Magical Girl Pretty Ruri
Episode Eleven: A Dying 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. This time, we WILL harass and harm gerbils. "More and more, this is seeming like one of those Pretty Soldier anime I've been watching. Omoikane dragged up the Thirty-Seven Laws of Anime for me once, and things here have been following these laws. Such as: Just when you're absolutely, positively certain that you know who's on what side, someone will defect. "Is Tsukumo telling the truth? Or is he lying? Or is he just an idiot?" Tail Kinker and Kitsy present Magical Girl Pretty Ruri Episode Eleven: A Dying Love "Ruri! Get up, you're gonna be late!" Ruri sat up and groaned. "I dunno why I bother setting that stupid thing...it never works anyway." "If you'd just use your alarm clock, instead of relying on that thing..." Her mother opened the closet door and tossed a school uniform on the bed. "Now get dressed, and come down for breakfast." Ruri blinked. "What alarm clock?" "The Hello Kitty one I bought you for Santa Day." "Oh...that." Ruri started struggling into her clothes, and made a mental note to thump Omoikane later for leering at her. "Where is it, anyway?" "Well, I was being very good and cleaning my room, and I put the clock on the windowsill to keep it out of the way. And Omoikane, here, well..." Omoikane glared at Ruri. "Ruri, where's the alarm clock?" "Umm...Tokugawa district landfill, most likely. It didn't really hold up under a two-storey drop onto concrete." ~Especially considering the speed that I launched it.~ Her mother sighed. "Well, I guess I'll have to get you a new alarm clock." "Please...let me." "Well, all right. We've got to go shopping this Wednesday, to get you some new clothes--" "Don't I have more than enough clothes?" "Who said that? Anyway, we need to get you some stuff for the Rainy Season break - a swimsuit or two, a summer dress, you know - as well as some new sandals. And you have got to get rid of that nasty nightshirt. We'll get you some pajamas while we're at it." "Great." ~ Please, no Cat Suit, please, no Cat Suit, please, no Cat Suit...~ "Something you'll look cute it." ~I'm doomed.~ She finished dressing, grabbed her bookbag and headed for the stairs. "Megumi's not here yet, so you might as well get something to eat." "Hai." She headed for the kitchen. "I don't believe this. I'm actually gonna get to eat breakfast!" She grabbed a bowl and dished out some rice. "Hey, Ruri! I'm here, let's go!" "Baka." Megumi was leaning against the screen door, waving at Ruri. Ruri turned and `bi-da'd her. "You can wait until I finish breakfast." "In three minutes, Akito will walk down Fourth Street, on his way to work. If we leave within the next twenty seconds- -" Ruri dropped the bowl, grabbed her bento and ran for the door. "Let's go!" Usagi dropped the armload of laundry as Ruri tore by. "Ruri, your..." *SLAM* "...breakfast? I really wish you wouldn't slam the door." "Meow." * * * * * "Ow! My arm!" Ruri let go of Megumi's arm, and the taller girl rubbed her shoulder, wincing. "You've got a hell of a death grip there." "Sorry. I guess I'm a bit excited." "I guess so. Wow. You're normally ditzy, but this is a new all-time record for you." Ruri paused at that. She considered the last two weeks of her so-called life. "Wow. You're right. I have been acting...oddly." "Well, not oddly. Not for you. Just...excessive." Ruri shook her head. It was all so wrong! She didn't act this way, not normally. This was normally Yurika's bailiwack. But looking back at it, she couldn't see any way she might have acted differently. And that really, really scared her. *I really AM becoming a Magical Girl.* She shuddered. "Maybe it's from lack of sleep and insufficient food." * * * * * The walls were hung with red tapestries, each bearing a silhouette of an insect. Before him was a massive marble scarab, carved to accomodate a person, as a throne. On either side of the throne was a brazier, and in front of it, a low-set crystal ball. Akara leaned forward in the throne, gazing into the crystal ball. "Genichiro..." Genichiro faded into view in a spray of glitter. He bowed deeply to Akara. "Yes, my Prince." "What has transpired here? One of my most trusted Generals has defected, and another has become obsessed with hunting him down. And no ki is gathered!" Genichiro sweated; Prince