Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ In Darkness In Fire ❯ In Darkness In Fire pt 1 ( Chapter 12 )

"Do you think she'll be okay?" The woman from before asked, concerned for the blue haired girl lying in torn pants and a shredded shirt.

"She's just sleeping. She'll be just fine." A groan turned their attention toward the cot on which the blue haired senshi lie.

"There's your answer. She's waking up."

In Darkness In Fire

By: XZero

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 12 - In Darkness In Fire pt 1

Time passed slowly, a dark tide seeming to rise in response to his angered challenge. It was a particularly fevered combat that had them here. Each of the Nerima Wrecking Crew was outfitted for full-scale war. It seemed that they were getting no where fast though. The moon hung heavy in the sky, and the gentle glow of streetlights was drowned by the menacing glow of numerous auras raised to full potential. Each of the fighters came at him at once, attacking viciously with every skill they could muster, dozens of tiger print bandanas filled the air, along with a seemingly endless volley of knives. Almost imperceptible distortions of the air zipped into the sky and still there was no resolution . . . Energy orbs rocketed into the sky as each released a ki blast. There was one constant amongst them all however, and that was the purity of their auras, each still held a familiar color. For Ryouga a deep hunter, Mousse a dull orange, Ryuu's was a vibrant red. To each this was a representation of their core self, Ryouga was a man recovering from emotional scars, Mousse's desire to be accepted was a need that reached his very center, while Ryuu had a great deal of fear, covered by a violent and self-serving nature. All these things were gained from his mother's teachings. Thoughts turned dark, and Ranma knew what his aura held of late. Nothing but black and red hung around him when he called up his spirit. The colors died down, they were all tired from the tireless practice, and nightly scouring of the Minato Ward. Unfortunately the reminder of his aura was still there. He was angry, he hated the senshi more than he could express, but Cologne had set his greatest fear at ease. He could remember the conversation clearly.

Flashback

"Elder, I am worried. Lately, my aura has been dark and unhealthy . . . I, I don't want to lose myself, but it's hard to not give in." He admitted this to the shrunken woman freely.

"You needn't worry, child. This is not truly who you are, merely how you are now. When your pain subsides, and when justice is dealt, then will you see your spirit cleansed, but you must keep faith. Under no circumstances are you to give in to your rage, though you may want to." Her simple wisdom lifted his spirit, but the heavy burden before him, and the roiling emotions under the surface still ached to be directed.

"Thank you Elder." He bowed to her deeply and returned to his room. He really did need some sleep.

End Flashback

That night stuck out in his mind, even as he sat atop one of the many tall buildings in the Minato Ward. It was dark now, but it hadn't been hours before, when he and the rest of the Wrecking Crew had been searching the city for the magical girls. He was certain that he'd find them sooner or later, but it was a difficult progression, knowing that they must, at times, be civilian girls. None of them looked much older than highschool age. He listened to the police scanner that Nabiki had gotten him, she knew that it would be of some use. The police frequently reported the youma attacks, and Ranma could only suppose it would be useful, hence her purchase of it. The small walkie-talkies though, they were truly wonderful, they were advertised to be perfectly clear transmission for up to nine miles. That was more than enough range for their required purpose. It was all he could do but to gather the older girl in his arms when she had presented the two devices to him, and the walkie talkies to the rest of the Crew.

"Nothing's happening tonight." He whispered and turned back for the night, tired. He wanted an early start tomorrow, and everyone else had already returned to the dojo to sleep.

Near Sapporo

"Oh, my head." She groaned as she struggled into a sitting position. 'Wait, I'm in a bed, where am I?' Her eyes shot open and immediately thereafter she regretted the action, light sending a surge of burning pain into her head.

"Ah." She hissed, squinting her eyes against the harsh sunlight that beat into them. She could make out two figures against the light, and her brow shot up. "Ugh, where am I?" She groaned again, feeling remarkably as if she had been beaten with clubs for hours on end.

"You're at our home, near Sapporo. I'm Agasha Kyoshi, and this is my girlfriend, Sakagami Sakura." The man introduced, and for the first time she could see them clearly, he was extremely handsome, with dark brown hair and a pair of exotic, piercing green eyes. She turned her head slightly and took in Sakura, who was amazing. She had long red hair and the same green eyes as her boyfriend.

