InuYasha Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Crossover ❯ If the Fuku Fits... ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven

If the Fuku Fits…

-----

A lone figure went through his katas surrounded by mist in the parks grassy meadow. The morning air was still crisp, not yet warmed by a sun just beginning to rise up beyond the horizon. Morning workouts had become the only time the figure had to himself anymore. He'd never had what could be called a normal life, but having six strangers thrust into his life was out of the ordinary even for him. It wouldn't be so bad if all six hadn't come to live with his wife and him in their crowded one-bedroom apartment.

He had broached the idea of getting a bigger place with his wife. After the settlement with the Kuno's, combined with the money made from selling the Nekohaten and the partnership with Ucchan's, they had plenty of money. But Nabiki was frugal and didn't want to reveal their full resources to these strangers. She had argued that the situation was only temporary anyway and cramped conditions might encourage them all to find new accommodations at the first opportunity.

He had to concede that getting a bigger place might be seen as accepting that the situation was indeed permanent. Just as the matter was being settled, their guests had returned from shopping for new clothes, thus ending their time alone together. A chance at intimacy ruined by the guests even when they were absent from the apartment.

A spray of dew shot up from the ground as Daisetsu's legs swept over the grass. He was a master of armed combat and was improving in unarmed techniques. His tattoo and his Zen awareness gave him a couple of edges when fighting those who were more skilled then himself. So far he had managed to keep both a secret from his guests.

He'd kept a few things secret.

Like the fact that he turned into a girl when splashed with cold water.

His recent collection of firearms was yet another ace in the hole. He'd have to find a place to hide those guns before the next regular police visit.

Damn. How could he explain his guests to the police when they came by? He'd have to find a solution to that problem, and soon. He was expecting a visit in the next couple of months. Such visits were a routine part of living in Japan and weren't of any concern to those who had nothing to hide. Daisetsu's list of things to hide was growing by the day.

Unnoticed by the troubled young man, a new arrival entered the park to train. Flowing easily through the shadows the figure found a perch to observe the practicing martial artist. It was always well advised to know the capabilities of those around you, friend or foe-and Kari was still undecided about Daisetsu.

On one hand he had taken in a bunch of strangers; that showed he was basically a good person. He may have been reluctant, but he had kept his word when the chips were down. On the other hand, he seemed to have a pathological hatred of ninjas. He'd been ready to have her packed and out on the streets the moment he discovered what she was. Ironically, it had been his wife Nabiki that had brought him around so that Kari could stay. The mercenary Tendo was the last person she would expect to come to the rescue of a freeloader. It was all beyond her comprehension.

What she did understand was martial arts. The boy was practicing the Anything Goes style of Kenpo. It wasn't surprising since he was married to Nabiki. He had probably learned from Soun, or maybe Ranma. Compared to either he wasn't very good. He wasn't very fast either. Maybe he could match Ryoga, but not her and certainly not Ranma.

Still, practicing katas could only tell you so much. Did he have it when it mattered? There was only one way to find out, and that was to spar with him. With the quite grace of an ethereal shadow she moved from tree to tree until she was directly overtop of him.

From the folds of her clothing she drew two kunai. They were both razor sharp and deadly. At this range she could easily kill him before he even knew what hit him. That wasn't her intent. She was just going to throw them both for near misses, just to gauge his reaction and then continue the sparring match from there.

Even as the weapons left her fingertips he began to react. The young man went directly from a kata that practiced circular parries against multiple opponents to a move that was pure improvisation. He pirouetted in place, snatching both projectiles out of the air. Completing his spin he sent one flying back straight for Kari. The other he held onto, holding it before him defensively.

Had the young man been quicker he would have impaled Kari. Fortunately for her, she was much quicker. She leapt up to the next branch as the kunai hit the tree with a heavy thunk. It was buried to the hilt. Clearly he wasn't holding back. Kari reflected that perhaps a sneak attack had been an ill-advised way to start a sparring match.

