Sailor Jupiter

[Daniel Jess Gibson]

Sailor Jupiter - By Daniel Gibson
Disclaimer - I do not own the characters of Ranma 1/2 or BSSM, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Naoko Takeuchi, respectively.
. . . The day was shaping up to be a typical day for Nerima, since Jeff was currently in Juuban, it meant the shineola had truly hit the fan in impressive quantities. Since Cologne and Ukyo are off dealing with their respective `homefronts`, not much to do in Nerima except dodge morons. Heard Juuban was a target-rich environment, as long as you beat the Sailor Scouts to the punch. Not that I really mind, I can cooperate or flee, as required, Jeff thought as he cornered a `youma` that had been luring young men and boys into an alley and `draining their energy`. She's obviously a youma, or she'd be draining their wallets as well, or be downtown in the business district, 1000 to 10000 yen a grope, 50,000 to half-mil for more. I haven't seen a woman that well endowed since Asuka dragged me in to see a Gainex porn site Mousse had `stumbled upon`. Asuka didn't think her resemblance to the `star` of the site was either funny or coincidental.
. . . He teleported the creature to Happosai's room in the Tendo dojo. Let the two of them decide things, he thought as he continued walking, after dispersing the disappointed `customers`. Funny, I don't think any of us would have fallen for that, he considered as he dodged insults and a few thrown lunches, But I guess we were warped. That makes four, I thought these things operated sequentially, not simultaneously. So much for folklore.
. . . A distant explosion and a sudden eclipsing of the sun forced instinct to overcome training. It had taken months during his first dream of Nerima to learn to quit catching pretty girls who fell out of the sky. In Nerima, if you do, they think a) you have shown them and their art terrible disrespect; b) you've harmed their marriageability in some vast, inexplicable and unforgivable way; or c) both, plus, fill in the blank, he thought as he positioned himself for the catch, while everyone else scattered, he cast a spell to slow the girl's descent to nonlethal speeds, So this should be far enough away from Nerima that letting a pretty girl go 'Splat!' is a bad thing. I never have figured out how picking a fight with someone able to launch you 500 feet into the air, and landing face-first makes you more attractive, rather than more repulsive. A mystery for another time.
. . . The girl was wearing a badly torn leotard, with some fringes reminiscent of a skirt, collar and perhaps some bows. Combat cheerleaders? Jeff wondered as he took mental inventory of her injuries, Cuts and burns clear through the uniform, bare feet with second and third-degree burns, right glove burned off, left glove and black bracer intact. Took the blow on the right, so catch her on the left.
. . . He caught her easily, then an identical black bracer formed on his left wrist and fused with the one on hers. That's going to complicate things, he thought as he turned to face the two men running towards him, Bad guys, considering everyone else is running away, even in Nerima they'd just stand around and watch. So if they close, they're in the fight.
. . . "Ah, caught an innocent, poor defenseless mortal," the first target said, a boy so pretty he'd give most of the Nerima girls a run for their money.
. . . Except his pants are so tight, Jeff considered his new target, I can tell he hasn't been circumcised.
. . . "Girl, you shall helplessly watch as we - gick."
. . . The steel toe of Jeff's boot slamming into a place specifically prohibited by Marquis of Queensberry rules silenced Mister Bishi, who rolled into his personal, private ball of pain. Bon Voyage three diamonds! That leaves Opera Man, Jeff considered the cape, cane, domino mask, and suit of his opponent with contempt, I wear a suit for the pockets and the hidden armor, what's your excuse? Then the cane morphed into a shoulder-fired howitzer by M.C. Ecsher and Rube Goldberg. Crap! Jeff swung the waking girl out of the line of fire and raised his AT field to maximum intensity.
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. . . Makoto wasn't quite sure what had happened, she'd encountered Tuxedo Mask and another man, and she'd been shot. Now she had her arm around her own shoulders and was being forced into a tight little ball. A guy grabbed me, she realized, as she saw the arm under her knees folding her legs against her chest, He can't hold me! I - Her thought ended as she heard the muffled sound of the weapon that had shot and wounded her before, and the glare as its energies crawled along the shield that encompassed her and her caretaker. The weapon struck the shield again and again. The wince and grunt from the man cradling her made it clear that maintaining the defense was costing him seriously.
