[Ranma/SM][FanFic] Paragon:Prolog and Episode One
Rob
A Sailor Moon / Ranma 1/2 fanfiction
####
Prologue:
It was done.
The cats had been sealed, and sent into orbit around the Earth,
where eventually they would land, to be awakened when the time was
right.
As many souls as possible had been sent into the future, to be
reborn in a happier time, hopefully without conflict.
Not that Serenity, the queen of the Silver Millennium, actually
believed that for a moment as she lay dying amidst the wreckage of
her palace. Darkness would arrive again. She had not been able to
destroy Metalliaia or Beryl, only seal them away... and there were
other dangers out there, and she feared that they too would come.
Ginzoushou. Broken into seven parts, to seal the Shadows away...
even if it was reformed, would it be enough?
Her daughter... such potential... but still...
She lay dying, and despaired.
And then, in her last moments, a shadow fell across her face, and
she saw a man. Someone she had never seen before, but somehow his
presence comforted her.
"Do not fear, Serenity. There are other powers."
And Serenity let go, with a smile on her lips...
####
He sat under the bridge that he favored when he was feeling
unusually depressed. Recently, for Ranma Saotome, that was happening
a lot lately.
Stupid wedding. That was hell.
Stupid Amazons and their stupid laws.
Stupid Ucch-- Ukyo. He'd expected better of her.
Stupid Nabiki, inviting all those loons.
Stupid Pops, attacking that cask of Nannichuan.
Stupid Happosai, DRINKING the damn thing, thinking it was sake.
Stupid... curse.
Maybe not everything came down to the curse, but enough did.
Only person right now that he wasn't calling stupid was Akane.
It was something of a shock to him that she'd actually wanted to get
married.
Ranma was normally not the type to use a Shi Shi Hokodan. Right
now, the bridge was in serious danger.
"This can't be right."
Depressed or not, Ranma's reflexes and reactions were still about
the sharpest around. He leapt to his feet, spun, and faced--
A six year old boy.
"You're supposed to be-- hmm. You ARE Ranma Saotome, right?"
"Look, kid, I ain't in the mood--"
"Why aren't you a girl? The Paragon is supposed to be a girl,
you know. No, wait, you wouldn't know. Excuse me, mind if I take a
look at your soul?"
"What?"
"Arigato. Won't take a moment."
Then the kid stuck his head inside Ranma.
Now, Ranma was no stranger to weird things happening. Frankly,
he was more a stranger to NORMAL thing happening. But this was so
insanely weird that he froze in shock.
The kid pulled his head out from Ranma's abdomen, and nodded.
"Hmm... you're both. That could be useful. And you're definitely
the Paragon after all. Wanna help save the world?"
"Huh?"
"I'm not allowed to explain right now. But... look, you want a
way to control your curse? I can give it to you. But you have to
help save the world."
"A... a cure?"
"Not a cure, a control. It won't be a curse any more. It'll be
something else. But you have to promise. You have to help save the
world."
Ranma paused. Something told him that accepting would be a
mistake. Something else told him that refusing would be a bigger
one.
"Deal."
The boy smiled. "Okay! Now, put this on, and wait for the
rabbit."
"What? Rabbit? And what's that thing?"
Said thing was a sort of pendant, with a five pointed star of
crystal inside a simple gold circle.
"It's the Paragon Amulet. Never take it off. Actually, you
won't be able to take it off. If you take it, you can't go back.
Last chance to back out."
Ranma paused.
And then he took the amulet, and put it on. "Now what?"
The boy smiled again. Then he produced a bucket from apparently
nowhere (not an unusual act in Nerima, really) and splashed Ranma.
"HEY! What did you... do... that... I'm... I'm still a guy?"
"Cold water isn't a problem for you any more, Ranma."
"I'm... I'm cured! Never gonna be a girl again! Never gonna be
a girl again! Never gonna be a girl again!" The no longer
aquatransexual began to fairly caper in joy.
"I didn't say that. But you'll understand in time."
"Never gonna be-- what did you say?" But the boy had vanished.
No longer depressed, Ranma decided to forget about it and started
to dance home.
####
A man stood staring into a pool of water. "THAT'S your choice
for the Paragon?"
The boy shrugged. "A mighty warrior, a heroic soul, and a girl.
When he'll need to be. Star's already on the way to his house. And
he's meant for this, I can tell."
"His life is a constant pattern of chaos! He's got a pack of
loons chasing him, who either want to kill him or marry him! His
father's a moron, his mother's a loon, and he attracts trouble like a
cake attracts ants!"
"And he's still sane, still noble at heart, still a gentle soul
and a brave fighter."
"You're right. He's perfect. And the Amulet is already adapting
to him. This is likely to be the strongest Paragon ever."
The boy smiled. "Am I ever wrong?"
The man sighed. "Just once, I almost wish you would be..."
####
"So... this world has a Senshi."
"My lord, it may have more than one. And there are other sources
of power that we can't define."
"But you're certain that the StarGem is here?"
