Curses Aren't The Only Change
Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I think that you are smart enough to figure out how much of this I own.
"Hey, Katarina Captain Forrest wants to see you."
"Did he say why?" asked Katarina looking up from the paperwork covering her desk. The other officer just shook his head "I better go see then."
When Katarina entered the chief's office, the first thing he asked her was if she could get in contact with the guy from Special Ops.
Katarina thought about it. Tomas did say he was going to be working with Minako.
"I should be able to, why?"
"We had someone come to us this morning saying that she had information on the Dark Agency and she would give it to us in exchange for protection. We don't have the resources to do so," said the chief of Police, "Besides magical crimes are out of our jurisdiction. We have, of course, called their hot line, but they took awhile to respond last time. So I want you to contact their officer that is here now."
*Now lets see, Minako should be out of school by now and she should know how to get in contact with Tomas,* thought Katarina as she left the station and got in her car.
It was only a short drive and soon Katarina standing in front of Aino's door, but before she could ring the doorbell she heard voices in the backyard.
"Oh no! There is no way!"
*That was Minako, wonder what...*
"Come on ya have to learn ta fight." said a guy's voice, probably Ranma''s.
"I do to know how to fight. In case you forgot, you guys came asking me for help not that long ago."
A female voice replied, "Ya, 'cause you know magic. That don't mean failing around and hoping ta hit something is fighting."
*I had better help Minako out here. Need to interrupt anyway* thought Katarina as she turned the corner into the backyard, avoided that punch that Minako had somehow managed to dodge and told them the news. Fortunately, Tomas was already there so they didn't have to go looking for him before heading to the police station.
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As they drew near to the police station, they heard the sounds of gun fire and bodies hitting the wall. Minako paused to transform, while Ranma and Makoto broke into a run and Tomas, well, he kinda did both; he put his glamourie on while he was running. By the time that Sailor V made it to the scene, the fight was just about over. She arrived to see Ranma finishing off the youma with some kind of vacuum blades.
"Cool! You finally got that chi attack you have been working on to work."
"Yep! Pretty good, huh?"
Captain Forrest didn't know what he was expecting the Special Ops agent to look like, but he sure wasn't expecting him to look so young or Asian. What was with his black hair tied back in a pigtail? He looked more like one of those kids that give the truant officers so much trouble, rather than an officer.
"Captain," said Katarina off to his side, "This is Tomas Drake, the special Ops agent you wished to see."
As the captain turned to look at them, Tomas was glad that the glamorie he was wearing made him look older. They shook hands and Captain Forest asked who the kid that defeated that thing was.
"He's a friend who is faster on his feet then I am."
"Ah well come inside and meet this Flourite."
The inside of the police station looked just like one would expect. The front room had one raised desk in it, one would guess for the officer on front desk duty, but there was no one there now. They then when though a door into another room full of desks that had an open door to an office.
"Let me take over Tomas." said a voice from behind them
Tomas was the first to react, saying, "Ah, hello Puck. I'm glad you are here. You missed all the action earlier."
"I felt the traces of that when I arrived "
These were not circumstances anyone of Avalon had ever dealt with before . Their contact with police usually consisted of telling them to stay away and occasionally getting information from them. The few times that someone had defected. They had come directly to the Court of Avalon and formally switched their alliance.
These facts didn't faze Puck at all. This was what he was best at, after all. He knew the best way like he knew what he was doing was to demand stuff.
"I will need the use of one of your interrogation rooms."
"Right Katerina accompany them to Interrogation Room number two." Captain Forrest said, "Remember we haven't given them custody of her yet."
"Dear Captain, you hardly need to worry about my conduct with one who wishes to change their alliance."
"just get to the interrogation room and ask your questions. I've got work to do cleaning up this mess."
The police Captain stomped off and Katarina took them to a simple room and started up the recording equipment.
"Why are you bothering with that?"
"All conversations here are recorded as a matter of public record." replied Katarina.
Puck just shrugged and turned to Flourite, "You must know something important for them to send someone after you so fast."
Flourite said with a tough of pride, "I was one of Daunite's direct subordinates."
