***
Brittany pushed against the cold earth, her muscles straining as she forced herself to do one more god-awful pushup.
"498." she grunted, before lowering herself for another push up.
Life hadn't been too bad for the were-cheetah, despite a certain situation nearly nine months ago that she had pretty much for the most part put behind her. She had finally given birth to her loving baby girl Tiffany, and despite the rather painful birth (Due to the baby being a Kryn mix), she was in relative high spirits. At the moment, she was retraining her body to work off all the excess body fat she had gained due to her pregnancy.
"499." she snarled painfully, her arms feeling like dead weights. She didn't give up, and went down for one last push up.
There hadn't been one weird event in her life since that bitch Tanya had tried to kill her and her baby, and for that she was glad. Really really glad. To enjoy the peaceful life, no matter how short they generally lasted, was something she always enjoyed to the fullest.
"500." she pushed herself to her knee's, taking a moment to catch her breath.
"You okay honey?" the voice of her loving husband, Stripe, asked from the veranda. He was holding on their little baby and feeding her some formulae from a bottle.
Brittany smiled tiredly at the man of her dreams. How did she get so lucky as to land a guy like him? "Yeah muffin. Just tired."
"Come on inside. I'll cook you a special dinner to help you recover faster." Stripe winked, leaving Brittany to grin hungrily at the special 'dinner' her husband had in store for her.
A sudden flash of light in the yard pushed her thoughts to the fore, the sight of her mother and sister wasn't anything new, but the sight of a red-haired older woman in a kimono certainly wasn't an every day occurrence. She was about to wave and say hello to them, when the unnamed woman asked.
"Wha? This doesn't look like Jade. Where are we, Digger-san?"
"Were at my house. We should be able to hitch a ride to Jade from my dad or his apprentice." Gina offered, before spying Brittany.
Julia nodded, seeing Brittany. It was only a matter of time before Nodoka noticed her daughter, which would undoubtedly cause her to.. ah, there she went.
"Is.. that Brittany?" She asked, looking at Gina briefly before staring at the were-cheetah currently on her knees catching her breath.
Brittany managed a tired smile, waving a bit at them as she answered the woman's question, "Yep, I'm Brittany. Who are you... WHAT!" she screeched as the woman suddenly shifted, gaining height, bust, and a cheetah colored fur coat as the change completed itself.
She was so stunned; she didn't even put up a token defense against the Hug of Death the woman initiated on her. "OH! YOU ARE SO KAWAII! Cyan and Xerves must be so proud of you where ever they are!" she gushed, hugging the girl as she twirled her about.
Brittany was struck with an odd sense of deja vu as the woman did that, specifically when Julia had been cured of her curse she had done the exact same thing. "Eh.. ah.. Cyan? You knew my mother?"
"Oh yes!" she gushed, putting the woman down before pinching her cheeks, "Oh! You look so much like her!"
"Ah.. thanks.. wait.. your a werecheetah?" Brit blinked, finally putting two and two together when this woman's looks. "I'm not alone?" she breathed, feeling a wave of relief was over her when the woman nodded. The woman opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut as a pained expression came over her features.
"Ah.. Brittany. Theres soemthing we need to talk about." Julia began, unsure how to explain the situation.
***
"Wait.. you mean that guy we saw on TV all those months ago is Mrs. Saotome's son?! And he's alive?" Brittany nearly shouted, but calmed down as Stripe squeezed her hand comfortingly.
Nodoka remained silent, though she did nod to the girl's question.
Gina didn't want any part of telling her sister about the situation on Jade, and thus gave Julia the "Don't look at me" look.
Julia sighed, but nodded, "Yes. And before you ask, yes he is alive. There is a.. situation on Jade at the moment, with that boy at the center."
"Eh? Like what?" Brittany was genuinely curious. It's not every day one finds out they are no longer the last of their kind, hell, aside from the day she married Stripe and gave birth to Tiffany, this was turning out as one of the better days in her entire chaotic life!
"My son is a mix, Brittany dear. Specifically, a mix between a werecheetah and a Sabertooth weretiger." Nodoka explained tersely, glaring at Julia.
Julia once again, ignored Nodoka's glare.
"Eh? Is he like that guy Gaja? You know, able to take the pure forms of his species, as well as a mixed form?" Brittany could feel the tension erupting between Julia and Nodoka, and she had no idea why. Glancing towards Gina told her she wasn't going to say a single thing.
"Yes." Julia nodded, "Only because of his smilodon - That's sabertooth were-tiger dear - he's currently.. unapproachable."
Nodoka snorted, "You mean to say he's been having to fight for his life against everyone on Jade because of some stupid childhood fear!" she finished in a snarl.
Brittany blinked, "Wha?"
Stripe blinked, "Hunted?"
Julia hesitantly nodded, "Yes, well. Ah, best I can explain this.. a were-smilodon is to Jade as the Boogey man is to Earth. Well, if you take the general fear the boogey man causes here, multiply by infinity and take it into the deepest depths of forever, then apply it to Jade.. ah.. you understand?"
Stripe could feel his wife tensing, she was already practically crushing his hand, "Ah.. wait. You're saying this.. Ranma has been in Jade this entire time. During which he has been hunted like a monster, pretty much hated by everyone there because he was born, and only now it's come to your attention this was happening?!"
