Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Polarity ❯ Resistance ( Chapter 5 )

War and Famine knelt before a wall of shadows, a cold presence looming over them from just beyond their sight. To either side of them were two more kneeling figures also shrouded in shadow, but the attention of the malevolent aura was focused solely on the red knight and hooded sorceress.

 

“Speak,” came a deep and resonant voice.

 

Famine stood, her white glowing eyes still downcast as she spoke, “My Master, I have no excuse. I was overconfident and faced the bulk of this world's Senshi on my own. In my hunger I lost sight of my limits and allowed them to stop the gathering. I await your judgment.”

 

She knelt again, her head lowered.

 

“Show me the price you paid for your mistake.”

 

Famine held out her stumped arm that once ended in a golden gauntlet. From the shadows a grey arm stretched out, its hand covered in black flame. Silently Famine shifted forward and held up her wound, and with a touch of the flame coated hand she screamed in pain, and pleasure.

 

As the smoke cleared the witch once more had a gilded hand, and as she flexed it experimentally she sighed in relief.

 

“Thank you for your forgiveness, my Master,” she whispered softly and moved back to resume her place among her cohorts. As she took her place, War stood and even his large and imposing form seemed small compared to the pressure from the shadowed entity.

 

The knight spoke, “My Master, I did not win my battle, but I have returned with knowledge that I felt was more important then the trifle of human energy we collected.”

 

“And what is this information that diverted you from my command?”

 

War held out his hand and an image flickered to life. It was a young woman clad in black silk pants and a long sleeved red silk shirt done up with simple wooden ties. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair was bright red and done in a pigtail. She stood in a defiant stance.

 

War spoke softly, “She is here.”

 

A sound came from the darkness. It started softly, but soon increased in volume until it echoed in the shadows. It was deep, cold, evil and soul stealing.

 

Finally the shadowed form's laughter died down and he spoke one word.

 

“Perfect.”

 

 

Polarity

By Seth

Chapter 5

Resistance

 

Note: Ranma and Sailor Moon are owned by their respective creators and distributors. I use them without permission or gain, but with respect to the work done before me.

 

 

For Ranma, regaining conciousness was like walking through molasses. He knew what this was like thanks to one of his father's training ideas, though the candy factory manager was less then pleased to find a twelve year old doing katas in the storage tub.

 

Putting that aside, Ranma managed to open his eyes slightly and took in the ceiling above him. It was one he recognized well. He had been inside Doctor Tofu's office enough that the plain white panels of the ceiling were old friends to him.

 

“Looks like your friends were a little rougher then usual, Ranma,” said Tofu as he walked in and saw that the young Saotome was awake.

 

Ranma grunted, “Hi Doc. No, this was a whole new jerk. Some nut that made Kuno look progressive and Ryoga look weak. How bad did he mess me up?”

 

“One broken rib, three ribs were cracked, and major bruising all across your chest,” Tofu replied as he sat down next to the bed. “I did what I could, and then let you rest. You've been out for about a day now.” Ranma nodded and was about to get out of bed, but the doctor laid a hand on him and stopped him. “You may heal fast, but you're still in bad shape. I want you to stay put till morning before I even think about letting you go.”

 

“Fine,” Ranma sighed. In truth it had hurt to sit up, but there was no need to let that show. “Did Akane bring me here?”

 

Tofu's eyes narrowed, “No, she didn't. I was called downtown after the fight ended to see to the injured. I found you being loaded into an ambulance headed to the hospital. I took charge of you there. I figured you would prefer that.”

 

“Yeah, thanks Doc,” Ranma said, his voice flat.

 

“I called the Tendo's,” Tofu added, “Akane said you were probably faking to get sympathy from your other fiancées.”

 

Ranma growled low, his hand tightening on the metal rail of his hospital style bed until it started to bend.

 

“I take it things are not going well on the homestead,” Tofu said softly.

 

Ranma grunted noncommittally, and the doctor took that as his cue to leave.

 

“Why doesn't she like me,” Ranma asked the ceiling, “Why?”

