[Ranma][FanFic] Paragon, Episode Two
Rob
Master's plans."
"And this other?"
"This... Paragon. Also powerful, and obviously opposed to us.
It seems that finding the StarGem will not be nearly as simple as we
had thought."
"Then a simple Ur-Demon and Golems aren't enough. We'll have to
send someone to command them."
"I'd suggest Ferriko. She's done well in the past."
"Well enough. As long as she remembers what her main objective
is."
"To find the StarGem."
"Not... entirely. As long as we are opposed, finding the StarGem
will be difficult."
"I see. Then... We have another objective as well."
"Yes. Find and kill the Senshi-- and the Paragon."
####
Robert Haynie Presents
A Sailor Moon / Ranma 1/2 fanfiction
PARAGON
Episode Two: Who is this girl? Ranma's new identity!
####
Ranma tugged at the uncomfortable collar and grimaced. "Man, why
do I have to wear this stupid thing?"
"Don't ask me, ask your mother," replied Star. "Besides, you
don't look half bad in it."
"Just because I'm cured--"
"Controlled."
"Whatever. Still no reason for me to start wearing a stupid
uniform anyway."
"You know as well as I do that the only reason you got away with
wearing that tang all the time was because of your problems with cold
water. Now that that's a thing of the past, she's going to insist on
your dressing 'properly', if I'm any judge of character. And I am."
"Well... guess I don't look so bad after all..." Ranma checked
himself out in the mirror. There was a certain panache in the cut of
the Furinkan High School uniform, at that. "And I can still fight in
it, and you can bet I'm going to have to."
"Is this Kuno guy really that much of an idiot?" wondered the
magical rabbit.
"Nope. He's not smart enough to be called an idiot. His whole
family is a pack of one hundred and fifty percent loons. They make
me look normal."
"What's abnormal about you?"
"Other than the fact that I'm the first ever male magical girl?
Nothing at all." Ranma frowned. He'd have to check out parts of the
school for private places to change if the Paragon was needed again.
And he was pretty damn certain that the matter wasn't over by a long
shot.
Of course, he was right.
####
Her name was technically Usagi, but there wasn't a single person
alive in this time period who called her that. Most called her by
the more familiar nom-de-childe, Chibi-Usa. Except for the person
who would one day be her mother, who was more likely than not to call
her "Spore", "Fungus", and recently, "Ninjin-atama" (Carrot-head),
due to the shape and color of the odangos she habitually wore .
Chibi-Usa didn't give a whit about being called Spore or Fungus,
but Ninjin-atama was beginning to get on her preadolescent nerves.
It just didn't seem fair to the youngest of the Pretty Fighters
for Love and Justice that her baka mother to be should come up with a
good zinger like that. She wasn't supposed to, in her opinion.
Don't mistake her-- she truly loved her "cousin" Usagi, but the
rivalry between them was now force of habit. Besides, it was usually
in good fun. Well, at least she thought so.
And somehow, although she knew it intellectually, it was at times
hard emotionally to connect the graceful Queen Serenity of Crystal
Tokyo and the not particularly graceful Usagi Tsukino of Juuban
Junior High together. Somehow they didn't even seem to look alike...
Except in battle, especially a hard battle. Then the power of
Serenity shone through, the hope and bravery and sheer goodness.
THEN she could believe.
Well, she could also believe when Usagi tried to cook. Serenity
had never gotten the hang of it herself, and it was widely known in
the Crystal Palace that when the Queen was feeling "domestic", to
precall for takeout just in case she hadn't picked to prepare curry.
Serenity did a mean curry rice, but almost anything else...
On the other hand, with Ikuko-mama helping, Chibi-Usa was a fair
cook for her age. Except for one thing.
For the life of her, she couldn't cook curry at all. Then again,
neither could Endymion. Like father, like daughter...
Said future father was talking to aforementioned future mother.
Not their usual quiet intimacies or discussions of how to improve
Usagi's grades (a matter of some concern to Mamoru Chiba) but the
mysterious fighter that had appeared the day before.
"So... Rei doesn't trust her?"
Usagi shook her head. "But she doesn't say that because she has
any bad aura or anything, she just doesn't like her attitude. She
got Rei really good, you see... And also because whatever she is
she's definitely not a Senshi."
"Are you sure? We didn't know about the Outers before, and they
were Senshi..."
"And they dressed the part too. She wasn't dressed like anything
I've ever seen before. Um... except in a swimwear catalog I have.
Besides, she didn't call herself a Senshi or a Sailor, but the
Paragon. Mamo-chan... what does that mean?"
Mamoru thought a moment. "It's an English word, meaning 'Ideal'
or 'Best Example'. You know, when you think about it, all the Senshi
names are also in English-- except Chibi-Moon-- and when you perform
an attack, you use English too. I wonder why that is? Perhaps
there's another connection."
"Well, neither Luna or Artemis can think of one."
"Perhaps we should ask Haruka or Michiru. They might know
something. A pity Setsuna's vanished again. Not that she'd answer
any questions."
Usagi looked morose. She didn't hold out much hope of getting
any help from the Outer Senshi-- who more likely than not would
assume that since the Inners had handled it before, they would
continue to do so. Neptune and Uranus-- especially Uranus-- weren't
always what she felt was friendly. And Mamoru was completely correct
about Pluto's tendency to limit information to a need to know basis--
herself being the only one who needed to know.
"I hope we see her again... and get a chance to talk to her. I
don't care what Rei thinks, I trust her. I think she's on our side."
"Well, Usako, considering your track record in that area, I'm
inclined to agree..."
####
Akane looked up at the fence-rail at her fiance, who was
whistling happily instead of the somber boy of the last few weeks.
It seemed that his cure had cheered him up no end.
