The dream plagued him once again. In the throws of sleep the dream came to him almost speaking to him. He didn't know who or what it was that was calling out to him for he could never see them but he was certain it was a female. And he was certain she was a princess of some kind. Those were the only things he could be sure of that she was definitely female and a princess. The dream he had been having for some time now was almost always the same.
He stood in a large stone courtyard looking up at the stone balcony above him. He was dressed in black and silver armor and had a sword sheathed at his side. And as he looked up at the balcony he thought about how much the scene resembled the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. But unlike that scene there was a soft cloud of mist covering the area. And as he looked at the balcony he could see the shadow of a figure standing on the balcony. Looking up at her female form he waited for her to speak.
"Please you must help me." She pleaded with him.
"What do you need help with?" he asked her.
"I need you to set me free." She told him.
"Free from what?" he asked his dream princess.
"You will find out soon enough." She replied.
"How then can I set you free?" he wondered.
"Find the seven crystals and then you will have all the answers you have ever looked for in your entire life. Find them and not only will you set me free but you will set yourself free as well." She said.
With that the dream began to fade away. If the dream stayed around much longer it would turn into something the young man didn't possess memories. And whoever was giving him this dream didn't want him to have any memories just yet. For the young man one Mamoru Chiba couldn't remember a single thing that happened to him before he was six years old.
********
Rumor and gossip spreads fast in the ward of Tokyo known as Mintako. And nowhere in the ward did the rumors spread faster than the Azabu-Juban neighborhood. The latest rumor floating around the section of town concerned the park in the center of the neighborhood. Stories had begun to float around that the city wanted to pave over the park and fill up the small lake in the center to make way for the dreaded scourge of urban development the strip mall. Six stores and a parking lot were to be constructed over the beautiful flowers and crystal clear waters. There would be no more places to have picnics or takes walks. And there would be no more rowboat rides in the lake for young couples in love. But most importantly of all there would no more little old man in weathered tan leather gardening gloves tending to the flowers and trees that grew in the main garden overlooking the lake and the many paths in the park.
********
Ami Tendo had come to love the park in the center of the neighborhood where her school was located. Ever since the day she had told her roommate and good friend Son Usagi about the events surrounding the death of her mother she came to the park. Ami came for one reason and one reason alone, the garden. The garden on the hill, which was the pride and joy of the park's caretaker, reminded Ami of the garden her mother used to keep. Now the only reminder of her mother's time and effort that remained at home was the large koi pond in back yard.
When Ami had heard the news floating around the district about the plans to cover up the park from the caretaker himself two thoughts went though her mind. At first she thought about the flowers in the garden would be destroyed but the second thought that danced in her mind soon became more important than the flowers what would happen to kind gentleman who took care of the park.
********
Nephlite stood before the window in his observatory. Once again he was searching the stars for the perfect person to be his next target. As the familiar tendrils of light snaked out of the window and connected with the general's forehead the window began its dance and turned to the proper alignment. And when the window reached the right spot in the zodiac Nephlite was shown the image of the individual who would become his next target. There in the moonlight Nephlite saw the image of the man who took care of the gardens in the park in the center of the Azabu-Juban neighborhood. The little old man with his weather worn gloves and his straw garden hat would be the next to fall to the dark general.
"The stars know all and soon your energy will become mine." Nephlite said.
********
Guardians of the Earth
Episode Six: Take the Man Please
********
Another Friday had come to the Mintako ward of Tokyo and the Senshi were looking forward to being able to spend some time together. Usagi had asked Rei if she wanted to spend the night with Ami and her in their room after getting the okay from their dorm director Kimiko. What Usagi didn't know at the time was that when she mentioned the name of the friend she wanted to invite to stay over in her room Kimiko welcomed the chance to see Rei Hino up close. But that was the least of the Moon Senshi's worries for at the moment she was with her three best friends at the Crown Fruit and Game Parlor doing what normal first year high school students did pig out on ice cream, play video games, and gab about completely mundane things.
Usagi, Ami, Rei, and Naru were currently discussing which boys in the ward were the ones to keep an eye on. Naru with a bit of a silly grin on her face had mentioned hearing how Umino was drilling Ranma for information about Usagi and Usagi and the other girls shuddered at the thought of the smaller boy. Usagi just couldn't picture herself on a date with the school gossip.
"Well are there any boys you do like Usagi?" Rei asked her friend.
Usagi's face suddenly began to redden when Rei asked if she liked someone. It was hard to miss the fact that Usagi had a secret crush. But what the others at the table didn't know was that Usagi had two secret crushes and at the moment she could only tell them about one of those crushes.
"You do like someone." Naru said when she saw the tell tale sign on Usagi's face.
"Well yeah I guess I do." Usagi said, as her face got even redder.
"So who is he?" Rei probed.
Usagi tried to hide her face as she gave them her answer.
"Um it's Motoki." Usagi mumbled in reply.
"Did you say Motoki?" Ami wondered.
"Hai I did." Usagi said quietly.
Ami who wasn't one to think about boys and romance found it interesting Usagi had a thing for the older boy who worked at the arcade.
It was at that moment that the boy in question walked over to the table to say hello to one of his regular customers and her friends.
"Hello ladies." Motoki said to the four girls.
Usagi looked up to see Motoki standing near her and the blush on her face deepened even more. Rei and Naru couldn't help but giggle at how shy their usually strong friend was being. Usagi had spent most of her life around members of the opposite gender but most of them were around the same age as her father or older and it was kind of hard to form crushes on them. Her infatuation with Motoki was the first real crush she had ever had in her entire life. The one she had on Mirai Trunks didn't quite count considering the situation at the time she had met him.
"Hey Motoki." The girls replied at the same time.
Motoki took a quick look at the small group at the booth and noticed a certain pigtailed martial artist wasn't hanging around the girls that day. He wondered just where Ami's fiancé had gotten to.
"Say where's your friend Ranma been lately? I haven't seen him around here in a while." Motoki asked the girls.
Ami looked up at Motoki with a look that said she wasn't his keeper and didn't know where he was. Usagi could tell Ami would start calling him names and decided to field Motoki's question.
"He's probably still out delivering those meals to the home bound elderly because I don't think it's one of the days he has to sit through a tutoring session with Umino." Usagi told him.
"I didn't know Ranma did volunteer work." Motoki commented.
"It wasn't his choice but I thought he needed to do something for the community while working on his martial arts training. You see the method I'm teaching him makes you not only physically stronger but a stronger member of the community as a whole. When my papa went through this he had to deliver milk and help plow fields for a farmer. And he did it while wearing a heavy turtle shell on his back." Usagi explained to the older blonde.
Upon hearing the explanation Naru now knew why Ranma was dressed the way he ways when she saw him running through the district with what looked like take out boxes strapped to his back. It seemed the volunteer work was doing what Usagi had hoped it would do. She hoped someone like Ranma would be able to see it as well. Usagi was the best friend anyone could ever ask for.
As Motoki and the girls continued their little conversation the door to the fruit parlor opened and Usagi caught a glimpse of one Mamoru Chiba walk into the café and take a seat at a nearby table. As she watched the scene unfold she saw Rei glance over at Mamoru with a far off look in her eyes. Usagi now knew just who Rei's secret crush was. It was none other than Mamoru-baka.
"Motoki I didn't realize Mamoru-baka was a regular in here." Usagi said.
"Oh yeah he comes in here a lot between classes and work. He gets a bite to eat and gets some studying done before he has to head off to his job." Motoki told her.
"How do you know that?" Rei asked with a slight hint of color on her cheeks.
"Mamoru and I have known each other since high school. We even have a few classes together at the university." Motoki told her, "Well I better get back to work. Been nice chatting with you ladies."
"See you Motoki." Usagi said to the older boy with a wave.
A couple of minutes after Motoki had left Rei decided that simply watching Mamoru was getting her nowhere. Getting up from the table Rei went to the prize and token counter in the game center to talk to Motoki about Mamoru.
"Rei where are you going?" Ami asked when she saw her friend leaving the booth.
"I need to ask Motoki a few questions." Rei said.
"It wouldn't have to do with a certain guy sitting alone at that table over there?" Naru wondered.
"Hai it does." Rei replied letting her cheeks color once again.
Usagi looked over at her friend and let out a small snort.
"What's wrong Usagi? You don't like him do you?" Rei asked the blonde girl.
"Like him?! You can have the guy for all I care. In fact, I hope you two are very happy together. I'll just stick to good old reliable Motoki." Usagi replied.
With that Rei bounded off to find Motoki to do to him what Umino had been doing to Ranma, pump him for information about his friend.
********
The park caretaker knelt over the small violets tenderly clipping back the dead leaves and flowers. He loved the time he spent with the flowers. Their beauty and fragrance was unlike anything else in the world and he would often see the occasional butterfly flitter from blossom to blossom taking in the sweet nectar and pollinating the flowers. The birds and small mammals loved the quiet sanctuary created by the flowers, trees, and bushes and would often come up to the caretaker letting him lay a gentle hand upon their tiny heads or scratch them under their chins. All in all he couldn't imagine doing anything else.
But the rumor floating around the district had the caretaker worried. He began wondering why someone would want to pave over such a beautiful park and destroy the greenery and displace all the wildlife that called this place their home. It was a crying shame people didn't have the respect for the natural world they once had. And the caretaker wanted to do something about it.
"I just wish there was something I could do to help all of you." He said to the flora and fauna.
"You know there is something you can do." A voice replied from behind him.
The caretaker turned around to see a young man with shoulder length chestnut brown hair and blue eyes wearing a gray suit and yellow shirt. The young man was none other than the new millionaire in town Sanjouin Masato. And even though the caretaker didn't know this he was interested to hear what the young man had to tell him.
"But what can one old man do to save all this?" the caretaker wondered.
"You my friend can stop them from constructing their strip mall." Sanjouin told him.
And in the process you can give your energy to the Dark Kingdom, he thought.
With that Sanjouin placed his hand upon the caretaker's head and poured dark energy into his body. The caretaker began to emit a black and red aura around his body and a strange symbol appeared on his forehead for a moment before disappearing. The caretaker looked up at Sanjouin with a darkness in his eyes and a strange scowl upon his face.
