Magical Girl Pretty Ruri
Episode Three: A Tangled Web
By Tailkinker and Kitsy
tailkinker@home.com, kitsy@home.com
*DISCLAIMER* Warning: Java compilation error. Insufficient coffee. Due to this, none of the characters, situations and sites belong to the authors of this story. They are currently just used to explore the effects of sleep deprivation. "Sometimes, I feel like I can get used to this new world. Sometimes, it is enough to drive me insane. Everyone here is just a reflection of the way they were in reality. And although they are nice, I can't get used to the fact that they don't act the way they used to. "But since I can't figure out where I am, I might as well get used to it." Tail Kinker and Kitsy present *Magical Girl Pretty Ruri* Episode Three: A Tangled Web "Ruri! Hurry up, you're late!" Ruri blinked and sat up. "You've got to be kidding!" She glanced over at the computer screen. Her computer monitor was a pleasant shade of blue, with white text. She squinted to read it. GENERAL PROTECTION FAULT ERROR IN ALLOCATING MEMORY BLOCK FFFF:FFFF PRESS ANY KEY TO ATTEMPT TO SHUT DOWN THIS PROGRAM OR PRESS CTRL-ALT-DEL TO REBOOT "Bill Gates no baka." She jumped out of bed, grabbed a school uniform and ran for the bathroom. The cat hopped up in front of the computer. He tapped the spacebar once with a paw. The screen cleared back to a picture of Sailor V, and the cat was knocked flying by the blaring of the alarm clock program. Ruri turned around, clicked off the alarm clock, and scowled at the cat. The cat shrugged. "Well, it works." "Baka." * * * * * "At least I have time for breakfast. Just for a change." Ruri rounded the corner of the stairs, one hand on the bannister. She froze in shock. "Mars Star Power, Make-UP!" Ruri twitched. "Oh, yeah. We have a television set." "Hey, sleepyhead." Megumi was seated in front of the television set. "I thought I'd come early, just to make sure you got up in time." "You're mean." "Am I?" Megumi shrugged. "Y'know, the Sailor Senshi I saw was a lot ditzier than Usagi." Ruri's mother stuck her head out the doorway. "Who's ditzy?" "Sorry, Hoshino-san!" Ruri filed another fact away: Her mother's name, apparently, was Usagi. She twitched again. It was not shaping up to be a good day. Ruri walked into the kitchen, grabbed a bowl of soup, and sat down at the table. Her mother sat down opposite her, and dropped a sheaf of paper in front of her. "Mind explaining this?" It was her astronomy test. "Ano..." "Utopia Mars Colony?" ~I must have been out of it more than I thought. Utopia Colony is on Mars, not at Lagrange Two.~ "All this is pure fantasy. Well, not all of it. But still...I swear, you watch entirely too much anime." "I don't--" "Oh, come on! These last couple of days are the first I've not needed a crowbar to get you away from the television. And obviously, you're going into withdrawal! I think you're corrupting Megumi as well -- she told me the same wild story, about the ice cream parlor being attacked by a monster." "Sugoi!" Ruri leaned back in her chair. "What?" "Mercury just threw up a smoke screen, to blind a Youma. Then used some sort of sensor to spot for Sailor Moon!" Ruri blinked. "Good morning! How are my two favourite ladies this morning?" Ruri's father walked into the kitchen, newspaper in hand. "Usagi, you're not going to believe this. According to the paper, a monster of some sort attacked a local ice cream parlor..." "You're kidding!" Ruri's mother grabbed the paper and read it quickly. She shook her head, dropping the paper. "Ruri, you really shouldn't go to dangerous places like that." Thump. * * * * * "Did you remember your bento this morning?" "Hai." Ruri raised it. "Mom wouldn't let me leave without it." "We've got self-study first period. You'll be able to nap." "I got enough sleep last night. I'll be all right." "Who said that?" "Meow." Ruri blinked, and looked over at the fence. The cat was pacing the two girls. "What are you doing here?" The cat jumped over onto her shoulder. She staggered slightly -- it was not a light cat. "Hey, isn't that the cat you kicked Wednesday?" "Yes. It sort of adopted me." "What's its name?" She shrugged, nearly dislodging the animal. "Mostly I just call it Cat." "It has an H on its forehead. Kawaii!" Ruri frowned. "H?" She picked up the cat and examined it. ~That's not precisely an H...the top lines are too close together, and the crossbar is very thick...Nadesico! It's the outline of the ship!