Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Total Shock ❯ Full circle ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: The author of this story owns none of the series, characters, or locations mentioned in this story unless stated otherwise.

“”=Speech

`'=Thought

-Text- = Telepathy

Note: I realized that I made a mistake in the earlier chapters with Sailor Moon's and Sailor Chibi-Moon's attacks; I'll fix it after I re-watch/read the parts of the series that are blurry. Sorry if I pissed anyone off the way I did MoonstoneCabbit with Ryoko's abilities. (I promise I'll do it as soon as I get some money!)

Keh, damn formatting errors.

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“Young one… awaken,”

----

“This will do,” Satoshi nodded as he dragged his staff along the ground. `That took a couple of hours, but it was worth it,' He reached into his shirt and pulled out a card. -Aiko, I'm done on my end. Where are you?-

-Still scoping out the city. Looks like this place has been through a lot in the last month, although the place was tuned recently, so it's harder to notice certain things.-

-I don't think any of the Flame Haze here are tuners. That means that it's possible that there were, at one time, 4 Flame Haze co-existing here. That's unheard of.-

-That means…-

- Hmm…Only one torch, has three Flame Haze guarding it…That doesn't mean so much; it's a obviously a valuable Hougu, but when you think about it, it's all alone and the flame doesn't appear to be getting any weaker. It's got to be Reiji Maigo.-

-Reiji Maigo?-

-It's an energy generator. You know how torches usually burn out and disappear in a day or two, right? This one has been here for longer than that. The only possible explanation is Reiji Maigo.-

-Oh? Well, I guess that's kind of odd.-

-Huh?-

-Something like that would be viewed as very valuable, correct? So why are they just sitting in one place?-

-That's right- the Reiji Maigo would attract Tomogara likes bees to honey. Why haven't they destroyed the torch yet?-

-Eh?-

-That would make it re-spawn in another, random torch.-

-Oh. Well, is it really that important?-

-Yes! If these Flame Haze are to come with us, I doubt they'd want to leave behind the torch, and only trouble can come of the Reiji Maigo. We'd have weekly Tomogara attacks at Mahora and the entire non-magical student body would be reduced to torches in a matter of days.-

-Then, do we have to destroy that torch?-

-Seems like it. Listen, I'm going to intercept them. I want you to be prepared for anything.-

Sakai Yuuji stared blankly out of the window of his classroom. Today's scenery was the same boring stuff as it always was. `I made my decision to leave Misaki some time ago, but I haven't been able to figure out what I should do. I can't just disappear, that'll cause mom and lots of others to worry…unless…they erase all traces of my existence… Hey, what's that?'

Yuuji turned to the front of the class where the teacher was giving his lecture. He blinked and tapped Shana on the shoulder. She looked up at him from her notes with a confused expression until he pointed at the front of the class.

Suddenly, right behind the teacher, through a rip in reality-itself (as far as Yuuji could tell) a man walked out and closed it behind him. The entire class stared as a Japanese man dressed in typical western mage clothing appeared with a loud bang. He blinked and sweat dropped.

“Magi..!” Shana's voice rang out in alarm.

“Somehow, I did not expect to find you in a classroom.” Students just stared at him with blank looks and the Teacher turned around upon realizing there was a man standing behind him.

“Who are you? Why are you interrupting my class?” The teacher demanded.

“Um, excuse me,” The magi ignored him, narrowing his eyes and scanning the class. When his gaze fell upon Yuuji, he nodded. “That's the one,” He said cheerfully. “Don't worry, in a minute none of you will remember this,” He held up his jewel tipped staff and pointed it at Yuuji. The gem on its tip glowed red before a thin red laser flew at the boy's head. Everyone jumped out of the way and the laser impacted the back of the room, causing a small explosion.

Satoshi gave no time to rest as he began rapidly firing the lasers at Yuuji who barely dodged them all. Shana jumped at him and brought her foot up, which he dodged as he jumped to the side.

“Who are you?” She jumped at him again and he jumped back again. “This is not going as I'd planned,” He muttered. `She's probably just some hot-shot martial artist, I have to take it easy on her,' He narrowed his eyes as he dodged a potentially lethal strike. He jumped up to the wall and looked around the room. All but four students had moved to the back of the room, and the ones that had were watching with various reactions. The girl, the torch, and two other boys were watching him warily.

He hardened his expression and pushed off the wall, flying at an incredible speed towards the one called Sakai Yuuji.

Yuuji dodged the man's attack again with a grim expression on his face. `He's definitely after me…I have to lead him out of here or the rest of the class will get hurt!' He watched Shana attempt an attack on the man and seized his chance to bolt.

`Good idea, since we're not using a Fuzetsu,' Shana mentally saluted Yuuji and re-doubled her efforts. She was beginning to become irritated; even without the Nieteno no Shana, she should have pulverized the puny western mage already. It would be just their luck that the Reiji Maigo not only became the target of Tomogara, but powerful Magi as well. Suddenly, a magically empowered fist crashed into her face, sending her flying backwards, through several desks and towards the other students, all of whom parted for her.

`Dammit…'

“Hirai-san!” Several shocked voices called out in surprise.

“If you're after Sakai-kun, you'll have to go after us!” One of the two boys that still opposed him declared as they both attacked.

`Hmm…together, they're not as good as that one girl was.' Satoshi blocked every attack from the two with one arm and was about to paralyze the two when the girl flew from the side with a jump kick. `One of the Flame Haze was guarding him when I checked the Haridan. Is it possible one of these three…No. That would be an insult to Flame Haze everywhere. Neither of these three are Flame Haze.' He narrowed his eyes and let his fist fill with magical energy before punching the ground. There was an explosion of energy that destroyed the floor, sending debris into the room below them and wreckage around the room. All three opposing fighters had been knocked back as well.

`I'll bet the Flame Haze will be pissed when they find out I didn't use a Fuzetsu. Oh well, I wasn't counting on that girl having such reflexes. If they know of the Torch's identity, they'll undoubtedly know who his friends are…Hmm, the Torch is going outside.' Satoshi seized that moment to jump out of the window, shocking most of the students.

“Damn!” Shana struggled to stand and realized that Tanaka and Satou were unconscious. “I should be using more power than this,” She growled as she followed the man out of the window, her dark hair brightening and assuming a crimson color.

`I'm almost outside…' Yuuji thought to himself as he ran towards the exit of the school. `There! Now I can-` Suddenly, the man from before landed in front of him and he had to skid to a stop. Unfortunately, his skid led him right into the man's chest. The man quickly wrapped an arm around him to prevent him from escaping. `Uh oh…'

“Dammit, that was far more trouble than I'd intended-“ He suddenly jumped up to avoid being impaled by the Nieteno no Shana. “What the hell?!” He'd dropped Yuuji and now was back to square one. He looked at his opponent and had to blink. “Red hair, fiery eyes…Dammit, you're a Flame Haze!”

This was certainly an unfavorable development. One of the earlier punks was a Flame Haze, after all. He narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing, procrastinating around here for? Why haven't you already destroyed this Mystes?”

