[Ranma/Xover][FanFic] Kingdom Come - parts pro-7 , revised.

[Cynthia Johnston]

Here it is: the revision to 'Kingdom Come,' plus the NEW part 7!

Hello, hello, hello!!!

This is not a figment of anyone's imagination. This is truly a
Ranma 1/2, Ah! My Goddess! _AND_ Sailor Moon Fanfic. The idea came
to me that _NONE_ of these series have any conclusion to them; so,
being intrigued by the idea of this, I decided to introduce a pivotal
character into the madness... someone who _seriously_ has a score to
settle with the demigods Chance and Chaos. So, in that spirit.....

A Centauress Production:

The conclusion of the
Series

Ranma Nibunoichi
AA! Megami-Sama &
Bushijo Senshi Sailor Moon;

( * ) KINGDOM COME ( * )
a story in which will be explained
the pressing questions left by the
great authors of these beautiful
works. All rights held by their
respective creators. My creations
are used _only_ to smooth the
cracks.

===1500 YEARS AGO===

The demon looked down at the goddess and smirked. After the long
battles their followers had fought, It had come down to him and her.
He had succeeded in defeating her, and in retaliation, she had sent
all the pawns into the future. So, he ripped off her wings and
shackled her to the floor. He just didn't trust her; she still had a
spark of defiance in her eye.

"So, Moon-goddess," he growled out in a voice that sounded like
the rusty gates of Hell itself, "you have failed to stop me."

"That is true," she responded evenly in a tone that reminded one
who still had good that there was good still, "but you will still not
succeed."

"Your little spell?" he scoffed, "Pitiable. Three score,
versus the might of my entire kingdom?"

She smiled with a radiance that hid the glimmer in her eyes.
*All I need,* she thought, *is to make him think I erred.* She
spoke in a calm voice. "My spell will have sent them to the point
where they will be most needed. And I know that my underlings will
protect them until they can develop their full potential."

The demon rose to it's full height. "AND HOW," he roared, "CAN
YOU BE _SO_ SURE OF THAT!!!"

Her beatific smile, and the wave of Imperial Crystal magic
washing over them, were answer enough. She blinked her amethyst eyes
and whispered, "Moon deity power." The silver wave flared, and...

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

The strawberry-blonde-haired woman opened her eyes. *Wow,* she
thought, *there's that dream again.* She threw back the blankets,
and sat up. *That dream is so weird. A goddess that seems familiar,
somehow; a demon that would make Stephen King wet his pants and
strange silvery _magic_?* The blinked, and winced as her myopic
violet eyes tried to focus. *Great, the apartment (shyeah) is even
out of focus than normal.* she reached for her contacts, and put
them in, disguising their normal color under a jade mask. she
blinked again, and sighed. The sleeping room, her entire residence,
would be called a oversized closet elsewhere - and that would be
charitable, at that - which barely had room for a dresser and her
futon. Neat though it was, it looked cluttered just by her being in
it. A backpack with a starburst on it sat nearby her pillow. *I
_have_ to find a bigger place,* she chided herself as she slipped to
the community bathroom. Ignoring the hostile looks from the other
women, she went to the full length mirror to adjust her uniform.
*The day I start _liking_ living in a box is the day I...* she
blinked. Her image in the mirror wasn't quite right. Sure, she still
scraped at the top side of six foot, and she did have a fairly lean
body, but why was there something on her forehead?

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

From above, a single set of eyes watched the scene. The owner
of the said eyes spoke to her companion.

"It is time. She must awaken," she spoke in a whisper.

"But she wanted peace," the male replied. "Is it too much to
ask, that she have another week at least?"

"I'm aware of her wish," the woman rejoined. "But it _is_
time. She has been gone for so long, she needs to get back."

The man slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Granted. But, my
wife, I need to adjust circumstance so that she will be in the proper
place."

She softened her gaze. "Husband, I understand your reluctance.
Please, if you can, awaken her to the _second_ destiny, first."
She gave him a twinkling violet gaze. "Then I won't be so fearful
myself."

He chuckled in reply. "I will, love."

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

The goddess hung up her phone, and sat in shock. Central
Dispatch had just given her an assignment: short and succinct,

***IT IS TIME. GO, AND AWAKEN HER TO DESTINY.***

She hung her head. The last time she had an assignment like
this, pain, suffering and a hastily diverted Armageddon/Rangnarok
were the result. This time, it would mean one of two things:

The end of Creation, or the beginnings of a new Age.

She touched the thin diamond sigil on her brow. She just hoped
she had the strength for this task. Father always gave _her_ the
tough ones.

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

The tall blonde boarded the San Francisco Municipal bus.
Finding an open seat in the middle of the bus, she sat down and dug
through the backpack. She pulled out a comic to read; Sailor V, the
first English issue. On the cover was a girl with short blonde hair,
wearing a schoolgirl outfit.

*Whoa,* the woman thought to herself, *Lita would have a fit
if.... Hold up, Cynthia; who the hell is _LITA_?* She stared at
the comic some more. *That girl? How do I know that?*

Cynthia put the magazine back in her bag. She rummaged some
more, and pulled out a copy of the morning's paper. The headline,
'Sailor Scouts save Tokyo! AGAIN!!' drew her eye to the picture.
In it was a blurry picture of the heroines, with one holding some
sort of staff. *Whoa! that's the Spiral Moon Scepter!* she looked
closer. *With the Imperial Crystal!* She gasped. *WHAT in the name
of the universe is going on??!?*

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

Ami glanced up at Usagi from her mini-computer. "I'm reading an
_impossibly_ strong M.K. source."

The odango-headed girl perked up. "Where?" she asked.

Ami responded, "Tracing... It's..." She gaped. "Multiple
sources: Two, Five, Eight," She looked up at her leader, dazed.
"Seventeen."

Makoto cut in. "SEVENTEEN??"

Ami nodded dumbly. "And at least three _aren't_ even in THIS
dimension."

=====1560 YEARS AGO=====

Queen Serenity grinned. The project she had been putting
personal effort in - her two children's palace - had just been
completed, and would be ready when they completed Assumption in a few
years.

Unbeknownst to her, an enemy who she had repulsed numerous
times before had noticed her inattention, and had managed to insert a
few 'sleeper' agents into her kingdom. Over the next few years -
sixty, to a woman who would live to see entropy be reversed if all
this didn't happen, is _really_ few years, - she would learn the
folly of not keeping an ear to the ground.

But for now, she was just too happy that she would now be able
to retire in a few years, and woo a certain Kami-Sama at leisure.
The role of a queen/deity _was_ hard work; and after almost a aeon of
hard work, she was ready to have a little quiet time. So she reached
for the crystal seed, and handed it to one of her children's advisors
to hold.

"Label it for retrieval," she told the cat, "Trio access only,
upon Assumption. Codeworded,

Kingdom Come."

The Beginning...

Author's note:

Yes, I am more than ballsy; I think I really can make this one
sit up and speak!!

I've grown really interested in all three of these series, and
want them to merge. So with the addition of a character of my own
creation....

[Suddenly, the author is drug out in front of the audience by a VERY
pissed Akane. We see that the author is Cynthia herself.]

AKANE: Why didn't we get any airtime on this? You have to intro-
duce us to the non-Ranma readers out there.

CINDY: Hold up there, 'kanie. I think that since this is more
than likely going to end up in the TASS archives, that
would just make this too wordy. Soooo, this is just
going to be a little shorter than I planned for the Prologue
to be. (Grins) But if you want, I can make it more
interesting....

AKANE: (Facefaults) Nope, nonono! I don't mind not being in
this chapter after all.

CINDY: (Evading the puddle of sweat warily) Okay then, Now
if I may...

[Sailor Moon, in her Eternal Moon uniform - e.g. 'Birthday Suit' -
dashes behind Akane and glares at Cindy.]

MOON: I managed to read part of the next section. _What_ is
the idea of...

CINDY: (Making a Super-Dragon-Head) --==QUIET!!!!!==--

MOON: (turning white as a sheet) Eeep!

CINDY: (Back to normal) Thank you. Now, if I _MAY_...

That was refreshing. The idea of my fic _was_ to use Cindy as a
minor pivotal character to blend the plotlines as well as I could.
However, as I was rough-drafting this, suggestions came in to make
her more of a MAJOR character, {I believe it was a bet from nabiki@
tendo.jp.com,} that I couldn't tune it out. So, for better or Norse
- Uh, _worse_ - I'm going to do my best to compose this one as
carefully as possible.

So, for all you nitpickers, I have only THIS to say:

Before you critique this for small errors of JAPANESE
spelling, make *D*A*M*N* sure that you use a ENGLISH
spell-checker to proof your submission. It amuses me
to no end that someone can be so snotty as to debate
whether _Jusenkyo_ or _Jushenkyo_ is correct, but can't
spell cogitate. (This was wrote WITHOUT the use of one,
and as you can see, I KNOW the English language _quite_
well.) If you do critique, do so ONLY, and I do mean
_-=ONLY=-_ to the plot. That needs a little more tweaking.

And to anyone who enjoys it, thank you. My ONLY purpose in
this is to entertain people and get some experience with the writing
field as a possible profession.

Many thanks to all, and hopes for this Christmas

MERE KURISUMATSU!
CENTAURESS

2 Dec 98
173130PST,

3 Dec 98
013130Zulu

Hello Again! This is Skuld-chan here. Cindy is currently unavailable
to write this so I, knowing computers, have taken it on myself to
write this se....

(Sounds of great violence ensue. One can imagine a scene of a Tasman-
ian devil fighting a industrial shredder - and multiply it by ten.
That would be far short of the actual property damage results.)