 

**********

 

Setsuna looked at the wall across the street from her one more time and wondered if this was a good idea. She had used Ami's computer to track down the Polaris energy signal once more, and had followed it to this compound in Nerima.

 

The sign out front was very odd, `Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling, Challengers wishing to engage in savage combat please use side entrance.'

 

She had asked a few people in the neighborhood about the dojo, and they had simply shook their heads and muttered about insurance premiums. That is except for the old lady on the corner that had ignored her and threw a ladle of water in her face.

 

Then there was the fact that the place was simply giving her all kinds of hibi-jibis.

 

The building seemed to rest on some kind of temporal knot, and for the last few minutes she had been trying to catch even the slightest hint of the future. But as she saw herself enter the compound everything went wild and a million and one possibilities sprung up for every step past the threshold.

 

Finally, with one last glance down at the Mercury Computer to make sure that this was indeed the right place, Setsuna collected herself, slid the borrowed computer back into her purse, and walked into the Tendo compound.

 

A few moments after knocking on the doorway, a teenage girl with brown hair in a bowl cut and a wary expression answered.

 

The girl glanced up and down Setsuna and asked, “Picking up or dropping off?”

 

The time Senshi blinked and responded, “I beg your pardon?”

 

“Either you're here for Ranma,” The girl said, still evaluating the smartly dressed woman, “or you're dropping off a debt that Mr. Saotome owes someone. You're too well dressed to be the usual love sick loony that Ranma attracts, so I'd guess you have a daughter that Genma conned you into engaging to Ranma, or the fat panda conned you out of a pile of money. If it's the former, the line forms behind my sister and goes around the block, twice. If it's the latter, Genma hasn't had dime one since he got here, so forget it.”

 

Setsuna was rather flustered, “I think you are jumping to conclusions here, and being rather rude about it. I don't know a Ranma or a Genma, so I would be grateful for an apology, miss.”

 

The teen shrugged her shoulders and said nothing, simply waiting for Setsuna to get to the point or leave. The disguised Pluto glared at the rude girl for a moment, and then finally spoke, “I'm looking for a girl, perhaps a little younger then you. She would be about this tall,” Setsuna held her hand at shoulder level. “She would have white hair and is very athletic.”

 

“Five thousand yen please,” the teen smiled and stuck out her hand.

 

“I see,” Setsuna said coldly and turned on one heel, walking away from the compound before her temper got the better of her. Once she was away she muttered to herself, “I think I'm going to have to be a little less enigmatic to the Princess. I really hope I don't sound like that.”

 

As she turned the corner she pulled out the Mercury computer once more and flipped it open. Taking a deep scan of the Tendo household she was surprised by the many threads of magic that seemed to be tangled there. Dark magic and chaotic energy seemed to swamp the area, and for a time she wondered if it was some kind of remnant of the Dark Kingdom, but all the power was residual, as it spells, curses and items of power had been used there at times instead of a true presence.

 

There was also a slight trace of ancient Senshi power here, almost buried in the background noise, and it was that trace that had drawn her initially. Now that she was closer she saw that the signal was not stationary, as it would be in an item or a one time spell.

 

“She must have been reincarnated here after all,” Setsuna muttered to herself as she panned the small computer around, looking for a stronger signal. Suddenly she snapped the magical device closed and started off.

 

It had picked up the trace once more, and it was coming from only a few blocks away. Setsuna turned on one heel, clicking the computer closed once more and began walking.

 

**********

 

Ranma hadn't moved in hours. He wasn't asleep, far from it. He was going over things in his mind, the one place he actually had any privacy.

 

It was becoming more and more apparent that he simply was not meant to be happy. He knew, theoretically, what happiness was, he had even seen it in some of his classmates. But looking back, Ranma had to admit that he had not been happy for years now.

 

Unless we were talking about food, he was actually content on that front.

 

Unless Akane cooked, no one was happy then.

 

He realized that he was losing focus and tried to delve back into his meditations.