"Daunite... he used to be Jedite's seneschal didn't he?" said Artemis remembering what he had learned from his days as an adviser of Queen Serenity's court.
"Back then maybe, now he is the head of the Dark Agency."
Puck got things back on topic by asking, "So why did you decide to defect? And why come to the normal police?"
Puck looked as inscrutable as he could when he said this, which was pretty inscrutable. After all he was a trickster god and they are the best at that kind of thing. He knew that this was the most important question he would be asking, for it would tell her intent, depending on if she lied or not. Puck would know if she was lying due to the one great advantage he had over the men in the spy movies he so liked to watch, the Truth Song. He asked Tomas to play that song,
As Puck asked his questions, Katerina was amazed at how amiably things proceeded. There were no threats on Pucks part of what would happen if Flourite was lying, and Flourite didn't make any demands about what she was going to get for the information. Frankly, it looked more like a business deal then anything else. After the first few questions, Puck told her what they could offer and they got down to such information as where the Dark Agency was located, what their plans were and who and what they had working for them.
"Do we have somewhere on this plane that we can confer quietly?" asked Puck when he was done with his questions for Flourite.
"This room isn't good enough for you?" asked Katarina.
"The captain's hospitality is not something I wish to impose upon more then I have to. Methinks I have some of that paperwork that you you mortals so enjoy creating to take care of right now."
"We can meet at my place." Minako blurted out. "My parents won't be home until later this evening."
"Good. Let us meet there in an hour for a war council."
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"Why is this boy here?" asked Captain Denradi of the Avalon Royal guard when he showed up with Robin Goodfellow for a war council with their allies, the Sailor Senshi concerning the destruction of their common enemy, the Dark Agency. "He has no magic and so will not be able to withstand the riggers of the war we are about to embark on."
"I can fight better then a jerk like you!" yelled the pigtailed boy.
"I am a knight in Lord Oberon's service. What could you do to me?"
So Ranma was more than happy to show him. A knee to the groin is very helpful when your opponent is not expecting it, along with an elbow to the ribs and a knifehand to the temple. Denradi found this out first hand as he tried to fight Ranma. The fight didn't last long.
"If you two are quite done, can we get started?" said Puck. Despite his words he had enjoyed the fight and would have preferred to just keep watching their antics, but duty called. "Come now inside, I can't do a power point presentation in these environs."
"What is a power point presentation?" asked Denradi.
At the same time, Tomas groaned and asked if he was going to regret getting Puck that laptop last Solstice. Puck just replied that human technology was so much fun as they went inside.
Within a few moments every thing was set up and...
"This is a youma. As you may already know, they are nasty monsters who like to drain humans of energy. It is unknown if or how this would affect the Fay. It is against the covenant though."
Change of slide "They were created as war machines before the period of time known as the Silver Millennium started."
"How do you know that?" asked Artemis.
"Please hold all of your questions until after the presentation is over." Puck said acting like an annoyingly stuck up teacher.
Tomas could see Puck was having fun with his playacting. He wondered which show he had gotten this character from or if he had just made him up. Tomas almost smiled thinking about it, but he made sure it didn't show. After all Puck might "decide" he was thinking about something perverted.
Meanwhile, Puck was still talking. "Anyway they were taken control of by a force called Metallia. After a bit of fighting they were sealed up by the woman who became the first Queen of the Moon Kingdom."
Next slide
"Then during the 14th Queen's rule, Metallia and her youma broke the seal by taking control of a noble from Earth named Beryl. It is not known exactly what happened but Moon Kingdom was destroyed and much devastation was caused here on earth before someone sealed her up again."
Next slide, a picture of London
"That brings us up to modern day. The youma seem to have broken though the seal again, but it is not known if Metallia is in this world again. It would be best to get rid of them as quickly as possible to avoid anything like what happened last time."
Next slide
"Fortunately, we have gotten information on where they are based," Puck pointed at the image on the screen, "Here. There are one hundred youma, fifty super youma and five mages under the command of Daubrite."
Puck brought up a Blueprint of the building and pointed out all the ways to get in or out. Then he brought up the last slide which was a credits page citing Fluorite and Dr. Jones among others as the sources for the presentation.
