Before Ranma could say another word, the door to the room opened, Mamoru sticking his head in. “I heard shouting earlier, is everything all right?” He blinked his eyes as he saw the new guy there. “And who’s he?” Mamoru asked, as he pointed at Ranma.
Narrowing her eyes, Usagi pouted cutely. “Mamo-chan, the shouting was twenty minutes ago.”
The Prince of Earth chuckled nervously. “I was going to check earlier but I got sidetracked helping Luna and Hotaru pacify Haruka and to a lesser extent, Michiru about the power loss,” he explained. “For all the bitching about the burden being a Senshi is, neither took the loss very well.”
Setsuna nodded her head firmly. As much responsibility being a Senshi was, it was something to also take pride in. The kind of pride where you would sell out your friends for a chance to take down the enemy, but she digressed. “Are they still here?”
Nodding his head, Mamoru answered, “Yeah just down the hall.”
“Good,” the Senshi of Pluto said firmly. “Ask them to come in along with Artemis and Luna. We all need to pow... wow…” the viridian-haired woman trailed off, remembering the problems that arose when Artemis came in for his chicken. “On second thought, have Artemis and Luna wait outside... Ranma here doesn’t take too well to cats...”
“Sure, sure...” Mamoru replied, eyes drawn to the male down in the chair. “Out of curiosity... you guys aren’t going to do that to me at any point, are you?”
The ponytailed blonde’s odango-styled hair stood up. “Heck no!” Usagi proclaimed before turning about to glare at her friends. “Right!?” she was not in any mood to share her man, thank you very much!
“Yeah you’re safe,” Makoto says assuringly, not mentioning that such a thought HAD been going through her head... thoughts that were possibly yaoi.
“Trust me Mamoru, nobody is tying ANYBODY up again; it was a situational thing,” Ami assures him. She considered that maybe they should start untying Ranma.
Accepting that, the man normally dressed in tuxedo replied, “Fine. I'll be back in a second.” Mamoru then disappeared from the door. Within a few minutes, he returns with the other three of the Outer Senshi.
Wanting to get things rolling, the depowered Senshi of Uranus was quick to speak. “Okay Setsuna, so what’s going... on...” the sandy-haired blonde trailed off, looking down at the youth tied to a chair. “Who’s he?”
“Haruka, I’ll get to who he is in a second now that everyone is here...” the Senshi of Pluto looked around at those gathered. “And for the last time, I’ll repeat the circumstances of our powers being hosed, who’s responsible... and then we can discuss our options.” Setsuna says, rubbing the side of her face with her hand as she got her mind sorted.
It took merely ten minutes without interrupted, but the three Outers and Mamoru—and two Moon Cats hiding beyond the doorframe—were brought up to speed.
“So his grandmother’s the reason we’re powerless while a former general of an evil queen is running around when we should be kicking his ass?” Haruka asked, the frown on her face firm and somehow growing. She was going to look like a bulldog if it kept up.
The pigtailed martial artist gritted his teeth. “And she wants me to... become this Sailor Sol... and...” Ranma twitched. “She keeps insisting I’m a girl.”
“And my mom wants him to got for a gynecology exam, thinking that it genuinely is a good idea...” the blunette blushed. “And honestly, I don’t blame her.”
Whimpering, Ranma looked up at the currently depowered Senshi of Mercury with a face akin to a sad puppy. “Et tu, Ami-chan?”
The young juku student blushed. “It’s good for health reasons, Ranma. Plus, your avoidance with getting to understand your female half has obviously caused your problems in the past.”
Ranma just slumped in his chair. He didn’t argue but he still wasn’t liking this.
“So there’s no way we can negotiate with Ranma’s grandma-san?” Hotaru asked cutely. She couldn’t believe someone would be so spiteful.
Shaking her head, Setsuna replied, “I’m sorry Hotaru-chan but it’s not likely. She’s been waiting for this opportunity for eons.”
“Still, her actions a mite unfair,” Michiru murmured thoughtfully. “Yes we are reincarnations of our prior selves... but we ARE ourselves! Our memories and personalities are vastly ours of this lifetime, as most of the past is purposefully locked in our subconscious as a measure by Queen Serenity so we don’t go insane from an influx of two memory sets... she judges us as she did our prior selves.”
