Last time Bloom finally came face to face with Malaketh. As it turns out, Kodatchi had the black stone that The Shadow Riders were after. A huge fight for the stone ensued, resulting with Mousse swallowing it. Things were about to heat up even more when Malaketh was warned that the Galaxy Police were in the system. He, Icy, Darcy and Stormy left, long with Toro, who had taken Kodatchi with them. On with the show!
Chapter 18: No Need For Brainwashing
"Toro," said Darcy, "We got to go now!" "Just a minute," said Toro, "If we can't have the stone, we'll settle for a small consolation prize instead." Before Bloom or anyone else could react, Toro had socked Kodatchi in the gut, flipped her onto his shoulder and took hold of Darcy's hand. With a flash Malaketh, Icy, Darcy, Stormy and Toro were gone with Kodatchi. "No!" exclaimed Tatewaki, "Sister!…"
"They're gone," said Akane, "They took Kodatchi." "Why?" asked Ukyo, "Why would they want her?" "Most likely as a hostage for future encounters," said Riven, "That's just the style of those damn witches."
"Damn, Kuno" said Ranma, "they really did a number on your house." "F#ck my house, Saotome!" said Tatewaki, "They took my sister!" "You really are an insensitive bastard, Ranma," said Akane, "There are times when I need to remind myself why I even like you in the first place."
"Oh, Akane Tendo!" said Tatewaki, "I knew thou would understand my plight!" "Why is he being so dramatic?" asked Musa, "I know the enemy took his sister, but really…"
"I know why," said Bloom, "You see, Kodatchi is the only family that Tatewaki has, that really matters that is. Their mother died years ago and their father completely neglects them." "I knew thou would understand me as well, Miss Bloom," said Tatewaki.
At that time Tenchi was unscrewing the cap on a plastic water bottle. For apparently no reason, the bottle slipped up out from his grip and spilled its contents on Ranma, transforming him into his female form. "Pig-Tailed Girl!" exclaimed Tatewaki, "I knew thou would be here to comfort me in this dark hour."
"I'm sorry for what happened, Kuno," said Ranma, "Just don't touch me." "Look, Tatewaki," said Bloom, "Stella's cousins have their own starship, a really fast one."
"Yeah," said Stella, "There's no place in the universe that those dirty Shadow Riders can go that we won't be able to find them." "We'll find Kodatchi," said Bloom, "We'll find her and bring her home."
Meanwhile…
"Damn those Earth creatures!" exclaimed Malaketh as he, the witches, Toro and the unconscious Kodatchi entered the main room of the mansion, "And damn the Galaxy Police! We were so close to obtaining the black stone!" "So what if Bloom and her pathetic friends have one of the stones," said Icy, "They don't know what it does, it'll do them no good."
"There's still eight more stone, my beloved," said Salamei to Malaketh, "Once we have the rest we'll come after the black stone." "I'm looking forward to ripping the stone out of that four-eyed bastard who swallowed it," said Stormy.
"Nice place you got here," said Toro as he dropped Kodatchi onto the carpet like a sack of potatoes, "Really sweet pad." "You were right about your curse being a gift," said Darcy, "You have the power to transform into a beast of mass destruction, I like that."
"I like it to," said Toro, "I'd like it even more if I had more control over it. You saw that hot water turns me back to normal." "With my help," said Darcy, "You shall achieve total control over this awesome power of yours."
"Okay, she's starting to scare me," said Stormy. "What about her?" asked Icy, indicating the unmoving form of Kodatchi. "This one is special somewhat," said Salamei, "Her heart has a good deal of darkness in it. Not hate or rage; rather lust and a ruthlessness to crush who or whatever stands in her way."
"Yet there is also goodness in her heart," said the weather warlock Trabon, "I sense that underneath that lust and ruthlessness, there's love for someone close to her, her brother I assume. The love between families is one of the stronger forms of that disgusting emotion. I feel that this Earth woman would never willingly join us."
"If she won't join us of her own free will," said Malaketh, "Then we'll just have to make her join us." "I'm way ahead of you," said Darcy, "I know the perfect mind-control spell." "No fair!" protested Stormy, "You got to brainwash Riven that one time. I want a mind slave!"
"That can be arranged," said Malaketh, "Parker!" "Yes, sir?" said the butler. "Bring in my special mind-control kit," said Malaketh, "And be quick about it." "Very good, sir," said Parker. He left the room and returned with a small attaché case.
"Your mind-control kit, sir," said Parker as he handed the case to Malaketh. "Thank you, Parker," said Malaketh, "Now be so kind as to help this young lady into a chair so we can take hold of her mind." "Yes, sir," said Parker. He then lifted Kodatchi into a nearby chair and tied her down so she couldn't move.
"What's in there?" asked Icy. Malaketh opened the case and pulled out a large bottle of black ink, a rubber stamp, a small, sharp knife and a small mixing bowl. "This ink," said Malaketh, "Has special properties that, when stamped on the forehead of a human, makes the victim susceptible to suggestion, more easy to control."
"All you need to do," said Salamei to Stormy, "Is mix three drops of your blood with the ink and stamp her forehead with our seal; the mark of The Shadow Riders. She'll be your obedient mind-slave within hours."
"I really need some of my blood?" asked Stormy in a somewhat nervous tone. "It won't work without it," said Salamei as she poured a small portion of ink into the mixing bowl, "Is there a problem with that?" "Not really," said Stormy, "It's just that, well, I can handle other people's blood, just not my own."
