Okay, I wouldn't leave you hanging too long after such a cliff hanger

However, I do have to ask your indulgence, there is a scene with Urd that 
refers to an event the actually occured last chapter, which idiot me forgot 
to include in the actual chapter.  It will be there for next draft.
************************************************************************

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 characters property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, 
Kitty, and Viz Video.  Sailor Moon characters property of Takeuchi Naoko, 
Koudansha, TV Asahi, and Toei Douga, and DIC.  Ah! My Goddess property of 
Fujishima Kosuke, Kodansha, TBS and KSS films; AnimEigo, Studio Proteus, and 
Dark Horse Comics.  Other characters who may cameo are property of 
respective owners.  All are used without permission.  I did not write this 
for profit, but for practice.  Will be removed at request of original 
creators or authorized rep.

Zhu Shu (who shoo), Tao-Ching, Xi'an Chi (zy-an chee), and Clans' Dragon and 
Skorpion are mine, and may be used so long as I am asked beforehand.

And thanks to DB Sommer for allowing me to use Ai Konjou and the Furinkan 
Combat Cheerleaders.

************************************************************************
Book Two: The Dragon's Child

Chapter Two: Shadows of the Past

In the shrine on Cherry Blossom Hill, the Dragon mandala suddenly ignited 
into crimson as a portal opened in it's center. Two figures emerged from the 
sun-bright hole in the air and resolved themselves into a pair of feminine 
forms. The taller of the two looked around and nodded. "Good we have arrived 
correctly. Now we must hurry! There is no more time!"

She raised the long golden key shaped staff in her hand and cried "Sailor 
Teleport!"

The two figures faded from view.

* * * * *

Akane's scream ripped through the evening and drew everyone running to jam 
in the door to her room. Akane was curled up on the bed crying piteously, 
projecting an aura of pure despair.

"Akane?" Ranma asked with more concern than anyone had ever heard in his 
voice. "What's wrong?"

She looked up, her face a mask of misery. "Zhu Shu. . . She was in a fight. 
. .  Oh gods, Ranma. . .She's dead!. . ."

Ranma hit his knees as a collective gasp arose. Shan Pu came stumbling out 
of Zhu Shu's room partially dressed and with a look of murder in her eyes.  
She pushed through the crowd to meet Akane's tearful gaze. "Shan Pu feel.  
Tell who did. Shan Pu kill."

Akane nodded, her tears giving way to a look of pure rage. "I'm coming with 
you."

* * * * *

In a house by a shrine in Nekomi, a vase shattered as it fell from 
Belldandy's nerveless fingers and a rain began to fall on Tokyo.
Urd and Skuld rushed into the kitchen, concern an uncommon expression on 
Urd's face while Skuld was crying unabashedly as she ran to hug Belldandy 
tightly.  Belldandy stroked her hair as she cried as well, listening to the 
sounds of a God mourning the loss of a mortal child. . .

* * * * *

In the heavens, Kami-Sama stepped down from his throne, a tear crawling down 
his face from his single blue eye at the sound that rang through the myriad 
of worlds in his care. He placed his hand on the arm of his throne and bowed 
his head.

"Soon, old friend. It is almost over. Soon you will need grieve for your 
children no more. . ."

* * * * *

In her lair, Mara had watched the battle in her scrying mirror. As Zhu Shu 
fell, she had laughed at the irony of it all. . . To have gone through so 
much trouble in China only to have this happen?!!!

Her laughter was cut short as her ears picked up a sound that cut through 
the black haze that had filled her mind of late and drained away the rage 
that had fed it.

The Dragon was mourning the loss of his child. . .

She slowly sank to her knees, her eyes locked on the still form in her 
mirror as the realization sank in and despair drove the madness from her 
mind.

"By Hild. . . what have I done?!!!"

* * * * *

In a pagoda in China, an old, old man knelt in front of an altar shaped in 
the form of an Imperial Dragon. Around him, the Dragon mandala slowly faded 
from crimson to blue. Tears ran from his eyes as he knelt. Even here, locked 
away in the shrine, he gave no other outward sign of his grief, anymore than 
he had the day his granddaughter had left his protection to seek her 
destiny, or the day he had found her body broken and cold at the base of a 
cliff. An ancient woman and a young girl had found him there, holding her 
silent form and they had given her back to him. . . along with a warning. . 
.

It had not made it hurt any less the second time. . .

* * * * *

Nabiki watched as her sister and her two fianc�es disappeared into the rain. 
It was a truly mind numbing event to find she was so upset over what Akane 
had said had happened. Kasumi was in the kitchen making tea in a daze, her 
dad and Mr. Saotome were in the dining room getting drunk, and here she was 
staring off after the fighters and wishing, for the first time since she had 
convinced her dad to stop dragging her into the dojo and trying to teach her 
to fight, that she had continued the lessons. . .

And she had certainly never expected to feel like she had just lost a 
sister. . .

* * * * *

Zhu Shu opened her eyes to the soft fluttering of petals against her cheek. 
She was surprised to find herself in a grove of cherry trees. She remembered 
thinking that she was dying, but now the pain was gone, and she was here.

Wherever here was.

She stood and looked around. In every direction stood cherry trees, all in 
bloom. A soft breeze was stirring the branches and the fall of petals was as 
thick as snow. Overhead was only a soft pink sky, like the last moments of a 
setting sun. . .

She turned, her ears catching a sound other than the wind in the trees and 
found a faint path leading between the trees towards what looked to be a 
small clearing. Slowly she walked towards the brighter light. As she 
approached, the sounds resolved themselves into a cheerful humming of the 
song her father had once sung to her.

She stepped out into the clearing to find a large stone covered with the 
Dragon mandala. Beyond it an arch of stone stood. Setting in front of the 
arch, blocking it completely was a stone bench. Sitting on the bench was. . 
.

"Ying Ying?"

She looked up. "Nihao, my love. I'd say nice to see you again, but not here. 
. ." She looked around. "If I had my way, we'd never meet here again."  She 
sighed.

"Where is this place?" Zhu Shu asked, puzzled.

Ying Ying grimaced. "Death's door."

Zhu Shu started. "I'm dead then. . ." Zhu Shu looked down at herself. "I 
feel fine."

Ying Ying smiled. "Of course you do, love. This place is a place of souls."

Zhu Shu turned wide eyes to her. "Have you come to meet me?"

Ying Ying laughed, her bright voice tinkling. "Oh, Beloved. . . It's really 
too bad I can't let you remember meeting me in this place anymore than last 
time. That's exactly the same thing you asked the last time you were here. 
My answer is still the same. This is where I have always been. This is where 
the Dragon has requested I remain. This is my destiny. . ."

"Your destiny?"

"Yes, love. The destiny I chose so that I could always remain with you even 
though we could meet only in dreams. I am your Guardian. I bar the door."

"I don't understand." Zhu Shu said uncertainly.

"Yes, you do, beloved. You just don't want to. I could not bear a life apart 
from you, it was just too painful to feel both my own loss and your 
loneliness. I-I took my life to escape from that pain, yet as I left the 
mortal world behind, I faced the Dragon. He gave me a choice. I could go to 
the spirit realm, and you would join me there soon, or I could wait here, at 
the boundary of your life and death and bar your way." She smiled as she 
gestured around. "It was an easy choice to make. Here, I can be with you, 
watch as you live your life, watch as you find your loves, and as time 
passes and your grief fades, I can come to you in dreams. I am forever with 
you, my love."

Zhu Shu sat down on the bench beside her. "I wish you could be with me in 
life."

"But I am, love. I am always here, you just have not found the way to visit 
me yet, because you have not searched for me. Nor were you ready to. You 
have traveled far in your quest, both physically and spiritually. Soon, you 
will find the path to me. . . Then, you will know I am always here."

"You speak as if I am to leave."

"You soon shall. I told you. I bar the door. So long as I stand guard you 
cannot truly die. You still have a destiny to find in life, as I found mine 
in death. You are on the path towards what you must become, this is just a 
fork in the path, a place to rest. When last you were here, I comforted you 
for my loss, and even though you remember it not, when you were healed, your 
grief for me had begun to heal too. You will not remember this either, but 
this too is a time of healing. I started it early when I came to your 
dreams, but here, I can do much more." She patted her lap. Zhu Shu smiled as 
she turned and lay back to look up at Ying Ying's beautiful face.  As Ying 
Ying stroked her hair, she closed her eyes.

"I love it when you stroke my hair."

"I know. I love stroking it. It's one of the things I miss most. I really 
wish I could let you keep more than just impressions of our meeting here, 
but I can at least comfort you with the fact that it will not always be so. 
When you can find your own way to me, there will no longer be any need."

"But why must it be so?"

"Because, Zhu Shu, you have a destiny that you must find on your own. I can 
guide you only so much. I don't know all of your future, Love, but I know 
too much. If I say too much, I may guide you towards that future, or I may 
destroy all possibility of you ever achieving it. The risk is too great at 
this point. As much as it saddens me, the only way to be sure you are the 
one who makes your own choices is to cloud your memories of these times."

"Is my destiny so important, then?"

