SMST: Journey to Adventure! By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "Ranma ½", "Star Trek", and other properties belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-genre story.

Special note: FYI, I'm using a mixture of interpretations of the "Ah, My Goddess" story. Thus, in my version of that story, Marler is Hild's daughter by way of Ranma Saotome.

Part 10

Marler woke up, having felt a slight chill. She realizes that she was in some bed…

"Hey," says a voice.

Marler immediately bolts up upright and looks around. Sitting in his chair was her father, King Ranmassen.

"You seem well, child."

"Where…am I?" Marler asked. "And how long have I slept?"

"You're just outside of my castle, near Heorot. As for how long you've been out…most likely a day."

"I see…"

Suddenly, Marler bolts up and rushes to her father's side.

"Father, you have to return with me to Hel," Marler pleaded. "One of mother's rivals sought to take over her domain."

"I figured as much," Ranma replied, as he gently hugs his daughter. In spite of her heritage as a "Temptress", Marler was still his.

And then, Ranma stands.

"Father…?"

"I have court business to consider," Ranma says. "Afterwards, when I return, we can go on our journey."

Marler nods her head in reply.

Ranma exits the private cottage, where his men stood watch.

"Sire!" says one of the guards.

"Continue to make sure that no one enters this cottage," Ranma says, as she wrapped his wool-line cloak around his person. "And that includes the priests."

"Yes, sire!" says another guard.

Grumbling to himself about fanatical clergy, Ranma hops back onto his horse, and gallops back into his castle.

Meanwhile, Queen Wealtheow listens intently to the latest complaints about her new husband's mistress and confidant. In spite of being "middle-aged", her time with Ranma as his wife has made her feel youthful…and then some.

"Your Majesty, I plead with you," say Unferth, who has long since become a member of the local clergy. "I tell you, there is a witch in this place…and she's standing right there!"

Unferth points to Usagiude, who was eating roasted pig.

Usagi looks up from her meal.

"What?"

"Grrr! Witnesses have indicated that they have seen a half-wench/half-horse that fits her description. And she still has not renounced the Old Ways for the sake of the 'Christ-God'."

"What are you talking about?" Usagi says, as she sits down her piece of meat, and wiped her hands and face. "I donate regularly to the Church while giving thanks. And for the record, I am not a witch, for I do not practice the ways of the Wicca."

"But do you deny knowing the Runic arts?"

"No, because knowing the ways of the Runes are not the same as actively using them."

Usagi then stood up on the table turned around and lifted her skirt, exposing her naked rear end.

"And I certainly don't have the hind quarters of a horse. Nyah!"

Wealtheow sighs. Every so often, Unferth seeks to use any pretense to disqualify her husband's right to the throne of Denmark.

"Your Highness, could you PLEASE do something?" Unferth pleaded.

"Yes, I will," Wealtheow says. "Unferth, you are to drop this matter. I forbid you from spreading your 'concerns' beyond this hearing. Is that clear?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," Unferth says, as he and his entourage bow their heads towards the Queen.

"Good, you may take your leave."

"As you wish…"

As Unferth and his entourage exit the throne, they see Ranmassen.

"Your Majesty," Unferth says, as he and his entourage bow upon seeing their king.

"Unferth," Ranma says simply, as he nods his head.

After passing by, Ranma stops in front of his wife.

"Hello, my wife," Ranma says.

Wealtheown gets up from her seat. She nearly glides down the steps, and kisses her husband on the cheek.

"Hello, my husband," Wealtheow say. "Have you…attended to the business at hand?"

"About that," Ranma says nervously. "I will have to leave the kingdom for a few days."

"Will you have an escort with you?"

"Um, no. It's one of those personal things that Usagi and I have to deal with."

"Oh…"

"But Makoto should be back from Briton tomorrow. She'll keep an eye on things while we're away."

"Sigh. Very well, Ranma…but I expect you to return to me in ONE piece."

"Of course."

Ranma then turns to Usagi.

"Yo, ready for go?"

"Just a moment," Usagi says, as she polished the last bit of pork. "BURP! I'm done now."

"…"

"You certainly have quite the appetite, Bunny," Wealtheow comments.

Sometime later, Ranma, Usagi and Marler stand at the entrance of the home of Echidna.

"Father, why are we here at the home of the 'Mother-of-All-Monsters', Father?" Marler asked.

Ranma turns to his daughter.

"We can't go through the normal channels to get to Hel," Ranma says. "So, we'll need Echidna's help."

"Ranma, you do know what she'll want, you know."

"I know. And if Wealtheow finds out-"

"Father, I'm sure we can find another means to get to my mother," Marler says.

"No, this is the surest, and quietest way of getting to Hel," Ranma says.

"Hmmm," Usagi says. "I'll go and talk to Echidna, Ranma. Hand me the instrument."

Ranma sighs, as he hands over the golden "Horn of Hrothgar" (a gold instrument that was in the shape of a dragon).

"You know what you are doing?" Ranma asked.

"Hey, I'm as old as you are, and I know a bit of tricks."

With that, Usagi goes inside…

A few minutes later, Usagi was using the golden rays of the horn, as she swam, naked, to the heart of the cave-

"So, Ranma sent you in his stead," says a pleasant voice.

Usagi looks around to see the shimmering form Echidna. It was hard to believe that this creature was so beautiful in her humanoid form…

"Actually, I volunteered…to plead with you for an exception, Echidna."

"And that is…?"

"Provide us with a passage into Hel."

Echidna circled and glanced at her old acquaintance.

"Your spirit is strong…and pure."

Echidna sniffs Usagi's neck.

"I will grant you special disposition," Echidna says, as she began to stroke Usagi's cheek. "However, there is something that I want."

"And that is…?"

"I want still want a child."

"But…we're both 'girls'."

"Humph. There are methods that the likes of us can do to over-come the laws of nature…"

With that, Echidna kisses Usagi intimately, causing Usagi's hair to stand on end.

"Whoa," Usagi says, as Echidna broke the kiss.

"I know that this may seem unusual to you, Moon Princess, but I also know that you have the skills to please me…and give me what I want."

"Fine, but I'm doing this for Ranma, you know."

"Of course," Echidna says, as she scoops up Usagi into her arms, and takes her down into her personal grotto.

Sometime later, Usagi emerged from Echidna's home, a slight worse for wear. Ranma, who had made a fire for himself and his daughter, gets up.

"Usagi, what took you so long?" Ranma asked.

"Um, it's nothing," Usagi says dismissively. "I was told the backdoor way to Hel, in exchange for the horn."

"Huh," Ranma says. "Man, I'll miss that thing."

At the same time, Marler stares at Usagi, having sensed what has happened…

Sometime later, the trio arrives at the appropriate spot.

"Alright," Ranma says, as he dismounts. "According to the information that Usagi to us, this cave should lead us to Hel."

"Um, yeah," Usagi says. "Hopefully, we won't run into any sentries or something."

"We should not, since most of my mother's warriors would have either been enslaved or destroyed by now," Marler says.

"Good. I want to save my strength for whatever is causing this fiasco."

And with that, the trio continues their journey.

Tbc.