1/2 a Neko Moon: Chapter One Disclaimer: Copy righted series aren't mine. Author's email and website: skthrt@aol.com, http://chilord.anifics.com Author's Note: Here we go again.... He glanced back at the dojo one last time, his eyes caressing its familiar surroundings, finding familiar little imperfections, like the gaping hole in the dojo wall. Shouldering his bag, he turned his back on the first home he had ever known and simply walked away. On the dinner table of the Tendo home, a poorly written note was taped down, its contents bluntly direct: "I'm leaving. For good. Ranma" The dark shadows of the night followed after him, swimming over his body as the stars looked down upon him from above in sadness. For a moment, the full light of the moon shone down up on him, before it was quickly shrouded over by a passing cloud. Ranma Saotome had finally had enough, and he was getting out. *** "Ranma! Wake up!" Akane yelled as she burst into the guest room, "We'll be late...!" The girl froze in surprise when she found Ranma's futon empty and unwrinkled, as if no one had slept in it all night. Genma was snoring loudly in the next futon, oblivious to his son's absence. Confused, Akane turned and left the room, shutting the door behind her and headed for the stairs. Towards the bottom she found herself facing a worried looking Kasumi. A chill running through her, the short-haired girl asked, "Kasumi... Where's Ranma...?" "He... He left," Kasumi said in shock, "When I got up to make breakfast this morning, I found this note..." Not even looking at the note in Kasumi's hands Akane growled angrily, "So he went on a training trip without me, and didn't even say goodbye?!" "No Akane, he didn't go on a training trip," the older girl corrected sadly, "He left. His note says he won't be back..." "What...?" Akane gasped in disbelief, "He... He's not coming back...?" "That's what the note says..." Kasumi said in disbelief, "He must have left in the middle of the night when we were all asleep..." "Hmmm...? Hey what's up sis?" Nabiki asked as she popped up over Akane's shoulder, "Seems rather quiet this morning..." "Ranma's gone..." the girl responded in shock. "What...?" "He left us a note and slipped out last night," Kasumi spoke up sadly, "He says, 'I'm leaving. For good." "Feh! He'll probably be back in a week," Nabiki snorted disdainfully, "That idiot won't last more than three weeks before he breaks and comes crying back to us." "You really think so...?" Akane asked hopefully, "You think he'll be back?" "Of course, this is Ranma that we're talking about, he can't last in the real world for more than a few days without some serious help." Before Akane could reply, a voice suddenly shouted out, "WHERE ARE YOU BOY!?!" followed closely by an irate Genma who rushed straight to Akane, angrily demanding, "Akane! Where is your fiancé?!" The youngest Tendo daughter's face immediately clouded over as she bellowed, "THAT SEX CHANGING, PERVERTED IDIOT IS NOT MY FIANCE!" Pausing for a moment, a tear coming to his eyes, Genma spoke, "Ah, you're a perfect couple already! A marriage made in heaven!" "I'M NOT MARRYING THAT JERK!" she yelled furiously, then calmed down for a moment and continued, "Besides, he's not even here! He left a not saying that he was leaving!" "Ahhh, that's my boy!" Genma decreed, his face beaming, "Always training!" "Actually Mr. Saotome," Kasumi corrected, "Ranma just said he left, and that he wasn't coming back...." "WHAT?!?" Genma yelled angrily, then calmed down, "Don't worry, its not as if he could actually survive out there on his own... After all, all he learned from me was martial arts!" "Luckily for us..." Nabiki muttered under her breath, "But he is right about Ranma not being able to deal being on his own... I don't think he's ever spent more than an hour by himself..." *** Several miles away, a young man sneezed as he sliced through his pigtail right at its base. Then without so much as a backwards glance, he tossed the raven colored braid away, his legs already carrying him forward, away from where the braid had fallen. That was it, the last thing that connected him to his old life, and whatever came now, he was never going back to his old life. For the first time in years, the wind was able to run wild with the entirety of Ranma's hair, casting it about in whatever way its whim directed. Pushing a stray strand out of his face, he ran his fingers over his scalp and chuckled, "This is gonna take some getting used to..." Stopping in front of a plain metal door, its surface weathered and flecked with gray, signs of encroaching rust just appearing under the free chips of paint, he took a deep breath, then pushed his way in. Immediately, he was assaulted by a wave of thick tobacco smoke, tinged with the smell of alcohol. Suppressing an urge to cough his lungs up, he made his way through the dim, dusky atmosphere of the room, to the bar that stood at its back. All around him, men looked up from their drinks to glance at him in fleeting interest, before their sunken eyes returned to their drinks and ignored the intruder. Pulling up a barstool he waited for the bartender to make his way over. The man behind the bar had a rough, leathered face, marked with various scars from one weapon or another. Short, black hair framed the weathered face, highlighting the roughness of the man. His rough hands idly polished a glass as his dark eyes looked over the young man sitting before him. Ranma could hear the soft sound of denim rubbing against denim as the man advanced, his legs covered in black jeans, his shoes a pair of leather working boots. A dark gray T-shirt stretched across his chest as he calmly placed the glass down with an audible 'clink.' In a deep gravely voice, he asked, "Aren't you a little young to be in here kid...?" Ranma calmly met the man's challenging eyes, then responded, "Never stopped my father from dragging me in here..." The bartender squinted at Ranma for a moment then his eyes widened in recognition, "You're Genma's boy!" "Unfortunately," the young martial artist responded with a grimace, "Always the possibility that I was adopted, or Mom had an affair though..." A light grin passing his face, the bartender responded, "With a father like yours, I can't really blame you... So what do you want? Drinks'll have to be paid upfront though, no offense..." "None taken, I know what my father is... And I'm not here for drinks, I'm here for information..." "Well, now, maybe you should try the cops then?" the man responded with a false smile as his eyes narrowed dangerously. "They wouldn't have what I want to know..." Ranma replied, seemingly unaware of the man's shift in attitude. "And what would that be?" "I want to know where I can find a fight." His eyes still wary, the bar keep responded, "Then go look for a tournament, I'm sure there are plenty you could find to enter..." "Too high profile, and too low on yen," the young man replied with a shake of his head, "I need a real fight, with real money on the line." "And what would that be?" "A street fight, or a street tournament. No rules, no publicity, plenty of money." "And why the hell would I know of something like that?" the man asked curiously. "Because, I may have been young last time I came in here, but I wasn't stupid, and I've got a damn good memory." "I... might know of something like what you're looking for... But it's not free..." "How much is Genma's location worth these days...? I'm sure there are plenty of people that would pay good money to know where the bastard is..." A strange look crossed the bartender's face as he asked, "You'd sell out your own father?" "I'm only returning the favor he did to me..." Ranma said darkly. "I see... Then perhaps we can make a deal after all..." the older man replied with a nod. Ranma merely nodded in return as he listened to the man, the muted sounds of the dim bar life fading out as the pair bartered on the price, time slowly ticking by. As they concluded their business, the man handed over a small wad of bills. With a wide smile on his face the man said, "Pleasure doing business with you young man..." Ranma nodded as he pocketed the money, "Same to you, just don't forget, when they get to the Dojo, splash the panda with hot water, and make sure they leave the rest out of it." "No problem kid," the bartender assured, "Though I would love to see the look on Genma's face when the first of those collectors come for him..." "So would I... And thanks." "No prob kid. Come back in a few weeks and I'll let you know how it all turned out." "Maybe, but right now I've got a fight to catch." "Good luck kid." Ranma looked at the man and snorted, "Good luck is something that's never been on my side. I'll put my faith in my skill." "You're either very good, or pretty stupid." "Back in Nerima there's a saying... When it counts, Ranma Saotome never loses." "Well, for your sake, I hope you're right." The raven haired young man merely smirked and turned to leave, "I am." None save the bartender watched as the young man left the bar, they had long grown apathetic to the comings and goings beyond their own. Nor did they care when the bartender pulled out a phone and started making numerous phone calls to several very angry people. If they had looked, they would have noticed a triumphant smirk plastered onto the man's face after the first three phone calls, glittering dollars signs after the sixth, and overwhelmed shock for the last six. It was not going to be fun to be Genma Saotome for the next few months. At the same time as the phone calls were being made, a bald martial artist across town was caught up in a violent fit of sneezing that lasted well into the night. *** After he exited the bar, Ranma hurried down the street, and abruptly turned into an alleyway. Slipping through the narrow passage, he came to a sturdy steel door with a small sliding panel in it that served as the viewing hole. Raising his fist, he rapped his knuckles upon the door in three sharp beats, then stood by patiently. After a brief moment, a pair of cold dark eyes appears as the panel was slid to the side. In a gruff, cautious tone, the voice behind the eyes asked, "Whadda ya want kid?" "I was told I could find a fight or two here," Ranma replied nonchalantly, his eyes meeting the dark ones evenly. "Go back to school kid, this is the real thing here," the man behind the panel snorted disdainfully, then slammed the viewing hole shut and started to walk away. *CLANG* The man slowly turned around to a large fist shaped dent projecting half a foot towards him. His hand shaking, he reached forward and opened up the viewing panel again, to Ranma standing before him, an expectant smirk on his face. In a confidant voice he said, "I AM looking for the real thing." Shakily, the man reached over and undid the latch barring the door shut. With a protesting shriek, the door slowly yawned open, revealing a badly shaking man. Ranma brushed past the shocked man and made his way down a dimly lit corridor, sounds of cheering slowly making themselves know as he proceeded farther down the corridor. At last the passageway opened up into a large room, apparently a warehouse at one time, had been emptied out for use as a fighting arena. All around him were numerous chairs and bleachers, most of them empty at this time, but with a few scattered spectators watching the fight with half minded interest. In the center of the room stood a large ring, surrounded by a massive steel cage. Inside a pair of brawlers were slugging it out with one another, trying to bludgeon each other to death. Not even sparing the pair a second glance, Ranma walked over to a small man who was rapidly scribbling away in a large black notebook. The man looked up as Ranma noisily made his way over, his feet rasping along the floor as he purposely dragged them. The man's eyes held a combination of interest and caution, the latter far out weighing the former. In calculated hesitance, the man asked, "Can I help you young man?" "You Azan?" Ranma asked curiously as he took on an easy going stance. "Perhaps... Who wants to know, and why?" "Call me Ranko, and I want to fight." "Then go to some little tournament for kids your age and leave me alone," the man snorted and went back to work. "I'm not looking for some low class bull shit tournament," 'Ranko' countered angrily, "I want something that'll be more of a challenge then those pussy fights, and I need money." "Hmm... honest about your reasons at least kid," the man said with a nod, "Just remember kid, the guys here won't pull their punches for you. Got it?" "They'd be idiots if they did," the teenager snorted. "Oh, confidant are you? Then how about a little trial match?" "Whatever, lets get it over with." "Senzo! Udo! Break it up!" the small man bellowed to the ring, "We got a newbie here that wants to show us what he's got." "Yeah sure boss," one of the men laughed, wiping a trail of blood away from his lip, "We could use some fresh meat." "That kid?" the other man groaned, "Ahh come on! You know I hate beating on weaklings..." "Come on Senzo," the first man said, "We won't go that hard on him..." Ranko narrowed his eyes and dumped his bag on the ground; walking briskly over to the ring and opening up the cage door. Not even trying to pull himself up to the ring, he tensed his legs slightly, then jumped forward and neatly flipped into the ring. After assessing his opponents for a moment, he turned and looked at the small man incredulously, "These two? You gotta be kidding me." "You want in kid?" Udo chuckled, "Then you got to fight us, last long enough and your in." "I was talking about me having to fight such weak fighters actually," Ranko snorted, "These two losers aren't even close to being in my league." "All right punk," Senzo growled, "Looks like its time we taught you some manners!" "No way we're gonna take that kinda crap from a little ass wipe like you!" Udo added. "Humph! Like I'm gonna give you a choice," Ranko snorted as he took a ready stance and cracked his knuckles, "Lets get this over with." "Time to die kid!" Senzo screamed as he charged forward. "If I had a 50-yen piece for every time someone tried to kill me..." Ranko responded as he rolled his eyes, easily side stepping the rushing brawler, "Too slow!" "Damn punk!" Udo yelled as he lashed out with a savage punch aimed at Ranko. The teenager merely smirked and moved to the side just enough so that the blow missed him by just a few millimeters. Enraged Udo began to lash out with punch after punch, in a continuous assault. To the man's further frustration, each blow continued to miss the teenager by a mere fraction of an inch. Hoping to catch the young man off guard, Senzo launched a vicious kick at Ranko's side. However, the teenager easily avoided the kick, flipping over it and landing on Senzo's head. After flicking the man's nose quickly, Ranko flipped backwards, propelling Senzo straight into his partner, causing both men to fall to the mat in a tangled mess of limbs. With a dismissive snort, Ranko ran a hand through his hair and turned to the shorter man and asked, "That good enough?" The man managed to nod slowly his head, "Yeah... That's good enough..." "Good," Ranko replied, then spun and sent a reverse side kick directly into Udo's gut as the man came at him from behind, "Then where can I wait for the matches tonight?" "Uhh... over there..." the man said in a stunned tone as he indicated some cots set up on the side. "Thanks," the young martial artist replied as he slowly withdrew his foot from Udo's stomach and let the man fall to the ground, "And I hope this isn't the best you have to offer." Azan managed to sober up enough to nod, "Don't worry, they're just in the lower rungs... How far you get tonight will determine your standing..." "Yeah sure whatever. Wake me when you its time to get started," Ranko said as he jumped out of the ring, "And the person who tries to even touch my stuff will envy those two." Ranko gracefully exited the cage and without breaking the rhythm of his pace scooped up his bag and walked over to one of the rudimentary cots that lined the side of one wall and soundlessly laid down and closed his eyes. After a time, one of the various underlings that worked in the arena decided to chance Ranko's threat and see what was in his bag. The moment the would be thief touched Ranko's bag, the young martial artist's hand suddenly connected with the man's face before anyone could even see him move. However, they could hear the audible crunch of bones as the man's nose and half of his face was broken in. Not even opening his eyes Ranko spoke, "The next one that tries that will be even worse off." The man screamed and clutched his face as he rolled on the ground miserably. When no one had removed him after the first two minutes, Ranko angrily opened his eyes and leaned over the edge of his cot and slugged him in the jaw. The resulting crack of bone was heard throughout the mostly empty building. The would be thief's eyes glazed over as his jaw leaned open at an unnatural angle, hanging one part of the bone separated from the other. Eventually someone came and dragged the man off, looting his pockets of what valuables or cash he might have before dumping him on the street. For a few hours, Ranko was able to rest lightly, careful to never fall too deep into sleep that he became unaware of his surroundings. This wasn't the Tendo Dojo, and he could ill afford to allow himself to relax. Soon however, the busy sounds of preparations grew too much for him to ignore and he sighed regretfully before swinging his legs over the edge of the cot as he leaned back against the wall. His hand found its way to his pack, and tentatively removed a single picture from it. A shorthaired girl smiled back at him happily, dressed in a Furikan uniform with her eyes sparkling with cheerfulness. In a soft voice he muttered, "Kawaii..." As he traced his finger along her face, he silently wondered why she never seemed to smile at him that way. His memories of her were polluted with flashes of pain and betrayal, and an overriding sense of distrust of him on her part, and yet he still cared for her. Perhaps he still clung to the image he had of her when they had first met, of the sweet girl that had accepted her as a friend with a bright smile and cheerful heart, only to turn around and smash him with a table when she found out his true nature. Maybe he should just tear up the photo and forget about her, but he couldn't will his fingers to perform that task. No, he wasn't ready for that just yet. He just needed to get away from Nerima and all the insanity of his life there, then maybe he could figure things out... He was broken from his silent reverie by a polite cough in front of him. He replaced the photo in his bag then looked up to see Azan waiting before him expectantly. The man spoke simply, "You're up Mr. Ranko." Ranko nodded as he picked up his bag and followed the short man to the ring. Dropping his belongings at the door to the cage, he handed the shorter man a wad of bills and commanded, "Put it on me, all of it." The older man merely nodded silently and took the money without a word. Nodding Ranko turned and walked into the cage and pulled himself up into the ring, forgoing his earlier theatrics. Across from him was a massive man, his body laced with scars and muscle. His long chestnut hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail that ran down his back. A thin black beard was neatly groomed on his face as he looked at Ranko with narrowed eyes. He turned to the announcer and asked, "THIS is who I'm fighting tonight?! You gotta be kidding me!" "If you want to just forfeit now and save yourself the humiliation of me beating the crap outta you, be my guest," Ranko countered lazily, "Doesn't matter to me, I'll win either way." "Arrogant little punk aren't you?" the large man growled angrily. "I've been called worse by fighters a helluva lot better than you." "Looks like I'm gonna have to teach you to respect your betters kid." "I don't have any betters," the teen responded coolly, "I'm the best there is." "Hey, Zebu!" the man yelled at the guy that had escorted Ranko to the ring, "Get this fight going already! I got other things to do tonight!" "Yeah, you've got a date with a hospital bed," his opponent smirked. The man seethed silently but waited for the get to ring announcer to speak, "In the defending corner, we have long time arena favorite Chado! And his opponent a brash young newcomer, Ranko!" After the cheers had died down and bets had been made, the announcer shouted once more, "Remember, it's the last man standing that wins, so don't hold anything back!" Ranko couldn't help but snort at the comment, no way he'd have to go all out with these guys. They were good, but they weren't anywhere near his league. Of course, his opponent had no idea that he was doomed, but then Ranma didn't feel like ruining the surprise. Grinning ferally, Ranko took an offensive stance and waited for his opponent to make the first move. For a time, they both stood there motionless, the crowd quickly growing restless in their seats. "QUIT STANDIN' THERE! FIGHT!" "YEAH! HURRY UP AND BEAT THE CRAP OUTTA THAT KID CHADO, I GOT GOOD MONEY ON YOU!" "FIGHT!" Finally the big man could take it no longer, and roared angrily as he rushed at his young opponent. The young man snorted disdainfully and responded, "How... Disappointing." Just as Chado reached out towards his opponent with a powerful right hook, the young man simply faded from view, and the bulky man's fist hit only air. "Too slow," a voice taunted him from behind. Chado whirled his head around in time to see the incoming heel kick just as it slammed into his jaw. Blood mixed with saliva in his mouth as the soft inner flesh was torn against the hard enamel of his teeth before flying into the air in a stream of glistening red spheres. Ranko watched impassively while the drops fell onto the ring, forming small circles of a bright red across the floor. As Chado swayed unsteadily where he stood, Ranko began to flow towards him, his movements fluid and nonstop. Before the dazed man could fully react, Ranko was once more in his face, raining down ten quick punches with ruthless efficiency. The bigger man groaned, then slowly folded over and slumped to the ground unconscious. For a moment, silence reigned over the arena, then the announcer managed to recover enough to speak, "Er... Well looks like Ranko has made a stunning arena debut folks, defeating Chado in just a few moments of actual combat." The arena exploded into chorus of groans as people saw a "sure shot" bet vanish in a cloud of smoke. A soft smile on his face, Ranko flipped out of the ring and exited the cage. Walking over to Azan, Ranko raised and eyebrow and asked, "So what were the odds...?" "30-1," the man responded with a smile as he handed Ranma a large bag full of money, "You just made both of us quite a bit of money..." "Figured it out...?" Ranko responded with a slight smirk. "That show you put on with Senzo and Udo was quite impressive," the man responded, "I know that Chado wouldn't have been able to do anywhere near as well..." "That idiot?" the teen snorted, "Don't make me laugh. He couldn't have beaten me when I was 12." "I wouldn't have expected any less from you..." Azan chuckled, "Ranma Saotome." Ranko stiffened immediately, then his eyes narrowed as he eyed the man cautiously. In a brisk tone he responded, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about." "Oh don't worry, your secrets safe with me," Azan said soothingly, "I have no intentions of turning on someone that just made me so much money." "Ranma Saotome is gone," Ranko responded flatly, "He left the moment I entered here." "Of course, of course, your secret's safe with me." "Listen, there is no secret. Got it?" Ranko growled, his eyes glowing gold for a moment. "Err... Yeah kid, no secret..." "Good, then just keep betting on me and you won't be disappointed." The man nodded, his faced paled silently, thought managed to maintain his composure. Smiling, Ranko grinned at Azan and asked, "So when's my next match?" "You want to fight again...?" The man shocked, "Haven't you made enough money for one night?!" "Nope." Azan could only shake his head and chuckle, "Then it looks like I'll be retiring earlier than I thought...." *** Two figures sat opposite one another at a small shogi table. One was a middle-aged man, his black hair falling down his back, and a dark mustache covering his upper lip. The second figure was large and bulky, its body covered in black and white fur. A stupid grin on its face the animal held a up a sign saying, "I've got you now Tendo!" "Look Saotome, the Master's coming!" Soun replied as he pointed behind the panda's back. "Where!?" said a sign that suddenly appeared in its hand as it whirled around. As the panda scanned the area behind him, Soun quickly rearranged pieces then said, "Sorry Saotome, my mistake, your move...." The panda turned back to the board and was just about to comment about the board when a sudden roar broke across the yard, "SAOTOME PREPARE TO DIE!!!" Another sign appeared, "Oh joy, another of Ranma's rivals..." Before Soun could respond, the shogi table was covered in metal forks, each sticking two inches into the wood. The pair turned to see an enraged portly man with a thin, pointed moustache and beard, decked out in a white chef's outfit, his hand glistening with sharpened forks. His face flushed red, the man shouted, "GENMA SAOTOME, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME I WILL MAKE YOU PAY!!!" "I'm just a cute little panda!" a sign said as the panda began rolling on the ground. "We know all about that little trick Genma!" a new voice shouted. Suddenly a stream of steaming water shot out and cover the panda, transforming the Chinese animal into a portly bald man with glasses on impact. The newly transformed man immediately howled in pain, "HOT! NOT BOILING, HOT!!!" "Too bad Genma, cuz I'm going to boil you alive!" the figure that had spoken said, revealed to be a fireman wearing a strange back pack with a fire hose attached to it. "NO!" the chef protested, "I shall baste and cook him!" "NO, BOIL HIM!" "Hmmm.... Perhaps a compromise and stew him?" the chef suggested. "... Works for me," the fireman agreed. As the pair turned back to Genma a new voice rang out, "NO, THAT BASTARD IS MINE!!!" In the back of Genma's mind, he couldn't help but feel that his life was about to get complicated. With a silent prayer to the gods, he wondered what he had done to deserve this. *** He woke up six hours later after the barrage of lightening bolts that had all struck him despite the clear sky. *** Ranko stared out over Juuban from his apartment window, watching over the busy streets below. His bangs fluttered restlessly in the soft breeze as the wind tossed about the open white button up short sleeve shirt, and blew its icy breath across his bare chest. The cold cement went unnoticed despite his bare feet, the soles thickly calloused, blocking off the cold. A pair of faded blue jeans clung loosely to his legs, the button undone as they hung loose about his hips. He let out a soft sigh, then turned and strode through the room to his couch, and tossed himself down on it. His forearm resting on his brow, he stared up at the featureless white ceiling and let his mind wander. He could hardly believe that it had already been seven months since he had left Nerima far behind him. The past few months had opened his eyes to what his life had in Nerima, and shown him just how much he had missed. Rolling to his feet, he slipped through the room over to the fridge and pulled out a glass bottle of root beer, casually flicking off the cap before taking a long swig. Taking a seat at his kitchen table, he idly rolled the bottle around on its base, taking an occasional sip. Glancing out his window at the almost unbroken sky he sighed and finished off the remainder of the soda and quickly buttoned up his shirt. Slipping on a pair of loose tennis shoes he slipped out the door of his apartment and walked down to the street below. For several hours he wandered aimlessly, walking down this street then the next, until at last he found himself at the foot of the steps leading up to a temple. A sudden pang of nostalgia spiked through his mind as a memory rose into his mind, laced with pain, fear, joy and peace. Following the whim of nostalgia, he slowly rose up the steps, gracefully flowing from step to step rising up. Then suddenly, a monstrous roar pierced the air, coming from the temple ahead. Ranko immediately leapt powerfully towards the top of the steps. Landing lightly on his feet he quickly scanned the area and found a large shape hulking over two smaller forms. His eyes glinting dangerously, a deep growl escaped his throat as he began to move towards the attacker, his anger barely contained. *** Rei glared up at the monster defiantly as she stood between the beast and her grandfather, ignoring the man's protests and attempts to push her out of the way. The creature before them was not the stuff of terrifying nightmares, not much more than a cross between a wolf and man and sized at seven feet, however, there was little she could do without revealing to her grandfather her true identity. Finally, when the creature's drool began to fall within a foot from where they sat, Rei resigned herself and reached into her robes for her henshin rod. It had just been chance when the beast caught them without their wards to defend themselves with, but it looked like she would finally have to play her trump card. However, just as she moved to pull the transformation rod from her clothes, a new voice sounded from the temple steps, "LEAVE THEM ALONE!" "What's this...?" the wolf beast asked curiously, "More fresh meat...?" At first Rei thought that the newcomer was Tuxedo Kamen, the first to arrive for once, but then she got a good look at the boy that had called out, a young man her own age. In a desperate voice she called out, "NO! GET OUT OF HERE! YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE!" "The girl has a point little boy, you'd best run while you still can..." the creature chuckled, "You don't have a chance of beating a creature like me." "Ya know... I once knew someone that told me the same thing, right before I took him down," Ranko responded calmly, "Maybe you've heard of him..." "Why would I know any meek opponents you might have faced?!" the creature responded with a snort. "Depends... His name was Saffron, the Immortal, the King of Mt. Phoenix. Heard of him?" The creature froze, terror leaking into his eyes. In a hoarse voice he said in disbelief, "No... you can't be him... you can't be Ranma Saotome..." Ranko shrugged in response, "That's who I once was..." "No! I won't be fooled!" "... Don't do this, I don't want to have to kill you..." "HA!" the beast responded, his features somewhat recovered, "I won't fall for that trick! No way you're the one that beat Saffron!" "So you won't leave these people alone?" "I'll feast on their flesh! Right after I enjoy that lush little shrine maiden!" Ranko's eyes flashed cold with an icy glint, in a soft, emotionless voice he asked, "You should've taken the chance to escape while you still could." Rei couldn't believe what she was hearing. First this strange boy had showed up, ignoring her warnings, and threatened the monster. Then he had the nerve to offer it a chance to leave unhindered. It was a monster! It deserved to be destroyed! Growling angrily she started to push herself up as she said, "That fool, he'll..." However, she was stopped in her tracks by her grandfather's iron grip on her arm, and his soft voice telling her, "Don't interfere child." "But he'll get killed!" she protested angrily, "That stupid idiot!" "You're wrong," he replied, gazing at the boy, "On both counts." "What are you talking about!?" Rei wondered, thinking her grandfather had finally gone senile. "Can't you feel it Rei?" the elderly priest asked. "Feel what Grandfather?" "His ki. It's burning there with more power than any mortal I've ever seen!" the man responded, "And if that boy is who he claims to be, then it is the monster that is about to die..." "But..." the girl responded, sensing nothing from the boy. "Just wait and see..." Still wondering about her grandfather's judgment, Rei turned towards the two combatants, still worrying about the young man. "RAAAA!! DIE!!" the beast howled as it suddenly raged forward towards the young man, is eyes burning with the twin fires of bloodlust and rage, "RAA... UGH!" Rei could only stare in shock as she watched the boy suddenly wink out of existence, only to reappear with his elbow buried deep into the creature's stomach, his body motionless, save for the passing breeze gently tossing his hair. In a shocked voice she asked, "What...? How...?" "That was just the beginning," the elder Hino responded evenly, his lips quirked up into a slight smile. Once more Ranko winked out of existence, the sudden lack of support causing the beast to fall forward, just barely catching itself with one arm, the other clutching its stomach. Before the creature could react any further, it found its head being thrown to the side with a sickening crack as Ranko's foot smashed into its temple, causing the creature to scream out in an unearthly bellow of pain. The beast managed to groggily lift its head to stare at Ranko, just as the young man began to crackle with energy as his golden battle aura shimmered into place. As the creature's eyes widened in fear, Ranko raised his hands, and began to collect his energy into his waiting palms. Before the creature could even let off a scream of terror, the black haired martial artist let loose his attack, "MOUKO TAKABISHA!" A beam of golden light erupted from Ranko's palms, raging forward towards the creature as it cried out in fear. As the beam washed over the beast, its screams faded, washed away by the golden river of power. When the blast ended, all that remained of the beast was a slight furrow in the dirt, with not even a scorch mark to indicate that there had once been a living being there. Ranko's shoulders slumped sadly and he kneeled down and ran his fingers through the furrow, the dirt still warm to the touch. Tears forming in his eyes, he asked the warm earth a simple question, "Why...?" When the dirt beneath his hands offered no answer, he continued, "Why did you make me kill you...? Why didn't you just walk away...?" An old, calloused hand rested on his shoulder comfortingly, a soft voice soon following, "You did what you could, you saved two lives..." "Still doesn't make it right," the boy responded sadly. "What's your problem!?" Rei demanded angrily, "It was just a monster!" Ranko slowly turned his head and latched his glaze onto hers, effectively silencing her as his icy gaze chilled her very soul. In a soft, cold voice he responded, "It had a life, however twisted it was. Taking a life should NEVER be taken lightly. EVER." Rei couldn't help but step back in shocked, as if she had been slapped by his words. A spark of anger suddenly flared in her eyes and she retorted, "And what if you had done nothing, if it had just done what it had wanted, killing me and grandpa, then what!?" Ranko sighed, "Just because something wants to kill you doesn't mean you have to kill it. What if it had been a human, would you still say the same?" "That's different!" she protested. "How?" "Because that would be a human being, a person!" "And what makes what you call a monster not a person?" he countered easily. "Because it's a monster!" Ranko merely looked at her with sad eyes and sighed. Rising to his feet, he turned to the old priest and bowed respectfully, "I'm sorry that I had to kill it on temple grounds sir." "That's alright my boy, I'm just glad that you're still all right after all these years..." "What...?" Ranko replied confused, then looked at the priest closer, "Is... Is that you Hino-san?" "You know him grandfather?!" Rei cried in shock. "Yes I do Rei," the old man responded with a grin, "Ranma meet my granddaughter Rei, Rei, this is Ranma..." "It's been a long time sir," Ranko replied with smile, "How has your wife been...?" The elderly man winced as his face fell, in soft voice he replied, "I'm afraid that she didn't survive long after you left... I guess when your father took you it broke her heart..." "She's... dead...?" the martial artist asked in dumb shock. "Yes... I'm afraid so..." Tears forming in his eyes, Ranko clenched his fist and growled, "Something else that bastard has to pay for..." "Now Ranma... He is your father..." the priest protested half heartedly. "After what he did back then you can still call him that...?" Ranko snorted, "And I go by Ranko now, I won't have anything to do with that old pig." "What are you two talking about?" Rei asked, almost dying from the curiousness of not knowing what was being discussed." "Do you mind Ran..ko...?" the priest asked. "Nah, go ahead," the teenaged boy said with a dismissive wave, "It'll be easier for her to understand anyway..." "What already!" she asked impatiently. "Well child," the priest began, "It all started about 7 years ago, when Ranko here was just 10 years old... His father had discovered a training manual for a supposedly ultimate technique..." "The Neko-ken," Ranko filled in with a shudder. "Indeed, the Neko-ken," the priest acknowledged as he continued, "A technique that required that the trainee be a young child, and to be thrown into a pit full of starving cats while covered in fish sausage..." Rei's face immediately paled as she let out a hoarse whisper, "No...." "Oh yes..." Ranko countered bitterly, "Only it wasn't just once... He kept doing it to me... Again and again... over and over... all those cats... the pain, oh god the pain...." "Easy my boy," the priest said as he put a hand on Ranko's shoulder, "Its just a memory..." "I... I know, it's just..." Ranko began then trailed off with a shudder. "It's all right, I can take it from here..." the elder Hino said comfortingly, "After enough times in the pit, Ranko's sanity finally snapped... He began to act like a wild cat and without much trouble he tore out of the pit and escaped his father..." "Then how did he meet you?" Rei asked. "I'm getting to that part. You see, your grandmother came across him in his feral state. Fortunately, he was able to sense what a kind and gentle soul she was and she was able to calm him down. Eventually, the effects of the Neko-ken wore off, and he fell asleep. When he woke up, we managed to get the gist of what happened to him, and took care of him for a time. However, before I could really do much about it, his father showed up and stole the boy away again..." "... His father did that to him...?" Rei asked in shock. "Yeah the idiot did," Ranko responded as he managed to regain his composure, "Speaking of which, how much did he steal...?" "What are you talking about?" the priest asked in mock confusion. "My father, how much did he steal?" "Nothing at all!" Hino replied nervously. "... I know my father, now how much?" "Well, it wasn't enough to worry about..." "How much was it already gramps?!" Rei asked angrily. "... 