“That's none of your business!” Shana blushed as she leapt at him with her katana at the ready. Suddenly, a woman dressed in a traditional Kunoichi outfit literally appeared before her and intercepted her attack with a Kunai. “W-what? Kunoichi?”

“Aiko, perfect timing,” the mage smiled. “Although it looks like the torch can't fight, Two against one still isn't fair,” He chuckled.

“So we're fighting them? What the hell for?”

“Just trust me on this one,” He said, narrowing his eyes.

“Yuuji!” Shana yelled, reaching into her cloak. She unsheathed the Blutsauger and tossed it to Yuuji, who caught it one handed. “Remember your training!” Yuuji nodded and looked seriously at the mage.

“Hmm,” Satoshi narrowed his eyes at the Blutsauger. `Her cloak acts as some kind of inter-dimensional storage device. A nice touch, really.' He looked over at his partner as she and the Flame Haze jumped away from each other. “Let's end this as quickly as possible. Don't kill her, though.”

“Of course.” Without warning, Aiko leapt at Shana, who barely had the time to lift up her sword in defense. The Ninja was using a kunai in each hand, but kept them sheathed until use- one over her shoulder and one above her back.

`Where have I seen that style of Ninjutsu before..?' Shana thought to herself as she pressed a fierce attack on the Kunoichi.

Yuuji tried to remember how to put his power of existence into Blutsauger. He didn't want to use too much, as it could literally end his existence with him being a torch, but it was the only thing he had on his magic wielding foe. He tried to extend some power of existence into the Blutsauger and swung the sword in a wide arc. As predicted his foe blocked the sword with the staff. `Got him!'

Satoshi shouted in surprise as several sword wounds opened up on his body. `Dammit! I know that sword! That's Blutsauger! Has to be!' He jumped away and rubbed his nose. `Damn, Blutsauger is way to large to just dodge, and blocking it is even more dangerous. None of this adds up…why would the Flame Haze be protecting the Reiji Maigo? And why teach the torch how to fight, let alone give him such a powerful weapon?'

He let go of the staff and it levitated while quickly shrinking down to the size of a pin, which he stuck in his hair. He cracked his knuckles and grinned at the torch.

“Okay kid, let's try that again,” He jumped at Yuuji anticipating an attack from the Blutsauger. Yuuji swung the Blutsauger straight down in a vertical arc, when suddenly, the sword stopped. Satoshi had caught the huge blade.

Since it didn't count as blocking, catching it meaning that it was striking his flesh- he took no damage and easily ripped it from the boy's grasp. Satoshi turned the huge sword around and gripped the hilt with one-handed ease.

“YUUJI!” Shana suddenly ignored her opponent and rushed to Yuuji with speed even she didn't know she had. She was in front of the boy in less than a second, surprising everyone present.

“Ah…I'm sorry, Shana-“

“It's not your fault, idiot!” Flames engulfed her sword and she growled at the Magi and his partner. `I can't take on both of them by myself,' She grabbed Yuuji without warning, and a huge burst of flames ignited two fiery wings. With one swing of her Katana, a huge swirling wave of flame flew at the two. Both got out of its way, but when the flames dissipated, the two were gone.

“Ne, Sa-kun,” Aiko started, annoyed. “What just happened?”

“They ran away.”

“But you interrupted two very normal classes with your outburst of magic and the like.”

“I don't think any of them expected to see a Kunoichi today either,” He countered. They both turned towards the school and blinked upon realizing most of the people from the classes they'd interrupted were staring at them.

“Shouldn't we erase their memories?” Aiko asked seriously.

“No. I do not believe, in this new day and age, that such a thing will be necessary.” He turned and started walking. “Her reaction was very odd. We need to find out why they're letting the Reiji Maigo run around when it's obvious where it is.”

---

“The time has come…”

---

Nabiki nodded as she had her lackey reiterate what she found out that morning.

“So the real reason Kuno was absent today is unknown, but he called in sick, and according to our `out-of-school' sources, he's not home…” She closed her laptop and picked it up, walking away.

“Are you going to investigate the matter personally?” The girl asked.

“Of course. Kuno rarely gets sick. And to allow someone like Kuno to wander around unaccounted for is just asking for trouble.”

“What shall I tell the staff?”

“Whatever you want, really,” She waved her crony off. “You know how they are with me.” The girl bowed slightly and walked away. Nabiki left the grounds of Furinkan High and began walking with a brisk pace. She sighed; toting the laptop around the way she was was beginning to become annoying. “I should have gotten a bag for it. Just a regular backpack would do me no good…”

Nabiki took in the familiar scenery as she walked down the street. Her destination wasn't far enough away for a train and she didn't feel like taking a bus. Besides, walking could do a body good.

Kuno stared at the clouds, deep in thought. He was sitting on a large rock, overlooking a construction site. The building that they had destroyed the previous week was being rebuilt, but several modifications were to be made in honor of the Senshi. The day was good; the temperature was just right and he wasn't in school. The nefarious sorcerer Saotome had yet to show his face, and the mood was perfect for Haiku. Oddly enough, Tatewaki Kuno could not bring himself to write. The verses would not come, and while the mood was right, he could not be inspired.

“Oi, Kuno-kun,” Nabiki called out. He didn't turn at all as she sat by him on his boulder. “What in the world is going on? Why are you dressed normally?”

“…” He remained silent.

“Hey, answer me,” She said impatiently. “That all of a sudden, Kuno Tatewaki dresses normally and isn't at school spouting his poetry and challenging my sister's reluctant fiancé is somewhat… disquieting.”

When he didn't answer, she sighed and looked up at the clouds. “What are you looking at?” She asked. All she could see were some clouds, the moon, and the blue sky. When Kuno's arm raised and his finger pointed at the moon, she blinked. “What, haven't you ever seen the moon out in the day before?” She asked teasingly.

“Of course.” Kuno's arm fell to its original position. “However…as of last night, the moon has been a disturbing sight for me.”

“A…disturbing?” She tilted her head, a quizzical expression on her face. It wasn't as if the Kunos ever made sense, but this was new. Even the MOON was beginning to offend Kuno. She shrugged and stood up. “Well…”

“Wait.” He looked at her and she froze. There was a look in his eyes that she had never seen before, one that was full of seriousness. Not the exaggerated, profound look she'd always seen before, but…

“What?” She asked, turning her head slightly, suspicious.

“I will tell you what happened, but it is something you must promise me that you will not tell anyone else.”

“That comes with a price, Kuno-kun.”

“I'll pay you when I'm finished,” He said, turning back towards the moon. She had to do a double take.

`Shouldn't he be saying something like “I will grant you your fee when my tale is completed” or something?' Interested, she agreed and joined him on the rock.

“It begins like this…”

---

Ranma groaned and slowly sat up. “What the heck? Where's the commercial liner that decided to crash into me..?” He asked in obvious pain.

“Right here, pal,” Ryouga piped up. Ranma looked up and spotted the boy, opposite himself in the Hibiki Boy's room.

