SMST 6B: Sailor Moon and the Lost City of Gold! – By DS Wynne


Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST, and the other genres belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-genre story.


Part 7


Ranma continues his story of how the Digger sisters' parents met…

After leaving Colonel Spalko's camp, Indy and party immediately head for the source of trouble: Akatar, otherwise known as "El Dorado". While Mac was certainly enamored with the idea of lining his pockets with treasure, Usagi was more concerned about the loud noises that were getting louder.

"I'm telling you, Indy," Usagi said. "Whatever THAT is…it's getting louder."

"I know," Indy said, as he and everyone else continued to trudge through the jungle on foot. He turns towards Ranma.

"Ranma-"

"I'm on it," Ranma said, as he and his student Julia circled back to check things out. "Hurry, kiddo."

"Coming!" Julia said, as she leaps into the trees.

At the same time, Mutt comforts his mother.

"You okay, Mom?" Mutt asked.

"I'll be fine, once we get Harold back to the temple-"

"Change, change," Oxley said, as he clutched the crystal skull. "The earth moves with rocks, while they rolled…"

Meanwhile, Theo was surveying the ancient map that Usagi had on her person.

"Lady Usashinko, I think we're heading in the wrong direction," Theo said, as he showed Usagi his notes.

"That's impossible," Usagi replied, as she took the paper. "Let me see that…"

"If you compare this with the land features, you'll see the difference," Theo said.

Usagi looks at the map, and then at the landscape.

"Something moved," Usagi said, as she stepped forth.

"Yeah, US," Indy said with a perturbed look. "You got us lost-"

"Hey!" Ranma said, as he landed back unto the ground with Julia from the trees. "Spalko and her men are cutting a swath through the jungle-"

"Damn it, why didn't I see this?" Usagi replied.

"What is it?"

"This entire area is 'earthquake country', with the last one being a few years ago."

"Which means that this entire region is unstable," Indy said. "Now, what?"

"We can take an alternate path," Usagi said, as she examined the map again. "It will be a longer route, since the road we were suppose to go on is…out."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Mutt said. "Let's go."

"Indy, bare in mind that are originally, THIS was the shortest route to Akatar," Usagi said.

"So we take the LONG route," Indy said. "Big deal."

"So, I take it that you have a plan?" Marion said incredulously.

"I have one," Indy replied.

"…"

"I DO, so take it easy…"

Twenty minutes later, Spalko and her men comes roaring upon the scene, tearing the jungle in the effort to clear a path to Akatar…or so they thought.

"Hold!" Spalko said, as she raises her hand. So far, her electronic tracker had allowed her and her team to secretly follow Indy and her party. However, the tracker had indicated that her "query" was nearby…

"Impossible," Spalko said, as she looked around. "Where could they be-"

WHAM! WOK! BLAM-!

All eyes turn to see the lead two vehicles being commandeered by Indy and his party.

"Thanks for ride!" Indy yells, as he drives off.

"You call THIS a plan?" Marion said, as she buckles herself and the compromised Dr. Oxley in their respective seats.

"I never said it was a GOOD plan!"

"Guys, we better get going!" Mutt said.

"Right!" Indy replied. "And by the way, if we happen to make it out of this mess, you're going back to school."

"WHAT?" Mutt yells, as Indy begins to drive off.

"How long do you think we have before we make it to wherever we need to be?" Mac asked.

"Don't know, Mac," Indy said. "And by the way, I'm still not sure about you."

"Hey, now…I thought all was forgiven, Indy."

"Ha!"

Meanwhile, Ranma drives ahead, with Usagi, Theo and Julia as passengers, while trying to get a sense of the road.

"Man, we can't race these clowns," Ranma said, as he looks at the rearview mirror. "Your friend Colonel Spalko is determined to chase us down."

"Ranma, Irina…just wants to succeed in her mission, that's all," Usagi said. "When I found her, she was an orphan. So, she knew nothing BUT the state-"

RATATATATATATATATATATAT-!

A few of Spalko's men, in an open truck, managed to race past Indy's car, and began to discharge their weapons.

"Geez!" Ranma yells, as he swerves out of the way. "How did they manage to get past Indy?"

"Sensei, it looks like Colonel Spalko and her men have engaged Dr. Jones and the others!" Julia said, as she peeks over the rear tire. "Wait…Colonel Spalko is…in a fencing match with Mutt!"

"Hmm," Theo said, as he observed Spalko's impromptu match. "She's quite good."

"Well, she should, since I taught her," Usagi said.

"WHAT?" Ranma yells, as he continues to focus on his driving. "When was this?"

"When she studied overseas, back when the 'Cold War' had not been yet an issue," Usagi replied. "She attended Oxford as a visiting student as the Parisian School of Fine Arts, before she decided that her loyalties were for the Motherland, rather than for herself."

"Wow," Theo said, as he sees Spalko knocking Mutt on his back. "She's quite good-"

RATATATATATATATATATTAT-!

"Could somebody do SOMETHING about that?" Ranma said with annoyance. "We can do the exposition LATER."

