I do not own Gold Digger and its associated characters. They belong to that marvelous fellow Fred Perry. I do not own Ranma and its associated characters. They belong to the wonderful lady Rumiko Takahashi. This production is strictly for entertainment, and I am not making any money off of the writings. I am just a poor student, so please Don't sue me Please?
Broken Hearts Combined Chapter 33: A bit of the Past and Ranma Vs. Gamadore
Tears flow freely from the reunited mother and daughter. Ranma and Britanny watch in awe, unable to form words for the situation before them.
Sheila: MOM! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!
Aeila: I missed you too Sheila! I missed you beyond words!
Mother and daughter start crying audibly in their hug. Ranma blinks.
Ranma: Wow I don't think I've ever seen Mr. Tendo let off so much in waterworks
Britanny: True But these two have more of a reason to cry than that wimp Soun ever did They're happy.
Ranma (Nods his head): True
Sheila and Aeila keep on crying for a few more minutes until they finally calm down. Then they start crying in joy all over again.
Ranma: Is that healthy?
Britanny: I think so
Ranma: Are you sure? I don't want them getting dehydrated
Britanny: Hmm Hey, I have an idea
Ranma: What's that Britchan?
Britanny walks over to Sheila and Aeila, and taps both of them on the shoulder.
Britanny: Excuse me
Sheila and Aeila start to lessen on their crying until they finally stop.
Sheila: Sniff What is it Brit?
Aeila: What is it you want?
Britanny: Well, first off, Ranma and I wanted you to stop crying. The second thing is Well Where've you been all this time Aeila?
Aeila turns her head and looks around the city. She disengages her huge from Sheila and stands up.
Aeila: I can't say anything here. We have to run.
Ranma: Huh? What do you mean?
Aeila doesn't say anything. She just starts running in a Southern direction.
Sheila: WAIT! COME BACK MOM!
Sheila starts running after Aeila. Ranma and Britanny look back and forth from the direction to the jagweres went and each other.
Britanny: Should we follow?
Ranma: I think so.
Ranma and Britanny take off running after Aeila and Sheila. Brit however, is running at a slow pace, so she doesn't lose track of Ranma.
Gamadore looks at the broken mirror shards on the floor. They now act as individual mirrors. He/she can see the Ranma, Britanny, Sheila, and Aeila running.
Gamadore: Oh no You're NOT getting away my 'servant'
Gamadore clenches his/her fists in anger; blood begins to drip from his/her fist that still has glass shards in it. Gamadore's eye glow with an unearthly green tint, as his/her aura shifts from a red of anger to a violet of murderous intent.
Gamadore: You Will All SUFFER!
Gamadore's hand outstretches, making droplets of blood go flying. They hit the shards of glass, and dissipate into them.
Aeila keeps running. She can easily hear the others behind her with her enhanced jagwere hearing. She can see the city-limits of Nira just a half-mile from where they are.
Aeila (Thinks): Almost there Almost there
Aeila smiles. They're almost home free But then something grabs her foot, and she falls over.
Aeila (Think): SHIT!
Aeila turns her body as best as she can. A red tinted stone fist is coming out of the ground. Sheila, Ranma, and Britanny stop running.
Sheila: MOM!
Ranma: What the heck!?
Britanny: What is going on here!?
Suddenly, more ground gives way, to reveal a blood-red stone golem. Aeila is now dangling upside down in the air as the golem holds her up high.
Aeila: AW BLOODY NINE HELLS!
Sheila: YOU LEAVE MY MOTHER ALONE!
Sheila holds out her hands and summons her scimitar Ice Fang. She begins running towards the stone golem and strikes at the back of its leg, making it freeze over in ice, and shatter, making the golem fall onto its knees as it loosens its grip on Aeila.
Sheila: LET HER GO!
Sheila strikes at the back of the golem, freezing it over further. The back of the golem cracks off. The Golem's hand looses its grip totally, and Aeila falls to the ground, goes into a roll, and leaps back onto her feet. As soon as she gets good footing, Aeila starts running again, turning her head around to look at the others.
