Someone mentioned the idea of an Iczelion/Ranma 1/2 crossover a while
back on the FFML. Well, here's what I have to show for the inspiration. :)
Comments/criticism are requested.
(Yes, I know "Iczelion 1/2" is a misnomer. Any suggestions for a
better title? :)
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION:
If you wish to contact me by e-mail, my address is:
trmiller@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us
Iczelion 1/2 A Ranma/Iczelion Crossover
by Tim Miller
Part One:
"Unexpected Arrivals"
Normally, a dimensional transit is pretty subdued - at least the way
Cthuwulf or Iczer technology handles it. A shift in color, maybe a crackle of
energy as who- or whatever makes its way from one dimension into another.
But that's under fairly controlled conditions.
These were anything *but.*
Fortunately, there was nobody there to see it when space was ripped
apart; the flash of light and energy was nearly blinding. The accompanying
crack of thunder shattered windows in the alley as a hole was ripped in the
fabric of space, four beings were shoved/yanked through it, and the rip mended
itself with no trace that it had ever been there.
Well, *almost* no trace. Four smoldering piles of material that looked
like metal, plastic, and some odd kind of crystal, were left on the pavement
beneath the erstwhile portal.
Finally, one of the 'piles' pulled itself together - partly literally
- and got to its feet. It was vaguely humanoid in shape, but distinctly
robotic in appearance. Beneath the rim of its helmet was an odd sort of face:
a pair of eyes, on either side of a raised piece that resembled a nose. The
tiny mecha stood about four or five feet tall, and was blue, with silver-grey
crystals on its surface.
"Everyone okay?" the blue mecha asked its companions.
"Errrrrrgh." Another mecha, this one green with orange markings, stood
up. "Next time we get blindsided in the middle of transit, I'll be glad if we
even make it *through*."
"Worry about it *if* that happens," a red-and-orange robot growled. "I
say that if we ever get attacked while travelling, we'll have to take the time
to deal with it."
The fourth mecha, yellow and green, straightened itself out. "Like
we're going to fight a Void without human partners. You're dreaming, Akai."
"Well excuse *me* for - " The red mecha was cut off.
"Later. Now listen up, all of you: we went off-course when the Void
attacked us. We should have rendezvoused here with the Iczels that are already
on Earth . . . but unless one of you can tell me differently, there are *no*
Iczels on this planet whatsoever." The blue mecha looked around. "In the
absence of senior Iczels or Iczelions, are there any arguments if I assume
command?"
The green Iczel shrugged. "No problems here."
The remaining pair of Iczels traded looks, then sighed. "You're the
boss, Aoi."
Aoi Iczel nodded. "In that case, we need to spread out and find human
partners. Chaos *must* know we didn't arrive where we planned too; that means
this planet is ripe for invasion."
"*If* he decides to break off from our Earth," Akai - the red Iczel -
snorted.
The green Iczel looked at its red counterpart. "Considering that Chaos
hasn't been able to beat four Iczelions, even with all his Geas and Voids, he
may decide to head for an easier target. Aoi is right; we need to find
partners who can form Iczelions."
"Midori is right," replied the yellow Iczel. "Sorry, Akai. Looks like
you're outvoted."
Akai snickered. "What's to be sorry about, Ki? I could use a good
scrap - *with* a human partner, so I can fight back against whatever comes
after us."
"I'm glad you all agree," Aoi noted dryly. "Now let's go - we don't
have long. As soon as the other Iczelions realize we didn't show up, they'll
probably come looking for us. Meet back here in four hours; that should give
us enough time to find partners." Aoi looked up. "It's mid-afternoon now; see
you around sundown."
"Ryoukai!" chorused the other three Iczels. All four Iczels glowed,
then vanished. The last trace of them was fading streaks of colored light,
travelling in different directions as they followed their programmed
"instincts" towards the humans whose destinies were bound to theirs.
In the training hall, a sixteen-year-old girl wearing a kenpo uniform
was performing a practice kata, punching and kicking, twisting and blocking
attacks from an imagined opponent. Coming out of a foot sweep, she
straightened up, and paused, looking around.
