Disclaimer:  In case you're wondering, I still don't own Ranma or 
Sailor Moon.  I do, however, own this story.  True, I've gained all 
of...umm...no money for it, but it's mine.  All mine. *mwahaha*


Chapter 4: Ranma's Trial


 Xian Pu blinked lazily as she stretched out her arms.  It was 
nice to wake up without having anything all that pressing to do.  
Maybe she could just stay in bed for a little longer...

 Ranma rushed into her room with his trademark smirk, causing 
Xian Pu to jump up.  Unfortunately, she wasn't wearing too much 
underneath the covers.  After all, there wasn't any need, since she 
was sleeping in a separate room from Ranma now.   "Ranma!!", she 
growled as Ranma blushed and ran out of the room even faster than he 
ran in.  

 "Sorry, sorry, sorry.", she heard him mumbling as she went 
to the drawer she put her clothing in and put one of her Chinese 
dresses on.  Things went very well for her yesterday, getting to know 
Ranma's mother and spend some more time with him, but this was NOT 
how she wanted to start her day off.

 "Is okay come in now Ranma", she said while sighing.

 "Geese, Xian, I'm really sorry.", he said while scratching 
the back of his head, a blush on his face.  "I didn't mean to, well, 
you know.  I thought you'd probably be up by now, so..."

 "Don't worry about Xian Pu, Ranma.  Xian...I at least 
moderately covered.", she said, a gleam in her eye.  "If not, you 
have to marry.  Is Amazon law."  Ranma gulped as he started to back 
step towards the door.  After all, he may be a little bit more 
comfortable around women now, but there was a limit. 

 Xian Pu started to giggle as she looked at the fear on his 
face.  "Am just kidding, Ranma.  You not airen.  No need worry."  As 
she said this her face started to fall a little bit, but she 
corrected that before Ranma could see.  

 "Hey Xian, we've got to do a lot today, so we better get 
started."

 "What you mean, lot to do?"

 "Well, mom was thinking that we'd do somethin' together today,
then I was hopin' that we might be able to find those girls from 
earlier."

 Xian Pu's eyes narrowed a little.  "Why you want to meet 
short skirt girls?"
 "Ummm...well, we do kind of owe them for fixin' up the house, 
and I was thinkin' that we might be able to help them out.  I imagine 
they could use another couple of good fighters."

 Xian Pu turned her head away slightly, not wanting to make 
eye contact.  She should have known Ranma better by now.

 "I'll meet you downstairs, Xian-chan. Mom has some leftover 
breakfast in the fridge.  It's really good.  Much better than deer 
and grass stew.", he said, winking at her.  Then he was off, leaving 
Xian Pu to freshen up. 
 
 If it was as hard to track those girls as Xian Pu thought, 
it'd probably be a long day.  At least she was with Ranma.  It was 
good to finally have a real friend.  Who knows, maybe now she'd get 
the chance to make more.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

 It was dark, but then again it was always dark in the Dark 
Kingdom.  Beryll hated it.  She hated it almost as much as she hated 
the light.

 "So, Nephrite, do you think you could do a better job then 
Jaedite? He was a terrible disappointment.  You do know what happens 
to disappointments, don't you?"

 "Yes, your Majesty.", he said while bowing, his fist planted 
to the floor.  "He was a fool, taking the Senshi on without any help 
from youma.  Rest assured, your Majesty, I am not a fool."

 "We'll see, Nephrite, we'll see.  Now, begone.  I expect 
weekly reports.  I also expect you to have Tokyo conquered within a 
couple months.  We'll go from there."

 Nephrite got up and left, never looking back, which is just 
as well.  He probably wouldn't have felt nearly as good if he had 
seen the smirk on Beryll's face.  


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Usagi was enjoying herself at the Crown Game Center.  She 
still had to work twelve hour shifts, but now that there were four 
Senshi she had a little bit of time to herself.  Playing the new 
Sailor V video game was the perfect way to pass her time.  She still 
couldn't get over the fact that she actually knew Sailor V.  She was 
so great.  It was almost like she'd known her for years!!

 She sighed as she, once again,  saw her character get pegged 
by a criminal's bullet.  It was amazing how she was so bad at video 
games, when she was able to save Tokyo from crime so 'easily'.  She 
rolled her eyes at this.  People really had no idea, did they?

 "Hey, Usagi-chan.  I see you still can't get past the third 
level.  I would've thought you'd be doing better than that, now that 
you have more time to practice.", Motoki said, rubbing her head 
affectionately.

 Usagi grimaced, as she turned away from the video game.  Here 
was the man she'd had a crush on since she was 12 years old and all 
he thought of her was that she was some cute little kid sister.  
Little did he know.

 "I've been spending too much time trying to catch up on 
schoolwork, for when school starts back up."

