FIST OF THE MOON
Chapter 7: Discoveries
A/N To all those people who pointed out that Mamoru Chiba is Chiba and not Chibi, the only thing your humble author can say is: IT'S ALL RANMA'S FAULT! Seriously, my only excuse is less then perfect eyesight (being a subtitle snob) and being a charter member of the Often Wrong But Never In Doubt club. The error has been corrected in Chapters 5 and 6.
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Kasumi Tendo was just sitting down to her midmorning cup of tea when she heard a gentle knock at the front door. As she slid open the door, her stock smile #3 (housewife has earned a break) blossomed into a genuine grin. "Usagi-chan, come in! I was just sitting down to a cup of tea. Won't you join me?"
"Sorry for the intrusion, Kasumi-chan." Usagi ritually apologized, then switched to mild bubbly, which came across to the older girl as rather strained. "Thanks, I'd love some tea. I brought some sweet bean buns for a snack," she chirped, holding up a bag. A quick motion caught her attention. Genma Saotome had turned around to stare at the bag. Seeing its small size, he turned back to the Shoji board.
Following the blonde's gaze, the eldest Tendo raised an eyebrow. "Why don't we talk in the kitchen?" As Kasumi moved off, she asked over her shoulder, "What brings you over here, Usagi-chan?" The younger girl waited until they were within the kitchen to answer.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about something important." Usagi blushed. "I know it seems that all of the girls are coming over here to cry on your shoulder or get advice. We really respect you and, well …"
"It's okay, Usagi-chan, I enjoy the company. In fact, I'm quite honored that the Sailor Senshi think I have something to offer. It's gotten a little lonely in the kitchen since Red moved out." The blonde girl looked guilty. Kasumi's gaze sharpened. "None of that, young lady! Ranma told me that you felt guilty about saving her, and I'm telling you to stop it."
Usagi nodded, not really convinced. She sighed. "It just seemed that sometimes Red-chan's misfortune was my gain. Two new Senshi, the training, a best friend …"
Kasumi pounced … gently. "'Seemed' as in the past tense. So what's changed to stop your lamentation about all the good that has happened since Ranma came into your life?" Kasumi grinned to show she was teasing.
Usagi sniffled, and Kasumi's grin vanished, instantly replaced by concern. "What's wrong, Usagi-chan, what happened?" The older girls reached over and squeezed the blonde's hand reassuringly.
"Mamoru-kun broke up with me two days ago."
"Oh my, poor Usagi-chan," murmured Kasumi, steepleling her hands. "Did he say why?"
Usagi shook her head. "No, he just kept saying he didn't love me anymore. Even when I brought up how we're destined to be together, he just said he didn't have to be my boyfriend now because he was in the past." The younger girl sniffled, wiped her eyes and then drew in a deep breath. "If Red-chan hadn't found me, I'd still be crying in a phone booth."
Kasumi got up, walked around the table and hugged the melancholy girl. Resuming her seat, she recaptured Usagi's hand in a therapeutic grip. "I don't mean to go clinical on you, but breakups like that almost always have an underlying cause. Akane broke up with Ranma any number of times, always about something, but the real cause was Akane's inability to deal with Red's gift."
Usagi began nibbling at a bun. "They broke up for good, didn't they?" The older girl nodded. "And then became best friends. Do you think Mamoru-kun and I are going to …"
The oldest Tendo shrugged. "I don't know. You have to be ready for the possibility, especially since it was out of the blue like that." Kasumi sighed. "I suppose things are complicated by the professional relationship he has with the Senshi?" The blonde nodded.
"Everyone is really mad at Mamoru-kun, especially Ranma, Akane and Makoto, but we've agreed to work with Tuxedo Kamen, if he shows up."
"You say Red found you? Did you call her?"
Usagi looked puzzled. "No, I was just crying and then Red-chan came along. I was so relieved. Ranma always makes me feel better. I feel safe, you know? I know I can trust her. With anything."
Kasumi frowned slightly. "I wonder how she knew you needed her."
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Ami quickly answered the doorbell, to be rewarded by the sight of a grinning Nabiki Tendo. "Hey, Ames," the middle Tendo drawled. "I come bearing treats," she said holding up a bag.
"Hi Nabiki, come on in," Ami said happily. "Be warned, my mom is planning on coming home in an hour or so, and she'll insist that you stay for dinner. She really likes you. She's also terribly impressed by your business sense. That building you knew about was perfect for the new outpatient clinic."