Aeila: RUN!
The others don't complain and they keep running as more Golems begin to pop up.
Ranma (Running): Damn! How many of these things are there?
Britanny (Running): I don't know, but this is pissing me off! That's it! I'm getting us out of here. Get ready Ranchan!
Ranma (Running): Ready?
Britanny grabs the back of Ranma's shirt, lifting him off the ground. She stops and then sprints, managing to grab Sheila, and Aeila, taking both jagweres off their feet with the momentum of her running, and getting them all out of the city-limits in a second. And she continues running
Britanny (Running into the distance): EAT MY DUST!
The stone Golems look at the direction that Ranma, Britanny, Sheila, and Aeila went. Seeing that they won't catch-up to the Golems begin to crumble, and mold back into the earth they came from.
Gamadore looks at the glass shards that are on the floor. He/she is shaking with anger. He/she holds his fists up in the air and shakes them.
Gamadore: How dare they? HOW DARE THEY!? NO ONE GOES THROUGH MY LANDS AND MAKES IT OUT ALIVE! NO ONE!
Gamadore then lets his/her arms drop to his/her sides. A cruel smile breaks out on his/her lips.
Gamadore: Heh That's right They'll be back That 'Boy' has to fight me Well I'll make sure to have something 'special' ready for them.
Gamadore picks up a few glass shards from off the ground. He/she then walks back to his/her throne and plops down on it, allowing him/herself to rest. Gamadore then allows his violent aura to leech into the glass shards, making them glow with his/her malicious energies.
Gamadore: Tomorrow The real 'fun' will begin
Once a good distance from the deserted city of Nira, Britanny lets go off the others and stops running. She drops to her hands and knees and breathes deeply to catch her breath.
Ranma: Thanks Britchan You did good.
Britanny: It's All right Just have to catch my breath Heh
Aeila: Look I'm sorry for not warning any of you before, but we couldn't waste anymore time.
Ranma: It's okay We can understand that
Sheila: Yeah mom. You just wanted us out of danger before it began.
Aeila: Well thank you
Everyone just stays there in the open field. No one says a word, until Ranma decides to break the silence.
Ranma: So Aeila
Aeila: Yes?
Ranma: What were those things?
Aeila: Those were some of Gamadore's special stone golems.
Ranma: What do you mean by "special"?
Aeila: You saw the 'tone' of color to those golems. They are made from a special type of red clay that hardens and forms into golems when it comes into contact with blood of magical origins.
Ranma: Oh Well, shouldn't we get prepared for battle if those things come after us?
Aeila (Shakes her head): Don't worry. As long as we're not on 'his' land, Gamadore cannot touch us.
Ranma: Okay. Well, that's comforting.
Sheila then moves closer to her mother.
Sheila: Mom?
Aeila: Yes Sheila?
Sheila: Where've you been all this time? Gar and I really needed you when we were growing up So what happened?
Aeila (Stares at Sheila): Sheila
Sheila: Mom Please tell me. Why didn't you look for us? Why did you did you let us think you were dead? Didn't you want either Gar or me?
Aeila: Sheila It's a long, complicated story
Sheila: Please I want, no, I DESERVE to know.
Aeila: All right Ill tell you later For now, just give me time to think of how to explain this, okay?
Sheila: Yes mom
Ranma, seeing the tension building in the air, decides to break through it.
Ranma: So Shechan, want to help Britchan and me set up camp?
Sheila: Sure Ranchan!
Aeila (Blinks): "Shechan"?
Sheila (Smiles): It's a nickname he gave me.
Aeila: All right
And so, Sheila goes off to help Ranma and Britanny, while Aeila just lies down in the grass, closes her eyes, and thinks
It is now night, the half-moon hangs in the air as clouds seem to move their way across the sky. Ranma, Britanny, Sheila, and Aeila sit around the campfire, a large pot over it. Sheila takes a ladle and bowl and puts some stew into it. She hands the bowl to her mother.
Sheila: Here mom.
Aeila nods her head and takes the bowl. She blows on the stew first then takes sip from a bowl with her spoon.
