"What's the latest news from our patrols?"
"Not good. The sporadic reports of crops dying and trees rotting...it's
become more widespread. And now there's some kind of plague. Animals are
dying, horrible new monsters are appearing...the land itself is dead in
places. It's getting worse by the day."
"And we still don't have a clue what's causing it. Damn."
"And the Pillar? Her condition?"
"Deteriorating. At about the same rate as Cephiro itself. There's...not
really anything any of us can do. We have absolutely no idea what's causing
it, nor any way to cure it."
A centuries-old mage leaned heavily on his ornate staff, looking out the
window at the deep blue sky--a brilliant, beautiful, peaceful sky which
belied the dying land beneath it.
"Perhaps...perhaps this is our punishment for what we did to those girls..."
*Umi. Fuu. Hikaru. I'm...sorry.*
====================================
FIRE IN THE WATER
Ranma 1/2 X Magic Knight Rayearth
a Studio ELL fanfiction production
Disclaimers:
Ranma 1/2 property of Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, VIZ Communications.
Magic Knight RayEarth property of CLAMP, Kodansha, Media Blasters.
Characters and situations borrowed from or mirroring other series copyright
the respective owners and used without permission.
====================================
ACT TWO
-1-
Seven very confused teenagers found themselves freefalling from a dizzying
height, screaming their lungs out.
After what felt like forever, and with a good distance still remaining until
a messy and fatal landing, the group impacted a soft, bouncy surface.
"What the hell just happened?" Ukyou asked, glancing around in a panic, hand
clutched to her chest to still her hammering heart.
"What did we just LAND on?" Ryouga asked, picking himself up.
"It fish. It too too big fish. It flying."
"Fish...flying?" Akane asked, blinking. Sure enough, she and the others were
standing on top of a giant, flying fish, speeding through a sapphire sky
dotted with small, puffy white clouds. A vast sea sprawled below them, along
with the shore of an equally vast green land.
In the distance, a large island topped by an enormous, prominent formation
of crystal floated serenely in the air.
Umi gasped. "No...NO!"
Fuu frowned. "This place."
Hikaru stared at the distant floating island in shock, eyes wide with
horror. "We're...we're in Cephiro."
"Haven't they done enough to us already?" Umi cried. "What the hell do they
want now?"
"This is Cephiro?" Akane asked, looking over the edge of the flying fish at
the land below. "It's...actually really pretty."
"How the hell did we get here?" Ryouga asked. "And why the hell is there an
island floating in the sky?"
"It's the shrine of the Mashin Windam," Fuu said absently. "The Mashin I
failed to awaken." She adjusted her glasses and straightened her skirt. "Of
more immediate concern is finding Clef-san and learning why we were brought
back to this place."
*kane...can you hear me...*
Akane's head snapped up. "Does anyone hear that?"
"Hear what?" Ukyou asked.
*nswer me! AKANE! AKANE!!*
"Shampoo hear it too," the Amazon said, eyes darting around. "It sound
like..."
Hikaru gasped. "Look!" She pointed a trembling finger at something wavering
in the air in front of her. It was faint, distorted, but becoming clearer by
the moment.
Akane's heart nearly stopped.
It was Ranma.
* * * * * * *
An agonizingly long time had passed in a vacuum for Saotome Ranma.
Aware of the passage of time if not its measure, Ranma's last coherent
memory was of speaking to Cologne. Then, he had faded into a grey haze of
partial awareness. Cut off from his senses, with no idea what was going on,
he tried everything he could think of to break free, to wake up,
to...whatever one did when one was in this situation.
And then, after a maddening eternity of limbo, his senses slowly started to
return. The very first thing he was aware of was Akane, and a sense that she
was in danger. He began calling her name, the world around him becoming
clearer, his senses sharper as he focused all his willpower into the simple
task of calling out to her.
Now, she was staring at him in shock, and as he realized she had, indeed,
seen and heard him, as relief flooded his mind, he started taking notice of
the other items in the immediate vicinity.
Ryouga, Ukyou, Shampoo, two girls he didn't know, and...himself.
Himself was staring at him in disbelief and anxiety. With red eyes.
*What the hell's going on?* he demanded. He noticed that something was wrong
with his voice. Also, he had not actually felt his mouth move. Nor could he
seem to make any part of his body move. All he could do was speak.
"R-ranma?" Akane asked. "Is...is it really..."
"Airen is...ghost?" Shampoo asked hesitantly, confused.
*Whaddya mean ghost? I ain't no gh--* Ranma paused, again taking note of the
red-eyed female Ranma standing beside him, hands clasped to her mouth in
horror. *--I...I'm not, right? I couldn't be...*
"You are not a ghost, Saotome-san," one of the unfamiliar girls--the one
with glasses--said. "We have witnessed this phenomenon before, in this
land." She assumed a lecturing posture. "Within this world, Cephiro,
everything relies on the strength of will. Exceptionally strong-willed
persons are capable of performing amazing feats. We have seen such a person,
whose body was turned to stone by dark magic, communicate by sheer willpower
over a great distance. That projection was similar to what we are seeing
now."
