1 Huntress

By tenshi no nozomi

Email: tenshi_no_nozomi@hotmail.com

Author's Notes: My god, I'm on a roll! I just finished the last chapter yesterday, and I'm already going on the next one… ^^ This is cool! I'm more inspired now than I have been for months… I have answers to stuff that some of you guys have asked/begged me about in your reviews at the bottom, if you'd care to read it, by the way. ^^

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, or Ranma ½. Eventually- though probably not in this story- it will all enfold into a multi- crossover. ^^Anyhow, this story is mine, however, so don't steal, or I'll do something nasty to you. (Though I don't know why you'd bother…)

Thanks to my pre-reader, Rave! :huggies: You're the best!!

Okay… that wraps that up, I think… on with the show!

Jap Ref

Odango : dumpling

Atama : head

Hai : yes

Demo : but

Anno : uhm…, er…

Daijobu desu ka? : Are you all right?

Shi ne : die

Kitsune : fox

*****

Chapter Four: On My Way

Usagi frowned slightly as she waited as patiently in line as she could for a bus ticket. It was last minute, and it would probably cost more money than she would have wanted to spend, but there was nothing that she could have done about that. After all, she hadn't known a week ago that she was going to be running away… it had been a last minute decision.

So here she was, at this crowded station, waiting in line in all the noise. Even though it was night time and every where else the city was sleeping, the train station was still busy- go figure; that was just her luck. She shifted on her legs, attempting to make the blood in her legs flow again. Her mind was wandering, and she was bored and nervous. There had never been a worse combination.

Usagi continued to wait, wondering how the scouts were going to react to her disappearing act. Of course they would be angry and be hunting for her, but her real question was if they would think of her as clever. Usagi's secret wish had always been for them to accept her and to complement her on something besides her ability to eat and make friends- perhaps even though they wouldn't approve of her use of her newfound guile, they would still find it useful.

The woman in front of her was done purchasing her ticket, and now it was Usagi's turn. Looking at her options, she quickly chose a random one off the list, paid for it, and then waited in line to board the bus. The bus would make several stops in between Juuban and her destination, but that wouldn't matter too much to her.

Her plan was to lay low for a few days in a neighboring district, and then come back to Juuban to ask the outer senshi for help. Surely they wouldn't deny her help?

About that time, Usagi saw them: Ami and Rei, making their way through the busy bus station, looking desperately for her. Usagi turned her face away from them and stared ahead of her. Her heart was pounding as her muscles tensed, readying for a quick escape if it came down to that. Usagi was shocked to find that in truth, she was enjoying the rush of adrenaline the situation was giving her.

Could it be that maybe they're right? Maybe these memories are changing me more than I thought… maybe I should go back with them…

Before she could really change her mind, though, the line began to move, and Usagi handed over her ticket and got on the bus. She took her seat, hugging her backpack to herself. She smiled weakly with relief when the bus pulled out, and made its way to the next district.

*********************************************

Ryoga had to admit it: he was lost- again. Why was it that things like this always happened to him? It was all Saotome's fault… How was it that Ranma had managed to win Akane's heart? What did Ranma Saotome possess that he didn't?

Rejection was a horrible feeling. First it ate you alive, mercilessly like some horrible rabid beast. Then it left you feeling as though you'd skinned your pride, as though it were some kind of bruise or raw spot on the skin that wasn't healing.

And his life seemed to be taking even odder turns, what with the odd dreams he'd been having. They were odd, and left him with a feeling of uneasiness, like a bitter after taste a person might get from one of those carbonated drinks. Most of the dreams were of a feeling of horrible anger and bitterness, an insatiable thirst for vengeance that even went beyond what he felt for Saotome.

And they all consisted around the thoughts and desires of killing one girl… a young girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes, with an unmistakable hair style.

But back to the present situation… he was lost, probably somewhere in Tokyo, though where, he didn't know. He'd been sitting on this bench for the longest time, thinking it all over. He knew that if he got up and started walking, he'd probably get himself even more lost than he already was.

He sat there and watched as a bus pulled up to the stop, and a few passengers got off. The one that interested him in particular was the one with the reddish hair… The girl gave him an odd feeling, as though he ought to recognize her. When she turned around, and he saw her eyes, he involuntarily stood up and gasped- it was her! The one that he had searched so hard for! Usagi… the huntress responsible for his father's death.

