Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.
Chapter 11 – The Youma Queen
Sailor Pluto opened her eyes and sat up—and quickly regretted it.
"Easy, you have been out cold for over a week," said a male voice.
Sailor Pluto looked over and saw the familiar features of the king of Earth. "King Endymion? Where is the Queen?"
"In the past."
"What? Oh, my younger-self must have given her access. Whatever hit me must be a major threat to the time stream."
"Your younger-self was trying to contact you. She was quite livid regarding something about ten people from our time being in hers, two Sailor Senshi she had never even heard of showing up, Sailor Saturn being awake…."
"Sailor SATURN awake?!" yelled Pluto as she stood up…and instantly regretted it. King Endymion holding her was the only thing that kept her from falling on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"Plenty, if Sailor Saturn is awake in the past," said Pluto. "What was this about Sailor Senshi I had never heard of though?"
"She said something about a Sailor Nemesis and a Sailor Black Moon."
Pluto frowned. "Nemesis is the outer most planet of the solar system but it wasn't formally part of the Moon Kingdom but I have no memory of any world called or meaning Black Moon."
"You past-self said one more thing that didn't make too much sense at the time. Something about our present no longer being a viable future for her world."
Pluto looked at King Endymion concern in her features. "That would mean that actions in the past do not effect the present and that history is a branching tree rather than a straight line. It also means that Crystal Tokyo is not viable as a future for that world. I have got to contact my younger-self and find out what is going on back there."
~*~*Present time, Tendo Dojo*~*~
"Look, I know you all want to protect us but the fact is there is nowhere to really hide," said Usagi firmly.
"She's right," said Wicked Lady. "From what my mother said of them either Princess Snow Kaguya or Pharaoh 90 alone is enough to threaten the entire world. There is literally nowhere to hide and these threats are not going to go away."
"As shown by the daimon Rei fought, my father is likely trying to gather the three items needed to help bring Pharaoh 90 to Earth even though the optimum time isn't for another two years," said Mistress 9.
"The pure heart crystal I put back was literally a mass of ki," said Rei. "If I hadn't returned it…" Rei shuttered.
Mistress 9 frowned. "There has to be more to it than that. There are supposedly objects hidden within three of those crystals."
"Pity we can't examine one of these pure heart crystals," said Ranma.
"Who says we can't?" asked Sailor Moon.
Ranma looked over at Sailor Moon. "You heard Rei. These things have so much of a person's ki that if it isn't returned quickly they die."
"I have ki but I am not really alive," pointed out Sailor Moon. "You could remove my pure heart crystal and…"
"Bad idea," interrupted Ranma, "very bad idea. We have no idea what doing that would do to you."
"It wouldn't work anyhow," said Mistress 9 shaking her head. "A pure heart crystal is more than simply concentrated ki; it is also the emotional focus of that person. Since Sailor Moon has no emotions it follows that she doesn't have a pure heart crystal."
Sailor Moon nodded. "Then logically I should be the first one to engage future daimons as they are less able to effect me."
Ranma chuckled. "She's got us there, but back to the point at hand. We know that the Sailor Senshi had the power to stop these threats but not the knowledge on how to stop them effectively. We can give them that allowing them to shut down Beryl, those who still follow her, and what will come after her more efficiently then Neo-Queen Serenity and company did."
"By more efficiently I assume you mean using the advice of Sun Tzu as opposed to our old methods of stumbling around and hoping we find a new Sailor Senshi or I discover a power Luna doesn't remember," said Usagi causing Luna to wince.
Rei frowned slightly. "I have never seen you take anything this seriously."
"I have to take this seriously," replied Usagi. "Neo-Queen Serenity didn't and the result was disastrous for all concerned."
"Speaking of mom," said Wicked Lady frowning, "I wonder if she didn't accidentally do something to Pluto to where she wasn't lying to us."
"Huh?" asked Ranma.
"I don't believe Pluto could pull off a 700 plus year façade. My mother mentioned that after her battle with Beryl the Ginzuishou give her and her friends a normal life and that they had to rediscover their Sailor Senshi identities when the aliens showed up."
"I think I get what she is getting at," said Ami. "For that to work it would require their memories of the previous year to have been altered."
"By the kami in heaven," said Usagi her eyes wide as dinner plates, "That would also explain how people who had loss relatives could be happy—they likely don't even remember those relatives even existed."
"What if something happened after mother sent Ranma to Nemesis to where she hit the memory reset button again but botched it so Pluto believed she couldn't leave the Time Gates?"
"Interesting theory and if it happened shortly after King Pendragon contacted Nemesis we might have not noticed any fluctuations in the magical barrier around the planet," said Wiseman in a thoughtful tone.
Wicked Lady rubbed the bottom of her lip in thought. "That would put it right around my birth if that is when it happened."
"It might have been a response to her desire to have a family for all we know," said Usagi scowling. "It's not like the blasted Ginzuishou comes with an instruction manual. But one thing is clear we have got to find this time period's version of it before Beryl does."
"Definitely," said Wiseman, "We have seen what that thing does in the hands of an idealist idiot that did not want to conquer the world. I have no desire to see what it would do in the hands of egomaniacal nutcase like Beryl."
"This power would explain how Beryl thought she could ignore the military reality of Earth and simply reclaim it," said Rept.
"That assumes she could control it any better than my future-self could," snorted Usagi. "I don't think Beryl even cares if she can even use it much less control it properly."
"True and that makes Beryl even more dangerous than Neo-Queen Serenity," said Zoisite.
Wicked Lady pulled out her Ginzuishou and looked at it. "Mom said that the Ginzuishou was composed of seven rainbow crystals and that in their efforts to get them the Dark Kingdom started turning humans into youma."
"That is not correct," said Zoisite firmly. "In the final battle of the Moon Kingdom the Ginzuishou fragmented into seven pieces each piece sealing one of the Daiyōma within. The Daiyōma have since been reincarnated as humans."
"The Daiyōma were the most powerful and respected of all youma," said Rept a tone of awe in her voice.
Usagi promptly paled and pulled out a small wand with a crescent moon on the end that started beeping and its crystal flashing. "Oh no, what have I done?! I thought they were humans possessed by youma. What did my so called healing do to them?! I've got to fix what ever I have done."
"Calm down, Usagi," said Ranma. "Remember Sun Tzu's warning: 'he who is reckless can be killed.' We can't just jump in to fix one thing without knowing what happened to begin with less we make things worse. By the way why is that thing beeping and its crystal flashing?"
"Your right, Ranma," said Usagi. "We have only encountered two of these Daiyōma so we know what not to do with the remaining five but that still leaves the issue of what we can do. Rept, I need some information so I have an alternative other than using this blasted thing," Usagi said lifting the Moon Stick. "Especially as given the way the Moon Stick is behaving there is one right here."