There was nobody to be seen. (Why does it feel like someone's watching
me?) she wondered, reaching up to brush a stray lock of black hair away from
her blue-gray eyes.
With a shrug, she went back to her kata.
Outside the house, the girl's nineteen-year-old sister was sweeping
the front porch and walkway when a noise prompted her to look up. (What in
the - ?) Her grip tightened on the broom as she saw monsters appearing out of
nowhere - just fading into existence. She spun to go inside - and she was cut
off from the front door.
"Oh, no," she moaned, her grip on the broom tightening. "Akane?!
Father?! Someone help me!"
A streak of light next to her solidified into a green-and-orange
robot. "Kasumi, synchronize with me!"
The girl, Kasumi, turned to face the mecha. "What *are* you?"
"Midori Iczel. Hurry! If the Geas attack now - "
As though prompted, the grey-skinned monsters began lunging at the
girl and the Iczel.
Kasumi's broom fell to the sidewalk with a clatter as a scream echoed
from inside the Dojo. "Akane! No!!"
"Trust me, Kasumi!" Midori shouted over the noise of Geas attacking.
Then, even louder: "CHARGING UP!!!!"
The Iczel glowed, more brightly than before, then vanished in an
expanding flare of energy - a flare that swallowed Kasumi as well.
Inside the Dojo, Akai dived from the rafters, echoing its "brother's"
cry from outside. "CHARGING UP!!!" Akane was swallowed by the energy flare,
moments before the first Gea-launched energy bolt could reach its target.
Inside the flares, the two human girls felt the energies surrounding
them. Their clothes faded from existence as the Iczels disassembled into armor
pieces, arranging themselves around their chosen companions. In mere moments,
Tendo Kasumi and Tendo Akane felt themselves rematerializing as each of them
became aware of an Iczel's consciousness alongside their own.
Kasumi looked down at herself, then back up at the distorted
landscape. "What just happened? And where are we?"
*We're in another dimension. The two of us have joined to form Green
Iczelion; my body has become your fighting suit.*
Kasumi/Green Iczelion bit her lip. "I'm not a fighter, Iczel." She
looked down at herself: Midori had indeed become a suit of armor - rather
skimpy armor, to be truthful, but it felt adequate somehow. The bright green
jumpsuit that covered her body fit like a second skin, and she could feel the
Iczelion armor throbbing with energy.
*There's no choice, Kasumi. Be strong; I will help you. But get ready
- the Geas know we came here, they're about to attack again.*
"At least the Dojo is safe this time," Kasumi murmured as she stood in
a ready stance. Then the first of the Geas appeared in front of her, and she
began her attack. Long-forgotten lessons in kenpo came back dimly, just enough
to help her concentrate on dodging and blocking the energy blasts that came
her way. In between, she launched her own energy blasts from the Iczelion
armor, cutting through the Geas like a hot katana through soft butter.
In another dimension, Akane - now Red Iczelion - smashed the Geas into
so much scrap, relishing the feel of a good fight. Shortly, the last Gea had
fallen, and she stood there for a moment before she started to laugh.
*What's so funny, Akane?*
"I'd like to see Ranma insult me now," Akane chuckled. "Saying I can't
fight - ha! I could beat him easily."
*Who's this 'Ranma?'*
"My iinazuke. He's a pervert, and a girl-chaser, and he's always
insulting me."
*He is human as well?*
"Well . . . yeah. What about it?"
*Iczelions are not supposed to fight humans. We were built by the
Iczers to help humans fight *against* Chaos and his androids.*
Akane sat down, dimly realizing that the alternate dimension around
her was fading back into the real world of the Tendo Dojo. "So what were
those? Some of the evil androids you're talking about?"
*Fighting Geas are Chaos's 'foot soldiers,' as it were. They make up
the bulk of his forces. They're very weak, but in great numbers, they can be
very dangerous. The Voids are far stronger, and very difficult to fight.*
"Huh," Akane replied. "So - " She broke off, scrambling back to her
feet as another form began to fade in next to her. "Hold it right there!"
Kasumi backed up a pace, holding up her hands. "It's me, imouto."
Akane blinked at Green Iczelion, taking a moment to mentally separate
the battlearmor from her eldest sister. "Oneechan? It's really you?"
Kasumi nodded. "Ee, imouto-chan. It's me."
Akane blinked, then turned her attention inward. *Iczel, how do we
take off the armor?*
*At the moment, I don't think that's a good idea - oh crap. More
people are coming; not Geas this time.*
Green Iczelion had apparently overheard the exchange. "Iczel, we need
to change back to normal. Then you both need to hide."
Pillars of light surrounded the two Iczelions; the Iczels reassembled
from the armor as the girls' normal clothes reappeared. Then, Akai and Midori
both vanished, leaving a very surprised Akane and Kasumi behind.
A split second later, Nabiki burst into the training hall. "Akane,
what - huh?" She skidded to a halt. "Akane, what's wrong?"
"It's okay now, Nabiki," Akane said. "Something surprised me."
Nabiki nodded skeptically. "Sure . . . Kasumi, I thought you were
outside? Father went to look for you - "
"It was nothing," Kasumi lied.
"How did you get inside?" Nabiki pressed.
Kasumi hesitated, her mind racing. (Either we tell Nabiki the truth -
and somehow, I don't think we can trust her with this - or I have to come up
with something fast.) "I clubbed Happosai with my broom, then came in to see
if Akane was all right."
Nabiki eyed her sisters critically for a moment, then gave a mental
shrug. "If you say so, oneechan." She turned and left.
Akane sighed in relief. "That was too close . . . "
Akai Iczel reappeared next to Akane. "No kidding."
Akane just barely stifled a shriek of surprise. "Iczel, don't *do*
that!" she hissed angrily.
"Gomen nasai," Akai apologized. "Midori, I think it's safe now."
In response, the green Iczel drifted down from the rafters. "What do
we do now?"
"We still have a couple of hours before we're supposed to meet up with
Aoi and Ki," Akai replied.
"Who are they?" Kasumi asked.
"The other Iczels that arrived here with us," Akai answered.
Midori gave its fellow a withering look. "I think they deserve a more
detailed explanation, now that they've been drawn into this."
"I'd appreciate it," Kasumi said. "And I suspect Akane would as well."
Midori nodded, and drifted down to a standing position on the floor,
as opposed to its usual hovering. "You two may want to sit down. Akai, would
you stand guard please?"
"Of course," Akai answered, and flew over to stand near the door.
Akane and Kasumi sat seiza on the dojo floor as Midori began telling the
Iczels' story.
"For several months, there's been a war in progress - on another
version of Earth, I guess you could say. On one side is the android named
Chaos. He is the leader of a force of evil androids that have been sweeping
across the universe, destroying every planet they come to . . . until now.
"That's because of the four who oppose him on this alternate version
of Earth. Four Iczels arrived there over the past year, roughly, and each of
them chose a human partner - young women not unlike yourselves. Normal Type
was the most recent arrival, who forms the only 'regular' Iczelion on the
other Earth. The other three - Black, Gold, and Silver - each have slight
differences from a Normal Type Iczel or Iczelion . . . as do the four of us.
"You've already met me and Akai; there are two more Iczels, Aoi and
Ki, who are here on your Earth. We were attempting to reach the other Earth,
where there are already Iczelion warriors, but a Void attacked us in the
dimension we were travelling through, and forced us off-course."
"What's a Void?" Akane asked.
"They're sort of like Chaos's bodyguards," Midori answered. "They're a
lot stronger than the Geas that attacked you earlier." Then Midori stopped.
"Speaking of Geas," Akai spoke up, "I know I didn't just imagine that
alert from Ki."
Midori nodded. "Kasumi, are you ready?"
Kasumi stood up, instinctively straightening her apron. "Yes. I'll do
what I can to help."
