PM Productions Presents A Phillip Masters Fanfic Feelings Are Blind Part Six: Confrontation "Gems?" Ryouko whispered while looking down at her wrist. It was obvious her mind was not on the glittering source of her power. She looked up again after a moment. "How can I be sure you're actually my... my brother?" Veca smiled, but it was the sort of smile meant to scare young children. "Why would I lie, Ryouko? I have no reason to. If I wanted to simply take the gems, I would. However, I am going to be civil and simply ask for them first." Tenchi glanced back at Ryouko and saw the look of confusion on her face. He turned back to Veca, "You are not going to get those gems. I will give you the option of leaving now, but do not try our patience." Veca seemed infinitely amused by Tenchi's outburst. He laughed out loud again, a sound that was seriously beginning to annoy everyone present. Ranma did not like to be annoyed, especially not on a day like this particular one. "Whoever you are, and wherever you are from, I don't care!" Ranma yelled, "But if you don't stop threatening and bothering Ryouko, you are going to need more than one spaceship to get all the pieces of your ass back home!" Tenchi raised his eyebrows at Ranma, who simply smiled and shrugged. If Veca was amused by Tenchi, he was downright brought to hysterics by Ranma. "What?" he cried, "You?" He just about fell over from laughter, "Oh..." he wiped away a tear, "this is too rich. I am so glad I met you all, I haven't had such a good laugh in over two hundred years!" He looked up, his face bright red, and just had time to inhale when he met Ranma's foot up close and personal. Veca flew through the air to crash into the perimeter wall. Ranma clapped his hands together and turned around. "That wasn't so hard." he commented, as he rejoined Tenchi, who was sort of staring wide eyed. "That was a nice kick." Ranma twirled, dropping into a defensive position. Veca stood up in front of the cracked wall, wiping bits of debris off of his cloak. The spire sticking from his wrist had become white hot, and was beginning to break down the very air around itself. He held up the arm with the unknown device on it and grinned. "Nice kick, but I guess I'm through playing now." He squeezed his fist tightly and a ball of plasma flew from the tip of the weapon. Ranma leapt out of the way and the ball passed through the space he was just standing. He could still feel the intense heat of the super heated mass. It went on to pile into the wall of the house, instantly dissolving a hole through it six feet wider than the radius of the sphere itself. Of course, it didn't stop there, it continued on, burning through every wall of the house until it shot out the other side. It was stopped suddenly by in invisible barrier. Kasumi, looking much like she had seen a ghost, looked out of one of the holes into the backyard. "What?" Veca asked. "That shouldn't have happened." "It should if there's a magnetic defense field firmly in place!" Everyone looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. No one could come up with a place. However, a few of the people new the person. "Washu!" exclaimed Tenchi, "Where are you?" Ryouko followed with, "Yeah, mom! Get out here and explain a few things!" A wooden door appeared to the right of Tenchi. When it opened, a short red hared girl stepped out with a smile. "Hello, Veca. I was wondering if I'd ever see you again." "Washu." Veca said as if she were his worst enemy. "Oh, don't be so happy to see me now. We have plenty of time to catch up." Her demeanor suddenly turned serious. "You have no claim on the gems, Veca. I suggest you take Tenchi's advice." Veca raised his fist in the air and began to build some sort of charge on his spike. "Washu, it has been ten thousand years since I last saw you. I have changed since then... more than you could possibly imagine. And I will have the gems." He squeezed his fist again and a wave of pure light washed over the area. Everyone had to close their eyes. When they opened them, Veca and the Juraian ship were gone without a trace. Tenchi looked around curiously, "What happened?" Washu shook her head, and pointed to Tenchi's left. He turned to see what she was indicating, and saw Ranma standing there by herself. At first he couldn't figure out why she was pointing this out, but then it dawned on him. "Ryouko!" Ranma looked back to where Tenchi was looking. His eyes widened. "Akane! Shampoo! They're gone too!" he cried. He calmed down a bit and sighed. It had been a while since a kidnapping, he supposed they were due. Still, it sucked. He turned back to Tenchi, to find him glowing ever so slightly. Three blue symbols flared into existence on