Disclaimer: All characters and settings belong to their respective owners. Please don’t sue me; I’m too poor.
Ranma 1/2 Z Neo: Part 12
*...* -actions (...) -thoughts ...^ -author’s notes
Memories =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
*A small, narrow opening gapes at Ukyou from the midst of an expanse of shiny, glimmering silver. She gulps, looking into the dark interior of the ship belonging to the invaders. Beside her rests an odd contraption, with little drill bits. A piece of the metal plating sits awkwardly on the ground. She nervously lifts a dull, dark gray pendant to her lips, then puts it back down as she finds her lips suddenly too dry to talk. She licks them absently, squinting gently against the glare of the sun on the over-bright metal plating. She can hear the fighting of her friends and the invaders on the other side of the ship. Suddenly, she shakes her head, tossing off all her pointless nervousness. She lifts the pendant back to lips, and speaks into it.*
Ukyou: Hey, Trunks, it’s done. The thing’s opened a hole in the side of the ship.
Trunks: Okay, great! That took longer than I thought it would...
Ukyou: Well, you didn’t count on giving me the wrong directions... *about every five feet along the side of the ship has a small hole in it, for about 20 feet. It rather resembles Swiss cheese...*
Trunks: *the pendant wears a small sweatdrop* Uh, yeah... Anyway, crawl in. *Ukyou shoves herself into the small hole*
Ukyou: Oomph! Ugh, this thing is small! *wiggle wiggle* Trunks,...
Trunks: Yeah?
Ukyou: I... er, I think I’m stuck...
Trunks: *sweatdrop* Ummm....
Ukyou: *pop!* Yaaah! *slides abruptly forward as she pops out of being stuck. Her hands are pinned to the sides of the narrow vent, and so she sighs* I hafta go back, Trunks. Just a sec.
Trunks: *over the pendant* But I thought you were stuck? *Ukyou either doesn’t hear him or ignores him^, and wriggles back out. She looks around to make sure there’s still no one around, and puts her hands out in front of her. She then slides in this way, and finds it much easier without the extra width of arms. Wriggling in, she finds herself with basically no room to spare. She pulls her pendant out from under her*
^Your choice which.
Ukyou: Okay, I’m in. So where am I?
Trunks: Umm, I’m not entirely sure... it depends on which vent you entered. Are there any control panels nearby?
Ukyou: *sweatdrop* How should I know? I don’t know what a control panel even looks like! Huh? *She finds that her sweatdrop has made the deck slippery. She shoves a little with her toes, and slides gracefully through the vent corridor. She then crashes not so gracefully into a curve* Itaiiiii....^
^Owwie....
Trunks: You okay?
Ukyou: *rubs her elbows* Yeah, just smacked my elbows into the wall. Hey, I think I found the control panel! Is it blue, glowing, and labeled conveniently ‘control panel’?
Trunks: Yeah, that’s it! Look for the button that says push. *Ukyou finds it* Now push it. *she does* Now take out that electric kit I capsulated for you. *a brief silence*
Ukyou: Ummm...
Trunks: (This is not going how I planned...) What now?
Ukyou: It’s in my pocket...
Trunks: So?
Ukyou: I can’t reach my pockets!
Trunks: Can’t you even try?
Ukyou: Just a sec... *After twisting, turning, and contorting in various slightly painful ways, she reaches her pocket, and pulls out the capsule box* Alright, I got it!
Trunks: Great! Now, it’s number 12. *She opens capsule number 12*
Ukyou: ‘kay, now what?
Trunks: Take out the little handheld computer and pull out the cord. *Ukyou complies* Now plug it into the circular plug conveniently labeled ‘outlet plug’.
Ukyou: Just a thought, but how do you know that this control panel is like? I mean, this is a totally different race of people, with their own technology and their own systems, and I know we didn’t get a picture of the details of the ship or anything.
Trunks: Oh, it was decided long ago. In order to make it more dramatic, all spaceships have to have control panels, neatly labeled in small vents throughout the ship for easier invasion and takeover. That way, the terror of being surrounded by space pirates is always enough to get the fliers to surrender without a fight, or, if they do fight, with twice as big a battle.
Ukyou:... (This is a ~weird~ future...) Anyway, what do I do now?
Trunks: *gives her instructions*
Ukyou: *follows them* Right, so where am I? *Trunks tells her her location in the ship*
Trunks: Ready?
