Their only exit was blocked by no less than six of those demons.
There was no choice, they had to go through.
"I shall draw their attention," Cologne whispered into her ear.
"Take Mousse and run."
"Shampoo no leave without..."
"Do it!"
Shampoo kept the hurt from her gaze as she returned her attention to
the demons. She clamped down on her fears, but she still felt them lurking
in the back of her mind. Cologne would be fine, she said silently. She could
take care of herself.
"Go ahead," another monster rumbled. "Distract us." Several of its
comrades chuckled, and Shampoo wanted to choke them with their own humor.
Without warning, a sphere of dark power burst through the now
merrily burning roof. Shampoo's eyes could barely make it out as the ball
slammed into the lead monster.
It barely had time to scream as the orb hit with murderous force,
leaving a showering fountain of gore where the top half of its body once
was. Time seemed to slow as both human and creature gawked at the mangled
demon. Shampoo scarcely heard the thump as one of its arms hit the floor a
short distance away.
"Great-grandmother," she whispered, "this is distraction, yes?"
"That's one word for it," the elder woman replied. The tone of her
voice indicated that she was as surprised as anyone. A loud splintering
noise sounded from above, drawing their attention to the ceiling.
Shampoo felt mounting pressure on her eardrums as twisting cracks
formed along the glowing woodwork above their heads. They snaked across the
burning surface almost faster than she could follow, the pressure gradually
becoming worse just before the entire roof shattered like glass.
Her arms raised reflexively to shield her eyes from the raining
splinters and the sudden influx of light from above just as she heard
something land.
Cologne saw the black-armored figure land between themselves and the
demons and noticed the immediate change in their demeanor. Before, they had
been smug, cocky, thinking that she and her two comrades were theirs. Now,
they showed blatant fear as they gawked at the strange man before them.
Even stranger about him was that Ukyo Kuonji was clinging to his back.
"What spatula-girl do here?" she heard Shampoo exclaim as Ukyo slid
off her perch. There was no accusation in the former's tone, merely
bewilderment.
"I hitched a ride," the chef snapped. She looked uneasy, wobbling
slightly as she moved to join the three. A crimson-stained scrap of cloth
was wound around her head, sundry scrapes and bruises dotting her exposed
skin. Cologne briefly wondered just how rough a ride it had been when the
man before them moved.
Screams of surprise and pain hammered her ears as he ripped through
them, the luminous blades on his arms piercing demon flesh as easily as a
hot knife would butter. Bodies hit the floor in rapid succession, dissolving
into puddles of bubbling goo within seconds of each other.
The carnage ended, their armored ally panting slightly amongst the
reamains of the Nekohanten and the demons. Blood ran down his body in
rivulets, tiny drops spattering on the floor.
"We have to leave," he said. "Now."
"Shampoo no leave without Ranma!" The stranger made a sound between
frustration and exhaustion behind his faceplate.
"I will take you to him, but we must hurry!"
"Come on, Shampoo!" Mousse shouted as his hand reached out for hers.
"Let's go!"
"Um, Mousse, that's MY hand."
"Huh? Ukyo? Where's... WHUGF!"
Shampoo lowered her fist and slung the unconscious Mousse over her
shoulder in a fireman's carry.
"Shampoo follow. Take to Ranma now, yes?"
She was answered by the stranger levelling the west wall and walking
through the burning remains. Most of the smoke had left with the roof,
allowing sunlight to spill across the ruins of the Nekohanten and the
dissolving corpses of demons.
===================================================
"Jeez, they're *everywhere*!"
Ranma Saotome gritted his teeth as another wave of oni smashed
through the ruined walls of the Tendo Dojo. Mad howls of inhuman joy
shattered the air while monster after monster rushed their fragile position.
A battle cry erupted from his throat as he launched another blast of
ki toward the charging horde. The blast managed to tag one, an enormous
bat-thing with thick purple fur, as the others dodged clear. Ranma cursed
to himself, the damn things were getting faster all the time.
Ranma spared a quick glance over to Akane, still clad in her yellow
pajamas. The material clung to her skin, held in place by the sweat that
coated her skin and hair. The girl's face was set in a mask of
determination, eyes radiating unbridled fury.
