Disclaimer: You know the drill it's all not mine and I'm not pretending it does.

Thanks too all you reviewers out there.

Chapter 11 – The cold hard future

Sailor Angerona and Neherenia walked along in the wasteland created by the war between the forces of the Black Moon family and Neo-Queen Serenity. Angerona concentrated and said, "I think I feel some Nemesis energy signatures coming from this direction. What do you think sis?"

Neherenia nodded and pointed. "Right there. I feel it coming from that alleyway."

The two walk into the alley and see a small pink haired girl crying to herself a figure in a dark cape was approaching her and Angerona looked at Neherenia. "That's Wiseman. Isn't he supposed to be in the past? What the heck is he doing here?"

Wiseman says, "Ahh Small Lady. Why are you so sad?"

Usa looks up at Wiseman and he produces a large black crystal from his robes. "Do you like it? This is a piece of dark power itself, a piece of Nemesis and it will show us what truly happened to the Ginzoushou."

Angerona said, "That feels like Nemesis, but it's wrong somehow. It's been corrupted. Come on we have to stop him." Neherenia followed Angerona into the alleyway, but when the dark crystal glows they are taken in by its dark vision…

"Usa, you broke a vase! You need to be more like your mother!" a woman is saying. Usa is saying, "I'll be more like Mommy! I'll let the magic Crystal turn me into a lady!" She is walking into the room where the Crystal is kept, and picks it up. It glows, but suddenly shines a light and then it disappears.

The vision starts to fade and Usa shouts, "NOO! STOP! It wasn't my fault!"

Wiseman concentrates and the dark crystal glows even brighter showing the Sailor Scouts saying, "It's your fault Usa! Your mother could've been saved! It's YOUR FAULT!"

"NO!" Usa screams and the vision ends. Wiseman stands in the alley next to the pink haired girl and says with a soothing voice, "Poor child. Join with me, and we will show them that it is not your fault." He holds out his ugly hand and suddenly is struck by a powerful blast of magical chi.

Angerona walks towards him and pops out her vibrant red chi claws saying, "Wiseman! Taking another child into the Black Moon family? Taking someone else into servitude and torture? Not today."

Wiseman smiles and looks at Angerona his voice is laced with sugary sweetness as he says, "Why Ranma, what are you doing here in the future. I thought you were following the spirit of my orders?"

Angerona looks at Wiseman with a smirk. "Yeah, well Rubeus is dead." She pops out her Nemesis enhanced Chi claws and says, "You're about to follow him."

Angerona leaps into the air, but Wiseman grabs Usa's hand and the two disappear. Angerona lands and curses as Wiseman's last words echo in the alleyway, "I order you to destroy the Senshi."

Angerona stares at the empty spot where Wiseman and Usa were standing and growls, "Yeah right I'll get right on that boss." She then walks towards Neherenia and says, "So what do you think?"

"We're going to end up destroying the senshi anyway. I doubt they will allow us to prevent" Neherenia waved her arms and pointed out of the decaying alleyway and towards the frozen wasteland around them, "this from happening."

Angerona shook her head and said, "No I don't mean that. I don't want to think about fighting those girls just yet. I mean the kid. The code says we protect the weak. She's weak and unprotected, so we should save her."

"Alright Angerona, but remember she is a child of this future. If we truly intend to make sure that this future does not come to pass then she may cease to exist."

Angerona sighs. "This whole time travel thing is getting way to complex. Why don't we just worry about changing this future later and deal with things as they happen and the first order of business is finding Wiseman, saving the kid and confronting the other members of the Black Moon family."

"What about following Wiseman's orders?"

Angerona shrugged and said, "Time frame, he never gave me a time frame, so I figured that I could save it for after he's out of the picture and by then, well who knows what might happen…"

Wandering around the frozen wasteland of the future Sailor Mars says, "We have to find her!"

"We will be no use to her completely exhausted." Sailor Mercury points out.

To Mars' chagrin the rest of the group agrees and they all stop for a break. As they are resting, they see a figure up ahead, a tall man carrying a walking stick. As he walks closer, they see that he is a man with dark hair - and a mask - "Two Tuxedo Masks? How can this be?" gasps Moon. Tuxedo Mask is awed as well.

"I wasn't sure if you would make it, but welcome to 30th century Crystal Tokyo," he says. "Wait, I recognize that voice!" shouts Moon. She thinks back to the dream, and the voice telling her and Mamoru to stay away. "You're that horrible voice from my dreams!" Tuxedo Mask, infuriated, charges at the man, but he falls through him.

