A/N: Interesting greetings there and XYGirl2019 is here, and I would like to thank everyone that read the 28th chapter of the Multiverse Adventures While Riding On A Bus.
Anyway, enough chit-chat and let's do a dumpster dive with this story!
Disclaimer: With the exception of several OCs and concepts, I don't own anything.
The story continues in the volcanic region which is located somewhere in the island of Elsaragozademontelban.
Throughout the area, the members of the heroic group find themselves dispersed, each embarking on a personal quest to locate individuals who have been inexplicably spirited away from the confines of their original domains. Concurrently, each group are embroiled in a series of skirmishes with the indigenous monstrosities that inhabit these lands, forging a path fraught with peril and discovery.
Rolf the Son of Shepherd swiftly advances alongside his esteemed companions, Chopper Tony Tony, Franky, Sanji Vinsmoke and Uryuu Ishida. Their formidable party clashes with a horde of Magmabugs in a fiery part of the region, each of their unique abilities intertwining in a dance of combat precision.
Simultaneously, in a starkly contrasting scene, a team comprising Bentham of the Wild, Blaze the Cat, Jinbe, Juugo Yama and Knuckles the Echidna, face off against a swarm of Lava Monkeys. The duel unfolds in the shadow of two small volcanoes, with lava serpents weaving a fiery tapestry in the background.
Elsewhere, in a landscape punctuated by geysers, Ash Ketchum & Pikachu, teams up with Brook the Soul King, Gash Bell, Kiyomaro Takamine and Lucy Heartfilia. Together, they valiantly confront the Molten Bears that emerge from the searing earth, challenging them from every angle with a masterful blend of elemental spells and physical might.
Taking a break from the usual adventures and the occasional surprise meetings with creatures that call volcanoes home, Eddy the Scammer, Pit, Ranma Saotome, Ryuuko Matoi and Shampoo are spotted exploring a vast, open area. This plane is covered in a network of magma cracks, making it a truly unique and thrilling place to be.
As the group all moved ahead, Shampoo had her arms wrapped snugly around Ranma's left arm, which was really starting to bug him. Meanwhile, Eddy couldn't help but feel irritated as he watched them getting all cozy with his right eye beginning to twitch at the sight of them being so close together.
"Pit..." Eddy trailed off with a low and slightly ticked-off voice, "... can you do me a favor and break those two up for me?" he requested.
"I dunno, Eddy." Pit responded while sounding a bit nervous, "She'll start hissing if I get too close." he reasoned.
"Come on, man." Eddy begged while trying to keep his cool, "Every time I see a mushy scene like that, it just kills me." he claimed, "You know, with the hundred rejections and all..." he trailed.
"A hundred?" Pit exclaimed in disbelief, "What's up with that?" he questioned.
"I'm not a player." Eddy replied while smiling like he'd just found a silver lining, "I just fall hard, you know?" he admitted.
"That's just odd." Ryuuko chimed in with a hint of a smirk playing on her lips, "I've never seen you hit on me even once." she pointed out.
"Well, you had your sights on Chad, so I figured you weren't interested." Eddy replied while watching her reaction closely.
Ryuuko's cheeks turned pink and she quickly looked away, "Whatever." she dismissed while trying to play it cool, "You're just making stuff up." she accused.
Both Eddy and Pit couldn't help but laugh at her embarrassment. Meanwhile, Ranma walked with Shampoo and he was really hoping that the uncomfortable conversation happening behind them would make her loosen her grip and let him go but she only held on tighter, squeezing his arm like it was a life preserver in a storm.
"C'mon, Shampoo." Ranma complained, "You're making it tough for me to walk here." he gently reminded her, "You know how Eddy gets..." he trailed, "... our close contact is kind of doing him in." he pointed out.
Shampoo just rolled her eyes and is completely unfazed, "That kid with the three strands of hair?" she pointed out, "Why should I worry about him?" she mocked while hearing a loud 'Hey!' from Eddy who was obviously not thrilled with her comment, "With Akane already been found, I just can't give her the upper hand." she murmured with a hint of concern in her voice.
Ranma slapped his forehead with his palm, "Oh, terrific." he muttered with his tone thick with annoyance.
"Hey, guys, let's talk about something else!" Pit blurted out while obviously nervous, "Seriously, the potion Double D gave us is a lifesaver!" he exclaimed and while clearly impressed, "Even though it's like a sauna out here, I don't feel the heat at all!" he pointed out, "It's like I'm chilling in a winter wonderland!" he described.
"I can't thank Double D enough for whipping up that potion." Eddy chimed in with a grateful tone, "Otherwise, we'd be soaked in sweat, waddling around like a bunch of overcooked hot dogs!" he described.
