Notes:
< > These used to indicate someone using communicators or telepathy or
other language, normally Chinese.
* * Used to express thoughts or feelings.
Reminders:
There are times in this fanfic that certain gender-bender problems
had to be allowed. Reimi and Pluto call the woman Radler has become as
Radler. I still use the feminine pronoun equivalent for Tia, but Reimi
and Pluto tend not to. I know it's confusing, but it helps with the
story...
And... oh!! before I forget, Hinako-sensei gets some action here
too... ^_^
HAVE FUN...
Hmmm... Oh, yeah... forgot something. All things here are copyrighted by
their respected creators. Everything else that is unfamiliar or original
belongs to me.
"In difficult ground, press on;
In encircled ground, devise stratagems;
In death ground, FIGHT."
- Sun Tzu in The Art of War (circa 400BC)
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Angel's Chronicles Book One: Angel's Folly
Chapter 19: Final Sacrifices
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Part 3 of 4
"Argh! I hate this! I absolutely hate this!!!" complained Ryouko to
the rest of the world.
Another one lunged at her - this time, she grabbed the thing by the
neck and squeezed. The thing, if it was even still human, cried out as it
choked. Ryouko smiled as the thing struggled haplessly. She absently
backhanded another one that tried to help its companion.
They really were not that much of a threat. But since she was on a
mission of saving people's lives and under orders not to kill any of
these disgusting creatures, her job became a wee bit troublesome to
handle.
*Lousy jerks!* she thought.
The thing's struggles ceased, and Ryouko tossed it at a nearby
tree, rendering it further unconscious, if that was even possible.
Having had enough, she flew up but not too high as to hit the roof
of the soul web. She shuddered to think what it might do to her. She
glanced around, her keen eyes trying to locate where Kiyone could be.
Instead of finding the Galaxy Police detective, she spotted more of those
things converging on a large clump of people.
*Oh, boy. Looks like Kiyone's gotta look out for herself for the
time being,* she thought. *Wonder if she's still alive?*
* * * * * *
Kiyone lashed out with her foot. It doubled over in pain just as
Kiyone kneed it in the face. It reeled from the attack, blood spurted
from its muzzle. Kiyone stepped back, fist balled up in front of her. She
had abandoned her weapon by the lake, useless now without power.
Much as she hated to admit it, now of all times, but she really
could use Mihoshi's bumbling right now. If anyone was to come out on top,
no matter what, Mihoshi managed to pull it off without any trouble. Of
course, you just have to pay a bit of penalty - one may survive, a bit
worse from wear, but definitely alive.
Sweat beaded on her forehead, soaking her already soaked headband.
Her body ached in over a dozen places, her clothes were tattered and
torn, and she was damn tired!!
Almost half a dozen shuffled towards her, ghastly, deformed
creatures that had once been human. Bile threatened to rise from her
stomach - she felt so full of anger and hate for the ones responsible for
all of this... this... outrage.
<Have faith in your own power,> a voice told her in her mind.
Kiyone blinked, recognizing the voice.
<Sa-Sasami?!!>
<Yes.>
<But how?!!>
<Events are occurring that require the both of us to merge ahead of
time. In you is the power, Kiyone. Use that power.>
<What are you talking about?!>
<Have faith in yourself, Kiyone. That's all you have to remember.>
Kiyone yelped as one of the creatures lunged at her. The creature
lay atop her, its hands grasping her shoulders, effectively pinning her
to the ground. The others shuffled towards her, yelping and growling in
glee at finally getting their hands on their human prey.
"Now what?!!" she wondered to herself.
Sasami's- Tsunami's words echoed in her mind.
<Have faith in your own power,> she repeated.
<Power?! What power?! If I did have that, I'd have used it to get
rid of Mihoshi for good.>
A part of her chided her for it. Much as Mihoshi acted the complete
and utter fool, she was a nice person and a good friend, just as long as
you made sure Mihoshi was happy and not spending their cash on anything
she found nice or going to a Karaoke bar or just plain acting like the
proverbial blonde. Still, for all the bad things Mihoshi did, well, it
wasn't that bad - BARELY.
Right now, she really needed her partner - klutz or no klutz!!
Her thoughts were running in circles when they wasn't gibbering in
fright. Even hardened Galaxy Police officers who survived the battery of
bad luck by being Mihoshi's partner had their breaking point.
She wasn't afraid of dying. Hell! She suffered under that threat
since Mihoshi came into her life - death was a silent partner she was
used to having. It was how long her end was taking that was really
pissing her off.
Tsunami's words came back once more.
*What power do I have?! Why me?!!!*
Unbeknownst to Kiyone, her body started to glow a pale yellow,
brightening to a golden glow. The creature atop of her started backing
away; so did the rest.
Kiyone blinked, feeling the sudden warmth spreading across her
body. It felt cozy, warm, safe - much like a babe would feel while it
lived inside its mother's womb.
The air around her began to stir.
"Power? But why me?" she asked herself.
<Because it is your heritage, my child. One that has lain buried
within you for hundreds and hundreds of generations of death and rebirth.
It is time for you to awaken in your power,> another voice spoke, this
one so hauntingly familiar.
<Who are you?!> she asked.
<Someone who has watched over you for quite some time, little one.
In time, you will find out.>
Kiyone promised herself to find out who that woman was. For some
strange reason, she felt saddened - an eternal sadness that stemmed from
a forgotten memory.
Kiyone once again stood up, her form suffused with the power she
had long tried to deny.
Her smile was feral; her eyes gleamed with anticipation, so eager
to test out her newfound abilities.
* * * * * *
"STOP!!!" Shampoo warned.
