-AN-

Not gonna lie, this is like, attempt 3 to write this chapter. Finally decided on a plot threat I'm going to follow now.

-Story Start-

Ranma was of all things patient these days. Teaching early morning classes with grabby older women or pervy old men had helped at first. Then teaching actual martial arts to normal kids and teenagers who were no where near where he was at their age had solidified that. Working painstakingly slow through katas and techniques was also showing him holes in his own abilities and techniques that he was sure to train on and work out later at the end of the day. So all in all, while he was teaching and helping everyone else who attended his dojo, he was steadily learning something from them in turn. The biggest lesson it seemed, was how to be patient.

However as his evening class was ending and he was happily wishing students well and giving instructions to a few problem cases, he turned back to again see the senshi setting up shop and making themselves comfortable. Closing the window shutters and getting ready to lock his door, the young man sighed, "I really am the new hangout, huh?"

Of the group, Ami had the decency to blush and bow to him, "It really is very convenient. And you know all of us. So we can talk freely about either school or scout business."

Next to her Rei nibbled on a pencil while looking over her work, "Besides, we've gotta keep you and Usagi in check. There's no leaving you two alone from now on." Rei wasn't going to think hard about how she felt about it all, just that she was happy for her friend that she had found someone who cared for her. Even with his own baggage.

From the back room Shampoo made her way into the main room with plates of stir fry, a wide smile on her own face, "Besides, give Shampoo chance to cook for many people again, lots of practice." Walking along and placing dishes next to the girls who were interested, she spent an extra second with Usagi to exchange quiet words with the girl who giggled and nodded in response to whatever she said.

Ranma once more threw his hands up in the air, "Fine fine, where's Usa, we can get some training in while ya'll go about your usual antics." Said girl bounced up from the group, now sporting white and pink themed gym wear.

Haruka was leaning back on her hands while waving a cup of tea in the air, "Are you sure you wouldn't rather try out my blaster sword, at least once?" She was doing her best to pout, which had stopped working on Ranma a long time ago.

"Just cause you wanna see if my female half get's a miniskirt doesn't mean it's gonna happen. Like Usagi told you all, it's for emergencies." Ranma was pacing Usa through some of the early stages of the Shoten technique. He wasn't sure if she'd ever need such a thing, but it never hurt in his life to be over prepared.

Ignoring the taller blonde's pouting and Michiru patting her on the shoulder, Minako raised an eager hand, "What about me? I don't mind you doing it as your guy half, and I wanna see what all the fuss is about."

"You don't have a weapon."

"You could still connect to me through my henshin pen though right? Or just do it directly."

Not ready for more love interests, Usagi tossed a paper ball at the girl, "No stealing my man for at least one hundred years. Go bother someone else for your n-n-n-cookies." Usagi ignored the giggling and snickers from the others around her.

Makoto covered her mouth while thanking Shampoo, "I'm sure you'll get some good cookies eventually Mina-chan."

Hearing someone knock on the door and seeing Ranma was busy, Shampoo walked over before looking through the glass and spotting the last major member of their thruple. Opening the door before locking it behind the newcomer and closing the door's shutters, Shampoo turned back to the others, "I'm sure after enough time everyone get their cookies."

Akane waved to Usagi and the others, sighing as she put down her school bag, "It takes so long to get here, maybe I should just transfer. And what's this about cookies?"

Hotaru was trying to follow along but much of it going over her own head and much like Usa shrugged as the other's giggled but failed to answer Akane, "Apparently everyone wants some of Ranma's cookies. He must be a really good baker."

Akane took a moment to see some of the blushing girls' faces before snorting and pulling free her school work, "I'm sure everyone would love some of Ranma's cookies, when he finally get's around to making a batch." She'd play along for the younger members of the group's sake.

Michiru however thought about something that hadn't been brought up before or at least not in her presence, "Little Lady? Do you have any siblings?"

Usa attempted to lead her father through a spiral, trying to feel the hot chi he was purposely putting out, "Uh huh! I've got two older brothers and an older sister. And a few younger siblings." Having a hard time gather the hot chi to her, Usa continued while ignoring her father's wide eyes, "Plus there are the twins, and the triplets, but they're always busy like me." Mama always said the more the merrier after all.

