Dragonball 1/2: Lunacy Squared Chapter One: Of Fire and Light All standard disclaimers do not apply! Eek! (dodges legal books) No!!! Ranma 1/2 and DBZ belong to me!!! (Dodges sharpened pencils and flying legal pads). Oh, fine. I don’t own Ranma 1/2 or DBZ. Someone else does. I do own this nifty plot idea which makes very little sense, so enjoy. (Back off lawyers, I said it!). /.../ - italics //...// - thoughts *...* - mind speech/telepathy “...” - speech (duh) Send all questions, comments, etc. to: asprosdracos@hotmail.com (Oh, by the way, the Dragonballs are destroyed. Why? Well, you’ll see. Let’s just say I want the dead to stay that way, with a few /possible/ exceptions. Oh, I been told that, well, my DB world is rather fu*ked up. So, to fix things: The current Kami is Dende, (I've been told) and he had enough power to seal away Ranma’s abilities, barely. Dr. Gero didn’t die during the Android incident. During the Prologue, Trunks and Goten were born, but not Pan or Bra. Pan and Bra are now both 13 (I know that screws things about a bit, but bear with). No one died (or remained dead for an extended period of time) during the Buu fight. Ranma's attack is not an exact duplicate of Vegeta's. It's based on it, but unique. ----------- “You cannot defeat me Ranma! I am Saffron, Lord of Phoenix Mountain! I am a god!” The being bathed in fire roared in defiance at the impudent mortal who dared to defy him. “I shall prevail!” “We ain’t gunna know nothing ‘till it’s over! And it ain’t over!” A boy of 16 years, average height, with the graceful build of a dancer yet far stronger than that, stood before Saffron. His black hair was done up in a pigtail, and his blue-grey eyes were stone-cold. A circle of fire ringed the two opponents, and outside the circle an odd entourage of people watched the two. Ranma stayed still for a second, sizing up his opponent. Then he charged, with a speed that was almost unbelievable. Closing quickly on Saffron, Ranma jumped into the air, flipping and twisting in an acrobatic display to shame the best gymnast, coming down on Saffron’s back, between his wings. “Moko Takabisha!” The blinding energy poured out from Ranma’s two hands, hitting Saffron point blank range in his back. The Phoenix lord’s two wings were destroyed and a great deal of muscular damage was done as well. Thrashing from the pain, he threw Ranma off his back, who landed in a crouch. With a roar of fury and pain, Saffron charged forward. Ranma wove in and out of his fists with a dancer’s grace. Around them, the fire twisted and flared, mocking his movements. Coming in close, Ranma attacked again. “Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken!” Ranma’s fists shot out, hitting at an incredible speed, dropping over a hundred punches a second into the Phoenix Lord’s stomach. Saffron was flung backward as a result and he slowly rose to his feet, his aura building. His aura flared out in a golden explosion and he rose into the air. His wings regenerated and his back healed. “Foolish mortal. Prepare to die! Phoenix Eternal!” (AN: I know the outcome of the fight, but not how it happened, so I’m making up these attacks. I someone wants to fill me in, I’d appreciate it.) The Phoenix lord stretched his wings with a snap and extended them to their fullest point. From them, a cacophony of heat and flame exploded. The fire was a living creature, taking the form of a phoenix, and it devoured everything. Ranma saw it coming, and he dodged in time, only feeling the searing heat burn his back as it passed over him. His companions were not as lucky. The only one who dodged in time was Ryoga. The rest...were incinerated. Ranma caught one brief view of Akane before the flames claimed her. Looking at the burning inferno, now dying down, looking at the remains, the charred corpses, facial features barely recognizable, he felt something within him snap as his heart broke and pure power flooded his limbs. “No.” The protest of denial echoed one made so long ago, by someone else, in a different place. “NOOO! AKANE! ‘TOUSAN! ‘KASSAN!” All of them...all dead. Why had they accompanied him...they’d be safe if they hadn’t...no...oh, Kami, no. //I’ll avenge you.// The power surged within Ranma, breaking barriers placed long ago, and somewhere, the Kami heard his silent plea for power. Pain flared as a remnant of something long gone regrew, the black tail curling around to be subconsciously curled around his waist as Ranma lifted into the air, his aura a blue and white pillar around him. //What is this power...a tail?!// //Doesn’t matter.// //With this I can beat Saffron.// //I’ll avenge you.