. . . Then one blast struck and her foot brushed the inside of the shield. Makoto nearly screamed as the conflicting emotions sleeted through her. A warmth and passion like she only experienced around Usagi-chan at her `gushiest`, not even from her fellow Scouts. Then a dark cold so deep, profound and lonely she wanted to never stop weeping. Deep underneath it all, a rage so hot it threatened to consume her, only the chains of duty and love of Humanity wrapped tightly around it prevented its escape to kill and destroy everything she held dear.
. . . An instant later she was free of it, as she tried to draw in on herself, to retreat from the cold, uncaring world and to hold and cherish the light and warmth she had seen and felt. Absently, she realized that the shield was down, she could feel the sun and wind on her skin. All thought of her injuries had been driven from her mind by the contact, now she was becoming aware of the cuts, bruises and burns that dotted her body. Another thought, spurred by the image of the chained hatred forced its way to her mind. "Don't kill him!" she prayed as her savior turned to face the corrupted Tuxedo Mask.
. . . "Brainwashed former ally?" the gaijin boy said with a sardonic air, as if he'd been expecting it.
. . . "Yes," she admitted, taking a moment to admire the face and determination of her rescuer, and his easy acceptance of her word as fact.
. . . "Hold tight," he warned, "This is not going to be fun, or pretty. It won't kill him, but it will hurt him." He cradled her with their linked left arms while his right arm rested beneath her knees and in that hand, he held a cane similar to the one the brainwashed Tuxedo Mask held.
. . . "Hey, Kuno Total Wacky! Toss a rose and spout a speech, I haven't had a good laugh in ages."
. . . Tuxedo Mask's face contorted in fury, beyond any darkness the Negaverse could inflict on him. "You dare compare me to that - that - "
. . . "Fancy pants, rose-tossing, poetry spouter?" her protector offered innocently, "I just can't imagine how I would confuse the two of you."
. . . Tuxedo Mask charged with a scream of pure fury, his cane raised in a double overhand grip, to chop both of them in half. The boy parried the cane with his own, and lashed out with a booted foot, catching Tuxedo Mask's inner thigh. Her former ally gasped in pain and crumpled slightly. Her rescuer shifted and his other foot lashed out, catching the stunned Tuxedo Mask in the side.
. . . The dance continued, Makoto realized that the boy had been trained by a master martial artist. He rained kicks down on nerve clusters and chakra centers preventing Tuxedo Mask from mounting an effective counter attack, or even a semblance of defense.
. . . Bruised, battered, but no broken bones or permanent injuries, she marveled, All while avoiding abrading my burns.
. . . Suddenly a black circle formed underneath the fallen Tuxedo Mask, she had no time to shout a warning as her rescuer leapt back out of the circle. When the circle vanished, so had Tuxedo Mask and his new ally.
. . . "Sorry," he said, looking at her frustrated expression, "I wasn't sure I could prevent the escape without injuring one or both of you. There'll be a next time. I'll be more ready."
. . . "You can set me down now," she teased, "I'm not that fragile."
. . . "Have you seen the soles of your feet?" he asked with a frown, "I have, and I'm not going to inflict that much pain on any one."
. . . She saw the tenderness of his expression, felt sincerity of his words. He's so sweet . . . and caring, she thought.
. . . "Unintentionally," he added, immediately reminding her of the darkness he also carried within, "I'll warn you, this is going to feel extremely strange, and if your injuries are as extensive as I think, you may have to catch me, when I fall."
. . . She was about to request an explanation when she felt a warmth flow through her. Revitalizing, she thought, That's the only way - oh ick! That is weird! She watched her cuts flow together like water or clay, and her burns shrivel up and vanish like dying flowers. In both cases, they left healthy, unscarred skin behind. As if the wounds had never happened. She quickly got on her feet and held up her reeling partner.
. . . "You're tougher than I thought," he admitted as she slung his arms over her shoulders, "That hurts - a lot."
. . . "Sorry."
