A forgotten past and a new life. After two years of being someone else, would you want to go back to being who you once were?
Lord CBoD presents: Trapped in Yourself.
Disclaimer: This story is property of the Evil Bunny Empire. Only the story belongs to the great Empire. The characters of Sailor Moon and Ranma ½ belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Rumiko Takahashi respectively. Additional characters from other source belong to their respective creators. Please respect the Empire and ask permission before posting this story anywhere other than this site.
Episode one: Obligatory Here's Ranma
Ami finished the last page for the next week's installment of Sailor Moon. Putting down the pen she thought about how different Usagi's story was from the real thing. In reality they were sort of like the Super Sentai teams rather than the magical girls that the blonde portrayed them as.
Sure Usagi had her draw their real costumes, and each character looked exactly like the person they were based on, but they weren't reincarnated warriors from a long dead magical kingdom. They were five girls chosen to receive alien powers to protect the planet.
They received their powers from the rouge alien scientist Luna, who had a fondness for cat's but wasn't one herself. Luna's people wanted to conquer earth for some strange reason, and she wouldn't allow that. She decided to steal prototype super armors to equip five of the most worthy beings on the planet.
The blue haired girl often wondered if she was truly worthy or if Luna chose five girls in Juban at random. She also often wondered why the super armors looked like sailor fukus. Still, she sort of enjoyed being a superhero; it took the boredom out of her life.
After putting the finished pages in an envelope addressed to Kodansha, she got up to turn off the light and then go to bed. She had another day of classes ahead of her.
WWWWWWWWW
Pouting, Usagi stared at Rei. The ravened haired girl had just snatched a manga from her hands. "I wasn't finished reading that."
"One, it's my manga and I haven't read it yet. Two, you wrote it!" Rei rolled her eyes. Usagi could be so childish. As normal, Ami had her nose in a book, Makoto was in the kitchen, and Minako had gotten lost. She shared this apartment with the ribboned haired blonde, but Mina always got lost on her way home. "Why don't we hold our meeting in the Crystal Palace? Luna could just teleport us all there."
"Because she doesn't want Usagi reading her manga before her." Ami smiled, although Luna was an alien she looked and acted very much as if she was from earth. Although a scientist on Metaria, she wasn't even that much older than the five of them.
"I like having the meeting here; Luna doesn't stock her kitchen as well." Makoto came from the kitchen and placed a tray of snacks on Rei's kotatsu. Their mentor kept her kitchen stocked with chips, candies, and store bought cookies. Apparently the Metarians need massive amounts of sugars in their diets.
"Honestly, I do like your snacks better." The former miko often wondered if the reason Luna placed Usagi in charge of their group was because she had so much in common with her. Hearing the door start to open the team's second ditz had finally arrived. "Minako where were you?"
"I'm sorry." It wasn't her fault she kept getting lost, there were lots of distractions at school. Sighing, she wondered how a beautiful girl like her didn't have a boyfriend. As she sat down at the kotatsu their wrist communicators went off. Zoisite must have sent another monster.
Usagi sighed; the alarm's tones would make a great theme song. One of these days she'd convinced Ami to go with her Anime idea. Their publishers were willing to let them do a season, but Ami didn't want to make character sheets or other reference materials for the animators. Oh well, off to battle the monster.
WWWWWWWWW
Zoisite watched the battle from his ship, behind him stood Jadeite and Nephrite. They both had their turns at invading the planet and failed, now they would witness his victory. "As you can see the Senshi are failing against my Desdemona."
"Shut up! Nephrite and I had them on the ropes before; they always seem to find a way out of trouble." Jadeite growled. His battle cruiser had been recalled, but he had to stay behind so he could 'learn' from Nephrite. Then when Nephrite failed too often, his ship was sent back and the both of them were transferred Zoisite's ship. The only silver lining was that his wife, who came with Nephrite, was allowed to remain as well.
"If we were allowed to send more then one monster at a time, they would have been defeated already." The reason King Adelite wanted earth in the first place was because of the human's imagination. He wanted them to conquer earth, but he didn't want them to damage it. How do you conquer a planet by terrorizing it with a single female monster? That was another thing that annoyed him, why did they have to use female monsters? The males were stronger and easier to control.
