***
Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" and "Dare Devil" belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a "fusion" story.
***
As Naru and her guardian cat entered the gates of the Cherry Hill Temple, she could hear the police sirens emitting from Downtown Tokyo. According to what she saw on television, the vigilante known as "The Red Oni" was on the run from the law, and that a police officer was involved. Quickly, Naru went up the stone steps and headed straight for the temple's main door. Then, she recognized a familiar face.
"Look!" Luna cried.
"Momaru!" Naru called. "I'm glad you came."
"I got here as soon as I could," Momaru Chiba replied. Ever since Usagi returned, he was trying to sort out his feelings. On one hand, Momaru is supposed to be her future husband and co-ruler of Crystal Tokyo, and yet he loved Naru. Hopefully, things will sort themselves out. "The others are inside."
Naru and Momaru walked into the temple's residence, and saw the other Senshi milling about. They could also see a very injured Usagi, who was still wearing her costume. Ami was attending to her wounds, while the others sat about.
"How is Usagi?" Naru asked, as she and Momaru entered the room.
"Thank goodness you are here!" replied Minako, who was still blaming herself for failing her best friend.
"Usagi is suffering from exhaustion and lacerations, but is otherwise fine."
"Who could do such a thing?" asked Rei.
"Whoever did this, he ought to get a pounding!" Jupiter replied.
"Do you know who did this?" asked Artemus returned from the outside. He was keeping watch until Naru and Luna arrived.
"I would like to know that as well," Luna asked. She was worried about Usagi, even though she had rebuffed her advances.
"Some guy named Bullseye, I think," Minako said, as she frowned. "He was the one who killed-"
"No. I killed her."
"Usagi, please, you mustn't stress yourself!" Ami replied.
As the war of wills had commenced, Naru couldn't help wonder if Usagi was indeed Neo-Queen Serenity. In the distant future, Serenity was a confidant, kind monarch who was beautiful on both the inside and on the outside. She also wondered how she could "see" everything, even though Serenity did not have normal sight. Maybe Usagi had not "evolved" yet.
"Usagi, listen to Ami," Minako, as she comes over.
"Why should I? You lied to me. Ever since I came here, people have been using their agendas to get to ME."
***
"Chance Encounters"
***
"Usagi, do you need-?"
"I will be fine, Mother. I took care of myself up until now, haven't I?"
As Usagi leaves the house that once belonged to her father Kenji Tsukino, her mother Ikuko found herself being held by her second husband Ichiro.
"I wish Usagi was not so distant," Ikuko lamented.
"The girl will be fine, dear. These things will take time."
As Usagi walks to the park in the Juuban district, a prefecture of Tokyo, Japan, she couldn't help wonder about the impact she is having on the city's underworld…
FLASHBACKSnake desperately ran from the club as quickly as possible. If the Boss caught wind that some "oni" had disrupted the drug transaction at "The Barracks", Snake was a dead man. With the Red Oni on his tail, Snake may not get a say in the matter.
The drug dealer went down into the subway, jumping the turn-stall in the process. He knew that the subway train ran on the hour by the hour, so his much needed escape route would soon arrive.
With the Red Oni on his tail, Snake may not have a say in the matter.
The Red Oni leaped from the sidewalk and down to the platform in one jump. Crouching, she extended her senses…
There! The Oni picked up a scent…and a pounding heartbeat. Her prey was in the vicinity.
Slowly, Oni stood up, and took off one of her Billy clubs from her thigh. Then, Oni casually walked to the nearest support column, and whacked it once.
PING! PING! PING!
In her mind's "eye", Oni determined the scene before her. She made out the features of her environment, as well as her prey.
"Give it up!" The Oni bellowed. "There's no place to run."
The Red Oni, through her hardball tactics, had determined that "Snake" mad have information on who had her father killed. If necessary, she will have to beat the information out of him.
Snake took out his pistol, and readied himself.
Suddenly, an express train comes rolling by. The sudden noise distracts Oni long enough to allow Snake to cock his gun. This action was not lost on Oni.
BLAM! BLAM!
Oni deftly dodges the bullets, as if they were moving through a tub of molasses.
Snake peered from behind his column, wondering where the Oni went…
Suddenly, Snake was grabbed from behind, and was thrown against the wall by the train tracks.
BAM!
Snake desperately tried to get up, but he ended up twisting he ankle in the process. Then he heard the wailing of a train…
"Help! I can't get up!" Snake cried.
The Oni looked down, looked at the incoming train and then looked down again.
"I'll help up, but you have to tell me about Kenji Tsukino's murder."
"Huh?"
"Time's a-wasting, Snake-chan."
Snake knew what she was talking about. When Kenji died, he had been a teenager. At the time, he was trying to make a name for himself. But, in order to get started, he had to work his way up the criminal ladder. So, on the night Kenji died, Snake serves as "look-out". However, he knew what would happen to him if he spilled his guts.
"Please! I can't."
"Then I guess this is it, then. Good-bye…"
BLERGH! BLERGH! BLERGH-!
"Nooooooooooooo-!"
From out of nowhere, The Oni whipped out a specially made fishing pole, and had then cast her line. In a split moment, Oni hooked Snake's belt and reeled the dope dealer in, and out of harm's way.
As Oni walked towards Snake, she could tell that he had urinated on himself. He was also scared spitless. Oni then reached down and grabbed Snake by the collar.
"You tell your boss that he will pay for his crimes against the Tsukino family."
POW!
After knocking Snake out with a single punch, Oni left the train station. Whether she knew it or not, the Red Oni had been followed.
"Whew!" said Sailor Moon. She was glad that Usagi didn't kill the man.
"I told you she wouldn't do it!" Sailor Venus replied.
"But does the Princess have to be so brutal?" Luna asked. She wanted to make sure that Usagi could become the queen she is destined to be.
Humph! The Red Oni thought to herself. Who are they to judge ME?
The Red Oni had sharp enough hearing to literally hear a pin drop from far way.
I might have to deal with them soon.
END FLASHBACK As Usagi strolled through the park, she couldn't help but wonder when THAT CAT will stop following her. For the past week, a cat with a weird marking on its forehead was watching her every move. So far, its presence has given her much information about these "Sailor Senshi", especially what role her friend Minako playing. For now, Usagi will play it by ear. Meanwhile, Police Inspector Ranma Saotome was in the park exercising, as well as contemplating on the emergence of this "Red Oni" business. On one hand, have gone up, thanks to this vigilante. On the other hand, he did not like the idea of some shinobi running around in his city. The curious thing was that the Oni was looking for the murderer of Shingo's father. Was this Oni connected to this case? Before he could contemplate this thought further, Ranma spotted a familiar face."Oh, hello Miss Tsukino!" Ranma yelled. "It's me, Ranma Saotome!"
"I'm blind, not death Inspector Saotome," Usagi replied with amusement.
"Oh, sorry about that."
"Not a problem, Inspector."
"Please, call me 'Ranma'."
"Okay…Ranma. So, what are you up to?"
"Well, I work out in the mornings. I'm a martial artist, you know."
"Really? What a coincidence, so am I."
"Yeah, right."
"No, really. I came out to practice my tai chi."
"Well…I can see that. Can you show me your style?"
"Alright."
Usagi, was wearing her traditional Chinese clothes, stretched her limbs, which were followed by a few moments of meditation. Then, she went into her tai chi forms.
"Wow," Ranma said to himself, as Usagi moved with grace and skill. As a martial artist himself, Ranma could tell that Usagi had the skills of a true master.
And then, it was all over.
"That's pretty good," Ranma said.
"I should hope so," Usagi replied, as she took out a towel from her gymn-bag. "It took me ten-plus years to learn.
"Now why does that sound familiar…?"
"Hey, you want to get some tea? There's a coffee shop two blocks down."
"I know the place. Lead on."
While Ranma and Usagi continued to talk, Luna the Guardian Cat lamented.
"This is NOT good," Luna said to herself.
Meanwhile…
"But I didn't say anything!" Snake yelled. "Please!"
"What is he talking about?" asked one guard to another.
"I don't know, but I'm being annoyed by it," replied the second guard. "Hey! Knock it off!"
Suddenly, Snake caught on fire.
"AH-YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-!"
"Put him out!" yelled one of the guards.
"That's that," Nabiki said to herself, as she opened her eyes. For Nabiki Tendo, failure was not an option. Which is why "Snake" was punished for his sloppiness, from the comforts of her Downtown office. Still, Nabiki now knows about the impending threat.
Picking up her private line, Nabiki dialed the number of her personal retainer.
"Bulls-eye, I got a job for you."
Tbc.
Next time: It's party time! As Nabiki Tendo celebrate her new business venture in America, Ranma and Usagi develop a budding friendship…just as disaster is about to strike! Be here for "Party of the Dead", next time on "The Devil in the Moon". See you then!