"Your saying that we should trust this guy and abandon all hope of Crystal Tokyo to chase his dream?" asked Rai with obvious suspicion of the originator. The scouts were gathered at the Cherry Hill temple at the request of Pluto and Saturn. Setsuna had just finished explaining Ranma's idea to the rest with Hotaru's help. "Is it even possible to change the path from Crystal Tokyo at this point?" asked Ami who was still a little shocked that the Guardian of Time would suggest altering the future. "Anything is possible and yes I would rather try for a dream and risk failing, than simply say oops we let the Negaverse destroy a couple of planets I guess we should just write them off," the sarcasm was thick enough to use for a highway. "Besides I have some idea how Ranma intends to pull this off. It won't be easy and it will be rather dangerous to Ranma but he obviously intends to try it no matter what we say. Unless of course Usagi flat out tells him to forget the idea and then he ^might^ listen." "Also I think we should probably invite Longclaw over and introduce him," said Hotaru. "You mean Ryoga? The guy with the fangs and seamed to know more about the silver millennium that anyone other than Ranma?" asked Makoto. She was obviously happy about something. "Yeah he seams to have bonded with Longclaw which makes him an ally of the Scouts and a very dangerous person to anyone who threatens Usagi or Ranma." After a quick thought she continued "By the way how did you know that his name was Ryoga?" "He was my old boyfriend back when I was still getting kicked out of schools. He was the only one I have ever met that could get kicked out of school faster than me. He had the worst since of direction that I have ever seen. One day he got lost and I never saw him again until the other day when I couldn't say anything because I was Sailor Jupiter." "Well then you would probably like to know that you can introduce yourself anytime now." "Why in the world would she tell him that she's a scout?" asked Rai in a bewildered voice. "Because either he already knows or will know shortly anyway. Ranma will tell him just as soon as they get some free time," said Satsuna. "Back to the subject at hand. You said that Ranma wanted something, what was it?" asked Haruka. "He said he wants it reconfirmed that he is Lord of Atlantis. What he meant was that he wants it completely separated from the Kingdom of Earth. Since even if we rebuild the Silver Millennium the nations of earth aren't going to just give up and except Endymion's rule I really don't see the problem." "Maybe not but how does he intend to do this?" asked Usagi. "You'll have to get that from him and it could be an interesting trip, because while we were waiting for you guys he teleported back to earth and I'll bet what ever you want that he's in Atlantis." *** "Ranma where is this place?" asked Nodoka in an awed voice. She was looking around the room that they had stepped into. "This is Dragon Tower, my home. Once many years ago I lived here and the Twelve Kingdoms flourished under the rule of the Queen of the Moon. Then there was an attack and we were betrayed. The Twelve Kingdoms were destroyed, their people kill or scattered until all that remained was a bare few that made it to safety on earth before Queen Serenity used the Silver Crystal to seal away the Negaverse. Would you like something to drink?" "What are you saying? How could you have been here?" "Because I was a mage that would not give up my duty. I was born over thirty thousand years ago in Atlantis. I became a mage and commanded the Crescent Guard, but I set it up so that when the end came and if the queen had to use the final spell my soul would, at my death, be catapulted through time and arrive in the same time as the Princess. Then I was born to you and Genma, but I didn't remember who I was and the Nekoken training messed up my mind badly enough that my memories didn't return like they were supposed to. So it wasn't until Jusenkyo that my back up plan kicked in, when I landed in the pool it woke up my familiars and they came after me, brought back my memories, and left me the combination that you see here now. Does that explain it?" "Then your not really my son?" asked Nodoka in a tearful voice. "Of course I'm you son, but now I have all of my old memories. They have offset the example that Genma has set for me all of these years, given me back my magic, and finally brought me back to the only place that I have called home in the last five hundred years. You are still my mother, but I'm disassociating myself with Genma." "Ok then tell me why you don't want to get married to Akane. I thought that you loved her as your one and only." Nodoka had calmed down a great deal and was sitting up a little more in her chair. "Who..., Genma told you that I was in love with Akane didn't he?" "Why yes he did. Were you hiding something from him that he didn't know about?" "No, but he was hiding from reality for the last year or so. He and Soun have been trying to force me and Akane together since we arrived. Now who I was wasn't exactly an angle but Akane doesn't trust me at all, hits me at every opportunity, and wished that she had never met me just before I left, remember. Genma's plan has always been to get me married to Akane so he could live off of me, her, and the dojo, without worrying about honor. Add that on top of everything else and when the opportunity came that I had the skills to extract myself from the mess that he had got me in I just had to take it. Then you sided with him and I thought you also wanted to get me married Akane just because he promised regardless of what I wanted." "No, no it thought that you really loved her and were just hiding it either from yourself or from the others because they might hurt her. Now that I know I think you