// The power rose to an impossible crescendo, until it seemed like he could not contain it. It was too much for him to hold in his current level, so his body...compensated. “HUAH!!” Ranma’s power exploded outward, as his hair burst out of it’s pigtail and turned golden, standing straight up. His muscles bulged to levels that would make a professional wrestler jealous. Ryoga, standing back, trying desperately to revive the fallen, yet knowing it was hopeless, saw Ranma’s transformation in awe, and yet the most awe-inspiring thing was what could not be felt...the aura exploding outward...the power exponentially growing, washing over everything with the force of a tidal wave. //What in the world is going on?!// Ranma’s now emerald eyes turned toward the deity. //I’ll avenge you.// “Prepare to die, Saffron.” The coldness in his voice made all those listening shiver. “Let’s see you try it, mortal.” “Fine.” Still levitating in the air, Ranma cupped his hands forward. //Have to do this quick, this form...not used to it...can’t hold on forever...// Luckily for Ranma, he did not need forever. Summoning all his power, he shouted words that were purely from instinct into the air. “FINAL FLASH!” The power exploded outward, all the energy of a Super Saiyajin and the master of the Saotome School of anything goes martial arts combined into one. The blinding pure white light shot from Ranma’s hands, pure power and deadly beauty, enveloping everything and blazing with energy and power. It struck Saffron dead-on and there was a soft crunch sound as the bones in the Phoenix Lord’s chest imploded, followed by a series of less pleasant noises as the rest of his body followed suit, vaporizing. Ranma watched it occur almost without feeling, until the Ki drain caught up with him, and he crashed, like a puppet whose strings were cut, to the ground, the circle of fire dying around him. -------------- In his bed at Capsule Corporation, Vegeta no Ouji awoke with a start. //What was that power explosion I felt? It was definitely something on the Saiyajin level...Super Saiyajin level...Damn - Kakarotto! He’s the only one who could be responsible - I must go train if he’s this powerful!// Vegeta hurriedly got out of bed and into a training uniform, trying not to awaken his wife. //Now, if I can just get out and to the Gravity Chamber...// “Vegeta...?” //Kuso!// “Yes, onna?” “It’s three in the morning! What are you doing up!” “I am going to train.” “At THREE IN THE MORNING!??” “Yes.” “WHY?” “Because.” “Argh! Fine then - go train. VEGETA NO BAKA!” Vegeta quickly slipped out of the door and into the hallway. //Nothing was flung at me. Onna must be slipping.// ------------- In his bed at his home, Son Goku awoke with a start. //Was that Vegeta! Sugoi, he’s gotten strong! I’ll have to fight him soon! It’ll be so much fun!// And Son Goku promptly went back to sleep. -------------- “Ranma!” Ryoga charged into the now dead circle of fire. Ranma lay unmoving on the ground. //Why am I so concerned?// That stray thought brought Ryoga to a dead halt. //Don’t I hate him?// //Didn’t he steal Akane...Akane - from me?// These thoughts permeated Ryoga’s mind, and he almost walked away. One thought, however, rose to the surface. //He’s my friend.// Friend? Of the terms Ryoga would use to describe Ranma, friend was not one of them. //He’s always been my friend. Even when we fought, he was always my best...and now, my only...friend.// With that thought firmly in mind, Ryoga went over to Ranma, picked him up, and carried off of Phoenix Mountain. //There’s nothing I can do for the rest, not now, and the dwellers of Phoenix Mountain will be here soon, and they’ll be angry.// As the circle of fire cooled down, the embers still burning faintly in the darkness, Ryoga and Ranma left Phoenix Mount...and a life...behind. -------------- ~Two Weeks Later~ -------------- “Come on, Ranma!” “Can’t believe I’m taking directions from the eternally lost boy...” “What was that!” “Nothin’.” Two boys, one dressed in yellow clothes wearing a bandanna, the other dressed in a Chinese style shirt and pants, were walking through a large mall complex. Both boys wore cloaks with hoods, now down, and both looked travel worn. //We need the hoods, people looking for us - since we’re ‘missing’ - but we don’t wanna be found.// Indeed, people had discovered and identified all of the bodies on Phoenix Mount, and Ranma and Ryoga were being searched for. Cologne was most likely behind it. The old ghoul was hell sometimes, but she did care for both boys, and probably wanted to take them in, since Ranma was now orphaned and the Tendos and Saotomes had been the only people Ryoga could call a family. //It’s nice of her...but we don’t wanna be found.