Nabiki puffed herself up, looking smug. "Well, maybe I should start charging you." Her giggle spoiled the image of corrupt greed. "Let's get the meeting underway so we can spend some time with your mom. Oh, did you ask if it's okay if I attended the next Senshi meeting?"
The blue-haired girl nodded as they detoured into the kitchen. "As long as you're okay with talking cats. We don't want to weird you out."
The older girl laughed. "The strangest thing about talking cats will be seeing Ranma in the same room with them and not going crazy." She put the bag on the counter. As they left Nabiki continued. "I mean I've already met a talking, giant ghost cat who wanted to marry Shampoo, so ordinary talking cats are pretty tame."
As the two girls entered Ami's bedroom, the younger girl briskly strode to her desk and the Mercury computer while Nabiki flopped down on the bed. Switching on the computer, Ami turned to the older girl and declared, "Convening the fourteenth meeting of the Ranma Research and Restoration Committee."
Nabiki nodded sharply, and came to a sitting position on the bed. "Okay, we still have our three main unknowns." The handsome brunette began ticking points off on her fingers. "What's happening with Ranma? What is the truth about Jusenkyo? What secrets does the Silver Millennium hold that we could use? Do we have anything new?"
"Quite a bit, Na-chan," Ami enthused, bringing up files on her computer. "I scanned Red-chan at yesterday's meeting. The Silver Energy is still getting stronger, but now it's starting to form a pattern."
"A pattern," Nabiki said, jumping off the bed. "What kind of pattern?"
"The readings are similar to what you would see from a Senshi." Nabiki looked sharply at her partner.
"So Ranma could be turning into a Senshi? I mean a real Senshi with the foo-foo skirt and everything. That would explain a lot, her connection with you girls and the locked curse. I mean only girls can be Senshi, right?"
Ami tilted her head to one side. "It explains more than you know. When Chiba-san broke up with Usagi, Ranma KNEW that Usagi was miserable. She tracked Usagi down to comfort her. When the two of them fought the Phantom Sisters' minion, Red-chan's blows had a lot more effect then I would have expected, more like Moon's or Jupiter's then a regular human's, even one as powerful as Ranma."
Nabiki started pacing. "I sense a 'but' in there."
The blue-haired girl nodded. "That's not where Senshi come from. We're all reincarnations from the Moon Kingdom. When a new Senshi appears, she is discovered, not created. There's no way Ranma is reincarnated; all of the Silver Energy in her comes from Moon's healing spell."
Nabiki stopped abruptly and stared at the other girl. "So where do Senshi come from originally?"
Ami opened her mouth, then closed it, staring back at her friend. "That's — that's a very good question, Na-chan. Where do we come from? Maybe we're all the results of accidents like Red-chan's? That seems absurd. I think you've given me a new line of research."
Nabiki resumed her pacing. "Okay, if Ranma is becoming a Senshi, how does that effect our options? I know we were both kind of hoping that once Jusenkyo settled down, Spring of Drowned Man was our best bet."
Ami frowned. "Na-chan, you know I always thought Drowned Man was a last resort. Maybe the easiest chance, but I worry about the interactions, since Red-chan's luck with magic is not the best." The former mercenary nodded. "Anyway, if Ranma is becoming a Senshi, that makes things a lot harder."
"Why is that, oh mysterious researcher?" Nabiki sat on the bed by the younger girl.
"Senshi are virtually immune to hostile shape change; it's a part of our defense package." Ami paused. "Now I just told the girls that, and Rei frowned like she wanted to object, but I can't recall any of us being shapeshifted." The genius girl wracked her memory. Her eyes suddenly widened. "How could I forget? It was the only attack Usagi and I handled alone. Usagi was turned into a little girl!"
"That's very interesting. Remember what I taught you about uncovering secrets? The biggest clues are discrepancies between supposed facts. It's like finding corner pieces in a jigsaw puzzle." Nabiki's eyes seemed to gleam. "Now how do you know Senshi can't be shape-changed?"
"I came across it early on in my research on Senshi. It was presented as a basic part of the Senshi powers." Ami nibbled at her lower lip. "Is there some safe way we could test it?"
Nabiki smiled broadly. "Sure is. I have a few packets of Instant Drowned Cat I traded Cologne for a while ago. That should do it, if you'll do the honors."
"The Instant Water is temporary, right?" The blue-haired girl paused. "Um, Nabiki, why in the world do you have packets of Drowned Cat?"
