Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. This fan-fiction isn't intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon.

Chapter 14 – Fear and Friendship

The Grey Moon clan was startled when a 12 year old girl greeted them at dinner. Ranma narrowed his eyes and then frowned. "Looks like we owe you an apology," said Ranma sheepishly.

"Black Wiseman, who is she?" asked Roda.

"She is Mistress 9's host," said Ranma still frowning.

"My name is Tomoe Hotaru," said the girl giving a sad smile.

"Oh boy, we really flubbed this," said Usagi frowning.

"Yes Usagi, we did mess this up," said Ranma.

"It's not your fault, Ranma," said Hotaru in a deeper voice. "If anything it is mine. I was so eager to make sure my host was strong that I was in a sense making her grow up too fast and effectively taking her childhood from her." Hotaru then frowned. "By keeping her in an adult form I encouraged you to use my name when talking to us rather than hers. A friend shouldn't let that happen."

"Of all the people here I have some idea what you must have been going through and for not seeing the problem before this I feel like a first class baka," said Ranma.

Hotaru smiled sadly. "It's alright. The problem didn't really occur to either of us until we reflected on why you were so good in Martial Arts but at times seemed to be totally inept in social endeavors."

Ranma chuckled. "Just the other day Usagi and I were talking about becoming our roles like Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity did."

"Her Sailor Senshi were spying on them as if hey little outing was a date or something," commented Rei.

"Rei, given the way Ranma here seemed to pick up fiancées like Pokemon, I think that was exactly why they were spying on them," said Usagi.

Ranma frowned again. "What's a Pokemon?"

Usagi groaned and face palmed. "Thanks to your father you're even worst than the youma are when it comes to Japanese cultural references."

Ranma shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? Anything Pops thought was a distraction tended to get chucked into the garbage bin. In a way I'm lucky I know anything outside martial arts." Ranma then rubbed the bottom of his lip. "But Usagi did make a good point. The youma are going to need more than I can provide to function in this world."

Usagi smiled. "Now that is something I can help with."

~*~*Neko Hanten*~*~

"Why Arien bring Youma Queen here again? And who young girl?" asked an annoyed Shampoo.

Mousse frowned and readjusted his glasses. "The Ranma I know would never be that at ease in his female form. Those people are not who you think they are, Shampoo."

"For once Mr. Part-time is actually seeing more that you are, granddaughter," said Cologne frowning. "From the ki levels I say that is Purple Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity. The girl…I would sware that is Sa Fulang's aura"

"Old…I mean Elder, may I asked them something?" asked Mousse

"You want to know what you became in their world," said Cologne. "Since that world will not be ours I see no harm in you asking. But they may not tell you much."

Mousse nodded and walked toward the table. "…that is when I came up with the idea of using minerals for make up," chatted Wiseman. Wiseman then looked up and Mousse noted the fresh lipstick, eye shadow, blushes and all the other things you expected to see on a woman. "Mu Si, my old friend you look unusually nervous. If my co-wife permits, please join us."

"Elder Cologne gave me permission," Mousse paused, "to ask you something, Wiseman."

"We decided to leave Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity at home. Please, call me Ranko," grinned Wiseman. "Now what troubles you?"

"The Elder thinks I am here to ask about what happened to me in your world but she doesn't realize that I hear better than I see. I overheard her relating what your aura does when you see Shampoo and I must know…"

"Why I hate Shampoo?" asked Ranko her eyes flashing red orange for a moment. "Even someone as easy going as I was has their limits, my friend. Shampoo simply managed to go past them." Ranko then smiled. "You finally saw her as I did and found a good woman on Nemesis. You lived a long and happy life and had many strong sons and daughters." Ranko then grasped Mousse's hand. "For your sake, my friend, don't continue to chase Shampoo. She is incapable of loving you the way you deserve to be loved." Ranko reached up and touched Mousse's glasses. "A gift to an old friend to help him see clearly and save him years on a Quiotixe quest."

"Thank you for your time, Ranko," said Mousse standing up. He noticed as he went back to the kitchen that the people in the café seemed to have auras about them. Narrowing his eyes he was startled as the auras became clearer.

"Did you learn what you wanted, Mousse?" asked Cologne frowning.

"Yes, I did, Elder," said Mousse noting that Cologne's aura was red with a bluish tinge.

"Mu Si," said Cologne, "for future reference, I may be old but I am not blind or stupid."

Mousse nodded understanding just what the Elder was really saying. "I can dimly see auras. If I narrow my eyes the auras are much clearer."

Cologne nodded Mousse noting her aura becoming bluer. "I suspected as much when Wiseman touched your glasses. She may not want to admit it but she is the Supreme Elder of her time."

"Grandmother, you not serious," said Shampoo.

"I am very serious," said Cologne.

"Your aura became redder then," said Mousse. "Not that I would need Ranko's gift to see that you were angry right then."

Cologne looked at Mousse. "Ranko?"

"She said that they left Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity at home and to call her Ranko."

"Why Grandmother and silly Mousse call future of Airen she and use female name?"

