Insert usual disclaimer here. (All thought I'd think you all ready knew I didn't own either of them, so why should I bother?)grumbles to self and walks back into shadows
Heaven's Fire
Chapter Four: Malicious Intent
Ranma hung suspended in the air, the flames that engulfed most of the once proud city casting his frowning face in a demonic red light. His eyes slowly tracked along the cityscape below him, his senses probing each building for survivors. After the first firestorm attack on the city he had been unsuccessful in finding any. His head suddenly snapped to look over his left shoulder as his senses found life. In short order he saw a small train of cars attempting to leave the city, each vehicle was packed with possessions and families. With an evil smirk, Ranma rotated in the sky, his right arm swinging in a wide arc as power gathered. With but a thought, the fireball created by his telekinesis shot through the air toward the fleeing humans. Ranma chuckled as the projectile impacted in the middle of the caravan and exploded out with the power of a small nuclear device, swallowing all vehicles as well as the entire block they were passing through in a dome of white fire.
Ranma smiled at the destruction but soon the incident left his mind as the screams of the families did. The new sensation that brushed against his mind soon saw him linked to a trapped child that was choking to death in the smoke. Ranma left his mind connected to the boy, feeling his last moments and laughing as he cried out for his parents just before his final breath left him. Even with all the fun things happening in the ruined city, Ranma still knew he had only touched the tip of the iceberg. However, he was starting to run low on power, and what better way to recharge then by following in his illustrious ancestress' path. Licking his lips, the Dark Phoenix turned his maddened gaze to the sky where, just barely showing past the smoke, the sun still blazed.
With a laugh, he rose further into the air, missing the figure on a nearby skyscraper, her arm shielding her eyes from embers. As Ranma watched her other self depart, she turned horror stricken eyes on the burning city.
"No," She whispered, "I can't have done this." The girl stumbled to the edge of the roof and continued to gaze at the devastation she had caused. "NO!" She cried, "THIS CAN'T BE REAL!"
"My, my, my," Another voice commented amusedly. "You certainly know how to throw a party."
Ranma whirled around to face the intruder. Standing some twelve feet away was another woman, she seamed to be only a few years older then Ranma but her hair was snow white. Her simple business suit was well cut and unrumpled. She was looking across the city with a half-smile and a strange glint in her eyes.
"Who are you?" Ranma demanded eyes narrowed. There was something she didn't trust about this chick.
"I've gone by many names in my life child," The woman replied absently, "But I suppose now I'll be using the name Ranma." She concluded with a sideways glance at the startled girl and an even wider smile.
"Wh-what?"
"Oh, don't worry Ranma-chan, I'll let you see what's going on sometimes." With that the woman lunged at Ranma.
"Kuso!" Ranma swore, calling up her power and jumping back off the side of the building. As she floated, she watched the woman get up and casually brush the dirt off her suit. "I commend you on your reflexes Ranma. I hope they exist in your real body as well as your astral one."
"Astral?" Ranma said to herself. Things soon clicked into place in the red-head's mind. She was dreaming, and somehow this entity found her way inside her mind and it looked as though she intended to possess Ranma and use her body. Her eyes narrowed as she summoned more power, no one was taking control of her life from her again.
The woman cocked her head to the side and gave the young Phoenix a lopsided smile, "Well now, the little firebrand want's to fight. How quaint." Then she was gone. Ranma's eyes widened as she frantically searched the sky for her.
Her presence suddenly registered behind Ranma, as she was turning, Ranma felt several mind bolts slam into her. Grunting, Ranma allowed the force to send her away from the woman as she lashed out with a stream of power. A stream of power that was blocked with one hand.
"Really child, can't you do better then that? I've faced more opposition from comatose idiots."
Ranma swallowed against the brief flare of unease at the situation. She still hadn't been fully trained by her mother in Astral combat and she was already fighting for her life. Ranma gritted her teeth, it didn't matter, Ranma Saotome didn't lose! With a yell, she shot at the intruder. Remembering her mother's lessons, she formed armor and a pair of wrist blades similar to the ones Wolverine had shown. Her attacker stayed in the air, awaiting the charge. Just before Ranma hit, she grasped her wrists and flipped over the charging redhead. Planting her heels on her back, the woman shoved Ranma's flight angle off and sent her tumbling into the side of a building.
