A Ranma/Sailor-Moon crossover fan fiction

 

 

Started - 1 February 2004                      Completed - pending

 

Last revised – 29 June 2004                  Reason –minor revs to new chapter 3

 

 

 * * * * *

 

Disclaimer:  Ranma ½ and Sailor-Moon and all associated characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi or Naoko Takeuchi and are used without permission.  This fan-fiction isn’t intended for commercial use but is rather a tribute to the Ranma ½ and Sailor-Moon universes.  There may be ‘cameos’ of other anime series but I make no claim on them and disclaim any profit.

 

This story starts after the end of both ‘cannon’ story lines.  Ranma is the same age as Usagi.

 

 * * * * *

 

The Earth Princess                by               Cloud Dreamer

 

 * * * * *

 

Chapter Three - Kiima’s Revenge

 

 * * * * *

 

Nabiki thought to herself, ‘What the hell happened?’  She glanced at the remains of the cask that had fallen to the floor and broken when she’d transformed.  Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that the metal tag that said ‘Nanniichuan’ had fallen off and revealed another name burned into the wood beneath it.  She growled as she recognized the Chinese characters for ‘weird demon cat’.  The growl shifted to an angry snarl as she noted the damning phoenix symbol on the back of the metal Nanniichuan tag.  At this point, it was belatedly obvious to her that she’d placed herself on the receiving end of Kiima’s attempt at revenge on Ranma for killing Saffron.  Ranma had expressed a little worry that the guard captain might return to the Tendou home a second time bent on revenge but the passing months had blunted that concern.

 

Her hair was standing on end so great was her fury at this point that it almost caused her to have a heart attack when soft hands appeared behind her and gently picked her up.

 

Ranma-chan shakily stroked the weird rabbit-cat that Nabiki had become as she attempted to calm her while holding the small creature in her lap.  She studied Nabiki’s new golden-green furred form wondering at the cat face, voice and forepaws; with rabbit ears & back legs and a golden-blue gem in the middle of her forehead.  Ranma noted that the darker colors in the gem slowly shifted shape so that it almost appeared to be an image of the . . . earth rotating?

 

Nabiki wanted to scream, but the need to cry was almost overwhelming at this point as well.  She shifted in Ranma’s arms and attempted to put her ‘arms’ about the redheaded girl’s neck.  The paws weren’t working out for this.  Desperate to meet her emotional needs, she reached out into her new cursed form for someway, something she could do and strangely enough, found it on an almost instinctive level. 

 

Ranma was stunned as Nabiki morphed into a short cat-like little girl who threw her stubby arms about Ranma and launched into broken sobs.  Ranma-chan held the devastated girl and gently stroked her bare but furry body.  Ranma soothed her as Nabiki tried to apologize but the words were partially garbled by the tendency to lapse into ‘meows’.  Still Ranma understood, “Ranma, I’m so sorry.  I’ve ruined it for us again!”

 

All she could say in reply was, “Nabiki, it wasn’t your fault.  It’s ok, it will be ok; you’ll see.”  Awhile later she softly added, “You know, your plan did work in a way.  I do believe now that you really do love me after all.”  She sighed and continued, “I think I can tell you now that I . . . I sort of lo . . . like you too.  I couldn’t tell you before because I didn’t believe you and couldn’t trust you either as a result.” 

 

Nabiki’s sobs got louder.

 

Ranma-chan lifted the wailing little cat-girl into her arms and carried her into the bathroom.  Nabiki refused to let go so Ranma in the end, shed her outer clothes and unenthusiastically stepped into the hot water of the furo, resigned to a potential beating.  He got an Amazon level glomp instead as they both transformed.  That he fainted soon thereafter was probably the only thing that kept the still somewhat hysterical Nabiki from doing something he might have regretted; not her though.  She only regretted that he fainted and nearly drowned thus spoiling her impromptu plans for making him hers.

 

She ‘humphed’ to herself as she dragged his heavy form into his bedroom.  In a way she was irritated that she was still a virgin.  She heaved his body onto the bed finally and then slipped into bed with him, curling about his back and snuggling their bare forms together after pulling the light layer of blankets over them.  She needed comfort from the disaster her life had become and he was a source of that for her even when he was unconscious.   As for Ranma, well, the cumulative stress of the changes in his life had caused him to take a prolonged break for awhile.

 

Nodoka peeked in on her son before she turned in for the night later that evening and only softly smiled to herself when she realized that Nabiki was there as well.  A knowing smile graced her face when she realized that neither youth was wearing anything as she adjusted the covers over them before leaving the room and firmly locking the door behind her.

 

Genma still ranted about how Ranma ‘had’ to marry Akane to unite the schools and as far as she was concerned, this was none of his business.  Nodoka had seen the changes that had gradually occurred in her child just from being in the non-demanding and helpful presence that Nabiki had provided.  The social growth alone was amazing from her perspective. 

 

A few hours later and Ranma began to moan softly as if in pain.  Nabiki roused long enough to realize what was wrong before she sleepily reached over Ranma to the glass of water conveniently placed on the night stand.  She poured just enough water to trigger his change.  Ranma immediately quieted.  Nabiki sighed and drew the smaller girl into a gentle embrace before falling asleep again.

 

* * * * *

 

Tatewaki and Kodachi were on a hunt for their beloveds and a mortal enemy.  That one person filled all four positions was something that could only happen to Ranma.  The Kuno pair kept a watchful eye on the other aware that their sibling would be trying to destroy ‘their’ beloved and assisting ‘their’ mortal enemy.

 

As chaos would have it, they found a youma instead.  This youma had made its way away from the youma killing grounds known as Juuban and was finally ready to wreak havoc among the helpless peoples of Nerima.

 

Tatewaki stared as the statue of his lunatic of a father began to move.  Kodachi was not so restrained; she turned to the side and heaved.  The sight of a ten foot stone-flesh replica of her father, dressed in all his Hawaiian glory including that ridiculous little tree; gyrating in a grotesque parody of a hula dance was more than even her stomach could handle.

 

The youma chuckled malevolently, ‘Yes, havoc was being wreaked,’ he thought to himself.  He began to strum the ukulele and ‘sing’ as he cavorted.

 

People screamed, fled, puked and a few even began pounding their heads in the walls, as they pleaded, “Please make it stop.”  The traffic accidents began to mount up as the now ‘living’ statue shared its ‘joy’ for all things Hawaiian.

 

The youma kept dancing until finally the Kuno siblings could take it no more and attacked.  The battle was desperate, both almost lost it when the youma mooned them, but in the end they finally prevailed and forced the youma into the pond where Mr. Green Turtle lived. 

 

The poor creature had a bad stomach ache for several days and passed extremely noxious gasses for a month.  That first week the massive alligator floated like an inflated inner tube, barely able to move and unable to dive.

 

The Kuno siblings were treated as heroes by those unfortunate to have witnessed the event.  The whole episode was very odd and shocked both Kunos almost sane.

 

* * * * *

 

Happosai was back from his trip and was hunting Ranma.  He’d heard that the not so petite redhead was now living in the Saotome home in Juuban; the old pervert stuck pay dirt almost immediately. It wasn’t Ranma but those short skirts and their magnificent . . . auras . . . more than made up for that.