Ranma watched as Usagi slowly moved the Moon Stick pointing it at each person in the group until it was beeping and flashing like crazy. Looking up he blinked. "That's Rei's Grandfather."
Zoisite pulled out a black crystal. "This will release the rainbow crystal but I have noticed that the youma awakened this way have only marginal memories of their human lives."
"We have the alternative of using the Spring of Drowned Youma that may allow him to integrate his past life of a youma with his current one as a human," said Usagi scowling.
Rei's Grandfather looked thoughtfully at his daughter. "If Rei is willing to do this to protect people I don't see why I can't."
"Grandfather, be sure about this. Once you use the water there is no way back," said Rei. "You will forever be part of two worlds."
Rei's Grandfather smiled as he grasped her hand. "I am sure about this."
Ranma nodded and walked over to a small new building next to the dojo with two portable showers next to it, one with a red and white curtain and the other with a grey curtain. "We set this up to make things easier. It uses a hand squeeze pump to get the water out of the cask; the pan at the bottom allows us to put the water back in the cask." Ranma tapped the shower with the red and white curtain. "Spring of Drowned Girl." He then tapped the shower with the grey curtain. "Spring of Drowned Youma."
Rei's Grandfather walked up but Ranma blocked him. "Last chance to change your mind."
"You said that in a previous life I was a youma and if this Rainbow Crystal is removed I could go nuts. At least this way I have a way to control that past life."
Ranma nodded as he stepped aside and Rei's Grandfather stepped into the shower and squeezed the pump.
Everyone watched as the small man changed into youma with dark blue skin except for the face which was orange in color and framed by a lion head like mane of hair. Around his wrists and ankles were yellow bands a lighter color than his eyes. A band of fur around his neck gave the impression of a make shift cape.
"That is Jiji," said Zoisite calmly.
Rei's Grandfather stepped forward and put his hand to his belly.
"Grandfather?"
"So hungry," he said. "It hurts."
Usagi generated a ball white ki with a gold tone and stepping up put her hand on the monk turned youma.
"Better," he said. "Much better," he continued as he straightened up.
"Ranma, Wiseman, something wrong," said Usagi frowning. "This is taking way too much ki compared to the others."
"There is something inside him draining the ki," said Wiseman. "It looks like…a crystal."
"Of course, the Rainbow crystals were intended to seal the youma," said Ami.
"Zoisite, get that thing out of him!" yelled Usagi. "It's starting to drain the ki faster than I can provide it."
"Zoi!" commanded Zoisite the black crystal causing a black circle to form on the monk and an indigo crystal appeared and flew to Zoisite.
"Don't touch that crystal!" warned Wiseman. "Not only is it infused with much of the ki Usagi was providing but that has awakened the passive ki in it."
Zoisite gestured and the indigo crystal stopped hovering between her hands. Wiseman scowled as he examined the crystal.
"I take it by passive ki you mean the kind of ki your clan puts into crystals," said Ranma.
"Something like that," said Wiseman. "Like all form of energy ki flows from high to low; normally any object in proximity to people will pick up the ki those people give off. It can be gradual such as ceremonies on a holy site or shrine or massive influx such as a battle or our techniques. The passive ki in this has both."
"I guess I don't have your skill as it looks like just one mass of ki to me," said Ranma.
"My centuries of experience allow me to examine the passive ki in objects to nearly the same degree I can active ki in living things," commented Wiseman. "The ki you are seeing is what Usagi put in Rei's grandfather. Below that is Death ki that I suspect is the product of the last battle of the Moon Kingdom, and below that is what looks like generations of ki build up."
"Why didn't you see that in Wicked Lady's Ginzuishou?" asked Rei.
"Perhaps it is because my future-self used it," commented Usagi.
Wiseman smiled. "That is exactly right. To access the power of that inner most layer she had to go through the death ki layer and that would have caused the layers to mix together." Wiseman then scowled. "The thing is that death ki layer scares me as it is larger than any amount of ki I have seen in my life. You could lose the entire population of Nemesis in that and have room for more."
"But Wiseman," said Prince Demondo paling, "There are over 100 million on Nemesis."
"I know," said Wiseman. "That is what scares me."
"Perhaps the Mercury computer can get a more accurate determination," said Ami. "Mercury Planet Make Up!"
Saeko frowned at the end of the transformation. "Ami," she said softly. "Did you know you were naked through part of that?"
"Of course I know and no, I do not like it," said Ami looking at the viewer in front of her. Ami's eyes then widened and she paled. "Dear Kami-sama in heaven," she said.
"Ami, what is it?" asked Usagi worried.
"Using our parents as a baseline the Mercury computer calculates that the Death ki in that crystal...is equal to nearly 9 times Earth's current population or roughly 40 billion people."
Wiseman's jaw dropped open his eyes blinking while the rest of the Black Moon Clan stared in shock.
"Ami, please tell me you dropped a decimal someplace," Usagi pleaded.
Ami continued to look at her visor. "I've run it three times and get the same answer."
Tuxedo Mask pulled two crystals from his outfit. "Perhaps Usagi's influx of ki is messing up the computer. These are the crystals I have obtained."
Ami narrowed her eyes and then widened them again. "No, her ki wasn't interfering. The Mercury computer says it would take the near instantaneous death of 120 billion people to account for the death ki required in these three crystals."
"There are seven crystals," said Sa Fulang clearly in shock. "That's 280 billion people!"
"That's insane!" exploded Usagi. "How the hell could 280 billion people died in what should have been a battle between the Moon and Earth? There is simply not enough room to have 280 billion people on both the Earth and the Moon!"
"The computer says none of the ki is from Earth, Pluto, or Nemesis though ki of all the other planets and Earth's moon is present."
"I always thought the Ginzuishou was a form of ki transformer..." started Wiseman who stopped his eyes widening. "Oh, no, Queen Serenity couldn't have been that stupid!" he exclaimed.
"I know we are going to hate this but let's hear it," said Usagi frowning.
"Originally we thought the Dark Kingdom was another dimension but it turned out it was really like Mousse's hidden weapons technique," said Wiseman grimly.
"Wait a minute," said Mousse adjusting his glasses. "That takes ki to maintain."
"Yes and until now I had always thought Queen Serenity had used the latent ki stored in the Ginzuishou to create it but the latent ki of the Dark Kingdom doesn't resemble the inner layer at all; it is closer to the second death ki layer."
"But if the Dark Kingdom was created..." Usagi commented. "Ami, get a population break down of youma and humans on the planets of the Moon Kingdom. I had a very nasty thought."
"All the planets had human populations," said Ami after a short while.
"But it should..." Usagi slapped her head with her open hand, "Baka. Nemesis and Earth were not part of the Moon Kingdom."
