[Ranma/Xover][FanFic] Kingdom Come part 6
Cynthia Johnston
from what the others told me later, this is what happened during my
absence.
KINGDOM COME;
By the Centauress
"This sucks," Ranma sighed gustily as the events of the last
twenty-four hours struck later that night. Of all the things he had
imagined, finding out that he was not only a Shieldsman, but a
_felinoid_, female one at that, had to be the lowest point of his
life. He looked toward his sleeping companion; his father, who had
drank himself into a stupor, had decided to slumber as a panda once
again. "Pops would bust a gut if he only knew 'bout _this_," he
decided. With a shrug, he rolled onto his side, and closed his
eyes. *I guess,* he decided as he started to grow sleepy, *what I
have to do is try to cope with it...*
-======-
Akane changed into her nightgown with a sigh. *Ranma is a enigma
wrapped in a quandary, covered by a mystery,* she told herself. *I
wonder just _what_ happened to him, to cause the big change in his
'cursed' form?*
She looked over at the picture on her desk. It was one of the
two of them, just before the wedding; he looked quite handsome in
his tuxedo, and just a bit nervous. She was beside him in her gown,
a slight flush of anger in her cheeks. She smiled at the photo, and
shook her head at the pair. *Urd had said that my wish would let me
know at the proper time,* she mused. *And I _did_ ask her what I
really wished for...* She shook her head with a wistful tilt. *So
when it happens, it will happen.* She crawled into bed, and shut
off the lamp, calming herself to drop into the Sandman's grip...
-======-
Ranma walked through a calm forest glen, happy to realize he was
in a conscious dream; one where he _knew_ he was dreaming, yet was
able to enjoy the dream-state as well. He whistled a little tune he
remembered Kasumi using, and continued on his way.
Suddenly, he felt a hand smacking him on the back of the head.
Spinning around, he saw the tips of a pair of red-furred ears twitch
in front of his eyes. "Hello, Neko," he said dryly. "What brings
you here?"
The cat-girl humphed. "Rranma," she grumbled, "you need to
learrn a little morre tact."
Ranma twitched an eyebrow. "Hmm," he buzzed. "I try to be as
tactful as I can, you know. Training for ten years with Pops doesn't
get _anyone_ a real sense of diplomacy." He sat on a boulder, and
gave his feline self a level gaze. "You can access my memories, so
you know all this."
Nekomimi nodded, indicating that she did understand. "Trrue,"
she conceded. "But the explanation you gave Akane earlierr shows you
can do quite well if you trry."
Ranma shrugged. "True," he admitted in return. "I just wish I
could show her all the truth."
Neko padded close. "Don't worrry," she soothed, placing a
paw-hand on his shoulder. "We'rre not being deceitful to herr, but
it might be dangerrous to let herr know that you'rre Apollo."
"Who's Apollo?" a familiar voice inquired, causing the pair to
freeze in shock. With a sick glance to the side, the pair saw Akane
standing there with a bemused look on her face. "Hello you two," she
continued as she approached them. "This is so strange. Is it your
dream, or mine?"
Nekomimi hung her head. "Not surre," she mumbled quietly.
Ranma broke into a sweat. "A- a- akane," he stammered, "what
are you doing here?"
Akane gave him a quiet smile. "It's my wish," she told him.
-======-
Ryoga slowly came awake in the dojo, and held her head. *oooh,*
she thought muzzily, *that was not good. Kasumi is at _least_ as
good as Ranma, and I never noticed?* She picked up her pack, and
put it on. *Until I can figure this one out, all I can do is take
another trip.* She stumbled out of the dojo, and walked off for a
few minutes. She looked up, to find herself about to walk face-first
into a young woman in a men's outfit. "Pardon me," she mumbled as
she tried to walk around the other person.
The woman stepped back slightly. "Ummm," the woman buzzed,
"my mistake. You look lost. Could I help you somehow?"
Ryoga gave her a lop-sided grin. "Naah," she mumbled, "I get
that way." She tilted her head. "Have we met before?" she asked.
"You seem awfully familiar."
The blonde-haired woman tapped her chin. "I'm not entirely sure.
My name's Haruka." She bowed to Ryoga.
"Ryoga," the lost girl returned. "You're out late tonight,
just like me. Could you show me to a vacant lot so I can pitch camp?
I'm really tired, and would like to get some sleep."
