Describe and define Destiny in ten words or less.

    You can't.

    You can try, but you will fail.  There are so many possible
definitions of Destiny.  NO-ONE one in the world has ever been able
to define Destiny.

    With one exception... a boy named Ranma Saotome.

    He was asked once-- never mind by who-- what HE thought destiny
was.

    And he paused, and replied...

    "Pretty much the kinda crap that happens to me.  Ain't no way to
get around it."

    He did define it... but he didn't get it under ten words.

    ####

    "I... I can't believe Naoko-chan is the Paragon...."

    Mamoru sighed.  "You know, in a way, we should have expected it."

    "Huh?"  The Champion of Love and Justice took on a blank
expression, as she looked at the unconscious girl laid on a couch in
Mamoru's apartment.

    "Well, whenever you make a new friend, they usually turn out to
be a good person, and often an ally.  You've got a knack for it."

    Sailor Moon sighed.  "It seems that way, sometimes... I hope she
wakes up soon."

    "What do you plan to do?"

    "What I have to.  She once said, 'You tell me, I'll tell you.'
Well, she didn't exactly tell me... but it's not fair to keep my
secret when I know hers.  Besides, I KNOW she's on our side-- or
we're on hers, I just KNOW it.  So if we both know each other's
secret, we can work together."

    Mamoru nodded.  "That makes sense.  I'll go along with it also.
But I don't think we should speak for the others..."

    Sailor Moon nodded.  That was probably the best way to do it...
She was distracted as Naoko wavered again, becoming... someone who
most definitely NOT Naoko.

    Mamoru stared at his princess, wondering why her face had
suddenly taken on an expression of near panic, her eyes oddly glassy
in her stare over his shoulder.  Looking back, his own countenance
became wrapped in sheer confusion, which was really to be expected.

    When a pretty redhead in a miniskirt becomes a striking young
black-haired boy in Chinese styled garments, it is confusing, after
all.

    "I think she... ah, he has a lot to tell, Usako," he said, trying
to keep his voice even and failing miserably...

    ####

    Robert Haynie Presents

    A Sailor Moon / Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction

    PARAGON

    Episode Five: Ranma and Usagi, Sailor Moon and Paragon!  Unlikely
alliances are forged!

    ####

    The boy stood in a place that was not a place.  Screwy
description, yeah, but that was the best way he could think of it.
There was nothingness, only nothingness... but there was, somehow, an
awful lot of it.

    (Okay.  The last thing I remember was standing up after
Chainmail-chan's chains were cut by Sailor Moon.  With her headband.
THAT was weird... not as weird as that giant pink heart thing, but
weird.  And then I started to feel... I'm really fuzzy about that
bit.)

    He looked around, and sighed.  (And now I'm here, wherever here
is, if here is even a here in the first place.  And I'm a guy.  I
wonder if I got killed, or something?  If this is the afterlife, it
sure don't look like anything I ever heard of.)

    "It's not the afterlife, Ranma.  It's just that right now your
mind is on an astral plane.  One that your world's mystics don't know
about."

    The pigtailed martial artist spun, ready for attack, only to
relax at the sight of the little kid that had started him on the
whole Paragon thing in the first place.  "Oh, you.  So, this is a,
whaddyacallit, out of body experience?"

    "More of an out of mind experience, actually."

    Ranma smirked.  "Well, ain't like a lot of people don't think I'm
not already out of my mind.  Say, you got a name?"

    "A name?  Hmmm.  I suppose you can call me... Elvis."

    "You're kidding."

    "It's as good a name as any.  Personal identifiers aren't a major
issue for my kind."

    "But ELVIS?"

    "Is there some significance to that name I'm not aware of?"

    Ranma sighed.  "Never mind.  Well, Elvis, why am I here?"

    "Hmmm... how to explain this... simply put, we hadn't expected
for you to wind up in a situation that would trigger the Fusing so
soon.  We'd expected the enemy, the Dark, to continue with assaults
on passerby.  Instead they decided to try to kill you directly."

    "Yeah, but I think that was more my getting to Chainmail-chan
there in person and hacking her off so bad.  Damn lucky Sailor Moon
showed up when she did... I'm not sure I could have gotten out of
that on my own."

    "Quite."  The boy looked "up" and sighed.  "But the injury you
received caused you to actively fuse Magic and Chi together, which is
normally impossible.  It also allowed you to access your final
attack... rather sooner than anticipated, again."

    Ranma looked blank for a second, and then whispered, "The Sword
of Judgment..."

    "Yes.  Oh, you're going to awaken soon, I think.  And when you
do, I'd suggest you be ready to explain a few things."

    "Huh?  Explain what?"

    "Unless I'm mistaken, you probably detransformed in front of
Sailor Moon."

    "Oh, crap."

    "You pushed your energy very hard after your first powerup.
And-- oh, dear."

    "Why do I not like the way you said that?"

    "You used a LOT more energy than I had thought."

    "And that means?"