Ami frowned and then her eyes widened. "Nemesis: 50 percent youma population. Earth: 85 percent youma."
"That means the old legends of Earth being our home are true," said Rept scowling.
Usagi shook her head. "Not this Earth." Usagi then turned her attention to the reptilian youma. "I take it Beryl's title originally only had meaning with her human subjects."
Rept nodded. "According to the old legends it was because the ruling line had such large amounts of ki that they were nurtured and taken care of. In return for protection and the occasional feeding the youma allowed them to rule over the lesser humans."
"They were strong enough to be nurtured but not enough to be sought out as mates?" asked Ami.
"Occasionally you would get prime stock but it was a rarity," said Rept shrugging her shoulders. "Beryl used the fact that Prince Endymion was seeing Princess Serenity behind everyone's back to convince the youma of that time to attack the Moon. The legend differs as to the reasons presented—some say Beryl played on a long held fear that a prime food source could be lost if the magic using Moon Kingdom humans started interbreeding with the Earth royalty while others state that Beryl convinced that the Moon Kingdom was bent on the eradication of the youma race using the fact that no world of it had youma on them despite large human populations."
"But the Moon Kingdom was old when I was young," said Chronos Aeon. "Supposedly it was the order of 50,000 years old when the last battle happened. I don't understand how the youma of Earth could have believed Beryl's claims."
"It may have had nothing to do with them believing Beryl but fear that in some respect she might be right," said Genma causing everyone to look at the elderly martial artist. "In many respects I let fear dominate my actions—fear of dying nearly destitute like my grandfather did at the end of WWII, fear of not measuring up to my father's expectations as a martial artist sensei, fear that if I didn't act now someone else will take the brass ring that could have been mine. Perhaps they let fear govern their actions like I did."
Wiseman gave a soft chuckle. "Every so often you get it right, Pops."
Usagi frowned. "Wiseman, with all respect it can't be that simple."
"I suspect like Sun Tzu it both is and is not that simple," said Ranma.
"You mean how a saying can mean one thing on its own but when combined with another can have a different meaning?" asked Ami.
"Exactly," said Ranma. "Eclipse said that the Earth was not part of the Moon Kingdom but Chronos Aeon said that it was supposedly 50,000 years old. That indicates there were deep and I mean deep issues between the two worlds, issues Beryl no doubt played to."
"Makes sense and thanks for reminding me," said Usagi. "We really need to think up different code names in case any of Neo-Queen Serenity's happy group decides to use us for target practice."
"Pluto didn't like the alternative of Hades and I think the same is true for us. I just don't see the Greek names of the Roman gods working for us," said Ami. "Hermes, Ares, and Zeus just don't sound right; the first sounds like the corruption of the disease Herpes, the second is too close to Aries, an astrology sign, and the third is just too masculine. I pulled Thoth from Egyptian mythology for myself as he was god of wisdom and medicine. I think Rei will like the alternative name of Neith, the Egyptian goddess of war. For Makoto I decided on Amun who was connected to Jupiter when the Romans conquered Egypt."
Chronos Aeon frowned. "My future-self of Neo-Queen Serenity's time is trying to contact me."
"Want to use the Crystal Gates rather than go to the Time Gates?" asked Ranma.
"Yes, as it will give a buffer in case she decides to do something stupid." Chronos Aeon looked at her hand as her skin changed from green to more human tone. "That should help keep her calm as I can't see auras. Keep in ear shot though I may unwittingly make her paranoid enough to do something."
Ranma nodded and gestured to the dojo. Once inside Chronos gestured to the black crystal copies of the Time Gates and the doors were covered by gray smoke. "Hello, future-self," said Chronos scowling. "Finally woke up I see."
Pluto winced. "From your reaction I take it you already know the state of the timeline."
"If you mean that I know it likely won't lead to your future, yes," said Chronos. "I have noticed there are some things, well, off about your time and my memories."
Pluto raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean off?"
"The Sailor Senshi believe that you and therefore I cannot leave the Time Gates." Chronos narrowed her eyes. "That is not correct."
"What do you mean that is not correct?" asked Pluto narrowing her eyes. "We are bound to the Time Gates."
"No we are not. The fact I am talking to you on Earth proves we are not," said Chronos scowling. "I also found out that this is not the universe of the Moon Kingdom."
"WHAT?!" screeched Pluto.
"Asked your Time Gate to show you the Mare Serenitatis as it was on your Earth's Moon 14,000 years ago," said Chronos calmly. "You will find the same thing I did—a desolate moon landscape devoid of air, atmosphere, and life."
Pluto's bottom lip quivered as King Endymion looked at Chronos frowning. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, Endymion, I am sure," said Chronos scowling.
"I am King Endymion," said the future version of Tuxedo Mask straightening up.
"In your future your world but not here and not now," Chronos gestured around her. "From what I have seen and learned of your world what you allowed the Princess to become is little better than Queen Beryl."
"WHAT?!" yelled King Endymion and Pluto.
"You heard me," continued Chronos. "Nitwit Queen Simpleton and her trusting friends tried to rebirth a long dead kingdom and best they were able to do was turn what part of humanity wasn't exiled to Nemesis into complaint sheep. None of us here in the past see that as any better than Queen Beryl's little ego trip."
King Endymion scowled. "Nitwit Queen Simpleton was the nickname Saotome Ranma always used for my wife."
"Saotome Ranma?!" yelled Pluto "You mean the hot headed womanizing egotistical jerk you told me about that Small Lady thought might be able to help her?!"
Ranma and Usagi were startled as Wiseman ran up to the dojo door glowing red and slid the door open with such force that it literally flew off its hinges. "Kuso," said Ranma as his future-self stormed into the dojo.
"Told you?" hissed a clearly angry Wiseman as he moved to stand beside Chronos who was nervously looking at him. "You met me face to face, Pluto," growled Wiseman pointing at the image of Pluto. "You told me if I didn't surrender you would kill my mother and the eldest sister of my wife, Akane."
"What? I never…" began Pluto
"ON MY HONOR AS A MARTIAL ARTIST THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED!" bellowed Wiseman his aura now scorching the floor as he removed his hood. Wiseman then grinned at King Endymion. "Been a while Tux Boy, Penguin Reject, and my personal favorite Nitwit Queen Simpleton's Pathetic Copy of Kuno."
"Saotome Ranma," said King Endymion frowning.
"These days I am called Wiseman," said Wiseman giving an exaggerated bow his aura diminishing.
"The sensei of the Black Moon Clan according to the message Mercury relayed to the Pluto of that time," King Endymion explained to his Pluto.
Wiseman nodded. "My long life is thanks to my martial arts training, my curse, and the Jakokusuishou. Nearly anyone else who found the Jakokusuishou would have become a walking corpse animated by its power and eventually go insane as a result."
