Spring was in full bloom at the shrine, as the colours of life fought 
their way out of the gray.  Pale pink cherry blossoms lazily fell to earth, a 
reminder both of the snows so recently left and the bright summer so soon to 
come.  White clouds shone silver in sunlight, its brilliance in sharp contrast 
to the easy blue hue that covered the sky.  Gray-brown wood and red tile came 
out from shadow, to show in all its glory the place of peace forged here.
	Yes, Nodoka decided.  It was truly a nice shrine to visit.  She walked to 
the main building, opened the door, and kneeled before the altar.
	Her prayer was the same, always the same.  She had enjoyed the company of 
a husband and son once, long ago; they had left to train, leaving her alone.  
She had not heard from them in years; all she wished for was for them to return 
safely -- or, at the very least, for their ashes to come home.
	It was not knowing, truth to tell, that hurt the most.  She suspected they 
were gone from this earth; however, how could she know for sure without some 
sort of body to cremate?  With no remains, there was no place to mourn, no grave 
on which to focus her loss.  All she could do was pray to the air around her, 
hoping they would hear -- and pray to the gods, and ask their help toward 
resolution.
	She clapped her hands together, summoning the spirits she gave her hope to.  
If they could hear her whispers, feel her hopes and dreams, perhaps they would 
see fit to end her solitude.  It was a prayer she had spoken on many an occasion, 
and to many a shrine... but she had a feeling about this one.  A good feeling.  
She took her time to finish her prayers, offered some rice to the shrine for its 
support, and turned to the entrance.
	The figure who stood at the door frightened her a great deal; anyone with 
eyes to see knew she lived on a plane other than this.  Her form was like a 
volcano; calm, but burning with an unquenchable, untameable energy.  Dark eyes 
testified to battles won and lost; their unwavering confidence let her know who, 
in the end, had come out on top.  By the time she actually noticed the figure's 
body, she was taken by surprise; this veteran of life had no more than seventeen 
years under her belt.  The red-and-white robes she wore, however, showed her 
responsibility to the shrine -- and to herself.
	Nodoka tried to swallow; all of a sudden, her throat was quite dry.  
	"Pardon me," the young woman whispered, bowing deeply.  "My name is Rei 
Hino; I help my grandfather take care of this place.  And you are...?"
	"Nodoka," she said quietly.  "I... I just saw the shrine, and thought a 
little prayer would be nice."
	The girl -- Rei -- looked confused for a moment.  "I'm sorry.  I... I got 
the impression I was needed here at this time.  My apologies for disturbing your 
meditations."
	Nodoka blinked in surprise.  The gods were usually not so direct in their 
dealings.  "Well, I am in need of some help, though I doubt if even a holy 
person such as yourself could help me now."
	The girl's eyes brightened.  "Nodoka-san, if it is my power to help you, I 
will do so.  Now what is it that troubles you?"
	Nodoka looked down, reflexively pushing graying hair from her face.  "Well, 
you see... it's my husband and son.  They left me years ago for an extended 
period to train; they never came home." She closed her eyes; she did not wish to 
embarrass the priest with her tears.  "I... I just want to know what happened to 
them."
	She didn't see the girl's face; however, the waver in such a confident 
voice startled her.  "W... what were their names?"
	The words came out like a mantra.  "My husband's name was Genma Saotome; 
my son's name was Ranma."
	"Oh my..."
	The words took Nodoka completely by surprise.  Her head snapped up so fast 
it hurt.  "You know what happened to them... don't you?"
	Rei nodded, her eyes impossibly wide.  "Mo... Nodoka-san, I think it might 
be best if you joined me for tea inside.  This is going to be a very long story, 
one involving things you might have difficulty believing, and it might be best 
if you were more comfortable for it."

					*	*	*	*

	The tea was every bit what Rei had promised; bitter enough to have kick, 
but not so strong as to be obnoxious.  The living quarters, not surprisingly, 
matched the rest of the shrine perfectly, with a spartan, spiritual atmosphere 
she found comforting.  She stared down at the green waters, wondering the fate 
of her family.
	Rei walked into the room; Nodoka was surprised at her choice of attire.  A 
simple navy-blue bathrobe replaced the Shinto robes; by the way the neckline 
plunged, it was clear she wore nothing underneath.  But why?
	Rei clearly sensed her confusion; again, she bowed to her, careful not to 
expose herself.  "I apologize for coming out like this, Nodoka-san; however, the 
reason why will be made clear in a few minutes.  This is related to what 
happened to your husband and son, I assure you."
	"If you say so..." Nodoka raised her eyebrows, and sipped her tea.  "I'm 
sorry to appear impatient, but could you please tell me what happened to them?"
	Rei sat down.  Nodoka eyed her carefully; from the way she bit at her lip 
and toyed with the edge of her robe, whatever secrets she held clearly bothered 
her.  She took a sip of her own tea, then closed her eyes.
	"Nodoka-san, your husband has been dead for eight years." Rei closed her 
eyes.  "He... was mistaken for a wild animal, and killed out in the street.  
They took his body away, and probably burned it like the other animals."
	Nodoka blinked.  "What?" She probably would have been heartbroken, if it 
weren't for the incredulity of it all.  "How could my husband have been mistaken 
for an animal?"
	Rei sighed, and picked up her tea.  "In China, there is a place called 
'Jusenkyo'.  It was used as a martial arts training ground, once upon a time; 
that's what attracted them to it.  Problem is, anyone who falls into one of the 
springs there gains a curse."
	"A curse?" This girl was sounding like more of a crackpot by the second.  
Only Rei's eyes kept her from leaving altogether.
	"A curse.  When doused with cold water, a person takes on the form of a 
person or animal who drowned there.  Hot water reverses the effect.  Later on, 
once the person has become more like their curse, it relinquishes control; until 
then, the cursed individual has a very difficult road." She licked her lips.  
"Pop fell in Shonmaoniichuan; he became a panda when doused.  When he got back 
to Japan, the authorities took him for an out-of-control panda, and killed him 
in the name of public safety." She closed her eyes; her brow furrowed in 
concentration.  "And me... I fell in the Nyannichuan."
	Nodoka turned her head to the side for a moment, mentally calculating.  
"You mean..." She turned around just in time to see the change.
	What her eyes witnessed was beyond startling; in many ways, it was as 
subtle as it was profound.  She couldn't pick one change to focus on; the minute 
changes in the face, the barely-noticed shift in the chest... almost nothing 
happened.  Almost.
	Rei opened his eyes; his blue-eyed gaze on her was unsettling.  "Hi, Mom."
	Nodoka reached across the table, a shaking hand tracing out his features.  
The man (and he was most definitely a man, as the change had aged him) had the 
refined, classical features that reminded her of her own father, with a round 
face, nose just noticeable, and proud jaw.  The musculature behind the now-
filled robe spoke of his... her... training; if she were to look at him as him 
alone, he truly would have appeared to be a man among men.
	With his features, there could be no doubt; no matter how impossible, no 
matter how unbelievable, this was her son.
	"Ranma...?  How?"
	He sighed, and closed his eyes again.  "Do you mind if I change back, 
first?  It is a long story, after all, and I am... uncomfortable in my original 
form, now."
	Nodoka nodded, making sure to etch his features in her mind.  That man... 
that glimpse of her dreams would not be something she'd forget.  "Of course."
	Again the changes took place, though in reverse.  Again, they were hard to 
pin down; they were literally there before she knew it.
	"It starts many years ago, after we got back home from China..."