"Oh, that's right, Clef did this trick," Umi said, nodding thoughtfully.
"Yeah, from what you told us about this Ranma, that makes sense."
*What the hell are you people talking about? Who are you, anyway?
And...what...* Ranma trailed off. *Someone explain this to me?*
"The explanation may have to wait," Ryouga said. "Looks like we're coming in
for a landing."
* * * * * * *
"SPIRIT BEAST RECALL!"
The flying fish disappeared in a beam of light after discharging its seven
passengers (and one eerily motionless spectre). A diminuitive figure in
ornate robes approached the gathering, face set in an intense, studious
frown. "Girls from another world," he spoke. "How is it that you have
returned to this land?"
"That's what WE wanna know!" Umi shouted, storming up to the mage and
leaning down to shout in his face. "Haven't you and your princess done
enough damage? What the hell was the point of bringing us back here?"
"Clef-san," Fuu said in a calmer, but by no means friendly tone, "Surely you
can appreciate that after the events which transpired on our last visit to
Cephiro, we are less than pleased to find ourselves in this place once
more."
Master Mage Clef bowed his head, eyes becoming sad. "Yes, I...we did a
terrible thing to the three o..." He trailed off, eyes wide as he noticed a
member present who should not be there. "Hikaru? But I thought--"
"Explanations later," Hikaru said. She looked no less angry than Umi. "Why
are we here again, Clef? We know the truth about the Magic Knights now.
We're not going to--"
Clef shook his head. "It is not possible for you to have been summoned by
any resident of this world. Only the Pillar possesses this power, and at the
moment..." He paused, frowning worriedly. "At the moment, it is not possible
for Emeraude to do anything at all. As it stands, she is only just alive."
Hikaru gasped. "What?"
Clef surveyed the group, brow creasing as he noted the unfamiliar people
standing behind the Magic Knights. "You people...are not of Cephiro. From
what land do you hail?"
"We're from Tokyo, same as them," Ryouga replied. "We got caught up in your
little magic transporter beam."
"I already explained, no such summons was sent by anyone he--" He paused.
"Why is there a projection spell following you, Hikaru?"
"A what?" Hikaru blinked.
"I think he means Saotome-san," Fuu interpreted.
*I ain't no projec--whatever,* Ranma began to protest. Then, remembering
Fuu's earlier speech, he added, *Well...I don't think I am. I ain't sure
what th' hell's goin' on here.*
"Also, your appearance has changed considerably," Clef noted, studying
Hikaru. "I know that in this land, the will determines the physical aspect
for those of exceptionally strong hearts, but it is not the case in the
world from which you hail, is this not true?"
Hikaru sighed. "It's a very long story. This isn't actually my body...I died
a very long time ago. This is Ranma-kun's body--I'm kind of wearing it right
now, and we're not entirely sure why."
Clef's eyes widened. "You're..."
"Dead, yes," Umi snapped. "And what she went through is a HELL of a lot
worse than what Fuu and me went through. So if you don't mind, we'd like to
go home now."
Clef sighed. "Again, this is not possible, for the only one who possesses
that power is Emeraude, and..." He paused. "Perhaps it is best you follow
me. There seem to be a great many things to discuss."
* * * * * * *
Clef led the group to a grand palace made of gleaming crystal spires, far
different from the dark, urchin-like castle in which Umi and Fuu had faced
Zagato and Emeraude on their previous visit. "After your...confrontation,"
he explained as they walked, "Princess Emeraude and Priest Zagato were left
with many things to think about. With Cephiro dying all around them, the
Pillar decided to take your words to heart, and learn once and for all
whether the one charged with praying for the peace of this land could also
find happiness for herself." He bowed his head. "Cephiro was reborn in an
instant, more beautiful than ever. The happiness and love of the Pillar bled
into the very land itself. The monsters disappeared entirely from this
world. Cephiro once again became a paradise."
"A little love goes a long way, huh?" Ukyou quipped.
"The Pillar has long expressed a desire to thank you for showing her a
better way," Clef said, "but of course, she did not wish to aggrieve you
further, and chose simply to show her gratitude by living with her love for
Zagato." He sighed. "However, the time of peace was not to last."
"What happened?" Hikaru asked, genuinely concerned.
"That will come later. First, I would hear of what has transpired since you
were last here."
* * * * * * *
Clef led the group into a large hall within the palace, where they were
promptly served tea by palace maids. Once the servants withdrew, Clef
gestured for the Magic Knights and their entourage to speak; the next hour
was spent explaining the entire situation (including a summation of the
Magic Knights' first journey to Cephiro for Ranma's benefit), Hikaru's fate
at Jusenkyo, and the current predicament.