No matter what, he told himself, I ain't gonna let nothin' happen to
her.
Akane Tendo breathed in deep, panting gasps. Her muscles were on
fire from the exertion of battle, adrenaline singing in her veins and
setting her nerves to tingling.
She ignored the blood seeping from her ruptured knuckles, the ache
deep in her bones. She was a martial artist, damnit, and she had been hurt
worse than this!
Akane clamped down hard on the sudden surge of terror at the renewed
assault of the monsters and the nagging voice that insisted that she would
soon be hurt a lot worse than this. Worse than she had ever been.
At least Kasumi and Nabiki were safely behind them.
Tofu Ono steeled his nerves and readied his fists. It had been
awhile since he had to engage in hand to hand combat without the aid of
shiatsu pressure points. The demons seemed immune to them, forcing him to
resort to techniques he didn't learn in medical school.
Though he would never admit it, he had missed the thrill of combat.
He only wished he could have felt it again under less dire circumstances.
They neared the smashed outer wall of the house, and stopped cold.
Their fierce eyes glared at the assembled fighters, mutated muscle and sinew
bulging behind taut flesh. Tofu narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze from
one to the other. What were they doing?
As if on cue, the wall behind them vanished with the sound of
dissolving plaster and wood.
Ranma spun about, eyes wide as the wall was reduced to a puddle of
greenish slime. He had a feeling that this was what the demons had been
waiting for.
He didn't have time to react as a pair of gigantic hands loomed from
the darkness, red-tipped claws gleaming evilly in the light of day as they
lunged forward.
Kasumi! Nabiki! They were in the way! Ranma's blood turned to ice as
the hands wrapped around the defenseless pair he and the others had been
fighting to protect.
"LET THEM GO!" Akane shouted as her sisters were easily hoisted in
the air.
"Don't think so," the voice from behind the shadows grumbled as it
stepped out.
Ranma felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight. It was
enormous, by far larger than any of the other monsters. White fur coated its
ungainly body, save for spots of black armor plates. Four long, wicked
looking tentacles extended from dark lumps of flesh on its back, ending in
white-trimmed pincers. Its neck stretched from its shoulders out like a
snake, bulbous red eyes sat on each side of its insectoid face. Green drool
formed around the mandibles of what may have been its mouth as it neared.
"Release them, monster," Nodoka growled from beside her husband,
fear mingling with the edge of steel in her voice.
"You think you can take them back?" Ranma's hackles bristled at the
challenge, rage exploding behind his eyes. There was no conscious thought,
merely white-hot anger powering his limbs as he sprang.
The impact slammed him down at its feet. He couldn't react, couldn't
think as two of the pincers clamped around his arms and squeezed painfully.
Ranma felt a scream burst from his throat as he was yanked up off the ground.
"Give up!" It roared to the gathered men and women. "Surrender, and
I won't hurt them. Resist..." Their faces shifted to masks of horror as the
green slime around its mouth dribbled onto the floor. Puffs of smoke rose
from the wood as the substance dissolved it away. "... and I melt them."
The words lanced Ranma's anger, draining it away and leaving
numbness in its wake. The pain in his arms was suddenly insignificant as he
took in the terrified faces of Akane's sisters. Twin sets of wide brown eyes
captured his own, pleading for him to do something, to set it right. You're
Ranma, they seemed to say, you never lose!
"I..." The words stuck in his throat. His father had taught him to
never surrender, to fight until the end no matter what. But, looking into
the eyes of Kasumi and Nabiki, held by that grotesque creature that now held
him as well, he knew the battle was lost. He could no more hurt them than he
could hurt his own mother.
"WELL?!"
"... surrender..."
"RANMA!" Akane's shout, filled with hurt and rage, twisted the knife
in his heart. "NO!"
"I can't hear you," the demon said mockingly, squeezing the pincers
on Ranma's arms as emphasis. He felt the blood run freely, but he no longer
cared. "Speak up!" Ranma saw its grip on Kasumi and Nabiki tighten, their
faces going white from agony as the sound of ribs crunching killed his heart
even more.