"Well if you're not up to it," said Darcy, "I'll gladly spill a few drops of my blood, I could always use a new mind-slave." "The Hell you will!" exclaimed Stormy, "It's my turn to have a mind-slave. I just need a little help with the blood letting, that's all."
"I'll help you with that," said Trabon. He gently took hold of Stormy's left hand and held the knife in the other. "You ready?" he asked. "For the pain," said Stormy, "Yes. For the blood, no, but do it anyway." Before Stormy could say anything further, Trabon pricked her left index finger with the knife. She winced slightly from the pain. It was the sight of her blood emanating from her finger that caused her face to pale even further.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," said Stormy as the first drop fell into he mixing bowl. "Just hand on," said Trabon as the second drop fell, "It's only blood." "Easy for you to say," said Stormy, "It's not your blood that you have to look at." She sighed with relief as the third drop fell into the bowl. "That wasn't so bad," said Trabon as he put a bandage on Stormy's finger, "You did well."
Stormy was speechless as Trabon finished attending to her finger. "If you're ready," said Salamei as she finished mixing the ink, "We can proceed." At that time Kodatchi woke up, she struggled but found that she couldn't move. "Where am I!" she demanded, "What have you done to me! Where my brother! Where's Ranma!"
"You'll soon forget all that lay behind you soon enough, Earth woman," said Salamei, "Soon you'll be one of us." "Never!" spat Kodatchi, "I'll never join you alien bastards." "You don't know what you're missing," said Icy, "This is the organization that's going to rule all someday."
"I don't care!" said Kodatchi, "And you can go outside and play 'hide and go f#ck yourselves'!" "Is that your final decision?" asked Malaketh. "I'd rather face death with my head held high," said Kodatchi, "Than surrender my freedom. Now either kill me or send me home!"
"I did say that she'd never join us willingly," said Trabon, "So hit her with the stamp." "Gladly," said Stormy as she soaked the rubber stamp in the ink. She then stamped Kodatchi on the forehead. A black seal with some red in it had formed on her forehead: the mark of The Shadow Riders.
"Now," said Stormy smugly, "You belong to me." Kodatchi then spat in Stormy's eye, "F#ck you, bitch!" exclaimed Kodatchi. "I thought you'd said she'd be my obedient slave!" protested Stormy as she cleared the saliva from her eye. "I doesn't work right away," said Salamei, "But within six hours at the most, this Earth woman will have exhausted her resistance and belong to you."
"In the meantime," said Malaketh, "We can get Toro initiated into our little group." "Excellent!" said Salamei, "Toro, raise your right hand and repeat after me: I am…" "I am," said Toro. "Sofa King…" "Sofa King," said Toro, "We Todd Ed," finished Salamei. "We Todd Ed," said Toro.
"Now put it all together," said Salamei. "I am Sofa King We Todd…" Toro paused as he realized what he was saying. "Real funny," he said, "You'd have to be a complete idiot to fall for that." "I feel that we've just been insulted," said Icy to Stormy.
"You're the first pledge to figure out that little joke," said Salamei, "Well done. Now, on with the real initiation!" Toro then read out loud from the charter and signed his name below Icy, Darcy, and Stormy's names:
Toro The Destroyer
"Welcome, Toro the Destroyer," said Malaketh, "Welcome to The Shadow Riders!" The Shadow Riders in the room applauded, with Darcy clapping the loudest. "Let the hazing begin!" exclaimed Malaketh. Everyone cheered at that.
It took Toro 30 seconds to recite the alphabet backwards perfectly; he never lost his balance. He was spun around for about 2.5 hours before becoming nauseous. To top it he took over 100 buckets of ice water before any sign hypothermia began to set in. "This Earth man is a rare find," said Salamei to Malaketh as Darcy helped Toro dry off, "He'll be a great asset."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Darcy said to Toro, "My sisters and I went through the same thing." "I've been through worse," said Toro. "While you two lovebirds are chirping," said Stormy in a disgusted, "I'm gonna check on my mind-slave."
When they got back to Kodatchi, she was still struggling to break free. "The second I get out of this chair," said Kodatchi with much malice, "I'll strangle all you bastards, starting with her!" She glared death at Stormy. "Her mind is strong," said Malaketh, "But that seal is of powerful magic. Her strength of will won't last for too long."
"You hear that," said Stormy to Kodatchi, "Enjoy having a free mind while it lasts. But soon enough, you will call me mistress." "Never!" raged Kodatchi, "I'll die first!" "You keep thinking that," said Malaketh, "see what good it does you. Parker! Take our new mind-slave to her new quarters. Instruct the servants that she isn't to be let out of her room until he willingly obeys Miss Stormy."
"Very good, sir," said Parker. He then attached some wheels to the chair and rolled it out of the room. "I'll never obey you!" raged Kodatchi as she was wheeled out of the room, "My friends will find me! And when they do, they'll vivisect you all!" Yet as Parker wheeled Kodatchi down the hall, a single teardrop fell from her eyes. Ranma, she thought, Bloom, Tatewaki, please help me; please find me.
The end of chapter 18. Next chapter, Bloom and co. prepare to leave Earth to go find Kodatchi. Reviews will be rewarded with chocolate éclairs. See you next time!
