Warriors of Love

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and Sailor Moon are the copyrights of their respective creators. There, I said it. Are you happy now?

Part 1: Love, and other dirty four letter words

"What are you doing?"

A small gray kitten padded her way toward the pool, most noticeable on her forehead was a small shining crescent moon.

"Huh?? Diana, how'd you get here?" Rowan, Shadow, and the Guardian looked like kids whose hands had been caught in the cookie jar. They had good reason to be nervous, too; if their wives found out about this, there would be a good deal more then Hell to pay…

"Mom and Dad are busy, and so is Chibi-Usa. I got bored, so I went looking for you."

Several of the rougher entities backed away, unable to cope with the sucrose overload. Shadow could already feel cavities forming.

"Um… now's not a good time."

"Oooh… what's that? Isn't that Endymion?!"

Busted. That particular Bet would have to be the one being watched at the moment.

"Ah… well… you see…"

Not being able to lie really sucked sometimes, in Rowan's opinion. He shot a pointed look at the others. This was all their fault. Picking a timeline where Prince Endymion died a horrible screaming death was bad enough, but deciding to enlarge the scene with blow by blow playback had just been plain stupid.

"You're being naughty again, aren't you!"

They tried to look innocent and failed miserably.

"I'm going to tell…" Diana sing-songed.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Whose turn is it this week? Hmm?"

A definitely mischievous expression was on the Moonkitten's face.

"All right!! You win!!!" They cried.

"What can be so bad about that?"

The Bard wondered what threat was so horrible as to scare those three.

"Four words. Setsuna, Black Leather, Bullwhip."

The Guardian looked like he could use a drink, or better yet a whole bottle.

The Bard's eyes widened.

"I… see."

"I wanna make a change here!"

"Wait a minute!"

Too late.

All they could do now was watch and groan.

-Entering Ranma Timeline

[…"She's really a very sweet girl" Doctor Tofu had said.]

"Like hell she is." Ranma retorted weakly as he remembered that conversation.

Right after his legs had locked up, Akane had stopped and LAUGHED at his predicament. But only AFTER she had bashed him on the head with her schoolbag. Of course his mouth had shot off; he'd been raised to fight back against any kind of attack, and with Genma as a father, you learned to act first and think later.

It usually worked.

Just not this time. After several agonizing minutes had passed Akane had left his much battered and aching body on the street as she went home.

"Find your own way back, you sex-changing, perverted jerk!!"

Those had been her last words as she walked away, without looking back once. Her voice had been as cold as finely tempered steel and cut deeper then even the finest Masamune blade.

At this point Ranma Saotome's life had, for all intents and purposes, hit rock bottom. In the last six months, he'd picked up a Jusenkyo curse that turned him into a girl at the worst possible times; a bloodthirsty Amazon who was after his head; and he was engaged without his consent to someone he'd thought might have become a friend, but had instead only insulted him and attacked him once she found out he was really a guy. And to add insult to injury, the local bully had developed a fixation on him as girl while trying to kill him when he was a guy.

When he'd arrived at the Tendo Dojo, Ranma had emotionally latched onto the first person to show him any kindness there, Akane Tendo. But after being constantly confronted with open hostility, the chances of any sort of attachment forming between him and her had been squashed like a particularly annoying bug. Except that you usually stopped hitting the bug after it was dead.

Things couldn't get any worse.

Then he turned around.

"Ca… ca… ca… cacacacacacacCAT!!!!!!"

If he'd been coherent at the time, Ranma would have sworn to never make such a foolish statement ever again. However, he was too busy trying to stop his fragile hold on sanity from snapping entirely.

Ranma started to panic even more as the white feline approached him. So caught up was he in his efforts to get away from it, that he didn't notice the crescent moon on its forehead.

Artemis smirked, if cats could be said to smirk. This was going to be so much fun!

But just when it looked like all hope was lost…

"Shoo, Artemis! Stop teasing him!"