The older girl shrugged. "Cats are good at sneaking around, and nobody notices them. Anyway, we have a contradictory set of supposed facts. Senshi can't be shape-changed. Sailor Moon is a Senshi. Sailor Moon was shape-changed." Nabiki scooted to the edge of the bed, looking like a cat on the hunt. "So let's take them one at a time. We are going to corroborate the Senshi immunity, so let's set that aside. Sailor Moon's shape change is an observed historical fact, but we can check that with the Instant Drowned Cat as well." Ami stared at her. "Which means the most likely explanation is that Sailor Moon is not a Senshi."
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Ranma and Usagi were in the latter's bedroom, packing for the training trip. Rather, Usagi was packing and Ranma was unpacking. The blonde girl was excited; clearly the prospect of the trip was taking her mind off her boyfriend woes. Alas, the Senshi leader had no concept of packing light.
Ranma was hard-pressed to get irritated, though. It was just too nice seeing Usagi in a genuinely good mood. Still, something had to be done. The redhead started trying to explain. "Usagi, we're only going to be gone for three nights, plus, who's going to carry all this?" waving at a pack that covered most of Usagi's bed. "You, my buff little princess. Even Akane couldn't carry this much."
The blonde pouted slightly. "But Red-chaaaaaaan, I need this stuff!" pointing to the CD player, discs, manga and enough snacks to outfit a candy store.
The petite martial artist grinned. "I'll take care of food, don't worry. You and Ami are going to be way too busy to worry about music or manga. I bet Ami isn't even going to be able to study."
That brought up Usagi short, with a look of faux terror on her face. "We're going to be working THAT hard?" Ranma nodded. "Um, I just remembered an important tea ceremony I have to attend." The two girls exchanged looks, then burst into giggles.
Getting control of herself, Ranma grinned. "This is just a light workout by my pop's standards. Maybe twenty or thirty hours of training. Nothing like tying boulders to your legs and dropping you in front of wolves or swimming to China."
Luna jumped onto the bed. "That's right, Usagi-chan. You should be grateful to get such great training from a teacher like Ranma!" The blonde looked unconvinced.
"Heh, Luna, you sound just like pops." Ranma remarked offhandedly.
The black Moon Cat stopped and stared at the redhead, a startled expression on her face. "I don't really, do I, Ranma?" At the smaller girl's shrug, the distraught cat continued. "I'm not like him, am I? Usagi? Ranma?"
"A little, Luna," Usagi answered as she began repacking with Ranma's assistance. The smaller girl nodded.
Luna thought back on a few episodes in their past, especially those when she more or less tricked and bullied Usagi into becoming Sailor Moon. The cat hung her head and then jumped up onto the pack. She patted her princess' hand with a soft paw. "I'm sorry, Usagi."
The blonde gathered her advisor into a gentle hug. "It's okay Luna. It's not like I'm not a lazy crybaby. I know things had to be done, you had no choice. The whole world was at stake. It all turned out okay in the end. I have great friends and my gymnastics back. You've been good for me."
Ranma cinched closed the much smaller pack and turned to the girl and cat, smiling. "Okay, if you two have had your moment, I think we're done here. Mako-chan and I are making teriyaki chicken tonight. You guys are invited if you want."
The Moon Cat and Moon Princess looked at one another, then grinned. "Let me just check with mom."
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The four Phantom Sisters put the finishing touches on their plan. Petz, as usual, took charge. "Very well. My Droid, Furaiki, will summon a massive storm, aided by your Droid, Berthier. Calaveras' and Koan's will support and stay on the lookout for The Rabbit's energy discharge."
Berthier and Calaveras nodded. The youngest sister, however, objected. "I don't see why I have to be the one to observe the attack," Koan rubbed her face. "I'm still not at my best."
Calaveras smirked. "Several reasons, dear younger sister. First, Sailor Moon and the Rose Warrior already know who you are. If they get past the Droids, there's no sense in giving them more information, yes? Second, we know that you're fast enough to get away from Sailor Moon if attacked. Finally, let's be honest, your best isn't going to excite a man, so you might as well go for sympathy with the bruises."
The blue-haired woman exploded in outrage. "WHAT!? Listen you dried up radish, just because you're over the hill—"
"Shut up, both of you," Petz commanded coldly. "I will not have your childish squabbles jeopardize my mission." Both sisters look sullenly at the green-haired woman. "Then let us begin."
The three girls were chatting away a pleasant summer afternoon in an old-fashioned ice-cream parlor. Rei, Makoto and Minako had seen their three teammates off on their training trip early that morning and had spent the rest of their time shopping and hanging out.
