The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and
rights holders. Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Sailor
Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. All original content is the
creation of Samuel Phoenix. Recognition is given to John Sanchez for a
small kick of inspiration that helped produce this story, and to Harold
Ancell who has been a near constant source of input, information, and
ideas.
Awkward Consequences
Chapter 11: A Mother's Love
PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu)
With a tired groan, the 'evil intruder' stood up and looked the Senshi
of the moon dead in the eyes. With a loud crack, he twisted his neck to
get the kinks out then settled into a relaxed stance. The perturbed
scowl on his face all but said, 'You've got to be fucking kidding me',
and with a tired sigh, he remarked, "Great, another one..."
The pretty sailor-suited champion of love and justice blinked in
surprise. "Another one?"
The boy in the Chinese shirt sighed and whipped out a cigarette.
Lighting it with a spark of ki, he took a long drag. Looking at Sailor
Moon, he replied, "Yeah, another one. What is it with you sailor chicks
and stickin' your heads in other people business?"
Sailor Moon scowled and began to quake in anger. How dare he! How dare
this... monster lecture her about butting in?! He was in her house
threatening her mother! Her grasp on her scepter tightened and her teeth
clenched at his nerve. "It's our duty to protect the innocent from
monsters like you!" she exclaimed with great vehemence.
He looked over to Ikuko and in a tired tone, he asked, "Do you need
protecting?"
Usagi was surprised when her mother shook her head. "Not at all,
Ranma-kun... and don't smoke in my house!"
Ranma chucked in embarrassment and flash incinerated the cigarette.
"Gomen!"
Usagi blinked. "Ranma-kun?"
The boy "I'm Saotome Ranma of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts.
If ya wanna fight me, let's take this outside."
Usagi paused as she mentally added all the factors. The father of
Hotaru's baby was named Saotome Ranma. Minako said that she saw him
walking into a Love Hotel with Hotaru. Hotaru had described Ranma was a
wonderful person and claimed that he was a powerful martial artist, but
why then would he be threatening her mother, and why for that matter
would her mother be acting like nothing was wrong? Oh, why did thinking
have to hurt so much!
As Usagi stood inactive trying process the conflicting input and come to
a conclusion, Minako decided to step up to the plate. With a growl she
said, "I saw you walk into that Love Hotel with Hotaru-chan, you evil
seducer of innocent young women! Your crimes will not go unpunished! As
the Senshi of Love, I will PUNISH YOU."
Ranma blinked then he scowled. "Hey! You're Minako, ain't ya?"
Both senshi gagged in unison.
"What would give you that kind of silly idea?" asked Venus, as she began
to perspire. "Never heard the name."
Ranma growled. "Haruka-san was there when me an Hotaru were done. She
said some chick named Minako saw us and ratted us out."
"Hehe..."
Usagi turned her head to the source of the dull chuckle. It was her
mother. The woman had stood up and was intently looking over Sailor
Venus and herself. There was a very intense, and slightly cracked gleam
in her eyes. The way she held her head only enunciated by shadowing
them. She had a very bad feeling about this.
"I see..." Ikuko sighed, and regained her composure. In an unnaturally
calm voice she said, "Ranma-kun, don't worry yourself. I'll handle
this."
Usagi gulped, hard, and shuddered as an ice cold shiver made its way up
her spine. She knew that tone, and she knew it well. Nothing good had
ever come of it, at least for her.
Ikuko walked up to Sailor Moon and looked the odangoed senshi in the
eyes. For a second she relaxed totally, closed he eyes, and took a very
deep breath. It was not to last.
"U-SA-GI!" Ikuko screamed in rage, her lungs somehow providing enough
force to rattled the very foundations of the house.
Sailor Moon shrunk back at her mothers outburst.
In one swift motion the Ikuko grabbed her magic girl daughter by the
ear, forcing her to bend at a very unnatural angle. Screaming loudly,
but without the banshee like force she had used before, she exclaimed"
TSUKINO USAGI, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?"
All Usagi managed to do was cry out in pain from her ears. If it wasn't
pain from the close proximity sonic blast, then it was the fact that
they were all but being torn from her skull by a exceptionally pissed
off mother.
Not seeing a coherent reaction from her daughter, and not particularly
caring regardless, Tsukino Ikuko began her mad maternal rant. "You have
a lot of explaining to do, young lady! Not only do I find out that
you've been running around fighting monsters, and demons, and god only
knows what else in the middle of the night, putting your life in danger,
when you really should have been sleeping and doing your school work,
but you do so without telling you own mother, keeping her worried out of
her mind for you for over four years! On top of that, WHAT THE HELL WERE
YOU THINKING, busting into this house and threatening a guest, acting
like some kinda of underdressed juvenile delinquent!? Has being Sailor
Moon warped your mind, am I a failure as a mother, or are you just that
overwhelmingly STUPID!?" Ikuko trailed off momentarily, panting for air.