Once everything was explained, Ranma felt incredibly uneasy, and Clef looked
extremely concerned. "Hikaru," he began hoarsely, "There is no possible way
I can make amends for all you have endured. Please allow me to say that, for
all it is worth, I am truly sorry that the troubles of this world destroyed
your life so utterly. You are far too kind and caring a person for such
horrific things to have happened to you." He bowed his head. "As to this
situation regarding your...connection, through the magic of your world, to
Ranma..." He glanced up at Hikaru, sympathy and pain in his eyes. "You
should know this: because of the apparent nature of this predicament,
whatever the outcome, it is unlikely to end well for you."
"What do you mean?" Hikaru asked.
"To put it simply, two souls are not meant to share one body. For whatever
reason, at this moment, your spirit is in control of a body which is not
yours. The projection of Ranma's spirit that we see here is a result of his
strength of heart. Only those with the strongest wills can communicate in
this way when their bodies are not under their control." Clef sighed. "The
nature of the soul being what it is...I'm sorry, Hikaru." He shook his head.
"When all is said and done, you do not belong in that body, and its bond
with its rightful owner WILL reassert itself. It is only a matter of time."
Hikaru gulped. "And...and what happens to me, then?"
Clef bowed his head and remained silent.
Nobody spoke for some time.
"I...I see," Hikaru said at length, voice breaking.
"Now, allow me to explain the current situation within Cephiro," Clef began,
standing and walking to the window. "Many terrible things have begun to
happen of late, and I am afraid this is not an ideal time for further
complications.
"It began with a number of crops in one farming village dying mysteriously.
No explanation could be found. Within two weeks, the crops of three more
communities were dead, and the fruits of trees in the orchards were rotting.
"During the third week, Princess Emeraude fell into a death-like sleep. No
healing magic we tried roused her. Zagato has stayed by her side the entire
time.
"That was seven weeks ago. In that time, areas of disturbed weather have
appeared, a mysterious plague is spreading in the coastal lands, new
monsters have begun to menace the people of Cephiro, animals are dying, and
in several places, the land itself has begun to rot."
He bowed his head, then turned from the window. "This beautiful world is
once again dying, and we do not know why."
Tears gathered in Hikaru's eyes. "How awful..."
Umi looked down at her lap. "I..." She hesitated. "As angry as I am over
what happened to us before, I...wouldn't want to see anything like that
happen. There are many good people here, who don't deserve..."
"Then unless a way can be found to revive Emeraude-hime-san, you are
essentially saying that we are, once again, fated to die with this land,"
Fuu said.
"Unfortunately, that is the situation. I would send you all back where you
came from in a heartbeat if it were within my power. Alas, it is not."
"What about this Zagato guy?" Ukyou asked. "Seems he managed it pretty well,
even if his aim was a little off." She immediately winced at her own words.
"Damn, Hicchan...I'm sorry..."
"It's okay, Ucchan." Hikaru smiled sadly at the chef.
"But yeah, that's a good question. Why not ask him to send us back?"
"That is not within my power," a voice spoke from the doorway.
Umi and Fuu turned, eyes wide. "Zagato!"
* * * * * * *
A man, haggard and worn, clad in simple grey robes, stood in the doorway.
His posture was slumped as though in defeat, and his face was lined with
grief.
"Zagato-san...?" Fuu asked.
"This is the guy that...?" Ryouga asked.
"I am, indeed, High Priest Zagato." The priest slumped into a chair by the
door.
Clef frowned. "Zagato, you must rest. You..."
"You've got a hell of a lot to answer for, pal!" Ukyou cried, marching
across the room and grabbing the priest by the front of his robes. "You got
any idea what kinda hell you put Hicchan through?"
"Ucchan! It's...not worth it, really." Hikaru looked at Zagato
sympathetically. "What he did, he had...his own reasons for, and they were
not..."
"But...what happened to you?" Umi asked suddenly, staring intently at the
priest. "When we were here last time, you were Mister Big Bad Scary Evil
Guy, with the armor and..."
Zagato chuckled mirthlessly. "Girl from another world, you lack
understanding of the true power of will in Cephiro. For those of strong
will, that will affects even our very appearance. Master Clef, for example,
has that dwarfish appearance out of personal preference, though he could
easily choose to be as tall as a tree. I..." He sighed. "The strength of my
own will has cursed me in this case, for I am so wrought with grief and
worry over the stricken condition of Emeraude that..."
"He has allowed himself to wither," Clef finished.
"So..." Akane cut in, "You're saying you couldn't send any of us back
because you're so worried about your girlfriend that your powers are gone?"
Zagato shook his head. "I have never had the power to summon or banish those
who dwell in other worlds."
"Then...how...?" Hikaru asked. "I mean...when you blasted me out of
Cephiro..."
"The spell I cast was intended to erase you from existence. Permanently."
Zagato sighed. "I recall saying, at the time, that I take no delight in
murder. However, I was willing to do whatever was necessary to protect
Emeraude."
"So then..."
"Emeraude was responsible for your removal from Cephiro, not I." Zagato
bowed his head. "She sensed what I was about to do, and prayed for you to
return to your own world. However, because of her state of mind at the time,
and the desperation with which she made that wish...she was not convinced it
had worked."
"It worked alright. Too bad her aim was way off."
