[FFML] [fanfic][Ranma][Sailormoon][Persona] Chikan Senshi Sailormoon, Chapter 7

[Mythril Moth]

A couple things before we get underway:

1. You'll notice I've changed the header tags. As of this chapter, I'm 
abandoning all pretense that any entity within the SMT metaverse other than 
Persona (3 and 4) is tied into the crossover.

2. As of this chapter, most of you should realize who Thanatos is.

C&C appreciated.

Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 is the intellectual property of Takahashi Rumiko.
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon is the intellectual property of Takeuchi Naoko.
Shin Megami Tensei is the intellectual property of Atlus.

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Chapter Seven:

"The Target Is Hino Rei! Deadly Yatagarasu"

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Ami mopped sweat from her brow and gratefully gulped down the glass of ice 
water Akane handed her. "That was...more of a workout than I expected," she 
admitted.

"You still gotta do some cooldown exercises, but rest a minute first," Ranma 
said.

"You're in pretty good shape," Akane commented. "You obviously do more than 
just P.E. at school. What do you normally do for exercise?"

"Swimming," Ami said. "I love to swim."

"That's good exercise," Ranma commented.

Ami scrubbed at her neck with her towel. "I guess I need to get proper 
training clothes," she said, looking down at her sweat-plastered T-shirt and 
shorts. "By the way, when are your normal beginner classes scheduled?"

"Err..." Ranma and Akane glanced at one another.

Akane coughed. "Actually, uh...right now, you're our only student."

Ami blinked.

"Otousan...stopped teaching after Kaasan died," Akane explained.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Akane shrugged. "It was a long time ago. Actually, Otousan wants me to carry 
on the Tendou Dojo."

"Wants *US* t' carry on th' dojo, y'mean," Ranma said. "Uh...I mean...well, 
y'know, that's what him an' Oyaji want."

"Yes, that's right, it's our fathers who want that," Akane agreed, face red.

Ami looked back and forth between the two of them. "I take it then that the 
two of you are engaged?"

"Somethin' like that, yeah," Ranma said, looking at anything but Akane.

"Sou ka." Ami smiled. "Mako-chan's going to be very disappointed. She thinks 
you're cute."

Ranma grimaced. "An' that's th' last thing I need, more o' THAT," he 
muttered.

At Ami's confused expression, Akane added, "There are quite a few girls 
interested in Ranma. I think this pervert actually *enjoys* the attention."

"Hey, for the hundred THOUSANDTH time, I. Ain't. No. Pervert!" Ranma 
shouted.

Ami sweatdropped. "Anou..."

Akane looked sheepish. "Sorry, we shouldn't carry on like this in front of a 
student. It isn't appropriate."

"Yeah...sorry 'bout that, Ami."

Ami shook her head. "I'm used to being around people who embarrass 
themselves by bickering about ridiculous things."

The two of them stared at her.

Ami coughed. "So, anyway, about a regular schedule for me and the others?"

"Oh, uh...yeah. Just uh...come in anytime, we're pretty flexible here," 
Ranma said. "Just be sure t' call first."

Ami nodded. "Alright."

"Say, would you care to stay for dinner?" Akane asked. "It *is* getting 
rather late..."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to be a bother..."

"Nah, Kasumi loves havin' more people t' cook for," Ranma said. "It's no 
problem, trust me."

Ami thought about what awaited her back at home: a cold sandwich and tea, 
and an empty apartment.

"Well...if you insist," she said, smiling.

* * * * *

"Well, Isis? Explain yourself."

Isis knelt before Thanatos' throne, head bowed subserviently. "My Lord," she 
said, "I have come to the conclusion that recovering the Maboroshi no 
Ginzuishou may prove...somewhat more difficult than expected."

Thanatos frowned. "You are aware that failure displeases me, and my 
punishments for failure are..."

"Yes, Lord Thanatos," Isis said. "I implore you to allow me time to fully 
determine the strengths and vulnerabilities of this new Sailor Moon. Saotome 
Ranma is...dangerous." She paused. "I thought I had found a perfect weakness 
to exploit, and yet somehow, he overcame that weakness...he is not to be 
underestimated."

Thanatos folded his hands underneath his chin. "And the other Senshi?"

"So far, I have only observed Sailor Mercury in action," Isis said. "I have 
yet to initiate a confrontation with any of the other Senshi."

"Mizuno Ami is a negligible factor," Thanatos said dismissively. "She has 
limited capabilities..."

"Do not dismiss her so easily, my Lord," Isis said. "She has considerable 
offensive ability, and her analytical and support capabilities make her a 
formidable foe."