Haruka shook her head. "No way," she answered. "I have a place
that I share with three other roommates, so you can spend a night
with us. You look harmless enough."
Ryoga considered this. "Okay, if you can answer me a question."
Haruka grinned. "Shoot."
Ryoga took a breath. "HaveyoubeentoNerima?" she rattled off.
Haruka laughed. "Just tonight," she answered. A rumble of
thunder cut off her next words. "Oops," she grumbled, "looks like
rain."
Ryoga smiled, and opened her umbrella. "I'll join you for
tonight," she conceded. "I don't much like rain myself."
-======-
Setsuna twitched as she slept soundly. Rarely was there some
time she could call her own any more, what with all the little
'stray'
time-threads she had to twitch into place. Doing simple things, she
found, were all the more precious due to her workload. So being able
to just sleep was something she enjoyed sooooo much.
Her eyes snapped open. *Oh no,* she thought to herself. *SHE
is waiting for me. And I forgot...* Without moving physically, she
disappeared from the bed, the blankets settling slowly to the sheets.
-======-
In a formless place, a young woman waited. She was a striking
figure, with her snow-white hair and white-on-deep violet eyes. She
paced relentlessly, the kelley green cloak hiding her tall frame from
view. She was muttering in a quiet voice, "I try to hold back from
making contact with her before, so she can get her team up to speed;
all I ask is for her to be on time for the meetings..."
Without a sound, Setsuna appeared in front of her, still
wearing the nightshirt she had on in bed. "Sorry..." the Time Senshi
muttered, raking her fingers through her rumpled mass of jade waves.
"I was enjoying a night's sleep."
The other woman glared at her. "Su-chan," she growled, "this
is a bad habit. I know you do a lot, and I can sympathize with you;
but since the fall of the Silver Imperium," and here her voice became
a quiet rumble of fury, "_you_. _have_. _been_. late. EVERY TIME!
Not just once a year, or for a decade or so; but for each and
_every_ one of our six thousand meetings." She calmed. "What's going
on? You can tell me."
Setsuna sighed gustily. "It's just that 'IT'," she emphasized
heavily, "is finally coming into place. I've tried to hold it
together for this long, and now..."
The dark-eyed girl nodded. "And now," she filled in, "you want
to relax. I _totally_ understand. I've been busy myself," and she
flashed a grin, "and my group is almost ready to join yours."
The green haired girl gaped. "I know about Red and the Axmaiden,
but the rest...?" she enquired quietly. "Li, they are that good
again??"
Li nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, yes. The last ones almost
didn't make the cut, and that might have made them casualties,"
once again, she flashed the megawatt grin, "but then _HE_ twiddled
in it."
Setsuna buried her face in her hands. "The nerve,..."
Li fell over laughing, "Sis," she gasped, "If he hadn't, then
the sequence would have happened otherwise. And he did it at _Her_
insistence."
The cringing woman shook her head. "Tranquility wanted peace,"
she stated simply. "You and I both..."
Li sobered. "Yes, we did what the Princess wanted, and gave
her peace, so she could heal. Fifteen hundred years, several
lives of peace. But the time arrived, and she had to reemerge to
do what she had to do."
Setsuna looked up, the tears shimmering at the corners of her
eyes. "I just want to rest."
Li bit her lip. "There is one problem," she murmured.
Setsuna grinned at that. "The alibi." Li nodded. "Here's what
you do..." she began to explain to her sister.
Li's face broke into a broad grin as the plan became clear. "And
they said _my_ plans were wicked," she laughed. "Sister, this will
work, but it will mean hurting..."
Setsuna sobered. "Well," she attempted to put it in a good
light, "it _was_ bound to happen sometime."
The white haired girl sighed. "Very well," she smiled sadly.
"It was a nice break..."
-======-
Ranma stared wide-eyed at Akane. "Your _wish_?" he sputtered.
"What in the world does it have to do with this?"
Akane smoothed out her skirt as she dropped to the ground. "Ran-
Ranma-chan," she whispered, "don't push me away."
Nekomimi blinked. "Woah," she grumbled. "Time owww-t. He's
me, and I'm him; morre or less, but even _I'm_ stumped at this one.
Would you please explain yourrself herre?"
Akane stared at her, and asked casually, "Were you ever in
love, Neko-chan?"
Ranma goggled at the Tendo girl. "What?" he sputtered.