Minako chuckled dully at the... insane display before her and glanced
over to Ranma. In an angry whisper, she hissed, "Great job, asshole."
"You're next, young lady," stated Ikuko between breaths, in the same
frighteningly calm voice she used with Usagi right before she exploded.
Ranma couldn't help but snicker as Minako went bone-white.
Having fully caught her breath, Ikuko continued. "Minako's one of those
underdressed vigilantes too I see, and from the sound of it so is poor
Hotaru-chan! What about your other friends, huh? Ami, Minako, Rei? What
exact are you girls? You dress like some perverts wet dream ruining
around in those silly in those silly Lolita-Con schoolgirl outfits all
day long, are you just devil hunters are you something more extreme,
like some kind of sick religious cult bent on world domination or
something? Are you recruiting? What other poor girls have you drawn into
your madness, how about poor, innocent Chibi-Usa? It looks like you
conned poor Hotaru in, what about her? Where does the madness end
Usagi?! Answer me, damn it... ANSWER ME!"
Usagi stood in place, stupified by the mental overload.
"U-sa-gi..." snarled Ikuko in annoyance at her daughter's lack of a
response.
"Please let go..." Usagi managed to mutter, her mind still stuck
somewhere in a cloud of pain, confusion, and pure dread.
Ikuko scowled and released her daughter. "You have some explaining to
do."
Sailor Moon sighed and banished her costume. In a flash of multicolored
energy and ribbons, she was standing in her street clothes. No use
hiding it, the cat was out of the bag, and she was doomed. "Hai,
Mama..."
With the kind of stride usually reserved for death row inmates walking
the green mile, Usagi walked over to the table and sat down, seemingly
defeated.
Ikuko sat down across from her daughter glairing at her with a level,
interrogator's gaze. "Get started, Usagi."
Usagi sighed and consigned herself to fate. "Were should I begin?"
"How about 'the beginning', but first, why did you attack out guest?"
---------
"Ikuko-mama?" All eyes tuned to the stairs, ant to Chibi-Usa who was
looking into the room, clearly confused by the chaos. "What's going on?"
"Oh, nothing dear!" replied Ikuko in a jovial tone. "Usagi just got
home." Ikuko's voice suddenly turned towards the dark side. "We're
having a little chat."
Chibi-Usa blinked in surprise and walked down the steps to get a better
look. Mentally she categorized the situational elements. She did NOT
like what she saw
First, there was Usagi sitting at the table looking like she was about
to be executed in some horrible, horrible way. Then there was Ikuko-mama
sitting across from Usagi wearing that same psychotically unhinged look
that the Neo-queen had used on her last time she'd snuck off with the
Time Key to visit Hotaru-chan. Then, there was Ranma and Minako, no,
correction, SAILOR VENUS, standing off to the side looking like a couple
of idiots.
So, that's where she go it.
NOT GOOD, NOT GOOD! She didn't know what was going on but she damn well
wanted to find out before this blew up in HER face!
Chibi-Usa hear a squeak on the steps above her and look over. It seemed
as if Hotaru wanted to know what was going on as well.
Chibi-Usa paused for a moment, and blinked in surprise. Were Hotaru's
eyes *supposed* to be glowing?
---------
Tomoe Hotaru was not having the best of weeks. In fact, in the last
three to four days her mood had gone up and down more often then a pair
of Kangaroos in the mating season. She didn't know if was her pregnancy
hormones starting to kick in of the kind of crap that happened for the
sole reason of making people's live that much more difficult, but it was
really starting to get on her nerves.
She was unsure of everything. She knew that deep down the apparent
happiness she had since meeting Ranma was for the most part, a facade, a
pitiful attempt to trick herself into believing that everything was
going to end up just hokey-dory. That was bullshit and she knew it. She
was going to be a teen mother which would make her even more ostracized
by the public, she was engaged to wed a man who, no matter how sweet he
was, she barely knew, and the kind of emotional betrayal she'd suffered
of the past few days at the hands of her family deep left scars.
Earlier in the day Hotaru and her "beloved" had decided to do some soul
searching followed by the kinds of wild and wacky adult activities that
couples like to do in Love Hotels. What really made this "memorable" was
the presence of her father figure at the door, a little bit of fun made
possible by one "Anio Minako", a girl who was standing about fifteen
feet from Hotaru
"Excuse me, Chibi-Usa," murmured Hotaru, in a sugar sweet tone.
Chibi-Usa quickly did so, letting Hotaru pass.
Hotaru walked into the room, paying little attention to those around
her. The object of her current displeasure was right in front of her,
and the opportunity to express it was apparent.
"Ranma?" she asked in the same frighteningly sweet tone, "I take it
Ikuko-obasan has figured out the details?"
"Ah, yeah," replied Ranma.