10,000 yen..." "Damn asshole..." Ranko muttered as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a roll of bills, which he quickly deposited in the priests hands, "There that should cover it." Both of the shrine keepers' eyes bulged wide at the wad that he had casually dumped in the priest's hands. In a shocked voice the elder Hino protested, "No! I couldn't take your money! Not for something like that!" "Yeah, this is WAY too much!" Rei agreed. "Heh, don't worry about it," Ranko replied dismissively, "I've got plenty more where that came from... Hell, I can make more than that in five seconds if I wanted to." "But still..." the priest protested. "Spend it on your granddaughter or something then, let her go on a shopping spree or whatever..." "But..." "You're keeping the money," Ranma said flatly, "Period. If it hadn't been for your wife, I might never have broken free of the Neko-ken. I owe you more than I could ever possibly repay..." The man sighed and nodded, "Very well..." "That's good," Ranko grinned before his stomach growled, "Er... Heh heh... Looks like I need to get going... I'll be sure to stop back soon, all right?" "Of course my boy, I hope to see you soon." All Rei could do was simply stand there, a stunned look on her face as she imagined all the clothes she could buy with all that money. By the time she pulled herself out of her daydream, Ranko was already long gone, and her grandfather had headed back into the temple. Silently, Rei vowed that she would somehow figure out a way to repay him for what he'd done. *** "Come on Usagi, I need you to come over here!" Rei pleaded. "But me and Mamo-chan were about to go out on a big date!" a girl protested into the phone, her long blonde hair done up in a pair of pony tails that fell down from her head as her brilliant blue eyes sparkled with the beginnings of tears "You can always reschedule. Besides, something important came up!" "But I don't want to reschedule! What's so important?!" she cried out. "A monster attacked the shrine today..." Rei said in a deathly calm voice. "Oh no! Is everyone alright!?" Usagi cried in shock. "Yes and no," the raven-haired shrine maiden replied vaguely, "I just need you to get over here!" "All right, I'm on my way!" Usagi replied quickly and hung up the phone then scribbled out a quick note to Mamoru to explain where she had gone. Tossing the note on the bed, she rushed out the door and started to run towards the shrine. The moment Rei heard the soft click of Usagi hanging-up, she reset the dial tone on her own phone and typed in a different number. After several unanswered rings, she was rewarded by the click of the phone being lifted up and a soft voice asking, "Hello?" "Hey Ami?" the raven-haired girl asked, "I need you to get over to the shrine as soon as you can..." *** "So what's so important that you dragged us down here all off a sudden?" Minako grumbled, "You didn't have another of your visions did you...?" Seven girls were assembled in Rei's room in the shrine, three blondes, Rei's raven hair, a brunette, one with sapphire colored hair, and the last who's sea green tresses flowed past her shoulders. "No, that's not it," Rei responded with a shake of her head, "It's more the ABSENCE of a vision after what I say today..." "What's so disturbing?" Michiru asked curiously. "Yeah, what's the real reason you called us out here?" Haruka demanded, "We were in the middle of something important..." "You two can have your fun later!" Rei snapped, "This is important!" "Yeah, come on guys," Makoto spoke up in Rei's defense, "She wouldn't have called us out here if it wasn't!" "I agree with Mako-chan," Ami said with a nod, "It's not like Rei to just call us over here out of the blue like this." "And I sure didn't call you over here so that Usagi could steal my manga!" the fiery priestess growled as she snagged a graphic novel from Usagi's hands. "Wah!!!" Usagi cried out, "You don't have to be so mean about it!" "Listen! This afternoon, me and Grandpa were attacked by this big monster..." "Your point?" Haruka asked in annoyance, "That happens all the time!" "This time it was different," Rei countered, "I was about to be forced to transform in front of gramps when this guy showed up..." "Was he cute?" Minako and Makoto asked simultaneously, their faces suddenly very interested. "That's beside the point!" Rei yelled, then blushed furiously as she added, "But no he wasn't cute..." After waiting for the girl's face to fall with disappointment, she continued, "He was gorgeous..." "You called us out here just so you could go on about a cute guy you met?!" Haruka growled in disgust as she rose to her feet, "We don't have time for this!" "Sit down Haruka," Usagi said firmly, "I'm sure that Rei has a good reason for this... She better after making me break my date with Mamo-chan." "Err... yeah, actually there is..." Rei said nervously, "I didn't take down the monster..." "It got away?" Ami asked curiously. "No..." "Then what happened to it?" Haruka demanded angrily. "The guy blasted it with some sort of beam attack... And the creature was totally vaporized...." "Wow," Makoto commented, "So I take it this guy's packing some heavy firepower...?" "That's not all..." Rei replied, "He treated it like it was a skinny little kid, it couldn't lay a finger on him..." "Do you have any idea who he is?" Michiru asked calmly. "As a matter of fact, I do..." the shrine maiden replied evenly, "He's an old friend of Grandpa and Grandma... They knew him when he was a kid..." "Your Grandfather must have been shocked when he saw this guy kick that monsters ass," Minako said with a grin. "He wasn't surprised at all," Rei replied flatly, "It was like he expected this guy to do what he did..." "Ok, this is really getting strange..." Usagi commented. "It gets stranger. The guy mentioned beating someone, I can't remember his name exactly, but he was from some place called Mt. Phoenix... Anyway, as soon as the guy said that, the monster got scared, I mean REALLY scared. Like it knew the guy by reputation..." "That's never happened before..." Ami noted quietly. "Yeah, usually they're full of themselves," Makoto added. "Or too stupid," Minako pointed out. "That too..." the taller girl agreed, "So does this guy have a name?" "Yeah," Rei responded, "He told me and Grandpa to call him Ranko, but the creature called him Ranma... Saotome I think..." "Hold it!" Makoto shouted, "THE Ranma Saotome?!" "Huh?" "Black hair, blue eyes, pigtail, absolutely drop dead gorgeous?!" "He didn't have a pigtail, but the rest fits..." the raven-haired shrine maiden affirmed. "You have GOT to introduce me to him!" "Who is this guy Mako-chan?" Minako asked hungrily, a soft gleam in her eyes. "Saotome... Saotome... Why does that name sound so familiar?" Ami asked herself quietly. "Hold up," Haruka suddenly spoke, "You're thinking of Ranma Saotome the martial artist aren't you Makoto?" "Err... yeah," the ponytail-wearing brunette said nervously. "In that case, if even a fraction of the stuff I've heard about him is true, I wouldn't be that surprised either..." "What have you heard about him...?" Michiru asked her partner curiously. "Stuff that's too crazy to believe half the time, even for us," the short haired blonde responded, "We're talking about a guy that's supposed to have a ton of people out to either kill him or marry him, and a few both. He apparently gets challenged to matches, duels, and all sorts of crazy things. Then you add in all the OTHER stuff that's supposed to be going on over there and..." "Right," Makoto nodded, "But he was supposed to have vanished about half a year ago... No one knows what happened to him... Or at least nobody did..." As the girls turned and looked at Rei expectantly, the black-haired girl shrugged and said, "Hey, don't look at me. I've got no clue...." "Maybe you could do a fire reading on him?" Usagi suggested. "Hey, good idea dumpling head!" "Thanks... Hey! Don't call me that!" "Rei, do you have to do that...?" Ami asked tiredly. "Ummm.... Yeah...?" Rei responded simply. "Don't worry about it Ami," Makoto said with a grin, "Can you really think of those two any other way...?" "I suppose not..." the short haired girl responded with a sigh. "HEY! GIMME BACK MY MANGA!" Rei suddenly yelled. "Make me!" Usagi responded before sticking out her tongue at her friend. "Why you!" "Here they go again...." Haruka sighed as she leaned against Michiru. "Don't worry about it Haruka," the aqua tressed violinist responded as she slipped her fingers about Haruka's, "Let them be kids if they want." "I suppose..." Haruka said with a mock sigh, "I guess we're the ones that get to play the adults...?" "Tonight at least..." Michiru murmured back. "Go get a room you two!" Minako mock growled. "We will," Haruka responded, "Later back at our apartment. "Hey, that reminds me, " Usagi suddenly said as she jerked her attention away from her fight with Rei, "Where's Hotaru?" "Oh she's out with Setsuna somewhere or another," Haruka responded with a shrug, "Setsuna agreed to keep her while we went out on what was SUPPOSED to be a date..." "Sorry," Rei responded with a wince, "I didn't mean to mess you guys up but.... Hey wait a minute!" "What?" Minako asked curiously. "Where's Setsuna? Something like this should have her out here to give us some vague advice or what not..." "Maybe its nothing to worry about...." Makoto suggested hopefully. "Or maybe she somehow didn't see this coming..." Ami responded evenly. "Ummm.... Ami? Setsuna does have the Time Gate," Usagi pointed out, "She should've been able to see this coming..." "She didn't see Galaxia coming," the shorthaired girl pointed out. "But Galaxia was different! She had Chaos in her!" "From what I heard about Ranma Saotome's life, he IS chaos incarnate," Haruka said jokingly. "But nobody could produce enough chaos on their own to mess with the Time Gates, can they...?" "We'll just have to ask Sestuna when we see her," Minako said with a shrug, "You didn't get any bad vibes from him did you Rei...?" "No, but he's the only guy I've ever seen cry over killing a monster before," Rei responded evenly. "He cried over killing a monster?!" Haruka said incredulously, "Why?!" "That's what I said. But he said that you shouldn't be.... I guess you could say callous about it..." "He doesn't know what he's talking about," the blonde grumbled. "I thought that too at first, but then he got me thinking about something; how much different are they from humans...?" "Are you kidding me?! They're monsters!" "Yes, but they're also conscious beings," Ami pointed out, "They still feel pain, and other sensations..." "Whose side are you on any way?" Haruka demanded half-heartedly. "Sorry," the blue haired girl responded sheepishly, "I just thought someone should play devil's advocate..." "Its alright Ami-chan," Usagi said comfortingly, "Haruka didn't mean anything by it. Right?" "Of course," Haruka responded automatically, "It was more of a rhetorical question. "Well, was there anything else you wanted to say Rei...?" Michiru spoke up. "Yeah kinda," the shrine maiden responded, "You see, this guy, Ranko, Ranma, what ever you want to call him has this little problem that I was hoping Usagi could help fix..." "What kinda problem...?" the pony tailed blonde asked curiously. "It has to do with something his father did to him when he was about ten... And it's also the reason that he met my grandparents..." "Oh?" Minako asked curiously, "What?" "It was a certain type of training method for something called the Neko-ken..." "Neko-ken?" Haruka asked as her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, "It doesn't sound familiar..." "I've heard of something like that...." Makoto said in a half whisper, her face paled slightly, "And if it's what I'm thinking of, he'd have been lucky to have survived..." "Then you probably know what I'm talking about..." Rei responded. "What?!" the rest of the girls demanded. "The Neko-ken training I heard of involves tossing a child into a pit full of starving cats..." Makoto responded faintly, "Wrapped in fish sausage." "That's about it... Only his father didn't stop with just one toss in with fish sausage... He kept tossing him in over and over again using all sorts of different foods and such..." When Rei finished, the room had fallen silent, the assembled girls' faces in various stages of shock and outrage. Clenching and unclenching her hand rhythmically, Haruka demanded through clenched teeth, "His FATHER did that to him?!" "What kind of person would do that?!" Michiru added aghast. Before Rei could respond, Makoto added in, "And I thought that the rumors of his father engaging him multiple times for several scraps of food were bad..." "I don't know about any engagements," Rei responded, "But, according to both Ranko and Grandpa, this guy actually DID toss Ranko in... And he apparently stole some money from the shrine too..." "Please tell me this guy is behind bars now!" Minako begged wide-eyed. "I don't know...." "Wait..." Ami suddenly spoke up hesitantly, "This was about seven years ago, right...?" "Yeah, why?" Rei responded curiously. "I remember my mom telling me about how someone had gone around stealing all the cats in the neighborhood, and starving them half to death... they never caught him, but they did find some human blood in the pit where he had kept them..." Her face slightly slack, Usagi asked dully, "So what do you want me to do...? Heal some old scars...? I'm not sure that I could do that...." "No, that's not really it..." Rei responded with a shake of her head, "You see, after he saved me and Grandpa, and talked about how they had met, he asked Grandpa how much his father had stolen..." "How much?" Minako asked idly. "10,000 yen..." Rei responded. "Man, what a jerk!" Makoto shouted, "Stealing from a shrine!" "Yeah well, Ranko then pulled out this HUGE wad of bills and gave it to Grandpa, I mean, WAY more than what was stolen..." Rei added, "And when Grandpa protested, the guy said that he could give it to me for a shopping spree of something.... So that's exactly what Gramps did...." "Wow!" Minako said in awe, "How much did it end up being...?" "120,000 about...." "WHAT?!" came the deafening response from the other girls. "Ah! Don't yell so loud!" Rei hollered angrily, "What're you guys trying to do, deafen me?!" "Sorry," the group responded sheepishly. "So what was it you DID want me to try and fix Rei-chan...?" Usagi asked. "I was hoping that you'd be able to help cure the fear of cats he got from the training...." "Err... I'm not really sure if I could do that..." Usagi responded hesitantly. "Could you at least try...?" Rei asked pleadingly. "Sure, after all, you ARE going to share in that little shopping spree," Usagi responded suddenly with a grin, "Right?" After muttering under her breath about being blackmailed, Rei nodded grudgingly and said, "Yeah of course...." The rest of the conversation degraded into various chats about what all they were wanted and some thoughts as to how they would set up a meeting between Sailor Moon and Ranko. As their conversation drifted through the night, another teenager found himself seized by a sudden and powerful sneezing fit, keeping him awake through a large portion of the night. *** The next day Ranko once more found himself idly wandering, his feet finding their own path as his mind gazed inward upon himself, his white short sleeved buttoned up shirt flapping in the wind, the top two buttons from the collar undone. Loose, faded jeans rubbed together as he walked. He paused for a moment, finding himself in a park, trees growing up all around him, and an unoccupied bench not far away. With a shrug of his shoulders, he changed course and gently seated himself down on the bench, leaning his head back as he gazed up into the sky. He found it hard to believe that it was the same sky as the one that often beheld from atop the Tendo Dojo in Nerima, That place seemed so distant now, the constant struggles and disappointments a far away memory, almost as if they had never existed. His hand reached into his shirt and pulled out that same photo of Akane that he had gazed at before those fights so long ago, though now worn and wrinkled. With a sigh he looked at the smiling face and shook his head, in a soft voice he thought aloud, "What a fool I was..." The past seven months had been a kind of awakening for him, though it was in part a reawakening of some things. Nerima had been a lot of things for Ranma, one of the most being so much softer than what he had been used to. During his travels with his father, he had become rather familiar with the darker aspects of life, the criminals and the illegal, however, he had never really had a chance to be around relatively normal people, until Nerima. The blunt, abrasive attitude he'd had long had hindered him more than once, and he had immediately been forced to curb his harder instincts, to play nice as it were. That first underground fight had felt so sweet, to finally let loose. And yet... he still felt the burden upon him, the knowledge that the skills he so prided himself on could be used to extinguish life, even in its most foul form. Pain and wounds faded with time, but death was something to where, once one had traveled, there was no return. Shaking his head he took the picture between his first two fingers and idly flicked it away into a nearby trashcan. It was time to let the past be the past. Akane he now understood, had been more of a fascination than a love. Her single act of kindness in the beginning had sparked within him a need to protect her, reinforced every so often by another minute act of kindness amid the distrust and anger. He didn't claim to know what love was now, but he had seen enough people that were actually in love in order to figure out that he had never really known it in any of its forms. Perhaps his mom did love him, he couldn't really tell with her willingness to just throw away his life for some stupid promise, but she did seem to at least care somewhat. Genma though, that man only loved himself and his own well being, Ranko didn't even want to think about all the times the man had betrayed him, or sold him out, not to mention all the sadistic tortures the man called training. Yes, Genma made him into the man he is today, but that sure as hell didn't mean that he would thank the man for it. As he stared across the path at the trees, he idly wondered if maybe he should get a job or maybe even go back to school, just to give himself something to do other than this seemingly endless wandering. The underground fighting had been fun, not to mention profitable, but he had no intention of being caught up in that world. And now, he was no longer even sure if the martial arts were what he really wanted to do. It had been all that he had known for so long, that he hadn't been able to imagine the world without the Art as his focus. It had been everything to him, but then again, that had been because that was all he knew. His one goal in life, to be the best there was in martial arts, and here at only 17 years of age he had already reached that pinnacle. For all the good it had done him. The thing about the art he had loved some much was gone, there simply was no more challenge left for him in it. All he could do now was to try to find something that would bring back the challenge, give himself something to drive him onwards again. Before he could follow that line of thought, a shrill scream of fear pierced the air, tearing his attention away from himself and back to the world around him. Not wasting any time he immediately jumped to his feet, then leapt upwards into the trees, leaping from branch to branch towards the source of the screaming. Not far away the Sailor Senshi stood assembled against a strange crab-like creature, its body covered in chitin-like plates of a sickly green, shinning dully in the mid day sun. Twin eye stalks observed the Senshi carefully, its pincers opening and closing nervously, their pointed tips hovering hesitantly above a terrified young woman. In an angry voice Sailor Mars shouted out, "Let her go!" "Why?" the creature responded warbling voice, "So you can kill me as soon as she's safe? I don't think so! In fact, back away now!" "Please, just let her go!" Sailor Moon pleaded. "Ya know, I'd do as she says if I were you," a male voice suddenly rang out from behind the creature. Shifting one of its eyestalks around to look behind it, the creature watched as Ranko jumped off a tree branch and land easily on his feet. Taking a loose stance, Ranko continued, "I really don't want to have to repeat with you what I did to your friend yesterday." "You're the one that killed Lupin...?" the thing responded in an unsure voice. "Depends, you talking about a big ugly guy that looked like a wolf and drooled a lot...?" Ranko countered with a smirk, "I did offer him a chance to walk away, but he didn't believe that I was the same guy that took down Saffron." The creature's pincers began to click together nervously and both its eyestalks immediately glued themselves on Ranma. In a disbelieving voice he spoke, "No... You can't be him..." "Why is it that nobody ever believes me?" Ranko responded with a sigh, "Yes I am him, now would you please step away from the girl...?" "Stay back!" the creature responded with a hiss as it lowered the sharp tip of its pincer down to rest on the girl's chest, "Stay back or I kill this girl!" "Please don' t do this," Ranko asked softly a look of sadness coming into his eyes, ":I don't want to have to kill you." "Don't try anything, or this girl dies!" "Then it would seem that I have no choice," he responded as he raised his arms slowly into the air. "That's better, now move away!" the creature hissed. "No," was all he said in response as one of his hands suddenly glowed briefly before he fired off a slim blast of ki that totally severed the monster's arm at the joint. The crab-like creature let out a shrill shriek before falling backwards, clutching at the stump that had once been its arm. "Good bye," Ranko said softly as he began to glow with a soft blue aura. Before any of the Senshi could fully respond, Ranko let loose a massive ki blast at the creature, washing it away in the same manner as the previous. A sad look in his eyes, Ranko slowly walked forward, ignoring the shocked Senshi and gently offering his hand to the still shocked girl. In a soft voice he spoke, "Here, let me help you up." "Th-Thank you!" the girl cried out as took his hand, "I thought I was gonna die!" "Well, its all right now," he responded awkwardly. "Who are you anyway?" the girl asked, "You sure don't look like Tuxedo Kamen!" "Who...?" Ranko responded in confusion. "Tall guy, dresses in a tuxedo, top hat, and a mask, throws roses...?" "Roses...?" Ranma asked with a snicker. "Hey! It's romantic!" the girl replied indignantly. "Yeah whatever," he responded as he rolled his eyes, "Well, the excitement's over and your Tuxedo whatever hasn't shown up so why don't you run on home? I'm sure your parents must be worried or something." "Humph!" the girl snorted indignantly as she turned and walked off muttering under her breath, "Jerk!" Chuckling softly, Ranko muttered back, "So I've been told." "Umm... Excuse me," a female voice asked hesitantly from behind him, "But aren't you Ranma Saotome...?" Ranko froze, then slowly turned around his eyes wary, his body tensed in readiness, "Who wants to know...?" "Uh, sorry," the tall brunette Senshi of Jupiter said nervously, "I guess I'm used to everybody around here knowing us... I'm Sailor Jupiter..." Ranko took his first real look at the girls standing there before him and blinked, "What the...Who or what are you girls supposed to be?!" Sailor Moon stared in shock and blurted out, "You've never heard of the Sailor Senshi, the defenders of love and justice?" Ranko merely stared at the group for a moment, then began to snicker, "Defenders of love and justice...? Dressed like that...? No offense, but... Those uniforms..." "What about them?" Sailor Uranus snapped. "Well, wouldn't it be more practical to just wear a gi or something? Or do you like flashing people when you fight...?" The Senshi blinked as one before Sailor Mercury pointed out, "He DOES have a point... Why are our uniforms like this anyway...?" "Ummm... I have no clue," Sailor Venus responded, "Maybe we should ask Setsuna or Luna and Artemis..." "Ok, any way," Ranko continued, "Did you want something...?" "Actually, we umm... heard about a problem of yours that we'd like to try and help fix..." Sailor Mars responded quickly, "Something about a fear of cats...?" "The Neko-ken...?" Ranko responded in shock, "Where the hell did you hear about that!?" "Oh, err... here and there..." Ranko narrowed his eyes then took a closer look at Sailor Mars. The black haired girl fidgeted nervously, and responded quickly, "Wh-what? Do I have something on my head or something...?" "I don't believe this..." Ranko muttered, "Rei?! Does your grandfather know you're running around dressed like that?!" "Err.... Who...?" the Senshi of Mars responded in a panic, "I think you've got me confused with someone else!" "Yeah!" Usagi added, "She's a Sailor Senshi, not a shrine maiden!" "I never said the Rei I was talking about was a shrine maiden now did I?" Ranko responded with a smirk. "Way to go dumpling head..." Rei muttered under her breath. Sailor Saturn stood watching the scene in confusion, hesitantly, she walked over to Sailor Uranus and pulled on her skirt to get her attention, "What's going on...?" "Well, last night Rei asked us to let Usagi try and help this guy with a problem of his..." the short haired blonde responded. "What kind of problem...?" the dark haired girl asked. "He's got an extreme fear of cats thanks to something his father did to him..." "Oh..." "So you girls want to try to get rid of the Neko-ken...?" Ranko asked again as he scratched the back of his head, "Well, I'm not really sure... But ah hell, might as well give it a shot, I've done crazier things... But you and me are gonna have a long talk when we're done with this Rei... And you're gonna have to give me a good reason not to go and tell your grandfather about this..." "Great..." Mars muttered under her breath. "Please tell me I don't have to dress in some silly little uniform for this..." Ranko deadpanned. *** At the Gates of Time, Sailor Pluto was thrown backwards by a sudden explosion of chaotic temporal energy. She could only watch in horror as the timeline suddenly fragmented into hundreds upon thousands of differing venues, far too many for her to path, and far too few ending in Crystal Tokyo. In a worried voice she muttered, "Something's happening... Something bad..." Not wasting any time, she quickly teleported to the Senshi hoping that she wasn't too late to save the timeline from total chaos. *** Ranko stood uneasily as Sailor Moon pulled out a strange glowing silver crystal, pulsing with a strange inner light. As the blonde girl lifted it upwards, he asked uncertainly, "Ummm.... What is that...?" "The Silver Imperial Crystal..." Sailor Moon responded with a smile, "And don't be afraid, it won't hurt you." "I'm not afraid!" Ranko responded indignantly, "I just don't trust magic!" "Well, hopefully it will get rid of your fear of cats.... Moon... Healing.... Escalation!" "SAILOR MOON NO!" Sailor Pluto cried out too late as the crystal suddenly flared up in a blinding flash. When the light faded, Ranko and the Sailor Senshi were gone. *** "What the hell?!" Ranko shouted, momentarily blinded by the flaring light. After blinking his eyes rapidly for a few moments, the world slowly came back into focus, though his vision was still spotted from the flash. Looking around, he found himself standing in some type of ruins, broken columns of white marble littered across as cracked stone floor. Wondering aloud he asked, "Where the hell am I?!" "The Imperial Moon Palace," a soft melodious voice said behind him, "Or at least a recreation of its ruins..." Ranko whirled around to face the voice, quickly taking up a loose ready stance. Standing before him was a regal looking woman, tall, slim and proud, her long silver hair done up in a style similar to that of Sailor Moon's, a golden crescent emblazoned on her forehead. Kind blue eyes smiled back into his own, as she continued, "Peace warrior, I mean you no harm..." "Who are you lady...? And where are Rei and her friends...?" Ranko asked, his stance only lessening slightly. "The Sailor Senshi are safe," the woman responded, "And as for myself...? The form you see before you is that of Queen Serenity, the woman who ruled over this solar system millennia ago, and the mother of Sailor Moon. I myself have no form with which to communicate with you, so I donned this one." "Lady, you better start talking sense..." Ranko responded, "These days I get real tired, real quick when people keep talking in riddles to me." "Very well," the woman sighed, "Do you remember the crystal that Sailor Moon was going to use to try to heal you...?" "Yeah, the one that damn near blinded me!" "I apologize for that. You see, I am the crystal." "Great... Taken prisoner by a talking crystal..." Ranko muttered, "Well, at least it's not a ghost cat again..." "You are not a prisoner young warrior, but I do need to speak to you..." "So? Talk already, I'm listening." Sighing, the woman continued, "We are currently in a small portion of subspace. A pocket dimension if you will, it was the only place where I could possibly speak to you on these terms. The Senshi are within another portion of this subspace, soundly asleep at the moment.." "Ok, so why'd you want to speak to me...?" "My powers have long been wielded by the Imperial Moon bloodline, with the Sailor Senshi always serving as guardians and protectors, bound to serve my wielder." "So what does this have to do with me...?" "You see, when the Moon Kingdom fell eons ago, the Princess and the Senshi were sent forward in time to be reborn to new lives, the ones they currently live. However, when they were reborn, something went wrong with the Princess' reawakening. Instead of being reborn as the Moon Princess, she was reborn as Sailor Moon, a Sailor Senshi." "What's the problem with that?" "When she became a Senshi, her powers, and the ties between her and the Senshi weakened greatly, she's now forced to transform into a third, Moon Princess form in order to utilize my power. She also gained the Senshi's tie to another, this being the reborn Prince of Earth, currently known as Tuxedo Kamen, or Mamoru Chiba..." "That rose throwing guy...?" Ranko asked with a snicker. "Indeed, which poses quite a problem. Since the Princess has technically given up her rights to as a Princess by becoming the Senshi of the Moon, I've been trying to find someone to take over as my new wielder..." "So what the hell does all of this have to do with me?" "Because, despite your brash, crude attitude, you have a powerful, and noble spirit, rivaling that of even the greatest of the Imperial line. That coupled with you're the tenderness you keep hidden within you and your unparalleled skills make you the perfect choice to be wield my strength." "Hold it, you want ME to be the one that wields you...?" "Indeed..." "... You're a magical thing aren't you...?" "Yes I am, and I am well aware of your wariness of the supernatural..." "I don't trust magic," he responded flatly, "Period." "Only because you have mainly been subjected to its harsher side," she responded evenly, "I won't try to make you do things against your will, and I won't curse you." "Taken a look at my past I see...." "I didn't mean to pry, but I needed to see what kind of person you truly were..." "Great... I don't suppose you'd be able to remove my curse...?" "I could possibly, but I won't, at least not totally..." "Why the hell not?!" "Because, some of the Senshi would find it much easier to deal with you if you're female at times rather than male... I can however make the change something you will instead of being dependant on water..." "And if I refuse...?" "Then you go back to being the same Ranma Saotome that is running from himself, cursed, sufferer of the Neko-ken, and afraid to trust." "I'm not afraid..." "Please do not attempt to lie here warrior, especially not to yourself." "... So its blackmail...?" "I would never use such a term, I am merely offering fair payment for you to take charge of your own life, and quite possibly save a number of lives." "So I accept and you make it so I can control my curse...?" "Among several other things... Have you ever wondered how you survived the Neko-ken training...?" Ranko shuddered and responded, "I don't like to think about it..." "There was a reason you know... beyond the fact that you were a tough child." "Oh really...? Like what...?" "This..." the woman responded, gesturing to a shimmering pool that had suddenly appeared beside them. Cautiously, Ranko peered down and was greeted with the sight of a massive tiger staring back at him with blazing blue eyes, its fur a strange silver color, shimmering against its dark black striped. Ranko took one look at the beast then immediately jumped backwards, yelling, "CAT!" "Calm yourself warrior," the woman responded gently, "He will not harm you..." "K-keep it away!" Ranko yelled with a shudder. Not responding with words, the woman gestured to the pool, and the tiger suddenly climbed out to stand proudly before Ranko. In a calm voice the woman commanded, "Look at it warrior!" "No!" he responded huddling in fear. "Look at it child," she continued gently, "Look at it and know yourself." Her words carried with them a strange power, compelling him to raise his eyes and look upon the creature that stood before him. As he gazed into its eyes, a sudden realization struck him, "I'm... I'm not afraid of it..." "No child you are not." "But how...? Why?" "This is the reason that you survived the Neko-ken, this is the reason you are not forever trapped in a feral state. This beast is your very spirit warrior, in its purest form." "A... a cat...? My spirit is a freaking cat?!" The silver tiger let out an indignant snort and padded forward until its face was inches from Ranko's own. In an amused tone, the woman spoke, "I think it's insulted warrior. Not many have been blessed with that particular animus..." "What...?" Ranko responded distractedly, starring into the seemingly endless depths of the eyes before him." "Animus, spirit, that which dwells within us all. To have that particular type is a rare thing indeed. It means you have the potential for great things." "Uh huh, sure..." Ranko responded, "So why is it that I'm not afraid of it...?" "Because, it is you, or at least a very important part of you. The Neko-ken is an affliction of the mind, not the soul, as such it does not affect the soul." "So, the reason I'm not afraid of it is because it's not a real cat...?" "In part... But it can also help you to overcome the Neko-ken with my help... and do a bit more..." "So if I accept, I'll also be free of the Neko-ken...?" he responded, still watching the tiger in fascination as it yawned and lay down lazily. "Yes and no... You'll be free of the fear, but you will always be a bit cat-like in attitude, and on occasion a bit more..." "What do you mean by a bit more...?" he responded warily. "Now that will be a secret... But I think that you'll enjoy it when you figure it out..." "... So what will happen to the girls...?" "Well, to be honest, I'm not quite sure what the effects of the new bond will be on either side... I know that they will be fiercely loyal to you, but beyond that... I honestly have no idea..." He sighed as he sat down next to the tiger, his fingers finding their way to the back of the creature's ears and idly scratch them. As the beast made an appreciative grunt and leaned closer, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he at last exhaled, he looked up at the woman and said, "I'll do it." The tiger raised its head and licked Ranko's cheek, the thick, rough tongue covering almost half his face in a light coat of moisture. A strange smile on his face he smiled up at the woman, a strange sort of peace falling over his heart. "Very well then warrior, take that which is now your responsibility, and your honor," the woman said in a formal tone, "Take it, and claim that which is now yours..." A bright silver light suddenly appeared in front of Ranko, giving out a soft warm radiance that beckoned him. As he raised his hand, he could hear her voice echoing throughout his being, "Take that which is now yours." As his fingers closed over the light he felt it pulse warmly for a moment, then he could feel his body flooded with incredible energies. Next to him, the great tiger began to slowly fade away, drawn into Ranko's form, until for a brief moment, the two overlapped, then the tiger seemed to shrink down, merging with that of the teen's. Once more Ranma's sight was clouded over by a massive flare of light, blinding him to the world around him. When it faded, he was once more in the park, unchanged save for the pulsing crystal in his hand, then strange and arcane energies that seemed to flow through out his body. As he surveyed the area, he saw the pile sleeping Senshi, their forms hopelessly intertwined. With a sigh he leaned back from his sitting position, resting his back against the grass as he gazed up at the sky. His lips quirked upwards slightly when he heard the first awakening moan coming from the pile, quickly followed by a second, then a third until at last all nine of the Senshi were pulling themselves upwards from the deep pit of sleep. He pulled back his left leg until his knee stood arched up above his body, his chest soon rising as well as he wrapped his left arm around the upraised knee and settled his right elbow into the grass. A strange grin crossed his face as he watched the Senshi try to untangle themselves from each, some n rather compromising positions. "Haruka, get your elbow away from there!" "Dammit Setsuna, put away that staff!" "Dumpling head wake up!" Finally he couldn't take it anymore and he leaned back and let loose a roar of laughter. As one the girls froze, then slowly turned towards Ranko, the teenager's form leaned backwards as he continued to laugh out loud. Finally, Sailor Pluto was able to extricate herself from the group and stalked over to where Ranko lay, tears streaming down the sides of his bright red face, his mouth opened in a wide grin. "All right, who the hell are you, and what the hell is going on here?!" the green haired Senshi demanded. "I'm not entirely sure, but I do wish I had a camera at the moment," Ranko responded easily, not even opening his eyes, "And the name's Ranko." "All right then Ranko," Sailor Pluto responded evenly, "Tell me how much of what's going on you do know." "From what I gather, you girls just got a new boss..." "What are you talking about?! We serve the princess!" "No anymore apparently, something about forfeiting her claim by becoming a Senshi..." Ranko responded calmly, his face slowly returning back to normal. The tall woman froze, her eyes wide in shock. A hoarse whisper escaping her lips, "No..." "Uhh.... Setsuna...?" Uranus spoke up hesitantly, "Since when did you have a tail...?" "What are you talking about?!" Sailor Pluto demanded at she glared back at her friend for a moment. "Haruka-papa," Saturn said suddenly, "She's got funny ears too!" "So do you!" Mars added wildly, "All of you!" "You too!