"Yes. It will try to mask itself by hiding in the soul of one of
the humans of this world. We can determine possible candidates, but
we can't be certain which one until we find the right one."
"Problematical..."
"Yes. We can't be certain who carries it, there are probably
multiple Senshi, and other opponents. Then again, we have our
Ur-golems, and our Ur-demons. Ur-golems can distract any senshi that
pop up, while the Ur-Demons seek the StarGem. I don't think it will
be that difficult after all."
"Then go. Find the StarGem, my key to immortality and
omnipotence."
"As you command."
####
In the room of Ranma Saotome, a gray rabbit with a white
star-shaped patch of fur on his haunch sat on his futon, wriggled his
amazingly cute nose, twitched a whisker adorably, and sighed.
The door opened, and Ranma entered. He'd gotten back to a empty
house, which was unusual. Then he stared at the rabbit.
And the rabbit said, "Hi! I'm Star, your advisor. I'm supposed
to teach you how to be the Paragon. Funny, you don't LOOK like a
girl."
Ranma fainted.
####
End prologue...
"What the hell ARE those?"
The other Senshi found themselves agreeing with Jupiter's
question. It was pretty much like the usual enemy-- basically female
in appearance, but twisted in some almost ludicrous fashion. As
evinced by the fact that it had a hairbrush protruding out of it's
head, was dressed in the required skimpy outfit, and just plain
looked silly.
After the Daimons, silly probably meant dangerous as all hell.
And unlike the Daimons or the other enemies, this one had
friends-- a pack of (again) vaguely feminine faceless things that
looked as though they were made of clay. Well, clay with sharp rocky
projections sticking out.
A new enemy. The thing with the hairbrush stood over an
unconscious girl, examining her. "Pah. No StarGem in her. Well,
she dies then, for her death energy. Kill those... Senshi,
Ur-Golems. That at least will please the Master."
"Doesn't work that way," came an unfamiliar female voice.
And all eyes turned to the shadowed figure, who said--
"From out of darkness comes a light. From out of Chaos comes a
champion. To attack the innocent for your dark ambitions can never
be forgiven. Judgment has been made-- and you are found wanting."
"And who are you?" snarled the Ur-Demon.
And the figure replied...
"I am... the Paragon."
####
Robert Haynie Presents
A Sailor Moon / Ranma 1/2 crossover fanfiction
PARAGON
Episode One : She's not a Senshi? Mysterious Warrior Paragon
appears!
####
Ranma began to return to consciousness as he felt a soft paw
tapping his face.
A soft paw?
In Ranma's experience, soft paws usually meant--
"C-C-C-C-CAT!!!!!"
"Cat? Where? Oh, MAN, I HATE cats!" panicked Star.
Ranma froze again. "Not cat. Rabbit. Not cat. Rabbit.
Talking rabbit. Eeeep."
"Oh, there's not a cat? Whew. You ever been chased by a cat?
They are evil creatures, any rabbit can tell you that. Say, why are
you clinging to the ceiling?"
Ranma stared at Star with eyes roughly the size of cantaloupes.
"Talking Rabbit. Weirdness. No more, please..."
"You're over-reacting. What, did your father wrap you in a bunch
of carrots and lettuce and drop you into a pit of starving bunnies
when you were a child, or something?" Star felt, understandably,
hurt. First time out as a magical mascot and his charge was acting
weird.
"R-Rabbits don't talk..."
"I do. I'm your advisor, remember? I'm supposed to teach you
how to be the Paragon. I don't think I can do that while you're
clinging to the ceiling. How do you do that anyhow? Come down,
already."
"Nuh-uh. I like it up here."
"Please? It's not like I can hurt you, is it? I'm just a kawaii
little bunny-rabbit."
"You're weirdness. I ain't coming down."
"I can wait as long as you can, you know."
"Bets?"
"I don't see what you're so upset about. You DID promise."
"Promise what?"
"To help save the world."
Ranma paused. He HAD made that promise in return for his cure.
"Ummm..."
"Please?" Star took on an expression that went beyond kawaii and
far into the uber-cute spectrum. Eyes sparkling, nose twitching,
ears drooping just a bit-- the rabbit radiated sadness and
disappointment. Taro would have softened at the sight.
Ranma never stood a chance. "All right... " He dropped easily
from the ceiling.
"Wow, you're good. I can see why they chose you for the Paragon.
Except that you're a boy. The Paragon is supposed to be a girl."
"Oh, yeah! I don't turn into a girl anymore! So I guess you
really want someone else!" Maybe he could escape this rabbit after
all.
"Don't... wait, let me think... Oh, yeah! Jusenkyo, right? Knew
I forgot something." Star paused. "Actually, I think I'm forgetting
a LOT of things. But you aren't cured."
"Am too! Watch!" Ranma grabbed a glass of water and dumped it
over his head. "See? No more girl!"
"You don't understand, your curse isn't cured, it's controlled.
I want you to think girl."
"Think... what do you mean?"
"Think about changing into a girl. TRY to."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
"Don't wanna, and you can't make me."
"Can too."
"Can not."
