Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Pillars of Strength ❯ Dangerous Company ( Chapter 7 )

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.

Presea left the creation chamber first, followed by a redfaced Ranma and Hikaru. As Innova was passing Mokona by the doorway, the normally mild tempered guide of the magic knights seemed to have frowned, and let out a low "Puu...".

Innova glanced down, "Stupid creature, let me be."

Mokona continued to glare at him.

Innova turned, letting his cape smack into the side of Mokona.

Down the hallway, Ranma was looking to the side while fidgetting with his pigtail. Hikaru held her hands in front of her and concentrated intently on the stone floor.

Presea, feeling the tension in the air, "So, what all would you like to eat for dinner this evening?"

Ranma's stomache growled, echoing.

Hikaru giggled, "Sounds like about anything will do. I don't really mind what, but I am kind of curious to the local food. Surely it has to be a little different than earth's food."

Ranma grunted, "I'm not much for culture. A true martial artist will eat whenever he can, what he can."

"We'll see about that," Presea laughted, "I know a few spicy recipies. Cephiro isn't too big, but we do have some specialties. You up to the challenge you two?"

Ranma smacked his right fist into his left palm, "I'm heir to the school of Anything Goes Martial Arts, I accept any challenge. And I never loose."

"Hikaru?"

"Um... I don't know."

"Na, she probably couldn't take it. Innova on the other hand looks like he could use a little spice," Ranma blurted out.

A spark of competitive spirit flared in Hikaru's eyes, "Oh really, then I accept your challenge too. I'll show both you and Innova."

Thirty minutes later at the dinner table....

Ranma and Hikaru sat opposite Mokona and Innova, with Presea at the head of the table. The popery of aromas in the air hinted at the wide array of tastes they were about to encounter. Mokona continued to glare at Innova, who looked on with neutral look on his face.

"What is this?" Innova asked in monotone.

Presea clapped her hands, "This my friend is the crown jewels of my family recipies." Her hands rubbed in anticipation, "And also the challenge match between our two hero's before they leave on their journey to retrieve the first mashin tomorrow."

Ranma rubbed his hands in antipication, and his brain then caught up, "First mashin? I think I may have heard Clef mention that. Where is it?"

Hikaru filled one of the bowls with the thick soup. "Let's eat first Ranma. Then we can get down to business."

Presea knodded, "I agree. Dig in! If you don't finish everything on your plate, I'll consider the other person the loser."

Ranma shoveled in the first three spoonfuls, tears coming to his eyes. "Whoa...." He looked over to Hikaru, who was slightly sweating, but had already finished up half her plate. His browe furroughed in concentration, "Time to pick up the pace, Saotome Special Technique - Speeding Dine and Go!" His hands sped to amazing speeds, nearly rivalling the chestnut fist - he had to chew sometime.

Hikaru didn't increase her speed one bit, and actually smirked. Thirty seconds into the technique, Ranma realized the error of the technique - and the rules of the challenge. He had continueously piled on food, and ate already three times as much as Hikaru. She however just finished her plate. The lining of his stomache started to protest, and he couldn't shovel in another.

Hands shaking, he hunched over the plate, not willing to give up in defeat. Rules were to finish all on the plate, not eat all on the table.

Placing a hand on Ranma's shoulder, "You ok?" Hikaru questioned.

Ranma's eyes watered, the signals his taste buds were sending now reaching their peak.

Water was placed in front of him, courtesy of Presea. "You need this?"

Ranma looked up at the water, but his pride kept him from accepting the help. This was a challenge, and Ranma Saotome never looses. He was determined to win without help.
Moving the spoon to the plate he grabbed another scoop and shoveled it in. It burned against his lips, but he blocked out the spikes of heat.

The air around him became chilly, especially Hikaru sitting next to him.

*Soul of ice. Soul of ice. Soul of ice.*

Three more bites to go.

Hikaru shivered slightly and rubbed her hands together. Looking over to Ranma, she was surprised to see her breath cloud the more it brushed over his figure. "Ranma! Snap out of it!"

As entrenched into the soul of ice as he was, Ranma barely heard Hikaru's pleas for acknoledgement. As the last chunk of meat was swallowed, he slowly came out of the technique more commonly reserved for the hiruu shoten ha. "I did it!"

Hikaru stepped back at his outburst. "Wha.. what happened to you Ranma? I was worried."

Ranma smiled broadly, "Ah, don't worry about it. Just something called the soul of ice. But I didn't loose either." Glansing down at Hikaru's plate. "You didn't either, so looks like a tie."

A sigh of relief was heard from Presea now that she knew Ranma was ok. "Just let us know next time alright? I was about to try some of my healing on you."

Innova was silent across the table, more surprised by the minute of the skills, especially those not magical in nature, used by the martial artist. Standing, "I am going to take a walk. I will be back before nightfall, excuse me." Giving a short bow, he left for the inner area of the citadel. Mokona falled shortly after, but was unusually quiet.

Now that dinner was mostly finished, "So, what's this about the mashin again?" Ranma piped up.

"It is an item of extreme power. I don't know any more details other than there was one for each magic knight. Since Umi and Fuu are recovering, that leaves only Hikaru's mashin - in the volcano," Presea gestured toward the redhead.

"Hey, I remember seeing that. So, Ranma and I are going there tomorrow?"

Presea knodded, and was surprised when their visitor spoke up, she had almost completely forgotten about him.

