SMST 6C: Hero Ultimate! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 25
Meanwhile…
"It's beautiful," Hotaru said, as she and her companions entered Kryptonian airspace.
"And there's certainly a lot of ships escorting us," Bra said, as she looked at the monitors, as the Ranusagi made its final approach to New Kandor.
Ranma looks back towards his wife (one of many).
"Ah, you're awake," Ranma said.
"Yes, I wanted to get a beauty nap," Bra said, as she sits down. "So, where are we?"
"Kandor," Power Woman said, as she looks back.
"Wait, wasn't Kandor on Earth?"
"New planet, same name. The city was moved, that's all."
"Oh."
"However, rumor has it that there are some people who want to return to Earth, preferring the excitement there to what's been going on New Krypton," Ranma said. "I don't blame them, though."
"Are you sure it is safe for us to be here?" Dr. Ono asked, as he squeezed Kasumi's hand. "I don't want anyone to get harmed."
"Don't worry about it, Doc," Ranma said. "You deal with Superman, you pretty much deal with a whole bunch of jerks cut from the same cloth."
"That's not very nice, Ranma," Kasumi chided gently.
"Kasumi, I've dealt with these sorts of people before," Ranma said. "They get a little power, and then they act like gods or something."
"Sugar, you're god," Ukyo said.
"And so are you and Kasumi, what of it?"
"Um, Kasumi?" Dr. Ono said.
"Yes, dear?" Kasumi replied.
"Since when have you been…a god?"
"Um," Kasumi said bashfully.
"Forget I mention it," Ranma said.
"No, I would like to hear about this-"
BEEP!
Ranma looks at his instrument panel.
"Ulp, we got to table this fine discussion," Ranma said. "And remember, mind your manners, since I wouldn't be surprise if Zod uses any slight as a pretext sanction us."
"Oh, my," Kasumi said.
Once the Ranusagi lands on the principle flight deck, Ranma and Power Woman were the first to step outside the ship.
"They don't look too happy, Ranma," Bra said, as she followed close behind.
Ranma scans the area, where he sees soldiers pointing energy rifles at him. His scan falls upon the apparent leader of these particular guardsmen.
"Welcome to New Krypton, Ranma Saotome," Commander Flora Wor-Ul said in Kryptonese, as she steps forth.
"Well, it looks like you've been doing good, Flora," Ranma replied likewise. He picked up the Kryptonian language through Usagi, who learned it in order to make sure that her daughter Power Woman got to know her Kryptonian heritage…
"It's 'commander', now, Saotome," Flora said. "And I am still mad at you for not staying in touch."
"Flora-"
"Uh-hum?"
"Commander, you know that Zod can get crazy with jealousy, even if you two are not together."
"The only thing that owe General Zod is my loyalty, and my cordiality…where our son Christopher is concerned."
Flora steps up close to Ranma, which gets Bra angry.
"Unless you are afraid of Zod, I EXPECT you to keep in touch."
"Um…"
"Excuse me!" Bra said, as she interceded between Ranma and Flora. "I have something to say-"
CLICK!
Guns were now moved in close, this time pointing towards Bra.
"You will find, Saiyan, that we do not tolerate rudeness," Flora said. And then-
TING!
Ukyo creates a blue force field between everyone and the squad, while Kasumi picks up Bra with an indigo energy sphere.
"Ranma-" Hotaru said.
"Stay back," Dr. Tofu said, as he held unto Hotaru.
"But-"
"Let Ranma and Power Woman handle this…"
"Commander, we need permission to see my uncle Zor-El and Aunt Alura about my mother," Power Woman said. "And last time I recall, my mother and I are of the House of El."
"Humph," Flora said.
"Now, do we have permission to be on New Krypton?" Ranma asked.
"Will you set up a romantic date with me?" Flora said.
Ranma sighs. Normally, he wouldn't mind, but setting up dates while Usagi was ill seemed wrong to him. Still…
"Fine, Flora," Ranma said in defeat. "How about…a week from today?"
"Ranma!" Bra yells, as she was on the verge becoming a Super-Saiyan, out of anger.
"Bra, calm down," Ranma replied, as he glances over towards his wife. "I don't like being bribed into a date, but Usagi's life hangs in the balance."
Bra grits her teeth, but calms down nevertheless.
Ranma then turns his attention towards Flora.
"Permission to disembark?" Ranma asked.
"Humph," Flora said. "Permission granted-"
"Ranma, Lara!" said Zor-El, as he and his wife Alura come flying in.
"Sorry about being late," Alura said, as she and her husband land. "We were briefly detained by General Zod."
Zor-El and Alura both turn to look at Flora, who was brushing the fingernails of her right hand on her uniform nonchalantly.
"Well, I'm glad that you're here to help Usagi in her time of need," Ranma said.
"We consider her family," Zor-El said. "And with Lara here, we can figure out a way to balance Usagi's physiology…"
Meanwhile…
The Orochimaruko and Barry began walking down the path of a local Central City park, which was situated close to the Flash Museum.
"So, how does it feel to be technically alive?" Orochimaruko said.
Barry turns to look at Usagi with a raised eyebrow.
"Why am I talking to YOU?" Barry said. "By your own words, you're a villain now."
"No, I'm an 'anti-villain'."