"Can TOO!"
"Can NOT!"
"You're scared to try!"
THAT did it.
"I ain't scared of nothin'! Watch, I'll think girl, and
nothing-- errrgh."
Ranma stared down at herself. Instead of water triggering the
change, SHE had. And worse...
"ACK! I'm in a dress!"
"Well, that's what girls wear--"
"I'm-- I'm wearing a BRA! And PANTIES! I can FEEL them! My
hair's undone and there's a ribbon in it! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING
ON?"
"You look nice..."
Ranma glared at the rabbit in fury. "CHANGE ME BACK NOW!"
"I can't. You can, though. Just think boy."
Ranma shuddered, and then concentrated again. Again the familiar
tingle. He was a he again, and dressed in his habitual Chinese
outfit. He tugged at his pigtail for reassurance. No ribbons.
Good.
"Never gonna do THAT again. Never."
"Um..." The rabbit looked nervous. "You'll have to. Rather a
lot. You'll have to be the Paragon to fight the Outer Darkness, and
only a girl can be the Paragon, so you'll have to be a girl
sometimes. But at least you control it now."
"Maybe, but I was dressed--"
"Like a girl, and sometimes you're going to have to pretend to be
an ordinary girl, and they usually don't dress in Chinese tangs and
baggy trousers. You'll get used to it."
(I don't believe this,) thought Ranma. (I thought I was never
going to have to be a girl again, and now I have to turn into one
complete with stupid girls clothes and everything because a magical
rabbit says so and because I promised to help save the world and...
My life may not be hell right now, but Purgatory is a definite
possibility.)
"Anyway, do you know an abandoned lot or something like that? We
should start training. It won't be long before the Darkness begins
to make it's move."
"What can I learn from a rabbit, anyhow?" asked Ranma.
Star produced a lapine grin. "Well, you may have noticed that
I'm not an ordinary rabbit..."
####
On the subject of rabbits, the name Usagi Tsukino often crosses
the mind. Most people assumed her to be just another junior high
school student, if one with a peculiar taste in hairstyles.
Few knew that she was really the reborn Princess of the Silver
Millennium, Serenity the Younger, as well as the Bishojo Senshi
Sailor Moon, the most popular urban legend in Juuban.
There's a certain symmetry in the fact that where a certain
cat-hating youth was holding a conversation with a talking rabbit, a
girl NAMED "Rabbit" was holding a conversation with a talking cat.
"Luna, you really think there's likely to be a new enemy?"
"Pharaoh 90 wasn't the last, I fear. I don't know who the new
enemy would be, but I'm certain that he wasn't the last. I can feel
it."
The black cat padded over to Usagi's desk. "But I could be well
wrong. At any rate, you have a much greater threat to face."
Usagi's eyes widened. Grabbing her transformation brooch, she
gasped, "Who? What? Should I call the others?"
"No, this is a battle only you can fight..."
"No... wh-what is it?"
"Your imminent failure in that mathematics midterm Thursday if
you don't start studying NOW."
At the other end of the room, a pink haired girl of about twelve
years of age began to snicker.
"Luuuuu-naaaaaa..."
"You tell the odango-atama, Luna!" chortled Chibi-Usa, who, even
after all the adventures she and Usagi had shared, still couldn't
resist a good tease.
"Don't Call ME--"
"Gomen, gomen. Besides, I realized they don't look like odango
after all."
"Oh?" Usagi began to preen a bit.
"They look more like meatballs."
Preening stopped.
"And those ponytails look like spaghetti..."
"BANZAI!"
Luna sighed as one of the not infrequent Usagi and Chibi-Usa
chases began, the older girl snarling and the younger giggling like a
madgirl.
"Definitely her mother's daughter," sighed Luna. "But only if
her mother turns out to be Rei instead."
####
Before anyone asks, no, Chibi-Usa IS Usagi's kid, or will be.
This isn't that kind of fiction.
####
For reasons that had never been easily explained, the ward of
Nerima, which by rights should have been every bit as congested as
the rest of the area around and in Tokyo, had an unusual number of
small forests, quarries, abandoned junkyards and the like which were
tailor made for martial artists to train in insanely destructive
techniques in. Then again, Nerima was a place where the inexplicable
was a daily occurrence-- or so it seemed at times.
Ranma stood at the abandoned quarry, and scowled. The rabbit
that somehow easily rode on his shoulder nodded sagely (or as sagely
as an overly kawaii bunny could, anyway). "This should do just
fine."
"All right. So, what's first?"
"First, you change into a girl again."
Ranma grumbled. He'd gotten used to the curse, true, but that
was because he'd had very little choice in the matter. Now he no
longer had to worry about being a girl by accident any more-- and was
expected to be one on purpose. Life stank.
(Think girl. Think Girl... think COOL Girl,) he thought
desparately.
He came close.
Star nodded in approval. "Very stylish."
Ranma looked down at herself. This time she was wearing khaki
shorts and a matching military style top, with combat boots yet. "At
least this ain't a dress. Aw, man, but there's still the damn bra
and... I hope the old pervert never finds out about this."
