The Pestering Portal
Part Two
by Shastao (and Sotek)
Note: Rich, fortunate (and hopefully kind) people probably own all
the characters we didn't make up for this fanfic.
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Chapter 5
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The duo were on the road again, Sotek with a pikachu in tow in
addition to his Abra. They walked for some time through the forest,
when Kaion spotted something. "Look! A roadside pond!" he rushed
over to the pond. Sotek promptly sat down and began thumbing through
his spellbook. "I could use a quick dip," Kaion said as he removed
his armor and set it down, and climbed a tree.
"...Mmhmm...mmhmm," replied Sotek. Kaion stood on a limb that
overlooks the pond, and jumped. However, in mid-jump, he felt a
strangely familiar tingle in his spine.
"Grah!" Kaion exclaimed, as he fell through the changing scenery.
* * * * *
The Jusenkyo Tour Guide happened to be sitting outside facing the
training ground that evening, when suddenly a fellow resting and
reading a book beside Nyannichuan materialized. One second later a
fellow going headfirst into the spring materialized. "Sir! Very bad
you fal...", a splooshing sound is heard, "...in spring."
"Why? What happens?" Sotek asked, looking up from his spellbook.
"Terrible tragic story of girl who drown in spring one thousand
five hundred year ago. Whoever fall in spring take body of a young
girl." The Guide sighed. "He second one this week."
Kaion resurfaced from being under the waters of Nyannichuan. "Well,
that was... the hell? I sound different?" Kaion took a look at him-
(or is it her?)-self. Kaion, a girl with short curly blonde hair,
blue eyes, but generally otherwise Kaion. "...What the hell is going
on?"
"You're cursed. I'm not sure of the details. You want to explain
it?" Sotek said, looking at the Jusenkyo Guide.
"He fall in Nyannichuan. Spring of Drowned Girl. Cold water turn
him into girl. Hot water turn him back into man," the Guide told the
duo.
"...Why me?" Kaion muttered, half to himself.
"At a guess, I'd say it's because you were jumping for a pond when
the portal snagged us," replied Sotek.
Kaion sighed. "So hot water will change me back?"
"Yes," the Guide answered.
"Got any hot water?" Kaion asked Sotek.
"I can't think of any spells that'd work. At least, not beyond a
cantrip, and that wouldn't produce enough," answered a pondering
Sotek.
"...Where could I get hot water?" Kaion asked the Tour Guide.
The Guide answered. "Yes, sirs. You want hot water to change back,
no? I be back soon," and went off to make some hot water.
"Well, I only heard him say part of something when I went in that...
pond. What was it he said in full?" inquired Kaion after the Tour
Guide left.
"He said it was very bad to fall in the spring."
"...Well, that's obvious."
"...Yes, well. When I get the chance, I think I'm going to see what
I can do in the way of mitigating spells."
"...I thought I heard him say something about 'second one'?"
"Oh, that's right. He did. Apparently, someone else fell in that
spring recently."
"...Hmm."
"Are you thinking of meeting up with whoever it was?"
"Can't think of anything else to do."
"And how to find him... I guess I'll ask that fellow when he comes
back." As he said that, the Jusenkyo Tour Guide returned with a
kettle of hot water, and dumped the hot water over Kaion.
"...That's a bit hot! ...Hey! I'm back!" was Kaion's response.
"...Oh, um. You said there was someone else who fell in the same
spring?" Sotek asked the Guide.
"Yes... what his name again?..."
"...How would I know?" Sotek responded.
"...Ah yes. Ranma something, I think. He with man who not speak
good Chinese."
"...," Kaion responded.
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Chapter 6
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That evening, the duo were resting for the night at the Tour Guide's
small shack by the training ground of Jusenkyo, when there was a knock
at the door. The Jusenkyo Tour Guide walked over to the door, and
opened it. There was a voice from the door. "Do you know which way-"
he asked, then realized who he was talking to. The Guide just walked
on inside, and the fellow at the door entered. He closed the door
behind him. "...Mind if I rest here the night, at least?"