should follow your heart and it might be best if you kept your name change, because you are still underage and Genma is head of the family so could legally involve you in just about anything. Actually if you don't mind I might just change names myself. I agree with that girl Saturn that man is certainly no father. Now would you do me a favor?" "Just ask." "Could you tell me your version of the last several years? Remember I know just how unreliable Genma is now." "OK it started out ...." *** "What are you doing here?" demanded Deodorant when Ranma appeared in the middle of the Nekohanten later the same day. The amazons had jumped up when he arrived. "He's with me," said Saturn as she teleported in. Turning to Ranma she said "Some of the scouts are kinda upset with you at the moment. The inners had gotten used to the fact that in a thousand years Crystal Tokyo would come to be and now you want to throw it all out the window." "You know my reasons and the amazons here would probably agree with what I have in mind. After you get finished turning their culture upside down you can move them to a new home." "What makes you think that I'm going to object to a female dominated society and whats this about a new home?" "I intend to grab every mage gifted person I can lay my hands on and then I thought I'd offer the chance to move to Saturn. As for a female dominated society, well I knew you and you apparently haven't changed that much. You grew up in a society that treated everyone equally. Oh, on a side line my mother has stopped championing any of the girls and would like to move to Atlantis." Ranma pulled a necklace, silver chain and a sapphire with a silver dragon on it, out of nowhere and presented it to Saturn. "Atlantis's Gate is still functioning correctly and several of the ships have survived the years." "Which means what?" asked Conditioner. The amazons were watching the discussion with rapt fascination. "Which means that Ranma here has the trump card to defeat almost any enemy. The Gate will let him move any where he wants to and if any of the naval ships have survived he out guns every nation on earth in conventional weaponry." "Actually Serenity's Majesty is in the hanger." Ranma was smiling like the cat that had ate the canary ^and^ followed with a pitcher of cream, with dessert up his sleeve. "The royal flag ship?" asked Saturn in disbelief. "What ever, we can talk about Atlantis later right now we need to talk about the amazons. Cologne was it?" "Yes I am the Elder Cologne, head of the counsel of Elders," said Cologne with a bow. "Ranma has told me some things about the amazons. First I'm dissolving the female domination of the tribe, second I want to visit the village," said Saturn. "Oh and Ranma is coming with me, right?" The last was asked of Ranma. "Well there are only about fifty million things I need to do right now but I suppose I could manage to make a visit. After all I am an ally." The pitch changed half way through the last sentience as Ranma became Ranma-chan. "How husband change without water?" asked a bewildered Shampoo. "He is not your husband!" insisted Saturn hotly. "Why Saturn upset? Ranma beat Shampoo in fight, Shampoo has to marry him no matter what cheating Ranma try," Shampoo seamed genuine. "Because he's MINE!" yelled Saturn. "Isn't that right, Draco?" "I, uh, well, that is," stammered Ranma. "You should know better than to ask a question like that," laughed Ryoga/Longclaw walking in the door. "WHAT, another useless male?" demanded Deodorant. "You might want to reconsider that statement in light of the fact that it could be hard on your heath," suggested Ryoga in a mild tone. He walked over and casually took the Silence Glaive away from Saturn as it materialized. "See what I mean." "Give that back, your getting to be as bad as Ranma," snapped Saturn, but she was smiling when she said it. "Lets go to China." "If you don't mind I'll handle this," said Ranma-chan. "After all I do have the Gate." A hole opened up and then closed around the people in the Nekohanten. Less than a second later they were standing in the middle of the Amazon village. "How, How did you do that?" asked Deodorant in a stunned voice. "The Gate of Atlantis," smiled Ranma. The village was quick to react to trespassers in their midst. Armed guards charged from all over to ring the intruders. The leader an elder woman with a cane came to the front. "Who are you and what do you want here?" she demanded in a loud voice. "I am Cologne as you well know Brush," snapped Cologne. "I have returned with the Queen of Saturn." Rumbles of astonishment swept the crowd. "You actually believe that child's tale?" scoffed Brush. "So you think that I'm just a child's tale do you?" asked Saturn stepping to the front of the group. The whole group was stunned for just an instant and then dropped to one knee. "Your Majesty," they called. "Rise and listen. From now on the man known as Ranma Saotome is exempt from Amazon law no matter what name he uses. Women of the Amazon I think that it is time to unlearn the mistakes that took hold after the fall of the Moon Kingdom. You should not attempt to oppress anyone for race, gender, or any other reason you can think of," stated Saturn. "Your majesty are you saying that we should treat men as our equal?" asked one of the woman. "Yes I am. What is it Ranma, I'm busy?" asked Saturn as Ranma-chan tried to get her attention. "Two things. One I told you so, and two I'm going to run over to Jusenkyo and dismantle it," said Ranma-chan in a level tone. "Also I'm going to take Ryoga, Moose, and Shampoo." "All right but don't stay out too late dear," laughed Saturn. Ranma-chan, Moose, Shampoo, and Ryoga walked out of the village and headed over to the valley of the cursed springs. "Why hus-Ranma want Shampoo and duck-boy along?" asked Shampoo