For disclaimer see prologue.

{ ... } - thought speaking

[ ... ] - Weapon speak

Chapter 07

Welcome to the Madhouse

By: Master Yume & Blind Man X

(Somewhere)

In the Shadows surrounding a small area of light many stood, and watched as they came forward to try… well nothing, but the attempt was worth the wait. The in-between time where everyone watched was daunting, but these two they watched were the two that would attempt what they all had tried to do in their own time but ultimately failed. In fact many of them had failed harshly but it was to be understood by others, The gods were harsh task masters. Purgatory is what the place was called, and many here called it their home while others called it their hell. To many it was like having every channel in the universe but there was nothing good on. Most over time began to care less and less, while others had not a care in the world, so many had become watchers. Mere spectators as the fates and gods played games all around them. Now as it was two new people were playing, they were going to have to face the same stakes that many here had faced before, while at the same time facing all new challenges. However this was the first time that any could remember someone working for the Norse Loki. Many felt that for this fact alone this were destined to get interesting. In this place of souls lost both to heaven and hell, bet were being made and votes were taken, as to the outcome of the coming events. The task while difficult was by no means impossible, the goal was not unattainable. The managers of the players however kept deciding to change the rules of the game as the players played. However now that a bit of chaos had been liberally added to the mix all old bets were off. A new game stood before them, and oh how they all loved a good game.

---------

(Back in Ranma-verse # 1291)

Will sighed as he finally placed the last book onto the shelves. Finally after almost three week he was rid of all those book that he had recovered from Typhous's lair. Now as he looked around his new basement hideaway he realized that there was little left to do. He had the internet (T1 line of course) and a small but powerful laptop hooked up. Between himself and Michael they easily covered the Nabiki and labor expenses. He was quite proud of himself thanks to a small ward he had placed on the front gate few people gave the place a second glance, and those that did were halted from entering unless someone from the inside allowed them. So as it was Nabiki had yet to see the rather large amount of treasure that was currently in a safe in the corner of the basement. So now all that was left was to enact the proper barrier around his basement… well base of sorts.

'Ok Captain Archive what's first?"

{What did you just call me?}

'Captain Archive, why?'

{Just what do you mean by that?}

'Well since these are all your books and you do know what's in all of them I just figured I'd come up with an appropriate title for you.'

{Yeah well you can keep you title, I'll stick with being called Typhous thank you very much.}

[I like the name.]

{I didn't ask you.}

'Down boy no need to start a mental war up there I don't think I could handle it.'

Then almost simultaneously Siren and Typhous readily agreed.

'Thanks for the vote of confidence you two. But anyways what's first Typhous?'

Typhous took a moment to observe the room through Will's eyes. Allowing himself to take in the new layout. Surprisingly enough Will had managed to place the books in the proper order.

{Okay we'll need the red book in the third shelf down. Then the brown book two cases over third shelf down and the other brown book over by that laptop thing.}

Will nodded and set to getting the book then set them on what he had deemed his 'Magic Station.' He opened all the books to the pages that Typhous told him of then began to read them. Unlike all the spells he had cast so far some of these required a bit of a ritual, or potion mixing. Reading from the red book he began to walk about to the opposite side of the room where the ingredients that Typhous had made him snag were being stored. And so it was Will worked to properly fortify his new base of operations with Typhous coaching him appropriately.

(Upstairs two floors)

Michael sat on a bed in the room that Will had given him on the second floor of the surprisingly large estate. It had been only two days since he had come here. With his cash flow added to Will's existing one (After all it was the man's job to handle the household affairs, at least that was Perfume's opinion) thus increasing the amount of food anime and clothes that the house could afford. But the worst part of all this also added to the clothes fund (As Perfume and Grace referred to it.) If only He had know that Grace was going to take to clothes like she had, then he would have tried to get some larger muscles. Slowly he looked about the rather spacious room. The only thing that really stood out to him was the forty inch screen television. The notebook he had bought was great as well. The thing that caught his attention the most was the shelves of Anime and Anime cells that were either there or soon would be. Michael overall opinion of Loki had jumped another few points after the bank card idea, for now Michael had money enough to burn… It was too bad that Grace's clothes shopping was currently putting a blowtorch to it. It wasn't really that bad having a spirit fox that could change into human form for a mystical mascot, however it was putting a serious dent into his newly acquired bank account to dress her. Michael remembered with a shiver the first time that she had gone in a clothes store. What really sent him into shivers of fear was the walk home afterwards with the veritable mountain of clothing. He had gone back and forth from shop to shop with the pile just getting bigger and bigger, but him not getting any stronger. Now thinking back on it, it was a veritable miracle that he made it home.

'Damn it no one needs that many shoes. She only has two feet.'