"Show yourself ninja! It's useless to hide from me," growled the young man with a nearly feral look in his eyes. His body was now sheathed in a green battle aura. She'd never seen one quite like it before. Despite the dense foliage of the tree and the still twilight ambience of the morning he was looking right where she was. She was certain she hadn't made a mistake, so how had he anticipated her attack and how did he know where she was now? Questions for another time for now he was taking things way too seriously. Time to end it.

Kari leaped out of the tree and landed several feet away from Daisetsu. She assumed defensive posture but made no aggressive movements.

Daisetsu was incredulous. "You? Is this how you repay my hospitality? By trying to ambush me?"

"Look you idiot, I wasn't trying to hurt you. I just wanted to spar. I'm a ninja, I sneak up on people. It's what we do." Kari was busy cataloguing new information in her mind. So he could sense her attack, but had not known it was her doing the attacking. He hadn't really seemed to notice her at all until she attacked. At least he hadn't responded to her presence before that point. Best not to make assumptions until she knew more.

"That's right. A ninja. An Assassin." Daisetsu was snarling. "Ever notice that you can't say assassin without saying ass twice?"

Host or not, this guy was insulting. Besides, Kari wasn't done gauging his abilities. She lunged with her kunai and he countered with the one he still had. Clearly he was skilled with bladed weapons-perhaps even better then her. Yet his reach suggested that he was used to fighting with a weapon that had more reach. She remembered the Katana that had caught her attention. He was a sword fighter, probably a kendoist like Kuno. A few more feints confirmed her suspicions. In between strikes she continued the banter. "I am not an assassin. I don't go around killing people."

Daisetsu was aware of two things. First of all, the girl he was fighting was testing him, gauging his abilities. Second of all, she was holding back. She was quicker then him and hadn't taken several chances to land blows.

It didn't soften his heart to her any. The fact that this girl was playing with him only made him madder. He didn't lose his head though. He'd been in too many life and death situations of late to lose his head that easily.

A plan was already forming in his head. "If not an assassin, then a thug. A common violent thug who can't even pull off a cowardly ambush."

The young ninja was seeing red. She was not a coward! She was not a common thug. Kari lunged out with a series of blows faster then the eye could follow. Daisetsu wasn't there to receive them. "Talk about cowards! Stand still so I can pummel you!"

Knowing where Kari was going to focus her attacks was a tremendous boon to Daisetsu. By fighting purely defensively, he was able to keep out of her reach. Just barely. It created an odd stalemate that would end when one of them got tired.

Kari wasn't easily fooled. She noticed that he was fighting defensively now. No longer striking out at her. It was vaguely insulting. "Why don't you fight me? Fight back, damn it!"

He'd been waiting for this moment. With a grin that was part nasty leer, he replied, "I don't go around beating up on little boys. It's the duty of a true martial artist to protect the weak, not fight them. As a common violent thug, I wouldn't expect you to understand that."

There was a twitch in the vicinity of Kari's eye. How much of this abuse was she supposed to take? "What is with you? What did I ever do to you anyway? First you threaten to throw me out and then you stand there and insult me. Are you trying to get me to kill you?"

"I'm sure you wouldn't lose any sleep over it." In the back of his mind, Daisetsu knew that this warrior was also the lost and lonely girl without a place to stay. He also knew she was the one who had come to his rescue against Kuno.

It was the clothes he was having trouble seeing past. Ninjas were assassins. Killers. Life, death, and honor meant nothing to them.

With an unexpected movement he stepped closer to Kari so that he was staring her in the eyes, face to face. "Have you killed anyone? Ever been put to the ultimate test as a warrior? Ever seen the light fade out of the eyes of a stranger?"

The teenager was suddenly taken back by the cold shift in Daisetsu's disposition. He wasn't attacking her, but there was something dangerous about him. "No I haven't. I've never needed to."

Daisetsu's eyes narrowed. "I have. I used to wonder if I'd have what it takes if I found myself in that situation even as I prayed I would never have to find out. They say God answers all prayers... but sometimes the answer is no."

It was all there in his eyes for her to see. He had killed. She doubted that he had hesitated when the time came. The hardness in his eyes told her that. But she saw something that perhaps he hadn't meant for her to see. Regret. No wonder he was apparently a restless sleeper, though she still doubted the ridiculous stories about Sleep-Fu that Ryouga told her.