as they crossed into Jusenkyo. "Because I need you guys to help me bottle some of the Jusenkyo water before I cure you and banish it's magic." With that Ranma-chan waved her hand and made several hundred watercooler jugs appear. Several hours later after they had filled one jug from each pool, neatly labeled, they lined up in front of Ranma-chan. "Ryoga your going to have to part with Longclaw for a moment. Now I want you guys to stand right across the front of the first spring and-," started Ranma-chan. Ryoga pulled Longclaw out of his pack and tossed the sword to Ranma-chan who stuck it point first into the ground next to her. "You have cure for Jusenkyo?" asked the Guide in an eager voice. He was towing two teenagers behind him. "Yes I do why?" asked Ranma. "Because these two just fall in and I have been cursed by Jusenkyo to spend all time in form of Jusenkyo guide. Only spring that need more that warm water to change back. Would you please cure us as well?" pleaded the Guide. "Of course I will. Just stand with those three," instructed Ranma as he pulled a large chunk of amber out of her pocket. "Wait what about you?" asked Ryoga. "I don't need a cure. You see I've kinda gotten used to turning into a girl and now that it is entirely under my control I don't want to give it up. Now hold still." Ranma-chan started chanting in a language that even Longclaw had trouble recognizing. Ranma-chan could see the layered mess of magic on Jusenkyo and as the chanting came to a peak the magic of Jusenkyo and it's cursed springs tore loose from its anchor in the physical world and hung crackling in a ball of pure energy in the air over the valley. "Good thing I came prepared for this otherwise it would have been a pity to waste so much energy," said Ranma-chan smiling. With a twist of long dormant abilities Ranma-chan pulled the raw power that had been Jusenkyo into the chunk of amber laying in her hand. "Thats it?" asked a middle aged woman that was standing where the Guide had been. "Thats it," Ranma-chan assured her as she pocketed the amber. "Jusenkyo is no longer cursed. It's still a little cold for bathing but other than that it's just fine." "Thank you, thank you," called the teenagers and the woman. "My name is Donna, Donna Louis. I was a tourist from the United States when I fell into the pool of drowned Jusenkyo Guide. Now I can go home and I have you to thank for that. Is there anything I can do for you in exchange?" asked the woman that used to be the guide. "Actually if your willing there is two things you can do for me," said Ranma-chan. "Anything," the woman assured him. "First I would like the book that you and your predecessors have kept of all the curses. Second after you go home I would like you to keep an eye out for any unusual happenings and mail me at this address," responded Ranma-chan handing her a piece of paper. "Of course but if you don't mind why do you want the book?" "As soon as I have time I'm going to hunt down the people listed in that book and cure them." They walked back into the village just after sunset to see all of the people village sitting in the town square with Saturn up on a fence facing them. "What are you doing?" asked Ranma-chan curiously. "We're having a vote," responded Saturn in the tone a first grade teacher uses on an idiot. "Of course what was I thinking. By the way you do have school tomorrow." "Just a second we were just finishing." She turned to address the crowd again. "If the option of moving to Saturn were to become available how many vote to go?" Virtually every hand in the square went up. "Well I'll have to pass that on to Princess Serenity. Ok we can go now." Ranma-chan, Saturn, Ryoga, Moose, Cologne, and Shampoo were pulled back through the gate and into the Nekohanten. "Can I drop you somewhere?" the now male Ranma asked Ryoga and Saturn. "I can make it home on my own," insisted Saturn just as she teleported. "If you could drop me at the Tendo's place I'd be grateful," answered Ryoga who had Longclaw strapped to his back again. "Tomorrow then," said Ranma as he and Ryoga vanished from the Nekohanten. *Now it's time for some serious remodeling,* thought Ranma as he arrived on Saturn. *This is good enough.* Ranma placed the piece of amber from Jusenkyo on the ground. For the next hour Ranma twisted the wild energy contained in the stone into the shape he wanted, then with a nod of satisfaction he gated into the heart of Dragon Tower. *I always thought that it was funny that the Moon was the heart of the Silver Millennium, time of magic, and the gem moonstone is probably the best conductor and storage media of magic,* thought Ranma moving over to the three foot tall moonstone podium. After a moment of thought he reached out through the podium and stared at the Earth through it. *I can't believe that this mess is actually Earth.* Every living produced magic, life force, and the excess ran off into channels, lay lines, some big and some small. Those lines in turn met and formed pools, nodes, where the magic ran wild with eddies, changes in force, and different textures of magic ready to be tapped if one knew the secret to taming the magic. The lines of energy of Earth used to run in neat well established lines that gave the mages of Earth a nice dependable supply of magic. Now they looked like some madman on drugs had laid them out. Ranma/Draco was an old hand at bending these forces to his will. Now he was working on something much harder, changing the course of those streams and causing them to form a matrix of his design that would eventually form the largest node on the planet under Dragon Tower. As the hours passed the magic of the entire Atlantic seaboard of the Americas, Europe and Africa slowly bent to his will. Far away on Saturn the stone that Ranma had planted was pulling the lines of Saturn to itself, crating a reservoir of power that would have reduced Dragon Tower to splinters. After a few hours the stone started crackling and flashing radiating magic like a sun. *** *Ah, done at last. At least for this part of the world,* sighed Ranma as the locks on the matrices that had been completed fell into place with a flash. *What time is it? Seven o'clock already! Well, well, well.