“Eh?” Ranma tried to remember the last thing that had happened to him. He and Ryouga were sparring… when suddenly they tried to use their new speed to fight. “Ughhh, remind me never to do that again,” Ranma groaned again.

“We have to get used to moving that fast,” Ryouga said. “Also, it eats up our chi so fast that there's almost no point to it.”

“Yeah. It would definitely be useful against the Senshi.” Ranma started, before looking out the window. “…If I could just beat all ten into submission before one of them lands a it and my thirty second time limit runs out.” He snorted. “Well, Touya did explain how to do it without eating up my chi so fast, but I wasn't quite able to get it,” He sighed.

“Oh? Maybe I can help you figure it out,” Ryouga offered. Ranma snorted.

“Yeah right, pig-face. If I can't figure it out, you've got a snowball's chance in hell,” He snickered.

“Pig-face? Who's a pig-face, you girly-girl?”

“What?!” Ranma growled. “I'm not a girl!” Ranma yelled.

“And I'm not a pig!” Ryouga shouted back just as loud.

“But you seem to enjoy being one so much, especially when it makes me look bad, P-chan.” He sneered.

“Oh yeah? Well you're totally shameless when it comes to your girl-form flirting with people so you can get food or whatever it is you're after. Is that how you get your jollies, you sick freak?”

“Look who's talking, mister bed-time-doll!”

“All you have to do is look in the mirror,” Ryouga laughed, while crossing his arms.

“I can't get off to my girl form while I'm a girl!” Ranma yelled angrily. “How many times do I have ta say that ta get it inta everyone's thick skulls!”

“Implying that you get off to it while male. Isn't that like getting off to your own sister?”

“NO! And I don't do it, ya sicko!” Ranma returned, red-faced.

“I mean, the cursed form is what you would look like if born that way, although I don't know in Taro's case…”

“Ya idiot, I'm still talkin' to ya!”

“Your Japanese is slipping up, Ranma,” Ryouga noted.

“Whatever, porky,” Ranma said, crossing his arms.

“Say, Ranma, what's it like being a girl? Do you get the whole package? I mean, the monthlies and everything-“ Ranma looked like he was ready to burst.

“Why don't YOU just shut UP `fore I cut some BACON offa yer back, sausage-boy!”

“You must be on the rag,” Ryouga sighed. “I feel sorry for-“ He eeped as he dodged a ruthless attack from Ranma. The boy made calming motions with his arms. “Whoa, calm down already! I was just joking!”

“It's too late fer that, porkchop! Tonight's dinner; PORK Ramen!” He screamed as he threw a wild fist at Ryouga's face. Ryouga had to dodge the attack, there was some serious power behind that punch and taking it would have likely broken his skull inwards.

`Damn, he's serious! I was just trying to show him what it feels like-` he paused in thought as he dodged another fatal blow. `Kami-sama above, the guy's mad!'

“What the HELL is going on in here?!” came a voice from the door. “Why don't you both just CALM DOWN?!” Both boys turned in surprise and eyes went wide as Rie made the last of a throwing motion with a bucket full of water.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-“

The ice-cold water splashed across both of them, instantly triggering the curses and chilling their smaller forms to the bone. Rie stood frozen, staring at the pile of clothes her brother had been wearing previously and the girl that was in Ranma's place.

“Uh…” Ranma blinked and P-chan surfaced from under his clothes. “Ah…I can explain this…”

---

“Ne, the Flame Haze should be around,” Satoshi said. “This house seems to be generating an odd aura.” The two had switched to their more normal clothes and only bore a minimal resemblance to their formal selves. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. A woman opened the door and he blinked. “Excuse me? Is this the Sakai residence?”

“Yes, it is,” the woman smiled. “Can I help you?”

“Ah, yes…I'm the representative of the famous boarding school, Mahora Academy,” He started. “My partner and I were sent to investigate some recent going ons and the activity of a Sakai Yuuji,” He said.

“My son?” She asked, a curious look replacing the smile. “What do you mean, investigate?”

“Well, as you may know, the Mahora Academy has a very well funded gifted program, and…”

“My son is being considered for your advanced placement program?” The woman asked excitedly.

“Ah, well…yes,” The mage answered.

“Ah, well…mister…”

“Hirohata Satoshi,” the man bowed. “And my partner is Kimura Aiko.” Aiko bowed as well.

-How did you find out their name?-

-Now that…is a secret,-

-Bah.-

“Ah, well Hirohata-san, Yuuji and his friend came home early a few minutes ago, but they left in a hurry,” She bowed in apology. “I'm sorry.”

“Ah, no, it's quite all right. I don't mind waiting for your son to return, perhaps we can discuss his accomplishments in detail and I can get a better idea of him before we meet,” the man offered.

“Ah, I'm sorry, but that's not possible at the moment,” She said with a bright smile. “My friend and I are cleaning the house, it would not be fair for me to stop and leave her with all the work,”

“But I insist,” Satoshi did his most formal, polite impression.

“And I'm sorry, but I'm just not available,”

“Ah…” He bowed again. “Sakai-dono, please forgive the interruption. If you will excuse us,” The two turned around and began walking away.

Chigusa watched the two walk away and closed the door before turning around and walking to the kitchen, where Wilhelmina, Shana, and Yuuji were waiting.

“Now, Yuuji, Hirai-chan…why were those two looking for you?”

“Ah…”

“It is something that is not easily explainable -de arimasu.” Carmel spoke up. “However, I believe it is something that you deserve to know -de arimasu.” She started.

“Wait, Wilhelmina-san,” Yuuji sighed. “Please…let me explain it… alone.” Shana shook her head.

“But Yuuji, I want to stay with you for this,” She insisted.

“…Alright,”

---

The sun reached its apex in the sky as two high school students conversed over a pile of rubble.

“…The dreams started about a week ago, when I was at my cousin's birthday party. Each time, they were longer and longer, until tonight. Tonight's dream was almost completely different.” Kuno turned to look Nabiki straight in the face. “This `Moon Kingdom' was under attack. The person in my dream, the person who I knew myself to be was devastated. The flourishing world he had left only days before was almost completely ruined. The royal palace was strewn with not only the bodies of the invaders, but those who had so loyally defended it. Even Luna's Tree of life was dying. The Moon itself was dying, Tendo.”

He looked back up at the barely visible moon. “The dream ended differently as well. The one whom I had sworn loyalty to, called prince and obeyed thoughtlessly…he killed me. This morning, I woke up clutching my chest. I could still feel where he had stabbed me. I could still feel it. It was…infinitely painful, in more ways than one. He even said that one day I'd understand, but how could I if he was killing me?”

“…” Nabiki stared at him in silence. He had, in detail, described the dreams he'd been having for the entire week. It made sense; his subdued attitude last week was all too easy to explain now. After seeing what he had, even if only in dreams, she was sure no one would be the same. “Well…Kuno-kun…It was only a dream. You said it yourself, you woke up. It can't really hurt you…”

“But what if it all means something?”