"Don't know what you're talking about, Ranma, but now it's time
to summon the Power. Take hold of the amulet, and say 'Paragon no
Power Henshin", and that will do the rest."
"All right, but-- wait a minute."
It was beginning to click.
Magical jewelry.
Henshin phrases.
Have to be a girl to use the power.
Saving the world.
Cute Fluffy Talking Animal Companion (tm).
"Oh, no. Oh, no no no. No WAY are you going to turn me into a
magical girl!"
"The Paragon is a great warrior--"
"You can't fool ME. I've seen those cartoons! Akane watches
them all the time! I've seen Pretty Sammy! I've had Wedding Peach
shoved in my face a million times! You're going to put me in some
frilly skirt with bows and ribbons and some cheesy looking magical
wand and goofy jewelry and who knows what and I'll be making silly
speeches and dancing around like an idiot! I ain't gonna do it!"
Star looked doubtful. "I don't know anything about that. I
don't know how the Paragon will manifest this time-- it's different
every time. Just do it, please?"
"No WAY! I ain't going to dash around in pink lace and satin!"
--You promised.
Ranma shook her head, uncertainly. Did she hear--
--You promised. You are said to be a man-- or woman-- of your
word. You promised to help save the world.
"But... but do I have to--"
--It is the only way.
Star twitched an ear, uncertainly. Ranma was suddenly standing
stock still, eyes glazed, and mumbling under her breath. Had the
idea of becoming the Paragon sent her over the edge?
Then Ranma took the Amulet in hand, closed her eyes, and said the
words...
"Paragon no power-- HENSHIN!"
It took less than two seconds for the transfiguration to occur.
It seemed much longer, somehow, as Ranma felt her clothing dissolve,
and the lights-- the terrible, beautiful lights-- forge a new
garment. She felt energy infuse her. She felt power. She felt...
wonderful.
She felt like she could go thirteen rounds with Ryoga, Taro,
Mousse, Happosai, and Cologne easily without breathing heavily.
And as her feet settled the ground and she realized that she HAD
been for a moment lifted bodily up, she looked down at herself, and
blinked.
"God. I think I woulda preferred the ribbons and the frilly
skirt."
Star developed a nosebleed. He might be a rabbit, but he was
also a boy.
####
Ami Mizuno held a secret pride.
Although as a Senshi she held considerable power-- the Shabon
Spray, and recently the Shine Aqua Illusion-- she didn't consider
those her true powers.
Nor did she consider the enhanced speed, agility, and strength
such.
No, what she considered her true power was something she had been
born with-- her intellect.
It wasn't a matter of ego, really. She studied hard to get the
grades she did. Harder still to keep ahead of the class as far as
she did. In her own way, she held a touch of ego-- in one thing, at
least, she desired to be the best.
With her friends in the Sailor Team, that could be hard. Minako
was so beautiful, Makoto was so strong, Rei had her strange mystic
abilities and a glamour that could not be over looked, and Usagi
was...
A pillar of unyielding strength wrapped in the blanket of a
terminally happy teen. A study in contrasts. The Princess.
Ami didn't consider herself very good looking, actually. Not
compared to the others, anyhow. Chronically shy, somewhat lacking in
self esteem, she threw herself into her studies and her duties as a
Sailor Senshi. In those, she found a much needed pride.
She smiled. She was also the only one of the Senshi who could
access one of her abilities without being transformed-- the Mercury
Computer. From time to time she would take it out of the strange
pocketspace she carried and do a scan, just in case something odd was
happening.
Idly she did so, tapped the data entry pad, and froze. For a
second-- only a second-- there had been a reading of a new and
powerful energy, but it had lasted far too short a time to tell where
it was from. It could have been a random blip, but...
Better safe than sorry, after all. She'd mention it when she met
the others at the Crown this afternoon.
####
Ranma came home again, male, with Star riding his shoulder easily
in the tradition of magical girl mascots throughout history. Ranma
had decided that even if he wasn't exactly dressed like the
stereotype from anime, when he was the Paragon he-- or rather she--
was pretty much a magical girl. Closest thing he could think to call
it, anyway. Well, maybe superhero, but they didn't usually have
talking rabbits as trainers.
"That wasn't so bad," said the aforementioned rabbit. "You did
good in the training. Guess all that martial arts helped too."
"Yeah, but that outfit-- man, if anyone ever sees me in it,
they'll never let me live it down."
"I told you, they won't recognize you. The Paragon is a
mysterious warrior, and no-one will ever recognize you unless they
actually see you change in front of them. In fact, I'm not sure
they'd recognize you even then."
"You SAY so. But you just keep remembering stuff from outta the
blue. How do you know any of that works?"
"The stuff we tried today worked, didn't it?"
"Well.... yeah," Ranma admitted, grudgingly.
"I haven't steered you wrong yet, have I?"
"Well..."
"Trust me. You're going to do fine."
"But that outfit..."
"The life of a Magical Girl is full of peril," the rabbit said
sententiously.
