TRTSS35: Journey to the Savage Land! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, Marvel Comics and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre "two-part" story.
Special Note: This takes place in present time.
Author's Note: C&C are welcomed.
Part 1
It was a normal day in New York City, New York, when a certain couple receives an important call…
"What is it now?" Ranma said, as he enters his private dorm within Shadowland, a Japanese style castle built in Midtown, while hearing his phone ring. Shadowland's previous owner, the vigilante named "Daredevil", had used the castle as a base of operations for his shinobi organization (called "The Hand"). Unfortunately, Daredevil became possessed by demon, and was running amuck until he and the Hand were finally stopped by the so-called "Marvel Knights" (a band of solo, street-level heroes, mostly non-metahumans, who patrol New York City). Now, Shadowland belongs to Ranma and his wife Usagi, and has turned it into a Japanese cultural center (although it still serves as a front for shinobi activity).
"What is it, Ranma?" Usagi asked, as she entered the dorm, while removing her black vale. Earlier, she and Ranma attended a funeral for action hero Johnny "The Human Tourch" Storm, original member of the Fantastic Four, who recently died while doing what he loved best: being fantastic in the face of danger. Ironically, the danger involved the Mole Man on Monster Island…
"Not sure," Ranma said, as he picked up the phone. He didn't want to be disturbed that day, which is why he had his phone turned off and rerouted to other people who could handle things. At any rate, Ranma answered the phone.
"Hello," Ranma said in the receiver. "Kate?"
The "Kate" that Ranma was referring to was Dr. Kate Waynesboro, the head researcher and director of "Gammaworld" (New Mexico), and SHIELD associate. Over the years, Kate has been caught up in Dr. Bruce "The Hulk" Banner's life, first as a spy (on Banner for SHIELD), then as a super-villainess named MODAM (of the Advanced Ideas Mechanics), and later as the human-turned-Shadow Folk member of the Warbound. In fact, Kate is one of the few women that Ranma had not been involved with romantically (and not for lack of trying, of course).
"Ronnie, thank god I've found you," Kate said over the phone. "I've been trying to contact you for a while…"
"What's up?"
"Bruce is really…really banged up in a bad way, and we need all the help we can get to help him."
"Hrm," Ranma replied. "So, he's hasn't recovered from his fight with Zeus, eh?"
"No, he's not. In fact, his regenerative powers are down at 7 percent of normal."
Pause.
"The only person that can save Bruce is Usagi, due to her matching blood type."
"Okay, I see," Ranma said. "We're on our way."
"You mean it?"
"Of course, I mean it, Kate. I may hate Bruce's evil future incarnation, the Maestro, for what he did to Usagi, but Bruce is a good man. So, don't worry…we'll be there as soon as possible-"
"And there is another thing," Kate said.
As Kate tells Ranma the other thing, Ranma frowns…
Ten minutes later, Ranma and Usagi prepare for a trip to Gammaworld.
"So, this is 'Warbound' business?" Usagi said, as she made sure that her travel bag was secured.
"It is, actually," Ranma said, as he slung his travel pack on his back. "Apparently, Miek has returned to get his revenge."
"Miek?" Usagi said with a frown. "I thought I had eaten him."
"So did a lot of other people," Ranma said, recalling how Usagi, having xenomorphic tendencies to begin with, literally went into a feeding frenzy, and had consumed the alien insectoid, after it was learned of Miek's duplicitous actions were exposed in the "World War Hulk" affair.
"Apparently, Miek's species have acute 'racial memory' capabilities."
"In other words, transfer what has happened to a later generation," Usagi said. "I know this concept very well, because I have the racial memories of all species that xenomorphs have…come across."
"How do you deal with such a thing?" Ranma asked.
"By engaging in hedonistic pursuits, so that I can forget the past."
"Ah. Well, are we ready?"
"As well as I can, I guess," Usagi said with a sigh. "It's just that the moment we enter 'Gammaworld', we'll begin to soak up the ambient gamma radiation in the area. And you know what THAT means."
"Yeah, I do," Ranma said. "Our gamma-mutated cells will begin to soak up the radiation to the point of saturation. It won't take an emotional trigger for us to 'hulk-out' at that point."
"Yeah," Usagi replied with a nod. "I'm just glad you figured out a way to bleed off the energy, so that we wouldn't be stuck like."
