New Neigh Part2:
Jade: The Violent World
Ranma slowly marched up the mountain trail towards the top of the mountain.
He still could believe how he got here. It started several months previously, when Ranma had become Ms. Digger's student at his mother's prompting. Ranma continued to search for a cure to his curse even after the Masaki and El-Hazaed trips. After training for several months with Julia (Ms. Digger), Ranma received an invitation to visit Julia's homeland. So here he was in a parallel world alone. Ms. Digger had received an important letter soon after their arrival and she decided to part company with Ranma for the time being. She had walked him to the base of this mountain and told him, that there was a famous sensei at the top of the mountain. She had told Ranma that the sensei
was an old teacher and would be happy to teach him. The only strange thing was Julia told Ranma, that the sensei only instructed females. And so a female Ranma finally reached the end of the mountain trail and arrived at a large iron bound gate.
"Damn, I wish this outfit wasn't so draft", he said to himself. His short training outfit was covering less than a one-piece bikini and would likely result in Ranma catch a cold by the end of the week. "But Julia said, this was the only way to get into Master Leep's training grounds.
Unfortunately this pervert is the greatest martial-arts instructor Jade has ever seen according to Julia."
"Halt", a voice cried as two fighters landed on either side of the gate.
"I'm here to see Master Leep", Ranma said as he quickly took a stance.
"Why would he take you for a student", the shorthaired brunette said.
"Because I don't lose", Ranma replied.
"Well let Master Leep deiced that", the blond replied. She then whistled and the front gate to the school opened. The two women escorted
Ranma into the school and towards a small pavilion. His two escorts left Ranma in the presence of a short balding man in a white gi. "I might as well
be polite", Ranma said. He bowed and said, "Master Leep, I am Ranma Saotome
of the 'Anything Goes School of Martial Arts'", he said.
Ranma jumped as he felt someone goose him under the edge of the outfit. Ranma turned around and discovered Master Leep standing several feet away. "You must always be alert", Master Leep said with a wide grin on his face.
"Why you...", Ranma yelled as his battle aura flared.
The training compound was suddenly filled with yelling and explosions. Master Leep's student armed herself and raced towards the noise. The students were stunned, when they saw the spectacle before them.
The blurred form of Master Leep and a short red haired girl were streaking across an almost vertical cliff face. Sections of the cliff would occasionally disappear as the red haired girl Could attempt to hit Master
Leep with glowing balls of light. The cliff face was already potmarked with over a score of large craters. The students watched as the two figure crashed into the ground at the base of the cliffs. Master Leep's student slowly approached the crater only to have four of their number scream in outrage as they were goosed.
The red hair girl stood up in a shallow crater and yelled, "don't put your hands on me again pervert".
"Hmmm! No scene of humor", Master Leep said. "I was only demonstrating one the basic principles...".
"Whatever pervert! Ms. Julia Digger said you were the best instructor on Jade. She also said you'd teach me until she comes for me", Ranma yelled.
"Anyway, that is a discussion for another time", Leep said. "Tina, escort my new student to a free bunk in the barracks."
"Yes, sensei", a tall brunette replied. She then turned to Ranma and said, "this way please.
Ranma shrugged his shoulders and follower Tina towards the dorm. "If nothing else the scenery ain't half bad", Ranma thought to himself as he watched Tina walk in front of him.
Tina spoke several minutes later when they reached the barracks, "Are you a student of Julia's".
"Hmm... Yeah, I have no for several months", Ranma replied. Ranma missed the gleam in her eye as Tina led him into the dorm.
Meanwhile, back in Nerima....
Shampoo, Ukyo, Kodiachi, Genma, and Soun are scouring the city in their search for Ranma. Kuno, Moose, and Ryouga were at a local bar celebrating Ranma's disappearance. Nabiki was using her contacts in a failed effort to locate Ranma. Only the Digger family and Nodoka knew Ranma's location.
The next evening in Jade....
Ranma stood in a kung fu stance waiting his newest opponent. This was his fourth opponent since formal training had ended an hour before hand. Master Leep had put Ranma with the senior class that day. So far he had defeated the best fighters of the three of the four classes of Master Leep's students. His fourth opponent was Tina. She held her bo staff cradled in against her side in a traditional Southern spear stance (Southern China).
"So you ready to fight or is the staff a fashion accessory", Ranma taunted.