**************************************

Usagi had gotten off of the bus at her designated stop and watched the bus go and the other passengers that had exited with her disperse. So she was left alone… or at least almost. There was that guy on the bench.

Where had she seen him before? She knew she had seen him somewhere… she just couldn't quite place where. Where… where had she seen this boy? What was his name?

And as he popped up in and assumed a fighting position, it came to her: it was Hiiro's older brother! How could she have forgotten? His name was Ryoga… or at least it had been.

"Ryoga?" she tried tentatively. He tensed up further, and Usagi knew that it had to be him. "It really is you! Then this must mean… that everyone else has been reborn, too! That I'm not alone!"

When he didn't ease up and share her delight, Usagi became nervous. "Ryoga- san… daijobu desu ka?"

His eyes were narrowed. "Shi ne…" That was odd, and out of character for himself. Even if they had been enemies in the past, that didn't mean that they were anymore. Yet, he still felt a distant rage inside him.

Usagi's eyes widened. He still held that grudge? That was bad… very bad indeed. She had to make peace fast. "Ryoga-san, gomen nasai! I'm sorry for what I did then, demo I can't change it now! Please forgive me. I don't mean any harm." She held her hands up in front of her palms out as a sign on peace.

He relaxed a bit, and Usagi went on. " It's.. uhm… good to see you… what are you doing here at this time of night, anyway?"

"I could ask you the same question." He stated coldly. This has to stop… she may have been my enemy then, but she seems sincere. Even Saotome wouldn't stoop so low as to frighten a girl.

"Anno… I'm kind of running away. But not for what you might think," she added quickly. "It's because… I because I need to find Hiiro."

"You mean my otouto?" How had this girl come to know his younger brother? Unless, of course, at some point in his brother's life after he'd died he'd gone seeking revenge himself…

"Hai. Is he still your otouto?"

He looked at her very closely before answering. "No, he's not my otouto anymore. I don't know where he is."

Usagi looked disappointed, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, she switched back to her previous question. "You still haven't answered my question. Will you answer it or not?"

Ryoga sighed. "I'm… lost." he admitted.

"Lost?" She echoed. Funny, he had a perfectly fine sense of direction in his last life time… perhaps it was punishment of a sort for dying a pointless death?"

"Yes. And it's all Saotome's fault!" he growled with sudden anger as his fists clenched.

"Who?" Usagi looked genuinely curious and puzzled.

"Ranma Saotome of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. (AN: I forgot what it's really called… I'll make sure to check up on it soon.) He's responsible for all the pain and suffering I've been through in my life… And how is it that Akane could possibly love that… that…" He seemed unable to find a proper word for his rival.

"Hmm… so this Saotome guy… he's your rival, ne?" Usagi was getting an idea.

Ryoga came out of his thoughts fast and frowned as he looked her over. He could practically see the gears in her head turning in those impossibly blue eyes of hers, and her flaming red hair was coming loose in her braid. She looked cute in her chosen apparel, and he blushed at those thoughts- he wouldn't think those kind of thoughts; even if Akane didn't love him, he'd remain faithful to her.

"Funny… you don't look much like much like a rabbit… more like a kitsune if you ask me!"

Her eyes widened. "Heeeeyyy, that's mean, ya know? And as for my hair color and style, I changed it just a couple of hours ago." Unconciously she began to fiddle around with her braid, looking a bit irate and thoughtful.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked curiously.

"Because there aren't that many dumpling headed blondes running around in Tokyo, ne?" she grinned at him and winked, causing him to blush again. She regained a bit of seriousness in her attitude. "You see, some friends of mine who think they know what's best for me are probably out roaming the streets of Tokyo for a blonde haired, blue eyed, dumpling head girl- they have no reason to suspect and innocent red headed one."

"I see…"

"Anyhow, so this Saotome guy… he stole your girl?"

"Well, uhm, no, not exactly… I mean, she wasn't really mine to begin with, demo… I love her, and he's a… a blood thirsty fiend!"

Usagi frowned a bit, but her eyes were completely sympathetic. "Oh, come on, Ryoga… surely you're just over exaggerating. I truly doubt that this 'Akane' girl would fall in love with a demon."

Ryoga snorted. "You don't know Saotome. Wherever he is, bad luck's sure to follow. And because of him, I've seen hell!"