"I would like to accompany you. I could be of assistance, especially if it will assist me in getting revenge on Zagato," Innova stood, and quickly bent over as if bowing. In reality, Mokona had kicked him in the shin.

Hikaru knodded, "I don't see why not, we could use all the help we can get. Besides, the sooner we get back, if Fuu and Umi have recovered we can go get theirs."

"I suppose," Ranma mumbled. He didn't feel comfortable at all around Innova. Standing, Ranma stretched, "Well, I'm gonna hit the sack. See ya in the morning!"

--- Late that night... ---

Ranma tossed in his bed, wide awake. Glansing out the window opening to the moon, he mummered, "Strange. The moon looks the same as on Earth. But yet I'm in a different world fighting for its survival."

On the other side of the wall, Hikaru was asleep, but still tossed in her bed. Beads of sweet formed on her head as images of the previous day's events raced through her head. Her breathing and restlessness finally calmed when Ranma's deep blue eyes appeared in the fog of her dreams.

Ranma slightly relaxed, and jumped out of bed. Putting on a new white, sleeveless shirt with black loose pants, he softly stepped out into the hallway. He was passing Hikaru's door and noticed Innova coming down the hall. His eyes bugged out, not wanting to give anyone the wrong idea.

Glancing around, there was no place to hide but.... ah. The ceiling.

Innova paused slightly by Hikaru's door and seemed to sense something. Ranma held his breath, hanging spread eagle just a meter above Innova's cloaked figure. Ranma thought he heard Innova mumble something, holding some sort of glimmering object in his hand. Innova then continued around the corner into the courtyard. Waiting a moment to make sure he didn't return, Ranma waited before hopping down.

"Puuuuu!!" "AHHHH!"

Surprised, Ranma did a roundhouse - and throughly decimated Hikaru's poor defenseless door.

Hikaru, already slightly awake and on edge, screamed and instinctively reached for her gloved weapons. Putting it on, she turned to face the intruder. The figure was still in the doorway, but was unarmed.

"Who's there? You from Zagato?" Hikaru slid out of the bed, and opened her palm to summon her sword.

Ranma held his hands up defensively, "Nononono! Its me Ranma! I was surprised by the marshmellow and....", Ranma bowed his head, "I'm sorry for destroying the door."

Hikaru squinted, and now could make out Ranma's features. Another realization came, she was still clothed in just her nightgown. "Eeek!" Hikaru dived under the covers, while Ranma was clueless as to her actions.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Um, Ranma?"

"Mind leaving for a bit while I get dressed."

Ranma ran out, "Oh! Sorry!"

Outside in the courtyard, Ranma sat down on the grass, his thoughts in turmoil but didn't really center on one aspect of the past week to get a grasp on the situation.

Hikaru sat down beside him,but stayed silent. They sat watching the sun come up, neither one tired.

"Ranma!" A yell emenated from the hallway. Martial artist and magic knight jumped up and summoned their swords. Ranma's greater speed rushed around the corner and skidded to a stop as he met up with a slightly upset Presea.

"What?!" Ranma looked around, but a tingle in the back of his neck said to run.

Hikaru poked her head around the corner, and realized the situation. *Oh no! Presea's door!*

"What happened to my door," the craftswoman tapped her foot on the splinters. "What's more, what were you doing in Hikaru's room?"

Hikaru stepped up to his defense, "It was an accident. I startled him and he accidentally," she struggled for a word, "knocked it over?"

Presea simmered down slightly, and walked up to Ranma who was sweating profusely, "Ok, but that still doesn't mean you are off the hook. When you get back, you are going to fix it."

Ranma knodded, and decided now would be a good time to get while he was ahead. "Well, I think I... er.. we should get going. Right Hikaru?" She knodded.

Mokona launched out of the broken doorway, flinging water. Instant Ranma-chan.

"M O K O N A! Get back here you little marshmellow so I can roast ya!"

Hikaru took off after Ranma, waving, "See ya later Presea, we'll return as fast as we can!"

Presea gave a little chuckle at the scene, and turned to clean up the mess, "Good luck you two." Another thought came to her, "Hey, what happened to our visitor?"

"Right here."

Presea turned to see a fist lined with black, and she lost consciousness. Innova aimed a clear crystal at her body, and fired another energy blast through it. It turned black, and the body was not longer there. He turned down the hall toward the two injured magic knights.

Back in the Forest of Silence Ranma pursued his prey and was failing miserably. Mokona was more energetic for some reason and was leading them along wild paths, over stone, through a creek and doubling back a few times. Hikaru was worried at times she would lose site of the two a few times, but somehow caught up. The chase finally ended when Mokona jumped into Hikaru's arms for protection, which meant to Ranma hands off.

"Ah man.... there ya go. Running to Hikaru again. Why don't you stand up and fight uh?"

A blob of water appeard over Ranma - cold. "Ahhhh! That's cold!"

Hikaru was still catching her breath, but did manage a short laugh. She then remembered, "Hey, what happened to Innova? Thought he was right behind us."

Ranma looked around, and realized they were totally lost except for Mokona. "Just great. We probably totally lost him," glaring at Mokona, "and its your fault marshmellow."

Mokona grinned up at him, and jumped out of Hikaru's arms. Ranma didn't continue the chase due to a glare from Hikaru. "Well, I suppose we better get underway. Lead on fuzzball."