Three men sat in a circle on the floor of a barn in the eastern plains of Cephiro.

Once, these men were simple farmers. Now, however, their crops and animals lay unattended, forgotten, as they spent their days poring over sheets of parchment and yellowed, decaying tomes. Piles of smashed farming implements and boxes of assorted materials were strewn about the barn.

"I've got it," the eldest and most weathered of the trio said, snapping a book shut. He scratched out a list of ingredients on a fresh scrap of parchment and handed it to the others. The three quickly began working, assembling small piles of metal, charcoal, and other assorted objects on the crisp, moon-white parchments they had each received—the parchments which had opened their eyes and changed their lives.

A passerby on the trade road was startled by a bright yellow flash of light which flared between the planks of the barn, and a loud cry of "For the Marquis!"

A moment later, there was no passerby.

---

---

ACT THREE

---

---

Not fifteen minutes after the group from Tokyo had been left alone, Ferio returned to the room. "There's not much I can do to help Master Clef and Zagato, so they've asked me to look after you all." He sighed. "I don't mind, don't get me wrong. I just..."

"You want to feel useful," Fuu finished. "It's alright, Ferio-san. We understand."

Ferio smiled. "I knew you would." With a grunt, he smacked his palms together, rubbing his hands vigorously. "So, I've got the kitchens working on a banquet, because I'm sure you're all hungry. Is there anything else I can do for you before that?"

Hikaru wrung her hands. "Anou...Ferio-kun...I was kind of hoping..." She paused.

"Yes?"

The pigtailed girl ducked her head, biting her lip in an uncharacteristic display of uncertainty. "I kind of wanted to...I want to see Emeraude-hime."

Ferio winced sharply; Hikaru felt a stab of regret at the thoughtlessness of her request. For a time, nobody spoke; at length, the redhead meekly offered, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't—"

Ferio closed his eyes and let a hiss of breath escape his lips. "No need to apologize. You just surprised me with that one." He looked up, fixing his golden eyes on Hikaru. "I'm not against it or anything, it's just...I really don't think you want to see her like this. Nobody should have to see her like this..." He shook his head. "But...I think she'd appreciate it if she were awake, so..."

"Thank you, Ferio-kun," Hikaru replied gratefully.

"But only the three of you," Ferio cautioned, raising a finger. "I'll be in a hell of a lot of trouble for this as it is. And only for a little while, until the kitchen has dinner ready—I doubt you'll want to linger that long, anyway." *As if you'll want to eat after you see THAT...*

The girls bowed to Ferio, who returned the bow rather stiffly, and the four of them left the room. The group that remained behind watched them go with varying degrees of sympathy.

"It too much like hospital waiting room when someone die on television," Shampoo said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, I gotta agree with that one," Ukyou said. "We sure landed in a depressing situation."

"Too bad there's not anything we can do about it," Akane sighed.

*Sure there is,* Ranma disagreed. *There's an enemy, right? That means someone's gotta fight. Ain't that what we're all about?*

"Yes, but...Ranma, this...this just isn't our fight..."

*Hey. If this crazy place dies, we check out with it,* Ranma reminded her. *I'd say that pretty much makes it our fight.*

"Easy for you to say. What can you do, brag them to death?" Ryouga taunted, but there was no venom in his words.

*I dunno what th' hell I can do like this, but I'm gonna find out, and whatever it is, I'm gonna do it.*

"Ranchan's right!" Ukyou exclaimed suddenly, standing up. "We've gotta do whatever we can to help!"

* * * * *

The Magic Knights stood at Emeraude's bedside, staring quietly at her too-pale, lesion-riddled, swaddled and bandaged form. Hikaru's head was bowed, and fresh, hot, silent tears spilled down her cheeks.

After several minutes, Umi sighed aloud. "Dammit...I can't hate her anymore, not seeing her like this. I want to hate her so much for what she did to us..."

"Umi-chan..."

"Hikaru, you should hate her the most!"

"Umi-chan. No. You know I could never..."

The blue-haired girl sighed. "No. I don't suppose you could, even after..."

The unspoken sentiment hung heavily in the air for a long time, after which Hikaru sighed. "It really isn't her fault. And I..." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

Umi placed a hand on her shoulder. "You really want to help her, and everyone else, don't you."

"Of course I do! Don't you?"

"Y-yes, of course...but..."

"Umi-san, I understand your reluctance. I, too, did not depart with a favorable impression of this world on our previous visit. However, setting aside the fact that our own fates are intertwined with the fate of this world, and of Emeraude-hime-san..." Fuu paused. "I believe, simply, that if it is within our power to help, then we are obligated to do so. Not because we are the Magic Knights. Not because we cannot return home. But because it is the right thing to do."

Umi sighed. "Yeah. I guess."

* * * * *

The remainder of the group's first day on Cephiro was relatively uneventful. An informal banquet was held in their honor, though nobody was in a terribly festive mood. Priest Zagato and Mage Clef were not in attendance; Ferio, however, was, and engaged the group from Nerima in conversation, largely to distract the rather sober group from the more weighty concerns of the day.

"So, all of you are warriors where you come from?" Ferio asked, sipping from a goblet of crystal-clear water.

*We're martial artists, yeah,* Ranma replied from where he floated, motionless, alongside the table. *We've all trained an' fought our whole lives t'get good in th' Art.* He paused. *Some of us more than others,* he added, a smirk audible in his voice.

"Ranma..." Akane growled, warning in her tone.

*What? I was talkin' 'bout P-chan here.*

Ryouga coughed. "What kind of martial arts do you practice here in Cephiro, Ferio-dono?" he asked.

Ferio grimaced at the honorific and scratched his nose. "Hmm. Well, really, I don't think we have too many hand-to-hand fighters here. Mostly swordsmen and mages..."

"It does seem to be a land with more emphasis on armed combat and magic," Fuu commented. "I do not recall seeing anyone use any form of karate or other martial art when we were here previously."

"Well, Caldina, a little," Umi pointed out.

The pink-haired woman shrugged. "Hey, I'm a dancer, hon. It's just that sometimes dancin' can be like fightin'."

"There many style of fighting where we come from that start off as dancing," Shampoo noted.

"So then, hand-to-hand fighting is more common in your world than the use of weapons or magic?" Presea asked.

