Wake Me Up Inside
By Shadow Lady
Co written and edited by Senshi of Valis
SL: I've had a few comments wanting to get to the action as well as a few e-mails so this chapter is parts of what happened during their three years. I may come back later and expand each section into their own chapter or will more likely write a sidestory to cover what happened in more detail. Next chapter they will be going back to earth.
Three Days…
It had been three days now since they had come to this place and Usagi was actually having a good time so far even with all of the training. She was still feeling down but she was actually feeling a little good about herself. Everyone had done nothing but treat her with kindness and support her though she felt a little like a baby being forced to sleep in Kasumi's room and almost always having someone with her.
She couldn't understand it though, while they haven't known each other for long they treated her so much better than Mamoru ever had. Even after she gave in and gave her soul mate what he wanted he had started acting even worse than before. It had to be something wrong with her otherwise he wouldn't treat her like that would he? They were destined to be together weren't they?
Sighing she decided not to think of it as she continued to the hot springs to meet the girls except for Ranma who had been a bit of an enigma to her. The red head seemed to have an aversion to hot water and seemed to be keeping something big from Usagi an she was sure the others knew what but they wouldn't say anything.
"Damn, I hope we don't have to study so hard tomorrow." A voice that seemed both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time came from the men's side of the springs. Curious since she knew the others were in the women's side and knowing that no one else was here she decided to check it out.
Walking toward the spring Usagi finally came across a set of clothes, Ranma's clothes to be exact. Why would the red haired girl want to be soaking in the men's side by herself when she could be with the others? Was the red haired girl that shy?
"Usagi?" A startled man asked dipping lower into the water causing Usagi to gasp in shock. What was a man doing here, it was impossible for someone else to get here unless Setsuna brought them and she would have told Usagi had she done so. "I can explain Usagi."
Usagi looked at the man who was blushing furiously and trying to hide under the water she had to admit that he was ten times better looking than Mamoru. She remembered the clothes and gasped again, she had figured out who he was.
"Ranma?" Usagi asked nervously, blushing a little, "You are a cross dresser?" It sounded more like a statement than a question leaving Ranma to almost drown. Later he had to sit through the obligatory hour of Usagi constantly pouring hot and cold water over him while giggling madly.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
One Week…
Ranma was actually happy that Usagi had found out and didn't label him a freak but he now had so much to think about after Setsuna had come for a visit and told him everything about the senshi and what happened to Usagi before and what could happen to her in the future without a proper protector. Setsuna had told Ranma how he was a match for the senshi and would only grow stronger with this training. She had begged him to become her protector and gave him a few days to think it over.
Now Ranma had a huge dilemma on his hands, Setsuna had said that to be a good protector that he would have to accept his girl side so he could be around the blonde as much as possible. She had said that she could get a hold of something that would lock him in whatever form he was in at will and unlock it as well. The problem was that he had to become a girl, at least in part but he didn't want that. He also didn't want Usagi to be hurt either and wanted to protect her. Would it really be so bad being a girl part time if it meant protecting someone who would guarantee the survival of so many people in the future? Ranma sighed knowing the answer, he would do it. He had no choice but he didn't have to like it.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
Three Months…
Kasumi was glad that Usagi was starting to feel much better about herself, it hurt the elder girl so much to see someone in so much pain. She knew the blonde was still bothered by something and it hurt the girl deeply but Kasumi wouldn't push her, she was sure Usagi would talk about it when ready.
Kasumi smiled as she watched Usagi putting the finishing touches on dinner. When they first started Usagi's cooking had painfully reminded Kasumi of Akane's own attempts at creating a meal. However it quickly became apparent what the differences between the two were. While Akane had refused to take instructions when shown to her step by step Usagi had actually listened and excelled. Now Usagi was making dinner one night a week and while it wasn't as good as Kasumi's own it was getting better and better each time.
"You need help Usagi?" Ranma asked coming into the kitchen as a guy. Since Setsuna had given him that bracelet that controlled the curse Ranma was alternating days between being male and being female.
"Sure, you can set the table for us." Usagi said smiling brightly at Ranma who blushed a little.
"Sure thing." Ranma said smiling back as he turned away to start getting the table ready. Kasumi looked back and forth between the two and smiled herself, it looked as if something may have been starting to develop there which Kasumi was sure would benefit them both very much. She was happy for the younger two while wondering what the man that held her heart was doing at the moment. Who knows, maybe Setsuna could help Tofu from going crazy whenever she was around.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
One Year…
"I'm still not sure about this Usagi." Ranma had said as she sat in the middle of some kind of arcane magic circle that Usagi had drawn on the ground at their practice field. Nabiki shook her head as she watched, Usagi had wanted Kasumi and Nabiki to do this as well but Nabiki had flat out refused while Kasumi had politely turned the blonde down though the nervous expression couldn't be hidden.
"Relax Ranma, you are about to become the first Shadow Senshi, Sailor Sun." Usagi said.
"How can I be a Shadow anything if it has to do with the sun?" Ranma asked.
"I kind of changed the bonding spell to make the body suit of the fuku black instead of white and to give all Shadow Senshi the abilities to manipulate the shadows to some degree. I found it all here in this book from the library." Usagi said, "Now relax while I start the purification part of the spell."
Nabiki watched as a crystal appeared out of Usagi's broach as the blonde started chanting something in what Nabiki recognized from the books as ancient Lunarian. The crystal pulsed with power as the circle also started pulsing with light in rhythm to the crystal. Nabiki could feel her hair start to stand on end and she looked over to Kasumi who was motioning to follow. Nabiki did so and backed away from the light show just before an explosion.
