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*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.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. Inez tells me it's just my body. Because I'm growing, I've become clumsy, and hungry, and tired. But this doesn't explain why I can't seem to do well in school. Or why I'm acting so oddly.
"Wherever this place is, it's affecting me poorly. I need to go home."
Tail Kinker and Kitsy present
Magical Girl Pretty Ruri
Episode Seventeen:
In Dreams Alone
The battle was over.
"Thank you."
He removed his helmet, set it down, and glanced over at the Princess.
Her expression was neutral. "Your admiration is impressive."
He shrugged, and turned away, somewhat embarrassed. "It was fun."
She smiled, her cheeks colouring slightly. "Thank you."
* * * * *
Akito blinked, and sat up. The dream had faded into the glare of the sun shining in his eyes. His alarm clock was beeping quietly, and he reached over and flipped it off.
He sighed. That dream, more than any of the others, continued to haunt him.
He opened the nightstand next to his bed and pulled out a small notebook. He opened it, and jotted a note.
`Friday, the seventeenth. The Battle Dream.'
He winced. His head was killing him, and he felt slightly nauseous. This often happened after a dream.
He flipped through the notebook. The Battle Dream was leading the pack. The other four - the Armour Dream, the Fountain Dream, the Song Dream, and the Kitten Dream. They didn't occur as often as the Battle Dream.
For some reason, he *knew* that the Battle Dream was the key to all five.
He glanced over at his alarm clock.
"Damn! I should have been moving half an hour ago!"
* * * * *
"You're late!"
Ruri bowed. "I'm sorry, Uribitake-sensei."
Uribitake glanced down at his roll. "Well, since you're only a few minutes late - and for you, that's remarkably punctual - I'll mark you present. Take your seat."
Ruri bowed again, and hurried over to her seat.
"Lean...Only one more day to go, Ruri-Ruri."
Yurika giggled. "Are you trying to break a habit? Two days on time in a row. Or at least, close to on time."
Ruri opened her bookbag, then paused. "Ummm...Where's Megumi?"
* * * * *
"Akito-kun, are you all right?"
Akito blinked. "Yeah, Megumi-chan, I'm fine."
"Liar."
Akito laughed. "I am not!"
"You look sick to your stomach. Did you try more of Yurika's fudge?"
Akito twitched. "Umm...No. Just a bit of a headache."
"Headache and stomach problems..." Megumi bit her lip. "Could be a couple of things." She started ticking them off on her fingers. "Could be--No, that wouldn't be it."
"Wouldn't be what?"
"Don't worry. You don't have it. Could be the flu."
"In October?"
"Why not?"
"Well...isn't flu season more like December or January?"
She shrugged. "It hits people year round. Usually hits any time there's been a change in temperature or climate. A cold spell or rain showers can cause an outbreak of flu."
"Wow...You know a lot about flu."
She shrugged, then ticked off another finger. "Could be food poisoning. Sorry about that, if it is."
"Actually, I don't think I tried your...fudge."
"Oh! That's a relief! It had to be put down."
"...No comment." Even thinking about the previous day's...food...was enough to make him nauseous.
"Or it could be that you're lovesick."
"Huh? Where the heck did that come from?"
Megumi grinned. "Well, you haven't gotten to spend any time with Ruri, really. Aside from yesterday, but you weren't at your best."
Akito shook his head. "Shouldn't you be in school right now?"
"Nope." She dropped a small piece of paper on the counter. "I got a pass today. I get to spend the day at the hospital."
"...The hospital?"
"Of course. I want to be a nurse. So I get to spend some time at the hospital, to see what the job's like."
Akito grinned. "I didn't know you were interested in medicine."
"Well, it was that, or a voice actress for anime." She grinned. "You're trying to change the subject, aren't you?"
"Did it work?"
"No."
"..."
* * * * *
"Time's up. Please close the test booklets and pass them to the front of the room."
Ruri grinned confidently. She'd closed the test booklet fifteen minutes ago. Now she passed it ahead to the boy in front of her, along with Ai's. She hopped to her feet and bolted for the door.
"Hoshino-san."
She skidded to a halt, turned and bowed. "Hai, Nakaguri- sensei?"
Nakaguri-sensei indicated the stack of test booklets. "You finished this rather quickly, Hoshino-san. Are you quite certain that you are satisfied with your performance? You could easily have spent the final five minutes double- checking your work."
"With all due respect, Sensei...I aced this." She bowed, turned, and left the room.
* * * * *
Ruri sat down under her tree and pulled out her bento.
"Put it away."
"Huh?"
Ruri looked up to see Megumi leaning over her.
"I knew you'd come right straight here as soon as lunch started. Come on."
Ruri stood, somewhat confused. "Where are we going?"
"You're having lunch somewhere else. Oh...Want some fudge?"
"Ummm...did you make it?"
