If Genma had known that Nabiki was in a cage, if the Guardians had used the "hostage" or even brought it up to get him to talk, if...
Life was often full of "if"s.
Instead he'd been turned back, and the first words out of his dizzy head on regaining consciousness were a request for sake.
Once the sake (drugged, of course - there were a number of skilled herbists as well as those with ties to "recreational pharmaceuticals") started flowing, so too did Genma's tongue. He sang like a canary as far as Jusenkyo was concerned. Oh yes, hundreds of springs. Thousands of years old. Endangered species? Why yes. There were springs dealing with endangered species.
As for locking the curse, why that had happened to his stupid son quite a few times. Had he mentioned how disappointed he was in his son? No honor at all. Runs off and leaves his poor old man behind instead of simply marrying Tendo's daughter and taking over the dojo. Disgraceful - that's what it was.
Don't mind if he did have another few glasses. Tendo's daughters? Very important. VERY important. They'd decided years ago. Unite the two schools of martial arts and avoid some complicated tax issues, pay for retirements, live in the lap of luxury. Never suffer again. Did you know how hard it was to raise the boy so that he'd be desperate for a friend and fixate on the first girl to show him any kindness at all? Not an easy thing making sure your son was an emotional cripple. It was for the sake of the Art, you see.
Jusenkyo? Bayankala Mountain Range, Qinghai province. Gotta map? Right there.
Planning on going there? Can you bring back some "Spring Of Drowned Man" water? Hmmm. Tired out. Think a little nap is in order.
"Akane? Are you okay?" Ranma asked the girl in the little boat.
"Ranma you IDIOT!" said Akane.
Ranma nodded and turned to the others. "She's fine."
"Hmmm. I still feel this is all too easy, running across this docking bay like this," said Kiyone with a frown. "It was almost like we were herded here."
"HohohohoHO! I AM THE SECOND GARDEEN! You shall not get away with this!"
"Not so loud," protested Asuka. "I got a headache you wouldn't believe."
"Mutant ogres for troops, the first level boss was an S&M Queen type, and now this bozo," said Misato thoughtfully. "I'm sure there's a pattern here but I'm not sure what it is."
The woman in the clown suit pointed menacingly at the group in the boat. "You cannot stand against my Circus Clown Martial Arts!"
Ranma considered and pondered. Girl in a skintight clownsuit with one of those caps that had the little bells on it. "I'm supposed to take that kinda martial arts style seriously?"
"Well, no," said the harlequinn. "That's kind of the point. Prepare for my unstoppable attack! Behold! Circus Clown Martial Arts Special Attack!" (pose, dramatic gesture) "Whipped Dream Pie!"
Ranma ducked, having seen this manuever coming.
SPLUT!
"Why me?" asked Asuka past a face full of sleeping potion laced pie before she keeled over onto the deck of the boat.
"Hmmmm," said Misato. "Everything's martial arts, right? Manuevers are more effective if you say the name of the attack, right?"
"Yeah," agreed Ranma. That was the way the world worked. Usually.
Misato nodded and pulled both guns out. "JSDF Martial Arts Special Manuever! Both Guns Blazing! Dance clown dance!"
"Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!" exclaimed the clown, dancing as bullets started slamming into the deck she was standing on.
Kiyone made a mental note about Misato's observation. Different worlds, different customs. Oh well. She tossed a knife through the remaining mooring line and gunned the engine.
"Pervert!" Akane said to the unconscious Asuka.
"They're getting away," said the mad scientist.
"With the real Akane who thinks she's the fake Akane who is planning on betraying all of them at some future point," said the prince. "If it works out, have that minion pulled out of the dungeon and send them to Recreation. If it doesn't, make him Experimental Subject Of The Week."
"Yes, your majesty," noted a flunky as he wrote it on a clipboard.
"What of the cloning process?" asked the prince.
"So far so good, but it has been only a few hours in their development," pointed out the mad scientist.
"Keep me updated on that," said the prince. "Perhaps we should send the Third Gardeen, rather than have them think this was too easy?"
"Perhaps," said the mad scientist, "however if we utilize too many of our elite forces - they will lose any element of surprise when the time comes to reclaim Miss Tendo."
"Good point," acknowledged the Prince.
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(Posted Fri, 23 Jan 2004 09:51)
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