 

Akane was on her way to visit Ranma when she heard the shrieks and deduced the problem immediately upon hearing Happosai’s battle cries [‘hotcha, sweeto’ etc.].  She skidded to a stop and broke out into a grin when she recognized that it was the Sailor Scouts he was molesting – all nine of them at that.

 

Happosai had found Uranus and Neptune in the midst of an old industrial complex that was due to be demolished because of damage from earlier youma attacks.  They were experimenting with combining their attacks when Uranus had frozen in disbelief as she stared at the ‘male’ on her chest doing what no male had ever done before; fondle her.  It had escalated from there eventually drawing in all the other senshi. 

 

Each of the others had been groped in turn, had their short shirts flipped, their derrière’s patted and their racks evaluated.  His comment of “Pitiful” upon reaching Moon had enflamed them further. 

 

Well, except for Mars who was giggling until the ‘dark-one’ had latched onto her and exclaimed “What! Still using training bras?”  That he was standing there in front of her publicly examining her Sailor Senshi bra was a death sentence as far as she was concerned.

 

Wowsa!” was his comment as he sprang away from Pluto, her bra in one hand and her panties in the other.  He barely dodged her ‘dead scream’.  He froze in shock momentarily as the blast hit the large building behind him and imploded it into pebbles and metal shards.  The fact that the senshi were also frozen in shock was the only thing that saved his hide for the moment.

 

Spying Akane off to the side leaning against a building as she watched her former heroines get taken down a peg or two; he made a beeline for her.  She lashed out in a quick combo of fists and feet but he gleefully parted her from her underwear while giving her a through massage as well.  He saw Moon glaring at him and he leered at her before darting toward her.

 

Sailor Moon shrieked and tried to blast him.  Unfortunately, Akane was caught in part of the magical attack.  Akane felt something rip from her being before blackness overcame her.  It felt as if a scab had been torn off a wound.

 

Happosai almost missed Sailor Moon’s incoming attack as he leaped to the side in a zigzag pattern for his next target having remembered his previous assessment of Moon.

 

A silence glaive surprise almost nailed him as he started toward Saturn for a return visit.  But he dodged it never noticing as a deep wide gouge silently appeared behind him and the remains of the two adjacent buildings toppled into the resulting massive hole.

 

Saturn snarled as her attack missed; she panicked as the pervert attached himself to her again and reflexively teleported back to her home castle taking him with her.

 

The remaining scouts stood there stunned a moment before assessing damages.  Before they could really become worried for the youngest senshi, she reappeared with them panting from exertion and stress – but without the pervert.

 

Mercury looked at the slightly smoking girl lying on the sidewalk and thoughtfully remarked, “That’s odd, Moon’s magical attacks aren’t supposed to hurt anybody that isn’t evil.”

 

Mars knelt beside Akane and placed a ward on her forehead.  Mar’s forehead furrowed in concentration as she studied the vague information she was deriving from the ward.  “I think it is as if someone placed a geas of anger on her.  It would be similar to possession and probably distorted her perception of reality as well.”

 

Sailor Moon nodded in understanding and motioned her friends away from the girl as she said, “It sounds like a healing spell would work then.”

 

Venus grabbed the other scouts and pulled them back saying, “Let’s not waste the spell.  It won’t make any difference if it hits more than just this girl and it might do us some good.”

 

The other scouts glanced at each other before nodding and ranging themselves behind Akane.  Sailor Moon wound up and; “Moon Healing Exhalation!” 

 

The revised spell had a softer golden color absent from the older version.  Removing the compulsion part from the spells Usagi used had taken her and Ami considerable time and effort using the Mercury computer and a reluctant wand before they had broken the code and rewritten the spell protocols.

 

Setsuna had picked up Akane’s fallen purse and determined her address.  She had studied a photo of her home for several long moments before finally pulling the ‘normal’ girl into a firewoman’s carry and opening a portal into the Tendou dojo.  She carefully laid the unconscious girl on one of the mats before departing.  Usagi had scheduled a ‘debriefing’ meeting at Rei’s home and had made it a point to tell Setsuna that she was expected there.

 

Usagi sat and watched as the other senshi interrogated Hotaru and Setsuna demanding an explanation of why their two attacks were now significantly more powerful.  She noticed that Hotaru ignored or shrugged off inquiries about where she disappeared to.  Quietly reaching a measured decision, she spoke just after Rei had once again demanded to know where Hotaru had vanished to.

 

“She went back to her home planet, probably to Castle Saturn,” quietly offered Usagi.  Both Setsuna and Hotaru quickly glanced toward her, concern on their faces.  The other senshi were startled silent for only a few moments and just as they started up again with their questions; Usagi asked a quiet question.  “I’m curious, how long did it take you, Setsuna and Hotaru, to break the Moon kingdom link and reestablish your unbound planetary link.  Were there any problems that the rest of the scouts need to know when it is their turn to do so as well?”

 

“Usagi?” whispered a concerned Rei; “Are you alright with this, are you sure that’s what happened?”

 

Usagi smiled, a smile belied by the few tears leaking from her eyes.  “I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it until Ami and I deciphered my magic codes.  The hidden compulsions in some of my ‘good’ spells convinced me that I needed friends, not servants.”  She started to sob and Rei immediately hugged her, “My spells as they used to be would have been perfect for a Queen, whether a benevolent monarch or a tyrant.”  She whispered, “Hitler would have loved them too.”

 

Setsuna sat next to Usagi and embraced her from the other side.  “It took me a week and a half to break the old bond.  I came back to check on you to make sure that what I had done didn’t harm you.”  She smiled into Usagi’s damp eyes, “If it had, I would have asked you to remake the link.  You were that important to me.  Once I realized that it was alright, I returned to Pluto and my castle there.  It took me three weeks to reinitialize my link with my planet.  It has been growing stronger ever since.” She smiled and added, “The reason you’ve seen so little of Hotaru and me is that we spend all the time that we can on Pluto and Saturn, I even sleep there now.”

 

Hotaru sat before Usagi, a few tears leaking down her face, “I . . . I wanted to know if what you said after we met the Amazons was true.  I went to Castle Saturn and . . . I . . . ended up breaking the bond when I was examining it.  I was stranded there afterwards since I no longer had my powers.  I came back as soon as my new link was made and I had enough power.”  She sniffled, “I’m sorry, if you want to put it back the way it was, then that’s ok with me.”

 

Usagi leaned into a hug with Hotaru, “But it’s NOT ok with me.  I want friends and allies, not servants.”  She sighed and asked, “I know that Setsuna has always had the ability to teleport so I know how she managed to get to Pluto, but how did you get to Saturn?”

 

Setsuna chuckled and offered, “I lost a lot of my powers as well when I broke the Kingdom bond, but since I had been a senshi so long, I also had a measure of my own residual powers as well.  Enough to allow me to open a portal back here.”  She glanced at Hotaru before continuing, “Hotaru was able to go to Saturn because she remembered it, am I right?”

 

Hotaru nodded, “Yes, I can teleport from anywhere back to my home castle.  From there I can go anywhere I want on Saturn, but I can only return here back to the place I left from.  I can’t teleport anywhere else though.”

