Chapter 4: Lunar Assault Adjustments

Ranma ½ belongs To Rumiko Takahashi, Viz video and others. Any other works belong to their respective people as well. I don't own any of this so just sit back and enjoy the tale, oh and don't sue me please that would be bad.

As the days started to pass both Ranma and Ryouga were able to practice and improve their abilities in their new forms as well as gain advancement in their old ones. Ryouga finally finished learning the full power of the Yama Sen Ken and Ranma was leaning new and interesting ways to control his aura that he hoped would work without a magical girl form.

In the meantime the warriors of the moon approached the outer planets. They approached the Planets of Neptune and Uranus. The princesses of these two planets had been allies and lovers for years and if it had been possible would have joined their kingdoms as one.

When the combined power of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter along with the might of the imperial navy came to Neptune it was faced by the might of two planets. Sadly it was not enough the defense forces of both planets were destroyed in a matter of hours. The four powerful inner senshi and their troops stood in front of the royal palace of Neptune and demanded that the two princesses come out.

The princess of Neptune was strong and powerful her warrior spirit had only one equal and that was the princess of Uranus. These two princesses had been lovers for almost half a century. They had been lovers and warriors together and they had fought numerous threats to the solar system prior to this day, they knew that all of their experience would not be enough. They came out of the palace fighting anyway.

Neptune fired a blast at her assembled attackers who scattered. Uranus tried to pick off Mercury who dodged with an uncanny grace. Then the four inner girls fired back and the battle began in earnest, no quarter was given and none was expected. Deep Submerge and World Shaking vied with Shabon Spray, Crescent Beam, Burning Mandala, and Supreme thunder. More and more attacks were landing on Neptune and Uranus than were on the other four girls. It was especially hard for them because they also had to handle sniper fire from the assembled soldiers of the lunar Imperium. With their armies and navies were destroyed and their emergency broadcast to Pluto had been jammed. Even if their transmission to the princess of Pluto had gone through it was too late the princesses of Neptune and Uranus had no back up left to call on.

In a place of absolute stillness a beautiful blonde haired lady looked into the gates of time as her servants were about to win and commented to a green haired lady who was bound inside a strange sphere barely large enough for her form. "Look at that Setsuna your two friends are loosing. They too will know the pleasures of becoming cleansed; they too will recognize the superiority of Serenity empress of the moon." She then laughed a cruel cold heated laugh and continued, "What now oh Princess of Pluto? What shall you do?"

Setsuna was in agony, her mind was slowly being rewritten against her will the pain of fighting against the cleansing was immense, but she fought it tooth and nail. She tried to remember how long ago it was that she had allowed the Queen to visit her how many years had she been fighting against this power and could not quite recall. The last thing she remembered before the pain was a reception at the lunar palace in honor of the Queens birthday. The mages of the moon kingdom had empowered a special crystal with all of their might. This crystal artifact was then given to the Queen as a gift. Setsuna had asked the Queen to visit her at the gate of time because the crystal was impervious to her time sense. That visit was the last clear thing that Setsuna could remember since the pain and torture of the cleansing had begun. The only other memories Setsuna had that were not of pain related were disjointed recollections of the Queen coming here and showing her the creation of the Lunar Imperium.

Serenity was not happy when Setsuna refused to respond to her question and pointed the powerful Ginzoushou at her with intent and a scream of pain came from Setsuna as Serenity said, "Tell me Setsuna. What will you do now? Will you continue to fight my power and endure the pain or will you finally give in now that my victory is immanent. Unlike those fool Saturn and Sun, who had to be destroyed for their folly, I need you and your power I need control of the gate here to ensure that the Lunar Imperium lasts forever."

Once more the queen laughed with a maniacal glee. This time Setsuna answered the queen with resignation and pain. The loss of her two last friends and their inevitable cleansing had finally broken the will of the powerful senshi. She said with a voice of finality, "I yield." Then the cleansing took over and rushed through her body erasing a memory that Setsuna had not even known was in her mind anymore. The cleansing erased an image of the fall of the Lunar Imperium a fall that was now in progress.

At that moment Ranma and Ryouga were sneaking through the lunar shield generator plant. Using their newfound power of direction they had easily memorized the map and new exactly which corridor they were in. Sadly Ryouga had been unable to learn the Umisenken yet and was not the quietest of people, nor was he supremely careful and so he tripped an alarm. Once that occurred the two Hibiki boys were no longer sneaking towards their goal, but instead running pell mell away from a large security detachment.