Ying Ying smiled. "To the world? I cannot say. But to those whose lives you 
touch, and to me, yes. You affect the lives of everyone you meet Zhu Shu, 
and because of you, they grow, or they change, sometimes in small ways, 
sometimes in large. You are a catalyst, an agent of change, and your part in 
the lives of your friends is not yet over. But for everyone whose life you 
touch, they touch you as well. You learn from them and care for them, as the 
Dragon cares for you. You are the Dragon's Child."

Zhu Shu looked up at Ying Ying. "I don't understand."

"You will, in time, beloved. For now, it is time to sleep. When you awake, 
you will be with your friends once more. . . and in time, you will remember 
this. But for now. . . sleep. . ."

Zhu Shu's eyes drifted closed slowly as her breathing grew quiet. Ying Ying 
continued stroking her hair as she drifted deeper into sleep. Finally, she 
asked the air "I didn't tell her too much, did I?"

"No child. And as you said she will not remember this."

"This is the only part of my choice I regret. The need to make her forget. 
The loneliness she will continue to feel, not knowing I am here."

"Yet you know the necessity of it."

Ying Ying sighed. "Yes."

"We can at least do what we can to make her task easier. She has been 
burdened with emotions and learning not her own.  I will remove that burden 
and make it so she will assimilate the knowledge in time."
Ying Ying nodded. "It would help. I know Belldandy and Urd meant well, but I 
fear they did not expect the exchange to be so hard for her.  My Little 
Mouse feels far too much like a leaf in a whirlwind."

"Akane's mind is far more chaotic. She had less trauma from it, and has 
gained much of Zhu Shu's calm, where Zhu Shu has had her calm taken, and 
cannot regain it fully.  If this continues, she will go mad as it has only 
been her innate nature that has contained the cancer of her soul.  Already, 
I sense the darkness within her has grown.  "

Ying Ying nodded.  "I know, Legend.  I wish I had been able to conquer my 
own demons and not take my life.  I gave Chaos a path to her heart with my 
weakness."

"Had you not, you would not have been able to save her now.  Destiny would 
have come by a different path, and found you unprepared."

"Is the future so certain then?"

"No future is certain child." another voice added.  "Least of all hers."

Ying Ying looked up to see another kindly face, one belonging to a smiling 
man with an intense blue eye and a patch.  He looked down at the sleeping 
girl in Ying Ying's lap.

Ying Ying bowed, careful not to disturb Zhu Shu.  "I should not question, 
All-Father." she apologized.

Kami-Sama reached out to brush a stray hair from Ying Ying's face.  "It is 
natural to question, child.  Even more so when it is for the welfare of one 
you love."

Ying Ying'assayed a small smile.  "Yes, All-Father.  I just wish I was not 
so powerless to help her."

"It will not always be so, Ying Ying." Legend's voice answered.  "She will 
heal eventually, and with healing will come the understanding to find her 
way back to you."

"I wish I could tell her more."

"In time child." Kami-Sama said.  "We have worked too long and too hard to 
thwart Chaos to risk exposing our hand to the enemy.  What we have prepared 
for has been set in motion.  The Norn of the Past's task has been given, The 
Dragon's Child brought out of hiding, the Shadow Lord made his presence 
known.   The signs that must come to pass are happening.  The scales will be 
balanced."

Ying Ying bowed in acknowledgement.  "She misses me so much, Lord.  It has 
been so hard for her."

"This too shall be redressed" Legend responded.  "If we remain strong, all 
will be well."

"It is time. . ." Kami-Sama said gently.  "They have arrived."

Ying Ying nodded and traced the curve of Zhu Shu's face one final time as 
she faded from view.

"I just wish it wasn't so hard to wait. . ."

* * * * *

"Truly a tragic loss of one so brave." Tuxedo Kamen said quietly, allowing 
Sailor Moon to sob against his chest, her tears lost amid the falling rain.

Rei sat numbly staring, Zhu Shu's hand still clutched in hers while around 
her, the other Senshi huddled on their knees, crying.
Then a soft golden light surrounded them and a kindly voice spoke. "Your 
grief does you credit, Senshi, but you mourn too soon."

All eyes but Rei's turned to look at the figures outlined in the golden glow 
as they stepped out of the light.

An ancient woman with ankle length hair walked towards the still and bloody 
figure. Faint hints of green could still be seen in the sable mass, and her 
robe was trimmed in red and black. Her face was smooth, but her skin was as 
thin as parchment, and the hand that gripped her long golden staff was 
almost pure bone. Eons lived within her eyes.
Beside her walked a girl of about thirteen, dressed in a Sailor suit with 
spiky shoulders and a purple fuku. She carried a glaive with a double blade 
somewhat reminiscent of a can opener and the shadows of a thousand sorrows 
haunted her eyes.

They stopped by Zhu Shu's body, untouched by the rain, and the elder reached 
down to place a hand on Rei's shoulder. "Rise, Soul of Fire. Do not mourn 
for the Dragon."

Rei turned her tear streaked face, her eyes a frozen wasteland, and stared 
without seeing the figure in front of her. "She is gone. . ." She whispered.

"No, child. The Dragon but sleeps." The old woman reached down and with 
surprising strength, drew Rei to her feet. "Watch, and grieve no more."  She 
turned to the young girl. "Hotaru."

The girl nodded and raised her hands as energy coursed through her body and 
into the still form on the ground. Zhu Shu rose slowly into the air as her 
broken form began to knit itself back together.

The Senshi stared in shock as blood flowed back into the slowly spinning 
figure and a halo of energy grew brighter and brighter. Her body seemed to 
fade into transparency as her clothes burned away in the flow. Only the 
dragon tattoo on her back remained visible, seeming to acquire a strange 
three dimensionality as she spun.

Then streamers of energy spun around her transparent form and a vision of 
her reformed, and yet, it was not. A Tiara graced her forehead, carved into 
the silhouette of a dragon clutching the ruby at her brow. From her ears 
dangled paired yin yang symbols, while she was dressed in a variant of a 
Sailor suit that was distinctly Mandarin, her scarlet fuku trimmed in gold. 
In her hands, she held her swords, long scarlet streamers trailing from 
them, but the dragons burned with a white light on their blades. Her feet 
bore elegant scarlet slippers with small gold ribbons and she was surrounded 
by a corona of golden flame.

The vision hung there for seconds only as the Senshi gasped, then faded 
along with the energy pouring from the other girl. Zhu Shu hung in the air 
before them, sheathed in a plain red Mandarin dress. As her spin came to a 
halt, she suddenly took a deep shuddering breath and slowly descended to the 
ground. As her feet touched, her eyes opened and locked on to the face of 
the old woman supporting a near fainting Rei. "You???"

The old woman nodded. "Once more we meet outside of dreams, for the second 
time." She let Rei go as the other girl stepped beside her. She smiled as 
she looked at Zhu Shu. "Three times must we meet, while the Dragon sleeps. 
Three times I will call, in answer to your fall. The times must you face, 
the price of defying fate. Three times must I mourn, ere the Dragon stands 
reborn." She stepped back into the light. "Farewell, my Little Mouse with 
the eyes of a Dragon. We will meet again, for the last time and the first 
time. Until then. . ." In a fall of golden light, they were gone. . .

For a moment, all was silent, then like a meteor striking a planet, Rei 
crashed into Zhu Shu's embrace.

* * * * *

The other Senshi were still standing frozen, too stunned yet to move, when a 
sound like a bomb dropping came from overhead and an explosion sent Sailor 
Moon flying as the ground under her disintegrated.  A battle cry of "Shan Pu 
kill!" echoed across the battlefield as the purple haired Amazon launched 
herself at another Scout, her violet aura turning the falling rain into 
steam.

"Shan Pu!  NO!"

The voice stopped the rampaging Amazon dead in her tracks, her bon buri a 
fraction of an inch from Sailor Mercury's face.  Her eyes turned slowly to 
the direction the sound had come her aura wavering , then flickering out.  
For a second she blinked, then there was a surprised meow as she vanished 
into the rubble, her bon buri clattering to the ruined roof.

The Senshi blinked, wondering what had just happened, then Akane dropped 
down to the battlefield as well.

"How could you let her get killed!�  She yelled through her tears.  "You 
were her. . ." her voice trailed off as she realized who was standing in 
Rei's embrace.

"Zhu Shu. . ." She whispered, not daring to believe her eyes, but the 
miracle didn't vanish. . . and with the vanishing of her rage, she could 
once again feel that the missing part of her mind had returned. She stood 
stunned for the space of too many heartbeats as Rei stepped out from in 
front of the blonde dragon girl, then with a flicker and a sonic boom, she 
was twirling Zhu Shu in an embrace.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Yes. Zhu Shu alive! Careful! No want Akane to break!"

A muttering Shan Pu emerged from the rubble with an umbrella and landed next 
to them.  She saw Akane hugging Zhu Shu and joined in the embrace and held 
them tightly, then one by one, the other Senshi joined in the group hug and 
happy noises arose.

Lost and forgotten, a pair of legs flailed wildly from the pile of rubble 
which concealed their owner as muffled cries for help could be heard. Tuxedo 
Kamen finally noticed them and the group broke up to go and help him dig 
Sailor Moon out. . .

* * * * *

Ranma dropped into the happy fray a few seconds later, overjoyed as well at 
finding Zhu Shu alive, but the wet redhead warned them that she had seen a 
few JSDF helicopters on the way. With a quick scurry, they all darted for 
cover.

