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The info comes first, since it pertains to the story and is intended
primarily for those who aren't sure whether or not they want to read
this story. I'll give the bad news first... I am not only using Sailor
Moon as the primary series in this crossover... I'm using the American
dub. Now the good news... hopefully, by now you've seen enough of my
work to see how I select only my favorite elements of each series and
integrate them into the story. In this case, I am using the first season
Sailor Scouts and pitting them against enemies that can't be defeated
with their normal stock footage tactics. Hopefully, you'll recognize a
few familiar faces. If you don't know the American names of the Sailor
Scouts... good. Neither do any of the main characters, so it will be a
voyage of discovery for everyone.
The story will contain some spoilers for the first season and Sailor
Moon S, but nothing you couldn't have guessed by the first episode,
probably.
Now, on with the story!
------------------------------------------------------------
A General Time Paradox
Prologue: Beryl's New General
From atop her throne in the Negaverse, Queen Beryl carefully
considered her next plan of attack. Her four generals were all dead, and
even Tuxedo Mask, who had faithfully served her from the time of
Zoicite's death, was back on the side of those infernal Sailor Scouts.
Beryl was losing ground in this war - ground that she could not afford
to lose. The invasion of the Universe had looked so promising at first:
four powerful generals, poised to strike at the helpless people of
Earth... If only those blasted Scouts hadn't been so powerful!
Beryl paused in her thoughts and repeated the last sentence. "If
only those Scouts hadn't defeated my four generals, the invasion would
be unstoppable!" She snapped her long, twisted fingers. The answer was
simple! She reached down beside her throne and picked up the small
golden ball that lay there. She lifted the ball up to her face and
cradled it, whispering softly.
"Chronite... your time has come."
*************************************************
Ranma leapt to the fence above Akane's head and ran along the narrow
rail, easily keeping pace with Akane as they both raced toward Furinkan
High School. Neither one exactly relished the prospect of being late for
the third day in a row and having to clean every bathroom in the school
as a punishment. The Principal had truly gone far out of his way with
his latest scheme to keep Furinkan students on their toes - not content
with making every minute that they were in school a living hell, he had
now set up obstacles on every street within three miles of the school,
forcing the students to fight for their lives from the moment they left
the house. The only student who made it through unscathed each day was
Tatewaki Kuno, who had grown up in a house full of deadly traps and had
learned through much experience how to avoid them.
Normally, Principal Kuno's schemes were little threat to martial
artists like Ranma and Akane, who usually defended the less capable
students of Furinkan from their crazy headmaster's whims; but the first
day's obstacles had caught them by surprise, and they had fallen into
the deep pool of wet cement where the sidewalk had originally been. The
next day, they had been prepared for that, but not for the concealed
shark net that not even Akane's brute strength could break. So today,
they were determined to be ready for anything. The trip had been quiet
so far, but they knew that somewhere out there, the "Big Kahuna" lay in
wait for them.
Suddenly, pineapples began to fall from the sky like hailstones.
Ranma grabbed Akane and leapt out of the way of one, which exploded,
leaving a smoking crater where she had been standing. They ran together,
turning into an alley to escape the explosive fruit storm. "That was
close," said Ranma, breathing a sigh of relief once the noise had
quieted down.
"He's not just trying to delay us," said Akane. "He's trying to kill
us!"
"I think we'll be safe here, for now," noted Ranma.
"But we'll never get to school if we just hide out here," Akane
pointed out. She leaned against the wall of the alley to catch her
breath.
"Well, we won't get to school if we fall into another one of those
traps." As Ranma finished his statement, a wide black hole opened in the
wall behind Akane, and she fell backwards into it. Ranma leapt forward,
just catching her arm before it disappeared into the hole. "Akane, hang
on!" he shouted, not knowing whether or not she could hear him. "That
freak's gone too far this time!"