Tina charged forward and delivered a rapid series of jabs with the staff. Ranma dived under the attack and came to his feet on Tina's right side. Tina realizing Ranam was in too close to use the Bo staff jumped to her right pivoting in mid-air. She again jabbed at Ranma,who caught the end of her staff and pulled himself towards her. Tina released the staff and
rolled to her right to avoid the attack. Ranma landed roughly and was unable to take advantage of Tina's situation. Tina took the initiative and charged Ranma. Ranma dropped the staff and took a stance to meet her charge. She noticed a slight moVent of Ranma's left leg too late. Ranma had lifted the staff with his foot and kicked it into her path. Ranma caught
Tina's extended right arm with his left and threw her over his hip. He followed Tina to the ground and stopped his hand an inch before, he would have collapsed her windpipe.
"Yield", Ranma said?
"Yield", Tina replied. She was then helped to her feet by Ranma. "I'm suprised you haven't used a staff in your fights, Ranma", she said.
"I don't like to use weapons", Ranma replied. "It's too easy to become too dependent on your weapon. A weapon can be destroyed, taken from you, or used against you", Ranma replied.
"I'm suprised, you'd say that. You have Swordmaster Julia as a sensei", Tina replied. "I thought you'd be more comfortable with weapons."
"She's not my only sensei, my father instructed me for ten years in our family school. And I've can use weapons... but I'm more comfortable not using them," he replied.
"Ranma will you be joining us in the bathhouse tonight," Tina asked.
"Well, I don't know..," Ranma began.
"Common it make you feel like a new woman," Tina said.
Thirty minutes later....
"How the hell do I get talked into these things," Ranma thought to himself. He was now naked in the bathhouse and neverous as hell. "I just know, I'll get splashed by hot water... Damn, I wish, I could have thought up a believable excuse. The school's bathhouse consisted of three copper tubs. A mountain stream fed the first two tubs and the last was a tub heated by a bed of coals under the tub. Ranma was scrubbing in the
first tub (which happened to the the farest from the heated tub) and did his best to ignore the thirty something naked females in the room. He quickly resumed a mantra, he'd come up with for situations like these. "Colonge naked on a cold day, Colonge naked on a cold day, Colonge naked on a cold day...", Ranma chanted to himself.
"Ranma, you want me to wash your back for you," a voice said.
Ranma caught up in his mantra turned to the speaker. Ranma quickly turned away and continued scrubbing. "Sure, Ayka," Ranma replied without thinking. Ranma's brain screamed in frustration at the trouble his mouth was getting them into.
"So, Ranma, how are you enjoying the school so far", Ayka asked as she scrubbed Ranma's back.
"All right I quess", Ranma replied. "I shouldn't talk to much or I'll get myself
into trouble", Ranma thought to himself. The two spent several minutes talking and Ranma started to relax some.
"All done Ranma", Ayka replied. "Hold still."
Ranma was suprised as Ayka dumped a bucket of hot water over him to rinse the soap off him. Several seconds later Ayka screamed and the bathhouse went quiet.
Ranma quickly grabbed a bathing bucket to cover his male anatomy. Then almost on reflex he stood up and bowed. "I'm, Ranma Saotome, sorry about this.
Elsewhere...
Several hundred leagues away in a dark room a figure huddled over a
crystal ball. "Well, it looks like I found the tal'vern", he said to his familiar. The chaos mage Micreon regarded the figure in the crystal ball. "It be a shame if they kill him, he promises to be very entertaining. Let's see... Ah, yes.. this glamour spell should work nicely.
Back at Master Leep's training grounds....
Ranma stood in the center of the bathhouse neverously Author's note: Ranma's base charisma with a glamour spell equals trouble the expected attack hadn't materialized. Ranma's thought process was as follows: "Naked in a bathhouse with females. Most likely result is severe head and groin pain inficted apon myself."
"Hello, nurse", one student yelled!
"Oooh.. He's cute..", another student replied.
The hairs on the back of Ranma's neck and arms were standing up. Ranma became increasingly neverous as he noticed many students blushing and/or smiling. He started inching for the door.
"Mine", Tina yelled as she charged Ranma. This was the unoffical signal and all the girls in the bathhouse charged Ranma.
Ranma quickly ran followed closely by Master Leep's students. Unforunately for Ranma, Master Leep's students didn't leave his training grounds during the length of their training. And so the mindset of Master Leep's students was basically "a cute guy, naked, and I haven't seen a male except Master Leep for years (except Freshman class in that case
a year). Mine!!" Needless to say Ranma would have attracted attention even without the glamour spell. He was soon pursued by all Master Leep's students (well except for four students, who only dated women).
