Chaos Lord Productions Brings You.
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Stars in the Sky
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Written by Chaos Lord
Disclaimer: All entities and devices in this story belong to their respective owners. For the purposes of this story those would be Rumiko Takahashi and Naoko Takeuchi.
WARNING: Extreme OOC ahead. If slavish adherence to the originals are your bag, read no further.
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Chapter 10 - Senshi on Ice
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Far away from the island nation of Japan, across the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean, rolling over the hills and plains of America, stretching over the Gulf of Mexico, and on the northern edge of the Caribbean Sea was situated the even smaller island nation of Jamaica. People the world over were gathered on the tropical destination seeking fun and relaxation in the sand and surf. On one clothing-optional beach a particular person found his surroundings to be perfectly divine.
"Well Happosai, you'd always said you wanted to get away from it all. You can't get much further away than here," muttered the old lech happily as he eyed a particularly voluptuous guest from behind the safety of his sunglasses. "Shame it took pissing off Ranma to get you here."
The wedding fiasco was, upon further introspection, not one of his finest hours. It had always been his intention to drop in and put a stop to the proceedings, Akane was not the sort of person who could handle someone like Ranma. In her own way Tendo's youngest was a good girl but in his opinion she needed an average guy, certainly not someone as wild as his heir.
What Happosai had never intended was to drink the cask of Nannichuan. He'd just seen it and assumed it was merely celebratory sake. People might think him cruel and heartless but that only really applied to training. Had he known the cask's true contents he would have stolen it but he'd also explain why. Taro was a perfect example as to the dangers of mixing curses. Of all those seeking a cure Ranma was the last person who needed two curses combining. And if they doubted him? Well Genma could always use a bit more humility.
Unfortunately the mistake was made and, instead of staying around while tempers were still running high, Happosai hopped the first plane out of the country for some much needed distance. The plan, if one could call it that, was to get away for a while and give everyone time to cool off. Only then would he return with a sincere apology for so casually dashing a brave young man's one hope.
Speaking of plans and the brave, everything he'd intended was thrown out the window one day several weeks ago by a news report. While in the midst of enjoying his self-imposed exile the Anything Goes Grandmaster saw the footage from Ranma and Kasumi's heroic battle against the oddly-dressed foe. Where another might have found the quickest means of transport back to Japan to aid the two teens in their newest endeavor Happosai refrained from such foolishness. Even from Jamaica, the ancient martial artist could feel the invisible hand of Destiny at work and if there was one thing he'd long since learned about Destiny it was that she could be a cruel bitch to those who muddied her work.
So he stayed in paradise, a wolf amongst the sheep. There he would remain until it was time to make a return, a time his old bones would surely tell him about. Of course the old bones weren't so old anymore, not since that lamentable day. Looking down at his tanned and trim and, above all, tall, body, Happosai just had to smirk happily. "Well I guess I did something good when I drank that water," he muttered as he caught a very attractive woman eyeing him with an appreciatory air. "Who'd ever guess that drinking the stuff would give you a curse too? I'm just glad I had a way of locking me like this."
Putting on something of a show, Happosai stood and made his way over to the blonde woman. "Hmm yes, I think Ranma really needs something special for the gift he gave me," he thought with a mental smirk.
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"You know, I just don't understand the people here. I get a little mad and pull a door off its hinges and suddenly everyone's running away," grumbled Kiima as she pushed her scrubbing brush along the grain of the wooden floor.
Kneeling next to the cursed woman, Rei grinned at her discomfort. "Hey, that's Juban for you. People around here have gotten used to weird things signaling a visit from the Senshi. The last thing they want is to be in the middle of that much property damage."
Nodding, Kiima dunked her brush in a nearby bucket before returning it to the floor before her. "Yes, I have noticed that about your battles. Though I am happy to say that you all seem to be minimizing that sort of thing these days."
A blush formed on the shrine maiden's face and she began scrubbing the floor with a bit more force. Thoughts of the damage she had personally caused in attempting to take out a Youma or some other dark foe came to the fore. "Well when your teachers can take out someone with a precision strike it kind of makes a girl want to change how she does things." To her surprise Kiima began to laugh. The sound was so pure, so infectious, that soon enough Rei felt herself joining in her comrade's merriment.
In the three weeks since she'd agreed to let the Phoenix use the shrine grounds as a base of operations Rei never had a reason to regret the decision. The small group of cursed people were the best guests she could ever hope for. They were always eager to earn their keep and repay her kindness in letting them stay. Any time she'd ask for help one or more of their number would jump up to assist. More than once one of them had taken over her kitchen, preparing meals for her and the others unlike any she had ever tasted.
Yet she enjoyed their presence for more than just the help. For the first time since becoming a Senshi she had others she could talk to besides Usagi and the rest of the team. They knew what it was like to be burdened with responsibility, what it meant to be a warrior. With them she was able to open up about things that her Grandpa and her friends would never understand, or that she was too afraid to broach. Even with the revelation of his knowledge vis-a-vie her position as a Senshi, the years of secrecy made it hard to talk with the relative she loved so dearly.
"Well I'm glad that we've been of assistance," smirked Kiima. Though she didn't know it, the Guard-Captain appreciated her time with Rei as much as the teen did. Back home she'd been so dedicated to her goal of gaining her position that she never even considered what she had to give up in the process. Only now, so far away from the places she pledged herself to, did she realize just how much of a sacrifice it all had been. And though she did not regret the decisions of her life, the young woman was grateful that fate gave her a second chance to experience some of what she had lost.
"Hey, I just thought of something," said Rei suddenly. "How about, when we're done, you and I go out and do some shopping, maybe catch a movie."
With a hint of caution Kiima turned to look at the girl beside her. Though she saw none of what she suspected in the raven-haired woman's face, she couldn't be sure that it was not buried beneath a pleasant face. "Do not take this the wrong way," she began slowly, "but I don't personally find you attractive."
Rei rocked back as if she had been shot. "What," she asked with a strangled cry. "What the hell gave you the idea that I wanted to date you?"
Breathing a sigh of relief at the un-falsified outrage, Kiima then took it upon herself to smooth out the feathers she'd just ruffled. "Forgive me Rei. After seeing Haruka and Michiru, along with how Ami and Khoti have been getting along, I feared that you preferred woman as well."
The shrine maiden blushed at what Kiima said. Admittedly, the warrior had a point. Taking a look at their team from an outside perspective would really lend credence to the fear that they were all, at some level, into women. Hell, all of them were surprised with Ami asked Khoti out after practice one day. Since then the two were practically glued at the hip. And given the unfortunate accident with Khoti's curse, the fact that the two were together cast a suspicious light on the rest of them.
"Well I don't," replied Rei hastily. "I just have a hard time finding a guy who can look past my 'weirdness'," she admitted with some sadness. Thanks to her position as a Senshi, what turned men off of her only increased. These days finding a date was a Diogenean task.