"Who are you?" he shouts. "I am called the King of the Earth," he says. Everyone gasps. As Tuxedo Mask gets up, he says, "I am your future self, Mamoru."

"No way..."

"How can it be?" says Moon.

Mercury says, "I don't even think he's real!"

"You're right as always, Sailor Mercury. I am a projection of my true self. Now, follow me."

As the scouts follow the King of the earth another group of people is also watching their progress. Prince Diamond is watching them and thinking, She does, she really does look like the goddess of Crystal Tokyo, Neo Queen Serenity. The one I've wanted for so long...

Wiseman appears in the room and curses. The group stares at him and he says, "What is the status of the Sailor Senshi?"

A man with black hair says, "Emerald failed her mission and the time Genie has been destroyed."

Wiseman says, "What of the Sailor named Angerona and her assistant? They are causing trouble here as well."

Emerald looks up and says, "I can not see them."

Sapphire says, "Emerald should take care of the senshi. I will seek out this sailor Angerona."

The prince looks towards Sapphire and says, "Wait, Sapphire. Emerald will go with you to confront Angerona and I will handle the Sailor Senshi."

Wiseman watches as the two start to walk out of the room he says, "Sapphire, Emerald I have a small favor to ask of you. I need to know how Angerona has broken her contract. To do so I will need you to take a piece of the Dark Crystal with you."

The two look as if they will not follow through when Wiseman says, "Please my Prince in order to defeat the Senshi we will need the information provided."

Prince Diamond nods and says, "Sage advice Wiseman. It shall be as you ask. Emerald, Sapphire take a piece of the dark crystal with you."

The two approach Wiseman and he gives them a small black shard. They leave the room and Wiseman says, "I have one more thing that I must do my prince. If you will give me leave?"

The prince inclines his head and says, "Be gone then" and ignores the black cloaked man as he leaves. Prince Diamond stares into a small black crystal in his hands. In the black facets he sees an image of Sailor Moon. "So beautiful, you must be destined to be my bride."

"This is a secret tactical base. Only I know about it," says the King, as he leads the senshi into a room of the palace. "It is time for you to know your true futures..."

"In the 20th century, the Earth had an ecological disaster. The whole would was frozen over, and the people were dormant. That is, until Neo Queen Serenity came, and by using the power of the Ginzuishou, she healed the world. Crystal Tokyo became the center of business and the arts, and the world was prosperous. But then, intruders from an outside world attacked. In a costly war, the Neo Queen repelled them into space. Some accepted cleansing from the Crystal, but the rest were banished. The world was at peace again.
That is, until Nemesis appeared. Nemesis is a rogue moon that appeared near Earth's orbit. The dark, supernatural powers of that world caused the making of the Dark Moon family. They are strange creatures with awesome powers. Crystal Tokyo was suddenly hit by their forces, and the city was put under a sleep spell. Sailor Mars, Sailor mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus used their power to protect the palace. They are your future selves, Scouts. But they can't last much longer. These four guardians...and I...are the only ones left awake..."

They all gasp. Sailor Moon says, "What about this 'Neo Queen Serenity' you speak of?" "Could she be...that is, umm..."

The King laughs. "Yes, Sailor Moon, the Queen is your future self."

"And my third grade teacher said that I wouldn't make it out of grade school!"

A picture was projected of the Queen. She is beautiful, in a lovely gown, but encased in something..."That is quartz. The four Sailor soldiers pooled their powers to preserve our Queen..."

"Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, you should know that we have a daughter. She is Small Lady. Usa is your daughter..."

"WHAT?" Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon turn red.

"Usa is...Tuxedo Mask's...and Sailor Moon's daughter. Wicked cool!" say the Scouts and then they are all hit with a gust of black wind. Prince Diamond appears. "The King thought I didn't know about this place! Hah! What a fool. Now, Sailor Moon, you're MINE!"

The Black Moon symbol on his forehead suddenly turns into a vertical third eye. "Sailor Moon, come to me!" She is powerless.

As she rises up to him, Tuxedo Mask tries to interrupt with a rose, but it does nothing and so Sailor Moon rises to the prince and they disappear...

Sailor Angerona and Neherenia approached a dark palace. Neherenia looked at it and saw the upside down black crescent moon at its top. "Nice, but I don't know isn't the whole black motif starting to get a bit old? Whatever happened to mauve, gray, or even auburn?"

Angerona laughed and said, "I don't think anyone is going for style here."