    "I'm afraid you detransformed again, just now."

    "But I only got one-- Oh, CRAP!"

    "That's about the size of it," the child called Elvis said, as
the not-a-world started to fade away around Ranma Saotome.

    ####

    "He's waking up."

    Ranma looked into the clear blue eyes of Sailor Moon, and froze
for a moment, then carefully made sure he WAS Ranma.  Which he was,
with the attendant 'he' part.

    "I can explain this, well, I can't really EXPLAIN it, not in any
way that makes sense, but it's really very simple?"

    (Okay.  VERY smooth talking, Ranma.)

    Sailor Moon smiled at the pigtailed boy, and replied, "It's all
right Naoko... ah... -kun.  But I need to show you something."

    "That's a relief, I thought I was gonna get the Big Pink Heart
thingy--
 Wait a minute.  How do you know that name?"

    "That's part of what I need to show you," Sailor Moon replied.
And then a hazy light surrounded her for a moment, to reveal Usagi
Tsukino.

    Usagi had expected the boy to do anything but what he did...
which was to slowly start beating his head against the coffee table.

    "This ain't happening.  No WAY is this happening.  No freaking
WAY."

    "Um... Naoko-kun?"

    "I make a friend-- a just plain friend-- for what may be the
first time in my entire LIFE and she's Sailor Moon.  Ain't ANYTHING
in my life EVER gonna be normal?"  Ranma was half torn between an
impulse to weep and another to explode in hysterical laughter.  Once
again, the universe had thrown him a curve ball when he'd been
expecting a hockey puck.

    "Well, it's a bit surprising for me to see my new friend turn
into a boy.  Why did you do that, anyway?"

    "I didn't."

    "But I just saw you--"

    "I turned BACK into a boy."

    Usagi blinked, as she chewed that one for a few moments.  "So,
you're saying you're really a boy that turns into a girl?"

    "'Bout the size of it, yeah."

    "Why?"

    "'Cause the Paragon has to be a girl.  That's what the kid said."

    Usagi's expression was now past confused and into the realm of
total incomprehension.  Mamoru wasn't far behind, for that matter.
"Why didn't this... kid, you said, just pick a girl in the first
place?" he asked, uncertainly.

    "Because I used to turn into a girl anyway.  It's just that it
was usually by accident."

    The silence at this statement was resounding. Then Usagi said,
voice wavering, "Naoko-kun, I don't understand at all..."

    Ranma sighed.  "Well, I guess Naoko-kun's as good a name as
anything.  As for turning into a girl, I used to have this curse..."

    ####

    Ukyo Kuonji sighed as she polished the counters in her
restaurant.  And yet again berated herself for what she could only
describe as the single stupidest thing she had EVER done in her life.

    What had possessed her to crash the wedding THAT way?  In company
with Shampoo, yet.  It was certainly not something that would endear
her to Ranma, that was certain.

    And yet she'd had the stupid idea that Ranma would be grateful to
her.  Instead, Ranma wouldn't speak to her unless spoken to, and
didn't come by anymore.  He called her Ukyo, not Ucchan.  He refused
offers of lunch, even.

    And for all that, she was getting better treatment than Shampoo,
who was being TOTALLY ignored by Ranma.

    (He likes her.  I should have seen it coming.  They had been
getting along better and better, and he wasn't refusing the
wedding... he likes her.

    (Better than he likes me.)

    A single tear trickled down her cheek, as she polished the
countertop, and a whispered word escaped her lips...

    "Jackass."

    She wasn't sure who she was addressing that to.

    ####

    "Naoko-kun" had not gone into many details about his life--
certainly he hadn't mentioned some of the more improbable things,
refused to even THINK about Saffron, and as for the Fiancees?  Yeah,
RIGHT, he was going to go into detail about THAT.  Usagi struck him
as the type who'd try to help with the matter.

    That would only get her hurt, he just knew it.

    But he DID explain about Jyusenkyo, about the offer of a control
of the curse.  He DID tell her that as far as he knew, he was
probably the best martial artist of his generation, and that the
combination of the two was probably what made him Paragon material.

    And Usagi didn't tell him who any of the other Senshi were, not
at all.  But she did tell him a short version of the Silver
Millennium, and about her power, and where it came from-- sort of.

    Careful, tentative trading of information.

    Meanwhile Ranma was gazing at Mamoru, and putting two and two
together.  It was obvious that Sailor Moon had a thing for the guy in
the tux.  It was clear that Usagi and Mamoru were an item.  That
meant--

    "So, if she's Sailor Moon, then you're..."

    "Well, yes.  I am."

    "Wow.  Sailor Moon and Captain Opera."

    Mamoru found the taste of carpet oddly soothing for a moment, but
then jerked himself to a sitting position.  "CAPTAIN OPERA?"

    "That ain't it?"

    "Of COURSE not!  It's Tuxedo Kamen!"

    Ranma paused, thinking.  "Seems to me that Captain Opera sounds
better."

