Legacy of the Moon 1
Prologue
by Lerris Smith
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma or Sailor Moon.
Author's Notes: This is a twist on a Ranma Sailor Moon crossover. Chibi-Usa never existed. This will be a very low priority on my update list if for no other reason I should finish something before working on another. Then again I've said similar things before. If anyone likes the idea and wants to use it, then go for it. This version is my first attempt to use LaTeX for story creation. It should allow easy publishing of pdf/html versions although I am severely limiting the html output to be somewhat compatible with fanfiction dot net's extreme scrubbing of submissions. If there is interest I will eventually release the LaTeX source for others to use. A characters thoughts are shown this way.
A year had passed since the failed wedding and things had not improved. The end came not as the gigantic battle that many expected, but quietly, and with a thud as Ranma fell to the ground unconscious. Nabiki later testified to the truth of Ranma's condition. It seems her sister once again fed him dinner with predictable results. Kodachi and Shampoo had gotten to him as well with some kind of new dust and well she had no idea what Shampoo put in the ramen.
The coma that Ranma fell into seemed to defy treatment. The tests they had done on the sample of Akane's cooking that Nabiki saved as well as the powders found at Kodachi's house after the warrant was given were inconclusive at best. The Amazon's were less helpful to the authorities, only saying that Shampoo had done nothing to harm Ranma. A police search of their residence found nothing. They slipped back to china the second week when it was obvious that Ranma was not getting better. All and all the doctors were a little surprised that Ranma was still alive, given that the monkey they had tested what they found on was not.
With Nabiki's testimony and the videotape she had made of Akane feeding her fiance with a mallet in her hands both Kodachi and Akane were sent for psychiatric evaluation and ended up spending several years in therapy. In time they were released. Ranma was released as well, but to a far more permanent resting place.
The battle was won but the cost was high, so very very high. It had begun so very long ago. Setsuna was tired of it all. It was not right that she alone had survived the battle. She who was older than any man or woman on the planet. She had seen civilizations rise and fall and even taken part at times sometimes to her regret.
It always seemed to be those she cared about that paid the price and now was no different. She had manipulated them all to the very end and she was sick of it. Crystal Tokyo was a dream only. The dream gave them hope and courage in their darkest hours but it had not saved them. She had found Crystal Tokyo's possibility so very long ago in the time gates, but as to how to get there, she had very little idea. It was true that she could control it, a little. Sometimes she could see events in the near future, but only sometimes. Things far distant were guesses at best. Still the time gates possibilities gave warning, although sometimes it was about threats that never happened and quite often missed the most dire threats as it had this time.
All of the senshi dead along with Tuxedo Kamen. The magic that had protected and guided their souls to this day and age in this little corner of Tokyo was gone. It was actually depleted a year ago when Sailor Moon had used it to bring the Senshi back to life one final time. There was little time remaining. Her power was linked to the silver crystal and to her princess as were all the rest. Still her link to the time gate remained and she had one last duty to perform and then their spirits would be free. She brought out her time staff and summoned a portal into the past. It had to be him of course. Of all the people in the world, no other had such potential and so little tenancy to abuse that potential. Choosing her for the other was a hard choice, but given the alternatives it was the only real choice possible. There was also a tiny part of her that smiled at placing the potential for a better future in the hands of those deserving of it. At least she hoped things would not turn out the same this time around. She stepped out of the portal into a small nursery that had just received its tenant.
A picture of a horse rearing its defiance to the word was engraved on the side of the small crib. She brought out the star seeds of the others and murmurred an invocation in her native Lunarian tongue. The crystals flashed and then blinked softly as if in sad agreement and then suddenly from the 9 crystals emerged different colored streams of energy. Only a small amount from each one, but in the end producing a small but brilliantly blue new star seed. A gesture later and the star seed drifts down and fades into the chest of the young boy. Setsuna places the other now dim seeds back into her subspace pocket and looked at the boy. Good, had I not been touching him I would never have sensed its presence. He should not either, until it is his time. She smiled softly and said, "Good luck Ranma. May you protect them where I no longer can." She then gestured with her staff and opened another portal to a little further in the past.
The newest little Tendo was in her parents room, but no matter. A couple sprays of mist assured that Soun and Kimiko would remain asleep. She then took out all that remained of her friends. "It is time. I will be with you soon." A couple winked softly as if in encouragement or sympathy. Her hand began to glow and she reached into herself and pulled out her own star seed. The others had done almost all they could, yet their energy was nearly spent. Her face contourted in pain yet she emitted not a sound as the agony of being separated from that which had made her immortal and had been with her for so very long. As if sensing the haste required the other star seeds quickly sent off tiny streamers of power as hers sent off a very bright stream before it too faded into nothingness. The others were at rest now. She hoped Kami-sama would smile on them when they arrived. A tiny new star seed sat there glowing a soft green color. A weak gesture from Pluto sent the seed into the sleeping girl. Sailor Pluto smiled a fond smile. She then focused her remaining energy into the staff and commanded it its final duty. A glow of white formed around Pluto freeing the last links she had with the gate, staff, and timestream. The staff then shrunk and vanished into the small girl's body. A few gray hairs appeared in the green haired woman's hair and then a few more. In mere moments she had aged to the physical age of a woman almost 80 years old. It seems I survived even that. She cursed her fate as she quietly snuck out of the house.
Well I hadn't planned for this. Still as long as I am alive, I might as well do what little I can to help them in the future. I have to be careful though. Too many things were too fragile and she could not risk undoing all the good the Senshi had done. She smiled a sad smile when she remembered how very proud she was of them all. By rights they should have all been killed early on against them. To have won in the end was a miracle in itself, and she would not risk their sacrifice being in vain. What she had planted here would not mature until after the price had been paid. It had to be that way less paradox destroy all their work. It was true that with enough power time could be forced onto a new path, but that was always extremely dangerous and without the silver crystal linkage completely impossible. She had done all she could. The changes set in motion should not conflict with the history that preceded them. It would have to be enough.
She decided to make her way to America. It was far enough away to protect destiny. She was just glad she no longer had to pretend to be the caretaker of it. She hoped she could live long enough to see the final legacy of the moon kingdom emerge once more. She wondered what form it would take. The star seeds planted were week and fragile, yet with time they would grow stronger and they would have that time.
Author's Notes: I do try to come up with original ideas. Now the difference between coming up with an original idea, or at least a twist on an old one and actually finishing things is quite large. At any rate feel free to review and let me know what you think. The first story I intend to finish is Kitten's hope, and then back to Gravity, and finally a rewrite of my first Ranma Sailor Moon fic. As always if you find mistakes let me know. I did read over this, but it is easiest to miss ones own mistakes.
2005-02-15