"My wish is your command!?" repeated Cloud desperately.
"Uh-huh," nodded the girl, her features growing wary.
Cloud held aloft the no longer insignificant-seeming lamp and...
The genie suddenly ignited, her shocked features concealed in blue flame. The supernatural fire hid her disappearance from the group.
-
Ranma had quickly become pensive when she had seen the expression on the blond guy’s face. Although her status as a genie was recently acquired, she felt like she had witnessed this exact scene a dozen times before. With a silent gasp, she realised that she had. Her memories; they were overflowing with experiences and knowledge she knew she had no means of ever gathering prior to her transformation. Among them information regarding her mortality.
She felt a distinct stab of misery at that unsought revelation.
Genies were immortal.
Her true greatest fear had manifested itself into undeniable reality:
She was going to live forever;
The challenge was over.
Oh hell, why had she ever chosen to enter that shop? She could have gotten Ucchan’s gift at the store, or hell, in that second-hand place next door if that’s what it would have taken. But why had she entered a magic shop given her dubious track record with the arcane?
The redhead was approaching unbridled despair, when an errant nugget of information popped into her head.
There only ever was one genie.
Yet Ranma recalled the collected thoughts and experiences of no fewer than twenty genies, and djinn, and sprites (but no leprechauns, because they’re make-believe). She swiftly grabbed at that thread in her mind. Although hazy, all had memories of… ascendancy? No - transformation. Change.
Rebirth.
Yes, some of her predecessors’ first memories merged and swam with the final thoughts of others.
Meticulously deciphering the significance of this, the neo-genie smiled with an illation. A chance, no, an obligation fell to her.
It would be a challenge. One that would ultimately conclude in the beginning of another. And Ranma Saotome couldn’t have been happier.
Such was her glee that she immediately set about granting the next wish she heard, unaware that her expansive epiphany had taken place in only a few seconds of real time.
The girl in the khaki shorts had wished to be as another she had known. Realising that somehow she had exact knowledge of who this Aeris was and what fate she had met, Ranma set about granting Tifa’s request with the genie’s own secret motives on her mind.
That didn’t change the fact that, as far as wishes went, this one was a biggie. Destroying that serpent had been child’s play. What she aimed to do was the mystical equivalent of trying to perform the Hiryu Shoten Ha after just having learned how to block a strike. And she gloried in the task.
Intimately aware of how to enact her plan, Ranma found herself adrift in a amorphous flow of disembodied ki. ‘The Lifestream’, informed some of her older memories. The reactions of the group had already shown that she wasn’t the first genie in this reality. She grimaced angrily, realising that the beloved Cetra her predecessors on this world had freely served and lived with only existed in this place now.
In some small way she now had an opportunity to put that right. Skimming the lambent surface, she wore a sad smile at the remembrance of a truly joyous people. Ranma’s cheer returned when she happened upon the distinct current that was her goal.
“Hi there,” she grinned.
“Hello, yourself,” came the warm reply.
-
“What the hell’s happening!?” demanded Cait Sith. “That flash knocked out my optics!” Already strained from the explosion before, the robot’s delicate cameras had shorted at the eruption of flame from the harem girl.
“The girl has set herself on fire, I presume,” answered Red, trying not to let apprehension creep into his voice.
“I saw that, smartass!” grumbled the robot, relaying Reeve’s curse from several hundred miles away. “Why?”
“I’m not too sure, to be honest.” He frowned thoughtfully. “Did anyone make a wish?” He would have already asked, but with his exceptional hearing, Nanaki should have heard any request from the group.
“Someone did,” answered Vincent enigmatically, his long hair concealing his eyes from view. The others looked amongst themselves forebodingly. None had an especially great inclination to witness something created in the mind of their paradoxically most inhuman member.
Cloud meanwhile, was gnashing his teeth in frustration. Fate seemed to enjoy toying with his life, but by no means was he going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.
“You!” he growled at the localised pillar of flame, “So help me, if you don’t gr-”
“GRANTED!” intoned the genie, as the fires dissipated as quickly as they had sprung.
-
Through the means only someone with Ranma’s colourful background would consider, she prepared to fulfil Tifa’s request.
But she wasn’t going to allow this Tifa to become a victim of something completely outside her own power like she had had so often in the past. Ranma pondered and settled on a compromise, her memories providing helpful advice on how to fairly (and unfairly) implement the wish.
Conferring with thread of the Lifestream, who seemed merry, and even a little amused at Ranma’s idea, the Cetra declared that she couldn’t possibly burden someone else so. Ranma countered this by explaining that because she had already begun to grant the wish, by her new nature, she was implacably compelled to see it through. Convinced that the wish was happening whether she approved or not (and Ranma was aware that in the Cetra’s heart of hearts, she did), the current grudgingly complied and embraced the genie.
Ranma shook her head, chuckling at the unnecessary gesture. She reverently acknowledged the Lifestream once more, before promptly vanishing.
-
Tifa was getting nervous. Cloud was beginning to look dangerously angry, and she was sure that Vincent was smiling at her. Something she had never experienced but was certain didn’t bode well for her. He claimed someone present had made a wish, yet his tone indicated that it wasn’t him. She hadn’t heard anything from the rest of the team, so how could…
Oh. God. NO.
She… she hadn’t even whispered it, so quiet was the breath she had expelled. And with sickening understanding, she realised that Vincent, as a former Turks, could read lips.