. . . "No, your injuries. I transfer them, then heal them on myself. That's what hurts."
. . . "Oh." I'm glad I didn't hurt him by supporting him, she thought, I do feel a lot better. She lowered him to the ground so he was sitting next to her, their left arms still around his shoulders. I can feel his heart pounding from the effort, she thought, This is too much like those romance stories. The girl who is misunderstood and an outsider, comes across `Cruel Eyes` so dashing and handsome, but dark and cold inside, and she tames him with her own goodness and light. Usagi would think it was ROMANTIC!!, Rei and Ami would think I was being stupid, for different reasons. But I - She nearly broke down and cried. It's the aloneness, she thought unhappily, Not loneliness, but the acceptance that loneliness, that sadness, that hopelessness should be fought, so others can be happy, but he can never banish them for himself. Like what the youmas believe, that the universe is dark and cruel, and strength is to be used against others. Yet, he also believes what we believe, that there is light and happiness. She touched his chin, turning him to face her. Maybe, I can show him that happiness and someone special are for him too, she thought, staring into his eyes.
. . . He smiled and her heart leapt. "Much as I enjoy your company," he said as he helped her to her feet.
. . . He's tall too, she thought, Not as tall as Tuxedo Mask, or Mamoru, but definitely taller than me, that's good.
. . . He held the paired manacles in her field of view. "I think we should dispense with these," he suggested, "Agreed?"
. . . You're going to try to run away, she realized in shock, You think I'm going to abandon you too! So you're going to leave quickly, before you feel anything for me. But I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to be alone.
. . . "I'm an expert in curses and enchantments," he reassured her, "You won't be harmed."
. . . What about you?! she wanted to shout. Suddenly she was standing next to a glowing skeleton surrounded by a human-shaped, purple haze. Before she could scream, her rescuer was back, smoke streaming out of his ears and hair.
. . . "Ouch," he said, a cloud of smoke issuing from his mouth as he spoke, "Falling now."
. . . She caught him as he bonelessly collapsed. "Sir, sir!" she cried out. Wonderful, she thought, I know his pain and his soul, but I don't even know his name! She sighed, centered herself. I know one place I can go where he'll be safe., she thought determinedly, scooped up her rescuer, By the ancestors, he's heavy! She sprinted towards her destination.
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. . . Makoto opened one eye and saw the clock. As the numbers registered on her sleepy mind, she came fully awake. She sprang from her bed, and was immediately yanked back. I know Usagi's claimed this happens, she thought, as she settled back into the warm softness, But I thought she was exaggerating.
. . . Suddenly her memories of the night came back. I was sitting in that chair last night, she realized, as she noted the sheets and blankets that had so firmly `retrieved` her, were in fact, someone's arms and legs, I must have fallen asleep, and fallen onto the bed. Then he . . . collected me in. She realized she was still wearing her combat fuku, and her rescuer was lying behind her, with her spooned up against him. Her arm was over her breasts, and lying across her waist, his arms were just above, Risque but not terribly improper, she thought, Of course his legs wrapped around mine, and my fuku isn't the most modest garment. It's as if he could pin me down, and take whatever he wanted. She enjoyed the dark thrill of the thought, then discarded the entire idea of being ravished while she was helpless, If I was naked screaming 'Take me take me, make a woman!' 'Plunder my nubile body before I die from need!', and other things, he'd cover me with a sheet and determine if I was on drugs or under mind-control. It would be very irritating if I meant it, she thought as she snuggled back against him and felt him tighten his grip on her body in response.
. . . She was half-asleep when she suddenly tried to leap from the bed again. "Would you please fully awaken before you do that again?" she heard behind her as she was again restrained, "That's twice you've tried to rip our arms out of their sockets. What's so all fired important?"
. . . "You're awake?" she asked.
. . . "Have been for almost half an hour," he replied.
. . . "Wha - what have you been doing?" she asked as she blushed.
. . . "Trying not to wake you," he said, "I admit I moved you around, but only after you nearly dislocated both of our arms when you fell asleep, literally."