Ukyou: *Puts the capsule box into her shirt, where she can easily reach it* Yeah. Which way do I go?
Trunks: *points* That way.
Ukyou: *sweatdrop* I can’t see you, Trunks!
Trunks: Oh yeah...right. Go left.
Ukyou: What???
Trunks: Left.
Ukyou: Okay. *pushes with her toes, to find herself slipping much too quickly towards the left. She tries to stop herself to no avail, and crashes into another wall* Trunks...
Trunks: What?
Ukyou: If you make me sweatdrop again, I’m gonna make you eat Akane’s cooking.
Trunks: Come on, it can’t be ~that~ bad!
Ukyou: (Poor, naive thing...) Trust me. It’s ~that~ bad!
Trunks: Anyway, now go right.
Ukyou: Right. You’re sure, right?
Trunks: Of course I’m sure! Right is the way to go. I know I’m right!
Ukyou: Okaaaay.... *wiggles right* YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
Trunks: Ukyou!
*outside*
Ranma: *dodges a flying fist* Not bad.
Jet Stream: How of nice of you to say so. Too bad it’s gonna kill you.
Ranma: I wouldn’t be so sure. *thrusts out a leg and catches Jet in the ankle*
Jet Stream: *rights himself* Lucky kick.
Ranma: Yeah, sure. *gets hit by Jet* Lucky shot.
Jet: Yeah, sure.
*a few yards away*
Tempo: *groans* Get back here!
Ryouga: Where’d you go? *Tempo rolls her eyes*
Tempo: Over here... *turns his head with her hand* Better?
Ryouga: Huh? Oh, yeah. Thanks. *Punches at her*
Tempo: Oomph! (Hey, he actually got me there... He would be loosing ~so~ bad if I wasn’t letting him win...) Why you... *swings at him*
*A few more yards away*
Akane: Will you grow down?!?!
Treble: *bends over to look her in the eye* No.
Akane: Hiya! *punches him in the nose* Jerk!
Treble: *Holding his nose, he sounds precariously like a giant chipmunk* Why you! *swings a massive fist at her, which she dodges*
Akane: You won’t hit me that easily! I’ve been training with Ranma! There’s no way you’ll touch me!
Treble: *Proves her right as he kicks at her, only to have her hop out of reach. She rolls like a trapeze artist to pivot on his brow, then does a flip and lets her fist meet the top of his head.* Gymnasts should die, girl!
Akane: I’m no gymnast! (Well, besides rhythmic martial arts, that is...) So take this, you big lug! (I just wish he wasn’t so huge.) *As the fight goes on, Treble is proportionally half as winded as Akane, for his every move is carefully planned, while her flighty dodging requires much more use of energy, and she cannot afford to let any devastating punch through.* (Oh, man, he’s just too much... I’m getting tired already! I’ll have to go Super soon at this rate. Sorry, Ranma... You may have to come rescue me again at this rate. Gomen^...)
^Sorry.
Treble: Don’t get so distracted! *Swings at her to reinforce the point, but misses as she jumps out of the way once again*
*a mile or so away*
Tempo: *warning Ryouga* This is the ~last~ time I’m going to follow you!
Ryouga: Gomen. *bam*
Tempo: Ite... The last time... *She lashes out, though she has not yet recovered her breath*
Ryouga: Yow!
*Jet Stream and Ranma’s battle:
Ranma: So, how are you holding up against me? I wouldn’t want to overstrain you or anything...
Jet: Just warming up. How about you?
Ranma: The same. *Whilst they talk, they persist in throwing savage and devastating blows to each other, neither gaining the upper hand* So, what’re you doing here on Earth? Or is that classified info?
Jet: Sorry, can’t tell you. It’s a secret, or so I’ve heard.
Ranma: Well, why don’t we make a bet, then?
Jet: Sounds fair to meOoooph! *falls hard against a building*
Ranma: Great. If you lose, you’ll tell me your secret reason for co- *gets hit in the stomach* -*gasp* coming.
Jet: And if you lose, you’ll admit that I’m better.
Ranma: Well, good thing you’re the one who’s gonna lose.
Jet Stream: Yeah, right. *gets his legs kicked out from under him, but being already in the air, he merely levitates and uses the momentum to roundhouse kick at Ranma, though he misses* So where’d you get so fast?
