Ranma and Hotaru sat down in the theatre just minutes before the movie started, while a few rows back, Michiru, Haruka, Usagi, Rei, and Ami staked out a spot, along with two hidden Mau. Mamoru had to study for a test, while Minako and Makoto left to take care of something.
“You know, it’s kind of surprising that Mina-chan and Mako-chan left and missed seeing such a fine hunk,” Usagi joked. Ami and Rei nodded at this.
“Yeah. Then again, seeing Hotaru with him might have just made things worse for Minako,” Rei added.
Michiru kept snapping pictures of the young couple in front of them, while Haruka smirked. “Maybe, but it will be much more fun for me after the date is over!”
Her lover stopped taking pictures as she looked over at her, “And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?”
“No man is going to take advantage of my baby girl, even if he IS a knight!”
“I doubt you need to worry about that.”
The five girls jumped and whirled around to see Setsuna sitting behind them, looking rather stressed out, but with an odd smile on her face. “Sorry about that, but I had to go investigate a bit more into this knight business.”
“So who’s right then, you or Artemis?” Luna asked from under the seat, causing her companion to frown.
“Both.”
This remark confused everyone involved, and they sat there, blinking. Finally, Usagi managed to ask, “Both? What is that supposed to mean?”
Setsuna shrugged. “Being the Guardian of the Time Gates can be a bit stressful, so many of the past guardians have developed odd quirks, like why I tend to appear behind you at odd moments.” Ignoring her princess’ scowl, she went on, “My mother, on the other hand, had a habit of reviewing odd scenes from the future with extremely slim odds of happening, and turning them into TV shows.”
Ami blinked, confused, “So this means... “
“My mother saw the idea of the Silent Knight in the Gates. She liked it, and then turned it into a show. The odds of him actually popping up at all on our end were astronomical, as finding an emotional and magical equivalent to Saturn is rather difficult to begin with, but... “
“I thought you said that the Planets could not empower Knights?” Haruka asked.
Setsuna sighed, but carried on, “They can’t. However, heroes who have already reached a high enough level can swear fealty to a senshi, and gain the title and benefits of being their knight. It’s kind of how Tuxedo Mask exists; back in the Sliver Millennium, Edymion swore undying love and loyalty to the Princess, allowing him to become her knight. However, his power over the Earth is one that he developed over his own life through special training, so it was only enhanced by his connection to the Moon.”
As everyone digested this, Ami decided to ask, “What were you saying earlier about magical and emotional equivalents?”
The Time Guardian smirked at the genius of the group, “You explained it yourself earlier: Mars’ Knight would have power over Water, while your knight would be the opposite. This is known as a Magical Equivalent. However, what is less known is that Magic is tied to one’s emotions: Rei’s fiery temper, your cool genius, even Mina’s obsession with love: all of your attitudes are based off of the type of magic you use.” Her smirk then disappeared, as she turned weary and aged eyes towards the two they were staking out. “In fact, one could even say that Saturn found her Knight just in the nick of time.”
Michiru, concerned, asked what she meant, but Setsuna just sat there, staring. It wasn’t until the lights dimmed that she finally said. “His name is Saotome Ranma... “
The other girls turned confused looks onto her, but she went on, ignoring them. “He was taken from his father at an early age to train in their family’s martial art. He spent ten years on the road with only his father as a constant companion, learning everything about fighting and almost nothing about social skills. In terms of mental age, he and Hotaru are about equal. Despite this, he is a kind and honorable young man, the exact opposite of his father.”
“Throughout his life, his father sold him off to numerous families in the form of engagements. There are a number of legitimate ones; however, he is far to honorable to choose one over the other, and far too naïve to even know what the difference is between a fiancé or a girlfriend; in fact, he asked Hotaru what a boyfriend had to do when they met, and the whole list that she gave him more or less describes what one friend would do with and for another, which, considering his life, would make Hotaru his first real friend.”
Haruka gaped at this (hearing that her baby girl was dating an engaged man was not something any parent wants to hear, but the continued monologue cut her off, and she was more confused than angered. Setsuna, however, went on. “His first real fiancée is a rather abusive girl, who, at the time, had a problem with boys. They did not start off on the right foot, and she has been hitting him for innocuous thing ever since, giving him a rather repressed view of sex; he isn’t likely to pull anything on Hotaru at all, even if he was drugged. The rest of them are in it so that they can have their ideal man, not even thinking about what Ranma wants.”
Her gaze seemed to clear after this, and she shook her head, as if trying to wake up. “He is also one of the few people you could call a ‘Paragon of Life’, as his skill in martial arts and ki manipulation is top notch,” she finished sadly.
Rei, concerned for the woman who may be her grandmother, asked, “Setsuna, are you OK?”
She smile sadly. “I’ll be fine; I guess I’m just feeling my old age. I may not look it, but I have been alive for millennia.” Looking at Hotaru, she added, “In fact, this is one occasion that I am glad things aren’t going to plan.”
Usagi narrowed her eyes. “Explain!”
“There is no threat to Crystal Tokyo or Small Lady. It is simply a matter of being able to have Hotaru-chan around a lot longer than expected.”
As the movie began, all five eyes were now on Setsuna. “The Silence doesn’t like being kept in a mortal form; it’s one of the reasons why Sailor Saturn isn’t always around. It eats away at her life, forcing her into an early death the more she uses it.”
Horror filled eyes kept their stares, but before anyone could scream, Setsuna added, “However, if someone who is the magical equivalent to Saturn fed her ki, she could potentially live forever. As long as Ranma is bonded to her, she will be fed ki, while she unintentionally feed him magic, making both virtually immortal.”
“So... Taru-chan is going to be OK?” Michiru asked hesitantly.
Setsuna smiled a true smile. “She’s going to be just fine.”
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(Posted Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:25)
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