Ranma 1/2
Ascension
"That still leaves us with where Ranma got his newfound abilities," Mint interjected, "If he is capable of traveling off-planet for his tasks, we should assume an accomplice, possibly."
"That would be a good assumption," Cologne replied, "which brings me to the subject of Akane."
"That can't be Akane," Nabiki simply stated as if it were as factual as stating the grass was green. Cologne would have flinched at the lack of emotion in the girl, she was as dead as the rest of her kin. As it was, the old woman could barely muster enough strength to continue herself.
"I agree with you Ms. Tendou. Whoever that was was well too powerful to be your desceased sister, to be anything that was once mortal, for that matter. Who, or whatever she was, had power to aid Ranma in whatever he needed to do."
"Great, so Ranma is being mind controlled by that conniving bitch?" Ukyo grabbed onto the idea without any other consideration. It obviously would be the only possible explanation for what Ranma's doing. There's no way he could have done... what he did.
Cologne shook her head sadly; no matter what she would say, she knew the girl would not believe her, "Saotome-san, Ranma was doing this all of his own free will. If you were to notice, he had looked at the being wearing the guise of Akane with total adoration and love beyond all else. Influenced, maybe, but obviously not mind control."
"Aye, the desceased, though as noble as it was for him to willingly submit to his own demise for his hand in the angel Akane Tendou's demise, was far from innocent in his blackened heart."
"All of this is redundant until we are able to figure what his next move is," Mousse added, after gagging Kuno with a rubber ducky, "Unless we are able to get more from him, all of this is stipulation."
"Correct on some accounts," Cologne answered, "He has made the opening volley, it is now our turn."
"Great-Grandmother? You have something in mind?"
"Yes, and as much as I'm sure the rest of you would be displeased, I need for you to sit tight until for the time being." With that, Cologne bounded from the Tendou home, and towards the Cat Cafe.
____________________________________
Ranma continued to sit on the rock he had found in the opening, ignoring the two Musk scouts that were watching him from the coverings of the woods. He knew they knew who he was already, and instead of attempting to confront him or greet him, they would go report to Herb or whoever was currently in charge. Soon enough everyone would know he was here.
"So... that is Ranma?" enquired the feral looking though slender boy that had feathers lining the collar of his tunic.
"Yes, that is the one our prince holds in such reverence," replied the taller and also slender boy with hair like a horse's mane, "Perhaps it would be best if we were to allow Prince Herb the honor of greeting him?"
The two scouts nodded to each other, hand headed back. Ranma turned to where they had departed from, and smiled.
____________________________________
"Welcome, it is not often I get visitors," greeted the young man with hair that waved in a non-existant wind and appeared as if it were made of a part of space itself, if such a description could be fitted.
"I am sure you know the reason I am here," Cologne replied, cutting to the chase.
The young man frowned, and sat down in the wicker chair that was suddenly behind him, "What is it you require of me."
"You can put a stop to this." Cologne said simply, and kept her expression neutral at the sudden smirk her host drew.
"How do you surmise that?"
"You were the one that we were to come to if such a situation were to arise. Such power does not belong in the hands of a boy, and how he wields it is unjustly. You have to admit that he is not worthy."
The young warrior's smile grew larger, "So, that is the reason no one ever comes to visit. You know it gets rather lonely..." he looked around at... whatever, "here."
Cologne knew better than to look around, to do so would quickly rip her mind apart, as her perceptions were not made to handle the 'scenery' for lack of a better word. It was taking all she had to just scale down her senses and imagine the young warrior and the wicker chair he sat in. Cologne had even approached him with her eyes closed, so that she would not suffer the sensory overload the dimension she was in would reek on her. "This is a serious situation, though it may not be of your total concern you..."
"Oh, I have a great deal of concern in this matter with Ranma Saotome," The other realm God interjected, "But... that is not the reason I will not help you."
"What?" Cologne hoped she had heard him wrong, "Can you explain your answer, if I may?"
"Simple, Ranma has not done anything wrong."