"Very well," Theo said, as he began to prepare a spell. "But I need a distraction."

"I'll do it!" Julia said with enthusiasm, as she suddenly jumps out of the car, and into the car of the enemy.

"Julia!" Usagi said. "Don't-!"

"JULIA?" Ranma said.

"I'll get her," Theo said, as he stands up.

"What can YOU do?" Ranma asked.

"A magus worth his or her 'salt' has to be able to adapt to new situations," Theo said, as he takes out what appeared to be a fancy looking staff. "Lady Rantsu made sure of that."

And, with that, Theo leaps out of the vehicle that Ranma was driving.

"You think 'pretty boy' can handle himself?" Ranma asked.

"He should, since I taught him everything he needs to know," Usagi replied.

"…"

"What?"

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, just drive…"

Meanwhile, Julia began to punch and kick Russian troops. However, the truck experienced a significant pump in the road.

WHAM!

"Ah!" Julia said, as she lost her footing, falling in the process.

BAM!

"Oof!" Julia said, as she looks up, only to see a machine gun trained on her. "Oy…"

"Goodbye, little girl," the Russian said, before he felt a tremendous amount of pain on his head.

WHAM!

With the Russian soldier down, Julia looks up to see that Theo was holding a fancy-looking staff.

"I SO hate the use of violence, especially when forced to use a wizard's staff to implement acts of violence," Theo said, as he examines his staff. "Although, while crude, it can be most effective."

"Wow," Julia said, as she gets up. "I…I didn't know you can fight."

"I prefer to think I can defend myself," Theo said with a gentle smile. "You should be careful about going at it alone, kiddo."

For a long moment, Julia stared at Theo in awe, wondering how an upper-crusted magus-in-training could suddenly be…handsome to her.

BLUSH!

"Is there something wrong?" Theo asked.

"N-nothing," Julia said, as she turns away a bit. She had to remember that Theo was slightly older than her, as well as being a more "bookworm" than the type of boys she tends to like…

And then, she sees another Russian soldier, this time coming up behind Theo.

"Theo-!"

Without looking, Theo slams his staff backwards into the abdomen of his would-be attacker, knocking the wind out of him. Theo then turns to see more Russians recovering from Julia's earlier attack.

"I do recommend that we depart this vehicle, post-haste," Theo said, as he prepares himself.

"Is there anything you can do with that fancy stick of yours, Theo?" Julia asked.

"As a matter of fact, there is," said Theo, as he spies upon an approaching ledge. "But first, I must ask you a question: are you afraid of heights?"

"What?" Julia replied.

"Are you or are you not afraid of heights?"

"No."

"Then, pardon me if I am obtrusive while holding unto you," Theo said, as he suddenly grabs Julia.

"What-?"

Theo taps the flatbed of the truck with his staff…

WHOOSH!

A strong burst of concentrated wind picks Theo and Julia up, and away, just as the truck that they were in, hits an unseen stump.

"Ah-!" yelled the Russian driver, as the truck overturns.

BAM!

Meanwhile, Theo and Julia fly overhead unharmed.

"Woo-hoo!" Julia said.

"'Woo-hoo' indeed," Theo said with a smile.

And then, the pair land back in Ranma and Usagi's vehicle.

WHUMP!

"Ooof!" Theo and Julia said in unison.

"Hey, you're back," Usagi said with a smile.

"Was there any doubt, Lady Rantsu?" Theo scoffed.

"That was fun!" Julia replied.

"I'm glad to hear it," Ranma said, as he continues to drive towards their destination…

In short order, Indy, his companions and the Russians managed to make it to a clearing, where the final leg of the trip to Akatar was located. Even after surviving the giant, man-eating ants, saved only by the fact that Oxley used the alien crystal skull to redirect the ants' past, had to contend with three drops down very steep waterfalls…

"Pfsst!" Ranma said, as he spits out water from his mouth. While he was glad to have complete control over his Jusenkyo curse, which enabled him to become female at will, he still had a bit of a bias against getting we. In a desperate move, Marion took the only remaining Russian vehicle, which had amphibious capabilities, and drove it and her companions into the drink. Needless to say, surviving three steep drops was NOT fun…

Ranma turns towards Usagi, who used magic to dry her body and clothes.

FWOOSH!

"That was fun!" Usagi said.

Ranma and Indy could only stare in amazement.

"…"

Indy then turns towards Marion.

"You okay?"

"I guess so,' Marion said, before turning towards her son. "Henry, are YOU okay?"

"Yeah, Mom," Mutt said, before turning towards Indy. "So, where to?"

"The Skull that uses the Water as a mask," Oxley said.

"Is Oxley speaking in gibberish again?" Mac asked.

"No," Theo replied, as he took out the notes. He was comparing it to Vicente's, Usagi's and Oxley's writings to see if his theory was correct…

"Take look," Theo said, as he points at the last waterfall.

"I see something!" Julia replied. "I see the feint image of a skull."

"Then we found the backdoor," Usagi said. "Let's go."

"Well, you go first," said Indy, as everyone began to follow Usagi. "I don't want it to be my fault, it traps are set…"

Tbc.