"I had the misfortune of having to fight one of those other Wisemen," said Ranma entering the dojo with Usagi beside him and Sailor Moon behind both of them.
"I would hardly call it misfortune having practical experience fighting an undead madman so bent on the death of Neo-Queen Serenity that he would be willing to kill everyone on Earth and Nemesis to do it," commented Wiseman. Wiseman then glared at Pluto, "I never hated Neo-Queen Serenity; that emotion I reserved to you and you alone, Pluto." Wiseman then gave a humorless laugh shaking his head. "The ironic thing is that in her bumbling your pathetic Queen created a punishment more horrific than anything I could have dreamed up if I had been so inclined. Believing yourself trapped in a featureless void and not even remembering why."
"How would you know the Time Gates' domain was a featureless void?" asked King Endymion narrowing his eyes.
"I now remember my previous life," grinned Wiseman as he pulled out the Jakokusuishou. "Let me show you," said Wiseman as he raised the Jakokusuishou above his head. "Pluto Planet Power, Make up!"
After the transformation finished the now female Wiseman spoke. "The Jakokusuishou can only mimic the transformation sequence not give me your planetary powers, daughter."
"You...you're the reincarnation of my mother?!" asked Pluto in a higher than normal voice.
"I guess her high-mess didn't remove all of your reasoning ability," said Wiseman. "While I can't tap into the power of Pluto I can tap into the power of the planet I have been on for nearly 1,000 years." said Wiseman as she again raised the Jakokusuishou above her head. "Nemesis planet Make up!"
"Sailor Nemesis," said Pluto narrowing her eyes at the end of the transformation.
"Quite right," said Wiseman. "A Sailor Senshi whose powers you have no knowledge of and who can access the knowledge your mother had."
"In fact, you have been happily chatting with us though this crude copy of the Time Gates I made," said Ranma folding his arms. "If I can do this with only minimal access to the Jakokusuishou of my time and your mom's knowledge what do you think my future-self who has nearly 1,000 years worth of using it is going to be able to do with that same knowledge?"
"Oh shit," said Pluto paling.
"Ranma…Black Wiseman, that is not helping," said Usagi. "You are clearly frightening her even more and as we have seen when someone of their time period gets frightened they starting doing things that are stupid even by your father's standards."
"Queen Eclipse is correct," said Sailor Moon in total monotone. "Previous experience has shown that when frightened the Sailor Senshi of Crystal Tokyo are prone to totally illogical behavior."
"Could somebody tell me just what is going on?!" asked King Endymion. "Sailor Moon is talking all creepy and calling my wife Queen Eclipse."
"Your data is in error," said Sailor Moon. "Queen Eclipse is the Tsukino Usagi of this time period. Neo-Queen Serenity is your wife; Chronos Aeon sent her and her Sailor Senshi to Mt. Fuji. Where they currently are is unknown."
"Wait a minute, if she is the past version of my wife then who are you?" asked King Endymion.
"I am her powers given a human mind due to Taro pouring the Spring of Drowned Twins on her. However I do not have her human emotions," said Sailor Moon. "Logic indicates that eventually that I will start becoming less human physically as well as mentally as time passes."
"But that means Usagi is in danger!" exclaimed King Endymion his hands pressing against the closed doors of the Time Gates.
"Thank to Ranma's training and another pool from Jusenkyo courtesy of Chronos we are quite able to defend ourselves Sailor Senshi powers or not, thank you very much," frowned Usagi the nails on her left hand extending a full three inches.
"What the…?" asked King Endymion as he looked at the claw like hand Usagi now sported. He then glared at Chronos. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" he bellowed.
"What was I thinking?" repeated Chronos her skin taking on a greenish tinge. "I was thinking I didn't want to become what I thought was my future. My mother's reincarnation showed with his Black Moon Clan that humans and youma can coexist," Chronos continued pointing to Wiseman. "It not like I didn't test it out on myself before bringing it to Usagi. How did I know she would stumble into it before I could go into details? As least the other three Senshi knew what they were getting into when they used it."
King Endymion paled. "Which pool did you use?" he whispered as Ranma nodded a grim smile on his face.
Pluto scowled. "I think she already told you in her own way. The key was the phrase humans and youma coexist. Spring of Drowned Youma immediately comes to mind."
Chronos smiled as her skin turned to deep green. "Nice to know the Nitwit didn't totally remove all of our brains."
"Spring of Drowned Youma? Spring of Drowned YOUMA?! Have you gone insane?!" screamed Endymion.
"We are not insane but from what I have seen of my future-self and her friends you bunch aren't exactly playing with a full deck," said Usagi angrily. "I have examples of total reckless disregard for normal people's safety and outright stupidity that makes Genma at his worse look like Ami." Usagi folded her arms frowning. "Even before I physically turned into one I came to understand youma are living thinking beings that have as much right to life as humans."
Endymion sighed and looked down. "You really are set on this idea, aren't you, Usagi?"
"Given your reaction, I take it that is a rhetorical question," commented Wiseman.
"Usagi can be quite stubborn when she wants to be."
"That's not always a bad thing," said Ranma, "especially as it seems a lot better than the alternative."
"Speaking of alternatives the public needs to know what is going on, though not all of it," said Usagi firmly.
"WHAT?!" screeched Pluto as Ranma looked at Usagi concern in his features.
"Pluto, Black Wiseman, I am not suggesting that we tell everyone everything," responded Usagi frowning. "Doing that would only create needless panic and give our foes some nice targets. My concern is if we don't come out with something, when someone outside our little group figures out exactly what youma feed on we could have every demon hunter in Japan coming here like ants to a honey pot and few options to prevent it from becoming open season on youma time."
Wiseman and Ranma nodded smiles slowly spreading on their faces.
"I think I get it," said Wiseman. "Give the public enough information that they will looking out for Beryl, the aliens, the minions of Pharaoh 90, and possible evidence of Snow Princess Kaguya but not so much that they get panicky and do something crazy."
"I only have the vaguest idea on how to do it so I going to need help," said Usagi. "Pluto, we know next to nothing about the aliens and Snow Princess Kaguya so I would like to know more so I can give the people something to work with."
Endymion frowned. "What about information on Pharaoh 90?"
"Oh that will not be a problem. Mistress 9 likely knows more than either of you two does," said Usagi smiling.
"Kuso," said Ranma face palming as Pluto's jaw dropped open.
"What's wrong?" asked Usagi.
"The Mistress 9 they know is quite different from the one we do," said Ranma. "That piece of information could have them going loose cannon like Neo-Queen Serenity's Mars and Mercury have."
