Ranma placed his hands over his ears to try and drown out the sound of alarms. “Damn it! What the hell is it!?”
The Crystal flashed. Three werecats on Jaden are detected under attack, one of them is the only werecheetah male alive in existence.
Ranma blinked his eyes. “Huh? Only male left!?” he was unsure what to do... No! He had to act! He was the semi-Commander... Not by choice, but he was in charge... Sorta... By default. “Can I view?” He asked the Crystal.
The Crystal flashed, showing the three werecats, a werelion female, a jagwere female and said werecheetah dodging a legion of....
Wabbits!
Ranma blinked his eyes. “They running from Rabbits?”
Death Lepus, actually, The Crystal explained. Enchanted Rabbits that were made on a lark by bored mages. They were mixed with weapons and given an alignment adjustment from sweet and innocent to malicious and chaotic... And have taken a taste for flesh.
Staring up at the crystal. Ranma blinked his eyes. “You’re shitting me...”
I am not, “shitting you” as you put it, Commander Ranma.
Ranma frowned at that. “Anyway we can save them?”
The Magical Crystal computed possibilities until it came up with the best case scenarios. I have some back up reserves to where I can either do one of two things. One: I teleport you to them... or Two: Teleport them here...
“Option two sounds good!” Ranma said seriously. He’d get them out of danger without problem.
However, there is a chance that- The Crystal tried
“Just teleport ’em!” Ranma commanded as he saw the trio on the image running more frantically.
...As you wish... The Crystal said in recognition as the opaqueness faded once more as the Crystal became clear and light-filled.
(------)
On Jade, three innocent werecats were making a hasty retreat... er... Advancing in the opposite direction from a dire threat they weren't ready to face.
“No wonder mages and fighters don’t get along...” Sheila thought as she was pumping her legs for dear life. “Those little nerds think it’s ‘funny’ to enchant innocent rabbits, squirrels, and ducks! And when they don’t clean up after their little jokes...”
The Jagwere jumped a little as she avoided a sudden spike shot at her. “We get sweet little forest friends like these dangerous, intelligent, predacious, humanoid-flesh-craving WABBITS! And if you don’t have a crack team with you, your only chance is to drop your pack and RUN!!!”
“Stay alert, Point Man!” Sheila shouted as they ran for their dear lives. “Those tails weigh them down! We can outrun them!”
But that doesn’t mean they’re being herded into a Wabbit Ambush Kill Zone. Nope, nope.
“ARGH!” The werelioness Calandra cried as she grabbed at the back of her skull. “This shrapnel won’t come OUUUT!!!” She cried in pain as she hit it in just the right way.
“Fuck!” Sheila cursed as she realized the werelioness regenerated around the wound. They’d need a healer to take care of it now...
Hell, they needed a miracle to take care of them now...
Sheila blinked her eyes as the air around them became infused with energy. “What the nine hells?”
There was suddenly a flash of blue light...
(------)
Ranma blinked his eyes as the group disappeared from the image the Crystal had brought up... But they weren’t in the base. “Where are they!?”
Teleportation was a success sir... HOWEVER, as I tried to warn you... When they arrive they won’t be alone.
Ranma blinked his eyes. “Huh?”
And they will be here in...3..2.1...0.
*KER-FLASH!*
Ranma blinked his eyes. Well, there were the three he was trying to save, looking dazed and confused...
...Along with over eighty different little...
Shall I activate the bases counter-measures for intruders, Commander Ranma?
“You brought the rabbit-things here!?” Ranma yelled in shock. Oh man, this CAN’T be good!
I tried to warn you, Commander Ranma...
Ranma nodded his head. “Sure, counter-measures sound-”
“HISSSS!!!”
Very well I suggest you grab the other three and flee to the room behind me, As the crystal flashed a door opened.
Ranma had to suddenly duck to the side; nearly saving his head from being sliced off from a rather large and sharp nasty-looking scimitar. He looked at the Crystal. “Get those three out! I’ll take care of these little bastards!”
Sheila blinked her eyes as she came to her senses. This... This wasn’t the South Miores Forest! If anything it looked something akin to a combination between a Mage’s Laboratory and a Dwarven Army War-Room.
Sir I need to recharge to teleport them. The Crystal warned.
Ranma rolled his eyes, dodging underneath another swing and twisting his body, avoiding flying spikes. “Fine! Just close the door so the Wabbits can’t get out! I’ll get you the time.”
Sheila’s attention was attracted to the unknown voice. She looked over to see a Werepanther, younger than her, trying to avoid being skewered, sliced, and served 101 flavors of pain!
Affirmative. The door shut. You three, the werecheetah, Werejaguar and the werelion with the shrapnel fragment, please step toward me.