"Oh really? What's it look like?" she joked, hoping to get a smile out of him. Instead she received a glare, which she sighed in response to. "Alright. Listen… If you're so serious about this girl, then why don't you just pound this Saotome guy's butt into the ground?"

Ryoga blushed and looked down at his feet. "Because… because I can't. He's stronger than I am."

A moment of silence ensued, and Usagi came up with an idea. "All right. How about if I beat him for you?"

Ryoga laughed. "Saotome doesn't fight with girls. Doesn't want to hurt em."

Usagi frowned. "That's not right. Some of the strongest people I've had the luck to meet are female… and I'm not weakling either, if I may say so. I may have gotten a bit rusty in this new form, demo I'm still a Huntress."

"Maybe. But Saotome's a true prodigy. And he's been taught by his father not to fight girls. Even though Saotome may loathe his father, he still wouldn't disobey his father on that record. He will never fight a girl."

Another moment of silence. "And what if… he didn't know I was a girl?"

"Kinda hard to get around that, you know… besides, he's got a pretty keen third sense; he'd know it if you were hiding something. Disguising yourself wouldn't work."

Usagi smirked, her eyes a bit distant. "Oh… I have a different idea for disguising myself… I could beat him, and he'd never know I was a girl until I told him, no matter what kind of a third sense he has. Or, I could help you to beat him and satisfy your pride better."

"You'd do that for me?"

Usagi smiled, but her eyes held a secretive and clever glitter. "Of course, Ryoga-kun… you don't mind if I call you that, right?"

Ryoga blushed and managed to say, "What's the catch, kitsune?"

Usagi scowled. "My name's not kitsune- you may call me Usagi or Usagi-chan, but NOT kitsune. As for the price… in return for my helping you, I expect you to accompany me on my voyage to find your old otouto."

"What!? And just WHY would I want to do this for you?"

"Hey, hey! You're getting something out of it, too, ya know. I get some companionship on the way in this big city while I'm all alone and defenseless-" he snorted, and she scowled before continuing, "and in return I'll help you defeat your long time rival and win over the girl that you love."

"How will I know that you'll keep you word to me after this is all over," he said suspiciously.

She smiled genuinely, and offered her hand to him. "There are many things that I am and that I am not, and one of the things I will never be is a liar. I will keep my promise to you, Ryoga. I swear it. Do we have a deal?"

Hesitantly, he shook her hand while saying, " I feel like I just sold my soul to Satan…" This got a good laugh out of her in return.

"What do you want with Hiiro, anyway?" he asked in curiosity after a few moments of comfortable silence..

"I- I wanted to talk to him. Apoligize for what I did in the last life. And… uhm… there's other stuff, but that's kinda personal." Usagi's face flushed momentarily, and then a smile bloomed. "Let's get going, okay? We'll stay at a hotel tonight!"

Usagi began to march happily down the sidewalk, when she noticed something- Ryoga wasn't following. She turned around, and saw Ryoga headed in the other way. "Ryoga-kun, where on earth are you going?"

Ryoga stopped and looked all around him. "Usagi-san? Where are you? I can hear you, but I can't see you!"

Usagi sweat dropped and marched over to him. She grabbed him by his shoulders and turned him the other way around. "This way, silly…" She shook her head, and smiled slightly, and started off again.

This time Usagi heard a series of honks and screeches of tires. Usagi turned around and saw Ryoga trying to walk across the street. "Ryoga!! You baka! Where on earth do you think you're going!?" she cried as she dashed out into the street and brought him back with her. Usagi stared bug eyed at the four-car pile up he'd just caused. "Perhaps I should hold your hand when we walk…" she said slowly.

Ryoga blushed. "Like I said, I just have a bad sense of direction…" he mumbled.

Usagi smiled sympathetically. "No kidding!" she joked. A sudden idea came to mind. "Ryoga, I want you to stand right here and to move until I get back, alright? There's something I need to get that will help us with your… anno… handicap."

Ryoga did as he was told as he watched the girl speed off in a direction. Ryoga resisted the urge to try to go back and sit down on the nearby bench, having the feeling that he'd get lost and would end up anywhere besides where he wanted to be.

Five minutes passed, and Usagi still had yet to return. Ryoga was beginning to wonder if maybe the girl had decided not to take him with her after all when he felt something sliding around his neck. "What…?"