"But all I have to tell them is she is also Sailor Saturn and…"
"SAILOR SATURN?" yelled Pluto. "Mistress 9 is that psychopathic maniac?!"
"Uh, I just messed up didn't I?" asked Usagi.
"Yep," said Ranma his face still in his hand.
"Just who is a psychopathic maniac?" asked a very angry Mistress 9 as she entered the dojo the Silent Glaive in her right hand.
"Kuso," said Pluto paling. "Mistress 9 has access to the powers of Sailor Saturn," she said her eyes rolling up into her head as the Crystal Gates went blank.
"What the?" said Usagi. "Chronos, what happened?"
"She fainted and it broke the connection." Chronos then frowned. "Unfortunately, her future is so different that I can't reestablish contact through the Crystal Gates. Using our Time Gates would give her access to our version and who knows what she could do."
"Council meeting, now," Usagi said scowling. "Given her reaction odds are she is going to do something crazy so we need to go public immediately. We have one and only one shot at this and I want to do it as right as is possible."
~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~
Beryl had assumed that the Doom and Gloom clan had defected to Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan but she now knew better. The all too brief encounter between her one remaining Shitennou and Orana had provided the knowledge that there was yet another player in this conflict.
The Doom and Gloom clan were the most respected and powerful of all the current youma clans so their defection to this previously unknown Queen Eclipse and her Grey Moon clan over the somewhat better known Wiseman and his Black Moon clan was not good news. Orana's comments had made it clear that Black Wiseman was the successor to Wiseman Quantize had told her about. Orana had also made it clear what the goals of her new clan were: the creation of an empire dwarfing that of the Moon Kingdom and the crushing of her and the Princess' reincarnated forces not allied with the Black Moon Clan.
Beryl suppressed a shudder as Metaria mentally grumbled; Metaria was the only thing that allowed Beryl to have any control over the remaining youma and her support of Beryl was waning fast. The only thing preventing Metaria from abandoning Beryl and seeking out either the Black Moon or Grey Moon clan was its inability to survive in a non human host and its uncertainly of being able to survive in a host that was only partly human.
So here Beryl sat her hands caressing her crystal ball in a desperate attempt to find anything about this new threat and turn the whole mess around. Beryl then scowled as the image of Sailor Moon standing with some youma formed. A youma with features very similar to those of Sailor Moon stepped forward clearly nervous.
"Thank you for granting this interview, Queen Eclipse," said a voice belonging to a nondescript Japanese woman. "I take it these people are of your court."
"You're welcome, Mayo-san, but court would be the wrong term as would be subjects," replied the youma. "They are part of my clan. The relationship we have is like a mixture of a family and that between a samurai and his daimyo. Changing clans is not something we take likely or something we do on the spur of the moment. I would like to start out by apologizing for the situation that your people and world have been brought into."
"Situation?" asked Mayo-san.
Queen Eclipse smiled reminding Beryl of her long hated rival Princess Serenity. "Forgive me, but I will have to go into a little bit of a history lesson. Our saga begins 12,000 years ago in what you would call a parallel universe. In that reality all the planets were inhabited and with two exceptions were part of an interplanetary power called the Moon Kingdom. The two exceptions had both humans and youma on them. Youma are intelligent beings that feed off life energy or ki as martial artists call it. Humans were our preferred food source."
"You mean you ate people?!" asked Mayo-san appalled.
"No, no, no, no," said Queen Eclipse shaking her head. "We didn't and don't eat people but feed off their life energy."
"If I may?" asked a robed figure that sent a mental shiver through Beryl for a reason she could not put into words.
"Of course," said Queen Eclipse as she gestured to the figure as it advanced. "This is Black Wiseman our clan advisor."
Black Wiseman gestured and a glowing ball appeared in his open right hand. "This is what youma feed off of. I have been training the youma that have joined our clan how to generate this so they don't have to drain it from humans. But to understand fully you need to hear the rest of the story."
"Thank you, Black Wiseman," smiled Queen Eclipse nodding her head. "In that other universe Earth was mainly populated by youma with a smaller human population. One group of humans that had high ki levels similar to what Black Wiseman just demonstrated became the ruling class or royal family of Earth if you will. For millenniums there was an uneasy truce between Earth and the Moon that finally erupted in war 12,000 years ago. The problem was it was not a war between armies but a war between nine planetary guardians known as Sailor Senshi and an army of nearly a million youma." Queen Eclipse then frowned. "The humans of the Moon Kingdom were never in any serious danger—no youma in its right mind would ever needlessly kill a human nor try to enslave one. Youma at worse viewed humans as you would a prize milk cow—keep it well cared for and happy and it will keep producing milk for you. Many hoped to see a human who was strong enough on their own merits to be considered an equal and therefore not only possible clan members but viable mates as well."
Queen Eclipse then shook her head in disgust. "The Moon Kingdom's royal families considered such ideas at best an abomination and youma as either parasites or worse vermin. However even with their enhanced abilities the Sailor Senshi could not win against that kind of assault and so the Queen used the Ginzuishou to create a pocket reality and imprison the head royal family, their generals, and their youma army in it."
"The problem is to create something like that takes energy," said Black Wiseman grimly. "The Queen of the Moon Kingdom could have used any energy source but either out of arrogance, ignorance, or petty spite used human ki energy." Black Wiseman gestured to a blue skinned youma wearing a visor. "Thoth is using one of the artifacts of the Moon Kingdom that I believe was pulled to our reality by that final act of insanity."
Thoth touched her visor and an image appeared in mid-air. "It is called the Mercury Computer. Based on the levels of death ki we found in three of the seven fragments of the device used we estimate the death toll of that action to be 280 billion."
Beryl stared open mouthed at the image and Mayo-san echoed her thoughts. "You mean this Queen killed 280 million of her own people just to stop this invasion?" asked the woman in shock.
"No, she killed 280 billion to win against a foe that was likely only fighting her because they were afraid. Remember the entire Solar system in that other universe was inhabited," said Black Wiseman. Beryl's eyes widened as the full horror of her last battle with Queen Serenity hit home.
"So why are you telling us all this?" asked Mayo-san clearly shaken at the scope of that long ago war.
"Because Purple Wiseman and his Black Moon Clan of Nemesis showed us that humans and youma can live together," said a reptilian youma. "Eclipse and Black Wiseman have used that as the template of something that will, in the end, be grander than the Moon Kingdom or anything this Earth has ever seen. It will take many years if not decades to realize their dream but it is certainly better then slowly starving to death in some pocket reality under the rule of an increasingly insane boosted bitch or being hunted down by some ignorant demon hunter simply for trying to survive."
"Rept is one of the youma that has joined our clan and is quite passionate about the future as you can see," explained Black Wiseman.
"She mentioned a Purple Wiseman and his Black Moon clan of Nemesis. What are they?"
