Progeny
By Jeffrey
Vasquez
(oo0/8/0oo)
Disclaimer:
All characters and settings are used here without permission.
"Ranma 1/2" was created by Takahashi Rumiko, and is licensed to Shogakukan Inc., Kitty, Fuji TV, and Viz Communications Inc.
"Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon" (or "Sailor Moon") was created by Takeuchi Naoko, and is licensed to Koudansha, TV Asahi, Toei Douga, and DIC Entertainment, L.P.
All original characters belong to me. Please drop me a line if you want to use them.
Forward:
Thanks to all of my reviewers at and those wonderful people who have taken the time to send me their thoughts on Progeny and my other stories! I read everything you guys send me, and wish that I had an easier (and more time efficient) way to respond to you individually. Progeny is coming close to completion, and as things stand we've only got a few more chapters left. Thanks for sticking with me!
Special thanks to those that sent my family and I their condolences on the loss of my Father-in-Law, Uncle, and Grandmother. The last year and a half has been very trying for us and your support has been nothing short of golden. Your love and kindness have kept me writing when I had no real desire to. Enjoy the chapter!
(oo0/8/0oo)
Progeny
Chapter 10
(oo0/8/0oo)
The World, She is a changin'
That was really the best sentiment the collective populace of the Earth could come up with, beyond the general shock and awe of the last five hours. True to form, the world media pounced on the story of the Senshi and spread it faster than an air born contagion. And like a plague, various opinions infected a number of societies with differing results.
At first, common consensus was that the event was nothing more than a publicity stunt…a great practical joke in the same vein as Orson Wells and his infamous radio play. This view lasted all of two hours, until a rather well-known and highly respected visiting journalist from the United States banked his integrity and career on breaking the story. His producers knew that this was the real deal and spurred his network to pre-empt the early morning newscasts of every affiliate to bring the live coverage into the homes of their faithful viewers. This was the scoop of the century for both the journalist and his network, since every one of the other networks had decided that sending their anchors out on world tours was a bit too costly this year. That's not to say that the other networks didn't end up spending the money they had saved in purchasing the footage of "The Advent" from those "Lucky Bastards over at ABN" and the Japanese media, in order to stay current. The other international news agencies weren't far behind in reporting the event.
The public of course received the news with varying degrees of belief and reacted accordingly. Public opinion in the US found itself immediately split. In one camp, you had Soft Core Liberal Alarmists denouncing the audacity of the Japanese for making such a declaration. The silence of the Japanese government only added more fuel to their caustic ire. The Hard Core Liberal Militants scoffed and rubbed their hands at the thought of a new conflict to exploit and enflame. The Conservatives were quite a bit more fractured. Many within the main stream Judeo-Christian contingent loudly declaimed the Senshi as the poster children of the Anti-Christ, due to the fact that they were obviously succubae (as evidenced in the immoral manner in which these women dressed and the fact that they used vile sorcery – read "libidinous and pornographic magic" – to lure the young and impressionable away from the fold). In an odd display of camaraderie, most of the Middle East immediately agreed with this position as well. Hell of course was reported as freezing over.
Another contingent of the Religious Right thought that this extreme position was totally stupid and publicly and condemned those declaiming the Senshi – after all, "Judge not, lest ye be judged…" and all that. Besides, they were obviously fighting a demon, so they couldn't be all that bad, now could they?
The debate was continuing to grow of course, and riots were already breaking out in major cities across the United States. Feminists applauded the Senshi for their righteous crusade against the patriarchal order; the white supremacists automatically branded the stalwart warriors of Love and Justice as Communist Whores and planned to burn a cross on Sailor Moon's lawn as soon as possible. All in all, it was just another day in the life of the average U.S. citizen.
The United Kingdom, along with the rest of those European Union members with above average intelligence, took a more patient stance. After all, it was bad form to just jump on any old bandwagon. No, it was far better to mull the matter over afternoon tea and biscuits, than be branded a brash fool. Those countries that remained really could care less one way or another. King of the World? Who the hell cares? Finding dinner and dodging the bullets from the latest Coup attempt were much more pressing matters.
At the end of the day, the world's opinion of the Sailor Senshi was as varied and diverse as the fish in the sea. In the next forty-eight hours many of those opinions would be validated or changed completely. And all it would take were the lives of some measly two hundred and fifty million souls to do it.
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The government debriefing was short, sweet, and surprisingly to the point for Yuriko Mizuno. Many of the fears that had been expressed by the parents about having to reimburse the damages caused by the Senshi's fight, or being arrested for playing hero, were unfounded…at least for now. The only thing that she had been grilled on, were the frequency of the attacks her daughter had to defend against and the current threat facing Japan. Since she had no idea about either, the interview had been very short.
To Yuriko's point of view, it was something of a let down. Sure they had asked some rather pointed questions about her daughter and her relationship towards Ranma, but in the end she had been expecting more. It always seemed that the people in spy novels tended to get the third degree, and the fact that she hadn't had to answer more obscure questions left her feeling a bit…flat. That's not to say that she wasn't extremely grateful for the turn out, not at all. It was just…well, with all the excitement she had expected more from her government and they had let her down. She sighed and berated herself for being so contrary. What kind of fool wanted to be interrogated by her government? She thought for a long moment and shook her head.
Obviously a fool who lived a boring life of drudgery.
"Be careful what you wish for, Yuriko-chan." She mumbled. "You just might get it."
She stood from the comfortable couch she'd been sitting at and stretched. The clock read eleven twenty three, and the only other person in the room she had been brought to, was Rei's grandfather.
She had arrived at eight and dinner was brought in to them at eight thirty. They shared a pleasant meal together and a satisfying exchange about their present circumstances. The conversation drifted away from their current situation and settled on the safe topic of the various natural onsen they had visited over the years. Yuriko was grateful to the elderly gentleman for his compassion. They spent rest of their time together debating the merits of the Hanamaki Onsen versus the Nyuto Onsen. It was a good-natured discussion that ended when Hino-sensei was called in for his interview at nine fifteen.
He returned an hour later, smiling and at ease.
An attractive young woman popped her head in around nine forty, to let her know that everything was all right and that Ami-chan would be done soon. Yuriko had been surprised and hurt that Ami had asked for her not to sit in on the interview, insisting to have a lawyer represent her instead. When she had asked why, Ami-chan had simply pointed out that Yuriko would most likely over-react to some of the things she heard and that the interview would go smoother and faster if Ami didn't have the distraction of an angry adult in the room. She couldn't fault her daughter's logic, but felt the need to reiterate to her beautiful child that, as a mother, Yuriko had every right to over-react. She further explained to the lawyer that she wanted a transcript of everything they talked about behind closed doors and once the black suits had agreed to her terms, she reminded Ami-chan that after all this was said and done, she was still grounded forever.
After her daughter left, she found herself stuck in this room, ignorant of anything that she felt she needed to know and unable to do anything about it. She had seen the Aino family leaving together, with a very sedate and subdued Minako sandwiched between her parents. They looked less than pleased. Well, Minako's father looked less than pleased. The cute blonde's mother looked positively starry-eyed.
Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn passed her door, presumably leaving from the sounds of things around ten thirty. Yuriko wondered why it was taking Ami-chan so much longer than the others, and came to the conclusion that her interview would be more in depth since the monster had been targeting her specifically.
"I'm sure that they will be finished soon." Hino-sensei looked up from his magazine, and offered her another comforting smile.
"I know. It's just been a very long and emotional day."
"Yes. Yes it has." The grandfatherly gentleman looked to say more but the door opened, admitting Rei in her Senshi uniform. Hino-sensei stood and examined his granddaughter carefully. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. They didn't ask me too many questions since I came to the fight late." She sighed and shook her head. "They want me to remain 'available for further questioning' though, so I doubt that all of this is over with."
Yuriko frowned. She hadn't been thinking about the future all that much tonight. Her attention had been focused on the problems at hand, and not the long-term implications.
"Did they say anything else?" Yuriko asked.
"Not really. That Umasho fellow from the Imperial Household Agency showed up half way through the interview though."
"Oh?" Hino-sensei raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I guess Usagi-chan let something slip about us being her 'retainers,' and as such the Emperor has asked that we attend the dinner as well."
"That seems rather unusual. Did all the Senshi receive an invitation?"
"So far as I know, yes."
Rei's grandfather looked thoughtful for a moment.
"What's wrong?" Yuriko asked.
"One or two retainers I can understand. Etiquette permits a token show of force by a visiting ruler, but to invite all of Usagi-chan's protectors into the presence of the Emperor? It's something that doesn't seem all that…safe."
"Grandpa! We wouldn't attack the Emperor and you know it!" Rei looked severely shaken at the very thought of doing something so…well, evil.
"Obviously, the Imperial Household's security contingent agrees with you, otherwise you wouldn't have received an invitation. Still I wonder if there's something more to this, than we're seeing."
Yuriko's heart began beating a little faster at the hint of intrigue.
"Umasho-san asked me if I wouldn't mind signing a few autographs and posing for a few pictures with the Imperial family."
Grandpa Hino nodded his head.
"That makes a bit more sense. Politically speaking, the people of Juuban see you as heroines. It might be that the Prime Minister is trying to put a positive spin on things…tying you to the Emperor and therefore to the people of Japan. If you are friends of the government, and seem to have been for a very long time, then the government won't lose face."
Yuriko was impressed. Now that he had pointed it out, the maneuvering seemed logical. The more that she thought about it, the move was a smart one. Make it seem like the Senshi are actually working for you, and then play up the angle of protecting the people. However, if the dinner with the Emperor didn't go well, then the whole climate of the government's dealings would change from friendly to antagonistic over night.
"You seem to know a lot about politics for a priest." Yuriko smiled.
"Rei's father is a politician. His experiences have given me a deeper understanding of how our government works."
Yuriko was surprised to see Rei frown at the mention of her father. The cold expression wasn't one she would have associated with the Senshi of Mars. The young woman was quick to change the subject.
"Grandpa, the Tsukinos need some support. They haven't seen Usagi since everyone was brought in. Could we go sit with them?"
The elderly gentleman tossed a discreet, apologetic look Yuriko's way. The doctor nodded and smiled.
"Would you like me to come along, Rei-chan?"
"I think they would like that, Mizuno-sensei."
"Please. Call me Yuriko." Rei smiled thankfully at Ami's mother. "Let me get my purse and we can…"
The door opened suddenly, admitting a weeping Nodoka. Gone was the strong, traditional woman that Yuriko had befriended all those years ago, and in her place was a broken shell. Ami's mother wasted no time in rushing to her friend's aid. Rei, being the closest to the door reached Ranma's mother first, and barely caught the woman as she collapsed. Grandpa Hino quickly cleared a path to the closest couch and the women lifted the distraught mother into a more comfortable position. The air was tense and uncomfortable for the Hinos, so Yuriko waved them off. Both left reluctantly, but it was apparent that the doctor was the best suited to handle the situation. Nodoka continued to weep, unmindful of anything beyond her own pain.
"What's wrong, No-chan?"
It took Ranma's mother a long time, and many tries before she was able to collect herself enough to speak coherently.
"They're…they're taking Ranma away from me!" She broke down again and clung to a very shocked Yuriko Mizuno.
"WHAT!"
It took longer for Nodoka to gain sufficient control of herself, but Yuriko was too shaken to press for answers. All she could do was look at the poor woman and silently share her pain. Having gone through a divorce herself, she understood the fear associated with potentially losing your child. Luckily for her, Ami's father was too busy being an artist to be bothered to deal with a custody battle. Nodoka's tears dried up, but she refused to let go of Yuriko.
"They arrested Genma at the Tower."
Ami's mother was happy about being a part of that – mostly because she had been a rather integral element in bringing the great ass down. The temptation to smile at the sweet memory of Justice being served was great, but in difference to Nodoka's pain, Yuriko refrained from celebrating. Instead, she just nodded and rubbed her best friend's back.
"They charged him almost immediately and took him in for more questioning. When they found out that he was Ranma's father, they transferred him here and began asking even more questions."
Nodoka shivered and sniffled. Yuriko reached into her purse and gave Nodoka some tissues.
"They have a file on Ranma, Yuriko. A very thick file. They said that they have one on all of the 'prominent people' in Japan." She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "It was obvious that they were happy to have finally gotten their hands on Genma. His folder was even thicker than Ranma's, and from the glance I caught of its contents – my ex-husband was something of a notorious criminal."
"Your 'ex-husband'?" Nodoka nodded sadly. "Well, all I can say No-chan, is that it's about damn time. You deserve better."
"I'm not so sure about that."
Yuriko didn't get the opportunity to question her friend about that statement, as Nodoka suddenly shifted gears.
"They invited me to watch Genma's interview, to act as a sort of character witness. I agreed, intending to make certain that they had a clear picture about the man's more recent activities. They warned me up front that things weren't going to be pretty. I thought that I had heard the worst Genma had to offer, but I was wrong. When they started asking questions about Genma's past, I was shocked."
Ranma's mother sat up and grabbed her friend's hands in desperation.
"He's a dreadful person, Yuriko. If I had known then, what I know now, I would have run from him the day he proposed to me! The inhumane things he did to poor Ranma! I…I had no idea…."
"What did he do, No-chan?"
"Terrible things! Inexcusable things! He sold him for food, taught him to steal from people, be…beat him…." Nodoka couldn't continue. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.
