**********
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is copyrighted 1992 by Naoko 
Takeuchi.  All except the characters I created belong
to her.  I'm just borrowing them for awhile :-)
*********
SENSHI IN COLLEGE: EPISODE 10 - The Trip to Nerima!  Secrets
shared among new friends

Written by: DQBunny
Edited by: Meara
Saved by: Shana
Art for episode done by: Sailor Chibi Crow

*********
NOTE: These are the following characters appearing from the
Ranma 1/2 series in this episode.  This is to help you get
them straight.

Saotome Ranma - a boy who changes into a girl when cold
water is poured on him.  Lives with his father at
the Tendo dojo.
Ranma-chan - Ranma in girl form.
Saotome Genma - Ranma's father.  Changes into a panda.
Tendo Akane - Ranma's fianc饠(not by choice)
Tendo Nabiki - Akane's older sister
Tendo Kasumi - eldest Tendo daughter
Tendo Soun - Akane, Kasumi, and Nabiki's father.  Makes an
	arranged marriage with Genma between Akane and Ranma.
Kuno - Ranma's rival.  Has a thing for Akane and Ranma-chan
Cologne - Great-grandmother of Shampoo, one of Ranma's other
fiancees.
Hibiki Ryoga - In love with Akane.  Sometimes a friend to
	Ranma, usually a foe.  Changes into a pig known as
	P-chan.

A note about Cologne.  Over the course of the Ranma 1/2
series, Ranma has two more fiancees, Ukyou and Shampoo.
Shampoo is an Amazon from China who is madly in love with
Ranma's male form and hates his female.  Ranma becomes
engaged to Shampoo by defeating her in male form.  Because
of her defeat, Shampoo becomes engaged to him.  Ironically,
when Ranma's girl half defeats Shampoo, Shampoo vows to
kill her.  Although Shampoo does not appear in the story,
this will explain some references made during it.

Now, on with the show!

	**********
	"Maybe you should take this road," Usagi pushed a 
stray lock of hair out of her eyes and pointed to a road on 
the map.  "It looks shorter."
	"I know where I'm going, Usako," Mamoru muttered
through gritted teeth.  He sighed at the traffic, which had
come to a standstill before him.  He hated travelling on 
the expressway. I knew we should had taken the train to
Nerima.
	"Can we stop for food soon?" Chibi-Usa latched onto 
his headrest.  "I'm starving!"
	"We stopped for food an hour ago, Chibi-Usa," he 
replied.
	"Chibi chibi?" Chibi Chibi squirmed in her car seat.  
She grabbed onto Chibi-Usa's blouse and pulled.
	"What's wrong?" Chibi-Usa glanced at the little girl, 
then nodded in understanding.  "You have to stop anyhow.  I 
think Chibi Chibi has to use the restroom.  So do I."
	"So do I," Usagi chimed in.
	"Blweeet!" P-Chan agreed, the little pig Chibi Chibi had
given Mamoru for his birthday a few days earlier was in fact a
boy named Ryoga. Ryoga told them that his name in the pig form
was P-Chan and it quickly stuck, especially with the girls,
who thought he was adorable in pig form. 	
	Mamoru sighed.  He had fully intended on taking just 
a day trip to Nerima to return Ryoga and talk to his 
friends.  He would be gone overnight at the most.  Then Usagi 
decided she wanted to come.  That he didn't mind one bit. Then 
Chibi-Usa and Chibi Chibi flew into the back seat and refused 
to budge. Heck, he nearly ended up taking the entire pack of
senshi along!
	Mamoru pulled off at the first gas station he found 
and watched Usagi drag the girls inside with her to the 
bathroom.  He leaned against the car and sighed, watching 
the pig waddle off after them. He shrugged.  Why not?  It 
was better than being forced to use some bushes somewhere 
later on.  He followed them inside.


