The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and 
rights holders. Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Sailor 
Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi. All original content is the 
creation of Samuel Phoenix. Recognition is given to John Sanchez for a 
small kick of inspiration that helped produce this story, and to Harold 
Ancell who has been a near constant source of input, information, and 
ideas.

Awkward Consequences

Chapter 12a: A Mother�s Love

PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu <mailto:syp104@psu.edu>)

Ranma blinked and turned to his fianc�e. �Hotaru, what do you mean �we�?�

She blinked. �I mean my friends and I am going to have to help her.�

�By battling an Oni?�

�Yes,� she replied, not getting where he was going.

�So you�re going to be entering combat where you might get hurt really bad?�

�Yes...�

Ranma crossed his arms, and with a scowl, he shook his head. �I don�t 
think so.�

�What?� Hotaru exclaimed in shock.

�There is absolutely no way I�m going to let you go and fight.�

�Ranma!� Hotaru exclaimed through clenched teeth, �I am Sailor Saturn! 
This is my duty; it is who I am� besides I just can�t abandon my friend!�

Hotaru felt her blood slowly starting to boil. How DARE he. She began to 
fume and wonder if she had just been jumping into this whole thing.

Okay, she knew she had, but it seemed like a good idea at the time, but 
if he wanted to keep her from fighting� well� she was a warrior too, and 
a powerful one at that.

�Then I�ll do it!� Ranma replied.

Hotaru cringed, slowly developing an angry tic in her eyebrow. While the 
knight in shining armor bit as all nice and all, and in battle it would 
be really sweet to have her ass pulled out of the fire, god knows how 
many times Usagi needed it. Hell, maybe even having that option would 
make sure she didn�t DIE so damn often.

Anyways, having to deal with an overproduction boyfriend� fianc�e� or 
what ever a girl could call the guy who knocked her up at a drunken 
party one night and jumped into her messed up, emotionally barren life�

�Ranma,� Hotaru growled sweetly, �You�re nowhere as powerful as I am��

Ranma scoffed. �I took out a Phoenix-god.�

Big deal. Sure it was impressive verses a normal human, but against many 
of their enemies you needed one of two kinds of firepower: Usagi�s power 
or her own.

�And I can boil the atmosphere off a planet,� Hotaru replied.

�Well I�� Ranma paused, �Okay, I�ll give you that one but how often do 
you need that kind of power.�

�You�d be surprised,� Hotaru replied with a deadpan.

Ranma scoffed. �Well, it�s the duty of a martial artist to protect the 
weak.�

Did he just call her weak? Oh, in normal human form she was without a 
doubt, but Sailor Saturn on the other hand� well� she was personally 
responsible for the premature cashing of many a life insurance plan.

Hotaru smiled widely. �Oh, Chibi-Usaaaa��

The junior Senshi of the Moon took a step back, and waves her hands 
dismissively. �Oh, I know better to get into a lover�s quarrel��

�I just want to ask you a question��

�Ah� okay��

Minako shuddered. �Scary��

�Shut it,� Hotaru snapped.

�Yes ma�am��

Hotaru looked at Chibi-Usa and asked, �Am I weak?�

Her friend blinked, �Well� yeah��

Hotaru sighed. Okay that was an obvious answer.

�Let me try this again� is SAILOR SATURN weak?�

Minako and Chibi-Usa looked at one another then back to her.

�Ah� not a chance?�

Minako nodded, �You�re the strongest Senshi� except maybe Usagi, but she 
doesn�t have you killer instinct.�

Hotaru turned to Ranma and sighed deeply. �See, I said I could handle 
myself��

Ranma looked at her sternly. �I know.�

She blinked. That was not expected.

�Then what�s the problem?�

He leaned forward and looked her in the eyes. �It�s not you I�m worried 
about.�

Hotaru gasped. How could she have been so blind! He wasn�t worried about 
HER getting killed� he was concerned for the child within her. She felt 
somewhat shamed, but still, the idiot should have just said it rather 
then letting her get all worked up.