As Ranma looked up into Minako Aino's big blue eyes, he could have sworn he heard a little -twing-, as if someone had just fired a bow. But that was silly, there wasn't anyone else here except him and this beautiful, caring, wonderful girl…

Cupid started worrying; this was not going according to plan. What had gone wrong? All he had to do was to shoot Ranma as soon as the girl helped him up. But this wasn't the right girl!

{Damn it!!!} (1)

Ranma had just about lost faith in the fairer sex, and was going to say to heck with it all and become a monk, when this angel suddenly came to his rescue.

Now here she was, trying to help him and make him feel better. They were sitting in a booth at a nearby burger joint, waiting for Ranma's legs to recover.

It was the first truly nice deed anyone had ever done for him, without demanding something in return.

Much to his continued relief, the white cc… a… ca… feline had not made another appearance. He was a bit stunned that Minako had been able to carry him this far. There was a hidden strength in that seemingly delicate body, he realized. Not as strong as Akane's, but, somehow, more appealing that way.

To pass the time they talked, and much to Ranma's surprise, once he started he found himself spilling out practically his entire life story to her sympathetic ear. And he also found himself listening to parts of her life, too. It seemed that this girl had also been looking for someone to unburden herself to. Misery loved company.

Though he sensed that there was much she left unsaid, Ranma said nothing. After all, he hadn't told her everything either. She probably wouldn't have believed the more fantastic parts without proof, and he didn't want her to think he was some kind of freak.

Old wounds mend slowly.

Ranma was more cautious this time, after having been burned once already. So far his experiences with girls had been zero for two, he wasn't exactly anxious for a third strikeout.

But maybe…

"So that explains why he always eats Akane's cooking…"

"Besides the fact she shoves it down his throat anyway?"

"Well, that too."

Minako Aino had just gone through a very rough time in her life. She had lost her first love to one of her best friends back in England. Because of her secret identity as Sailor V, she had become a loner, her duty coming first over friendship and the normal things girls her age usually did. Now here she was, starting over in Japan, even more alone then before…

Despite her outward attempt to keep up a cheerful demeanor, she was hurting badly.

Running into someone with a situation similar to hers was a surprise, to say the least. Looking at the handsome pigtailed boy in front of her, she had trouble believing that this wasn't just another one of her many romantic daydreams. He wasn't an idol, a minus. But on the other hand, he was rather cute and really nice, both major plusses in her book. After all, she wasn't exactly in a position to be choosy.

Maybe…

"Uh, oh."

Rowan was getting a really bad feeling about this. Perhaps Setsuna in her 'Ojo-sama to Oyobi' outfit would have been a better choice after all.

Notes:

(1) This is not the cute cherub that you're thinking of. While reading up on Rifts for Bet #10, I found an entry. He gets his thrills from ruining people's lives by causing them to fall in love (or lust) with the worst possible person for them. And if by some miracle the love starts to work out… Cupid uses his arrows to create rivals and make other obstacles leading toward broken hearts and shattered dreams. Hmmm… Sound familiar?

Author's note: Where does this go?

Cupid trying to fix his first goof-up; of course, you know that things like that never go according to plan. A Murphy's Curse placed on his bow makes sure of that. This is a fic where love DOES conquer all… ^_^

The other Sailor Senshi-- Trouble just waiting to happen.

Tux Boy-- About to get some serious competition… if he doesn't just get his butt served up to him on a silver platter first.

(No, Ranma is not going to wear a fuku!! Also, no turbans and no formal dining wear!!!)

Ranma cast-- Hmmm… Nah… no hints.

Blame the CCC for this idea. Minako & Ranma, a fanfic that had to happen sooner or later.
The Ranger of the Crossover Fiancées strikes again!

-Shade

Part 2: Of Minako and Men

Ranma smiled as he walked back toward the Tendo household. Today had been the best day of his life. He hadn't felt this good since… since…

…Since Ucchan.

