******************************************
All the characters in this story are the creation of Akahori Satoru,
KotobukiTsukasa, and Rumiko Takahashi... or practically all of them, anyway.
The title is stolen from Heinlein... with one letter s added.
Strangers in a Strange Land
By Chris Olsen
Chapter 16
The next morning Nabiki didn't arrive for her lesson, and Akane fretted
all the way through breakfast about it.
"Why isn't she here by now?" The youngest Tendo asked Ranma for the
fifthtime that morning. "Do you think something's happened to her?"
Otaru blinked at something he was reading in the paper. "Maybe this has
something to do with it. Look at this headline." He held out the paper,
pointing at the bold print. "Whirlwind Bandit strikes again." He looked at
the paper again. "It says here that this notorious bandit has been all
acrossthe world, and he infiltrated Castle Japoness last night!"
Bloodberry took the paper from Otaru in interest. "Let's have a look at
that." She started reading aloud from the paper. "For the past several days
amysterious thief has been sweeping through the city of Japoness like a
storm, pilfering food and valuables. People have named him the Whirlwind
Bandit." They were all sitting around in the restaurant, save Lime, who had
left to go play in the mountains right after breakfast.
Sitting by herself, Panther slammed her hand into one of the restaurants
tables. "Damn you, Whirlwind Bandit! You'll pay for
this!"
"Calm down, Panther." Otaru said reassuringly.
"How can you expect me to calm down?!?" Panther exclaimed angrily. "I
was one of the victimized! He stole the dirk of pure gold that Lord Faust
gave specially to me... as well as all of my poems!"
"My poems?" Bloodberry said incredulously.
"I didn't know you wrote poetry, Panther." Otaru said in interest.
"Who would have guessed it?" Bloodberry replied, not looking very
interested.
Lynx spoke up from behind the counter. "She may not look it, but Panther
is actually quite lyrical."
Akane looked anxious. "What's that got to do with Nabiki? Do you think
this Whirlwind Bandit person might have hurt her or something?"
Otaru shook his head. "The paper doesn't say anything about anyone being
hurt. She probably just has to stay at the palace right now so she can
protect Lorelei, what with a break there and all."
Ranma nodded, trying to reassure Akane. "Sure, it's her job, after all.
I'm sure she's fine. We're going to be going to see her later today anyway,
and you can see for yourself."
Akane sighed. "I'm sure you're right. We'd have heard if anything bad
happened at the palace, right?" Otaru and Ranma were quick to agree with
her,and Cherry and Bloodberry added their support a moment later.
Panther, on the other hand, had barely noticed the other conversation,
holding up a fist angrily as she made a declaration. "I don't care if he has
hurt anyone or not. Once I get my hands on that damned Whirlwind Bandit...
I'll ram a napalm bomb down his throat... and stuff him down the mouth of
the Japoness Fuji!"
Bloodberry couldn't help but chuckle. "Now there's poetry in motion."
Otaru laughed. "Well, I'll take Bloodberry with me and start looking
around. If we have any trouble, we can always come back here and get help."
Akane looked worried. "Ranma and I could come along and help, Otaru-san.
It might be dangerous if you go by yourself."
Otaru shrugged. "I'm not worried. Bloodberry should be able to handle
anyproblems we run into."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, Bloodberry can handle things, Akane. She's strong
enough to handle some dumb bandit."
Otaru nodded back. "Yeah, we'll be fine. Someone has to run the
restaurant, and you two have a lot to do today, don't you?"
Akane nodded, trying not to blush. "Yes, we were going back to that
breadshop I was at yesterday and talk to the owner... you said his name was
Chodo, Cherry?" She glanced at Cherry, who nodded in understanding. "When
we're done there we're planning on going to go over to the palace and have
Lorelei update some of our sensory programs."
Cherry nodded. "That's right, Chodo Kounji is the owner of the bread
shopthat has been supplying our restaurant. From what you've told me you
bothrecognized him?"
Akane shrugged slightly. "He looks just like an old friend of ours...
Ukyo Kounji. The name can't be a coincidence. I guess Ukyo must be one of
Ieyasu's ancestors as well as Kuno."
Cherry nodded. "That is most likely the case. I believe Ieyasu was able
to tease out the familial genotypes of almost two hundred different families
when he started the process of creating clones. It's possible that there
willbe other family names that will be familiar to you here in Japoness as
well."
Ranma laughed wryly. "I wouldn't be half surprised."
*******************
A bit later, Ranma and Akane stopped outside of the modest looking
bakeryand peered inside. "Is this the place?" Ranma asked quietly.
"Yes." Akane said with a nod. "He was in here."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ranma replied impatiently, leading the
way in through the front door. Akane followed the shorter girl closely,
visibly nervous.
The effeminate looking man at the counter blinked in surprise at seeing
them." You again?" He peered at Akane in concern. "You're not going to
break down again, are you?"
Akane flushed bright red in embarrassment and indignation. "I did not
break down!" She insisted sharply. "I was just... shocked." She finished
lamely. "It's a little hard to explain."
The man behind the counter raised an eyebrow. "Hard to explain, huh?" He
turned to Ranma. "And what are you two doing here then?"
Ranma blinked. "Well... we wanted to talk to Uk... I mean the guy that
came by to deliver bread to Otaru's restaurant the other day."