"I understand what I must do now." He told Sanjouin darkly.
The millionaire playboy turned to walk away from the park and as he did so a sinister smile crept across his face and he began letting out a devilish chuckle.
"Soon my Petasosu you will show these pitiful humans the power of the Dark Kingdom." He said.
********
Rei walked into the game parlor and made her way to the prize counter where Motoki was currently located. Going over to the counter Rei waited for Motoki to finish dispensing a few prizes to some junior high boys. After handing them the super deformed Kenshin key chains and helicopter sticks Motoki noticed Rei standing by the counter and turned his attention to her.
"Did you need something Rei?" he asked her.
"Actually I did. I need you to tell me everything you can about one Mamoru Chiba." Rei replied.
Motoki let a slight chuckle escape his lips when he realized what Rei was trying to accomplish. It was kind of cute that the miko in training had a bit of a crush on his best friend.
"Let's see what is there to tell you about Mamoru Chiba. Well he's the same age as me, which is twenty, and he attends some classes with me at Azabu Tech. He's been living on his own for two years now and works to pay his expenses at school and home. We met each other in high school when we attended Juban High." Motoki told Rei.
"Does he have any hobbies?" Rei wanted to know.
"Well he does like roses and keeps a potted variety in his apartment and he did take some kempo classes when we were in high school." Motoki answered her hoping it would help.
Motoki thought Rei was through asking him about Mamoru but the raven-haired miko continued to probe the older boy for information on his friend.
"Do you know when he finishes his last class of the day?" Rei wanted to know.
"Well I finish at two and am here by two thirty and depending upon what day it is Mamoru is usually finished by three or four at the latest." Motoki replied.
"One last question where does he work?" Rei asked.
Motoki looked at Rei with a blank expression. That was one subject he and Mamoru had not discussed yet lately. He knew Mamoru had a new job but he didn't know where his friend was currently employed. This was one question he could not answer.
"You know he hasn't told me what sort of job he got himself this time yet. So I really don't know." Motoki said with an apologetic look.
"Oh. Well thanks for all the other info. This should help me out a lot." Rei replied as she went to rejoin her friends in the fruit parlor.
Motoki watched as Rei left the arcade and as she did he called out to her retreating form.
"Good luck Rei." He said to the younger girl.
********
Rei now armed with her newfound information planned on casually bumping into Mamoru's table on the way back to the booth where her friends were sitting. Hopefully if everything went as planned Mamoru would offer to take her out sometime. Rei had the perfect place for the two of them to go to too a boat ride in the middle of Juban Park and then a nice romantic walk through the gardens. Besides if all the rumors were true Rei wanted to experience on boat ride in the lake with the man of her dreams before the construction crew came and drained the lake and filled it in.
With her head in the clouds Rei's planned accidental bumping into Mamoru's table turned into the real thing sending the black cherry soda he had toppling over to pour out its contents onto the floor. Mamoru watched in stunned horror as the dark red bubbling liquid created a waterfall on the table and a small pool on the floor below. He noticed some of the liquid had found its way to Rei's perfectly pressed gray school uniform. Grabbing for the napkin dispenser on the table Mamoru began to clean up the mess and offered a few napkins to Rei who had yet to notice her skirt.
"Here take these you got some of my soda on you." Mamoru said offering Rei a few napkins.
When Rei looked down to inspect her school uniform she noticed the few dark red splotches on her skirt where the soda had hit her. It was then she also noticed the full extent of her handiwork.
"Oh no this just great!" Rei remarked as she tried to blot up the stains.
"Don't worry it'll come out after a quick wash. Besides I think they make those things so they withstand all the washings the parents put them through." Mamoru said with a genuine smile.
"Thanks. But at least let me help you clean up this mess." Rei offered.
Mamoru began handing Rei some more napkins and in no time the pair set to work cleaning up the spill on the floor and table. And while she was sopping up the soda Rei decided to put phase two of her plan into action.
"Look let me make it up to you for spilling your soda. I know of a real nice place that has the most beautiful gardens. They even have a fairly extensive collection of roses. Maybe we can go there tomorrow afternoon say around one and check them out." Rei said casually.
Mamoru was surprised to hear that Rei knew about the rose garden at Juban Park. For some strange reason Mamoru always felt right when he was amongst the delicate blossoms.
"You know about the rose garden at Juban Park?" Mamoru asked her.
"Yeah I've been there a few times. It's a real shame they might tear it up to put in a strip mall. I want to see the gardens and the park one last time before they begin working on it." Rei replied.
"I'd like that." Mamoru said as he finished cleaning off the table.
"It's a date then?" Rei wondered.
"It's a date." Mamoru confirmed.
With that Rei finished the last of her cleaning and went to rejoin her friends. Mamoru had brought it hook, line, and sinker. Now all Rei had to do was reel in her man with a well-placed kiss and Mamoru Chiba would be her boyfriend.
********
"I have a date with a college guy." Rei said as she sat down in the booth.
Usagi's curiosity was peaked when Rei mentioned she not only had a date but it was with a college guy no less.
"So Rei are you going to us who when and were." Usagi probed.
Rei began bushing a bit and took a moment before answering her friend.
"Motoki's friend Mamoru, the park, and it's tomorrow afternoon." Rei replied.
Usagi was a little mad Rei was going to be cutting short their fun the next day but at the same time she was also surprised to hear that not only did Motoki know Mamoru-baka he was a college student.
"I never knew Motoki and Mamoru-baka were friends and that the idiot is in college." Usagi began, "But did you have to set the date for tomorrow?"
"We really didn't have anything planned for tomorrow." Rei said before remembering about the movie they talked about seeing, "Well anything set in stone."
"Fine, fine have fun with mister ego over there for all I care." Usagi retorted using one of Bulma's many put downs she had heard her use.
"Maybe I will." Rei replied as though she had just won a coveted prize.
With that Naru who had been silent through the little display got up to head for her house. It was still a ways from the game parlor to the OSA P building where she and her mother lived in one of the apartments above the jewelry store.
"I'd love to stay and chat with you guys but I have to get home for dinner." Naru said.
At the mention of the last of the three daily meals Usagi's stomach began gurgling rather loudly. Usagi got a rather sheepish look on her face and sweat dropped as she looked to her friends.
"Gee you know I'm kind of hungry myself." Usagi said sounding just like her father.
Rei and Ami both let out a soft sigh, shook their heads, and rolled their eyes. No matter how much they knew about Usagi's heritage they still wouldn't be able to understand her Saiyan appetite.
"Usagi." They both remarked at the same time eliciting giggles from one another.
********
The girls walked into the lobby of Kinmoko Hall with their large take out chicken okonomiyaki to see the dorm director Kimiko Yamato standing in front of the door to her small apartment locking the door. The two roommates wondered where their dorm director was headed of to that night. Kimiko was casually dressed in a pair of tan linen Capri pants with a sleeveless garnet red t-shirt and a white linen shirt with three quarter sleeves over it. Upon her feet Kimiko wore a simple pair camel colored canvas shoes without socks. Her dark green hair was styled in its usual bun on top with the rest falling behind her brushing her shoulders trying to cover up the garnet tear drop earrings she wore.
Usagi wondered where Kimiko was headed off to and stopped to watch her for a moment. And as Kimiko turned to leave the building she noticed the three girls in the lobby. One of them she surmised had to be the girl who would be spending the night with the two roommates and the feline that resided with them. Walking over to the trio Kimiko smiled and introduced herself to the raven-haired miko.
"Hello there, my name is Yamato Kimiko and I am the dorm director for Kinmoko Hall." Kimiko said sounding very formal for someone only a few years out of graduate school.
Rei using every ounce of manners she had learned while still living in her father's home in Tokyo gave a slight bow to the older woman before responding in kind.
"It's a pleaser to meat you Yamato-san. My name is Hino Rei. I'm a friend of Usagi and Ami." Rei said with a pleasant smile.
Kimiko returned the smile ten fold when she recognized the name of the friend the two girls had invited to spend the night with them. And as she engaged in some quick small talk Kimiko took in all she could about the shrine miko.
"So you're the friend these two invited to spend the night. I hope the three of you have fun tonight and try and keep the noise to a reasonable level." Kimiko said.
"We'll try to." Rei replied.
Curiosity still getting the better of Usagi she voiced the question on her mind.
"Kimiko-san may I ask where you're headed off to?" Usagi inquired.
"I was just off to join some of my girlfriends for dinner. Nothing fancy just a few good friends updating each other on what we did over the week at the local café." The older woman replied with a smile.
"We'd better let you go then. Don't want to keep your friends waiting." Usagi said.
"No we wouldn't want to do that now would we." Kimiko replied letting the girls go.
"Have fun." The girls called back as they reached the stairs.
********
Usagi, Ami, Rei, and Luna munched on the okonomiyaki while discussing their enemy. It had been a few days since they had an honest to goodness full-blown Senshi meeting. And when the girls had told Luna Rei was coming over to the room for the night she decided to turn part of the night into a Senshi meeting. There were a few new developments she had learned from Central Control. And what she had learned told her they needed to find the princess and fast.
"Girls I have some new information concerning our enemy and our mission." Luna began after finishing her piece of the dinner.
"What kind of information?" Usagi asked with her mouth full.
"Central has learned the identity of the enemy we're facing and their objective. Plus they have revealed more information concerning our search for our princess." Luna replied.
"Exactly who is our enemy?" Rei asked as she took another piece of okonomiyaki.
"You'd better get your palmtop out and take all this down Ami." Luna suggested.
"Okay." Ami replied taking the blue palmtop off her nightstand.
Luna waited for Ami to access her word processor on the palmtop before continuing to give the information she had from Central.
"The enemy we are facing is known as the Dark Kingdom. It seems Jedite wasn't their only operative. Whoever sent the youma to drain energy from Naru's cousin is the next of their operatives on Earth. I'm suspecting that tennis instructor has something to do with." Luna began, "But enough about him. The Dark Kingdom's main objective at the moment is collecting energy from humans but they are also after something very important."
"What are they after?" Rei asked Luna.
