Howdy, Latin D!
*ahem*
(looks around nervously) What? Is there someone behind me?
YAY!!! More DC! Finally -- it was about time, y'know. :-p
Heh... Sorry about that; I've had it kind of rough with free time lately.
You know all about me moving to a new province... Well, we leave on Friday,
so my whole family's gotten kind of freaked out about making sure we have
everything packed. It ate up more time than I thought it would, and made my
story late. Now it's made my replies to C&C late, too.
At least once we get there, it won't be in my way any more. And the good
news is, I'm taking a notebook and some pencils with me. When I'm not
driving, I'll be working on Dark Crusade! As soon as we get an internet
connection at the new homestead, I ought to have a chapter ready. ^_^
> My muse lives
> on the stuff, as most of my long-time readers probably know by now. ^_~
Okay, here goes something for her; though tell her she'd better hurry, or
I
may have to force-feed her. ^_^
Oh, she's hurrying as much as she can, pal. But she says thanks for the
snack! ^_~
> And if I didn't mention Joy Lyn's amazing webpage, Crossover Corner,
found
> at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shores/5533/index.html
> I'd probably feel really guilty about it later. ^_^
As guilty as I'd feel if I snipped this wonderful site's URL, almost a
temple for us crossovers freaks -- besides, Joy's wrath is legendary. ^_^
Yeah, and that worries me. I can't remember if I did this last time or
not... ^_^
> Oh, well. On with the fic!
Gee, this wasn't as long-winded as usual. Are you feeling well? You
didn't
even beg as you used to for C&C! :-p
Sorry about that. I'm sure I'll be back in my usual grovelling mood by the
time the next chapter comes out. ^_~
Disclaimer time. Every little piece of commentary that you may find in
the
following C&C represents my and mine only opinion. As such, it's
subjective,
imperfect, and ought to be taken with two or three grains of salt. If at
any
give moment you fail to understand what the hell I'm talking about...
just
be harsher whenever you C&C my stuff. That'll teach me. ^_~
Harsher? O_O
How? I already have to take a microscope to the darned thing to find the few
mistakes I do! ^_^
> Chapter Fifteen : Turning Point
Something really important must happen in this chapter for you to give it
such a title. After all, there have been so many fundamental moments in
DC
so far -- like the first time we saw Tuls. :-p
Hehehehe... Don't worry, friend - you haven't seen the last of Tuls. She'll
be showing up a few more times before this is over. She's just not in this
chapter. Sorry. ^_~
> Thunder boomed outside like a giant pounding on a bass drum,
> and Hotaru Tomoe flinched instinctively. Shivering slightly, the
> fragile raven-haired girl sank to the floor and hugged herself as the
Fragile? Well, I guess it depends on what you consider fragile... She may
tire easily, but you must agree with me in that she's no defenceless,
weak
maiden.
"Fragile" is just the first word that comes to mind when I think of her. Not
in a bad, insulting way, just in that she is rather frail physically. She
looks like she would break if you looked at her too
harshly.
As K'thardin said, she sure has some silly phobias. Can you
imagine...
HOTARU: Aaaaay! A rat! Keep it away! Keep it away!
JUN: *sneaking behind her* Boo!
HOTARU: AAAAAAH! Deathrebornrevolution!
Hehehehe. ^_^
> All told, it was one of the least friendly
> places that young Hotaru had seen in a long time - although it did
> vaguely remind her of a strange cross between her old home and one of
> those haunted houses from the late night movies that she wasn't
> supposed to watch. She hoped there weren't any bats; she didn't really
> feel up to bats at the moment.
First of all, this is a very nice intro, and helped me remember why I
always
praise your descriptions. It does a great job of letting us know WHY
people
hate this place so much. However...
Thanks. I tried to give as quick and detailed a description of the place as
possible. After all, they're going to be here for a little while, and I
wanted to make sure people realised how depressing and spooky the place was.
Not that I know how many years have passed since they were Arago's
minions,
but I bet it couldn't be more than a few years.
I'd say about two or three years, by now. Not very long, especially by their
standards.
Was the Keep always so
aged-looking and run-down?
Most of it, yes. The Masho were there for a few centuries, and it was built
long before they moved in.
The last scene suggest it wasn't (billiard
indeed)... I'm just curious
That's the exception. The upper floors were renovated about twenty years
ago, so that Rajura would have a place to train Setsuna properly. They're
the only two who were ever up there, and Rajura is a perfectionist, so
everything in that area is in mint condition.
-- I think the Keep is your creation (I know I
asked, but can't remember and am lazy to go through my mail), so it
shouldn't be a problem.
Yeah, The Keep is my own creation. That's why I can answer such questions
with a bit more authority than usual. The Keep IS run-down
on the inside, but not where Rajura trained Setsuna.
> Accompanied by the squealing cry of badly oiled hinges, one of
Badly-oiled? These always confuse me.
(shrugs) I think it's acceptable either way.
> Hotaru leapt to
> her feet and raced over, placing her hands against the oak door and
> helping the Spider Masho push.
RAJURA: You think you can help with that pitiful, weak body of yours?
HOTARU: Silence Glaive...
RAJURA: Crap. *ducks*
LOL! ^_^
This may seem silly, but why wouldn't they open?
They're the only doors out of the castle. They're about ten feet high and
three feet thick, and probably weigh more than Rajura himself does. The
hinges have gotten a little rusty over the years, and the doors were never
that easy to open in the first place.
