The Dark Lords of Nerima, Chapter Twelve [R/SM cross]

[claymade]

I was thinking more of the energy cost in transporting enough of those reserves into Tokyo to keep fighting on this scale. The main large transfers of people happened in the "Temple Bus" situation and the way it goes it seems most of those transfers of people was powered by the energy of the abducted more than anything else.

Really the Negaverse seems to be reluctant to allow more than 3 out into the world at a time without the movements being powered by stolen energy to preserve their stores being used to revive the demon queen.

Hmm, that wasn't the impression I got from the episode, myself... May need to watch it again.

In any case, the end result is pretty much the same. Even if opening such a temporary portal did drain Mettalia's energy store, there's still nothing I can think of that indicates that it requires energy to maintain the youma's existence in the world. So it'd still be a one-time cost to create the bridge... but once they did that, they could send pretty much any number of youma through it. The usual low numbers I attribute more to their desire to keep a low profile than anything else.

Not to mention that they've still got the main portal in the cafe, which from its episode seems to be a stable connection, since once the Senshi found it, they could use it themselves; it was operational on a consistent basis.

[Spokavriel]

But it didn't drain Metallia. What it did was use up allot of energy before it could be given to her. The only time I remember them getting anything back from Metallia before the end fight is when the crystal dark crystal was being repaired to be an effective tool for finding the rainbow crystal carriers in the Anime. Energy given to Metallia is not a resource for the Negaverse they can't get any benefit from it until after she awakens it's gone to them. And they need more to make it so she can revive.

What I was attempting to say is that from cannon it appears that their resources can only maintain the connections to get monsters there when either the monsters can move under their own power (Teleport), Be moved by a General using their own power(Summon) or an energy expensive tesseract making a relatively shorter passage between their base and the battle zone.

Being a special group to deal with traitors it makes sense for the monsters you've had already to have their own private resources saved so they can properly do their jobs. But this loss has shown that the cannon M.O. won't exactly be possible. So I was trying to suggest they might have to do some desperate appearing acts or at least larger scale attempts at energy collection to balance out larger scale battling.

[claymade]

What I was attempting to say is that from cannon it appears that their resources can only maintain the connections to get monsters there when either the monsters can move under their own power (Teleport), Be moved by a General using their own power(Summon) or an energy expensive tesseract making a relatively shorter passage between their base and the battle zone.

Being a special group to deal with traitors it makes sense for the monsters you've had already to have their own private resources saved so they can properly do their jobs. But this loss has shown that the cannon M.O. won't exactly be possible. So I was trying to suggest they might have to do some desperate appearing acts or at least larger scale attempts at energy collection to balance out larger scale battling.

Well, I don't know if we can say exactly how expensive the tesseract is relative to their overall store, but I have actually been having them use the stable Juuban portal and trekking to Nerima--both for the Darkmistress's first appearance, and the second, with it being implied in the other youma attacks. So you could interpret that as a move to save energy, if you wanted...

[Spokavriel]

There is something else irking me about the fight. It didn't right away but really thinking about it, Just how many stores did Ranma Smash through? All of them would have at least fire suppression systems if not other water related services in the buildings. So how did Ranma manage smashing through all those stores dodging cars without getting soaked?

[claymade]

There is something else irking me about the fight. It didn't right away but really thinking about it, Just how many stores did Ranma Smash through? All of them would have at least fire suppression systems if not other water related services in the buildings. So how did Ranma manage smashing through all those stores dodging cars without getting soaked?

Well, I'm not a plumber, so I don't know much about how any cutoffs would work, or the density of the piping, or how many walls it would go through or which walls it would go through, or what the effect would actually look like in a state of building-collapse.

What I do know is that I've seen my fair share of action movies where buildings get totaled, and I don't remember any of them spraying water around. Certainly not in a pervasive enough manner such that Ranma would be required to be soaked.

And, if all those shows do, in fact, turn out to be unrealistic... well, I have the safety of numbers. Especially since the end effect is to reduce distractions in the scene.

[Spokavriel]

For a long time it's been a reasonably consistent requirement for businesses to have those sprinkler systems to suppress fire. I just felt I had to ask because they should be in all ceilings. While other water things would be more likely to be more prevalent in the back half of some business spaces.

Action movies tend to only use things like that for visual effect. If they want the actor wet then wow there go the sprinklers. Or a rain storm.

[claymade]

For a long time it's been a reasonably consistent requirement for businesses to have those sprinkler systems to suppress fire. I just felt I had to ask because they should be in all ceilings.

Well, even if these stores did have them, Jadeite was mostly throwing stuff through walls toward Ranma, not ceilings--and Ranma always got onto the next building just before Jadeite took out enough of the supporting structure that the whole thing came down...

[Spokavriel]

I know. It was just one of those things that came to mind that I couldn't get out of my head without typing it out. Ever have that happen?

[claymade]

I know. It was just one of those things that came to mind that I couldn't get out of my head without typing it out. Ever have that happen?

Ah, yes. Definitely know how that can be...

(Heck, that sentence pretty much sums up my life as a writer. Getting something stuck in your head and not being able to get it out without typing it up... )

[yakumo fujii]

Very intense fight scene, very realistic and well done. I'd wondered how Ranma and Ryoga would handle Jadeite without any advance techniques and you didn't disappoint.

