[Ranma/SM][FanFic] The Phoenix Prince Saga Book 2, Part 4, Chapter 2
Linda Ward
The Champion of the Phoenix Amongst Mortals sat in his
spartan quarters and buffed at his already gleaming armor trying
to eradicate all traces of blood on the aureate metal. Finally,
he sighed and laid his polishing rag to the side. He just couldn't
get the blood out of the grooves of his patron's sigil.
Picking up the armor, he stalked over to the roaring fire
that provided the room with heat and tossed the whole mess in. The
flames danced about the armor and began their task of eating the
impurities.
Shima left the flames to their job and flung himself onto
the simple cot that served as his bed. He stared up at the ceiling
and tried to figure out the events of the past few days.
**********
The last thing he really remembered was falling.
And fire. Always fire. He couldn't forget the flames. Not
him being who he was and all.
And home. He remembered thinking how much he wanted to see
his little sister that he had helped so much to raise after their
mother died and father remarried to that nasty Earth Queen. It
hadn't been so bad at first. They didn't really have to deal with
her much, but after the birth of that squalling brat Zoisite... he
just thanked Mars that the brat had been picked to be one of the
guards of the High Prince of Earth.
Then, suddenly, he found himself *moving* down one of the
corridors of Mars! Golden armor covered his body, which had gone
from scrawny to buff in a surprisingly quick time. And the way he
was *moving*! It was like he had never had a doubt about his abilities
in his life! It seemed like he had been reborn a new man!
Then he realized it and sat bolt upright on his cot.
He had been reborn a new man!
What was it Lord Phoenix had said when they first met?
'Every five hundred years I die and am reborn anew.'
Shima threw himself in front of the narrow shaving mirror
that was propped up on his small bureau and inspected his clean
shaven features in a new light.
He was a handsome man. Now fully grown, no longer in that
weird in-between stage that he had been caught at for so long. His
raven hair was in its braid, but where the braid had once settled its
thread-wrapped tip between his buttocks, it now brushed lightly
against his shoulder blades, except for in times like these when he
was stressed, in which case it tended to stick out like a wire. Which
was odd, but not completely difficult to miss in all of the
exictement. His shoulders were broad, but then they had always been
broad, just like his hands had always been so large and ungainly. His
limbs had lost that odd spindly look and muscles befitting a warrior
of his stature had blossomed all along his body.
He traced a scar that ran up his jawline with one trembling
hand. The scar was old, faded, yet he knew, he just knew that he had
only received the blow which had caused it less than a week ago. He
grasped his steel shaving razor in one hand and drug the sharp edge
along his callused palm, raising a brilliant welt of thick scarlet
blood in its wake.
As he watched, white flames burst from the wound and sealed
it until all that was left was a thin, pale, white line. He stared
at his hand in shock and horror then stared into the mirror at his
face again.
What had he become?
**********
A few days later, he found himself in a similar situation to
the one that had caused him to question his existence.
He had just caught himself snarling at his little sister for
no particular reason. The only reason that he had been able to stop
himself from making it worse was the sight of the little girl that he
had held in his arms sixteen years ago as a babe trembling and in
tears at his words. He had nearly broken into tears himself at that
as he had gathered her into his arms and apologized to her. The worst
thing that he could see about it was that she had forgiven him.
He slammed his way into his quarters and hauled off the Golden
Armor. As soon as it was off, he flung it into the flames and hurled
himself into the closest chair he could find. Which just happened to
be the marble monstrosity covered in furs that the servants had stuck
into his quarters just so that they wouldn't have to deal with it. The
fact that it was stone was the only thing that saved it from being
crumpled under the force of Shima's impact.
Shima lounged in the chair and glared at the fiery armor
ensconced in the hearth.
The armor was the problem, he decided. Every time he wore the
damn thing, he ended up lashing out at everyone. Often for no real
good reason other than the simple fact that they were human and they
were there.
Now he had lashed out at his sister. At the only real family
he had. Things had gone much too far.
It was time to speak with Lord Phoenix, himself.
**********
Shima appeared in the main chamber of the Lord Phoenix's
domain in a roar and rush of flames. He stalked across the cavern
carrying the Golden Armor. When he reached the Lord Phoenix, he
threw the armor to the ground at his patron's flaming feet.
"Your pardon, Lord Phoenix. But I think that we should talk."
Lord Phoenix's fluting voice filled the chamber with light
in opposition to Shima's baleful baritone, but then the Spirits
and their Champions were often at odds.
"Yes, Champion? What is it that bothers you?"
"Your... *gift*..., Lord Phoenix."
"Oh? Does it not fit well?"
"It fits just *fine*, Lord Phoenix."
"Oh. So, what is it that bothers you?"
"It removes my free will, Lord Phoenix." Shima's voice was
barely civil, his teeth clenched tight behind the snarling mask his
features had twisted themselves into.
"That is the point, Champion. A Champion is useless if he
reasons for himself."
"I am ... *sorry*... Lord Phoenix, but I am *afraid* that I
can*not* agree with that."
"And why not, Champion?" The Lord Phoenix raised a delicate
eyebrow.
"I *agreed* to be your Champion, Lord Phoenix. I agreed to
*protect you* of my own *free will*, Lord Phoenix. I did *not* agree
to be your *slave*!" Shima had abandoned civility and was now openly
snarling.
"Then do not wear the armor, Champion."
"I have no other garb other than the jerkin and pants that
are worn underneath, Lord Phoenix. I have no choice if I must be
seen." Shima's voice went back to being dangerously level.
"Very well, Champion. I shall supply you with garb fitting
of my Champion."
"And the Golden Armor, Lord Phoenix?" Shima gestured towards
the armor on the floor. "Shall you remove the magic upon it that
takes from me my will?"
"Very well, Champion." The Lord Phoenix waved a blazing
claw-hand at the Golden Armor. "It is done. You will find your
new garb awaiting you at your quarters."
"And it is not enchanted either, is it, Lord Phoenix?"
"No. It is not. Now, you may go."
Shima smirked at the Lord Phoenix as he gathered up the
Golden Armor, bowed and exited in a roar of displaced air and a
gout of golden flames.
***********
Being free of the enchantment and being allowed to be himself
once more meant much to Shima. He even managed to tolerate a brief
smile cracking his features instead of his traditional smirk once.
But he couldn't help but wonder how long it would be till the
Lord Phoenix decided to make him pay for his impertinence.
**********
As it turned out, it wasn't long at all.