This is the result of weird idea I came up with one day; it's a Sailor Moon/Ranma 1/2/Pokemon crossover... Of sorts. You'll just have to read on and see for yourself! ^_~ ***** "The War of the Rose" by Avi When we last left our story, James of Team Rocket had gotten away with the sole remaining red rose left in Tokyo, with Tuxedo Mask and Tatewaki Kuno in hot pursuit. So, now we bring you... Part Two: "Battle of the Bishonen" [James runs down the streets of downtown Tokyo, the prized rose in his hands. Tuxedo Mask and Kuno are not too far behind, but James's lead is increasing.] Kuno: He's getting away! Tuxedo Mask: Not for long... [Pulls out his trusty cane and twirls it around deftly. Meanwhile, James dashes along, basking in his unusual success.] James: I got it! I got the rose! [blinks] I can't believe I'm actually winning, for once... [Meanwhile, behind James, Tuxedo Mask presses a secret button on his cane. It extends out before him. As soon as it is long enough to reach James, Tuxedo Mask thrusts it sharply, tripping the other boy. James falls down, dropping the rose.] James: [dazed] I knew it was too good to last... [James reaches out to pick up the rose, but stops as he sees somebody walk up to it. He looks up. Before him, stands a girl in a rather skimpy sailor outfit, with a pair of familliar (if silly) buns in her hair. Behind her, stand four other girls in similar outfits. She glares at James.] Girl: How dare you steal that rose? It is a symbol of love and romance. I cannot allow this! For I am the champion of love and justice; the beautiful soldier known as... [Makes complicated gesture with arms, which she manages to not get tangled up in] Sailor Moon! And in the name of the Moon, I will punish you! [She points at James. Or at least, where he was. It seems he has fled during her speech.] Sailor Moon: [sweat drop] Maybe I need a shorter intro... [Tuxedo Mask, finally catching up, runs up to Sailor Moon.] Tuxedo Mask: Good work, Sailor Moon! Sailor Moon: [squeals] Tuxedo Kamen-sama! Tuxedo Mask: [smiles] Hello, Usako. [He stoops to pick up the rose from where James had dropped it, but a wooden sword blocks it.] Tuxedo Mask: [rolls eyes] Geez, not again... [Kuno steps around Tuxedo Mask.] Kuno: Halt! That rose rightfully belongs to me! Sailor Moon: [to Tuxedo Mask:] Who's that? A friend of yours? Tuxedo Mask: [mutters] He's no friend of mine... [Kuno bows to the Sailor Soldiers, pointedly ignoring Tuxedo Mask.] Kuno: I am Tatewaki Kuno, aged seventeen; also known as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. [Points to the rose with his bokken.] And I must inform you that that rose there is my property. [A vein pops from Tuxedo Mask's head.] Tuxedo Mask: Excuse me, but how many times do I have to tell you that it's mine? [Sailor Moon looks thoughtful.] Sailor Moon: Hmmm... Well, if Tuxedo Mask says that the rose is his, then we must support him... Isn't that right, girls? Sailor Venus: I dunno... Maybe it does belong to that other guy. [Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stare at her in surprise.] Sailor Moon: Sailor Venus! Tuxedo Mask: How could you? Sailor Venus: [sweat drop] No offense, Tuxedo Mask! It's just... It's just that Kuno is so cute! [She blushes. Sweat drops form on Sailor Moon's and Tuxedo Mask's heads. Sailor Mars crosses her arms.] Sailor Mars: Well, I'd have to agree with Sailor Moon for once. That rose has to be Tuxedo Mask's. Sailor Moon: What about you, Jupiter? [Sailor Jupiter is staring at Kuno dreamily.] Sailor Jupiter: He looks like my old sempai... [Everybody face faults. Kuno flips his hair in pride.] Kuno: Well, I *am* an upperclassman... [Sailor Moon turns to Sailor Mercury.] Sailor Moon: I guess it's up to you to break the tie, Mercury. Who do you think that rose belongs to? Sailor Mercury: [averting her face] I think you should give it to the nice boy with the "R" on his uniform! [Everyone stares at her, perplexed.] Sailor Moon: What? Why him? [Tuxedo Mask narrows his eyes.] Tuxedo Mask: Just a minute there, *Mercury*... [He walks up to Sailor Mercury, who is nervously moving away. Grabbing her by the shoulder he turns her around, revealing it to be an embarassed James in a Sailor Mercury costume. Everyone flinches in surprise.] Sailor Moon: You're not Ami-chan! Tuxedo Mask: [glares at James] What have you done to the real Sailor Mercury? James: I didn't do