**********
Several hours later...

	"This is it...I think," Ryoga said, now back in male 
form after being splashed with some hot water where Chibi
Chibi had washed her hands in the bathroom.  Of course, he
along with the girls had to make a hasty retreat when the
other lady in the bathroom with Usagi, Chibi-Usa, and Chibi
Chibi fainted after seeing a pig turn into a boy.
	"You said that about the last six different places we 
tried," Usagi commented.  She looked out the window at the
white building with a blue roof.  Then she turned on 
Mamoru.  "And I can't believe you didn't stop to ask for 
directions!"
	"Ryoga was doing just fine with his directions," Mamoru 
protested.  Women, he thought.  Didn't Usako get that it was 
a general rule that men never stopped to ask for directions?  
Besides, although Ryoga did have a horrid sense of direction, 
he had to know his way around here...didn't he?  After all, 
Ryoga did live here.
	"I think this is it this time," Chibi-Usa pointed out
the window to the sign.  "Tendo Anything-Goes School of 
Martial Arts.  Didn't you say your friend was Tendo Akane?"
	"Akane..." Ryoga's eyes grew large and luminous.  
	"Finally I, Hibiki Ryoga, can be in your arms again!"
He threw open the door, jumped out of the car, and threw
his arms open.  "This time I will win you over from that
Saotome!"
	The others got out of the car just as another car
passed them and drove through a puddle.  The cold water from
the puddle splashed onto Ryoga and turned him back into pig
form, where he began squealing.
	"Huh?" Usagi, Mamoru, and Chibi-Usa looked at each 
other, Ryoga, then back up to see a dust cloud approaching 
them.  Chibi Chibi grabbed P-Chan.  The cloud grew closer 
and closer, along with screaming and what looked to be a
mallet or two and a spatula.
	"Ack!" Chibi-Usa screamed.  "It's the attack of the
Killer Lunch Ladies!"
	"Duck!" Mamoru grabbed the girls, and shielded them from
the oncoming army of slaughter.  They gazed in surprise as 
several girls, a cat, a duck, men, an old woman, and an 
assortment other people and animals tore by them.
	In Chibi Chibi's arms, P-Chan began to bleet frantically.  
He struggled free and followed the mob down the street.
	"P-Chan!" Chibi Chibi started running after them.
	"No, wait, Chibi Chibi!" Chibi-Usa ran after her.
	A woman around Usagi's age stepped out of the dojo 
and bowed to them.  She had long raven-colored hair that
was tied back in a loose ponytail with a white ribbon.  She
wore a lavender dress with a white lace collar and an apron
over it.
	"Gomen ne, honored guests," she said. "Trust me, this 
is a frequent occurrence around here.  I'm Tendo Kasumi."
	"I'm Tsukino Usagi and this is my fianc鬠Chiba Mamoru," 
Usagi smiled at Kasumi.  "We're here bringing back a friend 
to you."
	"Where is he?" Kasumi looked around.
	"I think he joined the crowd," Mamoru pointed to the 
moving storm down the street.  "The little pig."
	"Oh, P-Chan's back!" Kasumi clasped her hands together 
in joy.  "Akane-chan will be so happy!  How long will you two 
be staying in Nerima?"
	"We're from Jyuban.  I'm a med school student at 
Azabu University, and I'm here working on a research 
project," Mamoru explained.  "Usako, her cousin Chibi-Usa, 
and sister Chibi Chibi also came along."
	"Then please stay here as our guests!" Kasumi beamed.  
	"It's the least we can offer you is a place to stay after
bringing P-Chan back.  He means so much to Akane."
	"I...uh...we," Mamoru started to say, but Usagi's eyes 
lit up.
	"We accept, Tendo-san!" Usagi exclaimed.
	"Usako..."
	"Mamo-chan!" Usagi turned on him.  "It would be rude 
for us to turn down such a kind offer.  I'm surprised at you.  
You've been so rude lately!"
 	"If you need a place to work on your paper, Chiba-san, 
there's plenty of room," Kasumi ushered her guests into the
dojo.
	She led them in the front door and down the hall
past the living room, master bedroom, and the tea room.
Kasumi showed them to the guest room on the second floor.
	"We get many unexpected guests here," she explained.  
	"Are you sure this is no trouble?" Usagi asked, gazing 
around the pretty room.
	"None at all!  I like taking care of people," Kasumi
grinned.  "I'll direct your cousin and sister here when
they get back, Tsukino-san.  Let me know what I can do to
help your project, Chiba-san."  With that, she left the
room.
	Usagi dropped her bag on the bed and twirled around.  
"Oh, it's so pretty here, Mamo-chan!  Staying at a dojo!  
We can learn some real martial arts here!"
	"Usako...," Mamoru shook his head, then sat his laptop 
bag on the desk.  It was no use.  Besides, it would be easier 
on the expense report, considering the school was reimbursing 
him for the trip.  He sat down and set up the computer.
	"I need to find the library here," he said, starting it 
up.  "I want to find out what I can about the Jyusenko
curse.  Perhaps interview the other people Ryoga told us
about as well."
	"Do you think there's a cure for this?" Usagi sat down 
on the bed.
	"I hope so."  He leaned back in the chair.  "From 
what I've heard, a number of people are affected by this
curse.  Maybe, if the research proves effective, at least
more cases can be prevented.  But, there is still the 
ginzuishou as well.  Have you thought about it?"
	"Un!" Usagi laid down on the bed.  "I've been 
thinking about it ever since Ryoga-san mentioned it in the
car.  In order for me to help him out and his friends, I
pretty much have to reveal I'm Sailor Moon."
	"Well, he already knows I'm Tuxedo Kamen," Mamoru
pointed out.  "Not to mention, they have their own secret
to keep.  I don't think it's long before he puts two and
two together, but I don't think he'll say anything to the
othes unless we specifically say so."
	Usagi glanced over at him.  "How do you know this?"
	"Martial artists are very honorable, Usako.  It's the
Bushido code to keep a secret like this, especially among
comrades. Bushido means warrior."
	"We're not martial artists, Mamo-chan."
	He chuckled.  "Same thing.  You can say we're 
warriors."
	"Un." Usagi sighed.  "I need to think about this some
more.  I want to help them though.  I can't say no to 
healing Ryoga-san and his friends.  That would be against my
own honor code.  I don't want to see people suffer, but it 
just puts me in the spotlight again when I just want to be 
ordinary Usagi on a trip."
	"Trust me, you're anything but ordinary," Mamoru 
said, half teasing and half serious.
	Usagi threw a pillow at him and he caught it.  "You 
know what I mean!" she laughed.
	Mamoru felt himself relax.  Usagi was one of only two 
people he could totally relax around.  He glanced down at 
the pillow in his hand, then stood up.  "I'll prove to you 
that we're ordinary," he said, throwing the pillow at her, 
then followed by jumping on the bed, grabbing her, and 
tickling her.
	"Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried.  "You better stop, or...," 
she threatened him.  By this time, he was on top of her, 
locks of his dark hair falling into his eyes.
	"Or what?" Mamoru gasped, trying to draw in as much 
air as he could.
	"Or the world at large will know that not only am I 
ticklish, but so is Chiba Mamoru!" Usagi took this chance
to tickle his stomach, and he started laughing, lost hold,
then crashed down on Usagi.
	Usagi gasped for breath.  "You're killing me, Mamo-
chan!"
	"I guess I'm going to have to resurrect you then."
With that, he kissed her deeply, losing himself quickly
in her love.
	