“What could it mean?”

“That's what I want to know.”

“…You know, Kuno,” She started. “A lot of things don't really mean anything. Although it's very odd that you had the same string of dreams for seven days in a row, I can't really say much because I'm not a psychologist or anything. But it's very possible that they mean nothing, nothing at all.” She was about to stand up and leave, satisfied, when he stopped her again.

“Wait.” He looked at her seriously. “There is one more thing I have to ask of you.”

“What?”

“Allow me to see that computer,” He said. “I need you to look up something for me when you get up the chance.”

“Eh?” She blinked. “Just tell me what it is and I'll add it to your tab.”

“No…it's…it's very specific, and I can't quite say it in a way that even I would understand…” She looked at him and sighed before opening her laptop and allowing him to see it. It instantly came out of sleep mode and Kuno touched an Icon on the screen.

“How did you know it was touch sensitive?” She asked.

“What?” He said, confused.

“Uh, never mind,” She sighed. As if Kuno would ever be able to tell instantly from looking whether or not it had a touch sensitive screen…He was just so simple minded that the concept of a mouse probably didn't occur to him…

When he was finished, she looked at what he had done. He had opened IE and in the Address/URL bar typed in a series of numbers and dots. She instantly recognized it as a Static IP, the kind that was usually given to a device that would remain permanently connected to the net. “Where did you see that?”

“One of the screens in my dream displayed that number in a similar fashion several times.” He said. “I wasn't able to see what it meant, though, because I wasn't in control of the dream.”

“I see,” She nodded. “Okay, I'll look into this.” She turned to walk away when he stopped her again. “What is it this time?” She growled.

“Do you or do you not want payment?” He asked, waving several thousand Yen bills in her face.

“Do want,”

---

“…And when doused with hot water, I turn back,” Ranma said as he upended the cup of hot water over himself. Getting the girl Rie to calm down and convince her that they were indeed both Ranma and Ryouga, and not some kind of witch and pig-demon(Rie seemed to be deathly afraid of Ryouga's cursed form for some reason.)

“That's a really messed up curse. Poor aniki,” She sighed. “But Ranma, why didn't you use Ryouga to demonstrate the curse?” She asked. Ranma blinked before chuckling. “You remember what happened when you threw that bucket on us?”

“Oh?” She thought back to what had happened. Ranma and Ryouga were both seriously fighting over something, and when she doused them with cold water. Ranma shrank to the busty, petite version of herself and Ryouga…she blushed.

“Yeah, see?” Ranma laughed. “All grown up, aren't you? Most little kids wouldn't mind seeing their older siblings that way,”

“Uh, but that's because most siblings grow up together and often wash each other, and I'm pretty sure that only goes for same sex siblings, unless the younger one is much younger,”

“And how old are you?” He snickered.

“Old enough!” She blushed while yelling.

---

Satoshi sighed as he watched the Haridan from above. The two boys that had been fighting alongside the flame haze earlier (Tanaka Eita and Satou Keisaku if he recalled correctly) had apparently alerted the one inactive flame haze of his presence.

And unfortunately, she, unlike others, had access to a Grimoire, something that would grant even the most magic-less of fools powers they could not begin to imagine. He abhorred what it could do in the hands of a potentially hostile, experienced Flame Haze.

-This is very quickly turning into a bad situation.- He telepathically communicated with his partner. -I honestly did not expect a Flame Haze to defend the Mystes like that, and for their to be more than one here. We were outmatched at two, it's possible we would have to deal with three if we continued our aggressive front,-

-Were you planning to?-

-At first, I wanted to destroy that distractive Reiji Maigo, and then I wanted to test the Flame Haze's power. Unfortunately, they're interpreting it as a legitimate threat.-

-Well what did you expect, moron?-

-Actually, I'm not sure. I thought it was odd for three Flame Haze to be in the city, but for them to all be working together was absolutely unheard of. I suppose I miscalculated,- He mentally sighed. -We'll just have to appeal to them as best as possible. Unless I use my…darker powers, we're outmatched.- There was a pause, and then…

-How do you plan on appealing to them?-

-Simple. Open up a Fuzetsu and explain ourselves. They should understand then.-

-I thought you said it was hard to open up a Fuzetsu?-

-I can do it with the Magic circle I have set around the city.-

-Huh? But how? That's--

-My little secret,- The man mentally chuckled as she cursed him. -Awww, Aiko-Chan, you're so mean.-

-You're probably the most callous person on this planet,- She grumbled.

-Hey, you don't have to rub it in. It's in my nature you know.-

-Of course. You want me to meet you somewhere?-

-Hmmm…- He looked at the Haridan and spotted her shape jumping from roof to roof of the taller buildings. -When you get to that huge museum like place, stop. I'll be waiting there.-

---

Nabiki sat down on her bed and smiled as the taskbar noted her that she was within range of WiFi service. “Such generous neighbors,” She smiled. “I don't have to pay a single en,” she restored the IE window that Kuno had used to type in the static IP. She simply clicked “Go” and sighed when nothing came up. It was to be expected; there was no free port behind the number so a direct connection was impossible.

“Wait a minute…” She noticed something odd about the number. “The first set has four digits and the second one has only two.” She sighed and moved the misplaced dot and clicked go.

Nabiki stared, speechless at her laptop screen. The device she had connected to was apparently some type of database, filled with several indexes of files in different categories.

“Really…” She stared at the index. “I can't even begin to understand how this could possibly exist…” Her mouth curved into a grin. “But this could be very useful. I'll have to thank Kuno some how.” The HTML of the site she was looking at was very, very simple; there were in fact no graphics and all of it was just black and white text. She spotted at a side panel that she hadn't noticed before and clicked it.

A new window opened up and on it was a list of numbers that she couldn't really understand, but there was a number and a % sign along various words. “Luna, 12%, Venus, 31%…Mars, 82%…Mercury, error…Ceres, 100%…Callisto, 64%…Neptune, 12%…Jupiter, .01%.” The list went on, but she didn't feel like reading it any further.

“What the hell is this?” Only silence answered her, and she sighed. `It's not like the laptop is going to become smarter in the space of a few hours. Hmm…maybe I don't have to tell Kuno about this.' She looked out her window and realized that the sun was setting. “I still have more to do,” She sighed. `I suppose I can put that off. I do so wonder how the media is going to respond to that teaser I sent them…I could literally become a billionaire off of that tape, but what's even weirder is that index Kuno dreamed up,' She blinked and glanced at the laptop's screen.

“Maybe I should tell him something.”

---

“Kagome!” Inuyasha shouted as soon as Kagome opened the door to her house. “Where were you all this time?”

“I was out with my friends, doing normal things for once,” She growled. “Just what could be so important that you need to yell at me as soon as I get home?” By the end of her sentence, she was more or less diffused by the look on his face. However, nothing could have prepared her for what he said next.

“The well is broken!”

---

“This will be our meeting place,” Satoshi said. “I'll increase my power to a level they won't be able to ignore and when they come I'll bring it down to show our non-aggression.”