~ "Hmmm...he needs a name. How about...Nadesico?" The cat shook its head. "No? Omoikane?" The cat nodded slowly, looking pleased. Ruri nearly dropped the cat. ~It IS Omoikane! Or a reflection...but still...~ "All right, Omoikane it is." * * * * * "Good morning class. I have two announcements to make. "First, we are graced with a rare presence. Hoshino Ruri has decided that she would deign to honour us with her presence this morning. Welcome; home room is probably a new experience for you." ~Baka.~ "Second, we have a transfer student. Please welcome Misumaru Yurika." ~Huh?~ Ruri looked up. Sure enough, it was the Captain of the Nadesico...though in a school uniform. Her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, bound with a blue ribbon. Yurika bowed to the class. "Good morning...My father was doing duties overseas, and we just returned to Japan. Our ship came in only two days ago. My interests include computer games, wargames and sports." ~Two days ago...when all this silliness started...~ "Thank you, Misumaru-san. Please sit at Row four, seat five." "Hai." Ruri realized with a start that that was right next to her. She watched Yurika make her way back to the fifth rank. ~Looks kind of spaced out...of course, for Yurika, that's normal. Also looks rather young...but I suppose she's supposed to be fourteen, like the rest of us.~ Yurika sat down next to Ruri, and flipped open a book. The teacher left, and the class started to degenerate into what was laughingly called "self study." Ruri turned to Yurika. "Hi." "Hello, Ruri-type person." "Huh?" Yurika was definitely in a daze. "You're not really Ruri, I know. You're just a reflection. After all, all these people are just reflections. Not the real person." "Yurika, I'm real." "Yep. Of course you are. Everyone is real." "You're not making a lot of sense." "Of course not." Ruri had a flash of insight. "You made more sense when you were captain." "Yeah, but I'm not captain now, am I?" Ruri grinned. Sort of. "Well, at least the war is over." Yurika just about gave herself whiplash. "Ruri...you're real!" "I think I said that. Baka." "No, you're really real! I mean, you're you." "Last time I checked." "Status report?" Ruri blinked. "Yurika...we're not on the Nadesico right now." "Oh...sorry. Have you figured out what's going on?" "No." "Me either." She sighed. "Does anybody else remember?" "No. I've seen others, but they're not real. Megumi, Yukina, Ryoko, Akito--" "Akito?" Her eyes lit up. "My prince, my knight in shining armour! He can help us! Whenever I'm in trouble, he always turns up!" "Lean...he's a little old for you, too. Besides, I think Ruri already has dibs." If looks could kill, Ruri would be crimson mist and bone chips. "He's just a reflection, Yurika. He's not...like us." Megumi leaned in from the other side. "What are you two talking about, anyway?" Yurika paused, mouth agape, one finger raised, trying to think of some way to answer the question. "Manga!" "Baka." * * * * * Ruri and Yurika sat alone together at lunchtime, under a convenient sakura tree. Ruri was sitting on her heels, knees together to form a convenient place for the bento, her back against the tree; Yurika was lying on her back, ankles crossed, looking up at the tree. They had spent the last ten minutes bringing each other up to date. "Basically, I just wandered around, until I found the school. I had no idea where it was, and no-one like Megumi to lead me there. My transfer papers were open-ended, so I just had to lie to Father until I found the place." Ruri nodded. "I know the feeling. Nothing was familiar for me, either, even places that supposedly I had been many times." "Meow." Ruri looked up. "Omoikane!" "The computer is here?" "Sort of. I think it's just a reflection." The cat jumped down and nestled in her lap. "So...you're a Sailor Senshi?" Omoikane scowled at Ruri. Ruri winced; already, she regretted admitting that. Even