The Delightful Hulkusagi! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Ranma ½ and other genres belong their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 8: "The Gray Moon!" (III)
Meanwhile, in some weird dreamscape…
"You'll never get away with this!" Usagi yells, as she was stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Princess Serenity smirks.
"Now, why would you believe that I cannot 'get away' with my actions?" the Princess smirked. "I have access to OUR memories, and I am in control of OUR body. And soon, it will only be me in charge of EVERYTHING."
Princess Serenity then turns away.
"Ranma will stop you!" Usagi said. "And the moment you get hit with sunlight, I'll be free. You hear me?"
"I do. But then again, it will soon will not matter this…'friend' of yours do. And to think he had his way with OUR body."
"That's not fair, and you know it! Ranma is a good man, and was there for me throughout my sojourn. You KNOW this."
Princess Serenity says nothing, as she walks away.
"Serenity, that has to count, right?"
"No," Serenity said. "You may have forgotten your obligation, but I will NOT…"
Princess Serenity opens her eyes, and glad to be awake. Ever since she learned that sunlight could reverse the change back to Usagi, the Princess made an effort to stay indoors during the daytime-
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!
Serenity turns towards the door of her bedroom chambers.
"What is it?" Serenity asked.
Luna, in her humanoid form, enters the room. Since her awakening, Luna has been an enthusiastic supporter of THIS version of her mistress.
"Princess, we are ready to begin the test run," Luna said.
"Good. Once we have the Crystal Points actively linked and secured, we have the foundation laid for Crystal Tokyo."
Luna nods. She wasn't sure how she feels about these recent developments, but the Moon Cat Guardian was glad to have the Princess take her role as the Moon Princess seriously.
A few minutes later, Princess Serenity and Luna enters the make-shift command center of the operation, which was located in a warehouse on the docks of Tokyo Bay. Using Usagi's resources, she was able to secure the funding to hire people to rework the entire Tokyo metropolitan grid, but did so in a way to make the changes coincidental. With much of the work complete, it came down to her, Luna, Artemis (another Guardian Cat), Mamoru and the other Sailor Scouts to complete the operations.
"'Flux Muon Conversion' active," Mamoru said, as he fingers danced across the panel.
"'Axiomatic Buffer Code' engaged," Haruka said. She then turns towards her beloved Michiru, who was working another panel.
"I love this technobable stuff," Haruka said.
"You and Mamoru WOULD," Michiru said with a smile. "I know that you two love tools."
"My tools are more…user friendly."
"Humph."
Michiru then turns towards her screen.
"Princess, we are now online."
"Good," Serenity said, as she steps forward. "Once the power converters are 'green', we can go to the next phase."
"Princess," Hotaru said, as she gets up from her seat. Hotaru has been watching all this while her parental guardians were helping Serenity in her agenda, save for Setsuna. For some reason, Setsuna was no where to be seen…
Serenity turns towards the senshi of Saturn.
"Yes?"
"Are you sure people will be okay?" Hotaru asked meekly.
"Of course, Hotaru," Serenity said. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, Setsuna said she wanted to see if…what you are doing is okay, but she hasn't return yet."
"I would not worry about Sailor Pluto," the Princess said. "She…is making sure that every detail has been thoroughly investigated."
"Oh, okay…"
Michiru and Haruka turn to look at Hotaru and then at the Princess.
"Are you SURE that you know what you are doing, Princess?" Haruka said.
"You…doubt me?" Serenity said, as she turns towards the senshi of Uranus and Neptune.
"Well, it's just that this…new look and mindset of yours is different from what we are used to," Michiru said.
"Yes, I know," said Serenity with a sigh. "But bare in mind that if I revert to what I was before, then Crystal Tokyo will NEVER come to pass. At least, not in the way it should."
Serenity looks around the group.
"I appreciate the faith you have in me, and I guarantee you that your efforts will pay off handsomely."
"Serenity," Mamoru said, as he gets up from his seat, before going over to hug the Moon Princess. "We'll stand by you."
"I appreciate your loyalty, my Prince," Serenity said. "It shall be rewarded."
CHIRP!
Artemis looks at his monitors.
"Princess, the others are ready," Artemis said.
"Good," Serenity said, as she took her seat next to Hotaru, as Mamoru said, as he took his spot. "Initiate the next phase."
At the Hikawa Shrine on Sendai Hill, Rei, while complaining about doing stuff that she had no business knowing, activates a machine that consisted of electronic cylinders and gizmos. It was almost as tall as she was.
CHOOM!
With the device activated, Rei taps into her communicator.
CHIRP!
"This Rei," Rei said with annoyance. "The…Heisenberg Compensator is ready…"
At the other Crystal Points, located all around town, the Sailor Scouts activates the compensators at those points.
At the "Otafukuya" beauty salon, Minako activates her own compensator.
CHOOM!
Chirp!
"Ready!" Minako said over the communications line.
At the "Chess Tower", a gaming store, Ami activates her own compensator.
CHOOM!
Chirp!
"Ready!" Ami said over the communications line.
At the "Bob-Floy" ice cream parlor, Makoto activates her compensator.
CHOOM!
Chirp!
"Ready!" Makoto said over the communications line.
Back at operations, Serenity stands up.
"My prince, we have to set up the compensators," Serenity said.
"Are you sure?" Mamoru said, as he gets up. "But the sunlight-"
"I will hold on long enough to effect the final phase," Serenity said. "We need to act NOW."
Serenity turns towards Haruka and the others.