An hour later Ranma lost his pursurers and reentered the bathhouse. He quickly jumped into a cold tub and dressed quickly. "Damn everyone probably knows my curse now, I guess I should see Master Leep", he thought to himself. He opened the door to the bathhouse and had a bucket of warm water poured on him. "Uh.. I can explain..", be began.
Forty minutes later....
"And interesting curse that you have Ranma", Master Leep said. "Needless to say, I don't think my students mind."
A hickey covered Ranma sat glumly across the table from Master Leep. Fortuately (or unforunately) for Ranma the glamour spell had ended after Master Leep's student hadfinished taking turns kissing him and before they got other ideas.
"Normally I wouldn't care about you curse except for two things. One, you're a distraction to my students. Two, I still upset about goosing a guy. I bet this was Julia's idead of a joke. Anyway, you'll leave tomorrom morning. Put since you're Julia's student,I'll send a letter of recommendation to Master Valir in Settlestone. She's a compentent
sensei and a veteran warmage and will be happy to teach you. I will also send word to Julia about your new location", Master Leep said.
The next morning...
All Master Leep's students except for four saw Ranma off. Ranma recieved many sealed letters and several kisses from the students. Tina was very enthusistic with her kiss and whispered, "I hope to meet you again", into his ear. The last to see him off was Ayka. She hugged Ranma and said, "I meet a nice girl and it turns out to by a guy." She then walked back into the crowd leaving a stunned Ranma with his mouth open.
Several hours later...
Ranma jogged down the road. "Let's see Master Leep said follow
trail to the bottom of the mountain. Then take the trail left and in thirty
something leagues down the road is the hamlet of Twisted Oak. Then follow the road leading North twenty leagues and I'll arrive at Master Valir's dojo in Settlestone.
Ranma was twenty something leagues down when he found a came across
a bend in the road. Around the bend he came across a two horse coach and
four men and one woman. Ranma then noticed two unmoving bodies next to the coach in pools of blood.
With a yell three of the men with swords drawn charged Ranma. Ranma slowly gave ground as the three men attacked him. He also notice the fourth
man stood holding the woman tightly. "Clearly a hostage situation," Ranma
thought to himself. "I need to get rid of these three morrons before, I attempt to rescue the hostage," he thought. With that Ranma ran into
the woods and quickly lost his pursurers. Ranma then backtracked silently
to the road. He waited for the three men to pass and charged. The two
last swordmen went down before they realized they were under attack. The
remaining swordman managed one desperated slash before Ranma dropped him.
He then silently returned to the road.
The last bandit held the woman with one hand and a sword with another. He then crouched behind a tree. "Hmm.. If I show myself, he'll just threaten her." Ranma heard someone speak and a short scream and he
charged from behind the tree without thinking. The woman on the ground
covering a cheek with one hand and the bandit was drawing back his hand
from a punch. "Wrong move dirtbag," Ranma yelled as he threw a chi-blast.
The chiblast struck the bandit in the side flinging him into the brush on
the other side of the road. He then dropped to one knee next to the woman.
"Are you alright, miss," Ranma asked. Two brown eyes peered from behind
the hand. With a short gasp the woman sat up and looked at Ranma. Ranma started getting really neverous at the look see was giving him.
"Praise be...," the woman cried. "The oracle proclaimed I'd meet
my husband today."
"Why the hell does this always happen to me," Ranma thought to himself. "Did I
offend some kami in a past life or something," he thought to himself (In Japan Urd sneezed).
Ranma decieded to talk to his new fiancee, "I'm Ranma Saotome.. and you are?"
"Caroline, husband," she replied. She failed to notice the twitch in Ranma's eye.
Several minutes later Ranma replied...
"Well Caroline, I'm going to go get the bandits and I'll be back shortly." With
that he walked into the woods to emerge several minutes later with two bandits slung over
his shoulders and dumped them on the ground. He then retrieved the last two and dumped them
next to the carriage. He then located a dug through the carriage and located a length of rope
and tied the bandits to the roof of the carriage. He them placed the bodies of the two
teamsters into the carriage. He then helped Caroline up to the driver seat and noticed
Caroline was staring at him. "What...?!"
"What type of marriage ceremony do I want," Caroline said interrupting Ranma.
"No.. I meant.." Ranma said in a panick.