* He reached out to the reservoir of power that was the sun, a part of him in a way that his own magic was a part of him, and let it wash the fatigue out of him and revive him better than a full nights sleep and a cup of coffee. A brief exercise of his own power left him immaculately cleaned and dressed in his trademark red chinese shirt and black pants. the thought ghosted out from Dragon Tower and across to the young woman as she was waking up. came the reply. *** Ryoga woke up just before dawn to unfamiliar surroundings. *Where am I?* he thought. *Trust you not to remember the fact that your sleeping in the Tendo Dojo,* answer what had become the other side of the coin of his mind, Longclaw. *Oh yeah. Do you want to show me some of those fancy techniques you have up your sleeve? Figuratively speaking of course.* The last part came with a mental smirk. *Sure but lets go out side first. After Kasumi's hospitality I don't want to destroy her family Dojo.* Ryoga practiced the ki exercises and the katas that Longclaw showed him until dawn and then he jumped to the roof to watch the sunrise. Some time later Kasumi called everyone to breakfast. "Good morning," Nodoka greeted everyone cheerfully. She had on a silver and Sapphire necklace. "Good morning Aunt Nodoka. Why are you so happy this morning?" asked Akane. "Today Ranma is going to move all of my stuff to Atlantis and then I'll be able to see my son all the time." "Your going to move to Atlantis?" asked Ryoga as he sat down. Longclaw noted the necklace to him. "Yes why?" Nodoka's tone was curious. "Well with that necklace you hardly need to live in Atlantis to see him." Suddenly the doorbell rings. Kasumi goes to answer it and shortly returns with the Sailor Scouts minus Pluto and Saturn, but including Tuxedo Kamen. "Mrs. Saotome, we were hoping that you could get us in contact with Ranma because Saturn is missing," said Neptune as soon as they were all in the room. "Missing? Of course I'll help. Uh how can I contact Ranma?" said Nodoka. "I'll get it, Mrs. Saotome," interrupted Ryoga. "Call me Aunt Nodoka, after all you are my son's oldest friend." "Sure, now let me see. Kasumi could you bring me the mirror from the hallway?" When the mirror was brought to the table. Ryoga propped it up so that it faced the room. "Is there some secret magic words that you need to say?" asked an excited Moon. "No not really. Draco designed this spell for me and he had a sense of humor. Mirror, Mirror on the wall I'd like to make a call. Dragon Tower." With that the mirror fogged over and a scene appeared in the mirror. Sailor Saturn was sitting across the table form Ranma calmly eating a breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, milk, and juice. The two were talking and trading jokes. "Didn't anyone tell you people that it's rude to watch people eat?" asked Ranma suddenly facing the group that were watching through the mirror. "Uh how long have you known we were there?" asked Moon blushing. "Do you really think that anything that I don't allow can get through the defenses of Atlantis, let along Dragon Tower? It can't," the last part was a flat statement. "AHH, I'm not in uniform!" yelled Saturn. "Relax, the towers defenses filter all outgoing communication and add uniforms to all Scouts," Ranma assured her. "So just what did you guys need?" "Well Saturn was missing and we wanted your help finding her, but since she isn't missing I guess we should tell you that after long debate we have decided to try and restore the Moon Kingdom," explained Moon. "Which planet were you going to start with?" asked Mercury. "Mars, since it is closer to earth norm than the other?" "I thought that I would start with Saturn," said Ranma with a twinkle in his eye. Saturn suddenly turned her eyes inward. "Why Saturn?" asked Jupiter. "Because he's already started," spoke up Saturn. "Huh, when?" asked Uranus. "Last night just before he started rearranging the magic flows of Earth," announced Pluto from behind Nabiki. "AHHHH!" shrieked Nabiki as she managed a four foot jump from a sitting start. "He did what?" asked Tuxedo Kamen. "I don't feel any different." "Thats because your not a Scout," explained Pluto. "You don't draw the same kind of power from Earth as a Scout would. Ranma was the closest that Earth ever had to a scout." "I thought you he said that he used the sun," said Mars. "He does us the sun like the rest of us use our planets. Its something that is connected to us on a level that makes the person and planet a single entity. However Ranma is a mage of unbelievable power, he can actually use the power of another planet, not as efficiently as the sun but it still gives him a huge power boost. And by order of the Queen any planet that denied its power to the Silver Dragon had better be ready to present its reasons before the throne and court and they had better be good." "But thats dead and buried by now. You girls do realize that you have only a few minutes to get to school before your late?" asked Ranma in an innocent tone. "AHH, I'm gonna be late again!" yelled Moon. She and the rest of the Scouts ran out the door and toward school followed by Akane and Nabiki. "Do you think they'll think to teleport before they get there?" asked Pluto. "Probably not, but you never know." "Well Ryoga were you going to come to school today?" asked Pluto with an easy smile. "Only if you can give me a lift," he replied. *** "Where is