The Earth teens looked around at each other. "Well..." Ukyou hedged.

Akane coughed lightly. "Let's just say that those of us who practice the Art are kind of..."

*Our own little world?* Ranma suggested.

"I was going to say 'rare and unique', but I guess that works."

Hikaru fidgeted. "Ferio-kun," she began, "this search for the people trying to hurt Cephiro...do you really have enough people to find them all? When we were here last time, it didn't really look like..."

Ferio, Presea, and Caldina exchanged guarded looks. At length, Ferio bowed his head. "We don't have what you might call an army, as such. There has been little need for one for a very long time. We have a palace guard, and our mages, and a handful of citizens who dedicate themselves to various magical or fighting disciplines, but..."

"Then you are shorthanded," Fuu summarized, toying with her fork.

"A bit," Ferio admitted.

"Well, we were thinking," Akane began, "that if you needed some help..."

"We could never!" Ferio interrupted, shaking his head. "It's kind of you to offer, but—"

"Thing is, the sooner this mess gets sorted out, the sooner we get to go home," Ukyou pointed out. "Seems to me, it's as much our problem as it is yours."

"Yeah, and we're not the kind of people who can take sitting still and doing nothing," Ryouga added.

*Got that right,* Ranma said. There was an awkward pause. *Aw, dammit. I keep forgettin' I ain't got a body.*

Hikaru looked down morosely at her plate. Umi glared up at the motionless spirit projection.

"Ranma..." Akane said, strong warning in her tone.

*Argh. Hikaru, I didn't mean...* He sighed. *I just meant...*

"I know, Ranma-kun. I know. And I'm sorry, really."

Ryouga coughed. "So anyway, yeah, we wanna help if we can."

Ferio glanced over at Presea, who shrugged. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed. "I'll talk it over with Clef. I know he'll put up a fuss, but I'm sure he'll be grateful for the help. We honestly don't know how bad things have gotten, and we might just need that extra help to sort this mess out."

* * * * *

"I am against it," Clef said firmly, leaning tiredly against his staff. "The case of the Magic Knights was one thing, but to knowingly and needlessly place innocent children in danger..."

"From what I've heard, these 'innocent children' are probably tougher than anything Cephiro can throw at them," Ferio said, smirking. "These aren't normal kids. The whole lot of them are warriors."

"So they say. Have they truly been tested in combat?"

"Then what would you suggest? A demonstration?"

"I would suggest leaving them in the care of the palace maids until the crisis is resolved. But somehow, I don't expect that answer to satisfy anyone." Clef sighed. "Very well, I will consider it. But only on two conditions."

* * * * *

"First," Ferio said, addressing the teenage martial artists, "Master Clef wants to be absolutely sure you lot can take care of yourselves if you get into trouble. He's very adamant about not letting people get hurt because they get in over their heads."

"That's no problem," Akane replied, ignoring a snort from Ranma's perpetually-looming spectre. "And second?"

"If—IF—he deems you capable of handling what may come, you are to be outfitted with magical weapons and armor for your own protection."

The teens mulled that over. "Well...that's not really my style," Akane said slowly.

"It couldn't hurt, though," Ryouga added. "I mean, armor, I don't really need, and my bandanas and umbrella are all the weapons I need, but..."

"Well, I don't mind seein' what they can hook me up with," Ukyou replied. "I kinda don't have any of my spatulas with me." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Shampoo fine with weapons."

"Alright then, we agree to Clef-san's conditions," Akane replied, bowing.

Ferio nodded. "Alright. We'll begin the test whenever you're ready."

* * * * *

Clef, Ascot, and Caldina stared, jaws agape. "I've...never seen anything like this," Clef said softly.

"They did all that with their BARE HANDS?" Ascot exclaimed, eyes visible for once, and wide in shock.

"Well, color me impressed," Caldina said after a moment. "I guess they really can take care of themselves, huh?"

Akane, Shampoo, Ryouga, and Ukyou stood back-to-back, in loose, ready stances, watching warily for signs of opponents they may have missed. Clef had created a small platoon of clay golems—not terribly fast-moving, nor intelligent, but strong and durable—as a test of the newcomers' abilities.

In less than three minutes, the four teenagers had effortlessly reduced Clef's golems to rubble.

The small mage coughed. "Yes, very well, you have...proven yourselves to be capable," he said in a slightly hoarse tone.

The Magic Knights, standing off to the side, were also gaping in awe at the skillful display of martial arts. "Wow," Umi said softly.

"Their earlier tales of their exploits no longer seem quite as far-fetched," Fuu commented.

"Sugoi," Hikaru breathed. She glanced at the nearby projection of Ranma. "Ne, ne, you could do that too?"

Ranma snorted. *It'd have taken me less than a minute all by myself t' finish it. I'm th' best around.*

"Sure, you can boast when you can't actually prove it," Umi retorted.

"I'm not too sure about that, Umi-chan," Hikaru said. She looked down at her hands. "I've felt it ever since I woke up...I'm a lot faster and stronger than I remember ever being. I'm pretty sure it's because of Ranma-kun's body."

*That's right,* Ranma said in a sage tone. *An' 'til you're done with it, you're gonna keep my body in that kind o' shape so I don't get it back all worn out an' soft. So you'll need t' train every day, got it?* There was a slight tone of menace in his voice that sent chills up the three girls' spines.

"Um...okay..."

* * * * *

The seven teenagers from Earth stood in a semicircle facing Clef. The mage's brow was heavy with reluctance as his gaze surveyed them. "First, as to the girls who would have become Magic Knights..." He bowed his head. "I would ask a favor of you."

"You want us to try again," Umi guessed. "To awaken the Mashin and become the Magic Knights."

"Yes." Clef raised a hand to forestall any protest. "Not for the same reason this time. With this world in the state it has collapsed into...I fear that Cephiro may need the power of the legendary Magic Knights to survive this crisis."

"As long as you're not asking us to try to kill Emeraude-hime again," Hikaru warned, "I think we..." She paused. "Umi-chan? Fuu-chan? It's up to you. And, um...Ranma-kun, I think you have to agree too."

Ranma's voice carried a hint of a shrug. *Can't ignore people in trouble, martial artist's duty an' all that...go for it.*

"I believe, if our goal is truly the salvation of this world, and of ourselves in the process...this time, perhaps we will be successful," Fuu put in.