"No. Mom did."
"Oh. Sure."
* * * * *
Houmei banged on the bathroom door. "Yo, Tenkawa. You coming out?"
"Yeah...Just give me a second..."
"You've had several." Houmei shook her head. The poor kid was sick as a dog, but insisted on working anyway.
The bathroom door opened, and Akito staggered out. Houmei shook her head again. "Tenkawa, you look like hell. You should take the day off."
"I'm okay...It's probably just some food poisoning--"
"Not from my restaurant!" Houmei chuckled. "Look, Akito, I appreciate your determination--"
"What?" He looked at her oddly.
*RING*RING*
Houmei glanced up. "Hello, Ruri-chan! I'm glad you're here."
Akito glanced up, to see Ruri and Megumi at the door. Megumi wore a self-satisfied smirk. He rolled his eyes.
Ruri looked over at Akito. "What's wrong?"
He shrugged. "I think it was something I ate..."
Megumi's smirk widened. "That's not what I think."
"Shut up, Megumi."
Houmei sat down, and glanced over at Ruri. "You're mother's a nurse, correct?"
Ruri nodded. "Though I don't like where this is going..."
"That's not what I think."
"Shut up, Megumi."
Houmei gestured to Akito. "Why don't you take Tenkawa, here, down to the clinic? Get your mother to look at him? He's sick, and isn't willing to admit that he can't work like this."
Akito broke in. "I can work!"
"See?"
Ruri smiled slightly. "Sorry, Houmei. But my mother only works part-time. She'd be at home right now..." She broke off in horror as she realized what she'd just said.
"Fine then! Take him home!"
Megumi collapsed into a chair, laughing. Akito raised a hand. "Don't I get a say in this?"
"No. You're sick."
"I don't think my mother would approve of my bringing Akito-kun to our house."
"That's not--"
"SHUT UP, Megumi!"
Megumi blinked.
Akito stood up. "It's okay, Ruri-chan. I don't want to impose..."
"Come on. Let's go."
"But you just said--"
"Ignore what I just said. You're sick. No-one can take care of you if you go to your apartment. At home, my mother can take care of you." She grabbed his hand. "So let's go."
"I don't--"
"Or, if you are determined to go to your apartment, I can send Yurika to look after you there. Does your apartment have a kitchen?"
Akito paled. "Okay, we'll go to your house."
Ruri smiled. "I'm glad you see it my way."
* * * * *
"I'm very sorry. It was my fault."
"It is the duty of a Knight to protect a Princess, right? I was just beaten up, though..."
* * * * *
"Akito?"
Akito blinked, and looked around. "What?"
"You fell asleep." Ruri stood up. "Let's go. We have to hurry, or I'll be late for my afternoon classes."
Akito stood up. "Was I that wasted?" He looked back at the bench. "And why was I asleep here?"
Ruri looked at him oddly. "You said that you were a bit tired, wanted to sit down for a minute..." Her eyes narrowed. "I think I know what's wrong with you."
* * * * *
The room was dark, the walls lined with shelves of books. Against one wall was a massive oaken desk with a single lantern casting feeble illumination.
Genichiro gazed into the Eye of Jinchi. "My plan, to take over the bodies and minds of the most powerful Paragons on Earth, has been working...somewhat. But still, we have not discovered the true identity of Magical Girl Pretty Ruri. If only I hadn't been so quick to destroy Tsukumo..." He twitched. "I'm beginning to sound like a character from one of Mie's anime."
"Akara's not very impressed, you know."
Genichiro looked up at Mie in annoyance. "Haven't you done enough damage already? Please go away."
Mie smiled. "I'm not the one who stole the prized Crystal. Of course, I did recommend that course of action...but we'll ignore that. Also, I'm not the one that blundered every single chance to use it to its fullest extent."
"My plans have gathered more ki than anything Tsukumo tried."
"Yes. But you've consistently failed to destroy Pretty Ruri." Mie smiled down at him. "Akara's not at all pleased, and neither is--" She broke off.
Genichiro frowned. "Neither is...whom?" "Nobody." Mie looked pensive.
"There are only myself, you and Prince Akara working on this project. Neither is whom?"
Mie tapped the Eye of Jinchi, and it re-phased to show an image from Earth. "Is this the next Paragon?"
Genichiro glanced over at the picture. "One of those four is a Paragon. My research indicated that the Paragon of Healing would be revealed at this point." He indicated the brown-haired girl and the older woman. "Both of these were working at a medical facility, the older woman at a clinic, the younger at the hospital. For a girl of that age to be working at a hospital...It must be her."
"Really. A Paragon of Healing. That sounds dangerous." Mie raised on eyebrow. "What about that younger girl? She seems to be quite powerful."
"She is indeed quite powerful, but the Eye of Jinchi refuses to focus on her past for more than about a day. As for targeting a healer..." He smirked. "The primary goal is to gather ki. Certainly a corrupted healer will have ample opportunity."