					*	*	*	*

	Pop was dead.
	The sight was too much for her to believe.  The panda bear lay at the edge 
of the street, entrails poured out along the ground as the rain washed them away.  
Around him lay some of the local populace, people who thought they were doing 
some sort of public service by ridding their neighbourhood of a beast.
	They were the beasts.  They killed without thought or question; they never 
stopped to consider that the panda bear might be more than some dumb animal.  
She had to leave this place, had to run far away from here, had to escape this 
nightmare, had to escape these nightmarish people.  Worse... she had to escape 
alone, in the body of an eight-year-old girl.
	The tears came, despite her efforts to fight them off.  This was her body 
talking; she would never have cried like this if she were her old self.  She 
took one last look at her father's body through the mist of tears, and tore off 
through the city.  She didn't know where she was going; all she knew was that 
she was going away from the monsters.
	After what seemed an eternity, she stopped, and took stock of her 
surroundings.  She must have run miles; she didn't remember the time from the 
start of her run to the end.  Hopefully, here she could take stock of her 
situation and start anew.
	The welcoming arch of a shrine towered over her, and she smiled.  Perhaps 
the gods were smiling on her, to give her such a place.  Here she could get some 
shelter, maybe some hot water... here, she could be safe.  She took her first 
steps into the shrine, wary of any adults around.
	"Hello, little girl!"
	The voice startled her; she nearly jumped out of her skin.  Behind her was 
a kindly man, dressed in Shinto robes.  A taller, well-dressed man stood behind 
him; she was struck by the man's elegance.  This second man bent down, to look 
her in the eye.
	"What's your name?"
	"Ra... Rei," she stammered.  The last thing she wanted to do was alert 
these people to her curse.  "Rei."
	The man nodded, his eyes never leaving hers.  "What's wrong, Rei?  You're 
crying."
	She looked down and bit her lip; she was not crying!  "I... my father 
died."
	He blinked; he looked over her clothes.  "Where do you live?"
	"Nowhere," came the truthful reply.  She and her father had travelled 
across creation in the past ten years; she never really had a home.
	He looked back at the older gentleman, then back to her.  "Well, Rei, 
would you like something to eat?"
	The one thing she could never turn down was food.  "Sure!"
	He smiled.  "Okay.  Give us a minute, and we'll cook something up for you.  
Okay?"
	She nodded enthusiastically; food was something she desperately needed.  
She practically bounced her way inside as they led her in.

					*	*	*	*

	She woke up, thoroughly confused.
	The human warmth that surrounded her was strange, for one.  She had grown 
so accustomed to the cold wind of the world outside that she'd forgotten how 
good a sleeping embrace felt.
	She knew she had cried herself to sleep.  There was no sense in denying it 
anymore; she had cried rivers for her father.  She felt embarassed at not being 
able to control herself in front of Hino-san and Hino-ojichan, but the tears did 
help her feel better.  The purge had done her good.
	"Good morning." The voice was tired, and spoke with a half-yawn.  "Did you 
sleep well?"
	After a moment's thought, she nodded.  She had slept well; in fact, she 
would have been hard-pressed to remember a night where she'd slept more soundly.
	"Good.  I want you to go take a bath and get dressed, because there's 
something I'd like to discuss with you."
	She blinked.  A bath was tempting; however, she just couldn't leave 
suddenly like that.  She guessed that she'd have to wash up, then splash herself 
again.  "Okay."
	The bath wasn't what she'd expected.  The hot water had changed her back 
into a teenaged boy; however, it felt *wrong*.  Fate had given him precious few 
chances to change back on their trip back to Japan, and Father's death had 
changed him.  He had to remind himself that he was really a teenage boy, that he 
was the heir to the Saotome Musabetsu Kaketou Ryuu; before, such facts would 
have been as natural to him as breathing.  The feeling of being a kid, of being 
able to play and laugh and cry without having to worry about adult things... it 
was tempting.  Even if he had to be a girl.
	Sighing, he poured cold water on himself, and watched his body shrink.  A 
slip of a girl replaced the young man, and she sighed.  She didn't know which 
way her life would go, and she was frightened of heading down the wrong road.  
She walked out of the bath, put on the clothes left for her without thinking, 
and headed to the living area.
	"Ah!  You look marvellous, my dear." He smiled that winning smile again; 
was this guy a politician or something?  "Come, eat your breakfast; we'll talk 
after."
	Breakfast was something she understood.  What she didn't understand was 
why she could barely eat half a bowl of rice when two or three were needed 
before.  She figured it was her child's body again, and tried to get more down.
	"Rei?"
	"Yes, Hino-san?" She paused in her eating, the chopsticks stuck in mid-
stuff.
	"Rei, do you have any home to speak of?  Any family to speak of?"
	She shook her head.  "Nope.  I travelled around with Pop every since I 
could remember.  When he died..." The tears didn't come this time, thank 
goodness.
	The man stroked his moustache carefully.  "Rei, I... I'm not sure how to 
put this.  How would you like to live here from now on?"
	She blinked.  "Live here?"
	He sighed.  "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would like to adopt 
you, Rei."
	Her mouth hung open; a grain of rice fell to the floor.  He wanted to 
adopt her.  He... wanted to adopt... her.  Give her a home.  Be her father.  
Comfort her.  Talk with her.
	"I..."
	She didn't have anywhere to go, now; her other form was as helpless as she 
was.  She had no resources, no shelter, no way of making her own way in the 
world... she was alone.  And he was offering her a way out of it.
	But the cost...
	"Um... sure." She closed her eyes, and tried not to think about the life 
she left behind.

					*	*	*	*

	Nothing Rei had ever done in her life prepared her for this.
	The velvet dress felt strange on her; sad to say, it was probably the best 
clothes she'd ever worn.  Flashbulbs surrounded her; purple spots filled her 
vision.  The questions were gibberish to her; she was never one for the news 
even before this, and to face it now left her confused.  Things like "approval 
ratings", "Diet", "ministries", "humanitarian programs"... a blurring storm of 
concepts she barely understood.
	What she did understand was that Hino-san -- Father -- was doing some good.  
He wanted to help homeless people, the cast-offs who lurked in the shadows of 
buildings and subways.  She'd met some of the people Father championed, and knew 
that her being here was a good thing.  They needed help; it wasn't so much that 
they didn't want to work, but that nobody would hire them.  Father was going to 
give them a leg up.
	Which, of course, was why they were here.  Too many people had the wrong 
idea about homeless people.  They had to let people know that the people in the 
shadows weren't people to be reviled; they were as much people as everyone else.
	The questions continued to fly; Father answered the questions with his 
usual calm.  She could feel his warm hand on her back, comforting her, letting 
her know that they were together in this.
	They were asking questions of her, now, where she came from, what had 
happened to her real parents.  She inched closer to him, seeking comfort in his 
presence.
	The words were hesitant; all she said was that her parents had died.  She 
didn't elaborate beyond that; to be honest, she couldn't.  Her father leapt to 
her defense, answering where she could not.
	She didn't like this anymore.  She would tough it out; Pop had made her of 
stronger stuff than this.  But this was something she'd avoid, if she could.  
Politics was for Father; it wasn't for her.
	She only hoped Father understood...