The two adopted Tendos screeched to a grinding halt the way only
martial artists could.
"What is it?" asked Kurumi.
"Shampoo feel danger in front. No can see, but there. Danger."
Natsume looked thoughtful for a moment. She stretched her left arm,
palm open as she extended her chi to her surroundings. She gasped,
feeling quite ill.
"What is it, sis?"
"Everything," Natsume answered. "The whole place is... it feels
_wrong_!!"
Shampoo nodded. Kurumi was confused.
"There is some sort of field in front of us. If Shampoo hadn't told
us to stop, something _bad_ would have happened to us," Natsume explained
to her sister.
"Is correct. Shampoo think we find safer way in."
"Any of you need a hand?" a voice interrupted.
Shampoo gaped, immediately recognizing the voice.
"Tia!"
The purple-haired Amazon hurled herself bodily at the stranger that
had suddenly appeared; hugging the woman tightly.
"Nice to see you too, Shampoo."
"Shampoo and others think you dead! Why you no tell us you alive?"
she asked.
Tia smiled, hugging the young Amazon back. "Had to. Couldn't let
_them_ know I was still alive. Still, you and the others managed to do
quite well. I am all proud of you." She then turned to the two sisters.
Tia bowed. "Greetings. My name is Tia. I am known as the Final
Guardian."
"Final Guardian?" the two sisters asked.
"You no tell us about that. What it mean?" Shampoo queried.
"Long story. For now, we need to get the others."
"Who are you?" Kurumi wanted to know.
"He... she friend of Ranma and Tendos. She very good fighter."
Shampoo said.
"My name is Radler. I also call myself Tia in my female form."
"Glad to meet you," the sisters chorused.
Tia hated having to leave Chibiusa but Washuu had been quite
adamant about it. She had assured Tia that Chibiusa was safe and that a
woman named Mizuki had managed to defeat one of the Dark Senshi. She did
not say anything specific about who the senshi was but that was okay.
She understood that the true danger lay with the Eye of God.
She thumbed the communicator she wore. "Okay, Washuu. What now?"
<Stay there. I'm going to bring in the dimensional cannon,> Washuu
said. <I've set the parameters on the cannon. It'll fire by itself. Just
don't get in its way, and you'll be fine.>
"How do we take care of the people?" Tia asked.
<You can't. You'll have to destroy the devices around the park. You
don't have much time doing it. The Soul Web is being used to power up the
Eye of God.>
"I thought that thing had its own power generators?!"
<It does. But someone's done modifications on the Eye. I can't be
sure what the purpose is, but it can't be good. Power readings are off
the scale as it is. Whatever it is that the Shadow Moon has done to the
Eye, we have got to stop them.>
"Understood." Tia signed off.
"I hope whatever it is that Washuu's doing would help," Mihoshi
hoped.
Tia resisted the urge to jump in surprise. How the heck did Mihoshi
managed to sneak up on her like that? Shampoo and the two Tendos stared
at the blonde woman in full Galaxy-Police-issue battle gear.
Tia wondered why those things had to be so... tight-fitting.
It should be noted that Mihoshi was also carrying a really heavy
piece of artillery. Tia identified it as a GP-Proton Micro Cannon - not
something you usually carry around, even if you were a Galaxy Police
operative. From the looks of it, Washuu's tinkered with it as well -
quite evident, considering the crab insignia on its muzzle.
"Aiya! What ditzy girl carrying, and what she do here? More to
point, what she doing with that strange thing."
Tia quickly reassessed Shampoo - perceptive girl, although Mihoshi
wasn't exactly a ditz. Washuu had explained Mihoshi's condition,
hypothesizing her condition to be a mere traumatic experience that had
caused an instability upon Mihoshi's mental faculties. It did not lessen
her effectiveness, but it did cause certain problems. Washuu had also
explained that it was better to let Mihoshi be - anyone else involved
with her would surely become collateral damage.
"You sure you want to do this, Mihoshi?" Tia asked, skeptically.
"I am a Galaxy Police operative, trained to protect and serve. I'm
going with you no matter what," Mihoshi answered firmly. "Besides,
Kiyone's in there, too. I can't leave my partner all alone, tangling bad
guys and stuff."
"Is sure okay to bring ditzy girl?" Shampoo asked again.
<Don't worry about me, Amazon Princess. I'm quite capable of
handling things,> Mihoshi answered in perfect Chinese.
Tia blinked. Mihoshi spoke perfect Chinese, just like that. And
since when did Mihoshi know Shampoo's title??
Shampoo stared at the woman with something akin to disbelief.
The two Tendou girls merely looked back and forth at the three of
them.
"Okay. Come on, people! We've got a world to save!!" said Tia,
trying to be cheery about it.
Three different voices shouted in unison.
* * * * * *
"So, where to now, Sayoko?"
"There."
A large portal opened not far from them. Out of it spilled a horde
of droids, with a smattering of the metal beasts that they've just fought
recently. Ranma got ready, charging up for another chi-blast. Sayoko had
her staff/pole arm in front of her, its tip pointed at the incoming
enemy.
"RENSHA-HAPPADAN!!!"
"STELLAR VORTEX!!"
A powerful wave of chi-energy leapt out of Ranma's outstretched
fist, his hands blurring as it went through the Amaguriken Technique,
each punch throwing a chi-charged energy burst. By themselves, each one
wasn't powerful enough, perhaps strong enough to maybe break a normal
brick wall. But with literally hundreds or thousands of the chi-blasts,
nothing could have survived long enough to do anything.
Those unfortunate enough to get caught in it were thrown back,
pounded by the storm of chi. The multiple strikes punched through armor
and flesh with ease. Within seconds, nothing stood between him and the
open portal.