“Huh? Sheila, did you hear something?” Raphiel asked as he dodged a few stray wabbit tails.
“Huh?” Calandra asked with a wince, trying to ignore the ringing inside her head from all the noise.
“He was talking to me,” Sheila said as she looked over from Ranma to Raphiel. “And I heard it. C’mon. Raph, help Calandra walk over to the Crystal while that guy is taking care of the wabbits.”
And take care of the Wabbits Ranma was. Punch, kick, it was all in the mind. And as a lycanthrope, he was finding he had not only better speed, but now far more strength.
Raphiel nodded his head. Taking Chandra by the hand, he lead her by the Crystal. “Uh what now?”
Stay close and I shall erect a protective field while Commander Ranma takes care of the Wabbits, as it is I will take too long to charge after a dimensional teleport spell.
Sheila blinked her eyes. “Commander Ranma?” She asked the Crystal as she tried to keep her focus on the fight. This werepanther wasn’t getting any hits in, but he wasn’t being hurt either.
You the, Werejaguar, please step closer so when I enact the barrier, you’ll be within its protective walls.
Sheila nodded and moved over to her two protégés. Some teacher she was. They had to be saved by someone else.
The Crystal flashed and a barrier engulfed them. You, the Werelion, step on the glowing pad. A square panel in the floor was glowing.
“Uh...” Calandra wasn’t sure what to make of this, but did so.
Three rings of light went around her the highest scanning her head. Good. The fragment is not very deep and while you’ve healed around it, it can be taken out safely.
Although it was a relief to hear it could be dealt with, Calandra groaned. She couldn’t wait to get it out. It was such a pain.
It was then something odd happened....
“God damn these things have good reflexes!” Ranma muttered as he kicked one away but more of them started to slash at him like crazy.
Once one of their number was actually hit and they had gotten Ranma away from it, the Wabbits started to back down...
“What the?” Ranma blinked his eyes, unsure of what was going on.
...And one moved forward, a nasty messed-up black wabbit. It was missing hald it's left ear, and it had a scar over it’s left eye. And that scimitar tail... It was the first little bugger to attack him since it got there!
“Oh, you must be the head honcho,” Ranma crossed his arms.
The Wabbit, amazingly, crossed his forearms over his chest and nodded, tail flaying about behind him. It was looking pissed.
Ranma snorts, his ego kicking up. “Hard to believe something as cuddly looking as you guys are dangerous.”
The Wabbit raised an eyebrow as if to ask 'cute?'. Then another amazing act happened...
The Wabbit gave Ranma... The finger!?
“Oh? Oh no...” Ranma growled. “You did NOT just flip me off, you reject from a Wienie Baby factory!”
Or were they ‘Wienie Mon’ now? He could never keep up with all those corporate buyouts. Damn RNC and their bankruptcy buyout binges.
Smirking, the Wabbit turned it’s backside to Ranma and slapped it’s ass.
Ranma’s eye twitched. “You are MINE, fucktard!!”
The black-furred Wabbit hissed and slashed its tail out with blinding speed, Ranma would think it was trained in the Amaguriken.
Still, Ranma avoided the attack, only receiving a little scrape around his left shin. “Heh! You only ‘nicked’ me!”
Said ‘nick’ soon erupted into a noticeable gash!
Careful, Commander Ranma, The Crystal said. That tail has a ‘Wounding Magic’ Enchantment.
“Now you tell me!!!” Ranma yelled as he hopped up and down on one leg.
The black-furred Wabbit hissed again and took another swipe at Ranma with its tail.
I couldn’t scan it properly until it stood still... Which it isn’t anymore... The Crystal finished lamely.
“Oh. like that’ll do any good!” Ranma yelled back as he had to duck under another swing of the tail. Damn, this little bastard was fast!
As it is sir I could pull another drastic measure but it would drain me to where I would be inoperable for a day. The Crystal warned.
“What’s that?” Ranma asked as he weaved about another slice.
I could teleport you and these three to Jaden, and thusly with the Wabbits here, they cannot harm you and my back-ups can handle them. The Computer-Crystal said seriously.
Ranma was so very tempted to go with it... But he still wanted to figure out what the hell was going on here. And he didn’t want to be without this computer, crystal, thingamajig yet. “Nah! I’ll do it! Just help me get a clear shot!”
The black-furred wabbit hissed and got on all fours; striking at Ranma like a scorpion would with it's tail.
Very well how do I do that, Commander Ranma? The Computer asked
“...I don’t know!” Ranma admitted as he was getting sick of this! “Oh screw it... I’m ending this!”
Timing the strikes just right, Ranma grabbed the ‘handle’ of the scimitar.
And then he slammed the black-furred wabbit against the wall...
...Then the ground...
...The wall again...
...Ground...
...Wall...
...Ground...