Makoto stirred her root-beer float mournfully. "I wish we could have gone first. I bet Red is going to be teaching them some killer moves."
Rei shrugged. "Well, I can see the reasoning. Let Usagi go while the enemy is still recovering. They haven't tried anything for almost a week, so you know they're going to strike soon. I just hope Usagi gets back in time."
"Hey, what's with Usagi this and Usagi that?" Minako asked puzzledly. "I thought you didn't think much of Usagi-chan?" Makoto shook her head, while lightly slapping Minako on the back of hers.
Rei snorted. "I was always disappointed in Usagi. She was the leader, she was the first. She should have been Ami's and my senior. Instead, she was a ditzy crybaby. Sure, she could rise to the occasion, nobody better, but she could have, should have been so much more." She took a drink from her soda. "Now that Ranma is here, she's turning into everything I could hope for. Sure she's still a ditz, but she's become the warrior I always wished she was. My senior."
The girls all stared out the window for a while. Finally, Minako broke the silence. "I know she's good, but she's not that good, is she?"
Makoto shrugged. "I doubt I could beat her any more, when we're not transformed." Minako stared at her tall friend in shock. "And in Senshi form, I think she could take on the three of us together. Maybe she wouldn't win, but I wouldn't bet on that." Rei nodded.
Minako pondered matters for a bit. "That's actually kind of cool, you know? I guess it's like that saying, 'I have the strength of ten for my heart is pureed', and Usagi-chan's heart HAS been broken." The other two girls blinked, stared at the perky blonde for a moment and then weakly nodded.
The conversation lapsed again for a spell, as the girls applied themselves to their drinks. Idly looking out the window, Makoto frowned. It was clouding up quickly and the day was already darkening. "Looks like we have some weather rolling in, I hope Usa-chan is okay at her swimming lesson."
Rei glanced out at the sky. "She should be," the shrine maiden offered. "Akane is picking her up from the school. She's going to stay with the Tendos while Usagi's gone."
Minako stirred her drink. "Three days of Kasumi-san's cooking. Lucky sprout," she muttered jealously, as rain began to fall, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Watching the storm intensify, the three girls ordered another round of fountain drinks and some light snacks, as they cozily settled in to wait out the summer storm. A half hour passed in pleasant banter, mostly concerning boys. As always, Minako and Makoto expressed their regret over the "loss" of Ranma. The three friends fell silent, as they remembered their glimpses of a perfect physique. Then Rei's communicator chirped, interrupted their daydreams.
In what was now a well-rehearsed drill, Minako and Makoto inched their chairs over, shielding Rei from view as she activated her communicator. Akane's frantic face greeted her from the tiny view screen. "Rei-chan, I'm at the school, but Usa is missing. I got held up by Kuno and was late getting here. Usa must have panicked and run off into the storm!"
Rei frowned in concern. "All right Akane, we'll be right over to help you look for her. We'll home in on your signal." Akane nodded as Rei closed the communicator. "Okay, girls, time to get wet. Usa is gone missing and we're going to find her." The two Senshi nodded firmly.
Racing out of the shop, the three girls dodged through the rain and cold towards Juuban Elementary, the lightning and thunder increasing in frequency. They found a guilty looking Akane searching shop fronts for their errant charge. As her teammates drew close, the youngest Tendo began a frantic apology. "Rei, I'm so sorry! Kuno came along with some nonsense and I sent him packing, but—" The raven-haired girl gripped the older girl's shoulder, interrupting the flood of words.
"It's okay, Akane. Who knew she would run away like this? Anyway, the important thing is to find Usa."
"Oh boy." Makoto said flatly. "I think we just did, along with the rest of Tokyo." The tall girl was pointing at a column of energy reaching towards the clouds.
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Usa sat alone on the steps of the school, waiting for Akane. The last of her classmates had been picked up by doting, apologetic parents, leaving the uneasy martial artist to weather the storm. A particularly loud crack of thunder drove the young girl into the streets. Auntie Akane is never late. I bet she's fighting some bad guys. I'll go help, I'm a martial artist too. Anything to take her mind off the storm. Usa jumped at another lightning strike.
After what seemed like hours, the pink-haired girl was lost, soaked, cold and thoroughly frightened. Huddling in the scant shelter of an alley, Usa prepared herself for a good cry. As the first tears fell, the child was overwhelmed by a wave of anxiety and homesickness. As before, the golden crescent moon appeared on her forehead and a column of energy soared to the heavens.