Shampoo nodded in agreement while considering her own hair situation, "You got that right!" she chimed in, "With a hair this thick, I'd be a melting mess without it." she commented.
Ranma then spoke up with a practical question, "So, do we have enough of these cooling potions for everyone?" he inquired.
Ryuuko gave a reassuring pat to the bag she had slung over her shoulder, "Don't worry, I've got plenty stashed in here." she reassured with confidence while flashing a smile.
"Double D pointed out that the elixir lasts 24 hours, so we won't have to take any more for now." Eddy shared, "Let's hold onto these elixirs for anyone we might meet along the way here." he beckoned.
Ryuuko nodded in agreement, "This place is so ridiculously hot, they'll definitely going to need it." she replied.
All of a sudden, a series of explosions echoed from far away and they could all distinctly hear Ed the Lump's voice yelling 'powerbomb' right before the second explosion which gave the ground a noticeable jolt.
Eddy's face dropped in annoyance, "Lumpy is really going all out this time." he grumbled under his breath, "He's like a kid in a candy store with no chaperone." he added with a roll of his eyes.
"It sounds like the others are knee-deep in a fight with the local critters." Ranma realized with a hint of concern in his voice, "Best we stay on our toes, just in case they decide to crash our party." he suggested while trying to stay calm but vigilant.
Shampoo then squeezed her arms even tighter around Ranma's arm, "We're totally strong enough to take on those monsters, honeybunch!" she declared with a cheerful smile, "No big deal at all!" she cheered.
"Shampoo, come on..." Ranma whined while sounding a bit annoyed.
"You two better quit with the lovey-dovey stuff right now or I'm gonna soak you both!" Eddy warned while looking like he might burst into tears any second from pure jealousy.
"And if you do, I'll turn into a girl." Ranma replied with no enthusiasm at all.
"Oh, really?" Shampoo shot back with a low growl, "Well, if that happens, I'll give your ugly face some good ol' fashioned claw marks when I turn into a cat." she threatened.
"What do you mean, 'ugly'?" Eddy shrieked while quickly smoothing his hair down, "I'm the best looking guy in the whole multiverse, baby!" he declared with a grin that was so wide that it looked like it might crack his face in half.
"Eddy, you're a good guy and all..." Ryuuko trailed while not even bothering to smile, "... but your ego has more bounce than a flat tire." she commented.
"So, what's the deal, Eddy?" Pit asked with a playful smirk, "Still flying solo?" he added.
Eddy let out a Godzilla-like scream and charged at Pit before wrapping his hands around his neck in a dramatic chokehold. But Pit just had this goofy smile plastered on his face while laughing through the gags and chokes like it was the funniest thing in the world.
Ranma and Shampoo froze when they sensed something, "Hold up, guys." the former beckoned with a serious expression, "I think there's something heading our way." he declared.
Ryuuko stopped in her tracks too and got ready for action. Eddy and Pit also paused but former didn't let go of the latter's neck, and Pit still had that same unbothered look on his face, like he was enjoying the whole thing.
After a couple of minutes, four figures popped out from behind this huge chunk of molten rock.
The first figure is an adrogynous teen with an average height, they had a thin build & slender build and had a pale complexion, they had a pink bobcut hair and they had dark-colored eyes with white dots. They wear a long black old-style robe with a high white collar and cuffs, and black slipper-like shoes. This is Crona Makenshi.
The second figure is a middle aged man with a tall stature, he has a robust build and a reddish-brown complexion, he wears a white bandana wrapped around his head, he had dark-colored eyes and wears glasses. He wears a white gii with a black belt wrapped around his waist, he wears white knee-length pants and carries a backpack. This is Genma Saotome.
The third figure is a middle aged man with a tall stature, he had a lanky build and a yellowish-brown skin tone, he has a short auburn hair and a pair of sharp ears, and he typically maintains a serene facial expression with his eyes frequently closed alongside an unsettling smile. He wears a long-sleeved purple coat with a yellow tribal-design collar and cuffs over a purple knee-length bodysuit and a pair of dwarf-like slip shoes. He carries a bagpack filled with masks. This is the Happy Mask Salesman.
The fourth figure is a teenage boy with a tall stature, he had a muscular build and a fair complexion, he has a short black hair and he has dark-colored eyes. He wears a yellow & black speckled bandana around his head, he wears a yellow long sleeve tunic with pale yellow collar and the folded sleeves, he wears black trousers with yellow leg bands around the ankles and a black sash-like belt, and wears a pair of black Chinese shoes and pale yellow socks. He carries around a black backpack and a red bamboo umbrella either tucked into straps on top of his backpack or in his hand. This is Ryouga Hibiki.
Ranma and Shampoo then spotted some familiar faces in the crowd they had stumbled upon, "Hey, look, that's my dad over there!" the former pointed out.