 

Ami hummed a few moments in distraction before asking, “So why can’t the rest of us go to our castles?”

 

Surprisingly, it was Usagi that answered, “I think it’s like Hotaru said, you have to be able to remember your castle in order to work the magic to return to it.”  She paused and then clarified, “I want all of you to remake your planetary bonds the ‘right’ way.”

 

Setsuna nodded, “That brings us to a problem.  How do the other senshi get to their castles the first time?”  She grinned and asked, “Know anybody with a spaceship?”

 

“Wait! Wait a minute,” said Makato, “What about our ‘sailor teleport’ that the inner scouts can do?  Won’t that get us there?”

 

“Where?” asked Ami.  Seeing the confusion on the other’s faces she explained, “It’s alright to say ‘we will teleport to the royal castle on Mars’ but where is it?  What does it look like?  We really don’t have enough of a description of our destination for Usagi or anyone else to adequately visualize it.”  Seeing the confusion on Minako’s face she clarified, “In other words, it won’t work unless we accurately know where we want to go.”

 

Michiru asked, “Does the mercury computer have any images or descriptions that would help?”

 

Ami blinked a few times wondering why she hadn’t thought of that but then quickly began typing.  A frown appeared on her face and she shook her head and replied, “Maybe, I can’t tell though because all ‘castle’ information is marked classified and I can’t access it now.”  She sighed in frustration as she added, “I found a note that says information on each castle is accessible only from locations within those castles.”

 

“Wow,” muttered Rei sarcastically, “That helps a lot.”

 

“By the way Hotaru,” asked Haruka, “What happened to the old pervert?”

 

Hotaru got a wide grin as she explained, “He’s wandering the wilds of one of the floating continents of Saturn.”  She snickered, “There are no other people and the only things to eat are some plants that taste like liver and some small rodent like creatures that resemble skunks.”  She giggled, “I hope he is ‘enjoying’ his stay, NOT!”

 

 * * * * *

 

Ranma yawned as she gradually drifted in and out of consciousness occasionally giggling as the sensations from her body demanded an outlet.  She shivered as she realized that there was a naked girl behind her with her body firmly, very ‘firmly’ pressed to her back.  She froze as someone’s hand gently tweaked one of her nipples while another hand stroked her short curly hair in a very sensitive place.  Her body was almost paralyzed in terror but she managed to look over her shoulder; “Nabiki?”

 

Said girl languidly opened her eyes, smiled and gently leaned upward to kiss Ranma before she could react.  “Morning Ranma; how about we get some hot water and continue this?” she suggested with a leer.

 

Ranma dithered, unsure of how to respond.  Finally she asked, “Ca . . . can you stop that please?  I gotta go really bad.”

 

Nabiki slumped, her chin on Ranma’s shoulder.  She sighed and said, “That really isn’t all that romantic a response baka.”  Her smile took all the sting out of the words though as she released the other girl and gently shoved her toward the door as they rose together.  “Go, I’m certainly not going to clean it up if you have an accident.”

 

Ranma grabbed a robe and hurried, fumbling a few desperate moments with the locked door.  Nabiki sighed, and then walked naked out the door and across the hallway into her room at the Saotome home.  She grabbed her robe and wandered determinedly toward the bathroom after Ranma-chan.

 

As she walked into the bathroom, she heard Ranma mutter, “I think that is the first time I’ve ever been glad my girl side has a small bladder.”  Ranma blushed as Nabiki hung up her robe and glanced over at her as she did her business.

 

Nabiki only sighed and whispered as she started dancing from foot to foot.  “Come on, hurry up.  I have to go too.”

 

A bit later as Ranma was scrubbing up, she heard Nabiki enter.  Ranma hung her head really uncertain about ‘things’ at this point.  Nabiki quietly walked over to the furo, took the cover off and checked the temperature.  She was not surprised to discover that ‘mother’ Nodoka had already prepared it for morning use.  Nabiki drew a bucket of hot water from it and sat down on another stool before she proceeded to first scrub Ranma’s back using cold water and then herself using the bucket of hot water she had drawn.

 

Ranma was puzzled by this for a few moments before she recalled yesterday’s events.  She gestured to Nabiki to turn around and she then washed the older girl’s back using the hot water also.  Ranma glanced at Nabiki and then at the furo and back again.  Nabiki decided for her by taking her hand and pulling Ranma with her into the hot water.

 

As Nabiki’s hands began to wander, Ranma softly said, “Please don’t do that.  I need time Nabiki.  I don’t know what the right thing to do is.”

 

Nabiki hesitated then lapsed into a simple hug.  “Ranma, whatever you want is alright with me.  If it is only friends, then alright as long as you will let me be with you, please never send me from you.”  She sniffled and Ranma gently but hesitantly put one arm about her.  She continued, “Ranma, you need to know this though; I am yours.  A wife if you will let me, a mistress if you want;” she grinned and added with a faint trace of mirth, “or even a pet like P-chan if that is what you need to tell your troubles to.”

 

A smile twitched at the edges of his mouth before he added, “Or a really cute little cat-girl to tease sometimes too.”  He paused and asked, “What went wrong with the water in the cask Nabiki?”

 

Nabiki understood the partial question and answered it.  “I think that Kiima found out that the guide was going to send you that cask of water as a cure.  That would explain the letter from him, but I suspect that Kiima substituted some ‘weird demon cat’ spring water for the real cask.  I noticed that the metal Nanniichuan tag was made by the Phoenix folk and it covered the real name burned onto the cask.”

 

Ranma sighed, “Darn, I want to be mad but I find it hard to be.”

 

Nabiki wanted to lash out at this insensitive comment; ‘he was supposed to swear vengeance on Kiima wasn’t he for her sake?’  Instead she mastered her turbulent emotions and asked, “Ranma, I don’t understand.  Please explain.”

 

Ranma sighed again but with a lonely sadness that caused Nabiki to pull him into a tighter hug.  Ranma didn’t notice.  He softly began to explain the adventure that had happened almost a year ago.  This time he explained the details that had been glossed over in earlier explanations.  This time he explained about the bitter battle that resulted in killing Saffron and how that impacted a whole people.

 

In the end Nabiki could only sigh and softly remark, “I don’t like it that I got cursed like this, but I’m glad it wasn’t you.  I can understand why you can’t get angry at Kiima and while I want to, all I can muster is a sense of sadness for the despair she must be feeling.”

 

Ranma hugged her, grateful that she understood.

 

 * * * * *

 

Ukyou had decided to move her shop to Juuban in imitation of the Cat Café.  Cologne had heard of her decision and offered her the use of part of the new and much larger Cat Café. 

 

She was suspicious until the elder had explained that Ranma was now Amazon Royalty and she wanted to do all she could to keep her happy and that meant helping Ukyou among other things.  The lonely girl agreed and added her menu to theirs.  It was a gold mine for them both, especially after several of the Amazons gained enough skill to help at the grille.

 

But best of all from her perspective, it allowed her to spend more time with her Ranchan.  She was surprised that Nabiki seemed closer to Ranma than ever, yet did not get jealous of time Ukyou spent with Ranma.  Nabiki trusted Ranma completely.

 

The more she watched Nabiki with Ranma, the more worried she became until she finally realized that a choice had been made and it wasn’t her.  Not even the fact that Nabiki was now apparently cursed made any difference to the pigtailed youth.

