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.
Special Note: Slight lime-scent alert. Nothing depicted, but actions are implied. As always, C&C are welcomed.
Part 5
Meanwhile…
"Interesting," Loki the Trickster said, as he looked at his crystal ball. Ever since his brother Thor had decided to move Asgard to Midgard, he has been ingratiating himself to him. And so far, he has reaped the benefit of the Lord of Asgard's grand plan…
"What is, Loki?" Amora the Enchantress asked. Both she and Loki served as Thor's eyes and ears.
"It appears that the other Norn sisters have upset my brother's designs upon Midgard," Loki said. "I had thought that capturing Skuld would have prevented that…"
Amora turns to look at a tiny Skuld, who was encased in a glass case that glowed with power.
"Let me out of here!" yelled the tiny goddess.
"But we control the future now," Amora said.
"But we should have captured Belldandy to insure that," Loki said. "An oversight on my part."
"So, you're not going to be reborn as a female in the next cycle?" Amora said with a smirk.
"As long as the future is ours to control, no."
"And this?" Amora asked, as she points towards the image of Thordis.
"It appears that the challenge to my brother's authority is FAR from over…"
Meanwhile…
"The only reason I am here is because of Ran," Thordis said. "Where is he?"
"Ran the Rider resides in this godling, Lord Ranma the Izanagi," Urd said.
Thordis turns to look at Ranma.
"He looks a bit scrawny to be my Ran."
"Hey!" Ranma yelled. "I have you know that I'm far from being THAT."
"I know of that, but you are not my Ran. You're cute, though."
"Nevertheless, Lord Ranma is your Ranma," Urd said.
"If he is my Ran, then I shall know it," Thordis said, as she steps forward, after handing her spear to Urd. "Kiss me."
"Pardon?"
"We are married, after all. In order for me to have peace, I need to have a kiss. Unless…you are not man enough for me."
"Okay, that's it," Ranma said, as he swept the goddess off her feet.
"Ulp!" Thordis said, as she felt Ranma's lips to hers. She struggled at first, but the sense of familiarity began to take over…
Ranma broke the kiss and looks down at Thordis, who was blushing.
"Well?" Ranma asked with a smile.
"Aye, you're him," Thordis said, as she is helped back to her feet. "But…you are not of Asgard, anymore."
"We can change that," Urd said, as she presents Ranma with a wrapped object. "This is for you."
Ranma shrugs his shoulders, as he accepts the object. Cautiously, he unwraps it…
"A cane?" Ranma asked.
"This used to belong to Eric Masterson, before he died in the previous cycle of Ragnorak," Urd said. "It now belongs to you."
"You mean…this is 'Thunderstrike'?" Ranma asked.
"Indeed. Once you have utilize it, the weapon will be bonded to you until the day you die."
"Well, then, I guess I better stay alive."
"Now, strike the ground, so that you may awaken Ran the Rider," Belldandy said.
"Okay," Ranma said, as he struck the ground with the cane.
WHACK!
BOOOM!
Ranma felt himself influx with power, as he gains memories of a past life. When the smoke was clear, Ranma was no longer Ranma Saotome. He was now Ran the Rider, Norse god of heroes!
"Whoa," Ran said. He wore the clothes of a Viking paladin, whose colors coincided with his usual Chinese clothes. He was bigger and muscular, but not overly so. He then turns towards his beloved Thordis.
"Beloved," Ran said.
"Husband!" Thordis cried out, as she went into her arms to hold and kiss Ran.
This would go on for some time.
"Excuse me," Sailor Pluto said with a cough.
"My apologies, fair maiden," Ran said. "But it has been so long since I have seen my wife's gentle face…"
"I understand that, but we still have a problem to deal with," Sailor Pluto said.
"I know, guardian, but first things first…"
Ran picks up Thordis in his arms.
"Woo-hoo!" Thordis said, as she held onto her husband.
"Lady Urd, Lady Bell-"
"You may use the guestroom, my lord," Bell said with a smile.
