Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Polarity ❯ States of Change ( Chapter 10 )

“Rena…Rena, wake up.”

 

Slowly she opened her eyes. Only one person used that name, after all only one person here knew it. Flipping over on her bed she looked through bleary eyes to see the young Sailor Saturn, her protégé, attempting to get her up.

 

“By the Crystal,” the young girl commented, “you're a wreck.”

 

Rena slowly pulled herself upright and grumbled, “Yeah, yeah. I know. V was on the warpath again last night. She tried to set me up with one of the Guardsmen. When that didn't work she almost got me into trouble again with the Queen.”

 

Helping her mentor out of bed, Saturn could not help but giggle at the Polaris Senshi's dilemma.

 

“Tried to get you into the Princess' panties again, didn't she?”

 

The white haired warrior woman grunted an affirmative and slowly stood. She worked her way over to the bathroom and went about her morning routine.

 

Saturn leaned on the wall outside, trying not to be amused by her older friend's condition and called through the door, “Did it work?”

 

Polaris' head poked out and shot a glare at her. This only caused Saturn to burst into a fit of giggles.

 

“Oh, you are so going to get it on the practice field today, Starsprite,” Polaris growled before going back into the bathroom.

 

 

Polarity

By Seth

Chapter 10

States of Change

 

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.

 

 

Jupiter smiled under her cloak as she and her partner moved through the market. It really surprised her at times just how versatile Sailor Polaris was. Now only was she the best close range fighter out of all the Senshi, but she was an excellent spymistress as well. Take for example their current assignment.

 

“There's the little prick,” Polaris said from under her own cloak. Jupiter nodded, but honestly couldn't tell who her friend was referring to.

 

At times it was almost like Polaris could smell the difference between people. This led it to be almost impossible to sneak up on her in a fight. The Polarian warrior had attempted to explain it as a sixth sense developed over years of fighting. She said it was an ability to see the different life energies of a person. But Jupiter was so rooted in her formulaic magic training that the sometimes spiritual thinking of her friend was hard to decipher.

 

Moving without notice through the crowd, the two Senshi came to a stall in a shadowed corner of the yard.

 

“Fresh from Earth,” the slightly grubby proprietor cried out, “The best sweet fruits, just through the Gate! Apples, peaches and nectarines!”

 

Polaris led her partner over and dropped her voice an octave, “What `ave ya got?”

 

The old man looked at his two customers, and his eyes noticeably dipped downward to look at Jupiter's chest.

 

“Mangos, two for a crown,” he smiled.

 

In a flash a well worn dagger was in Polaris' hand and at the man's throat, “How about your nuts for a copper, Flabbyass?

 

Looking down at the blade, the storekeeper held his hands up in surrender, “Take what you want. I didn't mean any harm by it…”

 

Polaris flicked the knife into a reverse grip and stabbed it into the apple at the top corner of the stand and turned to walk away. Jupiter blinked and followed.

 

Once she caught up with her friend she whispered, “What was all that? I thought that he had information for us?”

 

“He did,” Polaris said and took a bite out of the apple on her knife. She turned her head and showed Jupiter that she had pulled a small capsule from inside the apple with her teeth. Dropping it into her hand and pocketing it quickly, the white haired girl explained quietly so only the other Senshi could hear.

 

“Ap'n is an old Polarian word for hidden. If he had nothing this time he would have called out his wares in a different order. The rest was just a distraction, after all who pays attention to something like that after they figure out there's not going to be any bloodshed.”

 

Jupiter considered this, and then asked, “So how did you know which apple to take?”

 

Polaris hesitated, but finally answered, “He slipped it into place for me to stab while everyone near us was checking out your chest.”

 

That stopped the taller warrior in her tracks, “Are you telling me you just brought me along for my tits?”

 

Polaris spun around and held up her hands defensively, “No, no, it's nothing like that. If it was just me he would have done the same thing. It's a code, nothing more.”

 

After a pause they got underway once more.

 

“But, while you mention it, you do have rather nice ta tas…”

 

Jupiter swatted her friend on the back of the head as they moved through the marketplace.

 

**********

 

Mars was out of her league and she knew it. She was middle of the pack as far as her hand to hand skills went, but when the top included grapplers like Uranus, powerhouses like Jupiter, and total whirlwinds like Polaris then it wasn't so bad.