"There's more isn't there?"
Nodoka simply nodded.
"Is it bad?"
Nodoka nodded vigorously.
"You don't have to talk about it now. You should find someone to help you deal with it though."
The distraught woman tensed and tightly closed her fists in her lap, until her knuckles were white.
"I allowed it to happen, Yuriko! I gave my baby to that monster! I'm responsible for the hell he had to endure growing up!"
"He abused your trust, No-chan. You shouldn't blame yourself for that."
"They are!"
"Who, Dear?" Yuriko had a sinking feeling about where this was going, but plunged ahead anyway.
"The Ministry of Health and Welfare!"
"Why are they getting involved? Ranma's almost an adult, it doesn't make any sense to intervene now."
"The law is the law, Yuriko. Besides, Genma told them about that damned contract! He told them that I forced him to write it."
"What contract?"
Nodoka blanched.
"Tell me about the contract, No-chan."
"You have to understand! I was seventeen years old! I was stupid and in love. I wasn't serious about following through with it!"
Yuriko could tell that it was bad, and knew that Nodoka was afraid of what the knowledge of this would do to their friendship.
"I won't abandon you, No-chan. Just tell me what it said, so that I can help."
"You can't help. No one can."
"Let me be the judge of that." Yuiko patted her friend's hand comfortingly. Nodoka hid her face in shame.
"It was a seppuku contract."
"Oh, dear sweet heaven! No-chan you didn't…?"
"Of course I didn't! It was all Genma! But he seemed so sincere and I was caught up in the romance of the moment! It was like we were in a movie. I would never hold my son to such a terrible promise."
"But Genma tried to pin it on you."
Nodoka's head fell.
"Yes, and Ranma's testimony only gave more weight to his lie."
"Ranma's testimony?"
"When they came back from China, and were staying at the Tendo's, I…." She shook her head. "It took me sometime to put everything together, what with the curses and everything. But once I did figure it out, I wanted to pay Genma back for his cruelty in keeping my son from me."
"You were angry." Yuriko said.
"Of course I was angry! Who wouldn't be? After ten long years that tub of lard comes back, and the first thing he does is look up that worthless ass, Tendo. The contract was the only way that I could express my anger."
"Why didn't you tell Ranma the truth?"
Nodoka's expression went from upset to depressed in the blink of an eye.
"I was too caught up in punishing Genma. The thought never occurred to me until a beach trip we took with the Tendos. That's where the farce ended for me, but by that time Genma had done such a good job of teaching Ranma to fear me that it took months to get him to look at me without flinching."
"I expect that you explained this to them already." Nodoka nodded. "So why are they siding with a lying bastard like Genma on this?"
Nodoka shrugged.
"It seems that they've got plans for Ranma, and this is the easiest way of moving those plans forward."
"Plans? What plans?"
"I don't know all of the details, but they mentioned something about a reward for saving the people at the Tower from the demon. They even talked openly about putting Ranma with another family to protect him from 'abusive parents!'"
Alarm blossomed on Yuriko's face. Her conversation with Hino-sensei came back to her mind with a vengeance.
"'…friends of the government….' They're looking for a way to control him and the Senshi."
Nodoka nodded again.
"Oh. Oh, damn! No-chan this isn't right! We've got to do something!"
"What can we do? Genma's been imprisoned and they've already declared me an unfit mother! They made it very clear that should they find the rest of the family wanting, Ranma will be a ward of the state. Considering Genma's sisters, I can only imagine that it will be a matter of time before they make good on their promises! There's nothing to do!"
"And Ranma allowed this?"
"I doubt they've told him yet. Not after what they saw him do at Tokyo Tower. They'll probably wait until his dinner appointment with the Emperor tomorrow. Besides, what can he do to stop it? Don't you see? I've lost my son again and there's not a damn thing I can do about it!"
Nodoka broke down in tears again, and Yuriko joined her this time. There were no words of comfort to be given in that moment – after all, what could be said to assuage the pain and helplessness this poor woman was feeling?
A small pit of fear gripped Yuriko's heart as she held her friend. If this had happened to Nodoka, it could just as easily happen to her.
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"What's the angle kid? What are you hoping to get out of this stunt you pulled today? Money? Fame? Did your old man put you up to this scam?"
Retsu Watanami was, by all measure, a career "bad cop" – not in the sense that he was on the take, or anything so corrupt. If he was guilty of any darkness, it came from his being of the old mindset that corporal and capital punishment should be instituted for all levels of criminal activity. His position on the redemption of the undesirable elements of society was simple: use their corpses as fertilizer. That was the only way that they would have a positive impact on society anyway. He had little patience for criminal elements, and the only reason he'd been invited into the debriefing was his long history with Ranma's father. Retsu had been chasing Genma Saotome for nearly twenty years, and by association he'd been hunting Ranma for ten. The instant the pair had seen each other, it was a powder keg waiting to blow and Retsu had just tossed the match.
"Scam?" Ranma growled. "Angle? Just who the hell do you think I am?"
"I think you're a punk-ass thief who thinks himself above the law. You're Genma Saotome's son, and that alone should be a criminal offense." Retsu snarled.
He leaned in until his nose was all but touching Ranma's. The stale stench of cigarettes and bad coffee clung to the man's breath and clothes. It made the already irritable young man's patience thin even more. Ranma's eyes narrowed dangerously and the air started to ripple around his body.
"Back off man."
It took everything Ranma had just to keep from shattering the man's jaw.
"Are you threatening me, boy?"
"I'm giving you a friendly warning, Old Man. It's been one hell of a day." The temperature dipped even more as Ranma leaned forward, making Retsu back up nervously. "Don't press, unless you're ready for me to push back."
"Now you listen here you little shi…"
"That will be enough, Inspector."
The blustering detective spun away from Ranma to face the source of the voice. The stately woman looked to be in her mid-forties and had a hard, no nonsense presence about her. She was pretty, but that beauty was secondary to the authority she exuded.
"I will not be threatened by some felon's snot nosed little bastard!" Retsu stabbed a finger at Ranma and then pointed to the tall stack of thick, three ring binders on the table before the young man. "He's a criminal and as far as I'm concerned he should be sharing a cell block with his father!"
A nimbus of silvery light exploded around Ranma's body as he shot to his feet. Inspector Watanami backed off hastily, but didn't look ready to back down any. Ranma wondered just how many of Watanami's bones he could powder before they could stop him. He was sure he could manage about a hundred and twenty – probably more if he could get some maneuvering room. His forward momentum was brought up short as a firm hand gripped his shoulder.
"Inspector Watanami, your opinion in this matter holds very little weight at present." The woman's calm voice cut through the tension easily as she gently directed Ranma back into his chair. "We are not here to discuss Saotome-san's past, beyond the events of this afternoon. You are here as a favor to Special Director Hitoichi, nothing more and nothing less. Do I make myself clear?"
"You mean to tell me that we're ignoring over four thousand counts of property damage, aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, petty larceny, fraud, and indecent exposure!?" Retsu roared. His face was already purpling with his repressed rage.
"For the moment, yes." The woman stated evenly. "Having reviewed some of those reported incidents myself, Inspector, I find that many of the facts do not add up. If anything, they paint Saotome-san as a victim of exploitation and child abuse."
"You can't be serious!" Watanami rounded the table and grabbed a fat binder from the top of the pile in both hands and waved it at the woman. "I have sworn complaints from a number of victims about his recent activities in Nerima! He's broken the law and must be held accountable for his actions!"
"Your investigations were inconclusive as far as Saotome-san was concerned." The woman crossed her arms as she ignored the waving binder. "He was involved in many of the reported instances, but his participation as a defender was corroborated on many occasions. Today's events give credence to those testimonies and as such, I will not tolerate your badgering this young man in the name of your vendetta."
"Vendetta!" Retsu hissed. He would have said more had the third man in the room stood up and entered the conversation. He was younger than both Watanami and the woman, looking to be in his late twenties or early thirties at most. His smooth skin and relaxed posture marked him as a non-combatant, but the way he moved screamed otherwise to Ranma's jaded eye.
"If I may, Yoshizumi-san?" At her nod he smiled and settled in the chair opposite Ranma. "The inspector has spent a great deal of his life following the Saotome files. While his passionate methods leave much to be desired, his position is valid. Crimes have been committed, lives and livelihoods have been damaged, and this has been the first opportunity for us to have a look into the other side of the story."
"While I understand your eagerness for justice Hitoichi-san, I have my orders." Yoshizumi-san's voice was cool and in control. "The analysis of the events of Tokyo Tower takes precedence over any criminal investigation, past or present, that might involve Saotome-san."
"And what happens if the two cases are some how linked in some way?" Hitoichi-san laced his fingers and switched his attention from the woman to Ranma. "Please answer the original question Mr. Saotome. Were the events at Tokyo Tower engineered by you or anyone that you know?"
He looked at the man across from him darkly for a moment, and then closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep cleansing breath. The man's question pissed him off, but considering all the crap that his father pulled over the years, he couldn't exactly blame them for asking.
Damn it! This wasn't the way that he had envisioned spending the evening. Then again, he hadn't exactly expected to destroy Tokyo Tower when he got up this morning either.
"Please, Saotome-san. Try to understand this from our position. People have been hurt. Lives have been lost. We're trying to find them some semblance of peace. If you know anything about the origin of the entity you fought, you have a duty to disclose that information – regardless of your relationship to those that may be guilty."
Ranma blinked and then shook his head.
"You think that Pops had something to do with this?" That was rich! The tub of lard was a rogue and an idiot, but he wasn't smart enough or evil enough to deal with the Rhakshasa.
"You tell us." Watanami sneered from a corner of the room.
"Saotome-san, I know it's been a trying day for you. I also appreciate the need to remain loyal to your father." The detective rubbed his cheek tiredly. "To be completely honest, if it were up to me, I wouldn't be burdening you with any of this right now."
Hitoichi, for being in the employ of the government, seemed pretty okay. With the awakening of Ranma's Lunarian heritage, he could feel the purity of the man's soul and knew that he was telling the truth.
"Thanks." Ranma smiled wanly and nodded.
"Unfortunately, our superiors are insistent on addressing this issue as soon as possible. You have to appreciate the fact that your father has done quite a few dishonest things in his life. We know this already, and have more than enough evidence to prosecute." Hitoichi-san shook his head. "Both he and his friend Soun Tendo are in custody, and are being questioned as we speak. From what I understand, he's already blaming quite a bit of his felonious activities on you and someone named 'Master Happosai' – including the summoning of the…demon…that attacked the Tower."
Ranma slammed his fist against the metal tabletop, denting it severely, and shot angrily from his chair.
"That's a damn lie! I had nothing to do with the Rhakshasa attacking the Tower, and I sure as hell doubt the letch is stupid enough to have any sort of arrangement with their kind. Hell, I doubt the old fart has the resources or the power necessary to breach the Seal, even if he wanted to use them!"
"You sure know a lot about these so called 'demons' don't you Saotome?" Both Ranma and Hitoichi-san ignored Retsu's accusation.
"Do you want to hear some of your father's interview?" Hitoichi asked as he watched the young man pace back and forth. Not waiting for Ranma's answer he motioned for Yoshizumi to start the play back.
"…it was the boy."
"How in the world does an underweight seven year old, steal five cases of Kirin and three cases of Sapporo's best?"
"The boy is a master thief…don't underestimate his cunning!"
"And just who taught him to be such a criminal delinquent?"
"There are many gangs and unsavory types in the schools these days. I'm sad to say that the boy often fell in with the wrong crowds while I worked odd jobs."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. The life of a loving, single parent is terribly difficult and fraught with hardships that few can fathom."
"I can only imagine." The interviewer paused and the sound of shuffling paper echoed through the room. "Tell me something Saotome-san, why would any loving parent, single or otherwise, train their child in the…neko-ken, was it?
"Pops is blowin' smoke in order to save his own ass." The young martial artist sighed and slumped wearily into his seat. "But he's too much of a moron to pull off a ritual summoning, regardless of his resources. Any demon would eat him alive before he had the chance to bind it."
"Again, I'd like to go on record…" Retsu interjected loudly. "…and point out that the young man seems to be demonstrating a great deal of knowledge about the subject of demons and what it takes to make use of them."
"Dude, you're really starting to piss me off." Ranma growled.
"I don't give a rat's ass, how you feel Saotome!" Retsu jeered. "There are six people lying in a morgue five blocks from here, and another fifteen who are laid up in the hospital because of you and that monster."
"Watanami, this is your last warning." Yoshizumi snapped. "Stop trying to implicate Saotome-san of something he had no control over."
"The kid's record speaks for itself!" Retsu roared. "If you're not going to ask the hard questions, then maybe you should stop playing at being a detective. Go back to the kitchen where you belong!"
No one saw Ranma move. To the naked eye he seemed to disappear from his chair and then reappear across the room with Watanami hoisted two and a half feet off the floor by the front of his shirt with one hand.
"Apologize to the lady."
"Make me punk." Watanami's grin was positively feral. "I've got you on attempted assault of an officer of the law, why not go all the way and give me more ammo to put you behind bars where you belong?"
"Saotome-san, please release him." Yoshizumi laid a gentle hand on his forearm. Ranma reluctantly complied, and moved back to his chair. The female detective glared at Retsu Watanami once before stepping back to Hitoichi's side and whispering something to him. He nodded once and closed his eyes.
