Disclaimer; This fanfiction uses existing ideas, characters and or worlds, but is an independent work of art. I own nothing, hence the reason for publishing my writings here instead of in real books where I could make some money.
Hovering above a lush jungle in India, facing a steep, high mountain-side, was a green helicopter, with a yellow on red smiley-face painted on, it had a rather sceptical expression on its face instead of a smile.
The brown mountain-side sported a gaping hole, where a construction could be found, and all along the cliff-side near the clearing they were aiming to land in ran a corridor leading up to the gaping hole, shown by the pillars supporting the ceiling.
The helicopter belonged to none other than Kevin "Ace" Koss, pilot-extraordinaire, and boyfriend of Penny Pincer.
Both of said persons were in this helicopter, as were Gina Diggers, and Ranma Koki.
Gina wore her warm-climate uniform, which was basically short denim shorts cut off at the upper thigh, and a sleeveless blue shirt tied in a knot under her generous bosom, and her hat along with her small backpack for essential equipment.
Penny wore her own mission gear, not that Ranma bothered to note more than it was revealing and olive-green.
Ranma was not nearly as excited as Gina, and neither was Penny, but an adventure was an adventure, and this one could uncover some great mysteries concerning the Djinni.
Directly below the helicopter, was a small camp.
This camp belonged to the host to this adventure … Dr Issac Elite.
"They should have a helipad ready for you, Ace," said Gina, checking her map one more time. "The I.L.S. freak is set to channel six."
"Hm," Ace snorted, and looked impassively out the windows. "Yeah, like I need I.L.S. to land … But thanks for the heads up, G."
"Kevin," Leaning over the pilot chair, Penny looked at her boyfriend. "You seem on edge … anything wrong, honey?"
"Girl, I just don't dig that squad, Team Elite," Ace confessed. "Especially that leader of theirs … Issac Elite … thinkin' he's all that! Just because they've never gone home empty-handed!"
"You know them, Kevin?" Penny continued to ask.
"Yeah," Ace growled. "I met 'em once … they needed my skills through Burma … I'll tell you 'bout it later after I bust this landin' … 'N call me ACE, Penny … ow-ight?"
Satisfied with the reply, Penny returned to her seat, which was next to Ranma, and waited for the landing.
Looking out the window, Ranma saw a small group of people gathering outside to greet them, standing at a safe distance from the helicopter.
There were four of them in all … one was a neatly dressed man in a white suit, purple shirt and a white bow-tie, he was clearly the leader.
The next was a huge, bald man, with the muscles of a heavy-weight boxer, but was oddly enough dressed in an ash-grey business-like suit, with a tie … he wasn't wearing a blazer, the arms were ripped off the shirt, and he wore thin boxing gloves of matching colour, but apart from this, the suit seemed perfectly normal.
Next, was a guy wearing a white shirt, yellow tie, blue shorts, and a red cap put on backwards … covering his torso was a red coat with a symbol on the back … this man also chose to wear no sleeves.
Finally, there was a woman with red hair, a straw hat, and apart from being covered with scattered white band-aids, wore only a set of denim overalls cut off at mid-thigh and hiking boots, which meant there was very little to hide her generous assets from view … only the front of the overalls, which reached to about armpit height.
It was clear that everyone but the woman were experienced fighters at close range as well as distance … should the woman try any acrobatics, she would only expose herself, which would only serve to distract her opponent.
As Gina's team climbed out of the helicopter, Penny pulled Kevin aside.
"Just keep your problems under your hat, Kevin," she warned. "It's still their site, after all …"
"Ah, Madame Chairwoman!" greeted the white-clad man formally, leaning on a pickaxe as though it were a cane. "Welcome to our humble expedition!"
"Dr Elite?" Gina asked to make sure. At the man's nod, she continued. "Thank you for allowing us to visit!"
"Please," continued Dr Elite. "Allow me to introduce you to my team of specialists …"
"True, introductions are in order …" Gina agreed, somewhat embarrassed as the man came uncomfortably close as he took her hand in a similar manner to a gentleman about to kiss her knuckles.
