And so at long last on with the show!
Chapter 2: Through Another's Eyes
"This just in. Breaking news story. The Sailor Senshi. Good or evil? For the past two years these scantily clad warriors of Justice and Love have defended the Juuban District of Tokyo. But, what are their real intentions? We have never been certain, but this two-minute video, filmed by Nabiki Tendo in the Nerima District, proves that their intentions might not be so pure." The television told.
Akane watched as the video was replayed. The video began at the point where Pluto had opened the portal.
"A... Akane! Don't worry! I'll be back! I'll be back!" They heard the unmistakable voice of Ranma.
The camera angle was bad, considering it was taken from the second story, but it did give a decent view of the green-haired woman known as Sailor Pluto.
The both of them appeared to be in serious pain. Electrical wires of energy surged around them. Ranma lay at the feet of Pluto grasping the key staff that Pluto held. She dragged him slowly towards the portal.
"Ranma! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY RANMA-SAMA!" Akane heard her own cry. She lowered her head a little in embarrassment. She loved him... but she didn't like to think she was obsessed enough with him to call him her own possession. But apparently, in the heat of the moment, she had.
"RANMA!" She heard herself scream again. "NO! Don't you dare leave yet you hussy!"
Pluto began to struggle harder and just before Akane, could reach the portal, Pluto had completely dragged Ranma into it. Through her pain Pluto then yelled, as the portal was closing. "Foolish girl! Every timeline that you end up loving him is an unhappy one for you anyway! I am helping you in the end. And soon, you too will understand!"
And the portal closed.
"That... bitch!" Akane cried.
"Akane?" Kasumi scolded. "I know this may be very stressful for you but you know better then that!"
"I won't apologize." Akane retorted. "I said it, it's true, and that is final."
Kasumi was taken aback. She didn't think she had ever seen Akane acting so... coldly.
"Ranma... Damn it! Ranma! RANMA!" The television droned on. Kasumi was even more appalled. Since when had her angel... or at least MOSTLY angel, of a sister taken up the use of foul language?
But Kasumi wasn't about to challenge the authority in her younger sister's voice. It reminded her of a mix between her father's demon head technique and her mother's will to back it up. It was rather frightening.
Nabiki, who had also been watching the television, was slowly beginning to become angry. As the video kept moving on her anger rose more and more.
"It was supposed to cut off one minute ago!" She thought angrily. Her fist clenched in her hand until it became white.
"Nabiki? Don't tell me you are going to start with this foul language as well?" Kasumi asked.
"No. But I do have a threat to carry out. That da... err, darn reporter was supposed to cut off this video almost one minute ago!" She exclaimed.
They returned their sight to the television. Akane spoke for a moment or two with Yuka, who had somehow gotten out to the schoolyard.
"Wha! That couldn't have been! That was no lover of peace or justice! That was a threatening murderer. A psychopathic moron with too much power, that was definitely not gained by training! If these are the people who defend love? I'm siding with the devil! I LOVE RANMA!"
She slumped to the ground on her stomach, turning the dirt to mud with her tears.
"That jerk!" Nabiki cried.
She stood and walked towards the door.
While she got her shoes on, she said to Akane while not looking up. "Akane... I'm really sorry. The reporter at the television station told me they would cut off the video right after the portal disappeared. I threatened them that they would go out of business if they went against this and they laughed at me. Heh, I'm going to go show them the true power of a Tendo. I'm... really sorry, Akane-chan." Nabiki said.
She opened the door and left.
Akane's expression had remained stoic. However, she knew that she would probably break down into sobs again if she didn't control herself quickly. She bowed her head to hide the wetness on her eyes. "Oneesan, I... I'm going to go to my room now. Can you, get me when supper is ready?" She asked. She moved to stand but stopped when she found Kasumi hovering over her.
"Akane... you know Ranma will be back don't you?" Kasumi asked as she sat down on the sofa next to the overly stressed child before her.
"What?" Akane replied, lifting her face to look at her elder sister.
"Akane-chan... When has Ranma EVER failed you? I heard his scream same as you did. He said "I'll be back." and that should be enough, right? You don't need to worry so much. He'll be back. He'll always be back." Kasumi told her.
Kasumi was impressed with her own ability to comfort her sister. The angle of the camera on the scene was not very good so Kasumi was unable to see Ranma's eyes, but even she could sense when someone was afraid. Ranma had been. But his determination over road it. She had no doubt whatsoever that he would be back.
Akane embraced her sister, undoubtedly startling her, but she didn't care. Now she knew. So this was what it was like to have someone kidnapped and being left behind to try and find a way to get them back. Maybe this was how Ranma had felt when Toma or Kirin had kidnapped her.
It was pure torture. The tears flowing onto Kasumi's shoulder were proof enough of that.
And at the back of her mind, there were other things that haunted her.
"Foolish girl! Every timeline that you end up loving him is an unhappy one for you anyway! I am helping you in the end. And soon, you too will understand!"
The words, had she not been so angry that she could not hear them, would have made her blood turn cold, and her face pale. Not love Ranma? 'I've loved Ranma for the longest time now, thought about him almost every night since... well since we met.' Akane thought. 'How could loving him, not make her happy? Ever?'
She left the embrace of her sister and bent down to the VCR.
"-Ranma Saotome. A legend in his hometown of Nerima, he supposedly has at least four women trying to marry him, and at least one man trying to do the same. His archaic abilities have become renowned all over Tokyo as stories of himself and Akane Tendo, the young woman screaming his name in the video, have spread." The news reporter was saying.
After watching this for a moment, she became bored and put in the copy of the tape she had just watched on the television and played it.
"Foolish girl! Every timeline that you end up loving him is an unhappy one for you anyway! I am helping you in the end. And soon, you too will understand!" The tape said. It had apparently been stopped right before Pluto had said this. It seemed odd to her but she had no complaints. Especially since she knew it couldn't possibly be true.
"That can't be true. And even if it is... I love him now and will not rest until he is back." She thought. Only too late she realized her thoughts had been voiced.
"Akane... don't forget that you have family that loves you too. Just, as much as Ranma. We will be there for you until Ranma gets back." Kasumi said.
Akane turned around. She tried to give a heartfelt and warm smile, but it just wasn't the same without Ranma around to blanch at it.
Kasumi stood up and walked toward the kitchen, disappearing behind the door.
"..."
'I don't want to wait! He sure as hell wouldn't wait for ME to come back!' Akane thought angrily. 'But... Ranma was beaten by one of those Senshi... How could I possibly go to fight ALL of them?'
She desperately sought an answer. She unconsciously ejected the tape from the VCR and was immediately greeted with the sound of her name.
