[Ranma][NGE][HPL][AMG][Fusion][Fanfic] Sic Semper Morituri Chapter 19:
Truth Beyond the Veil
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1 / 2, Neon Genesis
Evangelion, Ah My Goddess, or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these
stories. And I'll put them back when I've finished with them.
C&C , MSTs are welcome
E-mail: dan_s.comments@worldnet.att.net
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per-Morituri
(these are the original versions)
What has gone before:
About Book 11, Akane and Soun Tendo throw Ranma out of the house,
Nabiki, in the guise of a wish, follows him. They meet EVA pilots Shinji
Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Soryu Langley and Jeffrey Davis.
Asuka and Shinji view Rei's dreamscape, a world of incomplete items of
all kinds, from watches to the Eiffel Tower, and multiple Reis of varying
ages and appearances.
Shinji repairs his dreamscape, Asuka realizes her plans to advance
Shinji and Rei has good swimmingly. She also considers her own position
with some despair. She gets advise to bypass the idiots, she and Jeff
begin deriving the equations to manipulate the AT field.
Ritsuko watches over Ranko and Jeff, who share Ranma's bed.
Nabiki and Jeff begin Search and Rescue training. The dive with hard
hat suits for the first time.
Ranko fines herself back in the nightmare, and `Rei`, her superego,
advises her to retreat. A side-effect of the dream is an enhanced
attraction between Nabiki and Ranma, and Ranko and Jeff.
Rei, Shinji and Jeff visit an orphanage to pass out surplus blankets.
Shinji is amazed by the hero worship directed at him.
A crystalline spider moves to attack Shinji, Misato, and Asuka, and is
destroyed.
Ranma defeats a kidnapping, only to realize it's a trap. He's nearly
shot by the `hostage`.
Shinji visits Rei's dreamscape, then links it with his own so the
other Reis can ride the train. The Rei who walks the Waking World reacts
powerfully to this, Shinji realizes she is overjoyed to tears by what he
did.
Asuka and Jeff reveal their experiences in the Ranmaverse dream, Ranma
is happy, shocked and furious as the dreams are revealed.
It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the
baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own
interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their
self-love.
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, vol I, bk.
1, ch. 2, Adam Smith
Chapter 19
May 23, 1947
Nobu no ni Haiku [a haiku used for climbing]
Ritsuko was in her office, reading the reports on Ranma's reactions.
He'd almost gotten shot, because he didn't take firearms seriously.
It irritated her that he could defeat more than five dozen unarmed
hand-to-hand experts, and almost got killed by a `turned hostage` with a
pocket pistol.
"Hey, Doc."
Just what I need, "Hello Jeff," she said.
He was smiling, that meant someone was in trouble, or would be. "I
think I have a cure for Mister Saotome." He set a box of ammunition and
several strange objects on her desk.
How do you fix you?
"Pyrotechnics," he told her as she examined one.
She set it down carefully and smiled, "I think I approve this. Tell
me what you have in mind."
"Well the first stage, is to challenge his ego, and his martial arts'
skills."
----------------------------------------
Admiral Simson sat behind his desk, in his office. Across the desk,
Doctors Fuyutsuki and Samuels had laid out their case. Simson had made up
his mind what he was going to do as soon as they started, but their points
would adjust how he'd carry out his plans.
"Gentlemen, doctors, I can see your points, however," he paused,
stared at the pair, "Every time I lowered the security protection of the
pilots, within 72 hours, there was an attack. If I could ignore what
you've said, I'd assign a platoon of armed troops to follow them
everywhere, they wouldn't be able to take a piss without a guard in the
stall with them. But I can't do that, can I?"
"I don't think that would be a good idea," Samuels said.
"Gentlemen, I know you aren't security experts, but you heard what I
need to do. I'd like some suggestions about how to carry out your
requirements and mine, if that means I assign an armed psychoanalyst to
each pilot, that's what I'll do."
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you, Admiral," Samuels stood and saluted.
"Dr. Samuels, would you stay for a moment. Dr. Fuyutsuki, thank you
for your time and concerns." Once the NERV Deputy Commander had left,
Admiral Simson gestured for the psychiatrist to sit down again. "Doctor
Samuels, are you aware that Asuka Soryu Langley was in this office, asking
about the possibility of going armed? Evidently both Mister Davis and Miss
Ayanami go around armed. The pistols both girls carry, or would carry, are
artifacts from the dream the pilots shared," Admiral Simson paused, "I find
it extremely unsettling that an overmastered enemy, who perhaps respected
its opponent, gave them the means to defend themselves, from their main
enemy, other humans."
"That's not an unreasonable supposition," Samuels replied, "Did you
approve?"
"Yes, I even kicked it up to MacArthur, with my recommendations."
Samuels chuckled, "If MacArthur approves, only Truman could overrule
him. Maybe."
"That's the general idea," Simson said, "Considering the mortar
attack, the other assassination attempts, all humans, I'm not going to
recommend a reduction in force or visibility of Security, unless we get a
major break in the case against these people."
"Admiral! Doctor," Captain Ramsey burst in, "We have a prisoner you
both have to talk to."
Simson turned a stern face to Samuels, "You arranged this."
Samuels shrugged as he stood to follow Ramsey.
----------------------------------------
Ranma took his hand out of the bowl of warm water, that sat on the
edge of the bathroom sink. He managed to get to the shower before he threw
up. He lay his head on the rim, savoring the cool of the tile, quietly
praying that this ferocious headache would go away, before Nab-chan and
Raccoon got home from their training.
"Note, changing back and forth 30 times in two minutes, is _not_ a
good idea," Ranma was glad that they'd developed the 'dip your hand'
method, replacing dumping a bucket over his or her head.
The headache was easing, _Ranma_ still needed to talk to Raccoon.
He'd considered having Ranko get Ranma and Raccoon together. His first
plan had been a bust, he couldn't afford the multiple changes that it would
require, changing back and forth between Ranma and Ranko.
"Well, there's another chance," Ranma said, in a poor imitation of
Ranko's voice, "That's not it," it was better, but he knew it wouldn't fool
Raccoon. He glanced at the bowl of cold water on the sink, wondering if
Ranko would be better imitating Ranma. He decided to rest as his headache
eased. He still had a couple of hours before they returned.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki honestly felt good, as she returned home, despite the physical
exhaustion and that her head felt like it would explode any moment. Half
the training was spent simply waiting for the decompression time to elapse,
so the crew quizzed both of them relentlessly on everything they had
learned so far.
"At least it's better that regular school," Nabiki said, as she
removed her shoes, she still wanted to belt Raccoon for his comment that
now she could go after sunken treasure herself.
"I do care what you think," Ranko's voice echoed through the
apartment, "You're going to do what I told you. AND YOU ARE GOING TO
BEHAVE YOURSELF! Is that understood?"
Ranma's voice answered her, "Where do you get the right - "
Nabiki could scarcely believe her ears, Ranma arguing with Ranko?
Ranma yelped.
"That's where," Ranko said angrily, "You want answers, you do it my
way."
"Are you always so bossy?" Ranma asked.
"Raccoon, Ranma wants to talk to you, and he promised to behave. If
he doesn't, I'll be right out to convince him," Ranko said.
Nabiki had traced the voices to the closed door of the bathroom, she
didn't know what kind of game Ranma was playing.
"And I'm _not_ in a good mood," Ranko announced, "If you don't behave,
I'm not going to talk to either of you, ever again."
A moment later Ranma sheepishly left the bathroom, closed the door
behind him as he waved to Nabiki and Raccoon.
"Is she all right?" Raccoon asked.
Nabiki had to see, she went into the bathroom to see what or who was
in there.
"She, well, it's kind of embarrassing, female problems," Ranma said,
"Maybe Nabiki can help her, let's leave them alone. I had to promise to
behave, but I need to talk." He hurried Raccoon to the door.
The two left by the time Nabiki came out of the empty bathroom, she
was beginning to wonder if that Nitrogen Narcosis stuff could happen on dry
land.
----------------------------------------
"Ranko described the dream, it was _exactly_ like mine, right down to
walking around naked as Ranko." Ranma glanced over at Raccoon, from anyone
else, he would have expected a joke about Ranma being `manly`.
Raccoon merely nodded, "Go on."
"Well, I don't know what to do. It's affected my practice, it's
affected Ranko, I bet you know that . . . she admitted, to get what she
wanted, she thought about using force. When I was rubbing Nab-chan's
shoulders, well, I kept thinking about other things."
"That is worrying," Raccoon replied, "She'd never use force, neither
would you, under normal conditions, but you both might accept an
invitation, or solicit one. Which might not be a good idea."
That's an understatement! Ranma thought as they walked out of the
stairwell and across the parking lot, he didn't see Nab-chan pursuing, so
they could talk. If she ever figures out what I almost did, she'd make
sure I flunked the basic definition of 'manly'.
"I'm no expert, but there is supposed to be a balance of male and
female energies, what happens if that balance is disrupted? Would this
lecherousness and lack of concentration be a result?"
Ranma squirmed, remembering the conversation they'd had yesterday, and
that Raccoon assumed Ranma was `claiming` Rit-chan and Nab-chan for
himself. "Yeah, I don't know, but that sounds right."
"What help do you need? I can't affect the struggle directly,"
Raccoon asked, "I'm not the expert, I never did understand it properly."
"How do I find them? The panda, I mean. I want this over with!"
"Random walk, you can't search for them, you're walking around in your
own mind, you will find them when it is appropriate, not before, and not
after," Raccoon explained, "I can't explain it any better than that. My
best advice, quit investigating this. Concentrate on repairing your link
with Ranko."
"Why does everyone tell me," Ranma began, then hastily added, "And
tell Ranko, to leave this alone? First Rei, now you."
"You've been walking dreams in a very controlled way, for less than
two months," Raccoon explained, "I've been walking for years, I had better
teachers, who'd done it before. Teachers I had absolute confidence in, who
took me through a few trips into the spirit realm. All this, before I
traveled within my own spirit and mind."
"Then teach me!" Ranma said.
"You don't trust me, and I don't trust you. Not enough for this, so
don't ask."
"What about Ranko? I trust her, do you?" Ranma asked.
"You think I can teach her, then she can teach you," Raccoon turned
Ranma to face him, "The experience is intensely personal, guaranteeing
survival and sanity would need an experienced master . . . one you can
trust, that is not me, in either category. Ranko would take years to
train, _if_ she has the talent. Can you wait years?"
Ranma wanted to disagree, but if what he was saying was true, No, I
don't trust him, not as much as I need. I don't want to wait either.
"So what do you suggest?" Ranma asked, "To improve my link with
Ranko?"
"The simplest thing of all - "
"No way!" Ranma protested, "I ain't' doin' it, ya can't make me! How
could you even suggest such a thing? I thought you liked her?!"
"Try spending some time with her," Raccoon continued.
Ranma embarrassedly deflated, his anger gone.
"Do things you both like, that do not include martial arts. Do you
even know what she likes to do, besides martial arts?"
I don't really know what _I_ like to do, besides martial arts, Ranma
thought. "I thought so," Raccoon said.
"It's not that," Ranma said defensively.
"I can talk to her, I think she might like to go out with you. You
might try gymnastics, go to a meet, or talk to some of the club members
about teaching you two. It depends on physical movement, timing and grace.
If you two can't master that, no one can."
Ranma was suspicious of the compliment, he waited for the insult to
follow as a complement. It never came.
"What about you, what do you like to do that's physical?" Ranma asked.
"About the only thing I do that you don't do better, is play musical
instruments, and shooting," Raccoon told him.
Ranma was about to make an automatic comment on guns, or any weapon
for that matter, then thought better of it. If shooting is a martial art .
. . big if! he discarded the thought.
They walked on in silence for several minutes. Ranma considered if
there was anything else he could ask, the answers he got, while probably
correct, didn't solve his problems.
"Was any of this helpful?" Raccoon asked, "Or do you have more
questions?"
"That's what I was just thinking," Ranma replied, "The test on Sunday,
why are you two so interested?"
"What you do, is theoretically impossible, yield strength, propagation
of nerve impulses, for any number of reasons," Raccoon told him, "I
actually had someone tell me that the reason I shot the head off a
rattlesnake, was that it struck at the bullet. That's patently absurd,
nothing is that fast, except you, maybe. If the theory doesn't match the
facts, you change the theory, that requires experiments."
"Sounds dumb to me," Ranma said, "But I've got proof the method works.
My experiments with ki are enough to prove that."
----------------------------------------
The two boys entered the apartment. Nabiki had started dinner. She
wanted answers and she wanted them now. Raccoon headed to the bathroom,
Ranma ran some cold water from the sink on his hand.
"What the Hell is going on?" Nabiki demanded.
Ranko held out her palm, and waited. Nabiki crossed her arms over her
chest and stared, If she thinks she can shake me down . . .