Kiima nodded with a sad smile of her own. "I know what you mean. There are not many men who approach a woman who becomes the Guard-Captain for Lord Saffron. It is like they are afraid I may break something off."
Though the sentiment was sad Rei couldn't help but giggle at the image Kiima painted. "So how about it? Want to go out, as friends and nothing more."
"I would be honored," replied the transformed woman with a smile. There were not many who sought her friendship for the sake of being her friend and she would be dammed before she turned down an offer so freely given. "Incidentally, and this is just me being friendly, but any man who does not want you should have his head pulled out of his ass."
Rei felt a spark of confident gratitude. "Thanks. And while I don't know anything about Phoenix standards of beauty, I do know you look damn good too. We'll need to get you an outfit or two which can make them see that."
The woman with Akane's curse smiled as an expectant gleam formed in her eyes. "That sounds fun."
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"You know, I never thought I'd have so much fun just reading," said Khoti as he sat on the Mizuno couch.
Her head on the narrow shoulder of the sometimes-woman beside her, Ami looked up at the person she'd been dating and smiled brilliantly. "I knew you would. It was just a matter of finding the right book."
Khoti looked down at the angelic face and returned the smile with one of her own. Gently, she took an arm and wrapped it around Ami and pulled her even closer. "Oh I don't know. I'd say that the company had something to do with it."
Ami's blushed with happy embarrassment. "You may be right." As she was pressed against Khoti's exquisite feminine form, the young genius contemplated the changes in her life. Before becoming a Senshi she'd never expected to find herself enjoying being so intimate with a woman, even if the woman in question was really a man. Even after the dreams started Ami was positive that she would never be in a relationship with anything like the beautiful creature at her side. Yet here she was, mere inches from Khoti's nipples, and enjoying every moment of it.
It had been one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of her life, asking Khoti out. For whatever reason Ranma decided that the striking woman was perfect to be her trainer. Khoti was tough yet compassionate and was always ready to inject a bit of humor when Ami felt her spirits falling. At the end of their training she, along with the rest of the Senshi, were surprised to see their new comrades transform into winged humans. Ami was especially amazed to see that beautiful woman become a handsome man. Though she had grown used to it with Ranma, seeing someone else do it was something else.
After that, the arrival of another dream was to be expected. As with others it was passionate and left her aching for more in the morning. So did the one on the next night, along with the one after that, and the one after that. By the fourth night she was running so ragged that she forgot to study for a test! In light of such an impossible situation the only thing she could do was confront the target of the dreams. Once training was done for the day she approached Khoti not as a student but as a woman. Her body shook so badly that it felt as if her teeth would vibrate out of her skull yet it didn't stop her mission. With her friend's eyes watching her every move Ami asked the beautiful creature out on a date and to her joy Khoti accepted.
The date was, in light of her limited experience, a rousing success. More than once Ami caught a glimpse of others staring at them. She didn't let the surprise and disapproval of others put a damper on their fun. Besides, it gave her a giddy thrill to know that the woman at her side was really an angelic man. As a date Khoti was a perfect gentleperson. She treated her kindly and made an effort to engage in the conversation, even when Ami started to tread rather deeply into subjects on which the guard had no knowledge; something which runs off most people. At the end they separated to retire to their individual dwellings but not before a hug and a promise of future outings.
That night, instead of dressing for bed like the good girl she so desperately tried to be, Ami went to sleep naked in preparation of yet another night of the dreams. Dreams did fill her night, but not ones of passion. Instead her sleep was occupied with gentle, but ultimately common, scenes which were forgotten with the dawn yet left behind a deep sense of emotional fulfillment. In fact, since that first date the dreams of sex had not returned. Upon reflection, she found that it made sense.
Ami was always so isolated, so confined in her sexuality. As the others dated and dreamed of more carnal pursuits, she threw herself that much deeper into her studies. Self-gratification of a sexual nature rarely, if ever, occurred in her life. Though the woman in her longed for such things the child still remembered the warnings of her mother to not fall prey to lust's sway. That such talk took place in the wake of a bitter divorce meant little to the child, it only remembered the pain on her beloved parent's face. So she locked that bit of her away until the pressure built up to cataclysmic levels. Once she took the step of embracing the woman, and going on a real date, the dreams were no longer necessary, their true purpose fulfilled. Now she could get on with her life without having to worry about her passions running wild, though the locker room was still an exquisite torture.
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With some reservation, Usagi peered at the address in her hand before checking it against the nearby storefront. This part of town wasn't one she visited often. Books, art, and coffee were three things she wasn't particularly fond of and this place had them in spades. When Setsuna, the Senshi's resident mystery woman, requests a meeting, however, one tends to go wherever was required; even if she seemed to be more woman than mystery these days. Seeing that the address and shop weren't about to spontaneously change into something more appealing, Usagi squared her shoulders and opened the door.
The coffee shop was quieter than any eatery the young woman ever visited before. Most of the shops she frequented were filled with the sounds of arcade goers and those trying to speak over the cacophony of alarms and digital explosions. While it lacked the fury, the shop more than made up for its deficiency with an homey intimacy. "I can see why she picked this place," thought Usagi as she spied her contact, "it really fits this new Setsuna."
Seated at a small table in a corner of the shop, Setsuna silently sipped her beverage as she read from a rather dense looking book. Instead of some fashionable dress, the green-haired woman was garbed in a pair of jeans and a sweater. To Usagi's point of view, she looked like a college student seeking a few minutes of quiet relaxation before returning to the grind of papers and tests. So relaxed did she appear that the teen questioned the wisdom of interrupting her but she moved towards her none the less.
"Hello Usagi," said Setsuna softly, her eyes never leaving her book.
The teen sat in the chair across from her Senshi. "Um, hi."
Setsuna remained fixated on her book for several more moments before sighing happily and marking her place. "Ah, don't you just love reading," she asked her companion.
"Um, I guess. I mean, I do like to read manga. Does that count?"
She smiled as she sat her book on the table beside her. "Reading is reading. People start with picture books, move on to comics, and end up with novels. The path is the same the speed just changes for each of us."
"I never thought about it like that," said Usagi with happy wonderment. She'd been nagged about her reading habits before and to have an excuse was very satisfying.
"We rarely do," replied Setsuna in her capacity as a wise elder. Without blinking she turned to the approaching waitress, "Hot chocolate with double chocolate and quadruple sugar. Oh, and some chocolate chip cookies. Thanks."
As the slightly-stunned waitress walked away Usagi stared at her companion in awe. The amount of times the two women had interacted in any meaningful way could be counted on her hand and yet Setsuna was able to order something which made her mouth water with diabetic anticipation. "Th-thanks."
"Think nothing of it. Their chocolate is some of the finest in the city. The perfect spot for a meeting, wouldn't you agree?"
"Mmm hmm. Sounds great. But why ask for the meeting in the first place?"
Instead of answering, Setsuna countered with a question of her own. "So tell me, how are you and Mamoru doing."
