Though out history
There have been those
who would call themselves

Nobility.

Kings and queens,
Rulers and dictators,

What makes a royal royalty?
Does it take more then mere blood to make one...

NOBILITY

Chapter 01

The One Left Behind

01-01

Saffron threw the enormous ball of fire, knowing that the force, power, and tractory would not only cleanse the world of that foolish mortal that sought to defy him; but would also incinerate his party in the process. He smiled in vile satisfication as he watched the boy attempt to use that pathetic amozon technique. Sure there was plenty of heat to generate the attack, but there wasn't anyway that he could make his soul "cold" enough to tip the odds in his favor.

He did not take into account that Ranma had found a way to tap the magic of the cold staff, and as such was in for a big suprise.

There was a sudden quiet. Air just seemed to stop moving, noises stopped resounding, and Ranma just stood there with his arm up in an upper-cut possision. Even the incredible force of Saffron's last attack looked like it was a video put on pause. And that was the moment a storm was born.

Sharp winds began to drag toward Ranma's position, moving with just enough force that a tugging could be felt by all present. The portion of the Nerima crew that had followed Ranma here dicided that the time to be a spectator had ended and began to run for cover. Saffron just couldn't figure out just what was happening; he watched in rapt attention as his own attack was been twisted and pulled apart to and fuel to the ever quickening vortex.

"HIRYU HYOU TOPPA!"

As if hell itself opened up, a tornado exploded into exsistance. Everything that surrounded Ranma was ripped from it's place and set flying into the desprite last stand that was his most violent technique. The hungry funnel swollowed Saffron whole, then greedly sucked up the waters that once fed Jusenkyo as it tore though the giant water tap and continued higher till it appeared to poke a hole in the heavens themselves.

Seeing his chance, Ranma flung himself to the mercy of the strom he himself had created. The waters which were drawn into the cyclone wrapped around and engulfed him. With baited breath, he watched as Akane began to take her true form, even as he took his cursed form. From a doll to a teen aged girl once more, all seemed alright.

But even as the revised Hiryu Shoten Ha was dieing out, Ranma noticed that she had yet to start breathing. Fearing the worst, he held her close as unshed tears glimmered at the edges of his eyes.

"Akane, please don't die... please..."

Deep inside of his soul he felt that he should finally confess his love for the wonderful girl, but something held him back. It felt almost as if he was going to betray someone. But there was no one else... was there. No as far back as he could remeber there was no one else. he did fell a great love for this insufferable tomboy. It was now or never.

"Akane... please. AKANE, I L-"

thump, thump

That was when he felt it. A heart beat. Two. And more that followed. She was alive. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at Ranma with a small tired smile. But before she could really say anything, she notice her state of dress. Or rather, lack there of. Trained reaction overcame lack of energy. And the result goes without saying.

"RANMA! YOU PERVERT!"

-01-02-

Before her roared the Galaxy Cauldron, a seething vortex that once was a gentle ocean of creation. Seeing her objective, she made her decision. Stepping one foot in front of the other, she began slow, but gained speed in direct proportion to her surging confidence. It was going to work. The Ginzuishou always brought her and all of her friends back. It had always resurrected them before.

...And even if she were to die for good this time, at least she would be able to join her beloved amongst the stars.

Reaching the end of the cliff, she lept toward the dark vortex. At the apex of her jump, she spread her wings and dove straight for the center of the malevolent cyclone. The vile, unforgiving winds tore at her, leaving bloody lacerations and deep gashes. Blood mixed with tears as the dark forces greedily devoured her body and power.

Her last coherent thought was of the love that she shared with all of her friends and family. The love she shared with Mamoru.

Suddenly, all was quiet. No wind, no cyclone of death. Peace once more returned to the galaxy. The cost...

-01-03-

He stood before the mirror. He had to admit, he did look good in a tux. Western and white, a far cry from his red and black, chinese duds.

Today was the day of the wedding. Maybe after the marrige things would calm down. After all, the only ones that will be at the event are the people who can keep relitively under control and his family. He sent out the invitations himself, with the help of Akane, who was of the same mind about the subject.

Maybe things will finally start getting better.

Walking to where his fate would be sealed no matter what the out come, he kept a positive outlook and a smile on his face. Upon entering the dojo, he saw only those he and Akane had invited. Things did seem to be going according to plan for once. He took his place and awaited the coming of his bride. He watched with total stupification at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen took her steps toward the alter. It had to be a dream, that couldn't be his Akane.

