Usagi, Ami, Ranma-chan, and Luna were having an impromptu meeting in Usagi and Ami's room not too long after their latest encounter with the enemy. The trio had stopped by a sandwich shop on the way back to the school and picked up three American styled twelve-inch subs loaded with all the trimmings. For Ami the sandwich would leave her stuffed. For Ranma it would keep him satisfied for a while before he got hungry again. But for Usagi the sandwich just wasn't enough to satisfy her incredibly large Saiyan appetite. She was going to need even more food.

"Doesn't anyone understand this won't even fill me up? I need ten times this amount to not even be hungry for a full hour." Usagi complained.

Ami stared at her roommate and then looked over to her now female fiancé. It seemed Usagi's appetite was larger than both Ranma's and his father's combined.

"And I thought Ranma had a large appetite." Ami commented.

After taking a bite of the fully loaded sandwich Ranma set down to asking Usagi a few questions.

"Okay Usagi you mind telling me what's going on here." Ranma wanted to know.

With a soft sigh Usagi answered Ranma's request.

"You two were bound to find this out sooner or later. You see I'm not entirely human. My father comes from an alien race known as the Saiyans. He's one of the two last pureblooded Saiyans in the known galaxy. There are at the moment, including me, four demi or half Saiyans living on Earth." Usagi began, "Saiyans are natural born warriors with a very high metabolism and appetites. We look like humans except for the fact that we are born with tails. Most Saiyans have dark hair and eyes although one demi-Saiyan was born with blue eyes like his mother and lavender hair like his maternal grandfather. Me on the other hand I'm what you would call an albino I was born with a white tail."

Ami posed the next question to her roommate.

"Is that why you've studied martial arts for so long?" she asked.

"It started out as a way for my twin and me to help protect the Earth from a pair of nasty Saiyans but it grew into a lifelong love of training and improving ourselves physically." Usagi explained.

"So do you have any super human abilities?" Ranma wondered.

"Saiyans are naturally stronger than humans but other than that and our ability to keep getting stronger with each fight we're pretty much like humans. Except for the nasty little problem of becoming a large ware monkey during full moons when we have our tails. But that can't happen since all the Earth bound Saiyans have been stripped of their tails at one time or another." Usagi replied recalling the measures Piccolo had taken with her and Gohan.

Ranma was glad to hear his fiancé's roommate wasn't going to be changing into a large monkey creature any time soon. He didn't think he would be able to stand up to her in that form.

"So what forms of martial arts have you studied?" Ranma asked in the hopes he could learn something new from someone she learned from.

"You name it I know it. Although the main form my twin Gohan and I use is Aikido, which is the main form our sensei, Piccolo, uses. I also know a few not so human maneuvers. My dad taught me some Kaiou-ken to compensate for the fact that I haven't reached the level he and Gohan are at yet. He also taught me a few Ki attacks as did Piccolo." Usagi replied.

Ami noticed the fact that her often mentioned twin was quite absent from the private school and voiced the question that had been running through her mind since they met the day before.

"Usagi why isn't your brother attending Juban Prep with you?" Ami asked her.

"He's back home studying to get into Orange Star High School in Satan City." Usagi said.

Ami knew all about Orange Star. She had heard it was one of the three most prestigious schools in Japan along with Juban Prep and the Mugen Institute. Together the three schools produced more top rated students than any other school in all of Japan. Ranma just knew Satan City was home to one of the greatest martial artists in the world and the savior of the human race during the Cell Games.

"I've heard Orange Star is one of the best schools in Japan." Ami commented.

"Isn't Satan City home to the world famous martial artist Mr. Satan?" Ranma wondered.

Upon hearing the name of the world's only walking ego Mr. Satan Usagi rolled her eyes and let out a heavy frustrated sigh. Mr. Satan was nothing more than a lazy coward who was all talk and Usagi didn't like the way he had taken credit for something Gohan had accomplished.

"That guy is all talk and nothing more. He has no real skill and anything he does is all just parlor tricks. All he did was take advantage of the situation and take credit for something he didn't even do. That guy really angers me sometimes. But yes it is." Usagi spat out.

"Okay so we'll stay away from the Satan subject." Ranma said.

Usagi decided to turn the tables and ask Ranma and Ami a few questions about them. She knew a few things about Ami from their talk the night before but she knew virtually nothing about Ranma other than what he had told everyone in class that morning. One thing that had sparked her curiosity was Ranma's curse. That and his problem with regular cats had a few questions dancing around in Usagi's mind and she was determined to get the answers.

"So Ranma what's the deal with this curse Ami mentioned at the juku?" Usagi asked him.

At the mention of the hated curse Ranma got a tense frustrated look upon his now feminine face. With a sigh and a few silent swear words aimed at his father in Nerima Ranma began his tale.