As they were running Ryouga had the intense feeling to shout out "Ranma! This is all your fault!", but he was able to suppress it realizing once again that it wasn't. Instead he pulled out his trusty umbrella and made a new door in one of the walls as they were running. "Quick!" He yelled out, "Let's go this way it will get us closer to the power source and confuse those guards."

Ranma looked askance at Ryouga and then realized that the 'Lost Boy' was no longer. He followed Ryouga through the hole and they ran on towards the power source. They seemed to have lost their pursuit, but as they turned the corner to the room with the power source they saw almost the entire security detachment in front of the door. Instead of skidding to a halt in the face of that much firepower the two boys did the unexpected. They attacked immediately and with brutal ferocity realizing that would be their only chance at surviving the encounter.

The shield generator security forces were rather upset. They had been chasing some teenage idiots through the place for quite some time and now they were prepared for the two young jokers. They were standing in front of the power generator and were waiting for what they had considered to be some dumb kids. They had expected the two teenage boys to stop and surrender when faced with so much firepower after all how strong could two kids be? After the martial artists had struck they found their answer. These two kids were beyond compare in less than 60 seconds almost the entire security detachment was laid out. The two boys were whirlwinds of punches and kicks. One of them was almost impossible to hit and although the other might have been a bit easier to hit, but he had been hit by stun blasts at least five times and he was still going. The few members of the security detachment not on the ground decided that they had pressing business elsewhere and fled the scene.

Ranma and Ryouga were bathed in the red glow of an alert beacon and panted just a bit as they watched the remnant of the detachment flee. Ryouga shook one of his arms out a bit to relive some numbness and said, "I'm glad those laser blasts weren't lethal, I have got to work more on my speed if we're going to be doing that again."

Ranma nodded at Ryouga and said, "I have a few ideas that can help you with that." Then he pointed at the door and said, "Well you want to see if it has a breaking point or just demolish it the old fashioned way?"

Ryouga examined the door and said, "Wow it doesn't seem to have one. Or at least not as far as I can tell, but then again I didn't really train with metal did I?"

Ranma said, "I don't think even you could have survived having large metal sheets or I-beams crashed into ya Ryouga."

Ryouga snickered and said, "I guess not. So much for the breaking point, let's try it the old fashioned way."

The two pounded on the door a bit without result and then Ranma said, "I hate to say it, but it looks like we'll have to try doing it the magical way. You ready Guardian P?"

Ryouga rolled his eyes pulled out a thermos from his pack and dumped it on Ranma. As he transformed into his razorback for he said, "I'm ready whenever you are Princess Ranma."

Ranma winced, but had been expecting the comment and then triggered her transformation. "Solar Strength Makeup" said Ranma as she was garbed in elbow length white gloves and a bright yellow leotard with a red skirt, a spectacular yellow diamond tiara rested on her head and she was suddenly wearing a pair of red high heels. Then in her hands was a red and yellow quarterstaff and she ended the dressing in a battle pose. (Authors Note: If Anime can recycle footage so can I right?)

A single 'Solar Flare' took care of the door and the two were in the generator room. A solar storm took care of the runes on the floor and the magical energy powering the shield generator was gone.

The Senshi of Pluto turned towards her Queen Serenity and said, "Mistress I detect a change in the gates of time."

The Queen said, "Where? What is it my senshi?"

Setsuna said, "It is a small paradox located at the Imperial Lunar Palace. I do believe that it has been caused by the Princess of the Sun. Somehow she has reappeared on the moon and has just now created a possible future in which the Lunar Imperium falls.

Queen serenity screamed in outrage, "Never! I shall not let my Imperium end at its inception. You" She pointed at Setsuna and said, "Stay here at the gates of time and do what you must to ensure that the Lunar Imperium continues and thrives."

Setsuna said, "I shall do as you wish."

Then the Queen disappeared from the Gate of Time and Reappeared next to specially made cells that contained Neptune and Uranus. The Queen looked at Mercury who was guarding the cells and said, "Release the prisoners I will deal with them." Mercury understood the order and obeyed. The holding field on the cells was released and the two unconscious senshi inside never knew what hit them as the Ginzoushou rewrote their personalities. The Queen then said, "Moon Healing Escalation" and the two senshi were revived. "Come" said the Queen and walked towards the bow of the ship with her senshi in tow. When the Queen reached the bridge she had collected her remaining senshi and looked at the bridge commander and asked him what the situation was.