The effeminate man blinked. "You want to speak to Chodo?"
As they were speaking the individual in question came out from the back.
"Hey, what's going on out here?" Chodo blinked in shock at the sight of
Ranmaand Akane. "You two?" He waved his hands placatingly, looking alarmed.
"Don't break down, don't break down!"
Ranma and Akane both looked at him and sighed. "We aren't going to break
down, OK?" Ranma explained. "We were both just shocked before... it's kind
ofhard to explain." The petite red head frowned slightly. "Can we talk
privately? It's a long story."
Chodo blinked again. "You sure you're not going to break down on me
again?"
The two marionettes both sighed again. "We're not going to break down."
Ranma answered tersely. "Now can we talk?"
Chodo hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, let's go in the back." He nodded
to the man behind the counter. "Satsuma, you mind things while I'm in back,
right?"
Satsuma chuckled. "Don't I always?"
Chodo led Ranma and Akane back through the bakery itself to a small
office behind it. "Alright." Chodo said, turning around to face them.
"What'sall this about?"
"Why don't you explain, Akane." Ranma said. "You're better at this sort
of
thing."
"You mean talking?" Akane quipped sarcastically. "Alright." She faced
Chodo squarely, turning serious. "I'm sorry about yesterday. Both Ranma and
Iwere shocked when we saw you, because you look exactly like someone you
usedto know a long time ago."
Chodo blinked. "A long time ago? I don't understand."
Akane glanced uncomfortably at Ranma, then back at the baker. "Like
Ranmasaid, it's a long story. When we were built, we were given the memories
of Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome. As far as we're concerned, we are them,
although we realize that the original Ranma and Akane must be long dead by
now." Ranma looked decidedly uncomfortable at what Akane was saying, and
Akane herself squirmed a little at saying it out loud.
Chodo frowned in confusion. "You were given memories? You mean the
memories of real people?"
Akane nodded patiently. "Yes. The real Akane and Ranma lived five
hundredyears ago, on Earth."
"And right here and now." Ranma insisted. "I am Ranma, and if I'm a
copy,I can't tell the difference."
Chodo looked amazed. "That's incredible!" He exclaimed excitedly. "You
two remember being on Earth? Is that where you knew this person that looks
like me?"
Akane nodded, smiling in relief at being believed. "Yes, Ukyo Kounji was
a friend of ours... back then."
Chodo nodded in interest. "Kounji is my family name. The Kounji's were
one of Ieyasu's ancestors, and I carry on their name."
Ranma grinned. "Hey, that's great! Do you know the Kounji style of
martial arts too?"
Chodo's face lit up as well. "As a matter of fact, I have been working
onrecreating that style from the notes left by my ancestors. My father's
father put together a great deal of the style, and I have been trying to
follow in his footsteps... when I'm not being a baker, that is."
Ranma nodded thoughtfully. "I guess there wasn't anyone around to teach
you all, huh?" She shrugged. "I could probably help you out with it. Ucchan
and me used to fight all the time when we were kids, and I probably know as
much as anyone
about it."
Chodo's eyes went wide. "You know my family's school?"
Ranma shrugged. "Well, I ain't ever been "officially" taught it or
nothin, but ya fight someone as often as I have ya pick up some stuff. I can
piece it together for you, see what you're doing wrong and stuff, if you
like."
Akane nodded proudly. "Ranma can do it. She's the grand master of the
Anything Goes school, and she can learn a new style of martial arts in three
days or less, and has. If she says she can teach you the Kounji school, I'd
believe her."
Chodo shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know what to believe. This
isall so strange. Are you really girls from five hundred years ago?"
Akane nodded. "As much as we are anything else. We are marionettes,
afterall, not humans, but aside from that, I really am Akane Tendo. I lived
five hundred years ago, and right now."
Chodo smiled slightly. "I don't know why, but I believe you. You
certainly seem to know about my ancestor. How did it happen, though? How did
you come to be here and now?"
Akane hesitated, then began telling the attentive baker about their
firstexperiences on Terra Two, and how they had been brought forward to the
present time. It was a long story, and over an hour passed before she
finished it. Ranma listened in some interest as well, as much of the story
she had not been present for, and it was fascinating to hear Akane's
perspective, even on matters they had both been present for. Ranma found
herself chiming in with details from time to time, explaining events that
Akane had not been present for.
When their tale came up to their present circumstances, Chodo nodded.
"Now I understand why you came here yesterday. Are you still looking for a
job, Akane?"
Akane hesitated, then nodded back. "Yes, actually, I am."
Chodo shrugged. "Well, I do need someone to handle deliveries. My last
delivery man just left for another job, and I could use the help."
Akane smiled. "Then I can have the job?"
Chodo nodded firmly. "Absolutely, sugar. You can start tomorrow if you
like."
"I sure would!" Akane nodded back vigorously. "When do you want me to
come in?"
Chodo laughed. "I'm glad you're so enthusiastic. We start making
deliveries around seven in the morning, so if you could come in a little
before then?"
Akane nodded again. "I'll be here."
"Alright then." Chodo looked satisfied. "We can talk about salary now if
you like, although I'm not sure I can pay you what you're worth."
Akane shook her head. "Why don't we see how the first day goes before
youdecide how much to pay me. You don't even know if I can handle the job
yet."