Aeila: It's good. Thank you.
Sheila: You're welcome mom.
Soon, the four begin eating. It is a bit of an odd silence between the four of them. Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila stare at Aeila as she continues to eat; their curiosity begins to gnaw at them.
Sheila: Um Mom?
Aeila looks up from her food and looks at Sheila.
Aeila: What is it Sheila?
Sheila: Well I was wondering If it's not too much Could you tell us what happened now? Please?
Aeila looks at Sheila. After staring for a few seconds, she puts her bowl down to the side and looks up at the sky.
Aeila: As I said before, my story is a bit of a complicated one If you really want to know, I have to start at the beginning. I hope none of you have a problem with that.
Sheila (Shakes her head): No.
Britanny: Nuh-uh.
Ranma: I got no qualms about it.
Aeila nods her head and closes her eyes. She tells them her story, as she knows it.
Aeila: I was born a good forty-four summers ago I grew up in the Retreat for four years with my parents until both of them were killed in a rockslide on a mountain range. I had only one other living relative, so I was sent to live with her in the Northernmost city on the East Continent; Naga. It is a far-ways out there from the other cities on the East Continent. But, for me, it became a home.
Sheila: Excuse me mom But, does your aunt still live.
Aeila (Shakes her head): No
Sheila: What happened?
Aeila: Well Sheila, your great-aunt died years back. I had lived in Naga with my aunt for seven years, going to school, trying to get an education, and coming home after school to help with my aunt's bakery But Well, as one can see, that didn't get to go far into it. Back then; it was considered such an out of the way city, that it didn't even have an Edge Guard. The people at the Main Guard thought we didn't need one, that no one would bother us, since Naga was such a small city. Well They were wrong. One night, when I was eleven, Naga was attacked
Sheila: What happened after that?
Aeila: I don't remember it clearly; there was just too much confusion. All I know is there was a bit of fire, and a whole lot of people screaming and running, as other people were looting a lot of the buildings.
Ranma: Well, I take it by the fact you're still alive, that those people that ransacked your town didn't find you.
Aeila: On no. To be honest, they did and didn't find me.
Ranma: What?
Aeila: To be honest I was a coward I had hidden in the back storage room, inside a bag of grain. Surely, they wouldn't think to look for someone in one, would they? Well, I was correct. They DIDN'T look for someone. Instead, when they saw the bags of grain, they took the bags and ME with them, not knowing I was inside one. So, I was taken with the bandits.
Britanny: Wow How did you survive?
Aeila: Well, it's actually funny I stayed in that sack for what must have been hours, too scared to move. Finally, after I knew that the sack was placed on something moving and anxiety just got the best of me, I peeked out of it, and found that I was in some sort of storage room with all sorts of other foodstuffs and liquids. I snuck to the door and opened it. No one was around. I climbed up a ladder and made it to what I thought was a ceiling. Turns out, it was the deck of a ship, and we were out at sea. I must admit, I was afraid, and I was scared shitless when someone grabbed me from behind. I couldn't get a good look at the person, as they held their hand over my mouth to keep me from screaming. I was taken into a cabin, and placed before what was apparently the captain.
Sheila: Captain?
Aeila: Yes. It turns out, the groups that ransacked Naga was the most infamous group of female pirates. The Raiders of Paragon. And, I was taken to the captain's quarters.
Sheila: What happened then?
Aeila: Well, I was, as I've said before, scared out of my mind. Before me stood a tall female were-ebontiger
Ranma: Excuse me, but what's a "were-ebontiger"?
Aeila: A were-ebony or "Ebony" is a special type of werebeast. Some considers them 'birth-defects', but it is a birth defect that helps them greatly. They can take on a fourth form.
Ranma, Britanny, Sheila: A FOURTH FORM!?
Aeila: Yes. To explain, do any of you know what they "Lunar Rave" is?
Ranma and Britanny blink.
Sheila: Yeah. I've seen Gar do it. It's when a werebeast is out during a lunar or solar eclipse. The combination of the sun AND moon give the werebeast a more animalistic hybrid form. So what's that got to do with it?