Ranma, also uncomfortable with the man's proximity to one of his girlfriends, was about to step in when the man let go.
"This is David "Crash" Turvine," Dr Elite began, indicating the man in red. "Retired Formula One Champion."
"Yo," the man said as a means of acknowledging his identity.
"His mechanical expertise comes in handy against the dangerous traps we tend to find …" Dr Elite added, clearly flaunting how skilled his associates were. Then he nodded to his side, where stood the huge man in grey. "At my side is Percival Masters."
"A pleasure," greeted a gentler voice than one would expect from a man that big.
"Six-time World Martial Art Champion … Eight-time World Chess Champion. When things become … intense … every so often, Percival sees us through safely …" continued Dr Elite. He then indicated the woman of his team. "And the Indomitable Dana Dane. The first person to transverse the globe … alone … on foot … twice! Her knowledge of locations all over the world and her innate sense of direction has earned her the nickname "The Human G.P.S.""
"How-dee!" the woman greeted merrily.
Gina was slightly nervous about starting her own introductions after the one she had been given, but Ranma's hand on her shoulder calmed her down a little.
"This is my team, Dr Elite," she started, patting Ranma's hand. "This is Ranma Koki, Martial Arts genius, as well as the owner and chief inventor of Wild Horse Inc … I don't think he's ever competed in the World Martial Art Championship, but I'm sure he would win it with his speed, strength, adaptability and arsenal of techniques."
Ranma raised his hand to recognise that he was being spoken of, and in greeting. The expressions on most of Team Elite's faces were of mild awe … and a slight twinkle of desire in the woman's eye that died as soon as she looked back at her leader. Both the fighters looked eager to try their hand at fighting him, but this also passed.
"Kevin "Ace" Koss," Gina continued, indicating Ace, who was still within a few steps of his helicopter. "Quite possibly the best pilot in the world … And my partner on this expedition-"
"Penny Pincer," Dr Elite interrupted, taking hold of her hand in the same way he had Gina's. "I read your research thesis on the Civ-Alpha, Dr Pincer … exceptional work for an exceptional archaeologist!"
The man then leaned down and kissed her knuckles smoothly, not only producing goose-pimples on the woman's hand, but also causing strong feelings of jealousy to rise in both Ace and Dana. Ranma was nearly overwhelmed by them, and Gina winced in sympathy for Ace.
After a tense few moments, Dr Elite stepped away, and raised the pickaxe, holding it by the head and pointing at the gaping hole in the mountain.
"Now, to business," he declared. "Over there is the entrance to Uhm Di Turrok … but it's locked. Our team has been trying to find a way inside for a week now …"
"Well," Gina started. "As I said in the message I sent you this morning, Dr Elite-"
"Please," Dr Elite interrupted. "Call me Issac."
"Issac," Gina corrected herself. "I know how to unlock the entrance … but in return, we'd like your permission to share the site with your group."
"But of course," agreed Dr Elite. "However … I propose a little race to the secrets of this temple. A friendly little competition! Whatever is first touched by any member of our teams becomes that team's property … Of course, we all may examine the items, relics or what-have-you … but, only the item's winner gets to take it home! Agreed?"
"Well," Gina hesitated. "It's very dangerous inside that temple, Issac. There are grave safety concerns …"
"True," agreed Dr Elite. "True … but that's what sets us apart, Dr Diggers …"
"Uh," Gina grunted with unease. "Just call me Gina … keeps people from confusing me with my dad …"
"We're explorers as well as archaeologists, Gina," Dr Elite continued, including the corrected address. Ranma bristled at the familiar tone the man was setting … was this guy flirting with his girlfriend? "Risk comes with the territory … plus, doing things this way will surely settle any arguments over who gets what …"
"Very well, Issac," Gina agreed, her confidence rising as she looked over her team. "We accept …we'll start as soon as the temple entrance is unlocked … just give us a few minutes to unload our gear and we'll begin."