Michael shook his head and got up from the relatively comfortable bed. It wasn't that bad living here with Will and his wife even if the two of them were a bit weird even by his standards, and that was saying something. The way that Grace had sparked Perfume's own clothes shopping habit was nothing short of scary. What was even scarier was the fact that two grown men in the employment of two high class deities (although maybe Loki could be classified as low class) were suddenly turned into mere footmen to carry the bags for their respective female counterpart. As Michael made his way out of the room he almost felt that his heart should be going out to Will for the… blight he brought upon the guy, but his feet just hurt too damned much. Michael slowly made his way out of his room and down the stairs. He felt that he should have a talk with Will concerning a few things, so he was currently making his way from his room to find Will. His feet shuffled listlessly as he moved across the living room towards the basement door. It wasn't that hard to find Will if one really wanted to; He was either with Perfume, doing heavy labor outside, or in the basement of the house. But most of the time he was in the basement. As Michael turned a corner he spotted Grace making her way towards him with that horrid 'Shopping Gleam' in her eye. Quickly in a feat the belied the tired state of his body he pressed himself against a wall and began thinking real quiet thoughts hoping to not be discovered. Grace walked past him the stopped and looked about quickly suddenly she began sniffing the air and Michael began to sweat.

'Oh gods she's going to find me. That's it I'm done for I'm going home in a bag I know it.'

Grace's stature suddenly straightened as Perfume walking in with a towel draped over her shoulders and a good deal of sweat covering her body.

"Oh hello Perfume have you seen Michael anywhere?"

Perfume tilted her head a bit as she thought. Michael began to sweat all the more.

"No Perfume no see tricky boy. We find him and go shop yes?"

Grace and Perfume shared a co-conspiring wink as they proceed to head upstairs to the room he had just left. Michael tensed as he heard the telltale creek of the stairs as the two girls ascended. Once he was fairly sure they were out of earshot he quickly made his way to the basement. He looked down at the door knob and sighed it wasn't like he needed to knock or anything, after all Will didn't have a security system down here. With that he turned the door knob. ZAAAAAAAAAAPP!

Will looked up from his table as there was a sudden flash from under the door to the basement.

'What the hell was that?'

Will sniffed the air.

'And why in the hell do I smell fried chicken?'

{Either Perfume is cooking, or someone's tripped the defense grid.}

[Ooh ooh can we eat them?]

Both Will and Typhous mentally glared at Siren.

{Why is it that I have to put up with her?}

'Because I said now both of you shut up. I'm going to take a look.'

With that Will stood up and walked to the door, looking around he didn't anyone. However he heard a faint groan from the floor. There he saw a rather well cooked Michael twitching slightly.

"Ah Michael how nice of you to come by… unannounced. Won't you come in?"

Michael could only respond with another groan. Will sighed and scooped up the rather charred form of Michael and brought him inside and shut the door just before Perfume and Grace looked down the stairwell checking for Michael immediately after the door closed.

"Should we ask your husband if he's seen Michael."

"No we leave husband to work."

"What does he do down there anyways?"

"Perfume find it good to no ask."

With that Grace and Perfume left to explore other parts of the house to find their victim… er… footman… ah that is to say guy.

---------

Loki chuckled as he watched his heir narrowly avoid getting suckered into another shopping trip with his mascot. He grabbed a bit more of his popcorn and ate it noisily.

"They couldn't write stuff as funny as this for TV even if they tried."

Daryl glared at Loki and sighed as he went back to some of his paperwork.

"Must you do that in my office? Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

Loki turned to the former mortal form of death and attempted to pull off the sad-dewy-eyed puppy look but was failing miserably.

"You almost sound like you don't want me here."

Death stared evenly at Loki in the manner that only the reaper could.

"I don't want you here."

Loki blinked then looked back at the scrying mirror that hovered in front of him.

"Oh now what's happening?"

Daryl sighed and banged his head on the desk a few times.

---------

Will sighed as he completed the healing spell on Michael giving the man back his odd looking tan and removing the six to ten layers of soot from him. Michael had somehow remained conscious throughout the whole ordeal and was beginning to test his body's reacquired mobility while resting on the black leather sofa.

"Wow you're pretty good at that Will."

Will shrugged and went back to his work table that had his rune-scythe laying across it.

"What can I say I got the knowledge, and you know what they say… Knowledge is power. Or some such bullshit."