"The Dark Kingdom is searching for the Imperium Silver Crystal, the great treasure of the Moon Kingdom. If they get a hold of it then the Earth could be in serious danger. Once we find the crystal we will be able to find the princess. Central says the crystal is the key to finding the princess. But they haven't said much more on the subject. I think they are giving me what information they have when they find it." Luna told them.
"Why would they be so interested in collecting energy from humans." Ami wondered.
Luna took a moment to lick her paw free of the sauce on it and think of an answer to Ami's question. Central hadn't given her that information yet.
"I haven't received that information as of yet so I'm assuming central hasn't found out the full objectives of the Dark Kingdom's activities." Luna replied.
With that the meeting ended and the girls set down to the business of finishing their take out and enjoying the rest of the night like normal sixteen year old girls.
********
Another perfect Saturday had come to the Azabu-Juban district in the Mintako ward of Tokyo. The sun was shinning and the birds were letting their sweet song be heard by all who passed by them. In Juban Park the trails and grassy knolls were fuller than they normally were. If the rumors were true than everyone wanted to spend one last day in the park before the construction on the strip mall began. But something just wasn't right in the park that day and no one knew what it was.
Ranma Saotome was glad to have some time to himself before he had to resume his volunteer work for the afternoon. As Usagi had kept reminding him volunteer work never took a day off. For some strange reason Ranma found himself finishing his morning deliveries a lot faster than he had when he first started doing the involuntary volunteer work. And the more he thought about it the more he began to realize that he didn't even think about the shell he had on his back anymore. In fact it didn't even seem that heavy to him anymore. Ranma Saotome had become used to the weight of the shell and in doing so had become stronger than he already was.
As Ranma sat down on one of the benches he nibbled at the piece of okonomiyaki he had purchased from the cart in the park. The flat pizza like food had one of his favorite toppings upon it, pork and as he ate the rather large piece he watched the people in the park. Looking around the park he spotted Chiba Mamoru dressed in gray pants, a black mock turtleneck, and a dark green jacket. Ranma could tell Mamoru was waiting for someone because he kept looking around the park.
Continuing his search around the park Ranma saw the little nerdy Umino peaking into the bushes and flowers looking for bugs. The pigtailed martial artist prayed to Kami that the school gossip wouldn't catch sight of him. After taking his gaze off the very weird Umino Gurio Ranma saw the local miko Rei Hino heading in the direction of Mamoru wearing a little red sweater, a white pleated skirt, and little white canvas slides. Ranma watched her for a moment as she bounded over to Mamoru and proceeded to glomp onto one of his arms before walking off with him.
Taking another bite of the lunch he had purchased Ranma heard a rustling coming from one of the nearby bushes. Ranma knew it couldn't have been Umino because he was in the opposite direction. Judging from the distance and sound of the rustling Ranma figured it had to be Son Usagi spying on her friend Rei. Ranma's assumption was confirmed when he felt the familiar aura of the Demi-Saiyan girl. Ranma wondered why Usagi would spy on Rei when she had clearly said she wasn't in the least but interested in Mamoru. But that thought was put out of his mind when he felt someone sit on the bench not too far from him. And when he felt an all too familiar aura Ranma slowly turned his head to his left and saw one Tendo Ami sitting next to him with her nose buried in an advanced placement physics book. Ami feeling as though she were being watched slowly lowered the book and turned her head to the right.
"Gaaahhhh!!" they both yelled out in shock and surprise.
"What are you doing here?" they both asked each other.
"Me? What are you doing here?" they responded to each other.
"I came here to do some studying." Ami said.
"Well I came here to eat. I had a break in the deliveries and besides I was hungry." Ranma explained to his fiancé.
With that the pair focused their attention back to the tasks at hand neither wanting to acknowledge the presence of the other.
********
Usagi was indeed spying on Rei as Ranma had guessed. And she was hopping from bush to bush trying to hear what Rei and Mamoru were saying to one another. For some reason Usagi felt as though Rei were stealing away the one person she care for more than anything in the world. And she wanted to follow the pair wherever they went. As Usagi continued her vigil she felt or rather sensed someone coming up to her from behind. Slowly turning around Usagi was face to face with Umino whose lips were mere inches from her own. Panic hit the Demi-Saiyan and she screamed.
"Gaaaahhh! Don't do that!" Usagi said to the nerdy boy.
"What ya doing Usagi?" Umino asked with an excited look behind his rather thick glasses.
"Nothing you'd be interested in." Usagi replied turning back to watch Rei and Mamoru.
"You know it's impolite to spy on people." Umino scolded when he realized what she was doing hiding in the bushes.
"SHHHH!" Usagi said quieting the boy.
As Usagi continued to watch Rei and Mamoru she noticed them walk over to a small ice cream cart. Mamoru reached into his pocket and pulled out a single bill to pay for two chocolate and nut covered Drumstick ice cream treats. The cones looked rather appealing to Usagi but she didn't have time to eat one. Then much to her luck and surprise she saw the pair sit down on one of the benches not too far from the cart. Usagi tried to listen to what they were saying but it was no use. It was at times like this when she wished she was Piccolo or Dende or one of them was with her. They had the better hearing. That's when Usagi got her idea. And taking advantage of the situation she turned to Umino.
"You Umino are going to purchase me an ice cream." Usagi said to the gossip.
Umino's eyes lit up at the prospect of going on a date with Usagi but she couldn't see them behind the overly thick glasses.
"Oh boy this is the happiest day of my life." Umino declared as he led Usagi to the cart.
As Umino led Usagi over to the ice cream vendor the blonde Demi-Saiyan tried to look as natural as possible in case either Rei or Mamoru happened to notice the pair. When the pair reached the ice cream cart Usagi took a moment to look over the selections plastered on the front of the little cart before making her choice. Umino settled on ordering his second favorite frozen treat.
"One Chocolate Supreme Drumstick." Usagi ordered.
"I'll have a triple berry frozen ice please." Umino said as he pulled out his money.
After receiving their treats and Umino paid for them the pair sat on a bench opposite the one Rei and Mamoru were sitting on. Usagi slowly nibbled at the Drumstick while listening in on the conversation taking place across from her. The Demi-Saiyan was actually glad Umino had snuck up on her because she knew what Dende and Piccolo would have said to her if she asked one of them to help her spy on Rei's date. Dende would have told her it wasn't the morally right thing to do and Piccolo would have told her not to waist his time with trivial pursuits. And so Usagi listened to what the other pair was saying.
"I've been living with my grandfather ever since I started going to TA." Rei said.
"So how long have you known you wanted to be a miko?" Mamoru asked Rei.
"It's been my life's dream." Rei replied.
"You know this triple berry frozen ice is my favorite frozen treat next to prune shakes." Umino said breaking Usagi's concentration, "I could drink ten prune shakes in one sitting if I wanted to."
Usagi let Umino continue to talk while she focused her attention back on the conversation Rei and Mamoru were having. Every so often she would nod her head to make it look like she was listening to the little nerd and his tale of prune shakes.
"I was thinking we could go see the rose garden after this and then maybe take a boat ride on the lake." Rei suggested to Mamoru with a puppy love look in her eyes.
"Um that would be nice." Mamoru replied trying to be nice to the younger girl.
With that the pair finished the last of their ice cream treats and got up to head over to the rose garden overlooking the park before taking a rowboat ride on the lake. Noticing the retreating Usagi at the rest of her Drumstick with the speed of a Super Saiyan or a really hungry Usagi. When the nut covered chocolate cone was no more she got up and left a somewhat confused Umino sitting on the bench alone.
********
Rei and Mamoru made their way to the rose garden but before they could even begin to enjoy the view of the park the garden had to offer the little old caretaker came over to the pair and began yelling at them to leave his gardens.
"You there get away from my garden!" he yelled, "No one is allowed in my garden but me!"
Rei looked at the man a bit confused and tried to reason with him.
"Sir we won't touch any of the flowers in your garden. All we want to do is look at them." Rei tried to tell the caretaker.
"No! No one can look at my garden but me!" the caretaker yelled once again.
Seeing that the situation was becoming a loosing battle Mamoru decided to suggested they take the boat ride Rei had talked about while they were eating their Drumsticks.
"Rei maybe we should let him be and go on that boat ride you wanted to take." Mamoru said.
"Alright." Rei said a bit dejected because she couldn't show Mamoru the roses.
With that the pair left the garden and headed towards the boathouse to take out one of the boats.
After they had left the garden all the small mammals and butterflies came over to where the caretaker was standing. Every one of the seemingly peaceful creatures had a strange red glow to their eyes including the caretaker.
"We'll show them. We'll show them all. No one will take my gardens away from me." He said in a sinister sounding voice.
********
Nephlite watched the scene unfold itself before him hidden in the shadows. The time had come for his latest youma to come forth and steal the energy from the old caretaker.
"The stars are in perfect alignment. Petasosu come forth and gather the energy of this worthless human!" Nephlite commanded.
With a wave of his hand Nephlite set in motion the events that would release his youma and waited to see what would happen next.
********
Usagi arrived at the garden in time to see that not only had she missed Rei and Mamoru but also the park caretaker appeared to be in great pain. The little old man was hunched over clutching onto his stomach crying out as a strange symbol appeared upon his forehead. When the symbol was at its brightest black and red smoke leapt out of his body as the caretaker fell to the ground. The smoke began forming itself into a humanoid figure in red with long fire red hair and silvery white skin. The youma immediately turned her head in the direction of Usagi and spoke to the Demi-Saiyan.
"Come forth my children and teach this pitiful human a lesson!" Petasosu called out.
With in a matter of mere moments the entire garden was full of small mammals and insects with glowing red eyes. Every one of the animals began snarling and hissing at Usagi and the Demi-Saiyan knew she had to transform.
"Moon Prism Power!" Usagi called out as she raised her hand.
********
Rei and Mamoru were out in the middle when the pain struck Mamoru. Clutching onto his head Mamoru doubled over in intense pain. There was only one thing that could happen next Mamoru would black out. Lately it seemed Mamoru would black out whenever and wherever and when he would wake up he was in his apartment with no recollection as to how he got there. He did however have two clues to the black outs the intense pain that preceded them and the dreams he had been having.
