out that his grandmother had come from the region of the hidden city, an effort was being made to cleanse the upper echelons of anyone else who would resist using poison gas or neutron bombs on the population.

After all, the high command wanted the city intact.

-----------

"NEVER ever ever use that attack again without my direct permission."

Shan meekly responded with a "yes master..."

"Do. You. Understand. Me."

"You don't want me to use that attack any more. I understand, Master."

"No. You don't understand. If you use that attack again without me calling specifically for it, you're out of here. I didn't ask for or seek to have you following me around in the first place. I suffer your presence because I understand it's not YOUR fault either. I don't NEED to put up with this, and one more act like this, I will send you FAR far away. And your programming is to serve my interests, so if I send you away, you'll go."

Shan's eyes teared up. "I understand, Master."

Jared nodded after a moment, seeing that she HAD gotten the idea.

-------

Olympus:

Hephaestus didn't understand that the manga and anime that Grey had collected came from dozens of timelines. He didn't know that Sakyo had gotten Grey's collection from the RRO and had been basing her marionette designs of of these, including characters that would have sent Grey reaching for the Excedrin Migraine formula in very short order.

All he knew, a deal had been struck, and he kept his bargains.

Four marionettes had been upgraded to levels that a scientist named Washu would have respected.

They could (and would) eat, drink, and sleep. Food and fluids would be "digested" by nanobots to supply energy and repair internal systems. Among other things. These would be "Third" units among those other things.

Hey, if he was going to upgrade a marionette (reminded him of Galatea) then he was going to UPGRADE the units. He had a creative flair so the challenges here were quite intriguing. And just to amuse himself, he'd tag a "watcheye" onto the e-mail he sent to the Pheonix Mage explaining *some* of their capabilities.

>Units ready. Transporting after final adjustments. Enjoy yerself, Mage.
>
>Name: Lina Inverse STYLE: Heavy Artillery
>MANGA SOURCE: Slayers SOURCE CLASSIFICATION: Black Sorceress
>OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES: As black magic use would likely foul your ability to sense evil, a technological equivelant has been developed.
>PRIMARY WEAPON: Particle beam cannons located along forearms. Requires configuring and deploying a magnetic field "barrel" so there is a set-up time. So that you would be capable of anticipating its capabilities, I made them an exact match of the particle beam cannon PBC-11 of Destroid type Excalibur Mark VI.
>SECONDARY WEAPON: In keeping with her magnetic field capabilities needed for the Particle Beam equivalent of the Dragon Slave, minor electromagnetic field manipulation within a 60' radius is also useable. The unit will be able to "bend" energy attacks, ground them, or manipulate electrical systems within that area.
>PRIMARY DEFENSE: The magnetic field control will allow the unit to deflect some energy attacks.
>
>Name: Kodachi Kuno STYLE: Infiltration/Assassin
>MANGA SOURCE: Sword Of The Wildhorse SOURCE CLASSIFICATION: Ninja
>OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES: A number of magical tools such as a Ninjato of Sharpness, an infinite supply of explosive shuriken (actually force constructs), and a pair of war fans that can project a minor force-wall effect.
>PRIMARY ABILITY: Stealth mode. The unit can activate a cloaking field that will allow her to remain undetected by most systems. Think of it as a form of Improved Invisibility with a Move Silently and Hide In Shadows bonus in excess of your own. Gravimetric sensors and certain spells *will* still detect her.
>
>Name: Naga the White Serpent STYLE: Annoyance
>MANGA SOURCE: Slayers SOURCE CLASSIFICATION: Black Sorceress
>CAPABILITIES: As her abilities in the files received via the Kasumi unit are similar to but lesser than Lina Inverse, the same basic capabilities were used, but at 1/2 power.
>PRIMARY DEFENSE: As she appears to be somewhat tougher than Lina, the defensive capability is increased. The Naga unit will be able to absorb 40% of energy attacks utilizing a damper field.
>
>Name: Shayla-shayla STYLE: Anti-personnel
>ANIME SOURCE: El Hazard SOURCE CLASSIFICATION: Elemental Priestess
>CAPABILITIES: Elemental fire magic
>PRIMARY CAPABILITIES: Generation of plasma and the ability to shape streams of it seemed the most likely way to go. As this was a bit of a "rush job" though, technological short cuts were used in the other three. The Shayla unit utilizes an old project which was a "firebird" helm. Those enchantments were merely transferred to Shayla. Therefore she has the normal capabilities one would associate with a Ring Of Elemental Command Fire.
>PRIMARY WEAPON: As you seemed to be looking for weapons per your comments earlier, Shayla was substituted for the Dirty Pair. She can surround herself with a magical flame aura that is capable of burning through megadamage alloys. Just in case.
>
>Have fun.
>Hephaestus, Smith