Sayoko quickly followed suit, her own attack leaving her staff mere
nanoseconds after Ranma's barrage. Hers was unlike Ranma's chi techniques
- hers was the power mystic. Magic - as deadly as anything could ever be
- perhaps deadlier still.
A wave of red-blue-black hued energy lanced out towards the
incoming horde. Lightning crackled all around the spiraling beam. When it
struck, the explosion created a blast that disintegrated everything in a
wide circular arc. Puddles of metal bubbled in the blast crater.
Ranma blinked at the massive destruction he had witnessed. Compared
to his newer chi-techniques, Sayoko's attack was deadly - very deadly.
"Cripes. What the hell was that?!!"
"Something I've been saving up 'til now," Sayoko calmly answered.
"Didn't want to use it, unless we were in their territory."
"Guess that means no holding back now, ne?"
Sayoko nodded. "Quite so, Ranma. What reservations you have for
hurting women, drop it. These women are not the types to be gentle about.
I know you've always held back your true abilities. In this battle, we
must make use of everything we have. The fate and the future of this
world rests in our hands now."
Ranma nodded. "Got it."
"You ready for the fight of your life, Ranma-kun?" she asked,
glancing at the horde of droids and metal beasts that came pouring out of
the portal.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
* * * * * *
"Sorry, Chibiusa-chan. I can't bring you with me - not this time."
"I want to!!" protested Chibiusa.
Mizuki looked up to see the baleful red eye of the Eye of God
flashing brightly, blue arcs of electricity chasing one another across
its surface. Dark, roiling clouds surrounded the Eye, growing ever
larger. The wind was picking up speed as the clouds blotted the fiery
disk that was the sun. Lightning and thunder occurred in abundance around
the Eye.
She watched as a group of JSDF fighters screamed down upon it like
vengeful hornets, firing a swarm of missiles before wheeling away for
another run. Black orbs of something crackling with electricity suddenly
came into existence, streaking away to meet the incoming fighters. The
missiles the fighters had fired exploded harmlessly on its surface, their
explosive warheads unable to dent its surface. The pilots of the planes
were quite shocked at the ineffectiveness of their weapons but were even
more surprised when the orbs struck their fighters, engulfing them.
Their fighters collapsed onto themselves, the structural integrity
of their planes incapable of withstanding the enormous pressure within
the orbs.
Mizuki watched in awe at the display of power. Truly, the Eye was
an awesome weapon - one that she felt was going to be used upon someone
or something.
That did not bode well for her.
"No, Chibi. I can't risk it. You're too important. Go, Chibi -
you'll be safe here in the temple. Your mother and the senshi are here,
as well."
"How can you tell?" Chibi wanted to know.
"I'm somewhat telepathic. Well, almost, anyways."
"I want to help!!" Chibi insisted.
"No, too dangerous," Mizuki answered back.
"But I can help. I can fight, too," she insisted.
"I know you can. I taught you myself, remember?" Mizuki countered.
"But you just can't, not in a fight like this. Please, Chibiusa - I know
you want to help, but you just can't come with me, right now."
Chibiusa stared at her friend for some time. A few minutes had
passed before she relented, realizing that Mizuki was right.
A trap had been set for her in Toukyou. They managed to get out of
it. But for her to go to the Eye would surely seal her fate. Trap or no
trap, the Eye was not a place for her. Mizuki was doing her job by
looking out for her as she had promised. No matter how much she wanted to
help, the danger was just too great.
"Okay. But come back safe."
Mizuki winked back at her. "No problem."
Mizuki prayed she was doing the right thing, leaving Chibiusa here
in the shrine. But it seemed to be the safest bet. Hopefully, none of the
Dark Senshi would find Chibi until this was over. She gave Chibi a hug
before she powered up and flew towards Eye, her form suffused with the
power she had long hidden.
Perhaps this was her destiny, a part of what she had chosen for
herself. Chibiusa was her best friend, one of the few she had ever made
in her life that accepted her for what she was. Her mother had warned her
to be careful, considering the power she had. It was unlike chi, which
she had learned to use early on, when her mother assigned someone to
teach her with her abilities. The power she was born with was something
else - something that she, herself, feared at times - but no more.
She had found a use for it.
*Get ready to rock, Shadow Moon!!*
* * * * * *
Belldandy tried hard not to break down in front of Keiichi. Tears
formed in her eyes as she took one last look at the man she loved since
she had been a child, a feeling that had grown stronger still, through
the passage of time with him. Never had she enjoyed such a life as the
one she had led with Keiichi and his friends. It felt so much like an
unending carnival: so full of life and adventure, so many things to
discover and enjoy.
She wanted nothing more to stay by Keiichi's side, forever and
ever. But, like any carnival, it had to end, sometime. Belldandy knew,
just as anyone else from heaven, of the destiny charted by man - a
destiny that ensured mankind's awakening.
It had been the goal of their Father, Kami-sama, to restore the
people of Earth back to their former glory. Heaven had once been the
realm of mankind as much as it had been theirs.
Now, the stage had been set. A war thousands of years into the
future had spilled back into this century. A fight that would be fought
through all time: past, present, future. A fight fought by mankind since
time immemorial. Alone and without any aid - divine or otherworldly.
Mankind must now find the power and the will to overcome what was
about to come.
But it was hard - she had been forbidden to bring her beloved
Keiichi with her. No amount of cajoling had worked and now, she must
leave the man she had promised to be by his side forever.
"Belldandy -"
"Keiichi -"
Neither continued their words, as both hugged one another fiercely.