Michael nodded absently as he began to look over Will's underground lair. Oddly enough even though it was underground the space was remarkably well lit, by the four lights hanging from the ceiling as well as the couple lamps Will had placed around on the wall. The wall mounted lamps were of the more primitive variety and were lit by a bluish-green flame, of what Mike had to guess was magically created. The walls the lamps hung from were a slate gray and seemed to be carved out of what had once been solid rock and held up the high ceiling of the room. The floor was just cold cement with no decoration what-so-ever. Over to the far side from where he was sitting was the hulking form of the house's black wrought iron furnace. The walls to his immediate left and right were covered in bookracks filled with books. Over near the one window that the basement had was a desk/entertainment center, or at least that's how Michael would describe it. It was a wood desk with a laptop computer sitting on it's surface. Next to that settled at an angle was a twenty seven inch color TV, with a VCR/DVD combo player on top of it. Next to the desk was a set of shelves that was a great deal smaller than the other bookcases the room held. On the shelves were various animes and mangas, this proved Michael's earlier theory about Will having his own stash of anime down here in his little retreat. Over all the basement had gone from a dark dreary place with little life to a less dark just as dreary with almost as little life. Mike leaned back and made himself comfortable of the rather large leather couch that Will had down here. Michael was comfortable just sitting, especially after the rather forceful shock that he had received when he had tried to open the door. He was quite content to just sit and not risk another shock or anything. He looked over at Will whose still form was even now still huddled over his work table doing something to his scythe. Finally Michael decided to break the silence that had been surrounding the two of them.

"So Will is it ok if I ask you a few things?"

Michael took Will's responsive grunt as a 'Yes'.

"Okay thanks I just want to do this to get a few things straight."

Will sighed and nodded as he redirected the majority of his attention to Michael and looked over at him. Michael looked Will dead in the eyes and began his questioning.

"Are you really Death's heir?"

"Yes."

"You also have a cursed form from Jusenkyo that gave you and extra limb."

Will nodded and his tail waved at Mike.

"Okay. You have a rune weapon."

Will grabbed his scythe from the table and held it up as he smiled.

"You also have an extremely rare collection of magic books at many people would give their left kidney to see."

Will blinked a bit confused at Michael but nodded.

"You have the person that wrote a good many of these books currently living in your head."

Will gave him a brief salute.

"You also got so advanced Amazonian training."

Will nodded and flexed his arms to show the muscles.

"And you have a wife that enjoys beating you."

Will looked at Michael and blinked.

"Hey man, you're making her sound like Akane or something. She doesn't beat me cause she likes it she beats me cause she thinks that's the only way she can prove her points to me. And let me tell you, I sometimes give as good as I get."

"Ok so basically you have a Amazon babe as a wife who tends to get violent with you when you both disagree on something."

Will smiled and nodded.

"Yep, ain't I the bomb?"

Mike stared at Will for a moment or two then put his head into his hands and cried. Will raised an eyebrow as he looked at Michael and began to look around the room nervously. Suddenly Michael shot to his feet with surprising force. He raised his fist in the universally understood sign of righteous indignation, and yelled at the roof of the basement.

"You heartless bastard. You put me into a Dragonball Z situation and make him into Gohan or something while you make me into Krillan. I mean for god's sake KRILLAN! That's cold even for you."

Will looked at Michael as he breathed heavily from his outburst. Then spoke in a serious tone.

"Look Michael, just because I got: the power, the skill, the hot and able-bodied wife, the cool place and the gear; doesn't mean you got totally screwed."

Michael looked up at Will with questions in his eyes.

"It just mean I got the better boss."

Mike blinked as he thought about what Will had said. As he did this Will watched a package materialize above him and proceeded to knock the tanned trickster to the ground.

"See what I mean?"

Michael only groaned as he sat back up and rubbed his recently abused cranium. Will looked at the box and grabbed the piece of paper that was harmlessly fluttering towards the floor.

"Hmm. Michael, here's the magic upgrade I promised you in the contract. But since you had no magic initially the upgrade consists of just basic spells. Enjoy. Signed your ever-loving Boss Loki."

Michael stared at the package. Then looked at the letter that Will had just read from, and a sudden realization hit him much like the box had.

"Hey that jerk promised me good magic. Sonuvabitch he gypped me."

Will merely shrugged and handed Mike the letter.

"It could be worse."

"Like how so?"

"Like he could have had a preset clause in your contract that you would only be taught a certain type of magic. Or maybe taught only after completing some death defying tasks or something. Besides basic magic is better than no magic."

Michael had to concede to Will's point. After all the guy was right Loki could have really shafted him magic-wise. But he apparently didn't. So with that in mind Michael slowly and carefully opened the box. Will watched as the lines of magic flowed from the box and slowly began to be absorbed by Michael body. It was a slow process to say the least but still it was happening before his very eyes.

{Hmm.}

'You know I hate it when you say 'Hmm.' So what's up?'

{It looks like he had a previous disposition towards fire magic.}

'So?'

{So the contents of that box were just what Loki said; an upgrade. So it's going to upgrade his existing fire-magic abilities.}

'So he's going to suck at most magic but will excel in Fire based stuff.'

{Right.}

'I think now would be a good time to go out and find somewhere else for me and him to train magically. I don't want to have to deal with any more repair bills than absolutely necessary.'