She hoped it would give her the confidence to finally tell her
what she was so certain of-- that he loved her, that he did want to
marry her.
Somehow it never occurred to her that she might try saying it
first. But like many women, Akane thought that it should be
obvious-- and that it was the man who should say it first anyhow.
Except he wasn't saying it. Baka.
"NIHAO!"
Damn. It was all going to start again. Shampoo would glomp on
him, and he wouldn't even try to get away-- well, he would, but he
should deck her, except he didn't like to hit girls, and anyhow how
did she know he didn't secretly enjoy it, and why didn't he commit to
one person, and--
Then Ranma vaulted over the red bicycle that would normally have
planted itself on his chest (if not face) and continued on to school.
Without apparently thinking.
The only person who was more astonished than Akane at the casual
avoidance was Shampoo, who lost control and fell into the ditch that
ran alongside the fence. Drenched, the now Shampoo-Neko trudged back
to her home, wondering what the hell had gotten into her airen.
Ranma continued to whistle. He had hardly noticed Shampoo, in
fact-- he'd merely reacted to an incoming threat. The changes
wrought by his accepting the role of the Paragon weren't just the
Paragon's. He was now a composite of the best physical qualities of
his male and female forms-- and so, claimed Star, was his now secret
female form. And when he was the Paragon-- but that was different.
That was a responsibility, not a gift. That was... special. A
secret. Just as the fact that he wasn't exactly cured was a secret.
One that he had to keep no matter what.
Martial Arts didn't mean a thing next to saving the world.
Now, THERE was a thought that he'd never EVER thought he'd think.
The idea that something more important than the Art was almost, well,
sacrilegious. But when he was the Paragon...
There were, literally, no words for it. The sheer rush of power,
of the undefinable rightness of it... of the Purpose.
His life hadn't really had much in the way of purpose before
this. For ten years it had been training in the Art-- not so much a
purpose as a lifestyle.
Then for about the last two it had been training in the Art,
trying to balance two fiancees (At one time three), a determined
Amazon who figured they were already married, and a lunatic gymnast,
dealing with a series of challenges that were best described as just
plain nuts, and randomly turning into a girl at some of the least
opportune moments. Oh, and avoiding a possible suicide pact. Again,
pretty interesting, he supposed, but not exactly what one would call
a purpose.
The closest thing he could call feeling as though he actually
meant anything were those few times he was using the Art to help
someone instead of trying to keep the latest loony from killing him
for some completely insane reason. Then he had felt alive.
And as Paragon... Alive wasn't the word. He wasn't certain what
the word was-- he had to admit that his vocabulary wasn't as large as
it probably should have been-- but whatever it was, it was something
he'd LIKED. Liked a LOT.
If only he didn't have to turn into a girl wearing a really
revealing outfit to do it. Cripes, even those Senshi got to wear
more than he did. (Or was that she? Paragon was a girl, after all.)
Well, more where it counted. On the other hand, what they wore was
downright silly looking. (In his opinion, anyhow.)
Oh, looky. School. And the single person who he actually came
close to detesting in the world. Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of
Furinkan High.
Ranma had come to the understandable conclusion that Blue Thunder
was some secret code meaning Total and Complete Idiot.
"So, Saotome, you still dare to show your misbegotten countenance
at these hallowed halls of education even after I justly halted that
foul attempt to bind the fair Akane Tendo in an unholy rite of oof."
Kuno had MEANT "Unholy rite of matrimony", but Ranma's simple
punch in the gut had forced him to rephrase that somewhat.
"Ain't got time, 'Sempai', gotta get to class."
"You.. you will call me moron..." said a somewhat dazed Kuno,
getting the usual morning conversation backwards, but oddly accurate.
He then fell over, which, after two years of practice, he was very
good at indeed.
"Gladly. Come on, Akane, don't wanna be late, ne?"
Akane was beginning to wonder about Ranma. No taunting Kuno, no
flashy moves like the habitual leap-kick -- just a short, brutal blow
to the stomach. Not like Ranma at all.
Almost as if he had more important things to think about.
####
In the case of Usagi Tsukino, she did have more important things
to think about. Being Usagi, she wasn't thinking about them at the
moment. She was too busy standing in the hall with a placard around
her neck reading "Tardy".
For almost any other student at Juuban Junior High, this would be
a matter of intense embarrassment. For Usagi, it had become
something of a matter of routine. Besides, it wasn't really her
fault, she felt. Luna should have woken her earlier.
Usagi conveniently forgot that Luna HAD woken her three times
that morning, but then, she usually did. In a choice between the
wonders and majesty of a modern education and an extra five minutes
of nappy-time, give her the nappy-time any day.
One might not agree with Usagi's priorities, but no-one could
deny that she definitely had them.
Besides, if she had been on time, she would have fallen asleep in
class and wound up in the hall anyhow. School was so BORING. She
tried, she really did, to get as interested as Ami or Rei in it-- but
she just couldn't. Even when Luna said that as the future Queen of
Crystal Tokyo she owed it to her subjects to be well educated, she
couldn't work up any enthusiasm. It was a small comfort that Makoto
and Minako were equally little interested, even if they did get
somewhat better grades. Although in the case of Minako, not by
much...
And anyhow, she was passing, what with Ami's study tips and the
regular informal juku at the temple and Mamoru's encouragement and
most of all Luna's just plain scolding. It was amazing how useful
the scorn of a cat could be for short-term motivation.
Hmm. There was something more boring than class, now that she
thought of it. Standing outside class with a sign around her neck.
THAT was really boring.
Usagi's mind began to wander, and to drift again to the strange
fighter from the day before. The Paragon.
If she had appeared in a proper Sailor fuku and tiara, Usagi
wouldn't have bat an eye. After the Pharaoh 90 matter, she'd have
just asked what world she was a senshi of and said Welcome.