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Koan's arrogant face lit up in satisfaction as she observed the pillar of positive energy. Speaking seemingly to the air, the blue-haired woman commanded, "Nipasu, Furaiki, return to me at once. The Rabbit has broken cover." The two Droids took a minute to respond, changing Koan's mood to fury.
"What took you so long?" The purple-clad woman demanded. "You will obey me without hesitation!" The kimono-clad ice maiden bowed to Koan.
"A thousand apologies, mistress. Droid Furaiki was engrossed in her storm making and failed to hear your call." It gestured at its companion, avoiding the ludicrous drum.
"Fine, whatever. There is no time to lose. Go to The Rabbit and destroy her. I shall observe your progress. Dumble," Koan ordered, turning to the green-skinned martial-arts Droid, "Lead them, quickly now. We can't let The Rabbit escape."
The four Droids instantly headed towards the energy pillar. The ice maiden Nipasu flew, propelled by the north wind. Dumble, the most normal looking of the Droids, despite its green skin and purple cape, hopped from rooftop to rooftop. Jamanen was not so much roof-hopping as flowing from roof to roof, a splash of bright crimson in the gray day. Trailing the exotic group was Furaiki, kept aloft by a steady beat on its drum.
Koan purposefully kept a sizable distance between herself and the Droids, taking care to conceal her presence. Her job was to observe, not to fight. As she rubbed her bruised face in what was rapidly becoming a habit, the thought of revealing herself to finish off The Rabbit passed through the back of her mind.
Nipasu was the first to arrive as the energy stream petered out. Spotting the young girl's pink hair, the ice maiden dove at her. "The mistress will be so pleased, Rabbit popsicle!" Exhaling a frigid blast of icy wind, the Droid strafed the alley, only to see her quarry scramble out of the way. "No escape now, gi—uffff."
Lesser Mercury's jump kick caught the ice maiden solidly in the midriff, knocking it to the ground. "Picking on little girls, how low can you sink!?" Using the momentum of her kick, the Senshi heir leapt over to the stunned Droid and began to hammer it, alternating left and right punches.
Sailor Jupiter skidded to a halt, pausing to admire her teammate's form. Suddenly, a female-shaped gout of crimson liquid engulfed Lesser Mercury, leaving her pinned in web-like red strands. "M2!" The Senshi of Thunder raced to aid the entangled girl, only to be cut off by Dumble.
Ducking a powerful kick from the green-skinned Droid, Jupiter grinned, attempting a foot sweep. They were soon trading punches and kicks. Nipasu staggered back, taking the opportunity to regroup. Blasting the Lesser Mercury with her freezing breath, the robed Droid retreated. This had the opposite of the intended effect. Ignoring the cold, the Heir of Ice shattered her now-brittle bonds.
Jupiter was absorbed in her duel, but reacted immediately when she heard a cry from behind. "Look out, Jupiter!" followed closely by "Mars fire ignite!" The tall Senshi dodged the crimson Droid behind her, who took the fire blast full in the face, releasing a cloud of red steam.
Dumble spotted the opening and kicked Jupiter in the head, sending the girl sprawling. Ignoring its damaged comrade, the fighting Droid made a leap towards Venus, who had shouted the warning. The blonde Senshi kept running, but conjured a Love-me Chain, ensnaring Dumble and sending it careening into a building.
Taking a quick look behind her, Lesser Mercury spotted Usa at the mouth of the alley, making as if to attack the stunned Jamanen . With a muttered curse, she reversed her charge at Nipasu to intercept the headstrong child.
Sailor Mars also spotted the pink-haired girl, but was only able to take one step towards her before dodging a lightning bolt from the tardy Furaiki. Mars was soon caught up in a running battle with the weather Droid. The swirling winds moved the flying drummer in an erratic pattern, making her almost impossible to hit. However, the mystic Senshi found
the Droid's attacks easy to avoid, as it had to pound on its drum to call lightning.
Venus' progress was blocked by the recovering Jamanen , who released a stream of scarlet liquid that solidified as it landed. The blonde Senshi parried with her Chain, but was blindsided by Dumble, using the goo as a screen. Venus heard her ribs creak in protest, but smugly grinned when a well-timed "Thunder Strike" zapped the green-skinned Droid.
Koan was observing the fight from the roof of a nearby building. She noted with some relief that these Senshi were nowhere near as strong as Sailor Moon. Their attacks were quicker, but the Droids could shrug off the damage from a hit, where Moon's attack meant instant destruction.