Akara was not a volatile man, but nor did he suffer failure gladly. "My Lord, you have not yet assigned me the task of gathering ki. Instead, my task has been security. And Tsukumo has breached that security." "I did not assign you to hunt down and kill Tsukumo. I assigned you to watch him. Up until very recently, he has been quite efficient at gathering ki." "My Prince, I only did what I thought was--" "I have not assigned you to thinking, either. You must simply obey." Genichiro very wisely decided to shut the hell up. "Yes, my Prince. What are your orders?" "Damage control. You two have created a pretty mess. And now you must clean it up. Put away your toys." He sighed. "You will be assigned a small number of Golems. Batto-class. Gather ki." "Without an OverGolem to supervise--" "Your stupidity cost us the only man capable of controlling an OverGolem." Akara looked close to losing his temper - something Genichiro had never seen, and never wanted to. "You are dismissed." "Yes, my Prince." Genichiro bowed, and faded from view. * * * * * "Stand! Bow! Sit!" "Good morning, class." Uribitake sat down and kicked his feet up onto his desk. "We'll start with--" *BANG* "Oh, hell. I'm late." Uribitake scowled at Ruri. "Yes. And using foul language as well. For such a lovely girl, your discipline is sorely lacking. Hallway. Now." "Hai." * * * * * "I hate him." "You say that every day." "The old pervert." "Hey, all he does is leer. Not like Prospector...brrr..." Ruri decided never to be called to the Principal's office. "Or Yurika's father." "Hm?" Ruri glanced over at Megumi. "I've never met him. What's wrong with him?" "He likes watching Yurika get dressed. Also, I found a hole bored in the wall of their toilet room. And another in the furo." Ruri frowned. "You're right. Uribitake-sensei isn't so bad." "Besides, " Megumi continued. "I hear there's a panty thief in this district, that no-one's able to catch." "Great. What is it with Nerima that it attracts all the nut cases?" "Shut up, out there!" Both girls fell silent for a while, then Ruri glanced over to Megumi. "How's Tsukumo doing?" "He's healing nicely. But he refuses to leave the house." "You mean he's hiding out at your house?" Ruri gaped at Megumi. "And you call Uribitake a pervert! What has your mother said about this?" "It's not like that! Yet. And Mom's cool with it. He's in the guest room, and won't go within ten feet of my bedroom door. Damn it." Ruri looked at her askance, then turned away. "But he's not done anything..." She realized there was just no way she was going to get the information she wanted out of Megumi without blowing her cover. "Nothing at all. But tonight we're going to see Macross Plus at the ND's Theatre." "...Right." "What?" "Akito and I are going to see the same movie." "NO WAY!" Megumi turned, a look of glee on her face. "Let's make it a double date!" "I'd rather not." The classroom door opened, and Ryoko glared at them. Ruri blushed. "Ah...sorry, Class Rep." Ryoko ducked, and the eraser flew over her head to smack into Ruri's forehead. "Shut up out there! I'm not warning you two again!" Ruri peeled the eraser off of her forehead and wordlessly handed it to Ryoko. * * * * * "Now, class, can someone explain what a Lagrange Point is?" "Let me explain." Ai stood up quickly. "A Lagrange point is a locus of gravitational stability created when two objects orbit each other, and share a common orbit around a third object. There are five such locations created; one between the two objects, one on either side of the two objects, and one each on thirty-degree arcs along the objects' shared orbit." Yurika sighed. "And me without my bunny suit." "Baka." Ruri sighed. "I still need to get some explanations from her myself." "Like what?" "Like why for some reason I'm acting like a character out of an anime." "Misumaru-san." Nakaguri-sensei turned to her. "How do you determine the location of the first Lagrange point, the one between the two orbiting bodies?" Yurika stood. "Sensei. Lagrange One lies on a line between the center of gravity of the two orbiting bodies. The ratio of distance between the larger object to the smaller object is equal to the ratio of the gravitational fields of the larger object to the smaller one." Nakaguri-sensei raised an eyebrow. "Looks like someone did their homework. And on that