Raccoon walked out, glanced over as he sat at the dining room table,
spreading out his homework, "Are you two going to kill each other before or
after you finish your homework?"
"Nab-chan wants answers, she wants to know what you and Ranma were
doing out there," Ranko said.
"It was private," Raccoon replied, sighed, "Sometimes he can be such a
manly man."
Ranko left the kitchen, and a rather green Nabiki, walked behind
Raccoon and gave him a satisfied little smile, and a sigh of her own.
"Nab-chan just doesn't understand us," Ranko walked back, facing Nabiki in
the kitchen.
Nabiki watched in amazement as Ranko pulled up her shirt and wistfully
ran the fingertips of one hand over her exposed belly. "Nab-chan just
doesn't understand how it feels, to be the source of new life, to know it's
growing inside you. How much a woman it makes you feel."
----------------------------------------
Nabiki opened her eyes, looked at the ceiling of the bedroom. She
could feel the cold cloth across her forehead, and that someone, probably
Ranko, had put her in her pajamas. She hated when the floor jumped up and
hit you, when you weren't expecting it.
Then Ranko's face appeared in her field of view. Ranma couldn't have
been saying that! That he's, no _she's_PREGNANT_!_ That _BOTH_OF_THEM_
have been . . . with Raccoon!?
"Feeling better?" Ranko gave her the smile that melted boys' hearts,
when he was Ranma, it melted hers too, "You didn't let me finish, before
you fainted," Ranko said brightly, "I wasn't talking about being pregnant."
Nabiki felt a wave of relief as Ranko lifted her to a sitting
position, then she noted Ranko wasn't wearing her shirt.
Ranko straddled Nabiki's hips, hugging her close, "Oh Nab-chan,
Nab-chan, Nab-chan, it's so wonderful," Ranko whispered, while kissing
Nabiki's neck.
Nabiki had fantasized about this, but then it was Ranma doing this,
not Ranko.
"Raccoon mentioned that stuff that makes you transform like I do,"
Ranko waited.
Nabiki nodded, in her stunned state, she couldn't tell exactly where
this was going.
"Oh Nab-chan," Ranko moaned as she kneaded her body against Nabiki,
"Only _you_ could be the father of my children."
----------------------------------------
Ranko carefully closed the door to the bedroom, she'd already put her
shirt back on.
"That was particularly cruel," Raccoon said, as he waited beside the
door.
"Well, I think she deserved it," Ranko replied, noted he didn't sound
disapproving, "Always hitting me with something to get a reaction."
"You finally found her weak spot," Raccoon headed back for the
kitchen.
Ranko followed, "Yeah, after the PX incident, all you have to do is
shatter her whole view of the world. Which is a little too easy," Ranko
added worriedly as she followed him into the kitchen.
"She loves Ranma you know," Raccoon warned, "Playing around with her
feelings, isn't very nice."
"She does it," Ranko replied, "Besides, if she does . . . what you
said, why doesn't she act like it?"
"Have you ever been so scared of something, that you'd retreat
_anywhere_ to get away from it?" Raccoon asked.
"Oh course! You were . . . oh, I get it. Little Miss 'I Have the
World by the Balls and I Just Have to Squeeze' is - is what, scared, of
Ranma?" Ranko didn't like the way this conversation was going.
"Not like me, I'm scared of the cause, she's afraid of the effect."
"Her world view," Ranko was putting the pieces together, analyzing the
actions of other as if they were martial arts moves. They didn't quite
fit. It still didn't work too well, yet. "What about you? Which one of
us do you like?"
"Well, first you have to define the us, and I don't think however you
define it, you'll like that answer," Raccoon told her.
"You don't like me?" Ranko was shocked, "After all what you've taught
me? And all we've . . . "
"Ranko, it's not you. I was married to someone who looked like
Ritsuko-sensei, and acted like Tendo-san, and if the dream was any
indication, they're going to be very similar when Tendo-san grows up. My
wife was about Ritsuko's age when I was torn away. If you think you're
confused, think about how I feel," he turned away, shoulders slumped, "I
get up in the morning, see Sakai or Kairi practicing martial arts, go out
to get the coffee ready for my wife, my eldest daughter Kyoko comes out,
looking like she just went ten rounds with Sakai, Kairi, AND their mother.
Then my beautiful wife of thirteen wonderful years comes out of her
bedroom, discusses what has to be done at work today, the kids going to
school . . . then I remember, I'm in 1947, I'm one of the kids, these
aren't my children, Ritsuko isn't my wife, and I . . . " he was silent for
a while.
Ranko sat up on the counter, left him alone for a while, took the time
to consider the teasing, and how Raccoon had been acting recently, He can't
have his `wife`, as he left her, or her personality in another body.
"Last Monday," Raccoon said softly as he turned towards her, "What I
thought of as I woke, I remembered the first really big typhoon we went
through, my family. Our littlest ones were out of Tokyo, safe with friends
in China. As the wind shook the building, Kairi, so scared that the house
was going to blow away, slept with us, clinging tight to daddy, Kyoko, a
year and a half older and braver, thought she was just silly. She and
daddy had reinforced the house and the dojo, nothing could blow it down,
but she had to keep Kairi company." He brushed the hair out of Ranko's
eyes, "Half the time I see you, I think of what a beautiful young woman you
are, the other half I'm so proud of Kairi, my little tomboy terror has
grown into this beautiful young woman, then I realize where and when I am.
If you calculate the years I've spend in the Dreamlands, the apparent years
of that dream, the place I've spent the _least_ time, is the Waking World,
this reality. Ritsuko looks _exactly_ like my wife did the last day I saw
her, if you want to shock Ranma, tell him if he wants to know how Nabiki
will act when she grows up." He jerked his thumb towards NERV HQ, "The
same elegant, cool intellect," he said in austere tones, then wistfully,
"And beneath the ice, the same gentle strength, the same playful warmth. I
can remember our first date, the first time we made love, we teased each
other _mercilessly_," he admitted, "The look on her face the first time
each of our children called her mommy, I remember it all, in perfect
clarity, but it's all an illusion."
Ranko shook her head, I thought _my_ love life was screwed up!
"I'm aware of how you feel but . . . "
"You just want to be friends," Ranko said hopelessly.
"I am not saying that at all . . . I do want to be your friend. I
never met anybody who needed friends as much as you do," he leaned close,
touching his forehead to hers, "It's just there's a lot in my head to sort
out."
She grabbed him, hugging him tight, and was pleased when he hugged her
back. One arm around her waist, then the other, the first time he'd done
that.
"Just give me some time to sort things out, I can't promise I'll say
yes to a relationship that ends up in a home and family, but right now, I
don't know what to say. Can you tolerate being nothing more than friends
or teacher and student, for a while?"
"Or father and daughter?" Ranko asked wryly, Is that what I'm looking
for, friends and parents who love me, rather than a girlfriend or
boyfriend? she didn't know. "Yeah, maybe." Neither wanted to break
the contact, a small part of Ranma wished Nab-chan would just do this,
admit she was hurt and confused, and come to one of the others for solace
and support, instead of getting angry and defensive. She wondered if
Nab-chan knew how much fun this was, just holding and being held. At least
Ranma would know that he didn't have to go any farther to impress a girl.
Maybe I should try Rei's method with Shinji, just hold her hand, Ranko
thought.
----------------------------------------
"We have redeployed the two Motor Rifle divisions around the main
site, and additional brigade of tanks and infantry around the Ural and
Kuznetski depots," General Borodin told the officers and Orgomniy pilots
who had been defending the Tunguska base, without relief for nearly a
month. The harsh, unadorned concrete walls of the briefing room repeated
his words back to him. The regiments were mere reinforced squads now, so
they'd run the five pilots and their units ragged. All of them desperately
needed maintenance Borodin looked at the weary children, Were they a bit
older, I would tell them to get drunk for a week while we repair their
machines.
"Does Intelligence have anything to add?" Borodin turned to the GRU
man, Borodin found it disturbing that no one seemed to know this man's
name, he was just agent 1563. He couldn't believe he was the only one
concerned about that.
"The plans of our enemies are still unknown. We do know they are
planning a major offensive, we can only hope that they will wait until we
are ready, as did Von Manstein and Model."
That earned a slight laugh from the assembled troops, "The Commissars
will continue to exhort you all to be true Comrades, Soviet Men and Women.
They may not know it, but your determination has set new standards of what
the State can expect of its Heroes. Several of you and your Comrades have
been honored as Heroes of the Soviet Union. Others have been given
recognition of their efforts to preserve and further World Socialism. The
General will forgive me, I hope awarding him the Order of Lenin, will
mollify him."
Borodin was amazed, he'd not expected this, and with his connections,
that was saying something. He allowed the GRU man to hang the ribbon
around his neck.
The rest of the officers and pilots received some award. A few of the
living received Hero of the Soviet Union. Borodin knew it was good for
morale, until they properly trained and equipped these new Motor Rifle
divisions, morale was practically all they had. The Chief Commissar gave
an exceedingly lackluster speech, Borodin spent the entire time wishing for
a useful officer to inspire the troops instead of boring them, then he
dismissed the troops. He and the senior officers reconvened in his office.
Borodin surveyed the men, some had been mere senior sergeants a month
ago, with the exception of the Commissar, all had done prodigies in keeping
the base defended, Even this intelligent sraniy' [shitty intellectual] had
put his skinny ass on the line, Borodin considered the GRU man.
Borodin knew a Russian General was supposed to shout, and bluster, and
swear, he did none, he was too tired, his troops were tired. They had been
doing everything they could. The problem was Moscow, he wouldn't have
shouted or sworn there either, he would have used a machine gun, and a
trench as a mass grave. "Is it truly that bad?" he asked.
"We have mountains of shells," the logistics chief said, "Of the wrong
caliber. I am glad the new divisions are heavy on the new T-34/85, the
JS-2 and JS-3's. We have many shells for them. But the Ogromniys and the
OT-34's are effectively out."
"We may have a solution. A rotary cannon of 57 mm. These would use
much less of the material. The breech would remain closed to give great
velocity."
"German scientists?" Borodin asked.
The chief scientist shifted uncomfortably, "A good idea is a good
idea. The idea is actually American, a Dr. Gatling, we merely adapted it
for our use."
"What of the 100 mm. guns?" the GRU man asked.
"The force of the recoil shatters the armor. We haven't discovered a
way to reduce the recoil to manageable levels, and keep the performance
adequate," the scientist replied.
"The rail line?" Borodin asked.
"It links, finally, Vladivostok to the main site, through the depots,
to Moscow and to Arkhangelsk," the GRU man said, "We can now get help, if
they chose to send it."
Borodin was thinking about other help they might get, if their enemies
were massing a heavy attack, even all the forces assembled might not stop
them. If I can get it through my political masters, he thought hopelessly,
knowing the chore of convincing them.
----------------------------------------
May 24, 1947
Ballet
Ranko turned around stares into the bathroom mirror, she could find no
reason she was uncomfortable in Nabiki's dress, it fit fine, it looked
good. Nabiki was also very subdued, Ranko couldn't hear her in her room.
Ranko was worried about that. After Raccoon and Ranma had been shot at,
Nab-chan had been in a bad mood, first her bad mood was loud, now it was
quiet, but still a bad mood.
Ranko didn't know if this outing would help or hurt. She was also
very nervous about going on a `date` with Raccoon, although it could be
that Ranma was going on a date with Nabiki, and Raccoon was going out with
Hiroko. Frankly, she wasn't at all certain how all this made her feel,
beyond uncomfortable. A little jealous, a little nervous about being
jealous, I'm a guy, she thought, Why would I be jealous of Nab-chan or
Hiroko-chan, because I can't figure out which of us is Raccoon's `date`,
and I'd be petrified if it was me.
"You're looking very nice," Ritsuko entered the bathroom where Ranko
was finishing checking how she looked in the bathroom mirror, for the ninth
time. "What are you anxious about?" Ritsuko asked, "You're just a group of
friends going out. It isn't like you've going to marry them."
Ranko winced at that, "Thanks, Doc." Why am I doing this? Ranko
thought, Am I learning this for martial arts? Or because Nab-chan and
Raccoon asked me? "I wish I knew."
"Knew what?" Ritsuko asked.
"Why I'm doin' this, why I'm eager and scared?" Ranko shrugged, "I
don't know, maybe I don't want to know."
"Well," Ritsuko kissed her forehead, "Relax, and enjoy yourself."
----------------------------------------
Gendo was not impressed by the 'understated opulence' of the place.
The fawning sycophants who surrounded this man might have called all the
art and furniture 'understated elegance', Gendo knew well enough he was
looking at two months operating budget for the entire NERV operation,
tastefully arranged around the room. The room represented the incomplete
internal defenses, the untested equipment, the reduced research library.