Thanatos stroked his beard, deep in contemplation. "I had never considered 
Sailor Mercury to be more than a minor nuisance in the past..." he muttered. 
"Only Tsukino Usagi and Hino Rei posed any significant threat...*especially* 
Hino Rei."

"Apologies, my Lord, but...I believe things are not the same now as they 
were before."

"Perhaps...perhaps," Thanatos admitted. He sighed. "Very well. Continue as 
you see fit, for now. You are one of my most loyal and competent followers; 
I defer to your judgement. BUT!" His cold green eyes flashed a warning. "I 
suggest you obtain the Ginzuishou as swiftly as possible. My patience has 
its limits."

Isis saluted. "Of course, my Lord."

"One other thing..."

"Yes, Lord Thanatos?"

"Hino Rei. Sailor Mars. Dispose of her."


"As you wish, my Lord."

As she vanished, Thanatos leaned back in his throne, fingertips steepled. 
"Sailor Mars...I look forward to seeing your broken body..."

His laughter echoed in the black haze that filled his throne room.

* * * * *

"Thank you very much," Ami said as she stepped into her shoes at the genkan. 
"Dinner was excellent, and I appreciate your inviting me." She bowed.

"Of course, Ami-chan," Kasumi said, smiling and returning the bow. "You're 
welcome anytime."

Ranma walked with Ami to the train station. "You weren't kidding about 
Kasumi-san's cooking," Ami said. "It's been quite some time since I ate that 
much at one meal. I feel like I was a bit of a glutton..."

"You didn't eat THAT much, Ami," Ranma chuckled.

"And Kasumi-san is very polite and personable as well," Ami said. "I like 
her."


"Yeah, me too."

Ami frowned. "I get the feeling Nabiki-san didn't care much for me."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "It ain't you she's ticked at, it's me, 'cuz I'm 
teachin' you for free."

Ami paled. "Oh god. I'm sorry. I really should--"

"Ignore her," Ranma said firmly. "That's what you really should do. I'm 
trainin' you an' th' others 'cuz I wanna, an' 'cuz y'need it bad. Nabiki's 
just greedy, is all."

"But still...it IS a martial arts school, and if Tendou-san isn't taking 
students anymore, then..."

"Eh, I wouldn't feel right about takin' money for trainin' right now, 
anyway," Ranma said with a shrug. "I ain't never taught nobody th' Art 
before. I reckon I'm gonna be learnin' from our sessions, just like you an' 
th' other Senshi." He paused. "By th' way, I found out some stuff about th' 
enemy."

"You did?" Ami asked. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Beeeeecause we weren't exactly in th' safest place t' talk about that?" 
Ranma replied.

"Oh. Of course."

"Anyway, th' bitch that turned Shampoo into that...monster," he suppressed a 
shudder, "calls herself Isis. She's as freaky as th' bastard that killed 
Usagi. His name was Orpheus, by the way, an' Isis killed him after Ryouga 
beat th' crap outta him. So he's really dead this time. I think."

"And this...Isis...did she say anything else?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah. They're workin' for some jackass called Thanatos."

"Thanatos..." Ami repeated, brow furrowed.

"Heard of 'im?"

Ami shook her head. "No."

"One other thing," Ranma said apprehensively, "I'm pretty sure they're 
spyin' on us. Or me at least. Isis knew my name, knew I had th' crystal, 
knew about my cat problem..."

Ami's eyes widened. "That's...troubling," she said. "None of our enemies in 
the past have been able to target us in our everyday lives."

Ranma shrugged. "It's pretty much par for the course for me. Not that I 
*like* th' idea o' bein' spied on, mind."

"So...she turned your friend into a cat monster specifically because she 
thought it was your greatest weakness?"

"It IS my greatest weakness, an' you have no idea how bad it really is," 
Ranma replied.

Ami frowned. "Then we absolutely must conquer your fear of cats once and for 
all. Besides, you need to be able to tell Luna and Artemis everything you 
just told me, and that phone thing we did at the shrine is ridiculous."

Ranma nodded. "Y-yeah," he said shakily. "It's way past time I got rid'a th' 
cat thing."

"Can you come over to Rei's place tomorrow?" Ami asked.

"Sure."

* * * * *

The angry cawing of two ravens irritated Isis as she emerged from her mirror 
just inside the courtyard of Hikawa Shrine at sunrise. "Infuriating birds," 
she muttered, drawing her angel-wing swords. "I should..."

She paused, looking up at the rising sun.

"...no. Wait. I have a better idea."

As the two ravens surrounded her, flapping and cawing madly, Isis withdrew a 
card from her poncho. She flipped it around to display an image of a 
three-legged crow.