"I SURRENDER! YOU WIN, YOU HONORLESS SON OF A BITCH! NOW LET THEM GO!"
The silence stretched for eternity, thick and heavy in the morning
air. For a time, it seemed as if the world itself had stopped, the screams,
the shooting, the sirens, everyhting.
Ranma felt himself sinking into a depression he had never known, for
once his temper turned inward. Failed. He had failed. And now... he didn't
know what would happen.
Akane struggled against the restraints placed on her torso and legs,
cold steel sleeves that rendered movement impossible. The sickening presence
of the demon that held her threatened to make her gag as the others were
escorted out one by one.
Daddy. Uncle Saotome. Kasumi. Nabiki. Auntie Saotome. Doctor Tofu.
All of them led out in a line to stand in a ring of horrific abominations
beneath the watchful eyes of the demon that had captured them.
She looked over at Ranma, bound as securely as she, and fresh tears
wrenched free from her eyes. His eyes were squeezed shut, droplets of rage
and shame falling from beneath the closed lids. Ranma had lost fights
before, but this was something else. This time, he was defeated. That huge
oni had used her own sisters against him, two people he would never harm.
He had no choice, she told herself. None of us did.
"Enzyme," one of the demons said to the white-haired creature. "What
shall we do with them?" Akane watched as it pointed a claw-tipped finger
toward her.
"Those two are the ones Doctor Balcus wants alive," it replied.
There was little doubt as to whom it was referring.
They want us alive? Akane thought with a start. Me an Ranma? Then
what about...
Oh, no. Please, God, NO!
"Kill the other ones here."
"NO!" For a brief moment, she couldn't believe such an enraged roar
could come from her throat.
"You said you wouldn't kill them, damn you!" Ranma screamed, livid
rage replacing the mask of apathy that had been on his face.
"I said *I* wouldn't," the demon replied sardonically. "I didn't say
anything about the rest of my friends."
Ranma strained against the metal restraints that held him fast,
desperately summoning every ounce of strength he possessed. It wouldn't come.
"We did our homework," Enzyme said as it approached. "We know *all*
about your little ki tricks. Those bonds apply pressure to certain points on
your body, rendering you completely helpless."
"LET THEM GO!" Ranma felt hot tears stream down his face as he
railed against the creatures that held him captive. Desperation mixed with
hatred and horror as he saw a spider-like oni yank Kasumi off her feet and
toss her roughly to the ground between the others and himself.
"Don't worry, cutie. I won't hurt you," it crooned. "MUCH!"
Kasumi's eyes fixed on the meaty paw that sailed for her head, time
seeming to slow as she brought her arms up reflexively to defend against the
coming strike.
The day seemed brighter, sounds sharper and more drawn out as the
claws streaked closer. Her senses tried to cram in every available detail at
once with the realization that they would never see any again.
Father... Nabiki... Akane... their faces appeared in her vision,
images of happier times that were now long since gone. And then there was light.
Akane wanted to close her eyes against the horror unfolding in front
of her, yet they stubbornly refused to comply. Part of her screamed that it
wasn't happening, that it was all just a terrible nightmare that would end soon.
She didn't notice the tingle on her skin until the shaft of
brilliant light smashed through what was left of the Dojo's outer wall.
Akane couldn't help but stare as the monster was enveloped in it, a sound
like the end of the world filling her ears as the light destroyed the
remains of the house proper. Displaced air whipped her hair about her head
as the beam intensified.
For a second, she could have sworn she saw the monster being ripped
apart by the light, and then vanishing altogether. The shaft of power died
abruptly, leaving behind a smoking trench in the soil. Her home was utterly
destroyed, a few stray pieces of charred timber all that was left.
Kasumi! Akane heaved a sigh when her sister began to back away from
the smoldering earth, apparently unharmed by the attack. Her relief was
short-lived, her mind posing the obvious question.
Who had done that?
Nabiki Tendo felt the heat wash over her skin as the light faded.
She blinked twice, forcing her eyes to refocus. Kasumi! Where was Kasumi!
Nabiki spotted her elder sister crawling back away from where the monster
had once stood. Okay. She was fine. Nabiki didn't allow herself to slow,
taking stock of the latest development.