Feeling hungry eyes on his back as he focused and varied the chi around him, trying to coach the young girl through using it to her advantage, "Am I, I'm all of your sibling's papa?" Knowing he was potentially never getting any rest in the future made him want to go fight it out with Saffron again, almost.

"Uh huh. Why after you visited our neighbors over in the ju-jer-well I forget their empire name, but their home system, Setsuna mentioned something about you imploding a star and then her having one of my little brothers later. Oh, do babies come from stars?"

Usagi started laughing loudly while Shampoo rolled her eyes, "Something like that."

Usagi worked on getting her laughter under control, "Something tells me Setsuna has a thing for uber powerful men."

Ami looked around, "Are we going to ignore the mention that Ranma eventually implodes a star?"

Makoto shrugged, "Just as much as Usa has a lot of siblings. Gotta think, who are their mothers?"

Usa raised a hand, now thoroughly forgetting training, "I can answer that one! It starts with-"

Ranma scooped the girl up and looked around at the predatory looks he was getting, "Uh, hundred years, please, your should listen to your Queen." Looking down at the girl who he was sure was not as oblivious as she was trying to be, "You're going to get me killed."

Usa ripped his hand free and grinned, "You're papa, you can do anything." A group of pictures appearing from seemingly nowhere were now gripped in her hands, "Besides, I have the usual incentive, just in case you need it?" The pictures disappeared.

Coughing and tossing the protesting girl to Shampoo who nabbed her from the air and walked off to continue her training, Ranma assured himself those pictures of all of the senshi in various swimwear in his pocket were only to throw away later. He was however feeling like the little girl might act a little to much like Nabiki at moments. That didn't bode well.

Another knock on the door now that Ranma was free to walk over and open it, his senses telling him it was people he knew. Setsuna was expected, the hard gaze of the older Mamoru was not.

"Homewrecker."

"Penguin boy."

Pleasantries out of the way, he was curious however as he closed and locked the door again why the man was here. Surely he and Usagi had gone over things by now. Ranma was unworried however for like she had said, they had been connected in a way most people wouldn't be able to. He knew how she felt, and that was more than enough to not worry about her ex.

Mamoru however cleared his throat, directing eyes towards him. While most of the scouts were curious, outside of a bored looking Haruka and surprisingly Rei, Usagi only sighed and looked up at him from her seated position. "What can we do for you Mamoru?"

Coming around and sitting not far from Usagi, Mamoru held up his hands in surrender, "I just want to talk, that's all. I feel like I've been misunderstood somewhere. And I want to make sure we clear things up between us." He wouldn't take this boy waltzing in laying down. They had a future to save, and while he may not be able to fight the boy, words worked just as well with Usagi.

Usagi shrugged, "Well what's there to talk about then?" She however had already told him she was done waiting for him. Maybe if she had felt like a priority for him she would have, but him leaving again and breaking things off with her again, well that had soured her feelings.

"You told me that I didn't treat you like a priority, that I just assumed in the end that we'd be together and was taking advantage of that. But that wasn't it. I wanted to give you and I a chance to learn and know for sure that we wanted to be together. I wanted it to be more than just fate. I want us to want this." Leaning forward and taking her hands into his own, looking into her eyes and ignoring a bristling Shampoo and Usa, Mamoru pressed on, "Plus this life of ours is going to be long, we know that. Why involve some normal human?" Missing the slight hardening in her eyes, Mamoru tightened his grip in what was hopefully a showing of pouring out his feelings for the girl.

Pulling her hands away slowly and deliberately, Usagi sighed, "Well, you're thinking that him being a normal human is a problem is a problem all on it's own. So what if he's human if his heart is in the right place." Looking over to Ranma with a smile she turned back to the taller man, "And you're right, it did give me a chance to see if you and I was something I still wanted. And I don't. I'm in love with Ranma. No flowery speech or well spoken words from you will change that."

Sighing and leaning back, knowing pushing now wasn't going to help him at all, "I want you to know that I'm not giving up on you. I really do love you, and I plan on doing my best to make sure you see that." Standing and heading back for the door and missing Usa and Shampoo giving him the stink eye, he attempted to tower over Ranma, "I'll deal with you too, one day."

