Author's pre-Note: Wow... after two years, it's finally over.
That's right, everyone. This is the final chapter and the battle
between Ryoga and Saffron comes to a close. About time, eh?
Chapter 7: From the Ashes
The battle taking place more resembled a dance than a duel to
the death. Ryoga and Saffron were trading lightning-quick blows
casually, each testing the other's defense for holes. So far,
neither combatant had managed to land a solid hit.
Without preamble, Saffron disengaged from Ryoga, leaping away
to get some distance.
"I see you have improved quite a bit, human. You may be even
better than that pesky human who was responsible for my last death,"
came his booming voice.
"Feh," Ryoga responded. "I may never have the raw talent
Ranma had, but I worked hard to get where I am."
"Well, then-" Saffron started.
"And another thing," Ryoga said, cutting him off. "If you
ever speak ill of my best friend again, I'll send you to Hell."
Saffron smirked. "Well then, shall we stop playing around
and fight for real?"
Ryoga's cocky smirk matched Saffron's almost perfectly.
"Fine by me. Take this! Moko Takabisha!" he yelled, unleashing a
blue energy bolt at his opponent.
Much to the surprise of those present, Saffron didn't dodge,
but put his hands out in front of him, catching and holding the blast.
"NYAAAAH!" he grunted, barely managing to deflect the ball of ki over
his head, where it detonated harmlessly against the tree line.
"Quite impressive, human. But remember this; I am power
incarnate. You will not defeat me so easily. Let's see if you can
handle this!"
Saffron seemed to blink out of existence momentarily and
Ryoga was caught off guard and thrown backward as the Phoenix King
reappeared, fist extended in a punch.
Cologne's eyes widened as the two girls beside her gasped.
"Good LORD, what speed!" she said in disbelief. "I never even saw
him move."
"Ryoga will still be ok, won't he?" Akane asked, nervously
watching the boy in question as he slowly got to his feet.
"Of course, child. Ryoga still has a few tricks up his
sleeve," Cologne answered, sounding much more confident than she
really felt.
Ryoga shook his head to clear it and looked at his opponent,
who was smirking triumphantly and waiting for him to get up.
"Come on, now, Hibiki. I know you can do better than that."
"Shut up, you arrogant bastard!" Ryoga growled, launching
himself at Saffron.
Saffron's smirk shifted to a grin as he moved his head out
of the way of the Lost Boy's fist. Pivoting, he sent a round kick
to the side of Ryoga's head. Ryoga caught Saffron's kick on his
forearm and retaliated with a knee to the gut, only to have that
blocked.
Saffron followed up his block with a right cross, which
was blocked, and a side kick to the solar plexus that connected,
eliciting an audible "oomph" and knocking Ryoga back a little.
Before Saffron could press his advantage, Ryoga surged
forward with a quick high/low combination, scoring a glancing hit to
Saffron's ribs, knocking him off balance just long enough to unleash
the chestnut fist.
Saffron took about 50 or so hits before he recovered enough
to counter with his own chestnut fist, stunning those present and
knocking Ryoga back yet again.
"H- how?" Akane stammered.
"Didn't Ranma-honey use that on him the last time you guys
fought this guy?" Ukyo suggested.
"If he was able to learn the Amiguriken after seeing it
only once, then he is more powerful than I could have ever imagined,"
Cologne said, her voice heavy with worry.
The trio fell silent and watched as Ryoga stood up slowly,
clutching his right side and looking much worse for wear. He glared
at Saffron and cursed under his breath. "Why don't you quit holding
back so we can finish this?"
Saffron sighed as flames sprang to life around him. "If you
are so eager to die, then I shall grant your request."
Ryoga smirked and took up an offensive stance, his aura
flaring around him. "If you think you can follow through with that
boast, then bring it on!"
Saffron's jovial manner dissappeared and his aura grew in size
and strength, dwarfing that of even an enraged Happosai. His voice was
icy as he addressed Ryoga for the final time. "I gave you a chance to
save yourself, human. Now you will see the folly of your arrogance!
IKARYU-KEN!"