You continue to do very impressive work with Beneda. Writing an OC is hard enough, let alone one as morally conflicted and wracked with internal conflict as this one.

You manage to keep up the suspense even with the end of the fight at hand. Did the Darkmistress survive? Almost certainly, but there's that little bit of doubt and ambiguity.

I was pretty surprised when Tofu showed up, he's very underused by almost everyone including Takahashi. I thought that maybe Akane had bit the bullet and went to get Kuno. You made Tofu seem very smooth, I liked it.

Sounded like Ryoga was hurt pretty badly, but given how durable he's shown himself to be and with Tofu on hand he should be fine in the long run I'd think.

Will the Senshi start to rethink their opinion of the "Dark Lords" after Ryoga's sacrifice and Luna's survival? What about the fact that Ami didn't detect them using any magic? I'd think there would be some conflict of opinions on the team over the matter.

As for Jadeite, he's in real bad shape, but so is the Darkmistress, so she probably won't be able to take advantage of his condition. But what of Beryl's reaction to this Clusterfuck? I can't imagine she'd take this lying down. I'd be a little surprised if she didn't execute one of them to make an example.

I can't really see Ranma and Ryoga winning their rematch with Jadeite unless they're taught some advanced techniques. Jadeite will just go all out with the magic blasts and telekinesis from the beginning and crush them instead of playing around. Of course if Mouse is their to distract him with projectile weapons, it will be a big help, but Jadeite won't come alone.

How will this effect those on the sidelines. Ranma and Ryoga have defeated a tremendously strong opponent. Will it inspire Genma to believe that there's a chance of victory in this war and to get off his butt and teach them something useful or will he sink further into depression? It won't change how Cologne feels, but how will Shampoo react? She's gonna be pretty upset when she hears/sees what kind of condition Ranma's in. Now that Tofu has helped Ranma and Ryoga out does he know any techniques that he could teach them?

And where's Happosai in all this? Superhero schoolgirls in short skirts fighting demonic women, he'd be all over that.

[claymade]

Very intense fight scene, very realistic and well done. I'd wondered how Ranma and Ryoga would handle Jadeite without any advance techniques and you didn't disappoint.

Thank you! Yeah, I particularly wanted to throw them up against someone like him without their more developed latter bag of tricks, just to force them more into a corner so they'd have to improvise--and hang on by their teeth.

You continue to do very impressive work with Beneda. Writing an OC is hard enough, let alone one as morally conflicted and wracked with internal conflict as this one.

Glad to hear that she's staying interesting. The OC angle usually feels like the most risky part of it to me, since there's so many more ways that an OC can go wrong. It's good to hear that her function in the story is staying enjoyable.

I was pretty surprised when Tofu showed up, he's very underused by almost everyone including Takahashi. I thought that maybe Akane had bit the bullet and went to get Kuno. You made Tofu seem very smooth, I liked it.

He's a really fun character to use; I always thought it was a shame that we didn't see more of him in canon, so I definitely wanted to find the opportunity to include him.

Will the Senshi start to rethink their opinion of the "Dark Lords" after Ryoga's sacrifice and Luna's survival? What about the fact that Ami didn't detect them using any magic? I'd think there would be some conflict of opinions on the team over the matter.

The Senshi will definitely have clearer heads on the matter once they find out that Luna actually survived Ryouga's toss. Beyond that... well, I can't give any spoilers...

And where's Happosai in all this? Superhero schoolgirls in short skirts fighting demonic women, he'd be all over that.

Indeed. In actual fact, my original outline for this very chapter called for the distraction that allowed the NWC escape to be Happi wandering by and doing his "usual thing" with the Senshi.

That eventually got scrapped, though. Not only was it pretty much a deus ex machina, but more importantly it started to sink in to me that since I'm setting this in Season One... the Senshi are actually only fourteen at this point in the series. And--even granting that we know what he does is fundamentally wrong overall--that particular case of having him go after them like that was more than I could stomach writing.

Fortunately, I caught it in time to shift things around--and I like using Tofu much, much better.

[Spokavriel]

Oh you could give spoilers. You just refuse to. Being a meannie like that and all

[claymade]

Being a meannie like that and all

Heh heh. Hey, I'm writing a story about Dark Lords, y'know? Gotta get into the feel of the characters. All the good, old-fashioned MUAHAHAHAHA! and such...

[yakumo fujii]

Oh you could give spoilers. You just refuse to. Being a meannie like that and all

Yeah, I noticed he avoided any of the truly spoilerish questions I asked.

[PCHeintz72]

That eventually got scrapped, though. Not only was it pretty much a deus ex machina, but more importantly it started to sink in to me that since I'm setting this in Season One... the Senshi are actually only fourteen at this point in the series. And--even granting that we know what he does is fundamentally wrong overall--that particular case of having him go after them like that was more than I could stomach writing.

Fortunately, I caught it in time to shift things around--and I like using Tofu much, much better.

Actually... you are missing the obvious solution to the dilemma. if you do not want Happosai going after 14 year olds (and I'll note Ranma/akane at series start are 15/16). There are perfectly good other targets. The youma...