	**********
	Chibi-Usa caught up to Chibi Chibi who had managed 
to capture P-Chan.  Chibi Chibi held the pig lovingly while 
Chibi-Usa accidentally ran past her and into a girl with 
short black hair wielding a mallet.  She wore a light blue 
jumper with a white blouse, which looked like a school 
uniform.
	"Get back here, Ramna-ba...oh?" The girl looked 
behind her to see Chibi-Usa slump to the ground.  She 
dropped the mallet and caught Chibi-Usa before she hit
the ground.  The girl helped Chibi-Usa to her feet.
"Gomen nasai!  I hope I didn't hurt you!"
	"It's okay," Chibi-Usa held her head.  Wow, she 
didn't even flinch when I hit her, she thought.  She's 
pretty tough!
	"I'm Tendo Akane," Akane said to Chibi-Usa.
	"I'm Tsukino Chibi-Usa!" Chibi-Usa replied.  "And 
this is Chibi Chibi.  You're the girl we're looking for!  
We brought a friend back to you."
	"Oh?" Akane looked past Chibi-Usa to where Chibi
Chibi held P-Chan.  The pig jumped down from Chibi Chibi's
arms and ran to Akane who grabbed him and lifted him up in
the air with joy.
	"P-Chan!" Akane exclaimed.  "I've missed you so 
much!"  She snuggled the pig under her chin, and he 
appeared quite happy to recieve the attention.  "Where did 
you find him?"
	"He wandered into a park in the Jyuban area of Tokyo,
where we're from," Chibi-Usa explained.  "He explained he
was from here, and didn't have a way to get back, so Mamo-
chan, Usagi, and I brought him."
	Akane looked puzzled.  "P-Chan explained to you?"
	"Ah....er...well, not him exactly," Chibi-Usa
scratched her head.  P-Chan began wiggling in Akane's arms,
waving his front legs back and forth wildly,trying to 
remind Chibi-Usa of the warning he had given her and the
others in the car.  Akane did not know about his curse, 
Ryoga had said, and he did not want her to know.
	"You see, another friend of yours, Hibiki Ryoga, told
us," Chibi-Usa explained, her gaze on P-Chan.  "He happened
to be visiting Jyuban as well."
	P-Chan let out a visible sigh of relief.
	"Oh, is Ryoga here too?" Akane asked.
	"Un!" Chibi-Usa replied.  "He's waiting back at your
house with Usagi and Mamo-chan for you."
	"So, Ryoga AND P-Chan are back," A male voice replied
from the roof of the building above them.  Chibi-Usa looked
up to see a young man with black hair tied back into a 
braided ponytail. He wore a loose red tunic belted at the
waist and black pants. The young man perched on the edge of 
the building above them shot a glance at Chibi-Usa, who nodded
abruptly.
	"Hai, hai!  Both of them are here!" She said.  P-Chan
nodded as well.
	"This, I have to see," the man jumped down neatly 
from the building and landed on his feet beside Akane.
	"Stupid fool," Akane muttered, and walked off with
Chibi-Usa toward the dojo.
	The young man stared after Akane, Chibi-Usa, and 
Chibi Chibi walking off toward the dojo with P-Chan cradled
in Akane's arms.  He leaned against a nearby telephone post
and crossed his arms over his chest.  He glared after her.
	"Just like Ryoga to take advantage of her like that,"
he muttered.  "Just wait until the day she finds out."
	A wizened old lady, no bigger than Chibi Chibi, 
slowly appeared behind the man's head, perched on a tall,
staff of gnarled wood that had to be as old as the lady
herself.  The top of the staff curled underneath it until
it formed a loop.  The elderly lady had her white hair held 
back with a red headband. Her face was just as gnarled as the 
staff.  She wore a green kimono with the sleeves covering
her hands.
	"You know, those are unusual girls, son-in-law," the
old lady said.  The man jumped about six feet into the air 
and grabbed onto the phone pole for dear life.
	"What're you think you're doing, Cologne, you old 
hag?" the man yelled at her.
	"Telling you something that could be of great 
interest to you if you would like to permanently become a
man again, Ranma," Cologne turned away.  "Of course, you're 
not interested in listening to me."
	Ranma jumped down from his perch.  "Why you old 
hag!  You're just saying that to get me angry.  Well, it's
not going to work."  He turned his back on her.
	Cologne turned around to face the Ranma's back.  
She chuckled.  In fact, I have got you mad, she thought.  
"Well, as a matter of fact, have you ever heard the story 
of the Moon Princess?"
	Ranma turned back to her.  "Moon Princess?"
	"A thousand years ago, there was a time on the moon 
known as the Silver Millennium.  The Earth was overtaken by
evil Queen Beryl and she launched an attack on the Moon 
Kingdom.  The Earth's crowned prince, Endymion, joined forces 
with the Silver Millennium, because he was in love with its 
princess, Serenity.  However, they were defeated and the 
Moon Kingdom was destroyed," Cologne explained.
	"What does this have anything to do with me?" 
Ranma asked.
	"Just listen.  In recent years, there has been the
appearance of the Sailor Senshi in Tokyo.  Surely you've
heard of Sailor Moon."
	"Who hasn't?"
	"Apparently, she is now the holder of the Moon 
Kingdom's great power, the ginzuishou.  Some even say she 
is a reincarnation of Princess Serenity.  She looks just 
like the old pictures of her: blond-hair done up in odango 
and blue eyes.  She is petite and very slender.  The man known
as Tuxedo Kamen is the spitting image of Prince Endymion.
Tall and handsome with black hair and midnight blue eyes."
	"What can this ginzuishou do?" Ranma was now very
interested.
	"It has the power to heal the Jysuenko curse," 
Cologne's eyes narrowed.
	Ranma's eyes widened.  "Sugoi!  If I can find 
Sailor Moon, I can be rid of this curse!  Where can I find
her?"
	"Perhaps you already have, son-in-law," Cologne
pointed to where the girls had disappeared down the street.
"There is a smaller Sailor Senshi known as Sailor Chibi 
Moon.  She has pink hair done up in oval odango.  It's been
a number of years since I've seen her in media reports, and
she appears older now but looks the same.  That girl with 
Akane is probably Sailor Chibi-Moon."
	Ranma whirled around and stared down the street. 
If that girl is Sailor Chibi-Moon, then she must know where
Sailor Moon is!  He started down the street after her.
	Cologne chuckled.  Good luck, son-in-law, she 
thought.  You'll need it.

	**********
	Misora pulled her car to the stop at the corner next
to the building.  She looked out to see a mansion towering
before her. I think I took a wrong turn, she thought, getting
out of the car and shutting the door behind her.  She stepped 
up to the gates of the mansion and stared up at it.
	The front door opened and a young man around 
seventeen years old stepped out.  He had black hair and
wore swordsmen robes.  A wooden sword known as a bokken 
hung from a sheath at his waist.
	"Kuno-san!" Misora waved to him from the other side
of the gate.
	Kuno looked over at her.  A smile crossed his face.
He approached the gate and opened it.  "Sensei," he said 
to her.
	"Kuno-san, nice to see you again," Misora smiled at
Kuno.  "It's good for your father to let me stay here."
	A brief, non-descript look crossed Kuno's face, but
he beckoned for Misora to come in.  She had been his 
teacher in the third grade, and had always liked her.  
Although not the perfect woman like Akane and the pig-
tailed girl, she still ranked high up there.  When she
had called looking for a place to stay, Kuno quickly
granted it.
	Misora followed Kuno inside.  She smiled to herself.
This is perfect, she thought.  I can do this in one day and
be back in Jyuban tomorrow.  Best of all, there are 
absolutely no sailor senshi here.  None.