"Ha ha ha. You sound just like my pop. By the way, you even
THINK of engaging me to anyone, you are fricassee. And I ain't a
magical girl. Paragon is."
"You're the same person."
"..."
Arriving at the Tendo house, Ranma entered, with a slightly
sullen "Tadaima".
Kasumi looked up, and frowned imperceptibly. Ranma had been
depressed for weeks since the failed wedding attempt. Although his
father and her father had finally stopped pressuring the matter, it
hadn't improved his mood. He wasn't eating much (Well, not much for
Ranma), he didn't talk much, he didn't even argue with Akane much.
There was something different about this depression, though. As
though he had the weight of a world on his shoulders.
"Ranma-kun, the furo's still hot if you want a bath, and... Oh!
What a kawaii little bunny-rabbit!"
Ranma shook his head to clear it, and realized that he had a
shoulder full of lapine cuteness. "Um... yeah. My new pet. Name's
Star. 'Cause of the mark, ne?"
"He's adorable! But why did you get a pet?"
"Um... well, I've been feeling down, and kinda thought a pet
would maybe cheer me up. And I guess it's working a little." (Yeah,
right.)
"Well, it's the most precious thing I have ever seen!" Kasumi
was fairly gushing. Star merely turned up the cute levels a few
notches.
"Would Star-chan like a carrot or some lettuce?"
Star nodded. And then remembered he was supposed to be a dumb
animal.
"Oh, Ranma-kun! Such a clever bunny!" Kasumi was now officially
enchanted.
"Um... yeah, he, um, used to belong to a magician I think and he
does tricks and he's even housebroken which is very unusual for a
rabbit?" Ranma said in something of a panic.
Kasumi wasn't listening any more, though, instead rapidly
selecting a large carrot, paring it, washing the greens, and slipping
it onto a paper plate. "Here you are, Star-chan! I hope you like
it!"
As Ranma took the carrot and the carrot-eater to his room, Star
whispered, "I think I like her."
"Everyone does."
####
Rei Hino gazed into flames.
The fire watching was a mixture of meditation, clairvoyance,
precognition, and relaxation. Right now, she was focused on the
first and last.
Relaxation was sometimes not easy for a Sailor Senshi to come by.
The events of the Pharaoh 90 matter had been at times horrific. But
again... somehow they'd pulled through.
Sometimes she couldn't understand how they won this last one.
Usagi's refusal to harm Mistress 9 -- Hotaru-- should have gotten
them all killed. Instead...
Instead, as she always did, somehow she persevered through love,
hope, and sheer bloody-minded refusal to lie down and die.
Whatever else one might say about Usagi Tsukino, she was not a
quitter. No matter how much she wanted to be.
But for now, Rei wasn't thinking of any of that. She was simply
relaxing, losing herself in the flickering patterns of the flames,
and allowing herself to enter the meditative state she so rarely had
an opportunity to enjoy.
It was probably the least desirable time for a vision to intrude.
She saw a strange irregular crystal. A hidden face. A darkness.
And for a flickering moment, the glimpse of a blue eye and red hair.
She fell back, groaning. "Oh, no... not AGAIN..."
It was a good thing she was meeting the others at the Fruits
Parlor Crown. They had to be warned that something might happen.
####
Dinnertime at the Tendo residence.
As it had been for the last few weeks, it was oddly subdued.
Ranma ate in silence as he usually did nowadays, and people tended to
match him. But this time there was a new tension in the air, one
that wasn't easily defined.
Ranma was timing this one perfectly. Anything Goes Martial Arts
Surprise Announcement Technique. Just as his father was swallowing a
rather large piece of fish, he mentioned casually, "Oh, by the way,
got cured of my curse today."
The now choking Genma was a pleasant sight. "You okay, Pop?"
Ranma asked with dripping insincerity.
Actually, the reactions around the table were pretty varied at
this announcement.
Akane froze, in sheer disbelief.
Nabiki's chopsticks snapped as she realized that almost 15
percent of her profit margin may have just dried up and blew away.
Soun took on an expression much akin to a deer caught in a 5000
watt spotlight.
Kasumi smiled, and said "How nice for you!"
Nodoka fainted in joy.
Ranma went back to his meal, expecting chaos at any moment. He
wasn't disappointed.
"H-how did you get cured? How can I get cured?" his father
demanded.
"You can't. Only works once."
"You mean you found a cure and denied your poor, long-suffering
father release from his personal hell?"
"What hell? You seem to like bein' a panda pretty much. And
anyway, I didn't find a cure, it found me."
"You could have waited, Saotome," mused Nabiki.
"You mean for one last photo shoot, or the chance to sell the
news about my cure? Sorry, I already told Cologne and certain other
people about it, including Hiroshi and Daisuke. Guess by tomorrow
it'll be all over town."
Nabiki stared at Ranma's frankly nasty grin. She knew he wasn't
happy with her about her part in the failed wedding, but...
"You... you lost me that much opportunity? Do you know what you
have done?"
"Yeah. Took control of my life for once. Feels good."