Her eyes passed over the gawking demons, noting the changes. They
were afraid, now. Terrified. They definitely hadn't been expecting anything
like that.
Neither had she, for that matter.
"Oh, bloody hell," one rumbled.
"It's HIM!" she heard Enzyme shout. Okay, they know who they're up
against. At least *someone* does.
"What in the hell is *that*?" Nabiki followed Genma's gaze, and froze.
Nabiki suddenly wasn't sure if this was a good thing at all...
Agito Makashima glared at the assembled Zoanoids that held the Tendo
and Saotome families hostage. He recognized each type, Several Gregores, a
dozen Ramotiths, a Govilba, and a Vamore. Leading them was one of the
Zoanoid types he detested most. Enzyme Mark II
"Ranma!" he heard a female voice from behind shout. Damnit, he had
told them to stay clear! The sensors on his helmet showed him the flash of
lavender that bounded over to the captive Saotome, and he bit off a curse.
He would have to wrap this fast. Time was nearly up.
Ranma could only gawk at the armored figure that stood before them.
He had never, *ever*, seen a ki blast like that. How had that guy done it?
"Ranma!" His head whipped about to see Shampoo barelling headlong at
him, bloodstained blade held high and a feral snarl on her lips. His heart
leapt in his throat as more began to pour though the walls. Ryoga, Mousse,
Cologne, Ukyo, and even Happosai came running in to join the fight. He felt
the old confidence return. They were safe, and the fight wasn't lost yet!
His vision was suddenly filled with white hair and dark exoskeleton
as Enzyme appeared to face his friends. He hadn't even seen it move! The
demon struck out, Shampoo leaping clear of the slashing pincers and making a
cut of her own. She landed in a crouch just as the blade of her sword dissolved.
"Aiya! Monster is acid!"
Ryoga charged the white creature, flinging several headbands at the
hulking monstrosity. The razor keen weapons struck it dead on, only to fall
off ineffectually. A blast of green goo streaked toward his face, the lost
boy twisting to dodge at the final second. He sprung forward, intending to
clear it when several claw strikes knocked him back.
Ryoga landed gracefully, finally noticing the burning sensations on
his skin. For something so large and ungainly, it could really move!
That doesn't matter, he thought grimly. He's standing between me and
Akane. That's what's important.
"Aiya! Monster is acid!" Ryoga cast a glance at Shampoo, who stared
dumbly at her melting sword. This was going to be harder than he had thought.
Ukyo leapt clear of a swipe from a reptillian demon, wishing she had
her spatula with her instead of the polearm Mousse had given her. She hadn't
really trained with any other weaon, the enormous spat being key to her
entire school.
She thrust the curved blade down at the apogee of her jump, piercing
one of the distended pods on its shoulder. The demon cried out in agony and
anger as a viscous purple fluid gushed from the wound.
At least it's better than nothing, she thought as she renewed her
attack.
Akane rolled over onto her back, powerless to do anything but watch
as her friends and family fought for their lives. The monster that had been
holding her staggered backward, smoke pouring from its face from Happosai's
fire burst. The shrivelled old martial artist attacked with a vigor she had
never seen in him before, forcing it back as he struck again and again.
A quick check to her left revealed Ranma wriggling over toward her,
Cologne busily engaging the one that had been holding him. Her staff struck
out like lightning, crackling arcs of ki leaping from the wooden shaft to
the demon. It could only struggle to defend, the ancient matriarch proving
far too fast to be touched.
"Akane! You okay!"
"Been better!" she shouted back to Ranma. She moved around as much
as the restraints would allow, suddenly very aware that she they were both
practically immobilized in the center of a war zone. If she and Ranma
couldn't get free soon, they'd damn likely get trampled.
Agito cut down Zoanoids left and right, wishing this fight hadn't
happened. The Guyver was rapidly draining his already dwindling reserves of
strength. That megasmasher blast had only served to make matters worse. He
really hadn't had to use such a powerful weapon on one Zoanoid, then why...
Focus! he shouted at himself as the heat laser on his helmet pierced
the Govilba's scaled hide again and again, sending it down as a collection
of parts. Enzyme II was the most dangerous Zoanoid there, and no less than
three of those idiots were engaging it.