    Mamoru began to protest, when he was distracted by Usagi's
giggles.  "It's not funny, Usako."

    "Oh, I don't know, Mamo-chan.  It actually sounds pretty
dramatic."

    "I put a lot of thought into Tuxedo Kamen, you know.  It's a very
good name for someone who couldn't remember who he was at the time."

    "Couldn't remember--"

    "Let's just say that things were pretty darn confusing when we
fought the Dark Kingdom and their youma."

    Ranma thought.  "Never heard of 'em."

    "Nobody has but us."

    "Oh.  Anyhow, it's kinda nice you guys are taking this so
well..."

    Usagi smiled.  "Hey, why not?  I feel like I made TWO new friends
instead of one, after all!"

    "Hunh?"

    "Well, I have Naoko-chan, and I also have Naoko-kun!  It's two
friends at once!"  She giggled at that.  "And now I'm certain you're
not an enemy, after all, because you're such a nice guy!"

    "Glad someone thinks so," Ranma replied, feeling somewhat dizzy.
Usagi was easily the most accepting person he'd ever met, in fact
possibly the ONLY accepting person he'd ever met.  It scared him a
little.

    Mamoru, on the other hand, was peering at "Naoko-kun" intently.
There was something about him that was on the edge of his mind.  That
pigtail, that style of dress, his physique-- Oh, this was RICH.

    "Usako, you know that perfect boy you were telling me Minako and
Makoto are going on about?  The mystery boy that seems to vanish
whenever they start to follow him?"

    "Yes, yes, I know all about their hallucina-- Oh.  OH!  He's... I
see.  They're right.  He's almost as cute as you, Mamo-chan."

    "Hey!" protested the pig-tailed boy.

    "Well since she's almost as cute as you are, Usako, that makes
sense," Mamoru replied, grinning.

    "I'm sittin' right here, you know," grumbled the martial artist.

    "Sorry, Naoko-kun, but it's just that coincidence once again has
wound up in our laps," Mamoru said, his grin widening.  "A couple of
Usako's friends are hunting far and wide for you."

    Ranma's eyes narrowed at that statement.  "Don't suppose either
of them said anything about an engagement?"

    The blank expression on Usagi and Mamoru's faces answered that.
"Whew.  Thank goodness."

    "Why would they say--"

    "Don't ask.  PLEASE."

    "Um, okay," Usagi conceded, uncertainly.  It was pretty obvious
that "Naoko-kun" felt strongly about this.

    "Anyhow, I ain't tellin' anyone about you guys if you don't tell
anyone about me.  And that means your friends too-- I don't wanna
know, and I don't want THEM to know.  I don't wanna see anyone hurt
except the Dark."

    Usagi scowled at that statement.  "Well, if you want this kept
secret, I can agree.  But I think we can take care of ourselves
eeeep."

    The Eeeep was because Naoko-kun was holding out his hand, a ball
of swirling golden light collecting in his palm.  "Can any of them do
anything like this when they ain't dressed up all super-girly?"

    "no..." Usagi whispered in awe.  She couldn't tell what the
lambent sphere was, but she COULD sense it wasn't magical.

    "It's chi.  Yeah, just like in the anime.  Except most people
don't think it's real.  Well it is.  And I can take your apartment
wall out with this."

      He sighed.  "And I ain't the only one.  See, you guys are great
at the monster stuff... probably better than I am, so far.  You got
the experience at this magical girl thing I don't.  But I'm a better
fighter-- and there's a bunch of others that are almost as good as
me.  And a couple who are better," this said with a reluctant
expression, "but not by much.  And the problem is that half of 'em
wanna kill me, and the other half.... well, don't.  You guys seem
tougher than most people when dressed up, but you ain't as tough-- on
a sheerly physical level-- as I am, or they are.  You could really
get hurt if you wandered into something you shouldn't."

    Mamoru frowned.  "Let me guess.  You're from Nerima."

    "How did you--  Um, no, I mean, I'm from, um, Shimbuku!  Yeah,
that's the tick... you ain't buying this, are you?"   Naoko-kun said,
with a distressed expression.

    "I've heard stories about Nerima.  Most people discount them the
same way they discount the stories about Juuban and the Senshi."

    "So, why don't you?"

    "I'm not most people.  I'm -- if you like-- Captain Opera."

    "Never gonna let me live THAT one down, are ya."  The pigtailed
boy sighed.

    "Not any time soon.  Hmmph.  I think you owe me an apology."

    "Ya got it.  Hunh.  Anyway, if you understand Nerima, then you
understand what I mean."

    Mamoru nodded.  "Usako, from what strange tales I hear from
martial arts practice about Nerima, we don't want to go there.  Not
unless you've suddenly got a dan ranking you haven't mentioned to me
before."

    "You study the Art?"

    Mamoru nodded.  "Not a lot.  Some karate, some kendo.  And I play
a lot of darts."