"...And you are?" inquired Kaion.
"Was about to ask the same. I'm Ryouga Hibiki," he replied.
"I'm Sotek. He's Kaion," Sotek answered.
"...Strange names. Do you know which way it is to Japan?" Ryouga
asked, as the Jusenkyo Tour Guide pulled out a map and laid it on the
table.
"You here," the Guide said, pointing to a part of China. "Japan
there," pointing to Japan. "Big sea here," pointing to the Sea of
Japan. "How to cross?"
"...Hmm? A sea? How big?" asked Sotek.
"...180 or more mile wide. Depend on where you go," the Guide
replied.
Kaion quietly asked Sotek, "...Think any magic'd work?"
Sotek quietly replied, "A polymorph into a dragon, I think."
"Y'think that Ryouga guy would be interested? I wonder why he wants
to go to Japan anyway," Kaion asked Sotek.
"No idea. I guess we'll have to ask him."
"You ask."
"I think I can help you get to Japan, if you want," Sotek said to
Ryouga, in a normal voice.
"...How? I would hate to to have to swim," Ryouga asked.
"You won't have to swim, at least, not much."
"...Then how?"
"Flight."
"...You got airplane tickets?"
"...Airplane?"
"...Guess not."
"Should we explain in the morning?" suggested Kaion.
"Sounds like a good idea," Sotek said. So the three rested for the
night.
-
Chapter 7
-
"How are we going to fly to Japan, then?" inquired Ryouga as Sotek
and Kaion prepared to set off.
"I'm going to fly. You just have to hang on," Sotek replied.
Kaion said, "He's a mage, by the way." Ryouga stared, having no
comment to make.
"Well. You want to go to Japan or not?" Sotek asked, finishing
getting ready to travel.
"...Yes. I must get to Tokyo."
"In that case, let's find an open space and get moving," Sotek
replied as Kaion finished preparing for travel. The trio then
wandered for a few hours, until they found a spot large enough, in
which they quickly ate an early lunch, then Sotek stood in the center
of the large, moderately level spot. "Stand back," he said, then
begun casting the Polymorph Self spell.
His form began to shift then take the shape of a dragon. When the
strong aura of magic faded in the level spot, where Sotek was there
stood a white dragon.
"This is what we call flying," Kaion said as the polymorphed mage
picked up both Kaion and Ryouga.
"...This is new," Ryouga stated, mostly nervously.
A voice from the direction of the dragon boomed. "It's not the
first time we've done this."
"Now we hang on," Kaion said as the two scrambled onto the back of
the dragon. Sotek took off, and they quickly sped away through the
Chinese skies.
* * * * *
The three were cruising high over the skies above the Sea of Japan.
Having not much else to do, Kaion tried conversation. "...So. Why're
you going to Tokyo, anyway?" he asked.
"...I've got to get my revenge on someone who's in China right now,
but he'll be going to Tokyo afterwards. I want to be there, waiting
for him, so I can send him to the HELL he's made my life," Ryouga
replied.
"...I see. And who is this person?"
"Ranma Saotome."
"...What'd he do to you?"
"He made my life HELL!"
The dragon's voice boomed, bearing some resemblence to Sotek's.
"Which spring?"
"...What are you suggesting, Sotek?" Kaion inquired.
"Isn't it obvious? He's been to Jusenkyo; multiple times. There's
a Ranma with a Jusenkyo curse, presumeably the same one as the Ranma
he's chasing after," Sotek rumbled in response.
"..." `Ranma Saotome, just you wait. By the time I get back to
Japan i'll be waiting for you,' Ryouga thought.
`Whatever curse Ryouga has, it must be something really embarrassing
for him to act like that.' thought Sotek.
`Whee! It's so high up here!' Kaion thought.