Beryl watched as a purple robbed figure simply appeared out of thin air causing the woman to gasp with his appearance. "I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you but I have so few opportunities to show off my skill in martial arts to non-practitioners. King Pendragon found it both inspiring and annoying," said the figure slightly bowing. "I am Purple Wiseman, and my Black Moon clan is the royal family of the planet Nemesis."
"Wait a minute, did you say planet Nemesis?" asked Mayo-san.
Purple Wiseman nodded. "Yes, my clan and I are from another world of this reality."
"You mean you are aliens?" asked Mayo-san nervously.
Purple Wiseman chuckled. "As you tend to use that word to refer to your fellow humans to accent racial, cultural, and political boundaries the answer would be yes. But membership in our clan is based on merit not race, social standing, or other factors outside a person's control so the term has little meaning to us or to the person I trained for his role in the Grey Moon Clan," finished Purple Wiseman gesturing to Black Wiseman.
"Purple Wiseman comes from a world that prides itself on the martial arts training of its people," said Queen Eclipse. "It isn't a utopia but it comes reasonably close as crime, disease, and poverty are things they mainly read in history books."
Purple Wiseman looked at Queen Eclipse. "Queen Eclipse reminds me of my old friend and student King Pendragon who is the standard by which all rulers of Nemesis are held to. Since we believe in reincarnation there are those who think Pendragon will return one day and bring a second Golden Age to Nemesis; hence his title of the Once and Future King."
Mayo-san blinked. "There was a Western king with that title."
"All the people of Nemesis can trace their human lines back to Earth," replied Purple Wiseman. "King Pendragon was forced to leave Earth with his youma subjects many decades before I met him. Perhaps his exploits, great sword Excalibur, or palace Avalon wove their way into your… is there something wrong? You are looking at me like you have seen a ghost."
"King Arthur's sword was Excalibur and supposedly he was taken away to the island Avalon," said Mayo-san uneasily.
"Something for later perhaps, but there are more important things to talk about," said Black Wiseman. "While neither of our clans represents a danger to Earth or its governments, Beryl certainly does. We are also troubled by the reports of demon hunters using names of the old Moon Kingdom's Sailor Senshi with apparent reckless disregard for the people they claim to be protecting."
"We always had misgivings about Beryl as she thought she was the Beryl that fought in the last war of the Moon Kingdom 12,000 years ago," said Rept, "but the appearance of demon hunters using the names and powers of the Sailor Senshi has sent her totally over the edge. She will try to conquer this Earth no matter what the cost if she remains in power."
"That is why I called for this interview," said Queen Eclipse scowling. "I am not going to let a bunch of trigger happy vigilantes and some would be world conquering nut job restart a war that killed billions. I am offering our clan as a possible alternative to Beryl or trigger happy demon hunters. As with all clans there will be certain rules to follow. First of these will be no feeding on unwilling or unaware humans though if a youma finds a human willing to let them drain some ki we have no problem with that. Second, as the Ryu we learn is founded on the greatest human general who every lived our potential members must be willing to learn and implement the teachings of Sun Tzu. Finally, they will have to learn to stop thinking of humans as simply food and see them as potential equals as their ancestors did back in the days of the Moon Kingdom."
"But you said that youma without your training need to feed on ki," prompted Mayo-san.
Queen Eclipse gestured and a globe of energy similar to Black Wiseman's appeared in her hand. "We will train them to more effectively tap into the passive ki around them and if that is not enough we will be able to provide all the ki they need until they learn how to generate their own."
Queen Eclipse again scowled. "I have a message to all demon hunters as well; we will not tolerate attacks on us simply because of what we are or what you think we might be doing. We have no interest in conquest or replacing your current rulers but I do have a message for Beryl if she is hearing this: this is not your Earth. It never was yours. Continue to behave like a mad dog and we will put you down like one," Queen Eclipse finished a symbol flashing on her forehead.
Beryl's expression of shock was mirrored back on back on Earth though not the reaction as her mind and that of Metaria basically shutting down with her body staring ahead for a couple minutes like a total zombie.
~*~* Tokyo, Earth*~*~
On Earth in part of Tokyo two of the Sailor Senshi were staring at a TV in shock. "That…that is the symbol of the Moon's royal family!" exclaimed Kaioh Michiru nearly jumping out of her chair.
Ten'ō Haruka stared for a moment before expressing her thoughts, "The Princess is a youma?!"
"It's got to be some kind of trick," said Michiru desperately.
Haruka frowned. "I know that like me you don't want to believe it; but while everyone can only simply see the symbol, we can also fell its power. That is no trick, deception, or delusion. Queen Eclipse is indeed the Princess."
"What do we do?"
"It is clear from the way she is talking she is unaware of her identity," Haruka said thoughtfully. "The youma called Rept spoke of creating them something grander than the Moon Kingdom." Haruka's eyes widened. "With the Mercury Computer they would know of the three artifacts and are likely seeking them out."
"But what do we do? She just said she setting up a base on the moon for youma to live in. Is she trying to recreate the Moon Kingdom as seen through a youma's eyes?"
Haruka simply looked at the TV and frowned. "I don't know. I honestly don't know."
~*~*Tendo Dojo*~*~
"That went better then expected so though I am still nervous," said Usagi sitting down in the dojo.
"Understandable," said Sailor Moon in her creepy monotone, "Based on past behavior your planned lunar base for the youma will cause even more erratic reaction from the Sailor Senshi despite you showing the symbol of the Moon royal family."
"What? When did I do that?"
"When you told the boosted bitch that if she didn't calm down you would take her out," said Rept.
"But I shouldn't have been able to do that given that Sailor Moon and I are two separate people."
"Logically the power of the Moon Princess and that of the Moon Senshi are separate and distinct," said Sailor Moon.
"Great, another thing to add to my powers I need to understand list. Purple Wiseman, can you tell us anything about Neo-Queen Serenity's powers that were not related to Sailor Moon or the Ginzuishou?"
"Sadly, no I can't," said Wiseman as he rubbed the bottom of his lip. "In fact your little manifestation surprised even me as I thought all of Neo-Queen Serenity's power was due to either Sailor Moon or the Ginzuishou and whatever you did was not you using ki to mimic something else."
"It could be like Sailor Saturn's power which is bound to her soul," offered Mistress 9.
"But what about my transformation?" asked Wicked Lady.
"Given what I have experienced I would say it is more the Ginzuishou trying to mimic your mother's power than you actually having the ability," said Wiseman.
"Sort of like the Jakokusuishou with regards to the power of Sailor Pluto," commented Ranma.
"Doesn't that mean mom can still go Sailor Moon on us?" asked Wicked Lady.
"Kuso," said Wiseman face palming. "She's right. Neo-Queen Serenity might be able to access her old power as Sailor Moon."