Mousse frowned narrowing his eyes as he looked at Shampoo. "Red with orange tinges. I see now what Ranko meant about a Quiotixe quest and I also see just how blind I have really been." Mousse then sighed as he looked at the table where the three time travelers sat and cocked his head to one side.

"You see the damage she has done to herself as Neo-Queen Serenity," said Cologne.

"A medium golden aura that briefly changes to other colors but then snaps back."

"Why no one answer Shampoo's question?"

"Because it has such an obvious answer," snapped Cologne. "In Ranko form Ranma's future self is female."

"When I came up to the table Ranko was talking about female make up which has been applied with great skill on her face," said Mousse. "Would the Ranma we know unless forced wear make up? More over wouldn't he be uncomfortable doing that?"

"Mr… Mu Si is showing much better insight to the situation than you, Sham Pu. I am disappointed that you do not see beneath the surface." Cologne shifted on her staff. "Enough talk, we have customers to serve."

~*~*Next day on the way to school in Nerima*~*~

"Usagi, based on what has happened the last two days I think we need a break from the martial art training and something social for the clan to do," said Ranma in his normal silks.

"I agree and I think I might have an idea," said Usagi in her normal human form. "Have some of the social activities normally part of a sleepover: movies, a few party games, things like that."

"That actually isn't that bad of an idea," said Akane. "It will allow everyone one to unwind by breaking away from the train in the technique of the day or week routine they seem to setting into. What do you think, Zirconite?"

"It's a wonderful idea as you're right: we are way too focused on future battles and not on the peace that is after them. I do think that you will have some problems. Most humor is cultural based so I don't think many comedies will work well."

"I agree as I have no idea on how Merchant of Venice is considered a comedy," said Ranma. "To me it seemed to be a contest between Shylock and Portia as to who could be the bigger manipulative jerk. Never mind that whole last act was stupid and boring. Drama and tragedy might work better though something like Macbeth hits a little too close to home."

"How so?" asked Ami.

"Think about it. An honorable fighter is told a prophecy that combined with external forces turns him into a power crazed maniac."

Rei winced. Stated that way Macbeth did hit way close to home.

"I've heard about other types of I believe the term is genre: mystery, horror, sword and sorcery just to mention a few," commented Zirconite.

"Most of those would have the same problems but you know horror might give a good insight into humanity as a whole as it seems to cross culture divisions easier," said Ranma.

"There is a film that has gotten rave reviews in the US, Asia, and here in Japan at being a very scary movie," said Ami in thought.

"Sounds great. What's it called?" asked Ranma.

"Hellraiser II."

Several minutes later in Ranma's tannin class, Ninomiya Hinako blinked after putting her supply of books down as sitting in the desk where the normally adult form of Mistress 9 sat was a 12 year old girl. "Tomoe Hotaru?"

"Yes Sensei?" replied the girl.

Hinako frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Oh yes we're fine. Mistress 9 was concerned that in helping me she was making me grow up too fast and decided to let me quite literally be myself."

Hinako's lower lip trembled. "Can you teach me?" she asked a mixture of hope and tears in her eyes.

Hotaru now frowned. "If you mean regarding controlling your own age transformation, the only way I think we could help is teaching you how to generate ki and in that we are still learning. We're not sure if we yet know enough to teach."

Hinako nodded sadly. "Still if you can give me some help it would be welcome."

"Tomorrow then. We have something planned for tonight."

Later that night in the Tendo dojo, about half an hour into Hellraiser II most of the audience human and youma alike were holding on to each other scared nearly out of their wits with the noted exception of a certain pigtailed martial artist. Roda leaned forward with Chronos Aeon saying "It's only a movie" over and over again while holding on to her for deal life to find out how Ranma could be so calm.

"You have to admit those American movie makers know their special effects," commented Ranma totally enjoying the film.

"Ranma, even with your view of the world helping this movie is scary," said Akane grabbing Ranma's arm.

"I think we should have previewed this," said Usagi nervously holding onto Ranma's other arm.

"Come on you two, it's just a movie," commented Ranma.

"And Macbeth is just a play," responded Usagi, "If that hit too close to home this is a freaking bullseye. Evil forces from another dimension brought to this world by an obsessive doctor; just who does that remind you of?"

"Ok that part is a little troubling but the theme here is an old one," responded Ranma his tone showing that he was now worried.

Roda nodded understanding why Ranma had initially been so calm—he hadn't realized just how similar to the situation with Pharaoh 90 this… this nightmare was.

Elsewhere in the audience Hotaru and Mistress 9 were both trying deal with the terrorizing imagery on the TV.

'Dear Silence this… this makes what Ranma showed in the Dark Kingdom look like a pleasant dream by comparison,' whimpered Mistress 9 mentally.

'I don't understand,' Hotaru whimpered back. 'We saw the real terror of Hiroshima so why are we so terrified of this imagined horror?'

'Because it is so close to home,' replied Mistress 9 mentally shivering. 'That doctor could just as easily be your father and those nightmares the diamons he uses. Instead of pure hearts these creatures collect souls for whatever master they serve.'

