Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, though I'd figure that that's a given. I also don't own Sailor moon, though if you thought I did you have mental problems. As for the many other series I've crossed with, I don't own those either.

Author's Notes:

2 years, eh? Long time. Those of you who have come back probably thought this fic was dead. I kinda did too, but then I found that someone listed it on TVTropes as a recommended fanfiction, and I had a sudden urge to continue it. So if any of you were eagerly awaiting this fic to come back to life, turn all your thanks towards Cryptic Mirror.

Of course, I'm just as stuck now as I was then, unable to get past an annoying block in my timeline, so I'm cheating. I'm skipping past the part I was stuck on, and there's a flashback in the middle of this chapter to make up for it. I apologize in advance if you find this set up confusing.


Ranma blinked water out of her eyes as she stared through the rain at her opponent, swaying ever so slightly as the wind and water pelted her. She hardly noticed it, her anger still burning strong after her recent encounter with Serpise and that damn bastard in the mask. Her fists clenched, seemingly on their own. She could almost feel the cathartic impact of her knuckles against Ryu's face already. She was looking forward to it.

The storm was absolutely deafening around them, with gale force winds blowing the rains nearly horizontal. A trashcan bounced down the road nearby, the garbage inside riding the wind like small paper birds, unable to find purchase on the ground against the storm's fury. Nearby trees bent against the constant force, their branches blown back and waving madly. All around them, the storm battered the street. It seemed like nothing could withstand its power. Nothing but them. Ranma and Ryu, standing tall, unmoving. Konatsu looked out at the two of them with some degree of awe from her position, taking shelter in the nook of a nearby building. Ryoga was at her feet, shivering against the rain in his small pig body, but he too had his eyes locked on the two fighters. They were like statues standing before a flood, defiant against the forces of nature. They simply stood, and stared. Finally, after what felt like hours, the silence within the cacophony of rain was broken by a light, feminine chuckle that slowly built up to maniacal laughter.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this, Ranma!" Ryu shouted, an eager grin clear on her face. Finally, she would get the rematch she'd been waiting for. She'd prove once and for all that her art was superior.

"Same stakes as before, Ryu!" Ranma responded, ignoring Ryu's words, "When I win, you seal the Yamasenken, permanently!"

"Screw that!" Ryu growled back, undoing the straps of her gloves and letting the weighted cloth hit the ground with a thump.

"The Yamasenken is mine. I'm never abandoning it again! This match is on different terms! When I win, I'm gonna make you turn me back into a man. I don't care if you have to devote your life to finding a way, you're changing me back!" Ryu continued removing her weights, removing the ankle straps before pausing a moment at her boots. Begrudgingly, she took them off. They didn't fit right and would only get in the way during the upcoming fight. She almost regretted not asking Ranma's mother for a change of clothes when she had the chance.

"Tch, whatever." Ranma muttered, not really caring that Ryu probably couldn't hear what she said, "You aren't gonna win, so what do I get when you lose?"

Ryu laughed at the remark, thinking for a moment what ridiculous thing she could give Ranma in the highly unlikely scenario that she'd lose. Finally, a thought came to her, and she promptly voiced it with a sarcastic smirk. "I'll join your stupid monster hunting gang. How's that sound?"

"So you become my personal servant if I win, eh?" Ranma smirked, falling into the familiar stance of the Umisenken, "Fine! Sounds good to me!"

Ryu sneered at Ranma's response, but said nothing. She simply removed the last of her weights and stood at the ready, feeling her surroundings. She was distinctly aware of the way her soaked clothes clung to her body, the mop of hair hanging heavily on her head, and the cold and clammy asphalt beneath her bare feet. She did her best to banish these distractions from her mind, dropping into a deep horse stance and flexing her body. Ranma rose a slight eyebrow at the display, seeing a faint glow start to build through the rain.

"The Umisenken and the Yamasenken are two sides of the same coin, complete opposites," Ryu began, her body beginning to glow. "And yet the Umisenken is powerless without its opening move, without that damn aura reducing stance."

She sunk deeper into her stance, her muscles tensing as she slowly drew her power out from her core. "It's like you said before," She continued, her aura now thick about her, "Umisenken is meaningless if you can see it."

Ranma could feel herself holding her breath as Ryu stood in her stance, half crouched and body tense with effort. Her body was now noticeably glowing, even through the rain. 'What the hell is she doing?'

"After our last fight, I had an epiphany. I realized then that the opposite has to be true for the Yamasenken. If the Umisenken's true potential is realized when the aura is dropped to an absolute minimum, until it all but vanishes, then the Yamasenken's true potential must be realized when the aura is raised to an absolute maximum, until it's practically ever present!" Her aura continued to build higher and higher, brighter and brighter, the heat within battling against the cold without. Ranma's eyes widened slightly as she felt the waves of power flowing off of Ryu as she continuously pressed her aura to its limits, pushing it farther and farther. Ranma could actually feel the heat now, despite the rain, despite the distance.

"I've spent every day since my defeat perfecting this technique, ensuring that I can bring out my aura to its maximum. But I've never been able to practice it with the Yamasenken, not until now anyway." Ryu's clothes and hair actually seemed to be drying somewhat in the intense heat of her aura, causing them both to start blowing in a wind completely separate from the storm, one generated by Ryu herself.

"I have to thank you for this much, Ranma. Were it not for you, I never would have realized what I had been missing. So I think I'll show it to you, the True Yamasenken!" Ryu's aura peaked with all the suddenness of an explosion, enveloping her in a bright blue fire like light while small bolts of lightning seemed to crackle across her body and between her limbs. At the same time she appeared to release a cloud of chi that quickly enveloped most of the surrounding area, filling it with a sense of Ryu's presence. Ranma reflexively took a step back as the chi billowed past her, feeling oddly small against the immensity of this aura.

"This is my Yamasenken. It has no meaning if you can look away." A cruel smirk had found its way to Ryu's face, her hair rising and falling slowly in the flow of her aura.

"So, Ranma..." Ryu shifted her footing and drew in a breath, "DON'T MOVE!"


Bishonen Senshi Sailor Moon

Chapter 8

Clash of the Titans


Her words reverberated like the Voice Of God, flowing across the massive chi cloud with horrifying clarity, even through the rain. Ranma froze in a manner that almost felt instinctive, a subconscious response from the deepest, most primal parts of her brain. Her eyes widened, locked on the rapidly approaching form of her opponent, dashing through the rain. Her stance was forgotten as she simply stood like a deer looking down the high beams of an oncoming semi truck, paralyzed with a pure, undiluted fear unlike anything she had ever experienced.

'move,' Ranma thought, having fully intended to say it aloud. Her tongue had failed her, however. Her mouth simply hung open slightly as she continued to watch Ryu come at her.

'Move.' Ranma thought again, feeling nothing greater than a twitch in her limbs as she tried and failed to respond. Her eyes were locked on Ryu, unwavering, unblinking. And as the adrenaline continued to pump through her veins, time itself seemed to slow to a crawl.

'Move!' She could see Ryu's breath on the wind, could feel the air parting in her wake, but still her body refused to respond. Ryu's aura was ever present, a horrible vice that seemed to be crushing her from every angle, holding her body in place like cement. She was close now, within arms length, readying herself for the opening strike that Ranma had once seen cleave a tree in half, vertically.

In that instant, she was certain she was going to die.

'MOVE!' Ranma instinctively flinched as Ryu reached her, her eyes snapping shut. And in that instant, when she finally broke eye contact, she felt her strength return.

"Mouko Kaimon Ha!" Ryu had reached her in an instant that had felt like eternity, striking out with her arms and leg with lethal force. Ranma simply dove to the side with all the power her legs could give her, landing on her side almost 5 meters away while Ryu's attack struck where she had stood before.

Ryu's attack slammed into the outer wall of a building, already cracked and broken from Ranma's earlier fight with Serpise. A move that had once torn a tree in two now did the very same to 3 stories of concrete, brick and mortar, cleaving the building in half with surprisingly little effort, smashing into it with such explosive force that Ranma almost suspected Ryu had bombs in her limbs.

"Holy..." Konatsu muttered in surprise, watching the outer wall of the building begin to lean before it simply crumbled into the alleyways on either side of it. The small pig at her feet gaped as well, somewhat surprised by the fact that Ryu just managed to level half a building with a single strike.

"Incredible!" Ryu shouted with glee, extracting her bare foot from the pile of rubble before turning towards her foe. Ranma slowly returned to her feet, her confusion at her own reaction drowned out by outrage and shame. Ryu simply stood by and watched Ranma regain her footing with an arrogant smirk on her face, angering Ranma all the more.

"You done showing off? Cause this fight starts now." Ranma growled out with false bravado. She could still feel Ryu's presence everywhere, suffocating her, but she couldn't let it slow her down again. Ranma stood in the rain, swaying side to side slowly as she took a deep breath and calmed her nerves, willing her aura to fade. Her body seemed to fray at the edges as she did so, like she wasn't entirely there. Lightning crashed some distance behind her, illuminating her body through the intense downpour as she adapted the Umisenken, masking her movement. Though she was visible now, she knew perfectly well that she'd all but disappear once she began to move.

