Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma and Gundam SEED FREEDOM, Halo, Macross, Tenchi Muyo

Chapter 11

Legacy of Heaven and Earth

Cosmic Era 75

Sasami Residence, Tabletop

Cooking dinner for people is something Sasami loves doing ever since she and her older sister Ayeka crashed on Earth and settled at the Masaki family home. The meal she and the others helped prepare was a delight to the senses, which made Lacus and Cagalli ask about the recipes for all the dishes they made.

"I am glad you like it, and I would be delighted to share the recipe with you and teach a few of my recipes that I know you will like," Sasami said delightedly.

"Thank you, Lady Sasami" Lacus nodded.

"Please, just call me Sasami. We are all friends and family here." It was at that moment that Lacus's mother Sophia finally arrived in time for dinner.

"Sophia! Welcome!" Sasami greeted her as she walked in and hugged her.

"Good evening, Sasami, and sorry for arriving late everybody. Am I in time for dinner?" Sophia inquired.

"You are just in time for dinner Sophia, and we made quite a feast for everyone."

"Wonderful!" cheerfully she responded as she took her seat and explained why she had taken so long to arrive: "The meeting with the non-government organization took longer than I anticipated."

"Non-governmental organization?" Lacus gave her mother a look of curiosity.

NGOs, an independent, non-profit organization that operates outside of government control. NGOs can be local or international and work on a wide range of issues, including human rights, the environment, press freedom, and healthcare.

"Before I went to Mendel to further my studies, I worked for an organization called 'Doctors without Borders' and they are in my own opinion, they are the best doctors in the world!" Sophia declared with pride.

"It's no thanks to Blue Cosmos that they were disbanded." She said with disgust.

"You work for 'Doctors without Borders organization, Sophia?" Ezalia inquired.

"I do" Sophia explained "We were privately funded to do humanitarian work, but when Blue Cosmos slowly involved themselves in politics and started influencing government policies and eventually took control, they systematically and forcibly closed or disbanded many government departments and multiple NGO groups that they believe to be sympathetic to coordinators which was absurd!" Sophia was upset about it.

"Some of them have been in operation for centuries, whose job was to protect the public trust, advocacy groups and prevent big businesses and corporations from exploiting people, environment, and such. They are the checks and balances and when they take those away, then you will have a government at the whims of people who have the money and power and not the citizens."

Ranma then added, "Opposition was plenty but weak, and as tension escalated between Naturals and Coordinators to the point of war, their public support wanes, and for those who openly voiced their opposition they were targeted and were forced to go underground or went into hiding for fear of retaliation."

Ranma remembers that Admiral Hayes, Henry Gloval, and President Foster, had their misgivings in the directions the government was heading, but they were duty-bound to serve their country, and they were in no position to voice opposition and had no political power to effect change in government.

Mega corporations and financial institutions bankrolled Blue Cosmos to keep their influence, interest, and business in the government intact. It would be later that they would call themselves, LOGOS. When their organization was exposed by Durandal during the second war, it caused chaos and anarchy across the globe causing unnecessary deaths, mostly civilian lives caught in the crossfire, most took to the streets in protest, and started armed rebellion.

In the aftermath, when the Earth Alliance sued for peace, Durandal revealed the Destiny Plan, and with Zaft's military becoming the dominant force in the Earth Sphere, there was no one to stop him. It was at this moment. The population felt betrayed, disillusioned in the belief that Zaft were the good guys and peace would be attained. The idea of Durandal forcing them into what can only be described as a genetic caste system angered them even more.

Thankfully, Terminal forces led by Lacus Clyne stopped the Destiny Plan, but the distrust and hatred between Naturals and Coordinator still endured and evolved into something that can only be described as apathy, unconcern for the plight of Coordinators and those who allied themselves with the Plants and Zaft being terrorized by BC remnants like Colonel Michael.

The established peace today is on a razor edge.

"Without Logos backing, Blue Cosmos power in the Atlantic Federation and the Earth Alliance weakened immensely in the last war, some of them tried to maintain it but, thanks to Ranma, their attempt failed" Washu pointed out.

Ranma heaves an exhaustive sigh "Washu, we have been through this before. All I did was voice my own opinions and my concerns should BC members stay in power."

"Ranma, you were practically in the thick of that power struggle, and may I remind you that, it was you who advised the opposition to Blue Cosmos to quickly secure key resources and strategic locations if things went wrong" Washu added.

"People listen to you Ranma, to them you are their hero, and no matter what you say, you save the Alliance because the troops listen to the only one who fought for them against Blue Cosmos and fought with them against Zaft."

"Washu is right" Sophia nodded in agreement "Your presence helped many people more than you can imagine, and in many ways, you helped them pave the way to reinstate the checks and balances in the government, which is the very guard rail of democracy."

Lastly, Sophia added "The NGOs are back in business, and they are incredibly grateful to you Ranma. I am grateful to you."

Ranma sighs, "All this praising is a bit embarrassing' he thought 'I shouldn't be credited this much, compared to those who did all the work and the sacrifice to secure the Alliance and the Atlantic Federation from BC remnant control.'

For Ranma, taking too much of the credit feels like he is taking away all the hard work and sacrifice of others for it was not just him who contributed to the cause. He remembers the others fought and lost their lives in those days when the BC remnant decided to be violent… he was the one who led them.

Losing people under his command is never easy and it is one of the things that martial arts training does not prepare you for, for martial artists don't usually get involved in the affairs of the state only themselves, their arts and those who will inherit it is their only concern.

He would have decided not to get involved in this Cosmic Era when he came back but it was not an option for him anymore, not after what happened to him and Tenchi in that last battle against Kagato. He decided not to be someone whose only talent is punching and kicking and the occasional throwing tornadoes at people.

He refused to be a 'One Trick Pony' and decided to be initiative-taking instead of being reactive.

