By RankoSaotome
Disclaimer on first chapter. Theme song of the fic is 'Forever' from Erementar Gerad (Elemental Gelade in the US).
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The wind-like melody that's moving within our hearts
Vibrantly leads us towards the yet-unseen tomorrow
If we create the future with each thing we think
Could we grasp the "moment" the miracle smiles upon?
I feel 'I need you.'
... I just miss you in my life.
Please don't let go
Ah, Let's join hands
Heading toward a sparkling place in the wide-open future
Open up your heart
And turn this pain and loneliness into kindness
Don't get lost along my way
Both at the moment we met and now, you surpassed time
Shine together with me forever...
The pledge that echoes in this dreary night is fleetingly falling apart
My heart beats to the fate of the stars that pass each other
At the meeting place of the broad sky, our pulses raced
What is there behind those tears you held back?
I will never leave you.
I want to promise you!
Don't forget
Ah, You gave me the courage to move forward
Let's hold on to it and fly
If we were bonded together
Embrace and don't ever lose the strength of
Protecting the people you can't replace
At the moment I learn my weaknesses, I will become stronger again
Yes, forever...
I feel 'I need you.'
... I just miss you in my life.
Please don't let go
Ah, Let's join hands
Heading toward a sparkling place in the wide-open future
Open up your heart
If we share the seemingly broken affection
As it keeps overflowing from our hearts, it will be like Heaven
At times when we're bewildered, let's keep building our unending dream
Yes, forever...
Open up your heart
And turn this pain and loneliness into kindness
Don't get lost along my way
Both at the moment we met and now, you surpassed time
Shine together with me forever...
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Chapter 12 - Melting Heart
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Meanwhile...
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"What is the status on the construction of Death Crimson?"
"We have the Holy Flame for energy. It will soon be completed."
"We control Mounthand, we have the minerals from the Jayarl Plateau. Everything is going as planned."
"Wire. We must crush the Clan of the Light. Even a tiny flame can grow if left untended."
"Hehehehe!"
"Complete Death Crimson as soon as possible. We will let the entire world know the power of the Empire."
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Meanwhile, Ranma and group had just moved off the cable car in town. The place they were in was rather plain... Looked like one of the little train stations from earlier.
And almost as soon as they arrived, they ran into Marion, of all people. "There you are! I looked all over for you guys! Ranma, we've got a problem..."
"What's up, Marion?" Came Ryouga's question in Ranma's place.
"Mounthand's been taken over by a bunch of weirdos! Their leader is totally freaky! He's, like, a total psycho!"
Soushi decided to speak up this time. "Calm yourself, little one. Speak in a way we all can understand."
"I'm talking just fine! Geez! Weirdo!"
As the two argued, Ranma was talking to the others. "Okay, so what now?"
"Well, we need Mounthand to get to the Sacred Altar, so we have to do something about this." Kyleen input, looking thoughtful.
Wyna looked absolutely excited. "Well then, we should get going to Mounthand and crush those guys beneath our boots!"
Ranma looked back to see how Soushi was doing with Marion. Still arguing. She turned back to the others. "Okay, so we need Mounthand to get to the Sacred Altar. So, then we HAVE to do something about these guys..." Then, she sighed. "I just somehow get the feeling this is a trap..."
"Well, of course it's a trap! I mean, they probably know where we are, and are luring us to Mounthand to..." But Ryouga stopped when he noticed Ranma's face. Her rapidly moving pregnancy had let them all know of Ranma's strength deteriation. The more pregnant she became, the less effective she was getting in combat. And... she was beginning to become hesitant to fight the Dark Acolytes. Especially since Dark Master might actively start seeking to capture her should the pregnancy continue advancing so rapidly.
She was not in the best of positions in life. Though, Ryouga thought, he could think of some better positions he'd like her to be in...
While Ryouga lost himself in his naughty fantasies about the girls in the party, the four girls in question were talking about the pros and cons of heading into this obvious trap. Finally, they had decided, to hell with it, they should go.
They turned to find Marion and Soushi finished their argument, though Soushi looked like he might snap. "Alright, come one, come all! Next stop, Mounthand!" Came Marion's quirky comment, causing those that heard it to sweatdrop. What was this, a circus?
They had to take a secret passage onto Mounthand, which came out in Marion's place, to which they stopped for a bit. It was becoming more and more obvious that Ranma's pregnancy was slowing her down, because of the extra weight that she was unused to. That, and her bulging tummy. Still, though, she still wanted to help fight.
"There are a bunch of weirdos around Mounthand, so we'd better look out for them." Marion said, as the group, plus Marion, set outside the doors. They rushed through town, Ranma's eyes twitching as she saw all the oh-so-familiar robots.
Then, they reached the source of the problem, the factory... Which made Ranma groan with disgust. She did NOT want to go in there again...
But the doors were all open and the paths were very straightforward. There were problems on the way, like Evil Priests that would slow them down, and a few more Gear Swordsmen, but none stood for long. In fact, they were more annoying than anything. Ranma could still fight these guys, but the pain from doing so quickly got her to slow down.
