Continuity Notes: This takes place after Phoenix Mountain but before the wedding in Ranma ½ and after Legion Quest in X-Men.
Heaven's Fire
Chapter 1: Truths, Heritage and Choices
The Sea of Japan
"I still say that is one of the craziest regions we have ever been to." Psylocke, mutant telepath of the X-Men, continued to grumble to her teammates. "In one village all women are little better then pack animals, and in the other its the men. Both villages hate the other and have been fighting for centuries. How have they survived this long again Logan?"
The X-Men were investigating the remains of Jusenkyou when the teams from both Joketsuko and the Musk arrived to find out about the strange aircraft that was spotted landing. Old grudges were quickly brought up for readressing and, in the ensuing battle, the X-Men just walked away. Cyclops was still trying to get over how they were so totally ignored. Wolverine informed them later about the... unique nature of the valleys inhabitants.
"By the way Logan," Storm broke in while Psylocke paused for breath. "How did you find out so much about these... people?"
The Canadian mutant, who had been trying to feign sleep, opened one eye to look at his friend. "Well darlin'," He began, "After my time with Ogian I traveled to China to see if there were other senseis who could help me. I followed a rumor to that valley and meet up with those Amazon women. Nice bunch once you get past their attitude toward men."
"Hmmm... Wolverine dealing with another persons attitude." Cyclops half smirked from the pilots seat. "That must have been an interesting sight." Both Jean and Hank laughed at the mental image.
"Funny Cyke, real funny." Logan growled at his team leader. "Anywise, they had some good tricks. It was fun once the Elders made me immune to the Kiss of Marriage law."
"A truly archaic law that should have been revoked long ago." The Beast's cultured voice interjected.
"Pipe down fur-ball, I'm tellin' this story. 'Sides," he shrugged, "The law had a purpose when the village was still struggling to survive. The Amazons are a very traditional folk, change won't be easily accepted."
Hank was about to comment when a beeping drew his attention to the panel in front of him. "Wait the proverbial fragment of temporal perception," He said, "It appears our Mini-Cerebro has detected an unusual energy signature."
"Is it mutant?" Cyclops asked.
"No, mine monocular companion, it doesn't seem so. I am attempting to cross-reference it to all known signatures." A few seconds of silence passed until another beep came from Beast's panel. "Ah, we have a match. Our friend appears to be... Oh my stars and garters." The Beast broke off his monologue and stared at the display.
"Don't keep us waiting Doc. What is it?" Wolverine snapped
When no answer was forthcoming, Logan got up and walked to the Beast and looked at the panel. What he saw made even the fierce X-Man pale. "Jeannie-girl?" He rasped out, "You might want to take a look at this."
A concerned Jean as well as Storm came and examined the display.
MATCH(ES) FOUND: DARK PHOENIX
MATCH PROBABITITY: 98.8%
NO OTHER MATCHES FOUND
X X X
Japan, Tendo Dojo, five minutes earlier
As Ranma Saotome followed her mother into the dojo, she had a cold feeling that she would not like what Nodoka had to say. Her mother showed up unexpectedly to the Tendo's, insults her husband, shows some weird technique of talking, stops Akane and drags her off to the dojo. Nope, she thought, this can't be good.
Once she had her 'daughter' in the dojo, Nodoka sat her in the center and closed the door. Unseen by Ranma, she also found several microphones and, with a passing thought, disconnected their power cords. Satisfied that no one would bother them or listen in on this conversation, the Saotome Matriarch walked back to her child and sat opposite of her. The two Saotome women stared at each other for almost a minute before Nodoka took a deep breath and started.
"Ranma, what I am about to tell you, I have revealed to no one since my arrival to this planet."
"Planet?" Ranma squeaked. She was right, this wasn't good.
"Yes Ranma, planet. I was not born on Earth." Nodoka looked at her child and assessed how she was taking it so far. "And no, before you ask, I'm not exactly an alien."
Ranma processed her mothers words before her curiosity got the better of her. "Um... if you're not human and you're not an alien..." Ranma trailed off, unsure how to ask and hoping her mother would guess her question.
"Then what am I?" Nodoka smiled at her weak nod and closed her eyes. "I am a member of a race of beings that has never risen above three dozen. We are bound to no planet, call no star home. We wander the spaceways as we please, aiding and protecting life."
During her triad, Nodoka started to glow. The aura, Ranma dully noted, was a fierce orange and yellow that flickered and danced like flame. Almost as if it had a mind of it's own, Nodoka's hair came undone from her tight bun. The light auburn locks floated up as thought caught it a breeze. By now, Ranma could sense the power rising off her mother. She nervously gulped, the power was already past all the regular fighters of Nerima and was almost on par with Herb. And it was still going up! Nodoka's arms also began to rise from her lap in front of her to her sides and above her. The aura was now surging around her and generating wind which whipped all around the two women.
"We are the caretakers of life, and, when needed, it's executioners."
Nodoka opened her eyes and focused the molten gold orbs on the awed child before her as her voice started to resonate with the power.
"I am Phoenix!"
The aura exploded out around her. The arms spread out to form wing-like structures, Ranma could almost count each feather. Above her head, another head, like a falcon, threw its cry to the heavens. Nodoka remained like that for another breath and then, like a button was pushed, the aura vanished. Ranma knew better, she could still feel the weight of her mothers power in her mind, but she also knew no one else could sense the energy barely a thought away from action in her mothers slender frame.
"And so, my daughter, are you."
Through her mothers performance, Ranma was half-waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now that it had she actually felt as though a weight had been lifted. Briefly, Ranma considered faint...ah... taking a quick nap, but managed to suppress the impulse. All things considered, Ranma felt that she handled the situation well.
"I'M A WHAT?!"
thunk!