. . . "So . . . you . . . uh . . . " Why can't I just come out and say it? she thought, I know he wasn't trying to take advantage of me. "Well, how did we end up . . . uh," she said.
. . . "The arms were your idea," he said," I'll admit the leg was mine, but you kick in your sleep."
. . . "Sorry," she said.
. . . "Who is Ken-chan and why were you so afraid he was leaving you? If you don't want to tell me, don't," he told her as he lifted her to a sitting position, "But you seemed absolutely disconsolate about it, enough to sleep run after him. So it was weighing on your mind."
. . . "An old friend."
. . . "You've lost people in your life," he said sympathetically, "Me too, frankly, it's easier to count the ones I haven't lost. It hurts, it hurts a lot, but you survive. Carrying on their dreams or their dreams for you is the best way to honor their memory."
. . . She felt the world get all sparkly, she leaned towards him, her eyes closing, her lips puckering for a kiss. He really is thoughtful and deep, she considered their lives together, curing each other's loneliness, becoming true soul mates, she leaned closer, her fingers entwining with his, I will never hurt you, I promise.
. . . "Mako-chan! It's Usagi!" Someone pounded on her front door.
. . . If only it was a youma, she thought, frowning.
. . . "Ooo, scary face . . . and you're squashing my hand."
. . . "Sorry," she apologized as she planned a suitable `welcome` for her friend.
. . . "Kino-san, it's Tsukino, are you there?"
. . . Usagi's mother, she thought as she looked around her bedroom, She can't find us like this!
. . . "Oh, scared face, and it really is starting to hurt."
. . . "What are we going to do?" she asked desperately.
. . . He pulled his fingers loose and stared at her. Suddenly her fear of being found by Ikuko-san retreated to the horizon. "You are a soldier," he told her coldly as he stood, pulling her to her feet with him, "You will comport yourself as one. This was a directed enemy action specifically to damage your ability to fight your enemies. That is what you will tell Tsukino-san and Usagi-san." His surety, dark gravitas and hauteur gave her some confidence back. He held the bond up, she noted it had changed from a pair of bracers into thick figure-eight encircling their wrists.
. . . "Yes," she said, feeling herself standing straighter and more confidently, "Thank you."
. . . They walked together to the door, Makoto noticed he fell into step with her automatically, and that he didn't walking, he strode.
. . . She opened the door to her fiend - friend, and her mother and Sailor Jupiter - regarded - them.
. . . Usagi boggled at the pair.
. . . "Tsukino-san," he said and bowed formally, "I'm afraid Kino-san is not here."
. . . "You're a Sailor Scout," Ikuko said as she looked around.
. . . "Sailor Jupiter," Makoto said, smiled with warmth but little friendliness, bowed, "You must be Tsukino Ikuko, Kino Makoto-san said you might come here, this must be Usagi-chan." Please don't see me as Makoto, she thought, Please don't see me as Makoto.
. . . "Uh," Usagi stammered, "What did Mako-chan want?"
. . . "She suggested you might have some way of contacting Sailor Moon," he said as the two of them stepped aside, letting Usagi and Ikuko into the small apartment, "There was another girl who could contact Sailor . . . " He turned to Makoto. "I apologize, which Sailor Scout, the fire expert?"
. . . "Sailor Mars," Sailor Jupiter said regally, "She could contact Hino Rei-san."
. . . "That - chain - " Ikuko pointed to their fetter.
. . . "An enemy thought it might be . . . amusing," he said the last word as if he might rip out the entrails of anyone who found it amusing. Ikuko and Usagi took a step backward towards the door. "My reputation is not good in any case, but to besmirch Sailor Jupiter's is petty and cruel."
. . . "Yes, of course," Ikuko agreed as she backed towards the door, pushing Usagi as she went, "I'm sure Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars will be able to help you. We do have to go."
. . . The Tsukino mother and daughter couldn't leave fast enough, they were careful not to slam the door.
. . . Makoto remained standing in grandeur until she was certain that Ikuko was no where near them. She turned to her fellow prisoner and fell into his arms, laughing hysterically. "You are awful! But it was good to see them run out of here."
. . . "You did very well," he told her, wrapping his free arm around her waist.