“Trust me she doesn’t care,” Setsuna replied firmly. “The only thing she cares about is making her own lineage prominent over the other Senshi of this Solar System. She always felt she deserved top billing and did what she could to make out on top... call it an inferiority complex if you will.”
“What happened?” Minako questioned. “Was it, like, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and we never invited her to join any Reindeer Games... like Scrabble?”
The Senshi of Pluto opened her mouth for a moment... then closed it with an audible click of her jaw. “Ironically, that is a good summation. She never did ‘click’ with anyone, and in trying too hard to be liked, she became more and more of an outcast, accepted by neither the Inner nor the Outer Sailor Senshi.”
The tall ponytailed brunette blinked her eyes in shock. “Did... did any of us push her away?” Makoto asked, starting to feel guilty.
Setsuna shook her head firmly. “None of you did. In fact, Queen Serenity went to Sol’s home with no entourage to appeal to her woman-to-woman without titles. But it seemed Sol was adamant to be a lone wonder. However, I will admit that she and I grated each other so much that I did push her away... maybe even let my dislike influence my choices and actions toward her... but believe me when I say it was a mutual dislike.” She snorted. “In all honesty, I had given up on her in the last thousand years... she became quiet and I figure we could finally just get on with our near-immortal lives...” she rolled her eyes. “But no, guess again!”
The Moon Princess frowned a sad little pout. “Man, that’s horrible she was alone and an outcast, even if she did some of it to herself...” she sighed and shook her head. “But still... talk about being a meanie! We save the world and she punishes us because one guy we thought was dust got away?” Usagi pouted more. She then opened her purse, feeling a need to chew some gum. However, when her hand came across something else she went wide-eyed. She slowly pulled it out, not wanting to believe what she was holding. As she held it aloft, she gawked in a mix of shock and relief. “OH MY GOD!”
Heads turn to see what got the usually excitable blonde reacted to. Many eyes widened amongst the Senshi while Ranma just blinked. “Uh... what’s that? Is it that Hope Diamond thing?” He remembered Pops mentioning he wanted to take him to capture the thing one day as a ‘training exercise’... good thing the old fart was too lazy to set anything up.
“It’s... the Ginzuishou!” Rei shouted in shock. “How come Usagi still has it!?”
“That’s what I wanna know!” the odango-haired blonde proclaimed. Not that she was complaining mind you, she was just confused as hell.
Setsuna just stared, a small smile spreading across her face. “Heh heh...” she chuckled. “Eheh heh heh... hahahahaHAHAHAHAAAA!!” Setsuna roared with laughter. Managing to calm herself after a few moments, the Senshi of Pluto could only say, “Oh... oh this is rich! Of course! Serenity bowed out before the Ginzuishou’s ownership was taken away! And the crystal merely amplifies your Senshi powers it isn’t the base for it! Your powers are innately drawn from your patron planets! There was no reason for her to take it!”
“Right!” Ami shouted with excitement. “Even if the Silver Crystal started to become part of Usagi’s power it ISN’T the core of her Sailor Moon’s powers...” the blunette slammed her fist into her left palm. “So there was no legal right for Sailor Sol to claim it from Usagi!”
“But... I don’t know how to use it without being Sailor Moon...” Usagi whimpered. “When I tend to use its power outright, people tend to die... namely me!”
Patting the blonde’s shoulder with her hand, Rei told her, “Usagi, that’s a risk I’m willing to take!”
Setsuna smirked, and not just because of Rei’s comment. Before the blonde could mull over it and start crying once more, the Senshi of Pluto told her, “Usagi, you don’t understand... thanks to you becoming one with the Ginzuishou on a level...” she grinned wider. “We now have a chance to... and forgive my language...” she took a deep breath before shouting, “FUCK OVER THAT REDHEADED SADISTIC BITCH!!”
“HEY!” Ranma shouted. “My grandma may be sadistic and a bitch but... uh...” he scratched the side of his head with his free hand. “What was that third thing you said?”