Just then, Daisetsu's watch beeped. He looked nervous and seemed to want to pretend that nothing had happened.

"Your watch just went off. That mean your workout is done?" Kari wasn't sure why he seemed suddenly anxious, but was going to take full advantage of the situation. Subject changes were good things.

"My watch? You're imagining things." His watched beeped again. It sounded less like an alarm and more like a phone ringing.

"Are you deaf? It just went off again." Kari didn't understand why he was pretending he couldn't hear it.

It rang a third time. Daisetsu sighed. "Excuse me, I have to get this." He turned around and walked several paces away and then hunched over his wrist. "What is it?" He whispered.

There was a frantic reply from the watch. It sounded like a young woman. "Daichan! We need you! We're in front of the public library and we're fighting a ninja demon made up of pure negative chi."

The young man swallowed hard and glanced over his shoulder at Kari. Then he spoke into his watch. "Alright, I'll pass that along, Ami. Sailor Nemesis will be there as soon as she can."

Ami was wondering if Daisetsu was finally losing it, but that conversation could come later. In the meantime they needed Daichan to help fight this demon. "Alright, but please hurry. Sailor Jupiter is already down."

Daisetsu nodded and then closed the watch communicator. That was when he noticed Kari trying to look over his shoulder. "Who was that? She looked kinda cute. Does Nabiki know about her? Why was she calling you to get a hold of Daichan? What is your connection to Daichan anyway?"

"I don't have time to answer your questions right now. I have to tell Daichan. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay out of this." He was gone with a leap into the trees.

Kari wondered why he seemed to be headed home and not the direction that Daichan had told her that she lived. It didn't matter. She knew where Daichan would be and maybe she could help her friend out somehow. She bounded off in the direction of the public library.

-----

Sailor Nemesis leaped from rooftop to rooftop. She really hated the heels that were part of her get up. It was still early morning so most people weren't up yet. Still, one paperboy had his early morning routine upset when he looked up in time to catch a panty shot. Decades later he would become a martial arts master with unrivaled skill and an unrivaled love for panties. But, for now, the bastard son of Happosai merely continued on with his paper route with only a slight nosebleed.

The Senshi of vengeance arrived at the library to find her friends battling against a single ninja made completely out of shadow. All the active Senshi were present. Only Hotaru was absent, though she was considered active. None of their attacks seemed to harm it, though it seemed that Sailor Moon had yet to land a hit against it. Hers was the only attacks it bothered to avoid, though it did so easily.

Daisetsu notched one of her starblaze arrows and drew back the bowstring. It was supposed to be highly effective against shadow demons and creatures. The arrow flew true and pierced the demon through the middle. Light burst forth from the darkness and the demon was gone. She let out a whoop of victory. Such feelings were short lived.

Out of the shadows came nine more demons. One for each Senshi present and one more than Daisetsu had starblaze arrows. She gritted her teeth. She may not have enough, but that wouldn't stop her from using the ones she had. One by one the demons evaporated in blinding pillars of light. They had all but abandoned the fight with the other Senshi in order to storm Daisetsu's position.

Kari had been observing the fight between the Senshi and the demon for several minutes before Daichan had arrived. The Senshi weren't winning but they hadn't been losing either so Kari had taken the opportunity to observe the fight. The girls packed a lot of magical firepower but lacked any real skill. They seemed to get by more on pure good luck and raw magical power then anything resembling strategy. She had vaguely wondered why nine of the shadow ninjas had remained hidden. If they had swarmed, they would surely of overpowered the Senshi.

Then Daichan had arrived wearing a fuku very similar to those of the Senshi. It seemed more suited to the night in shades of black and dark gray. She had used some kind of magical bow and arrow to take out the visible demon. That was when the others had made their presence known. They rushed new arrival unmindful of their own fate.

A casual observer might have called them fearless. Kari was no ordinary observer. Many people think creatures of darkness do not know fear. This is a fallacy. Fear is integral to the darkness. It's just that what commands them usually inspires more fear then any fate a mere mortal can bestow.