“What if they attack immediately?”

“Then we'll defend ourselves until we can disable the Fuzetsu. Once that happens, they'll stop, regardless of the situation.” He nodded.

---

“Wow,” Rie intoned as Ranma and Ryouga walked into the main hall, clothed in only towels and dripping wet. . She blushed at their state of dress and slightly turned away. “Say, are both of you already all healed up?”

“Pretty much,” Ranma said cheerfully. “We use our chi to quicken the process, so it's only a matter of hours from now until we're fully healed,” Indeed, both boys were nearly free of bruises from their major fight and looking none the worse for the wear. It was a major expenditure on their Chi, but Rie thought it was worth it. Ryouga looked at the ground in confusion as he realized what Ranma was saying. `Neither of us has ever healed this fast before…' Ranma walked to the guest room where his bag and Suiseiseki were waiting, leaving Ryouga and his sister behind.

“So how long have you known Ranma-kun?” Rie asked, still blushing. Ryouga's eye twitched and he looked after Ranma before sighing.

“Since Jr. high,” He sighed again. “He used to walk me home because he didn't have anything better to do. Why do you want to know about Ranma all of a sudden?” The girl sighed in a way that sent a chill down Ryouga's spine.

“No reason…no reason at all,” She walked away to her room (Funny that Ryouga hadn't noticed it before, but oh well; before, he could rarely even find his way to his own room and it was only recognizable by all of the trinkets he kept in it.

“She's only…Hey wait, how old is she anyway?” He blinked and turned his head when he heard her voice.

“Since when did my room have all of this weird stuff?”

“That's my room,” He said, walking over to it.

“What have you been doing all day? You had Suiseiseki worried about you -desu!”

“Ah, sorry Suiseiseki,” He sighed as he put on a shirt. His boxers were already on under the towel, so he grabbed the robes from their guest closet and put it on. “What were you doing all day though? Just sitting here waiting for me?”

“Yes -desu! What else could I have been doing -desu?”

“Ah, sorry,” He smiled sheepishly. “Well, you could have stayed at the Tendo Dojo and done other stuff,” He shrugged.

“Impossible, Suiseiseki can't stay far away from her medium for more than thirty minutes or she gets weaker and weaker until she falls into a deep, deeeeep sleep -desu.”

“Eh…” He sighed. `Man, I can't be the only one of us two who isn't liking this situation we're both in. She'd probably be better with some kid with nothing better to do…'

“The future of the Moon Kingdom depends on you and your fellow knights,”

The sky was fairly dark when Nabiki arrived at the construction site that Kuno had been at before. There was a fairly cold breeze, and had it not been for her hoodie, her skin would have been full of goose bumps. The sounds of construction couldn't be heard anymore, and she was thankful for that.

`He's got to be cold. Figures that Kuno would stay here the whole day. The whole family has a habit for making things appear more dramatic than they really are..' She hiked up the rocky trail from the rubble to the clearing where the boulder was, and as expected, there sat Kuno.

“Ne, Kuno,” She said. “I checked out that number you gave me.” He turned to look at her and seemed to be waiting for something. She walked over to him and looked up at him. “It was an index,”

“An index..?”

“Yes,” She nodded. “It had tons of weird stuff, but that was it.”

“So it was real.”

“It could be a coincidence.”

“I doubt it.” Kuno turned his head back towards the moon.

“Eh,” Nabiki shrugged as the stars began lighting up the sky.

---

“That should be good enough. Ah, here they come now,” Satoshi pointed at the girl with the flaming wings and red hair. She was wearing her Flame Haze coat and immediately withdrew the Nieteno no Shana before swooping down towards the two with great speed as her wings disintegrated.

Satoshi sighed and looked down at the ground as the Flame Haze fell towards him with her Katana held at the ready. Apparently, they weren't even going to give him a chance. Seconds before she could fall down onto him and slash him into a perfect half, Aiko seemingly materialized before him with both Kunai held up to intercept the girl's katana. There was a great clang as the three blades clashed and Shana glared into Aiko's uncaring face.

-At least this way, we still get to test them,- Satoshi mentally relayed to his partner. Her eyes darted to the side to acknowledge him, but Shana interpreted it as a negative assessment of her own power. The girl growled and pushed off the Kunoichi with her Katana.

“If you still want to fight, it was dumb coming alone,” Satoshi said, walking to stand parallel to Aiko. “An obviously very powerful Magi and his Kunoichi Magister would make mincemeat out of a Flame Haze.”

-Why do you continue with these instigations?-

Satoshi chuckled. -You know why,-

-Bah.-

Shana growled at his chuckle and stood up to her full height, holding the Nieteno no Shana away from her. There was a burst of flame as the Nieteno no Shana was engulfed in a swirling inferno and Shana somersaulted backwards, slicing upwards with the sword as she did. An intense wave of fire flew at the two.

Satoshi held up his hand and wordlessly invoked a barrier around both himself and Aiko. After the initial wave collided with his barrier, an explosion followed that pushed Shana back through the air. She flipped again in the air and landed perfectly, watching the two expectantly.

When the haze of flame cleared, Satoshi and Aiko were standing on a perfectly circular unaffected patch of grass, surrounded by destruction caused from the initial incineration. The barrier around them melted away and Satoshi smiled.

“Is that all you can do? How disappointing. Oh well, it to be expe-“ He suddenly side stepped several white ribbons that instantly cut into the ground, jumped to dodge several more and turned to his opponent. A maid wearing an odd mask was throwing the ribbons at him from her back some how.

“Ha?”

Aiko turned her face back towards where Shana had been standin. She immediately and reflexively held one of her Kunai above her head just in time to block a downward strike. Sparks rose as the two blades clashed and Shana invoked a large blast of flame around her sword and somersaulted again. Aiko jumped back before the fire could explode in her face. Shana looked around warily and suddenly turned around with a foot forward. Aiko dodged to the side and both landed before jumping at each other again.

---

Chibi-Usa panted as the ridiculously-proportioned youma approached her. She had already killed ten of them, yet more were coming from everywhere.

“Where're the others?” She growled angrily. She remembered what had happened when Ami contacted all of them… “They all came out of nowhere. It's like the enemy is trying to wage a full war this time,” She growled. She looked up as the creature lumbered closer and was scowled at it.

“Ne, a pretty girl like you shouldn't be sporting such a look,” Came a familiar voice. She looked up and standing directly beside her was the blue haired man from before. His arms were crossed and he was smiling while looking at her from the corner of his eye. She looked around and realized everything was still.

“Eh? You again,” Chibi-Usa said.

“Yo.” He waved.

“What do you want?”

“To talk.”

“What?”

“I've been diverting the other Senshi to places other than this, that's why your backup is late,”

“What!? You froze me before, now this?! Are you working with the enemies or something?”

“I did tell you to get away,” He sighed, closing his eyes. “But yes, I suppose that was a bit overboard.”

“A bit?”

“Do you want my help or not?”