The catgirl slumped. "Yes," she began, her voice clearing of
it's normal rumble. "I fell in love long ago, Akane-san. He was
handsome; lithe and muscular, he was a catch for any woman. I was
hooked, but my pride..." Her turquoise eyes began to water, "...it
almost caused me to force him away."
Akane reached out a hand. "I know. Beleive me, I know." She
looked up at her fiancee. "I just hope that I can tell him how much
I love him. He saved me so many times..."
Neko took the other girl's hand. "The same thing happened to me.
Imagine," and the felinoid girl could no longer hold back the tears,
"I'm a warrior; the first one chosen for the job of..."
Akane took up the thread. "...protecting the princess," she
grinned, "or prince, of the planetary body of your birth."
Neko beamed as she finished, "And of course, I was chosen as
the Sheildsman Apollo. And a certain duke of Earth was chosen as the
Sheildsman Gaia."
Ranma was looking between the two as if he were at a tennis match
between Becker and Bjorg. "What? Who?" he gasped.
Akane grinned. "Duhh, who else?" she said gently. "His name
was Akuma. He was the cousin of Endymion, and he died trying to
return the body of his love to her princess. After," she snorted,
"first jumping into the spring she had drowned in."
"Ahem," a deep voice intruded. "May I speak now?"
-======-
Haruka opened the door to her apartment, and stepped to one side
for her companion. "Here you are, Ryo-chan," she said in a falsely-
sugary voice. "My humble abode. Or actually, mine and my roomies."
Ryoga dropped her backpack by the door. "Thanks," she responded
in a heartfelt voice. "I seldom have the luck of having a real roof
over my head." She gave the blonde-haired girl a shy little grin,
bearing her signature 'cute fangs.'
Haruka shuddered slightly. *What, in the name of Selene, have
I just let in to my home,* she panicked. Covering her terror, she
glibly answered, "Would you like to meet the others?"
Ryoga, untying her tiger-striped orange bandanna, paid little
attention. "Sure, if they're awake."
The sometimes-defender of Tokyo yelled out, "Guys! I'm _out to
sea_ here!"
At that prearanged signal, there were two flashes of light from
the adjoining rooms. The Lost Girl's head snapped up, to see her
new friend raising a - pen? - into the air...
-======-
Shampoo woke from her slumber to the one sound she hoped never to
hear coming from her great-great's bedroom.
A wet, rattling breath.
Instantly alert, she threw herself from the bed, screaming
<Mu Tsu! Get the herbs! The Elder is dying!> She rushed into the
adjoining bedroom, and froze dead in her tracks at the sight.
Laying in her hard bed, Kuh Lon, the Matriarch of the Nychesu
tribe, now looked every one of her years; being well into her third
_century_, this was NO good thing. Shampoo stood, heedless of the
tears rolling down her cheeks, and quietly whispered, "No," over
and over again.
Kuh Lon pulled in another racking breath. "Child," she
whispered brokenly, "don't...try....Let...me die."
T'shan rushed to her side. "Grandmother," she sobbed, "shhh.
No talk. I help you, get better."
The fading matriarch gave a sickening gurgle that passed for a
chuckle. "No more...act," she commanded. "You are... released...
from laws." She gasped for breath, and continued. "Mu Tsu... also.
Follow," and here she dropped to a whisper so as to be able to finish
it, "your heart. Now, sing my passing; it would be an honor...for
you to let...tribe..."
Tears still streaming, the violet haired girl stood straight.
Her face hardening into a passionless mask, she nodded. "As you
order, Great-great-great-grandmother," she responded, then broke
into a haunting melody. It had no words, just a work of vocal
gymnastics that wavered up and down the octaves and set up harmonics
that permeated everything and rushed away from the site at the speed
of sound. It would reach the tribe; there were always messages of
others who passed away coming in, and one more was just that.
Kuh Lon seemed to shrink, as if the final energy of her body was
from it's very compression. "Until we meet again," she whispered in
a voice that was just above breath, "I love you, child..." The
light in her eyes faded, and her body turned to dust as the last of
her lifeforce left her centuries-old husk.
Mu Tsu stumbled into the room. "She's..." his Japanese failed
him, and he switched to his native tongue. <The Matriarch passed on.
What did she say?> Realizing his error, he hastily added, <My
pardons, warrior. I meant no offense.> He hung his head. <Punish
me as you will.>
T'shan whirled into his embrace, and whispered, "Wo an ni."