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, "We all do! And we have fur! And claws!" "Great..." Ranko groaned, "So this is what she meant by and more..." "What the hell did you do to us?!" Pluto demanded angrily, grabbing onto Ranko's shirt as she yelled into his face. "Not me!" he responded quickly, "The crystal did it!" "What are you talking about?! What crystal?" "This one!" he said as he summoned the Silver Imperial Crystal into his hand, "She's the one that did all this, not me!" "What are you babbling about?" she demanded, "The crystal has no will of its own." The crystal flared up in response, causing the green haired woman to release Ranko and stumble backwards in surprise. A lopsided grin on his face, Ranko remarked, "Looks like she doesn't agree with you on that." "Wh... What?!" she responded in shock, her crimson eyes widening in shock, "I-impossible! There's no way you could control the power of the crystal!" "Setsuna," Mercury asked in awe, "What does this mean?" "Setsuna...?" Moon asked uncertainly. For a moment, Ranko glowed blinding silver, then the words came to his mouth unbidden, "Cosmic... Silver... Transformation!" The light exploded into a brilliant flare of energy. When it faded, Ranko stood before them dressed in a sleeveless indigo bodysuit. Silver shone brilliantly in the sunlight, the golden rays bouncing off the few pieces of armor that adorned his body. A glistening breastplate over his chest and back, rising up to wrap a few inches from his neck. Metal bracers, shining the same sliver as the breastplate covered his arms in seamless bands, similar coverings wrapping over his ankles and calves as well. He looked down at himself, then shook his head as he commented, "Well, at least this doesn't look as embarrassing as those uniforms you wear." "There is nothing wrong with our uniforms!" Venus snapped back automatically. "Didn't we cover this subject already?" he asked absently, "Look if you want to go around dressed like some old man's school girl fantasy, fine by me. I'm just pointing out the obvious." "Jerk," the blonde girl muttered under her breath. "I heard that." "Grrr..." "Neptune, let me see your mirror," Pluto asked suddenly, "I want to find out what I look like." "Pretty cute actually, a lot better than that tomboy fiancé of mine," Ranko observed, then blinked, "Ummm.... Did I just say that out loud...?" "Yes," Sailor Pluto remarked absently as she stared at her reflection,. "Great," he remarked then closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. "Michiru-mama," Saturn asked curiously, "Why is he closing his eyes like that...?" "I don't know Hotaru," the girl with long flowing sea green hair responded, "It looks almost like he's waiting for something." Opening one eye slightly, Ranko asked hesitantly, "Umm... You're not going to hit me?" "Why would we do something like that?" Sailor Moon asked aghast. "Gah, I was around Akane for too long," he sighed, "I STILL expect to get hit when I put my foot in my mouth like that." "She hit you just because you accidentally said something you shouldn't?" Sailor Jupiter asked incredulously, "What kinda girl was she?!" "One of the ones my pop engaged me to," he responded with a shrug, "I never did find out how many it was exactly." "If that's true," the brunette began, "Then how much of those stories of Nerima are also?" "Probably most of them," he shrugged once more, "It was a crazy year." A sudden beeping from Mercury's computer caught the group's attention, the blue haired Senshi too engrossed in what she was looking at to really care. In an absent voice she said, "Interesting. It looks like each of us was merged with a different type of cat." "So what are we Ami-chan?" Sailor Moon asked. "I'm a snow leopard, Sailor Moon is a lion, Venus is a jaguar, Mars is a normal leopard, Jupiter is a cheetah, Saturn is a panther, Uranus is a cougar, Neptune is apparently an ocelot, and Pluto is a..." "House cat," the green haired Senshi finished for her, "I'm a house cat." "What's a cougar?" Uranus demanded. "And what's an ocelot for that matter?" Neptune added. "A cougar is a North American big cat," Pluto responded in a dull tone, "Also known as a mountain lion or a puma. An ocelot is a small jungle cat from South American." "Great, so we're ALL cats?" Venus moaned, "What are my parents gonna say? Not to mention that our secret identities will be blown!" In response to the Senshi of Love's groan the crystal pulsed momentarily, and Ranko suddenly nodded and spoke, "Well, she says that you can control the change, just think about it and will it. Not exactly sure what she means by that." "We can try at least it," Pluto sighed, coming somewhat out of her shock, closing her eyes and concentrating. Before their eyes, the green-haired Senshi's form shifted, the ears and tail pulling back into her body, the fur quickly receding. When her eyes opened, she was once more the Senshi of Time that the world was used to. With a sigh of relief she breathed out, "It works." "Well here goes nothing," Mars said as she and the other Senshi closed their eyes. One by one, the girls changed back into their normal forms, starting with Saturn and ending with Mercury. When they saw that they were once more back in their normal forms, the Senshi gave a collective sigh of relief, though oddly mixed with a strange trace of disappointment. "Ok, so you guys are back to normal," Ranko sighed, "Now could someone please tell me how to get out of this get up and back to normal?" "I don't know," Venus replied as she eyed the skin tight jump suit up and down, "I'm not so sure I want to see you go back..." Ranko blinked then looked down as his costume, groaning as he saw how it wrapped tightly against his skin, highlighting his muscles, "Great, just great... Now just tell me how the hell to get outta this thing?!" "Have you tried just taking it off...?" Mars blurted out. He gave the black-haired girl a flat stare and responded, "Oh yeah, I'm gonna give you girls a free peep show... sure..." "Why don't you just ask the crystal?" Pluto snapped as Mars blushed crimson. "Err..." Ranko replied sheepishly, "I don't really know how to ask her anything. She's just told me stuff when I needed to know it." The crystal glowed faintly for a moment, giving the impression of sighing in exasperation. Ranko blinked then stated, "Oh, that's it?" In a flash of light, Ranko returned to his normal clothes, his shirt blowing restlessly in the soft breeze. Turning to Sailor Pluto, he asked, "So now what?" "So now what he asks," the green-haired woman grumbled, "How the hell should I know?" "Look, I'm as new to this as you!" he responded angrily, "I didn't ask for this, but I got it none the less, so cut me some slack!" "What's going on here?" a new, male voice, suddenly spoke up. The group turned to see a new figure, dressed a tuxedo, cape, top hat and mask jump down from a tree. Ranko eyed the newcomer for a moment then guessed, "Tuxedo whachamacallit?" His eyes narrowing slightly, he responded, "Tuxedo Kamen. And you would be?" "Call me Ranko," the teen responded with a cocky grin. "All right then Ranko. Where's Sailor Moon?" "Mamo-chan!" the blonde Senshi of the Moon shouted as she rushed forward and grabbed onto the tuxedo-garbed hero. Before the man could respond to her calling him by his civilian pet name. Setsuna sighed and cut him off, "Don't worry about it Mamoru, he would've found out who you were eventually. In fact it would be best if we all went back to normal now." "Anyone that dresses like that to fight definitely ain't normal," Ranko muttered as he looked at Tuxedo Kamen, drawing a snicker from the nearby Sailor Uranus. "What did you say?" the taller man asked carefully, his eyes glinting angrily. "I said that anyone that dresses like you do for a fight could hardly be called normal," the teen responded with a cocky smirk, "Why someone would dress like a penguin to fight I'll never know." "It figures a punk like you wouldn't know anything about style," the man retorted with a cold smile. "At least I can make it to a fight on time," Ranko countered, "What'd you do, get your zipper stuck?" "I most certainly did not. And I can do a helluva lot more in a fight than you ever could." "Is that so?" the teen asked, a feral glint in his eyes, "Sounds like a challenge to me." "Maybe it is," the taller man responded, squaring his shoulders. "Uh, Mamoru..." the transformed Sailor Jupiter, once more Makoto Kino, started, "I don't think..." "Now now, don't spoil the surprise!" Ranko interrupted, a savage grin on his face, "All right then penguin boy let's get this over with." The man quickly reached into his jacket then pulled out a rose, quickly tossing it at Ranko. Not even blinking, the teen plucked the rose out of the air and looked at it incredulously, "You call that an attack? Yeesh, you really are a bird brain." Not taking his eyes off of the surprised Tuxedo Kamen, Ranko casually flicked the rose to Rei. With an exaggerated yawn he asked, "You can do better can't you?" For a moment, the man glared at Ranko, he snapped back, "I'm just getting started." Usagi moved to intercede between the two, however Haruka and Makoto, each holding her softly by the shoulder, held her back. The pair each shook their heads, silently telling the blonde girl not to interfere. Ranko grinned wildly as he easily avoided the caped heroes' strikes with ease, flowing away from blow after blow. Snorting , Ranko asked in a bored tone, "Is that all you got bird brain? I know girls that can do better than this!" Mamoru growled angrily and began to lash out angrily, his blows becoming wild and less controlled as his anger began to grow stronger and stronger. Finally Ranko sighed, "Man, you are really pathetic. Here I was looking forward to a decent workout and you can't even offer me that." "Why you..." the man began to growl. "This ends now," the teen countered flatly as he suddenly shifted his stance and caught the man's wrist as he overextended a punch. Tuxedo Kamen could only watch in shock as the world seemed to move in slow motion as Ranma flowed to the side, yanking the man's arm forward as his foot shot out and caught the off balance Tuxedo Kamen on the ankle. As Ranko released the man's wrist, his momentum sent him tumbling forward face first into the ground. As Tuxedo Kamen attempted to push himself to his feet, a sudden weight on his back knocked him back down. Ranko looked down at the man he sat on and sighed, "Man you suck." "GET OFF OF ME!" the man growled angrily as he attempted reach around and grab the teenager on his back. "Oh shut up already," the boy responded, calmly rapping the man on the back of his head with the back of his knuckles. With a force that rivaled most boxing punches, Ranko's absent rapping of the caped hero's skull quickly sent the man off into dreamland, his eyes glazing over before they slowly shut. Shaking his head Ranko pushed himself off of his opponent's back as he sighed in disgust, "This guy is PATHETIC!" "Don't talk about my Mamo-chan like that!" Usagi yelled angrily. "Well sorry bunny brain, but he is," Ranko stated flatly. "BUNNY BRAIN!?" the blonde girl yelled in outrage. Ranko took a moment to assess the fuming girl then responded, "Yup, bunny brain." "Will you please stop antagonizing her?" Setsuna snapped, "Why the hell the crystal would choose a jerk like you is beyond me." "Maybe because I'm being honest about your skills," Ranko responded flatly, "Each one of you are SERIOUSLY lacking in the combat department. Hell the only ones of you that seem to have any skill are those two tomboys," he finished, indicating Makoto and Haruka. "And just who the hell are you to talk about that?!" Setsuna demanded angrily, "We've done just fine." "Well, that for one," he responded indicating the unconscious Mamoru, "And two, I'm the best there is." "Cocky little bastard aren't you?" "Ummm, Setsuna?" Makoto spoke up, "He's telling the truth. He really IS the best martial artist there is..." "What are you talking about?" the green haired woman asked peevishly, "The best fighter this millennium will know is Ranma Saotome, not some punk named Ranko." At that Ranko began to chuckle in amusement as Haruka spoke up, "Setsuna, I hate to break this to you but... Ranko's real name IS Ranma Saotome." "What...?" the green-haired woman said in shock, "That... That's impossible...!" "Uhh, not really..." Ranko shrugged, "I just choose to go by another name. I didn't want every retard in Nerima following me wherever I went." "This is not happening," Setsuna groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "This just cannot be happening." "Hey, like I said, don't look at me," Ranko said defensively, "I'm as new to this as you girls are..." "And that's supposed to make me feel better?" the woman growled. "Setsuna, stop that!" Usagi spoke up, "Its not his fault!" "Usagi..." Setsuna said as she stared at the girl who, not many minutes, before had been her princess, her commander as it were, "You don't understand. EVERYTHING from the future is gone ALL of it. No Crystal Tokyo, no Neo Queen Serenity, and no Chibi-Usa." "You're kidding right?" Minako asked in shock, "It can't all be gone!" "I can't be sure, but this WASN'T supposed to happen! He was supposed to settle down with an Akane Tendo, then die a few years later of food poisoning!" "I knew that tomboy would be the death of me..." Ranma muttered under his breath. "So what happens now then...?" Hotaru asked worriedly. "Don't look at me," Ranko replied with a shrug, "I got no clue." "Lets just go home for now," Setsuna sighed, "I need to sleep on this anyway." "Sure," Ranko agreed, "Just give me your number so I can call you later..." "How about you give me yours and we'll get back to you?" Setsuna countered. "How about I get Rei to tell me where you live and I keep coming to your house until you give me the number?" he fired back "And what makes you think she'd tell you?" she responded angrily. "Because I'm too damn persistent to give up," Ranko grinned, "And she still owes me for saving her at the shrine." "Dammit fine!" the green-haired woman growled, then pulled a piece of paper and a pen out of her purse and scribbled down the number hurriedly, practically throwing it at Ranko when she finished. "Thanks," Ranko responded with a grin, taking the paper from the furious woman, "I'll be sure to give you a call." As Setsuna continued to glare at Ranko, Usagi was busy checking her boyfriend over for any serious injuries. As her hands gently checked over his body, all she could find was the swollen bump on the back of his head where Ranko had flicked him. Tears beginning to gather in her eyes, she looked up and glared at Ranko as she demanded, "Why did you have to hurt Mamo-chan so much?!" Ranko merely goggled at Usagi as he asked, "Why did I hurt him so bad...? I barely touched him! Yeesh! Do you have any idea how much I held back there?!" "He's right Usagi," Makoto said gently as she put her hand on her friend's shoulder, "Mamoru should have known better than to just challenge someone half cocked like that." "And he should know that when you challenge someone, you should be prepared to take a beating," Haruka added, "And from what I saw, Ranko's telling the truth, he didn't even put a fraction of his real abilities into that fight. Mamoru could have been a lot worse off." "But Mamo-chan..." Usagi protested. "Look, if penguin boy wants a rematch, I'll give him one," Ranko sighed, "Things aren't gonna change though. And with that said, I'm outta here. I'll see ya later Rei. And Setsuna, I'll be sure to give you a call." Rei nodded hesitantly as the boy vaulted into the tree branches, and bounded away, quickly vanishing from site. Setsuna merely growled as she muttered various curses under her breath. Finally, she sighed and shook her head, "It looks like we're not going to get any of this settled today. Why don't all of us just go home and try to get some rest? I'm sure we'll be able to get things back to normal in no time at all." "Could someone help me with Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked hopefully, "I don't think I can carry him on my own." "Easy enough to fix," Haruka shrugged as she pulled out a water bottle and dumped its contents on the unconscious man's face. Almost as soon as the liquid impacted upon his skin, the man's eyes snapped open as he groaned, "What the hell...?" "See?" Haruka grinned, "So how does it feel to have your ass handed to you by Ranma Saotome himself Chiba?" "That little punk was Ranma Saotome?!" the man groaned and he rubbed the bruise on the back of his head, "Damn..." "That was about Setsuna's reaction." "Shut up Haruka," Setsuna growled back, "That boy is giving me enough of a headache without your help." "Then take an aspirin and get over it," Haruka snapped, "I'm getting tired of you trying to make it look like this is his fault!" The rest of the Senshi stared at Haruka in surprise, shock evident on their faces. When the blonde-haired Senshi of Uranus noticed their looks, she growled, "What? You guys have a problem when I speak my mind all of a sudden?" "Haruka," Michiru asked hesitantly, "Are you all right...?" The blonde took a moment to stare into her lover's eyes before taking a deep breath and sighing, "Yeah, I'm fine, just tired. I think I need to head home and lie down for a while." "All right, lets go then," Michiru responded as she held out her hand, "Come on Hotaru, time to go home." "Sure Michiru-mama," Hotaru replied with a nod, moving to stand next to the green-haired girl, "I'm a little tired too." "Then let's just go home," Haruka replied as she took Michiru's hand, "I just need some time to think now." Before any of the other could fully react, Haruka guided her lover and adopted daughter away from the group and back towards her car, a strange look on her face. *** That night, Haruka rolled restlessly in bed, sweat rolling across her body as she occasionally made small, whimpering sounds of terror. Within her mind her dreams continued to play out, driving her physical body through sensation after sensation. She stood alone, naked to the world and surrounded by seas of darkness everywhere, with evil, glowing eyes watching her every move. A tremor of fear in her voice, she demanded, "Who's there?! DAMMIT WHO ARE YOU?!" Her only answer was a trickle of mocking laughter, pouring at her from all sides, in a thousand different voices. Fear beginning to wax in strength within her, she desperately tried to summon her henshin rod, to try to transform. Panic began to well up in her body, she could feel the eyes drawing closer, each seemingly leering at her. Her mind began to be consumed by terror, driving her down to her knees and sending the cold spike of total and abject fear deep within her soul. There was no one there to help her, to stand by her side. She was all alone. Always, she had stood over Michiru and Usagi, guarding them, protecting them, but why couldn't she have a guardian, especially now, when she needed one the most. Silently she cried, her body feeling cold and alone, why couldn't she have someone to look over her so she wouldn't be alone? Then as if in answer to her silent prayer, she felt a pair of warm, strong, masculine arms wrap around her, holding her steady in a wild sea of fear. She could feel the terror slowly drain away, as if those comforting arms were just making it evaporate. Without thinking, she leaned her head back, resting it against the flat, well-muscled chest the arms belonged to. Slowly the darkness began to recede, the inky black fading away until a reveals a beautiful sky blue. In a soft voice she mumbled, "It's beautiful..." "A clear sky usually is," a voice whispered in her ear, "Free, and full of endless possibilities." "None of this is real is it?" she asked quietly, not making any move to extricate her self from his arms. "You're real," the voice responded, "As for the rest...? Well, it's the stuff dreams are made of...?" "And you," she asked suddenly, "Are you real?" "Dunno," he responded, "Am I?" For some reason, his response struck her as just being too funny, sending her into a peel of giggles. After a few moments of laughter, she responded, "I don't know how long it's been since I've giggled like that... What are you doing to me...?" "Holding you close," he responded soothingly, "Keeping you warm." "Protecting me, keeping me safe. Strange, I shouldn't feel this way about a guy," she noticed, her eyebrow furrowing as she thought, "So why am I?" "You shouldn't be feeling this way?" he responded with a chuckle "And why's that?" "I'm a lesbian," Haruka responded nonchalantly, "Or at least I thought I was..." "Well, it could be the bond between myself and all of you," the voice responded, "I don't think I've ever acted this way before... I'm usually quite a jerk..." Slowly, she turned around, twisting in his arms until her cheek rested on his chest. In a soft voice she added, "What scares me, is that this doesn't feel wrong. I just can't seem to think of this as anything but being just right." "Strange isn't it?" he observed, "I spent over a year having every girl around me just about throw themselves at me, and I would just run away. And now, here I am, holding a beautiful girl that I just met in my arms, both of us naked, and yet, it just feels so right..." "So this is all the crystal's fault?" Haruka asked, lifting her blue eyes up to look into his own, "What I'm feeling isn't real." "No clue really..." the man responded truthfully, "How did you feel about that girl, Usagi right...?" "I'm not really sure, it was kind of an urge to protect her, " she responded as her face inched closer to his own, "Nothing like this." "Well, I'm not used to this, well intimacy..." he responded truthfully, his face moving down to meet her own, "I'm so used to having someone throw themself at me, no tenderness at all... I'm not sure what to make of it...." "I never thought I'd say this to a guy but...." She said hesitantly, "Shut up and kiss me Ranko." He gently lowered his lips to hers hesitantly, unsure of what to do. Sensing his uneasiness, Haruka brought up her hands and gently gripped the back of his head, pulling him closer, as her tongue dove deep into his mouth. For a moment, he was too shocked to react, then her passion seemed to flow into him, and he returned the kiss with a fevered passion. For a time they simply lay there, Haruka resting on his chest, kissing each other in a seemingly endless moment of intimacy. When at last their lips parted, a goofy grin was left on each of their faces, as they let out a simultaneous, "Wow!" "Mmm...." Haruka purred, "That was nice..." "I won't argue with you there," Ranko smiled back, then blinked at her and asked, "Uh, when did you go cat?" "Hmm...?" she responded then glanced down at her body, once more covered in a short layer of fur, her tail laying between her legs, "Must have done it by accident... It doesn't bother you does it...?" "Nah," Ranko responded, "I'm still getting used to the fact that I can look at a cat and not be overrun by fear. It's kinda nice..." "That's good," Haruka responded and nuzzled his neck affectionately, "I think I like this new form..." "I won't complain," Ranko agreed, "I wonder when this is gonna end though...?" "Who knows...?" she responded, "I've never had a dream this real before though..." "Me neither..." Ranko sighed, "But I wonder what its gonna be like when we wake up." "We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it won't we...?" "Yeah, I guess so," he nodded, "I'm worried though... What if this isn't limited to just you...? What if this keeps happening...?" "I guess I'll have to get used to sharing," she sighed, "We'll end up like a pride I guess..." "A pride...?" he asked in confusion. "A pack of cats," she responded with a smile, "The notion of sharing doesn't seem too strange to me... Must be the cat in me..." "Great," he groaned, "I go from having four or five girls after me to nine? This is just gonna be great..." "I'm sure we can make things more enjoyable..." Haruka purred, "MUCH more enjoyable..." "Still," Ranko sighed, "You're more comfortable with girls right...?" "Well yes, but..." "I wonder..." he said then concentrated, his face suddenly splashed with cold water. "What did you do that for..?" she asked in surprise, then her eyes grew wide as she felt the body beneath her change drastically, "What the?!" "Heh," the now female Ranko chuckled nervously, his red hair damp against his face, "Jusenkyo Spring of Drowned Young Girl. Every time I get hit by cold water, I turn into a girl, hot water reverses it." "So you're totally a girl now...?" Haruka asked curiously, her eyes wandering over the petite girl behind her. "Well physically yeah. I still think of myself as a guy though." "And my, what a girl!" Haruka grinned as her hand moved to Ranko's chest, "Look at the size of these!" "Ughhh..." Ranko moaned, "Could you, ah, stop that please?" "I could," Haruka admitted, "But you've never had an encounter in this body have you?" "I've never had an encounter in any body!" Ranko groaned, "I'm still a freaking virgin!" "Well I can help fix that problem..." Haruka grinned, a twinkle in her eyes. For an hour Haruka continued to moan and turn in her bed, but her face was no longer scrunched up in fear, a soft smile painted on her face when she at last grew still. Elsewhere, a young man's journey for the night was not done. *** Down the hall from Haruka and Michiru's room, Setsuna began to fall into her own pit of fears, seemingly endless falling, a pit of growing sorrow that seemed to eat away at her heart. She could see nothing but death and destruction wherever she looked. All she could do was let out a primal scream of fear and continue to fall. Suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed her, easily holding onto her slim arm. For a moment she merely hung there, shocked, then she felt herself being lifted up, her arm being released in favor of another about her waist, holding her close to a well muscled chest. Slowly, she felt herself being carried up out of the pit, away from the pain and suffering, until at last, after what seemed like forever, both herself and her rescuer reached the top and rolled over onto the ledge. For a moment, she merely lay there, catching her breath, then at last, she managed to breath out, "Thank you..." "Heh, no problem," a young care fee voice responded lazily. "You!" she yelled, her eyes immediately snapped open as she stared at her rescuer. "Yup, me," Ranko grinned, "Guess I didn't need your phone number to get in touch with you after all." "What the hell are you doing here?!" she growled angrily. "Heh, well as near as I can figure out, we're in some sort of dream," he responded with a shrug, "I got pulled in because of the link the crystal put up between us." "What the hell do you want?! Haven't you messed up things enough as it is?!" "Hey, I just want to talk, that's it!" Ranko responded defensively, "I don't want any problems or nothing." "What could you possibly want to talk about?!" she demanded. "Why you're so pissed at me for one." "You screwed up everything!" she yelled back. "How?" "By taking the crystal! Now EVERYTHING could change!" "Hold up. You're pissed off at ME because the crystal chose to pick someone other than that Usagi to carry it?" "Exactly!" "Are you even listening to what you're saying?!" Ranko demanded angrily, "You're trying to blame this on me just because I got dragged in to take the gig. I never asked for it!" Setsuna was taken aback by the boy's words, the reality of the situation slowly sinking in. In her anger, she had lashed out at an innocent, well, not innocent perhaps, but one who had nothing to do with any problems resulting from what happened. As she continued to ponder this revelation, Ranko asked, "What the hell is so freaking important that you think I ruined?!" "Crystal Tokyo," she responded, a tinge of annoyance still in her voice. "What the hell is that?!" "It's a paradise," she responded, "All evil has been expunged from the hearts of the people, there is no crime, no war, nothing..." "I see..." Ranko responded quietly, "And exactly how was that supposed to be accomplished?" "Usagi was going to purify everyone using the crystal. The entire world except for a few..." "And what would happen to those few who weren't purified," Ranma asked, suspicions forming in his mind, "Were they killed...?" "No," Setsuna responded with a shake of her head, "It might have been better if they had been, but they weren't killed, merely exiled to the tenth planet Nemesis. But, later, they returned, allied with a creature called the Death Phantom, and nearly destroyed all of Crystal Tokyo." "... Why?" he asked suddenly. "What...? Why did they try to destroy Crystal Tokyo?" "No, why the hell would someone drive away the 'evil' within people?" "What are you talking about?! There would be no war, no violence, no-" "Right to choose," he finished. Setsuna froze then shook her head, "What are you talking about?!" "One of the most basic rights that all humans have is the right to choose, all the way from stuff like what to eat for breakfast, to the right to choose whether to be good or evil. Its what makes us strong, the ability to make decisions like that and face the consequences. What you're talking about takes away that right to choose." "But they'd be happy!" "From what I'm understanding, that would be because they can't be anything else. Now tell me, is that how you would want to live? To only experience the same set of emotions all the time...? What would happen to people's creativity, their imaginations?" "I... I don't know..." she responded uncertainly. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but struggle, pain, sadness, they all help us to be human, to help us grow stronger," he said with a shake of his head, "How long would they have really lasted if they lived like that? It's just like a stagnant pond, it can only last so long without change." "But... But I don't want to see everything destroyed again!" she suddenly sobbed, "I don't want them to be in pain! I... I want them to know peace." Gently his arms wrapped around her and he asked softly, "Why are you so scared of it...? Of seeing everything destroyed?" "I saw the Moon Kingdom fall," she cried, "I had to watch as my friends and family all died, their legacies wiped away. I had to watch and know that I would be the only one that kept their memories alive... No one else would." "Then you should be glad you carry that gift." "It's a curse!" she cried out, "To have to know all the pain that they had to suffer, to have each of their faces etched into you mind!" "Then let them go," he responded calmly, "Ghosts can only haunt you if you let them." "But I can't... I can't forget them..." "Then don't forget THEM, just remember the good things about them, remember what about them made you happy." "I try... But it's just so much... For them to know that I just stood there watching them!" "And you think that they want you to suffer?" "YES! Yes they should!" she cried. "But do you think that they do?" "I... I don't know." "You've got to figure that out on your own," he responded softly, "What do you think that you need to do to be granted forgiveness...?" "I... Crystal Tokyo, needs to be..." "You wanted to create Crystal Tokyo to make it up to them didn't you? To try and put your ghosts to sleep?" "Yes..." she sighed. Ranko looked distant for a moment, deep in thought, then he slowly turned the woman around until her back leaned against his chest. In a soft whisper in her ear he spoke, "I think there's another way." For a moment, she wondered what he meant, then a silver glow suddenly appeared before her, slowly coalescing into a human form. The slim, silver haired woman smiled down at Pluto warmly, her eyes soft and kind. Her Crimson eyes widening, Setsuna let out a barely audible whisper, "My Queen..." "It has been a long time my Senshi," the regal woman responded calmly, her reassuring smile never leaving her face. "I should be elsewhere," Ranko suddenly spoke as he slowly removed his arms from Setsuna's body, drawing an unconscious whimper from the woman. "No warrior," Queen Serenity responded with a shake of her head, "This is where you should be, much of what I have to say is for both your ears to hear." A faint smile on her face, Setsuna leaned back into him, his arms hesitantly wrapping about her as he replied, "If you say so." "Setsuna," the woman spoke gently, "You must let go of the past. None of us blame you for what you did." The green-haired woman's smile quickly faded, her eyes growing downcast, "You should. I should have been there, fighting by your sides." "You were where you belonged," Serenity said firmly, "There was nowhere else you should have been." "I should have been at your side," Setsuna countered angrily, "I should have died by your side..." "Don't you DARE say that!" the woman hissed, "You lived! You carry on the legacy of the Silver Millennium, you are the only one left that remembers its beauty! Don't you ever forget that!" "I... I'm sorry your majesty," the girl responded, "But..." "What the lady is saying Setsuna," Ranko spoke gently into her ear, "Is that you have to stop blaming yourself. If you had died then, think of all the memories that would have been lost forever. Memories of what once was." "Listen to him Setsuna for he speaks the truth," Serenity added, "The only ghosts that haunt you, are the ones that you cast upon yourself. Just let them go." Ranko could feel Setsuna tensing in his arms, a protest welling up in her. Not giving her the chance to protest further he gently whispered into her ear, "Shhh.... Just don't say anything. You have to let go. You aren't doing anyone, especially yourself, any good by clinging to your suffering." "And what do you know about pain?!" she suddenly demanded, attempting to break free of his grasp. For a moment, Ranko didn't say a thing merely holding the struggling woman in his arms as the figure of Queen Serenity looked down upon them. Finally, as her attempts to escape lessened, and he spoke, "Ya know something Setsuna? You're wrong. You're not the only one who has known pain, who has known guilt. Most of us just don't allow it to rule us." The Queen slowly knelt down in front of the struggling woman and gently reached out and touched Setsuna's face, her slim fingers gently wiping away the streams of tears that had fallen from the crimson eyes. Cupping Setsuna's face in her hands, Serenity forced the woman to raise her head and look into her eyes. In a firm voice, the former queen spoke, "Listen to me Setsuna. Those of us on the other side hold no ill will against you. In fact, we weep at how you bear a burden that weighs so heavily upon you when we know it is not for you to bear. Please, please just set it aside and be free once more." When Setsuna looked into those eyes, she could feel the spirits of the Moon Kingdom looking back at her, begging her to listen to their queen's words. Finally it became too much for her to handle and she once more collapsed into Ranko's arms, sobbing her heart out as the years of pent up pain slowly drained away through her tears. After a time, the woman's sob's slowly tapered off, until at least, she lay exhausted in his arms. For a time, she merely stayed there, content and happy in his warm embrace. Safe she realized, in his arms she felt safe. Idly she wondered how long it had been since she had been so wrapped in that sensation. Finally, Serenity broke the calm peace of the moment by speaking again, "As much as it gladdens me to see you at peace Setsuna, I must speak with both or you now." "So what's up?" Ranko asked as he looked up at the woman, only to have Setsuna quickly elbow him in the ribs, "Hey, what did you do that for?!" "Show some respect for the queen!" Setsuna hissed in annoyance. "It's all right Setsuna," Serenity chuckled, "There is no need for such formalities, after all, Ranko is more than my equal now." "Your Majesty...?" the green-haired woman asked uncertainly. "The Moon Kingdom is dead and long forgotten by the world Setsuna, there's no need for you to address me as a Queen of such anymore. All I am now is the ghost of a woman you once knew." "You will always be a queen!" "Setsuna, stop trying to recreate the past," Serenity scolded, "Put our spirits to rest." "Sometimes you've just got to let go," Ranko added as he kissed her shoulder, "Otherwise, it just becomes too much to handle." "For you your maj- Serenity," the crimson-eyed woman replied finally. "Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" Ranko asked humorously. "I'll get to you later," she responded with a half smile. "Everybody always thinks of me last," he replied in what he tried to make into mock hurt, however neither women missed the underlying vibe of pain. "I'm afraid as much as I would enjoy speaking with you further Setsuna," Serenity slipped in, "My time is limited, and I need to speak with you both on other matters," "So what's up?" Ranko asked curiously, grinning as Setsuna elbowed him in the ribs again. Chuckling the former queen responded, "I'm here to speak to you about what exactly can happen to you and the Senshi now that you are the bearer of the crystal." "You mean like these weird dreams and stuff?" he asked, "And why I'm acting so strange?" "Ah, so you have noticed it," the silver-haired woman smiled. "Yeah well, I ain't EVER been like this," he responded as he indicated the way he held Setsuna, "Not to mention how I've never really been that good at relating to people like I am now." "What are you talking about?" Setsuna asked in confusion. "With every wielder of the crystal the nature of the bond between the Senshi and that person is different," Serenity explained, her lips quirking upwards, "Things are further complicated by the fact that he is the first MALE wielder of the crystal. That makes things even more random." "That's my life in a nutshell," Ranko agreed, "Totally random." "So we have noticed," Serenity responded, "Your spirit is very strong Ranko, the strongest that has been seen in a very long time. As such, you tend to attract a lot of attention, and as you might have noticed, much of it isn't good." "Ya think?" Ranko snorted, "Makes sense though." "However, from what I've managed to gather, your link with the Senshi is going to be quite... unique." "Meaning?" "I wish I could say this more easily but..." the woman sighed, "You're going to change, all of you are." "Change how?" he asked, a tinge of worry entering into his voice, "And why do I get the feeling that I'm probably not going to like it" "Well, it's already started," Serenity responded, "Your actions now are a result of it. And it's only going to get stronger." "And exactly how is this happening?" "The bond between you and the Senshi is stronger than its ever been for any others before you. As such, much of you is flowing into them, and much of them is flowing into you." "So they're going to become more like me, and I'm going to become more like them? What happens then? We all become one freaking personality?!" "No child, you misunderstand," she responded calmly, "Pieces of them will come into you, and pieces of you will go into them. The changes will not be enough to render you all into the same person." "Great... So how much of a change WILL happen?" "As has been said, that much is uncertain," Serenity responded cryptically, "However, I doubt you will find the change adverse." "Meaning?" "I think she's talking about moments like this..." Setsuna chuckled, "And I don't think I'll mind them either." "Oh..." he replied with a blink, "I guess I could get to like that." "You guess...?" the green-haired woman replied archly, "I think I'm going to have to teach you TO like it." "Erk!" Ranko managed to squeak before Setsuna's lips hungrily latched onto his own. "Hmm... It would seem that you two need to get better acquainted, " Serenity observed, "So I'll just be going... Oh, and Ranko?" "Mmm..?" the teen managed through Setsuna's kiss. "Do take good care of my daughter," the former queen said with a wink, "She needs someone to show her what a real relationship should be like." With that, Serenity glowed softly then faded away, leaving Setsuna and Ranko locked in a passionate kiss that soon led to more interesting positions. *** Ranko sighed as he pushed himself up out of his bed. Glancing at his clock he noticed that it was only 2:30 in the morning. With a sigh he stood up and stretched, his body feeling oddly alive at the moment. Thinking aloud, he spoke, "I wonder... Were those really just dreams...?" Sighing, he held out his palm and willed the crystal to appear in it. In a tired voice he spoke, "We need to talk." There was a flash of light and suddenly, he was once more standing in the ruins of the Moon Palace, glancing around his eyes widened when he beheld... himself. Or at least his cursed form dressed in a red silk Chinese shirt and black kung-fu pants.. With a lopsided grin, the girl spoke, "Well, I couldn't really take Serenity's form any more after you had actually met her personally now could I?" "But why THAT form?" he asked with a sigh. "Because you can easily look at it as not being real, true?" the girl asked with a smile, "So, what did you want to talk about?" "Well, I, um, had these dreams and..." "Oh boy, did you ever," his female self grinned, "That one with Haruka was so sweet!" "... You were watching?!" he demanded. "Well, duh!" the girl giggled, "I do need some form of entertainment, not much I can really do on my own now is there?" "Great..." he sighed, "Voyeuristic crystal... Just what I needed..." "So, aren't you gonna ask me your questions already?" she grinned, "Or you just gonna stand there and let me get a nice look at that delicious bod of yours?" "Wha...?" Ranko responded then looked down and noticed that he was completely naked. Quickly covering his private parts he glared at her with a flushed a face, "What did you do to my clothes?!" "Oh, relax sweet cheeks," she grinned back at him, "Not like I ain't already seen it all." "Clothes. Now. Please." "Oh, all right," she sighed. A pair of boxers immediately appeared around Ranko's waist, a pair of white silk boxers with little red hearts. Glaring at her he growled, "This isn't funny." "You never said what kind of clothes now did you?" she grinned, "And besides, you did have questions didn't you?" "Yeah, like why are you such a pervert?" "Easy, because I like you," she grinned, "Never had a guy wielder before. It does all sorts of interesting things to my delicate female mind don't you know..." "Whatever," he snorted, "Now, about why I'm here..." "You want to know whether or not that was just a really realistic dream don't you?" she smiled. "Actually, no," he responded, "I already figured out that they're some kinda side effect of the bond, right?" "Well, yeah," she responded in surprise, "So what DID you want to know...?" "Would you really have wiped away people's free will if Usagi had wanted to?" he asked quietly, looking directly into her eyes. The girl fidgeted nervously and dropped her gaze to stare at the floor. In a nervous voice she responded, "Before I met you, yes..." "Why?" he demanded. "Because, I never would have thought of it that way," she confessed, "I'm not omniscient. The only real experiences I get of the real world are through my wielders, and as such my perceptions of reality are heavily influenced by their own." "So, you're saying that because you saw reality through Usagi's point of view, you thought that it would be all right?" "She thought it would be, so how was I to know the difference?" Ranko looked at the girl for a moment then shook his head, "You really are a kid aren't you...?" "Hey!" she countered angrily, "I've been around for millennia after millennia!" "Yeah, but you're mainly just an innocent child," he responded, "A perverted one, but a child none the less." "Do I LOOK like a child to you?" she demanded as she thrust her chest out at him. "That's not really you," he countered, "That's just an image you took from my mind." "Grrr.... You are such a jerk!" she responded angrily. "So I've been told. Repeatedly," he responded, "But you don't really have to pretend you know. I won't really think of you any differently." "Which is the problem," she half muttered to herself. Ranko took a moment to blink then pinched his nose and grumbled, "Not again! Dammit, I thought I left this crap back in Nerima!" "What are you talking about?!" she growled, "You trying to make fun of me?" "No... I 'm just getting real tired of everywhere I go, I have girls throwing themselves at me." "You... you egocentric jerk!" "You're trying to tell me that you don't like me?" he demanded. "YES!" she responded vehemently. "Fine," he shrugged, "Then you won't mind if I quit and never see you again, now will you?" The girl immediately blinked and froze. Finally she sighed, "Oh all right, so I like you. Is that so freaking wrong? I mean geez, when you're not being a jerk you're a good guy...." "Joy," he sighed, "Look, do you think that you could come up with an original form..? Maybe mix and match people you know?" "Oh fine..." she sighed and flickered momentarily. When her shape took definition once more, the petite, buxom form of Ranko's curse was replaced by a taller woman with long flowing silver hair, soft alabaster skin, and crimson red eyes, along with some of the more prominent assets of the red head she had once been.. Her face had a soft, gentle beauty that seemed to radiate kindness, with small silver studs in each of her ears. She wore a white silk blouse untucked over a pair of faded jeans, her feet bare against the floor. With a sigh, she asked in a soft melodious voice, "How's this?" Ranko blinked as he started at the woman before him, then blinked again. Sighing he shook his head, "Shoulda known..." "What?" the woman asked, "This look ugly or something?" "Nonononono!" he responded hastily, "Quite the opposite in fact, but umm... could you make yourself a little