SMST: The Avenging Moon! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST, DC/Marvel Comics and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Part 4
The next morning…
Thordis wakes up, feeling content with herself. The confusion she has felt as a Norse goddess was replaced with the satisfaction of knowing her purpose. She could now accept that she, like her brother Thor, were a part of a continuum of sorts, wavering between immortality and mortality, but always moving forward. In fact, her initial dissatisfaction of embracing her Norse heritage stems from the pain of being used by her treacherous brother Loki, to cause the death of her beloved. But with the return of the consort Prince Ran into her life, Thordis has achieved a bit of equilibrium of sorts.
Thordis turns to face her husband, who was sleeping comfortably. As always, Ran lived up to his duties as a lover, and not just beyond his reputation as being "polyamorous". Her maidens would ask the queen why she would tolerate such a thing. Thordis applied by saying that Ran's company needs to be shared by all. "Besides," Thordis once said to a friend, "I get a more experienced husband…"
Thordis gave Ran a peck on the cheek, before getting up from their bed. She put on her robes, and went to the balcony of her expansive bedroom. She steps unto the balcony and sees the fields and forest surrounding New Asgard, which was essentially a giant landmass that sat in the middle of a large, man-made lake, and was connected to the rest of Minnesota by rainbow bridge. For the most part, a mist surrounds the island, which gave it an almost mystic quality.
"To think that becoming Thordis was a necessity, in order to stop my brother's mad ascent towards world domination…"
FLASHBACK!
Eighteen months ago…
"Okay," Usagi said, as she continued to practice her graduation speech in her room at the Tsukino residence. Although she was neither the valedictorian nor the salutatorian, due to her history of having terrible grades, she was Crossroad High School's student body president. So, as a part of the graduation commencement, Usagi was to give a speech. And in spite of having experience in public speaking, being a former Starfleet officer, among many other professions, Usagi was nervous because she did not want to come off as overly prepared. She wanted a balanced speech that fell between what was expected of her, and her level of skill…
"Let's try this again," Usagi said, as she clears her throat. "'Friends, parents, faculty, we are gathered together to not just award the graduation class of 2008 for their accomplishments, but to send them off to the greater world as productive members of society…"
Usagi frowned.
"That's sounds to utilitarian, something that a Technocrat would say," Usagi said to herself. "I should know…I created the term."
Sitting down to her desk, Usagi began to make some changes.
"I wish Ranma was here," Usagi said with a sigh. "He'd provide a nice distraction for me-"
"Did somebody rang?" said a familiar voice.
"Ah!" Usagi said, as she nearly jumped out of her seat. She spins around, and sees-
"Ranma!" Usagi yelled. "Don't do that!"
"Hey, not my fault you allowed your skills to lax," Ranma said, as he climbs into Usagi's bedroom. "So, what's up?"
"What's up? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, escaping from the challenges that Ryouga, Mousse, and Kuno have issued," Ranma said, as he sits on Usagi's bed. "Not to mention the fact that Shampoo, Kodachi and Ukyo want to challenge Akane for one last brawl, which, of course, Akane blames me for."
"Wait, I thought they were done with that, especially since they all are from the future…like we are."
"True, but for them, it's more like celebrating the end of a long-standing tradition between rivals. And Kuno wants to challenge me before he goes through with his marriage proposal to Nabiki."
"So, in other words, you guys are getting your rivalries out of the way as a sign of maturity, even though all of us are older than dirt."
"Well, as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same," Ranma said. "But I told them to postpone the last of the so-called annual 'Nerima Wrecking Crew Brawl' until this weekend."
"How informative…"
"Um, where's Luna?" Ranma said, as he looked around.
"She lives with Ami these days, since she no longer needs to be there as my guardian anymore."
"Oh. So, what are you doing?"
"Well, I'm working on this speech, and I can't seem to get the right tone-"
Suddenly, Ranma and Usagi's senses spiked, as Usagi's large, bedroom mirror glowed.
"Ranma-?" Usagi said, as she was nearly blinded by the light.
"Some kind of teleportation effect-?" Ranma managed to say, before a pair of feminine hands grabs both him and Usagi.
"Thank the Eternal One we found you!" said a familiar voice.
"Ulp!" Ranma and Usagi said, as they were both pulled into the mirror.
SHOOP!
Far way in Nekomi Prefecture, a couple falls though a mirror at an abandoned Shinto shrine.
"Oof!" Ranma and Usagi replied.
"Thank goodness we found you!" said Urd, the Norn goddess of the Past.
"Okay, you found us," Ranma said. "What gives?"
"I'm afraid Lord Thor is mad," Belldandy said sadly.
"Bell, what happened?" Usagi asked. She then notices something. "Where's Skuld?"
"I'm afraid that your brother has decided to control the future," said Sailor Pluto, as she steps forth.
"My…brother?"
"You are the sister of Thor Odinson, Princess, whether you wish it to be or not."
"…"
"How are Thor and Usagi related?" Ranma asked. And then it dawned on him, as he turns to face his wife.