A friend.

Finally, after so many failed attempts, he'd found a real friend at last.

And maybe someday… something more.

Nothing could spoil his mood at the moment.

-Splash-

Well… almost nothing.

The pigtailed redhead shot a dirty look at the old lady. She was STILL cleaning the sidewalk at this hour?!

She (formerly he) started to walk away, then paused in mid-stride as an idea hit her. This Horse was through with letting people ride her into the dirt, and just letting them get away with it. It was payback time…

Ranma pressed herself against the wall surrounding the house to avoid detection. Grinning mischievously, she hefted a bucket of cold water she'd gotten from a garden hose, listening carefully for the sounds of her target on the other side of the stone wall.

Heave-ho!

-Splash-

An old woman screamed in utter outrage as she was drenched.

The pigtailed girl clapped a hand over her mouth to keep her laughter from escaping and giving away her location as she ran off.

Revenge was sweet.

The Tendo household was concerned. Where was Ranma?

Akane had arrived earlier, saying that "the Baka" had been delayed and would probably be coming back later. The hours had passed, dinner came and went, and still no Ranma.

Kasumi had put aside part of the meal for him, despite Genma's protests. Even Akane was starting to worry, as guilt over her earlier actions began to set in. She'd left him behind when she knew he couldn't walk. Could something have happened to him?! Maybe she should go out to look for that jerk and yell at him for making them worry!!

Just as Akane sprang up to tell her father that she was going out to look for her not-fiancé (she didn't really care about him, but it just wasn't right to leave him out there) a cheerful and badly out of tune whistling floated up from the front door.

-A short while later

"How dare you worry your father like that, Ranma! That kind of irresponsible behavior is a disgrace to the Saotome family!!"

Nod.

-Mumble, mumble-

Nod again.

"Pay attention!!!"

The younger Saotome was occupied with matters of a more important nature; namely, feeding the black hole laughingly referred to as his stomach. This lecture had been going on ever since he'd set foot back in the Tendo residence, but experience had taught him how to tune out the old man's irritating voice. After a quick "Hello" to Kasumi and the wonderful discovery that she'd saved him some of dinner for him, he'd gotten right down to business.

Fifteen minutes later, the edge had been taken off his hunger and he felt much better.

"Thanks a lot, Kasumi. I really needed that; it's been one heck of a day."

Ranma shot her a grateful smile that seemed to light up the room. That was the straw that broke the back of the anorexic camel of restraint.

"YOU JERK!!! First you get us all worried and now you're FLIRTING with my sister!!! Keep your perversions away from Kasumi!!!"

"Knock it off, ya stupid tomboy. It was your fault I was late!"

Akane's fist rocketed out. Her method of winning an argument wasn't logically sound, but very effective nonetheless.

-POW-

A sharp flash of pain to his forehead was the last thing Ranma felt before he collapsed.

Genma took this opportunity to make off with his son's dinner, and devour it before anyone could stop him.

Seeing that he wasn't going to be waking up anytime soon, the rest of the household left the unconscious martial artist where he was, at Genma's insistence, "to toughen the boy up". That didn't stop Kasumi from covering him up with a warm blanket for the night, or Nabiki from rooting around in his pants (get your heads out of the gutter!) for enough yen to pay for the old pillow she slipped under the large lump protruding from the pigtailed boy's thick skull.

"He never learns. Akane's definitely going to be wearing the pants in their marriage."

Well, as long as she got paid it was none of her business…

"Nabiki! It's not nice to say things like that."

Kasumi shot her mercenary sister a disapproving look.

"Well, Tendo, it looks like the sparks between our children are heating up. They'll be married in no time!"

"Yes, Saotome, soon our dream of uniting the schools will at last be fulfilled!"

Tears of joy poured forth from Soun's eyes.

Once the sake was produced, there was no going back.