Near the end of the film much of the audience was in such a state that the dojo was bathed in a dim yellow ki aura giving it an unearthly look to it. In the movie the main character, Kirsty, was confronting the humanoid with the pincushion head again and handed him a photo of the man they had all seen at the beginning of the film.

"What is this? Someone else you think escaped us?" asked Pincushion Head.

"No, No, this one didn't escape. IT'S YOU!" responded Kirsty.

'Those things are not like father's diamons at all…they're like us!' thought Hotaru her fear turning to anger.

'Puppets deprived of knowledge of who they really were… like I was!' Mistress 9 mentally hissed as the pale yellow aura around the girl turned red.

Then the now transformed doctor showed up and the anger transformed back to fear. Finally as the film ended with a nightmarish pillar with a talking face the fear the movie had been generating in human and youma alike faded.

Back up in front Ranma frowned at the credits ran. He hadn't expected the film to be this intense and certainly not to hit this close to what they were fighting; heck even Ami likely hadn't expected that. Pharaoh 90 and the Silence he brought had been vague ill defined things with only personal experience or history as a guide. If there was one good thing to come of this fiasco was now human and youma had a common fear a common vision of Pharaoh 90 and his goal regardless of how accurate it was.

"Ranma," said Ami nervously clearly shaken by the film. "I did get another horror film in case this one turned out to be too intense. It's so bad that it is considered a cult classic."

"It's worth a shot at dealing with the near panic that last one generated. What is this film called?"

"Plan 9 from Outer Space."

Half an hour later human and youma alike were giggling at, poking fun at, or mocking the film.

Ranma was shaking his head and snickering. "Now I can truthfully say I have heard things worse than one of the old Sailor Senshi's speeches."

"Chronos, how could anyone have thought this would be scary?" asked Roda.

"I have no idea. Perhaps they were drunk."

Hotaru and Mistress 9 were mentally commenting on the film to each other giggling at the insipid dialog, ridiculous plot, and anything else that caught their eye.

At the end the group was in much better spirits and Ranma asked as to what kind of games Ami had in mind.

"Truth or dare is popular. You ask a embarrassing question and you either accept or refuse and take the dare but it tends to be embarrassing."

"Sounds interesting."

Later after the group settled into a large circle the game began. "Zirconite, what is the most awkward thing about being human you had to deal with?" asked Ranma.

"Truth. Not being able to change form or color and learning how to use make up. My first attempt was to quote Eclipse hideous."

Ranma nodded as the game continued on with Zirconite asking Roda about what it felt with two wings coming out of her back.

The questions came full circle with the dares being not being more than a slight energy drain or kiss the person next to you. "Ranma, how female do you feel when you are in your other form?" asked Zoisite.

Ranma smiled. "Truth. Thanks to Akane and Usagi helping Hotaru and Mistress 9 learn ki my knowledge of females is better than what Pops taught me but I don't know if female is the right term to use. I do feel different when I am in my female form and I don't just mean the change in balance or speed. It is like trying to describe the taste of something without a real reference."

Zoisite nodded in understanding. The youma ability to change form was way different from the magic of Jusenkyo but more youma found themselves at a loss to explain the difference as their fellows had no real reference.

~*~*Next morning*~*~

The next morning Ranma came down in his Ranko form.

"Decided to try and get more use to your female form?" asked Akane as they started into breakfast.

"Yep," commented Ranma as his mother back handed his father into a wall.

"Stealing your son's food off his plate is not training!" she roared at the still human Genma.

"Mom, you hit him so hard I doubt he knows who he is right now."

Nodoka turned her scowl turning into a frown. "I have your memories but I don't understand this."

Ranma sighed as he stopped eating. "You have my memories before I acquired those of Usagi, Akane, and Hotaru and the vague memories of my previous life as the original Sailor Pluto became clearer." Ranma took a thoughtful stance, "I think that when I now go into the Neko-ken now I literally become the original Sailor Pluto. To better understand that part of my life as well as dealing with the memories I now have I need to start addressing my female side. It also might help me be a little less creeped out by Wiseman."

"You're creeped out by your own possible future?"

"Mom, I was still trying to deal with the fact he admitted to carrying a child in his female form and Esmeraude called him grandmother when this whole thing with his Sa Fulang happened and we got a look at another part of their relationship." Ranma shuddered.

"Killer, friend, mother and father, and finally mate," said Usagi who then shook her head. "That is a little creepy when you think about it."

"Especially when as Ranko she is doing the mother bit right now waiting until Sa Fulang is old enough so they can go back to being mates."

"Ewww," said Hotaru turning a little green.

"Exactly my reaction even though at one level I understand why," said Ranma. "They are both so long lived that they may be effectively immortal; everyone else they know will grow old and die. They have grown together because they are the only relative constant in each other lives. Now I think about that might be why Neo-Queen Serenity's Sailor Senshi were trying to play invisible chaperone."

Usagi giggled, "I don't think that aspect even occurred to them. In some respects they still see Wiseman as the cocky reckless female magnet young man of 1,000 years ago."

Ranma frowned. "I would have thought that him dumping enough anger ki to light up the ward for the next week into her would have knocked that idea in the head but then again we are talking about Neo-Queen Serenity's Sailor Senshi."