Ranma rose from the table, and added, "Well, I gotta groom my
rabbit. See ya."
"Wait-- at least tell me how it happened!"
Ranma paused, and then held out a hand. "500 yen."
Nabiki screamed in frustration as Akane found herself repressing
laughter...
####
Makoto Kino was a romantic. But not in general a successful one.
She was reading a cheap romance novel, trying to picture herself
in the role of the heroine, and failing miserably. She was
uncomfortably aware that she wasn't quite fit for that role.
She was taller than most boys her age. Also stronger, faster,
and a hell of a lot better fighter.
This tended to intimidate said boys.
True, this usually didn't matter (or so she told herself). Most
boys she met were immature types, not quite what she was interested
in. But every once in a while she'd see one...
One who reminded her of her old-- no, that was a memory she
should just let go of.
(As if I could,) she thought ruefully. (Face it, Makoto, you
can't go a week without seeing some cute guy who reminds you of your
old sempai.)
Well, someday she'd meet the right guy. Until then, she'd keep
trying.
Makoto was also an optimist.
Idly she stood, tossing the novel into her purse, grabbed a bag
of cookies she'd made for Motoki-- not to try to catch his interest,
he had a girlfriend already-- but just because he was a nice guy, and
headed out to the Crown to meet her friends. Besides, there might be
a cute guy there.
####
"Got to admit, Star, your advice was worth it. I thought she'd
die when I asked for the 500 yen."
"Did she pay?"
"Naw, but the only one who knows anything about how it happened
is Cologne, and all she knows is a wandering kami passed by and
decided to cure me. I ain't telling any of the rest, it's too
embarrassing."
"It's also a secret. You can't be a mysterious warrior if
everyone knows who you are, you know."
There was a knock on the door.
Star quickly started to play "innocent little rabbit" as Ranma
said, "Come in."
Akane entered, trying to look severe. "That wasn't very nice to
do to Nabiki, you know."
"Wasn't meant to be. I ain't gonna let her control me ever
again. I got other things to worry about."
"Like what?"
"Like how Kuno's going to react when he don't see his pig-tailed
goddess any more, for example. Or the fact that my stupid pop ain't
going to understand that that cure only works for me, and I can't
repeat it, and I didn't do it in the first place. Or making a bed
for Star here..."
Akane took in the rabbit for the first time, and melted.
"Awwww... what a kawaii little bunny rabbit!" she said in sugary
tones.
"People keep saying that. Star, this is Akane. Wave to the nice
lady."
Star, playing along, sat up on his haunches and waggled a paw.
"Ooooo! What a SMART bunny!" Akane gushed.
"Yep. And he's neat too. I'm gonna teach him the Art."
"You're going to try to teach a rabbit martial arts?"
Star looked uncertain at this also.
"Sure, in case he gets lost and a dog tries to mess with him. So
he can defend himself while I try to find him. I think it would be
cool."
"Well," Akane said uncertainly, "If anyone could teach a rabbit
kempo I guess it would be you... Can I hold him?"
Ranma looked at Star, who nodded imperceptibly. "Okay, but be
careful. He's not as tough as P-Chan, I think."
Akane gently took the rabbit in her arms, and scratched it behind
the ear. Star closed his eyes, happily. "He's adorable."
"People keep saying that too."
"But why did you get a rabbit? I would have thought you'd want a
dog or something like that..."
"Oh, I've always liked rabbits. Tough critters in the wild, you
know, real fighters. Besides, dogs are too much trouble, compared to
rabbits." Again, Star's coaching came through as Akane accepted the
fabrication.
Akane reluctantly put the rabbit down. "I miss P-Chan... I
haven't seen him in weeks..."
"He'll turn up, maybe."
For a while they talked, about inconsequential things, and then
Akane left. And Ranma mused at the idea that they would actually
just talk.
Star smiled. He was here for more than one reason, after all--
the Paragon was only the most important one.
####
Minako Aino.
There was a heartbreak in her memory...
She'd actually been the first of the Sailor Senshi to be called.
She'd pretended to be the Princess to draw the attention of the Dark
Kingdom. She'd traveled the world, especially Britain, fighting
crime and the Dark Agency, and meeting--
Alan.
It still hurt, a little. But she knew that Katrina was really
the right person for him.
If only she could have been...
It had been hard fighting alone. When she had teamed up with the
others, it had been the best day of her life.
About three months later came the worst one. Also the last one.
Dying at D-Point wasn't ANY fun.
Being reborn again and having at least a short while to be an
ordinary girl had been.
Then she had been reunited with her friends. That had been even
better.
Well, life was good, except when you got killed, or had your
heart broken. Minako wasn't the sort to stay down for long. Just
wasn't in her nature.
She was sort of like Usagi that way.
Which reminded her, it was time to meet with the others at the
Crown. Maybe there was a new boy in the neighborhood, or a new manga
series she hadn't heard about, or a new idol group, and if nothing
else, Usagi and Rei could always be counted on for some
entertainment.
"Come on, Artemis, we don't want to be late, do we?"