"The curse the brain mentioned is something I received a month before I met her. So I guess you could say I've had the thing for six months now." Ranma began, "The curse I have originates from a place called Jusenkyo which is a series of springs in China. Anyone who falls into one of the springs takes on the form of the first thing that fell into that spring. I fell into the Naniichuan or Spring of the Drowned Girl. My idiot of a father fell into the Spring of the Drowned Panda. The curse becomes active when we get hit with cold water and deactivates with hot water. I've gotten used to the curse and it has become quite handy sometimes. I think I look quite well as a girl."

Ami knew Ranma was rubbing in the fact that as a female his chest was a few sizes larger than hers and he had curves in all the right places too.

"Oh sure go ahead and rub in the fact that your female body better built than my natural one." Ami yelled at the red head.

"Hey can I help it if I happen to have a great bod." Ranma replied a bit smugly.

"Okay you two enough fighting." Usagi said breaking up the argument before it started.

"So Luna just what is it that we do?" Ami asked the black feline turning the focus on to more important Senshi related topics.

"Our mission is find the remaining Senshi and then search for our princess. It will be your job to protect her from our enemy. At the same time we are looking for the Senshi and our princess we must protect the people of this world from the enemy and stop them from taking over the world." Luna said.

Ami took in all of the information Luna had given her. It sounded as though being a Senshi was going to be a big responsibility but she was glad she had Usagi and Luna to show what she needed to do. Ami decided she was going to have to work on her fighting skills and would ask Usagi to show her some of what she knew so she could be a better Senshi. Ranma on the other hand couldn't believe a bunch of girls would be responsible for protecting the Earth from danger.

"You expect me to believe a bunch of girls are going to save the planet?" Ranma asked the Luna.

"Yes I do." Luna began, "In fact, from what Usagi has told me she herself is considered to be the strongest female on Earth though not as strong as her father and twin."

"So then I guess we wait for the enemy to make the next move." Ami said.

********

The usually stoic and calm anchorman for the Nippon News Network looked over the sheets containing the rundown of the night's news. There leading the local news section of the broadcast was a story about school-aged children, mostly girls, disappearing into thin air. The few witnesses to the act had said they vanished after boarding the six pm bus in a section of town referred to as Cherry Hill near the Hikawa-jin Shrine. Further police investigations hadn't uncovered a single thing. Normally this wouldn't have bothered the anchorman but by the time the report hit the newsroom three busses had already disappeared and the anchorman had a pretty good idea his missing niece was on one of them. The thought that someone or something had his niece Mimi and nearly a hundred other girls had him scared.

********

Guardians of the Earth
Episode Three: The Fire Priestess

********

Rei Hino was the daughter of a prominent Japanese ambassador who was currently living in America. Rei hadn't seen her father since he left her with his father-in-law when she was eleven and just about to enter into junior high school. He had done the fatherly thing and enrolled his daughter into an all girls catholic private school in Tokyo. The money to pay for her tuition was of no concern to Hitoshi Hino for he was one of Tokyo's wealthy elite. Hitoshi came from a prominent Japanese family and made quite the name for himself in the investment world before turning to politics. It was Rei's mother Yuka who had convinced her father to enter into politics. And three years after he had won a seat on the city council Yuka took ill with a rare form of cancer and passed on within the year leaving Hitoshi to raise his daughter on his own, a task he never wanted.

For the next four years Rei saw very little of her father being raised by a nanny and the household staff. The only joy in her life came from the visits to her maternal grandfather at his shrine. Rei's mother Yuka had grown up in the shrine leaving it when she entered the university where she met Hitoshi. And when they married Hitoshi took on the Hino family name in accordance with their religious beliefs. When her father was named ambassador to America he severed whatever relations he had with his daughter when he left her with his father-in-law to raise. From then on Rei wanted nothing to do with her father.

Rei had decided the day she came to live with her grandfather that she was going to one day take over the Hikawa-jin shrine and in order to do so she would have to learn to be a Shinto priestess. In the years following her mother's death Grandpa Hino had been teaching Rei martial arts and some meditation techniques so she could better utilize an ability she was born with. Rei had a sixth sense and would sometimes receive visions of the future. Rei was also born with a strong Ki sense and could tell if any evil spirits were nearby. Her Ki sense was strong for someone who had not studied in the arts but with the right training it became stronger, strong enough to the point where she could manipulate the flames of the shrine's sacred fire. And when she meditated in front of the fire Rei had control over her visions.

It was during one of her daily meditation sessions in front of the shrine's Sacred Fire that Rei received her strongest visions since arriving at the shrine to live with her grandfather. In the vision she saw a young woman with raven colored hair dressed in an outfit of red and white that looked a lot like a school uniform. Rei could sense a connection to fire from the young woman but try as she might Rei could not see the face of this mysterious and fiery individual. The vision then shifted to reveal a young man dressed in gray with blonde hair. Like the young woman Rei could not see his face either. But unlike the young woman this individual radiated with a dark energy. While the young woman stood in front of a large fire the young man stood towering over what appeared to be a bus from the Tokyo Public Transit System. On the front of the bus in Japanese kanji were the words Sendai Hill home of the Hikawa-jin shrine.