Thoroughly wet from the rain, the group found cover in a nearby parking 
garage, most of the girls having to wring the water out of their hair. Ranma 
for once was self conscious enough to not pull her shirt off to wring it 
out, though he gave the only dry member of their group an evil eye and 
muttered about how unfair it was that some people had umbrellas. Akane 
finally released Zhu Shu long enough to ask "What happened?"

Zhu Shu gave her a sad smile.  "Senshi need help.  All attacks not hurt 
creature.  Zhu Shu had use Final Attack to kill."

Ranma stared.  "Zhu-chan, that was suicidal!  Final Strikes are fatal to all 
but the strongest of martial artists!"

Zhu Shu nodded.  "Could not let friends die."

Akane blinked. "Your accent's back!"

"She was dead, like really messed up and blood everywhere!" Sailor Moon 
said.

"She-she fell on some rubble. . . and- and she died holding my hand." Mars 
said quietly, still distressed over it all. "Then- then an old woman came 
with a girl dressed like us and healed her."

"Who kill? Shan Pu no see anyone else!" The Amazon asked.

"There was this big creature, like a demon, and it was controlling something 
else. . . a creature like living shadow." Mercury said. "She destroyed it.  
She destroyed them both, using her own energy and everything we could give 
her. She was absorbing everything, even what the creature was throwing at 
her. Then she threw it all back at it. She destroyed it utterly."

Ranma stared. "What kind of school is that? I've never studied anything like 
it. And I've never seen you use energy absorbtion before."

Zhu Shu shook her head.  "Shiva's Dance dangerous.  Dance of Veils is only 
part of Dance.  Zhu Shu use Dance of Ashura.  Zhu Shu only spar with Ranma, 
use Song School.  Sword dance. Shiva's Dance use ribbon.  Zhu Shu leave 
swords in Tendo's care.  Only have ribbon. Saw Scout's in danger. Have to 
help." The blonde dragon girl turned emerald green eyes to Akane. "Zhu Shu 
have to help." her voice pleaded for understanding.

Akane hugged her. "Yes. You did. I'm just glad that you're alive."

Shan Pu touched her shoulder.  "Is warrior's duty risk all for village." she 
said, in a voice that showed she was proud of Zhu Shu.  "Zhu Shu have heart 
of Warrior.  No have other choice."

Akane gave the Amazon an apraising look and smiled.  Shan Pu smiled softly 
back at her.  "Still is glad sister alive." she added.

Mercury was looking over her computer. "As far as I can tell, Zhu-sensei is 
in perfect health, at least for this form."

Sailor Moon was looking over her shoulder. "Hey! What happen-Ulp!" She 
glared at Jupiter over the hand covering her mouth.

"Zhu Shu is fine. And we should thank this wonderful citizen for helping us 
like she did. Don't you agree Sailor Moon?"

"Yes, indeed. We should definitely thank her. That someone who doesn't know 
us would lend a hand like that is very noble." Venus said.

"Don't bother, Minako. I already know who you all are." Ranma
said. "You think I could watch Zhu Shu train you five and not recognize the 
way you all move? Or Usagi's hair?"

"What's wrong with my hair!?!" Usagi shouted as she yanked Makoto's hand 
away.

"Nothing, if you want to look like a meatball head."

Usagi sniffed. "I'll have you know Mamoru adores them." She stuck out her 
tongue. "So There!"

Ranma stuck out her tongue back. "Odango Atama!"

"Baka!"

"Scarecrow!"

"Femboy!"

Akane gave the two name callers a cool look. "And to think, Japan depends on 
her to save it from evil."

* * * * *

After they got everything sorted out, and explained to Shan Pu why she 
shouldn't tell anyone that Zhu Shu's students were the Senshi, Zhu Shu 
elected to go back to the shrine with Rei for the night, needing a quiet 
place to meditate and see what her near brush with death had done to her. 
Akane, Shan Pu and Ranma  had all pouted, but acceded to her request. Zhu 
Shu noticed that Akane and Ranma were still giving Shan Pu a wide berth, but 
there was respect there as well. At least it hadn't gone all that badly, but 
she couldn't go back just yet, not until she had accustomed herself to the 
reversion she had undergone. It was very strange, like there were things she 
could almost remember. . . so much that seemed just out of reach in a golden 
fog.

At least she didn't feel like Akane's emotions were raging just under her 
consciousness, just barely contained. She felt like herself again, and while 
her chi was still intertwined, and she was still linked, she was _herself_ 
again. . . fully and only herself. After the last week, it was a definite 
relief. . . but it would take a few hours of peace for her to recover her 
equilibrium from her near brush with death, though despite the fact she had 
expended every last bit of her chi in the Final Attack, she felt almost 
overflowing with life energy.  Every part of her body shivered with electric 
tingles.

And yet. . . despite how strange she felt. . . there was a feeling of peace 
in her. . . like. . . like. . . like the way she had always felt when Ying 
Ying had held her and stroked her hair after she had gotten into trouble 
with her aunt once again. . . or when Sung Li had tormented her. . .

Even walking through the rain with Rei in soaking wet dresses, the memory 
made Zhu Shu smile. . .

<<I am here.  Always and forever, I am here.>>

* * * * *

"What do you mean the trace has changed?" Luna asked Ami. "Has it jumped 
again?"

Ami looked up from the computer and looked to where Luna was trying to stay 
dry while Usagi combed the water out of her tails. "It hasn't jumped, it's 
just weird. Her magic seems to have altered, and the Silver Millennium trace 
is now diffused into the rest. It's harder to filter out now, but it hasn't 
dropped in strength.  If anything, her overall energy levels are higher now 
than when I scanned her earlier this evening."

"And you say she absorbed all of your attacks?" The black cat was wide eyed.

"And the monster's. I can't figure it out yet."

Luna looked to Artemis. "Is she a hidden scout?"

Artemis shook his head. "I don't know. I don't remember anyone like her."

Makoto and Minako looked at the cats. "So what do we do in the mean time?" 
Minako asked.

Artemis looked at Luna for a long moment. "For now, we do nothing. I need to 
research this." The white cat finally said. "At least, for now, we know 
she's safe, and on our side."

"What's going on with our sensei?"  Makoto  "Is she going to be okay?"

Artemis looked at her.  "I don't know.  I've never seen anything like this 
before."

"Well, she's certainly proven she's capable of being a Senshi.  I think we 
can trust her, Artemis.  Maybe we should tell her what's happening.  She 
might know something about it."

The white disagreed.  "No.  It's too dangerous when we don't know what's 
going on."

"Yeah, but didn't you see that outfit she was wearing when she was being 
healed?"  Usagi said as she fell to the bed.  "She's, like, gotta be a 
Senshi!"

"I don't think she is Usagi.  I need to see what I can find out before 
anyone says anything to her."

Usagi pouted.  "Alright, but she'd be a great Senshi."

The other girls chimed in their agreement as the white cat buried his face 
in his paws.

* * * * *

Nabiki stared blearily at the morning paper and wondered if she should be 
shocked. She was barely awake enough to actually care, but still. . .
She had still been standing in front of the dojo when Akane, Ranma, and Shan 
Pu had come home. She had listened incredulously as they had told her the 
story of Zhu Shu's death and revival. She was glad Zhu Shu was alive, but it 
had just been too much to assimilate. And now. . .

The Headline read "A NEW SENSHI?" and had a brief description of the battle, 
but it was the picture that horrified her.

It had apparently been taken by a brave photographer during the battle. It 
was a telephoto of the so-called new Senshi, but despite the gold fuku and 
the halo of gold light, it was recognizably Zhu Shu in her cursed form.

She sighed heavily.  For all her skill at manipulating information, this was 
way out of her league.

Too many people at Furinkan knew what Zhu Shu looked like in both forms, and 
they knew she lived at the Tendos. The last thing they needed was Scout 
level threats showing up at their door.  Shan Pu and Akane where destructive 
enough on their own.

She needed help on this one. . . it just required too much spin control.

She pulled out her new cell phone and hit the speed dial.

* * * * *

Kasumi was bleary eyed, but happy once more. The news Akane had delivered 
the night before had nearly destroyed her indestructible calm, and she had 
numbly cleaned a spotless kitchen for hours until Akane and Ranma had told 
her that Zhu Shu was alive again, then she had fainted. They had gotten her 
into a chair, and gotten some tea in her and she had finally realized how 
upset she had been, and how relieved she was at the news. It had been as 
devastating as the loss of her mother. . . or as it would be if she lost 
Akane or Nabiki.

But the news she was all right had restored her. The news she would be home 
in a day or so had cheered her up, and it had enabled her to revive enough 
of her usual self to notice that Ranma and Akane had been particularly wan 
and drawn. She had finally gotten them to drink the tea she had made 'to 
fight off the chill' and the herbs would keep them out for most of the day. 
Then she had crawled into bed herself. Only habit had woken her up this 
morning to make breakfast.

She took the first dishes out to the dining room, only to find a sleepy 
Nabiki already sitting there. She was just setting down a cell phone and 
looking worriedly at the paper.

"Good morning, Nabiki. Is something wrong?"

Nabiki nodded. "Yeah, when Akane came home and told me Zhu Shu had been in a 
fight with the Sailor Senshi, I figured I better check the paper this 
morning." She turned the paper and shoved it towards Kasumi.

