The echoes of Ranma's scream faded away, and Rei resisted the urge to snicker. She left the man-turned-woman to her self-explorations, climbing out of the sacred pool and headed for her own clothing. How in the world was she supposed to explain all this to the High Priestess, anyway?
As she dressed herself, she could hear Ranma emerging from the pool. When she was finished and turned around, Ranma was in the process of discovering that her old clothes no longer fit particularly well. Curious, Rei gave Ranma a more thorough examination.
Though the new woman had the same dark hair and blue eyes, there was no way she could be mistaken for the man she had been mere moments ago. Her face had changed subtly, becoming softer somehow. Rei estimated that she had perhaps lost a foot in height. And, she noticed with a sudden pang of jealousy, the goddess had seen fit to grant her a very... generous chest.
"What're you lookin' at?" Ranma said as she finished dressing. Not waiting for an answer, she continued grumbling. "Stupid Pops, always gettin' me into this kind of trouble."
"Stupid Pops?" Rei asked. "I didn't exactly notice anyone else forcing you to come walk in on me!"
Ranma scratched the back of her head. "Err... sorry about that." She paused. "Um... since we're gonna be traveling together, you want to maybe... start over or somethin'?" Ranma extended her hand, giving the closest she could to a sunny smile considering the circumstances. "I'm Ranma Saotome. Pleased ta meet ya."
Rei sniffed and did not take the offered hand, but after a moment responded. "Rei Hino." After another moment, she opened her mouth to speak, but whatever she had to say was lost as Ranma whirled around suddenly.
The young thief stared up at the large skylight that still let a tiny sliver of moonlight shine down on the pool. "Who's there?" she yelled.
As if in answer, the skylight shattered, shards of glass raining down on the pool. A dark figure leapt through the broken window, landing in a crouch between Rei and Ranma. Rei stumbled backwards in surprise, while Ranma whirled around again, falling into a fighting stance.
As the figure rose, the two got their first good look at it. Clad from head to toe in black armor, the figure was obviously female, and in one hand she wielded a massive, metal warhammer. "The Rainbow Crystal," she said, her horned helm making the voice seem inhuman and distorted. "Take me to it or die."
Ranma resisted the urge to curse as she considered her options. She was unarmed, and taking down some with a weapon without one of your own was tricky in the best of circumstances - one of her many scars came from underestimating a guardsman's skill with a sword. And this was anything but the best of circumstances.
As she thought, the dark warrior took a step forward. "You're a cute one, aren't you? My lord would be pleased if I took you back with me as well."
Ranma snarled. Nobody was going to call her cute. She leapt forward, darting aside at the last moment to slip past the strange woman's defenses...
...and directly into the warhammer. Ranma went flying back, thankful that she hadn't heard any ribs crack under the blow. It still hurt like hell, though. That woman was fast. Too fast. The woman approached as Ranma struggled to rise.
"Give up already," the woman suggested. "You can't win."
Ranma grunted as she managed to get to her feet, breathing heavily. "Ain't... no way... Ranma Saotome... is gonna lose to some girl!"
"...Saotome?!" The woman hesitated.
Ranma took advantage of her foe's distraction, launching into a lightning fast kick that sent the warhammer spinning from her hands. Or, at least, that was the plan. Instead, the woman managed to - just barely - keep her grip on the weapon.
Ranma cursed. It had to be this weak new body that was throwing her off. After all, there was no way some girl could be good enough to fight him... err... her.
The woman raised her warhammer to strike, but by this time Rei seemed to have recovered her wits. "FIRE SOUL!" The burst of fire hit the woman from behind, sending her stumbling towards Ranma, who took advantage of the opening to land a few solid blows.
Before the attacker could recover, the doors flung open, revealing a quintet of angry priestesses in various stages of undress. "What in the name of Holy Selene is going on in here?" the lead one yelled as she took in the situation.
A low growl escaped the armored woman's throat as she considered the suddenly changed odds. "Metallia take you all!" she cursed, mere moments before vanished in a burst of black flame.
Ranma stared wordlessly at the scorch mark where she had stood as Rei began to attempt to explain what had happened to the other priestesses.
A place very far from the Temple of Selene.
The same burst of flame that had marked her departure from the temple marked her arrival in this dark, shadowed throne room. She was able to stand only for a moment, before falling to her knees. That firebolt from that damned priestess had hit her harder than she'd thought.
Her oldest sister was at her side in a moment, helping her rise. "Let me heal you," she suggested.
"No." The voice came from the figure seated on the throne. He was an old man, but the warrior knew that in that small, wizened frame resided one of the most powerful fighters in the world, and a strong mage beside. Her lord. "I wish to hear of why your sister has returned without the Rainbow Crystal."
The armored woman took a step forward, shaking off her sister's helping arm. "There was... unexpectedly strong resistance. Two priestesses delayed me until the temple could rise. I saw no point in throwing my life away fighting Selene's High Priestess."
Her lord smiled, but it was not at all a nice smile. "And is there anything you can say to mitigate this failure?"
"My lord... one of the priestesses... she said that her name was Ranma. Ranma Saotome."
The old man settled back into his throne. "Saotome, eh? Now... there's a name I've not heard in some time."
"My lord." The armored woman's other sister, who had been quietly watching the proceedings, stepped forward. "If you wish it, I could find her. And the one who might be her father."
"No," the man replied after a moment. "I think I will set you instead to acquiring the Rainbow Crystals. Your skills are better suited to that than your sister's, in any case. I think she can do this instead, to atone for her failure."
The armored woman bowed. "Your will, my lord Happosai."
The man smiled again. "Go, Akane Tendo. Go, and do not return until you can bring me back Genma Saotome and this priestess, should she prove to be his daughter."
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See other episodes by Aaron Nowack
(Posted Mon, 16 Feb 2004 05:48)
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