"You're 'Thordis', aren't you?"
"Yes, I am, I suppose," Usagi said.
"But she…you…Thordis disappeared."
"Because I was afraid of her, Ranma," Usagi replied. "I was there when Donald Blake reclaimed his heritage as the Odinson. When I did reclaim mine as the Odinsdotter, it frightened me. I…did not know who I was, but something was guiding me towards violence."
"That is because of your history, Usagi," Urd said. "At the time of Thordis' death, you experience a mixture of grief and rage over the death of her beloved Ran the Rider. That has effected you when you reclaimed what was rightfully yours on a subconscious level."
"You must reclaim your Norse heritage now, in order to prevent Lord Thor from taking over the world," Sailor Pluto said.
"But is Thor such a bad person to be in charge?" Ranma asked. "In fact, he could help us create a better future for everyone."
"Ranma use your temporal senses, and tell me what you see."
"Okay…"
Being adept at all things related to the Time sphere, mostly thanks to being a companion of the enigmatic time-traveler known as "The Doctor", Ranma takes a look into the future…
"Ah, MAN!" Ranma said, as he snaps his eyes open, as he turns to face Sailor Pluto. "Thor will do all THAT?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Sailor Pluto replied.
"What is it?" Usagi asked.
"Usagi, look into the future."
"But, I don't-"
"PLEASE, okay?"
"Fine," Usagi replied. She hated looking into future events because, like Ranma, she doesn't believe that one's lifetime was set in stone.
"Here goes…"
Usagi's mind fast-forwards, as she discerns the images in her mind…
"I see Asgard floating over New York City…wait, what in the world…?"
Usagi begins to shed tears, as she realized that in spite of Thor's best intentions for a better world, humanity would be enslaved as a result. But the worst part of her vision was the fact that her beloved Ranma would be killed, while defending Japan, while she would be forced to marry Thor in order to protect her family. After all, gods were not subject to the will of man and nature…
"As you can seen, the desire to bring order would cause great suffering amongst the people of Earth," Sailor Pluto said. "And I for one do not look forward to the day when the Sailor Senshi become Lord Thor's concubines."
"Well, at least you lived to see a chance at freedom," Ranma complained. "You don't get a second chance dead."
"You think being a concubine is better than being dead?"
"I'm saying that at least you can fight to live. There is no way to fight when you are dead."
"Guys, the point is that something has to be done to prevent Thor from taking over the world," Usagi said. "But having foreknowledge is NOT enough, since my brother has father's 'Odinspower'. He is now a facet of the godhead that we would call the Presence. And right now, I haven't even gotten to my next evolution to become 'Sailor Cosmos' to even come close to that level of power."
"Humph," Ranma said. "Thor having the Odinspower is the only way he could have defeated me."
"At the very least, you did cost Thor his left eye," Usagi said.
"Humph."
"It is important that reclaim your heritage as Thordis, Usagi," Belldandy said. "By doing this, you will have a claim to Odinspower."
"But…she's…not me," Usagi said. "I'm violent for the sake of violence."
"And that is why Ranma's presence is necessary," Urd said, as she turns towards the marital artist.
"Huh?"
"It is time to awaken the god known as Ran the Rider within you, Ranma Saotome. By doing this, you will allow Thordis the peace she will need, in order to confront Lord Thor."
"Well, then, if Usagi is willing…?"
"I am," Usagi replied. "I cannot allow Thor to create the future he will inadvertently create. Sure, Crystal Tokyo was created to give order to the world, but only after it was needed. Thor simply wants to impose it regardless."
"Then accept your heritage," Belldandy said, as she reveals a familiar silver case. She then opens it to reveal a hairbrush that was old and new at the same time…
Cautiously, Usagi picks up the hairbrush.
"I haven't held this thing since the 1960s," Usagi replied. "And yet, it feels like I'm holding it like it was yesterday…"
A few minutes later, Usagi, Ranma, Belldandy, Urd and Sailor Pluto are outside on the temple grounds.
"You're sure you want to do this?" Ranma asked.
"There's no other way, Ranma," Usagi said. She then kisses her husband on the lips.
SMOOH!
"What's that for?" Ranma asked.
"Just in case I don't come back," Usagi replied with a tearful smile. She then squats down to the ground.
"Here goes," Usagi said, as she banged her hairbrush onto the pavement.
TAK!
BA-BOOM!
Ranma watches, as a lightning bolt strikes his wife. Energy coalesces around Usagi, as she is changed into something more…
WHOOOM…
Standing before everyone was a tall, Amazon who dressed in a Nordic style that was a mixture of the Norse gods and the Sailor Senshi…
"Usagi?" Ranma asked.
"No, not just Usagi," Thordis said, as she rises to her feet. She then twirls the Striker, and extends the handle's length to that of a standard spear's, before tapping it onto the ground.
CLAK-TAP!
"Lady Thordis, welcome back," Belldandy said, as she and her sister bowed slightly.
Ranma wondered if indeed Usagi was now lost to him…
Tbc.