He took quick stock of the situation. Three Zoanoids were tromping
around a vulnerable Ranma and Akane, two of the most important people he had
to rescue from this meat grinder. Ukyo had managed to wound the Vamore, its
left laser pod ruptured and bleeding profusely.
After another quick burst from his heat laser, its head joined the
pod. Ukyo sidestepped clear as the Zoanoid fell to the earth. She flashed
him a quick look of thanks before moving to one of the two remaining Ramotiths.
"FORGET THE HUMANS!" Enzyme II shouted. "KILL GUYVER THREE!"
Damn! Agito mentally swore as the rest of the available mutations
disengaged their human opponents and rushed him. That would buy their leader
more time to grab at least Ranma and Akane and flee. Balcus had placed a
rather high priority on those two.
Nodoka watched with horror as the foul mockeries of creation massed
on the armored man, the one called Guyver Three. She didn't know him, but
she couldn't let them gang up like that. He had very well saved their lives,
and she had to help.
The gesture, she saw momentarily, was not necessary. The blades on
Guyver Three's arms flashed to life as demon after demon was cleaved.
"He's good," Genma breathed beside her. His gi was torn and bloody,
his breathing labored from the exertion of battle. For once, Nodoka agreed
with her husband.
"Get away from Enzyme!" Guyver Three shouted as the last of them
fell dead. "He's mine!"
"PREPARE TO DIE, GUYVER!"
Ryoga leapt clear of Enzyme's charge, the hulking beast moving
impossibly fast for its size. Happosai and Cologne were engaging the other
two monsters, leaving his path to Akane clear.
"AKANE!" he shotued as he slid to a kneeling stop beside her prone
form. If they've hurt her...
"Ryoga!" she shouted back. "Get us out of here!"
He tugged on the metal cylinders that covered her arms up to her
elbows, straining for all he was worth to break them. The tendons in his
neck stood out as he fought to free Akane, yet her bonds stoutly refused to
budge.
"Ryoga!" he heard Ranma yell, "hurry it up!"
"Shut up, Ranma! I'm going as fast as I can!" Whatever these things
were made of, they were damn tough. There had to be a way... Ryoga's eyes
fell on a small keypad that rested on the metal bridge between Akane's wrist
shackles, and another joining her ankles.
"BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" His finger jabbed the keypad like a missle.
Shards of plastic flew from the device as it sparked once before the
shackles released, taking the torso plates with it. He repeated the strike
on her ankle restraints with the same results.
"Ranma!" Akane rushed over as soon as she was freed, fighting with
the bonds he wore. Ryoga's eyes clenched shut at the sight, that she would
go to Ranma when *he* was the one to have saved her.
"Ryoga!" He looked up at the sound of her urgent voice. "Free Ranma!
Come on!"
"Right!" Ryoga pushed the pain aside. It wasn't important right
then. He moved to where Ranma lay waiting for his freedom and struck the locks.
Ranma shot to his feet, his strength returning in force. He was
aware of his battle aura flaring and revelled in the sensation. They had
threatened his family. They had threatened Akane. They had used Kasumi and
Nabiki to force him to surrender.
They were gonna pay. Big time.
His glare instantly locked on Enzyme, who was busily fighting
against Guyver Three. The latter dodged around, apparently unwilling to
attack the grotesque demon. Maybe he was as vulnerable to Enzyme's acid
attacks as they were? Whatever the reason, Ranma owed him. He had to help.
"Ryoga!" he barked. "Ki blasts on three! We gotta help Guyver!" He
felt Ryoga draw up beside him, the tingle of the lost boy's ki strong
against his own.
"ONE!" Ranma drew on his confidence, letting it fill him as the
sphere formed in his hands.
"TWO!" He then drew up the humiliation, the pure unmitigated rage he
felt toward the demons and mixed it in with the rapidly growing ball of
energy. The ki orb shifted colors dramatically, growing from orange to a
hateful red that burned his hands. This was no longer the Moko Takabisha
that he so often used, at least not in the strictest sense. He felt Ryoga
prime his own attack, letting the power build as he awaited the signal.