"WHAT?!?" Cologne was sure this dimension was playing with her mind now.
"No, you are not being driven insane by this place," the young man consoled, knowing the elder woman's thoughts.
"He has killed half of the universe on a WHIM!"
The young warrior shrugged, "Your point being?" Cologne wanted to argue, but she already knew it was futile. "Ranma simply is following one of your universe's prime edicts, 'Survival of the fittest'. Ranma is now the 'fittest' of your realm. Why would I interfere with such a trivial matter?"
"But.. he has, he..."
"I know, killed half the beings of the universe. Your illusions of morality interfere with your perception of things. Ranma is now the ultimate predator of your realm. All predators only follow what their nature tells them. He killed as his power allowed him to. If he chooses to eliminate all beings of your universe, it is well within his right."
Cologne shuddered at the frankness of the God before her, but she could not find fault with his logic from his perspective. She knew that he was only giving her the truth, and knew before hand the slim chance it would be to enlist his aid through morality. "Perhaps... perhaps you like to face Ranma as a challenge? Even before his newfound might, he was one of the greatest warriors potentially of our realm."
Cologne found slight hope, when the warrior seemed to ponder it, "No."
"No?" Cologne repeated with a smug tone, "You fear Ranma now? The great other-God that defeated the Universe entire in battle fears one of mortal origins?"
"Humorous" the God replied, "Quite simply, I just don't feel any obligation to challenge a mere boy. Perhaps when he comes to truly know his power, I may find the appeal."
Out of fustration, Cologne thought to goad him, and found the results just the same, "Then there is no hope of your assistance?"
"I would say I am sorry, but..."
Cologne only nodded, and closed her eyes. She opened them again to find herself once again in the basement of the Cat Cafe. There was only one hope left now. Ranma has only come into his power fairly recently. His human mind could not truly comprehend the scope of his powers. That shall be his downfall.
____________________________________
Kuno and Mousse traded blows in the knee deep snow. Wooden blade slammed against wooden blade in attempts to find their way past each other, and point out the weakness in their opponent's defense. Mousse had to admit, as much of a buffoon the kenoist was, he was rather skilled in the ways of the sword.
Kuno himself had a begruding respect for the Amazon, though he was not to his own calibur in the arts of the blade, Mousse held his own fairly well. Kuno had noted the foul stench of magic in his opponent's technique, but it didn't bother him much.
Kuno broke off the trade off to size up his opponent once again, and to begin another triad, "Impressive, your skills my not be comparable to mine own, but they are great of themselves."
Mousse was in a crane stance, holding his wooden Tai Chi sword horizontally, "And I give my praise to you and your technique. I see you have much improved in your ability."
"Hmm, though the great Kuno had needed no improvement since our last bout so long ago, I accept your praise," With that, Kuno shifted into a ground to sky blade stance with his bokken, and slowly scooted towards Mousse, who continued to stand upon one leg. Before they could continue their sparring, Ukyo came out into the yard.
"Cologne's returned, and she has something to say to all of us."
____________________________________
Ranma once again looked up from where he was sitting towards the same direction Akane was looking dispassionatly towards. The pigtailed young man scowled, "They would destroy this planet if they were to fight me."
He knew how desperate everyone was getting; how they felt the need to quickly eliminate the threat to the whole universe at the cost of one planet.
"I'm afraid that I cannot allow that to happen." Ranma made a fist as he stared off into the eastern sky...
____________________________________
"My prince," started the first scout with the horse like mane of hair, we return with news."
Herb turned to his two scouts with a tired and exasperated expression. He had been working hard to bring order to his kingdom and the whole province in general after the Great Death; the task was beginning to show its toll on his face, "Yes, what is it you have to report?"
"Your proclaimed alley and fellow warrior..." Herb suddenly stopped paying attention, and stared off towards where his two runners had come from. Without warning, he walked past the two scouts and out to the balcony...
____________________________________
"We're going to have to fight Ranma by ourselves," Cologne stated gravely, "I had hoped that we could gain valuable assistance from one whose power would equal Ranma's but that was to no avail."