 

In front of her was the most experienced of the Senshi, Pluto. The practice staff in her hands spun with deadly efficiency and Mars had a moment of panic as she tried to figure out a way around the woman.

 

“Time!”

 

Mars' head whipped around and saw that the timing crystal Polaris held was empty. With a sigh she slumped off and collapsed at the edge of the arena where Jupiter and Mercury were already recovering.

 

Polaris shook her head, “You can't hesitate like that when lives are on the line. All right Venus, you're up now.”

 

“Don't worry you three,” the blond leader of the Inner Senshi said with a smile, “I'll avenge your honor.”

 

“Go get `em, V,” Jupiter cheered.

 

Venus took her place on the starting line and waited. Polaris spun the timing crystal again, letting it glow as it recharged, then let it go. Tapping the front facet she signaled the start.

 

“Go!”

 

She dashed forward and took in the obstacles in her way. The point of Polaris' course was to get them ready to face multiple, high powered opponents. She had set it up so that the Outer Senshi would act as `guardians' on the way to the finish line, each guardian tougher then the last. The only limit they had was that no magic was allowed.

 

Venus had watched her friends run the challenge and had seen their tactics. Mercury was swift and agile and had jumped, tumbled, and evaded her way past Neptune and Uranus before falling to Pluto's longer reach with her time staff simulacrum.

 

Jupiter had made it past Pluto thanks to her endurance and bloody minded determination, but the bruises on her arms were testimony to the consequences of her reckless attack.

 

Mars had fallen back on basic training, but had taken too much time getting past Uranus. She had also hesitated in trying to get past Pluto and had run out of time.

 

This would be different, Venus had a plan.

 

Dropping to the ground she slid under Neptune's first attack while reaching up to flip the Outer Senshi's skirt up. This distracted Uranus for a moment as she glanced at her girlfriend's bottom allowing the orange skirted Senshi to dash past her.

 

She continued on, charging full force at Pluto who put up her staff in a ready horizontal guard. Venus jumped, catching the shaft with her feet and forcing the older Senshi off balance. Keeping her momentum, the blond jumped again, vaulting over Pluto and heading for the last guardian.

 

Saturn looked at the onrushing Senshi and felt a swell of determination. It was time to use her teacher's greatest defensive ploy.

 

Venus saw Saturn's eyes go wide, tears leaking out the side, looking up at the Inner's leader with fear and trepidation. Her practice pole arm clutched close like a life preserver and a pout on her lips. Venus skidded to a halt, heels digging into the ground of the arena as she saw the fear on her friends face.

 

Shamefully she approached Saturn, “Oh, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to scare you like that.”

 

In a flash, Saturn's posture changed as the blond reached out to hug her. Spinning in place she used her weapon to knock Venus' feet out from under her knocking the girl to the ground hard. Flat on her back, Venus was stunned as Saturn's wooden blade came to her neck.

 

“Got you,” the smaller girl said with a smile.

 

Polaris was off to the side, roaring in laughter. Even the other Inner and Outer Senshi couldn't hold in their mirth at the move.

 

Venus grumbled as her friend helped her up, “What the hell was that?”

 

“The dreaded `Puppy Dog Pout',” Polaris explained. “It's a lethal technique developed long ago on Polaris by a young girl trying to get sweets from a stingy merchant. Now, what does it teach you?”

 

The blond snapped back, “That Polarians are sneaky little pranksters.”

 

“True, true, but not what I meant,” the white haired warrior replied, turning serious. “”We are supposed to be protectors. As such we must be aware of what is around us as even the most innocent seeming of people could be a threat. An assassin does not run around with a sign above their head, they melt into a crowd, and it is our job to stop them when the go from innocent bystander to dangerous threat.”

 

“We are the line, and none may cross us.”

 

**********

 

Sailor Polaris bowed deeply before the Queen, “You summoned me, my Lady?”

 

Serenity smiled at the young warrior and rose from her throne, “Follow me, please.”

 

Polarity quickly fell in a step behind and to the left of the Silver Queen. She had come to respect the Queen a great deal since the time of her people's arrival, and felt that even if Serenity was idealistic at times her heart was good. Add in the refuge she had given the Polarian survivors and Polaris was loyal to the Queen without regret.