"-by Akane Tendo, who is one of the fiancee's, and supposedly the only one receiving parental consent of their status as fiancees. She has been somewhat of a legend herself, mainly for her ability to beat Ranma senseless, daily. And so..."
The reporter was now apparently retelling Ranma's entire story. Being the secondary character in the plot, Akane quickly became bored once again and shut off the television, only to hear the slamming of wood on wood as the sliding door was split by the force of the person who opened it.
"AKANE-CHAN!
Ranma! Akane! Ranma has been kidnapped!" Soun cried. He had barged
through the door, panda in toe. He could not think of anything to say
to his daughter, so the obvious seemed to be a good place to start.
"Heh... yeah... yeah I know." Akane replied.
She looked down, hair darkening her eyes. She slowly made her way to the stairs.
"Akane-chan?" Soun asked. He had expected his daughter to become angry, and more then likely blame Ranma's kidnapping on himself.
The morbid girl that barely resembled the daughter he loved was not her expected reply.
She walked up the stairs and upon hitting the top, she turned around and flung up her hair.
"Daddy... I... I guess you two were right. I... love him." She said stuttered. "Thanks for caring." She turned and disappeared into the hallway.
Soun and Genma blinked.
And blinked again.
"Oh my." Kasumi exclaimed. She had just left the kitchen to prepare the table when she saw the forms of her father and Mr. Saotome.
"They are catatonic!" She cried.
Nabiki was cautious. The company was good. And they had a few good minds on their side. But she was better. FAR better. She had quickly found a couple of flaws in her contract with the television station. Enough flaws that, in a court of law, she could easily steal the favor of any jury or judge. Not to mention she had blackmailing material on almost every judge in the country.
Oh yes her revenge would be perfect.
Suddenly she felt something. It was a little bit awkward... but it was as if... something was in her eye. Much like a contact lens. She rubbed them but the nuisance would not come out.
When she looked up at the busy street she noticed that she was not alone. Suddenly, about half of the people walking through this main street of Tokyo had reached down and began to scratch their eyes.
Nabiki was incredibly smart. That being said she quickly deducted that something was up, because that was not normal. Two people? Possible. Three people? Not probable but still possible. Almost ten people? Impossible unless something caused it. She knew she was being watched. She didn't know how but she was absolutely certain that someone had placed this annoyance in her eyes.
"Ranma... if whatever this is, is your fault... I'm so charging you dry when you get back." She mumbled to herself almost angrily.
She continued walking to her lawyer's office.
Upon entry she heard the voice of her longtime acquaintance, recent friend, and personal expert lawyer. While he was not the GREATEST lawyer of all time, Nabiki kept him around for use simply because of the fact that she liked him. He was quick, deductive, and made a pretty penny off her as well. But it was worth it. She only ever went to court when it was to gain more money then she had to spend, and compared to some other lawyers, he was very good and on the cheaper side.
And while she was a superb businesswoman, she did not know politics as well as she had hoped she would.
"Ah Nabiki! It's been a while since my Number One client has needed my services. How are you? Never-mind skip that, how is business? And who are you going to extort from this time?" He asked. He knew her quite well and was not afraid to show it either. Another trait Nabiki liked in him.
"You know me too well Kotobaki-san." She replied. She looked at him and scanned him as usual, with her ever-calculating eye that still ached a little. He was tall, lean and slightly more fit than most people were. Though he hid it well with extravagant suits that spoke of his own decent supply of money. He had black hair, bright green eyes, and slick hands that were uncannily skilled with handling papers with the care of a mother for her child. Nabiki didn't know his actual age, as it was the only thing he preferred to keep a secret. Her guess, however, was that he was in his mid to late twenties.
"I make a point to know my clients... especially ones that make me so much money." He retorted quickly snapping her away from her appraisal. He stood and walked around the easy chair that adorned his desk.
"Hmm. Well. This time I am suing a television company. They had sworn they wouldn't show certain parts of a videotape. This part of the videotape was shown on the air. That annoys me... a lot. Especially considering the company's owners laughed at my threats." She visibly glowed with a small aura of yellow. But it quickly faded and her all-business overtone quickly reappeared. She sat down in the chair opposite his desk.
Kotobaki visibly gulped. Someone in the world was still so innocent as to laugh at the goddess of money herself? Laughing at a threat from Nabiki Tendo was the equivalent of standing in the way of a moving bullet train and expecting it to stop.
Doing so willingly, was the equivalent of being very... very... stupid.
"Poor creatures... I feel sorry for them, and even more sorry for their back pockets. I assume you already have all the information I will need to prove your point in court?" He asked.
"Of course. This briefcase contains a recording of my conversation with Mr. Tokin, the owner of Channel Seven News. It also contains a copy of the contract involving my sale of the video, an outline that states why I am filing a lawsuit, how much money I want, and of course, all other information you will need to prove my point in court." She told pushing the black briefcase onto his unnaturally clean desk.
"I'll leave the rest to you?" She asked. She stood from the chair opposite his desk.
"I'll take care of everything else, your richness. Please feel free to visit any time! I'll call you in about a week to tell you when the hearing will be." He replied quickly.
"Arigato, Kotobaki-san. I don't know who I'd use without you." She said.
"I'll take that as a compliment. I suppose I shouldn't complain. Ever since you turned eighteen you've filed four lawsuits! Most people your age don't know HOW to file a lawsuit!" He exclaimed.
"Heh. I'm the best there is Kotobaki-san." She replied in a not-so-Nabiki-like tone. She reached for the doorknob and pulled it halfway open.
He smiled. "I suppose so. After all... I haven't lost a case with you yet! And that is saying something. I'll hate to lose you when you start college."
"Heh gomen-nasai. Arigato again, Kotobaki. Ja ne!" She said happily as she left his office.
Kotobaki smiled to himself. He was the only living person on the planet who happily did business with THAT Tendo. It made him feel... special.
Special in a way that was slightly more than it should be. "Gah! Toshi! Pull yourself together!" He screamed at himself. "This is thou-shalt-only-love-money NABIKI! And plus, you'd be robbing the cradle with her anyway!"
It still didn't entirely erase the girl from his thoughts.
To say Akane was sad would be an understatement. To say she was angry was also an understatement.
Her mixing aura's of yellow-orange anger and green depression had welded together to form an off sort of brown color. Akane, had she not been so angry and depressed, probably would have enjoyed the feeling of bathing in it's darkened light.
"I have no choice. If I want to stand a chance against the Senshi... I have to train. I have to get as good as Ranma is or I won't stand a chance." She thought.
"AKANE! DINNER!" Came Kasumi's muffled cry.