"Arise...YATAGARASU!"

The image on the card came to life and split in two; two insubstantial, 
shadowy three-legged crows flapped out of the card, infusing themselves into 
the two birds, whose eyes turned golden and glowed malevolently in the dim 
morning light. Each raven grew a third leg and became slightly larger.

Isis chuckled. "The one known as Hino Rei. Kill her." With that, she 
disappeared into her mirror, which vanished.

* * * * *

"Rei-chan? Your birds are quite...agitated this morning."

Rei frowned. "Yeah, you're right, Jiichan. I wonder what..."

Her phone rang. "Ugh, bad timing." She withdrew it from her robes. 
"Moshi-moshi?"

//Rei-chan, it's Ami. We need to have a meeting at the shrine this morning. 
I believe Ranma-kun is already on his way. We have new information about the 
enemy.//

Rei's eyes widened. "Hontou?" She peered through the open door, at where her 
grandfather was standing at the base of a tree, attempting to coax the two 
crows roosted in it down. They were cawing raucously at him, eyes shining in 
the early morning sunlight. "Well, tell everyone to come as soon as they 
can. I might have a little problem to take care of first, though."

//What's wrong?//

"I'm not sure," Rei admitted. "Phobos and Deimos are going completely 
crazy."

//Your crows?//

"Hai." Rei winced as one of the birds divebombed her grandfather, pecking 
him viciously on his bald head. "Gomen ne, Ami-chan, I need to go help 
Jiichan. I'll leave the rest to you."

Pocketing her phone, she raced outside. "Phobos! Deimos! What are you 
doing?!"

The birds' heads snapped sharply around at her voice. They let out twin 
avian cries of fury and shot at her in a flurry of black feathers and 
all-too-sharp beaks.

* * * * *

At half past nine, Ranma arrived at the Hikawa Shrine...and walked in on a 
scene of utter chaos.

Rei and her grandfather were being chased around the grounds by two large, 
angry crows. The former was pleading with the birds to behave; the latter 
was swatting at them with a broom, which was only agitating them further.

"Rei! Th' hell's goin' on here?" Ranma called as he dashed over, leaping 
into the air and swatting one of the birds to the ground.

"Don't hurt them!" Rei cried. "These crows...I've been caring for them since 
I was little! They're...they're not normally like this!"

"They've become as pestilent as the rest of the crows in Tokyo!" the old 
priest shouted, flailing angrily with his broom.

Ranma leapt up and tackled one of the birds, spinning as he descended so 
he'd take the brunt of the fall, while he struggled to hold the thrashing, 
cawing bird still. "So since when do crows have three legs?" he wondered.

"What?" Rei asked. She stared at the bird Ranma had captured, and her eyes 
widened. "What...what the hell?!"

The elder Hino stared. "That bird...that bird is possessed!" With that, he 
ran off. "Rei-chan, hold them at bay! I'll prepare a banishing ritual!" he 
called as he left.

The crow Ranma had captured escaped, flew after the old man, and divebombed 
him, sending him flying into a tree. He slid to the ground, unconscious.

"Jiichan!" Rei cried. "This has gone far enough!" She produced several ofuda 
from her sleeves and began forming hand seals. "Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, 
jin, retsu, zai, zen. AKURYOU TAISAN!" She threw the ofuda at the two 
circling, cawing birds. The wards sparked and smoked...and burst into flame, 
burning away to ash.

"Feeble," a woman's voice called. Cold laughter rang out.

"I know that voice," Ranma said, tensing warily.

A pink mirror appeared in midair, disgorging Isis. The two ravens flapped 
over to their new mistress, hovering in the air beside her. "Ah, so you are 
here as well, Saotome Ranma. This shall make things easier for me...I can 
kill two birds with...well...with two birds," she finished with a chuckle.

Ranma grimaced. "Th' hell'd you do t' those birds, lady?"

"Why don't I show you?" Isis asked. She produced two fiery copper theater 
masks from her poncho, each featureless save for the eyeholes and the Roman 
numeral "XIX" engraved on the forehead. She placed one against the breast of 
each raven; the masks flared with brilliant light, then dissolved into the 
birds' feathers. The two birds tripled in size; their eyes turned blood red, 
their beaks became longer, sharper, and pronouncedly hooked, and thick wire 
collars with several magatama attached to them formed around their throats.

"Kill Saotome quickly, and take the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou," she 
instructed. "The girl, I want you to kill slowly. Her mangled body will make 
the perfect prize for my Lord." She took a step back and vanished into her 
mirror, which faded from view.