"You're just sore losers, and disappointed with whom Naoko Takeuchi paired you with. I rather like Sailor Mercury myself." Whoever Naoko Takeuchi was, she had things pretty wrong, but the third general found her tales interesting.
"Oh yes I'm so jealous you got paired with Sailor Mercury." The first general mocked. He knew what the outcome of the battle would be even if it did look like the gargoyle was winning. Turning he started heading off the bridge.
"Where do you think you're going? You'll miss my victory."
"What victory?" His cousin would not win this battle, of that he was sure. "I'm going to see my Beryl."
The second general frowned, his brother-in-law could be wrong about that. Looking back at the battle, he smirked; someone just threw a rose at Desdemona. "Well it looks we finally have ourselves a Tuxedo Kamen."
"How is that possible? There were only five suits made! Luna was a minor scientist on the battle suit project. We have Artemis, how could she make another suit?" This could not be happening, he would not be replaced! Artemis, the same scientist who was largely responsible for the battle suits, designed Desdemona; she would not be beaten by a man in an imitation suit.
WWWWWWWWW
That wasn't a bright idea, but it gave the Sailor Senshi time to regroup. What was he thinking; putting on the tux, cape and mask? Why did even make the costume in the first place? Still being Tuxedo Kamen might help keep his identity secret while he got to fight. Easily dodging the Gargoyle-like monster, he hoped Senshi came up with an idea to stop it soon.
WWWWWWWWW
The Moon Senshi was overjoyed; she finally had a Tuxedo Kamen. This was the first thing she wrote that came true. Maybe she'd have a time traveling bratty daughter come from the future next. Shaking her head, she had more important things right now. "What are we going to do?"
"What can we do? My lightning, Mars' fire, and Venus' beam have no affect on it." If Usagi told her to punch it she'd hurt her. Sure she was really strong, but the monster was way too fast to land a hit on it.
"Not only that but it's dodged your tiara and it can see through my fog." This monster was the most terrible Zoisite had sent so far. Lately each of his monsters was tailor made for a specific Senshi, but this one could counter all their abilities. "If Tuxedo Kamen hadn't come we'd have already been beaten."
"He's cute and all but what can he do? That's just an ordinary suit right?" Sailor Venus watched Tuxedo Kamen continue to dodge the monster. Unlike the other blonde's creation, the real thing had long hair and didn't wear a top hat; it didn't stop him from being really cute though.
"As fast as the monster is, it's amazing he's able to avoid her. We have to do something to something to help him." The Senshi of Mars wondered how much longer Tuxedo Kamen could keep it up. Super suit or not, their hero wouldn't be able to stop the monster on his own. Since the second general it always took a team effort to bring down the monsters.
"Mercury, you're the tactician, any ideas." Their solo attacks weren't working, and it was possible the double team attacks they devise wouldn't work either. If only they found away to combine three attacks together. Sailor Moon watched Tuxedo Kamen actually throw a punch at the gargoyle; it looked like he hurt his hand.
WWWWWWWWW
Ten minutes, it had been ten minutes since he started fighting the stone skin beast. Was it really that hard for the Senshi to come up with a plan? Then again before he acted, they hadn't really landed a successful attack.
If they couldn't handle this creature, could he? They were magical girls, and he was just a martial artist in a tux. Then again…, it wasn't like he hadn't dealt with worse; in his trip around the world he had fought plenty of demons, other mythical or legendary creatures, and Rodan. This thing's hide endured the Senshi's attacks, but could it take a Shi Shi Hokodan.
Depression was no stranger. He had gone around the world in search of his best friend. Somewhere he was out there, he was trapped as a girl, and he might not even know who he was. Lowering the barrier that he used to keep his emotions in check a little, he let only the depression free; he hoped he didn't use too much. "SHI SHI HOKODAN!"
WWWWWWWWW
THIS COULD NOT BE HAPPENING. How could an imitation suit defeat Desdemona? Zoisite's masterpiece was shatter by the blast. What kind of power did this new suit have? "Lieutenant, what readings do you have on the new battle suit?"
"Sir, he's just wearing normal clothes."
"Impossible, how could a normal human shoot an energy blast from his hands?" The second general marched over to the lieutenant's station and double checked the readings. What he saw was…, "Your lieutenant's not an idiot. Tuxedo Kamen is a normal human, wearing normal clothes."