"What type of dowry I have," she said interrupting Ranma again.
"I don't want to marry you," Ranma yelled.
She stared at Ranma with her brown eyes for a momment and hugged him. "Your right,
were too youg to get married right now," she replied.
The next day........
To say Ranma was unhappy was putting things mildly, he managed to
leave Twisted Oak at four in the morning and escaped from Caroline. "I
swear she's almost as bad as Shampoo." He'd also spent alot of his money
from selling the bandits weapon, that night at the inn for two rooms and
some supplies. What really honked Ranma off was the rain. It would have
been a mild annoyance for someone without his curse, but Ranma's underwear
had given him almost a perament wedgie all day. "I swear, this really honks
me off. I've got a wedgie where no man has ever had a wedgie. Ranma had spent alot of time removing the wedgie all day only to have it occur again
within minutes. "I'd almost swear someone cursed me to have a wedgie," he
muttered to himself.
Meanwhile in a lower plane of hell...
A tall bat winged creature known as the "Reaper of Souls and the
Dasher of Hopes" (also known as Timmy) sneezed. This in itself wouldn't
have been a bad thing normally but... The sneeze had caused him to miss
his newest soul to torture and to hit his supervior. Needless to say
Timmy spent several thousand years learning from his mistakes.
Back in Jade...
Ranma had finally arrived in Settlestone and he had yet to realize his day
would get worse. He then headed to the town's inn for dinner and directions. He had
just ordered a bowl or stew, when...
"Greeting fair maiden," I tall figure in armor said. "I overheard, your
conversation with the tavern owner and I was wondering if you could use an escort
fair lady. One as pretty as yourself, shouldn't travel on the road alone."
"I don't need help so please leave me alone," Ranma replied as he tried to eat
dinner.
"But my lady surely you jest," he said. "For I'm the favored of the God Crom, Sir
Cono of Vandonburg." He then noticed the 'fair maiden' ignoring him and he had a flash of
insight. "My lady is shy, but not to worry I'll guard thee to your destination."
Ranma began to tremble as Cono began sawing on his frayed nerves. Unforunately for
Sir Cono, he took this as a sign the 'lady' was cold. And he took the opportunity to
drape his cloak over his fair maiden.
Ranma caught his hand and twisted it painfully. "I'll say this once more, leave
me the hell alone," Ranma said! He then released Sir Cono's hand.
"But my lady...", he began as he grasped Ranma's hand.
"That's it," Ranma yelled!!!
It later took the village blacksmith three hours to remove the metal wedgie
Ranma had given Sir Cono.
An hour later...
Ranma had followed the Innkeeper's directions and found Master Valir dojo. He had
used a cup of hot water from the inn to change back to his male form to meet Valir. The dojo
itself would have been a normal Japanese dojo except for being supported in the limbs of
a mighty oak tree. He had been escorted by one of Master Valir's students to a platform to wait for the Master. He looked over the edge of the platform at the ground thirty feet below and smiled to himself. "This training ground promises to be entertaining," he thought to himself.
Then a door from the dojo opened and a tall woman with a bearing of grace approached Ranma. "You told my student, that you carry a message from Master Leep," she said.
"If you are Master Valir, then I do," Ranma said. "I learned the hard way not to assume things from Nabiki," he thought to himself.
"It's good to see you have some caution", she replied. "Yes, I am Master Valir," she replied.
Ranma promptly extracted the letter from his backpack and gave it to Valir.
She read the letter for several minutes and laughed. "Well maybe that old goat, won't be in such a damn hurry to fondle women after finding out about your curse," she said with a smile. "But, I'd be happy to train you for awhile, Julia is an old friend of mine. I have three rules here: 1. I'm right and you'll follow my orders. 2. Don't harass other students. 3. Don't do anything stupid."
Ranma raised his eyebrows at the third comment. "Sensei, about the third rule. I can promise not to intentionally do anything stupid. But, as someone once put it 'the worse possible thing will happen at the worst possible time'.
"That'll do Ranma," Valir replied. "Now let's see about getting you a bunk. We have training tomorrow.
The next day...
Ranma was standing across the mat from his sensei. They were going to spar "Ranma let's start with the basics
and work our way up. Understood," Valir asked?
"Yes, sensei," Ranma replied.
They bowed and began sparing. Master Valir's students as the two sparred for twenty
minutes. "Ranma have you ever fought a 'War Mage' before," she asked.
"No sensei," he replied.