The birds cawed malevolently at the two teens.

Ranma and Rei glanced at one another and nodded. Rei pulled out her henshin 
wand; Ranma pulled a bottle of water out of his pocket. After he splashed 
himself, the two Senshi transformed and engaged their feathery foes in 
combat.

* * * * *

"So, Senpai," Kunou Tatewaki said as he assumed a stance across from Mamoru; 
both were dressed in hakama and uwagi and wielding shinai. "What manner of 
stain has been wrought upon your honor, that you seek once again to take 
sword in hand? I had truly never expected to meet you again in this life."

"My girlfriend was murdered," Mamoru said simply, tersely.

Tatewaki's eyes widened. "Unforgiveable!"

"Yes. It is something I can never forgive." Mamoru's eyes were full of pain 
and rage.

"Then on my honor, on the very name of the noble house of Kunou, I swear 
that I will see to it you attain your righteous vengeance."

The two bowed, then began to spar.

"Tell me," Tatewaki said as he pressed an attack which drove Mamoru across 
the training hall, shinai rattling in his grip as he desperately guarded, 
"of the love you have lost, and of the dishonorable fiend who has stolen her 
from you."

"I wasn't there when it happened," Mamoru said roughly. "Usako...she was 
with her friends, right here in Fuurinkan-cho."

Tatewaki paused in his assault. "This...did it occur two days ago, in the 
afternoon?"

"That's right," Mamoru nodded.

"News of murder most foul did indeed reach mine ears," Tatewaki nodded 
thoughtfully. "Perchance was an ignoble cur by the name of Saotome Ranma 
involved at all?"

"Hai. He...he tried to protect her. He came with the rest of the girls when 
they...when they brought her body back..." His voice became thick and 
hoarse.

"So, Saotome has yet again extended his influence and expanded his wretched 
harem to sate his vile lusts," Tatewaki said, scowling.

"...Excuse me?" Mamoru asked.

"Tis folly enough that the brigand has ensorcelled the two most joyous loves 
of my life, as well as the attentions of no fewer than three other nubile 
maidens--my own sister among them! But even this is not enough to satisfy 
him?!"

Mamoru stared at him. "I think you're grossly mistaken," he said. "I met 
Ranma-kun. He seemed decent enough to me. He was upset that he failed to 
protect Usako, but he risked his life to protect the others, and as I hear 
it, defeated her killer."

"Doubtless the murderer was a minion of Saotome himself, and was dispatched 
before he could expose the true fiend in this infamy," Tatewaki retorted.

"...Kunou-kun?" Mamoru asked.

"Hai, Senpai?"

"When exactly did you go insane?"

"Insane?" Tatewaki asked, tilting his head. "My sanity has not failed me, 
Senpai. Rest assured, I alone see the truth of the evils perpetrated by 
Saotome..."

Mamoru heard a cough from behind him, and turned. His gaze landed on the 
diminuitive ninja, Sasuke, who whispered, "One of the two girls 
Tatewaki-dono is infatuated with is betrothed to Saotome Ranma, and the 
other girl *IS* Saotome Ranma. Neither Tatewaki-dono nor Kodachi-hime have 
quite managed to realize that the man named Saotome Ranma and the girl who 
shares the same name are the same person."

Mamoru glanced at Tatewaki, who was still ranting in the middle of the room 
and had entirely failed to notice this exchange. "Sou ka," he whispered. 
"And how exactly did you know I'm already aware of Ranma-kun's curse?"

"You've met him," Sasuke said simply. "It's almost impossible to *not* find 
out about it."

"True," Mamoru agreed, nodding.

"If you want him to stop ranting and keep training you, it's best just to go 
along with his delusions," Sasuke whispered. "Otherwise this will go on 
until well past sunset. And you really don't want to be here when 
Kodachi-hime returns."

Mamoru shuddered. He had only had the misfortune to meet Tatewaki's younger 
sister once. Once was quite enough. "Arigatou," he whispered to the ninja, 
who promptly vanished.

Sighing, Mamoru shouldered his shinai and walked back to the center of the 
room. "Kunou-kun," he called sharply.

"Aa...pardon me, Senpai," Tatewaki said, nodding and resuming his place 
across from Mamoru. "The mere mention of Saotome's name is enough to set my 
blood aflame with righteous fury."

"So I'd noticed," Mamoru said dryly. "Well, if it does so happen that 
Saotome Ranma is responsible for Usako's death, rest assured, I will kill 
him myself."

"Then you will need the full benefit of all of my unfathomable skills, to 
overcome his treachery," Tatewaki said, nodding. "Let us resume."