					*	*	*	*

	Girl's clothes were strange, she thought quietly as she stood before the 
camera.  First there were those frilly dresses she'd had to wear whenever she 
was out with her father.  The shoes were slippery, the wind blew up her skirt, 
everything felt weird... and she couldn't fight in any of it.  She knew she 
looked cute, but she still felt annoyingly helpless in such clothing.
	This was no different.  She knew a yukata when she saw one; her Pop had 
taken her to a couple of festivals when she was... well, awhile ago.  This, at 
least, made a little more sense; the sandals were more like what she was used to, 
even if the silks and obi weren't.  She imagined that she still looked cute in 
the fire-coloured outfit; however, this was a cute she could live with.  Maybe 
if her father saw the picture, he'd come back home more often, instead of just 
the weekends like he'd been doing lately.  She smiled for the camera, putting 
her best pose forward.
	What she didn't expect were two local boys to ruin it.  They barged into 
the photo, first posing with her in some rude manner, then shoving their faces 
in the next photo when Grandfather tried again.
	She seethed.  How DARE those... those boys interrupt her photo!  Didn't 
they know how difficult it was to look this cute?  She'd had to endure 
Grandfather brushing her hair for seemingly hours on end, then dressing her hair 
up so that it'd look pretty, then teaching her how to put it on properly and how 
to tie it up...
	Forget cute.  This was a matter of pride.  She spied a baseball bat near 
the porch; with that weapon and her old skills, it didn't matter how cute she 
was.
	A minute later, she stood in front of the camera again.  Her yukata was 
dishevelled, her hair was out of place, but she didn't care.  Her pride was 
satisfied.  Besides, it had felt good beating the stuffing out of those brats.
	She hefted the bat onto her shoulder, and smiled.  Cute she could live 
with -- in fact, cute she wanted to live with.  But strength -- the ability to 
be something other than a helpless nine-year-old -- was something she needed.

					*	*	*	*

	The kata came naturally to her; surprising, since it had been months since 
she'd last worked out.  Her tiny muscles burned, protesting the end of their 
vacation, as she moved between blocks, punches, and kicks.  She tried to work 
out her frustrations on the air around her; all she got was more evidence of how 
helpless she was.
	She was trying hard not to cry.  Father was away at his Ministry job; he 
almost never had time for her anymore.  She tried to think of ways that he could 
visit, if only for a couple of hours... but he was always too busy.  It left her 
with an aching inside; she knew his job was important, but she didn't think any 
job was that important.  What kind of government takes a father away from his 
daughter?  She continued punching away, hoping that the people over him would 
end up on the receiving end.
	"Rei?"
	She stopped her exercises.  "Yes, Grandfather?"
	He looked her over repeatedly, his eyes careful slits.  "Where did you 
learn that, child?  I've never seen a girl your age perform something that 
complex."
	She sighed.  This was still something she wasn't sure about.  "Well... Pop 
and I travelled all over the place.  His one goal was to teach me the art.  I 
guess... I didn't want to forget what he'd taught me."
	Grandfather nodded sagely.  "We never want to forget those we loved.  It's 
so easy; our memories are fallible and fragile, and shatter from time's 
pressure." He managed a quiet smile.  "He must have been a great man."
	She shrugged.  "Pop?  He was... single-minded.  His primary concern was 
for me to carry on his school of martial arts.  Anything else -- school, work, 
whatever -- came second." She bit her lip.  "He... wasn't the best father around, 
but I still miss him."
	"Just like another father I know," Grandfather mumbled.  He looked to the 
shrine's entrance.  "Rei, I was wondering... would you like to start helping me 
out around here?" He gave her a wry grin; somehow that made her feel a little 
better.  "I'm not as young as I used to be, you know."
	Rei bit her lip.  "Um... Grandfather... I'd love to, but I don't know 
anything about being a priest."
	His smile widened.  "You're only nine, Rei-chan.  You're not expected to 
know much." He held out his hand, one she hesitatingly accepted.  "Come on.  
I'll teach you the first thing you need to know."
	She followed him into the main shrine; Grandfather set her down, then sat 
next to her.  "Rei, the first thing you need to know is yourself.  Now, in order 
to do that, you need to close your eyes, and empty your mind of thought."
	She tried, following the basics of Grandfather's instructions.  Her mind 
forgot the beauty of the shrine; her body forgot the feeling of hard wood 
against her knees.  The past came and went; Father vanished from her mind's eye, 
along with Pop.  Feelings went with them; all the fear and uncertainty and love 
and everything else that came with the transition she'd been through.  She was 
no longer who she was; she was no longer who she is.  All that existed was a 
gray void.
	A void that all too soon became consumed in fire.  It was not a chaotic, 
destructive fire... but one of comfort.  She let herself get lost in the fire, 
taking pleasure in its life-giving warmth.  This was where she belonged; this 
was where she could *be*.
	The touch of a finger snapped her to reality; she snapped open her eyes.  
Memories interceded between herself and the inner fire; she found herself 
missing its comfort.  She found Grandfather staring at her, his eyes as wide as 
hers.
	Grandfather raised an eyebrow.  "Well.  For someone with little practice 
at being a priest, you seem to have a lot of talent for it."
	She furrowed her brow.  "How?  All I did was meditate..."
	Grandfather shook his head disbelievingly.  "Rei, I've known holy men who 
couldn't meditate like that.  It was clear you weren't asleep; however, you were 
at such peace... I almost didn't want to get you out of it."
	Rei looked down at her hands.  She had liked what she'd done, and wanted 
to continue; however, there was something she needed to do first.  
"Grandfather?"
	He smiled at her in invitation.  "Yes?"
	"There's... some things about my past that you should know.  You may not 
believe them; you may not accept me after you know.  But you do need to know."
	He gave a sly smile.  "I take it you're referring to your ability to 
change?"
	Her eyes widened.  "How did you know?"
	He shrugged nonchalantly.  "When I first met you, your aura flickered from 
blue to yellow and back.  Now, people's auras don't change like that, not unless 
there's more than one person inside of them.  I kept my eyes open until I found 
out what happened."
	Rei swallowed.  If he could tell all that just by looking at her... 
"Grandfather?"
	"Yes?" His smile never wavered.
	"Who am I now?"
	He smiled.  "Rei, it is the nature of Jusenkyo to slowly change your 
spirit to match your new form.  I imagine your old self must have been one heck 
of a fighter; his spirit was unlike any I'd ever seen with its power." He walked 
over to her, and cupped her chin.  "But you... your purity of spirit is 
unsurpassed.  You belong here, Rei; you've got a gift I could only dream of." He 
embraced her; she felt protected in his warmth.  "Rei, don't be afraid of who 
you are, or who you were.  Regardless of any of that, you will always be my 
granddaughter." His face darkened.  "And... unlike some people who shall remain 
nameless, I will never leave you." She looked up; his eyes held a warmth she'd 
rarely seen from anyone.  "I know that may not be much comfort to you... but I 
hope it's enough."
	She nodded through her tears.  Her voice wasn't capable of saying much; 
however, she hoped that the nod she gave him -- like the love he was giving her 
-- would be enough.