Geezow, Skuld! The people are reading MY fic, not a travelogue to
Yggdrasil. Sorry 'bout that. I've decided to start with part one,
and get this rolling {small note: e-mail K...@almighty.rel, tell him
that I need a new proofreader.} So, here we go again! In the last
episode, we were given a tease about some of this story....

As always, I make no claim to the other major characters. I only
wish to state that the characters I produce, and the abilities _I_
give anyone, are credited to me.

A Multistory Fic:

KINGDOM COME

By The Centauress

Part 1:
Where we find that little,
if anything, really _IS_
what it seems to be....

Cindy walked her beat, inspecting the warehouse that was
currently filled with oriental bric-a-brac, bored to have a slow
assignment. *Why,* she mused, *if I really wanted to, I could
easily _sleep_ through the next six hours.* She shrugged. *But if
I do, I'd be lying to my boss. >Sigh< So I won't.*

She pulled out her cellular phone to call her sweetheart, who
currently lived in Michigan. She absently tapped the keys that would
let her quickdial the number, and put it to her ear. There was a
couple ticks, a hum, then a sisterly voice. Cindy sat down hard
when she heard it.

+Goddess Relief Office,+ the person said. +I will be arriving
immediately for a wish consultation.+

Cindy looked at the handset. The number displayed read,
'HEAVEN1', and not the one she wanted. As she watched, the displays
'in use' light shut off, and the number disappeared.

*Odd,* she mused as she put it away. As she looked up, she
witnessed a girl with extremely long gray hair looking down at her.
"Hello," the newcomer beamed, shining a gigawatt smile at the
hapless woman. "My name is Belldandy. What is your desire?"

"Wait a minute!" Cindy barked. "How did you get into here?"

"By that mirror," Belldandy indicated a large mirror with bias-
relief dragons circling it. "I arrived to grant you a wish."

The tall blonde couldn't believe this. "Rrrrrright."

The goddess tilted her head. "I don't lie. I'm a goddess from
what you would consider 'Heaven.'"

This was too much for Cindy. She fainted, slumping to the
floor.

"That was a good start," Belldandy said out loud, without a
trace of irony.

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

Cindy awoke slowly, feeling the concrete under her. "Wow,"
she muttered, eyes still shut, "that was a weird daydream."

"That was no dream," a sweet, sisterly voice assured her. "I
have granted your wish." Cindy's eyes flew open, to stare into the
sparkling gray orbs of Belldandy's. "I am happy..."

In a blur, Cindy found herself pressing against a nearby wall.
"_WISH_?" she screamed. "What wish?" She noted that the goddess
appeared taller somehow. At a guess, she estimated that they were
now nearly the same height.

Belldandy smiled at her. "Why, your wish to be like me." Her
face lit up. "I am happy to announce that Kami-Sama has given you
the powers of a goddess."

*Goddess?* Cindy thought, stunned. *When did _this_ happen?*

Belldandy gestured at the mirror. "If you watch, you will see
that _you_ did wish for this." Her eyes crinkled. "You really should
try to stop talking when you're out."

The mirror clouded over, and Cindy saw the wish being played
back with widening eyes. *Oh, my. I _DID_ wish for this...*

-==- -==- -==- -==-

Belldandy kneeled beside the sessiant blonde. "Cynthia?" she
asked, not expecting a reply.

"Yes," the woman replied clearly. "I'm here."

The goddess smiled. "What is your deepest desire?"

"I want to be able to help people forever," she responded. "I
remember failing to do that."

"And how," the goddess probed, "would you accomplish this?"

"By being a goddess," she murmured, still subconsciously. "I
would wish that I were a goddess, so I can help people forever."

Belldandy's eyes sparkled. "Thank you," she finished, rising
into the air. Cindy's "Welcome" was lost to the sound of a wind
rising in the cluttered warehouse. The markings on the goddess' face
grew brighter, until a beam shot from them to pierce the roof.

A grand, booming voice rose in the air, without source. =I
will grant this wish,= it intoned in a happy laugh.

[Belldandy said as an aside, "Father always loves to ham it up.
He could have done it without so much fanfare."]

Kami-sama continued. =This one, my newest daughter, I declare
will be the Goddess of Moments. Protect her, daughter, and teach
her; for she will have a hard road to tread.=

Belldandy responded, still floating in midair. "I will,
Father. Is what I learned about her true?"

Kami's voice lowered to normal levels. "Yes, it is. She has
much to do. Help her."

As he was speaking, Cindy's body shrank to that of a teenager;
her face became more pixyish, and her hair grew until it was almost
as long as she was tall. Kami-sama concluded, "She will awake in a
few moments. Bring her here, so she can meet me."

-==- -==- -==- -==-

Cindy stood there, amazed. "I've been adopted?" she muttered.
"I'm a goddess?"

Belldandy laughed. "Yes and yes, sister." Cindy turned to
face her. She continued, "Father himself approved."

Cindy smiled weakly. "So if 'Dad' okays it, then it has to be
true. Alright then, I'm game."

Belldandy took the girl's hand. "Let us go to our meeting
then." Fitting word to deed, she stepped forward, into the mirror.
Cindy gaped as the gray haired goddess was swallowed in the silvery
ripples that she was rapidly approaching. Closing her eyes, she felt
the cool surface of the mirror, then a soft, gentle breeze.

She opened her eyes, and saw a room that looked to be partially
live green wood, part stone, and part Star Trek's wet dreams. "Whoa,"
she murmured. "This is wild." She checked herself. *That wasn't
English,* she mused, *but how can I speak it, and know that's what
I said?*

Belldandy smiled at her. "This is Central Dispatch. The beings
that work here need to test your powers; then we will go to see
Kami-sama." A friendly-seeming person approached. "Go with this one,
Cynthia. I'll wait here."

Cindy nodded jerkily, still in awe of what was happening. The
next few hours passed in a blur, and she found herself again as she
faced a large golden door. Belldandy smiled serenely, and asked,
"Are you ready?"

Cindy tried to clear a few cobwebs from her mind. *This has got
to be the most bewildering day I've ever had,* she mused. "Alright,
sis. Let's see Dad."

The golden doors opened for them, and a fatherly voice called,
"Cynthia, my daughter. Come in."

She froze. The voice sounded just _LIKE_ her father's, before
he became ill. A calm baritone that seemed to be filtered through
gravel. Her own voice was a tenor version of it; a very small legacy
of a man she admired. But that wasn't all. It also seemed to be
a clear bassundo, like her stepfather's; the man she had last seen
a year ago.

As the casket closed his serene face from mortal view forever.

She fainted, not so much from fear, as from hope.

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

She awoke beside a burbling stream, her head on the grass
beside a small teenaged boy. He seemed unfamiliar, until she looked
at his face. "Dad? Richard?" she asked.

He nodded, smiling calmly. "Yes, daughter." A laugh passed
by his lips. "This is strange. I thought there was nothing like this
anywhere, and yet I found my way to it. And now I get another
surprise; you're a goddess."

She cried softly. "I missed you."

He put a gentle hand on her brow. "Well, you can visit me
anytime. But be sure that you do as Kami-sama asks you, okay?"
His grin was infectious. "He really is your dad now."

The tears were ones of bittersweet love now. "Don't worry. You
taught me well."

An older man walked up. He appeared to be in late middle age,
but his eyes told different truths. "Cynthia," he intruded, "come
with me."

Cindy came to her feet. "Yes, sir," she answered respectfully.
They walked for a way, then she hugged the man. "Thank you, Dad,"
she whispered.

"That's my job," he chuckled. "Yours too. His wish was to be
able to see you reach your destiny."

( * ) ( * ) ( * )

The pair of goddesses exited the mirror in the bathroom of the
shrine. Belldandy turned to the young goddess. "...And so, she
finished, "this is your _new_ home. Now for introductions."

"Too late," Urd said, slinking in with a portable television.
"We were called in to grant a wish. Actually, four wishes."

"Yeah," Skuld added, "and _he_ gets to tag along as well."
She turned to the strawberry-haired girl. "Father sent us a gVid of
your file. Welcome to the family, and let's get to work."

"Um," Cindy hedged, "where and who?"

"A young aquatransexual named Ranma Saotome, in the Nerima
District," Urd replied, as she grabbed the neo-goddess and plunged
into the TV set."

"Aqua whaaaaaaa......" the blonde's voice faded away.

=-=-==-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Well, this is my first wish. Just grant Ranma's fondest desire.
Arrrgh! The worst thing is, Nabiki thinks this is easy...

You try to grant a wish, Nabs. Oh, yeah; extortion doesn't count,
so don't even think 'bout it.

Part 2: Well, this is
just part of what a
goddess does for a
living, Now that you
mention it............

"....aaaaaAAAAAT?" Cindy finished as Urd drug her out of the
BFTV screen in the electronics store, much to the surprise of the
other customers.

"Sheesh," the platinum haired bombshell groused. "So he changes
sex when he's splashed with water. Is it that bad a problem?"

The younger woman paused. "Actually, no. He went to a place
called Jushenkyo, right?"

"Un," Urd answered. "You know of it?"

Cindy just gave an enigmatic grin. "Let's get to the location."

About a half-hour later, the group of five was standing in front
of the gates. Cynthia read the sign. "Tendo School of Anything-Goes
Martial Arts. Students and visitors ring bell, Challengers to rear
door." She blinked. "Uh, how can I read this?"

Belldandy smiled benignly. "It's called 'The Gift of Tongues.'
Language can't be a barrier, so all deities have the ability to speak
in the native language of the person they're talking to."

Skuld rang the doorbell. A kind voice called out, "One moment."
Everyone stared at Belldandy, as if accusing her of throwing her
voice.