Ranma shrugged and let the taller guy out, "Gonna have to be with words or something buddy, you ain't much in a fight." Dismissing the guy as he walked out, Ranma hopefully for the last time locked the door. Turning back to the others who slowly resumed conversations he linked his hands above his head, "Persistent, that one."

Usagi nodded, "Yeah." Watching as Ranma walked back to the group, winking at her and resolving her slight worry, Usagi went back to her work. Sure they had connected, but it was nice to get assurance that he believed in her.

For a while things continued peacefully in the dojo. No new interlopers showed up and everyone in the group chatted or did homework, or in the older outer's cases, one tried flirting with a humoring Ranma, while the other was ready to knock their partner out. It was Ami who had her computer ping her a warning that brought up the latest distraction, "Oh, this is different?"

Rei puzzled over a problem with math but felt like acknowledging their resident booky, "More different that a chi using martial artist who can apparently use our magic?"

Ami nodded, "There's another planet in our solar system." Feeling everyone look at her, she turned her computer around, "Beyond Pluto, there's another planet. Almost couldn't see it really, but a full spectrum scan from a Moon Kingdom satellite picked it up. Putting out some odd energy readings."

Haruka finally knowing that her mouth was going to get her in trouble decided to focus, "Maybe we could check it out one day? We do have ships right?"

Makoto was handing over her notebook to a grateful Minako when she spoke up, "What would we even do with another planet besides leave it be? Not like we can do much with any of the others right now."

Ami nodded, "True, outside of curiosity and the scientific discoveries it could mean, there isn't much to be done with a planet that far out from Earth." She paused as her eyes trailed onto Ranma, "Unless we needed another planetary mana tap."

Ranma was sitting down next to Akane and was reading her notes with her. He'd have to start taking night classes in order to catch up and at least test out and graduate on his own. But he looked up as he felt eyes on him, "What'd I miss?"

Usagi waved everyone off, "Yeah he doesn't need it."

Ami looked over to her friend, "What do you mean he doesn't need it?"

Usagi nodded and crossed her arms, "Like I said, he doesn't need a mana tap. He's already got magic within him."

Ami was now fully frowning, "How could you know that?"

Usagi waved down to herself with a smug look, "I'm a magical Queen, all arguments are invalid against that."

Ranma snorted but raised his hand before Ami could reach over and throttle her friend, "Um, hate to break it to ya Usagi, but I'm not magical, outside of my curse." Hearing a knock at the door and getting up to answer it again, he was beginning to feel like a doorman.

Ami started to argue against Ranma being magical but missed Setsuna teleporting in behind her. "Actually Ami, you're about to learn your answer." Seeing Ami squeak and jump, landing into the arms of Akane who was looking at her with wide eyes, both girls quickly shuffled away from each other.

"And where have you been?" Minako was pointing a finger at the older senshi.

"Business actually. Normal, I need to make money for future use, business." Setsuna did have a civilian life after all, not that she had to make many appearances anymore. But as everyone heard a growl from the doorway, they turned to see Ranma in a half ready stance staring a tall woman down. And were those wings?

Ranma could honestly say that one of Saffron's royal guards, Kiima herself, was not who he expected to see ever again. Ready to toss the bird out and into the street and paste her, he was not expecting the woman to kneel before him. "Uh…." Well tonight was just full of new things happening.

"I want to impart that I am not here for battle or revenge of any sort. There was an important matter that has been brought to our attention, and it was decided that since you know of me, that I should come in place of the Chamberlain." Kiima was still looking at the ground, and Ranma thought about his worries.

"No combat? You won't harm anyone here?"

"On my honor, put me to death if I should harm anyone in this space."

Well that was really new. Ranma stepped back and motioned inside, "Well I'm sure if there are any people left out there they'll quickly freak out about a bird person out on the street. So come in, I'll introduce you, and we can talk I guess." Waiting for the woman to come in and locking the door behind her for hopefully once again for the last time of the night, Ranma watched the woman stand before everyone. "Well, what brings the royal guard of Saffron here tonight? Like I don't have enough problems."