    "Darts?  Oh, the thing with the roses.  That's pretty cool, you
know."

    "They... they are?"

    Naoko-kun nodded.  "Mainly a defensive weapon, right?  And a
distraction.  I get the idea you ain't a front-line fighter, more
there to give support fire to the girls, and keep their spirits up.
Nothing wrong with that in my book, since they're the heavy
hitters... you're there to give them a clear shot."

    Mamoru stared.  "You may be the first person I have ever met who
understands that.  My powers draw from a different source than the
Sailors... but you can't imagine how many times I've been out for a
quiet beer after class with Motoki and heard someone discussing the
latest rumors about the Senshi... and me."

    He began to glower.  "The rose is wimpy.  He's just a cheerleader
for the Sailor Senshi.  Who is this weakling, anyway, lets girls
fight for him?  Damn it, I sometimes want to go over to those tables
and show them just what a rose can do--"

    "Whoa, calm DOWN, man!"

    "Mamo-chan, I didn't know you felt that way--"

    "It's... All right.  I just get so... And of course I can't talk
to anyone about it..."

    Usagi began to tear up.  "But... you know you can talk to me
about anything... don't you?"

    Before Mamoru could get out a reply to that, Naoko-kun
interjected.  "I think he means he don't have a guy friend that he
can talk to about that kinda thing.  There's some stuff that guys
kinda want to talk with guys about.  It's because we're all macho
idiots.  Well, that's what a... friend of mine says, anyhow."

    Usagi brightened.  "Oh!  I understand, just like there are things
girls only want to talk to girls about!  You know, I never really
realized that worked both ways.  But Mamo-chan, you DO have someone
to talk with!"

    Mamoru blinked, and then followed Usagi's finger to the younger
male.

    "Hey, works for me, Usagi-sempai.  You ever need to let off
steam, Mamoru-kun, I'm willing to be listen.  I rarely drink beer,
tho."

    "And I can still talk to Naoko-chan, and it's great, because you
understand both sides!  Wait.  Usagi-sempai?"

    "Um... I might understand SOME girl stuff better than most guys,
but I ain't really claiming to be good at it.  And sempai, well, you
are my senior in the magical girl biz.  Heck, you're my senior in the
girl biz period."  Naoko-kun gave a weak grin.

    Usagi burst out in a fit of giggles, while Mamoru started to
laugh heartily.  Naoko-kun smiled, and then began to imitate Mamoru.

    "Tell you what, Naoko.  I'll be honored if you will share a beer
with me, just this once, and we can figure out what to do with these
revelations.  And I'll make Usako some tea... and I have those lemon
cookies she likes so much in."

    There was a pause.  "There's one thing I gotta tell you.  Naoko
Takahashi is the girl... keep it to yourselves, but my male name is
Ranma Saotome."

    ####

    "Why are we in Tokyo, anyway?"  Haruka Tenoh grumbled.  "I'd
hoped we'd never have to come back here.  I'd choke if I had to face
the Princess after..."

    "We're here because I need a new gown for the Kyoto recital,
love.  And I agree... thinking back, trying to beat up the Princess
to prove she WAS the Princess was not our brightest moment.  I wish
we knew where Setsuna was... what happened to her.  She could have
just told us outright."  Michiru Kaioh sighed.  After the Guardian of
Time had used her forbidden Time Stop, she'd vanished... and neither
of them had any idea what had happened to her.  

    "She could also have told us what morons we were being.  I can't
BELIEVE that we pulled a stunt like that..."

    "I don't think we were being morons, exactly--"

    Haruka grimaced.  "I can't find any other way to put it.  We were
wrong about the Talismans, about sacrifices, about Hotaru, about
EVERYTHING.  We didn't make a SINGLE call throughout the entire thing
that was correct.  The only reason we attacked the Princess was
because we were just too damn proud to admit that we were wrong from
the start.  That Sailor Moon was right.  And that we should have just
connected with her at the beginning and shared information and
followed her damn lead."

    "But-"

    "But nothing, Michiru.  We were just a couple of loose cannons.
I mean, it was pretty obvious that Setsuna trusted her.  But nooo...
we had to be the Elite, the best, the ones who were right.  I haven't
spent a day since that I haven't been disgusted at myself.  And I
really HATE coming back to Tokyo because it reminds me of what a fool
I was... and you should hate it also."

    Michiru sighed.  She didn't like to admit it, but she shared
those feelings.  Haruka, as ever, was more vocal about it, true...
but it was true that they had not exactly made the best of calls
during the Pharaoh 90 incident.  "Well, I doubt we'll see her... or
any of them.  We're just in town to pick up my new dress for the
concert, overnight at a hotel, and then back to Kyoto.  What could
possibly happen?"

    Michiru had never met a citizen of Nerima.  Had she, she would
have known what an incredibly stupid thing that was to say.

    ####

    "I really should be headin' back to Nerima.  People been starting
to ask too damn many questions.  Especially one person."  Dark
thoughts of Nabiki passed through Ranma's mind.

