TRTSS44: Tales of Ranma Who! – By Ocramed
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, Trek, DW and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story. C&C are welcomed.
Special Note: This story takes place during the events of the Seventh Series of "Doctor Who".
Part 4: "A Town Called Mercy!"
The American Southwest: Late 19th Century.
US Marshal Ronnie Smith stopped his wagon, full of supplies and a "special cargo", just as he noticed a gathering of towns-people, standing in front of the entrance of the sign welcoming visitors to Mercy, located south of Las Vegas, Nevada. The American government had visited him in the Lakota Territory for the express purpose of solving an unusual case involving some sort of "metal man" who was holding a town hostage. And after losing Federal agents investigating the situation, they went to Ronnie, who was no fan of the American government for its treatment of Native Americans during and after the so-called "Indian Wars", decided to investigate the matter with his wife in tow.
"Well, Usagi, it looks like we're needed after all," Ronnie said, as he turned to his other companion.
"Brother Caine, you sure you want to involve yourself in this?" Ronnie asked his companion.
"I am a traveler, just like you, Brother Ranma," said the Shaolin Priest Kwai Chang Caine, as he adjusts his hat. Ever since he fled China for the crime of killing the nephew of the Emperor, who had killed his and Ranma's mentor, Master Po, Caine has been fleeing bounty hunters ever since. Well, until he reunited to his old friend Ronnie, who, years before, trained in the Northern Shaolin Temple for a short while…
"Besides, considering the state of Sister Usagi, a diversion will be a good one," Caine said. While Ronnie was a better warrior than Caine, Caine was a better healer than Ronnie, and, in fact, had been traveling with Ronnie in the hopes of studying plants in America in order to help facilitate a treatment to Bonnie's condition. At the very least, something that could alleviate those symptoms of hers…
"Alright," Ronnie said, as he cracked the harness of his horses. "Getty-up!"
And, with that Ronnie and Caine roll into town with the precious cargo in tow…
"Well, this is a fine mess we're in," the Doctor said, as he dusted himself off. After declaring himself as "the alien Doctor", the townsfolk had took it upon themselves to throw the Doctor out of Mercy, which, curiously, was surrounded by a ring of rocks and wood.
"Doctor, are you alright?" Amy yelled, as she and her husband were being held by the townsfolk.
"I am, but I want answers," the Doctor said, as he tried to go back into the town, only to have guns drawn on him.
CLIK!
"Or not," the Doctor said.
"Look!" said one of the townspeople yelled, as all eyes were drawn to some sort of phantom.
"Doctor?" Rory said, as he could see a man of some sort approaching the town…
"Reverend, say something," said one townsfolk.
An African-American preacher begins to recite the Beatitudes, taken from a passage from the King James Bible, even as the phantom continues its approach…
"No," said another man, who walks up to the Doctor from behind the crowd. This man was big and burley, and had a classic handlebar mustache.
"Let the man in."
"But he's the alien Doctor," said the townsperson.
"No, he isn't," the man said.
"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.
The man smiles a bit, and then shows his Sheriff's badge to all to see.
"Wonderful," the Doctor said, as he quickly steps back into the town proper. He then turns to see the phantom, perhaps a gunslinger of some kind, shimmer into view briefly before fading away…
"That was…odd," the Doctor said.
"Doctor, are you alright?" Rory asked.
"Quite alright, although I would prefer some answers…"
"As would I, Doctor," said a familiar voice, this time from within the town itself.
All eyes turned to see an approaching wagon, with two men ferrying some cargo.
"You?" Amy exclaimed.
"You're Amy Pond, right?" Ronnie said.
"Of course I am," Amy said. "You know me-"
"Actually, only briefly," the Doctor said, as he steps up. "Ranma Saotome, I presume…?"
Later, at the Sherriff's office, explanations are given.
"…So, let me get this straight," Rory said, as he paced back and forth, in the sheriff's office, before turning toward Ronnie. "You're Ranma Saotome, but under a different name."
"Yep," Ronnie said.