A wave of flame and ki burst forth from Saffron's outstretched
hands and streaked toward his opponent, almost too quickly for the eye
to follow. Ryoga, as expected, had no chance of dodging. Just before
impact, though, the wake of fire began to swirl and compress into a small
ball in Ryoga's hands. The ball continued to pulse and grow until Saffron's
attack tapered off, leaving it about the size of a basketball.
Akane and Ukyo just stared in wide-eyed wonder as Cologne beamed
triumphantly.
Sweat poured down over Ryoga's brow as he struggled to contain the
unimaginable power in his hands. "Now," he grunted, "I'll send you to
Hell! RYU KESSHIN KEN!" Ryoga released the stored energy in a large blast
that destroyed everything in it's path toward Saffron.
Saffron was quite unprepared for this turn of events and was caught
square in the chest as Ryoga's attack exploded violently in a nova of heat
and blinding light.
As the smoke cleared and everyone's vision returned, they found
that the blast had left a huge crater. Ryoga sank to his knees when he saw
what was in the middle of said crater. Ukyo, Akane, and even Cologne gasped.
Saffron stood, clothing and helmet destroyed, though seemingly unhurt,
regarding them with familiar sky-blue eyes.
"Well, well," Saffron said, breaking the silence," it looks like
you've learned a few new tricks. Take care of her, P-chan; I'm counting
on you." With that, he spread his wings and too flight.
"Ranma-honey!" Ukyo cried.
"Ranma?" Akane asked.
Ryoga stared at the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Ranma,
I will not fail you."
Cologne watched as Ranma... err, Saffron flew off into the distance.
Several other dark shapes rose out of the forest as he passed over, following
their king over the horizon to wherever their camp lay. [Maybe this will
finally end the age-old emnity between the amazons and the Phoenix tribe,] she
mused hopefully.
The group took one last, melancholy look at the horizon and began the
long trip back to Nerima, readily anticipating the end of the madness that
had plagued their lives for the past few years.
==================================================================================
Author's Note:
In answer to one of the reviews that caught my attention: yes,
Ranma/Saffron would change genders with cold water, though, being a Phoenix and
thus a living flame, cold water never touched him... it gets heated up before it
makes contact.
That's right, everyone. This is the final chapter and the battle
between Ryoga and Saffron comes to a close. About time, eh?
Chapter 7: From the Ashes
The battle taking place more resembled a dance than a duel to
the death. Ryoga and Saffron were trading lightning-quick blows
casually, each testing the other's defense for holes. So far,
neither combatant had managed to land a solid hit.
Without preamble, Saffron disengaged from Ryoga, leaping away
to get some distance.
"I see you have improved quite a bit, human. You may be even
better than that pesky human who was responsible for my last death,"
came his booming voice.
"Feh," Ryoga responded. "I may never have the raw talent
Ranma had, but I worked hard to get where I am."
"Well, then-" Saffron started.
"And another thing," Ryoga said, cutting him off. "If you
ever speak ill of my best friend again, I'll send you to Hell."
Saffron smirked. "Well then, shall we stop playing around
and fight for real?"
Ryoga's cocky smirk matched Saffron's almost perfectly.
"Fine by me. Take this! Moko Takabisha!" he yelled, unleashing a
blue energy bolt at his opponent.
Much to the surprise of those present, Saffron didn't dodge,
but put his hands out in front of him, catching and holding the blast.
"NYAAAAH!" he grunted, barely managing to deflect the ball of ki over
his head, where it detonated harmlessly against the tree line.
"Quite impressive, human. But remember this; I am power
incarnate. You will not defeat me so easily. Let's see if you can
handle this!"
Saffron seemed to blink out of existence momentarily and
Ryoga was caught off guard and thrown backward as the Phoenix King
reappeared, fist extended in a punch.
Cologne's eyes widened as the two girls beside her gasped.
"Good LORD, what speed!" she said in disbelief. "I never even saw
him move."
"Ryoga will still be ok, won't he?" Akane asked, nervously
watching the boy in question as he slowly got to his feet.
"Of course, child. Ryoga still has a few tricks up his
sleeve," Cologne answered, sounding much more confident than she
really felt.
Ryoga shook his head to clear it and looked at his opponent,
who was smirking triumphantly and waiting for him to get up.