"Thank you," Ran said, as he takes Thordis inside the temple.
"But-" Sailor Pluto protested.
"Dear, we do have time to fight," Urd said with a knowing smile. "But for now, there is time for love."
"But it's 2:00 in the afternoon!"
"Have you heard of the song 'Afternoon Delight'? Or are you just jealous?"
"Humph!"
Hours later…
"You know, we should just leave this world and form a new pantheon of gods, beloved," Thordis said, as she lies on Ran's broad chest.
"Beloved, we have obligations," Ran said.
Thordis looks up.
"Why?" Thordis said. "We have returned from limbo. We owe nothing to this world."
"Beloved, what's really bothering you?" Ran asked. "I know that it is not fear or cowardice that is bothering you."
Thordis sighs.
"Beloved, though I am not a coward, I do fear that this one respite of ours will be our only one," Thordis replied. "I failed Asgard because of your demise. I don't want to risk losing you again, and repeat the cycle of Ragnorak."
"Dear," Ran said, as he held Thordis' hands. "We are Norse Asgardians. We live to fight and to protect, knowing that we are fated to die at the hands of the Ones Above. It wasn't your fault that I died. It was a necessary thing so that Asgard could be reborn anew."
Pause.
"But in our brief time together, I was at my happiest, something neither man nor god can gain readily…or easily."
"Then…?" Thordis said.
"Then know that I will be with you…always," Ran said.
Thordis smiles, as a Crescent moon mark appears on her forehead.
"I understand now," Thordis said with a smile. "A…veil has been lifted from my mind. I…I AM Usagi Tsukino. I AM the Moon Princess. And I am SAILOR MOON-"
TING!
"Whoa," Thordis said. She then turns towards Ran. "Ranma?"
"That, and more," Ran said.
"I…I understand now," Thordis said. "I should not fear the unknown, for we all, god and mortal, are a part of a cosmic harp that plunks different chords to produce different notes."
"Personally, I don't want to get 'played', but I understand what you are saying," Ran said, as he strokes Thordis' facial cheeks.
Thordis smiles, and then looks at herself.
"Wow, I'm…big," Thordis said.
"So am I," Ran said, as he gave a wink and a smile.
"Humph," Thordis said, as she moves in to kiss her husband…
Ten minutes later…
"Bell, I'm home!" Keiichi Morisato said, as he and his younger sister Megumi enters the temple.
"Hello, Keiichi…hello, Megumi," Belldandy said, as she kissed her husband before hugging her sister-in-law. "You are here early."
"Keiichi is helping me on a school project," Megumi said.
"I think I left what she wants in the guest room," Keiichi said, as he proceeds to go into the guest room.
"Keiichi, wait-" Bell said, as she tried to stop her husband.
Too late…
CHUNK!
"Oh, my god!" Keiichi yelled.
Ran and Thordis stop their "activity" to look at the intruder.
"Do you mind?" Ran said with annoyance.
"Um, sorry," Keiichi said, as he quickly closes the door to the guest room.
CHUNK!
"Big brother, what happened?" Megumi asked.
"Um, the room is a bit occupied at the moment…"
An hour later…
"I don't see why OUR activity is seen as rude, Keiichi," Ran said, as he, Thordis . "You walked in on US."
"But, well, this is a temple, Ranma," Keiichi said.
"And we're gods," Thordis said. "So what?"
"Usagi, can you and Ranma return to normal?" Keiichi asked with a hint of nervousness. "It's a bit weird talking to you through those guises."
"Fine," Thordis said…
FLASH!
"Wow, that was weird," said Usagi. She then looks down at herself.
"I'm…smaller."
"I'm not," Ranma said with a wink and a smile.
"Humph."
"Now that you had your fun, we have to confront Lord Thor," Sailor Pluto said.
"Not on a full stomach," Ranma said.
"Besides, I got a speech to prepare for," Usagi said.
"But-"
"Setsuna, issue a challenge to Asgard for next Thursday, on the day of the full moon," Usagi said.