"No I suppose not and yet when I was an evil Queen trying to conquer Serenity's Empire I had more fashion sense." She sniffed, "Ah well no accounting for the lack of taste."

Angerona looked at her and said, "Well I'm wearing black too."

Neherenia smiled and said, "Ranma your outfit is somewhat young, but it is an almost classic Japanese fighting schoolgirl style. Your black blouse shows just a little bit of cleavage and its sailor-style collar has lovely blood red highlights. Your somewhat scandalously short black pleated skirt also has blood red highlights and you have that very pretty dark red ribbon tied on your chest and laced through a loop attached to the blouse. You are wearing spectacularly expensive ruby earrings in your feline ears and the black tiara on your head is covered with the same. Finally, instead of the regular high heels you are wearing lovely high heeled leather boots almost up to your knees."

Angerona said, "So?"

"So, what do you mean 'so'? What you are wearing practically screams of death and beauty at the very same time. Trust me sister of mine whatever made that outfit had some sense of style."

A voice calls out and says, "Well then since it is the height of fashion, I suppose she won't mind dying in it then, right?"

Angerona looks and says, "Who are you?"

The person steps from an outcropping of rock. He has short black hair and a black moon symbol on his forehead. "I am Sapphire" he points and another figure appears and he says, "That is Emerald and as members of the Dark Moon family we order you to die!"

Angerona felt the power of the orders, felt the need to follow them coursing within her and then a part of her mind realized the truth. She was a member of the Dark Moon Family and she could order herself as well. That was how she had been doing it and that was how Neherenia had done it as well!

Sapphire and Emerald were approaching her still form and she just stared at them both for a moment with an idea. Sapphire came right up to her and held a knife close to her as he said, "I will enjoy watching your life fade from your body."

The black clad Sailor moved at lightning speed almost taking Sapphire's head off with her first swipe, but he dodged it and tried to blast her with dark energy. Angerona was out of the way before the blast even started and continued to fight. She slammed her Nemesis enhanced chi claws into Sapphire's side and the man screamed in pain. She slashed his Achilles' tendon and he fell to the ground bleeding. The man was lying there in his own blood thinking, We thought to command her? How could we have been so blind? Her speed, her ferocity and power it is no wonder that she could not be bound by our contract. Angerona stands over him with her claws out and says, "Tell me if I spared you would you change your ways?"

Sapphire looks at her Should I lie to her? Maybe I can stall for time and gather power. When she comes close I can unleash it. "I am Sapphire brother of Prince Diamond and I live to serve the Black Moon family and its goals." He concentrates and gathers his powers as Angerona comes closer. When she is in front of him he says, "I will never change my ways and if you let me go I will hunt you down and kill you."

When Angerona is very close he tries to blast her with his collected energy, but she senses the attack and leaps high into the air to avoid it. She lands next to him and leans down to whisper in his ear, "Wrong answer."

Neherenia watched her sister leap to attack Sapphire and she immediately used her own powers against Emerald. The two sent blasts of dark power back and forth at each other again and again. Neherenia sighed and said, "Close combat, it always seems to end up in close combat. Maybe I should have Ranma train me?"

A dark blast of energy barely missed and Neherenia sighed saying, "Ah well, here goes nothing." She leaped at the green haired girl and tried to punch her in the face. Emerald dodged the blow and kicked Neherenia in the ribs. "You fool! The Black Moon Family has martial training and with it I will destroy you."

Neherenia barely dodged another kick to her ribs, but was unable to avoid the fist that slammed into her face. She screeched in pain and used her magic to defend herself. A blast of power toppled Emerald and Neherenia almost crowed with triumph, when she was hit by Emerald's powers.

She got up and started attacking again. She sent another blast of power at the green haired girl and then another and another. Emerald was doing the same and neither combatant was dodging anymore. Energy blasts slammed back and forth and then Neherenia fell to the ground. She was beaten and exhausted, but so was Emerald. The green haired girl was sitting down and panting almost two steps away. Neherenia thought, I don't have enough left for a blast, but what if I used my powers to heal myself. I could just stand up and finish this. Neherenia put her hands on her left breast and sent her magical powers into herself. She screamed aloud as her bones re-knit and she was painfully healed. When she was done she stood up and saw Emerald powering a final blast. She purposefully fell to the ground once again and Emerald missed. Neherenia got back up and walked over to Emerald.

When she was done Neherenia said, "I guess that takes care of at least one of our family members."

A voice from behind her said, "Looks like. I think you definitely need some more training though."