The youngest Phantom sister noticed that only the more plainly dressed Senshi had made it to The Rabbit, after knocking Nipasu out of the battle for a space. The blue-haired woman considered making an attempt on The Rabbit. Rubbing her cheek, she decided against it. The plain Senshi, this "M2" seemed to use martial arts, and Koan was not eager to expose her precious face again.
Lesser Mercury grabbed Usa by the scruff of her neck. "Where do you think you're going, young lady?"
The pink-haired girl shot the dark haired Senshi a venomous look. "I'm going to help."
Exasperated, the Heir of Ice commanded, "You are going to stay here and out of trouble. There is no way I'm going to let you get into that fight, Usa-chan."
The younger girl pouted. "I can take care of myself! I'm a martial artist, too!" Lesser Mercury stared. In a flash, she instantly knew how Ranma had felt when she had said those very words, getting into fights that were beyond her.
Without releasing her hold on the child, the Senshi heir took a quick look around. Her teammates were dueling with the three remaining Droids, without making much progress. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the ice maiden had recovered and was preparing to reenter the fray. We need an advantage, some new technique, Come on, M2, what would Ranma do? Lesser Mercury paused. She would use Ami's attack to allow us to gang up on them.
I can't do Ami's attack. She shook her head violently. No! That's not helping. Sucking in a deep breath, the muscular Senshi yelled, "Mars! Get ready!" With another deep breath, Lesser Mercury focused her entire being on one short phrase.
"Shabon — Spray!"
As the fog sprang into existence, the Senshi heir slumped against a wall. She felt like she had just run a marathon. She vaguely noticed Usa assuming a defensive stance over her. The other three Senshi leaped back into the fog, breaking their foes' line of sight.
The four Droids were swinging their heads wildly, seeking their enemies. With an inspired notion, Furaiki began generating a wind to blow the dense fog away. Mars called out, "The drum girl first! Full power! Burning mandela!" Mars'cry was seconded by her two teammates.
"Sparkling wide pressure!"
"Crescent beam smash!"
All three attacks struck the stationary Droid. Its form wavered and then crumbled to bluish dust. While Dumble and Jamanen continued to turn in place, Nipasu began slowly working its way along a wall. More intelligent then its allies, the ice maiden could recognize a lost cause. The robed Droid gave a cry of despair as a golden chain whipped out of the fog, pinning its arms to its sides. Fire and lightning cut short its existence.
Koan cursed. Not only was the fog preventing her observation, but it was close enough to allow a Senshi to sneak up on her. Surveying the battlefield, the blue-haired woman realized that the mist was clearing. Her own Droid, Dumble, was confused but still in the fight. Jamanen was sluggish, reacting as if half-frozen. Obviously, the fog must be quite cold. Even as she watched, the crimson Droid was destroyed by an energy beam and a lightning blast.
As the fog dissipated completely, the Phantom Sister spotted two more piles of blue dust. It would seem the Senshi could operate in the fog, while the Droids were almost blind. That made this fog bank a potentially devastating weapon. One of the Senshi, M2, was slumped against a wall, "guarded" by The Rabbit. Koan hoped one of the Droids had done some damage. The other three seemed intact.
Koan watched angrily as the remaining Senshi easily disposed of Dumble. To her disappointment, M2 was getting to her feet, obviously she had suffered no serious harm. Koan took the loss philosophically. Four Droids lost, granted two of them had been very strong, for a wealth of information and a modest attack on The Rabbit. A fair exchange.
The blue-haired woman lingered, hoping to gain a clue as to where they might be keeping The Rabbit. She noticed the red-skirted Senshi, the fire user, seemed to be pointing right at her. Shifting uneasily, she continued to watch as the fire Senshi, Mars, she thought, ordered the blonde with the infernally nasty chain attack to join M2 to guard The Rabbit.
To her shock, the other two Senshi began roof hopping directly toward her. Rattled, the Phantom sister teleported back to the ship. It was a good thing she had stayed. Now she knew at least one Senshi could detect them.
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Mamoru looked up suddenly from the equations he had been struggling with. The idea to take a summer course in advanced calculus to take his mind off his breakup with Usagi was looking like a good choice. The work was incredibly hard and absorbed all of his mental energy.
Stretching, he moved over to the window and peered at the storm. Mamoru had felt a slight pull that usually meant The Senshi needed him. He wasn't sure, though, since unless Sailor Moon was involved, his connection to the other girls was marginal at best.
He frowned. Lately, even his connection to Moon seemed to be weakening. Perhaps because she's becoming stronger? Less dependent? He shrugged. That's all to the good. Turning back to his desk, he focused his mind on math. These proofs aren't going to do themselves, Chiba, old man.