"Like you one to talk, boy who get lost on train."
"Shut up..."
Clef coughed. "Zagato, a terrible tragedy has occurred. I will explain the
details later, in private, but for now, we owe it to these girls, and their
friends who have somehow become involved in this, to make every effort we
can to find a way to return them to their world before Cephiro dies."
Zagato closed his eyes and nodded once. "It will be difficult to focus, but
I will lend what aid I can. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea where
to begin."
Clef's expression softened. "How is she?"
"No change," Zagato replied with a sigh. "The healers bade me leave so they
could dress the lesions. I...did not protest." He looked suddenly pale. "I
cannot bear to see such terrible things."
At the questioning looks of the teens, Clef explained, "Since Princess
Emeraude fell ill, as the land has begun to rot...so has she." He sighed
deeply. "Parts of her body are dying and turning..." He shook his head.
"It's best not to dwell on it."
Hikaru gasped. "That's horrible."
A soldier appeared in the doorway. "Master Clef," he panted, "we have urgent
news."
Clef sighed. "My apologies, but I must attend to these affairs. I will see
to it that rooms are assigned for you all in the meantime." He and Zagato
left.
The seven teens (plus one apparition) exchanged glances.
"So...what do we do now?"
-2-
Clef stormed into the seldom-used room of imprisonment deep within the
palace, Zagato hot on his heels. The priest's eyes were full of anger and
loathing.
"He was caught by a woodsman in the orchards of Corsica," the guard leading
them said. "He was pouring something into the river. There's enough of it
left, we think, to be analyzed."
"Poisoning the water supply," Clef said, shaking his head. "A deliberate
act...unthinkable."
They arrived at the room where the perpetrator, an ordinary-looking man in
grubby peasant clothes, sat in a hard chair, hands folded on the table in
front of him.
Clef gestured at the man with his staff, and a magical forcefield sprang to
life around him, suspending him in midair.
"Speak. You will tell me your name, and why you have done this thing."
The man spat at Clef's feet. "I have forsaken my name at the behest of my
master. As to why..." He grinned toothily. "The master has spread word of
the disease that is the indolence of this world. 'A world where the will
rules all'...feh! The master has shown me the truth. This world is
controlled by those who have the most powerful magic. There is no concept of
equality in this backwards society. Look at this palace! Why should the few
in power live in such grandeur, while we, the common folk, toil in squalor?
Where is the equality? Where is the balance? Where is the justice?"
"There is no war, no hunger, no poverty," Zagato said, eyes hard. "There is
no need for crime, no need for violence. The only consistent threats are the
monsters which are spawned from the nightmares of children frightened of the
dark."
The nameless man laughed. "Frightened of the dark? Yes...they should be. You
should all be afraid of the dark."
"Enough," Clef snapped, voice echoing like thunder. "Who is this master of
which you speak?"
"My master is the one who will end the indolence of this unbalanced world.
Once the Pillar has breathed her last, the Marquis will bring true order to
Cephiro."
"And where do we find this...Marquis?" Zagato asked.
The prisoner laughed. "You have no need to find the Marquis. Soon enough,
all of Cephiro will know and fear that very name."
"This is pointless," Clef said, turning and marching from the room. Zagato
cast one last withering look at the prisoner, scowling darkly.
Clef froze in place when he heard the man's dying scream. He then bowed his
head and sighed. *Zagato...*
"Is there anything else of importance about that man I should know?" Clef
asked the nervous guard waiting outside.
"Well...we did find a leaf of parchment in his pocket. It's written in a
completely unfamiliar script." Without waiting to be asked, the guard
produced it from his own pocket, handing it to the master mage.
Clef examined the parchment, brow furrowed. "It vaguely resembles the script
of Autozam, but..." He shook his head. One small, thick finger traced a seal
embossed in wax in the corner of the document, a circle inscribed with
overlapping triangles, as well as symbols along the edges which had become
smudged and illegible.
When Zagato finally caught up, Clef
shot him a look of admonishment. "Was it absolutely necessary to kill that
man?"
Zagato inclined his head. "I acted without rational thought. My apologies."
Clef sighed. "I suppose it makes little difference, in the end." He handed
Zagato the parchment. "Is there anything familiar about this?"
The priest frowned, studying it, then shook his head. "No, but perhaps if it
were analyzed thoroughly..."
"See to it. Personally. I'll examine the poison he was pouring into the
river." He scowled darkly. "We know at least one thing new, now."
Zagato nodded. "The land is not dying on its own. Someone has declared war
on us."
He traced the seal on the parchment with a finger. "But who...?"
* * * * * * *
Umi and Fuu sat with Hikaru, who had her hands clenched, knotting the fabric
of her shirt. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears.
"Hikaru..." Umi said, rubbing the redhead's back.
"When...when I thought I was alive again somehow, I..." Hikaru looked up at
the two girls. "I was happy. I...I wanted to see Umi-chan and Fuu-chan
again, and my brothers, and Hikari..." She wiped at her eyes, sniffling.
"I...guess nothing's changed though, has it? I'm still..."