Ranma: Practice.
Jet Stream: Not bad.
*at Ryouga and Tempo’s fight, now much closer to the ship again*
Tempo: Itai! Hey, that was uncalled for!
Ryouga: What did ya expect? You’re the one who started the fight!
Tempo: So? You still didn’t have to hit me in the back!
Ryouga: *Punches her in the face* That better?
Tempo: *growls* Hi-yaaa!
Ryouga: *gets kicked in the stomach, and is left without breath* Ugh!
Tempo: *Brings her hands down on the back of his neck, inviting him to meet the pavement below. Fortunately, Cologne’s bakusai tenketsu training was much more painful than a little bit of pavement. He gets up instantly*
Ryouga: That won’t keep me down for long! *retaliates with jab to Tempo’s side. She dodges*
Tempo: (I’m not taking that!) Not a chance! *gets her legs kicked out from under her*
Ryouga: Don’t worry, I’ll try not to kill you.
Tempo: *dryly* How chivalrous of you... *rolls her eyes* (Oh well.) Kya! *knocks him into a nearby building* (I’ll just have to be gentle.) *Gets kicked by Ryouga’s rebound* (I do ~not~ feel good right now...)
Ryouga: Well, I don’t really want to kill anyone, except maybe Ranma.
Tempo: Nice to know you don’t hold grudges. *gets elbowed hard in the stomach, and falls to her knees as she can not catch her breath* (I’m... getting royally beat up here...)
*at the door of the ship*
Argos: Syme, go prepare the medical quarters for after the battle.
Syme: Yes sir. *Turns and leaves the door*
*inside the ship*
Ukyou: *murder in her voice* Trunks!!!
Trunks: What? What happened????
Ukyou: I just fell eight feet, that’s what!!!
Trunks: *looks closely at the map he now has in front of him* Oops... well, it doesn’t say anything about falls on this...
*outside*
*at Jet’s and Ranma’s battle*
Ranma: *thrusts an elbow into Jet’s side* You really have to learn not to mess with better fighters.
Jet Stream: I don’t. I’ve just never met one.
Ranma: Well, don’t worry, I’m here now.
Jet Stream: *grinning* I’m so happy. But, how does that affect me?
Ranma: *now grinning too* You’ll see.
*The two boys exchange blows and insults freely. They barely notice as they drift away from the ship. Both are oblivious as they skim over an inhabited portion of the city, settling down to fight in the air by a particularly large apartment building.*
Ranma: What’re ya going ta do when ya lose? Besides tell me why you’re here, that is.
Jet: Well, after I beat you, I suppose I’ll do what it was we planned to do to begin with.
Ranma: Which is?
Jet: Something.
*Ranma punches at Jet. Jet blocks, but the force of the blow sends him flying into the large apartment building anyway. He crashes into a small room. The room is tiled with prettily patterned tiles, which match the soap dish by the sink, which matches the rug on the floor, which matches the towel on the counter, which matches the full dirty-clothes hamper. Realizing what all this means, plus the sound of falling water, Jet fearfully looks to his right. Inside the shower is a young woman, with an aura to put Super Saiyajin 4 Goku’s to shame, wielding a shampoo bottle*
Woman: You- you- you PERVERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *throws the bottle of shampoo at him, then follows up with conditioner, soap, a razor, the bathroom sink, a medicine cabinet, and various other bathroom supplies. Jet zips out of the bathroom with a speed to defy all physics, realizing he’s just been closer to death than ever before. He grabs Ranma and drags him to an uninhabited portion of the city, then stands gasping with fear and trying to catch his breath*
Ranma: Hey, cool, it finally happened to someone else!
Jet Stream: *pant pant* Are... all women here... like that???
Ranma: Actually, my girlfriend’s worse. She uses a ~mallet~. *Jet looks at him strangely*
Jet: I hafta give you credit. To stand up against that, you’ve got to be good!
Ranma: No, just very non-aerodynamic and a water-magnet. You’d be surprised how often I land in a convenient fountain.
Jet Stream: Lucky.
Ranma: Not really.
Jet Stream: So, where were we?
Ranma: Right here. *tosses a punch*
*at Akane and Treble’s battle*
Akane: *jumping out of range* This is getting dull.
Treble: Too true. So why don’t you just stand still for a minute?