Rei had seen Mamoru grab his head in pain but she had also felt the power of the transformation taking place. Rei knew she had to get to the shore and transform into Sailor Mars but she couldn't leave Mamoru in his present condition. Rei had to help Usagi or Ami with the latest threat but she didn't want to run out on Mamoru.
There they were in a serious dilemma sitting in the middle of the lake in the tiny rowboat. Rei knew she had to attend to Senshi business but she didn't want to leave Mamoru who was in obvious pain. Mamoru knew he had to get to shore before he blacked out but he didn't want to ruin his outing with Rei. Fortunately for both of them fate and luck had a different hand dealt for them. The sky above the park began getting darker and the wind began to pick up. The water in the lake started to get very choppy.
The little boat was rocked back and forth as the wind picked up to a gale force and the lake surged around them. Then all of a sudden in one quick motion the boat was tossed over disposing of its passengers into the water. Rei looked over at Mamoru and saw that he was already heading towards the shore. Taking the bull by the horns Rei called out to Mamoru.
"Mamoru don't worry about me. You just get yourself to shore." Rei called out heading in the opposite direction he was headed.
Not even looking back Mamoru swam as though his life depended upon it, which it did. If he were to black out in the water who knew what would happen and he didn't want to think about that. The moment Mamoru felt he was safely on shore the darkness over took him.
When Rei had reached the shore she pulled out her henshin rod and prepared to transform. Holding the rod into the air Rei called forth her transformation phrase.
"Mars Power!" she called out.
When the transformation had ended Rei or rather Sailor Mars headed off in the direction of the surge in raw power she had felt out in the middle of lake.
********
The still silent pair on the bench near the okonomiyaki cart had also felt the surge in power coming from somewhere within the confines of the park. Ranma who had long since finished his meal forgot all about how ridiculous he looked in the orange and black turtle shell and turned to look over at his fiancé. There were times when the pigtailed martial artist would actually try and be civil with her. He would never admit he liked her but Ranma was nice to her on a rare occasion and this was one of those occasions. And as he looked at Ami he could tell she had felt the flaring battle aura as well.
Ranma's suspicions were correct in their assumptions for Ami did indeed feel the rise in power wash through the park. Immediately making a quick glance over to Ranma Ami knew he had felt it as well. And knowing there was nothing she could do to stop him from trying to help out she sighed and put her book down before pulling out her henshin rod. Standing up Ami began her transformation.
"Mercury Power!" Ami called out.
When her transformation was complete Ami turned her attention to Ranma.
"Well are you coming or not turtle boy." Mercury said using her new nickname for Ranma.
Seeing his transformed fiancé heading off to the battle Ranma quickly followed not wanting a bunch of girls to hog a good fight. Besides he hadn't sparred since Usagi gave him the heavy shell and shirt. Ranma was up for a good fight to clear his mind.
********
Usagi had finished transforming and faced the youma Petasosu as Sailor Moon. The animals that had emerged from the bushes and trees were now in front of Petasosu their eyes letting off a strange red glow. Sailor Moon looked from the animals to the youma and let a tiny smile creep across her lips as her face hardened signaling her decent into fighter mode. Sailor Moon was now running on pure Saiyan instincts. Not wasting any time Sailor Moon got the battle underway.
"I am the sailor suited Senshi Sailor Moon. In the name of the moon I shall punish you." Sailor Moon said to the youma not even bothering to go through her normal routine.
Petasosu looked at Sailor Moon with cold hard eyes before commanding her horde of animal minions to begin attacking the Moon Senshi.
"Destroy her my children!" Petasosu commanded.
All at once the animals began advancing towards Sailor Moon. Only once before had Sailor Moon gazed upon eyes filled with bloodlust when the black water possessed her mother and her friends. Not wanting to take any chances Sailor Moon began to slowly back away from the advancing animals. The snarling and hissing animals had Sailor Moon scared. I just hope the others get here soon, she wished silently to herself.
As if in answer to her silent prayer Sailor Moon heard a pair of voices call out from behind her.
"Hey fuzz balls you want someone to attack then why not try a little Ranma Saotome on for size." The first voice called out.
"I am the Senshi of Wisdom and the Guardian of the planet Mercury Sailor Mercury." The second voice said to the youma.
Sailor Moon turned to her left to see Ranma in the turtle shell and Sailor Mercury ready to battle the demented looking animals and their youma master.
"Boy am I glad to see you guys." Sailor Moon said a bit relieved.
With that Ranma shell and all rushed the animals ready to take them on and while he was going after the animals Mercury decided to send her own attack towards the youma.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Mercury called out.
The bubbles burst and covered the area in a thick, cold, wet fog. As the fog made it difficult for the lone male and the youma to see a loud shout was heard from within its murky depths.
"Kuso! Nice going brainiac!" a now female Ranma yelled at Mercury.
The animals still able to see within the fog kept advancing on Sailor Moon. Then as if by a miracle another answer to Sailor Moon's earlier silent prayer came crashing through the fog.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" came the shout that preceded the attack.
The spiraling flame cut through the fog causing the animals to back away from Sailor Moon and Ranma. The temporary distraction allowed the Demi-Saiyan to collect herself and make an attack on Petasosu. Using her speed Sailor Moon got behind the youma and drove her fists into the youma's back. The youma quickly rolled onto her back and returned to her feet. Now facing Sailor Moon Petasosu sent a blast of dark energy at the Demi-Saiyan.
When the fog had lifted Mars, Mercury, and Ranma watched as Sailor Moon took on the youma. The youma sent another blast of dark energy towards Sailor Moon who tried to dodge it but ended up getting hit by the well-placed blast. As energy blast hit Sailor Moon Mercury began scanning the youma for any weak spots she might have. And while she was doing that the third answer to Sailor Moon's silent prayer came in the form of a red rose streaking in front of the youma and sticking in the ground.
Looking up in the direction the rose had traveled from Sailor Moon and the other Senshi saw Tuxedo Mask sitting in a nearby tree.
"Tuxedo Mask." They said.
"Sailor Senshi you have the power to defeat this youma. All it takes is a little teamwork." Tuxedo Mask reminded them in a very Goku like way.
"Right!" Sailor Moon said.
"Anything yet Mercury?" Mars inquired.
"She won't be able to handle all of our attacks at once. If we combine all of them we should be able to defeat her." Mercury reported before putting her palmtop away.
"Then let's do it!" Sailor Moon said as she joined the other Senshi.
One by one the Senshi powered up for their attacks.
"Masenko..." Sailor Moon started.
"Mercury Bubbles..." Mercury said.
"Mars Fire..." Mars added.
"Ha!"
"Blast!"
"Ignite!"
The Ki blast joined together with the cold bubbles and the hot flames to become one powerful blast. And when the blast hit Petasosu the youma cried out in agony as she was disintegrated by the blast.
From his hiding spot Nephlite knew the time had come to make himself known. Appearing over the battle scene Nephlite called out to the Senshi and their allies.
"Very impressive Sailor Girls." Nephlite sneered.
Looking up into the sky the Senshi saw the Dark Kingdom general floating above them.
"Who are you creep?" Sailor Moon demanded.
"I am Nephlite general of the Dark Kingdom and you may have won this round but I shall be the one to win the war. We will meet again Sailor Senshi." Nephlite said before disappearing into thin air.
"Well done Sailor Senshi." Tuxedo Mask told the girls before leaving.
********
Everything had returned to normal in Juban Park. The skies were clear and sunny once again and the lake was clam and blue. Rei and Mamoru had resumed their little outing and Rei was glad Mamoru was feeling better and able to continue their date. Ami, Ranma, and Usagi were glad the caretaker was doing fine and that their friend was happy. And as the trio watched Rei and Mamoru continue with their date a loud nasally voice called out to Usagi.
"Usagi, Usagi! There you are!" Umino called out as he ran over to the girls.
Usagi groaned when she realized why Umino was coming over to her. The little nerd wanted to finish what he thought was their date.
"Neglect to tell us something Usagi?" Ami asked her friend.
"Looks like you have a date to return to as well." Ranma teased.
"Usagi I was wondering where you got to. We still need to finish our date." Umino said latching onto the Demi-Saiyan's well-toned arm.
"Why me?" Usagi moaned as Umino dragged her off into the park.
********
Finally another episode is finished! Now you can stop asking me when I'm going to get another episode out. Hope you all like this one. The youma and the victim in this one are taken from the actual episode from the anime. Okay so I changed things around a bit and Umino didn't subject Usagi to a prune shake for two. Now I don't know if Nestle makes a Drumstick like the one Usagi ate but I'm pretty certain they make something close to it. Oh and BTW Drumsticks belong to the good folks at Nestle I'm only using their likeness to add flavor to my story.
I want to thank a few individuals out there who without even knowing it have helped me to be able to write a great story based on the original Sailor Moon anime. I'd like to thank Hitoshi Doi for his Sailor Moon Encyclopedia. There were countless times when I cross-referenced it for the proper Japanese spelling of a name such as Nephlite's alias. I'd also like to thank the geniuses behind Anime Hardcore Radio and Powerpuff FM. I've spent countless hours listening to their stations while writing my story. It gave me great inspiration. And finally I'd like to thank all you who put up with me and my delays and read each episode giving them the best reviews I've ever received.
There's not much to explain in this episode except for the one tiny little Japanese word that crept into this story. Kuso is a Japanese word that has many meanings. The PG meaning of the word is damn or darn. I won't go into the PG13 and R rated meanings but I think you get the idea. It just seemed like the right think for Ranma to say when he became female again.
I have a bit of a challenge and/or request for all of you out there who can draw. If you think you're up to it I'd love to see a picture of Ranma wearing that turtle shell. One of the reviews I got found it funny that I had Ranma wear that shell. And while we're at it I'd love to see any pictures of a Saiyan Usagi tail and all. Even a Saiyan Princess Serenity would be neat too. Just remember she has a white tail.
Coming up next for our heroes Mamoru is still having those dreams and now it seems Usagi is having one too. Ranma graduates from the turtle shell but Usagi has something special for him. Nephlite becomes desperate and sends out a love letter addressed to Sailor Moon. Will the one he is looking for fall for his trap? Find out in Episode Seven The Love Letter.