Just as they were to begin. Just as the first day of his happy new life was going come to a fairy tale ending. Just as his hopes would finally see fruition.

All hell broke loose.

-01-04-

Softly, a small gem of light faded into existence above Tokyo. As the gem of silver began a slow decent, eight more faded in, one by one, around the first. Blue, yellow, red, green, lavender, orange, aquamarine, and purple joined in the journey toward terra-frima. Their final destination was the Hikawa shrine proper. As each one set down, a bright orb of brilliance roughly the size of a person manifested in it's place. Once all had gathered on the ground, a bright flash engulfed them. It quickly subsided, leaving nine princess' in it's wake. Dressed in gowns of priceless quality, and standing with the grace and dignity that befit their station; the reborn royalty took in their surroundings.

To all but one's surprise, they had an audience. Of course the people watching were not just anybody. Grandpa Hino, the Aino's, Dr. Mizuno, and even Usagi's parents stood as spectators to the spectacle.

Still in her princess persona, Usagi spoke with calm and poise. "I imagine we have much to explain."

"Not at all, Usa... no..." Usagi was caught completely of guard as she saw her mother bow deeply toward her. "...Princess Serenity, your highness." Ending the bow, Ikuko looked at her daughter with great pride and boundless awe. "In fact, it is we who should apologize. We knew of you all being Senshi from the beginning. But when Lady Setsuna told us that you were, and still are royalty, we did not believe it."

With that said, the parents and grandparent looked at their children with unconditional love and total acceptance. Minako, Rei, Ami, and Usagi ran to their respective legal guardians, dropping their princess look and returning to their civilian forms. Tears and hugs followed as years of the stress of keeping secrets from each other were finally released and relieved.

"Oh, and Usagi your mother and I have spoken, and we have decided that you may continue to see Mamoru. We give you our blessing." Usagi's dad said as he gave her a fatherly peck on her cheek.

"You mean it?" The smile on her parents faces was answer enough. "You hear that Mamo-chan? We can finally get... married?" Usagi turned, expecting to find him by her side. All her eyes met was empty space. "Setsuna, where is Mamo-chan?" Usagi's smile had begun to slip as the senshi of time left for the gates of time. A moment later she reappeared, a deep frown and an ever-so-slight shaking of her head, indicating the negative was enough to tip the scales in favor of despair. All Usagi could do was drop to her knees and scream out in anguish.

"MAMORU!"

-01-05-

Anguish, indeed, was what one Ranma Saotme felt at that very moment. Almost a year and a half of pure insanity. Rivals, fiancees, and those who just flat out wanted him dead. Ryoga, Kuno, and Mousse. Kodachi, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Akane. Cologne, Soun, Genma, and Happosai. Taro, Herb, and Saffron. He had had enough. It was already too much. There was still the ten year "training" (more like torture) trip, not to mention today's horror that they called a wedding; which, like always, failed in the worst possible way. If he didn't let loose right now...

Standing in a field at Furinkan high and still wearing the very symbol of what he had just endured, he let loose a furious cry of his own. One filled with pain, torment, and frayed nerves. Unlike his partner in the duet of sorrow, the very training that he had endured all of his life enabled his desperate scream to take a tangible form. At first it was a simple shimmering that flowed along his skin, and a soft wind picking up. But as his call grew in amplitude, so did the effects; which quickly became a dark and violent display. The wind became sharp, slicing though ground, tree, concrete, and any other thing that stood in it's path. The shear force of his aura shattered the ground around him. In an explosion of power and emotion, the field was obliterated. All that remained was battlefield of regret and misery.

And in the center, an unconscious Ranma.

Drained.

Emptied.

Alone.

From the roof of the school a figure stood weighing the choice she must make.

"Forgive me, Ranma. I know that you have had a harsh life up to now, and it's not really going to get any better for a long time to come. Please, hold on to that good heart within you, don't ever give in to them. Don't let them win. Soon you shall be free, don't let them force you to come back. Your destiny awaits..."

As she finished her monologue, another form appeared behind her. Bowing low, the second woman addressed the first, "M'lady Pluto, all is set according to your contingency plans."

"Indeed. See that he is ready in three days. If we miss this window of time..."

"There is no need to worry. It will not come to that, M'lady."