anything to her! I just lured her away... With a particularly difficult math problem! [He laughs maniacally as everybody sweats. His eyes then narrow.] [James crosses his arms before him, twirling around on both feet. Finally, he finishes his spin, flinging his arms out.] James: Bubble... Spray! [After a pause, he blinks in surprise as nothing happens. He then looks embarassed.] Oops! I forgot, I'm not really Sailor Mercury! [Everyone face faults. James opens his Pokeball instead, revealing Weezing.] James: Weezing, smoke screen now! Weezing: Weezing!! [A black cloud rolls over everything, blocking James from view. Tuxedo Mask sweeps his cape in front of him.] Tuxedo Mask: Everybody, get behind me! [The Sailor Soldiers crouch behind him, protected by his outstretched cape. He then pulls out his cane, twirling it before him like a propeller. The smoke quickly disperses, fanned away by the cane. The Sailor Soldiers warily get to their feet, as Tuxedo Mask stops spinning his cane.] Tuxedo Mask: Hmph. That's as pathetic as Mercury's Bubble attack... Sailor Mercury: I heard that, Mamoru-san. [Tuxedo Mask flinches as the real Sailor Mercury appears behind him.] Tuxedo Mask: Sorry, Mercury! Nothing personal, you know... Sailor Mercury: That's okay. Sorry I'm late, guys. [Writing in a notebook] I was just figuring out how to factor this polynomial... [A sweat drop forms on Tuxedo Mask's head.] Sailor Moon: That's our Mercury, all right... [Meanwhile, the smoke continues to roll away, revealing James, still in the Sailor Mercury costume. Tuxedo Mask and the Sailor Soldiers surround him.] Tuxedo Mask: It's all over, James. Give up while you still can! [James frantically looks around for a way out, but he is blocked on all sides by the Sailor Soldiers. He gulps as he realizes there is no escape.] Voice: Fire... Soul! [A stream of flame spirals past, just barely missing James and scattering the Sailor Soldiers. Sailor Moon glares at Sailor Mars.] Sailor Moon: What's the big idea, Pyro? Sailor Mars: It wasn't me! Voice: It was me. [Everybody look up. Perched on the outstretched arm of a street light, stands a female silouette, with a particularly aerodynamic hairstyle.] James: [sparkly eyes] Jessie! [The figure steps into the light, revealing that it is indeed Jessie, dressed in a Sailor Mars costume.] Jessie: Prepare for trouble! [James's face falls.] James: Er... Wait! Let me get up there! [He runs up to the street light that Jessie is standing on and shimmies awkwardly up the pole, much to the dismay of the onlookers.] And make it... ungh... double... Jessie: To protect the world from devastation! James: To unite all peoples... ungh... within our nation...! Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love! James: [pants] To extend... our reach... to the stars... above... [Makes it up the pole and stands rather unsteadily beside Jessie.] Jessie: Jessie! James: [gasps] James... [Both strike poses.] Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light! James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight! [Meowth appears from nowhere, with a crescent moon on his forehead.] Meowth: Meowth! That's right! [As Team Rocket finishes their speech, Sailor Moon finally manages to speak.] Sailor Moon: How dare you attack us! And with Mars's attack, too! [Blinks thoughtfully.] How did you do that, anyways...? [Jessie pulls out a large bazooka-like weapon and leans against it.] Jessie: [smugly] Nothing that couldn't be duplicated with a good flamethrower. [Meanwhile, James looks up joyfully at Jessie and Meowth, tears flooding from his eyes.] James: I can't believe you guys came here to rescue me! Jessie: [crosses arms] We're not here to rescue you. Meowth: Yeah! We're here to drag your sorry butt back to work! James: What? But... But I need to get that rose! Our fans expect it! Meowth: What we *need* is to steal Pokemon! C'mon! We're goin'! [Jumps up, grabs James by the shirt and pulls him along.] Jessie: Good. I can't wait to get out of this outfit. [Looks at her Sailor Mars costume distastefully.] Ugh, do these sailor suits have to be so skimpy? James: But Jessie, your Team Rocket uniform is way skimpier than this! [Jessie, a vein popping on her head, bonks James on the head. James, still precariously perched on the street light, yelps and slips off. Fortunately, he manages to grab the pole and dangles helplessly. Meanwhile, down