Kiima had the decency to blush, "This is a little awkward to admit to. But the Phoenix have a small, problem centered around you." Taking a deep breath, the woman looked straight at Ranma, "What do you remember from defeating Saffron?"

Ranma shrugged as the rest of the group looking on with some curious and others worried. These weren't happy memories he was dealing with after all. "Besides pulling in all of the energy we were putting out and funneling it into the strongest Hiryuu I had ever made by that point, not much. A lot of rage, a lot of anger. Some guilt, worry." Shaking his head as he remembered the heat, the fire that had consumed the mountain top. Yeah, not something he wanted to think on often.

Kiima however nodded along, "And the energy you pulled into yourself to fuel your technique, was it all chi?"

Pausing in thought, Ranma tried to think back on that particular detail and came up blank, but because she was here looking so nervous he had a sinking suspicion he wasn't going to like this at all. "I'm gonna add 2 plus 2 and figure this has something to do with Saffron's magic."

Kiima again nodded before clasping her hands together at waist level, "You see, as a phoenix, Saffron would normally had reformed by now, his magic and the magic of our people doing the work of his resurrection. However, upon his altar we found his egg open, but empty. Our people were distraught and confused. But we all noticed we still had a link to someone, Saffron's magic had lived on. We just didn't know where or how." Kiima now looked very nervous. "To why I am here. The Phoenix people would like to invite, formally, Ranma Saotome to the home of the Phoenix tribe. To ascertain if our lord's magic resides within you."

Blinking and saying nothing Ranma just knew he was going to regret everything about the next few seconds. "Ami, you can track magic can't you? Is there a link between me and Kiima?" He absolutely refused to extend his senses out. He wasn't messing with magic for the rest of his life if he could help it!

Ami stepped forward slowly, computer out and scanning away. Within a minute it issued out a much to cheery ping, and Ami herself had her eyebrows higher than ever before, "There's a link." Well that explained a lot Ami decided mentally as she began scanning Ranma more thoroughly.

Clapping her hands with a giggle Usagi smiled, "See, told you he had magic in him!"

Groaning and looking at a wide eyed Kiima, "Please tell me this doesn't mean something insane that I'm going to regret. You aren't going to cut me open are?"

Shaking her head quickly, Kiima took to her knees and bowed, "Of course not my lord! We would never harm you!"

This wasn't happening. Ranma was starting to shake and backed away from the bowing woman. There was no way she was about to say what he thought she was about to say. His luck just couldn't be that rotten! Things had been so good too! He was making progress with his fiancees, he'd dealt with the rivals, well most of them anyway. Life was stable!

Kiima however brought the hammer down on his personal thoughts, "It will take a visit to the Chamberlain Jeeves to make it official, but I bear witness to our King reborn, in you, Ranma Saotome, the god slayer himself."

-b-

The next few days had Ranma doing something he had never thought he would have even considered within a hundred years. However with a trip to China looming and a certain Phoenix woman absolutely refusing to leave his side, he had no choice in the matter. So it was with trepidation and more than a little irritation that he had his father sitting in and watching how he ran his daily classes and routines. If he had to leave to settle things with the Phoenix, he was going to know for sure that his dojo was cared for. More so that he wouldn't allow his father to mess this up. And as he sat between his morning and afternoon classes, his father sitting before him while his mother and Usa sat in the corner, Ranma again gave his pops instructions. He idly hoped the senshi and Kiima were getting along in the break room.

"No crazy training techniques. No skipping out on the work. Absolutely no selling me or anyone of my students for booze or your stomach. You have to actually teach them, normally, or so help me when I come back I will beat you from here to China and back again. Got it?" Genma nodded, both knowing at this point his son could do so and also knowing his oh so loving wife would have something in store for him if he failed this. "I don't want to hear a single complaint when I get back, from either of the groups. If a single person complains and it has merit, I'm pounding you." Again Genma nodded and tried his best to control his impulse to yell back at the boy. The odd shiver working up and down his spine stopping him, knowing Nodoka had something planned for him, just in case.

Nodoka however chimed in, "You're beginning to worry to much sochi. I'll be here to watch your father as well so he won't be getting up to anything while you're away." She had celebrated for days after hearing about all of Usa's various siblings from Usagi. So still on her grandbaby high, she was more than willing to put the hurt on Genma if he endangered any of that future.