. . . She looked up at him, felt a smile forming on her lips, she sought out his fingers with her own. "You even scared me," she said tenderly, "But you don't now, why is that?"
. . . "Because I don't want to," he explained as he smiled back at her.
. . . I could get lost in those eyes, in that smile, she thought. She blushed furiously as he leaned close, touching his nose to hers.
. . . "Should we try to get your friend to show up again, by trying to kiss?" he softly asked.
. . . I didn't think I could blush more without exploding, she thought as she gulped, unable to speak.
. . . "Okay, we have time." He stood back up, ending the moment. "But we do have a serious problem."
. . . Makoto felt her heart freeze. "You aren't hurt?"
. . . "I have to go to the bathroom."
. . . "Oh it's . . . " she fell silent as she realized the real problem. With the fetters, the arrangement of the bathroom, the only place I could stand would be beside or behind him, and the same for him. Her heart chilled further. My uniform doesn't have a - flap. I'll have to transform completely out of it to . . . She looked at him saw a fear in his eyes matching hers.
. . . "Isn't that ironic? Someone trying to kill us, it's all in a day's work," he asked sardonically, "A natural bodily function, and we're both terrified."
. . . "Uh huh," she said, "We'll figure out . . . something."
. . . "I do think we need to hurry," he admitted to her.
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. . . "So," Ami said, fingers poised over her mini-computer's keyboard, "What is your name."
. . . Makoto nearly fell out of her chair. After what we've been through, she thought, I never even thought to ask that.
. . . "Jeffery Kevin Davis, born February 13, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois, the records might say I was born August 1st, the 213th day of the year," he told Ami.
. . . Five Sailor Scouts, both cats and Jeffery made her apartment very crowded. Makoto sat near him by necessity. Both cats were peering closely at the binding, and suspiciously at the boy.
. . . Ami's face suddenly fell as she looked from her computer to the boy and back again.
. . . He frowned slightly. "Look up Howard Phillips Lovecraft, and especially Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep and Yig," he replied offhandedly, "In your world they are literature, in my homeworld, they are very real."
. . . "That . . . that isn't it," Ami admitted, she cleared her throat and read from the screen, "Jeffrey Calvin Davis. Born February 12,1933, in Chicago, graduated from Harvard 1949, went into the Marine Corp as an officer." Ami licked her lips nervously, looked at him. "You are reported Missing In Action during the retreat from the Chosin Reservoir, there is a posthumous Navy Cross, for knocking out three T-34/85 tanks, single-handed. No body or dogtags were ever recovered."
. . . "Probably got clobbered by the others," he replied, "Russian tank platoons of the time could contain up to 5 tanks. So I'm long-dead here."
. . . "Yes," Ami whispered.
. . . "What about Asuka Soryu Langley, born in Rottweil, Germany, 1933."
. . . Ami eagerly took up the new task, so she didn't have to consider the implications of what she'd just found.
. . . "So," Minako spoke up, "How did you two sleep?" She tittered and Usagi giggled right alongside her.
. . . Makoto felt her blush rising.
. . . "Soundly," Jeffrey replied coldly, "How do you sleep? Consumed with jealousy?"
. . . Minako looked like she'd been stung.
. . . "Rei, what's your problem," Makoto asked the miko, "You keep staring at him." And not like Usagi and Minako have been, she silently added.
. . . "His aura," Rei said.
. . . "Great Old Ones," Jeffery explained, "That's what she's picking up. Dark gods of insanity and corruption. You know what happens when you fight something for too long?"
. . . He leaned close to Makoto, whispering in her ear, "I also need a shower." He sniffed and wrinkled his nose.
. . . Makoto laughed at that.
. . . "I can't see anyway to fix this," Artemis said as he stepped away from the bond. Luna seemed to agree.
. . . "Look, I know enough that there is no way either of us can affect it. It will draw as much energy from us to defend itself as necessary, then hurl the power of the attack and the defense back on whichever of us made the attack. So, it has to be defeated by an outside agency. Unless the death of one of us would free the other."
. . . "You can't die!" Makoto told him.