"Count me in too!" Akane chimed in. "What do we have to do?"
Midori looked as wry as an Iczel's face could express any emotion.
"Usually, it's the human partner who initiates the equipping process, once the
partner's been chosen."
"Could you clarify that a little?" Akane asked. Kasumi just looked
blank.
Akai sighed heavily. "You're supposed to tell us when you want to
become Iczelion. You heard what we said to start the process, right?"
Kasumi and Akane both nodded. "Is it safe for us to . . . what did you
call it? . . . this close together?" Kasumi asked.
Midori shook its head. "It's never been tried; I wouldn't recommend
starting now." The Iczel paused. "And there's *another* wave of Geas on its
way here."
"Akane," Kasumi asked, "can you and Akai defend the Dojo better on
your own? Or should you go help Ki Iczel?"
"Ki already located a partner," Midori interjected. "If Akane is a
better fighter . . . "
"Why would the *Dojo* be a target?" Akane interrupted. "The Iczelions
are all that's opposing Chaos, right?"
"There's no time to debate!" Akai snapped. "Midori, take Kasumi into
an alternate dimension, and synchronize there; I'll do the same with Akane.
That way, the Geas will have to split up, and then we can take the battle to
Yellow Iczelion and make it a three-way split!"
Akane nodded. "Oneechan, will you be all right?"
Kasumi squeezed her youngest sister's shoulder gently. "I'll be fine.
Midori does most of the fighting work, and father's old lessons are starting
to come back."
"Let's do it then!" Akane and the red Iczel faded out, followed by
Kasumi and the green Iczel.
Meanwhile, across town . . .
A red-haired girl with a pigtail (and a substantial figure, for her
apparent age) walked along the sidewalk, muttering angrily as she tried to
wring out the hem of her shirt. "Blast it," she growled. "Why do I *always*
run right past that woman *just* as she's ladling more water?"
A shadow fell on the pavement ahead of her. She looked up as more
shadows appeared in front of her . . . to the sides . . . she glanced over her
shoulder as more of the monsters, almost identical, appeared behind her. At a
rough guess, she figured there were at least forty of them.
"Terrif," she grumbled as she dropped into a fighting stance. "Never
even *seen* these guys before . . . KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!" Her fists
split the air in a blur as she pounded dents into the nearest of the monsters
. . . but only dents. A moment later, she leapt up and over, clearing the
crowd of monsters as she shook her hands, trying to will the pain away. A few
drops of blood came loose from her knuckles.
"What the hell are those things *made* of?" the girl wondered as she
landed running. A quick glance over her shoulder showed that the monsters were
flying after her.
Literally.
"Che!!!" the young girl growled as she held up her hands, mustering
her confidence - which was itself somewhat bruised by the failure of her first
attack. She changed course, leaping to the nearest rooftop, and began leaping
from building to building as fast as she could.
She never noticed the robotic yellow figure swooping in behind her;
she only heard the energy bolts launched in her direction, and the crackle as
they rebounded off of some kind of energy field. Sensing instinctively that
the charge had been staved off - if only for seconds - she skidded to a halt
on a reasonably large, flat roof, spun, and finished gathering her self-
confidence - and the mystical ki energy that her confidence generated.
"MOUKO . . . TAKABISHA!!!!" she shouted. A sphere of energy blossomed
between her hands, then erupted away from her with a powerful roar.
It only held the monsters off for a few extra seconds; they began
recovering from the shockwave almost immediately.
"What - the - friggin' - HELL??" the girl wondered for a moment - then
spun to face the yellow mecha.
(Unbelievable,) thought Ki Iczel as it studied the red-haired girl.
(She's completely human, but how did she do that?) Then Ki decided it was time
to make some *very* fast introductions, both because of the charging Geas -
and because the girl looked ready to attack.
"I'm Ki Iczel! I'm on your side!" The yellow mecha floated an extra
foot or so away. "You can't beat those things on your own, but if we
synchronize then I can help you!"