"That's one spicy meatball."

Will blinked and looked over at Michael, who was now flexing his hands in front of his face as he felt the power contained in them. It was almost like a burning sensation but it didn't hurt, it was just there. Will placed his rather large hand on Michael's shoulder in order to get his attention.

"I think we had better go for a walk. I am not about to let you practice here and risk blowing something up."

"Okay so where do we go?"

Will had to stop and think about that. They could go out to the wood on the nearby hill, but that could be bad too especially if Michael Fire magic was as powerful as Typhous described. Some place else that may not notice two guys throwing around magic attacks.

'Hmm magic attacks. If Juban here is anything like the Juban in the Sailor Moon universe then the people there are as shell shocked to magic as the people here will be towards Martial arts feat.'

"C'mon Mike we're leaving."

"Where to?"

"Juban park."

"Uh okay, if you say so."

With that Michael stood up and brushed some of the dust from his black clothes. Will stood by with his scythe in hand almost like it was nothing more than a walking stick. Albeit a really dangerous and deadly walking stick, but a walking stick nevertheless. Will made sure that all the proper enchantments were in place as he locked the basement door that led to the outside. When everything was in order he began to walk towards the front gates.

"Wait a sec Will-Bill-Boy don't you know a teleportation spell or something that could just, you know, zap us there."

"I do but I think I'll need to save the magic I have for matters that may come up later."

"Why?"

"Come on man you know how unpredictable Nermia is even with out Ranma. Plus the fact that I don't know the area well enough yet to try a teleport."

Michael just shrugged and nodded as he began to step out of the front gates following Will. He did so just in time too, for at the moment Perfume and Grace's search for him had just begun it's front yard portion.

---------

Ranma stretched in the bright sun as he stood at the bow of the ship. He and his father had remained hiding long enough so that when they did come out the ticket takers had already collected/discarded all the tickets. The salty breeze whipped at Ranma's face as he stood there. Behind him his father, the idiot that the man was, was in his cursed form playing one of the crewman in a game of Shogi. Oh it seemed that Genma's method of playing was not as odd as Ranma thought it to be initially. The sailor was cheating just as good as Genma was. As such it had been nearly a half an hour since either side had made any real progress. As Ranma was watching his father a malicious wave chose that moment to wash over the side of the ship consequently soaking Ranma and triggering the boy's curse. Onna Ranma wiped her wet red hair from her eyes and turned to glare balefully at the sea. At the rate they were going they should reach Japan in a day or two although that storm cloud on the horizon may slow them down. Ranma couldn't wait to get back on dry land. His dad said that they only had one more stop to make before the trip was finished. Then they could go and see his mother again. So Ranma took the things that happened to him in stride waiting till he could meet his mother again.

Back in Shanghai Shampoo was arguing with a ship's captain about his price for passage to the Land of the Rising Sun. One of the more brave crewmen choose that moment to try and cope a feel of the luscious Amazonian princess. Unfortunately for him Shampoo did not like his advances. She showed her displeasure by punching the man in his face and sub-sequentially sending him careening over the dock, the boat and making him splash down hard into the sea. Suddenly the Captain got a very odd look in his eye. (Yes eye he was going for the pirate look and had a crooked patch covering his left eye.) Shampoo blinked as the captain's price went from the questionable variety to the monetary variety. The low monetary variety. Shampoo quickly agreed to the price and gave him the requested amount, or at least her best estimation of the amount. So now all she had to do was get to Japan and find Girl Ranma then it would be smooth sailing home, where she would be greeted by praise, medals, a parade. Oh she just couldn't wait.

---------

As Will and Michael walked through that Juban prefecture Will couldn't help but wonder what had possessed Michael to buy and wear that face paint he was currently sporting The guy looked like the damned Crow. Michael suddenly took notice of a couple of kids shouting and pointing at something in the alley. Quietly he motioned for Will to stay silent and slowly made his way over towards the kids. It appeared to our two heroes that this was nothing more than a group of bullies picking on some poor unfortunate person.

"You damn little freak. We're sick of you and it's about time that we taught you a lesson."

Michael managed to get a glimpse at whom the group was yelling at and saw a small pale-skinned girl with purple-black hair. Michael looked at Will and mouthed that they had to help Will nodded his head and stood to his full height then slowly began to draw on the powers given to him as part of his new mantel Michael watched (as this was the first time he saw Will go into 'Death-mode') in fascination. Will's flesh and skin seemed to just melt away slowly forming a menacing black cloud that surrounded his form. Will height increased till he stood about seven and a half feet tall. The blade of his scythe went from black to silver. Finally the transformation was complete and the black cloud that had once made Will's flesh surrounded him like an aura of Death. Michael nodded to his skeletal companion and began to make his move, which was just in time cause it was now that the group of boys chose to begin to close in on their prey.