Ranma followed Gina back to the helicopter to help unload what they needed … granted, he could have stowed it all in stuff space, and saved a lot of weight for Ace's engines, but Penny and Ace would only wonder why they weren't packing any equipment … besides … it was Dao who prepared the equipment, and Ranma didn't want to waste any energy or time packing it all away before takeoff.
As he was transferring equipment from the helicopter to Gina's pack, which apparently had gotten a chi-tech Stuff-Space generator sown into the opening without him knowing, he felt a burst of power from behind some crates in the camp … where Dr Elite had disappeared after the agreement had been made.
It disappeared shortly after it came, though, so Ranma didn't have time to investigate.
In Tokyo, there was a knock at the gate of the Koki estate.
Nodoka managed to tear herself away from watching Charlotte attempting to breast-feed Rei, wishing she would have been able to have that closeness with another baby, and went to answer.
When she opened the door, she was surprised at who was on the other side.
"Hello, Auntie, is Ranma in?"
It had taken five minutes for the team to properly stow away their gear in the single backpack, but they soon stood before the grand entrance of the temple, and Gina had managed to open it within moments of approaching it, much to the chagrin of some Team Elite members.
"Here we are," Gina stated, slightly uneasy about the dangers they might face within. "The entrance to the Halls of the Extremely Dead!"
Dr Elite stepped just inside, and looked around with great reverence. "Within these halls, are the tombs of forgotten kings from lost civilisations," he said. "Horded treasures from lords who wished to be buried with their spoils … all protected by a labyrinth of the deadliest traps ever created!"
"Well," started Penny. "This is where we split up … be careful, Issac …"
"Thank you, Penelope," Dr Elite replied. "I shall …"
As Gina's group split away from Team Elite, Ace was silent, and fuming.
"Was it just me, or did the subject of PhDs get brought up a lot?" asked Ranma casually. "Doctor this and Doctor that …"
"Sound to me like someone here has a distinct case of PhD-envy," commented Penny smugly.
"An expert symptomatological analysis, Dr Pincer," added Gina with equal smugness.
"Why, thank you Dr Diggers," Penny replied.
"Stuff it," Ranma mock grumbled, somewhat pleased that Dr Elite seemed to be forgotten. That is, until Penny looked slyly over her shoulder at Ace, who kept a step or two behind her.
"And speaking of envy," she said. "I think it's time I let my brooding boyfriend off the hook … although in the old days, I would have had this "infatuation with Issac" thing go on for weeks before revealing it was only to see him jealous!"
"Wait a minute!" Ace realised and stopped. "You weren't diggin' Issac! You were playin' me like Mario Brothers! Girl, why-"
"Why?" asked Penny innocently. "Where should I start? Remember that time out of Maui? And you took extra passengers who happened to be the infamous Swedish Thong-Bikini Team? And the Team Captain kept trying to sit in your lap? And she asked if she could grip your flight stick and you let her?"
"Oh yeah …" Ace sighed.
"Well, Penny," Gina smirked. "I've gotta admit … I was fooled as well … I mean, Issac would be some catch! He's got to possess the most handsome pair of buns in archaeology!"
Ranma was not pleased at this remark. Though he noticed such things about women other than his girlfriends, he at least tried not to bring it up in conversation …
"Y' got dat right gir-frin!" Penny squealed. "And did you check the "Merchandise" he's packin'? By my calculations, he's definitely sporting double digits!"
Sounds of appreciation followed from both women.
Ranma growled in annoyance. He at least had the tact not to mention or comment on such things about women, why did they have to do this now?
"No respect," Ace muttered. "'M tellin' ya …"
Gina was about to make another crude comment for fun, when she heard a loud –CHHUNK!- on her step.
"Oops …" she stated. "COUNTER BALANCE TRAP!"
As the four of them tumbled down the hole that the floor suddenly tipped them into, Ace could not help but remark loudly. "I thought you guys were supposed to be checkin' for this mess!"
"We were!" Penny replied as she started to fall.