Akane: Sorry, I’m afraid I’m a bit of a fidgeter. Can’t stand still for a second.
Treble: Oh well. *brings a fist around to miss Akane as she bends backwards, bringing a foot up to lash his solid stomach*
Akane: (Well, he’s much too hard to be affected by that, but hey, enough feathers will weigh a ton. Maybe enough kicks will crack him.) Why don’t you go take a long walk off a short bridge?
Treble: I’m too lazy, that’s why. Why don’t you take my walk for me?
Akane: Because I’m afraid my sisters would think I’m off with some boy. Or worse, they’ll think I’m off with my fiancé.
Treble: And what’s wrong with that?
Akane: Well... you wouldn’t understand.
Treble: Fine. *she jumps into the air to dodge a kick, and he follows* So I’ll beat it out of you.
Akane: Keep your nose out of my business! *crams her fist into his nose with a force that would flatten a truck. He barely recoils from her hand*
Treble: Keep trying. You might just bug me one time.
Akane: grrr.... *Distracted, she barely has time to dodge the hand swinging at her temple. Surprised, she jumps out of the way, but she doesn’t glimpse the other fist which slams her in the side. She flies off like a bug flicked away as he almost negligently tosses her away. The impact rattles every bone in her body as she takes her first hit. Her head spins dizzily as she twists and turns in the air, attempting to right herself before she lands. Finally, she manages to catch herself on her feet, and she rebounds away from... something. She flies stolidly back into battle, knowing she can’t afford many more of such hits*
*inside*
*Ukyou crawls through the tunnels. The darkness is starting to oppress her. She sweats, and her head hurts, not to mention her elbows. She is lonely. Suddenly, she passes by a vent, and a waft of cool, fresh air caresses her. She stops and breathes deeply, exhausted of long dark tunnels. She looks out the vent and sees an empty hallway.*
Ukyou: *quietly, since Trunks has recently warned her several times against being loud* Trunks, is it possible that I could get out of the vents and walk a bit?
Trunks: I’m afraid not. According to this, there is a person just around the corner. Besides, you’re more likely to be heard walking around.
Ukyou: *sighs* All right. *reaches back and wipes some loose hair from her face* Where to now?
Trunks: In a few feet, you’ll run into another wall...
*outside*
*at Jet and Ranma’s battle*
Ranma: You sure need to practice more if you want to be the best!
Jet Stream: You’re right, I need to practice my celebration for winning. I have a tendency to gloat too much.
Ranma: I’ve noticed. But don’t worry about that. Alls you’ll need to learn is how to gracefully accept defeat.
Jet Stream: I don’t know about that. After all, when will I ever use such a skill? Certainly not today.
Ranma: What, you think this fight will last until tomorrow?
Jet Stream: Not bad. You could almost stand a chance against my little sister.
Ranma: Well, I don’t like to beat up on girls.
Jet Stream: Don’t worry, you wouldn’t have that problem.
*Both boys enjoy their verbal sparring to the point that they start ignoring their actual battle. They get the point where they are simply sparring, without any malicious intent. The workout is very intense, but it is also absent-minded. A battle of the wits, er, insults becomes the real challenge. Neither boy notices that they are the only remaining group near the ship; Akane has dodged away from Treble enough to leave the immediate line of sight of the ship, and Ryouga has gotten lost again...*
*At Tempo and Ryouga’s battle*
Tempo: Urrgh! Why can’t you stay put!
Ryouga: I can’t help that I keep on getting lost!
Tempo: I can’t believe this! Aren’t you supposed to have ~some~ sense of direction???
Ryouga: Of course I do! ... It’s just,... er,... broken....
Tempo: *sweatdrops* Come on! This way! *grabs him by the collar and drags him in the right direction. Along the way, she spots a museum blown open by a blast when she, Jet, and Treble were trying to get the Saiyajins’ attention. She glances inside, and sees a peculiarly shaped box. It was shaped like a miniature Grand piano, with such detail that it looked as if it had been shrunk in size but would work every bit as well as a real Grand piano. Enchanted, Tempo walks into the museum, Ryouga still behind her. She picks up the little piano, and opens the top. Music lilts out to touch her ears. She gives a little gasp of pleasure as the melody relaxes her. The little piano plays its heart out, giving the absolute perfect resonance for its music. Had Akane or Ranma seen it, they might have recognized it as the same piano which waylaid them on their way home the day Trunks came. Tempo listens with pleasure to the sweet song. As she listens, she starts to remember something, something from long ago...*
*Years ago*
*A woman leans over a bed containing a small girl. She smiles and tickles her daughter’s chin. The girl giggles. The woman sits upon the edge of the bed.*
Woman: Hey Tempo, sweetie.