"Do your best and use any techniques you wish," she said.
"Right," he replied.
Master Valir muttered something before charging Ranma.
Ranma suddenly felt weak right before Valir closed on him. He barely was able to dodge as Valir launched a series of punches. Ranma turned back to Valir and felt his strength return. He then launched a chi-blast, that bounced of a invisible barrier in front of the sensei. He used the distraction of the chi-blast to close with Valir. He was facing Valir, when a magic missel slammed into his back.
"Beware Illusions, when you fight mages, Ranma."
Closing his eyes he found the figure in front of him wasn't radiating an aura. But there was an aura two yards to his rear. Ranma bounced off one wall and the ceiling before launching himself at the aura. Master Valir realized Ranma had found her but, was unable to move in time.
Valir regained her feet and smiled at Ranma. "I didn't expect you to see through
that so easily, but it's not over. With that her figure blurred as she charged him. Ranma
was able to block most of the attacks she launched with a chestnut fist to counter attack.
Ranma leapt back as felt a wave of vertigo before landing. Ranma landed hard but, was in
a stance quickly. "Your good Ranma, but it time for me to end this," she said.
Ranma felt a pressure in his skull before and was barely able to shake it off. He
was caught unaware as a magic missile slammed into him knocking him out.
Fifteen minutes later...
Ranma and his new sensei sat in the dojo drinking tea. "You did well for your first
fight with a mage, Ranma. Let me explain the strengths and weaknesses of a mage to you."
Ranma quickly became more interested in his sensei's words. "A mage," she began "can draw
from internal or external sources of power. A mage's strength is their magical ability.
This is also their weakness. A mage can only handle so much power at one time and this
of course limits the magic a mage can work. Also it takes concentration to create and
maintain spells (I did say most, there are always exceptions). I will talk more of this
shortly. You also must remember a mage will eventually wear down their magical ability."
"What do you mean, sensei," Ranma asked?
"It's similiar to a fighter. If you fight hard, you tire yourself out. This dosen't
mean, that you can't catch your breath. So a mage has a reserve of magic they can draw from.
Once this is used they can regain their magical strength at a much slower rate. This means
a high level mage after casting a large spell will be able to cast other spells after, he
has time to recover some."
"I think, I got it," Ranma said.
"In our fight today I cast a weakness spell right before, I attack you initially.
You recovered quickly and counter attacked. I blocked your attack with a shield spell.
When you thought me blinded by your chi-blast, I cast an illusion. I then caught you
unawares with a magic missile. I then cast a higher level spell called haste. I was
amazed you were able to block most of my attacks. If your feet moved as fast as your
hands, I wouldn't have hit you. I then cast a vertigo spell, while you were in mid-air.
Most fighters would have fallen from the spell. I then caste a psionic blast, which
scramble your mind for a second. I then caught you unawares with the magic missile. When
fighting a mage either A. attack often to interrupt spell casting or B. disable them
quickly. A rule of thumb is more powerful spells take longer to caste. This isn't always
true since some mage enchant spells in items, this reduces the casting time to basically
nothing. A War Mage such as myself can cast only low level spells, but we are better
fighters than High Mages. A High Mage can cast higher level spells, but they are
easy target in a fight without assistance from fighters."
Ranma's stomach growled, interrupting the discussion.
"We'll continue this later Ranma. But now it's time to eat," Valir said with a
smile.
One month later...
"Well Ranma, I think we can agree, I'm not going to make a mage out of you. But I
think your time here was worth the effort. The three techniques you've learned here should
serve you well. And the experience in fighting with mages should be useful, If you plan on
staying in Jade for any length of time. I'm suprised you've learned everything, I can teach
a non-mage so quickly.
"I've always been a fast learner, sensei." Ranma then asked, "are you kicking me
out sensei."
"Not exactly Ranma. I recieved a reply from Julia and she was sorry to say you
couldn't have trained under Master Leep more. But she said she was proud of the progress
you were making under my instruction. She says, she plans to return to Earth in a month.
She want you to meet her in the city of Thunder Hills. You could probably make the trip
in two weeks from here but, She thought it would be good training for you to travel some
in Jade alone.
The next morning Ranma left Master Valir and her students and hiked North towards his
meeting with Julia. The previous night Master Valir had thrown a party and Ranma said goodbye
to friends and rivals. Ranma had said, he'd try to return in a year but, that he couldn't
promise anything. At the end of the party Master Valir had given Ranma a scroll sealed in
red wax.