-------------

"Bravo Four, this is Bravo Leader."

"Bravo Leader, roger. Coming up on target." Bravo Four's pilot moved a plastic cover off a switch, then held his hand ready. "Delivery enabled."

"Delivery is good. Codeword 'Breaking Bottles'."

A hand flicked the switch, then lightly tapped four buttons. "Delivery sent. Pulling up to monitor."

Four missiles streaked towards the lightly fortified village, the gas inside guaranteed to be absolutely without ill effect on the environment. Any animal whose skin it contacted would die in convulsions within three minutes, but by then the gas would already be degrading.

The pilot circled around, marking the contrails as they arced for four different sections of the village. Only to end abruptly as some sort of force dome enclosed the village.

"Bravo Leader, this is is Bravo Four, they have erected some kind of shield. Impact on the surface with no apparent penetration. Using Thumper." Another button was pressed, and this time the pilot was NOT going to stick around for observation. A very intense flash of radiation would soon be scouring the Valley, and he had no intention of being present for it.

*tap* *tap* *tap*

Lieutenant Jing Zao of the Red Army stiffened, then slowly turned in his seat to regard a purple haired girl who was tapping on his canopy. The part of his mind that wasn't gibbering noted off-handedly that the girl was holding the *front half* of the neutron bomb in one hand, an odd staff in the other and was keeping pace with his jet.

She smiled at him, went underneath the plane, then came back out *without* the warhead. She waved cheerily at him, then flew off as if without a care.

Lieutenant Jing Zao, Bravo Four, Red Army Air Corps, realized he had two choices. One, he could aim his plane in an odd direction, set it on autopilot, eject, and hope that the jet ended up far enough away that he wouldn't be cooked from the inside when the bomb went off. Two, the 'die with glory' option where he piloted his ship into the target. The only problem he had with that was the 'die' part. THAT he wasn't too keen on.

With considerable regret, Bravo Four turned his plane back towards the village.

He didn't even get within the blast radius this time.

-----------

Akane Tendo stopped criticizing the news for interrupting dinner, focussing completely on the scene shown on the television. "Ranko?! She's in DANGER! I've got to go help!"

"Maybe it's not Ranko, just someone who looks like her." Kasumi offered wearily.

"Now THERE'S a thought, how many batwinged redhaired Japanese girls her age do you think there are, sis?" Akane spared a glance at her sister before putting a foot on the table and going into Righteous Declaration mode. "If Ranko's in trouble, I can't be slow, so it's off to China, I've got to go!"

"Akane." Nabiki held her hands in a "T" for timeout signal. "Reality check. How are you getting to China? THROUGH the Red Army? Into a warzone? And HOW are you going to convince Ranko to leave?"

Akane drooped a bit on the last question. How could she convince Ranko it wasn't safe?

"They're rerunning that first bit of footage," Soun fumbled for the remote.

*****

On the screen, screams were heard as a missile hit directly overhead. People were running back and forth in the background as a siren wailed. The correspondent (Sakyo duplicating a Chinese newsanchor she'd briefly viewed on television) managed to convey her own alarm.