Gurgles of nausea erupted forth as the viewers were put through the Anything Goes Singing and Drinking Chorus Line.

"What reality are those two morons living in?"

"Even the Gods don't know that one."

The Guardian felt a need to pay tribute to the porcelain goddess. Bad enough that they were already pulling out microphones, but Disco?!

"Somebody smite them… Please!"

The changes in the timeline started to snowball…

That last punch had been the final blow.

The emotional credit limit of one Ranma Saotome overextended. The act of kindness that would have pulled it back into the black, and trapped the boy in an unhappy fate, was not delivered this time.

In hopes of having her as a friend, Ranma had given Akane a *huge* starting balance of emotional credit when they first met (the equivalent of a platinum card). But over a short amount of time, her childish temper tantrums and cruel abuse had used up all of that initial sum and more. Lots more, so much that even if Akane had been able to breathe from the top of head she'd *still* have been in the red.

The first required payments to keep the account active had been made by Genma and Soun, their insistence on the engagement being a matter of honor had just been able to satisfy the first interest payment incurred. But the principal of the debt had still remained. And without any positive deposits, not even a single kind word or smile from the Tendo girl, Ranma's heart had no choice but to shut the account down.

Meanwhile, a new account had just been opened for one Minako Aino.

Her account was starting firmly in the black…

~~~~~~~~

Of some importance later on, but not having anything to do with what was happening right then, was the first meeting between Usagi Tsukino and a black cat with a crescent moon on its forehead, which had taken place on the same day.

The white cat with the crescent moon on its forehead, on the other hand, did have an immediate bearing on the story at hand. So while a certain martial artist visited "la-la" land, the scene shifted toward a certain girl's bedroom, where Artemis was giving his charge a long and very through lecture on why it was dangerous to even think of getting in a relationship with anyone at the present time.

"Blahblah… It's too dangerous… Yakkity yack… You can't afford to relax your guard… Etc… etc… Remember what happened last time? Minako? Minako?! MINAKO!!!"

The attractive blonde he was addressing was busy hugging a stuffed teddy bear to her chest, as she lay in her bed and replaying that run in with that boy again. Her smile seemed to have an extra glow to it, one that had been missing for weeks, ever since she had returned from England.

"He had such dreamy eyes… Did you say something, Artemis?"

-SPLAT-

After picking himself up from his facefault, the cat leaped up to reach an equal level with the daydreaming girl's head. That was one of the drawbacks of his feline form. How could anyone expect to take you seriously when they had to always look down at you?

"You are not going to see that guy, whatshisname, again. Understand?"

"Ranma Aino… not bad… Minako Saotome… that has a nice ring to it."

Veins started to throb and bulge on his head as the cat guardian began to hyperventilate. This was getting out of hand!

"MINA!"

"I'm kidding, Artemis. Sheesh, you're no fun at all. It's not like the world is going to end if I just happen to make a friend here. And as for what happens later… well, who can say?"

"Nothing is going to happen, that's what! We have a very important mission, remember!!"

"I know, I know. Protect the world from the evil Negaverse. Honestly, that doesn't mean I can't have a life as well!"

Artemis wisely decided not to argue with that last part right now. First things first.

"What's gotten into you, Mina?! You're not acting like yourself!!"

"What are you talking about, Artemis? I feel fine… just so much more alive, now."

"See! That guy's already having a bad influence!"

"I told you already, all we did was talk. Ranma's really a very nice person at heart. It's not his fault that he's scared of cats. You really shouldn't have teased him. Maybe an apology is in order."

"Me?! Apologize to that… that… scoundrel?!"

"Why Artemis, you sound almost… jealous."

Sometimes even a prissy cat guardian needed to be taken down a peg or two.

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!!!"

Minako's laughter rang like a melody of fine silver bells, an innocent sweetness that was pleasing to the ears and uplifting to the spirit. However, for a certain moon cat, it was pure torture.