// Akane’s death had accomplished what her life could not, for Ranma and Ryoga were now the best of friends. They were brothers in every sense of the word except for bonds of blood. United by shared pain, they were closer than some brothers could ever be. (AN: This is NOT a yaoi fic! Not that way! Not that way! They’re just very close friends.) “Come on, Ranma...let’s get going.” Ranma complied, and was walking toward Ryoga when he bumped into a short man with spiky black hair. The man put his hand on his shoulder in anger and spoke: “Watch were you’re going, you - “ And stopped speaking as Ranma gave him the coldest glare he would ever hope to see. -------------- “This is pure injustice, Onna!” “Shut up, Vegeta no Baka!” Vegeta, Krillin, Goku, Chi-Chi, Trunks, Gohan, Goten, and Bulma were wandering through the mall. Or, to say it correctly, the males were being dragged through the mall as the female insisted upon buying them new clothes. Krillen was just there because watching Vegeta squirm was worth it. //How dare the woman try to drag me, Vegeta no Ouji, shopping! I’ll teach her a thing or two about respe-// Vegeta’s head snapped up as he detected something. Goku, Trunks, Gohan, Goten and Krillen mirrored his action as well, sensing the same thing he did. An aura, unmistakable in it’s strength, was approaching them. The assembled party scanned the crowd, not seeing anyone out of the ordinary, completely passing over the two young boys in cloaks as they searched for danger. Until one of said boys bumped into Vegeta, causing him to lose his balance and grab the boys shoulder in anger and the need for balance. “Watch were you’re going, you - “ The boy turned his eyes onto Vegeta, locked gazes in a cold, hard stare. Vegeta broke off his comment for two reasons. Reason 1: The boy had a gaze that was so cold, so full of hidden pain, a gaze so like his own was sometimes that it shocked him. The boy appeared to be staring into his very soul. Reason 2: He felt it at the same time everyone else did. The boy was the center of the aura to rival a Saiyajin’s own. Vegeta didn’t break gaze with the boy, nor did he remove his hand until a quiet, almost whispered voice reached his ears. “Remove your hand from my shoulder or I’ll do it for you. And then you won’t be able to use it for a while.” Vegeta’s anger flared back into being at that remark. //Who is this boy to presume he can tell me what to do?!// “I’d like to see you try it, brat.” “Fine.” The calm answer the boy gave made Vegeta wonder if his challenge was such a smart idea. However, before the boy could do anything, the other boy put his hand on his shoulder and spoke softly, as if trying to avert disaster, with the care one took when disarming a 300 megaton atomic bomb. “Come on, Ranma, we have to go.” “Alright, Ryoga, I’m coming.” With that the boy shrugged off Vegeta’s hand and walked after his retreating friend, leaving a very confused group behind. Krillen was more confused than the rest. There was something familiar about those boys. Looking around for clues, he spotted one. “Hey, guys, look!” Krillen was pointing to a poster taped to a window of a shop. On it were two pictures, one of a boy with blue-gray eyes and spiky black bangs, the other a boy with a yellow bandana and black hair. The caption underneath read: Have You Seen These Children? Ranma Saotome Age: 16, Son of Genma and Nodoka Saotome (Deceased) Ryoga Hibiki Age: 16, parents deceased (AN: I made them dead, because I needed to for the story, besides they don’t show up in the anime/manga anyway) These boys are missing since June 10. Believed to be the only survivors of the Phoenix Mountain explosion. Not believed to be hostile, but approach with extreme caution as both are highly skilled Martial Artists. If at all possible, please isolate them and report them to authorities. This is a matter of extreme importance. Thank you. “So that’s why the brat thought he could threaten me. Hmph!” “Well?” Bulma and Chi-Chi’s voices rang out behind them at the same time. “Well what?” “Well, what are you waiting for! Go find them again! They’re obviously all alone, the poor kids!” “So?” “VEGETA NO BAKA! Just go!” “Hmph! Fine Onna! Come Kakarotto, let’s g-” Vegeta never go to finish that command as a demon burst in from the upper skylights, its multiple wings flapping in tune with the shards of falling glass. --------------- “Ryoga?” “Yeah?” “You sense that?” “Yeah.” “Let’s go.” “Alright.” “The other way.” “Argh! Alright.” “No, not that wa- Forget it. I’ll lead.” -------------- “What the hell is that thing?! Why is it here?” Krillen shouted. “Who cares?” was Vegeta’s reply. “This oughta be fun!” was Goku’s response. He began to power up his attack. “KA-ME-HA-” “Shishi-Hokodan!” A lance of pure green and black (if the colors are wrong, gomen) rammed into the demon’s side. The Z senshi stared in shock at the strong attack, and then looked for the originator. The boy, the one with the bandana, Ryoga Hibiki, stood about 20 meters away from the demon. The green and black colors stil swirled around his hands, extended