"And you're a Federal marshal?" asked the town constable, whose name was Isaac Isaacson.
"Yes," Ronnie said, as he gives Sheriff Isaacson an envelope with some documents. "You'll find that my papers are in order…"
"Thank you," Isaac said, as he accepts the envelope.
"And you are a herbalist?" Rory asked.
"I am, although I am not credentialed," Caine said evenly.
"When we last met, that was supposed to be part of your training as a Shaolin monk," the Doctor asked. He had met and encouraged a young Caine the last time he was in China. In fact, he had been searching from Ronnie when he first came upon the Shaolin monk.
"This is true," Caine said. "Unfortunately, I came upon a…different path…"
"And you are this alien Doctor everyone seems to be looking for, including our Gunslinger friend," the Doctor said to the humanoid. The person was a male, order man who appeared to be learned, as well as having an elaborate facial marking on the side of his face…
"I am," the man said. "My name is Kahler-Jex."
"Ah, the Kahler," the Doctor said enthusiastically. "Such wonderful, technological 'wizards', if I must say…"
"What are you doing here?" Amy asked.
"My ship crashed landed on this planet, I'm afraid," Kahler-Jex replied with a sigh. "Space ship is more or less grounded. However, luckily for me, the Sheriff and these towns-people were kind enough to take me in."
"Lucky for you?" Isaac said. "Lucky for us."
"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked.
"When the Doc came here, he cured a cholera epidemic," Isaac said. "Then, he hooked up those fancy lights you see outside."
"Ah, the electricity," the Doctor said.
"Yep."
"And the ring around the town?" Ronnie asked.
"That metal gunslinger is holding everyone hostage until Doc Khaler-Jex steps outside of it," Isaac said. "I don't know about you, but here in Mercy, we don't judge other people."
"Obviously, this gunslinger has," the Doctor said. "Now, we need to find that ship, repair, and then deal with this…gunslinger…"
The Doctor turned towards Ronnie.
"You still remember how to repair starship?"
"Wait, you're an alien, too?" Isaac asked.
"No, but I am time traveler," Ronnie said. "Unfortunately, I travel the scenic route, so to speak."
"…What?"
"Well, let's be off," the Doctor said, as he turns around. He takes a Stetson hat and places it in order to fit in.
"Wait, a minute," Amy said. "I want to know what THAT is all about…"
All eyes turned to a coffin that was both locked and chained, and had non-English names on it that had a seal of a black dragon within a red circle etched on the coffin lid.
"And…why isn't Usagi with you?"
"Why would you assume that Usagi would always be hanging out with me?" Ronnie asked.
"Because, and this is from experience, wherever you go, she's shows up, or vice versa," Amy said.
"Yes, where is Usagi anyway?" the Doctor asked. He felt something odd coming from the coffin, as it sat propped up on the wall…
"Usagi is…in there," Ronnie said with a sigh.
"She died?" Amy said in shock.
"Well, um," Ronnie said with hesitance. "Just don't open that casket. Okay?"
"There's something you're not telling us, Ranma," the Doctor said.
"Perhaps we should address the more pressing problem?" Caine offered. "What has befallen Sister Usagi can wait."
"You are right, Master Caine," the Doctor said. "Now, we need to draw our friend away from the town, while we have a look at Khaler-Jex' craft."
"That will not be necessary, Doctor," Khaler-Jex said. "I am not in a hurry to leave this place."
"Well, then we should pay our gun-slinging friend away from here, nevertheless," the Doctor said, as he reaches into pocket space to pull out his Stetson. He then places it on his head…
"Now, I am a REAL cowboy!" the Doctor said with a grin.
A short time later…
While most of the men were gone, Amy was having tea in the Sheriff's Office. She was also staring at the coffin that was propped up in the office.
Amy…
Amy frowned. She had thought that she had heard a voice.
Amy…
Amy gets up, and walks over to the coffin, cautiously so.
Amy, free me…
"This is silly," Amy said, as she pulled on the chains that encased the coffin. "I mean, why would Ranma keep Gino under lock and key-?"
