Lines Of Destiny

   A Sailor Moon/Ranma 1/2  Crossover

   By Louis-Philippe Giroux
   <Dragon@anime.usacomputers.net>

   Thank you for all your comments!  Keep'em coming!
   C&C is always welcome!!!

   Sailor Moon was created by Naoko Takeuchi and Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko
Takahashi.  Please don't sue me.

   The latest versions of the previous chapters are always the ones on my
WWW page at http://www.anime.usacomputers.net/~dragon/lines/lines.html


   Chapter 11 Teaser


   At the base of Mount Fuji, an old, shriveled man stood, oblivious to the
slight chill in the air.  The figure was standing in front of an elaborate,
sevent-foot wide pentagram, circled with unearthly runes.  The pentagram,
which just a moment ago had been glowing bright red, was now a dull gray.
In his left hand, the man held a few ashes, which he let slowly fall to the
ground, where they were immediately swept away by a passing breeze.  Merely
a few minutes ago, those ashes had been a scroll.  A very old scroll which
had been phenomenally hard to obtain, even for for a martial artist of his
caliber.

   Happosai was not happy.

   The demon he had summonned was one of the most powerful he knew of that
he could bring safely across (safely being as subjective as ever).  He had
given it a simple mission.  Beat up Ranma Saotome as much as it could
without killing him.  Of course, Happosai knew that without explicit
instructions not to do so, the demon would invariably try to beat Ranma up
in the most painful manner, which had suited the ancient pervert fine at
the moment.  Happosai wanted to remind Ranma that he was still his master
and that there were some things that he could just not do.

   Of course, it could have been a subconscious need to deny to himself the
fact that however much training he had done, Ranma was still better than he
was.  Sadly, Happosai had never cared much about listening to his
subconscious, so the thought never even reached the surface of his withered
mind.

   When Happosai wanted something, he usually got it.  Such had been the
way for countless years, and he had never tried to change his way.  And
now, Happosai wanted to teach Ranma a lesson.  Only a few handful of people
had ever been able to stand up to him.  Chief among those were Cologne and
Ranma, but Cologne was a special story, unlike the young, cocky martial
artist.

   When he had returned from his enforced "vacation" (if you could call
being buried in a cave for ten years a vacation), he had tolerated Ranma's
attitude mainly because he brought plenty of nice girls for him to play
with wherever he went.  That and also because Ranma couldn't beat him.  But
things had changed.  Ranma had grown phenomenally strong in the Art.  That
was still acceptable, because after all, there were still plenty of
beautiful girls to go around, Ranma first among them.  But things kept
changing, perhaps too fast for the aging master.  Ranma was now able to
defeat him without too much trouble.

   So Happosai left.  He would not admit to himself that a young pup could
defeat him.  So he wandered for a year (though he called it training) and
when he returned, he decided on trying his skills in another part of Tokyo
where he could grope young women in peace.  In a high school in Juuban, he
had found a dream come true.  But lo and behold, like the proverbial bad
copper, Ranma had turned up yet again.

   The young martial artist had not only interrupted him but he had also
thoroughly beaten him and also used the Hiryuu Shouten Ha on him, sending
him away from the pretty girls in short skirts he'd been playing with (the
only one he didn't mind leaving behind was the one in the red skirt - a
vicious one she'd been, that one).  At that point, something in Happosai
had changed.  If he was to have any peace, he had to get rid of Ranma
somehow or send a him clear message about not interfering with his business.

   That led to the summonning he had just performed.  He had stolen a
scroll from an unknown temple decades ago, long before he had taken Genma
and Soun as students.  He had done so thinking it was another martial arts
technique he could learn.  He had been surprised when he realized that it
was a scroll that could be used to summon a demon.  He had seen, and even
used, such scrolls before, but this was easily one of the most powerful
ones he had ever had the chance to peruse.  Not one to throw interesting
things away, he had kept it in store for an occasion just like this one.

   Why this particular demon?  According to the scroll, not only was the
demon supposed to be a very powerful one, but it was also supposed to be
very resistant to spiritual attacks, which would severely limit Ranma's
chi-based strikes.  And the fact that it was a demon would insure it had
more than enough physical strength to take on Ranma in physical combat.