"How?" Turning from Nephrite he looked at the monitor again and watched the Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen teleport away. For the past two years the only thing that stood in their way was the Sailor Senshi. This normal human…, his powers were beyond theirs, why hadn't he acted sooner? This could be trouble, especially if there were more like him.
WWWWWWWWW
This was different. The room he was in seemed to be made of crystals, and looking out a near by window… was that the earth? The tux boy was amazed and confused. "Where am I?"
"You are on the surface of earth's moon, the Crystal Palace." Luna looked at the Senshi's savior. Even with the mask she could see his dark brown eyes. He was tall and handsome, Usagi was lucky. "I am Luna, adviser to the Sailor Senshi."
"You didn't have to bring him here Luna he's supposed to disappear by himself." Usagi pouted, this wasn't her story, but it would make things so much cooler if real life mimicked it a little.
"Really Moon, he was able to take out that monster on his own. Don't you think it's more important we find out how? Is he wearing a new Metarian super suit?" Rei wasn't sure if they the masked boy knew who they were or not, but just in case he didn't, she'd stick to Senshi names.
"It's a normal tuxedo." Ami double checked her finding, how did a boy in a normal tuxedo defeat a monster that they couldn't scratch? What was that energy he used? The blue power didn't register as any energy source that the micro computer Luna provided her was familiar with.
"I'm a just a martial artist, I've done a lot of traveling so I'm stronger then most." He had always been stronger than most but the last two years traveling around the world only served to make him even stronger. All the places he went looking for his friend….
"I'm a martial artist too. I happen to be pretty darn strong and I can't throw fireball." Makoto looked at the boy. He was cute, but his false humility got on her nerves. Then again she really couldn't tell if he was being humble or not; there didn't seem to be any emotions with his words.
"It wasn't a fireball, it was depression."
"Depression?" The blue haired Senshi didn't quite understand. How could an emotion do that much damage?
"It was ki? I've never heard of pure emotional ki doing that much damage." Rei closed her eyes and looked at the boy's spirit. It was amazingly strong, but to use a single emotion, it shouldn't have worked that way. As powerful as his aura was she read no emotions from it, where had the depression come from in the first place?
"Now you have." Frowning he looked at the girls, hoping his missing friend wasn't among them. None of the Senshi looked like he would picture his lost friend, but then again the 'Midas Touch' drastically changed all it's victims. Still, even without his memories would he allow himself to be a Senshi? "Look, I'm more then willing to help you guys out when you're in trouble, but I have a mission of my own, and this meeting is delaying it."
"Very well I shall return you to earth." Although the Metarian had other question for her Senshi's savior, she decided for now she would let them remain unanswered. Moving a crystal, Tuxedo Kamen was returned to earth. Looking back at the Senshi, Usagi seemed disappointed. "I thought you didn't want him here in the first place."
"I didn't, but he didn't seem interested in me at all."
Ami dropped her micro computer in surprise, the rest of them were curious about the source of their savior's power but Usagi only cared that he didn't seem interested in her? After two years she really shouldn't have been as shocked as she was, but Usagi wasn't always the ditz her character was, she had thought this would be something to bring out her serious side.
WWWWWWWWW
Zoisite made his way to the ship's prison, Artemis had failed him for the last time. If he could he would execute the traitor, but as it was; Kunzite's ship was on its way and the forth general would take charge of the invasion of earth. That meant that Artemis would no longer be his responsibility.
Entering the room with the prisoner, he glared at the white haired scientist. "Desdemona was defeated."
"So are you here to beat me until I design another monster that is sure to fail? The stronger the enemy you send against the suits the stronger they become. It was only a matter of time before they exceeded their original limitations. I'm surprised it took this long." He and the other in his team created the battle suits to be the ultimate weapons. Artemis made a weak smile, happy that the suits were being use to protect this planet and happy that they could.
"Your brother is on his way, I have been relieved of my command." After seeing the hope in the prisoners eyes turn to fear, Zoisite turned and left. He was well aware of the strained relationship of Artemis and Kunzite. The scientist mentioned the suits ability to grow before, but as far as he could tell they hadn't. Maybe he could get back in the King's good graces yet.
WWWWWWWWW
Taking an indirect route back to his apartment the masked man entered through the window he had left open. The apartment didn't have a fire escape so aside from himself he couldn't think of anyone entering through the window.