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Sailor Mars and Jupiter returned to the alley where Venus and Lesser Mercury stood guard over a fuming Usa. Mars looked apologetically at the other four girls. "I'm sorry, guys. Whatever that dark presence was, it got away. I guess I should have tried being sneaky, but I was afraid of losing track of it." Jupiter waved the apology away.
"We're just lucky to have you in the group Mars. Without your spiritual powers, we'd miss all sorts of things. At least we know whatever it was you felt, was spying on us. And is afraid to face two Senshi."
Venus looked at the frustrated faces of her teammates. "They got away? Well, Don't worry about it Mars, like Jupiter says, without you, we wouldn't even know the bad guys were spying on us." The exhausted Lesser Mercury nodded, while a still fuming Usa looked away. Jupiter noticed the younger girl's anger.
"What's wrong with you, Miss Grumpy Pants?" The Senshi of Thunder asked with a smile.
The sulking pink-haired girl replied, "I was gonna help you guys, but Akane got her panties all in a twist. I'm a martial artist, I was trained by the best. I could have helped." The four Senshi stared at their charge. Mars found her voice first.
"W-who's Akane, Usa? Lesser Mercury was guarding you in the fight." In a desperate attempt to sidetrack the younger girl, the Senshi of Fire switched topics. "It's not that we doubt your fighting skills, it's just that these creatures want you dead and it's our duty to protect you. Sailor Moon made a promise to you and we mean to keep that promise, okay?"
The pink-haired girl realized her slip. "Oh, um, yeah. Akane is this nice girl who's a friend of Usagi. I'm staying with her while Usagi's away." Usa looked down. "I guess you're right. I ain't a Senshi yet and I have an important mission. It's just that mom taught me that a martial artist has a duty to protect the innocent." The young girl's mind caught up with her mouth and she clapped her hands over the latter.
"Important mission?" Jupiter repeated, arching one eyebrow.
"Not a Senshi, YET?" asked Mars.
As the two Senshi began badgering a suddenly deaf Usa, the Mercury heir sidled over to Sailor Venus. She whispered to the blonde, "How I am going to get away to transform back and collect Usa-chan without being totally obvious?"
Watching as Usa discovered a newly-found fascination for rusty dumpsters, Venus whispered back. "Actually, now might be a pretty good time, with Mars and Jupiter grilling the kid. Besides, it seems she knows who you are but is willing to keep it a secret. You know what they say, a wink is as good as a note. It seems Usa-chan is willing to pretend not to know who you really are if you are willing." The Heir of Ice looked at her friend for second, then slipped away.
Finally giving up their attempts at interrogation, the two Senshi stared balefully at the innocent-seeming Usa. With a sigh, Mars opted to just scold her. "Usa-chan, it was a bad idea to run away before the girl who was looking after you came. In the future, please stick close to where you're supposed to be. These creatures that are after you are very dangerous and we need to know where you are. Now promise me that you won't go running off, okay?"
A penitent and relieved Usa nodded solemnly. "I promise to try Sailor Mars, word of a martial artist," the girl scuffed the ground with her toe. "It's just that I really don't like noisy storms. I was trying to find Akane."
Jupiter ruffled the mop of pink hair, smiling. "We'll stay with you until Akane comes by. I'm sure she's waiting at the school where she was going to pick you up." Mars closed her eyes and hit her forehead in exasperation. Usa smiled, winking at the raven-haired mystic.
"Then why don't we head back there? Sailor Senshi sure are clever, figuring stuff like that out," the tiny martial artist chirped. Jupiter blessed the disguise field that would hide her embarrassment at her slip.
The walk back to Juuban Elementary was accomplished quickly and in silence. Sitting there on the steps, a picture of forlorn worry in a yellow raincoat, was Akane Tendo. As Usa came into view, the black-haired girl ran to her, engulfing the pink-haired girl in a fierce hug.
"Usa-chan! I was so worried. I'm sorry I was late. I ran into Kuno and it took me a while to get rid of him. I wish you had waited for me!" Akane turned to her three slack-jawed teammates. "Thank you for finding her, I'm very grateful."
The amused younger girl watched as a bemused Mars accepted Akane's heartfelt thanks. Aunt Akane is really, really good at this, much better then the other girls. Wasn't she an actress or something? Or was that after this? Shrugging, the small martial artist sat back and enjoyed the show.