"Come on, now, Hibiki. I know you can do better than that."
"Shut up, you arrogant bastard!" Ryoga growled, launching
himself at Saffron.
Saffron's smirk shifted to a grin as he moved his head out
of the way of the Lost Boy's fist. Pivoting, he sent a round kick
to the side of Ryoga's head. Ryoga caught Saffron's kick on his
forearm and retaliated with a knee to the gut, only to have that
blocked.
Saffron followed up his block with a right cross, which
was blocked, and a side kick to the solar plexus that connected,
eliciting an audible "oomph" and knocking Ryoga back a little.
Before Saffron could press his advantage, Ryoga surged
forward with a quick high/low combination, scoring a glancing hit to
Saffron's ribs, knocking him off balance just long enough to unleash
the chestnut fist.
Saffron took about 50 or so hits before he recovered enough
to counter with his own chestnut fist, stunning those present and
knocking Ryoga back yet again.
"H- how?" Akane stammered.
"Didn't Ranma-honey use that on him the last time you guys
fought this guy?" Ukyo suggested.
"If he was able to learn the Amiguriken after seeing it
only once, then he is more powerful than I could have ever imagined,"
Cologne said, her voice heavy with worry.
The trio fell silent and watched as Ryoga stood up slowly,
clutching his right side and looking much worse for wear. He glared
at Saffron and cursed under his breath. "Why don't you quit holding
back so we can finish this?"
Saffron sighed as flames sprang to life around him. "If you
are so eager to die, then I shall grant your request."
Ryoga smirked and took up an offensive stance, his aura
flaring around him. "If you think you can follow through with that
boast, then bring it on!"
Saffron's jovial manner dissappeared and his aura grew in size
and strength, dwarfing that of even an enraged Happosai. His voice was
icy as he addressed Ryoga for the final time. "I gave you a chance to
save yourself, human. Now you will see the folly of your arrogance!
IKARYU-KEN!"
A wave of flame and ki burst forth from Saffron's outstretched
hands and streaked toward his opponent, almost too quickly for the eye
to follow. Ryoga, as expected, had no chance of dodging. Just before
impact, though, the wake of fire began to swirl and compress into a small
ball in Ryoga's hands. The ball continued to pulse and grow until Saffron's
attack tapered off, leaving it about the size of a basketball.
Akane and Ukyo just stared in wide-eyed wonder as Cologne beamed
triumphantly.
Sweat poured down over Ryoga's brow as he struggled to contain the
unimaginable power in his hands. "Now," he grunted, "I'll send you to
Hell! RYU KESSHIN KEN!" Ryoga released the stored energy in a large blast
that destroyed everything in it's path toward Saffron.
Saffron was quite unprepared for this turn of events and was caught
square in the chest as Ryoga's attack exploded violently in a nova of heat
and blinding light.
As the smoke cleared and everyone's vision returned, they found
that the blast had left a huge crater. Ryoga sank to his knees when he saw
what was in the middle of said crater. Ukyo, Akane, and even Cologne gasped.
Saffron stood, clothing and helmet destroyed, though seemingly unhurt,
regarding them with familiar sky-blue eyes.
"Well, well," Saffron said, breaking the silence," it looks like
you've learned a few new tricks. Take care of her, P-chan; I'm counting
on you." With that, he spread his wings and too flight.
"Ranma-honey!" Ukyo cried.
"Ranma?" Akane asked.
Ryoga stared at the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Ranma,
I will not fail you."
Cologne watched as Ranma... err, Saffron flew off into the distance.
Several other dark shapes rose out of the forest as he passed over, following
their king over the horizon to wherever their camp lay. [Maybe this will
finally end the age-old emnity between the amazons and the Phoenix tribe,] she
mused hopefully.
The group took one last, melancholy look at the horizon and began the
long trip back to Nerima, readily anticipating the end of the madness that
had plagued their lives for the past few years.
==================================================================================
Author's Note:
In answer to one of the reviews that caught my attention: yes,
Ranma/Saffron would change genders with cold water, though, being a Phoenix and
thus a living flame, cold water never touched him... it gets heated up before it
makes contact.