Moon's Infinite Path 4 – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-epic crossover.
Part 4
Years ago, in Nerima, Tokyo, Japan…
"YOU are Princess Serena, heir to the Moon Kingdom," said the wizened old woman.
"Huh?" Usagi replied.
Usagi, Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo were on their way to "Ucchan's", much to Akane's consternation, when the Matriarch of the Chinese Amazons named "Cologne" shows up in front of the trio.
"What do you want, old ghoul?" Ranma demanded.
"Son-in-law, my business is with your friend, not you."
Usagi didn't want anything bad to happen, so…
"I'll listen."
"Usagi, she can't be trusted!" Ranma said.
BOP!
"Ranma, don't' be so overly-protective," Akane said. As long as Cologne's machinations don't involve Ranma…
"I'll be fine, Ranma," Usagi said. "Besides, I'm too hungry to care where I eat."
For a while now, Usagi has been a student of the Tendo Training Hall, at the insistence of Happosai, the founder of "Anything Goes" School of Martial Arts. Happosai opinions carried more weight than usual, when he revealed to the Saotomes and the Tendos that he was Genma's grandfather, making him Ranma's great-grandfather. Talk about "shock" and "awe"!
Nevertheless, Ranma took the matter in strides, and started to teach Usagi martial arts. He got Akane to help him as a way to mollify her tendency to get jealous.
Usagi found the entire situation amusing, though she was curious as to why Happosai took such a special interest in her.
Now…
"So, ma'am," Usagi said, as she, Ranma and Akane followed Cologne to the back of the "Cat Café". "What's up?"
Cologne motioned Usagi for silence, as she brought out a large wooden case. When she opened it, Usagi's eyes lit up.
"Heldafang…" Usagi whispered.
"I had thought so," Cologne says.
"What's going on?" Ranma demanded.
Cologne picked up the curve sword. In spite of being very old, it looked brand-new.
"You will need this, in the days ahead," Cologne says, as she hands the sword to Usagi. As soon as Usagi touches it-
"ARRGH!"
Memories began to flood her head.
"Usagi, are you okay?" Akane asked, a she steadied her friend.
"What did you do, you old ghoul?" Ranma demanded.
"It's okay…Ranma," Usagi said. "It's okay."
Usagi then told her that she is really an immortal from the Second Age of Man, back when the Gods, wizards, elves and men walked the Earth. And before that, she was the fabled Moon Princess, who was an heir of the interstellar empire known as the Silver Millennium.
While hearing all this, Ranma and Akane wondered if they have lost their new friend.
"Will…will you still be our…help?" Ranma asked.
Usagi hugged both of her friends, with her free arm.
"As long as I have my friends to rely upon, I will always be in need of the kindness of strangers."
"I am glad that you feel that way," Cologne says, "because you will need training."
"How come, little sister?" Usagi replied.
"One word: Kane."
"Oh."
"What?" Ranma asked. "What's going on?"
"Kane is an Immortal who is both warrior," Cologne began. "He rode with Genghis Khan, when the Mongol horde nearly conquered all of Asia. Like all Immortals, he takes a decapitated Immortal's knowledge and strength to increase his power."
"So, what does this have to do with Usagi?" Akane asked.
"If there is one defining element about Kane, it's his reliance on astrology. Usagi represents the key step towards earning the Prize."
"And this Prize is…?"
"No one knows, but what I do know is that if Kane gets the Prize, whatever that might be, it'll spell disaster for all of humankind."
"So, how do you know that Kane is coming here?" Ranma asked.
"My contacts in China told me that Kane has been released from his tomb, thanks to an excavation sponsored by the Chinese government. He's on his way here."
"Then, we'll beat him-"
"No, son-in-law," Cologne replies. "Usagi must fight him alone."
"We can't do that!"
"Ranma," Usagi began. "You can't interfere."
"But-"
"You can help me by helping me to train. That's all I can ask of you."
Ranma squinted his eyes.
"Okay," Ranma said with a sigh. "I'll do my best."
"Me, too!" Akane said. "We'll lick this one TOGETHER."
"Thank you, my friend."
After Usagi and the others have left, Cologne picks up the receiver of his telephone. She dials a long-distance number.
"Joe? This is Cologne. The Moon Princess is back in 'the Game'."
As she hangs up, she absently rubbed the Watchers tattoo on her left wrist.
Over the next few weeks, Usagi trained, and trained hard. Her adopted parents wondered why she was so intense of late. However, since she wasn't getting into trouble, they generally left her alone. Finally on the midnight of the Summer Solstice, at the foot of Tokyo Tower, Usagi and Kane met.
"So," Kane sneered, as he sized up Usagi. "You are my prey."
"I'm NO ONE's prey," Usagi said, as she stripped off her white duster. Kane wore a long fur over his old-style uniform. He was a dark-skinned man with bad breath and dreadlocks that were tied up into a pony-tail. He took off his fur coat to reveal the curved Damascus blade.
Usagi brought up her weapon at ready.
"You will find, fiend, that the stars are more of my ally than of yours."
And with that, the battle was joined.
Kane used his strength and power to put Usagi on the defensive, while Usagi relied on skill. She then performed a few of Upperclassman Kuno's tricks, such as his "Watermelon technique", which created a whirl-wind of death.
"Argh!" Kane said, as he took deep cuts.
Usagi then pressed her advantage forward. Unfortunately, she missed, allowing Kane to kick her in the stomach.
"Oof!"
The sudden impact of the blow caused her to drop her sword.
"Looks like this is the end for you, girl," Kane sneered, as he trust his sword.
Taking a page from her training sessions, Usagi clasped the blade between her palms, jerked the sword out of Kane's hand, and then turned the blade into Kane.
"Argh!"
Usagi removed the sword, and tossed the weapon away. As Kane landed on his knees, Usagi kicked-up her own sword, got on Kane's left side, and-
"There can be, only ONE."
took Kane's head.
Usagi was struck by the lightning effects of the Quickening, as Kane's knowledge and strength flowed into her. At the same time, she had to fight off the darkness that came from Kane's soul.
And then, it was all over.
Tired from the experience, Usagi picked up her coat and Kane's sword, and left the scene before the local police could arrive.
Since that day, Usagi continued to fight other Immortals, while lending her help to those in need. Sometimes, she would help those from the metahuman (Clark Kent) or supernatural (the vampire Angel). By the end, when she was living with a coven of witches, as a housekeeper and nanny, in San Francisco, where she had won the Prize…
END FLASHBACK!
Usagi sighed, as she hung up the phone. Mamoru was not home apparently.
"Usagi!" yelled a voice.
"What is it, Piper?" Usagi replied.
"The baby needs changing."
Usagi shook her head. Imagine that: a potential Goddess reduced to changing diapers.
Usagi then smiled at the normalcy of it all.
And I wouldn't have it any other way, Usagi thought to herself.
Fin.