Aeila: Well Sheila, an ebony werebeast has that form naturally. So they have two hybrid forms.
Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila nod their heads in understanding.
Ranma: Excuse me Aeila.
Aeila: Yes?
Ranma: Why are they called, "ebony"?
Aeila: Because, an ebony is called that because of their looks. They have the usual werebeast forms, but their colors are much darker. Their fur ranges from dark blue to black, and their eyes, instead of taking on green or blue highlights, take on the color red.
Ranma: Oh
Aeila: To continue, the leader of the Raiders of Paragon was a were-ebontiger. She stood a good seven and a half feet tall, a muscular-yet-feminine frame shrouded in the richest violet silks, and gold treading. She had the darkest blue fur I had ever seen, and her eyes They were like sparkling rubies with coals for irises. And her hair flowed down loosely all the way to her butt. I remember I was terrified of her; she looked like she could kill me with a flick of her wrist. She grabbed by chin with her hand and looked me straight in the eyes, those large crimson orbs of hers burrowing into my soul. I would have sworn my life was forfeit Then she asked me for my name I barely got it out, I was so scared, but I told her She asked me why I had snuck aboard her ship, and I told her what had happened. She seemed to chuckle about it, and then let go of my chin. She told me she was impressed that I had snuck past her people in such an ingenious way. She then caressed by cheek and kissed me on the forehead, telling me not to worry, that I was one of them now.
Britanny: So she let you live? Aeila (Nods her head): Yes. After a bit of time, I found out her name was "Captain Fiery Summars", but over time, I got to know her by the name all the others of the Raiders of Paragon did. To us, she was the "Maestra".
Ranma: "Maestra"?
Aeila: Yes The Maestra Or 'The Teacher'. She was like one to all of us. She taught us everything we needed to know for survival, and acted like a mother figure to all of us that worked with her.
Sheila: Well, what happened afterwards? How did you meet dad?
Aeila: Well, skip about a good seven years, I was eighteen, and the Maestra had been defeated in combat by a pirate with two silver swords. Dominic Maestra passed on the mantle of "Maestra" to me, and I was the new leader of the Raiders of Paragon. I served as the Maestra for four years, until I had managed to force Dominic to land near the Magic Observatory near the south of the East Continent with cannon fire. Both pirate groups, my Raiders of Paragon, and Dominic's Platinum Desperados clashed in our own, what you could say, civil war.
Ranma: So the fighting took you to land?
Aeila: Yes And that proved to be our undoing On land, we became target for the Edge Guard in Main Guard, which wasn't too far away from where we were fighting.
Sheila: So the Edge Guard
Aeila (Nods her head): Yup As soon as word got out that two of the most dangerous groups of bandits were literally killing each other, the Edge Guard came running to catch us. So, it became a three-way battle. The Edge Guard managed to suppress Dominic's and my forces, however, Dominic managed to run, leaving his men. I felt guilty leaving my women, but I had to get Dominic. So I literally chased after him while members of the Edge Guard were chasing us. I chased that sonuvabitch all the way to the Dragon Woods.
Sheila: Wow You were fighting near the Observatory, right?
Aeila: Yes
Sheila: That means you chased him a good one hundred eighty miles!
Aeila: Well, it felt like it. I don't know how a human had so much stamina, but he was able to stay a few steps ahead of me for all that distance. Heck, even the Edge Guard members chasing us couldn't keep up Except for one Another jagwere
Sheila: Dad? Aeila (Nods her head): Yep. I had chased Dominic to the center of the Dragon Woods. Upon entering, we both got stuck into a bit of quicksand I must say, quicksand is damn hard to get out of clothing
Britanny: How did you get out?
Aeila: I wasn't planning onto. I kept moving towards Dominic, and attacked him, stabbed him a couple of times and let his body sink into the quicksand Then I waited for my own demise I had gotten revenge for the Maestra, and that is all that mattered But then, I felt a vine hit me. I looked and saw that jagwere from the Edge Guard. He kept calling to me, telling me to grab onto the vine. To be honest, I didn't want to After all, what choice did I have? Die or get sent to a stinking prison for the rest of my life
Sheila: You didn't grab the vine?