�Ranma, I have to do this. It is who I am� you could even call it my 
karma. I just can�t sit every fight out.�

�But if anything happens to you��

She nodded solemnly. �It a risk I have to take� and I can still do my job.�

Ranma sighed. �Okay, let�s make a deal, when your fighting ability 
starts to diminish you will sit on the bench.�

She nodded, but added, �Unless the others really need me. I can still 
use my powers, even if I can�t get too close.�

Ranma started to object but was silenced by a glare from Hotaru.

�Ah guys?� Minako interjected. �What the hell are you talking about?�

Hotaru glared at the blond. �I�m still mad at you.�

�Hotaru-chan?� Chibi-Usa said, �She�s going to find out anyways��

Hotaru blinked, and sighed. �You�re right��

She glanced at Minako and said, �I�m going to have a baby��

Minako nodded. �Oh I see� now it all makes sense��

The Senshi of Love paused for a moment, and then exclaimed, �WHAT?!�

-----------

Mother and daughter sat across the table from one another in silence. 
Usagi�s mind was filled with trepidation. What now? What was going to 
happen to her future, what was going to happen to Sailor Moon? Her 
mother knowing changed everything, but how it did so was frightening.

Her mother could be her greatest ally in juggling her personal life and 
her identity as Sailor Moon. With her mother watching her back, she 
would not have to worry so much about the details of her secret. She 
would have someone to help her keep things in order so she could do what 
must be done.

On the same note, he mother could make life so rough. If she changed her 
mind about letting her be Sailor Moon. She might be forced to choose 
between being a Senshi� she didn�t even want to think of how badly that 
would hurt.

She glanced up to her mother, and blinked in surprise.

Her mother�s brow was furrowed, in though, and he eyes downcast with 
shame. She was obviously lost in thought, but Usagi could feel the 
torment dragging at her mother�s heart.

�Usagi?�

�Yes mama?�

Her mother slammed her fist onto the table, tears trailing down her 
cheeks. �I�m sorry Usagi!�

�What? Why?�

�I�m sorry I was not there when you needed me��

Usagi blinked. Huh?

�I should have been there for you. I should have seen the signs� Now 
that I think back, I see them now, and I cannot believe that I was so 
blind.�

�Usagi, I should have been there to help you,� Ikuko choked, �You must 
have suffered so much, and I can�t help but believe that it�s all my 
fault� I�m a horrible mother!�

�Mom? What could you have done? You�re just a normal person��

Ikuko looked up at her daughter, �Usagi. I want you to get your jacket. 
We are going for a walk.�

�What?�

Ikuko walked up the steps and looked at her child. �Be ready when I come 
back down.�

Usagi slipped on her coat and glanced at the stair well.

�Weird��

Moments later, Ikuko returned with an old furoshiki. It looked as if the 
item inside had been wrapped and left undisturbed for decades.

She continued to the door, and turned to her daughter.

�Come on.�

�Mama, where are we going?�

Ikuki sighed and clenched her fist. �Usagi-chan, I have something I have 
to show you.�

-----------

Minako pointed at Hotaru in shock. �What do you mean you�re pregnant!?�

Chibi-Usa jumped the blond and clamped her had over her mouth. �Keep 
your voice down!�

Minako nodded, and Chibi-Usa removed her hand.

Hotaru glared at blonde. �Last night my parents found out� and today 
Haruka-papa caught me and Ranma walking out of that love hotel.�

The blond Senshi looked at Hotaru and closed her eyes in shame. She 
could only imagine how bad everything had gone off, and it was her 
fault, at least in part. �I�m� Hotaru, I am sorry for the trouble I 
caused you. I was cruel, and I�m sorry. Please forgive me.�

Hotaru nodded. �Alright� but don�t do anything like that ever again.�

�Ranma�s the father?�

�Hai.�

�You are getting an abortion, right?� Minako asked.

Though tasteless, it was what girls did after all.

�Iya. I don�t think I could handle it. It would be more painful than the 
shame of being an under aged mother.�

Minako nodded. She understood Hotaru�s feelings, and would not pressure 
her on the subject. Might talk later, in a less sensitive moment, but 
not pressure�

Though there still was something she had to do.