Neherenia turned around and stared at Angerona. The girl wasn't even breathing hard she looked almost unaffected by her fight except for her eyes. Her eyes had gone cold and in them Neherenia could see death. Neherenia shivered and looked away, then to try and brighten the mood she said, "Exactly how long have you been done with your fight Ranma?"

Angerona chuckled and said, "I would have stepped in to help, but then you healed yourself and I figured that you needed the training."

The sarcasm dripped from Neherenia's voice as she said, "Thanks sis."

"Don't mention it. Now why don't we find somewhere to rest before we go on into that dark castle?"

Angerona walked off looking for shelter and Neherenia sighed and followed after her saying, "Ranma I think we need to teach you a thing or two about Sarcasm."

Some time late in a dark room Usagi wakes up. "Where...where am I?" She says. She looks at herself and sees that she is wearing an outfit much like the Queen's.

"Where's my locket!" She sees it next to her and grabs it.

Prince Diamond opens a door and walks in the room. "Come now no need for that. We should be friends. Come let us get to know each other better."

Usagi says, "Who..Who are you?"

"I am Prince Diamond, and you are Sailor Moon. Or should I call you Neo Queen Serenity? Or perhaps just Usagi!"

"What do you want?"

Diamond comes closer and whispers sweetly, "I want you. I've been waiting a long time for this."

Usagi grabs her locket and screams "No way you creep! Moon Crystal Power..."

Nothing happens and she shouts, "It doesn't work!"

Prince Diamond laughs and says, "Here in my castle we have used the power of Nemesis to create a gigantic dark crystal. The Dark Crystal is a counterpart to your Ginzoushou fueled by our negative feelings and Nemesis. It negates your powers and when I join it with the Ginzoushou, I will control the universe!"

His third eye opens again and he says, "I want you by my side. Come to me..."

He takes her in his arms and Sailor Moon struggles. Diamond pulls her closer and closer to him. "No! I can't move. This isn't right Mamoru is the only one for me where is he?"

A voice can be heard below, "Hey! Dark Moon bozo's come on out! We need to talk! "

Diamond looks out the window and sees Sailor Angerona and Neherenia at the castle gates. He laughs and says, "I have your princess and she will be mine before you can ever breach this castle's stone gates."

He turns away and says, "Your rescuers will not get here in time. Come with me and be mine willingly. Don't make me use the Dark Crystal to wash away your resistance."

Moon shivers and the voice below says, "Stone gates huh? Well I've seen Ryouga do it how many times?"

"Bakusai Tenketsu!" Nothing happens and the girl screams it again, and then again. Diamond chuckles and says, "What is your answer?"

Sailor Moon says, "Never! I will never!"

Diamond says, "So be it!" He pulls out the dark crystal and it starts to glow when Angerona screams, "Fine let's try it this instead. Shishi Houkudan revised Nemesis Anger Storm!"

An explosion rips through the castle and suddenly the entire structure starts to lean. Diamond falls to the floor and a voice from below says, "Woops! Uh maybe I used too much power?"

Angerona continues to speak her voice is laced with surprise as she says, "Hey tux boy, weird plane, where did you come from?" Then she adds with a more force, "Wait! Look out for that wall!"

A loud crash is heard in the room as Tuxedo Kamen smashes through the wall on a futuristic flying vehicle. The rubble falls on him and he passes out. Prince Diamond gets to his feet and starts to walk towards the enlarged opening, but the room takes an even more extreme angle and sends him falling again. Sailor Moon desperately hangs onto the bed and prays as she says, "Moon Crystal Power!"

This time she is able to transform into Sailor Moon and as she does so she sees Tuxedo Kamen sliding towards her. She grabs his hand and holds onto the bed with all of her strength. The Castle continues to fall and the vehicle slides into Tuxedo Kamen. He wakes up and grabs onto it and presses some buttons. The machine sputters and wheezes and then comes to life sending Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon flying out of the castle just before the entire thing falls on them. The two then fly off and back towards relative safety.

One area of the castle is completely unaffected by the collapse. Wiseman is in it with Chibi-Usa. "Where are your friends and parents girl? Where did all of your protectors go? If they truly loved you they would protect you."

The girl shakes her head and tries to speak, but Wiseman interrupts her. "Look into the crystal and I will show you the truth."

His dark crystal glows and Usa sees Sailor Angerona standing outside the castle screaming, "I must kill Chibi-Usa!" She lashes out and destroys the entire castle with her power.