 

Shampoo was the one to find and comfort her tears when she finally broke down in misery.  Shampoo understood and that helped the lonely girl.  From that day forward, Shampoo called her ‘sister’ and meant it.

 

 * * * * *

 

Ranma slowly worked out in the new dojo that the three former youma had built out of the ruins of the old stables.  It was a large and rather beautiful building, Ranma was grateful for their gift.

 

As she slowly worked out, watched by Nabiki and Shampoo, the three youma hesitantly entered one end of the building and sat, waiting to be noticed.

 

Shampoo only glanced at them but did nothing else.  Ranma trusted them so she did too.  That was it as far as she was concerned.

 

Nabiki walked over to them and sat on the centaur’s back and idly talked with the three.  She had made an effort to befriend them as part of her normal information gathering style.  It was at her suggestion that the three were there that afternoon.

 

Ranma grabbed a towel and plopped herself before the trio as she waited for them to explain what they wanted.

 

“Mistress,” began Demona, their usual spokesperson.  “May we go out into the world and find others like us?”

 

“More youma?” asked Shampoo as she hefted one of her new bonbori experimentally.

 

“No guardian,” replied the centaur, “no more youma.  I think we were the last.”

 

“We were not always youma,” explained Demona.  “Our distant ancestors were magical folk.  Beryl captured them and transformed them into youma, from them were we spawned long ago.”  She sighed hoarsely, “But now that Mistress has restored us, we can sense our ‘cousins’ far off.  If Mistress will permit, we three would go to them and see if they will help Mistress.”

 

Ranma pensively studied them but came to a decision when he noticed Nabiki nodding in affirmation to her.  “Alright, it seems that Nabiki is for it and that’s good enough for me.  Go and see what you can do but make no promises in my name.”

 

The three nodded in agreement and silently left, merging into the shadows.

 

 * * * * *

 

Haruka and Michiru sat on the roof of a building that overlooked the Amazon temple as the locals now called it.  The deep aqua mirror was open and being used by Michiru while Haruka was using a pair of expensive field glasses to study a certain redhead sparring in the yard below them in the distance.  Occasionally she would compare what she was seeing to the images in the mirror.  Michiru also used the field glasses at times.

 

Finally Haruka sighed and concluded, “I don’t think that there is any doubt.  That is a classmate of the inners named Ranma and she is the Terran Senshi.”

 

Michiru nodded and added, “Yes, and I think that Usagi knows it which is why she forbid all of us from going there.”

 

“So what do we do?” asked the short haired blond.

 

“We do what we should have done all along,” Michiru answered, “we obey.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that,” said a soft but steely voice behind them.

 

The two outer scouts almost jumped off the building before turning to see who was behind them.  They gulped when they saw all five transformed inner scouts ranged behind them with Sailor Moon in the center.  Michiru noticed that Minako was awkwardly carrying a large bag with its strap looped over one shoulder.  She understood its purpose when she saw Artemis briefly peek out at her before a black paw pushed his head back down.

 

Usagi de-transformed and moved close to the other couple.  “I really am glad to hear that you’ve decided to be part of the team.  Thank you.”

 

She smiled widely at their obvious expressions of relief.  “You’ve been watching Ranma for awhile; do you have any suggestions about meeting her or anything?”

 

“Only one,” replied Haruka, “we really, really could use some training from them.  All of the Amazons are skilled martial artists, but Ranma completely outclasses them all and I don’t think it’s due to her becoming the earth senshi either.”

 

Usagi transformed again before pulling the two outers with her into the middle of a circle formed by the inner scouts.  They barely had time to blink as Usagi cried out “Sailor Transport!” and the world momentarily turned inside out.

 

Usagi curiously looked about her, noticing the changes since the last time she had been here almost three months ago.  The ruins of the stables had been completely rebuilt into a large dojo with the monster of a cherry tree in the middle of a small garden to one side.

 

She de-transformed and then raised an eyebrow at the other scouts until they followed suit.  Raising her communicator she said, “Setsuna? Please bring Hotaru to my location.”

 

“On our way,” was the reply and shortly thereafter, all nine scouts were casually sitting in the shade of the cherry tree calmly talking together and waiting for their hosts.

 

Ranma studied the nine females curiously.  She had become aware of their presence almost as soon as they had magically appeared near her training hall.  She walked toward them from the open lawn where she had been sparring with several of the Amazons.  The Amazons had reluctantly obeyed her hand signal to back off but they remained in defensive positions that could immediately change to offense if need be.

 

Usagi smiled as she saw Ranma approaching; she waved but remained seated as she didn’t want the other scouts to stand with her.  “Hello Ranma, I wanted to introduce the other Sailor Scouts to you.”  When Ranma cocked her head in interest, she rose and gestured to the other girls as they rose and named them and their position in turn.  She did not name Ranma to them as she had informed them of her identity before telling them that they were going to meet with her.

 

“Hello, I’m Ranma, the earth princess,” she sighed in resignation as she repeated her unwanted title. ‘Damn it,’ she thought, ‘why couldn’t I have been the earth prince instead?’

 

“Not a senshi?” asked Ami in confusion.

 

Ranma shrugged, “Maybe in the future, maybe not.”  She shuddered and added, “I really hope not though, I mean, those short skirts and the bows and jewelry; there is no way I wanta be ever caught wearing something like that.”

 

“Tomboy!” sniggered Makato.  She only grinned at the baleful glare from the redhead.  The two had actually become casual friends over the past half year they had been attending school together.  Their mutual interest in martial arts had been the start of that.

 

Nabiki slowly walked into view from inside the dojo where she had been studying when the senshi had arrived.  She had snapped a few photos but had realized that they were only for her scrapbook and nowhere else.

 

The Scouts had frozen when Nabiki had wandered into sight as they realized she had probably overheard the introductions; several of them looked on in confusion as she leaned in and quickly kissed Ranma’s cheek.  Nabiki smiled and said, “I swear on the honor of my clan and my mother’s grave, never to reveal anything about you or do you harm as long as you are friends of Ranma and not her foes.”  Understood but not stated was the implied threat of what she would do if they became foes – anything and everything.

 

The scouts relaxed only after Ranma affirmed, “Nabiki’s word is her bond.  She will actively protect you as well because of your potential link to me in our duties.”  Ranma smiled widely at the taller girl before adding, “Trust me, having her on your side makes a big difference.”

 

Nabiki blushed deeply at the compliment.  She had wrapped an arm about Ranma before resting her chin on top of the other girl’s head.  “Thanks Ranma, hearing you say that makes it all worthwhile.”

 

Ranma nervously grinned up at Nabiki before moving away to sit with her back to the tree her arms resting on top of her upright and spread knees as she sat in distinctly masculine manner.  Nabiki chuckled quietly before sitting next to her.  The scouts ranged themselves in a loose arc in front of her; their two cats seated next to each other beside Usagi.  The scouts were surprised when Cologne arrived a few moments later and sat next to Ranma.  She was followed shortly by several Amazon maidens who set an assortment of treats and beverages in the middle of the circle before retreating beyond the meeting. 