Chodo grinned. "Deal. I'm not worried though. I'm sure you'll do fine."
He hesitated. "I'd love to talk to you two some more, but I really need to
get back to work. We have several large orders for tomorrow."
Akane nodded. "That's OK, we've got to get going as well. Lorelei's
expecting us today."
Chodo looked impressed. "Well then, you had better not keep Lorelei-san
waiting." He hesitated. "Ranma, about my family's school...."
Ranma nodded. "I've been doing some teaching over at Otaru's place in
themornings... you can join us there if you like, or we could work something
out if we need too."
Chodo hesitated. "Well, let me think about it. What time do you usually
start?"
Ranma shrugged. "I'm used to getting started by dawn, but with Nabiki
living at the palace it'll probably be a bit later than that."
Chodo wrinkled his nose. "Well, I'll have to see when I have some time,
but I really would appreciate all the help you could give me with perfecting
my family's school of martial arts."
Ranma shrugged. "Sure, anything for one of Ukyo's decedents."
Chodo smiled again, shaking his head. "If someone told me yesterday that
I'd be meeting someone who know my ancestor from five hundred years ago, I'd
have thought they were crazy."
Ranma laughed. "Then you probably can guess how crazy I feel sometimes."
Chodo blinked. "I guess I can."
**************************
Ranma and Akane arrived at the palace only a few minutes later, having
taken the high road over the rooftops to get there. Tamasaburo and Baiko
hadmet them at the front gates and had led them to Lorelei's laboratory,
where the willowy scientist was working, then left them.
Nabiki was standing by Lorelei's shoulder when they came in and was the
first to greet them. "Hey guys, we've been expecting you for awhile now.
Comein for your upgrades?"
Lorelei turned to face them with a smile. "It's a simple procedure. We
can get you done in a few minutes."
Akane bowed to Lorelei formally. "We really appreciate you doing this
forus, Lorelei-san."
Lorelei blushed, bowing back automatically. "You don't have to bow to
me,Akane-san. I was glad to do it." She looked up. "So, who would like to
gofirst?"
Akane and Ranma glanced at each other uncomfortably. "Er..." Akane
glanced at her sister, suddenly remembering. "Oh, big sister, we heard about
the break in here. What happened?"
Nabiki frowned "We had did have intruder in the palace last night. She
managed to get all the way down to the lab."
"She?" Akane asked inquisitively.
"Yes, she." Nabiki answered. "From the security tapes it definitely
appeared to be a marionette. A Saber Marionette." She paused for effect. "It
also appeared that she has a maiden circuit."
Ranma looked confused. "Do you think it was one of Otaru's bunch?"
Nabiki shook her head. "This was someone new. Blue hair, dark skin,
wearing a cloak.... I was hoping you two might have seen something." Ranma
and Akane both shook their heads.
"We haven't see anyone like that." Akane confirmed. "Do you think she's
dangerous, Nabiki?"
"Probably." Nabiki said grimly. "Especially if she could break through
the security here so easily." She sighed. "Still, she ran pretty quickly
whenI tried to confront her, so maybe I won't have to worry about her coming
back."
Akane put a hand on her sister's shoulder reassuringly. "We'll keep an
eye out, Nabiki."
Ranma spoke up. "Hey, how come this new marionette has a maiden circuit?
Aren't they supposed to be really rare? I thought there was only nine of
us?"
Nabiki shrugged. "That's got us puzzled too. Lorelei thinks it might be
something a neighboring government built, as no one outside of a government
or a government contractor should be able to build a Saber Marionette, much
less one with a maiden circuit."
Ranma looked surprised. "Wow, I didn't really think about it like that
before. I guess we must have been really expensive, huh?"
Nabiki nodded. "I imagine so. I'm glad we don't have to pay that bill.
Itwould probably take most of our lives to pay off." She chuckled. "Well,
not on my current salary, I guess." She rolled her eyes. "Just ten years or
so."
Ranma winced. "Ouch. No wonder the Kunos were mad."
Akane frowned at Ranma in disapproval. "It shouldn't matter how much we
cost to build. That didn't give them the right to make us their slaves."
Nabiki frowned thoughtfully. "Didn't it? Remember, we currently have no
actual rights. It's just lucky that Godai and Yusaku aren't in any position
to claim us anymore."
Akane looked worried. "Do you think Yusaku will try to get us back after
all this?"
Nabiki snorted. "Last I heard he was on trail for treason. He's going
away for life at the least. He's not going to be bothering us again."
Akane nodded, looking a bit better. "I hope you're right. Do you think
they'll need us to testify?"
Nabiki blinked. "I have no idea. I'll see what I can find out."
Before long the conversation came back around to getting the new chips
installed, and it wasn't too long before the procedure was done, much to
Ranma and Akane's relief.
"Whew." Ranma said, looking relieved. "I thought that was going to be a
lot tougher. It didn't take any time at all, just open a panel an in it
went."
Akane shivered. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to being able
to open my own chest up...."
Nabiki shrugged. "Well, you shouldn't have to do that very often.
Besides, it's a lot easier than having to undergo surgery, isn't it?"
Akane sighed. "I suppose." She took a deep breath and gathered herself.
"I guess we should get going. We should let Otaru know that the Whirlwind
Bandit is really a marionette. We said we'd be back it time for lunch,
anyway."