-======-
In the quiet glade of the shared dream, the trio turned to the
newcomer. Looking much like Akane, the young man had the smooth
face and slender body of a Artist; yet his shock of firey red hair
and height put one in mind of another's sex and haircolor changes. He
matched the description of 'lithe and athletic,' and he wore a set of
leggins and tunic that _definitely_ wasn't modern. Akane quirked into
a lopsided grin that looked slightly out of place on her. "Akuma,"
she chortled, "the reason I've always been such a 'tomboy.'"
Ranma facefaulted.
Nekomimi took up the lead. "Duke of the Valley of Springs," she
announced like a crier. "Protector of the Mount of Eagle-men, and
the Shield of the Prince of Earth."
Ranma sat back on his ankles. "Jusenkyo? Pheonix Mountain?"
he asked.
Akuma grinned. "The same," he responded in that deeper version
of Akane's voice. "Before the war, it was a peaceful place. It can
be again."
The girls slid closer to each other. "10 to 1 he asks," Neko
challenged.
Akane looked askance at her. "Him? He always does. No contest
on that one."
Ranma smiled at the other man. "Wanna spar?" he enquired.
The Tendo girl smirked. "See?"
Akuma gave a low, throaty chuckle. "No projectile or magic
attacks, or ki-bursts."
The pigtailed boy nodded. "Weapons allowed," he responded.
The fire-haired man grinned, and flexed his arms. "Agreed."
The girls fell over themselves laughing as the pair did their
usual bit - fight their new friend.
-======-
Ryoga covered her eyes as her new friend was engulfed in a
blindingly bright light. *Where have I heard that before?* she asked
herself as her friend yelled out 'Uranus Galactic Makeup!' Stunned
amasement dawnwed as the glow faded, for she found herself facing
the senshi for Saturn and Neptune, as well as her transformed guide
from earlier.
"Demon," the blonde senshi hissed, "you tried to weasle your
way into our midst. I'll make you pay for that."
Ryoga was frozen into place. Her new friend, she realized, was
_NOT_ kidding. But... "Wait!!" she screamed. "You're a boy,
aren't you?"
Uranus glared at the bandannaed girl. "Have you flipped?" she
asked in a rage. "Planet Pulse!" she screamed as she punched the
floor. A wave of energy leapt up under Ryoga, punching her through
the ceiling. The senshi looked down at the discarded bandanna that
fell off as the other 'girl' was catapulted upward. "Heh," she
snorted. "Child's play."
>CRASH!!!< Ryoga stood back up from the crater she had made in
the tile floor, and stared at the stunned Scout. "Now," she growled
at the other girl, "I don't usually hit girls, but it seems that
you're tough enough to take it." She cracked her knuckles, and
tensed to leap forward.
"WAIT!" Neptune screamed at the enraged Ryoga. Seeing she had
the fanged girl's attention, she continued in a calmer voice. "We
appologise for our actions," she stated.
Uranus peeked at her mate from the corner of her eye. "Are _you_
nuts, too?" she whispered.
Saturn powered down, and toddled over to the couch. "Miss,"
she asked of Ryoga, "what's your name? Mine's Hotaru."
Caught of guard, everyone relaxed. "Ryoga," the Lost Girl
replied. She sank to a meditation lotus. "What's this about?"
Looking over at the argument between the others, Hotaru
snickered out loud. "It seems that Mama and Papa don't see what _I_
do, Ryo-chan," she sing-songed.
Uranus humphed. "She's a demoness," she responded simply.
"The mirror doesn't show it," Neptune countered.
Hotaru asked, "Did either of you look at her face?"
Saturn complied, then started laughing. Confused, Ryoga rubbed
her brow.
Uranus grumbled, and walked over. "Okay," she insisted. She
bent over and looked. On the confused girl's brow was her own symbol,
enclosed in a shape like a midevil shield. Titan, Shield of Uranus.
*-----*
Li sighed as she approached the dark storefront, her whole body
humming with the knowledge of an Amizonian's death inside the building
in front of her. Steeling herself, she smoothed the simple black
duster she wore, then knocked on the door. She was willing to wait.
"Go away," came a choked soprano voice. "Tradegy happen. We no
open 'till done mourning."