Umi sighed. "We don't really have a choice, do we?"

Clef exhaled a relieved breath. "I deeply appreciate this, as will the people of Cephiro." He raised his staff. "And now, I return to you your magic and armor!"

Nothing happened to Hikaru, whose powers and armor had never been stripped from her, but Umi and Fuu were surrounded by swirls of water and wind, and the white, jeweled gloves of the Magic Knights appeared on their left arms. Hikaru merely adjusted hers, nodding satisfactorily as she felt the fire of her magic within her.

"The weapons Presea forged for you before are still within the ornaments on your gloves," Clef pointed out. "There will be no need to return to Eterna."

The girls drew out their swords, marvelling at the familiar feel of them. "So our armors should be—?" Hikaru questioned, tilting her head.

"Your armor will respond to your will. However, it still has not completely evolved. You must continue your original quest to awaken the Mashin, in order to complete your growth as the Magic Knights."

The girls nodded. Mokona bounced forward, then. "Puu, pupupuu!" Three beams of light shot forth from the fluffy animal's jeweled forehead, and resolved into the school uniforms of the three girls, folded neatly on the ground in front of them.

"Mokona-san remembered our clothing from the last time," Fuu commented.

"Well, it's a lot easier to fight in than this," Umi remarked, running her hands over her tight jeans.

Hikaru frowned, glancing at Ranma's projection. "Anou..."

*PLEASE, not the dress,* Ranma replied. *Sorry, Hikaru, but I gotta draw the line somewhere. Besides, what you're wearin' right now's fine for fightin' in.*

Hikaru nodded. "Alright, I understand." She paused. "Besides, it'd be kind of...weird, if that curse thing went off and I was wearing...that." She flushed.

"Now there's a mental image," Ukyou remarked.

"Ugh. No thanks, I've seen Ranma in a skirt. You don't wanna go there."

"When pig-boy see Airen in dress?"

"You want a list?"

Akane pinched the bridge of her nose. "Can we change the subject, please?"

*Amen to that,* Ranma added.

Clef sweatdropped. "Right. Before Presea assists you in selecting weapons, I will provide you with armor and, if possible, magic." He paused. "From what I have seen, you likely do not need it, but if the magic of this world will accept you, it would be to your advantage to possess this skill.

"Please, close your eyes and open yourselves to the power you feel..."

Clef raised his staff. "BESTOW MAGIC!"

A pillar of warm, golden light engulfed Ryouga, chunks of dirt and stone rising in the updraft that stirred his clothes and hair.

A shaft of blinding white light enveloped Ukyou, lifting her from the ground and spinning her in a slow circle.

Thick, shadowy mist swirled in around Shampoo, who curled into a fetal ball at the center of a corona of blackness.

Akane...just stood in place, as a plain white armored vest and shoulderguard formed over her clothes.

When the light shows dissipated, the other three wore similar, understated armor; each of them looked down at their own hands in wonder. Lastly, gloves formed, each bearing a different-colored gem—save for Akane's, which was colorless.

"I...I don't get it," Akane said, looking somewhat let-down. "I didn't get any magic?"

Clef frowned. "In this land, magic has a tendency to choose its user, unless one is either exceptionally gifted and can control many forms of magic...or has no gift for magic to begin with." He sighed. "My apologies, Akane; it would seem you are the latter."

"I dunno 'bout that," Ascot said, floating closer to the short-haired girl. "I definitely felt it just then." He gazed up at her through his bangs, expression curious. "She might be a Summoner."

"But...summoning magic is immensely complex! These visitors will not be in our land long enough for her to learn how to use such power!"

Ascot shrugged. "I didn't say she would or wouldn't. I just said she's a Summoner." He floated backwards, shaking his head. "That kinda sucks, it'd be cool to have another one around."

"So what about us?" Ukyou asked. "What did we get?"

Clef stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You, Ukyou, seem to be aligned to light magic, the opposite of darkness. You—Shampoo, was it?—bear the opposite alignment, shadow magic. And you, Ryouga, have very strong potential for earth elemental magic."

*THAT figures,* Ranma commented.

"Heh. It does make sense, doesn't it?" Ryouga chuckled.

"I must caution you: the four of you are not Magic Knights, so your armors will evolve differently than theirs," Clef warned. "They may not evolve at all, or may evolve seemingly at random. It depends entirely upon the growth of your power and the strength of your will while you are within this world.

"Now, if Mokona would be so kind as to lead you to the armory, I believe Presea awaits..."

* * * * *

Presea's armory was quite as full of every conceivable form of melee weapon as usual, as well as being full of the slim blond woman's exuberant presence as the group piled in behind their marshmallow bunny guide. Presea clasped her hands in warm welcome. "It is such a pleasure to make weapons for courageous young people," she said. "Hurry, this way...we'll proceed directly to my workroom."

As they walked behind Presea, Umi favored the weaponsmith with a curious gaze. "Hey, Presea...aren't you just going to lend them weapons so they can go get the stuff to make theirs from?"

Presea shook her head. "That would be impractical in this instance, and entirely unnecessary." She turned her head to look Umi in the eyes. "You three, the Magic Knights, required weapons made from Escudo, which can only be obtained through a trial of the heart. Escudo is the rarest and most prized ore in Cephiro, and is only to be sought for such situations as crafting the keys to awaken the Mashin." She paused. "No, your friends do not need weapons made of Escudo; a less rare and troublesome ore will suffice." She flashed a brilliant smile. "Please don't worry. Your weapons will be made from a very sturdy, high-quality material—and crafted by my own will, so you can rest assured they will be the finest weapons you've ever held."

A moment later, they passed through a large, ornate door—into an empty room. *This is your workroom?* Ranma asked.

"But there's no tools, no forge..." Ryouga pointed out, looking puzzled.

Hikaru giggled. "Presea does things a little differently than we're used to back home."

The master smith nodded, turning to face the group, face serious. "You three, Magic Knights—and you, ghost-boy...please stand back." The indicated four shuffled/floated to the rear of the room, where Mokona hopped into Hikaru's arms and watched expectantly.

"You're quite fortunate to have come along when you did," Presea commented as she stretched, popping her back noisily. "Just last week I procured four quality samples of an uncommon ore, and had not yet decided what to do with them. Since you have volunteered to help save this world, I'll use them to make excellent weapons just for you." She extended her arms. A mystical wind stirred her clothing and hair, and four large, gleaming silver crystals appeared before her, hovering serenely in place.

