While the boats were docking at the harbor of Tokoi, it was impressive to see how the white towers of town rose above their heads.
But Ranma didn't take his time to enjoy the sight... he jumped out of the boat and hurried over to the first boat, where Kasu was just disembarking.
"Kasu, something incredible happened... I got splashed with water and... and it's gone! My curse is gone!"
Kasu looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Your curse? What do you mean?"
"Ya know, my Jusenkyou curse... The one that turns me into a girl when hit with cold water. Surely Akane told you about this... did she?"
"Ah yes, I remember! But what do you mean, it's gone?"
"I dunno... I got splashed in the face with water... and I stayed the same! Could this be because this is a spiritual world?"
"Might be..." Kasu murmured. "But... from what I know, the Jusenkyou curse must have also affected your mind to a certain degree... this is very peculiar..."
"Maybe we can find a way to make it permanent... that would be great!"
"I'll think about it, but right now I'm very busy, Ranma... we don't have much time left. Ekana's army can attack any day now... and we still have so much to discuss. I think we'll hold a meeting in the palace this afternoon... Ranma, please, you have to come as well. You can tell us many important facts about her army, right?"
Ranma sighed. Kasu was right, the black knights were the bigger problem now... "Okay, I understand... When should I come?"
"In three hours, okay? I'll see you in the palace... Uko, why don't you and Ryger show him the city?"
"Good idea," the green-skinned girl nodded.
Just then, one of Kasu's grey-robed counselors appeared. "My lady, here you are! Come quick, a delegate of the nordic hunters has arrived and wants to speak with you."
"Oh my," Kasu said. "So much to do, so much to do..." And she followed the counselor.
Ranma watched her as she disappeared in the crowd. Uko playfully nudged his shoulder... her incredible strength nearly made him fall over. "What d'ya say... wanna see the town?"
"Yeah, okay?" Ranma nodded. "Lead the way... wait a minute! Where's Ryger?"
They looked around. The eternally lost bear was nowhere to be seen. Uko groaned. "Great, we've just arrived and he already managed to get lost..."
"I hope he is still in town," Ranma sighed. If his sense of direction was as bad as Ryoga's, he could easily be out of town by now.
Just then, they heard a terrified yell... and the fearful growl of a bear. Ranma and Uko looked at each other.
"Ryger!"
Uko ran ahead through the streets, pushing the pedestrians out of the way with her colossal body. Ranma followed her and made sure not to lose sight of her... although her impressive size made that kinda impossible.
"I think I know where he is," said Uko after entering a narrow alley. "Ryger, you stupid fuzz-head... Why did you have to go there of all places?"
"Why, what's wrong? Where is he?"
When they entered a massive backyard, Uko stopped suddenly, so Ranma nearly ran against her legs. He looked past her and saw an enormous archway leading into a giant hall. And Ryger's voice came from there...
"Why, oh why did he have to get here of all places?" the troll groaned again.
And then, Ryger appeared... He ran on all fours, with a terrified expression on his furry face. "H-help! Help meeee..."
"What's up? Who's following you?" Ranma shouted.
And then, IT appeared... a monstrous beast that seemed to only be made of shimmering scales, gleaming fangs, fiery eyes and a thrashing tail... and it was more than twice as big as Ryger and Uko!
Ryger tried jumping away, but the long forelegs of the golden dragon scooped him up like a small teddy bear... and then the beast clutched him to its chest, tightly!
GLOMP!
"AIREN! WO AI NI!"
Ranma just stared at the absurd scene in front of him... That unbelievably BIG, golden-scaled dragon had scooped up the not exactly tiny form of Ryger as if he were just a small toy... but that wasn't the only thing that freaked him out. More important was the fact that this dragon spoke with SHAMPOO'S VOICE!!
Also, the way she was glomping poor Ryger remembered Ranma too, too much of his own encounters with the purple-haired amazon...
Ryger struggled wildly against the dragon's grip. "GAH! Shamu! Lemme go!"
Uko groaned and shook her head. "Ryger... do you have to let her hang over yourself like that?"
"HEY!" the bear protested. "It's not like I WANT her to, y'know?"
"Oh Airen," the female dragon sighed as she nuzzled Ryger's head. "Shamu miss you soooo much... Now we go on date, yes?"
"Just... what... the heck... is going on here?" Ranma stuttered.
Uko threw the amorous dragon an icy glare. "Ranma, meet Shamu... the last one of the golden dragons, and the biggest resident of Tokoi. She's an old friend of Kasu and..." She frowned. "She sees herself as Ryger's fiancee!"
"Is my husband," the dragon purred after putting the dizzy bear back on the backyard's floor. She gave him a playful nudge with her muzzle. "He's such a cute widdle teddy-bear, isn't he?"
"Shamu, for the last time: I am NOT your fiancee!"
"Ooooh, Airen is playing hard to get... Shamu love you!"
Ranma coughed. "Um, excuse me..."
The dragon raised her head (which was as big as a small bus) and stretched it forward to have a better look at Ranma. "Who you?"
"This is Ranma," Uko explained. "You know... Akane's fiance from Nerima."
"Ah, Shamu remember... You that boy from the other world, is right? Shamu happy to meet you. So, you here to help against violent girl's army?"
Ranma blinked in confusion, then he realized that Shamu must have meant Ekana, not Akane. "Well, I'll try to do my best..."
He took a closer look at Shamu. While the building she came out of was one of the biggest in the whole town, it wasn't big enough for her to spread her wings. Also, while she still spoke with Shampoo's Chinese accent, her body looked more like that of a European dragon instead of a Chinese dragon. A cloud of hot air surrounded Ranma, as she exhaled next to his body.
"Have to excuse me," Shamu grinned (showing thousands of razor sharp teeth). "Shamu live for a long time in Tokoi, but still can't speak human language very good... Is too, too difficult, yes?" She yawned and lay down to the ground, cuddling against her fiance's furry body... and Ryger almost fell over.
She put down her head on her forepaws and looked at Ranma. "So, you have escaped from Yokot, yes? Impressive, I must say..."
Ranma was baffled. "How do you...?" Then he understood. "You're reading my thoughts?"
"Most dragons are telepaths, at least to a certain degree," Uko explained.
"Is helpful many times," Shamu nodded. "Would think Ranma is liar if I could not read your mind..." She yawned again, blowing another stream of hot air in Ranma's direction. "Excuse please... Am very tired. Have made too, too many scouting flights, yes?"
She smiled affectionately at Ryger. "Have to talk to you later, Airen... I must go to sleep for now, yes? See you all later..."
And she turned around, very swiftly for someone that big. Her tail almost made Uko trip, but the troll-girl managed to skip over it.
As the golden dragon walked back through the archway, Ranma scratched his head.
"Well," he finally said. "You definitely have some interesting friends..."
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(Posted Thu, 09 Nov 2006 22:44)
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