Their lips met almost at once. Urd smiled as she restrained her younger
sister, Skuld, from doing anything - Not that it was needed, really,
considering the look of sadness in Skuld's face. Urd knew that this
emotion stemmed from the fact that Belldandy was going to be one hell of
a wreck for the time being - and that would affect the overall atmosphere
once they got back to their home in heaven.
Of course, it could be that Skuld was actually mellowing.
Urd quickly junked the thought. Of the three of them, it was Skuld
that was normally intractable.
"I'm going to hate the time I'm going to be spending with Bell in
her current condition," Urd said.
Skuld nodded. "Do you think Keiichi and the others will be safe
while we're away?" she asked, much to the surprise of Urd. "No! Not
that!!" Skuld hissed. "I meant that they might get into trouble
considering that Mara or any other demon might use this chance to get
even."
Urd shook her head. "No. No one is going to be around to meddle in
this one, Skuld. Mankind faces a danger that even demons wisely stay away
from. No, Keiichi and the others will be safe. The problem is, who will
survive this battle?" Almost impatiently, Urd beckoned, "Come on, squirt.
Time to leave."
"What about, oneechan??"
Urd looked back to see the pair still holding one another. "She'll
catch up. Good-byes always last for quite a while. Let's go."
* * * * * *
Nuku Nuku quickly dispatched the last of her opponents with a swift
chop across the back of its neck. Her fight had exhausted her somewhat,
and she was nowhere close to finding Papa-san and Ryuunosuke. Whatever it
was that was happening around Nerima, it wasn't the normal martial artist
rampage or with her bouts with her playmate, Emi.
Nuku Nuku was getting frantic about her inability to trace Papa-san
and Ryuunosuke. The only thing she kept finding was more of these strange
animals attacking her... although, she did recall seeing a young woman
with long blonde hair sometime ago. Nuku Nuku had decided to leave the
woman be, as something about the woman made her hackles rise.
She'd also encountered other people fighting these creatures and
she'd assisted as best as she could without losing too much time. Her
questions had remained unanswered, and even Papa-san's student friend had
no idea where they might have gone, since they'd been separated following
the initial attacks by the creatures.
Nuku Nuku suddenly glanced up, as her instincts warned her of
danger from the sky. Unlike human instincts, her feline instincts were
far more sensitive, and that self-same instinct had saved her more than
once. Of course, her devotion to Ryuunosuke may have something to do with
it as well. She gasped at the strange ball that hung somewhere near the
center of the park. Her sensors were already blaring out its own warnings
about the object.
Her sensors also detected a large but unidentifiable energy
emission coming from the center of the park. Her eyes narrowed as she
weighed her choices.
"Maybe Papa-san and Ryuunosuke are there!"
Without further thought on the possibility of error or the dangers
she was putting herself at the mercy of, she bounded towards the center
of Nerima Park on all fours.
* * * * * *
Kasumi closed the door leading to the room where Mousse and Ryouga
lay asleep. The draught she had prepared would knock them out for a few
hours. It could not be helped, as both had used up quite a bit of chi -
and, with the appearance of the Eye, there had been ample evidence that
it has indeed begun - something that she wished would never occur.
She had tried to contact Arianna, but kept getting her machine
instead. She was worried for her family and, if she was going to leave
this world, this house, and her family, she would, at the very least,
leave something that would help with the struggle against the Shadow
Moon.
She had been unable to do anything, even when it had endangered her
family and those who shared their lives with them. Ranma and his friends
had to fight alone, much as she wanted to help. They had to face the
dangers by themselves, for she could not, lest it attract unwanted
attention, which they would ill afford to risk.
It had been hard, trying to remain the same in front of everyone,
when she had changed so much. She was not the Kasumi of old, not since
the time she had made that wish granted to her by a goddess.
The wish had been to make Akane and Ranma reveal their feelings for
one another, during the wedding ceremony just after the Saffron incident,
in order to finally end the bickering amongst her sister and those who
claimed Ranma as their own fianc�.
That last incident had nearly ruined any chances of Ranma and Akane
being together. Well, it _did_ ruin it. But Ranma, swallowing his pride,
had apologized to Akane.
After that, everything returned to the normal. Well, what could be
called normal in Nerima.
The whole fiasco at the wedding caused a massive feedback in
Yggdrassil after the wish it was _supposed_ to grant backfired.
Yggdrassil's maintainers had been forced to shut the whole system down,
lest the damage spread to other areas. It took almost the whole day to
repair the damage, but it had been done without any of the demons taking
advantage of the system shutdown.
When the system started up, a small glitch had occurred,
undetectable until the system was turned on. The glitch gave Kasumi her
goddess status, which Kami-sama had backed up without a second thought.
Arianna speculated that Kami-sama had once more had a hand in the
anomaly. No one was pointing any fingers but... some things were just too
obvious. Still, no one really minded, after all. It had almost been a
year since her change of status from mortal to immortal.
It frightened her a bit, but she was slowly getting used to the
idea. Her mentor and friend, Arianna, Goddess of Faith, had taught her
all that she knew and had often remarked how well Kasumi was learning all
that she was teaching.
It did not take long for her to acquire her license. She was now
Goddess of Hope, First Class, Limited. Not bad, for a woman like her.
All this time, she had never felt fear as she what now gripped her
heart so.
"The timing couldn't have been any worse," she muttered to herself.
"You've got that right, Kasumi," answered a familiar voice.
Kasumi turned to meet Arianna. Arianna was a young, petite goddess,
with a wealth of lavender colored hair that was as smooth as woven silk,
and a lovely face framed by bright sea-green eyes. Upon the bridge of her
nose rested a pair of glasses. Kasumi smiled, remembering why Arianna
liked to wear those glasses. The smile did not last too long, though.