After all, I'd expect Arago
to do better. Can you imagine if the Masho were able to escape his power
because the doors' hinges are rusty? :-p
The Masho COULDN'T escape his power if the hinges were rusty. They were
being kept inside the Keep; the harder it was to open those doors, the
harder it was for them to get out.
> The Snake Masho's eyes were rolled back, and his head lolled
> from side to side as his body slid listlessly through the thick black
> slime outside. With a final tug, the auburn-haired woman managed to
> pull the green-haired man into the Keep. Jirougorou and Hotaru
> immediately reversed direction, grasping the door's edge in their hands
> and pulling it shut with a resounding thud.
RAJURA: Dammit. I think I left the keys on the outside.
Isn't that always the way? I've done that twice in the past week alone. ;p
Closing the only exit doesn't seem so clever to me... :j
Ah, but it's also the only entrance. Anything that wants to get inside to
get at them has to go through that door first, unless they leave it open.
Plus, it's still raining outside, and the doors are so big that letting in
that much cold air and rain wouldn't make it very comfortable.
> Hotaru sagged to the floor, gasping for air, and Jirougorou
> carefully readjusted the black patch he wore over his left eye before
> idly tossing aside the battered bamboo umbrella he had tucked under
> his arm. "As you no doubt noticed," he said breathlessly, "we have
> guests."
So homely... I can already imagine Rajura arriving home after a long day
of
work at the office, wearing a suit and a brand new grey eyepatch. Hotaru
waits for him, and the heady scent of homemade dinner...
Funny, I can't. ^_^
Wait, it's too much. I can't really imagine it. Move on. :-p
Yeah. See, you forgot that in order for that to happen, Rajura would need to
lower his walls an inch or two. You know, admit that he's human, and has
feelings... Make himself vulnerable...
Rajura: No, I don't think we'll be doing that today. Try me again on the
twelfth of NEVER.
> Naotoki looked as though he had been killed, buried, dug up,
> and beaten. His helmet was missing, and his face was already beginning
> to bruise as blood seeped out from under his motionless body.
Well, except for the "killed" part, she got it right. ^_^
Naaza: Hey, I was NEARLY killed! I mean, it's not like I didn't try!
Rajura: Do us all a favour. Next time, try harder.
> "Oh!" Hotaru clapped a hand over her mouth as she looked over
> at Jirougorou Kuroda. "Is he going to be okay?"
>
> "No," the Spider Masho replied, "I'M going to be okay. He, on
> the other hand, is going to die. If you look very closely at us, you
> might be able to tell the difference. Here's a hint - MY blood is on
> the INSIDE."
Heheheh. Oh, I was missing these dialogues... Keep it up! ^_^
I intend to. ^_^
> "Why bother?" Jirougorou asked rhetorically. "He's doomed.
> Fortunately, he's also unimportant."
Um, I doubt it. The siblings represent a very powerful enemy, and I do
believe a Masho would make a big difference in the battles to come.
Though
it's true Rajura is unfeeling enough to ignore his fallen comrade, it
should
be also obvious to him that he still has uses for Naaza.
It's true that he might have uses for Naaza, but that doesn't mean that he
actually NEEDS him for whatever his current plan is. He needs Hotaru,
because that was why he said he saved her. If Naaza were to die right now,
Rajura is pretty certain he would still be able to win the war.
And he did take
care of Anubis when he was injured...
Yes, he did do that, back in DC4. He also tried to cover for Naaza back in
DC1, so that the Snake Masho wouldn't get in trouble with Kayura. And he
said in DC12 that he had been "willing" to help Naaza fight Tytoung, even
though he didn't.
Gee, that makes his behaviour right now seem kind of suspicious, doesn't it?
I wonder if he's up to something... ^_^
It's true that he might be trusting
Hotaru to heal him, but in this scene he looked angry to me -- so there
must
be another reason, ne?
There is another reason. And since you're my friend, I'll share it with
you... In a seperate e-mail. ^_~
Maybe he's simply joking...? Nah. ^_^
Rajura DOES joke, just not often. ^_~
> Hotaru leaned over the unconscious Snake Masho, a faint purple
> light glowing in her eyes as she placed her hands on either side of
> his head. "He's badly injured," she said to herself as she slowly moved
> her hands over his armoured chest. "Fractured skull, broken ribs,
> ruptured spleen, internal bleeding, cracked vertebrae... and his hand
> is so badly broken that the bones are practically powder." Raising one
> eyebrow curiously, the small girl turned and looked at Rajura as he
> stood nonchalantly in the corner. "What happened to him?"
I agree with K'thardin here. I've never seen Hotaru use her healing
powers
without her hands glowing, though I guess we can give you some freedom
here.
Like I told K'thardin, I basically left that part out of the description
because I couldn't find another word to fill in for "glowing", and didn't
want to use the same word twice in one sentence.
What amazes me is her ability to ascertain Naaza's injuries so precisely.
But I do believe that, being able to do this, her control over her power
should also allow her to heal his more serious wound first. Which she
probably did, considering the Nazza's condition. ^_^
It's hard to say what she did. I would assume that she was doing her best
just to keep him stable - she mentioned later that he "tried to go into
shock" a few times. It's called hypovolemic shock; when you lose more than
one-fifth of your body's total blood volume, you die. There are other forms
of shock, but that's probably the one Hotaru meant. After all, Naaza lost a
LOT of blood.
