SMST: Samurai Jill! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: "SM", "R1/2", "ST" and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 10
Later that night…
"Then it's agreed then," Ranma says. "I'll go in and bust the girls out, and come out."
"I want to come with you," Lynn says.
"Kid, you're only going to get in the way."
"Aw, come on, Ranma," Bart says. "If you're some ultra-bad arse, you'll be able to protect Lynn WHILE getting in and out a fortress."
"Heh, he got you there," Ray says.
"In his dreams," Ranma says. "Fine, LYNN can come…and only Lynn."
"Hey, I'm the one who made the suggestion!"
"So? You want a medal or something?"
"Humph!"
"Don't worry about us, Ranma," Ray says, as he places a hand on Bart's shoulder. "We'll be fine."
"Be right back, Bart!" Lynn says enthusiastically.
"Oh, why can't I have all the adventures?" Bart says, as he folds his arms.
Meanwhile…
"It is finished," Raul says, as he opens his eyes to see Usagi unconscious from her ordeal. The warlord stands to examine his…alterations.
"Yes," Raul says approvingly. "The male energy is in synch with Little Bunny's female energy."
Raul pauses.
"So, what do you think, Little Bunny?"
Usagi's ragged breathing was her only response.
"Humph, I did not expect you to respond. No matter…it is time to complete your 'alteration'."
With that, Raul pressed upon the pressure points on Usagi's head. If nothing else, practitioners of the "Big Dipper Technique" and the "Little Dipper Technique" were experts on the usage of the acupuncture method and pressure points. So changing one's mind was as easy as changing one's body.
"After all, I cannot allow my own weapon to have free will…"
Meanwhile…
"Ugh, I HATE going through that sewer," Ranma says, as he kept Lynn above the murky water.
Lynn merely giggled.
"Okay," Ranma says, as he puts Lynn on a stone step. "Let's go find our friends…"
After sneaking about the basement, Ranma and Lynn came upon the section that led the dungeon. Standing by the entrance were two, armored guards, both of whom were seven foot tall.
"Damn, mutant freaks," Ranma mutters to himself. For some reason, maybe due to the radiation, or due to the return of magic, there were WAY too may guys running around with physical proportions that defy logic. In fact, some of them were mutating further…into ogres, uruk-hai and trolls. In fact, a lot of humans were mutating into various fae species as the result of this strange, new environment. He'll have to talk to T'Pol about this at the earliest opportunity…
"What are we going to do, Ranma?" Lynn asked.
"Hmmm," Ranma mused. He didn't want to alert Raul to his presence, and close-quarter combat would do just that. So…
"Lynn, you wait around the corner," Ranma says, as he directs Lynn to hide around the corner. "And whatever you do, DO NOT MOVE."
"Okay," Lynn says, as she nods her head, while being moved to the side around the corner.
"Now, when I tell ya to, follow me," Ranma says, as he goes around the corner.
Lynn sighs, as she hugs the potted plant.
Just before Ranma gets into visual range, he changes his gender…
"Yoo-hoo!" says a sweet voice.
The guards refocus their thoughts, and spot a buxom, teenaged girl with fiery red hair, that was tied in a pigtail.
"Do you want to…'play'?" Ranma-onna says demurely, as she exposes her ample cleavage.
Now hypnotized, the guards failed to notice that they were being set up for a twin "upper-cut".
POW!
After making sure that the guards were unconscious, Ranma-onna returns to her normal form.
"Lynn, come on!" Ranma says, as he beckons Lynn.
Lynn looks around to see the fallen guards.
"What happened?" Lynn asked.
"They fell into a 'booby-trap'," Ranma says simply, as he pulled a perplexed Lynn forward.
Meanwhile, Raul the Conqueror looks out into the darkness from his tower. He was in deep thought on the meaning of power…
"And thus my grand experiment is complete," Raul mused. "It is interesting that the so-called 'Moon Princess' could hold so much power, and thoroughly wastes it."
He turns to his creation, as she steps out to join her master. The woman was thick with muscles, and was taller than most men. Her face was harsher and angular, though there was still a hint of feminine attraction. Her attire was a single-piece leather outfit that seemed to be continuous, as attest to the fact that the stiletto heels were attached to the suit.
"Lord Raul, how may I serve you?" Usagi asked demurely, as she places a gloved hand on her master's bulging biceps.
"There is another ally of my brother Ken," Raul says. "From my interrogation of you, this…Ranma Saotome will surely find you."
Raul turns to the muscle-bound girl. His energy was in Usagi, and it will be that energy that will strive her to seek power…long after his own demise. Ultimate control of her will…not so much. Still, the immediate effects of his conditioning will prove to be most interesting.
"When this Ranma arrives, you are to kill him."
Usagi smiles broadly…with glazed eyes.
"Of, course, Lord Raul."
Meanwhile…
After running down the corridor, Ranma sees two women in one cell, and one woman in another cell.
"T'Pol, Hoshi!" Ranma yelled, as he goes to the cell holding his friends.
The aforementioned women perk up.
"Ranma!" Hoshi yells, as she runs to the cell. She began crying, and holding onto to her sometime lover…
"You have found us," T'Pol says, as she goes to the cell bars.
"I see that confinement has not changed your disposition," Ranma says, as he inspects the bars holding his friends.
"Ranma, a man named Raul has Usagi," Hoshi says.
Ranma thinks for a moment.
"Alright," Ranma says, as he begins to bend the bars. "Let me get you two out of here."
"What about Usagi?"
"First things first. I'll get you out of here, and come for Usagi later."
Meanwhile, Lynn goes to the other cell.
"You…you must be Julia," Lynn says.
The orange-haired woman turns to see the little girl.
"You…you know me?"
"Uh-huh," Lynn says. "We're here to get you out."
Julia was about to say something, but looks down instead.
"No, I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because if I disappear, the people will suffer."
"You will suffer regardless, Julia," T'Pol says, as Ranma bends the metal bars apart.
"And Ken is trying to find you," Lynn says.
Julia sighs.
"No, I have made up my mind."
"Then take this," Lynn says, as she gives Julia the flowerpot and single flower.
Julia accepts the pot.
"Thank you."
"Are you SURE you want this?" Hoshi says as she steps close to the bars holding Julia.
"Yes. Maybe my presence will keep Raul's terrible fury in tact."
"Then take care of yourself, Julia," T'Pol says.
And with that, everyone, save for Julia leaves. An hour later, Raul and Usagi appear in front of Julia's cells. Julia, seeing Usagi, gasps at her appearance.
"Usagi, what happened to you?" Julia asked.
Usagi, still grinning, presses her face against the bars.
"Lord Raul remade me in his image," Usagi says.
Raul looks at the empty cage, and then at Julia's.
"It seems that your friend has entered the premises," Raul says. "And because of his foolish actions, he'll have to deal with the consequences."
A little bit later…
"Easy, Hoshi," Ranma says, as Hoshi was kissing Ranma roughly.
"I'm sorry about that, but…it's been too long since I've seen you," Hoshi says. "You don't know what I've been going through."
After returning to the impromptu campsite, a plan of action was discussed before turning in for the night.
"Hoshi, it doesn't matter now, okay? You're safe with me right here, right now."
Hoshi smiles, as she lay in Ranma's arms, while Ranma thinks about what was going to take to free Usagi from Raul's clutches.
Tbc.
Author's note: Next time is "Ranma versus Usagi". See you next time…