Magical Girl Pretty Ruri
Episode Ten: Betrayal In The Face Of Love
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. No gerbils were harmed or harassed in the creation of this fanfic. “It seems Megumi is now dating Tsukumo. Though, at the same time, I’m fairly certain that Tsukumo is not dating Megumi. Strange. In the real world, Tsukumo was in love with Minato. Oh, well. At least things here aren’t as confusing as on the Nadesico.” Tail Kinker and Kitsy present Magical Girl Pretty Ruri Episode Ten: Betrayal In The Face Of Love “I don’t believe it! I’m gonna be late for school again!” Ruri tore out of her room, making a beeline for the bathroom. “Well, I tried to wake you up...” “Yes, I recall. Claws hurt.” Now fully dressed, she dashed back into the bedroom, grabbed her bookbag and used it to smack Omoikane upside the head on her way back out. “Oops. Sorry!” “Right.” Ruri grabbed her bento from her mother and ran out the door. Megumi was just coming up the front walk. Ruri grabbed her arm and pulled her down the street. “Hey! Let go of my arm! What’s the hurry?” “We’re gonna be late!” “We have plenty of time.” Ruri stopped. “I woke up this morning and my clock said seven fifty five. Omoikane--” She stopped, realizing she was just about to make an idiot of herself. “--was yowling because I hadn’t fed him yet. Mom had tried to wake me up. Now we have thirty seconds to get to school, or we’re gonna have bucket brigade for sure.” “Ruri...your clock must be fast.” Megumi checked her watch. “We have fifteen minutes still.” Ruri paused, and deflated. “I really have to either stop using my computer as a clock, or get Linux...” “Well, far from me to take chances. I simply bought a watch...as opposed to six ice cream sundaes.” “Linux is free. More money for ice cream. Let’s go.” * * * * * “Blink. Ruri?” “What is it, Yukina?” “You’re five minutes early.” “I know.” Ruri almost smiled. “It’s a nice change, isn’t it?” Yukina started looking around the room, very nervously. “What are you looking for?” “Search... Search... Search...A horseman or four...” “Baka.” “Or a Magical Pretty Girl...or something else that heralds disaster.” Ruri reached for the nearest thing on her desk and pitched it at Yukina. *Bonk* “Ite! Hey, thanks for the bento.” “Hey, good morning everyone!” Ryoko snapped to attention as Uribitake-sensei entered the room. “Stand! Bow! Sit!” “I have good news for all you pretty girls! Ah, the grand day I was given this class to teach...We have a new student.” He turned and swept a hand towards the classroom door. The girl that entered the room was a Westerner, and very tall - nearly as tall as Uribitake-sensei. Her hair was a light golden brown, pulled back into a ponytail and held in place by a large red ribbon. The normal female school uniform seemed ill-fitting on her. The skirt hung too short - bordering on indecent when she walked - and the whole thing seemed just a little too small. Ruri smirked; chances are, the uniform shops weren’t used to fitting someone that tall. “Fresange Ai, please tell us about yourself.” Ruri’s eyes bugged out. “Let me explain a bit about myself.” Ruri twitched. “My name is Fresange Inez. However, most of my friends here in Japan call me Ai.” She smiled, the cool, somewhat reserved smile that Ruri knew too well. “I moved here three days ago from Spain. I was actually born in one of the Spanish colonies, but moved to my homeland when I was young. I learned Japanese as a pastime, and when my parents were transferred to Tokyo, I found a new use for the skill.” “The proper use for the skill.” Megumi seemed unimpressed with the new girl. “Please pardon any mistakes, as I am still trying to adapt to the new culture I’ve moved into, and still attempting to learn about current events and local history.” “Lean...At least she’s polite...” Ruri’s eyes narrowed. Inez’ story was perfect. Of course, this made it immediately suspect. Which meant that in all likelihood, Inez wasn’t a reflection. She was really here. Pity. She would rather have seen Minato show up, than Inez. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve taken the liberty of going over the class photo album. Mostly so I can put names to faces. So please don’t be surprised if I know your name without you telling me.” Yurika rolled her eyes. “I *hate* her.” “Why?” “Well, as of yet, she seems to have covered every single possible mistake she could ever make.” “Unlike you?” “Baka.” Ruri gave Yurika a fishy glare. “Well, welcome to the class. I am very pleased to see that you’re as lovely as the other ladies here.” Uribitake checked the seating record. “I see that we have only two empty seats. You can have the desk at row three, seat six.” Ruri glanced over her shoulder - yep, the desk right behind her was empty. Ai set her books on the desk, sat down, and leaned forward. “Hello, Ruri.” “Ohayo gozaimasu, Ai-san.” “Do you know a good place to get something to eat?” Ai smiled. “We need to talk.” * * * * * Tsukumo collapsed into the chair in the library. He tossed a small packet onto the desk, and leaned back staring at it. “You do know, my friend, that the Master is very unhappy with you. As is Prince Akara.” Tsukumo turned to see Genichiro walking up behind him. “Things are getting out of hand.” “Indeed?” Genichiro picked up the packet. “You’ve done moderately well at gathering ki recently, but you have proven unable to act successfully against Pretty Ruri.” He tore open the packet and drew from it a photograph. “And now you’ve fallen to mooning over this mortal.” He tossed the photo - an eight-by-ten glossy of Megumi kicking a soccer ball - on the desk. “Mortal?” Tsukumo laughed. “We’re mortal as well, Genichiro.” “But not for long.” Genichiro slid his hands into his pockets. “Prince Akara will reward me for faithful service by making me immortal. But you...” Genichiro sighed. “Well, I’m afraid that things are going to go badly for you.” Tsukumo picked up the photo. “I don’t care. I want out. I’ve done things no sane man would admit to, attacked harmless people, nearly killed Megumi several times over...it’s enough. I’ve done my bit.” “There is no easy way out. You know that.” “Really?” Tsukumo laughed. “You watch me. I’m leaving. If you want to try to stop me, you can...but no Golem will attack me. And without my Golems, you people are screwed. Enjoy your life.” He stood and stalked from the room. Genichiro watched his retreating back, his hand caressing the laser pistol in his pocket. But no...the laser wouldn’t even scratch him. He needed bigger artillery. * * * * * The bell over the ice cream parlor’s door rang as Ruri, Yurika and Ai walked in. Ruri pointed across the room. “The booth near the Fighting Kanji game is empty. Let’s sit there.” “Fine by me.” “Oh, there’s Akito!” Yurika dove across the room. Akito made a panicked leap, and set down the ice cream creation he had in his hand. *GLOMP* “Ack! Get it off!” Ai smirked. “Well, some things don’t change.” “So it’s true...you’ve got all your memories from the Nadesico?” “Not all of them, and I only got some of them back after spending a week in Spain.” Ruri shook her head. “I haven’t managed to find out why we’re here, or how we got here...” “Let me explain. At present, it would seem that only those who have been genetically altered and have skill with personal Bohson Jumping retain any of their memories. Furthermore, those people have increased...skills...in this reality.” “Bohson Jumpers...that would mean...” Ruri turned to look at Akito. “Get this crazy woman off of me!” Ai smiled gently. “I doubt very much that he has any memories. But I don’t think he’s a reflection. My memories are still spotty - Bohson Jumping is hard on me. Remember, his memories are normally totally wiped after a Bohson Jump.” “Akito! Akito!” Akito finally got disgusted with Yurika and pushed her away, hard enough that she fell over backward into a booth. She sat up - fixing her skirt hurriedly - and began bawling. Ruri cuffed her. “Get over here! This is important.” “What can be more important than this? Akito hates me!” “Ai is explaining something.” “Oh...and me without my rabbit suit...” “Baka.” Yurika scrambled over to the girls’ booth. “So what did I miss?” “Well, Ai was just saying that all the Bohson Jumpers were the ones who remembered things. The ones who kept their memories in part or in whole.” “Then why doesn’t Akito still love me?” Ruri shrugged. “Just good luck?” “WAAAAAAHHHHH! Ruri, don’t be so mean!” Ai broke in, hoping to avoid violence. “Akito’s memories are normally toast after a Bohson Jump. Chances are, he just can’t remember us.” Ruri nodded. “Well, he does have amnesia...” “You would know.” Yurika