Seeing the sincerity and profound concern in the Man of Steel's voice, Mai took a deep breath before she moved to speak . . .
"LOOK OUT!" Captain Marvel screamed out.
Intensive experience kicked in at his scream as the three most powerful of the Justice League scattered -- just as a bolt of energy seared down from the heavens, barely missing Kagutsuchi's wing before it slammed into the Sea of Japan, causing a geyser of water to erupt almost half as tall as Gojira. As Superman, Wonder Woman and Marvel spun around to see who attacked them, an imperious voice then bellowed out, "IN THE NAME OF LUM-SAMA, DESTROY ALL THE INFIDELS!"
"What on Earth's THIS all about?!" Superman demanded as he began to scan the oncoming trio of tiger-striped alien ships with his X-ray vision.
"Niphentaxians!" Green Lantern exclaimed as he flew up, his Power Ring flaring to life as he forged a wide enough shield to prevent the oncoming bolts of energy from damaging anything on the ground, much less get close to Gojira.
Seeing the flying things that always seemed to come after him whenever he ventured into the realm of Man, the King of Monsters roared as lightning danced over his dorsal fins. A second later, a blast of radioactive fire lashed out to punch through the forward hull of one of the attacking ships like a knife through butter, that gutting a ten-metre wide hole from bow to stern. As the crippled ship lost all its propulsion in that blow, it dropping like a rock from the sky towards the sea below.
Before it could hit, however, a waterspout exploded upward, slamming into the weakened hull amidships. The blow split the hull in half like the Titanic had done when it sank, both pieces tumbling away to land with much less force on either side of Amphibian, who telekinetically used another geyser of water to send her airborne. "Aquaman!" Wonder Woman called out, believing it to be the King of the Oceans, and then she balked on seeing that it was a raven-haired, grey-eyed Japanese woman in a skintight black bodysuit who had just emerged. "Ooops! I'm sorry!"
"It's alright," Amphibian assured her before she directed the waterspout she was standing on at another of the alien craft.
Before it could hit, however, bolts of energy lashed out towards her. Wonder Woman dived into the way, using her skill with her enchanted wrist bracelets to deflect the energy away from her new ally. However, the distraction was enough to lessen Amphibian's control over the water, thus ensuring that the attack would only harmlessly soak the sides of the Niphentaxian craft.
Watching what the humans were now doing, Kagutsuchi soared over the scene as he drew in on his own power, and then he lashed out with his own flame-breath at the ship that Amphibian and Wonder Woman were engaging. The impact was enough to melt many of the weapons mounts, but it didn't have the terrible striking power Gojira could call on. Seeing that, Infinity sighed as she flew down towards Tokiha Mai's Child. "Mou! I told you that you had to get that darned sword taken off your beak!"
Landing on Kagutsuchi's snout, she grabbed the hilt of the huge sword and began to yank on it again. The Child wailed in pain as Infinity's actions send torrents of agony through his body. As Kagutsuchi began to falter, turret gunners on the lead Niphentaxian ship took note. Cannons swivelled around to bear on target, and then they cut loose. The bolts slammed into Kagutsuchi's breast plates, sending the poor Child flying backwards right into Gojira's arms.
"KAGUTSUCHI!" Mai screamed out.
"This isn't the way this is supposed to be . . . "
"Isn't that rather unfortunate?"
Hearing that cold voice, the silver-haired man -- actually appearing to be a boy in junior high school -- jolted before he turned around to stare into a pair of eyes burning with the primordial fires of the energy that had birthed the Universe. "Y-you . . . " he stammered as he found himself backing away from the Doctor.
"Surprised, Nagi?" the Doctor wondered with a sarcastic grin as he stepped out from the shadows, the burning orbs of his eyes keeping Homura Nagi frozen in place. "Three hundred years ago, at the end of your last 'festival,' Hosan Hirosuke vowed another one would never happen. Sadly, he killed himself just before the start of what people in Japan call 'the Greater East Asia War,' so he couldn't directly intervene with the 'festival' you're now trying to provoke with Kanzaki Reito's assistance." Hearing the Doctor state the name of the current host of the Obsidian Lord, Nagi blanched. The Doctor then grinned as he added, "Even more, his last heir, Deannette Raeburn, is not here to carry out his wishes. So I will do it for them."
Nagi sputtered as he pointed a shaking finger at the avatar of Chaos standing before him. "Y-y-you c-c-can't . . .!"
"Can't I?" the Doctor mused as he began to vanish into the shadows, his grin growing ever so wider. "Tell Mai that when she finally confronts you about the many truths concerning your 'festival.' Though I suspect that by the time that happens, Shazam will have succeeded in enticing Mai with his own offer."
With that, he was gone. "Oh, no . . .!" Nagi moaned as he turned back to watch.