Sailor Nemesis had one arrow left, already notched, and two opponents rushing up at her. She let fly at one and watched in horror as the demon evaded her assault. Clearly it was smarter then the average shadow ninja.

She backed away from the edge of the roof and drew her katana to prepare to meet her enemies in battle. Her body was enveloped in a green aura as the ninjas cleared the roof. Shadow blade met cold magic steel as two hellish assassins assaulted the young woman.

The ensuing swordplay impressed Kari. Daichan really knew how to hold her own. Her strength seemed a match for the demons' own. Plus she was either faster or could read their moves somehow. The way she started to counter attacks even as they were launched reminded her of Daisetsu's own strange ability from earlier. That and the green aura that sheathed her determined form. Perhaps Daichan wouldn't need her help after all.

She was still determined to have a talk with her new friend, though. Sailor Nemesis? Wasn't that the kind of name that all too often belonged to Mary Sues? She had seemed nice and Kari didn't think she could be a Mary Sue. Unless Mary Sues had some strange ability to make everyone in their reality like them, but that seemed farfetched.

The young ninja nearly let out a cheer when Daichan's katana cut one of the demons in two. The creature quickly dissipated. Unfortunately the attack left Daichan exposed to her other opponent. It was quick to take advantage of the situation. A powerful blow from its sword hand disarmed Daichan. She barely had time to register the clanging of her sword on the street below when the other hand caught her head in a powerful blow. Even as she was reeling from that attack the demon's foot snapped out to catch her in the gut, doubling her over. A black knee shot up and connected with Daichan's chin, sending her flying to the other side of the roof.

The Senshi were clamoring up the side of the building via the fire escapes but would never make it on time. That dope, Tuxedo mask, was below her in the tree and was about ready to make his grand entrance and throw a rose at the offending shade. What did he think a rose would do? Kari leapt down, landed on his head, and then launched herself for the roof and her friend. A second leap took her over the head of the demon. She dropped a flash-bang behind her. She hoped it would hurt the demon, but it didn't need to in order to be successful. Just as the name suggests, there was a brilliant flash followed by a bang. The demon was blinded long enough for Kari to scoop up the fallen Senshi and leap away. She had to grunt a bit with the effort, as the older girl was heavier then she looked.

The demon was still blinded and disoriented when the other Senshi arrived. Sailor Moon quickly finished it off with a single attack.

The demons vanquished, the Senshi turned their collective attention to the new arrival and their prone comrade.

Rei's reaction surprised Kari. "Daichan!" She was at the fallen girls side in a shot. "Are you all right?"

Daichan's eyes fluttered open and she gave Rei a rakish grin. "I am waking up to your face."

Kari might have been jealous had she not already noticed the wedding band on Daichan's finger. It was a man's ring, so she supposed that she must be the butch in the relationship. But was Rei her mate? There were no wedding bands on the fingers of the Senshi of Mars. Kari shook her head. It was really none of her business.

Minako addressed the young ninja. "I haven't seen you before. Are you a friend of Dai-err, I mean Sailor Nemesis?"

"Yeah." Kari rocked back and forth on her feet while scratching the back of her head. She wondered for a moment how anyone managed to keep a secret identity in an anime world. It was a good thing she already knew who Sailor Nemesis was.

The friend in question was rising to her feet. She eyed Kari almost warily. "You saved my life Kari."

The teenager grinned widely. "It's my special super secret technique. I call it watching your back." All the gathered girls burst out laughing. After a moment Kari addressed Daichan. "I thought for sure that you were unconscious. How did you know it was me who rescued you?"

Daichan seemed uneasy for some reason. "I have a special super secret technique too. I call it my Zen circle. I can sense anyone who enters it. I can't tell who that person is exactly, but I can keep track of their location and figure out who they are when I see them. It's `on' even when I'm asleep or otherwise out of commission."

Nodding, Kari admitted to herself that it was some technique. It probably explained how Daichan had been able to anticipate the demons attacks. Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You know Daisetsu, right?"