					*	*	*	*

	Fall's leaves blew across the shrine's grounds, a warning that winter was 
fast approaching.  The skies carried that heavy, oppressive gray that said that 
the Kami weren't coming out to help today.  The streets had a funereal feel to 
them; the gloom of the season was spreading, and she could see it in the people 
she encountered.
	Which, of course, made her job all the more important.
	Grandfather was right: she was meant for this job.  A lot of people needed 
help; the cold sucked the vitality out of the populace, turning a welcoming grin 
into the frown of the besieged.  They needed a place they could come to where 
they could feel protected, where someone with a smile and a friendly ear would 
let them know that they weren't alone.  Even as the cold winds crossed the 
shrine, it still stood tall; this place, at least, would stand as a home to 
those who needed it -- just as it had for her a year ago.
	Father was gone.  There was no getting around that; he was too far 
possessed by his crusade to spend any time at the shrine.  The few times he 
graced the shrine with his presence were the equivalent of photo ops, showing 
the 'pious crusader' at his family home.  She clenched her teeth.  A pious 
crusader would have been on the streets helping the needy, rather than fighting 
useless battles on some legislative floor.
	She let out a sigh, and picked up her broom.  Father was so much like her 
Pop had been; both cared too much for their own personal quests to see what was 
really important.  Both were driven by desire; both also fell victim to it.
	"Rei."
	The hairs on the back of Rei's neck stood on end.  She knew that tone in 
her grandfather's voice.  "Yes, Grandfather?"
	He let out a long sigh.  "Rei, your father called me concerning your 
schooling.  He... the fool thinks that it would be best if you went to a more... 
prestigious... school of learning."
	Rei rolled her eyes.  "Let me guess: Father got into a discussion at one 
of his cocktail parties, where he found out that all the *other* politicians' 
daughters are attending some fancy school.  Right?"
	Grandfather couldn't help but smirk.  "Likely.  At any rate, I made sure 
it was in Tokyo before agreeing to it; I figured you'd at least want that much."
	A touch of relief came over her at this news.  "So I can take the train 
from here to class every day?"
	He nodded.  "The place is only a few miles away from here, in Juuban 
district."
	Something inside her stirred at the news; she sat down on the shrine's 
steps.  Perhaps it would be good for her to go to this place.  "When do I go?"
	Grandfather grinned; no doubt, she was glad he wasn't fighting this -- yet.  
"Tomorrow.  The place is the St.Thomas Aquinas School for Girls.  A Christian 
school, if I recall correctly..."
	She let out a small grin.  Spirit was spirit; it didn't matter which deity 
it was dedicated to.  She had a good feeling about this -- something she hadn't 
had from her father's ideas in a long time.

					*	*	*	*

	She was starting to regret this.
	The T.A. School was, for lack of a better term, exclusive.  They gave a 
structured, closely monitored education to the young girls inside of it, the 
kind that most normal schools didn't.  This gave them the advantage of having a 
remarkably high percentage of graduates going on to University of Tokyo.
	The bad thing was that this tended to produce a situation that Rei didn't 
particularly like.  Many were cast-offs, boarding residents for whom the school 
was their only home.  They knew wealth, and they knew loneliness.  They would 
oftentimes bury themselves in their status, using it as a salve for their 
sadness -- a temporary measure, at best.
	She knew loneliness.  To create a school that catered to it was a crime -- 
and to send children there to live full-time was a greater crime.
	Sighing, she stared up at the spires of the chapel.  The Christians 
definitely had some interesting ideas of spiritual enlightenment.  Not that she 
couldn't see the explorations that went on inside of them; she could, and had 
been impressed by a few, but it was a strange way to go about it.
	"Miss Hino?"
	She turned around.  A young woman, clothed in the full-length habit of a 
nun, stood before her, dark eyes shining, hands clasped together in prayer.  Rei 
looked more closely; she almost didn't seem to fit among the other nuns.  Her 
face radiated peace; however, a tension strung through her voice, one Rei didn't 
miss.  "Miss Hino, my name is A... er, Sister Angela.  I'm here to take you on a 
tour of our campus."
	"Okay." Rei stood up, smoothed out her skirt, and followed her to the 
chapel's entrance.
	Rei smiled.  This was her territory.
	"This is the chapel.  Each class has one service in here a week -- a time 
for the students to get in touch with Christ within themselves." Sister Angela 
stared at the stained-glass windows and hardwood decorations, her tour lost for 
a moment.  "I always liked it in here.  Here, I can talk to the Lord; here, I 
can feel His grace."
	The question came before Rei could stop it.  "Why did you become a nun, 
Sister Angela?"
	She laughed lightly -- a sure sign she was covering up something.  "Well, 
I'm not a nun yet.  I'm only a novice.  It'll be a few years before I take my 
permanent vows."
	"But why did you choose to become one?"
	Sister Angela grimaced -- an expression in severe contrast to her station.  
"Well, because they helped me when no one else would.  See, at the school I went 
to, there were these boys who kept harassing me every day.  I tried everything I 
could -- physical violence, school authorities, police authorities -- to get 
them to stop.  None of these people would help, because the leader of the group 
was part of a very powerful and influential family.  So... my older sister 
suggested I go here to escape."
	"Oh." Rei looked down at her maryjanes.  "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to 
bring up bad memories."
	"It's okay.  Coming to the Lord was the best thing that ever happened to 
me." Sister Angela's holy face was back.  "I had a horrible temper when I first 
came here; I was so angry that all I could do was lash out at anyone close to me.  
I needed His guidance to deal with my demons." She smiled, and grabbed Rei's 
hand.  "I understand from your school records that you're a bit of a fighter 
yourself."
	Rei flashed a dark look of her own.  "Only boys -- and only those who 
deserve it."
	The laugh from Sister Angela was like music.  "Miss Hino, I think I'm 
going to like you..."

					*	*	*	*

	Nodoka blinked.  "Sister Angela?"
	Rei smiled.  "Yes.  We eventually arranged a trade of sorts; I helped her 
out with her spiritual meditations, and she taught me how to sing and to act." 
She shrugged.  "A few years later, I found out she was moonlighting as a 
director of stage productions; I started helping her out more often, and even 
got a few roles from her."
	Nodoka swallowed.  The Kami were renowned for their sense of humour; 
however, if her suspicions were correct, this was pushing it.  "Pardon me, but 
you wouldn't happen to know Sister Angela's birth name, would you?"
	Rei looked up for a moment, lost in thought.  "Um... Akane.  Tendo Akane."
	Nodoka began to chuckle.  It came softly at first, then gained as she lost 
herself in the irony.  The Kami were positively twisted in their scope; there 
was no doubt of it now.  At Rei's curious gaze, she calmed herself enough to 
speak.
	"Um... Rei... I don't know if you are aware of this, but your father -- 
your birth father, that is -- was good friends with Akane's father."
	Rei blinked.  There was something her mother wasn't mentioning... "How 
good?"
	Nodoka smiled sheepishly, and reached for her tea.  "Enough that, had fate 
played its hand differently, you would likely have called Akane 'wife' by now."
	Rei's eyes boggled.  "Wife?  You mean... Pop arranged..."
	"Yes.  Instead of being mentor and student, you would have been husband 
and wife." She smiled mischievously.  "Now how's that for a change of fate?"
	Rei shrugged.  "I can beat it.  Believe me."

					*	*	*	*

	The flames almost frightened her, anymore.
	She swallowed as she walked into the room, the dim flicker of the shrine 
the only illumination.  The light danced across the statues in the room, making 
the golems appear alive.  Her throat suddenly felt dry; she swallowed hard, and 
made her way to the fire.
	Her sight had always been so clear up to now.  The truth burned brightly 
in the flames; all it too was to extend her spirit into its crucible, and sift 
the strings of life from the lies.  She'd been quite good at it; nothing escaped 
from her second sight when she started to look.  For four years, she'd seen 
without error, without doubt; the fire was truth beyond anyone's understanding.
	That was before the lady in the fire came back.
	The trouble with sifting out the truth was that the truth was sometimes 
unpleasant.  She'd seen deaths portended, and remained in silent anguish as the 
events she'd seen played themselves out.  That was the cost of her spirit life, 
the price of discovering the world as it was.  However, what she'd seen was far 
more than a death.
	It was life -- her life.  She danced in flames, a warrior of justice, a 
being more than human, while at the same time a protector of humanity.  At times, 
gleaming crystal and noble finery surrounded her; other times, the scene 
appeared out of the darkest hells she'd imagined.  It was the dividing line 
between heaven and hell -- and she was one of the angels, a Prometheus in a 
short skirt and heels.
	None of it made sense.  The crackles of flame spoke of a kingdom on the 
moon, of a princess she was sworn to protect... and of a demoness with glowing 
purple eyes, who sought to enslave the world under her boot.  She saw herself 
dying, over and over again, each time more painful than the last -- but never 
once was that death in vain.
	She was going to change again; she could feel it.
	Sighing, she turned from the flames back to the door.  She still had some 
cleaning to do before her day was done, and the sooner she started them, the 
better.