Aeila: Correct. I just let myself sink further. I wasn't afraid of death. Then the most inspiring thing happened. Your father, Marcus tied the vine around his waist and dived into the quicksand. He 'swam' as best as he could to me, locking his arm around me, and pulled us both out. I basically gave myself up, and so Marcus 'cuffed me, and led me out of the Dragon Woods.
Ranma: So you went to prison?
Aeila: No Marcus had me talking along the way, and I told him what I've been telling you, since he wanted to know if I was really the infamous, "Maestra". After telling him the story, the most amazing thing happened. He undid the handcuffs and let me go.
Ranma, Britanny, Sheila: Huh?
Aeila: I know. I reacted the same way. He told me that I was basically a 'victim' in this, and that it wasn't my fault. So he gave me the chance to go. However, I really had nothing to go back to, so I asked Marcus if I could follow him. He was suspicious at first, but then gave into my plea. So we talked to each other as we walked, and I learned Marcus's name, and a lot about him too.
Sheila: Then what happened?
Aeila: Well, we got to the border of the Dragon Woods, and none of Marcus's group was there. There were signs that they were, but the obviously left. So, we had to trek to the city of Main Guard.
Ranma: So, what did you do while there?
Aeila: Funny thing really. When we did get there the next day, they were surprised to see Marcus. The Dragon Woods are a semi-dangerous place, filled with those quicksand pits, AND has an occasional dragon But, they were happy that Marcus had made it out of there. When they asked about me, Marcus told them I was a victim of the pirates, and they didn't trouble me further. It was surprising to say the least.
Sheila: So no one bothered you?
Aeila: No. In fact, most of my people had similar roots to me, and the courts ruled the majority of us out on that technicality. Dominic's men didn't get off so lucky, since they chose it as their 'profession', not 'drafted' into it at a young age like most of the Raiders of Paragon were. Anyway, long story short, I felt major gratitude to Marcus. He was the one to really help us all, and well
Aeila begins to fidget and blush.
Sheila: What's wrong mom?
Aeila: Well, he's also the first man I had ever felt attracted to. So, to say "Thank you" to him Well, I got a bottle of wine, and snuck into his lodgings, and well We literally had the night of our lives and Five months later, I gave birth to a healthy male jagwere kitten
Ranma: Wait a minute! Five months!?
Aeila: Yes. The pregnancy cycle for a werecat of any type is five months.
Ranma: Damn
Sheila: So, that's how Gar was born?
Aeila: Yup. Marcus named him "Garfield" after a comic strip character he saw in a book that was imported from the Earth Realm.
Sheila: So Gar was born out of wedlock?
Aeila: No. It was so sweet of Marcus. As soon as he found out I was pregnant, he literally went out into the city and started buying all sorts of flowers, candies, and a nice, simple engagement ring. He proposed to me, and we were married. The years that followed were like a dream. I had everything I could have ever wanted. I had a husband and had a steady job with him, got to move back to the Retreat, had a healthy son, who I was training in martial arts, and later on, I had a sweet daughter.
Aeila smiles at Sheila, making her blush.
Sheila (Blushes): Moooooooom
Aeila: Well you are. And you made mommy very proud that you grew up onto such a beautiful young lady.
Sheila (Blush deepens): Moooooooooooooooooooooom
Aeila (Frowns): However those good times weren't meant to last A few months after I had Sheila, there were tales going around through the Retreat about a strange pirate in Jade. A pirate that traveled on lands, and seemed to be like the undead, yet Was something a lot more It wasn't until six years later that we knew that it was indeed real. It was Dominic. He was now some form of undead He set fire to the Retreat when he learned I was living there. We fought him, and I lost He threw me into a burning building, and it came crashing down on me, and it all went dark
Aeila then gets a very saddened look to her face.