Before she could reply, the gate opened. The young woman who
stood there could be mistaken for the gray-haired goddess, her entire
body seemed the same except for the hair color and lack of markings.
"Please enter," she said, smiling sweetly. And what can we do for
you today?"

Urd took charge. "Actually, it's what _we_ can do for _you_,"
she purred. "We're looking for Kasumi, Akane and Nabiki Tendo, and
one Ranma Saotome."

The woman beamed. "Why, I'm Kasumi. The others are in the dojo,
please follow me." Bemusedly, they complied with the request. A
moment later, the four goddesses and Keiichi were standing in the
doorway, amazed at the display of sheer talent.

Akane, the girl in the yellow gi, was a very strong fighter.
Her punches and kicks ripped through the air with hisses, and upon
connecting with the walls and ceiling - she was also jumping quite
high - they would pulverize the wood as if it were wet cardboard.

Ranma, however, was amazing. Even as Akane would throw a punch,
the red-headed girl would shift, ever so slightly, and the strike
would miss. Then she would blur, and the dark-haired girl would
suddenly be in stitches.

"Ranma, do-do-don't ti-hahaha-tickle!" Akane gasped. "This is
su-p-p-posed to be a sparring practice."

"Well," Nabiki noted with a wry grin, laying down her camera,
"I do have to say that you are doing a _lot_ better, Akane."

"Yah, Akane," Ranma grinned cutely, "your not so much of a
total klutz now." She mock pouted. "Now, if only we could teach you
to cookurrk!"

Akane leaned on the gigantic mallet, under which the redhead was
buried. "What was that about my cooking, Ranma?" she enquired
sweetly. She noticed the five visitors. "Hello. Can we help you?"

Urd walked up to her. "Akane Tendo, right?" she asked sweetly.

Akane nodded warily. "And you are?"

Urd looked around. "Urd Megami. Can we go to a corner?"

Akane humphed. "Might as well."

Skuld walked over to Kasumi. "Miss Kasumi, I'm Skuld Megami. I
need to speak with you."

Kasumi smiled down at Skuld. "Would you like to talk in the
kitchen? I think we have some ice cream."

Skuld grabbed Kasumi's hand and drug the bemused housewife into
the house.

Belldandy walked over to Nabiki. "Then you are Nabiki Tendo.
Hello, I am Belldandy Megami; and this is my fiancée, Keiichi
Morisato. Can we talk?"

Cindy pried up the mallet, and drug out the redhead. "So, by
elimination, you're Ranma Saotome. I'm Cynthia Johnston Megami."

Ranma stood slowly. "Are you a fiancée?" she asked warily.

The young goddess laughed softly, her sigil briefly flaring as
information made itself known to her. "No, _Mister_ Saotome, I'm
not a fiancée. I'm a goddess."

Electrocution would get less reaction than that. "_=NANI=_!!!!"
the red-head screamed, causing dogs to howl a block away. Then
she settled down. "Wait a minute. Mister? You know about me?"
*Gotta be a rival, or a dojo challenger.*

Cindy grinned. "I've never heard of you before today, Ranma.
As a goddess, I'm kinda new to this. But rest assured, what I'm
about to tell you will make you very happy."

Ranma had a wary look in her eyes. "So, what do you want to tell
me?" In the background, Skuld's voice intoned, "Wish Granted."

-==- -==- -==- -==-

As Skuld was inhaling the bowl of triple fudge brownie ice cream,
Kasumi grinned at her.

"So, _Megami-sama_, why are you here?" the eldest Tendo
daughter asked.

Skuld gagged momentarily. ">kaff,kaff< Um, I'm here to grant
you a wish."

Kasumi smiled. "That is a new one. Most of the time, everyone
comes to see Ranma. So why me?"

The child-like goddess raised an eyebrow. "Well, Kasumi-san,
you have given so much to this household, and yet you ask for nothing
in return."

The homemaker sighed. "I've been so used to taking care of my
family, I really don't..."

Skuld snorted. "Sure, you don't have dreams. _Everyone_ has
dreams. What you have here is a chance to _fulfill_ one of them."
She got a conspiratorial look on her face. "So confess. what's your
greatest dream?"

The older woman sighed. "That's a good question, Skuld-sama. I
have always dreamed of being skilled at the Arts. But I'm not that
good."

Skuld prompted, "Why not, Kasumi? I mean, you are the eldest
daughter of Soun Tendo, Master of Tendo-ken Anything Goes."

Kasumi laughed. "Sure. So all I have to say is, 'I wish I were
as skilled at the Arts as I am at housework?'"

As Skuld began to spin slowly in mid-air, Kasumi realized that
she _might_ have just made a hasty wish.

-==- -==- -==- -==-

"What was that?" Ranma asked the blonde haired girl.

"Oh, that?" Cindy laughed. "That was Miss Kasumi Tendo being
given her greatest wish."

Ranma digested this. "Oh, okay th...a _wish_?!?" Her eyes
bugged out. "You mean?"

Cindy got a slightly peeved look. "I'm a goddess. I'm their
sister. Soooo,..."

Ranma glanced at Nabiki. "Oh, jeez..." Her goddess had just
rose into the air, and began to twirl in place.

-==- -==- -==- -==-

Nabiki stared hard at Belldandy. "So," she asked calculatingly,
"You say that I get _one_ wish?"

Belldandy nodded. "That's right. I will grant your one true
desire. That's why I'm here."

Nabiki tapped the side of her head, musing. "I've always wanted
to.... No, that would be..."

"Silly?" the goddess finished. "Not at all. Wanting to be able
to be liked for yourself _isn't_ silly. Neither," she added as the
Tendo girl sat stunned, "is wanting to be able to stand up to the
madness that occurs here."

Nabiki drew a breath. "Soooo," she drawled slowly, "being able
to read minds is a gift then?"

Keiichi snorted. "It stunned me at first," he quipped.

Nabiki rolled her shoulders in a slow shrug. "Okay, I wish that
I were able to stand up to the madness here in Nerima, and that
people would like me for myself."

-==- -==- -==- -==-

Ranma muttered, "My stupid curse..."

Cindy sat cross-legged on the tamai. "So that's the thing, huh?
You're frustrated at it."

Akane shouted out "YOU BAKA!" from somewhere behind the pair.
The redhead ducked her head like a turtle. "That's it. I don't know
why _everyone_ thinks that it's so easy being half a man." A blue
aura surrounded the clenched girl. "It just burns me up." She drew
a deep breath, and shouted, "I JUST WISH EVERYONE IN NERIMA HAD A
CHANCE TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO CHANGE SEX LIKE _I_ DO!!!"

Eyes widened around the room, as both Urd and Cindy rose into
the air...

-==- -==- -==- -==-

Akane grinned at Urd. "So for my wish," she put her mouth by
the goddess' ear and whispered. Urd smiled and nodded sagely before
she rose into the air.

======================================================================
Commercial Break:
======================================================================

Belldandy is standing in a strange room. She turns toward the
fourth wall and smiles cutely.

"Hello, I am the goddess Belldandy. But outside of Heaven,
no one recognizes me. So that's why I carry this..."

She twists her hand, and a small card formed of light appears in
her hand.

"This works anywhere. It's the Deity Express Card. And in an
emergency, it doubles as a flashlight. So even when your travel
partner is _him_,"

She points to a confused Ryoga, who's asking a lesser god, "Is
this Nerima?"

"You'll still have hope. The Deity Express Card. Don't leave
Heaven without it. Kami-sama's orders."

======================================================================

Ranma looked around as Cindy touched back down, and said, wide
eyed, "W-wish granted." The redhead walked over toward the koi pond
in the yard, and drew a bucket of water.

Nabiki and Akane, as well as their visitors, were in shock.
The middle goddess recovered first.

"Oh, my. Did I hear that wish right?" Belldandy whispered.

Ranma stalked Akane with a wicked gleam in her eye. "Oh, Akane-
chan," she chortled, falsely sweet, "do you still think _I'm_ a
pervert?"

Akane broke from her paralysis. "Ranma," she muttered, her
throat desert dry, "you wouldn't..."

With a wild cry, Ranma did. "Take THAT, Akane-KUN!"

The water splashed both his intended target, and the goddess
that she was standing beside. Akane, now male, looked down at _his_
new body. He was a little broader in the chest, and now had a
more chiseled look to himself. He grumbled slightly, then looked
sheepishly at his red-haired fiancée. "So now I know," he began.

Urd blazed, trying to get a handle on his new situation. The
body he now wore was still attractive, but seldom was _he_ attracted
to himself. He urked, then asked Belldandy in a small voice, "Could
you please call the Almighty?" before fainting away.

-==- -==- -==- -==-

The large group was sitting at the table a moment later. Since
Cynthia still had her cellular phone from when she was a mortal,
Belldandy had called for the entire group and verified the situation.

She cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention. "This is a
rarity," she began, "that a wish that has been granted that affects
so many people." She glanced at Cindy, who was unable to make eye
contact with anyone. "It seems that my sister, while granting this
wish put a literal interpretation on the wish itself."

Cindy recited without looking up. "Ranma wished, and I quote,
'I wish _everyone in Nerima_ had a chance to change _sex_ like I do.'"
She mumbled quietly. "I thought she meant the entire population,
including visitors."

Urd laughed. "Sis," she snorted, "that was just a slight bit
overboard." She turned to the families. "She's new to this."

"That's true," Cindy added. "This is my..." Without warning,
she fainted, much to the surprise of all present.

)( () )( () )( () )(

Cynthia looked down at herself. She was as she began, earlier
that day. Tall, older, and somehow less than she was. She took it
in without rancor. A normal human, with all it meant, was no burden
of responsibility other than what _she_ made it to be.

