~ New Moon ~
Chapter Three: Lost friendships and interesting associates

Hey minna! THanx to all who answered the poll! The vote was really close between
Ranma and Ryouga and so I just decided to let the lost boy have his chance at
happiness. Hope too many peeps don’t mind! Some of you asked about the scouts. I’m
starting to lean more towards the Sailor Moon parts of the story now so here
comes Puu! Minor reference to the other scouts and maybe a little talking but they
aren’t going to be making any ‘real’ appearances in the fic yet. Well, on with the
show! R&R to tell me if it’s even worth continuing! Just have to say that I don’t
own Sailor Moon or Ranma 1/2 and I’m just borrowing
these characters for this fic. Please don’t sue me. Thanks!
=^-^=

Note: *   * indicate thought.

   ------ indicate a short passage of time

As the two Tendo sisters and the 'pervert' Ranma were holding water buckets
in a hallway at Furinkan High, (AN: *LOL*) a solitary figure was making his way
past the Cherry Hill temple. He had a wrinkled map clutched in one hand and was
staring at his surroundings with a dazed look on his sun tanned face. "Now where am
I?" He was speaking mostly to himself and so was quite surprised when he got an
answer. "Your at the Cherry Hill temple."

He spun around, reaching for the handle of his red bamboo umbrella out of
reflex. His attack was cut short however when he saw who it was who had spoken.
The green haired woman chuckled slightly. "Is this how you greet all old friends
Ryouga Hibiki?" Ryouga smirked. "No. Just the ones that tend to leave me off worse
every time we meet. What do you want now Setsuna?"

The lost boy had first come into contact with the mysterious woman while
'training' in china. After his little accident at Jusenkyo he had needed to restock
on supplies. Namely, canteens, thermoses, and propane. While walking through the
next town he came to there she was. Selling everything he needed, as well as a few
choice accessories. That is where he had first gotten his trademark yellow and
black bandanas.

Ryouga had of course bought the bandanas/weapons but wasn't counting on the
slight magical quality of the bandanas to attract the attention of an immortal
visiting this dimension. He helped her banish the strange monster and found out
about her alternate identity in the process. Sailor Pluto, guardian of time. She told
him that the reason she had let him find out was because it was his destiny or
something like that, which he didn't believe for a second. After that, she had asked
for his help on many occasions. All he knew was that whenever she turned up, he had
some fighting to do.

The ageless warrior sighed. *It would make everything just a little bit easier
if he could just. . . * "I'm actually here to help you find your way to Nermia. In
return, I'll need your help with something here." Ryouga was curious in spite of
himself. "Why would you help me get to Nermia? You know all I want to do is kill
Saotome." Setsuna smiled "I do care about some things Ryouga Hibiki, and that
includes repaying you for your help. Yes, I'll get you to Nermia. What you do when
you get there is your own business. Now, to the business at hand." Ryouga sighed.
"Tell me as we walk okay? I have a feeling that this will take awhile and I hate
sitting still." Setsuna nodded as they started towards the center of town.

-------

"So you see, " the senshi of time concluded, "I will need your help distracting
the enemy while I awaken the other senshi here." Ryouga grimaced. "Distract the
enemy? Is this like how I 'distracted' that little Garlic guy so you could open that
dimensional portal?" He absentmindedly rubbed his arm where it had been broken
after a blow from the immortal. "I don't know if I can live through distracting
someone again."

Setsuna shook her head, smiling slightly. "Don't worry. These 'cardians' as
they are called are really quite weak. It will not take me long to activate the
scouts here either."

"Sailor Pluto, what were you saying earlier about the leader of the senshi?"
The duo was now walking towards a distant movie studio. The scene of an audition
that would soon turn disastrous for those involved.

"Please Mr. Hibiki, call me Setsuna. Now, not too long ago the scouts had
their final battle with an old enemy. Sailor Moon, our leader, died in the process of
defeating it. The other scouts died as well but were reincarnated as if nothing had
happened. I. . . I still haven't been able to locate Sailor Moon. She should have been
reborn yet it seems almost as if. . . " The solitary senshi turned her head away but
not quick enough to hide her tears from Ryouga. *I've never seen her cry before.*
"You miss her don't you?"

Setsuna smiled ruefully as she quickly reined in her emotions. "Yes. Believe it
or not we had once been good friends." "Can't you just use some of your time magic
to find her or something?" The lost boy had come to think of Setsuna as a friend
even though she did bring him all kinds of trouble. As a friend, he felt obligated to
help her.