Looking up from the fire Rei had a new sense of understanding upon her face. She now knew why she was sent to live with her grandfather all those years ago. The time had come for Rei to realize her destined place upon the Earth.

"Soon my time will come." Rei said to the flames.

********

Usagi awoke before the sunrise like she had always done ever since she and Gohan had returned to Earth from Namek when they were six. Up until two weeks ago Usagi and Gohan would sneak in a quick sparing session before Chichi would begin the day's lesions. The sparing sessions came in handy when they had to face off against Garlic Jr. and the Spice Boys. And they came in handy when the android attacks began six years ago. Thanks to those sparing sessions Gohan was able to defeat Cell by going super and one level beyond. Now when Usagi woke before the sun she had no one to spar with. The female Demi-Saiyan would instead head out onto the school's large open quad and perform a few katas.

Usagi donned her usual training outfit that consisted of a dark blue sleeveless gi with a long sleeved pink shirt underneath. On her feet Usagi wore a simple pair of dark brown moccasin styled boots and around her waist she tied a black belt. After putting on her training clothes Usagi fixed her hair so it wouldn't tip her up during her morning workout. Once in its customary double bun and ponytail style Usagi braided the long locks and pinned them around the two buns. With the preparations complete Usagi headed off to the quad for her morning routine.

Upon reaching the quad Usagi noticed she wasn't the only one who had the idea of doing a few katas before classes began. Out on the green grass of the quad in the early morning sunlight Ranma was performing a series of katas that reminded Usagi of an elaborate dance. The only other person Usagi had seen perform katas like that was her father. During their time in the time and space chamber Usagi would spend hours watching Goku go through every kata he knew. As Usagi watched Ranma she knew her earlier assessment of Ranma's Ki was right on the money.

Usagi wanted to approach the aquatransexual martial artist but she didn't want to disturb him when he was in the middle of his kata. Waiting until the kata was over with Usagi walked over to the slightly taller martial artist.

"It looks like we both had the same idea this morning." Usagi said to Ranma.

Turning to face the female Saiyan Ranma had a surprised look on his face. He didn't expect anyone to be up that early in the morning. Normally the females he dealt with who got up at dawn usually went jogging or did some aerobic exercises before going about their daily routine. Never had he seen one who wanted to do the same type of intense martial arts he and his father performed. Shampoo and Cologne might have worked on their own martial arts in the morning but not at the level Ranma was at. And then there were the teachings of Anything Goes, which said females were always weaker than males. Ranma had yet to see what this particular female could do.

"You planning on getting in a quick workout of your own too?" Ranma wondered.

"Yeah but what I really miss are my morning spars with my brother Gohan. We'd sneak out each morning and spar before my mom would yell for us to come to the breakfast table. By then we'd be so hungry we'd eat enough food for a small army and then some." Usagi replied.

"I tried sparing with Ami a couple of times but it wasn't much of a challenge and she couldn't keep up with me so I decided to go back to my no fighting girls rule." Ranma commented.

Usagi was bit angered by Ranma's remark due to its hidden message that girls were weaker than boys. If anything it was Ranma who was weaker than Usagi. Usagi decided to prove to Ranma she was a worthy opponent by performing a maneuver she used to get a jump on Gohan. With blinding speed Usagi snuck up behind Ranma and began bugging the heck out of him by tapping on his left shoulder and switching to his right one every so often. When Ranma was thoroughly annoyed and preoccupied Usagi initiated the spar by performing a low leg sweep knocking Ranma off his feet.

"Hey! What gives?" Ranma protested.

"You my dear Ranma need to get a lot stronger than you already are and like it or not I'm the only worthy opponent around for miles." Usagi said casually.

"But you're a girl." Ranma stated in a manner that said she was weak.

The moment Ranma issued the statement Usagi got into a ready position and let a small smile in anticipation of the upcoming fight creep across her face.

"I'm not a girl I'm a Saiyan and the blood of a million warriors flows thru my veins. And Saiyans love a good fight." Usagi said in way that would make even Vegeta proud of her.

"It's your funeral." Ranma replied with a sigh before following Usagi's example.

For two very long minutes Usagi and Ranma stood in their ready positions waiting for the other one to make a move. It was more like Ranma waiting for Usagi to make a move and Usagi assessing Ranma's actual Ki level and abilities. From what I can sense Ranma relies purely on physical strength than Ki ability, Usagi mused to herself. Ranma just continued to stare at the perfectly still Usagi. Come on I don't have all day, Ranma thought with a sigh.

Usagi could sense Ranma's impatience and decided to get the sparing match under way by using a maneuver every single male fighter she knew, except Yajirobi, used during a match. Using all her speed Usagi got behind Ranma and gave him a swift elbow to the back. Instead of plummeting a few feet in the air like most people she went up against Ranma hit the ground hard.

