Saturn Triumphant

Ranma slipped out of the pile as Saturn pinned the Senshi of Time to the ground by straddling her waist, fingers digging into her sides and reducing the millennia old guardian of time to a young girl who was laughing so hard she was almost peeing herself.

“Uncle! Uncle!” Pluto called out laughing.

Saturn grinned and hopped off Pluto, standing tall (well... tallish). “Saturn has conquered Pluto, who will be the next to face my ultimate attack Tickle Tsunami?”

It was quite obvious to all the Senshi that the normally shy and reserved Hotaru had just been that way because she'd been missing her Knight.

It was quite obvious to Ranma that Hotaru had absorbed a fair amount of his chi somehow and was finally feeling energetic enough to feel playful. Seeing her smile and hearing her laugh, as she chased a wildly dodging Moon, he decided he'd do anything he had to in order to make sure that smile appeared more often.

Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Tuxedo Mask came over to talk to Ranma as Saturn assaulted Moon.

“So, how did you find out that you were a Knight?” Tuxedo Mask asked curiously.

Before Ranma could even think of answering, Mars interrupted, “And how did you find Saturn before locating the rest of us? I mean, we've been active a lot longer.”

“Or did you not become active until you saw her?” Venus broke in.

“What are your intentions towards our daughter?” Neptune asked, she and Uranus having recovered enough to join the group questioning him.

“Where do your loyalties lie?” Luna asked.

Having everyone throw questions at him so quickly that he didn't even have time to think of an answer much less give one, then toss a talking cat on the pile and Ranma decided it was better to be unseen as well as unheard, and quickly faded from sight leaving a group of surprised Senshi and one suspicious Lunar Cat.

Artemis chuckled as Luna began muttering about ways to pin down the new Knight and learn where his loyalties lay. “I told you he doesn't speak to anyone, save possibly Saturn and they seem to just read each other's minds. And Luna, I thought you were satisfied he was the Silent Knight.”

“I am, but I want to know where his loyalties are, with Saturn or the Queen. Saturn has had disagreements with the Queen before after all.”

Artemis sighed. “The Government of Saturn has had disagreements; Saturn herself has always been loyal. Besides I've told you where his loyalties lie.”

“I really wish I had a better memory. Damn cryotubes!” Luna complained. “Ok, so Saturn's loyalties are never in doubt. How does that work with her Knight? Is he loyal to the government of Saturn or just Saturn herself? And what about when there was no Senshi of Saturn, who did he follow then?”

Artemis shrugged, digging deep into his memories. “He's loyal to Hotaru above all else, strip her of her powers and he would follow her still. The government means nothing to him, the girl everything. I have no idea why the Senshi of Saturn only appears for a decade at a time, but the Silent Knight is never around when she isn't. The theory I've always favored is that the Silence itself can only be wielded for a decade at a time, and that’s why Saturn isn't always around. Either the power sends her to be reborn, or, her duty done, she vanishes to live the quiet life of your average citizen with the Knight, changing identities to keep anyone from finding her while she's vulnerable.”

“And according to Pluto you're just remembering the plot of a television show,” Neptune sighed.

“Too many things fit what I remember,” Artemis said. “He could have had a show made based on himself to discredit the idea that he exists and the Gates can't track him, so Setsuna wouldn't know. I'd also like to point out that at over 10,000 years of age she may just have forgotten a few things herself.”

“I just want to know his intentions,” Uranus said

* * *

Ranma had played with the Silent Gladius for a couple of minutes, while watching Saturn and Moon play, before searching for a sheath among the costumes he carried. The best fit he could find was actually a sheath and buckler set from a pirate costume, as the swords with the Roman costumes all appeared to be long swords that were used in several different plays.

“Time out!” Moon called, collapsing at Ranma's feet.

Saturn caught up and looked down at the panting girl in disbelief, panting a bit heavily herself. “I actually tired somebody out?”

Ranma smirked and knelt down, buckling the sheath to Saturn's waist and trying to get it snug but not binding.

“You got me a shield and scabbard?” Hotaru asked, amazed that Ranma had managed to get her accessories for her Senshi outfit while she'd been playing. She absently fitted the small buckler on her arm, with Ranma basically kneeling in front of her with his arms around her, while adjusting the belt on her sheath.

Hotaru brushed his hair to the sides, making him look up and into her eyes, both of them suddenly very aware of the position they were in. She smiled down at him. “Being your girlfriend is just getting better and better.”

Ranma blushed so brightly that his aura glowed for a moment from the force of it.

By the time they'd broken eye contact, she was no longer out of breath or tired and the sheath and buckler were a deep purple with silver trim, neither noticed.

* * *

Artemis and the others watched the scene from a distance. “I'd say his intentions are complete and utter worship.”

“Wow!” Venus summed up everyone's feelings.

Pluto leaned on her Time Glaive. “Maybe I have forgotten a bit over the millennia, or maybe he has the ability to erase himself from our memories or make us think he was a TV show.”

* * *

“How are you so?” Akane tried to find a way of asking her question without being impolite, after they'd spent the last ten minutes making small talk.

“Sane?” Apparently Tatewaki had no such problems.

“Yeah.” Akane blushed, embarrassed that she was so obvious about such a delicate subject. Normally she wouldn't care but this Kuno was so different from how he'd been just earlier that day. It was like meeting a whole new person.