"Ms. Pond?" said a voice from behind.
"Ah!" Amy said, as she nearly jumped. She then turned to face the culprit.
"Don't scare me like that!" Amy said.
"I apologize, if I startled you," Khaler-Jex said. "But I wanted to thank you for your kindness-"
Suddenly, he and everyone in the area could hear some sort of alarm.
"What the heck is THAT?" Amy asked.
"That would be the alarm on my ship," Khaler-Jex said with a sigh. "I was afraid of this…"
"Afraid of what, Doctor?" Amy asked.
Khaler-Jex pulls out a pistol, and points it at Amy.
"I'm afraid that the Doctor and the others might have found out about my…past," Khaler-Jex said. "And if that is the case, then I am afraid that I will need…a hostage…"
Meanwhile, inside the casket, a pair of eyes snaps wide open, which were glowing the red. Usagi, having sensed killing intent, had woken up fully, but was still weakened by the fact that it was still daylight outside.
Time to change that…
Whispering in an ancient tongue, Usagi caused the clouds to gather, darkening the skies above.
"Odd," Khaler-Jex said, as he looks up. "We're not expecting weather during this time of year…"
"No," Amy said, as she sensed power coming from the casket. "We weren't, among other things…"
Meanwhile, Ranma was in the middle of dealing with the mysterious Gunslinger.
BLAM!
Having crossed his wrists, Ranma had created a barrier that deflected the energy blasts of the Gunslinger, a fellow Khaler named "Khaler-Tek".
"Urgh," Ranma said. He then stomped the ground, using Earth Bending, forcing the Gunslinger into the air.
BOOM!
"Urgh!" the Gunslinger said, as he tried to get his bearings.
Ranma uses a directed "Dragon Rising Ascension Technique" to blast the cyborg into the air further, then leaps into the air after him. Khaler-Tek managed to get a lock on Ranma, and blasts him.
FWOOSH!
"Yowtch!" Ranma said, as he tumbled away a bit. Both combatants then falls into the ground with a noticeable thud.
POOM!
Ranma and the Gunslinger managed to get up from their freshly created craters to face each other again.
"Cyborgs," Ranma said. "Ain't that something…?"
"You are interfering," the Gunslinger said, as he takes aim at Ranma. "I will kill you, if you do not stay out of my way!"
"I doubt that, but bring it on," Ranma said.
Meanwhile, Rory and the Sherriff continue to watch the fight, even as the Doctor return from examining Khaler-Jex's ship.
"Amazing," Isaac said.
"I've seen a lot more amazing things than this, from Ranma," Rory said. He then senses the Doctor's presence.
"Doctor?" Rory asked.
"We need to stop this," the Doctor said grimly.
"Something the matter, Doc?" Isaac asked.
The Doctor was about to say something, when he noticed how the weather had suddenly changed.
"Odd," the Doctor said, as he licked the air, even as he used his Sonic Screwdriver to take a scan of his environment.
"What is it?" Rory asked.
"We need to get back to the Sheriff's office," the Doctor said. "I believe we might have a new problem"
"Fine, but what about the Gunslinger?" Isaac asked.
The Doctor cupped his hands.
"Ranma!" the Doctor called out. "Finish it up!"
"Alright!" Ranma said, without turning away from his opponent.
"I have been remade into a weapon of war," the Gunslinger said.
"And I am a LIVING weapon," Ranma said. "Let's put those factors to the test…"
Pause.
"You lose," Ranma said, as he was suddenly behind the Gunslinger.
Growling, the Gunslinger turned to discharge his weapon, only to realize that he had no arms.
"Looking for these?" Ranma said, as he showed both the gun mechanism and the cyborg arm.
"How-?"
"Engineering is one of my things, with the emphasis on weapons," Ranma said. "You want them back, you better surrender."
"I would rather terminate myself than to surrender, after what was done to me," the Gunslinger replied.
"It might not come to that," the Doctor said.
"What?" Ranma asked.
"Look up," the Doctor said.