though her commanding officer had requested a full report. "Complete with Love Arrows?" "No. No Love Arrows." "So you're not one of those cute anime princesses?" "Baka." A few minutes passed. Ruri finished off her lunch, then turned back to Yurika. "Captain...what was the last thing you remember?" "Huh?" "Before all this started?" "Hmmm...I was on the bridge. We had just initiated the Boson Jump. The Boson field was still forming around us, there was a flash...and then my alarm clock went off." "Yours too, huh?" "Yeah! Who sets an alarm clock for six in the morning?" Ruri blinked. "For some reason, the last three days, I've been getting up at six AM. I can't even try to sleep in." "I hate you." "Hey, you two! You going to be anti-social all day?" Megumi and Yukina walked up to the girls, bentos in hand. "Can we join you?" Ruri shrugged. "Why not?" Megumi sat down next to Ruri, chin on her knees. She sighed, looking down at her feet. "What's wrong, Megumi?" "That beetle that attacked us yesterday...my shoes got all torn up. So I'm stuck wearing a pair of older ones. And I don't know how much longer they're going to hold out." "Lean...Stare...Didn't that style go out last month?" Megumi wailed. "I know! They're so last season!" "Perk! Hey, there's a sale at the ND department store this week! Two for one sale!" "Yeah, but the styles at ND are almost five minutes old!" "But you can't beat the prices! And two for one on top of that!" "It's agreed, then." Megumi struck a pose. "After school...shopping!" * * * * * The girls were walking in pairs, Megumi and Yukina ahead, Ruri and Yurika behind them. Omoikane was riding on Ruri's shoulder. "So what do you call yourself?" Ruri shrugged. "It's not like I give interviews. I don't have a name for my alternate form." "What was it the Jovians called you? The Golden-Eyed Fairy?" "I am not using that." "How about the Golden Angel?" "No. No need for angels." "Mighty Morphing--" "Don't say it, or I'll hurt you." "Hmmm...well, I'll think about it, and get back to you. I'm sure I can come up with something." Yurika shrugged. "How long till the ice cream parlor is fixed?" "Maybe a couple of days. It's really popular." "Yep! It's probably Akito! He probably was drawing in all the crowds." "Akito seems as popular here as he was back home." "Well, they're all out of luck. Because Akito loves me, no-one else!" Yurika had hearts in her eyes. "And one look at me, and he'll fall madly in love with me, and everything will be all right again..." "Baka." "Stare...she really lives in a fantasy world, doesn't she?" "Yeah, she's never even seen the guy, and she's already convinced that she's the one for him." "Maybe she thinks she's living out a manga?" "Well, she can forget about it. Akito really likes me!" "Blink...I though it was Ruri he was chasing?" "No, it's Ruri chasing him!" "Baka bakka." "Kuso..." Megumi stopped, scowling at the department store door. "What's the problem?" "The sale's over. Sold out." "So we'll have to go somewhere else for shoes?" "No...it says here, that they have other shoes for sale...just not two for one." "Bait and switch. Isn't that illegal?" "Oh, well..." Megumi pushed open the department store door, and the girls filed in. The ND Department Store was larger than most, but compared to the shops Ruri remembered from Peaceland, it was miniscule. One could look over all the stock in, oh, three or four days, tops. "Hey, you! No pets allowed!" Ruri blinked, then reluctantly set Omoikane down. "I'll be out shortly." Omoikane couldn't say anything -- no need to blow his cover -- but his expression clearly said, "Hustle!" The Footwear department was on the second floor of the store. Megumi immediately dived in and started sorting shoes. "Too pointy...too small...too yellow...too ugly...These are nice." She looked at the shoes appraisingly. "Very nice, indeed." "Megumi-san?" "Hmm?" Megumi looked up at Ruri. "Why so much difficulty in picking a pair of shoes?" "You never really got into fashion, did you? Ruri, shoes are an expression of a person's soul. They say, `This is how I approach life.'" "So you approach life...loudly, fitting poorly, and clashing with everything else?" "Well...yeah. What do you guys want to do next?" "Well, I'm a little hungry..." Ruri trailed off, realizing what she'd just said. ~Baka.