"To believe that all this time that girl was living in Tomobiki, no one ever thought of making sure these lunatics weren't involved!" Lantern snarled.
"If you knew about them so much, why didn't you do something about it?" Hawkgirl demanded as she soared past him, her mace blazing with energy.
"Never thought about it, to be honest!"
The Thanagarian laughed before she bellowed out in rage as she landed a telling blow on one of the remaining cannons on the ship damaged by Kagutsuchi. Before she could sweep back for another run, a bolt of energy zipped past her to punch right through the hull and blast out the other side. Seeing that, Hawkgirl whistled in shock before she turned around to see who was racing up to join her. "Who . . .?"
"'Scuse me, ma'am," Mustang hailed as he zipped past her, his hand drawn back, finger poised to strike. Before any of the surviving gunners could aim their weapons on the oncoming young master of Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu, he lashed out . . .
"BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"
A flash later, everything within fifty metres of the transformed Saotome Ranma -- which encompassed about half of the total mass of the Niphentaxian ship -- simply shattered as the Blasting Point attack did its work. "Whoa . . .!" Hawkgirl breathed out in disbelief as Mustang allowed himself to drop through the wreckage, which was now -- as she saw it -- slowly tumbling towards the sea below.
"HIRYUU SHOOTEN-HA!"
A tornado then seemed to form around Mustang as it seized up all the pieces of the wrecked Niphentaxian ship and sent it flying westward, away from Japan itself . . .
Back at a certain doojou in Nerima . . .
Saotome Genma laughed with glee as he and Tendou Souun watched the ongoing fight near Niigata, that being displayed on the television screen before them. "THAT'S MY BOY!" the master of the Saotome-ryuu crowed with triumph before he turned to exchange a congratulatory handshake with his oldest friend. "Now he'll truly have the life he deserves when he goes back home!"
"Congratulations, Genma! You did it!"
"That I did, Souun! That I did!"
More laughter. "DID WHAT?!" Akane then shrilled as she bolted to her feet. "WHAT ARE YOU TWO IDIOTS TALKING ABOUT?! WHAT'S HAPPENED TO RANMA?!"
A Demon Head from her own father made her scramble for the nearest dark corner. "SIT DOWN AND WAIT, YOUNG LADY! AND STOP ACTING LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU! YOU'LL GET AN EXPLANATION WHEN WE MAKE SURE THAT RANMA IS WELL!"
Watching what their father just did to their own sister, Kasumi and Nabiki exchanged a shocked look. Nearby, a shivering P-chan could only quake with rage on seeing his hated rival make use of the Breaking Point technique, a technique that was supposed to be Ryouga's, not Ranma's. You'll PAY for this, Ranma!
"LOOK OUT, SON!"
Mustang jolted on hearing that warning cry, and then he spun around just as Superman lunged over to intercept a bolt of energy meant for the Yizibajohei-born martial artist. Seeing that the Last Son of Krypton hadn't been hurt by that blast, Mustang grinned as he leapt up to return the favour. "Thanks, man! MOUKO TAKAIBISHA!" he then bellowed out as he let go with a ki blast.
The bolt slammed into the side of the Niphentaxian ship, ripping a huge hole in its side. "Nice!" Superman called out as his own eyes darkened.
Before his heat vision could lash out, a bolt of ugly green energy lashed out to slam him right in the chest. Mustang watched as a look of agony crossed the Man of Steel's face, his years of training quickly picking up what was currently happening with the Kryptonian-born hero of Metropolis. "Oh, shit! That's . . .!"
"Kryptonite!" Wonder Woman screamed out before she dove down to catch her friend.
"STOP RIGHT THERE, HERETIC!"
Everyone paused, eyes spinning around to gaze on the Niphentaxian ship; the booming voice had echoed from its bridge structure. "IF YOU DO NOT SURRENDER NOW TO THE WILL OF LUM-SAMA, THE KYRPTONIAN DIES!" that voice warned.
"Wanna bet?!" Marvel screamed, he moving to shift Mai protectively behind him.
"Be careful!" Batman's voice echoed in the ears of all the Leaguers. "They used some sort of nano-machine projection weapon on Superman!"
"Nano-machines?!" Hawkgirl exclaimed.
"Each of them are little micro-bombs laden with kryptonite," the Dark Knight Detective added. "Already, they're pumping enough radiation to slowly kill him. But if those things are triggered . . . "
"RELEASE THE KRYPTONIAN, HERETIC! RELEASE HIM NOW OR HE DIES!" the voice bellowed out again as Wonder Woman reached the falling Superman, she snaring him by one arm just before he took a dip into the ocean.
"Oh, brother! Do those norms think we're all that stupid?!" Prodigy -- she standing beside Lady Lofting on the beach close to where Gojira was -- moaned as she slapped her forehead, and then she screamed out, "INFINITY, WOULD YOU MIND, PLEASE?!"