When the dust cleared Nabiki could see a coughing blonde girl as well as Ranma lying unconscious next to a little black haired boy.
"This can't be good." Nabiki sighed just as Setsuna appeared with a worried expression.
"What happened?" Usagi asked, "The book didn't say anything about this."
"Check the next page princess." Setsuna sighed, pulling out a bottle of aspirin and downing several.
"It says warning, do not attempt to cast on a person who soul bonded with a demon." Usagi said, "But Ranma wasn't soul bonded with a demon."
"Neko ken." Setsuna sighed, taking a few more aspirin.
"Ohhhhh." Usagi said as if that explained everything.
"Is it dangerous?" Kasumi asked a little worried.
"No, I was coming to warn you and help separate the two a little more gently when I saw what was going to happen in the gates. The still aren't working to good but I can see up to a few minutes ahead clearly." Setsuna said, "I checked his background, his name is Demo but he uses this form as a disguise and goes by Demota. There is no way to bond Ranma with a celestial body unless their spirit offered it themselves and still it would be unlikely."
"And I was hoping for a new senshi." Usagi sighed a little sadly. After hearing how the inners had treated Usagi, Nabiki could understand why.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
One Year, One Week…
"DEMOTA, YOU LITTLE PERV!" Ranma screamed chasing after her adopted little brother. She was now chasing after him when she caught him peeking in on her when taking a bath and she was intent on clobbering him.
"I wasn't peaking!" Demota cried as he fled for his life, or at the least his well being for the immediate future.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
Two Years…
Ranma laid back on the marble floor of the training field next to Usagi as the two watched the stars. It was so relaxing and he always loved it and had come to enjoy it with Usagi on a normal basis.
"Ranma, can we talk seriously a little?" Usagi asked, her voice a little quite and nervous.
"Anytime Usagi, you know that." Ranma said.
"Promise to tell me the truth." Usagi said.
"I promise." Ranma said sitting up, curious as to what brought this on.
"Well, I've done a lot of thinking since we have been here and I think I'm giving up on Mamoru." Usagi sighed, sitting up as well.
"He doesn't deserve you Usagi, the guy is a jerk." Ranma said.
"I'm not sure if I deserve anyone now though, Ranma." Usagi said, tears glistening in her eyes.
"What's wrong, Usagi?" Ranma asked moving closer to Usagi and pulling her into him, holding her comfortingly.
"Ranma, he wanted to make love not too long before I met you. He pressured me about it for awhile and I finally gave in to him. We were supposed to always be together so I thought it was okay. He started acting a lot worse after though, treating me badly." Usagi said, snuggling into him.
"I'll kill that piece of shit when we get back." Ranma growled.
"Please don't Ranma, I just want to forget about him. I do want to know why though, wasn't I good enough?" Usagi sniffed.
"I think maybe that the problem was that you are too good for him." Ranma whispered.
"Thanks Ranma, but who would even want to be with me now anyways." Usagi asked.
Ranma wanted to say so many things to the girl in his arms but a part of him was so afraid to. Would she reject him if he said anything? He wasn't sure if he could take that after Akane but she seemed to be feeling somewhat the same thing.
"Usagi, I know someone who would want to be with you." Ranma said, his voice cracking a little bit.
"Yeah, who?" Usagi asked pulling back a little and looking up at Ranma.
"Please don't hit me." Ranma pleaded nervously as he nervously bent forward slowly kissing Usagi. At first Usagi hesitated then returned the kiss for several moments before breaking it. "Answer your question?"
"Thank you Ranma." Usagi sniffed as she snuggled close to Ranma, "Do you really want to be with me?"
"For awhile now, Usagi. I…I Lo…I love you." Ranma stammered.
"I love you to Ranma." Usagi smiled, drifting into sleep.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
Two Years, Six Months…
Usagi beamed as she looked at her two newly created senshi, excited that it worked. Kasumi was now Sailor Sun and Nabiki was now Sailor Terra. It had taken so long to convince them to do this but they finally relented. The only thing that bothered Usagi was that her own uniform couldn't be altered to match theirs.
WAKE ME UP INSIDE
Eve Before Three Years…
Usagi couldn't believe that she was holding her own against Ranma in a normal sparring match, no energy or magical attacks and no ki enhancements. She was also excited yet nervous because this was their last day there before they would return to earth. It had been three long years to them but they had all grown and matured a lot inside even if their outward appearance didn't show it.
"Do you think they will be proud of me?" Usagi asked, though she no longer cut herself or thought about killing herself much anymore a part of her still hoped to finally gain acceptance from her family and friends.
"I know I am Usagi." Ranma said, blocking another kick from Usagi. "Usagi, I don't want to get married until after we graduate at the least."
"What are you talking about?" Usagi asked, a little confused as they both stopped their spar.
Ranma pulled out a small black box and opened it showing Usagi the engagement ring that Setsuna had helped him get. "Usagi, will you…Will you be my fiancée? Will you marry me?"
Usagi cried as she glomped Ranma kissing him passionately before pulling back to look him in the eyes.
"Is that a yes?" A grinning Ranma asked.
"Yes." Usagi cried, nodding her heady. Ranma took the ring and slowly placed it on Usagi's finger.
"I love you Usagi." Ranma whispered.
"Love you too." Usagi whispered before they both kissed again.