Both of them did not say a word, merely glanced at one another and
to the skies above. Tension began to grow between the two, with neither
saying anything to break the ice. It was obvious to a casual observer
that whatever it was that was causing this sudden unease stemmed from the
orb that glared down upon the world.
"I came to take you back home, Kasumi-chan," the woman said
quietly.
"This is my home," Kasumi answered back.
Arianna was unperturbed by the remark. She had expected this from
Kasumi. "You must come back with me, Kasumi. There is nothing more any of
us can do around here."
"So we run away," Kasumi stated flatly.
Arianna winced at the tone of Kasumi's voice. She, just like anyone
else, hated having to go back up to heaven, now that the fighting had
started to _really_ escalate.
She had been going over the files Kasumi wanted when the alarm
came. Everyone had been rushing in and out of heaven as gods and
goddesses on duty on Earth returned. All of them showed varying degrees
of anguish and self-loathing at abandoning the people of Earth.
In a way, Kasumi was right. They were leaving mankind alone, in the
hour of its greatest need. She resented it, but kept it wisely in check.
Kasumi showed her displeasure quite blatantly - a far cry from the face
Kasumi showed to her mortal family.
"I know how you feel, Kasumi. To abandon these people that we've
taken care of all this time, it seems so criminal. I profess not to
understand the reasons why, but perhaps He must have a valid reason,"
Arianna spoke up.
Kasumi sighed. "But why?! After all this talk about mankind being
able to chart his own fate, why this, now?? Has mankind suffered enough
with all that's been done to him? The fall of the Golden Age of Man. The
destruction of the old Silver Millenium. The wars of man upon this world.
Now, at a time when mankind is learning the true value of peace, this had
to happen."
"Mankind's struggles allow him to learn more and more of himself,
of his gifts and abilities. We are here merely to help them light the way
they take. That is our task: to show them the paths before him - nothing
more."
"Then, why?!!" Kasumi repeated once more. "Why this?!!"
"This event, cataclysmic as it looks, is but one of the many that
mankind will face in the near future. It is to prepare him for the true
battle that is to come farther in the future. These events are necessary
to insure that mankind survives - requirements that cannot be changed."
"I do not pretend to understand our Father in this, Arianna. It
confuses me so. I care deeply for my family, and those that have shared
in our lives," Kasumi said.
Arianna nodded in understanding. "I know how you feel. But we must
comply with our Father's wishes. Not even Belldandy could bring her
beloved Keiichi with her back to her home in heaven. Mankind must face
this one alone."
Kasumi closed her eyes, feeling so very confused about what she
must do. Torn was she with her duties to her family and the duties
required of her, being the Goddess of Hope. She wanted so much to stay
and help - but it violated everything she had been taught. Heaven's laws
were rigid and demanded absolute compliance. Well, not really, but events
such as this did not allow anyone to defy orders, to the letter - ample
proof being Belldandy's inability to bring her mortal lover, Keiichi.
"We'd best leave now, then," suggested Kasumi.
Arianna nodded solemnly. "You sure you won't leave them a letter or
something?"
"Do you have what I asked you to find?" Kasumi asked.
"Yeah. But are you sure about this? I mean, there's a _lot_ of
extremely sensitive information in here that's been under seal for well
over twenty thousand years. I had to call upon quite a lot of favors to
get these."
Kasumi smiled, knowing full well whom Arianna was referring to. Of
any of the gods and goddesses in heaven, quite a few actually showed any
signs of aptitude for the technology Kami-sama had introduced to heaven.
"So, what do you owe her?" Kasumi asked, smiling a bit.
Arianna scowled. "A month's supply of ice cream," she muttered.
Kasumi snickered at that. "Guess that's going to seriously dent
that little cache you've got going."
Arianna nodded sorrowfully. "Don't I know it!" She looked back at
Kasumi, realizing why there was a sudden change in subjects. "You don't
have to be too worried, you know. They can take care of themselves."
"I know. But that isn't what I'm worried about. I know there _will_
be casualties in this battle."
Arianna looked away. "Yeah, there will be. But I don't really know
anything other than that."
Kasumi was close to tears. It hurt, knowing that there will be some
who would not make it before this day was out. It also pained her to know
she'd see them in heaven, sooner than expected.
Arianna sighed, wishing there was something she could do to
alleviate the pain she saw in Kasumi's eyes. She wrapped her arms around
Kasumi to comfort her, to share her pain. Kasumi had grown into something
other than her student - she was a friend whom she considered her sister
in everything.
"I know how you feel about it, Kasumi. Death comes to us all, even
to immortals, like us. It is the cycle of life. There is little we, or
anyone else, can do to halt it. What happens now is something that must
be done. You have to understand that, Kasumi. And I won't stop reminding
you about _that_, until you do accept it. You are a goddess now, not a
mere mortal. You must never lose hope especially, not with those who are
your family. They are doing what they feel is right. That is what truly
counts in the end. They chose their fate: to fight for the future of
mankind, to give back what they've lost. We are but mere caretakers of
their lives - but even caretakers must leave their charges, in time.
Mankind is on the crossroads of his destiny - and your family will be the
ones to decide the path mankind will take. Have faith in them, Kasumi."
Kasumi cried as she gripped Arianna tightly. "I'm so afraid."
"Who isn't?"
* * * * * *
Hinako Ninomiya was not having a good day. That was not to say that
it would get any worse - it did. She did not like using her chi-draining
techniques on those ugly things, as she'd learned a short time ago. She
drained them of chi all right, but her transformation was not what was
normally expected.