“Your help? What? How can you help me?”

“Simple.” He held up a large red Emerald and tossed it up into the air before catching it. “You know what this is?” He looked down at her seriously. “It's a-“

“Chaos Emerald,” She muttered.

“Oh? You're not as ignorant as you first seemed, then, are you?”

“…” She merely glared at him and stopped panting.

“Well, this is my gift to you, but only if you accept it totally.” He turned to her and looked her in the eye.

“Totally?” She glared at him.

“You know what it is. You Senshi are all about love and justice, so I don't know if you'd want to use something like this,” He quipped.

`That's right—Ranma supplied an incredible amount of incredibly evil energy while my naturally pure energy seeped into that little jewel. The fusion created what Touya called similar to a Chaos Emerald, and his brother had a Chaos Emerald…The real thing was at the least a million times stronger than the makeshift one Touya, Ranma and I used, and we were able to stop time with it…It must take an impossible amount of negative energy to fuel that.'

“I don't get it.”

“What?”

“Why are you helping me out like this?”

“So you're taking it?”

“I didn't say that,” She said. “Rather…I want to know the purpose for your actions before I do anything.”

“That I can not tell you. Just know that it is in the best interest of this planet's future,” He vanished and reappeared atop a building before he sighed. “I can tell you one thing though…” He turned and looked her straight in the face. “Never depend on one thing. Nothing is infallible, no power is absolute.” He turned his face so that she could only see it from the side and his face was grim.

“The belief that something thing was absolute ultimately led to the destruction of the Silver Millenium, and if you are not careful, will lead to the end of this world as well.” He fully turned around and tossed the Chaos Emerald behind himself before jumping up and vanishing again. Chibi-Usa caught it and looked at it before looking after him.

“Wait! I don't even know how to use this thing!”

The blue haired man sighed as he watched from a distance as the pink haired Senshi fumbled with the emerald in frozen time.

`It seems wrong, to have someone destroy the timeline that created them…She'll never be able to get back there once she uses that…' He turned away again. `Eh…one of them is here. Or more precisely, a half-breed. Interesting, I didn't know that was possible.'

---

“Dammit,” Satoshi growled as he noticed Aiko's position. Shana had bound her arms and was holding her with the Nieteno no Shana to her neck.

“Why do you want the Reiji Maigo?”

“…Hm? I don't really want it,” He commented lazily as he reached into his shirt and pulled out Aiko's Pactio card. Shana glared at him and held her katana up to Aiko's neck.

“If you even move, she's dead,” The look in her eyes was serious, a deadly seriousness that could only exist in the eyes of an experienced killer. “Now you will explain to us what your intentions with the Reiji Maigo are,” She could tell Wilhelmina and Margery were moving around the magi so as to surround him.

“I already told you that I have no intention of using the Reiji Maigo myself,” he growled, putting away Aiko's pactio card. `Can't invoke teleportation without her dying before it's done. They must know how the Pactio works,'

“Then why were you attempting to capture it earlier? Do you take us for fools, Magi?” Shana snorted. “Or were you employed to capture it for someone else?” Satoshi looked innocent.

“Capture it? I was trying to destroy it so it could be transferred to another torch,” He said. His expression turned serious. “I didn't see the logic behind you three keeping it in a place where several Tomogara, and possibly even the Bal Masque already know where it is,” He growled.

“Careful, Magi, my hand might slip,” She narrowed her eyes. “Of course the motives or actions of Flame Haze are beyond your comprehension,”

“You little bitch,” Aiko growled. She gasped as the Nieteno no Shana slid forward, leaving a line of red where blood immediately started gushing.

“Dammit,” She remembered her position and focused to use her Chi to close the wound and stop the bleeding. Satoshi opened his eyes to narrow slits and glared at the red haired Flame Haze.

“You might not want to try that stunt again, Flame Haze,” He said as a malevolent power began flowing from him. Aiko tried her best to look at him with raised brows from her position but any movement caused her rub against the sharp blade of Shana's katana.

“What…”

“I didn't want it to come to this,” He said it in a disapproving way, and his voice encompassed the entire field.

“Wha…What?” Shana wavered as she felt the wave of power flowing from him. `That's the first time he's opened his eyes all this time…I'd assumed he was blind, but…was he really just toying with us? And why…why are his eyes red?'

“It can't be…” Alastor's voice rumbled and Aiko's eyes flashed up to the huge gem around Shana's neck. It looked like an active nexus of some sort, but it wasn't generating any kind of power.

“Eh, This is really ****ing serious, isn't it?!” Margery looked down at the Grimoire she had in her arm.

“What do you mean by that?”

“That guy ain't no common magi,” Marchosias boomed.

“I know that, anyone who can tell what kind of energy he's putting out would be able to notice that. What the hell is he?”

“He is a Mazoku.” Tiamat's voice came, lacking any emotion. Wilhelmina took off her mask, which became the usual headband and put it in her hair. “

“Glad to see we're on the same page,” he said coolly. “Now, return my partner to me and allow us to explain ourselves.” He waited and Shana reluctantly released Aiko from her grasp. The Kunoichi slowly walked over to Satoshi, who re-activated the Fuzetsu around them. His eyes closed again and his face was mock cheerful.

“Hey, why are we letting them go?” Margery asked, irritated.

“This was never a fair fight in the first place ~de arimasu.” Wilhelmina said, equally devoid of emotion.

“I don't believe this…” Margery mumbled.

“Alastor, what exactly is a Mazoku?” Shana asked her bonded spirit.

“Mmm,” Alastor's voice resonated throughout the air. “Mazoku…They are the most powerful type of demon that ever walked this planet. They literally feed and gain nourishment from dark emotions, such as hate and despair, and are largely unbeatable. Even the weakest Mazoku are indestructible by normal means…it was thought that they had all disappeared from this world, due to the lack of Mana, however…apparently not all of them are gone.”

“That is what we have come to discuss, actually,” Satoshi sighed. “Yggdrasill is ending its ten thousand year hibernation.” There was a look of bewilderment on Wilhelmina's face and Alastor and Marchosias' astonished voices could be heard.

“What?!”

“Why now!?”

“That much is unknown. However, Mana has begun spilling out of the Great Kharlan tree once more, and one day very soon its sphere of influence will encompass Earth.”

“So, that is how you are able to exist here,” Alastor said. “It was a confusing thing, that a Mazoku could still survive on Earth with the lack of Mana,”

“Actually, no, I was here before Yggdrasill manifested itself,” He said cheerfully.

“Eh? Then just how were you able to exist here?”

“…Now that…is a secret.”

“…”

“Come on,” Shana insisted. “If you were able to exist here, then it's possible other of these `Mazoku' were able to live here, right?' she insisted. Satoshi just shrugged.

“Hi-mi-tsu,” He stressed each syllable in a playful fashion.

“Why you-“

“Enough of this -de arimasu,” Wilhelmina interjected. “Tell us why you came here -de arimasu. I doubt you came here just to inform us of the Tree of Life's re-awakening -de arimasu.”