 Motoki punched her lightly on the shoulder.  "C'mon, Usagi.  
You don't have to lie to me.  I'd do the same if I was in your shoes."

 Usagi was about to retort when she felt her communicator 
start to vibrate.  She'd have to thank Ami again for rigging up the 
communicators so they could vibrate instead of beep.  It was a 
masterstroke and saved her a ton of explanations.

 "I've gotta go, Motoki-san.  My parents are...umm...they're 
holding a test in mathematics."

 "Oh.", he said, nodding.  That explained a lot.

 Usagi ran off a couple of blocks and ducked into a portable 
bathroom.  After a check from her communicator and a transformation 
later, she was headed for the local shopping district.  


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Ranma groaned as he was dragged off to yet another clothing 
store, for the third hour straight.   He liked being with his mom and 
Xian, but this was just too much.  "Hey, guys.  I'm gonna be in the 
manga store over there, if ya need me."

 Nodoka got a slightly sad look on her face as she nodded her 
assent.  "I'll come to get you when we're done, Ranma."  With that 
said, she changed her course from a 'general selection' clothing 
store to a women's clothing store.  Ranma shuddered, grateful that 
his mom hadn't found out about his curse yet.  Who knew what would 
happen if she found out.

 He opened the door to the manga shop and started to look at 
the selection.  It was huge!!  He'd heard about manga, but had never 
had the chance to read any before.  "One must being willing to 
sacrifice everything for the art.", was his father's favorite saying. 
He could still hear his father say that whenever he thought about 
anything besides the Art.

 He tried to forget about that as he started roaming throughout
the manga, trying to find one that he'd like.  He eventually started 
moving from the front of the store, which mainly consisted of shojo 
stories, and started to find stuff a little more to his liking.  He 
was just getting into a good one, called "Slayers", when he heard 
somebody scream outside.  Instincts took over as he tossed the manga 
back on it's shelf and started to run for the door.

 Outside was a monster that looked to be made from a photo 
booth.  He stood there staring at it, as his mind was assaulted by 
the memory of his mother lying on the floor.  Cold and helpless.  
Hardly breathing.  Ranma's eyes narrowed as a huge red battle aura 
broke out around him.  "This youma will NOT hurt anybody else.  I 
swear it.", he vowed as he broke into the fastest run he could. 

 Within the span of a second he was upon the monster.  Before 
it could even register the approach of an enemy, it was assaulted 
with a punch-kick combo that was immediately followed up by a leg 
sweep that sent it careening backwards.  It didn't stop there though. 
Oh no, Ranma wouldn't let it get off that easily.  He continued to 
punch and kick, giving it all he had, until he jumped back, needing a 
breather.

 The youma got back up and dusted itself off.  It charged for 
Ranma before he got a full chance to rest and started it's own attack.
Ranma easily dodged it's attacks, being quite a bit quicker.  However,
try as hard as he might, he wasn't able to cause any damage that made 
the youma so much as flinch.

 Just as he started to get tired, the creature was assaulted 
by Xian Pu, bonbori hitting it in the side.  "What's wrong with me?", 
Ranma asked himself.  "There's no way that thing should be shrugging 
off those blows.  I may not be quite as good as Khu Lon, but I have 
ta be as good as those sailor girls."

 Ranma pulled himself out from his contemplations as he 
noticed that Xian Pu had been tagged by a new youma that had shown 
up, and was sent flying into a fire hydrant.  Ranma saw red as he 
dove for the new youma, to give it everything he had.  "Kachu Tenshin 
Amagurikan", he shouted as he let loose 600 consecutive hits to it's 
torso and jumped back to see his handiwork.  However, it just stood 
there and leered at him as got back up and  started it's charge.

 He noticed Xian Pu regained her feet, which was a very good 
thing, since both youma were currently charging towards them.  He got 
ready to meet the first youma's attack when her heard someone shout 
"Fire Soul", which was followed by a jet of flames that engulfed the 
second youma, causing it to shriek in pain.  He didn't pay too much 
attention to the Sailor Suited Warrior of Justice though.  He didn't 
have time.  He had to distract the first youma until someone 
with...m..more...power came to take care of it, he admitted to himself.  

 The fight seemed to draw on forever, with him hardly causing 
a scratch on the beast.  However, eventually after the other Senshi 
showed up it wasn't too much of a fight , even when a third and fourth
youma eventually came.

 After the battle was over Ranma fell to his knees, his eye's 
closing in disgust.  He could practically hear his father behind him.
"Well, boy, I see you've shown your true colors.  I guess you're not 
a girl after all.  That's much too powerful for you.  What's it feel 
like having to be saved bunch a bunch of little girls?"

 Ranma clapped his hands over his ears and let out a scream 
that everyone within distance would always remember.  It was gut 
wrenching scream that some would say was the scream of someone who'd 
lost their soul to a youma.  It was a scream of utter misery and 
despair.