Nabiki nodded. "See you tomorrow morning, you two."
Akane blinked. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I got a job, Nabiki! I start
tomorrow morning. If you come by early enough you can see me off to my first
day at work."
Nabiki smiled genuinely. "That's great, Sis. What are you doing?"
"Deliveries for a bakery." Akane answered. "And you'll never guess who
I'm working for!"
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Akane winked. "I'll leave it for a surprise. See you tomorrow!" She
grabbed Ranma's hand and pulled the smaller girl off. "Bye bye, Nabiki.
Takegood care of Lorelei!"
Nabiki watched her sister disappear, then went back into the lab.
"Lorelei." She approached the scientist with a thoughtful expression. "What
have you heard about Yusaku's trial? Will we be needed to testify?"
Lorelei looked up from her work. "Hmm? I'm not sure. I've already given
my deposition, and the prosecutor seemed to think that it was an open and
shut case. They won't be "subjecting me" to any more "trauma" by asking me
totestify directly." She said a bit wryly. "Not that I really mind, but
sometimes I think they think that I'm some sort of glass figurine, too
fragile to touch and only to be looked at from afar. I think they'd prefer
ifI was kept in a display case somewhere."
Nabiki considered that for a moment. "You ARE precious to me, Lorelei.
More precious than anything else on this planet... but I don't think of you
as a glass figurine, not to be touched. I certainly don't want you in a
display case. I want you right here with me." She smiled warmly at the
scientist. "And while I do enjoy looking at you, I don't wish to do so from
afar."
Lorelei blushed. "Have you ever considered writing poetry?" She finally
asked.
It was Nabiki's turn to blush. "There I go, sounding like Kuno-chan...."
She shook her head. "I'm not usually this... lyrical... being around you is
doing strange things to me, Lorelei."
Lorelei sighed. "Love usually does that." She looked a bit confused. "I
wasn't aware that General Kuno liked poetry... and why... chan?"
Nabiki laughed. "Oh right. No, I was thinking about my Kuno, in the
past.He was a classmate of mine... and liked to sound like a Shakespearean
actor most of the time. Quite the character, Kuno-chan. He kept things
interesting, I can say that much for him."
Lorelei nodded in understanding. "Ah, I remember, he was the one that
hadyour memories recorded. He must have been a man of impressive foresight."
Nabiki nearly choked. "I wouldn't say that, exactly. Kuno-chan was a bit
more of the obsessive variety. He couldn't make up his mind between Ranma
andmy younger sister, so he had them both saved for posterity. I guess he
added me into the bargain just in case. We did date once or twice, so I
guesshe thought there might be a chance for more."
Lorelei looked interested. "Did you return his feelings? You seem to be
abit fond of him."
Nabiki looked surprised at her question. "Me and Kuno? No way. He was
rich, I admit, and I wasn't above letting him buy me lunch, or a present or
two, but he was definitely NOT my boyfriend. He was a two timing jerk,
really, although he was too slow to realize that he was doing anything wrong
by trying to date both Ranma and my sister at the same time. He thought his
social status and "personal charm" gave him the right to do whatever he
wanted. I could never like an idiot like that, no matter how rich he was."
"I see!" Lorelei's eyes were wide at the outburst, and Nabiki flushed
slightly. The willowy scientist smiled reassuringly. "It seems that your
Kunohad much in common with the ones we have today, don't you think?"
Nabiki nodded. "I'll say. Godai and Yusaku were even worse than that
idiot. Actually, Yusaku looks just like Kuno did back then, and he's just
asfull of himself. At least my Kuno never tried to makes slaves of all of
us... although he probably would have tried it if he thought he could get
away with it." She frowned. "I can't believe I used to help that idiot out."
Lorelei patted Nabiki's hand where the agitated marionette was gripping
the desktop tightly. "He was your friend, even if he behaved badly at times.
General Kuno and Yusaku are not the same as him. You shouldn't let them
tarnish any good memories you might have of the past."
Nabiki look a deep breath. "I know. I wouldn't really have called
Tatewaki Kuno my friend, really, I just kinda made fun of him by calling him
"chan" all the time. He was always so pretentious about it." She giggled.
"Kind of like Hanagata, actually, although not even Kuno-chan was that
prissy." She shrugged. "He did have his good moments, occasionally."
Lorelei nodded. "All people do, from time to time."
Nabiki nodded back in acceptance, then remembered her original subject.
"On another subject, do you think they'll need our depositions? On the case
against Yusaku, I mean. Or is the case already so tight that they don't need
any other witnesses?"
Lorelei looked uncomfortable at that. "Well... the prosecuting attorney
wanted to know if it would be possible to get a download of you, Akane and
Ranma's memories from that time. I didn't think you'd appreciate that very
much, so I suggested he use the Kuno's other household marionettes instead."
Nabiki had gone still at hearing the prosecutor's request. "Download our
memories? Of course, that makes perfect sense."
She spoke distantly, no emotion in her voice, and Lorelei quickly took
Nabiki's hand in hers. "I would never ask you to do that, Nabiki. It
wouldn'tbe right."
Nabiki sighed, losing her unemotional mask. "I know that YOU wouldn't,
Lorelei." She sighed again. "And if it was the only way to make sure
Yusaku'sput away for good, I'd do it in an instant, but I don't like the
ideaof having my memories... downloaded like that. My memories are mine, and
I wouldn't appreciate anyone peering through them like some sort of home
movie."