"Here is something else to worry about," said Ranma. "The Ginzuishou and Jakokusuishou both channel and reshape ki, right?"
"Oh no, passive ki," groaned Usagi.
Wiseman nervously laughed. "I haven't felt like this much a prize idiot since Pops found out the great Saotome treasure was an IOU. How am I missing this stuff?"
"I think it is due to the fact you go for long term effects and in so doing tends to loose sight of the short term," said Ami. "That is the real reason you have been so patent with Neo-Queen Serenity; you know that there are things your long term view is ill suited for."
Wiseman chuckled. "I did state that I had lost the impulsiveness of my youth. She still sees things in a short term view and that is something the people of Nemesis need. Take a good hard look at us," said Wiseman dejectedly gesturing with his hand to the Black Moon Clan, "It took Wicked Lady to get us out of our gather and analyze mode and actually do something. For good or ill the Black Moon Clan has been largely reactive to this mess while your Grey Moon Clan has been proactive. Your idea of a lunar base for the youma that might join your clan was a stroke of utter brilliance; close enough that issues of time dilation don't become an issue but also far enough away that anybody that was overly nervous wouldn't be able to easily lash out at them."
"We've used the Crystal Gates to plant the transformation crystals," said Blue Saphir. "The structure will be finished in two days. Sa Fulang will have enough ki crystal batteries to support a modest population of several thousand youma by the end of the week."
Usagi nodded smiling. "Excellent. My announcement coupled with the fact that Beryl and her one lone human Shitennou can't provide anywhere enough ki means we will see more and more youma asking for clan admittance." Usagi then frowned. "I have accepted that we may have to kill to protect what we have and what we have planned but I don't want repeats of the kind of suicidal insanity I saw in the past."
Rept winced. "Metaria allowed Queen Beryl to totally cut off our ability to feed on Beryl and the humans that followed her. She used this as a way to make the clans do whatever she wanted; she said that any youma that failed in a mission Beryl gave was to be expelled from their clan."
"What?" hissed Usagi her eyes flashing with anger.
"That is why the youma fought us to the end," said Rei her hands grabbing her grandfather's pelt. "They had nothing to live for if they simply had ran away."
Rept nodded. "Unlike your samurai a clanless youma is seen as being even less than food. To be declared clanless is to be told you have no value. Better to die then live like that."
"Beryl is coming down," growled Usagi. "There has got to be something to break Beryl's control over the clans that are still in the Dark Kingdom," fumed Usagi hitting the dojo floor in frustration. "Rept, other than offering clanship is there anything else we can do?" asked Ami.
Rept shook her head. "Sadly, no. Even if we were able to defeat the youma Beryl still has under her thumb without killing them they would become suicidal as they know given Beryl's mental state they are clanless. No clan will take in a clanless youma unless it proves that it has value."
"Even if that status is the result of some boosted piece of food that doesn't know its place?" asked Usagi angrily.
Rept smiled sadly. "As much as I agree with you there are only so many youma traditions you can challenge."
"I'm no longer the idealistic idiot who thought she could 'fix' the world," Usagi said shaking her head. "I can no more change youma attitudes about clanlessness than I can change Japanese attitudes about Bakakumin. What I can do is challenge Beryl's misuse of the system."
Rept shifted an eager smile on her face. "An important distinction and one I approve of." Rept then frowned. "Unfortunately, our options are very limited."
~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~
Beryl had been sitting for nearly half an hour her hands still on her crystal ball; she had no more options. The fact the Princess had reincarnated as a youma was enough on its own to erode what control she still had but the announcement of Eclipse's willingness to accept membership in her clan had totally destroyed it.
Beryl looked up; all that kept the youma from attacking her was their need for her life energy and that of her one remaining loyal human subject. Soon Queen Eclipse would break though the barrier that separated her Earth from the Dark Kingdom and then... Beryl really didn't want to think about it.
As Beryl sat there she thought over the legend of King Arthur. The humans of Earth told of a story of a friend's betrayal with the King's human wife, a son's attempt to overthrow his father, the great King's supposed death, and the transport of his body to the island of Avalon. But in certain situations a youma could enter into a death like coma and Arthur was clearly half youma.
"It's over, you boosted bitch," said a hard voice.
Beryl snapped out of her introspection and glared at the youma that had spoke. "Watch your tongue or I will..."
"Will what?" retorted the youma stepping toward Beryl. "Force my clan head to throw me out of the clan? I'll save you and her the trouble. I renounce her and her clan and any clan that serves you, you boosted piece of food."
A gasp when through the crowd of youma as Beryl stared in dumbfounded amazement. No youma had before ever willing abandoned their clan.
"Do you have any idea what you are doing? I can't believe even a Term would…" began the youma's clan head.
"'Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect.' so says Sun Tzu," interrupted the youma.
Beryl felt her blood go cold.
"That is why you so bold," said the youma's clan head frowning.
The youma laughed. "Actually I am not a member of either the Grey or Black Moon Clan. I simply decided that serving Beryl and her continued idiocy is worse than being clanless." The youma pulled out a book. "The teachings of Sun Tzu; available at any reasonable human bookstore," she said throwing the book into Beryl's lap. "That is how incompetent Beryl and her one remaining human follower are!"
Beryl saw red; how dare this youma talk to her like that. Beryl lashed out slapping the youma with all her strength knocking the youma to the floor. "Get out of my sight!" roared Beryl. "Go to the Grey or Black Moon Clan. At least they will put you out of your pathetic misery you clanless Term creature." Beryl tapped into her power and teleported the youma to Earth and sat back down.
"She was right," said the youma clan head staring right at Beryl. "Why are we serving you when we could be serving one of our own or at least a human that worked for their power?"
Beryl blanched. "You heard her, she renounced her clan and you."
"Yet you struck her and used part of your precious power to send her to Earth," retorted the clan head.
Beryl realized her mistake. By treating the youma in such a way she had shown it had value. Metaria in a fury forced herself to the surface. "Enough of this," said Metaria using Beryl's voice. "Go to Earth and find me a better host. Talk to this Queen Eclipse and see if she can recommend anyone if you have to. Just get me out of this lovesick revenge crazed egoistical idiot!"
~*~*Tendo Dojo, Earth*~*~
Back on Earth Usagi was still fuming regarding how Beryl kept control over her youma. "There has got to be another option," she ranted hitting the ground. "I can't kill one of our own just because some boosted piece of food forced a clan head to throw them out just because they failed in her delusional goals."
Rept sighed. "Eclipse, you are voicing what many youma believe but I can see no options other then granting a clanless youma a quick and relatively painless death at the hands of one of your human allies."
"There is at least one youma that considers that fate better than serving Beryl," said a voice.