After Puck's presentation was over they got down to the business of figuring out how the hell to get rid of the Dark Agency.
"Damn it, Old One Eye had to attack at just the wrong time." said Captain Denradi, "We simply don't have the manpower to force our way in."
"Think it was planed that way?" asked Ranma
Puck replied to this, "Nay the only part of the Covenant that Odin would break would be the negotiation truce and then only if someone suggested that he would break the Covenant."
"What ya mean?"
"If someone asked him to do something like that, then he would kill them even if the Covenant says he shouldn't."
Ranma didn't look like he believed this. In his mind he could not see why someone wouldn't break this Covenant thing, after all Pops broke the law all the time.
"Ranma," said Minako "You follow your Martial arts Code, right?'
"Yeah, so?"
"The Covenant is the same thing. It's just more complicated."
Oh, ok" said Ranma before he returned to the original topic of conversation. "If we can't force our way in, then force them to come out."
"And how would we do that?"
"Don't know, plant smoke bombs in the place or something."
Puck smiled tricks were his specialty. "That will be my job. Prepare your attack for it shall be at the Witching Hour that this is ended." He stood up, bowed and then disappeared, leaving behind a ring of mushrooms.
Denradi got up. I'll gather a squad to help you" He then walked into the fairy ring and also disappeared.
"Um, when's the Witching Hour anyway?" Minako asked Tomas after a moment.
"Midnight,"
After they left Artemis brought up the subject of magic.
"You know, Ranma, you might actually have some magic due to, um, the way I got rid of the Neko ken."
"Why would I wanta learn something useless like that? All I need to know is martial arts."
"Ranma, not learning how to control your magic can be disastrous."
"Then why ain't ya bugging Makoto about it? Everyone seems to know she has some strong magic."
"Because she already had training in her last life, even if she doesn't remember it right now. Also the henshin sticks were among other things made to help prevent that sort of thing from happening."
"Then ya shoulda thought of that sooner."
"So the great Ranma Saotome is turning down training. Well, maybe you are not up to it."
"Hey there ain't any training I can't do."
"Good then let's start." Artemis said adopting a teaching tone.
This was the start of a very frustrating hour for the both of them. Ranma couldn't seem to do any spell right. After the light spell that he tried to do turned into a wind spell, Tomas suggested that Artemis find a better way to train Ranma.
"And do you have any ideas?" Artemis replied his tail bristling.
Tomas pretended that Artemis was asking the question seriously instead of just being sarcastic.
"You are trying to teach magic as it was used during the Silver Millennium by the Moon Kingdom right? I'm asking because the records I have read and the people who I have talked to that were alive back then have all said that the people of the Moon Kingdom used a series of constructions to tap into a different magical source."
*Order and chaos that's what the source... Oh of course, can't tap into that now, could be dangerous* thought Artemis then he said politely "You know you're right. Do you have any ideas for teaching him?"
"Me teach, I wouldn't know where to start, besides only masters are suppose to teach, not journeymen."
Artemis had to laugh at the look on Tomas' face. He just looked so young and flustered.
"Sorry if you can't teach, then can you at least tell me how things work? My knowledge is a bit out of date it seems."
"I can try. Magic revolves around the four elements." said Tomas.
"There are five elements, not four." interrupted Ranma.
"How could you get five. Some might argue that there are six, but five there is no way, light and dark are not the same thing."
"Of course there are five elements, fire, wind, metal, water and earth." said Ranma. It was the basis of some schools of martial arts after all.
"No they are Earth, wind, water and fire." Tomas had learned this when he was only four years old.
The argument over what the elements really were lasted for the rest of the afternoon, despite Artemis trying to get things back on track. This discussion finally was ended by the parents coming home, including Genma, who Minako's parents had just picked up at the hospital. Since he was there, Tomas was invited to stay for dinner.
Dinner turned out to be a bit awkward for Tomas. Mrs. Aino had cooked a Japanese meal and where she had given him normal silverware, everyone else was using chopsticks. Then to make things worse Mr. Aino kept glaring at him and asking him embarrassing questions.