She did turn into her adult form, but the drain also transferred
other things, as well. The alien thoughts that filled her mind sickened
her - they wanted - craved - for pain and pleasure - wanted to make the
others experience it, like her. It was sickening!! Lucky enough that
she'd released the energy she'd drained, before she succumbed to the dark
urges she found so compelling.
Unable to utilize her techniques to quell them, she opted to get
the heck out of there. She hated being helpless, but her Happo-Yen-Satsu
technique was her only true offensive weapon. She stopped, leaning
heavily on the tree as she tried to catch her breath.
She really hadn't planned on going to the park until that stranger
picked her up and ran. She'd protested, but it seemed that the man was
too much in a panic to listen.
It really was hateful having to be trapped in a twelve-year-old
body when she was actually around twenty-five. Unfortunately, such was
the consequence of her attaining the ability to use chi-draining
maneuvers, which made her quite successful in her field of disciplinary
teaching. Even Ranma had learned to tread lightly around her.
Still, having a twelve-year old body entitled her to act... well...
her age. That was the fun part, considering she'd been cooped up all her
life in a hospital until that old man taught her the Happo-Yen-Satsu.
*Now what?* she wondered. *Can't exactly get out of this place.*
A part of her protested at this thought. She had never run away
from anything, even as a kid. She'd fought her sickness, even when other
people thought she would not make it for long. She had shrugged off her
frailty like ill-fitting clothes. She took strength in her will to live.
Her wish to be a bride someday - of course, that wish remained
unfulfilled, but she could wait.
She fished for some change, glaring at the yen pieces on her palm.
The source of her power came from other people's chi. These coins with
their circular holes were the catalyst to her empowerment.
If she could do so with people, why not with those around her?
Nature, like human beings, had the ability to generate or store chi.
She saw a chance - a way to redeem herself in her eyes and those of
others.
Hinako chose two fifty-yen pieces from her handful of pocket
change, which they were not. She held both coins between two fingers, one
in each hand, tilting her hands so it pointed down.
"Happo-Fifty Yen-Satsu Revised!! Gaea Drain!!!"
Twin beams of green energy shot up from the ground, followed by a
dozen more, forming a sparkling circle of emerald light. Hinako stood
there, transfixed by the sight around her. She felt her body begin to
rise as dozens of spherical motes of light danced all around her, growing
brighter and brighter, and brighter still, until she lost
consciousness...
Hinako woke up, feeling the fire that lanced across her body. She
stood up, somewhat shakily, feeling the various changes the
transformation wrought upon her.
She smiled, seeing that she had succeeded in her idea. She was
still slightly light-headed from the radical way she had forced the
transformation to her adult self.
She could not believe the power she now possessed. It felt so very
different from when she tried sucking up chi from other people. It
felt... well... it felt better than, than... ummm... sex (?).
*What now?* she wondered.
Hinako suddenly looked back, her eyes sought what others could not
see. Her eyes narrowed as she knelt down to touch the earth. A short hiss
escaped her lips, her face a grim mask. The very earth writhed in pain.
She looked up, staring hard at the scene in front of her. A low
growl ensued from her lips as she stood up once more, her eyes still held
its icy glint. Whatever it was that she saw that had displeased her was
going to hate itself.
* * * * * *
Tia blinked disbelievingly at the power of Washuu's Dimensional
Cannon Mark II. Unlike the old one, the newer design had a lower
aggregate power output but was still quite destructive. However, the
destruction was not on a system-wide scale. Lucky them.
As predicated by Washuu, the cannon had done its job, ripping a
hole through the Soul Web. Of course, it also had gouged out a deep
crater a couple of meters away. Washuu merely brushed off the problem and
said something about tuning the power filters or something of the sort.
Tia had to admit the thing had indeed worked. Now, the problem was
how to destroy the crystal pylons spread around the circumference of the
park.
"Now what??" Natsume asked.
"Okay. We need to find four black crystal pylons scattered around
the park. A fifth one is in the middle, gathering the energy the other
four are getting from transforming the people that managed to get trapped
in the Web."
"Sounds easy," Natsume observed. "What's the catch?"
"They're all guarded. They could either be transformed humans or
more of their droids. Since the two of you seem to be new at this, I
think it would be wise if Shampoo and Mihoshi come with you. No telling
what might happen."
"You going alone, Tia-san?" Shampoo asked. "Shampoo think it is
dangerous. Why not stick together? Be much much better, too."
Tia shook her head. "No. We can't. They're charging up that thing
up there with the energy they're gathering from here. I'm not sure what
the Shadow Moon are up to, but we can't let them use that thing!!"
"Not a problem," Natsume said.
"I'm for it," came Kurumi's rather enthusiastic reply.
Shampoo had her _extremely_ sharpened, magically enchanted scimitar
+10 in one hand, her smile as grim as the implications of what she'd do
when she got her hands on a certain crazy gymnast.
Tia observed that Mihoshi had her cube out and was doing something
to it. She chalked it off to anything. After all, with Mihoshi, it was
better not to think what she was going to do next.
"So we're alone in this little venture?" questioned Natsume.
Tia smiled. "Basically so."
"Sounds like fun," Natsume observed dryly.
"Think so, sis?" Kurumi asked in a small voice.
"Shampoo think it be fun. Still, we will fight one of bad Senshi,
Shampoo suppose."
Tia nodded.
"Bad Senshi?" wondered Natsume, wondering if this was somehow
connected to the Senshi sightings back in Toukyou.
"Yep. Long story - tell you all about it later. Right now -"
"-hah! I finally got it!!!" a bubbly voice exclaimed happily.