					*	*	*	*

	"An assistant?"
	Grandfather smiled and nodded, gesturing to the young man next to him.  
"Yes.  This is Jed."
	"Hello, Rei."
	Jed stood up; Rei couldn't help but feel intimidated.  A shock of chaotic, 
short blond hair framed a noble, pretty-boy face; the physique underneath was 
pure wiry muscle.  His green eyes peered right through her, making her feel 
almost indecent.
	She knew those eyes; she'd seen them before.  She coughed once, then 
extended her hand in return.  "Hello, Jed." She turned back to her grandfather.  
"Grandfather, are you sure we need another assistant around?"
	Grandfather shrugged.  "Well, I'm not as young as I used to be, Rei..."
	Rei fought the growl coming to her throat.  Grandfather was as healthy as 
ever; however, ever since she'd started taking an interest in boys (a pastime 
that shocked both of them), Grandfather had been trying to find a perfect match 
for her.  She'd been forced to politely decline from a few potential suitors; 
she suspected that this Jed would be the next one.
	But why did his eyes look so familiar?  Was this what the flames were 
telling her -- that this man was the one?
	"Um... Grandfather... do you mind if I go outside?  I need to think about 
a few things." She gave a glare to him that spoke the one word she hadn't said 
aloud: *alone*.  She picked up some crumbs for her 'conversation', then left the 
room.
	The crows would know what to make of all this.  They saw everything; they 
knew everything.  Moreover, they trusted her.  She walked out to the entrance, 
and poured some crumbs into her hand.
	"I'm sorry it's not more," she whispered.  "Grandfather tried to cook last 
night; it didn't go well." She scattered what she could along the ground; the 
crows gathered around her, enjoying their meal and their company.
	"I... I don't know what to do about this.  I don't understand why 
Grandfather hired this guy.  I don't even know if he's ever worked at a shrine 
before.  All I know is that his eyes... they seem so familiar to me." She turned 
her hand over so that the palm was up; a crow landed on it, staring at her 
curiously.
	"I... I am attracted to him... sorta.  I mean, he's good looking and all, 
but I barely know him!  And yet... the fire shows him, along with a lot of other 
stuff.  I'm so frightened that he's a part of my future... and kinda happy about 
it, too.  You know what I mean?"
	The crow, quite obviously, didn't.
	"And then there's that future.  I mean, what does all that mean?  Am I 
supposed to be some warrior or something?  Or is this some oblique way for the 
fire to tell me to be like my father was supposed to be?" She shook her head.  
"You know, sometimes I wish you guys would answer me."
	The crow cawed in response, then flew away.  Rei shrugged.
	"Some help you are." She turned around, only to run into intense green 
eyes.
	Jed scratched his head nervously.  "Um... Grandfather was wondering if 
you'd show me around the place."
	Rei sighed.  *I'm going to kill him*, she thought as she began her tour of 
the shrine.

					*	*	*	*

	She watched the schoolgirls walk into the shrine as she fed the crows, 
their speech a mass if giggles and gossip she didn't even try to decipher.  They 
started pouring over the charms Jed had made, sending their wishes to the powers 
that be as they gushed over both wares and vendor.  Their purchases done, they 
went on their way again, still talking about nothing important.
	She didn't want to be like them.  She never had, and never would.  To them, 
life was innocent, a simple fairy-tale of princes-in-development and fanciful 
wedded-bliss dreams.  Not that she didn't have them herself, of course; however, 
experience had given her a more realistic view of it.
	Life wasn't easy.  Marriages weren't easy.  She couldn't count the number 
of lonely wives she'd seen passing through the shrine's entrance; she 
desperately didn't want to count herself in their number.  She didn't want to be 
a salaryman's wife; she wanted him (whoever 'him' may be) to at least know who 
his children were.  She'd been orphaned by one father and abandoned by a second; 
she wouldn't put up with a husband who ignored his children.
	She was beginning to think, more and more, that the man she'd have to 
marry would be working with her in the shrine.
	Sighing, her eyes turned to the booth where Jed sold his charms.  He 
wasn't interested; part of her was relieved at that.  He was just like Father 
with his politics or Pop with his martial arts; he was too absorbed in his 
spiritual work.  A wife was not a part of his equation, and children certainly 
wouldn't be.
	Her lips settled into a thin frown.  She knew the temptation to become 
self-absorbed in one crusade or another; her temper was known for flaring 
whenever the shrine was involved.  But that was a good cause... wasn't it?  Of 
course, so was her father's politics or Jed's spirituality.  She could care too 
much about this place, to the cost of someone else, and it could hurt her.
	She closed her eyes for a moment; the crows took the opportunity to use 
her for a tree.  She let them, not even budging as their claws walked along her 
robes.  Change was in the air, she could feel it; she hoped that, unlike those 
around her, she would be ready to accept it.

					*	*	*	*

	The walls of the shrine were caving in.
	It had all started so quietly, so small.  The housewife had tear streaks 
down her face, and haunted eyes that spoke of unimaginable fear.  They'd sat her 
down and heard her tale over a cup of tea; they tried to console her on the 
disappearance, and offered whatever help they could.  Policemen were the next 
guests to worry about; they snooped around every corner of the shrine, asking 
questions they didn't know the answer to, and scaring the crows, friends of the 
shrine.  The strange girl had been the last; unlike the others, she deliberately 
attacked the shrine, accusing it somehow of whisking the girls away -- something 
she could not forgive.
	Her home was under siege, and she had to find out why.  This, she insisted, 
was still not a shrine matter; however, the shrine's reputation was at stake.  
She had to find the reason why.
	The flame roared in her ears as she entered the room; the fire beckoned 
her, calling to her with its dance.  Without a word, she knelt before the fire, 
and began her prayer.
	The answer came quickly, once her wish was heard.  Jed's duplicity, for 
some reason, didn't surprise her; anger and sadness, however, were in abundance.  
She'd thought him a spiritual soul; to find him as anything but came as a severe 
disappointment.  He'd threatened the shrine with his crimes; that was something 
she could not forgive.
	If she'd thought about it, she would have called the police first.  They 
probably would have taken him down without any problem.  However, she was 
confident that she could take him down herself.  She still practiced her Pop's 
art; moreover, she had come of an age where she could effectively use it again.  
Against her fighting abilities, Jed didn't stand a chance.
	The accusations flew the moment she saw him; she didn't expect any denials.  
Despite how badly she'd misjudged him, she sensed that, regardless, he was too 
strong to resort to cowardice.  He didn't, of course; to her disgust, he boasted 
of the fact.
	She cracked her knuckles, expecting a good fight.  She didn't expect the 
black hole that opened up in front of him, sucking her inside... to parts 
unknown.