The white-haired woman sighed. <T'shan,> she said in a level
voice, <I felt it. Let me enter.> She waited, hearing the sounds
of a person shuffling to the door. *Now it begins,* she told herself
as the sound of the latches being thrown reached her. Facing her was
a drawn-looking Mousse, his eyes red behind his thick glasses.
"Li Jun," he murmured, "you're here." The flat tone of voice
held no sign of emotion save shock.
She gave him a short nod. "I am. May I enter?" she whispered
in a voice that still carried great power.
He stepped aside, and she entered the resturant. "Mousse," she
continued, "it has been too long." She offered her hand in a gesture
of greeting between equals, then let it drop to her side as she saw
Shampoo slowly descend the stairs. The violet haired girl was unkempt
and dishevlled, looking as if she herself were near death.
"Li, why you come?" Shampoo asked.
Li raised an eyebrow. "I received an order long ago, from the
one who passed, to join you two upon her departure. I was coming to
visit her, when the news reached me." Mousse nodded. "She wanted us
all to be able to be what she never was."
Shampoo's tears dried instantly. "And what was that, cousin?"
she asked sarcasticly in flawless Japanese.
"Free to choose," the other girl replied simply.
*-----*
Usagi tossed and turned in her bed, unable to slip into sleep.
After she had awoke frrom her faint earlier, she had numbly returned
home. Now she laid there in the quiet hours of the night, listening
to the house creak and murmur around her and wondering if her Sister
were okay.
There was a small noise in the hall. Curious, she rose from her
bed and crept to the door. As she reached it, it opened silently.
Highlighted in the glow was a tall female figure with what appeared to
be rabbit ears; or was that... wait, it couldnt be...
"Momma? Is Auntie Cindy here?" Bingo. Reeni - Serenity Usagi
Chiba, age 17.
* --0-- *
The young woman walked slowly down the street, trying to figure
out just _what_ had happened in the last few minutes. *Weird,* she
decided as she pushed away her reddish-black hair from her eyes. *I
was asleep, dreaming of the person I havent seen for the last few
months, then this silver haired... whoever... decides to pop into
my dream. She says, '_She_ needs you, now,' and suddenly I'm here.
Whereever here is.* She stared at the signs. *Either in San
Francisco, or...* she gulped, as a policeman walked by, his height
still shorter, and stopped to ask her,
"Young woman, where are you going?" This wouldn't be a problem,
but he was asking in Japanese. Strangely enough, she seemed to
comprehend the request.
"Um," she answered, "I'm looking for a Cynthia Johnston." Even
stranger, she was speaking it too. "Which neibhorhood is this?"
"Furnikan," the officer replied.
"Heh, oooo-kay." She shuddered. Somehow, the dream had just
turned into a nightmare. Her e-mail friend, Ami Mizuno, explained
that Furnikan was in Tokyo; Ami herself lived in Juuban. "Could you
direct me to Juuban, or help me to contact a Doctor Mizuno."
The officer smiled. "Of course, miss. I have a neice who just
turned seventeen as well, and she's in America. You look like an
american twin. I know the doctor's number."
Seventeen. Hunh. Good thing Cynthia couldn't see her.
"Hello, officer," a gravely female voice said. NO! Not her!
The dark haired girl turned. There stood a woman in a tech college
uniform, who looked just like... "I'm a friend of hers. I know how
to get to Juuban."
The officer bowed to the blonde haired woman. "Domo."
The woman returned the bow, her bangs covering the violet star
on her forhead. "No. Domo Arigazto Mamishaste." She turned to the
girl. "Let's go, Raqui."
Raqui followed numbly. "Miss," she began in a quaver.
The blonde shimmered, and seemed to lose about half her years.
"Relax," she assured in a slightly higher voice than before. "My
name is Tranquility."
Raqui's eyes widened.
"The star is cute, hon." The girl continued. "But who _are_
you really, Raqui Nekosi?"
--------------------------------------end of six----------------------
Cindy is standing alone by a doorway. Sounds of someone
struggling to get into a costume can be heard.
CINDY: Raqui - who is a RL friend - asked me not to use her real
name in this. So, I gave her a suprise.
RAQUI: NO WAY!! This is ridiculous! I won't do it.
Cindy calls up her goddess power, and Raqui screams.
CINDY: There you go... heh, heh.
This is a real work of time, so I might be a while getting the
sidestory out. But rest assured that the fic goes on... just a
little slower than before.
Ja Ne!
Centauress
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