"Watanami-san, I am afraid that your presence here is no longer required. Please see yourself out." Ranma smirked as the belligerent detective's face purpled. The young martial artist's grin turned positively smug as Hitoichi continued talking, as if the other man had already left the room. "Now then, Saotome-san, let us continue."
Ranma nodded and tracked Watanami's progress to the door. If looks could kill, both Ranma and Retsu would have been little more than dust. Hitoichi-san didn't speak again until Watanami was completely out of the room.
"Before we continue Saotome-san, I would like to apologize for my colleague's rudeness."
"There's one in every bunch, Hitoichi-san." Ranma waved him off.
"Be that as it may, his unprofessional behavior will be punished." Ranma nodded. "I should probably ask you again if you would like legal counsel present during this interview. It would go a long way to safeguarding your interests."
Ranma shook his head.
"I hate lawyers. Besides, you said I ain't being charged with anything right?" Hitoichi and Yoshizumi both nodded. "Then there ain't no need ta have some crooked ambulance chaser interrupting me every five minutes. You're both trustworthy, and that's good enough for me."
"If that is the way you want to proceed, then by all means let us continue." Ranma nodded, motioning the detective to continue. "You were saying something about your father being incapable of summoning the monster."
"Yeah. Pops is sneaky as hell, but he's too damn lazy to put the work into breaking the Seal." Ranma paused and tapped his chin. "Not to mention there's no way he'd be powerful enough to do it, even if he wanted to."
It was obvious from the rapidly scribbled notes and the way that Hitoichi closed his eyes after a moment that the man probably had a thousand new questions for Ranma. He could certainly sympathize with the officer's plight; he was having trouble assimilating everything himself…and he had a life-time's worth of new…er, old…memories to help him see a bigger picture.
"So you are certain that your father had nothing to do with this then?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry to say, your testimony will not change the fact that he is going to be in jail for a very, very long time." Hitoichi folded his hands before him on the table.
"The man made his bed." Ranma glared at his dull reflection in the table top. "I always knew that his crap was gonna catch up to him sooner or later. I tried to warn him, you know? But he'd always laugh me off or try and blame all his crap on me."
"Would you like to speak to him?"
Ranma shook his head.
"He's an adult – let him deal with his own problems." He sighed. "Heaven knows that he never gave a damn about my troubles, beyond saving his own hide."
Hitoichi nodded and pushed the binder aside, motioning for Yoshizumi to pull up a chair.
"Let us move back on topic then. What can you tell me about these…" He checked his notes. "…Rhakshasa."
Ranma shrugged.
"From what I'm getting from Aramas' memories, they were agents of Entropy."
"Aramas?" Yoshizumi asked.
"Aramas Drumheller. Me from my past life." Neither interviewer made a comment about his statement, skeptical or otherwise.
Both were too taken aback as Ranma's demeanor seemed to change before the interviewers' very eyes. One moment he was a brash young man, and the next he seemed to become a hardened soldier. His back stiffened and his face lost all emotion.
"I was a member of the Royal Guard, assigned as the personal guardian of Princess Serenity the Seventh. Part of my duties were to know and recognize any threats arrayed against the Royal Line. The Rhakshasa were a militant race from prior to the Silver Millennium that sold their souls to Entropy for unimaginable power. They are organized into a strict caste system, divided into the four Varnas, and further sub-divided into thousands of individual castes that are aligned with a tribe or Raj. The Raj are generally content to fight amongst themselves, looking for supremacy over one another in order to gain favor with Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Ceylon. Their castes are generally mixed when a Hunt is called. One such Hunt was responsible for the destruction of Janus and its moons, between Mars and Jupiter, along the outer rim of the inner planets."
The interviewers shifted uncomfortably at the toneless, and almost encyclopedic, manner in which Ranma was delivering the information. Neither said anything to interrupt him until they were certain he was finished.
"What else can you tell us about the Rhakshasa?"
"The Rhakshasa are a varied race of animal headed monstrosities, with the ability to shape shift and use dark sorcery. The creature I fought today was most likely a mid-level member of an elite-class scouting party. They are invulnerable to all forms of mundane weaponry made from steel and iron, with cold iron being a notable exception. Purified silver and gold are poison to the lower and middle castes, while both offensive and holy magic do permanent harm to all Rhakshasa. It should be noted that more magical power is required to harm the more powerful Rhakshasa; but a mixture of purified gold and silver in sufficient quantities is enough to weaken a Rhakshasa of any class."
Ranma blinked and turned his head to the side nervously as Hitoichi-san continued to scribble his notes. It was bad enough to have the memories, but to have them take control…that was something else entirely. Ranma was no novice when it came to identity crisis, but even he was starting to think that maybe it was time for a nice long vacation to a Shrink Farm.
"Well, that is a positive sign at least." Yoshizumi-san smiled, hoping to break the uncomfortable silence. "Magic notwithstanding, we know that they can be hurt by technology well within our reach."
"It's gonna take a lot of purified gold and silver ta get the job done Yoshizumi-san." Ranma sighed and let his head drop into his palms. "I ain't saying it can't be done, I'm just warnin' ya that it ain't gonna be easy ta put these things down with just silver bullets."
"Curious." Hitoichi-san tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if that is where the werewolf myth came from."
"Probably." Ranma nodded. "The Rhakshasa weren't recognized as a cohesive society until a little under a decade before Queen Serenity the Sixth sealed them away. With the fall of the Silver Millennium, I'm sure that refugees scattered themselves all across the Earth. Most regions and societies probably had their own horror stories that got passed down and corrupted over the years."
"Fascinating." Hitoichi-san shook his head and scribbled another few lines to his note pad. Ranma leaned back in his chair and let the man think. Yoshizumi-san took the silence as an opportunity to openly study him, making Ranma feel more than a little uncomfortable.
"Is there anything that you can tell us about the young women that fought alongside of you today?" Hitoichi folded his hands in front of his face and leaned forward a bit.
"Past or present versions?" Ranma smirked and shrugged. "To be honest, my brain's a bit scrambled from everything that's happened. I don't know the girls all that well, at least not their present incarnations." He paused for a moment and rubbed his temples. "I had enough contact with the Senshi, in one form or another, during Aramas' life to give you their favorite colors, blood type, and personal pet peeves."
"But?" Yoshizumi-san prompted.
"But, none of them are the same as they were during Serenity the Sixth's reign. Me neither for that matter." Ranma frowned for a moment, looking at the pad of paper across from him skeptically. "Why do you want to know?"
Yoshizumi shared a nod with Hitoichi, prompting the man to answer the question.
"Saotome-san, as of today the world has become a bigger, scarier place."
(oo0/8/0oo)
Usagi stifled a yawn as she finally walked free of the interview.
"We're terribly sorry for keeping you up so late, Serenity-sama."
"Not at all, Himira-san." Usagi smiled brightly at the tall man in the black suit. "I understand completely."
"Due to the hour, we've taken the liberty of reserving a number of hotel suites for you and your friends at the Keio Plaza across the street. I believe that some of your companions have already made their way over."
Usagi bowed to the smartly dressed woman beside Himira-san, who returned the bow – only deeper.
"Thank you for your kindness, Odowara-san."
"No, thank you. We owe you our thanks many times over."
Usagi was too tired to deflect the compliment, so she simply nodded her head.
"Take care, Serenity-sama. And thank you again for the autographs. My girls are going to go nuts." The man in the black suit beamed proudly, warming Usagi's heart in the process. It was nice to feel appreciated after all the sacrifice.
"Please give them my best wishes, Himira-san."
"I will." He nodded.
"Before we forget Serenity-sama," Odowara-san handed Usagi a thick envelop. "Umasho-san asked me to pass this on to you."
"Thank you." Usagi blinked tiredly at the fat envelope, uncertain what it was.
"There should be a letter inside explaining everything."
Usagi nodded and bowed again as the pair walked down the hall. She looked up at the woman who had accompanied her into the interview and fought down a giggle at the wide-eyed, glassy expression on her face. Obviously she was not the only one feeling the effects of the long interview.
The government representatives had been very cordial and accommodating, bringing in snacks and drinks when it was apparent that they needed them. Their questions hadn't been too bad either. They were just questions that required a lot of clarification on her part. They asked her about how she became a Senshi and, of course, she had ended up having to tell them the whole thing from the beginning. Nothing would have made much sense without a solid grounding to build from.
They had seemed fairly skeptical about her reincarnation, multiple resurrections, and all the Silver Millennium stuff, but they hadn't said anything to discourage or mock her. She appreciated that a great deal. It was hard enough to believe herself…and she had lived it; so she could understand their skepticism. After having a better grasp of things, they asked about past battles and how they ended up defeating their enemies. That of course had taken even more time to explain. She had gone from Beryl to Ur, highlighting all the major encounters but glossing over the details. It was apparent to her, or at least to Princess Serenity's memories, that they were fishing for more information than she should give. So, she gave them just enough to satisfy, without weakening the Senshi's effectiveness in battle.
She had turned the discussion away from taboo topics, through an artful use of silence and asking questions of her own. By the time the interview came to a close, Usagi had become fairly good friends with the men and women questioning her.
All in all, it was thankfully something less than she had expected. They hadn't once asked her about Pluto's declaration, or her relationship with Mamoru or Ranma. She had been puzzled at first about the oversight, but decided that if they didn't ask then they didn't need to know. Still, she supposed things could have been worse and was thankful that they had turned out as well as they did.
She wasn't about to take full credit for the smoothness of the interview. She had a hand in everything, but the aid and intervention of Aino-san's lawyer at the very beginning of the proceedings had certainly set the tone for the night. After talking with Setsuna, he called in some more people from his firm to represent the Senshi on behalf of their parents. When asked about how they were being paid, Pluto said that it was taken care of and let the matter drop. Usagi, as nervous as she had been, didn't think to pursue the topic further. Especially once the interviews got under way.
Minako, who had been the first to disappear behind closed doors, had by far suffered the worst of all the Senshi. Her dad had to be escorted from the interview after the first five minutes, because he couldn't stop yelling. That had made Usagi extremely nervous, considering the way her father kept fidgeting and pacing. She knew that at some point they were going to have a confrontation about all of this, and she wasn't looking forward to it in the least. She sighed and looked at the woman walking beside her. The dazed look was the same as a few minutes before, and Usagi knew that the poor woman was running on autopilot.
"Are you going to be okay, Funikoshi-san?"
The lawyer blinked and turned to face Usagi. She quickly bowed in embarrassment.
"I'm terribly sorry, Serenity-sama! I didn't mean to ignore you!"
Usagi patted the woman's arm.
"Please. Don't worry yourself about it." She smiled impishly. "I completely understand how strange all of this must be for you."
"Yes. I suppose you can call this a bit strange." The woman grinned.
"Only a bit?"
The woman laughed.
"Seriously, Funikoshi-san. There is no need to apologize."
"Thank you, Serenity-sama."
"Nonsense! You are the one that deserves the 'thank you's'. I don't know what I would have done in there without you."
"I think you handled yourself very maturely."
Usagi smiled again.
"In fact, it would be my honor to serve you again, should you ever need my services."
"I would like that very much." They continued down the hall in silence for a bit, until Usagi saw something in the woman's demeanor change. "Is there something wrong?"
Funikoshi-san frowned and shook her head.
"No. Not particularly."
"But something is bothering you." Usagi was very appreciative of her past life's memories at that moment. It made dealing with people so much easier. "Please tell me what's on your mind."
"I expected more."
Usagi nodded.
"Me too."
"They had quite a bit of information on you, which would indicate that they have been aware of you for a long time."
"Yes, that kind of freaked me out too."
"What I don't understand is why there weren't more probing inquiries. I mean after hearing the whole story, start to finish, I have a million questions."
"Maybe I gave them too much to think about? You know, overloaded them?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." Funikoshi-san didn't look convinced. She stopped, forcing Usagi to halt beside her. "May I see the envelope they gave you?"
Usagi nodded and handed it over. The woman scanned the contents, pulling out the introductory letter and giving it a quick once over. After perusing the note, she handed it off to Usagi and shuffled through the rest of the things in the envelope – holding each up for the blonde to see.
"Key card to a hotel suite. Itinerary for your day tomorrow, so that you will be prepared to meet the Emperor. Credit card to pay for formal wear and to get a make over. And last but not least, a pamphlet on etiquette when dealing with the Imperial family."
Funikoshi-san whistled. Usagi wanted to faint.
"You grabbed somebody's attention today, that's for sure."
It was Usagi's turn to feel the shock and awe of the moment. In light of everything that had been happening, she hadn't thought too much about the invitation Omashu-san gave her and Ranma at Tokyo Tower. There just hadn't been time to think about what it meant to have dinner with the Emperor of Japan. She felt an unreasonable panic well up inside of her, and realized that no matter how much she wished otherwise, this wasn't a bad dream and she wasn't going to be waking up anytime soon. Funikoshi-san took up her hands and held them tight.
"Don't worry, Serenity-sama. Everything will be all right in the end."
"I wish I could say I believe you."
"What's not to believe? You are Sailor Moon, Champion of Love and Justice. If you can take down monsters like the one I saw you guys fighting on the news today, then meeting with the spiritual symbol of our nation and his family will be a snap!"