"What we? Luna and I usually wind up waiting outside anyhow..."
"Cranky Kitty."
####
SPLASH!
Ranma stood, soaked and fuming.
"So... the rumor is true... you're cured and you refuse to share
it."
"Ryoga, dammit, I didn't find a cure, a cure found me! Some
weird passing kami or something! And he was looking for me
specifically, anyhow! There ain't nothing to share!"
"You specifically?" The Eternally Lost Boy stared. "Only you?"
"Yeah. Only me." (I guess they didn't need a magical pork roast
to help save the world.)
"How DARE you insult me so!"
"Huh?"
"To suggest that the kami would choose you over me! DIE!"
"Aw, no, not again!"
It was an old dance. Ryoga lost his head, Ranma went into the
usual routine of dodge and strike, nothing ever seemed to change.
Until now.
Suddenly Ranma realized that he was moving faster than usual.
Faster, more gracefully, more nimbly. Almost like he used to in
his...
A-ha.
Ryoga was confused. Ranma had never been this fast before, never
this nimble, this agile, except when he was a...
Oh, damn.
The fight was shorter than usual. It ended with Ryoga embedded
in the ground, expressing muffled curses. Ranma punted the lost boy
out the gate, knowing that it would be at least a week before he saw
him again (although he couldn't be certain about P-Chan) and went to
talk to a certain rabbit.
"Well... since it's not a curse, and since the Paragon is
somewhat different from the old version of your girl side, I suppose
that the girl side's old advantages just sort of shifted over to your
boy side. You know how tough Paragon is," Star said.
"Yeah. That was kinda embarrassing, to find that I was that much
stronger as a girl... uh-oh. Does that mean my not-changed girl side
is gonna be weak or slow now?"
"I don't think so, but we'll check tomorrow-- aggh..."
Ranma leaned forwards. "Hey, you okay, Star?"
"D-Darkness... I sense the darkness. It's started... Damn,
wanted to train you more..."
"Where? Can we get to it?"
"I can take you there. Change and follow me."
Ranma had seen many things in his short life that defied reality.
Star went beyond defiance, and mooned reality while giving it the
metaphorical finger.
A 60 MPH rabbit counts, anyhow. Then again, so does a 60 MPH
Paragon.
####
There are few things that spoil the enjoyment of a strawberry
parfait quite like the panic stricken scream of someone who has just
been attacked by a monster. In the opinion of the Sailor Senshi, it
was also uncomfortably frequent.
After nearly two years of this, the reaction had become routine.
Find a quiet place to change, and do so. Go out, find out where the
scream came from--
And stare at what seemed to be a tall girl in a rhinestone bikini
with a hairbrush stuck in her head, crouching over an unconscious
girl.
"Is it just me, or do the enemies just get daffier and daffier
looking overtime?" asked Sailor Venus.
"It's not just you," gritted Mars. "And I thought the Daimon
looked weird."
The hairbrush-head turned, and snorted. "Intruders. Enemies.
Go away."
"Not likely! Whatever you are, we won't let you hurt that girl!
Agent of Love and Justice, Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon! In the name
of the moon, I will punish you!"
"Senshi? You are... senshi?"
Sailor Moon blinked. "Um... I just said that, right?"
"Senshi. Die."
The ground began to waver, and things appeared. Squat, vaguely
feminine things, like female trolls made of clay. And there were a
lot of them.
"What the hell ARE those?" asked Jupiter.
The thing with the hairbrush stood over an unconscious girl,
examining her. "Pah. No StarGem in her. Well, she dies then, for
her death energy. Kill those... Senshi, Ur-Golems. That at least
will please the Master."
"Doesn't work that way," came an unfamiliar female voice.
And all eyes turned to the shadowed figure, who said--
"From out of darkness comes a light. From out of Chaos comes a
champion. To attack the innocent for your dark ambitions can never
be forgiven. Judgment has been made-- and you are found wanting."
"And who are you?" snarled the Ur-Demon.
The figure stepped into the light.
She was not very tall-- a hair taller than Usagi, maybe, but
maybe not. She wore a sort of metallic silver strapless leotard that
left no doubt that she was of mammalian decent, and a matching silver
choker. A open front black mini-vest accented the revealing
bodywear. Black thigh-high boots and elbow-length gloves added to
the effect, as did the twin thin black belts that draped her hips in
an X pattern. The final accents were a complex dragon-shaped circlet
of silver in her free flowing mane of crimson hair, matching
earrings, and a black mask that, although sparse and hiding nothing
really of her face, still seemed to be concealing.
"I am... the Paragon."
Before the hairbrush headed thing could react, the Paragon had
leapt over twenty meters in a flat arc, to plant a heel in it's gut.
"Oh, and I don't like you," she added.
Hairbrush oofed.
The Senshi, meanwhile, found themselves having to deal with the
Ur-Golems. And they weren't having a very hard time of it at all.
Without the Ur-Demon to direct them, they Ur-Golems had all the
tactical capability of a tin of bad salmon. Everyone was using their
basic attacks. No need to use an improved one-- these things were
cheese. Even Sailor Chibi-Moon had taken one out with the Pink Sugar
Heart Attack.