All to show any visitor stupid enough to fall for it, that this man hadn't
let his wealth spoil him. No, he was still evil and self-centered clear
through, Gendo thought, All his money, magic and schemes would never change
that.
Gendo resented that they had ordered him` here, the harassment of the
pilots was to remind Gendo exactly who was in charge. Gendo also knew that
they didn't dare go after his American Military masters, who were not
`sophisticated` enough to follow the subtle rules of the game.
NERV Japan invited Gendo into the dining room, closing the shoji panel
behind him.
Another illusion, to simulate a `common touch`, Gendo thought, as he
knelt at the table, a huge piece of etched glass, showing various
mythological events of Japanese history, retold with a mythos slant. Gendo
wondered if the artist had gone mad before, during or after completing this
masterpiece. He knelt across the table from his `host`. The man served
the rice himself, along with three pickled plums precisely placed, on
another `tasteful` piece of lacquerware, that probably cost a month of
Gendo's wages.
Like the rest, the pusillanimous food, false modesty, only someone
with a private staff of a dozen master chefs could have the rice and
pickled plums made `perfectly`. An extravagant gourmet, who desperately
wanted not to appear a gourmand.
Gendo appreciated the finer things, but the obsession with having them
and at hideous expense, appearing not to, sickened him. He wondered if
these idiots really understood what they were seeking, or if they were
enjoying the privileges of vast wealth, extorted, stolen or conjured by
their membership, and the immense political power, all with the restraint
and conscience of a two-year-old.
"You should realize that we only have the best intentions for the
human race. We simply cannot progress any further," his host finally spoke
as he served the tea.
Gendo had expected water, imported water taken from spring in the
Himalayas at the cost a dozen lives per gallon, but water, Yes, he thought
sarcastically, We haven't advanced a step in 2000 years, ignoring the fact
that it took 500,000 years to advance to that point. Gendo coughed
slightly, "You must admit, I'm in the difficult position of maintaining a
public and a private operation. As well as answering to both SEELE, and
the American government."
"We expect you to remember where your true allegiance lies," the man
said, quietly, pouring more tea for both of them, "While continuing your
balancing act."
Gendo glances at the niches the security guards had disappeared into,
waiting to spring on him from `hiding`, to protect their master. As if
Gendo would resort to physical violence. He doubted the arrogant man's
mystical defenses were any less expensive than the rest of the furnishings.
Gendo knew, like any meeting of the committee, he would have to bow and
scrape, and wheedle for what he needed, all the while hiding his feelings
of contempt for these fools. He actually had more respect for the pilots,
and the subtle games they were playing, with each other, with the
Occupation forces, with NERV. He allowed himself a smile, Miss Langley's
recent gambit was truly inspired. The Peacemaker granted her in the dreams
was now in her possession, and she'd managed to send a message home,
bypassing all the NERV censors, by asking MacArthur to autograph her copy
of Achtung Panzer, the only copy signed by both Rommel and Patton.
MacArthur had the newsreel cameras there and Asuka managed a little speech
about Germans and Americans working closely in the future. While arranging
the MacArthur meeting, she had noted to Admiral Simson that their enemy had
given them the weapons as a reward for their victory, their enemy clearly
considered human threats the paramount danger, effectively bypassing
Captain Katsuragi's unspoken ban. That kind of subtlety he could
appreciate.
The man across the table noisily slurped his tea, as Gendo considered
his options. The man suddenly stood up. Gendo suddenly scrambled back,
the look on the man's face promised violence.
The man fell forward onto the table with such force he shattered it.
Gendo retreated as the man went into violence convulsions, cutting himself
to ribbons on the broken glass.
The Security guards broke from cover and closed in on their boss, then
turned their attentions to Gendo. He could almost hear their questions,
there was no way Gendo could have made the attack, he'd touched nothing
since entering the penthouse, and cast no spell, he'd eaten and drunk only
what their boss had served him.
Gendo also knew they wouldn't consider any of that relevant, their
boss was dead, there was only one outsider in the house, you killed him
first. Then you interrogated everyone else.
Rei shoved the shoji panel open, hurling back the guard nearest Gendo.
One of the guards reached into his coat. Rei drew her Schofield from her
skirt pocket, and the holster concealed inside. She shot the man, the
other guard, and a third man who ran out with a submachine gun.
Gendo watched her scan the area, outwardly passive, but he knew
better. He didn't move, let her continue her job. Her search for
additional threats found none, she twirled the pistol as she retuned it to
the hidden holster with a flourish.
Gendo detected no change in her expression, but this new streak of
jaunty flamboyance worried him.
"We should go, Commander."
That also concerned him, she wasn't ordering him, but she hadn't been
so forthright in expressing her opinions in the past, even with him. He
also suspected if he decided to stay, she would listen and appreciate his
position, while she bodily carried him from the room. He wasn't sure if
this change was entirely an improvement.
The pair headed out.
It was clearly an assassination, likely staged for my benefit. But
how did they bypass his defenses, the tasters, all the rest? This disturbed
Gendo. He wondered how something like this could be arranged, who had done
it, whose side were they on?
The obvious solution was that SEELE, or this specific member, had
irritated a Great Old One, and the creature had struck him down, or that
SEELE was reminding him that no one was irreplaceable or untouchable. He
smiled, if it were the former, he relished informing the old men, including
his theory.
Was this a message to me? he wondered as they left the private
elevator, and walked into a company of Marines and Army troops.
"He is now safe," Rei told Captain Ramsey as he approached.
Gendo wondered how the military had found this place, even he didn't
know exactly where he was. "Good, Miss Ayanami, this is a direct
order: You will go with this squad, and see the Commander home safely, do
you understand these orders as I have presented them?"
"Yes."
Gendo could practically see the storm of conflicting impulses Ramsey
had raised in Rei's mind. Her ultimate loyalty was to him, yet she would
never disobey a lawful order, and this order would protect him, giving it
greater precedence, but what if he disobeyed? Gendo solved the dilemma, "I
would prefer to go home. This has been somewhat disturbing. I take it the
guard will be keeping me there."
"Yes, sir," Ramsey said, "We received word about an attempt on your
life. We take a dim view of that sort of thing." He nodded, dismissing
them.
Rei gently took him by the hand, leading him to the truck and the
convoy that would be taking him home.
"I am pleased they did not harm you," she told him as they rode.
"Thank you."
----------------------------------------
Ranko took her seat between Nab-chan and Raccoon in the base theater.
Hiroko, beside Nab-chan, was squirming in her borrowed dress. She'd made a
comment about 'fraternizing with the gods', both Nab-chan and Raccoon
laughed. Ranko considered that the creatures they'd fought and eaten, it
didn't seem very wise to joke about gods.
Before the performance started, Raccoon told her that he was going to
quiz her afterward about what each of the characters were `saying` by
dance, at any time, whether they were in the forefront 'center stage', he
called it, or in the background. So Ranko watched. She couldn't quite
figure out everything going on, but she watched all the characters how they
danced towards, around and at each other. It didn't tell her much. She
was glad when intermission came, her head was hurting.
----------------------------------------
Hiroko accompanied Raccoon as he walked around to stretch his legs.
She felt extremely nervous in her borrowed finery. She saw that both the
Boss and Ranko were in simple dresses, but they were theirs, not patched
hand-me-downs from two older sisters. She was still a little intimidated,
as they descended into the crowd, smoking up a storm.
"I'm glad you could attend," Raccoon told her, "As glad as you are."
"Is it that obvious?" Hiroko asked, wondering why even Ayanami-san
knew how she felt, but the Boss didn't.
"You must forgive her," Raccoon told her, "She doesn't believe she
deserves to be cared about."
That cut into Hiroko's heart, "Why?"
"Without betraying a confidence, you have heard all the comments about
her?"
Hiroko nodded angrily, she heard them, and tried to let it pass as the
flapping of ignorant lips.
"Add two sisters whom everyone worshiped and admired because they were
different from her and perfect, but she kept them from starving," Raccoon
said, "I never said that, you never heard it."
"Understood," Hiroko said, "So, she's sabotaging her - relationship -
with Saotome, on purpose? Because she's afraid of . . . what?"
"That he'll really love her for who she is, rather than that he owes
her. The force of her feelings frightens her. She's considerably more
passionate that she's comfortable with. Suddenly, she is facing something
she has absolutely no control over, herself. Saotome has problems with
anyone accepting him, especially girls or women, especially pretty ones who
don't get violent."
"Ran_ma_ or Ran_ko_?" Hiroko asked, "You are aware of how _she_ feels
about you, _sempai_?" Hiroko smiled.
"Hopefully, she'll find someone else, I am _not_ a nice person.
Although I can behave myself. 'Society needs butchers as well as
shepherds.'"
"Blunted Affect?" Hiroko asked, "And a touch of Schizoid?"
"On what do you base that?"
"I notice you didn't refute it. That liplock you had with Ranko.
_Nobody's_ that good an actor. Most of the boys and over half the girls
were on the verge of nosebleeds or fainting, Ranko included. Yet you let
her go, you also never treated her the way most boys did, even Saotome."
"It's not true Schizoid, it's reinforced by Operant Conditioning."
"That simulates Schizoid Personality? I don't want to know, but I was
right about Blunted Affect?"
Raccoon nodded, "You'd be a good psychiatrist. I've managed to fool
most people."
"You lack an ego, nobody is that even-tempered, if they cared," she
joked, "You wouldn't even take advantage, if she crawled into bed with you.
Poor Ranko."
"True, more than you know."
"You also might consider that Ranko may sense it, and may not care.
You've got a dangerous air and are a perfect gentleman. For someone like
Ranko, who's got more drooling school boys after her then she can shake a
stick at, that's really attractive. The more you try and scare her off and
refuse to actually hurt her, draws her closer. She knows she can tame the
beast that all the others fear. That's practically out of every girls'
fairy tale fantasy." Hiroko snickered at his shocked/sickened look, she
realized she'd just shot his plan so full of holes, it not only sank, it
disintegrated.
"By the way, from the scuttlebutt, no one wants to go up against you,
after all, you stood up against the invincible Saotome Ranma. Most of the
school is scared of him, anybody else would be pissing themselves when he
threw that punch."
"In a schoolyard fight, he would have creamed me," Raccoon admitted.
"Everybody knows that, and everyone knows _you_ know that. You still
stood up for her, against him. You're either insanely brave, completely
stupid, or some mix of the two," Hiroko told him, "Any advice for me?"
"The same advice I gave Ranko, try touching her, in a nonthreatening,
non-sexual way. Get her used to it."
"I'd think you'd object," Hiroko said.
"I've seen the look you give Shinji and me. Nabiki-san is just the
most available and admirable."
"You can say that, with all the grief she'd given you?"
"She's protecting Ranma, she doesn't know I was and am trying to
protect him as well," Raccoon said, as they turned around to head back.
"I've done some pretty awful things in my life. Most of them don't
bother me, but I've got to be careful of that."
"Well, the doctor is in, maybe I can practice on you," Hiroko told
him, "That way you won't have to kill me, doctor patient confidentiality."
"Well, I don't want to be `cured` until this is over with. Being
physically unable to get overexcited, is too much of an advantage," Raccoon
told her.
"Well, I'll be a strict Freudian, you should be cured in six to seven
centuries."
----------------------------------------
Nabiki didn't know why Hiroko and Raccoon were laughing when they
returned from their walk. She was a little nervous. Hiroko was almost as
sharp as she was, Raccoon was a ways ahead of her, if they were cooperating
against her . . . They'd never do that, she reminded herself.
"So what dark conspiracy were you two hatching?" Nabiki asked.
"We were deciding how to get you and Saotome together, and how to
civilize him before we let that happen," Raccoon told her.
Nabiki and Ranko glanced at each other.
"Yes, Ranko-san, we're going to help the Boss steal Ranma away from
you," Hiroko added.
Nabiki and Ranko exchanged sick grins, hoping that neither of the
other two understood what they were really saying. As the two laughed at
Nabiki and Ranko's distress.
"Boss, I'm sorry, but you should see your face," Hiroko said, "Toji's
right, Saotome isn't interested in girls, unless they could teach him
martial arts."
"Yes, some old ghoul with the knowledge of a dozen grandmasters,
that's Saotome's ideal bride," Raccoon said.
Nabiki felt a distinct `down elevator` feeling in the pit of her
stomach, _Cologne_ is Ranma's ideal bride!? she wondered how much was
accurate, how much was teasing, and how much was her imagination, and where
had Raccoon come up with that phrase, 'old ghoul' that was an exact quote
of Ranma's insult of Cologne, he could never have heard it, Coincidence?
---------------------------------------- Nabiki watched Ranko as the
second half started. Ranko was staring at the performance, as intently as
if it were a martial arts battle. Raccoon and Hiroko had seated themselves
on either side of Nabiki. Every so often, one or the other would lean
forward or back, and smile or point. As her anger or confusion grew,
Hiroko or Raccoon would pat her on the shoulder, then watch the show for a
few minutes before doing it again.