Sakyo: "This is terrible! An annual children's festival here in this quaint village was rocked by a sneak missile attack. We... we just have learned that the missiles were targetted at these Festival Grounds, a children's center, the local hospital equivelant, a school, and a home for the elderly. This was also determined to be GK-950, a deadly air-based neurotoxin that is clearly in defiance of international treaty!"

More explosions can be heard in the background.

Sakyo: "With me here is one of the elderly of this quiet and harmless village. Lilac, you're one of the village Healers, are you not?"

Lilac (withered 125 year old): "Yes, child. Though actually I came up to tell you that tanks and infantry are heading this way and you might want to resume this from the belltower or get into shelter, depending on your bent, of course."

Sakyo: "TANKS?! Why a full scale assault on such a remote and unimportant location?"

Lilac: "Oh, you get used to it, child. The Chinese government routinely stomps its citizens flat as part of a training exercise. What a pity that my Douglas isn't around to see this."

Sakyo: "This is ROUTINE?! Attempting to gas children and murder the elderly in their beds is just accepted as a 'training exercise'?!"

Lilac: "Oh no, the elderly here tend to be up and about quite early. In fact, I was just enjoying a pint of Guinness and a game of darts down at the pub when the attack started."

Sakyo: "Oh dear. Well, my cameraman is giving me a signal that we're about to lose the satellite feed. This is Cutey Wing signing off until next time!"

The camera feeds past a smiling, peace-sign showing, batwinged (and somewhat batty) redhead to focus on tanks and war machines in the distance, heading closer.

*****

Akane went into a credible imitation of her father, wailing about how her beloved Ranko was about to be passed around like a bottle of cheap sake by the Chinese Army.

"Oh, I don't think they'll do that," said Kasumi, trying to be cheerful though she fondly remembered the little cherub herself. "Most likely they'll just shoot her."

Akane was NOT comforted.

-----------

In China, Shan sniffled disdainfully. "Remember that manuever Shan show you?"

Makoto would have been more alarmed if they were lobbing kimchi. "You sure this'll work?"

"Sure. Just focus and do as Shan show you."

"Kame..." said Makoto and Shan simultaneously.

"It's a pity that Jared-san got into that strategy meeting with the Elders," said Sash, holding a box of Pocky out for Ranko, well behind the two ridiculously powered martial artists.

"...hame..."

"Isn't it though?" Ranko accepted the chocolate covered pretzel stick with glee. As much flying as she did, she *really* required a high sugar intake. "Poor big brother..."

Makoto moved her cupped hands forward, Shan flipped her staff around and pointed it. "HA!"

Twin blasts shot through armored steel as if they had been snow sculptures. The blasts continued onwards, eventually making medium sized craters.

"HA!" A second set of blasts went forward, with a repeat of the same performance.

"They're making a ring!" Ranko headed up slightly then dropped back down.

"A ring?" Sash blinked and munched on another pretzel stick, this one strawberry flavored. "Oh, they're overlapping the craters to make a moat?"

Ranko nodded and made a little sound of agreement.

"Shan think Lita ready for the next stage," suggested Shan. Watch carefully and do as Shan do."

"Great, now *everyone* is calling me that." Makoto nonetheless watched the way the girl built and channelled her ki.

"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"

"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"

Makoto blinked as the blast actually went through an APC before rearing up and *biting* a tank. "...that's... NEAT! I gotta do it again! JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON! JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"

"Remind Shan to show Lita 'Sparkling Wide Pressure' and 'Thundercrash Zap' and 'Wolf Raging Piledriver'." Shan wore an amused smile as Makoto quickly exhausted her ki practicing her attack. "In the meantime... WORLD SHAKING!"

*BOOM* *RATTLE* *CRASH*

"Not bad, why can't I learn that one?" Makoto inquired between bouts of panting.

Shan shrugged. "Shan not know. But Shan not think you can use."