And, before long, they found themselves surrounded by a voice. "Hehehehehe, they're here..." What dropped from above, looked like a demented jester. "I kill you. I kill you! Die! Die! Die!" Quickly, everyone in the party made a protective cocoon around Ranma, not wanting to let her risk her life and that of her growing child's.
Ranma, though, was not out of this battle. She quickly unleashed her summons. Fiednod and Aquoon unleashed their power twice each on the being, Wire, before Wire could counterattack with his scythe in devestating attacks that sent the whole party flying in different directions. The group was trying to counterattack, but that scythe Wire carried and assaulted with was devestating.
Ranma was among the first to go down, pain erupting all over her body. Then Kasumi, who wasn't quite as tough as the others. Kyleen, Soushi... Only Wyna and Ryouga were left standing after a while. They could take the biggest beating, but without Ranma and Kasumi's healing, this was looking bad.
But when Wire moved in to attack, Wyna countered with her hammer. She nearly took the guy's head off... before he sliced her sides open with his scythe. Wyna gasped in pain, before dropping.
Ranma was watching this, scared beyond a doubt. The guy was too strong... She didn't know if she could activate React this time, as wounded as she was. Slowly, she tried forcing herself to her feet, just as Ryouga went down, his armor destroyed. Everyone was wounded... They... They lost...
But Ranma would not give up... Not so easily... Even if she were burning alive...
Burning... her body felt like it was on fire...
Then, she got knocked down, by Wire, with a kick to the middle of her chest. He took great glee, chuckling all the while, in kicking and striking her. "Hehehehehehehehe! Die, girl, die!"
She could feel the blood pouring off her body from all the strikes with his scythe. He wasn't trying to cut her to ribbons, just make her bleed to death. 'No... I... can't die... Not like this... If I do... Wyna, Kasumi, Ryouga... Everyone precious to me will die... I have to get up, for them...' She told herself, as her soul began to burn with determination. She... must... WIN...
The flash of light from her body was blinding, as she quickly unleashed her power. "FLARE REACT!" She screamed, as the heat of the area seemed to vanish, the heat spiralling onto her form.
When the light faded, she was standing, her whole body flaring with energy. Her appearance of pregnancy was gone, replaced by her slim frame, the body and clothing orange and red. She looked like she was on fire. And before the light even faded, she tore into Wire, ripping him limb from limb, figuratively speaking, with her bare hands. Never before had she felt so much power... So much strength... It was intoxicating...
But, as she finally dealt the blow that sent Wire down, she merely glared at him with her flaming eyes. She drew her sword. But before she could deal a killing blow, he turned, quite literally, to dust and floated away. Glaring, Ranma chased after him. But when she reached the control room, Flare React ran out. Panting, she tried to call on it again, but she merely dropped to her knees.
Wire appeared from out of the ground beside her. She looked up, grabbing her sword, but before she could pull it, wires pulled themselves out of the ground around her. She cried out loudly, the wires wrapping around her tightly, holding her still. They squeezed and squeezed, until her screams of agony filled the factory. She knew the others heard, but with so much pain... She couldn't call for help... Just scream.
"Hehehehe, that's it! Keep screaming!" Wire said gleefully, pulling a scythe from out of the ground, making Ranma gasp in fright. She was going to die!
"..." She was silent, or as silent as she could be when he wasn't squeezing the life out of her. He started to squeeze the wires again, making her scream in pain. This... was the end...
That is, until Wire lost an arm from a flying blade. "Argh! Who!"
Ranma looked back as the squeezing stopped. She was immensely happy to see her friends all there, Ryouga without his sword, indicating his was the one thrown. "G-Guys!"
"Release her, you beast!"
"Hehehehehe... Her, huh? Maybe... maybe not!" And then, the squeezing began again, harder than before. Her screams filled the room once again, as she felt such immense pain all over...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She cried, as she tried with all her heart, with all her soul, for one more summon... For something to stop him... "AQUOON!" She cried out, before vanishing and the wires going limp. Her dragon guardian came, and blasted Wire with water...
"NOOOOOOOO!" Wire cried, as he started to short-circuit immediately. He was losing control of his new body, as it started to twitch. Once Ranma reappeared, she collapsed to her knees, the others rushing in to finish the job.
Wire was defeated quickly, before exploding in a shower of electrical parts from the source of his power... Mounthand.
"Oh crap! Mounthand's speeding out of control! At this rate of speed... We'll be killed... Every single person on this train..."
"Ma... Marion... Can you stop the train...?" Came Ranma's pained reply.
"Our only chance is to take Mounthand down the unfinished track and derail it! We can't switch tracks from up here, though! Someone has to get moving!"
"I... I'll do it..."
"But Ranma, you're injured!"
"No... problem..." Then, they heard the channeling.
"No, Ranma!"
"SHADOW REACT!" She cried, as her whole body turned opaque and she vanished. Teleportation, they realized.
The switches were on the top of the train. And Ranma took no chances. Quickly, she started going through the manual override codes that were displayed, then hit the button.
And as Mounthand went off the track, Ranma was thrown from the top of the train, to the ground below. She hit a series of rocks, once on the ground... And lost consciousness.
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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Well, progress has been made, and everyone survived the assault on Mounthand. But what about everyone on Mounthand? Are they okay? Hell, will Ranma be okay? Find out next time! Ja ne!