His time in the realm of Ouritsuju changed him by delving into subjects he never thought he would take classes in school no thanks to his old Genma, saying that martial arts do not need those things. He became exposed to multiple subjects, social studies, history, economics, political science, military, the law, technology, science, mathematics, etc, etc, etc. Ranma buried his nose in reading and learning even in a coma he was soaking up knowledge like a sponge and when he emerges from the healing pond two centuries later, he possesses a library worth of education…Ranma was different and yet still the man that he was, a martial artist.

"Ranma, just accept being praised by people who are grateful to you, you are a hero, so bask in its glory once in a while, stupid jock!" Washu pushed.

"Alright, all right you are welcome!" Ranma replied, giving up the argument to stop badgering him as he is not exactly comfortable getting so much compliment or praise from people, a result of the notoriety that he gained during the war and after the war.

After the hearty meal, Ranma disappeared somewhere, Sophia, Lacus Kira, and Via were sitting around the living room chatting.

Sophia says that her meeting with the NGO was about the restarting of medical missions and the reactivation of fleets of mothballed hospital ships now that support for them returned thanks to certain individuals and groups who want to help people in places that are in dire need of help.

Sophia took a glance at Sasami and Washu and then at Via.

"I heard what happened in your visit to your husband, Via?" Via shook her head in dismay in confirmation to Sophia

"It's as I predicted would happen" Sophia felt disgusted, knowing Ulen's character all too well.

"That fool of a husband of yours, wasting a chance to connect to your children!" Sophia remarks and looks toward Kira who is looking very down.

"Kira my dear, do not let your old man's words affect you, ok honey?"

Kira nodded "Yes ma'am."

"Honestly, that man's rivalry with Aura has been a pain in the neck even back then when we were just students" Sophia remarks shaking her head.

"However, unlike Aura, I am glad that Ulen did not cross the line with Kira," Sophia smiled at him "You still have your humanity in you and to lose that would be, troublesome."

Via agrees "For that, I am grateful to your father, in not crossing that last line."

Meanwhile, up a hill behind the house

At the replica of the Masaki Shrine on top of the hill, Ranma is communicating with the Master Chief back at the Plants. The Chief reported a discovery that is concerning.

"An increase in ground troop movements, in the colony?"

"Yes sir, and from the looks of it, a few chosen high-ranking officers with the same mentality as his, are taking orders directly from Jagannath himself and not through the chain of command." The Chief reports

"Your opinion?"

"There are caches of weapons, vehicles, and armored APCs hidden in storehouses. This could be a coup in the works Major."

"Is the embassy and the residence endangered?"

"That is a Possibility sir, Jagannath is keeping this hush, hush even to the Plants council. They are in the dark about this."

"If a coup does happen, the embassy will be targeted and that's a given."

"Orders sir?"

"Tell the ambassador everything you discovered but keep it quiet for now, I will alert command of the situation. Also, have the Warren prep their transmat systems, get it online, and warm up the transmat pad for a fast evac on both the embassy and the residence."

"Sir, shouldn't we evacuate instead?"

"No, that would tip off Jagannath people that's been spying on us, and I don't want that A-hole to know we're on to him."

"Understood sir"

"What about the investigation on Zaft's finances and resources?"

"About that sir, we found something on the allocation of resources to a research project that, I don't think that the Plants Council would approve."

"What kind of project?"

"Sir, it involves the improvements on the Geschmeidig Panzer system, but it's designed to be used for a large-scale beam weapon."

"Geschmeidig Panzer? The energy deflection technology" Ranma whispered in horror as he looked up to the night sky towards the Moon.

"The Requiem? Are you kidding me? Zaft did not dismantle it!" was Ranma's conclusion and a dangerous one at that.

"That's our assumption as well sir."

"If they rebuilt it, then we are in big trouble" Ranma was concerned now more than anything for when the EA relinquished control of the Daedalus base where Requiem was located, to the Plants, the council promised to have it dismantled permanently and if Zaft rebuilt it, it's a clear violation of the treaty.

"Have you found where Destiny Plan is located?" he asked.

"We are still looking, Major."

"Then stop looking, I doubt you will find any clues on where it is. Instead, identify every lieutenant that's in his pocket, mark them as HVTs (high-value targets) for termination with extreme prejudice" he ordered.

"Also Chief, set up defenses to protect our people when we evac, watch Zaft closely."

"Yes sir"

Thinking about it, Ranma concluded, "Jagannath is not going to start a coup, not without justification that he could spin it to the public, so at the moment we are safe."

Thinking quickly, he adds "I'll inform the Joint Chiefs of what you found…I just hope they don't jump the gun after hearing this report" With a touch of a button Ranma closed the line sat down at the steps of the shrine and heaved an exhaustive sigh.

"It's one problem after another, like the paperwork that keeps piling up on my desks and I haven't been in my office for months now and I'm pretty sure it's all over the place" he chuckles darkly at his situation, feeling like he's playing a chess game, and his foes are three moves ahead of him and closer to checkmate.

'Feels like they are ready for a checkmate Ranma thought a game of strategy and tactics and one most used is cornering your adversary before you strike and this felt to Ranma, a play to corner the opponent.

'Now we know that you rebuilt Requiem Jagannath, and if I am right, you will take full control of the Zaft fleet, deploy them to protect the Daedalus base to protect it once you start your coup…but you will not do that yet. You need a reason…you need an excuse.'

Thinking about Hari Jagannath's character through files gathered, the man will not make any move without a very big excuse to back it, and if he does, it must be in the level of 'Break the World' reason, and no one is stupid enough to try something like that.

"So, what's the trigger?" he asks as he looks up to the night sky towards the moon.

"What would set you off that you would turn your back on your country, Jagannath?" he heaves a frustrated sigh in not seeing the answer, he just flops his back on the Shrine temple floor.

