From the Nerima group: Konatsu and Ranma. From the RIFTS group: Yuka and Ku Lon.
At the entry would be Akari and a group of sumo pigs, because their need to forage was much greater than their available food supplies would otherwise support.
They returned two days later.
"Forested area, thick - very little in the way of native life," said Yuka-tech as she brought up displays that her little spy-drones had recorded. "Temperate verging on tropical."
"The cave exit was fairly thin, we had to widen it a bit for the pigs," added Ku Lon. "Magic works there, but it feels off. My spells determined that there are major cities in two directions - but they were outside the range we could explore."
"Signs of battle recently, I found these," said Konatsu, setting something down on the table they'd set up.
"Kunai?" asked Akane, recognizing the weapon. "So there are ninja in this world?"
"Ran across a farmhouse," said Ranma. "Abandoned recently. No sign of violence. Whatever happened, they had enough time to take all their animals."
Akari took up the narrative. "As I'm the only one with real farming experience, I looked it over. They raised cows - so whoever they were they had to have a fair amount of time to move. We could possibly move into the place, if we knew why they'd abandoned it."
It was at least a little better than sticking around a staircase of infinite length.
"What are we going to do if the original owners come back?" asked Akane.
"Thank 'em and go elsewhere," responded Ranma. "This is just temporary anyway. We can always head back to the stairway and then we can-"
"Hold it! I've got something," interrupted Yuka-tech, the Operator having set up solar panels and her command center. "Drone #3."
Practically everyone in earshot made their way quickly towards where the technically inclined girl had been showing her Nerima counterpart how things worked.
"Is that a city?" asked Soun.
"It's a city under siege," noted Sir Ranma, the Cyber-knight looking over the image and noting details quickly. "At least two groups assaulting it. Slightly different uniforms."
"Can you zoom in?" asked Ku Lon, peering at the screen.
"Not much," admitted Yuka-tech. "I'm at 80% max right now."
"Magic users of some kind," noted Ku Lon. "That large creature just appeared out of nothing. I know of no technology that would do such a thing."
"Well, there is technology that will hop across universes," said Yuka-tech. "It's just way in advance of what we usually have access to. The Atlanteans are supposed to have stuff like that."
"Redirecting Drone #4, but it will take it a few minutes to get there," said Yuka-Nerima. The controls were close enough to a videogame she could handle the basics with only minor instruction.
"I'm circling the area at a distance of two miles," said Yuka-tech. "These drones are fast but noisy. The silent ones are a lot slower."
"How far away is this then?" asked Cologne.
"Seventy nine miles as the drone flies," responded Yuka-tech. "I won't be able to get a stealth-drone in place for awhile. As it is, I'm using those for relays to bounce signals off."
"Where'd Ryoga go?" asked Akane, suddenly nervous as she noticed he was absent.
"With the other Ryoga and Doctor Tofu and Akari," indicated Ranma. "Don't sweat it. The other Ryoga tagged our Ryoga with some kinda tracking doohickey."
"Damn," said Nabiki. "This was beginning to look like it'd be a good refuge, but if there's a war going on."
"True enough," admitted Ku Lon. "We don't know any of the sides or issues involved but we don't really want to know do we?"
"So I should send the recall signal?" asked Yuka-tech, finger poised over a button.
"Yes, we should be ready to go at any moment, and with your drones mapping the area that would be difficult," said Ku Lon. "Too bad. This would have made a nice base camp at least."
The little button-gadget he'd been handed made a clicking noise. Ranma touched it, a little clumsily since he wasn't quite sure what to make of this tech-stuff.
"Movement," came Yuka's voice from the button. "Headed your way, high speed. Two individuals. One pursuing the other."
"How fast?" asked Ranma.
"Averaging around thirty-five miles per hour," came Yuka's reply. "No vehicles though."
Ranma went up into the trees, which was usually a valid way of avoiding people.
"What we got?" asked Sir Ranma.
"Looks like someone escaping from the fight, one pursuer. Unfortunately they're going to pass within a half-mile of our location."
"I thought that city was seventy miles off," protested Genma.
"The city is, I'd expect not all the fights are that contained," said Yuka-tech. "There's some action we've seen where there were scouts and flankers. It could be that's what these two are - from different sides."
"Ah, yes, the siege of Lazlo," said Sir Ranma. "We did run into a few problems there."
"Serious understatement," muttered Yuka. "Response?"
