Dark Bunny 9 – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "Street Fighter", and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is an alt-crossover story.
Part 9: "Requiem"
"Mommy, I want to be the best there is!"
A little girl with blond, dumpling-shaped locks was trying to perform a simple game of hopscotch in Juuban Park, while her parents sat on a nearby bench looking after her.
The mother smiled at the little girl's declaration, while the father nods his approval.
The little giggles, and resumes her play. Just as she hops to the final square, the little girl notices a shadow. She looks up…
"I can make you the best, little girl," the man with the flaming red hair and dark skin.
Before the girl could say anything…
"AHHHHHHH-!"
The little girl turns to see her parents…no, her friends within the Sailor Scouts, as they are all sprawled all over the ground. A triumphant Queen Beryl, ruler of the Negaverse, is standing over the girls…laughing maniacally.
"NO!" the little girl screams.
The little girl now finds herself as an older teenager, and was dressed in a manner similar to the Sailor Scouts.
"You may have destroyed my home, but I won't let you take anyone else that I love away! Not now, not ever!"
"Then accept me as your Master, and you will have the power to save your friends," said the dark man.
The teenaged girl looks at the man, and then at Beryl. Then, with tears falling from her eyes, the girl accepts the dark man's hand…
FWOOSH!
A crimson fire burns away the girl's seeming, leaving a powerful warrior behind. No longer merely a soldier of "Love and Justice", the girl was now an instrument of death…and destruction.
"Go forth, my apprentice!" the dark man bellowed. "Eliminate your ememy!"
The teenaged girl, whose name was "Usagi Tsukino" flew straight into the queen of the Negaverse. With fists blazing, Usagi, now very tanned, and possessed red eyes, pounded away. This encounter proved to be decidedly lopsided, as Beryl began to plead for her life.
"NO!" Usagi said. "How many people you butchered because of a scorned love? Was it WORTH it?"
Usagi delivered the final blow…
CRACK!
Usagi huffed, as the dark man, who was known as "Gouki the Akuma", steps forward behind his student.
"You have done well, my apprentice," said Gouki. "But tell me, was it worth it?"
Usagi looked down at her foe, only to realize that it wasn't Beryl who died a her hands. It was…
Sailor Moon…the original version.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO-"
Usagi woke up with a start, just as the sun rose in the East. She calmed down, as she began to focus her thoughts. Finally, she opens her eyes with a sigh, and got out of bed. She went on to get herself cleaned up, and properly dressed. Then, she heads down the stairs, and into the kitchen.
"Morning," Usagi says, as she sits down to eat.
"Morning, pumpkin," her father Ken says, as he continues to read his paper.
"Morning, honey," her mother Ikuko says, as she serves breakfast. "So, what are your plans today?"
"I will be…playing with friends, Mother," Usagi said, as she began to eat her meal, performing moves that was economical in its intent.
"Aren't you too old for that?" Shingo, Usagi's little brother asked.
Usagi glances at Shingo direction. However, the look in Usagi's eyes told Shingo to back up quickly.
"Actually," Usagi began, "I would like to think that I am young enough to still hang out."
"Well, that is wonderful to hear, Usagi," Ikuko says. "I mean, after what you went through this past year…"
"Yes, pumpkin," Ken says. "We just want you to have a normal life."
Usagi smirked inside. She was far removed from having a normal life.
"Dad, I got to run," Usagi said, as she gets up from the kitchen table. "I…I love you…all. Including you, Shingo."
And with that, Usagi turns, and leaves the kitchen.
Strangely, everyone in the family had gotten a distinct feeling that they may have seen Usagi for the final time.
Nerima District.
"Ranma, are you ready?" Akane asked, as she had gotten her gear ready.
All through the night, Ranma Saotome was in a state of preparation. He had revised his family's "Forbidden Techniques" to an even finer point. And while he was hoping to resolve the coming crisis peacefully, he was under no illusion that he will be facing an opponent who is anything but peaceful.
Ranma woke up from his meditation.
"Yeah, I am," Ranma said, as he got up from a Lotus position. "I just hope that Ryouga didn't get lost."
"Oh, I asked him to stay over," Akane said, as she sits her bag down. "You know, just in case."
"Akane, I really wish that you would stay here, and let me handle this."
"No way, Ranma! I'm a martial artist too, you know!"
"…"
"And besides, I…I need to test my limits. How can I expect to protect people from monsters like HER? So please, let me do this."
Ranma looks at his fiancée.
