[Ranma/Xover][FanFic] Kingdom Come - part 5
Cynthia Johnston
helps when you know who you're fighting _beside_.... Just as well;
it's starting to make some sense, and that's what scares me...
Centauress Productions
Presents:
Kingdom Come
Part 5: The first
battle of Apollo and
Aries, where our heroine
starts to uncover a
few secrets....
As the transformational magic sprang into being around her,
Ranma was amazed to find her mind starting to speed faster than any
adrenal rush could account for. Everyone could be seen clearly; yet
there was a strange haze clouding details. She closed her eyes....
...And he opened eyes into his wa. Strangely enough, instead of
the normal vision of a formless brightness, he saw a heavy,
colorless fog.
"Neko?" he called curiously, surprised to experience the new
landscape inside his mind. "Come out Neko, I know you're here."
The half-purring female voice cut through the fog directionlessly
to his ears. "Rrr-anma. We finally meet without arrr-gument." A
shadowy female form started to take shape in front of him. "I'm as
much a parr-t of you as you arr-e of me. Arr-e you afraid of your
past?"
Ranma sighed deeply, bracing for the worst. "Yes," he admitted
to himself, "I am. This magic, though, has proved it in a way I
_can't_ deny. I _was_ female before, and I'm one again for a reason.
I don't like it, but I guess I can _live_ with it."
The blurred shape nodded her head, and stepped forward.
"You arr-e ready," she said, her features now clearly seen by him.
"I was born in the Silver Millennium, and died in a spring as it fell.
My name is Nekomimi." Her ears swivled to face him. "May I
now walk the worrr-ld in my _true_ form, brrr-other self?"
Ranma took a moment to focus himself. "Okay," he allowed. "But
_we'll_ need to make a small agreement...."
-=*=-
The cat-demon was just about to attack Sailor Sun when Sailor
Moon appeared beside her. The monster paused, and Moon started to
pose.
"I'm here to defend people who..." she began, when her twin
placed a warning hand on her arm.
"Sis," she warned, "don't waste your breath. This oni knows
who _we_ are." She glared at their opponent. "As a Norn, will you
tell me _your_ name, so we can sing it at your wake?"
The dark-furred felinoid grinned. "Panthara, Your-rr
Foolishness."
"A fitting name," a angry voice responded. the owner of the
voice walked up to join the duo, a flat-bladed poleax resting easily
in the crook of an arm; her flame-red pantsuit hanging smoothly from
her frame. She traced the sigil of Mars engraved on her breastplate
with one half-gauntleted hand. "As a warrior of the planet of war,
I, Aries Shield, salute you."
"Sister-rr being," a silky growl rumbled, "Yourrr time on this
plane is thrrr-ough. I'm Apollo Shield. Let's just fight." A gold-
clad blur vaulted over the three stunned senshi, casually flicking a
naginata to stand quiveringly between them. The others caught a brief
impression of a red mane and golden furred tail before the pair came
together in a blur of limbs.
"Umm, Sun," Aries asked, "is that...."
The solar Scout gave a small nod. "As well as 'she's' doing,"
she told the newcomer, "we 'scouts' can't attack, because our
attacks would hit them both."
The red-clad girl nodded, reaching under her armor. "Let me
help," she volunteered. She produced a okonomiyaki, and
concentrated her aura upon it. The flat circle began to glow with
a rising heat. "Aries Flaming Disk, Strike!" she declared,
flinging the now incandescent pizza to strike the demon between the
shoulders.
Apollo used the distraction to launch her own special attack.
She thrust her fists into the air. "Apollo Enerrgy Claws, Rake!"
Blades of pure, golden energy grew from between her clenched fingers,
then she began to punch repeatedly. The flickers of gold appeared
from the demon's back as the smaller fighter attempted to fillet her
opponent. She finished her attack, then vaulted back to her weapon.
"Let's end this," she decided, panting slightly.
From nowhere, Moon produced a new crescent baton. This one was
simple; a silver crescent with a handle built into the rear curve,
so that it looked like a double-ended fighting dagger, with the
Silver Moon crystal imbedded in the middle of the blade. She spun it
once around her finger, then gripped the handle. "Moon Banishment
Wave!" she cried, launching a silver crescent of energy to circle
the stunned cat-demon.
Sun cupped her hands in front of her chest stone. "Sun Orb,"
she began, calling up a ball of golden energy between her palms.
"Flare!" The orb of light streaked out to circle counter to the
silver crescent. Panthara's eyes widened in fear.
"STRIKE!" the twins shouted in harmony. The circling attacks
halted their circling momentarily, and Panthara screamed as they
slammed together, with her trapped between them. Her body turned to
dust and ash, and the remains scattered as the last energy of the
paired attack dissipated.