But instead this new player was dressed like something out of...
what WAS the name of that artist Mamo-chan liked so much? Oh yeah.
Masamune Shirow. Built like something out of his work, too. Maybe
Rei was a bit jealous. Heck, Usagi was a little jealous herself, she
had to admit.
Not that even if she HAD had that sort of body, she'd ever have
the nerve to wear something that... sexy. She didn't think any of
the others would either. No, Paragon was not a Sailor Senshi by any
stretch of the imagination.
Which bought up the question-- what was she?
Somehow Usagi had a feeling that the answer would be something
totally unbelievable...
####
The word had gone out that Ranma was cured. Of course, more than
one person felt compelled to test that. After the first six
experiments, Ranma became somewhat irritable. Experimenter number
seven was experimented on himself by being thrown fifty meters into
the swimming pool.
This put a damper on experiments.
To Ranma's considerable annoyance, a fair number of the male
population of Furinkan began to complain that Ranma had been
unreasonably selfish in accepting the cure, since they no longer had
the innocent pleasure of leering at his female form. This ceased
after complainer number five also took an impromptu tour of
Furinkan's aquatic facilities.
Of all the disappointed people, number one was Nabiki.
Ranma's curse had been a serious boost to her finances. It had
also been her primary source of amusement for nearly two years--
there was no end of fun and excitement that that little case of
aquatranssexuality had provided.
And the jerk went and got cured.
It wasn't fair.
Worse, there was no doubt in her mind that Ranma wasn't telling
the whole truth about what had happened. A passing kami-- yeah,
right. There had to be a lot more to it than that, and the barbarian
wasn't coming forward with it. Ranma was hiding something.
Hiding it from HER. Totally unacceptable.
Last night she'd tried to corner him about the matter, and had
received an answer that she'd never thought she'd get from Ranma...
"None of your business, Tendo."
Damn him. He'd been so damn cool and collected about it too.
Just tossed that retort with casual ease. Not like the Ranma she
knew at all.
Was it merely being cured that had wrought this change? Or had
he undergone more than a cure? Whatever it was, she would find out.
Nobody held out on Nabiki Tendo. Nobody.
Right?
####
Class was, for once, a quiet affair that day. Comparatively
speaking, that is.
No fights broke out, no yelling matches happened, and Ranma
stayed awake, listening. Obviously bored as hell, but he stayed
awake and listened.
In other words, Ranma Saotome was actually making something of an
effort to learn in class for once. This caused some of the other
students to get really distracted.
An attentive Ranma was, after all, something along the nature of
three of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding in with a note
from Famine saying "Sorry, I'll be late, had to stop for a beef
bowl".
Akane was one of the distracted ones. Ever since the day before,
Ranma had been acting less and less like himself. Then again, she'd
never known an uncursed Ranma. Could it be that this was the real
one? The real Ranma? One she'd never known before?
How much did a cure change a person?
How much did a curse?
Had someone told her that the reason Ranma was paying attention
was because a rabbit had suggested that it might be a good idea,
well... she might well have believed it. Stranger things had
happened before in Ranma's life.
####
The Evening Before--
"You grades aren't very good, you know."
"Ah, I'm a martial artist, not a scholar. I never understood
what use all this school was anyhow."
Star sighed. "Great. I have to train a stupid Paragon. What
kind of Paragon is that?"
Ranma glared at the bunny. "Hey, I ain't stupid!"
"No, I guess you aren't..."
Ranma began to smirk, when Star followed up with, "Only woefully
ignorant. Cherry Coke is not an illegal drug. You're sure hitting
one stereotype for sure, you know."
"Stereo... whatever?"
"Yeah. All these magical girls in these manga are lousy students
also. Looks like you'll fit right in."
"What?"
"Yep. You'll be wearing twinned ponytails any day now. Just
like Pretty Sammy."
"Why, you baka bunny... I'll show YOU who's a stereophone!"
"Stereotype."
"Whatever! I'm gonna become just as great a student as I am a
martial artist!"
Star concealed a smirk-- rather easy to do when you're a rabbit--
and congratulated himself on his talent for pushing the right
buttons. After all, a Paragon DID need to be reasonably educated.
He sat back on his haunches as Ranma began to study-- for once, with
actual fervor.
After a short while, Star began to help. A magical mascot is as
much a tutor as anything else, sometimes...
####
Ranma was bored. But he was determined to prove that he could be
just as good a student as he was a fighter. And since he no longer
had to worry about changing-- accidentally, that is-- he found that
he could concentrate a bit better. In fact, he could think better in
general.
Eventually, P.E. began. After three more cold water attempts in
the locker room and three severe bruisings, it finally sank into the
heads of the hormonal idiots of Furinkan that there was no more
Onna-Ranma to gawk at.
There was much despondency.
Drying off, Ranma wondered if any of these people had anything
even resembling a life. He was beginning to doubt it.
P.E. began as usual.
It didn't stay that way.
Kuno had decided, once again, to punish the wicked. The wedding
attempt had unnerved him more than he cared to admit-- since
apparently Akane had been so deep in the sorcerers enchantment that
she had been-- horror of horrors-- about to actually wed the foul
Magus Saotome.
Worse, he had been informed by Nabiki Tendo that it was entirely
probable that photographs of the Pig-Tailed girl might well no longer
be forthcoming. The reasons were not explained, for Nabiki had
merely said that "She's left Tokyo", a statement that was on the face
of it implausible, since how could she possibly bear to do so and
abandon Tatewaki Kuno?
The only possible explanation was the sorcery of Ranma Saotome.
So it wasn't a surprise to anyone that Kuno, who had somehow
never managed to make the real connection between the Pig-Tailed girl
and Ranma, despite having seen the transformation before his eyes on
numerous occasions, confronted Ranma during a game of baseball.