"Oh, my! Doesn't she look just like a Senshi."

"That's the problem. . ." Nabiki said glumly. "This is going to be a bigger 
problem than when you frenched her on the subway."

Kasumi sniffed. "I didn't think that was a problem. She deserved a good 
kiss."

Nabiki gave her the eye. "It wasn't the kiss, Kasumi.  It was the photos.  
Same here. It wouldn't matter that Zhu Shu helped out the Sailor Senshi if 
she hadn't been photographed doing it. I just got off the phone with 
Tao-Ching about spin doctors." A slightly dreamy look came to her eyes as 
she mentioned Ryouga's cousin.

Kasumi nodded. "I'm sure you'll work it out." She checked mentioning the 
morning paper to Nabiki off her mental to-do list. Nabiki had already 
prescribed her own therapy to deal with the residual emotional stresses with 
out Kasumi's prompting. Kasumi's smile grew a little wider as she went back 
into the kitchen to finish her father's cure to the aftereffects of his 
therapy. She hummed happily.

Her family had survived another storm intact. . . that was all that 
mattered. . .

* * * * *

Rei stood in the doorway, watching the soft rise and fall of Zhu Shu's chest 
as she slept. She had tried to sleep following the fight last night, but her 
dreams had been chaotic and emotionally draining. She had gotten up a dozen 
times in the night to reassure herself that Zhu Shu was really alive.

She sighed softly, her relief that Zhu Shu was really there easing the 
tangled whirl of doubts and fears her dreams had raised. She smiled at the 
sleeping girl and contemplated on how happiness felt.

It had been so wonderful last night. Zhu Shu had done so much to make her 
feel like a star, and she had been so beautiful once Zhu Shu had done her 
make up. She had felt the eyes of every male they had passed last night, and 
it had felt so wonderful, like she had imagined it would feel when she was a 
pop idol. Zhu Shu had made sure she was in the spotlight, she had made her 
feel special, like no boy she had dated had ever done. She'd admit to her 
share of raging hormones, and to masturbating furiously to thoughts of this 
or that handsome boy making love to her, but even the best of them could 
make her feel like a trophy, or a piece of meat.

Zhu Shu hadn't. She'd made her feel graceful, poised, confident, but still 
herself. She'd been a mighty warrior in her past life, a life she could only 
remember vague memories of, but in this life, she had felt like a pretender 
to a destiny that try as she might, she didn't always feel up to 
accomplishing. For all that had happened, she still felt like an imposter at 
times. A girl pretending to be Sailor Mars.

Then, when the creature had attacked, Zhu Shu's confidence in her had made 
her feel like she had in her memories, like a valiant warrior fighting evil 
to defend the Kingdom of the Moon.  The kiss they had shared had made her 
feel that she could defeat anything.

Then, having Zhu Shu show up to aid her and the other Senshi, it had been 
what she sometimes was so jealous of Sailor Moon and Mamoru for, someone who 
had stood to give her aid when she needed it, someone who could watch her 
back. She had been proud when Zhu Shu had defeated the creature by combining 
all of their powers.

And then Zhu Shu had fallen. Watching her, Rei had felt all of time stop. 
She had tried to move, to run, to catch her, but her body just couldn't push 
it's way through the concrete the air had become. Zhu Shu had been there to 
save her, but she couldn't save Zhu Shu.

She had failed at the one thing that had had any meaning at that moment.
In that one second, everything she was, everything she had felt, every 
emotion she had ever had concerning Zhu Shu had laid itself out with perfect 
clarity, and she had known, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that she had 
failed someone she cared very much for�

She liked boys, perhaps even a little too much. Last night had proven that 
quite well. She had loved having all of the male attention. . .
But Zhu Shu had a way that made her feel special. . . like she already was 
everything she aspired to be. . . when Zhu Shu had smiled at her, she had 
felt like a superstar, like she was the most important person in the world.  
No man she had eve met had done that, had made her feel. . . accepted. . . 
like Zhu Shu had.

She examined the sleeping girls body, admiring every curve. She had never 
felt like this about any girl she had ever known. . .  Never fanatasized 
about what it would be like to explore her body, feel her caresses returned.

Could it really be love?

Zhu Shu turned in her sleep, the gold and crimson Dragon on her back 
catching the dim light of the rising sun in a flash of dazzling light, and 
Rei suddenly found herself in a vision.

An image of the Dragon formed in her mind, riding on a huge banner above a 
throne towards which she was walking, an Emissary of the Moon Kingdom, 
Sailor Mars. Her head was lowered respectfully as she ascended the dais to 
meet the woman who sat upon the throne, and she heard a voice announce her.

"My I present to you the Emissary sent by our ally, Queen Serenity of the 
Moon Kingdom, My Empress. One of the Royal Guardians, Sailor Mars."
Rei raised her eyes to take her first look at the woman on the throne, one 
of Endymion's strongest allies next to his five Generals, and found herself 
lost within Zhu Shu's emerald green eyes. . .

Then, the vision was gone, and there was only a fall of golden dust in the 
sunlight highlighting Zhu Shu's tattoo. Rei stepped back from the door, her 
heart hammering.

Was it a real memory? Had Zhu Shu been part of the Silver Millennium?
Had Rei known her then, too?

She stood in the shadows for a long time. . . but no answers came out of the 
dark. . .

* * * * *

Rei finally fell asleep, and the day passed slowly. The other Senshi slept 
in, missing school for once for a reason other than battle. Ranma, Akane and 
Shan Pu continued sleeping, Kasumi finally took a nap, and Nabiki spent most 
of the day on the phone. Soun and Genma finally awoke and availed themselves 
of the ample supply of hangover remedy that Kasumi had left for them. Luna 
sat in the window sill while Usagi tossed and snored, waiting to see if 
Artemis would contact her to let her now what he found out. Finally, around 
mid afternoon, the cause of all the fuss awoke and quietly slipped out of 
the temple to the koi pond to meditate.

Zhu Shu had been unable to stay awake any longer than it took to crawl out 
of her wet dress and collapse on the futon, but she had slept the sleep of 
the exhausted, and could not remember any of her dreams beyond impressions 
of falling cherry blossoms, but she had awakened feeling vibrantly alive. 
She had felt better than she had in years, emotionally, and physically, she 
felt wonderful. Somehow, it felt like some enormous weight she had been 
carrying had been lifted. Even more so than following her dream of Ying 
Ying, she felt happy.

There were some disconcerting effects of having died. She had been gradually 
been growing accustomed to the raging emotions she had gotten from Akane, 
and the whirlwind it had made of her own calm, but now, they were gone. Only 
her own feelings remained.

Beyond that, she had noticed as she had cleared her chakras that her chi had 
somehow been changed as well. It was still a blend with Akane, as it would 
always be so long as they were linked, but it had been affected in other 
ways as well. The sheer amount of power she had drawn upon, both from the 
Senshi, and that she absorbed from the creature, and the overload of her 
Final Attack had scoured out her pathways, both widening and deepening them, 
and the chi that flowed through them had a feel she had never experienced 
before. Her chi had always flowed through her like a stream of warm water, 
but now, there was an electric feel to it, unlike anything she had ever felt 
before. When she had formed the chi talons of the Dragons Claw, the golden 
energy had borne an undertone of silver.

It was mystifying, but livable. In all other respects, her chi was behaving 
normally. As best as she could tell, it seemed she was once again who she 
had been before her and Akane's strange merger.

In a way, that was a disappointment. She could still recall some of the 
events of Akane's life, but no longer were they inseparable from her 
memories. It was more like they had grown up together. But along with that 
sense of separateness, she had lost some of the knowledge she had gained. 
She could recall memories of Akane's lessons with her father, but the actual 
skills of the Anything Goes school were just vague impressions. Along with 
those memories, she had also lost the command of Japanese Akane had had as a 
native speaker. It was frustrating, but again, livable.

But the bond that their merger had formed was still as strong as ever. She 
and Akane were still as linked as if they had shared the womb together. Her 
blood link to Shan Pu was still there as well, and�
She froze when she came across what seemed to be another link, one so faint 
that had she not been examining herself so closely, she never would have 
found it. . . Hesitantly, she reached out mentally to touch it.

She fought against the tears when she realized it was the remnants of her 
link to Ying Ying. She had believed it forever lost the day she had felt her 
die, but still, some small part remained, still faintly warm to her soul. . 
.

<<I am here. . .>> The faint memories of her dream echoed. <<I am always and 
forever. . .here. . .>>

And finally. . . her tears were gone. . . For the first time since she had 
lost Ying Ying, the grief was fading. She finally understood what her dreams 
had been telling her for so long. Even though Ying Ying was gone, that part 
of her that could stay had never left her. Her memories, her feelings, her 
love. . . they were still as much a part of her as they had been when Ying 
Ying had been alive. . .

And only her long walling away of her grief had hidden that. . .

She held onto the single small strand of the link in her mind as she 
whispered "I finally understand. . ."

<<I am here. . .>> Ying Ying's memories said once again. <<I am always and 
forever. . . here. . .>>

For a long timeless eternity, Zhu Shu held onto the link, feeling it's faint 
warmness, drawing strength from it, chasing the last of grief's chill from 
her soul.