"Are these supposed to be a threat?" demanded Jupiter. "They're
ugly, but they break easy!" She hadn't even bothered with a power
attack. A nearby 2x4 left from a construction site and her own
muscles were doing just fine.
"You noticed-- this is silly!" replied Sailor Moon, clubbing
another Ur-Golem into dust by the simple expedient of hitting it with
the Spiral Heart Moon Rod, as opposed to hitting it with a really big
pink heart. "Kinda fun, though!"
"YATTA!" cried Chibi-Moon as she took down a second thingy. "I'm
getting to beat up monsters all by myself!"
Mercury stared as a pack of Ur-Golems melted under a Shabon Spray
-- which normally doesn't DO any damage. "These things are a joke!
What possessed that creature to summon them?"
Hairbrush knew why the Senshi were having an easy time of it.
This damn silver and black clad bitch. Her constant attacks were
distracting her from pushing any energy into the golems.
"You... you dare interfere-- DANDRUFF SWARM!"
"Dan-- OW!" Paragon had not expected to be hit by a flurry of
armor piercing head flakes. Then again, who would?
"DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!" raved the Ur-Demon.
"Let me guess," Paragon retorted, now dodging the bursts of
damaged scalp, "You aren't wishing me a long and happy life, are
you?"
"ARRGH! FULL ULTIMATE DANDRUFF ASSAULT!"
(Oh, crap...) "PARA SHIELD!"
The hairbrush Ur-Demon was now pushing all her power into an
assault against the Paragon. Said Paragon had created a star-shaped
plane of force in front of her, blocking the assault.
Now that the Ur-Demon's attention was totally on the Paragon, the
golems began to crumble by themselves. Relieved of the need to fight
the weak but plentiful creatures, they turned their attention to the
struggle between the Ur-Demon and Paragon.
Paragon was discovering a small problem. While she was using the
Para Shield, she couldn't attack-- either her normal attacks or the
Paragon attacks she'd only just learned. One at a time, so far.
This sucked. And she wasn't certain she could hold out forever.
She wasn't certain who the cheerleaders were, but she called out
to them, "Hey, can you call the army or something? I'm not sure how
long I can hold Miss Bad Hair Day off!"
Sailor Moon smiled. And began to do her thing.
"You can't possibly think that you can outlast me, human!"
snarled the Ur-Demon.
Paragon sensed a buildup of energy. A LOT of energy. Hey, those
weren't cheerleaders, those were-- well, what do you know? They DO
exist.
"Ever hear of a delaying tactic, bristle brain?"
"What?"
"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"
"What? What did she.......lovely..."
Paragon stared.
Then she walked over to Sailor Moon, and said, "Did you actually
just hit that thing with a nine foot wide giant pink heart?"
Sailor Moon blinked. Of all the times she had used the attack,
that question had never managed to come up. "Um... well, yeah,
but... but it works, right?"
"Can't argue with that. Well, I'm likely to be seeing you. Ja!"
Before she could leave, Sailor Mars cried out, "Wait! Who are
you?"
"I said it before. I'm the Paragon."
"No, I mean who ARE you?" demanded the Senshi of fire.
Paragon paused, and then allowed a smirk to cross her face. "You
know, that's a pretty stupid question."
Mars stiffened. "Stupid? How is it stupid?"
"Aw, come ON. If I WANTED you to know who I was, I wouldn't wear
a mask, now would I?" With that, she leapt to a rooftop and zipped
away at speeds that defied reality.
None of them noticed that she was being followed by an equally
fast rabbit.
####
"I don't trust her." Rei was not happy with Paragon's reply.
"Aw, You only say that because she got you with a real good
zinger," teased Usagi.
"We don't know anything about her... except she's definitely not
a Senshi," added Ami.
"Luna, Artemis, do you have any ideas?" asked Minako.
Artemis sighed. "Not a clue. I'm certain there was nothing like
her in the Silver Millennium."
"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.
"I thought she was really cool. And I thought she dressed really
neat. Maybe we should find out where she gets her clothes from,"
input Chibi-Usa.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," sweated Usagi, an
unnerving vision of Chibi-Usa in Paragon's outfit coming to mind,
except where there was silver her's was a metallic pink.
Luna was silent. As much as she tried, she couldn't remember
anything like the girl tonight from the Silver Millennium. And if
she wasn't from the Millennium, then she was...
Something else.
This would bear watching.
####
Paragon dashed across the rooftops, laughing.
"So, it wasn't so bad, then?" Star inquired.
"Bad? BAD? I've never felt so alive in my life! I don't like
being a girl at the best of times, but I think I could get used to
being a magical girl when I gotta! And I feel a lot better after
actually seeing the Sailor Senshi for real!"
"Why?"
"Because no matter how stupid this outfit is, it's nowhere NEAR
as silly as theirs are!"
And shifting into first female mortal mode, and then himself,
Ranma Saotome went home.
####
END episode one