"Foul demon! What have you done with the Pig-Tailed girl?"
Ranma sighed. He had known that this was going to happen. And
there was no way that he'd be able to convince Kuno of the truth.
Kuno's reflexive distrust of Ranma was to a level that if Ranma had
said the sum of two and two was four, Kuno would have hired
mathematicians to make it five.
"Ain't done anything to her. She's just left, is all."
"Liar! She would never leave me!"
"Like she was ever WITH you?"
"Cease your ill-considered mockery, Saotome! Where has she gone?
What have you done with her?"
Ranma was hit by a sudden spark of inspiration. If Kuno wouldn't
believe the truth, and only kept to the improbable delusions of his
mind--
"Well, basically, she went back to her own planet."
Kuno froze. His jaw fell a good three-quarters of a meter, his
eyes bugged, and his bokken fell to the ground from his lax fingers.
"Her... her what?"
"Well, you always said she had an unearthly beauty, right? Turns
out she was an alien princess. And her two years on Earth studying
us were over, so she had to go home. Explains a lot, don't it?"
"Princess... alien... oh, thou gods and goddesses of the heart,
how sad must she be to be forced to return to the cold depths of
space, separated from my embrace! I leave, sparing you for the
moment, to begin to find a way to communicate with her during her
bereavement!"
The assembled students stared as Kuno wandered off, mumbling
about SETI and how best to arrange for satellite time.
"I can't believe that worked," Daisuke murmured to Hiroshi.
"It's got to be the lamest, stupidest excuse ever conceived by
man. Of COURSE Kuno bought it," noted Hiroshi to Daisuke.
####
School was over for the day, and Ranma had changed into his
preferred Chinese clothing. Which, he was realizing, he wouldn't get
to wear for very long. According to the rabbit, anyhow.
"Do I have to?"
"You can't access any of the gear unless you're a girl, Ranma.
And there's certain equipment that goes with the job. As you are
now, all you have is the Amulet, and you can't use it as a boy."
"Bleah." Ranma looked about the alley, and closed his eyes for a
moment, concentrating-- thinking girl, as Star put it-- and changed.
She looked down and grimaced.
"Aw, MAN. Where did THIS outfit come from?"
Star began to giggle. "Looks like you're going to have to
practice generating a wardrobe, Ranma-chan."
"None of that! I gotta think of a different name for when I'm
like this." She looked down at the blue pleated skirt and white
sailor-collared blouse with the ludicrous red bow. "This looks like
a school uniform. Wonder what school?"
"Search me. Now, we need to practice with the compact-- uh-oh."
Star darted behind a waste can as someone approached.
Ranma turned to see the last person she wanted to see as a girl--
Nabiki. (Damn... she must have been following me. She's still
suspicious about the cure-- and she'll recognize me, and-- DAMN.)
But instead Nabiki looked about blankly, murmuring, "I thought I
saw him duck into here..."
(What? She... she doesn't recognize me?)
"Excuse me, have you seen a boy, about yea tall, black hair in a
pigtail, pass this way?"
(Think fast, Ranma. Think very fast...)
Ranma put on an expression of sheer confusion. "You mean the boy
that ran up the wall?"
Nabiki paused. (Sounds like the kind of stunt Ranma would pull
off.) "Probably."
Ranma pointed. "He ran up the wall. Well, he more hopped on a
ledge and again up. It was really cool! Do you know him? He was
really handsome, I think, although I didn't get a good look at him
because he was so fast. Are you his girlfriend? What's his name?
Do you know his blood type? Blood type is awfully important, isn't
it? Where is he from..."
As the redhead continued to prattle, Nabiki's eyes began to glaze
over. It was clear that no useful information would be forthcoming
from this kid. "Ah... his name's Ranma, and I'm not his... Um, I
have to go. Thank you for your help."
Nabiki left, and after a few minutes, Ranma began to laugh
hysterically. "Whoo-hoo, that was fun! Hey, Star, why didn't she
recognize me?"
"I don't think you look the same. Well, I mean, it's the same
sort of thing that keeps the Paragon from being rec... rec...
BWAH-HAHAHAHAHA!!!" The Magical Rabbit rolled out from behind the
can, hysterically guffawing. "Gomen, can't help it-- you were acting
like... like..."
"Like an airhead?" Ranma grinned. "That was the idea. I just
had a great idea, see? If I got three identities, then if I make the
girl one as different from me as I can, it'll make it harder for
people to connect her with the Paragon or Ranma. Um... is that a
good idea?"
"Hey, it worked for Clark Kent, ne? Now, let's try the compact."
"Okay." Ranma produced a small compact-- grimacing at it's
innate cuteness. Pink. She hated pink. With rhinestones in a
star-shaped pattern, yet, like the Amulet. "How does this work?"
"Well, it let's you track weaknesses in the fabric of the
dimensional walls so as to determine where a possible Dark intrusion
may happen. You look at the mirror and concentrate."
"And what does the powder and puff do?"
"They let you powder your nose."
Ranma rolled her eyes, and gazed at the mirror. And then
scowled. "Um... Star, I think I see something already..."
"What? Damn. Try map mode. Think map."
The hazy but menacing vision in the small mirror resolved into a
street map. "It's not very precise, but it's somewhere in Juuban.
Like yesterday. Should I henshin?"
"Not yet... but we probably should get there fast anyhow. Go
Ranma and start roofhopping."
"Why not as I am now?"
"You WANT people looking up your skirt?"
"Um... I don't really care, but I suppose I should pretend I do?"
"Exactly."
A shapeshift later, and Ranma ran up the wall (He KNEW it would
work) and started on his way to Juuban, followed by a very fast
rabbit.