"Hey you punks leave her alone."

The boys stopped and turned to look at Michael thus leaving Will's form completely out of their line of vision.

"You heard me I said leave her alone."

The one that Will and Michael figured was that lead bully stepped forward and out of the alley the others following close behind.

"So some loser in face paint thinks that he's going to be a hero and save the little freak huh? I guess this is better now we'll get two for the price of one."

The other boys all shared a malicious grin at the thought of putting the beat down on two freaks. Michael however smiled just as maliciously at the boys if not more so. Then spared the girl in the alleyway a glance, and saw she was curled up into a fetal position and shaking.

"I don't think so boys."

"Oh and what are you going to do to stop us huh?"

Michael held up his hands in a gesture of innocence.

"Oh no, no, no. I'm not going to do anything."

"Ha I knew it you're nothing more than a weak freak like that one in the alley."

"However, the guy behind you is not as much of a pacifist as I am."

The boys, as a group, slowly turned their heads and looked behind them. Will stood in all his glory with his death aura whipping about him in a frightening manner. The skull smiled at the group of bullies and before Michael could even finish blinking the group was gone leaving nothing more than a wet puddle on the pavement. Will slipped out of his Death-guise and made his way towards the alley where Michael had already gone to comfort the girl.

'Huh.'

[What 'huh' Master Yume?]

'It's just that that scene reminded me of something I once saw in an anime.'

{Hmm. Interesting.}

'I'm not asking.'

Michael meanwhile was coaxing the girl out of her fetal position

"C'mon the bullies are gone my friend and I chased them off."

The girl spared a glance at Michael and saw his smiling face and behind him Will's contemplative look.

"Thank you."

"It was no problem for us."

It was here that Hotaru Tomoe stood up and faced her combined saviors. The shy little prep school girl smiled a fraction as she looked upon her two saviors. One was dressed all in black and had his face painted so he looked like a mime. His skin on his hands was tanned deeply and his hair was blonde and spiky. The one behind him was also wearing black but as opposed to the black pants, shirt, and coat ensemble that the first one was wearing, this one was wearing a black hooded cloak and carrying a frightening looking scythe.

"Wow that kind of reminded me of… an… anime?"

Michael watched a bit confused as Will's eyes landed on the girl they had saved and slowly widened to the size of frying pans. There right in front of him was none other than Hotaru Tomoe, also known as or at least soon to be known as, Sailor Saturn.

'WHAT THE F***!?'

To say that Will was shocked would be as big an understatement as saying the ocean was wet. In his mind while a Ranma/SM crossover made for good fan fiction it shouldn't be happening to him. In fact if he were here still living he would have probably dropped dead out of shock.

'She shouldn't be here. It's impossible that she is here.'

{Calm down Will.}

Mike watched with an odd look as Will looked like he was having trouble breathing, The look that Will's eyes had looked like he half expected the girl before him to pull out a pitch fork out of her backpack and attack. Michael really didn't see the big deal. Sure she was a Sailor Moon character, hell she was one of the most powerful, but it wasn't like she wasn't supposed to exist here or something. Looking back at Will who now seemed to be trying with a great effort to restart his own heart, and seeing as he was dead (as far as Michael understood) it would probably help very little. Suddenly Will head whipped to the side and he stared intently at the roof of a building nearby.

"Michael, take Hotaru and go to that ice cream shop we passed a few blocks back."

Michael looked at Will oddly as he stared at the rooftops.

"Just go Michael, I'll catch up in a bit."

Michael just nodded and took little Hotaru's hand and walked to the mouth of the alley. Hotaru looked at the strange man as she passed and she noticed just how tall he was. Michael stopped at the mouth of the alley and looked back at Will questioningly, Will merely waved him off, and so Michael left. As the two left the alleyway Will glanced back at the roof he concentrated for a bit then began to cast a teleportation spell.

'You feel that?'

{Yes something feels off about it.}

[You should check it out Master Yume.]

Will nodded and finished the teleportation spell, and in a flash of shadowed light he vanished from the alley. A moment later he appeared on the rooftop that he had been observing from the ground. In front of him was a figure that was currently looking down into the alley.

"You know it's not nice to spy."

Said figure spun around and faced Will with wide red eyes. Will recognized the person who had been spying on the little alley meeting, immediately, it was none other than Sailor Pluto. Said defender of love and justice glared at the black cloaked form of Will.

"You! What do you think you are doing?"

"Well I was helping a little girl who was about to be needlessly attacked, and in desperate need of a friend or two, before I sensed someone watching me."

Pluto's glare intensified as she listened to Will speak.

"You had better be careful, you are meddling in things you couldn't possibly understand."

Will looked at her and decided that while in the show she appeared to be a mysterious babe, in person she just came off as a bitch.