"And where do you expect to get someone who can take on the supposed God of all there is?" Ukyo enquired negatively.
"Why, from some other 'all there is," Cologne replied with mirth, "Nonetheless, Ranma at the moment is still very vunerable. He could not have adapted to his full power so soon, so it is our best chance to defeat him before he is capable of grasping everything he is capable of."
"A suicide run?" Kodachi interjected.
"To put it bluntly, yes," Cologne replied, noting the winces from several of the occupants, "We simply cannot just let Ranma keep such power. There's just too much here at stake."
"Okay, so we have to do this quickly," Nabiki stated, "but we have no idea where... Cologne?"
The old woman was looking to the west with wide, fearful eyes...
____________________________________
Lum prayed at her family's grave. She ensured that Ataru was quickly laid to rest, and as his will decreed, with as many dirty magazines and nude pictures of her as could be fitted into the family shrine that was their resting place for their ashes.
She stood up and looked at the family marker with a dispassionate expression. She had grieved already, now all that was left was to make whatever did this to him pay. He father had contacted her shortly after the Invisible Slaughter; her mother and Ten had also perished. They were now en route to Earth along with the Juraian Royal Force, Galaxy Police, and several other organizations and races that were intending to join the fray. They should be here any moment, in fact...
Lum was startled by the way the sky turned from frost gray to crimson, and turned to where the massive sky-blanketing beam of power was heading...
Her keen eyesight allowed her to see the multitudes of explosions on one point in space.
____________________________________
Tsunami's eyes went wide. She was the only one that even saw it coming. It was much, much too much power for her to even attempt to shield anyone from instantly. It happened too quickly.
The united space armada was completely overrun by the wave of energy.
____________________________________
"Uh, I'd say he's somewhere over there," Ukyo whispered, pointing towards the west.
Cologne felt even more fear than she had ever known. That must have come from China itself, "QUICK, I NEED TO GET TO THE PHONE!!!"
Ascension
"That still leaves us with where Ranma got his newfound abilities," Mint interjected, "If he is capable of traveling off-planet for his tasks, we should assume an accomplice, possibly."
"That would be a good assumption," Cologne replied, "which brings me to the subject of Akane."
"That can't be Akane," Nabiki simply stated as if it were as factual as stating the grass was green. Cologne would have flinched at the lack of emotion in the girl, she was as dead as the rest of her kin. As it was, the old woman could barely muster enough strength to continue herself.
"I agree with you Ms. Tendou. Whoever that was was well too powerful to be your desceased sister, to be anything that was once mortal, for that matter. Who, or whatever she was, had power to aid Ranma in whatever he needed to do."
"Great, so Ranma is being mind controlled by that conniving bitch?" Ukyo grabbed onto the idea without any other consideration. It obviously would be the only possible explanation for what Ranma's doing. There's no way he could have done... what he did.
Cologne shook her head sadly; no matter what she would say, she knew the girl would not believe her, "Saotome-san, Ranma was doing this all of his own free will. If you were to notice, he had looked at the being wearing the guise of Akane with total adoration and love beyond all else. Influenced, maybe, but obviously not mind control."
"Aye, the desceased, though as noble as it was for him to willingly submit to his own demise for his hand in the angel Akane Tendou's demise, was far from innocent in his blackened heart."
"All of this is redundant until we are able to figure what his next move is," Mousse added, after gagging Kuno with a rubber ducky, "Unless we are able to get more from him, all of this is stipulation."
"Correct on some accounts," Cologne answered, "He has made the opening volley, it is now our turn."
"Great-Grandmother? You have something in mind?"
"Yes, and as much as I'm sure the rest of you would be displeased, I need for you to sit tight until for the time being." With that, Cologne bounded from the Tendou home, and towards the Cat Cafe.
