[FFML] [fanfic][Ranma/MKR] Fire in the Water, Act 2

[The Eternal Lost Lurker]

"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!"