As Ryu watched, all signs of Ranma simply faded away. She was like a film with several frames missing; jerking back and forth like she were under a strobe light. Ryu knew from experience that the redhead would practically disappear the second she moved, vanishing from the last of her senses. But something was different now from before. Though all signs of Ranma seemed to have disappeared, it seemed to leave behind a hole. Ryu's smirk grew as she realized it was her aura that was responsible. As long as Ranma was within her aura, she could feel her presence, Umisenken or no.

"Losing your nerve? Come at me already!" Ryu taunted, standing at the ready. Ranma didn't respond. She simply began to move, dashing in a wide circle to Ryu's left. Something wasn't right, though. She could see Ryu's face still. Ryu was staring right through her, but was clearly still following her.

'What the...' Ranma thought to herself in confusion. How?

"Kijin Raishu Dan!" Ryu twisted and let loose, forcing Ranma to stop mid stride and leap as high as she could. The rain and Ryu's aura cloud completely masked the presence of the vacuum blades she knew were coming towards her. The ground beneath her parted to an unseen force before the building behind her simply imploded and collapsed.

'How big was that blade?' Ranma thought, landing from her jump in the trench of the attack. Ryu could see her. She didn't know how, but she could, which made the Umisenken completely pointless.

'And this damn aura is annoying, it feels like Ryu is everywhere...wait a minute.' As Ryu watched, Ranma stood up straight and changed stances, her face going blank as she built up an aura of her own.

"What's wrong, Ranma? Umisenken not working?" Ryu asked, unsure of what to make of this. Ranma now stood at the ready, completely abandoning the ghostly posture of the Umisenken. Ryu blinked as she sized up this change in her opponent, certain her eyes were playing tricks on her. It looked like Ranma had some frost gathering on her...

"Don't stop now, Ryu-chan. Gimme your best shot!" Ranma taunted, feeling the heat coming off of Ryu noticeably increase even as the Body of Ice dropped the temperature of her aura several degrees.

"Dokuja Tanketsu Sho!" Ryu growled out, exploding forward with a thrust towards Ranma's chest. She side stepped the blow, barely, staring down at the arm mere inches off target incredulously. She completely missed the follow up. Ryu had simply blurred before Ranma's entire world seemed to become enveloped in pain. She couldn't tell what hit her, or where it hit her. She barely even noticed that the blow had sent her flying away. She righted herself as best she could as she skipped across the wet asphalt, flying against the wind as water pelted her backside. She braced herself as she bounced again only to slam into a brick wall a few seconds later, all the breath leaving her body as the wall buckled with the impact, cratering badly.

'What the...' Ranma's mind went blank as she slumped to the floor, very nearly blacking out.

"When did you get so strong..." Ranma forced herself to her feet, forced herself to ignore the pain as she turned back towards Ryu. She blinked as she realized Ryu was practically on top of her.

"Mouko Kaimon Ha!" Ranma ducked. Ryu flew overhead, cleaving another building in half with enough force that it practically exploded. A field of debris flew back from the impact and Ranma jumped back several feet to avoid it, watching warily for Ryu's return. Her ribs were killing her. She wouldn't be surprised if one of them was broken.

'There's no way I can dodge all his attacks for a spiral,' Ranma thought, bracing herself, 'I'm gonna have to improvise.'

"Dokuja Tenketsu Sho!" Ryu flew from the wreckage of the building like a missile, the rain parting around her in a swirl of air as she struck out towards Ranma's heart. Again, she avoided, though this time she instantly jumped back. Ryu followed just as quickly, lashing out with another strike that Ranma back-stepped to avoid.

'Amaguriken,' Ranma thought, focusing intensely as a blurred fist rocketed towards her face. Her own arm lashed out at equal speed, knocking the blow away as she took another step back, leading Ryu away as she dodged what she could and parried what she couldn't.

"Bwee!" Ryoga bwee'd, not liking where this was going. The storm was bad enough as it was, but it looked like Ranma was intent on adding to the problem.

"Eh? Don't run off, Ryoga!" Konatsu exclaimed, surprised by the way the small piglet erupted out of their cover and ran off like a bat out of hell. The kunoichi followed closely, not even realizing Ryoga was trying to draw her away from ground zero.

'Shit,' Ranma thought, narrowly avoiding a blow that would have crushed her skull like an overripe melon, swatting the follow up aside, 'When the hell did Ryu get so damn fast?'

The spiral was forming nicely, but as she got closer and closer to the center it was becoming harder and harder to avoid Ryu's blows. She only hoped she could hold out just a little bit longer, as there was no way in hell she was going to let Ryu hit her again with the kind of attacks she'd been throwing about so far. Another punch had to be countered at Ranma's own blurred speed, resounding with a crack that distinctly sounded like bone breaking. Ranma flinched from the impact, but ignored the pain. She didn't have time to feel pain.

"Kinshi Kinbaku Sho!" Ryu cried out, pulling a rope out from her pocket and quickly entangling Ranma as she took another step back. Ranma cursed at this, pulling back and lowering her center of gravity to stop Ryu from yanking her off her feet. Instead, Ranma seemed to do the opposite, pulling Ryu off her feet towards the end of the spiral.

"Hiryuu..." Ranma began, twisting her fist back and preparing for her punch, gathering so much cold chi that the rain hitting her skin was already forming an icy sheath around her forearm.

"Geimon Tessen Shi!" Ryu struck out with her hand, aiming for Ranma's solar plexus with a knife hand that would probably put a hole straight through her. Ranma twisted to the side however, the knife hand missing by a few fractions of an inch while Ryu's body hovered just within uppercut range.

"...Shoten Ha!" Ryu didn't even know what hit her. Ranma had struck with a twisting punch to the gut that drove the air from her lungs, the ice around her knuckles breaking with the impact. But what seemed to follow it hit her like a frozen freight train. The blast tore her off her feet with a roar like thunder, hurling her skyward as the winds dramatically changed. It felt like nature itself was attacking her now, the wind tearing into her body from every angle. She forced her eyes open, looking out in astonishment at the tornado tearing past her into the sky.

Unfortunately for Ranma, she was still tied to Ryu and was effectively anchoring her to the ground. In a matter of moments the Hiryuu Shoten Ha pierced cloud level and seemed to open up a hole in the storm. The sun shone through and blinded the two while the rain completely ceased, leaving them in a strangely tranquil silence. The wind seemed to have stripped Ryu's aura from her body, but it had passed. Now she was falling back to earth, still reeling from that attack but unwilling to let it end there.

"Kijin..." Ryu began as her feet touched ground again, rising up to strike out at Ranma. Only...Ranma wasn't there anymore. The redhead simply disappeared in an instant, like a film with a missing frame.

'Shit!' Ryu cursed with eyes wide open. That tornado had torn her aura away. She hadn't felt Ranma move. She hadn't seen-

"Haku Dato Shin Sho!" Ranma didn't give Ryu time to think it over. Her hands struck with the force of a jackhammer, blurring to the point her arms seemed to vanish past the elbow as her fingers dug into Ryu's back and spine. Ryu screamed as her clothes were obliterated by the intense impacts, the heat building to the point her flesh began to burn from friction alone. With a final double fisted blow, Ryu was hurled forward, landing roughly on her chest nearly a meter from where she started. As she rose painfully to her feet, what little remained of her aura completely collapsed.

"Damn it...I'm not done yet..." Ryu growled. Her entire body was screaming. The aura she had been using still wasn't perfected, she knew that, but she hadn't expected that to happen. Whatever that tornado move was, her aura had only made it worse. She was in so much pain she couldn't even see straight. She stood on trembling legs, Ranma's body seeming to split into 4 identical copies as her vision swam and doubled, but she didn't care. She couldn't let it end like this. She couldn't lose again.

"Ju...Jupiter Power..." Ryu managed, grabbing her pen in desperation.

"You really wanna take it this far, Ryu?" Ranma asked, calmly pulling the brooch out of her shirt. The two locked eyes for a moment, Ranma's unflinching gaze meeting Ryu's pained glare. It only lasted a moment, however, as Ryu slumped to the ground, the pen falling from her fingertips.

She had just enough time to realize she had been beaten before she lost consciousness.


Ukyo awoke suddenly to the sound of a loud banging against her walls, groaning in protest as she collapsed to her pillow again. She wasn't sure what to do. She had heard about the incoming typhoon and had spent all night locking up and basically armoring her shop against the storm. She ended up with little time to sleep as a result, as the noise of the storm itself combined with her weird dreams kept waking her up.

'Sleep deprivation is bad for the brain. My dreams have been getting weirder and weirder.' She thought to herself. Ranma being a prince was one thing. Even Konatsu and Ryoga being his bodyguards or something was tolerable. But Ryoga being her...I mean, really, Ryoga of all people? Seriously? That was just too damn weird.

The banging continued, causing Ukyo to turn over and hold her pillow over her head. She couldn't go back to sleep. No, the noise and those dreams made that unlikely. She couldn't go to school either, not in this weather. And there was no way she'd be getting any customers, so running the store wasn't even an option.

"Today is looking like a bad day..." She grumbled, climbing out of bed sluggishly and stretching the kinks out of her joints. At least she had mostly healed up from her injuries at the carnival. Having to deal with that on top of everything else going wrong today would have been the last straw.