Rolling her crimson eyes once more, Setsuna was about to explain—only to be interrupted by Haruka.
“Wait a second! Setsuna,” the currently depowered Senshi of Uranus shouted. “You think you can use this to ‘kick start’ our Senshi powers?” she asked excitedly, ready to bring the fight right to Sailor Sol.
Setsuna snorted. “No,” she replied firmly. “At best... we can use it as a ‘jump-start’ for something else...”
“Really A ‘jump-start’ for what?” Rei asked curiously.
Looking over the faces of everyone gathered, Setsuna replied, “Substitute Senshi...”
“WHAT!?” was the cry from across the room, with Ami being the first to speak up, “Substitute Senshi? But I thought the powers of our planets were locked off?”
“They are,” Setsuna admitted. “But that doesn’t mean that planets OUTSIDE the Solar System are locked off...” she took a deep-breath. “And with the admittedly diverse alien population across the planet at this time... a number of which are in Japan...” she looked at the Ginzuishou in her hand. “We might be able to use the Moon Kingdom’s Artifact to help them access the power of their planets’ birthright...”
Before anyone could argue, Setsuna continued, “I’m not saying we give up trying to get Sol to give us back our powers, but Jadeite won’t wait for us. We must seek allies to help us stem the tide of whatever malice he sends forth until we can participate in the fight ourselves.”
“...I think she’s right...” the youngest girl of the group said in agreement. “If the Earth’s in trouble, this shouldn’t just be about our problem. If the Ginzuishou can let us give others the power to help stop evil, we should do it.” Young Hotaru turned to look at the guy tied to a chair. “Um... no offense Ranma-san, but it sounds like your grandma-san is fine letting the bad guys run around if it means she can hold her victory over us.”
“None taken kid, trust me, none taken,” Ranma replied. He felt pretty much the same way about grandma Taiyo.
“Also another reason I wish to get Substitute Senshi,” Setsuna stated firmly. “The idea is that Taiyo wants to put her own lineage in the forefront, make them the hero of the hour...” she smirked. “It will be difficult for her if Ranma is part of a team.”
“I’M NOT GETTING INTO A FUKU!!”
Setsuna frowned. “Of course not!” she told him firmly. “If you take up Sol’s mantle then she wins halfway!”
The straight haired blonde of the group rubbed her chin for a moment. “But wouldn’t having Sol’s power benefit him?” Minako asked curiously.
The viridian-haired woman nodded her head. “Yes, but... well...” Setsuna considered her response for a moment before answering. “...Maybe it would be a bigger spit in the face if her grandson inherited the role and then joined us...”
Ranma glared daggers at Sailor Pluto, annoyed when she didn’t have the decency to roll over and die. “Not. Wearing. A. FUKU!!”
“I’m still not sure what to make of this curse you guys say he has...” the depowered Senshi of Uranus grumbled. “He looks male enough it would be INSULTING for him to be put in a fuku,” Haruka stated, still not quit buying the quick explanation of Jusenkyo and the curse.
Taking hold of Usagi’s neglected tea Setsuna firmly tossed it at Ranma. “I hope you don’t mind but this REALLY is the quickest way.”
Cold tea dripping from her crimson locks, the neo-girl shrugged her shoulders. “By now I’m too used to it to care,” Ranma-chan answered with a long-suffering sigh.
*Poke*!
*Poke*!
*Poke*!
She twitched again as Haruka, Michiru, Makoto and Minako were poking her boobs. “...What!?” Ranma-chan snapped.
“Wow...” Minako whispered. “The curse DOES work!”
Frowning as the redhead had a better rack than herself, Makoto could only mumble, “Now I can see why your grandmother would want you to inherit the title of Sol... and why it bugs you,” she quickly added, trying to banish any yuri thoughts from her mind.
“At least you make a pretty girl,” Hotaru giggled good-naturedly.
“Puh-pretty...” Ranma-chan whimpered.
Haruka looked down at the soaked redhead for a long time. “...Wow...” she said in awe before turning to the viridian-haired Senshi. “Setsuna, thank you! It’s not even my birthday but this is the best present EVER!”