"I am again impressed child. Your armor and weapons are quite strong. It is fortunate for me that you leave more openings then Swiss cheese."
Ranma heard her from inside the building, and felt her anger flare. She did not spend ten years of her life training in the Art just to be beaten so casually now! She just recently took down a god for Kami's sake! No way she was gunna stand for being mocked like this! That's it, Ranma thought, I'm pullin' all the stops for this chick. She released the bonds around her power. Soon her Phoenix aura was visible as the cosmic energies coursed through her veins. The woman was about to head into the building to complete the possession process when a cry not unlike a bird rang across the dream. Strobes of light shot out of the ruined building in increasing frequency until the top three floors vanished in a burst of power. Her eyes widened at the last thing she expected. Ranma lowered her arms, not noticing that her clothes had changed. In place of her usual red silk shirt and pants, she had a full body suit like Shampoo wore except in pure black with a gold sash around her waist held in place by a bird shaped clasp. A red, lose jacket partially covered the gold Phoenix emblem across her chest.
"You shall not defeat me."
A telepathic probe stabbed out at her, the power behind it caught her by surprise and slipped by her guard before she could shield. But not before Ranma managed to glean some things from her mind.
"So your name's Malice, eh? Get ready to be sent back to hell, 'cause I ain't moving."
Malice growled and decided to take the offensive. She'd teach this upstart little girl the difference between raw power and skill and experience! Forming a rapier in one hand and calling her own armor, Malice fired a volley of psi-bolts at Ranma. The red head waved an arm and sent a wave of Phoenix-fire in the path of the bolts, they shattered against the barrier without making a dent in it. However, the flame obscured Malice from her sight, which was exactly what she wanted. As the barrier formed, Malice was already charging, her sword glowing with her power. When she reached the wall, Malice cut through it with her sword as she formed a parrying dagger in her other hand. Ranma was unprepared for Malice's sudden move, she wildly struck out with her claws as she backed up. Malice met each strike with her dagger stroke for stroke as her smile widened. At last gaining enough room, Ranma lunched for the roof and spiraled into the sky. As she climbed she gathered power into her hands and, when she sensed it was enough, fired it at Malice.
"Moko Takabisha!" The ki ball flew from her hands just as she remembered her mothers warning from the day before. Malice crossed both blades in front of her and, as the blast neared her, cut into it. The blades did nothing to stop the blast but before Malice could worry about it, it struck.
The energy flowed around Malice a moment before dissipating. The spirit remained standing there, unharmed, with a distant look in her eyes. She slowly shook her head before smiling up at Ranma. "That was very interesting girl, I must say, you've had a very active life." A dark aura began to form around her. "Let's see if I got this right, shall we?" Malice's form rippled and shifted as her aura expanded and started taking on flame-like qualities. Ranma watched with a sick sense of dread as the aura exploded out in a Phoenix aura, a black and purple Phoenix aura. At its center, Malice stood, head bowed as he examined his new hands with cold, blue eyes.
"Amazing. I've never felt such power before." Malice whispered softly before he began to laugh loudly. "Yes! With this power, I can finally have vengeance on the ones who killed me!" His eyes locked onto Ranma as his smile deepened, "But first, I need to take care of you." A hand slowly raised, a single finger pointed at the floating girl, as a bright red ball of energy, no bigger then a pen-head, formed. "Bang." He whispered. The miniature star erupted toward her as Ranma brought up another shield. Upon contact, both constructs wiped out the other in a huge flash of light. Malice was pushed off the roof and into another building as Ranma was sent tumbling end over end by the shockwave.
When she managed to regain control of her flight, Ranma saw the damage. The already ruined city now had a perfect half-sphere crater in the middle. it's sides mirror smooth. Her senses on full alert, Ranma slowly descended to the ground. Once down, Ranma cautiously advanced forward to the lip of the crater. Up close, the bowl seemed to fill the horizon, a few clouds of dust still floated about before they would eventually settle.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" Ranma grabbed at the arm that locked around her neck. Malice smiled down at his captive before continuing. "All most like matter and anti-matter. When they meet, they annihilate each other. Much like I will with you." His grip tightened and, as her breath was cut off, Ranma's own aura faded away. Malice made a pleased sound in his throat and then punched her in the side rapidly before tossing her to the ground. Ranma coughed as she tried to regain her feet. Malice tilted his head, took a step forward and kicked her in the ribs once, twice, three times.