Ranma nodded and watched as the afternoon class began to file in and mentally prepared himself for what was to come. He was planning on leaving today so he could have the weekend to finish things up and hopefully be back by Monday. "Fine fine, I'll get everyone situated and ready and then you can take over. Remember, one complaint and your ass if mine." Threatening growl leaving his throat, Ranma turned to greeting everyone and forming them up in their lines. It took about 10 minutes to do so before Ranma cleared his throat to make his announcement. "As I've been saying over the last few days, I have an emergency overseas that I have to see to. So I'm going to have my father step in and help train you all while I'm gone. This is not permanent, just until I get back. I should be back by Monday. If you have difficulties or if my pops goes off the rails with training, make a not of it and let me know when I return. I'll deal with him." Hearing everyone chuckle and get the message, Ranma turned to his father, "They're all yours." Watching Genma stand and nod, the loud man did as he had practiced with Ranma, starting everyone through drills with a friendly attitude. As Ranma walked away he prayed hard that he could keep it up for the next few days.

Usa bouncing forward to clasp his hand as they walked into the back room, she was all smiles, "This is going to be so exciting!" She hadn't heard about this story from her parents directly, and was excited to see how it all went.

Ranma however was ready to be done and over this. He had wanted his life to calm down, to have some peace. Not to be flying off to China on yet another mystical adventure. Walking through the door and into the back break room, he noted it was slightly more crowded than he remembered. "Shampoo, Akane? When did you get here?"

Shampoo bounced over to spin Usa into a hug, "Shampoo go where Airen go. Mother warn that you go on trip, so I bring Akane too."

Akane shrugged, "Pretty spot on. And I figure you'd appreciate at least one mostly normal person with you."

Ranma wondered if he could really consider Akane normal before turning to all of the senshi present. "Do we really think it's a good idea for all of you to come?"

Makoto hooked a thumb in Setsuna's direction, "It was her idea actually." No one in the group was willing to argue with the older woman who was willing to twist logic into enough of a circle to have them dizzy. No it was easier to just agree and move on.

Kiima looked around warily, "How are we going to move all these people my lord? I can't fly with them all." Kiima expected to have to bring Ranma at the minimum, not an additional dozen people.

Ranma looked to Usagi, "We have that covered."

Usagi now raised her hand, "Shampoo, Akane, and Kiima in the middle, everyone else join hands." Taking her place and joining a hand with Ranma who in turn joined hands with a smirking Minako, everyone was eventually herded into place. "Kiima, please visualize where we are going."

Kiima looked to Ranma who motioned for her to do as the blonde said. So she closed her eyes and visualized the throne room of her king. Feeling something well up around her, she opened her mouth to ask a question, "Sire, how does this help?"

With a jolt, everyone experienced a moment of weightless before with a light pop, they appeared within a bright and humid room. Ranma recognized it as the throne room of the Phoenix king, though, perhaps not exactly the same.

Kiima getting over her sudden bought of dizziness, looked around in wonder, "By the gods themselves, my lord, how did we?" She was at a loss.

Ranma helped Kiima to her feet, "Teleportation magic, something the senshi can do. You get used to it." Looking around, now noticing several surprised Phoenix people staring at them, he offered a lazy wave, "Yo." Many of them yelped as they ran away through various hallways, well weren't they off to a great start.

Kiima however bowed to him at the waist, "Please give me a moment, I will contact Korma and Masala, along with Jeeves and we will get things ready."

"No need! For we are here!" The three men in question were already walking toward the group. All of the transformed gaurdian senshi spreading out slightly, building a rough half circle around Ranma, Usagi, and Usa. The move was not lost on the older Chamberlain but was also not commented on, "My lord! It is good to see you return!"

Well, that settled enough in Ranma's mind, "So you already know?"

Jeeves, Masala and Korma all bowed before Ranma, "Of course sire. The moment you returned we could feel your distinctive magic. It would be remiss of us not to be able to."

Sighing and already out of his depth, Ranma motioned with his hand, "Ok first thing, stand up, ya'll don't need to bow to me or anything. Second since you seem to have answers, can you explain how this happened?"