"Well," she said to herself, "this is interesting." She looked
around, noting several points of light in the distance; they
sparkled in myriad colors and strengths. Somehow, she found herself
drawn toward them.

As she approached, she saw they were jewels. Amethysts in
multitude, surrounding a whirling dance of gems. Garnet and sapphire,
amber and chalcedony. Emerald. Ruby. Golden beryl. Blue Garnet.

Then to the center where a trio of stones rested. A diamond,
a marbled onyx, and a strange golden opal. The pull felt stronger
now, attracting her toward the center. She tried to slow herself,
yet couldn't impede her progress an iota. She reached the center,
and all progress halted.

"Now what?" she asked the empty space. "What am I to do?"
She closed her eyes, more in exhaustion than fear.

-Now you decide, child,- a voice whispered. -You must choose.-

"Choose what?" she inquired of the voice.

-You must choose the destiny,- the voice insisted. -Open your
eyes.-

Cynthia did. In front of her stood three images. One was her
goddess self. A child with long blonde hair and mystical garb, and
amethyst markings on her brow. She had a shy, gentle smile on her
face; fire of righteousness in her eyes, and an aura of
understanding.

The second image was another of herself. This image was also
a teen; yet she was everything the other was not. Where the first
was well dressed, this one wore a tattered uniform. Her hair was
ragged and matted with blood, and she wore a grimace of pain on her
face; her eyes were pits of despair, and her aura was one of
revenge. On her brow was the same marking, yet this one was in
silvery light.

The third image was one of herself, as she now stood. An adult,
with no markings, clothed in a guard uniform; her eyes were sad,
yet showed that there was still hope. There was a faint aura of
need, and an incompleteness that tugged at the heart.

Cynthia held herself still. "These are my choices?" she
questioned.

-Yes,- was the simple reply.

"That is not fair," she answered. "Faith, hope or destiny?"
She extended her arms out from her sides. "What good is one without
the others?"

-Those are your choices,- the voice insisted.

"THEN I CHOOSE THEM _ALL_" Cynthia yelled. "I cannot choose any
_one_; for without the others, there will be nothing."

-So be it then.- With that, the images combined; moving like
smoke, they formed a single image.

The girl who now stood there wore a whole uniform that combined
the mystical garb with a chestplate of white cloth. As she watched,
the cloth turned golden, with amethyst trim. The marking was a
pale amethyst under each eye, and golden on the brow. The image's
eyes opened, and Cynthia saw the determination there. Her aura
radiated power; pure, simple, and yet also restraint. The image
reached out to the gem-dance, and pulled the opal, and a single
amethyst.

-Take them,- the voice said, now commanding. -This is the
destiny you chose, so now we must proceed.-

Cynthia reached out, and grasped the jewels. In a flash of
energy, she found the girl had disappeared. She looked at the
gems, and gasped.

Where there had been two gems, there was now one. It was the
opal, which now had in it's heart a starburst of amethyst. The same
starburst that she somehow felt on her own brow. Her hands were
encased in golden gloves, and the uniform the other wore was now her
own. She inspected herself, and could see that she was now her young
self she was before she found herself here. Whatever was happening,
she was near to the conclusion of it.

-When the time is right,- the voice insisted, -you will find
the one who is your compliment. The moon to your sun. The serenity
to your tranquility. The spirit and soul to your heart and strength.-

The last image was one of a crescent, glowing in silver,
over a quartered circle of platinum.

End part 2------------------------------------------------------------

Part 3:
The diary of a goddess,
where we see that being
a deity is the least of
her troubles......

DEC 2, 99: This has been a hectic week. Little did I know that
Kami-sama wanted me to go to school with Ranma and Akane, until he
called me on my personal phone to tell me I was registered at Furnican
High, in the same classes as those two.

That will wake you up in the morning. If _your_ dad was the high
god of all, you do what he says. Urd-neechan doesn't always, and
he gets a little ticked off. The last time she did it, his lightning
bolt caused her to wear an afro for about six hours. So I got up, and
went to the bathroom; not a safe place to be in this house, unless
you are a powerful deity or good martial artist. My being neither
means that I have to be REALLY careful. I entered, and was about to
shut the inner door when Akane walked in. She looked at me and gave
me a big grin.

"So," she asks, "you're awake now? This house has been up for
a while."

I answer her that Dad gave me a wake-up call, and told me I was
to attend classes with them. She stopped momentarily in her disrobing
to glance at me. I continued to tell her that going to High School,
again, is going to be really boring.

"Again?" she inquired quizzically.

I remind her that although I look seventeen, I have lived
almost thirty years. I still have to smile at her shocked expression
when she heard that.

Still, think about this: She trusts me implicitly to undress
in front of me, even though I was once a man. The feeling that gives
me, having her treat me as another girl, is almost describable. And
being a goddess, that is pretty high praise.

About thirty minutes later, I experienced my first Japanese
breakfast of my life. All I can say is Kasumi is one great cook. I'm
sure that she could easily be world class. Akane, however, needs
work. LOTS of work. She tried to make scrambled eggs and ham, and
it took my debugging mallet to stop it from attacking. AND I now need
a new mallet. Mine broke when I nailed it.

Yeah, I know. I really have any room to talk. My cooking isn't
Kasumi's quality; but the stuff Akane makes... I'm still shivering.
Ranma escaped today, but _how_ can he eat that stuff?

So we finished our meal, and the others went to finish preparing
for school. I entered the kitchen, and took the bento - Japanese
lunchbox - that Kasumi made for school. She asked if I was changing
clothing, so I did - goddess style. I poured a cup of coffee, closed
my eyes and concentrated. Instant Furnican boy's uniform, (easier to
wear, because of Ranma's wish,) and done in seconds.

"So courteous!" she assures me. "No dirty clothes from that!"

I rolled my eyes, and drained my mug. Kasumi is sweet, and as
sharp as a razor; it's just that her act is so ingrained that she
just can't help coming across as vacant-minded.

Other than Ranma getting splashed on the way to school, the
chaos didn't start until we reached the gates. Said chaos taking the
form of one Tatawakki Kuno. He saw me and spouted off some nonsense
about 'the beauteous goddess with blonde hair in the rough, manly
garb' that he was going to free from the 'demonic clutches of that
fiend, Saotome.' Sheesh. So Ranma placed herself in front of me to
intercept him, but when I touched her arm, she glanced back and gave
me my chance.

I stepped forward and drew a globe of cold water from the air -
easier than hot, I find - and announce that I am a lesbian. He rants
about 'twisting minds,' so I flip the water-ball at him. As he does
the change, her black hair turns rainbow-colored. She's standing
there in shock, so I ask her for a date.

The coward fainted, much to the amazement of the school. Score
one for the new girl. Ranma, Akane and Nabiki couldn't stop laughing
until we reached the classroom.

Lunch was crazy. Everyone went to the auditorium, because I had
to tell them the particulars of the wish. As I explained how it
happened, they went crazy. But then, I demonstrated, and there was
total silence. A lone voice cried out,

"So why are you floating in mid-air?"

*Sigh* So I told them the truth, that I was a goddess. They
started laughing. So much for that one.

So I called Dad, and asked if I could take the afternoon off.
He agreed that SOMETIMES goddesses needed a break, and told me to
enjoy myself.

I went to the train station, and picked a destination at random.
My choice was Juuban. A lovely little city, and close enough that I
could visit again tomorrow. I think I will.

DEC 3 99: =:{ I met a girl today after class that spooked me
out royally. Not so much her attitude, or her looks; but her friends.

Oh, yeah; I also found out about something else.

Well, first, the girl. Her name is Usagi Tsukino. Describing
her is easy; she looks just like me, except she has blue eyes and
her hair is put in odango - ponytails with big bulbs of hair at the
top. As I walked into a little ice cream parlor, she was sitting
there, inhaling a box of donuts. She saw me and started choking.

Well, I jumped over and gave her the Heimlich, and her friend,
Rae Hino, just gapes. Actually, I can kinda sympathize with her
now; but at the time, she blurted out,

"Oh, jeez. ANOTHER meatball head!"

By the way - Goddesses + bad attitude = Forcebolt.

Rae got upset, I got upset, I fired forcebolt, and she pulls out
a pen. Minako, Ami and Makoto followed her lead. Usagi, who I still
had an arm around, starts crying. Soun-crying. MEGA Soun-crying.
I make out, "Heeeelllllppppp! This Cardian has meeeeeeeeee!"

Weeellllllllll, I jump back, letting go of Usagi; did me little
good. The other four raised up those pens and yelled out some weird
stuff. Next thing I know, I'm facing the Inner Senshi! Usagi grabs
a locket from somewhere, and in my haste, I reach out to it.

Just as I touch it, she's finishing off yelling, "Moon Cosmic
Makeup!" YOWZA! I'm suddenly lifted into the air, and spinning
like a main dish on a lazy susan. I'm juiced up, like I've just
ate the sun itself, and I get a wardrobe change.

Whoa, the fuku is alright, but it does seem like the skirt is
a tad short. The others - they told me later to refer to them in
their Sailor identity when they power up - just started gaping. Mars
throws an ofuda at me, and I catch it. I ask her what this is, when
it suddenly starts glowing. She falls over, shocked.

Mercury stands there, and looks at me through her visor, saying
"it's her," silently, over and over. Jupiter and Venus are stunned.

Eternal Moon is gaping. Which is okay, but then her CAT starts
speaking. Luna, the cat, said,

"Welcome, Princess Tranquility. _This_ is your twin sister,
Serenity."

Well, as she says this, I remember all of the things that
happened 1500 years ago, from when I was six, to the eve of _our_
eighteenth birthday. The day that was burned into my memory forever.