I mentioned this before, but it probably won't hurt your ego if I do it
again. One of the things I like about Ronin Summer is how versatile the
Senshi's powers are in this story.
Thanks. I like to work around with the powers of the Senshi and Troopers,
just to see what exactly they can or can't do. For example, I think Rajura
and Anubis especially can do far more than they were shown doing in the
canon anime.
Truth be told, the canon attacks get
boring after three or four seasons, and this is a refreshing change.
Kudos!
Thanks! Oh, and if you want versatile, check out Code Name: Sailor V.
Back when Minako and Artemis were working solo, she seemed to come up with a
new finishing attack every issue.
> "He bit off more than he could chew and nearly choked on it,"
> the Spider Masho explained, "as usual. He's something of an imbecile."
Well, why didn't he help him then? IIRC, when Nasuti asked him why he
hadn't
done something, he'd said he could've helped, but was sure Naaza didn't
need
him.
Well, Naaza was able to end the fight, wasn't he? And he IS still alive, if
just barely. I think Rajura would have stepped in, but only if he had
actually thought Tytoung was going to win.
> Halfway there, the hand resting on his face suddenly began
> pushing him back the other way with surprising force. Vyne flopped
> onto the ground and let out a muffled curse as he banged his head on
> a tree root. Something squirmed against him in a delightfully
> distracting manner and started breathing down his neck. Raising an
> eyebrow, Vyne looked down and slowly unfolded his wings.
Funny that Holts is more restless while asleep than Vyne... :-p
She's trying to get as comfortable as she can. Sleep is a serious business
for this little lady. ^_^
Gimme some work over here! Or I'll SNIP you to death!
Sorry. I'll try not to use my spell-checker next time, okay? ^_~
> "Ow!" Rubbing his sore jaw with one hand, he prodded her
> again. "Come on," he pleaded, "wake up!"
>
> "No," Holts mumbled, and wrapped her arms around his torso.
> "M'comfy. Go 'way."
Um, having seen a pic of her, I'm not sure if I'd complain all that much.
:j
Hey, I drew the picture, remember? ^_^
Which reminds me... I really should work on that picture of Vyne...
> "But it's morning!"
>
> "Don't care."
>
> Vyne scowled again. There was no point in trying to wait the
> girl out; if she was comfortable, she could sleep for decades. "You
> lazy little sot," he snarled under his breath, and began trying
> fruitlessly to push or pull Holts from off his person. "We have a job
> to do!"
...Holts off his...
Finally, a nitpick! Phew, I was getting worried... ^_^
Me, too. Will fix! ^_^
<SNIP>
> "Honestly, Holts," he said, as he stuck his tongue out at her,
> "you are SO immature at times."
>
> "I am not," she argued with a grin.
>
> "You are so," he retaliated with a grin of his own.
>
> "Am not!"
>
> "Are so!"
...
...
Okay, so the Masho still have a chance to win this. :-p
Well, sure they do. Although an immature attitude isn't that big a setback
if it's combined with, say, a whole truckload of power...
> Erdge swallowed loudly and clasped one hand around her graceful
> neck. Why hadn't he called her his sister, like he always did? Was she
> in trouble?
>
> "Not yet." The young man glanced over his shoulder and met her
> gaze, his azure eyes flashing briefly. "Would you like to be?" Stopping
Erdge didn't seem to notice, for some weird reason, but I sure did. HE
HAS
JUST READ HER THOUGHTS!!!! What the heck!
Well, Erdge's mind is on other things right now. She's a bit busy wondering
if he's going to kill her. Although you're right. He did read her thoughts.
^_~
So don't say I never drop hints about what these people can do. ^_^
Now, this could explain many things. Mainly, how it is that he
communicates
with Mother.
If he's psychic, it might explain why he can communicate with her while the
others can't. After all, it's not as though she could talk to someone while
comatose like that. And I *did* mention him acting like he was listening to
voices that others couldn't hear on one or two occasions...
If this is true, and she's still --somehow-- alive, then it's
possible that he's not crazy after all.
Possible. Although the two don't have to negate each other. He could easily
be both psychic AND crazy. ^_^
Which makes me wonder what exactly
Erdge heard in chapter... 12? 13? Could it be that Mother is a
telepathist?
Could be. ^_^
I still think she's Serenity... ^_~
She's not Serenity.
Um, so many questions...
Yeah, and precious few answers. For now, anyway...
You know more than you think you do. Trust me on that. ^_^
> his march, Pedri lifted one arm and thrust two fingers into the
> seamless marble wall in front of him. After a brief pause, a circular
> hole formed around his wrist, expanding like a drop of oil in a pool of
> water until it stretched from floor to ceiling.
>
> For once, the tall, leather-clad woman's eyes widened from
> something other than avarice. "How did you-?"
Oh, sure, now _this_ surprises her. :-p
Well it's not every day somebody melts a wall. Not even in THEIR house. ;p
> Pedri shrugged as he stepped through the portal he had created.
> "I felt like a shortcut, so I put a door here." He met his sister's
> gaze and blinked innocently. "What? We're in a rush, and you need a
> door. It's not like there's one here usually." He beckoned with one
> hand, and Erdge stepped through the hole to join him.
I notice the "you". Of course, he could simply melt the wall, the
powerful
bastard.
Hey, in DC1, he showed that he can walk right through walls and floors. So
why would he need to build a door to a room that only he ever planned to
enter?
