SMST: Journey to Adventure! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: "SM", "R1/2", "ST" and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 11
As the trio made their way down to Hel, King Hastassen of the Wild (the other name of one Ranma Saotome) notices how quiet Lady Kaninude of the Moon (the other name for Usagi Tsukino) was…
"Lass?" Ranma asked.
"Huh?" Usagi says, as she woke up from her reverie.
"I…I was wondering if there was something the matter."
"Um, nothing, heh."
"Huh," Ranma says, as he turned his attention towards the task at hand. "Just pay attention when we get down to Hild's place."
"Father, I'm really glad that you can do this," Marller says.
"Hey, your mother has always been a good friend to Usagi and I," Ranma says. "Besides, if something had happened to Hild, then the mortal world could be in danger."
"Of course," Marller says, as she continued on her way. As all eyes were turned towards their destination, no one notices the wicked smile plastered on Marller's face…
"We're here," Ranma says, as he and his party stop at a ledge. In the center of a war-torn battlefield, demons, the undead and other assorted dark beings appeared to be in battle formation of some kind.
"This doesn't look good, Ranma," Usagi says, as she peers through her "spyglass" (a handheld telescope used typically by Naval personnel…like pirates).
"What?" Marller asked.
Ranma looks back towards her daughter.
"It looks like an army is being assembled for something…big."
"Perhaps…someone wants to invade a rival domain?" Marller offered.
"Maybe, but I'm not about to take a chance."
"Ranma, I spotted Hild," Usagi says, as she hands her spyglass to Ranma. "Up there, at that tower of hers."
Ranma peers through the Usagi's spyglass. Although both he and Usagi both possess a degree of enhanced senses, neither wanted to take a chance at having their powers 'trip' the senses of the roaming "Evil Eye" that scanned the entire realm.
"Great, I see her," Ranma says, as he turns his head to Usagi. "But we will need to get those regiments below, in order to get to Hild's castle."
"I don't see a problem, if Marller is willing to cooperate," Usagi says.
"Oh?" replied Marller.
Ten minutes later, a Green-skinned Amazon (called a "Gammazon") and a Demon Knight enters the checkpoint with a prisoner in tow. The Gammazon was a thing of beauty, as she slinked around wearing her bikini battle armor, while the Demon Knight wore his dark armor like a Juggernaut. In some ways, he could be considered to be the prototype of another Demon Knight: the one known as "Nightmare".
A demon sees these three approaches the checkpoint, while he was checking in new recruits for a special expedition.
"What this?"
"We learned that this creature had escaped from Hel, after getting her drunk on mead," Usagi says, as she tugged the chains. "I don't know if there is a reward for her or not, by my associate and I would like to be compensated."
The demon looks up and down the pair.
"I suppose we can compensate you for your troubles, Miss…?"
"I am 'Hulkusagi', and this is my companion, The Ryder."
"GREETINGS," Ranma says, as he projected a deep voice. He has been around enough Sith to pretend to be one.
"My, what a strapping pair of warriors you are. Say, we're getting ready to invade the mortal world for our new master, and we could use you two."
Usagi turns to look at Ranma, who nodded his reply.
"Sure," Usagi says. "Does this mean we get to meet the master mind of all this?"
"Of course, eventually."
"And what if we want to meet the boss NOW?"
"Then you have to do something impressive."
Usagi nods her head. She then looks around, and sees dozens of war trolls gathering. These creatures were over ten feet tall, and had more mass than even SHE could muster as "Hulkusagi". And the last time she fought a war troll was way back during her and Ranma's stint on "Middle Earth"…
"How about my partner and I fight a war troll?"
"YOU?" the demon scoffed. "You look like a child next to a war troll."
"Let me put it to you this way: you don't know us. So, if we die, then no sweat off your nose. We defeat these things, you have a powerful asset."
"Hmmm," the demon muses. Just then, another demon whispers something in the seated demon's ear…
"Hello?" Usagi says.
"Um, actually, you can have your 'test'," the demon says. "Apparently, the new master wants to see you two in action."
Ranma looks up to see the silhouette of a large creature looking at him and Usagi, from the vantage point of the dark tower's window…
"Alright," Usagi says. "Let's do this."
A short while later, Usagi and Ranma face two the war trolls in some sort of makeshift battle pit. The denizens of the Dark holler in glee, as they expect blood shed to be spilled.
"Now, remember that we nearly starve the trolls as a way to keep them nice and fierce," says the demon with a smirk. "TRY not to get yourselves killed."
With that, the demon scrambles out of the pit.
"RRRRARW!" roared the trolls.
"I'll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right," Usagi says, as she brought out her Rune sword: "Mars".
"Mars-kun, are you ready?" Usagi says, as she looked at her weapon.
"But of course, Princess," Mars says. The Runic masters that were employed by the domineering alien entities known as the Splugorth created Mars, from the fragment of the essence of the avatar of the Olympian god of war "Ares".
"Simply use me to perfection."
Meanwhile, Ranma takes out his Rune sword: "Venus". Like Mars, Venus was made from the essence of the Olympian goddess of love herself, "Aprodite".
"VENUS, WE WILL NEED TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR BATTLE," Ranma says.
"Wow," Venus says. "You sound so sexy being dark and mysterious. I wish I had a body, so that I can take advantage of you."
"…"
"Guys, these things are charging!" Usagi says, as she charged forward.
"RRRAARR-!" her war troll screamed, as he bring down his giant sword to bear.
CLANG!
Usagi grunted, as she braced herself. She had to be careful in how much her Gamma-powered strength she taps into. Otherwise, she runs the risk of losing control over herself.
"Hiiii-ya!" Usagi yelled, as she kicked the war troll in the "nads".
BAM!
"Awoooo-!" the trolled yelped, as he clutched his nether regions while sailing out of the pit.
Meanwhile, Ranma sees his foe charging forward.
"VENUS, DULL YOUR BLADE."
"But why, Ranma?" Venus says, as she did as she was told.
"These trolls are just tools," Ranma says. "I rather hurt the real deal."
"As you wish…"
With the blade purposely dulled, Ranma uses his sword to block his war troll's descending club.
"Urg!" Ranma says.
"RRARR!" the troll growls, as he pushes forward.
"Huh," Ranma says. "It looks like it will be one of those days…"
Tbc.