"Thank you." She rasped, her throat seizing. She needed water, badly, and her eyes searched for anything that looked to contain water. Finally, she found it, a pitcher full of clear liquid. "Water." She gasped breathlessly, taking the container in both hands and tipping it back. The life-giving fluid went down her throat in heavy gulps, and finally it was empty, leaving her heaving for breath.

"What were you doing out there, looking like you'd been through the blender?" The man asked of her, she couldn't think of anything to say, so she guessed she was lucky that she fainted.

She awoke though, hours later, only to receive the same question, this time, she couldn't dodge it. She felt refreshed beyond measure, and hoped she'd make it in time. But first she must deal with the this.

"Someone I thought was a friend betrayed me, she brought me out here and beat me up, and left me to die." She really didn't want to reveal too much, but something told her not to lie to this man. "She is going to make my other friends do something horrible if I can't get back to Tokyo soon. Please, I need your help." She was practically begging them now, tears threatening to leak from her soft blue eyes. Kyoshi felt a weight in his chest, he felt sorry for this girl. Her tone, everything about her statement was sincere. He too knew betrayal. It settled in his mind, he would help her.

"It'd help if you told us your name first." He said, the weight disappearing as a smile slid onto his face. "If you hadn't guessed, that means I'll help you. You in Sakura-chan?" The redheaded woman gave him an incredulous look at his statement.

"And let you wander off into danger, what kind of woman would I be if I left you defenseless?" Her statement brought a chuckle from him, and swiftly, she herself fell into gales of laughter.

"I am Mizuno Ami, thank you so very much." It was decided, they would head for Tokyo in an hour.

Minato Ward - Hino Shrine

"Two weeks and nothing, maybe Uranus managed to finish him with her last attack, after all, the trademarks of a Spacial Disruption were all there." It seemed that Michiru was back on her game, though the acid present in her tone had not dissipated in the least. A drastic change had undergone in her, instead of her usual attire she seemed taken with Haruka's clothes, mostly though it was her demeanor, with the loss of her lover she had become if anything, more like that which she lost. She'd cut her hair and had been less the reserved lady that they had all become accustomed to.

"No. Crystal Tokyo is still not showing up in any possible future, were he dead the time line would have returned to its previous course." Setsuna, as always, was prepared to deal with the situation, her statement was infallible to the senshi, if he really had died there was nothing that would interfere with the future. Little Hotaru nodded grimly, as much as she disliked the situation, and was angry for her father figure's loss, she still could not settle the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was still wrong, and she had a feeling that it would not end with that.

Usagi seemed eager to contribute. "Maybe he was injured in the fight against Haruka?" She wondered aloud, bringing the other senshi's attention to herself. She looked around surprised. "What, after all, he couldn't have fought Haruka without getting hurt at all." The others nodded, acknowledging the accuracy of her words.

"He's different. He's not like all the enemies we've fought in the past. I thought I recognized him, and I was right. He's Saotome Ranma, he's the best fighter in the world." Jupiter added grimly.

Venus gasped, Rei choked on her tea, and Usagi could only look at them quizzically.

Makoto was more than willing to continue. "Before, our enemies would always be perfectly content to have contests of power. Well, Ranma is a martial artist whose skills are the stuff of legends. He can use his ki, can do everything we can, only, he does it on skill." She was scared, and that wasn't good, Setsuna thought to herself as she sipped her tea. She needed to diffuse the situation, quickly, before Jupiter's rising panic spread.

"We dealt with his teacher. As you saw, the woman wasn't enough, and neither will her student be." Setsuna explained carefully. She had no intention of telling them that what they had witnessed that day in the dojo was an ascension, something she'd only seen once, a civilian had erupted in a geyser of power. It had been amazing, and intimidating. She had of course used the Dead Scream to end his life before he could finish the ascension. It was strange, that a race so advanced, went berserk when ascended. It always seemed to be civilians though.

Nekohanten

The night was cold, and Ranma still could not sleep, despite his fatigue. He felt restless, and rolled over, watching the full moon hanging in the sky above. He had come to hate that moon, a reminder of his strongest enemy. Nabiki, Kami bless that girl, had researched the magic girls as much as she could. And it was obvious that the one named Sailor Moon was their leader. A few photographers had caught them on film, and the middle sister had earned for them a detail of everything she could gather. Attacks being the most forthcoming. It had been difficult, Akane had thankfully been able to convince those she talked to, members of the growing number of people who'd been saved by the senshi, that she was merely interested, something about a school report.