"Gomen it looks like I put a bit too much into that move." Usagi apologized as she held her hand out to help Ranma up.

"Did someone get the number of that panda who body slammed me?" Ranma groaned, "Who taught you a cheap shot like that?"

"It works better when both combatants are at least a hundred feet straight up." Usagi said pointing upward towards the sky.

Ranma smiled when he heard Usagi's reference to the sky. He figured she and her family performed mid air combat like he and Genma did. If that was the case then this sparing match was going to be quite the interesting one.

"Okay if that's the way you want it then let's do it." Ranma challenged.

For ten solid minutes Usagi and Ranma spared at a blinding pace. For Ranma the pace set by Usagi was pushing him to his limits. For Usagi the pace was a lot slower than she was used to but she knew Ranma couldn't catch up with her. For the first time in Ranma's life the self-proclaimed greatest martial artist in Tokyo was in danger of being beaten by a member of the supposed fairer sex.

The sparing match came to a sudden screeching halt when Usagi caught a quick glance over at the clock tower that stood a lonely vigil over quad. The clock announced with the musical tones on the half hour that there was only one hour to get showered and dressed before the cafeteria served what it thought passed as a healthy filling breakfast.

"This match ends in a draw." Usagi announced not even out of breath.

Ranma on the other hand was huffing and puffing trying to catch his breath. His body had been push farther than he had ever pushed it before and he was covered in sweat. Looking over at Usagi he saw that the female Saiyan had yet to break a sweat.

"What...gives?" Ranma wondered between breaths.

"One you're pushing yourself too hard and two I'm hungry." Usagi said as her stomach growled.

********

Rei stood in the yard of her grandfather's shrine bamboo broom in hand watching the young man in the small booth handing out small slips of paper adorned with loops of ribbon to the crowd of giggling junior high students. The papers were hand made charms to help the girls with their love life and schoolwork. It was through the suggestion of the blonde haired young man that the shrine begin selling the small inexpensive items to the people visiting the shrine. The shrine was in desperate need of extra funds since donations were few and far between.

It was the young man that had Rei watching the booth with a cautious eye. He had come to the shrine just a week prior looking for a job. Introducing himself as Jed the young man claimed to be a British college student going to school in Japan. But there was something about him that Rei just didn't trust and although she had voiced those concerns to her grandfather Rei reluctantly agreed with her grandfather's decision to hire the young man to help out at the shrine.

"That's right girls each charm is only twenty yen." Jed said in near perfect Japanese with a smile.

The schoolgirls swarmed around the booth pulling out their allowance money to pay for the little paper charms. Every so often Rei could hear one of the girls mention wanting a good luck charm or a love charm before paying for it and leaving with a big smile on her face.

As the girls continued to swarm around the booth Rei could hear the voices of more visitors to the shrine. But before she tried to make out what they were saying Rei's Ki sense kicked in and sensed a Ki signature that wasn't quite human. Out of her robes Rei pulled out ofuda and prepared to use it against the source of the alien Ki signature. While she waited Rei listened to the conversation coming from the steps.

"Oh come on Ranma like I told you before the only way you're ever going to improve is if you let me teach you the Kamesennin method." The female voice said.

"There's no way you're going to get me to put on a ridiculous looking turtle shell." Ranma protested to the female voice.

"Ranma you're going to need extra training if you want to be able to stand up to Cologne and the others you big baka." Another softer female voice said to Ranma.

By the time the third voice had spoken the small group had nearly reached the top of the shrine steps. It would be a matter of moments before they were at the top where Rei could use her ofuda. And as she heard the trio surpass the final step Rei made her move.

"Akuryou taisan!" Rei yelled out as she slapped the ofuda hard onto the forehead of the blonde haired girl in the group.

The blonde in the group was taken by surprise at the attack and its sheer force. And as the slip of paper slid down her face the girl rubbed her hand on her forehead.

"Usagi are you alright?" the second girl asked her friend.

"Yeah I'll be okay Ami-chan." Usagi replied with a smile.

Rei looked at the blonde and began to blush slightly as she realized her ofuda attack was all for nothing. The Ki levels she had detected were not evil but they were still not human.

"Gomen nasai, I felt something and overreacted a bit." Rei apologized with a slight bow.

"That's okay, I can understand about overreacting to unknown Ki." Usagi told the young miko.

Rei let a smile come across her face when she noticed a black cat on Usagi's shoulder. She was about to offer the trio some tea when a little old man with white balding hair dressed in a blue-gray hakama and white top came bounding over to the group. The man took one look at the girls and got a great big grin on his face and began laughing in a way Usagi recognized.

"Ah such lovely young ladies." He began, "Have you come to be shrine acolytes? We could use a few more pretty faces around here."

"Grandpa!" Rei yelled at him.

Usagi just giggled and smiled at Rei's grandfather. She had seen his kind before and didn't mind it one bit. It reminded her a lot of home and Master Roshi.