"Hikaru-san, please do not do this to yourself."
"Yeah! Maybe Clef isn't as smart as he thinks he is!"
Hikaru shook her head. "No...I'm convinced Clef is right. I don't belong
here. I...sooner or later, I'll have to give Ranma-kun back his body, and
then that'll be that..." Her head dropped into her hands, and her shoulder
shook with silent sobs.
Umi and Fuu held her, exchanging solemn looks with one another.
Across the room, the motionless image of Ranma hovered with Akane, Ukyou,
and Shampoo. The four of them watched Hikaru and her friends. Akane cried
silently. "Hikaru...she deserves better than this," she said, sniffling.
"I agree," Ranma replied softly. "I don't know much about this girl, 'cuz
I've been out of it since...well, I guess since she took over my body,
but..." He sighed. "I mean, I ain't too happy with that, but it ain't her
fault, y'know? An' it sounds like she's been through enough."
"If that Zagato asshole didn't look like he was about to fall apart, I'd
probably be trying to beat his brains in right now," Ukyou said.
"Shampoo wonder if Great-Grandmother able to help Hikaru when we get back
home."
"I doubt it, Shampoo," Akane sighed tiredly. "I have a feeling she'd say the
same thing Clef said."
The four of them stood lost in their own thoughts for a time.
"Shampoo," Ranma said after a time, "Do you think Jusenkyo could fix this?"
"Cursed springs fix...what you talking, Ranma?"
"Those Musk bastards, don't they use Nyanniichuan to make brides? What if we
grabbed a monkey or dog or something and..."
"Make Hikaru-chan a new body?" Ukyou suggested. "Could work."
"Um...one problem with that theory," Akane pointed out. "In case you forgot,
the last time we left Jusenkyo, it wasn't exactly..."
"Crap, I forgot," Ranma groaned.
"It not matter," Shampoo said, shaking her head. "Shampoo no think Hikaru
would do. It not right for spirit of animal."
"That's true," Ukyou admitted. "Damn, this sucks. What do you think,
Ryouga?"
Silence was her only answer.
After a moment, the four of them realized that they had not seen Ryouga for
some time.
"Aw, dammit, he's lost again!" Ukyou growled, frustrated.
* * * * * * *
On reflection, Ryouga mused wearily to himself as he plodded down yet
another marble and crystal hallway, it might have been a good idea to ASK
where a bathroom was before going off to look for one.
Rounding a corner, he spotted a partially-open door on his right, and
decided to duck inside, hoping someone would be able to guide him. He found
himself in a vault-like chamber full of racks upon racks of weapons: swords,
spears, axes, bows, staves, flails, maces, and for some reason, a large,
old-fashioned cannon.
"Must be the armory," he mused aloud. He took a cautious step further
inside, momentarily forgetting his bladder crisis out of a sense of wonder.
"Some pretty nice stuff. I wond--"
*SNAP-THWIP!* Something tied itself around Ryouga's ankle, and before he
knew what was happening, his feet were yanked out from under him, and the
world was suddenly upside down.
"OHOHO! An intruder!"
>From his inverted vantage point, Ryouga saw a young woman standing in the
doorway, posing dramatically. She had long blonde hair in a ponytail and
wore a short burnt orange dress and an off-white apron, with various small
bits of armor stuck here and there. A gold circlet graced her brow, and her
light brown eyes were full of mischief. "You ARE a foolish one, aren't you?
To try to break into MY armory! Imagine! Now, whatever shall I--"
"Look, I didn't mean to, I was lost! I--"
"A likely story! Now, shall I stretch your neck until it pops? Or maybe I
should poke splinters under your fingernails, or..." She paused, tilting her
head. "Or maybe we can try something really--"
A cough interrupted her. "Presea, cut our guest down, if you please."
The woman (who in Ryouga's opinion had to be deranged) turned to face a
young man standing behind her. "Ferio-sama!"
"There's no need for that," the boy--for he had to be the same age as Ryouga
himself, if that--waved a hand dismissively. "Just...before he passes out or
something, okay?"
Presea pouted. "You're no fun." With a sigh, she pulled a lever on the wall,
and the rope trapping Ryouga snapped, dropping him roughly to the floor.
"My apologies," Ferio, a green-haired, tanned, scarred youth with golden
eyes and clad in an ornate white uniform, extended a hand to Ryouga to help
him stand. "You arrived with the Magic Knights, did you not?"
"That's right," Ryouga replied.
Presea gasped. "The...the Magic Knights? They have returned?"
Ferio nodded. "They arrived just two hours ago, along with several guests
from their world."
"But..." Presea looked perturbed. "How...? Why are they...?"
"Nobody seems to be able to figure that one out," Ryouga said. "We're all as
confused as everyone else." He frowned. "By the way, I hate to be rude, but
I do have a question for the two of you."
"Yes?" Ferio asked, arms folded.
Ryouga scratched the back of his head. "Can someone help me find a
bathroom?"
* * * * * * *
"Hey, y'heard? Them Magic Knight gals're back."
