SMST: Journey to Mystery! – By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: ""Sailor Moon", Ranma ½", "Star Trek", DC/Marvel Comics and other genres belong to the respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-genre story.

Part 2

For an hour, Usagi was in deep thought. She knew that her next move could be her last…

"There," Usagi says triumphantly. "I win."

Jake Oleson looks look at the board. For a while, he has been playing the game of "Risk" with his paternal grandmother, or with his Internet buddies while using a "webcam". And so far, Jake has secured an impressive winning streak…at least until now.

"Aw, come on!" Jake says. "You can't do that!"

"Did you just say that any existing battle tactic was 'fair use'?"

"Yeah, but I never heard of this 'Kuryakin Gambit'!"

The Kuryakin Gambit was a battle tactic used against the Germans by the Russians during World War II. It essentially suckered the enemy into prolong a conflict long enough to weaken the supply line. When that happens, the counter-attack involved attacking that same line at several points, forcing the enemy to withdraw in order to shore up the defenses of that line.

"Look it up, kiddo."

"Fine, I WILL-!"

"Heh," says the Stranger, as he sits in his jail cell at Barrows, Alaska. "You let a female beat ya."

Usagi turns to look at the man.

"You sound 'Cajun'," Usagi says.

"Indeed I am."

"And you seem to be a long way from home, then."

The man rolls his neck.

"I'm looking for…new hunting opportunities."

"Then you should know that hunting at this time of year is illegal," says Mrs. Oleson, as she hands her grandson and guest each a mug of 'cocoa'."

"Hey, it's not me that's going to do the hunting."

"So there's more like you out there?" Jake asked. An hour earlier, the main power went out, automatically kick-starting the back-up generator within the town jail.

"No, boy," the Stranger says ominously. "NOT like me."

The Stranger then stares at Usagi.

"More like HER."

Jake and Mrs. Oleson turn to look at Usagi.

"What does he mean by that, Mrs. Rantsu?" Mrs. Oleson says.

Usagi stares at the Stranger for a moment. Jake's older brother, Sheriff Oleson, and Ranma went to check on the main power generator and communications center. Ranma and Usagi were going to check on the center any way, since it was built with Mishima Zaibatsu technology. In fact, it would serve as the foundation for the geo-thermal project that the Rantsu Foundation was scheduled to open months from now. Fire Marshal Stella Oleson wanted to make sure that the appropriate places had their power generators up and running, leaving Jake and Mrs. Oleson to wait at the County Sheriff's office with Usagi.

"Mrs. Rantsu?"

Usagi turns his head to face Jake and Mrs. Oleson.

"That man doesn't know what he's talking about, obviously."

"Oh, I think you do, Cherie," the man grinned nastily. "Even now, I bet you can feel the call…of the wild."

Usagi whips her head back at the Stranger.

"Then if you know me, you should know that you're on the verge of crossing a very dangerous line. So shut up!"

"Humph!" the Stranger says, as he leans back. "I wonder how long before you are forced to reveal you true nature to your new friends…"

"What does he mean?" Jake asks desperately.

Usagi turns her head back towards her new friends…and smiles.

"Don't worry about 'numb-nuts'," Usagi says. "He's just trying to scare ya, that's all."

"Well, he's certainly doing a good job of it," Mrs. Oleson says.

Meanwhile…

"You really didn't have to come, Mister Rantsu," Sheriff Oleson says, as he drove down the lonely stretch of road. "I'm it's nothing but-"

"Nonsense," Ranma says, as he leans back in the front seat of the jeep. "Besides, I planned on coming here anyway tomorrow. And if there is something wrong with the center, I rather know about it now…so I can make the appropriate calls back at the 'home office'."

Oleson nods his head. He wasn't sure what to think about this person. He seemed too…westernized to be an important person from Japan.

"That's odd," Oleson says, as he goes through the gates. "The lights are out."

"I see," Ranma says, as he takes out his 'camcorder' from his satchel.

Oleson takes a look at what Ranma was doing.

"What's that for?"

"If there is any property damage, I would like to have some record," Ranma says, as he sets the camera up. "You don't mind, do you?"

Oleson thinks for a moment. Sure, Ranma seemed to be able to handle himself, but…

"Fine, but stay behind me," Oleson says, as he grinds his car to a stop.

"Sure thing."

Oleson and Ranma get out of the vehicle. They look around. Even from the outside, the two could tell that the center was a complete wreck. This prompts Oleson to draw his gun.

"Stay behind me," Oleson says.

"Right," Ranma says, as he continues to pretend to record his findings. He already had spotted the culprits, and was going along with the premise in order to "bag" one of them for question…

"Sheriff?" Ranma says.

"What?" Oleson says with frustration.

"Don't look up."

Oleson wondered what Ranma was talking about, when he spots a severed head stuck on a pole.

"JESUS!" Oleson says, as he suddenly fell backwards.

And that's when Ranma and Oleson were attacked.

"GRROWL!"

A bald creature with sharp fangs leaped out of the shadows…and at Ranma.

"Look out-!" Oleson says, as he desperately waves his gun in the air.

Without looking back, Ranma sidestepped, causing the monster to tumble.

"How good a shot are you?" Ranma asked, as he puts away his camera.

"P-pretty good."

"Aim for the head," Ranma says, as he dodged another attack. "If it doesn't kill them, it will immobilize them for a while."

"What are these?"

"Vampires…'Nosferatu', I think…"

Ranma, having proven to be a threat, the three vampires turned to face him.

"State your sept, fiend," Ranma says.

The vampires look at each other in amazement. This human knows about THEM?

"I'm waiting. Or should I send your soulless selves to the afterlife now?"

"We…we are Nosferatu 'antitribu'," says the lead vampire. "And who might YOU be?"

Ranma smiles…and it wasn't a nice smile.

"I go by many names, but you would know me as 'The Consort to the Viscountess of Wallachia'…Princess Serena Dracul."

Upon hearing 'Serena Dracul', a look of horror fell upon their collective faces.

"The Chaos Factor…the Destroyer!" exclaimed one of the more aware vampires. "He knows the Moon Princess! We have to leave this place now-"

"Fire Style: Dragon's Roar!" Ranma proclaimed, as he had already performed the necessary mudra jutsu hand signs, with one hand behind his back.

"Aiiiiieeeeeeeee-!"

And just as quickly, the vampires were turned to ash instantly.

Upon seeing this, Oleson turns his gun on Ranma.

"What the hell…is going on?"

Ranma looked at Oleson.

"Sheriff, I just saved your life. I'm not the enemy. And if we are to stop these animals, we need to work together."

Oleson pauses for a moment…before lowering his gun.

"Fine, but I need to know-"

"Yeah, I know. So we better get back in town fast. If what I know about these things still hold up, Barrow is going to be in for a LONG night."

Tbc.