. . . "No, as a minor Great Old One, I can't stay dead, I can die," he replied.
. . . Makoto was horrified. "That's - "
. . . "What your friend Rei is picking up," Jeffrey explained, "Nothing can permanently kill a Great Old One. If a temporary death would free you, I'm willing to do it."
. . . "Let's - let's find another way," Makoto insisted shakily, turned to Ami, who looked back at the others. She didn't seem pleased.
. . . "I don't know," Ami admitted, "I'll keep working."
. . . "What about you?" Jeffrey asked Rei, "A ward, spell or spirit?"
. . . Rei seemed shocked by the implication and his knowledge of her craft. "I don't know. I can do a fire reading, and talk to my - talk to others about it."
. . . "Well, we'll let you talk," Jeffrey said, turned to Makoto, "Let's get them something to eat."
. . . "Yeah!" Usagi said, "Mako-chan's the best cook."
. . . "Indeed?" he asked haughtily, "We shall see, shan't we?" He smiled.
. . . Makoto felt burning need to wipe that challenging smile from his face.
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. . . It's like having an extra pair of arms, she thought as he lifted a lid out of her way so she could stir the pan's contents, And he's quick enough on his feet, I haven't stepped on him or brushed up against him. Except when I meant to. She thought of her dancing shadow. "I thought you were an expert," she teased, "You haven't said anything."
. . . "You know your friends' tastes better than I, so I watch and assist," he leaned close brushing her neck with his cheek and whispered, "Lessons are private."
. . . Get your mind out of the gutter, she told herself as she briefly considered what those 'lessons' would include, If I had my way. But I also know you'd refuse.
. . . Spooky, to know someone so well, so suddenly, she thought as she cooked, What was that shield made of!? Did I `read` him because I'm a Sailor Scout? She considered the problem while she worked.
. . . "Heads up," he warned.
. . . Makoto saw her best plates sailing through the air. They soundlessly landed in the clear space next to each girl, and two smaller one where the Moon Cats had been. When none of the plates shattered, she put her scream on hold.
. . . "Fraidy cats," he said of the two felines clinging to the ceiling.
. . . "How did you -?!" she managed before her voice cracked.
. . . "Martial arts," he replied with the arrogant smile that she both loved and wanted to wipe off his face instantly.
. . . "How come they didn't shatter?" Ami asked.
. . . "Structural integrity field and an antigravity pulse at the last moment, their acceleration due to their mass counteracted their velocity."
. . . "Oh, of course," Ami said, "Makes perfect sense."
. . . "Maybe to you it does," Rei said, still staring at the plate which had landed in front of her.
. . . "Shall we serve?" he asked Makoto.
. . . "Of course."
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. . . Makoto wished she could pace, she wished she could think of some delicate way to address this. A Westerner probably wouldn't be so sensitive about it, she thought as she glanced at her bed, Our bed, until we can get loose. Maybe even after that.
. . . This is ridiculous, she chided herself, If he asked me to marry him, we'd be in front of Rei's grandfather so fast the dust wouldn't settle for a month! I was thinking about how our children might look, AmeriAsians, whether they should be born here, or in the U.S. to get dual citizenship. And I can't bring up one little subject.
. . . "Are you all right?" he asked, "You look one step away from chewing your arm off in frustration. Can I help? It helps to talk about it."
. . . He's a Westerner, so it won't be as big a deal, she thought as she knelt next to him, And he did say we should talk about it.
. . . "It's about . . . bed," she said flatly, and couldn't continue. Coward! Coward! Coward! Coward! she accused herself.
. . . "Oh, you can sleep behind me," he said, smiled, "I prefer it that way."
. . . "Wha?"
. . . "It's not that I don't like to wrap my arms around you," he teased, pulling her into his lap, "And hoding you until the twin fires of our love untie eternally and the coldness of our loneliness is extinguish like an attic snow."
. . . "Unite, not untie, and arctic, not attic," she replied, "You nut." She giggled.
. . . "Truth be told, your hair kept wrapping itself around my neck. It made me a little nervous."