"The Magic Knights? But..."
"Yeah, it's a shock t'me too."
"I don't suppose they'll be terribly happy to see us again, will they?"
"Now now, you don't know for sure...oh, Ferio! Heya!"
Ferio, Ryouga, and Presea greeted a duo walking from the opposite direction;
a tall, dark-skinned woman with long, bouncy pink hair and entirely too
little clothing for Ryouga's comfort, and a small boy in ornate robes, whose
shaggy brown hair obscured his eyes from view. The latter was hovering on a
jagged chunk of rock which had numerous small pebbles rotating around it.
Ferio waved to the two. "Caldina, Ascot. I gather you've heard?"
"'Bout them Magic Knights? Yeah. Say, who's this guy?"
Ryouga bowed. "Hibiki Ryouga. I'm from the same world as the Magic Knights."
"Really? Nice t'meetcha."
"So, any idea why they came back?" Ascot asked.
Ryouga shrugged. "Nobody can figure out what's going on, or how to get us
home." He sighed. "We heard about the trouble this world is in. I'm sorry."
The others became solemn. "Yeah...things ain't lookin' too good right now."
Caldina looked up, then smiled. "Say, we was just thinkin' 'bout goin' to
say hi to them gals."
"As were we," Ferio replied. "Plus, we need to escort Ryouga back to the
others. He...isn't terribly familiar with the layout of the palace."
Ryouga scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously.
* * * * * * *
Some time had passed, and more to have anything better to do than sit around
brooding, the Magic Knights and the group from Nerima had gathered together,
and were sharing stories of past adventures. For their parts, the Magic
Knights were growing increasingly incredulous at some of the tales of the
older teens.
"Sumo...pig!?" Umi exclaimed. "You've got to be kidding!"
"Big as a bus, I'm tellin' ya," Ukyou said, shaking her head. "Damnedest
thing you ever saw."
As they talked, a small white creature bounced into the room. Akane was the
first one to notice it: a fat, rabbit-like creature with a silly, happy face
and a large red jewel on its forehead.
"Aww, how cute!" Akane cooed, motioning the creature over. "Look, everyone!"
The others glanced around, and the Magic Knights gasped. "Mokona!"
"PUU!" Mokona cried, bouncing happily over to the group. "Pupupupupuu
pupuu!"
"Mokona..." Hikaru repeated, eyes misting over.
Mokona glanced at her, tilting its head. "...puu?"
"It's me! Hikaru!"
The rabbit-creature hopped backwards, seemingly startled. "PupuPUU?!"
"I know, you're surprised to see me. It's a long story."
"Puuuuu..." Mokona seemed to recover from its shock, and leaped for Hikaru,
who caught it easily, nuzzling its face with her cheek.
"So what the heck IS that thing?" Ranma asked.
Mokona glanced up at the source of the voice. "Pupuu?" Hopping out of
Hikaru's arms, Mokona examined Ranma's floating projection, then turned its
head back and forth between the unmoving Ranma and Hikaru. "Pu?
Pupuu...puu?"
"I believe Mokona-san can somehow sense the connection between Hikaru-san
and Saotome-san," Fuu said.
"That weird little fluffball always did seem precocious," Umi commented.
Mokona bounced high into the air, landing right on Umi's head. Hikaru
giggled.
Akane laughed. "I think he likes you, Umi."
"Mokona-san enjoys teasing Umi-san," Fuu replied.
Voices drifted in from the doorway. "--sorry about before."
"It's alright. Now, I believe your friends were right in here--ah! Here they
are."
"Hey, P-chan!" Ranma called. "We were wonderin' where you wandered off to."
"Oh, stuff it, Ranma," Ryouga growled halfheartedly. "Found some guys who
say they know Hikaru and the others."
The Magic Knights' eyes widened as the group with Ryouga entered the room,
one at a time. "Ferio-kun!" Hikaru cried joyfully.
"Ascot! Caldina!" Umi called, recognizing the next two who entered. To their
relief, she didn't seem angry to see them.
Then, the last member of the party walked in, and the Knights gasped, eyes
wide in disbelief.
"PRESEA?!"
-3-
An array of beakers, tubes, and flaming devices lined a large table, smoke
and steam spewing in various directions. Above it all, Clef stood on a pile
of books, directing the devices with magic while perusing a tome, frowning.
After over an hour of study, he'd finally completed his analysis of the
poison the traitor had used, and it was not pleasant.
With a deep sigh, he snapped the book closed and set off to deliver some
unpleasant news.
* * * * * * *
"Presea..." Hikaru said softly, eyes full of tears. "You..."
"Hikaru? Is...is that truly you?" Presea asked, tilting her head. "You seem
different somehow."
"More importantly, we saw you die! I mean--" Umi paused, glancing at Hikaru.
"Looks like there's a lot of that goin' around," Ukyou quipped.
"Ukyou!"
"Sorry."
"No, it's not the same," Fuu said, shaking her head. "We saw..."