 The Senshi jumped back, and even Xian Pu took a step back as 
Ranma jumped for the nearest roof and ran with all his might.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Sailor Moon shot a worried look at her friends as she saw the 
young man from before shoot off at a speed that almost matched their 
Senshi forms.  All of them looked downtrodden.  This wasn't how it 
was supposed to be.  They won.  Clear cut.  No people injured.  Why?  
What could have happened to this boy to make him sound like that?!

 "Mercury, can you track that young man?", Sailor Moon asked.

 "Yes, Sailor Moon.  I've been scanning him for awhile now, 
so it shouldn't be too hard.  If you want, I could send the program 
into your communicator."

 "I'd appreciate that.", she said as she took off in the 
direction of the boy.

 "You no leave without Xian Pu.  Ranma is Xian Pu best 
friend.", she heard someone shout from behind.  She turned around 
while on one of the rooftops, just in time to see the purple-haired 
girl (Shampoo, she said?) jump up after her.  Sailor Moon stared at 
her for a moment.  How was it that these two were able to pull off 
feats like this?  Oh well, she'd have to investigate later.  Judging 
by the look in Xian Pu's eyes, she wasn't going to get any answers 
right now.  Besides, she had to help that boy.  

 Sailor Moon started jumping from rooftop to rooftop, keeping 
a slightly slower pace than normal, to make sure Xian Pu could keep 
up.  After a couple of blocks she took out her communicator and tuned 
it to the map screen.  Sure enough, there was a glowing blip.  Then 
again, that couldn't be it, could it?  It was over half a mile away!!

 Lacking any better direction she started to head for the blip,
but began to get worried when Ranma hadn't shown up within a few more 
blocks.  "Shampoo, I think we may have missed him.", she said stopping
on one of the higher roofs, so she could look in every direction.

 "Why that?  Magical screen not working properly?", Xian Pu 
asked.

 "I don't think so.  According to this, Ranma would have to 
have been more than half a mile away when we first started."

 "Oh, that all?  I think he would have run much farther."

 Usagi shrugged off her surprise and continued onwards.  Within
another minute of flat out sprinting they had arrived, and not a 
moment too soon, from the looks of things.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Ranma sat there staring at the water.  His mind no longer 
working, he just stared off into space, nothing registering, until a 
hand was put on his shoulder.

 Ranma let out a sharp gasp as the world started to lurch  
around him.  He turned around and saw two of the people that meant 
the most to him.  There was An-ei, laying a hand on his shoulder, 
and behind her was his beloved Hikari.  Ranma blinked a couple of 
times.  That didn't seem to be quite right.  Those weren't their 
names.  They're Xian Pu and Sailor Moon, right?

 "Go away", he managed to whisper.  The last thing he needed 
was pity, especially from somebody that was stronger than him.

 "No.  We no leave when need."

 "I said to go away, Xian."

 Sailor Moon stood in the background, feeling horribly out of 
place.  Did she have a right to be here?  She didn't even know the 
girl, Shampoo, let alone Ranma, but she felt like she had to do 
something.  It felt like her heart was ripping apart.

 "Ranma-sama.", she spoke softly.  "I just wanted to let you 
know that I appreciated your help out there."

 "Appreciated my help?  Appreciated my HELP?!", Ranma shouted, 
a sick green glow surrounding him.  "Oh yes, the great Ranma Saotome.
Master of the light punch and the bounce-back kick."

 Sailor Moon stared at him, a shocked look on her face.  This 
wasn't how it was supposed to go.  She didn't know how, but she knew 
that this wasn't how he was supposed to be.

 Ranma sank back to his knees as the overwhelming guilt 
overtook him.  He just proved, once again, how weak he actually was, 
snapping at a girl he barely knew.  A person that was ten times what 
he could ever be.

 Ranma reeled back as Sailor Moon struck him with an open palm.
She glared at him in righteous fury.  "Is that all you have to say?!  
Is it?  Oh, look at me.  I can't kill youma with my bare hands.", she 
said, tears starting to roll down her eyes.  "Do you even realize?  
Do you?!  Do you know how many lives you just saved by stalling long 
enough for us to come?  The man I saw out there was nothing like this 
pitiful shell of a little boy.  The man I saw out there was everything
we could ever hope to represent.", she finished with a shout.  She 
spun around, tears still streaming down her eyes as she ran away, not 
really caring where she went.

 "This isn't supposed to be how things go when we meet.", her 
mind screamed.  "This isn't what's supposed to happen.  Why?"

 That was the last thought she had before she collapsed on a 
rooftop, sobbing to herself.  She had no idea how long she was there 
before arms gently wrapped around her.  She stared into Sailor Venus' 
eyes for a brief moment before she let it all out, sobbing into her 
best friend's chest.