He stood in a large stone courtyard looking up at the stone balcony above him. He was dressed in black and silver armor and had a sword sheathed at his side. And as he looked up at the balcony he thought about how much the scene resembled the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. But unlike that scene there was a soft cloud of mist covering the area. And as he looked at the balcony he could see the shadow of a figure standing on the balcony. Looking up at her female form he waited for her to speak.
"Please you must help me." She pleaded with him.
"What do you need help with?" he asked her.
"I need you to set me free." She told him.
"Free from what?" he asked his dream princess.
"You will find out soon enough." She replied.
"How then can I set you free?" he wondered.
"Find the seven crystals and then you will have all the answers you have ever looked for in your entire life. Find them and not only will you set me free but you will set yourself free as well." She said.
With that the dream began to fade away. If the dream stayed around much longer it would turn into something the young man didn't possess memories. And whoever was giving him this dream didn't want him to have any memories just yet. For the young man one Mamoru Chiba couldn't remember a single thing that happened to him before he was six years old.
********
Rumor and gossip spreads fast in the ward of Tokyo known as Mintako. And nowhere in the ward did the rumors spread faster than the Azabu-Juban neighborhood. The latest rumor floating around the section of town concerned the park in the center of the neighborhood. Stories had begun to float around that the city wanted to pave over the park and fill up the small lake in the center to make way for the dreaded scourge of urban development the strip mall. Six stores and a parking lot were to be constructed over the beautiful flowers and crystal clear waters. There would be no more places to have picnics or takes walks. And there would be no more rowboat rides in the lake for young couples in love. But most importantly of all there would no more little old man in weathered tan leather gardening gloves tending to the flowers and trees that grew in the main garden overlooking the lake and the many paths in the park.
********
Ami Tendo had come to love the park in the center of the neighborhood where her school was located. Ever since the day she had told her roommate and good friend Son Usagi about the events surrounding the death of her mother she came to the park. Ami came for one reason and one reason alone, the garden. The garden on the hill, which was the pride and joy of the park's caretaker, reminded Ami of the garden her mother used to keep. Now the only reminder of her mother's time and effort that remained at home was the large koi pond in back yard.
When Ami had heard the news floating around the district about the plans to cover up the park from the caretaker himself two thoughts went though her mind. At first she thought about the flowers in the garden would be destroyed but the second thought that danced in her mind soon became more important than the flowers what would happen to kind gentleman who took care of the park.
********
Nephlite stood before the window in his observatory. Once again he was searching the stars for the perfect person to be his next target. As the familiar tendrils of light snaked out of the window and connected with the general's forehead the window began its dance and turned to the proper alignment. And when the window reached the right spot in the zodiac Nephlite was shown the image of the individual who would become his next target. There in the moonlight Nephlite saw the image of the man who took care of the gardens in the park in the center of the Azabu-Juban neighborhood. The little old man with his weather worn gloves and his straw garden hat would be the next to fall to the dark general.
"The stars know all and soon your energy will become mine." Nephlite said.
********
Guardians of the Earth
Episode Six: Take the Man Please
********
Another Friday had come to the Mintako ward of Tokyo and the Senshi were looking forward to being able to spend some time together. Usagi had asked Rei if she wanted to spend the night with Ami and her in their room after getting the okay from their dorm director Kimiko. What Usagi didn't know at the time was that when she mentioned the name of the friend she wanted to invite to stay over in her room Kimiko welcomed the chance to see Rei Hino up close. But that was the least of the Moon Senshi's worries for at the moment she was with her three best friends at the Crown Fruit and Game Parlor doing what normal first year high school students did pig out on ice cream, play video games, and gab about completely mundane things.
Usagi, Ami, Rei, and Naru were currently discussing which boys in the ward were the ones to keep an eye on. Naru with a bit of a silly grin on her face had mentioned hearing how Umino was drilling Ranma for information about Usagi and Usagi and the other girls shuddered at the thought of the smaller boy. Usagi just couldn't picture herself on a date with the school gossip.
"Well are there any boys you do like Usagi?" Rei asked her friend.
Usagi's face suddenly began to redden when Rei asked if she liked someone. It was hard to miss the fact that Usagi had a secret crush. But what the others at the table didn't know was that Usagi had two secret crushes and at the moment she could only tell them about one of those crushes.
"You do like someone." Naru said when she saw the tell tale sign on Usagi's face.
"Well yeah I guess I do." Usagi said, as her face got even redder.
"So who is he?" Rei probed.
Usagi tried to hide her face as she gave them her answer.
"Um it's Motoki." Usagi mumbled in reply.
"Did you say Motoki?" Ami wondered.
"Hai I did." Usagi said quietly.
Ami who wasn't one to think about boys and romance found it interesting Usagi had a thing for the older boy who worked at the arcade.
It was at that moment that the boy in question walked over to the table to say hello to one of his regular customers and her friends.
"Hello ladies." Motoki said to the four girls.
Usagi looked up to see Motoki standing near her and the blush on her face deepened even more. Rei and Naru couldn't help but giggle at how shy their usually strong friend was being. Usagi had spent most of her life around members of the opposite gender but most of them were around the same age as her father or older and it was kind of hard to form crushes on them. Her infatuation with Motoki was the first real crush she had ever had in her entire life. The one she had on Mirai Trunks didn't quite count considering the situation at the time she had met him.
"Hey Motoki." The girls replied at the same time.
Motoki took a quick look at the small group at the booth and noticed a certain pigtailed martial artist wasn't hanging around the girls that day. He wondered just where Ami's fiancé had gotten to.
"Say where's your friend Ranma been lately? I haven't seen him around here in a while." Motoki asked the girls.
Ami looked up at Motoki with a look that said she wasn't his keeper and didn't know where he was. Usagi could tell Ami would start calling him names and decided to field Motoki's question.
"He's probably still out delivering those meals to the home bound elderly because I don't think it's one of the days he has to sit through a tutoring session with Umino." Usagi told him.
"I didn't know Ranma did volunteer work." Motoki commented.
"It wasn't his choice but I thought he needed to do something for the community while working on his martial arts training. You see the method I'm teaching him makes you not only physically stronger but a stronger member of the community as a whole. When my papa went through this he had to deliver milk and help plow fields for a farmer. And he did it while wearing a heavy turtle shell on his back." Usagi explained to the older blonde.
Upon hearing the explanation Naru now knew why Ranma was dressed the way he ways when she saw him running through the district with what looked like take out boxes strapped to his back. It seemed the volunteer work was doing what Usagi had hoped it would do. She hoped someone like Ranma would be able to see it as well. Usagi was the best friend anyone could ever ask for.
As Motoki and the girls continued their little conversation the door to the fruit parlor opened and Usagi caught a glimpse of one Mamoru Chiba walk into the café and take a seat at a nearby table. As she watched the scene unfold she saw Rei glance over at Mamoru with a far off look in her eyes. Usagi now knew just who Rei's secret crush was. It was none other than Mamoru-baka.
"Motoki I didn't realize Mamoru-baka was a regular in here." Usagi said.
"Oh yeah he comes in here a lot between classes and work. He gets a bite to eat and gets some studying done before he has to head off to his job." Motoki told her.
"How do you know that?" Rei asked with a slight hint of color on her cheeks.
"Mamoru and I have known each other since high school. We even have a few classes together at the university." Motoki told her, "Well I better get back to work. Been nice chatting with you ladies."
"See you Motoki." Usagi said to the older boy with a wave.
A couple of minutes after Motoki had left Rei decided that simply watching Mamoru was getting her nowhere. Getting up from the table Rei went to the prize and token counter in the game center to talk to Motoki about Mamoru.
"Rei where are you going?" Ami asked when she saw her friend leaving the booth.
"I need to ask Motoki a few questions." Rei said.
"It wouldn't have to do with a certain guy sitting alone at that table over there?" Naru wondered.
"Hai it does." Rei replied letting her cheeks color once again.
Usagi looked over at her friend and let out a small snort.
"What's wrong Usagi? You don't like him do you?" Rei asked the blonde girl.
"Like him?! You can have the guy for all I care. In fact, I hope you two are very happy together. I'll just stick to good old reliable Motoki." Usagi replied.
With that Rei bounded off to find Motoki to do to him what Umino had been doing to Ranma, pump him for information about his friend.
********
The park caretaker knelt over the small violets tenderly clipping back the dead leaves and flowers. He loved the time he spent with the flowers. Their beauty and fragrance was unlike anything else in the world and he would often see the occasional butterfly flitter from blossom to blossom taking in the sweet nectar and pollinating the flowers. The birds and small mammals loved the quiet sanctuary created by the flowers, trees, and bushes and would often come up to the caretaker letting him lay a gentle hand upon their tiny heads or scratch them under their chins. All in all he couldn't imagine doing anything else.
But the rumor floating around the district had the caretaker worried. He began wondering why someone would want to pave over such a beautiful park and destroy the greenery and displace all the wildlife that called this place their home. It was a crying shame people didn't have the respect for the natural world they once had. And the caretaker wanted to do something about it.
"I just wish there was something I could do to help all of you." He said to the flora and fauna.
"You know there is something you can do." A voice replied from behind him.
The caretaker turned around to see a young man with shoulder length chestnut brown hair and blue eyes wearing a gray suit and yellow shirt. The young man was none other than the new millionaire in town Sanjouin Masato. And even though the caretaker didn't know this he was interested to hear what the young man had to tell him.
"But what can one old man do to save all this?" the caretaker wondered.
"You my friend can stop them from constructing their strip mall." Sanjouin told him.
And in the process you can give your energy to the Dark Kingdom, he thought.
With that Sanjouin placed his hand upon the caretaker's head and poured dark energy into his body. The caretaker began to emit a black and red aura around his body and a strange symbol appeared on his forehead for a moment before disappearing. The caretaker looked up at Sanjouin with a darkness in his eyes and a strange scowl upon his face.
"I understand what I must do now." He told Sanjouin darkly.
