"Yes!" responded Mamoru Chiba.
"Kill Ranma Saotome," said Pluto.
"Say what?"
"Ranma Saotome was at the heart of the storm," explained Pluto. "By eliminating him, I can then make him 'never born' through time manipulation backtracking."
"He caused this paradox storm?" asked Mamoru, closing his eyes and seeming to concentrate on something.
"Yes," said Pluto.
Mamoru frowned and opened his eyes again. "You're lying."
"What?!" Pluto was taken aback at the conviction in that voice.
"I fought alongside Ranma and others against the Doom Tree. I made the acquaintance of others during the rescue operations we performed after the crash," said Mamoru, standing now and looking angry. "I've learned the Deception Cutter, a technique for seeing through illusions and detecting lies."
Pluto winced involuntarily. "Then here's the truth. With Ranma's death I can reverse his existence so that he was never born. Once that is accomplished I can determine what further steps are required to bring things back to the way they should have been."
Mamoru had closed his eyes and listened carefully, now he opened them again. "Mostly true. As I said, I've fought along Ranma Saotome and while I think he's a pompous conceited jerk - I don't think he's particularly a bad person. In fact he's become a good deal more likeable over the past year. If we end up fighting another menace, I can't think of too many people I'd rather have leading the charge into battle. Even if it brings Usagi back, I'll have to think about this."
Pluto frowned but could see that the Prince of Earth was showing some steel. He too had changed somewhat over the past year, finding a strength through the grief and having thrown himself into training for whatever fight might yet come his way. No doubt blaming himself at least in part for his failure to stand up to Beryl and the others.
The door exploded inward and a lithe woman in combat fatigues leapt through the flying debris, drawing a blue-glowing katana from her belt.
Pluto was shocked at this, but noticed that Mamoru was neither surprised nor had he moved.
Using her connection to the Gates, Pluto retreated.
"Chiba-san?" the woman sheathed her sword in a quick practiced movement.
"I hit the panic button when she appeared, but it seems she was here to talk," admitted Mamoru Chiba. "I have to figure out whether she was an ally or an enemy posing as an ally."
"I see," said the woman, "I don't sense spiritual evil."
"I do hope they can replace that door faster than the last time," said Mamoru drily.
Pluto groaned as she went back over Mamoru's past. Events had thrust him into less a support/male cheerleader role than original. Now he was an expert marksman and certified sniper. When the Doom Tree problems had begun developing, he'd gone to some of these others and gotten extensive training. He'd used his despair, guilt, and connections to the Earth mana and thrown it all into training. It had helped that he had ended up hired by the JSDF and didn't have to work part-time jobs to support himself.
He'd already had excellent fencing skills, and now had added considerable kenjutsu skills. His teleportation abilities made him unpredictable in combat, he was considered a very talented gymnast, and he might not have been in Ranma's class as a martial artist but he wasn't exactly a pushover either.
Looking over the last time they'd sparred, Pluto realized that Ranma saw Mamoru as a fighter with potential and had been deliberately baiting Mamoru in order to push the older boy into exceeding previous limits.
Mamoru Chiba was no longer likely to be a "one-hit" wonder. He still preferred hitting from a distance but would be more likely to use a sniper rifle with blessed spirit-charged rounds than roses. Less romantic, but his range and penetration capacity were better.
Even so, Mamoru Chiba might go along with the plan and assassinate Ranma.
Pluto decided to try either Haruka or Michiru as more likely to succeed in this endeavor.
(Posted Sat, 12 Jun 2004 09:10)
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