Scowling, Michiru reached over and grabbed Haruka’s ear and twisted. “Oh? A present, huh?”
“OW!” the sandy-haired blonde cried out in pain. “Owowowowowowowowowwwww!”
Wisely, Mamoru kept quiet while saying a small prayer of sympathy to the cursed gender-bender.
Sighing over her friend’s plight, Ami asked Ranma, “Do you want me to get some hot water?”
“What? And change her back!? OW!!” Haruka winced as she cried out, her girlfriend twisting her ear harder.
“I admit she’s pretty dear Haruka, but please,” Michiru stated coldly, giving her a glare. “Remember... not only do you have me but this girl is actually a man underneath all those cherub features, lovely red hair and bountiful... perky...” the aquamarine-tressed debutant trailed off, blushing. “Dear Kami-sama, why does a MAN of all things have such lovely features?”
“I’ve been asking myself the same damn thing since I got this curse...” Ranma-chan mumbled irritably.
Raising an eyebrow, the depowered Senshi of Jupiter inquired, “So hot and cold water changes your form?”
Looking at Makoto, Ranma-chan nodded her head firmly. “Yep... and I ain’t the only chump who fell into a cursed spring!” the redhead was quick to add. “Two of my rivals are cursed: one turns into a pig and the other a duck. My old man changes into a panda, there’s one girl after me who turns into a c-c-ca...” she trailed off and answered, “Furry evil thing! There’s also one REAL jerk I know that turns into a yeti-thing, another rival has the same curse as me, and one other woman I ran into because of that Yeti-cursed jerk who becomes an Ashura!” Then as an after-thought, she added, “Oh, and there’s a Phoenix that turns into my fiancée...” at the looks she received, the neo-girl replied, “Long, long story...”
“You’re engaged!?” Minako and Makoto exclaimed in horror, their faces becoming wrought with tearful expressions. Why were all the good-looking men either gay, evil, already engaged or some culmination thereof!?
The pigtailed redhead sweat-dropped. “Uh yeah... but my old man made several!” she pointed out quickly. “Remember he even made one with Ami’s Mom!”
Hope shone eternal on the face of the blonde with a red ribbon in her head. “So... you’re actually single?”
Growling, Ami reached out with both her hands, grabbing Makoto and Minako by their ears. “Girls! Focus!” She practically snarled... no, not because she was feeling possessive due to Genma signing off an engagement to her for his son’s treatment... but because they were crowding her friend's personal space...
Yeah, that’s it... at least, that’s what she told herself.
Feeling the need to regain control of the meeting, Setsuna clapped her hands together firmly. “Ami is right! First we need to decide where to look for allies and Usagi...” she turned to look at the dual-ponytailed blonde. “You need to learn to harness the power of the Ginzuishou without your guise as Sailor Moon but as your station as the Moon Princess. Regardless of your current state regarding your sailor powers, you are the heir of Queen Serenity and thus the Silver Crystal’s rightful master!”
“Oh... okay...” Usagi replied slowly, unsure of herself. She never liked trying to force her will upon the Ginzuishou—she was fond of living, thank you very much—but this was an emergency and she knew she needed to give it her best.
As Setsuna turned to her, the redhead glared back. “And I suspect you want me to take up the damn Sol powers...” Ranma-chan mutter, her words more a statement than a question.
“Admittedly,” the viridian-haired woman answered as she dropped a cup of hot water over the girl’s head, turning her back into a guy. “That is something we need to debate.”
“Back up a second Setsuna,” the man that was the Prince of Earth in his past life interjected. “I must ask: did I hear you right in that we have aliens on earth?”
Looking at Mamoru, the Senshi of Pluto nodded her head. “Earth is a hot-bed of extraterrestrial visitations or peaceful secretive cohabitation... it’s just a matter of finding the right ones.” Setsuna sighed. “The big reason, however, is that Earth—in fact, our whole solar system—is so far removed from everything important that’s going on with interstellar politics and technological advancements that this is a safe haven of sorts...” she lowered her head and admitted with shame, “We’re the boonies.”