"Sorry child," Malice chuckled, "You lose." His hand stretched toward the downed girl and started to glow a deep purple as tendrils began to wrap around her.
Ranma felt herself begin to panic as she sensed Malice's thoughts start to suppress her own. "No! Damn you, stay out of my mind!"
"Quit struggling girl, there is no way you can beat me now." Malice was satisfied when Ranma stopped moving.
"No." Something in her voice sounded odd to him, looking close Malice saw a sickly green glow surrounding Ranma. "You want to take my life?" The girl asked, raising her head to meet Malice's eyes as the aura became brighter, "Then here it is!" With that, Ranma thrust her hands forward, and the ball of heavy ki reached out to the surprised invader.
"PERFECT SHI SHI HOKUDAN!!"
Malice suddenly found his mind deluged by images from Ranma's life, images of pain, images of loneliness, images of rejection and images of sadness. The tendrils around Ranma vanished as Malice staggered back, hands to his head as he tried to stop the images. Ranma collapsed in a boneless heap, unable to move after her final attack, and could only watch. Desperately, Malice struck out with his stolen power, trying to halt the images. Some dim part of his mind brought up a memory of something he had once heard Sinister say about the Phoenix power. Clutching at the idea like a life-preserver in a storm tossed ocean, Malice brought up his power and began to burn at the thin connections between himself and Ranma while weaving the power in a complex pattern.
Dark purple and orange flared around the two as they both faded from the dreamscape.
XXX
Happosai cackled to himself as he continued to fan the smoke over Ranma, this was his greatest idea yet! He didn't know why he try something like this sooner. Thanks to this mixture of powders, the Phoenix part of Ranma would be exorcised and his lovely Ranma-chan would be locked forever. She would be all his! The shrunken master of Anything Goes let loss another victorious crow. So wrapped in his fantasies was Happosai that he didn't see Ranma begin to glow at first and thus missed the dark mist-like form that drifted over the sleeping girl. He did notice when Ranma began to writhe and moan. Seeing the glow, he barely stopped himself from dancing around the room in joy, but he did allow a wide grin to be plastered on his face. A grin that got impossibly wider when the glow became tinged orange and brighten, despite the occasional arc of purple light that rippled along the edges. Indeed, Happosai never noticed the colors, he just told himself that this was normal and his plan was progressing as he intended. The flash of green that overpowered the aura and lit the room however, did shake him out of his delusions. Crouched by Ranma, Happosai covered his eyes as the flash turned into a steady pulse that got brighter. With a deafening explosion that through the ancient pervert against the wall, the green light finally died and, from the smoke, he saw a figure approach.
"SWEETO!" He cried as he launched himself at her. The hand that locked like an iron vice around his throat came as a very unwelcome surprise, especially when he saw who it was attached to. Staring back at him with the coldest gaze this side of zero Kelvin, was Ranma's frowning, male, face.
"What did you think you were doing insect?" He sneered at his captive. Happosai frantically reached behind and pulled his pipe out, only to find it yanked from his hand by an invisible force. In that room, starring into the eyes of one who could and would kill him if he felt like it, Happosai once again knew fear. When Ranma smiled at him, Happosai knew terror.
"Well old man," He began in an almost cheerful tone, "Let's see what you can tell me." His eyes, blackened totally as Happosai felt another mind in his own that brushed by all his defenses without hesitation, felt his life and all his secrets made bare to his captor. Then he felt the power rip through his mind.
Malice heard the old freak in his hand give a strangled croak as his eyes rolled in back of his head and a bit of droll fell from his slackened mouth. His lips curling in distaste, Malice pushed with his new power and sent the old man into the wall with the speed of a freight train.
"Pathetic."