note...Hoshino-san." "Hai." Ruri stood. "Lagrange One was used to stage the Apollo Eleven mission, just prior to lunar orbit insertion. Where did the Apollo Eleven Lunar Excursion Module touch down, and why was that location chosen?" Ruri smirked. This one she knew. "Mare Tranquilitatis was the site chosen because it is a relatively smooth and level area. It does, however, have a high density of craters and in the last seconds before landing, the Eagle had to be manually piloted by Neil Armstrong to avoid a sharp-rimmed ray crater measuring some 180 meters across and 30 meters deep known as West. The Eagle landed safely some six kilometers from the originally intended landing site." Nakaguri-sensei blinked. "It really is a nice area, though. Very beautiful, especially as the sun is rising." "Now how would you know that, Hoshino-san?" "Um...Ah...I've seen the photographs..." "Apollo Eleven took place at high `noon'. There were no photographs taken of the sunrise, as the Eagle was gone long before sunset." Ruri scrambled for a quick recovery. "I...saw it on TV..." "Blink, blink. I think I saw that episode of Sailor Moon." Ruri stared at her feet. ~I just can't win.~ * * * * * Ruri was very grateful that Saturday was a half day. "Hey, guys!" Megumi leaned over to Ai, Ruri and Yurika. "Feel like going to Houmei's?" "Sure!" Yurika grinned. "I can see Akito!" Ruri opened her mouth to respond, but decided against it. She packed her books into her bookbag and grabbed her bento. The bento was empty - Ruri had scarfed it down just before science class, and was once again starving. Ai glanced over at Ruri. "Why did you bother bringing a bento on a half day?" Megumi snickered. "Because she eats like a pig. She's always hungry. I've seen her eat a banana split this big--" Megumi held her hands an improbable distance apart "--and still be hungry." Ai blinked. "That's not possible." "I missed breakfast!" Megumi continued. "You know those really big sundaes that Houmei serves?" "The ones that claim to contain two litres of ice cream?" Yurika grinned. "I have trouble finishing one!" "Ruri usually orders three at a time." "They're good! Besides, Akito normally makes them..." "So, yes, Ai, Ruri would like to go with us." Ruri shook her head. "No. I have to go home..." "What for? Lunch? Why do you think we're going to Houmei's?" "But--" Megumi grinned. "Oh, I know why! It's Saturday. You've probably already blown all your allowance!" "I didn't get much this week. I had to pay for stuff for my cat." "As opposed to manga, eh? Don't worry. I'll buy you something." Ruri almost smiled. "Thanks, Megumi." She waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Just remember: I'm buying something for you. That doesn't mean `I'm paying for your meal.'" * * * * * "Ai, can I ask you something?" "Hm?" Ruri and Ai were alone at that instant, as Yurika was busy mooning over Akito and Megumi was playing Fighting Kanji. "If we had to be stuck in a Magical Girl anime, why couldn't it be Magic Knight Rayearth? At least they had Aestivalis." "Let me explain--" "Simple answers, please." "None of us can actually pilot an Aestivalis." "Wrong. You are the only non-pilot among us. Yurika has the implant, and knows how to operate them - though she's not great. She's better with the UE Spacy Delphinus. And it was part of my training as well." "In combat?" "Well...Maybe you can answer this one. For some reason, I can't seem to get a full meal in. I'm clumsy, unco- ordinated and for some reason I can't keep my mind on anything." She decided not to mention some of the other things she'd noticed, like the fact that her IQ sharply dropped whenever she saw Akito. "Actually, that's very simple to explain. You are actually about four centimeters taller now than you were aboard Nadesico. Your proportions are also slightly different. Furthermore, I've noticed that you are thinner here - much less `baby fat'. It all stems from being older. Therefore, your center of balance is different. An instant change in one's center of gravity will throw their balance off badly. Normally, people grow into this, as you were aboard Nadesico, and are only moderately clumsy during their teen years. You, on the other hand, were launched headlong into it, gaining a year's growth literally overnight." "And the hunger?" "Your body is most likely in the