Jeeves stood, Kiima joining her subordinates behind him, "Well sire, during your battle your magical and spiritual energy was running rampant. And in the ensuring explosion, it sought where the densest concentration of your self was. Which at the time was within the body you inhabit right now. So while normally this would have been your egg, there simply was not enough of your remaining chi to return to it." Motioning around them, Jeeves again bowed, "All that is left is for you to connect with the people in our ceremony, and you will be our King once again, your magic fully returned to you through us."

Ranma however was not thinking about becoming a King or leading people. So he did have Saffron's magic, but that didn't make him the angry and callous Phoenix he had fought to the death. "Question, do you need me as your King?"

Jeeves nodded quickly, "Yes sire, your magic is very important to maintaining our people. While we have discovered that maintaining the temperature of our home is no longer needed by you, our link to you is. It is a subtle link that allows us to remain connected to each other and this world. Without it, we may very well become the mad monsters that the previous king became."

Great, so for the Phoenix to remain people and not base monsters, he'd had to do the ceremony. Fantastic. Looking first to Shampoo he raised a hand, "Thoughts?"

Shampoo shrugged, still not entirely over Kiima tricking her and using her, "If they peaceful, could be a good omen for tribal relations within the area."

Ranma turned his eyes now to Akane who shook her head, "Saffron's gone, so I really don't have a problem with the Phoenix people themselves." She turned to the pheasant, "Do you plan on being peaceful from now on? No more kidnappings? No war parties?"

Jeeves remained bowed, "We only want what our king wants. If he desires peace, we will have peace." Unsaid of course was what would happen if Ranma decided to burn the entire area to the ground. The three of them that had history with the Phoenix decided to leave that question alone.

Ranma then turned to Usagi, who smiled gently, "I had to take my seat. I'll be here to support you with yours." Well, he should have expected that. The slightly younger girl was a magical queen.

"Okay, so what does this ceremony entail?"

Jeeves stood and turned around, whistling loudly. The sound echoed throughout the palace, and they all could hear other whistles and calls responding. "We call all of your citizens here. And then you'll have to spread your power through us, and then from us to yourself. It is both a symbol and a real ritual of the karmic balance between you our leader, and us your subjects." Turning back to his king, Jeeves shrugged finally, "I cannot describe to you what it will be like. We have not needed to perform the ceremony as such for generations. But as the last line has been broken, the new line must live."

Well that sounded familiar. Looking over to a smiling Setsuna, Ranma rolled his eyes, "Alright alright. How long until we gather everyone?"

After answering not long at all Jeeves motioned for Ranma to sit back and take the throne, who did so reluctantly while Shampoo sat on one arm of the golden chair awhile Akane sat on the other. Usagi while not the tallest of the three of his fiancees was leaning over the short back of the chair. Usa finally snuggled into his lap while the assembled senshi all lined up along the back wall. It was a sight to look upon decided the chamberlain as he motioned Kiima and the rest of the guard to take the stairs. This was to be a grand ceremony after all, and the people should bare witness to their new lord's strength.

So as few a few dozen, then hundreds filled into the halls, Ranma tentatively reached out with his senses without touching into anyone directly. There were still close to a thousand of the Phoenix outside. It was humbling in a way. And while it had only taken roughly half an hour to assemble everyone, it was finally Jeeves again who directed everyone's attention.

"Rejoice everyone! Our king has been reborn and is among us once again! As his life force fills us with our own light and will, so too will our life enter him. We are all one people, one circle of life, unbroken and unyielding as the Great Phoenix itself!" Hands raised high above his head the gathering of people began to sing. It was something slow but melodic, a sound that was building towards something. It was however uniting everyone within the room as everyone else bowed before the throne, Ranma took that as his cue as the song rose in tempo and volume.

So Ranma did as he had with Usagi and as with Hotaru. He welled up his chi, creeping it along and slowly connected with the Phoenix people. At first the connections were basic to just get a feeling for everyone here, a count of the just above a thousand souls. And as he took a deep breath to center himself, not seeing every one of the Phoenix did the same, he plunged his chi deeper.