. . . "Oh, yes, sure, only . . . that's not it." How do I start this? she wondered. "My transformation, it . . . removes all the dirt, sweat, blood, and so on, from me and my uniform."
. . . "But without it, I'm getting a little wiffy, as a Canadian friend put it." He carefully set her off his lap.
. . . "Um, yes," she said, bowed her head in shame at the insult to him.
. . . "I can cut the seams to the shirt and coat so I can get out of them, and sew some eyelets on so I can put them back together, but that still leaves several major problems."
. . . "Oh, I can wash your back," she said cheerfully. And your front, and sides, she thought, Quit smiling like that you're scaring him.
. . . "That certainly answers the question about sleeping in the nude. You look like you hurt yourself just thinking about it."
. . . "Damn!"
. . . "I heard that," he accused.
. . . Makoto blushed, covered her mouth with her hands. "Sorry," she squeaked.
. . . "It's a bit flattering, but a bit overwhelming," he said, "You just met me, you may not like me."
. . . Makoto's heart was in her throat. I do like you, I do know you, I do, I do! she thought.
. . . "And it's a little early in the relationship for . . . bathing together," he said sheepishly.
. . . Oh, the Westerners' . . . he's shy about it, she thought, laughed. "I've been to hot springs, I've seen naked men before."
. . . "Have you seen naked soldiers before?" he asked earnestly.
. . . Makoto stared at him, not understanding.
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. . . Makoto looked at the cloth in front of her. She reached out, and her confidence failed before she could touch it. Two of her shirt buttoned together made a decent nightshirt for him. A towel made his `kilt`. She felt ashamed as her partner slept with his back to her, curled up as much as the small bed allowed.
. . . "I'm sorry," she said, for what seemed like the hundredth time, "I didn't mean to scream, it's just that . . . "
. . . "I said I forgive you, and I told you a blindfold wouldn't work," came the muffled response, "At least your neighbors believed your explanation."
. . . "Why didn't you just become invisible in the bath?" she asked miserably. I'm sorry I shamed you, she thought sadly, If I could take it back, I would.
. . . "Because you were in the field, so dispelling the illusion was easy," he told her, "So they didn't see me, you did. The same will happen every time I use that spell. Please, let's just get some sleep. We survived and your honor is intact, that's all that matters."
. . . Except I shamed you in doing it, she thought, And there's no way I can make it up to you. Is this why you're so sure you'll always be alone? That everyone you let get close will betray or abandon you? You think I'm getting ready to do the same? Only silence answered her silent questions. I want to hold you to me, she thought Until your pain and fear goes away. But I can't. I caused it, and I can't bring myself to do even that. I'm sorry.
. . . The night passed slowly. The last time I was so lonely, Makoto thought as the sleepless minutes ticked by, Was the night of my parents' death. People all around, and I was lonely.
Author's Note: This is a future chapter of SSM, a result of events in 1948 (yes I have it plotted that far in advance). While any comment is welcome, I am primarily interested in the correct characterization of the BSSM characters, the setting is the first season. Neither the Imperium Silver Crystal nor Moon Healing will have any effect on the fetter. I've got the solution, but that would be telling.
Next: Knights are supposed to be grrls?

[Ion-chan]

very nice awsome work and keep it up

[Hazard]

What's SSM?

[Musouka]

I may have missed something but who's Jeff and what has he got to do with RAnma 1/2?

[Pale Wolf]

Sic Semper Morituri. A rather long-running Ranma/Eva/other stuff? fic (haven't read it myself yet)
http://home.att.net/%7Edanjess.gibson/headers.htm

[stratagemini]

Yes, Sic Semper Morituri.
Jeff is one of the original characters in it. One of the few Original characters I actually like. He's an american Eva pilot in Sic Semper Morituri and... well I'm not sure If I can tell you anything about him without spoiling things, but he's a magician. Sort of.
The whole series is steeped in the Cthulhu Mythos so the image that the word Magician usually conjures may not be exactly the correct one.
If you haven't read Sic Semper Morituri it's certainly worth doing so, but it will take a while. I'm pretty sure It's the longest Ranma crossover ever written, and if not it's certainly in the top 5.