Nabiki knew they weren't really conspiring against her, but she still
felt like Asuka had mentioned she felt around Shinji and Rei: they were
communicating in a way she couldn't penetrate.
I'm just being paranoid, she thought desperately as the ballet came to
an end. They remained in their seats, waiting for the crowd to clear.
Nabiki noted several other patrons, who had a clear view of their seats and
the areas around them, were also staying put, "Security?" Nabiki asked.
"Of course," Raccoon replied, "I think we'll have to live with it from
now on."
Hiroko patted her hand, "You're all very valuable."
Nabiki nodded, tried to relax. She wasn't comfortable about being
followed everywhere, in Nerima, if someone followed her, it was an enemy.
Here, she couldn't be sure.
----------------------------------------
The four got up from their seats, "There is one thing I'd like to
know," Hiroko asked, "Did you even try to invite Ranma to this? I think he
might have enjoyed it. The athleticism and precision of the choreography."
"Are you kidding?" Raccoon said as he turned to Nabiki and Ranko, "I
know how you two feel about him, but - I've never met a more morose
individual in my life, and I grew up around New England Yankees and
Amerinds. Those people practically _define_ stoic, they don't hold a
candle to him."
"That's not fair," Nabiki looked at Ranko for support.
"Yes it is," Raccoon said, he knelt down so he was face-to-face with
Ranko, " 'I'm a Martial Artist', you both say it, but only _you_ enjoy it.
I've seen you practice, you love it, the grace, the power, a joyous dance,
it's truly beautiful."
Ranko blushed and looked away at that.
"What exactly Ranma . . . I don't know, Ranma is just grim. I swear
he's just doing it so he'll be better than you, a dismal duty.
Mathematically perfect, but the soul of a mechanism."
"If you give your life to something," Hiroko added, "You should at
least enjoy it. To just do it because you have to, who'd want to live like
that? You have to be able to weather the troubles, if there's no joy, no
love, there's no depth."
Nabiki and Ranko exchanged queasy looks. Neither could adequately
defend Ranma. They couldn't tell Hiroko the truth, and Raccoon didn't
believe it.
"I'm sorry to shock you two. I know how much you both love Ranma, but
honestly, I don't think he really loves anything, not himself, not martial
arts, not anyone else. He just doesn't know anything else. It's sad, and
I haven't the faintest idea how to help him," Raccoon said, "It's why I
can't really hate him, no matter how much he scares me, I just feel sorry
for him. I mean I can't imagine having nothing and no one. It may be why
he hates you so much Ranko."
"When did this happen? I thought he was in love with her," Hiroko
said.
"Oh, he does, and he hates her too. That's why I keep warning you how
dangerous he is to you, Ranko. Anything he can do with martial arts,
you're right behind him, or a little ahead of him. And worse, you enjoy
it, a _lot_ more than he does."
"He's a lot more like me than you think," Ranko said sullenly.
"He loves you because you two are so much alike, Ranko, and he hates
you because even when you lose or get frustrated, you still love being
alive, being with, nurturing and touching other people, doing `boy` things
and `girl` things. He can't let himself go and just live, and isn't that
what the Tao and martial arts are all about? A way of just being?"
Ranko merely stared straight ahead, unable to counter what the other
two were saying.
----------------------------------------
As they walked through the nearly empty theater, Ranko was trying to
keep all the moves and characters and actions in the ballet straight in her
head, after that last conversation, she knew Raccoon would ask some off the
wall question, and she had to be ready to answer it.
"So, Ranko, what did the mouse really want?" Raccoon asked.
Ranko paused, deeply considered, "He was in love with the princess,
but he didn't want to marry her, he wanted her to be happy."
"Why did you call it 'he'?" Hiroko asked.
Ranko paled, considered, "It moved like a guy."
"All that means is that it was a male playing the role," Raccoon said,
"Hiroko brings up a good point. Could the mouse have been a girl? One
with a crush, or just admired the princess?"
Ranko stopped, stared, she closely examined the other three, she
glanced at Hiroko and Nab-chan, and barely caught Raccoon's warning glare,
before she blurted out what was now so obvious.
"No, it was a guy," Ranko said, staring straight at Hiroko, "If the
mouse were another girl, she would have taken unfair advantage of that."
She noticed the swiftly hidden look of comprehension on Hiroko's face.
Hiroko suddenly stepped behind Nab-chan, taking her shoulders,
"Please, Boss, protect me. They're both so smart, and I'm not. Waah!"
Nab-chan looked sour, she was obviously considering belting all three
of them, what saved them was she couldn't decide who to hit first. "Oh,
good, our ride's here."
The personnel carrier rolled up.
"Should I have the Marines protect you?" Nab-chan asked the trembling
Hiroko.
"Oh would you," Hiroko beamed, "I'd be ever so grateful."
"Did you eat any of Misato's cooking?" Nab-chan asked as they climbed
aboard, "You've been acting very weird, even for you."
"Only a little piece of fruitcake," Hiroko said, "It was rather damp.
That I remember."
Nab-chan looked as confused as Ranko felt.
"You soak fruitcake in brandy, just before you eat it, that's the only
way most are palatable," Raccoon explained, "Captain K probably used
whatever was handy."
Ranko nodded, Nab-chan just looked more sour.
----------------------------------------
Asuka heard the apartment's front door open, she'd woken early, when
the rain had started, and realized Misato hadn't come home. The first clue
Asuka had that something was amiss, was the smell, wet wool and vomit, as
if Misato had barfed on a sheep and dragged it home through the rain. A
moment later, she heard Misato singing, at the top of her lungs. Asuka
came out of her room, and saw Raccoon had been carrying Misato piggyback,
she was now kicking her legs in time with the song, and leaning back so far
he could barely keep his balance. Pen Pen was staring at the whole scene.
Asuka shook her head and wondered if Misato realized how ribald that
particular German drinking song was. As she got close enough to help
Raccoon get their commanding officer into the bathroom, Misato leaned over
and grabbed Asuka, giving a surprisingly passionate kiss. Asuka had tasted
some disgusting things before coming to NERV, she firmly believed nothing
would ever match L.C.L., now she knew differently. Well, that explains the
smell, Asuka managed to get her lips away from Misato's, as the Captain
burst into tears, She's been drinking fermented goat carcasses.
The two of them managed to carry the sobbing, apologizing Misato into
the bathroom.
So that's what Spineless would sound like drunk, ASuka thought, "I
won't ask where she's been, my nose works," she helped him get her into the
shower, both had to fend out kisses and hugs from their semiconscious, and
again amorous lord and master, before she started heaving again. Misato
managed to bring up the rest of the alcohol and whatever else was in her
stomach as the water swirled it down the drain.
"Where did you find her?" Asuka stayed out of range, in case her
unconsciousness was feigned, she would have rinsed her mouth out with
L.C.L. right now.
"I found my Nineveh in an alley between here and the base, on my way
back from Sunday Services, if you can believe that. I think He's plotting
against me."
Asuka chuckled at that.
He accepted the washcloths she handed him, "She barfed all over my
jacket, after she called me Kaji."
"KAJI!" Misato lunged at both of them, they caught her as she passed
out.
The two managed to get her back into the shower without breaking
Misato or themselves.
"Can you finish up here?" Raccoon asked her.
"Yeah, I guess," Asuka considered calling Spineless in, to get rid of
his skittishness and reverence of the Great Captain of NERV, she decided
against it, she didn't think he'd help.
"Yeah, I'll take care of her. No, I don't mean I'll drown her!
Nineveh, that's about right, you go home and get cleaned up. You have that
test today."
She waited for Raccoon to tip his had and leave, she glanced at Pen
Pen who was watching her take off Misato's filthy, sodden clothes,
"Sometimes I wish one of us would have the guts to just let her destroy
herself, before she destroys us." Pen Pen left. How low does a person
have to fall before they start doing this to themselves? Asuka wondered.
----------------------------------------
Ranko wandered the rocky terrain, `Rei` had appeared, 3 meters tall,
in full armor, and directed him to the location of 'the panda and his
wife.' She wasn't happy, having to depend on Rei, her superego, she always
felt Rei was laughing at her.
The smell wasn't burning piss, but it was chemical, and equally
unpleasant. Rather than remarking on the horrible smell, Ranko crawled
toward them, slipping from cover to cover. The part she most hated about
being naked here, was the scratches and minor cuts from the plants and the
rocks, she wondered if it were a metaphor for some meta. Here, she was
skinning her knees, and the palms of her hands, and she didn't dare cry
out, or she'd alert her quarry. She also hated having to find and cleanse
every wound when she was finished, or they'd get infected.
She watched as the panda seemed to be stitching the various Ranma
pieces back into a coherent whole, while the woman picked up huge black
rocks out of the otherwise brown or tan ground. The woman would struggle
under the weight of the rock, until she got it above the rim of the
cauldron, then she dropped them in with a splash. The evil smelling vapors
would intensify for a time.
Ranko wanted to shake her head at the misplaced use of the labor. The
woman struggled with weight that would be child's play for the panda, and
the panda's crude stitching made Ranko wince, Why don't they switch jobs.
She also noticed that her `mother` looked more like Asuka's description
than Raccoon's, indicating that 'icon' was his mother, or supposed to
represent her.
As the stitching was finished, the pair set up a pole, then they
nailed the empty Ranma-skin to the pole. Ranko winced at the thought of
someone driving a spike right through Ranma's forehead. They dipped into
the cauldron, and smeared the thick petroleum-smelling gunk all over the
stitches. Ranko realized they were using tar, they'd tanned the fragments,
stitched them together. Very badly, she added. Then smeared the stitches
with tar, then they poured more tar though the Ranma-skin's mouth, and
worked it around inside. Ranko hadn't the faintest idea what they were
trying to accomplish, except burning themselves with hot tar.
Ranko watched their antics for several minutes, before she got the
bright idea that, while they were running around and wailing at their burnt
fingers, she could rush down and steal the skin.
Then she wondered what she was going to do with it, that stopped her.
She could either carry it, or put it on. The latter appealed to her, but
she suspected then she'd be facing both of these creatures, and she'd lost
against one of them already. She knew she'd never best two of them.
Then she discarded her impasse, she dashed down to the pole, uprooted
it and levered the pot over, as the pair started towards her, she got the
skin loose from the pole and ran away with the skin under one arm, and the
pole under the other.
----------------------------------------
Ranko had been running for some time, changing direction at random to
keep the panda from catching her, the woman was far behind. They were
approaching a small crevasse in the rock, too far for her or the panda to
leap across, but not pole vault.
Before she reached it, the panda tackled her. She instantly realized
she was in serious trouble from where the panda grabbed her, and that it
didn't continue the fight once it had her pinned.
Oh no! Not this! she threw every trick she knew at the panda, to get
loose, Nothing works!? she knew all of this was literally all in her head,
but that wouldn't make the pain or the shame any less real. Shame because
it happened to me, and shame that I'm capable of doing it, even to myself.
And this monster wins, breaks me, maybe controls me? that horrified her,
she didn't think that even the monsters would do this to their own kind,
but maybe this was proof they would, and then she or he would. NO! I've
got one trick you _can't_ counter! Ranma Saotome was the master of Marital
Arts, and could learn and adapt to win _any_ combat situation.
"HELP! Nab-chan! Rit-chan! Raccoon! Asuka! Anybody!" Ranko
shouted, not screamed, at the top of her lungs.
The panda flipped her onto her back, "Crying little girl, I'll show
you what crying, little girls are for, I'll give you a reason to cry!"
After I kick you right where it counts, as hard as I can? Ranko kept
her face a mask of fear to mislead her opponent.
It was dark brown, and about the size of a shoe box.
It hit the panda squarely in the side, and burst out the opposite
size, taking the nearly separated panda away so quickly, Ranko could
scarcely believe it. A moment later, there was a noise so loud, it came as
a wave of dust driven from the ground. Ranko couldn't believe her ears
were still attached, let alone working after that.
She made out Raccoon's voice, strangely distorted and amplified, "I'd
move, if I were you!"
She glanced where the voice had come from. It was a standard,
mud-colored, Army artillery gun, with an 8-wheeled carriage. Raccoon had
his head in the bullet-loading end of the barrel, using the barrel as a
megaphone. Rei was standing impatiently behind him, with two bullets
nearly as big as she was, balanced one on each shoulder.
As soon as Raccoon pulled his head away, Rei flipped one of the
bullets into the gun and fired. The noise was deafening, the explosion
that turned the panda into smoldering fragments was even louder.
Stunned by the arrival, and the physically loud noises, Ranko couldn't
even stagger to her feet.