Lorelei nodded firmly. "It would be a terrible violation of your
privacy.I won't let them do that to you."
Nabiki looked worried. "If you can help it, you mean. I guess that they
haven't asked for our depositions because they don't consider us human
enoughto testify."
Lorelei sighed and nodded. "I believe so."
Nabiki took a deep breath, then shrugged. "Well, hopefully it won't
matter."
Lorelei looked at Nabiki fondly. "You know that I consider you to be
every bit as human as myself. At least where it counts."
"I know." Nabiki answered, smiling slightly once again. "And why should
Icare what anyone else thinks? As for my legal status, it'll probably never
even come up, so why worry?"
There was a long silence before Lorelei spoke up. "You're scared, aren't
you?"
Nabiki nodded matter-of-factly. "Petrified, actually."
****************
When Ranma and Akane got back to Otaru's place, they met Bloodberry and
Panther coming up the street in the opposite direction just before they got
to the front door.
"Hey you guys." Bloodberry greeted them with a raised hand. "Have either
of you two seen Yumeji around?"
Akane glanced at Ranma, then shook her head. "Hanagata's little brother?
No Bloodberry, I'm afraid we haven't seen him. Has anything happened to
him?"
Bloodberry shrugged. "Who knows? He's been missing for a while now, and
Cherry asked us to check around for him, but...." Bloodberry shrugged again.
"Maybe he's come back on his own." She opened the door to Otaru's
restaurant,and they all walked inside.
"Oh, any luck?" Cherry asked from behind the counter. "Did you find
Yumeji?"
Panther closed the door to the restaurant behind them, a rare look of
concern on her face, and Bloodberry opened her arms wide with another shrug.
"Nope. He's outta here."
Cherry looked worried. "Which means... he went to Mt. Kamuna all by
himself...?"
Otaru, who had been sitting at the front counter, listening to their
conversation, broke in, turning to Cherry anxiously. "Mt. Kamuna!? What do
you mean, Cherry?"
"Before, Yume came in looking all unhappy, asking where Lime was."
Cherryexplained. "So, I told him that she had gone off to Mt. Kamuna to
play." The purple haired marionette's eyes had a guilty look. "But I never
imagined he would go alone."
"Oh crap!" Otaru stood up immediately, shoving back his stool. "We gotta
go find him, quick! The Whirlwind Bandit investigation can wait!" He glanced
towards the corner of the restaurant, where a miserable looking young man
wassurrounded by empty sake jars, looking decidedly unwell. "Hey, Hanagata!
This is no time to be getting plastered!"
Hanagata looked away from Otaru with a drunken sniff. "Hmph. Any little
brother who happily forks over the one treasure more dear to me than life
itself to the friggin' Whirlwind Bandit is no little brother of mine!" He
angrily declared.
Otaru roared in anger and lurched in Hanagata's direction, but Akane
heldhim back. "He's not worth it, Otaru-san. Let's just go find Yumeji-chan,
alright?"
Otaru gave the drunken Hanagata one final frown, then nodded. "Fine.
Letssplit up into teams and get moving. Yumeji is too young to be out in the
woods by himself. He glanced back at Cherry. "Cherry, why don't you stay
here, just in case he comes home. The rest of us can comb the woods quickly
enough." The young man led the others out the front door, a determined look
on his face.
As they were leaving, closing the door behind them, Cherry could hear
Akane speak up. "Oh Otaru, about the Whirlwind Bandit...."
*********************
At around the same time, miles away at the last stop of the Mt. Kamuna
line, a blond little boy got off the train. "Stupid big brother!" Yumeji
mumbled to himself, trying his best not to cry. He was eight years old after
all, and crying was for little kids, not big kids like himself. The boy
started walking into the woods, finally managing to control his tears, and
started calling out over and over for his friend. "Lime! Lime!" Yumeji kept
walking and calling for Lime, getting farther and farther into the woods,
when a rustling in a patch of tall grass ahead of him caught his attention.
"Lime?" The little boy looked curiously in the direction of the sound.
"Is that you, Lime?" Yumeji started walking in the direction of the tall
grass. "Hey Lime! You know what? Big brother is being real mean to me!"
Before he reached the grass, however, a shadowy form burst from the grass,
jumping straight at the small child. Yumeji screamed in terror and fell
backward, and Ponta cub that had leaped out at him landed in his lap with a
happy mewing sound.
Yumeji looked down in surprise at the foot long red furred Ponta that
wascurrently occupying his lap and trying to look cute and blinked. "You're
alittle Ponta!" He exclaimed in relief. "Did you get separated from the
others?" The small animal mewed again ingratiatingly, and Yumeji smiled,
happy at least to have found someone to talk to. "OK. I'll help you get back
to them!" He looked down at his new friend in interest. "Oh yeah! Did you
see Lime anywhere?" The small animal suddenly turned it's head back the way
it had come, mewing in distress, and Yumeji blinked in confusion. "Huh? What
is it?" A moment later, in answer, a shadow fell over the small boy,
blockingout what little sunlight that had made it through the trees. A tall
figure in a dark cloak loomed over him and once again the small boy screamed
in fright, even as the mysterious person reached for him.