Mie frowned. "That...almost made sense. Do you have a fever?"
* * * * *
"Now you stay here, Akito. Lie down, and just rest."
"I told you--"
"No." Usagi stuck a thermometer in his mouth, effectively shutting him up. "It is very important that a flu patient get a lot of rest."
"Mom...I don't think it's the flu."
Usagi glanced over at Ruri. "Well, even if it's not, warmth and rest are rarely a bad call." She grabbed a blanket and tossed it over Akito. "What do you think it is?"
"Well, Akito has some memory problems. I thought that maybe--"
"Amnesia? Hmm..." She pulled the thermometer out of Akito's mouth and examined it. "No fever...Ruri, you might be right."
"Really?"
"Yes. A person who is recovering from amnesia often suffers a mild swelling of the brain. This can cause headache, nausea and fatigue."
"Oh..."
"But of course, you remember this, right? After all, after you got that bad fever, you couldn't remember much about the past."
"...Right."
Usagi beamed. "It's just one more thing that you and Akito have in common! Why, you two make a perfect couple!"
"...of idiots," interjected Megumi.
"Megumi-chan! That wasn't very nice!"
Ruri was busy studying her socks. Interesting kitten pattern, worked into the cuff...
Usagi was about to launch another tirade, but was interrupted by a subdued beeping from her pager. She glanced at it, and groaned. "Gotta run, kids. You two stay here with Akito-kun, and keep an eye on him."
"Mom, we've got classes--"
"I'll call the school and clear it with them. Gotta run! Bye!"
"Wait!" Megumi ran after her. "I have to go to the hospital."
"Why?"
"Job placement. Besides, it'll give Akito and Ruri some time alone..."
"Good idea!"
Ruri sighed.
* * * * *
There was a flash of golden glitter, and Genichiro re- formed within the storage closet of the hospital. For once, he'd decided to listen to the crystal when it told him to crouch; there wasn't much head space in this closet. He smiled. He would, indeed, get the hang of working with these magical artifacts.
With that in mind, he stood up...and whacked his head off the closet's coat rack.
"Ite!"
He opened the door and stepped out into the hall, still rubbing his head.
* * * * *
"Megumi!"
"Hm?" Megumi turned from what she was doing - changing the sheets on a bed - and looked over to her supervisor.
"I need you to do me a favour. Can you change the dressing on Ishida-san's leg? Room 507."
"Hai. Just let me finish this up." She turned back to the bed.
"Excuse me, sir, but you can't come in here. Visiting hours are over, and this room is empty anyway."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost."
Megumi looked over, to see the tall man with very long black hair at the door. A person she recognized instantly.
"Genichiro!"
He looked up, in shock.
She turned and charged him, one hand clenched in a fist.
He smiled. "Quite the spirit...Yes, you must be the Paragon." He tossed the Batta at her.
The Batta expanded, and enveloped Megumi...and vanished. Megumi calmed down, as suddenly as if a fuse had burned out.
"That's better." Genichiro smiled at her. "Yes, I recognize you now. You're the mortal girl that Tsukumo was infatuated with."
Megumi merely stared straight ahead.
"Of course, I can't get much of a reaction out of you right now. Tell you what. Go about your business in this place, as though you never saw me. But, of course, gather the ki."
Megumi smiled. "I gotta go change Ishida-san's bandage!"
* * * * *
Omoikane batted the controls on the arcade machine. Paws were not the most ideal method of manipulating an arcade machine's controls, but he was able to work them in the complex pattern needed to contact Central Control.
"We have a problem."
"Not so fast. Pass-phrase please."
"Cats who drink Irish cream get wobbly." He winced; why did Central Control have such stupid passwords?
"Authorization approved. Level 3 clearance granted. What's the problem?"
*Level three?* He shook his head. "It has been too quiet. And too long since the Dark World's last attempt to gain power."
"Yes. We feel it is because their current General is a moron."
Omoikane blinked.
"But we have detected a severe ki drain, centered on the hospital."
"The hospital..."
"First Akito gets sick, then you wander in again!"
Omoikane turned in surprise, to see Houmei's broom descending. He leaped away from the console and bolted for the door. Houmei chased him to the door, then stopped and shook her head.
"That darn cat! Why does he come in here?"
* * * * *
Ruri and Akito were, at least, enjoying themselves.
Not THAT way! Hentai!
"The popcorn's done, Akito." She popped open the door and grabbed the bag from inside the microwave. "You found anything worth watching yet?"
"Not really." He clicked the remote control. "Some western, with Jackie Chan in it. Hmm...'Enter the Dragon.' You like fantasy?" Click. "Never mind. It's a martial arts movie."
Ruri dropped onto the couch next to him and offered him some popcorn. He grabbed a handful, and clicked the remote again.