"Hold fire! No more H.E.!" Raccoon ordered, from Rei's expression, he
was about to have a mutiny on his hands. "Six rounds, rapid fire,
incendiary," he told her.
Rei dashed off so quickly she left the remaining shell spinning in the
air. Raccoon pushed it to the ground, and ran towards Ranko.
"What in God's Holy Name possessed you to make her such a gun-bunny?"
Raccoon unceremoniously scooped Ranko up and ran to get out of the line of
fire, as Rei returned with the pile of six shells in her arms, then
proceeded to fire every one of them right into where the panda had been.
The heat of the impact surprised Ranko, she firmly believed there wouldn't
even be dust or grease left of him after that barrage.
"Nine shots? She was only carrying six bullets!" Ranko was
embarrassed how she had snuggled into Raccoon's arms as he ran, "Wait a
second! You said you couldn't come in here!?"
"That's true, this is all your mind," Raccoon set her down, handed her
a red silk dress. It fit like a second skin, but at least she wasn't naked
anymore.
"So, if you can't be here, what are you doing here?"
"Only who you are is here. Rei-san! Would you knock it off?!!"
Raccoon yelled at the other girl as she arrived with another load.
Rei threw the pile of artillery bullets she carried to the ground, and
stared petulantly at both of them.
"I'm glad somebody told you those can't go off until they're fired."
"Wait, I've got it!" Ranko shouted, "You aren't really here. You're
who I think you are!"
"She isn't as stupid a bimbo as she looks," Rei commented, then turned
around and walked off.
"I think Miss Ayanami is a little out of character, or you've managed
to make her extremely mad, every time you've talked with her."
"She's never knocked you off a building for asking a question before,"
Ranko replied.
"Don't bet on it," Raccoon said exactly what Ranko expected he'd say.
"Why was it you two who rescued me?" Ranko asked.
"You know the answer," Raccoon told her.
"You two kill, and aren't concerned about whom or what."
"That's your opinion," Raccoon said, as he turned to walk away, then
he vanished.
"Now I _know_ I'm crazy," Ranko glanced down and noted the dress had
vanished along with Raccoon and Rei, "AW! Give me a _break_!_"
----------------------------------------
May 25, 1947
Gunfire
Ranma bounced from foot to foot, practiced a few of his superfast
punches. He knew he had them, it was a dumb test, but the Doctor gave him
lots of dumb tests. They were out on the NERV outdoor rifle range, nobody
except the test team was in view. Ranma glanced up, the sun was high, it
wouldn't be a problem with glare or shadows. All careful thought and
special preparation, for a dumb test.
"What point do you have the greatest speed and accuracy?" Raccoon
asked from 30 feet away.
Ranma tried a few punches, then held his hand out, "Right here."
"Okay, I'll place my shots right through where your palm is." Raccoon
set his pistol on the table while Rit-chan loaded the clips with special
ammunition.
He was standing perpendicular to Raccoon, so he could reach out and
pluck the bullets from their flight path, as they passed in front.
Nab-chan, Misa-chan, Gendo, even Kaji had given him a hard time about
almost getting shot. Hey, I wasn't expecting a little girl-looking
`hostage` to be a danger, he thought defensively, Next time, I'll know
better.
"Ready when you are," Raccoon called, set and aimed his pistol.
"Ready!" he shouted back. The gun went off.
"That was fast, I didn't see anything," Raccoon said.
Neither did I, Ranma thought, "Ready when you are."
Raccoon fired again. "Okay!"
BANG!
Nothing. "Again."
BANG!
"Again."
BANG!
"Again."
BANG!
"Again."
BANG!
"Again."
BANG!
"Again."
"It's empty, let me reload. How many did you catch?"
"None," Ranma replied, "I'm just warming up."
"Okay, seven more shots. When you're ready."
Ranma called for the seven shots, he didn't see anything, didn't
react.
"Do you need to change position, give you a better view of the
bullets, or have Davis fire at a steady rate?" Ritsuko asked.
Ranma nodded, turned slightly so he could better see Raccoon, "Fire
steadily" he told them.
Raccoon fired off seven shots, at a slow, steady pace.
"Nothing."
"Okay, Saotome-san, at least tell me what _color_ the bullets are.
The ammunition is very specific," Raccoon said.
Ranma shook his head, "I didn't see anything." He was worried, he
could catch anything he could see. He could see where Raccoon was aiming,
touch the point where the bullets would go, but nothing he saw went through
it.
"Well, Doctor, should we go onto the next step?" Raccoon asked,
Ritsuko nodded.
Two armorers brought out a piece of wall on a wheeled, rail stand, a
human figure, Ranma-sized, drawn on it.
"Step up to it, Ranma," Ritsuko ordered.
Ranma did, and lined up with the outline. One of the armorers slipped
a pair of goggles over his eyes.
"Don't move, just watch," Ritsuko ordered.
Raccoon closed to 15 feet, "Ready?"
Ranma nodded.
Raccoon aimed carefully and fired, the plaster from outside the
outline near his left ear showered Ranma. "Are you all right Saotome-san?"
Raccoon asked.
"Yes." Ranma was shaken, but he wanted to prove his point.
"What color was the bullet?" Raccoon asked.
Ranma shook his head.
Raccoon turned to Ritsuko, "Let's stop this."
Ritsuko shook her head, "We have to complete the test." Ranma agreed.
Raccoon nodded.
Right ear, right hip, left hip, left shoulder, right shoulder. In
frustration, Raccoon put the last one between Ranma's legs.
Ranma gulped at that, while Raccoon returned the pistol to the table,
removed the clip and left it locked open, empty.
"Thank you, Ranma, the test is over. You never saw any of the
bullets, did you?" Ritsuko asked.
Ranma shook his head.
"You couldn't detect the flight path, could you?" she asked.
Again he shook his head. He was _very_ shaken. He prayed they
wouldn't ask to run the test again with Ranko.
"Saotome," Raccoon walked up to lead him away from the target, "That
pistol fires a large bullet at subsonic speed. So technically, the bullets
are slower than your punches, and you couldn't see them coming. What are
you going to do if a man, or girl, has a rifle, say behind you, at 700 to
1500 meters? That means the bullet will hit, then you'll hear the
supersonic whipcrack, _then_ you'll hear the sound of it being fired."
Raccoon showed him what looked like a gun barrel, "This is what caused
the stories of samurai and martial artists beating gunmen. I pull this,
take a fuse or a hot wire," he mimed the actions, "Put it here, then there
is a delay before it fires. I fired a flintlock once, a more advanced
weapon, I pulled the trigger and _two_seconds_later_, the gun fired. A
loud poof, then a delay, even Shinji could dodge or take the gun away with
a two-second delay."
Ranma nodded, badly flustered.
"So don't take so many chances," Raccoon told him gently, patted his
shoulder, "Traditions are fine things, as long as you understand where they
come from. And when they don't apply anymore."
"But you do!" Ranma shouted back.
"My coats' linings, are basically two bomber flak jackets. Why do you
think they're so heavy?" Raccoon replied, smiling.
"oh." Ranma hadn't considered that, from Doctor Akagi's expression,
neither had she. "Okay, I get the message." Ranma turned to examine the
holes in the wallboard. He gulped, Raccoon's marksmanship was impressive,
and terrifying. A flinch, by either of them, would have been fatal. "I'd
like to be alone for a while."
"Well, we have to clean up here," Ritsuko told him, "But no one else
is using the range."
"No one will bother you," one of the armorers assured him.
Ranma nodded and walked across the flat field to the pits behind the
targets, to think about things, to consider the lessons he'd learned.
----------------------------------------
Ritsuko helped break up the wallboard to prevent Ranma from finding
the wires or the residue from the squibs concealed within. "Do you want
the ammunition back?" "No! I'd have to hide it somewhere," Davis
replied.
"Do you think he learned his lesson?"
"I believe so, he only thinks about things after a loss. He lost his
belief in his invulnerability, now he has to reconstruct who he knows he
is, and what he can do. I spent several months in traction reminding
myself I wasn't as good a horseman as I thought. Let him alone for a
while, then go out and sit with him, he'll work through it. His senses
reported something he doesn't want to deal with, now he has to work through
it."
Ritsuko accepted this, she'd researched it before setting this up. It
should work.
----------------------------------------
Ranma watched Nab-chan's slap lift Raccoon clear of the dining room
chair, and threw him to the floor a few feet away.
Nab-chan advanced, "What the _HELL_ did you think you were doing?" she
screamed as he rolled out of easy reach. Ranma stood up and moved to
interpose himself between them.
"I'm fine Nab-chan," he assured her, grabbing her shoulders when she
tried to push past him.
"He needed to learn there are some threats martial arts just won't
solve," Raccoon told her as he struggled to his knees.
"So you shot him!" she tried to wrestle loose of Ranma's grip.
"Shot at me." Ranma had her in a bear hug now, lifting her off the
ground to prevent mayhem against a helpless target.
"In an extremely carefully administered and monitored condition," he
told her coldly, "We took every precaution to prevent injury, but the
danger had to be understood."
"Let me _GO_ Saotome!" Nab-chan struggled but couldn't escape Ranma's
grip.
"No! Raccoon, you'd better run for it."
"You stand there so sanctimonious, and put him at risk!" she screamed,
tripped Ranma and struggled to get loose.
"Because _not_ doing it, would put him at greater risk later."
Raccoon pulled his boots on and quickly left.
----------------------------------------
Ranma was tremendously enjoying the fight. Nab-chan made up for her
lesser skill by being _real_ sneaky. They didn't hit or kick each other,
but that didn't eliminate trips, leg sweeps, holds and evasions. Ranma had
finally got a secure enough grip on Nab-chan's wrists, pressing one against
the other so she couldn't escape without breaking her wrist or arms. He
had her leg trapped between his calf and thigh, she wasn't going anywhere.
"What are you going to do now, Saotome?" Nab-chan asked bitterly,
"Tranquilize me? You've heard the way they talk, I've heard it about Ranko
too. 'All she needs to calm her down . . . '. Well, I can't stop you.
Can I?"
He got angry, he'd heard the comments, about her, about Ranko and
about Asuka, he was about to protest his innocence, when she suddenly
leaned back. He had to abandon the wristlock as they toppled over, or he'd
hurt her, something, he did _not_ want to do. He still held one of her
wrists, and shoved her feet out from under her, so she fell, rather than
escaped.
Sneaky, he caught her other hand, he hadn't been paying attention to
how close they had gotten during the fight, he'd been enjoying the martial
arts contest, Then she'd pointed it out.
He was very much aware of it as she tried to writhe lose, as she lay
on top of him. Time to turn the tables on her, he thought, "You could just
kick me."
Nab-chan blushed as she glanced down to see where her knee was, what
it was threatening, realizing what she was doing.
"Kick me hard enough, and I won't be able to follow you. Why don't
you do it? After all, I'm standing in your way." He released her and
pushed her off him, and then pulled her to her feet as he stood up.
"In fact," he released her, "Go ahead, go hurt him. Go beat him
bloody for what he did. Go kill him for saving my life and trying to teach
me something." He could see the emotions warring under the miffed facade.
Nab-chan seemed mad at the whole world most of the time, now,
uncertainty was undermining it.
"He shot you!" Nab-chan shouted.
"Shot _AT_ me," Ranma replied, trying to keep his voice and body
language icily calm, he mostly succeeded.
"I saw him shoot things, shoot to kill. If he wanted me hurt, or
dead, I'd _be_ hurt or dead, but I'm not. I never thought about guns, I
figured they were just like any other weapon. Now I know they aren't."
Ranma took a deep breath, to steady himself and to let Nab-chan reply.
All she did was look chagrined.
"Look, I know you don't want me hurt. Right?"
"Yes," Nab-chan said in a small voice.
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe he doesn't either?" Ranma asked,
it was clear she hadn't. "You haven't seen him shoot, I have. As scary as
it was, I was as safe as I could be, considering."
She sighed, looked almost ready to cry.
He stepped up to her, "I'm as much to blame as anyone. I knew it was
coming, I could have refused or walked out, at any time. If you have to
hit someone. Hit me."
She looked shocked, turned around, facing away.
He laid a hand on her shoulder, "I, I think I understand. But you
can't protect me from everything. Rit-chan and Raccoon decided I had to
learn _I_ can't protect me from everything. I'm scared, scared that now I
can't face everything and anything, and beat it in a fight. I can be the
very best, and still lose, still get killed."
He turned her to face him, saw how sad and conflicted she looked, he
also decided he could learn something `from Ranko`: be a little less
serious, "Besides," he said in a child's voice, "Wittle Ramna, don't wan'
mommy daddy fight, nooo more."
Her anger returned, but it wasn't the fury she'd displayed earlier.
"OH! You're getting a spanking for that!" She charged.
Ranma dodged, and ran for the patio. He'd climb to the roof, he
wasn't sure if she'd chase him or not.
