Shadow Veiled Senshi
(Ranma/Sailor Moon X-over)
By Shad4c
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and Sailor Moon belong to their respective owners. Not me. This piece of fiction is purely done for entertainment purposes and no profit is made from it in any form.
Authors Note - start/end of flashbacks.
Fight scene music rec.- Realise from Gundam Seed. :p (What I was listening to when I wrote it)
Chapter 6
Stepping into the Maze
It was a pleasant day all around in Juuban as most people went about their daily business. Ranma however had no time to enjoy the scenery as he plummeted down the side of the building he had been standing on, armoured in her uniform as Sailor Nemesis. As the new Senshi fell towards her debut as a Champion of Love and Justice (Although she'd probably pummel anyone that dared give her that title, and if they did it again deliver the ultimate punishment... force feeding them Akanes cooking), she took in the scene on the ground below.
The lot itself reminded the normally male pig tailed warrior of the place that he had waited for Ryouga in order to have the great bread duel when they were younger and the Hibiki direction curse hadn't been so strong in bacon breath. The unconscious bodies, hidden from sight if you were on the ground yet easily visible from her descending viewpoint, quickly dismissed the amusement brought about by the thought
Landing lightly and dismissing the Void Lance back into storage Nemesis glared across the lot at the monster that was roughly dragging an obviously drained boy towards the other bodies. The monster itself appeared to be vaguely female and seemed to be made out of old tires of different shapes and sizes with 2 larger tires sticking out on spikes from its shoulders.
Setting herself Sailor Nemesis pointed at the monster and announced her presence loudly.
" Hey you! Yeah you, last year's skidmark! Abandoned lots are for kicking P-chans butt not draining people and dragging them around like the Tomboys tuna surprise! In the name of Nemesis, I'm going to kick your ass!" The Dark Guardian said before she charged towards the monster.
Elsewhere a blue haired girl's computer started beeping loudly causing its owner and the other girls she was trying to help with their latest homework to look at it sharply and tense. Reaching out and lifting it up the blue haired girl glanced at the flashing displays. After a moment she nodded sadly to the others, getting a set of wiry sighs in return as the girls got up and quickly headed outside.
The monster reacted by dropping its barely living victim and snarling.
" Senshi? Die! TYIUR!"
Nemesis's speed had allowed her to cover the distance between them in record time and her reactions let her duck under the hasty swing by the monster. Twisting on her front foot the martial artist spun into a roundhouse kick, intending to knock the tire thing away from the boy. The execution was flawless, exactly how she had been taught however the result was far from what she planned. Instead of launching her opponent across the Lot her leg was violently bounced backwards, throwing her off balance and causing the silver skirted senshi to barely escape a punishing downwards blow by flipping away one handed.
Frowning, Nemesis bounced forwards once again and started raining blows on her enemy as she waved through its untrained counter attacks. The frown was quickly whipped away by the familiar smirk that many of the people she had fought in the past learnt to loathe. Of course the traditional Saotome Distraction Technique, Annoy the Hell out of them and look good doing it (The second part being something Ranma thought he did far better then the old Panda) soon followed this.
" Wow that was cool, love the Slow Mo".
" Should I find some oil?"
" You know I don't want to be your friend already so stop trying to hug me will ya!".
" I know pigs that aim better then that!?"
" TYIUR!!"
"KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!"
Taking advantage of the monsters enraged attack Nemesis dodged around the back of her bizarre opponent and unloaded a full chestnut fist into its back. Again the plan worked perfectly, every punch landed with Senshi-enhanced strength backing it up, even Ryouga would have been put down by it.
Unfortunately plans and Saotomes' don't really go together.
The recoil of the super fast attack sent the Space Senshi reeling only to be caught by a heavy kick and sent through a nearby wall. Shaking the fog from her mind Nemesis scrambled to her feet only to pause as she saw the building inside the wall. She then groaned as she realised what it was.
" Ahh man! I never gunna hear the end of this if…"
" TYIUR!" Came the battlecry from beyond the ruined wall, stopping the new Senshi mid sentence and reminding her of why she had been knocked through that stupid wall in the first place.
Rushing across Juuban with magically enhanced speed 5 girls braced themselves for the coming battle with the newest rogue Youma.