The quartet calmed slowly, the collective adrenal rush fading.
-=*=-
Belldandy smiled as she felt a small bit of the total evil of
the mortal plane dissipate, but still held a slight frustrated look
on her face as she turned to her visitor. "Are you sure?" she asked,
adding, "You haven't been very trustworthy in the past."
The white haired woman shrugged. "Be that as it may," she
groaned, "I _have_ defected." She touched her brow, which had the
tracing of a pair of triangles, suggesting an hourglass. "I think
_HE_," she glanced downward, indicating whom 'he' was, "is really
loosing it. I was to _kill_ two teenaged girls. Damn him," she
growled, forgetting herself, "I didn't become a demon to kill."
Bell soothed her. "Who were the girls?"
"That's the thing," the visitor grumbled. "All I was told is
that they were twins; they had markings on their brow, one for
the goddess Selene,..."
"And one for the Lost Goddess Tranquillios," Urd finished,
slinking in the room. "Bad luck, Mara. Your friend, Panthara,
found them. They sent her back," and the platinum haired goddess
grinned evilly, "as a pile of dust."
Mara matched Urd's grin. "Good," she replied. "I'm on the
good side. I've had enough."
Urd looked closely, then her smirk became a truly warm smile.
"Well, I'll be! The one who would _never_ return. What was Father's
decision?"
Mara gave a heartfelt sigh. "I'm to be on probation, but I've
been reinstated. Mara, Aspect Atropos, Class 3-3."
Skuld snuck into the conversation, scaring the snot out of
everyone else. "Good thing you didn't attack. Cindy-imooto is as
hard to get rid of as the rest of us."
"'Little Sister'?" Mara gaped. "How?"
Belldandy smiled. "Father 'adopted' her." The ex-demon
facefaulted.
((( * )))
Aries powered down, her uniform fading from her body. As she
waited for Apollo to do the same, Ukyou asked, "Why the new look,
Ranma?"
The red-maned cat-girl tugged at the tip of her tail. "This is
how I'm _supposed_ to be, Uchan." She stared with gray-blue cat-eyes
at her friend. "I don't know why."
Sun tilted her head. "Nekomimi?" She paused, and became Cindy.
"Ranma?" she added, touching the other on her arm.
"Both," Nekomimi admitted. "Prrr-incess Trrr-anquility, I am
Awakened again," she rumbled in good humor. "Rrr-eally, Cindy,
you'rre usaually a little morrr-e prrr-eceptive." The cat aspect
faded, leaving the girl as she appeared before. "Sheesh, even _I_
ain't THAT dense," she muttered.
"How? What?" Usagi babbled. "Weren't you a half-cat...?"
Ukyo looked closer at her fiancee. "Um, Ranma?" she asked
politely.
"Yeah?" the redhead responded politely.
"Your eyes," she whispered. "They didn't change back."
Ranma blinked. "Well, it's better than the ears," she decided.
At the disbelieving stares, she clarified, "They're easier to hide.
So, can we go?"
Usagi nodded. "Just wait 'till Luna..."
Ranma brightened in joy. "Grammma made it?" she bubbled.
"Luna?" Ukyo asked.
"A cat," Cindy explained. Ukyo fainted, the shock of the
announcement too much for even her.
=-@@@-=
Cologne was completing an explanation as the quartet entered the
Nekohanten, Ukyo being suspended between the two blonde haired girls.
"...And that is the 'Birth-Curse'. In our tribe, we understand that
the spirit is sometimes... misplaced." She shot the goddess a wry
grin. "Yet, being so close to Jushenkyo, it is a simple matter to
cure."
Cindy grinned in return. "It is, Elder. And with this wish,
we might be able to help a few more."
Mousse came from the kitchen, her aqua-green hair in a simple
ponytail. "I have to admit," she laughed in a soft tenor voice,
"being splashed, and _NOT_ turning into a duck is enjoyable."
"You were at the pools?" Cindy asked, stunned. "And you fell
into the 'Duck'?"
"Ummm," she blushed, "yeah. That was kind of stupid, wasn't
it?"
The group had a good laugh at that.
"Well," Usagi added, "Cindy told _me_ about the 'Birth-Curse,'
and my response is 'So?' I still like her like a sister."
"Thanks," Cindy replied.
"Now, let's eat!"
-=*=-
As the meal was ending, Cindy received a phone call on her
cellphone. She excused herself and answered. "Moshi moshi."
+Imooto,+ came Skuld's voice, +please come to the temple.+
"When?" she enquired. "I'm with Usagi and her troops."