(Ki Iczel?) the girl wondered. (Weird name - kuso, those things are
getting close!!) "What do we have to do?"
"Trust me, Ranma!"
"HOW THE - ?!?" Ranma's question was cut off.
"CHARGING UP!!!!"
Ranma's surprised swearing never reached any ear besides the Iczel's.
When she rematerialized, she instinctively leapt straight up . . . about
thirty feet, and hovered there. The Geas' charge, below, came to a very
confused halt.
Yellow Iczelion stared down at the mass of fighting Geas, then dove to
begin her attack. A moment later, the battle was joined by the Red and Green
Iczelions, who were pursued by their own groups of Geas.
The battle was joined.
A long way across Nerima, Aoi Iczel rematerialized from another
teleport. (I don't believe this,) the blue mecha thought. (The other three
have already found partners, and I - @!&(%#!)#!^**** . . . )
The blue Iczel sparked slightly, then crumpled to the ground. The gray
and black form of a fighting Gea bent over to pick up its prize, then
transited between dimensions.
Shortly thereafter Aoi Iczel began to regain consciousness. What it
saw nearly short-circuited it back into unconsciousness again.
Looking down on the imprisoned mecha was a vaguely human figure -
humanoid, but also very distinctly mechanical. And the figure was laughing, a
laugh that was forever imprinted on what the Iczels had for a racial memory.
(Damn!) Aoi thought. (It's Chaos - I gotta get out of here!)
"I see you've regained consciousness, little blue Iczel," Chaos
laughed quietly. On his cyborg-like face, the "human" eye narrowed as the
android optic flared a brighter red. "Don't worry, it won't plague you for
long. The other Iczelions have been a thorn in my side for far too long, but
now I have the means to destroy them - and they won't even be able to fight
back. . . . "
"KACHUU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!!" Yellow Iczelion's cry split the air at
the same time as her fists blurred into two Geas, quickly reducing them to
scrap. Ki Iczel was hard-pressed to keep up with its partner's movement, but
met the challenge and prepared for more.
Several yards away, weaving through the air in a lethal dance, Red and
Green Iczelion darted back and forth, firing energy bolts and slashing with
beam swords. They were in constant motion, never coming to a rest. Red
Iczelion swung up at the end of a dive, delivering a kick that nailed a Gea in
the neck even as her beam sword swung in a wide arc, destroying two more Geas
even as an energy bolt from her free hand pierced a fourth, which promptly
exploded.
Green Iczelion's movements were less destructive, but Kasumi had
quickly learned the fine art of dodging attacks. Those few shots that didn't
miss her completely splashed from the forcefield that Midori was projecting,
and both human and Iczel knew that every shot aimed at them was one less shot
that Red or Yellow Iczelion wouldn't have to worry about.
(I just wish that thought were more comforting,) Kasumi thought,
(because I really am *not* cut out for this kind of fighting . . . )
Yellow Iczelion started moving away from the fray, then came to a halt
in midair and began glowing brightly. *Ranma, what are you doing?* Ki asked.
*One of my best attacks!* Ranma replied mentally as she gathered her
ki between her hands. "MOUKO TAKABISHA!!!" she shouted.
The Mouko Takabisha ki-blast normally would have leapt forth right
away. This time, it didn't, and Ranma almost panicked as she felt the energy
feeding back on itself . . . then it released in a blast-wave that reduced
most of the attacking Geas to shrapnel.
The other two Iczelions had just barely enough warning time to
intensify their shields before the blast ripped past them. Even so, they were
thrown back in the air. "Ranma, what the heck were you thinking??" shouted
Akane. "We could have been killed!"
*That's why I held back the blast,* Ki 'replied' so that all three
humans could hear, as well as their Iczels. *Also to amplify it.*
Ranma looked utterly nonplussed for a moment, then unleashed a barrage
of energy bolts at the surviving Geas. A moment later, the battle was
officially over, and the three Iczelions landed.