Finally Minako had enough of her father pestering Tomas. "Dad stop tormenting my boyfriend!"
"Boyfriend! What do you have to say for yourself young man?" Mr. Aino said turning to Tomas.
"Um, I respectfully ask permission to court your daughter, sir."
This confused then surprised Mr. Aino. Confused because Tomas's word choice of courting was rather old fashioned, it was used during the middle ages after all, but he thought it meant something like date, which lead to his surprise. Teenage boys usually don't ask permission. In the end he gave Tomas permission but reminded him that they would be leaving in a few months.
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"Ranma is a good fighter, sire, but I am still worried that he will be in great danger with out magic to help them."
"Then needs be that we help such a brave soul survive." Oberon gestured, "Walk with me so we might find some weapons for our brave warriors."
They went down the to the Royal Armory. Once there, Oberon opened a case near the front of the armory..
"For the boy this, I think." Oberon said as he took down a sword from the wall, "Hm, I will need to make a new scabbard for it, the old one was lost ages ago."
Denradi was frankly aghast at this.
"You want to give that rude boy Excalibur?"
"Time has reached a nexus point and a new Age of Heroes is about to begin. So Excalibur must go out, but if I were to put it in the hands of one of this land then it would but sow confusion and dissent."
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Since Minako could not exactly tell her parents "I have to go save the world now," she followed Makoto's lead and climbed out the window. She was glad that after this, things would be over and she could go back to being a normal teenager. Once they climbed out the window, Minako stopped and turned around.
"Something wrong?"
"Just had a bad feeling, that's all."
"We better get going, so we ain't late."
"Right, we should transform first." said Minako happily. She couldn't wait to see what Makoto looked like as Sailor Jupiter.
"Uh yeah," Makoto on the other hand had been hoping Minako would forget about that, "But not here. Transforming in front of your house seems kinda stupid."
"um, yeah you're right," To avoid actuations that she had never thought about that she pointed out a convenient alleyway.
The alleyway was deserted and only a little grimy, so Ranma guarded the front of it while Minako and Makoto said their activation phases. When Makoto said the words "Jupiter Power! Make Up" she felt this power unfolding inside of her and enveloping her in a wave of magic. When the wave receded, she opened her eyes and found herself standing in the same place she was before, but now she was clad in a ridiculously short skirt, a leotard thingy, gloves and high heeled boots. Too make things worse the getup had two large pink bows. What kind of fighting uniform had pink bows on it for crying out loud?
"Was the guy who designed these things a spy for the negaverse or whatever we're fighting?"
Artemis didn't feel like explaining the whole reason that the Senshi uniforms looked like that so he just said "No, now we had better get going."
When they arrived at the staging site, Denradi handed Ranma a blanket wrapped bundle.
You can have this provided that you promise to throw it the water when you are dieing."
"Um, sure." Ranma said rolling his eyes as he unwrapped the bundle. Inside was a well worn European sword with the words 'take me up' engraved on one side and 'cast me away' on the other side. "A sword. What am I suppose ta do with it?" said Ranma in tones of it's a dead fish.
"You use it to fight with," said Denradi, "Surely you know how to use one."
"Of course, Pop took us to train under a sword master so we would know how ta defeat idiot weapon users."
"Your fists are not going to be of much use against something with poison skin. If you want to get your self killed do it when someone else is commanding!"
"In a few minutes Puck will have done his job and these 'youma' will come flooding out, so be ready."
Denradi turned and left.
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At Stonehenge, Puck prepared for the magic he was about to do. The greater part of it was an ancient spell linked to this circle of stones. It was an old magic, older then Puck, and even older then Lady Titania.
The lesser part of the magic would be a simple fear spell. After he used the power of Stonehenge to draw Daubite there to fight, he would use the cannel it opened to send the fear spell down. That fear spell would make every one in the Dark Agency to be too scared to stay in the building. So they would run out right into the arms of the forces waiting to kill them.
Puck pictured the form of the spells in his mind then punched power into them. The spells drank in the power and spun off to do their work. In a moment, Daubite had appeared before him and the fear spell took hold as he left the Dark Agency.