"It's a dog collar and a leash!" Usagi stated, a bit proudly too. "This way, you won't get turned around, and I won't have to keep checking to make sure you're following me- the leash will do that for me."

Ryoga opened his mouth to protest, but his argument was quickly cut off by a hard yank on the leash. He found himself following her obediently, and scowled at her back.

Almost as though she could feel his angry scowl directed at him, she turned around a giggled. She gave him a wink and a grin before saying, "Good doggy! Now if only daddy would let me keep a pet like you…" Usagi laughed again in satisfaction when Ryoga blushed again.

A boom of thunder lit up the night sky. "Sheesh… looks like it's going to rain soon…"

Ryoga felt a sudden surge of… perhaps fear. He didn't want to have to try to explain his curse to Usagi yet… and if it started to rain on them, there'd be no other choice. "Let's hurry, please?" he asked, knowing that there was urgency in his voice.

Usagi turned her head around and raised an eyebrow. "Afraid of a little rain, Ryoga-kun? Well, not to worry, the hotel's not far away at all, and I don't like storms so much myself, so we'll most likely beat the storm there if we hurry." And onward they went.

*****************************

The scouts met up again at Rei's shrine just as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Rei was too tired to bother cursing Usagi at the moment, and the rest of the sailors looked even more beat than she.

"I can't believe we managed to lose her!" Makoto complained. "I mean, since when does Usagi go and pull stunts like these? She'd be the last person I'd have ever listed."

"No kidding." Rei growled out. "Where on the earth does that odagoe atama get the nerve to do something like this?"

"From her former self, of course," came a voice from behind them all. They all jumped and turned around quickly, assuming fighting positions- to be greeted with the site of… Setsuna.

"What are you doing here, Setsuna?" Rei spat out. She had never been fond of any of the outer senshi like Usagi had, and Setsuna was, in her opinion, the worst of the lot of them.

"I'm here to explain what's gotten into our hime."

"Please, do." Ami said politely.

Setsuna nodded. "You see, the Time Stream was originally set up by the Fates as a way to try to keep the destinies of mortals in control. However, they are some 'wild cards' in the system that no one can do anything about. One of these is the spirits of the past- parts of a human's soul that are normally sealed off to a reincarnated form, containing the memories of a past life."

"Wait a minute," Makoto cried, "do you mean to tell us that these dreams Usagi keeps having really are from a previous life?"

Setsuna nodded her affirmative. "Yes, and these spirits from that point in time have all woken up in synch. Everyone that is a 'key player' in the new game that's setting up to begin is waking up. Soon, they will be ready to do whatever it is that they've been called to do."

"So you mean that they're being called? I thought you said they were waking up on their own accord," Ami mused. " Who on earth could be waking them up?"

"They are waking up from sudden feelings of dissatisfaction- some threat from the past that they had thought they had won against must be preparing to make a new front. I don't know who is waking them up, only that they are- and that because of it, the whole Time Stream is in chaos because of it. I can't see any possible futures any longer, because key players from other destinies have been altered by the rising memories of the past, thoroughly changing things so that nothing will ever be the same."

Nobody spoke for a moment. Finally, Rei broke the silence. "So why don't we just put a mass spell on them to contain their memories? Then things would go back to normal."

Setsuna sighed. "No. No, even if you were to do that, there would be lasting changes; it's already too late. Not to mention that the angry, dissatisfied spirits can never be chained for very long. It would be a mistake, and if what I think is going to happen should come to be… If we were to do that, we would be killing ourselves. They have to learn what they need to know, for whatever reason, before it's too late."

A bad feeling settled over them, a dark foreboding omen of what might come. They sat in silence as the allowed themselves to absorb it all in.

Finally, Setsuna finished what she had to say. "Don't worry about hime, she will be just fine. She has already found and joined up with the company of another soul involved in this, someone who can protect her if she should need it and is not able to do so for herself. In a few days, when she feels that she is ready and has learned enough to make her next move, she will go to the other outer senshi for help.

"HOWEVER," Setsuna continued, her voice reaching a note of seriousness, "you are not to interfere. If you do go and try to stop her, there will be grave consequences. She must do as she sees fit, and then I believe she will return… though it may only be for a brief time."