Hotaru nodded in affirmation and began walking toward Minako. In a flash
of dark energy her sailor fuku appeared. It was not her regular uniform,
the one she wore as Sailor 'Super' Saturn. It was the original, more
severe and ominous one she'd worn during the final battle with Pharaoh
90.
"Hotaru?"
With a thunderclap, Hotaru punched Minako in the face. The Blond Senshi
flew backwards against the wall and bounced off, leaving a Vanus shaped
indentation.
As Minako bounced forward, Sailor Saturn reached forward, and grabbed
Minako under her breastplate, lifting the older Senshi off of the
ground. She looked the other girl in the eyes with a glare that
threatened great suffering if she was not satisfied with her answers.
"Minako, you and I have to talk about 'limits'," stated Hotaru in a
ironically congenial but cold tone.
"What?" Minako squeaked, quite intimidated by her precarious position.
It wasn't every day Hotaru shifted into full fledged Sailor Saturn more
and physically intimidated someone after decking them.
"Limits and respect for the privacy of others, Minako. Lets go over what
happened, shall we? You saw me and Ranma enter a love hotel earlier
today and considered it was your solemn duty to spread the rumor as
quickly as physically possible."
"I thought he was taking advantage of you!" cried out the Senshi of
Love.
"I do not believe you. Not for a second." Hotaru's eyes narrowed and her
tone became more heated. "You just wanted to spread the newest juicy
rumor! That's all! Do you know what happened because of it? Haruka-papa
heard! When we left, she was waiting for us."
"Hotaru, I'm... I'm sorry!"
Hotaru's scowl deepened. "Sorry doesn't cut it. Do you have any idea how
humiliating it is to be 'caught in the act' by your 'father', especially
after the crap I went through last night?"
Hotaru scoffed. "Wait, I forgot. Your self-centered, trivially minded,
boy obsessed fluff-brain personality frights away all things male who
are looking for anything deeper then a quick screw! Just because you
can't find someone who can stomach you for more then one night, doesn't
mean you should make others suffer because of your shortcomings!"
Minako reeled at the harshness of the assault. Hotaru knew that the self
appointed "Senshi of Love" was very sensitive about her inability to
find a boyfriend. It gave her a very easy target, and memories of the
insults she was oft victim to gave her one hell of an arsenal.
Ignoring, or rather reveling in Minako's discomfort, Hotaru added, "I
want to make this clear: you will never do it again."
Minako gulped and nodded. "I understand."
"You better..." Hotaru released her, throwing Minako to the floor. The
Blonde senshi quickly scampered away form Hotaru and stood on her feet.
Hotaru sighed. She looked at the wall, looked back to Ikuko and blushed.
"Ah, sorry about the wall, Ikuko-obasan..."
----------
Ikuko mutely looked around the room. She turned to Minako, who was about
ready to soil her fuku, She turned to her daughter who looked damn
intimidated. She looked to Chibi-Usa who seemed almost as confused as
she was. She looked to Hotaru who was both apologetic and enraged.
Finally she looked to Ranma, who seemed like nothing was amiss.
Silently, Ikuko stood up from her seat, and walked into the kitchen.
Moments later, she returned, holding a bottle of sake and a large water
glass. She sat back down at her table, opened the bottle, and filled the
glass, which she immediately drained.
"Okay," she asked in a tired, confused, and honestly overwhelmed voice.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Ranma stepped forward. "Okay, I can explain part of it. I'm used to
being on the spot like this."
"I can imagine," Usagi's mother dryly remarked.
Ranma smiled. "I don't know much about the Sailor Senshi stuff besides
what little Hotaru told me..."
Ikuko glanced at Sailor Saturn, who shyly waved hello.
"But I can explained why she was so mad at Minako."
Ikuko looked at Minako, who was still shaken.
"Please do."
"Well," Ranma started. "I'd pretty basic. Me and her went into a love
hotel so she could show me her senshi transformation and stuff. Minako
over there saw it and apparently, she told everyone. Haruka found out
where we were and was there to greet us when we left."
Ikuko winced. She could remember how her father would have reacted, and
after what Hotaru had gone thorough the night before... no wonder she
was willing to ring the little gossip's neck.
Ikuko sighed and looked at the empty glass in her hands. She could feel
the alcohol beginning to affect her. It was making all the stress just
go away in a happy, alcoholic haze. She wasn't drunk, just buzzed enough
to take the edge off and keep her from killing her daughter.
Looking over to the two sailor suited girls, she said, "Turn back to
normal. I don't want to have to explain what two of the Sailor Senshi
are doing in my house if my son or husband happen to walk in."
They nodded and truned back to normal.
"Momma?" asked Usagi, "Does this mean you're not going to tell daddy?"
"Of course not! Your brother has never been able to keep a secret, and
your father..." She sighed. "Your father is a good man and wonderful
husband, but the poor darling would have a fit if he found out that you
were Sailor Moon."