************************
Off in another part of the woods, Lime was heading home after spending
the better part of the day playing with the baby Pontas. Something caused
herto come to a stop, and she turned, looking off to her left in concern.
A patch of bright red berries caught her attention a moment later and
shebent down with a happy smile. "Those look good!" She was about to pick
herself a handful of berries when her attention was again distracted,
glancing up and to the left again. "Huh? Whassat?" Off in the distance she
spotted a trail of smoke rising into the sky, coming from a clearing not too
far away. Her curiosity peeked, Lime decided to head in that direction and
see what was causing the smoke.
Soon Lime came to the edge of the clearing, spotting her friend Yumeji
tied to a tree. "Oh! Hey. Yume! Whatcha doin?" The young boy was crying, and
as Lime came further into the clearing she saw a Ponta cub tied to a spit
over an open campfire, crying out in fear as the air around it got hotter
andhotter. With a startled cry of alarm, Lime rushed forward to save the
small animal.
Yumeji opened his eyes in relief at his friend's voice, then went wide
inshock. "Lime, look out!!" He yelled in warning as his would be rescuer
rushed towards him.
Lime came to a halt in confusion, then caught a hint of movement from
herright a moment too late as a dark cloaked figure leaped out of the woods
with incredible speed, slamming into the marionette from behind with a
shoulder rush. The momentum of the stranger's attack knocked Lime off her
feet and threw her into a tree on the far side of the clearing with stunning
force. Lime cried out in surprise and pain as she hit the tree, then
slumpedto the ground at it's base. She recovered from the impact in under a
second, looking up just in time to see her attacker launching a fist
directlyat her face. Lime leaped to the side even as a dark skinned hand
cracked into the surface of the tree hard enough to shatter the bark, right
where Lime's head had been a moment before.
Lime slipped into a loose fighting stance, facing her attacker
confidently, while the cloaked figure stared at the fist it had imbedded
intothe tree almost in disbelief. The cloaked individual straightened up and
turned to face it's target, and Lime's eyes went wide in surprise as she got
her first good look at her attacker.
"Hey, you're..." Lime paused, looking at the attractive face and long
blue hair of the person in front of her in shock. "... a marionette!" The
marionette standing in front of Lime charged her with a incoherent battle
cryan instant later, not giving her any more time to talk, but it was
alreadyquite evident that she was, indeed, a marionette. The strange
marionette had chocolate brown skin, and several colorful strings of beads
braided into her long, light blue hair. Lime staggered back in surprise as
the strange marionette charged her, but managed to pull herself together in
time to duck under the first punch that the aggressive marionette sent her
way. Getting her equilibrium quickly, Lime back flipped deftly over the
second wild but vicious swing, and leapt quickly backwards and up as her
opponent swung at her a third time with a powerful hay maker, getting clear
just in time.
Lime landed on a tree branch forty or so feet above and away. "Hey! You
quit that!" She scolded the other marionette from her branch, looking rather
like an oversized cat as she perched there on all fours.
"Shut up!!" The cloaked marionette yelled, gathering herself to leap
witha scream of rage. Lime blinked in confusion as her attacker leapt toward
her, leaping clear of her branch just as the angry marionette attacking her
severed it from the tree with a downward chop.
Lime's leap took her even higher into the treetops, and she looked back
in wonder as her attacker fell back down to earth. "Wait a second! Could it
be?" She wondered aloud. The strange marionette landed on the forest floor
amoment later, already bracing herself to leap again, and throwing off her
cloak to give herself more freedom of movement, launched herself after Lime
like a guided missile. High in the trees now, Lime noticed the stranger
quickly catching up to her, not having been able to get as much velocity off
her branch as the other marionette had gotten off the ground. Lime turned in
mid flight, landing high up the trunk of an huge old tree like a squirrel,
legs first, bracing to leap again, but her attacker was too close, slamming
into Lime before she could take off, and grabbing her by the shoulders to
throw both of them at the forest floor, now far below.
Momentarily shocked by the impact, Lime found herself hurtling toward
theground at high speed, the dusky skinned marionette, her hands on Lime's
shoulders, riding her down toward the forest floor. As the ground sped
towards them with dizzying speed, time seemed to slow down for the normally
cheerful marionette. Only moments before impact, Lime acted, pulling the
other marionette in towards her with a sudden jerk, then reversing the hold
in a lighting like move that put Lime on top. The extremely surprised look
onthe other marionette's face was the last thing Lime saw before impact, the
two marionettes crashing into the forest floor hard enough to throw up a
large cloud of dust.
The dust settled and several long moments passed before Lime staggered
toher feet, looking a bit shaky. "Heh." She grinned happily. "I win." She
glanced down at the other marionette and noted that her opponent had
apparently shut down from the shock of impact. Shrugging in confusion, Lime
headed back to the clearing to untie Yumeji and the baby Ponta.
After rescuing her friend and the young Ponta, Lime went back to the
strange marionette, followed by a curious Yumeji and Ponta. Now that Lime
waswith him, the young boy quickly lost his fear. Lime had saved him, as she
had done years before when his house had burned down, and as she had saved
somany others. Yumeji was privately of the belief that Lime could do just
about anything, and seeing her smiling face took away all of his fear. The
Ponta cub too calmed down quickly once it was away from the fire, and
followed after Lime and Yumeji with cat like curiosity.