    "Awww."  Usagi never liked to see a new friend leave-- and here
were two in one.  "Hey, you should give me your phone number in case
something happens when you're not here."

    "Whoa!  BAD IDEA, Usagi!  VERY bad idea!"

    Mamoru stared at Ranma who was now backed against a wall, waving
his hands frantically.  "It seems simple enough to me..."

    "Well, it's ain't!  I got a, um, fiancee, and she's a bit
jealous, and kinda leaps to the wrong idea about things, so if a girl
calls asking for Ranma, well..."  (And that's not to mention what the
hell would happen of Pops or old man Tendo picked up the phone, and
if Nabiki did-- oh, god.  Be even worse if Mom did.  SHE'D be all for
something that ain't there.)

    "Oh.  That's a shame... wait, I know!  At my house-- come on!
I'll show you!  Heeheehee... and I thought they'd go to waste!"

    "Um... okay.  Let me get changed first."

    "Huh?  What you're wearing is perfectly... oh," the blonde
trailed off, as Ranma's form seemed to fuzz for a moment and then
Naoko sat in the same place, dressed as she had been before.  "But
why?  I mean, we know about each other, I don't mind--"

    Naoko smiled.  "Gomen, Usagi-chan.  As far as I'm concerned, the
less Ranma Saotome is seen in Juuban, the better.  But you have a way
for us to get in touch?"

    "Sure!  It's my best idea ever!  Um... I'd ask you to come,
Mamo-chan, but, well, you know how Daddy is sometimes..."

    Mamoru smiled.  "I know, Usako.  Fathers are like that about
daughters."

    Naoko raised an eyebrow.  "Overprotective to the point of near
psychosis?"

    "Um... I wouldn't go that far."

    "How refreshing.  Well, thank you for taking care of me,
Chiba-san, while I was out.  And I'm certain Ranma will be pleased to
spend time with you should you need a sounding board."  She bowed,
and as she and Usagi left, Mamoru shivered a bit.  The boy turned
girl's act was SCARILY good...

    ####

    From a shadow, thin strands of silver wove out, forming the
outline of a female form, then coalescing into a attractive woman in
gauzy silver robes.  She looked across the city from the window of
the clock tower that she had arrived at, and smiled.  It was a pity
about Ferriko, but it was also to be expected.  The Mistress of Iron
hadn't ever been exactly the most strategic of the Master's minions.

    Quite unlike herself.  After all, she was the Mistress of Silver,
the metal of Magic.  Really, she should have been sent in the first
place.

    Argentiko smiled.  It was not a reassuring smile...

    ####

    "See?  We used these before we got our new communicators, and
they're on a different frequency so I can use my old one to call you
and no one can listen in, and you can use... hmm... I think Jupiter's
would be best, because you're both real fighters up close."  Usagi
held up the small card-like object, similar to the popular electronic
diary/message passers that many girls enjoyed.

    Naoko stared at it dully.  It was pink.  It was, in fact, about
the pinkest thing she had ever seen in her life.  It radiated pink in
the same way that a blue thing didn't.

    "This,"  Naoko said, "has got to be the girliest piece of
electronic gear that has ever been made.  No offense."

    Usagi giggled.  "None taken.  I guess you're too much of a tomboy
to like the look!"

    "You have no idea-- no, wait, you do.  Heh.  Well, I'll take it--
it's a good idea until we can find something else.  Ranma can hide it
easily enough, too."

    "Why do you talk as if you're two different people?"

    "Well, the last thing I want is for anyone at home to find out
about this.  So, I make it a practice to do so.  Get the idea?"

    Usagi nodnodded.  "That's so clever!  I wish I could be clever
like that."

    Naoko held up the first generation Senshi Communicator.
"Thinking of this was clever, Usagi-chan.  And as for hiding it..."
Naoko waved her hand and the communicator seemed to vanish.

    "Wow, you've got a subspace pocket like Mercury does!"

    "A what?"

    "A subspace pocket!  It's where she keeps her computer.  She has
this really neat computer, and she keeps it in a pocket in subspace.
That's what she calls it, anyhow."

    "Oh.  No, it's just Hidden Weapons technique.  It's a martial art
I know only a little bit about-- there's this guy I know who has what
I can only call true mastery of it-- but what it is is forcing the
weave of reality to accept a foreign object by the manipulation of
chi."

    Usagi mused over that.  "So, what you're saying is you kind of
make a space under our space that you can keep stuff in?"

    "Yes, basically."

    "Isn't that subspace?"

    Naoko blinked.  "Um... maybe.  I'm not exactly an expert on the
technique, like I said."

    "Well, it sounds like it to me.  I mean, if it looks like a duck,
and sounds like a duck, and swims like a duck, then it's a duck,
right?"

    For some reason Naoko seemed rather... uncertain.  "I don't know.
I'll have to ask the duck."

    Which left Usagi, understandably, quite nonplussed.

