SMST 5B: Journey to Adventure! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special note: There were some mistakes that had been made in a previous chapter. So, the corrections will be reflected in this entry. C&C are welcomed.
Part 21
Meanwhile…
"Wow," Sean said, as he caught a big fish…a fish that hadn't been seen in a million years…
As Sean reels in the catch from the underground ocean, his uncle Trevor begins to run up to his nephew.
"Sean, be careful!" Trevor said. "You don't know if that thing is edible or not."
"I wouldn't worry about it," Usagi said, as she continues weaving her sail, in order to build a raft. If they were to find Sean's father, the next step is to head to the other side of the sea…
Trevor turns towards Usagi.
"How do YOU know?" Trevor asked.
"Because I've been here, that's why. You really should relax."
"After yesterday, I don't know if I can…"
FLASHBACK!
For two minutes, the party continues to fall, some members screaming in the process.
"REALLY remind me NOT to go on these trips of yours!" Brittany yells.
"I said I was sorry, Brittany," Brianna replied.
"Sorry won't cut it if we go 'splat', you know!"
"You shouldn't worry too much, Brit," Ranma said, as he leans back with his arms behind his neck. "Just enjoy the ride."
"How can you be so nonchalant by this?" Hannah yells. "If I DO survive this drop, I expect a hazard pay!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Wait," Trevor said. "We might be able to get out of this."
"How is that possible?" Sean asked.
"These volcanic vents had to have been formed by water," Trevor said.
"So?" Hannah asked.
"So it's possible that we'll end up experience the equivalent of a 'water slide'."
"Then we can slow down," Gina interjects.
"Hopefully…"
"Wait, I think I feel some moisture, like the last time we came here," Usagi said.
"Good, we're almost there," Ranma said, as he adjusts his body. "Hang on-!"
SPLASH!
As everyone sinks to the bottom, they immediately dove deep enough to swim though the grotto.
"Whew, that was awesome," said Sean.
"Is everyone here?" Ranma said.
"I am," Gina said tiredly.
"Me, too," Brianna said.
"Now, what?" Brittany asked.
He then looks around.
"Wait, where's Trevor and Hannah?" Ranma said. "And Usagi for that matter-?"
SPLASH!
Everyone sees Usagi pulling Trevor and Hannah of the water.
"Trevor!" Sean said, as he goes over and help his uncle.
"Packs…heavy," Trevor managed to say.
"Thanks," Hannah said, as she coughs. "Now, what do we do next?"
"Yes, Ranma, what?" Brittany said.
"Maybe we can follow that blue light?" Sean said.
"What do you mean…follow?" Trevor asked.
As if on cue, the blue light particles come jetting downward, and swarming the group.
"Ah!" Hannah said.
"Wait," Ranma said. "These aren't light particles at all."
"These birds are glowing,"
"NIGHTJAYS!" Usagi said with joy. She turns towards Ranma with excitement.
"Ranma, we're on the outskirts of the 'Hollow World'!"
"The what?" Trevor said.
"I remember reading archeology journals about the 'Hollow World' phenomenon," Gina said. "There are many cultures that conclude that such a place is real."
"Then Jules Verne was a genius," Trevor said. "My brother Mark and Dr. Asgeirsson believed that Jules Verne was right about all of his depiction of the Hollow Earth…"
Trevor grins wildly, as he turns to face Ranma and Usagi.
"And YOU two knew this all the time."
"Yes, 'cuz we already told you," Ranma said. "Your brother wanted to go down to the Hollow Earth to prove his theories, after he was warned not to go down there."
"Why didn't you stop him?" Sean asked. "My dad could be dead because of you!"
"You can't stop a person who is possessed by an idea," Hannah said gently. "I have my father as proof of THAT."
"If your dad is as stubborn as your uncle, then he could be alive," Usagi said. "The Hollow Earth is a big place."
"Yes, that reminds me," Trevor said. "How is this even possible?"
"My friend, the world is stranger than you, think, Trevor," Ranma said with a smile. "Don't take the mystery out of it."
"So, where can we find my Dad?" Sean asked.
"First, we get adjusted to this elevation for a bit," Ranma said. "Then, we get re-supplied, and cross the underground sea."
"'Sea'?" Hannah said.
Ranma turns towards Hannah.
"A big one, too," Ranma said with a smile.
"Yes, well…I still expect that hazard pay, Mister Rantsu."
"You're no fun."
"Come," Usagi said. "We have a whole world to explore, and all we have to do is follow the Nightjays to open water."
"Well, just as long as we don't get chased or eaten by whatever is in Verne's book, is fine with me," Hannah said.
"But look at it this way," Trevor said. "At least Max and your father were right."
"Fat lot that does for us…"
END FLASHBACK!
"Okay," Ranma said, as he and the others walk out of the jungle. Earlier, they had rediscovered the place where Ranma and Usagi were held up with the original "Lindenbrock Expedition". It was also the place where Sean's father Max had stayed for a short while. "I know where your brother is hold up."
"You do?" Trevor said, as everyone turns towards Ranma.
"Yeah," Ranma said, as he shows Trevor some old notes he had discovered. They weren't Trevor's. "This is the map of the Hollow World."