The bridge commander reported that the Moon was under attack by an armada bearing the symbol of the sun and that a strange energy reading was coming from outside the solar system on a heading directly towards the moon as well.

Serenity pointed at Uranus and Neptune and said, "You two will take two ships and defend the outer planets from this outside force." She then pointed at the rest of her senshi and said, "The rest of you will come with me and we will destroy the forces laid against us."

Setsuna then called the Admiral of her fleet and said, "I want your ships to get to the Moon at all possible speed. Turn down all non essential systems, and get there. I expect to see you at the moon within three hours."

The beautiful blonde haired megalomaniac preened for a moment and then said, "Does everyone understand their orders?" Without waiting for a response she then said, "Good, let's go." And teleported herself and the inner senshi to the Moon.

The fighting had been easy so far. Ranma and Ryouga had put on communicators when they exited the shield generator and were speaking with Beryl's generals as they headed towards the palace. "No counter attack so far Princess" reported Jadeite. The same report was coming in from Nephrite and Kunzite, when a large explosion was heard closer to the palace. Then a report came in, "This is Zoicite I'm coming under heavy fire. We need back up quick."

Ranma and Ryouga started running towards the scene when another report came in from Jadeite, "This is Jadeite, I'm near Zoicite's position and he is being pinned down by what looks to be flaming arrows. We will advance and determine the situation."

Beryl acknowledged the report and said, "That is probably the senshi of Mars be careful out there. Nephrite, Kunzite be on the look out for the Queen's other senshi you should try and keep them away from Princess Sol's position if possible. Princess Sol did you get all that?"

Ranma said, "Yeah I got it looks like we're gonna be tackling the inner senshi as well now huh?"

Beryl said, "No, try and avoid them we are looking for the Queen herself. Coronis and I will be on our way to the front of the place. Meet us there."

The solar senshi and her porcine sidekick arrived at the palace gate after avoiding a fight between the forces of Nephrite and Kunzite and those of Mercury and Venus. They could still see that battle in the distance and just off to the side Jadeite and Zoicite were combating Mars and Jupiter. The palace guard had come out as well and joined equally into both battles leaving the Palace gate with a small detachment that was currently losing to Beryl and Coronis when Ranma and Ryouga joined in victory was established and the gate to the palace started to open.

As the gate opened it revealed a blonde haired lady of exquisite beauty. She was floating there on wings of pure white and a silver gown. Hey blue eyes radiated power and she held the Ginzoushou before her. The crystal itself was emanating waves of power within the gate and then Serenity spat, "Beryl! I should have known it would be you. You have always been jealous of my daughter and her relationship with the prince of Earth. You must be punished for your insolence, but before that I must know how you and that pitiful seneschal Coronis were able to make this mockery occur?" The queen finished her statement by pointing at Ranma and Ryouga.

Coronis said, "We can't tell you what we do not know. Perhaps her soul knew it was our hour of need and returned to this plane or perhaps not. It does not matter because the princess has returned and she will fulfill her duty and destroy this sham Lunar Imperium once and for all." Coronis finished his statement and was cut down by the power of the Ginzoushou.

Both Ranma and Ryouga couldn't believe their eyes. They were aghast, but of the two Ranma snapped out of it quicker and attacked. He had seen this cruelty before and he knew there was only one way to deal with it. He would treat this Queen Serenity with the same ferocity that he had used to destroy the Phoenix King Saffron. Serenity was backed up for a moment by the ferocity of Ranma's attack and was trying to counter when Beryl and Ryouga attacked as well. Then she was hard pressed and she felt ribs break and blood start to pool, but she had an ace. "Moon Healing Escalation Attack!" shouted Serenity and all of her injuries were healed, while at the same time the three fighters were blown back out to the cobbles in front of the palace.

The fight began anew, but this time Serenity was prepared and she shouted, "Pink Sugar Hearts Whirling Death!" and the three attackers were taken up in a whirlwind of sharp pink hearts that cut their flesh and buffeted them about. To top it off Serenity shouted, "Moon Tiara Destruction!" and threw her tiara into the cloud of deadly pink hearts.