And with the final release of that grief, Zhu Shu found herself finally at 
peace with her feelings for Akane. Yes, she loved her, but she had made the 
right choice. Akane had to learn to live with her new family, with Ranma and 
Shan Pu. She could help Akane with that, and her love for Akane would make 
her try all the harder to see her happy.
Which left her with the question of Rei.

Rei Hino had been her first friend among the Sailor Senshi, trying hard to 
make up for having attacked her, and Zhu Shu did like her, but she was 
several years younger, and very confused about her feelings. Akane had had 
traits that had made Zhu Shu suspect she wouldn't be adverse to the marriage 
to Shan Pu if she could be made to examine herself, but Rei was as boy crazy 
as they came. . . All the Senshi were. Why was Rei fascinated with her?  She 
couldn't deny she found the girl increadibly attractive, and was more than 
willing to allow Rei to date her, and find out for herself how far she went 
in her attraction to Zhu Shu, but she still worried that she was leading the 
girl on somehow.

She sighed, still touching the link to Ying Ying.   Suddenly the answer came 
to her. It might be because she was young, and Zhu Shu expressed a side of 
sexuality that she may have had little contact with before. With Rei being a 
priestess, she had a personality that had to explore further, to find the 
limits of her own feelings.  So it was really more of a question of how far 
Rei truly wanted to explore.

And for that, only time would tell.  If that was what she desired, Zhu Shu 
would happily teach her all she knew.

Reassured, Zhu Shu reluctantly let go of the link as she slowly allowed 
herself to refocus on the outside world.  She blinked in the afternoon sun 
and smiled as she watched cherry blossoms from the trees crowning the hill 
float by.

It was funny really. She felt better about everything than she had in years. 
Even her hopeless, doomed quest didn't seem as dark as it had. . . She had 
her dream of Ying Ying's promise it would not end as badly as she feared. . 
. That there was a male out there who she could actually love and desire. . 
. .

Death had been wonderfully therapeutic.

In her room, Rei opened sleepy eyes to a sound she had never heard before. 
Zhu Shu had chuckled, even giggled, but Rei had never heard her laugh.

As sleep claimed her once more, she smiled. It had been good to hear.

* * * * *

Tokyo Evening News late breaking story: Revealed to the world today were 
Hibiki Studio's plans for a new Sailor V movie involving the Sailor Senshi.  
This press release followed an unscheduled publicity stunt in the Juuban 
Ginza last night which reporters mistook for a real battle involving the 
Senshi. Studio officials blame a misfiled memo for the failure of the Studio 
to properly notify city officials of the multi million yen stunt which 
showcased a prototype of a new costume for Sailor V. The Studio has issued 
formal apologies and is paying for the repairs to the damaged buildings. The 
Marketing Department officer responsible for misfiling the report has been 
disciplined. Following these commercials, we'll bring you exclusive photos 
of the monster, and later, our exclusive interview with Minako Aino, Sailor 
V!. . .

* * * * *

Nabiki put down the cell phone and breathed a sigh of relief. Tao-Ching had 
told her it seemed the whole idea of making it seem like a publicity stunt 
was working. The phones to the studio and the web site had been hammered 
since the press release and no-one seemed to be taking it as anything else.  
She was glad Kasumi had had all of Zhu Shu's student's numbers. It had been 
a flash of brilliance to talk Minako into covering for her sensei like that, 
and it seemed the girl had a bad case of Senshi worship. She'd been 
overjoyed at the whole thing and Tao-Ching had decided that actually going 
ahead and making the movie would be a worthwhile investment. He was even 
seriously considering auditioning Minako's friends to play the parts of the 
Senshi, and having Zhu Shu play Sailor Venus. . . And Nabiki had to agree 
they certainly looked. . .

She looked out the open wall over the garden at the ruins of the dojo, where 
the voodoo priest was slowly clearing away the debris in preparation of 
rebuilding it, per his agreement with Nabiki for room and board, and 
contemplated the unfinished thought.

How had Zhu Shu been in the area to help the Senshi? Why had she risked so 
much to help complete strangers?

Or were they?

She tabled the question while Kasumi brought out breakfast and Ranma dragged 
herself out of the koi pond, where she had ended up after the early morning 
sparring match with Genma. Akane sauntered down the steps and gave the 
redhead a sidelong look that Nabiki would have said was admiring if she 
hadn't immediately bopped Ranma in the back of the head and told her to put 
her shirt back on. Shan Pu came down the steps a few seconds later, yawning 
and stretching like a cat woken from a nap. She gave both her fianc�es a 
lingering  look and settled down between them at the table, frowning at both 
of them when they edged further apart.

Nabiki watched them out of the corner of her eye as she told Kasumi how her 
and Tao-Ching's efforts had worked out. She noticed both Akane and Ranma 
start at the mention of the Juuban girls playing the part of the Senshi. Oh, 
yes. . . there was definitely something there.

She jotted down a few notes to remind her of avenues of investigation as she 
finished getting ready for school, hearing Kasumi greet Ke Lun as Shan Pu's 
grandmother came to pick up the Amazon to return to the village for 
preparations, then wandered downstairs to find Zhu Shu waiting for her.

"Nihao, Nabiki-chan."

"Oh, hello Zhu Shu. I- I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Zhu Shu know. Zhu Shu feel much better. Decide go school."

"Ah. . . I see. Well. . . I'm glad to see you up and around. I. . . um. . . 
kinda thought you might be out of it for a few days because of. . . well. . 
.um. . ."

"No. Zhu Shu all ok. Not even remember dying."

Nabiki blinked twice. Then even her ice princess facade broke. "Oh, god's 
Zhu Shu, We'd thought we'd lost you." She cried as she flung her arms around 
the Chinese girl.

Zhu Shu patted her head. "Is okay. Zhu Shu is okay now. Zhu Shu miss family. 
  Miss Nabiki and Kasumi and Akane and Ranma and fathers. Zhu Shu come home.

Once more in control after the brief display of affection, Nabiki 
self-consciously straightened her skirt. "We missed you too." Then she did a 
double take. "Hey, your accent's back."

Zhu Shu rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. Accent back. No, Zhu Shu not know why."

Nabiki laughed. "I take it you've gotten that a lot."

Zhu Shu nodded. "Rei and Usagi and Minako and Ami and Makoto all feel need 
to point out what Zhu Shu already know."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow, but decided now wasn't the time to pry. She hooked 
her arm through Zhu Shu's. "Well, we better get going or there will be a mob 
scene when the family finds out you're here. I'd just as soon deal with that 
after school."

Zhu Shu laughed. "Yes, yes. Or will be late."
"Exactly."
They walked towards the school, Nabiki studying Zhu Shu sidelong, watching 
as she looked around and dodged the old lady throwing out water on the 
sidewalk. There was something different about the Chinese girl. . . 
Something faint beyond the glow of contentment she was exuding. It took her 
most of the walk to school to pin it down, because it wasn't something that 
had been added, it was the loss of something so faint and so much a part of 
what Zhu Shu had been that only it's absence made it noticeable.

The faint bittersweet tint of melancholy was gone, and with it had gone a 
tenseness that had never been noticeable. For the first time since Nabiki 
had known her, Zhu Shu felt like a seventeen year old girl, instead of 
ageless. . .

And she was definitely more at peace with herself about something. Her eyes 
would every now and then lose focus and she would assume an expression that 
Nabiki could only interpret as fond happiness. . . An expression she had 
learned quite well recently from seeing it in the mirror so often when she 
thought of Tao-Ching. . .

Had Zhu Shu found a new lover?

Yet something else to investigate. Nabiki could barely wait to get to school 
to start her minions digging. . .

* * * * *

Akane breathed a sigh of relief. At last she could relax. Ke Lun and Shan Pu 
had left for China and she didn't have to deal with the Amazon until the 
weekend. She'd already had to go out and smash more of the destroyed dojo 
into kindling about thirty or so times, reminding herself over and over that 
Shan Pu was supposed to flirt with Ranma.

It was proving incredibly difficult.

To Ranma's credit, though, at least from Akane's viewpoint, was the fact 
that he seemed to have the same problem with Shan Pu flirting with her.

At least she wouldn't keep waking up to find a nude Shan Pu curled up in bed 
with her tonight, and she wouldn't have to apologize to Ranma again for 
knocking him through the floor like she had last night when she had found 
Shan Pu curled up with him.

Well. . . if it hadn't been for the fact that his hand had been cupping her 
breast, Akane might not have been as mad. . .

She sighed again. The Amazon made Zhu Shu easy to understand by comparison. 
She could be a vicious opponent to anyone who crossed her, but once she had 
decided to give her heart to someone, it seemed she became an incredibly 
affectionate person. There were times Akane could almost swear she was 
purring at the least show of physical affection. She was like a damn cat!

Not that she'd ever understood cats any better, either.

She was trying, she really was, for Zhu Shu's sake, to get along with Shan 
Pu, even to try and accept her advances, but they had so little in common, 
and the sheer intensity of Shan Pu's emotions was a little unnerving. Zhu 
Shu had always been calm and reserved. Even her mischievous moods had been 
subtle, but nothing about the Amazon could be called subtle by any 
definition of the word. She was an inferno when angry, an iceberg when 
offended, a warm fire when pleased. She let you know what she felt about 
everything, especially her desires.