The millionaire playboy turned to walk away from the park and as he did so a sinister smile crept across his face and he began letting out a devilish chuckle.
"Soon my Petasosu you will show these pitiful humans the power of the Dark Kingdom." He said.
********
Rei walked into the game parlor and made her way to the prize counter where Motoki was currently located. Going over to the counter Rei waited for Motoki to finish dispensing a few prizes to some junior high boys. After handing them the super deformed Kenshin key chains and helicopter sticks Motoki noticed Rei standing by the counter and turned his attention to her.
"Did you need something Rei?" he asked her.
"Actually I did. I need you to tell me everything you can about one Mamoru Chiba." Rei replied.
Motoki let a slight chuckle escape his lips when he realized what Rei was trying to accomplish. It was kind of cute that the miko in training had a bit of a crush on his best friend.
"Let's see what is there to tell you about Mamoru Chiba. Well he's the same age as me, which is twenty, and he attends some classes with me at Azabu Tech. He's been living on his own for two years now and works to pay his expenses at school and home. We met each other in high school when we attended Juban High." Motoki told Rei.
"Does he have any hobbies?" Rei wanted to know.
"Well he does like roses and keeps a potted variety in his apartment and he did take some kempo classes when we were in high school." Motoki answered her hoping it would help.
Motoki thought Rei was through asking him about Mamoru but the raven-haired miko continued to probe the older boy for information on his friend.
"Do you know when he finishes his last class of the day?" Rei wanted to know.
"Well I finish at two and am here by two thirty and depending upon what day it is Mamoru is usually finished by three or four at the latest." Motoki replied.
"One last question where does he work?" Rei asked.
Motoki looked at Rei with a blank expression. That was one subject he and Mamoru had not discussed yet lately. He knew Mamoru had a new job but he didn't know where his friend was currently employed. This was one question he could not answer.
"You know he hasn't told me what sort of job he got himself this time yet. So I really don't know." Motoki said with an apologetic look.
"Oh. Well thanks for all the other info. This should help me out a lot." Rei replied as she went to rejoin her friends in the fruit parlor.
Motoki watched as Rei left the arcade and as she did he called out to her retreating form.
"Good luck Rei." He said to the younger girl.
********
Rei now armed with her newfound information planned on casually bumping into Mamoru's table on the way back to the booth where her friends were sitting. Hopefully if everything went as planned Mamoru would offer to take her out sometime. Rei had the perfect place for the two of them to go to too a boat ride in the middle of Juban Park and then a nice romantic walk through the gardens. Besides if all the rumors were true Rei wanted to experience on boat ride in the lake with the man of her dreams before the construction crew came and drained the lake and filled it in.
With her head in the clouds Rei's planned accidental bumping into Mamoru's table turned into the real thing sending the black cherry soda he had toppling over to pour out its contents onto the floor. Mamoru watched in stunned horror as the dark red bubbling liquid created a waterfall on the table and a small pool on the floor below. He noticed some of the liquid had found its way to Rei's perfectly pressed gray school uniform. Grabbing for the napkin dispenser on the table Mamoru began to clean up the mess and offered a few napkins to Rei who had yet to notice her skirt.
"Here take these you got some of my soda on you." Mamoru said offering Rei a few napkins.
When Rei looked down to inspect her school uniform she noticed the few dark red splotches on her skirt where the soda had hit her. It was then she also noticed the full extent of her handiwork.
"Oh no this just great!" Rei remarked as she tried to blot up the stains.
"Don't worry it'll come out after a quick wash. Besides I think they make those things so they withstand all the washings the parents put them through." Mamoru said with a genuine smile.
"Thanks. But at least let me help you clean up this mess." Rei offered.
Mamoru began handing Rei some more napkins and in no time the pair set to work cleaning up the spill on the floor and table. And while she was sopping up the soda Rei decided to put phase two of her plan into action.
"Look let me make it up to you for spilling your soda. I know of a real nice place that has the most beautiful gardens. They even have a fairly extensive collection of roses. Maybe we can go there tomorrow afternoon say around one and check them out." Rei said casually.
Mamoru was surprised to hear that Rei knew about the rose garden at Juban Park. For some strange reason Mamoru always felt right when he was amongst the delicate blossoms.
"You know about the rose garden at Juban Park?" Mamoru asked her.
"Yeah I've been there a few times. It's a real shame they might tear it up to put in a strip mall. I want to see the gardens and the park one last time before they begin working on it." Rei replied.
"I'd like that." Mamoru said as he finished cleaning off the table.
"It's a date then?" Rei wondered.
"It's a date." Mamoru confirmed.
With that Rei finished the last of her cleaning and went to rejoin her friends. Mamoru had brought it hook, line, and sinker. Now all Rei had to do was reel in her man with a well-placed kiss and Mamoru Chiba would be her boyfriend.
********
"I have a date with a college guy." Rei said as she sat down in the booth.
Usagi's curiosity was peaked when Rei mentioned she not only had a date but it was with a college guy no less.
"So Rei are you going to us who when and were." Usagi probed.
Rei began bushing a bit and took a moment before answering her friend.
"Motoki's friend Mamoru, the park, and it's tomorrow afternoon." Rei replied.
Usagi was a little mad Rei was going to be cutting short their fun the next day but at the same time she was also surprised to hear that not only did Motoki know Mamoru-baka he was a college student.
"I never knew Motoki and Mamoru-baka were friends and that the idiot is in college." Usagi began, "But did you have to set the date for tomorrow?"
"We really didn't have anything planned for tomorrow." Rei said before remembering about the movie they talked about seeing, "Well anything set in stone."
"Fine, fine have fun with mister ego over there for all I care." Usagi retorted using one of Bulma's many put downs she had heard her use.
"Maybe I will." Rei replied as though she had just won a coveted prize.
With that Naru who had been silent through the little display got up to head for her house. It was still a ways from the game parlor to the OSA P building where she and her mother lived in one of the apartments above the jewelry store.
"I'd love to stay and chat with you guys but I have to get home for dinner." Naru said.
At the mention of the last of the three daily meals Usagi's stomach began gurgling rather loudly. Usagi got a rather sheepish look on her face and sweat dropped as she looked to her friends.
"Gee you know I'm kind of hungry myself." Usagi said sounding just like her father.
Rei and Ami both let out a soft sigh, shook their heads, and rolled their eyes. No matter how much they knew about Usagi's heritage they still wouldn't be able to understand her Saiyan appetite.
"Usagi." They both remarked at the same time eliciting giggles from one another.
********
The girls walked into the lobby of Kinmoko Hall with their large take out chicken okonomiyaki to see the dorm director Kimiko Yamato standing in front of the door to her small apartment locking the door. The two roommates wondered where their dorm director was headed of to that night. Kimiko was casually dressed in a pair of tan linen Capri pants with a sleeveless garnet red t-shirt and a white linen shirt with three quarter sleeves over it. Upon her feet Kimiko wore a simple pair camel colored canvas shoes without socks. Her dark green hair was styled in its usual bun on top with the rest falling behind her brushing her shoulders trying to cover up the garnet tear drop earrings she wore.
Usagi wondered where Kimiko was headed off to and stopped to watch her for a moment. And as Kimiko turned to leave the building she noticed the three girls in the lobby. One of them she surmised had to be the girl who would be spending the night with the two roommates and the feline that resided with them. Walking over to the trio Kimiko smiled and introduced herself to the raven-haired miko.
"Hello there, my name is Yamato Kimiko and I am the dorm director for Kinmoko Hall." Kimiko said sounding very formal for someone only a few years out of graduate school.
Rei using every ounce of manners she had learned while still living in her father's home in Tokyo gave a slight bow to the older woman before responding in kind.
"It's a pleaser to meat you Yamato-san. My name is Hino Rei. I'm a friend of Usagi and Ami." Rei said with a pleasant smile.
Kimiko returned the smile ten fold when she recognized the name of the friend the two girls had invited to spend the night with them. And as she engaged in some quick small talk Kimiko took in all she could about the shrine miko.
"So you're the friend these two invited to spend the night. I hope the three of you have fun tonight and try and keep the noise to a reasonable level." Kimiko said.
"We'll try to." Rei replied.
Curiosity still getting the better of Usagi she voiced the question on her mind.
"Kimiko-san may I ask where you're headed off to?" Usagi inquired.
"I was just off to join some of my girlfriends for dinner. Nothing fancy just a few good friends updating each other on what we did over the week at the local café." The older woman replied with a smile.
"We'd better let you go then. Don't want to keep your friends waiting." Usagi said.
"No we wouldn't want to do that now would we." Kimiko replied letting the girls go.
"Have fun." The girls called back as they reached the stairs.
********
Usagi, Ami, Rei, and Luna munched on the okonomiyaki while discussing their enemy. It had been a few days since they had an honest to goodness full-blown Senshi meeting. And when the girls had told Luna Rei was coming over to the room for the night she decided to turn part of the night into a Senshi meeting. There were a few new developments she had learned from Central Control. And what she had learned told her they needed to find the princess and fast.
"Girls I have some new information concerning our enemy and our mission." Luna began after finishing her piece of the dinner.
"What kind of information?" Usagi asked with her mouth full.
"Central has learned the identity of the enemy we're facing and their objective. Plus they have revealed more information concerning our search for our princess." Luna replied.
"Exactly who is our enemy?" Rei asked as she took another piece of okonomiyaki.
"You'd better get your palmtop out and take all this down Ami." Luna suggested.
"Okay." Ami replied taking the blue palmtop off her nightstand.
Luna waited for Ami to access her word processor on the palmtop before continuing to give the information she had from Central.
"The enemy we are facing is known as the Dark Kingdom. It seems Jedite wasn't their only operative. Whoever sent the youma to drain energy from Naru's cousin is the next of their operatives on Earth. I'm suspecting that tennis instructor has something to do with." Luna began, "But enough about him. The Dark Kingdom's main objective at the moment is collecting energy from humans but they are also after something very important."
"What are they after?" Rei asked Luna.