"Okay, okay. Just don't go an get uncute on me or something."
"Ranma…"
Akane then hugged him.
"You can be such a jerk."
Okayama.
"Aha!" said the red, spiky haired genius.
"What? You managed to find Washu?" asked Tenchi Masaki. Ever since that "girl" showed up, there has been nothing but problems. The disappearance Ryoko the Space Pirate was a sore spot for Tenchi
"I was hoping you weren't able to," said Ayeka, the Juraian princess.
"Ayeka, that's a terrible thing to say!"
"Anyway,' Washu began. "Here goes nothing!"
In the center of a teleporter pad, a drum barrel appeared. Washu then activated a force field.
"What's that for?"
"We don't know what condition Ryoko is in. So, we will peel away what is holding her in place."
Cherry Hill Temple, Juuban.
"So it's agreed then?" said Sailor Venus, who looked at the assembled Sailor Scouts.
"I don't know-" said Sailor Moon began. "It's hard to believe that Usagi is that…that monster."
"Perhaps we can help her-" Sailor Mercury began.
"We can't let her remain loose!" Sailor Mars roared. "She is evil, and that's that."
"I hate to agree with Mars," Sailor Jupiter began. "But she needs to be stopped…one way or another."
The 'Scouts nod in understanding, if not in agreement.
Standing close by, behind a tree, the Moon Light Knight hears everything. Then, he turns to his companions.
"Don't worry, Luna. I'll do what I can."
Then, with a grunt, the mysterious stranger in the white Arabian garb fades into the ether.
"I…I don't think I can go on if the Moon Princess is…gone," Luna the Black Moon Cat cried.
"Have faith, Luna," Artemis the White Moon Cat replied. "We'll do what we can."
At the apartment complex of Ann and Alan…
"Well, since you have been such a GOOD trooper, Usagi," Alan said, as he changed into his alien guise, "we would like to introduce you to our 'mother', the Doom Tree."
"Alan, maybe we shouldn't-" began Ann. Ever since 'Day One', Ann did not trust Usagi at all. Why would anyone who can easily defeat the Sailor Scouts, the Masaki Clan and the Nerima Wrecking Crew is willing to work for people like them? Especially since both of them were planning on sucking this planet dry of energy?
"Ah, don't worry," Alan said confidently, as the gateway to the Doom Tree opened up. "We're all friends, here, right?"
"Yes…we are," Usagi said. In reality, as soon as she 'meets' this Doom Tree, she will make her move-
BOOM!
Both Ann and Alan lived on the top of their building in a spacious suite. The huge, oaken doors were burst in, reveling an alien pirate seething in rage.
"YOU!" said Ryoko. For months, she was sealed in a drum underneath Usagi's house. For months, she relived the horror of being sealed up, and Ryoko swore that she would never suffer such a horror again.
"Me?" Usagi said nonchalantly. Then, she extended her senses. "And I sense that you brought friends."
Usagi turned to Ann and Alan.
"You better get your 'Cardians' together. We have company."
The aliens nodded.
Down at street level…
"I wish that your friend had paid attention to the plan, Tenchi," Sailor Mars said, as she and the rest of the Scouts are assembled, along with the Nerima Wrecking Crew and the Masaki clan.
"She tends to be a bit headstrong…"
"Well, Ryoko is a pirate, and always WILL be," said the Jurian Princess Ayeka. If Tenchi wasn't involved, neither she nor her sister would be part of any of this.
"Well, 'Ryoko' just gave away the element of surprise," said Ranma Saotome. "Then again, I don't sneak around."
"Regardless," began Sailor Mercury, as she consulted her Mercury Computer, "we're picking up major youma activity…a virtual army, in fact."
"Not to mention a series of energy barriers are now up," said Washu, as she tapped on her holographic computer. "I'll be able to take down all the barriers, of course, but the frequency of the fields are in a state of flux. So for now, I'll be able to drop a field per floor, but you'll only have so much time before the fields re-emerge."
Ranma sighed. All he wanted to do was fight to regain his and Akane's honor. And now…
"Akane, I want you and the others-"
"No way, Ranma!" Akane said, as she and the other fiancés, and his three rivals stepped forth. "You need ALL the help you can get…and I AM a martial artist too, you know!"
"Ranma, she's right," Ryouga Hibiki said. "You'll need ALL the help you can get."
Ranma looks around.
"Alright. And somebody, keep and eye on Ryouga…I don't want him to get lost or nuthin'."