"He's just being perverted in his own sweet way. Just like Muten Roshi." Usagi commented.

"Or more like the old prune Happosi." Ranma added in a disgusted mutter.

Rei smiled when she saw the girls weren't offended by her grandfather's actions and decided to introduce herself to them.

"Sorry about the outburst. I'm Rei Hino and this is my grandfather." Rei said.

"I'm Son Usagi and these are my friends Ami Tendo and Ranma Saotome. And the cat on my shoulder is Luna." Usagi replied.

Rei smiled and bowed to Ranma and Ami in respect with her grandfather following suit before heading off to tend to shrine business. With her grandfather gone Rei decided to offer her new visitors the tea she was going offer before Grandpa had shown up.

"How would you all like some tea?" Rei said.

"I'd love some. How about you guys?" Usagi replied.

"I wouldn't mind some." Ami added using manners learned from Kasumi.

"I guess I'll have some." Ranma said.

With that Rei led the small group over to the main house where she and her grandfather lived. While the group settled into the tearoom Rei noticed Jed didn't have any customers at the moment and decided to have him fetch the tea set and kettle.

"Jed would please fetch the kettle and tea set." Rei called to the Englishman.

"Yes Rei-san." Jed replied with forced respect.

While Jed was off getting the aforementioned kettle and tea set Usagi thought it would be the perfect time to see if Umino's latest round of rumors were true or not.

"So Rei I heard this story in school today about missing busses in this area is that really true or a silly ghost story?" Usagi said as causally as possible.

"There have been reports of missing girls around here but I don't know if they're connected to the bus rumor." Rei began, "It seems every missing girl was last seen here at the shrine."

Luna, who was now lying on the floor, listened to what Rei was telling them. If her theory was correct then the dark kingdom was somehow involved in the disappearances. And if what she was feeling from Rei was correct then she would have to leave a little something behind for the miko to find.

The door to the tearoom opened and Jed, the shrine acolyte, left the tray containing the hot kettle and tea set on the floor for Rei and her guests.

"Here's your tea Rei-san." Jed said with much forced respect.

Rei looked to the young man her grandfather had hired and acknowledged his presence.

"Thank you Jed. You may leave now." Rei said being polite.

Usagi could tell with one look that there was something about Jed Rei just didn't trust.

"Rei tell me about Jed." Usagi said.

"What's there to tell you other than the fact that he's British and has only been working here for about a week now. You know there's something about him I just don't like, but if grandpa wants to keep him on then I won't go against his wishes." Rei told the others as she poured the tea.

Like Rei and Usagi Ami was also sensing something odd from the male acolyte although for her it was connected to what she thought was his aura. It was filled with great anger.

"When did the girls first go missing Rei?" Ami asked probing for information.

"Around the same time Jed showed up about a week ago. You don't think he has something to do with it?" Rei replied a bit angered.

The girls and Ranma drank their tea in silence and when they finished Ami decided they had overstayed their welcome.

"I think we'd better get going. I'm sorry if we've upset you Rei." Ami said.

With that the trio and their feline companion exited the tearoom and made their way to the shine steps. Rei watched from the porch of the room now wondering if Jed really did know more than he was letting on. Watching the odd little group make their way down the steps and out of sight she noticed something catch the afternoon sunlight. Walking over to the steps Rei saw an odd looking pen sitting on the ground near the steps. The pen was red and gold and had the astrological symbol for Mars on its top. Picking up the pen Rei felt an odd power sweep over her body just before getting a strange vision, her first outside the fire room. The vision showed Jed standing before the missing buses and girls in a strange void with an evil sneer on his face and with him she could see Usagi and herself battling against him.

********

Luna looked over at Ami and Usagi and could tell they were feeling a bit guilty for making Rei angry by pressing the issue of the missing girls. Standing at the bus stop Ami noticed what time it was. The group was going to miss dinner in the cafeteria by the time the bus reached the stop near Juban Prep.

"I didn't realize it was this late." Ami said, "It's almost six."

When Usagi heard what the time was she remembered what Umino had told her earlier that day about the bus from Sendai Hill. It was the six o'clock bus that was rumored to be the one that vanished mysteriously into thin air taking all its passengers with it.

"Um you guys can take the bus if you want I think I'll just fly back." Usagi said nervously.

Ranma let out a sigh of frustration. He had heard Umino spouting off his silly rumor that morning too and knew exactly why Usagi didn't want to get on the bus.

"Umino and his stupid rumors." Ranma explained to Ami and Luna.

"Well rumor or no rumor I'm sensing dark energy in this area and one of you needs to get on that bus to see where it goes." Luna said.

"I think Usagi should go that way I can stay here and monitor things with my data computer." Ami suggested as she pulled out a small blue computer with the symbol of Mercury upon it.

"Where'd you get that?" Ranma wondered.

"Luna gave it to me baka." Ami told him.

"Gee Luna you're the feline that just keeps on giving." Ranma commented dryly.