 Sailor Venus' eyes were sad as she tried to comfort her 
friend, her princess.  "There, there.  It's going to be alright.  
You'll see.  You'll see.", she whispered into Sailor Moon's ear as 
she gently rocked her back and forth, until, half an hour later, she 
eventually cried herself to sleep.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Xian Pu just stood there.  She didn't know what else to do.  
She felt like she had just witnessed a violation of all the rules she 
knew.  She felt like she disturbed an almost sacred ceremony, of 
which she was part, but had no right to be.  That's what hurt.  
That's what really tore at her soul.

 She watched as Ranma, once again, sank slowly to his knees, 
but she could tell that it was different this time.  She moved 
forward and put her hand on Ranma's shoulder again.  "Is okay, Ranma. 
Xian Pu know you need time alone.  I tell mother you be back when can.
Just no be out too long.", she whispered into his ear, giving his 
shoulder a squeeze and drawing him into a quick hug.  It was over 
too soon, and she got back up.  Then, like a shadow in the noonday 
sun, she vanished.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Sailor Moon's words kept repeating in Ranma's mind, drowning 
out the admonishments of his father.  However, even though her words 
held true wasn't it also true that he was still weak?

 "Is it all that weak to depend on others?", Ranma could hear 
his onna-forms' voice ask him.

 "Yes.  A true martial artist need not depend on others."

 "Oh, really?  So you would say that Sailor Moon is weak?"

 "No.  Of course not!"

 "Ah, but you just said that in order to be strong, you 
mustn't be dependant on others.  Yet, Sailor Moon places her life in 
the hands of her fellow Senshi every time she does battle."

 "That's different, and you know it!!"

 "Really?  I fail to see the difference.  Then again, she is 
just a girl, isn't she?  One can't expect much from a girl."

 Ranma's battle aura came to life briefly, giving everything 
around him a slightly red tint.  "What's that supposed to mean?", he 
snarled out.  "Some of the best warriors I know have been girls.  
Just take a look at the Senshi and Xian Pu.  Look at Khu Lon, for 
crying out loud!!"

 "So, what you're telling me is that it's not a bad thing to 
depend on others, and that it's also not a bad those for those other 
people to be girls, ne?"

 Ranma drew in a sharp breath.  Could that be true?  Could he 
have been wrong all this time?  He sighed as he thought about it for 
a while longer and came to the conclusion that it was, indeed, quite 
true.  Maybe teamwork wasn't such a bad thing after all.

 Ranma, set off for home just as the sun started to set, 
bursting in all the colors he remembered from when he was in the 
forests of China.  It seemed a fitting overture to the earlier events,
he thought.  Hopefully, it would also be a prelude of things to come.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Nodoka sat on the living room couch, next to Xian Pu, 
thinking about her son.  What did her husband do to their son that 
could bring that kind of reaction.

 The door started to open as Ranma prepared to enter, but he 
was thrown back when his mother tackled him in a fierce hug.  "You're 
okay.  My baby boy's alright.", she murmered, hugging him for all she 
was worth.

 Ranma blushed at some of the things she said, but returned 
the hug with just as much enthusiasm.  It seemed as if everything was 
once again right with the world.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Nephrite grumbled to himself as he reviewed the day's failure.
He was so sure that he would have be able to win the shopping 
district, as well as the energy from all the people there.  He'd 
planned it so carefully!  He knew the Senshi's general routes for 
patrol.  He watched them until they were ten minutes away from the 
fight.  He even threw four youma at them, but the Senshi still won!!

 Nephrite grabbed a nearby Youma by the neck and started 
squeezing the life out of it, taking extra care to make it last as 
long as possible.  "It was all that boy's fault.", he thought.  "Rest 
assured, I will find you and crush you.", he declared, crushing 
youmas throat. 

 "There, that felt much better.", he decided, wiping the dust 
from in between it's fingers. 



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


 Usagi woke up to the sound of her communicator going off.  
She shrugged off the dysphoria accompanied from dropping into sleep 
unexpectedly, and grabbed her communicator.  Ami's face showed up on 
the screen as soon as she pressed the receive button.  Usagi smiled 
at this.  After all, it wasn't the distress signal sent out when a 
youma was attacking.  What could go wrong?

 "Good, you're awake.  Come over to Rei's shrine ASAP.  I'm 
afraid I have to call a Senshi meeting."

 "Whoa, slow down, Ami.  Why?  What's so important?"

 "It's about Ranma and Xian Pu.  They're not what they seem."


End of Chapter 4


Well, I hope you enjoyed it.  I'm sorry that it's a little bit 
shorter than some of the others, but I figured this was a pretty 
good place to stop.  Hehe.  As always, send all comments and 
criticisms to asgeras@prodigy.net .  For previous chapters, in their 
most recent state, go to the link at the bottom.

Asgeras
http://www.geocities.com/asgeras@prodigy.net/index.html


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