Aeila: I don't know how long I was out. For all I know it could have been a few hours, a few days, or even weeks. All I know is, when I came to, I was buried under rubble, and I had to climb and dig my way out of it. When I was out, I saw the whole area as a charred, blackened wasteland. There was nothing left. My home, the city, the forests, EVERYTHING was gone I called out for my family for what must have been hours. There was no one around there. After searching, I lost hope and did something I was afraid to do. I checked the cemetery And I found Marcus's tombstone, as well as Joseph's I knew then that I had truly lost everything
Sheila (Hugs her mother): It's okay mom. Gar and me are alive So you didn't lose all of us.
Aeila: Thank you Sheila.
Ranma: Okay That explains that. So, how did you end up in Nira?
Aeila: Well, after finding that I literally had nothing to do I just became a wanderer, traveling all around the Retreat and Jade. I ended up doing odd jobs and fighting in tournaments when I could for money. About three years after I started traveling, or a good nine years ago, I entered the Tournament of Arms.
Aeila: Wow I didn't know that.
Britanny: Hey The Tournament of Arms is a big thing. Wouldn't Sheila have heard your name?
Aeila: I didn't use my real name when I signed up for the tournament. Instead, I had used the name "Maestra" again. I knew that people watching the fights would see that I wasn't a were-ebontiger, so I donned the whole get up of the red cloak and shawl.
Sheila: How far did you get mom?
Aeila: Quite far actually I had gone through the first five combatants with great ease. They were nothing compared to me However, it was when it came down to the two choices for Weaponsmasters I would have to face that I was challenged
Britanny: Whom did you face?
Aeila: First, I thought it would be easy to beat Leep Boy, was THAT a mistake I managed to beat him by the skin of my teeth, but I defeated him
Ranma: Wow You beat Leep as well?
Aeila: Yes. I hated how he kept lunging at my chest though The little pervert
Ranma: What happened next?
Aeila: Well, I was pretty damn low on energy, so I thought about who would be the easiest for me to face I chose to fight against Gamadore
Ranma: Oh
Aeila: Yep I was already in no condition to fight after Leep, and Well He beat my ass in good I woke up a few days afterwards after I had entered a coma.
Ranma: Ouch
Aeila: You aren't kidding But afterwards Armsmaster Julia Brigand visited me.
Britanny: Mom visited you?
Aeila (Looks Brit over): You're Julia Brigand's daughter?
Britanny: Yeah. Adopted.
Aeila: Hmm Interesting Anyway, when I was better, the Armsmaster invited me to have a spar with her I'll put it like this She beat me And she beat me down bad On the bright side though I did provide a challenge for her. Got a good number of 'good' hits on her too. Afterwards, she invited me to take a test, to see how I ranked up against ALL of the Weaponsmasters
Ranma: Ouch
Sheila: I hope you weren't hurt badly.
Aeila: Heh Hurt isn't the word for how I felt afterwards. Excruciating pain is what I went through. But Apparently, I had met their standards And I became the tenth Weaponsmaster. Anyway, long story short, I ended up going to Nira because none of them trust the bastard, and I have to be the 'eyes and ears' for everyone else
Ranma: Oooooooooooh Makes sense
Aeila: Indeed So What have you been doing Sheila? And, what is the story with your friends.
And so, Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila go into explanation about their different stories. For Ranma, it starts off with his whole training trip, the curse, the rivals, the training with Julia, to now. Britanny explains how she grew up with the Diggers family, fell in love with the prince of El Dorado, how Gar had fallen for her, how she got 'revenge' for her deceased people, how she met this strange alien cat-girl named Asrial, how she fought against the Dynasty to save Stripe's people, her failed wedding, and how she's been traveling with Ranma. Sheila goes over how her life has been without her mother, working with the Edge Guard, and how it's been with Ranma. Aeila is impressed by the diversity between the three
Aeila: Wow That's a lot of interesting stories you have And to think my little girl is one of the three protectors of the Arks as well
Sheila: Yup! Britanny, Ranchan, and me are to protect these gems.
Britanny: So Ranchan What are the sleeping arrangements going to be tonight?
Ranma: Well, I think we should sleep in different tents, and let Aeila sleep in the same one as Shechan
Britanny Sheila (Pout): Phooey.