Another loud bang resounded across the building, this one sounding a great deal more like wood breaking open than the crash of thunder or rain against the walls. Her grogginess forgotten, Ukyo quickly rushed from the room, hoping that whatever broke through her shop dealt minimal damage.

"Ucchan! A little help!" she heard, causing her to blink in surprise as she rushed down the stairs. Her door was hanging open, banging against the wall repeatedly because of the wind, while Ranma and Konatsu dragged...someone...into her shop.

"Ranchan? Konatsu? Who's this, what's going on?" She questioned, looking between the two for an answer. The girl they were carrying was clearly unconscious, so she doubted she'd get a response from her.

"No time to explain, Ucchan. I've gotta get back out there." Ranma said, taking Ryu off her shoulder while a noticeable wince and moving towards the door. She walked straight past Ryoga as he stumbled through the entryway in his pig form, her eyes set on the storm.

"Wait, Ranma! You're hurt! Where are you going?" Konatsu asked, lowering Ryu to the floor as Ranma turned around briefly.

"Shampoo's still out there somewhere, I've got to find her. Stay here with Ukyo!" Ranma said, before stepping outside and pulling the door closed behind her. Konatsu watched the redhead go with a groan, leaving her in an awkward silence with Ukyo. Konatsu still hadn't explained the whole 'I'm a girl now' situation with the chef...

As if reading her mind, Ukyo placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled warmly at the kunoichi.

"Don't worry, Konatsu. Ranma told me everything. I understand." She explained. Konatsu looked at her in surprise.

"E..everything? Really?" She asked in disbelief. No way. Konatsu tried to picture that conversation and failed miserably. Ranma sitting Ukyo down and explaining about how he ran about fighting monsters in a miniskirt? It just wasn't possible.

"I know all about you getting kidnapped by the Monkey Ninja King, and how he wanted to make you his bride. It's terrible that Ranma and Ryoga didn't arrive before he turned you into a girl, but at least you seem to be coping well." Ukyo continued. Konatsu very nearly fell over.

"He told you about the...Monkey...Ninja...King...huh?" Konatsu muttered, barely able to get the words out without her eyebrow twitching. What the hell did Ranma tell her?

"Uh huh. It seemed a little far fetched at first, but stranger things have happened, you know?" Ukyo added with a shrug. Konatsu dropped her head, wanting to feel disbelief but knowing it was true. It was sad how true that was.

"So, who is this, anyway? And what happened to Shampoo?" Ukyo asked, gesturing to the girl in torn clothes currently laying on the floor of her shop. Konatsu chuckled nervously at that before picking Ryu up, heading towards the stairs.

"That's a long story..."


She watched as he strode into the chamber with the posture and grace of a man befitting his station, the gnarled wooden staff he carried with him clicking loudly against the marble floor. She looked at him with intense curiosity, this being the first time she had ever been present during such a visit. It wasn't often the Emotoas Kingdom sent them emissaries.

"Rinji of the Emotoas, is it? What news brings you so far from your kingdom?" The queen asked, sitting upon her throne at the far end of the audience chamber. The man identified as Rinji stopped in the middle of the room, looking up towards the queen as he stood at attention. She couldn't see his face, however. The tattered, leaf green cloak he wore over his equally tattered tunic concealed his face from her vantage point.

"I'm afraid my news is not the best, your highness. The Red Witch of the North is on the move, and has already made her intentions against us clear. We believe she intends to strike the Moon Kingdom next. I have come as a warning, and to seek aid from your kingdom." Rinji spoke clearly and respectfully, earning a few murmurs from the various nobles in the chamber. However, she paid them no mind, instead turning towards the queen to see her reaction.

"We thank you for this warning, Rinji of Emotoas, but we are peaceful. If Beryl rises against us, we will defend ourselves, but I'm afraid I cannot aid you in a war against her." Queen Serenity replied, earning more murmurs from the crowd as Rinji took a step forward.

"But your highness!" He shouted, but was cut off by a wave of the queen's hand.

"I'm very sorry, but I cannot help you." The queen said solemnly, as the emissary of the Emotoas dropped his head.

"Venus-chan, what's going on? I don't understand." The princess of the moon whispered to the woman next to her, briefly drawing her eyes away from the man in the cloak. She looked down at herself for a moment, seeing the vibrant green gown she wore as she realized who she was. She was the princess of Jupiter, one of the protectors of the moon princess. Odd, she had been so enthralled with the man in the cloak, she had forgotten herself.

"I was given specific instructions on how to approach this meeting, but it's clear to me that secrecy is not an option." Rinji suddenly announced loudly, lifting his head again to look at the queen.

"The Red Witch Beryl has gained some kind of incredibly dark magic. She has enslaved the Northern Kingdom to her cause and taken Princess Akiko, our Prince's betrothed, as her hostage. She has used her underhanded tricks on our Prince, demanding he come alone to set her free. Even now, he marches on his own, surely to his death. I have come to request your aid because we have no choice. Without our prince, our forces are lost. We will surely fall, and with us, Beryl will control the whole of Earth. The Moon Kingdom will surely follow." He explained, the murmur in the court growing as he continued. Jupiter noticed Prince Endymion rising in his seat, clearly unsettled by this news. It was no surprise. He was the prince of the Northern Kingdom, after all, and Akiko was his sister.

"Be that as it may, I cannot-" The Queen began.

"That's not all!" Rinji suddenly interrupted. A gasp of surprise rang through the court, followed by a roar of disapproval.

"What insolence! How dare you interrupt her majesty!" A voice amongst the court rang out louder than the rest, followed by a great murmur of agreement.

"I apologize for my rudeness, but there is more to say. There are rumors that our kingdom has in its possession several artifacts of great power, and I assure you that these rumors are true. There are 5 in all, protected by the members of the Emotoas for generations. I hold one in my hand even now." Rinji continued, holding out his staff for a moment as all eyes fell on it.

"However, our prince is in possession of the greatest of our Artifacts, for its power is not only unmatched, but it controls the other four. If it falls into Beryl's hands, she could easily claim the rest. I believe this is her intention. She will steal our Prince's soul, command his Artifact, and claim them all in short order." Rinji brought his staff back to his side and looked up towards the queen once more. Jupiter could feel the tension from the man rising. She had a feeling the next thing he said would be momentous.

"With all 5 in her control, she may rival the power of your highness' Ginzuishou. Even your kingdom will be lost." The court was in an uproar, vehemently disagreeing with this claim. Rinji suddenly fell to his knees, however, causing the rabble to die out as he pressed his head to the floor.

"I beg you, please, help us." He pleaded. For a long moment, all was silent, and he remained in his position on the floor. All eyes turned to the queen, awaiting her response.

"Rise, Rinji of Emotoas." She said, causing the man to immediately return to his feet. His hood fell from his head as he did, finally revealing his face to Jupiter.

She froze in place immediately upon seeing it, everything around her slowing to a stop as all sound died. Something was wrong. Somehow, she felt out of place. That was her, wasn't it? Somehow, she felt she was looking at herself.

Rinji turned straight towards her suddenly and their eyes met, the feeling of wrongness becoming even greater. He looked at her solemnly, and she suddenly felt as if she had suffered a great loss. The court was gone now, as well as the chamber itself. It was only her and Rinji, standing in a featureless void.

"Am I-" She began, only to see him shake his head.

"No, you are not. You never were. You're something greater than I, than her. You are more than the sum of your parts. Never forget that." Rinji said simply, before his body seemingly started to fade away.

"Wait, I don't understand! What does that mean?" She shouted after him, but it was too late. Everything was already fading to black.


Ryu sat up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily as she tried to shake off the clutches of sleep. She stared out into the blackness of the room in confusion, unsure where she was or how she had gotten there. It took her several moments to recognize her living room. She had apparently fallen asleep on the couch.

"What the hell was that?" Ryu muttered, trying to collect herself. She'd had strange dreams before, dreams of palaces and gowns, of life as a princess. Ever since she became Sailor Jupiter, she'd been having those dreams. They were always unsettling, sometimes disturbing, but this...this was a new level.

Ryu put her face in her hands, trying not to think for a few seconds, just concentrating on slowing her breathing. Slowly, she pulled her hands down, rubbing the sleep from her face before looking into the darkness of the room once again. She managed to forget the dream long enough to wonder what time it was. She must have drifted off sometime in the afternoon, and awoken in the middle of the night. But then her own face flashed across her mind, the face she once had. The face of a man, of the former Ryu Kumon, and apparently Rinji of Emotoas.

She stood with a start, a sudden urge to pace overcoming her. What the hell had that meant? The entire dream had been oddly vivid, more lucid than she was used to. There was a strange sense of familiarity about the whole thing, almost like déjà vu. And the end, right before she woke up...that had felt different. Even as the rest of the dream started to fade, like all dreams did after waking, that part stayed in her mind with crystal clarity. It felt real.

"I need to clear my head." She decided, stopping in the middle of the room. She looked around her apartment, trying to clear her thoughts with anything she could. She concentrated on the walls, on the ugly wallpaper she really needed to remove one day. Her thoughts then turned toward the room itself. It was sparsely furnished, with a simple couch and comfy chair sitting in one corner, framing a small coffee table on two sides. Then there was the punching bag set up in the opposite corner, with the rest of the room left empty.