	**********
	Ranma ran home as fast as he could.  For once, that 
hag Cologne is good for something, he thought as he pushed 
pass startled people on the street and nearly ran into a 
vendor.  That girl with the pink odango has got to be 
Sailor Chibi-Moon, he thought.  She can lead me to Sailor 
Moon for sure!
	He ran into the dojo and headed toward the dining
room.  "Akane!  Where are you?  I need to talk to the 
little...," his voice died away when he saw everyone 
sitting at the table eating.  Ranma's eyes grew big.  There
was Soun, Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, Gemna, and...the girl with
the pink odango!  His heart beat faster when he realized 
there were other people sitting at the table too.  He saw
the little girl with the red heart-shaped odango, then 
looked across the table to see two more people sitting
there.
	Ranma stared at the man and woman sitting next to
Akane.  Cologne's words sounded over and over in his
mind.
	'She looks just like the old pictures of her: blond-
hair done up in odango and blue eyes.  She is petite and 
very slender.  The man known as Tuxedo Kamen is the 
spitting image of Prince Endymion. Tall and handsome with 
black hair and midnight blue eyes.'
	"Ranma-kun!  You made it back home!" Kasumi gestured 
to an empty seat next to the pink-haired odango girl.  
"Meet our guests!  This is Tsukino Usagi and her fiance, 
Chiba Mamoru.  The girl next to you is Usagi-san's cousin, 
Chibi-Usa and the little girl is her sister, Chibi Chibi."
	"Uhh...how do you do," Ranma sat down at the table,
still staring at Usagi and Mamoru.  Sailor Moon has the 
same type of odango, he thought.  And the hag is right, 
Chibi-Usa-san looks like Sailor Chibi-Moon.  And the man, 
Mamoru-san, looks just like Tuxedo Kamen.  Surely he 
couldn't be that lucky to have them sitting at his dinner 
table...could he?
	"Mamoru-san is doing some research for his medical
school on the Jysuenko curse in order to find a cure," 
Ryoga's voice spoke up from Akane's other side.
	"Ryoga...nice of you to join us...," Ranma said,
sarcastically.
	"Of course, I intend to help him out in every way
possible," Ryoga replied non-chalantly.
	"Help him out or screw him up," Ranma muttered, 
picking up his chopsticks and beginning to eat.  Ryoga
picked up his bowl and slammed it down on Ranma's head.
	Usagi, Mamoru, and Chibi-Usa jumped.  Chibi Chibi
clapped her hands.  "Again!  Again!" she exclaimed.
	As if to comply with her, Ranma and Ryoga began to
beat each other up, drawing Genma quickly into the fray.
	"Would you three stop it?  We have guests!" Akane
yelled at them.
	"You must excuse them.  This is normal for one of
our meals," Nabiki, Akane's other sister, muttered.  She
flipped her short black hair out of the way.  "It's quiet 
for a dinner, in fact."
	"Uh....it's okay!  You're a great cook, Kasumi-
san," Usagi turned her attention to Kasumi.
	"Hai!  Do you have any special dishes you make? 
Perhaps you can share them with us while you're here!"
Kasumi said.
	"Well, I uh....," Usagi started to explain, but
Mamoru and Chibi-Usa both cut in quickly.
	"Is such a great cook that she saves all her talent
for special occassions!" Mamoru exclaimed.
	"Yeah, Usagi cooks once in a blue moon!" Chibi-Usa
added.
	"You know, there is a blue moon this month," Nabiki
muttered.
	Beads of sweat appeared on Mamoru and Chibi-Usa's
foreheads.  Kasumi laughed.  "Don't worry!  Akane-chan is
not the world's greatest cook either, but she tries."
	As the pleasant talk continued around them, Usagi
watched the fight as it moved outdoors.  She stood up and 
walked over to the door and watched the three fall into the 
pond in the garden.  Mako-chan would fit in perfectly with
this bunch, she thought.
Her eyes widened as Ranma turned into a girl, Genma 
into a panda, and Ryoga into a pig.  Sugoi, she thought.  
Perhaps Mamo-chan can help them.  They seem like such nice 
people, even if they do fight a lot.  But, I can help them 
too.  
Usagi thought about her brooch, tucked safely away in
a pocket.  She brushed her hand against her skirt to feel
the slight lump the brooch made.  I have not told Ryoga-san
that I'm Sailor Moon.  He knows Mamo-chan is Tuxedo Kamen,
and I'm surprised he has not guessed the truth about me.
	Usagi sighed.  If I heal them, I basically reveal the
truth about my identity.  It's such a danger to have a lot
of people know about our identities.  I feel they'll all 
come out eventually, but then that means people hounding us
all the time.  If the future we saw is really our destiny,
then it's only a few short years until I become Neo-Queen 
Serenity, so I want to live a normal life as long as 
possible.
	Usagi held up her left hand and stared at her
engagement ring.  The moonlight hit the diamond and it 
sparkled.  Who knows when I'll become queen, she thought.  
I want to be a normal wife for Mamo-chan at least for a 
little while.  
	'By your next birthday, if at all possible, I would 
like for us to be married.  I know we put off any 
discussion about this because of your father, but I know 
the time is right for us now.  Will you marry me my Usako 
with the odango atama?'
	Mamoru's proposal rang in her mind.  Those words were
more precious than gold to her.  The passion in his voice
and in his eyes reflected her own love and passion for him.  
With all her heart, Usagi had wanted to grab him, haul him 
somewhere, and get married right that moment.  She could tell 
Mamoru felt the same way, but Usagi wanted to fufill her 
father's wish that she go to school.  Usagi kissed her ring 
softly.  It's now early August, she thought.  We are going 
to make it possible, Mamo-chan, she thought.  I promise.
	"Usagi-san?" Kasumi's soft voice interuppted her
thoughts.  Usagi turned around and realized her cheeks
were flushed.  She blushed.  She followed Kasumi back
to where everyone else was getting ready to go to bed
for the evening, leaving Ranma, Genma, and P-Chan fighting
in the dark.