"You had best consult your time gates a bit closer, before you accidentally piss off the wrong people Ms. Pluto, or should I say Meiou?"

This took the pretty warrior of the planet Pluto back a bit, Not only did this person's presence affect the time stream oddly but he also seemed to know who she was. These bits of info added up to one thing in her mind. This person whoever they were was a threat to Crystal Tokyo, and thus had to be dealt with as well as his little friend. She summoned her Time Staff and held it at ready before her. Will glared at her and pulled his scythe out and held it in front of him so he could defend himself. Pluto attack first as Will expected her to. She charged him silently but moved quickly and efficiently. She swung with her key shaped weapon and was deftly blocked by Siren's handle. Will return attack and slashed at her only to have her jump away and barely avoid getting sliced. Before She even had both legs on the ground she was on the attack again swing at Will. Will jumped back and channeled a fireball through his weapon and screamed out his attack.

---------

Michael and Hotaru arrived to the ice cream shop in short time. Going up to the counter Michael looked at Hotaru and spoke.

"What would you like?"

"Um… can I have a scoop of strawberry?"

Michael nodded and the guy behind the counter scooped the order.

"I'll have the mint-chocolate chip. And a sundae with vanilla."

The pair now with their ice creams in hand walked over and took their seat in a booth Michael looked back in the direction of the alley they had left Will in. He could feel some power building there and wondered what had happened to Will. He was shook from his contemplation by Hotaru speaking to him.

"I'm sorry what did you say?"

"I said thank you for saving me."

"Oh no problem we felt it isn't right for such a cute girl to be getting picked on."

Hotaru blushed cutely at the comment.

"How did your friend.."

"His name is Will."

"Oh okay. Uh how did Will know my name."

Michael's smile twitched for a second as he racked his brain for a good response that would reveal anything.

"Uh… you remind him of a niece he had. Yeah that's it, you look almost just like his niece named Hotaru."

"Oh."

Michael worked a bit more on his ice cream, before Hotaru cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Yes?"

"Why is it that you are both dressed in black?"

"Uh… well it brings out our eyes."

"But I couldn't even see Will's eyes."

"Well in his case it hides his."

"Oh but why are you dressed like a crazy mime?"

"I'm working to be a new aged mime."

"New aged?"

"We talk."

"Oh."

With that the two went back to their respective ice creams.

---------

"BLAZING BLADE!"

Sailor Pluto deftly flipped away from the attack as it smashed into the roof leaving a burnt gash in the roof. Will however had known she would avoid the attack and was already charging at her. Just as she was about to land Will swung heavily putting a great deal of force behind his attack. Pluto however proved her battle experience and managed to move around the attack but not without the blade of night cleaving into her black skirt and cutting it. She backed up a bit as she landed and held her staff in a defensive position. While she had been expecting a fight from this person she had not been expecting the fight he was giving her. Luckily enough for Will the lessons that had been forced into his mind were indeed the best there was to offer. That coupled with his newly acquired endurance and fortitude were giving him a much higher advantage than he had against Perfume. This time he attacked, as opposed to waiting for Pluto. He led off with the blunt end of his weapon and tried to strike the green haired woman in her stomach but she dodged to the left and swung with her own weapon knocking into Will's stomach with a great deal of power. Will barely managed to recover his equilibrium as he landed nearly sending him off the edge of the roof they were battling on. While the strike had not hurt him physically it had been enough to knock him off his feet. Using the small outcropping on the roof he launched himself at Pluto, she met his attack head on and managed to redirect his momentum so that he careened past her. Luckily enough for Will he had been expecting something like that and managed to hook the front of her leg with one of the grips on the handle of his weapon, taking his opponent down and onto her back. He rolled as he landed to lighten the impact, while Pluto rolled to the side and to her feet. Both spun and faced each other in an eerily synchronized sort of way. Will narrowed his eyes as he felt Typhous in the back of his mind. Siren was practically singing in his head as she was answering a battle lust that she hadn't even know was in her. Will had a sudden thought and decided to try it. Willing his power into Siren, the rune weapon suddenly unleashed a chain the started at the blade's base and coiled around the length of the handle. Will smiled evilly as he heaved back and hurled his weapon at Sailor Pluto. Sailor Pluto, not having noticed the chain that had magically appeared, thought that her opponent was going to throw away his weapon. So she ducked and went under the now spinning scythe. As it passed over her she went onto the attack planning to catch Will unaware. As she was about to reach him she noticed the chain that was wrapped around his right hand. A chain which he gave a vicious tug on. Twirling around at a speed the Tasmanian Devil would have been proud of she lifted her Time Staff and blocked the incoming blade stopping it just inches from her person. Will smirked and attacked again, using his index finger he stabbed into the concrete roof and whispered the 'Breaking Point'. Pluto had no idea what he had just done but when the roof exploded beneath her she was poorly prepared. The resulting wave of force and debris flung Pluto across the alleyway that Will and his companion had previously been in. She landed with a meaty thump with Will close behind his scythe again in his hands. Pluto unsteadily got to her feet and glared at Will who throughout the entire fight still had his hood up concealing almost all of his features. Will smirked as he watched Pluto slowly rising, it had been a stroke of brilliance to use the two techniques he had recently learned at almost the same time. It seemed that Will's mind was a bit better at battle situations than he had given it credit for. Pluto's mind was racing, never had she expected her foe to be this battle ready. He had shown an experience level that far surpassed his apparent age level, now she felt it was time to whip out the big guns. Holding her staff steadily before her she called upon her mastery over time and whispered two words.

