Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Mist ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 25 )

Started 12/10/2007 Completed 12/11/2007

Chapter 24

At the first sign of an emerging energy signature all the fighters within the room were up and in arms. It had taken ten minutes to get the meeting started, and a new guest was arriving without an invitation.

“We already know you're there, Elder,” Ranma - or Mist, as he was currently in his ninja attire - challenged the being he felt. `Man, they can put off some high energies!' Ranma noted, not knowing that the others were thinking the same thing.

“Peace to you, Mortals,” a voice called from the shadows, sending a mental command to all to relax their fighting stances - Ranma, Ryoga, Mousse and Herb weren't affected by the mind attack.

“You're gonna have to better than that, if you plan to get one over on us,” Ryoga shouted, the muscles in his jaw tightening ever so slightly. He could feel another two energy sources appearing even as the four of them (Ryoga, Ranma, Mousse and Herb) prepared to battle the fore-foe.

“We have not come to do battle with you, we have come to return something that was taken from you,” came a male voice from all around the room. “If we sought your demise, we would have allowed you to enter Out.”

Ranma smirked, seeing through the lies, though he and the others relaxed their stances, but were set to pounce at any moment. “If that is the case, then why do you hide within the shadows?” Ranma challenged. He was as interested in seeing what the Elder gods looked like as anyone.

 

Shao Kahn could not help himself as he laughed in ecstasy! Things could not be going any better for than right now. He had been sending his best warriors to the six Realms, and having them challenge any who thought they were good enough to enter the Mortal Kombat Tournament, removing all competition. Now, Shao Kahn only had one Realm left, Earthrealm - the home Realm of Ranma, who was now gone, erased by the hands of a vegetable (Shang Tsung lost all his memories when Ranma released the Shampoo Revised).

Baraka walked into room, a glossy look in his eyes, showing that he adored his new master. “{Master, allow me and my forces to invade the Earthrealm,}” Baraka requested, kneeling low to the ground. Unlike the majority of species, the Tarkatan race weren't able to speak in any way that was understandable; so Shao Kahn had learned their language eons ago.

Shao Kahn stroked his chin in thought. “Why not? Don't fail me, Baraka or I'll have your head on a pike.”

Baraka barked several syllables that were foreign, even to Shao Kahn, then departed through the doors.

“Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Rain!” Shao Kahn called out to the shadows. “I don't think Baraka will be successful in this endeavor, so I want you report every battle he and his race have.”

The sound of flesh striking cloth rang through the chambers and then all was silent again.

 

“So, let me see if I've got this right?” Mist queried. Things were not turning out the way he had thought they would, but at least it was a favorable situation. “One of your “Council” stole from the Earthrealm, and in order to apologize you've returned the infant? Forgive me if I'm skeptical, but I wouldn't trust you for the life of a cockroach.”

Ryu looked into Ranma's eyes, seeing a fire burning that he had not seen since his deceased Avatar Kyoshiro died. He really liked this kid. “That's why they came,” he informed Ranma, gesturing clumsily at the other two Elder gods, Allure and Reese. “I'm here to inform of the stakes of the upcoming Mortal Kombat Tournament. The rules have been amended. This time we, the Elder gods, will toss in our lot. If we win, all the Realms will be erased of life in order to create new races.”

Ranma scowled, he had expected something of the sorts from the Elder gods, especially after they locked him and anyone with high power-levels within the HFIL. “I am adding a stipulation of my own, then,” Ranma announced, giving the Elders a look that said they had no choice in the matter. “If I am the winner of this tournament, all of the Elder gods will step down and become Mortals, or I will kill them by my own hands.”

“What?!” came the unified shout of disbelief. Who did this Mortal think he was? “You presume too highly of yourself, Boy!” Ryu shouted.

Ryoga was immediately to his feet, a ball of savage red energy roiled and flared like a small star in his hands. “The same goes for all of us,” Ryoga intoned, relishing the fact that two of the Elders paled at his display of energy.

The Elders could only nod, wary of the malicious energy the wild boy held.

 

For the fourth time this week, all the Senshi were gathered in Rei's room. The meeting was going the same as ever, Rei and Usagi teased each other and Rei would chase the Queen to be. Ami would spend the time studying, until five minutes before the meeting was over, Minako and Makoto spoke about what a hunk this guy or that was and the Outers stuck to their clique.

This time though, things would be different… “Usagi, my child?” A soft voice spread through the room, sending a sensation of peace and joy to everyone there.

“Queen Serenity…?” Usagi and Rei questioned. This was new, they both mused.

Setsunna raised an eyebrow, knowing that things must have been of urgency to entail the Elder god coming to Rei's shrine.

All the girls in the room adjusted their seating and perked up, staring at the willow-wisp floating in the center of the room. The Queen was dressed in a white gown, that fell to her ankles and wore white slippers over her feet. “Usagi, my child, can you hear me?”

Usagi moved forward, all the way until she sat at her mother's feet. “I'm here Queen Serenity,” Usagi greeted. “What made you drop by?”