"I thought you didn't like to be called 'Lita'?" Ranko inquired hesitatingly now that it appeared that the blasting was done.

"I don't," replied Makoto.

"Oh! Let me try!" Ranko settled into place and began doing what she'd seen the others do. "HAME KADABRA KA!"

"That's 'kamehameha'," groaned Sash. "Let me give it a shot. 'KAME HAME HA!'"

"Sash do okay, Sash just not have enough ki to do manuever."

"KAME HAIRY BALL! Er, no that wasn't it, was it? KAME HAME... What's that mean anyway? KANDY... oops. Must be getting hungry. Maybe the words are too hard. How about..." Ranko thought for a moment.

"Or it could be that Ranko or Sash not able to use Makoto's attacks because she no can use others. Maybe need other sort of attack." Shan considered. Certainly Ranko had enough chi that she should be able to manifest *something.* "Try phrase that is more like 'Ranko'."

"AMASA YUREI!"

Makoto found enough energy to cover her face. "Sugar apparition?"

"It got a flicker," Shan noted, all business. "Ranko almost have it, try again. Focus all your strongest emotions into it."

Makoto groaned. "Now what? 'Perky Punch'? 'Cheerful Heart Attack'? 'Friendly Fist'? 'Ingenue Beam'? Maybe something horrific like the 'Cutey Bomb' or 'Pink Sugar Frosting Blitz'?"

Ranko nodded and made a little agreement noise, her tongue stuck cutely out of the side of her mouth as she pointed her hands at the fleeing tanks. She didn't want to actually hurt anybody, but wouldn't Rammie be SO proud if she mastered a ki attack! She reached deep inside herself and found something.

"What's she doing?" Makoto stared at the altering ki flows.

"She's drawing and building strength from the earth, sky, and water." Shan was so startled that she didn't go into Shampoo-speak. "Power level increasing. Ranko, you might want to start a little bit lighter."

"You have harmed the Earth, and seek to damage," said Ranko in an odd voice. "This will not be tolerated."

"Green? What the heck is a GREEN aura?!" Makoto shielded her eyes as Ranko continued to build up energy.

"Get behind Ranko! Shan should have figured out. Ranko not destroyer, she builder, not warrior but healer."

"This land is old and bears many scars. Let them now be washed away." Ranko said, her wings and hair flaring golden in color.

Shan frowned. "Power level 500. 750. 900. 1150. 1600. 2100. Ranko, let go, you build up too much! 3200! 4800! 9700! 11,000!"

Ranko released it. "DEEP VERGE!" And promptly fainted, which was really a pity as she missed everything that happened.

---------

Jared felt the discharge of something odd, and left the Elders in mid session. He'd known the two fighters were going to hold off the tanks and planes, but he just hadn't been able to get free himself. That last thing, though, had felt like a cross between summoning and healing magic. He thoroughly expected to see a blasted and devastated landscape.

He did *not* expect to see grass and trees and fields of flowers. LOTS of flowers. As in someone ran amuck and planted darn near the entire gardening section at K-mart. He did not expect to see what looked like rich black soil covering what had once been barren rock. He did not expect to see thick vines and creepers and bushes scattered about, expecially the ones near the valley enterance that were covering tanks and APCs from which the crews were running in pure horror. Except for the soldiers who were weeping near their machines, looking as if they had just had a religious experience.

Jared did not expect to see Shan sitting near a supine Ranko, putting a cold compress across the girl's forehead. Nor Sash and Makoto staring at the forest that hadn't been there a half ago but now looked as if it had been there for centuries.

Landing, Jared looked over the group, then back at the forest. "Okay. Does *someone* have an explanation for this?"

Sash giggled. "Ranko found her 'ki attack'..." She fell, doubled over, laughing hysterically.

Jared had to wait for explanations as none of the conscious three seemed able to communicate in a rational manner at the moment.

============

We now temporarily go with alternating chapters dealing with the adventures of Jared and the misadventures of Grey.