____________________________________
Ranma continued to sit on the rock he had found in the opening, ignoring the two Musk scouts that were watching him from the coverings of the woods. He knew they knew who he was already, and instead of attempting to confront him or greet him, they would go report to Herb or whoever was currently in charge. Soon enough everyone would know he was here.
"So... that is Ranma?" enquired the feral looking though slender boy that had feathers lining the collar of his tunic.
"Yes, that is the one our prince holds in such reverence," replied the taller and also slender boy with hair like a horse's mane, "Perhaps it would be best if we were to allow Prince Herb the honor of greeting him?"
The two scouts nodded to each other, hand headed back. Ranma turned to where they had departed from, and smiled.
____________________________________
"Welcome, it is not often I get visitors," greeted the young man with hair that waved in a non-existant wind and appeared as if it were made of a part of space itself, if such a description could be fitted.
"I am sure you know the reason I am here," Cologne replied, cutting to the chase.
The young man frowned, and sat down in the wicker chair that was suddenly behind him, "What is it you require of me."
"You can put a stop to this." Cologne said simply, and kept her expression neutral at the sudden smirk her host drew.
"How do you surmise that?"
"You were the one that we were to come to if such a situation were to arise. Such power does not belong in the hands of a boy, and how he wields it is unjustly. You have to admit that he is not worthy."
The young warrior's smile grew larger, "So, that is the reason no one ever comes to visit. You know it gets rather lonely..." he looked around at... whatever, "here."
Cologne knew better than to look around, to do so would quickly rip her mind apart, as her perceptions were not made to handle the 'scenery' for lack of a better word. It was taking all she had to just scale down her senses and imagine the young warrior and the wicker chair he sat in. Cologne had even approached him with her eyes closed, so that she would not suffer the sensory overload the dimension she was in would reek on her. "This is a serious situation, though it may not be of your total concern you..."
"Oh, I have a great deal of concern in this matter with Ranma Saotome," The other realm God interjected, "But... that is not the reason I will not help you."
"What?" Cologne hoped she had heard him wrong, "Can you explain your answer, if I may?"
"Simple, Ranma has not done anything wrong."
"WHAT?!?" Cologne was sure this dimension was playing with her mind now.
"No, you are not being driven insane by this place," the young man consoled, knowing the elder woman's thoughts.
"He has killed half of the universe on a WHIM!"
The young warrior shrugged, "Your point being?" Cologne wanted to argue, but she already knew it was futile. "Ranma simply is following one of your universe's prime edicts, 'Survival of the fittest'. Ranma is now the 'fittest' of your realm. Why would I interfere with such a trivial matter?"
"But.. he has, he..."
"I know, killed half the beings of the universe. Your illusions of morality interfere with your perception of things. Ranma is now the ultimate predator of your realm. All predators only follow what their nature tells them. He killed as his power allowed him to. If he chooses to eliminate all beings of your universe, it is well within his right."
Cologne shuddered at the frankness of the God before her, but she could not find fault with his logic from his perspective. She knew that he was only giving her the truth, and knew before hand the slim chance it would be to enlist his aid through morality. "Perhaps... perhaps you like to face Ranma as a challenge? Even before his newfound might, he was one of the greatest warriors potentially of our realm."
Cologne found slight hope, when the warrior seemed to ponder it, "No."
"No?" Cologne repeated with a smug tone, "You fear Ranma now? The great other-God that defeated the Universe entire in battle fears one of mortal origins?"
"Humorous" the God replied, "Quite simply, I just don't feel any obligation to challenge a mere boy. Perhaps when he comes to truly know his power, I may find the appeal."
Out of fustration, Cologne thought to goad him, and found the results just the same, "Then there is no hope of your assistance?"
"I would say I am sorry, but..."
Cologne only nodded, and closed her eyes. She opened them again to find herself once again in the basement of the Cat Cafe. There was only one hope left now. Ranma has only come into his power fairly recently. His human mind could not truly comprehend the scope of his powers. That shall be his downfall.