Feeling that he will not get an answer right now, Ranma focuses on thinking of a way to keep Lacus safe as there is no chance of avoiding a trip to the Kingdom of Foundation now as Colonel Michael's people are acting up more each day passes. There is not much time left for them before they head out and meet Queen Aura, Ophee Lam Tao, and the rest of their Black knight's goon squad.

Washu has already made devices for COMPASS members to shield their thoughts, and they are in the shape of sports watches for men and rings for women. That kind of protection is good for them, however, it is not good enough for Lacus' safety.

'There must be a way to keep her safe, a means to shield her from all harm without raising suspicion…a device perhaps for her to keep wearing at all times but it must look inconspicuous, something that won't draw people's attention too much…something like,'

Ranma noticed that she always wore that gold hairpin all the time even then. Thoughtful, an idea came to mind to keep her safe. Unfortunately, it involves asking Washu for a favor, which makes Ranma's blood chill at the thought of asking Washu for a favor again, and those favors are paid in the form of a day of Washu doing an invasive medical examination of his person.

On the bright side, Washu did not use any needles or sharp objects. Small mercies.

Ranma groans and feels the urge to facepalm inside 'The things I go through to protect Tenchi's legacy.'

Later, inside the Washu subspace laboratory

Ranma explained what he needed to protect Lacus and to his surprise, Washu already predicted his request and showed a ring-sized box but no ring inside it. Instead, it is a hairpin, a replica of Lacus' gold hairpin that she's been wearing.

Washu has the same Idea as Ranma of course, this was no ordinary hairpin but an ultramodern personal protection system ranging from physical, energy, psychic, and more. It's also a personal communication system that she took heavy inspiration from Star Trek TNG comm badges, Mass effect Omni tool and Tony Stark Iron Man I.A. butler named J.A.R.V.I.S. which Washu names M.A.R.I.A. an acronym for, My Assistant, Ready In All.

Engraved on the hairpin are words in Japanese and a power emanating from a gem at the center.

"Washu, why does it feel like…like I'm holding on to the Tenchi Ken?"

Washu smiled at Ranma "Perceptive as always."

The replica of the Lacus hairpin has designs etched on it, but what stands out is the Gem between the two gold leaves of the hairpin.

Ranma was in disbelief and awe at the power within it and knew what it was "Washu, you are giving her one of your Sacred Gems!"

"Yes, this one came from Ryoko" Ranma was surprised at this as Washu explained.

"She relinquished it to me years ago and asks to give it to the one who will inherit Tenchi's legacy."

"What!" Ranma couldn't believe that Ryoko would relinquish her gem as this is what gives her incredible power, power that even the whole Jurai army can't defeat, and without it, her powers would be greatly reduced and yet still considered to be one of the strongest beings in the galaxy even without it.

"Washu, why would she do that, why would she give this up?"

"…guilt I suppose. But you already know that" was Washu answer somber answer.

Two hundred years ago, to stop an invading fleet led by the reborn Kagato, Tenchi Masaki, Seina Yamada piloting the Zinv, Ryoko the former space pirate onboard Ryo-Ohki Ranma and his cousin Touya Kinomoto in combat suits. They went after Kagato while a fleet of GP and Jurai warships confronted the enemy fleet as a distraction.

Ryoko was supposed to stay with the fleet to run interference against the enemy but instead, she directed Ryo-Ohki to abandon the field to help Tenchi confront Kagato herself. Her choice had dire consequences as she was caught in his thrall and thrown into a glass prison with Ryo-Ohki where their powers were being siphoned off to power an unknown device that nullified the power of the Light Hawk Wings and at the same time, increasing Kagato own power.

Ryoko watched helplessly as Tenchi and Seina became powerless and trashed around like a ragdoll. Zinv, the powerful mecha with a Jurai treeship seed inside as a power source went limp and powerless and quickly dismembered by Kagato and continued to drag Seina and Tenchi around and bashed around through walls and floors completely helpless. Kagato enjoyed every cry of pain and agony after breaking their arms and legs first and then breaking their spines. Like puppets with their strings cut, they were helpless.

Kagato tossed away Seina to the side, and he watched helplessly as Kagato's attention was now on Tenchi, and in an act of cruelty, he slowly and painfully, pushed an energy sword through Tenchi's chest. A slow and painful death as the energy sword cauterizes the flesh it slowly creeps closer to Tenchi's heart and eventually kills him.

The loss of Tenchi was devastating to the Masaki family. A heartbreaking event for the many who know him and those who love and are dear to them.

"She never forgave herself."

Washu shook her head "No, and neither does the Masaki, and that's especially true for Ayeka, she blames Ryoko the most, for if she had not come after Tenchi to help, then she would never have been captured and used against Tenchi" Washu said shaking her head in dismay of what happened that day.

"I had Ryo-Ohki forced into a coma because her injuries were severe, she lost much of her life life because of that machine, and I had her de-aged back to a child to save her life while she stayed in the rejuvenation chamber, and when she wakes up…" there is a sadness in her for her children. A disheartening end to Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki's relationship.

"Like the rest of the family, Ryo-Ohki never forgave Ryoko as well."

Ranma remembers that before the mission, there was a briefing mission and told Ryoko that under any circumstances, she had not left the field and told to stay away as she of all the people was the most vulnerable to Kagato thrall.

She did not listen, the result was, Ryoko walking right into a trap.

The means to nullify the Light Hawk Wing's powers should not have been possible, and yet Kagato somehow found a way to do it, and it alarmed the Jurai Royal family as they have Tsunami tree ships that can generate the Light Hawk wings.

How he did it was completely unknown, and the device was destroyed after an epic battle with Ranma using his newly discovered power the "Koh-Oh-Yoku" or the "Lightning Eagle Sword." There was nothing to analyze or know if he had another device hidden somewhere. Ranma's version of the Light Hawk Wings is the same and yet completely different because it was unaffected by the Kagato device for unknown reasons.