younger?" "Fine," she sighed then her body shrunk slightly and took on a less developed form, quickly looking to be around 15-16 years old. "Thanks," he sighed in relief, "That was a bit much..." "Oh?" she replied with a grin, "I'll have to remember that in the future." "D'oh!" Ranko said with a flinch before smacking himself, "Stupid..." "Ranko-kun, do you find me attractive?" she purred as she began to slink towards him. "Ah come on! I still need to get SOME sleep tonight!" he pleaded. "Oh fine..." she pouted, "But you're not gonna get away forever!" "Great..." he responded with a sweatdrop, "I've got a crystal trying to get into my pants... Hell, I don't even know what to call you!" "Just call me Crystal," she suggested, then grinned fiendishly, "And I WILL get you my pretty! Oh yes I will!" Ranko's sweatdrop grew even larger and he stared at the cackling girl before him, "Great..." Cutting herself off in mid cackle, the girl looked at him and asked, "So, was there anything else you wanted? Any more questions, advice, suggestions, wild sex?" "Don't you ever give up?" he sighed. "You're the first guy I've gotten to know, so sue me!" she responded as she stuck her tongue out at Ranko, "A girl just wants to be loved! Is that too much to ask?" "Kami-sama... What did I ever do to deserve this?" he asked of the sky. "Dunno," Crystal resounded, "Why don't you ask him?" "Oh funny," he responded sarcastically, "I'm supposed to just pick up the phone and call him I suppose?" "Yeah, he does have a 1-800 number you know." "You're kidding right?" he responded with a sweat drop. Crystal blinked then shook her head, "Nope, you mean you didn't know?" "You're actually serious...?" "Of course!" she snorted, "Why wouldn't I be?" "Kami-sama has a 1-800 number... Heh, with my life, I shouldn't be surprised... I'll have to give him a call one of these days..." "Just remember, you can only call from 9-5," Crystal spoke up, "He gets cranky when you interrupt his golfing time." "Uh... Ok... I think I need to go get some sleep now." "All right then Ranko-kun," she grinned, "Just remember, I'm always here waiting for you..." "Umm.... Sure..." he responded uncertainly, "Whatever you say..." "And just one more thing before you go..." she whispered as she walked over to stand inches away from him, "A little taste of what's to come..." With that, she reached up and grabbed his head as she kissed him fiercely. When she released him, she giggled impishly and winked, "Till next time Ranko-kun!" There was a flash of light and he was once more standing in his room, the crystal in his hand, and the heart patterned boxers around his waist. The crystal glowed a faint pink before vanishing back to subspace, leaving Ranko standing there alone for several moments. Finally he chuckled and grinned ruefully, "Heh, I wonder, am I heading for paradise or hell...?" Shaking his head he stretched once more then collapsed into the bed, sleep claiming his mind almost as soon as his head touched the pillows. With a soft sigh, he drifted off into a quiet, dreamless sleep. *** Michiru yawned as she woke up, stretching luxuriously before glancing down to where her lover lay next to her. Or where Haruka should have been at least. Blinking in shock that the blonde had awoken before her, Michiru quickly rose out of bed and slipped a green robe over her otherwise naked form. Barely suppressing a yawn, she sighed and slipped out of the bedroom, intent on locating her lover. When she entered the kitchen, she froze in shock at what she saw before her. Haruka, her Haruka, the great tomboy, was leaning against the counter, idly sipping a cup of coffee and wearing, of all things a dress! In her amazement she almost failed to notice Setsuna working away at the stove, cooking breakfast. As Michiru leaned against the wall for support, Haruka noticed her and smiled, "Good morning Michiru." Setsuna took a moment to look up at the shocked girl and smiled warmly, "Ah good morning." "Wha.... What's going on here?" the violinist asked in shock, "What are you two doing?!" "Umm.... Drinking a cup of coffee?" Haruka replied as she hoisted her cup, "And you're making breakfast, right Setsuna?" "That is what it looks like, isn't it?" the green-haired woman responded with a smile, "I don't really see what's wrong with that though." "Me either," the blonde shrugged. "Haruka, you're wearing a dress!" Michiru exclaimed. "And you're wearing a bath robe," the blonde woman responded, "Is there a point to this?" "You NEVER wear a dress!" "No, I do on occasion," Haruka countered, "This happens to be such an occasion." "But..." "What's the problem exactly Michiru?" "I... It's just I'm not used to seeing you dressed like that, or having Setsuna cook." "I felt the urge to," Setsuna shrugged, "It's been a long time since the last time I cooked a meal." Before Michiru could fully respond the phone suddenly started to ring. In a still bewildered voice Michiru said, "I'll just go get that..." The other two women merely shrugged in response and began to chat idly as Michiru entered the living room and picked up the phone, "Hello...?" "Umm... Hi, is this Setsuna's number?" a male voice on the other line asked carefully. "Yes, it is," she responded dumbly. "Can I, uhh, talk to her..?" "Just a moment..." Michiru responded as she gently lowered the phone and placed it down upon the coffee table. Returning to the kitchen she looked at Setsuna and said, "There's a phone call for you Setsuna..." "Oh? Who?" the crimson-eyed woman asked as she absently stirred her meals. "A guy... I didn't ask his name..." "Oh, that would be Ranko," Setsuna responded with a smile, "Haruka could you finish this for me?" "Sure, no problem," Haruka replied as she set her coffee cup down and moved to the stove. "Thanks," Setsuna responded then moved into the living room and picked up the phone, "Hello?" "Umm... Setsuna?" the voice on the other end asked hesitantly. "I thought it would be you Ranko," she purred into receiver, "Thank you so much for last night..." "Errr... no problem..." he responded sheepishly, "So, it WAS real?" "I still feel tingly," she responded with a smile. "Then Haruka...?" "Was up bright and early this morning, something very odd for her... We had a nice... Chat.." "Oh boy..." he replied in the tone of a condemned man. "Relax Ranko, you aren't in any trouble. "I'm not...?" "Of course not, don't be silly," she admonished, "You did a good thing last night... A VERY good thing..." "Errr.... Thanks... I think..." Giggling softly, Setsuna continued, "So what did you call for...? Just to hear my voice?" "Kinda wanted to talk to you..." he responded uncertainly. "Well, I'm listening aren't I?" "Ah, I was hoping to talk to you in person..." he mumbled. "Oh, you want me to meet you somewhere...?" "Yeah, I guess..." "Well then, would you mind if Haruka came along?" "She's not, uhh... mad at me or anything is she?" "Don't worry about it, we won't do anything unpleasant to you." "Why am I suddenly even more worried?" he sighed. "Relax, how about we meet you at the park from yesterday, say in about 45 minutes?" "Sure, no problem. See you then." "Good, see you then," she finished as she hung up the phone. A soft smile on her face, she returned to the kitchen just in time to see Haruka serving breakfast on the table, a sleepy Hotaru yawning tiredly along with a still shocked Michiru. Taking her own seat with a smile, she turned to Haruka and asked, "Haruka, would you go with me somewhere in a bit?" "Sure where?" the blonde asked as she took a seat. "Well, that was Ranko who called and he wanted to meet with me to talk," Setsuna replied evenly, "And I figured I should have you go with me for support." "Hey sure, no problem," Haruka replied nonchalantly as she suppressed the urge to grin from ear to ear. "So you're going to meet with Ranko-san Setsuna-mama?" Hotaru asked tiredly, still shaking off sleep, "I thought you were mad at him..." "I was dear," Setsuna responded with a sigh, "But I had a chance to think about things last night, and I decided that I wasn't being fair to him yesterday." "You can say that again," Haruka added with a slight grin. "Oh hush," Setsuna replied crossly before turning her attention back to Hotaru, "So would you be a good girl and watch after Michiru? I don't think she's woken up yet" "Sure thing Setsuna-mama!" the girl grinned sleepily, "I'll be happy to help." "Good," she responded, "Now eat your breakfast." "Yes ma'am," she responded automatically, quickly digging into her food. A few minutes passed as Haruka and Setsuna quickly ate their meals, exchanging occasional pleasantries with each other and Michiru and Hotaru. Finally Setsuna glanced up at the wall and said, "Time to go." "Lemme grab my keys," Haruka responded as she quickly got up and grabbed her keys and a leather jacket. "Where are you two going?" Michiru asked in surprise. "Michiru-mama, Setsuna-mama already told us," Hotaru spoke up, "They're going to meet Ranko-san." "Just the two of you?" the girl asked in alarm, "But..." "Relax Michiru," Haruka laughed, "Ranko won't do anything." "Indeed," Setsuna agreed, "After yesterday, he isn't the one that has reason to be worried." "Still," the sea-green-haired girl protested, "You shouldn't take any chances." "We'll be fine," Haruka laughed, "Ranko won't hurt us. We'll see you when we get back." "But..." Michiru continued to protest. "Everything will be fine," Setsuna assured, "You'll see when we get back." Before the violinist could protest again, the pair were out the door, leaving her standing there in silence, Hotaru looking up at her worriedly, "Are you OK Michiru-moma?" Sighing, the girl nodded, "Yes Hotaru, I'm fine..." "Good, 'cause we need to get to the dishes." *** "You sure this is where we were supposed to meet him?" Haruka asked as she gazed over the open field of the park, her eyes lingering on the shallow furrow of ground where Ranko's attack had been. "Yes..." Setsuna replied with a blush, "But I forgot to ask him exactly where..." "Great..." Haruka groaned, "So do we wait here for him to find us, or do we go looking for him?" "You stay right there," a voice behind them suddenly spoke, "And don't make any sudden moves. Both Senshi slowly turned around to find themselves facing a masked man, a black pistol in his hand. Growling angrily the man shouted, "Drop all your valuables on the ground, slowly." "You're making a big mistake," Haruka growled as she slowly pulled out her wallet. "Oh yeah?" the man snorted confidently, "One false move and you're dead." "Wrong," another voice stated with the cold chill of ice, "You're the one that's gonna pay." Before the man could react, a lance of pain raced through his arm, causing him to drop to his knees, howling in agony, his hand crushed into a useless lump. Not pausing to give the man any recourse, Ranko kicked the gun out of the man's useless hand, then struck him across the jaw. As the man slumped into unconsciousness, Ranko glared at the spot where the gun had fallen and held up his hand. A sudden burst of chi shot forward, impacting upon the gun's barrel and bending it at an unusable angle. Turning back to Haruka and Setsuna he asked, "You two ok?" "Yeah, but it sure as hell took you long enough," Haruka growled. "Sorry, forgot to tell you where to meet me exactly," he responded sheepishly, "I had to find you first." "It's a good thing you did forget," Setsuna replied, "If you had been with us, you would have had a harder time defeating him." "This loser?" Ranko snorted, "Nah, I woulda just blasted the gun in his hand. It likely would have exploded, taking most of his hand with it." "Ouch," Setsuna winced. "Better than he deserved," Ranko snorted, "I know his type. Come on, let's go somewhere with less filth." "Anywhere in particular?" Haruka asked. "Not really, haven't been here very long," he responded with a shrug. "Then how about letting us pick the place?" she suggested. "Fine by me." "I think I know just the place," Setsuna smiled. *** "Well, I wasn't expecting this," Ranko chuckled as he gazed about the restaurant, "I woulda figured something more..." "Fancy?" Haruka asked with a chuckle, "I'm a race car driver, I'm not much into those kinda places." Ranko gazed about the restaurant/bar, various racing pictures and awards adorning the walls, with an air of reassurance about it. Smiling he replied, "Well, I'm glad you showed it to me." "Yes, it is a nice break from the usual..." Setsuna agreed, "Though often times Haruka has to drag Michiru and myself down here..." "And they're always screaming and kicking the whole way," Haruka grinned, "Though I think Setsuna likes the attention she usually gets..." "Oh, hush Haruka," Setsuna replied with a blush. "Heh, the only reason why they're not all over us right now is you," Haruka grinned at Ranko, "And that's because they can't figure out which of us you're here with. I'm betting they don't recognize me." "Why wouldn't they?" he asked curiously. "Lemme put it this way," she blushed, "Yesterday, when you called me a tomboy, you were right on target. This is the first time I've worn a dress in YEARS." "And I can attest to that," Setsuna giggled, "She about gave Michiru a heart attack this morning." "Heh, well you look good in one." Ranko grinned, "Real good." As Haruka blushed furiously, Setsuna spoke up, "So, did you have a reason you wanted to talk to us other than to say how good we look." "Errr.. yeah, sorry about that," Ranko blushed. "Did I say I was complaining?" she countered with a strange smile. "Umm... no..." "Then why don't you just tell us why you wanted to talk to us?" "Well um, its about Crystal..." "Who?" Haruka asked. "Ya know THE crystal," he tried to explain, "Any, she decided that I should just call her Crystal..." "A pretty name," Setsuna agreed, "So what's the problem?" "Well, you see um.... She's kinda using my dreams to fuel her own perverted little mind..." "Huh?" Haruka asked in confusion. "She's a voyeur, ok?" he clarified, "And she was really creeping me out because she took the shape of my cursed form..." "Well, I don't blame her," Haruka grinned lecherously, "Your cursed form is VERY nice..." "Cursed form?" Setsuna asked curiously. "Jusenkyo," he affirmed, "I'll explain later. Anyway, after I freaked out enough, she backed off for a moment, then kinda made up her own form at my suggestion..." "So what does she look like?" Haruka asked, strange gleam in her eye. "Ummm... about my height, long, silver hair, red eyes the same color as Setsuna's white skin, Ummmm.... And her face looked really gentle, and her voice was really nice..." "Sounds... Nice..." Haruka purred. "Haruka," Setsuna admonished, "You're already taken, remember?" "Hey, to quote a guy I knew. Just because I already got a car doesn't mean I can't check out the other models." "Trust you to make it into a car reference," Setsuna chuckled. "Well, whadda ya expect?" Haruka snorted, "For me to do something like shop till I drop?" "The thought had crossed my mind," Setsuna smiled. Shaking his head Ranko sighed, "Women.' "Meaning?" Haruka asked with a lazy grin. "That I'll never understand ya." "Come now Ranko-chan, you're one of us half the time," the blonde chuckled. Ranko immediately winced and responded, "I'm a guy. Period. And please don't call me Ranko-chan again." "Why not?" Setsuna asked in confusion. "Long story...." he sighed, "I'll tell it to you one of these days." "We're here when you're ready to talk," Setsuna replied hesitantly. "Thanks, I guess..." he sighed in response, "Things have just been crazy enough in the past day... I was finally getting my life in order, and then all this happened." "What are you doing in Juuban anyway?" Setsuna asked curiously, "You're supposed to be in Nerima, and in school." "I left Nerima and school about seven months ago," he responded with a shrug, "I just got my own apartment here in Juuban, and I don't really feel like going back to school, I'm not really interested in it." "Now Ranko," Setsuna admonished, "You need to have a good education in order to succeed in life." "What're you, a teacher?" he countered. "Close enough," Haruka chuckled, "She's the guidance counselor at Juuban High." "You are?" he replied with a blink. "Well, I have to do something with my time," she replied with a shrug, "And helping children with their futures is something I enjoy." "I was planning on opening up a dojo myself, " he responded with a shrug. "And how are you going to do that without the proper licenses and permits?" she asked with a triumphant grin. "I figured I'd just bribe some people," he responded with a shrug. Setsuna sweat-dropped heavily as Haruka began to chuckle at the boy's response. In an annoyed voice she asked, "Isn't that highly illegal? Not to mention unethical. And then you have to know exactly who to bribe..." "Oh, that's right, you don't know how I made my money do you? "And just how did you make your money?" Setsuna responded archly. "Hello ladies," an arrogant voice suddenly interrupted, "Can I interest either of you in a little company and a drink or two?" "No thanks, we've already got plenty of company," Setsuna responded coldly as she turned to look at a pair of tall, well-muscled men. "Come on, why be with a boy, when you can be with a man?" the second man chimed in, "We're a lot better than this little wimp." As Ranko snickered humorously, Haruka narrowed her eyes and spat, "Jiro and Oza. Fuck off you two, we're not interested in a pair of immature pricks like you two." "Oh yeah little girl?" the first man growled, "Maybe I should teach you a lesson!" "Hold it Oza!" the second man urged, "That's Tenou!" "The fucking dyke?" Oza responded as he narrowed his eyes, "Well I'll be damned, Miss Lesbo herself in a skirt!" "Be careful Oza," Haruka warned, "Or you're gonna be a lot more than damned." "Oh yeah? And what're you gonna do to me little girl?" he taunted. "I kicked your ass the first time you tried something with me Oza," she snorted, "And I'll kick it again if you don't get lost." "Oh yeah?" he snapped menacingly, "Well me and Jiro here are more than enough to take your little bitch ass down. Unless you think that little kid's gonna help you!" "How... Amusing" Ranko chuckled, "To think a pair of whiny little untrained pussies could even lay a hand on me." "Ya know kid," Oza said through narrowed eyes, "I was gonna let you off easy, but now I'm gonna put you in the hospital!" "Whatever," Ranko yawned dismissively, "I could take you down in all of two seconds. You're not even worth my time. " "Arrogant little..." "Oza!" Jiro hissed, "That's no ordinary fucking kid!" "What the hell you talking about? Getting scared by some snot nosed punk?" Oza snapped. "That ain't no punk!" Jiro insisted, "That's the fucking Hell Tiger!" "I always did hate that nickname," Ranko said with a wince, "I just preferred Ranko." "Hell Tiger?" Setsuna asked with a smile, "How... appropriate." "Yeah, bite me," he snapped. "Maybe later when you're in a better mood," she responded with a chuckle. "No fucking way that kid could be the Hell Tiger!" Oza interrupted once more. "I've seen him fight man, no way in hell I'm gonna mess with him," Jiro stated flatly then took off, "I'm outta here." "Get back here you coward!" Oza growled at Jiro's retreating form, only to have Jiro flick him off in response. "You've lost your precious back up, so why don't you just fuck off?" Haruka suggested coldly, "Me and my friends are trying to enjoy a nice meal." "This isn't over bitch..." he growled. "Even try starting something with her again and it will be," Ranko suddenly spoke up cold, "For you." Oza met Ranko's eyes in an attempt to snap back an angry retort, but any words he might have had to say died on his lips the moment his eyes made contact with Ranko's. He could feel the promise of pain they held, pain that would last a very, very long time. His body quaking with fear, he turned and stumbled away, clumsily making it out the door. Snorting in disgust Ranko spat, "What a pathetic ass hole." "So I've noticed," Haruka chuckled, "What's with the nickname though? Hell Tiger?" "Oh that," he replied sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head, "Well, remember how I said that you didn't know how I made my money?" "This have something to do with it?" Setsuna asked curiously. "And what I've been doing for the past seven months," he affirmed, "Its rather amazing how much money you can make if you bet on yourself and nobody else has any inkling of how good you are." "You've been fighting?" Setsuna asked with wide eyes, "But... But you could've been hurt!" Ranko immediately face-faulted against the table as he stared at Setsuna while Haruka just about fell out of her chair laughing. Shaking his head to clear the shock Ranko looked at Setsuna incredulously, "What do you mean I could've been hurt?! I'm a martial artist! I'm used to being hurt! It's part of the gig!" "Well, I um.." she replied as she blushed, "Don't want to see you get hurt..." "... Great, just great..." he sighed, "You do realize that I actually do love to fight, right?" "You do...?" "Yup, thrill of combat," he responded with a wild grin, "Ain't nothing like it." "Try racing sometime," Haruka countered, her face still split into a wide grin, "That'll really get your blood pumping." "Try going toe-to-toe with a god sometime and you tell me the difference," he countered. "You're actually serious about that beating a god in battle story...?" she asked with no small amount of disbelief in her voice. "Saffron wasn't a god," Setsuna spoke up, "He was close to being one, but not quite." "Well, lemme think," Ranko counted off, "He's immortal, he regenerates almost any wound in a burst of flame, including lost limbs, could create fire hot enough to turn stone into lava, and could fly. Imagine why I thought he was a god." "He was the Phoenix," Setsuna replied with a shrug. "Phoenix?" Ranko replied in surprised, "I thought they were fat, ugly, and perched on people's heads." "Err... they're two different types of Phoenix," she clarified. "Ah," he nodded in understanding, "But don't forget about Herb then." "Herb...?" Haruka asked with an amused chuckle, "Excuse me if I'm mistaken, but isn't saffron a type of herb?" "That's actually someone's name Haruka," Ranko chuckled, "A guy with enough firepower to cause a mountain to collapse on itself." "Having the blood of a dragon in his veins does help I imagine," Setsuna added. "Yeah, but he does have a bit of an attitude problem..." Ranko agreed, "Though I think I took his ego down a few notches..." "Heh, that's my man!" Haruka grinned then slapped a hand over her mouth, "I did NOT just say that!" "I'm afraid so," Setsuna sighed, "I believe this is part of what Serenity told us about Ranko." "You mean about us starting to share characteristics...?" he asked curiously. "Partially, but don't forget, Serenity told us that the changes would be random..." she responded then turned to her blonde friend and pointed to a man standing by the bar, "Tell me Haruka, what do you think of that guy over there?" "Who, the one by the bar?" the blonde asked curiously, "He's got a nice ass, not as good as Ranko's but still pretty nice. Good build, again, not as good as Ranko's but... ACK! I'm checking out a guy!" "Welcome to the wonderful world of guy watching Haruka," Setsuna grinned, "Minako and Makoto will love teaching you the finer points of it." "Nonononononono!" she protested, "I'm gay! I can't like guys!" "Hey! You don't like me?" Ranko asked in a hurt tone. "No, I do, but you're special!" the blonde responded in a panicked tone. "Not really Haruka," Setsuna grinned, "I'd say, judging by how you've been looking at the girls AND the guys, that you are now officially bi." "Great..." Haruka muttered, "Just great." "If its any consolation, you're not the only one getting used to a difference in perspective," Setsuna responded as her gaze drifted into a lingering look at the waitress' derrière, "I seem to now suffer from the same affliction..." "Is this gonna happen to all the Senshi?" Ranko asked with a sigh. "Very likely I'd say, " Setsuna agreed, "If both of us have had this sudden 'awakening,' then I don't doubt that the others will either. It'll put a whole new spin on Usagi and Rei's relationship I'd say..." "But who'll wear the pants...?" Haruka asked with a snicker, "I doubt it'll be flower boy." "Now Haruka, there's no need for that," Setsuna chided. "Why? Just because you used to have a crush on him?" the blonde countered with a grin. "That isn't important!" the green-haired woman responded with a crimson blush. "Hold it," Ranko spoke up, "You're not talking about that wussy penguin boy are you?" "Mamoru Chiba," Haruka grinned, "The one and only Tuxedo Kamen, reborn Prince of Earth, beloved of Usagi, and all around pain in the ass..." "That's not fair Haruka." "Bull Setsuna," the blonde countered flatly, "How many times has he broken Usagi's heart, only to come back and scoop it up again?" "Too many," Setsuna sighed, "I never said anything because of Crystal Tokyo. I just figured that was how things were supposed to be before they got married." "Ok..." Ranko said with a blink, "So you, Setsuna, used to like penguin boy, but he's with Usagi, despite the fact that he's broken her heart repeatedly?" "Basically," Haruka nodded, "Kinda sucky isn't it?" "Man this is getting complicated..." he sighed. "What I wanna see, is the look on flower boy's face when he sees Usagi go cat for the first time..." the blonde chuckled. "Oh no..." Setsuna suddenly whispered, "None of us ever told Mamoru about what happened..." "Oh boy..." Haruka sighed. "Bad?" Ranko asked. "Well, we wouldn't want him mistaking Usagi or any of the others for youma would we?" "Oh great...' "We better get over there as soon as we can..." she sighed then rose out of her seat. "Damn and we didn't even get a chance to order," Ranko sighed as he dropped a few bills to cover their drinks, "I was getting hungry too." "We'll make it up to you after we take care of this," Haruka grinned, "Lunch on us, right Setsuna?" Before the woman in question could respond, Ranko chuckled and shook his head, "Sorry, but I don't want to lighten your wallets by that much..." "Heh, you couldn't be as bad as Usagi is," the blonde chuckled. "I'll see if you still believe that after I eat..." he countered with a grin. "We'll see if you still believe that after you see HER eat," Haruka responded. "Ahem," Setsuna coughed politely, "We can get to an eating contest AFTER we make sure that Usagi is all right." "Yeah, yeah," Ranko said dismissively, "With the way Haruka drives, we'll be there in no time flat." "Heh ya got that right," Haruka said with a glint in her eyes. "Just get us there in one piece Haruka," Setsuna sighed, "I prefer not to have my body broken into several different pieces." "Relax Setsuna, you worry too much!" Ranko grinned, "Ya gotta learn to live a little!" "I prefer to LIVE period," Setsuna countered as Haruka laughed. "Come on you two, the longer we wait around here, the greater the chance that flower boy is gonna do something stupid," Haruka shouted as she walked out the door. Grinning Ranko half bowed to Setsuna and said, "Ladies first." "Oh thanks..." Setsuna sighed as she followed after Haruka, "If anything goes wrong and YOU'RE gonna be the one that cleans up the mess." "I always am..." Ranko sighed as he moved to bring up the rear. *** "So this is it?" Ranko asked curiously as he leaned against Haruka's convertible. "Yes, it looks like nothing's happened yet," Setsuna responded with a sigh of relief. "Ah come on, I'm sure that penguin boy wouldn't do anything like attack Usagi if she suddenly went cat." "Probably true," Setsuna agreed with a sigh, "But it's better to be safe." "Sure, whatever," Ranko replied with a shrug, "So, what floor is he on?" "Fifteenth," Haruka replied with a shrug, "Fortunately there are elevators..." "Wuss," Ranko grinned challengingly, "I bet I can take the stairs and beat you." "Oh yeah?" the blonde responded with a grin, "What're you wagering?" "Name your bet!" he responded with a reckless grin. "If I win, you're taking all the Senshi out to dinner," she responded. "And when I win?" he grinned back. "IF you win, then..." she responded then thought for a moment, "Then I take you out on a date." Setsuna's eyes widened momentarily, then a wide grin split her face as she turned to Ranko and asked, "That sound good to you Ranko?" For a moment, the young man hesitated, a blush growing on his face, then his pride kicked in and he responded, "I never back down from a challenge. I accept." "Good," Haruka grinned, "Don't forget your wallet when you lose..." "Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you..." Ranko responded then took off into the building. "Hey! Get back here!" the blonde shouted as she raced after him, Setsuna bringing up the rear as she calmly walked forward, a small smile on her face. As Ranko raced up the stairs, Haruka waited impatiently for the elevator, her foot tapping furiously as she glanced down at her watch every few seconds. A smile on her face, Setsuna walked up to the blonde and observed, "Looking at your watch isn't going to make the elevator move any faster." "I know, but I wish this stupid thing would hurry up!" Haruka responded with a growl. "You should've made the bet more specific..." Setsuna chuckled, then added in a whisper, "Not that it really would have helped you..." "What was that?" the blonde asked curiously. "Oh nothing..." the green-haired woman responded with a chuckle, "Nothing that really matters at least." The sudden chime of the elevator interrupted any response that Haruka might have made, the blonde rushing in the moment the doors started to open. As Setsuna stepped through, the doors immediately slid shut and the elevator jerked slightly, beginning its ascent. As the pair stood in silence, the monotonous drone of the elevator's music ground against Haruka's ears, the blonde woman gritting her teeth as she drummed her fingers against the elevators metal walls. A look of annoyance flashing across her face, Setsuna asked, "Would you please stop that? Why are you so worried about losing?" "You know I don't like to lose Setsuna," the blonde responded as she looked away, a slight blush forming on her face. "Or maybe you don't want to win..." Setsuna said quietly, her crimson eyes twinkling within the false light. After a few more long moments, the elevator slowed to a halt, the doors slowly opening to reveal Ranko, sitting in a chair adjecent to the elevator, a lazy grin on his face. Rising with an exaggerated stretch, he asked, "What kept you two? I was getting bored." Haruka blinked in surprise then asked in a bewildered tone, "How did you...? You're not even sweating!" "Why should I be?" he asked with a grin, "That's not much of a warm up for me." "Great..." Haruka muttered, "So when do you want the date...?" "Huh?" he responded in confusion, "Oh, that... nah, just forget about it..." "Oh no," she responded firmly, "We made a bet, and I'm gonna stick to it!" "Fine..." he sighed, "How about we just do it tomorrow night...?" "Perfect," she replied with a grin, "I'll pick you up about seven." "Hold it..." Ranko responded suspiciously, "Why do I get the feeling I've been set up?" "Easy," Haruka responded as she leaned forwards and whispered into his ear, "You were..." "I should've known better..." he groaned as he shook his head, "I ALWAYS fall for that..." "That's a useful bit of information..." Setsuna spoke up with a smile, "I'll have to remember that for future reference." "Dammit, not you too..." Ranko said accusingly. "Come on," Setsuna spoke, changing the subject, "We need to get to Mamoru's apartment." "If either of you two tell the others about this..." he warned. "You'll what, spank us?" Haruka asked mischievously. "No... You'd like that too much..." he responded with a grimace, "I was thinking I'd never go on another date with any of you...." "You wouldn't..." the blonde responded in shock. "Watch me,": he smirked back, "I went over a year resisting going out with girls that threw themselves at me... Wanna see how long I can do it again?" "Spoil sport," Setsuna sighed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," he chuckled, "So which apartment is his...?" "This one," Haruka responded, indicating the one they had just moved in front of. "Well, I guess one of you two should knock," Ranko suggested, "I don't think he likes me much..." "Gee, I wonder why that would be...?" Haruka asked sarcastically, "Maybe because you made him look like a first year karate student...?" "Hey, not my fault he hasn't trained enough..." he responded defensively, "You'd think with the kinda stuff you all go through, he'd be putting a lot of time towards his training..." "You know, he's right..." the blonde said with a blink, "Why didn't we ever spend time doing combat training?" "Err... Don't look at me," Setsuna responded nervously, "Ask Usagi, she was our leader..." "Figures..." he muttered under his breath as Setsuna rapped lightly on the door. Footsteps were heard from within the apartment, quietly thudding towards them, the rustle of locks being undone following moments later. The door slowly opened backwards, revealing a slightly haggard looking Mamoru, his shirt shredded in several different places. Trying to keep his face as calm as possible, he asked, "Setsuna, Haruka, would one of you please tell me why Usagi suddenly grew fur, a tail, cat ears, and most importantly, CLAWS all of a sudden?" "Well, its kind of a long story..." Setsuna said nervously. "My... she really did a number on that shirt of yours didn't she...?" Haruka chuckled, "I never thought she had it in her..." "So I take it that you were aware of this..." the man replied calmly, "And could I ask why you forgot to inform me...?" "Well, with the shock of everything happening, I guess we forgot..." Setsuna replied sheepishly. "I see..." Mamoru responded quietly. "Mamo-chan...?" a female voice sounded from inside, "Who is it...?" "Its just Haruka and Setsuna..." the man called back. "Well, not quite..." Haruka chuckled as Ranko stepped into view. "Heya, how's the head?" the teen asked with a nervous grin. "Why exactly is he here Setsuna?" Mamoru demanded quietly. "It's his business to be here," the green haired women responded carefully. "And just why is that...?" he asked. "Something else we forgot to tell you..." "Which is?" he asked impatiently. "Easy, I'm the Senshi's new boss," Ranko answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Excuse me, but I do believe that's Usagi's position," Mamoru responded. "It was..." the teen responded with a shrug, "Crystal decided to change that though." "And just who is this Crystal...?" the man asked. "This is Crystal," Ranko said with a smirk and he summoned the glowing silver gem, "I do believe you've already met...?" "No way..." the man said in shock. "I'm afraid he's telling you the truth," Setsuna spoke up, "Serenity's spirit confirmed it." "The cat thing was a kinda side effect..." Ranko shrugged, "All of the Senshi do it now..." Mamoru turned to Setsuna and raised an eyebrow. The green-haired woman sighed then gestured towards the apartment as she responded, "I think we should get into the apartment I don't think people would take too kindly to a catgirl or two suddenly popping up in the hall..." Nodding, Mamoru stepped back, allowing Ranko and the Senshi to enter his apartment, shutting the door quietly behind them. As they entered into the living room, they were greeted by a half dressed Usagi, who promptly shrieked in surprise at Ranko's presence and shot into the bedroom. Chuckling, Ranko called, "Nice to see you too." "Mamo-chan, why didn't you tell me he was here?!" the girl called angrily from the bedroom. "Err... Sorry Usako," Mamoru responded sheepishly, "I forgot to call back to tell you that he popped up too..." "Just one question Setsuna..." Ranko asked, "If she eats as much as you say she does, how does she keep a figure like that?" "Uhhh..." the green-haired woman responded, "I never really thought about it... How do you keep your figure Usagi?" "Setsuna!" Usagi called out in an embarrassed tone, "That's NONE of your business!" Ranko sniffed the air for a moment, then looked at Mamoru with a sly grin and an arched eyebrow. The older man blushed slightly then turned away, finding a very interesting spot on the wall. Chuckling Ranko grinned, "Thought so..." "What are you talking about?" Haruka asked curiously. "Oh nothing..." the teen responded with a grin, "Just satisfying my curiosity." "Well, since your curiosity is obviously satisfied, " Setsuna spoke up dryly, "How about Haruka and I show Mamoru about the new... aspect of the Senshi..." "You won't get a complaint from me..." he grinned back, "I think you look rather cute as a kitty cat..." "Oh hush you..." Setsuna responded playfully. "Umm... Setsuna...?" Usagi spoke up hesitantly as she exited the bedroom, dressed in a pair of jeans and an over sized t-shirt, "Weren't you ready to kill him yesterday...?" "Yes I was," the green-haired woman responded with a nod, "But last night I had a visit from your mother, and she helped me come to terms with a few things about myself..." "My... Mother...?" the blonde girl responded in surprise, "As in..." "Queen Serenity yes..." Setsuna responded with a nod, "She helped me realize a few things about myself, things that I had forced myself to ignore until she forced me to confront them. With them finally out in the open, I figured out how blinded I had been by guilt, and how driven..." "What do you mean...?" Mamoru asked curiously. "Guilt Mamoru is a powerful thing," the woman responded a sadly, "If you let it, it can make you do some VERY foolish things." Ranko reached over and put a hand on her shoulder supportively, a comforting smile on his face, "It's all right Setsuna, no one blames you." "Thanks Ranko," she sighed, "I know that, but..." Usagi and Mamoru eye-balled the two strangely for a moment, then Usagi turned to Haruka, her eyes widening in shock as she got a good look at what the shorthaired girl was wearing. Raising an eyebrow, Haruka asked, "What, never seen a girl in a dress before Usagi?" "Sorry," the girl responded with a blush, "It's just... It's YOU in a dress!" "Yeah well," Haruka responded, "We're all gonna be going through a few changes..." "What do you mean, changes?" Mamoru asked. "Oh, sorry Mamoru, I didn't mean you, I meant us as in the Senshi and Ranko here," the short haired girl responded with a shrug, "We're the ones that are gonna be going through some rather major changes..." "What kind of changes?" the man asked worriedly. "Well, so far, Setsuna and me have gotten a bit wider range in our tastes..." the girl grinned ruefully, "And it takes a bit of getting used to..." "I won't argue with you..." Setsuna sighed, "It's rather distracting... I can imagine what you and Michiru went through at the Senshi meetings now..." "Well, at least I can appreciate Minako and Makoto's boy watching now..." the shorthaired girl chuckled. "Hold it," Mamoru spoke up, "Are you two saying that you're..." "Bi," Setsuna finished with a nod, "It was a bit of a shock when I found myself checking out our waitress this afternoon..." "You think you were shocked," Haruka snorted, "I just about freaked when I started checking out that guy!" "Didn't stop you from comparing him to me," Ranko snorted back. "Well, I, uh..." she stuttered with a blush. "You can't really blame her..." Setsuna chuckled, "Though I am a bit curious as to what your cursed form looks like." "Cursed form?" Mamoru and Usagi chorused. "Great," Ranko sighed, "Could someone get me a glass of cold water and a glass of hot water...?" "Hot and cold water...?" Usagi asked in confusion, "What does that have to do with a curse?" "You'll see," he responded with a sigh, "If I could just have the water?" "Just a moment," Mamoru responded, then exited into the kitchen, returning moments later with two glasses filled with water. "Thanks," Ranko spoke as he took the glasses from Mamoru and promptly dumped the one filled with cold water over his head. The group, minus Haruka, stared in shock as Ranma's body shrunk and shifted into a petite, and buxom red headed girl. Chuckling at their shocked faces, Ranko-chan explained, "Cold water turns me into a girl, hot water reverses the change." He then dumped the other glass over his head, and his body once more grew into that of the familiar teenaged boy, "That explain things?" "My Ranko aren't you the lucky one," Setsuna said as she licked her lips, "You look wonderful in BOTH your forms." "Lucky? HA!" he snorted, "You try putting up with half the crap I've had to because of that stupid curse. It did nothing but help make my life a living hell for over a year!" "Come on, it couldn't be that bad..." Haruka offered. "Oh yeah...?" he countered, "I'll have to tell you about it sometime, we'll see if you still say that." "I could just SHOW her," Setsuna spoke up with a shrug, "It wouldn't be that hard with the Time Gate." "Sure, just do it when I'm not around," he sighed, "The memories are bad enough." "So, uh, Ranko," Mamoru spoke up trying to change the subject, "What school do you go to...?" "I don't," the teen responded flatly, "It would be too easy to trace me that way, and I don't want to have to go through the trouble of getting forged papers and documentation." "Too easy to trace you...?" the man asked in confusion. "Another little problem from my past..." Ranko sighed, "I imagine that all the people in Nerima are frantic to find me about