"Only one of us will leave this circle of stones alive." said Puck.
Puck was speaking the truth for that was both the power and the price of the primal magic of Stonehenge. They could summon anyone to them, but the circle would only let one of them leave and only after the other was dead.
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They were standing, waiting for the youma to come at them and Minako was very nervous. She had never been part of a premeditated plan to defeat the bad guys before. Anytime she had fought before, she hadn't had to wait for the bad guys to get here. When she looked around no one else seemed nervous, Makoto was looking off in the direction the youma would be coming from, Ranma was griping the handle of the sword he'd been given, and as for Tomas, he was off at a different part of this mess doing something or other.
All of the sudden, things got much more interesting. There was a great scream from the Agency HQ and all those youma came boiling out of it.
"Stand firm, men," yelled the sergeant of the first battalion, "Archers to the front."
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The battle was going well, but there was something odd. The enemies forces were not as great as reported. Now it might just be because their information about the enemy numbers was inaccurate, but best make sure. Denradi turned to the people next to him.
"Scry around the edged of the battlefield. See if any of these youma are trying a flanking maneuver."
The one of the mages next to him nodded and looked into his crystal ball.
"There are signs that a group of youma passed by recently, but that was before the battle started and they didn't hang around."
Denradi wondered for a moment where that group of youma were heading, but then he returned his focus to the battle. There was nothing he could do, but hope that group didn't cause too much destruction, for he didn't have the men to send after them.
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Soon the youma were all taken care of.
"It used to be that we would tear down the buildings of someone who had broken the Covenant until not one stone was still standing and sow the soil with salt." said Denradi thinking of how things were just after he had become a knight. In many ways he was glad that those days were over. Many dark deeds had been done back then.
"That's a stupid waste of time." said Ranma.
On the other hand, thought Denradi, at least people had proper respect back then.
"Don't worry you won't have to do any work." he told Ranma harshly.
"I could if I wanted to." Maybe, Ranma added mentally.
Puck had just arrived back from Stonehenge in time to hear this little exchange. He had been planning to make a big dramatic entrance, but the thought of the – good natured – fun he could have if Ranma kept acting this way he burst out laughing.
"I see your fight has met with success." said Denradi careful not asking what Puck was laughing about.
"The great idiot forgot to watch out for gopher holes." replied Puck in an imitation southern drawl.
"You know that might be because there aren't any gophers in England." Tomas told Puck before turning to Minako. "I'm, um, glad to see that you are alright, Minako." *What to say, what to say?* "Would you consent to let me accompany you home?"
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Finally, the bad guys had been defeated and she could do normal teenage things again, like going out on dates with her cute boyfriend and...and...
When they made it back to the Aino house, the front door was swinging open on one hinge. Inside was a bloody mess where no living soul remained. The youma bodies were already rotting, but the three human bodies were still recognizable, whether this was a good thing or not is uncertain.
Minako arrived a few moments before the others and they found her crying over the body of her mother. She had their blood on her cloths. Her transformation had been dropped and her face was tear stained.
"Minako…" called out Tomas, but before he could continue, everyone heard a police car pull up and two policemen come up the walk
"What's going on here?" yelled one of the cops as he came up.
Minako wasn't thinking very clearly at the moment, for obvious reasons, and she thought the cop was accusing Sailor V, her, of killing her parents. It was no wonder that he would think that After all, she did have blood all over her. The fact that she was no longer transformed and few people would think a 15 year old girl was a killer completely slipped her mind. "It wasn't my fault," she choked out as she ran off.
"Wait we…" called out the other cop but he was unable to catch her before she disappeared. "Smooth move idiot," the cop said to his partner as they went back to the crime scene. The monsters had by now rotted away to bones, so were bagged as evidence.
The next day, the story was on the front page of the newspaper. They identified two of the bodies as Mr. and Mrs. Aino, the owners of the house. The third body was identified to be that of Genma Saotome. The article further said that when someone was sent over to the residence of Genma it was found to be completely empty. There was no sign of Genma's son or adopted daughter. The police have no clue as to the whereabouts of the missing teenagers or what exactly happened that night.
Thanks go to my prereaders.