-KHNK!-
The floor had now flipped over, and locked itself in place.
As Ranma took in his surroundings, he noticed that the group had been split up … he was in a compartment, not very big, perhaps as big as a normal, household bathroom, covered with those blue strips that he had seen inside Bain, he was with Ace, but the girls weren't in there with them!
"Gina!" he called.
"Penny!" added Ace.
"We're over here!" Ranma heard through a wall. It was Gina! "Looks like the trap was just a drop-pit … pretty shallow, too … but, we're separated and imprisoned!"
"Gina!" Penny hissed, clearly not pleased. "I thought you were checking for metallic anomalies? Why didn't you see this coming with your scan-light?"
"It's not my fault that this trap uses no metallic parts!" Gina replied in her own defence. "And what about your ground-sonar emitter, Penny? You should have detected this gap!"
"I would if you weren't distracting me!"
"Stop blaming each other!" Ranma interrupted. "If you haven't noticed, we're in a bind, here!"
"Hey, Ranma," Ace stated. "It's getting' … warmer in here!"
"Ace is right!" Ranma heard Gina call from the other side, a slight creeping panic into her voice. "The temperature is rising! The strips covering the walls are beginning to heat up! Which means the tilt-floor wasn't the trap … it was the entrance! Jinkies! We're inside an Easy-Bake Oven!"
Though the lack of electricity, dynamos and such to produce such an effect bothered Ranma as a scientist … his protective instincts were screaming at him to get out, or at least get the others out!
Without really thinking things through, Ranma punched the wall that divided the group, applying some force to the breaking point, and watched as the wall exploded open, showering him, Ace, Gina and Penny in shrapnel.
Grabbing Gina, Ranma repeated the procedure with another, random wall, and entered.
Behind Ranma and Gina, Penny and Ace followed, sporting a few scrapes and coated in a light layer of dust, but otherwise fine.
"Is everyone okay?" asked Ranma as he calmed down … ashamed at having lost his cool logic at the thought of his girlfriend coming to harm.
"'M okay, Dawg," Ace commented, wiping some blood off the nastiest cut on his arm. "Thanks."
"I'm okay, honey," Gina purred, enjoying her closeness with Ranma far too much to care about the few scratches she had gotten, or if they had all been covered in dust.
"Penny?" asked Ranma when he heard nothing from her.
"Teehee!"
"Penny?" looking around, Ranma found Penny sitting amidst a pile of gold, jewels and the chests or cauldrons they were kept in, sporting a large, gold tiara with a large diamond at the forehead … diamond ear rings, gold bracelets, rings, and necklace, with diamonds, rubies and emeralds covering them.
"Say hello to the new Queen of the Nile!" Penny giggled, and posed with the jewels against a large cauldron next to a stack of gold bars.
"Jinkies!" Gina exclaimed. "We're smack down in the middle of a treasure vault! Let me see!" she added before approaching Penny. "Share the wealth Gir-Frin'!"
"No way!" Penny protested. "I coordinated this ensemble! Go get your own!"
While the women were going over the jewels, Ranma started the process of stuffing everything into a Bag of Holding he had discovered in his stuff space while stuffing their gear into Gina's backpack … he knew for certain that he had given Kasumi her gift, so it couldn't have been the one he bought for her on Jade … but, then … there was always a possibility of someone having stuffed another Bag of Holding into the first, and this one having fallen out of the first when he pulled it out to give to Kasumi …
Regardless … the Bag of Holding came in handy no matter where it came from, because in all honesty, Ranma did not think he would be able to fit all of these valuables in stuff space … even with all the other things he had managed to stuff in there.
Working around Gina and Penny, who were complimenting each other's new accessories before wondering if any of this was cursed, Ranma managed to quickly gather up all the gold, jewels and gems.
As Penny and Gina grudgingly stowed their newfound accessories into the bag, Ranma's ears picked up the sound of battle down the hall from the chamber.
The next noise was even loud enough for the other three to hear.
"GUH!"