Akane sighed again.

"What's up Akane?" Ranma asked from where he was walking along a fence top. 
"You're starting to sound like an old steam train."

She glared at him, then decided he hadn't meant it as an insult, so she 
shrugged. "Shan Pu."

"Oh. . ." He looked off across the canal.

"Ranma? How do you feel about her?" Akane asked seriously.

Ranma shrugged. "I dunno really. She still makes me jump ever time I turn 
around and see her. I mean, I thought she was trying to kill me, and now? I 
mean, I want to make her happy for Zhu Shu and Mom's sake, but I just don't 
know how." He looked down at his feet. "She seems to be a really sweet girl 
when she isn't trying to kill you, but I still barely know her."

"You barely knew me until Zhu Shu came along and helped us."

Ranma sighed. "Yeah."

"Missing her?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I know she needed some time to think and all, but 
it's been miserable without her." He shook his head. "And I hope she comes 
home soon."

Akane nodded.

Ranma hopped down from the fence and walked the last fifty feet to the 
school yard, where Kuno was waiting, boken in hand.

"Ranma Saotome! Vile Sorcerer! Undo the enchantment you have laid upon my 
sister!"

"Huh?" asked a genuinely confused Ranma.

"Release her from thine foul enchantment or face the wrath of Blue Thunder!"

"What are you talking about Kuno?"

"You're getting tiresome, brother dear." Kodachi's voice said behind Ranma, 
and he and Akane whirled to see her dressed in a Furinkan high uniform.  
"And on my first day too."

Ranma and Akane's jaws dropped as she stepped forward and knelt in front of 
Akane. "Shall I get rid of him, mistress? It would not do for you to waste 
time on such foolishness." The eyes she turned to Akane were so full of 
adoration that Akane backed up a step.

"Wretch! Villain! Release her from this curse! Release her, I command you!" 
He swung his boken at Ranma, who dodged as the blow shattered the wall 
behind him.

Akane flinched as shrapnel pelted her, one shard cutting her cheek slightly.

"Mistress!" Kodachi's cry was anguished, then she turned towards Kuno in a 
rage. "Demon! You have wounded my beloved goddess! Feel the wrath of the 
Black Rose!"

Kuno, still vainly trying to hit Ranma was caught from behind by Kodachi's 
ribbons and flung head first into a tree, then when he bounced, was hurled 
into another. "Thrice cursed brother! How dare you injure my Mistress!"

Ranma stared from his perch on the gate. Even he'd never trashed Kuno this 
bad.

"Whoa, �Dachi! You're gonna kill him!"

"He deserves death! He has wounded my beloved goddess!" She slammed her 
unconscious brother into the wall.

"Kodachi! Please stop!" Akane cried, horrified.

Kuno's battered form crashed to the ground as Kodachi bowed in front of 
Akane again. "Yes, my divine Mistress."

Akane took a step back, then another, then turned and ran into the school, 
followed by a bouncing Kodachi crying "Mistress!!!"

Ranma looked around at the smashed trees and wall, then down to the 
unconscious Kuno and shook his head. "Great, as if we didn't have enough 
problems already. . ."

* * * * *

Artemis looked out the window of Minako's room and sighed. "Anything at all 
that you can tell me will help Setsuna. I certainly don't seem to recall 
anyone like her in the Moon Kingdom." He told the tall green haired girl 
sitting on the bed.

"I wish I could, Artemis. But her stream is in flux. Someone or something is 
preventing me from actually analyzing either her future or her past.  It's 
like I'm trying to read my own stream. All I can say is yes, she is a 
reincarnate, but I couldn't tell you who."

The white cat scratched at his ear. "Best guess?"

The green hair girl shrugged. "Only person she resembles is a young version 
of Song Lin Tzu, the Empress of China. She was one of the few on Earth who 
remained allied to Serenity when Beryl convinced Endymion's father to 
destroy the Moon Kingdom. She was lost in the fighting during the fall."

"Empress Song?" Artemis blinked. "I had forgotten about her."

The green haired girl smiled. "Getting senile?"

Artemis turned and looked at her. "Are you aware of the girl's full name?"

"Zhu Shu? Yes. Means 'Little Mouse' in Mandarin."

"No. I mean her full name. It's Song Zhu Shu. . ."

"How very interesting. . . The Empress wasn't one of Earth's most powerful 
rulers, but she had the distinction of being the only other female besides 
Beryl. And she stayed loyal to Serenity. Of course that might have been 
because she had no attraction to Endymion. . . She shared Neptune and 
Uranus's tastes. It was a small scandal actually. Empress Song had over a 
dozen wives, which was no big deal for an Emperor, but was unheard of for a 
Empress, and when she and several of her wives came up pregnant. . . well. . 
.  All she would say was that the Dragon, her house's guardian spirit, had 
come to her. . . Like I said, she disappeared during the fall. . . so no-one 
really knows what happened to her. Her brother was one of Beryl's advisors, 
but he disappeared too."

The white cat looked thoughtful. "Humm. . . well I guess I can't ask for 
more than that. I'd probably better let you get back before your present 
self feels your presence."

Setsuna, Sailor Pluto, stood and nodded. "Well, you know how to call me if 
you really need me." She turned and raised her staff.

"Wait! One last thing." A small halo of the old woman appeared. "Do you know 
who this is?"

Pluto looked at the holo and grew pale. She looked from the sliver staff in 
her hand to it's golden twin in the old woman's hand. "Oh my. . ."

"Any ideas why you, or at least a very old you, brought Sailor Saturn to 
heal Zhu Shu? Somehow, I have this feeling that the answer to that could be 
very important. . ."

* * * * *

Urd was in a blue funk. She was setting on the steps to the shrine across 
from the house, her hands propping up her head. Keichii saw her as he pulled 
up from college and thought seriously about ignoring her, but in the end, 
his kind nature won out over his good sense. He wandered over and sat down 
next to her.

�Hi Urd. What�s up? Sake hangover again?�

Urd was so depressed she didn't even blink. "I'm a failure.  I'm doomed to 
end up a demoness." she moped.

"You've already been a demoness Urd." Keichii shuddered as he remembered the 
mechanical monstrosity Urd had tried to flatten the house with. "I'd rather 
not have that happen again. What's got you so depressed?"

"What else? This wish I've been assigned to. I thought once I got Shan Pu 
together with Akane and Ranma it would be smooth sailing, but the whole mess 
just keeps getting more tangled. Shan Pu loves them both without question, 
but they both keep pushing her away and moping over Zhu Shu, who I thought 
would be my biggest help, but now she's become a stumbling block because 
while all three of them would be willing to marry her, she won't marry them, 
and to top it off, she's the Dragon's mortal child, so I can't just love 
potion her into it because the Ultimate Force has some destiny in mind for 
her that I have to try and accommodate in Shan Pu's wish that every one 
involved is eventually happy, but I don't know what it is, and apparently I 
don't want me to know what it is because I locked myself out of my own files 
on her and I've apparently been meddling in the past, but I don't know how 
because I haven't seen fit to tell me, so I can't make sense of any of this 
mess and I'm going to fail and end up as a demoness because I can't help one 
lousy mortal to achieve her wish!!!"

Keichii tried to puzzle out what Urd had said, having caught only half of 
the rapid outpouring, but gave up and offered her a clich�d response. "I'm 
sure you'll figure it out."

"I'm doomed."

Keichii frowned. He hated seeing anyone be down, even Urd. He thought for a 
long moment before he had a bright idea. "Hey, just figure out what the key 
problem is and maybe, if you solve that, the rest will be easier."

Urd snorted. "That's easy! Me locking myself out of Yggdrasil's data base.  
Almost everything I've tried looking up to help me is encrypted on my 
authority and I don't know what password I used! None of my regular ones 
work! Almost everything about the past beyond about 400 years ago is 
encrypted, everything on Zhu Shu's past is encrypted! Hell, I only found out 
she was Legend's Child when she was killed! How can I pass my assignment 
when the information I need is locked up!

"I thought Shan Pu was your assignment. Why so much interest in Zhu Shu?"

"Because she's the-" Urd broke off suddenly, her eyes widening at a sudden 
thought. "Because she's the key?" she asked wonderingly.

It couldn't be that obvious could it?

She left Keichii staring after her as she sprinted for the TV.

In Heaven, she threw herself into the seat in front of Yggdrasil's data 
station and typed one her previously refused requests.

//PASSWORD?// Yggdrasil prompted.

"Z.H.U.S.H.U." she hit the key as she held her breath.

//INVALID PASSWORD// The screen blinked at her before the query returned.

Urd sighed. She had been so sure. . . She stared at the screen morosely, the 
query blinking brightly. Then she thought of something.

"S.O.N.G.Z.H.U.S.H.U." She hit the enter key without much hope. . .

The massive computer hesitated for a few seconds, a pause Urd hadn't seen it 
do before. She started to set up in her chair. . .

//PASSWORD ACCEPTED.  Greetings Goddess Urd.  I am Project Pheonix Moon.  I 
have been waiting for you.//

Much later, a very subdued, even slightly pale Urd entered the kitchen of 
the Morisato house.

"Belldandy. . . I think I need your help. I- I think I'm in way over my 
head. . ."