Aeila looks at the three in confusion.
Aeila (Thinks): Sleeping arrangements? "Shechan"?
Aeila then looks at all three of them individually, making sure to take in their scents.
Sheila: Mom What're you doing?
Aeila then continues to smell them again.
Britanny: Um
Ranma: Aeila?
Aeila notices something familiar about this and smiles knowingly at the three of them, flashing a somewhat toothy grin.
Aeila: So When's the wedding?
Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila stare wide-eyed at Aeila.
Aeila: I mean you all have each other's scents on one another Meaning you three have had very close contact with one another And the fact you three were talking about sleeping arrangements, and my daughter and Britanny getting upset about sleeping in separate tents
Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila blush a deep crimson. Aeila then moves over to Ranma and Britanny and pats them on the back.
Aeila: Welcome to the family my new son and daughter-in-law! (Looks over at Sheila). You made some fine choices Sheila. (Winks)
Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila stare at Aeila for a couple of seconds. Then all three of them pass out. Aeila blinks for a couple of seconds then falls onto her back laughing her ass off.
Aeila: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!
Suddenly Sabbo appears while Aeila is laughing, and he steals their pot of stew.
Sabbo: Yoink!
Sabbo then disappears into the shadows with the pot while Aeila is still laughing.
It is now morning. Ranma is ready. He's all prepared. He's dressed, he's pumped, and he's ready
He has two werecats that won't let go of him
Britanny Sheila (Glomped onto either side of him): PLEASE, PLEASE BE CAREFUL RANCHAN, PLEASE!
Ranma: Sigh I told you I will ladies Don't worry
Aeila: Are you ready? Ranma: Ready as I'll ever be.
Aeila: Good. Britanny, Sheila, please let go of Ranma. We need to run to Gamadore's tower as fast as possible. He is a slippery old bastard.
Britanny and Sheila let go and are now at either side of Ranma.
Aeila: Good. Ready GO!
Aeila takes off like a rocket as Ranma, Britanny, and Sheila follow closely behind her.
As they leave the area, Sabbo reappears from the shadows.
Sabbo: Don't you want your cooking pot back? (-)
Aeila leads the three to Gamadore's tower in the center of Nira. Gamadore looks at the few glass shards on the ground and is NOT pleased
Gamadore: The traitor
The door to the main room of the tower bursts open and the four warriors come running into the room.
Ranma is also surprised a bit when he sees Gamadore.
Ranma: This is Gamadore? He doesn't seem to be male or female
Britanny looks at Gamadore and knows why.
Britanny: Wait a minute I think Gamadore is what my buddy Genn is. Gamadore is a Rakshasa
Ranma: A What?
Gamadore: A Shape-shifter you TWIT!
Ranma walks up to Gamadore's throne and asks Gamadore for a favor.
Ranma: Weaponsmaster Gamadore. My name is Ranma Saotome, student of Armsmaster Julia Brigand-Diggers. I have been put on a quest to fight all ten Weaponsmasters and to then enter the Tournament of Arms. You are the last Weaponsmaster for me to face. I challenge you.
Gamadore chuckles to him/herself. It's been a while since anyone has challenged him/her. Gamadore stands up and takes on the form of a very muscular male, stretching his black robes to the limit, allowing the contours of his muscle to show. He then takes out a huge broadsword that was behind his throne and points it at Ranma.
Gamadore: I accept your challenge.
Ranma takes out his katana Shadow Strike, and readies himself to fight.
Gamadore: Aeila! I command you to take the other jagwere and werecheetah out of here. I want to face the pig-tailed boy without distraction.
Sheila and Britanny are reluctant, but Ranma motions for them to go. They each give Ranma a kiss on the cheek for good luck and they let Aeila lead them out of Gamadore's tower.
Ranma: So, you're an evil person I take it?
Gamadore: Bah! Evil is in the eye of the beholder I see myself as an entrepreneur of fighting.