"Presea, I'm so sorry! I couldn't..." Hikaru cried, launching herself at the
blonde woman. "I tried so hard to protect you! I...failed...everyone..."
Presea enfolded the redhead in a hug. "No, Hikaru. You need not feel that
way. You did not ask to be in the situation you were in, and you did
everything you could. You tried your hardest, and that..."
"Are you truly Presea-san?" Fuu asked, tilting her head. "The circumstances
do not seem to merit this outcome."
Presea smiled. "I'm not an illusion or a ghost, Fuu," she replied. "I am
truly here."
"I'm here too, you know," Ferio commented idly, leaning against a wall.
Fuu suddenly found the tips of her boots very interesting. "Y--yes, that is
true. It is...good to see you again, Ferio-san."
Before anyone could call attention to Fuu's discomfort, Caldina addressed
the unfamiliar teens. "So, who're you guys? An' what's with ghost-boy here?"
"We're also from the same world as these three," Akane replied. She made a
round of introductions. "We have a...problem, which has led us to meet these
girls, and..." She shrugged. "Somehow, we ended up here with them."
"Ne, Ferio," Umi asked suddenly. "What's up with those clothes?"
"Oh, you like?" Ferio asked. "I was fine with my old clothes, but everyone
decided that the brother of the Pillar should at least dress like it, so..."
"EH?!" The Magic Knights chorused, shocked. "You're...?"
"Emeraude's younger brother, yeah." Ferio sighed. "I remembered some time
back. My memory had been sealed away when I was younger."
"So...you, without knowing why, were fighting so hard to save
Emeraude-hime-san..."
Ferio looked down. "I...know things did not end well for you here.
Especially..." He swallowed. "But it is good to see you again."
"Ferio-kun..." Hikaru said softly. "Your sister...is it as bad as Clef
said?"
"Yeah. I...it's really hard." The swordsman sighed. "I just wish I knew...I
wish I knew why this was happening..."
"That question," Clef's voice called from the doorway, "I regret to say I
finally have an answer to."
* * * * * * *
Zagato sat in what had become his accustomed seat, looking down at the
frail, still form of the Pillar. Her childlike face was marred by large
healing plasters, her golden hair was limp and lank; only her head and
shoulders were uncovered, and even under the thick bandages wrapped around
her neck, he could see the gradual spread of the black, pitted, crusting
lesions that now marred her once beautiful body.
His eyes traced the parchment taken from the subversive terrorist once
again, then tightened in anger.
A war. Someone wanted a war with Cephiro. And they were using subversive
lies and deception to turn Emeraude's own people against her.
"This cannot be allowed," Zagato said softly, standing from Emeraude's
bedside. As he rose, his appearance shifted and blurred; the thin, worn
appearance he had projected since the Pillar's collapse fell away like a
shroud, and a flare of black light heralded the reappearance of his imposing
black armor.
Dark eyes alight with anger and the promise of vengeance, High Priest Zagato
strode purposefully down the corridor, ready to begin an entirely new war
for his beloved.
* * * * * * *
"POISONED?"
The assembled group stared at Clef with varying degrees of shock, horror,
and disbelief.
The master mage bowed his head, scowling. "An unknown enemy is attempting to
start a war by turning the people of Cephiro against the land itself. A
simple peasant was found pouring a vial of poison into the river that waters
the crops, animals, and people of one of the outlying villages. If he had
not been stopped..."
"That's just dirty," Ryouga spat, disgusted.
"Never in our history has such a thing happened," Clef continued. "It makes
no sense."
"But...who would do such a thing?" Presea asked.
"I believe I have an answer," Zagato called from the doorway.
His appearance drew a number of gasps. "Zagato...you're..."
The priest surveyed the assembled crowd, frowning darkly. "If I have read
the situation correctly, the poisons their agents are using are specifically
designed to kill the Pillar."
"To kill--?!"
"The traitor we interrogated earlier," Zagato explained, "carried a piece of
parchment we could not immediately identify. In the process of examining it,
I learned that the seal inscribed upon the parchment is some sort of
summoning circle. My deduction is that this circle is the means by which the
poison, and possibly other tools to assist in this insurrection, are
transported to this land."
Clef rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "So anyone who has received one of these
letters, bearing this seal..."
"Can potentially cause extreme damage to this land, and to the Pillar,"
Zagato finished, clenching a gauntleted fist. "Whoever this Marquis is, he
has made it possible for the weaker-willed citizens of Cephiro to unbalance
and distort our world, regardless of their magic or ability. They need only
use what he has provided."
"Death by dumbass," Ranma paraphrased. "Wonderful."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Akane asked.
Zagato shook his head. "I'm afraid the responsibility for ending this lies
with our army. We must search the whole of Cephiro, and destroy every
document bearing the Marquis' seal. And, if necessary, arrest those
possessing them."
Ferio sighed. "I hate the thought of giving that kind of an order."
"It must be done," Clef said tiredly. "Have Lafarga see to it immediately."
Zagato strode from the room. Clef turned to the guests from Tokyo and bowed.