	**********
	Ranma snuck down the second floor hall.  He knew 
Usagi and Chibi-Usa were taking a bath and also giving one 
to Chibi Chibi. Genma was talking to Mamoru about their 
trip to China, but Ranma knew he would have to tell the 
true story later on.
He pushed the guest bedroom door open and peeked in.  
Three overnight bags were piled near the bed.  He crept in
and shut the door behind him.
	The girls' dirty clothes were crumped into a heap by
their bags and Ranma approached them.  He rummaged through
them until he found a slightly larger skirt with a lump in
the pocket.  He reached in and pulled out a golden heart-
shaped brooch with white wings on it.  Ranma went to the 
open window and jumped out into a nearby tree, then over 
the wall of the dojo and ran down the street.
	This had been too easy, he thought.  He had seen 
Usagi touch her pocket reverently during his fight with
Ryoga and Genma earlier.  He knew there was something
important in there.  Ranma reached the courtyard of his 
school, Furnikan High School, and looked around.  It was as 
safe as he could get.  He took the brooch out of his pocket
and stared at this.  Could this be the ginzuishou, he
thought.  His fingers searched the bottom of the brooch,
but could not find a latch.  
Ranma turned the brooch around.  There was a seam 
that ran along it.  Something  was inside it.  There had to 
be.  It's got to be the ginzuishou, he thought.  As soon as 
I open it and heal myself, then I can return it to Usagi-
san and no one will be the wiser.  He closed his eyes.
Gomen nasai, Usagi-san, he thought.  
	**********
	Usagi walked back into the guest room, towelling her
hair off.  She stopped when she saw Mamoru sitting on the
bed.  He looked up to see her dressed in her nightgown and
robe, long blonde hair cascading past her knees.  He smiled
softly at her while mentally reminding his heart and lungs
to function properly.
	"I don't see you very much with your hair down," 
Mamoru remarked.
	Usagi smiled and sat down next to him.  "What did 
Genma-san say?"
	"Everything Luna and Ryoga-san told us for the most
part.  They've tried a number of different cures, and he
honestly believes that nothing medical can be done about 
it.  He let me take a blood sample in both man and panda
form.  Ryoga let me have samples as well.  If I can get 
some from Ranma-san, then that will give me a good head 
start once we get back to Jyuban tomorrow."
	"That's good," Usagi stretched.  She took her brush
and began running it through her hair.  "I still want to
help them, Mamo-chan.  I'm surprised Ryoga-san hasn't
said anything."
	"He said he honor the code of Bushido and keep my
secret.  It maybe why he hasn't said anything about you 
being Sailor Moon if he's found out about it," Mamoru
watched Usagi brush her hair, the steady, rhythmic strokes
mesmerizing him.
	Usagi stopped brushing.  "I still want to help them, 
Mamo-chan.  Maybe tonight, when they're all sleeping, I can 
take the ginzuishou and heal them.  Then they won't know 
I'm Sailor Moon, and they will be okay again!"  
Mamoru started to reach out to stroke Usagi's hair, 
but she moved away, not noticing what he was about to do.  
She ran to the heap of clothes on the floor, knelt down, 
and began searching through them.
	Mamoru's hand stayed in the air a moment, then he 
lowered it, a disappointed expression briefly crossing his 
features.  "That sounds like the best idea, Usako.  Then 
everyone benefits from it."
	"Huh?"  Usagi grabbed her skirt and rummaged through
the pockets.  She frowned.  I thought my brooch was in my
pocket, she thought, then lifted up each item of clothing
and shook it out.  When nothing fell from them, Usagi
gasped.  "Kami-sama....no...."
	"Usako?" Mamoru immediately bolted to his feet.
	"It can't be gone!"  Usagi began looking through her
clothes again, then started to toss things out of her
overnight bag.  "My henshin brooch is gone!"
	"Nani?" Mamoru joined Usagi and together they 
searched her bag, Chibi-Usa's, and Chibi Chibi's.  But,
the brooch was nowhere to be found.
	"Are you sure you had it in here?  Maybe you left it
at home," Mamoru said.
	"No, it was in my pocket!  I had it in there when I
went to go take a bath!"  Usagi's eyes filled with tears.
"Mamo-chan, someone took my henshin brooch!"
	"And I know who."
	The two looked toward the door to find Nabiki 
standing there.  She held up a series of photographs.  
"I'll be glad to help you out, with a small fee of course.
Set of five for 3,000 yen."
	"Nabiki-chan!" Kasumi's voice rang out with just 
enough anger in it to startle all three of them.  The
woman walked in with Chibi Chibi perched on her hip.  
"Usagi-san and Mamoru-san are our guests!  You can't go
making a profit off them like you do everyone else."
	Nabiki shrugged.  "Fine," she said, then held the
pictures out to Mamoru.  He took them and Usagi peered 
over his arm at them.  They both stared at the pictures
in surprise.
	"What type of baka would steal Usagi's jewelry?"
Akane walked in the room and over to Usagi and Mamoru.
She looked at the pictures.  Her face began to grow red
and contorted in anger.
	"RANMA NO BAKA!!!!"
	Akane's scream echoed in the night across Nerima.

	*********
	"But, why would he steal a piece of jewelry from
you, Usagi-san?" Kasumi asked.  Everyone had gathered in
the tea room where Usagi explained that her brooch was
missing.  "You didn't even wear it tonight."
	"You raised my future son-in-law to be a thief,
Saotome!" Soun was yelling at Genma in a corner.
	"I did not raise him to be no such thing!" Genma
yelled back.
	"I think he knows," Usagi whispered.
	The men stopped fighting.  All of the attention was
on Usagi.  "Knows what?" Nabiki asked.
	Usagi gazed at Mamoru and Chibi-Usa.  There was no
choice.  In order to get the ginzuishou back, they had to
know.  She figured out the reason why Ranma had taken the
ginzuishou, and she did not want his family to think he
had taken it simply for monetary value.  There was a higher
purpose involved for him.  She nodded to Mamoru and Chibi-
Usa.  They nodded back to her.  They thought the same way.
	Mamoru raised his right hand and with a deft hand
motion, procured a rose.  He held it high and closed his
eyes, transforming into Tuxedo Kamen.
	"Moon Crises, Make-UP!" Chibi-Usa held up her 
 compact and it opened, revealing her crystal.
	Their hosts stood in shock as pink and red lights
filled the room.  When they died down, Sailor Chibi-Moon
stood before them.
	"I'm the pretty sailor-suited soldier of love and
justice, Sailor Chibi-Moon!" Chibi-Moon exclaimed.  She
curtsied.  "It's nice to meet you."
	"And I am Tuxedo Kamen, prince and guardian of the
Earth," Kamen said.
	"And I'm Sailor Moon," Usagi said.  "I think Ranma
has my brooch, which contains the moon's crystal, the
ginzuishou, because he knows of its healing powers."
	"Healing powers?" Genma asked.
	"Hai," Usagi nodded.  "It's just a theory at this
point, but the ginzuishou may have the power to reverse the
Jysuenko curse on you and Ranma-san," she said to Genma.
	"Really?" Soun, Genma, and Akane yelled.
	"Oh, to be a man again!" Genma exclaimed, tears 
running down his cheeks.
	"Finally, Ranma and Akane can be wed!" Soun's tears
easily outdid any Usagi could normally produce.  "I'm so
happy!"
	"Did any of you stop to think that Ranma pretty much
blew your chances of being healed by stealing the 
ginzuishou?" Nabiki commented.  The men stopped crying, 
the emotion swiftly replaced by anger.
	"Baka, baka, baka!" Akane shouted from where she 
stood by Nabiki.  "He ruined his chance at being turned 
back to normal!"
	"Some son you raised, Saotome!" Soun yelled, his
hands clenched in fists.
	"When I get my hands on that boy...," Genma vowed,
his stance the same as Soun's.
	"The ginzuishou can not work unless I'm the one 
holding it," Usagi said. "He probably can't get the brooch 
open."
	Usagi's voice softened.  "You're good people and 
you've been very kind to me.  I still would like to help
you out.  Ranma-san saw the potiential healing power of the
ginzuishou and thought it would help him return to normal.
You really can't blame him for doing that.  Wouldn't you do 
the same thing?"
	Everyone was silent for a moment.  Chibi-Moon inhaled
sharply.  Again, Usagi sounds so much like Momma when she
does that, Chibi-Moon thought.  She's getting to be more 
and more like Momma every day.  Tears shone in her cinnamon
eyes.  I want to be just like her when I become a lady.
	Genma ran and threw himself at Usagi's feet.  "Oh,
Usagi-sama, we are not worthy of this!"
	Soun joined him.  "Arigato, arigato, Usagi-sama!"
	Beads of sweat appeared on Usagi's forehead, and she 
giggled.  Nabiki rolled her eyes.  Kasumi hugged Chibi 
Chibi, who she still held.  Akane walked over to the door 
and peered out.  Ranma, where are you, she thought.  Surely 
you're on your way back by now with the ginzuishou.