> Long, ropy cables stretched across the channel to an
> ivory pedestal in the precise centre of the room, with what appeared
> to be some kind of symbol etched onto its surface. Looking up, she
> saw countless grooves and symbols etched into the ceiling, looking
Why don't you use a synonym for "etched", perhaps? To avoid the
repetition.
Oops. Didn't even notice that. Think I'll switch one of those "etched" to a
"carved". Any preferences on which? ^_^
> almost like an eldritch scrimshaw pattern.
Other than that, this entire scene has impressive description, almost
gothic
in parts, and it was a pleasure to read. I truly felt I was in that room.
Like a lot!
Thank you very much. I figured I'd been building up to the rebirth of a
sibling for so long I had better make it worth the wait. ^_~
BTW... if bringing back Tytoung took so much out of Pedri, one wonders
what
would happen if two Siblings died at the same time. Would Pedri be able
to
go through this twice?
Not very likely. Like he said, it hurts, and I doubt he would have the
strength to do it twice in a row. He could barely stand after doing it once.
Even a god has limits, right?
And you said that Tytoung looked smaller than
usually, which seems to indicate he isn't as powerful as before.
Bingo. He is indeed weaker than he was before. In fact, I'll even let it
slip that the longer it took Pedri to bring him back, the smaller and weaker
he would have been - that's why Pedri was in such a hurry.
How long
does it take them to regain their full strength?
It depends on a number of things. How bad their damage was when they died,
how long it took Pedri to bring them back, whether they're allowed to rest
or forced back to work... On top of all that, each sibling naturally
recuperates at a different speed. Tytoung gains health back faster than
Thraw, but not as fast as, say, Holts.
What happens if Pedri dies?
He never has.
Except for Holts (and now Erdge), the other siblings don't even know that
it's Pedri who brings them back when they die; they just wake up in their
rooms a few hours or days after it's all over.
Even more important... will you ever answer all these questions? ^_^
Maybe some of them. But only if I'm feeling helpful. ^_~
<MINI-SNIP>
> actually melted and fused into the glowing crystal orbs, which began
> to glow even brighter as they strobed with a harsh white light. Looking
Um, I've never seen "strobe" used as a verb before... My colloquial
vocabulary isn't all that big, though, so I might be wrong.
I couldn't think of another verb to describe the way in which a strobe would
emit light. It's not a flicker - there is a distinct off and on pattern.
> But she didn't. Not even sure why, she found herself reaching
> for the fallen man, leaning his head on her shoulder as she peeled his
> hands loose from the smoking crystal balls that they still clung to
> stubbornly. The skin on his palms and fingers was gone, leaving only
> raw, bloody flesh that made her wince to look at.
Perhaps because she finally found out what being a leader entailed? I'm
not
much of a Pedri fan myself,
You're not supposed to be. He's the bad guy. ^_^
but if every time one of his siblings dies he
has to undergo this torture, I cannot deny he deserves some respect.
And you have to wonder why he would go through that kind of stuff just to
bring back sombody who will likely only cause him trouble in the future. My
guess is because he's their leader, and that's his job.
Though
I'm certain Vyne's reaction would've been different... ^_^
Oh, yeah. Vyne would have offed him on the spot. Vyne would have done it
while Pedri was still busy bringing back Tytolung.
<SSSSNIP!>
> "Don't call me that," Pedri mumbled, his eyes barely open as
> his head lolled against her shoulder. "Use my name... it's why She
> gave me one..."
I can imagine that moment...
PEDRI: Quiet, all! Mother will now name us!
MOTHER: *Her name'll be... Erdge!*
PEDRI: Mother has spoken. Sister, your name is now Erdge. Make Her proud.
ERDGE: Yes!
MOTHER: *It's your turn now, son. You shall be named... Rudolph!*
PEDRI: Mother has spoken. My new name is Pedri. I'll make Her proud.
MOTHER: *Hey, that's now what I said!*
PEDRI: Oh, and she says I'm your leader. Kneel before me!
I have to admit, I really get a kick out of the way you portray Pedri
sometimes. ^_^
> Erdge blinked. "Whatever you say... Pedri." Carefully securing
> her grip around his waist, she placed his one arm around her neck and
> rose to her feet, supporting her brother. "You seem pretty tired. Do
> you want me to take you to your quarters, or something?"
The question (yes, another one!) is, why did he show this to her? Why
now?
Why, indeed? ^_~
Could it be that he's teaching a substitute, in case something happens to
him?
Maybe. Could be he "overheard" her wondering whether to support him or Vyne,
and decided to give her a hand deciding. Could be it's part of some evil
plan to lower her guard before he gets rid of her. Could be he's just being
friendly, for once.
If he really speaks with Mother, and knows that She thinks Erdge worthy
of Her voice (or something just as corny ^_^), perhaps he's decided to
make
her his second?
Yeah, that's possible, too. ^_^
Um, these are all mere speculations, but as I read this chapter many
ideas
formed in my mind, and I thought I'd share them. Sorry. ^_^
Hey, no problem! There's nothing I like more than a nice, lively
discussion. It's always good to know what kinds of ideas you've got bubbling
up there, pal; you're often right about things. ^_~
> "Yes," Pedri said absent-mindedly, "I suppose I should freshen
> up a little. Wouldn't do to have our guests see me looking less than
> my best, now, would it?"
Guests? Who's he talking about? Perhaps Neptune and Uranus were defeated?
Like this, for example.
