SMST 5B: Journey to Adventure! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 28
Meanwhile…
MBI security forces had surrounded New Tokyo Central Park, when a "volley" of lightning strikes rained down on them.
CHOOM! CHOOM!
"Ah!" yelled the security forces, as armored transports were destroyed in quick succession. Taking the hint, the security forces at the main entrance scattered.
Ranma turns towards Seo and his Sekirei Hikari and Hibiki, as energy crackled around the twins.
"Was that even necessary?" Ranma asked.
"Eh," Seo said with a shrug. "I figured that considering what's at stake…"
"Good point," Ranma said. "Just keep THEM in line."
"Hey, we don't need YOU to tell US what to do," said Hikari.
"Or do YOU want to anger us?" said Hibiki.
"Yeah, like you can do anything other than primp and preen in THOSE outfits."
"Why, you-!" Hikarii and Hibiki say in unison, as their crackling aura increased.
"Hey, settle down," Seo said, as he brush back his hair with his hand. "We can deal with THIS later."
"Humph!"
"Heh," Ranma said, as he and his companions enter the park…
As Ranma and company journey to the heart of the park, Ranma notices how much of it reminded him of Jurai…
"Man, this place is thick," Ranma said, as he looks around.
"You certainly can get lost around here," Seo said. "However, the Ashikabi have the instinctive ability to find their Sekirei, even in the strangest of places."
Ranma turns towards Seo.
"What are you implying?" Ranma said.
"You're with me to get the Green Girl for yourself, right?"
"No, I'm here to figure out a mystery, and resolve it," Ranma said. "And besides, where I come from, a martial artist's duty is to protect the innocent."
"I see…"
Just then, a spectral form of the Green Girl appears in front of him.
"Kid?" Ranma said.
The girl said nothing, but points in one direction…
"You're there?" Ranma asked.
The Green Girl nods her head before fading away…
"Ku-chan, wait-!" Ranma said, as he runs…before bumping into Seo.
BUMP!
"Where's the fire?" Seo asked.
"I know where the 'Green Girl' is," Ranma said. "So, you can come with me, or stay behind. I don't care, as long as you stay out of my way."
"Oh, tough guy, huh?" Seo smirked.
"No, because she is in trouble, and I…want to protect her."
"Humph. Alright, let's go," Seo said, as he directs Hikari and Hibiki to follow him. "I'm curious as to how this will turn out…"
As Ranma, Seo and the Lightning Twins walk to the source of the disturbance, Seo turns towards Ranma.
"How much do you know about Sekireis?" Seo asked.
"I'm a 'newbie' in all this," Ranma admits.
"But you do know how to 'wing' one, right?"
"You mean joining mind, body and soul as one unit? I'm not sure, other than the kissing part."
"Fair enough," Seo said, as he turns to face ahead. "Sekirei are instinctively intoned to those Ashikabi that are destined to them. To be sure, any Ashikabi can wing a Sekirei, but the Sekirei is…not quite there."
"Oh? How so?"
"Imagine having to serve a master, who sees you as a mere tool. You don't feel anything other than the compulsion to act…like a wounded dog who whines for the table scraps."
Ranma nods his head. He knows full well what it is like to be a slave. Worse, he knows what it is like to serve a master in a one-sided love capacity, back when he, as one of the Furies of Apocalypse, served Lord Darkseid with reckless abandon…and all for love, as false as it was."
"That's why I don't like any of the Sekirei business," Ranma said. "If you are going to fight for someone, you do it out of pure motives, not because of some artificial sense of obligation."
"But that's just it," Seo said. "The Sekirei derives their strength from the love of their masters, because it is their destiny to find their soul mates. Is that any different from an ordinary person?"
"I suppose not," Ranma said. He then looks ahead.
Silence.
"Why are you not going after Ku-chan yourself?" Ranma asked. "You could have gone after her anytime you felt like it?"
"Because I believe in the philosophy of destiny, that's why," Seo said. "A Sekeiri that is meant for a proper Ashikabi should be respected, not abused by those Ashikabi who sees Sekirei as 'collectables'."
"Ah."
Silence.
"So…have you and the lightning twins…hooked up?" Ranma said with a grin.
"Oh?" Seo replied.
"You know…WOCKA-WOCKA-BOW-WOW! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink-"
ZAAAP!
"Ow!"
"That's none of your business!" Hikari yells.
"Yeah!" Hibiki said.
"Point…taken," said a smoking Ranma. "Ow…"
"Heh," Seo said, before-
ZAAAP!
"Yowtch!" Seo screamed. "What did I do-?"
"That's for tolerating that sexist remark of his!" Hibari said.
"Yeah!" said her sister.
Inwardly, Ranma laughed, so that he didn't get another electric shock…
Soon, the group comes across a luminous grove of trees, where they see a little girl crying. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone.
"Hey!" Ranma yells.
A girl carrying a scythe named "Yomi" (Sekirei #43) was trying to pull her out of the grove.
"I'm talking to you!" Ranma said, as he grabs her from behind.
"Hey!" Yomi yells. "Watch where you're touching, you pervert-!"
ZAAAAAP!
"Ah!" Ranma and Yomi screamed together in unison.
"Big brother, you're here!" Ku-chan said.