All four turned to see Mihoshi wearing some sort of sleek bodysuit
that _really_ hugged her curves tightly, leaving little to the
imagination. Colored yellow, white and black, the suit was extremely...
well... it seemed to fit Mihoshi nicely.
Tia was not worried about Mihoshi. Well, not too much, since she
was well aware of how competent Mihoshi really was, if she decided to
drop the bubble-head fa�ade she put up around herself.
"Okay. Now, I'm ready!!" she happily informed everyone.
"I think a certain someone is going to regret having this woman as
an enemy," Natsume muttered.
Three heads nodded in agreement.
* * * * * *
Kiyone absently dispatched the last of the creatures before turned
to stare at the black sphere that stared balefully at the world below it.
Ever since her 'awakening', a flood of memories assaulted her - memories
she found disconcerting, with what they suggested. It was painful for
her, considering that it meant many things in her life had been a lie.
Yet, a part of her felt those self-same memories were indeed the
truth that had been hidden for so long. Kiyone felt a pang in her heart
at the thought - it implied many things.
*Kami!! If these memories were true, then... my mother... gods of
heaven!!!*
Kiyone found herself trying to grind her teeth into powder, her
hands clenched into fists so tight that it had hurt. Anger - rage - pain
- sorrow - despair - all, and more did she feel, each memory eliciting
one or many of such emotions.
"God damn you, bastard," she whispered. "My brother and I
sacrificed ourselves to ensure your annihilation. But it seemed our
sacrifice had been in vain." Kiyone smiled darkly. "You want to play
hardball, I certainly can play the game."
She stared once more at the Eye, glaring at it.
Kiyone frowned. "Whatever you may think you are accomplishing won't
help you, when I get my hands on you for what you've done to us," she
said out loud, the vehemence in her voice was enough to freeze hell
thrice over. "I'm coming for you, bastard!!! Just you wait!!!"
With that, Kiyone disappeared...
* * * * * *
Ukyou did not like the thing that appeared above Nerima's sky.
Konatsu had voiced out his concern, asking her not to leave at all. But
she knew she had to - whatever that thing was, it bode nothing but
trouble.
She left, deaf to the pleadings of Konatsu. She decided to do a
little investigating. She did not have to go far to see the damage
wrought from battle.
Ukyou sighed, feeling so very tired all of a sudden. Things have
changed over the past few months, since Ranma found the little girl,
Chibiusa. Ever since then, well... it hadn't been anything _but_ your
average daily events that Nerimans now take for granted.
Oh no.
Ukyou sighed, wondering when things would ever settle back to the
way things were. Even now, after months of trying to get over it, she was
torn by her sadness at the loss of Tia. She had already admitted to
herself of her love for Tia. It was too bad that it was just too late for
her to do anything about it now.
And then there was that little revelation she had to herself: Ranma
loved her, indeed - yet, it was not the love she wanted.
No, never that. Someone else had stolen his heart long before she
moved back into his life - and, even if Ranma had not met Akane, it was
doubtful if Ranma would ever look at her as more than just a friend.
Perhaps that was for the best right now - especially with the
current state of her emotions.
Ukyou did not need to know where everyone, other than martial
artists, had gone to, considering the level of damage she saw all around
her. She was getting worried, extremely worried.
Something _just_ did not feel right - a part of her had advised her
to step up her caution and stealth by a factor of five. Not one to
discount such feelings, she had followed her suspicions and had managed
to get past a large mass of droids that seemed to be headed in the
general direction of the park just a few miles away.
She was puzzled why they were headed for the park instead of the
dojo. Whatever it was, it was not good. Seeing no other recourse but to
take them on, she attacked taking them on alone.
Still, it seemed that Luck was with her today. Surprise was total,
and the attack swiftly done. Once, she might have had problems taking on
so many all at once, but with the rigorous training sessions with Ranma
and the others, her skills had literally gone through the roof. She had
yet to master using chi, although Sayoko had said something along the
lines that she seemed to have some form of affinity with the elements.
She did not really understand what _that_ meant, but it did seem like she
could learn to use magic or something other than having to master chi.
The deed done, she raced to the dojo, intent on finding out what
was happening in Nerima. Ukyou did not expect to discover something other
than what was going on in Nerima.
Feeling little need to knock, she jumped over the low wall and
entered the house, intent on looking for someone to explain things to
her. Ukyou rushed towards the living room and stopped dead in her tracks,
gaping at the scene before her.
What she saw was something that would forever be ingrained in her
mind - something that even she could not have possibly been prepared for.
Ukyou beheld Kasumi's figure, and she watched in awe as Kasumi's
form was engulfed in light. It lasted mere seconds but those few seconds
had been enough. The light dissipated as quickly as it came, leaving a
Kasumi garbed in flowing white robes that fluttered in the air stirred by
a non-existent breeze.
Ukyou then noted Kasumi's other companion. She also noted that both
of them had noticed her.
"Ka... KASUMI?!!!!!!"
Both stared at her in shock.
"Kasumi... what's going on around here?" Ukyou asked, her mind
awhirl with questions.
Kasumi Tendou looked away.
"Do not come any closer, Ukyou-san," the other woman warned.
"Who the hell are you?!" Ukyou shot back, trying to regain her
bearings.
"Someone who's come to take her sister home," came the answer.
"But she _is_ home, stupid!"
Arianna gave a long-suffering sigh, wondering just what was it with
people nowadays. Kasumi stifled a giggle but could not hide the amusement
completely. Arianna looked away with an injured air.
Ukyou blinked, at a loss of what _else_ to say. A faint memory
tickled her mind, but for the life of her could not figure it out.
Before anyone else could do anything else, a portal opened behind
the two goddesses.