At the end of the line, Ranma, releasing this new and undiscovered power for the first time brought victory against Kagato but it was a costly victory. Ranma nearly lost his life as the lightning eagle sword powers were new, and it was a wild and raw force that his human body was burning from the inside out and that he nearly died if not for the healing pond of a Jurai Treeship. The healing took two hundred years due to the severity of Ranma's injuries. Today, his newly healed body can withstand the power within and not injure him again.

They won the battle against Kagato but at a cost. Then Ranma remembered something that Tenchi told him a while back. It was about rewinding time.

"Washu, I was wondering about something."

"About what?"

"Tenchi once told me that, you are capable of rewinding time to a certain point right, and if so, why didn't you,"

"We tried that, but it didn't work!" Washu answered with frustration.

"It didn't work?"

"Rewinding time is not that new, as the Galaxy Federation has the technology capable of doing the same thing" Washu explained.

"The range to rewind time varies, it can be a day, a week, and up to a month. However, rewinding time is extremely dangerous if they go beyond a month, it could cause a paradox or an alternate timeline shift, so they had to use it sparingly. But, for some unknown reason, it did not work when they tried to rewind time then, and even when all the powers of the three Chousin Goddess combined to push time back, time still marched on with not so much as a pause. This never happened, not ever, EVER HAPPENED!" she explained angrily.

The three Chousin Goddesses Washu, Tsunami, and Tokimi are beings of divine power, rewinding time would not be a problem for them and yet they couldn't, no matter how many times they tried.

"Because of this, the Galaxy Federation can't do their usual do-over to solve their problems or their screw-ups or make a re-do of any battle they lost, especially now as the Tirolian Empire's Zentraedi fleet is barreling through our galaxy like a stampede."

"Rewinding time is like a cheat code to a game and one that no longer works" Ranma remarks "Any leads on the reason why?"

"Still working on it, I have theories but…nothing solid yet."

Ranma looks at the hairpin with sadness as he pulls out the Tenchi Ken from his pocket dimension and examines the two gems glowing on the pommel.

"I guess, there are some things that we can't undo or do over…like the past."

"No, no we can't" Washu answered in somber agreement "What we can do is prepare for the future, whatever it entails."

"And Lacus…if the gem power accepted her then, it proves that she is beyond the shadow of a doubt… Tenchi legacy and if not, it will just be another ornament on a hairpin and…what the,"

Ranma a surge of power into the Tenchi ken as the blade of light revealed itself like a Jedi lightsaber, pulsating with otherworldly power willed by someone that's not Ranma and it generated hurricane winds like a storm swirling around him.

Outside Washu lab, Lacus was at one of the gazebos relaxing after a meal, when she felt a pulsating energy for just a moment. It came from everywhere and nowhere and as she looked around, she saw the waters of the manmade lake being disturbed by waves away from the house.

It felt familiar and yet unknown and at the same time, an air of confidence, courage, strength, valor, and a touch of…love.

'Now…what could that be?'

"Lacus" startled by someone who called her quickly looked around and saw Ranma waving as he walked towards the gazebo.

"Ranma! Where were you after dinner?" she queried, as she stood up from her chair to face him.

"Sorry, there was something I had to do" he answered, as Ranma looked around as she was alone.

"Where is Kira and your mother?"

"Kira is with the others inspecting our lodgings over there" Lacus pointed at one of the houses on the opposite side of the lake "It was very kind of Sasami to put us up for the night."

"Well, the houses around the lake are to host private diplomatic meetings with foreign dignitaries, world leaders, and heads of state. This is a Tabletop version of Camp David Two."

"Camp David Two?"

"Camp David One is in North America, but this is where the CE74 David Accords was signed last year."

-o-

CE74 Camp David Two Accords

To mend fences with the Eurasian Federation, the Atlantic Federation government had to pay huge compensation to Eurasia for the act of betrayal committed by the former head of the Earth Alliance during the first war, Admiral Sutherland. The Atlantic Federation handed over the lucrative Helium-3 lunar mines to Eurasia, two of their orbital colonies, and a fleet of warships and mobile suits to the Eurasian Spacefleet to keep the Earth Alliance whole.

There was also technology transfer involved but what they are is unknown lastly, a total reformation of the Earth Alliance Command, to prevent another betrayal like what Sutherland did.

-o-

"I thought the signing was in North America?"

"It was supposed to but, we got wind that Blue Cosmos remnants were planning an attack to disrupt the summit, so we moved it here while we set a trap back there, and we found out that it was Colonel Michael's group that was attacking. Unfortunately, Michael was not among them" Ranma then gently pulled out of his pocket a box.

"I have something for you" he showed her a small box and inside was a gold hairpin like the ones she was wearing only that there were engravings with some Japanese characters written on it and a gem of some kind between the two gold leaves.

"Ranma?"

"It's a…protection charm…in some ways, a lucky charm."

"Ten to ji no Isan?" Lacus can read the Japanese "Heaven and Earth Legacy?"

Ranma shook his head "More like The Legacy of Heaven and Earth…and that's who you are to me, more than anything."

Saying that made Lacus blush and deep down inside, she felt so happy receiving a gift from Ranma "Ranma that's so sweet of you. Thank You"

Lacus removed her old hairpin from her hair and then replaced it with a new one that Ranma gifted her, and for some odd reason, the new hairpin she's wearing…It felt right. As if it was meant for her to have it, meant for her to wear it.

Ranma can only smile as he can see with his own eyes, the divine power of the gems flowing into her without any problems which means that the gem is meant for her and is accepting Lacus, meaning she is Tenchi's heir, his legacy.