----------------------------------------
Shinji lay on his bed, he was thinking that his and Rei's plan had
backfired. Asuka had been initially pleased by the German food, then she'd
slipped into melancholy. She's acting more like you, he considered.
At the moment, she was sitting in her room, as she'd done for the last
few days, listening to the same sad songs, over and over. She came out
only to eat, go to school, or do her chores, then she locked herself in her
room.
He almost wished that she would yell at him, go back to the Asuka he
knew. Normally, he could expect an explosion at any moment, now he was
worried he'd never see one again. Only Pen Pen was staying with her,
during her seeming exile. She didn't seem to mind his presence.
"_EUREKA_!_!_" [BOLD]
Shinji peaked out from under his bed, quietly wondering how he'd
flipped it over on top of himself.
"SPINELESS!!" Asuka yanked open his door and yelled. She flipped the
bed off him with one hand, as she hauled him to his feet with the other.
Scary, Shinji thought.
"Get cleaned up," she half-dragged, half-carried him to the bathroom,
"Then dress up, we're going to dinner. Call Wondergirl, you two are going
dancing, I want to see dancing." She closed the door after he was inside.
He looked around the bathroom, wondering what to do next.
"What are you waiting for?!" Asuka opened the door and yelled at him.
"Uh, clean clothes?" he managed.
"Do I have to do everything?" a moment later she threw clean underwear
and a set of dress slacks at him.
He glanced at the clothes, hanging up the slacks, "All will make
merry," Shinji muttered, "Under penalty of Death."
"I HEARD THAT!" Asuka shouted back, "What are _YOU_ staring at?"
"I didn't know I was," Shinji said.
"If you want fish! Just tell me! I'll bury you in fish!" Asuka
shouted.
Shinji devoutly hoped she was talking to Pen Pen.
----------------------------------------
It was raining again. A gentle shower, rather than the downpour of
Monday morning. Jeff's cheek still ached where Nabiki-san had hit it.
That girl doesn't know her own strength.
He didn't have his umbrella. The rain gave him some practice with his
AT field, keeping himself dry. He hoped Nabiki-san would calm down by
school tomorrow. He almost wished it wasn't raining, Pen Pen had shown him
a trick he wanted to try out on the Cthonians that plagued Ayanami-san. So
incredibly easy, I'm surprised anyone hadn't thought of it before, he
considered.
He headed towards the school, it would be dry there, and it would let
his `minders` to get out of the rain too.
----------------------------------------
No Good Deed . . .
Ritsuko felt Nabiki's gaze on her as she drove the jeep through the
rain. The canvas top kept them dry, that made Ritsuko think of Maya and
Ranma in the other jeep.
Occasionally checking in with Security, allowed them to vector in on
their wanderer.
"Sometimes I don't know what goes through your head," Ritsuko said
angrily, "Do you really believe I would be so careless? That I'd put Ranma
in that kind of danger? Do you really think so little of me? Do you
believe we sat in my office and shouted 'Die Ranma!', what kind of an idiot
do you take me for?"
She saw Nabiki's stunned expression, "I expect an answer."
"I'm sorry," Nabiki managed.
Ritsuko wondered why Security hadn't been able to simply pick Jeff up,
but he seemed able to evade any large concentration of troops, staying in
sight, but out of reach.
She honestly wondered what she was going to do when she caught up with
him, considering he was hiding from her passenger, he might feel safer out
in the rain.
"You're going to have to learn that other people do things beyond your
control," Ritsuko reminded her, and nearly drove off the road when Nabiki
mumbled 'Yes, Mother.' She hoped Nabiki was just being a smart-alec, and
she was not sure which possibility she preferred.
----------------------------------------
Maya peered into the darkness the jeep's headlights barely dispelled.
She wasn't going to ask why Ranma had become Ranko for the search, the
interior of the jeep would stay dry. Although it alarmed Maya, but not
Sempai, which Maya didn't understand.
"You know, Shinji disappeared that first time," Maya was trying to
keep the situation light, and not succeeding, "Misato has claimed he ran
away a few more times, but Asuka-chan claims he was just hiding on the
roof, or went to visit Ayanami-san. Do you think Raccoon is doing that?"
"No," Ranko told her, as she shifted in the seat, as if she was
watching things that Maya couldn't see, "He wouldn't go there, I was on the
roof, and Rei's place is hers and Shinji's. To intrude, 'Just isn't
done.'"
It shook Maya that Ranko duplicated the pronunciation and tone of
Raccoon's phrase, as if the boy were here and said it himself. Maya
considered the intensity with which the redhead was searching. "I'm sure
he's all right."
"It's not him I'm worried about," Ranko said.
"Nabiki?" Maya was worried.
"No. Something lured us out, and tried to capture or kill us. Maybe
the same as what mortared our picnic and killed Nancy. _That's_, what I'm
worried about."
Maya remembered the days of hiding, after that attack.
"Two plus two, two times two, two to the second power. I finally
figured out that the reason they're all the same, is they're just different
ways of saying the same thing. This is the same. Like doing a kata with
one hand, then the other, it's different, but it's the same too. The
mortar attack, the cloud of bugs, the cultist with the knife, the little
girl Raccoon had to shoot twice, it's all the same, all a . . . like the
pictures of a building to be built."
"A blueprint," Maya said, she couldn't see where this was going.
"Yeah. The building is 'isolate the pilots', no matter how they did
it, that's what it had in common, isolate the pilot. But isolate us from
the outside, or from each other?" Ranko said in a dreamy voice, as if it
was just occurring to her as she said it. "The bug didn't fire until Rei
dropped on it, it was waiting, the knife man was released to attack when
two pilots got close. They knew I'd go try to rescue the little girl, but
who was the target? Me, Raccoon, whoever?" Ranko fell silent as she moved
around, watching, searching.
Maya didn't like the implications of what Ranko was saying. She had
to admit, after all the strain in trying to teach Ranma, she hadn't
expected Ranma to do any deep thinking. "So you think that now that he's
isolated, they'll go after him? How would they know he's alone?"
"They'd know. That's the pattern," Ranko said.
"And you're worried?" Maya asked.
Ranko just looked pensive.
----------------------------------------
Shinji watched Asuka and Rei-chan talking, whatever Asuka had been
talking about, Shinji had lost the thread in a few minutes. Rei-chan had
asked a few, but extremely probing questions. He knew that, because Asuka
would pause, talk to herself in rapid-fire German, before answering
Rei-chan. Asuka didn't seem to mind explaining even the minutia of what
she had discovered.
Asuka never once insulted him for his silence, or Rei-chan for not
understanding, occasionally she'd mumble something in German, he recognized
that, but since he knew most of Asuka's German insults, he would have
recognized those sprinkled in her speech. She wasn't using them. Then she
either moved on, or tried to explain it again.
He'd never seen her like this, manic almost. Rei-chan understood what
Asuka was describing, at least partially. He wondered if he could get a
translation later.
"Spineless," Asuka said sternly, but happily, "If you're done picking
at the remains of your food, you and Wondergirl are going dancing."
Shinji nearly panicked, Rei-chan wasn't far behind him.
"Relax, I'll teach you, I calculated you didn't know," she laughed at
that, "There's only two steps you really need, the point of dancing is to
enjoy the person you're dancing with," she peered furiously at both of
them, "You two can manage that, can't you?!"
"Yes," Rei-chan said.
Shinji gulped and nodded, he really wished Asuka would go back to
normal, the `new` Asuka was different, friendlier, but he didn't think it
was all an improvement.
Asuka dragged both of them onto the dance floor, posed them, then
moved them like stop motion figures, until they could go through the steps
themselves. Asuka stayed nearby, emphasizing the beat and correcting
missteps.
Shinji enjoyed the dancing with Rei-chan, but he wasn't sure he wanted
Asuka standing close, calling cadence and giving constructive criticism.
"Do you know what she's so happy about?" Shinji asked Rei-chan, while
Asuka was off getting all three of them some lemonade.
"She believes she has made a breakthrough on the AT field. It may
also solve the Grand Unified Theory, the solution to all matter and energy
being related," Rei-chan told him.
Shinji had no real idea what that mean, "This is important?"
"Very," Rei-chan told him.
He trusted Rei-chan, if she thought it was important, and Asuka
clearly thought so too, Shinji would just trust them.
----------------------------------------
"Something's wrong here," Jeff felt the presence of something, but he
couldn't find it, as he quartered the school yard. None of his tricks had
detected anything, except the guards. It was like a foul smell you
couldn't locate, no matter how many times you went through the area, it
stayed equally strong, or equally faint.
He paused, glanced at the `watch towers`, nearby buildings that could
see over the school walls and trees down into the entire campus. He saw
faces, the occasional indication of movement, to verify they were manned.
Whatever was out there, was either weak and everywhere, or very strong, and
a long way off. It was different from the atmosphere around Ayanami-san's
apartment.
He shook his head, he'd have to report this, fortunately Security was
close at hand, and he'd had to worry about Nabiki for the rest of the
night. He doubted she'd have calmed down much, and he wasn't looking
forward to going another couple of rounds with her, physically or verbally.
----------------------------------------
Ritsuko was headed for the med center, she wanted to check the damage.
The purple bruise practically had Nabiki's fingerprints. Maya was taking
Nabiki and Ranma back to the apartment. "You expected this," she
accused, "Or something like it."
"I was hoping for something like this. Although I would have
preferred getting yelled at."
"The Angels aren't going to get you," Ritsuko concentrated on the
road, "Your own side will."
"I already knew that," Jeff stared out the window at the city racing
by.
"If I had known this would happen," Ritsuko said, "I would never have
agreed to this."
"You'd have stood by, and possibly let Saotome get hurt? Who's
kidding whom, Doctor?"
She frowned but didn't answer.
"If Saotome's parents, his real parents, arrived and decided to pull
him out of NERV, to judge whether he was a `real man`, or something not
worthy of continuing, what would you do?"
"That's too hypothetical," Ritsuko replied.
"Okay. His fear of cats, his rotten socialization, lack of learning,
the physical traumas you've detected. If his parents arrived, and you
discovered they inflicted all that on him, and they objected to the
treatment he'd received at your hands?"
Ritsuko tightened her grip on the steering wheel as Jeff spoke, she
could too easily imagine parents heaping that kind of cruelty on a child.
Her own `upbringing` had been almost as nightmarish, and she still competed
in her own mind with her mother's accomplishments. 'If I'm good enough,
maybe mommy will love me.' She relaxed her grip before she damaged herself
or the steering wheel, she wondered if her fumbling attempts to provide a
good, decent home for `her kids` was the one arena she _knew_ she could
best her mother, her memory and her ghost. "I don't know what I'd do."
"Let's simplify the question, would you surrender him to them?
Knowing he'd leave NERV and be seriously injured as a result?"
"Of course not!"
"Then what makes you think I would?" Jeff retorted, turning to face
her, he touched his cheek, ignoring the pain, "This is nothing, it will
heal. Living with the knowledge I could have acted, and failed to, that
would damage me for the rest of my life."
Ritsuko had to agree, she had enough regrets.
----------------------------------------
They arrived back at the apartment. Ritsuko was satisfied there were
no broken bones or other extreme trauma, but she expected the bruise would
be particularly ugly and painful for a few days.
She was surprised that Maya, Nabiki and Ranma, in his female form,
were waiting for them.
I'm' going to have to start paying more attention to Maya's warnings,
she thought, she'd worried about Nabiki and Ranma. Now she was also going
to have to worry about Ran_ko_ and Jeff.
Nabiki was looking chagrined, Ranma kept shooting Nabiki unreadable
looks, not anger or hatred, almost expectation and disappointment, but
perhaps warning as well, she couldn't tell.
"I'm fine, I'd like to get a change and a shower, and some sleep, in
that order," Jeff broke the logjam.
"Does it hurt?" Ranma asked.
"No, I've been wet before."
Ranma frowned, "That isn't what I meant."
"Answering the question you asked, would serve no ones interests,"
Jeff told her as he slipped past.
Nabiki seemed to wither as she became the focus of attention. But
before she could say anything.
"I've forgiven Miss Tendo. I consider the subject closed." Jeff
dumped a pile of bedding on the couch and left.
"He may consider the subject closed," Ritsuko said, "But I am curious
how a martial artist, can have so little self-control. You could have
demanded answers or explanations, even an apology, before you attacked."
"I'm sorry," Nabiki said.
"I don't care if you're sorry, I want to know when or if you're going
to do it again," Ritsuko said, "And it isn't me or Ranma you have to
apologize to."
"Yes, I know," Nabiki said.
Ritsuko could tell Nabiki's unease wasn't due to getting caught, but
she wasn't sure if it was due to her loss of control, her having to
apologize, or both.