"Thank you, Funikoshi-san."
"No more of that now. After everything that's happened tonight, please call me Shinobu-chan."
"Thank you, Shinobu-chan."
Shinobu winked and smiled.
"What are friends for?"
The two shared a laugh, until they heard the sound of pounding feet coming from behind them. Usagi and Shinobu turned, and were surprised to see Ranma barreling down the hallway. The light glinted off his new golden bracers and his blue silk shirt shimmered beneath the artificial light. Seven or eight men in black suits were trailing behind him. He slid casually to a stop in front of the pair and eyed the corridor critically.
"You were scared." He said flatly. "Are you okay?"
Usagi nodded, trying not to be shocked by Ranma's appearance. More footsteps could be heard coming from the other direction. Everyone watched the other end of the hall expectantly. Tuxedo Kamen, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, and Mercury rounded the corner at full speed, looking for the danger to their queen.
"What's going on?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.
"You're late as usual, that's what." Ranma growled.
"Boyfriends?" Shinobu ask out of the corner of her mouth. Usagi shook her head.
"Reincarnated big brother and my future consort."
"Ahhh." Shinobu eyed both men critically. "Which is which?"
"This is Aramas..." Usagi pointed.
"Ranma." He corrected.
"Ranma." Usagi amended. "And this is Tuxedo Kamen."
Ranma snorted derisively and rolled his eyes.
"Tuxedo Baka is more like it."
Jupiter coughed to cover a nasty case of giggles. Tuxedo Kamen's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Ranma!" Usagi admonished.
"Well, I ain't in a very nice mood tonight." He glared at the men in black suits darkly. They backed off noticeably. "And I ain't about to apologize to the penguin, either so don't even ask."
"What crawled up your butt and died?" Jupiter asked with a scowl. Ranma jerked his thumb behind him at the men, but didn't say anything else. The government agents straightened themselves, and one brave soul moved forward to confront Ranma.
"Mr. Saotome, we still have a few questions to…."
Ranma waved his hand negligently and started to walk away from the crowd.
"I answered all the questions I'm gonna answer. So, you guys can take your questions and shove em up yer…"
"RANMA!" Usagi blushed and sputtered.
"WHAT!" The martial artist stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around.
"Why are you being so mean to them? They're only doing their jobs."
Ranma spun on Usagi and began ticking off reasons on his fingers.
"I'm tired. I'm hungry. I stink. And I hurt. They won't tell me where the damn bathroom is. They won't tell me where my mom is. And they just made me put my old man behind bars for the next fifty years or more. I get this nagging feeling you're upset and maybe in danger and…"
He closed his fists, causing the tendons in his fingers to pop loudly.
"I'm in a mean mood. If they wanna push me any more, I'm sure as hell going to push back."
He glared at the men, who decided to leave while they were still able. One of the suits reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope similar to the one Usagi had been given. Ranma watched him carefully as he set it on the floor at his feet, and then the man turned and silently joined the others. Mercury moved forward and collected the package, then moved to Ranma's side. He accepted the package with a nod, but didn't bother opening it.
"Mars said that our mothers are together in a waiting room by the elevators. Do you want to go see them?" Mercury slipped her arm in his and looked up at him. Ranma nodded again and then sighed.
"Yeah." He looked at Usagi pointedly. "You gonna be okay?"
Usagi smiled and nodded tiredly. Ranma seemed appeased and the couple started to leave, but Shinobu quickly stepped in front of them. She swallowed nervously as Ranma's eyes narrowed darkly.
"I'm sorry to bother you, sir. It's just that there are some things about that envelope that you should know about."
Ranma glared down at her, causing her to shuffle anxiously.
"Who are you lady?"
Shinobu laughed uneasily and quickly bowed.
"Shinobu Funikoshi. I'm a lawyer with the Amamichi firm. It's a pleasure to meet you." She bowed again, deeper this time.
"Yeah." Mercury discretely elbowed him. "Uhm, likewise. Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I've got a long trip home. So, could you get to the point?"
"I'm sorry to keep you. It's just that, according to our hosts, arrangements have been made for all of you to stay at the Keio Hotel, across the street from this building."
"Really?" Jupiter asked.
"According to the people that interviewed Serenity-sama, yes."
"Well, at least the bastards gave us something for wasting our time." Ranma grumbled.
"Would it be okay if I looked at the contents of your envelope, sir?"
"Ranma." The young man corrected, handing over the envelope. "Just call me Ranma."
"Of course, Ranma-san." Shinobu quickly paged through the contents, nodding as she went. "This is pretty much the same package that they gave Serenity-san. The key card to your hotel suite, an itinerary for your day tomorrow to get you ready for the dinner with the Emperor, a credit card to pay for your formal wear and anything else you might need. And last but not least, the pamphlet on etiquette when dealing with the Imperial family."
Ami snatched the last one up, while everyone else looked on enviously at everything else Shinobu had held up. Ranma just rubbed his temples, obviously fighting off the exhaustion that was slowly overwhelming him.
"Thanks, Shinobu-chan. You shortened the distance between me and a bed." He smiled weakly and bowed to her. She returned the gesture and held out the envelope, which Mercury collected as she looped her arm around his waist. Usagi watched the pair slowly shamble down corridor with concern. The things that Ranma had gone through tonight concerned her a great deal. Long lost memories of her past life and the lessons she had learned at the foot of her mother's throne started stirring in her mind.
"Shinobu-chan, do you have Umasho-san's number?"
The young lawyer dug in her suit pocket and nodded, holding up the man's business card.
"Call him and see if it would be possible to have you join our dinner party, please."
"M…Me, Serenity-sama?"
"Yes, Shinobu-chan. I have a feeling that we will need a good lawyer. And with that in mind, I would like you to represent our interests from here on out."
"Bu…but…."
Usagi turned on the sputtering woman and rested her hands on her shoulders.
"I have faith in your abilities, Shinobu-chan. I can also see that you are an honest person with a good heart. I'm going to need people like you to help us through the tough times that are coming."
"I'm humbled and honored by your faith in me, Serenity-sama. Truly. But I don't think that my superiors will allow me the honor of serving you."
Usagi turned to her Senshi and tried to put on her "Princess" face.
"Senshi Pluto."
The Senshi of Time stepped forward and knelt before her queen on one knee.
"Your Majesty."
"Please take Shinobu-chan and inform her superiors of my desires. Shinobu Funikoshi is to be our chief legal counsel from this day forward. If her firm will not support this, you have my permission to use whatever funds and resources that are necessary, and at your disposal, to secure her services and make it possible for her to serve Our Court."
"Yes, your Majesty."
The lawyer's jaw dropped and her knees wobbled as Usagi spoke.
"You're serious." She blinked and shook her head. "This is for real…you're for real!"
Usagi winked and smiled.
"Yes. Yes. And…Yes."
"I can't believe this."
"Believe it."
It was obvious from the look of joy on the young woman's face, that she was trying not to dance and scream in an effort to maintain her professionalism.
"I want you to understand that we," She motioned to all the Senshi gathered. "…are counting on you to represent, not only us, but our families and loved ones as well. I don't know what the future will hold for us, but I do know that it will require a sharp mind, a stout heart, and I expect, many, many sleepless nights."
She let the weight of her gaze fall on the young woman, just as her mother had taught her when the Moon Kingdom had been at the height of its power. The change in Shinobu Funikoshi was drastic and immediate. Usagi hadn't been expecting the woman to kneel before her as Pluto had done, nor had she wanted the woman to pledge herself to her.
"I'm your woman, Serenity-sama. I won't fail you."
Usagi hadn't expected it, but she would take whatever miracles she could get right now. She looked at her Senshi and saw approving nods from one and all. An undisguised expression of pride adorned Tuxedo Kamen's face and that, more than anything, made Usagi's heart swell.
Past and present were fusing together in spurts and flashes. Her full heritage had awakened, and while she didn't know when or if she would have full integration with her past life, it seemed that she could at least hope to have a bright future.
In spite of everything the world decided to throw at her.
(oo0/8/0oo)
Ranma and Ami found their mothers in tears and, upon learning the reason for their sadness, it took every ounce of influence Ami could muster to keep the enraged martial artist from destroying the building. Sadly, she couldn't save the door to the lounge or the wall beyond it – Ranma had to vent somehow; and to be honest, Ami wanted to do more than a little property damage herself at the moment. Ranma's fury made his mother cry even more, but they were joyful tears. She could see the relief etched on Auntie Nodoka's face, but hidden behind that fragile mask lurked a great deal of grief and sorrow.
The poor woman begged him, on her knees, for his forgiveness – promising to swear whatever oaths he required for absolution. Ranma gently lifted her into his arms and gave it unconditionally without hesitation or requirement. Ami felt tears welling up in her eyes at the young man's kindness and felt suddenly out of place. Her mother seemed to feel it as well and started to leave, but Ranma stopped them both with a desperate look. It was obvious that he was struggling to keep his eyes open, and Ami understood that he just didn't have the emotional strength to care for his mother alone. It took all three of them to guide Nodoka out of the building and into the Keio hotel's lobby. Luckily, the government officials had seen to it to dissuade any of the staff from impeding their exit from the building.
Whether it was foresight, or simply good fortune, Ami didn't care one whit. All she knew was that Ranma's patience was threadbare and ready to snap; considering what they'd put Auntie through, Ami wasn't all that inclined to defend them either.
The stares the received would have unnerved Ami, had she not been so focused on Ranma and his mother. Looking back on their trip to the registration desk, the shock of the hotel staff and the few patrons still frequenting the lobby was extremely comical. She couldn't imagine that they saw an honest to goodness Sailor Senshi walking into their establishment very often...if ever. The fact that Usagi, Mamoru, Rei, and Makoto followed them into the hotel must have been a treat for all of the people lucky enough to see them. No doubt there would be gossip flying through out the building tonight, and paparazzi storming the hotel by morning.
Ami groaned and cursed Destiny's sick sense of humor as she sat on a couch in Ranma's suite. Events hadn't been kind to her today, and were she not so bloody tired, she'd probably be crying herself to sleep tonight like Ranma's mother. Comparatively though, she had suffered nothing next to Ranma.
The young man had been so pissed at the reception desk, upon learning that his mother did not have a reservation. The temperature in the area dropped considerably, and a ghostly blue aura sprang up around him causing his hair and tattered clothing to dance on a silent wind. Ami's mother had seen this and immediately shoved Ami into his arms and told her to take him up to his room. Ranma reluctantly complied, but only after Yuriko insisted that she would take care of it.
Now she was seated here, in her Senshi fuku, staring out the window of an expensive hotel suite nibbling on sandwiches. Ranma was in the shower getting cleaned up, but Ami didn't feel as embarrassed as she thought she should. If anything, it felt completely…ordinary. She sighed and closed her eyes, trying not to focus on the memories of her life as Isis.
Unfortunately it wasn't working so well.
"This is insane!" She huffed, tossing her half eaten sandwich back on the platter before her. She needed something else to occupy her mind. The question was, what? She'd already read the stupid etiquette pamphlet twice, and that only brought back memories of court life during the Silver Millennium. She sighed again and ran her fingers through her hair.
She needed a shower too.
A rather naughty memory of a holiday with Aramas at some nameless beach resort on Venus flashed through her mind, causing her to blush furiously. She quickly passed through the sliding door that opened onto the balcony, seeking to cool off.
The breeze was wonderful and welcome, soothing her tired mind and easing her tension. She could almost hear her libido crying out in protest. She tried not to think about that too much, focusing instead on the sickle shaped moon setting in the west. It looked so large, sitting on the horizon as it was. How long had it been since she just sat and looked at the moon like this? Two, maybe three years? It wounded her to think that it had been so long since she'd taken such a simple pleasure. She could remember Isis, sitting on a balcony of the palace and looking up at the Earth as it filled the night sky, thinking the same thoughts.
There were probably a thousand different problems that she needed to be solving right now, but all she could do was stare up at the moon and wonder. What would happen tomorrow? What would happen between her and Ranma? Did he like her? Did he remember the desperate love Isis had for Aramas? Would he care?
"You okay?"
Ami jumped and held her hand over her heart. She turned and her eyes bulged. Ranma stood in the doorway, with a towel wrapped around his middle and another scrubbing his long hair…and nothing else. Her face could have fried an egg from the heat she was emitting.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle ya."
Ami shook her head and tried, unsuccessfully, not to stare at the sculpted and rippling muscles of the young man's body. Ranma looked down at himself and blushed as well.
"My clothes are pretty much shot and I'm too damn hot to wear a robe."
"Yes you are…." Ami mumbled. She clapped her hands over her mouth in shock. She did not just say that out loud! Ranma's blush deepened and a small grin blossomed on his lips. Ami looked at her feet and prayed that someone would just shoot her and get it over with.
"Thanks." He wrapped the second towel around the back of his neck and leaned on the balcony's railing.
"You're welcome." She mumbled.
Her stomach flipped and flopped in a chaotic dance of emotion. She tried to think of something else to say, but her mind was a complete blank. It was as if someone had come in and just wiped every thought clean. The only thing that seemed not to leave was the image of his perfect body backlit in the doorway. The silence stretched long, but soon it wasn't as uncomfortable as it had been. It took her a while to gather the courage to join Ranma at the balcony rail, but when she did, all was right with the world again.