 

All except one; Shampoo took a stance behind Ranma only to scowl and take a seat next to Nabiki in response to her elder’s rapid hand signals in Amazon battle sign.  Shampoo began to rub her head as the diffuse but chaotic aura of mingled magics in the meeting area kept bringing her eyes back to the two cats with the strange marking on their foreheads.  She remembered them both with distaste.  She wondered why she felt so weird in their presence though.

 

Usagi started the impromptu meeting, “Ranma, I am . . .” She explained who she was, now and in the past and then glancing over toward Setsuna before helping herself to the refreshments.

 

Setsuna accepted the cue and also explained her past and present mission in much greater detail than any had heard before.

 

And so it went around the circle, Usagi ordered both cats to participate as well to the surprise of the others present.  When the visitors had finished, Ranma began for her side.

 

Ranma went into considerable detail, even to demonstrating his curse and giving a brief recap of his life.  Cologne took the lead from Ranma’s example and divulged a lot of Amazon history and myth related to her tribe’s duty to Ranma.

 

Nabiki’s comments were almost as brief as Shampoo’s.  Shampoo declared herself as Amazon guardian and shield-maiden for Ranma while Nabiki simply said she was bound by giri to Ranma and loved him with all her heart.  After seeing his gorgeous male form, the senshi could only envy her.  Neither girl divulged her curse deeming it no one else’s business.

 

From that meeting rose an organization devoted to reversing or minimizing the ongoing attacks against the earth’s biosphere.  Matured by the shock of Ranma’s assessment of her past and goals that had been underscored by the revelations of the deliberate flaws in her magic, Usagi had put Crystal Tokyo second to this task.  She and Mamoru had broken up because of her decision.  Unlike previous times, she had only shrugged and walked away.  Usagi had refused his efforts to apologize since then.  She had accepted the fact that she might not ever see ‘the spore’ again, but she was sure that the girl existed nonetheless some-when and that was marginally alright.

 

One immediate outcome of this joining of efforts occurred when Ami demonstrated and explained the weather model she had developed.  Ranma and Gaea tried fine tuning their efforts now on a weekly basis based on Ami’s model dynamics.  Needless to say, the results drove the meteorologists of the world nearly mad.  Of course there were a few flaws in the model that had to get worked out at first, one such resulted in most of the Sahara Desert being washed into the Mediterranean Ocean in a disastrous serious of massive floods.  While it did reveal an amazing number of ancient ruins that had been hidden beneath the deep sands and form several large lakes, it also created a massive delta that silted up almost half the small nearly land locked ocean.

 

Nabiki suggested that a search be made for the ‘powers-that-be’ that were behind this attack.  Ami was overridden when she volunteered to do it, the elders were convinced that it was not an attack launched from the physical realm and having the search led from that aspect would potentially cause them to miss discovering the true source of their ills.

 

The monks and elders decided to spearhead that search but quickly consulted with each senshi in turn to see what magical discernments skills each had and what if anything they detected or even intuited.

 

The preliminary results were confusing, some said it was being instigated by something reminiscent of the Negaverse, yet other data suggested a magical attack.  Both obscured the other and made them difficult to detect.

 

 * * * * *

 

Bits and pieces of various conversations that Akane had overheard had pieced themselves into a very weird dream that she had started having ever since her last encounter with the sailor scouts.  Worse yet it was reoccurring often enough to make Akane wonder if she was the pervert she had always accused Ranma of being.

 

It wasn’t always the same dream yet it was.  The circumstances were different but the spirit or underlying thrust of the dreams was unchanged she realized.  She thought about this last one for a moment. 

 

It started off so innocently too she recalled.  First there was a knight in shinning armor who rode into sight.  She recalled how thrilled her watching secret self had been at first.  Then she’d realized the knight was herself.  No make that HIMself.  Yuk.  He’d ridden up to a cave where Ranma-chan was chained to the wall next to the cave entrance.  Before he could release her, a multi-headed dragon that reminded her somewhat of the eight headed Orochi that they’d defeated; had come storming from the cave.  It had only three heads but that was bad enough as the heads looked a lot like Shampoo, Ukyou and Nabiki. ‘Somehow’ HE had defeated it and then freed Ranma-chan who had promptly swooned (like any proper maiden) and then they had ridden away into the sunset to a happy-ever-after that had left her panting with emotion when she suddenly awakened once again before getting to the ‘good stuff’.  Akane suddenly frowned as she recalled that in the dream she was a he and that would make the good stuff . . . eww.  No, don’t think about it she told herself.

 

When she came downstairs she paused as she heard her father and Genma whispering about taking a trip to china.  Her father was reluctant to leave she quickly gathered. 

 

She thought about it for a long moment before she had a sudden epiphany; ‘this was what those dreams were about!  If she went to china and got Ranma’s cure then she would have rescued him from his girl side and he would then . . . oh my!’  Akane confronted the two fathers and asked, “Can I go with you?”

 

Genma grinned and suggested, “Sure, why not girl.  After all you’ll have me and your father to protect you.”  Soun dithered before he sagged and agreed to go.

 

Akane smiled brightly, “This will be so much fun.  It’s been forever since I’ve gone on a training trip.  I know! I’ll take care of all the cooking for us,” she decided.

 

Genma traded equally terrified glances with Soun.  “Ah, no need for that . . .” He gulped as he saw the frown forming on the girl’s face, a prelude to anger he knew; he desperately suggested, “You’ll be too busy training with us to cook.  Either I or your father will be training you while the other master will take care of camp chores such as cooking.”

 

Both fathers smiled in relief as her brilliant smile appeared though Soun whispered, “Us cook?  And I don’t want my little girl to get hurt!”

 

“It’s either that or she cooks for us,” whispered Genma back.

 

Soun shuddered, ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’ he thought before reluctantly nodding his acceptance.

 

Akane decided that she would ‘inspire’ the two to keep their word, “Alright, but I’m going to cook every chance that I get when we aren’t sparring.”  Both fathers’ groaned.

 

 * * * * *

 

The sparring between the untransformed scouts and Amazons was going rather well in Ranma and the elders’ opinions.  Each scout had one or more Amazon maidens who were dedicating themselves to ensuring that they became proficient warriors.  The scouts were already regretting their decision to ask for training; especially that first weekend when a maiden had appeared at the break of dawn at each girl’s house and taken them on a short involuntary training trip in their PJ’s.  The trips had lasted till evening the following day.  The girls had all skipped classes the next morning, barely wakening before noon that particular Monday.

 

The bevy of girls, [scouts, Amazons & others] were sitting beneath the cherry tree enjoying a bountiful lunch one spring afternoon when a quick breeze blew in bringing with it a brief shower.  All the girls had shrieked in surprise at first but then the scouts had frozen when they saw Shampoo shrink down into her cursed form.

 

Ranma had hesitated as Shampoo changed.  Shampoo-neko angrily shook the excess water out of her fur and began cursing in Mandarin.  Her curses trailed off as she realized she was actually speaking instead of ‘meowing’.  Fearfully, she glanced up at her princess only to notice that Ranma-chan was staring rather intently at her instead of quivering with terror of her cat form. 

 

Ahh, Shamps; when did your cat form start talking like people and what’s with the blue circle on your forehead?” asked Ranma.