The day my fellow Senshi _died._ Waterworks time. As I kneel
there, Luna waltzes up and nudges me. I look down, and see a gold
pendant there, with a golden - yes, GOLDEN - opal in the middle. As
I touch it, I have an unbearable urge; I find myself shouting,
'SUN Cosmic Makeup!'

WHOO0-EEE! If Sis only knew! The Sun powerup is about ten times
more intense than Moon's, and twice as flashy. Seeing as we were
close enough together, as I transformed, a burst of energy came
from each of the others. The next thing I know, the bursts synergize
inside me. For a comparison - I spit out the sun, then swallowed a
supernova! My fuku became red and blue with gold metal bows, and
golden trim. The Sun Opal centered itself in the bow, and I caught
a weird scepter. It was a starburst, with ten crystals on the tips
of each leg of the burst. In the center was a crescent shaped cutout.
The last two legs seemed to be the scepter's handles.

Enter a real cardian. Ugly as sin, and infinitely worse. But
here's the fun part. I, as Sun, act as an amplifier for the other
senshi.

See, the scepter has two handles for a reason. I grab one, one
of the others grabs the other one, and we concentrate. The result
is an 'Hyperpower' attack. Mercury was the first - kinda
appropriate, as she represents the first planet - to think of pairing,
and she grabbed the handle.

MERCURY HYPERPOWER! ZERO-K! --- The cardian was suddenly frozen
(dropped to 0 deg. Kelvin - ZERO-K'ed) and then shattered from the
stress of the quick freeze. Quick, easy, and painless to us.

But we still had a little problem. The Outer Scouts arrived,
and then the REAL fun began.

Powerup, Pluto said, is when the grouping of Senshi reaches a
critical power level. Apparently, with my addition, we hit a _MAJOR_
threshold. Tuxedo Kamen bounded up, and everything fell into place.

1) The henshin devices appeared in midair. They all collapsed
into jewels. The _exact_ jewels as I dreamed of two days ago. As I
watch, they begin their dance...

2) I find myself in my goddess uniform. This is weird, as Moon
is in her princess dress, as Serenity. I'm curious, until a crystal
appears in my hands. It's the amethyst starburst. Without thinking,
I start to speak. Here's what I said:

I am Tranquility, Princess of the Silver Millennium.
As such, we near our final objective. As we are all
warriors, so must I join the fight. I accept this.

I am also Cynthia, Goddess of Moments. I find that
these two destinies are _not_ exclusive. So with
this gem, I add the power of the Everlasting Kingdom
of Faith to the Silver Millennium Kingdom. So as it
is said, so let it be.

I then threw -yeah, that's right; threw- the starburst into
the air.

3) The Opal, which was stationary above me, absorbs the purple
jewel. As it does, the other jewels develop the planetary sigil,
which glow in gold, in the center. Then the henshin reform, and
the design is rather interesting.

Mercury through Pluto each have a small silver sculpture, that
looks like a Christian angel holding the sigil-gem. Tuxedo Kamen is
holding a platinum sculpture of a Celtic cross -a cross in a circle-
with the onyx at it's heart. Serenity has a heart locket in silver
with the cross shape as an indentation, and a socket at the top. The
Imperium crystal peeks through the spaces in the cross.

Then MY henshin forms. The starburst appears again, but this
time it's like a single handled baton. the jewel is caged in a golden
flame shape, and the design looks reminiscent of a scepter. On its'
handle is an inscription in a language I _can't_ read.

4) The -+=NEW=+- uniform appears. Notice the stress I place on
>>*-+=N*E*W=+-*<< here? That's because this uniform is _way_ more
flashy. Serenity, Endymion (Yaay! He made it as well!) and I
end up garbed in these outfits that look like layers of metal-cloth
in our metals. Then a breastplate forms out of white cloth, and
wraps around each of us. The others gape as another skirt forms over
the top of the previous ones, this one in cloth-of-gold. The other
skirts turn cloth-of-silver and cloth-of-platinum, and the bottom-
most one becomes totally the same color as their gem, including
the sparkle.

We're all stunned here, but then come the wings. Big, white
feathery things on The big three, Translucent jewel-colors on the
others. They work, too. BOY, do they work. I found myself wrapping
up in them, when the energy poured into my body.

Remember the nova from before? That would be a matchstick to
what passed through me in those moments. I literally lit up, then
emitted the energy to Moon and Earth. (See, Endymion lost the tux
transform, but his symbol is for Earth, soooo...) We formed a
triangle of energy, which then shot out to the others. We looked
like a Christmas tree, and shed a _lot_ more light than one.

Then it stopped. Thank Father for small favors. We stood there
for about a minute, then I fainted from the release of all that
energy. I wake up about an hour later, in the Hikawa Shrine. Rae is
looking at me like I'm a dragon, she's so afraid. It took me almost
an entire hour to calm her down. She's quite spiritual, and I _am_
a goddess; so she'd quite naturally be kinda spooked at something
like this. I then called the Dojo, and told them I was staying
at a friend's house for the night. Kasumi asked where, so I told
her in Juuban, but not the exact area. So I bedded down with Rae.

4 DEC 99: Oops. Early this morning, we fought a Demon. Yup,
_Demon_. When Mercury scanned it, the thing was EMITTING negative
energy. But, after a tough battle, we beat it.

Why the oops? Well, in the course of beating the snot out of
it, we _accidentally_ leveled Juuban High. Cinders and ashes. The
Demon launched something called Banefire- Gotta check with Bell-
neechan about that- and I ended up deflecting it; right into the
base of the school building. One WHOOSH, and the whole thing's
toasted.

So the girls are transferring to Furnican High. Somehow I'm not
to thrilled with the idea. Go figure.

5 DEC 99: Day one for the Juuban Crew, and it was a riot.

Rae decided to see what Furnican was like, and snuck in with
the rest of them. Rae met Hinkao-sensei, or at least her 5-yen coin.
She was out till lunch.

Everyone was shocked during first hour, when I started speaking
Old Norse. So sue me; I heard a couple of the transfer students
gossiping in it, and told them to stop interrupting. So what if I
added that I'd get Thor to zap them if they didn't? And _how_ did
the teacher know Old Norse?

Lunch was entertaining. This girl jumps over the wall, carrying
her umbrella and starts attacking Ranma with it. Akane tells me that
this girl is named Ryoga Hibiki. Then ol' 'cute-fangs' nicks me with
a bandanna-shuriken. Forcebolt time. She ended up impacted into a
wall, lightly toasted.

After school, we stopped by a little place called U-Chan's.
Yeah, it's owned by Ukyou Kunoji, another of Ranma's Fiancées. Good
food though.

6 DEC 99: Big dinner date. All the 'fighting' crew are going to
this Chinese restaurant, Nekohanten. Sounds good...

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 4:
Trouble always seems
to start just when
you want to sit down
to eat...........

"Party of fourteen?" the purple haired girl asked.

"Yes," Cindy replied. The group of people, who also were the
island's greatest protectors, were joined by Ranma and Akane. When
they had made their plans, the two had been present; everyone had
thought it would have been an insult not to include them.

"Me Shampoo," the waitperson informed them. "Follow to table,
please."

"Shampoo?" Cindy jerked in shock. "Nyu T'shan Phu?"

Shampoo looked closely at the girl. "Yes," she said guardedly.
"Who you?"

The blonde haired girl grinned. <A member of the tribe,> she
said slyly in Chinese. <Known as Nyu Su Ni.>

Ranma glared at the goddess. "Was that what I thought you said?"

Cindy laughed. "That I'm an Amazon? Yep."

Shampoo gaped at the shorter girl. "Sunny? That you? You so
young!"

Akane facefaulted. "SUNNY?" she screamed. "HOW CAN THAT BE?"

Cindy looked at the shocked group. "That would be because of..."

"Me," a familiar voice finished. Cindy straightened. "Welcome,
young one," the voice continued as the goddess turned slowly. "And I
see that you are more powerful than before."

"Elder Ku Lon," Cindy said formally, "I have not expected to
see you in this city."

Cologne squinted at the young goddess. "And I you," the wizened
woman answered. "Can you explain why I sense such power from you?"

Cindy bowed. "You may, Elder," she responded. "But may we sit
at your table and eat?"

Cologne nodded, and led them to a large corner table. "Child,
I would enjoy a meal with you." She yelled over her shoulder, "Mu
Tsu! Help T'shan Phu with the food!"

Cindy grinned. "Mu Tsu's here as well? Have they..."

Ranma cut in to the conversation, at the same time as most of
the Juuban crew. "EXPLAIN THIS!" they chorused.

Cologne glared. "My grandniece is her mother. So she is my
great-grandniece," she instructed them.

Ranma buried his face in his hands. "Not more of them," he
moaned. "That makes what, ten?"

Akane laughed ruefully. "Twelve," she corrected him. She
turned to Cindy. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Cindy tugged her ponytail. "Because," she admitted sheepishly,
"I forgot about it."

Cologne rapped the deity lightly on the head. "Young one," she
admonished, "you have yet to explain your aura."

Cindy shrugged casually. "That's simple," she sighed. "I'm a
goddess now."

Shampoo, who was carrying out the first course of their meal,
dropped the tray. "Su Ni goddess?" she gasped, the bowed. "T'shan
Phu so so sorry she not respectful to goddess."

Cindy facefaulted, and answered without lifting her head.
<T'shan, I'm still Su Ni, the one who had the Birth Curse.>

Ranma cocked his head. "How can you talk Chinese?" he asked.
"I can barely understand the basics."

"Mother taught me how," she admitted. "And having T'shan visit
meant we could practice _both_ languages."

^Like, fer sure,^ Shampoo said in English, causing the teens
to laugh. ^Totally wicked.^

"But," Cindy continued, "she kinda' got used to slang. Go
figure."