With some hesitation Daichan nodded.

"Does he know that technique as well?" Kari noticed that the other Senshi were exchanging looks at the mention of Daisetsu's name. Clearly they all knew who he was and seemed surprised at the way she was talking about him. She'd figure it out later.

"Yeah he does." Daichan almost seemed guilty, like she was making a confession.

Kari frowned. "Did you teach it to him or did he teach it to you?"

There was a look of relief on Daichan's face. "We… ah… learned it at the same time."

That satisfied Kari for the moment. It seemed that Daisetsu and Daichan had trained together. This was good. She would be able to learn Daisetsu's techniques and how to counter them from her friend. That could wait for another time though. She eyed Daichan for a moment. "So you're a Senshi?"

"If the fuku fits, wear it, eh Daichan?" Tuxedo Mask had joined the others on the roof.

Daichan's face was turning bright red. Kari couldn't understand why. She looked good in the outfit. She would have killed to have the older girls figure. She might not be well endowed in the chest department, but at least she was endowed. "Don't listen to him Daichan. It really shows off your legs. Anyway, if you're a Senshi, do you have a cool transformation sequence?"

The embarrassed Senshi coughed into her hand. "You might say that."

Kari could barely contain herself. "Can you show it to me?"

"I'd really rather not." It was cute the way she was so modest. She found a way to change the subject. "Where are my manners? Everyone this is Kari. She's staying with my cousin, Daisetsu."

Again the Senshi exchanged looks as though part of some big secret. Then they nodded and all introduced themselves in turn, telling both their Senshi names and civilian identities.

Daichan smiled at Kari when the introductions were all made. "I have a couple of things to discuss with my fellow Senshi. Why don't you wait for me at the café down the street and I'll walk you home?"

Kari quickly agreed and waited out her friend at the appointed place. Daichan arrived twenty minutes later. She was carrying a duffel bag and was now dressed in jeans and a black T-Shirt. The clothes were baggy and could easily have fit someone many sizes larger. Kari didn't understand why the girl was so determined to hide her figure. Then again, if she were a lesbian, she might just be sick of guys like Kuno hitting on her all the time. "Yo," she called to her friend.

"Yo ho!" embellished Daichan, trying to sound like a pirate.

"And a bottle of rum!" Kari burst out into a fit of giggles. She wanted to be the world's first ninja pirate.

The older girl ordered some tea and then joined Kari. "I hope I didn't keep you long."

"Not at all," replied Kari. No longer able to contain her curiosity she asked, "So are you married to that girl Rei or something?"

Daichan couldn't help but blink several times at Kari. She couldn't help but wonder if her attraction for Rei was that obvious. Her thumb nervously rubbed her wedding band. "No…"

"That the world is an unfair place is well known, but to have such an innocent fawn married to that swine is more then even I can bear!" Kuno burst into the little café and came to stand before the two girls. "Run away with me! Your vows were no more then words. It is not adultery that we commit, but faithfulness to the heart!"

It took some effort, but Kari was able to bury her urge to kick Kuno into lunar orbit long enough to ask a question. "Who's she married to?"

Kuno clenched a fist and started to reply before Daichan could object. "It is truly a travesty the like that shall not be borne! For it is that swine Ryoga Hibiki that is wed to my fair fawn!" Daichan kicked him out of the café before he could say anything more.

The ninja girl's eyes were wide. "You're married to Ryoga?" She couldn't believe the dufus could ever get over his shyness enough to date a girl much less get married.

Daichan planted an elbow on the table then leaned on her fist. She stirred her tea idly, staring into it as though looking for the words to say. She seemed to come to a decision. "We're not really married. He agreed to pretend we were around Kuno to get the pervert off my back. As you can see, the plan has worked brilliantly."

Kari patted her friend's available hand even as her mind raced. Clearly the girl had feelings for Rei. It seemed surprising, but Rei seemed to return those feelings. Kari had never taken her as the type. Still, there was no reason the two shouldn't be together. And she would do everything in her power to see it come to pass or her name wasn't Kari Umikage!