 

The Amazons were all familiar with Shampoo’s cursed form but were surprised when she began to speak.  Cologne quickly explained to the scouts about Shampoo’s curse but was at a loss at to why she now spoke.

 

Usagi gently picked up Shampoo and started to pet her.  The cursed girl began to purr despite herself.  It just felt ssoooo good.  Usagi cocked her head and said, “I wonder if her contact with Luna and Artemis did something to her?”

 

Cologne snapped her fingers in surprised frustration, “That must be it!  I remember now that when the scouts and Amazons first met and sparred, Luna defeated Shampoo using some form of magic from that mark on her forehead.  That is when it must have started.”

 

Shampoo thought about it for a moment before remarking, “Shampoo no mind, Is good that Shampoo can talk when in cursed form.”

 

“I wonder,” mused Ami, “do you suppose that she might have some of their powers as well?”

 

“Powers?” asked Shampoo and Cologne together.

 

Usagi hesitated and then said, “We can’t tell you anymore about that.  It’s something that we really should leave up to the two moon cats to deal with.”

 

“Ok, Shampoo go with senshi and talk to other fur-balls.”

 

Minako grinned, and thought ‘I wonder how she knew that was what I called Artemis?’

 

The moon cats were shocked at the changes to Shampoo.  They of course knew about her curse all along having seen it that first encounter but had chosen not to mention it to the scouts as a trivial detail; an oversight that had resulted in being yelled at by Usagi and Minako.

 

After a careful examination of Shampoo’s astral image, Luna and Artemis had agreed to teach Shampoo what they could to the extent she could learn it.

 

 * * * * *

 

The training had gone surprisingly well on their journey to Jusenkyo.  Even Soun had finally gotten into it and taught her several advanced Tendou school techniques.  She had made remarkable progress especially now that she somehow was able to focus without losing her temper so readily.  She couldn’t explain it but she hadn’t felt so in control of herself since her mother had died.  On the other hand, Akane shuddered as she again regretted her decision to go to china. 

 

This was an opinion adamantly shared by both fathers.  Genma had learned that entering another pool in his cursed form caused the two curses to mix.  He had found the spring of drowned man, but his cursed form was no longer cute.  Now he looked like some sort of were-panda and mobs complete with torches and pitchforks seemed to form within moments of his cursed form being sighted.

 

Soun and Akane had both stood well back from the springs while Genma had gone forward to be cured and fill a cask for a cure for his son.  They had dismissed the light misty rain that had started falling as the stocky man had approached the springs.  Genma had shrugged it off, declaring [via a sign] that this was the last time they would see that form.  He wished he had been wrong; he really wanted his beach ball at times now. 

 

As Genma had emerged from the spring in all his awful glory, an earthquake, a strangely localized earthquake had knocked the two Tendous into different springs. 

 

Soun had fallen into the spring of ‘fat-old-woman’; at least ‘her’ wails seemed somewhat in character now.

 

Akane thought about her cursed form again as she glanced up at the clouds anxiously checking for evidence of rain; it revolted her to say the least.  She also scanned the horizon hoping that Taro hadn’t found their trail again.

 

Seems that ole Pantyhose had belatedly discovered that he could change his name by marriage in Japan.  After seeing Akane’s cursed form the monster boy had decided it was a match made in heaven; Tendou Taro had a nice alliterative ring to it he thought. 

 

Akane was sure that sulfur and brimstone was involved instead of ambrosia.  She had fallen into the same spring that Taro had been baptized with and since it turned out not to be a gender specific spring, she was now a female version of his monster shape except for the tentacles that he had added later.  The thought of their cursed forms together sent shivers of terror down her spine.  The idea of the two of them together made her shudder as she thought that Pantyhose was everything that she had ever accused Ranma of being.  She wondered if this was sort of karmic revenge.

 

The guide had been surprised that she had remained female and had quickly changed the sign for the spring by replacing the word ‘bull’ with the gender neutral term ‘bovine’.  Akane had problems with that too.  There was no way she was going to describe her cursed form as Yeti-riding-a-COW etc.  She thought about that and decided that the term ‘exotic flying centaur’ would work just as well or would ‘winged, four-legged minotaur’ be more accurate?  As for the tail, well she really, really wanted to forget about it. ‘Who knows where the perverted thing would end up going,’ she thought to herself.

 

Genma carried four casks of Nanniichuan as future cure for Ranma, Soun and himself and as a bargaining chip for either Ryouga or Mousse, but the guide had cautioned him that using the spring water before a year had passed would only cause further problems instead of curing them.  The guide had provided Akane with a cask of Nyanniichuan for her eventual use, assuming Taro didn’t find her first.

 

 * * * * *

 

Kasumi sat on the edge of the porch in a pair of shorts and idly watched the clouds as she lazily nibbled on some chocolates.   She frowned slightly as a massive shadow blocked the sunlight.  She sighed and said, “Hello Taro.  Ranma doesn’t live here anymore and Happosai is gone too.”  Up until that moment she had really been enjoying her month long vacation.

 

“Moo?”

 

“Wait there a few moments and I’ll bring you some hot water,” offered Kasumi.  She filled a kettle from the sink taps and handed it to the monstrous young man.  He carefully took the kettle between his thumb and a massive finger and poured it between his horns.

 

“Thank you,” he said after quickly dressing with the spare clothes he had learned to carry in fold space.  This was soon to be his sister-in-law so he decided that being polite was the way to go, besides, this was Kasumi and it was difficult to be otherwise in any case.

 

Taro decided to break the ice about him and Akane slowly so he asked another question first; “What was it you were saying about fem-boy and the old pervert?”

 

Instead of answering directly, Kasumi asked, “Have you ever been to Juuban?”

 

Taro nodded, “Only a couple of times.  The sailor scouts live there and it’s shoot first and don’t bother me with questions whenever they see my cursed form.”

 

Kasumi nodded and explained, “Ranma lives with his mother over in Juuban ward now.  The sailor scouts are his friends.”  She stopped at that point but Taro understood.

 

“So if I go after fem-boy,” he said, “the scouts will make hamburger of me.”  He paused and then asked, “Happosai?”

 

A wide grin split her face, “Sailor Saturn took care of him.  He groped her and she marooned him on an empty floating island on Saturn.  Nabiki explained that he is the only person living on the whole planet and the only things to eat either taste like liver or smell like skunk.”

 

“No gals and no panties?” chuckled Taro.  When Kasumi nodded in affirmation, he began roaring with laughter.  It was a long time before he got himself under control.  He finally muttered, “For this, I forgive the senshi for everything they’ve ever done to me.”

 

They sat in an oddly companionable silence before Kasumi asked, “Taro-san, why are you here then?”

 

Taro twiddled his fingers for a few moments before he said, “I want to marry Akane and become Tendou Taro.”

 

Kasumi sighed and then asked, “Does she have any say in this or are you going to be like all the rest that have come to claim her and have used methods more akin to a rapist than a suitor?”

 

Taro blanched before he softly said, “My mother was raped, that is how I came to be.  I would never do such.”

 

Kasumi looked with sympathy at the angry young man before softly saying, “In some ways you and Akane are alike, both filled with anger at what happened to your mothers, lashing out at those who oppose you irrespective of whether you are in the right or not.”