Queen Serenity gave a heart melting smile, full of warmth and love to her daughter. “I'm so glad I was able to reach you. There is something I must tell you about; a tournament, taking place for the fate of the Universe,”

“WHAT?!” came the unified shouts of disbelief from all the Senshi, Setsunna included.

Serenity raised a hand, calming the girls' reactions. “Peace, my daughter and her protectors. If you enter and win, you will be able to save not only your Universe, but all the many universes from the clutches of the evil man, Shao Kahn.”

Setsunna paled. “Shao Kahn? I thought he was banished from this Universe by you, during the Silver Millennium?” `If the Elder gods weren't able to prevent this man, then what hope do we have?'

Queen Serenity, seeming to read Setsunna's mind cupped Usagi's chin and continued, “While I did banish him, he has taken a legitimate action, one sanctioned by the creators of the universes. There is nothing I can do to stop him, with the exception of allowing you girls to fight in my stead.”

This was interesting turn of events. But, no matter how much she detested the Elder gods for taking away Ranma and forcing the Sailor Senshi into Serenity's servitude, she wouldn't allow the universe to fall into the hands of Shao Kahn - she had seen what the monster would do.

 

Baraka, leading a squad of fifty Tarkatans through the bustling town of Juuban, was wholly unexpected to meet no resistance. Sure, he got several odd glances, but no one ran and no one showed any fear.

“{Lord Baraka, why don't we attack these plebeians?}” came a question in the native tongue of his people.

Baraka whirled to face the group, wondering who would ask such a foolish question, surely they knew what gains would be gotten if they were successful in this endeavor. “{We are not here to just attack anyone, we are seeking out only the strongest of the realm…}” Baraka froze suddenly, and all those following did as well, their noses pointed skyward and then all turned to face the Northeast. “{ATTACK!}” Baraka garbled.

For the casual observers it was like observing a samurai/horror movie; blades distended from the men's forearms and their mouths opened in a 360 degree fashion, looking much like a snake swallowing a creature much too large. Then, with a cry of defiance, the fifty monsters charged down an alleyway and into the darkness.

 

Queen Beryl looked among her remaining forces of Youma. She and these few had been lucky to survive the removal of her realm, all at the hands of the princess Sailor Moon. But this time things would be different; they had gone to America and leeched from as many Humans as they could find. It had been especially easy, due to the attack of the woman who gave even her the creeps, one Rita Repulsa.

After gathering the necessary energy to restore all of her remaining Youma to full strength, and even allowing them all to upgrade to General-levels, she had returned, fully expecting to gang-beat the Sailor Senshi to death, like they had done to her many forces and former Generals.

But, she had not expected to be bum rushed by a legion of undead cannibals, with no issues when it came to how they killed their targets…

 

“Rei!” Grandpa Hino called, and came running into the bedroom, breathing hard and pale-faced.

Rei was immediately at his side, ignoring her Queen I favor of her only true family member. “What's wrong Grandpa? What's got you so worked up?”

Hino waved at her a few times, trying to get his breathing under control. After a short eternity, he gave up and gestured that the girls follow after him. With quick steps, he led the ten women and his granddaughter to a TV set up in the entertainment room.

The Senshi went pale. Displayed on the news, though the TV was muted, was an image of anarchy. Queen Beryl and thirty Youma Generals were engaged in a battle against fifty bald, disgusting and repulsive demon-creatures, disguised like Humans.

“What's going on?” Rei asked her associates, feeling out of sorts at the moment.

Setsunna, the only one who had witnessed such gruesome battles before - and retained the memories - was quick to grab the remote and turn on the volume.

“Once again, this is live, on the Juuban Business Route. We can recognize the attire of Youma Generals, though we haven't seen them for nearly three years, but have no idea what the blade-zombies are nor where they come from. Are they a menace to us or are they a grotesque new ally? If you have any information, please call our station.”

The sound went silent for a moment, broken by the sounds of confirmation from the reporter-analyst. “This just in, we have an interview with a person who on site when the fighting broke out. To you Tai,”

The image shifted to a short distance away from the brawl, where a man wearing a business suit and with slicked back hair stood; to his left was a young woman, possibly in her early twenties, wearing a white labcoat. “This is Yayoi Schwal, she is an eye witness to the carnage destroying the Juuban Business Route. Ma'am can you tell the viewers what you saw?”

The young woman with hair and beautifully silver as Queen Serenity herself, nodded. “I was coming across the street to get some food for my break, when these Youma Generals appeared from thin air and were laughing maniacally. So, like everyone else, I started running for safety, when my heel broke,” she held up a high-heeled shoe with a missing heel. “Before I could get up, this contingent of men, armed to the teeth with all kinds of blades leapt right over my head and began attacking the Youma Generals. At first I thought they were a new division of the JSDF, until they started eating the Youma they killed. It was disgusting, absolutely disgusting.”

“There you have it Ryoji, a confirmed eye-witness. We urge concerned citizens to remain indoors until the fighting has ended. Back to you Ryoji.”

Setsunna muted the television and turned to ask the Queen what was going on, when she realized the Elder god was no longer there. `I hate it when she does that,' Setsunna thought in annoyance…

 

LWH (laarcae@laarcae.com)