The Sacred Gems have a power equivalent to that of the Light Hawk Wings and few beings in the Galaxy can handle the enormous power of the gems without destroying themselves. From what Washu can gather, Kagato harnesses the energy generated by the gems to create a nullifying field of some kind to suppress those who use the wings either in themselves or their devices like a giant robot.

Kagato could have just removed the gems from Ryoko's hands but instead, he imprisoned her in a glass container and siphoned the power from her as he made Ryoko watch Tenchi die. It was the worst thing he could do to her, and it broke her.

Ryoko would later relinquish her gem back to Washu as Ryoko left and went into seclusion to points unknown. Now her gem will be in Lacus' hands and Ranma must wonder what kind of effect it will have on her.

From what he knows as he could only guess, Tenchi was able to harness the power of the sacred gems before he discovered an even greater power awakened from within in him. He suspects that Washu is thinking that it could do the same for Lacus, but at that time Tenchi was facing off against Kagato, and only when he was in mortal danger did the power of the Light Hawk Wings awaken.

Lacus looks at her old hairpin which she has worn on her hair for a long time. Thinking of putting it away but instead, she took Ranma's hand and placed it in his palm.

"Please, keep this for good luck."

"Lacus…" Inside, Ranma felt very giddy to have something from Lacus as a keeps sake and a hairpin she wears on her hair is more than he can imagine having,

"I will, and thank you."

"And Ranma," without warning, Lacus embraced him… and gave a kiss but it was like a lover's kiss, and instinctively, Ranma reciprocated the affection, and now they are in each other's arms savoring unimagined bliss as both people feel their warmth, feel the beating of their hearts as their passion is like water spilling from an overflowed dam unable to hold back… and it felt right.

The two never noticed that a stealth barrier of some sort had gone up around them, which hid this moment from the world.

Watching with concern was Washu at the side of the house shaking her head in disapproval, and the reason why she raised a barrier was to let them have some privacy until they come to their senses before people notice it.

She heaves a sigh, well, it figures this would happen. Stupid wildhorse luck of yours. You stupid idiot!'

"Ranma, you better wrap this up quick or do you want an express trip to LEO!" Washu whispered loudly and oh so sweetly into the wind, and Ranma heard the whisper in the wind that brought a chill down his spine as he remembered himself.

He breaks his kiss with Lacus as they both come to their senses before they get any further than that. Maturely, Ranma shows a calm demeanor but inside Ranma, he was having hot flashes of mallets swinging at him causing him to flinch sometimes.

Two hundred years ago, getting a kiss from another girl would have earned him a one-way trip to LEO (Low Earth Orbit) most of the time it came from Akane swinging a mallet at him.

He quickly radiates a bit of his ki like a radar to sense the people around them. He's thankful that no one is looking towards them, well except for Washu and he can tell that she's a bit disappointed in him. He felt relieved that Washu was the only one around and relaxed as he held on to Lacus.

"Well now, that was very nice," he remarks and shows that he enjoyed it very much.

"Just to say, thank you for this gift, and for always being there to catch me when I fall" Lacus answered.

"Well, you are welcome Lacus" Ranma replied with a smile on his face, and then Lacus leaned on Ranma's chest which surprised Ranma.

"Uhmn, Lacus?"

"Please, can you keep me company for a while besides, it's cold tonight, and if someone sees us, I'll tell them that you tried to seduce me."

"Well. That would clear things up errr, wait what!?" Ranma suddenly became panicky until he heard Lacus' muffled playful laughter.

"I'm sorry, I was just teasing you," she said and that gave Ranma a relief.

"I feel like I just had a heart attack," he remarks and then scolded her for giggling in amusement.

"That's not funny princess, especially to someone whose wife and fiancée are under the same roof with their guy who is a big fan of a certain songstress who is with him right now!"

"Sorry," she said still leaning on his chest and he was not complaining.

They took a seat as Ranma looked around, seeing that Washu released them from their moment of privacy. Thank goodness that no one saw them kissing each other like lovers, it could be bad and maybe even worse if Kira and Lacus' mothers see them and that's not adding Washu into the mix.

He imagines the worst things they could do to him, mostly done in Washu lab, involving a physical with numerous invasive equipment used on him along with several oversized syringes from three centuries ago held by robotic hands.

Washu is warning him, demanding that he does not cross the invisible line that he's precariously skating on.

'I know, I know!' His thoughts were screaming because receiving Washu's wrath was not something he wanted, which was worse than having his gender-changing curse locked to the girl's side.

"Here" he pulled a blanket from his hidden weapons stash and covered Lacus.

"Let's keep each other's company, while we wait for the others, and hopefully no one saw us kissing each other like that, otherwise your mom, Kira's mom, Washu, Kasumi, and Sasami along with the rest of the family will probably skin me alive if they thought I was trying to make a move on a soon to be married woman"

Lacus giggled "Alright, I am sorry to trouble you. But then, all I did was give you a simple kiss as a thank you for the gift you gave me, that's all."

'I hardly call a full-on kiss on the lips with your tongue in my mouth a simple kiss…hmmmn soft pink, not bad' Ranma thought licking the flavor of Lacus lipstick on his lips which made him blush at the memory of that pleasant kiss, and the horrors he might receive from the ladies.

"In my experience princess, suddenly getting a kiss from another girl, comes with two things, a table being dropped on my head or a mallet sending me into Leo" It was right then that one of them who might drop a table on his head comes calling.

'Well, well, well, are you trying to add another girl to your list of conquest, eh Ranma?" It was a voice in his head filled with sarcastic amusement, a bit of annoyance and he's not exactly sure but, there was a touch of jealousy mixed in Sasami's emotions, which was surprising to him because that never happens.

'Soft pink flavor from her lipstick eh' That voice in his head felt like someone poured hot chills down his spine.

'Sa-Sasami,' Ranma responded defensively, "Lacus was just being thankful to me for giving her a present Sasami; I am not doing anything wrong to her, honest!"