					*	*	*	*

	The first rebirth, she remembered, had been in water.  Cool, refreshing 
water, water that seeped into her clothes, into her insides, washing away what 
had been with one bath.  She hadn't even noticed that she was half her usual 
size; not until she flopped around in an oversize gi did she realize her 
predicament.
	How appropriate, then, that her second was in fire.
	She had no fears of it; she'd been here before, many times, in her visions.  
She could navigate it more clearly than the walkways of the shrine, as her 
dreams made this place more intimate to her than any in the real world.  This 
was her womb after all; this was where she belonged.  The flames were her 
friends, her protectors... her power.  It didn't just surround her; it became 
her, entwining in every cell within.
	She noticed the fire lick against her skin in certain places, forging 
clothes out of the plasma.  She didn't need to see what sort of clothes they 
would be; she already knew, as she'd worn them a thousand times in her dreams.  
White and red, with just enough purple to accentuate.  Body suit, short skirt, 
heels... and fire.  Lots of fire.
	Needless to say, she'd make that youma pay.  The youma had been twisted by 
dark power; she'd show it light again.  She felt the words come to her, magic 
not released in a millennium, come to her lips.
	"Fire... soul!"
	The burning erupted from inside of her, spiralling out of her fingertips 
and toward the youma.  She knew it would burn the monster to a crisp; she could 
see its weaknesses.  She forced herself to watch as the flames met the intended 
target, causing the predicted results.
	The warrior in her had returned.  This was why Jusenkyo had changed her; 
to make a warrior-in-training into something greater... into a warrior on the 
only battlefield that mattered.  She had taken up the mantle of the ancients, 
and welcomed the war to come.  It was her job to defend humanity, after all... 
and the soul was the best place she knew to do it.

					*	*	*	*

	The gods truly did have a sick sense of humour.
	She sat on the steps of the shrine, looking up at the stars.  She tried to 
see if Mars was up there; she found the bright light of Venus, and figured that 
she wasn't likely to see it on that night.  Idly, she wondered if some girl out 
there held a tie to that planet and, if so, what sort of person they'd be.  They 
certainly couldn't be any worse than the current staff...
	To put it simply, Usagi was a ditz.  Unlike Mercury, who seemed a capable 
person for the job, Moon cared only for the typical things girls her age did.  
She was more concerned with boys than with these youma; such an attitude 
bordered between stupid and criminal.  And, yet, for some reason, she was 
considered the head of all this, as defined by a talking cat.
	She sighed, and lay back on the wooden floor.  Maybe Usagi's way was right; 
after all, she'd been doing this before any of the rest of them.  This war was 
spiritual and emotional as well as the typical fighting expected in a struggle; 
she knew the spiritual side quite well.
	But did she know the emotional?  Usagi wrote her heart on her sleeve; she 
was more a force of nature than a simple girl.  Could she be so expressive?  
About the only time she ever came close was when she tried to sing or act; when 
she stepped into a song or role, she could let her guard down.  How often had 
she been hurt; how often had loved ones left her behind?  Pop made a fatal 
mistake; Father went off to fight his crusade; Grandfather's faculties descended 
with age.  Among her friends, she had few to speak of; most considered her too 
strange to approach as a friend.  The years of scars had changed her; she could 
never get in touch with her emotions like Usagi.
	If it weren't for the other stuff that went along with it, she would have 
envied Usagi that.  Her pain had taught her self-sufficiency; her comrades would 
never have to worry about her not pulling her end of the fight.  She provided 
stability; never mind that a raging inferno burned inside of her.  Usagi had no 
inferno hidden; she kept nothing hidden.  With Ami's wisdom acting to calm the 
group, they just might actually do some good.  After all, they had worked well 
against Jed's little 'friend'.
	Now, if only she could keep Usagi from her usual crying sessions...

					*	*	*	*

	Nodoka stared at the woman in front of her, not quite believing.  The 
story made sense, of a sort; she'd seen magic already and knew that it would 
change the person in ways unplanned.  One change followed another; rolling in 
the crib led to sitting up which led to crawling which, in turn.  led to first, 
tentative steps on two feet.  People developed like that; it was natural, and 
always led to the development of an adult human.  Ranma's -- Rei's -- 
development had taken a turn, and led to an entirely unexpected result.  She 
fought to find her voice; she had to see more.
	"Would you... show me?"
	Rei smiled quietly, and nodded.  A strange wand appeared in her hand, as 
though slipped there with a magician's touch.  She stood up and raised the 
object into the air.
	"Mars crystal power... make up!"
	While the transformation from man to woman wasn't what Nodoka had expected, 
the transformation from woman to Senshi was.  Spectacular fire encompassed Rei, 
a shell of flame that totally engulfed her child.  Within seconds, the flames 
licked away from her body, leaving a revealing sailor outfit in its place.  
Nodoka didn't recognize the warrior with her eyes; her heart, however, didn't 
steer her wrong.
	"Ra... er, Re... er, Sailor Mars... I don't mean to be rude, but is there 
a reason that outfit is so... so..."
	"If there was, I wish I knew, because I have some questions of my own." 
She scowled, and picked at her skirt.  "Do you actually think I *like* fighting 
in something like this?  I mean, really; what hentai thought up an outfit like 
this for fighting monsters?  And these shoes.  I may be able to perform 
pirouettes in these things, but my feet hurt like heck when I change back." She 
sighed.  "Mom, the weird outfit comes with the powers.  I may not like it, but 
it sure beats being mortal when the monsters come out."
	"I see." Nodoka coughed, and rubbed her fingertips against the wood table.  
"I'm not sure what your father would have made of all this, though." She picked 
up her mug of tea.  "So.  Why are you telling me all this?  I mean, you 
superhero types usually keep something like this a secret."
	Sailor Mars scratched the back of her head.  "Well, that's the other thing 
about our powers..."

					*	*	*	*

	They'd won.
	Sailor Mars let the power flow from her, for what she hoped would be the 
last time.  Galaxia -- Sailor Cosmos -- whatever -- was taken care of.  No more 
crazy sailor senshi running loose, no more fashion-crime psychopaths escaping in 
phone booths... she could be normal again.  She hoped, anyway; while she enjoyed 
her time with the other Senshi, she hated the wars they had to fight.  It could 
never be a game for her; she'd lost that 'game' too many times for her to ever 
look at it that way.
	The war -- this war, anyway -- was won.  She let her civilian clothes drop 
to the floor; she followed suit a moment later.  The covers of her futon invited 
her in, and she took pleasure in the warmth.
	She was safe.  Grandfather was safe.  Yuuichiro was safe.  That's all that 
mattered.  Those she loved wouldn't have to worry; she could be free to live her 
life again, and not have to worry about leaving someone behind.  This was her 
life, and she could actually return what she'd been given all along.  She 
settled into her warm cocoon, her eyes on the ceiling.
	She hoped she could live a normal life.  It was what she'd wanted for so 
long; she'd fought for one as a young girl, then had to fight for one again as a 
young woman.  Battles both external and internal had followed her since her 
initial change; she hoped that this, at least, would be the last.
	What was it like to be normal?  Even somewhat normal?  To have a boyfriend, 
to worry about grades and about clothes and a hundred other mundane things about 
life... she only wished she knew what that was like.  She'd fought Yuuichiro's 
advances for so long; she could never get close, for fear he'd be left alone.  
She could feel the worry in Grandfather's eyes whenever he looked at her; he 
didn't know the details, but knew that something, at least, was wrong.  It had 
hurt to keep that secret from them -- they deserved to know at the very least -- 
but that knowledge would have meant dragging them into a fight too dangerous for 
them.
	No more.  She was free; the ultimate enemy had been banished.
	Smiling, she closed her eyes and turned on her side.  Tomorrow would 
definitely be full of changes...