 

Taro held his peace, it was hard but he sat there in silence.

 

“Taro-san,” Kasumi hesitantly asked, “is it only to change your name that you seek Akane or is this part of your feud with Ranma?”  She paused and then added, “Know this, Akane and Ranma are sundered apart and Nabiki has captured Ranma’s heart instead.”

 

Taro chuckled, “The two deserve each other.”

 

“Yes,” was Kasumi’s quiet response, “they do.  Both are honorable and their passions run deep.  Each fills a void in the other and when they stand back to back, they are a force few can overcome.  The Amazon’s have abandoned their pursuit of Ranma as has Ukyou.  Nabiki no longer even lives here now but dwells with Ranma even going so far as sharing his bed.”

 

“Wow,” grinned Taro, “I never would have guessed at that.”

 

Kasumi studied Taro before finally asking, “Taro, would you like the secret to Akane’s heart?”  Seeing him uncertainly nod she continued, “Treat her first as a fellow martial artist, never belittle her in anything but assist her in gaining more skills.  Second, treat her as a worthwhile person NOT as a valuable possession.  And lastly, never forget she is a woman and thus a paradox.  She is strong yet weak at the same time; forgiving to those she cares for yet vengeful to those who threaten those she cherishes.  You will have to woo her to convince her to spend the rest of her life thinking of you, bearing your children and raising them.  Attempt to claim her and she will resist you till the devil buys a pair of ice skates.”

 

He doubtfully nodded before he commented with a wistful note in his voice, “It’s just that I thought her new cursed form made us a perfect pair.”

 

“CURSED form!” shrieked Kasumi.

 

“Yes,” sighed Taro, “She has the female version of my curse, so I . . .” He sighed again before noticing that Kasumi had fainted.  “Was it something I said?” he asked warily.

 

A bit later Kasumi woke up, glanced at Taro and then decided she didn’t want to know anymore just yet.  “Taro,” she began, “you can stay in Nabiki’s old room since it has been cleaned out.  It’s right next to Akane’s but don’t take advantage of that please.”

 

Taro nodded.  He rose and bowed to Kasumi with surprising grace, “Thank you Kasumi-dono,” he said before following her up the stairs.

 

 * * * * *

 

Ranma and Nabiki sat together on the roof of his [temple] dojo and watched as Shampoo trained with Luna and Artemis.  They watched in wonder as all three cats slowly morphed into human form.  It seemed that Shampoo had found a sort of cure.  After initially learning that her new form also possessed some limited magic skills as well, she had announced to Cologne her decision to retain her curse.  This latest accomplishment validated her decision apparently.

 

A sudden brief misting changed Ranma and Nabiki to their cursed forms.  It was rare now days for Ranma to not get rained or misted on if ‘he’ was outside.  Frequently Nabiki got caught by it also.  Ranma sighed, adjusted her clothing and picked up Nabiki and began to pet her.

 

For the moment, Nabiki was content to simply be petted and a soft purr echoed.  Ranma hesitated for only a moment before continuing.

 

Eventually, Nabiki also morphed into her diminutive little cat-girl shape.  With practice, she had managed to master speech.  “Ranma, I wonder if my form has any other abilities?

 

“Don’t know of any way to find out,” Ranma obliquely answered.

 

“How about yourself?” the child like girl asked.

 

Ranma shrugged, “I’m not sure.  I’m a little worried though.  Somehow I’ve reached a plateau in my link with Gaea.  I remember that I can get more mastery of that power but somehow Gaea is not letting the link form in the same way again.  I’ve tried mediation but all I get is some weird image of puzzle parts coming together.  I ain’t even got no idea of what the pieces are let alone what to do with them.”

 

Nabiki idly scratched behind one of her large ears before suggesting, “Let’s go talk with Usagi and Ami and the elders; someone there might have an idea.”

 

After Ranma stood, Nabiki reached out her small arms and Ranma gently picked her up, even surprising her with a brief kiss on the cheek before she jumped to the ground carrying Nabiki.  From there they sought out Ami and Usagi and asked them to come with her for a consultation.  Both scouts were eager to oblige if it meant an end to sparring.

 

The three Amazon elders and three temple monks readily agreed to listen to Ranma.  She explained how she felt Gaea wanted something different than what she’d developed in her first life but didn’t know what it was or how to do it.

 

After hours of brainstorming, Ami summed it up this way:  “Ranma, I think that Gaea wants you to incorporate your experiences in this life and the important bits and pieces you remember from your other lives to make a stronger link than you had in your first life.”

 

Ranma nodded and said, “Yeah that does sound about right.  Got any idea on how?”

 

The others mutely shook their heads denying the knowledge.

 

Nabiki had moved out of the Tendou home completely the day after being cursed.  She had managed to keep the curse hidden from her family and they all believed she was still ‘just friends’ with Ranma or so she thought.  But she now routinely slept in Ranma’s bed though the redhead did insist on PJ’s for both of them and had refused to even talk about going to bed as a guy those first few weeks.

 

Nabiki awakened a few days later after the brainstorming meeting just before dawn as Ranma stealthily slipped out of bed.  Eyes narrowed, she watched as Ranma dressed and pulled a small pack out of the closet.  A pack that Ranma must have previously packed she surmised.

 

Just as Ranma reached for the doorknob, Nabiki softly asked, “And just where do you think you are going?  Not without me I hope!”

 

Ranma’s thin shoulders sagged as she replied, “Please Nabiki, let it go.  I got an idea, but it might be dangerous and I don’t want nobody else hurt, especially you.”

 

Nabiki’s chest almost hurt with the warm emotion that the ‘especially you’ part caused.  ‘He really did care for her, just like he once cared for Akane.’  She softly replied as she quickly dressed, “Ranma, all I’ve ever asked of you is to not be left behind.  I know I can’t operate on your level, but please let me watch over you as best I can.”

 

Ranma studied her face.  She saw the glimmering of tears and realized that they were real.  This was important to the other girl.  She gave a short nod and the two quietly left the house together.

 

An hour later they were sitting side by side under an old tree next to a small but deep lake nestled among steeply rising hills.  As Ranma meditated, Nabiki watched the sun slowly rise.  She looked about herself in wonder, amazed that Japan still had such places of primitive beauty remaining.

 

In her mind, Ranma had just met Ranko again.  It was their first meeting in almost a year.  When Ranma had asked her what to do, she had only sadly smiled and then seemed to shatter like a piece of glass.  The pieces had then turned to gossamer and floated out of his reach every time he grabbed for one.

 

Ranma finally sat down in the dreamscape and began to meditate again.  This time he felt himself become insubstantial.  But each time a chink appeared in who he was, a thread of gossamer floated over and filled in the hole.  He was amazed as the strengths he had developed in this life became stronger and merged with talents of previous lives.  He was grateful that weakness he perceived in himself were shored up and repaired in a similar manner.  He watched amazed as the neko-ken morphed from a child’s remembered terror into an accessible skill through the courage of previous warrior lives.

 

Finally, there was only the hole that he somehow perceived as ‘destiny & duty’ remaining.  As he pulled ‘his honor’ toward himself and that hole; he turned it into ‘his choice’ and he felt the power of Gaea, past and present both, upwelling in grateful acknowledgement and filling his whole being.  The power seemed to fill him to overwhelming, erasing the seams between the strands of his present and past life, his hurts and triumphs, skills and failures.