"Keep an eye on energy gauges, otherwise we might have a problem," Serenity said, as she took Mamoru's hand. "May Fates smile on us this day…"
FLASH!
And Serenity and Mamaru disappear in a flash of light.
Meanwhile, Ranma, Willow and Aki all land in front of the Tsukino residence, ignoring the stares from pedestrians that were passing by. While Willow is using the gift of speed from Zephyrus to fly, and while Aki used magic to fly, Ranma learned how to fly from his mastery over his "chi", starting from he fought the so-called "Dragon Prince" named Herb, son of the lord of the Musk Dynasty. Being a descendent of a dragon who had been turned into a human female, thanks to the cursed waters of Jusenkyo…the same waters that had cursed Ranma, Herb can manipulate the so-called dragon lines (called "Ley Lines" in the West) to increase his energy. This ability also allows him to manipulate his battle aura give himself flight. Eventually, Ranma, on a distance world and time, learned the same trick through intense training, though it was Usagi, thanks to another martial arts master named "The Crane Hermit", that gave Ranma the secret to pull the trick off…
Since then, Ranma has continued to master his ability to fly, even to the point of this ability being second nature to him.
THAK!
"We'll check here to see if Usagi is home," Ranma said, as he walks up towards the walkway to the front entrance of the property. "And don't act weird…AKI."
Aki growls but says nothing. Time and time again, he has insisted that his look as an oataku was a part of his disguise, nothing more.
"Dad, I don't detect Mom's energy signature," Willow said.
"I know, but that doesn't mean she can't be home."
"How is that possible?"
"That's because Mom and Dad can hide their energy signatures," Aki replied.
"Correct. Your mother and I have plenty of enemies around, and we don't want to have THEM coming to our doorstep trying to get revenge or something."
"Oh," Willow said.
"Now, let me do the talking," Ranma said. "The situation between myself and Usagi's parents is not exactly…sedate. Okay, you two?"
"Yes, Dad!" Willow and Aki say in unison.
With a clearing of the throat, Ranma knocks on the door.
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Ranma turns to look at his kids.
"It's going to be okay-" Ranma said, just as the front door suddenly swings open.
"YOU!" Kenji Tsukino yells, as he grabs Ranma by his shirt. He attempts to manhandle the martial artist, but to no avail.
"Errrgh-!"
"Um, hello, Mr. Tsukino," Ranma said, while hiding his annoyance. "Have you seen Usagi?"
"Don't-errrgh-tell me you don't know what happened to my little girl!" Kenji said.
Willow and Aki could only stare at this…comedy of errors in silent amazement.
"…"
Just then, a young, middle-aged housewife appears at the doorstep.
"KENJI!" Ikuko said, as she pulls her husband off of Ranma. "Calm down!"
"But…he knows-!"
"I know nothing, sir," Ranma said evenly. "That is why I am here."
"See?" Ikuko said. "He's not the one who is behind Usagi's most recent…disappearance."
"Oh?"
After introductions and explanations took place, Ikuko shows Ranma her daughter's room.
"As you can tell, she hasn't been here in a few days," Ikuko said.
"Hmmm…"
"Mrs. Tsukino, do I have your permission to check…Usagi's drawers?" Willow asked. "It wouldn't be proper for…Ranma and my brother to do so, even if it is to check for clues."
"Certainly," Ikuko said with a smile. She then frowns a bit.
"You know, you remind me of my daughter."
"Oh, thank you," Willow said with a blush.
Ranma turns towards Ikuko.
"Thank for this opportunity to get to the bottom of this matter," Ranma said with a slight bow.
"You're welcome," Ikuko said likewise. "Let me know if you three need anything."
And with that, Ikuko leaves Usagi's room.
"You know, I am amazed at how…Spartan Mom's room is," Aki said.
"The way your mother indicated, she wasn't always this…orderly," Ranma said. "Anyway, Willow: check Usagi's drawers. Aki, perform a spell casting rote on her dresser mirror. See if you can get it to tell us what happened."
"Right," the kids say in unison, before getting to work…
"Meanwhile, I'll check Usagi's 'inner sanctum'," Ranma said.
"Ah, I want to see it!" Aki said excitedly.
"No, Aki," Ranma said. "Last time I checked, your Mother has not given you permission to see it."
"So?"
"What happens when someone enters one's inner sanctum without permission?"
"Oh," Aki said, as he realizes that without permission, he could easily fall into a trap of his mother's design.
"Good. Continue with this other thing, while I check something out."
And, with a step backwards, Ranma disappears into Usagi's inner sanctum.
"I wonder what it's like in there," Willow said, as she continued to search for clues.
"Probably something out of 'Alice in Wonderland'," Aki said, as he begins to prepare his spells…
Usagi's "inner sanctum" was a null zone that exists outside of the space-time continuum. It is here that Usagi practices and researches her mystic arts and super-science, having accumulated the knowledge over a long period of time. Not surprisingly, considering the fact that Usagi spent most of her time in a future era where the term "wagon train to the stars" was realized, her inner sanctum resembled more of a future laboratory than some arcane hovel.
Upon entering the inner sanctum, Ranma was shocked to see a battered and bloodied Sailor Pluto, who was lying in a pool of her own blood…
"Setsuna!" Ranma yells, as he immediately went to her side. He knew that Setsuna was one of the few people who could enter Usagi's inner sanctum unmolested.
"Setsuna, what happened?" Ranma said.
Setsuna opens her eyes.
"Ranma, you have to stop the Moon Princess from…ruining the future of Crystal Tokyo…"
"?"
Tbc.