sniffed. “The way you’ve been hanging off of him the last week or so...” “It also seems that the Bohson Jumpers have been given...powers...beyond those of a normal human.” Something clicked for Ruri. “The new Warrior - it was you, wasn’t it?” Yurika’s mouth dropped open. “The Sailor V clone...from the park?” “That would make you--” Ai pointed at Ruri-- “The Sailor Moon clone, and Yurika the Sailor Mars clone.” Ruri nodded. “Well, actually, we’re all Martian Successors.” “I see...” Yurika blinked. “Does this mean that Akito is gonna turn into a Magical Pretty Girl, too?” Akito shuddered. “I sincerely hope not. Chibi-Usa, are you trying to corrupt all of your friends?” Ai laughed, shaking her head. “Chibi-Usa?” Ruri shrugged. “A pet name, I guess...Mom’s name is Usagi. So...” “He has a pet name for you?!? Ruri no baka!” Yurika slapped Ruri across the face and stormed off toward the restroom. “Ite...” Akito knelt down, facing Ruri. “That girl really needs to learn to control her emotions...” He looked closely at her face, where she’d been struck. “Are you okay, Chibi- Usa?” “I guess...” Ruri looked towards the restrooms, and hoped Akito wrote off her blush to the fact that she’d just been slapped. “I guess this is harder for her than I thought...” “And who is your friend?” Inez grinned wickedly. “Hi! My name’s Ai! Wanna date?” “I...Ah...no thanks.” “I suppose...since you’re already dating Ruri here...” “But we’re...I...” Ruri glared at the incoherently babbling Akito. “Baka.” Ai stood up. “I think I should go check on Yurika. Poor girl probably needs a shoulder to cry on. After all, being jilted like that...” Akito glared at her as she walked off. “Akito-kun...” Akito looked back to Ruri. “Yes, Ruri-chan?” “Would you like...” She looked down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. “Would you like to take me to the movies tomorrow?” Akito grinned. “Macross Plus is playing at the ND’s movie theatre...I hear it has some good music, and a nice storyline...” “Yes, that’d be great!” Ruri smiled. “Pick you up around seven?” “Hai!” Akito stood up. “I gotta get back to work...see you tomorrow.” “H...Hai.” * * * * * Genichiro nodded to the OverGolem guarding the door, and the massive creature shuffled out of his way. He slid his passcard through the card reader, and the machine clicked once, unlocking the door. He opened the door and surveyed the armoury. “Swords...nah, he’s too skilled...Mjolner? No, if Thor knows I have that...” He hefted a Thompson M1911 submachine gun. “Nah...it’s been done. What the heck is this thing?” He picked up the massive cannon, with its paired side-by- side handgrips and huge power coupling. “Nah...I take a weapon that I don’t know, and I’m just doomed...Ah!” He opened a crate labeled ‘ZGG-01’ and lifted out the long-barrelled rifle that lay inside. “Perfect.” The rifle had a large chamber, designed to take a six- inch long shell. The shells were clear plastic, and inside of each was a small rodent. The SoulBurner engine in the rifle would suck every last scrap of ki from the hapless rodent placed in the chamber, leaving it a dessicated, lifeless hust, and convert that energy into a stream of laser fire. “Tsukumo...you’re done for. BWAHAHAHAHAHA--” “No evil laughter until after the job is done.” Genichiro swallowed the last bwa. “Yes, Prince Akara.” * * * * * Lunch was almost over, and Megumi was hurrying to get back to class on time. She rounded the corner, ducked through a hole in the school’s perimeter wall, and stopped cold. Standing in front of her was Tsukumo. “H...Hi there.” “Megumi...” He smiled at her. “I’d like to ask you something.” “Sure...” “Could we meet after school? Perhaps go somewhere we could talk for a bit?” Megumi sighed. “I suppose you want to tell me to look for someone my own age? That it wouldn’t work because you’re too old? That my parents would think I’m a horrible person?” “Actually, nothing like that at all.” “Oh, well in that case...sure! Ummm...” She frowned, deep in thought. “I have an idea. There’s a new movie playing down at the theatre tomorrow night--” “Well, I was hoping to talk with you tonight.” “Tonight? That’s such short notice! I have nothing to wear, can’t even get my hair done in that little time...” “Ummm...okay, we can go to the movie tomorrow as well. I’d like that. But I really need to talk to you