"... I'll have to get Genma or someone to train me by tomorrow morning, so I can leave right after breakfast." She said aloud. She realized that she was talking to herself, and was relieved that no one had been around. She exited her room and headed toward the stairs. Upon reaching them, she was greeted with the interesting sight of her, and Ranma's fathers still staring at the stairway, shocked beyond belief.
She couldn't help but giggle a little on the inside, however her exterior showed no joy.
She sat down at the table and was greeted with the smell of fresh cooked Italian food. It was brought out quickly. Somehow the scent had wafted to Genma and Soun's noses as well and they slowly awoke from their unconscious standing positions.
"Akane... what you said earlier? I... I wasn't dreaming was I? Saotome-san? Was I?" Soun asked excitedly.
"No my good friend. I recall it as well. They've finally admitted it! We'll have a wedding as soon as possible! Next Saturday! It will be amazing! With guests and gifts and... and... Akane-san? Why... are you crying?" Genma asked suddenly noticing the distraught girl whose tears had begun flowing the more he said.
"Ranma is GONE you idiots!" She cried. Some how she had stood and come face to face with the fathers, without them noticing.
"GAH! Saotome? How could you forget that?" Soun asked. His eyes, however, never left the tear-streaked face of his daughter.
Genma, thinking the question was a rhetorical one, did not answer. Then Kasumi brought out the final dish of the meal.
"Akane. You have to settle down! Ranma will be back! He promised! Ok Akane-chan?" She said, with a little exasperation, instantly recognizing the anger on her sister's face. Using her mother-like voice she almost instantly calmed Akane. Though tears were still flowing from her eyes.
"Hai, Oneesan." Akane replied quietly. "Gomen."
She then turned to her father and Mr. Saotome, repeating the apology. She returned to her seat.
Dinner was a quiet affair at least until the end. No food stealing, which for Genma was something like treason. But he had no son tonight so he dealt with it.
As the end of the delicious meal approached Akane suddenly spoke.
"Mr. Saotome?" Akane asked suddenly. "Why... why are you so calm? Aren't you worried about Ranma?" She asked pleadingly.
"I don't let things like worrying consume my thoughts! That would be no way to live... plus! I trained him! And with that! Ha! There is nothing that boy can't handle!" Genma replied confidently.
Noticing the extremely serious and slightly skeptical look in Akane's eyes he sighed.
"You're a lot like your mother, and Nodoka. I can never fool you Tendo's. I am worried. But, I... trust in my son. He hasn't failed yet, and I assume he will keep it that way." Genma told somberly.
"He'll be back, Saotome. He always is. We will just have to wait for his safe return." Soun preached using the same philosophy style tone as Genma. Their morbid speech settled upon the atmosphere of the room. Akane felt herself beginning to fall into the same line of thoughts but fortunately snapped out of them just in time.
"I WON'T WAIT!" Akane cried standing up.
"I won't wait on HIM to make it back to US! I want to find him! And right now all I know is this... The sailor senshi in the Juuban district took him. And I'm going to get him back!" Her voice was angry and determined.
"Akane-chan-" Soun began.
"Mr. Saotome!" Akane interrupted. "I... I need your help."
Genma stared up at the daughter of his life long friend. "Help... with what? Akane-san?"
"I need training. I want to be as good as Ranma and I will do anything you require of me to get there. Please train me!" She asked bowing her head.
"NO!" Soun shouted.
He stood, his frame towering above his daughter's.
"NO. I will not subject you to that kind of torture. I forbid you from even ASKING that Saotome train you in a form of art as dangerous as his!" Soun said. Akane boiled. "Settle down! Settle down!" Kasumi cried to the entire group in general, but she was ignored. "I agree. I cannot train you in the Saotome form of the Anything Goes art. It is too dangerous for-" Genma started.
"FINE!" Akane interrupted again. "If you won't do it." She said menacingly. "Then perhaps the TRUE grandmaster of the school will help me. I won't wait for Ranma to come back! This time I am going to be worth something and if Happi is the only one who can train me then I guess I'll have deal with getting felt up!" She cried.
She wasn't exactly sure if she was serious about her threat but she WOULD get training.
It was hardly worth taking note of. But suddenly, her eye began to hurt a little. Somewhat like a contact lens being inserted. She took no note of it. There were more important matters at hand.
"Akane-chan!" Soun cried. "You can't-!" "I can and I will if Mr. Saotome doesn't train me." She threatened, venom dripping off her words. She hated acting this way towards her father. But she had no choice.
"My baby yelled at me!" Soun cried, finally accepting his routine form and turning into the crybaby he was. "Saotome-san! You MUST train her! For the sake of her humanity!" "But! But she's a girl!" Genma yelled at his friend.
Soun flashed into his demon head mode.
"OK OK I'LL DO IT!" Saotome Genma cried, frightened.
"Good." Akane said. The insanity settled. "We leave bright and early tomorrow morning." She said.
Genma and Soun nodded.
"It's about time." Akane thought.
Ranma flew, far... very far from wherever she had left the green hair woman. Her departure, while it had been a relief now that the pain had finally stopped, had cause some sort of reaction. An enormous explosion blasted her almost two football fields away from her point of arrival. She skidded to a halt, crushing the dry, hard ground.
She felt woozy. Upon finally standing she realized what had happened.
She had lost. Again.
'Hmph. I'll come back and win again like I always do!' She thought confidently. She looked around and got her bearings straight.
Black walls? Check.
Black Ceiling? Check.
Black Floor? Check.
Black air? Check.
Light? No Check.
"Where... am I?" Ranma thought. "Hey! Where the hell am I!" She shouted.
Her voice reverberated as if she were at the bottom of a canyon. And no answer came
"Hey! Green hair! Come out and fight me!" She shouted again. She began to worry. Suddenly her eye caught a glimpse of something. A small light twinkled far into the distance. She assumed this was close to where she had come from. Therefore it must be close to where she could leave. Once she neared it she recognized it to be the pedestal she had seen during her entrance.
Upon arriving at the source of the light, she found that it was coming from the pedestal itself.
It was an amazing stone pillar, about three feet tall, shining with luminous, blue, sparkling light. It looked to be made of some sort of marble or possibly a pure form of granite. But what it held shone even more brightly. A book rested on this pillar, imbedded into the stone itself.
Ranma went to the book and looked at it. It held no words. On this page was what appeared to be a video. As if a projector was showing it's video against this book. The crease in the middle was ruining the affect as the entire video was spread across both pages.
It appeared to have hundreds of pages but it was opened to a specific page. And on the page he saw a building. The angle of vision was moving, left and right as if it were watching for something.
Ranma reached out and almost touched the book.
Suddenly from the black floor a crystal light to bubble around the already lit pedestal and book. It sprung up around the stone and encased both the pedestal and the book in its icy diamond-like outer layer.