that coward Saotome? I shall destroy him for the hand of the beauteously fair Akane!" proclaimed Kuno as Ryoga appeared at the school gates. "Ranma isn't attending this school anymore but I will champion his name so I suggest you either prove those words or retract them IMMEDIATELY," Ryoga informed him. "You would side with that sorcerer against a noble Samurai such as myself?" asked Kuno incredulously. "Then face your fate!" He charged with his boken ready. Only to backpedal quickly as Longclaw materialized in Ryoga's hand. "AHH!" The bokken was sliced, neatly, into very small pieces in seconds. "Good night," said Ryoga politely as his punch reduced Kuno to unconsciousness. Ryoga continued on to class and sat in the back. "May I ask what your doing here?" asked the teacher. "It was my understanding that you didn't attend school here." "Well actually I used to get lost really easily so my education at public school is more than just a bit spotty. However Setsuna Meiou is arranging my transfer to this school. So I thought that if you didn't mind I would sit in." "Of course. It is so encouraging to see someone young taking an interest in education for a change," the teacher said with a look around the room. The lunch period started out just like normal until and explosion rocked the school. "What was that?" asked Nabiki. "I mean Ryoga is here who or what could have caused that explosion?" "I don't know but I'm going to find out!" yelled Ryoga as he jumped over the school in one bound only to find the police, fire department, and Scouts arriving. "What is this?" he asked. The ground in front of the school had one large crater half filled with rock chips and a smaller one off to one side. The smaller crater had a small patch of ground untouched in the middle of it. There were scorch marks all over the ground, several bits of webbing, and numerous insect body parts laying around. "We received an anonymous tip that there would be an explosion at the school just a few minutes ago," the scene commander told the Scouts. "Do you have any idea what just happened here?" "Yeah I do," said Pluto. "Ranma encountered several of those bugs and wiped them out. See here he made his stand. This part of the ground is untouched because it was inside his shields," she said pointing to the patch in the smaller crater. "And these marks are from lightening bolts, that one from a fireball, and that explosion there that smashed the big rock looks kinda like a Deadly Scream," she finished explaining. "But how do you know it was Ranma?" asked the commander studying the marks on the ground like he expected them to grow claws. "He might as well have signed his name. There are no mages left in this time that could wield battle magic like this. Just getting in the practice would have given off enough magic for me to have investigated and found them. No this was the work of a battle hardened Warrior Mage and the only one still living is Ranma." "Ok, so how do we write this up?" asked the one officer looking at the commander. "Don't ask me this is over my head," said the commander. The school crowd was starting to gather when Pluto made a few hand gestures and Ranma appeared sitting on empty air with his hands raised and mouth open like he was getting ready to take a big bite of a hamburger. "Gee Pluto I was just sitting down to lunch whats the problem?" asked Ranma as he lowered his hands and stood up. "I wanted to know just what you thought you were doing taking on these things without us?" demanded Pluto. She was obviously very upset. "Pluto, I've face far worse things than these over the years and as you may have noted they didn't have a chance against me. As for the reason that I didn't invite you guys. Your going to need all of your strength on Saturn this afternoon." "What is going to happen this afternoon?" asked one of the students. "Nothing that you need to worry about," interrupted Ryoga. "Oh don't worry about it. If you happen to have access to a telescope that can get any kind of look at Saturn you might want to tune in tonight," suggested Ranma. "Scouts I'll meet you at the big glowing spot on Saturn at say eight. Later!" with that Ranma disappeared. "Everybody get back to class this show is over," said Pluto with a sweep of her staff. *** At eight o'clock sharp Sailor Pluto arrived at the stone Ranma had placed on Saturn to find that Ryoga, Saturn, and Ranma were already there and Neptune and Uranus were just arriving. "Where are the Inners?" she asked. "On Earth waiting for Serenity," answer Ranma with a smile. "Your punctual as usual. Anything new at the Time Gate?" "You know as well as I do that I have no way of knowing how this is going to turn out, your blocking the Time Gate." "Can he really do that?" asked Uranus. "In a heart beat. I made the mistake of letting him guard the Gate once so I could take a vacation and some how he learned more about the gate in that period of time then I have learned during my whole guardianship," answered Pluto was a small glare at Ranma, who pretended he hadn't heard. In a thunder clap the Inners arrived. "Sorry we're late but my parents wanted to know where I was going on a school night," rushed out Moon. "You do realize that your going to have to tell your parents about who you are really don't you?" asked Ranma. "Why would I have to do that?" "Because as soon as I have the new group of the Crescent Guard trained up to standards their going to move in with you and that might be a little hard to explain," suggested Ranma with a smile. "Never mind," interrupted Saturn before they could get started. "We came here to do something tonight and I planed to take Ranma out to dinner to show my appreciation." "You have school tomorrow, young lady," admonished Neptune, shaking her finger at Saturn. "This is really funny, but Saturn is right