Yumeji looked at the strange marionette intently, able to get a good
lookat it for the first time, now that it had taken it's cloak off. The dark
skinned marionette was quite pretty when it wasn't tying people up to trees,
he thought to himself, although no where near as beautiful as Lime, he
thought loyally. While the strange marionette was as ascetically pleasing as
any marionette he had previously seen, it was dressed strangely, its
forearmsfrom elbow to wrist, and it's lower legs from knee to foot wrapped
upin long strips of white cloth, like they were bandaged, although she
didn'tappear to be injured in any way. She wore a short white piece of cloth
around her waist, tied off at one hip to form an extremely short skirt, and
she work yet another strip of cloth across her breasts, like an improvised
bikini top. Besides the beads in her hair, she had a thumb sized red glass
bead on a string around her neck, and wore simple black sandals over the
bandages on her feet.
It was several minutes later when the strange marionette's systems
finally came back online. When the dark skinned marionette opened her eyes,
the first thing she saw was the faces of Lime, Yumeji and the Ponta. Yumeji
and the Ponta both looked worried while Lime on the other hand beamed
pleasantly at her. Startled, the marionette scrabbled backwards and away
fromthem in a panic, coming to rest several feet away.
Lime looked apologetically at the other marionette. "Are you OK? I'm
sorry...." The dark skinned marionette crouched, ready to leap, and Lime
threw her arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "I won't do anything." She
assured the skittish girl. The other marionette cowered away from the sudden
movement, mewing suddenly in fear and curling up behind her knees
defensively. Lime sighed in disappointment and closed her eyes for a moment
in thought. When she opened them again she was again smiling. "Hoh!" Lime
said cheerfully, putting up one hand in a high five gesture. The dark
skinnedmarionette blinked at
Lime in wonder as the cheery marionette tried again, this time using her
friend as an example. "Yume-chan, Hoh!" She said cheerfully, throwing out
her palm towards the blond eight year old boy."
"Hoh!" Yumeji cried back with a smile, slapping his palm against Lime's
for a high five.
Lime smiled down at the Ponta cub and did it again, throwing out her
handonce more. "Ponta-kun, Hoh!" The young Ponta got the idea almost
immediately and placed it's paw against Lime's palm with a friendly mew.
Limesmiled and stood, once again turning to the strange marionette and
throwing her arms out in welcome. "There you see? Here comes!" Lime threw
herpalm out towards the other marionette again, smiling. "Hoh!" The dark
skinned marionette growled and got to her feet defensively, ready for an
attack, and Lime stepped back, tilting her head to one side in confusion.
"No, not like that..." She
explained, taking hold of the other marionette's left hand her hers.
"...likethis." Lime then placed it palm to palm against her right hand.
"Hoh." Lime said quietly, beaming as a look of wonder crossed the face of
thestranger. "See?"
Lime stepped back again, raising a finger. "OK, let's try it again! All
right? One, and two... Hoh!" Lime thrust out her right palm one final time
atthe other marionette, who was standing there looking rather stunned.
Slowly, the stranger lifted her left hand towards Lime's right, hesitating
when her palm was only inches away. "That's right, that's right." Lime said
encouragingly, then took the initiative once again, closing the gap to slap
palms lightly. Lime beamed at the other marionette, and laughed happily.
"Now we're friends!" She announced brightly, no doubt in her mind that it
wasso.
Lime's new friend looked at the palm of her left hand in confusion, as
ifwondering if there would be some sort of strange mark, then looked up at
Lime. "Friends?" She asked, still bewildered.
"Yup!" Lime said with a nod. Suddenly her stomach rumbled at her and
Limeglanced down in surprise. "Oh yeah. I forgot I was hungry. I have to go
home." She blinked. "That reminds me...." Lime leaned down, picking up the
Ponta cub and holding the small animal up to show to her new friend. "He's
not food. Don't eat him, OK?" The small Ponta nodded vigorously in
agreement,and Lime put him back down on the ground gently, then turned to
theeight year old standing behind her. "Well, let's go home, Yume!" She and
Yumeji turned to go, and Lime glanced back to hold out her palm once last
time before leaving.
"Hoh!"
Lime started walking away with her eight year old companion when she was
unexpectedly jerked to a halt. "Huh?" Lime said in surprise, turning around
to see that the other marionette had grabbed hold of the back of one of her
poofy wing like sleeves and was holding on to it in a non-threatening way.
"What?" Lime asked politely. "Did you forget something?" The dark skinned
marionette's expressive purple eyes were wide, and she trembled slightly, as
if she wasn't certain what she wanted to say. Lime
turned fully back to face her, not really understanding. "Listen, I'm in a
hurry." She explained. "I gotta get home to eat...."
The dark skinned marionette continued to stare at her for another long
moment before closing her eyes and lowering in fright. "M-Master!" She
exclaimed with a stutter, continuing to hold onto Lime's sleeve and leaving
her eyes closed and her head lowered as if awaiting a blow.
Lime just stared back at the other marionette in complete bewilderment.
"Huh?"
Several minutes later, up in a tree house that the dark skinned
marionette had been taking shelter in, several dozen meters away from the
clearing and in the cover of the trees, Lime and Yumeji both cried out in
pleasure as the new marionette brought out a large platter covered by
variouskinds of fruit, native to both Terra Two and Earth, and set it down
infront of them.