"What the heck? Hey I was lookin' at that! What is with all these light shows?" She asked the air. It responded accordingly with yet another extravagant display of lights.
The book, now encased along with the pedestal in crystal, suddenly projected its image. The video he had been watching through the book now projected itself into the air, forming an oval above pedestal. It looked very much like a mirror made out of twisting cloud-like lights with blurry edges that fizzled with intricate blues and violets on the outer rim. In it was the image he had seen on the book. Though now it was not looking at a building. It was crossing a street, deeply infused with traffic. And for an image projected into mid air it was incredibly clear.
'What the heck is going on? This is so confusing!' Ranma thought. She watched more.
Suddenly the vision turned. A group of young women entered the view of the picture in the mirror.
Then they spoke.
"Naomi!" One of them cried. "Come on what are you waiting for?"
"Coming!"
This voice did not come from one of the girls. Rather, it came from the mirror itself. Talking back to those girls.
"What in the hell IS this?" Ranma exclaimed angrily. She was in a ready stance, looking around making sure she was safe with one eye and keeping the other on the mirror.
The vision entered a doorway and walked around in what appeared to be a lobby, following the other girls a little behind. One of them suddenly dropped back.
"Hey Naomi? What's eatin' you?" The raven-haired girl asked her. "Eh? Nothing, nothing! Just... something is... stuck in my eye. Feel's kinda like someone put a contact in... But my contact's are already in!" Said the mirror again.
Suddenly the vision in the mirror turned down at the floor and an enormous tan-red finger came up and wiped at the mirror.
"I'm... seeing through someone's EYES!" Ranma realized.
The girl waited a few moments before her impatience became apparent. She fidgeted constantly and soon she reached her breaking point.
"Come on Naomi! Were gonna be late!" The black haired girl said again.
The vision came up to face Kaori again. She was short, though a little taller than the person who's eyes through which Ranma saw. She was slightly less tanned then Akane, with Nabiki's hairstyle. Her bright blue eyes outlined her dark blue school fuku.
"Oh put a sock in it Kaori!" Came the mirror voices reply.
Suddenly Kaori began to run on ahead. "Hurry up!" She cried, and then dashed around a corner. As soon as that happened, the mirror became a jumbled view of hustling as the mirror video began to run after the black haired girl, who's name Ranma assumed was Kaori. They ran through the plain rooms of the building quickly, with a knowledgeable sense of direction considering the many rooms they passed.
Suddenly they turned and entered a doorway slightly different doorway.
Upon finally getting around the tiled walls Ranma realized that this was none other then a bathroom.
And the eyes, through which the mirror viewed, looked into a mirror.
Ranma looked on the form. Naomi, Kaori had called her. Short, wild, dirty blonde hair. It had almost no shine to it like the girls Ranma usually was acquainted with. It was very short and didn't cover her ears, nor her beautifully expensive looking dark-green earrings in the slightest. She wore a fuku similar to Kaori's though it was slightly shorter. She was slim and fit. Apparently she worked out every now and then... possibly just jogging.
She also sported dark green eyes that matched the earrings she wore.
"Why am I seeing this? I want to go home!" Ranma yelled. She was becoming anxious. Normally there was a person here. A reason for why she was being trapped like this. But she saw no one... Nor did she see anything. Save for the mirror and it's light.
She began to explore. The mirror through which she saw through the eyes another person was already beginning to bore her.
"..." 'This is so horrible.' Pluto thought. She watched Ranma, or rather the past of Ranma, who had only been residing in the pocket universe for exactly one year. Ranma was silently crying at a point that was as far from the mirror as she could go without feeling the curse of the hunger she felt when she strayed too far from it.
Looking through the past of what had happened she found that Ranma had done everything that she could try to do to break free of her prison. She had bashed with her fists, her ki, her feet, her head and any other body part she could come up with. Pluto's outer covering of the book and the pedestal though it had not received a dent.
She sped up the time and looked at what was happening in the present time of her pocket universe.
It had been about eight hours since she had locked Ranma within the pocket universe, in real time, but for Ranma it had been FAR longer. Twenty years to be exact.
Instead of Ranma accepting that Serenity was and should be the ruler of Crystal Tokyo, she cursed to hell what happened. She hated crystal Tokyo and everything it stood for. She hated it and would never concede to it. At least, as far as she knew.
She trained and trained and trained. She constantly thought of her past, her family, and especially that girl Akane, every time she managed to pry her consciousness away from the life of Naomi.
Pluto knew this because Ranma constantly spoke to herself about them all, forcing her self to remain sane.
After having let Ranma live through Naomi for twenty years, the latter ten years being the happy future that Naomi would receive in Crystal Tokyo, she decided that a repeat was in order. Perhaps another try at showing a person who ended up happy in the age of Crystal Tokyo would sway Ranma's opinion of Serenity as a ruler?
She forced the mirror show a projection through the eyes of a young man named Kwaru. Upon shifting the scene she found that she would have to restart the vision from the same time which Ranma had entered the portal, just as Naomi had been.
She set it to automatically change the eyes through which the mirror was looking through after every twenty years, which was ten year into the reign queen Serenity. Ranma would be returned to his timeline instantly upon his acceptance of the queen. Until then she would leave him. Every three twenty year lifetimes Ranma watched, one day went by in the real world; therefore it also had the advantage of not being fifteen years Ranma was forced to leave.
It was the only way, bar killing the boy-turned-girl. And Pluto would not sacrifice all her hard work for one over-determined redhead.
She would not sacrifice her work for anyone.
She turned her attention away from Ranma and focused on the girl that he loved.
"Damn. How did that happen?" She though as she viewed the television. Someone apparently had a very handy video camera.
'Rrrr. This will cause problems among the inners... eh. She's training? Hmm... well. The scouts should be able to take care of her easily... no matter how good she gets but how to avoid killing her?' She thought.
She had not killed Ranma, therefore, she could not be unfair and do Akane in, while letting Ranma live.
"What to do..." She muttered to herself.
Suddenly an idea sprang up in her head.
"Perfect!" She exclaimed.
Ranma was angry. And she wanted to try something new. She was strong now. Incredibly so compared to what she was when she was... free. So she began to imbed a message, just in case anyone else was ever place here. She forced her ki into thin lines and imbedded the ki into the air itself, so the words she wrote, would be there till she forced them down, or for the rest of eternity.
She wrote.
The air is cold... the air is -always- cold now. I can see how the jackets are getting thicker. The great freeze is coming again... once again I must watch a different person's viewpoint of the Great Freeze.
Ever since that evil woman began... began to freeze the planet. I don't know how she did it... but I know she did. The last time I saw her she said it was for her dream of Crystal Tokyo...