 

The Queen knew this, and this is why she was willing to share this secret with the albino haired Guardian.

 

Leading Polaris out of the Grand Hall and into the antechamber, Serenity opened a hidden passage along one wall and ducked in. Polaris glanced around in a cursory security check and then followed, letting the hidden door slide closed behind her.

 

Continuing down a long, sloping corridor the two eventually came to a simple door. Using a few magical words, the Queen reached out and touched the door causing it to vanish and allow the two women to pass. Inside was a domed chamber with a pedestal in the center.

 

“You know of the Silver Crystal of course,” Serenity said as she cupped her hands and drew out the mystic artifact. “What you do not know is one of the things we are planning for it.” Placing the Crystal on the center pedestal she continued, “Pluto warns of darkness gathering on the horizon, and even with your help in making the Senshi and the Royal Guard so much stronger we may not be able to repel it. Therefore I began `Project Rebirth', a rather dramatic name for a desperate plan.”

 

Walking around where the Crystal sat she looked right into Polaris' eyes, “All souls are mutable, and in the course of time return to life after death in new forms. But there may be a time, somewhere in the future, when the you that you are now will be needed. All the other Senshi, save Pluto, have undergone this process. It will give you a reincarnation of peace, unless a great darkness threatens all. If that time comes you may be reawakened to once more serve as a guardian of humanity.”

 

“But it is your decision. What say you?”

 

Polaris stared blankly at the Queen for a few moments then started to think hard about what was just said. On her home world she had stood at the end and had survived, protecting her people. Here in the Moon Kingdom she had joined with other Senshi to guard not one world, but many. The idea that a threat would once more rise to take her world away unnerved her greatly.

 

She knew that plans were always made for such events. It had been a teacher of hers that had said `plan for the worst, hope for the best'. The Queen's plan was just that, a safeguard against the worst. It meant the possibility of her next life being thrown into war, but she knew the risks when she first donned her armor.

 

“I accept,” she said solemnly.

 

Serenity nodded and motioned Polaris forward, “Cup your hands over the Crystal. I will guide the imprinting. It will create a stored template of you that will slowly filter into your next life. Half remembered dreams and feelings of places long gone. This will allow an adaptation to your powers.”

 

The warrior girl nodded and did as instructed. The Queen placed her hands over Polaris and began a low chant as she connected with the Silver Crystal. Prismatic light began to fill the room as Polaris felt the low pulse of power from the artifact beneath her hands and warmth filled her mind as Serenity guided the spells.

 

But as the power built, so did the sense that something was wrong. It started as a tingle along her palms that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. But as each second passed her honed danger sense was screaming louder and louder. Soon she could take it no more as her awareness demanded that she act to protect her sworn charge.

 

Flipping her hands up and grabbing the Queen's she pulled sideways, forcing the Queen down and covering her with her own body. As they hit the floor red lightning began to arc out of the Crystal, scorching the surrounding dome and even impacting against Polaris' armored back. But the Senshi held out, protecting the monarch.

 

Finally the storm ended and Polaris was lifted off Serenity by a suddenly appearing Sailor Pluto.

 

“Damn, I was too late,” the Time Guardian cursed.

 

Serenity looked up at her old friend, “What happened?”

 

“Chaos Magic,” Pluto answered as she placed the knocked out Polaris face down again. She quickly checked the wounded back of her comrade and nodded. “She'll be all right, the damage was minor.”

 

Serenity sat up and began a healing spell on the girls back, “How does she have Chaos Magic in her? We checked that before she swore her oaths.”

 

Pluto frowned, “She doesn't…yet. That's the problem with Chaos Magic, it reacts randomly. There's some kind of temporal knot around Polaris now, and her future is in flux because of it.”

 

“Is there anything we can do to fix this?”

 

Pluto looked down at her two friends sadly, “No. If I attempted to fix this now it would only lead to more problems. The imprinting backfired, but was partially successful. Beyond that…only the Fates know.”

 

**********

 

“Why do I keep letting you do this to me,” Polaris said as she snuggled deeper into the sheets. She wanted to pull away from the young woman holding her, but the warm and welcoming comfort she found there stopped her. She had tried to force herself away from these emotions, but her friends would not let her.