"I have tried all of that already. Maybe she doesn't want to be found."
Setsuna cringed at the thought. *Oh Princess. Why did you leave now of all times?
I never got the chance to meet you in this time.* Ryouga let his thoughts wander in
the silence. *Why is she letting me see this side of her? She's usually so quite and
to the point. Is it because of Sailor Moon? I wish I could help.*

They both came to a top as they heard a scream from the building in front of
them. "I guess that's my cue right?" Setsuna nodded at the lost boy, her 'mask'
back on. "This way." She led him through a side door and down the hallway to a large
room set to look like a space-scape. A group of four girls was cringing away from a
monster that resembled a bull of some sorts as it held aloft a fifth girl from its
horns. "This is where we part ways." Setsuna pushed Ryouga in the right direction
and hid behind a pillar as she transformed.

The bandana clad 'hero' stumbled a little but righted him self before he fell.
*Great entrance there Ryouga!* He chided himself. *You'll really strike fear into
it's heart now!* He stood tall and took a deep breath. "Hey you! Leave these girls
alone!" The monster, as well as the conscious girls, turned towards him. He let out a
yell then charged straight at the monster, swinging his umbrella like mad. The
cardian let out a chuckle but threw the girl in it's grasp to the ground as it dodged.
Ryouga quickly spun on his heel and let out a yell as his umbrella connected with the
cardians leg. It screeched in pain and Ryouga too advantage of it's distraction to
attack again. He pulled a small handful of bandanas from his head and started
twirling them in his hands. He smirked slightly as he let them fly.*Setsuna was
right. This thing is a snap.*

Meanwhile, Sailor Pluto had finished her transformation and was making her
way to the four girls huddled on the floor by the unconscious girl. *Well, I hope
that this all turns out alright without Luna.* "Excuse me." The four girls looked up
at the senshi of time. "Who are you?", asked the tall brunette. Pluto smiled. "My
name is Sailor Pluto and I have come to help you." The blond spoke this time. "Help
us? How are you--" Her statement was cut short as four beams of light shot out
from Pluto's time staff. The beams connected with each girls foreheads and it
seemed almost an instant latter that they were free from the connection. They all
had tears streaming down their cheeks. "Pluto, " The scout of time turned towards
the speaker with a sad frown on her face. "Yes Sailor Mercury?" "Where's Usagi?
Why isn't she here too?" The time warrior sighed. *We don't have time for all of
this right now.* "I'll have to answer your questions later. I think now you need to
dispatch of this cardian." The four girls nodded and stood up. "Mars star
power!""Mercury star power!" "Venus star power!" "Jupiter star power!" While the
inners were transforming, Pluto decided it was time to leave. *Before I actually
HAVE to answer their questions. I'll have to call Luna back from her search to
help them again. Maybe Artemis too.*

"Ryouga! Lets go. The inner senshi can finish it off." Ryouga sighed but
nodded. "Are we on our way to Nermia now?" Sailor Pluto nodded. "I think we'll take
a shortcut though. I don't feel much like walking all the way there." She closed her
eyes and spun her staff in a large circle in front of her. What appeared was a large
black portal, spinning slowly. "Through here Mr. Hibiki." Ryouga smirked. "After you
Sailor Pluto." As they stepped through Ryouga felt momentarily dizzy. *Figures she
wouldn't warn me about that.* As he was clearing his head he realized his
surroundings were different. They were in front of a large school and once his eyes
focused he was able to read the sign. "Furinkan High." He turned to the still
transformed Setsuna. "So this is Nermia?" She nodded. "I guess I'll be seeing you
then right?" Setsuna smiled. "Of course Mr. Hibiki. Here. Whenever you see
something interesting just call me." She flicked her wrist and pulled a small cell
phone out of her sub space pocket.

Ryouga stared at the phone for a bit then started laughing. "Just a normal
phone? I thought it would be something magical or at least more advanced." Setsuna
let out a soft chuckle as well. "I'm going to be living in Juban until we find Sailor
Moon. I thought I might as well make it something that was as inconspicuous as
possible. Good bye for now . . . " She smiled at him and disappeared back through the
portal.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

So what do you think ? To corny? Just plain stupid? Let me know! Don't be shy! *LOL* I'll have the next chapter out as soon as I can. Sort of going slow because of school. *shudder* Ja ne!
stonekid@etv.net
Tsukino Neko
=^-^=