his forehead, pulsing dully in the midday sun. "Tenchi?" "Ranma... we are going to get them back." Ranma smiled, "Of course we are." He shrugged, "Hell, it's not like this is the first time it's happened." "Pretty confidant, aren't you?" This came from Washu, who had walked up to the two. "I'm assuming you know where they went, right Washu-chan?" Tenchi asked, looking at the diminutive scientist. She grinned her usual 'What? You question my knowledge of everything' grin, and replied, "Duh, Tenchi." She whipped out her holographic keyboard and began to type at an astronomical rate. "Seems they went into sub-space... coordinates 238 by 93 by 1988 by 23... not too far actually." Ranma cracked his knuckles. "So, what are we still standing here for?" He stretched grandly and yawned, "I haven't had a good rescue in a while." Tenchi, in light of the situation, tried his best to ignore what the stretch was doing to Ranma's body. He only somewhat succeeded. Washu obviously noticed his discomfort and commented, "So, you've got a thing for Ranma here?" Ranma's eyes shot open in mid-stretch and looked at Tenchi. His face turned a light shade of pink as he noticed how Tenchi was looking at him. He looked down, noting how he... stuck out, due to his position. He brought his arms down quickly and crossed them over his chest. "Pervert." he said, but it was obvious his heart wasn't in it. "Okay!" Washu exclaimed with her finger stuck in the air, "I've got the gateway set up! Are you ready to rumble?" "Washu-chan," Tenchi murmured, "perhaps you should cut down on the American television." Washu made a face at him and pushed a button on her control panel. Instantly, a vortex opened in the middle of the yard, tendrils of energy swirling from its center. Small whirlwinds kicked up around the trio as they stared into the phenomenon. "Through there is his lair, Tenchi." Washu explained while pointing at the funnel. As the two fighters began to move toward it, she added, "Be warned, you two... what lies beyond may not be what you expect." Tenchi just stopped to acknowledge he had heard, then continued into the gate. Ranma gave the thumbs up to Washu, winked, and followed him in. "Good luck." she whispered as she stared at the dark swirling abyss. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ "Where in the hell are we?" "Akane know what going on?" "How am I supposed to know?" Akane waved her hand at Ryouko, "She's the alien here... maybe she knows something." The two Earthly girls glared pointedly at the space pirate. Ryouko frowned, "What? I don't know any better than you what happened... and I'm none to happy about it." She rose from the hard metal floor they were laying on and walked over to the wall. She lifted her hand and ran her fingers along its cool surface. The opaque gray material became translucent as she touched it. "Some sort of hypnotic field." She pulled back her arm and punched the wall with all of her strength. The surface bent under the force, but flashed with an illuminating glare. Ryouko was thrown across the room, to come to rest next to Akane and Shampoo once more. "Maybe not such good idea?" Shampoo commented as she looked down at the slightly smoking woman. Ryouko coughed, "Yeah, maybe." "So, what we do?" Akane spoke up, "Well, whenever I'm in this situation... which is more times than I care to remember, I just wait. Ranma will be along, don't worry." At first Ryouko thought of pointing out that now that Akane was out of the way, Ranma wouldn't have to worry about her getting between him and Tenchi. However, she wasn't feeling that much angst yet, and she knew as well that Tenchi wouldn't leave her here. "Ranma, and Tenchi." she said finally. Akane looked away for a moment, then turned back. "What is between them exactly?" Ryouko raised her eyebrows. "What? You can't figure that out?" "What space girl mean?" Shampoo asked, furrowing her brow. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Look," she began, "Tenchi loves Ranma... Ranma loves Tenchi... do you get it now?" All she received were blank stares. She shrugged, "You can ignore it if you like, but it won't change anything." "What about you? Don't you love Tenchi?" Akane shot back suddenly. Ryouko blinked, "How did you know that?" "Lucky guess." She sighed, "Yes, I do love him. However, the last thing I ever want to do to him in the Universe is hurt him. Getting rid of Ranma, or denying him her..." "Him." Akane corrected. "Uh... him would be devastating. Anyway, I can wait." Ryouko sat back against the wall, it curved slightly behind her. "What mean, 'can wait?'" Ryouko looked over at Shampoo, catching her query with a small grin. "Well, you see... you are all mortal, Ranma