Belldandy turned, her eyes wide. Urd, humbly asking for help? She nodded and 
lead Urd to the table to discuss it, surprised, but pleased at the same 
time. Maybe Urd was finally maturing?

On his throne in the Heavens, Kami-Sama nodded approvingly. Urd was doing 
better. . . but her time wasn't unlimited. . . Would she succeed in time?

He prayed she would. . . so much hinged on it. . .

* * * * *

Zhu Shu stopped in surprise as she found her way blocked by a tall blonde 
figure.  She had been heading outside for lunch and hadn't been expecting 
any trouble, but one look at Ai put her on guard.

"You and me need to talk, China."

"What hentai girl want?  Zhu Shu hungry."

Ai gave her a leer.  "Me too.  That isn't what we need to talk about."

"Zhu Shu have date.  No need hentai girl."

"Okay, look, I'll stop calling you China if you stop with the hentai girl, 
okay?  This is serious."

Zhu Shu motioned to the door.  "Zhu Shu hungry.  Need talk, come eat with."

Ai shrugged, the motion doing interesting things to her anatomy.  She 
followed Zhu Shu out to her favorite tree and rasied an eyebrow when Zhu Shu 
pulled out her grill.  "You don't bring a lunch?"

"Kasumi usually make.  Zhu Shu not home this morning."

"Kasumi?  That the name of your girlfriend?"

Zhu Shu gave her the eye.  "What Ai want?"

Ai looked around and finally sat down when she could see that no one was 
near enough to overhear her.  "Well. . . actually. . . this is kind of 
embarrassing."

"What?"

Ai pulled out a big picture of Sailor Venus.  "Well, since you know the 
Sailor Senshi, could you get Venus to give me an autograph?  I'm, like, 
totally in love with her!"

Zhu Shu blinked. . . then blinked again.  Finally Ai snapped her fingers in 
front of her face and she started.

"Hey, she's hot, okay?  I'd love to get her autograph, and whatever the news 
says, I know that was you with them the other night." Ai said defensively.

Zhu Shu giggled.  "Is just last thing Zhu Shu expect.

"Well, you don't have to laugh about it." Ai growled.

"Zhu Shu not laugh at Ai.  She relived Ai not want fight.  Zhu Shu much 
prefer Mars anyway.  Very cute."

"Not half as cute as Venus!"

"Yes, yes.  Have beautiful eyes."

"Yeah, but Venus has such a hot body!"

As Zhu Shu finished cooking and she and Ai kept comparing their favorite 
Senshi, the rest of the school looked on in surprise at the two rivals 
having found at least one thing in common. . .

* * * * *

Akane had been overjoyed that Zhu Shu had come to school and even having to 
dodge Kodachi all day hadn't ruined that. She had eagerly agreed when Zhu 
Shu had told her the Senshi were training at Rei's until the dojo was fixed, 
and invited her to come help still. It had been a wonderful feeling having 
Zhu Shu trust her as an equal while teaching the Juuban girls, though Usagi 
was jealous Akane had learned all of Zhu Shu's skills during their 
accidental chi merger. Both Zhu Shu and Akane warned her that she did not 
want to deal with the side effects that had caused.

After practice, Artemis and Luna called the Senshi to a meeting, and for a 
wonder, asked Zhu Shu and Akane to stay. Akane raised an eyebrow at being 
included, but was honored at the request.

After the girls checked to make sure Rei's grandfather was napping soundly 
and that Yuiichirou was out on errands, they assembled in Rei's room, moving 
the massive manga collection around to get enough room for Zhu Shu and Akane 
to set on the bed. Artemis and Luna sat down in the middle of the table and 
looked at each other as the girls waited, looking like they were nerving 
themselves up to speak. Finally Luna took a deep breath.

"I know this is unusual, but as this concerns Zhu Shu and Akane as well, we 
figured they should be here too." She looked at Artemis, who nodded. "We-we 
have finally possibly found out some information on the puzzle so recently 
dropped into our lap by Mercury."

Zhu Shu raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like Luna to talk around a subject like 
that.

Luna raised her eyes to Zhu Shu. "I'm afraid Zhu-chan, that we've been 
studying you. I do apologize, but there were several anomalies about you 
that even now, we're not completely sure of. Mercury, would you be so kind 
as to show Zhu Shu what you showed us the other night?"

Mercury nodded and pulled out her minicomputer. She tilted the small screen 
towards the two girls on the bed and pulled up her readout. "When we first 
meet Zhu-chan, I took some readings of you that were very puzzling." She 
pointed out the relevant readings as she continued. "We were tracking some 
magical spikes, well, we didn't know they were magic at the time, but we 
figured that out later, and we found you on top of this shrine. My first 
readings showed you to be a normal human, but several strange things were 
puzzling. Since then we figured out that they were your curse and your chi, 
but you also possessed a trace of Silver Millennium energy too. When you 
woke up the next day, I took another scan, but didn't review it for a while, 
and when I did, it became apparent something strange had happened. Your 
Millennium trace had grown much stronger. The odd thing was that Rei's magic 
trace had grown too."

Rei did a double blink. "It did? Why didn't you tell me?"

Ami blushed. "Um. . . I wasn't sure if my readings were right at first, then 
we had that whole fight, and today's the first day I've seen you. I talked 
to Makoto and Usagi, but you go to TA Academy."

"Oh."

"Anyway, I wasn't sure of my readings at first but I showed them to everyone 
when you and Zhu Shu went to the movie. Artemis asked me to check your 
current readings then, so I called up the one that my computer made before 
you went out." She called that one up. "This is the one that made us kind of 
worried."

Zhu Shu tilted her head. "Worried? For Zhu Shu?"

Ami nodded, along with Makoto, Minako, and Usagi. "If you look here, you can 
see that somehow, your trace of Silver Millennium energy has gone off the 
scale. You radiate more energy then Usagi does. We were worried you might be 
a beacon to any thing that doesn�t like the Senshi , and almost as soon as 
we found out, a massive magical spike started near where you and Rei were 
eating. We got there as fast as we could and. . . she looked away, 
struggling to control her voice. "Anyway, after it was all over, I took one 
last reading. You still have as much power as you did before the fight, but 
somehow, it's diffused throughout your chi and the magic of your curse. You 
aren't a beacon anymore, but beyond that, I really don't know." She turned 
to Luna.

"Is that what this is about? Did you find out something?"

Luna gave Artemis a look.  "We think so. It's really hard to figure out why 
this has occurred, but as best as we can figure, Zhu Shu is a reincarnated 
warrior of the Earth Kingdom, as you are warriors of the Moon Kingdom. She 
resembles, and from what we have been able to find out, her abilites match 
those of one of the few generals of the Earth who sided with the Moon during 
the fall." She walked to the edge of the table and bowed before continuing. 
"We believe you are the reincarnation of Song Lin Tzu, Daughter of the 
Dragon, and Empress of China during the Silver Millennium."

There were gasps of surprise around the table and a protest from Zhu Shu.

"Zhu Shu not Empress. Zhu Shu is servant of Empress! Zhu Shu is only 
servant!"

Luna nodded. "Whatever your bloodline, you must be the heir of Song Lin 
Tzu's powers. You are still young, but already you possess much of her 
strength and abilities."

"The Dragon. . ." Rei murmured, then looked up at Zhu Shu. "She called you 
The Dragon."

"Who?" Zhu Shu asked.

"The old woman, the one who brought the girl who healed you. She called you 
the Dragon. And I had a vision of you, but you were older, sitting on a 
throne under a Dragon banner. You were wearing a gold crown and had long 
golden fingernails, and I heard a voice announcing me to. . . to the 
Empress."

Zhu Shu stared wide eyed until Akane laid her hand on her
shoulder. "Isn't it wonderful Zhu Shu? You have royal ancestors!"

Zhu Shu shook her head. "Zhu Shu not know. . . Zhu Shu is servant."

Artemis stepped up. "There is more." He turned to Mercury. "Would you show 
us Akane's scan?"

Mercury nodded. A quick tap of her fingers on the key board showed Akane's 
scan. For a long moment no-one spoke as the readouts on the screen 
registered, then Akane looked to Artemis.

"Why do I have the strange feeling that it isn't normal for someone to have 
that high a level of Silver Millennium energy?"

Artemis looked her in the eye. "Because it isn't. You are weaker than any of 
the Senshi, but far stronger than a typical girl. At best as we can figure, 
it's another side effect of your little accident." He sighed. "As it is, we 
can't just let you walk around completely unprotected." He walked over to a 
small bag and nosed out two items.

The smaller one was a slim wand topped by a heart, which he nosed over 
towards Akane. "This is a communication pen. It's capable of reaching any of 
the Senshi and calling them for aid if you are every in danger."

Akane took the pen and looked at it with a raised eyebrow. "Great. . . on 
top of every thing else, now I have to worry about weird creatures?" She 
shook her head.  "Well at least you aren't asking me to become a Senshi.  I 
have enough headaches already."

Luna spoke up. "We wouldn't ask that of you Akane. We simply wish to try and 
keep you safe. You know too much about us, and even though you are weaker 
than any of the Senshi, the power you possess could be dangerous if you fell 
into the wrong hands."