"The Dark Kingdom is searching for the Imperium Silver Crystal, the great treasure of the Moon Kingdom. If they get a hold of it then the Earth could be in serious danger. Once we find the crystal we will be able to find the princess. Central says the crystal is the key to finding the princess. But they haven't said much more on the subject. I think they are giving me what information they have when they find it." Luna told them.
"Why would they be so interested in collecting energy from humans." Ami wondered.
Luna took a moment to lick her paw free of the sauce on it and think of an answer to Ami's question. Central hadn't given her that information yet.
"I haven't received that information as of yet so I'm assuming central hasn't found out the full objectives of the Dark Kingdom's activities." Luna replied.
With that the meeting ended and the girls set down to the business of finishing their take out and enjoying the rest of the night like normal sixteen year old girls.
********
Another perfect Saturday had come to the Azabu-Juban district in the Mintako ward of Tokyo. The sun was shinning and the birds were letting their sweet song be heard by all who passed by them. In Juban Park the trails and grassy knolls were fuller than they normally were. If the rumors were true than everyone wanted to spend one last day in the park before the construction on the strip mall began. But something just wasn't right in the park that day and no one knew what it was.
Ranma Saotome was glad to have some time to himself before he had to resume his volunteer work for the afternoon. As Usagi had kept reminding him volunteer work never took a day off. For some strange reason Ranma found himself finishing his morning deliveries a lot faster than he had when he first started doing the involuntary volunteer work. And the more he thought about it the more he began to realize that he didn't even think about the shell he had on his back anymore. In fact it didn't even seem that heavy to him anymore. Ranma Saotome had become used to the weight of the shell and in doing so had become stronger than he already was.
As Ranma sat down on one of the benches he nibbled at the piece of okonomiyaki he had purchased from the cart in the park. The flat pizza like food had one of his favorite toppings upon it, pork and as he ate the rather large piece he watched the people in the park. Looking around the park he spotted Chiba Mamoru dressed in gray pants, a black mock turtleneck, and a dark green jacket. Ranma could tell Mamoru was waiting for someone because he kept looking around the park.
Continuing his search around the park Ranma saw the little nerdy Umino peaking into the bushes and flowers looking for bugs. The pigtailed martial artist prayed to Kami that the school gossip wouldn't catch sight of him. After taking his gaze off the very weird Umino Gurio Ranma saw the local miko Rei Hino heading in the direction of Mamoru wearing a little red sweater, a white pleated skirt, and little white canvas slides. Ranma watched her for a moment as she bounded over to Mamoru and proceeded to glomp onto one of his arms before walking off with him.
Taking another bite of the lunch he had purchased Ranma heard a rustling coming from one of the nearby bushes. Ranma knew it couldn't have been Umino because he was in the opposite direction. Judging from the distance and sound of the rustling Ranma figured it had to be Son Usagi spying on her friend Rei. Ranma's assumption was confirmed when he felt the familiar aura of the Demi-Saiyan girl. Ranma wondered why Usagi would spy on Rei when she had clearly said she wasn't in the least but interested in Mamoru. But that thought was put out of his mind when he felt someone sit on the bench not too far from him. And when he felt an all too familiar aura Ranma slowly turned his head to his left and saw one Tendo Ami sitting next to him with her nose buried in an advanced placement physics book. Ami feeling as though she were being watched slowly lowered the book and turned her head to the right.
"Gaaahhhh!!" they both yelled out in shock and surprise.
"What are you doing here?" they both asked each other.
"Me? What are you doing here?" they responded to each other.
"I came here to do some studying." Ami said.
"Well I came here to eat. I had a break in the deliveries and besides I was hungry." Ranma explained to his fiancé.
With that the pair focused their attention back to the tasks at hand neither wanting to acknowledge the presence of the other.
********
Usagi was indeed spying on Rei as Ranma had guessed. And she was hopping from bush to bush trying to hear what Rei and Mamoru were saying to one another. For some reason Usagi felt as though Rei were stealing away the one person she care for more than anything in the world. And she wanted to follow the pair wherever they went. As Usagi continued her vigil she felt or rather sensed someone coming up to her from behind. Slowly turning around Usagi was face to face with Umino whose lips were mere inches from her own. Panic hit the Demi-Saiyan and she screamed.
"Gaaaahhh! Don't do that!" Usagi said to the nerdy boy.
"What ya doing Usagi?" Umino asked with an excited look behind his rather thick glasses.
"Nothing you'd be interested in." Usagi replied turning back to watch Rei and Mamoru.
"You know it's impolite to spy on people." Umino scolded when he realized what she was doing hiding in the bushes.
"SHHHH!" Usagi said quieting the boy.
As Usagi continued to watch Rei and Mamoru she noticed them walk over to a small ice cream cart. Mamoru reached into his pocket and pulled out a single bill to pay for two chocolate and nut covered Drumstick ice cream treats. The cones looked rather appealing to Usagi but she didn't have time to eat one. Then much to her luck and surprise she saw the pair sit down on one of the benches not too far from the cart. Usagi tried to listen to what they were saying but it was no use. It was at times like this when she wished she was Piccolo or Dende or one of them was with her. They had the better hearing. That's when Usagi got her idea. And taking advantage of the situation she turned to Umino.
"You Umino are going to purchase me an ice cream." Usagi said to the gossip.
Umino's eyes lit up at the prospect of going on a date with Usagi but she couldn't see them behind the overly thick glasses.
"Oh boy this is the happiest day of my life." Umino declared as he led Usagi to the cart.
As Umino led Usagi over to the ice cream vendor the blonde Demi-Saiyan tried to look as natural as possible in case either Rei or Mamoru happened to notice the pair. When the pair reached the ice cream cart Usagi took a moment to look over the selections plastered on the front of the little cart before making her choice. Umino settled on ordering his second favorite frozen treat.
"One Chocolate Supreme Drumstick." Usagi ordered.
"I'll have a triple berry frozen ice please." Umino said as he pulled out his money.
After receiving their treats and Umino paid for them the pair sat on a bench opposite the one Rei and Mamoru were sitting on. Usagi slowly nibbled at the Drumstick while listening in on the conversation taking place across from her. The Demi-Saiyan was actually glad Umino had snuck up on her because she knew what Dende and Piccolo would have said to her if she asked one of them to help her spy on Rei's date. Dende would have told her it wasn't the morally right thing to do and Piccolo would have told her not to waist his time with trivial pursuits. And so Usagi listened to what the other pair was saying.
"I've been living with my grandfather ever since I started going to TA." Rei said.
"So how long have you known you wanted to be a miko?" Mamoru asked Rei.
"It's been my life's dream." Rei replied.
"You know this triple berry frozen ice is my favorite frozen treat next to prune shakes." Umino said breaking Usagi's concentration, "I could drink ten prune shakes in one sitting if I wanted to."
Usagi let Umino continue to talk while she focused her attention back on the conversation Rei and Mamoru were having. Every so often she would nod her head to make it look like she was listening to the little nerd and his tale of prune shakes.
"I was thinking we could go see the rose garden after this and then maybe take a boat ride on the lake." Rei suggested to Mamoru with a puppy love look in her eyes.
"Um that would be nice." Mamoru replied trying to be nice to the younger girl.
With that the pair finished the last of their ice cream treats and got up to head over to the rose garden overlooking the park before taking a rowboat ride on the lake. Noticing the retreating Usagi at the rest of her Drumstick with the speed of a Super Saiyan or a really hungry Usagi. When the nut covered chocolate cone was no more she got up and left a somewhat confused Umino sitting on the bench alone.
********
Rei and Mamoru made their way to the rose garden but before they could even begin to enjoy the view of the park the garden had to offer the little old caretaker came over to the pair and began yelling at them to leave his gardens.
"You there get away from my garden!" he yelled, "No one is allowed in my garden but me!"
Rei looked at the man a bit confused and tried to reason with him.
"Sir we won't touch any of the flowers in your garden. All we want to do is look at them." Rei tried to tell the caretaker.
"No! No one can look at my garden but me!" the caretaker yelled once again.
Seeing that the situation was becoming a loosing battle Mamoru decided to suggested they take the boat ride Rei had talked about while they were eating their Drumsticks.
"Rei maybe we should let him be and go on that boat ride you wanted to take." Mamoru said.
"Alright." Rei said a bit dejected because she couldn't show Mamoru the roses.
With that the pair left the garden and headed towards the boathouse to take out one of the boats.
After they had left the garden all the small mammals and butterflies came over to where the caretaker was standing. Every one of the seemingly peaceful creatures had a strange red glow to their eyes including the caretaker.
"We'll show them. We'll show them all. No one will take my gardens away from me." He said in a sinister sounding voice.
********
Nephlite watched the scene unfold itself before him hidden in the shadows. The time had come for his latest youma to come forth and steal the energy from the old caretaker.
"The stars are in perfect alignment. Petasosu come forth and gather the energy of this worthless human!" Nephlite commanded.
With a wave of his hand Nephlite set in motion the events that would release his youma and waited to see what would happen next.
********
Usagi arrived at the garden in time to see that not only had she missed Rei and Mamoru but also the park caretaker appeared to be in great pain. The little old man was hunched over clutching onto his stomach crying out as a strange symbol appeared upon his forehead. When the symbol was at its brightest black and red smoke leapt out of his body as the caretaker fell to the ground. The smoke began forming itself into a humanoid figure in red with long fire red hair and silvery white skin. The youma immediately turned her head in the direction of Usagi and spoke to the Demi-Saiyan.
"Come forth my children and teach this pitiful human a lesson!" Petasosu called out.
With in a matter of mere moments the entire garden was full of small mammals and insects with glowing red eyes. Every one of the animals began snarling and hissing at Usagi and the Demi-Saiyan knew she had to transform.
"Moon Prism Power!" Usagi called out as she raised her hand.
********
Rei and Mamoru were out in the middle when the pain struck Mamoru. Clutching onto his head Mamoru doubled over in intense pain. There was only one thing that could happen next Mamoru would black out. Lately it seemed Mamoru would black out whenever and wherever and when he would wake up he was in his apartment with no recollection as to how he got there. He did however have two clues to the black outs the intense pain that preceded them and the dreams he had been having.