...Wall...
...Ground...
...Wall...
...Ground...
Ranma then held up the little unconscious bugger. “Did I kill it?”
Scanning... Was the Crystal’s answer before a small beam of light hit the Wabbit. It then shut off. “No, it’s alive, but very weak. It cannot attack us in its state.
Ranma nodded his head and looked around at the now scared little wabbits. “You little guys want some of this!?” At their furious shaking of heads, Ranma said, “Didn’t think so...”
Teleporter recalibrated... I can send them back. The Crystal spoke up again.
Ranma blinked his eyes at that. It sounded good... “But won’t that drain you for the rest of the day?”
Affirmative, Commander Ranma.
Ranma sighed. “Can you teleport them somewhere else where it won’t drain you completely?”
We do have a dungeon system in the base. I can hold them there, Commander Ranma.
“Fine,” Ranma said as he dropped the unconscious bugger. “Do it.”
Acknowledged. In a flash of light the Wabbits all vanished, and the protective barrier around Sheila, Raphiel and Calandra was gone as well.
Ranma let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, you three okay?” He asked them.
“Y-yes. Thank you... Ranma, is it?” Sheila asked curiously.
Ranma nodded his head. “That’s me. And who’re you three?”
“Me?” Sheila asked. “I’m Sheila. Sheila Silvear, member of the Northern Edge Guard.”
Smiling, Raphiel waved his hand in greeting. “Hi! I’m Raphiel Rey, Edge Guard trainee...”
“I’m Calandra, a Hunter... Also an Edge Guard trainee...” She groaned. “And my head fucking hurts... Got any asprin?”
Ranma blinked his head and looked up at the Crystal. “Anyway to help her?”
Well, we have adequate healing supplies, The Crystal responded seriously. But we need to remove the fragment before it sinks deeper.
Ranma nodded. “Could I pull it out?”
You could try, The Crystal admitted. But it would be painful for her if you do it wrong.
However Ranma was already heading over to Calandra when the Crystal said that and didn't pick that up.
Ranma nodded his head and moved behind Calandra... “Let’s see...” He gently poked shard.
Only that caused Calandra to twitch and blurt out, “All your bases belong to us!”
Ranma blinked as he looked at the embarrassed werelioness. “She supposed top do that?”
Considering it’s in her head, you probably poked a brain nerve. The Crystal told the curious werepanther.
Raphiel winced. “That has to hurt...”
Ranma nodded. “I’ll be more careful...” He said as he placed his hand on the shard again...
“Happy, Happy, Happy! Joy, Joy, Joy!”
Ranma frowned and took a firm hold of the shard.
“Luke... I am your father!”
Ranma shook the shard a little to see if it had any give.
“Extended warranty? HOW CAN I LOSE!?”
Ranma frowned and gave it a tug with one hand.
“Bagels are good with wasabi and cottage cheese!”
The werepanther frowned. Not to be denied, he spit in both his hand. Ranma then took a firm hold with both hands and pulls on shard HARD!
“I like PonnNNNIEEEEES!!! OW MOTHER-FUCKER! THAT HURTS!!!” The werelioness screamed in pain.
Both Sheila and Raphiel winced. But it was the werecheetah that spoke up with, “Uh, Mister... You sure that’s good for her?”
Ranma shrugged. “Well, it’s out... And she should heal, right?” He chuckled nervously.
Sheila eyes the open wound in the back of Calandra’s head nervously. “I hope so...”
Ranma chuckled even more nervously. “You okay, Calandra?”
Standing rather wobbly. Calandra’s eyes swirled. “I can take ’em! It’s not like I haven’t slept with five guys before anyway ma’,” She said in a brain-dead tone
Raphiel blinked his eyes. “Five guys at once?”
Ranma blinked his eyes, twitching irritably. “At least she’s not a lesbian.” He said in an almost... Venomous tone.
It was then the were lionesscame to her senses. Calandra blinked her eyes and shook her head. “OW! Ow, ow owowowow!!” She turned to Ranma, screaming, “THAT FUCKING HURT!”
Ranma raised his hands defensively, going from dominant against lesbians, to fearing from Righteous Female Wrath. If anything those lesbians taught him was to worry when hey got mad, for out came the mallet!
She then winced and held her head. “Ow, ow... Yelling not good... Urgh... Did I say anything stupid again I never meant?”
At the wincing, Ranma said, “Sorry... And yes...”
Calandra turned red. “Um, what did I say?”
Ranma thought. “Let’s see... You quoted a Star Wars movie...”
“You said something about extended warranty...” Sheila added.
“Happy Happy Joy Joy!” Raphiel laughed.
“...Anything else...?” The werelioness sweat-dropped nervously.
“You said you like bagels with wasabi and cream cheese,” Sheila said.
