TRTSS20: Second Flight! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST and Sekirei belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This is a sequel to "The Winged Horse" and "Ranma's Precious Jewel", and takes place before "Blackest Reign and a Dark Night".
Part 9
Meanwhile, back at the Izumo Inn, Ranma and Matsu go on their own date, much to Tsukiumi's chagrin. However, this date was…unusual, in that it took place in so-called "Cyber-space"…
"I still don't understand why you have to go out with HER, Minato-san," Tsukiumi said, as Ranma sets up the portable digitizer with Matsu's help. "She is as romantic as her books and computers."
"Nonsense," Matsu replied, as she typed in her new program. "I studied the subject matter thoroughly through the various websites and online technical manuals."
"See?"
"You'll have your date, just be patient," Ranma said, as he finishes fashioning the wires to the connectors. "There."
"I never immersed myself inside a data stream before," Matsu said. "I have mentally linked myself to machines, but that's about it."
"Well, the first time will be a bit strange," Ranma said. "And enjoy the show."
"So, how long are you two going to be in the system?" Homura asked.
"Actually, not very long in real time," Matsu said. "In fact, I could spend an eternity inside the system, and only moments could pass."
"What?" Tsukiumi said, as she now imagine Matsu not only have her way with her Ashikabi, but even have a family with him, and all in a moment's notice.
"But I programmed to digitizer so that we will automatically get kicked out of the system within a few hours…OUR time," Ranma said with a smirk.
"Awww," Matsu said with a slight look of disappointment on her face.
"Anyway, we're ready to go," Ranma replied. "So…let's roll."
"Should I bring something?"
"Naw, we're good as is," Ranma said, as he takes out his remote control device. "Matsu, hang on. Tsukiumi…be seeing you…"
With a flash, both Ranma and Matsu were gone…
"Wow!" Matsu said, as she saw the Grid. There was a clear, dark sky were the exit point within grid lit up the night like a Moon. She then turned towards the glittering city, with it towering spires that jutted towards infinity.
Matsu then looked at herself. She wore a flowing, white dress that had a circuit pattern that glowed neon blue.
"I've changed," Matsu commented.
"You've been converted into pure programming language," Ranma said.
Matsu nods her head, noticing that her Ashikabi was wearing a black body suit that also had a circuit pattern etched into the material. However, his was pattern glowed white.
"You…you look handsome, Minato-tan," Matsu said with a blush.
"Thanks, I guess," Ranma said with a shrug. "Now, we're going to have some fun at this place called the 'End of the Line Club', after we go to the Grid for some competition-"
"What is this?" Matsu said, as she removes a white disc on her back. It seemed to pulse with power…
"This is an 'Identity Disc'," Ranma said, as he removes his disc from his back. "It is the sum total of our experiences. You can also use it as a weapon against other programs, either the Users—like us—or Basics."
"'Basics'?"
"When we create a program, we create a new being that manifest itself her in cyber-space. Those are called 'Basics', while we 'Users' are considered to be their gods…"
Pause.
"And sometimes, with all this complex information roaming around, programs can be spontaneously created. Those are called 'Isos'."
"So, the programs that I've created in the past are alive?"
"In a manner of speaking."
"Whoa…"
"Anyway, we should get going," Ranma said, as he brings out a black rod from pocket space. "Now, stand back…"
Once Matsu was in the clear, he pulls apart the rod. White, grid lines crisscross and envelop Ranma, until a slick, black care with glowing white trim appears.
"Wow!" Matsu said.
"Hop on in," Ranma said with a smile, as Matsu immediately rushes to get on the passenger side of the sleek vehicle.
"I could get used to this," Matsu said, as she leans back in her seat.
"Hang on," Ranma said, as he shifts the vehicle into gear, leaving a trail of light behind…
Meanwhile, back in the real world…
"Hey," said Dr. Sahashi Takami, as she stepped onto the roof the MBI building. "There's something you need to know…"
"If you are informing me that 'The Bunny' is in town, I already know," said MBI Chairman Minaka Hiroto, as he continued to stare at the city of New Tokyo from atop of MBI HQ.
"Actually, 'The Bunny' is here," Sahashi said.
"WHAT?" Minaka yelped in fright, as he nearly slipped off the side of the building.
"Hello, Minaka," Usagi said. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"It has," Minaka said, as he desperately tried to touch his special transducer that was stitched into the lining of his coat.
"You really should relax, Minaka," Usagi said with a pleasant smile. "I'm not here to get revenge on you."
"Then why is your husband Ranma here?" Minaka asked.
"Because I want to take back controlling interest of the company, that's what. I've stayed away because of our original deal, but I realized that you would have made a mockery of my work…and MY Sekirei."
"You've abandoned your 'work', remember?"
"I had been weak at the time, Minaka. But now, I'm not…"
Pause.
"So, I am changing the deal, Minaka, my old friend and student."
"Heh, I don't think so," Minaka said, as the sun's light causes his glasses to glint menacingly.
Just then, Usagi realizes that she was surrounded by the Disciplinary Squad.
"Hello, 'sensei'," Karasuba said, as she, Benitsubasa and Haihane surrounded Usagi.
"Who is this?" Benitsubasa asked, as she flicks her ponytail.
"She is the creator of us Sekirei," Haihane said, as she flicks her talons.
"And how would you know THAT? You're always watching those stupid soaps of yours-"
"Enough!" Minaka said firmly. "Deal with this…woman."
"Of course," Karasuba said.
"I'll go first," Benitsubasa said, as she gets into a fight stance.
"Be careful with her!" Haihane said. "She knows more about us than we know about her!"
"Yeah, right! Like she can do anything!"
With that, Benitsubasa rushes at Usagi, with her fist blazing…
"'Wag Tail'," Usagi said simply. In Japanese, "wag tail" was translated as "sekirei". However, Usagi said the English translation instead for the desired result.