"Does this mean I can still be Sailor Moon?" asked the odangoed girl.
"Of course. You do a service for the community, and while I might not
like the idea of my little girl running off to fight evil it's an
important responsibility. I've never been as proud of you as I am now."
Usagi smiled. "Thanks momma..."
"Now Usagi, I'm not going to ground you for being Sailor Moon. I'm not
going to say anything else about those consumes..." Ikuko's voice
lowered. "I have this sinking feeling that they have some god-awful
spinning naked in a light show transformation effect but I doubt you
have any choice in uniforms. I'm not laying blame for thinks you can't
help."
The four girls blushed. Ranma nodded with a smirk.
"What I am going to ground you for is lying to your mother, and
attacking a house guest."
Usagi winced. "But mama..."
"No buts," she snapped. "You're grounded for a month, and I want to know
exactly what is going on. No more secrets, so I make myself clear, young
lady?!"
Usagi nodded.
Ikuko stood to her feet and wobbled slightly. "I think I drank a little
too much a little too fast..."
Ranma immediately ran to her side and helped stabilize her.
"Thank you, Ranma-kun." She shook her head and pulled away from the
young man. "I'm fine."
Ranma let her go and stepped back.
"I'm going to go upstairs and lay down, and Usagi..."
"Yes mama?"
"If it doesn't involve classes or saving the world, you are not to leave
this house."
"Yes mama..."
"Good," Stated Ikuko as she stood up. Looker at her daughter she said,
"You are not to leave this house until we have a long talk. We have a
lot of things to talk about." Turning to the others she said, "Hotaru,
I'm sorry that I couldn't talk to you but I want you to know I'm here"
"Thank you, Ikuko-obasan."
"You're welcome," replied the woman.
"Hey," Minako elbowed Chibi-Usa, "What is she talking about?"
The pink-tressed young woman scowled. "We're going to have a very long
chat, Minako..."
Ikuko smiled and turned to Ranma, "You're a nice young man."
"Ah, thanks..."
"Take care of her."
Ranma blushed. "Thank you..."
"Oh, what's going on here?" whimpered Minako.
"And as for you," growled Ikuko looked at the Senshi of Love, "Learn to
respect the privacy of others!"
Minako shrank back a bit farther. "Can do!"
"Ikuko-mama?"
"Yes Chibi-usa?"
"Would it be okay if I went out with Hotaru?" The odangoed girl asked in
her cutest and most sugary tone.
Ikuko sighed. "You have something to do with the senshi, don't you?"
Chibi-Usa gacked.
Ikuko smiled lightly and shook her head. "Go out with your friend. I'll
talk to you about it later."
"Thank you, Ikuko-mama! See ya!" Chibi-Usa exclaimed as she walked down
the steps.
Ikuko shook her head and waived goodbye to her neice.
She smiled and Hotaru and motioned her head for the small girl to follow
her.
"Good bye, Ikuko-obasan!"
"Goodbye, Hotaru-chan."
"See ya, Ikuko-san."
"Good by, Ranma-kun."
Minako smiled and waived goodbye to Ikuko.
In response the woman scowled slightly. "Goodbye, Minako-san"
Minako winced at the formality and quickly left, following the others.
As soon as the four were clear of the front doo, Chibi-Usa smiled at
Hotaru. "Want to go shopping?"
The black haired girl smiled slightly and looked over at Ranma.
"Fine with me..." he sighed. "Just don't expect me to play dress up
doll."
Chibi-Usa pouted. "No fun!"
"Chibi-Usa-chan!" Hotaru chided.
"What are you two talking about?" Minako asked.
Both of the younger girls glared at the blond.
"Ah, never mind..."
"Lets go, Hotaru!" Chibi-Usa exclaimed. "We have to buy you a whole new
wardrobe!"
Hotaru blushed deeply. "Isn't it a bit early for that?"
"It's never to early to shop!" Usa replied.
"Why does she need a new wardrobe?" Minako asked.
Hotaru responded with an acidic glair.
"Ah, Hotaru-chan?" Ranma asked, "I know she ain't exactly your favorite
person right now." He paused, and added, "And she ain't exactly mine,
but she is your friend, right?"
Hotaru sighed and glared at Minako. "I'll tell you what is going on, but
don't just go around telling everyone," Hotaru snapped.
"Ah, okay... I can keep a secret!"
"Like you kept the last one?" Chibi-Usa growled.
"I didn't know it was a secret!"
"I might as well," Hotaru sighed. Minako, I'm..."
BEEP! BEEP!
In one fluid motion, all three girls reached into their pockets and
withdrew cell phones.
"Hey, what's that?" Ranma asked
Hotaru sighed. "Our friend, Yoko is having problems. Oni attack at the
park, we have to go help stop it..."
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