After a couple of minutes the older girl's stream of gratitude ran down. With a final deep bow and a firm hold on Usa' hand, Akane took her leave. The last thing the pink-haired girl heard was Mars announcing to her two fellows that she would call Moon and let her know what was going on.
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The two tired girls watched the campfire with a mesmerized gaze. Both of them were creatures of the city and this was their first time camping in even a partial wilderness. Their red-haired guide had set up a tidy camp, with a cooking pit, latrine and a large barrel over a slow fire for bathing. Moon and Mercury were distracted from their contemplation as Ranma began preparing dinner. Mercury couldn't believe how hungry she was. Is this how Red-chan and Usagi feel all the time?
Breaking the silence as she began chopping up a vast quantity of vegetables, Ranma asked, "So how do you guys feel? Bearing up okay? I thought the training went really well."
Moon grinned and nodded, but Mercury gushed. "That was amazing, Red-chan, simply amazing! I mean, I feel tired, but good, and we've been on the go since five this morning. And we've learned so much! Like the energy boost from an extended stay in Senshi form. And how did you know about removing the Senshi costume?" She gestured at her shorts and T-shirt.
Ranma rubbed the back of her head. "Well, that's really from Artemis, you know?" The Senshi of Ice nodded and looked at the white Moon Cat. Usagi's stare never left the ingredients the redhead was turning into a copious amount of stew. Her nose twitched like her namesake as the concoction starting giving off a fine aroma.
Artemis licked his muzzle at the smell as well and answered Mercury's implied question. "Ranma and I have been talking a lot about what I remember about the 'old days' to try and aid in your training. I have to say, she really is amazing at analyzing matters and applying them to your training. She's much better then Luna." Ranma blushed while the two girls nodded. "Please don't tell her I said that. Anyway, we've been discussing what the Senshi were like in the 'old days'. While the Silver Millennium was at its height, the Senshi were just Senshi, they didn't transform."
Mercury nodded, almost lost in thought. "That would stand to reason. No need hide your identity, right?"
"Exactly," Artemis agreed. "So Ranma pointed out that the Senshi probably didn't wear their uniforms 24/7. All you girls even have memories of wearing ballgowns and such. Even though it looks like each of you girls is sewn into your costumes, you're able to remove them through controlled use of the transformation ability. In fact, I think the ability of modern Senshi to transform into your 'civilian' identity is based on the quick-change ability."
"Wow. Artemis, maybe you should start attending the RRRC meetings with me and Nabiki." Mercury suggested.
"RRRC?" asked a puzzled cat.
"The Ranma Research and Restoration Committee," The blue-haired girl proudly proclaimed. Ranma blushed again.
"I'm grateful that you and Na-chan are trying to help me, Ami, but I really don't want you to mess up your school stuff on my account." Ranma said quietly. Mercury gave her a very old-fashioned look as Moon giggled.
In a blatant change of subject, Ranma informed his ravenous charges, "Dinner is going to a take a while. Why don't you girls wash up in the barrel?" Usagi stood and stretched.
"If it's okay, Mercury, I'll take a quick bath." At the Senshi of Ice's nod, the blonde went over and gathered her bathing supplies.
"I'm going to catch a quick cat nap," Artemis told them, and moved off into the tent.
As Moon sauntered over to the bath barrel in her shorts and T-shirt, Ranma's eyes were fixed on the blonde's trim frame. I can't believe Mamoron gave that up.
A quiet voice asked, "You like her, don't you?" The redhead had forgotten Mercury's unobtrusive presence.
Blushing slightly, the redhead tried to hide her feelings. "Ah, sure, everybody likes Usagi."
The blue-haired Senshi's smile grew wider. "No, I mean you LIKE her. Don't you?"
Ranma cheeks grew as red as her hair as she sputtered unconvincing denials. Finally with a sigh, she admitted quietly, "Yeah, I like her." A melancholy air engulfed her as she stirred the large pot of stew. Her free hand toyed with the yin-yang pendent. "But so what? Usagi likes boys. At most I can be her best friend. To make it even worse, I don't know if this body is into girls, either." Mercury gripped the smaller girl's shoulder.
"Red-chan, I want to tell you that I think Usagi is more interested than you know. I've caught her looking at you when you weren't watching, especially since Chiba-san dumped her. And someday you are going to regain your boy side, if Na-chan and I have anything to say about it."
The redhead smiled. "Is that a promise from Sailor Mercury?"
"That's right, Sailor Doubter. And if you don't believe it, then in the name of Mercury, I will punish you!"