"Could be worse. They could be trying to play cupid," commented Usagi.

Ranma paused and shook his head. "You're right. That is worse."

"If they are as inept at being cupid as they were playing invisible chaperone that would be a disaster," commented Akane. "Though, I also have misgivings about this idea but for different reasons."

"The girls might, no will think I am using this as a way to peek," sighed Ranma. "Other than you and I explaining this there is not much that can be done on that front."

"I could help," said Nabiki earning her glares from several people at the table.

"Unlike my future self I don't carry around enough gem stones to buy most countries," said Ranma.

"Besides how long before your greed kicks and you create problems rather than solve them?" asked Akane. "You seem to forgotten that Ranma and I shared our memories."

Nabiki winced. "Ok, I guess I deserve that but as Ranma said it is in my best interest to remain useful to the clan."

"Useful by no means implies trusted," said Zirconite her voice cold.

"Given you were selling pictures of your own sister to a potential stalker there is no reason not to suspect that you would stoop to selling pictures that show if Queen Eclipse is a real blond if you thought it would rake in some yen and you felt you wouldn't get caught," commented Hotaru.

Nabiki stopped eating and stared at Hotaru in shock.

Hotaru chuckled. "We got those memories of Ranma as well as the ones covering the training trip."

"Would she go that far?" asked Usagi scowling.

"If she thought she could get away with it and it made enough yen? In a heartbeat," said Akane.

"I think she realizes that she wouldn't get away with it," smiled Zirconite in a manner that reminded Nabiki of a shark.

"Besides it is in her best interest to make sure the world is still around for her to enjoy her money," commented Hotaru in a chillingly sweet voice.

Nabiki shivered at the reminder that while Beryl might have been reduced to a gadfly Pharaoh 90 was still out there.

"Any ideas on how to deal with Pharaoh 90?" Nabiki asked hoping to deflect the conversation from her favorite past time.

Hotaru nodded. "Several initial ideas but they will need refinement. Death Born Revolution is an obvious solution but we need to know what the risks at using the thing are. Another option is to tap into the death ki of the Ginzuishou and-or Jakokusuishou and shoving that down Pharaoh 90's throat, A third option is intercept the doorway and shuttling Pharaoh 90 to an already dead Earth. Then there is always the option of finding a way to get at the Talismans and using them without killing their hosts." Hotaru then leaned forward her voice dropping in tone showing that it was Mistress 9 speaking. "These are still works in progress though. The wrong piece of information sold to the wrong person…," Mistress 9 simply let the sentence hang the implication clear.

"I understand," Nabiki said nervously.

"Make sure you do," said Hotaru in her normal voice. "Also Ranma, you don't just have Akane to help you in learning about your female side, you have the rest of your clan as well."

Ranma chuckled, "You're right. I guess some of Pop's old habits are going to be harder to break that I realized."

~*~*Furinkan High School*~*~

Ninomiya Hinako frowned slightly at seeing Ranma in his female form. "Are you alright, Saotome?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes I'm fine. I'm just trying to come to grips with my female form as well as all the female memories in my head."

Akane face palmed groaning quietly causing Ranma to look at her with a puzzled expression on her face. "Explained it poorly?"

"Very," commented Akane shaking her head.

"Female memories?" asked Hinako clearly puzzled.

"Simply put one of the techniques I use to speed teach ki manipulation results in my picking up my student's memories as well as them mine. I also have vague memories of my previous life as the original Sailor Pluto to contend with. In keeping with that in this form I will use the given name Ranko. It'll help keep the now three roles I have separate."

Several hours later Ranko calmly walked into the girl's locker room. She frowned at the stares she was getting from some of the girls. Shaking her head and rolling her eyes Ranko proceeded to change into her gym outfit.

"I don't think this was one of Ranko's better ideas," said Usagi frowning at both the glares and the ease at which her mind was able to automatic separate Ranma, Ranko, and Black Wiseman even though she knew they were all the same person.

"I have a way to end that," growled Hotaru walking toward Ranko a slight red-black aura around her.

"Hotaru?" asked Ranko.

"ENOUGH!" yelled the girl in a voice that sounded like hers and Mistress 9's together.

"What the hell is wrong with you people? Are you going to ostracize Ranko because she turns into male part of the time just the way the people of my school ostracized me because I was sick all the time and could heal people? The youma refugees of the Dark Kingdom who are beginning to think of humans as more than either milk cows or potential breaking stock treat us with more respect that I saw with my old classmates or I am seeing with you right now!" finished Hotaru clearly upset.

Hotaru then changed into Mistress 9 her voice dropping to the lower tones the entity normally used. "You know what most of my time from entering my host at the age of five to now was spend doing? Keeping my host from killing herself because of narrow minded baka like you! Didn't Hiroshima and Nagasaki teach you anything?" she finished in the same dual tone she had started with.

Ranko winced at the mixed rage and death ki aura radiating from his friend. A quick glance showed that the girls who weren't terrified out of their wits were looking away or at the floor ashamed.

"Hotaru, Mistress 9, calm down," said Ranko in what she hoped was a comforting voice. "Remember this school had a bunch of hormonal male idiots challenging Akane on a daily basis for the right to date her by virtue of defeating her for months. This is a very different situation from what you two went through."