out in front of him. Quietly, yet so still was the battlefield that all could hear him, he spoke: “Your turn, Ranma.” The other boy stepped forward and removed his cloak as his aura, a blazing blue-white fire, swept into being. A black sash was wrapped around his waist and his well-defined musculature was easy to see. Bringing his hand forward, he called out his attack. “Moko Takabisha!” The blue-white energy coalesced into a beam which hit the demon dead on. As the glow faded, they saw the boys moving forward to attack, working as a team. “Hiyah!” Ryoga and Ranma leapt up and performed a double-jump kick. Ryoga bounded back up and out of the way, leaving Ranma alone on the demon. “Why did the other boy leave him?” Goku wondered out loud, and he moved forward to assist, but at that movement the boy showed why he was alone, and why assistance was not required. “Kashu Tenshin Amaguriken!” The boy’s fist blurred as it struck the demon repeatedly, at a speed that a Saiyajin would be hard pressed to match. The demon stumbled back, roaring in agony as Ranma turned one entire section into bloody pulp. However, the boy had made a flaw. He needed time to recover from that attack, and in that instant the demon’s tail whipped around, aiming for the boy. “No!” Ryoga’s voice and body came out of nowhere as he pushed his best friend out of the way, taking a grazing blow from the tail that was compounded as he landed on his back by the Z senshi. “Ryoga!” Ranma flipped up and went over to his friend. “Are you alright?!” “Hai, I’m fine.” Blood ran in a thin line from Ryoga’s mouth as he got back to his feet. The Z senshi watched Ranma grip his friend’s hand, steadying him. They also watched as Ranma’s anger seemed to take a tangible form as he spoke. “That’s it. No one hurts my best friend and gets away with it. It’s going down.” Ryoga knew what his friend was planning to do. “You sure about this?” “Positive. It’s gunna go down. Step back.” Ryoga did so, and Ranma’s aura exploded. ---------------- //What?! That’s far too much power for a human!// was the collective thoughts of the Z senshi. Those thoughts simply got more confused as Ranma’s sash uncoiled from his waist, revealing what it was. A tail. //Tail. Saiyajin. Tail.// Ranma straightened, but he did not increase his power level beyond that of a Saiyajin. It didn’t matter, as that was enough. //Saiyajin.// And the question of the day was: //How?!// --------------- Ranma walked slowly up to meet the demon, with his barriers down. He felt the anger burning inside him because that thing had hurt the only family and friend he had left. //And for that, it will pay.// Gathering the energy inside himself, until it permeated his very essence, and it seemed he would burst for no mortal could hold that much power, that much light and not caring at this point that it was /serious/ overkill, he called out his attack to the heavens. “FINAL FLASH!” People speak of everything going black. Now everything went white. -------------- Light. Burning light and power. Subsiding now, as Ranma slumped forward and fell face-first toward the ground, never hitting it because his friend ran up and caught him. Ryoga skidded softly to a halt on the ground, a now limp Ranma in his arms, and immediatrly raised his Ki level as he found himself surrounded by the Z senshi. “Let me through.” “No.” It was Vegeta who spoke, his voice commanding. “Your friend is a Saiyajin, and he is dangerous.” //And I want to know how the Hell he knew my attack.// Wrong words to say, as Ryoga’s protective instinct of his friend went into overdrive. “You’re not gonna hurt him!” “Shit! Krillen!” “On it!” The Z senshi had thought to send the weakest of their group forward so that the boy would not be hurt much. Mistake. Jumping up, Ryoga delivered a flying kick to Krillen that sent him flying into the wall, creating a large crater and knocking him unconscious. Moving swiftly he rushed through the gap in the circle created and started running as the Z senshi took to the air in pursuit. //How can they be flying? Ranma flew, but only when he changed.// Ryoga continued running , but found himself at a dead end as Goku teleported before him and Vegeta and the others closed in behind him. “We’re not going to hurt you or your friend. We want to help you both.” “Sure.” The sarcasm was so evident that even /Goku/ caught it. “Look, we’re serious, we’re not going to hurt you.” Ryoga narrowed his eyes. //Shimatta! One in front, and he looks to strong for me. More in back as well. Even a ShiShi Hokodan Perfect may not do it...And I can’t fight with Ranma like this, he’ll be a liability...so...