middle of a growth spurt. Therefore, your metabolism is making larger demands on your body. Therefore, you will need more food and rest than normal. This would also account for your chronic tardiness at school." "Ummm...no, that's simply because my alarm clock never works." Ai blinked. "Okay, so instead, it explains your sleeping in class." "I'll give you that one. Although I thought it was the teacher...What about this cosmic conspiracy to deprive me of meals?" Yurika sat down next to Ai. "With Golems attacking pretty much every day, are you surprised you're paranoid?" Ai glared at Yurika. "I'll do the explaining around here." She looked back at Ruri. "First: The various people in this universe - with the exception of us three, and possibly Akito, are mere `reflections' of the people we know. Second: Matter transported through a Bohson Jump is not altered. Neither is age. Third: Many Laws attributed to normal reality seem to have been somewhat altered. Similarly, history appears to have been slightly altered. Coincidental effects seem more common, forcing what would almost be foregone conclusions. As an example, no matter how hard she tries, Ruri seems unable to get to school on time. Conclusion: We are in a `parallel dimension'. We've been transported not only in space and time, but also across realities. Therefore, the technology required to take us home quite likely does not exist." "You mean we're stuck here?" "Oh, no!" Yurika moaned. "We're lost in--" "Shut up, Yurika." Ai leaned back. "This is only a preliminary hypothesis. Given the causal nature of the universe, it is quite likely that some trigger event will return us home." "Like what? What event?" Ai shrugged. "I have no idea. I should be able to figure out a better idea of what exactly is happening with more time." "How much more time?" "Give me about two weeks." "All right." Ruri sighed. "In the meantime...I'm gonna make the most of this universe." She hopped out of her seat and ran over to see Akito. * * * * * There was a flash of golden glitter, and Genichiro stood on the radio antenna mounted on top of the ND Department Store. Cradled under one arm was a nasty-looking piece of necromantic military hardware. "I know you're around here somewhere." "Squeak!" Genichiro scowled. "Not you." The Batto materialized in front of him, its repulsorlife jets glowing. He turned and pointed down to the street. "Many people out there, all squandering their ki in...amusement. Send one quarter of your brethren to harvest. Let one-quarter more search for my enemy. The remainder shall lie in wait." * * * * * "School uniform...school uniform...what the heck is this?" Ruri stared at the orange crinolines in disgust. "No thanks. School uniform...school uniform...Don't I own anything that looks nice?" "The crinolines look okay..." "Shut up, Omoikane. You have no clue about fashion." "Like you do?" She pulled another hanger out of the closet, and gaped at the white and pale blue dress that hung on it. "Well...I should have expected this one to appear, sooner or later." She pulled the dress on quickly, then started hunting for shoes to match. * * * * * "Oh, come on!" Yurika was whining again. "It'll be fun!" Ai just looked at her. "Why do you want me to go see an old movie like that? It's only in two dimensions, for Pete's sake." "Ummm...because I haven't seen it yet. And I don't wanna go see a movie alone!" "Are you sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Ruri and Akito are going to see it?" "It has nothing to do with that! I know that Akito loves me!" "Then why are you so concerned about going?" "Because I haven't seen this movie yet. Let's go!" * * * * * "Tsukumo!" Megumi ran forward and glomped the former Dark General, knocking the wind from his lungs. He gasped, and tried to pry her death-grip off of him. "I'm glad to see you too, Megumi...but please...let me live." "Oh! Sorry!" She released him, stepped back and twirled. "How do I look?" She was simply dressed, wearing a white cotton blouse, a tan blazer and a matching tan pleated miniskirt that showed off a generous amount of thigh. He glanced up and down her form quickly, then nodded. "You look great." "Thanks!" She grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the department store. "Let's go; Ruri and Akito are waiting for us." He paused. "Ruri?" "Sure! You