Though the question surprised her, Usagi quickly found herself falling into the pink haze which always accompanied thoughts of her muffin. "We're doing wonderful," she said dreamily.
"And how is he handling recent events? I know he isn't the most change friendly person out there." It was odd. Before meeting Justin Setsuna had always been focused on the mission. She'd guard the Gates and occasionally go out to get some fresh air. Now, after being around the Alexanders for a while, the green-haired guardian realized just how much she missed gossiping with her fellow females. It was a wonderful activity and one she gleefully embraced.
Usagi knew what she meant. Flashes of the Black Moon fiasco popped through her mind to darken the brightness of her thoughts. "He's keeping up, I think. Having a guy like Ranma around seems to be helping him too."
"He probably doesn't want to hear another one of his, 'You call that manly,' speeches again," giggled Setsuna as she thought about some of Ranma and Mamoru's interactions.
They continued in that fashion for several minutes, just talking about everything and nothing. Neither woman ever really talked to each other and they both relished the opportunity. Both learned surprising things about the other and found their respect for each other deepening. It was only once Usagi's food and drink arrived that the real conversation began.
Stirring her coffee nervously, Setsuna looked at her Princess with an uneasy expression. "I don't think Crystal Tokyo is going to happen."
Her hand stopped midway between the plate of cookies and her mouth. The teen hero's face was blank as she stared forward in silence. She stayed like that for a good minute before the cookie continued on its way. As Usagi chewed it was clear that she was deep in thought. Once she was done with that bite, the young woman put her treat back on the plate. "It's Ranma and the others, isn't it," she asked softly.
Setsuna released a breath she didn't realize that she held. Though the girl didn't freak out as she feared, the Senshi of Time still feared a blow up. "Why do think that?"
"They're so different from anyone I've ever met. I see Ranma with Kasumi and he's so gentle and kind, like a prince. But then in a fight it's like someone flips a switch and suddenly he's strong and ruthless. The others are all the same way yet when he gives an order they immediately follow it. He and Cologne, they're leaders. When I look at them I wonder what made me think I had the stuff to rule a kingdom," she said with some bitterness. "I mean, who was I kidding? Ami has the smarts, Rei the passion, Makoto the strength, and Minako the beauty, that just leaves me with clumsiness and sweets."
"Usagi . . . " In imagining this conversation Setsuna never predicted for the girl to turn on herself like she had. It was a drastic change from the perpetually peppy young woman she came to know.
"I know, I know. You can do anything, you're better than you're saying, I've seen and said them all. But you and I both know that, when compared to the others, I'm pretty much the weak link until everything else is lost. And I wondered why Luna and Rei were always being so 'mean' to me," she laughed bitterly.
This wasn't good, that much Setsuna was sure of. She'd always wondered how deep Usagi's ability to handle criticism went and now she was staring at the bottom of the well. It was clear that soothing her worries wouldn't work, such things would probably only irritate her more, so she decided to try a different route. "You're right. You're lazy, you don't apply yourself, and you live in a fantasy world which is nearly detached from reality."
Seeing the girl crack under the weight of her words made Setusna want to stop but she knew she couldn't. There was a band-aid on Usagi's feelings and the best way to fix that is to pull hard. So with a heavy heart she continued on her path. "When it comes to raw leadership you are seriously lacking. In fact, probably every one of us has better leadership skills than you. But unlike the rest of us, you are the leader. So tell me, how are you going to bolster your deficiencies?"
If it weren't for Ranma she'd probably be sobbing at that moment. In training her pig-tailed friend became positively cruel in both word and deed. He yelled at them all, called them lazy, slow, and weak. He would taunt them even as he pushed them onto the ground. Not even Kasumi was immune to the barrage. Once the Sensei persona dropped, however, he explained his behavior. Seeing as they were in desperate need of improvement and had little time to do so, Ranma took a page from his father's handbook and pushed them until they nearly broke from the strain. By acting like a tyrant he encouraged rebellion. With each taunt their desire to wipe away his smug smirk made them dig down to find reserves none of them knew they had. It was only his kind demeanor and ample apologies off the field which showed them all that Sensei and Ranma were two different people.
Hoping Setsuna's words were trying to achieve a similar effect, Usagi stifled her hurt feelings and reached out for the same frame of mind Sensei required. "First," she said with only the slightest tremble to her voice, "tell me about the Queen I was going to be."
The mistress of Time saw the seriousness of Usagi's request and decided to give her both barrels. "Neo-Queen Serenity was, in a word, terrible. The Queen was vain and shallow, seeing things only in terms of beauty and happiness. Since she never tried to seek out information on what a ruler should be like, she acted more like an overbearing parent. She set down countless laws designed to make the kingdom fall in line with her rose-tinted view of the world. Though she always had the good of the people on her mind, it was always what she narrowly thought of good. Humanity survived but they did so constrained by the Queen's naive worldview."
When Usagi asked to hear her future she knew she wouldn't like what she heard. The young woman never expected things to be quite that bad though. It especially hurt to be called vain, naive, and shallow, even it was by proxy. "What about the other countries? If she was so bad of a leader how did she get them to follow her?"
"They didn't have much of a choice. In twenty years or so a massive asteroid nearly hits the planet. Before it can get close enough the Queen uses the crystal to destroy it. Unfortunately she never took the time or effort to properly train with it so her control was as meager as always. So instead of pushing the asteroid into a geosynchronous orbit from which people could mine it, she blew it up and, in the process, sent debris crashing across the globe. The impacts did large-scale damage to the environment, sending the planet into a new ice age. A large percentage of the population perished in the elements or the wars for resources. In such a climate the Queen was able to rule unopposed."
Usagi slowly closed her eyes as grief filled her heart. It was a pain that not even sweets were able to banish. In fact, after hearing the path her sweet tooth took her down, the sugar actually upset her stomach. "She . . . I killed all those people. All because I wanted to be a queen without putting any work into it. Is there any way we can stop that," she asked desperately. Though she'd seen the story many times now, it was only right then that she understood the fear and horror Scrooge must have felt when he saw his own future.
Setsuna sipped her coffee eagerly. "As trite as it sounds, you are already doing it. Aside from fashion trends and the endings of shows, the Queen never asked me what the future held. And before you ask, I did try to get her to change her ways, she wasn't interested. With every success in battle she grew increasingly confident that her way was the right one. Eventually, those of us who were trying gave up and accepted things as they were."
The blonde woman sighed sadly as she nibbled on one of her cookies. "So not only do I kill a whole bunch of people, I ignore my friends and advisers to do it." For the next few minutes she sat in silence while absently eating her snack. Her mind was on fire with fear, sorrow, and planning. "Setsuna," she finally said, "if I ask you to do something for me, will you?"
"If it's in my power and purview, then yes."
"Don't let me become her," said Usagi flatly. "Do whatever you have to, but don't let me turn into a monster."
Looking into those blue eyes, Setsuna could see the fires of determination burning with the young woman. The sight helped banish her fears for the future. "Done. But I can't do it alone. You will have to work to keep yourself on the path."