 

He was in a real bind, especially with the whole fiancée thing. After all he knew that a happy relationship seemed to make people feel good, at least it did with some of the stable, non-martial artist couples at school. A happy relationship seemed not to involve hitting, yelling, clubbing, pummeling, beating, or any of the other ings he had been on the receiving end of for over a year now.

 

When he had asked one of other guys at school about it, they had looked at him funny and simply told him, “Most guys would love to have a bunch of hot girls after them. But then again, most girls are quite as…well…homicidal as the ones after you.”

 

Ranma really couldn't think of a counter to that one.

 

Glancing out the window and sighing, Ranma came to the conclusion that no matter what he did, he would always be trapped. He had tried to follow his father's guidance, but that was a dark road to nowhere. He had attempted to live by his own values, but no one seemed to share them.

 

Ranma had the fleeting thought that his mother's blade may be the only way out, but shook his head at that. It was running away, not from honor or duty, but from his own beliefs, that no matter what, life was worth living.

 

His eyes gazed far into the sky, taking in cloud shapes and, pain aside, simply enjoying a rest in a comfortable bed. He let his sight drift, and it came downward to the trees along the far side of the road. A leaf came loose in the breeze and began to fall, swaying back and forth in the wind.

 

He felt that the leaf was a good analogy for his life, pushed by whatever wind came along, but still able to fly riding the currents to land safely. He just hoped that his final landing would be as soft as the leaf's.

 

It was then that the leaf passed in front of a woman standing on the sidewalk across the way. She stood out here in Nerima, not due to her long dark green hair; such things were common when you had Chinese Amazons in the neighborhood. It wasn't her red eyes either; demons, psychics and other everyday people had much odder eye colors.

 

The fact that she was in a business suit holding a palmtop computer in a town of martial artists, loonies, and the ever odd, that was what made her stand out.

 

She just looked too damn normal to be here.

 

Then their eyes met and Ranma took it all back.

 

The depth of pain and loss almost swallowed him as he looked into her eyes, but there was a glint there as well, as if he should recognize her, but didn't. It was an odd feeling that they had met once before.

 

Outside, Setsuna looked up from the Mercury computer as a leaf crossed her line of sight, and in the window of a clinic across form her was a young man looking out at her, blue eyes focused on her like a laser. Glancing down again she saw that the Polaris signal was coming from this young man, and she knew that this was about to become difficult.

 

Nodding to herself, Setsuna closed the computer one last time and headed into the clinic. She was met almost at once by a young man in a dark gi coming out from the back, a cup of tea in one hand and a clipboard in the other.

 

“Can I help you Miss,” he asked politely.

 

Setsuna smiled lightly, putting on her business persona, “I'm actually here to see the young man in your care. A former client of mine left instructions to contact him in the event of certain things came to pass. I'd like to speak with him, if I may.”

 

The man nodded, “I'm Ranma's doctor, Tofu. I hope that this isn't about a betrothal or any deal Genma Saotome has made. I think Ranma is at his wit's end with these incidents.”

 

Setsuna took this in quickly and answered the doctor, “Oh no, nothing of that nature. My client passed away several years ago and left me to check in on a few people of interest to her. It's a matter of courtesy, nothing more.”

 

Tofu smiled and gestured with his clipboard, “Right this way then. I'm sure Ranma will be happy to see someone that isn't out to marry, or kill him.”

 

Setsuna blinked at this, but remembered what little she had been able to see of Polaris' new life. Conflict seemed to rage around the young man, but at least now she could help him.

 

Ranma took in the woman that walked into his room. She was, he had to admit, rather attractive. She looked to be in her mid twenties and the suit fit her nicely, showing long legs and fitting her figure nicely. After all, Ranma had spent enough time around the female form, in one way or another, to know when someone was dressed up or just simply looked good.

 

This green haired woman was definitely the latter.

 

“So,” he began, “how have I, or my old man, ruined your life?”

 

Setsuna shook her head, “It's nothing like that, Ranma. Can I call you by your name?” At Ranma's nod she continued, “Years ago I worked for a very important woman. She passed away, and it was part of my duty to look in on a few people from time to time.”