"Time goes crashing by, and ev'rything is killing me.

It is time, to find myself again.

Goodbye my friend.

It is time for us to part."

The words had come to him unbidden, and with them was a melancholy that was uncharacteristic even for his present state. Looking back on them, though, they expressed his pain. He doubted that he'd be able to keep his promise to Cologne, things were going to be desperate, and he wasn't sure that he would survive. He'd be damned though if the others died fighting with him. He had asked them because they were the best, and trained with them until their abilities were sharper than ever before. But he still dwarfed them, at best they would be able to hold off the weaker senshi while he was left to the titans among them. A yawn cut off further introspection, reminding him of the late hour and his desperate need for sleep.

1.3km from Nerima Ward (The day after Ranma's revery on the roof)

"... kill the cheese log." Sakura erupted in laughter from the memory. They were both surprised that Ami had fallen asleep, though not entirely so. The older woman reached into the back of the four door sedan and gathered a blanket laying over the upholstery.

"Poor thing fell asleep. Hurry up Kyo-kun, I have a bad feeling about this." She said to her companion as she lay the blanket over the sleeping bluette.

The night was swiftly approaching when they reached the address she'd given them. Even now they marveled over the incredible device that computer she'd seemingly brought from nowhere was. She'd been typing on the thing furiously for hours, until finally she lifted her eyes from the screen.

'That's it.' She'd told them, 'I've found him. If I can get him to listen, he can help, I know it.' They'd of course asked after the "him" to which she referred.

'His name is Ranma Saotome. The Sailor Senshi from Minato Ward in Tokyo killed his mother, after their eldest member told them she was going to destroy something they had been working hard toward. She said that she was like the multitudes of other enemies they'd faced. Ruthless and willing to steal the life from others to gain her power.' It had surprised them, but slowly they began to realize what her knowledge told of. Combined with the symbol of Mercury on the back of the computer narrowed things immensely. When confronted about it some hour and a half later, she had indeed admitted to her dual identity. It was then that they learned everything, the hidden file, the betrayal of Pluto, everything.

'We'll get you there as fast as we can, Ami, I promise.' Kyoshi said with a determined set to his eyes. Here they were, nearing the Tendo Dojo when suddenly, it caught alight. Ami seemed to come alive when she saw what was happening.

Several figures leapt from the property, heading in a new direction. Ami's analytical mind began to slip into gear, tactical calculations filling her mind. "Kyoshi, Sakura, would you please help whoever is at that house, they are going to need help. I have to follow the senshi, they are bound to be heading for Ranma." She said, reaching into midair for something as she spoke.

"Sure, Ami but..." Words seem to leave them both as she lifted the pen shaped item skyward, emitting a familiar phrase.

"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!" Her exclamation ended, and the transformation that followed, began. Light erupted within the vehicle, and Sakura could make out brief flashes of her new acquaintance's nude figure. What she saw was enough to flush her cheeks, and what followed, amazed. Ribbons of mist seemed to coalesce around her and bind her. But as the light surrounding the mist shattered, what remained was a white body suit, blue skirt and kerchief. Two ice blue ribbons tied at bust and butt, drawing a bit of attention to them. Sakura had heard of the fabled Sailor Senshi, but never imagined that she'd meet one, let alone know her real name.

The bluette leapt from the car, reversing her direction almost instantaneously, and with a grace that defied normality. Sakura shook the awe from her mind, now was no time to gape at what she'd seen, there was a fire and she needed to help however she could.

To Be Continued...

A/N: I'm sorry, I know I promised that this would be the chapter in which the battles began, but I couldn't help but tie up some more loose ends and get Ami on her way to the ensuing battle. The scene is set, and the beginning of the next chapter is already written and waiting for me to continue. This one was particularly easy to write after I found my inspiration for it. "Taking Over Me" by Evanescence is a good song. I don't know why, but with the beat this chapter seemed to unfold in my mind. Anyhow, my usual pleading for reviews is still there. So, PLEASE REVIEW. See ya next time.