"In that case, I'll leave the details to you."

Pluto entered into the Gate of Time, leaving the other woman on the roof. She held her katana close as she looked over her son's weary form. "Soon, very soon..."

-01-06-

Back at the Hino home; next to the Hikawa shrine, the remaining senshi (save Usagi and Rei) and their parents sat in an uncomfortable silence. The atmosphere was thick with a sence of mourning. Even the parents knew of the concequinces of Mamoru's death.

No Mamoru, no Crystal Tokyo.

After a moment Rei walked warily into the room. It was almost too much for her; her best friend had just complete what should have been their greatest victory, but instead suffered a greater loss then they had ever face before. As she sat down Ikuko looked up and broke the silence.

"How is she doing?"

Rei gave a ragged sigh, "Finally asleep."

"Thats good. Its going to be pretty hard on her over the next few weeks. I'm just gald she has friends like all of you," Ikuko gave a light smile toward the once-soon-to-be-royalty.

"But what about Crystal Tokyo?" Ami was sure that this was on everyones mind and felt it might be good to out in the open now.

Michiru hung her head. "My mirror is of no use, and Setsuna is probibly looking into it. Though I'm sure that she won't be able to devulge much."

"Is everything we done so far in vain?" Makoto knew that they had all sacrificed something for Crystal Tokyo. She did not like the idea of loosing so much for nothing.

"Nothing was in vain, Makoto," Setsuna spoke as she walked in. "Crystal Tokyo is an absolute. The question you should all worry yourselves with is 'What will Crystal Tokyo become without a king for the queen?' Right now I am not able to see much with the Gate of Time. It seems that with the defeat of Galaxia and the calming of the Galaxy Cauldron, all forms of precognition are deeply effected. Right now, with the gate, I can only see details and not the over all picture."

Hotaru would have started to get worried had she not been so already. "What do you mean, Setsuna-mama?"

"For example, I can tell you when your next growth spurt will be, or whether or not Michiru will stay at the top of the charts. But I can't look in on the overall future of Tokyo as a whole. In theory, I could find out by following an idividual path of one of us; but the time I would be able to get to the answer the power surge will have passed and I'll be able to see normaly again anyway."

Haruka thought for a moment before speaking up, "What if Rei did a fire reading? She may not get much, but at least it may point us in the right direction." Setsuna, having expected her to say just that, nodded in agreement.

Rei stood and stretched. "Well its something to do at least. I'll be back in a little while." she said as she walk out to the shrine itself.

Setsuna turned her atention back the others. "As for the rest of us, we should get some rest."

-01-07-

Though she had closed her eyes, she had yet to go to sleep. Tears still streaked down her cheeks, forming twin rivers of silver shimmering in the moonlight. "What have I been fighting for?" She could feel a cold shell of sorrow bury the warmth of hope and love deep inside her soul; leaving her in a state of stoic deprestion.

"I will never believe in a fairy tale again."

Nobility

Chapter 02

Blue Sky Blues

02-01

As dawn broke over the Hikawa shrine, Rei had finally rejoined the others; tired, but successful. The other senshi and their parents used the moment to wake up while she composed herself. Setsuna, though she had not slept a wink, was still the most coherrent; and thus brotched the subjuct, "I take it you finally saw something. I see my hunch was right in that your ability was also affected."

The shrine maiden sighed heavely, "Yeah, it took all night. But I finally saw something."

Ami, used to long nights of studing and being the second most coherrent, spoke up next, "So what did you see?"

Rei looked thoughful for a moment, and the answered, "Well for most of the night all I got was the spiritual equvialent of static. Though for a moment, a vision came into focus for a short time; a magnificent unicorn..."

"Like pegusus?" Minako wondered.

Rei shook her head, "No not like him, just a unicorn. The whole of it's body was a pearl white luminecens, but it's mane was like a dark fire. Black and red flowed in the wind. On it's back sat a goddess or something similar, she held a noble blade and sat with regal bearing. And then, from somewhere, words came: in the hands of the god slayer shall the goddess thrive," Rei had paused for a moment to watch Setsuna's reaction to the vision. Seeing no tell-tale sign, she asked, "Does that help, Setsuna?"

The Time Guardian nodded, "Yes, I had a feeling that was what your going to see. While it didn't help us directly, it does confirm what I had suspected."