“My sister is not well. I know that's fairly obvious, but as you can see I am not like her. I'm not sure how it began, but shortly after my mother's death both my father and sister became what they are. My father vanished after a couple of years, leaving us alone and I was faced with a choice – I had been pretending to be just a little off to fit in with my father and sister. So really, all I could do was either learn to act the part so my sister might have a little company in her madness or act like a normal human being and completely abandon her. I decided that if acting mad and making myself look like the biggest fool in all of Japan was the price required to keep my sister at least a little happy, then it was a price I was quite willing to pay,” he explained.

“I don't know what to say,” said Akane. “I mean, I've been so mean to you.”

“Yes, and be sure to continue doing so,” said Tatewaki firmly, the full mustache from his root beer float making Akane snicker.

He grinned as he wiped off his face “Let’s face it, the Blue Blunder deserves all the beatings and insults he gets. A tad less groin shots would be appreciated, but for the character to work he has to act in such a way as to deserve them.”

Akane blushed. “Heh, sorry. I can hit your inner thigh and make it look like a groin shot easily. I've taken classes in stunts and pratfalls.”

“Really? I knew you were interested in the theater, but I had no idea you were interested in modern film. I'm sorry to say I thought you were just interested in the stage as a means of expression and for advanced college credits.”

“How can you not want to be on the big screen, to leave behind works that will be talked about by everyone for decades?” Akane grinned. “A bit egotistical or so Nabiki tells me, but it’s my dream.”

He toasted her with his float, “To egos, the bigger the better.”

Akane laughed, “Don't let Ranma hear you say that, his is already big enough.”

“And half of it is just an illusion he's putting up himself,” Tatewaki said seriously. “I've seen him when he thinks no one is around, well no one conscious anyway. A good portion of his ego is just him playing to the crowd, usually his father or someone else.”

“Seriously?!” Akane asked incredulously.

“Yes, he uses his huge ego the way I use the Blue Blunder's stupidity. When something is important, I'll come up with a mind numbingly stupid way to get the right answer and people will believe it’s a fluke that their plan failed.”

Akane thought about it for a minute. “Well, some of the things he's done for the sake of his ego are pretty out there.”

“Exactly! Way too overblown to be real, but it keeps people attacking what appears to be an obvious weakness, letting him manipulate them when they think they're manipulating him. As long as you don't mind looking like an idiot half the time it works well.”

“Why are you so open? I mean, we haven't exactly been on the best of terms and here you are telling me everything? Nabiki would at least charge me a couple thousand yen first,” she joked.

The Kendoist leaned back and smiled. “I consider myself a fair judge of character and as long as I've known you, you've been a kind person. Well, so long as one avoids mentioning certain subjects, and no I won’t name what they are, because that would be mentioning them, So I know my secret is safe with you. Besides, it’s nice to know that someone other than me knows what’s going on.”

Akane blushed. “Thanks, that's about the nicest compliment I've had in the last two years.”

“Well it’s true,” Tatewaki assured her. “I don't suppose you'd be interested in applying for a role in a movie, would you? I've just gotten the role of Thor and the director says we need to find a Sif still. The problem is that finding a martial artist actress to play the part is a bit difficult.”

“Why is he searching just for a martial artist actress to fill the role?”

“Well Sif is a battle goddess, so a female martial artist would fill the role much better than some pampered little princess, and by using martial artists in some of the main roles he can save on the special effects budget.”

“But what about the quality of the acting?”

Tatewaki grinned. “He said it’s far easier to teach a martial artist to act, than it is to teach your average bit player martial arts. He's used the money he's saved on special effects to hire some notable acting coaches, so even if you're acting skills aren't up to snuff, they soon will be. That alone was reason enough for me to take the part.”

“Really?” Akane leaned forward, obviously interested.

He grinned. “These people usually won’t see you without a couple of years on stage under your belt, so this will allow you to advance from tyro to star, in terms of skill, in short order.”

“Where do I need to go?” Akane asked with a smile.

* * *

Saturn's communicator beeped, letting her know there were only fifteen minutes left until the movie started.

“Eeep!”

Ranma was instantly focused on her, worried that something was wrong.

“I left my date in the park and it’s only fifteen minutes until the movie starts!” Saturn said, trying to keep Ranma's identity a secret because she didn't know if he wanted the others to know and … it just felt nice to share a secret with him alone.

Ranma swept her up in his arms and practically flew out of the park, wanting to get Hotaru to the movies on time so they'd be able to have their first date go well.

Mercury looked down at her computer. “Damnit!”

Everyone froze and quickly turned to her, waiting to hear what the bad news was.

“The Silent Knight's a Dark General, Hotaru's been repossessed, Artemis has fleas – WHAT?” Venus burst out after a minute waiting with no answer.

Mercury frowned. “None of the above, I just found out there are no openings in any yoga classes anywhere around my house.”

“Ok… and on that note, me and Neptune are going to follow our daughter on her date,” Uranus announced.

“Going to check and see if she's going out with a guy who'll turn out to be the Silent Knight?” Pluto asked.

“That and I want pictures of my baby's first date!” Uranus said before rushing off.

AN: Everyone thank godogma who actually types up my stuff so I’ll stop procrastinating so much!