"The other team's in trouble," Ranma deduced. "Should we help, or continue to look for valuables?" by his emphasis, Ranma made his opinion clear, but he still left the choice to his three companions.
"Let's go," Gina called, and started down the hallway towards where the grunt had originated.
After some running, and thankfully no traps, the group arrived in a large hall with some steps leading up to a closed door. Kneeling towards the open area was a blue-glowing, purple creature, wearing a white suit that barely fit over the huge muscles that most of its body seemed made of.
There was a demonic feeling to the creature.
But, demonic or not, Ranma could recognise the aura of Dr Elite within it, and the wardrobe revealed its identity to Gina.
"Is that Issac?" she asked Dana, who was standing nervously along the wall, with "Crash" next to her. Percival was approaching the creature in a ready stance most commonly associated with either boxing or kickboxing. Along the wall, beneath a spider-web set of cracks, was the muscled man's shirt and tie.
Ranma watched as the two fought, paying no attention to the banter the creature was exchanging with Percival as its slow, yet powerful punches and swipes missed the surprisingly agile fighter, who dodged, ducked and slid out of harm's reach, only to deliver a powerful uppercut to the creature's jaw.
In a follow-up move, Percival locked his arms under the creature's arms, and locked his hands behind the creature's head.
"David! Now!" Percival yelled, his voice deeper and more serious due to the situation. "Give 'im the whole clip!"
"Zak's gonna feel this in the morning …" David muttered as he opened fire with what looked like an Uzi, or a handgun modified to become fully automatic.
Ranma was about to intervene before a barrier came into existence between the creature and the bullets, causing them to bounce off, and also had the effect of knocking Percival off in a flash of light.
As the large fighter fell to the ground, Ranma rushed in … this thing was a threat to all around it, and he was not about to let it get away with whatever it tried getting away with!
Delivering a roundhouse kick to the creature's face, Ranma watched with a small bit of pride as it reeled back a few steps, unlike the punch Percival had given, which only staggered it.
With incredible slowness, Ranma watched as the creature got back up, rubbing the side of its head, and delivered a flat palm thrust at Ranma's chest.
Ranma took the hit to gauge how powerful the creature was, but didn't satisfy himself with relying on pure physical endurance to resist any effect, so ki was pumped into his chest, ribs and organs to prepare for the strike in not even a second.
-WAMP!-
-CRASH!-
"Ranma!"
Ranma shook his head clear of dust and looked out the vertical crater he found himself in.
Though he had gotten time to prepare, that punch still hurt … he wouldn't be able to take many more of those in this form. Giving Gina a reassuring smirk, Ranma stepped out of his crater to see Percival had taken up the fight again.
This would not end well … unless …
With hardly a thought, Ranma started to shrink … most of his hair pulled back until it was only short fur that merged seamlessly with the fur that grew out of the rest of his skin … a tail slinked out of a hole in the back of his brown pants, and wagged back and forth aggressively.
Ranma's now feline ears flattened down and back against his head, and a hissing yowl escaped his mouth before he launched himself at the purple creature.
Surprised, the creature wasn't able to dodge the punch that impacted against his face … not that he normally would have been able to, given that he was so slow and Ranma, in hybrid form, was so fast …
The creature crashed into the wall, and got up, shaking himself free of debris, growling in return at Ranma's challenging yowl.
Rearing his fist back again, Ranma channelled ki into the entire arm, subconsciously mimicking and altering the Master Technique he had seen G'Nolga perform to suit his current situation and needs.
-Cra-KOOM!-
The impact between fist and face shook the room enough for dust to fall from the ceiling, and nearly knocking Penny and Gina over.
The crater Ranma had launched the creature into the first time was now very deep … so deep, in fact, that the creature could not be seen from the thick shadow drowning the hole.
Sinking to his knees, Ranma panted as he rubbed the feeling back into his arm … he hadn't meant to use as much force as he had … somehow, his feline persona wouldn't allow him to hold much of anything back against this threat and had strengthened his punch as much as he could get away with.