"This ore is called Exterra," Presea informed them. "In terms of strength and quality, few materials surpass it. In fact, it may be second only to Escudo." She swept her gaze over the four teenagers. "Now, I want each of you to close your eyes, open your minds and hearts, and place your hands on one of these four crystals. Imbue the Exterra with your will, and it will know what shape to take for you."

The four martial artists did as instructed; with a loud, piercing chime, each crystal was suffused with bright, shifting light. After a few moments, the crystals changed color, reflecting the ornamentations on the teens' gauntlets.

"Excellent. The ore is primed. Now, please stand back..."

The group stepped back, joining the others at the rear wall. Presea reached up and unfastened her apron, shedding it and her dress to stand before them in the gossamer white veils of her crafting robes.

Ryouga nearly fainted.

Presea moved gracefully in a fast, fluid dance, the tails of her veils swirling around the Exterra, caressing and embracing the magical ore. Slowly, ponderously, the crystals began to change, flowing into different shapes. A shrill, crystalline chiming sound filled the chamber, echoing from the high ceiling, as Presea concentrated the full force of her will into her task.

After several minutes, she dropped to a crouch, eyes closed, palms parallel to the floor. Her veils drooped lifelessly about her, and the mystical wind fell still. "It is done."

Four glowing balls of light descended from the ceiling, resolving themselves into solid, identifiable shapes, which hovered ponderously before their respective owners. Each of the four teens reached out, wonder in their gaze, and accepted their newly crafted weapons:

For Ryouga, a heavy round shield, mostly dark silver except for a wide ring of striped yellow and black circling the rim of the disc. The edges sported a scalloped pattern of outwardly curving, wickedly sharp blades. Examining it curiously, he discovered an improbable length of heavy brass chain spooled into the back of the shield.

Shampoo tested the weight of a sleek halberd, almost half again as tall as she, with ornate tooling along the length of the silver haft; the blade, easily as long as her forearm and slightly curved, was pitch black.

Ukyou ponderously folded and unfolded a massive, gleaming white metal fan. The blades made a satisfyingly loud ratcheting sound as she collapsed and expanded them, and there was no denying the sharpness of the weapon. She took a few test swings with it, and nodded, satisfied.

And as for Akane...

*What the heck is that?* Ranma asked.

The short-haired girl looked down forlornly at her new weapon.

"I got a bell."

"A bell?!"

"Yes, it does appear to be a bell."

Akane couldn't quite hide the disappointment she felt as she examined the goblet-sized, delicate-looking crystal bell she cradled in her hands. "It's...it's a bell," she repeated hollowly.

Presea cocked her head curiously. "Funny, I've never seen that happen before."

*Maybe it's like, a magic bell?* Ranma suggested. *Like it shoots stuff or somethin'?*

Akane gave the bell a halfhearted ring. It sang out a clear, pure tone, but did little else.

"Well, sound pretty at least," Shampoo observed.

Akane sank to her knees, throwing her head back and letting out a roar of frustration. "What the hell am I supposed to do with a BELL?" she cried.

Presea walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry if it's not what you were expecting," she said softly. "But you must understand...your heart and your will created this weapon. The materials were shaped by your heart, to the form which best suits you."

*If it was what best suited her, it'd be a hammer,* Ranma quipped. He then squawked indignantly as Ryouga's shield passed through him.

"But...I don't understand what I'm supposed to do with this," Akane protested, near tears. "It's...useless!"

"When the time comes, it will reveal its purpose to you," Presea advised. "I do not create useless objects. If the Exterra took the form of a bell for you, then when you need its power, it will not forsake you."

Akane sighed. "I...alright." She sniffled. "Thanks." She stood and walked away from the master smith, muttering under her breath, "...don't really need a weapon anyway..."

Presea watched her for a long moment, then shook her head and sighed. "Well, at any rate, my work is done. Take care of your weapons, and they'll take care of you. Best of luck to you all." With that, she ushered the crowd out of her sanctum, and they followed Mokona back to the main hall to receive instruction from Clef.

* * * * *

Akane's brooding disappointment aside, the mood of the world-displaced teenagers was fairly light as they walked down the broad palace corridors to learn more about their magic and their new weapons.

*By the way, Ryouga, nice shield,* Ranma said, in a rare earnest tone. *Did I see a chain in that thing?*

"Yep," Ryouga replied in an uncharacteristically chipper tone. "A really long chain, looks like, and it's connected tight." He grinned, fangs protruding. "I've already got a hell of a lot of ideas."

Ranma chuckled. *Man, I'll bet. I'm glad I ain't gotta fight ya, I'll tell ya that.*

As the martial artists bantered about their weapons, a tall, slim, ghostly pale figure drifted into the corridor ahead of them and steered his way into their path. He wore plain, unassuming white robes, had long, nearly colorless hair, and his long, stiff ears tapered into points. "Magic Knights," he intoned flatly, surveying them with dull gray eyes, "I am Innova, adjutant to Lord Zagato. He has charged me with the preparations for your mission. If you will please follow me." With a slight bow, he swept off down a side corridor.

Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu looked at one another, shrugged, and turned to follow him. "Good luck, guys!" Hikaru called to the four martial artists over her shoulder.

*You too, Hikaru!* Ranma replied.

The three girls followed Innova for some distance, until he turned and entered a small, utilitarian office and ushered them inside.

Once they seated themselves on the stiff wooden chairs along one side of a long, low table, Innova stood on the opposite side, facing them, posture stiff and precise. "Before we begin, I would like to express my gratitude for your solution to the previous crisis on this world. You showed admirable courage in continuing forward as you did, and ultimately you afforded my master and mistress the happiness they so desperately longed for, but denied themselves. I only wish I had found within myself the will to do what you girls did." He bowed, more deeply this time. "You are truly exceptional."

The Knights fidgeted uncomfortably. "We don't deserve that kind of praise. We weren't brave, we were tired and pissed off." Umi's fingers dug into the fabric of her skirt. "The way things worked out was as much accident as anything, and the costs were too high."

Innova cocked his head. "In this world, as surely as in any other, there is never gain without loss. Such is the truth of existence."