"It won't happen again. I'll try to find out, before I act," Nabiki
admitted quietly, "I . . . I just got so angry, I couldn't see straight."
"You might want to examine why you came to the conclusion you did,"
Maya said gently, "And decide if the thinking was valid."
Nabiki nodded.
"That doesn't excuse you from making that apology," Maya said sternly.
Nabiki winced at the sudden change. No one spoke, all waiting for the
others.
The sound of the shower starting broke the awkward silence.
Nabiki glanced at Ranma, "Are you going to add anything?"
"You mean am I going to dump on you too?" Ranma asked, "No, I think
you're doing a better job than I could."
That got Ranma a frown from Nabiki, she returned a smirk.
"Have you decided what to say?" Ritsuko asked Nabiki.
"No, not yet, maybe if I write one in the morning," Nabiki offered,
she appeared ready to say more, then decided against it.
Ritsuko suspected she'd get no answers tonight, all of them were
tired, and it was a school day tomorrow, "All right, get ready for bed.
I'll hold you to your promise."
Nabiki nodded and left, Ritsuko looked from Ranma's female form to
Maya, she wondered what she was going to do, "All right, Maya, you get
ready too. Ranma, wait for them to finish, then I expect you to get to bed
as well."
"Yes, Doctor."
"Yes, Sempai." Maya left.
"Is he really all right?" Ranma asked.
"Physically he's fine," Ritsuko sighed, "What other effects this will
have . . . " Ritsuko sighed and shrugged.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki poured another bucket of cold water over her head, partially as
penance, partially to clear her head, "I'm getting as bad as Akane at her
worst." She just couldn't see any other reason for what Raccoon and Doctor
Akagi had done, except to hurt Ranma. The thought had proceeded logically,
along well-worn paths, after all, everybody who wasn't trying to marry
Ranma, wanted to hurt him, and most of the ones trying to marry him, beat
him up too.
Except that doesn't work here, Nabiki literally had not been able to
imagine any other possibility. It was a fact of life, people beat up
Ranma, and the poor, caring fool still tried to be nice to them.
"Is he _that_ desperate for friends, lovers, any connection, that he'd
do anything to keep the association?" she asked, "Am I so insecure that I
automatically assume the worst of everyone?"
"No," Maya told her, Nabiki hadn't heard her enter, she was wrapped in
a towel.
"I was a little shocked when I heard about the test, but I had to
trust Sempai knew what she was doing," Maya admitted as she set her towel
aside and began her ablutions. Nabiki blushed at being naked
physically and emotionally, again.
"Were you trying to keep Ran_ko_ away from Raccoon, or were you trying
to protect Ranma from a real threat?"
Nabiki considered, "I guess I am a little jealous of how Raccoon and
Ranko carry on, Hiroko and Raccoon called him morose, and both of us have
been. I am jealous of the fun those two seem to have together, even when
they're frustrating each other, they both smile so much. I'm also trying
to protect Ranma from a threat, it's like he doesn't see any danger as
real."
"He does, believe me. Boys don't like to let on that they're scared.
I bet you didn't know that Raccoon did get shot when he and Ranma went to
rescue that girl-thing. It bounced off that medical kit he carries, he's
got a huge bruise on the side, to match the one you gave him."
Nabiki considered if committing seppuku with a bath bucket was
possible. "I didn't know." She angrily added, "I didn't think."
Maya hugged her, "We've all been under unbelievable strain, but there
are people you can trust." She released Nabiki, "And amazingly, some of us
actually can answer questions. Maybe you should try asking them."
Nabiki nodded, she still felt miserable, at least she had the basis of
her apology. I hate apologizing.
----------------------------------------
Ranma as Ranko stared at the ceiling, the whole week had been
bothering him. Maya slept soundly in his usual bunk, he was sleeping in
Raccoon's. This whole week had been terrifying, for all he'd learned, all
his martial arts and other learning, he could be swept along like a leaf by
the winds of fate.
He'd lost the last vestige of belief in his own invulnerability, in
the long run, that was a good thing, but it still hurt. He knew that at
least two of his roommates could kill, given the right circumstances. The
fight between Nab-chan and Raccoon would have escalated into a fight to the
death, if he hadn't intervened. Of the five people in the apartment, the
only one he was sure couldn't kill anyone, was Maya, he was no longer
certain he could _never_ kill someone. That was disturbing, in a way he'd
lost part of his innocence.
The third thing that bothered him was the fight, Nab-chan and Raccoon
had fought over - him. Not to possess him, as a boyfriend or girlfriend,
although he'd had a few short nightmares about Nab-chan demanding Ranma and
Raccoon demanding Ranko, in those, he wasn't sure being chopped in half
with a sword was worse than the other ways they `shared` him and her.
However, that wasn't it, they were arguing about how best to help him.
Nab-chan preferred exposing him to a little embarrassment or ridicule,
several times, letting him stew in between, to make sure he got the lesson
straight, Raccoon did it all in one dose, and then gently eased the pain of
revelation, gave the reasons. It was like the difference between taking
medicine, or getting vaccinated, both worked, although Ranma wished both of
them would find a better way. He kept coming back to the point that the
two of them were trying to protect him. He couldn't understand that,
Raccoon both hated and feared him, Nab-chan seemed to both love him and
despise him, why were they both so concerned about the danger he was in?
He didn't know how parents were supposed to act, except generally, he
hoped the things in his mind weren't typical, he hoped Rit-chan was. That
was the core and heart of it, Nab-chan and Raccoon were acting towards each
other, more like the parents in his nightmares probably acted. He had to
figure out how to tell them neither was wrong, they were just different.
Raccoon's method was faster, Nab-chan's less traumatic, but both of them
had only used their method where it was appropriate. Nab-chan and the
cats, Raccoon with guns, and so on.
"It doesn't feel right," he whispered, it didn't fit with the
fragments he had, but it felt good . . . "If I can keep them from killing
each other, or themselves with worry." He wasn't sure he liked being `the
kid`, but he liked people looking out for and looking after him.
One other thing bothered him, he realized. He leaned over, Maya was
sound asleep, She wouldn't be saying 'Sempai' like that, if she were awake,
he smiled as he watched her for a moment. He leaned over to the closet,
not wanting to risk the ladder and waking her, and glad her gymnastic
ability and the heavy structure of the bed allowed this. She opened the
closet, and grabbed one of Raccoon's suit coats. Then she wound up on the
floor, I forgot how heavy these things are, she made sure Maya was still
asleep, and no one was coming to check on the noise. She extracted a pair
of scissors from the sewing kit Maya had made him buy at the PX, and
carefully snipped a few of the threads at the bottom of the coat, just
enough to reach her hand in. She felt the smooth, stiff material of the
lining. Her fingers were sensitive enough to tell her it was smooth, like
glass or metal not like any kind of cloth. Even the silk of her shirts
wasn't this smooth. Then she steeled herself and filled her hand with all
the ki she could. The material was burning cold! She pulled her hand
back, sucked on her `burnt` fingers, they still felt frostbitten, while her
mouth reported they were warm.
Definitely magic, Ranma thought, she waited until her hand was back to
normal and then reached into the coat again. There's no way the shoulders
could be made of that stuff, if Raccoon could move, he'd have to be
stronger than a gorilla. Ranma found a number of overlapping plates of the
material protected the shoulder joints. It ain't solid, Ranma thought, So
something else could worm through.
Ranma selected a thread of matching color and sewed up the gap, So
it's good protection, but it isn't _perfect_ protection. Ranma sat back on
her haunches after she'd put the coat back. It didn't make any sense,
either he hated and feared Ranma, or he'd put his life on the line to
protect him, not both. Ranma couldn't reconcile the two images, Rei was
the same. He got the impression that if any of the crazy rivals Raccoon
and Asuka had described showed up, as long as they were insulting Ranma, or
Ranko, they'd have a bunch of enthusiastic NERV helpers. The minute they
raised a hand against him or her, it would be a race to see if Raccoon
turned them into lead mines, with Asuka reloading for him, or Rei chopped
them into cutlets with her AT field, with Nab-chan taking bets on who got
whom first. Ranma actually felt sorry for the weirdoes. It would be like
walking into a new universe, with different rules.
Ranma disarranged the coats and shirts, so Raccoon wouldn't instantly
pick out which was out-of-place, and returned to bed, creeping up the
ladder to avoid waking Maya. She didn't get much sleep, thinking it all
over again and again. He wondered if he loved them, either of them, any of
them, he didn't like to see them hurt, but he hadn't bothered to find out
what they liked, what they needed. What he or she could do, that they in
fact _wanted_ done. The last time I saw all of them happy, was when I
started learning, he knew that wasn't the answer, And if I don't do it
right, they'll just get mad. He knew they kept their plans and schemes
subtle, figuring it out what would help wasn't easy, and what would hurt.
----------------------------------------
Kehl had never called the entire committee together before. He had
never needed to, before. The darkness, lit only by the individual candles
carried by the members, seemed to close in and choke him. He knew it was
probably the incense and the stench of burning animals, although the
hideous masks of his fellow committee members, didn't help. The heavy
robes and evil masks disguised identity, gender, and if Kehl had been more
imaginative, he would have added, species.
They needed the full might of the committee to compel the being they
had summoned. The nattily dressed, dark-complected man regarded them with
amusement.
"Such a show of force. No one simply asks anymore."
"We serve the Gate and Key," Kehl intoned, the formula they had been
given, "Aid us as we call upon you."
The figure shrugged, "What do you wish of me?"
Kehl wasn't the least hoodwinked by the mild manners. The Crawling
Chaos was not something to be trifled with.
----------------------------------------
Shinji thought Asuka seemed overjoyed to see the others as the
personnel carrier rolled up to pick up her and him. She immediately seated
herself next to Raccoon, the two began chattering excitedly to each other
in German. No one could get a question about his face in edgewise.
Shinji glanced at Nabiki, who seemed both ashamed, and so intense, he
thought dumping a bucket of water on her would result in a cloud of steam.
Rei and he sat alone together. Ranma kept staring at Rei, Raccoon, then
shaking his head with a smile. Shinji was glad Asuka had found someone
else to concentrate on. He couldn't figure what had happened among the
others.
"They are discussing the equations," Rei told him as she took his
hand. Shinji nodded.
Ranma seemed to respond to some signal, he duplicated Rei's gesture,
taking Nabiki's hands. Rather than the joy Shinji always felt, Nabiki
looked so ashamed that he thought she would cry, but she didn't shake off
Ranma's grip.
Shinji was confused, he could hardly imagine why the brash and
confident Ranma would need any guidance from _him_ of all people. Rei
seemed to understand, she leaned against him, and Shinji put his arm around
her shoulder. Ranma waited a few moments, then duplicated the gesture.
Shinji didn't think Ranma was mocking them, it was if he were looking to
them for guidance.
Shinji discarded that thought, it would be as if one of their enemies
approached their forces, and offered terms or alliance.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki had felt the faint prickling of her pride all day. Whenever
anyone asked about the huge, purple bruise on Raccoon's face, he'd answered
simply 'It was a firearms accident.' Nobody believed that, Ranma continued
to reply that the injury was due to a test of special ammunition, neither
elaborated, not even to the other pilots.
Despite the subterfuge, she heard the gossip, almost without exception
they guessed the source of the mark. No one spoke of it where they thought
she could hear.
Rei pointedly asked Raccoon why he hadn't used his theatrical make up
to hide it, he merely shrugged.
Every one of the glances, the non-comments, cut into her. Hiroko was
polite, bringing the reports, but couldn't keep her eyes off it. Nabiki
thought some strange light emanated from it, drawing every eye, and
illuminating the guilty so all could see.
Nabiki also thought endlessly of the unread piece of paper residing in
Raccoon's coat pocket. The apology she had written after she'd gotten up
and done her morning practice. The admission of guilt dreadfully
embarrassed her, a humble petition for forgiveness. Raccoon simply told
her the matter was closed, last night he forgave her, he understood. Then
he placed the apology unread in his coat. When Ritsuko asked if he was
going to read it, he made it worse by saying he trusted her to do as
Ritsuko had demanded, reading it was unnecessary.
If they'd wanted to pick a pitiless way to punish me, Nabiki glanced
around the lunch crowd, They could hardly have picked a better way. She
sighed, wished they would just hit her, yell at her, but there seemed to be
an ironclad rule that it was not to be spoken of, or even acknowledge.
She waited for the day to end, then realized that Search and Rescue
training would follow. She dreaded the questioning the men would subject
her to. She just wanted the day over with.
----------------------------------------
"You're not diving with that," Captain Madison told Raccoon while
Nabiki suited up, "You'll monitor the pumps and gas flow, you both need
experience doing that. In a few days, she'll watch over you."