	**********
	It was no use.  Ranma tried everything he could
for nearly half an hour to get the brooch to open.  He
did not dare try to crush it open.  He knew it would
probably ruin whatever was inside.  He stood up with the
brooch in hand.  Perhaps Usagi-san's not Sailor Moon after
all.  Maybe it's just a piece of costume jewelry.  Ranma 
sighed.  Man, I am in such deep trouble, he thought.  But,
it was worth it if it meant a cure to this curse.  I would
move heaven and earth achieve that.
	Misora and Kuno walked down the street.  Misora
sighed.  Instead of going out to start collecting hopeful
souls right away as she intended, Kuno had insisted on
showing off as much of the family wealth as possible to
her.  She had taken a tour of the Kuno mansion, especially
Kuno's room.  That room was an odd place.  It was covered
from wall to wall and on the ceiling with pictures of a
dark-haired young woman with short hair and a full-chested
girl with red hair.  Kuno had called them Akane and his
pig-tailed goddess.
	Misora looked at Kuno.  She was tired of this.  The
sooner she could get her former student squared away, the
sooner she could complete her mission for Hino.  "Say,
Kuno-san, why don't we go back to the mansion now?  It's
getting late, and you're still in school."
	Kuno was not paying any attention to her.  Instead,
his attention was diverted to the courtyard of a school 
they were walking by.  His gaze narrowed as he made out 
a familiar young man crouching in the center of the sidewalk.  
The moonlight above him shone on the man's red Chinese shirt 
to make it stand out.  It also shone on an object he held in 
his hand and made it sparkle.
	"Saotome Ranma," Kuno's eyes narrowed.
	Misora looked where Kuno was staring.  She did not 
notice Ranma, but concentrated on the object he held.  She 
squinted to try it better.  She could see it was a gold 
heart-shaped object with wings on it.  Misora gasped.  
Masaka, she thought.  It looks just like the brooch Sailor 
Moon wears!  No, Sailor Moon could not be in Nerima, she 
thought.  It would be too convenient to have her here!  
After all, the point of this attack was to get hopeful 
souls outside of the Jyuban and Azabu areas of Tokyo!
	Misora's mind started whirling with possibilities.  
However, if that was Sailor Moon's brooch and if I can get 
hold of it, she thought, then Sailor Moon would not exist!  
That means the other senshi are less powerful and would not
be able to defeat the youma we send out.  Misora smiled.
Stop Sailor Moon, then you stop the other senshi.  Perfect 
plan.  Perfect opportunity.  Why not go for it?
	Misora glanced at Kuno.  She remembered some other
things that Kuno had told her earlier about his rival, 
Saotome Ranma.  He had a bull's eye with his picture on it 
in his bedroom.  An idea started to form in her mind.  
"Say, isn't he the fianc頯f the girl you really like?  
Tendo Akane, ne?"
	"I refuse to accept their engagement," Kuno uttered 
in a low voice.  His hand moved down to his sheathed 
bokken.  His fingers closed around its handle.
	"Nice little trinket he has there," Misora chose her
words carefully.  From what she remembered of Kuno, the 
right words could incite him to great anger.  This anger,
in turn, could be directed at Ranma and force him to give
up the brooch.  "I wonder if it could be a present for
Tendo-san?"
	"Iie!" Kuno roared at the top of his lungs.  Ranma 
looked up from the brooch to see Kuno standing at the 
school entrance, looking ready to tear someone apart.  
Ranma shrugged.  Kuno was not his biggest worry at the
moment.  Normally, he was little to no match for him, just
a nuisance.  Right now, he was being a very big nuisance.
	"I shall have that trinket you hold, Saotome!" Kuno
whipped his bokken out of its sheaf and pointed it toward
Ranma.  "I shall be the one to give it to Akane as a symbol
of our true love!"
	"Get over it, Kuno," Ranma concentrated on the 
brooch.  "I don't have time to deal with you right
now."  He looked up to see Kuno racing toward him, bokken 
held high over his head.  Swiftly, Ranma jumped into the 
air and over Kuno's head.  He landed on his feet near 
Misora.
	At this distance, Misora clearly recognized the 
brooch.  With Ranma distracted by Kuno, she reached out and
tried to grab it.  Ranma sensed the movement behind him and
lifted his arm in the air.  Misora lost her balance and 
fell to the ground.
	"What do you want?" Ranma asked Misora.
	"I want that brooch!" Misora got to her knees and 
lunged for Ranma again.  He jumped back out of the way.
	"And I want to defeat you, Saotome!" Kuno came back
toward Ranma, bokken held over his head again.
	Ranma jumped back again, then leapt high into the air
and landed on a tree branch.  He stared at Misora and Kuno. 
Kuno prepared to jump up to face him.  Ranma sighed.  Why
me, he thought.
	