Now I am forced to watch, helpless, as the world freezes. I am incased, to be imprisoned, for who knows how long. The evil woman has not visited me for almost three thousand years I think. I wouldn't know... I can't even mark days. I don't think that there are days where I am. That is the only knowledge I have any longer. The mirror. She left it near me... probably as torture... so I could watch and see. See the destruction of the world I once called home through the eyes of all of them... every person... one... after another...
Watch the melding of my world, into their own.
Tokyo's buildings had been encased in ice... The great American cities like New York and San Francisco were burned and destroyed. No lives were taken... but it was horrible. The woman... the green haired tramp who imprisoned me. She is no lover of peace and justice as her princess says. She is a menace... a... monarch. All of them are. No, that isn't true. Pluto is the only truly evil one. As the others do not even know of my existence.
It is dark... Nothing but dark. I also assume that I could walk forever in this void... this, gap between space and time. But... Should I stray to far from the mirror, I feel the hunger... thirst... as if the three thousand years without drink and food are catching up to me... and the further I walk... the more the mirror beckons to me. And the more hungry and thirsty I become...
Many times I tried to destroy the mirror... but... it did not even suffer a scratch. All my efforts were for naught...
So I watch each life... each one with a happy ending... each one living in the age of Crystal Tokyo... Living happily, under the rule of Queen Usagi.
Their life... the mirrors visions of them, always changes to another person at about ten years into the reign of Usagi as Queen of the Galaxy.
It makes my blood boil. Happily living under monarchy? No. This is not right.
I have nothing to do. So, I am forced to wait. I train and I train. I have no idea how strong I have become. My ki tears light into the void that is my prison. Blasts go on for hundred's of miles before my keen eyesight finally loses any sight of them.
I even whiten the entire void with my aura and still... it is nothing but a small light within thousands upon millions of miles of darkness.
I know that I am slipping into insanity. Forced to watch the life of every single person, from the point after I was imprisoned. I could somehow watch a person's entire life in a fast forward of sorts... hoping... ever hoping that someday, I will see the life of the woman I sacrificed my masculinity and freedom for.
Someday... somehow... I'll see her again. My... My tomboy... My Akane. I know that I can reach her... I know it...
And I will keep trying. If it takes until the end of time...
So be it.
Satisfied with her work, she stood and continued training, in her endless mission to find a way to free herself.
A naked red-haired girl trained within the darkness of her home. She punched and kicked wildly, every now and then creating and throwing blasts of light into the distance, shearing the darkness like a knife through butter.
Her hair hung loosely falling low to her waist. She had cut it to this height whenever it had become to low for about three fourths of the time she had been here, or so she assumed. The incredibly powerful string (though string did not seem to be a fitting word for it) that had held her pigtail together for so long had burst long ago. She hadn't had clothing ever since her two or three thousandth try at destroying the mirror and really didn't remember having worn any in this place ever.
She fortunately had remembered wearing her hair in a pigtail though she found it much more comfortable without the pigtail.
None of this really mattered to her, though.
She knew she had red hair, though her eye color she had forgotten. She thought they were blue.
'Naomi, Kwaru, Sutaki, Kenosuke, Ryu, Rensuke, Sinsuke, Toshi, Akari, Kensuke, Rekari, Lan, David, Satsuke, Daisuke.' The redheaded girl listed in her mind as her fists flew against the air at speeds insect's wings would envy. "Shiatori, Miaka, Kurimi, Kotano, Tsubaki, Kunochi..."
She had named the first few lives she had seen. All of which had resided in Japan. She had now seen through the lives of eight hundred or so people, and she was naming them so she could remember them, if only a little. Though many things from the twenty years she had seen through the eyes of each of them had become forgotten to her.
But today was a new day. And every new day was another day that would bring her one step closer to freedom. This day, in particular, was a very special one. Based on the last Calendar she had seen, today was yet another twenty-year Imprisonment-Day anniversary! She would be greeted with new people when her mirror awoke. New things and ideas, places to go, and people to meet.
She awaited it anxiously, and trained vigorously. She remembered why she trained. She trained so she could escape her prison and destroy she Senshi of the Pluto because she had been the one who imprisoned her. But the thought, over the years, had begun to fade to the back of her mind. Pluto was an abomination but it had been almost a century since the mirror had shown her a vision of Sailor Pluto. Fortunately she remembered the person who imprisoned her.
Why she had wanted to so many years before, and still wanted to return so adamantly she could not remember. She vaguely recalled that a person whom she knew had to be the cause. It was a blue haired girl. She couldn't remember the girl's name but she was CERTAIN it started with an A. Perhaps it was the "Akane" written in the message of ki that she had made almost thirteen thousand years ago? But she could not connect the name with the face any longer. Then again... considering the words she had written it must have been Akane. I will return to her if it takes until the end of time? It must be her.
Every time the redheaded girl slept, her dreams were plagued by vague memories of this girl. Many of them had involved torturously horrible food and mallets. Though a precious few were memories of the girl, with her in a bed late at night. But no. That couldn't be true. She was a man in that image! Therefore it must have been a vision through her mirror.
'Yes... that must be it. Not a memory from my REAL life.' She thought.
She stopped her vigorous training and closed her eyes, letting the memories from her past flow through her mind.
A bald fat man that reminded her of a panda bear.
A purple haired "bimbo" she recalled, who constantly hung off of her as if she were a suitor of some sort.
A black-haired man who wore his hair in a pigtail like she had. This one was very odd to her as she only ever remembered seeing this man in mirrors as if she were him. It was truly weird. She was definitely female, yet she recalled looking in the mirror to view only a male.
"I'm a girl." She said aloud. The words tasted like vinegar to her. She didn't understand why she seemed to dislike being called what she KNEW she was.
'Hmm.' She thought. 'Perhaps...'
"I'm a man?" She said questioningly. The words fit. She was not a girl. She was a man. How? She didn't know, nor did she care. But she was not a girl. She had to be male. Otherwise there would not be a gut wrenching sense of pride and feeling from saying those three words.
She closed her eyes and once again bathed in her memories.
There was one person she definitely remembered from her life. Nabiki Tendo. The girl with short brown hair had appeared in nearly every life she had witnessed, though mostly on billboards and television adds as the richest person in the world, and then later as a failure due to the takeover of the Senshi. Then still later as the largest, most profitable, success of the age of Crystal Tokyo. She remembered this girl and that, whenever she had the chance, Nabiki would take money from her.
But that was in the past, and considering she couldn't even remember the NAMES of most the people from her life, she didn't think she would be very well accepted when she returned. Her only true reason for returning was revenge on Pluto, and also so she could simply live again.