now. And I don't want to have to deal with that shit anymore." "Why wouldn't you want them to find you?" Usagi asked confused. Ranko merely stared at her then sighed, "LONG story... And mostly my pops fault." "It couldn't be that bad..." the blonde responded. "Oh yeah...? Almost everyone I knew back in Nerima either wanted to marry me, kill me, both, or force me to marry someone. I didn't have a moment's peace while I was there, and if they find me, I won't be getting anymore. Its part of the reason I changed my name." "So you really are Ranma Saotome...?" Mamoru asked curiously. "I USED to be Ranma Saotome," he countered, "Now, I'm just Ranko, nothing more, nothing less." "A ronin...?" the man asked in shock, "Why the hell would you do that to yourself?! Without a name, do you have any idea how hard it will be for you to get a job, to earn a living?" "Easily actually," Ranko shrugged in response, "And as for why I went ronin... Thanks to my pops, my family name and honor has been ruined beyond repair. Totally and completely ruined. The only way I was going to be free of it was to remove myself from that family. I just got tired of watching that fat fool ruining my life, and my honor, all the while, trying to use honor as an excuse to force me to do some many things." "He couldn't be that bad..." Usagi spoke up hopefully. "... Have Setsuna show you what he's done to me, then we'll see if you still say that..." "Seriously, there's no way he could be THAT bad," Haruka spoke up. "... I don't feel like arguing the point," he grumbled, "Just have Setsuna show you." "So what DO you plan to do to make a living then?" Mamoru asked, steering the conversation back to its previous course. "Currently? Nothing," Ranko chuckled, "I've got more than enough money to last me a LONG time." "And how did you come across all this money...?" Mamoru asked carefully, a look of caution in his eyes. "I didn't steal it if that's what you're asking," the teen responded with a smile, "But then again, it wasn't exactly legal either..." "If it wasn't stealing, what did you do then?" "Easy, I bet money on myself in some underground tournaments... Amazing how much money you can accumulate in seven months if you don't lose." "You're joking right?" Usagi asked aghast, "You made money beating people up?!" "Don't look so shocked," Ranko responded with a chuckle, "I like to fight. If I didn't, I wouldn't be as good as I am." "You like hurting people?!" she almost screamed. "No, I like fighting, there's a difference," Ranko responded as he rolled his eyes, "Combat can be more than just someone trying to hurt someone else. But then again, knowing what you WOULD have done, I'm not really surprised that you think that." "What do you mean what she would have done?" Mamoru asked, a glint of anger in his voice, as he put his hands on Usagi's shoulders. "He's talking about the cleansing," Setsuna spoke up quietly, "About how she would have used the crystal to cleanse all the evil from everyone." "And what's wrong with that!?" the man demanded. "Plenty," Ranko spoke up, "If you take away a person's ability to be evil, to know what pain and suffering is, you take away their ability to chose, their free will. What makes humanity so great is our ability to choose." "Is it so wrong to want everyone to be happy?" Usagi asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "When it's all they can be, yes," he responded flatly, "It becomes monotonous, things don't grow, they don't change. It's kinda like a stream, as long as water is flowing, things change, and life goes on, but when the water stops flowing, and the stream goes still, things become stagnant and life begins to fade away." Haruka blinked, then shook her head, "Man, that was heavier than what I thought would come from you..." Ranko blinked then shook his head in surprise, "Hey, you're right... Guess it's one of those changes, eh?" "Could be," the short-haired girl agreed. "But why does there have to be pain and suffering in order for life to go on?" Usagi asked tearfully. "Easy, suffering, and struggle force us to grow, to get stronger and adapt," he responded, "Without something to drive us, to force us to grow, we get lazy and complacent. Weak I guess you could say." "The Black Moon Family..." Setsuna whispered, "That's why they defeated Crystal Tokyo so easily..." "Huh?" the black haired teen asked in confusion, "What are you talking about?" "The Black Moon Family was a group that nearly destroyed Crystal Tokyo in the future," the crimson eyed woman responded, "They were a group of people that had refused Usagi's cleansing, and where banished to the tenth planet, Nemesis. Then, years later they returned, and nearly destroyed all of Crystal Tokyo, the Senshi from this time were forced to go into the future in order to stop them." "... People were exiled from their world just because they wouldn't submit...?" Ranko asked in horror, "What kind of monsters would you people have become!?" The girls all winced at the accusation, unable to meet his eyes, a small line of tears growing in their eyes. Mamoru's eyes glinted with anger as he challenged, "Who are you to call us monsters? What makes you so damn sure that your way is the right one!? We were trying to help people!" "Often the best poison is made with the best of intentions," Ranko countered, "And as I recall, there was someone else that tried to make a perfect human race, getting rid of those who didn't fit in that 'perfection.' He was called Hitler." Mamoru opened his mouth to respond, then shut it as the meaning behind Ranko's words sunk in. A sliver of worry raced through his mind, could he be right...? Were they no better than the man behind the Holocaust...? As he looked as the ashamed girls, Ranko winced and apologized, "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Please don't cry!" "But you're right, " Usagi cried, "When you say it like that..." "I overreacted!" Ranko replied in a panic, "I didn't mean it!" "Unfortunately, you also happen to be very right..." Setsuna sighed, "What's the old saying, from the mouth of babes...?" "Hey!" Ranko growled indignantly, "Who you calling a child?" "Oh, you're not a child Ranko," Setsuna replied with a soft smile, but you ARE a babe." "Heh, yeah," Haruka chuckled sadly, "It wouldn't even hurt that much if didn't sound so true... And if I didn't... I didn't..." "You didn't what?" Ranko asked confused. "Oh, never mind," Haruka sighed. "Haruka, you're not..." Usagi started, "With HIM!? And so soon?! What about...?" "Shhh!" Haruka cut her off, "Don't you dare say another word Usagi!" "Oh my god, this is just too funny!" Usagi giggled. "I told you to be quiet! Or I swear I'll..." Haruka growled. "You'll what?" the blonde girl challenged back with a smile. "I'll start telling people about that lovely little 'friend' you keep in your..." the short haired girl grinned back with a wicked smile before Usagi frantically waved her arms in defeat. "I'll be quiet! I'll be quiet!" the blonde said quickly, "No need to bring that up!" "Uhh...." Ranko started then looked at Mamoru, "Did you understand what they were talking about...?" "Its best for us to not try to comprehend the female mind," Mamoru responded sagely, "It's just not possible for a guy." "Ok... Setsuna...?" "What, you want me to betray the secrets of my sex?" the woman responded in mock shock, "I could never..." "I'm a girl too sometimes you know," Ranko countered. "Body yes," she agreed, then tapped her head, "But not up here." "I'll take that as a 'No, I'm not going to tell you.'" "Smart boy." "Not according to certain people I know," he sighed. "Stop that right now!" Setsuna admonished, "It's bad enough I have to put up with you refusing to go to school, I'm not about to let you go about belittling yourself like that!" "Yes mother..." he replied sarcastically. Setsuna blushed immensely as she apologized in embarrassment, "Sorry, it's just that..." "I don't want to have to go through the trouble that would follow if I had to register for school," he replied with a shrug, "Since I don't really have much of a name other than the one I WON'T use, I ain't going." "Then how about another one?" she asked, her face suddenly lighting up, "I think Ranko Meiou would sound nice..." "Huh?" Ranko responded with a blink, "Um, sorry Setsuna, but I can't really think of you like a brother does..." "Not as a brother silly, as my husband!" "Ack!" the teen shouted in shock, "Uh uh! NO WAY! No how!" "Well, it was just a suggestion," she sighed with a small pout. "Sorry, but I've had enough people trying to marry me," he responded with a shudder, "I dunno if I'll ever get married...." "Marriage doesn't have to be a prison Ranko," Haruka purred, "It can be rather... enjoyable..." "Not when I'd have at least three, if not more people trying to kill me because of it," he countered. "I'm sure that they'd give up as soon as they found out that you're married," Mamoru offered helpfully. "Doubtful," Ranko countered, " I know that Shampoo at least wouldn't stop at that. More likely that she'd come and try to kill the obstacle in her path... namely Setsuna if I married her." "Come on it couldn't be that bad..." the man began. "Oh yeah?" Ranko countered, "We're talking about a girl that once tracked someone from China to Japan, intent on killing them just because she thought the person was a female outsider that had defeated her in battle." "I see... And did she kill the person...?" "Nope, she found out that it was really a boy with a Jusenkyo curse, and as such, now had to marry him," the teen responded with a sigh, "It was NOT pleasant." "Wait, you're the one that she first tried to kill, then marry?" Haruka spoke up. "Yup, it's a rather messed up set of laws..." Ranko nodded, "And then you gotta deal with my relatives... and the OTHER fiancés... It just ain't worth it." "I'm not giving up yet!" Setsuna declared as she struck a dramatic pose, "I WILL get you into school!" "Uh, I think you've been hanging around Usagi for too long Setsuna," Haruka chuckled, "You're starting to copy her speeches." "What's that supposed to mean?!" Usagi demanded. "Oh, nothing Princess," Haruka responded with a grin, "Just making an observation." "Well, Ranko could go to school as a girl..." Mamoru suddenly suggested. "NO FUCKING WAY!" Ranko shouted. "It was just a thought!" Mamoru said defensively. "He is right, it would be less likely for them to find you..." Setsuna observed. "I sure as HELL am not gonna start going to school in no freaking girl's uniform so I can spend most of my time there being ogled by a bunch of perverted guys that will hit on me every five minutes!" "Hmm.... He does have a point," Haruka pointed out, "With his cursed form looking like it does, that would be exactly what he'd be going through." "I've been there, done that, well except for the whole uniform thing, and I don't want to go back!" "Pity," Haruka remarked, "I think you would look great in one of those school fuku..." "Pervert..." he muttered. "You say that like it's a bad thing," she countered. "So?" he responded. "You know Ranko, we're gonna have to finish breaking you out of that prudish outlook," the short haired girl grinned, "Don't you agree Setsuna?" "Yes, I do believe you're quite correct," the green-haired woman responded with a nod, "Of course, we'll have to deal with the matter of school as well... I'm sure I can come up with a proper background for Ranko..." "You're not gonna give up on that are you?" the teenaged boy groaned. "Why no, I'm not," she responded with a smile, "How did you guess?" "That's the way my life goes... There's always something...." "Oh quit being so pessimistic," Haruka chuckled, "We've still got a good four or five hours before sunset to burn, so why don't we go show you the arcade?" "I dunno, I never really got into video games..." he responded hesitantly. "Not into video games?!" Usagi said shocked, "What's wrong with you?!" "I never really had much time for 'em..." he responded with a shrug, "I guess I could give it a shot." "Good, because I wasn't going to give you a choice in the matter anyway," she grinned back as she looped her arm around his, "Ready to go Setsuna...?" As Ranko blushed in embarrassment from having Haruka draped on his arm, Setsuna smiled and nodded, "Of course, we'll see you later Usagi, Mamoru." "Uh, yeah later," Mamoru spoke up hesitantly. "I'll stop by the arcade later, to see how you're doing!" Usagi added, "It's on my way home so I can show you how to play some of the games!" "Um, sure Usagi," Ranko called back as Haruka practically dragged him out the door, a smiling Setsuna trailing after, "See ya later..." After he heard the door shut, Mamoru sighed and turned to Usagi, "Well that was interesting..." "Yeah, he seemed to be a lot less of a jerk this time..." the blonde girl agreed. "That too," he agreed, "But this is all a bit much for me... All these changes, all at once..." "I know... Everything has changed so much in just a few days..." "Which is kinda a problem for me..." he said hesitantly, "Its gonna take me a bit to get used to all this new stuff..." "What do you mean...?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice. "I think I'm gonna need a few days alone to get used to this..." he responded, "There are a lot of things that I have to get used, and a lot for you too..." "But why Mamo-chan?!" she asked pleadingly. "Well, this for one," he responded indicating his shirt, "It's gonna take you a bit to get used to the new you... And it's gonna take me a while too... And then there are a few other things like Ranko suddenly being you girls' new leader, and becoming the wielder of the crystal..." "Why can't we do that together?" "Look Usako, I just need to do this alone, ok?" "But why!?" "I just do, I'm sorry..." "Fine," she sighed, then turned and left. *** "Ok, I have to admit, that was pretty fun," Ranko sighed as he leaned back in his seat, the wind whipping through his hair as Haruka drove them through Juuban, "I guess I should've tried them earlier..." "I still think the look on Usagi's face when you beat her score was priceless," Haruka chuckled. "Yeah, but do you know why she was so bummed out when she got there?" he asked curiously. "Yes..." Setsuna spoke up sadly, "More than likely Mamoru." "Meaning?" his asked as a shadow fell over his face. "Meaning that he probably told her that he needed some space to get a feel for all the sudden changes," the green haired woman sighed, "It's not the first time he's done something like this." "Yeah, I wish he would hurry up and realize how much he's hurting Usagi doing all that crap..." Haruka agreed. "This is part of the stuff you guys were talking about earlier isn't it...?" he asked quietly. "Yup," Haruka nodded sadly, "When I see her hurting like that I want to kick Mamoru's ass..." "So would I... Where the hell does he get off treating her like that?" he demanded. "Because she lets him," Setsuna sighed, "She always lets him come right back, welcoming him with open arms..." "Ya know, I understand what she's feeling," Ranko sighed, "I used to do the same thing. Let a girl walk all over me, hurting me for no reason, and I just kept on coming back for more..." "Was she why you left...?" Setsuna asked. "No, not really," he replied with a shake of his head, "I just needed some time away, to think things out. When I did, I started to look at my life a lot more objectively." "Well, I thank you for getting away," Haruka purred as she slowed her car down and pulled up to the curb, "And this is your apartment building right?" "Yup," he nodded as he quickly undid his seat belt and hopped out of the car, "Thanks for the lift." "Hey no problem," Haruka grinned, then winked at him, "Just don't forget, tomorrow, seven o'clock. I'll be here to pick you up." "Err... yeah...." He replied nervously. "And be sure to wear something nice!" she chuckled. "I look forward to talking to you again Ranko," Setsuna smiled, "And I hope that you'll reconsider about school." "Doubtful." Ranko sighed. "Well, I'm just going to have to keep trying." "Yeah sure, I'll see you later," he replied then walked back into the apartment. As they watched him enter the building, Haruka looked over at Setsuna and suggested, "Maybe you shouldn't come on so strong about this whole school thing..." "I suppose," Setsuna sighed, "But I do have a reason..." "What, the betterment of his future?" "No... I'll be able to call him into my office whenever I want..." the crimson eyed woman responded with a blush. Haruka blinked then stared at the woman, "Why you sneaky little..." "What? You can't blame me can you?" the woman countered. "No, just wishing I could do the same." "Don't worry, I'll be sure to call you both in for special, 'counseling' sessions," Setsuna winked. "Isn't there some rule against student teacher relationships...?" "Yes, but I'm not a teacher, now am I?" "Great, you do know you could lose your job for doing that right?" "Nah, they won't catch me..." "I can see it now, guidance councilor behind school orgy..." "Please, three people don't make an orgy." "You're a pervert you know that?" Haruka pointed out. "I think I got it from you." "Oh shut up." *** Minako mumbled slightly in her sleep, her brow furrowed in concentration as her body held itself tense and coiled. A line of sweat ran down her cheek, light sparkling off the salty trail in the moonlight. Behind the closed doors of her eyelids, her mind lay in the seas of turmoil in a chaotic dream. "You let us down Minako," the voices echoed around her, "You failed." "What? Who's there?" the blonde girl called out. "You failed us Minako..." the voices echoed back, hauntingly familiar, "You lead us to our deaths.... You failed...." "NO! Who's there!?" "You failed us..." the voices continued to call out, growing steadily weaker, "And now we're gone..." "Come back!" she shouted trying to catch up to where the voices were vanishing to, "Don't leave me!" "You failed, you cannot follow..." the voices trailed off then vanished completely. "NO!!" the girl cried, running as fast as she could to where the voices had vanished to, "Don't leave me!" After what seemed forever, she collapsed down to her knees, surrounded by nothing but silence. In a desperate voice she called out, "Don't leave me alone! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to fail! I don't want to be alone...." "Then don't be," a voice suddenly whispered into her ear as she felt a pair of strong, warm, masculine arms wrap around her, "You can't let yourself believe that you will fail, otherwise you will. You must know with all your heart that you will win, that you HAVE to win." "But what if I make a mistake? What if I can't decide...?" "You have to trust yourself, trust your judgment." "What if I can't...? What if its too important for me to decide?" "All you need to do is trust in yourself. Know that you can succeed. Leave no doubt in your mind." "But I can fail!" "No buts," he replied firmly, "You can't let your fear win." "It's too much... I can't have their deaths on my hands if I screw up!" "And what if you get their deaths on your hands if you don't act?" "I... I don't know..." she responded as she hung her head. "Listen to me, I've overcome opponents that should have, by every right killed me. Do you know why?" "No..." "Easy because I knew I was the best, I KNEW I wouldn't lose. That's the only way to overcome fear, have your confidence." "How can I have so much confidence when people's lives depend on my decisions?!" "A better question is how can you afford not to...?" "I... I'm not sure..." "A leader has to have confidence in their abilities, otherwise they can't lead. Confidence is what makes a leader a leader." "It's just, I fail at so much else... How can I be good at leading?" "Because you have to be. No other reason." "But..." "No buts, all a but means is that you don't have enough confidence in your abilities," he interrupted, his voice whispering softly into her ear, "Why is it that you refuse to let yourself believe?" "I can't even get myself a boyfriend, how could I possibly have what it takes to make the kind of decisions I have to?" "Is that what bothers you so much? Not having a boyfriend is what makes you feel so inadequate?" "... yes..." "Why?" "Because... Just because! I can't even get a boyfriend!" "What does that have to do with being a leader?" "What?" "What does having a boyfriend have to do with being a leader?" "Well... Ahhh...." "It doesn't does it...?" "No... I guess not..." "Then stop worrying about it, that's your problem you worry too much. You can't be worried about defeat, if you are, then you only defeat yourself. A battle may be difficult, but you must always be certain that you will win." "Heh, I guess you're right... I never really looked at it that way... I guess that's how Usagi always comes out on top... She KNOWS that she'll win..." "Possibly, but I wouldn't know..." he replied. Something in his voice finally tickled her memory, in a soft, questioning voice she asked, "Ranko...?" "Who else would it be?" he responded as he gently caressed her arm. "But how...?" "A dream can do amazing things can't it?" "This is just a dream...?" "This is hardly just a dream, this is something far more. This is neither your mind nor my own. More than likely Crystal has something to do with where we are right now..." "Crystal...?" "Oh, I think you know her, glittering silver thing, very powerful? Usagi used to wield it...?" "Why do you call it Crystal...? And she?" "Easy, because for one, it is a she, and two she told me to call her Crystal." "Oh..." "Heh, take a look around, what do you see?" he asked suddenly. Her eyes grew wide as she beheld the world around her, suddenly lit in a sea of soft yellow and orange light, bathing them in a soft glow. It was then that she noticed for the first time that neither of them wore any clothes, her bare flesh held close against his own. A blush climbing up her body, she observed, "We're both naked..." "Is that a problem?" he chuckled. "No, it's just... I don't know what's going on..." "Heh, neither do I. I just go with the flow, adapt..." "So, where's the flow gonna take us...?" she asked softly, her eyes staring out at the sea of light. "Depends..." he whispered softly as he nibbled on her ear, "Where would you like the flow to take you...?" For a moment, she didn't respond, simply rested in his arms, lounging in the comforting warmth of his bare skin. Then slowly, tentatively, she twisted around his arms, until twin pairs of blue eyes met. She stared into his deep sapphire eyes and saw a calm power within them, a power back by an unwavering confidence in his abilities. Inch by inch she moved her face closer to his, their lips drawing ever closer, until she gently shut her eyes as their lips pressed together. An instant later she felt his tongue slip through her lips to dance enticingly against her own, drawing her tongue up from its passive state to compliment his own in an explosion of passion. She could feel the sudden, almost electric surge run through her body, a deep moan escaping from her throat to where their tongues danced as her arms wrapped about his neck. As passion between them grew, the dream wore on, until its final, explosive finale. *** As Minako drifted away from the dream realm into an oblivious slumber, Makoto tossed and turned across her bed, her cotton sheets twisted about her body. As she mumbled pathetically, her lips trembled in fear, sounding like a small scared child. He sneered down at her with cruel, cold eyes, his beautiful face split into a harsh sneer as he spat, "Me? Go out with a freak like you? Ha!" "Sempai..." Makoto whimpered pathetically as she stared up at the man from where she knelt, tears welling up in her eyes. "Get lost freak, no guy would want a thing like you," he sneered then turned and walked away with an arrogant swagger. The air around her suddenly exploded with rejections, harsh, cruel, arrogant rejections, each striking deep into her heart. She could see their beautiful, haughty faces sneering back at her, their cold, sadistic eyes tearing into her mind. The tears streamed down her face as she sobbed again and again, the men around her laughing at her pain, driving her wracking sobs to be even stronger. "Leave her alone," an angry male voice suddenly spoke up, "You assholes have no right to talk to her like that!" "She's a freak...." echoed over and over again in her ears, "She's not worthy of us..." "The hell she isn't!" the angry voice growled back, moving in front of the kneeling Makoto, "You assholes must be blind not to see how much she's NOT a freak." "She's a freak," they continued, ignoring his words, "She's not worthy." "Don't listen to them!" he shouted to Makoto, "They're nothing but a buncha idiots!" "But they're right!" she wailed, "I am a freak, nobody would want me!" "Why the hell would you say something like that?" he demanded angrily, stooping down to kneel in front of her, "Why do you let yourself believe them?" She refused to look up at him her voice full of hurt and pain, "I'm a freak, no guys like me and all the girls hate me..." "I know for a fact that there are at least eight girls that don't hate you and consider you their friend, or have you forgotten about them already?" Images of Usagi and the other Senshi flashed through her mind pushing the voice back slightly, igniting a small spark of hope. Her voice strengthening slightly, she responded, "No... No, I haven't forgotten about them..." "Then do you remember that they're your friends as well...?" For a moment, the voices were pushed back further as she breathed a soft, "Yes," however, a cloud of hesitancy suddenly passed over her mind, the voices strengthening at her stumble, "But... I'm still a freak..." "Why? What makes you so fucking sure you're a freak?!" he demanded harshly, his anger rising. She flinched from his tone, drawing back momentarily at the heat from his anger, in a soft almost hopeless voice she responded, "Because.... Just because!" For a moment, he simply kneeled in front of her, staring as her cowering form. Then slowly, deliberately, his hand reached out and cupped her chin, gently lifting her face up until her emerald eyes met his own twin sapphires. With slow assurance he spoke to her, "You are not a freak. I don't care what anyone else may say. It's not true." Before she could respond in denial, he leaned forward and gently kissed her lips, his hand releasing her chin as it slipped its way to slid down her sides with its brother. For an instant she struggled, resisted against his gentle touch, yet she couldn't bring herself to pull away. As her eyes slid shut, he broke off his tender kiss, and whispered once more, "You are not a freak." She couldn't bring herself to argue, the gentle kiss had melted away those doubts and protests, leaving behind the simple truth. There was a guy that wanted her, she was not a freak. As she half opened her eyes, she softly whispered, "Thank you... Ranko..." With a smile he leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "I'm not done yet..." *** With a lazy yawn, Ranko stretched and glanced over at his clock, chuckling as he observed, "Almost four... That last one was a bit different though..." As he lay back, he could feel a insistent tug pulling at him. For a moment, he glanced around in bewilderment, searching for the cause of the sudden sensation, only to groan as realization hit him, "Dammit Crystal whadda ya want now?" In a sudden flash of light he was in another bed, silken sheets replacing the cotton ones as the mattress underneath him flowed up and down gently, sighing he asked aloud, "Don' t you ever give up?" "Why would I do something like that...?" Crystal's voice purred back, her soft giggle following shortly after. "Because it would be the nice thing to do?" he asked hopefully. "You're no fun," she pouted back suddenly plopping down on the water bed next to him, her soft alabaster skin covered in nothing more than a small silk robe, ending at mid-thigh her silver hair pooling across her back "Uh huh, sure," he sighed, "So, enjoy the show?" "Of course," she snorted as she looked up at him with her crimson eyes, "They were both very nice." "All right, then care to explain why it was so different with Makoto?" "Probably because you sensed that you needed to take a different approach with her, " she shrugged back, "Or maybe you're starting to take more control of the situation. I dunno." "Some help you are," he sighed. "Hey, I'm a tool, " she countered in a hurt tone, "If you want advice go to one of the Moon Cats." "The who?" "Oh, I forgot you're not familiar with them," she sighed, "They're little furballs that advise the Senshi. I'm sure you'll meet them soon enough, Usagi has a black one named Luna and Minako has a white one named Artemis. They look just like normal cats, except for the golden crescent moons on their foreheads, and they can talk. Oh, and they can also change into human form." "Joy, my life is going to the cat house..." Ranko observed aloud. "Now Ranko-kun, you don't mind it and you know it." "Oh hush," he countered, "You're worse than the rest of them put together." "Who, little old me?" she asked innocently as she batted her eyelashes playfully. "Yes, you," he responded with a chuckle, "I don't think I've met a bigger pervert than you other than Happosai..." "Compare me with that horrible little man?!" she asked as she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "That's just mean! I don't go around stealing woman's underwear!" "No... but I have been a little short on my boxers..." he responded with a grin. "Why you.... Of all the nerve!" "Oh yeah?" he challenged, "What're you gonna do about it?" "I'll, I'll, I'll do this!" she exclaimed as she grabbed a nearby pillow and smacked him in the face with it. "Why you!" he sputtered as he pushed the pillow out of his face, "I'll get you for that!" "Oh yeah?" she responded challengingly, smacking him with the pillow once more. "That's it!" he roared playfully, grabbing another of the spare pillows and brought it down soundly on her head, "My turn!" The situation quickly degraded into a massive pillow fight, each finding an abundance of pillows to throw, block, or bash with. Playful shrieks and giggles sounded off of hearty laughs and chuckles as the two fought their battle until they both fell back into a sea of feathers, spread across the bed from exploded pillows. A grin on her face, Crystal slowly crawled onto Ranko's chest and grinned down at him, "That was fun!" "Heh, yeah, I guess so," he agreed with a soft chuckle, "But you still didn't tell me what you did with my boxers." "Why you!" she mock growled as she playfully hit him in the arm, "I have nothing to do with any stolen boxers! Why would I when I can have the real thing lying under me right now? As Ranko blinked and realized his situation, Crystal giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "So nice and warm. With all those nice strong muscles... " "Ah! Get off!" he shouted and he attempted to find a way to extricate the girl without touching anything he shouldn't. "Now why would I do a silly thing like that?" she asked with a giggle, "After all, it took me long enough to find myself in you arms!" "You're not in my arms!" he countered, spreading his arms out wide to the side to emphasize his point, "See?" "Ah, your words say no, but I feel something else saying yes!" she said with a smoky smile. "Don't mind him, he doesn't know what he's doing!' Ranko laughed nervously. "Oh? I think he does..." she purred back as she squirmed suggestively against him. "Crystal, please, stop that," he begged. "Why?" she pouted, "Don't you find me attractive?" "That's not it! Seriously!" he responded quickly, "You're very attractive!" "Then why do you keep trying to put me off?" she asked with a pout. Ranko looked at the beautiful girl in his arms and sighed sadly. She really was an innocent he realized, a lot like Shampoo in a way. He lifted his arms up and carefully wrapped his hands over her wrists, slowly disengaging them from his neck as he responded, "I'm sorry Crystal, but you're too... Too forward you remind me of Shampoo too much." The girl in his arms looked at him for a moment, her crimson eyes watching him carefully before she reluctantly nodded and slid off his chest as he released her arms. For a moment, she simply lay there, staring at the wall, not looking at him, before she spoke softly, "I'm sorry..." "Hey its all right, I know you're not Shampoo, its just when you act like that it, it brings up some bad memories." "I should've known better," she responded, "I shouldn't have acted like that. I don't know what came over me..." "Hey, like I said, its ok," he responded comfortingly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "You're just eager." "I don't know why though!" she replied, "I shouldn't be acting this way! At least I never used to.." "Heh, no problem, " he chuckled, "I'm pretty used to it." "You don't have to sound so nonchalant about it!" she growled as she rolled over and glared at him with tear filled eyes. "Sorry..." he replied meekly, "I didn't mean for it to sound that way..." "Well it did!" "Look, I know this is all new for you, so I think you need to think things through first..." he suggested softly, "Without me here to make things worse." "You're not making things worse Ranko-kun," she said softly, "Just a bit harder..." "I think I should go," he responded as he leaned over and kissed her forehead, "But I'll be back so we can talk about this again, ok?" "Ok," she responded quietly before the world flashed again and he was once more in his normal bed. *** Ranko sighed as the hot water ran down his body, gently relaxing his muscles as the steam soothed his mind. After taking a few moments to enjoy the shower, he quickly went about cleaning his body, then took one final rinse and stepped out of the shower. Quickly toweling himself dry, he stepped out of the bathroom and walked back into his bedroom. Slipping on a pair of boxers and some sweatpants, he slipped out onto the balcony and vaulted up to the roof. For a moment, he shivered as the wind blasted against his bare chest, then he suddenly exploded into action, his body becoming a blur of motion as he ricocheted across the roof. He moved from kata to kata without pause, his hands and legs lashing out again and again. For almost an hour he continued the ceaseless kata, until at last he slowed, then finally stopped. He stood there dripping in sweat as he panted deeply, a smile plastered on his face as he looked out over the district. Chuckling, he walked over to the edge of the building and easily dropped back down to his apartment. Padding through the room he once more entered the bathroom for a quick shower, returning a few minutes later clean once more. As he entered into the bedroom, he was surprised to hear the phone suddenly ringing at his bedside. Raising an eyebrow, he lifted the receiver to his ear and said, "Hello?" "Ranko?" Setsuna's voice asked hesitantly. "Setsuna? How did you get this number?" he asked in surprise. "Well after I found out where you lived, it wasn't that hard," she responded. "I shoulda known," he groaned, "So what did you want?" "Just to hear the sound of your voice," she purred back. "Yeah sure," he responded, "And what other reason?" "You're no fun," she pouted before continuing, "I wanted to know if you had any more, 'dreams' last night." "Yup," he responded with a chuckle, "Two more." "So who were the lucky girls this time?" she asked curiously, "I'm guessing they from among Ami, Minako, Usagi, or Makoto?" "Yeah, Minako and Makoto." "I'll be sure to call them to my office soon then in order to clarify any new, ahem, feelings they might have." "How ya gonna do that?" he asked in confusion. "I am their school guidance councilor," she responded with a chuckle, "It's not really that big of a problem for me to do it..." "They go to Juuban High School?" he responded with a blink. "Yes, they're in class at the moment in fact," she responded, "All the Inners except for Rei go to Juuban. Rei goes to a private school near her temple." "Oh... That's strange, I didn't really think Hino-san was the type to send his grand-daughter to a private school." "You know Rei's grandfather?" "Yeah, I knew her grandmother too before she died..." Ranko responded sadly, "She was a good woman... She saved me from permanent insanity..." "How did she do that?" "She was the one that broke me free of the Neko-Ken the first time..." he responded softly, "If it hadn't been for her, I might not have ever made it out of the Neko-Ken." "I didn't know..." "Heh, it's ok. Rei herself didn't know until she first met me." "Oh... And it's not her grandfather that has her enrolled there, it's her parents." "They're still alive?" "Yes... They're just constantly traveling... they're very rich though..." "Poor Rei, I didn't know..." "Poor Rei...?" "To know that her parents are alive, but can t see them when she wants... I bet they miss a lot of her life, don't they?" "Yes... They do." "I know what its like to miss having your parents in your life. Well, to miss having your mother in your life. And to not be able to see her because you're afraid that she'll kill you because of a curse you have no control over..." "What?!" she practically shouted in outrage. Wincing at the volume of her outburst he responded, "Yeah, when I was six, my father, Genma, tricked me into signing this promise to become a man among men or commit seppuku by telling me to put my hand in ink, then put it on the paper for finger painting." "... And your mother was actually going to hold you to this?!" she demanded in shock. "Oh yes... I would've been dead if it wasn't for pops knocking me out and running off with me. She finally decided I was manly enough because of all the girls I had chasing after me." "... She was going to hold you to a seppuku promise that you were tricked into signing when you were six years old?!" "Yup, and I imagine that if I'll ever go back she'll use the promise to try and force me to marry one of the fiancés... Probably Akane." "Sorry, but I am not going to let you go back to that girl," Setsuna responded flatly, "I know EXACTLY where that would lead." "Oh yeah, death by Akane's cooking..." Ranko shuddered, "I REALLY don't want to go back to that." "Not to mention the fact that we wouldn't let you anyway," Setsuna chuckled back. "Great... what have I got myself into?" he groaned. "Most guy's fantasy and probably your nightmare, partially at least..." Setsuna admitted. "Thanks for the comfort," he responded dryly. "Still, did you talk to Crystal again?" "Yeah... Got her to back off some... I think I hurt her feelings a bit though." "I meant about anything else...?" "Kinda, Makoto was a bit different... I was a lot more involved in it, and it seemed to be a lot more emotional.." "Hmmm... What did she say?" "Well, she told me that is was probably because that's what she needed, or I was gaining more control over these things." "Interesting, did she say anything else?" "Not really, she said she if I wanted advice, I needed to go to the Moon Cats or something..." "Luna and Artemis? I highly doubt they'd know anymore than she does, they were mainly advisors on political matters." "Heh, if you say so." "Of course... Oh, and Ranko? You start school the day after tomorrow." "... WHAT?!" "Think of it this way, it gives you something to do everyday." "Setsuna..." he growled. "Ranko Ikari, 17, transfer student, orphan, " she continued, "Did I forget anything?" "Ikari...? Figures... You watch Evangelion don't you?" he accused. "Err... I have no idea what you're talking about!" she replied with a nervous laugh. "I'm gonna get you for this..." he promised darkly. "Now Ranko, don't be so hasty," she responded quickly, "I'm thinking of your best interests!" "Remember what I said about the best poisons?" "Come on Ranko! It won't be that bad!" "If you think I'm going to wear a school uniform, or actually bother with the classes, you're dead wrong." "Ranko... Please...? For me...?" she asked with a pouting voice. "You do know that doesn't work anywhere NEAR as well when it's not in person right?" he responded with a chuckle. "Fine, I'll just do it when I see you next!" she declared. "All right, all right!" he sighed, "I'll do it... But it's gonna take A LOT to get me to forgive you." "Thank you Ranko!" she responded happily, "And I'm sure you won't regret it!" "Where have I heard that before...?" he responded with grumble. *** "Hey Mako-chan!" Minako called out cheerfully as she approached her friend, the brunette sitting down in a chair outside the office, "Did you get called in too?" "Yeah," the girl responded with a shrug, "Dunno why though. I mean I haven't done anything in ages..." "Well, maybe we won a prize or something?" the blonde asked hopefully. "Uh huh, sure," Makoto responded as she rolled her eyes, "Did you get a pass sent for you?" "Yeah." "Who's it from? I just had someone pull me outta class." "Uh, I don't know, lemme check..." the blonde blushed before she pulled out the slip, "Well, it says that it's from... Setsuna?" "Wow... Do you think that there's some kinda trouble?" "Maybe Ranko's in danger?" Minako asked worriedly. "If anyone puts him in danger..." Makoto growled. "Yeah! We'll kick their ass!" Minako agreed. "Ahem," a voice spoke up quietly from the other side of the office, "If the two of you are finished with your declarations, Ms. Meiou will see you now." "Yes ma'am!" both girls responded with a blush as they bowed to the middle aged secretary that watched