tonight. Why don’t we meet at the park.” He smiled. “The one with the nice swan boats...” “The park? Okay. I like going to the park with you.” “Thank you.” He stepped...and vanished. Megumi blinked. “He teleports? I thought only people in anime could teleport.” She glanced over, to see Ruri, Yurika and Ai ducking in through the hole in the wall. “Ruri! Ruri! I have got such cool news!” Ruri braced herself. “Tsukumo and I are going to the movies tomorrow, to see Macross Plus!” “Oh, great. Just what I need.” “And he wants me to meet him at the park tonight!” Megumi looked to be beside herself. Ruri winced. The girl just refused to learn. “Megumi, I really don’t think you should go to the park tonight.” “Forget it, Ruri! You have Akito! I’m gonna get Tsukumo.” Yurika sniffed. “She does *not* have Akito.” Ai elbowed Yurika once. “She does tomorrow...” “WAAAAHHHHH!” * * * * * Ruri opened the door and looked around the roof. Once certain that no-one else was on the roof, she waved the other two girls through. She closed the door, hearing it lock behind her. She wasn’t worried; she doubted they’d be taking the stairs to street level. “We have to follow Megumi to the park. In all likelihood, Tsukumo is going to attempt to kidnap her again.” “Again?” “Yes. He’s attempted it at least two times that I’m sure of, and I think he’s tried it three other times.” “Could she be the Princess?” “The who?” “Let me explain. As part of the Martian Successors, our job is to guard the life of the Princess. Since we don’t know who this Princess is, but Megumi appears to be attracting quite a bit of attention...” Yurika rubbed her forehead. “Where do you get this information?” “It’s just part of my memories. That is, the memories that I didn’t carry over from the Nadesico. I have other memories there, ones of a prior lifetime.” Ruri nodded. “Like you were reincarnated.” “Exactly. Plus, I got some information from a computer terminal...but more on that later. If she is the Princess, then right now, she is probably in dire trouble.” “Right.” Ruri grabbed the Kasei no Henshin from her purse, and raised it above her head. “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. “Mars Warrior, Make-UP!” 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 a 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. Ai raised her own Henhin. “Mars Vanguard, Make-UP!” Thunder crashed, and the Henshin exploded into a stream of electricity. The lightning bolts encircled and encased her body, forming into low golden boots, golden gloves, white jumpsuit and dark golden skirt. The tiara, with its topaz gem, formed on her brow, and the Henshin swelled to a golden hammer, two feet long. “Hey! You didn’t have the hammer in the park yesterday!” “I needed my hands free to grab Megumi.” “So where did the hammer go?” “That’s simple enough to explain. I used a micro-Bohson field to store it in an extradimensional space until I needed it.” Yurika blinked. “Wow...extradimensional space, just to store a hammer.” Ruri pointed across the roof. “Megumi’s headed north by northwest...straight for the park. If we’re lucky, we can beat her there.” * * * * * Megumi had taken only enough time after school to change to a light sundress - though she was concerned about the potential embarassment should it rain. The park was fairly close by the school, perhaps three blocks away, so she had little worry about being late. She stopped at the entrance to the park, and regarded the guardian statues that stood by the gate. She took a deep breath. “Well, wish me luck.” Was it her imagination, or did the statues nod slightly? She composed herself, and walked into the park. (“She’s in the park. Can’t see Tsukumo anywhere yet...Oh, there he is. Be ready.”) She walked down the pathway and sat on a small bench. Nearby, she saw the yatai owner setting up. With a hundred starving schoolchildren just set free, no doubt he’d do well. “Hi there.” She turned, to see Tsukumo approaching her. He wore a white silk shirt, black pants with a razor crease, and his polished black shoes gleamed in the afternoon sun. A white pullover wool sweater was tied loosely around his shoulders. “Ah...Hi. You wanted to talk to me?” (“He’s sat down next to her, but hasn’t done anything yet.”) He sat down next to her on the bench. She blushed slightly; the bench was awfully small...On