we came here with propose," laughed Ranma. "Scouts get in a ring around the stone, Saturn go to the other side of the stone." "Before we start there is something that I've been curious about," spoke up Mercury. "How is it that we are surviving in an environment that should have killed us as soon as we arrived?" "The short answer is that its something the Scouts are automatically given," answered Ryoga/Longclaw because Ranma was concentrating and probably didn't even hear the question. "All right Scouts call up your power, not you Saturn," said Ranma suddenly. As the Scout's powers came up each was surrounded by a glowing aura of her color. "Now Saturn!" Sailor Saturn's power flared to life and Ranma turned lose the spell at the same time. A spinning vortex pulled the auras of the Scouts and Ranma together and suddenly the Scouts could see a view of the place they were standing but they seamed to be in a park with a large complex behind them. The Park was full of plants, trees and animals. In the back ground they could hear the magic Ranma had turned loose whispering 'this is what you were bring it back, we will help you.' Then everything disappeared in a flash of multicolored light. *** *What happened,* thought Jupiter as the blackness receded. "Ahh, back with us I see," said Ryoga. "My old friend Makoto." "Huh, how did you know that and is the Princess all right?" "She's fine and Ranma told me. You didn't think that he wasn't going to tell me who you all were as soon as possible did you? By the why did you want to go out on Sunday?" The rest of the Scouts started waking up with a chorus of groans. "What happened?" asked Mars holding her head. "You guys just unleashed a force of magic that is restoring an entire planet," said Ryoga softly. "The head ache that some of you are feeling is the effect of too much magic being channeled through you. Saturn, Pluto, and Serenity won't have any problem because Saturn and Pluto are strong enough to take it and Serenity was protected by the Silver Crystal." "What happened to Ranma?" asked Neptune looking around. Ranma was laying on the ground in the middle of the circle dressed in a blue-green gi with a silver cape wrapped around him. They also noticed that they were all laying in grass with some trees near by, small trees but trees. "He'll be out for the rest of the day for sure after that its anyone's guess how long it'll take. He expended about twice the power that you guys did." "I'll take him to Dragon Tower," said Pluto and Saturn at the same time. They glared at each other for a moment, then nodded and disappeared with Ranma. "What was that all about?" asked Uranus. All of the Scouts were looking around by this point. "They've been arguing about who would marry him for the last five years at this point. The main problem was that Queen Serenity was encouraging them both. Ranma was trying to find a way out but they weren't having any of it. He finally gave up and moved into Dragon Tower for a little piece. The Queen was getting her revenge you understand. At one time or another all of the Twelve Kingdoms had protested against the Silver Dragon, but since he was hiding his identity she couldn't officially do anything about it." "What were the complaints. I've been remembering things about him and that has pretty much guaranteed my trust." "Well the one was when just after Saturn became Saturn, she was having some problems at school because she was the Bringer of the Silence. So the Silver Dragon arrived one day in full battle armor and announced that if everyone didn't relocate their manners he was going to start offering challenges. The other complaints were similar. No one showed a millimeter less then full respect to the Queen, Princess, and Scouts when he was any where around. Then there was that episode when the King of Mars decided that Saturn was dangerous and they needed a plan to take out the Sailor Scout of Destruction if the need should arise. Ranma threw him out of the third story window of his palace into the pool and told him that if he ever suggested such a thing again Ranma was going to level the palace with his majesty's face as the wrecking ball." "Basically he was the ultimate big brother and nice guy huh," commented Moon. "Pretty much," agreed Ryoga/Longclaw. "So Makoto how bout that date?" "Date?" asked Venus. "And how did he know who you were?" "Ranma told him just like Setsuna told us he would." "Well I guess that everyone has had a long day and should probably get some sleep for school tomorrow. I can get anyone that isn't sure of their own power home," offered Ryoga/Longclaw. "How?" asked Uranus with a quizzical look. "You don't have any magic, do you?" "No but Ranma is letting me use the Atlantis Gate." Ryoga turned and looked at Moon. "That reminds me, your highness. I'm supposed to tell you that Serenity's Majesty is intact at Atlantis." "I'll ask later but now could we just go home?" asked Venus holding her head. Ryoga dropped all of the Scouts off at their house before returning to the Tendo Dojo for the night. *** The next morning Usagi showed up to science class to see a TV sitting in the room. "Are we going to get to watch TV today?" she asked the teacher. "The Prime Minister is going to give a speech on what is happening on Saturn," the teacher explained. As class started the teacher turned on the TV, just as the station was interrupting it's regularly scheduled programming to bring them this breaking story. "Good morning people of Japan," began the PM. "Last night in cooperation with NASA in the United States and several other space agencies we began tracking a disturbance on the planet of Saturn. Using several sources including the Hubbell Telescope we have come to the startling conclusion that the planet Saturn is changing. The cloud cover that has obscured it since