"Let's eat!" Lime exclaimed happily, grabbing an Earth pear for herself.
Yumeji helped himself to a round purple piece of fruit as well, and they
bothdug in, enthusing happily about how good the fruit was as they ate. Both
Lime and Yumeji were kneeling comfortably in front of the platter, and the
other marionette knelt on the other side of it, hands on her knees as if
waiting to see if there was anything else she could get them.
She had a small smile on her face as she watched her guests eat, but
after a moment the smile faded slightly she remembered what she had wanted
toask. "Hey, Lime... Are you sure you can't?"
Lime blinked, then swallowed the bite of pair she was chewing. "Can't
what?"
"Be my master." The dark skinned marionette explained.
"Of course I can't" Lime said in surprise. "I'm a marionette, just like
you." She blinked. "Hey, wait. How do you know my name?"
"He just called you that." The other marionette answered, looking at
Yumeji matter-of-factly.
"Oh yeah." Lime blinked in understanding. "What's your name?"
"I'm NSM-X1" The dark skinned marionette explained patiently.
"Huh?" Lime said in confusion. "Nessmuh-what?"
"Are you sure that's not just a serial number?" Yumeji asked, a bit
quicker on the uptake. "That's not a name!"
"Don't you have a name?" Lime asked curiously. NSM-X1 just looked down
ather knees in embarrassment. "Oh." Lime said in quietly, then brightened.
"But that's OK! If you don't have a name, you can just make one up!"
"Make one up?" The nameless marionette looked interested, then smiled at
her new friend hopefully. "Will you make me a name, Lime?"
"Sure!" Lime nodded cheerfully, putting a finger up to her nose as she
thought. "Let's see now... what would be a good name?" She looked back at
NSM-X1 curiously. "Say, where did you come from?"
"The sea!" The nameless marionette told them with a smile.
"The sea?" Lime asked wide eyed. "What's "the sea"?" She turned to her
eight year old companion. "Do you know, Yume?"
Yumeji looked back uncertainly. "I've never actually seen it...."
NSM-X1 closed her eyes, as if seeing it in her minds eye as she
explained. "The sea is like a very, very big puddle. The water is really
salty, but it smells really nice! When the sky is blue, the sea turns a deep
emerald-green, and in the emerald water, there are many many fish swimming
around... with all the colors of the rainbow! But the prettiest thing of all
are the waves sparkling in the shining sun." NSM-X1 had tilted her head back
as she spoke, her eyes still closed and a soft smile on her face as she
remembered her place of birth.
"I want to go to the sea!" Lime exclaimed enthusiastically.
"Me too!" Yumeji chimed in excitedly. "Me too!" NSM-X1 couldn't help
butlaugh quietly at their enthusiasm.
"That's it!" Lime exclaimed. "I have it!" NSM-X1 glanced at Lime in
interest, and she explained. "Your name, I have your name!"
"My name?" NSM-X1 beamed back at her. "You do!? What is it, Lime? What's
my name?"
"Sea-man!" Lime announced proudly, causing Yumeji to stare at her in
shock, and the newly christened "Sea-man"'s look of joy to falter slightly.
"You like the sea, so you're Sea-man!" Lime explained, looking quite pleased
with her idea.
Yumeji rolled his eyes. "Lime... just a minute...."
Lime didn't pay attention to her young companion's protest, raising a
finger in triumph. "Sea-man it is!!" She announced, giggling in
satisfaction.
"Sea-man" just stared at Lime in disbelief, but recovered quickly,
smiling in acceptance. "All right. Sea-man is my name!" Yumeji's jaw dropped
as he stared at Sea-man incredulously, but the marionette was undisturbed.
"From this day on, I'm Sea-man!" She announced once again with conviction."
"Yup!" Lime agreed with a nod. "Aren't you glad to have a name?" Yumeji
just looked back from one marionette to the other in shock, his mouth
hangingopen in amazement at the two obviously insane marionettes.
The newly christened "Sea-man" stood up and walked over to a wooden
cratein the corner which was covered by a blanket. Removing the blanket she
perused the contents, then reached in and pulled out a ornate looking
crystalball with a gold inlaid base.
"Whatcha doing, Sea-man?" Lime asked curiously.
The dark skinned marionette turned toward her new friend with a smile.
"Lime, I want to give you this to thank you for giving me a name." As she
held the crystal ball out it lit up on the inside, a three dimensional image
of a familiar looking young man, standing in a heroic pose, suspended
within.
"Otaru!" Lime exclaimed with a gasp, staring at the ball in surprise.
Next to her, Yumeji's mouth dropped wide open in shock.
"Isn't it pretty?" Sea-man asked happily.
Yumeji got quickly to his feet. "That's big brother's really important
treasure!" The young boy exclaimed, then ran over to the crate the dark
skinned marionette had pulled it from. "Hey! This is the other stuff that
was stolen! This is too! This is too!" The blond haired youth turned to
Sea-man in sudden realization. "That means...."
"...you're the Whirlwind Bandit?" Ranma completed Yumeji's sentence for
him, pushing aside the flap of cloth that served as a door to the tree house
and causing everyone to turn towards her in shock.
End Chapter 16
Please C&C, it's why I write!
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