That's it then, Nabiki thought, she knew a dozen ways you could
embarrass the Hell out of a diver without endangering them, And Captain
Madison just put him in the perfect position to do it. She resigned
herself to whatever indignities she would suffer. The lessons today would
be just working on machinery, concentrating as the air pressure made you
giddy, dealing with the limitations of moving and working in the new
environment.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki looked across the lab bench, she spread her homework on the lab
table in Ritsuko-sensei's lab, a short distance away, Raccoon was doing
his. Both of them were waiting for Dr. Akagi to finish up her work, then
they would pick up something to eat on the drive home.
The silence was deafening. Captain Madison's congratulations on her
professionalism kept ringing in her head, she'd managed to keep her head
and rescued another diver who suffered a severe equipment failure. She
thought she'd finally had the other shoe drop, and she could quit waiting.
Only when she'd surfaced and helped the `victim` to the decompression
chamber, she learned it was a drill, and she'd passed with flying colors.
She'd done everything exactly as she'd been trained, never panicking and
keeping the `victim` from exacerbating the problem.
She looked around, she needed more paper, she couldn't bring herself
to break the silence to ask for some, so she went looking for some in the
cabinets of supplies.
Her eyes fell on an almost empty box of .45 ammunition, not standard
bullets, she pulled one out examined it, and then headed straight towards
Raccoon with the box in hand.
She slapped the box of ammunition down on the lab table, it burst, the
bullets rolling over the edge and onto the floor, "Blanks! You lied to
me," Nabiki accused, "You told me Ranma was in danger. There was never any
danger, was there?"
"When you slap me again, please use the other side, it should match,"
Raccoon never looked up from his work, the deep purple hand-shaped bruise
still visible.
Nabiki flinched at that.
He continued, "There was a small danger, minuscule compared to
continuing his arrogance. Besides, I never lied, I merely failed to
correct your misinterpretation. That too assisted in my plan to educate
Mister Saotome, as did this," he touched the bruise. "Nothing else was as
important as his survival."
She felt ashamed, softened her tone, "You could have told me before .
. . before I slap - hit you."
"He had to believe it, I could trust Dr. Akagi to keep silent. I had
no certainty where your true feelings lay, so I couldn't take the chance."
"My feelings? What about between you and him?" her anger flashed
back, and died as she looked at what she'd done the last time she'd let her
anger go.
He still hadn't looked up from his work, "No, whether you wanted what
was best for him, or just didn't want him discomfited. Were you a real
friend, or a false one?" "So you didn't care what I thought about you?
What I did to you?!"
"You and I do business, Miss Tendo, nothing more. Our agreement is
also to get you close to Mister Saotome, you two were wrestling on the
floor when I left. Your feelings towards me are immaterial, the chances of
any of us surviving this elaborate farce are vanishingly small. Whatever I
need to do to enhance the others' survival, I'll do." He turned to face
her, his cold mask firmly in place, "Including yours."
"What about _your_ survival?" she asked, trying and failing to match
his detached air.
"Is my business, entirely. Was there anything else?" He leaned down
and scooped the blank cartridges back into the box.
"No," she said, "No, I guess not."
He handed her the box, "Please return these to where you found them,
before Saotome finds them," and returned to his paperwork.
Nabiki sighed, headed back to the cabinet, she wished he'd just hit
her.
----------------------------------------
May 26, 1947
Meetings
The man appeared old, white hair and craggy face, he was far older
than he appeared, and as some had found out, the apparent age had nothing
to do with how he could move or fight.
The two chairs and small metal table sat in a circle of light amid the
darkness, with luck, there would be no battle, just a negotiation. He
found it interesting that it was occurring on Memorial Day. He set a small
basket at one end of the table.
The old man had arrived early, he was the younger, and was willing to
show the forms of courtesy, to start with.
The hooded figure arrived, examined the arrangements and the only
other person in the area, "Brother Jonathan."
"Yes, sir, and what should I can you?" Brother Jonathan asked.
"Princeps," the man lowered his hood, or maybe it withdrew,he
displayed a small metal wire basket, containing a bottle of amber liquid,
setting it on the table.
"First Citizen, eh."
"I was here first," Princeps walked over to the flag standing where
the twilight deepened to gloom, "Even they understood."
It was a Gadsden flag, 'Don't Tread On Me'. Brother Jonathan wanted
an American flag, this was one, before the Stars and Stripes, he thought
his guest would accept the compromise.
Princeps was egg bald, no hair, no moustache, no eyebrows, not even
eye lashes. His skin was smooth and flawless, but he had the feeling of
being ageless, rather than young.
"Your people understood, they still do," Princeps told him, "What was
it he said, 'We do not have to be enemies,' something like that?"
"That's why I'm here," Brother Jonathan set a plate from the basket on
the table, "I'm told you like corn, there is some dispute as to whether the
best Johnny Cake comes from Georgia, or one of the two Carolinas, so I
brought a selection." He broke one of the loaves from the basket, placing
them on the plate.
"Likewise, my people have always been fine brewers and distiller. I
believe beer is still favored." Princeps pulled two glasses from his
sleeves, they looked like brandy snifters, "The Pilsner glass ruins the
beer, allows the carbonation to go flat."
Jonathan nodded, like his offering, Princeps poured the two glasses,
allowing Jonathan to chose, while Princeps selected one of the proffered
half-loaves. Jonathan ate first, Princeps drank first, an elaborate dance
between two who couldn't quite bring themselves to trust each other.
Jonathan sat at the table, he had expected Princeps to sit also,
instead his counterpart paced. Dashing forward a handful of steps, with
the speed of a striking rattlesnake, then pausing, before dashing back. It
was disconcerting to watch, and gave away how agitated he was.
Jonathan considered taking advantage, then thought it might be an act,
and if reports were correct, he'd need this alliance.
"Not all are hostile to you, you know," Princeps told him, "Some of
us, wish to be left alone. We are patient, I am content that I had my
time, and may again, your people . . . are not as bad as others consider
you."
"Forgive an old horse trader for wanting to get to the nub of the
problem too quick," Jonathan said, "But there's just one of you - "
"I represent others, as you do, this war was never between us.
Ironically, it is your own house that needs cleaning. Have you heard what
SEELE has done?"
"Yup, it got me a mite worried," Jonathan agreed, "But I trust the
kids, I've got good people with'em. They'll make out all right."
"My experience precludes such faith," Princeps told him, "The Crawling
Chaos is not easily disregarded."
"I think they'll outfox him, not outfight him," Jonathan told him, he
was a little worried now, he'd hope to gain an ally, or at least reduce the
number of enemies. His counterpart looked on the verge of a nervous
breakdown. Then he reminded himself it could all be an act.
"Tell me something," Princeps sat down, refilled the glasses and tore
into the cornbread, "In July of 1863, what did you feel? Did you feel the
chasm yawning between what had been before, and where you were going?"
Jonathan considered, he was a lot younger then, the difference between
who he was in 1861 and who he was in 1865 was immense, it set him firmly on
the path he was on right now. "It was . . . big," he admitted.
"Yet your people stand within one step of world domination, Hitler,
Stalin, Mussolini, Napoleon, Caesar, Alexander, others, it's in your grasp
now, why not seize it."
"There's a big ole' word, hegemony, rule through similarity of ideals
and influence."
"First among equals?" Princeps gave a dry laugh, "It has never been
tried before, not successfully anyway, I wish you luck."
Jonathan nodded.
"We have no desire to reign, or to rule either. My people pass among
yours, most without caring on either side. Some are quite taken by your
hopeful naivete. Like you, we had our chance, unlike you, the Universe
took it away from us."
"My sympathies, frankly, if you don't mind cutting to the chase."
"We are more patient, that doesn't mean we can't see the need for
haste."
"What do you want, and what's in it for us to give it to you?"
Jonathan asked. The stare from Princeps would have unnerved another, but
Jonathan had a positive talent for turning the odds around, achieving the
impossible and the unexpected.
"The pilots absorb some little of what the EVAs take. We offer, a
small portion of that, freely, as if granting a wish. Even a mere pittance
of our power could do prodigies. As for what we want, the alliance shields
us, we will not stand idly by. This is our home, has been our home and
will be our home, now and in the future. Some of us are willing to share,
some hold your people in some esteem, myself especially."
"May I ask why?" Jonathan was curious, it seemed completely out of
character.
Princeps leaned close, Jonathan could clearly make out the vertical
pupils for the first time, smell the faint acrid smell of poison. "Sublime
reptiles, sir, the pinnacle be once sought, the creation of mammals,"
Princeps hissed, "Dragons."
----------------------------------------
Gendo wasn't pleased. SEELE had been moving against NERV and the
pilots directly, after their repeated failures, they were sending an
`inspector` to check on special projects.
"Norris Attergate! They might as well as well have told us his real
name," Fuyutsuki said as he paced in front of Gendo's desk.
Gendo agreed, as he rested his chin on his upraised hands, then had an
idea, "Let him interview the pilots, from Sixth to First, then interview
the senior staff."
Fuyutsuki considered, "What do we tell the pilots?"
"What do we tell, Rei?" Gendo corrected his friend. Fuyutsuki sat
down across from his ally, to consider what to `leak` about the inspector.
----------------------------------------
Mara was in a foul mood, How did that pathetic _human_ disrupt my
plans?! She walked through the streets of Tokyo, people seemed to sense
her foul mood, her need to strike out, and they avoided her.
The little man who deliberately stepped in front of her, was obviously
stupid.
Until she focused on him, and realized, it wasn't a man. "Well,
messenger, I have a message for your sister and the rest of her brood at
the temple," he told her.
Mara bridled at this _thing_ trying to link her with those pathetic
goody-goods, _and_ give her orders, "I think being a messenger is your job,
not mine." She considered blasting the thing to fragments, it seemed it
was all there at the moment. Except the collateral damage would be half
the Asian landmass, as well as tsunamis that would inundate the entire
western coast of the Americas, and the north and east coasts of Australia,
and she knew the creature wouldn't hang around to receive the blast. All
those humans would see the wall of Hellfire or water, and have just enough
time to curse or pray, and humans, tended to take the latter course when it
was really important. No, sending two billion humans straight to the
Adversary, for the glory of killing this thing, the Lowerarchy would not be
pleased with her.
"You and the other camp followers of that hopped up Canaanite phantasm
should know your betters, and follow their orders."
"When I meet my betters, I might consider it. Since you grovel so
nicely," she enjoyed the grimace, while inwardly she was fuming, If the
Adversary should strike you down right now, I would dance a jig in praise!
No mere phantasm could unravel the finest schemes of the sublime
Lowerarchy. She wondered why they didn't have any of the EVA pilots in
their camp, Belldandy had two, they had none, having one now would be
supremely useful, infuse the creature with a bit of her power, and let _it_
destroy this foul thing, "Tell me your message, it might amuse me to
deliver it." She waited for it to start speaking, "Or not, it really
depends," she interrupted. She was pleased its smile was so forced.
"Tell your fellow whore, that her attentions to the pilots are no
longer necessary, or welcome. She can trifle with her paramour . . . for
as long as it amuses us."
Mara didn't particularly like Keiichi, especially after he'd
`accidentally` messed up her plans, but that was the Adversary for you,
cheating through humans like that, and calling it coincidence and free
will. She knew if this creature hurt Keiichi, she didn't want to be in the
star system where Belldandy found him, in another galaxy might be better,
"Oh, I think I can tell you her answer," Mara's forced smile vanished,
"She'd tell you to get lost. I'd use a different verb."
"Don't think you are beyond our reach. You chose to be alone, and
female. Bad things happen to little girls, in the big, bad world."
"I know, I _AM_ one of those bad things," I hope Bell or her thralls
crush you like an egg! Mara smiled as she seethed inwardly, "I'd assume you
wouldn't have the time, no rest at the gate," she smiled brilliantly at it,
"A blind mindless idiot, a moron who calls itself the Key and the Gate, but
depends on someone else to open the door, how pathetic is that, and you,
their most faithful slave. A pat on the head, or whatever, for your most
faithful service, they'll catch you, and they'll break you, again. We
remember the last time, so long ago, and we'll enjoy this time just as
much. The Host and the Hounds, Heaven _and_ Hell, all united in ebullient
laughter at the grasping, little minuscule. We don't kill you, because
you're just _so_ funny."
Mara enjoyed the fury of the creature, she would inform Belldandy, and
her sisters, because it would disturb them, and frankly watching Urd and
Skuld fumble through a counterstroke should brighten her mood considerably.
She stepped aside, let the creature continue to NERV, she wished she had a
contact with the pilots, meeting that arrogant little fool with 4 EVA's
would be amusing, even if they weren't strong enough to destroy him, they
would drive him off ignominiously, and his pride would always be his
downfall, Hubris, she thought, It might as well as his name.
Mara hurried towards Belldandy and Keiichi's little temple, it wasn't
often she could be `good` and cause such misery at the same time.
----------------------------------------
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