 

The young man was slow to respond, but eventually answered, “Ok, so what does that have to do with me?”

 

“Everyone else I was supposed to keep tabs on has been accounted for,” Setsuna said. Then she added with a little embarrassment, “I wasn't able to keep tabs on you due to your rather nomadic lifestyle.” At Ranma's wince she continued, “It wasn't until just today that I was finally able to locate you.”

 

“So, we've met before,” The young man asked.

 

The red eyed woman nodded. Ranma mulled this over, but still wasn't able to place her, or anyone else that would have taken such an interest in him after so many years, even after dying.

 

“What's the catch?” Ranma asked in a tired voice.

 

“Pardon?”

 

He gave the woman a hard look, “No matter what happens, someone always wants something from me. Revenge, marriage, whatever, everyone needs their pound of flesh. So what do you want? How are you going to try and make my day worse?”

 

Setsuna was stunned by the venom, and pain, in the young man's voice and realized just how badly she had messed up. Not only was she unable to shepherd the lost soul of a friend, but apparently her inability to keep tabs on him had left him vulnerable to unforeseen events. She mentally cursed her own unpreparedness and sat down next to Ranma's bed.

 

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she started, “I honestly don't know what to say to you. I hardly know anything about you and this has left me less then ready to execute my duty. I'd like to start by asking a question.”

 

Ranma nodded for her to continue.

 

“Do you believe in magic?”

 

Ranma blinked, and despite his still aching chest burst into a fit of laughter. It continued for a moment, and only intensified when he looked over and saw the green haired woman's questioning gaze. Finally, wincing as the last of the laughter escaped him, Ranma took up a glass of water that was sitting on the table next to the bed and upended it over his head.

 

“You could say I do,” the buxom redhead girl answered.

 

**********

 

“I did not faint,” Setsuna grumbled from the bed across from Ranma.

 

The redhead chuckled once more at the older woman's complaint. “If it's any consolation, you did better then a lot of people when they see that kind of thing. At least you didn't try and do an exorcism, or attack me for no reason, or squeeze me…”

 

The Time Guardian saw the grimace on Ranma's face and knew that there was a story there. Then she realized that there was more then one story here, in fact there were countless stories that she did not know about the life of the redhead in the next bed. How did she end up changing like that? Why were her eyes full of resignation and hopelessness? What had this girl…boy been through?

 

“Ranma,” Setsuna said quietly, “What would you say if I told you that I knew you from a previous life?”

 

The girl smirked, “I'd say that you shouldn't let my fiancées hear you. That's probably the best pick up line I've heard this year.”

 

Setsuna threw her a questioning glance, but go no response.

 

She continued, “Millennia ago there was a magic kingdom ruled by a kind queen. Her greatest act of kindness was taking in the survivors of a lost world. Among them was a guardian of great skill who fought to protect her people. She was brave, noble, courageous and strong, and a good friend. She gave her life to help others, and was reborn in this time. I'm hoping that you are her, reincarnated.”

 

Ranma smirked, “Not likely. I'm a guy, no matter what. I'm not some girl, no matter how good she was in some fairytale kingdom.”

 

“I get the feeling that I missed more then a little when I was searching for you,” Setsuna admitted weakly. “I don't suppose you could fill me in?”

 

Ranma snorted, “You sound like you're not used to being out of the loop.” The green haired woman confirmed this and Ranma continued, “All right, what the hell. I can tell this story in my sleep by now anyway. It all started when my ol man wanted to take me on this stupid ten year training trip…”

 

**********

 

“…and Happosai decided to drink the whole thing down. Poof, no more cure. I think it all went downhill from there. Since then Akane has been making me apologize for anything and everything, whether it was my fault or not. Not that she didn't really do that before. She's just being sneaky about it now, like she enjoys watching me squirm or something.”

 

During the story, Setsuna had sat up and was staring blankly at the redhead. She had to constantly remind herself that she had seen the very odd before in her long life, but Ranma's story stretched even her ability to believe.