“Actually, we came to recruit you,” Aiko said. “What he said earlier had some semblance of truth to it. We are representatives of Mahora Academy, only part of a group of operatives sent to collect as many allies as we can and investigate anything else that may be happening as a result of the great Kharlan Tree's re-awakening.”

“Is that so? Might I ask why?” Alastor asked.

“Our leader believes that Earth will be facing some rather…hard times in the near future. Armageddon and all,” Satoshi commented lazily.

“He already has a Mazoku,” Alastor started. “Why would he need Flame Haze?”

“I prefer not to get directly involved too much,” Satoshi said, rubbing his upper lip. “I don't mind the smaller jobs he's given me as of late, but if it gets to be too much in excess, I'll tell him to shove it, and do my own thing. Besides, he doesn't even know what I really am.”

“I…see. Well, it is indeed a grave matter.”

“The balance of the worlds is shifting once again. It is something that can not be ignored,” Tiamat intoned as well.

Everyone looked at the Grimoire under Margery's arm.

“…Ne, that's the most she's at once said in eons,” Marchosias intoned just as seriously as the previous lords of the Crimson Realm. Margery rolled her eyes and the others just blinked.

“Well, you must make your decision to come right now, because I won't be able to stay here overnight. That little display of my power will bring every cheesy sentai group from around the world and then some in a matter of hours, minutes for some.”

“I do have one question,” Alastor's voice rumbled uncertainly.

“Oh, what's that?”

“Why would a Mazoku be working with magi like those at Mahora academy? Mazoku were tasked with the order of returning all of the worlds to the Sea of Chaos, were they not?”

“Suffice it to say that while I am indeed…Mazoku, my loyalty does not lie with Ruby-Eye, or any other Mazoku lords. I merely live to further myself.”

“…I see.”

---

Negi, Asuna, and Kotarou were in the process of unpacking most of their belongings. The train ride had been long and uneventful, and all three had slept most of the way there. The Headmaster of Mahora had already made their plans, and they were set to live in a comfortable apartment complex until their assignment was over.

“Ne, Kotarou,” Negi looked up at his hanyou companion. “What do you think of Tokyo so far?”

“It's weird. There's so much magic flying around that even the novice was a bit freaked,” He said, using his thumb to point over his shoulder at the older girl that was behind them.

“Gaki…” Asuna growled at the hanyou and continued setting her clothes.

“Ne, how're your ears, Ane-san?” Kotarou asked, turning his head towards the girl. She glared daggers at him and Negi began sweating.

“Uh, so, what do you think of the place we got?”

“Eh,” Kotarou looked around the room he, Asuna, and Negi would be sharing.. “It's alright, although I'm sure jiji wouldn't mind paying extra for your comfort.”

“Hey, what's that?” Asuna's startled voice interrupted the two's conversation.

“Eh? What?” Kotarou looked around, his ears twitching. “You actually hear something that I don't?”

“No…it's some kind of weird energy, like yesterday…” Negi took on a serious look.

“Huh…Asuna-san, which direction is it coming from?”

---

Nabiki sighed. It was almost nine already; she had spent the last thirty minutes sitting here with Kuno. Why? True he was a good source of money, and as a result she was somewhat worried about his welfare, but he was kendoist and martial artist; he could take care of himself. She looked to the side and sighed.

“Listen, Kuno…” She started to say something, but stopped. Kuno looked at her, waiting. When she didn't say anything he put a hand on her shoulder.

“What's wrong?” Her hand rose and pointed at a large, floating swirling black portal.

---

Jun stared at his computer screen with distaste.

“Look at this…they're just a bunch of script kiddies, anyone can do this kind of thing…” Shinku looked up from her book and blinked. She looked outside and narrowed her eyes.

Jun noticed when she jumped off of his bed and took several steps towards his door.

“Eh? Where are you going?”

“Outside for a walk.”

“What? A walk? This late at night?”

“…Whatever you do, stay inside the house.” She opened door and left. He shrugged before turning back to his computer.

“Weird doll…”

---

Ranma looked up from his manga and turned his head, narrowing his eyes.

“Eh?” Suiseiseki looked up at him from her own manga. “Is something wrong…-desu?” She blinked and looked in the same direction. “Oh no…”

“Huh? Have you felt something like that before?”

“I can't believe it -desu…”

“What is that? Do you know?”

“It's…It's definitely the same as last time…It has to be a denizen of Niflheim!”

---

“Calm down, Inuyasha,” Kagome said. In all honesty, she was just as addled as he was if not more, but the Hanyou was being very… animated about his opinion on the subject at hand.

“Calm down? CALM DOWN?! The well is broken! HOW can I CALM DOWN?!” He ranted and walked around the well impatiently. “I'm STUCK in your crazy world and you want me to calm down?!”

“Inuyasha, now isn't a time to think selfishly!” Inuyasha glared at her for a moment before his face was suddenly distraught.

“I just realized something.”

“What?”

“We left everyone behind. They're vulnerable right now without me there,” He said worriedly. Kagome sighed.

“I'm sure they'll be safe. They're all capable of defending themselves, and we will fix the well,”

“How do you know that?”

“In a situation like this, it's best to think optimistically. Besides the Shikon no Kakera are all still over there for the most part,”

“That may be true, but we've found some here before. If we found some here, then went back in the past and found them before we found them here, wouldn't that mess up time or something?”

“You mean cause a Time paradox? I'm not sure,” She mumbled, rubbing her temples. “Listen, it's dark and we're both obviously agitated. We should approach this situation in the morning, when we can think properly.” Inuyasha sighed, but reluctantly agreed with her.

“Alright…” he stopped pacing and looked to her. His nose twitched and he growled. “Wonderful.” His hand went to the hilt of Tessaiga and he snarled as he left the well house. “I just needed to work off some frustration, too…”

“What is it, Inu…” Kagome stopped as a sudden, massive wave of Youki passed through the area. “Inuyasha…It's the same weird Youki as before!”

“Eh? Before when?”

“Last week!”

“Eh…” Inuyasha scrunched his face, trying to remember what she was talking about. “Hey…you're right. It's the same kind of scent too.” He looked back at her. “How long have these weird Youkai been running around your time?”

“I honestly don't know,” She said, walking towards the house to get her bow.

---

“Niflheim? What are you talking about?”

Jun winced and looked at his finger. The ring was glowing a bright red and becoming incredibly hot. He jumped up from his desk and looked out the window. “What the hell is that?!”

“It's another world, but it's completely evil -desu. It's a hellish place where only demons and other evil creatures can exist -desu!”

Jun immediately took off from the window to the door of his room.

“So there's some kind of monster from another world?”

“Shinku…”

“More than one -desu.” Suiseiseki ran over to the window. “I can sense a lot more than one…And…It can't be…Shinku?” The last word was whispered and Ranma didn't hear it.

---

Negi, Kotarou and Asuna carefully walked through the deserted street before both Kotarou and Negi froze.

