Doctor Tofu, the seriousness of the situation and a couple of pressure point strikes from Cologne keeping him sane around Kasumi, noted that this was an ancient lava tube system left over from when the Japanese islands had formed.
Cologne herself paused thoughtfully at some scratches on the wall, knowing they were petroglyphs. From who and when - she didn't know nor did she know their meaning. Ainu perhaps? As she was currently riding atop Genma's backpack, she couldn't spend a lot of time trying to decipher them even if the situation didn't incline her to hurry.
Ryoga followed Akari who rode Katsunishiki. Their main concern was that the width of the tunnels, as well as the height, seemed variable. The group was forced to go single file and dismount, but it was obvious that Ryoga might need to use his Breaking Point technique to expand their path just enough for the sumo pigs to pass through.
There were three sumo pigs large enough and trained well enough, to be used as mounts. There were six more that were trained enough to follow basic commands and were accompanying them - each of these were used as pack animals.
Ranma glanced down, spared a glance at his father, and moved on without saying anything aloud. Genma himself noted the scuffmark in the dirt, noted it was recent, and hoped that didn't mean they'd have to deal with hostiles. The situation was bad enough without bringing a fight for survival into play.
Nodoka Saotome was used to walking long distances, but not to this extent nor carrying a heavy pack. She endured without complaint, it being a Japanese virtue after all, but couldn't help but wish that she could take a turn riding.
Yuka, Sayuri, and Miyo were all quiet. Their neighborhoods had been overrun with fire. Their families were apparently dead.
Kasumi and Nabiki were likewise quiet. Kasumi was showing a degree of physical strength that nobody at all had expected of her, though it was obvious from one who could measure such things that her feet hurt. Nabiki was in worse shape, beginning to develop a limp.
That left Ukyo, Konatsu, Shampoo, and Mousse. For once Mousse wasn't complaining or making grief for Shampoo.
Partly this might have been that Shampoo was now in cat-form and Mousse was in duck-form, as turning back to human involved just too much trouble at the moment. They'd have to stop, start a fire, heat up water, use it - and then would most likely get hit with a cold drip of water from the ceiling.
The cavern dipped down suddenly, and a sudden breeze carried unfamiliar scents.
Cologne stopped Genma with a tap as she analyzed what she could tell from her own background and senses. They had just stepped into another world, there were little subtle clues she could put together. So the tunnel that branched out just behind them was connected, on this branch at least, with a corresponding tunnel on the other world that Shampoo had spotted.
Pushing on, the group would find that the tunnel's exit was on:
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(Posted Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:31)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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