Then the crystal shows a different scene...it is raining, and Usa's mother and father stand under one umbrella, Usa under another. She sees a frog and begins to chase it, but falls. The parents jokingly laugh.

"You can get up now."

But she begins to cry. "Can't you help me?"

The King says, "You can do it."...

Wiseman whispers, "They were so mean to you, Small Lady! They don't love you!"

Usa, now surrounded by rings of black energy, tears up. The black Crystal glows again and she sees Sailor Mercury speaking to her. "Usa, what's wrong?"

"No one remembered that it is my birthday!" Usa whines.

"We remembered. Happy Birthday!" says Jupiter.

"Yeah, but Mommy and Daddy aren't here!" she whines.

"They have important business. Maybe we could have a party -" but Mars is hushed.

"Oh yeah. Umm, we have to go." The four Sailor soldiers leave. Usa cries...

Wiseman whispers again, "See how they treated you, Small Lady. No one loves you!"

Usa cries her eyes out. "Angerona the rest of the Scouts! Mommy! Daddy! NO one LOVES ME!!!"

The Wiseman says, "You must take revenge on them all...using the power of the Dark Crystal!"

The black rings enclose on her. Her legs grow longer, her feet wider, herself taller...

"You will have the power to take out your anger on those who've oppressed you!" The black comes off.

"You are - Dark Lady!" She now looks about 16, with grayish pink hair, a slinky black dress, and a black upside down crescent moon on her forehead! She laughs...

Wiseman appears next to a pile of rubble and he says, "Diamond!"

The rubble moves and Diamond stands up. He coughs and dusts himself off and then he looks over at the new person and says, "Wiseman, who is this?"

"You once knew her as Small Lady." He gasps.

"Can it be?" He sees something in her eyes and then the black moon mark on her forehead glows for a moment. "Still we have lost Diamond and Emerald. How can we possibly triumph now?"

"Truly, a sad state of affairs, but I have the crystal recording of the fight and a plan. We can not win here in the future, but if we were to go into the past there might be a chance. In addition, the Dark Crystal's power courses through Dark Lady's veins, and with her assistance we will triumph!"

"I will send her on a quest to find us new minions. She will find us new thralls and slaves who will be ours to control. She will find us people with power enough to stand against the senshi and this time they will be broken to our will and unable to betray us.

Dark Lady is teleported into the past and Wiseman says, "Come Prince Diamond. Come with me and we shall go to the past. There we will join Dark Lady and our new servants. There we will get you your precious Sailor Moon and destroy all of the Sailor Scouts including that ungrateful wretch Sailor Angerona."

Diamond smiles and says, "Yes, let us go."

Wiseman smiles and thinks to himself, he teleports Diamond to the past and says,"Soon, soon the crystal will be powerful enough to become a new incarnation. Soon it will no longer be associated with Nemesis, but instead it will be the gateway for Doom. It is the phantom of silence, the darkness that covers all. To this I submit, only Doom do I serve, not that idiot Diamond!" Wiseman finishes speaking to himself and teleports into the past as well.

Ukyou Kuonji was leading Ryouga Hibiki off of a train. She said, "Finally! I don't know what possessed you Ryouga, but don't you ever try to take me somewhere ever again!"

Ryouga looked sheepish and said, "I'm sorry it's just that when I woke up I saw you laying there and I thought you might be hurt, so I tried to rush you to the nearest hospital."

Ukyou looked angry and said, "I was laying there because I was tired from digging your sorry self out from under that stupid eight headed monster thing. I heard your screams and came to help you and what do you do to thank me? You drag me all the way to Honshu for my troubles. It's a darn good thing I wasn't hurt!"

Ryouga looked sheepish. "I said I was sorry."

Ukyou ran out of steam and said, "It's alright Ryouga, I'm not really mad at you. You were nice enough to tell me everything about Ryugenzawa on the trip. I'm just mad at Shampoo! How dare she! That floozy and her great grandmother must have arranged the entire thing just to get my poor Ran-chan."

Ryouga was about to say some rather unpleasant things about Ukyou's precious Ran-Chan when a grayish pink haired lady sidled up to them and said, "My, what lovely depression you two have. I can solve your problems for you, but there's a price."

The two looked at her with questioning gazes. "Oh yes, I know you wonder how a strange lady on the street could possibly know about your problems let alone solve them."

The two nodded and she held out a small dark crystal it glowed for a moment and she said, "Dark Crystal, show them what they desire." The crystal glowed and emitted twin beams of black energy right into the teenaged martial artists.

