Ranma glanced back to see Akane following after her. "Akane, you don't gotta worry. I just… I hafta talk to the Old Ghoul." She shook her head with a snort as Akane frowned. "Yeah, It ain't my first choice either but I don't think I got a choice."
"What on earth do you mean Ranma? What is wrong with you!?" Akane grabbed Ranma's hand stopping her in place. "Kasumi-Nee Chan said that you were up before her and that you made breakfast? Even cleaning up after yourself! And look at you! I haven't seen you spend so much time willingly in your girl form!"
Ranma opened her mouth to insult Akane but paused. She's right… "Yeah, something is wrong. It has gotta be to do with my curse." She shook her head and sighed "Just… don't feel like being a boy right now." Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "Just doesn't feel… right." She gave Akane's hand a squeeze and continued on her way to the Nekohanten.
Akane gazed down at her hand which Ranma was still loosely holding onto. Without another word, she followed her the rest of the way to the Nekohanten. Please let Ranma be okay.
Ranma slid open the door to the Nekohanten and winced at the very cheerful voice of Shampoo.
"Welcome to Nekoha Oh! Airen! You come take Shampoo on date!?" The purple-haired amazon glomped onto Ranma's chest.
Without even looking over Ranma could feel the anger that was about to explode from Akane. Not the time… Slowly and carefully Ranma was able to pull away from Shampoo's embrace "Uh, not today Shampoo, actually I need to talk to the Old… To Cologne."
Said elder Amazon was watching the interaction with her eyes narrowed. "Yes, Shampoo stay out here for the lunch rush. Tendo if you wish to earn a few yen you may assist her. Come with me, Son-In-Law." And with that, she hopped towards the back of the restaurant.
Ranma followed after Cologne without a word but when Akane attempted to follow Shampoo stopped her with a simple hand on her shoulder. "This no trick Violent Girl Great Grandmother really concerned." She frowned watching as her Airen vanished through the now closed door "Something wrong with Airen, Great Grandmother fix am sure. Want help with Lunch rush?"
Akane simply nodded realizing that it would be the only way to be there for her… Ranma, please be okay. I-I love you.
Cologne motioned to the chair in front of her which Ranma slumped into. "Alright Son-in-Law, what is it that is so heavy on your soul?"
Ranma paused a moment to collect her thoughts. When she had realized she needed to talk to the Old Ghoul she hadn't really thought ahead about how to tell her. Open mouth, insert foot technique it is then. "Ever since I defeated Saffron… When I destroyed the pools to save Akane I dunno I… gave up on the idea of a cure. I mean not at the front of my mind but like deep deep in me." She pursed her lips as she shook her head "Not that I wouldn't of used that cask of Nannichuan at… the wedding." Her voice lowered to just above a whisper. "But, I dunno I don't think I want that anymore."
Cologne forced herself not to allow the shock to appear on her face, without her many years and training she was certain that it would not have been impossible. As it was she only barely managed it. "You… are at peace with your curse son-in-law?" She finally managed to get out in a calm voice.
"At peace? I…maybe? It's gotta be something like that. Do uh…" She trailed off as she concentrated on the black silk pants she was wearing as she sighed. "Do curse victims get I dunno memories from the victim?"
"Memories? Do you mean that you are experiencing someone else's memories? What memories Son-In-Law?" Cologne frowned, this conversation had not headed the way that she had hoped it might. But she also was well aware of Ranma's inability to lie at the best of times.
Ranma tapped her foot on the floor as she considered how best to explain. Don't give the Old Ghoul too much information idiot. She'll turn it against you. She glanced up to see Cologne patiently waiting But, who else could possibly help me? Damned if I do, damned if I don't.
"Nightmares, well one nightmare I've had it the last five nights an I always wake up heart pounding covered in sweat…Always at midnight." She paused before continuing. "Then I go up onto the roof and watch the moon for the rest of the night. I never get back to sleep. It's like…I don't need any more than that?"
Cologne simply nodded to encourage the boy. Or is it girl now? to continue.
"The dream…" Ranma trailed off before taking a steadying breath. "Everyone is dead, a horrible battle. Worse than nothing I ever seen before. But her… my eyes focused instead on the body of a blonde teenager. Maybe…" She wrinkled her nose in thought "Maybe a year older than Nabiki? I dunno…" She shook her head. "She's dead and while it's obvious that I recognize other dead, but her body. It breaks sumthin in me. Er, in her and…" She trailed off again
"And what Son-In-Law?"
"I think she's my daughter." Ranma barely got out desperately not wanting to reveal that bit of information but knowing she needed to. "Or… in the dream, she is but…" She looked up tears in her crystal blue eyes as she stared at Cologne "Even when I'm awake I can see her, the blood soaking her white dress. And my heart. It hurts more than anything. Cept maybe when Akane almost died… maybe." She trailed off and looked back to where her hands were fisting the silk of her black pants. "My Serenity."