them from behind the desk. With a small smile, the woman nodded to the girls and gestured towards one of the doors, "Then you best hurry up and get in there, she doesn't like to be kept waiting." Both girls hurriedly made their way over to the indicated door, pausing long enough for Minako to knock questioningly. "Come in." As Minako opened the door slowly, she revealed Setsuna sitting behind her desk, a knowing smile on her face. Not saying a word, Setsuna gestured to a pair chairs in front of her and cocked her head slightly to the side. As Makoto quickly took a seat, Minako closed the door then settled in next to her friend. A curious tone in her voice, Minako asked, "So what's up Setsuna...? There haven't been any problems have there?" "No, nothing like that," the woman responded with a smile, "Well, other than Usagi and Mamoru being separated again." "Great, what's his problem this time?" Makoto sighed. "The new... developments that occurred this weekend," Setsuna sighed, "And as usual, instead of letting Usagi help him, he's got to go off and do it on his own." "That jerk," the brunette grumbled. "So why are we here?" Minako spoke up, "I doubt it's just so that you could tell us what's going on with Usagi and Mamoru's relationship." "True," Setsuna responded with a smile, "But it is a rather juicy bit of gossip isn't it?" "Well yeah, but..." "Oh, did I mention that Haruka has a date tonight? With a guy." "WHAT?!" both girls practically yelled. "Now girls, there's no need to shout, you'll worry the secretary," Setsuna scolded. "Excuse me, but did you say Haruka was going on a date with a guy?!" Minako asked incredulously. "Yes, I did," Setsuna responded with a smile, "Anything else you'd like to ask?" "Why?" Makoto spoke up. "She lost a bet...' "Oh, don't do that to us Setsuna," Minako responded with a sigh. "On purpose," the red-eyed woman finished with a smirk. "What?!" the girls shouted once more, though in a more subdued manner this time. "Oh yes," Setsuna smiled, "It would seem our dear Haruka is finally starting to notice boys. I'm just so proud! Of course, you'll have to teach her all the finer points of guy watching..." "That's why you called us in here?" Minako replied with a blink, "Because you want us to teach Haruka about boy watching?! You had me worried something serious might be happening!" "Who ever said that was why I called you in?" the woman responded, suddenly very serious, "Tell me, what did you dream about last night?" Both girls froze, then began to blush furiously. In an embarrassed tone, Makoto responded, "Nothing!" "Oh really? Then why are the both of you blushing so hard?" "Err... Its hot in here!" Minako answered. "It's just over 70 degrees Fahrenheit Minako," Setsuna countered, "And I don't see why you think that an erotic dream about Ranko would be that bad..." As their jaws dropped in shock both girls stared in Setsuna in a stupor. A slight giggle escaping her lips Setsuna smiled, "They are rather enjoyable after you get past the whole facing the horrible fears you hold within yourself part...." "How the hell do you know this...?" Makoto demanded. "Hmmmm....? You mean how do I know that you two had dreams with him in them last night?" "Yes," both girls responded in unison. "How do you know...?" Makoto demanded half-heartedly. "Hmmmm....? You mean how do I know that you two had dreams with him in them last night?" "Yes," both girls responded in unison. "Ranko told me," Setsuna smirked back. "How the hell would he know!?" Minako demanded. "That wasn't exactly your normal dream. Ranko actually was there." "And you know this how...?" Makoto asked. "Well, you girls weren't the first ones to have these dreams," Setsuna responded with a faint blush, "And there are a few other repercussions that you should be aware of..." "What do you mean?" Minako asked worriedly. "Well, take a good look at each other and tell me what you think," the woman responded with a smile. "Uh, ok," Minako responded with a shrug then turned and took a good look at her friend, "Well, Mako-chan's got a great body, her legs are nice and long, and really good looking. She's got such beautiful green eyes, and a really great smile. Her butts great, I really wish she was wearing a pair of nice tight jeans right now because they really would show off her great legs and butt. Not to mention how nicely endowed she is... Oh boy..." "I was wondering how long you would go on before noticing," Setsuna chuckled as Makoto blushed an impressive crimson, "Rather shocking isn't it?" "What does this mean Setsuna? Did I suddenly go lesbo!?" the blonde responded worriedly. "No, you still like guys Minako," Setsuna chuckled, "You just like girls as well now. Same for Makoto, and myself." "You too...?" "Oh yes," Setsuna chuckled, "Be glad you have someone here to help you through it. I got the shock of a lifetime when I found myself checking out the waitress at a restaurant the other day. Of course, I wasn't anywhere near as shocked as Haruka was when she found herself checking out a guy... Of course, Ranko wasn't too thrilled that she was making comparisons between the guy and himself either." "Who else among the Senshi are...?" Minako asked, the blush on her still visible. "Just you two, Haruka and myself. So far at least." Makoto stayed silent for a moment, then asked, "Do any of the others know about this?" "Just Usagi and Mamoru," Setsuna replied, "And of course Ranko." "Why is this happening?" Minako asked. "Well, our suspicions, partially confirmed by Crystal, are that this is a side effect of the transition of the bond from Usagi to Ranko," the green-haired woman replied. "Crystal?" the blonde wondered aloud. "Sorry, I seem to be falling into Ranko's habit of calling her by her nickname. I'm talking about the Silver Imperial Crystal. Or just Crystal for short." "So it really is aware...? Makoto asked in awe. "She, not it," Setsuna corrected, "And she is VERY aware... And from what I understand from Ranko, quite the pervert." "A.... pervert?" "Yes, she's been watching the dreams between ourselves and Ranko, and been finding them VERY entertaining. Not to mention the fact that she's been trying to seduce Ranko for the past two nights..." "Excuse me, but how is that even physically possible?" Makoto asked skeptically. "She's capable of altering a subspace pocket to fit her own whim, and in it she can assume a human form. From what he's described, she's rather attractive." "Okay..." "I know this is all a bit much but..." "... Ranko's the guy that Haruka's going on the date with isn't he?" Makoto asked suddenly. "Huh?!" Minako gasped. "Well, uh yes..." Setsuna responded as she began to sweat slightly. "Dammit! I wanted to be the first one to go on a date with him!" the brunette swore. "Down girl," Setsuna chuckled, "If I could curb my jealously, than so can you. And besides, he's going to be going to school here in two days..." "He is?!" the two girls asked eagerly, their eyes shining hopefully. "It took quite a bit of hard work and arm twisting, not to mention every ounce of my pleading with him to do it, but I managed it." "Wait a minute..." Minako said suddenly, "If he's going to school here, then you can just call him into your office whenever you want." "Minako please! I have a job to do around here! Do you have any idea how much trouble I would get into?" Setsuna protested but was unable to hide the slight blush creeping up her face. "Why would that matter to you?" Makoto countered, "The only reason you kept this job was so that you could have something to do, so you wouldn't get bored." "And the only reason Ranko finally agreed to come to school was so that he wouldn't get bored either," Setsuna countered, "And besides, you girls are the ones that will get to be in class with him, not me." "She does have a point..." Minako conceded. "I'm gonna have to make him an extra special lunch then!" Makoto declared, "Made with plenty of love and care!" "And I'll.... I'll think of something!" Minako chimed in. "It's time for Makoto and Minako's Operation: Get Ranko!" Setsuna could only sweat drop and shake her head as the two girls began to laugh maniacally with one another. *** Haruka sighed as she leafed through her closet, she was starting to regret not letting Michiru talk her into getting more dresses. Finally throwing up her hands in defeat, she stalked out of her bedroom and flopped down on the couch, her eyes absently gazing out the window at the clear sky beyond. She had taken the day off from school, claiming that she had something she needed to get ready for tonight. For a moment she winced as she thought about how Michiru must be taking all this, then sighed and leaned back. She just couldn't get him out of her mind. No matter what trick she tried, or what she tried to distract herself with, she just couldn't seem to shake his image from the front of her mind. Sighing, she pushed herself up and walked over to the counter, picking up the car keys that lay there. A rueful chuckle escaping her lips she observed, "Looks like I'm gonna have to go shopping." *** He nervously glanced up at the clock on the wall as he sat in the chair, the time seeming to flow in a near suspended state and the seconds ticked by. He carefully examined his indigo silk shirt, searching for any imperfection or irregularity as polished black suede shoes tapped repeatedly against the floor. Unable to remain still, he rose to his feet, and began to pace across the floor, his black dress slacks making a swooshing sound as the fabric rubbed against itself. Running a hand through his black hair, he looked at the silver watch strapped to his right wrist then forced himself to take a deep breath as he sighed, "Relax Ranko, its only 7:05, no need to get worried or nuthin." After nervously pacing about the room for another minute, Ranko forced himself to stop and asked aloud, "Why the hell and am I so nervous? Hell, I've had girls throwing themselves at me for too long already, I should be used to it! I've been on dates before!" But always so you could obtain something, a small voice in his head whispered back. Sighing in resignation, Ranko pulled out the small velvet box and flipped the lid open. The sales lady had assured him that Haruka would love the small glittering diamond earrings, but he still had no idea what possessed him to buy them. Sighing, his slipped the box back into his pocket and idly checked his shirt and pants one more time. A sudden knock at the door jarred his senses back to reality, and sent his mind into a whirlwind of panic. Fighting down the urge to retreat and reconsider his strategy, he would not run away, he walked to the door and took a deep breath before he undid the locks and opened the door. The site he revealed was one that sent his jaw to the floor. Standing before him was Haruka, dressed in a form fitting white dress that hugged her body enticingly from the slim spaghetti straps down to just above mid thigh, her shapely legs bare down to her white heels. She flashed him a nervous smile as she asked, "Hey, can I come in...?" "O-of course!" he almost shouted, quickly stepping away from the door, "Come right in! Make yourself at home!" "Thanks," she responded, then began to carefully walk into the apartment, only to collapse into the first chair she found. With an indignant sigh she spoke, "Damn I remember why I don't wear heels... Almost fell too many times coming up here." "You didn't have to..." he started out. "Shush you," Haruka interrupted, "I wanted to dress this way, I just shoulda gotten used to it first." As he looked her over, his eyes fell upon her slim ears, the earring holes empty. With a slight cough he spoke, "I, uh, noticed you don't have any earrings...." "Yeah, I had a pair in mind, but some jerk bought them just before I got there... The saleslady told me he bought them for a girl he was going out on a date with tonight. Guess I shouldn't have waited, right?" "I dunno..." Ranko asked hesitantly, "Will these do...?" Haruka's eyes widened in surprise as he pulled out the velvet box and gently pulled back the lid, revealing the pair of diamond studs. Her hand shaking slightly, she took the box in her palm and asked, "How did you know?" "I didn't," he responded truthfully, "The saleslady suggested them to me, so I bought them." "Thanks you big jerk," she said with a smile as she tentatively removed the studs from the box and affixed them to her ears, "These were just the ones I was looking for." "So you like them?" he asked hopefully. "Yes, I like them very much," Haruka agreed then grabbed his arm and used it to pull herself up face to face with him, "Let me show you how much..." Before the surprised Ranko could fully respond, Haruka leaned close and caught his lips with her own in a passionate kiss. After a moment, she pulled away to reveal a very shocked and flustered looking Ranko his jaw working as he attempted to respond in some way or another. Giggling impishly, she asked, "How was that?" "That was... ah, that was very ahh.... Oh my..." Ranko tried to respond. "Come on, let's get going," Haruka laughed as she looped her arm around his, "I made reservations and we need to get going." "Uh sure, just lemme lock up..." he responded, finally managing to recover partially from his stupor. "Of course," she responded with a grin, "Just hurry up and come on already! I wanna get going!" "Yes ma'am," he responded with a grin, feeling some of his previous worry drain away. "Just catch me if I start to fall, ok? I'm still not used to these blasted heels." "My pleasure," he responded with a grin, "So where are you taking me?" "Oh, you'll see," she grinned back, "Just come on already." "Yeah, yeah whatever you say," he chuckled, "Lead on lady, lead on." With a grin on her face, Haruka did just that. *** "Gah, I'm REALLY not used to this kinda place Haruka..." Ranko said nervously as he glanced about the restaurant, "I just feel really out of place." "Oh relax," Haruka chuckled as she leaned back and sipped at her water, "It's not so bad if just take your time and mind your manners." "Yeah well, I wasn't ever really taught much in the way of manners," he responded with a grimace, "Got me into more than a few problems." "Ok, just relax, eat slowly, don't make a mess and you'll be fine." "If you say so..." he replied as he eyed the silverware, "But why can't I just use a pair chopsticks for this...?" "Easy, this is an Italian restaurant," she chuckled, "And Italians don't use chopsticks to eat." "Great..." he sighed as he warily picked up the fork in his hand, "I really would just prefer some chopsticks." "Tough luck," she chuckled back, "But if this place bothers you so much, we can go grab ice cream afterwards, deal?" "Deal," he agreed then tentatively speared a leaf of lettuce and brought it up to his mouth before he began took a bite and began to chew is slowly. "Ah, decided to try the salad first?" Haruka grinned, "You're on the right path." Swallowing, he looked at the salad in surprise and remarked, "Not too bad." "Heh," she chuckled with a grin, "Well, Ranko, why don't you tell me more about yourself?" "Me?" he responded in surprise, "What do you want to know?" "How about why you left Nerima?" she prompted. "Why I left..." he sighed, "I was trapped there, I couldn't really cut loose anymore. I just got too good, so I kept having to hold back more and more. Before I came to Nerima, the only times I ever pulled back was when I fought pops, and those times with Ryouga at lunch. I did a lot of street fighting, Pops used me to help make sure he got fat..." "Sounds like a jerk," Haruka growled. "Pops? Yeah, he's an idiot too," he agreed, "Then when I came to Nerima I started to hold back, I wanted to try and make some friends. Unfortunately, I was never very good at that. In fact, the only thing I seem to be good at is making enemies." "What made you want to make friends in Nerima...?" "Well, there was this girl, Akane, who I met in my cursed form. She, thinking I was really a girl, asked if I wanted to be her friend, and then asked me to spar. That was when I started to pull back on my skills, hold back what I was capable of," he sighed, "Then, later, she walked in on me in the bath when I had returned to my male form. Things kinda when downhill from there. The fact that our dad's engaged us didn't help either." "One of the fiancés you were talking about earlier?" "Yeah. She was the one that got me to start holding back. And after a while, I did it without even thinking about it. Took me a while to finally break that habit after I left." "That still doesn't really explain why you left." "Things started getting even worse. Pops and Mr. Tendo, Akane's dad, sprung a wedding on us, which was summarily bombed by everybody else in Nerima. After that, things just got even worse, so I needed to get away. Now seven months later, here I am, having dinner with a beautiful girl that I just met." "What's your mother like?" Haruka asked quietly. "Mom? She's real traditional I think. She's also got a really warped imagination, and can be incredibly dense at times. Then again, I might just be saying that because she could never figure out that her son was the same person as the Tendo's 'cousin.' Then again, the seppuku pledge didn't help either." "Seppuku pledge?" she asked in surprise. "Yeah, when I was six, Pops tricked me into putting an ink hand print on this piece of paper by telling me I was finger painting. I didn't even really know about it until we got to Nerima and she started to come by. Turns out that Pops made the pledge to make sure that I was a 'man among men' or else both of us would commit seppuku. " "And she was actually going to go through with this?" she asked in horror. "She finally decided that I was acting manly enough as a girl and as a guy for me to be a man among men." "It must have been hard for you," she said with a wince. "Yeah, because of Pops, I had to keep hiding from her," he sighed, "He just wouldn't let me near her because he was too damn scared for his own worthless hide. I finally just got sick of it and went to tell her. She found out after I saved her from falling off a cliff, only to have my old man attack me." "Sounds like a jerk. But why wouldn't you talk about this stuff when we were at Mamoru's?" "I dunno," he sighed, "I really don't like to talk about it. Nerima's a touchy subject for me. How about you? What are your parents like?" Haruka winced and sighed, "They're dead." "I'm sorry I didn't mean..." "No, it's all right," she sighed, "My father... My father was a low level member of the Yakuza who wanted to go straight. He was gonna go to the police, but the Yakuza found out about it. They killed both him and my mother." "How did you survive then?" he asked in shock. "A mercy to the rest of my family," she laughed bitterly, "Still, I guess it was of some good as it allowed me to live to become a Senshi." "I'm sorry..." he said softly. "It's not your fault my father was stupid enough to get caught up with the Yakuza," she replied, "His screw up cost enough." "The Yakuza don't like me much," Ranko chuckled, "I cost them a lot of their gambling money." "Aren't you afraid they'll try to do something to you?" Haruka asked, her eyes wide with fear. "They already did," he smirked, "And found out the hard way that you don't mess with me." "What happened?" Haruka demanded hungrily, a gleam lighting across her eyes as she leaned in closer, "What did you do to them." "Well, they came at me one night after I had won a rather large pot, claiming that I needed to pay them for 'protection.' I guess they took offense when I laughed in their faces because then next thing I knew all four of them attacked me." "Not their smartest move I take it?" "Well, I did go a bit easy on them since they had given me such a good laugh, I only broke two of their limbs a piece. Of course, that doesn't include cracked ribs, broken fingers, or jaws though..." "Ouch. So what happened after that? I rather doubt they just gave up after you humiliated them like that." "They didn't but hey, I found out who the local Yakuza boss was in the area and paid him a visit. I think I shocked him when I suddenly appeared over his bed that night... Especially since I had gotten past all his guards and security." "What did you do?" she asked worriedly. "Just asked him to lay off trying to extort money from me because I had enough of dealing with that kinda problem. And that I didn't want any trouble with the Yakuza, if they left me alone, I'd leave them alone." "And he agreed to that?" she responded in shock. "Why wouldn't he?" Ranko countered with a grin, "I had just bypassed all his security, and gotten into his bedroom totally unnoticed. He didn't like the idea of what I could do if I got pushed." "But how did you get in undetected?" "A forbidden technique my pops developed," he responded with a shrug, "When I'm using it, I'm basically invisible. Impossible to detect." "Handy little technique that." "Yeah well, its was designed to be used as a method for stealing. Way of the sneaky thief. But it works." "The way of the sneaky thief?" Haruka snickered. "Yeah basically," he agreed, "Still, it works, so I won't complain." "Heh." "Ya know, I still don't know what it is you Senshi do... Well, ability wise at least." "Heh, I'll tell you about it later, when we're in a less public place." "Sure, sure. So how do I eat this stuff?" he asked indicating the noodles in white sauce in front of him. "Here, let me show you," she responded with a smile as she moved her chair around to be sitting next to Ranko, "It's not that hard." *** "Well, this hasn't been half bad," Ranko admitted as he took a bite from the sundae in front of him, "Guess I'm still expecting one of my old fiancés to suddenly pop up and try and ruin this." "Just relax and enjoy yourself," Haruka chuckled as she watched Ranko down the sundae, "I still can't believe that you're still hungry after all that!" "Heh, well, I did warn you," Ranko smirked, "Still getting used to taking my time eating... Well, guess it's another of my bad habits from Nerima." "Well, I guess being raised on the road didn't lend much to your learning manners," she conceded. "Nah, it was having to fight my dad for food everyday. I had to eat as much as I could as fast as I could, otherwise I wouldn't get anything." "Your father stole food from you?" "All the time," he responded sadly, "For most of my life, if we were down to one ration of food, he'd beat me up and take it." "What a jerk!" she growled. "You won't get any argument about that from me," he agreed, "After all the shit he put me through, he deserves what he's getting... If he's managed to survive." "What do you mean?" "Well, in order to find out where I could find a good tournament and get a little money to bet on myself, I sold information regarding my father's location to someone that would in turn sell it to people who wanted to know where my father was." "So you sold out your father...?" "Least I could do for all the times he sold me out," Ranko snorted, "He's caused me no end to my troubles, in fact he once sold my for a bowl of rice and a pickle." "You're kidding right?" she responded incredulously. "Nope," he responded with a shake of his head, "Though I do wanna know what kinda father agrees to engage his daughter to the son of a wandering marital artist for a dowry of that rice and a pickle. Then he has the nerve to try and spring an engagement on my claiming that is was my duty to accept it, despite the fact that thanks to him I had numerous girls engaged to me. I still won't forgive him for when he agreed to engage me to Kodachi... Ugh!" "I take it this Kodachi wasn't that attractive of a girl...?" she offered. "She was attractive, the only problem was that she was an obsessed psycho... with a matching brother. Neither of them could ever figure out that my male and female forms were the same person. So, Kodachi tried to marry my male half, and kill my female half, while her brother, Tatewaki, tried to do the opposite. Kodachi also had a thing about deception and poisons, not the most enjoyable person. And her laugh! Ugh!" "Sounds fun," Haruka commented dryly. "Yeah, Kuno, well they're both named Kuno, but we never really called the guy Tatewaki, also talks like he's a few centuries back in time. Talking with a bunch of these and thous and stupid stuff like that, and he was always spouting out poetry and making these stupid speeches." "Stupid speeches...?" she responded, her eye twitching slightly. "He was always proclaiming how he would free the 'Pig-tailed Goddess' from the clutches of the 'foul sorcerer Saotome.'" "Oh, so you were a foul sorcerer were you?" she asked with a grin. "Until a few days ago, the only thing magical about me were curses," he counted. "Curses? As in plural?" "Long story," he sighed, "Lets just say I'm pretty sure I've got it down to just the Jusenkyo one now." "Ah, so why don't you just see if Crystal can help you remove it?" she asked a bit reluctantly. "Huh? Wow, there's an idea I didn't consider," he admitted, "But, now that I think about it, I don't really want to get rid of my curse. At least not yet anyway." "Why not?" "Well, for one, I don't really mind the fact that I turn into a girl now... The biggest thing about it that really bothered me was that I wasn't really a man, after all I had been raised to think girls were weak. " "And now?" "Huh?" "Do you still think that girls are weak?" "Nah, not really," he said with a shrug then grinned, "Just weaker than guys." "Oh funny," she responded sarcastically, "And just how did you arrive at this wonderful deduction of logic?" "All right, name one girl that's even in my league fighting wise." "... For some reason, I don't think there's ANYONE in your league," she countered. "True," he admitted, "I am the best after all." "And so modest about it too," she responded sarcastically, "Seriously, do you honestly believe that bull shit?!" "Nah, not anymore," he responded with a chuckle, "It's just fun to mess with you." "Why you!" she cried as she waved her spoon at him threateningly. "You've got a bit of ice cream on your face," he said suddenly. "Huh?" "Right here," he answered as he reached forward and tapped his finger against her ice cream spotted nose before he drew his finger back and licked it clean, "Tasty too." Blushing slightly, Haruka took a napkin and quickly dabbed her nose then asked, "Did I get it?" "Yeah," he chuckled back, "Hey, I got a question for ya." "What?" "Well, how come you don't wear dresses and all...? I mean normally." "For one, you called it right when you first saw me, I am a tomboy, have been all of my life," she responded with a grin, "I was never really into much girly stuff, always fighting or doing other guy stuff." "Heh, at least you're a cute tomboy," he grinned back, "Ah hell, you're more than cute." "Thanks," she responded with a blush, "And the second reason that I always dressed in guy's clothes was so that there wouldn't be as much hassle for me when I was with another girl." "Oh, the whole...?" "Yup, looking like a guy and a girl on a date is easier than two girls on a date." "I guess so," he responded with a sigh. "Heh," she suddenly giggled. "What?" he asked in confusion, "Why are you laughing at me." "You're the one that's got ice cream on you face this time," she said with a smile, "Right there on your nose." Blinking in surprise, Ranko lifted his finger and wiped off the tip of his nose. He chuckled as he stared at the white cream that clung to his finger. A smirk on her face, Haruka reached over and grabbed his hand as she said, "Here, let me take care of that for you." Pulling his hand close, she leaned forward and gently sucked the ice cream off his finger. With a playful grin on her face, she spoke, "There, all clean." Blushing, Ranko muttered, "Thanks." "Anytime," she replied with a grin, "So are you gonna finish that or just sit there blushing?" "Humph," he snorted, "I'm taking my time." "And if you keep going at that rate you'll never finish," she pointed out. "Fine... Just don't blink," he responded with a sudden grin. "What's that supposed to mean?" "This!" he responded, then tore into the hefty remainder of the sundae, reducing it to an empty bowl in a matter of seconds. Picking up a napkin, he carefully dabbed away the ice cream that had gotten on his lips and cheeks then smirked, "Get all that?" Haruka merely stared wide-eyed at the guy in front of her, until she was finally able to whisper, "No way..." "If you say so, but I think the ice cream would disagree with you." "And I thought that Usagi was bad," Haruka moaned, "How on earth did you eat that fast?!" "Practice," he smirked, "I already told you about my pops remember?" "I still can't believe it though." "Heh, well, they say seeing is believing." "I saw, and I still don't believe." "Heh, come on, let's get going, we still have some private stuff to talk about." "What kind of private stuff...?" she asked with a purr. "Senshi stuff," he responded as he got up, "You know, stuff we have to talk about in private?" "Yeah, I know," she sighed as she rose herself, "We can start talking when we get to the car." "Sure, no problem," he nodded, "Just let me pay." As he slipped a few bills to the cashier, Haruka waited patiently by the door, gently leaning against its frame. Suddenly, a hand reached out and flattened itself right next to her head as she found herself staring into a pale, leering face. An evil grin on his face, the man asked, "Hey there baby, looking for a good time...?" "Not with you I'm not," she responded briskly before attempting to leave. The man's other hand shot out and landed on the other side of her neck, his grin growing feral in nature, "You sure...? Wouldn't want to have to mar that pretty little face of yours." "I think the lady told you to buzz off," another voice suddenly sprang up, "And I suggest you listen." "Or what?" the man sneered back as he turned his head slightly, looking to where Ranko stood watching him, "You gonna do something punk?" "Why do they always have to be so stupid?" Ranko muttered then shook his head, "I ain't gonna do anything. She'll do more than enough to you on her own." "Whatever ya little pansy...." the man sneered then turned back to the girl, "So come on sweetie, why don't you and me go somewhere for a little fun?" "I told you no," she spat back, "Now move, or else." "Or else what?" he sneered back. "I warned you," she snorted then lashed out with a fierce kick, slamming her foot deep into his groin. The man whimpered slightly, then slowly collapsed to the floor curling into a fetal position as his eyes filled with tears of pain. Snorting in distain, Haruka stepped over the quivering body and looked at Ranko, "Shall we go?" Nodding Ranko took one last look at the man and commented, "I warned ya man." "Oh come on Ranko," Haruka snapped, "That guy isn't worth our time!" "Yeah, coming," he chuckled as he followed her out of the ice cream parlor, "I see why that guy at the restaurant was so hesitant to mess with you." "I don't like creeps," she growled, "Period." "Hey, me neither," he responded as he waved his hands, "I just tend to go a bit easier on them. You know, just beating the crap outta them?" "He was warned," she responded with a shrug, "He should've listened." "Sure, but couldn't you have just kicked his ass or something?" "Yes, but it wouldn't have had such a lasting impression." "Great..." "Oh relax, it's not like I'll ever do anything like that to you." "Yeah, I won't let you." "Take all the fun out of it." "You call that fun?" "Well..." "Great, why do I always get stuck with the sadistic ones?" "I am NOT sadistic!" she objected. "Uh huh..." he replied with a grin, "At least you're a cute sadistic tomboy." "Grr... " "Oh lighten up," he chuckled, "I'm just kidding with you." "Fine," she sighed, "Let's just get to your apartment, you still wanna know about the Senshi, right...?" "Yup," he replied with a nod, "We can talk there." "Yeah, talk there..." she responded uncertainly. *** "Setsuna, where's Haruka?" "Hmm...?" the woman responded as she looked up from a book, "Oh, she's out taking care of something, she should be back later tonight or tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" the aqua haired girl responded in surprise, "Why so late?" "Because the business might last well into the night, and she'll have to find a room and come back in the morning." "Why didn't she tell me about this?" Michiru demanded. "Must have slipped her mind," Setsuna responded with a calm yawn, "Why are you so worried?" "She's been acting strange." "It's been getting strange around here lately," Setsuna countered, "You're probably just over reacting." "Setsuna..." "What?" "What's going on?" Michiru demanded firmly. Setsuna sighed and gave Michiru an annoyed look, "Why does there have to be something going on?" "Because you and Haruka have been acting really weird," Michiru countered. "So? How does that define itself as there being something wrong? You're being paranoid, you know that?" "I think I have good enough reason to be!" "And I don't," Setsuna replied then once more picked up her book, "Things are just changing Michiru, that's all. You'll understand eventually." For a moment, the aqua-haired girl merely stared at Setsuna, then she turned and stalked into her bedroom. Once Setsuna heard the door shut, she put down the book and spoke up, "You can stop pretending to not be listening now Hotaru." Guiltily, the young girl stepped out from her room and apologized, "Sorry Setsuna-mama." "Oh relax child," the woman chuckled, "You didn't do anything wrong." "All right... But why was Michiru-mama so upset?" "She's just worried Hotaru, that's all." "... Should she be?" "No, not really," Setsuna chuckled, "But I imagine that she would be even more worried if I told her what was going to happen." "What do you mean?" the girl asked in confusion. "Relax child, all will be made clear in a few days..." "I think I know why Michiru-mama was so upset." "Oh? Why is that?" "You being so mysterious is really frustrating." *** "Ok, so where do you want to begin?" Haruka asked as she leaned back on the couch, Ranko sitting next to her uneasily. "Well, I guess what all abilities the Senshi have," he responded hesitantly. "Sure," she responded with a shrug, "I'm Sailor Uranus, the Sky Senshi. My powers are based on sky and space. I also have my talisman, the Space Sword." "Talisman?" "Me, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru all have talismans. Mine is the Space Sword like I said. Michiru, Sailor Neptune, who has water-based powers, has the Deep Aqua mirror. Setsuna, whose domain you probably guessed is time, has her Garnet rod, and Hotaru... Hotaru's a special case." "What do you mean?" "Hotaru is Sailor Saturn, the Senshi of Silence. Her Talisman is the Silence Glaive." "Silence?" he asked curiously. "She's also known as the Senshi of Destruction and Creation... It's in her power to destroy an entire planet." "Wow..." Ranko said in shock, "That's a lotta firepower." "You could probably do the same," she responded with a shrug, "With Crystal's help at least." "Yer kidding right...?" he responded with a worried expression on his face." "'Fraid not," she sighed, "You're a very powerful force now." "I was a powerful force before," he snorted, "I don't really want that much power." "Then don't use it," she said with a shrug, "Why use something you have no need of?" "Yeah, I guess yer right, it's just knowing that I have that power... It's kinda scary." "Now you know what Hotaru goes through. Did you know she was tormented because she could heal people?" "What?!" he demanded. "Its true, they were afraid of her because she had the ability to heal people's wounds, even when she's in her civilian form. But to truly use her healing abilities it's best if she's in her Senshi form and using the Silence Glaive." "Poor girl..." he sighed. "Yeah, she's been through a lot." "And what about the rest of the Senshi?" "Yeah, well, first there's Ami. Her powers are water based like Michiru, but hers also incorporate ice and mist. Her attacks are probably the weakest of us, but she's the smartest so she makes up for it with brains and strategy." "That's good to know... She does good in school too?" "Yeah, she probably the smartest person at Juuban." "That's good to know, just in case I might actually take school seriously." "Of course," Haruka grinned, "So Setsuna roped you into it...?" "Yeah, basically," he sighed, "I start the day after tomorrow." "Good..." she responded with a secretive smile, "So, want me to continue...?" "Sure, go ahead." "Ok, next there's Rei, she's got fire as her power, but she also uses spirit wards and gets visions on occasion." "Heh, good to see she's putting Hino-san's training to good use." "You mean her grandfather?" "Yeah, she told you about how I know him right?" "Yes, the night before the park," she responded with a nod, "She told us about the Neko-ken mainly, and how much you gave her to pay back for what your father stole." "That doesn't even begin to pay back Hino-san for what he did for me," he sighed, "But it's a start." "Heh, yeah well, 120,000 yen is a nice chunk of cash. Rei's taking us shopping with it." "Don't get her to blow all of it," he chuckled back, "I want her to enjoy at least some of it herself." "She will, don't worry about it," she responded with a smirk, "Moving on, we have Minako next." "What're her abilities." "Heh, hers are based on the power of love." ".... You're kidding me right?" he responded incredulously. "Nope," she chuckled, "There's the Love-Me-Chain, the Love and Beauty shock, the..." "I get the point!" he sighed, "She doesn't have anything that can make someone fall in love with someone else does she?" "Nah, that wouldn't really be love I don't think," she responded with a shrug, "And besides, that just wouldn't be right." "Good," he responded with a sigh of relief, "I've had WAY too much trouble with love potions and such." "You have?" "Yup, nasty stuff," he replied with a shudder, "Really nasty." "Ouch..." she winced, "Anyway, Minako might be boy crazy, but she would never do something like that." "Ok, so what about Makoto and Usagi?" "Makoto's are plants and lightning." "Plants and lightening?" he asked amusedly. "Yes, I know it's strange. Still, she's a great cook." "She is...?" he asked, a gleam in his eyes. "Oh boy," she sighed, "And I'm sure she'll probably bring you a home made bento as soon as she finds out that you're going to Juuban... You are going to Juuban aren't you?" "Yeah, and I bet she already knows that I'm gonna be going there, Setsuna was gonna call her and Minako in from class today." "Oh? Why?" she asked curiously. "Easy, I had a 'dream' with them." "Oh, so they're in the club now?" she chuckled. "Yup, Setsuna was gonna explain some of the... Side-effects..." "Oh, I bet she was... Well those two have always had trouble with relationships so..." "Why? They're both good looking enough..." "Never really could figure it out..." Haruka admitted, "It always seemed weird to me." "I guess so. So what about the esteemed Usagi? Other than her poor tastes in a boyfriend that is." "Well, Mamoru's not quite THAT bad..." she responded in the man's defense, "They were also lovers in their life during the Silver Millennium, so...." "Hold it, she was a princess back then right?" "Yeah, the Moon Princess, why?" "And he was...?" "The Prince of Earth." "... You're kidding right?" "Nope, but the Moon and the Earth weren't exactly on the best of terms back then either..." "Huh? Why not?" "Mainly because of Beryl I think." "Beryl...?" "She was the one that, with the backing of Metallia, destroyed the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Millennium. She was an Earth noble who was in love with Edition, Mamoru's former self." "... So she destroyed it all out of jealousy?" "Yeah, basically," Haruka sighed, "From what I understand, Usagi finally killed Beryl a few years back. Queen Serenity had only been able to seal her away instead of destroying her and she finally started to break free at the same time Usagi became Sailor Moon." "All right, so any other reasons she lets him treat her like that?" "Well, there used to be Crystal Tokyo... But now..." "Now he bailed on her again. Man what a jerk." "He isn't a jerk," Haruka sighed, "He just doesn't know what he's doing." "If you say so," he sighed, "So what else would you like to talk about?" "Well, for one, why is this place so barren?" she asked as she indicated the undecorated walls and furniture, "Why is it so... Plain?" "Hmm...? Whadda ya mean?" he asked in confusion, "Why would it be any other way?" "Maybe to liven the place up a bit? Make it more... I dunno, interesting?" "Uh, why?" he responded dully, "It's got all I need, why would I want to add in anything else?" She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head and sighed, "Men..." "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded. "Oh, never mind Ranko," she said with a smile, "Just most people I know tend to decorate their places more, make it more inviting." "I guess. I just never really saw the point." "Hmm..." "What?" "Well, I just noticed something else." "What?" "That you have a very nice looking bed..." she purred as she leaned over and crawled on top of him, "And you're cute when you're clueless." "Uh Haruka I don't th-mph!" he started before she cut him off with a kiss. For a moment he struggled uneasily against the kiss attempting to not give in to Haruka's demanding mouth, however, as the moments ticked by, he found his body responding to