"What the hell?!!!!" Ukyou shielded her eyes from the light that
emanated from the portal as she struggled to move forward. The young
okonomiyaki chef cursed out loud as her body refused to respond to her
urgings.
Kasumi turned to her companion, worried at what she might do.
"No need to be _that_ worried, Kasumi-chan!" assured the other
goddess. "I'm not the violent type, like _some_ others I know."
Arianna glanced at the portal before looking back at the woman that had
intruded upon them. "Come on, Kasumi. Heaven's about to lock down."
"What about Ukyou?"
"We can't worry about her, now."
"Won't she remember all this??" Kasumi asked.
Arianna shrugged helplessly. "Can't be helped," she answered.
"Still, it might be for the best."
With one last look at Ukyou, Kasumi walked through the portal and
into heaven...
* * * * * *
"It would seem the characters for this particular scene are in
place, Gnea."
Her companion nodded, her mood solemn.
"I know how you feel about this, but right now, we can't really do
anything for any of them. Much as I hate it, we have to wait and bide our
time. We cannot act hastily in this."
"But are they not afraid of the consequences of their actions?"
Gnea blurted out.
"No," Althene answered flatly. "No, I don't think they are. A risk,
I admit, but one they all could live with. After all, they've done
everything but corrupt their younger selves. Something that they
doubtless would not do."
A part of her wondered if they intended to do just that. Such an
idea did not merit thinking about - to do that would quite possibly
destroy the very fabric of time itself with the resulting paradox. True,
the whole event was happening in Nerima, but now that it had spilled into
Toukyou, they were taking a very big risk not doing anything.
Doubtless, the timeline would change, but somehow she had to
preserve the tatters that were left of the original timeline. She hated
her job, hated Setsuna for dumping it on her. Althene sighed, mentally
chiding herself for such childish behavior - it was unbecoming of her.
Gnea looked at her long-time companion and mentor. She hardly knew
anything of this mysterious woman who had appeared on her homeworld
before it had been destroyed. She had been a child then but, even after
nearly three hundred years, she had yet to find out anything about her
past.
Still, Althene was much a sister to her as a friend or teacher.
They've journeyed the stars together, helped out whenever they could -
but this latest mission of theirs was literally driving her up the wall.
She knew well enough to complain, but there were limits to how far
she could go on without saying anything. Ever since they met with the
Mistress of Time, Althene seemed to have... well... changed. Like she
held the weight of a whole universe on her shoulders.
Well, it certainly looked it, she had to admit. Still...
"I just hope we don't end up regretting this, Althene."
Althene sighed, nodding. "We'll be regretting a lot more than just
this as time progresses, Gnea." She stared at the vidscreen, gazing at
the display. "There is little we can do for now, but see this through to
the end."
"What about the EYE?!!!" Gnea protested vehemently. "Are we going
to let them use it?!!!"
Althene could see the hurt in Gnea's eyes. She could almost feel
the heat from her eyes. She really couldn't blame her.
"Yes."
"You _have_ got to be KIDDING!!!!!"
* * * * * *
"You shouldn't have come, Chibi-chan," asked a very worried Usagi
Tsukino.
Chibiusa looked away, careful not to let them notice anything. It
just would not do to have her mother and everyone else find out about
what would happen to them in the future. The temptation was too much to
bear. Certainly, it would be nice to tell them about it and just be done
with it - but the teachings Puu had ingrained in her and the subsequent
teachings of her guardian, Radler, stopped her cold.
It would change the timeline, make the nightmare go away - but for
how long? Her mother certainly did not know anything bad happening to her
until it had consumed her completely.
"I know. But I was kinda bored back home." *Yeah. Anything _but_
bored.*
Usagi eyed her child levelly. She had yet to form any lasting
opinion of her future daughter, save that she was quite the carbon copy
of herself, as her friend labeled Chibiusa. She did not really know
whether this was a good thing or not.
"Long time no see, Chibi-chan?" greeted a particularly cheery
Makoto.
"Strange to see you here at a time like this, though," commented
Ami, who was no less happy to see her.
Minako smiled at her, while Rei was her usual aloof self.
Chibi could clearly see the strain they were trying hard not to
show. Perfectly understandable, considering they seemed to be holed up in
the shrine for some reason rather than out there, fighting the menace
that was their future selves.
Chibi decided to ask why.
"Pluto," came the reply.
Chibi blinked.
"But... that's not... umm... " Chibiusa's voice trailed off, having
managed to get a hold of her surprise and her tongue. "What about her?"
she amended quickly.
"Nothing. She just appeared just before we were about to transform
and told us quite firmly to stay here," answered Rei.
Chibiusa blinked some more, careful not to show her surprise and
worry. "So that's why I didn't see you guys out there."
"What's happening out there, Chibi-chan?" asked Makoto. "From what
we're hearing from the news, it looks like a virtual warzone out there."
"Yeah. They said something about some unknown number of people
who've taken up fighting against this unknown menace," Minako put in.
Chibiusa sighed, knowing full well who those people were. Meeting
them was the best thing that had ever happened in her life in a long,
long time. She was proud to call them her friends. Chibiusa smiled a bit.
Besides, they were a fun bunch to be with - especially when they argued
about things...
"Well, I dunno about that. I just landed right in front of the
shrine."
"You should not have come here, Chibiusa."
Chibiusa sighed. "I know," she answered sadly.
to be concluded in part four
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
RADLER
Nikholas F. Toledo Zu
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Wings of my angel,
Shelter me in your faith.
In you, I find my soul.
In me, I find your love.
We are one, forever more.
Personal Email Addy: makoto@smarqweb.com ; radler@tri-isys.com
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