"Huh?"
"An 'anti-villain' is a bad guy who does good thing, while an 'anti-hero' is a hero that does bad thing," Orochimaruko said. "I, fall in the former case, because while I will kill and steal with no compunction, innocents are off limits."
"You do know that there are laws against that sort of thing."
"Well, Mister 'Law-and-Order'," Orochimaruko said sweetly, as she stuck her wrist out. "Cuff me…but you should strip-search me FIRST."
Barry growls. Even if he did make a citizens arrest Orochimaruko, there was nothing that could contain her…
"Please," Barry said, as he looks away. "First, I'm married…now, and, secondly…isn't given you access to the 'Speed Force' good enough?"
FLASHBACK!
Years ago…
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Usagi banged on the door to Barry's apartment. For months, Barry was in a state of mourning, ever since his wife Iris had died at the hands of Barry's arch-nemesis, Professor Zoom…the Reverse-Flash. Personally, such a name was so…odd to Usagi…
Nevertheless, Usagi had promised Iris that she would always be there for Barry, in case something ever happened to her. And since she was separated from her husband, Usagi decided to fulfill her promise to the letter.
"Barry?" Usagi said. "I KNOW you're in there…"
"Coming," came a muffled reply.
Usagi stepped back, and waited for a moment.
CHUNK-CLICK!
Barry opens the door to his apartment, looking a bit haggard.
"Yeah, what do you want?" Barry asked.
"May I come in, please?" Usagi asked.
Barry shrugged, as he steps aside.
"Thanks," Usagi replied, as she enters the apartment.
CHUNK-CLICK!
"What do you want?" Barry said.
"I brought you your mail from the station," Usagi said, as she takes a stack of mail from her bag. "The boys in blue send their regards, and wish you a speedy recovery."
"Errrr, thanks," Barry said, as he accepts the mail…before tossing the pile on a coffee table. "Okay, you're here, now what?"
"Now, YOU get cleaned up, so we get something to eat," Usagi said.
"I don't feel like eating-"
"Look, mister. Iris told me to make sure that you will always be taken care of, if anything ever happens to her. Are you going to make me a liar?"
Barry tilts his head.
"You lying to me about that, huh?" Barry said suspiciously.
"Barry, if I was lying, in your state, I can pretend to be Iris, and basically use that to take over your life…and you know what I am capable of."
Barry stares into Usagi's eyes…
"Okay, okay, you've convinced me," Barry chuckled. "Okay, let me get cleaned up…"
A minute later, Barry steps out of his bedroom. He was clean-shaven, and was dressed in a blazer and slacks.
"I'm ready-" Barry said, as he buttons his cuffs. He looks up to see that the entire apartment was cleaned, as Usagi takes the flute from her lips.
"Ah, you're ready," Usagi said, as she puts the flute away. "I was just cleaning up around here a bit."
"How-?"
"Animated the furniture, furnishings and the cleaning supplies, while compressing Time. Thus, an entire day's work of clean was done in a minute."
"Hmmm," Barry said. "You wouldn't have been The Pied Piper's student, or something?"
"Which one? Because I learned from the original guy with the same name in Europe, when I had a rivalry with the witch Baba Yaga, but taught the guy that gives you problems NOW."
Pause.
"Why is it that witch hunters assume you're a witch, simply because you like learning new things? Though, I do admit, the Brothers Grimm were kind of cute…"
"…"
"But, you're ready?"
"Yes, and YOU are treating."
"Find, like you can afford anything on YOUR salary…"
The days become weeks, while the weeks become months. Barry and Usagi had the interesting relationship of being close friends, but nothing beyond that happened. Mostly, Barry had a thing still for his late wife, while, at the same time, worrying what Ranma would say, if he learned that Barry was going on with Usagi. And then, something changed the dynamics of the relationship…
"…And as you can see, Your Honor," Usagi said, as she took off her glasses, so she can clean them for effect. "The evidence that the prosecution has tried to use against my client should be null and void."
Everyone in the courthouse was speechless, after Usagi used devastating "Chewbacca Defense", before it became famous during the infamous "OJ Simpson Trial". Usagi had volunteered her legal skills to put of a defense in discovery, due to the fact that Barry was accused of manslaughter for the death of Professor Zoom, who had been the one to murder Barry's wife Iris. And now, Usagi was determined to see if she gets a good man "off"…
"Ahhhhhhh-!" screamed a woman in the audience, as she ran out of the courtroom while holding her head. "Make it stop…make it STOP-!"
"Order in the court!" the judge said, as he banged the gavel. "Prosecution?"
The prosecution was banging his head on the table…
"Okay," the judge said. "In light of this new…evidence, the case against Barry Allen, for the murder in the first degree, is now DISMISSED."
BANG!
"Well, we did it!" Usagi said, as she hugged Barry.
"I couldn't believe YOU did it, Usagi," Barry said.
The two were about to break the hug, when something in each other eyes caught their attention.
A moment later, the two break their hug.
"Er, sorry," Barry said.
"No, it's okay," Usagi said. "We're friends right-?"
BOOM!
There were screams being heard, as something was tearing up the streets.
"I better go see what is happening," Barry said.
"Can I…come?" Usagi asked.
"Only if you keep up," Barry smiles.
"You're on."
Tbc.