Rei had seen Mamoru grab his head in pain but she had also felt the power of the transformation taking place. Rei knew she had to get to the shore and transform into Sailor Mars but she couldn't leave Mamoru in his present condition. Rei had to help Usagi or Ami with the latest threat but she didn't want to run out on Mamoru.
There they were in a serious dilemma sitting in the middle of the lake in the tiny rowboat. Rei knew she had to attend to Senshi business but she didn't want to leave Mamoru who was in obvious pain. Mamoru knew he had to get to shore before he blacked out but he didn't want to ruin his outing with Rei. Fortunately for both of them fate and luck had a different hand dealt for them. The sky above the park began getting darker and the wind began to pick up. The water in the lake started to get very choppy.
The little boat was rocked back and forth as the wind picked up to a gale force and the lake surged around them. Then all of a sudden in one quick motion the boat was tossed over disposing of its passengers into the water. Rei looked over at Mamoru and saw that he was already heading towards the shore. Taking the bull by the horns Rei called out to Mamoru.
"Mamoru don't worry about me. You just get yourself to shore." Rei called out heading in the opposite direction he was headed.
Not even looking back Mamoru swam as though his life depended upon it, which it did. If he were to black out in the water who knew what would happen and he didn't want to think about that. The moment Mamoru felt he was safely on shore the darkness over took him.
When Rei had reached the shore she pulled out her henshin rod and prepared to transform. Holding the rod into the air Rei called forth her transformation phrase.
"Mars Power!" she called out.
When the transformation had ended Rei or rather Sailor Mars headed off in the direction of the surge in raw power she had felt out in the middle of lake.
********
The still silent pair on the bench near the okonomiyaki cart had also felt the surge in power coming from somewhere within the confines of the park. Ranma who had long since finished his meal forgot all about how ridiculous he looked in the orange and black turtle shell and turned to look over at his fiancé. There were times when the pigtailed martial artist would actually try and be civil with her. He would never admit he liked her but Ranma was nice to her on a rare occasion and this was one of those occasions. And as he looked at Ami he could tell she had felt the flaring battle aura as well.
Ranma's suspicions were correct in their assumptions for Ami did indeed feel the rise in power wash through the park. Immediately making a quick glance over to Ranma Ami knew he had felt it as well. And knowing there was nothing she could do to stop him from trying to help out she sighed and put her book down before pulling out her henshin rod. Standing up Ami began her transformation.
"Mercury Power!" Ami called out.
When her transformation was complete Ami turned her attention to Ranma.
"Well are you coming or not turtle boy." Mercury said using her new nickname for Ranma.
Seeing his transformed fiancé heading off to the battle Ranma quickly followed not wanting a bunch of girls to hog a good fight. Besides he hadn't sparred since Usagi gave him the heavy shell and shirt. Ranma was up for a good fight to clear his mind.
********
Usagi had finished transforming and faced the youma Petasosu as Sailor Moon. The animals that had emerged from the bushes and trees were now in front of Petasosu their eyes letting off a strange red glow. Sailor Moon looked from the animals to the youma and let a tiny smile creep across her lips as her face hardened signaling her decent into fighter mode. Sailor Moon was now running on pure Saiyan instincts. Not wasting any time Sailor Moon got the battle underway.
"I am the sailor suited Senshi Sailor Moon. In the name of the moon I shall punish you." Sailor Moon said to the youma not even bothering to go through her normal routine.
Petasosu looked at Sailor Moon with cold hard eyes before commanding her horde of animal minions to begin attacking the Moon Senshi.
"Destroy her my children!" Petasosu commanded.
All at once the animals began advancing towards Sailor Moon. Only once before had Sailor Moon gazed upon eyes filled with bloodlust when the black water possessed her mother and her friends. Not wanting to take any chances Sailor Moon began to slowly back away from the advancing animals. The snarling and hissing animals had Sailor Moon scared. I just hope the others get here soon, she wished silently to herself.
As if in answer to her silent prayer Sailor Moon heard a pair of voices call out from behind her.
"Hey fuzz balls you want someone to attack then why not try a little Ranma Saotome on for size." The first voice called out.
"I am the Senshi of Wisdom and the Guardian of the planet Mercury Sailor Mercury." The second voice said to the youma.
Sailor Moon turned to her left to see Ranma in the turtle shell and Sailor Mercury ready to battle the demented looking animals and their youma master.
"Boy am I glad to see you guys." Sailor Moon said a bit relieved.
With that Ranma shell and all rushed the animals ready to take them on and while he was going after the animals Mercury decided to send her own attack towards the youma.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Mercury called out.
The bubbles burst and covered the area in a thick, cold, wet fog. As the fog made it difficult for the lone male and the youma to see a loud shout was heard from within its murky depths.
"Kuso! Nice going brainiac!" a now female Ranma yelled at Mercury.
The animals still able to see within the fog kept advancing on Sailor Moon. Then as if by a miracle another answer to Sailor Moon's earlier silent prayer came crashing through the fog.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" came the shout that preceded the attack.
The spiraling flame cut through the fog causing the animals to back away from Sailor Moon and Ranma. The temporary distraction allowed the Demi-Saiyan to collect herself and make an attack on Petasosu. Using her speed Sailor Moon got behind the youma and drove her fists into the youma's back. The youma quickly rolled onto her back and returned to her feet. Now facing Sailor Moon Petasosu sent a blast of dark energy at the Demi-Saiyan.
When the fog had lifted Mars, Mercury, and Ranma watched as Sailor Moon took on the youma. The youma sent another blast of dark energy towards Sailor Moon who tried to dodge it but ended up getting hit by the well-placed blast. As energy blast hit Sailor Moon Mercury began scanning the youma for any weak spots she might have. And while she was doing that the third answer to Sailor Moon's silent prayer came in the form of a red rose streaking in front of the youma and sticking in the ground.
Looking up in the direction the rose had traveled from Sailor Moon and the other Senshi saw Tuxedo Mask sitting in a nearby tree.
"Tuxedo Mask." They said.
"Sailor Senshi you have the power to defeat this youma. All it takes is a little teamwork." Tuxedo Mask reminded them in a very Goku like way.
"Right!" Sailor Moon said.
"Anything yet Mercury?" Mars inquired.
"She won't be able to handle all of our attacks at once. If we combine all of them we should be able to defeat her." Mercury reported before putting her palmtop away.
"Then let's do it!" Sailor Moon said as she joined the other Senshi.
One by one the Senshi powered up for their attacks.
"Masenko..." Sailor Moon started.
"Mercury Bubbles..." Mercury said.
"Mars Fire..." Mars added.
"Ha!"
"Blast!"
"Ignite!"
The Ki blast joined together with the cold bubbles and the hot flames to become one powerful blast. And when the blast hit Petasosu the youma cried out in agony as she was disintegrated by the blast.
From his hiding spot Nephlite knew the time had come to make himself known. Appearing over the battle scene Nephlite called out to the Senshi and their allies.
"Very impressive Sailor Girls." Nephlite sneered.
Looking up into the sky the Senshi saw the Dark Kingdom general floating above them.
"Who are you creep?" Sailor Moon demanded.
"I am Nephlite general of the Dark Kingdom and you may have won this round but I shall be the one to win the war. We will meet again Sailor Senshi." Nephlite said before disappearing into thin air.
"Well done Sailor Senshi." Tuxedo Mask told the girls before leaving.
********
Everything had returned to normal in Juban Park. The skies were clear and sunny once again and the lake was clam and blue. Rei and Mamoru had resumed their little outing and Rei was glad Mamoru was feeling better and able to continue their date. Ami, Ranma, and Usagi were glad the caretaker was doing fine and that their friend was happy. And as the trio watched Rei and Mamoru continue with their date a loud nasally voice called out to Usagi.
"Usagi, Usagi! There you are!" Umino called out as he ran over to the girls.
Usagi groaned when she realized why Umino was coming over to her. The little nerd wanted to finish what he thought was their date.
"Neglect to tell us something Usagi?" Ami asked her friend.
"Looks like you have a date to return to as well." Ranma teased.
"Usagi I was wondering where you got to. We still need to finish our date." Umino said latching onto the Demi-Saiyan's well-toned arm.
"Why me?" Usagi moaned as Umino dragged her off into the park.
********
Finally another episode is finished! Now you can stop asking me when I'm going to get another episode out. Hope you all like this one. The youma and the victim in this one are taken from the actual episode from the anime. Okay so I changed things around a bit and Umino didn't subject Usagi to a prune shake for two. Now I don't know if Nestle makes a Drumstick like the one Usagi ate but I'm pretty certain they make something close to it. Oh and BTW Drumsticks belong to the good folks at Nestle I'm only using their likeness to add flavor to my story.
I want to thank a few individuals out there who without even knowing it have helped me to be able to write a great story based on the original Sailor Moon anime. I'd like to thank Hitoshi Doi for his Sailor Moon Encyclopedia. There were countless times when I cross-referenced it for the proper Japanese spelling of a name such as Nephlite's alias. I'd also like to thank the geniuses behind Anime Hardcore Radio and Powerpuff FM. I've spent countless hours listening to their stations while writing my story. It gave me great inspiration. And finally I'd like to thank all you who put up with me and my delays and read each episode giving them the best reviews I've ever received.
There's not much to explain in this episode except for the one tiny little Japanese word that crept into this story. Kuso is a Japanese word that has many meanings. The PG meaning of the word is damn or darn. I won't go into the PG13 and R rated meanings but I think you get the idea. It just seemed like the right think for Ranma to say when he became female again.
I have a bit of a challenge and/or request for all of you out there who can draw. If you think you're up to it I'd love to see a picture of Ranma wearing that turtle shell. One of the reviews I got found it funny that I had Ranma wear that shell. And while we're at it I'd love to see any pictures of a Saiyan Usagi tail and all. Even a Saiyan Princess Serenity would be neat too. Just remember she has a white tail.
Coming up next for our heroes Mamoru is still having those dreams and now it seems Usagi is having one too. Ranma graduates from the turtle shell but Usagi has something special for him. Nephlite becomes desperate and sends out a love letter addressed to Sailor Moon. Will the one he is looking for fall for his trap? Find out in Episode Seven The Love Letter.