 

The young…man…had been through more in sixteen years then she had her entire life, and even she wasn't sure how old she was anymore. She could see elements of her comrade in the blue eyes of Ranma, the strength and spirit were there. The problem was that the love had been all but beaten out of him…her…whatever.

 

It was as if Ranma's father had deliberately broken down the youth in the most callous and uncaring way possible.

 

It was a rare thing, and only a few individuals in all of history had accomplished it, but a truly monstrous event had just occurred.

 

Genma Saotome had just made Sailor Pluto's shit list.

 

“So you see,” Ranma continued, “I don't think I'm this dead girl you're looking for. I really don't believe in that reincarnation voodoo anyway.”

 

“I don't know,” the green haired woman said. She slipped open a compact she had pulled from nowhere, Ranma believed it was similar to the Hidden Weapons style, and activated the mini computer inside. After tapping a few keys she once more looked at Ranma and spoke.

 

“Setting aside the massive amount of life energy you give off due to your constant martial training, there is also the matter of the large magical energy reading around you. No doubt your curse plays into this, but there is simply too much charged mana in you. And much of that is decidedly similar to the signature of the girl I was talking about. I have to tell you that magic is by no means an exact thing, but it is looking very likely that you are her.”

 

Ranma shock her head, “Great. I have people trying to `nicely' get me to be male as much as possible, and now you come along and say I should be a girl after all. I suppose you want something more from me.”

 

Ranma's resigned statement was the last straw, and Setsuna made a decision, one that she just knew was going to bite her in the ass later.

 

“No,” she said as she swung her legs down and got up from her bed. “No, I don't want anything from you. I may have before, but now…” She paused, “You have been through so much, and I have no right to force you into anything else. If I'm right, and you are the new life of my old friend, then all I can say is that I am sorry. I failed you when I wasn't able to help you to a better life in this time.”

 

Now it was Ranma's turn to be surprised, “But you said…”

 

“It doesn't matter,” Setsuna said with conviction. “Even if I did bring you back, the Princess would never forgive me for putting another weight on your shoulders. It isn't fair how much you carry as it is.” She reached into her purse and took out a card, handing it to Ranma. “I know it may not seem like much, but if you ever need to talk I can be contacted at this number, day or night. I was friends with Polaris, and I'd like to be your friend as well, and I won't dishonor her by imposing on you.”

 

“Thanks,” Ranma said awkwardly, looking down at the card. “Nice to have someone that gives a crap. I just wish I knew why you were doing all this. I still don't really get it.” The redhead looked away for a moment, “Just, thanks.”

 

But Setsuna was already gone.

 

Ranma blinked at the space that the tall woman had just occupied, and wondered just what kind of person could disappear into thin air without her noticing. Only Happosai and Cologne seemed to be able to do that, and there was no way that Setsuna was as far along as they were.

 

Was there?

 

**********

 

“Damn me for a sentimental fool,” Setsuna grumbled in front of the Time Gates.

 

She now had an accurate temporal trace on Ranma, and could track his life backwards, filling in the blanks in her knowledge and confirming his story. And now, watching the young man's life it took all her will to throw her duty and oath away and go back in time, stealing baby Ranma from the Saotomes.

 

She didn't think the Princess would even object in the slightest.

 

But Temporal Law held, even if a convenient bottle of Jack Daniels didn't.

 

Sailor Pluto had just gotten to the last few days of Ranma's life, and saw the young man's battle with the red knight, War. She sat back in nothingness in front of the Gate and marveled at Ranma's skill.

 

She took another slug of whisky and looked back to see the immediate future, a brief glimpse of what was to come, and the bottle fell from her hands.

 

Forcing the alcohol from her system, Setsuna teleported herself back into the time stream into the house she shared with the other Outer Senshi.

 

“Everyone,” she called out, knowing the three other soldiers here in the house, “we need to go, now! The enemy is back, and it's War in Nerima!”

 

To be continued…

 

 

Endnote: Pluto made her decision, but now it's Ranma's turn. How will Nerima react, and how will the Senshi? All that and a bag of chips next time. Until then, be copasetic.