Plus she had more important matters to deal with.
Twenty minutes previous, the life of Tusuko had faded. She would miss him and his girlfriend Gemini very much, just as she missed all of the people she got to live through. But she was eager for a change of person. She hoped it wasn't a girl or guy who "slept around" like the girl from three lives previous. They always scared her.
The cloudy mirror appeared. Ranma giddily and anxiously waited for the person to get their finger out of their eyes and find a mirror. She wanted to see who she was living through this time.
The person looked up, slowly opening her eyes to look around at other. The red-haired girl recognized many of them. She knew for certain that she had lived through the lives of at least seven people her new person in the mirror was looking at and eyeing skeptically. She looked around a few times and then mumbled.
"Ranma... if whatever this is, is your fault... I'm so charging you dry when you get back." She mumbled to herself almost angrily.
The red-haired girl was happy. A girl. Girl's lives were always a little bit more fun then boys in general, as they were a little less single-minded then most boys were. Plus, it would be fun trying to figure out who this "Ranma" was!
The view continued on up the sidewalk and soon came to enter a building.
"Ah Nabiki Tendo! It's been a while since my Number One client has needed my services. How are you? Never-mind skip that, how is business? And who are you going to extort from this time?" The man sitting behind the large desk at the back of the room asked.
"Nabiki Tendo? I... wow. I finally get to live through the life of the richest girl on the planet." The red-haired girl thought.
"You know me too well Kotobaki-san." She replied. .
"I make a point to know my clients... especially ones that make me so much money." He retorted quickly snapping her away from her appraisal. He stood and walked around the easy chair that adorned his desk.
"Hmm. Well. This time I am suing a television company. They had sworn they wouldn't show certain parts of a video tape. This part of the video tape was shown on the air. That annoys me... a lot. Especially considering the company's owners laughed at my threats." Nabiki said told him. A yellow haze appeared to cover the mirror slightly but quickly dissipated.
The man called Kotobaki gulped.
"Poor creatures... I feel sorry for them. And even more sorry for their back pockets. I assume you already have all the information I will need to prove your point in court?" He asked.
"Of course. This briefcase contains a recording of my conversation with Mr. Tokin, owner of Channel Seven News, a copy of the contract involving my sale of the video, and an outline that states why I am filing a lawsuit, how much money I want, and of course, all other information you will need to prove my point in court." She told pushing the black briefcase onto his desk.
"I'll leave the rest to you?" She asked. She stood and looked down at the man.
"I'll take care of everything else, your richness. Please feel free to visit any time! I'll call you in about a week to tell you when the hearing will be." He replied quickly.
"Thanks, Kotobaki-san. I dunno who I'd use without you." She said.
"I'll take that as a compliment. I suppose I shouldn't complain. Ever since you turned eighteen you've filed four lawsuits! Most people your age don't know HOW to file a lawsuit!" He exclaimed.
"Heh. I'm the best there is Kotobaki-san." She replied in a not-so-Nabiki-like tone. She reached for the door knob and pulled it half way open.
He smiled. "I suppose so. After all... I haven't lost a case with you yet! And that is saying something. I'll hate to lose you when you start college."
"Heh gomen-nasai. Arigato again, Kotobaki. Ja ne!" She turned around and walked towards the door. Exiting quickly, she followed the same path back down the road.
The red-haired girl was excited. Perhaps she would find out what had happened during her life? She knew she had been involved with Nabiki somehow. And now she might find out! But what was Nabiki doing? Suing someone of course. A television company.
Nabiki turned and walked quickly down a back alley. Upon exiting the alley she viewed a home. She walked towards it, also quickly. She entered the gate and walked into the house.
"Akane!" Nabiki cried. She glanced around the main room and found the one she yelled for, sitting on a couch watching a television set.
The red haired girl froze. She looked upon the blue haired girl and was struck with a whirlwind of memories. Memories, of fighting... for her, with her, and against her. But, she had always known this girl. Ever since she had been first taken to this dark void place. She knew this girl. This was Akane. The blue-haired girl of her dreams. The girl she had sworn to return to.
She found tears in her eyes though, once again, she could not really fathom why. There were many things she could no longer understand or remember. Why was she so determined to return to this girl?
Nabiki moved behind the sofa and looked at the television.
And the red-haired girl saw herself.
"A... Akane! Don't worry! I'll be back! I'll be back!" Came her own voice. "Hey that's-" She said aloud but was quickly interrupted by the television again.
"Ranma! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY RANMA-SAMA!" The television cried. She saw the same blue-haired girl she had already identified as Akane was the one who was yelling the name. And in the television, Akane was running towards Ranma. And Pluto.
"Ranma... Ranma! That's. That person is me! That's my name!" The red-haired girl cried. "My god! MY NAME! I... I..."
More tears swelled in her eyes. She watched gleefully. Quickly she was snapped back into the world of Nabiki Tendo. She still watched the televison, to Ranma's personal joy.
"This... was how I got here! That was me! When I first came here! ... When I... Promised I would come back..." Ranma thought. This line of thought, however was quickly discarded in view of a much happier fact that she had finally discovered her name.
'So my eyes ARE blue!' She thought giddily.
The video replayed itself on the television screen. Nabiki watched Akane and noticed the tear that dribbled down her left cheek. But she didn't deal with emotions. She was Nabiki Tendo. She dealt in money. This touchy feely stuff from her sister was not her forte. So she left it to her eldest sister. Kasumi would take care of it. She always did.
"Hey Akane, I got that television company back for playing the full tape. I didn't expect them to go back on their word and we made... well. I got them back and they'll probably go out of business pretty soon ok?" Nabiki asked casually.
Akane nodded, not taking her eyes from the television.
"I... I'm sorry Akane-chan." Nabiki said in as heartfelt a tone as she could manage.
She turned and almost made it to the staircase when Akane turned to her.
"I'm leaving in the morning Oneesan. I'm going training." Akane said. "I won't be back for a while. But when I come back, Ranma will be with me. And I'm hoping my last name won't be Tendo anymore." She told. Her eyes were blank and unreadable even to Nabiki.
"Akane-chan?" Nabiki turned swiftly bringing Akane back into the view of Ranma.
"Oneechan... why didn't I marry him when I had the chance!" Akane asked angrily. She looked up and stared into the eyes of Nabiki.
Suddenly her tears stopped flowing. Akane scrutinized Nabiki for a few moments, her expression changing from hysterical, to suspicious, to confused in a matter of minutes.. She stood and walked toward her.
"What? What is it, Akane-chan?" Nabiki asked.
"Ranma..." Akane breathed as she came face to face with Nabiki. She stared, directly at her eyes, and for a fleeting moment Akane would have sworn she had seen a tiny spec of red hair.