You are right about this. ^_^
<BIG SNIP>
> "Maybe," Hotaru admitted as she swung the door shut, "but if
> he's the Masho of Deception, wouldn't he just be telling you whatever
> you wanted to hear? Why would you believe him?"
>
> Nasuti blinked. "Uh..."
Exactly! Finally someone says what I've been thinking all along. I'm not
really able to judge, as I know nothing about "canon" Rajura, but in the
entire RS I haven't seen him turn once against his fellow Masho or his
Empress.
He never has. In fact, he's even gone behind their backs to help them, on
more than one occasion.
In fact, back in Inner Battles (or was it Shell Games -- I hate my
memory), he seemed to be the one who tried _harder_ to be loyal.
It was Shell Games. The first scene of Chapter 3, to be precise:
"No matter what situation he was placed in, his yoroi compelled him to
endure, to survive at any cost. And thus loyalty was twice as hard for him.
Which was part of why he kept the book : to prove, if only to himself, that
he was serving his Empress well..."
And don't think I've forgotten about that book, either. ^_^
I don't know why, but I like Rajura. ^_^
So do I. It's hard not to, actually; the more of a jerk I make him, the more
likeable he seems to become. I'm not sure how that works.
> "Anyway, it was just a thought." Hotaru sighed softly as she
> peered at Nasuti through the barred window of the door. "You better
> get back to Naaza, Nasuti. I'll just lie down for a while."
Funny. Rajura told them that _that_ particular room was quiet and secure
("tenth door on your left"), but there had to be a reason he chose it
over
the others...
It's the cell that Setsuna Meioh slept in when she was younger.
Is this the end of Hotaru? Might the author want Jun to be
free of his obligations towards the lovely Hotaru, and thus be able to
enjoy
the charms of the Storm Senshi? ^_~
NOBODY enjoys the charms of the Storm Senshi; they're kind of forced upon
you against your will. ^_~
> Shutendoji. The stray thought stopped Nasuti in her tracks,
> her eyes widening in shock. That was right - for everything that Rajura
> was, Shutendoji had been even worse. The Masho of Cruelty's atrocities
> were literally the stuff of legend, but when he had showed up on her
> doorstep looking for a chance to redeem himself, she had accepted him
> at face value. He had certainly more than repaid her trust, rest his
> soul. Why was she suddenly so quick to condemn Jirougorou Kuroda, when
> she had been so willing to forgive Toshitada Koma?
Masho of Cruelty?
Yep. Masho of Cruelty. The ORIGINAL Ogre. The first leader of the Masho.
Shutendoji. Tall guy, long red hair, once kicked the snot out of all five
Samurai Troopers at once.
That's why even scary stuff is scared of him. ^_^
I had no idea.
Well, now you know. ^_~
I'm betting he died right after he turned
against Arago, right?
Nope. He actually hung around for half of the series, dressed in blue
and white monk's robes and a large, Raiden-esque straw hat, helping the
Troopers from a distance. He was kind of like their version of Tuxedo Kamen.
It wasn't until he actually FOUGHT Arago that he was killed, and sent his
yoroi to Kayura. The grey-and-black armour with the leather overcoat and the
kusari-gama that she's been using in Ronin Summer were originally his.
I'm curious about how he ended up marrying Setsuna, or
WHEN, as I don't think she'd fall in love with one of the "bad guys".
Don't be so sure. Shuten was never as bad as he tried to be, and Setsuna
wasn't always as good as she acts now. You might want to re-read Shell Games
chapter 6...
> Jun was right: it
> sucked being helpless. Of course, Jun was a whole different group of
...Jun had a whole...
No, Jun IS the problems for her, because she feels responisble for him and
his well-being.
> Ryo had mystical armour to help him when he charged headfirst
> into trouble. Jun didn't seem to realise that he needed help at all.
> If he didn't start being more careful, he was going to get hurt...
Heh. I think Morgan just beat you to it, Nasuti. I'm betting he has a lot
of
problems ahead, involving a corrupting, sentient sword, a bunch of
boisterous yet lovely young girls, a war, a youma, and the need to prove
himself worthy of a girlfriend who can silence the Earth...
Gee... Good guess, pal! ^_^
Though I still bet he's going to end up with a different mindset and one
hell of a power-up. ^_^
Well... That's certainly ONE way of looking at it... ^_~
> An instant
> later, she stepped back out into the hallway, a worried look in her
> emerald eyes as she glanced first up, and then down the corridor.
>
> Naaza was nowhere to be seen.
I've been thinking about this, and still don't know what happened. Even
if
Naaza recovered enough to get up and wander off (which is doubtful, as I
think Hotaru would know immediately if his healing has advanced that much
--
especially after you showed us exactly what she coul do)...
She was boosting his own healing factor. He recovered enough to wake up, but
it was after the girls had left the room. They were gone for quite a while,
you know.
why would he?
Naaza doesn't like The Keep. And there's a good chance he might have run off
looking for Nasuti...
Isn't the Keep one big gloomy place? What difference does one room or the
other make?
Naaza wouldn't want to be ANY room in the Keep. Check his reaction to seeing
it in DC 12. He wants to be as far away from it as he can get.
> After all, it covered
> her lovely features, and one of the perks of being an Empress was
> being allowed to indulge in a bit of vanity every once in a while. With
> her Masho and her Imperial Guard to protect her, it wasn't as though
> she usually needed to wear the yoroi at all. She much preferred her
> kimono - the silk was so smooth and comfortable against her skin, not
> like the iron shell currently clamped around her.
