PM Productions Presents
A Phillip Masters Fanfic
Ranma's Quest 
Inspired by:  Richard Lawson
Part Two:  Into the dark...

     I tell her my story.  I can't tell if Lara buys it, but I admit, I
can't tell anything about her whatsoever.  She simply nods as I conclude
my tale of woe, and my idiot father.
     After a moment, she speaks, "Your father is an idiot."
     I nod in agreement.  At least we have something in common.  It's my
turn for a question now... "What do you want with the Oracle?"  Points
lost for originality, but hopefully gained in useful information.
     Lara sighs lightly and looks toward the sun, which is pounding down
on us at this point.  I really don't want to leave it for the dank
recesses of some cave.  I glance at said opening as the explorer begins
her story.  "I have been an adventurer all my life.  I have braved so
many things to gather item after useless item, long forgotten, their
creators long turned to dust.  However, I did it... I don't know why,
perhaps the fame, perhaps the money.  I like to think it was for the
hell of it myself.  It was fun, it was exciting... but now, it's getting
old.  I'd like to know what exactly I can do with my life now that I
don't want to fight anymore... I don't want to travel.  I've seen more
of the world than most likely anyone ever before, and frankly, I'm sick
of it."  She laughs, making me turn my gaze back to her.  I find her
looking at me directly.  "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?"
     I nod slowly.  "I told you what happened to me.  What my life is
like... I understand completely."
     She stares at me a moment longer, then looks toward the cave.
"Yes, I suppose you just might."  She says, then begins walking toward
the cavern.  
     I watch her as she strolls to the opening, looking all the world
like someone about to go to the store for a bottle of milk.  Then, she
turns to me, an impatient twitch in her cheek.  "Well, are you coming?"
     Me and my moronic self jumps as if shocked.  I gather my wits and
jog up to Lara, noting how ominous the entrance to the cave becomes as
one approaches it.  I am having a whole slew of bad feelings right now.
I've always considered myself somewhat intuitive when it comes to
danger.  Well, the past may have disproved that theory, but I still
stand by it as a martial artist.  At the moment, new light is being shed
upon the dusty ability, and my alarms are all going off.  I try Lara,
thinking to find some sign that she may feel the same.  No dice, she's
as solid as steel.  
     Well, if she can do it, so can I.  I concentrate my courage, and
boldly walk into the darkness beside Lara.  She takes a Mag-light from
her belt and switches it on, casting a bright beam onto the far wall of
the tunnel.  Wait, scratch that, it's the ceiling.  The floor is sloping
downward at a pretty sharp angle.   
     We make our way into the mountain for a good ten minutes before we
actually come to any kind of divergence in the path.  The cave branches
out in four directions.  Two of which are your average left and right.
One other goes upward, and is a rather small opening, the last angles
down and to the right, below the path directly right.  It shows that
this mountain could be a veritable maze of tunnels, with Kami knows what
in them.  
     Lara lets out a breath, "This is the part I hate... deciding which
way to go."  She turns to me, "Any ideas?"
     I stare at the tunnels for a moment, then I look back to her and
shake my head.  I have absolutely no clue as to where to go from here.
     She smiles as if she figured as much.  She hands me the flashlight,
which I take, and pulls out a small electronic device.  I look on
curiously as she fiddles with it, berating me twice for not giving her
enough light.  She finally glances down the right tunnel and pronounces
it the proper way to head.  
     Me, having no idea which way, or what in the hell that thing was,
just agrees obediantly.  We walk on for another five minues before the
tunnel opens up into a much larger cavern.  Also, Lara has shut off the
light.  The walls of the cave are coated with a phosphorescent algae,
that, once our eyes adjusted, give off enough illumination to see.
However, I must admit I preffered the familiar white light to the
strange bluish glow.  Perhaps this has something to do with my home
life?  First cats, now blue light, am I perceptible to any form of
neurosis?  I'm still surprised I don't flinch away at the sight of any
large blunt object.
     "Ranma?  Ranma!"  I startle out of my thoughts as Lara yells my
name.  Seems my mind wandered again... I have to keep that in check.
     "What?"  I ask, looking toward her.  She is caught in something, by
the looks of it, something sticky.  Her foot is trapped by it, she can't
pull it from the floor.
     "Could you please give me a hand here?"  She seems unhappy that she
was caught by such a simple trap, that may not actually be one at all.
I grin slightly and extend my hand to her.  She takes it and pulls with
all her might.  I am surprised to find myself amost pulled into the gunk
myself.  That woman's got an arm!  
     Fortunately, I shift my weight fast enough to compensate and she is
yanked free.  I look down to the patch on the floor.  There seems to be
no reason for its existance, other than a natural occurance.  I
certainly hope that's all it is.  We walk further into the "room",
noticing that the far wall and ceiling are beyond sight.  The wall to
the left is fairly close, while the one to the right is barily visible.
It's an erie effect, having the bluish mist stretch out into the
distance, just at the edge of sight.  I focus to toward the center of
the place, hoping to alleviate my unrest.  There, before us, is a large
body of water.  It is so still as to be only barily seen in the pale
light of the algae.  
     "Something is wrong with the water."  Lara comments from my left.
     "Why?"
     "There is no algae on it... there should be."
     I look to the pool, and sure enough, there is not a trace of the
stuff on the surface.  "What do you think is wrong with it?"
     Lara looks at me as if I am an idiot, almost making me squirm.
"Considering the limestone composition of this rock, I can tell you
*exactly* what's wrong with it."  With that, she walks toward the lake.
     Limestone?  I look to the walls of the cavern.  Looks like marble
to me, perhaps she is mistaken?  Anyway, what does limestone have to do
with screwy water?  Chemistry is *not* my strong point.  
     I follow her.  The lake, because of it's lack of algae is fairly
dank, relative to the rest of the area.  So, we venture on, into the
dark...
END PART TWO...
Oi, this is a difficult one to do I must say.  Next time I promise
action... I'm still building a bit here... also, more of an actual plot
shall develop.  C&C very appreciated, please... and thanks for reading.
PMasters

"I'm only holding back the rain.  So many raindrops, so many pains.  I
want to find my train someday.  As seasons go past the station." - Tokyo
Babylon OVA 1
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