For a long time, it had waited. Alone in the dark, the last vestige of a lost civilization. Everything else was dead, even its master.
He had kept a long vigil over his people, doing whatever it took, becoming a tyrant in their mind and in truth, all to guarantee their continued survival. He'd hated every second of it but there had been no other way. They were oppressed, but they were alive and that was what mattered. As deep his self-loathing ran, that knowledge had been all that kept his master going.
However, it had all come crashing down. Hidden at the top of its tower, refusing to acknowledged the rest of the world, its master never realized that something was amiss as the creature he'd made to enforce his reign kept on stretching the meaning of his commands and went more and more mad in blood lust. What was supposed to be ruthless shepherding slowly turned into a mass slaughter and then a full blown genocide.
When its master finally turned back to the affair of his world, it was too late. He was the last of his people.
That realization plunged its master into despair. He couldn't even muster enough fury to avenge his kind. Deprived of his awesome will his body quickly wasted away, and his minions quickly followed his departure.
And it, kept alive by the remnant of its master's power was left alone, among the ruins.
And so, it had waited. Someday he was sure, someone would appear before him, someone worthy of its power. And on that day, he would gain a new master.
Now finally, the wait was over.
*********************
All things considered, this was familiar territory for Ranma Saotome.
Girl jumping him out of nowhere? Happened at least twice a day.
That said girl was bitchy, crazy or flat-out psycho? Par of the course.
That she'd try to take his head off at their first encounter? Take two shots.
Okay, so the whole “being sucked into a hole in reality” was kinda original even for him. Closest to this had been when he'd pursued a Kirin who'd kidnapped one of the Tendo sisters and ran away with her through a hole in the Tokyo bay. Or when Happosai had banished him to the Shadowlands as petty revenge. Getting back from that one had been a pain.
But anyway, the point was that as he traveled through the void with yet another weird chick in his arms, he wasn't all that worried. These things tended to work out just fine as long as he kept his eyes opened and kicked the right amount of ass.
A slight change in the atmosphere informed him that he was reaching the exit, and he easily landed in a smooth crouch.
“Ouch!”
Sadly, that wasn't the case for Barnette and she was snapped awake painfully by her head smacking the wall around them.
“Sorry about that.” Ranma apologized as he looked around ”You alright?”
“Oww...“ She whimpered while she rubbed the back of her head “That's going to leave a mark.” She blinked rapidly as she attempted to get her bearing, until her eyes came to focus onto Ranma. She stared at him for a second, baffled by the blue glow that was emanating from him, then she snarled realized her current situation. “Let go of me you, you... man!”
Ranma barely dodged a stray elbow as the girl thrashed in his arms. “Cut it out, you idiot.” He also dodged the completely premeditated fist that sailed for his face, but ended up smacked the back of his head in the wall. “Ouch! Dammit, this place cramped as hell!”
True, Barnette thought as she looked around, there was barely enough room for the both of them.“Serves you right! Now let me go.”
“Fine.” With that, he let her fall unceremoniously on her butt.
Barnette growled in indignation, but let it go. This was much better than staying in contact with this infuriating man. He'd said he was from Earth, but he seemed to have no bad intention toward her. Considering her current situation, she was willing to put the thought at the back of her mind for the time being. ”Where are we?”
“You're asking me? You're the one who dragged me into this!”
“Yeah, well I don't know either.” She frowned in thought. It looked like they were locked in some sort of metal shell and she had no idea what it could be. Then something drew her attention. “What's that light?”
“Oh, that's me.”
“Not that.” Though that was freaky enough. “Behind you.”
With some effort, Ranma managed to turn toward what Barnette was talking about without crushing her. In the middle of all the steel, there was some sort of round glass panel, with a strange contraption at the center. It was emitting a soft blinking red light. When Ranma put his hand on hand, his aura suddenly vanished and the glass panel lit up.
“Hey, why'd you put out the light?”
“Not my fault. That thing sucked my ki in.” Ranma said in wonder. “ I think it's his fuel.”
“Ki? Fuel? What are you talking about?”
Ranma tuned her out. His mind to busy running over the new information that had somehow invaded his brain. He knew where he was now, and what he had to do. With a shout, he brought out the full power of his ki and watched as the gauge quickly filled itself and with an explosion of light the mecha came to life around him.
“Wake up, Lazengann.”
And then they were falling again.
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(Posted Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:26)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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