"Stay put, duck down, try not to get noticed," said Sir Ranma. "They may not cross our paths. We don't know what the situation or sides are - so it's best if we don't get involved at all."
"Stick with the original plan," summed up Genma.
"Ranma, sorry - the other Ranma, is in position to observe the pursuit. Unfortunately he's pointing the recorder in the wrong direction," said Yuka. "I'm getting a good look into one of his eyes and that's it. No, Ranma, the other end. You're really not good with technical equipment, are you?"
Keio Kakizaki dodged, wondering exactly HOW many kunai his pursuer had. Most nin only carried a dozen or two. By his counting, and that they'd been doing this for two days, he'd passed the hundred mark yesterday. Five hundred now?
The destruction of Uzushiogakure was ongoing, but if they could just hold out until Konohagakure could send aid - they had a chance.
Except that if Konoha was going to respond to the call for aid, someone had to get through. It definitely wasn't going to be him though. Just that he'd been sidetracked for this long meant he wasn't going to be able to get through in any time to do any good.
"HOLD STILL AND LET ME KILL YOU DAMNIT!"
Well, that was a plus. He wasn't the only one feeling exhausted, frustrated, and hungry. Cloud accent? Hard to tell unless they used slang peculiar to one country. Most of the ninja tended not to have any regional accent at all unless they were stressed - part of the training.
Not much chakra left, muscles burning, and only the promise that he'd never wake up kept him going. Keio considered himself a thoroughly average ninja. No bloodline. No special abilities or jutsu. If he had ANY talent at all, it was for music. In fact, he'd done a bit of spying under the guise of a musician.
A moment of breath-catching and then gone, he could hear the thunk of kunai hitting the branch he'd hopped up into. Then away again on the ground.
Yeah, running on the ground and occasionally going into the trees had served him well but he probably wasn't going to be able to rely on it. He'd have to turn and fight before he was completely exhausted. Maybe the cliffs near here?
He flicked to the side and away. Ooh. Got her to waste an explosive tag when she didn't see his direction change coming. Must not have a lot of those or she would have used it earlier. Huh. Maybe he could do a trick. Seem to explode himself, then dive into the water off the cliff? Risky but more risky than a straight-up fight? He was a genin, and most likely he was facing a chunin or jonin. She had at least a decade on him from the occasional glance.
Out of the brush and... civilians?!
"GET OUT OF HERE! There's an enemy behind me!" yelled Keio. "Run and she might not kill you!"
Kuromane didn't bother to snarl. She'd done that for long enough as this damn flea kept up his attempt to escape her. She was a proud jonin of Iwagakure and NOT going to let some damn genin get away and warn anyone.
The fights she'd been in had taken their toll before she caught glimpse of one of these rabbits fleeing their lair. She was low on chakra, tired, down to two explosive tags, and only the fact that she knew a jutsu to fire off shadow kunai was allowing her any ammo at all.
Though, honestly, she couldn't really blame the rabbit for fleeing. His home village was doomed with three villages combining resources to take it down. Even if he reached Konohagakure, they couldn't help.
Still, the order was "no survivors" - and that meant trailing this rabbit and making sure he was dead.
"GET OUT OF HERE! There's an enemy behind me! Run and she might not kill you!"
Optimist. Sounded like a scared young kid. Probably twelve or thirteen at most. Had she ever been that young?
Well, first kill the genin. Then kill the civilians. Come to think of it, the civilians WEREN'T a priority target. Maybe she could just kill a few of them, then catch a quick nap and raid their food before returning to the fight.
Civilians weren't worthy targets of her blade, but they would have food.
The kid looked to be on his last legs. Scrawny but wiry. Dirty-red hair, green eyes, deeply tanned skin.
Akane took in those details and the clothing as the boy leapt out over the herb garden and briefly touched down on the railing before heading to the house's roof. He wobbled and swayed there for a moment.
A scared and exhausted kid, younger than herself.
The woman who leapt out in pursuit was older and rougher-looking. She also looked more professional-soldier with the big flak jacket and sword across her back. She made an odd gesture and sent what seemed like black throwing daggers out.
Akane managed to avoid them, leaping to the side and rolling out of the way.
"What? Konoha ninja?" exclaimed the woman, apparently taking Akane's avoidance of the attack at something other than face value. "You die here then!"
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(Posted Sat, 22 Feb 2014 11:34)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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