 

As Ranma integrated all of her potential, a visible manifestation occurred as for the first time ever, Sailor Terra appeared when Ranma-chan used her considerable learned skills to link her dual heritages from the Earth dynasty and the Moon kingdom into the power bestowed on her by Gaea.

 

Ranma spun in a whirlwind as she was re-clothed in her own version of senshi garb.  It was an almost standard sky blue fuku, the stylishly ragged earthen brown and green leaf patterned skirt was offset by built-in dark blue mid-thigh biker shorts.  The edges were trimmed with golden-yellow and green with a short yellow ribbon in the back; none in the front.  Instead of tall boots with heels, she had short dark blue socks in a pair of slippers covered with tiny feathers of every color imaginable.  Her only jewelry was a golden tiara and the short fingerless gloves were yellow.

 

Nabiki screamed in agony as she was caught in the power backlash as a brightly glowing Ranma-chan floated upward over her on an incredible column of planetary power mostly composed of dynamic chi heavily laced with life magic, chaotic life magic.  Tendrils of earth power strong enough to blow a volcano apart coruscated across Nabiki’s body and up her limbs knocking her into the small lake behind them.  The water was quiet only a moment before it began to froth in streaming geysers as a very massive glowing crystalline form emerged to hover a dozen meters over the surface.  The solid column of power enveloped Ranma and lapped over Nabiki for what seemed to them to be forever but actually lasted less than an hour.

 

Ranma regained her senses high in the air.  Surprised that she wasn’t falling she hesitantly moved a limb only to zip in that direction.  Quickly regaining her balance, she soon figured out that her new slippers enabled her to fly.  She was about to test them out when she remembered Nabiki.

 

‘Damn it, not again!’ moaned Nabiki to herself as she once again began to take stock of her newly modified form as the remembered pain finally subsided.  ‘I’m a spaceship!’ she realized in shock as heretofore unknown sensors came on line and provided her with a wealth of information that she could barely understand let alone interpret.

 

“Oh my,” she softly exclaimed as a rather startling piece of information caught her attention.  “How in the world can I be both a spaceship and pregnant?” she wondered.  Well, the pregnant part she had an idea about since she had managed to seduce Ranma a month ago shortly after Genma had vanished.  He had started reserving most of his limited male hours for early bedtimes since then; but still, a pregnant spaceship?

 

‘Damn, damn damn!’ she swore under her breath.  ‘What will my changing do to our baby?’ she wondered.  This was now the fourth shape she’d assumed since becoming pregnant she realized.  She studied the embryo and abruptly realized that it was now a baby spaceship.  She figuratively shook her head as she concluded that ‘as she changed form, so did the baby as well.’

 

“Nabiki?”

 

Nabiki turned her sensors outward and found Ranma standing before her, literally hovering in midair like she was. “Yes, love?”

 

“What happened to you?  Are you alright?” asked a worried senshi of Terra.

 

Nabiki lightly laughed belying her own uncertainties; “Yes, love, WE are both fine.”  Nabiki studied Ranma, finding it difficult to see her with normal vision but her advanced sensors easily piercing her disguise field.  “Looking sharp there Ranma,” she added in admiration.

 

“We? Both? What do you mean,” asked Ranma nervously.

 

“I’m pregnant Ranma,” answered the spaceship; interested in how her lover would take this.

 

‘Thump’; from a dozen meters in the air.

 

Humm, she actually took that pretty well,” she said as she looked at her lover twitching on the ground.  Nabiki then thought a few moments before muttering, “How the heck do I change now?”  It was as if vocalizing the question called the answer as steams of data flashed across her mind. “Oh,” she paused and then said, “I wonder if . . .” Her form blurred and suddenly Nabiki was standing there in all her natural glory.

 

She absently rubbed a hand across her flat tummy in a gentle gesture as she walked over to Ranma.  She sat down and placed Ranma’s head in her lap and began to stroke her hair while she waited.

 

Ranma’s eyes fluttered open, they widened in anxiety when she noticed Nabiki’s bare breasts just above her.  She quickly turned her face to the side only to realize that that was probably not a good thing to do as recently familiar short curly brown hair tickled her nose.  Eeep,” squeaked Ranma as she all but teleported to the side, several meters from Nabiki.

 

Ranma paused as she noticed the beginnings of sadness come over Nabiki.  She quietly de-transformed, took her shirt off and gave it to the older girl.  “Here Nabs,” she said before she leaned in and gently kissed the other girl.  “You sure?” she asked.

 

Nabiki nodded, “Yes.”

 

“I’m glad you know,” responded Ranma as she pulled the larger girl into a hug.  “I sort of wish we had put it off a few more years or maybe waited until after we were married but I’m still glad anyway.”

 

Nabiki’s composure broke completely as her mask of ice shattered from the repeated shocks.  Ranma didn’t understand completely but just held the weeping girl and gently rocked her as the storm of her emotions raged and finally passed.

 

“Ranma,” she finally began hesitantly, “About what you said, I don’t want you to feel that you HAVE to marry me . . .”

 

She got no further as Ranma placed a finger across her lips, “I WANT to marry you Nabiki.  You gave me the choice and you’ve also decided to give me a child anyway.  It is my choice to marry you; not because of any sense that I have to but because I love you and want to marry you.”

 

Nabiki sniffled a few times before leaning into a warm hug, “Thank you, Ranma.  That was really sweet of you to say.”  She sighed and explained, “Ranma, remember a couple of days ago when we were talking about if I might have hidden powers?”  Seeing her nod, Nabiki continued, “It turns out that I do.  I can turn into a spaceship.”  She added, “That must be the reason the spring was labeled ‘demon’ I’m guessing.”

 

“Oh,” softly said Ranma, “well, it ain’t all that much weirder than what happens to me or Shampoo now I guess.  She found her pack and gave Nabiki the extra clothes Ranma had packed for herself; they didn’t fit all that well but they did maintain modesty.  They made their way back home, though Ranma insisted on carrying Nabiki much of the distance.  They made one stop where Ranma changed genders before arriving at the Saotome home.

 

Nabiki grinned mischievously, “Watch this Ranma,” she whispered.

 

Nabiki lead the way into the house.  When Nodoka saw them she smiled widely and greeted them.  Nabiki said nothing in return immediately but walked over to the older woman, put an arm around her, kissed her on the cheek and whispered, “Hello, grandmother.”  She then walked over to Ranma and waited for the reaction.

 

“YATTA!” Nodoka screamed and embraced the couple, questions rolling off her tongue too fast for either teen to understand.  Finally she wavered and fainted backwards with broad smile on her face.  Ranma caught her and laid her down gently on the couch. 

 

Ranma glanced over at the sniggering Nabiki before a slight smile crossed his face and he softly asked, “I wonder what she will say when she hears that we also just got married as well?”

 

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C & C to cloud_dreamer2000@yahoo.com

 

Main Web-page http://www.geocities.com/cloud_dreamer2000

 

And (secondary) http://mysite.verizon.net/cloud-dreamer/index.html

 

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