 

Her lover answered, “Because I know you need this. Every time you let me hold you I can tell it eases your pain a little.”

 

Polaris wanted to turn away, but buried her face in her friend's bosom instead, “I feel like I'm using you…”

 

“You're not. I welcomed this, and we both wanted it to happen. I wish you would stop blaming yourself over nothing.”

 

They were silent after that, simply enjoying each other's warmth. Finally they surrendered to sleep, but for one of them it did not last long.

 

She awoke, and knew that it was deep into the night. Looking over to the window of her chambers she saw a sliver of the Earth visible, but what drew her attention was the nude form of Polaris leaning against the frame, gazing out into the stars.

 

Sitting up, she quietly asked her lover, “Seeing the faces of friends in the stars?”

 

Polaris nodded, he eyes locked on one of the brightest in the sky, “So long…and it still hurts when I think about them. Infinity, Ghost, Malcolm, all of them…They stayed behind…I left them.”

 

Getting up from the bed, the young woman walked over and wrapped her friend in a deep hug, “They were your team, and you miss them. You were the protectors of Polaris. You did not leave them behind.”

 

“But…”

 

“No. It's been four years to the day since you left your world, and I know that this day always hurts, but you did your duty just as they did. They would not want you mourning them to the point where you were hurting yourself like this. They were your brothers and sisters, and they would want to see you live again.”

 

Nothing was said for a long time after that as the two of them looked up into the night sky. The Earth slowly rose as a new day started and the young women finally left the window, climbing back into bed to get a touch of rest before the dawn ended and their day began.

 

“The masquerade is tonight,” Polaris said as she kissed her friend on the neck, “I don't suppose I could steal you for a dance?”

 

“Are you sure? I thought you didn't want to let people know?”

 

Polaris shrugged and snuggled in closer, “It will drive V up the wall. And honestly, I'm starting not to care what people think.”

 

“All right then, Polaris, I think I can give you a dance.”

 

“Rena,” Polaris said softly, looking her lover in the eye, “you can call me Rena.”

 

“Your real name, are you sure?”

 

Rena nodded, “I've only told one other person, my student. Now I'm telling you because you've always been helping me. You've helped make this world my new home, and I'd gladly defend it, and you, with my life.”

 

She hugged Rena tighter as she considered this. A true name was a powerful thing for those gifted with magic, and to tell someone your name was a show of trust. She knew the white haired girl cared for her, after all Polaris could let her feelings show here. The alien Senshi was hurt, and in her arms she found comfort that she had denied herself.

 

The choice was made.

 

“My name is Juno,” whispered Sailor Jupiter.

 

They had been partners in the field long enough. Now they were partners in the future.

 

**********

 

Half a day later the world ended.

 

Polaris had discarded her party dress and was marshaling the Royal Guard in the main courtyard of the palace. Troops took up power lances and fell into formation under her watchful eye as she readied a sortie against the invading army.

 

Gone was the emotional girl of the night before.

 

Gone was the carefree woman who had danced and laughed with abandon only an hour ago.

 

All that remained was the battle hardened soldier, and she had orders to carry out.

 

“All right, you knuckle draggers,” she bellowed out to the Guard formation. “These dogs came to pick a fight, but they made a mistake! In the words of my first trainer, `You never provoke a dragon, `cause you are soft and crunchy'! Today we are the dragons come down from the mountain to feed, and those freaks out there are going to be oh so tasty!”

 

There was a loud cheer from the assembly as the soldiers psyched themselves for battle.

 

Polarity continued, “Attention to Orders from the Queen!” The formation snapped to attention and quieted, “First Company of the Royal Guard is to advance through the city and engage the enemy while the reserves evacuate the civilians through the Gate. The Senshi will be guarding the Queen and the Gate, so it is up to us to buy time, and my coin purse is full!”

 

Another cheer filled the air.

 

“Move out!”

 

With that the formation turned and began marching through the Palace entrance, heading down to the city. As they moved, Polaris pulled aside one of her trusted captains.

 

“Amaza, go gather the Wolves form Polaris. I think there is going to be more fighting then we think, and it would do to have as many fighters from the old country as we can.”

