[Episode 9499] [Episode 9499]"We don't know whether it was being unconscious, the magic or just that her body had moved on when her body hadn't, but only you came back," Setsuna said in a near whisper.
The pigtailed boy got jerkily up and told them, "I gotta be alone for a while."
Haruka went to follow, but the Time Senshi stopped her. "I've got to..."
"What? Help him. It still hasn't sunk in that it's true. Let that happen, and then you can help him. After you help yourslef a little first."
"Why... why would I need help?"
"Because you don't believe it either."
"I don't know what your talking about."
"She's gone, and even Usagi couldn't bring her back."
"It's just... It's not fair!"
"No, it's not."
Haruka sniffed several times, and then, for the first time in years, Haruka Ten'ou, Senshi of Uranus began to cry.
Setsuna just gathered the younger woman into her arms and tried to comfort her.
_____
In the bathroom, Ranma was in daze. Intellectually, he knew he would have found joy in the combination of Japanese and Western style bathrooms. Having both a furo and a shower would have been wonderful at any other time.
But his heart was yelling at him. He'd failed. Everything he'd done and someone had died. Yet it wasn't a whole death. Her body was now part of his. He'd be the woman he'd failed to save. Not only that, but his 'new' wife had been close with her. He wasn't too sure of the relationship, but she had to have been important.
Having found an alcove that had mirrored walls, he checked his body for the changes of time. He was a bit taller and his face had matured from youth to adulthood. His body was now more well muscled, but he was also sporting a few more scars.
He stopped for a moment and went to fill the washing bucket before dumping the water over his head.
She went back to the alcove and looked at her body. This was not the redhead that she had become accustomed to, but a different woman. Long shapely legs led into a set of nice hips with a firm rear. Above that was a narrow waist that gave way to a full set of cleaveage. Her hands looked to be delicate as they cupped those breasts to see the difference to her old girl form. Then came a swan-like neck that was below a elegantly beautiful face framed by shoulder-length sea-green hair that had eyes that shone with her own emotions.
Ranma put her fingertips to the reflection's face and whispered, "I'm sorry."
_____
Sniffing slightly, Haruka pulled out of Setsuna's embrace and gave a watery smile. "Thanks. Sorry about bawling all over you."
"It was no problem," said Pluto, "And you're welcome."
"I'm okay now."
"No you're not. You won't be for a long time."
"How did we... handle this? I mean... God!"
"With much patience and love. By that time you see, the two of you had been together for long enough to understand and know each other."
"We did?"
"Yes, you did. And still it was not an easy thing. He believed that he had failed and then to have to transform into the body of your lover was not easy for him. For you, seeing Michiru and never being able to actually have her... It was a mess. Plus the rest of us had own guilt to work with."
"You?"
"Yes, me. Understand that I only knew about her 'death' after it had happened. I could have stopped it, but then it would never had happened and I would have never known to change it."
"I didn't know..."
"It's not something I like to talk about. But I wasn't the only one who felt that way."
"Huh?"
"Usagi was angry with herself for not being able to bring back Michiru, as did Hotaru. The rest of the Inners were ashamed that they couldn't have helped her."
"It still feels horrible."
Setsuna gave a half smile. "It always does."
"Just how do we survive?"
"One day at time. Nothing less. Nothing more."
"But she had all those things to do!" protested Haruka, "All those people that she knew!"
"That is the odd thing in all of this and Ranma refuses to explain it."
"What?"
"There's some things that he shouldn't be able to do, like paint or play the violin, yet he still can. We don't know if it's her talent or even her memories living on, but he's been able to continue many things like she would have."
"Some part of her might be alive then."
"That's right, but don't get your hopes up. In the last thousand years, not Ami, Usagi nor I have found a way to get her back."
"I... have to hope."
"So does he."
"Ranma?"
The Time Senshi nodded. "He needs to feel that he didn't completely fail her, that he managed to save even the tinest bit of her, the real her. Not the body, talents or powers, but what made her, her."
"I don't know what to do."
"It's perfectly fine. But right now we have to:
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(Posted Mon, 04 Nov 2002 01:14)
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