remember? The girl that came with me for the audition. You know...the ditz?" "Oh! Right." He shook his head. "I thought you meant someone else..." * * * * * Genichiro stood, surveying the Nerima District from its highest point, atop the department store. "I know you're out there, and I will find you." "Squeak!" "You shut up." He looked away from the rifle. "You are a worthy adversary, and I know I shall have to search you out. You will not merely walk into my sights..." He broke off as Tsukumo did just that. "Never mind." * * * * * Ruri waved to Megumi and Tsukumo. Akito glanced over at them. "Isn't he a little...old? I mean, if Megumi's only fourteen...?" "And we're any better?" Ruri grabbed his arm and walked over to meet the other two. "Besides...this is Nerima." "Good point. The only district where sitting on a lamppost, power pole or radio tower is common." "Good evening!" Megumi bowed quickly to Ruri and Akito. "Ready for the motion picture event of the centuty?" "This is only part one, Megumi. Part two isn't due out until October." "Details! Anyway, we gotta get tickets before it's sold out. Let's go!" Tsukumo stiffened. "Genichiro..." "Huh?" "He's here!" He moved suddenly, shoving Megumi away from him. The green bean lanced out and struck Tsukumo in the chest. He collapsed with a gasp of pain. Megumi screamed. "Great, not again..." Ruri turned to Akito. "I'm gonna go call an ambulance. Get those two under some cover." "Hai." * * * * * "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. Magical Girl Pretty Ruri leaped onto a nearby roof and scanned quickly for the sniper. He turned out to be rather conspicuous; he was the big guy with the long hair and huge rifle jumping off of the department store's radio antenna. "Distortion Field!" Ruri spun the staff in front of her. A glowing blue cloud formed all around her, then stabilized into a light blue sphere. She leapt off and landed next to the sniper. Genichiro scanned the target area. "Where the heck is he?" He stiffened slightly, at the touch of a plasma pistol's muzzle just behind his left ear. "Looking for the man you just killed?" Yurika and Ai stepped into view. Yurika struck a stupid pose. "Evildoer, you who would disrupt the opening night of such a glorious movie, where young, loving couples come to bak in each other's radiance, where--" Ai smacked her once. "Shut up, already." Genichiro smiled. "So he's dead. My mission here is complete. I'll leave you some of my friends, to keep you entertained..." He dissolved in a spray of golden fire. Sixteen Battos faded into view. Yurika glanced around her. "Only sixteen? I'm insulted!" Ruri quickly moved to cover Tsukumo and Megumi with her Distortion Field. Tsukumo gasped, obviously in great pain. Megumi looked up at Ruri. "He's gonna be all right, isn't he...?" "I don't know." Ruri felt helpless. Tsukumo coughed once, then looked up at Megumi. "I'm sorry. For everything I've done, for not being here with you. I'm sorry." His eyes slipped closed. Megumi burst into tears, hugging Tsukumo to her. Ruri stepped forward, and put a hand on her shoulder. The firefight had ground to a halt, and Yurika and Ai walked towards Ruri. "We gotta get going. The police are coming." "But Megumi--" "The police can help her. We can't do anything more." "Hai." She stood and walked away from Megumi and Tsukumo. She glanced back, eyes growing wet. "He just can't win, can he?" * * * * * Author's Notes: Thanks to Daniel Snyder for a line we just couldn't pass up. Yes, this episode is a little gloomier than is usual for this series. But, the corresponding episode of Sailor Moon is equally gloomy. And don't worry: We have plenty of silliness left. Just wait for Episode 14. :) Comments and Criticism can be sent to tailkinker@home.com or to kitsy@home.com. This story is archived in a number of places: members.home.net/kitsy, www.geocities.com/groves_ca, ftp.cs.ubc.ca/pub/archive/anime- fan-works/Nadesico. Flames can be sent to the Royal Canadian Air Farce Chicken Cannon Target of the Week (mailto:cannon@airfarce.com?subject=Chicken Cannon Target of the Week Suggestion) - they're always looking for a new target. [TK] "Hey, Kitsy, can you recommend ammunition for us if we are selected?" [Kitsy] "Hmmm...a mix of gerbil food, ketchup, old salad, and a fish." [TK] "And don't forget the spam." Ja ne!