Ami surprised everyone by asking, "What did you mean by 'Curse
of Birth?' I caught that much."

Cindy blanched. "Um, can I get back to you all on that one?"

Usagi pressed the issue. "No, Cindy; what does it mean?"

The young goddess hung her head as she stood. "It means," she
responded, "that I was born with the wrong body." She ran out of the
restaurant, sobbing gigantic tears. Usagi chased after her.

Ranma jumped to his feet. "I'll follow them," he told everyone.
"They might get into trouble." He left, not noticing the Juubanites
bigsweating.

-=- -=- -=*=- -=- -=-

Usagi caught up with Cindy a few moments later. The pair found
themselves in a small park with a pond at it's center. Cindy was
standing with her back toward her twin.

"Why did you follow me?" she asked.

"Cindy," Usagi answered, "I need to know. What exactly is 'the
Curse of Birth'?"

Cindy dropped to her knees. "I... It's difficult to explain,"
she admitted. "But it's also very easy to show you."

Usagi puzzled this out. "What? How can it be easy to show me?"

The goddess' shoulders shook. "Splash me," she admitted. "Then
you'll see."

Usagi complied. As the droplets of water hit the deity, her
body altered. In the limited light, all Usagi could tell was that
her 'sister's' hair color had changed, and that instead of a lithesome
body, she seemed more compactly muscled.

Cindy spoke quietly in a slightly deeper voice. "This is how I
was born, and why I was considered 'Birth Cursed.' Look closely."

Usagi approached warily. She knew about the wish that had been
made, and had a slight idea of what she would see. As she circled
around to view her sibling's face, she asked, "Cindy?"

The other person raised _his_ head, bringing his features into
the light. A slightly squarer chin, harder lines, and cat-slitted
amethyst eyes, framed by a long mane of mahogany-red hair.

"This is amazing," Usagi admitted. "You look like a masculine
version of me, Cindy. So this is what being 'Birth Cursed' is about
then; having the wrong sex?"

The young man nodded. "More or less," he said, cheering up
slightly. "But it isn't just that. I was born male, but even then
Auntie Ku Lon could tell I wasn't supposed to be that way. She
treated me as a female; with her tribe, that means as a equal."

Usagi whistled. "So then..." she prompted.

Cindy shrugged his shoulders. "So I joined the tribe, and
earned the respect of the other _women_ there. By proving myself to
them, I was given the chance to make myself fully female."

Ranma appeared beside the pair. "Nyannichichuan," he interjected.

"A special variety," Cindy admitted. "It is Nychesunichichuan.
The Amazonians have had many women who have fell into the particular
spring, that its effects are of a permanent nature. As so many
women's' souls are trapped in it, it's like being born female; one
splash and you find that you're female in body, forever. Dunked,
you become female in habit; Drunk, you lose any masculine memory you
ever had."

Ranma shivered. "And you wanted this?" he asked warily.

Cindy nodded. "Believe it or not, yes. I was splashed, then I
swam in the spring. I didn't want to lose everything, so I never
drank from it. I _do_ have some good memories of being a man." He
hung his head. "Few though they are," he murmured. A twinge of deja
vu passed through him, and he began to remember...

-===FLASHBACK===-

Princess Serenity was talking with a red-haired girl by the
Crystal Pillar, the centerpoint of the Moon Castle, as Tranquility
approached. The two seemed to be in good humor, laughing at a small
joke that the princess had told the other girl. Tranquility walked
over, her own face breaking into a smile of it's own.

"Hello, Trrranquility," the new girl greeted, her cat-ears
bobbing lightly, "It's a pleasurre to meet you."

Tranquility returned the greeting. "And a pleasure to meet you
as well. You are to be the Shieldsman, then?"

"Yes," the girl replied. "My name is Nekomimi."

"Cute," Serenity cut in. "Who thought of it?"

Nekomimi frowned, her tail lashing lightly. "Your mother and my
grandmotherrr," she mock-growled.

"_Luna_ saddled you with 'cat-girl' as a name? And your mother
approved?" Tranquility asked bemusedly. "I thought that sort of
thing..."

Serenity laughed. "Sister, is it so bad as 'Serenity' or
'Tranquility'?"

Tranquility laughed ruefully. "Actually, not really, when you
make _that_ comparison, sister."

"It's not so bad," the half-cat girl admitted. "I have some
good memories..."

-==================-

Cindy looked up from where he was kneeling. *Funny,* he mused,
*but I think that this is kinda familiar.* He shrugged his shoulders,
and got back to his feet. "Hey, you two," he asked, "can we get
to somewhere we can get some hot water?"

Ranma gave him a tilted-head, 'what-do-you-mean?' look. "Why?"
he asked.

Cindy glared at him. "Do you _really_ like staying in your
'cursed' form?" he enquired.

Ranma nodded. "Oh-kay," he answered. "We're closer to U-Chan's.
Let's head there."

About ten minutes later, the trio walked into the front door
of Ukyo's restaurant. They found a booth, and slid into it.

Ukyou saw them and waved. "Hi, Ranchan, Usagi, Sei-chan!
What can I get you?"

Ranma and Cindy's stomachs growled in a rumbling duet, and
Usagi's answered. "Three specials," they declared together.

"And a glass of hot water," Cindy added.

Ukyou brought them a cup from the teapot she had on one side of
the grill. "Here you go, Sei-chan," she greeted. "You got wet?"

Cindy splashed his hand, and winced at the welt the hot water
left on her skin. "Yep," she responded. "It's a pain, but that's,"
she jerked a thumb at Ranma, "what he wanted. The old 'walk a mile'
wish."

Usagi's brow furrowed. "Walk a mile? What do you mean, Cindy?"

The goddess concentrated. "The saying goes, 'Before you judge
another man, you must first walk a mile in his shoes.' What Ranma
wished was a variation on that." She gave a sly smile. "Soooo,"
she drew out, "that's what I visualized from him."

Ranma nodded. "That sounds right. It's just that people think
I want to be like this." He paused, confused. "Have we talked about
this before?"

Cindy sweated. "Um," she hedged, "we might have. Why?"

Ranma chewed on his bottom lip. "Because," he explained, "I
feel like we've seen each other in the past."

Usagi fidgeted. "Nope," she cut in. "Never. Haven't had a
talk like that. Nonono."

The pigtailed martial artist was about to respond when he began
to get nervous. Cindy noticed, and asked, "Ranma? What's the
matter? Is something wrong?"

He shook slightly. "I'm n-n-not sure," he stuttered.

Ukyou was walking back to the table with their specials, when
the door opened, and all hell broke loose....

========================================================================
COMMERCIAL BREAK
========================================================================

It's the moon, about ten years after the assault that destroyed
the kingdom. Setsuna and Skuld are standing on the surface, looking
at the desolation. Suddenly, Skuld spots something on the ground.

"Look," she says to the green-haired girl, "It's a Twix bar!"

Setsuna takes it from her. "Share it?" she asks the young
goddess. At the others nod, she opens the package; suddenly, she
points out to the horizon. "Look!" she yells. "Isn't that Queen
Selene?"

Skuld takes off, yelling, "Where? I don't see her."

Setsuna scarfs both bars while yelling, "Keep looking!"

The screen changes to an empty wrapper, and superimposed is;

EVEN IN THE WRECKAGE OF THE SILVER MILLENIUM; TWIX MEANS:

TWO FOR ME...

none for you.

========================================================================
AND NOW; BACK TO THE SHOW!!!!!!!!
========================================================================

The door blew inward, shattering glass in a wide arc. In the
confusion, a glass of water was splashed on Ranma, turning him into
his female form.

The intruder gave a feline roar. It stood at an easy eight foot
tall, on it's hind legs. It was also easily identifiable as female,
yet also showed most aspects of a panther; it's dark fur covered the
entire body, and the ears, eyes and tail were felinoid as well.

Ranma froze solid in the booth. "c- c-," she stuttered softly.

The cat-being turned to the four women who stood there. "Gr-rr-
eetings from Lord Diamond," she hissed. "I am your doom. Pr-rr-
epare yourselves, princesses."

Ranma was getting really nervous, when a thought surfaced.
/Let me owwww-ut!/

Ukyou was preparing to fight the monster, when Cindy grabbed her.
"Uchan," she whispered, then stopped. On the cook's brow was a
glowing mark. It was the sigil for the planet Mars, enclosed in a
shield shape. Suddenly, a wild hope arose in her. *I was the
princess-leader of the Sheildsmen! And Ukyo is Aries!!* she realized.
*But then,* she glanced over her shoulder quickly. Sure enough,
the redheaded girl also had a glyph shining on her brow.

Sun, in shield. The mark of Apollo.

She made a decision. "Uchan," she repeated, "Whatever happens,
just yell out the first thing that comes into your head, 'kay?"

Ukyou, confused, shook her head like a dog that had been dunked.
"What the heck do you mean, sugar?"

Cindy couldn't wait any longer. "SUN GALACTIC MAKE-UP!" she
yelled, thrusting her hand in the air.

Ranma jerked in her seat. The voice called again. /R-rrr-anma,
those a-rrr-e the Prrr-incesses! This is the time to let go of yourrr
fear! Let ME OWWWWWT!/

Cindy rose into the air, a shilouette of golden energy on which
were set her amethyst eyes. From the pendant, golden ribbons shot and
began to circle the girl. In the forehead area, the starburst
reappeared, shedding a violet stream of energy that mixed with the
golden ribbons to form a cocoon of energy. The cocoon burst, and
Sailor Sun appeared in her uniform. A breastplate of golden cloth
formed; and the sigil of the Sun, a twelve pointed starburst, drew
itself into existence around the golden opal with an amethyst heart.
Two final, wide ribbons of light streaked from the jewel, and
slammed into her back; then white wings sprouted and grew from the
entry points. Sun touched down and put her hands on her hips.