I imagined she wouldn't worry about the rain and her clothing all that
much,
considering her fiance is lying half-dead on the ground... Only later on
does she seem to remember Anubis is there. :-/
Like I said to K'thardin, it's more a case of her trying not to think about
something that really, really, scares her. She's deliberately focusing on
other things so that she won't dwell on Anubis.
> Her Masho. The petite empress scowled slightly, the dark cloud
> passing over her face unnoticed behind the crimson enamel of her
> mask. As if she knew where any of them were, now that she needed them.
Well, as she does know where Anubis is, I'd say: "... where they
were, now..."
Ooh, good point. I'd missed that one completely, man! Thanks! ^_^
<TINY SNIP -- REALLY!>
> "The real problem," Setsuna Meioh muttered as she knelt down
> nest to Kayura, "is Uncle Kujuurou. We ourselves do not appear to be
Typo: next
Eep! Will fix! ^_^
<SNIP>
> "MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!" A small, raven-haired girl bolted
> down the staircase and brushed past Kayura and Anubis as she hurtled
> towards Setsuna, arms held wide. "Oh, Mommy! I missed you so much!"
>
> "Sure you did," Setsuna hissed, catching the frail girl by
> her wrist and slamming her roughly against the wall. Hotaru gasped
> and looked up at the older woman with tears glistening in her violet
> eyes.
Heheheh. This was unexpected, but it's almost a classic.
It helps if you notice that "Hotaru" came from the upstairs, and that
the real Hotaru had been sent downstairs at the start of the chapter. That
really only leaves one person it can be. ^_^
I always wondered
what would happen if they make a mistake...
SETSUNA: Take this, impostor! And this! And THIS!
HOTARU: B-but -- OUCH! -- Wait, Mo --!
SETSUNA: You won't fool me, bastard!
RAJURA: What's going on?
SETSUNA: I'm giving this asshole the beating he de... serves... ... ...
Oops.
Hehehehe...
Setsuna: Oh, I'm sorry, honey! Are you okay?
Hotaru: Not... yet.
Setsuna: Is there anything I can do to make it up to-
Hotaru: Death... Reborn...
Rajura: We should be ducking now, shouldn't we?
> "What's the matter, Mommy?" she whimpered, cowering slightly
> as Setsuna loomed over her. "Did I make you mad? I just wanted you to
> know how much I love you..."
>
> "Right," the emerald-haired woman replied, as she reached into
> the girl's glove to draw out a rather long and wicked-looking dagger.
>
> "Golly," the girl said quietly, looking at the weapon as though
> she had never seen it before in her life, "how did THAT get in there,
> Mommy?"
Heheheh. This had me laughing out loud. Good dialogue!
Thanks. I was kind of proud of it myself. Had me cracking up, too. ^_^
<SNIP>
> "Really, Setsuna. Where do you THINK I would put the little
> moppet? She's where YOU belong, of course..."
SETSUNA: The Gates of Time?
RAJURA: ...She's hopeless.
Setsuna: My house?
Rajura: Just go downstairs, okay?
Setsuna: Ohhh... okay. (starts to leave)
Rajura: No, DOWN-stairs! That is UP-stairs! You're going UPSTAIRS!
> Setsuna stepped back, her fingers suddenly going numb as the
> small girl tumbled from her grasp and landed on the floor. Shaking her
> head, the Senshi of Time looked down at the man who was wearing the
> form of her daughter. "You son of a bitch," she whispered, "you didn't.
...whispered. "You...
Good catch. I'd better fix that! ^_~
> You COULDN'T, not even you..." Without another word, the usually
> graceful and elegant Sailor Pluto spun on one heel and raced up the
> staircase as though the hounds of Hell were chasing after her.
>
> "Interesting choice," Rajura mused, rubbing her throat with
> one hand as she climbed back onto her feet. "I was actually referring
> to her cell downstairs." Turning to Kayura, the small girl bowed and
Freud would have a field fay if he witnessed Setsuna's reaction, uh? ^_^
Oh, yes. And so would Rajura. In fact, Rajura nearly got a permanent field
day out of the whole thing.
> "Beats me," Kayura answered with a shrug, "I make it a habit
> to never turn my back on you."
Hmmmm....
I take it this is a joke, right? As I said before, Rajura, the only Masho
who isn't compelled by his Yoroi to be loyal (you said it yourself, some
time ago), is the one who puts more effort into being so. IIRC, he wrote
a
diary to remind himself of what it was he was working for, even though he
admitted to himself it was a big risk. Kayura should know this...
Kayura has no idea that the diary exists. She knows that he isn't betraying
her at the moment, but she also knows better than to turn her back on him.
So she's joking, but she also kind of means it.
Rajura is simply coherent with himself, IMO. He only cares for his
Empress,
and makes damn sure everyone knows it. ^_^
Close. He IS coherent with himself, but he does not "only" care for his
Empress. It just seems that way, sometimes.
> "Could you please turn back into one of my Masho? I find it a
> bit unnerving to hear your words come out of that mouth."
>
> "Certainly." As ordered, the fragile young girl's body shifted
> and flowed like soft wax, becoming taller and more masculine as her
> mane of raven hair grew shorter and turned green.
>
> "Better?" he asked, in Naaza's voice.
Heh. I read this scene three times, but I still don't know what the heck
happened here. Was this Naaza from the very beginning? It'd be plausible,
but for two things. First, I doubt he's healed enough to let himself be
tossed against a wall. Second, even if Naaza agrees to this, I can't
believe
he'd have that kind of conversation with Setsuna.