    ####

    Somewhere in a Chinese restaurant, a certain Master of Hidden
Weapons sneezed.

    ####

    True, it was Naoko who got on the train to Nerima, but it was
Ranma who stepped off of it.  He sighed, a bit disappointed that he'd
had to cut his visit short.  But there were things to do in
Furinkan-cho, and he was the one who had to do them.

    As he stepped into the parlor of the Tendo household, he was hit
by a bucket of icy water, and a familiar "Sweeto!" was heard,
followed by a small creature of indistinct lineage-- although it was
theorized that it was human-- snuggling into his chest.  

    Happosai blinked.  Something wasn't right here.  Something was
missing, or rather, hadn't been added.

    "There a problem, old perv?"

    "You didn't change."  Happosai was frozen in confusion.  "You
didn't change."

    "Hey, mind letting go of me?  You're annoying enough as it is,
without ya deciding to try out the yaoi thing, too."

    "Why didn't you change?" asked the ancient pervert, his eyes
wide.

    "Got cured."

    "Cured?"

    "Yup."

    "No more kawaii lil' Ranma-chan?"

    "Nope."

    "I see."  With that, Happosai dropped off of Ranma and quietly
went upstairs.

    (Wow.  He took that a lot better than I'd expected.)

    As Ranma began the often repeated action of wringing his shirt
out, Happosai returned with a heavy pack.  A pack Ranma recognized as
his own.  "Okay, old man, what're you doing with that?"

    "To celebrate your cure, we are going on a training trip, Ranma."

    The pigtailed boy blinked.  "You?  Me?  A training trip?  Feh.
You GOTTA be kidding."

    "Not at all."  Happosai's expression was unusually severe.  "It's
time I taught you some of the higher points of the Art."

    "Whoa.  That's kinda decent of you, gramps..."

    "And while we're on the road, we can swing by Jyusenkyo and get
you a nice new--"

    Before the self-styled grandmaster could finish, Ranma had booted
him out the window, into the sky, where he vanished with a visible
twinkle.

    "But that wasn't decent at all," grumbled Ranma.

    He decided to check up on Akane, who'd been pretty subdued of
late-- why, he wasn't sure.  Probably something like a test or some
girl thing he didn't understand yet.  

    Paragon or not, Ranma Saotome was still fairly clueless about
women.

    ####

    (The Tendo house, an hour previous)

    Akane sat in her room, solemn and quiet.  She was afraid.

    Afraid for Ranma.

    Ranma had been acting very odd of late.  After his cure, he'd
started to change rapidly.  He wasn't acting like the conceited jerk
she knew and-- as hard as it was to admit-- loved.

    She actually was starting to miss the insults.  She knew how to
deal with that-- and she figured he didn't really mean them.  But he
wasn't even insulting her cooking any more.  

    She wished he WOULD.  When she'd tried to make a chicken dish the
other day, he'd looked at it, taken a bite, chewed, swallowed, and
then said, "Sorry, Akane."

    Then he'd left the table, quietly.  Confused, she'd eaten a
bite-- and had had to use all her self control not to spit it out.
It had been AWFUL. 

    And he'd been... polite about it.  Polite about something so
horrible that had it been forced on her, she would have raised no end
of a stink. 

    She could not cook.  And she now knew it.  The old "How do you
know it's bad if you don't try it?" line no longer followed.  Ranma
would try anything she prepared... and then dismiss it.  And every
time for good reason.

    And then there was the matter of where he was spending his days.
He kept vanishing after school, and she KNEW it wasn't to see one of
the other girls-- she'd made certain of that.  For that matter, she
didn't think it was a new girl.  Ranma's actions didn't suggest that.

    They didn't suggest ANYTHING.  Ranma just left, and returned, and
acted... almost mature.  And would NOT tell anyone what he was doing.

    When Genma had demanded to know, and had found his way to the koi
pond, well, that had been expected.

    But when Nabiki had attempted to do the same--

    Akane shuddered.  THAT had been frightening.

    ####

    "I've said it before, Nabiki.  It ain't any of your business."

    "Well, there are a few debts that I can call in, I think--"

    "No, there ain't."

    Nabiki blinked.  "And what makes you think that?"

    "See, something kinda hit me the other day.  About the only
reason I owe you anything, mostly, is you SAY I owe you anything.
Not like I borrowed any money, or agreed to anything, or the like.
Just you saying I owe you this and that.  Well, I figure those don't
count."

    "Now see here--"  He wasn't supposed to figure that out!

    "And then there's your books.  I checked them."

    "You WHAT?"

    Ranma smiled.  A small, tight, and evil smile that would have
been more in place on Nabiki's face.  "Yep.  I got the right to check
my account. All ethical and such.  And you kinda just kept assuming
that I was in the red.  Ya never DID bother to add it up.  Makes
sense, considerin' past history and all, but you might want to look."

    Nabiki paled.  "No... you can't mean--"

    Ranma continued to smile.  Small, tight, and evil.