"Dead scream."

The attack flashed and flew from the garnet orb at the end of her staff. Will watched the attack with wide eyes. While he knew she would probably use it he was not prepared for the shear power factor that the attack held behind it.

{Will MOVE!}

Typhous's voice snapped Will out of his revere and sent the boy into the only course of action he could think of. With a great swing he smashed the end of his scythe into the attack like it were a baseball. The attack shuddered from the impact, then suddenly whipped back towards Pluto. Will noticed that on it's return flight the energy seemed to be a great deal weaker than it had been on it flight towards him. Pluto blinked in shock, part of most of the Sailor's attack consisted of a small spell that distracted the opponent's mind from the obvious danger that the attack would bring, so normally when an attack was launched most enemies stopped what they were doing, to just stare at the attack and their own doom. While the power was a huge deal more evident in Sailor Moon's attack it was contained in all the scouts attacks, it was merely a factor of if they could impart their will on said power. She was greatly disturbed when her opponent just at the last moment shook of the preliminary spell. To do that would take years of mental conditioning again she was further surprised and greatly angered as Will smashed her attack right back at her. Glaring she called again on her powers and fired another attack at the first the two canceling each other out. This foe of the future she had waited so long for was proving a great deal more resourceful then she had anticipated. Will smirked again feeling a great deal more confident in himself, he could tell that Pluto was getting frustrated at her inability to defeat him. Again she reared back and held her Garnet Orb steady, then launched a slightly less powerful version of her attack. The attack went flying with her whisper of 'Dead Scream'. Will smirked as he watched the attack a bit more prepared. However it did him little good as he somehow managed to trip over the hem of his robe as he made to dodge that ball of incoming power. With a flash and crackle of energy the attack connected and sent Will flying. The attack had hurt like his initial landing in this universe. Blinking slowly as he careened through the air Will had little luck recovering use of his proper motor skill in time to right himself before he smacked into the side of the roof. His body slowly skid down the side of the outcropping of the roof as he tried to get his mind back to the point where it could communicate properly with his body. Will looked at Pluto again as he slowly stood back up. As he recovered he could tell that while Siren had saved his ass from that initial attack she was still a bit out of it. Quickly conferring with Typhous he readied an new attack spell for Pluto. Channeling his magic into his hands he readied the spell and forcing his right hand out with the left hand steadying it he unleashed his attack with a shout.

"Lightning Strike!"

The ends of the fingers on his right hand glowed then unleashed a great volley of lightning at Pluto. The time warrior tried her best to dodge the blue-green electric attacks however she tripped on a loose rock or something and stumbled. This caused her body to connect with one of the bolts of lightning. That seemed to start a chain reaction that drew every other bolt that the attack unleashed and focus them all on her. The bolts all converged and became one and pumped innumerable volts of electricity into Sailor Pluto's body. She tried to fight the searing pain. The feeling of her body being cooked from the inside out, but eventually the force of the attack overcame her and she screamed out in pain and anguish. Will who had been greatly surprised by the power of his own attack was jolted out of his contemplative mood when he heard Sailor Pluto cry out in pain. Quickly he stopped the attack and glanced over at the slightly charred but still standing form of his opponent. Her arms hung almost lifelessly at her sides and her Time Staff hung loosely in her fingers. Will became a bit worried thinking he may have over done the attack just a bit. However when a small zap of electricity crawled across her flesh her eye flew wide and her head whipped up and stared at Will with such intensive fury that he could do nothing more than stare. Pluto was done fooling around, she was lucky that her magical armor had absorbed most of the lethal power of the attack, it was time to unleash the attack that she should have started off with. Gathering all of her power she started to initiate her most powerful attack. Will still being shocked at the power he himself had unleashed upon the Sailor of Pluto wasn't even paying enough attention to notice that she was about to attack again. Pluto spared her opponent one last glared and launched her attack again with no more warning than a whisper.

"Dark Dome Enclose."

Will shook himself from his nerveless state just in time see a huge ball of energy get ready to strike him. Before he could even lift his scythe up in some kind of feeble defense he ball of dark energy surrounded and enclosed upon him. Just as the dome closed around him he had one last thought run through his mind before the pain began.