####
Makoto Kino was walking down the street, idly contemplating
either a sundae or a bit of boy watching before the scheduled Sailor
meeting at Rei's shrine, when she heard a soft impact behind her.
Reflexes took over and she spun, ready to--
Fall in love. Again.
She watched the youth walk away, (failing to notice the rabbit
that followed him) and sighed. Perfect. That hair, those eyes,
those shoulders, that butt-- Oh, MAN, that butt--
The perfect man had appeared out of nowhere.
She HAD to meet him. She just HAD to. Before any of the others
could, that is.
Of course, that was the cue for Minako to walk by, wave at
Makoto, and freeze in sheer fascination as the lad in the Chinese
clothes passed her. Her expression was almost identical to Makoto's,
except possibly a wee bit more dreamy. This did not sit well with
said Makoto, who walked up to Minako and glared.
"I saw him first, Mina-chan."
"Yeah? And I suppose he looks just like your old sempai too?"
"No. Sempai NEVER looked that good. And I saw him FIRST."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"It has everything to do with everything! I saw him first!
And-- aw, he's gone! You made me lose him!"
"Me? What did I do?"
"You looked at him!"
"Mako-chan, any girl who's not dead, cremated, and scattered over
the sea is going to look at a boy THAT cute. Besides, **sigh** he
HAS to have a girlfriend already. No way is someone like that
unclaimed."
Makoto added a sigh of her own. "You're probably right.
Still... won't hurt to check?"
"True enough. Let's go!"
Two boy-hunters and part time heroines of Justice set off to find
the perfect boy they had just seen. Who didn't exist any more.
####
(Girl again. At least I'm not wearing that stupid fuku. And I
don't look like a total idiot.)
Pastel green skirt, yellow blouse, cute socks and flats.
Ordinary girl on the street. Well, ordinary girl on the street with
a rabbit on her shoulder.
"So," whispered Ranma, "Any ideas yet on a cover name?"
"I thought of a few... Ranko?"
"I've done that for ages, and it would give me away."
"Hmm... Kikuko?"
"Yeah, right. Sound's like something my mom would name a
daughter. No way."
"Rumiko?"
"Hmm... I don't know, has potential, but I don't think so..."
"How about Fred?"
"No broccoli for you tonight."
"Meanie."
"Anyhow, I think I've got a better fix on that weakness thingy.
Somewhere near that block."
"Hmm... All right. I've got more accurate mystic senses than you
do-- at least for now, so I'll go and scout the area. You wait here,
okay?"
Ranma paused, and nodded. "Be careful. I'll probably wait in
that cafe over there."
"Works for me. In a bit..."
And shortly after Star went to see what he could find, Ranma was
blindsided.
####
Usagi wished that for once Sailor meetings took detention into
account. As it was, she was late. Again.
How was it that she could manage to arrive at a battle with a
youma or the like at just the right time and was late for nearly
everything else? It somehow just didn't seem fair.
When Usagi was in her full "running to get to someplace if not
exactly on time then at least not THAT late" mode, she had a tendency
to not notice little things in her path. Like streetlights,
telephone booths, and people.
This time it was a people.
WHAM!
"Urgh."
"GomennasaiIdidn'tmeantoknockyoudownIwasinahurrygomengomengomen!"
"Urgh."
"Are you all right? Can you stand? Let me help you up..."
"Urgh. No... I'm okay... it's nothing, really..."
The redheaded girl stood, dusted herself off, and smiled. "I've
taken worse, anyhow. But you should really watch where you're going,
you know."
"Taken worse?"
(Ooops. How do I cover for that slip? Well, I probably can't
hide being a martial artist for long-- but... maybe a variation of
what I tricked Nabiki with...)
The redhead giggled. "Hai, 'cause I'm a martial artist. I want
to be as good as my idol someday."
"Idol?" Usagi asked, uncertainly.
"HAI! He's the bestest martial artist I know, and he's also
really really cute, but he's taken, well, sort of, it's really really
complicated and stuff, but he's really good and I want to be as good
as he is and did you know he can jump over a house? I can't, I can
only jump over a car, but he can."
"Jump over a..." murmured Usagi, weakly. Makoto's words from the
previous day rang in her mind...
("Well, we know one thing about her. She's some sort of a
martial artist. Although I don't know any martial arts that let you
jump up 20 meters and create magical shields," said Makoto.)
"Um...can I buy you something to make up for knocking you down?
Like some ice-cream, or something? 'Cause I still feel kinda bad
about that," Usagi temporized.
"Well... I don't--"
"Great! Just a moment, I have to call a friend, but I'll be
right back!" Usagi stepped to a phone booth, and pretended to use
the phone. Actually, she was using something rather more
sophisticated.
"Rei, I'm gonna be late, but it's important-- I met someone who
knows about the kind of martial arts that Paragon was using. Maybe I
can find out a clue?"
"You might as well take your time," grumbled the shrine maiden
over the communicator. "Makoto and Minako are trying to find some
perfect guy. Those two... only person here's Ami, and she's all
wrapped up in her computer, scanning the area. So we'd start late
anyhow."
"Arigato! I'll see what I can find out!" Usagi broke contact
and then hung up the unused phone.
Ranma was somewhat flustered. There was something about this
girl that made it hard to say no. Then again, if she was a local,
perhaps Ranma could learn something about the Sailor Senshi, who were
supposed to be based in the Juuban area anyhow. This could be to her
advantage.
Besides, she NEVER turned down free food.
"So, come on! I want to hear about people jumping over
buildings, I thought only the Sailors could do that kind of thing!
Oh, my name's Usagi, Usagi Tsukino! What's yours?"
(KAMI-SAMA, but she's enthusiastic!) "Ah... Naoko. Naoko
Takahashi."