included. I myself have been alive for over two thousand years... Tenchi's race, the Jurai, and live to be much, much older." Her grin turned into a full smile, "So, I simply need to wait for Ranma to pass away..." Akane laughed lightly. Ryouko shot her a curious glance. She waved a hand a bit and covered her lingering smile. "It's nothing... it's just that he may be mortal... but thanks to his control of chi, he will most likely live to be a few hundred years old, at least." Ryouko's chin could be heard hitting the floor of the cell. She hadn't figured any Earth creature could live that long. "A few hundred?" A nod was her reply. She closed her eyes for a moment, then reaffirmed her resolve. Her eyes opened, "Then, I suppose I'll have to wait longer than expected... still, it's all relative, right?" Akane nodded slowly, "I suppose." She still obviously didn't like the fact that Ranma and Tenchi were an item, and Ryouko didn't want to think of Shampoo at that moment... but it seemed they were willing to let it lie until their current predicament was taken care of. Thank goodness for small favors. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ "Tenchi?" Ranma called to the darkness. "Ten...?" He felt an arm brush against his, and he reached out to grab it. He pulled it, and found it connected to nothing. He dropped it in disgust, and span around, trying to figure out where he was. All he could see was blackness, everywhere he looked. He swung his own arms around in a circle, trying to find purchase on anything. He didn't feel he was falling, nor did he feel he was floating either. It was a strange sensation, like he was moving in all directions at once. In the pure darkness it was extremely disorienting. "Tenchi!" he screamed. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Tenchi thought he heard Ranma call for him. He looked around, seeing nothing but the empty corridors of the ship. Where was she? Where was he, for that matter? He had simply appeared on the maze of a vessel, and after walking for over an hour he was beginning to think he was being played the fool. He kept hearing Ranma call out for him, as if she were right behind him all the time. Yet, when he span around, only the quiet, bright passage would stare back at him. He had tried calling out for her multiple times, even going as far as cutting into the wall with Tenchi-ken a few times. However, whenever he sliced open one wall, another would stare at him on the opposite side of a tunnel identical to one he was in. It was getting extraordinarily disconcerting. After walking what seemed like another two kilometers, he finally came to a door. He hadn't heard Ranma voice for over fifteen minutes, and he was starting to wonder if he had ever really heard it at all in the first place. The door he had come to was made of the same gray material as the rest of the path he had taken. There was a keypad next to the door, and he reached out to touch it. Before his fingers could come into contact with it, the pad lit up and the door split down the middle and slid into the wall. Tenchi found himself staring into utter darkness. He blinked a few times trying to make out anything beyond the threshold of the door. He formed a blade on his sword and held it up for extra light. It didn't seem to go beyond the edge of the doorway. He poked the sword into the room, and startled when the tip disappeared. He pulled it back quickly, and found it was simply passing through a barrier of some kind. The question was, did the gate lead somewhere, or was there just the blackness beyond? He hated it, but there was only one way to find out. He closed his eyes and stepped fully through the door. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ He felt him suddenly. Ranma knew Tenchi was nearby, he could just tell. Where was another story all together. "Tenchi!" he called out into the midnight that surrounded him. It seemed as though his words were just absorbed by the dark. He could barely hear his own voice, how could he think Tenchi would be able to make it out. He felt something new bump his back. He flipped and grabbed the object as fast as he could. He found himself holding onto a severed head. Akane's severed head. His cry was taken in by the apathetic darkness. END PART SIX Well... moving along nicely now. While I was liking the character interaction deal a lot, I just felt like doing something a bit more exciting... thus this whole Veca thing. Where are Tenchi and Ranma? How about Shampoo and Ryouko? Why is Akane's head in the dark? Would I be killed if I stopped and didn't answer these questions? Bwa ha ha ha ha! Please send comments! Till next time, and thanks for reading! PMasters (4-3-98)