“Then you said you like ponies before you screamed in pain,” Raphiel pointed out.
“Anything else?” The were lioness asked.
“And you also said something about sleeping with five guys after,” Ranma said.
Calandra blushed brightly. “That last part is an utter lie!! I don’t sleep around like a tramp! At least... I don’t do multiple guys at once...”
Ranma raised an eyebrow.
Sheila blushed a bit.
And Raphiel asked, “Cool! Was it a sleepover?”
Calandra face-palmed. “No... And like I said, it was some nonsense I sputtered because my brain was mangled.”
Listening to the werecat, Ranma was pretty sure by her tone she was lying... But didn’t point it out. However, he blinked as he realized the other three were now turning towards him. “Uh... Something I can do?”
“Mind telling us why you brought us here?” The werelioness asked
“Well, the crystal there told me you three were in danger, and I had to help ya,” Ranma said seriously. “Did you want to be left alone with badass bunnies or something?”
“No, we’re just curious as to why a stranger helped us out of the blue like that,” Calandra said.
“But he did help us. Thanks!” Raphiel smiled brightly. Those Wabbits were awfully scary...
“You’re welcome!” Ranma gave the werecheetah a smile before he pointed at the Crystal. “And as for the reason. I saw you guys in trouble. He sensed it, so I thought to help...”
Calandra scratched the side of her head not healing. “Well... Damn, thanks...” It was obvious the werelioness was not used to unattached, abrupt acts of kindness. Hell, she herself was joining the guard for the gold.
The jagwere Sheila managed a small smile... “Thank you again... Commander Ranma, was it?”
“Yeah, but call me Ranma. Full name’s Ranma Saotome!” Ranma puffed with pride as he held a hand out to shake Sheila’s. He then thumbed at the Crystal with his other hand. “He likes to call me ‘Commander’ though.”
I have to, The Crystal Matrix said. It’s part of my ribbon-script functions.
Raphiel looked around the place. “Where on Jade are we?”
You’re on the Earth Realm now, The Crystal told the werecheetah.
“Earth?” Raphiel asked, blinking his eyes a few times before smiling. “Cool! Maybe I can visit Brianna?”
Sheila blinked her eyes. “We’re on Earth? How did you get us here? It shouldn’t be possible to just cast a portal between dimensions at just anytime.”
It is when you’re an advanced enchanted Crystal database such as I! The Crystal flashed brightly with superiority...
...Then Crystal’s bravado deflated as it explained. The problem is it takes a lot of etheral energy... So I can’t use it that many times within a twenty-four hour period...
“But back to Raph’s question,” The were lioness broke in. “Just where are we?”
As I said you are-
“I mean where ON earth!?” Calandra retorted.
...Does not compute... The Crystal said after a long pause. Too many land-shifts of tectonic plates and displacement of races since last functioning period...
“Well...” Ranma spoke up slowly. “The Crystal said I HAD changed into this within its automatic scanners’ range... So we must be in Japan somewhere.”
“Jaa-pan?” Calandra and Raphiel both blinked. Raphiel was only familiar with Europe, Africa, and America.
Sheila blinked her eyes. “...Okaaay... So, any clue how to get to America?” She asked curiously... Hopefully.
“America?” Ranma blinked his eyes and thought about it for a moment. “That’s on the other side of the planet, I think... But don’t quote me. I was never good with geography.”
Calandra popped her back. “I hate to sound like an ingrate house guest but... You got any food around here? Nearly getting killed makes one hungry, especially when you ran like the dickens for half an hour.”
As if summoned, it was then all three Jaden Werecats heard the loud grumble...
...Of Ranma’s stomach.
Chuckling nervously, Ranma asked the Crystal, “You got any grub around here?”
Probably, if you like mummified jerky and fossilized tac biscuits, The Crystal warned Ranma.
Ranma dug in his pocket. “Crap, barely enough change for a Happy Meal.”
Are you in need of monetary funds? The magical artificial intelligence asked.
Ranma nodded his head and said, “Yes!” He was surprised when Calandra said it in sync.
Well, there should still be major spending funds in the vault, The Computer said. One can’t properly run a military base without proper funding. So check the chauffeurs. And before it was asked the Crystal answered. The chauffeurs are down the hall third door to the right.
Ranma nodded and looked over the group. “Follow me?”
“As if you had to ask!” Calandra said, an evil glint in her eyes that reminded Ranma a little of Nabiki.
“Calandra,” Sheila chastised. “We’re guests!”
“We also lost out equipment, so we need something!” Calandra pointed out.
Raphiel just followed Ranma humming a merry little tune.
Making it to the door, Ranma opened it slowly; a loud creak his response...
And then he saw it...
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(Posted Tue, 24 May 2005 21:42)
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