"Thanks for ordering the sandwiches. They really hit the spot."
Ami looked back to see the plate all but scoured clear. She didn't realize that she'd ordered so many, and when they'd come she had grimaced at the thought that they'd go to waste. Looking at the single sandwich he'd left her, Ami realized that she had been moving on autopilot…reacting, as Isis would have. It was both disturbing and exciting at the same time.
"I'm glad you enjoyed them. I can call down for some more if you'd like."
Ranma shook his head and smiled at her.
"I'll have a big breakfast in the morning."
Ami nodded and looked back to the moon. Ranma watched her for a long time before speaking again.
"You never answered my question." Ami looked at him quizzically. "You okay?"
"Oh! I'm sorry." She nodded her head. "I'm doing as well as can be expected all things considered. It's just been a long day."
Ranma sighed.
"Tell me about it."
The silence stretched again, but this time it was obvious that Ranma was agitated. Ami started to get worried the longer the silence grew.
"Are you okay?"
He shrugged.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Ranma shrugged again. It was clear that he wanted to, but didn't know how to start. Ami pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. Inspiration struck like a shooting star. Ranma had presented her a mystery, and she knew how to solve mysteries.
"My mom once told me that we can solve any problem, no matter how big, by breaking the large problem into smaller ones."
"This is a pretty big problem." Ranma smirked.
"Is it your mother?"
"Naw. No matter what those bastards say, she's still my mom. They can't take her from me, no matter how many laws they throw at us."
"Okay. It's not your mom. How about your father? Is what happened tonight troubling you?"
"A little. I mean I can't say that the Fat Panda didn't deserve what he got, 'cause he did – every last bit of it."
"But it still bothers you that he was being punished." Ami pointed out.
"Not so much that he was being punished, as it was that they were using me to punish him. It was like, by getting me to tell them the truth about what happened while we were training…."
"You felt like you were betraying him." Ami finished. Ranma nodded hesitantly.
Ami touched his warm shoulder, drawing his eyes to her.
"You didn't betray him. I know it must seem that way now, but your father chose to do a lot of very irresponsible and inexcusable things. He chose…not you." Ranma turned away from her. "You can't hide him from the consequences of his actions, Ranma. No one can. If you do, then you are guilty of a greater crime."
That got his attention.
"How so?"
Ami thought for a moment, trying to come up with an appropriate allegory to get her point across.
"If you were a father, and you saw your child holding a knife what would you do?"
It was Ranma's turn to think.
"Have I trained them to use the knife?" Ami shook her head.
"No. They are too young."
"Well, then I'd take it away."
"Would you teach them that knives are dangerous?"
"Of course."
"Now, imagine that you are the parent and your father is the child. Your father has been playing with the proverbial knife all his life. He might not have understood how wrong it was, but now he has the chance to learn. The question is: will you allow him to continue playing with this dangerous knife, or will you take the knife from him and teach him to respect how dangerous they are?"
"Take the knife?"
Ami nodded and smiled.
"If your dad isn't held accountable, he will continue to hurt himself and others with his actions. You have taken the opportunity to help him become a better man. You might not be able to change him, but you've helped him get to a point in his life where he can change himself."
Ranma laughed and shook his head.
"Somehow, I can't see the Old Man turning over a new leaf."
Ami smiled warmly.
"Maybe he will or maybe he won't. That isn't as important as giving him the chance to change."
Ranma nodded and fell silent again. After a while the tension in the air built again.
"There's more to this isn't there?" Ami asked. Ranma grunted. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Don't really know how." Ranma confessed.
"Is it about what happened at the Tower?" Ranma nodded and Ami was starting to see what the problem was likely to be. "It's about Aramas isn't it?"
Ranma looked at her shrewdly. After staring into each other's eyes for a very long time, Ami smiled.
"I'm feeling a bit off myself." She admitted. "I can remember what it was like before and feel all of these strange, yet wonderfully familiar, emotions surging through me. It's scary."
Ranma watched her, refusing to interrupt.
"When I first became Sailor Mercury, I was out of my mind with excitement. It was an opportunity to stop thinking and planning, in favor of doing. But, when Luna told me that I was the reincarnation of the Princess of Mercury…well, that's when things got really complicated." Ami turned to regard Ranma for a moment.
"But what if…" He trailed off, uncertain of just how to phrase his concerns. Ami watched his internal struggle patiently, and when it was apparent that he couldn't find the right words she laid her hand over his.
"Are you worried that Aramas will replace Ranma?" He nodded; shocked that she had pegged him so clearly. "Well, when I first found out about Isis, I felt much the same."
"And now?" Ranma asked quietly. He looked at her with a certain morbid curiosity that made her want to chuckle. "Who are you?"
"I'm both." Ami smiled at Ranma's dissatisfied frown. "Why should I have to be one or the other?"
He shrugged. Ami paused and thought about how best to approach this new problem.
"Let me ask you this. When you learn a new technique, do you stop using the old ones?"
"Of course not. That'd be stupid."
"Exactly. Now what happens if you combine the old knowledge with the new? Do you become stronger?"
"Sure. Sometimes you can even come up with something completely fresh." Ranma looked out over the city thoughtfully, but Ami forged ahead to bring the point of her lesson out in the open.
"That is the realization that I came to. Isis of Mercury is the old technique, and Ami Mizuno is the new. If I combine them, I become a better and stronger person than I was before. I don't give up one or the other. I become someone completely new, someone that I choose to be."
Ranma looked at her in wonder. It was as if a whole new world had been opened to him. He looked so adorable that she couldn't help but kiss him. When she realized what she had done, she was over come with embarrassment and looked down at her feet – unable to meet his gaze. He calmly lifted her chin so that he could see her blushing face.
"Who was that from?" He whispered hoarsely.
"Both." Ami whimpered.
Her heart was beating so hard she felt it was certainly going to explode. Ranma nodded and bent his head closer. Ami closed her eyes, and soon felt the warmth of his breath against her lips.
Her kiss had been short and sweet. Ranma's kiss was long and searching. Ami's arms slowly reached around his neck and drew him close, willing him to feel all the emotion she had for him – past and present. When the kiss ended, Ranma was supporting most of her weight. Her knees felt like rubber and her head was spinning. All she could do was look into his beautiful stormy eyes and smile.
"Who was that from?" She asked reverently.
Ranma's smile beamed in the light of the setting moon.
"Both of us."
(oo0/8/0oo)
The Millennial Flagship Arbiter was the pinnacle of technology for the Silver Millennium. It was designed by the best to reflect all that was bright and good about Serenity's empire, therefore it was a beautiful but deadly ship that had many purposes – warship, political symbol, exploratory vehicle, and colony ship to name a few.
Serenity commissioned the ship to be a united effort between every planetary government within the system. Its design, fabrication, and operation were handled by a number of inter-planetary teams that had but one goal: to create the greatest overall starship they could. And in the end, they achieved their aim. The beautiful behemoth became everything Serenity dreamed it would be…and more.
At 12,850 meters wide at the wing, and 7,500 meters long nose to tail, the ship was monstrous. Its hull was made of a highly resistant, regenerative crystal matrix that had been grown over a skeleton of the empire's strongest alloy. At full capacity, it would hold and sustain a crew compliment of close to 350,000. It was meant to be a traveling society in and of itself – Serenity's envoy to the rest of the galaxy. Unfortunately, that dream was never realized and to Hathomet's mind, it never would.
"Mother?"
The Elder Senshi of Mercury lifted her head from the rather hard data pad that served as her pillow for the last fifteen minutes. The soft sound of Mahat's voice filled her cabin again.
"Yes, Mahat?" She discretely thumbed the drool from her lip and wiped the data pad clean.
"I have the final reports that you asked for, Mother."
If there was one crowning achievement that had come from the creation of the Arbiter, it was its shipboard computer. It was the first truly "living" artificial intelligence, and Hathomet's own daughter, Isis, had created it. The junior Senshi had always wanted a younger brother to spoil and tease but, due to the cruelties of life, Hathomet had never been able to provide her one. So, in typical Mercurian style, Isis bypassed the rather inconvenient steps of biological conception and pregnancy, and created Mahat herself. She programmed everything, from top to bottom, and designed the ideal personality according to her needs and desires.
By the time the Arbiter was complete, Mahat was a reserved twelve year old who was terribly shy around beautiful redheaded females. Isis had installed him herself, and Hathomet had never been more proud. Mahat was tasked with a number of systems that were too complex, too redundant, or too dangerous for humans to handle. And in accordance with her daughter's design, the A.I. did it with style and enthusiasm.
Hathomet couldn't deny that her "son" was terribly cute; and in light of recent discoveries, she was glad that she had him to lean on. After all, he was quite possibly the last remaining family she had alive.
"Could you summarize them for me please? Bottom line only."
"Yes, m'am." Mahat's voice was even more subdued than normal, which meant only one thing: the news was bad. "Final casualty report: 2,013. Names have been catalogued in the main logs. Med Bays report serious injuries in 1,349 crewmembers that prevent them from returning to duty indefinitely."
The elder Senshi heaved a great sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"And the ship?"
"Over one third of the systems have failed or are in the process of failing. I am rerouting power from negligent or redundant systems to conserve power and salvage what I can. The hull has regenerated over seventy nine percent of the damage it has taken, but the remaining twenty one percent cannot be addressed while we are in transit."
"What systems are down?"
"Thankfully, nothing too important. Botanicals nineteen through thirty cannot be salvaged, life support and security to various decks have been shut down, and the aft weapons platform is inoperative. I have taken up the slack of the minor systems that were knocked out without any trouble."
Hathomet frowned thoughtfully before nodding.
"Well done. Make the weapons systems a priority." She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. "We've no idea what's happening out there, and I'd like to be as prepared as possible for any surprises we might encounter. With that in mind, do we know what the cause of the drive failure was?"
"Yes, Mother." Mahat's voice held a hint of fear. "It was sabotage."
A rather lengthy string of Jovian swear words violently split the air before the elder Senshi of Mercury could stop herself.
"Please delete all reference to the words I just used from your memory, Mahat."
"Yes, Mother." The A.I. giggled.
"Have the saboteurs been apprehended?"
"Yes m'am. Auntie Morgan has detained three of the eight-person team and they are currently awaiting the Queen's justice in detention center theta. The rest are reported to have perished in the attempts to capture them."
"What does Morgan have to report?" Hathomet steepled her fingers in front of her lips.
"The saboteurs were definitely Terran Separatists working under orders from Beryl. Initial intelligence suggests that they used temporal diffusion technology to weaken containment in the Maxim Loop of their targets."
"That would explain the extreme temporal displacement we've experienced." Hathomet signed and began massaging her temples. "Orders to Head of Security: Gather all intelligence possible by whatever means necessary. Once they are satisfied, please summon Elder Senshi Mercury and Venus for execution of Queen's Justice."
"What will happen to them, Mother?" Mahat asked curiously.
"You have access to the legal code, Mahat. Traitors and murderers gain no clemency from the throne. Their crimes are enforced by capital punishment."
"Will it hurt?"
"I hope so, Mahat. I genuinely hope so." She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "ETA to Terra?"
"Fourteen hours, forty seven minutes."
"Have you been able to decode the visuals we've intercepted from Terra?"
"Yes Mother!" Excitement laced his voice. "You'll never believe what they've been broadcasting either! They've come such a long way with their entertainment! Some of it is rather confusing, and I've taken the liberty of constructing a new database for languages, social and cultural education, and general reference."
"Anything important to us?"
"None of the communiqués are mana-based, so I can't be certain of how recent they are. Most of their methods seem rather primitive to be honest, but the closer we draw to Terra, the more advanced things become. Wait a second…."
"No! Way!" Mahat paused, fully drawing Hathomet's attention in the process.
"What is it?"
"Mother you've got to see this!" A holographic screen lit up from her data pad, replaying a very familiar battle. The audio seemed garbled as Mahat played with the transmission, but the Elder Senshi of Mercury wasn't too concerned with that. What really caught her attention was the image of memorable young woman and a young man with a very strong resemblance to a familiar Royal Guardsman. They were fighting a Rhakshasa…badly.
As Hathomet watched the playback, she cursed their poor skills up until the young woman changed. Neither Isis, nor her mother for that matter, had ever had the desire, the focus, or the power to achieve the Immortal Transformation. Such magic was intense and required an incredibly intimate connection to Mercury to pull off. She didn't know who this young warrior was, but it seemed that she was definitely something special.
Hathomet wondered if she was a descendant or an appointee?
The Elder Senshi shifted herself into a more comfortable position and let the visuals play out. By the end of the next two hours she found herself in tears at the knowledge that the young Senshi of Mercury was indeed someone very special. She was Hathomet's baby girl. She was Isis, and against all odds she was alive!
(oo0/8/0oo)
Ur watched the shadows bleed from the walls and slowly coalesce into a puddle at the center of his throne room. He had always found the magical display terribly theatrical in his youth, but now…now there was a symmetry to the way the Rhakshasa chose to travel. Their mastery of bending the ambient light, literally sucking it up and overpowering it at times, was very poetic. They refused to be held back by the laws of the Universe. No. They refused to acknowledge the laws others placed on the Universe.