At that moment not even Cologne's training and age could keep the look of shock from her face. She had heard that tone before, in the voices of tribeswomen who lost their child to the embrace of death. But never did I expect to hear it in Son-In-Law's voice. Her heart broke for the loss that the woman in front of her had experienced. But, I still need more information.
"You said she was dead? Do, can you tell me how she died was she killed in that battle?" She mentally sighed as Ranma shook her head I feared not "Tell me, child?"
"A sword, she had taken her own life, I never should have allowed." She answered in a soft cultured voice without looking up.
"Son- Ranma, I think I can help you. Have you ever heard of hypnotism?" Cologne asked as gently as she could hoping not to startle the teenager.
Ranma shrugged "Saw it on TV a few times an some fakes while on the road with Pops. You tellin me it's real?"
"Only in certain cases." She smiled and hopped over to her cupboard digging out a chain holding an ancient coin. "Such as when an Elder Amazon does it. Now, this won't hurt I simply need you to follow the coin with your eyes while listening to my voice. And." She paused "And you have my word that I will not force you to do anything against your will. This is only to help you."
"Your word?" Ranma repeated to make sure she smiled gently as Cologne nodded "Alright what do I gotta do."
"Just… relax."
Once the girl was deeply under Cologne sighed now was time to get the answers both Ranma and now she desired. "What is your name?"
"Serenity." She answered without a pause to consider the cultured tone had also reemerged "Queen of the Silver Millenium."
"Serenity, where are you from?" Cologne continued noting that the daughter Ranma dreamed of dying must have been named for her Mother A family name then.
"The Moon, my kingdom."
"Do you know where you are now?"
"Earth, if my wish has been granted," Ranma stated as she stared ahead even as a peaceful look appeared on her face.
"Can you expand on that Serenity?" Cologne questioned gently realizing that Ranma had not told her everything about his nightmare. Foolish! Assuming that it ended with the death of the child!
Ranma didn't speak for a full minute and Cologne worried that he was fighting the hypnotism or worse she was not as gifted at the art as she had thought. Though suddenly Ranma sighed.
"Alright, I will tell you of the final days of the Silver Millennium."
Cologne listened in rapt attention as Serenity spoke for a full two hours. About her beautiful kingdom, the prosperity, and love, her soldiers the Sailor Senshi but most of all about her beloved and only child Princess Serenity. A final ball to announce the engagement between Princess Serenity heir to the Silver Millenium to Prince Endymion the heir to Earth. Her heart broke as she described the sudden attack. Her soldiers and citizens fell in droves to the Earth forces that invaded on what should have been a night to celebrate. She considered a moment to interrupt asking if maybe Endymion had but Serenity had already stated firmly that the man had sworn himself to her and to her daughter.
"He left Serenity to fight against the invasion, I turned to my captain. I needed him to get Serenity to safety I… turned only a moment." Serenity bowed her head. "When I turned back she was gone. I never saw her alive again."
"She truly loved him." Cologne got out a touch of sadness in her voice.
"With every bit of her heart. And my daughter's heart… it could light up an entire room." She smiled as another tear trailed down her cheek. "When I found her, she was gone. Endymion was dead and she lay upon his chest. Sailor Venus' sword was impaled through her the red of her blood staining her white dress. I…" She looked up at the older woman her eyes filled with as yet unshed tears. "Is it evil of me to say, that I could handle the death of the rest of my kingdom? That it was not until I saw my baby gone that my will and heart broke?"
"A Mother's love is a very powerful thing Serenity. What did you do?"
A mirthless laugh escaped Serenity as she described using the full power of the ginzuishou. Trapping them all good and evil. "I could have destroyed them all with but a single thought. But my daughter, my baby, and her court… For them, I could not. They deserved the chance to live. So I used my life force. I sent them far into the future to be reborn. Hoping, wishing that somehow I'd find them again. And then…"
"And then you died." Cologne finished for her shaking her head. She wasn't even sure if Ranma was still under hypnosis the monotone she was used to during such acts had vanished long ago.
"Yes, I died. But as I am now talking to you." She sat up straighter. "Could it be true have I been reincarnated? Am I on Earth?"
"Yes, to both, however. There is a slight problem." She placed a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder as her eyes widened and the unshed tears fell from her eyes.
"A problem? No, as long as I have been reincarnated on Earth there can be no problem I simply need to find my daughter!"
"Serenity you must listen to me!" Cologne gripped her slightly causing the sky blue eyes to focus on her own. "You were reincarnated yes. But, not into the body of a girl."
"Honored Elder, I mean not to disrespect since you woke me up but, maybe you need glasses? While my new body is dressed in a more masculine manner than I am used to I am certain my body is that of a woman."
"Yes, it is for now because your incarnation Ranma Saotome has a curse. With cold water, he turns into a girl but hot water turns him or well you back to a boy." Cologne says with a wince understanding just how insane that would sound.
"..." Serenity simply stared at Cologne as she poured hot water over her head. Her eyes widened as she stared at her petite hands grow into that of a man's "This… will make things a touch more difficult."
Damn, right it will! Old Ghoul what did you do to me!?