____________________________________
Kuno and Mousse traded blows in the knee deep snow. Wooden blade slammed against wooden blade in attempts to find their way past each other, and point out the weakness in their opponent's defense. Mousse had to admit, as much of a buffoon the kenoist was, he was rather skilled in the ways of the sword.
Kuno himself had a begruding respect for the Amazon, though he was not to his own calibur in the arts of the blade, Mousse held his own fairly well. Kuno had noted the foul stench of magic in his opponent's technique, but it didn't bother him much.
Kuno broke off the trade off to size up his opponent once again, and to begin another triad, "Impressive, your skills my not be comparable to mine own, but they are great of themselves."
Mousse was in a crane stance, holding his wooden Tai Chi sword horizontally, "And I give my praise to you and your technique. I see you have much improved in your ability."
"Hmm, though the great Kuno had needed no improvement since our last bout so long ago, I accept your praise," With that, Kuno shifted into a ground to sky blade stance with his bokken, and slowly scooted towards Mousse, who continued to stand upon one leg. Before they could continue their sparring, Ukyo came out into the yard.
"Cologne's returned, and she has something to say to all of us."
____________________________________
Ranma once again looked up from where he was sitting towards the same direction Akane was looking dispassionatly towards. The pigtailed young man scowled, "They would destroy this planet if they were to fight me."
He knew how desperate everyone was getting; how they felt the need to quickly eliminate the threat to the whole universe at the cost of one planet.
"I'm afraid that I cannot allow that to happen." Ranma made a fist as he stared off into the eastern sky...
____________________________________
"My prince," started the first scout with the horse like mane of hair, we return with news."
Herb turned to his two scouts with a tired and exasperated expression. He had been working hard to bring order to his kingdom and the whole province in general after the Great Death; the task was beginning to show its toll on his face, "Yes, what is it you have to report?"
"Your proclaimed alley and fellow warrior..." Herb suddenly stopped paying attention, and stared off towards where his two runners had come from. Without warning, he walked past the two scouts and out to the balcony...
____________________________________
"We're going to have to fight Ranma by ourselves," Cologne stated gravely, "I had hoped that we could gain valuable assistance from one whose power would equal Ranma's but that was to no avail."
"And where do you expect to get someone who can take on the supposed God of all there is?" Ukyo enquired negatively.
"Why, from some other 'all there is," Cologne replied with mirth, "Nonetheless, Ranma at the moment is still very vunerable. He could not have adapted to his full power so soon, so it is our best chance to defeat him before he is capable of grasping everything he is capable of."
"A suicide run?" Kodachi interjected.
"To put it bluntly, yes," Cologne replied, noting the winces from several of the occupants, "We simply cannot just let Ranma keep such power. There's just too much here at stake."
"Okay, so we have to do this quickly," Nabiki stated, "but we have no idea where... Cologne?"
The old woman was looking to the west with wide, fearful eyes...
____________________________________
Lum prayed at her family's grave. She ensured that Ataru was quickly laid to rest, and as his will decreed, with as many dirty magazines and nude pictures of her as could be fitted into the family shrine that was their resting place for their ashes.
She stood up and looked at the family marker with a dispassionate expression. She had grieved already, now all that was left was to make whatever did this to him pay. He father had contacted her shortly after the Invisible Slaughter; her mother and Ten had also perished. They were now en route to Earth along with the Juraian Royal Force, Galaxy Police, and several other organizations and races that were intending to join the fray. They should be here any moment, in fact...
Lum was startled by the way the sky turned from frost gray to crimson, and turned to where the massive sky-blanketing beam of power was heading...
Her keen eyesight allowed her to see the multitudes of explosions on one point in space.
____________________________________
Tsunami's eyes went wide. She was the only one that even saw it coming. It was much, much too much power for her to even attempt to shield anyone from instantly. It happened too quickly.
The united space armada was completely overrun by the wave of energy.
____________________________________
"Uh, I'd say he's somewhere over there," Ukyo whispered, pointing towards the west.
Cologne felt even more fear than she had ever known. That must have come from China itself, "QUICK, I NEED TO GET TO THE PHONE!!!"