    "How much?"

    "It's eighteen thousand three hundred and fifty-two yen after I
deducted the 'Nabiki Just Says So' crap.  Which, you'll have to agree
by your own code isn't applicable because there was no mutual
agreement."

    Nabiki fumed.  Ranma was right.  He had every right to discount
those charges.  But she'd never expected him to realize it!

    "I'll write you a check."

    "Cash only, Nabiki.  Learned that from you."

    "ARRRRGH!"

    ####

    Akane might have found that funny... were it not so frightening.
Ranma was outsmarting NABIKI.  That was not RIGHT.  And Nabiki had
yet to find out where Ranma was vanishing to.

    And neither had Akane.  But somewhere deep inside her, a little
voice was telling her that whatever he WAS doing, it was dangerous.

    How she knew that, she couldn't say.  But she was certain that it
was the case.  And so she sat in her room, solemn and quiet... and
afraid.

    "Must be driving you up the wall, kid."

    Akane spun, instinctively dropping into a defensive stance-- it
wouldn't be the first time some lunatic had invaded her room-- only
to face what appeared to be a little boy.  He looked at her with wide
eyes, a grin on his face.  "Yup.  I thought so."

    "W-who are you?  How did you get in my--"

    "Yare, yare," the kid interrupted, waving a hand dismissively.
"You're all eaten up with curiosity and concern for Ranma, right?  I
can tell.  I can ALWAYS tell.  And you're afraid that he's in danger.
And, to be honest, he is."

    Suddenly it clicked.  Ranma's story.  His cure.  By a--

    "You're... you're the kami that cured Ranma!"

    "More or less, although kami isn't exactly an accurate
description, and he's not exactly cured.  Say, you want to help him,
right?"  The boy gave a smile that radiated friendliness and
camaraderie.

    "Please!  Help me!  I'm frightened for him... I don't know why!
He's not acting like himself!  He keeps disappearing!  He won't tell
me anything-- he won't tell anyone anything!  He's... he's..."

    "Changing?"  The apparent child smiled.  "And that bothers you
most of all.  He's changing in ways you can't understand.  He's
turning into someone else, or so you think.  And you don't know how
to feel about that."

    "No.  I-I don't."

    "Ever consider how he was raised?"

    "Eh?"

    "Kid was raised to be the best fighter of his generation-- and
damn little else.  Social skills?  What are those?  As far as Genma
was concerned, if it couldn't be eaten or used as a weapon, no need
to teach it to Ranma.  It's a real miracle that he turned out as well
as he did.  Genma wasn't trying to make a Ranma, after all... he was
trying to make a Chibi-Genma."

    Akane blinked.  She'd never considered his life in those terms
before.  

    "I mean, face it, the only way he'd ever learned to talk to
anyone was in terms of fighting.  Lucky for us Genma sucks at
everything BUT the Art, eh?  Otherwise you'd be engaged to a REAL
jerk... instead of a kid who just doesn't know any better.  Except
that he's starting to know better.  And it bothers you.  Because you
don't understand this Ranma."

    "I..."  

    "You're afraid you'll lose him.  Because you've been every bit as
big a jerk as he'd been.  Just in different ways.  And you're
beginning to realize that."

    Tears began to well in Akane's eyes at that.

    "Because you honestly, deep down, are afraid that you're not good
enough."

    Her shoulders began to heave, with quiet sobs.  "I... I'm not, am
I?"

    "That remains to be seen.  You want to help him, right?"

    "Sure.  I can help him real good, I can.  I'll make a bento so
that Ranma can feed it to one of his enemies and poison him.  Or I
can trip and fall over his enemies.  Or, I know!  I can get KIDNAPPED
by another freak and stay out of his way!"  Her voice was now bitter
with self-doubt.  "It's not like I can FIGHT with him!  No, wait, I
can fight WITH him.  Just not ALONGSIDE him.  Yeah.  I'm the PERFECT
helper."

    "Ah, but you CAN help him.  You've done it before, after all."

    "How?  How have I ever helped him?"

    "Hmm.  I seem to remember a certain rather dehydrated girl who
saved his life in China, for example."

    "As if he needed my help.  I can't really remember much of any of
it."

    "And you're always been there for him.  Perhaps you haven't done
everything exactly perfectly, but you've been there.  And you can be
there now... in a new way."

    Akane looked up, her face now streaked with tears.  "What do you
mean?"

    "Enter his service."

    Blink.  "I... I don't understand."

    "Enter his service.  Swear loyalty to him in the battle he now
fights, to the person he has become.  Make a difference for once.
Don't let it go the same way it has always gone."

    Terror suddenly gripped Akane's heart.  "But... he could say
anything, he could make me do anything, he could--"

    "Could?  Probably.  WOULD?  Has he ever?"

    "But..."

    "It's time to make a choice, Akane Tendo.  Will you let your
pride guide you... or your heart?  Will you choose to go along the
way you have always gone, or will you accept that it is not only
Ranma who must change?"