Well, she mostly managed to suppress the impulse.
X X X
Outside the Dojo, the Tendos (minus Nabiki), Genma Saotome, Ukyo and the Amazons were peering a the door to the dojo. All were, in one way or another, concerned about the fate of Ranma. At one point Cologne exchanged looks with Shampoo, both felt the sudden surge of chi. A covert glance revealed that Ukyo and Akane were fidgeting, showing that they could sense something but didn't know what. Cologne was somewhat surprised to see that Genma showed signs that he knew exactly what he was feeling and where it was coming from. She still found it hard to believe that this almost excuse for a man had done all that he had with the Art.
Ranma's shout, the first sound that had been heard since the dojo door slid shut, snapped the Elder back to the task at hand. Before the shout's echo had died, Akane and Ukyo were racing to the door. Shampoo almost went with them but for Cologne's hand at her waist. Akane reached the door first and she reached for the handle.
"Get off me Akane." Ukyo groaned from under her.
The collected martial artists blinked as they replayed what had happened. Akane had grabbed the handle when there was a ripple in the air around her and Akane went flying back into Ukyo. Fascinating, Cologne thought, there seems to be a field of some sort around the dojo that prevents access. I think we may all have severely underestimated Nodoka Saotome.
X X X
Ranma regained consciousness in the dojo, this was nothing new actually so she didn't think much about it beyond grumbling something vaguely unpleasant about tomboys and mallets.
"Really Ranma, where did you learn that word?"
Ranma's eyes snapped to the speaker and found her mother sitting beside her. No fire surrounding her, no ki-generated wind, no power resonate voice, regular eyes. Had that all been a dream?
No daughter, it was not a dream.
Ranma's left eye twitched a few times at both the method of speech and at it's content. "Uh, mom, how did you do that and why are you calling be your daughter?"
It's called telepathy. We use it as our primary means of communication. There is, after all, no medium for sound to travel in space. As for the daughter part... "That has to do with your actions at Jusendo."
"What do you mean?"
"In your fight against Saffron, you tapped your potential Phoenix power further then you should've been able to. I'm guessing it has to do with your curse."
"How so?"
"I'll get to that in a bit, but first Ranma, you have a very big decision before you. It's one that you cannot put off. Not with out having it made for you or killing you."
Ranma paled but her voice was steady. "What choice, what do you mean?"
"Ranma, the power of the Phoenix is the power of creation and destruction of life. Men can only really understand one of those parts. In order to survive wielding that power, one has to be able to understand and do both. Women are the only ones who generally are able to do this. Ranma, if you wish to claim this part of your heritage," Nodoka looked at her child squarely in the eyes, hoping to impress upon her the gravity of her choice, "You must become a woman full time, for all time."
Ranma narrowed her eyes and frowned. "So what happens if I choose not the claim it? Or if I wield it without becoming a girl?"
"In the first case, I will forcibly sever your connection the Phoenix energy. You will lose a great deal of your natural advantages."
"What are you saying? That I'm only as good as I am at tha Art 'cause a some dumb ol' blood!" Ranma was working herself into a rare heat over what she thought her mother was implying.
"No Ranma, your raw talent at the Art has nothing to do with the Phoenix energies in you. All you were supposed to ever have was heightened restorative abilities and a much greater energy base to draw on. You will still be able to do all of your moves, but they will be harder to do. Your legendary ability to adapt or invent moves on the spot will be gone with out all the extra power you used to have. Your recovery rate will also be much slower, more like a normal human with training like yours."
Ranma had calmed down by now but was still obviously unhappy with that option. "And the other?"
Nodoka arched a brow but answered. "The Phoenix energies will continue to grow until a critical levels are reached. At that point the next use of it will do one of two things in your case. If you are female at the time, you would be locked in female form forever. I doubt any shape changing magic would affect you anymore. However, if you are male at the critical point, I expect you would rather spectacularly explode and take out most of the planet with you, if not the solar system." She noticed the incredulous look on her daughter's face. "What do you expect? Phoenix energy works on the cosmic level. The weakest Phoenix could quite casually throw moons around, incinerate the surface of a planet or absorb the power of a nova without causing any disturbance in that system. Ours is a power with few equals or greater Ranma, but our responsibilities are just as great. Consider your choice very carefully Ranma, it comes at a great price, but the rewards are worth it."
"How long?" A pale and shacking Ranma asked
"No more then a month. After then, the energies reach critical. I can show you how to use your new power Ranma, will you let me?" Nodoka almost begged her.
Ranma smiled at her mother and nodded. Nodoka's answering smile could've lit the dojo for the next several years. Soon, both mother and daughter were in each others arms. However, a thought slowly worked it's way to the front of Ranma's mind.
"Mom? What do we tell the others?"
Nodoka blinked at Ranma a few times and then confessed. "I think we may have to tell them the truth. Is everyone here? I wouldn't want to explain myself too many times."
"Every one but the Kunos, Happosai, and Ryouga" She answered with a Ranma Smirk(patent pending).
"I thought Ryouga was with you a Jusendo?"
The smirk went up to Vegeta level. "Yeah he was. He got lost at the docks."
Blink. "I see. Well I better call him back to the dojo then."
"Call?" A confused look back in the general direction of the Tendo phone.
"Not that kind of call. Think of it as a telepathic homing signal. Depending on how far away he is, he should be back with in a day. As for the others, the Kunos can be called the normal way and Happosai will be back sometime before sunset."
Ranma nodded then grimaced. "This will not be pretty." She declared firmly.
"No, probably not." Her mother agreed.
End Chapter 1
Oh my, hello! I'm Kasumi. My we have so many of Ranma's friends over tonight. Oh! Who are these new people Ranma-kun?
Next on Heaven's Fire, Chapter 2: Meetings and Misunderstandings