Rei opened her mouth to argue, but Minako stepped in. "Fine, we won't interfere with whatever it is that Usagi has to do. However, how are we supposed to explain to her parents that she's going to be gone for an undetermined point of time?" All of the inners stared at Minako; who had ever known that the girl had a single bone in her body for being a proper leader?

"It's already handled," Setsuna said with a slight smile. "I've managed to implant the idea in her family's minds that she is going on a relatively short trip for an 'extracurricular learning opportunity' a little while after Usagi ran away. I did the same for her teachers and administrators shortly after school let out today, so there should be no problems in any of those areas."

Setsuna gave a small smile that didn't quite reach her maroon eyes. "With that, I bid you a good night, fellow senshi." And with those words from her mouth, she promptly faded into the shadows and disappeared.

Rei snorted. "Like hell we're going to stay away! I say we start watching Haruka's mansion!" (1)

"No."

Everyone turned to look at Minako. "What?"

"I said, 'no.' Please understand that when I told her that we won't interfere with Usagi that I meant every word that I said. Setsuna may be the senshi of time, but I'm the senshi of love, and I can feel that very soon Usagi will have some new love interests coming her way… and after her horrible relationship with Mamoru, I want the best for her." Minako gave a wink before continuing.

"In Usagi's absence, I will be taking over as leader since I've been a Sailor Scout the longest." She paused a moment, then said, "I'm going home, now. I'm more than a little worn out- it's been a long day."

With that, she began to walk home. After a moment of gaping, Artemis caught up with his charge; he was proud of her. Perhaps both blondes had an over looked amount of courage when it was needed.

Shortly afterwards, the rest of them dispersed, heading away to their own homes, leaving Rei to stare up the stars and moon. Everything's crumbling around us… and there's really nothing that anyone can do about it, even if they wanted to. She shook her head, before going inside.

***************************************

I forget which outer senshi it is that's supposed to be rich. I'm taking a risk and guessing that it's Haruka. If it isn't, please correct me, somebody.

Here's some info on Ryoga, for those of you who have never seen Ranma ½: Ryoga is one of the many rivals to Ranma Saotome, for two reasons. Number one, because he challenged Ranma to a duel when they were little boys, and when he got there- really late, I think it was three days late- he wasn't there. Number two, Ranma's engaged to Akane Tendo, the girl he loves.

Whenever Ryoga is splashed with cold water, he turns into a pig, because he fell into spring of drowned pig- which he blames on Ranma also. There's a lot more to this story, but I don't have the time to elaborate on it- if you want to know more about it, please email me at tenshi_no_nozomi@hotmail.com, and I'd be glad to tell you more or whatever. ^^

As for why I chose Minako to do that little scene at the end, well, I happen to like her the best out of the other inners (besides Makoto, who's pretty cool herself.) I don't think a lot of people give her enough credit for the fact that she's been fighting the Negaverse longer than the rest have been, and that she's not a complete ditz (although she's close). Anyhow, Usa's still my fave character.

All finished! And in the nick of time… my mum's nagging me because I don't have a lot of to get my homework done before I go to 'confirmation class'. How I hate Wednesdays… Anyway… I know that there were no memory scenes in this one, but the next couple chapters are going to be FILLED with them- especially the next one. The most it will have that will be outside of Usagi's past will be two paragraphs or so. ^^

Review, review, review, please!! Reviews make me update faster. Or at least they do for the most part.

Okay! Shout out thingie merbobbers! ^^;

Serena Yuy: Hmm… well, that was my original intent to pair the two of them up. And even if I do decide that I don't want to, I'll probably write alternate endings to it so that whoever wants Usa to be paired up with such and such will get their wish. Okay? ^^

%% : Uhm… actually, no, they're not evil. They're just concerned for Usagi and their future. At least that's the way I see it in my mind.

Nodachi-chan : ^^ ::giggles:: Glad you like the story so far! ^^ It should get better. I don't know where the idea came from, actually… somewhere in my black-hole for a brain, I'm sure. It's been such a long time since I originally started it that I can't say. As for romance… ::wink:: there should be at least some chaste romance in this one. And in the sequel, there'll be even more. (Yes, I already have the sequel ready to go in my mind.. ::sweatdrops::)

As for everyone else who reviewed in the past, uhm, I don't have enough time to talk to you all. But if you review to me with questions/ begging, I promise to answer them. And if I forget to, you have the permission to hit me over the head with a giant mallet!