"I know," smiled Usagi. "Though if this is a way to get me to do more school work then I'll have to introduce you to my tiara."
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Seated next to Marcus, Minako could only distantly hear the sounds of the city. With his arm around her shoulders, the blonde snuggled into the man's warmth and sighed contentedly. She'd been on dates with guys before, more than most would care to keep track of, but they never went past the second outing. Her zeal to find a true love would scare away most and those that it didn't tried to get in her pants. Marcus was different though.
As soon as she laid eyes on him that first time she was drawn by his handsome face and kind smile. Sliding in bedside him she talked as was normal for her, endlessly and on a multitude of topics. While she spoke until she ran out of breath, Marcus sat there with a bemused smile and eyes which said that he was absorbing every word. And when he finally said something it was quite clear that he'd been paying attention.
So they went on their date and soon more followed that first successful outing. He was the quintessential gentleman, the kind of guy she'd longed for since she was a child. If suddenly a mysterious figure started helping them on Senshi activities, Marcus would be the first person she'd suspect. And as she got to know him Minako found herself calming down. She found that she didn't need to throw her personality at him like a whirlwind, she could be calm and steady like he was a friend as well as a boyfriend.
"Marcus," she said as an elderly couple walked by hand in hand.
The dark-haired Alexander looked down at the beautiful in his arms and smiled. His gift hadn't awoken yet, it may never do so, and for that he was grateful. While the others undoubtedly enjoyed the bonds they shared with their loved ones, Marcus liked that he was learning about Minako slowly instead of all at once. "Yes?"
"Do you think you'd ever want to do that," she asked softly.
He looked over at the couple and smirked, "What? Live to one hundred?"
She playfully punched him in the stomach, "No, silly. I mean get married."
Chuckling as he rubbed the spot she hit, Marcus nodded. "I like to consider myself something of a romantic. I've dreamt about settling down with a nice girl and having a couple of kiddies."
Minako looked up at him with astonishment, "You want kids?"
"Don't you," he asked as he arched an eyebrow.
"Well yeah. But I'm a girl."
Marcus laughed heartily. "As a fully functional member of the male gender I'm hear to tell you that some of us want kids just as much as you women."
She mulled that over for a few minutes, turning it this way and that. Quite frankly it surprised her to hear that. Most of the men she'd met were against having children and while she knew older men wanted kids, it was shockingly refreshing to hear one her own age express such a desire. After pondering that for some time another question came to mind. "Um, what kind of girl do you want to marry," she asked in the hope that he wanted her.
The young Alexander stared off into the distance. "Hmm, I guess I'm looking for some who's strong. Yeah, a confident woman with a strong character. She's the type of person who can walk into the room and immediately get the attention and respect of everyone around her. But above all I'd say that she is a kind woman."
As he spoke Minako felt her hope slowly die. Though this woman he described seemed good, the blond was sure she wasn't that person. Yeah guys look at her when she walked past but most people didn't respect her, they just laughed whenever she opened her mouth. It wasn't her fault that she spent a good chunk of her life speaking English. The conversion between languages still confounded her at times and when it did people laughed. Each chuckle, every guffaw, was a hammer strike against her confidence. Oh sure she looked confident and bold but if she was really confident then she wouldn't latch onto a guy as needfully as she did?
"Oh," she said sadly. "I guess that's another one I'm not right for."
Sitting up, Marcus moved Minako until they could look each other in the eyes. The pain in her voice rang as clearly as a bell and he wanted to know the cause. "Hey now. What's the matter?"
"N-nothing," she lied as she looked away.
Marcus was having none of that though and turned her head to face him once more. "No, it's bloody not. Just a minute ago you were as happy as a clam and now you sound like someone killed your blasted puppy. So what's wrong?"
"I-I just," she shook her head "no. You're going to think I'm stupid."
"Minako, I've not thought that about you since we met. I don't think I'm going to start any time soon."
Sighing deeply, the morose blond nodded. "I guess I thought that you were going to want a girl like me."
"But I do. The woman I was describing was you, Minako." He gently reached out and cupped her cheek. For a moment his thoughts were derailed by the softness of the flesh beneath his hand. When it passed he continued, "You are the one I picture when I imagine my future. I thought you knew that."
"D-do you really mean that," she asked as she felt her hope build hesitantly.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't, though we may want to postpone the kids part for a few years," he smirked. That got a giggle out of her, something which made him smile warmly and lean in towards her. "And to show you how much I mean it, I hope you don't mind if I kiss you."
In all her time dating, no man had ever asked her permission to kiss her, it was a novel and wholly welcome experience. "I don't mind that at all," she whispered.
Like two stars circling one another, the force of their feelings brought them ever closer until, in one glorious moment, their lips touched. Had there been anyone watching them they would have seen the birth of something warm and real and bright. Such births are a rarity in this cold, cruel world and to see one invigorates both mind and spirit.
For what seemed to be an infinity, new realms of possibilities unfolded before the teens. Eventually their kiss came to an end but the feelings it engendered within them did not. As they slowly pulled apart they looked at each other with eyes filled with wonderment. "Wow," they both said softly.
Her hand still clutching his shirt, Minako's smile looked positively endless. "I think I could get addicted to that."
"Hmm, a kissaholic. That sounds like an addiction I'd like to have," said Marcus leaned in for another.
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"Honestly, sonny boy. I am beginning to suspect that you don't want to get control of yourself. I know people think I'm pretty but it is a little inappropriate for you to want me."
Sitting in a circle of candles, Mamoru shivered at the thought of doing anything romantic with Cologne. This wasn't the first time he'd been in this place, not the first time his goal appeared illusive. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't seem up to the task of grasping the power laying dormant within him. "I do want it," he exclaimed with frustration. "I just can't. No matter what I do, it won't come."
As she slowly walked around the outside of the candle ring Cologne shook her head. "Yet it should. I know I said that this would take time but this strains credulity. Between pressure points and herbal supplements the meditation should have worked. The only conclusion I can reach is that, consciously or not, you don't want to complete this journey."
"But why wouldn't I? I've been trying as hard as I can."
"Then the problem is compounded. If you consciously wish to attain your true power then, for some reason, your unconscious mind is fighting your efforts. I was afraid of this," she said sadly. "There is no treatment which can fix this. It is something only you can work out." Cologne allowed her student to ponder this a few silent moments before switching tracks. "On an unrelated topic, Son-in-Law and I were curious about your behavior with regards to your teammates."
The change in the conversation caught the dark-haired college student off guard and momentarily moved his focus elsewhere. "In what way?"
"We find it odd that, until you all met us, you rarely attended meetings unless specifically prompted. Also unusual is how, when in battle, you only strike at the last minute and rarely more than once. A most strange pattern given this country's nearly pathological idea of male superiority wouldn't you say?"
Mamoru flushed with anger at the woman's words. "Just what are you insinuating?"