Ranma: Well, whatever you are, you're going down
Gamadore: Heh I will enjoy sucking the Etheral energy from your charred husk
And so, Ranma and Gamadore then go at it. Both bring their sword clashing, the sound of metal-on-metal echoes through the tower for quite some time. Finally Gamadore throws his sword to the side.
Gamadore: Forget this, I'll tear you apart with my bare claws!
Ranma (Blinks): Claws?
Without warning, Gamadore takes the form of a Griffon, lunging at Ranma with his talons outstretched. Ranma manages to evade the front talons, but when Gamadore makes it to the ground, he does a back-kick like a donkey, managing to scathe Ranma.
Ranma: Damn!
Gamadore keeps leaping at Ranma, taking swipes at him with his claws, but Ranma, using his superior speed, manages to evade all of the angry Rakshasa's attacks. Gamadore leaps to the side and glares at Ranma.
Gamadore-griffon: You DARE to evade MY ATTACKS!?
Ranma: Well, DUH!
Gamadore snarls and changes form again, this time, taking the form of a rock giant.
Gamadore-rock giant (Cracks knuckles): Can you smell what the Gamadore is grilling?
Ranma: I got something for you. It's a knuckle sandwich!
Ranma powers up the energy of a Ginka Genki Gan into his fist, and firing an incredibly powerful punch at Gamadore's jaw. Gamadore stumbles back a few steps, his jaw covered in cracks.
Ranma starts jumping up and down, as doing that punch fractured his right fist.
Both have only one thing to say.
Ranma Gamadore: RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Yep It hurts like the nine hells for both fighters.
Gamadore: THAT DOES IT! NOW I SHALL MAKE YOU PAY! I shall take a hybrid form, defeating you utterly! I shall become
Gamadore the shape-shifts. His body becoming huge, furry, bull-like with wings, and And eel for a tail?
Ranma (Blinks): Don't tell me
Gamadore: Tremble in fear mortal! My ultimate form! A Yeti, ox, crane, and eel hybrid! FEAR ME!
Ranma stares at Gamadore, and many memories of Pantyhose Taro flash through his head Ranma does the only thing that he can do in this situation.
Fall down laughing.
Ranma: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA
Gamadore: HEY! STOP LAUGHING!
Ranma: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Gamadore (Eyes turning red): I SAID STOP IT!
Ranma: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Gamadore yells out an angry "moo" sound. He starts jumping up and down, all the while yelling at Ranma. Unfortunately for him, the floor underneath him begins to crack.
Gamadore: MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Uh oh
Gamadore the breaks through the floor. Then the next one And the next one Going through all the floors, and literally make the tower come tumbling down. When Britanny, Sheila, and Aeila make it to the edge of the rubble, they find a bruised Ranma standing over an unconscious Gamadore, (now in neutral form). Ranma looks at Britanny, Sheila, and Aeila and gives them a smile.
Ranma: Let's go back to Seer's Hamlet. I got a tournament to enter in another four months.
With that, Ranma, Britanny, Sheila, and Aeila make their way back to Seer's Hamlet It's going to take a long while before they get there
End Chapter 33
Next Time: Ranma, Britanny, Sheila, and now Aeila are making their way back to the East Continent of Jade. And Aeila asks the girls more about their 'sleeping arrangements' with Ranma
Author's note:
I had received this comment from C. Rose, and similar ones from others
"? Hmmm... Ranma has been scratched by a Jagwere? Is she one of the ones that as had the 'taint' removed or is she still capable of infecting others? This looks good so far and want to see the next chapter and learn more about Sheila's mother."
Here's my reply to that and similar comments about the scratch.
Actually, from what I know NO werebeast has the ability to 'inflict' anymore. I mean, they are all born with the 'infliction' ability, but, as it was said in GD, it is considered a barbarous practice among the werefolk, so they actually take the time to use magic to 'nullify' that ability of theirs.
So yes, Aeila was clean. Ranma has not been inflicted, but that scratch on the nose DID hurt him.
-This is RedPriest17, signing off.
Send your questions and comments to Ryutsurugi
Note: Flames will be read and then used as lining for Charlotte's birdcage./pre