on the street below, Sailor Mars clenches her fist.] Sailor Mars: First, she makes fun of my powers, then she insults my costume... I won't allow it! [She draws a circle in the air, leaving a trail of fire. Then, balls of fire engraved with mystical symbols form around her.] Sailor Mars: Burning... Mandala! [Triangles of flame shoot out from her hands. They head towards Team Rocket, who begin to panic. James has the foresight to release his grip on the pole and face the comparatively better fate of falling to the concrete several feet below. Jessie and Meowth however, are not so lucky and receive the full force of Mars's attack. Rather charred, they soar into the air.] Jessie and Meowth: Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again...! Tuxedo Mask: [Looking up] Well, that takes care of them. [He picks up the rose and turns to leave, when he finds Kuno's bokken pointing at his chest.] Tuxedo Mask: [narrows his eyes] Look, if you point that thing at me again, you're going to be eating it, all right? Kuno: Oh-ho! Is that a challenge? Tuxedo Mask: If it's the only thing that will get you off my back, then yes, it is. Kuno: Very well! And if I win, then the rose is mine! Tuxedo Mask: Sounds good to me. [He gestures to the Sailor Soldiers.] Stand back, girls. I don't want you to get hurt. Sailor Moon: Be careful, Tuxedo Mask! [Kuno assumes a fighting stance, sword held before him. Tuxedo Mask pulls out his cane and twirls it thoughtfully. Both begin to circle each other warily.] Kuno: [lunging forward] I claim the first attack! [He slashes his sword at Tuxedo Mask, but it is blocked by Tuxedo Mask's cane. Kuno continues to strike, but is parried each time by the cane. His eyes narrow.] Kuno: So, you *are* a worthy opponent. Very well, then I shall have to use my full strength! [He pulls back for a moment, then begins to thrust his sword with lightning-fast strikes.] DADADADADADADADADA!! [Tuxedo Mask falls back, but manages to dodge each of Kuno's blows, which infuriates the other boy. Finally, Tuxedo Mask flips away from the attack.] Tuxedo Mask: Is that the best you can do, Kuno? [He swirls his cape around him.] Take this! [He flings his arms out. When nothing happens, a sweat drop forms on his head.] Tuxedo Mask: Damn! I forgot, I have no roses to throw... Kuno: An opening! [He lunges forward, landing a single blow on Tuxedo Mask. He staggers back, and falls to the ground.] Sailor Soldiers: Tuxedo Kamen-sama! Kuno: [smugly] Victory is mine. [He picks up the rose where it was dropped on the ground, then turns to walk away into a rather convenient sunset. Meanwhile, the Sailor Soldiers surround the fallen Tuxedo Mask.] Sailor Moon: Tuxedo Mask, are you all right? Tuxedo Mask: Ungh... I think so. [Rubs his injured shoulder.] Geez, that smarts... [Looks up.] Hey, where's Kuno? Sailor Moon: He left. And he took that rose with him. Tuxedo Mask: Oh, great... Well, looks like I'll have to go after him. [Gets to his feet.] Sailor Moon: Are you sure you're okay? We can help, if you want. [Tuxedo Mask smiles gently at her.] Tuxedo Mask: No, that's okay. This is my fight, not yours. Thanks anyways! [He swirls his cape around him and runs after Kuno, Sailor Moon and the Sailor Soldiers looking after him. Somewhere behind them, hiding in the shelter of a nearby building, a bruised James (in the slightly singed remains of a sailor outfit) watches him go.] [Meanwhile, Kuno is wandering down the streets of Tokyo, heading for the Nerima district. He is deep in thought (or a reasonably good facimile of it) and gazes at the rose in his hand.] Kuno: Finally, I win this rose for both my true loves, the pig-tailed girl and Akane Tendo. [He stops walking for a moment.] But hold; to whom should I give it to? There is only one, and it would not do to divide such a singular object of divine beauty. They are both worthy of my affection, but I only have one rose to give them! Whatever shall I do?! Arrrggggghhhhh!! [His cry attracts quite a few weird looks from those walking nearby. Kuno stops talking, indicating that another thought has crossed his mind.] Kuno: I have it! Whomever of my loves first appears to me, shall receive this exquisite prize. Yes, surely the first to come to me would be the most worthy to bear such beauty. [muses] I suppose I could console the other with a date... [He looks up and notices with surprise that on his path, stands