'I am so fucking screwed.'

Pluto smiled and sunk to her knees as the dome fully enclosed around her enemy. Once again she had defended the future of Crystal Tokyo. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief she slowly began to try and rise to her feet. Her dark dome enclose was her most powerful attack and consisted of really two attacks a physical one as well as a mental one. The physical assaulted her opponent with the power of time making them age in an extremely odd fashion whether they got younger or older she wasn't exactly sure all she knew was that physical aspect tended to take care of the person's existence. The mental part however was more to keep them from being able to properly defend the physical portion. The mental consisted of showing a person their entire life and focusing in on the worst most painful parts of it. Even the parts that they may have subconsciously locked away from their own mind. Her attack was wickedly powerful and rarely if ever left anything left. Just as she got to her feet she felt the dome's power winding down and turned to see what little remained. (She was basically figuring the scythe would remain.) Her somewhat relieved feeling was instantly crushed when she saw that not only was her opponent still there, he was still standing. Will's stared out at the world with a soulless gaze, the pupils of his eyes having contracted to the point of near nonexistence. His mind could barely grasp onto any thought properly, finally he managed to regain a semblance of control. Pluto saw the life flicker back into his eyes as she stood, the flicker was weak and barely noticeable but it was there all the same.

'Oh gods who is this guy?'

Will began to take mental assessment of himself.

'Siren Typhous you guys ok?'

[Siren here Master Yume.]

'Typhous? Typhous you there?'

All that responded to Will was a blankness. Were he in better command of his mind at this point he could have felt that Typhous was indeed still present just merely out of it from the attack they had been hit by. However seeing as he wasn't he instantly assumed the worse. Typhous had somehow been destroyed by the sailor bitches attack. Rage slowly consumed Will as it did he unconsciously forced his mantel's power into himself.

Pluto stared wide eyed with a great deal of fear, she could see the confusion on Will's now exposed face, and saw as it changed from confusion to sorrow to all encompassing anger. She watched her eyes growing even wider as Will's form began to shift. The flesh began to fall away from his body and slowly dissipated into a black mist the whipped about him as if it were alive. Slowly as the last of his flesh disappeared from his body it revealed bleached white bones. His eyeless socket looked at Pluto in such a way that she shivered in fear. She knew that after her hard fight and the launching of her final attack she was as good as dead having barely the power to stand. The scythe he held that had appeared to be made of darkness gleamed a sickly silver light as the sun reflected off its surface. She also took note that his sized had increased and he towered over her. Slowly the skeleton moved towards her taking deliberately slow steps. She backed away fearfully, she could feel it and see it, the reaper had finally come for her. All these long years of waiting to fulfill her promise to her queen and now the reaper chose to take her. She bowed her head and sent a silent prayer to the departed soul of her liege begging for her forgiveness. Just as the reaper reared its scythe back preparing to take her life her salvation appeared. A dark clothed figure with a pale white face appeared beside her, although if she hadn't been so caught up in her own incoming doom she would have noticed that the dark figure had actually jumped to the rooftop. Just as Will's hands began their descent that would end Pluto's life Michael's hand caught Will's own. Will stopped and shook his head as he regarded Michael as if just now seeing him.

"Calm down there Will, you need to come on, your ice cream is starting to melt."

Will blinked blankly at his pale faced companion. Just as he was about to raise his hand again to strike the green haired woman down he felt it. There buried in the back of his mind and barely noticeable he could feel Typhous, he seemed unconscious or something but he was there. That meant that Pluto hadn't destroyed him, that also meant that Michael had just stopped him from making a horrible mistake. Slowly his hands moved to his side and the mist around him pulled back into his form and he became flesh and blood once more and lost his even greater height returning to his usual six foot five. Michael tugged his arm and pointed in the direction of the ice cram shop.

"C'mon man that Hotaru girl is waiting for us"

Will nodded slowly then without really thinking about it teleported both himself and Michael to the ice cream shop. Pluto spared a glance back up and saw that the two black clothed figures were gone. Slowly with a shaky hand she grasped her Time Staff and opened a portal back to the Time Gates she needed to rest and think about these new events.

Hotaru smiled as Michael returned bringing a slightly dazed Will (at least that's what Michael had said his name was) behind him back to their table. A good deal of people spared the pair more than just a glance. Most of them had their eyes riveted on Will's menacing looking scythe. Will sat down on one side of Hotaru while Michael sat on the other side. Just as Will took his seat, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he passed out face first into his slightly melted ice cream sundae. Hotaru blinked at the unusual display then turned and looked at Michael questioningly. Michael just shrugged and responded.

"Eh, at least it wasn't my ice cream."

Hotaru could only blink in response.

(TBC.)