"Huh?" Nabiki asked.
But it was gone instantly.
"Uh... nothing... nothing. Just... my mind playing tricks on me." Akane said quickly. "I... I'm going out. I gotta, uh... think." She said. She rushed to the door and slipped on her shoes.
"I'll be back soon!" She yelled. And with that, she was gone.
"... That was weird." Nabiki said aloud.
"She saw me. She actually SAW me!" Ranma realized with joy. Suddenly, and all to late, she found that Nabiki was returning to her room.
"No no, go back! Follow her!" Ranma screamed! "NO! DAMN YOU NABIKI!"
More memories floated back. Memories of shouting this exact cry every time she was sure she had been alone.
"She is... she is my Akane. I loved her. And after all this time... I still do? How? Emotions are not that strong..." She said to herself. She sunk to her knees below the mirror.
But she knew that now that she had seen her, she HAD to return. She had promised she would... and a promise was a promise.
"Akane... I'll get back to you." She swore.
Her training increased.
"Setsuna! WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Rei cried. She was, perhaps, a tad bit too angry. But she had a bone to pick with the senshi of time. Setsuna had just appeared at one of their usual meetings at Rei's shrine. And Rei was obviously pissed.
News involving the Senshi was not supposed to be BAD news. So why had Pluto gone and done something like committing a kidnapping? Rei couldn't fathom it.
"Rei, calm down." Pluto soothed. "That commercial is not real."
"EVEN IF IT ISN'T THE PEOPLE THINK IT IS!" Rei shouted back.
"Really Rei, it isn't that big of a deal." Ami provided. "Anyone could have felt the urge to make a video and sell it to a television studio. After all, this would make a lot of money."
"Ami's right Rei! So you should settle down and stop screaming my ears off!" Usagi shouted.
"Speak for yourself." Rei muttered back.
Rei sat herself back on the couch and hmphed. And then was silent.
"So if that is fake then... how could that portal be made, it looks exactly like the ones you make Pluto!" Makoto asked.
"Thats what I came to tell you. I think we may have a spy."
"I came to tell you that there is another threat. Though it is very small, there might be complications. This threat is entirely human." Pluto informed them. Random gasps echoed around the room. Though no one spoke so Pluto was allowed to continue.
"I have to give you a warning. A girl by the name of Nabiki Tendo, or possibly her sister, will be appearing here within the next few weeks or months. The girl Nabiki will be a threat due to the fact that, given that amount of time she will more then likely find out your identities. Akane will more then likely go on a rampage. Both are completely human so I want you to exert caution and exercise restraint. They are not strong and your attacks can and will kill them. But above all, you MUST NOT BELIEVE A WORD THAT THEY TELL YOU TO BE TRUE." She stated. "They are both under a delirious impression that their dead fiancee was killed by us. So, there is a small chance that your "Moon Healing Activation" will cure them both, ok Usagi?"
Pluto finished her monologue, slightly winded from all the talking. But nevertheless, the scouts seemed to believe her story. It was plausible and Ranma HAD been in the video.
Suddenly Pluto felt herself underneath a cold, skeptical eye. She looked around and, to her surprise, found it to be Usagi's. "Are you lying, Pluto?" The voice that was definitely not the Usagi she knew asked.
"N... no." Pluto stated. To herself she seemed to stutter but to them it appeared to have been quite clear.
"Allright!" She exclaimed in her usual bubbly voice.
Inwardly Setsuna breathed a sigh of relief. Also inwardly, Pluto was impressed. Serena WAS her mother's daughter after all. She would make a good queen yet.
But not without Pluto's help.
"So is that all? You don't show up at our meetings often. Are you sure this was all you had to say?" Rei asked, still slightly irked.
"That all you need to know." Pluto said. "I'll see you again." And she was gone, back to the time gate, through her portal.
"Ranma! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY RANMA-SAMA!" The television roared.
Suddenly the man sitting at the bar busted his shot-glass.
"Akane!" He cried.
He quickly turned his head to view the television mounted to the upper left corner of the room.
He saw the former love of his life rushing frantically toward his former rival. Though they still did not get along, Ryoga and Ranma had had their moments.
"Heh. The insanity still follows you Ranma. And now what? You've gone and gotten yourself kidnapped? How weak! I give up on Akane and you go and do something like THIS?" Ryoga screamed.
Suddenly he noticed the looks he was receiving from the other occupants of the bar.
"Eh Heh... sorry!" He said.
"Hey! You'd better pay for that!" The bartender exclaimed, noticing Ryoga's broken glass.
"Eh... yeah! Uh... I... will this do?" He asked, pulling out about a thousand yen.
"Hmph. Crazy kids." The bartender muttered as he took the money and walked to the back room to find a broom.
"Hmph. Well maybe I should pay a visit to Nerima." Ryoga thought. "After all... I've got no where else to go."
"Hey barkeep! Which way is Tokyo!" He asked.
A pause came before the answer.
"YOU'RE IN TOKYO! YOU DRUNKEN IDIOT! GET OUT OF MY BAR!" came the bartender's reply from the back room.
"Eh... thanks!" He replied.
In truth, Ryoga was not drunk. He originally entered the bar to ask for directions to the nearest guillotine, considering his most recent encounter with Akari. But he'd found that he couldn't actually kill himself, however, he had nothing else left to live for, as always, so he got himself some cold water to drink. But now, at least, he had a destination again. After Akari had so rudely ended her relationship with him, it was about time.
"Heh. Ranma. Perhaps we will meet again. Plus... I have a surprise to show you!" He muttered to himself, ignoring the odd looks he received.
"Xian Pu! Xian Pu? Where is that girl?" Cologne asked the air. It did not reply.
"Old crone!" Mousse called receiving the cliche thwack across the head from the use of disrespect. "What do YOU want Mr. Part-time!" She asked angrily. "No. Don't answer that. Have you seen my great-granddaughter?"
She turned back to the pot of bubbling water and began stirring again.
"No, I was about to ask you where she was!" He yelled. "Hmph. If you didn't know, that fool Saotome has gone and gotten himself kidnapped."
"Kidnapped!" Cologne cried. "How!"
She was surprised. Her son-in-law had been kidnapped?
"Hmm, if you watched a little more television you would know. But, obviously I'm just a part time worker, no help to you at all, so I'll just be on my-"
"Tell me how now fool!" Cologne ordered.
Mousse was backed against the wall by aura of the old Matriarch.
"Ok ok fine!" he cried. "Some green haired girl came and pulled him through a portal. It's all over the television."
Cologne hopped over toward the exit of the room.
"I knew something was wrong... I KNEW it." She mumbled. Then disappeared through the doorway.