And what would that be?" Haruka asked without much care, certain that Setsuna would once again give little, if any, answer.

Setsuna, true to form, didn't disappoint, "Let's just say that I have a back-up plan..."

-02-02-

Slowly he opened his eyes. All he saw was blue, stretching in all directions. All he felt was pain; not the physical sort, but a deep, empty darkness threatening to engulf him like the sky above engulfs his sight. All he heard was a gentle breaze bringing the soft sounds of summer to his ears. His first thought for the day: "Why?"

He had always just wanted to make them happy; but never had they thought it was enough, and never once had they asked what he wanted. They just demanded. Even Akane.

Akane. She most of all. Even after they had both made sure the right invitations went to the right people, she still blamed him for the appearance of those they had not invited. Was it that she hated him... and why? After Saffron things got a little more bearible between them. In fact it was almost like when they first met. How could such a nice, kind girl beccome a vile monster of a child? Did she ever really mean that first offer of friendship?

Ranma's mind once again turned to the sky. Open. Without limit. Listening to no man. Honorable, yet not tied down by that honor. He wanted to be like the sky. He was already open and without limit. But where the sky can be free to honor it's nature, where there are clouds there is rain, where there is clear skies there is sunshine; He was forced into a mold that he could not fit, and as such could not honor. Couldn't they see that? Couldn't they just back off?

Finally standing, he took in his surroundings. All about him were the remains of what was once the soccer field of Furinkan High. A small part of him was amazed a the shear magnatude of the damage. The field had not been this thrashed since his battle with Happosai right after he learned the Hiryu Shoten Ha. However, dispite the obvious implications that would normally cause him to jump for joy, Ranma instead filed the thought away for later and retured to sulking.

Without much thought, and even less enthusiasm, he began the short trek home. Unaware that he was being watched.

-02-03-

She never noticed it before, and she knew it had always been there. What Usagi saw before her was a truth that ever girl dreamed of. The friend she had grown up with had always fantisized about; but ever since she found out, she fought it tooth and nail. After she accepted her fate, she had grown comfortable in it and took the fairy tale for granted. And then it was taken away from her. After all, what was a princess without her prince?

But she could see it now. Somewhere in the back of her eyes was the strength of royalty. The strength to go on. This world will soon need a queen to head it into a time of great peace; however, that was a while yet. While it would be sometime before it would come to pass, she knew she had to begin to learn to be strong. Even in times such as these.

Last night, when she finally fell asleep, she had a dream of the past. More accuratly, she was -remembering- the past. She remembered the day of her father's funneral. Being the king, the prosession was an extravagent ordeal; but for Usagi, a great cloud of uncertainty settled over her. While the equivallent age of her form was that of an eleven year old, her true age was such that she knew and understood death. On the other hand, she had never experianced the loss of one so close to her heart before. As the prosession continued, she looked over at her mother and saw a strength in the Queen's eyes that gave her own nerves peace.

Today was just like the morning after the funeral so long ago. The sun still rose and the world still spun it's journey acrossed the heavens. Life would go on, and Sailor Moon would still be needed.

But something bothered her about this. It didn't quite feel the same as when her Moon Kingdom father died. It didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. She was sad that she wasn't going to marry him; and it felt like fate had betrayed her, having robbed her of her fairytale ending. The loss of Mamoru himself, on the other hand, somehow didn't feel as personal.

At this thought, Usagi bacame frightened, more like appauled at herself. how could she think that way, how could she betray his memory like that? How could she be so heartless about the man she loved? She kept brating heself as the tears began to fall again.

It took well over ten minutes before she got herself well under control. After she finally began to calm down, she looked back in the mirror. She still saw the eyes of a princess, and this time she knew why. She had seen the Moon Queen's, her mother's eyes. When her father had died, when she looked into those eyes, she saw strength. But, behind that strength was a woman who was crying.

Outside Rei's room, Setsuna stood with a soft smile. "And so, she begins to understand," she thought to herself.

-02-04-

Kasumi sat on the pourch, delighting herself in a nice cup of tea. It had been a fairly peaceful morning, aside form the construction crews fixing the dojo. Akane was at a friends house, recouperating from last night's... activites. Nabiki was once again with her contacts, probilily working on another questionable scheme to keep the dojo in the black. Appearantly the money she got from the other... guests was only enough to cover the damages. The cursed male population of Nerima, save the Saotome's, was still chasing after Grandpa Happosai with blood on their minds. Father was with Mr. Saotome, who was too scared of Grandpa Happosai to give chase, drowning themselves in sake... again.