The surprise on Cologne's large eyes was most assuredly false. "Oh dear me! I had thought you capable of understanding my meaning. Perhaps I should have phrased my query as Son-in-Law so crudely put it. Why are you acting like such a stupid pussy?"
"I'm doing the best I can," he roared with outrage. The constant derogatory barrage from Ranma had gone on for too long and he wasn't about to let this old woman do it too.
If Mamoru thought that his ire would cow Cologne, he was sorely mistaken. In an instant she dropped the kindly matron facade and assumed the mantle of Matriarch once more. Up until then she was content in letting Ranma play the role of hard instructor but she was not about to let this foolish male talk back to her. Ranma was a warrior who had earned the privilege of a wagging tongue, Mamoru most certainly not a warrior and she would show him where his place truly was.
Eyes alight with power, Cologne slammed the tip of her staff into the floor, extinguishing every candle in the process. With them out the only source of light was the Matriarch and she looked even more demonic than usual. "Do not take that tone with me, boy! You are not, as you put it, doing your best. Even with your paltry skills you could be far more engaged in combat than you currently are. You possess speed and durability far in excess of normal men yet all you do is stand on buildings and give moral support. I can see why modern girls such as the Senshi believe you to be a noble hero, their minds are half the time fogged by storybook ideals. However, I would think that you would want to be more than simply some teenaged girl's view of manliness. Or is your poor showing merely the product of a lack of desire to be a hero?"
Though he was mentally foaming at the mouth to fire back an angry diatribe of his own, when Cologne gave voice to his secret feelings all of his anger was washed away by a vast ocean of shame. "I-I wanted to be a doctor you know."
"A noble profession," said the elder calmly.
"But not one that requires a lot of midnight runs across rooftops," he laughed bitterly. "I never wanted to do the things I do, or know the things I know. I always figured that I'd go to school, become a doctor, marry a nice woman, maybe have a few kids, and die happy somewhere down the line. All this stuff about magic kingdoms and predestined loves was just dumped on me and I'm supposed to like it. I don't really know how to fight, hell a lot of the early stuff I did wasn't even me."
"So you wish to be rid of this life?"
"Yes," he exclaimed with desperate desire. ". . . I mean no. I-I don't know," said Mamoru with a defeated air. "I love Usagi enough to know that it's not just Endymion influencing me but I wish I'd met her a few years from now when she's really had a chance to grow up. The rest of it, the battles, the dying, the constant fear of a new attack, I don't want any of it."
"Ah ha," nodded Cologne knowingly. "It seems that there is a reason why your meditations are not working. I daresay that they will continue to fail you until you have learned to let go of your previous desires and resolve yourself with how your life has really unfolded. If it were not for your genuine love for Usagi I doubt you would be able to transform at all. I suggest you take the next few days and think very hard about this. But before you go consider something. For every life you can save as a doctor it is more than likely that you could save hundreds more with your power." Having said her peace, the ancient woman turned and left Mamoru to his own devices.
As Mamoru left the Nekohanten that day he did so with a heavy heart. He'd been sure that the problem wasn't with him. His feelings on this life couldn't have been the cause of his block. Now, with the truth before him, he felt like he'd failed Usagi doubly. "Let go of my dreams, yeah right," he muttered angrily as he kicked a piece of trash along the sidewalk. "Why does Usagi and the others get to live their dreams but I have to throw away mine for some stupid life of playing dress up with the monster of the week?"
He just wished he could remember what it was like to be in his Endymion form. When he was there he had no doubts or fears, there was just power and purpose. But when that moment left him he could never seem to retain that presence of mind. "Maybe I'm always going to just be Mr. Emergency."
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Her fists crackling with enough energy to light up Tokyo for a day, Jupiter arced towards the Shade. It was exhilarating, this feeling of power. Since becoming a Senshi this was what she loved the most. For a few seconds in every battle there was a moment where she had control of the whole field. As her power increased so too did the length of those seconds. Then came the others, the ones who could rip apart cars with their bare hands. From them she learned the true meaning of power and how far from it she truly was.
With a mighty crash her electrified fists slammed into the Shade, pumping all that energy into its blackened form. As the lightning arced up and down its body the dread creature let of a pained scream. These newer ones were more elaborate than the early ones, they were faster too. Their heads were now adorned with heavy, metal helmets and their feet had oversized metal boots which would have been comical if the thing wasn't so blindingly fast. No matter how elaborate or fast they may be, the young Senshi vowed to bring an end to them.
As the creature writhed in agony, Jupiter moved in and landed a series of blows to its chest and arms. She knew she really shouldn't feel that way, but the brown-haired Senshi loved these Shades. They could absorb a staggering amount of damage before falling while making the job harder by moving. All told, they were the perfect training dummies. Of course the other Senshi didn't look at things the same way she did. No, when it came to the fight she saw things in a similar light to Ranma and the Amazons.
They knew what it was like to live for the rush of combat. Oh sure, some of them had killed before just as she had but that wasn't the point. To fight, to test oneself against an opponent of equal or greater strength, that was a hell of a way to live. In that respect, Jupiter had long felt like an outsider even among her friends. Around Ranma and the others though her love of fighting was looked upon with respect and admiration. She would always be a Senshi first but Jupiter could see herself going on a long training trip once everything died down.
Moving towards her opponent, she was just about to land a vicious haymaker when she heard, "Scatter!" Without thought, Jupiter turned her forward momentum into a leap over the Shade's head. Even as she cleared its helmet the Senshi of Lightning could feel the soothing caress of Cygnus' healing wave.
The instant her feet were once more in contact with the Earth Jupiter whirled around to look at the Shade. As it had before, Cygnus' magic proved its worth and in the monster's place was an unconscious human. There was a time when she would have moved the victim off the road, maybe waited around for the authorities, and then run off. Now they were more proactive in their approach. Once a Shade was spotted one of the Senshi would call in the police and paramedics thanks to an alteration made to the communicators. In that way there was no waiting for civilian assistance, as soon as a battle was over an Avatar or Senshi would wave them over so the proper authorities could take over; a development which went a long way to helping their public image in the wake of their absence during The Incident.
Once the paramedics were there to take over, Jupiter thanked them for their help and jumped to a nearby building. Standing there with his arms crossed was Ursus. The feral Avatar had been the one who announced Cygnus' arrival, he also happened to be Jupiter's trainer. "So, how did I do," asked the brunette eagerly.
"Much better," pronounced Ursus with gruff approval. "You were able to keep the lightning up for a while longer this time. Saffron's teaching has obviously helped." Given his unique parentage Saffron soon became their magic expert. With his tutelage the Senshi were plumbing the depths of their powers. It was hard work, harder than anything Ranma put them through, and the results were slow, but they were learning a lot.
"Not enough," she grumbled. Seeing the protest forming on his lips, Jupiter waved it away. "I know, I know. We're way better than we were before. But since I've started working with Saffron my memories of the Silver Millennium have been becoming clearer. Back then we weren't all speeches and flashy entrances, we were warriors. I remember ploughing through an army of ten thousand on a world with five moons. Compared to that, we're nothing."