*If he wasn't the best swordsman I know...* Mamoru returned the nod, mouth 
tightened grimly, and soon he found himself once more on the defensive.

* * * * *

"This...ain't goin' so good," Sailor Moon said, grimacing. She was crouched 
in a tree; her arms and legs were covered in scratches from the birds' beaks 
and claws.

"We...can't stop...now," Sailor Mars heaved. She pressed her index fingers 
together and closed her eyes. "FIRE...SOUL!" She unleashed a spiralling 
flame attack at the nearest crow.

It opened its beak and issued a sharp gust of wind, which turned the 
fireball away. It slammed into the base of the tree where Sailor Moon was 
resting, gouging out a chunk of smoldering bark.

"Kusou...!" Sailor Moon hissed. "That stupid wind attack's gotta go!"

"I don't see any way of getting around it," Mars replied, leaping to the 
side as the crow followed through with a vicious diving peck.

"Man...I never thought I'd be losin' a fight t' two freakin' crows," Sailor 
Moon muttered.

"We're...not...losing!" Mars replied between pants as she dodged the birds, 
which were now double-teaming her. "We're just...not...winning!"

Sailor Moon snorted. "Tell me about it." She removed her tiara, which 
expanded into a shining disc of light. "Yo, birdbrains! Got somethin' shiny 
for ya! MOON TIARA ACTION!"

She threw the tiara, which glided gracefully through the air toward another 
tree; the two crows chased after it, cawing. At the last possible second, 
Sailor Moon made a gesture with her hand; the tiara angled sharply upwards 
and skimmed along the trunk of the tree. The two crows were less agile, and 
slammed forcefully into the trunk.

The tiara arced back around and smacked them both in the back of the head, 
stunning them, before returning to its owner.

"Y'had enough?" Sailor Moon asked as she returned the tiara to her brow. Her 
brooch split open, shedding the brilliant light of the Ginzuishou. She 
brought her hands together in front of the crystal, forming a circle with 
her fingertips. "MOON SHADOW ILLUMINATION!"

A brilliant beam of silver light exploded from the Ginzuishou, focused by 
Sailor Moon's hands; it struck the crows, who beat their wings against the 
ground and screeched. Smoky silhouettes rose out of their bodies, screaming 
as they dissipated. When the light faded, Rei's crows lay blissfully 
unconscious on the ground, returned to normal. The copper theater masks on 
their breasts fell unceremoniously to the ground and shattered, the pieces 
fading into nothingness.

Mars heaved a weary sigh. "Thank you," she said.

"I will NOT fail Lord Thanatos!" Isis' voice suddenly screeched. She 
appeared directly above and behind Sailor Mars, swords raised to strike.

"Rei! Look out!" Sailor Moon cried. She was already on the move, but she 
knew she'd never get there in time...she was just too far away...

The serrated angel-wing blades descended, on a trajectory to cleave Sailor 
Mars' head from her shoulders...

"Yamero," a soft male voice said.

A silver-and-black blade intercepted Isis' swords. Sailor Mars yelped as she 
rolled clear, rising to her feet and turning to face her would-be assassin 
and her rescuer.

Isis' masked face turned toward the interloper. "Who dares...?"

She was forced to defend herself as the new arrival dashed toward her, 
weapon spinning; she barely parried a blow which would have cleaved her in 
two, then was driven back to slam into the boundary wall by a jolt of 
electricity which erupted from her opponent's hand. She slid to the ground, 
stunned.

The interloper stalked toward her, weapon raised to strike a killing blow. 
"Sokomade," he intoned coldly.

A pink mirror formed underneath Isis, and she sank into it; it quickly faded 
from existence.

"Che," the warrior spat. He turned and strode toward the two Senshi, who 
were staring warily at him. "Oi, kimi. Daijoubu ka?"

"H-hai...arigatou," Mars said. "Who...are you...?"

The man was tall, with a slender yet powerful build. He wore tight black 
leather pants and knee-length black boots with steel soles, a black metal 
mesh shirt, and a black longcoat which flapped open around his legs; seven 
unbuckled leather belts with brass buckles extended along the open coat from 
calf to groin. He wore black fingerless gloves; in his right hand he held a 
massive black halberd with a wickedly sharp, meter-long, silver-edged blade.

Eyes that were the same cold steel color as his short hair studied them from 
behind the lenses of glasses with angular black frames. "Izanagi," he said 
in his soft, rough voice, before turning and vaulting the boundary wall.

The two Senshi stared after him, then turned to one another.

"Ho-kay, that was weird," Sailor Moon said.

"You get used to it," Mars replied.


==================
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www.mythrilmoth.net