we began exploring the heavens are rolling back. We aren't sure exactly what this will bring but one of the probes that was to do a fly by of Jupiter's moons will be diverted to view Saturn." "Mr. Minister," called one of the reporters that were there live. "Yes?" "Is there any danger to Earth from this disturbance?" With a flash of light Sailor Saturn was standing on the stage a few feet from the PM. "I would like to address that question if I may," she said addressing the PM. "Of course," said the PM stepping away from the podium. "I am Sailor Saturn of the Sailor Scouts and I have come to tell you and all of your viewers that there is nothing to be concerned about regarding the events on Saturn. They were carefully planed and executed by the Sailor Scouts." "Miss. Saturn, what is the propose of these events we are seeing on Saturn?" asked one of the reporters. "We are making Saturn habitable to people again. Thank you for your time," with that statement she vanished. *** Ranma woke up with a screaming pain in his side. *Where am I and what was that? THE PRINCESS!* He was in his bed in Dragon Tower still asleep after altering Saturn. "Ranma are you ok?" asked Pluto in a voice full of worry. She was sitting in a chair beside the bed. "What's the matter?" asked Saturn from the other side. "We have to go the princess needs us!" shouted Ranma as he seized hold of the energy gathering under the tower and restoring his body's balance as he stumbled out of bed. "Where and you can't go naked?" responded Saturn who had jumped up with Pluto when Ranma had yelled. "You stand corrected," joked Pluto as the Gate gaped open and pulled them through. The nurses on the Intensive Care Ward of Tokyo General Hospital were naturally surprised when a naked man accompanied by two women stepped out of the hole in the air into the hallway. The first gathered her wits and found a suitable course of action, she fainted. Ranma's battle aura surged up around him and when it faded he was dressed in his normal clothing. In one of the rooms Usagi was laying in the bed wrapped in bandages, she was pale and looked almost lifeless in unconsciousness. Her parents were sitting in chairs next to the bed, her brother was sitting with his mom, the civilian clad Scouts were sitting in the chairs lining the room, and a detective was standing in the room asking questions when the door slammed open. The Scouts all grabbed their transformation wands and the detective went for his gun. "Who are you?" demanded the detective as Ranma stormed into the room. Ranma ignored him as he walked into the room chanting rapidly under his breath. He released the spell with a tossing gesture of his hand and the detective froze. "How much do they know?" he asked gesturing at Usagi's parents and brother. "Everything that we do," responded Minako signaling to the Tsukinos that it was ok. "Well then first thing's first. Hotaru lets go to work." With that Hotaru transformed and Saturn laid her hands on Usagi with Ranma grabbing Saturn's shoulder. Saturn's power surged up around her in a visible aura and started seeping into Usagi. Ranma's aura roared up at full battle strength and poured into Saturn. Color returned to Usagi almost immedietly and with a groan she opened her eyes and said "What happe-Mom what are you doing here?" "Usagi you almost died. We told your parents everything and Saturn and Ranma here are going to get you fixed up in no time," said Michuru gently. "Yeah like right now. Don't run any marathons and don't get into any fights in the next six hours and you'll be fine," said Saturn. Then turning to Michuru asked "What happened?" "We were fighting some of those creatures when a new kind stepped out of no where and got Usagi right across the side with a set of claws that were a foot if they were an inch." "Why didn't you call us?" asked Pluto. "Because we knew you were caring for Ranma and we didn't want to interrupt you," answered Haruka. "Pluto I need to barrow your staff," said Ranma. "And did anyone think to call Mamoru?" "Why do you need my staff?" asked Pluto. "No actually we didn't," said Rai thoughtfully. "I have something to do and I need some time to do it in," Ranma answered Pluto. "And this is something that I wouldn't fell right involving anyone else in." "Sorry I can't." "It's for the Princess. She can't rule the Moon Kingdom if she's dead!" "Your right and here you go," said Pluto recoiling from the force of Ranma's words. She pulled her key staff out of the air and handed it to Ranma who vanished as his hand closed over it. "What was that all about?" asked Mr. Tsukino. "Pluto's staff allows those that know how to travel through time, but I thought that only you could because of your position as champion of Pluto," said Ami with the last part directed at Pluto. "Sorry I'm late but I didn't want to run into myself," said Ranma materializing back in the room. He wasn't alone though. There was a young man of about sixteen wearing silver armor with the upward facing crescent moon on it. He was also carrying a large sword at his side. "Everyone this is Justin Bradford, Lieutenant of the Crescent Guard. Usagi get to know him because your going to be seeing a lot of each other from now on." "What's the Crescent Guard?" asked Shingo. "The Crescent Guard was responsible for the safety of the royal family of the Moon Kingdom in the time of the Silver Millennium. Now Justin here is assigned to protect Usagi, the last Princess of the moon." "You think that that boy can protect my daughter against the thing that did that to her?" asked Ms. Tsukino. "Don't be too quick to judge," suggested Pluto who had noted the presence of both magic and a sizable battle aura around him. "I'd put Justin against any of the inner Scouts at this point," remarked Ranma. "Now I think that we'd better be leaving." "Why