"You're tryin'. And by my book, that's enough for me."
Jupiter smiled at her Sensei, "Thanks! I've still got some time before I have to start on dinner, want to help me on that backflip kick?"
Ursus grinned at the prospect of further training and, in the process, showed his relationship with Ranma. "Sounds fun."
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Kasumi Tendo stalked through the Alexander home like a lioness on the prowl. All those she walked past quickly ran and hid the instant they saw the determination burning in her eyes. Whatever her mission was, none of them wanted to stand in her way.
Inside, beneath the fires and steely resolution, Kasumi felt so incredibly frightened. What she was about to do, who she was about to confront, it could ruin all her plans. All the carefully laid groundwork left to waste away because of a misspoken word. So many relied on the success of her designs yet it could all be undone with a single utterance.
With a deep breath she looked at the door to the room she shared with Ranma. He was in there, working on his homework if she were any proper judge of things. Squaring her shoulders Kasumi opened the door and stepped inside. As was expected, her love sat bent over a desk, his face a mask of intense concentration. For a moment she stopped to take in the manly lines she adored. Of course, had those lines been more round in nature Kasumi would have stared with equal fervor.
Suddenly Ranma stopped his work and it was then that she froze up. "He knows I'm here," she mentally sweated and in the process forgot that she had a link to his mind.
"Kasumi," asked Ranma as he looked up from his work, "what's wrong?"
Instead of comforting her, his concern only heightened her feelings of dread. Still, Ranma knew she was there now and there was no way Kasumi could delay this encounter any longer. "Ranma. Some of the girls and I got together and bought tickets to see The Golden Pair perform at the arena. Would you like to go with me."
Ranma stared at her for several moments, his face an inscrutable mask. Eventually that mask shattered to reveal a happy grin. "Sure! Sounds great. They're supposed to be really good when they're not stealing anythin' cute or kissin' everythin' with breasts."
She looked at him with unvarnished surprise. "You want to go? Really?"
"As long as that Mikado jerk keeps his hands to himself, I don't mind at all. I just hope yer okay with somthin' turnin' me inta a girl while we're there."
Sighing in relief, Kasumi walked over to her lover and wrapped her arms around him. "I would think all our 'activities' would have shown you how much I don't mind."
He blushed as he remembered everything they'd done together as women. Just a short while ago he would have looked upon anything regarding his girl form with scorn. Now he was getting to close to the point where he enjoyed it as much as his male form; though dresses would always be banned from his wardrobe. "Well yeah, but that's here. I wouldn't want you to be embarrassed to be seen with me like that."
"Ranma, Ranma, Ranma," she said in a tone eerily reminiscent of Nabiki. "I am beginning to think that I will have to make love to you in the middle of Tokyo before you'll realize that I don't care where I am or what gender you are. I," kiss, "love," longer kiss, "you," the last was punctuated by a kiss so passionate that it left both teens yearning for more. "Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am," he said as he pulled her into his lap. "When's the show?"
"Tomorrow," groaned Kasumi as Ranma's hand ran across her shapely rear.
"Plenty of time then."
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"I don't get it," said Usagi as she scanned the row of people beside her.
His arm around her to help keep her warm, Mamoru looked at his girlfriend, "Don't get what?"
"Makoto. I mean, why isn't she here too?"
"I thought this was only for couples," he asked quizzically. To be honest, he wasn't quiet sure why he was at the arena aside from the obvious. But given the presence of several other couples it didn't exactly feel like a date. Still, with the other older people present Mamoru didn't feel so out of place.
Usagi flashed her boyfriend a look which clearly said that he simply did not understand. "Of course it is, and that's why Makoto should be here. She's so totally with Ryu."
Sitting nearby, Ranma made a face, "Eugh! No way! A Sensei should ever date his student."
"Well what about us," asked Kasumi. "You're my Sensei and we're dating."
Instead of panicking, Ranma actually became more relaxed, "Nah. We're different. We were together before I started trainin' you. Nothin' wrong with that."
"I see," she giggled. "But seriously Usagi. I don't think Makoto wants Ryu for anything more than the next technique." Kasumi decided to keep quiet about the fact that both teens had expressed sentiments similar to Ranma with regards to a relationship between them.
"Ah man," pouted the blond, "that's no fun at all."
"Speak for yourself," chorused Ranma, Marcus, Khoti, and Haruka.
Simultaneously, their dates all looked at each other and said, "Men." That half of those men were either in a female body or a natural born woman mattered little, at that moment all four shared the same gender.
Being the only two men present who weren't fighters, Mamoru and Justin shared a grin over the heads of their companions. It was the universal male smile which said, "We could say something but we're smart enough not to."
Before said 'men' could say anything, the lights dimmed and music began to play. Sailing in on a smattering of polite applause, the self-named Golden Pair were as graceful as ever. With skillful ease, Mikado Sanzenin lifted his partner, one Azusa Shiratori, into the air. Holding her above him with but a single arm, the pair slid effortlessly across the ice; and in the process became the envy of both men and women. The applause only grew in magnitude at their display of strength and precision.
Just as Mikado appeared to be moving into a position which would allow him to throw his partner high into the air he froze and stared into the crowd icily. It did not take him long to find what he sought and suddenly both he and Azusa said, "They're here."
To the crowd's surprise The Golden Pair ceased their routine and turned their full attention to a point somewhere in the arena. "So," their cold voice said in unison, "you have pierced our disguise. But your powers will fail you this time Phoenix and Cygnus. Shades! Arise!" From their hands balls of black energy shot out to envelop several people in the audience.
As the Shades formed around him, Ranma held his face in his hands. "Damnit," he groaned, "are all the morons from Nerima going to be bad guys?"
Taking a quick moment to kiss their non-powered loved ones, the Senshi stood up and ran for a secluded spot to transform. At the rear of the group, Setsuna looked back at Kasumi, "You take out the guys on the ice! We'll handle the Shades!"
Kasumi nodded once before standing and pulling Ranma up with her. "Ready," she asked as her body flashed white with the power of Cygnus.
A pillar of fire engulfed Ranma and when it went away he was once again in the guise of Phoenix. "Always. Jump!" He didn't check to see if Cygnus followed his command, he instinctually knew she had. Even filled with fire as he was, when the laser-like beam passed beneath his feet felt as if they were plunged into the coldest of ice. "Watch their attacks," he cried out as he flipped himself around a roof beam and headed towards the two skaters.
Seemingly at random The Golden Pair continued to shoot their icy lasers. Soon enough the entire outer wall of the arena, along with a good number of the seats, were covered with a shimmering sheet of ice. Light sparkled across that otherworldly ice but more importantly it reflected the pair's beams, creating a web of deadly frozen light. "Now you see the power of Gemini," they said with unanimous pomposity.