“What in the world…” Negi suddenly looked in a certain direction and Kotarou narrowed his eyes before sniffing the air in that direction and angling his ears forward.

“It's some kind of Youma or something,”

“You've faced these `Youma' before, Kotarou-kun?” Negi asked.

“Yeah. They're tons different from Youkai in that they have no brains at all,” He said.

“What should we do?” Asuna asked. “If it's really some kind of monster, shouldn't we be killing it?”

“Of course! What are we still doing here?” The three were about to move into a full run when suddenly a familiar man dressed in a mage suit appeared before them. There was a Kunoichi with him as well.

“Oi, Negi-kun,” Satoshi's hand rose up in greeting.

“S-Satoshi-san?” Negi asked, surprised. “Didn't you already have an assignment? Why are you here? HOW are you here?”

“I'm done with mine, so I figured I could check on you.”

“Ah, well we just got here,” Negi shrugged. “But Satoshi, why did you do something so drastic as teleporting when you're just checking on me? You could have called!”

`Che, I forgot how much weaker these magi were,' Satoshi grimaced and then nervously smiled. “Ah, well, I'm here now, that's what counts,” He ignored the absolutely terrified look from Asuna and the glare he was getting from Kotarou.

“Ne, what's going on here though? Asuna-san's aura is much different from before. And those huge things on the side of her head are certainly interesting as well.” His innocent question got the desired effect and the girl in question visibly fumed. Kotarou forgot his animosity towards the man and chuckled noisily.

“Ah, she woke up like that this morning,” Negi said nervously.

“I see. In any case,” Satoshi suddenly put his arms around the three in a warding gesture as both he and Aiko began walking forward. The three were pushed back, confused. Suddenly, the wall where they had been standing exploded as a girl dressed in a colorful Sailor Fuku fell through. Negi and Asuna's jaws dropped as the magical girl instantly got up and ran back towards where she came.

“Ah! That's right, we sensed a youma in that direction!” Negi said urgently. He was about to move when Satoshi held up a finger.

“I think they have it under control,” He pointed beyond the wall at what appeared to be an altercation between a humanoid of some sort and three girls wearing miniskirts.

“EHHHHHHH?!” Negi's eyes widened and he pointed in complete and utter disbelief at the scene. Satoshi sweat dropped as Asuna laughed and Kotarou rolled his eyes at the scene. The Senshi and the creature they were fighting turned to the small boy in surprise and confusion. “But…they…no self-respecting…witch…” He fumbled with his words before just gawking at the scene.

“And you thought they were fake,” Asuna snickered as she revealed her pactio card and materialized the Ensis Exorcizans before giving it a test swing and pointing it at the youma. “They look more like they're having trouble to me,” Asuna said as she slung the blade over her shoulder and nonchalantly walked towards the group. “Time to work off some frustration.” Kotarou followed her and held up a clawed hand as he smirked.

“I like how you think, Ane-san,” He said with a malicious look on his face. “I have learned a new technique that I'm just dying to try out, although I'd hoped it would be against Negi, this guy will do.”

Negi blinked and looked up at Satoshi before shrugging and following his student and friendly rival out towards the monster. Satoshi watched them for a while before turning towards Aiko.

-In any event, we're going to have to talk to that girl.-

-Are you sure?-

-It's actually a good idea. If I can gain her trust, I can teach her some Real magic.-

-You do realize you're the only source on this planet for any kind of `Real' Magic, right?-

-Not quite. As an Elf, she can summon mana from the re-awakened Yggdrasill regardless of how far she is to cast even normal spells; almost anything would be stronger than what most of these mages have been making due with. Granted, there have been some powerful magi from this world…As for Black magic…the stronger Mazoku like Ruby-Eye's influence still reach this planet, even from as far away as they are.-

-You wouldn't go teaching her to use that would you?-

-It would be interesting to see someone do it. I can't do it myself for obvious reasons, but if I had command over someone that powerful…-

-Once you teach it to her, she might kill you on principle.-

-Nah, she'll trust me too much, the whole teacher-student relationship deal.-

-You mean the one she has with Negi?- Satoshi chuckled.

-Not quite as much.-

---

Ranma walked out of the guest room with his usual red/black attire and Suiseiseki at his heels.

“Where are you two going?” Rie asked.

“I think it's obvious,” Ryouga said as he emerged from his own room, fully clothed as well.

“But you're not fully healed!”

“We're almost there,” Ryouga shrugged. “Besides some minor demon should be nothing for us, right Ranma?” They grinned at each other as they began walking down the stairs. Ryouga blinked as he realized Suiseiseki was following them. “What's with the doll?”

“Eh,” Ranma shrugged.

“Suiseiseki has experience with these types of monsters -desu,” She sighed. “It's only right that I try to help out -desu.”

“Are you sure? It's a big monster, and you're only a doll,” Ryouga said as if talking to a child. Although visibly shaking, Suiseiseki nodded in the affirmative. When Rie walked into her from behind, She screamed and jumped forward over Ranma and Ryouga and rolled on the floor.

“Eh?” Rie blinked and Suiseiseki panted.

“Don't do that again -desu!”

“Uh, sorry.”

Ryouga and Ranma looked at each other before sighing and shaking their heads.

$$$$

Ranma, Ryouga, Rie and Suiseiseki peered around a corner. “Where is it, Suiseiseki?”

“Over there,” Suiseiseki pointed at a huge black portal with electricity crackling over it. Suddenly, two large green somewhat human like hands reached from the abyss and gripped the sides of the portal, as if pulling itself out.

Ryouga's eyes widened with shock and Ranma narrowed his own in recognition.

---

Kuno glanced at his bokken. He'd broken it on the demon's hide a when his supersonic projectiles proved useless. Now exhausted and weak, it was all he could to do stand there as the creature made for the Tendo girl that it had been going after initially.

`No…'

His eyes opened wider as the creature reached towards her prone form.

`I can not allow this.'

The creature's disturbing and poorly attempted attempt at a face grinned as it held its finger above her heart.

`I will not allow this.'

The finger started glowing and a bright light appeared around the Tendo girl.

`I command you to stop…'

He could feel it. It was draining away her Chi…he ignored the odd pattern that her Chi was giving off, and closed his eyes.

`You must stop…'

Nabiki's chi was low now; there wasn't much left of her. The effects could be seen immediately; her body was shriveled up as if de-hydrated and he couldn't sense any life coming from her.

Sakurada Jun stared in horror as the youma put its massive hand on the doll, Shinku, and began pushing down.

“STOP!”

The creature looked up at Kuno in confusion at his loud command. The boy's chi was glowing and electricity visibly danced around him. It dropped the half drained girl as soon as it noticed his erratic aura and immediately turned all of its attention towards him.

Jun stood, staring his opponent dead in the eyes as best he could through his blazing red aura.

The bokken disappeared and his hand went to the newly materialized sheath at his waist.

He gripped the hilt of his blade and closed his eyes.

“Heed my call…awaken…”

In unison, two voices spoke.

“In the name of justice…I will oppose you!”

----

EDIT: lol redicious