"Why Zhu Shu pen different?" Zhu Shu asked looking at the larger wand. It 
was gold and the heart-shaped end bore a small Dragon Mandala.

Luna looked at Artemis, who turned with a huff. The black cat frowned, then 
pushed the wand to Zhu Shu. "Artemis disagrees with me on this, but this is 
a transformation pen. It has all of the powers of one of the Senshi pens.  
We are not asking you to be a Scout, and we don't know what this will do if 
you ever have to use it.  It is being given to you solely because you have 
so much Silver Millennium energy.  Like Akane's, if you find yourself in 
danger, please use it to call the Senshi. Only in direst need should you use 
it's other functions. You were a warrior of the Earth Kingdom, not the Moon, 
and we cannot predict exactly what effect a transformation may have."

"What about that vision we- Owwww. . ." Usagi rubbed her side where
Minako's elbow had collided with her ribs sharply.

Zhu Shu raised an eyebrow. Vision? Obviously from the glares Usagi was 
getting from the other Senshi, it was something they didn't want to talk 
about. But now wasn't the time. She turned back to Luna.

"As I was saying," the cat continued "We are giving you this only for a dire 
emergency."

"What say to activate?"

Artemis and Luna looked at each other. Luna blushed. "Um. . . actually. . .  
it's Dragon Crystal Power, Makeup."

"Dragon." Zhu Shu said pointedly. "Zhu Shu see. Well, Zhu Shu keep, but 
likely not need. Senshi depend on pen too much."

"Most likely. The Sailor Senshi were born to fight evil, but you are not a 
scout. Were the risk of leaving you defenseless not so great, we would never 
have considered this."

"Zhu Shu not defenseless. But understand. Will keep pen for emergency."

Luna breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's pretty much what we wanted to 
meet about. Did you have anything you wanted to discuss about practice 
today?"

Zhu Shu nodded and gave out her end of class pointers. Following that, the 
group broke up, leaving Akane, Rei, and Zhu Shu alone at the Shrine. Before 
Akane could head out, Rei stopped her. "Could you help me and Zhu Shu pack 
her things?"

"Huh?" Akane was taken by surprise. "Where's she going?"

"Back home to your place, where else?" Rei said with a smile.

"B-but I thought. . ."

"Zhu Shu had enough time. Miss new family too much. Feel much better.  
Besides, Akane and Ranma need Zhu Shu."

"Yes."

Rei smiled. "And I can vouch for how much she misses you."

Akane smiled shyly. "Well, I'm glad you�re coming home."

They crossed the hall to the room Zhu Shu was staying in and as Rei and 
Akane started carefully folding the few dresses Zhu Shu had brought, Zhu Shu 
excused herself to go and get snacks. She gave both Rei and Akane kisses on 
the cheek before she left. . .

Rei looked after her and as the door slid closed and the faint sound of Zhu 
Shu's footsteps faded. "She always does that."

"What?"

"Read people's minds. Somehow she knew I wanted to talk to you alone."

Akane raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

Rei sat down in an chair by the futon. "Do you have any idea how jealous of 
you I am?"

Akane raised an eyebrow. "I? Make you jealous?"

Rei twisted a strand of her hair. "Yeah. I mean, you know you love Ranma, 
and you know you love her. . . I wish I knew for certain how I feel. . ."

Akane controlled the overwhelming stab of jealousy. "About Zhu Shu?"

Rei nodded.

Akane sat down on the futon. "Why?"

"I- I. . ." Rei blushed furiously. "I know that you love her, and I
know that you're getting betrothed to Shan Pu in a few days, and well. . ." 
She couldn't meet Akane's eyes. "I- I just don't know if what I feel means 
I'm in  love with  Zhu Shu too. . ."

Almost, her gut reaction kicked in. Her first impulse was to hammer Rei into 
the ground, but the side of her that considered the younger girl a best 
friend made her stop and think for just a millisecond, and that was all it 
took for the part she had gained from Zhu Shu to assert itself. Rei was her 
friend, and as much as she loved Zhu Shu, she was engaged to Ranma, and 
about to be engaged to Shan Pu, her love for Zhu Shu would never be 
consummated, and she wished Zhu Shu happiness. If Rei could give her that 
happiness, well. . . wasn't that what she wanted anyway?

Ahh. . . but those instincts were so hard to fight.

She put the giant red hammer back behind her back and gave Rei a rueful 
grin. "I'm sorry Rei. My jealous streak was showing."

Rei blinked twice at her, too shocked at narrowly being missed by the huge 
weapon. "Um. . . "

Akane held out her hand. "I _am_ sorry Rei. I do want Zhu Shu to be happy, 
and we can never be more than sisters. I- I think it would be wonderful if 
you could make her happy. . . just. . . unexpected."

Rei nodded. "Um. . . well. . . I just don't know though. I mean, she's so. . 
.  so. . ."

"Zhu Shu." Akane finished. "I know. Believe me, Rei. When Zhu Shu and I 
first met, I was totally shocked to find out she liked girls. I had never 
even contemplated a relationship with a girl, if anything, I thought that 
even thinking about something like that was perverted, then I found myself 
in a relationship with Ranma, and he spends half his time as a girl. It 
really freaked me out at first, but Zhu Shu showed me how ridiculous I was 
about it. She just seems to exude this aura of desirability because of what 
she's been trained to do, but she never consciously uses it. I mean, her 
aunt made her learn everything there was to know about pleasing a man on the 
off chance that an Emperor would desire her as a concubine, and I have all 
the memories of that training in my head. I studiously try to avoid thinking 
about it, because otherwise I'd die of blushing. But because of it, because 
it was drummed into her just as hard as her martial arts, she can't help but 
be sexy."

Rei nodded. "I know. I caught her practicing one morning and I just couldn't 
get her beautiful body out of my head." She curled up on herself.  "Does 
that mean I'm really gay?"

Akane shook her head. "No. I've seen the way you look at Yuiichirou when 
he's not looking, and I've listened to too many of you girl�s conversation 
on boyfriends. At most, it means you're like me. I finally realized I like 
girls as much as guys, but I don't think you're anywhere near as Bi as I am. 
  You like boys too much."

"But I care so much about Zhu Shu. . ."

"That's perfectly natural, Rei. She's one of your best friends. The only 
difference is that you know she likes girls instead of guys." Akane sat 
back. "Listen to me. I even sound like her now." Akane laughed. "Rei, you 
know what you need? You need to talk to my sister Kasumi. She's the absolute 
best big sister in the world and I'm sure she'll help you figure out how you 
feel."

"You don't think she'd laugh at me?"

"No. . . I know she won't laugh at you." Akane smiled. "And, if she helps 
you decide you do love Zhu Shu, and want to make her happy, then I'll do 
everything I can to help you too. . ."

Rei met her smile and for just one second, Akane saw her as Zhu Shu did, the 
glorious angel of fire, and Akane knew that as far as Zhu Shu was concerned, 
she'd never be jealous of anyone who loved her ever again. . .

Outside the door, quite as her namesake, Zhu Shu smiled before going to get 
the promised snacks. . .

* * * * *

Rei joined Akane and Zhu Shu on the subway ride to Nerima, Akane having 
invited her to dinner, and they chatted about school and the other Senshi 
and boy troubles, and the ride passed quickly. They arrived just as Kasumi 
was setting out dinner, and somehow, with the unerring sense of hers, Kasumi 
had made more than enough for the two extra unexpected mouths. Everyone was 
overjoyed that Zhu Shu was back, especially in perfect health. Nabiki even 
spent a part of the evening asking Rei if she thought it would be fun to 
play Mars in the movie Tao-Ching had set up to cover up the fight. Rei 
managed not to reveal that she really was Sailor Mars and did a decent job 
of playing starry eyed girl who made good.

After the delicious meal, Rei and Akane followed Zhu Shu to the family 
shrine, where Zhu Shu's swords still sat in their place of honor. Zhu Shu 
had the pair sit beside her as she knelt and prepared herself to re-link 
with the ancient blades. Akane watched closely, rehearsing in her mind the 
exercises Zhu Shu was doing to clear her chakras and channel her chi, before 
she reached out for the smooth wooden pommels.

A spark jumped from her hands to the hafts of the blades as a sudden surge 
of energy flowed through Zhu Shu. Cascades of energy flowed down the blade, 
delineating them in golden light. As her palms clenched around the hilts, 
the faint dragons carved on their blades flared into a light as bright as 
the sun while through all of their minds came a roar of exultation. The 
dragons seemed to rise above the blades and merged to form a burning yin 
yang symbol before exploding into an arrow of power that arced into Zhu 
Shu's breast. She twirled the twin blades in a fiery arc before holding them 
straight out at her sides, as the energy streaming around them flared one 
last time and flowed back into her.

Zhu Shu fell to her knees. She turned a weak grin at the two girls. "I think 
they're happy to see me. . ."


*******************************************
The most preposterous motion that H. sapiens has ever dreamed up it that the 
Lord God of Creation, Shaper and Ruler of all the Universes, wants the 
saccharine adoration of His creatures, can be swayed by prayers, and becomes 
petulant if He does not receive this flattery. Yet this absurd fantasy, 
without a shred of evidence to bolster it, pays all the expenses of the 
oldest, largest and least productive industry in all history.
-- Lazarus Long --




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