She remembered when she first got this apartment some 3 weeks ago, after recovering from her fight with Ranma. That loss still bothered her, even now. How the hell was she supposed to know Ranma could summon tornadoes? If it weren't for that damn technique, she would have won, and would already be on her way back to manhood. She never would have had to worry about these annoying princess dreams, or being Sailor Jupiter.

Now that was a horrible idea. Of all things, why had she offered to join Ranma's stupid monster hunting gang? In retrospect, she was kicking herself. It forced her to stay in Nerima, forced her to get this apartment, forced her to stick closer to Ranma than she ever would have wanted. She should have offered him money, or something. But no, she was running around fighting monsters, like when the Tendo's aunt turned out to have one of those stupid crystals in her chest.

-.|x


-.|x

"I'm still confused." Ryu muttered, watching Ranma rub his temples in frustration. She turned briefly towards the door, hearing some laughter and the faint murmurs of conversation floating up the stairs. Kasumi was down there now, entertaining some relative of the family. Ryu hadn't really been paying attention when she was introduced, but as it stood, whatever they were talking about down there seemed much more interesting than what Ranma was trying to explain in here.

"Alright, let's try this again." Ranma said slowly, exhaling loudly in an obvious attempt to calm his nerves. He grabbed a pencil and a pad of paper off a nearby dresser, before quickly scribbling something on the first page.

"We're fighting the Dark Kingdom. They're evil. They make monsters. Monsters are bad." Ranma explained, holding up the pad of paper. He had drawn a rather crude castle with an ominous rain cloud over it, surrounded by a bunch of vaguely circular shapes which, she assumed, were supposed to be monsters. The words 'Daaku Kingudamu' we're scrawled across the top of the page in handwriting fit for a three year old.

"I see." Ryu said simply as Ranma tore off the first page and went about scribbling on the next.

"The Dark Kingdom is lead by some queen whose name I forget, and her four generals, who are a bunch of jackasses. I've already killed the first one, who was called Jadeite. Ryoga says he killed the second one, who he says was called Nephrite, but I never saw him and he's probably lying. We're currently fighting a guy named Zoisite." Ranma said, showing Ryu another page. This one had a crude drawing that was probably supposed to be Ranma, standing on the fallen body of a person labeled 'Jedaito.' There were two other drawings on the page: One was a fire-breathing, horned, fanged blonde person labeled 'Zoisaito,' and the other was a scrawny looking stick figure with a sad face, labeled 'Nefuraito.' He was surrounded in question marks.

"Ah. So they're all named after minerals, huh?" Ryu commented, looking up to see a completely blank look cross Ranma's face. "...Nevermind."

"Anyhow," Ranma started, tearing the page away and drawing a new one, "Zoisite is looking for the seven Rainbow Crystals, which are hidden inside of people. When he pulls them out, those people turn into monsters, and we have to fight them and change them back. Luna says we have to collect all the Rainbow Crystals first. That's pretty much the gist of it."

This time Ranma held up a picture of the fire-breathing Zoisite from the previous page pulling a crystal out of someone's chest. This was followed by an arrow, which led to an almost identical scribbling of the person, just with horns, fangs and claws.

"Uh huh..." Ryu muttered, nodding her head slowly, "So why do you need to collect the Rainbow Crystals?"

Ranma just stared. He began to open his mouth to answer, then stopped, and seemed to think about it for a moment. He rose up again a moment later, with a purpose, before pausing and deflating, sitting back down with an unsure look. Finally, he just shrugged.

"You're-" Ryu began, but cut herself short. They both snapped their heads towards the door suddenly, hearing the distinct sound of a scream rising up the stairs.

"What the-"

"Kasumi!" Ranma was off like a shot with Ryu close behind, neither one bothering to navigate the stairs, instead vaulting all the way to the bottom without breaking stride. They found Kasumi on the ground with a bruise on her face, slowly rising, while Zoisite stood triumphantly over a blonde woman in the living room, a green crystal clutched in his hands.

"Hold it!" Ranma shouted, diving towards Zoisite with full intent to tear the effeminate man apart. He was too late, as the blonde general simply vanished in a flash of flower petals, leaving Ranma to hit nothing but the dinner table.

"Aunt Rushuna..." Kasumi muttered, worry clear on her face as she returned to her feet. Ryu looked from the young woman to her aunt, who seemed to be writhing in pain on the floor, her body faintly glowing.

'Pull out the crystal, turn into a monster. Isn't that how it goes?' Ryu thought to herself, gritting her teeth. She spared a glance to Kasumi, knowing they couldn't transform with her around, then to Ranma, hoping he had a battle plan. Ryu was fairly confident she could tear any monster limb from limb with her Yamasenken, but this was Kasumi's aunt. Kasumi probably wanted her aunt to keep her limbs.

"Ranma..." Ryu spoke up as the glow got brighter, and Rushuna began to scream again. Ranma seemed to read her mind without even looking at her, simply shaking her head. The meaning was obvious. No Yamasenken.

"Ah!" Rushuna cried out in finality, the entire room becoming a flash of white light, forcing the three teens to shield their eyes. When it dimmed, a new figure was standing where she had previously been, wearing a large cowboy hat and a short red poncho over a white dress, a large holster prominently hanging from each hip.

"Aunt...Rushuna...?" Kasumi asked in confusion, looking at the Youma now standing in her living room. The youma smirked at them, raising the brim of her hat slightly and giving them a wink.

"It's not your aunt anymore, Kasumi. The only way we can bring her back is by defeating this monster. Ryu and I will take care of this, so just get as far away as you can." Ranma explained, never taking his eyes off the youma.

"Take care of me, eh? You think you can handle little ol' me, boy?" The youma spoke up, her hands falling to her hips and hovering over her holsters. Ranma and Ryu both tensed, readying themselves.

In an instant they began to move, but the Youma was simply quicker. Her hands came up in a flash, a pair of revolvers in her hands. Two gunshots rang out through the room as pain shot through Ryu's chest. She could see Ranma being hurled back out of the corner of her eye as she fell, sliding back across the floor towards the foot of the stairs.

Kasumi flinched at the noise, looking between the two fallen teens. Neither seemed to be bleeding, which was good. Whatever this monster was shooting, it wasn't bullets. With a firm stare, Kasumi turned her eyes to the Youma. She smirked in response.

"You've got something to say to me, girlie?" The Youma asked with the same arrogance as before. Kasumi was unfazed, her eyes still locked on the monster. The Youma chuckled at her bravado. Despite the hard stare this human was putting on, her nervousness was clear in the way she was playing with the floorboards with her foot.

"This is my home, and I am its caretaker. I cannot allow monsters to attack my guests." Kasumi said, a harshness in her tone Ranma had never heard before. Was Kasumi really going to stand up to this Youma?

"Kasumi...you'll be killed..." Ranma muttered, trying to sit up. That shot had hurt like hell, it took most of his concentration to see straight.

"I'm sorry, Ranma, but I'm afraid I have to take responsibility. I can't stand by and let you and your friend get hurt." Kasumi replied, her foot still moving the loose floorboards back and forth. The Youma laughed, staring at Kasumi with a big grin on her face.

"And what are you gonna do about it girly? You-" Kasumi slammed her foot down, the floorboard in front of her rising suddenly out of the floor. "-can't-" The youma's eyes followed the rising board curiously, surprise spreading across her face as she noticed what was bolted to the underside. "-hurt-" It was a bolt action rifle, with a bore big enough that the Youma could very nearly see the bullet waiting in the chamber. Her eyes fell lower, spotting a string that was tied around the trigger, the other end connected firmly to the underside of the house. "-me?" The floorboard continued to rise, not stopping until the string became taught, forcefully pulling the trigger. At that point, it was roughly pointed at her torso.

The deafening bang took everyone but Kasumi by surprise. Ryu and Ranma both reflexively flinched while the Youma had far more to worry about as she tried to dodge the bullet and failed miserably, taking the shot in the chest and stumbling back from the impact. Kasumi was already moving for the stairs as the Youma regained her balance, reaching for her pistols.

"Why you!" The Youma growled out, lifting her weapons. Kasumi's fingers found the banister of the stairs as she quickly twisted, pulling away a panel complete with a pump action shotgun that was attached to the other side. The sound of Kasumi cocking the weapon in question actually gave the Youma pause, just long enough for her to get her aim, before they both opened fire on one another.

Kasumi got off a shot before being forced into a diving roll, avoiding the pair of shots that put large holes in the far wall. The Youma was less fortunate, taking the shotgun blast full in the chest and grunting in pain.

"Oh dear," Kasumi muttered with a grim look, seeing the two bullet holes in the wall, "Father won't be pleased." She cocked the shotgun, ejecting her spent cartridge before ducking out of cover and taking another shot at the Youma. The spray of pellets shredded what remained of the poncho, revealing the metal plate the Youma had strapped to her torso.

"Oh, that's not fair." Kasumi muttered, flinching as several of the Youma's shot bit through the wooden door frame she was taking cover behind. She glanced towards Ryu's position at the base of the stairs, leaning out towards her before flinching back as another shot took out a chunk of the frame.

"Kumon-san, would you please open the small panel on the wall beside you? I'd really appreciate it." Kasumi asked politely, leaning out of cover quickly to unload a quick burst of shots at the youma, cocking the weapon in-between each one so quickly Ryu barely saw her do it. The Youma stumbled back even further as the metal plate was bombarded with pellets, but within moments she was moving again, taking several shots at the cover Kasumi was hiding behind.