Charging back through the hole she'd entered the property via, Nemesis raced towards Tyiur with a ticked off expression only to have it change to alarm as the spikes on the monsters shoulders rotated over its shoulders and launched the tires attached to them at her.
" Hah! What was that meant to be, a…" Dodging the attack Nemesis smirked again and started a new series of taunts when the finely honed danger sense she'd developed to avoid ambushes, Fiancées (Still needed some work), the Pandas creditors and most importantly, the un-nameable beasts, flared up. This allowed her to twist out of the way of most of the rebounding tire that hit her in the back, sending her stumbling once again instead of knocking her to the ground.
The next few minutes consisted of a strange game of Senshi dodgeball as Sailor Nemesis bounced around the Lot in unpredictable patterns, chased by flying tires and the screams of an angry monster.
As the rookie Senshi finished dodging a particularly tricky attack, she looked over at Tyiur only to see the spike mounted tires deployed and pointing in her direction while spinning rapidly. A horizontal whirlwind blasted forth from the monster hitting Nemesis and catapulting her back into a wall once again.
" Ahahahaha! Pathetic!" The female tire monsters gloat rang in the red hared fighters ears.
Slumped up against the wall amongst floating dust Nemesis cursed herself. Why wasn't anything working? Those attacks would have knocked the Old Ghoul down and this freaky thing shrugs them off like nothing. That magical attack didn't hurt but it was really embarrassing.
The Senshi' thoughts ground to a halt suddenly at that word, magic. It was magic, this thing was a magical monster and she'd been trying to deal with it like it was a powered up Kuno. Time to step up and show it how to really use magic.
Nemesis' regular confidence flooded back. Rolling to her feet and extending her right hand she summoned half of the Void Lance and casually sliced through the tire that had been about to hit her. The look in the Space Senshi' eyes becoming colder and more focused while still retaining an inner warmth.
" Time for you to go, bored now."
With this declaration Nemesis launched the sword at Tyiur, catching it directly in the chest and making it take several steps backwards even as it once again fired off its tire missiles at her. Racing forwards the agile warrior cartwheels between the projectiles and bounced high into the air. Using the Saotome schools special skills, learnt from years of hard training she managed to avoided the rebounding tire projectiles and use one as a launching point in order to catapult back downward towards her target.
Mercury's visor flashed as it picked up the start of a magical power spike. Willing the small super computer to record it she put on more speed, the others matching this new pace a moment later and casting worried looks her way.
Summoning the second part of the Senshi Weapon that was a symbol of her station the Dark Guardian shouted a warcry as the blade slid into the monsters head and her feet landed on the handle of her other sword.
" DARK DRAGON LIGHTNING!"
The magical lightning channelled through both blades bit deep into the monster, already past the protective armour, and struck directly at the dark energy that was animating the energy parasite.
With a scream Tyiur was lit up by cackling black lighting and turned of a dark mist, leaving behind a battered Lot and a small pile of old tires in its place.
Taking a big breath the tired Redhead was about to head over and examine the 'remains' of the strange monster when, now she was no longer so narrowly focused to the immediate area, her newly enhanced senses detected a number of powerful magical signatures closing fast. Coming to a almost painful realisation that she wasn't ready for another fight like this until she got some serious training in, the black skirted Senshi slashed open another Astral Bypass.
Before she stepped through Nemesis glanced back at the damaged wall and winced, muttering under her breath as she left the area and the Bypass sealed behind her.
" Man, I hope Ryougas in the Sahara right now."
Several minutes later the Inner Senshi arrived at a run only to find a destroyed area and a chequered dog barking from a nearby hole in a wall. Looking at each other in confusion for a few moments, as the expected fight never appeared Venus then turned towards Mercury who was now carefully scanning the surrounding. Mars and Jupiter wondered off to look at the various damages to the lot itself while Moon kneeled down and started trying to get the nearby dog to come to her and let her pet it.
" Mercury?" Venus said in a questioning tone.
" The Mercury computer says that it's picking up signs of combat-type magic along with residual portal traces. I'm sure there was a Youma here recently." The Ice Senshi said as she analysed the information that the powerful computer was sending her, flashing before her eyes and tickling the edges of her mind.
" I think I've found it." Jupiter said as she kicked a rapidly vanishing pile of Youma dust with her boot and gesturing to it.