It was at that point that Usagi caught sight of the bus coming towards the stop. And whether it was out of sheer nervousness or terror Usagi pulled out her disguise pen and called for a disguise that would be appropriate for the situation.

"Disguise Power! Turn me into a smart looking flight attendant." Usagi called out.

With the disguise phrase called forth Usagi was bathed in a flash of light and turned into a flight attendant for Japan Airlines.

"Usagi, a flight attendant?" Ranma questioned.

"Yeah they protect the passengers of the world so I figured why not me." Usagi explained as the bus stopped in front the bus route sign.

Looking from the bus to her friends Usagi took in a nervous gulp before heading to join the small crowd of passengers boarding the bus.

"Well wish me luck." She said to the others.

Usagi bounded onto the bus just before it pulled away from the stop. As the bus rolled down the street Luna and Ami noticed a strange black tunnel open out of nowhere. The bus drove right into the tunnel vanishing from sight. As the tunnel closed Ami began typing frantically on her palmtop trying to get an accurate reading of the energy coming from the tunnel.

"I can't get a clear reading on that thing Luna." Ami told the lunar feline.

"Did anyone notice how all the passengers at that stop were all girls from the shrine who had those strange pieces of paper?" Ranma asked his female companions.

"You know for a baka you can be smart sometimes Ranma." Ami replied casually.

"I knew that young man at the shrine was connected to the missing girls." Luna added.

********

Jedite, or Jed as Rei knew him, smiled in triumph as he checked his watch. It was now ten minutes past six and the bus would be in the dark void where he could tap into the passengers' overabundant energy. Letting a maniacal chuckle escape his lips Jedite drew the attention of Rei who came over to confront him. Something was up and Rei was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Jed I know you're up to something and I intend to stop you." Rei said defiantly.

Jed could tell Rei had a strong energy reserve that would make a fine addition to the energy he had already collected from the schoolgirls he had abducted along with a few city buses.

"You won't be getting that chance." Jed sneered as he went from shrine acolyte to Dark Kingdom general with a wave of his hand.

Rei saw the transformation and began to back away in terror. Jed was a creature of pure evil.
"W...w...w...what are you?" Rei stammered in terror.

"I am Jedite of the Dark Kingdom and you Rei Hino are coming with me." Jedite replied.

In one swift move Jedite grabbed Rei by the throat and vanished into a dark gateway. As the pair vanished the sound of Jedite's twisted laugh rang out across the now empty shrine yard.

********

On board the bus Usagi cowered behind one of the bus seats and watched as the bus driver went from normal everyday looking city employee to Dark Kingdom Youma. The female youma with metallic blue skin and dark red hair turned to face the frightened schoolgirls and with a wave of her hand began draining them of their energy. Usagi had never seen anything like it before in her life. The visible energy coming from the girls looked more like steam from a pot of water.

Usagi knew the girls on the bus were in trouble the moment they froze in place like statues. The youma was about to leave the bus and add the latest energy deposit to the vast reserves she had already collected for her master Jedite when Usagi decided to confront the creature.

"Stop right there!" Usagi yelled at the youma.

The youma turned around to face Usagi with cold eyes and a vicious sneer.

"And what do we have here?" she questioned in a raspy voice.

"Your worst nightmare." Usagi replied as a familiar little grin crept across her face.

Usagi pulled out her henshin broach and with a wave of her hand she called forth the henshin phrase that would allow her to become Sailor Moon.

"Moon Prism Power!" she called out letting the familiar light and ribbons engulf her.

When the transformation was over flight attendant Usagi was now Sailor Moon.

"Your days of stealing energy are over! I am the sailor-suited soldier of the moon Sailor Moon. And on behalf of the moon I shall punish you." Sailor Moon announced.

The youma not wanting to loose the precious energy she had collected for her master quickly exited the bus through the now open door. Sailor Moon saw what had happened and ran after the youma into the void.

********

Jedite and Rei appeared in the dark void just as the youma and Sailor Moon began their fight. Placing his hand upon the side of her head Jedite began to slowly and painfully drain Rei of her energy. As the energy was being taken from her body long dormant instincts came rushing into Rei's mind. Something shouted out to Rei that she needed to fight back and the only way she could was to use the odd looking pen she had found on the shrine grounds just moments before. With one swift elbow to Jedite's gut Rei freed herself from the Dark Kingdom general's grasp.

Pulling the pen from the pocket on her red hakama Rei held it high into the air and called forth words that hadn't been used in a millennia.

"Mars Power!" she called out.

The void soon became very bright as rings of fire began surrounding Rei's body forming her fuku and red high-heeled shoes. When the transformation was over with Rei stood before Jedite in a red and white version of the fuku Ami and Usagi wore. The bows on her fuku however did not match one another. The front bow was purple while the back bow was red.

"This ends right here right now. I am the soldier of fire and war Sailor Mars and you're going down." Mars said defiantly.