She let out a tired sigh at that thought.

Auntie Nodoka had been missing form her bed this morning without any explaination. All the other 'guest' were dismissed last night. While she wasn't sure where Auntie was, the one Kasumi was really worried about was Ranma.

It hurt so much sometimes to see how everyone treated the poor aquatranssexual, though sometimes he did deserve it. But even when he did earn some sort of punishment, everyone went too far. He rarely ever recieved only what he 'deserved'. Everyone she knew went far beyond the normal levels of overboard and stupid, even the ever optimistic Kasumi could see that. She could see it in his eyes, how he was coming to the breaking point, she just wished she could do something to help. For all her optimism, she felt so useless. Once in a while she found herself wondering what it would have been like if she had accepter the engagment, rather then pushing it on to Akane. But even if she could go back and change that, it wouldn't feel right to her. It was too late, he was family, a brother to her; despite anything that happens between Ranma and Akane, she would never again think of him as anything less than family.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she sensed a presence enter the compound. While Kasumi didn't really have much in the way of martial arts training, she learned a bit about sensing the presence of others. This skill was strengthened through the years of playing mother to her sisters, and honed sharply through the events of the past year. Ranma's presence was the one she had the most practice with. After all, with the curse and all the various moods he goes through, he made for an excellent study in such a useful technique. It was, in fact, Ranma that had just entered the main gate, in his cursed form if she wasn't mistaken; and -she- was...

"Oh, my!" she exclaimed in a sharp breath, hoping that she was wrong. Rushing to the entryway, she found to her horror that her skills were right on the mark. Standing in front of her was the battle-worn form of girl-type Ranma. The poor girl looked like death warmed over. Well, to be honest, the physical damage wasn't that bad; a bruse here, a cut there. It was the look in her eyes that Kasumi knew was the most painful for the girl standing there. Kasumi could tell that Ranma's wounds weren't healing like they normally would, and she knew why. After all, it's hard to concentrate on the will to live, the nessassary catalist for the healing technique when you've given up.

She had to help Ranma as fast as she could to bring back his/her indominable spirit, and the best way she knew was to feed her. So she quickly gathered the redhead and moved into the kitchen to make a tasty meal to bring the distrot martial artist's moral up. Setting her at the table, Kasumi began cooking up a storm. In short order she had quite a few snacks on the table in front of Ranma; but to her suprise, Ranma just sat there and picked at it. Kasumi knew that she wasn't meaning to be rude, and that's what worried her the most. Things were worse than they appeared.

-End of Preview of Chapter 02-

The origin of this fic was a bit odd. Or rather, not very worth while. It came about after I discovered the awesomeness of Yuki Kajiura. I was listening to her album "Fiction" that had been released here in the states (Between the manga boom and Suncoast being awesome, you could find a lot of that stuff at the time), specifically the track "Vanity". The tune got me to thinking of Ranma in his tattered tux dancing with Usagi in the middle of the night. There wasn't much else to it then that really. I didn't even have an actual plot to this one planned. Just a couple of scenes. The crux of what I did have was the idea of undermining 'destiny' and 'soul mates'. The later I started to revisit in a much more controlled and thought out fashion in "Henko No Kaze"

This fic -kinda- lives on in two other fics I'm puttering around on. Both are Rider crosses as well as "R/SM" fics.

When I finally get around to posting them, they will be:

"Nobility"; a Ranma / Sailor Moon / Kamen Rider Decade cross. The basic plot is that Ranma finds the 'Decadriver' and ends up getting sent into the past. His adventures in the Silver Millennium will take him to each of the planets to unlock the powers and find a way back to his own time. Each planet won't just have a Sailor Senshi, but a Kamen Rider as well.

"Kamen Senshi Sailor OOO" (or something like that); I'm still trying to decide on where to start this on the Senshi end of things, but Ranma will be the focus, with the Kamen Rider OOO plot being cannibalized. Eiji doesn't exsist, and the Greeed are going to be somehow absorbed into the ranks of the enemy forces I use. What I'm thinking is that I might just use a heavily modded 'first season' of Moon; bringing in all the Senshi over the course of the fic rather then just the 'inners'. *shrugs* We'll see.