-The next day

-CRASH- -POW- -SMASH-

-CRUNCH- -SNAP- -POP-

[I give up! I give up!]

"I'm not finished yet, Pop! Take that!"

Ranma grabbed the wooden sign that his father-turned-panda had been waving around, and beaned him a good one with it.

-KLONK-

-SPLOOSH-

Landing on one of the rocks bordering the koi pond, the pigtailed boy shot his unconscious opponent an angry glare before stepping toward the house to get ready for- ugh- school.

"Feeling better Ranma?"

"Not really, Kasumi. Stupid old man would have to go and eat my dinner, and leave me out cold in the dining room."

"I'm sure things will turn out all right in the end. By the way, breakfast is ready. I made extra helpings since I knew you'd be hungry once you woke up."

"Thanks, Kasumi!"

An arrow hissed through the air before missing its intended target.

Somewhere nearby a demon started swearing. Fortunately, the speech was inaudible to human ears.

When Ranma didn't immediately go charging in to eat, Kasumi looked quizzically at him. Although he had only been here for a few days, she knew that this was not like him at all. Something seemed different about him today…

She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was almost as if…

As if…

"Um… Kasumi?"

"Yes, Ranma?"

"Did you put that blanket on me?"

"Yes, I did. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. I just wanted to… um… thank you."

Was he… blushing? What could that possibly mean?

"You see I'm not really used to, um… I mean… that not many people have ever really done something nice like that for me before…"

"But surely your father…"

He started to snort in disgust, but then changed his mind and just looked her straight in the eye.

"Oh… I see… he wouldn't, would he…?"

Silently, he shook his head.

"So anyway, uh… that's all I had to say… um…"

A second arrow whizzed by.

It was a doozy.

That was when demon started cursing up a storm.

It actually did succeed in calling one up, but the cloud refused to rain on anyone except him.

For a moment, Ranma raised his head and looked at her as if he wanted to say something more. Then the moment passed and the martial artist ran off to the breakfast table.

"Oh my, what was that all about?"

If she didn't know better she could have sworn that…

Ranma silently cursed himself for his cowardice.

What had come over him? He'd just been thanking her, when something had caused him to take a second look at the eldest Tendo daughter. He'd never realized exactly how pretty she really was before. It was as if he'd been wearing a blindfold for the past few days and had just removed it this morning. Then, when he'd been about to tell her that he'd decided he was not going to go through with this engagement with Akane, he just couldn't do it. Kasumi was so nice and considerate that she didn't deserve to be hurt by his decision and its consequences. Or at least that was what he kept telling himself.

Maybe, after school was over, he could find Mina-chan again. That thought cheered him up immediately. But he'd have to take extra precautions to keep the curse a secret; that had been one thing he'd left out of yesterday's chat. Ranma hated having to hide the truth from Minako, but he didn't have a choice as he saw it. He didn't want her to think he was a weirdo or some kind of pervert. Once he was sure that she could accept him as he was, that she wouldn't reject him because the difference a few degrees in the temperature of any water contacting him made… then he'd tell her all of it.

Till then, he'd just make sure to watch out

It was a perfect plan. Nothing could go wrong.

And pigs would sprout wings and migrate to Canada.

"He really thinks that stalling will make it easier? That never works!"

The Bard wasn't quite as dumb as everyone thought he was.

"This is going to get ugly."

Rowan sighed, he'd been in the same situation once before. It was better to just get it over with. Waiting would just make things worse.

"50 gold coins say that he can't keep her from finding out for more then a week."

"You're on, Shadow."

The Guardian couldn't resist a smug grin. This was one bet he couldn't lose!

Of course, that was what he'd thought the last ten thousand times, too.

-Somewhere, Somewhen

Sailor Pluto felt the first signs of a major migraine forming.

It was going to be one of those millenniums.

To be continued (of course).

Webmaster: Larry F
Last revision: May 21, 2007