When the energy touched Ryouga he saw himself getting splashed with water and remaining human. He then defeated Ranma in combat and walked away with Akane in his arms. When the energy touched Ukyou she saw herself defeating Shampoo and Akane and then Ranma came up to her and took her in his arms and walked her to the store.

The scenes finished unfolding and when they were over the Pink haired woman said, "Have I convinced you? Do you want me to solve your problems?"

Ukyou and Ryouga nodded vigorously and Black Lady smiled thinking, Wiseman will be so pleased with my work. A few more idiots like these two and we will have an army of thralls. Soon, very soon we will gather thralls and destroy the wretched Senshi and all their allies.

In a very sweet voice Dark Lady said, "Now would you two be kind enough to follow me. There are a few details that we will need to work out and of course you will need to sign a simple contract. You don't mind do you?"

Neither Ukyou, nor Ryouga voiced any objections and Black Lady brought them into a small Warehouse. A warehouse that Ranma Hitoshirenu would have recognized on site, it was a dark place filled with evil magic. The power of Nemesis tainted and twisted by dark and evil deeds. There were two chairs and two desks waiting inside. Black Lady motioned for Ukyou and Ryouga to sit and the two took a seat. She motioned and two slips of paper and pens appeared on the desks. "Sign those contracts and you will get exactly what you deserve."

Ryouga and Ukyou signed the contracts thinking that their fondest dreams were about to come true.

The gates of time were finally calm and Setsuna was almost completely exhausted, but she knew she had one more task to do. Sailor Pluto teleported herself into the future palace there she met the returning Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen as well as the rest of the senshi. She said, "My friends, Small Lady is not here. She has been sent to the past and Prince Diamond has gone there as well. You must go back to your own time and stop them!"

She holds out her staff, and suddenly a door appears and opens. They jump inside and appear back in the past. "Where are we?" says Sailor Moon. They look around. "We are back in our present!" says Luna. They look up to the moon. "It is so beautiful. The air is so fresh. We must protect this Earth and Usa".

At that very same moment, Dark Lady is talking with two people. "I can give you your pig tailed goddess and I can help you get your Ranma-sama." Just sign these simple contracts and you will get everything that you deserve."

Sailor Angerona and Neherenia through the rubble and walked through the intact areas of the Palace of the Black moon family. Angerona sighed and said, "Why do I get the feeling that we just missed them?"

Neherenia grunted in agreement and said, "If they aren't here, then where are they?"

"No clue, I can't feel their energy signature anywhere. It's like they completely disappeared from the planet and went somewhere else."

Neherenia smiled and said, "That's it! Not somewhere else Ranma, somewhen. They went back in time."

"Great, now all we need to do is find that weird lady and her strange gates."

Neherenia kicked at some rubble in frustration and a small silver object shimmered. She picked it up and held it in her hands. "Maybe not sister of mine. Maybe not." Neherenia accessed her power and channeled it through the small piece of the time gate. A pink mist enveloped the two and they appeared in the past.

A voice said, "Who the hell are you?"

Angerona looked around and saw Nabiki Tendo. She de-transformed and was hit with a gigantic glomp. "Neko-Chan! You're a Sailor Senshi? Where have you been?"

"Kinda busy fighting bad guys Nabiki-chan. Why?"

Nabiki ended the hug and said, "Oh my god we need your help! You see there's this Dark Lady and two other guys. They did something to Ryouga, Ukyou, and the Kunous. They've been fighting with Ranma, Shampoo, Akane and that Shinnosuke guy. I don't think they are doing so well against them and so I came here to get help from Cologne."."

"Whoa, Nabs slow down."

Nabiki said "Oh god Neko-Chan I'm just so glad to see you. It's like someone answered a prayer." Nabiki couldn't help herself and hugged Ranma again. Ranma found herself hugging Nabiki back and then they kissed.

It was brief and sweet and yet it was the most intense thing Ranma had ever felt in her life. The kiss ended and Ranma sat there with a glazed look in her eyes. Nabiki blushed and then cleared her throat. She stepped back a few feet and her Ice Woman persona went on full force. Ranma saw it and thought, If she was good enough she'd be perfect to learn the Hiryu Shouten Ha! Maybe I should take some time to train her. Ranma mentally added, and Neherenia and my Gymnastics teammates. Oh man they are going to be so worried! I better contact them as soon as Nabiki tells me what's been happening.

Ranma stopped her train of thought as Nabiki was saying, "it was one day after you left the Neko-Hanten to fight that Rubeus guy…"

Author's Notes: Revised to fix continuity with chapter 13…