"No matter what, we are your friends," said Usagi. "But could you tone down the aura so I can hug you without wanting to throw up?" she asked in half humorous tone.

"Oh," said the still adult Hotaru in a sheepish voice as the aura winked out. "I guess we did kind of over do that." Hotaru then hugged Usagi breaking down into a sobbing fit. "We really screwed up didn't we? But it was so much like what we went through for seven years. As bad as their training was, Ranma and Ranko had their father. We had nothing as my father was and is so obsessed with Pharaoh 90 that he doesn't even care if I live or die."

"Easy Hotaru, we're here," said Ranko also hugging the girl turned woman.

Usagi then generated a low level aura that was soft gold color that enveloped the three females and then radiated into the room.

"We like this but isn't emotional ki dangerous even if it is a positive emotion?" asked Hotaru in a dreamy like voice.

"When used constantly like I did yes," said Ranko. "Used sparingly it does have its benefits."

"Besides this is simply who I am," said Usagi toning down the aura until it vanished. "The only real difference between what I was and what I am now is my idealism has been tempered with realism. Utopias exist only in dreams but that doesn't mean we can't work toward a better world."

Some of the girls nodded at this sage advice as others were slowly pulling themselves out of the terrified ball they had rolled into. Most of the girls vowed to try to understand the real reason why Ranma had become Ranko as well as not being like the people who had make Hotaru's life hell.

~*~*Dark Kingdom*~*~

'They are going to make my life hell,' thought Beryl for the umpteenth time. Metaria mentally sighed asserting control so she could look at the stargate. Its very creation had shaved months off taking down the barrier not that it really mattered anymore. The ten youma a day was more than she could do and the youma discovered a fact that neither Wiseman had realized: latent human ki was pouring through the stargate even when youma weren't going through it.

Even if she had been still been inclined to Metaria couldn't cut of the youma's ability to feed off this new ki source. It was a most ironic twist of fate that in creating this stargate in a desperate gambit to prevent Neo-Queen Serenity from killing her host, the two Wisemen had made Beryl and Metaria totally redundant. Even worst by deferring punishment to other clans because they had older grievances Eclipse had ensured that Beryl wouldn't be killed as the clans would make sure Eclipse got her chance as well.

Now Metaria had the added joy of finding out that Beryl did have an imagination at least when it came to what the youma would do to her when they were done forming their little government and establishing relations with the nations of the world. Metaria was almost tempted to assert control and demand the youma do something if only to shut up her host's speculation of what they were going to do. The only problem would be Metaria would feel what ever Beryl felt physically and she wasn't sure if Beryl's mind totally snapped into a catatonia that she would be able to control the body. So Metaria sat there with Beryl coming up with images that would have made the Marquis de Sade's jaw drop in astonishment hoping that she could find some youma willing to find her a new host. Not that she had much hope in that as the youma were working toward learning as much about this Earth as was possible rather than helping her or her host.

~*~*Two weeks later, Groom Lake, Nevada*~*~

General Wilson frowned at reading the latest report sent by Ambassador Morgan in Japan. The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington had understandably taken Black Wiseman's report that Queen Beryl had been reduced to a figurehead and the Dark Kingdom was trying to rebuild itself along the lines of the United States with the preverbal mountain of salt; as a general rule wars don't end that simply or easily. However, if the actions of the youma over the last two weeks were any indication it was true. The youma that were appearing in Tokyo now were trying to learn everything they could about the Second World War in general and the United States in particular.

The youma's reaction to what they were finding was providing the anthropologists with more than enough to for a cultural profile that would allow ambassadors like Morgan and later world leaders to have a better chance of establishing meaningful negotiations. Wilson like Adams was a realist; the sampling of technology the Grey Moon Clan had provided totally changed the balance of power and who ever was their ally would effectively be riding shotgun.

Wilson noted that Adams had correctly judged youma mentality in that they highly valued achievement via personal merit and sacrifice.

Their esteem regarding FDR for pulling the United States out of the Great Depression and through most of WWII only increased when they found out he had been a victim of polio. Churchill's early setbacks similarly raised his esteem in their eyes as well as the urban legend of about him having to choose between saving a city or keeping a secret vital to winning to war. Past that point though is where things got strange; the youma despised Stalin and Hitler not only for slaughtering millions of their own people but for the manipulative ways they got their power. Their regard for the Japanese royal family of that time was even worse with the phrase "boosted pieces of food" often coming up which from the context seemed to be the closest thing the youma had to a racial slur.

The moon base the Grey Moon Clan was setting up indicated that as advanced as the Moon Kingdom technology was it could be understood and reverse engineered with relative ease fugitively speaking. According to Black Wiseman something he called the Crystal Gates had been used to send a crystal to the moon to literally grow the base. The Joint Chiefs back in Washington had already connected the dots and realized that anything that could put a base on the moon and grow it to the size of a small city in weeks without any obvious means of supply could just as easily put a base or worse an army in the heart a country.

