Pillars of Strength
Chapter 9
Afroplex - jwessels@ranko.homelinux.net
http://ranko.homelinux.net/

Disclaimer - This crossover story is not for profit. All characters within are property of their respective owners. Please don't sue me, you won't get anything out of it since I'm but a poor college student.

Author's Note: I read some of the reviews, and agree that I probably made a mistake on Ranma's choice of weapon at Presea's armory.  Now, after watching another 3 seasons of Ranma 1/2 and several manga, the staff seems more natural.  I'm continually trying to get a bead on every character's personality so I can accurately portray them in the story.  More than anything, it is the personality that makes the story flow.  So, as of 12/13/2003, the story has been changed to reflect the weapon change in previous chapters.  However, the escudo weapons will remain swords to stay true to cannon MKR and not add any querky changes that just don't feel right.

Hikaru found herself suspended in midair, violent and rapidly moving flames wrapped around her.  Flares occasionally looped out from the walls, and the seemingly infinite flaming pit below her.  Yet, she wasn't afraid.

"Young one," a voice echoed in the chamber.  Hikaru turned toward it, face to face with a flaming head.  It resembled a wolf, or lion - and for the briefest of moments she could see a resemblance to her age family pet which was half dog, half wolf.  Around it was a mane of flames.  It wasn't the head, nor the mane that drew Hikaru's attention but was its eyes.  They were narrow and cold as the flames licking around her were hot, and seemed to peer into the depths of her soul.

"You have weathered many enemies to come before me, why does thou wish to become a magic knight?"

The question reverberated in her heart, forcing it to spill forth its secrets.  Even if she had wanted to lie, the magic of the entity in front of her force the truth. "I need to protect my friends and those around me.  The people of Cephiro are suffering, and by protecting my friends I can protect them too."

Rayearth nodded its head, "If you should don my power, how would you perform these tasks?"

"The people that are destroying Cephiro are strong, and I admit I can not perform these tasks alone.  Perhaps if I can help Fuu, Umi, Ranma, and the others with the power we can do more." Hikaru finished.

"We shall see young one," and with a pulse, Hikaru once again fell under the semiconscious spell and fell back, her eyes staring outward void of awareness.

On Hikaru's right about twenty meters, Ranma began to stir as he felt whatever was keeping his mind in the clouds lift.  He tried to get into a battle stance, as he realized the flames were all around him, "Who is there?! Leave Hikaru alone and fight me!"

"I am not here to harm you or the other, I am Rayearth."

A chuckle could be heard, and the vision of Rayearth became visible. "You have a fire and determination that is unrivaled, and you would gladly put yourself in harms way to protect others."

Ranma remained silent, trying to move his body that was limp and unresponsive to his requests.  Yet, he struggled to try different mediative techniques behind the scene to regain control.

"Why?" Rayearth asked.

This time Ranma frowned, "I don't want to hurt others, since they could be my friend.  I only fight to train harder, not to dominate others.  'Sides, it is the right thing to do."

Rayearth narrowed its eyes, "We shall see."

With this, Ranma and Hikaru were wrapped in flames more intense than before.  While enveloped, they regained control of there bodies and were rushed toward the shrine doors that were just starting to open.

Side by side, they were deposited just outside.  The enormous doors slammed shut, causing a few loose stalagtites to fall from the ceiling into the pit around them.

"So, I'm glad you could make it magic knight," a monotone male voice said in the haze.

It was cleared by a strange wind to reveal the whitehaired man from before in the citadel.  Ranma and Hikaru recognized him, but this time they felt a certain wrongness about the man.

"I'm afraid your quest ends here," Innova raised his right hand which contained a black crystal.  It lanced out a beam, which Hikaru and Ranma easily dodged.  It struck a boulder behind them, which disappeared.

"Hey! I thought you were our friend!" Ranma yelled out.  Both him and Hikaru by now had summoned their swords, and were ready to defend or attack.

"Ally, ha! I was mearly trying to infiltrate your little group," Innova tossed the crystal up and caught it.  "My master Zagato does not wish to have the magic knights perform their duty according to the legend, and so it is my desire to see that his wishes are completed to the fullest."

Hikaru looked around and realization hit, "What have you done with Clef and Ferio?!"

The neutral face that Innova had before changed to a slight grin, "Done? I haven't harmed them if that is what you are asking."

Ranma eyed the dark crystal suspeciously, which Innova noticed.

"Yes, they are here."

Hikaru and Ranma had shocked expressions on their faces, not sure how to react to the proclamation. If true, Innova was effectively holding the cards with their friends hostage.

"Along with your three other friends from the forest."

This was the last straw for Ranma, "You give that here!" He jumped at Innova, hoping to snatch the item back like he did with the phoenix pill from Cologne.  Innova teleported out of the way, and reappeared on the other side of the chamber.

Hikaru noticed him reappearing, "Ranma! On the other side!"

She felt helpless as Ranma played a hopeless game of tag.  Finally, Ranma landed next to her, panting. "The moron just won't sit still enough for me to get near."