"Ranma…if lives weren't at stake, I'd bash you for that comment," Ryouga said with a smile.
Ranma smiled back.
"Well," said Sailor Moon, as she steps forth. "Let's…get this over with."
"RIGHT!" said everyone.
"Ryo-ohki?" asked Sasami, Ayeka's younger sister. "Go to ship mecha mode!"
"Ryo-OW!" yelped the half-cat/half-rabbit creature, as it morphs into a mechanical version of itself. The chassis opens up, and the girl, whose long hair was turquoise-colored, steps in. Once the hatch closes, Sasami takes the control, and activates Ryo-Ohki's weapons.
BLAM!
The front entrance to the building was blasted in.
"Move it!" Sailor Venus says, as she directed everyone, except for Mercury, Washu and Sasami, to enter the building. With a sigh, Venus follows…
ROUND ONE…FIGHT!"Keep your guard up, girl!" said Upperclassman Kuno, as he blocked the attack from a lizard-like Cardian. He then used his bokken to create a counter-attack that cut into another Cardian.
"Don't tell me what to do!" said Ayeka, as she emitted a Jurian field attack. "I am a royal princess, and I don't need to be told how to do my job, Earth commoner!"
"'Commoner'? Foolish girl, you need to respect you betters!"
"Knock it off, guys!" said Sailor Jupiter, as she delivered a lightning-charged kick. "Just fight!"
ROUND TWO…FIGHT!"Eeek!" said the dark-skinned, blond Mihoshi the Galaxy Police Officer, as she was shooting wildly at her attackers.
"Hey, watch it!" yelled Mousse, the half-blind "Hidden Weapon Master" from China's Joketsu. He threw a barrage of weaponry at one Cardian, and tied another enemy in a coil of chains. He then pulled the chained enemy towards Sailor Venus.
"Do it!"
Venus took aim.
"Venus Crescent BEAM!"
BLAST!
ROUND THREE…FIGHT!
"Shampoo no let you stand in way!" said the Chinese Amazon, as she knuckle-punch a Cardian.
BAM!
"I got you covered," said Kiyone, Mihoshi's more professional Galaxy Police partner. She took steady aim, and picked off the incoming onslaught that was running down the stairway.
"Guys, stand back!" Sailor Mars said, as she took aim towards the top of the stairs. "Mars Firebird STRIKE!"
FWOOSH!
While our heroes were making their way up to the top, from various points in the building, another battle was taking place at their destination…
POW!
Usagi delivered a solid right-cross to Ryoko's chin, knocking the Space Pirate across the hall.
"You've gotten stronger, alien," Usagi said, as she stepped forward menacingly. "I'm surprised about that."
"As long as my feelings for Tenchi remains pure, I'll never loose, witch!"
Ryoko, out of desperation, formed an energy weapon, and began to slice into Usagi. Usagi, dodged the attack, with a few side-steps and back-flips. Usagi threw a parry punch, in order to try to use trapping techniques to get a hold her opponent. However, Ryoko seemed to fade…
"What-?"
CHOK!
"Gah!" Usagi gasped, as she felt a sharp pain in her right shoulder. Usagi turned around to see a smirking Ryoko. Apparently, she had stabbed Usagi in the back.
"Oh, did that hurt?" Ryoko asked.
"Only my pride, alien."
As Usagi rotated her neck, to get the kinks out, her wound sealed itself up. This did not go unnoticed.
"How-?"
"A true master of the dark arts of Shotokan is beyond mere mortality. As I have grown in my power, I am developing a mastery over my mind, body…and spirit."
Usagi gets into a fighting stance.
"You'll have to do WAY better than that to defeat me…alien."
Ryoko roared, as she charged forward.
"This is for Tenchi!" Ryoko said, as she brought her sword down on Usagi's head.
Usagi smirked, as she moved faster than Ryoko anticipated.
SWING!
MISS!
Ryoko found herself nose-to-nose with Usagi.
"Boo," Usagi said, as she placed her palm directly on Ryoko's stomach.
BLAM!
Usagi released an energy blast point-blank, creating a huge hole in Ryoko's lower torso.
Ryoko collapsed. She was trying to breathe, as her regenerative powers kicked in.
Usagi knelt by Ryoko.
"I can end your life, right here-"
"But you won't!" said a voice.
Standing at the entrance of the suite was Sailor Moon, Tenchi Masaki and Ranma Saotome.