Ranma watched the fight between Guyver Three and Enzyme intently, searching
for the opening he needed.
Enzyme took a wild swing which Guyver Three easily leapt clear from.
Now or never!
"THREE! MOKO TAKABISHA LEVEL TWO!"
"SHI SHI HOKODAN!"
Agito sailed over Enzyme Two's lunging swipe just as the sensors on
his helmet warned him of incoming projectiles. He saw the twin orbs of ki,
one angry red and the other deep green, ram into the Zoanoid's unprotected
front. The combined forces pushed it back, its clawed feet fighting vainly
for purchase in the already shredded lawn. Agito wasted no time as he
commanded the gravity orb at his waist to power up.
"PRESSURE..." Enzyme II's fur smoldered from the impact of the
blasts. It struggled to rise, already shaking off the effects of the martial
artitsts' monster attacks. A quick check showed that none of the others were
nearby. Perfect. "...CANNON!"
Three spheres of compressed gravity lanced out from his hands toward
the wounded Zoanoid. Agito felt a rush of violent glee when they struck
true. Green acid sprayed from the gaping wounds left by the gravity bombs as
a dismembered Enzyme II fell to the ground.
Agito landed in a crouch, breath coming in deep ragged gasps. He was
drained, dangerously low on energy. If this madness kept up, the Guyver
would soon drain him to the point of automatically deactivating from lack of
power. The thought was far less than appealing.
"Hey," came a voice from beside him. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yes, he replied as he came to his feet once more. "Thank you."
"We should be thanking you," the auburn-haired woman to his left
said. "Had you not brough all of Ranma's friends when you did..."
"We can save the gratitude for later," he said, cutting Nodoka off.
"Right now, we have to leave."
"That's right," Ryoga said. "More of those monsters will be here any
second."
"My home... my beautiful home... vaporized!"
"Come on, Tendo. Let's go."
Agito started toward the street as he powered down all the Guyver's
weapons. The sonic swords shrank dormant back into his forearms. The drain
on his ki lessened slightly as the Guyver's air filters blasted out jets of
gas that contained the pollutants carried in the air. There were times when
even he was amazed at just what the alien suit of armor could do.
"One question, Guyver," he heard Nabiki say from behind. "Where are
we going?"
"Any place has gotta be better than here." Agito silently agreed
with Ranma on that one.
"I will take you to the sewers. There we will rendevouz with some of
my associates."
"I got it," Ranma intoned. "We wait in the sewers until the demons
thin out, and then we find where they're coming from and destroy it!"
"No."
"Say what?"
"From there I will signal a boat I have waiting off the coast. We
are leaving Japan."
"Now see here, buster! Nobody said *anything* about leavin' Japan!"
Agito restrained the urge to simply turn around and use the
megasmasher once more as the rabble grew. He did *not* have the time for this...
"LISTEN TO ME!" Agito waited for the protests to die down before he
continued. He turned and saw only angry faces glaring at him. This was
getting worse and worse.
"Start talking," Tofu said.
"There are over fifteen thousand of those monsters in Tokyo alone..."
"Fifteen..."
"*Thousand*!" Akane finished for her sister. Their mouths now hung
agape, shock replacing the indignant anger of a few seconds ago.
"Yes. The more powerful ones are engaging the remnants of the police
and Self Defense Forces. Within the hour, this place will be completely
overrun. They are everywhere."
"Then we gotta help!" Ranma shouted. "We can save Tokyo!"
"Wait," Nabiki interjected. She turned her eyes to Agito, a calm
mask not quite covering her horror. "You said Tokyo alone. Then..."
"Okinawa. Kyoto. Kansai. They are *everywhere*." Agito allowed the
silence to stretch between him and the others as the revelation sank in. It
was now time to reel them in. Time was of the essence.
"Other countries," Nabiki countered. "They'll be sending help!"
"No, they won't."
"Why?"
"Mrs. Saotome, when I said they were everywhere, I didn't mean just
in Japan."
It was as if someone had dropped a bomb on the assembled martial
artists. Agito saw disbelief evident in all their eyes. They couldn't accept
it. they simply couldn't accept the fact that the world they knew was now dead.
Hell, he could barely believe it himself.