Ryu wasn't entirely sure what the hell was happening, but she wasn't about to argue with the girl with the shotgun. Finding the panel in question, she discovered it was filled with shotgun ammo, and she quickly slid several boxes of it towards Kasumi.

"Thank you!" Kasumi beamed, grabbing two shells from one of the boxes and loading them into her weapon. As the Youma's shots bit into the frame on one side, Kasumi leaned out the other side, aiming for barely a second before firing. The first shot sent a slug straight through the strap on the Youma's left side, the second taking out the right. The metal plate she had been using as body armor fell to the ground with a thud, just as Kasumi started fully loading the shotgun with a new type of round.

"Ranma, would you please go upstairs and get the metal case out from under my bed?" Kasumi requested as she stood up. Ranma just looked up at her and nodded as she stepped out of cover, shotgun at the ready. The Youma opened fire the instant she came into view, but Kasumi fired at the same time, the rubber slug from her shotgun hitting the magical projectile in mid air, each deflecting harmlessly. She dodged the second shot, letting it dig into the floorboards behind her as she chambered the next round, pulling the trigger just as quickly. It seemed the Youma was no longer satisfied with just standing there and dove for cover behind the couch, but not before unloading several more shots in Kasumi's direction.

"Where did she get all those guns? Or learn how to use them?" Ryu asked as Ranma limped towards the stairs. She struggled to a sitting position, watching as the Youma and Kasumi moved from the dining room towards the kitchen, each missing by inches as their opponent dodged around their shots.

"Don't ask me, nobody ever tells me anything in this house. Nabiki can move things with her mind, Kasumi's a gun nut. Next thing you know, Akane's gonna turn out to be a witch. I'm getting really sick of all these surprises." Ranma replied, slumping down against the side of the stairs beside Ryu. They couldn't see Kasumi or the Youma anymore, both having moved deeper into the house, but the sound of gunshots was still clear from here, and didn't seem to be slowing down.

"Shouldn't we, you know, help her?" Ryu asked, turning towards Ranma. The sound of gunshots suddenly changed, as the dull thump of the shotgun was suddenly replaced by a massive blast that seemed to vibrate the walls. Seemed like Kasumi changed guns again, and had apparently opted for something that probably qualified as a cannon.

Ranma sighed in response, reaching into his shirt for the broach he used to transform. Up until now, Kasumi had been doing surprisingly well on her own, but he knew that he was the only one who could change Rushuna back, otherwise the fight would never end.

"Yeah, we should probably put an end to this before Kasumi pulls a rocket launcher out of the ceiling." Ranma said with a slight smirk, though he wasn't entirely sure if he was joking. It wouldn't surprise him if she actually had a rocket launcher, at this point.


Kasumi slowly gathered her breath as she clutched the large pistol in both hands, her back pressed firmly against the center island. She looked around at the several bullet holes marring her kitchen and frowned, thinking of the patches she'd have to apply. Plaster would probably work for some. No one would notice after a little paint. The cabinet doors, however, would need replacing. But that was a project for another day.

She looked straight across from her, reaching out with her foot towards the cabinet under the sink. She managed to catch the edge and slowly pulled it open, looking past the cleaning supplies to the box of ammunition sitting next to the dish soap. She reached out again, barely able to touch it with the tips of her toes, and slowly worked it towards her.

A gunshot rang out as one of the Youma's bullets shot through the cabinet door, just above her leg, and buried itself in the sink pipes. She yelped silently and kicked the box of ammo towards herself and pulled her leg back, looking at the hole in the cabinet door and the pipe behind it. Now she'd need to call the plumber, too. So many little things were starting to pile up.

Kasumi glanced towards a pan she had left to dry by the sink, seeing the Youma taking cover in the hallway through its reflection. As she reloaded her magazines with practiced precision, She was momentarily glad she listened to Mrs. Saito at the supermarket and changed soaps. You could really notice the difference with that mirror shine.

With a satisfying click, she drove the magazine home into the base of the pistol handle, before tucking her extras into the belt of her apron. As she chambered a round, she reminded herself to practice more with magazine loading pistols. She had tried to reload her handgun with the trick Aunt Rushuna had taught her on pure reflex, nearly getting shot because of it. She was too accustomed to revolvers, it seemed.

'I'm sure Aunt Rushuna will be happy to practice with me once this is over,' She thought, a slight frown crossing her face as she remembered this monster she was now fighting was Aunt Rushuna. She really hoped Ranma was right. She hated to think she'd have to shoot her Aunt to death.

The Youma moved suddenly, dashing out of sight and down the hall. Instantly Kasumi stood, knowing she'd be coming in from the other entrance in an attempt to flank her. The Youma came into view and Kasumi fired, the large pistol in her hands retorting loudly, the massive .50 calibre round exploding from the barrel with a blast of burning gas close behind it, leaving a fireball hanging in mid air at the breach of the gun for a fraction of a second before it burnt out. The Youma reeled from the blow, thrown off balance by the unexpected shot, but Kasumi didn't let up. She pulled the trigger as rapidly as her fingers allowed, giving off a series of claps that sounded more appropriate coming from an automatic rifle than the pistol she was holding.

The Youma backpedaled with each additional impact, large welts forming on her body from the large rubber bullets that were slamming into her. She was lucky Kasumi was using non-lethal rounds. Metal jackets would have gone through her like she were tissue paper.

Kasumi counted the shots, waiting until the clip emptied, her last round in the chamber, before hitting the magazine release. In the same motion, she lowered her other hand and grabbed a spare from her apron, slamming it home before the first clip even hit the ground and pulling the trigger once again. The Youma was wavering on her feet now, several shots smashing into her head, knocking her hat to the floor, and still Kasumi refused to stop shooting. The third and final clip slid home, the second hitting the ground just as the gunshots renewed. Three rounds went off before the fourth jammed the gun, the last of the loud shots slowly dying out to silence, still reverberating around the room.

"Supreme Thunder!" Lightning cracked through the air with the smell of ozone, the Youma convulsing from the intense shock for several moments as the magic went through her system. Kasumi glanced up in surprise towards Sailor Jupiter, not expecting this interruption. The Youma let out a long breath as her pistols fell from her numb fingers. Shortly after, she slumped to her knees and simply sat, unmoving.

"I think she's had enough," Sailor Moon muttered, walking into the room with wand in hand, "Moon Healing-"

-.|x


-.|x

The doorbell rang, breaking Ryu out of her thoughts. Who would be coming at this hour? Who would be coming at all? She sure as hell wasn't the type to have visitors. Curious, but mostly confused, Ryu moved towards the door.

"Good Evening!" The younger of the men at the door greeted, looking no older than 15. The other, elder man, probably 16 or 17, was smiling at her and holding a bowl of some kind of food.

"We just moved in next door, and we were just coming over to say-you're not wearing pants!" The younger boy suddenly spared a glance down and his entire train of thought derailed, instead spouting the first thing that sprung to his mind. Ryu glanced down herself and groaned, having totally forgotten that she had been exercising in a T-shirt and underwear earlier that afternoon, before her unexpected nap.

"Welcome to the neighborhood." Ryu stated before slamming the door in their faces. She did her best to contain her embarrassment and was failing miserably. Answering the door wearing woman's underwear. She'd never live it down.

"Oi, oi! Panties girl, don't slam the door! We want to say hi!" The younger boy's voice carried through her door. Ryu went red in the face as she quickly rushed towards her room. It's the only underwear she had that fit, damn it!

"Damn it Konatsu, why didn't you bring me any decent clothes?" Ryu muttered to herself, still fighting down her blush and damning Konatsu's name repeatedly while digging into her closet for something to wear.


"Ah-choo!" The loud, violent sneeze disturbed the otherwise silent atmosphere of the side streets. Konatsu bent slightly, covering her mouth after the sudden reaction.

"Are you-" Akane began, only to flinch back when Konatsu sneezed a second time, louder than the first. The kunoichi placed a single hand against the wall beside her for support, still covering her mouth with the other.

"I think I'm o-Ah-choo!" Konatsu was cut off by her own sneeze, rising up slightly from the force of it. As she recovered she stood there for a moment, waiting to see if it would hit her again, but it seemed like she was done. Konatsu slowly removed her hand from her face, weary of any further sneezes.

"Either someone is saying some really nasty things about you, or you have a cold." Akane commented, watching curiously as Konatsu recovered.

"I think you're right..." Konatsu muttered as they continued on their way. "I can't think of anybody who'd want to say bad things about me, though."

"Maybe it's the Monkey Ninja King?" Akane suggested honestly. Konatsu faltered slightly with a nervous chuckle.

"Ranma told you about that, huh?" Konatsu asked. Apparently it was the official cover story, as absurd as it was.

"Weirder things have happened, you know?" Akane said with a shrug. "Where is Ranma, anyway? This is his science project, too."

"He's...busy." Konatsu replied. It was actually true. He and Ryoga were checking out something downtown after Ryoga's computer had a fit. Luna suspected it was Zoisite, so while they were off fighting evil, Konatsu was left behind to help Akane and her other partner with their science project.