    Akane stared into the eyes of the child, and realized that those
eyes were older than anything she could imagine.  One could not lie
to oneself in the presence of this "child".  One could only see
truth.

    And for all her protests, all her fears, all her pride, she knew
that Ranma was true to her.  And she knew she loved him.  And she
knew that she would die for him.

    She could help.  All she had to do was the one thing that she
found hardest to do of all.  Trust him.

    And she made her decision.

    ####

    The next day, the Brotherhood of the Paragon was not a bunch of
happy secret conspirators.

    Jack Case stood in Tofu Ono's office and sighed.  "Like I said,
Doc.  Hesse's been dead for half a day now.  Stroke."

    Cologne stared at the world's greatest hacker and groaned.
"Well, that's just wonderful.  You know the code as well as any of
us.  There must be five."

    David Wong nodded.  "But where do we find a fifth?  Where do we
find anyone to take his place?"

    "That's not really necessary."

    All heads turned to a young boy, who smiled at them.  "I'd like
you to meet someone half of you already know.  And unless I miss my
guess, our Paragon should be here in a moment."

    Akane stared at the unexpected sight of Doctor Tofu and Cologne
in, for some reason, Juuban.  For that matter, she wasn't sure why
she was here herself.  All she knew was she could somehow help Ranma.

    Of course, Cologne and Tofu returned the stare.  Then, as Cologne
scratched her head in puzzlement, Tofu nodded to himself.

    "You-- the kid!  What are you doing here?"

    Akane turned to a stunned redhead at the door, who seemed somehow
vaguely familiar-- as if she'd met her in passing.  What did this
girl have to do with Ranma?  For a moment, jealousy began to raise
it's head, but she flattened it with the mental equivalent of a
mallet.  She would-- did-- trust Ranma.  She HAD to.

    "I'd like you to meet the other members of the Brotherhood,
Naoko-chan.    Some you know already."

    Naoko had been startled enough to see the boy that she han't
noticed Akane or Cologne.  When she did, she took it as calmly as
could be expected.

    "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!?"

    "Well.  That's better than I had expected."

    A panting voice at the door complained, "Blast it, Ra-
Naoko-chan, do you HAVE to run so fast?  It's not like we were late
or anything why is SHE here?"

    Akane stared at what appeared to be Ranma's rabbit.  Scratch
that.  Ranma's talking rabbit.  

    "Star, why are you asking ME?  Um.  Not that I KNOW any of these
people, of course!"  Naoko gave a weak giggle.

    "Star?  That IS Ranma's rabbit!  What are you doing with Ranma's
talking rabbit!  Talking rabbit.  Ranma's rabbit talks to you."
Akane blinked.  And then examined the new girl.  "It... It can't be."

    The "boy" looked at the redhead.  "You really should just show
them, Naoko-chan.  These people are your helpers.  Trust them."

    "But..."  Naoko was looking nervously at Akane, then Cologne,
then Akane, then...  "But..."

    "Is... is that you, Ranma?" breathed Akane.  "How did you get
cursed again?  And why are you dressed like a girl?"

    "Child, you're being ridiculous," retorted Cologne.  "Whover this
girl is, she's most definitely NOT Ranma."

    "Change, 'Naoko-chan', and explain.  I can stay no longer, lest
the Dark detect me."  And the boy was gone, as though he had never
been there.

    "But... But... But..." the redhead repeated.

    Tofu sighed.  "I think you should.  Especially since we have an
unexpected-- but potentially very valuable-- new member of our
cabal."

    "What are you guys yakking about?"  muttered Case, in an
irritated tone.  "I mean, the girl must be the Paragon, but what is
this other girl babbling about?"

    Wong, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow at Akane's mention of
curses.  Unlike Case, he knew rather a bit about Cologne's activities
in Japan, and the reason for them.  "Well, that's a wrinkle I
wouldn't have expected."

    "And what does THAT mean, David Wong?" huffed the elder.  

    Before the financier/archeologist could reply, Naoko began to
laugh, almost hysterically.  "Why not?  Ain't like nothin's supposed
ta make sense, anyway!"

    Cologne blinked.  That speech wasn't the norm for a girl, but
more like--  "Oh, MY.  Not cursed at ALL.  Heh-heh-heee!"

    "What are you people talking about oh my GOD," Case choked out,
as Naoko wavered, and began a definite male in loose Chinese
garments.  Akane stared, her confused fears proven, as Cologne
continued to giggle and Wong blinked, startled that his crude
deduction was correct.

    "I'm Ranma Saotome, I'm a part time girl because I have to be a
magical girl sometimes to save the world."  He paused, and added,
"And I one damn bit sorry about it at all!"

    And Akane quietly fell to the floor, in a faint.

    ####

    End episode 5.


    Robert Haynie, who has discovered
that the average recipie for onigiri makes
WAY too much for one person...
http://www.knology.net/~kenjiko2
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