"I thought you didn't mind being 'Hulkusagi'," Ranma said.
"I don't, but I like to think that there is a time and place for everything, and running around like some savage with a speech impediment is not always a good thing."
"Huh. I'll keep that in mind…"
Soon, the couple arrive in Gammaworld, New Mexico, a place where most, if not all, gamma-enhanced being live. The facility itself is nestling amongst alien refugees from the late Sakaara, although, in recent months, things have begun to change, which is why both Ranma and Usagi were needed.
"Thank goodness you two are here," said Kate, as she and the other researchers greeted them arrivals, who teleported from New York City using the "Instant Transmission Technique".
"I'm glad to be here," Ranma said, as his eyes began to glow green. Already, cell saturation has begun, and Ranma wasn't the only one affected by the radiation.
"Dang, my clothes feel tight," Usagi said, as her muscular structure began to become more defined while getting taller by the centimeter…
"We do have the appropriate clothes for you two," Kate said. "Come; let me take you inside…"
"Wait," Ranma said, as he sees his lover Lady Elloe Kaifi, a Sakaaran red-skinned royal who fought alongside Ranma and the Hulk as a member of a group of renegades known as "The Warbound". He also sees that Elloe was holding their daughter Nodoka.
"You go on without me," Ranma said. "I have…someone to talk to…"
"Good luck," Usagi said with a smirk, as she follows Kate and her staff inside.
For what seemed to be an eternity, Ranma, changing still, faced Elloe and their daughter, until Hulkma emerged.
"Well, my husband, it seems that you finally paid you wife and daughter a visit," Elloe said.
"Elloe, I've been…busy," Hulkma said. For Hulkma and Hulkusagi, the more they focus on keeping their intelligence, the more likely their gamma-forms are capable of exhibiting reasoning skills…
"I have no doubt that you were busy, Ranma," Elloe said. "And you do call on a daily basis, but your daughter needs her father's presence at least once a week. Don't you agree?"
"Yeah, I guess so," Hulkma said, as he turns to face his daughter. "Hey, No-chan."
"Daddy," Nodoka said, as she reaches for her father, who gently picks up his little girl. "I miss you, Daddy."
"I know, I know," Hulkma said, as he gently hugged his daughter with his massive arms. "But I do hope that you have been good while I have been away, right?"
Nodoka nods her head in response, as she hugged her father tightly.
Elloe smiles, as she wraps her arms around her erstwhile mate. She did understand that the world, no, the Universe needed Hulkma's attention, so any attention towards her and their daughter was always a plus.
"Come," Elloe said with a smile. "Let's go inside…"
"GRRRAARGH!" the Hulk roared, as he withered on the bio-bed. Ever since his fight with Lord Zeus of the Olympians, the Hulk's regenerative abilities have been out of whack.
"Hold him still!" Kate yelled, while the She-Hulks (Jennifer, Lyra and Betty) held the Hulk down. Surrounding him were the Warbound members Hiroim the Shame (a Shadow folk priest and lover of Korg of Kronan, who looked like the Fantastic Four member "The Thing"), Korg, No-Name the Brood and sentient robot Arch-E-5912. Usagi, having already changed into Hulkusagi, had been strapped on an adjacent gurney, and was being prepped to give an emergency blood transfusion to the Hulk by Elaine "Blue She-Hulk" Walters and Marlo "The Harpy II" Jones, while the injured Rick "A-Bomb" Jones, Skaar (Son of Hulk) and Liz "Sailor Hulk" Banner looked on in horror.
"We have to stabilize Bruce's vital signs before he goes into a seizure-"
Suddenly, the Hulk grabs Kate's arm, squeezing it.
"Ah!" Kate said, as her arm fractured. Shadow Folk were attuned to the planet they live on, but some can call upon a special power (called "Old Power") that can enhance an individual's physical form. As a result, the person becomes a being of living stone.
"Hulk, we're trying to help you!" said Korg.
"Yes, let the little human go," No-Name said, as she chattered with her razor-sharp teeth. No-Name was a Brood Queen, an insect-like species with the tendency of implanting their eggs into host victims to create more Brood…by turning the host into Brood. No-Name were one of the few Brood who actually considered other species as equals…
"What the hell-?" Hulkma said, as he, Elloe and Nodoka entered the lab.