There was a momentary silence. +Go with them,+ the Norn
directed her. +It involves them as well. I'll meet you there.+
"Got it," Cindy acknowledged. "Hikawa Shrine, what's your
transport medium?"
+Puddles and pools,+ Skuld informed her. +Until then...+
"Blessings upon you," the blonde goddess finished, then hung
up.
She returned to the dining area in time to see Ukyo waking from
her previous shock. She kneeled by the recovering girl. "You okay,
Uchan?"
"Unnnh," the chef moaned. "Was it a dream?"
Cindy shot a glance at Rae. "No," she admitted, "it was for
real." She looked at Ranma and Akane. "Rae's grandfather is a Shinto
priest. Ukyo needs to talk with someone there; so I'll go with her,
and we'll be back Sunday evening. Will you let Kasumi know?"
Ranma nodded. "Sure. You help Ukyo."
The remaining group headed for the train station, idly gossiping
while shooting wary glances at the Okyonomiaki cook. This continued
until Usagi asked, "Rae, does Ukyo look familiar?"
The dark haired girl snorted. "What? She's the owner of
Uchan's. Sometimes I think your odango are wound too tight."
Ukyo gasped. "Rae, that's not true! Serenity's..." She paused
in fear. "I mean, Usagi..."
"Aries!" Hotaru screetched, cutting her off.
Ukyo took a long look at the small girl. "Verika? Princess of
Saturn?" She put two and two together. "Then Rae is..."
Rae smiled. "After all this time; Domo Arigato, minna. Yes,
Shandra, I am the princess of Mars, reborn to fight as Sailor Mars.
Welcome back, sheildsman."
"She's not the only one," Cindy giggled. "Apollo awoke as
well."
Makoto snorted. "Hunh. So who is she?"
Usagi smirked. " 'She's' Ranma." Makoto facefaulted.
Ami pulled out her minicomputer. "Confirmed," she determined.
"They were two of the thirteen undefined energy sources."
Ukyo smiled. "Things are starting to come back to me. Where's
the kitten?"
===FLASHBACK===
Aries Shield sighed, looking around the antechamber with a
bored expression. She was about to stand and pace again, when the
red-furred moon-kitten entered the room regally. *I know she's not
a kitten,* Aries admitted to herself, *but she's so small, it's
easy to forget. And she _does_ act kittenish.* SHe smiled at the
memory of this Advisor facing a miffed Nekomimi. *That is, except
when Apollo is involved.*
She inclined her head. "Advisor," she said, her smile
widening, "nice to see you."
The feline gave the cat's equivalent of a wide grin. "Shandra,"
she responded with a bubbly voice. "thanks for waiting. Tranquility
can see you now."
-=*=-=*=-=*=-
The group was entering Rae's room in the shrine, trying to
determine why some of the Senshi - Cindy among them - were born the
opposite sex as before.
Cindy shrugged her shoulders as she closed the door. "As much as
I would like the answer to that myself, we have other problems."
She turned to Mitchuru. "Minna, could you transform and produce a
_small_ waterglobe?"
Bemused, the girl transformed and held up a hand. "Aqua
Splash!" she declaired quietly. A four-inch wide ball of water
formed above her palm. "Now why," Neptune asked, "should I..."
Everyone stared in shock as a small girl pulled herself from the
waterglobe. "Greetings, Sailor Scouts," the newcomer announced as
she floated to the floor. "I am Cindy's adopted sister, Skuld."
"Skuld-neechan!" Usagi squealed as she tackled the small goddess
in a bearhug. "This is SOOO great."
Skuld shot a weak grin to Cindy. "Usagi?" she asked blandly.
"Who else?" Cindy laughed. "Now sis," she gently chided as she
pried the other girl from the smaller goddess, "Skuld wanted us to
meet with her."
Skulkd thanked the strawberry-blonde haired goddess with a
passing glance. "First up is your newest threats."
"Demons," Haruka said simply.
The dark-haired goddess nodded curtly. "Correct. They are the
most powerful, and final, inhabitants of the Negarealm; or more
simply, 'Hell.' They aren't to be taken lightly, because their
leader,..."
"Lord Diamond," Ukyo supplied.
"...is _THE_ main reason the Sliver Millenial Kingdom fell."
"What about Metallia?" Minako asked.
Skuld shook her head. "She was a group leader," she informed
them. "Diamond is a demon _Lord._ He is the worst, most powerful,
demon in Hell."
Cindy winced. "What about his weaknesses?"
"Other than his 'doublet'?" Skuld asked. "I have no clue?"
"Doublet?" Ami enquired, idly typing on her computer.