'Really" that was the teasing response of an unconvinced woman.

It didn't help that his feelings betrayed him because he enjoyed that kiss and seeing that Lacus was snuggling beside him with Ranma's arm around her was not helping his case at all.

'Oh, brother," he thought.

Knowing that Kasumi or Sasami would scold him later, he decided to enjoy the company and chat with Lacus about anything. One of the things they talk about is Ranma's life before landing in the Cosmic Era, and it was the life of a wandering Martial Artists in training but omitted some things and yet it was enough for Lacus to see that in Ranma's time, it was an innocent era, because unlike the Cosmic Era, there was no global war raging all across the planet and no millions of people dying every day.

"The 1980s and through the nineties may have been a time of excessive opulence, but it was also a time where the best musicians played their instruments and songwriters wrote the best songs for the best singers in the world and awed millions who heard them. It was the golden age of music, well for me anyway and I listen to a lot of Rhythm and Blues which is my favorite."

"It must have been amazing, hearing those great singers in person," Lacus remarked as Ranma nodded.

"I love listening to songs from a lot of singers, many of them visited Japan for a concert venue, and I sneak in to listen to them."

"Sneak in? Ranma, are you saying that you didn't pay for the concert ticket?" Lacus looked at him in surprise.

"Well…I more like, charmed my way in, my bad" Ranma admitted he chuckled nervously not telling Lacus that he went to over a dozen or two concert venues as a girl without paying. Only Nabiki knew about it, and she blackmailed him to join him unless she told the others that he was a music fan and going to concerts and listening to songs and music in secret without paying a ticket.

Now, being with Lacus alone was nice and all but, it comes with people misinterpreting it and he knows the outcome too well. Ranma is hoping for a miracle, something that will get him off the hook. It was right then that Washu was walking towards the gazebo bringing a tray with mugs of hot cocoa. Ranma felt relieved to have company and more than likely he's going to owe her more than one.

"So, this is where you guys are hiding" came Washu "Brought something to warm the body in this cold night."

"Thank you, Ms. Washu!" Lacus gladly picks one of the mugs up and Ranma the other.

"Sooo Ranma are you trying to add Lacus to your growing list of conquests now?" Washu teased Ranma which caused the hot cocoa to go down to the wrong pipe, which caused him to cough out the hot cocoa.

Ranma at once stood up in outrage and responded, "That's not funny Washu!"

"Well maybe not, but you have to admit, that you, Seina, and Tenchi have the same problem when it comes to girls and that girls keep falling out of the sky and landing on your lap, whether they are single, married or even," it was that moment that Ranma cut her off.

"That only happens to Tenchi and Seina and not me!" Ranma replied defensively as he looked back and forth at Lacus and Washu. He, sweating a bit.

"Who here is married, who also has a fiancée together under the same roof and engaged to still to how many girls including Kasumi… middle sister?" Washu hammered her point which led to Ranma whining in complaint.

"It's not my fault, I was a kid back then when that stupid, thieving, scamming Panda baka for a father, kept making arranged marriages to how many families!"

"Hmm, I think you are right" Washu agreed with him and then added to poke some fun "Yet despite all that, you three, always ended up having your harem no matter what you say"

While Washu and Ranma continue their heated debate, Lacus is thinking about the two names Washu dropped and why is Ranma calling his father 'Panda baka' which translates to 'Idiot Panda' she doesn't understand what that has got to do with getting engaged to other women.

"Ranma, who is Seina and Tenchi?"

The moment Lacus asks about the name, the two stop when they realize that they just dropped two names that they shouldn't have.

"They are… good friends of mine, Seina Yamada and… Tenchi Masaki" Ranma answered almost somberly.

"Tenchi Masaki?" Lacus looks back to the house for a moment "Is he related to Lady Sasami?"

"Very distant relations, but yes" Washu answered.

Ranma then said, "Tenchi name is…it's another word for Heaven and Earth."

Lacus touched her hairpin "Heaven and Earth."

"To his parents, he is a child of Heaven and Earth for them," Ranma knows why they amply name him Tenchi since, his heritage is that of two worlds, the earth below, and the heavens above.

"You would have liked him."

"Would have?"

Ranma sat back "Me, Tenchi, and Yamada Seina were born from the same era, that was two hundred years…Tenchi passed away a long ago and as for Seina well, I haven't heard from him for a long time"

With a gentle smile, Washu went on to tell Lacus, the kind of man "Tenchi is, the kindest, gentlest, wisest, and bravest man that you will ever meet. You would like him Lacus."

"For me, it was an honor to know him and a privilege to call him…my friend" Ranma praised Tenchi and then quiet as if remembering Tenchi.

"Ranma?" Lacus can sense that they hold Tenchi in such high regard "He must be an extraordinary person."

"He is, yes, he is" Ranma affirmed.

The three continued to talk through the night as others arrived with their own cocoa mugs compliments of Sasami who arrived and sat down on the couch between Ranma and Lacus Sasami looked at Ranma with a glare that said it all 'You are not off the hook yet, buster'

As everyone went to bed, Ranma, Sasami, and Kasumi were still in the gazebo talking in private Kasumi now knows about the kiss from Sasami, but she's not upset…well that's what she said.

She sighs "I figured that it was bound to happen again, sooner or later" Kasumi's reaction was…surprising to him.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kasumi went on without answering him.

"Not since Nerima, had I seen another girl jump at you since Shampoo keeps sneaking into your room at night and sleeping by your side or Kodachi paralyzed you with poison just to make out with you on the roof when we're back at Nerima, and honestly Ranma, I thought you were losing your touch"

"Wait what? Kasumi you are not angry?"

"I am not Akane. Ranma I do not throw fits of anger like her!" Kasumi scolded "I know why Lacus kissed you Ranma and you are not the kind of man who takes advantage of another girl's showing her affection towards you." When Ranma heard that he felt relieved, which may have been premature.