"So, you were saying about our mission...?" Hikaru prompted, hoping to defuse the tense atmosphere.

"Yes," the pale, elfin man replied, inclining his head in Hikaru's direction. "Due to the current situation and the lack of complete intelligence on our enemy, Lord Zagato has asked that I personally guarantee your safety as you awaken the Mashin. I have been tasked with securing the three Shrines, and will directly escort you to your respective destinations." He waved his hand across the surface of the table; a shimmering, ethereal pool of water appeared above it, glowing faintly. An image formed in the pool, showing the floating crystal mountain that housed the Shrine of Wind. The image pulsed, and showed the familiar entrance to Selece's Shrine; another pulse, and the image shifted to that of a volcano.

"I will require until sunrise to complete my preparations at the three Shrines," Innova said, dispelling the image pool with another wave of his hand. "I suggest that the three of you use the remainder of this day to rest and prepare yourselves mentally for the task ahead." With another short, stiff bow, he opened the door and waved them out.

As the three girls navigated their way back to where the others were, Umi cast odd glances back in the direction of Innova's office, scowling. "What the heck is with that guy? What an attitude!"

"I believe he is simply a consummate professional with regard to his duties, and perhaps has little experience with direct relations to other people," Fuu said mildly. "If he is Zagato-san's adjutant, then it is likely he oversees extremely sensitive matters of security."

"You mean he's like the director of their intelligence agency or something?" Umi asked skeptically.

"More to the point, it is probable Innova-san IS Cephiro's intelligence agency."

"That'd explain why we've never seen him before," Hikaru said. "...umm, we haven't, right?"

Umi shook her head. "First time I've ever seen him."

"We have not encountered Innova-san previously, no."

"So do you think we can trust him?" Umi asked.

"It would seem we have little choice," Fuu replied. "I would, however, prefer to ask Clef-san that very question, to be absolutely certain we are not being led astray."

* * * * *

In a broad garden atrium in the heart of the palace, the group from Nerima knelt stiffly before Clef, eyes closed and brows furrowed in deep concentration. Ranma hovered nearby, largely forgotten, and Ascot stood behind Clef, observing silently.

"The words will come from your heart," the master mage said, pacing before his newest students. "A place inside you that did not exist before—find it, and with all your will, let it flow into your heart and mind. That is your magic. When you are ready, it will come forth freely."

The four students meditated silently for a time. Ranma was impressed to notice faint but visible magical auras around Ryouga, Ukyou, and Shampoo as they seemingly found a measure of success in tapping their new magic.

Akane, by contrast, was accomplishing little except breaking out in a sweat and threatening to permanently tint her face purple.

The others felt their concentration shatter and their magic recede from their grasp when Akane suddenly let out a howl of frustration and rage. "This is so STUPID! I can't feel ANYTHING! And you even said I probably don't have any magic and then I got this STUPID bell from Presea, and...and..."

"Bell?" Ascot asked suddenly, high voice sharp enough to pierce through Akane's tirade.

The short-haired girl only just then noticed how the others—even Ryouga—were glaring at her for ruining their concentration, and she bowed her head in shame and embarrassment. "Guys, I...I'm sorry..."

"Akane get head together or go wash dish with maid," Shampoo snapped. "Meditation time no place for screaming fit!"

"...I said I was sorry..."

Ascot mounted his floating rock again and hovered over to Akane. "You said somethin' 'bout a bell," he insisted, squatting down to stare intently into her face.

Akane flinched away from him slightly, feeling unnerved for some reason she couldn't fathom. "Um...yeah." The crystal on her glove glowed, and the large, plain-looking bell appeared in her hand. "This thing."

Ascot stumbled backwards, nearly falling off his rock. He managed to recover, but still landed roughly on his butt on the very edge of the stone. His eyes were fully visible and wide as dinner plates. "But that's...!"

"What is it, Ascot?" Clef asked, striding over to study the object which seemed to cause the young summoner distress. He frowned. "It's a bell."

Ascot turned to stare at the master mage. "Master Clef, don't you know what this IS?" he asked, voice shaking with disbelief.

"Aside from a musical instrument? I'm afraid I do not."

"I...I never thought the smartest and most powerful mage in Cephiro wouldn't..." Ascot said, his voice a harsh whisper.

Clef scowled slightly. Irritation crept into his tone as he prompted, "Perhaps if you explain to us, Summoner Ascot, just what it is about this bell that troubles you so."

The mage's tone was like a slap across the face; the young summoner quickly recovered his wits, and stood upright on his hovering rock. "Right," he replied. "Okay, that thing? It's a Caller's Bell. I didn't think they were really real 'cause there's never BEEN a real Caller. It was just a legend...I thought..."

"A Caller? I'm unfamiliar with this term."

Ascot frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Huh. I guess it really is somethin' only Summoners know 'bout after all."

"Possibly. Every discipline of magic has its own obscure lore, which often is known only to those who study that discipline exclusively." Clef inclined his head. "Such as yourself, of course. Please continue."

"Oh yeah. Okay, Callers are a special kind of Summoner. They can't really do Summoning magic. Not the kind you an' me an' a bunch of other mages do. Caller magic's weird."

Akane blinked at that. "Weird? How so?"

"Well, a Caller does have summoning magic. It's just they don't got no control over what they summon."

"You mean they summon monsters that run wild?" Ukyou asked, paling slightly.

"No, it's not like that." Ascot hopped down from his rock and started pacing. "They can control whatever they summon, just like a Summoner. What I mean is they can't pick what comes out when they use their magic."

"I'm afraid I don't follow," Akane said.

"Okay, watch." Ascot extended his hands and made several fast gestures. "BEAST SUMMON!" A spinning, glowing magic circle burst from his hands, expanding into a broad, wafer-thin disc in midair. The disc contorted in on itself, and a massive creature that looked like an anthropomorphic eagle stepped forth, feathered arms folded across its broad torso and wings hunched behind its back. "Now when I did that, I cast my spell so it'd bring out this guy." He turned and smiled up at the huge creature. "Sorry, I was just showin' 'em how my magic works! I'll play with you later, okay?"

The massive creature ruffled its feathers and disappeared in a column of golden light.

"But a Caller," Ascot went on, "can't do that. They can't pick what comes out when they use their magic."

