Ranma moved across the buildings in the district with surprising ease. Apparently the Wasp-girls were more selective in their raiding than he had previously thought. He made good time, always moving toward the nest and away from the approaching wasp-girl lines.
Jumping across an intersection, movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Curious but cautious, Ranma doubled back toward the source of said movement.
There were three people, running all out away from what had to be warrior Wasps. The chitin plates covered more skin than for the normal workers, leaving only the head unprotected. Six of the creatures chased the fleeing humans and closed in quickly, their flight giving them the advantage in speed.
Ranma sprinted across the rooftops, desperately trying to reach them in time. Time slowed to a crawl. Every whisper of air, every heart beat, was an hour of agony.
"Too slow! I'm not gonna make it," Ranma's mind raced. He hadn't even reached the halfway point when the first two closed on one of the fleeing men, the drone of their beating wings drowning all else out. The two trailing men slowed, realizing, perhaps, that out running them was not an option. As one they turned each drew a sword, one of wood, the other of steel. With twins yells the weapons struck true.
The steel blade met the chitin armor and shattered, sending metal shrapnel into the arm of the swordsman and knocking the Wasp-girl to the road. The wooden blade, however, pierced the chitin armor of its target. The wasp-girl's upper body went sailing over the humans while its lower half hit the ground and continued to roll down the street.
"Brother!" the third human, a young red-haired girl, yelled.
"Stay back Hikaru!" The injured fighter yelled back at her while drawing a long dagger. He sprinted at the creature still getting to its feet. His attack struck true, the blade finding its make in the creature's neck.
There was little to celebrate, as the four remaining predators descended on the group in mass. Three went after the knife wielding man. The last moved toward the other man, forcing him away from the others.
"Foul beast, return to the hell from whence you came!" His blow was poetry in motion, the air pressure alone cutting through a stop light. Unfortunately, the Wasp had taken flight to avoid the sword. It came down behind him, its stinger aimed at the young girl.
The three wasps struck with poisonous stingers from their wrists, paralyzing the knife wielder and dragging him away.
"Brother!" The girl ran toward the retreating Wasps, not seeing the danger from above until it was to late to dodge.
"H-Hikaru!" her brother yelled feebly.
Her eyes opened wide.
The swordsman turned.
The creature descended.
"Kijin Raishü Dan!" Ranma yelled, pulling his hands backward. The Wasp split in half, both halves falling to either side of the stunned girl.
By the time Ranma reached them the Wasp warriors had taken their victim beyond his reach. The boken wielder studied him intently before lowering his guard.
See other episodes by Onion Slime (^_^)
(Posted Mon, 29 Sep 2003 05:48)
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