"Busy." Akane did not look convinced. Konatsu halted for a second. How the hell was she supposed to explain this? Ranma didn't give her an excuse to use!

"No, really, Ranma and Ryoga are..." Konatsu began, stuttering and mumbling as Akane's gaze bored into her, "...fighting some monkey ninjas!"

Akane blinked, looking at Konatsu in confusion.

"The King came back! Yeah, he...uh...he wanted revenge! Sent a bunch of monkey ninja assassins after Ranma and Ryoga this afternoon!" Konatsu continued to lie through her teeth, briefly wondering what the hell she was talking about as she continued.

"He wanted concubines this time! And since Ranma and Ryoga foiled his plans the first time-" Konatsu went on, only for Akane to perk up in surprise.

"Ranma and Ryoga got turned into girls?" She interrupted in horror. Crap!

"Yeah, but it's okay, because they can use their curses to change back to normal!" Konatsu replied. Good save!

"Ryoga has a Jusenkyo curse?" Akane said, even more horrified. Double crap!

"What I meant to say was, he used Jusenkyo to change them, and cause Ranma already had that curse nothing happened. But Ryoga wasn't as lucky, and now they're after the Monkey Ninja King to get Ryoga cured." Konatsu stammered out as a thoughtful look crossed Akane's face. Yes! That time, she did it!

"So the Monkey Ninja King has a cure for Jusenkyo curses?" SHIT! Konatsu wracked her brain for a response to that one, desperately trying to think of the right answer that would end this horrible questioning.

"...Maybe?" Konatsu replied sheepishly. Akane was about to ask another question, but Konatsu quickly cut her off, "I think I'll let Ranma explain it when he returns."

Akane deflated slightly, still giving Konatsu a look, before sighing and turning back towards the road. Konatsu breathed a sigh of relief, before realizing just what she dropped on Ranma's shoulders.

'He's gonna kill me...' Konatsu chuckled nervously at the thought. They were nearing the high school now, where the third science partner was waiting for their arrival. Konatsu briefly wondered what exactly she would end up doing here when she noticed Akane pulling a strange rock out of her pocket.

"What's that?" Konatsu asked, looking at it curiously. It almost looked like a lump of burnt dirt. Why would Akane put such a thing in her pocket?

"It's a meteor." Akane replied, holding up the rock towards the light of a nearby street lamp, "I saw it land while I was jogging yesterday. Meteors are always good for science projects, right? I figured I'd bring it along."

"Can I see it?" Konatsu asked, holding out her hand towards the space rock. Akane handed it over, and Konatsu held it up to look at it from every angle. Huh. Didn't look much different than a normal rock. As she turned it over again, it suddenly slipped through her fingers, hitting the ground with a thump that promptly broke off a large piece.

"Whoops," Konatsu muttered, noting Akane's look of horror as she bent down to pick up the rock. As she got back to her feet, Konatsu noticed part of the rock felt different and turned it over in her hands, seeing a shock of green under the rocky exterior of the meteor.

"A crystal?" Akane asked, looking over Konatsu's shoulder.

"Maybe its a geode?" Konatsu offered. She'd seen some of those in souvenir shops before. They were basically rocks with crystals inside.

"I don't think there's geodes in space." Akane replied, taking the meteor back and looking at the green crystal inside. "I have to show this to Mikoto."


Mikoto Hakubi sighed and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes for a few moments. This equation was starting to get on her nerves. If only she could solve this, then her latest invention would be complete, and she'd be well on her way to fame and fortune! Or, hell, world domination if she really wanted. You couldn't go wrong with mad science. But no, try as she might, she couldn't figure out the problem. No matter how much time she spent on trying to redesign the stupid thing.

"Hmm," She hmmed, standing from her chair and moving across the room, where her invention rested on a lab table. It was a huge machine, looking like a generator of some kind, with a large, rectangular block the size of an oil drum on one side, connected to the rest of the machine by a thick shaft and a mass of wires. "Maybe if I cut away some of the Integrated Override Network, I could reduce the energy consumption...but would it be enough?"

"Mikoto!" She turned upon hearing her name, noting with a slight smile that her lab partners had finally arrived. Not that they'd be of any help, of course, since they were only mere students. Not all were graced with her natural talents in science and reason. However, simpletons though they be, having people around to talk at and dictate to made these long work nights less boring.

"Ah, Tendo and Saotome! About time you got here. I was just working on our project." Mikoto began, walking through the walls of various doodads and inventions to meet her fellow students at the door. She stopped as she rounded the next corner, noting the two girls standing just inside her lab with a bit of surprise. She recognized Akane Tendo easily enough, but Ranma Saotome looked really different outside of class...

"Wow, Saotome, you look...different. Did you get a hair cut?" Mikoto said, adjusting her glasses for a moment as she looked at Konatsu. Akane chuckled a bit at the mix up, watching the confusion cross Konatsu's face.

"Ah...no..." Konatsu muttered, not entirely sure what to make of this, "I'm Konatsu. Ranma couldn't make it."

"Oh," Mikoto said simply, nodding at this revelation, "That makes way more sense."

"right..." Konatsu replied, still completely confused. Mikoto just wandered back into the maze of machines and vaguely sciencey looking stuff, back towards whatever it was she had been doing before they came in. Konatsu just followed her, with Akane leading the way, in something of a state of disbelief. She was briefly wondering if she had wandered onto the set of a bad sci-fi film. Half the stuff in the room had various lights on it that seemed to blink for no apparent reason.

"I'm glad you're here, Akane. I was just working on my latest invention. Should work fine as the subject of our project!" Mikoto boasted, leading the two deeper into the lab towards the table with her machine.

"Uh...what is it?" Akane asked, leaning her head to the side to examine the machine at a different angle. "Kinda looks like a big mallet."

"It's a Gravitational Oscillation Load Driver with Integrated Override Network." Mikoto rose one finger and immediately went into lecture mode, "It functions by creating a gravity well in the heart of the generator, producing a custom shockwave that rebounds within the manifold to create the maximum load driving effect."

Akane and Konatsu just stared at her for a few moments.

"Unfortunately, I can't solve the power issue. By my current calculations, it'd take enough energy to power Tokyo for three weeks just to turn it on." She continued, shaking her head in disappointment. Still, Akane and Konatsu stared, caught off guard and rendered speechless.

"It does what?" Konatsu finally managed to say.

"Isn't this a little...much? We're just supposed to present a project based on a field of science we're interested in.." Akane stared at Mikoto's machine apprehensively, having no idea what to think of it.

"Right! And what better fields of science are there than Applied Quantum Mechanics and Gravitational Physics?" Mikoto replied, turning towards her machine, "I mean, I suppose we could do advanced robotics, but that's so last year."

"Am I interrupting?" All three teens immediately turned towards the new voice in surprise. Konatsu tensed as she noticed that familiar feminine voice, spotting the blonde general sitting atop a nearby machine.

'Zoisite?' Konatsu thought, cursing her bad luck, 'He's supposed to be on the other side of Tokyo! If he's here, what are Ranma and Ryoga hunting down?'

"Who are you?" Mikoto looked up at the newcomer in curiosity, having never seen her before. Didn't this chick know that sitting on top of computer servers was dangerous? What if she had a static charge on her ugly gray clothes? She could fry some of the circuits!

"Stay back, he's dangerous!" Konatsu warned, standing in front of the two girls protectively. She couldn't transform, not with them watching, but she was still a capable ninja.

"That's a guy?" Mikoto asked incredulously, adjusting her glasses as she gave Zoisite a long look. "If you say so."

"And I thought you were supposed to be the smartest of the Seven Monsters, Hakese." Zoisite replied with an amused laugh, floating down from the machine he had perched on with the Black Crystal in hand. "Now, be a good monster and stand still."

"Monster?" Mikoto muttered in confusion as Zoisite leveled the crystal towards her. Konatsu rushed forward in a blur of movement, drawing a blade from her sleeve and striking towards the dark general's neck with lethal intent. Zoisite gasped and floated back, away from the attack, only for Konatsu to push her attack with a second strike.

"Zoi!" A massive beam of energy met Konatsu head on for her troubles, blasting her off course and smashing her through several stacks of equipment before the beam carried her straight through the far wall and into the school yard beyond it. The general smirked at the large hole he carved through the room, glad to be rid of the ninja girl. She had been getting on his nerves since he came in.

"Konatsu!" Akane cried out in surprise, moving towards the hole to ensure the ninja was okay. Zoisite vanished from his position, appearing between Akane and her goal and slapping her across the face with enough force to hurl the girl into a nearby terminal.

"Sit down, little girl. You're being a nuisance." Zoisite watched Akane slump to the ground happily, turning his attention back towards his target. She was now kneeling on the ground with her hands over her mouth, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she watched.

"Why are you doing this? You monster!" Mikoto cried out, her voice hoarse with emotion. Zoisite simply laughed again, covering his mouth demurely as he did.

"You misunderstand. You're the only monster here." Zoisite began, raising the crystal once more as he approached the girl. "Haven't you ever noticed that you're different from other humans? You're not like them. You've always been better than them, and you owe it all to your heritage. Your talents are just a remnant of your true nature. You are one of the Seven Monsters reborn. You exist solely to do our master's bidding, to bring pain and suffering to humans everywhere. You are a blight on the face of the galaxy. You are Hakese."