"I'm ready, hairball."

Usagi shot her a look as she raised her locket. "MOON GALACTIC
MAKE-UP!" she screamed.

Ranma came to a decision. "A- A- Apollo Def-f-ender Power!"
she managed to stutter, slamming her fists together.

A memory-shard sparkled in Ukyo's head. "Aries Defender
POWER!" she declared, mimicking the redhead's actions.

End of part 4
-==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-
Oh, the problems one encounters when there's a fight. Luckily, it
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...

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," an 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 fiancée. "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. "Granmma 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'?"

"Umm," 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
U-Chan'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 screeched, 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, Shieldsman."

"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 declaimed 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."

Skuld 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 Millennial 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 goddess informed them,
"is linked to a major deity. Diamond's doublet is the goddess 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
forearms. She stood there as a shaft of golden light surrounded her,
and was lifted from the sight of all.

Setsuna whispered 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 fiancée, 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 U-Chan's?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, Cindy had gotten splashed. We
were closer to U-Chan'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 vague 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 momentum, 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 incoherently.

"Oh," the newly-expert housewife continued, "you must be starved
after your trip. Would you like something to eat?"

Not trusting her voice, Ryoga nodded. That was the last she
knew, as unconsciousness 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.

>Sigh< I really _don't_ have an explanation for what I did, but
from what the others told me later, this is what happened during my
absence.

Part 6: Things
Become more
Obscure, rather
Than clearer..

"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 an 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. "Umm," the woman buzzed,
"my mistake. You look lost. Could I help you somehow?"

Ryoga gave her a lop-sided grin. "Nah," 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 even more precious due to her workload. So being able
to just sleep was something she enjoyed soooo 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 Kelly 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,"
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. Believe me, I know." She
looked up at her fiancée. "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 Shieldsman Apollo. And a certain duke of Earth was chosen as the
Shieldsman 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 prearranged 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, Ku 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.

Ku 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.

Ku 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 life-force 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 fiery 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
leggings 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. "Jushenkyo? Phoenix 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 chi-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
amazement dawned 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 weasel 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
apologize 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 medieval shield. Titan, Shield of Uranus.

*-----*

Li sighed as she approached the dark storefront, her whole body
humming with the knowledge of an Amazonian'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. "Tragedy 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 restaurant. "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 descended the stairs. The violet haired girl was unkempt
and disheveled, 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 sarcastically 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 from 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 couldn't 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 haven't 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.
Wherever 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 neighborhood is this?"

"Furnican," the officer replied.

"Heh, ooh-kay." She shuddered. Somehow, the dream had just
turned into a nightmare. Her e-mail friend, Ami Mizuno, explained
that Furnican 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 niece 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 forehead. "No. Domo Arigato 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----------------------

Part 7: The middle,
Where things are
About to start..

(What? You thought it
(was going to be only
(cheesy build-up??)

NOTES: This goddess has shown great merit... and should be
promoted to the next classification. She has demonstrated abiding
patience; and due to the upcoming Ceremony, her status must be
certain. Supervisor 547121, Yggdrasil

IN RE: NOTES- Go ahead with it. Also level the field in the
matters we have previously discussed. KS etc.

****YGGDRASIL EMERGENCY NOTICE**** TRANSMISSION INTERCEPT!!!!
You are to destroy the pair. No excuses. D,dPofHinALL

The goddess looked down upon the screen at the file listing.
*Damn!!* she mentally swore. *Time to go back to It.* She sighed,
and pushed the long silver hair from her forehead to reveal a simple
platinum crescent.

YOS: Restore Selene 1-1u to SELENE 00-INFINITE

System checking for data....
Place palm to screen

Selene gritted her teeth, and did as requested.

Thank you... Identification match/Manna match
Welcome back, Mother Moon.
AutoStart Assumption/3 in _7_ days.

The goddess drew in a deep breath. This was it. In seven days
it would either be the rise of a new era...

Or, the Darkness of the World.

Ragnarok.

-++**-**++-
A-7 days:

Raqui blinked rapidly. The girl across from her looked a lot
like a younger Cynthia, but she was sporting a strange set of facial
tattoos in purple metallic ink, and extremely long hair pulled back
into a thick braid. The eyes, however, were still violet pools;
_obviously_ she could be a relative, but she wasn't the person
Raqui was looking for.

Raqui cleared her throat. "Umm, ah," she hedged. "May I,
umm, ask you a question?" The other person nodded her approval so
she continued. "You said your name was Tranquility. Isn't that a
strange name for a girl these days?"

Tranquility chuckled. "My mother named me after my aunt,
Raqui."

The dark haired girl narrowed her eyes. "And how in Tokyo
do you know my name?!"

"I can't lie," the blonde admitted, "but I'll let you figure
it out." She tilted her head. "You do see my mark?" Nod. "Well,
where did you see it _last_?"

Raqui concentrated, and remembered where she had seen it. A
backpack, all black except for an embroidered sun with twelve spokes.
It was unusual in the fact of the sun had been embroidered. . . In
violet silk threads. Her eyes widened, and the other girl - revealed as
Cynthia - nodded.

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(Happosai comes crawling in, looking like ten miles of bad road
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time he encounters Ranma. He flops on the old futon, and reaches a weary
hand to grope in a pile of - ugh - panties. Finally he discovers his
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In studies, there have been cases reported of strange and weird
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(Sitting on Happy's futon is a Siberian husky. It is glaring at the
camera and emitting a harsh red glow which flares . Television static,
followed by the Jushenkyo-Vites logo.)

So if you want some Jushenkyo-Vites run down to your local Amazonian and
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^^***^^

Ranma and Akane tiptoed down the stairs, trying to keep from awakening
the others. As they neared the kitchen, Ranma put up his hand.

"Hold up Akane," he whispered. "Someone's in there."

"Come in," came an unfamiliar female voice. "Ranma, I was looking for
Haruka's bathroom,. . . "

Ranma's eyes widened, and he pushed open the curtain, entering the
kitchen to see a female Ryoga standing there in an oversized tee-shirt.
"Ryoga?" he muttered in amazement.

"Yeah," she responded. "It's me." she rocked from side to side, as if
testing her balance in a fight. "Amazing, isn't it?" She walked toward the
phone. "Is anyone else up?"

Akane entered the kitchen. "I am," she answered. "Weren't you here
earlier? Kasumi went out to wake you from your nap, but you had left before
she could serve you some dinner."

-oo00oo-

Ami stumbled down the hall, grumbling. "It's the middle of the night.
Can't it wait until morning?"

Cindy's voice came through the intercom. "Ami-chan," she called sweetly,
"It's me. May I come in?"

Ami rushed to the door. "Thank Ameratsu," she exclaimed as she opened the
door, "You weren't gone long." She blinked at the strange girl draped over
her friend's shoulders. "Who's this?"

"Ami, is that you?" the girl murmured.

"Yes," the dark-blue haired girl answered. "I am she."

"I am Raqui Nekosi," answered the curly headed girl. "Cindy ," she
stated, tapping her chin on her transport's head, "Or rather the goddess
Cynthia Johnston Tranquility Megumi, brought me here."

Ami brightened. "Raqui," she gasped, " But aren't you. . ."

"Older?" the girl asked sarcastically. "Not anymore." She started to
say more, when Cindy's cellphone rang. Raqui slid to the floor.

"Yes," the goddess responded, "You don't have to worry, Sir. I'll
hold." Covering the mouth piece, she pointed a single finger skyward. "Hello,
Ryoga Hibiki. I will be over shortly for a wish consultation." She tapped the
'end' button, and grinned. "This is a good one. Ami, duty calls. Is there a
hot water dispenser here?"

Ami directed her to the kitchen.

(****)

Usagi and Reeni sat on the floor, chatting about what had happened since
the pink haired girl had went back to the thirtieth century; for what was ten
years to her, had only kept her away one year here. Reeni had assured her that
Crystal Tokyo was almost completely rebuilt, and the royal family- herself
included- had nearly come visiting more than once.

"So you see," Reeni concluded, " Over the past three years, my time,
we have all wanted to visit. But imagine the problems that that _alone_
would cause."

"Yeah," Usagi moaned. "Just my luck. I've always wanted to meet myself
but... "

"Uh, yeah," Reeni mumbled, a sweatdrop trickling down the back of her
head. "Goddesses need to mostly stay in their own time." She sat up straight.
"But for the good news, the planets of the Inner Court are now all reclaimed;
and the Sun Kingdom is nearing completion."

Usagi nearly choked on a cookie. "_SUN_ Kingdom!??"

(@*@*@*)

Ranma tilted at his head at Ryoga's slacked jawed shock. "Yo, Hammie,"
he quipped, "wanna apple?"

The Lost Girl turned slowly to face him. "WA WA WA ," she stammered.

The kettle on the stove began to whistle. Akane stepped over to shut
it off, when a foot clad in a soft slipper stepped lightly on her head. She
froze in place as the rest of the person followed.

Cindy stood there momentarily, then noticed that she was not dropping at
all. She looked down, and squeaked in shock, "Sorry Akane." She hopped down,
and smoothed her robes.

"WazUp?" Ranma asked politely. "Ryoga just 'found' his way here, so I
just..." He stopped, and started thinking combat-style.

"Ahem," Cindy cleared her throat. "Ryoga Hibiki, I am the goddess
Cynthia. I am here to grant you a single wish. But, before you say anything,"
she added, noticing the girl preparing to speak, "I will _not_ grant a wish
until you think about it for awhile. You can wish for power, riches, and so on;
or other things." She leaned over and stage-whispered, "like curses being
removed."