Turning her attention towards the disappearing pile Mercury nodded to her friend and fellow Senshi as her equipment verified that it was Youma remains.
" There's something strange here. I can't say quite what it is there's definitely something different here." Mars said airily as she seemed to gaze off into empty space. Her expression getting gradually more irritated as time went by.
The three Inner Senshi looked at each other then towards the fourth for answers to this new mystery.
Smiling slightly as she looked back at them through her visor she felt the familiar cool of her mind and spirit which came with the computer thaw slightly, as it always did when something like this happened. Shaking her head once more the blue skirted Senshi gestured with her free hand first to the surrounding and then towards her computer.
" I've got a much data as I can here but it will take time for the computer to work through them so I can't say what happened here yet." Mercury responded to the silent prompts.
" Does that mean we can go back now, if we hurry I'm sure those buns will still be warm!" Sailor Moon asked cheerful as she stroked the dog.
" Is food all you can think of? We could have a major new enemy coming and all you can think of is your stomach!" Sailor Mars complained to the blond girl loudly as she stalked towards her.
" But Maarrss, I didn't get to even take a bite out of mine yet!" Moon whined, drawling amused and resigned looks from the others.
" If another bunch of negacreeps are rising then we'll just knock them down again, just like all the rest." Jupiter said with confidence as she smacked a fist into her palm with a fleshy smack.
" If theirs nothing here it might be a diversion, we best leave and be ready to head elsewhere. Besides the next episode of my favourite programs on soon and I really don't want to miss it." Sailor Venus said getting a smile from her leader and understanding nods, if somewhat reluctantly on Mars part, from the others.
" Right! Lets go!" The twin tails blond said as she dashed off back the way they had come.
" Damn it Meatball head get back here!" Mars shouted as she gave chase alongside the remaining Inners.
Behind them a gentle misplaced waft of air blew away the last of the Youma dust. A minute after that the only trace of magic or that of its users existence was the battered landscape itself.
Lunar Palace, moments after the fight
A swirling Astral Bypass appeared in the ancient chambers of Sailor Nemesis, slipping past the old but still active magical defences n a manner only the Senshi of Space was capable of pulling off. Stepping out of the Bypass, Nemesis blinked in confusion at her surroundings.
"Huh? What am I doing back here?" The new space senshi asked herself causing a tiny sliver of knowledge to bubbled up from deep inside of her.
" Backtrack effect? Oh hell, I forgot to set a firm destination, good thing that path of least resistance thing worked, coming back here's not so bad. Have to remember that, hate to end up in Ryougas shoes." Nemesis said softly while wincing.
The knowledge that had sprung into her mind included what happened to a sloppy teleporter or portal maker that did what she had and wasn't lucky enough to trigger the backtrack effect. Death, endless floating in nothingness and mutilation weren't things high on her list of stuff to be experienced. Turning and looking back at the spot she'd arrived from the dark senshi gave silent thanks and vowed never to pull that particular Genma type move ever again.
Pulling herself from her self-recriminations, the black skirted warrior turned away again and began wandering around the room. When she'd first came here she had been drawn pretty much straight to the Book of Nemesis and hadn't really examined the contents of the rooms themselves in any detail. She scowled as a mental voice that sounded suspiciously like her father started berating her about overlooking an opportunity like that. A quick mental malleting of the annoying voice brought a smirk into being as she started randomly pulling odd items and old yet perfectly preserved books from their resting-places to examine them up close.
The items were a surprise to their new owner since they were in very good condition, after some thought Nemesis guessed that part of the rooms' magic must have cleaned and repaired them when she awakened. If it cooked as well as cleaned and fixed stuff she'd never have to put up with the tomboys cooking again, the thought flashed through her head. The smirk grew into a true smile as a mental picture of an irate Akane appeared cooking something only to have it disappear into thin air every time the youngest Tendo tried to serve it to her while she was enjoying a constantly replenishing feast.
The red head skimmed over the books, none of them seemed to be technique scrolls or about her new magic so she ignored them. What did she care about the political system of some long dead country, or locations of strange generators they'd built, that only existed in weird, flash blinding memories. Rubbing her forehead absently Nemesis continues her explorations, every now and then picking up something that looked interesting and dropping it into her dimensional storage pocket. One of the few really useful things that the panda had taught her on the 10 year training trip, almost making up for some of the bonehead things he had done. Almost.