"You mean they can only summon random monsters?" Ryouga asked.

The summoner shook his head. "It's not random, it..." He paused. "Okay, if this neechan really is what I think she is, it'd be easier just to show you."

"Show us? How?" Akane asked.

"Here, stand up an' hold out that bell," Ascot instructed. Akane did as he asked, looking rather unsure.

"Okay, I want you to just think hard about what you're feelin' right now, an' how much you believe in yourself, an' ring that bell three times."

Casting a skeptical glance at the child summoner, Akane sighed and set her shoulders. Closing her eyes, all too aware of the hot flush painted across her face, she raised the bell and rang it once...

Twice...

...three times.

The third chiming of the bell sounded out more loudly than the previous two; the others gasped as a beam of clean white light shot out of the instrument, ending at a point some four meters away in a spinning, sparkly ball of dancing lights.

Ascot laughed happily, clapping his hands. "I knew it!"

The ball of light spun faster, drawing in on itself...and popped, leaving behind a squat, orange-skinned creature with a bulbous, bald head, a sloping brow, deep-set, beady eyes, and a surly, resentful expression on its small, blunt face. It glowered at all of them, then shuffled off to a corner of the atrium, muttering to itself.

Ukyou, Shampoo, and Ryouga stared at it, speechless.

Akane, for her part, was alternating between staring at the bell in her hand, and gaping at the strange little monster in the corner.

*What th' hell's THAT?* Ranma asked, voice cracking with suppressed laughter. *Man, Akane, you got a real winner there!*

"Oh, shut up, you jerk!" Akane growled. The little creature in the corner glowered at Ranma and made a rude gesture with its stubby fingers.

*Hey, your critter flipped me off!*

"GOOD!"

Clef observed the scene with the stirrings of what would certainly be an enormous headache. "Ascot," he said, loudly so as to drown out the brewing argument, "perhaps you would be so kind as to explain the nature of this magic to Akane?"

Ascot smiled broadly. "You figured it out right away, didn't you Master?"

Clef nodded. "Yes. It was clear to me once I actually saw it for myself."

"What was?" Akane asked, abandoning her pointless argument with her bodiless fiance.

"Akane," Clef asked, "what emotions were you experiencing when you performed the calling?"

"Eh?" The short-haired girl blinked, then blushed furiously. Averting her gaze to the ground, she started worrying at a stray pebble with the toe of her shoe. "Um...honestly, I was feeling pretty silly about standing there ringing a bell."

"And what else?"

"Well, frustrated, I guess. I mean, it didn't seem like I got anything useful out of all this. And I guess a little..."

"Grumpy?" Ascot suggested.

"Maybe," Akane admitted.

The summoner nodded. "So when you rang the Caller's Bell, you were feelin' embarrassed, frustrated, an' grumpy." He glanced meaningfully at the creature in the corner, which had turned its back to them and was, like Akane, kicking at the ground, hands jammed in its grubby pockets.

"I get it!" Ukyou cried, laughing. "It summons something that's the same as whatever she's feeling when she rings the bell!"

"Precisely. In this case, a surly creature that feels put-upon and ridiculed," Clef said, shaking his head in disbelief.

*An' why's it so runty?* Ranma asked.

"'Cause Akane-neechan wasn't sure nothin' was gonna happen," Ascot replied. "Any magic needs a strong will, an' you gotta believe in your own power. If a Caller ain't sure they can call out a good monster—"

"They'll end up with somethin' dumb-lookin', like that whatever-the-hell over there," Ukyou finished, chuckling to herself.

Akane glowered darkly at the chef. Suddenly, the orange creature darted across the atrium, shuffled to a stop in front of Ukyou, and viciously kicked her in the shin.

"Hey! Ow!"

Shampoo laughed. "Is too too funny!"

Akane blinked. "Hey! Did I just—?"

"Yeah," Ascot said, stifling childish giggles. "You've still got control over that thing. It's your magic, after all." He frowned, then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Um, I don't know how a Caller gets rid of a summoned monster, by the way. I mean, Callers don't even really exist, so..."

"So I'm stuck with that silly thing?" Akane asked.

"For now anyway, yeah."

Akane sighed. "Perfect."

* * * * *

The Magic Knights entered the atrium several minutes later, after Clef had finally restored order. Shampoo, Ryouga, and Ukyou had returned to meditating; Akane was trying to coax her creature out from behind a box hedge.

"Clef-san," Fuu called to the elder mage as the three of them approached the training group, "we have just met a person by the name of Innova-san."

Clef turned slightly to face them, keeping most of his attention on the magic practice. "Then he explained the arrangements for tomorrow?" he asked.

"He said he's securing the Shrines, and will be taking us there himself tomorrow, but that's about as much as he said," Hikaru reported.

"You'll have to forgive Innova. He has been working tirelessly these past days, and although he requires very little in the way of rest, even he is feeling the strain we're all under."

"Well, just so long as we can trust him," Umi said. "That's why we were asking. We never even met that guy before."

Clef chuckled. "You saved Zagato, and helped him to be happy. For that, Innova would walk into Hell itself for you."

The girls blinked. Umi tilted her head. "What, is he—"

"Extremely devoted to his master," Clef cut across her, smirking slightly.

"Ooooo...kaaaay."

* * * * *

It was late in the afternoon; the warm sunlight streaming through the windows of the small, cold room was deep gold, bathing the still form of Princess Emeraude in an etheral aura.

The three Magic Knights sat on a velvet-cushioned bench against the wall nearest the door, a respectful distance from the comatose Pillar's bed. The silence and stillness of the room weighed oppressively on the girls, but they contented themselves with a silent, sober vigil, their eyes wet with unspilled tears for the beautiful, fragile, dying girl who had once nearly torn a world apart for her own love.

After half an hour, the silence was broken by a rattling from the doorway. A large cart, groaning under the weight of many overfull clay jars, rumbled into the room, the sound of its wheels and creaking joints obscenely loud in the stillness of the princess' bedchamber.

A thirtysomething, plain woman entered behind the cart, face placid as she strained slightly with the effort. "Don't mind me," she said to the three young girls. "I'm only just here to change the poultices." She gestured to the various pots and jars on her cart, smiling.