Julia sighed, but nodded somewhat. "Yes and no. I knew about the were-smilodon threat, I didn't do anything because it wasn't my business. At the time I didn't know he was Mrs. Saotome son, or the boy who we all thought had died defending Tokyo from the Phoenix."
"How did you find out then?" Brit wasn't snarling, not per say, but you'd have to be blind and deaf to miss the undercurrents of anger and fear in her voice.
"Ah.. since some one told Ranma all he had to do to get peace was.. challenge and defeat me, and the other weapon masters." Julia finished.
Brit blinked, "Eh, will that even work?"
Julia shook her head in the negative.
"Then why would anyone tell him that?" Stripe asked stumped.
Nodoka grumbled, "It's either a ploy to get him to distract the weapon masters, or kill them out right. If you've had to fight for your life every day for nine months straight, never know why you were fighting like you were, wouldn't you jump at a chance to end it all?"
Brit nodded slowly. Being hunted was never a good thing. Heck, she's been hunted by people since she was born. Peewee, people who wanted her for a love interest, Tanya, the werewolves before she and Jetta became friends. "Can he do that? Kill any of the Weapon masters?"
Julia sighed, this time. "Your grandfather has already run into him. I don't know the specifics, but I know your grandfather lost to him. Anyone who could defeat Tsunami is most assuredly deadly."
Brit gulped, "Is Tsunami okay?"
"So I've heard.." Julia shrugged. Her father was a tough nut to crack.
A flash of light startled everyone from their conversation, and announced the arrival of Séance.
The apprentice didn't look too happy, in fact he looked extremely depressed. "Ah.. good." he said, noticing everyone who needed to be here was here. "I've come with some more distressing news concerning the Smilodon."
Julia stood up from her seat, "What's happened now?"
Séance chuckled, nervously pulling at the nape of his mage suit, "Ah. Well.. first. Tanya has escaped Sanctuary."
Brit hissed, Julia snarled, Gina said "Jinkies." and Stripe groaned. Nodoka just looked confused, since she had never heard of the woman.
"How? She was supposed to be under stricked supervision!" Julia snapped.
"Ah.. well.. The.." Séance gulped, took a deep breath to calm himself, then answered, "The were-smilodon broke into Sanctuary in search of G'nolga. Failing to find her, he broke Tanya out because, and I quote .. "She hates the Armsmaster as much as he does."
Julia frowned, rubbing her forehead. "Well, he's smarter then I thought he was."
Nodoka drawled, "Yes, he is."
Brit sighed, "Great, our peaceful times are over."
Julia reached over and patted the young mother on the shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll catch her before she can come close to harming you or my granddaughter."
Brit smiled, "Thanks mom."
Séance coughed in his hand, "Yes, while it is distressing news, it's also not the only news."
Stripe sighed. Great, from bad news too possibly worse.
Julia motioned for him to continue.
"Ah. Yes. Nine hours ago, G'nolga escaped her prison in Trine before an escort from the Main Guard could bring her there." Seance grumbled.
"Theres more.. isn't there?" Julia asked.
"Yes. G'nolga didn't escape alone. The were-smilodon attacked the Edge Guard base, managed to free G'nolga and the other prisoners held there, before tearing the entire building down with its bare hands." Séance sighed, "The guard remembered hearing something before passing out. Something about G'nolga's hate towards you."
"Great. Just great." Julia ranted, coming precariously close to letting loose with a torrent of bad words. "So, not only do we have to deal with whoever is manipulating Ranma, we also have to deal with the fact he's gather lots of pissed off powerful people who want nothing more then to see me, or my family, burned at the stake." Yep, today was just perfect.
"Ah.. that's not all, Mrs. Julia.."
"What now?" How could this get worse? She didn't see a way it could.
"The.. ah council, is requesting your assistance in destroying the beast." Séance whimpered. This wasn't something he wanted to report.
"..." Went Brit.
"..." Went Stripe.
"..." Went Gina, who idly wondered where Brianna or Genn were.
"I'll kill all of em! I'll rip off their heads and shit down their next! I'll rip off their balls and shove it up their ass!" Nodoka ranted.
"I assume they have already sequestered the other Weapon Masters into this little hunt?" Julia said, rubbing her temple in an attempt to fight off the headache she felt forming,
Séance nodded. "Karia and Lily are already enroute to Trine. The Shadow elf has refused out right. As has Leep. The hidden three... have yet to make their intentions clear.. and of course your Mother is on the prowl. She didn't take to well to the fact her husband god beat up."
"Well.." Julia grumbled. "I think its best we get to Jade and try to stop the conclave. It's already going to be hard enough just to get the boy to listen to us, we don't need any more people mucking around screwing things up."
"Right. Just give me a few moments to recover my strength, Julia. Then I'll be glad to take you to Durpan." Séance slumped into a free seat, resting.
"Seance?"
"Yes?"
"In what direction did the boy and G'nolga flee from Trine?"
"Ah, there were last seen heading due north towards the Land of Fear and Death's Domain."
"Ah, great." Julia snorted bitterly, "I'm willing to bet there heading right for Rook."
Can this get any worse?
***
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(Posted Mon, 26 Jan 2004 22:44)
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