The information that his original Crystal Gates had not been up to handling the forces needed to maintain the Einstein-Rosen Bridge like doorway and had been replaced by a more durable stargate set up had reinforced concerns regarding just what the Grey Moon Clan was doing especially when Black Wiseman had offhandedly written that the permanent Jusenkyo doorway was stabilized and asked if the United States military needed samples of the permanent water. As much as the Moon Kingdom technology bothered them it was nothing to the concern bordering on outright paranoia that Jusenkyo had produced.

China had been unknowingly sitting on a resource that could have literally made them masters of the world for over 4,000 years and the Chinese government either didn't know about it or didn't believe it. The tests with the packets Black Wiseman had given Adams had confirmed that even the temporary version was very effective as a military weapon. Used as a fine spray the Jusenkyo packets could reduce even a company of men to total helplessness or turn a platoon into something right out of Greek mythology with strength to match.

Jusenkyo was why Wilson was here in a desolate part of Nevada on the edge of a long dried up lake bed an Air Force base that officially didn't exist behind him in the middle of the night. "Do it," ordered Wilson.

A sergeant nodded and opened a lead container and removed a gray crystal from within. The sergeant then threw the crystal as if it was a grenade. The moment the crystal hit the ground a gray circular object emerged. Around the circle's edge was a mixture of astrological symbols for the nine known planets, the Earth's moon, and the sun itself, the taoist yin yang symbol mirroring the one over the opening, and one Chinese character called Wu meaning void or nothing.

"Sergeant, the Tokyo crystal," ordered Wilson.

The sergeant nodded and took a gold crystal from the lead container. He then walked up to the structure and inserted the crystal. Wilson noted that the Earth symbol glowed gold while several of the other symbols pulsed white in quick secession including the Wu symbol. The center yin yang symbol then started spinning until it became a uniform gray. The grey was then replaced by what looked like a dojo with several youma and humans doing martial arts techniques. A figure in a black robe held up his hand and the training stopped.

"Black Wiseman, the United State military has decided to take up you up on your generous offer."

"Excellent, the Grey Moon Clan is very eager to have the United States as an ally," said Black Wiseman gesturing. A stunning woman walked into view. "This is Prince Herb of the Musk Dynasty, one of the three local groups who know of Jusenkyo. He had a misadventure with Spring of Submerged Girl. That is the pool I am initially sending as I think it one least likely to create undue problems." Black Wiseman pulled out a blue capped thermos and poured part of its contents into a cup. "Besides it is also the pool I fell into," said Black Wiseman and he poured the contents on his head.

Wilson and the sergeant watched as the robed figure developed clear female curves. Black Wiseman removed his hood revealing a young girl with red hair. "While you feel it may be redundant I must restate that unlike the temporary packets there is no cure for the permanent water as the pools mix rather than replace each other. Make sure whoever volunteers for this knows exactly what they are getting into."

"Understood, and we have taken proper precautions in selecting the testing area."

"Good, given there was once a Pool of Drowned Man in Japan I suspect that the power of Jusenkyo can be carried and established in other locations. One of our clan's youma got a hold of the Guide's map of the area and noted every pool on it and I am including the rough latitude and longitude of the place. While I trust the Joketsuzoku, Musk Dynasty, and Phoenix Mountain peoples to keep quiet about Jusenkyo the Guide there was wearing the uniform of the Chinese army even if it looked like it had seen better days. Even if he is smart enough not to tell anyone important, he is reckless enough to be selling Instant Jusenkyo packets via mail order even if it is through questionable magazines."

Wilson frowned as Black Wiseman made a gesture. One of the youma picked up a barrel and put it on a cart securing it with straps. Wilson and the sergeant watched as the youma and the barrel emerged from the portal. After coming down the ramp the youma nodded to the general and returned through the portal.

"Alright, let's get this to the lab boys," ordered Wilson his eyes remaining on the portal. "Thank you, Black Wiseman."

Black Wiseman nodded and the image return to a gray spinning disk that slowed down until it became the Taoist symbol.

"Sergeant, get this stargate crated for transport to a more secure location," ordered Wilson.

"Yes, sir!" responded the sergeant saluting.

'You are not the only one who reads Sun Tzu, Black Wiseman,' thought Wilson. 'You may be our ally but that doesn't mean we trust you or your Grey Moon Clan anymore than we trust our human allies.'

~*~*Next day Camp Zama Army base, Japan.*~*~

General Adams and Commander Takahashi looked at each other and then back at the young man followed mixed group of humans and youma entering the base.

"General Adams and Commander Takahashi, something wrong? You seemed puzzled," asked the young man.

General Adams narrowed his eyes, "Black Wiseman?"

"You've got a good ear, General Adams; but when I am like this I prefer by real name Saotome Ranma."

"You're Black Wiseman?" asked Commander Takahashi stunned.

Ranma smiled. "My Pops was obsessive-compulsive when it came to martial arts. He started my training when I was three perhaps as young as two." Ranma frowned. "I am trying to put together a program a lot saner then what he used to train me as many of his methods would qualify as child abuse at best. For example, one of his methods of speed training was to steal food off my plate and that was one of Pops' less extreme methods."