Taking the mask and long black wig off he thought of how fun fighting the gargoyle would have been two years ago. He had always enjoyed challenges. Now he couldn't enjoy anything not without paying a price. Going to the bathroom he intended to put his contacts in, but when he looked in the mirror he noticed he had forgotten to take them out before donning the Tuxedo Kamen costume. Opening his mouth he was glad he hadn't forgotten to take out the fake fangs. He was supposed to be Ranma underneath the mask, since he was Ryoga the rest of the time. Until he found his friend, and restored his memories, he would wear his friend's face rather than his own. Until then Ranma Saotome couldn't exist.
WWWWWWWWW
Who knew how long he had been trapped in this house, trapped in his house. It wasn't really his house, but a creation of his mind. Or at least that's what he thought it was, Ryoga never claimed to be a genius. If it wasn't his own mind he couldn't think of anything it could be. The house had pictures and items representing different things from his past and if he touched them he could relive the memories. Looking at the nurse's cap that hung on the door knob, he didn't need to touch it to relive the memories it contained. The cap represented the last things that happen to him outside of this house, and somehow it sealed him in it.
He had just returned to Nerima after a long journey and he wanted to see Akane. A girl claiming to be Ranma, told him to get lost somewhere else, that Happosai had become more dangerous than ever. He tried to heed her warning but he ran into the old pervert too soon. After a short battle Happosai knocked part of a building on top of him. Since that time however long ago it was, he had been here, inside the house.
Outside of the house he could see a world, and in that world there was another house being constructed. It was smaller than his house and it seemed as if a girl lived there. He never saw who actually lived in the house but somehow he knew it was a girl. It wasn't like he could visit her though. For a long time he tried to escape to, get out, but he couldn't the walls were indestructible and the hat could not be removed from the door knob to open the door.
From time to time he wondered if the girl that warned him really was Ranma. Her face sort of looked like his rival's cursed form and she had his blue eyes, but that was where the similarities ended; the girl had auburn hair that was short, she was taller than Ranma's cursed form, and her chest was flat. He couldn't help but think she looked cute in the nurse's outfit she wore, and he just couldn't picture the female Ranma wearing one like it. As much as he hated Ranma, if the girl was in fact him, he couldn't blame his rival for what he was going through now, and he hoped that maybe Ranma was out there somewhere trying to find a way to free him.
WWWWWWWWW
As the sun rose Ranma got out of bed. Stretching out he wondered how long he would remain in Juban. He had been all over the world once already, could Ryoga be here of all places? Getting dressed he couldn't deny he felt the lost boy was here. That would honestly tick him off though; he had gone all the way around the world, found Atlantis, Shangri-la, Monster Island, and all the other legendary places his directionless friend used to frequent and the whole time he was only a ward or so away from where he started.
The trip hadn't been a total waste, when it started he had been trapped in the form given to him by Happosai's 'Midas Touch', after stumbling upon Shangri-la he learned how to restore his true form. It was the monks there that also suggested he try to find Ryoga by being Ryoga.
Heading to the bathroom and taking out the contact container, he hoped they were right that seeing himself would awaken the lost boy's memories. Putting the contact in he wondered if Ryoga would be happy to see him. It had been two year since he started his journey and over two years since Ryoga was transformed. What kind of life was his friend leading?
Putting the fake fangs in his mouth the former pigtail boy wondered how Akane was. He knew she had moved on, and was with Shinnosuke now, after two years he couldn't blame her. His mother did though; she thought the youngest should have waited as long as she did for his father. They weren't married, so his former fiancé had every right to get impatient.
Finally placing the bandana in his hair, he wondered what he would do after he finished his manly quest for his missing friend. If he found Ryoga he'd be able to live his own life. From the letters his mother sent; not only had Akane move on, but so and Shampoo and even Ukyo. He was curious, what kind of person was this Konatsu; at least he made Ukyo happy.
Before he could continue living his own life he had to find Ryoga. Until he freed himself from his guilt, his true form would be the one Happosai gave him. So long as he suppressed all emotions he could remain male; all positive emotions at least, he was allowed to be sad or depressed, but he wasn't allowed happiness. It was a steep price for his manhood, but he didn't want to stay female and he was sure if Ryoga had the choice he wouldn't either.