Ur, after spending ten millennia trapped in his silver prison, understood and respected that concept all too well. It was that epiphany, which allowed him to free himself of Serenity's justice. He was no longer bound by her magic, because he chose not to be. It was a fine distinction that allowed him dominion over these demons he led. It was why the great and terrible Pashas feared him, and it was why Samallaham himself stepped from his throne to name Ahbrim Ur the Lord of the Hunt.
To many of the Rhakshasa, and those few humans under his care, Ur held the power of a god. To Ur, godhood was but one name for self-actualization…he no longer cared for titles, but the term was fitting. Ur was the god of his dominion, simply because those around him gave him that distinction. Their expectations gave him power. Their faith made their fears a reality. Who was he to challenge their beliefs?
"I have news my lord." The tiger headed Rhakshasa bowed humbly before the throne. Ur stepped down and clasped the demon on his shoulder.
"Rise, Old Friend. We are alone here, and I've no need for your piety." He swept away to the balcony as Indra rose to his feet. "What news have you brought me?"
"Orima Tene yet lives." Indra spoke carefully, gauging the former Atlantean's expression as they stopped at the wall. Ur looked towards the rising moon and smiled.
"So it does."
The pair stood for a long time, listening to the blowing wind as it rushed past them. Ur found the sound mournful, yet gratifying all the same.
"We will focus our hunt here for the time being." Ur thoughtfully stroked his goatee, pondering the large crescent shape hanging on the horizon.
"But my lord, if they should some how send aid…"
"Orima Tene sported a population of little under five million souls at the height of its power. Without Serenity or the rest of her kingdom to support and to bolster their gluttony, the city may as well be a tomb." The Lord of the Hunt looked to his companion and smiled. "Had they been a threat, would they not have attended that farce in Tokyo to pay homage to their new King and Queen? No, my dear friend, I cannot see Serenity's Throne as a viable threat at this time."
"Should we not prepare contingencies? It would be arrogant to think…."
Ur spun quickly on his companion.
"Of course it would! Do not think I am ignoring their potential as a threat. I am simply saying that there are other ways to cripple their usefulness."
"How so?"
"Take their King and Queen and you win the battle, dear Indra." Ur turned back to the night sky. "These people are all about symbols. Destroy those symbols and they will flop aimlessly about, like fish on the shoreline."
"Shall I move against them then?"
"For the moment, no." Ur paused and weighed the constellations that were so different from the ones he remembered. "They have the look of children about them, and that may be of use to us. Let us move subtly for a time, before we press the hammer to their necks. We will use their innocence as a weapon, and if they can be turned then so much the better."
"No power in the Galaxy would stand against us!" Indra grinned toothily. "Not even the Dam'Turiel!"
"You begin to learn Old Friend." Ur smiled and turned his attention back to the stars. "Is the weapon ready for deployment?"
"Primed and ready for teleportation, my Lord."
"We shall deploy it then." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I believe midnight tomorrow will suffice – a bit ahead of schedule, but my father always said that it was better to be a little early than late."
Indra's feral smile was overshadowed by the bloodlust in his eyes. Ur nodded, placating the demonic being with a pat on the shoulder.
"The chaos will cripple any outside involvement, and while the rest of the world reels, we will strike other targets. The prides will attack their objectives with a fury that will drive terror into the hearts of these primitive sheep."
Indra's eagerness grew palpable.
"Make the final preparations and return to me." Ahbrim Ur closed his eyes as a cool mountain breeze caressed his exposed flesh. "I have a message for you to deliver to the Rulers of Earth and Heaven."
The Rhakshasa bowed humbly before leaping away to do its master's bidding. Ur simply smiled and enjoyed the frigid night air. The morrow would be a great step in reshaping the world. The gods alone knew the Earth would never be the same again.
(oo0/8/0oo)
Ranma watched as Ami stifled a huge yawn. The light filtering into the room from the open curtains of the balcony window caused her to glow, leaving Ranma feeling a little breathless and light headed. He blushed heavily as he walked across the room from the bathroom, unable to take his eyes from her sleepy form. She stretched languidly and rubbed her eyes, causing the pajama shirt she'd claimed from him last night to lift and expose her flat, well-toned belly. Had he not been so distracted by the sight of her skin, and the sudden deluge of memories that rose up, he might have avoided smashing his toes against the table leg. He snatched up his injured foot, crashing his knee into the table and subsequently over turning it. The loud crash and Ranma's string of blistering curses startled her, as he hopped around the suite clutching his right foot.
The whole scene must have been terribly funny to watch, as Ami couldn't stifle her giggles. Ranma looked at her crossly as he fell into a large and comfortable leather chair near the television.
"I'm sorry…" Her giggles increased and a smile slowly spread across Ranma's face as he watched her. "Are you okay?"
She was so beautiful – even with mussed hair and no makeup she looked like an angel. He nodded and smiled as her mirth was slowly replaced by embarrassment.
"What?" She asked defensively. Her hands began to fidget and nervously smooth her hair.
"Please don't." He was as surprised to hear the request as Ami was. She paused and looked at him quizzically.
"Why?"
Ranma shrugged.
"I like the way you look."
Ami looked at him askance.
"You're joking right?" He shook his head. "But I must look horrible!"
Ranma shook his head.
"You look perfect ta me." Ranma felt an almost liquid warmth flood his heart as Ami blushed more and demurely began to play with the sheets. They sat like that for a long time, lost in their own thoughts, until Ami finally looked up and smiled broadly.
"Thank you."
"No need." Ranma replied.
"No, I mean thank you for putting me to bed last night."
Ranma nodded and shifted uncomfortably as their positions were suddenly reversed.
"I didn't want you to have to sleep on the couch." Ami nodded and continued to pluck and smooth the sheets. "You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you either."
After a few moments of silence, she looked up at him awkwardly.
"Did you sleep here too?"
Ranma began to wave his hands back and forth in a panic.
"No! I mean I wanted to…uhm that is…I uh…awww, crap."
He hung his head in defeat and listened as the sheets rustled as Ami left the bed. He waited patiently for the slap or whatever retaliation his slip of the tongue had earned. Ami's long, sculpted legs came into view and Ranma closed his eyes expectantly. To his amazement, the anticipated blow never fell. Instead, Ami slid onto his lap and forced Ranma to look up at her in surprise. She carefully lifted his arms and wrapped them around her waist and leaned her forehead against his, looking him in the eye.
"It's okay."
Ranma swallowed hard, uncertain of her meaning, and for once in his life he hesitantly asked for clarification. It seemed too important not to understand her meaning.
"What's okay?"
She smiled and began playing with his hair. He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers along his scalp and almost purred. She didn't answer his question though.
"I'm remembering so many different things about our pasts, things that make me feel so comfortable around you."
He nodded in understanding. He'd felt the same way.
"It's what I've always imagined marriage to feel like, you know?" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him. "I feel like I've found a missing part of my soul."
He knew exactly what she meant. He felt it too.
"I know all of this is sudden, but it feels…"
"Perfect." Ranma smiled and finished the thought for her.
"Yes." The brightness of her smile dazzled him.
"I know what you mean." He paused, trying to find the right words to express himself. "I feel it too."
Ami's expression grew concerned.
"But?"
He shrugged uncomfortably.
"It's like you said…everything is happening so fast. It's hard to keep up, you know?" She shifted uncomfortably on his lap, moving as if to get up, but Ranma held her firmly. "Don't get me wrong Ami-chan. I ain't sayin' that I don't have feelin's for you."
He sighed and leaned his head against her shoulder. She began absently massaging his neck with one hand and playing with his bangs with the other.
"Any fool would be stupid not to." He closed his eyes and took another deep breath.
"You don't have to say anything more."
He could hear her voice tremble slightly and silently cursed himself. He pushed her away from his so that he could look into her eyes.
"Now don't go jumpin' to conclusions! You're beautiful and I know that Aramas loved Isis with everything that he had. Hell, his greatest regret was not marrying her." Ranma's brow furrowed. "I…damn it." He hissed. "I suck with words!"
He pulled her in close and breathed in her sweet smell.
"You gotta understand something. I'm scared." It took every ounce of his courage to admit that fact. The moment he did, his courage failed him and uncertainty flooded his heart.
"What frightens you?" Ami's voice was warm and encouraging, and he knew that she would never ridicule him for his fears.
"There's lots of stuff, I guess. Most of all, I'm afraid of the past repeatin' itself." He finally admitted. "I lost ya once already, and I lost Akane too. I couldn't stand to lose you again. All I could see was that damn thing standin' over you, threatening to take you away from me, and it was too much. Toss in everything else that's happened over the last twenty four hours and I'm really confused."
"Are you scared of making a mistake?"
Ranma looked up at Ami's guarded face and frowned.
"Yes. But not the mistake you're thinking." He sighed and worried his lip, trying to collect his thoughts. "You ain't a mistake Ami-chan. Not to Aramas, and sure as hell not to me. The mistake isn't having feelings for you, it's pushing too fast and too hard."
"I think I understand." She nodded. "Does that mean you think I'm pushing you too fast?"
"I don't know." He admitted. "But I do know that I still got lots of baggage weighin' me down, not to mention all of this other crap we're dealing with."
He caressed her cheek softly.
"You deserve better this time around, Ami-chan. From what I'm remembering, Isis got the shaft so many times because of duty and circumstance." Ami let her hand slip down to rest in the crook between his neck and his bare shoulder. "I…I…ain't too good with emotions and stuff, so be patient."
She nodded and remained silent, giving him the time he needed to sort through things. He chuckled and shook his head.
"You know, a week ago, I would have been hanging form the ceiling over something like this. But since yesterday, it's like my eyes have been opened and I'm seeing everything from a new perspective."
"How so?"
"I lost so much time with Akane by dancin' around my feelings, and when I finally realized that she was gone I regretted never letting her know what she meant to me."
He absently began rubbing Ami's back in a way that had always comforted Isis. Each stroke was a small circle that went from the base of her neck down to the base of her spine. Ami seemed to relax.
"I ain't got time to play around here, but I want to do right by you. I don't want to rush things and screw it all up, but I know if I wait…things are just gonna get worse." He growled and then sighed heavily. "Damn! I'm so flamin' confused!"
Ami leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, caressing his face softly.
"To be honest, so am I." She confessed. "Do we try and pick up where things left off with Aramas and Isis? Is that even really fair?"
"You're a special woman, Ami-chan. I don't want to hurt you like I hurt Isis and Akane. It's just…"
"Too much, too fast." She finished for him.
He nodded lamely, feeling like a jerk. He knew that he wanted something to happen. Last night had opened his eyes to a number of wondrous memories that were impossible to ignore. Isis made him so incredibly happy – she completed him in ways that no one else ever had. And now, Ami was doing the same thing. He felt terribly guilty for even indulging in that happiness; in a way it felt like he was betraying Akane's memory too.
"I'll make a deal with you." Ami interrupted his thoughts with a soft smile. "We let things pace themselves for a while. If they go slow, that's fine. If they move quicker, that's fine too. In the end, if we feel uncomfortable with the speed things are moving at, then we step back and slow things down."
Ranma smiled and nodded, a gesture that Ami mimicked. They stared into each other's eyes for a long time, slowly drifting closer and closer to one another as the seconds passed. Their lips eventually met and Ranma relished the charge he felt from the kiss. When they broke apart, Ami's face was flushed with excitement.
"Are you comfortable with this?" She asked breathlessly.
In response, Ranma captured her lips and lost himself in the moment. Ami leaned into him, pressing her body as close to his as possible and wrapped her arms around his bare torso. It was safe to say that neither of them had felt anything quite so exquisite in this life, and both were intent on enjoying the novelty of the experience to the max.
Had they not been quite so distracted, they might have heard the knock at the door. Had they been a bit more attentive, they might have heard the voices of their mothers and the other Senshi entering from the hall. Had they been just a hair more observant, they would have seen the expressions of shock, wonder, amusement, and joy on the faces of their friends and family.
Sadly, they missed it all: Usagi's expression of giddy excitement, Minako's eagerness, Makoto's obvious confusion, and Rei's envy. Had they but cracked an eye lid, they would have seen the disturbing sight of Nodoka and Yuriko pushing and dragging everyone out into the hall, while simultaneously waving victory fans and dancing a happy jig. All in all, it should have been the most embarrassing moment in their lives…but it wasn't. It was a perfect moment that both would remember for thousands of years to come.
(oo0/8/0oo)
The giggling excitement and remarkable amount of fanning in the hall was a sight to behold. The fact that it was coming from the mothers of Ranma and Ami made it all the more surreal. Usagi and the other girls were easily swept up in the spirit of things. Sadly, their celebration of a lost love renewed was squelched by the arrival of Artemis, Luna, and Pluto. The two Mau were surprisingly human at the moment, which only made the group that much more noticeable.
It wasn't so much their presence that was the wet blanket, as it was their oddly shell-shocked expressions. When Usagi asked Luna what was wrong, the Mau opened her mouth to educate her charge but was curtly cut off by Pluto who, gently but forcefully pushed the Crown Princess of the Moon Kingdom into Ranma and Ami's room. The kissing pair had progressed into something much steamier, but thankfully still retained their clothes. From the naughty grin on Artemis' face, he'd been waiting for an opportunity like this for ages.
"Guardsman! Senshi! Royalty on the deck!"