	**********
	Having detransformed, Mamoru walked outside of the
dojo to get some fresh air.  He leaned against the wall 
next to the gate and sighed.  There was little they could 
do to find the ginzuishou, and Ranma's family seemed certain
he would come back with it.  
	Mamoru thought about how shocked Ranma's family had
been when Usagi forgave him outright for taking the
ginzuishou.  It had unnerved him as well.  One of Usagi's
great strengths, and in turn great weaknesses, was the 
ability to see the good in all people.  Deep down, she
trusted Ranma enough to make sure the ginzuishou was 
retuned unharmed.  
Mamoru smiled.  Usagi, and Chibi-Usa as well, always 
had the uncanny ability to see the good in people who everyone 
else thought of as freaks.  Look at the senshi, he thought.  
They were outcasts, all so alone until Usako brought them 
together.
	His thoughts turned more to the reason why Ranma had
taken the brooch.	It's easy to see why he did it, Mamoru 
thought.  After all, if I had the same problem, I would go 
to the ends of the earth to correct it too.  From what I 
know, Ranma-san and Akane-san are engaged.  If I had this 
condition knowing I was going to marry Usako...he shook his 
head.
	Mamoru gazed up at the moon.  He thought back a few
days earlier to before his birthday.  Chibi-Usa asked me
what I wanted for my birthday, he thought.  I couldn't
tell her what I really wanted.  Something inside me is
telling me that Usako and I need to be married now, so
we can face whatever's in the future together.  But, I'm
also tired of living alone.  His gaze fell to the dojo.
My birthday wish is that by this time next year, I can
finally be married and have a family.  That's all I've
ever really wanted.  Mamoru closed his eyes and a soft 
golden glow began to radiate from his body.
	Inside, everyone was discussing about going out
to find Ranma.  It had been at least an hour since the
ginzuishou had disappeared, and it wouldn't had taken
that long for him to discover he needed Usagi to work
the brooch.
	"Maybe we should go out and look for him," Usagi
remarked to Akane.  The two were standing in a corner of
the dojo while Soun and Genma were yelling at each other
across the table about what to do about the ginzuishou.
	"He doesn't deserve it," Akane muttered.  "What a
baka.  If he'd only asked you..."
	"Are you so sure I would had told him?" Usagi asked.
"Would he voluntarily tell me about his curse?  The only 
way I knew about it was from Ryoga, and then I saw a little 
demonstration of it earlier tonight."
	"I guess you're right," Akane said.  The two looked
out the window into the night.  The front gates of the
dojo stood open, but no one came through them.
	"So, when are you and Ranma-san getting married?"
Usagi asked Akane, hoping to change the subject slightly.
Although Akane was trying not to show it, Usagi could sense
she really was worried about Ranma.
	"Hopefully never," Akane replied.
	Usagi stared at her incredulously.  "Surely you don't
mean it?  You wouldn't be engaged if you didn't want to
get married."
	"Our fathers arranged this marriage, not us," Akane
said  She propped her elbows on the window ledge and 
sighed.  "Sometimes, I wonder how it would be like if 
Ranma had never entered my life."
	"Probably very lonely, as I would be I never met 
Mamo-chan," Usagi said.  "He really does care for you, 
Akane-chan."
	Akane blinked, but did not bother to look back at
Usagi.  "What do you mean by that?"
	"Well, I don't think Ranma-san would care so much
about finding a cure for the curse if he did not care for
you."
	"He's always been looking for a cure," Akane 
explained.  "He wants to have his manhood restored.  It
goes a lot deeper than just me and him."
	"I have not seen you two together much, but just
give things a chance."  Usagi giggled.  "I used to think
Mamo-chan was the most horribly annoying person on the 
face of the earth."
	Akane grinned.  "Sounds a lot like Ranma."  She
finally looked back at Usagi.  "What made you change
your mind?  When you found out he was Tuxedo Kamen-sama?"
	"It was a factor, but not the biggest one.  He really
cared about me, and called me his little bunny.  He 
encouraged me and supported me, and I knew that he liked
me as both Usagi and Sailor Moon.  We got to know and like
each other as just Usagi and Mamoru too," Usagi said.  "You
could say that our relationship was predestined as well."
	"So when are the two of you getting married?" Akane
asked.
	Usagi gazed down at her engagement ring.  "I...we...
you see, it was suppose to be after High School graduation, 
but Poppa died during my senior year.  He wanted my brother 
Shingo and to complete our college education, so I told Mamo-
chan I wanted to wait until after college.  Well, I really 
don't want to wait until after college.  I want to be married 
to him now.  Mamo-chan told me on my birthday he would like 
for us to be married by my next birthday."
	"It's rough, trying to be true to your family and
true to yourself, ne?" Akane smiled at Usagi.  Wow, our
situations sound pretty similar, she thought.
	"Hai," Usagi nodded.
	"Say, Usagi-san, you may want to know that your
fianc駳 glowing," Nabiki pointed out the other window.
	"Huh?" Akane and Usagi went to the window and
gasped.  Mamoru, still leaning against the wall, gave off
a radiant golden glow.  Usagi ran to the door and outside.
	"Mamo-chan!" she called out.  "Daijobu?"
	Mamoru was startled out of his thoughts and looked
down at himself.  A wave of dizziness washed over him and
he suddenly knelt on the ground.  Usagi reached him and 
knelt down as well, placing a hand on his shoulder.
	"Mamo-chan?" she asked in a worried voice.
	Mamoru did not notice Usagi for a moment.  An image
of Ranma with the ginzuishou flashed in his mind.  He could
see him dodging someone, a man wielding a bokken, while
trying to defend himself.  He could see they were in some
kind of school yard.  The school came into view and he 
could see the name Furnikan High School on it.  But, who
he saw in the background watching the fight with obvious
joy made his heart stop.
	Misora.
	"Mamo-chan?" Usagi's voice finally penetrated the
vision, and he shook his head.
	"Usako, Misora is trying to get the ginzuishou from
Ranma-san," Mamoru said.
	"Nani?  How?  Where?" Usagi cried.
	"Do you know of a place called Furnikan High School?"
Mamoru asked Akane.
	"Hai!  It's where Ranma and I go to school.  Is that
where they are?" Akane asked.
	"Let's go!" Ryoga ran outside of the dojo, water 
dripping from him.  "I vow to get the ginzuishou back for
you, Usagi-san!"
	"Ryoga!" Akane cried, beaming at him.
	Finally, Saotome, I can earn Akane's love by 
restoring the precious ginzuishou to its rightful owner!
Ryoga curled one hand into a fist and thumped in his other
hand.  "Saotome, here we come."
	"Moon Crises, Make-UP!" Chibi-Usa's voice rang out
in the air.  Everyone turned around to see Sailor Chibi
Moon standing behind the group.
	"Come on, let's go!" she exclaimed.
	Usagi helped Mamoru to his feet.  Everyone nodded
at her.
	Kasumi approached Usagi.  "Don't worry, Usagi-chan.
I'll watch Chibi Chibi-chan for you."
	"Arigato!" Usagi said, then she, Mamoru, Chibi-Moon,
Genma, Akane, and Ryoga ran for the high school.
	