"Haaaaaaa-ya!" Benitsubasa said, as she threw punches and kicks that left sonic boom in their wake. However, the so-called "Crimson Sekirei" realizes that something was wrong…
"What?" Benitsubasa said, as she realized that her actions were all in her head, and that she was frozen in place.
"What?" Sahashi said in surprise.
Karasuba frowns.
"What did you do to my Sekirei?" Minaka demanded.
"You mean MY Sekirei?" Usagi said. "I designed them to be Ranma's perfect mate; that part you did know. What you don't know is that I made sure that their very genetics had a special memory imprint."
"In other words, they will never attack directly harm you with that code word," Minaka said.
"Yes. It's no different from when you can remotely shut down a Seikirei, using a carrier frequency that only he or she can hear."
"But you didn't use that when you left," Sahashi said.
"Because of Miya, that's why. Had I said it when I should have, Miya would never think to be a free-thinking human being. So, for her sake, I kept quiet about the fail safe measure that I built into the Sekirei…until now."
"Is it reversible?" Minaka said with a moan, while Haihane, the so-called "Blue Sekirei", began to write on a mortified Benitsubasa.
"The 'freeze up' is only temporary," Usagi said with a smirk. "And there will not be any long term ramifications from what I just did."
"Very cheap of you," Karasuba said.
Usagi looks over at Sekirei #4.
"Oh, Kara-chan," Usagi said with a sigh. "Out of you, Miya and Mutsu, I had thought that you would have mastered the Heavenly Sword first, and yet it was Miya—without ego—who was able to surpass you and Mutsu."
"What are you saying?" Karasuba asked with suspicion.
"I'm saying that you are a disappointment, Karasuba. Instead of perfecting your prowess, you take pleasure in killing. That makes you the weakest of all the Sekirei."
"How dare you!" Karasuba said, as she unhooks her long sword. "You wouldn't be able to say something like that, without that 'cheat' of yours!"
"As long as I don't say the password once I make eye-contact, you still have a choice to come after me…or not…"
Pause.
"If you're daring enough, that is."
"RRRAAAWW!" Karasuba roared, as she charged forward. At the split second, Usagi shifts her stand, moves out of the way, and coughs up the legendary sword 'Sword of Kusanagi'. As soon as she does, Usagi catches the blade in hand, turns around, and intercepts and intended blow.
"Interesting," Karasuba said, as she grins evilly, while pushing back with her own weapon. "You haven't lost your touch."
"Thank you," Usagi replied. "But it seems as if you might have."
"Oh?"
"I can use my feet."
Usagi quickly chambered her knee and performs a front kick that sends Karasuba backwards.
"Oof-!"
Usagi then takes four Shuriken blades from pocket space, threads them with chakra, and then let the blades fly.
As Karasaba tries to cut the threads as they attempted to loop her, Usagi throws a special kunai towards Karasuba.
"Oh, no you don't!" Karasuba said, as she breaks the threads, but side-steps the thrown Kunai.
Suddenly, Usagi appears behind the so-called "Black Sekirei", catches the blade, and then immediately place the blade on Karasuba's throat from behind. In effect, she had just used the Flying Thunder God Technique, which allows her to warp to any location where her mark was. In this particular case, the mark was an ofuda ward that was wrapped around the hilt of her special kunai…
"Now, surrender, or be put out of commission for good," Usagi said with a smirk. She was glad that her shinobi skills, developed when she was disguised as famous fighter Minato Namikaze, were still in place...and as good as ever.
"Do as she says," Minaka said helplessly.
With no other option, Karasuba sheaths her weapon.
"Pretty sneaky," Karasuba said.
"I learned how from my husband, Ranma," Usagi said. "In fact, had it not been for him, I wouldn't be any good at fighting."
"You don't say," Karasaba said, as she began to think of a few possibilities concerning the Ashikabi Ranma Saotome…
"Anyway, I am here to let you know that I plan on taking back controlling interest of MBI," Usagi said, as she places her special kunai back into pocket space. She then sticks her Kusanagi Sword into her mouth, and swallows it whole without any ill-effect, as it slips into pocket space. As the Orochimaruko, Usagi uses her mouth as a weapon, or as a defense mechanism, such as the case whenever her body gets damaged enough to warrant her to regurgitate a fresh body…like a snake. It was gross, but effective.
"Huh, I bet she can take a lot of things down her throat," Haihane said.
"Ewww!" Benitsubasa said, as she realized that she could now move.
"Moving on," Usagi said tiredly, deciding to ignore the obvious subtext that Haihane was referencing. "I am also here to let you know that I won't stop the competition."
"You're not?" Minaka said.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because the Sekirei and their Ashikabi are too invested in that stupid 'S Plan' of Minaka's, that's why."
"We call it the 'Sekirei Plan'," Minaka said.
"Whatever."
"I see," Saihashi said with a nod. "And that's because you know you could free the Sekirei from Minaka's agenda, once there is a winner."
"Precisely."
"And that is why Ranma is here, isn't it? Why Nabiki Kuno, in her capacity as VP of Requisitions at Mishima Zaibatsu, sent Ranma here to participate, but without your direct influence, thus, up until now, avoid being involved in the Seikirei directly."
"Bingo."
"If my game continues, then you know what is at stake, yes?" Minaka said.
"Of course I do, which is why Ranma is here," Usagi said. "And I KNOW that he will win."
"We shall see, sensei. We shall SEE."
"We shall."
"Good."
"I know it's good. So there. NYAH!"
"Oy," Sahashi said, as she shook her head. She now recalls what made Minaka and Usagi annoying whenever they got together…
"Sometimes, I wish it had been my years that had been damaged from that accident a long time ago…"
Tbc.