"So, what kind of ice-cream do you like?"
Of stranger things are friendships formed. But not by much.
####
"He sounds impressive, all right," said Usagi in fascination.
"Naoko" had never had a chance to ask a single question under the
barrage of happy and friendly inquiries by Usagi. "Can he really do
all those kinds of things?"
"Oh, hai. He's not the only one, but I think he's the best. But
the others are pretty good too. But he's my personal idol, and I
want to be just like him someday. Except not a boy." Naoko had
carefully managed to avoid subjects such as chi-blasts and the really
insane things, implying that Ranma jumped over small shacks rather
than two story houses. She'd also managed to avoid his rather
complex social life-- that is, not mentioning the multiple fiancees,
implying only a single one.
"And he's really that cute?"
Playing the role of idolizing girl, Naoko replied, "Hai. But
he's taken. I'm not silly enough to chase after someone like him
anyhow. His life is kinda weird, they say. I don't know, I don't go
to his school, but there are stories." (There, if for some reason
she ever meets my male form, I can keep the two identities separate.)
"I think if you really like him, you should let him know."
Naoko began to sweatdrop. "Oh, I don't like him like that-- not
really, and anyhow, I'm not interested in boys right now. Most of
the ones at my school are, um, kinda immature, you know?" (THAT'S
putting it mildly.)
Usagi nodded. That pretty much described most of the boys at
Juuban Junior High in her opinion as well. Then again, she had
Mamo-chan, who was very mature...
"Well, don't give up. There's plenty of boys out there, and one
has to be right for you."
(Kami-sama, I hope not!) "Uh, sure. Probably just around the
corner."
"That's the spirit, never give up hope!" Usagi was second only
to Minako in the "Girl's gotta find the right boy" department.
Naoko resumed work on her sundae, eating slowly. No need to
freak out the girl with Anything Goes eating techniques. "Hadn't
planned to, you know? I'm just not exactly looking right now."
"Anyhow, it sounds really cool except for the part about all
those fights. He seems to be rather violent."
"Well... he is a fighter, but he usually doesn't start them, I
think... it's more he's really good, so other martial artists come
around to challenge him." (Or kill him, or marry him, or try to
brainwash him, or... this is harder than I thought.) "You mentioned
something about Sailors? Are they real?"
Usagi paused. (Oh, great. How do I answer this?) "Well,
everyone says they are, but no-one knows much about them... they're
very mysterious. And they only show up if there's trouble."
"Oh. I wish I could see them, they sound really interesting."
(And I could stand to learn more about the people I fought with.)
"I suppose. Like I said, no-one really knows much about them."
"Oh. That's disappointing." (Well, THIS conversation is going
nowhere fast.)
For a moment, there was a lull in the chat.
It didn't last very long.
####
She appeared in an alley, adjusted her cloak, and looked about,
uncertainly. THIS primitive place was where the Master expected to
find the StarGem?
Well, what the Master said went, as far as Ferriko was concerned.
If she could do well on this mission, she'd show her smug cousins who
was the real asset to the Dark. (Stupid Argentiko and Auriko. Think
they're so smart.)
She nodded to the Ur-demon she'd bought for the trial mission.
"Optika, what I want you to do is seek one with the focus to hold the
StarGem. We know that only a soul with a great focus in their lives
can be the host. I've assigned a pack of Ur-golems to you. And for
pity's sake, put on a human illusion-- you stick out like a sore
thumb looking like that!"
"Yes." There was a sort of wavering for a moment, and a young
woman stood next to Ferriko, carrying a pair of binoculars. "I will
start seeking now. I'm very good at seeking, you know."
"Yes, I know. I've been informed of that repeatedly. Now, the
Master believes that it's possible that Senshi or this Paragon may
try to interfere. If they do, stay away from them, and concentrate
on the Ur-golems so that they will stay stable. I will reinforce
you."
"Yes. Did you know I'm very good at seeking? And finding too?
I can both seek and find. I'm an excellent seeker and finder."
Ferriko had never seen "Rain Man", or she would have found a
frightening parallel here.
"Yes, well, that's why you are here. So go seek and find."
"Now?"
Ferriko growled. "Yes. NOW. Before I get angry."
"Okay. I will seek and find a soul of great focus that may hold
the StarGem."
(The Master's Demon-wranglers need to work on the intellect
protocols BADLY...)
####
Naoko decided she liked Usagi. If she had to spend a lot of time
in Juuban, it was nice to have a friend. Especially one that wasn't
trying to either kill or marry her.
Yet another new concept-- a just plain old fashioned friend.
Better yet, she was now going on about her boyfriend-- someone
called, improbably, Mamo-chan-- which suggested that Usagi wouldn't
become a new suitor should she meet Ranma. Naoko had NEVER seen
anyone so heads over heels in love that wasn't chasing her boy-side.
And she doubted that Usagi would be using poisoned roses, obscure
Chinese herbs, or strange okonomiyaki either. She was, if a bit
ditzy, probably the closest thing she'd ever met to a normal girl in
her life.
And Usagi assumed she was a normal girl also.
"Can you really jump over a car?" asked Usagi in yet another
dizzying change of topic. Naoko had discovered that the blonde was
really good at that.
"Hai. If I try hard. I'm not as good as my Idol, but
someday..."
"Every girl should have a dream. All my friends do, and I know
they'll make theirs come true. And I'm certain mine will."
"Yours being a happy life with your Mamo-chan?"
Usagi nodded. "I'm really really certain of it. It might be a
while, but... I wish you could meet him. He's so handsome, and
mature, and clever, and nice, and..."
"Sounds like you're trying to set me up with him instead of you,"
Naoko grinned.
Usagi blinked. "No way! It's just that he's, well... perfect."