Ranma frowns, but does as he is told…
"USAGI!" Ranma said, as he suddenly dropped the gun turret and arm. "We have to get back into town, now!"
"What's going on?" Rory asked.
"Sounds like we have a bigger problem, Doc," Isaac replied.
"I really hope not," the Doctor said, as he looks at the now-pathetic Gunslinger. "And we have to talk about…this…"
Eventually, everyone returned to the Sherriff's Office, only to see a horrific sight.
"Usagi?" Ranma said.
Kwai Chang Caine was holding off a vampiric Usagi, protecting both Khaler-Jex and Amy. He had just come back from the General Store when Usagi attacked Khaler-Jex.
"Hello, Ranma," Usagi said.
"My god, what is she?" Isaac said.
"At the moment, a vampire," the Doctor said.
"When did she become a vampire?" Rory asked.
"During a business trip to Romania, while I was on safari in Africa," Ranma said.
"Yes, you abandoned me," Usagi said. "You didn't protect me, and I became…this."
"I told you, I'm sorry for that," Ranma said. "Please, get back in the coffin."
"But I am hungry," Usagi said, as she eyes Amy. "And she has my blood…type."
"What?" Rory asked. He then turned towards the Doctor.
"What is she talking about?"
"Amy is a ghoul, remember?" the Doctor said. "As a result, she has the exact same blood properties as Bunny's."
"Great," Isaac said. "Now, we have TWO monsters to deal with…"
"Not…necessarily," the Doctor said, as he turned towards Khaler-Jex. "You built our cyborg friend, yes?"
"Um, yes," Khaler-Jex said hesitantly. "Um, just how much do you know about me?"
"A lot, especially about how you used 'volunteers' to strip them of their humanity, and made them into weapons."
"But it was a civil war!" Khaler-Jex protested. "We only wanted to end it as quickly as possible."
"Tell that to our friend out there," the Doctor said. "However, I can use your expertise."
"In what way?" Ranma asked.
"We might be able to create a blood synthesizer that will mimic Amy's blood, and I can use our friend's help in doing so."
"That's great and all, but we have very little in the way of options," Ranma said. "It's not like we have a portable generator or something…"
"Ah, but our cyborg friend has one," the Doctor said. "And since you already have defeated him, I think we might be able to come up with a solution that is workable for everyone…"
A week later…
"I am…grateful for this opportunity to live somewhat," said Khaler-Tek, as he checked out his new Auton body. The Gunslinger had given up his cyborg body in order for the Doctor and Khaler-Jek to create a portable unit that could generate the type of plasma Usagi needs in order to sustain herself. And thanks to Khaler-Jex knowledge of cybernetics, he was able to transfer Khaler-Tek's mind to the new body with very little difficulty.
"It's a good thing we still had that mass of plastic that used to be…our friend Amy," the Doctor said. "And you will agree to our terms?"
"As long as Khaler-Jek remains on 'house arrest' in the town of Mercy, I will stay my hand," Khaler-Tek said, as his hands morphed into guns.
"And thank you for being my new Sheriff Deputy," Isaac said. "I could use a man like you."
"But why?"
"Well, because you are willing to show mercy to someone, for the sake of another," Kwai Chang Caine said.
"So, you're staying, Master Caine?" the Doctor asked.
"For now," Caine said. "I will be opening an apothecary here in Mercy, as a means of helping Sister Usagi deal with her…condition."
"Speaking of which, where is she?" the Doctor asked.
"I believe she and Brother Ranma are getting to know each other again…"
In a hotel room, above the Saloon, Ranma breathes a sigh of relief.
"That was…interesting," Ranma said. He then turned towards Usagi.
"How do you feel?"
"I…feel fine," Usagi said with a sigh. "I just wish that I wasn't a monster."
"We'll get through this thing," Ranma said. "In fact, after here, we can return home to the Dakotas."
"Yeah, I miss our friends," Usagi said. "And I'm sure that Akane wouldn't mind seeing her husband again…"
Tbc.
Next Time: "Power of Three!"