"Wha? That-" Mikoto stammered, staring at Zoisite in horror. That couldn't be true. She was gifted with an incredible insight into the study of science, but that's nothing unusual, is it? So she was smarter than her teachers. That didn't mean anything. And so what if half the stuff she invented in her spare time pushed the boundaries of technology? That just meant she was gifted...right?

"You're lying!" Mikoto insisted, scooting away from Zoisite on her hands and shaking her head in denial. It couldn't be true. She wasn't some monster. Her talents didn't come from some horrible heritage like that!

Zoisite just laughed at her again, pointing the Black Crystal at her chest. Seeing it felt strangely like looking down the barrel of a gun, as if her fate were in this man's fingertips. "Silly girl. I have every intention of proving it."

"Stay away from her!" Akane shouted, struggling back to her feet. Zoisite barely spared her a glance, instead activating the crystal in his hands and bathing Mikoto in strange yellow light. Mikoto started screaming as her body suddenly went rigid, eyes wide in horror as she cried out as loudly as her lungs allowed. She felt a hollowness opening up inside her, like something vitally important was being carved out of her soul with a pair of rusty knives. A blue crystal appeared in front of her eyes and seemed to glimmer before it flew into her tormentor's open hand. His attack was over, but the pain didn't fade. It only became much worse.

"Mikoto!" Akane screamed, rushing to her friend's side. Mikoto was hunched over herself, her breathing ragged as she clutched at her chest, trying desperately to keep the hole inside her closed.

"A...kane..." She gasped out through the tears, still clutching at her heart. "It hurts...Something's trying to come out..."

Zoisite began to laugh again, but cut himself off as he felt the rage filled eyes of Akane fall on him. Something about the girl unnerved him greatly. He didn't much care for the way she was staring at him, either.

"What did you take from her?" Akane demanded, rising to her feet and rushing at Zoisite in determination. "Give it back!"

She punched with all her might, her fist smashing into Zoisite's face with the force of a battering ram. Zoisite took off at high speed, smashing through the opposite wall before he finally corrected himself in the air.

"The nerve! How dare you mar my beautiful face, you devil woman!" Zoisite growled out, surprised and outraged that the girl had managed to hit him. He rose his hand towards her, fully intent on destroying her in a single blast.

"Give-" Akane began, reaching out towards the nearest thing she could grab, her hand firmly grasping the shaft section of Mikoto's newest machine, "-It-" She yanked it from the table, holding it above her head like a club as she rushed towards the hole she just put in the wall. A glimmer of green light shined from her pocket, from the meteor within, as the machine in her hands began to hum, "-BACK!"

Zoisite fired his blast, sending a beam of magical energy towards the charging girl that should have blown her away. Akane met it head on with her makeshift cudgel, the machine now shining with a golden light that seemed to be spreading to Akane herself. On impact, the beam just seemed to disintegrate, Akane charging straight through it as particles of light cascaded around her from where her weapon met the attack. Zoisite could only watch in horror as Akane leapt from the hole in the wall, this strange machine now held overhead, preparing to bring it down on him with full force.

He had the good sense to dodge, but only just. There was a horrible flash of light as Akane's weapon struck the ground just outside the classroom, the entire area rumbling horribly from the impact. Konatsu felt the force of the shockwave roll over her as she tried to regain her own footing, very glad that Zoisite had launched her far enough away to avoid this attack. As the light cleared, Akane found herself standing in a smoking hole deeper than she was tall, grasping the strange machine with her bloody fingers. Her clothes were shredded, her body bruised, and her arms were screaming in pain, but she had missed. Zoisite floated overhead, looking down at this crater with a face gone white with terror.

"Give...it...back..." Akane muttered, struggling to lift the machine again. Zoisite flinched and quickly teleported away, not willing to risk a second shot.

"No!" Akane's arms failed her as the machine hit the ground again, the hole deepening even more with another flash of light. She collapsed shortly after, the light in her pocket dying out, followed by the machine powering down. Konatsu watched this in amazement, looking down from the lip of the crater at Akane's unconscious body.

So that's what that thing does.

"A...ka...ne...?" Mikoto gasped out, watching the brief fight draw to a close in surprise. She didn't have much time to think about it, however. Pain tore through her body again as she lost her hold of herself, the room filling with a blue light that seemed to be pouring out of her body. She let out a final cry as her body flashed, and she was no more.

"Oh...crap..." Konatsu muttered, watching as the new Youma rose to her feet, the white lab coat she was covered in billowing around her. Her bright blue skin clashed with the shock of red hair that now adorned her head, and her eyes glowed with a strange energy as she looked at Konatsu.

"Oh ho? And what might you be?" Hakese asked with a mischievous grin, studying Konatsu intently.

"Mars Power, Make Up!" Was Konatsu's reply. As the transformation overtook her, a translucent screen appeared over Hakese's eyes, data streaming across it at high speed.

"Ah! A Parallel Pattern overlay spell? Fascinating!" Hakese announced with glee. A translucent keyboard appeared over her right arm as she watched, tapping at it madly with her left hand. Sailor Mars landed, her transformation complete, and stood at the ready.

"Sailor Senshi? Very good data, indeed! I've never been able to study the transformation up close!" Hakese declared, still typing furiously while watching Mars through her holographic screen. Warning lights suddenly flashed across her screen, giving her pause as new data streamed by.

"A charge?" She muttered, focusing past the data to see Mars was standing with her hands together, fire collecting at her fingertips. Hakese frowned, tapping at her keyboard some more.

"Fire Soul!" Mars shouted and unleashed her spell, flames burning through the air towards her target. Hakese stopped typing for a moment and threw out her hands towards the approaching flames, a sudden blast of energy quenching Mars' attack instantly before slamming into her head on, hurling her through the wall and into the hallway beyond.

"So rude! Don't interrupt me when I'm working!" She scolded, floating through the new hole in the wall as she resumed her typing. Mars groaned, getting back to her feet slowly. It was bad enough when Zoisite blasted her, but this was becoming ridiculous. At least the transformation dulled the damage of that attack, though it did little to help the pain of getting shoved through a wall.

"I guess I'll have to punish you for that." Hakese announced, her typing getting faster and her frown getting deeper. A green flash appeared on her screen then, causing both it and the keyboard to vanish.

"So that's it!" She declared, landing smoothly in the hall as a strange translucent gauntlet seemed to appear over her right arm. She suddenly rushed forward, striking out at Mars with a viscous left hook. Mars ducked the punch and rose with one of her own, striking towards Hakese's throat with a knife hand.

That collided with a barrier inches before contact.

"What?" Mars gasped in shock. Hakese just grinned, exploiting Mars' temporary shock to grab the red broach on her chest.

"Grab the core, and..." Hakese muttered, the holographic gauntlet moving frantically over the broach, "...Terminate Program!"

Konatsu gasped as her uniform suddenly degenerated, momentarily becoming ribbons of fire before it simply winked out of existence. She stumbled back from the youma in shock, once again in her normal clothes. How...how did she do that?

"So much for the Sailor Senshi. It's all so obvious now." Hakese stated simply before letting lose another blast. Konatsu tried and failed to brace herself against the attack, the force tearing her from her feet and sending her flying down the hall with a cry of pain. She landed in a lump, rolling limply a few times before coming to a stop. Konatsu groaned as she slowly pushed herself up, looking up towards her attacker through blurring vision.

'Damn it...she's too strong...' Konatsu reached into her pocket and pulled out her communicator, knowing she had no choice but to call in reinforcements. She would have to remember to thank Luna later for giving them these. As she turned it on, Hakese's screen came back to life, with more data streaming across it that caught the Youma's eye.

"Guys, there's a Youma at Furin-" Before Konatsu could finish, the communicator suddenly died. Konatsu just stared at it for a few moments before looking up at the Youma, seeing her typing once more.

"Transmission Ended! Now now, none of that. It's no fun if you call for help." Hakese said, waving her finger back and forth in a steady motion. Konatsu almost felt like crying. It wasn't fair! How was she supposed to fight it if it kept canceling everything she did?

"Damn you!" Konatsu cursed, forcing herself to stand as she glared at the Youma. She may not have her magic, but she was still a ninja. Barrier or no, Konatsu had every intention of beating this Youma down the hard way, drawing a short dagger from her sleeve to emphasize her point.

Hakese laughed maniacally, her screen and keyboard disappearing once more.

"I have a hypothesis that girls who become Senshi gain an exceptional level of pain resistance in their normal forms." Hakese began, energy crackling in her hand as she formed a blade of brilliant orange energy. "Let's experiment, shall we?"

Konatsu was off like a shot, her dagger held tightly in her hand as she approached. Hakese grinned, holding her own blade ready. Konatsu lashed out in a diagonal slice towards Hakese's mid-section, only for her blade to hit the very same barrier her hand had struck before. Hakese counter attacked, swinging her sword down in an overhead slash that Konatsu nimbly sidestepped, going through her guard and dragging her blade across the youma's kidney's without success, halted by the barrier once again.

'Shit, how do I pierce that thing?' Konatsu twisted and gave herself some space, pausing for a moment to see how her opponent would react. Hakese merely stood her ground, apparently perfectly happy to have Konatsu come to her. For her part, the kunoichi shifted her hold on her dagger, holding the blade straight out in preparation for a thrust.

