SMSTSS 25: My Own Worst Enemy! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other properties belong to their respective owners. Unless stated otherwise, no other characters belong to the author of this story.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 37
Eight weeks ago…
"It always comes to THIS," Usagi said, as she sat in front of the combatants. "But, this is a necessary thing to uphold the honor and traditions of 'The Way'…"
Every year, on the site of the Roman Coliseum in Rome, Italy, famous action star Chuck Norris would spar with the champion of Usagi Tsukino, this time with Taimu Kyuusaisha. Her first champion was Bruce Lee, who challenged Chuck under the guise "John 'Colt' Braddock", when Chuck was working undercover for the Central Intelligence Agency in Italy in the early 1970s. Chuck, as Colt, was investigating reports that the Italian mafia may have developed connections with the Communists, as facilitators of the drug trade. Lee, who was visiting family when he wasn't acting, had mistakenly thought that Colt was part of the mafia, while Colt thought that Lee was a Chinese communist intelligence agent. Colt would kidnap Usagi in order to lure Lee to the Roman Coliseum, where he would fight Lee in a death match. It was only when Ranma intervened, who knew Colt as a fellow martial artist and soldier stationed at the American Osan Air Base in South Korea. Still, although the misunderstanding was cleared up, both Chuck and Lee continued to spar against each other once a year, at the same site as "friendly rivals". In fact, their legendary exploits would be turned into a pseudo-documentary known as "Return of the Dragon", which is still a popular film amongst martial arts aficionados. After Lee died from "mysterious circumstances", Ranma would take up the challenge. Unfortunately, with Ranma off planet, there would not have been someone to keep up the tradition, until NOW.
"BOOT!" Chuck yelled, as he gave the boot to Taimu.
WHAM!
"Arrgh!" Taimu yelled, more out of surprise than not.
"Roundhouse Kick!"
Whack-WHAM!
Taimu goes through a nearby wall.
"You just received…the Heel of Justice!" Chuck said, as he shifted his stance. Although he was an actor normally, Chuck was a deputized member of the Texas Rangers.
Taimu gets up.
"How in the hell can you move slowly, and yet I can't dodge a simple kick?" Taimu asked Chuck bewilderedly.
"That's because Carlos isn't moving slowly," Usagi said.
"Okay, then how-?" Taimu said, before he realized something.
Chuck was, in fact, moving at a rapid rate, but did so by creating the illusion of moving slowly. This was a modification of the "Body Flicker Technique", where Chuck snap kicks his attack before the image of the kick registers in the defender's mind.
With this in mind, Taimu adjusts his tactics…
SLAMP!
Adjusting his timing, Taimu manages catches Chuck's leg by crossing his forearms into an "X" formation
KTCH!
Taimu, with a smirk, then pulls Chuck forward, forcing the action star to move forward. With a twist of his waist, Taimu performs to classic "Explosive Knuckle Punch" into Chuck's chest.
KA-BOOM!
A flash of light and one explosive impact later, Chuck sails backwards and through a wall.
CRASH!
"Alright," Taimu said with a smile, as he began to shuffle back and forth around like a boxer.
"About time," Usagi said with a smirk. "That's problem with you guys: all technique, little in the way of skill. RANMA would have figured what Chuck was doing a LONG time ago."
"Hey, I resent that…"
After Taimu won his fight, Usagi decides to treat her bodyguard to a night on the town.
"You know, this isn't what I had in mind, you know," as an exotic dancer entertained Taimu.
"Stop being such a baby, Taimu," Usagi said, as another exotic dancer entertained her. "Just enjoy your moment."
"But you do know that Requiem has returned, right?"
"Of course I do. Right now, he is paying a visit to my Anti-verse counterpart, even as we speak…"
Seven weeks ago...
"So, little man, you want MY soul?" Lunacy said, as she had Lord Rei, the prime version of the entity known as Requiem, strung up on a rack. "You do realize that I would have expected your betrayal?"
Rei sneers at his indignation. He, a being of great power, who took down gods and alien intelligences, was being strung up like a chicken ready for slaughter…
"A mistake," Rei said evenly. "But you know that I need your power to conquer OUR enemy."
Lunacy shakes her head.
"You know, I don't know how you managed to get THIS far, but your social skills…are awful. I sponsored you because my rival would never suspect you to show up to cause her harm, especially since I had given you the flesh suit of Ranma Saotome. That way, you can at least have a psychological edge on your foe. But, you blew it by engaging the Moon Princess with the finesse of a bull in a china shop. And look what happened to you? You lost the bulk of your resources, and you were forced to stab ME, an ally, in the back."
Pause.
"Why didn't you ask for my help from the beginning?"
"Simple: I want to own my own victories," Rei said. "And getting my power from you would remind me of my inability to secure a legitimate victory."
"Awwww. How…pathetic. But, I understand."
With the wave of her hand, Lunacy releases Rei from his bounds.
CLANG!
Rei rubs his wrists, suspicious of Lunacy's intentions.
"I have to say that killing me would not have worked anyway," Lunacy said. "Just because I am the Moon Princess' counterpart, that doesn't mean I have the abilities that would suit your needs."
"Then how can you help me?" Rei said.
"Well, if you want a legitimate victory, you need to go to the source of your power. I had to follow my own path to obtain power. You will have to do the same thing."
"How?"