When it was over Beryl slumped to the ground unconscious. Ranma and Ryouga were also worse for wear each were bleeding and damaged from the twin spells that had been used on them, but their magical protection had held. The two were standing and attacked once more this time however Ryouga use brute force while Ranma tried to pay Serenity in kind with his own magical attacks. Ranma held back his attack phrases and fired a "Solar Storm" and then a "Solar Storm" in succession while dodging another Tiara attack. Both the magical attacks and Ryouga had hit Serenity and she was injured once more, but she once again healed herself.

The battle raged on with Ranma and Ryouga again and again injuring and hurting the Queen while taking some lumps here and there and then having the Queen heal herself back up. Ranma was once again reminded of his fight with Saffron and decided to try a Hiryu Shoten Ha on the queen, but she wasn't radiating a battle aura of any kind. Then an idea formed.

Ryouga knew through his link that Ranma had some type of idea, so when the "Sun Spots" spell went off he immediately broke off his attack and went to Ranma who said, "Alright real quick here's the plan. I'm going to lay down a spiral of heat with my Solar Flare and when I give the signal you are going to toss me high into the air where I will finish the spiral and attack serenity with a revised attack. Got it?" Ryouga nodded and the two attacked again.

Serenity was confused by these new tactics and wondered what was going on. Why wasn't the girl attacking? Why was the boar doing nothing as well? She attacked again and again anyway trying to hit the Princess of the Sun as she circled around her and then the girl shouts "Now" and the boar threw her high in the air. Serenity tries to hit her with her tiara, but missed and then the girl shouted something that sounded like "Hiryu Kirin Dan" and Serenity's world was pain. As she was about to black out though she managed to get out a healing escalation and she some of the pain was gone. Not all of it though and her dress still had a few rips in it. She saw the damn boar charging her again and hit it directly with a tiara attack which threw it to the ground. Then followed up with her pink sugar heart whirling death which hit the descending Solar Princess.

Ranma hit the ground next to Ryouga after being hit and said, "You okay man?" Ryouga shook his head and said, "I don't have much left, but it looks like those healing spells aren't keeping up with us."

Ranma said, "Yeah, but what do we have left."

Ryouga responded, "I don't know I don't think she'll fall for that one again, maybe we should try the Super Nova?"

Ranma nodded and said, "Let's do it." The two then charged Serenity one more time avoiding her spells as they advanced. Then when they got closer the two boys stopped their charge right in front of Serenity and then Ranma clasped Ryouga in his arms and the two of them shouted, "Super Nova!" even as the spell began the two were also hit by one from serenity who had shouted, "Moon Death Escalation"

Serenity felt her protections fail and sensed that her death was about to come. She then used the power of the Ginzoushou for one final action the death of all those it had cleansed to power one final spell. A spell that would send her daughter and the senshi into the future.

Ranma and Ryouga thought they were dead when they heard the spell. The pain and agony was brief and then it was gone.

Ranma woke up in a small, but recognizable clinic. A brown haired man came up to Ranma and said, "Well miss it seems you will be okay."

Ranma looked bleary and said, "Dr. Tofu?"

The man said, "Yes, but I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage. You know me, but I don't know who you are."

Ranma said, "I'm Ran…ko Ranko Hibiki. Have you seen my pig around here somewhere?"

Tofu replied, "No I haven't seen a pig anywhere Ranko, do you remember where you left it?"

Ranma said, "No, but he should be around here. Damn, where could he be? I suppose I should look for him"

Tofu said, "Why don't you recover your strength here first I know someone who might be able to help you and I'll even pay for her services if you'll help me around for a few days."

Ranma said, "I guess that would be the best option. If I'm okay then he must be too. Besides finding out what's happening around here that might just help me find him."

Meanwhile Ryouga Hibiki woke up male and inside a strange tank. A white haired man with a beard said, "Good you're awake. My name is Dooku and you're my honored guest today. Here allow me to get you out of there."

Ryouga exited the strange tank with Dooku's help and said, "Uh, I'm Ryouga Hibiki and why am I your honored guest?"

"Because" said Dooku, "I'm going to train you to be my apprentice."

Author's notes: Well that's it for this story arc. Most likely the main story will follow Ranma's adventures and I will do Ryouga's as a side story. After that I plan to have them meet up again, key word there is plan though, because this story has already gone much differently than I had originally planned, but so far I'm happy with the result.

Until Next time.