"But why then?"
"Let me guess," Megumi said. "Next Thursday is the day of the Summer Solstice. Since Usagi is at her strongest when the Moon is full, her strength levels are significantly increased. Is that correct?"
Sailor Pluto merely gives Megumi a quizzical look, and then at Ranma and Usagi.
"Hey, some of our best planning has been in bed," Ranma said.
"I see… "
Nearly a week later…
After Ranma and Usagi paid their respects at the gravesite of the late US Army Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith—commander of the defunct, rogue "A-Team"—at the Arlington National Cemetery, where they also had a secret meeting SHIELD Director General Nicholas "Nick" Fury, Ranma and Usagi assumed their Norse guises to confront Lord Thor and his Asgardian court…
FLASH!
"We are here," Ran said, as he looked at the entrance of the fabled Rainbow Bridge. At the moment, Asgard was floating over Central Park, in Manhattan, New York.
"Then let's get this over with," Thordis said, as she and Ranma stepped unto the bridge…
SWOOSH!
When they arrived at the gate to Asgard itself, Heimdall was waiting for him, along with Thor's guards.
"Princess," Heimdall said.
"Lord Heimdall," Thordis said.
"Old friend," Heimfdall said.
"Likewise," Ran said.
"These guardsmen will escort you to the Great Hall," Heimdall motioned.
"Very well," Thordis said. "I hope to resolve this crisis peacefully."
"As do I."
A few minutes later…
"So, you've returned to your homeworld, sister," Thor said, as he sat on his throne, now sporting a beard. The Asgardian court was assembled, with Lady Sif, Prince Baldur, Loki and Amora flanking him.
"And you brought along the prodigal son as well."
"Yo," Ran said, as he performed a "wave salute" to Thor with his two fingers.
"Are you friend or foe?" Baldur asked.
Thordis steps forth.
"I am friend to those who believe in self-determination, brother," Thordis said.
"Funny you would say that, sister," Loki said. "Especially, considering the fact that you, as the Moon Princess, also have global designs."
"Crystal Tokyo is a safety-valve in case Midgard falls into chaos. Brother Thor seeks to impose order as an after thought, when none is needed."
Pause.
"Furthermore, by controlling the Fate of Future-Yet-To-Be, you behave as Loki has," Thordis said.
"How DARE you-!" Loki said, though Thor raised his hand to silence him.
"How do you propose to resolve this disagreement of ours, sister?" Thor asked.
"We settle it in combat, on the soil of Central Park," Thordis said. "Though I prefer unarmed combat, you have the right to set the terms."
"Armed combat," Thor said. "We duel until one of us surrenders, or falls."
"Very well," Thordis said. "I accept your terms, but with one proviso."
"Speak."
"If I win, you will renounce your plans of conquest, pay restitution to those you have wrongly harmed, and return Asgard to its proper place in the heavens."
"And should you? What I get from you?"
"Should I survive our duel, I shall, on my honor as the daughter of Odin, serve you to the best of my abilities. I will not question any order that you may give, and I will enact your command more so than any other Asgard."
"I accept."
Thor then rises to his feet.
"Let it be known that in one hour, the son and daughter of Odin shall decide to the fate of Asgard. So say we all."
"So say we all," said the assembled Asgardians.
"Dismiss!" Baldur commanded.
As the Asgardians milled about, Sif goes to Thordis.
"Are you MAD?" Sif said. "Thor will have the right to kill you."
"Sif, remember when you were once the mortal?" Thordis asked.
"Yes, so?" Sif said, remembering her life as Dr. Jane Foster-Blake, the spouse of Dr. Donald Blake.
"Obviously, Thor has forgotten what it is like to be human," Thordis said. "He needs to remember, otherwise he will make the same mistake that he did…the kind that had forced Odin to make Thor mortal in the first place."
Pause.
"But I will do my best to see that Thor has returned to the side of angels, no matter what it takes!"
Tbc.