Coming to a particular item on one of the higher shelves the transformed Saotome stretched up and carefully brought it down. Holding the small statue by the base in her left hand she examined it, it wasn't a new design to her being a model of her senshi symbol. The Differences however seemed to call out to her in much the same way as the Book of Nemesis had, that it still did from where it rested on the central desk. Where her symbol was normally a rigid winged sword, black and silver in colour and balanced on the tip of its blade, this one was resting flat, its blade was a deep red and the wings were up and swept back as if finishing off their movement before starting again.
Staring hard Nemesis thoughts ran quickly through her mind. Their was something about the pose… no not the pose, something about… about all of it. Grumbling lowly to herself the irritated senshi sat down in a cross-legged position.
" What is it? What is it about this stupid thing?" Nemesis said.
For several minutes the frustrated senshi tried to puzzle out the mystery of the strange statue calmly only to give up on that approach and start pacing the room.
" What is it! Grrr, no stupid statue is beating me! I wish Nabiki… no she'd sell it and the fact I couldn't beat this to everyone. Mousse, Ryouga and Kuno would never let me hear the end of it. Annoying morons." She complained, the taunts were already ringing in her ears and she hadn't even heard them yet. Bokken boys' poetry adaptation was by far the worst of the 3 sets of insults that her mind conjured up.
Freezing in mid pace she ran back over her last thoughts.
" Kuno, bokken, sword." Mutteing aloud the red haired fighter looked at the statue once again, taking in the position and colour.
" Thrust!" The word suddenly snapped into focus causing a flash behind her eyes as a new memory surfaced.
Looking at her teacher she admired the small statue the women was showing to her.
" I've always done things a little differently then the others. My predecessors were the same it seems." The Elder Nemesis said mysteriously as she smiled at her.
"In what way?" She asked curiously.
" Oh many, many ways. This one however is linked more to our nature then to our job. We've always preferred more and freer options to, how should I say it… thrust into a problem." The older guardian said with grim humour.
Smiling back with confusion she didn't resist as her teacher grabbed her by the arm and dragged her through a Astral Bypass.
" Come. It's easier to explain somewhere else." Were the last words she heard before the pair disappeared for the Lunar Palace. >
Blinking to refocus on the present and rubbing her eyes the young senshi did nothing for a few minutes before carefully replacing the statue in its former resting-place. Her eyes gained a determined glint as in one smooth motion the Senshi of Space formed a Astral Bypass and stepped through it…
… Straight into total darkness.
" Why me." She sighed to herself in tired despair.
Juuban
In a small apartment a elegant women with long green hair was relaxing. The apartment itself was fairly spartan although what items were in it were of the highest quality. Everything chosen and positioned with excruciating care but their owner to create a feeling of calm and order. The apartment was Setsunas bastion against the world, a place she could safely relax behind trusted defences without the constant magical buzz of the Gates or the chatter of her fellow Outer Senshi.
Sipping a drink slowly the red eyed women considered the events that had happened only a short time ago. Youma activity had been on the rise again and once again the Senshi and other demon hunters had risen to the call to beat the monsters back.
Still something about this hadn't felt right, more then simply someone else killing a youma. More then her inability to use the gates to see who it was, such an ability, in varying degrees of effectiveness, wasn't as rare as she would like dispute her efforts to remove it form the genepool.
Her investigation of the scene had provided her with valuable whispers of the fighters magical traces, traces that were strangely familiar yet different at the same time. A new puzzle to be solved and dealt with if needed.
The Senshi of Time relaxed in her sanctuary and smiled softly at nothing, sure in the knowledge that time solved all mysteries and Time was an ally she knew better then anyone.
Unknown location
Jedite watched as a Youma grovelled at the base of his thrown stammering out a report on the death of one of his Youma in the field. Leaning against his fist he used his free hand to dismiss the monster. Everything was still moving along well within the scope of his plans.
Looking up he gazed into a dimly pulsing yet slowly growing grey crystal formation floating high above him. Small streams of power flowing into it steadily.
Yes everything was going ahead as planned.
Authors Note-
The main story slowly starts kicking off from here on though. Some OOC on the Senshi side, this is deliberate. The same goes for the other artistic liberties I've taken with something's, all will become clear in time. See you next time.