"And the pig-boy is with him!" Shampoo added.
Upon noticing the two, Genma let out a sigh of relief while crossing his arms over his chest, "Well, isn't that just great to see them both okay." he uttered out loud.
"You know these folks, my friend?" the Salesman asked with a creepy smile.
"Indeed." Genma replied in confirmation, "That's my son and one of his fiancées." he shared.
Ryouga's eyes narrowed at the sight of his rival, "Ranma..." he grunted in a low and hostile tone.
Crona looks around nervously, "New faces..." they trailed, "... I really don't know how to handle new faces." they whispered to themselves.
Suddenly, a male creature stretches out of Crona's back.
The male creature has a very muscular body, he wears large gloved hands and had spikes on several parts of his body but no legs. His face consists of a large egg shape, with no visible mouth and a giant white X on his face where his nose should be, with large ping-pong ball-like eyes with Xs for pupils. This is Ragnarok Makenshi.
"Don't stress, Crona!" Ragnarok reassured with a voice that had a bit of a wild edge to it, "I'll do the chatting for you, buddy!" he offered but quickly followed it up with a playful little tease, "As long as they're willing to talk to ya at all, of course!" he added and couldn't resist adding with a light laugh.
"Being overlooked..." Crona murmured, "I really don't know how to handle when I'm being overlooked." they uttered out loud.
Eddy then started explaining what was going on to the group of folks who were totally new to all this. He talked about how they had this big job to do which involves rescuing people from some serious trouble. And he added that the whole mess was because of some troublemaking divine being had thrown the entire multiverse into chaos.
"Happy Masks Salesman?" Pit said out loud while sounding a bit puzzled. "W-Why do they call you that?" he asked.
The Salesman let's out a chuckle, "Well, just take a gander at me." he suggested with a gesture towards his own smiling face.
Pit furrowed his brow, "Alright?" he replied while still not quite getting it.
"How can you even walk on that burning hot ground without shoes?!" Ranma exclaimed in disbelief.
With a proud look, Genma folded his arms across his chest, "I've had the training to handle this kind of heat." he said.
Ryouga pointed at Ranma with his finger shaking with anger, "Ranma, you and me, right now!" the pig boy challenged, "It's time to settle our score once and for all!" he declared.
Barring the way, Shampoo stepped in front of Ranma, "Not so fast," she warned with her voice low and fierce, "You'll have to deal with me first if you want to get anywhere near him!" she hissed.
Genma raised his hand to stop them, "Hold on, you two." he interrupted firmly, "We're not here for that right now." he said out loud, "We have more important things to worry about." he reminded.
Ranma rolled his eyes, "Wow, playing the wise dad card." he uttered in bemusement, "That's a first." he added.
Genma pushed his glasses up his nose, "I've always been thinking about what's best." he replied, "You just don't always realize it." he pointed out.
Ryuuko walked up to the newcomers and gave them each a bottle of elixir, "You should really drink this." she suggested with a smile.
The Salesman looked at the bottle with curiosity, "What's it for?" he asked.
"It's a special kind of elixir." Ryuuko answered, "Once you down it, it'll cool you off just right for this hot weather we've been having." she explained.
"Now that's handy." the Salesman complimented while nodding in appreciation.
Crona held their bottle tentatively, "Elixirs..." they trailed, "... I don't know how to handle elixirs." they admitted.
Ragnarok chuckled in response, "Don't worry, just chug it down in one go!" he egged, "It'll help you adjust to the heat quicker!" he encouraged.
"Hey, Ryouga, you know how to drink, right?" Ranma asked with a cheeky grin.
Ryouga shot a glare at his rival, "Of course I know how to drink!" he bellowed, "What kind of fool do you take me for?" he demanded.
"Just a lowly uneducated martial artist." Shampoo answered without hint of remorse.
"You little...!" Ryouga growled in anger and he took a step towards Shampoo but Genma, Ragnarok and the Salesman stepped in to keep him from lunging at her.
"What in the world..." Ryuuko trailed in disbelief.
All of a sudden, a series of deafening explosions echoed from nearby, much closer than anyone had expected and this took everyone by surprise.
"Wow, that's pretty loud." Pit commented with his voice reflecting the shock.
"Alright, let's get over there and see what's going on!" Eddy beckoned while taking charge, "There could be folks in trouble!" he assumed.
CUT THE ROPE! That's the 29th chapter of this story and I hope that you all enjoyed it.
Debuting Cast of Characters:
Crona and Ragnarok are characters from Soul Eater.
Genma Saotome and Ryouga Hibiki are characters from Ranma 1/2.
Happy Masks Salesman is a character from Legend of Zelda.
That's all I can share for now and I hope you'll look forward for the next chapter.