It's not Naaza. It's Rajura, having fun with Kayura. She only told him to
turn into ONE OF her Masho, so he did: Naaza. You're absolutely right that
Naaza is not healthy enough to survive being tossed into a wall, and he
wouldn't be able to have that kind of a conversation with Setsuna if his
life depended on it.
Also, Rajura is the only Masho with the power to shapeshift; Naaza and
Anubis can't do it, and neither can Kayura.
So it's not Naaza; Rajura is actually there, talking to his Empress. Then
I
must admit I'm as confused as Setsuna is. How the heck did he get to the
room upstairs? It doesn't seem possible, unless he's able to project a a
solid image of himself at will, or better yet, split himself in two.
It's the "solid image" thing. Basically, since he can control their senses,
he makes people think that they are seeing, touching, smelling, and hearing
whatever illusion he projects. In this case, he sent an illusion of himself
(as Hotaru) to greet Kayura and Setsuna, while he stayed upstairs.
Which
is both rather impressive, and unexpected. Either way... please explain.
^_^
Well, Rajura is the Masho of Deception, and one of his powers is the ability
to create illusions. He's created illusionary duplicates of himself before;
look in Shell Games chapter 1, when he was battling Sailor Neptune, Shell
Games chapter 6, when he fought Shuu Rei Fuan, and Shell Games chapter 10,
when he fought Arago. He also did it when he was disguised as the Owl and
fighting Badamon in chapter 12 of Inner Battles.
I still like it, though. ^_^
Me, too. It's a nifty trick, and it's got all KINDS of uses. ^_^
<SNIP>
> the wall. Torchlight gleamed wickedly on the steel blades of the
> naginata and bisento, the pikes and halbreds, the spears... and the
Typo: halberds
Oops. ^_^
Will fix!
> pool cues. Turning, Setsuna glared at the billiard table sitting on a
> platform at eye-level. It was probably still racked for a game, she
> thought, hopping onto the wooden rostrum.
Wonder how a game between the Masho would end... Bloodily, probably. ^_^
Rajura would win, and everybody else would beat each other unconscious with
the pool cues. ^_~
> There was no sign of Hotaru, but that didn't mean anything.
> She could anywhere in this tangled maze of scaffolds and stages. With
She could be anywhere...
Whoops! have you ever noticed that I start making a lot more mistakes as we
near the end of my chapters? I think it's because I start to rush myself in
an attempt to finish it sooner.
> In fact, I have grown somewhat
> fond of the little lady - we got along quite famously." He smiled, a
> dangerous light gleaming in his icy blue eye. "You don't suppose you
> could spare her for a year or two? After all, I seem to be in the
> market for a new apprentice..."
Um, so she was his apprentice, uh? We learn more about her past every
chapter -- enough to make you want to read more, but never the entire
story.
One of the things I've been working on in this arc is slowing down my
storytelling. I noticed that I was starting to just spill all the beans in a
single chapter, and it made things a little too wordy.
Good writing.
Thanks, man! I appreciate it. ^_~
I'm not an expert in Sailor Moon, not even close, actually, but if I
remember correctly Setsuna in the anime had never died, whereas in the
manga
it was quite the opposite -- she had been reborn much like the other
Senshi.
Exactly right. It was also manga Setsuna who had the Garnet Orb special
attack that allowed her to create a force field. And, unlike anime Setsuna
-who almost never appeared- manga Setsuna actually lives with the other
Outer Senshi and has a job. I believe she's a model.
As I doubt a Setsuna with perfect control of her powers would be forced
to
do _anything_ against her will, you must be following the manga
continuity,
am I right?
Er... The answer to your question is "sort of". ^_^;
I'm not going to lie to you, pal; I'm following my own little tangent out
here. Since Ronin Summer is an alternate universe (like all cross-overs), I
kind of played mix-and-match with my continuities when I was trying to blend
the two series together. It IS mostly manga-based, but some parts are
anime-based, instead. For example, the manga version of Jadeite was charred
to a skeleton - he's dead. I used the anime version, who was slightly more
alive, and thus able to be in my story.
Now, we'd better move on before people start to throw rotten eggs at me. ^_~
> "Yes," Rajura noted calmly, "and that is exactly why you will
> always lose, my dear. You're just too soft. You care, I don't; I win."
> With a shrug, the Spider Masho stepped off of the beam and plummeted
> four stories down to the stone floor, landing in a crouch.
Um, I don't buy it. Rajura does care for something; in fact, every one of
his actions have an objective, an ultimate goal: the welfare of her
Empress,
and, in consequence, her kingdoms.
You are very correct in thinking that Rajura has an ultimate goal. ^_^
I don't get tired of saying this, but in
the entire RS Rajura has never done anything truly wrong.
That's true, too. In fact, he's gone above and beyond the call of duty on
more than one occasion trying to help people. Jadeite springs to mind, in
Inner Battles 12...
He simply knows
where his loyalties lie -- and I'm convinced he cares for his fellow
Masho,
too. The scene in which plans for Kayura's rescue, and his response to
Anubis's desperate statement proves that in my mind.
You know, it's just so cool the way you pieced it all together from my
previous chapters that I'm in awe. And you're mostly right, too,
with one or two small exceptions. ^_^
Setsuna is smart; she
should be able to see this, to detect Rajura's weak spot.
