Combat instincts gave the situation in seconds. Shinobu and Megumi exiting the stage of battle, minor injuries for each. Nabiki facing off against a huge blob-like being in an Anything-Goes stance, each sizing up the other. Scorch marks and divots showed the progress of battle.
He shifted his vision to aura reading, and gulped. The blob... was his father. He was also horribly twisted and dying; the lines of ki within him were twisted and fractured beyond recognition. He figured that his father had maybe a few hours to live without help - and he didn’t know if anything could help.
Genma charged Nabiki once more; Nabiki did the only thing she could think of - undercut him - and almost made it. She rolled underneath his charge, hoping she could evade or survive him falling on her, and managed to evade his fall. Unfortunately, she couldn’t evade his feet totally, and took a rather painful blow to the leg. She hobbled back toward Ranma, gingerly limping. Their eyes met, and said more than words could.
“You know who he is, right?”
Ranma nodded slowly. “Sinister got to him, I’d guess. He’s dying, Nabiki.”
Nabiki gulped; Ranma noted the movement of the movement of her neck. He put his hand on her shoulder. “I have to do this, Nabiki.”
Nabiki nodded. “I’ll back you up, just in case.”
Ranma stepped out to an isolated portion of the ground. “Oyaji!” He moved into an Anything Goes combat sense. “Enough.”
Genma’s eyes turned toward Ranma; he let the shadow come to the fore. He paced around for a moment, feeling the power inside him forming a place under the ground. He wasn’t going to win through a direct confrontation, but through subterfuge, and waited for just the right moment.
He saw Genma’s left leg twitch, his usual movement a second before charging, and waited until just the right moment before leaping into the air. He watched as Genma charged for him - and he let the darkness come to the surface, holding Genma within a bubble of shadow. Sweat beads glistened on his forehead as he held the Darkforce in place.
***
A nine-foot tall feminine behemoth smashed her fist against the titanium walls, then held her hand, wincing. "So much for 'Hulk Smash'," she sighed, then let her features form a dark sneer. "At least it was cathertic..."
Nodoka sighed. "I'm sure it was. Genma and Ranma always seemed most at home when practicing their Art..."
Mystique shifted back into her default shape, and crossed her arms. "Ranma... is he really that good a fighter?"
Nodoka nodded, her eyes glowing with memory. "Better. His father's... er, my husband's... school of martial arts was second to none. The dangers Ranma faced... if anyone could face off against Sinister, he could." She pointed her index finger at the door. "If he were here, he could touch this door and -"
A glow formed in her fingertip as she spoke; as she touched the door, it discharged, caving the door in.
The two women stared at the door's remains, then at each other. "Can you do that again?
Nodoka examined her still-glowing finger, as well as the fatigue that had taken hold. She wasn't sure she had much more within her, but... "If it means us getting out of here? Yes."
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(Posted Sun, 29 Dec 2002 03:18)
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