Ranma didn't even sense the punch coming until the fist had made its
impression in his cheekbone, knocking him sideways and tearing his hands
from Akane's. He watched helplessly as the blackness drew Akane in, out
of sight. Ranma darted for the hole, but a foot appeared in front of his
stomach and knocked the wind out of him.
Ranma stared up at his assailant and saw a tall, red-haired man
wearing skintight red pants and a red tank-top. "Out of my way, pal,
before I have to fight my way through!"
"You're welcome to try," invited the red-haired man, beckoning to
Ranma. Ranma launched himself at the man, who promptly vanished,
appearing behind Ranma at the same instant and planting a palm into the
small of Ranma's back. Ranma spun to attack the man again, but he was
yards further down the alley. As soon as Ranma took a step toward him,
the man was behind him once again, firmly holding Ranma's arms behind
his back. Ranma fought to break free, but the man's grip was too strong
to break from his current position.
"What do you want with me?" shouted Ranma. "What have you done with
Akane?"
"Akane is perfectly safe," replied a sharp feminine voice from the
direction of the hole that had swallowed Akane. Ranma turned his head to
watch the long, slender, haggard form of the Queen of the Negaverse
emerge from the hole and stand before him. "She will remain safe as long
as you agree to perform a small service for me."
"I ain't marrying you! I've already got more fiancees than I know
what to do with!"
Beryl shook her head. "You misunderstand the nature of my request. I
am simply... having a bit of trouble with some belligerent warriors in
another world. They have destroyed all of my generals, and I'm trying to
hire some new help. You will be paid for your service, of course."
Ranma felt a sense of extreme cold radiating from the woman.
Whatever her intentions were, Ranma knew that they were not pleasant.
"No deal! Let me and Akane go!" He fought once again to free himself
from the red man's strong grip, to no avail.
"Chronite, let him go," ordered Queen Beryl. "I don't think he will
do anything rash while his precious woman is in our possession." The
hands holding Ranma released him, and Ranma nearly lost his balance. He
stared into Beryl's eyes, searching for her motives, but their
expressionless gaze told him nothing. "All you must do, Ranma Saotome,
is destroy the Sailor Scouts. Then I will return both you and Akane to
this very place and time." She paused thoughtfully. "I might even be
willing to deposit the two of you at your school, if I am pleased with
your work."
"And what if I refuse?" asked Ranma, knowing full well what the
answer would be.
"Then Akane Tendo will take your place in my army," replied Beryl.
"I will not be denied my victory, especially not by a human like you."
The tone of Beryl's voice told Ranma that not only was she serious,
she had the means to do exactly what she threatened. Ranma thought of
the power of the warriors that could possibly trouble a woman with as
much power as Beryl obviously had, and imagined Akane trying to fight
that kind of power. There was no way she would survive. "I'll do it," he
agreed. "As long as you promise not to hurt Akane."
"Of course," Beryl replied smoothly. "But know this: the instant you
betray me, or plot against me, she will die. It is only my power that
can keep her alive in the Negaverse. If that power is cut off..." She
let the sentence hang in the air and turned back to the portal.
"Chronite, bring him."
Ranma started to protest, but Chronite once again was beside him
before he could react. Chronite grabbed Ranma roughly by one arm and
dragged him into the blackness. As soon as Ranma was completely inside
the portal, it shrank to a point and vanished as if it had never
existed.
Seconds later, Principal Kuno poked his head into the alley. "Aloha,
keiki! De Big Kahuna got special surprise for ya!" He peered up and down
the length of the alley. "Now, where did those keiki get to? De tiger
goan' go hungry pretty soon if dey doan' come back..."
-----------------------------------------------------------
BURNS: What is this? Some kind of force field around these vegetables!
HOMER: That's the sneeze guard. You have to lean under it to get food or
sneeze on stuff.
JOHNNY BRAVO: *sigh* The only woman I ever really loved... and she's
gone. I wonder if I'll ever get over - Hey! Nuggets!
JACKIE CHAN: Oh, sorry. I broke your spy camera! (pause) SPY CAMERA?!
My webpage: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~katinamp