Ah, but Setsuna hates Rajura, and this makes her unable to see anything good
in him. So far as she is concerned, he will always be a monster, and
incapable of any form of redeeming behaviour. It doesn't help that he's
deliberately egging her on. ^_~
> Results count, Setsuna,
> not the path taken to get them. I could teach Miss Tomoe more in a
> week than you could in a thousand years. I am, by far, a better teacher
> than you. To be accurate; I am, by far, a better EVERYTHING than you."
Yeah, as if awakening Hotaru's dormant dark side is that clever a move.
:-p
Oh, he's not really going to do it. He's just saying that to make Setsuna
mad. ^_~
> "Regardless, you shall not have Hotaru."
>
> "I am a patient man. You can't guard her every second, Setsuna.
> Not forever." Apparently finding what he had been looking for, the
> Masho of Deception straightened his back, holding something in his
> hands.
Well, she's the Senshi of Time. I'm pretty sure she can guard her very
effectively, should the need arise. How can you defeat an oponent who can
stop time? :-/
Trick her. That's Rajura's point. Like he said in Shell Games 1, time may be
her plaything, but reality is his. Her powers don't mean anything if she
doesn't see him coming. He could shapeshift into Michiru some day, go home
in her place, set the table for dinner, and kill Setsuna with a fork. He
could sneak in while she was asleep and be gone before she ever knew he was
there. He could pretend to be the school principal, and grab Hotaru while
she was in class. He could send an illusion home in her place, and it would
be weeks before they even realised she was gone... Heck, he could pretend he
was Chibi-Usa and sneak Hotaru out from under Usagi's nose during a
sleep-over!
The point is, he could find a way. Hotaru would never really be safe, if he
wanted her.
<snippity>
> "Was I unclear?" Rajura spread his arms wide and looked up at
> the woman. "You were just saying you wanted to kill me. This is your
> chance. Draw my sword and cut off my head. There is nobody to stop
> you, nobody to see what has transpired. I am unarmed, and defenceless.
> One stroke, and you can be free of me forever."
RAJURA: But know this, Setsuna. I am your father.
SETSUNA: *gasp* R-Really?
RAJURA: Nah.
Sorry, just _had_ to. ^_^;;
Heh. It's okay, I understand. ^_^
<...SNIP>
> "Strike me down in all your anger..."
>
> ...And her journey to the Dark Side would be complete. That
> was it, wasn't it? If she destroyed Rajura, she would be doing exactly
> what he would do in her place. Her body, her soul, his actions, his
> sword. She would become him. Just like him. Where would Setsuna Meioh
> end then, and Jirougorou Kuroda begin?
Okay, IIRC, you once corrected me because I used "Force" to refer to the
RDF, remember?
Yes. That was when Ranma's student was talking about his origin, right? He
said that he "joined the Force", and I suggested you change it to "RDF"
instead.
You told me that most readers still associate the word with
the Jedi and Star Wars. I believe this is the same case. As I read this
scene, good as it is, my mind kept screaming "Star Wars" at me, making
the
obvious comparison. However, it was still rather subtle -- until you went
and spelled it out. ^_^
I was trying to do it deliberately. The idea was that Rajura accidentally
quoted the Emperor's line from Return of the Jedi without knowing it, and
Setsuna -who had seen the movie- finished the quote in her head. That was
kind of what snapped her out of it; that she suddenly realised exactly what
situation she was in.
Though it's rather humorous, I feel it might distract readers from which
is,
beyond any doubt, a climax in Dark Crusade. Just my opinion.
Good point. I suppose I could always find another way to do it... I'll see
what I can do. ^_^
> "Then," he said softly, his shoulders slumping as he lowered
> his arms and looked down at the sword lying on the floor, "I fear you
> have lost the only use I still had for you..."
Damn. What the HECK is this man talking about? And, furthermore... WHY
DID
YOU FINISH THE CHAPTER RIGHT HERE?! ^_^;;
That was when my Notepad program told me the chapter was too big for me to
write in any more. ^_^
This was a powerful scene, though as K'thardin said, both lost the focus
somewhere along the way. It stopped being about Hotaru, and became
something
else, perhaps a continuation of a past encounter. That's my take on the
scene, anyway, but I believe Rajura only used Hotaru as a way to make
Sets
react. Nice.
Oh, you're right as usual. Rajura was simply using Hotaru as a tool to get
Setsuna angry enough to finish him off. By the end, there, I don't think
even he remembered that it was supposed to be about Hotaru.
> **********
>
> TO BE CONTINUED...
...Or else, pal, or else.
Um, what to say after fifteen chapter, Morgan? This is still among the
best
fanfictions to reach the FFML, and has a harder time than most, too, as
it's
based on series which aren't as popular as, say, Ranma.
It's amazing, really. You'd think a series with absolutely no tapes or DVDs
available, which airs only sporadically on a different network every two or
three years, and whose three OAV series have never been officially subtitled
OR dubbed would have a much larger fan following... ^_~
Next chapter should show Jun and his army -- I can't wait to see them in
action one more time.
It's kind of a shame, but you'll have to. I'm moving to a new province this
weekend (I believe I mentioned to you once before), and there's no Internet
at the other end, so I'll be off-line for the foreseeable future. I hope to
get it cleared up as soon as possible, but I'm going to have to set my FFML
on "vacation" mode before I go. So if you go writing another chapter of
Silent Battles, make sure you send it to me personally so I can C&C it,
okay? ^_~
Farewell!
-Morgan Hudson
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