When one of them started chanting, cutting the tip of a finger and writing runes in the air that lingered as traces of scarlet fire? That was sufficient indication to him that something was up and that he was going to have to forego the pleasure of a massive battle in the streets of Cairo.
That the people on the streets were vanishing rather than standing around cheerfully taking bets was an indication that this WAS a pretty bad situation. In anything short of guns or missiles, they SHOULD be behaving like that. They weren't though, which set off all sorts of little alarm bells in Ranma's head.
With guns, some form of magic, and ninja weapons being used - Ranma recognized he was at a disadvantage. With some of them trying to engage him in combat while the others could pick him off at a distance and others steal the girl away - he had to manage something FAST that would deal with this sort of problem.
Fortunately, he had just the thing.
BAMF!
"Henge!" called out four of the eight Ranma.
The various ninja all paused in uncertainty as four Ranma each carrying a Melfina leapt around and charged off in different directions.
"This guy knows ninja techniques?" asked one of the pirates.
"Obviously," said the mage-pirate. "Pursue."
Now without quite so overwhelming a numbers advantage, the pirates split up to pursue.
A garbage can stirred itself slightly. "Master?"
"Shhh," whispered an old broom. "They're not gone yet."
A pirate checked the alley, saw piles of debris, and then went on again.
"It must have been another of the images," called out one of the pirate-ninja-types. "Let's go."
"Master?" whispered the trash can after a minute.
"Not yet," whispered back the broom.
bomf
Melfina blinked as she realized that her disguise had just ended.
"Crap," said Ranma. "They got someone who can do an area cancel. Okay, on to Plan B."
"We have a 'Plan B'?" asked Melfina.
"Taxi!" said Ranma as he stepped out of the alley.
Screech!
"I ain't got all- Saotome Ranma?" asked the bushy-haired Hindi-looking fellow behind the wheel of the taxi that Melfina could have sworn had NOT been on the street a second ago.
Ranma was hustling the girl into the back of the taxi. "Wally's World of Weapons, Jayah. Fast as you can!"
"Oh hoh. Like there is any other speed?" asked the taxi driver, with a shrug.
"Are those arrows, is that a spear?" asked Melfina as she pointed out things sticking out of the body of the taxi. She was gently but firmly shoved into the taxi by Ranma despite her obvious reservations.
Jayah grinned, his dark skin tone contrasting with brilliant white teeth. "I like her. She catch on quick."
VROOOM! went the cab as various ninja weapons, bolts of acid and fire, and submachinegun shots pierced the cloud of dust it was leaving behind.
Melfina noticed Ranma was covering his eyes, putting on a safety belt, and praying. Why was he- "EEEEEK!"
The old battered taxi cab (modified 1950 Studebaker Commando) was not a single color. It had patches of primer and had unidentifiable stains marring its surface. In fact, it was hard to tell what the original color might have been. The inside seemed old and battered, but was relatively clean.
Such vehicles were not normally able to go at the speeds she was experiencing, nor able to dodge traffic by running along the walls, hop alleys and small bodies of water, ride along fences entirely on the right wheels, weave through traffic as if the solidity of the vehicle's body was something that varied from moment to moment, and (at one point) go through a tunnel that was entirely too small for a vehicle this size.
Pitui! went several of the arrows as the car went through the tunnel.
Melfina was pretty sure the car was eating the spear. Hadn't it been at least twice that size prior to the ride?
"Hokay," said the taxi driver, flipping back the knob of the stickshift to reveal a bright red button. "This where I get go fast. You ready?"
"Wha?" asked Melfina, twitching a little.
What sounded like a rocket went off and Melfina thought that she had just experienced a brief surge of about 15g.
Screeeeeeeeeeeeeech! "We here."
Melfina noticed her Master staggering slightly after he managed to get out, and turned her attention to the large tents occupying the desert oasis where they now were.
She glanced down to look over the skid marks that had been left on bare sand when the driver had brought the taxi to a screeching halt, frowning as she considered that.
Ranma finished paying for the ride, and took a deep breath before turning and striding past howitzers and tanks and other items.
"Master?" asked Melfina as they went past an arbalest that had a "only used once, low mileage" sign posted on it.
"We're headin' for THAT tent," said Ranma, pointing. "I need a weapon or I need information. I got no clue as to why them ninja, that Hilda gal, or those others were after you. I DO know that the image-technique ain't gonna fool them twice. If they could blanket-counter the disguise, they can dispel little tricks like that."
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(Posted Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:36)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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