her stimulating touch and her fingers wandering over his body. Finally, he moaned into her mouth and wrapped his arms around her waist, his tongue reaching out to intertwine with hers. After a few moments, their mouths broke apart and they stared into each other's eyes. "You sure about this?" he asked uncertainly, "I mean, I could..." "No," she responded with a shake of her head, "No 'just add water' to this mix... I've already dreamt of that side of you... It's time I got to know the real you." "I'm not sure if I can do this..." he said uncertainly, acutely aware of how her body rubbed against his. "I am," she whispered back, "And I think you are, so what's holding you back?" "I... I'm not sure..." "Then just relax," she breathed as she gently nibbled on his ear, "You do know what to do, remember...?" "But... I've never actually..." "Just remember the dream Ranko, and take it from there..." After another brief moment of hesitation, he nodded and gently bent down to kiss her, and from there, simply followed his dreams. *** The flames roared all around her, pushing her back, away from the screaming cries for help. Her blue eyes wide with fear, Rei whirled around the images of her friends burning alive searing into her mind. Finally, her gaze settled upon Usagi, her friend's body writhing in pain as the flames raged against her, her eyes pleading with Rei to help her. Without hesitating, the raven-haired girl leapt forward, intent upon dashing into the flames to save her friend. However, she found herself knocked back by some unseen force, almost like an explosion, that forced her away from the flames. Again she tried to leap into the flames, then again, only to find herself repelled each time. Usagi's painful screams echoed in her mind as she finally fell to her knees and was forced to watch as Usagi continued to burn. She couldn't do anything for her, she realized, she had lost her. No, not just her she corrected as she looked around and took in all the other burning forms around her, she had lost them. "They aren't lost." "What?" she asked in surprised, amazed at the voice that had sounded so clear to her even through the roar of the fire and the screams of her friends. "You haven't lost them," the voice persisted, whispering into her ear from behind her, "You don't have to lose them." "But what can I do?" she wailed hopelessly, "I can't even reach them, the fire won't let me!" "Then put out the fire," the voice responded reasonably. "What? How?" "Just will it out, this a dream you know." "This is just a dream?" she responded in shock, "But... But I can feel the heat! Hear their screams!" "Oh? Then why are they burning?" "What...?" "Why are they burning? If this isn't a dream, surely you must know the reason." "Because... Because.... I don't remember why! It doesn't matter! I can't let them burn!" "Then save them," the voice, now noticeably male sighed, "All you have to do is try." "But I have been trying!" "No, you've been failing, there's a difference." "If it's so easy, you do it!" "I can't," he responded softly, gently running his fingers across her bare back, "This is your dream, your nightmare, your fear. All I can do is walk by your side, you're the one that has to overcome it." "But... I don't know if I can!" "Why not? Aren't they your friends?" "Yes!" "Then you have to save them, don't you?" "But..." "There isn't any but about it, you don't have any choice do you? You have to save them." "I... I..." "Why do you hesitate?" "I can't save them! I tried! I failed!" "Then try again. Or are you willing to just let your friends suffer like that?" For a moment, fear again crossed her face, then it slowly dissolved into a look of firm determination. Once more she approached the flames surrounding Usagi and once more she pushed against them. Like before it pushed back, but she merely grit her teeth and pushed back even harder. For a time, she wasn't sure how long, they were locked in that battle, her and the flame, each refusing to give in to the other. Then, finally, the flame relented, and broke, setting off a chain reaction that moved on from flame to flame, each fragmenting into oblivion, revealing the person they had imprisoned. She stood there for a moment, basking in the thrill of triumph, then she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist. His voice whispered into her ear, "See, you did it." "I did, didn't I?" she asked in wonder. "You've got to remember, you can't give up," he whispered back. "But... But what if I do fail?" "Hmmm...?" "What if I do fail, and I lose them? What if I can't win?" The darkness seemed to grow around them, growing stronger with her words. Gently, he forced her to turn around and face him, their sapphire eyes meeting as he held her gaze with his own. In a soft clear voice he spoke, "Then you have to let go. Even I know you can't win every battle... Sometimes you lose, and sometimes people lose their lives because of it. The only thing you can do is make sure you do everything in your power to make sure that doesn't happen. But sometimes... Sometimes that's not enough." "But..." "I wish I could say that everything will always turn out for the best, but that's a lie. I'm sorry. Things go wrong." "And when they do?" "You grieve, you suffer, and then you move on." "And if you can't move on?" "Then you die, and leave others to grieve and suffer for you." "... So I don't really have a choice, do I?" "You always have a choice, however, it's up to you whether or not that choice becomes an option." "Meaning that it's not an option for me," she responded with a sigh. "You are strong enough to go on you know. And after all, death isn't the end." "I'm not so sure," she sighed. "Well I am," he replied with a chuckle, "I've talked with the dead once already, so I'm sure that there's an afterlife waiting for us." "You sure...?" "Of course," he responded, "I just talked to one the other night. Usagi's mother in fact." "But Usagi's mom's still alive..." "Not the one from the Silver Millennium," he pointed out. "You talked to Queen Serenity?!" "Yup, ask Setsuna about it sometime." "This is really weird, you know that...?" "Heh, I do indeed," he chuckled back before gently nibbling on her ear, "But it's also rather enjoyable... If you want it to be..." "Ranko...?" she whispered quietly. "Yes..?" "I think... I think I want it to be..." "So do I, so do I..." *** Ami found herself flying uncontrollably through a sea of chaos, all around her things crashing out of control, streaking by without repletion or pattern. She drifted through the seemingly endless storm, unable to find even a stable point of reference, the world spinning and twisting into a whirlwind of sensations. Even the familiar pull of gravity was gone, leaving her totally helpless as her mind continued to desperately search for something, anything which it could grasp onto, some clue as to how she could escape. Finally, she could only let off a tortured scream as she drifted, no longer even able to tell how long it had truly been since she entered this hellhole of chaos. Had it been hours, days, weeks, maybe even years? She couldn't tell, the only thing that seemed to remain the same was that NOTHING remained the same. Twin lines of tears slowly trickled down her face, the liquid trail racing through sensations of fire and ice, switching constantly from temperature to temperature. As sobs wracked her body, she pulled her body close into a fetal position, her face buried in her knees as her arms gripped her legs tightly. Why? Why couldn't she find a way out? There had to be something, some small detail she hadn't found, some weakness to her prison, SOMETHING that would let her escape! And yet, she couldn't find it. As she wracked her mind to come up with some solution, she continued to float through the insanity, her eyes closed tightly even as her face pressed against her legs. Again she found nothing she could use to her benefit, and again, she burst into wave after wave of sobbing, her hope rapidly dwindling away. Trapped alone, in this, this pure insanity! Her head flew backwards as a harsh, primal scream escaped her lips, resounding about her for an instant before vanishing. "Sometimes you can't beat the chaos," a voice suddenly spoke, "You can only survive it." Her eyes snapped open, a slim sparkle of hope shining in the tear spattered orbs. In a desperate, pleading voice she spoke, "Who's there?! Please help me! Please! I can't take this anymore! I just want to get out!" "You can't escape it," the voice responded, a familiar, male voice she noticed, "This essence of chaos and insanity." "There has to be a way out! Some escape!" "Heh, I wish there was," he chuckled sadly, "But this has been what my life has been for a long time." "How can you be so... so callous about this?!" "How else do you think I survive it?" he asked quietly, "You can't really beat chaos. Hell, I've tried, all you can do is adapt to it." "How do can you possibly adapt to this?! There is nothing to adapt to!" "You do the best you can," he countered, "And hope that will be enough." "It's not! There has to be a way to beat this!" "Why?" "Wha...?" "I used to think that too, that there has to be a way to beat the chaos, that I could over come it. Hell, I never lost! But, I also found out that I couldn't win either. No matter what I tried, it would just make things worse. So, I stopped trying to beat it. But I never let it beat me either. I just keep fighting to adapt and survive." "A balance," she said in sudden realization, "That's how you do it... You don't win, but you don't lose. Because there isn't any real way to win." "Yup," he agreed, "That's how I manage at least. Heh, it's kinda funny actually, we both are so used to seeing things as a battle that must be won, that we forget that not everything is necessarily a battle." She could only stare as the world around her began to slow in its chaotic swirling, gradually becoming more and more stable. Finally, she found herself able to find her way, to grasp onto several new anchor points in this reality. She continued to float about, but now she gazed across the realm in a kind of wonder instead of desperation. In a soft, awed tone she spoke, "It's... beautiful..." "I guess," he responded with a shrug, "In a way at least, kinda like a predator though. Beautiful, but very dangerous." "But only if you're not careful," she countered. "And if you get over confidant," he added. For a moment she stared out at the scene before her, then slowly released her legs and looked out at the scene before her. Then in a quiet voice she responded, "True... You can't ever let your guard down can you?" "It's gonna happen," he shrugged, "You're gonna let your guard down eventually, and it will catch you off guard. It always does. When that happens, all you do is sit back, and try to enjoy the ride." "Why do I find that less than reassuring?" she responded with a sigh. "Dunno," he chuckled as his arms wrapped around her shoulders, "Probably because it's really crazy when stuff like that happens." "But you like it don't you?" she spoke as she leaned back into his chest, "You enjoy the chaos." "Maybe a little," he agreed, "After all, chaos creates struggle, and struggle makes you stronger." "And without struggle we grow weak?" "Basically," he chuckled back, "I would never have grown this strong if I hadn't been through all that I have, do you think that you, or any of the other Senshi would?" "No," she agreed after a moment's thought, "I don't think we would have." "Heh, amazing what you can learn from an idiot, isn't it?" "I would have to say that you are most definitely NOT an idiot," she corrected, "You've already taught me quite a bit..." "Then perhaps you'd like to learn a bit more...?" he asked with an audible purr. "Perhaps indeed...." *** Ranko yawned slightly as his eyes cracked open, a smile coming to his lips as he noticed Haruka, once more in catgirl form, lying in front of him. Gently, he reached out with a white furred hand and softly caressed her through the silk sheets. Wait, white furred hand? Silk sheets? Shock quickly burned away the mind numbing haze of sleep that still remained in his mind as he quickly sat up and took in his surroundings. He groaned as he realized he was once more in the bed that Crystal created the night before, the bed underneath him gently rolling up and down as he moved. Gingerly, he surveyed his body, taking note of the changes that had taken place. A coat of silver fur covered his body, a series of black stripes running down his arms, sides, legs, and probably his back he guessed. Gingerly, he felt around his lower back until he found the thick tail that had suddenly grown out from the base of his spine. He shook his head and fell back down into the bed, sighing as he simply laid there and closed his eyes. For a moment, he lay there, his mind drifting aimlessly, until he felt a soft body suddenly lay down on top of his own. Not even bothering to open his eyes, he spoke, "I was wondering how long it was gonna take you to show up Crystal. Though I am curious as to why you brought Haruka along for the ride." "How did you know it was me?" she pouted. "Easy, I can still feel Haruka asleep next to me, so who else would it be?" "Spoilsport," she sighed but made no move to remove herself from his chest. "So why did you bring her along too?" he asked, finally opening his eyes. "Bored," she responded simply, "After all you never want to play with me." "What can I say? I react badly to girls throwing themselves at me." "Humph!" she snorted before reached down and ran a hand through his fur, "I like the new look though." "So the Senshi aren't the only ones that can go cat I see. Why didn't you tell me?" "You never asked, "she responded with an impish grin. "And you just wanted to see my face when I found out on my own," he added. "Well, that too," she agreed. A soft moan alerted the pair to Haruka's awakening, the blonde catgirl groggily opening her eyes as she began to prop herself up. For moment, she blinked sleepily at the pair before she let out a confused, "Wha...?" "Oh, hey Haruka..." Ranko said sheepishly, "This is the pervert that keeps dragging me off and trying to practically rape me. Pervert, this is Haruka." "Funny," Crystal growled. "Pervert...?" Haruka asked, confused for a moment before a light of clarity shone into her mind, "Oh, you mean Crystal..." "Pervert's a better name for her, but if you want to call her Crystal go ahead." "Humph!" the silver-haired girl snorted indignantly. "Any particular reason she's on your chest?" the blonde asked with mild curiosity. "Probably because she felt like it," he sighed, "She doesn't really care if I tell her no." "Grrr..." Crystal growled. "I dunno, she's pretty well put together," Haruka responded as she eyed the silver-haired girl, "How was it that you were able to put her off?" "Automated anti-Amazon response system," he chuckled, "Highly effective in dealing with husband hunting Amazons and girls that come on too strong." "Ah," Haruka agreed as she nodded sagely, "That would work I suppose... Want me to show you how to get to him Crystal?" "What? Traitor!" Ranko said accusingly. "Sure!" Crystal giggled as she slid off Ranko's chest. "Oh relax Ranko," Haruka purred as she crawled over on top of him until she straddled his chest, "You'll enjoy this..." "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" he asked rhetorically. "Hmmm.... I must say your cat form is certainly... Sexy," she purred back as she gently traced her fingers across his fur covered chest, "But I wonder... Crystal, would you be a dear and get some cold water?" "Sure!" the girl responded sweetly then pulled a glass of water out of nowhere, "Will this do?" "Definitely," Haruka agreed as she took the glass, "Time to see just how your other side looks when you go cat Ranko..." "Terrific," he muttered just before the blonde dumped the chill water on his chest. Instantly, Ranko's silver fur changed to a soft orange as his body shrank and shifted. The now female Ranko sighed as he looked up at Haruka and asked, "Satisfied?" "Oh my, I can't decide which side looks better," she responded as she licked her lips, "There's just something about tigers, I think..." "Terrific..." he sighed then turned to Crystal, "Will you please stop drooling already?" "Err... heh heh..." the girl responded before she quickly wiped the corner of her mouth, "I'm gonna have to agree with Haruka here. You just look too good in either form..." "Uh huh, sure," he sighed, "Are you two finished playing around with me yet?" "Ranko, Ranko, Ranko," Haruka admonished as she straddled Ranko's smaller form, "When we're finished with you, you'll DEFINITELY know..." "Uhh.... So you're finished right...?" he asked as he started to sweat slightly underneath his fur. "Hmm... What do you think Crystal, are we done with him yet?" the blonde asked. "I don't know," the girl responded as she tapped her lips, "He has put me off two nights in a row so far..." "Ranko, how could you go and put off a girl's needs like that?" Haruka demanded playfully. "Umm.... I kept my boxers on?" he asked halfheartedly. "Oh! Then you're in luck this time Crystal!" the blonde grinned as her hands shot underneath the sheets and traced a finger along Ranko's hips, "He's not wearing any boxers at the moment!" "URK!" Ranko gulped then stared at Haruka with wide, pleading eyes. "Sorry Ranko, but you're not gonna get out of things that easily!" the blonde said with a feral grin, "After all, you look good enough to eat..." "Oh funny..." Ranko snorted in mock bravado, "Aren't you just the joker." "I'm a whole lot more," Haruka grinned back as she leaned down to look Ranko in the eyes, "As you're about to learn... After all, I've always been curious about what a cat's tongue can do..." All Ranko could do was stare wide-eyed at the grinning Haruka as both she and Crystal moved in on their prey, and this time, he didn't stand a chance. *** The shower was definitely one of his favorite places to be, Ranko decided as he sighed happily. Having the relaxing warm water run down his body was a sensation that he would dearly miss if he ever had to hit the road again. Not that that was an option for him any more. With a sigh, he cut the water off and stood, basking in the steam for a moment, letting his mind wander over the dramatic changes that had taken place in just the last few days. It had been insane. He was now in charge of a group of magical girls, was having nightly dreams with them in it, had lost his virginity, lost his fear of cats, turned INTO a cat, or a least a cat person, and been in a three way with two other girls while HE had be been in girl form. It had been an interesting past few days indeed. Now however, he had to start thinking about what the hell he was going to do in the future. He was starting school tomorrow, so that meant that he was gonna have to start getting ready for people from Nerima to start showing up soon enough. Most likely Ryouga for starters, he had heard of several instances when the lost boy had showed up mere moments after his own departure, and he doubted that he'd be able to hide from him much longer. "So, what am I gonna do now?" he asked the rising plumes of steam, with only silence as his answer. Shaking his head, he opened up the shower and used a towel to dry off before he wrapped it about his waist. Running a hand through his wild and tangled hair, he opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the living room. Noting that Haruka was now awake and on the phone he nodded to her and gestured towards the bathroom, earning a smile and a nod from her. As he moved into the kitchen to start making breakfast, he could hear Haruka speaking, "Relax Michiru, I'm fine. Just taking care of some stuff right now, I'll be back later on today, promise." Raising an eye at her over the counter, Ranko proceed to put on a show for Haruka as he began to make breakfast, food, knives and other utensils flying in a elegant dance of motion, with none of them ever coming close to touching the floor. Smirking at the delighted expression on Haruka's face, he continued to display his own unique combination of cooking and martial arts as she continued with her phone call. "Uh huh, I know you were worried. I told Setsuna, that's why.... All right, I'll be sure to tell you next time... Of course, now could I please talk to Setsuna? I know, same to you." As he looked at her curiously, she rose out of the bed, ignoring the sheets that fell away from her otherwise naked form and walked over to the counter, phone still in hand, "Hey Setsuna, I'm still here... Yup, he's here too, making breakfast in fact.... Yup he cooks too so it seems, I'll get back to you though on whether or not he's any good at it.... Now Setsuna, there's no way I'm gonna answer that over the phone! Besides, I want to tell it to you in person for the full, *ahem* effect.... Yeah, he's right here, you want to talk to him? Sure." Carefully landing the various flying items, he reached over and took the phone from Haruka's hands, gesturing towards the bathroom with a grin as he lifted the receiver to his ear, "Hey Setsuna, what's up?" "Oh nothing much Ranko," the woman on the other end of the phone responded, "But don't you think that two o'clock is a bit late to be getting up?" "As a matter of fact I do," he agreed, "But Haruka and Crystal had other ideas... " "Haruka AND Crystal...?" the woman on the other end responded in mild surprise, "She wouldn't wait any longer I take it?" "Try she and Haruka ganged up on me," Ranko countered, "Not to mention that I was in my cursed form...." "Well now, things just seem to be getting better and better for you don't they? I'll have to see what all you learned from them..." "Not you too..." he groaned, "It was bad enough with those two!" "Heh, Ranko hon, I have a feeling it's only gonna get worse for you then. Don't forget, there are at least six more Senshi that are gonna be interested in more, *ahem* personal time with you." "Oh joy..." he groaned, "Maybe I shoulda just stayed in Nerima. Then I only had four girls after me." "Their loss is our most enjoyable gain," she responded, "So, who were our two lucky contestants last night? Ami, Rei, Usagi...?" "Ami and Rei," he responded with a nod, "Oh, and it turns out that I go cat as well..." "Oh really?" she responded with interest, "And what would you be...?" "Well, I woke up a silver tiger in my male form, and I'm a regular tiger in my female form..." "Ummm... A tiger... How... Sexy..." she purred throatily. "What is it with you girls and tigers?!" he sighed, "Yeesh!" "Well, if we had a little tweak to make us attracted to both your forms it would be safe to assume that...." "CRYSTAL!!" "Ranko please, I don't want to lose my hearing already." "Sorry, man am I gonna..." "Do absolutely nothing as soon as she starts in with the tears," she finished with a chuckle. "Hey, I'm not that bad!" "Sure you aren't Ranko," she responded , "Sure you aren't." "Humph," he snorted, "You really want to get on my bad side don't you?" "Why do you say that?" "First school, now this. What, are you trying to make me miserable? I can tell you that you're doing a wonderful job of it. So well in fact that you're reminding me of someone I used to know. Maybe you've heard of her? Her name's Nabki." "Ranko..." she responded quietly. Immediately he winced and sighed, "Sorry Setsuna, I just don't like the way things are going. Hell, I left Nerima to get away from my girl problems! Now I've got even more!" "And in what way would you call us a problem?" she countered. "Ah hell, you know what I mean." "No, I'm not sure that I do," she responded, a tinge of anger entering into her voice, "But I'm getting damn tired of you avoiding all these questions about your problems from Nerima, and how they relate to what you're going through now!" "You mean you didn't go and just look yourself?" he responded with a blink, "I thought that you already knew about my life since you knew about how I was supposed to die...' "Well, no, not really," she responded, "I knew that you would be the best fighter merely as general knowledge... I don't really know a thing about your life as a whole beyond what I've been told about the Neko-ken." "It would be easier if you just took a look at it yourself," he sighed, "It's really pretty complicated." "Ranko..." "Look I'm serious!" he sighed, "You keep pushing me to do all this stuff, but you don't really know that much about what I've been through! You take a look at my life, and imagine what you'd be like after going through even HALF of what I did." "... All right, I will, but you and I are going to continue this discussion after I do." He took a deep breath then spoke again, "Look Setsuna, I am sorry I yelled at you. I still react way too violently when people confront me. Hell, if I learned how to keep my damn mouth shut half the time I probably wouldn't have even left Nerima!" "Then I suppose I'll have to thank that your mouth for running itself like that," she said quietly, "Because I am glad you came here Ranko. No matter what else, remember that. You helped me find something that I thought wasn't possible. Forgiveness." "Setsuna, I..." "Don't," she responded, "Not another word. Just go back to cooking, and I'll talk to you again soon enough. Oh, and I did manage to get a special excuse for you to not wear a uniform to school tomorrow." "Thanks Setsuna... I'll find you before school tomorrow so we can talk, ok?" "Of course Ranko, see you then," she responded with a sigh before hanging up the phone." "Yeah... see you then," he sighed into the dead receiver, before setting the phone on the counter and going back to cooking. *** "Hey Ami-chan!" Makoto called out as she and Minako noticed the shorthaired girl walking down the street, "How's it going?" "Pretty good Mako-chan," Ami responded with a smile, "I had a very... Interesting dream last night..." "Oh...?" Minako said cautiously, "About what?" "It was nothing I'm sure..." she responded with a blush, "Just a dream..." "Uh huh..." Makoto responded as she judged her shorthaired friend, "Say, what do you think about how Minako looks today?" "What?" Ami responded in confusion. "What do you think about how I look today Ami-chan?" Minako reaffirmed as she rolled her eyes at Makoto. "Well, I don't know, you do seem a bit different," Ami responded as she looked Minako over, "Well, her bow looks cute, and she's got a nice trim waist. Shame she's still got her skirt on, I wouldn't mind... Uh, oh god...." Before Ami could finish her sentence she turned and started to bolt away before Makoto's strong hand shot out and grabbed onto her shoulder tightly. In a friendly, but worried voice, Makoto spoke, "Hey! What's wrong?" "N-nothing!" Ami responded, refusing to look at either Minako or Makoto." The pair exchanged a knowing look before Minako asked, "So how was Ranko? In your dream last night that is." Ami froze, then slowly turned her head around to stare at her grinning friends, confusion written on her face as she asked, "How did you...?" "Welcome to the club Ami-chan," Makoto said with a grin. "What club?" she responded, "What are you talking about?!" "Well, Setsuna explained it to us yesterday," Minako explained as Makoto finally release Ami's shoulder, "It seems that we've all got a few more 'changes' to go through before we're done. The dream is what triggers them. Or at least that's what me and Mako-chan figure." "What kind of 'changes' do you mean?" Ami asked softly. "Well for one, a much broader group to look for dates from," Minako giggled, "I'm sure you can figure that one out on your own." "What do you mean?" Ami asked, her mind still a bit dazed from what Minako had told her. "Ami-chan, you, like the rest of us that have had the dream," Makoto responded before dropping her voice down to a whisper, "Are bisexual now." "But to alter someone's sexual orientation that quickly would be..." Ami started. "Magic," Minako finished with a nod, "And I know for a fact that you're aware that magic DOES exist." "I guess so..." Ami admitted reluctantly. "Besides, we still gotta figure out who else had the dream last night, " Minako added, "Setsuna said they came in twos... Or I think she did at least." "Uh guys...?" Ami asked hesitantly, "Does it strike either of you as odd how easily you just suddenly accepted being bisexual?" "Who said we did?" Makoto countered, "We've just had more than a day to get used to the idea, you just found out. Setsuna told us during school yesterday." "Then why didn't she tell me today?" Ami asked in confusion. "Probably because Ranko hadn't told her," Minako replied, "That's how she found out about us yesterday. And I imagine that Ranko was sleeping in a bit later this morning..." "Why would he do that?" Ami responded in confusion. "Ranko had a date last night," Minako giggled. "Oh..." Ami responded as her face fell. "Relax Ami-chan!" Makoto responded, "We'll all get our chances. Besides, you just have to hear about who Ranko was on the date with!" "Who?" "None other than Haruka!" Minako giggled, "And what's more, he's gonna be in class tomorrow." "Haruka?!" Ami responded in shock then blinked as the second part of the information clicked into her mind, "And he's going to be in class tomorrow? "Yup," Makoto grinned, "I'm covering his lunch, Minako's... doing something. Why don't you help him get caught up with his classes?" "I'll find something I can do for him!" Minako vowed, "I just have no idea what yet." "Come Ami, join us in Operation: Get Ranko!" A slight sweatdrop formed on Ami's face as he friends started to laugh maniacally. What was surprising though, was she couldn't help but join in with a soft giggle, after all, the operation did have such a nice name. *** Haruka stood there, dressed in one of his sets of shirts and pants staring in awe as she watched Ranko dance across the rooftop, his body flowing in a complex weaving of attacks, blocks and dodges. She knew what she was seeing before her, and yet she could barely believe it. His grace and skill were so precise, so incredible, it boggled her mind. Now she knew why Setsuna had declared him to be the greatest warrior of their time, quite simply he was the Art. A living breathing extension of the skills, lessons, and teachings that had been passed down and culminated over thousands of years. At last he paused, breaking his mesmerizing hold over her mind, as the winds danced through his hair, the sweat dampened locks swaying lightly at the air's command. His sapphire eyes smiled at her serenely, filled with such a sense of peace and balance that soaked into her soul. Stretching for a moment, he gazed out over the city, and spoke just loud enough for Haruka to hear, "Rather beautiful isn't it? Not quite as serene as in the morning, but still magnificent all the same." Breaking away from where she had stood like a frozen statue, Haruka carefully made her way over to Ranko's side, her eyes taking in the sight before her as she placed a hand on his shoulder. In a soft voice she spoke, "Yes, I guess it is a bit incredible." "So, enjoy the show?" he asked with a smirk. "What?" she responded in a daze. "Did you enjoy watching me go through my kata," he clarified, "I noticed that you hadn't moved an inch the whole time." "It was incredible," she responded with a slight blush, "I've never seen anyone move that way." "Heh, that wasn't really that much," he chuckled, "You should see what happens when I start putting my ki moves into it." "Ki moves? You mean like that energy blast you did?" "Heh," he chuckled, "That's one kind yeah. But I do have a lot more." "Like?" she asked curiously. "Well, one of my favorites is the 'Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken.' It's a move that lets me attack a lot faster with my arms," he grinned back, "Fast enough to grab roasting chestnuts out of a fire without being burned." "Wow," she responded in surprise, "That's fast. How did you learn it?" A shadow briefly crossed across his face before he responded, "From someone that... Wanted to use me to strengthen her people." "What's that supposed to mean?" "One of the girls that used to chase after me was a Chinese Amazon," he responded, "According to their laws, if an outsider male defeats an Amazon, she becomes married to him. The girl's Great-grandmother then came to help Shampoo, the Amazon, out. The old ghoul was who taught me the move." "A Chinese Amazon named Shampoo...?" Haruka asked with a snicker. "Hey! It ain't funny!" he growled, "She was willing to go to almost any method to get me to marry her. That included challenges, blackmail, lying, and occasionally attempts at magic and potions." "You're kidding right?" Haruka asked incredulously. " "Nope. Shampoo was a nice girl deep down, but... She just doesn't understand much about me, or relationships. I would probably go crazy trapped in life in the Amazon Village, and I doubt that they'd allow me to keep getting stronger. After all, a male that got too strong would be a danger to their way of life." "So, that's why you left Nerima?" "Heh, just one of MANY different reasons," he replied, "It would take me way too long to tell you all of them. And besides, it's about time for you to head home isn't it?" "Huh?" she replied in surprise, then noticed where the sun lay in the sky, "Yeah, I guess I should. I don't want to, but..." "Hey, relax," he grinned back, "You know where to find me, right?" "Yeah, I do," she smiled back, "And I'll use that information to my benefit!" "Good," he smirked back, "Now come on, I need to get you back to the apartment." She smiled broadly and let him wrap his arms around her, basking in the gentle strength he seemed to exude. For a brief moment, she was weightless in the air, then they plunged downwards. In seconds they had landed, and she reluctantly disengaged herself from his arms. With a playful smile she spoke, "You know, we'll definitely have to do that again sometime." "Which?" he asked with a grin, "The date, what came after, breakfast, my workout, or me carrying you?" "All of it," she smiled back, "I had a great time Ranko. And I hope you found it to be the same." "Oh yes, I did indeed," he smiled back, "But next time, lets keep it to a less fancy place, OK?" "Sure, sure," she chuckled as she began to remove her borrowed shirt, "Just don't count on me wearing a dress next time?" "Why not?" he asked playfully, "You look great in one." "Well, if you keep putting it that way..." she responded with a blush, "You may just be able to convince me." "If you say so," he grinned back, "I'll just have to see how convincing I can be." "Yes, you will," she winked back. *** Setsuna shook her head as she poured herself another glass of sake, the rice wine vanishing in an instant just like its predecessor, and just as the one that would follow after likely would as well. After once more pouring herself another drink, she lifted the glass and stared down into the alcohol it contained. She could hardly believe what she had seen of Ranko's life had been real, the situations and chaos reeked of the surreal, and yet, they were as real as the boy himself. A miracle didn't describe the insurmountable odds Ranko must have faced to have ended up as he was after going through all that he had. There just really wasn't a strong enough word to describe it. Ranko had done more than just survive his life, he had risen above it. She couldn't even comprehend how strong his will had to be to keep his sense of honor and compassion, his forgiveness, and yet he somehow had managed it despite all that his life had thrown at him. "So Ranko, I guess you were right," she sighed aloud, "I didn't have any clue as to what you had been through..." "Setsuna-mama, are you alright?" a young voice spoke up timidly. "Just tired Hotaru-chan," she sighed, "Very, very tired." "Have you been crying?" Hotaru asked hesitantly. "Yes, I have child," Setsuna sighed, "I've been crying very hard." "What's wrong?" "I went and saw Ranko's life today from the Time Gates. It was not a pleasant sight." "It was that bad?" "Child, a miracle does not even begin to describe what his survival has been. Both his physical and mental survival." "It couldn't have been that bad, could it? He seemed like a nice person, even if he was mean to Mamoru..." "That child is precisely WHY he is so amazing. For him to still be the way he is after all he's been through, is TRULY amazing." "You mean he's had a hard life?" "Hard wouldn't even begin to describe it I don't think child. You'll understand when I show the rest of you." "If you say so..." Setsuna smiled softly at the young girl before gently patting the girl's shoulder, "I know it's hard to believe child, but... It is true. You will understand soon enough." "Ok." "Now tell me, what do you think of your new form?" the green-haired woman asked. "Well, I haven't really tried it out much, " Hotaru confessed, "Michiru-moma, doesn't seem to like it." "You still didn't answer the question," Setsuna smiled, "What do you think of it?" "Well, I kinda like it," she responded hesitantly, "It feels really cool, and I don't feel as weak when I'm in it." "That's good to hear," the woman smiled back, "Have you managed to learn how to keep the transformation under control?" "Kinda, I think," she sighed, "It's hard though when all those people pick on me at school." "I'm sorry about that Hotaru," Setsuna sighed, "You shouldn't have to go through that." "It's not that bad," she smiled back, "That don't try to hit me anymore at least." "I suppose that should be some consolation," she sighed heavily, ignoring how the words didn't really fit how she felt, "Why don't you try spending more time in your new form for a while?" "You sure...?" the girl asked hesitantly.' "Of course Hotaru," Setsuna smiled back, "Don't worry about it." "Okay!" she responded happily, then concentrated for a moment willing the change to wash over her. Setsuna's smile grew larger as she watched the soft purple fur wash over Hotaru's body as the cat ears suddenly popped out on top of her head, and her tail rose from underneath her skit. A frown passed over the green-haired woman's face as she spoke, "Why don't you go change into some sweats Hotaru? That way you won't have to worry about your tail being caught underneath your skirt." "Sure!" she responded, then rushed into her room to change. "You shouldn't encourage her," another voice suddenly spoke up. "Oh relax Michiru," Setsuna sighed, "Let the girl relax and have some fun." "It's dangerous," Michiru responded. "So is riding with Haruka," Setsuna countered, "And you still let her do that." "That's different," Michiru responded defensively. "No, not particularly," Setsuna disagreed, "And it's not gonna hurt her to have a little fun. Afterall, we're going to be stuck with these forms for a while, so we might as well get used to them." Michiru winced as Setsuna shifted into her own feline form before she responded, "We still don't fully understand what's going on Setsuna, we should wait and try to figure things out more before we rush into things." "Michiru, why are you so worried?" Setsuna sighed, "You're usually more relaxed and easy going." For a moment, Michiru didn't respond, then finally, she spoke, "Things have just been getting too strange lately. I don't really know what to make of things any more and what's worse... What's worse is I think I'm losing Haruka." "Is that what's been bothering you?" Setsuna chuckled, "You really shouldn't worry about that so much, things have just been a bit crazy lately. Everything will work out fine, you'll see." "I just feel like I'm losing her Setsuna," she sighed, "I just feel so alone..." "Relax," she smiled, "Things will be fine the day after tomorrow, you'll see." "I hope so," Michiru sighed, "I really hope so..." *** "Are you sure about this Luna?" a white shorthaired house cat asked worriedly from where he stood perched on the balcony outside Ranko's apartment, "We don't even know this guy..." "Don't be foolish Artemis," the black cat responded back, "We cannot allow the crystal to fall into anyone but the Princess' hands!" "But the girls did say that the crystal chose him," Artemis argued, "We really don't know what's going on exactly." "Do you want to see Crystal Tokyo come about or not?" Luna demanded. "Well, yes but..." "Then we have to make sure that the crystal is returned to Usagi!" "Ya know, when you're standing outside the window where the person you're planning to steal from lives, it's generally considered a good idea to keep quiet," another voice suddenly spoke up. Both cats immediately froze where they stood and slowly looked up to Ranko hanging from the rooftop above them. A smirk on his face he let go of the roof and effortlessly twisted to land on his balcony with out a sound, "Not to mention actually thinking that you could steal from me." "Umm.... Meow?" Artemis said hopefully. "Heh, nice try, but Crystal already told me about you two. The Moon Cats Luna and Artemis, correct?" "How did you know that, and who is Crystal?" Luna demanded. "Humph," Ranko snorted, "You're hardly in any condition to demand anything from me. I suggest that you just go away." "Not until you give us back the crystal and answer our questions!" Luna growled. "I said no." he replied flatly. "You have no idea what will happen if you don't return the crystal to Usagi!" she cried desperately. "Wrong," he countered, "I know exactly what won't happen if I don't return it to her. Crystal Tokyo will never be formed." Luna could only stare at Ranko with a shocked expression on her