WWWWWWWWW
Usagi walked from the class she shared with Minako and Makoto still annoyed at the events of last night. "I'm the prettiest Senshi. How could he not be interested in me?"
"Please Usagi, you don't even have half my talent. His brown eyes reminded me of my Sempai."
"Why do you keep referring to your breasts as talent?" Minako rolled her eyes, so what if Mako had bigger breasts than the rest of the Senshi, not all guys liked big breasts. "He said he had a mission, maybe he's looking for a princess like in your stories."
"Makoto, you'd probably scare him away with you monstrous strength." The dumping haired blonde then thought about what her ribboned haired friend said. "I don't know Mina, that sounds kind of ridiculous outside of a manga."
"Sempai was stronger that me. I can only hope that one day he comes to his senses and returns from the dangerous side of life." Makoto pictured her sempai coming to her rescue as she was attacked by a youma too strong for her.
"Wait, you never mentioned your Sempai left you for a guy before." Who cared if Usagi was being a hypocrite by calling her theory ridiculous, the Senshi of love wanted to know more about Makoto dangerous ex-boyfriend.
"Your Sempai became 'that type'?" Usagi could never understand why it was boys turned to boys for relationships. As much as the brown haired girl could annoy her, why would any boy leave Mako?
"Sempai and I had been together for three months, I walked with him to and from school, and he taught me his Family's style of Martial Arts. Then one day a new student came to our school, at Lunch that very day the two of them bonded. Sempai never spent any time with me ever again." Makoto frowned hoping one day her Sempai would leave that nasty ponytailed boy.
WWWWWWWWW
Ranma sneezed while walking around a local college campus. He had to be careful of the campus security as he wasn't a student, he really wasn't supposed to be here. If he hadn't spent the last two years looking for the lost boy, he be in college now himself. He doubted he'd find the lost boy here, but he had to check just in case.
The biggest problem was he didn't have the slightest clue what Ryoga looked like now. The 'Midas Touch' caused radical transformations. One thing everyone who was touched had in common was they became teen aged and placed in weird clothes. He had ended up in a Nurse's outfit, his father had become a bunny girl, and Mr. Tendo a stewardess.
The clothing didn't matter it had been over two years, he was pretty sure Ryoga would have changed his clothes by now. What did the lost boy look like though? Did he have long hair or short hair? Was he tall was he short? So many possibilities and all he knew was his rival was now a 'cute' girl. Every once in a while he wondered if maybe he had encountered Ryoga on his journey and he just didn't recognize the former bandana clad boy. His gut told him he hadn't found the lost boy yet, and really that was all he had to go by.
The Senshi were all cute. Well except for Sailor Jupiter, she reminded him too much of the brown haired boy that used to follow him and lost boy in middle school. As much as he hoped it wasn't true, could his friend be one of them?
When it came down to it, Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury were the obvious possibilities, as far as he knew no one in Ryoga's family had blonde hair. As radical as the changes were they all relied on genetic possibilities. Kuno, and the principle both looked like Kodachi. Mr. Tendo looked like Kasumi with shoulder length hair. Where normally his female form purely took after his mother, the 'Midas Touch' gave him a form that seem to give him traits from both sides of the family.
The Sailor Senshi had been active in Japan for two years now, and his directionless friend had been missing for over two years, he could be one of the magical girls. If he was though… that would mean the 'Midas Touch' fixed him of his wandering ways and allowed him to be stationary for all that time. He had always been under the assumption that a female Ryoga would still get lost, but then again, the female Mousse didn't need glasses, when his old man was transformed he had long hair, and the girl Kuno actually seemed normal. Was Ryoga one of the Senshi, and how could he go about finding out?
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Complaint Department:
-First things first; Thanks to Daniel Thomas Stack and James Axelrad for pre-reading this chapter
-The 'Midas Touch' events take place right after Ryo Kumon, instead of the elixir of youth story.
-Some things will be explained in more detail as the story continues. If things are too confusing now; Ranma is posing as Ryoga, hoping that when the lost boy sees him his memories will automatically return. That won't be the case.
-Ranma has read the Sailor Moon manga, and while he's in Juban he decided to play the part of Tuxedo Mask to get in on the action. He had meant to just be himself underneath the mask and not include aspects of his Ryoga disguise.