// Contrary to the belief of some, Ryoga was not stupid. He may appeared so, because of his abysmal sense of direction, but he was not stupid. He was rather like Ranma, not great in other fields, but quick to analyze and act when it came to combat. Attacking an enemy with superior numbers and powers was stupid and suicide. The best way out was to use what elements of surprise you could... While he was thinking this through, Goku had been slowly approaching him. //Looks like the kid’s finally calming down...now to-// The thought was abruptly cut off as the bandana-wearing boy brought his finger to the ground and let loose a cry, releasing a large amount of Ki into the ground. “BAKUSAI TENKETSU!” The ground beneath the group seemed to explode. Shrapnel flew up everywhere as the tiles of the mall were launched to a height of forty feet. They fell down like a rain of hailstones. Hard, /stinging/ hailstones. The dust generated by the explosion covered the entire area, making it impossible to see through. And underneath the sounds of cracking earth and shattering stones there was the faint hint of someone running very rapidly away. //No! He’s getting away!// Despite the fact he knew saying this would only serve to further frighten the boy, Goku said it. “Hurry! He’s getting away!” A shout rang from the crowd, “I can’t sense his Ki anywhere!” “Baka! He’s masking it. Split up and look for him! The dust is settling - move!” -------------- //Kisama! They’re on my tail. It’s a good thing Ranma taught me to mask my Ki aura like Cologne taught him, or else they’d find me soon.// /I knew we should have masked our Ki when we went into this mall, but we were just too tired to use that energy.// Ryoga abruptly halted as he heard the sound of air whistling. He had managed to get out the the mall and was in a large field, damp with dew and the heavy smell of cut grass, that was placed between the mall and a large forest. It was akin to the sound of a child playing the flute and not quite producing any sound save a hollow whistling noise. Turning, he saw the very /last/ thing he wanted to see. The tall black-haired one who had tried to trick him and the shorter black-haired one who had threatened Ranma were flying toward him, scouting the ground below them. And he was in an open field, the woods 20 meters away, too far as he began sprinting toward them. Hearing the shouts of one of the flying freaks as they saw him and no doubt accelerated to catch him, but Ryoga didn’t slow, didn’t look back, fearing that every second a hand would grasp his shoulder or knock him unconscious... The frenzied train of thoughts was cut off as Ryoga plunged into the tree line and entered into semi-darkness, a sharp contrast to the brightness of the noon sun. //I made it! They won’t be able to fly in close here!// Ryoga might have eased up then, but a sharp voice of reason broke into his mind. //They can still run. So keep running, Baka!// Listening to that voice seemed like a good idea to Ryoga, who immediately began to run deeper into the forest, trusting his abysmal sense of direction to get him completely lost. -------------- Goku and Vegeta landed at the entrance to the forest and ran in after the kid. However, it swiftly became apparent that the boy was either incredibly good at losing people chasing him - //Or he’s a absolute baka! These tracks go in a big circle five or six times before wandering off in four different directions! So he’s come back to this point how many times?!// Vegeta was confused and more than slightly annoyed that this boy was so damn hard to find. “Vegeta.” “What, Kakarotto?” “We’re not going to find him. We should go back and meet up with the others.” //Kakarotto actually came up with a good idea. The world didn’t need me to destroy itself, the apocalypse is obviously coming all on its own.// “Fine.” //May be able to find something at the battle site as well...// //Because I /will/ find that boy.// With that last thought, the two Saiyajins flew off to regroup with the others and attempt to figure out what the hell was going on. Yes, done with Chapter One. I would’ve had this out earlier, but I wanted to extend the story a bit and I rewrote in a bit. I had fun writing this chapter, even if i did have to read a massive summary of DBZ to get my facts straight. Time line wise, this is after the Saffron Battle (Duh) DBZ wise, the main event soccur after Goku came back from training Ubuu, though the events of GT did not occur, (Sorry) mainly because I don’t want to have to screw around with those events so much so that the time all works and Goku stays at the end...And Pan and Bra are younger, since Bra was born three years after Ranma, and Pan was born around the same time. Other than that, the Dragonball-verse is relatively stable. And Ranma’s world will come in, even though I killed off nearly everyone...(for now). Oh well...I’m rambling. May the redheads of anime be with you. ^_^ _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com