Innova then appeared behind them, "I have you now."  He then sent an energy blast into Hikaru's back, soliciting a howl of pain from her.  Ranma swung his sword backward low, aiming for Innova's legs where a hit wouldn't be fatal, but the space was empty.  The compressed air from the swing was great enough to cause the rocks in the path of his swing to crack.

Tears of pain flowed from Hikaru's eyes, but she struggled to stand back up using her sword as support.  Ranma rushed to her, examining the wound and found it had burned a good portion of the skin on her back.

Narrowing his eyes, he concentrated, "Aura of equilibrium."  Immediately, he felt a burning pain on his back as the magic began to transfer Hikaru's injury partially to him.  He also started to feel his energy start to drain.

Hikaru on the other hand felt renewed energy and reduced pain, and was able to breath much easier.  Yet, she still felt her strength ebbing.

Innova laughed from the other side of the platform, "Touching, but it won't last forever.  The blast not only burns the victem, but destroys them from the inside out."

Ranma growled and dashed to try and strike Innova, "I won't lose!"  He continued to maintain the link with Hikaru, hoping to end the battle and hopefully break the spell on Hikaru quickly.

"Ranma, don't worry about me!" Hikaru cried out. "Save the others!  Even if I'm gone, we need the other two mashin and Clef to save Cephiro!"

Fed up with Ranma's stubbornness, she positioned herself on the edge of the pit to get as close to the action as possible.  Innova teleported to a point in front of her, but with his back turned.

"FLARE ARROW!"  Hikaru unleashed the attack, then regretted it as she stumbled back.  Her stomache lurched, bringing bile to her mouth that she contained.

Ranma swung out again and tried to grab for the crystal, missing both.  "Hikaru! I'm not gonna lose any of you.  Ranma Saotome never loses, especially when it counts."  In his mind though, he was struggling to find a weakness in Innova's teleporting pattern.

One more miss, and he then spotted it.  Just as Innova disappeared, the place where he appeared there was a shifting of the dust on the stone pillar. "Gotcha."

Innova smirked and teleported one more time.  Ranma noted the shifting of a pebble, and changed directions as fast as he could.

On the other side of the clearing, Hikaru knew it would be fruitless to change the martial artists mind. Instead of struggling to break the link, she concentrated on giving Ranma as much of her power as she could to save the others - even at the expense of her own life.

Just as Innova appeared, Ranma stabbed forward with a a sudden burst of speed.  Shock was evident on Innova's face as his arm was impaled by teleporting right on the sword he was just avoiding a few seconds earlier.

"Kachu kenshin amaguriken!"  Ranma punched Innova in the face, then a quickly retrieved the crystal from the loosened grip.

Innova gasped out, "Zagato, I have failed."  He then disappeared clutching his arm.

Ranma hopscotched the columns back to Hikaru, only to find her face down on the rocks. "Hikaru!"

Feeling the aura spell he had with her, he poured everything he had into it.  Also laying a hand on her shoulder, he tried to channel his ki into her. "Don't leave me now!  We won... we... won."  Feeling Hikaru's breath start to taper, Ranma prepared to channel his all into her to revive her.  "This may kill me, but it if it will save her."

All of a sudden, the doors to the shrine blasted open.  "STOP!"

Ranma was thrown back, with hardly any strength to withstand such a gust of wind.

"Magic knight and guardian, you have proven yourself."  At this, flames came out to envelope Ranma, Hikaru and the crystal.

Ranma and Hikaru leviatated, flames absorbing into their armor transforming them.  Their swords also evolved, the handles expanding and the blades slightly longer.

Finally as they were touching down, the flames released the spell on the black crystal releasing the individuals trapped inside and healing everyone's wounds.  Umi's and Fuu's armor also grew.

As everyone - Ranma, Hikaru, Fuu, Umi, Clef, Presea and Ferio - began to regain a feel for their surroundings they looked up at the shrine doors.

Inside, a huge shape came out of the flames.  Clef pointed at it with his staff, "Rayearth, rune god of fire and heart."

"Magic knight, you have proven yourself worthy of donning me.  However the time is not right for you to wear me, until you become a true magic knight.  You, guardian Ranma Saotome, you have proven yourself but have much to learn.  I shall give you a gift, which will only come to fruitation should you learn more about thyself and reevaluate why you fight."

At this, Rayearth dissolved into a beam of red, absorbed into Hikaru's chest piece.  It did however leave behind a pulsing sphere of light, that was absorbed into Ranma's glove.

"Umi! Fuu! I was so worried about you!" Hikaru cried with happiness and hugged the shocked magic knights. 

Ranma smirked and stood by Ferio and watched the girls bond. "Hey, where is the marshmellow?"

A 'puu' was heard behind him, "Get back here you! Where were you during this whole thing?!"

Clef chuckled, glad the group was finally back together and they could begin their journey for the other mashin on the other side of Cephiro - the rune god Selece.  He was also saddened, the group being brought one more step closer to their true confrontation.