*Glad to see you found a partner, Ki.*
*Thanks, Akai. The strange thing was that one moment she was hardly
there, and the next moment - boom, practically under my nose.*
*That's not possible,* Midori interjected.
Ranma held up a hand. "Whoa, hold on a moment. Based on the design,
you need to join with females, right?"
There was a significant pause. When Ki finally responded, its tone was
more than a little defensive. *Well, the Iczers are all female, and they built
us. What's your point?*
"I'm *not* a girl."
That prompted an even longer pause. Kasumi craned her neck slightly to
look at a clock tower, then hissed between her teeth. "We need to get going;
supper's going to be late as it is."
*We'll teleport back to the Dojo, or someplace close enough that you
can get in fairly quickly.* Midori paused. *Do you have any particular ideas?*
"Actually," Akane noted, "we're only a short distance away from the
Dojo now. We could walk back . . . but not equipped as Iczelions."
*Understood,* Akai replied. *But - Ki, what's her name?*
"I'm Ranma," said the pig-tailed girl. "Saotome Ranma, heir to the
Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts."
A silent laugh from Ki. *I'm not surprised. Pleased to meet you,
Ranma. But, what did you mean that you're not a girl?*
"It's a curse. Cold water changes me into a girl; hot water changes me
back into a guy."
*Oh.* Ki went silent again, then triggered the separation. As the
pillar of energy faded, Ranma stared down at the yellow Iczel. "But that
means, in order to form Iczelion . . . " the mecha started.
"If I'm in my guy form," Ranma said, "then you'd need to splash cold
water on me before we can link up."
"This could be difficult," Ki said as the other two Iczelions reverted
to human/Iczel pairs. "Akai, Midori, we need to start heading back to the
rendezvous point. I wonder how Aoi did?"
"Aoi would have contacted us by now if that Iczel had found a
partner," Midori answered. "Kasumi, Akane, Ranma: we'll see the three of you
later. If more Geas attack, we'll be sure to let you know."
"Sure thing," Ranma answered as she started strolling towards the
Tendo Dojo. "Keep in touch."
Akane glared at her fiancee, then growled quietly and stalked off
after Ranma. Kasumi bowed politely to the Iczels, then followed the other two.
"Well," Midori said, "we'd better get going." The three Iczels
hovered, rising into the air, then teleported away.
An hour later, Ranma arrived in the alley where the three Iczels had
already gathered. "No sign of your buddy?" he asked.
"Nothing," replied Ki. "Aoi should have let us know what happened - "
"I'm going to look for him," Akai cut in. "Ranma, you stay here; Ki,
synchronize and equip if anything unusual happens."
"Will do," Ki answered. "Midori?"
"I'll go with Akai - if it's a trap, then one of us can retreat to the
Dojo and join with our partner, then come back to fight."
"You guys are talking as though you were at war," Ranma commented,
leaning against the wall.
"Ki, explain it to him," Akai said. "I'll be back."
Ki had just finished telling Ranma the history of the Iczels when both
Ki and Midori stiffened. "Ranma, change to girl form," Ki said without
prelude. "We've got trouble."
"Find some cold water," Ranma shot back. "What's the problem?"
Midori teleported out as Ki answered, "Akai picked up Aoi's trail, and
followed it - but the trail just ended. Aoi Iczel's been captured."
A young woman wearing a black gymnastics leotard raced from rooftop to
rooftop. The chilly air didn't seem to bother her; the two most noticeable
features about the girl were the ribbon that trailed through the air behind
her, and the slightly insane-sounding laugh that echoed through the night.
The laugh cut off abruptly as the girl skidded to a halt, just barely
avoiding a collision with the blue-and-silver figure that had appeared just in
front of her. The girl started twirling her ribbon as she regained her balance
and composure, and studied the robotic-looking thing. "And where did you come
from?" she asked coolly.
The blue robot looked up, studying her, then released an energy flare
and detached into armor pieces. Kunou Kodachi was taken completely by surprise
- and that was her last conscious thought before the reprogrammed Iczel
imposed its thought patterns over hers.