“...The Boonies?” Michiru asked curiously. “How bad is that?”
“Most Aliens look at earth and get the same vibe most people do when they watch the movie “Deliverance”,” Sailor Pluto explained, putting things into perspective. “As such... many, MANY royals and even interstellar criminals come out this way just to avoid the horrors, war-fare, or suffocating politics that are going on...”
“...Wow! So Earth’s the ghetto of the universe?” Ranma asked curiously.
“Yes,” Setsuna admitted. “Think of the Silver Millennium as our Golden Age. Now think of us as Russia after the fall of Communism.”
“...Well, fuck,” Ami muttered loudly.
“Come to think of it,” Setsuna continued. “We don’t even make that level. Anything of value in Sol was mined out before Sol decided it was about time to become a star and change the local nebula. In that regard, we don’t even qualify as a Third World in the galactic scheme of things.”
“So... we’re not even the Boonies?” asked Minako, not sure if that was now a good thing or not.
Setsuna shook her head. “We wouldn’t even qualify as a named road.”
The odang-haired blonde twitched. “Well then, what is the point of Cyrtsal Tokyo!?” Usagi screamed. With all the bullshit and time with that horrible little spore named Chibi-Usa she put up with, there had better be a damn good reason for having suffered for years!
“Did Branson come before or after the populace decided nothing of any good would come from the Midwest of the US?” Setsuna asked of the group.
“But... but what about everything we did!?” demanded Haruka, now feeling up to her usual self now that Michiru had let go of her ear.
“What about the mother-fucking shit I had to go through!?” demanded Hotaru. “Do you think Mistress 9 and Pharaoh 90 were some mother-fucking picnic!?”
Michiru gawked like a fish out of water. “Hotaru!”
“Not even close to ‘Hatfields and McCoys’,” Setsuna answered sadly, shaking her head. “Why is it you only hear about people being anal-probed by aliens?”
“Because the farmers like it?” asked Makoto, as Ranma scooted his chair away from her.
At the looks on everyone’s faces, the tanned woman took a deep breath. “At least in a sense, Earth is a safe harbor, and a generally well-off planet, but compared to many civilizations we’re under developed in terms of space travel, magic development and so forth,” Setsuna explained. “That said... we aren’t lacking potential Senshi... just the matter of getting them to side with us.”
The Shinto Priestess of the Hikawa Shrine nodded her head. “So it’s all a matter of finding these extraterrestrial women and asking them if they want to fill in for us and get power to become the Senshi of their planets.” She rolled her eyes. “Right, like THAT will fly over well...”
“It just might,” Setsuna said. “Remember, for a long while, there were the Sailor Wars... which was our ancestors’ whole reason for coming to the Solar System and settling this far out. Sailor Senshi were, for the longest time, considered THE Ancient Super-Weapon of choice. A number of the aliens here might be enticed to be able to re-access the lost potential of their planet’s Sailor Senshi in exchange for protecting planet Earth until further notice. There were some ancient Senshi with powers so unfathomable...” Setsuna smirked. “Well, Sol wasn’t the only super-powered loner among the many Senshi. She was mainly our loner pain in the ass.”
“But how do we find them?” Usagi asked. “Even if we have the means to give them something they’d want, where would we even find them to make an offer?”
“Oh I have some contacts.” Setsuna assured those gathered. “There are old organizations that handle alien visitations or settlements on Earth and monitor to ensure they aren’t secret invaders... I know some people in such places.”
“What will we do during all this?” Hotaru asks innocently, ignoring how Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa were STILL gawking at her. While young, she was far from dumb. She was trying to process everything just like the others. “Are we just supposed to sit back and let them handle everything?”
Setsuna turned to face the youngest of the Senshi. “Until we restore our powers, we’d most likely have advisory roles and act as behind-the-scenes support. After all if we want the support and trust of the Substitutes, we have to prove to them that we’re not simply dumping our problems on them to handle for us.”
Raising her hand, Usagi questioned, “Uh, Setsuna... may I ask something?”
“Yes, Princess, you may,” the Senshi of Pluto replied.