Chibi^-Tempo: Yes, mom?
^Little
Woman: I have to go tomorrow. I’ve got a mission.
Chibi-Tempo: A mission? Bu’ what about me ‘n Jet Jerk?
Woman: *laughing at her daughter’s nickname for her son* You’ll be fine. Don’t worry. Promise to be good?
Chibi-Tempo: *considers this solemnly for a moment* All right, Mom. But only if you come back.
Woman: Oh, my little silly, don’t make me promise that! I don’t the future.
Chibi-Tempo: Please, mom?
Woman: No, sweetie. I can’t make promises like that. You should know that we, the Zeal, consider promises to special to make them so freely. And I mustn’t go and dishonor the race, ne?
Chibi-Tempo: *pouts* All right. I promise to be good.
Woman: *laughs gently* That’s my girl. Take care of your brother, okay?
Chibi-Tempo: Okay. Mom, will you sing me that song again?
Woman: *smiling at her child* Of course. *begins singing a haunting tune, which relaxes the girl. It highly resembles the sound from a music box 15 years in the future, but this song has words accompanying the music*
Earth, fire, storm and water, elements touched by the wind; changed by the wind.
Life flowing, swept up by the breeze, dancing like flying leaves, floating like blown leaves.
Earth, fire, storm and water, these need the air, these change through the air.
Talking, singing, loving and knowing, we are each touched, by the wind are we touched.
Earth, fire, storm and water, each unchanged until it touches; to change they need the wind’s touches.
A world moves by its breath, and the breath will touch others, and it will fill the others.
Earth, fire, storm and water, they exist far away, but they are alone so far away.
Go, my singing breeze, go, my breath and change earth, fire, storm and water with your breath.
*The woman leans over her daughter. The girl feels a hand on her shoulder, and a kiss on her cheek. A few words whisper into her ear*
Woman: Go, my little breeze. Let your music change the hearts of those need it. You’ll find that they are the changelings rather than yourself, but it takes something constant to change even the changeable. *The woman stands up, but hears a little girl’s voice whispering sleepily at her, so she leans back over*
Chibi-Tempo: Your rhymes need work, mom.
Woman: *smiling* I wasn’t trying to rhyme. Stories don’t need rhymes.
Chibi-Tempo: It’s okay if you’re bad at rhyming, mom. I like it just as much as I always have.
Woman: *silently chuckles to herself* Goodnight, sweetie.
Chibi-Tempo: G’night, mom.
*the present*
Tempo: *she wakes out of the memory as the music ends* Mom... *Tempo smiles a little, a wry smile, as she closes the small music box* (That was the last time I saw her. Me and Jet lived alone from then on.) *A tear glistens in her eye, and she gently places the box back on the shelf. Her mind briefly dwells over the song* (Earth, fire, storm and water... and wind, of course... Mom never could rhyme, but I suppose she didn’t need to, with a tune like that. I wonder what her story meant? She never told a story without a meaning...) *Tempo leans back against a wall. Suddenly, a voice pipes up*
Ryouga: Hey, lady, are we going to fight again, or what?
Tempo: *annoyed at having her thoughts interrupted* Yeah, whatever. *drags Ryouga away from the museum and back to the ship, then resumes fighting with him... or rather, being beat up by him*
=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=
Author’s notes:
So, what did Tempo’s mother mean by her haunting melody so many years ago? What will happen to Team Akane? Will Ryouga finally get on Tempo’s nerves enough to fight back? Will Ranma beat Jet Stream? Will Akane last against Treble? And will Ukyou accomplish her goal, or will she finally get fed up with the vents and get caught? Check in next time, in chapter 13!
Alright, that was a fun chapter to write. I apologize if my fight scenes aren’t that great; practice will probably eventually make perfect, but I still have a lot of practice to be done to get to perfect. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Well, gotta go, so ‘Bye for now!
Send all C&C to Fanime_Lynn@hotmail.com