Describing it in that moment would have been impossible for Ranma. It was simple to say he was himself but he was a part of these people. But it was more than that. A thousand different heartbeats and voices joined with the sound within his own soul. The song they had been singing now echoed within him even though he knew not a word of it. And as his own power flowed out to every man woman and child, power too returned to him. And with that returned power he went against the teachings of every master that had helped him with chi and life energy, and tapped the Earth's own lei lines beneath the mountain. Warmth, fire, life! Time slipped away only to snap back, the song of his people anchoring him as he was dipped within that vast ocean of life only to come back to his senses. And there, a new heat within that vast throne room, Ranma took a breath and the very mountain seemed to breath with him. Feeling the need, Ranma connected with the child in his lap, his child, and introduced her to the people as well. The song rose, joy, greetings, exhilaration! There was already an heir! Welcome the young princess to the people with their King.

Usa looked on in wonder, feeling Ranma touch something deep within her. It was a connection she hadn't had the chance to feel before, something she hadn't known she was missing. But here she was, princess of the Moon kingdom and the Phoenix people. I joining between Earth and the Moon that her parents had started. Eyes shining she almost shouted with glee but didn't. Falling into the song with the people, though she as well knew not a word of it.

Shampoo, Akane, and Usagi watched on. The ceremony carried on for several minutes. Though they couldn't see anything change physically, they all noted the feel of something changing around them. The room's temperature approached something more comfortable for them all, while something seemed to envelope and hug them in an embrace. Usagi smiled, knowing right away it was Ranma himself. Shampoo and Akane had an idea, but were not in tune with magic as the Queen was. This was magic though, not just chi, and it would take some getting used to.

Soon the song slowed and stopped, and almost as if everyone was waiting, Ranma opened his eyes and stood, Usa in one arm and raising his free fist with a wide smile. "Thank you for accepting me! I am of the Phoenix!"

Together, all as one the room answered, "And you are our King!" Cheers followed, and suddenly Ranma was very, very tired. Memories, emotions, feelings all rushed him. Most not his own but easy to sort away. This reincarnation thing was rough. Hopefully he never had to go through it himself, and even more thankful that whatever personality that Saffron had had did not bleed through in this. He was still very much himself. Thankfully.

Jeeves however approached the throne and bowed again to his knees, "My lord, what is your wish of us?"

Sighing Ranma sat again and adjusted Usa to his other knee, "Return to whatever it was everyone was doing. Peace is all I want after all. But I do need a rest."

The chamberlain nodded, "I apologize sire we should have expected. We'll have your chambers readied and the grand bath made. You will need to bath here in our waters for at least 3 days as is tradition. But I suggest allowing your daughter and your wives to do so as well."

Wanting to correct him about the girls but just not having the energy for it, he turned back to the senshi, "She's your Queen, will you be staying?" He didn't even bother asking Usagi, Shampoo, or Akane. He knew they would stay without even asking.

Setsuna looked at the inner guardians first, then to the outers. "I believe the inners will need to return to maintain their lives. But we outers can stay, for a show of unity." Though this wasn't a fully official thing between kingdoms, at the same time it was. Usagi was their Queen, while Ranma was now a King of the Phoenix. And while they had not, officially united, they already seemed to be making headway towards that. Smiling the older woman was enjoying how things were going. Hopefully trending to a more peaceful future this time.

Usagi looked to her friends, happy that they seemed ready to stay if asked. "I'll be fine here. Would you look after home while I'm gone. Like he said, it should only be a few days." Seeing everyone nod, they began to join hands. Ami was reluctant to do so, fascinated to learn more, but a promise from Ranma that she'd be welcome here later allowed her to let it go for now. Saying their goodbyes and joining hands, the girls disappeared from view. Earning many surprised shouts from the people who had not seen the senshi teleport before.

Ranma however turned back to the old advisor, "So. How about that bath?"

-AN-

Honestly, as I was writing this chapter, it dragged and I went through like, 3 iterations of it before going with this. I was again racking my brain trying to remember canonically what happened with Ranma and the Phoenix king. But then I decided I should just go my way with it. Are we going to have a fully involved King Ranma? Who knows, but more progress is coming next chapter, and I have to decide if I'm okay doing lime/lemon content or will I make a separate story to dump those particular files into. Well hope yall enjoyed it. Took a little longer than I had hoped.