He heard the sounds of many feet approaching and briefly considered killing all in the house before dismissing the unnecessary, though pleasant, thought. With a grunt, he turned to the window and casually blasted it into shards as black and purple ethereal fire sprang around his form. Just as the door was flung open, he launched himself from the room and into the darkening sky.
Nodoka had just settled down for a cup or tea with Kasumi and the visiting X-Men when she felt Ranma's power build. Curious as to why he would raise his power, she sent a slim probe to his mind. When she encountered a dream response, Nodoka smiled and withdrew, she would have to teach her son about locking down his power when asleep. As she turned back to Kasumi, she saw Ryouga, who had been talking with Nabiki about something, stiffen and swing to face the stairs. Just before she could ask what was wrong, an explosion rocked the house and threw everyone in the room to the floor.
Shaking her head, Nodoka instinctively reached out to find everyone's mind. She gasped when she found a new thought pattern in the house. A thought pattern the was just a powerful as Ranma and in the same room. Rising to her feet, the elder Phoenix started to the stairs, ignoring the confused questions behind her. Once in the Tendo's up stairs hall, she saw smoke seeping from under Ranma's door and felt a strangely familiar power being used inside, like Phoenix energy but not. Just as she reached the door, a figure shot through the wall and into her. Nodoka shoved Happosai off of her, a part of her mind not surprised that he was involved, and yanked the door aside in time to see her son leave.
"Ranma!" She cried, and was just about to take off after him when a light cough drew her attention to the small red head at her feet.
Eyes wide, she looked between the Ranma on the floor and the Ranma disappearing in the sky. As the others filtered into the room, she found her attention being drawn away from the impossible sight. Akane started the questions with her usual subtly.
"What has that pervert done this time?"
"I'm not sure what Happosai has done. That is who you were talking about, right?" Nodoka flashed a quick glare at the youngest Tendo before kneeling by the red head.
Akane flushed and sputtered a bit before she got control of herself enough to respond. "No, I meant Ranma. That was who just blasted a part of my house and left wasn't it?" Akane glared out the hole, her blue aura blazing as she worked her anger up. "Probably out seeing one of his other girlfriends, the perverted playboy."
"I doubt it Akane dear." Nodoka said as she stood up with Ranma-chan in her arms. Akane did a double take at the unexpected sight.
"Huh? How...?" She mumbled out intelligently.
"I don' know. Perhaps we might find out when she awakens." Nodoka brushed past Akane and the other curious inhabitants as she headed downstairs and placed Ranma on the couch. Turning, she found the rest of the household had gathered. "Watch over her, I'm going to get some water." Nodoka left the room with several pairs of confused eyes following her.
After she left, Akane turned back to the unconscious Ranma and, reaching out to her shoulder, tried to shake her awake. "Hey Ranma." She told her, "Wake up pervert." When she got no response, Akane began to get angry again. The baka was doing this on purpose! "Ranma..." She reeled back, arm cocked behind her head, "Wake... UP!!" She let her punch fly right at Ranma's face when her target's eyes snapped open.
The others in the room only caught sight of a flare of orange and a sound like a falcon's cry before they found themselves ducking from a flying Akane. A rapid look showed the girl siting dazedly in the koi pond and already rising to her feet, a blue aura lighting the yard and her face settled in a mask of rage. The fire-like light in the room with them brought their attention back to Ranma. The young Phoenix in question was standing in a ready stance, her Phoenix aura blazing and her head frantically searching around her.
"Easy child," Ororo began, her hands raised non-threateningly, "You are among friends, no one wishes to hurt you." She ignored Logan's snort.
"Speak for yourself!" Akane stormed into the room, heading right for Ranma, "Ranma how dare you throw me!"
"Geez, first she's mad that he won't fight her, now she's mad that he did. Make up your mind imouto-chan." Nabiki mumbled under her breath.
"I won't let you kill me!" Ranma screamed at the charging Akane and brought her arms above her head, a basketball-sized globe of Phoenix fire materialized between her palms. An often ignored part of Akane's mind called Common Sense suddenly shouted out that she was attacking a person who could wipe her from existence, and by the look of things was about to. Akane's eyes widened and she skidded to a halt as Ranma let lose the fireball. Akane screamed and raised her arms in front of her face in a futile attempt at shielding herself. Just before the orb hit, another field of yellow-orange fire imposed itself, blocking the blast and dissipating it.