					*	*	*	*

	She was into the fourth day of her retirement when the phone call came.
	Her teeth clenched reflexively; there were times when a girl just should 
not be disturbed, and this was one of them.  She was just exploring the contours 
of Yuuichiro's chest, the subtle unyielding curve of strong pectoral muscles, 
the soft, sparse hair that occupied the area... of course, she had to explore it 
by touch, because her eyes were fixed elsewhere -- or, more to the point, her 
lips were fixed elsewhere.  They disconnected; they shared a 'not now...' look 
before she turned to answer it.
	She shook her head when she heard who was on the other end.  Somehow, she 
should have expected a phone call such as this; friends couldn't stay away 
forever, after all.  Still... her timing was as impeccable as ever.
	"Hello, Usagi," she sighed.  "What's up?" If this was for a trip to the 
arcade...
	"Um... Rei... I'm not sure how to put this.  We... we need to get ready 
for the future, Rei.  Could we meet at your place tonight?"
	Rei's mind stretched away from what was at hand.  "I don't think there 
will be a problem... what do we need to prepare for?"
	"The end of the world," Usagi replied matter-of-factly.
	Rei blinked.  The end of the world.  Was it ever anything else?  "Okay.  
Meet up here at seven, I guess." She made her goodbyes brief; she hated to leave 
anyone waiting.  Three seconds of closed eyes, a look flashed to Yuuichiro, and 
she was back in business.
	"What was that about?" Yuuichiro whispered.  His hands had begun an 
exploration of her chest, even through the fabric of her robes.  She bit her lip 
in surprise, fighting to remain composed.
	"Well... oh... Usagi wants to get together tonight." She twitched visibly; 
that a man's touch could do *that* to her...
	"Oh." His eyes broadcast sadness; unlike her, he really didn't have many 
friends.  "Is it going to be one of those meetings?"
	She nodded, her eyes closed; what had happened to her that a look could 
hurt her so?  "Yes." She pushed herself up and straightened her robes, her gaze 
trying to communicate what her lips could not.  "I... I have some things I need 
to do before then."
	Yuuichiro nodded; he straightened out his own outfit.  "I... I understand.  
There's some things I need to do in town anyway tonight." He walked past her, 
his head cast down.  "See ya later."
	"Seeya," she whispered, then turned back to the telephone.  She didn't 
know how much more of this she could take; all she knew was that it was taking 
too much.

					*	*	*	*

	Night-time had come by the time the clan met; the shrine was more or less 
done for the day, leaving the place for a different sort of spiritual warrior.  
One by one they came to her place; she traded only a few words, preferring to 
keep her thoughts to herself.  They gathered together at the line between light 
and darkness -- the very nature of their battlefield.
	Rei stared up at the full moon, and frowned.  Somehow, she'd arranged for 
something like that; a little bit of irony would have suited her.  Still, it was 
a pretty night, one that she hoped she'd get the chance to enjoy.  Unfortunately, 
if they were meeting, chances are the subject matter would be far from enjoyable.
	If truth be told, she wanted out.  She wasn't going to play the Senshi 
game anymore.  It was impossible for her to live a normal life, she knew; 
however, was it right to deny her even the most basic of hopes?  To finish 
school, become a wife and mother, maybe an entertainer... to have something of 
life that she could claim as her own, without this magic that wouldn't let her 
go?
	Well, if it wasn't going to let her be, then she'd leave it be.  No more 
fights, no more magic, just a shot at being plain ol' Hino Rei -- or, if she 
wanted to try, plain ol' Saotome Ranma.  She gently touched the magic inside of 
her; all it would take is a mental twitch, and there would be nothing they could 
do to bring her back.  She waited for the stage to begin, to see which way this 
die would be cast, and make her decision known afterwards.
	"Excuse me." The words cut through the Senshi small talk and musings; in 
an instant, nine heads turned to their leader.  Rei noted the lines on all of 
their faces; the children they were vanished into the roles they had taken.  
Occasionally Michiru or Haruka would move, gestures of intimacy instantly 
matched by the other.
	Usagi took one step forward, into the center of the group.  Rei's eyes 
widened; this was no simple klutz of a schoolgirl in front of them.  She had the 
bearing of royalty, that distant sadness and determination that had moved many a 
kingdom throughout history.  The games they'd played were done; they all were 
being called to duty.
	They were being called to duty; she wasn't going to answer.
	"Everyone, I... I know this may seem a bit difficult, us meeting together 
again so soon.  We've all fought far too many battles in our lives; we all 
deserve rest.  Unfortunately, a new battle is beginning, one of a very different 
nature." She looked downward; the toll of her request showed on her face.  "Our 
battles will no longer be won in moments, with some Starlight Honeymoon Therapy 
Kiss attack.  No, this fight will be a lot harder, and a lot longer."
	"Who are we fighting?" Ami whispered.  Rei's eyes narrowed to slits; was 
Ami actually wearing makeup?  "And why haven't we been called before?"
	Usagi chuckled softly.  "No one's attacked yet, Ami.  What we'll be doing 
is some preventive measures -- something to make sure that, when the darkness 
does come, the world will go on."
	"You're talking about the Snow Queen's return, aren't you?" The darkness 
in Makoto's voice said more than the words.
	The nod from Usagi was all the answer anyone needed.  "Within twenty years, 
this world will be a block of solid ice.  Everything we know will be gone; most 
of the people of this world are going to die.  And the power we wield won't be 
enough." Crystal tears glittered in the distant light.  "All we can do is make 
sure that enough survives... enough that humanity, at least, will go on."
	Rei bowed her head.  She remembered the helplessness she'd felt in that 
fight; the snow beauties had come from all sides, nearly overwhelming them.  
She'd preferred to forget the battle they'd fought that night; unfortunately, 
she knew she couldn't.  If Setsuna had anything to say, she'd never get the 
chance.
	"So... what we have to fight..."
	"Is time," Setsuna answered.  She took one step from the shadows into the 
light.  "We must secure as much of humanity as we can, to preserve what we can, 
as soon as we can.  And the battle we'll need to fight for this makes all others 
pale by comparison."
	Usagi's movements silenced any future words Setsuna had.  "What we need to 
do is form a sort of society.  Imbued with a small amount of our energy, they'll 
be preserved through the ice age.  We can't broadcast this; all we can do is 
take care of a few people at a time.  If we start now... it'll be... be... 
sufficient for survival."
	"So we save the world one person at a time," Ami whispered.  Her eyes 
darted furiously; Rei wondered who she was thinking about.  Urawa, perhaps?  
"When does this start?"
	Usagi swallowed.  "I... I'm supposed to teach you the technique tonight.  
Tomorrow, we begin."