Jedite stood there with a smirk on his face. The shrine maiden was one of the Sailor Senshi and with that little bit of knowledge he could come after her whenever he wanted to. Wanting to see what Sailor Mars was capable of Jedite let her make the first move.

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is Sailor Wimp." Jedite challenged.

Mars was about to call forth one of her trusty ofudas when a loud cry and a bright flash headed towards them.
"Masenko-ha!" a voice called out.

The youma who had been driving the bus came flying towards the pair of combatants knocked back by the force of the Ki blast. Standing up the youma began powering up her attack letting two balls of dark energy form in her hands. When the energy was at its peak the youma threw the balls like a pair of baseballs towards the source of the first attack.

"Dark Force-ha!" the youma called out as the attack was released.

The balls of dark energy exploded with a force that would have caused most individuals severe pain but the youma's target was no ordinary individual and she was about to find that out.

"You thought you could stop me. Well you were severely mistaken." The voice said calmly.

Sailor Mars and Jedite looked in the same direction the youma was looking and could see the outline of someone heading towards them from within the mists of the void. When the person was visible they could see it was another Senshi like Mars.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Sailor Moon." Jedite said.

"How in the world was she able to stand up to that blast?" Mars wondered.

"Time to end this." Sailor Moon said as she placed her thumb and index finger on her tiara jewel.

Closing her eyes Sailor Moon concentrated letting her Ki flow into the attack.

"Moon Tiara Magic!" she called out as she let the energy disk fly towards the youma.

The Ki charged tiara sliced through the youma who let out an ear splitting scream.

"NOOOOO!" the youma yelled out before turning to dust.

********

Back on the street corner Ami, Ranma and Luna waited for any sign of Usagi or the bus. The dark gate that had taken the bus was beginning to close and as Ami tried to find a way to keep the portal open Ranma noticed a shadowy figure make its way into the portal. The aquatransexual martial artist could have sworn the figure was dressed in formal clothes with a top hat and cape.

"I did not just see that." Ranma told himself loud enough for the others to hear.

"See what Ranma?" Luna questioned him.

"Someone in formal wear and a cape and top hat just went into the hole the bus went into." Ranma told the black feline.

"That's odd somehow the portal just became stable all of a sudden." Ami said still typing away.

Ranma couldn't believe his ears. For the first time since they met Ami couldn't come up with an answer to something.

"This has to be a first. The brain doesn't know the answer to a problem." Ranma quipped.

"Well at least I know the answers to something unlike some people I know." Ami returned without even looking up from her palmtop.

"Yeah but you wouldn't be able to survive out in the world on your own." Ranma said.

Ami was about to say something back at Ranma but Luna decided to put an end to their argument.

"I have a feeling that individual just might have been the tuxedo clad gentleman who assisted Sailor Moon during her first battle." Luna told them.

"Let's just hope you're right Luna." Ami said as she turned her full attention back to the palmtop.

********

With the youma now dust the energy she had recently collected began to return to the girls on the bus. Sailor Moon turned her attention from the youma dust to the blonde haired general standing near the newest Senshi Mars. The general looked quite angry over the loss of another youma and began powering up to attack Sailor Moon.

"You Sailors will regret crossing paths with me." Jedite said.

"You won't live long enough to even try something." Mars shot back as she clasped her hands together with her index fingers point outward.

Closing her eyes Mars concentrated upon her power. The attack came to her as the long forgotten words forged in her mind.

"Mars Fire Ignite!" she called out as a ball of fire came spiraling out of her extended fingers.

The attack struck Jedite engulfing him in its flames but the Dark Kingdom general was unfazed by the attack. Both Mars and Sailor Moon were surprised to see the attack had no effect on him. And before either one of them could make the next move Jedite sent forth his own attack.

Jedite thrust forth his gloved hand and let loose a blast of dark energy towards Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars. Sensing that Mars wouldn't be able to withstand the attack Sailor Moon quickly got between her and the oncoming attack taking the brunt of the attack head on. Mars watched in horror as Sailor Moon was blasted with the dark energy.

"No!" Mars called out.

Much to Mars's relief and Jedite's disbelief Sailor Moon was unfazed by the attack. Jedite was stronger than Sailor Moon had anticipated but the female Demi-Saiyan was stronger. Before Sailor Moon could get off her attack a red streak shot across the darkness and grazed Jedite in the hand. On the ground between Jedite and the two Senshi was a perfect red rose. Looking up in the direction the rose came from Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars saw a tuxedo-clad figure standing in the darkness.

"Tuxedo Mask." Sailor Moon said to the figure.

"Sailor Senshi alone you are strong but together you are invincible." Tuxedo Mask told them.

"What was that all about?" Mars wondered.

"It's just his way of telling us we stand a better chance of defeating this guy if we work together." Sailor Moon explained.

"Ah, the old double team." Mars said.