Ranma slapped his forehead. "D-oh!!"

Everyone shrank in shock, as the fanged girl's face split in a slow grin.

((***))

Usagi winced. "What's this about the 'Sun Kingdon'?" she asked. "Cindy
is my twin. How can she have a separate realm?"

Reeni visibly broke into a full body sweat. "I know, but I can't tell
you."

Usagi was about to comment when her communicator went off. "Yes?"
She answered, opening the watch cover to see Ami, and another girl,
looking back at her.

+We have a development,+ the aqua haired girl transmitted. +One -no, two-
sources of silver millenium energy just materialized in our dimension. I'm
with one source; but the other one is big, and heading your way.+

"How big, minna?" asked Reeni, leaning over.

+About double the power of Pharoh 90 and still rising+ she blinked.
+Reeni?+

Reeni did a double-take, then eeped. Dinah, who was chatting with _her_
mother, wandered up to look, then fell off the bed.

+Are you two alright?+ Ami asked, concerned.

"Yes," wafted up from the floor. The grey cat hopped back onto the bed.
"Just slipped, that's all."

EIEIO

Bell and her sisters awoke to the strangled female cries of mixed pleasure
and pain coming from Keiichi's room. Racing to the door, they were shocked to
see visible waves of Manna rolling through the hallway.

=And here you three are,= came Kami-sama's voice from all around them.
=This is the time for you all to prepare. Acts are in motion that will require
all your full attention.=

Keiichi stumbled from the room and the others gasped in surprise; for on
her face were the markings of a deity.

((**)) ((**)) ((**))

Ryoga, still smiling, began to phrase her wish. "I wish," she intoned,
"that the pool I had fell into was the Nyannichuan, and that it had broken my
family's curse."

Cindy's markings began to glow. She started to murmur, but the sound was
quickly drowned out by the greater noise of the divine wind of a wish being
fulfilled.

Ranma quirked an eyebrow at his sometimes rival. "Why'dja say that,
Ryoga?" he called out over the wind.

Ryoga, laughing in glee, answered. "Transforming isn't bad, just what I
_used_ to transform into."

Cindy's markings flared, and a bolt of energy shot into the sky, punching
a whole intervening ceiling and roof. Their came a yelp form Kasumi, upstairs;
it was her room that had been punctured. Her footsteps rapidly came down the
stairs, and moments later she appeared in the doorway.

"What happened?" she asked, anxious. She noted the tableau, and smiled.
"Ryoga got a wish as well?"

The girls answer was lost when the beam of energy returned to Cindy
redoubled.

((OO) ((OO)) ((OO))

The woman stepped up to the door of the Tsukino residence and paused
briefly to compose herself. It was nearly 5 a. m., so she was certain there
would be someone awake to answer her knock.

"Halt, you unknown visitor. I am the beautiful protector of Tokyo, Sailor
Silver Moon; and I demand to know what you are doing."

The woman laughed gently, he chuckles bell-like in the still air.
"Child," came her soothing lilt, "who am _I_?" She turned. Silver Moon stood
stunned as her blue eyes locked with the shifting color of the strangers. "You
were the one who seldom left the castle grounds. I had to make your protectors
drag you out; your sister, on the other hand, had to be drug back to the
castle."

"You!" the senshi gasped, her wings wrapping protectively around her in
shock.

Selene nodded her head. "Me."

~~~***~~~

Pluto shivered.

It was all happening so fast. The future beyond was crystal clear. As in
Crystal Tokyo; that was the same.

The past was also clear. The battle. The final attack. The flare,
visible even in the time gate.

The visitors who arrived...

She winced, as memories that had been locked away resurfaced.

***FLASHBACK***

Setsuna Meiou, known to all as Sailor Pluto, sat on a formless nothingness
in the realm she guarded and cried tears of hopeless rage.

The Sliver Millenium had ended, as she had foreseen, with the two lovers
dead. The thing that was causing her grief was that her friend, Princess
Tranquility, had come upon the pair; and in her grief, annihilated herself in an
overload of her Senshi powers.

Why? The girl was a lone soul, like herself. What had possessed her to
gather her energy like that?

"Grief did," answered a young girl's voice. Setsuna whipped her head up,
to look at a trio of young women staring at her in compassion. The youngest, a
darker haired girl of about twelve, rubbed the trioval on her brow in a
frustrated swipe, "She was so grief-stricken at finding her sister dead that
she did the only thing she could think of to stop the fighting."

Setsuna screamed, in pain. "Why, in the name of the Moon? She is the
most powerful of _all_ the senshi, including Saturn. Even Saturn's Rebirth
attack would be overkill. So _why_ did she go into Nova Flare Suicide?"

The eldest of the trio flipped her silver hair from her face, making her
triangular marking sparkle. "It could be," she purred in a liquid velvet
voice, "because she had seen _Beryl_ in the attack, and the sheer numbers of
the people involved in the castle assault."

The senshi bowed her head in shame. "I apologize to you all. But still,
other than killing herself, she had plenty of warning..."

The third girl, a teenager with long gray hair, bowed her head and wept
as she concluded the conversation. "She was enraged, and hurt. So she focused
her power to provide a beam blast." The girl's voice broke briefly, then
continued more softly. "Then her ruler asked her to hold it in."

Setsuna gaped, but before she could say anything, there was a flash of
light...

-+++-+++-+++-+++-

Pluto gritted her teeth. Those harridan! Those... goddesses! She _knew_
what those three meant now.

She shuddered. She _KNEW_ what those three meant... and if the signs
were right, then Rangnarok would be a tea party in comparison. If only she
could get past this obstructing fog....

-=-=-=-=-=-

Cindy's spinning stopped as the bolt struck, her body glowing
incandescent as she absorbed the energy. Then, just as suddenly, a bolt flew
from her body to Ryoga's.

The fanged girl let out a wild cry as she felt her mind tell her _where_
on the Earth she was.

"I'm free!" she yelped. "I won't get lost." She looked toward the
goddess, and was _just_ fast enough to catch her as gravity again took hold.

/---/---/---/---/

Across the city, Selene smiled briefly as her estranged daughter began to
float without any visible means of support.

Silver Moon drew in a great breath to scream; but before she could react,
energy burst from her very pores to engulf her. in that shell, she could just
make out the shape of her mother standing and watching as a second wave filled
the sphere.

*---*---*---*

Cindy moaned softly. The feeling she had was one of being overfull with
energy, not empty. Simply put, it seemed that she had been advanced to a new
level of godhood, and must now be even _more_ careful.

But the level of power! She focused on the pool of energy she visualized
to focus; it was now a sea of energy, wide and deep. That was going to take
some getting used to.

Voices intruded upon her awareness. Softly and gently they murmured,
just below the level of understanding.

^-^ O - O *-*

Silver Moon hung in midair, engulfed in a swirling maelstrom of energy,
curious as to what was happening.

She could sense the power flowing around and through her, and tell that
it was not malevolent.

It was benevolent. Calm.

Serene.

/-------/

A shudder ripped through the stone of the dark realm.

"That witch!" the ruler of that Region screamed. "She must not finish
her deeds, or it will be the children this time!"

Three dark shapes stepped forward. "We'll stop them, Princess," they
chorused in an odd harmony. Without fanfare, their forms faded.

The leader dropped her head into her taloned hands. "Eleven and a half
millennia. You managed to postpone it that long, but no more. I _will_ have a
chance to speak with them!"

Her shoulders shook. "You Bi***!" she cried. "I was _forced_ into this
by your haste. I WON'T ALLOW YOUR HASTE AGAIN!!" A single tear dropped into
her palm.

"They _will_ know the truth, as my kingdom learned it," she continued,
staring hard at the oddly discolored opal in her grasp. "The Assumption will
be correct this time."

She stepped into the sparse light. Her features, a near-mirror of
another's, darkened; the scar on her forehead seeming to rip a symbol in half
on her brow.

A twelve-limbed starburst, done in violet metal.

Tranquillios attached her jewel to the front of her dress, and allowed
her features to smooth. *It's rime,* she told herself, bracing. *Sister,
do you truly hate me so?? Did you envy me _that_ badly?*

=GOLDEN SUN POWER!!!= The glare of the transformation lit the otherwise
dark realm. All around could be seen angry _human_ forms.

"No more," the renewed Elder Senshi vowed as she produced a flaming
naginata from nowhere and gripped it tight. "The children will _not_ be forced
into a lie."

=I CALL UPON THE BOND WE BOTH MUST SHARE,= she thundered in a quiet
voice. =KAMI-SAMA, IF THIS _MUST_ HAPPEN, THE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD.=

*** *** ***

Kami bowed his head. "Yes, it must." He stood, and walked to a door
that appeared. No one other than he could open it, which he did as he neared
it. On the other side was a featurelessness which he entered. The door closed,
and disappeared.

/------/

Setsuna waited.

She always had, and she knew she would until her duty was done. Time had
little meaning to one who spent most of her own beyond it.

A hand settled on each of her shoulders, and she froze in dread. For the
two hands were different. One was strong, male.

The other, taloned.

Female.

And so very, very familiar.

--------------END OF PART EIGHT-----------------------------------------------

SCENE: Raqui is sitting at a computer, visibly chained to her chair.
She is sweating as she types. she turns offscreen.

RAQUI: Hey, Cindy! I'm done!

CINDY: That's just part 8!

(A pile of papers buries Raqui, and you can hear her moan in pain.)

CINDY: Here's what still has to be typed...

Well, here it is; part 8 is in, and it just seems to pick up speed.
What's going on? Beats me, I just type it. And thanks to 'Raqui,' now it's
going a little faster. Now to start part nine,...

Ja Ne!

Centauress
081500 EDT,062899