the other hand, he looked rather less than collected as well. “Megumi...I have a problem. Right now, I’m mixed up with a rather bad crowd. And I’m not really sure what to do about it.” “Have you thought about going to the police?” “I don’t think they could help. These people have ways of...avoiding the police.” “Like when you teleported earlier today.” “Yes.” He sighed. “The problem is that they don’t really want me to leave. Whereas I’ve decided that I can’t work for them anymore.” Megumi looked at him. “Why not?” “Well...” He sighed. “They wanted me to hurt you. And I refused.” (“I have movement in the trees. Someone with a really large rifle.”) “Why were you working for them?” “Well, they offered me money and power, without really telling me what the price would be.” He stood. “But I’m through with them now.” (“Get Megumi out of there, now!”) There was a sudden movement, and Yurika, in red and white uniform, dropped out of the trees. She rose from a half- crouch, and began to dash forward. Tsukumo turned to the source of movement, and his eyes widened when he realized who it was. A brilliant green beam lanced out from the trees, piercing Tsukumo’s arm. He roared in pain, grabbing his arm. Yurika hesitated, unwilling to run into a field of fire, and began searching for the sniper. Megumi jumped up, astonished. “Tsukumo!” She quickly checked his arm - it was badly burned, and weeping blood. She quickly began bandaging the wound. Ruri cursed, and dropped out of her tree. “Where’s the sniper?” “Not sure...wait! Flare Arrow!” Yurika raised the bow, and pulled back the string. A flaming arrow appeared at her fingertips. She aimed at the sniper, and let it fly. Genichiro dropped out of the tree, cycling the rifle’s action to load another charge. The fossilized gerbil remains from his first shot powderized on the way to the ground. Lacking sufficient time to aim, he fired from the hip. And watched the beam splatter harmlessly off of a Distortion Field. “Genichiro!” Tsukumo roared at his erstwhile ally. “Prince Akara has ordered your termination, Tsukumo. You can’t just walk away from the Dark World.” Ruri drew her plasma pistol and took careful aim at Genichiro. “...I suppose I can let you live one more day. Watch your back, traitor.” Genichiro dissolved in a spray of glitter.” The three Soldiers turned to face the former Dark General. Ruri stepped forward. “You’re injured.” “You have a gift for the obvious.” He gritted his teeth. “I’ll live. But why did you protect me?” Yurika responded for Ruri. “It is our job to stand against the darkness, to fight for love, and to protect the innocent--” “What does that have to do with me?” “--and we could not stand by and watch a happy, loving couple be destroyed!” “Never mind. Now I wish he *had* killed me.” Ruri shrugged. “Well, actually, it was just a reflex action. I can’t stand even to see scum like you be hurt.” “Gee. Thanks.” * * * * * Ruri flopped down in the bean bag chair, six bags of chips, a cup of instant ramen, three cookies, some leftover rice and a whole jar of fukujin pickles ready at hand. The other two girls stared at her in disgust. “Ruri, why don’t you just eat lunch at regular times, like anyone else?” “Because I threw it at Yukina.” Ai scratched her head. “I...I suppose that makes sense.” Yurika was seated on the pink chair - she’d lost the janken pow. “So what are we gonna do about Tsukumo?” “What can we do?” Ruri was talking around a mouthful of potato chips. “He may not be reformed. This may just be a trick of his.” Yurika tilted his head. “It’s possible, but...best we can do is wait and see, I guess.” Ai was still staring at Ruri. “The more I see it, the less I believe it.” Ruri paused her binge, and looked up at Ai. “What?” “You really *do* act just like Sailor Moon.” “Baka.” Author’s Notes: And the understatement of the week award goes to...drum roll, please...Tsukumo, for referring to the Dark World as a ‘rather bad crowd.’ Special Thanks to the GURPS Mailing List for the Zombie Gerbil Gun stats. Comments and Criticism can be sent to kitsy@home.com or to tailkinker@home.com. This story tends to be archived at both www.geocities.com/groves_ca and members.home.net/kitsy. Finally, there is a mailing list associated with this story. To subscribe, send mail to tailkinker@home.com with ‘subscribe MGPR’ as the subject.