Flashback:
"Ranma," she said. "I wish to give a gift to one of the better students,
I've ever had mage or fighter. I had a friend create this for you. This scroll contains two
spells. The first is activated by opening the scroll, it forces the person to read the
scroll. The second activates what is called a 'Rhino Spell', it channels all of a person's
magical ability into the spell. The spell will increase a person's strength, dexterity, and
stamina. For yourself it will not help much, but sometime a little extra is all you need.
The spell should last almost three minutes for you.
End Flashback.
*****
Ch.3: Questing Dragon
Two days later in Jade...
"You are the one spoken of in the prophecy. You must marry my daughter," the
village elder said. "Actually, I just want to get rid of that girl, but I'm not telling
him that," the woman thought to herself.
"Pardon me," Ranma said. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
hhhhhhhhhhhh," he screamed as he ran from the town of Bruswick.
Smack
Ranma regained consciousness several seconds later.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," a man said.
"I'm Greg and my companion is Shuryken. You okay?!"
"Yeah, I just ran into a tree," Ranma said.
"Confusus says, 'man who runs into trees should watch where he's running'," Shuryken said in a wise voice.
Ranma took a minute to stare at Skuryken, "Whatever, Ninja boy. I just had to get away from that damn old woman."
"Let me guess," it was a village elder named, Sahara," Greg said.
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Easy, she's been trying to marry her daughter off for years using that story," Greg said.
"Have you heard anything about a red dragon in the local area," Greg asked?
"A red dragon known as the 'Questing Dragon' recently raided a Ishap Monastery and was seen flying North. It slew several hundred priests and servants before looting the Monastery. Were now on a quest on recover several artifacts the dragon looted from the Monastery. The temple of Ishap is famous for curing the sick, it's destruction is the cause of great sorrow."
"So why is it known as the 'Questing Dragon'," Ranma asked.
"There has been a red dragon, that for a number of years has been attacking, looting, and destroying across Jade. Many a pround ruler has died in his throne room by the dragon's claw'" Greg said.
Ranma's mind was a blur as he thought to himself. "Could it be a lead on a cure?! I'd be helping others and myself. 'It's the duty of a martial artist to help those, who cannot defend themselves'." Ranma looked at the two men and said, "You just got yourself another member to your party."
A week later....
The trio arrived at the smoking remains of a small border keep. They crossed a fire-blackened drawbridge and entered the courtyard. The courtyard was littered with randomly scattered piles of blackened armor, twisted weapons, and grey ash. "This was done by the dragon," Greg said.
"How can you tell," Ranma asked.
"The defenders were killed by a dragon or a mage. Very few things can kill like that leaving only ash and metal. Also there is that," Greg said pointing at a wall section.
Ranma looked at the wall and saw the imprint of a large taloned hand in the wall.
"That's the signature of the red dragon," Greg said. "Cheeky bastard!"
"Out of curiosity, how are you tracking something that flies," Ranma asked.
"With this," Greg said as he pulled out an amulet. "It contains a scale found at a sacked castle."
"I'm not claiming to be a mage but.... Couldn't they hex the dragon using the scale they found," Ranma asked.
"Alot of creature yes. But, dragons have such a resistance to magic a mage would have been lucky to give him athlete's foot," Greg replied.
"Confusius say, 'magic roll off dragon like water off a duck's back'."
The other two members of the party stared at Shuryken. "Damn, I don't know what's worse Kuno's speeches or Shuryken's quotes." Ranma said dryly.
"Confusius say, 'Man should not let mouth write tab, his butt cannot cover,'" Shuryken
quoted.
Two days later....
The trio booked passage of a vessel crossing the Bitter Sea to hopefully catch up to the dragon. The small caravel ran into a severe storm a day from port.
"Why'd, we book passage on this ship again."
"Cause it's our only hope of catching up to the dragon," Greg
replied.
"Hey, Captain," Ranma yelled, "do you think we'll make it."
"This is all for the glory of Om. Trust is our sail and glory is our destination," the captain said.
"The ocean floor is out destination," replied Ranma.
"I didn't say there wouldn't be stops along the way," the captain said.
"I hate my life sometimes," Ranma muttered to himself.
A week later...
The trio crested a ridge and found a burning keep. "Let's hurry the bastard might still be here," Greg yelled as he raced down the road. "You'll need these, Ranma." He said as he tossed two daggers to Ranma.