"By becoming more than just a 'Lord of Chaos', my friend…"
"?"
Lunacy taps her staff onto the ground, and a dark portal opens up.
"This portal leads to the Dark Umbral Realms. If you survive the trek, you will have the power that you seek. Only the level of skill and experience will separate you and the Moon Princess.
"I see," Rei said hesitantly. He knew that Dr. Itchi and Soma could handle things a bit while he is gone…
Silence.
"Well?"
"If this is a trick-?"
"Oh, releasing you instead of killing you right here and now, while on the rack, is SOME trick," Lunacy said sarcastically.
"Good point," Rei said, as he steps up to the portal. He could feel the dark, dank cold emanating from the portal…
"Here goes nothing…"
With that, Rei steps into the portal, and disappears.
FWOOSH!
"Idiot," Lunacy said, as the portal to the Dark Umbra dissipates.
Meanwhile, Rei found himself on a beach. The sand was gray, the air smelled of death and the Moon was full. He could hear incessant sounds of chattering.
"What the-?" Rei said, as he realized that the seas were full of people, who were gnashing teeth.
"Interesting," said a familiar voice.
Rei turns around to see the Moon Princess, who was dressed in a gown. Only, it wasn't her…
She had black eyes.
"You are not native to this Reality," the person said.
"What are you?" Rei said, as he gets into a fighting stance. He could tell that this entity's power dwarfed his, the Moon Princess' and Lunacy's combined.
"I have many names, but you may refer to me as 'The Dark Princess'," the Dark Princess said. "I am the embodiment of Oblivion, the Autumn, the Sunset, the Nothing and the Dark. Basically…I am THE END."
Pause.
"Why are you here, Lord of Chaos?"
"You are the person that I seek," Rei said, as he bows. "I want the power to destroy the Moon Princess, so that I may rest."
"You are not the first to seek her destruction," the Dark Princess said. "So, why do you think you will be the last?"
"She is the representation of the sum of my existence, My Lady. She represents control over my life, and I seek to end that control to gain freedom."
"Without Order, there cannot be growth," the Dark Princess replied. "Perhaps, I should end your existence to bring you the peace you crave?"
"And deny the Moon Princess a chance to redeem those that I have slain thus far?"
"Explain."
"I have killed entire worlds just to spite the Moon Princess, so that she can prepare to face me. Kill me, and she will not have a chance to do what is right to avenge my victims."
Silence.
"Not too long ago, the Moon Princess convinced me to stay my hand, by showing me life through her eyes. I warned her that there would be a price to be paid, if I did not destroy her Creation…"
Silence.
"Therefore, I shall grant you your boon, if you survive your trek across the Stygian Seas, and through the Labyrinth of Sorry to reach me at World's End. Do that, survive your journey, and I shall give you the power to destroy the Moon Princess…"
And, with that, the Dark Princess fades from view.
Rei looks around the beach. There was no boat for him to cross this ocean of flesh-
"Hsssss!"
Rei turns around to see mockeries of the imagination. Some were humanoid, others…not so much. And all of them had killing intent.
"Hmmm," Rei said with a smile…
Hours later, after strapping the dead carcasses together to make a boat, Rei sets sail across the Stygian Seas. Along the way, he would run into all manner of horrors, some humanoid, some others…not so much. But he relished the challenge regardless.
Six weeks ago…
Upon learning that Dr. Ichi and Requiem's friend Soma had brought in extra players in this "Requiem War", Usagi and her bodyguard went to one of Requiem's remaining facilities to deal with these "extra players"…
"YEAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH-!" Cold Lizard yelled, as the fusion of Android Cell and the tyrant Frieza vaporized.
"Idiot," Sailor Cosmos said, as she lowered her Cosmic Moon Staff while wonder how Requiem was able to recreate a fully developed, fully functional clone of the first Cold Lizard. What Cold Lizard did not know was that she had the DNA strands of Android Cell and Majin Buu. And since Android Cell had the combined DNA of the Z Warriors Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Nappa, Raditz, Vegeta, Tien, Chiaotzu, Krillin, Yamcha, Frieza and King Cold, Usagi had all the techniques that "Cold Lizard" had. The result was a more humiliating defeat at the Moon Princess' hands, than when her husband killed the first version of the tyrant.
"Who wears 'short-shorts'?" Sailor Cosmos said, as she flexed her hips sexily.
BLAM! Hzzzz
Meanwhile, Taimu uses his lightsaber to block Count Dooku's attack.
"You are a good with the lightsaber, my young friend," Dooku said, as he pushes his opponent backwards.
"Not only that, I'm tricky," Taimu replied, as he activates his SECOND lightsaber, which Dooku did not notice.
SNAP! Hzzzz-
SPLURCH!
Dooku was surprised by this, as he begins to slump unto the ground. His last thought was that his sponsor should have left him and his colleague to their own devices…
SLUMP!
"I salute you, Count," Taimu said, as he raised his salute.
"Well, I guess that's that," Sailor Cosmos said, as she surveyed the scene. "You know, I think we can win this thing."
"Well, it ain't going to get any easier, that's for sure," Taimu said with a sigh.
Five weeks ago...
"Game over," Dr. Itchi said. "GAME OVER-!"
SLAP!
"Get a grip on yourself, doctor," Soma Cruz said. "There is still time to deal with this situation before Rei returns from his 'trip'. Until then…we step things up."
Tbc.