"Come on. We'll never get any data if you stand over there all day." Hakese taunted. Konatsu dashed forward once more, though this time Hakese was the first to strike, lashing out in a wide sweep with her weapon. Konatsu expected this, vaulting over the attack to descend on Hakese from above, thrusting her blade down at the Youma's head with both hands. The barrier came back in full force, stopping the blade in its tracks. Gravity was persistent however, and Konatsu was putting all her weight into the blade.

"Nice try!" Hakese taunted, slashing Konatsu across the body with her blade. Electric fire seemed to race across her nerves from the contact, inciting a pain unlike anything she had felt before. Konatsu screamed in agony, her strength gone, forced back by the barrier to land harshly on her side.

"On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate the pain you just felt?" Hakese asked, her keyboard appearing once more. Konatsu struggled back to her feet, standing on pure will power alone as she stared the youma down, her blade still clutched tightly in one hand.

"Oh, you're standing already? I'll call that a 6, then." The Youma remarked, typing at her keyboard for a moment before returning her grip to her sword, the blade becoming several times larger and now crackling with energy. "Let's see if we can hit 10."

Konatsu simply didn't have the strength to resist. Hakese was on her too fast, bringing down the blade with speed she simply couldn't match in her condition. The blade connected, and Konatsu had to redefine her understanding of pain. Sounds she barely recognized as her own voice erupted from her throat as she cried out in absolute anguish, energy coursing through her body so violently she could see flashes of it behind her eyes, feeling it burn so deep that it scarred her bones. Smoke rose from her abused body as Hakese removed her weapon, watching Konatsu slump to the ground like a marionette without a master.

"Now, let's try this again. On a scale of one to ten." Hakese spoke, but Konatsu didn't hear her. Her world had gone deathly silent. Her eyes gazed out unblinkingly, caught in the reflection of the dagger that now sat loosely in her fingers a few inches from her face. The rest of the world seemed to fade away, except for that dagger, except for that reflection. Her eyes looked hollow, gazing at her with an emptiness that seemed unnatural. Darkness was creeping in from the edges of her vision, now, like an acid eating away at a piece of weakened steel.

'Is this it? Is this all you have to offer?' She thought to herself, her eyes still staring into the reflection on the blade. Any sense of the outside was gone. The hall, the Youma, everything. If it still existed, she couldn't tell. All that remained was the blade.

'Is this your best?' She continued to chastise herself, staring into her own reflection. 'Are you really through?'

'She's too strong. I can't break her barrier. It's pointless.' Konatsu stared into her own reflection and it seemed to stare back. Her face changed, disappointment clear on her features. The darkness continued to edge in, her view of the world slowly becoming tunneled.

'You're pathetic. All that heat, and your fire is nothing more than a candle in the end. Is it so easy to snuff out your light?' Her reflection seemed to ask. Konatsu just stared at it, her vision becoming unfocused as it tunneled further.

'Yes.' she answered herself, feeling ashamed of her own weakness. Her world faded to black, the last thing she saw being her own eyes staring into her blankly.

'Then perhaps its time you fought in the darkness.' The world came back suddenly in stunning clarity, her fingers clenched tightly around the handle of her dagger, her eyes regaining their focus. She could feel something rising inside of her now, giving her a second wind. She had never felt it before, but it still felt oddly familiar, much like the Senshi transformation had when she first used it. This was a different kind of power, however. This was dark. This was deadly.

"Huh?" Hakese muttered as new data streamed across her screen. Something massive was building, something she was having difficulty identifying. What was going on? Where was this coming from? She glanced down, seeing Konatsu staring up at her with intense eyes. Hakese took an unconscious step back from the glare, unnerved by those eyes.

"This data...this doesn't make any sense!" Hakese shouted, suddenly recognizing the energy signature Konatsu was giving off. Konatsu was on her feet now, her hand still tightly clenched around her dagger as she brought it up. The blade was changing now, falling slightly as it seemed to fade into darkness, wisps like smoke rising from the edge of the now pitch black blade. Hakese took several more steps back, her screen still flashing warnings across her eyes.

"How can you possibly have that artifact? How is it you have The Dagger!" The Youma demanded. Konatsu did not reply, twisting the blade in her hand before rushing forward, leaving behind a trail like black smoke from where it passed.

"Dancing..." Konatsu started, bringing the dagger to bear. Hakese growled, thrusting her hand forward with a blast of energy. It shredded the walls, floor and ceiling as it passed, filling the entire hall with no hope of escape, striking Konatsu head on. On impact, Konatsu's body seemed to be blown away in a puff of smoke, leaving nothing behind but the blackness.

"...Shadow..." Hakese turned in surprise at the voice, seeing Konatsu coming at her from behind, blade still trailing blackness. The youma rose her arms in defense, her barrier shining to full power around her, "...Slash!"

It was over in an instant. Konatsu slowly rose to her feet, looking over her shoulder at the path of black energy that arced through the air where she had struck. Hakese's barrier collapsed, the Youma herself hitting the ground on her knees with a coughing choke. The black energy seemed to be retracting now, from all over the halls, everywhere Konatsu dragged it. It flowed steadily into the Youma's body, gathering in a single spot, a shallow cut across her torso that now radiated that same total blackness.

"No...please...have mercy..." The youma gasped out, looking at Konatsu through pained eyes as the Kunoichi fully turned around, now holding the black blade in one hand and its sheath in the other.

"Burst." Konatsu replied, sheathing the blade. The Youma cried out in pain as the wound exploded violently, the black energy tearing through its body in an instant before fading away. Hakese collapsed without another sound, and Konatsu released a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"What was that..." Konatsu muttered, grabbing her head for a second and stumbling slightly before drawing her dagger. The blade was normal again, a polished steel. The darkness had left its surface. "How did I do that?"

"Konatsu!" Konatsu turned at the voice, seeing Sailor Mercury and Moon standing in the hall, the latter cradling Akane in her arms. Looks of confusion, anger and worry played across both their faces as they approached, but mostly they just looked like they needed answers.

"What the hell happened here?" Moon demanded, still holding Akane tightly. She looked down, seeing the fallen Youma behind Konatsu for the first time and quickly got closer. She looked practically dead. "What did you do?"

"I...have no idea." Was all she could say in reply, looking down at the Youma she had somehow beaten. That spell she had cast...and without transforming, too...where the hell did that come from?

"You better heal her, Ranma. I think she might be dying." Konatsu insisted. Sailor Moon just nodded, gently laying Akane down near the Youma before drawing her wand.

"Will that heal Akane, too?" Mercury asked, looking down at the girl in worry. She felt so ashamed of herself. She should have been here to protect Akane!

"I don't know," Moon replied, holding the wand overhead, "But I sure hope it does. Moon Healing, Escalation!"


Kunzite slowly made his way across the chamber, clutching the White Crystal in hand as he went. Herb had been a dead end. He regretted going to him first, now, especially since that damnable Sailor Venus had shown up. However, what was done was done. Herb wasn't the only powerful human in the area, and there was still time before his plan came to fruition. Zoisite was sowing the first seeds even now, but they were still missing a critical trump card.

"Who are you? How dare you trespass here!" A young voice rang out, drawing Kunzite's attention towards the center of the room, where his target now stood and glared at him with indignation.

"Pardon my rudeness, your highness, but I am here to strike a bargain with you." Kunzite replied, bowing slightly to the boy. He could see he had his attention. Now he just had to draw him in.

"What kind of bargain? Speak, landling! This better not be a waste of my time!" The boy shouted, losing his patience already. Kunzite just smirked as he rose from his bow.

"I can offer you what no one else can. You have resurrected yourself a thousand times over, but every time you have started anew with a clean slate. I can undo that. I can give you the power of all your former incarnations." Kunzite explained. The boy's eyebrows raised, his interest peaked. The dark general could already see the gears moving in his mind, realizing the potential of what he offered. It was almost too easy.

"That's quite the offer, sorcerer. And what do you get in return?" He asked, giving Kunzite a suspicious stare.

"My masters will soon conquer this world. What I am offering is an alliance, and a chance to stake your own claim. If you swear your allegiance to Queen Beryl, and offer your people to bolster our forces, I will grant you all the power of the phoenix in return. All the power that is rightfully yours." Kunzite replied. He could see in the boy's eyes that he didn't like the idea of an allegiance, that bowing to another disgusted him, but the promise of power was simply too great. Already he knew the idea of that much power was eating away at the boy's mind. All he would have to do is wait a few moments. The boy was too impatient to hold out for long. In a few moments, he'd even sell his soul for a chance at that power.

"Alright," Saffron said, an evil grin crossing his face, "If you can really do as you say, you've got a deal."


To be Continued.

Author's Notes:

And there it is. If the Kasumi bit confused you, I apologize. Introducing that appropriately was the main reason I've been stuck on this chapter for two years. If I over-explained it, then the surprise would be ruined. But under-explaining it makes it kinda come out of nowhere. So I chose what I felt was the lesser of two evils and ran with it, skipping a lot of the foreshadowing for that development. Though if you know who Rushuna Tendo is, you probably saw it coming.

Now that I got this chapter out of the way, the next one should be a lot sooner. Sometime this year, at least.

Ryo-Wolf