Kasumi released an exhaustive sigh "I am upset and yes, I am a bit jealous, but I am not the type of person who would drop a table on your head like Akane does" she said but then she muttered in a low voice 'I have my way' followed by a smile that it felt creepy seeing it on Kasumi face.

Ranma felt like all the blood just pooled down his legs screaming bloody massacre as Kasumi pulled out a handkerchief wiping away the so-called tears in her eyes where there were none.

"Ranma, I am a bit miffed that you reacted differently to her kiss. You enjoyed it very much. Oh, boo hoo, hoo, woe is me!" Kasumi is acting like she's a Civil War southern lady now crying on Sasami's shoulder comforting her.

"There, there Kasumi. Ranma how could you!?" she said to him, and it made Ranma sweatdrop as he is now sure that they are up to something and hopefully it doesn't involve poking syringes on his person.

Meanwhile, Lacus was already in bed after an exhausting day. She's sleeping soundly holding on to her new hairpin. She never notices an eerie low glow coming from the gem.

The dream world where Lacus finds herself is a whole lot different than before, as she finds herself standing on what looks like farmland, but where? The place was quite vivid and not like the ones before as everything looked, felt, and smelled real, which is impossible.

Now, where am I now?".

"Ohkayama Japan, well a facsimile of my hometown" Lacus quickly looked behind and saw a man in farm clothes, carrying a basket loaded with carrots strapped behind his back. The man calm demeanor, a gentleness in his smile, and sense a of strong familiarity.

"H-hello" she greeted him wearily, but Lacus sensed no ill will from him.

"Do I, know you? Wait," before Lacus went to bed Washu showed who Tenchi was and she showed a picture of three people Ranma, Seina, and Tenchi.

"You are Tenchi?"

"That's right, I am Tenchi. Tenchi Masaki, at your service and pleased to meet you Ms. Lacus Clyne" he said introducing himself "Welcome to my farm, well, my farm in the Astral plane, which is my slice of heaven, my paradise"

"The Astral plane?"

The Astral Plane is a non-physical realm of existence that some believe is home to spirits, angels, and other immaterial beings. It is also known as the astral realm or astral world and is often referred to as Heaven.

"How did I get here, why am I here and how do you know me?"

"It's a bit hard to explain, but rest assured, you are not dead but a guest here and don't worry, by dawn when you wake up, you will be back to your physical body, but for now…let's talk while we walk" And the two walk together, as Tenchi explains some things she needs to know about

"Now, the first question is, how did you get here well I am guessing that someone gave you something from someone, and that something is connected to me in some ways"

Lacus thought of one thing that came to mind "Ranma gave me a new hairpin with a gem and said it was a charm for good luck."

"A charm for good luck you say, well that explains it, you must be his girlfriend!" Tenchi deduces.

"What! No, no, no you are wrong, I am just his friend that's all" Lacus replied quickly to correct his assumption as she blushed at the thought of her being Ranma's girlfriend.

"Really, well, that's disappointing to hear since you two would look good as a couple" Tenchi in his opinion and a bit teasingly.

"No! No, I am already involved with someone, sorry" she said, waving away the idea of her and Ranma as a couple but still made her blush red.

"Well, anyway, your third question 'How do I know you' Well of course it's Ranma. He told me who you are"

"Why would Ranma want me to meet you?" Lacus questioned.

"He didn't… how you got here was not intentional" Tenchi answered.

"What?"

"Come walk with me" As Tenchi walked away, Lacus followed him toward a lone tree surrounded by a pool of water, and for some strange reason, she could hear a faint voice saying to her 'Hello lacus.'

Tenchi looks back and notices her confusion as she looks around and sees no one. He smiled, knowing that Lacus could hear the voice, the voice of the tree before them.

"That voice you are hearing, well it came from the tree and its name is 'Funaho' and she is saying hello to you.

"The tree?" Lacus looks at the huge tree before her.

"Try and say hello" Tenchi recommended to her and she was hesitant at first, but she did just that.

"Hello," and she could hear the voice as light beams touched her and felt ticklish.

"Wow," Lacus was in awe as the tree glowed and glittered.

"Funaho is a Juraian sentient tree, and it looks like she likes you."

"A sentient tree?"

"One of the oldest creatures in the universe, and amazingly, they are a bridge between the living world and the astral plane, something I discovered a while back."

"Incredible!"

"Now let's sit down my dear and talk a bit" Tenchi gestures to a pair of chairs and a round table appearing out of nowhere and there they talk.

"I haven't seen Ranma since…well, since I passed away and only a while ago did my dear friend show up from out of the blue, and he and I talked about the world of the living before he went back to, I guess, give you a gift"

"He can…enter the Astral plane."

"Not without help and few living beings can enter the Astral Plane unless you are dead. Ranma is one of a rare few who can enter the higher dimensions and return, but some of them claimed to have achieved enlightenment that they, 'ahem' well you could say, they became notable icons of faith throughout history" he explained and for Lacus, it sounded like Ranma is in the company of well-known religious figures.

"But enough of that, tell me about yourself Ms. Lacus Clyne, when in my conversation with Ranma, he has a lot to tell when it comes to you" Tenchi smiled "Never have I seen my friend act so excited to tell me about someone before."

Lacus tells how much the world changed after 200 years and how recently it went from bad to worse, they talk about Ranma and how he's doing, and he is surprised that he's an officer in the military which was interesting because Tenchi never thought he would join the military due to being a martial arts master.

"He's a fine officer, probably the best the Earth Alliance has to offer."

"Amazing, and I am surprised that he joins the military or any military at that since martial arts masters rarely decide to be soldiers let alone involve themselves in world politics" Tenchi was thoughtful and then looked to Lacus.

"He's helping your peacekeeping group called COMPASS which you are the leader?"