Skuld sighed. "Every major demon," the godess informed them,
"is linked to a major deity. Diamond's doublet is the goddes Selene."
The twins blanched. "Selene?" Usagi murmured. "As in '_MOON_
goddess' Selene?"
Skuld nodded. "That's right. Selene's duty is as the Goddess of
the Moon."
Cindy gasped, "Our _mother_ was the moon goddess."
"Not was," the dark haired goddess corrected. "_IS._"
Usagi fainted into Cindy's arms. Lowering her sister gently,
the strawberry-blonde haired girl gave her a gentle hug. Then,
silently, she walked from the temple to a clearing; her clothing
morphing into a pale purple gown, and bracers appearing on her
forarms. She stood there as a shaft of golden light surrounded her,
and was lifted from the sight of all.
Setsuna wispered into the stunned group. "Tranquility was the
_last_ to see the Queen," she informed them. "And she thought her
mother _DIED_ then."
* * *
Ranma and Akane walked quietly home from the Nekohanten; in a
rare act, He was walking beside his fiancee, and not on the fence.
*Akane should be mad at me for returning with Ukyo,* he mused.
*What's up* "Akane?" he probed.
"Ranma?" she blinked. "What happened at Uchan's?"
He took a deep breath. "Well, Cindy had gotten splashed. We
were closer to Uchan's, so we stopped in to get some hot water.
While we were there, some nut started harassing Usagi and Cindy.
Well, Ukyo's place got wrecked, and Ukyo fainted. So we brought her
over, so she could head back to Rae's temple." *There,* he mentally
congratulated himself. *The truth, but no secrets revealed.*
/Good job, Rrranma,/ Nekomimi agreed.
Akane nodded. "Fair enough."
Ranma stumbled. *She's not angry? Why am I nervous about this?*
She continued. "So why are your eyes like that?"
*Uh oh,* Ranma realized. *She noticed.* /So tell herrr,/ Neko
responded. /If you trry to hide it, it will just get worrrse./
*All right, then.*
Ranma gave a heartfelt sigh. "Remember the Neko-ken?" he asked.
At her hesitant nod, he continued. "Well, in the course of the fight,
my Neko side merged with my human side; now _she_'s her own
form." /No it didn't!/ Neko yowled. /I'm a part of _both_ sides!/
He gave Akane a sheepish grin. "She's arguing with me that I'm
a baka. She's a different personality, but a good person."
Akane smiled in return. "I'd like to meet her."
Ranma nodded, then leaped over the fence into the canal.
* * *
Ryoga shook her head. *Finally,* the lost girl mused, *I make
it to the Tendo dojo again. This twist on the curse _must_ be Ranma's
fault! I'll make him pay!*
She looked around. There; up in the rafters was a vauge shape,
hopping from one beam to the next. It was female, and her hair was
in a ponytail. *There he is,* Ryoga thought to herself, pulling
off a half-dozen bandannas.
With a 'kiai,' she sent her trademark cloth shuriken off toward
their targets. As they came close, the mysterious figure snatched
them from the air and used each on a spot of dust or grime; as she
finished, she relaunched them to slam back at the fanged girl's
feet.
Ryoga fumed. The attack wasn't even a distraction; in fact,
the target didn't even stop whistling a jaunty little ditty. Enraged,
she screamed, "Take this!" and launched her umbrella at her foe.
This caused a reaction. With a quick hand, the shadowy figure
snatched the parasol as it flew by; using it's momentium, she flew
across the dojo. As she neared the front wall, she snapped open the
umbrella; using it to float down like a japanese Mary Poppins as
she dusted the Tendo family crest.
"There we go," Kasumi announced, closing the umbrella with a
flick of the wrist. "The dojo is clean. Thank you, Ryoga; that
was fun."
'Ms. Cute Fangs' babbled incoheriently.
"Oh," the newly-expert housewife continued, "you must be starved
aftr your trip. Would you like something to eat?"
Not trusting her voice, Ryoga nodded. That was the last she
knew, as unconsiousness claimed her unexpectedly.
-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-==-=--==-====--=----=-==
Scene: Usagi is sitting in her room, reading a note.
USAGI: Dear Sis. I will be letting you know what happened that
night; I'll tell you about it in a little side story - 'Tears of the
Moon.' I'll be back in time to do Part 6. (Sighs) I just hope we
can stand the suspense.
(Fadeout)
Well, this is getting bigger as we speak. As a slight detour,
I'll make the Cindy-only parts side-stories. The first is a AMG-SM
only, but it will fit in with the overall storyline.
Ja Ne!
Centauress
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Cc: