Sailor Moon: Moon and Stars5 – By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "White Wolf" and other genres belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-epic, multi-genre story.

Special note: Just want to give you all the "411" on our band of heroes-

Sakura Society: a band of mystics and adventurers, based out of Tokyo, Japan, who perform consulting work for either the Council of the Nine Traditions or the Technocratic Union, as long as the purpose is for the good of humanity…though the pay is a good incentive as well. There membership consist of:

Ranma Saotome- Akashic Brotherhood (Blue Scales): A talented martial artist who is dedicated in protecting the weak and helpless from evil. Hook up with the 'Society after a run-in with one of the team's numerous enemies, while looking for his would-be sister-in-law Nabiki Tendo. And Ranma happens to have a second identity as the Asgardian goddess "Ranko", thanks to some interference by the Norn sisters.

Nabiki Tendo- Virtual Adepts/Syndicate: Nabiki "Ice Queen" Tendo was brought into the world of the mages through a recruiting drive while away in school. Her area of expertise involves using computers as a focus of her magic (think "The Matrix"). She has subsequently joined the mercantile "Syndicate", which uses magic to manipulate the world's economy, as the VA's undercover agent.

Kirayoshi Yahata- Go Kamisori Gama: A child hood friend of Nabiki's, "Kira" comes from a long line of mystics who inspired the legends of the ninja. Like Nabiki, she tends to be a bit of a mercenary. Likes to dress in male clothes when possible.

Suki "Sal" Sumitomo- Miao Guan: Sal is a renegade member of the "administrative" arm of the "Elemental Dragons" (i.e. the Asian version of the Technocratic Union). Sal is a master of the mental arts, and rivals Nabiki in the arts of outright manipulation. He doesn't known Nabiki's Syndicate cover.

Dr. Shin Fukikage- Verbena: a transplanted Japanese American, Shin is a Western-style medical doctor who sought to learn traditional Chinese medicine. Works in the Sakura Society as a means of breaking into the Orient magical societies.

Tama "Laughing Star" Nihau- Akashic Brotherhood (Li-Hai): Like Ranma, Tama is a martial artist in his own right. Unlike Ranma, Tama's focus of magic is cutting-edge technology, and frequently works with Nabiki on Akashic/VA joint projects.

Mei Ling- Wu-Keng: A renegade, Mei comes from a mystic tradition that promotes female cross-dressing in this all-male magical society. Unlike "her" peers, Mei seeks to free herself from her "youma" masters, and thus joined the Sakura Society shortly after being rescued by them. Unknown to Mei, Kira has an ulterior motive in allowing her to join…

Dr. Usagi "Sailor Moon" Tsukino (Sons of Ether): A trained heroine from a young age, Usagi became a "technomage" after meeting her hero, Dr. Ted "Starman" Knight in Opal City. By her 22nd birthday, Usagi earned her advanced degree in Astrophysics at the University of Montreal in Canada (which means that she can speak French and English fluently). Still a bit of a ditz sometimes.

Author's note: More details will be forth coming. Stay tuned!

Part 5: "Old Friends"

After the meeting, the mages decide to mingle a bit before heading out on their assignments. Ranma Saotome, a member of the marital arts mage group known as the Akashic Brotherhood, sighed. For his crew, the Sakura Society, had three missions to complete.

One, go to Concordia, the former central hub for mages within the Nine Traditions, and investigate the so-called "Sphinx", which has been the driving force of much of the mage activity against the Technocratic Union.

Two, sneak unto Copernicus Station, and retrieve the Dagger of Ixion, since it is suppose to have the power to end this crisis.

Finally, three, confront Voormas, the Heckler of Skulls on Pluto, which, unfortunately, amounted to a suicide mission. Voormas is perhaps the most deadly foe ANYBODY can face, being the living avatar of Kali and Shiva.

Ranma has already made his peace with his old life, but he wished to have a moment with Akane again…

"Hey, Ranma," said a voice.

Ranma saw that he had almost bumped into Dr. Usagi Tsukino, who had just received her PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Montreal, Canada. The amazing thing is that in her old life, Usagi was a bit of bimbo when it comes to education. However, after meeting her hero, Dr. Ted Knight, aka "Starman", in Opal City, Usagi had gotten her mind in gear. Now, she was a member of a secret society of super-scientists known as "the Sons of Ether", and was chosen to ferry the Sakura Society to and from their destinations.

"Hey, Usagi," Ranma says. "You seem well."

"Yeah, I guess so" Usagi says. "I mean, with all that's going on…"

"I know, I know."

Nabiki Tendo, a mage in her own right, steps forth.

"Dr. Tsukino, I would like for us to go over the itinerary for our trip…"

The mission to Copernicus Station was to take place after the trip to Concordia. And with so many Technocrats guarding the gates to the ancestral chantry. So…

Istanbul, Turkey.

"Freeze, citizen," said the terminator-like cyborg, as he and his squad fired upon the intruders.

Nabiki had to prep the keys to Concordia, with the assistance of her buddy Tama, while the others fought.

"Nabiki, hurry up!" said Kira, as she and Ranma went through the squadron. Suki and Mei and Sal were protecting Dr. Fukikage and Usagi.

"Um, maybe I can be of assistance," Usagi yells out.

"We can handle the situation, Dr. Tsukino," Kira says.

Usagi shrugged her shoulders, and pulled out her cosmic rod. With a tap of one end, a flash of blue light was produced.

The cyborgs suddenly stopped moving.

Kira turns to Usagi.

"What did you-?"

"Iteration X typically builds their standard cyborg models with a particular flaw, that prevents them from registering objects in blue light. Prof. Egon did a study on it at the last symposium I attended."

"Why didn't you say something before?" Ranma asked.

"Well, no one asked."

"…"

"Okay, people," Nabiki said. "We have full access to Concordia."

"I'm going to re-route these cyborgs' sub-routine," Tama says. "As far as they are concerned, we died."

"Excellent," Kira says. "And Dr Tsukino, please, don't hold back."

"O-tay!"

Concordia, which was a world in and of itself, the size of the Moon, was once the headquarters and meeting place of the Council of the Nine Traditions. The Traditions consisted of desperate mystical societies that range from the mystical to the cutting edge. Like any umbrella organization, there have been problems. And thanks to a crisis from a few years back, the place laid in a state of waste.

Everyone could see the engraved, granite arch that greeted them. It read:

"Welcome to Concordia, the home of the Council of the Nine Traditions."

Usagi shook her head sadly. She had been here before, back when the skies were bright and shiny. It was when she was given the grand tour, as it was customary for new imitates to participate in.

"I'm not impressed," Kira said, as she kicked some debris. Because her magical tradition was not part of the Council of Nine, this was her first visit to this realm.

"You should have seen this place before the Reckoning," Nabiki said. Like Usagi, Ranma, Tama and Dr. Fukikage, Nabiki had been to Concordia; only the Akashic Brotherhood, the Virtual Adepts, the Verbena, the Sons of Ether, the Order of Hermes (i.e. classical Renaissance wizards), the Dreamspeakers (i.e. shamans), the Celestial Chorus (i.e. clerics), Euthanatos (i.e. mystical assassins) and the Cult of Ecstasy (i.e. mystic hedonists) were members of the council, and thus could gain access there.

"Come," Nabiki said. "We have to get to the Council Hall…"

After dealing with the occasional shade, after walking through the ruins, they came upon the council chambers, where the group would find the source of the transmissions from "the Sphinx". Except, it was not empty.

"YOU!" Nabiki cried.

A tall, African-American male stood up from the seat of "Correspondence", the seat of the Virtual Adept. He wore his trademark brown trenchcoat and goatee.

"Hello, Nabs," said the man.

"Who is this?" Kira asked, ready to give the signal to fight.

"This is my Mentor…Dante."

Fin.