 

The young warrior nodded and ran off to obey her commands. Polaris got ready to follow the troops out into the city and hold back the flood of monsters, but she lingered at the wall for a moment. Glancing up to the central dome of the palace she could just make out the forms of the other Senshi, half of them anyway.

 

The Outers were off world attempting to stop an assault on Mars. Only the Inner Senshi and herself were left on the Moon, and it was a perfect opportunity to strike. Weakened, and not on guard, the forces of the Silver Moon looked ill prepared to fend off an assault.

 

But looks were deceiving.

 

Polaris let her eyes linger on the white and green speck of Jupiter who stood by the Inner Senshi's leader. They were both soldiers; ready to die for their people, so no words needed to be said when they had parted. A squeeze of hands, a touch of lips, and they were off to do their duty.

 

But now it felt that this was the last time Polaris would see her longtime partner, friend, and now lover.

 

**********

 

White, there was nothing but white.

 

Ranma looked around, but didn't dare to move as a wave of vertigo washed over him. He couldn't tell if he was standing or lying on his back. All he could sense was nothing. Nothing for as far as he could feel. And the feeling of that much nothing was crushing to him.

 

Suddenly he was standing, looking at the white haired girl that he had seen those thing through and could tell that she had some connection to him. Her posture was that of a fighter, but he knew she was. Her stance was that of confidence, and he knew she could back it up. Her smile was disarming and open, but it was as much a lie as the one he wore.

 

“Hello, Ranma,” She said softly.

 

He nodded to her, “I guess you would be Rena?”

 

She nodded back, “So, out with it. I know you have questions so I'll try and answer a few with the time we have.”

 

“So, what are you?”

 

“An echo,” she answered. “I'm an imprint of the you that used to be. You already know that you are the reincarnation of a girl that lived long ago, but that's not all you are. I'm the last fragment of the past, here to help you get ready for what is happening now.”

 

Ranma blinked, “um...ok…I guess. Does that mean you're going to possess me or something? You're a ghost, right?”

 

Rena laughed, “No, just a memory, and a fading one at that. When I imprinted on the Silver Crystal it only got a fragment of who I was. So when I died on the Moon I was unable to reincarnate like the other Senshi. The others got sent forward to a time of relative peace, I had to take the long way around. Now here you are a handful of lives later and finding the others again.”

 

Ranma asked, “So, what happens now?”

 

“You have to decide that for yourself,” Rena said as she walked up to him. “The Crystal would only have reacted to you if there was trouble brewing. I'd like you to pick up where I left off, but it may not be what you want, or need. I wouldn't know. You have to think about what you want, and if you can help them. I don't know anything about you, but I can tell you're a tired young man, just as tired as I was when we first landed on the Moon. They may be able to help you, just like they helped me. But like I said, you have to decide.”

 

Ranma closed his eyes, deep in thought. The visions he had of Rena's life had been sometimes fun, sometimes frightening, but her had felt what she had felt. From training to being with real friends, and even being held in the arms of someone who cared. Ranma had looked for that kind of peace for a long time now, and had been denied it. Even if it had ended in fire, he would gladly trade his life in Nerima for Polaris' life on the Moon.

 

And then there was the responsibility. Polaris had seen not one, but two worlds fall, and if what this shade of the past said was true then there was more problems ahead.

 

He wanted friends, and people that cared about him.

 

And he did not want to see a third world die.

 

“I'll do it,” he said, his voice a whisper.

 

Rena took his wrists in her hands, and he felt something metal wrap around his skin. Looking down he saw brushed copper bands encircling his wrists, one trimmed in red, the other in white.

 

Rena let go of him and began to fade away, “My time is over now. It's all you from here on out, so don't let me down. More importantly, don't let you down. Good luck Ranma…Sailor Polaris…”

 

White, there was nothing but white.

 

But now Ranma felt at peace with it.

 

It was time to wake up.

 

 

To be continued…

 

 

Endnote: Had fun writing this one, and it probably wont be the last trip into the past for this story. As for what's next? The Senshi discover that for Ranma, everything is training, and another encounter of the Nerimian kind looms ahead. Until then, never play poker with a mime…it's just no fun…