"Now that we know what we are facing, it may be possible to end this war,
and if we can restore Princess Emeraude's health, we can send you home.
Please rest comfortably until then." With that, he withdrew, the other
residents of Cephiro behind him.
The teenagers shifted uncomfortably, looking at one another anxiously.
"So...they just expect us to sit here and twiddle our thumbs?" Ukyou asked.
"It does seem that we would only be in their way," Fuu reasoned, adjusting
her glasses. "Although..."
"It just doesn't feel right, sitting around doing nothing," Akane said,
frowning.
Ranma summed up the others' thoughts succinctly:
"Man, this blows."
* * * * * * *
Thick clouds of smog roiled over the grimy, densely industrial city. A crowd
gathered in the central plaza, voices raised in varying cries of excitement
or protest. Banners and signs waved across the square; at the center of
everything, a group of soldiers stood at attention at the front of a raised
dais. A podium towered above them, draped in crimson tapestries bearing the
sigil of the country's ruler.
The cheering and jeering rose in intensity as said ruler strode from the
doors of the government headquarters, through an honor guard, and stood
behind the podium. A man with short dark hair, dark, sharp eyes, and
roguish, handsome features, he did not dress overly differently from his
soldiers: a severely tailored and pressed deep crimson uniform with onyx
buttons and piping, highly polished black boots, and white gloves. The only
significant difference to his attire was a black armored bracer on his left
wrist, adorned with a deep blood-red gemstone.
He gestured for silence, then spoke into the array of microphones before
him. "My people! Today is a glorious day in the new regime. I know that many
of you have yet to embrace the changes which I have brought to this land. I
know that there are those of you who would see me deposed. I assure you, I
understand. I will not condone it, but I do understand. I did, after all,
conquer this country with swift, brutal force. You have not had time to
adjust to me yet.
"But those among you who support my rule, who see the glory beyond the
horizon, your support is appreciated, and your faith will be rewarded.
"The dawn of a new age is upon us. I have a dream and a plan. It is my
intention to unite our country with its neighbors. It is my goal to spread
our glorious culture to the more backward lands around us, that they may
come to know the wonders we enjoy in our daily lives.
"This will not be an easy road, my people. There will be much bloodshed and
many sacrifices along the way. Our neighbors will not be as welcoming of my
rule as you have been. However, this I promise you: all who follow my path,
all who march along the road to supreme victory, all who uphold the
superiority of our way of life--you shall know glory under my reign. This is
a time of change, a time when men who were as nothing can become as kings,
even as gods! Follow me, and the path to Heaven itself will lie before you!"
The man behind the podium swept the crowd with a penetrating gaze, then
raised his left hand. With a loud, grinding sound, a row of three tall stone
torches ascended from the rear of the platform.
"Three neighboring lands. Three great battles. Three fires of hope to ignite
our spirits."
He snapped his fingers, and the first of the three torches burst aflame.
"One of my comrades has already taken Chizeta."
* * * * * * *
"Who are you? How dare you intrude upon our privacy? And assaulting our
subjects...unforgivable!"
A figure wreathed in shadow faced off against two irate, armed princesses. A
hand emerged from the darkness, gripping a massive sword. The blue gem
embedded in the black steel gauntlet the invader wore gleamed darkly.
"Blauer Schlag," the dark figure intoned.
Before they had a chance to react, Tatra and Tarta, rulers of Chizeta, were
encased in a thick wall of ice, faces frozen in twin masks of horror.
* * * * * * *
Another snap of the uniformed man's fingers, and the second torch lit.
"Another is presently completing the capture of Fahren."
* * * * * * *
Winds heavy with the stench of blood stirred at hair, clothes, and grass in
the courtyard of a grand, elegant palace. The usually beautiful, pristine
garden was strewn with the corpses of masked shinobi guards.
Backed against the lacquered, gilded doors of the palace, the diminuitive
princess of Fahren stared in shock and terror at the intruder who had slain
her servants. "Why..why are you doing this?"
The winds whipping the tattered cloak of the invader were thick with black
motes of power. A head bowed solemnly. "Please know that I derive no
pleasure from needless bloodshed. If you surrender, you will be spared."
"NEVER! This land will never bow to an outsider such as you!"
The intruder sighed deeply. "If that is your choice." The jet black katana
that had spilled the blood of many loyal Fahren citizens lowered, and the
intruder raised his left arm. The emerald jewel on his gauntlet flashed
brilliantly.
"Grünes Vakuum."
* * * * * * *
He snapped his fingers one last time, igniting the final torch.
"The groundwork has already been laid for the third and final step on our
path to glory. Within the week, we will launch a full-scale invasion of the
country that poses the greatest threat to our superiority.
"Our final objective, my great and noble people: Cephiro."
Stunned murmurs spread through the crowd. Slowly, scattered applause broke
out, eventually raising into a great cheer.
Far above the plaza, standing on the tallest rooftop in the capitol city,
four figures exchanged weary glances.
"We have to warn them."
=FIRE=IN=THE=WATER==============================ACT=TWO=END.=
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