					*	*	*	*

	"Rei?  Can I talk to you for a moment?"
	Rei's mind came back from the lessons Usagi had taught, her heart trying 
to remember that glow that came from within.  Her eyes focused outward, to the 
sad princess, the royal woman who had once been simply a girl.  "Um... sure, 
Usagi.  What's up?"
	Usagi looked down hesitantly at her feet.  "Rei, I... I'm sorry.  For 
everything."
	Rei blinked.  "Huh?"
	"For bringing you into this." Usagi looked away, to some faraway star in 
the sky.  "When... when your Star Seed was taken, I... I saw everything.  All 
your memories, your hopes, your dreams..."
	"Memories?" Rei paled; the last thing she wanted was for someone to know 
her past.  "You mean..."
	"Don't worry about it, Rei.  Who you were is unimportant; who you are and 
will be, is." For once, the royal mask faded, allowing a wicked smile to take 
its place.  "Though it is a shame that such a hunky guy had to disappear..."
	"Usagi..." Rei scolded, but couldn't stay angry.  In a sense, the comment 
was as much a memorial for Usagi as it was for Ranma; she mourned the loss of 
both children, now.  "...thanks."
	"You're welcome," Usagi whispered.  "But, as I said, the past is 
unimportant.  What is important is the present -- especially now."
	Rei frowned.  "What are you saying, Usagi?"
	Usagi looked out to the courtyard.  "I... I know how you feel about 
Yuuichiro, Rei.  I know... what you want with him.  I also know you feel you 
can't start a relationship with him while you're still a Senshi." Her eyes 
turned back, blue sapphires burning with intensity.  "Rei, we are warriors.  We 
defend those who cannot defend themselves.  That is our calling; nothing will 
change that." She let the quietest of smiles cross her lips.  "But don't let 
your own life be the first casualty."
	"So you're saying..."
	Usagi grabbed her arm, like a trusted friend.  "Get that man before he 
goes somewhere else, Rei!"
	Rei blinked, surprised... and quite pleased.  "Is that an order, your 
highness?"
	"Only if you want it, Rei.  Only if you want it." She turned back to the 
courtyard, to where the others talked.  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to 
talk some sense into Ami."
	"Okay." Rei couldn't help but smile; a warm glow of a different nature 
blossomed within her.  "Good luck."

					*	*	*	*

	It was well after midnight by the time he shuffled in.  She knew his 
movements by sound, the quiet shuffle that marked his entrance into the shrine.  
She suspected he would be a bit drunk; she hoped he would be sober enough to 
appreciate what she had to say.  This was the first gamble in her new life; she 
had to make it a good one.
	"Yuuichiro?" She stepped from behind the trees.
	"Rei." His speech was slurred slightly -- not so much as to make 
communication impossible, but enough that it might cause a problem.  "What're 
you doing up?  Aren't you supposed to be with your friends?"
	She closed her eyes.  She deserved a comment like that.  "That's... done, 
for tonight.  However, there are some other things to do -- stuff we need to 
talk about."
	He blinked, an effort to blink out of his stupor.  "Talk?  About what?"
	She bit her lip.  "About... about me.  And... about you."
	Yuuichiro shook his head and blinked some more.  "About... us?"
	She smiled.  She'd been waiting for this.  "Yes.  You see... there are 
some secrets about me that you should know."
	"Secrets?  Like what?" He stumbled against the patio frame; in an instant, 
she eased him to a sitting position.
	"Some things... I'm not ready to tell you yet.  They're in the past, and 
don't affect us now.  However, there is one thing that affects us here and now -
- and could affect us in the future." She gently pushed him down to the floor.  
"Now, close your eyes."
	"Um... okay." He closed his eyes.  "Though I'm kinda tired..."
	"Don't worry.  I'll make sure you don't fall asleep." She started 
unbuttoning his shirt; she licked her lips nervously when she felt his chest.  
"Just trust me, okay?"
	He smiled.  "With your hands there?  You bet I'll trust you."
	"Pervert," she whispered.  "This isn't like that; you'll understand in a 
minute."
	"I will?" He almost opened his eyes; her hand stopped him.
	Her words came like a summer wind, hot in his ear.  "Please.  Let me do 
what I have to." She pulled away from him, and whispered the song she knew 
better than her own name.
	The transformation took a second in real time; to her, it took ages.  A 
magical warmth replaced the fire in her belly; strength that belonged to Mars 
came flowing in her veins.  In that moment, that bright second of transformation, 
she remembered -- and mourned -- all that had come before.  Gone was Ranma 
Saotome, heir to a fighting school; Rei Hino also passed on, her youth destroyed.  
Even that enigmatic Sailor Mars had gone; her usefulness had ended with 
Galaxia's end.
	She was Lady Mars, first guardian of the court of Serenity -- and she had 
a job to do.
	Her hands took in Yuuichiro's chest; truth to tell, any contact would do, 
but she wanted to feel as much of him as possible.  She leaned into his chest, 
her face drawing closer to his.  In seconds, they would kiss, and she would feel 
his strong lips once more.  She could taste the alcohol on his breath; she 
ignored it, and went on.
	Another song came as she felt the glow change; instead of going inward, 
she looked outward, to the man whose touch she yearned for.  The power flowed 
between them; no longer was it one, but two.  In that instant, she knew his 
every secret; she suspected that he now knew every secret of hers.
	And, in that instant, two became one.  She let herself taste his lips, 
feel the sharing they had both needed, and let their fires danced together, her 
soul with his.  She made sure the job was done as Usagi -- no, Serenity -- had 
called; she could feel the glow stoked in him, and knew he would be one who 
survived.  She'd made sure he survived; from now on, she had to make sure they 
survived together.
	"R... Rei?" He opened his eyes.  She could only imagine what was on his 
mind at the moment, what he could see; after all, it wasn't often that a Senshi 
appeared on your chest.  She tried a smile, and hoped he would accept what she'd 
given him.  "Was all that... are you... how..."
	She giggled, and touched his lips.  "Yes, Yuuichiro." To everything, yes -
- yes to her past, yes to this moment... and, above all, yes for things to come.  
"Are you afraid?"
	He nodded uneasily, like a grade-schooler; she turned her smile into 
something less seductive, and more human.
	"Good.  I imagine I will be too, when I come down from this.  But, for now, 
will you just stay with me?"
	Thankfully, he did.  And, in his arms, she rested, content for the first 
time in years.

					*	*	*	*

	"So."
	Rei blinked.  "So?"
	Nodoka sighed.  "So... I don't know.  What do we do from here?" She took a 
sip of tea.  "I... I've never had a daughter before, let alone a superhero for a 
daughter.  I guess what I'm wondering is... what do we do now?  What sort of 
life do you want from me?"
	Rei shrugged.  "I... I dunno, either.  I mean, every parent I've had has 
left me in one way or another.  Pop died, Father might as well have... I don't 
know what to do about you." She tugged at the cuff of her glove.  "I'd like to 
bring you into the Society, if I could..."
	"Will it be like your 'induction' of that young man?" Nodoka smiled at 
Rei's blush; she still remembered what young love was like.  "Ra-Rei, I... I 
don't know if I can be a mother again.  It's been so long; I don't even know how 
to act around you.  But... I would at least like to try."
	Rei rolled the mug in her hands.  "What do you have in mind?"
	Nodoka smiled.  "Shopping trip, this weekend, perhaps?  I do have to make 
sure my daughter dresses properly, after all..." She smiled mischievously, 
hoping she'd get the point.  "Besides, it'll give me a chance to know my 
daughter better.  Is that all right?"
	The sparkle in Rei's eyes answered all doubts.  "Yeah.  I'd like that a 
lot." She reached across the table, to peck her mother on the cheek.  "Thanks, 
Mom."
	Nodoka held a hand up to her cheek.  The kiss had felt good; she 
remembered a child once giving her kisses with such innocence.  She knew those 
days were gone; fortunately, these were days she could forge anew.  "You're 
welcome... daughter."

					*	*	*	*

	And, somewhere in a realm only known to her, Setsuna smiled.  "You're 
welcome, Rei." Her grin still there, she walked off, to deal with times unknown.

					*	*	*	*

Nicholas Leifker
nightelf@thekeep.org
http://www.thekeep.org/~nightelf/fanfic
January 22, 2000