Both Ranma and Ami jumped to their feet and reflexively stood at attention. In the time that it took their minds to catch up with their bodies, Artemis was rolling on the floor laughing uproariously. The fact that the white haired Mau was not alone in catching the pair, left both teens totally embarrassed. Pretty much every woman in attendance growled at the laughing advisor and kicked him as they passed into the room. Not that the fool noticed. He was too busy trying to catch his breath and wipe away the tears to care about a little pain. Ranma and Ami did their best to right their clothing and smooth their hair while Pluto walked around the room.
"What are you doing, Pluto?" Rei asked as she settled in an armchair near the balcony. The Senshi of Pluto merely held an index finger to her lips and summoned her Garnet Rod to her. With a complex wave and a small violet flash, a series of small pops issued around the room. Another wave of the staff summoned a number of tiny, technological doodads to float above her out stretched palm. Surprisingly, it was Minako that made the connection first.
"You can't be serious!"
"What?" Usagi blinked.
"They've got our rooms roached!" Minako screeched. Ami started to correct her when the implications of what the blonde had said filtered through. Her face found its way into her palm to hide the growing blush she was currently suffering from. Ranma on the other hand looked ready to kill. He'd had more than his fair share of privacy invasion in Nerima, to have some government spook perving on him…that was unforgivable.
"I wonder if they would be willing to make copies of the video for posterity?" Nodoka asked during a lull. All heads swiveled to her with varying looks of disbelief on them.
"We'll ask the Emperor tonight." Yuriko clapped excitedly as she bounced in place. At the rate Ranma and Ami were headed, she'd be a grandma by the end of the year!
Ranma wasn't the only one to stare at Ami's mother incredulously. Ami made the most of the opportunity to make good her escape to the bathroom. No amount of coaxing seemed to lure her out of the room until her mother told the young genius that she had her spare clothing. Even so, Ami merely cracked the door and snatched the garments out o her mother's hands with a speed that Ranma openly respected. Makoto took that comment as the opening she needed to begin her verbal assault on the pigtailed martial artist.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" She growled.
"Sitting here, waiting for Ami-chan to be done so I can use the toilet." Ranma's eyes were closed meditatively, which gave him the added benefit of pretty much ignoring Makoto and everyone else in the room.
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" She protested. "How could you embarrass Ami-chan like that?"
Ranma cracked an eyelid at her accusation.
"I wasn't the one who barged into someone's room without knocking was I?"
"Well…" Makoto floundered for a moment. "You should have locked the door!"
Ranma looked at Minako pointedly.
"Are all little sisters this bitchy, or is it just her?"
Minako grinned and mouthed "Just her" earning her a slap on the shoulder from Rei. Makoto, on the other hand, could only stand and stare at Ranma in shock.
"Sister?" She whispered.
Usagi squealed with delight and latched onto the taller girl in a grand rendition of the Amazonian Death Cuddle, which was only one step down from Genma's Cradle of Hell technique.
"Mako-chan! We share a brother!"
Ikuko and Kenji Tsukino entered into the room behind Minako's parents in time to hear Usagi's declaration. Unfortunately for Nodoka and Yuriko, neither woman had seen or really registered everything that had occurred yesterday. They didn't understand that Usagi was Ranma's reincarnated sister, nor did they know of their royal status. In the manner and tradition of Nerima, assumptions were made and unrealistic logic applied. Genma Saotome was cursed even more for his apparent infidelity. Upon seeing and meeting Usagi's mother Nodoka, rather than demonstrate the traditional jealousy that most would feel towards the other woman, embraced Ikuko in a fair imitation of Usagi and with tears in her eyes named the woman her sister.
The whole event left Ranma twitching on the floor.
Usagi soon joined him when the mothers ignored reality completely and began to bond by discussing their desire for grandbabies. Poor Kenji was left completely confused and wondering whether or not his wife had an affair with Ranma's no good father. It might explain the hair….
It took Pluto several minutes to straighten him out, but the women ignored all attempts to correct the misconception. By that time, the rest of the Outer Senshi had arrived, along with Mamoru and Rei's grandfather.
Ami, upon hearing the commotion, gave into her curiosity and left the safety of her bathroom. Ranma took the opportunity to relieve his bladder and escape the raging estrogen beast that the room was becoming. It wasn't until Luna exploded that the crowd settled down enough for Ranma to feel safe enough to return. He was just in time to see the frustrated Mau rush over to the room's television and begin flipping through the morning newscasts.
Most were uncomfortable or embarrassed in seeing images of themselves from the day before, flitting across the screen. Yet that embarrassment became awe when Luna stopped on one channel with the by-line about a city being discovered on the moon. It was then that the room exploded into noise and chaos again. Questions were fired back and forth, people were yelling for everyone to "shut up" so the news cast could be heard, and next to Ami (who had decided to exercise some initiative by taking out the Mercury Computer and hacking a satellite to try and contact the city in order to get the story from the source), Ranma's stomach growled loud enough to cause everyone's conversations to stop and stare.
"Good Lord!" Kenji whispered in fear. "That monster sounds worse than Usagi's!"
"DADDY!" Moon Princess or not, Usagi was still a teenage girl and nothing was more embarrassing to a teenager than their parents.
Ranma blushed and shrugged apologetically, while Nodoka followed Ami's productive example and took the initiative to order room service for everyone. Ikuko, knowing her daughter well, told her new "sister" to triple whatever she was ordering. By that time, Pluto had re-established some semblance of order and was calling or everyone's attention. The television was turned down and eyes found their way to the Senshi of Time.
"Ami continue what you are doing. Let me know if you have any success."
The Senshi of Mercury nodded and went back to re-tasking an old British spy satellite to send a message to the city on the moon.
"For the rest of you, we have much to do and not a lot of time to do it in. The first order of business is the question of the credit cards you were given yesterday."
"What about them?" Minako asked guiltily. Her father stepped behind her and began growling, causing the poor girl to cringe.
"We will be returning them to the government when we visit the Palace tonight." Pluto said as she began collecting the cards.
"Why? I mean I thought they were a gift for a job well done." Minako winced as her father's hand found its way onto her shoulder.
"Yours is not to question why, Pumpkin." Minako's wince became a full-blown grimace at her father's use of her old pet name. "Yours is to simply obey."
Pluto, seeing the look of guilty fear on the face of the Senshi of Venus, pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.
"How much is the bill, Minako-chan?"
Minako felt the grip on her shoulder slowly tighten, much like a vice.
"…maxed…."
The gathered Senshi "eeped" loudly as the man's voice exploded in an indecipherable rant about irresponsibility and the need to grow up and act like the young lady she was. It took Pluto even longer to calm Minako's father, and that only lasted a minute before the man started tearing into the Senshi of Time. Ranma came to her rescue by judiciously applying the Shiatsu version of the "Vulcan Pinch" to the braying man. Minako, for her part, looked at Ranma with adoration and began begging him to teach her the trick.
"Later Minako-chan." Pluto said authoritatively. "I want a detailed list of everything you bought." When the young woman didn't move, Pluto narrowed her crimson eyes dangerously. "Now, Minako-chan."
The quiet, even sound of the woman's voice scared the blonde worse than all of her father's harsh roaring combined, and so it was little surprise that she wasted no time in complying with Pluto's command.
"So, how are you going to pay for V-chan's little shopping spree?" Haruka lounged against the balcony's door jam.
"Do you think that I sat twiddling my thumbs while I waited for everyone to wake?" Pluto asked with a grin. "I've had quite some time to make all of the Senshi very, very wealthy."
This of course caught everyone's attentions.
"Wealthy?" Makoto asked.
"Wealthy." Pluto's cool grin was just a tad bit smug. "You really don't think that I would leave the Princess destitute now, do you? Or any of you for that matter."
"When were you going to tell us about the money?" Rei asked from her pillow on the floor.
"Preferably, after your graduations from high school. Each of you was going to win a number of healthy scholarships to pay for college, and beyond that…the rest would have been a wedding gift or something similar. To be honest, I hadn't planned on using the Royal Treasury or any of the trust accounts I had set up in your names unless it was an absolute emergency. Since this most definitely constitutes an emergency, I figure we can afford to dip into our coffers a bit."
"How much are we talking here, Pluto?" Mamoru asked as he settled next to Usagi. No one but Ami and Pluto saw the way Ranma's eyes narrowed dangerously at the back of the man's head.
"Available liquid assets? We have multiple accounts, scattered throughout just about every government in the world. We could comfortably buy the city of Tokyo twice over at current market value, and still have a little bit to spare." She paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If you add into that picture all of the real estate, investments, and historical artifacts…well, I think it's safe to say that we are, collectively speaking, the richest people on the planet."
"Whoa!" Ranma whispered.
"Why so much?" Usagi asked in a quiet voice. "And why keep it a secret?"
Pluto sat down on the edge of the coffee table in front of Usagi.
"First and foremost, when establishing a new government you can never have too much money. I had no idea what the future truly needed, in spite of the clues and visions I had from the Time Gates. So, rather than be caught unprepared, I did as much stock piling as I could."
"Better safe than sappy." Minako's mother nodded sagely. The rest of the Senshi looked between the woman and her daughter with sudden comprehension, as if a very frustrating puzzle had just been solved.
"Something like that, Aino-san." Pluto grinned and shook her head. "In then end, you must understand that the future is never set in stone. All we have are probabilities."
"So, Chibi-Usa?" Usagi asked hesitantly.
"Is a certainty, but not necessarily from the same happy future we're working towards." Pluto answered. "I can give you a lecture on causality another time. Suffice it to say that, right now you will never have to worry about finances again. As to why I kept it from you, to be blunt…none of you were ready to handle that amount of wealth, and to simply hand it to you would be irresponsible and teach you nothing."
Kenji and Yuriko nodded at the Senshi of Time's wisdom. If the girls had everything handed to them, there was no way that they would be strong enough to do the jobs that on they could do. Having them work for their dreams, gave them meaning and purpose.
"Be that as it may, from here on out we will be paying our own way." She looked at Minako as she entered the room again and frowned. "This doesn't give any of you a blank check, but it will allow you some latitude in spending. Bear in mind that we need to keep a frugal habit until we are better settled. Since I don't have the Time Gates to guide us right now, there is no way to know what we may end up facing."
"What do ya mean?" Ranma leaned forward. Pluto shrugged.
"There is a very real chance that the Japanese government will disavow us, in order to placate the rest of the major powers. If that happens, we will need to form our own nation and declare our sovereignty. With the discovery of Orima Tene that really won't be that big of an issue, but we will still need to have a political presence here on Earth."
"And buying an island or enough land to consider ourselves a small nation will not be cheap." Rei nodded in understanding. Looks of comprehension blossomed on everyone's faces, leaving Pluto to smile and bow her head to Rei.
"Exactly, although the real estate isn't truly the issue. We own six or seven small islands, and a number of other real estate ventures throughout the world. Outfitting them and making them secure however, will take a nice chuck of cash. Regardless, until we can be certain, one way or another, our spending should be thrifty." The rest of the Senshi sighed in disappointment. "For the time being, we will move forward under the idea that Japan will back us. We will wait for them to make the first moves and overtures and see where that will take us. If they support us, then we can allow them to be the ones to lead in the political dance with the other nations. We will only strike out on our own, should things get out of hand."
The Senshi and their parents nodded. Minako's father groaned on the floor as he returned to the land of the living, and glared at Ranma as his wife helped him stand. It took some time to update him about everything, but even he had to agree that the plan sounded good; not only that, but it allowed others to handle the things that they weren't ready to deal with. Unfortunately, not everyone was happy with the idea.
"I don't like it." Ranma grumbled. Ami shifted in his arms to look at him.
"What don't you like?"
"The whole idea." He looked at Pluto apologetically. "Sorry Pluto-san, but these guys are going to screw us over. They're already trying to take my mom away from me; who knows what they'll do once they have us under their thumb?"
"He has a point Pluto." Haruka rolled her neck and pushed off the door jam to stand behind Michiru. "They've had all of us under surveillance for how long now? How do we know we can trust them?"
"We can't trust them." Pluto said matter-of-factly. This of course set off a storm of chatter, until the Senshi of Time held up her hand for silence. "This is a case of accepting the lesser of two evils. Think for a moment. How much credibility will we have with the other nations of the world without a prominent ally backing us?"
Rei snorted and smiled cynically.
"I imagine we would have had a whole lot more if someone hadn't mentioned Usagi-chan and Ranma-kun being the rulers of the planet."
"The Advent was immutable, Rei. It had to happen in that moment." Pluto's tone was even, and laced with more than a little impatience. "It was one of the few moments that have been consistent in all of my viewings. There would be a battle, and from the ashes of that battle, Serenity would rise and unite the planet under her rule. The only difference here was the fact that Ranma was involved as well. He's never been in any of the viewings before."
"Won't that change things for the future?" Hotaru asked quietly.
"Undoubtedly." Pluto admitted. "But, at the moment I'm not too concerned about Crystal Tokyo. Truth be told, I don't know many of the details of Crystal Tokyo myself. I've seen images, experienced a few wonderful moments of the peace and prosperity we achieve there, and spoken with my future self at length on how to go about making the dream a reality. It exists, but for all we know, Ranma has always been there…just hidden from view. In the end it doesn't matter one way or another. We have more important things to deal with in the present, so all we can do is press forward and keep things in perspective."