face, leaving it to Artemis to speak up, "So, you uh, don't really like Crystal Tokyo...?" "Never been there so I wouldn't know. However, I won't let how it was supposed to be founded come to pass." "Without Crystal Tokyo, the future is doomed!" Luna declared after finally recovering. "Hardly," he snorted back, "WITH Crystal Tokyo, the future is doomed." "Rubbish!" Luna responded. "Have you even given a thought as to how Usagi's little cleansing would affect things in the long run?" "It will remove all the evil from everyone and make the world peaceful!" "No, that's the short term affect," he countered, "In the long run, it's a poison that will slowly kill off what's left of humanity." "What do you mean?" Artemis asked curiously, ignoring the venomous glare Luna had cast at him. "Easy, without the ability to experience 'evil' feelings, let alone make a choice between then, there won't be any struggle. Without struggle people will go weak and stupid." "That's ridiculous!" Luna declared. "Oh really? Then why was it that the Black Moon Family was able to defeat Crystal Tokyo so easily, only to fall to the girls in their current forms?" The black Moon Cat only glared at him angrily in response as Artemis spoke up, "Ya know, he does have a point. That's also probably why Beryl toppled the Moon Kingdom." "Artemis how could you side with him!?" Luna screamed in outrage. "Easy, because unlike you, he's actually thinking about this," Ranko snorted, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. If I still hear you screaming out here in five minutes, I'll just see how well you land on your feet from this high up." "You wouldn't!" Luna responded challengingly. "On second thought I'm getting a bit hungry..." he responded, shifting into his tiger form, "And you're about the right size for a snack." Luna gulped nervously as she found herself staring into his menacing blue eyes, his lips curled into a hungry snarl. Not wasting anymore time, the black Moon Cat immediately jumped to the edge of the balcony then carefully leapt down to the one below them. Casting Ranko one last, apologetic look, Artemis jumped to the ledge and quickly followed after Luna. Muttering under his breath, Ranko entered his apartment, making sure to lock the balcony door securely behind him, and quickly dialed a number on his phone. After listening for someone to finally pick up, he spoke, "Hey Setsuna? We got a problem..." *** "Okay Setsuna, I'll be sure to tell her to back off," Usagi sighed, "Talk to you later." Why did Luna have to be so stubborn she wondered. That cat tended to be far too uptight and stubborn sometimes. Shaking her head, she carefully undid her odangos and let her hair fall gently down her back. With a smile, she slipped into her pajamas and practically dove under the warm covers of her bed. As the gentle warmth of the blankets soaked into her body, she began to relax, letting her mind drift off towards sleep. A contented smile crossed her face as she slipped away from the world, slipped away from the hurt that Mamoru had caused. For a time, her mind slept uninhibited by the encroachment of the realm of dreams. Then, suddenly, she found herself cast into a realm of shadows, her mind whirling in confusion as she stared around her. Timidly, she called out, "Hello...?" "Well, if it isn't the cry baby," a voice sneered back, "Come to whine about how pathetic you are again?" "What..." she replied in shock, taken aback by the cruel tone directed at her. "Such a weak little girl," another voice spoke up, "She can't even help herself out, always relying on everyone else to bail her out of trouble." "She can't even keep her boyfriend happy enough for him to not break up with her!" a third snorted in contempt, "Utterly pathetic." "It's a wonder the rest of the Senshi didn't side with Uranus and Neptune when they didn't believe that she was the Moon Princess." "Of course, think of what Queen Serenity must be saying to have a child as pathetic as she is. Or maybe she's not even the Queen's daughter at all! Maybe she's just some fluke that happens to look like her!" "Probably, after all, she couldn't even hold onto the crystal! Serenity probably just got disgusted with her and gave up!" "The rest of the Senshi are probably thinking the same thing! After all, what use is she now that she doesn't have the power of the crystal to back herself up with?" "STOP IT!" she screamed, "STOP IT NOW!!!" "Oh look, the worthless little fool thinks she can order us around!" "It's a wonder they've put up with her as long as they have isn't it?" Usagi only whimpered pathetically as the voices continued to tear into her emotions, digging out every sensation, every feeling of failure and inadequacy. "Don't forger her abominable grades!" the voices continued. "And of course that she can never get to school on time! Always sleeping in!" "Of course, what can we expect from a girl as pathetic as her? I mean, have you seen the way she eats? She's more of a pig than a person!" "Stop it..." she whisper pathetically, "Please just leave me alone." "Oh look the poor little girl is crying! Oh boo hoo! Just like her to fail so easily." "Think of all the times her friends have had to DIE to save her! She couldn't even give her own life to save them!" "That's enough," a new voice called out as a young man appeared among the shadows. "Oh look, the little girl has to have someone come and save her again," the voices continued. Ignoring the taunting of the voices, he kneeled down in front of Usagi and spoke softly, "It is all right to cry you know, if you cry for the right reasons." "W-what?" she responded hesitantly. "Crying is nothing to be ashamed of," he replied, "But you shouldn't waste your tears on them." "Why not? I'm nothing.... Why should it matter if they see my tears?" "Oh yes, lets us see your tears pathetic one!" the voices laughed, "Show us how worthless you are!" "You know what they're saying is nothing more than a lie," he responded, ignoring the taunts, "But why do you let yourself believe them?" "I always screw up!" she moaned, "I couldn't even stay the wielder of the crystal!" "The crystal didn't leave you because you screwed up. The crystal left because someone else screwed up. You were never meant to be Sailor Moon. You were always meant to be the Moon Princess, and eventually the Queen. However, when they selected you to be Sailor Moon, they screwed everything up. Crystal needed to find a new leader because of the conflicts you had with being both the Moon Princess and Sailor Moon." "It still doesn't change the fact that I'm worthless..." she responded dejectedly, "I've never been good enough!" "Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" he snapped, "Is this really how you want to live?! As someone who is so full of their own self pity that they won't even live?!" "I..." "Dammit! I've talked to your friends, I know what they think of you! They all love you very dearly. And do you have any idea just how important you are to them?" "How could I be...? I'm always getting them killed!" "Wrong. You're a very special person Usagi, and your friends know that. To them you're so special that they're willing to give their lives to save yours." "But I don't deserve it!" she cried, "I'm not worth it!" "And that is because you can't see the light shining from within your own soul," he responded with a smile, "As long as your friends know you're still alive, they know that there's still hope, and that there's still a chance. Don't you understand Usagi? You ARE their hope, whether or not you want to be, you have proven yourself worthy enough to be that for them. They trust you Usagi, don't you trust THEIR judgment?" "I... yes, but..." "But what...?" "I can't even keep Mamoru from leaving me, how can I save my friends?" "... Why do you let him do that to you?" "What?" she asked in confusion. "Why do you allow him to walk all over you like that? Dropping you one moment, and then just coming back for you later." "It's not like that!" she protested, "It's just sometimes, he needs to think about things that are going on in our relationship on his own." "A relationship is supposed to be between people. It won't work if he keeps taking off every time something comes up." "But, we love each other!" "It sounds more like you're afraid to let go of him..." he responded quietly, "I want you to take a deep close look at how you feel about him. Don't answer immediately! Just think about it for a bit first." "All right..." she responded hesitantly, then grew quiet. For a time she sat there among the shadows, her mind turned inwards upon itself, looking deep into her own soul. As she sat there meditating, he lay down on his side and watched her, his eyes rolling over her body, from the calm, serene expression on her face, to the small digits of her toes. Shaking his head he could only wonder at why Mamoru continued to push her away. If one of the girls had been like her back in Nerima... Ah well, best not to think of such things. For a few more moments she maintained her trance, then slowly her crystal blue eyes opened and stared forward. In a soft voice he asked, "And what did you find?" "I... I'm not sure," she sighed, "It's all so confusing." "Relationships tend to be, I guess," he shrugged, "I kinda envy you in a way though." "Why?" "You had someone who at least listened to you before jumping to conclusions. Even if he's a jerk." "It's just too weird!" she sighed then looked at him, "I still can feel something for Mamoru, but..." "But...?" "But why do I feel something for you even more?" He looked at her for a moment, then gently pushed himself up and walked over to where she lay. Slowly, he kneeled down before her until his face was only a few inches from her own. In a gentle voice he asked, "Am I really that bad?" "What? No!" she responded in surprise, unable to tear herself away from those indigo eyes, "It's just that I've been in love with Mamoru for so long... So very long..." "Heh," he chuckled, "I suppose that is something important to consider." As he looked at the world around him he wondered aloud, "I wonder why I'm still here...?" "What do you mean?" she asked in confusion. "This is a dream," he replied with a smile, "Created through the bond we share... Mainly it's your dream, but I'm free to move about it. To interact, and to help you out, but usually, after I've already help one of you overcome your fear, I leave... Uhhh... Oh crap..." "What's wrong?" she asked. "Well for one, this is A LOT different from the other dreams..." he sighed, "I never really interacted much more than coaching them to face their fears, with you... With you I'm actually holding a conversation while you're not scared out of your mind. And two..." "And two?" "And two, normally after I helped them out with their fears, things got a bit, *ahem* intimate." "..." she simply stared at him. "Stop looking at me like that!" he said in a panicked voice, "It just kinda happens!" "You just kinda happen to have sex with them in their dreams...?" she replied slowly. "Er, yeah basically, I don't really know what comes over me but... I just can't seem to help myself." She continued to stare at him incredulously, as she asked, "And just whom all have you had these, 'dreams' with...?" "Uhhh.... Haruka, Setsuna, Minako, Makoto, Ami, Rei and now you...." "Haruka?!" she responded, her look of disbelief growing even larger, "You're kidding right?" "Look," he sighed, "Do you want to know why Setsuna thinks that the Senshi are becoming bi?" "Well, no..." "So that they'll be attracted to me in both my normal and cursed forms... Blame Crystal for that I think..." "Hey! How did you..." a new voice suddenly shouted out, "Err.... Oh boy... Now I'M getting freaked out." "Crystal...?" he asked shocked, "What the hell are you doing here?!" "Beats me!" the girl responded in as she looked around, "Not a very lively looking place is it?" "Well, there was a nightmare going on just a few minutes ago," he replied sarcastically, "Maybe that might have something to do with it?" "Oh shut up!" she growled half-heartedly, "And why aren't you two going at it already?! I was expecting a good show!" Crystal's comments seemed to jar Usagi out of her shock and she responded, "A good... show...?" "She's a pervert," he sighed, "A VERY BIG pervert." "Ouch, that's not what you said this morning!" Crystal countered with a smirk. "Actually, that IS what I said this morning," he growled back, "And you just got lucky because you dragged Haruka in there with me." "Humph!" she snorted indignantly. "Ranko..." Usagi spoke up, "Exactly what happened this morning?" "Huh? Oh... Well, as usual, Crystal here pulled me into her little world in an attempt to seduce me, only this time, she brought Haruka in with me. One cup of cold water later, well, I think you can imagine what happened next..." "Oh... But why Haruka...?" "Because she was already in the bed with him!" Crystal snickered, "I still wish I had been able to catch that show!" "Haruka was already in bed with him...?" Usagi said slowly. Ranko cast a baleful glare at the still snickering Crystal before sighing, "Yes, we went on a date the night before, and, well..." "You slept with Haruka..." the blonde girl stated. "Oh relax Usagi," Crystal chuckled, "He can't help it. He loves all of you... Heh." "..." Ranko could only stare in shock at Crystal, his mouth opening and closing in a comical expression of shock. "Hmm... Such an inviting opportunity..." Crystal grinned, then shot forth and tackled him to the ground as she kissed him passionately on the mouth. Crystal's kiss was just what Ranko needed to shake off his shock as he found himself pushed to the ground. Protesting as best he could, he tried to squirm out of her grasp as he shouted protests into her mouth. Finally, he closed his eyes, and Crystal found herself only grasping onto thin air. "Man I'm glad I remembered about that," Ranko sighed in relief from next to Usagi, "I hate it when she does that." "But how...?" Usagi asked in confusion. "He thought himself away," Crystal grumbled as she pushed herself off the ground, "This is only a dream, so he could merely will himself to be in another part of it. Cheap trick..." "Whatever," he growled, "Now what the hell are you talking about with this me being in love with the Senshi?" "Well, I have nothing better to do during the day, so I look into the bond... It's a pretty amazing piece of work actually," she responded. "Crystal..." "Oh relax," she snorted, "Anyway, the bond between you and the Senshi is rather emotional as you have likely already noticed. When you consummate a with one of them, well, the emotions get stronger, for both of you..." "... Crystal..." he growled angrily. "I didn't know this was gonna happen!" she protested, "Honest! Not that I'm really complaining though, I haven't had this much fun in... I have no idea how long!" "..." all Ranko could do was stare at the girl for a moment then he finally shook his head in disgust, and turned to Usagi, "You wanna take her back? I walk away now, things die down, and everything should go back to normal..." Before Usagi could respond Crystal yelled, "NO WAY! YOU ARE NOT GONNA JUST WALK AWAY FROM THIS! WE HAD A DEAL!" "The deal was for me to lead the Senshi, not for me to be forced to fall in love with them," he growled back, "I am sick and tired of people playing with my feelings!" Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning he found Usagi looking up at him with soft, eyes, "Ranko... I... I know I probably shouldn't be feeling this way, but... But I don't want you to go... I don't think any of us do..." "Look Usagi," he sighed, "What you're feeling, what all of us are feeling, just isn't real!" "Umm.... Not quite true..." Crystal spoke up quietly. "Meaning?" he growled. "You can't just create love, but you can speed up its growth," she responded softly, "There was already an attraction between all of you, all that the bond did was strengthen it..." "And why the hell should I trust you?" Ranko countered angrily, "All you've done is make things worse for me!" "Ranko, calm down!" Usagi pleaded as she tightened her hand on his shoulder, "Please, you're not going to help things by getting angry!" She could feel his muscles tense beneath her hand momentarily before he let out a deep breath and spoke, "I'm sorry Usagi, it's just... I'm tired of being used and lied to." Usagi didn't know why she wrapped her slender arms around his neck, nor why she gently forced him to look into her eyes, only that it felt right some how. In a soft voice she spoke, "Ranko, I can't blame you for being angry, for feeling betrayed. But, but I can feel your heart... I don't know how, but I can feel your pain..." "Usagi..." he said softly, unable to break her gaze, her eyes pulling him in closer and closer, "I...." She didn't respond, she couldn't. All she could do was fall into his eyes. What followed next wasn't a conscious choice or decision, no thoughts entered their minds. It was instinct, something deep within both of them that willed them forwards, driving them onwards to forget their pain, if only for a time. Crystal sighed and shook her head. Ranko was steadily growing worse and worse. She could only hope that the Senshi could do for him what he had done for them. *** Michiru found herself alone in a sea of darkness, silence her only companion. For a time, she wandered, uncertain as to where she was, or where she was going. Finally, in a soft voice she asked, "Hello...? Is anyone there?" Again all she could hear was silence, not even an echo returning to her. She wasn't sure how much longer she wandered, only that the cold fear grew stronger within her with every step. Again she called out, only to again be denied answer. Her fear fueled her desperation as she began to scream out, hoping that someone would hear her. She felt her knees fail beneath her, but made no move to prevent the fall, welcoming the grounds embrace as she began to cry, "I don't want to be alone! Somebody, please, don't leave me here, don't make me be all alone." For what seemed like forever, she continued to cry alone in the darkness, then she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. Jumping in surprise, she asked desperately, "Who's there? Please! Don't leave me alone!" "I won't if you don't want me to," he sighed. His voice was familiar, but she wasn't sure where she had heard it before, "I... Know you... Who are you...?" "Ranko," he responded quietly. "Ranko... But what are you doing here?" "Keeping you from being alone I guess," he sighed. "... Thank you..." she said softly. "It's nothing," he responded quietly, "Nobody deserves to end up alone... Well, not you at least." "The silence... It's just so cold... Inhuman... Uncaring..." she responded. "It's not so bad," he shrugged, "Just takes a bit of adjusting is all, I think." "How would you like it to be stuck like this?" she responded angrily, "Trapped in a world of darkness and silence!?" "It would be a nice place to die," he responded softly, "No one there to try and stop you, no one there to care..." "What's wrong with you?" she asked worriedly, "Before you were so vibrant, so alive!" "Heh," he chuckled bitterly, "Alive yet dead, an appropriate description for myself at times..." "Why are you so bitter?" she asked. "Why are you so afraid?" he countered. "Why am I afraid...? I don't want to be alone." "Fair enough I suppose, but what's so important that you have to have someone there for you to be with?" "I... I feel safe that way..." "Feeling safe's never been something I really got to feel," he sighed, "You should treasure it indeed, but... But sometimes you have to let yourself stand on your own. You can't be afraid to be alone. Solitude can be as much of a blessing as a curse." "I... I guess," she responded uncertainly, "I've just never really been alone before..." "It can be pretty nice at times," he chuckled, "No one to harass you or make demands of you. No one to answer to but yourself... But ya can't really live your life alone, you have to have some companionship. Just remember that it ain't all that wrong to be alone every once in a while." "Thank you..." she said softly then reached her hand up to her shoulder to trace his arm back to his body, "Thank you for not leaving me to be alone." "Like I said, you don't deserve to be alone," he responded in a whisper. "Then please, don't let me be..." "I won't..." *** Ranko sighed softly to himself as he closed the door to his apartment, his train of thought wandering over the whirlwind the past few days had been. He couldn't help but wish that he had never made that fateful trip to the shrine, or even come to Juuban. Then his life wouldn't be returning to the chaos it was when he still lived in Nerima. Still, he admitted, things weren't nearly as bad as they had been in Nerima, after all, he'd yet to be attacked by a rival or one of his 'fiancés.' Yawning, he lifted his school bag and headed down the stairs into the lobby, his mind absently wondering how long it would take for him to get to school. The instant he entered the lobby however, he was greeted by chorus female voices calling out, "Ranko!" He immediately froze, the grinning faces of Ami, Minako, Makoto, Setsuna and Usagi all appearing in front of him. Nervously, he spoke, "Uh, hi guys... Funny meeting all of you here..." "Well, it is your first day," Setsuna smiled, "We're here to show you the way to the school, and show you around a bit." "Yeah!" Minako piped up, "Setsuna called us and told us where you lived, so we all decided to come over and walk with you to school!" "Yup," Makoto agreed with a grinned, "And Usagi about gave her parents a heart attack when she got up and left this early." "Hey! I'm no that bad!" Usagi protested, "I just... like to sleep!" "And sleep and sleep...." Minako giggled. "WAH! Stop picking on me!" Usagi cried. "Why me?" Ranko sighed and shook his head. "Umm... Ranko-san?" Ami asked hesitantly. "Huh? Oh, just Ranko," he responded with a sigh. "Ranko, um, do you need any help getting caught up with school...?" Ami asked hesitantly. "Uh, maybe," he responded with a shrug, "Dunno if I even want to bother with it though." "Why not?" she asked in surprise, the shock evident on her face. "I don't really care if I pass or flunk out of school," he yawned back, "Ask Setsuna, if I wanted to I could get my diploma forged." "What?!" the girl responded aghast, "WHY would you do something like that?!" "So I don't have to bother with school," he shrugged back, "I don't like it, it doesn't like me. We both agree to leave each other alone whenever we can." "But..." the girl protested, "But why?" "Let's see..." he responded as he started counting off, "My last school had an insane, exploding pineapple toting, shorthair fetishistic principal; a ki sucking English teacher who thought was a delinquent that needed to be punished; the insane principal's samurai wannabe son that lusted after my girl form and wanted to kill my normal one; my former fiancé's mercenary sister that blackmailed and extorted me constantly; the gaggle of fiancés that jumped me at lunch, the constant attacks by my rivals, and not to mention I don't really care whether or not I pass or fail because doing good in school ain't got nothing to do with martial arts." "Oh..." the shorthaired girl responded in shock. "Ah yes, Furikan High," Setsuna spoke up with a nod, "Don't worry about it Ranko, things are much milder at Juuban High." "Excuse me if I remain skeptical," he sighed. "Come on Ranko, don't be so down," Usagi said comfortingly, "Just look at it this way, at least you'll have some friends there." He smiled slightly at the blonde girl then finally nodded and sighed, "All right. But I hope you guys have a way of getting us to school on time, I don't really think I could carry all of ya." "Relax Ranko," Setsuna smiled, "I rented a shuttle to get us here and to school on time. Plus, the girls can fill you in about school and such." "Well, let's get this over with already then, he sighed, then followed the girls out of his apartment building and into the shuttle van parked at the curb. *** "Hi, I'm Ranko Ikari. I'm 17, I practice martial arts, and I've been out of school for a while now," Ranko stated with a nervous smile, "I was just recently convinced to return, and I'm still getting used to this. Oh yeah, and I also got special permission to not have ta wear a uniform." "All right then Ranko..." the teacher spoke tersely, "Please find a seat." As the various girls in the room followed the boy with hungry eyes, Ranko took a seat with Usagi to his right, Makoto to his left, Minako in front, and Ami behind. Feeling the eyes of everyone in the class on him, he felt a wild impulse flash through his mind. Grinning, he turned to Usagi and asked, "Hey there cutie, would you and your three friends be interested in going out tonight?" The class sat there in shock at the boy's audacity to ask a girl and her friends whom he hadn't even met out on a date. However, Usagi's response shocked them even more, "Sure, how about we meet you at your place? And you don't mind if we bring a few more friends do you?" The rest of the class stared at the two in utter silence, their mouths open and gawking as Ranko responded, "Sure, the more the merrier." Coughing politely, the teacher spoke, "Mr. Ikari, as wonderful as it is to see you making friends so quickly please refrain from such actions during my instruction." "Yeah, yeah," Ranko yawned, "Teach on Teach." After frowning for a moment, the teacher sighed, "Very well, class take out your books and turn to page 65..." *** "So, I understand you caused quite the little surprise in your class today," Setsuna spoke evenly, a hint of humor in her eyes as she sat behind her desk. "Nothing too big," he replied with a shrug, "Just asked Usagi and the others out on a date. Of course, she said yes and asked if she could bring some more." "I can see why that would cause a bit of an uproar," she chuckled back, "For the past year Usagi's been turning down guys left and right. I imagine a number of them are going to be a bit annoyed that you just waltzed in and she said yes." "Let em be annoyed," he snorted, "Like I care what they think." "I also understand that you were sleeping in class, ignoring the teacher, and snoring," she continued. "I did warn you," he responded with a shrug. "Could you at least try?" she asked pleadingly. "I'll think about it," he responded with a grunt. "You can be a jerk when you want to, you know that?" she sighed as she shook her head. "So I've been told," he responded with a shrug, "Seems I'm proving people right these days." "Do you have to be so nonchalant about this?" she asked in exasperation. "Yup." "You're hopeless!" she groaned as she threw up her hands. "Whatever," he grunted, "I just wish you girls would leave me alone sometimes..." "What?" she asked in surprise. "That way I could just go off and not have all these problems anymore..." he sighed, "That way there wouldn't be anyone around for me to care for." "Ranko," Setsuna spoke softly, her heart going out to the pain the young man before her was going through. "Anyway," he responded changing the subject, "I just came by to let you know how the day went. I'll see you later." "Ranko," she repeated, "If you ever need to talk about it..." "Manly men don't talk about their feelings," Ranko responded with an ironic, bitter laugh, "I'll talk to you later Setsuna." As she watched Ranko leave from her office, Setsuna's eyes blazed as she silently cursed his parents and what they'd done to him, promising herself that she would set things right. *** "Wow, this is a nice apartment Ranko!" Minako observed, "A bit bare, but nice..." "You noticed," Haruka snickered. "I ain't into decorating," the young man countered with a shrug, "Anyway, there are some sodas in the fridge if yer thirsty, and if ya want something to eat, just phone it in. Don't forget to order enough for me though..." "Umm, how about I cook something up?" Makoto asked hopefully. "Sure, but I'm not sure if I have enough stuff in there for ya to cook with..." he responded with a shrug. "Don't worry, I came prepared," the brunette responded with a smile as she held up several bags heavy with supplies, "I had a feeling that you might not have enough..." "Yay! Mako-chan's gonna cook!" Usagi exclaimed happily. "Just remember meatball head," Rei chided, "The rest of us want to eat too." "Wah! You're so mean!" the blonde pouted. "But she does have a point Usa," Ami responded gently, "You have a tendency to..." "Eat everything in sight?" Haruka suggested, "Of course, I could say the same about a certain someone else I know too." "Yeah, yeah," Ranko grumbled, "So, we're all here, whadda ya want to do?" "Well, I can certainly think of a number of things," Michiru responded with a playful smile as she leaned against Ranko, "Can't you?" "And you were wondering why she had Hotaru stay with Setsuna back at their place..." Minako muttered to Ami, the shorthaired girl blushing in response. "Is that all you girls think about?" he sighed in resignation. "I know, how about a game?" Usagi spoke up happily. "How about strip poker?" Haruka suggested with a lecherous grin. "Ugh, no cards!" Ranko grunted, "I'm terrible at cards..." "Anyone got a deck?" Ami asked hopefully, her face crimson as she smiled. "Perverts..." Ranko muttered as the girls each of the girls let out a regretful negative. "Um, how about truth or dare?" Minako suggested hopefully, "That way Ranko can learn a bit more about us?" "Just one problem with that," Haruka chuckled, "I have a feeling that Ranko would be taking more dares than truths..." "I don't even know what you girls are talking about, so..." he responded with an apathetic shrug, "Whatever you feel like doing, I'll go along with it, for a bit at least." "All right," Minako grinned, "Usagi, truth or dare?" "Hey, no fair!" the other blonde whined, "How come you get to go first?" "Easy, it was my idea," the first countered, "Now truth or dare." "Umm... Truth," Usagi sighed. "Okay... Before this week, were you ever attracted to girls?" "Err..." Usagi responded uneasily, "Why do you mean before?" "Answer the question Usa!" Ami urged with a small smile, "Not like you have anything to really hide now is it?" "Yeah! Come on!" Haruka agreed with a laugh. "Yes," Usagi responded with a blush. "I knew it!" Minako crowed triumphantly. "Okay, okay already!" Usagi sighed then turned to Rei, "Rei, truth or dare?" "Dare," the raven-haired girl responded back defiantly. "All right," Usagi grinned, "I dare you to kiss the girl you find most attractive here, on the lips for one minute!" Rei winced then sighed, "All right, but all of you close your eyes." "Why?" Haruka responded with a grin, "Don't want the rest of us to know?" "No, but this way it'll be a surprise," Rei explained, "Now close your eyes!" Giggling the girls did as they were bid, each shutting their eyes as they waited for Rei to make her move. His eyebrow raised Ranko merely leaned back and watched defiantly, daring Rei to say something. To his surprise, the girl merely winked at him as she carefully slid in front of her target. For a moment, she hesitated, then shot forward determinately and caught the girl in front of her in a passionate kiss, knocking both of them down to the floor. At the loud thump of a pair of bodies landing on the ground, the other girls snapped their eyes opened and stared at the sight before them. One minute passed, then two, finally when the third minute passed, Rei finally broke the kiss and grinned down at the girl pinned beneath her. For a moment, the girl lay there, stunned, then she shook her head and giggled, "Well, I guess I did ask for that one..." "You have no idea how long I wanted to do that Usa..." Rei grinned back. "Okay, you two can get better acquainted later!" Haruka spoke up with a smirk, "On with the game!" "Your turn then Haruka," Rei said with a glare, "Truth or dare!" "Truth," the shorthaired blonde responded with a grin. "Umm..." Rei responded uncertainly, caught off guard by her response, "How far have you ever gone with a guy?" "All the way," Haruka responded with a yawn, "It was... very nice." "Haruka!" Michiru gasped along with most of the girls. "When?" Minako demanded, "Was he cute?" "How big was he?" Ami added with a crimson flush. Ranko glanced around uneasily and whistled tunelessly. Looking from Ranko to Haruka, Rei stared incredulously, then almost screamed, "With RANKO?!" "Err... It's not my turn to answer," the young man responded with a heavy sweat. "Haruka, how could you do that?" Michiru asked with a pout, "I mean, how could you leave me out of something like that?!" "Sorry, I already answered my truth," Haruka responded quickly then moved on before Michiru could react, "Ranko, truth or dare!" "Umm... Err... that is..." he stuttered. "Just answer already!" Rei snapped. "Dare!" he finally snapped back. "Told ya!" Haruka grinned, "All right then Ranko, I dare you to kiss everyone here for at least one minute!" "Erk!" *** Three hours later found Ranko lying on his bed, his apartment once more vacant after the girls had returned to their own homes due to school the following morning. As his mind drifted off into sleep, he had to admit, it had been an interesting time, who knew that Ami would be that good of a kisser. *** Hotaru ran as fast as she could, she had to get away. They were right behind her, closing in, getting nearer and nearer every second, their angry stares boring into her back. She could hear their anger, their fear, their voices hot and accusing, uncaring. She could hear them drawing closer and closer. Then, she stumbled and fell, and they were upon her. Pain lanced over her body, again and again they attacked her striking with blows and words, cursing her very existence. She protested, begged, struggled, fought, all without moving them an inch. Witch. Demon. Devil. Destroyer. Killer. Those words were brought against her again and again. Over and over they struck, endless and uncaring. Then a new voice shouted out with a fury that seemed to cause the whole world to tremble at its words. "LEAVE. HER. ALONE!" And they scattered, like dust in the wind, blasted back by the newcomer. She huddled there, afraid and wary of this powerful new presence, the fear of being hurt still fresh in her mind. Then she could feel a pair of strong arms gently wrap around her, carefully lifting her into the air as the voice, now soft, whispering in her ear, "It's all right, those fools won't hurt you." "Wh-what...?" she responded fearfully, unable to garner the strength to look up into his eyes. "Those fools won't bother you anymore," the voice, that of a familiar young man she realized, spoke back, "They don't understand just how important you are." "It's my fate to be the bringer of Silence," she responded bitterly, "They have a right to fear me... I'm a monster." "We only have a fate if we allow ourselves to be governed by what may be," he responded gently, "The future isn't set in stone. What happened in the last few days is proof enough of that now isn't it?" "I guess..." she responded uncertainly. "After all, none of that was supposed to happen was it? Otherwise Setsuna wouldn't have gotten so mad, eh?" "You're right!" she responded brightly, hope growing within her. "All you have to remember is that fate only governs those that refuse to rise up and transcend it. Do you want to be governed by fate?" "No!" she responded adamantly. "Then don't be," he whispered encouragingly, "And that will be enough. "Thank you," she spoke up softly. "All I did was show you a different possibility," he responded softly, "You are the one that chose to take it." "Then thank you for showing it to me..." she said as she pressed herself close to him and began to purr contentedly, "Thank you for caring." "Hey, it's what I'm here for," he responded with a forced smile, "No matter what..." *** He stood in a dark mist, a seemingly endless wave of gray walling him away from everything, even the floor at his feet. Then, it began, the shadows rising up to tear at him, each trying to rip away their own chunk of his being, to keep for their own. He fought back at first, dodging and weaving through their faceless attacks, whole and unscathed. Suddenly, it all changed, the shadows grew from their formless manner into familiar faces, phantoms of his past. The fiancés ripped into his chest, tearing out chunks of his heart as they giggled insanely and fought amongst themselves over the pieces. More of them appeared, his parents, Soun, Nabiki, Ryouga, Mousse, Kuno, so many of them each tearing off another piece, leaving almost nothing for himself. He cried out, protesting their actions, begging them to stop, but they would have nothing of it. Darkness began to close in upon him, the only thing he could feel was a biting cold, sadistic laughter beating at his ears. This was his punishment he realized, his penance for his escape. Absently he wondered what he had done to deserve this, then echoes of the past slammed into his mind. Jerk! Pervert! Idiot! Disrespectful whelp! Stupid kid! Honorless! Foul sorcerer! Again and again the words slammed into him, each bringing with it a pain of it's own, a feeling of dejection and hopelessness. The holes grew within him, their cutting words and actions pulling them wide into glaring rifts of pain. They gave him no mercy or quarter, no rest and no peace, there was no end. He whimpered into the darkness, his pain pushing him unto the threshold of what his mortal soul could take, earning him even more scorn and disdain from the others. He began to cry, for the first time in so long, the tears escaping from jagged and torn flesh, running down his face in twin, stinging streams, like a hungry acid yearning to feast upon him. And yet, they continued to flow, unfettered, unstopped, and slowly eating away at what was left of him. With wretched sobs he began to plead and call out for death to take him, to end his pain, but with cold disinterest was he refused. He lay there, a broken beaten mess, his only movements the shaking quake of a broken sob from his mangled being. And then, he felt a cool touch against his skin, causing him to flinch back, he was once more to be torn asunder. Soft gentle words spoke to him, "Shh... It's all right, I won't hurt you... It will be all right." Once more he felt the cool touch against, and again he flinched back, only he didn't go far enough to cause the touch to vanish this time, the chill passing quickly to reveal the soft touch of warm, reassuring skin. Slowly, the touch spread, until he could feel a pair of slender arms wrap around him, a gentle voice murmuring in his ear, "Shh... It's okay, I'm here now, and I won't let them hurt you..." As if in response to her words, the shadows returned to their tortures, their demented laughter haunting his mind as he felt them flash around him. Quickly he struggled to break out of her grasp, to get away and escape, to keep the girl from harm. But he found he couldn't pry loose from her hold. For a moment his mind was caught up in the whirling possibility that this was a trap to bind him down for the shadows to tear him apart. Then she spoke again, "They can't hurt you if you don't let them. We won't let them near you, we're here to protect you, as you protected us." Slowly, uncertainly, he opened his eyes, and found himself staring up into a pair of blue diamonds, glittering with the warmth of a gentle fire, full of compassion and caring. His head turned and looked around hesitantly, taking in the ring of eight girls that stood protectively between the shadows and him. No matter how hard the shadows pushed, the girls remained firm, a force that refused to give way or slowly erode in strength. They stood there with a defiant fire in their eyes, a light that shone with such intensity and fire that the shadows shrunk away. Then, slowly they began to speak, "We shall stand against the shadow, firm against it's might. Determined and unrelenting shall we stand, for him, and him alone. He has granted onto us his own light, and fought against our nightmares unasked. Now, we in turn grant unto him our own." "The knowledge of the waters." "The power of love.' "The spirit of understanding." "The flower of hope." "The strength in silence.' "The serenity of the ocean." "The winds of courage." "The wisdom of time." "All of these, already, are his," the continued, "And he has lent unto us that understanding, uncaring at the cost to himself... Now we stand against this, his darkness, and ask only this." "Please, come back to us," the girl holding him finished softly, "Please, just let yourself be saved... We need you." A spark awoke within him, its light slowly rising into his eyes as his spirit roused itself from where it lay beaten into a stupor. Slowly, it shrugged off the pain and agony the shadows had inflicted upon it, and rose above their influence to shine light down upon them. With screams of pain, the shadows dropped their attack and ran with fear, the spirit's light cutting away at their bodies. He could feel the strength flowing back within him, the chunks torn from him slowly returning along with his strength. Then he felt their hands upon him, gently holding onto him in a human blanket of comfort. His face softly broke into a smile as he finally realized the truth; he was home. Author's notes: No, it AIN'T over yet! Don't worry, I still got plenty planned out for this here series.... In fact, here's a little teaser for y'all: "RANMA!!!!!!!" heh, Ah think ya'll can figure out what that means....