"Should we leave?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh, I shouldn't think there'd be a need," the healer replied airily. "It will take some time to prepare, in any case. Stay or leave, it's all the same to me." She fumbled with a sheaf of notes on the top shelf of her cart, eyes darting furtively from the parchments to the ingredients.

The silence returned then, punctuated only by occasional clatters and quiet murmurs from the healer as she worked.

"So I guess...tomorrow, we'll be heading to the Water Shrine again," Umi said thickly, growing uncomfortable after a time.

"You succeeded in awakening Selece-san once," Fuu pointed out. "I have no doubt that your heart is strong enough to awaken him once more."

"Mm."

"I know Clef said we can trust that Innova guy, but..." Hikaru frowned. "I still don't know..."

Umi shrugged. "I get the feeling he's pretty much Zagato's number one flunky, but after..." She trailed off.

"But you didn't see him at all, even at the castle?" Hikaru asked.

"Zagato-san did not exactly expend much effort in arresting our progress once you were removed from Cephiro, Hikaru-san," Fuu reminded the redhead. "Though I did get the impression, earlier, that Innova-san would not hesitate to attempt to dispatch us if so ordered by Zagato-san."

Umi shuddered. "That guy IS a little creepy." She paused. "But then, if Zagato's ordered him to look out for us, I guess in a way that's..."

"Umi-san," Fuu interrupted suddenly, placing a hand on her elbow and speaking still more quietly than they had been already. "Something is amiss."

Hikaru blinked. "What's wrong, Fuu-chan?" she asked softly.

Fuu shook her head slightly, and cocked it minutely in the direction of the healer. The other two girls strained to her the quiet mutters that had been steadily emanating from that side of the room.

"...saltpeter, eighty-nine grams; sulfur, seventeen grams..."

Umi blinked. "She's...measuring stuff? So what's so weird about that?"

Fuu's brow was furrowed. "It is the things she has been measuring out. I have only been listening for a short time, but many of the items have no apparent medicinal value. It is almost as though..."

The three of them suddenly noticed that the healer was no longer muttering. Instead, she had set aside her sheaf of notes, and now her face was set in a hard grimace as she hurriedly scooped her carefully measured piles of powders into the center of the cart, which promptly erupted with a bright golden flash of light.

The woman then picked up an object which had not been there before, and levelled it at the unmoving princess.

The Magic Knights' eyes widened in horror.

It was a gun.

* * * * *

Before she even knew she had thought to move, Hikaru was across the room, tackling the healer low in the torso. The gun went off with a deafening thunderclap, and Umi screamed as a bullet embedded itself in the crystal wall just above Emeraude's bed, leaving a hideous, blackened crack where it struck.

In a flash, Hikaru's sword was out, its edge laid bare against the assassin's throat. "Drop it," she hissed angrily, eyes flaring.

The woman fought the urge to swallow, and feebly tossed the gun to the floor. Fuu quickly stood and carefully retrieved it, holding it by the butt. "It is a revolver," she mused absently. "Very similar to guns I have seen in the museum back home."

"How the hell did she get a GUN?!" Umi demanded. "They don't even HAVE guns here!"

The door suddenly burst open. Zagato swept into the room, cloak billowing. Clef was hot on his heels, followed by Ferio and three guardsmen. "What has happened here?" Zagato demanded as he took in the scene. "Is Emeraude harmed?"

"No, she's fine," Umi said from where she stood beside the princess, checking to make sure she hadn't been grazed. "She missed. It was pretty close, though. We're lucky Hikaru's as fast as she is."

Hikaru stood, withdrawing her sword from the assassin's throat. "This woman was posing as a healer, but she tried to kill Emeraude-hime right in front of us!" The guards rushed forward to hoist the woman to her feet; she offered no resistance.

Fuu presented the gun, butt-first, to Zagato. "This is the weapon which was used by the assassin," she reported. "It is a gun."

"A gun?" Clef asked, examining the device curiously from Zagato's side as the priest turned it over in his gauntleted hands, scowling darkly.

"A projectile weapon that uses a chemical reaction to fire a metal bullet," Fuu explained. "There is at least one similar device to this on Cephiro; Presea-san's rather large cannon."

"That thing that uses black powder?" Clef asked. "I did not know there was more than one such weapon on this world."

"That's because there isn't," Zagato said darkly. "This was summoned from another place by using one of those circles."

"He's right," Ferio reported. "Look, there's another of those damn circles right here on the medicine cart."

Clef moved to stand beside Umi and examined the ugly black crack in the wall. "This weapon is remarkably powerful," he breathed softly, eyes wide with alarm.

"It's also a pretty old design," Hikaru said. She was now standing near Zagato, watching the guards and their prisoner, but her eyes were moving around the room, taking in everything warily. "Satoru-niisama took me to a museum exhibit one time when I was ten. I remember that kind of gun because he said cowboys used to use them a long time ago."

"Yes, it does look like an antique revolver," Fuu agreed.

"Tell me everything you know about this weapon," Zagato demanded.

Fuu sighed. "That is unfortunately all I know. I am not an expert on firearms, and the country we live in bans the possession and use of them within our borders." She smiled wanly. "Please do remember, Zagato-san, that despite what the three of us have been through, we are children. On our world, the only thing children are usually taught about guns is not to touch them."

Zagato nodded once, stiffly. "It does not matter. We will study it and learn what we need to know."

"But if our enemy can summon such terrible weapons to this world so easily..." Clef said, gripping his staff tightly.

"I am not entirely certain that the weapon was summoned from another place," Fuu interrupted. Everyone turned to look at her curiously.

"But...Fuu," Umi objected, "you said it yourself, Cephiro doesn't have guns."

"No, it does not. However..." She walked over to the assassin's cart and began idly sifting her fingers through the various jars there. "Do you not recall, Umi-san, that we overheard the assassin reading a list of ingredients to herself?" She scooped a handful of powder from one of the larger jars and studied it thoughtfully. "In particular, I noticed that she took quite a large amount of this substance from this jar." She walked over to Umi and raised the handful of powder to the taller girl's face. Umi frowned, sniffing at it distastefully. She then dipped a finger in it and touched it to her tongue. She grimaced and spat on the floor. "It tastes like iron," she complained.

"It IS iron," Fuu said. "Specifically, it is iron sand." She walked back over to the cart, allowed the handful of iron sand to spill onto its work surface, then took a handful of black, ashy powder from another jar. "And this is charcoal. She also used a sizeable amount of this in her preparations."