Across town, three other Iczelions had gathered in a different alley -
one of them still muttering darkly about being forced into girl form. *Do you
see what we were talking about?* Ki interrupted her partner.
"No," Ranma replied irritably.
*Ki, show her,* Midori suggested.
"What do you - ACK!!" Ranma shook her head as though struggling to
clear it as another pattern formed in her mind.
*Don't struggle, Ranma, or you could be injured,* Ki soothed. *I won't
let you get hurt. Just trust in me.*
With a deliberate effort, Ranma stopped resisting the mental pattern
that Ki was projecting. (How odd,) she thought as she let Ki show her what the
Iczels could detect on their own.
There was a distinctive electromagnetic pattern, which Ki identified
as an Iczel's teleport trace. Another pattern, which looked highly disruptive,
represented an energy blast; the last pattern to appear was a different power
signature, followed by a dimensional transition.
*There's no question about it,* Akai transmitted. *Aoi came here, got
ambushed, and was taken away by a Gea.*
"So what do we do about it?" Akane asked.
"YOU CAN DIE!!" a new voice shouted. The three Iczelions looked up -
and were blasted off their feet by a shockwave of energy.
*AOI!!!* screamed Ki mentally. *What are you doing?*
The only response was another series of blasts, and a maniacal laugh.
"That can't be - " Ranma started.
"Impossible!" yelped Akane, as she got a good look at the new
arrival's face.
Kasumi simply stared. "Kodachi? St. Hebereke's martial arts rhythmic
gymnastics champion?"
"Not any more, dear Kasumi," Kodachi sneered. "Now, I am a loyal
servant of Lord Chaos!"
*Aoi, what in the name of the first three Iczers have you done?* Akai
demanded.
*Save it,* Midori replied. *Aoi's been reprogrammed.*
*That's right.* The new Iczel's voice was cold, more mechanical than
the other Iczels'.
"And just so you don't get bored," Kodachi/Blue Iczelion shouted,
"here are some playmates to keep you company while I'm away!" Kodachi's laugh
echoed through the night as enemies began appearing around the other three
Iczelions - a whole horde of Geas, looking sleeker and deadlier than the
creatures they had fought earlier . . . and two much larger mecha-like
entities, their streamlined forms glittering with deadly purpose under the
street lights.
*Voids!* Ki 'exclaimed' mentally. *And a new type of fighting Gea?*
"Kodachi," Akane shouted, "why are you doing this?"
She didn't really expect an answer, so she wasn't disappointed when
the gymnast chose not to give one. Instead, the evil Blue Iczelion - part
reprogrammed Iczel, part insane human girl - leapt straight up, cackling
madly, and vanished through a dimensional portal.
The three Iczelions stood back-to-back, facing out at their opponents.
"Iczel, what are we going to do?" Kasumi asked her partner.
*Our best,* Midori replied. *That's all we can do.*
TO BE CONTINUED
AUTHOR'S AFTERWORD:
This bit of writing has been in progress for a while, but part 1 is
now complete. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
Part Two will take place in the world of _Iczelion_ as the four
Iczelions from the OAV(s) find out what happened to their reinforcements, and
fight off a renewed attack from Chaos and his androids.
In Part Three, the battle will return to Nerima as all Aoi Iczel finds
a new partner, and all eight Iczelions join forces.
Acknowledgements:
Ranma, Akane, Kasumi, and Kodachi come from _Ranma 1/2_ by Takahashi
Rumiko; the translated manga and dubbed or subtitled anime is available in
this country from Viz Communications. Chaos, the Geas, the Voids, and the
concept for Iczels all come from _Iczelion_ (full title: Iczer Girl Iczelion)
by Hirano Toshihiro; the Iczelion anime OAV has been released in the USA by
A.D.Vision.
My thanks go to those on the Fanfic Mailing List who originally had
the idea of a Ranma/Iczelion crossover . . . although this probably isn't
quite what you had in mind.
Tim Miller
trmiller@mail.bcpl.lib.md
November 9, 1996