It was then Ms. Tsukino inquired something that showed while she was indeed immature at times, she really did have a head on her shoulders. “Just HOW will the Ginzuishou unlock their potential?”
Setsuna blinked her crimson eyes once, twice, thrice.
“FUCK!”
“You mean you come up with this plan for us to enlist alien Senshi... when we don’t even know HOW?” Rei shouted in exasperation. Their hopes were finally starting to rise and now they were dashed—atop of being told how in the big picture, anything that went on had no real impact on the universe. This really was a bad day!
Taking a deep breath, Setsuna turned to meet Rei’s glare. “So sue me! Despite my inner-knowledge of the Senshi, the Ginzuishou was always a Royal Heirloom, thus not my forte! I know of what it can do but the how has always been a royal secret!”
Usagi held the Silver Crystal in her hand eyeing it with a critical gaze. “....There has to be a way... I mean Queen Serenity could use it without being Sailor Moon...”
“Yes but I don’t know how much training you’d need to figure out how to utilize it as the Queen did...” Setsuna admitted.
Blinking her eyes once, twice, the odango-haired blonde asked, “You mean she didn’t leave notes?”
Sighing, Setsuna merely shook her head. “You were taught before the siege of the Dark Kingdom. I suspect that Queen Serenity figured the memories would come to you when you were old enough.”
“Um... would hypnosis make her remember?” Ranma asked, remembering that one time with the Stage Magician making Akane cluck like a chicken. If it could make a Tomboy act like an animal, maybe they could make the blonde into a spectacular leader!
“...It might.” Setsuna leaned closer to looked him in the eye. “Why do you ask?”
“I know this old ghoul from China who’s scary good with a lot of ancient stuff, including hypnosis. Maybe she could help her remember.” Ranma shrugged and quickly added, “That is, as long as she doesn’t ask me to marry her great granddaughter in return.”
Setsuna stared at Ranma, knowing who he was talking about. “You mean Cologne, right? Do you really trust her with this? Giving the Amazons a Super-Weapon of decidedly feminine might... a weapon they might use to empower their people and conquer China...” her eyes narrowed. “And capture wayward ‘son-in-laws’.”
Ranma stared at the woman with a horrified expression. “...When you put it THAT way...”
“Well I don’t hear any other suggestions,” Haruka stated. What could be wrong with Super-Weapons of decidedly feminine might?
“I think I understand Setsuna’s reluctance,” Ami said to the depowered Sailor Uranus in reply. “I met the woman and her great-granddaughter before... it was difficult to keep them out of the hospital.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Rei frowned. “Maybe...” she said slowly. “We should try and find an alien first... they MIGHT have the knowledge, magic... or dare I say... science... it would take to unlock the Senshi powers via the Ginzuishou?”
“That makes sense,” Makoto said. “If the Sailor Senshi really were such an all powerful weapon way back when... there could be those who knew about it and would still hold interest...”
Nodding her head firmly, Setsuna had to agree with the depowered Senshi of Jupiter. “Yes... likely as a niche science or source of study, but there might be some who still know...” the Guardian of the Time Gates allowed. She looked about the room. “Again, it shows how ‘behind’ Earth is in everything by having Sailor Senshi as our CURRENT line of interstellar defense.”
The male NOT tied to a chair and leaning back against a wall frowned with thought. “Wait a second... would Luna or Artemis, as the Queen’s advisors have any idea?” Mamoru wasn’t sure if it was best to share this knowledge right away. He knew from personal experience that aliens tended to get a little overzealous...
The less said about Fiore, the BETTER!
“A good thought but no, as I said to prevent the jewel from being usurped by the wrong hands the secret was passed from descendant to descendant...” Setsuna explained as she shook her head.
“Wait a second...” Mamoru continued as he reached into his jacket. “I’m technically the Senshi of Earth... was I present at this strip game?”
Shaking her head, Setsuna replied “No... no you weren’t...”
Pulling out a rose, Mamoru let out a sigh of relief. Yes, his power was still there. “I wonder if I can still transform into Tuxedo Kamen.”