"Yes, but recently, he's been revealing secrets we never thought possible as we are here on Tabletop Island where Lady Sasami is residing," Lacus said explaining as Tench leaned back and contemplated.

"So much has changed, and I am starting to get the idea of the kind of world they are now" Tenchi sighed at the thought of what Ranma and the others might be facing.

"Lacus, that charm Ranma gave you has what we call a 'sacred gem' and it's a source of enormous power, and very few people can use it let alone control its powers" Tenchi explained "To an ordinary person, the gems is just that, a jewel. Rarely there are people capable of harnessing it, mostly people who possess magic and yes, magic is real whether you believe it or not."

"But why give me such a rare treasure?"

"No doubt it's to protect you, and he is going to great lengths like this, shows how important you are to them, and I would say they are a bit overprotective of you…but seeing this and hearing your story, I am inclined to agree with them" Tenchi stood up and look up to the tree for a long moment.

"Mr. Masaki, what do you mean by seeing," before Lacus can finish, Tenchi waves his hand a 55inch flatscreen TV appears, and it shows Lacus a view of the dreamscape, and inside is a man being comically chased by a pack of Tyrannosaurus Rex or T-Rex and Velociraptor or just Raptors. That alone was scary, but what is even more scary is that they're dressed up like circus clowns with the background music playing a circus theme that made the ensemble very creepy.

"That's Ophee Lam Tao" Lacus recognized the intruder.

"So, that's the guy's name" Tenchi looks at him with hardened eyes "Well, whoever this guy is, he forcefully entered your dreamscape while your spirit is here in the Astral plane. Fortunately, you have guard dogs protecting your privacy."

"My guard dogs… are dinosaurs in clown costumes?" Lacus looks in disbelief at what she's seeing and is shocked at the scene of a man running for his life while T-rex and raptors are snapping at him tearing his clothes as he ran for his life.

Tenchi knows who would put raptors as guard dogs in their dreamscape.

"This is without a doubt; Little Washu's handiwork and she's still using dinosaurs to keep intruders entering other people's dreams" Tenchi gave a nervous laugh seeing that she hasn't changed much.

"You called Dr. Hakubi…Little Washu?"

"She is a woman with many talents my dear, and this is her work."

"The clown theme is a little bit too much,' he thought, realizing something about the gems, and that Washu would never give it to anyone except to her children. Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki each have one, and Fuku as well.

Lacus entered the Astral Plane with no effort and without a problem.

A last blood-curdling scream from the intruder signals his end when a T-rex gets hold of him, throws him up into the air, and falls into the T-rex's mouth.

So ends the intruder.

"Don't worry about him," Tench assured a concerned Lacus.

"He's alive, scarred for life yes but otherwise alive and, probably jumping out of his bed screaming bloody hell" Tenchi answered amused and unconcerned for the intruder's wellbeing.

"Oh" and so does Lacus

Looking at Lacus carefully, there was an aura of power emanating within her, a power that was both familiar but dormant. Tenchi knows this power.

'This power, it's the same as my… Light Hawk Wings.' That finally dawned on him, of course, you would go this length to protect her, Washu, Ranma.'

"Looks like your charm is working fine in dealing with intruders messing with your mind and entering your dreams without permission" Tenchi pointed "And since this is Washu invention, I can only guess that it can do more than that."

"That's amazing!"

"However, the charm can only do so much for you, so you will need to learn to harness the power of the sacred gems through your will and tap into a greater power within you"

"A greater power? Mr. Masaki, I don't,"

"Lacus," Tenchi quickly interrupts her "the Astral plane is a place that you can't just enter freely, few can do it and return to living without a problem, and you are one of them, which means there is a power within you that the gems are reacting to you and no one else"

"Reacting to me and…Ranma."

"…yes"

"Can I do it?"

"I know you can do it, my dear, you have the power to protect the people you love, protect your child especially, then yes, you have the power within you to do just that" Tenchi answered.

Lacus held her stomach, her child is growing in her is the most important thing in her life right now.

"Mr. Masaki, I don't know how," Tenchi held her hand in comfort.

"You don't have to learn right now my dear, take your time and talk to Little Washu or Sasami when you get back, I'm pretty sure they can help you and they would love to tell stories about me if you ask them to" Lacus nodded at that as she has so much to asks.

The breeze in the air was changing. Their time together was ending, at least for now. Tenchi never felt so happy as he is right now…he gets to meet a member of his family; he got to meet her in all but name, a blood relative and one he can proudly call…his daughter, Lacus Clyne.

"It's nearly time my child," he said and looked to Lacus "You and I will see each other again, I know we will, we…all…good luck my dear."

Lacus can't hear those last words as the feeling of her waking up is pulling her away from the Astral plane.

"Wait, what do you mean by," Lacus never finishes her question, as a bright light soon engulfs them and Lacus wakes up in her bed feeling refreshed but a bit confused.

'Was that a…dream?" she mutters 'What was he saying at that time?' she stood from the bed and noticed a picture on the dresser, a picture of the Masaki Family. Lacus only recognized two people, Washu and Sasami in their younger days she assumed, and one named Tenchi is being pulled side to side by two women glaring at each other, and by the looks of it, they are fighting over him while the others (most are women) just look on in exasperation like this was a daily occurrence.

More than likely, they were trying to take a family photo, and it got ruined by two women playing a game of tug of war with Mr. Masaki at the center.

"Tenchi Masaki…who are you really?" no matter how much Lacus looks at him, he looks like any other farmer working in the fields, and yet he is highly regarded by Ranma and Washu as a person they greatly respect, and when she meets him in the Astral Plane, she sees a gentleness and kindness in the man that… it feels like she's talking to a father figure.

'I'll ask Washu and Sasami later," she thought as she went to get change for breakfast and could already smell someone cooking bacon and eggs downstairs.