Panic overtook her, and increased as she turned back to see Cloud about to lose his temper with the uberpowerful Summon that seemed to have enough power to make Bahamut Zero think twice.
A scream prepared to escaped her lips, when the fires vanished and the girl declared the wish granted.
Tifa gulped noisily, gaining the attention of the others. She looked distressingly at their faces, sweat appearing on her brow as she prepared to be transformed into the dead woman she could never hope to match in Cloud’s memory.
When nothing happened for several moments, she allowed herself to breathe, drawing the red haired genie’s laughter.
“Geez, you didn’t think I was going to turn you _into_ her, did you?” she asked mirthfully.
“Actually,” she began, when Cloud’s incensed voice interjected.
“What the hell is happening here!?” He looked to the genie, who appeared untroubled at his anger. Cloud’s gaze turned to Tifa, who looked away guiltily.
“I don’t have to tell,” teased the girl, cockily, “but its definitely something you’ll all find interesting.” She smirked. “Especially you, Quiff-Boy.”
“What does that mean?” demanded the swordsman, ignoring the remark.
“Now that,” sniggered Ranma, emulating one of her more mischievous predecessors, “is a secret.” With a very quick glance at the gunman, who imperceptibly nodded back, the genie felt confident that Tifa’s secret would remain just that, until she or circumstance chose otherwise.
“The hell!?” demanded Barrett eloquently.
“It means I ain’t spillin’,” answered Ranma, reminiscent of the tone she often used on Nabiki in her old life.
“Anywho,” she redirected the conversation. “I’m pooped. Gotta get recharged. Anyone know a place where I can get me some good eats?”
“But I,”
“Have to be patient,” finished Ranma for Cloud. “Don’t worry, buddy. I may be new at this wishing business, but I have a feeling that you’re not going to be unhappy with how things work themselves out.” She concluded her words with a sly glance at the blushing Tifa.
Cloud stared at the sapphire-eyed genie, his own eyes glowing an unnatural blue as he regarded her. For some unidentifiable reason, he found himself trusting this supernatural girl. It was almost as though she were a kindred spirit. Something he hadn’t encountered in quite a while. It was though he saw…
A ghost of a smile on his lips, he nodded uncertainly, as the other released the breaths they had all been unconsciously holding in.
“Cool,” said Ranma agreeably. “Now, like I asked, is there anywhere nearby where I can get good grub into me?” Noticing that not everyone present seemed to be listening as much leering, Ranma also felt a need to get out of her default genie costume and into something that wouldn’t evoke such… extreme reactions in the opposite sex.
“The Chocobo Breeder’s farm is nearby,” answered Cait Sith. “I could lead you there if someone would perhaps help fix my sensors…,” he trailed off suggestively. He snapped his oversized fingers. “Wait! I could just wish for -”
“I wish for all the gil in the world!” cried Yuffie who was now clutching the lamp greedily. Everyone turned wide eyes to Ranma, envisioning the horrors that the ninja girl’s thoughtless wish could inflict on the recovering world economy.
“Yeah, right,” ‘phht’ Ranma dismissively. “Like I’d grant such a stupid wish.” Assorted sighs of relief filled the area, before curiosity took hold.
“Didn’t you say that ‘Our wish was your command’?” asked the ever-inquisitive Red.
“Yeah,” admitted Ranma. “You summoned me, so I was obliged to grant a wish. The next time you summon me, it’ll be the same.”
“But how can we summon you,” began a blind, but still listening Cait Sith, “when you apparently,” he stressed the word, “haven’t disappeared?”
“You can’t,” answered the redhead sneakily, “ain’t it great?”
“Then, how?” began Cloud and Tifa at the same time.
“Cos it was a completely selfless wish.” Cloud glanced meaningfully at the girl who was for all intents and purposes, his oldest friend. “Meaning I wanted to grant it. Now please,” she entreated as her stomach rumbled, “could someone fix up Mousse here before so I can get me a meal before Nabiki Jr. tries to wish to own the patent on existence?” Of course, Ranma now knew exactly where the Chocobo Breeder lived, but presently felt it unnecessary to share that particular piece of information.
“Mousse?”
“Nabiki Jr.?”
“We all know the way,” supplied Vincent. He scanned the group, immediately gaining their undivided attention. “Shall we?”
“We’d better hurry,” added Red, sniffing at the air, “it we want to beat the rain.”
Sure enough, there were rain clouds gathering in the sky that had been clear minutes earlier. The genie shared a cheerful secret chuckle with her passenger, who would be embarking and disembarking periodically from Ranma Airlines whenever the local water temperature saw fit. With some time, Ranma hoped that the guest and her host would become permanent and content housemates.
Clenching a fist at this new challenge, Ranma yelped enthusiastically, in imitation of a petite princess from long, long ago, whose adventures and friends still lived on in her memories.
Naturally the rest of the group were somewhat puzzled as to why the genie was chanting that ‘Justice would prevail!’, but deigned not to ask the energetic and latest addition to their group.
Tifa instead chose to ponder why she felt as though she had suddenly become someone or something’s centre of attention. Whatever it was didn’t feel unfriendly, rather it felt jovial; playful. Oddly enough, she shivered at the thought that perhaps that was even worse than something deliberately sinister.
Spying the growing clouds, she decided that she’d like to get to the Chocobo Breeder’s farm sooner rather than later.
(Posted Wed, 01 Jun 2005 02:29)
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