~ The response was instant. "Ruri..." Wow, stereo, even. "You're always hungry!" Ruri rolled her eyes. "Food court. Let's go." "Ruri and food...almost as much a natural law as Ruri and sleeping in." Yurika looked puzzled. "What do they mean?" "Stare...Oh, you don't know Ruri very well, do you?" "Ruri is always hungry. And she always sleeps in." "I am not. Reality just has it in for me recently." "Ruri, I've known you since you were six. Reality has had it in for you for at least the last eight years." * * * * * The doors of the store opened to the sound of screams. Omoikane ran up and jumped into Ruri's arms. Megumi looked around. "What's going on? Another monster attack?" "Let's go see! Run...run...run..." "Yukina!" Megumi followed her. "Wait up!" Ruri drooped. "I think I'm going to have to save them again. Omoikane, what's going on?" "It's another golem attack. Several of them, this time." "Wow, the cat really does talk!" Omoikane blinked at Yurika. "And why have you been telling this person all your secrets?" "Yurika remembers where we came from." "Really?" Omoikane stared at Yurika hard enough to make her sweat. "Yes...yes! She is Shugotenshi!" "...pardon?" The cat did a back flip, and a small stick, similar to Ruri's Kasei no Henshin, appeared. The cat batted the silver Henshin Stick to Yurika. "Pick it up and say, `Mars Warrior Make-up!'" "You've got to be kidding!" "There are multiple golems in there. They are attacking innocent bystanders. Are you just going to sit back and watch them all die?" Yurika's features set, and she picked up the Henshin. Straightening, she held the Henshin at arm's length, and said, "Mars Warrior Make-UP!" For the first time, Ruri was able to watch the transformation effect from the third-person point of view. The light came first, blinding her momentarily. When it passed, Yurika's body was all a-glitter, no details visible to the eye. Flames seemed to dance around her, burning the clothing off of her, then reforming itself into a short red skirt, white bodysuit, thigh-height red boots, elbow-length red gloves and the same stupid bow at the back, red and white striped. Her hair lightened, and shifted to a flame- red colour. A silver tiara, with a single red gem centered in it, appeared on her brow. The Henshin stick lengthened and curved in on itself, becoming a silver bow. Ruri smirked. "Looks like you have the bow." "NOOOOOO!!! I look stupid!" Omoikane blinked. "Wow...you're almost as flat-chested as Ruri." "Do you want to live?" Ruri raised the Kasei no Henshin. "Mars Guardian, Make- UP!" The light seared her eyes, all blue and gold. The air around her rippled, and she felt waves of incredible heat pounding her. Her clothes shredded and re-formed into the blue skirt, tight-fitting golden bodysuit and long blue boots and gloves. The tiara formed on her brow, and the Henshin lengthened to quarterstaff proportions. "Omoikane...what magical attacks does Yurika have?" "The bow allows for ranged fire, much like your plasma pistol. She can also call Flare Punch, for a superheat physical attack." "Ano...do I have to say `Flare Punch?'" "Yes! It adds drama." "Right. Let's go kill some golems!" * * * * * "Ki! Our master needs ki!" Standing in the middle of the room was a large, green figure. Four legs, scythe-like arms, triangular heads, wings...it looked mostly like a giant Praying Mantis. It slowly looked around, surveying the destruction. Tables were overturned, food and drinks were spilled, and half a dozen people lay scattered about on the floor, unconscious. Several smaller creatures milled about. They were giant beetles, yellow carapace, eight black legs, four small glowing eyes. One was drawing the life-energy out of a victim, the energy flowing into the creature's eyes. A flame-arrow slammed into the beetle, demolishing it. A second arrow slammed into the floor in front of the OverGolem. Slowly, the creature looked up, to see the two Mars Senshi on a second-level balcony. "In the name of the Martian Empire, and by the honour of the Martian Successors..." ~Baka.