Ranma Half Moon chapter 115 "The Past Revealed" Part 1

Author's note: This arc happens around the same as Sailor Moon Episode 44 "Usagi's Awakening! A Message From the Distant Past".

Ranma-kun and Michiru glare at each other. They were passing each other in the hall, getting ready to leave school, but neither one wants to yield and let the other one pass.

Haruka rolls her eyes at this spectacle. "Hey you two! It's fortunate that I found you two together. I think we should all have dinner together right now."

"Not hungry!" Both say in unison, not breaking their staredown.

"Doesn't matter. This dinner might help us find the enemy, or have you two forgotten about that?"

Both chibi-Michiru and chibi-Ranma-kun look ashamed.

"Now let's go."

The three arrive at the Cat Cafe. Shampoo comes up and flirts with Ranma-kun. "Fiance, it wonderful see you!" Shampoo gives a dirty look to Haruka and Michiru.

"Great-granddaughter, these are my guests! I am entertaining them tonight in the basement. Please send down three bowls of five flavor ramen."

Shampoo rolls her eyes. "Yes!"

Cologne leads the three down the stairs. She grabs a ladle. "Future son-in-law, I hope you won't mind this?"

"Go ahead." Ranma-kun rolls his eyes.

Cologne uses the ladle to splash Ranma-kun with cold water. He transforms into Ranma-ko.

Ranma-ko shakes her head. "No idea why you did that."

"It's easier for me to tell you this story when you're like this."

"Whatever."

"Here it comes!" Shampoo comes down to the basement with three bowls of ramen. She turns up her nose. "Girl-type Ranma, how happily see you."

Cologne weakly grins and shrugs her shoulders.

"This is the place I was telling you about. The ramen is really good."

Michiru smells the dish and nods to Haruka.

Shampoo goes back upstairs.

"So, Sailor Warriors, Haruka called me up earlier today and asked if I thought it was time, and I agreed. It's time for you three to find out about the enemy you are fighting."

Michiru slurps her noodles and then looks suspiciously at Cologne. "And, how do you know this story?"

"I'll get to that, Sailor Neptune. Don't worry."

Michiru goes back to the ramen.

"A very, very, long time ago, in ancient China, there was a large province with many warring kingdoms. Five of these kingdoms were based along a great river. Farther back from the river was a vast forest where the Amazon warriors lived. And, farther back from the forest was a range of five great mountains, and on each mountain was a great kingdom as well."

Ranma-ko looks up from her ramen. "This wasn't close to Jusenkyo, was it?"

"That was on the other side of the river. Now, where was I? One day, the Queen of the Amazon tribe, who was quite a looker if I do say so." Cologne runs her hand through her hair. "She became upset at the ceaseless violence between these kingdoms and decided to do something about it. She decided to let two of her daughters marry into these kingdoms. The older girl named Beryl married into the center river kingdom. The younger girl named Serenity married into the center mountain kingdom."

"Eventually, through the diplomatic efforts by Beryl and Serenity, peace was finally brought to the land. But, it came at a tragic price. Both daughters had lost their husbands during the war. Serenity had the chance to bear a child by her husband, Beryl did not."

"There was then some eighteen years of peace. The mountain kingdoms, each named after a celestial body, became great centers of the performing arts, spirituality, martial arts, and education. The river kingdoms, nicknamed the kingdoms of earth, became bustling commerce centers."

"However, Beryl's heart became heavy, not having a child. After a long search, her heart was won over by a mighty warrior from the earth kingdoms, a man named Prince Endymion. Endymion was in charge of a standing army, in charge of defending all of the earth kingdoms from threats from farther up or farther down the river. Endymion had four bodyguards who would follow him, sworn to defend Endymion even at the cost of their lives."

"The Queen of the Amazon tribe was uneasy about this engagement. She could tell that Prince Endymion was a fickle man who's heart was easily distracted by pretty girls."

"The Queen ever heard a report that Endymion was secretly seeing one of the Amazons, a girl with red hair braided in a ponytail. Sadly, the Queen kept silent about this, not wanting to hurt her daughter's feelings."

"But, the situation wound up getting even worse. Soon reports came in of Endymion having an affair with Queen Serenity's daughter Princess Serenity. Beryl learned of this and was driven to the brink of madness, that her fiance would have an affair with her niece."

"Now, those days were somewhat different from these days, as it was still common for demons to walk the earth. And, one of the meanest, most evil demons of all had wondered onto this scene. This demon was called Metaria. It would travel from town to town in the form of a young female entertainer. She would sing, act cute, and refer to herself in the third person. Sort of how an idol singer might act today."

"One night, Beryl disguised herself as a commoner to go out and drown her sorrows in mead and peasant entertainment. She wound up meeting Metaria, who asked her if she wanted revenge on the boy who was cheating on her. Overcome by rage and jealousy, Beryl agreed and Metaria overtook her soul."

"Metaria then brainwashed Endymion's bodyguards into turning against him and then prepared the kingdoms of the earth for a unified assault on the mountain kingdoms. Realizing that a catastrophe was coming, the Amazon Queen gave her daughter Queen Serenity a magic crystal to try to seal away the demon."

"However, Serenity was not able to use the crystal in time and all of the mountain kingdoms were laid waste."

"Finally, Serenity was able to use the crystal, and she was successful in sealing away the demon, but at the cost of her own life."

"So, what do you think?"

All three of the girls hold their empty ramen bowls forward.

Cologne rolls her eyes. "I guess it can't be helped." Cologne scales the steps and yells at Shampoo who brings down three more bowls of five flavor ramen and goes back upstairs.

"So, what do you think?"

Ranma-ko slurps some noodles. "So, do you think that Mamoru is the reincarnation of this Endymion?"

"He's the very spitting image. I recognized him as he was fighting with Shampoo and Mousse."

Michiru looks at Cologne suspiciously. "And, you know all this because?"

"Well, I have been around a long time, young lady."

Ranma-ko smirks. "And, let me guess, this Amazon girl who was also seeing Endymion, did she look like I do as a girl?"

Cologne blushes. "Well, now that you mention it... You know, future son-in-law, you weren't the first person to fall into that particular pool."

Haruka raises an eyebrow. "Were the four other mountain kingdoms called by the names of Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and and Mars?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"And, did each one have a female champion warrior?"

"My goodness, Sailor Uranus, have you studied ancient Chinese history?"

"Not really."

Ranma smiles. "Were these four bodyguards of Endymion really popular with the ladies and nicknamed 'The Flower Four'?"

Cologne gives Ranma-ko a funny look. "Future son-in-law, I am very surprised. That is what their nickname would translate to in Japanese. How did you know that?"

"I have my ways."

"Well, hopefully this story will help you find your enemy."

Ranma-ko nods. "Well, how are we going to recognize this enemy?"

"Metaria usually takes a female form. She will probably be some sort of an entertainer, but not one in a field that requires a lot of hard work to be good at. She'll probably refer to herself in the third person a lot. Do you know anyone like that?"

All three girls draw blank looks and shake their heads.

"Well, that's the main problem. You probably all ready know who it is but Metaria will block the mind of all that she meets so that they won't recognize her."

Haruka nods. "That is a problem."

To be continued