the red-haired pig-tailed girl, her back turned to him. His eyes light up.] Kuno: Truly, it must be fate... [He runs up to her and falls to one knee, offering up the rose to her.] Pig-tailed girl, please accept this token of my undying love for you! Pig-tailed girl: [cutsy voice] Why thank you, you shouldn't have! [She grabs the rose from Kuno. Kuno looks up at her quizzically.] Kuno: Pig-tailed girl...? Omph! [Kuno is rewarded with a stomp to the head, squishing his face into the ground. The pig-tailed girl turns around, revealing James in disguise yet again, wearing a redheaded pigtail wig on his head.] James: Sucker! [laughs manically] Once again, the rose is mine! Tuxedo Mask: Geez, you have no shame... [James flinches as he discovers Tuxedo Mask standing behind him.] James: What th... [Realizes] Hey, what do you know? I got this rose fair and square, so back off! Tuxedo Mask: [raises eyebrow] Fair and square, huh? [crosses arms] Anyways, I don't think it's me you'll have to be worrying about... [He thumbs behind James. James turns around. Beside the prone Kuno, kneels a dark-haired girl with a ponytail to one side.] Girl: Brother dear... [She looks up, to notice both boys looking at her. She stares at the disguised James, and her eyes narrow.] Girl: You! I recognize you! You're that horrible girl who keeps my one true love, Ranma Saotome, away from me! [Pulls out a gymnastic ribbon.] How dare you strike my brother! You wicked, wicked girl! [James nervously waves his arms in front of him.] James: No, no! You must be mistaken... I'm not who you think I am! [sweat drop] I don't even know who you are! Girl: Insolent girl! You dare not recognize me? I am the beautiful young flower of St. Hebereke... The one called the Black Rose. I am Kodachi Kuno! [She twirls the ribbon around James's neck, much to his dismay.] And you shall pay for harming my brother! [She pulls the ribbon sharply, half-choking James and flinging him into the air. Releasing his grip on the rose, he tries to pull himself free from the ribbon, but to no avail. He lands heavily to the ground, dazed.] Kodachi: Victory is mine... [sparkly eyes] Now that I've defeated that hated girl, I may claim Ranma darling for my own! Oh, Ranma-sama... [She twirls her ribbon once more, filling the air with black rose petals and her maniacal laughter. Tuxedo Mask, still looking on, shakes his head sadly. Meanwhile, Kuno is regaining conciousness.] Kuno: [rubbing his head] Was that my twisted sister I just heard...? Tuxedo Mask: Yes, I believe so. [Kuno picks up one of the black rose petals left by his sister and rubs it thoughtfully between his fingers. It crumbles to dust.] Kuno: Hmmm... Dead rose petals. [He shakes his sadly.] Truly, a twisted woman my sister is. Tuxedo Mask: Huh. I guess that florist wasn't kidding when he said there weren't any roses left in Tokyo. [He raises an eyebrow.] And speaking of roses... [He turns his attention to the prone James, and prods him with a toe.] Tuxedo Mask: Ready to give up yet? James: Uh-huh... [He groans and rolls over, the pig-tailed wig falling from his head.] Tuxedo Mask: Then hand over the rose. James: Uh... [sweat drop] I think I might've dropped it... Tuxedo Mask: What? Where? James: It must've been when that crazy girl attacked me... [Tuxedo Mask looks around desperately for the rose, but doesn't see it anywhere. Suddenly, Kuno points up.] Kuno: Look! Up there! [Tuxedo Mask and James look up into the sky to see the rose floating in theair, flung up there by Kodachi's parting black rose blizzard. A sharp gust wind picks up, sending it further away.] Tuxedo Mask: After it! [Tuxedo Mask and Kuno begin to chase after it. James blinks in surprise.] James: Hey! Wait for me! [He runs after the other two. Far ahead of them the rose floats lazily in the air, heading where ever the wind should take it, and trailing three boys along with it.] TO BE CONTINUED... *** Stay tuned for the next installment (hopefully) of "The War of the Rose"... "Les Garcons Revolutionaires"! BTW, who do *you* think you should get the rose? E-mail me at aviatrix8@yahoo.com to tell me! ^_^ ***** Copyright, Cherryne Edejer, 1999. Sailor Moon and all related characters are created by Naoko Takeuchi; Ranma 1/2 characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi; Pokemon and all related characters are property of Nintendo et al.; all are used without permission.