~ "Prepare to be punished!" The OverGolem smirked. "And who exactly are you two?" "I am Yurika! And this is Magical Girl" - she pointed at Ruri with two fingers in a V - "Pretty Ruri!" Ruri twitched. "Please don't say that again." The OverGolem laughed evilly. "I don't think I have to take you two seriously. Your ki will serve my master just as well as these pathetic weaklings." "Oh, yeah?" Yurika raised the bow, and pulled back the string. A flaming arrow appeared at her fingertips. She fired it directly at the OverGolem...to see it bounce off harmlessly. "Um...that's not good." Ruri sighed. "It's one of the stronger ones. You have to hit the underside." "You won't get that chance! Golems -- attack!" Yurika jumped, fists at her mouth. "Those are spiders!" "Very observant." Ruri raised her staff. "Distortion Field!" "I hate spiders! And those are Jovian spiders! I hate them more!" "So kill them." Yurika fired off a stream of flaming arrows, vaporizing four more spider-golems. The remaining golems began climbing the walls, approaching them rapidly. "I'm not sure my Distortion Field can hold back that many golems. We'd better move." The two Senshi jumped down to the floor, Ruri landing near the fountain, Yurika landing on a table. Unfortunately, the table was balanced on one point...She flipped off the table and landed, rather painfully, on her butt. "Ite." Several golems took the opportunity to close on her. Yurika jumped to her feet, drew back a fist, and called, "Flare Punch!" Her hand glowed a bright red, rippling with heat. She punched a golem directly in the head. The impact caved in the beast's skull, and the heat-blast vaporized the rest of it. "Ick! Spider guts..." Ruri had pulled her plasma pistol and was rapidly baking down golems. Unfortunately, there were rather more on her than on Yurika. One hit her from behind, knocking her face down. "Yurika! Fire support, please!" "Right!" Yurika drew back a fire arrow and launched it at the spider. Ruri realized a moment too late that given Yurika's accuracy, this could really sting... But the arrow slammed into the spider, setting it alight and flipping it back into the fountain. A cloud of steam rose from it. Ruri's eyes widened. "Yurika! Get ready with a Flare Punch!" She raised the plasma pistol and shot a sprinkler in the ceiling. Water began to fall as the fire control system was triggered. "Flare Punch!" The heat of the attack instantly converted the falling water to steam, obscuring vision all through the food court. "Where are you?" The OverGolem cast about, trying to see through the steam. "I can't see..." Suddenly, it paused, at the feel of a plasma pistol placed just under its chin. "Oh, hell..." *ZORCH* The creature, now headless, staggered back a few steps and collapsed. Without direction from the OverGolem, the remaining spider-golems crumbled to dust. Yurika raised two fingers. "V!" * * * * * Yurika flopped down in the beanbag chair and stretched. Ruri, laying on the bed, rolled over, picked up the alarm clock, and tossed it out the window. "Huh? What'd you do that for?" "I've wanted to do that ever since I first saw that clock." "No school tomorrow! We can sleep in!" "Right." "Where'd you get the idea for using the sprinklers?" "Ummm...it was on Sailor Moon this morning." Omoikane piped up. "Episode Eight. Except that Mizuno Ami can generate her own fog. And Sailor Moon uses a tiara instead of a blaster." "It's a style thing." "Baka." * * * * * Authors notes: You may have noticed that switched over to using the Japanese names/phrases for any Sailor Moon stuff that pops up. We decided against DICing around with this series... :) We got a request for "more silliness", and we tried - really, we did - to add a little more in this chapter. Ah, well...there are just limits to how silly TailKinker can let things get. Kitsy, on the other paw... "Victory!" Comments and Criticisms can be sent to either kitsy@home.com or to tailkinker@home.com. We haven't received any flames yet...I guess this is a good sign. Hopefully, TailKinker will soon have this posted to his home page, at www.geocities.com/groves_ca. Or, we might just open a new page just for this beast.