would we leave?" asked Makoto. "Because unless you all would like to explain why Usagi came in here with a wound that should have killed her and is now totally healed then we should be leaving." "But there are too many records for us to just up and leave," insisted Ami. "Leave that to me. Justin escort Usagi and her family to their car and take them back to their house I'll meet you there." "Ok Ranma just don't do anything rash," said Justin speaking up for the first time. As the others left Ranma carefully released the spell that he had spent the last twelve years building, using the Time Key. It removed any memories that the detective or anyone else in the building had of Usagi. Then he moved out into the Hallway to the nurse's station and charmed them out of there to help the detective and hacked into the Hospital system and removed any trace of Usagi's injury from there as well. *** *Who is this guy?* thought Haruka. Justin had walked out of Usagi's room and blurred for a moment then he was wearing a white button down shirt and black jeans. He moved like a jungle cat on the prowl and never let his eyes rest in one spot for more then a few seconds. "Who are you and what exactly did that young man mean about you and my daughter seeing a lot of each other" Mr. Tsukino asked Justin. "I've been assigned to protect the Princess at all times. That means that I'm moving in, either in the house or on the roof their the same to me. For the two of you who remember, I'm wearing Ranma's old formal armor and his old sword," answered Justin without stopping his roving eyes. "You've got the commander's sword?" asked Pluto with wide eyes, then her eyes narrowed. "You can't be a member of the Crescent Guard, only the Queen can appoint new members because of the need to use the Silver Crystal." "Ranma used the Silver Crystal and yes I have the sword." "How did he get the Silver Crystal?" asked Usagi. "Better yet how did he use it? Only members of the Moon family can use the Crystal," said Hotaru. They piled into the cars and drove over to the Tsukino house, but when they got home there was a light in the window. When they got inside they found Ranma and Mamoru inside. Ranma was in the kitchen and Mamoru was setting the table. "I thought you guys might be hungry," commented Ranma walking in from the kitchen just in time to see Mamoru grab Usagi in a hug and demand to know if she was ok. "Dr. Saturn I think you can answer that question." A timer dinged and Ranma ran into the kitchen and came back out with a platter of marinaded steaks in his hands and the side dishes trailing along behind him. "Where did you learn how to cook?" asked Ms. Tsukino looking at the food laid out on the table. "You'd be surprised at what you can learn in five hundred years of life." "Young man what are you doing here?" asked Mr. Tsukino in an annoyed tone of voice. "I thought that I told you to stay away from my daughter." "Just leave it alone until after dinner," suggested Ranma, setting everything on the table. As everyone was eating the Scouts took turns explaining what had happened to Usagi. "By the way why do you always appear as Tuxedo Kamen instead of Endymion?" asked Ranma turning to Mamoru. "Thats who I am Tuxedo Kamen, protector of Sailor Moon," he answered. "Then where were you when my daughter got hurt?" asked Ms. Tsukino. "I was on my why but unlike some of the others I can't teleport," explained Mamoru. "You mean your part of this too?" asked Mr. Tsukino. "Is that why you were hanging around with my daughter?" "Well that and they plan on getting married," Ranma assured him in a level voice. Setsuna winced, Ms. Tsukino fainted, and Mamoru cringed, and everyone else looked at Ranma in shock. "Are you serious?" asked Mr. Tsukino. "Yep and up until that thing on Saturn they had a daughter that would be born in about a thousand years. Now they will still probably have a daughter and chances are that she will be mostly the same but with a different background." "Which reminds me during the thing with the Black Moon family we went to the future, now that future is gone how did Chibi-Usa ever exist and how did we fight the Black Moon family?" asked Ami. "There are many timelines, what will be, what could be, what could have been and what is. The others are like ghost laying beside this timeline, like pages in a book. When we went to Saturn we irrevocably altered the timeline, setting us on the path we're on now, but when I had the Time staff I made sure that that other piece of history happened by using one of the ghost timelines. So for a time one of those ghosts became just a bit more real, but now we're on a new path, that with luck will lead back to the Silver Millennium." "So thats why you wanted to barrow the staff," guessed Haruka. "Nope, I went back in time and taught Justin here for twelve years, during that time I fixed the timeline, did a little studying and healed from the encounter with magic on Saturn. It also means that its been twelve years since I've seen you ladies. However Serenity now has a guardian that can watch over her twenty-four seven and the Scouts have a powerful new ally." "And now you won't have to personally train the whole new Crescent Guard by yourself," noted Setsuna. "There is that, and since we've started on business anyway. How would you like to move to the moon?" Ranma asked the Tsukinos. "Move to the moon?" asked Mr. Tsukino in a dazed voice. "Yeah, like sell this house and move into a new one on the moon. Come to think of it we might as well establish the Moon Palace again anyway," continued a thoughtful Ranma. "Can he do that?" asked Ms. Tsukino. "Have you see Saturn lately. There is a wave of greenery and life rolling across its surface," answered Makoto. *** Let me know what you think. Also I need a Title any ideas? Sjiriki@aol.com