"Oh, well, I never met a perfect boy, myself. I guess you're
lucky."
For a moment Naoko could have sworn she saw literal hearts
bounding around in the eyes of her new acquaintance. "Oh, I'm the
luckiest girl in the whole--"
Usagi's paean to the wonders of Mamoru was interrupted by the
unexpected intervention of a pair of binoculars.
The woman in the jeans and t-shirt was leaning over, staring at
Usagi from three inches with said optical enhancers. "You have great
focus. Perhaps you have the Gem."
"W-what? What are you talking about?"
From outside, Ferriko slapped her forehead and groaned. (REALLY
need to talk to the wranglers.)
Naoko began to feel a strange buzzing somewhere at the back of
her heart. She didn't know how she knew, but she KNEW that this
idiot was an enemy. But how to change with this girl right in front
of her and surrounded by patrons of this cafe?
(I need a distraction. I need something to distract the people
here... but what?)
"Ur-golems. Remove these others."
Once again, vaguely female-shaped things began to rise from the
floor, causing the patrons of the Crown to panic and stampede to the
doors.
The strange girl turned back to the booth. "Good. Now I will...
where did she go?"
Because her target wasn't there any more.
####
"Ow! Not so HARD!"
"Sorry, Usagi, but I'm not leaving anyone in there with that...
thing! We gotta get away, and find a policeman or something!"
Usagi rubbed her wrist where Naoko had dragged her out when the
weird girl had been distracted by her Ur-golems. (She's got to be as
strong as Mako-chan. Maybe stronger!) "Ah, good idea! I'll look
this way, and you look that way!"
(Beat me to it, good!) "Hai!"
Both girls went to ostensibly find a policeman. Both instead
ducked down different alleyways. And both said certain unusual
things--
"Moon Cosmic Power, Make Up!"
"Paragon no Power, Henshin!"
Had anyone BEEN in one of the alleyways, well, they wouldn't have
believed what they saw.
Two Magical Girls began to head to a single place where it was
painfully obvious that trouble was rearing it's ugly head-- again.
####
Ferriko was NOT a happy minion.
"What were you THINKING? Walk RIGHT up to a target, stare at her
from three inches away, summon the pack in the middle of a social
center-- of course they ran away!"
"I sought, I found. That is what I do."
"Oh, lovely. And then you lost."
"I will find the focused one again."
"Bets?"
Ferriko spun to see a silver and black clad girl leaning against
the door-frame, with a disturbingly confident smirk.
Paragon stared at Ferriko. Of course, you can't be absolutely
certain about these things, but women in chainmail leotards with
flowing black cloaks were, at the least, suspicious in her view.
"You know, I have this funny feeling that you're an agent of the
Dark. Care to try to convince me otherwise?"
"So. The so-called Paragon. Well, at least one part of the
mission objective had been achieved."
"Hmm... interesting. Which part of your mission objective is it
to get your butt kicked to the moon?"
Ferriko began to fume. The sheer arrogance of this... "Optika.
Deal with this... person."
What seemed to be an ordinary young woman raised her binoculars
to her eyes once again... but this time as she lowered her hand, they
stayed there. To Paragon's disquiet, her clothing changed-- as did
other parts of her. Where once an ordinary woman stood, now there
was a gunmetal gray creature with various lenses sticking out of her
dressed in a pink tutu.
"Oh, please. Is that supposed to scare me, or are you trying to
win by making me laugh myself to death?"
"OPTIBURST!"
Paragon had never seen a real honest to gosh laser before. As
she barely dodged the beam from the now affixed binoculars, she
decided she didn't like them.
(Great. Even I can't dodge lightspeed forever. Let's see if I
can take her down fast-- aw, CRAP.)
Before Paragon could react any further, the lasers began to hit
the various Ur-golems. Paragon stared as they began to glow, and
then found herself in combat as they attacked.
(Damn! They're a lot tougher than the first ones-- faster too!
She must be powering them somehow! What the hell do I do now?)
Spin kick. Punch. Leap kick. Chop. They were still easy to
take down-- for a Paragon-- but for every one she took out, another
two seemed to rise.
(I can't keep this up forever! And with these things in the way,
I can't get to bino-face or her boss! I need room to fight and
plan...)
Paragon had never been particularly concerned about property
damage when her life was on the line...
####
As Sailor Moon arrived at the Crown, she found herself joined by
Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus. Which made her very happy.
"Oh, you don't know how happy I am to see you! There's an enemy
inside!"
"We know, you called us, remember? Darn, and we were almost on
the trail of that boy too!" Venus replied.
"I still think we lost him," Jupiter grumped. "I hope Mars and
Mercury get here soon."
Discussion was derailed by the shattering of the plate glass
window as the Paragon leapt through in an attempt to get some
fighting room.
"Hey, it's her again!" Venus exclaimed.
"Wha-- you guys? Get ready, they're tougher this time!" Paragon
shouted as her hands began to shine.
"Who's tough-- YAHHHHH!"
There were a LOT of Ur-golems.
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
"CRESCENT BEAM!"
There were a few less.
"Damn it, no more nice magical girl! PARA VOLT!"
In contrast to the almost dancelike movements of the senshi
attacks, Paragon's assault was rather a simple punching motion
towards the pack of Ur-golems, releasing a arrowhead shaped form of
light that slashed through a few more, reducing them to dust. But
there were still too many. It wasn't looking good.
Still inside the cafe', Optika began to carefully target Paragon.
In a moment, the wild card would be eliminated, and--
Ur-demons aren't exactly brilliant, true. On the other hand,
they can scream fairly well. And when a rose impales what is passing
for an eye, screams are to be expected.
(Where the hell did THAT come from-- whoa. Now, THAT'S
different.)