'Hmm. Perhaps you will stay gone Saotome?' Mousse thought.
"A... Akane! Don't worry! I'll be back! I'll be back!" He recalled the television saying.
'Eh... or not. I wonder what will happen?' He thought. He scratched his nose and walked out of the kitchen.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Akane walked slowly through the cold weather. She had been almost absolutely certain she had seen the girl form of her fiancee WITHIN Nabiki's eyes. It was... scary.
She continued walking, and thinking about what was to come the next day.
The further she walked from her home, the colder she began to feel.
Looking up from the sidewalk, she noticed a large clock reading eight-thirty.
"Oh! I've been gone that long?" She cried. "I'd better get back or I won't be able to wake up early tomorrow. She turned and began walking back towards her home.
As she ran by a glass window something in it caught her eye. She came to a halt and ran back to the window, as she had passed. She looked in and saw her reflection.
And within her own eye... she could have sworn again she had seen her fiancee.
But as quickly as it appeared in her eye, it disappeared.
"I... am really having a bad day." She said to herself. She continued walking, though this time, at a slower pace.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Pluto was as silent as the night itself. She froze time and crept into the room of Nabiki Tendo. Sitting above the girl, she waved her key wand around Nabiki's head. A few small sparkles fell to her cheeks, lit momentarily and then faded.
Perfect. She slowly exited the room, and then entered the room of Akane Tendo, doing the same thing.
"All going according to plan." She whispered to herself. She stood and walked toward the door. It creaked a little when she opened it but it wasn't very loud.
Suddenly Akane rolled over. "Ranma..." She muttered.
"Heh... All going according to plan." Pluto whispered again. And with that, she left the home.
Caution: Long and possibly boring author's notes ahead! Read at your own discretion!
Hmm. The further I got to the end, the more I realized that I would NOT be able to get Ranma out of the void in this chapter like I had hoped... it was just too difficult. Sorry.
Once again I profess little knowledge of Sailor Moon and don't truly know if they are "in character"!
Well. This fic was ... WIDELY accepted. Thank you for the criticism and I really appreciate all the reviews. Thanks a lot! I have decided that there are a lot of fics that I will not be continuing because of something I realized while reading this fic. (Caution: Philosophy ahead.)
To write a fic you have to enjoy what you are writing, including rereading your own writings. On the reread of this fic's first chapter, once I posted it, I almost left a review saying
WRITE MORE!
But then realized that would be rather stupid.
Therefore, I've decided that every fic I have that does not receive this kind of reaction upon my reread will not be continued. Except for the Blessing. I have to finish that. It's an obligation, even though I don't like my originally planned ending. It's so hard to write when your own opinion of your stories changes with your personality and age. Recently went through and reread The Last Cetra. Yeah... crap. Full list of what I will and will not be continuing will be posted in my bio for those who care. If anyone wants one of my discontinued fics talk to me.
Lesse' now. I have to reply to half these reviews. Don't get used to these replies though. Maybe once every four chaps or so.
First and foremost.
To Varth: Well, you are obviously no fan of instant Romance. And also please note that I am young and stupid.
I know you said you probably can't read one of my fics again at all and probably won't read this, however, should you read it... Why are you getting so worked up about one fic? I have many others, one or two involve Ranma wanting to kill Akane! Very sorry for the inconvenience at the cliche involved in my fic but, I suppose now would be a good time to talk about who inspired it.
Aftermath: A Story of Blended Cliche's
Was the main one. Coincidence? I think not.
Anyways. I didn't do anything to your sanity. If you really hated it that much then what was the point of reading it? For your sanity's sake, find a better one. I don't even pretend to be GOOD at this stuff let alone great. There are better ones out there, trust me, I know.
One last point.
Akane will not see Ranma in this fic for a long while. So... gimme a chance? Or not? Your choice.
To ANon: Thanks for pointing that out. But I do have a reason for the obsession that appears in the prologue. It'll probably be explained, or at least lightly touch on, in this chapter.
Ok... to: Ryan.
One of the best reviews I've ever gotten. Thanks for the compliments and I'll try my best. Also thanks for noticing the reasoning behind why I started it with Ranma/Akane. Three millennia is a LONG time. I wouldn't want to stick around in pitch black for three millennia and, while I don't personally know Ranma, I doubt he would either. Therefore, he needs a reason to hang on to hope, stead of just killing himself and getting it over with. Though I sort of, would've rather let you find that out in the story... (RYAN'S REVIEW IS A SPOILER! AND SO IS THIS REPLY TO IT!) As for Wheel of Time. Yeah... That's gonna be tough. Specially since I haven't read the first book in a while, I'm gonna have to recap. But don't worry, it will never tract too far from the main storyline.
I wanted to keep this fic, all in all, simple.
Bad Guys vs. Good guys. No Grey's or Browns. Only straight black and white. Now for those of you who don't know wheel of time you will not have too. Everything will be explained on the way. Sorry for all you avid fans who know WOT backwards by heart... I have to satisfy the people who don't know about it, too. Plus, at the max it will only span for one book of WOT and even then will constantly reference back to the normal universe.
To Arazoul: I never condone good wholehearted criticism. And believe it or not, I went through the fic and LOWERED the number of times I used the word cried. Though I'd thought I had done better then that... Hmm. Thank you for the advice. It will definitely be heeded.
Glazed Look In Eyes One hundred One: I'm Glad. I'm also very happy you, among quite a few others, think that my depiction of Pluto was "In Character" Thanks for the review.
Wonderbee31: Your thinking along my lines. Your review might be somewhat of a spoiler as well. Though not quite.
To Ebona Nite: Well thanks for you review. But as to why Ranma is cold in her girl form.. ah. It's a personal experience thing. I, in my entire life, have never met a girl who doesn't get cold. I've seen guys barrel through three feet of snow wearing nothing but underwear and shorts, while watching girls wear more than one pair of shoes to walk to their cars in an inch of snow.
There is no real secret to why Ranma is cold. Just my sexist views on girls. Heh... Sorry I confused you.
And finally to RaZiel1: I don't actually think that Tyranny is the word I was looking for. Just because Usagi is Ruling the world, doesn't mean she's doing a BAD job. It's just wrong to Ranma's personal views. He knows that people are better off being ruled by Usagi, but simply thinks that it is wrong because of their lack of choice in who rules them, be it a good leader or not.
Thanks everyone else for your reviews! I'm incredibly impressed with the returns of this fic. Though I'm kind of disappointed that no one has yet mentioned adding this to a C2 community. I'm pretty sure there are like, four involving Ranma/Senshi.
Now that I am finally done with my thousand word author's notes I supposed I'd better continue the fic eh?