Rept blinked and turned to face the voice. The youma standing there at the dojo door had green skin with a ruffle like appearance and yellowish face giving her the appearance of giant flower. "I am Roda and I abandoned my clan."
Rept slowly stood up her mouth hanging open. "You did what?!" she finally asked.
"I abandoned my clan and so enraged Beryl that she hit me and then used some of her energy to send me here," said Roda as she entered the dojo and knelt before Usagi and bowing her head. "I am ready to die."
"No," said Herb firmly.
"No?" asked Rept scowling. "Haven't you been listening to what I have been saying?"
"Actually I have been listening to what you have been saying; it is you who have not."
"What are you talking about?" responded Rept curious.
Herb looked right at Usagi. "What are you, human or youma?"
Usagi blinked her eyes for a moment before they enlarged in realization. "Of course, we have been so centered on the problem that we failed to see that the solution is right in front of us: Jusenkyo."
Herb nodded. "I delayed my search for the Tea Kettle of Restoration so Ranma could still advise you and to gain insight on what may await me when my father passes away and I become the ruler of the Musk." Herb gestured to himself. "I was raised without any female contact and accidentally changed myself into one when trying to learn about them. I initially was angry and I have to admit frightened until I learned about Wiseman and his control over Jusenkyo. Coming here for a cure what I instead found was a group of people for whom male and female really didn't have any meaning. Even the future version of Sa Fulang is totally comfortable as both a male and a female."
Usagi looked at the youma before her, her head still bowed calmly waiting for her life to end. There had been a time that she would have killed Roda without so much a second thought but now… "Roda, we have some water from a place called Jusenkyo," said Usagi calmly. "Most of the pools change the body but not the mind. Normally hot water reverses the transformation while cold water retriggers it." Usagi gestured to Ranma with her left hand as she raised Roda's head with the other.
"Hot water," said Ranma as he poured some water from a red thermos on Usagi.
Roda blinked as she felt the life force of Eclipse change from youma to "Human. You are human!"
Usagi nodded smiling. "Yes, in this form I am human," she said as Ranma walked over to Zirconite and poured some more of the hot water on her.
Roda's eyes widened in shock at seeing a youma she knew. "Zirconite? But you were human a moment ago. Totally human!"
"Usagi's friends were willing to step into our world, so I thought it was only right to return the favor. Besides I wanted to know what it was like to be human."
"If being human is not to your taste there are other pools," said Ranma gesturing to the Crystal Gates as they slowly opened. On the other side was a valley covered in pools a pole sticking out of each one. "Word of warning, Jusenkyo itself may choose the form you get," said Ranma.
"An excellent warning, Ranma," said Cologne chuckling.
"Given the huge range of pools in the place I can't imagine there haven't been attempts to use the more powerful ones for personal gain. Something had to cause those attempts to fail and the Guides couldn't have directed all of them to your village after the effort."
"Very good, Ranma," said the Elder smiling. "There is a spirit presence in the valley but what it really does has always been a mystery. One of the ideas presented is that this presence determines what pool is actually used by subtly manipulating the area in the valley."
"No matter what my form I will always be youma, I am clanless I have no value," said Roda.
"That is not it at all," said Ranma folding his arms. "The simple fact is you are afraid."
Roda growled and jumping up took a swing at Ranma. "Afraid?" she snarled. "I am a Term. I was born with a condition that caused me constant pain shortly after coming of age. There are stories of a next stage where all a Term can do is writhe in agony as they cough up their insides. No Term wants to live long enough to find out if those stories are true. My death serving that boosted egomaniac would serve no purpose but my death defying her will. How does that make me afraid?"
"It shows you are afraid to live," said Ranma as he deflected or dodged blow after blow.
Roda stopped and stared at Ranma before laughing. "Afraid of living is it? I'll show you," Roda snapped as she turned and ran through the open Crystal Gates. Not more than a few steps on the other side Roda fell into a pool.
Everyone watched as a winged woman emerged from the pool. "What…what happened?" said Roda.
"Honored customer fall into Pool of Drowned Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior," said a male voice belonging to a man in a ill-fitting uniform who came into view. "Very tragic story of Female Phoenix Mountain Warrior who drown there 2,500 years ago. Cold water change you into warrior, hot water change you back."
"Who are you?" asked Roda narrowing her eyes at the man.
"I am Guide here."
"Black Wiseman didn't mention anything about this place having a Guide," said Roda slowly standing. "But then again I didn't exactly give him much time to tell me more than the basics of this place." Roda raised her now taloned hands and smiled. "I thank you spirit presence of Jusenkyo for this new form; it rivals my old one in power and strength. As an added bonus unlike my old form this new form is free of pain. I came to Queen Eclipse looking to die and you have given me new life."
"Guide confused. No customer ever thank Jusenkyo," said the Guide frowning.
"Perhaps they did not understand this place," said Roda returning to the Crystal Gates.
"Aie, where big gates come from?"
"From the Grey Moon Clan," said Roda as she stepped through the Guide right behind her.
"Aie, where Guide?!"
"Tokyo, Japan," said Rept shaking her head.
The Guide's eyes widened to the size of saucers and turning around dashed through the gates. On the other side the Guide turned and stared at the gates. Ranma gestured and the gates closed and the image of the Guide faded.
"I left the other end intact," Ranma said. "We may want access again and I don't want to leave little piles of black crystal all over Jusenkyo."
"Aren't you worried he might tell someone?" asked Ami.
"Unlikely, Jusenkyo has clearly been kept hidden from the local government given how easily it is for the locals to access the place," said Sailor Moon. "The last thing the Guide would do would be to attract attention to that area. As for the locals themselves they do not want to attract unneeded attention either."
"Speaking of attracting attention we are now going to be the focus of every government on Earth thanks to our announcements," warned Wiseman.
Usagi nodded. "I know and not all of their reactions will be peaceful but it was a risk worth taking. Too much hangs in the balance for this battle to remain a secret."
Roda again knelt before Usagi. "I petition for acceptance into the Grey Moon Clan."
Usagi and Ranma looked at each other and nodded. Reaching over Ranma touched Roda's forehead. "For showing uncommon bravery and a willingness to give up everything because it was right I Black Wiseman Advisor to the Grey Moon Clan welcome you to our ranks." A yin-yang symbol then appeared on Roda's forehead as Ranma removed his hand.
Roda looked up into Usagi's eyes. "I think I have much to learn, my Queen."
~*~*Author Notes*~*~
Alternative names:
Ami: Thoth (Egyptian god of wisdom and medicine) resembles Ramua in appearance
Rei: Neith (Egyptian goddess of war), also resembles Ramua in appearance
Makoto: Amun (connected to Jupiter in Egypt under the Romans) resembles Thetis but with more defined mouth and nose