"My goodness," Hannah said, as she places a finger on the map. "To think that there are humans living down here…"
"Well, when you put it like THAT, human is a loose term," Ranma said.
"You know where my Dad is?" Sean asked.
"Possibly. Apparently, he was sifting through Lindenbrock's notebook, and circled these coordinates."
Trevor takes a look at the coordinates under the light of the luminous sun. The strength of the light was that of the Sun in the afternoon.
"What's there?"
"Skartaris," Ranma said.
"Sounds like a fun place," Brittany said with a smirk.
"It is, if you don't mind being sacrificed to the Mud God."
"Huh?"
"Never mind that," Usagi said. "If we are to make it to Skartaris, and get out of here in 48 hours, then we don't have much time."
"What do you mean by that?" Brianna asked.
"Unfortunately, there are only a handful of 'vents' one can go to, but because the Earth is rotating, the flow of the magma changes," Ranma said. The nearest one is the one that leads to towards Italy."
"Okay, so we find another vent," Hannah said.
"Not going to be easy, considering the fact that we're dealing with a living planet, we may not make it. The Italian vent is our best bet."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Sean exclaims. "Let's get going!"
And so, after putting together large enough raft, the group is ready.
"Okay, we should put our 'kite sail' up in that head wind," Trevor said.
"Right," Ranma said, as he looks up. "Hopefully, we'll avoid the sea monsters."
"'Sea Monster'?"
An hour into the trip…
While Usagi was steering the water craft, she was singing a certain Christopher Cross song…
"SAAAAAILING!" Usagi said, as she turned the rudder. "KEEPING ME WAILING-!"
"Would you knock it off?" Hannah yells, as she smacks the head of an aquatic dinosaur. WHACK!
Somehow, everyone ended up in the midst of a feeding frenzy.
"RAAARRWRL!" said one of the sea monsters.
WHACK!
"Hands off!" Trevor said, as he smacks the head of the sea dinosaur.
"I think I'm going to get sea-sick!" Brianna said, as she leans over the side. "BLURGH!"
"Ew," Brittany replied.
"I think I got some Maalox in my pack somewhere…"
"Looking good, people," Ranma said, as he pulls the kite string.
"How can this be good?" Trevor replied incredulously.
"Trust me, there are worst sea creatures to contend with."
"…"
Soon, they make it to the outskirts of Skartaris. Unfortunately, their tiring ordeal across the underground sea was more than enough to allow the Lizardmen of Bal-Sagoth to capture them.
"I REALLY hope I don't need end up as food," Brittany said, a she and the others were tied to thick sticks, while being carried to some sort of pyramid-like temple.
"Don't worry," Ranma said. "I know their king."
"Why do I get a bad feeling about that?" Trevor said, as he struggled to raise his head.
Unfortunately, the King Raazz was mad at Usagi, over her role of in siding against with Lord Daamon, a rival of the Warlord Travis Morgan. Raazz was against supplanting Daamon out of fear of a power vacuum being formed. He turned out to be correct, when a band of renegade Atlanteans, led by Usagi's ex-lover Attum the Barbarian, invaded the land. And since Attuma was Usagi's lover, Usagi will be the one to pay for the trouble that Attuma had caused.
"You know, when it rains, it pours," said Ranma, as he jerked his chain a bit. He was strapped in a set up where is there isn't any tension on the chain, a large weight would fall on top of him.
Ranma then turns to his lovely wife.
"Any more psycho ex-boyfriends I should know about?" Ranma asked.
"Hey, don't put this all on me, Ranma," Usagi yelled back, as she was tied to a stone alter. "You're not the one who is going to be sacrificed to the Mud God, you know!"
Meanwhile, Trevor and Sean did manage to find Sean's father, who, along with other human slaves, were working the mines for precious gems.
"Is that you, Trevor?" Mark said, as he hunches over away from the other scraggily slaves.
The men had been separated from the women, after being brought over to the holding pen.
"Um, yes," Trevor said hesitantly, as he saw his brother. "Man, what happened to you?"
"I…kind of had a detour," Mark said.
Sean steps forward.
"…"
"Who's the kid?" Mark asked.
"This is Sean," Trevor said.
Mark looks at the boy, and realized that Trevor was speaking the truth.
"S-Sean?"
"Hi," Sean said, as he waved. "You forgot this…"
Sean present Mark his old compass, which was given to Trevor shortly after Mark's disappearance.
"Sean!" Mark yelled, as he rushes over to the boy, and hugs him tightly.
Trevor begins to tear up…
"Dad, we got to get you out of here," Sean said, as he and his father broke the hug.
"But how-?"
BOOM!
The cell doors are blasted in, as Brianna walks in carrying a rather large energy weapon.
"I never leave home without it," Brianna said, as she cocks the gun.
CLAK!
Hannah comes running in.
"Guys, we're leaving," Hannah said. She and Brianna had been forced to wear primitive wear, so they could become concubines to the Lizardmen.
"Wow," Trevor said. "You look-"
"DON'T say anything," Hannah said. "I have had enough of this nonsense to last a life time."
"I was about to say exhausted," Trevor said.
"Sure, right," Hannah said, as she rolled her eyes.
"Wait, where are the others?"
"Busy."
"Ah."
Tbc.