“You likely could,” Sailor Pluto promised him. “But if the threat is as dangerous as Sol promised, if not worse...” she frowned. “We’re definitely going to need more than you, Ranma and myself.”
The pigtailed martial artist growled. “I’m NOT gonna be Sailor Sol!” Ranma shouted vehemently again. No way, no how was he going to let them use his girl form to get him into a fuku!
The Guardian of the Time Gates sighed in sympathy for the pigtailed martial artist. “Ranma, as much as I hate to give your grandmother any victory... we need you as Sol.” Setsuna sighed once more in a mix of both defeat and anger.
Shaking his head, Ranma shouted, “Nope! No way, no how! NOT gonna happen!”
The blunette sighed as she looked to the male tied to a chair. “Ranma...” Ami said softly as she placed her right hand on his shoulder. “I hate to ask you this as I know this is the very last thing you want... but we’re running out of options...”
Looking up at the juku student, Ranma once again asked, “Et tu, Ami?”
The woman winced at the look of defeat on his face. She felt like such a bad guy with that look he gave her.
Stepping forward, the Shinto Priestess spoke up. “You could look at it this way. You take the powers then help us... that’ll be sticking it to the old bitch!” Rei offered, hoping to appeal to his vengeful side.
“And besides,” Makoto spoke up, a tone of cheer present in her voice. “We like you male!”
“...Speak for yourself...” Haruka grumbled, only to be elbowed in the sternum by a flustered Michiru.
Having caught the comment, the tall brunette twitched. “...Most of us like you male,” the currently depowered Sailor Jupiter amended. “And what I’m saying is this: who says you have to use the power as a woman? Mamoru can become the Knight of Earth... which is more or less the male equivalent of a Senshi. Couldn’t you be the Sol Knight?”
With that small ray of hope poking into his fears with logic, Ranma was quiet for a long, long time. He finally looked up at the viridian-tressed woman. “......Could I?” he pleaded with Setsuna.
“I can’t be sure,” Setsuna told him honestly. “However, because your dual nature the powers could manifest a dual-gender usability...” she mused as she began to ponder the concept. “Don’t get your hopes up though. This is all theory and we won’t know for certain until you accept the powers of Sol.”
Staring at the woman, the heir of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts questioned, “And what if it doesn’t give me any male-usable powers?”
“Then you’ll have to endure the fuku,” Setsuna replied firmly.
The pigtailed martial artist slumped in his chair. Taking a deep breath, Ranma finally conceded. “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do...and as a martial artist I can’t just sit around while innocents are in peril.” He took a deep breath and promised. “But I am soooooooooo gonna disown myself if I gotta wear a skirt!”
Ami blushed. “Well, you could always take on someone else’s name if you can’t be a Saotome...” she murmured. She blushed a bit more when she realized all eyes were on her.
Minako leaned in and said, “Like Aino? Or Kino? Or...” she smirked and teasingly added. “Or Miiiiiiizuuuunoooo!” Minako teases leaning in.
“Ami! You sly fox,” Usagi giggled as she elbowed her friend playfully.
The blunette was turning a bright shade of red. “I, I, I, I wasn’t insinuating anything! REALLY!”
The tall brunette nodded her head. “Okay. If you weren’t then he can stay with me!” Makoto offered.
“Maybe he’d be safer with Mamoru,” Hotaru piped up with the logical response.
Ranma waved them off. “Eh, I wouldn’t wanna impose! Besides... stuff at home is complicated before I could actually do any disowning... but... man...” he slumped in his seat once more. “I am not looking forward to this.”
“Do you want to wait or get it over with?” Michiru asked sympathetically.
Snorting, the pigtailed martial artist replied, “Over with.” He turned to look at Setsuna. “Can you take me back to my mother’s... with any luck she and grandma are still arguing.”
Setsuna sighed. She didn’t want to have to face Taiyo again so soon but she couldn’t blame him for wanting to end this. “Very well.” Placing her hand on the youth’s shoulders, the two disappeared once more.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Red Priest of the 17th Order
(Posted Tue, 10 May 2011 01:10)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.