With that the two Senshi powered up for their attacks. Mars clasped her hands together and extended her index fingers while Sailor Moon cupped her hands and brought them together at the wrists. Together as one they called forth their strongest attacks.

"Mars Fire..." Mars began.

"Ka Me Ha Me..." Sailor Moon added

"Ignite!"

"Ha!"

Jedite watched in terror as the flame covered Ki blast came hurtling towards him. The powerful blast of energy ripped through Jedite's body and the Dark Kingdom general was vaporized. When the attack had ended there was nothing left of Jedite.

"We showed him." Mars said triumphantly.

Somewhere within the darkness of the void a bus horn was honked to get the attention of the two Senshi in the void.

"Sailor Senshi good job on handling that enemy. Remember teamwork is the key to defeating any enemy you face." Tuxedo Mask began, "But time's running out before this void closes and I must get these buses back. Hop on board."

"You heard the man Mars. Let's go." Sailor Moon said.

The two Senshi hopped on the bus Tuxedo Mask driving. Behind his bus were all the other missing buses tethered to the lead bus. When everyone was on board Tuxedo Mask drove the busses through the dark gate.

********

Ami and Ranma were getting tired of waiting for Usagi to return from the dark portal and were starting to get on each other's nerves. Luna had tried more than once to get the engaged couple to stop fighting with each other but she had given up when Ami had threatened to transform into her Senshi form and send her mist on Ranma. The arguing quickly stopped when a bus horn sounded from the direction of the dark portal. The trio turned towards the portal and saw six busses emerge from the portal.

"She did it." Luna said proudly.

As the buses stopped Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars stepped out of the lead bus followed by Tuxedo Mask. The Tuxedo Clad warrior gave the two Senshi a salute and a few more words of wisdom before leaving the scene.

"You're a strong team Sailor Soldiers never forget that. Goodbye." He said before hopping up a nearby fire escape.

"That guy is so cute." Mars commented.

"Hey I saw him first you know." Sailor Moon replied.

Luna looked over at the two squabbling Senshi and knew her quick thinking had come in handy. Rei had obviously found the henshin rod she had left for her and used it. Turning to Ami and Ranma she introduced the newest member of the team to them.

"Ami, Ranma I'd like to introduce to you Sailor Mars the Senshi of fire." Luna said.

While Luna was introducing Ami and Ranma to Mars Usagi put a hand to her broach and transformed back into her civilian form. The female Demi-Saiyan then waited for Mars to do the same. A quick grasp of the henshin rod and Mars was back to being Rei Hino.

"Usagi, you're Sailor Moon?" Rei asked quite surprised

"Yep and there's a lot more about me you'll need to know if you're going to be a member of this team. But first meet the other member of our team Ami Tendo Sailor Mercury. And that's her fiancé Ranma Saotome." Usagi told Rei.

Before Rei could say anything about Ranma and Ami being engaged they both made their disgust over the engagement known.

"It wasn't our idea." They both said getting laughs from Usagi.

********

In the darkened mists of the Dark Kingdom Queen Beryl stood before her minions. She had watched the battle between Jedite and the two Sailor Senshi. She was not pleased with the outcome of the battle and the fact that the Senshi team had now grown by one. Beryl addressed her youma and the shadowy figure that was now kneeling before her.

"Jedite has failed me and paid with his life. You must take up the task of disposing of the Sailor Senshi and gathering energy for our great master." Beryl said to the figure.

"By the stars I shall rid you of those retched Senshi my queen." The figure replied.

********

He was lost once again. Determined to find Ranma Saotome Ryouga Hibiki had gotten himself lost. Somehow in two short weeks Ryouga was miles away from Tokyo. At one point he had crossed paths with a triclops, a miniature emperor, an ex baseball player, and a floating cat all in one day. Ryouga was determined to get back to Tokyo and find Ranma Saotome.

"Ranma I don't know how but this is all your fault again." Ryouga yelled.

********

Finally another chapter is finished. First off I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Between vacation and loosing all my notes for the series it's been hard to get this out the way I wanted it. And I am apologizing in advance for any delays in getting out the next chapter too. Okay so we now have Mars on the scene. And it looks like Ryouga is going to make his way to Tokyo to challenge Ranma once again. Gee I wonder who he ran into? Don't worry all you Ranma fans he will fight someone in upcoming chapters and the first will be Ryouga.

Some of you have been wondering where in the Ranma timeline this fic takes place. Well let's say this takes place after Ranma meets Cologne and Happosi so this is considered an AR Ranma fic as well as an AR DBZ and SM fic. The only special move Ranma will know will be the one Cologne taught him to get used to the hot water. Oh and don't worry with the way the fic is going his Neko ken will surface. Oh and you'll see some more of the Ranma cast in this fic later on.

So what's up next for our heroes? Well, Ryouga will make an appearance and Ami will relive the day her mother died. Also, Usagi will be having some bad dreams. It seems their pasts just can't seem to leave them alone. Oh and Mamoru and Motoki will make some more appearances as well.