Minako smiled at the other girl, then she turned to Ranma, her gaze 
filled with unexcitable hate. She stepped toward him, and slapped him 
across the face as hard as she could. �How dare you, you bastard.�

�Minako!� Hotaru exclaimed.

Ranma rubbed his cheek and looked past Minako to Hotaru. �I had that 
coming.�

�Oh, you�re damn right you did,� Minako growled, �You fucked up her 
life. I hope it was worth the thrill, you scum��

�Its not his fault, Minako,� Hotaru cut in.

�And how�s that?� Minako deadpanned.

�We were both tricked into going to a frat party. We both got drunk and 
started talking to each other. We woke up together the next morning.�

Minako scoffed. �That�s why guys go to those stupid parties, to get a 
cheap thrill.�

Hotaru shook her head. �Not Ranma.�

�Don�t be so naive.�

The black hared girl glared at Minako. �He has a cure. When he gets 
doused with cold water, he turns into a girl. A very beautiful girl. 
That�s why the invited him, not because HE wanted a cheap thrill but 
they wanted to get HIM drunk and HAVE a cheap thrill!�

Minako blinked, and looked to Ranma and Chibi-Usa.

Chibi-Usa nodded, while Ranma scowled and muttered, �Mental note: Kill 
Fratboys�

Minako deflated and looked at the others. �I�m sorry��

Hotaru smiled at he fellow senshi. �I understand.�

Ranma blinked and rubbed his chin. �Aren�t we forgetting something?�

The girls all looked at one another and in one voice exclaimed, �YOKO!�

-----------

The pair of women turned off the main street and did something most 
would consider idiotic, they walked down a dark ally after dark.

Usagi had no idea what was going through her mother�s mind. Her mom had 
just dragged her out of the house, saying she was going to show her 
something. Then she make her take the subway to a shady part of town and 
walk down some back ally. What the hell was going on.

Ikuko smiled and looked around. �We�re here.�

Usagi blinked. �Ah� what is here?�

Ikuko smiled. It was a distant smile, one of memories long passed.

�Its strange how many things can change in twenty years. Neighborhoods 
change, wounds heal�� Ikuko glanced to a brick wall, one that seemed to 
have been patched long ago with cement. Ikuko walked to the wall and 
lovingly caressed the patch �But the scars of the past still remain.�

�What is this place.�

Ikuko smiled and placed her furoshiki on a trashcan, and unwrapped it. 
Inside was a long and narrow box. Usagi�s mother slowly lifted the cover 
and placed it to the side, and from within she withdrew a small dagger.

The weapon was ornate and obviously not designed for fighting. The hilt 
was golden and twisted into a shape vaguely resembling a heart while the 
pummel stone was a deep red hear shape.

�Mom,� Usagi inquired, �What�s that.�

Ikuko smiled at her child, but her eyes narrowed.

�Usagi!� she exclaimed, as she leapt toward her daughter, �GET DOWN!�

Ikuko tackled her daughter, both of them landing in a trash pile, while 
an energy blast passed through the space Usagi had been occupying.

A deep, bass voice resonated through the ally.

�I know you�re secret, Sailor Moon, and I shall destroy you!�

A monstrous Oni, straight out of Japanese legend stepped out of the 
shadows.

�Surrender yourself and I will not kill the old woman��

Usagi growled, and pointed at the demon with one hand, and drew her 
henshin wand with the other. �You demonic beast! I will not let you 
threaten innocent mothers! In the name of the moon I will� GAGH!�

Usagi cried as her mother grabbed her pigtail and pulled her to the side.

�Out of the way, Usagi-chan, this one is MINE!�

Ikuko glared at the demon and in an angry, spiteful voice she said, 
�Listen you son of a bitch, you have no idea who you�re fucking with. 
You just threatened my little girl and there is no way in hell that I am 
going to let you live.�

The monster laughed. �You? What, are you doing to poke me with your 
little knife?�

Ikuko�s eyes narrowed. �Because of monsters like you, my daughter was 
denied a normal adolescence. In my ignorance, I let my child fight 
alone, but no more. Even if it kills me, I will not fail her again!�

Ikuko lifted the knife into the air and plunged it into her own heart.

�PRETTY AVENGER, TRANSFORM!!!!!�



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