The Ur-golems stopped attacking, confused without the leadership
of the Ur-demon Optika. It's very hard to coordinate a horde of
faceless minions when you're screaming bloody murder with an armor
piercing rose jammed into your eye, after all.
The tuxedo-clad figure hopped lightly off the lamp-post, to land
beside Sailor Moon. "Looks like I arrived just in time, Sailor
Moon."
"You're good at that," added Jupiter. "Now, let's finish that
thing!"
"Right!" Again the strange spinning dance, again the cry of
"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!", and again the execution of what Paragon
felt was a really funky looking finishing move.
Optika didn't even get a chance to scream "lovely", since she was
too busy screaming in pain.
Ferriko stared dumbly at the scene before her, as the remaining
Ur-golems collapsed into dust without an Ur-demon to power them.
"I... I don't believe it... you can't be this powerful, can't win
this easy..."
Paragon looked at the chainmail wearing woman, and her face
darkened. "You."
"Me?"
"You ruined a lot of peoples quiet time today. You sent that
thing to attack a helpless little girl. Those are crimes that cannot
be forgiven. Judgment has been made-- and you are found wanting."
"And who are you to judge me, human?" Ferriko was becoming truly
incensed by the redhead's arrogance.
"I am the Paragon. And you are not getting away with this!"
Before anyone could react, Paragon leapt at Ferriko, her battle aura
already gleaming a brilliant blue--
And passed right through Ferriko.
"What the-- Ooof!" exclaimed Paragon as she passed through the
illusion and slammed into the counter inside the cafe'.
"Oh, so sorry. But direct confrontation isn't in my plans yet.
I'll pass your boasts on to the Master, though... and next time, I'll
pass your head to him also. Till then..."
The image wavered and faded. Paragon rose, and snarled. "You
got that right... until then. Ain't my head, though..."
Dusting herself off, she left the building, only to be surrounded
by three Sailor Senshi and their evening-dressed friend. "Just a
moment," Jupiter said. "We've got some questions for you."
"I'm not in the mood for a quiz, sister."
"Please," Sailor Moon asked. "We could be of a lot of help to
each other. But we have to know who you are!"
"Willing to put that on an even base? You tell me, I tell you."
Paragon crossed her arms and smirked.
"Why should we tell you anything?" demanded Jupiter. "You're the
one butting into our fights, you know."
"Oh? And how do you know you aren't butting into mine? Besides,
unless you have a legal document assigning you alone to monster
fighting, that one won't wash anyhow."
Before Sailor Jupiter could protest this, Sailor Moon laid a hand
on her arm. "She's got a point. Why should she trust us if we don't
trust her? And they might be more her enemy than ours. We don't
know, do we?"
Paragon smiled at Sailor Moon. "You I like. You got sense.
Anyhow, sorry, but I can't tell you anything, except that there's
probably going to be more of those guys, and no, I'm not certain what
they're after myself. Now, I gotta go. Be seeing you."
Before any of the Sailors could react, Paragon leapt straight up
nearly thirty meters, and vanished over the rooftops.
####
"That powerful."
"Yes, Master. I'm sorry I failed you."
"I did not expect success this early in the game, Ferriko. It's
apparent to me that our main problems will be Sailor Moon and the
Paragon. You must work to draw them out, and if possible, trap one
of them alone for elimination. A pity, really. Both are such pretty
little things, almost too pretty to die. Almost."
"As you will, Master.
####
Sailor Moon stared at the space where Paragon had been a moment
before. Then she turned towards Tuxedo Kamen, and... scowled.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama," she said in deceptively sugary tones,
"What's wrong with your nose?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing at all," Tuxedo Kamen replied, wiping a
trickle of blood away. (DAMN, that girl wears almost... damn.)
"We'll discuss that later, and-- oh, NO. Naoko! I almost forgot
about Naoko!"
"Who?" Venus asked.
"The girl I met, the one who knows about strange martial arts! I
hope she's all right!"
"Well, let's change and we'll help you look for her," Jupiter
suggested. "Besides, the police will be here any moment. We should
be scarce by then."
And soon the street was deserted.
####
They found her later, in an alleyway, hiding. "Usagi, you're all
right! I tried to find a phone, but I got in this alley, and then
there were horrible sounds, and I was scared to come out, and..."
"It's all right, Naoko... the Senshi came by and it was a monster
but they beat it. Are you okay?"
"Yes... I... I think I should go home, though, Mama's going to
worry about me. Maybe we'll see each other again someday."
"Maybe." Somehow Usagi felt that that was a given.
####
"Mamo-chan... "
"Usako, I love you. I'll never betray you. I'd give my life for
you-- hell, I have at least twice that I know of. And I live only
because of our love.
"But right now I'm alive-- and personally, I don't think there's
a man alive who wouldn't be distracted by a girl with that figure and
that style of clothing. Please forgive me, I'm only human..."
Usagi nodded. "I... suppose you can't be blamed. I wish I had
that kind of figure-- although I'd never wear anything like that.
Not even at the beach. Never-- well, maybe with one exception."
Mamoru paused, and then asked, uncertainly, "Ah... where?"
"More a when-- and on our wedding night."
Mamoru blushed. VERY hard.
####
"Anyhow, unless I take out the boss thing out right off, those
little geeks are gonna be trouble. And I think Sailor Moon trusts
me, but I don't know about the others." Ranma sighed, idly
scratching the rabbit behind the ear.
"And I missed the whole thing. Darn."
"Well, that's the least of my new problems. Nabiki's getting
suspicious, I think Akane's beginning to worry about me, and that
jerk girl in the metal suit isn't going to be a pushover-- and she
has a boss. Does this job come with a guarantee of victory?"
Star paused... and said, unhappily, "Kami-sama, I wish it DID..."
####
To Be Continued.