The trio entered the keep and raced among burning corpses. They followed the sounds of fighting to the great hall of the castle. The trio entered the hall and found a fifty-yard long red traditional European Dragon walking leisurely downs the hall towards the far end.
The dragon crushed the last knight between it and an elderly king sitting on a throne. Shuryken and Greg dodged into the columns on the right side of the hall. Ranma sprinted down the hall towards the dragon. The dragon turned in a leisurely fashion towards the sounds of running feet.
The dragon threw the body of a slain knight at the two figures parting behind the columns and turned to the figure racing down the center of the hall. The dragon opened its jaws and a cone of fire enveloped the hallway. Four shurken thrown by Shuryken connected to the dragon's head. Three bound harmlessly off scales, but one managed to sink into a eye.
Greg charged the dragon aiming for the scales under the dragon's neck. The dragon caught Greg's charge with it's good eye and slapped the fighter into a column. A fine mist of blood escaped his mouth as his body slammed into the column.
Ranma watched this from the rafter he was standing on above the dragon. He jumped down on the dragon's back and raced up it's spine. He grabbed the base of a wing as the dragon attempted to shake him off it's back. He then slipped one dagger under the scales on the dragon's back and twisted. The bellow from the dragon deafened the humans in the hall as
it arced it's back. Ranma held on quickly to prevent from being dislodged. He started twisting
the dagger slowly deeper into the dragon's back. The dragon slammed itself into a wall in an attempt to free Ranma from his grip. The wall began collapsing and Ranma jumped from the dragon's back to avoid being crushed. The room was filled with a cloud of dust. And the stones covering the dragon were shed like water as it arose from his stone shroud.
Shuryken ran up to Ranma and grabbed his hand. He yelled, Confusius say, "Man should know when to hold them, when to fold them, and when to run."
With that the two sprinted from the room with Ranma grabbing the stunned king and Shuryken grabbing Greg. The two of them barely avoided a cone of fire as they escaped the room. They great hall weakened by several small fires and a collapsed wall, slowly fell in apon itself. The dragon disappeared under a mountain of stone and mortar.
Ranma and Shuryken quickly caught their breath outside. "How's Greg," Ranma asked?
"Dead," Shuryken replied.
Ranma put down the king and said, "you better get going while you can. That dragon will dig itself out shortly and be after us."
The frightened monarch looked at him for a moment before running into the remains of a partially intact tower.
The two fighters began running down the hill.
"Got any advice, Shuryken," Ranma asked? Behind them the sound of something moving in the ruins of the great hall reached them.
"Confusius say, 'Man without friends shouldn't start a bar fight'. It means, we need some help." Ranma nodded and began racing for the
front gate of the castle. The dragon shook the last stones covering it
off and began running along the ground. Ranma looked over his shoulder
and was stunned as the dragon quickly closed on them.
"Were not gonna make it to the gate," Ranma said.
"Keep it busy," Shrunken yelled as he veered for a gatehouse to
one side of the gate.
"What..," Ranma yelled before he had to dive to one side to avoid the dragon's flaming breathe. He bounced to his feet and said, "fine
let's dance ugly."
The dragon decided to have fun with the puny human and swiped at it
with a taloned paw the size of a horse cart.
Ranma dodged the paw and barely avoided a cone of fire from the dragon's mouth. Ranma lands on the draw bridge crossing the moat. Ranma
jumped seconds before one of the dragon's feet turned the spot he was standing on to splinters. The dragon raised a paw upright and a translucent
red rune glowed briefly in the air. Ranma was swept with a wave of vertigo
A massive red paw snatched him from the ground.
"Our game ends now, insect," a voice said in Ranma's head.
The dragon was beginning to squeeze Ranma when the clank of a
chain could be heard. Ranma and the dragon both looked up as a massive
portcullis began to descend rapidly. The portcullis's iron capped teeth
slammed into the dragon's back and bit into it's flesh. The dragon dropped
Ranma as a spasm of pain shuttered through it's body. Ranma rolled away
from the dragon and felt a broken rib grating in his side.
"You and your friend will suffer for this," the dragon said. The
dragon raise a palm and a rune of fire flashed into existence. The dragon's
form glowed for several seconds before disappearing.
Shuryken arrive a minute later. "Confusius say, 'It looks like you
got your ass handed to you'."
"Shut up and help me bandage my ribs," Ranma replied.
Several days later Ranma arrived in the town of Keysville.