It hurt … a lot …
"Ranma!" was all the warning Ranma got before being glomped by Gina. "Are you okay? Did you kill him?"
"Nah," interrupted David as he peered down the hole. "We've hit him with worse … see, there he is now!"
Emerging from the dark hole, was a bruised and battered Dr Elite, sheepishly covering a large bump on his face, wearing the rags that once were his clothes … now most of the nice suit was scraped up by shrapnel or friction as he was being forced into the ground and his purple shirt hung in tatters … oddly enough, his pants survived with only a few smudges …
First aid was immediately applied by Dana, who was none too gentle about her treatment of the man.
"Hold still 'y big baby!" the woman commanded as she wrapped bandages around the head of Dr Elite. "'M almost done …"
"Dana," stated Dr Elite in a pained chuckle, his chest already wrapped up tight, his left arm was wrapped in bandages like his chest, and his right arm in a sling. "I don't know which is worse … the curse or your "First Aid" …"
"I sed quit yer squirmin'!" Dana repeated sternly.
"Issac?" asked Gina, cautiously approaching the fellow doctor. "About the curse …"
Ranma came up behind Gina, and put an arm around her waist … he would have leaned against her, but as he was still in hybrid form, that would make him lean against her breasts, which was not appropriate for their current company and location.
"I know what you are about to ask, Gina," Dr Elite sighed, leaning back against the wall, much to Dana's protests. "But I'm afraid I cannot indulge you … I cannot tell you about the origin of my current condition … it's for your own safety. With this curse, the less you know, the safer you are … This is the Team Elite's burden … we cannot share …"
"But my father is a powerful magic-user who specialises in curses," Gina protested. Ranma looked at her in surprise … why hadn't he known that?
"I'm afraid the curse is immune to all magic, Gina," sighed the injured doctor. "As my mother's death proved …" he added in a mutter.
"But-"
"And," Dr Elite interrupted. "That's all I have to say about that …"
Penny looked about to try and make the man reconsider, but Dana stepped in and waved her away, telling her to mind her own bees-wax.
"Okay," Gina sighed in defeat. "But … if you ever need help …"
"I'll call," Dr Elite agreed.
"Well," interrupted Percival, his voice though not as gentle as the first meeting was still not threatening. "With our archaeological expert down … we'll have to forfeit the "contest" … we were trying to get this door open when Issac changed … looks like it's all yours now …"
Gina looked up at the doors, and was very surprised to discover that it was the very doors, behind which lay what they had been looking for!
"The one leading to Yl'Dahjim," muttered Gina in awe as she approached it, the rest of the group following closely behind. "Or leading to the one who can guide us to Yl'Dahjim …"
Pressing her palm against the right half of the doors, and pressed two fingers against what appeared to be cracks in the right half of the doors, until two buttons glowed green where Gina's fingers were pressed.
With a groaning hiss, the doors opened, admitting Gina and her group to the chamber within.
There, floating in the middle of the chamber was a tablet with the icon of a diamond on it.
"But …" Gina stuttered in confusion. "It's just the same floating tablet we saw before … no portals … no directions … I don't underst-" halting her complaining abruptly, Gina examined the tablet again. "Wait … the tablet … the diamond inside it … it's the exact same mathematical dimensional formula … as Bain … Now I understand … what I couldn't have during my first visit. The tablet … is Yl'Dahjim!"
Author's Notes; I know, rather rushed chapter … couldn't be helped, I guess … I just wanted to get out another chapter on the ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSERY of this story, and having more to write would mean I'd miss it.
And for those who keep getting confused about my fluctuating order of surnames where Ranma is concerned, I change it according to the customs of the country the retelling takes place in, or the company Ranma is in.
I have no idea what I.L.S. freak means … I guess it has something to do with radio frequencies … or given the context, some form of landing aide.
And to accommodate my readers more, I've cut down quite a bit on the italics … Fred Perry sure loves to emphasise words …
Symptomatological is not, to my knowledge, a real word …
Translation; Gir-Frin' – Girl friend. Ow-ight – All right.