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Crouching behind a block of ice, Tuxedo Mask held onto one of his roses and used it to chip desperately at the frozen covering surrounding a particularly slow bystander. He'd seen them go through Youmas and Generals effortlessly yet the ice was absurdly durable. Over and over he pounded on the ice until it turned red with the blood flowing from his hands. Though the roses were slow to cut through the ice they made quick work of his palms.
With one last fruitless burst of strength the masked hero looked away from the woman whose skin was rapidly adopting an unhealthy pallor. It was his hope that he would find a Senshi with some heat behind them who could melt away this ice. Unfortunately the only thing which greeted his gaze was more ice and even more bodies. And as for Senshi, those present were engaged in combat with the helmeted Shades.
Tuxedo Mask looked back to the woman he was trying to save and felt a wave of despair pass over him. The ice was too cold, it was sending her into shock. Pretty soon she'd be dead and all her would-be rescuer would have to show for his efforts on her behalf are some bloody palms. "If only I could summon my sword," he thought despondently. "That much mass would surely break through the ice."
Neither the sword nor his armor would come however. As always, he could feel their power lurking behind closed doors in the back of his mind. They clawed and scraped at those iron walls yet found no escape. For so long he'd believed that the chains on his power were forged by circumstance or some unknown design. Now the blinders covering his understanding were lifted and Tuxedo Mask knew that it was Mamoru Chiba who blocked his efforts. As it was in the early days, there were two wills doing battle within him. One wanted to live an average life filled with average pursuits. The other wished to rise above such mediocrity and embrace a grander existence. Needless to say, the conflict between the two was maddening.
Then a third voice spoke up and while he knew it sprang from within him it sounded and spoke exactly like Cologne. "Foolish male! The goals of both sides of your heart are the same, they only vary by degrees. There will always be more healers but warriors who can single-handedly protect whole nations are rare and precious commodities. You do disservice to us all with your shameful dithering!"
Though the woman wasn't there Tuxedo Mask winced all the same. He could almost feel her cane crashing against the back of his skull, something which made him sympathize with Ranma's occasional winces when he mentioned her. Strident tones or no, the voice had a point. How many people suffered needlessly because he was unwilling to give it his all? Was that the way of a doctor? Was it a violation or an affirmation of the Hippocratic Oath?
Do no harm? It was an easy thing to say in the cold isolation of the hospital. In battle harm was a matter of target. To save a human he had to harm a Youma, a task he'd unflinchingly performed countless times over the years. Yet, instead of taking pride in the number of lives he saved over the years, the masked man bemoaned the life of service destiny thrust upon him. Even the modest man in him was disgusted when he realized the sort of pettiness he engaged in.
With the bile rising, Tuxedo Mask felt the wall crumble. Raising his rose for one last blow, he never noticed it when the flower was replaced by the gleaming sword which was his birthright. As planned the heavy blade shattered the woman's icy prison. Shivering, she bonelessly slid away from the ice under gravity's less than gentle embrace. Even as the doctor aspect to Endymion's mind highlighted what the woman needed, he instinctually reached out and placed a hand upon her head. Though not as magically imbued as the Senshi, the armored man did have power. He channeled it into her still form bringing a healthy color to her deathly pallor.
As the woman got better Endymion grinned and moved on. There were others who needed his help and he intended to give them every ounce of assistance he was capable of.
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"Bout damn time," grumbled Phoenix as he dodged another of Gemini's lasers Then whole Endymion thing had, in his opinion, taken too damn long. Sure, not everyone could learn techniques in hours but there was no cause for dithering all this time.
Of course it wasn't Endymion's slow progress which upset the fiery Avatar so. That unpleasant honor was reserved solely for the skating asses they were fighting. The Golden Pair were bad enough when they were just two morons with their own particular fighting art. With the power of a constellation behind them the goofs were annoying as all hell.
Thanks to their ice powers the whole place was a source of both targets and ammunition. He would dodge their blue beams only to have them reflect off a patch of ice and head back towards him. To someone used to controlling the field of battle, it was a situation that was aggravating. Not helping things was his continuing lack of ease with maneuvering on ice. In this battle, as with the time he'd punched Mikado for kissing him, Phoenix forsook skates and just pounded his way across the battlefield. And like that moment, when he actually managed to get in close the strikes he landed were as powerful as ever.
Unlike her partner and lover, Cygnus practically ruled the battlefield. She flew above the ice with the speed and deftness of a hummingbird. Gemini's attacks were like molasses to her and she used her speed to her advantage. Where possible she would launch attacks of her own, unfortunately the thick ice walls Gemini was able to erect rendered her strikes meaningless.
"You see," taunted the pair as they skated up one wall and down another. "You are nothing compared to the awesome power of our lord Draco."
"No," ground out Phoenix, "what I see is a bunch of morons who couldn't fight for real if yer life depended on it."
The two sides of Gemini froze as solid as the ice they wielded with impunity. Rage unfathomable burned on their collective faces. "How dare you," roared the Azusa piece. "Jean Claude! Destroy them."
As the Shades collectively broke off their attacks and focused their efforts on him Phoenix smiled. Though he was a major player in what looked like, from any distance, a magical girl anime, certain aspects of his life were bleeding through. Dealing with ancient evils from beyond the stars might be outside his expertise but Nerima was Nerima, no matter where it might be. Quickly a plan came to mind and after a few seconds of searching he laid eyes upon the tool he needed to win.
Dodging ice beams and Shades, Phoenix worked his way towards a claw machine hidden away in a corner of the arena. With one sure punch he broke the glass case and wrapped his hand around a most unusual weapon, a stuffed bunny. "Hey Gemini! Look!" Like some sort of demented grenade, he tossed the bunny onto the head of a Shade. Just as he planned, the instant the female half of Gemini saw the stuffed animal their perfect coordination was shattered and with it the Shade's viciousness.
With the Shades stumbling about, the Senshi combat effectiveness increased dramatically. Where once they found themselves fighting defensive actions, now the armored young women were actually whittling down the Shade's numbers. Given enough time, their victory was assured. Unfortunately, time was not a luxury they possessed in any abundance.
After chasing his partner around for several minutes, the Mikado Gemini stopped and erected a thick sheet of mystic ice around him. Safe from Phoenix's fire, he focused all his will upon his errant companion. With his will supplementing her own, the unstable elements from the host were once again suppressed.
Phoenix cursed mightily at the sudden resurgence of his opponents. Not even the arrival of Ursus, along with the last few Senshi, was enough to brighten his black mood. That was, until one of Mars' attacks caught his attention. It was a rather simple spell, just a stream of fire to burn at a pack of Shades, but it created little swirls of air as it passed. To the fighter's eye they looked like mini-tornadoes and when that thought occurred to him so too did another. Slowly, the look of displeasure adorning his face transformed into one of unholy glee as a plan formulated in his mind.
"MARS," he cried out.
Said woman shot off two more bursts of fire before looking towards her trainer and compatriot. "WHAT," she yelled, her voice positively shattering some of the nearby ice.