"Fight for the dream here, and let the future take care of itself?" Usagi looked at the Senshi of Time and nodded, resting her chin in her palm. "So, we're trying to work within the system that we have available."
"Exactly." Pluto said. "It's going to be hard enough for the world to accept us on our own merit. When we add Ahbrim Ur and the Rhakshasa to the mix…"
"We have our work cut out for us." Usagi sighed.
"That is certainly the case, your Majesty. But we also have to step carefully so that the governments of the world do not see us as another threat."
"Threat? How could we be a threat when we're fighting to save lives?" Usagi asked.
"Many people won't see you saving lives, Honey." Ikuko slipped her hand over her daughter's. "What they will see are a bunch of young people, with powers and abilities that they neither understand nor control. That alone will be threat enough."
"Add to that the rather questionable declaration of you being the King and Queen of the Earth and Moon…" Minako's father folded his arms across his chest. "…and I can guarantee that many of the political factions have already targeted you as persons none grated."
Everyone blinked owlishly, the majority looking between Minako and her parents with sudden looks of fear. Ranma caught Haruka mouthing something to Michiru that had Hotaru cough into her hand and blush. He had no real clue what "S.T.D." stood for, but it couldn't have been all that courteous. Not that he really cared, Minako's father was starting to really grate on his nerves.
"I don't care what they think I am." Ranma growled. His dour mood shattered the moment like a sledge hammer. "I don't like the idea of working with people that are trying to screw with my family. If what Aino-san says is true, then no matter who we hook up with is going to use us and then stab us in the back the first chance they get, once Ur's been dealt with."
Haruka, Michiru, and surprisingly Rei, nodded in agreement.
"Sure, they'll try." Pluto admitted. "But it's better to use them as a shield against the other more aggressive nations, rather than placing ourselves more at risk by trying to set up a new government from scratch. We use their influence and resources to warn the other nations about Ur, and try our best to unify the world against his threat."
"And what happens when the Japanese government sells us out to the Americans or the Europeans in order to 'save face' or protect their own interests?" Rei demanded hotly.
"Let the future deal with itself." Usagi cuddled against her mother's side. "If we 'what if' ourselves to death, we're not going to get anywhere. We have to face the facts that we can't do this by ourselves."
"Her Majesty is right." Pluto interceded. "We just don't have the resources to fight the Rhakshasa on our own. Sooner or later, we're going to have to trust somebody."
"But what are we going to be giving up by working with that somebody?" Ikuko asked. She might not be a Senshi, but her baby was at risk and there was no way she wasn't going to be involved in helping where she could.
"We shouldn't have to give up anything." Pluto pressed. "We are working from the position of strength."
"We've already given up our anonymity." Ami mumbled from her seat on Ranma's lap.
"If they do try something, it will be subtle." Rei broke the silence. "They'll ask for 'assurances' and 'concessions' or something, and when we give them, they'll ask for more and more until the next thing you know, they've taken our freedom."
"But we're the only ones that can fight the bad guys." Makoto smacked her fist into her palm. "That's got to count for something."
"Exactly." Haruka said confidently. "If we see them maneuvering us into a position we don't like, we withhold our services and let them fight."
"No." Usagi countered.
"I'm sorry?" Haruka asked in confusion.
"We will fight the Rhakshasa whether they back us or not." She drew herself up regally and looked at each of the Senshi in the eye. The only one to actively meet her gaze was Ranma. "We're not mercenaries, and I refuse to let innocents suffer at the hands of those monsters."
"We ain't going to let innocents suffer, Usagi-chan." Ranma toyed with Ami's hair as she typed furiously on her laptop. "But, I ain't going to fight for a corrupt government. One way or another, we fight this battle our way and on our terms. If they want to play games and back us into a corner to protect their asses, then they can save themselves. We got other options to work with."
Ranma nodded to the television to emphasize his point.
"But Ranma…" Usagi started to protest.
"I've got them!" Ami shouted triumphantly.
"…Ju'ish te Renna Mammoni ul Orima Tene." The sound of a distinctly human voice filtered through the speakers of the Mercury Computer. Ami began working furiously and the voice suddenly began speaking Japanese. "This is Commander Renna of Orima Ten. With whom am I speaking?"
Ami looked to Pluto helplessly. The Senshi of Time smiled brightly and stepped closer to the computer as Ami turned it to face her. The handsome face of a young man with sandy blonde hair grinned excitedly as soon as he saw her.
"Ju'ish te Pluto Senshi, Renna Mammoni. Hal'kan re fuli."
The young man nodded and pressed something off screen.
"What did you say to him?" Rei asked.
"I asked him to turn on his translator." Pluto smiled as Commander Renna began calling for his superiors. "I suspect that it will be a while before we can get everyone back up to speed in speaking Lunarian, and I would like to have everyone understand what's going on."
"Senshi Pluto! Thank Serenity! It is so good to see your beautiful face!" An elderly man and a pretty middle-aged woman soon joined Renna on the screen.
"Flattery Commander Renna? How forward!" Pluto smirked as the man matched her expression.
"Is it working?"
The woman behind the Commander slapped him on the back of the head and shoved him out of the way.
"Senshi Pluto, we have seen the broadcasts from Terra. Is the Princess with you?"
"Before I answer your questions Lady, please tell me who you are and what your clearance level is."
The woman blushed and swallowed nervously at the steel in Pluto's voice.
"Jhenna Ahteil, Maiden of Thrones, Lady Pluto. Clearance Level Gold."
"And your companion?" Pluto nodded to the elderly man.
"Cadmus Zeus, Acting Regent of Orima Tene. It is a pleasure to finally see you again, Lady Pluto."
"Cadmus Zeus?" Pluto nearly squealed, causing the rest of the Senshi to go bug eyed. "Little 'Stormy Zeus' – Princess Serenity's Page?"
"The same, Lady." The older man smiled nostalgically.
"But how?" Pluto demanded.
"When Queen Serenity fell, may she know eternal peace, the fail-safes of Orima Tene came on-line. The capital was buried and after three years the Council of Regents decided to establish a cycle of rotating hibernation for the populace."
The man paused and looked to Jhenna, who blushed and jumped from the chair in front of the camera. Zeus sat down and ran a hand through his thinning hair.
"We were able to see bits and pieces of the final battle, and immediately after the Queen fell, Hamadraquel came to the Palace and told us of her last act and prophesied of the Senshi's rebirth. The Regents decided that we would do our best to preserve our culture for when our Princess returned to us. We've managed thrive in spite of all the challenges. It was the only thing we could think to do to honor Queen Serenity."
"You honor her more than you know, Cadmus Zeus."
"Princess Serenity?" There was a sudden struggle as the two younger figures jockeyed for a better position behind the Regent's chair. Cadmus Zeus smiled brightly and matched the tears that were streaming down the young woman's face.
"You've become an old man, Spore." She grinned and wiped her eyes.
"And the ugly duckling has become a swan." The old man countered. They laughed together until Ranma pushed his face around the side of the screen.
"Don't inflate her ego any more, Zeus. Before you know it, she'll be spending even more time primping in front of the mirror."
"Aramas!" The years seemed to melt from the man's eyes as he took in the new face. "Ha! I knew you'd make it forward. You were too stupid to stay dead!"
"Watch it punk! You're an old man now, which means I don't have to hold back any more." Ranma threatened.
"As if you ever did!"
"As beautiful as this reunion is…" Pluto interjected with a warm smile. "We have a busy day ahead of us."
"What do you need from us?" Zeus asked. His demeanor shifted immediately from playful to professional.
"One moment, Regent Zeus." Pluto lifted the magical laptop from Ami's lap and placed it on the coffee table in front of Usagi and motioned for everyone to gather around her. Once everyone was settled she looked at Usagi and Ranma. The pair in turn looked to everyone else for ideas.
"Intelligence." Ami spoke up from her place in Ranma's lap. "If we are concerned about the other world governments, then it would be best to begin finding out who is with us and who is against us."
"Senshi Mercury is right." Pluto nodded. "What types of resources do you have available for covertly gathering intelligence?"
"We have been monitoring all of Terra's media broadcasts since they began using the telegraph. The Palace war room is still under the Omega Protocols, so any and all tactical and military assets are unavailable to us at this time."
"The Royal Heirs and an Elder Senshi will have to be present in person to disable the Protocols." Pluto murmured.
"Heirs?" The Regent's curiosity was piqued.
"You said you were monitoring the broadcasts?" Pluto asked pointedly. Zeus nodded. "Then you saw the Advent. Aramas Drumheller was Queen Serenity's First Born and, due to the enmity between Onyx and Her Majesty, the secret of his identity was sealed to the Throne."
"Does this mean I have to kiss your knuckles and bow to your Magnificence?" Zeus smirked at Ranma.
"Only when I punch your face and pound your butt into the mat." Ranma countered. The Regent snorted and shook his head.
"So, when can we expect you?" Zeus smoothly redirected them back to the topic. "We have much more to discuss with you, Princess."
"Like what?" Usagi asked.
"Like the disposition of your people, Majesty. Especially the survivors of the Arbiter." He smiled and winked at Ami.
"…the what…?" The young woman's face paled.
"As miraculous as it sounds, the Millennial Vessel Arbiter was picked up on Avalon's remote sensors last night. The automated response sent the alert to us and, after triple checking the data, we made contact with her captain."
Ami began shaking her head in denial. Ranma wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her close to him.
"Lady Hathomet and the bridge crew were unharmed, but the ship had sustained a great deal of damage." Zeus frowned seriously. "There were casualties, but we don't have any solid numbers yet."
"Ami-chan?" Yuriko laid her hand on her daughter's shoulder and watched in confusion as the young prodigy leapt from Ranma's lap and ran to the bathroom.
"I don't understand Lady Pluto…" The Regent seemed just as uncomfortable as Ami's mother. "I thought the news of Lady Hathomet's survival would be welcome."
"It is Regent." Pluto smiled reassuringly. "It's just a bit of a shock."
The man nodded. Pluto stole a look at the bathroom and smiled as Ranma, Yuriko, and Nodoka stood outside the door. Their voices were quiet, and after a moment Ami let them in. She shook her head and directed her attention back to Zeus.
"We are meeting with Japan's leadership tonight for a political dinner. I will come to Orima Tene immediately following to help you make the necessary arrangements for their Majesties arrival tomorrow evening."
"Shall I have anything waiting for you?" Jhenna Ahteil asked with excitement. It was evident that she was happy to finally have something to do.
"I'll need you to bring me up to speed on the overall status of Orima Tene. We'll need a general census, a list of your available resources, and the immediate needs of both Orima Tene and the Arbiter. I will explain everything else as soon as I get there."
"How many can we expect to be joining you?" The Maiden of Thrones was definitely in her element.
"Our needs will be light. Plan for at least two, but no more than five." She looked to the bathroom thoughtfully. "When do you expect for the Arbiter to arrive?"
"By their best estimate?" Zeus interjected. "Tomorrow night. We've prepared for an earlier arrival, just in case they are able to make the necessary repairs."
"Very good. Should their situation change, please contact us as soon as possible."
"How?" Commander Renna asked.
"I'll have Mercury send you the necessary details. For now, please prepare to set up a permanent communication satellite. The rest we will discuss in conference."
"We look forward to receiving you." Zeus bowed his head to Usagi and Pluto in turn. "May Sahadriel guide and protect you."
"Goddess harbor you, Regent. Give our love to the rest of Orima Tene." Pluto closed the Mercury Computer and sighed. She sat on the couch where Ranma and Ami had been and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I have a feeling we will be very busy from here on out." Hotaru smiled softly.
"Pluto-san?" Ikuko looked worriedly over her shoulder at the bathroom. "Why did Ami-chan react so badly to the news about the Arbiter?"
Pluto sighed again and it looked as if the world was resting on the woman's shoulders.
"Ami, or rather Isis, had a large role in building the Arbiter. Many of her designs were used in its creation. When it was thought destroyed, she was broken."
"The ship meant that much to her?" Minako's mother asked.
"Not so much the ship, as the person that captained it." Usagi whispered to her folded hands in her lap.
"But I thought Isis loved Aramas." Minako scratched her jaw.
"She did. The captain wasn't a man." Pluto pointed out. This brought a number of gasps from more than a few of the women in the room. Haruka and Michiru glared at the sources of those gasps frigidly before returning their attention to Pluto.
"Lady Hathomet, the Elder Senshi of Mercury." The Senshi of Time looked at the bathroom door and shook her head.
"I remember her!" Rei covered her mouth. "She was the toughest trainer we had…more so for Isis because…."
The Senshi of Mars gasped.
"Go on." Kenji urged.
"Because she was her mother."
All eyes drifted to the closed bathroom door in shock. It was one thing to have your daughter being the reincarnation of a long dead princess. It was quite another to have physical evidence of that fact shoved in their face. Usagi's parents shared hooded looks with Minako's, silently wondering what it would be like to suddenly be pressed into such an uncomfortable competition for their daughters' affections. The Tsukino's didn't have to worry about that so much, since Queen Serenity had sacrificed herself for the Senshi. But, what would happen if the parents of Minako's past incarnation suddenly popped up? How would they handle the situation? Would Minako love them any less? How could they compare to such a larger than life figures?
Both prayed that they would never find out.
(oo0/8/0oo)
End Chapter 10