"Anime. I remember this one; it's about a giant battleship. It's got mecha and invading aliens that look just like humans."
"Don't they all?"
"Meow!"
Ruri glanced up, to see Omoikane standing in the kitchen's picture window. She hopped up. "Please wait a minute. I need to feed the cat."
"Sure."
Ruri walked into the kitchen, grabbing the cat food on the way. She poured the cat's food bowl full, then leaned down and whispered to the cat.
"What's up?"
"Golem attack."
"Noooo....." Ruri rolled her eyes.
"Yes."
"I can't go. I have company."
"Ruri."
She sighed. "Where?"
"The hospital."
"Great." She sighed, and stood up. "I'll need a distraction. Can you go outside, and dial the phone here?"
*RING*
"Never mind." She picked up the phone. "Hello?"
Omoikane's voice came over the line. "Figured you'd need a distraction. Make the most of it."
"Hai. I understand." She hung up, then glared down at the cat.
Omoikane looked back at her innocently. You could almost see the halo.
* * * * *
Pretty Ruri walked down the hospital hallway, occasionally glancing into the rooms.
"Everyone's out cold. Looks like their ki has been drained..."
"Don't panic." Yurika and Ai had been called in by Omoikane. "We'll just have to find the golem, and smash it, right?"
"Odd..." Ruri frowned slightly. "You'd think that Megumi would've been the first target..."
"Ahem." Ai pointed down the hall.
Megumi stood at the end of the hall, still dressed in her candy striper outfit. The look on her face was...disturbing.
"Megumi! What's going on?"
Megumi took a step forward. It looked like she was trying to fight off something, trying to keep control...
"Damn. 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's been possessed by the Dark World."
"Huh?" Yurika looked confused. "Not Megumi! Who would they have to attack?"
Megumi howled - the sound sent shivers down Ruri's spine - and charged them.
She held the quarterstaff in front of her, eyes closed. A wind began to swirl around her, and her hair fluttered, drawn out to its full length. She opened her eyes, swept the staff around her and brought it to rest, pointing directly at Megumi.
"Gravity--"
Megumi impacted against the Distortion Field, and bounced backward. A small Batto materialized and flew past Ruri. It hit the floor, righted itself, and skittered away...up until Ai stepped on it.
*CRUNCH*
"Well, that was easy."
Ruri nodded. "Too easy."
"You're right. It was."
The threesome turned, to see Genichiro step out of the shadows.
"I thought she was a Paragon. Too late, I realized she was not. No matter. At least she managed to flush you out." He made a gesture with an open hand, and a crystalline rapier appeared in his hand.
"Paragon?"
"The person with the most potential in their field. In this case, healing. It was either her, or the other woman, the blue haired one..."
"Blue haired...Mother."
"But since you're here..." He raised the rapier.
"Careful, Ruri! That weapon will pass right through your Distortion Field!"
Ruri scarcely heard Ai. "You tried to corrupt--" Her vision clouded, and she raised the staff.
Genichiro laughed. "You've already demonstrated the worthlessness of our Gravity Beam against my shields."
"Yamato Scream!"
The blast exploded away from her, impacting Genichiro's shields full-force. A howling shriek pierced the air, the sound of reality tearing itself apart.
Ruri snapped back to herself, and realized that her attack was now beyond her control. She turned to Ai and Yurika. "We need to get out of here. Now."
"But the people here--"
"Grab someone, but we need to go!" Ruri grabbed the nearest person - Megumi, as it happened - and leapt away from the attack's epicenter.
Luckily, the effect was fairly short-ranged. It expanded out into an area three meters across - then collapsed back into itself. There was a soft *bamf* as air rushed in to replace the matterless void.
Ruri stared at the devastation. "Was anyone in there?"
"No. Nobody got hurt." Ai sighed. "Ruri, what--"
"I don't know. It was too powerful." She looked at her hands. "I stopped it, before it finished."
"You're right. That attack could destroy this planet."
"I'm never using it again." She stood up, and shed her transformation. "I'm not doing this anymore." She turned and ran from the room.
"Ruri--"
Ai laid a hand on Yurika's arm. "Don't. Give her some time."
"But what if she's serious? What if she never does become Pretty Ruri again?"
Ai looked around the hospital, at all the people still lying drained of energy. "Let's hope that doesn't happen."
* * * * *
Genichiro materialized in a spray of golden glitter, and promptly keeled over. He rolled over onto his side and coughed up a small black cloud of smoke.
"Memo to me: Never attempt to corrupt anybody's mother ever again.
* * * * *
Our apologies to: Walt Disney, Bill Penney and Deanna Colwill, Peter Proud, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Douglas Adams (You will be missed), and our readers for the lag on this one. We'll try to do better, we promise.
Comments and Criticism can be sent to tailkinker@home.com or to kitsy@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.