"Ah, dear friends," Usagi said, as she stood up to face them. "I see that you survived your ascent."
"I've come to challenge you," Ranma said, as he cracked his knuckles.
"I've come to stop you," Tenchi said, as he wielded his Tenchi sword and Light Hawks. He could see that Ryoko was seriously hurt, but he had to stay focused on his foe.
"Usagi, please, listen to reason," Sailor Moon says. "You have to end this."
"Oh, I will end this alright. Follow me if you dare…"
Usagi took off for the entrance of where the Doom Tree was "housed".
"Oh, no you don't-!" Ranma began, as he took off after Usagi.
"Ranma, wait up!" Tenchi said.
"Oh, dear," Moon says, as she followed the boys into the mysterious room.
The three heroes found themselves in a cavernous room, where a large, LARGE tree stood in the center. At the base of the tree were Usagi…and Ann and Alan.
"Welcome to this place," Alan said. "It will be a great honor for you three to be sacrificed for the great Doom Tree."
"Let's just get this over with," Ann said impatiently. "I'll take Sailor Moon."
"And I'll take the half-girl Ranma Saotome," Usagi smirked.
"You'll eat those words, girl or not!" Ranma said, as he got into a fighting stance.
"We'll see," Usagi said, as she got into a stance likewise.
And then, the fight happened.
"Ha!" Ann said, as she tried to land a punch.
"Oh!" said Moon, as she tried to block it. For preparation for the assault, Moon had to train with Ranma, as part of his agreement to team up with the Sailor Scouts. Ann was not taking Moon seriously, so she was not going all out.
Alan attacked Tenchi, using his long flute, which is used to activate his Cardians, as a blunt weapon. Tenchi used his light-sword, coupled with Light Hawk Wings, to counter.
"Not bad, kid," said Alan, as he faked a strike to fire off an energy blast.
"No, I'm not," Tenchi replied, as he blocked the blast. He then performed a fake, and swung blade to strike, which was blocked.
Ranma looked at his opponent. It's hard to believe that a cute girl like Usagi could be so…evil. But this is for Akane and the others, and Usagi had to be stopped.
So Ranma attacked.
As did Usagi.
The two traded blows, moving ever increasingly faster. At this level, attack phrases were silly.
Usagi tried do a fake, so that she could knee Ranma in the stomach, which was blocked. He then tried to back up, in order to give himself some distance, but Usagi wouldn't let him. It was then that Ranma was realizing what Usagi was doing.
"Get off of me!" Ranma yelled.
"And allow you to use your 'awesome attacks'?" Usagi replied. "I don't think so!"
Usagi then reversed her position, by getting behind Ranma.
"Say hello to hell for me, Ranma! Murder Hell Fist Revised: GROUND ZERO!"
Now! Ranma thought with a smile. "Forbidden Saotome Technique Umisenken Revised: HOLLOW POINT!"
The Forbidden Saotome Technique, the Umisenken, rendered the practitioner invisible to the senses. Ranma took that same technique to the next level, based upon some texts he had read from Cologne's extensive library. While the actual counter for the Murder Hell Fist was not available, Ranma saw enough similarities between the counter he read about and his technique to come up with a substitution. Besides, the counter depending on being empty of emotion, and he couldn't pull it off in that manner.
"What-?"
"Surprise!" Ranma said, as he jumped backward, and slammed into the ground…hard.
"Oof!" Usagi said.
Ranam then jumped up, and cupped his hand.
"Moko Takibasha: SUPREME CONFIDENCE!"
FWOOSH!
Usagi saw the blast barring down. Taking a page from her friend Trunks, she reached up, and caught the blast.
"Do you think that this will…stop me?" Usagi said with gritted teeth, as she held the blast at bay.
"No, this will!" Ranma said, as he performed a reverse Dragon Rising Ascension. In effect, Ranma was drilling a hole in his own energy attack. And then-
"NO!" Usagi said, as she saw an incoming fist…
POW!
When it was all over, Usagi was laid out.
"Did…it…" Ranma said with a huff.
And then, two more bodies were thrown where Usagi had laid.
"Oof!"
"Ugh!"
Ann and Alan were sore from their fight.
"I see that you two were successful," Ranma said.
"He was a tough customer,' Tenchi said, as he steps forward.
"As was she," said Moon. "But what are we going to do with them? And this tree?"
"That would be for me to explain,' said a voice.
The three turned to see man dressed in white, Arabian garb. He had a scimitar by his side.
"The Moon Light Knight!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.