Commander Takahashi developed a slight twitch in his left eye as General Adams' expression turned to shock. "Less extreme methods?"

"Yep, part of it was Pops would get his hands on a technique and improvise the blazes out of it or do it without reading it all the way through. To be fair to Pops I do seriously wonder about someone who goes to great length to describe a technique and only on the last page of it tells you that only a total idiot would ever train anyone in it."

General Adams' face went pale. "He trained you in such a technique."

"Yep. A little gem called the Neko-ken and no I'm not going to tell you how it is done. Everybody I tell about how the Neko-ken is done gets this desire to go find Pops and put him into a major hurt locker, a grave, or both. As angry as the Dark Kingdom youma got regarding what little I did tell them about the trip they still respect Pops more than they ever will Beryl. Besides, Pops did develop two very powerful techniques." Ranma smiled. "The discomfort you two are experiencing trying to look at me my own variant of the Umisenken which is designed to interfere with a martial artist's Dairokkan. Your eyes tell you I'm here but your battle sense says I'm not, hence the unease."

Adams nodded as Ranma and his group were lead to the practice range. Near the end of the field to one side dressed in an outdated uniform stood a mannequin a rifle in his hand. On a table about 100 yards from the mannequin sat a table with a pile of pennies on it. "This is a speed technique that uses ki, Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken!"

The two officers stared in shock at the mannequin who now looked like he had been hit with a machine gun.

"Emotional Ki energy," said Ranma generating a red ball of energy in his hand. "Rage's Inferno!" The mannequin and a good part of the area he was standing in was now on fire as if hit with napalm.

"Fire crews!" ordered Adams his mind still trying to grasp what he was seeing.

"Near as we can figure the Moon Kingdom figured out a way to bypass the training normally required to do these types of ki techniques," continued Ranma calmly.

"You mean all those insane stories coming out of Nerima were true?" Takahashi asked his eyes as big as dinner plates

"Don't know about all but I image a good hunk are true," replied Ranma.

Several hours later after Ranma and his group had gone home Adams was rereading the report he was sending back to the Joint Chiefs.

"If it wasn't for the fact I had people filming this every step of the way my superiors would think I had lost my freaking mind," muttered Adams to Takahashi. "Blasted report still reads like a script for a Kung Fu film though 'Subject proceeded to demonstrate Bakusai Tenketsu on old Sherman tank causing it to shatter as if it was made of glass.' I saw him do it and I still have a problem believing it," Adams sighed staking his head.

"I thought the stories were wild exaggerations not toned down accounts," said Takahashi shaking his head.

"It is the reports the youma Black Wiseman brought along with him related about Beryl's early attempts at getting human ki that really worry me," said Adams rereading another part of his report. "That manic was trying to establish a foothold right in the heart of Japan by draining people like crazy and aside from a bunch of under age under dressed girls nobody even noticed. Then I was informed that a breakaway faction of the Dark Kingdom calling itself the Dark Agency was doing the same blasted thing in London for a year before Beryl's antics in Tokyo."

"The mainstream press is starting to notice the similarities between London of a year ago and Tokyo of the last few months and it is only a matter of time before somebody connects enough of the dots to ask Black Wiseman," commented Takahashi as Adams pulled out another report.

"I got some disturbing information regarding that message that Tokyo ham radio operator named Meioh Setsuna picked nearly two weeks ago," said Adams. "Not only could it not have come from outside our solar system but it is actually the radio frequency of one of NASA's old space probes: Pioneer 10."

"Could not have come from outside our solar system?" asked Takahashi.

"The NASA boys explained that the message was a standard radio signal which would have at best to have been sent four years ago for us to be receiving it now if it had come from outside the solar system. But listen to what it says: Message regarding improved relations with Neo-Queen Serenity and creation of Grey Moon Clan received. Grey Moon Clan with Clan Head Eclipse, Advisor Black Wiseman, and Guardian Chronos Aeon has been formally acknowledged. All Clans of Nemesis eagerly awaiting further developments.

While the first part is a puzzle, the second part clearly refers to very recent events. The NASA boys also inform me that given the position the Earth was in Pioneer 10 would have to have been far away from where it was supposed to be for the message to be received when it was. So they sent two signals to Pioneer 10: one where it was supposed to be and one to a position that agreed with the ham operator's account. They got responses both times but the second response was far stronger than it should have been and contained the cryptic comment 'direct communication with clan NASA acknowledged. Recommend contact Wiseman for faster responses; Nemesis round trip 27 light hours.' That would put Nemesis at about 100 times the distance Earth is from the sun-well within our solar system."

"This is beginning to sound like one of those Gojira films where aliens from Planet X are involved," said Takahashi rubbing his temples.

"It gets better," said Adams. "I thought the whole thing regarding the ham operator was a little too convenient and so did research into her past; turns out this Meioh Setsuna doesn't really exist. Her entire past is an elaborate fraud."

Takahashi laughed humorlessly. "Sounds like we have been used."