"Okay!" Infinity called back before she focused on Superman . . .
And in a flash of energy, the sickly green radiation vanished! "Nice one!" Mustang called out as he cracked his knuckles. "Hey, guys! What say we finish delivering a nice little message to these dorkheads about coming to where they ain't welcome?!"
"I'm for that!" Lantern said with a devilish smirk.
"Um, excuse me!" Amphibian called out.
"What is it?" Hawkgirl asked.
"Don't you think Gojira-san deserves to do this? After all, these monsters were the ones responsible for the kidnapping of Minira-chan!"
The others exchanged looks, and then Captain Marvel nodded. "She's got a point there, guys!" he said before looking towards Gojira. "HEY, GOJIRA!"
The King of Monsters growled on hearing his name. With that, the Leaguers and the others cleared the field of fire between him and the last Niphentaxian ship. Seeing that, Gojira then hissed as lightning began to dance over his dorsal fins.
You can guess what happened next.
A half-hour later . . .
"Well, his ki levels are getting back to normal. At least, I think they're normal for him. Never had to help heal a Kryptonian before."
With that, Mustang pressed the last of the healing shiatsu points to clear up the blocked ki flows in Superman's body. Standing next to the Man of Steel, Infinity moaned as she rubbed the sides of her head. "I'm sorry!" she whined. "I should'a thought of doing that after I made all that bad stuff go away . . .!"
"Oh, relax!" Prodigy said as she walked up to join her classmate. "It takes a little while for all the memories and experiences from all the past Infinities to catch up to you. By this time next week, you'll be in top trim!"
Infinity stared at her friend. "Ya really think so?!"
"Hai!"
"Okay!"
"You only got these powers last night?" Wonder Woman asked.
"Hai," Infinity answered.
"Not back for a bunch of amateurs," Lantern noted before he gazed over his shoulder at the burned and soaked survivors of the three Niphentaxian ships, they currently being surrounded by a large troop of the Justice League's auxiliary forces (all under Hawkgirl's command, with Captain Marvel, Flash, Orion and Amphibian standing close by to help out) as well as a battalion's worth of Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force infantry. In the water nearby, Gojira sat on his haunches; Kagutsuchi (with Tokiha Mai seated on his shoulder) perched on one of the larger monster's bent knees as the two exchanged life stories (Lady Lofting acting as translator). "What's the plan for these losers?"
"If we send them back to their home planet, it might arouse their leaders to the point where we might be facing an all-out invasion," Batman said as he walked up, he currently accompanied by Negi Springfield and Windtalker (the latter having joined up with her teacher shortly after the fight ended).
"I hope you're not proposing we find some way to make them disappear," Superman mused as he gazed warily at his friend.
"They'll disappear, but not terminally so," the Dark Knight Detective replied.
"How?" Wonder Woman asked.
"The 'Men in Black' -- the United Nations Special Committee on Alien Activities, the group who administered and coordinated everything when it came to matters in Tomobiki -- has arranged for another group to take control of these prisoners," Batman replied. "Not to mention those spies still in Tomobiki that Prodigy's friends are going after as we speak." He stared at the young Yizibajohei genius. "Are you sure your friends are going to be good enough to handle this?"
Prodigy giggled as she scratched the back of her head. "W-well . . . " A buzzer then sounded off. She blinked before reaching to her belt to pull out a disc-shaped communicator unit. "Hai!" she called into it after flipping it open.
The screen clicked on, revealing Wild Rider. "Just me, kiddo!" she called back from the cockpit of her transformed Yukari-mobile. "We finished rounding up the last of those Niphentaxian creeps and we've got them all corralled at the Mizunokooji estate in Tomobiki. Would you believe there were over two hundred of those jokers in and around this town?! If there're some people who want to get their hands on these creeps, you better get them down here quick as you can. Warwind's chomping at the bit to start doing some serious skull-crushing."
"Did Soul Searcher find out where Minari-chan is?!" Prodigy asked.
"Hai, hai! Rampage's gone off to pick the little guy up right now! They stashed him off on Kitaio-jima of all places! We'll have him here for his daddy to come see!"
"Hai!" Prodigy called back before she turned to call out to Lady Lofting . . .
Minutes later, what had to be perhaps one of the strangest sights in all of Japanese history began to play itself out in the airspace between Niigata and Tokyo. Floating in a circular bowl of sea water suspended by an invisible telekinetic bubble was Gojira, with Kagutsuchi perched on the larger monster's shoulder, Mai riding on his. The whole was surrounded by a fleet of JGSDF attack helicopters and the Batplane, all keeping a respectful distance from the King of Monsters. The flight-capable members of the Justice League and their new friends flew closer escort to ensure that nothing could be done to upset Gojira's trip to see his son.
And as this happened . . .
(Posted Sun, 17 Sep 2006 02:28)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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