Ferio, who had not strayed from the cart since discovering the circle, frowned. "But this cart's spotless, Fuu. That's messy stuff, but there's not a smudge..."

"Precisely," Fuu said, dumping the charcoal back into its jar and producing a handkerchief to scrub at the stains on her hand. "In fact, none of the substances she measured out onto the surface of the cart are left in any quantity."

"But what can that mean?" Clef asked, frowning. "I'm afraid I don't see what disappearing iron sand and charcoal have to do with summoning a weapon."

"With summoning a weapon, I would say nothing at all," Fuu said, touching a now-clean finger to her lips thoughtfully. "But one of the very few things I do know about guns is that they are made of iron, and that gunpowder includes charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter, all of which were among the ingredients the assassin measured onto her cart."

Hikaru's eyes widened. "Fuu-chan, you said she measured out a LOT of iron sand. By a LOT, do you mean..."

"Enough to provide the raw materials for the fabrication of a gun? That is precisely what I am suggesting, Hikaru-san."

Clef frowned. "Fabrication..."

Zagato nodded thoughtfully, now tracing the smudged, inert circle with a finger while turning the gun over in his other hand. "There is a logic to what you suggest, girl from another world," he said. He picked up the sheaf of parchment from the work surface, reading it over critically, and smiled darkly. "Yes, I believe you are exactly right. This list specifies quantities of iron sand, charcoal, sulfur...everything you named." He frowned, hefting the revolver in his hand. "The weight of this weapon feels roughly equal to the measures written on this list."

"So what, she dumped a bunch of iron and charcoal and stuff into that circle and it made her a gun?" Umi asked skeptically. "Is that what you're saying happened here?"

"That is what I believe," Fuu affirmed.

Clef frowned. "It WOULD explain how these things keep getting past every magical defense we have. After all, our spells are designed to keep harmful things from entering..."

"But would not prevent the creation of a harmful object from harmless materials which already exist in abundance all over Cephiro," Zagato completed the thought. He scowled darkly at the revolver. "Which means there could be any number of these weapons by now, in the hands of these misguided terrorists..."

Ferio's eyes widened in horror. "This whole mess just got a lot worse, didn't it?" he asked mutedly.

Clef's mouth was a thin, hard line. "We must step up our countermeasures. Magic Knights...I am afraid you must depart for the shrines of the Mashin immediately, tonight."

"We'll hurry as fast as we can," Hikaru promised him, already halfway to the door. "Umi-chan, Fuu-chan, let's grab Mokona and go!"

"Will things be okay here?" Umi asked as she reached the door. "If there's more assassins in the palace, with guns..."

"We will not allow anyone to come to harm," Zagato said grimly. "Concern yourself not with the security of the palace. Concentrate on the greater security of Cephiro. I will see to it Innova awaits you at the palace gates."

As Fuu reached the door, she turned briefly, bowed, and commented, "Incidentally, that weapon is probably still loaded. I would suggest handling it with EXTREME caution." With another quick bow, she was gone.

Clef, Ferio, and Zagato, alone with the comatose princess, eyed the revolver as though it were a venomous cobra.

"Take that thing to Presea," Clef commanded. He eyed the crack in the wall above the bed again, grimacing. "And make sure she destroys it after she studies it."

* * * * *

"Major! We've got the last of it."

Some two dozen citizens of Cephiro bustled about a large encampment set up on a rocky, secluded cove several miles from a large fishing village. Roughly half of the workers were former residents of that village; they had spent much of the previous few days carefully, quietly removing every trace of their presence from their homes, stripping their very dwellings bare for materials to complete the final great work of the Preparation.

It was on this rocky cove, walled off from the rest of the world by the roar of the crashing surf, that the leader of the insurrectionists had spent nearly a month carefully collecting materials, researching and transcribing the precision instructions, and meticulously inscribing the Grand Circle.

Now, she was exactly five strokes from completing the instrument by which Cephiro would fall to the will of the Marquis. Her greatest triumph would soon be at hand. Her revenge was nigh; the cruel master she had once served—once loved—would regret spurning her, and would pay by watching his beloved, wretched Pillar die an excruciatingly painful death as the very land itself rotted away to nothing.

And she would be there, on the arm of the Marquis, his highest soldier, laughing.

"Place it in the center. Take care not to disturb the circle."

A cartload of various unprocessed ores was carefully wheeled into the center of the circle. The cart itself was left; it, too, would be part of the birth of the great work, its materials broken down and converted into part of the Liberation Machine.

As soon as the workers cleared the circle, their leader knelt, brow furrowed in concentration, and etched five precise lines into the edge of the intricate diagram with a sharp dagger. A faint hum of mystical energy filled the air as the circle began to shimmer faintly. Nodding in satisfaction, she sheathed the dagger in the top of her thigh-high leather boot, then placed both hands on the circle and focused her own considerable willpower into it; every ounce of energy she could muster flowed into the creation of the Machine as her master described, exacting details flowing from her flawless memory into the diagram carved into the rocky shore.

The circle flared with a brilliant golden light, forcing the soldiers working around her to shield their eyes. Over a minute passed before the last motes twinkled away into nothingness.

The insurrectionists gasped in awe and amazement at the Machine, which stood stark and iron-gray in the fading light of dusk, a testament to cold, precision Autozam engineering, a fearsome weapon that radiated an aura of menace and destruction with its very existence.

"Amazing..." Her lieutenant breathed.

The leader chuckled throatily, stalking forward and placing a gloved hand on the Machine's armored hide, stroking it fondly, a lover's caress. Then, with a graceful leap, she stood atop the device, opened its top hatch, and descended into its control pit. "Gather your weapons and mounts. It is time."

"Sir!" the soldiers chorused, saluting smartly as they had been taught to do.

The major smiled an ice-cold, dagger-sharp smile as she brought the Liberation Machine's engines to power. "Soon, Zagato-sama," she promised as the powerful machine thrummed to life, trembling with barely-restrained fury, burning hot with the Marquis' conquering spirit and her own cold rage. "Very soon."

The roaring of the war machine's engines could not completely drown out the loud peals of psychotic laughter of the sorceress Alcyone, division commander of the Cephiro Social Reform Army.

---

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Since 9/19/12