"Ranma!" Nodoka's voice cracked like a whip. "Get a hold of yourself!"
The sound of her mother's voice succeeded in removing the lingering clouds of confusion in Ranma's mind and, with a few blinks, her eyes refocused on reality. "Huh? Where's Malice?"
"Malice? How do you know Malice?" Scott spoke up.
"She was trying to take over my body." Ranma replied, and in a softer voice, "And she was succeeding."
"That's impossible! Malice is dead. Mr. Sinister killed her!" Scott insisted.
"Say what you will, I know who was in my head. Now again, where is she?" Silence meet her demand until…
"I think I might know." All eyes swung back to Nodoka. Ranma registered the kettle in her hands just before the hot water hit her in the face.
"Whatcha' do... that... for?" Ranma lamely completed staring at her still female body.
"I thought so." Nodoka lowered head a moment before meeting her daughter's, "When I entered your room, I saw a figure I know was your male form leaving through a hole in the wall. Earlier, I sensed a new thought pattern in your room. I think this Malice person may have managed to acquire your male body."
There were many gapping faces when she finished, Ranma found her voice first.
"She split the curse? But how did she get my male body?"
Nabiki was the one who answered. "You said you were fighting her, right Saotome?" She didn't wait for a reply. "What form were you using in the fight?"
Ranma stared at the middle Tendo before finally replying, "I was in female form from the dream right before she showed up. I never got around to changing while we were fighting. I'm stuck like this." She finished forlornly.
"I'm sorry Ranma," Nodoka wrapped her arms around her child, offering the comfort she knew she needed. "I didn't want your choice to be made like this."
"It's not permanent yet." Ranma locked gazes with a surprised looking Nabiki. "If you find, uh, him, you can rejoin bodies. You would have to battle Malice again, but..." She finished with a shrug.
"How do you know that child?" Ororo asked.
Nabiki blinked at the regal black woman a moment before reluctantly admitting, "I have no idea. I was just thinking about Ranma's situation and," She gestured helplessly, "There it was. Like I always knew it, I just had to remember it."
Hank made an intrigued sound as he rubbed his chin, gazing at Nabiki thoughtfully. "I wonder Miss. Tendo, if I might convince you to take a few small tests. I have a theory I that might explain this."
A familiar gleam entered Nabiki's eyes as she gazed at the bestial doctor. Hank felt a chill spread down his back and suddenly wondered if he was biting off more then he could chew. "Why of course doctor. What types of tests did you have in mind?" She asked seductively.
The women present raised a collective eyebrow at Nabiki's actions while the men and Ranma blinked in confusion. Soun, however, used his unique logic paths to decrypt Nabiki's answer. The result soon had him using his other well-known trait. The Tendo School of Anything Goes Final Attack: Demon Head! "You will not lay a single hand on my little girl!" He screeched at Hank. The Beast cried out in surprise and jumped to the ceiling, using his claws to stay up.
"Well Ranma," Nabiki commented calmly, "It looks like you aren't the only one who can do that."
"Huh?" Ranma blinked at the mercenary Tendo, she knew there was something going on beyond what was being said, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure it out. She was glad that the Demon Head was not being used on her for a change.
Nabiki spared a look for the clueless neo-girl before shaking her head. "Forget it Saotome, I'll tell you when your older."
"Okay." It was a few seconds before Nabiki's words fully sank in and Ranma realized that she had been insulted, "Hey! What do you mean by that?"
"I assure you Tendo-san, I have no romantic interest in your daughter?" Hank frantically tried to calm the raging Tendo patriarch.
"Are you implying that she's not good enough for you?!" Hank just sighed as he heard more arguments start up around the room. It was going to be a long night.
End of Chapter 4
Well as soon as tha fur-ball can run them tests, we can get after that disembodied psychopath. Well Cyke, whatcha' waitin' fer? Let's go! Huh? Yeah the kids comin' with us. It's her body.
Next time on Heaven's Fire, Hunters in the Night