   But something had gone wrong.  Again.  Minutes ago, the scroll had
turned into ash in his hands, just as the pentagram had lost its power.  He
knew what that meant.  The demon had either been killed or had been sent
sent back to Hell by another means than the summonings scroll.  Ranma had
obviously won again, or else the demon would have returned to the circle
after finishing its objective.

   Happosai cursed the demon under his breath.  He would find a way to
teach Ranma a lesson he wouldn't forget.  You didn't live for as long as he
did without learning a few tricks.

***

   Meanwhile, back at Juuban High School, there was silence, ruined only by
the sounds of crumbling walls of the far-off cries of young children.
Eight Planet Senshi, a Moon Senshi who also happened to be a Moon Princess,
a Prince who would eventually become King and a Knight from the Ringed
Planet looked at each other.

   Or more precisely, they were all looking intently (others might even say
that they stared) at the Senshi from the Third Planet, who also happened to
be the reincarnated sister of the Prince.  Of course, you could get wildly
differing opinions concerning that statement, depending on who you asked.

   That particular Senshi was trying to find a way to get out of the nasty
predicament she had subjected herself to without suffering any overly
embarassing repercussions in her life (although she was almost certain that
would not happen - the kami enjoy needling her too much for that to
happen).  She was about to simply bolt for the nearest rooftop when she
remembered the futility of such an escape, especially where the Prince was
concerned.

   Yes, the Prince.  She was looking away from him and yet she was aware of
his confusion, his relief, his pride and a thousand other emotions, but
most of all, she was aware of _him_.  His presence now shone like a warm
fire in the dark recesses of her mind, just as he knew her presence had the
same effect in his.  And for a sweet, short while, she welcomed it.
Somehow, she could not figure out how she had managed to last all this time
without the small piece of _him_ inside her mind.  It's wasn't true love,
or at least nothing like the deep love that this Senshi shared with her
wife (who was at the moment, unbeknownst to her, standing just a few feet
away, looking and feeling too confused to be angry).  It was more like... a
reassuring presence, she decided.  Someone not to cherish as a lover, but
as a friend.  Someone to confide in.  It was a feeling that the Senshi had
never felt before, not this way, never this way.

   And then the sirens broke the spell.  No enticing sirens of legend were
they, but rather reality's harsh reminder that whatever the Senshi were
doing, they should conclude it as soon as possible.  The Senshi of the
Third Planet shook her head, trying to recover her mental footing.  She
gazed at the expectant faces that surrounded her - and indeed, some were
more expectant than others - and came to a decision.  Not here.  Not now.
Later, undoubtedly, yes, but not now.

   Tonight at the Fire Priestess's Shrine, she told them.  Tonight she
would explain everything, she said, the words clawing at her.  Part of her
wanted no more to do with this travesty, and yet another claimed that she
taken an irrevocable step forward.  Seeking calm, but unable to find it in
the current setting, she leapt away, desperately trying to shut out the
cries from the Princess and her brother, the Prince.  They wanted to talk
to her, but she could not return the favor, not in her current state.

   As she half-expected, her brother, the Prince leapt after her and she
stopped, allowing him to come near her.  A part of her wanted to tell him
what he wanted, nay, _needed_ to hear from her, but she could not commit
herself now.  She needed an unclouded mind to make a clear decision.  She
asked him if he cared enough about her to wait the rest of the day before
hearing what she had to say.  She tried to explain her confusion to him.
Using the link their minds shared, it was done far more easily than she
could ever have ever have expected.

   And to the Senshi's amazement, he agreed.  The Prince said he would
honor her request and leave her alone for the day.  And in her mind, she
felt the flame of his presence become mere embers.  As she prepared to leap
away once more, he asked her one more thing.  She considered the request,
and answered that she would try.

End teaser

- So, like the imagery, guys?   Tell me if you like the style!   Don't
worry, I ain't done dealing with this scene...

**********************
* The Phoenix Reborn *              Jordanite and Mystical
**********************                  Freak at Large

Louis-Philippe Giroux

Dragon@anime.usacomputers.net
girol01@DMI.USherb.ca

Phoenix's Den at
http://www.anime.usacomputers.net/~dragon/

Picture and Fanfiction Gallery
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  - Woodchuck, Records Of Lodoss War