Ranma and Tenchi had heard about the mysterious ally of the Sailor Scouts.
"What do you want?" Ranma demanded.
"Easy, Ranma," Tenchi says. "He's not the enemy."
The 'Knight looks at Ranma.
"Your battle is over with Usagi, Ranma Saotome."
"Oh, and what are you going to do about it?"
The 'Knight simply tares straight into Ranma's eye.
"If you have any honor, then you will take your victory as IS."
"Humph."
The 'Knight looks at the Doom Tree, Ann and Alan, and Usagi.
"Usagi is a good person, you know," 'Knight says, as he kneels close to Usagi's prone body.
"Then why all this?" Tenchi asked.
"Have you ever been willing to sacrifice anything to save those you cared about, but ended up loosing everything in the process?"
"What do you mean?" Ranma asked.
The Moon Light Knight tells the story how the one known as "The Akuma" took on a despondent Usagi, who was stricken with grief over the deaths of the Sailor Scouts in their final battle with a potent, after she wished for the power to never feel helpless again.
"And it didn't help when YOUR Ryoko," the 'Knight said, gesturing to Tenchi, "YOUR Akane," the 'Knight said, gesturing to Ranma, "and Sailor Mars was not willing to trust Usagi at all, in spite of her best intentions."
The 'Knight rose to a standing position.
"Sailor Moon, use the Silver Millennium Crystal to end this."
Moon nods, as she brought out her Moon Scepter.
"Moon Scepter: HEALING!"
Everything goes white…
The next day in Nerima…
"So, whatever happened to Usagi?" Akane said, as she walks to Furinken High School with her fiancé Ranma.
"Nothing," Ranma said, as he walks along the fence railing. "I beat her, that's all."
"Well, I really wanted to fight her myself, but…I'm just glad that you are okay."
"Thanks. And maybe you'll get to fight her after she…handles her business."
"Really?"
"Really. So you better not slack off on your training or anything."
"Hey!"
Meanwhile in Okayama…
"Come on, Tenchi!" Ryoko said. "You got to tell me where that witch disappeared to."
"Sorry, Ryoko," Tenchi said, as he was about to exit the house for school. "I think that we should all just move on."
And with that, Tenchi leaves.
"Drat! Hey, Washu-!"
"Sorry, I promised Tenchi that I wouldn't help you find Usagi," Washu said, as she takes her breakfast down to her lab.
Ryoko looks outside the window.
"Mark my words, Usagi Tsukino! I'll find you if it's the last thing I do!"
Meanwhile, in Juuban…
"I'm sorry, but Usagi will be living relatives for a while," said Ikuko Tsukino.
"Well, thanks anyway, Mrs. Tsukino," said Minako Aino.
After the door to the Tsukino residence closes, Minako goes to the assembled 'Scouts.
"Told you," said Naru Osaka, as she and the rest of the girls continue their trip to school.
"You got to tell us what happened," Rei Hino says.
"I made a promised not to tell you where she is, but that she will return someday."
"Fine, be that way!"
"So, what happened to Ann and Alan?" Ami Mizuno asked. Ami is upset that Luna disappeared with Usagi, but respected Naru's promise not pry.
"Well, after I healed their Doom Tree of corruption, Ann and Alan left for parts unknown…in space. I think that they're in love or something now."
"Wow," said Makoto Kino, as she began to daydream about being in love.
"Well, all I know is that I hope Usagi comes back from wherever she is…"
Meanwhile, on the road towards Kyoto…
"How's it going?" Mamoru Chiba says, as he drives his motorcycle down the highway. Usagi was sitting in the carriage with Luna in her lap.
"I'm fine, I guess," Usagi said. Her skin color was slowly returning to its pre-tanned state…and her eyes are now blue (instead of red). "Thanks for giving Luna and I a lift to my grandparents place."
"No problem. It's the least I can do after what we've been through."
"So, Usagi, what do you remember about your…experiences?" Luna asks.
Usagi looks at Luna hard. The Moon Cat could have sworn that she saw flickers of red in the Moon Princess' eyes.
"Everything."
And with that, the two sit in silence.
As the motorcycle passes by some bushes, Gouki the Akuma steps forth from the shadows.
"My heir, do not think that you can avoid your destiny. I will force you to become stronger…whether you want to or not!"
Fin.
Author's note: That's it. I did my best to balance things out, and to have some sort of resolution. I did leave things open, however, if I want to do a sequel. So, who knows. Later!