"FORGET ABOUT THE SHADES! START SHOOTING AT ME!"
Mars looked at him with every bit of incredulity available to her. "ARE YOU INSANE?"
"YES! NOW DO IT!"
To Phoenix's satisfaction, the fiery Senshi didn't ask any further questions and simply complied with his request. As the seething inferno came his way, the Avatar added his own flames to the mix. Trailing fire, Phoenix began moving around the edge of the rink with ever increasing speed. Hotter and hotter he made the flames around him and, as he expected, Gemini kept decreasing the temperature around themselves to stave off the flame's effects. Soon enough a column of fire stood at the center of the stadium.
Technically this wasn't how one was supposed to employ this technique. By all rights the target should be the source of the heat while the attacker was the one pumping out phenomenal amounts of cold. As Saffron learned however, Phoenix was ever one to twist the fundamentals of a technique to suit his own needs.
With his fire nearing the critical point, the pig-tailed hero pulled in every degree of heat and dove towards the confused pair. "Hirryu Shoten Ha Revised: Dragon Descent!"
Instead of the standard funnel of winds which pushed an opponent ever higher, Phoenix's attack drove those in the storm's center straight into the ground. Even the ice in the rink was no match for the pressure of the descending dragon and it shattered into great chunks. Meanwhile in the stadium's seats, the Senshi were torn between awe and terror. Never had they seen such a funnel of death before and it was only their magical strength which kept them from being sucked in like the Shades were.
In one part of the facility, Sailor Moon stood before a group of frightened civilians protectively. In her hands the Moon Scepter was held aloft as she defiantly screamed against the wind. Before her power the typhoon was merely a summer's breeze, though it took every ounce of her strength to maintain the field.
For what seemed like an eternity the elements waged war at the heart of the stadium. Ice and fire danced with deadly purpose. And though it is science's contention that all things will eventually fall to the frigid temperatures of absolute zero, on this day it was heat who proved the victor. With one last staggering roar the column of destruction abated to reveal the devastation its master had wrought.
At the center of the ruble, Phoenix stood over the unconscious forms of his foes. All across his body tongues of fire arced out of rapidly-closing wounds, a testament to the fury which had existed at the storm's center. For both members of Gemini, the damage looked largely superficial, just a collection of bumps and bruises. Though their wounds looked less than their triumphant foe, they were the ones laying amongst the debris.
"Your turn, Cygnus," he said tiredly. More so than the a regular Hirryu Shoten Ha, the revised version had taken a great toll on his reserves. In fact it was all he could do to remain upright.
Sensing her love's exhaustion, Cygnus worked quickly to summon up the purifying power which had been granted to her. As her light washed over the field of battle the angelic woman was grateful to feel Phoenix's reserves filling somewhat. Like the others before them, Gemini tried to fight the effects of Cygnus' beam yet their efforts were for naught. Soon enough there were merely two teens laying peacefully at the center of a circle of destruction while their Constellation was gleefully returning to their home realm. Their master gone, the Shades all vanished as well. Each victim of the evil's plans was resting where their jailer had last stood, bringing a tranquil end to an otherwise brutal fight.
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Walking slowly from the scene of their latest victory against Draco's forces, Minako was as nervous as could be. In the chaos of the battle's start there had been little time for concealment with regards to her transformation. Though he hadn't said anything yet, the young woman could see the questions burning in Marcus' eyes. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze and wanted nothing more than to flee his presence. The young woman could no easier run as she could take flight, not with his hand's firm grip upon her own.
So caught up was she in avoiding his eyes that she nearly missed when he pulled her down an alley. "What are you doing," she asked worriedly. Though she doubted he would try something untoward, there was a certain primal terror their location evoked within Minako.
Never releasing her hand, Marcus forced her to look at him. "I just want to talk."
"This is about the battle, isn't it."
"You're bloody right it is. When were you going to tell me? I mean it was obvious the others knew, so why not me?"
The pain in his words was like a knife to the young woman's heart. It spoke of betrayal and worry and a breach of trust. "I-I wanted to. R-really. I . . . I was just afraid."
"Afraid of what? You can shoot laser beams and call up your friends to kick my ass. I'm nothing compared to that."
Even with his gentle caress holding her head up, Minako cast her eyes downward. "I was afraid you wouldn't want me anymore."
"Wouldn't want you," he asked incredulously. "What about this would make me want you any less than I did before?"
Still looking away, she shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I'm not exactly normal, and you've just seen how a lot of my dates end. I wouldn't be surprised if that scared you off."
Marcus thought about that for a while but from any angle he couldn't wrap his head around her reasoning. "Minako, you're a hero. I mean a real, honest to goodness, cape-wearing, hero. Why should I be scared of someone who sacrifices their life to save others?"
Her heart cautiously filling with hope, Minako raised her head to look him in the eye. "Do . . . do you really mean that?"
"Of course I do," he smiled warmly. "In fact, I think you might just be stuck with me for the duration."
Without hesitation, the young woman threw herself into the arms of her man. As tears of happiness and relief streamed down her cheeks, Minako buried her head into his chest and said, "I do."
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Meanwhile, on a planet so distant that astronomers had no designation for its star, a woman was slowly awakening. The battle had been long and trying. At several points she was sure her opponent had the upper hand and she would fall into that most eternal of darknesses.
Then the other saved her. It sacrificed itself to protect her life. At the time she had been too weak to render any sort of assistance. Now, after having rested from her wounds, the stars once more sang to her. Theirs was a song of sorrow for others whom had fallen.
She added her voice to the mournful chorus as she screamed at the heavens for the god's injustice. Finally, when her throat felt as if it were bleeding, the woman called forth her power and launched herself into space. Amongst the sorrowful choir there was a spark of hope lurking in the background and it was her duty to foster that hope into something grand. So, like a golden comet, the woman headed towards a small planet named Earth.
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Author's Notes: And so ends another exciting installment of Stars in the Sky. I hope you all enjoyed it. I've had some people ask me who all else will be Avatars and speculation has run the gamut of characters. Let me just say that I have already picked them out and that they won't be from any other works beside the two main universes this story draws from. Also, I hope I adequately addressed certain people's theories about who Makoto would end up with. As far as the story goes, all the pairings that will be in the story are in the story as of this end of this chapter. So if x or y is not in a relationship then the odds are they won't be by the story's end.
I know I will probably get some flack for the way I described Neo-Queen Serenity but that is just how I see it going down. I mean, if the Senshi of the past can smoke the Dark Moon clan then you'd think it would have been easy for the ones in the future. The only reason it makes any sense to me is that the Senshi have become so apathetic by the time Crystal Tokyo comes around that they just simply lack the will to fight adequately. Plus, in the show Usagi never really takes a proactive position in learning about her power which is something else I always had a problem with. This way she get's a relatively painless lesson and can become the ruler she was meant to become.
Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this. See you guys next time.
Chaos Lord
King of the Wicker People