"We also found out that she is a councilor at the very school where Wiseman and his allies got into their first conflict with the Sailor Senshi." Adams pulled out another report. "We convinced the local authorities to issue a warrant and on her desk underneath a little stand up note that said 'About time, Lestrade. Here is another clue as what is really going on' was a medical article—that according to the date on it won't be published for another six months. This is where things went down the freaking rabbit hole, as that article is also in the Nemesis medical database along with hundreds of articles that haven't been published yet. Further research showed articles post dating those for nearly 1,000 years."

Takahashi blinked and frowned. "You are not suggesting…"

"He's not suggesting anything, I am all but telling you," commented a voice.

Takahashi and Adams turned to face the smiling green haired women in a sharp business suit now standing at the door to the office.

"Meioh Setsuna, I presume," said Adams.

"Sorry about the round about way of doing this but as Guardian of the Grey Moon Clan I do have my reasons," said Setsuna.

"You're really Chronos Aeon," commented Takahashi his frown now a scowl. "Mind telling us what this little trip through Weirdness Central was all about."

"It was about repayment for the kindness and understanding you gave my clan, Commander," said Setsuna. "You both deserved to know what was really going on."

"Problem is in letting us know you let a lot of other people know," frowned Adams.

Setsuna chuckled. "General Adams, your ultimate superiors are still trying to get a handle on the idea of space traveling aliens and that the Phoenix Republic is some sort of pocket reality. Your own CIA was so out of the loop regarding Earthly matters they didn't even know the Berlin Wall was coming down and you are expecting them to connect the dots on this? The only people who will put the pieces together will keep quiet about it and are in positions to make sure it is stuff only tabloids will speculate about."

"Point made," said Adams folding his hands. "But then given the description it should have been obvious one of the requirements of a Guardian was to be an expert in Black Ops."

"I'd hardly call myself an expert in them, General," admitted Setsuna who then narrowed her eyes. "However, you seem to handling the sudden appearance of someone in closed room on a supposedly secure base unusually well even by Nerima standards."

"After watching one supposedly human person do stuff that most people would say is imposable I had to become more open minded unless I want to go Section 8. Besides there is a story that someone dressed in what passed as a Dark Kingdom general's uniform appeared out of nowhere several months ago; according to the story he was somehow able to control jets and was trying to use them to run over some of the Sailor Senshi."

Setsuna winced. "From what I have learned that was Shitennou Jedite who Beryl imprisoned in crystal after he failed her too many times. They are working on a way to release him but it is secondary to getting their fledgling republic up and running so they can formally become part of Earth's social political scene."

Adams nodded. "They want to make sure they can walk before trying to run."

"Exactly and there is the possibly of one other enemy Purple Wiseman hasn't really considered."

"Whatever the Moon Kingdom became after the last battle some 12,000 years ago," said Adams.

Setsuna nodded. "Someone had to dump all the Moon Kingdom tech that has been popping up like dandelions into this universe. We have a nasty theory that the Dark Agency situation in England may have been a false flag operation. The remaining Shitennou and youma assured us that Beryl as been attacking Tokyo and only Tokyo. Also the name of the Shitennou involved, Danburite, is that of a legendary nearly mythical person that along with 50 youma is said to have left the Dark Kingdom to form a Kingdom where youma not humans would be the rulers."

"Legendary nearly mythical person?" asked Takahashi.

"With no sun, moon, or seasons as we understand them there is no way to really mark time in what was the Dark Kingdom," explained Setsuna. "Neith noted that the story said the clans Danburite took with him liked to accent their youma nature by purposely adding non human features to their human forms would explain what she felt was a curiosity in Western mythology regarding the Egyptian Pantheon. But if that is the case then the events happened at least 5,000 years ago."

"But why?" asked Adams.

"The Moon Kingdom believed in reincarnation and Purple Wiseman shows that they had the ability to store a person's life and then implant those memories into someone believed to be that person's reincarnation. Everything points to Queen Serenity's last action in that war 12,000 years ago was to do something that killed well over 200 billion people across the entire solar system while ensuring that her daughter and her protectors the Sailor Senshi would be reincarnated. Looking at Purple Wiseman and Neo-Queen Serenity's timeline you have the Dark Agency, Beryl's Dark Kingdom, followed by more energy draining aliens, followed by a 6 month lull, followed by a massive energy draining thing and some world freezing manic all in a three to four year period. As Black Wiseman would say it's all too blasted convenient."

"You think all of this is some grand plan that in their world went wrong?" asked Takahashi.

"All of it? No, everything points to Pharaoh 90 being some kind of failsafe device set up long ago. Besides he only knew of this Earth because of an accident some six years ago. In the 12,000 years that have passed it is quite possible no one in the reality of the Moon Kingdom even knows he exists. I do agree that all this Moon Kingdom tech showing up out of the blue now is suspicious but what we have is not showing any transport into this reality. Then again we are using the hand me downs they sent us as our baseline."

"While I understand it; I still don't like waiting for this Pharaoh 90 thing to establish his portal," said Adams. "Neither do my superiors but they understand that Pharaoh 90 itself must be destroyed otherwise this mess starts up all over again somewhere else."

"As long as they understand that much," said Setsuna smiling. She then gestured and disappeared.

Adams sighed. "Why didn't that surprise me?

~*~*RS*~*~