*Flip*
Azusa's smile wavered a little when she saw the picture on the card she had picked up "This card is not cute at all!" she declared in a disappointed voice. The drawing , while quite artistic and beautiful, represented a dank and dark medieval cell worthy of a gothic horror castle, hardly what Azusa considered to be appealing.
Choice has been made, Azusa Shiratori. One card to be drawn now and forever.
The Donjon
Guilty or innocent, you are now fated for emprisonment
No more cards to be drawn
"Ooooh... The card talks... Where... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......!" The young and cute figure skater couldn't finish her question as the pavement itself opened up like a giant mouth and swallowed her. Incidentally, the grimoire and the deck were taken with her *POP!* The hole in the ground closed itself and no traces of what had just happened remained behind.
"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" *CRUNCH* "Oooh... pretty birdies... Azusa likes..." After falling in a hole for an undeterminate amount of time, Azusa had finally crashed somewhere. The place was dark and foreboding but such details went over the young girl's head for the moment
"Owie... Little Azusa's behind hurts a lot... Where has Azusa fallen?" She tried to stand up *Squish* The disgusting sound and the sensation of something cold and wet smeared over her clothing made her pause. She gulped in dread and looked at where she had landed.
"EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee...!" Azusa's hair stuck right up and she turned a little green at the sight of a thoroughly dead spider who was as big (if not bigger) as a large dog. The late arachnid had apparently cushioned her fall at the price of its life. Oh, and she had live sisters who were approaching as well.
Surrounded by giant uncute spidery monster things, Azusa Shiratori did the only thing she could do in a situation like this: She fainted.
Of course, her scream of terror attracted the attention of the domesticated spiders' owners. Two drow priestesses, their warrior retinue and a few able-bodied slaves came to investigate (after Happosai's little romp throughout their city, the drow were now understandably a little more cautious).
("What happened here!? HA! Another intruder!") The junior priestess of Lolth pointed at the unmoving body of the Nerima figure skating martial artist.
("And she killed one of the few sacred spiders left alive by that horrendous little gnome! Oh, this human girl will pay... She will pay for this crime and the others too!") Dark thought of long and horrible torture were running in the mind of matron Redwidow's eldest daughter, another Lolth cleric.
("Mistress, look!") One of the male drow warriors had picked up the grimoire and the deck and brought them back to the senior cleric. It took her only a cursory look to identify the two items of power.
("That's one of Mother's spellbook! And this is the gnome artifact who's the source of all our recent problems!") This was strange... Did this girl think she could avoid the drows' wrath by bringing them back? A potential traitor then? This new development deserved some consideration... She gave the returned items to her subordinate and hissed new orders ("Take these back to matron Redwidow... And put that human in a maximum security cell! When she wakes up, we'll have a little chat...") The priestess got a last look at the room and added ("Oh... And have someone clean this mess!")
("It will be done as you command, mistress...")
*****
Night has fallen on Waterdeep and most of its denizens were sleeping.
Of course, night was a relative thing when you were in an underground temple with magical and other exotic sources of lighting.
Ranma was trying to sleep in the giant bed which had been granted to him and his wives. The story of their marriage had spread like wildfire in the Promenade. Many people had come to greet them and offer congratulations and well-wishes, half of which the japanese natives didn't understand.
A few drow females had also dropped by to give Sanri and Unri what Ranma surmised to be 'pointers', 'tips' and advice. The giggling and looks thrown at him while talking in a somewhat conspirational manner had been a clue even he couldn't ignore...
That had sparked the three sailor senshi to start a similar conversation. All the blushes, twitches, nervous laughing and furtive gazes at various parts of his anatomy didn't ease his state of mind any further.
He had tried to sleep on a couch or failing that, on the ground, but the girls had adamantly refused. It was only with great reluctance (and a solemn promise of 'no funny stuff') that he was now sharing the bed with them. Thankfully, it was large enough to leave space between all the sleepers.
Ranma rolled on his side, sighing and thanking the Kami that no one back Home could see him now.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. Someone had sneaked behind him and was snuggling close "Ranma...?"
Ranma recognized the voice even if it was low and insecure "Minako? What's wrong?" he asked in a mutter, not wanting to wake up the others.
"Er... I know we promised not to do anything but..." The blonde shivered a little against him "I... I'm a little scared. Can... Can you hold me close...?"
"Uuuuh..." Ranma didn't know what to think. Minako/Sailor Venus had been pretty self-assured until now. It could have been a front, however...
"Please... Just hold me... I won't ask for more..." Minako was almost begging. Though if Ranma could see her crossed fingers behind her back, he would have serious doubts about her need for comfort.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Jamil Nate
(Posted Wed, 19 Nov 2003 23:23)
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