"Somewhat," Ranma said. "Ow…"
Yomi broke free of Ranma's grip, and turns to face the intrusion.
"YOU two!" Yomi yells. "And you brought you loser Ashikabi with you, too."
"Shut up, pervert woman!" Hikari replies. "Our master is better than you rich and handsome Ashikabi!"
"Thanks for making us into losers, sis," Hibiki said.
"Jeeze, guys," Ranma said as he stood up to face the Green Girl. "Huh?"
"Big Brother," the girl said with hesitance.
"Um, hey," Ranma smiled. "It's nice to meet you here, kiddo."
"…"
"Nice place you got here, too…"
"Ku-chan's…Big Brother…"
And with that, the Green Girl falls unconscious into Ranma's arms.
"Don't worry kiddo," Ranma said with a smile. "I'll be sure to take you to a place where you can rest-"
"Not if I have anything to say about it, pervert!" Yomi said, as she raised her scythe. "She belongs to my master!"
Ranma squints his eyes.
"I'm giving you one chance to leave," Ranma said. "Otherwise, I'll have to forget that you are a girl."
For a moment, Yomi stares into Ranma's eyes. For a moment, she could have sworn that his eyes flickered to something scary…
"No!" Yomi said. "I have to get the Green Girl!"
And so, Yomi lowers her scythe, intending to harm Ranma. However-
THAK!
Ranma sees that Musabi had caught the blade in her hands.
"Minato-san!" Musabi said with glee. "I found you!"
"Oh, so that's Ranma's Sekirei," Seo said. "Nice."
"What?" the Lightning Twins yell in unison, as they crackle with power.
"Or not," Seo said, as he sweated bullets.
"What are you doing here?" Ranma asked.
"You were late for dinner, so I went out to look for you, Minato-kun," Musabi said. She then turns to look at Yumi. "And it's a good thing that I did, too…"
"Hey, let go of my blade!" Yumi said.
"Having this is too dangerous in the wrong hands," Musabi said, as she casually broke the blade in half.
SNAP!
"Ah!" Yumi screamed. "You broke my precious 'death scythe'-!"
"Are you okay?" Musabi asked Ranma, as Yumi rants and raves about her damaged weapon.
"Yeah," Ranma said with a smile. And then-
"I cannot forgive this!" Yumi said, as she began to create a deadly tornado attack similar Ranma's vacuum blade attack.
"Minato, protect the girl while I protect YOU!" Musabi said, as she and Yumi began to fight.
"Musabi-!"
"Yah!" Yumi yells, as she created another tornado attack.
As Musabi's outfit got shredded, the bouncy girl lands on Yumi's scythe before delivering a flying kick to Yumi's face.
WHACK!
"Ah!" Yumi said, as she fell backwards.
"Um, Musabi-" Ranma said.
"I know, Minato-san," Musabi said, as she used one of her arms to cover her chest. "But I am willing to sacrifice modesty to protect others…"
Ranma smiles at Musabi's comment. He now understands that Musabi was more than just a bouncy girl; he understands that Musabi was just like him: a martial artist bound by duty…
"Whatever!" Yumi said. "I won't miss THIS time! Yah-!"
As Yumi delivers her attack, Musabi side steps the attack, leaps over Yumi, reaches for Yumi's outfit, and-
RIIIIIIPPPPP!
"Ah!" Yumi said, as she covers herself, dropping her weapon in the process.
Musabi turns around and sees the Sekirei tattoo, located between Yumi's shoulder blades.
The fist of my contract, destroy the calamity…of my Ashikabi!" Musabi said, as she touches the tattoo.
FWOOSH!
"Yah!" Yumi screamed, as her powers are permanently stripped from her.
KLUMP!
"Is she…okay?" Ranma asked.
"She has been neutralized," Musabi said. She then sees the Green Girl.
"Is she okay?"
"Her?" Ranma said, as he looks down at the sleeping girl. "She's fine…"
Later…
Ranma was sitting in the back porch of the Izuno Inn, while he looked up at the night sky.
"What have I gotten myself into?" Ranma said to himself.
After returning home, Ranma told Miya the Landlady that Ku-chan needed a place to stay. Without inquiring further, Miya accepts the girl into her household. At the same time, Miya gives Misubi a new outfit, while her usual fighting gear was repaired.
"Big Brother?" said a familiar voice.
Ranma turns towards Ku-chan.
"Oh, you're still up," Ranma said with a smile.
"Uh-huh," Ku-chan nods, as she sits down next to Ranma.
Silence.
"I…heard a voice, and saw you in the skies," Ku-chan said. "When you and Musabi fell, I wanted to save you…"
"And I appreciated it, kiddo," Ranma said. He then turns towards Ku-chan.
"Look, no matter what, I'll be there for you. Even if I am not present in body, I'll find you. Count on it."
Ku-chan smiles, as she blushed. She then gets on her knees, and takes Ranma's face.
"Um…Kuu's Big Brother, please be my Ashikabi."
"Huh-?"
SMOOSH!
As Kuu kisses Ranma on the lips, her power is fully active. Wings of light form behind the girl, as the green energy spreads out into the backyard, causing the flowers to grow and bloom…
"Ahhh!" Musabi said happily, as she sees the sparkling lights danced in the back.
Ranma could only stare in amazement at this display of gentle power…
Tbc.