"Hey, Ranma, do something!" Hulkusagi said.
"Right," Hulkma said, as he hands his daughter over to his alien mate. He then takes a step forward, and applies a gamma-enhanced "Vulcan Nerve Pinch" to the Hulk's pressure point on his artery. This causes the Hulk to immediately let go of Kate's arm, and relax into a state of unconsciousness.
"Thanks," Kate said, as she began to heal her arm. "I forgot how strong Bruce can be…"
"Is Father okay?" Skaar asked. The Son of Hulk was presently in his child-like form.
"Yeah, kiddo, he is," Hulkma said.
"At least someone thought ahead," Red She-Hulk replied, as she comforted her husband, the Hulk.
"So, you decided to show up, eh?" She-Hulk said with a smirk. "I guess you weren't too busy hanging out with other women after all."
"Oh, come on, Jen," Hulkma said to his lover and friend. "You shouldn't talk, since I heard that you and Wyatt Wingfoot have been dating recently."
Pause.
"And besides, we both made a deal to not, well, go steady."
"I know that, but you could have called, you know," She-Hulk countered. "Besides, what would Elaine think if her parents are not speaking to each other on a regular basis? At least, I would have known that today was Johnny's funeral…"
"Mom, I don't need to be used for you and Dad's arguments," said Blue She-Hulk with a smirk. As the Blue She-Hulk, Elaine (with her blue skin and white hair) was tougher than her parents to the point of having invulnerability. And the madder she got, the more indestructible she becomes…
"But, your mother is right, 'Ely'," Hulkma said, as he faces his other daughter. "I should call more often."
"Humph."
"Now, I want to know why Bruce is having a hard time healing," Kate said, as she steadied herself while getting her medical personal access data device (PADD), which had records on the Hulk's condition. Kate then turned towards Hulkma.
"I know that you and Usagi have extensive dealings with the Olympians. I wanted Usagi here so that I can use her blood to heal Bruce faster, but I wanted your take on the matter, Ranma."
"Not much to tell, really," Hulkma said, as he examined the Hulk's wounds. "Most likely, Zeus used the 'Eternal Wound Technique' on Banner."
"Eternal Wound Technique?" Red She-Hulk said with concern.
"Yep. Essentially, Zeus put a curse on him at some point in order to cripple Banner, either during his fight or after. Ultimately, it's designed to keep the victim alive, but not make him better."
"Like Prometheus, eh?" A-Bomb said.
"Bingo."
"Is there a cure for Dad?" Savage She-Hulk asked. The Savage She-Hulk comes from a future where warrior women (called Femizons) have taken over the world. The Savage She-Hulk had been sent back in time to save her people from extinction, by sending back, to the future, a key component to the Femizons' cloning facilities. Unfortunately, the Savage She-Hulk was now stuck in the past.
"Yeah, Lyra, but he'll be at half-strength for a while. Of course, that could change since Usagi will be contributing her blood as a part of the healing process."
"Then we should proceed," Hulkusagi said, as she glances over towards Bruce. "The last thing we want is for Bruce to suffer any longer…"
Later, that evening…
"I'm glad these quarters were made for the two of us in mind," Hulkma said, as he gets into bed with Hulkusagi.
"Yeah, I don't think a regular bed could sustain our combined wet," Hulkusagi replied. "At least, we have a place to stay if we're ever stuck like this-"
Just then, a knock could be heard on the door.
"Who is it?" Hulkma asked.
"It's Jen and Elloe," She-Hulk said.
"Oh?"
"Come in," Hulkusagi said, as she made sure that she was properly clothed.
She-Hulk and Elloe enter the room.
"Mind if we hang out with you two tonight?" She-Hulk asked.
"It's kind of late," Hulkma said.
Elloe brings up a bottle of wine and four glasses.
"I believe you Earthers call this…a 'nightcap'?" Elloe said with a smile.
"I thought you two were angry at Ranma," Hulkusagi said.
"We are," She-Hulk replied. "At least for me, I never like going to be angry."
"Ohhhhh…"
"Well?" Elloe asked.
"Come in," Hulkma said with a smile, as the She-Hulk and Elloe close the door behind them for what will be an interesting evening.
Tbc.