	*********

	Kuno jumped up to the tree branch and Ranma looked
around.  The tree was no place to fight, he knew that.  And
he could not afford to get splashed with cold water any
time soon.  He jumped down from tree landing several feet
away from Misora.  
	Misora smiled at him.  Remembering what she had in 
her purse, she reached in and pulled out a vial.  "See 
this?" she asked Ranma.  "This vial will create a youma 
which will steal your hopeful soul.  Hand over the brooch
and I may let you live.  If not..." she let her voice 
trail off.
	"I will not give this up," Ranma gripped the brooch
tightly.  "It belongs to someone else.  I will not let you
steal it!"  His eyes narrowed.  I will guard this brooch 
with my life, he thought.
	"In that case," Misora held up the vial.  "Saynonara,
Saotome-san."  She bowed her head and uncorked the vial.  
"From the depths of the earth, I create from this twig on
the ground a creature to serve me!"  She started to pour
the vial's contents on the ground and intone a chant in a
language Ranma was not familiar with.
	"PINK SUGAR HEART ATTACK!"
	A ray of pink hearts knocked the vial out of Misora's
hand.  It fell to the ground and shattered.  She screamed.
Because she did not get to finish the chant, the contents
of the vial would not be able to turn into a youma.
	Ranma looked up to see two figures standing in the
school's entrance.  His eyes widened.  He recognized them
immediately from seeing them off television.  What was even 
more startling was he recognized them from his own dinner 
table.
	Masaka, Ranma thought, the old hag was right!
	"I'm the pretty sailor suited solder of love and 
justice, Sailor Chibi-Moon!" Chibi-Moon called out.  "In
the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
	"Sailor Chibi-Moon!" Ranma held up Usagi's brooch.
"Catch this!" He threw the brooch over Misora's head to 
her.
	Chibi-Moon started to go for it, but Kuno intercepted
it.  He knocked it away from her with the flat side of his
bokken, and it landed on the grass.
	"Kuno no baka!" Akane's voice disturbed him.  Kuno 
whirled around to see the object of his desire standing in
near Chibi-Moon.  Another girl with round odango and golden
hair stood next to her.
	"Akane!" Kuno promptly forgot about the brooch on the
ground.  He started toward her.
	"The ginzuishou!" Usagi ran toward her brooch.
	Misora got to the brooch before Usagi did and grabbed
it.  She held it up in the air in triumph.  "I have your
brooch, Sailor Moon!"
	"Not for long!" Tuxedo Kamen produced a rose and
threw it at Misora.  She dodged it.  Kamen's eyes narrowed 
with anger.  
	Ranma stood behind Misora, still in a fighting 
stance.  Akane brushed off Kuno and started to join in the
melee.  "Don't just stand there, stop her," she yelled to
him.
	"You know how I feel about fighting girls!" Ranma 
yelled just as he was doused with a bucket of cold water.
He whirled around to see his father in panda form standing
behind him with a bucket of cold water in his hands.
	"Thanks a lot, Pop!" Ranma-chan yelled in a sarcastic
voice.  She whirled around and kicked out at Misora.  Her
foot landed in a pressure point located in Misora's wrist,
and she screamed and dropped the brooch.  Ranma-chan raced
forward and grabbed the brooch before it hit the ground.
She held it up in the air.  "Got it!" she yelled with 
pride.
	"Not so fast, Saotome!" Ryoga's voice came from high
in the air.  Ranma-chan looked up to see Ryoga crouched on 
the wall which surrounded the school.  Ryoga jumped down,
sending a bandanna he held flying out toward Ranma-chan.
"I will get that brooch back for Usagi-san!"
	"Baka, it's not what you think!" Ranma-chan yelled 
back at him.
	A slam of Ryoga's scarf and the brooch snapped
out of Ranma-chan's hand.  It flew in the air in the 
direction of Tuxedo Kamen.
	Usagi cried out, then ran toward it.  Misora did as
well.  Kamen took off, and the three of them raced toward
where the brooch looked like it was going to fall.
	The brooch arched in the air and came soaring toward 
the ground.  Usagi jumped for it, but Misora shoved her out 
of the way.  This gave Kamen a chance to jump at it.  
Misora and Kamen's arms stretched out toward it.  
However, Kamen's arms were longer than Misora's, and at 
the last possible second before Misora could grab it, his 
fingers wrapped around the brooch.
	A bright golden light filled the school yard.  Misora
and everyone else was knocked away by it to the very edge
of the yard except Usagi.
	Chibi-Moon, who stood near the gate, squinted and
shielded her eyes from the glow.  Her cinnamon eyes opened
wide as she made out a shadowy figure standing in the 
middle of the light.  "Poppa?" she whispered under her
breath.
	Usagi looked up and saw the figure.  She squinted at
him.  "Mamo-chan?" she asked, breathlessly.  She managed to
get to her feet and stare at him.
	The figure looked like Tuxedo Kamen, but it was 
different somehow.  His hat and cane was gone, and Usagi's
brooch glowed brightly in one hand.  In the other, he bore
a staff.  Usagi looked closer at the staff.  It looked like
something was glowing as well from atop it.
	He doesn't look like Tuxedo Kamen-sama, Usagi 
thought.  He looks more like...King Endymion.
	The light died away, leaving Mamoru untransformed.  
He fell to the ground, Usagi's brooch still clutched in his 
hand.  
Usagi ran over to him.  "Mamo-chan!" she cried.
	"Mamo-chan!" Chibi-Moon ran over to him as well.
	Mamoru slowly blinked until the world came back into 
focus.  He felt Usagi lift his head into her lap and Chibi-
Moon kneeling down beside him and grabbing his hand.  
Usagi's cool hand brushed his bangs and he smiled.  Weakly, 
he lifted his right hand and held up Usagi's brooch.  
	Usagi took the brooch and held it close to her heart.
Then, she took Mamoru's hand and squeezed it tightly.  She
leaned down to whisper in his ear.
	"Mamo-chan," she whispered. "Can we get married in
December, if it's okay with you?"
	Mamoru smiled weakly, elation filling him.  He 
managed to bring her hand to his lips and kiss it, giving
her his answer.

	**********
	A very sheepish Saotome Ranma sat across from his
family and friends, his face redder than a ripe tomato.  He 
scratched his head, trying to find the right words to say.
	"Umm...gomen nasai, Usagi-san," he managed to say.
"I didn't mean to take the ginzuishou and get into so
much trouble with it."
	"It's okay, Ranma-san," Usagi said with a smile.
Ranma stared at her in amazement.  No way, he thought.
Surely she would be mad at me, or at least annoyed.  
After all, look at Akane.  The minute Usagi-san and her
family leaves, she's going to tear me apart.  "Sure you
don't want to stay longer?" he asked, hopefully.
	"Ranma no baka, you're not getting out of this 
that easily," Akane said.  She curled her right hand into
a fist and punched it into the palm of her left hand.
	"Ah, who cares about you anyhow?  I can defeat you
easily," Ranma muttered.
	Akane kicked him outside where he landed in the pond.
Ranma-chan surfaced above water, and spat out the water in
her mouth.  "Akane no baka," she muttered.
	"I don't know if there is a medical cure for this or
not," Mamoru said.  "We can run tests on your blood samples
and try to see if there is a cure out there somewhere, but
it may not be for a long while."
	"Anything you can do is appreciative, Mamoru-san,"
Genma said.  Soun nodded in agreement.
	"But for now," Usagi said, "I do want to help you,
Saotome-san, and Ranma-san. You two deserve to live a 
normal life."
	"You mean you will change them back after all?" Akane
asked, incredulously.
	Genma and Soun grabbed onto each other and began to
cry with happiness.
	"Oh, Usagi-san, you're so good to us!" Genma cried.
	"You will get an invitation to the wedding!" Soun
added.
	From around the corner, Ryoga shook his head.  On
their way back home, Usagi had pulled him around the
corner and used the ginzuishou on him first.  That way,
she had said, Ryoga would be able to keep his secret from
Akane.  Now, I can really court you, Akane, Ryoga thought.
	Wow, she really does have a good heart, Akane 
thought.  If it had been me...would I have done the same
thing?  She looked down at her clenched fist and slowly
flattened it out.  She smiled.  If Usagi-san can forgive
Ranma, so can I.
	Ranma-chan climbed out of the pond and stood before
Usagi.  "I don't know what to say, Usagi-san," she said.
	Usagi walked over to Ranma-chan and whispered in her
ear, "Just take care of Akane-chan.  If you don't, then in
the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
	Ranma-chan stood there for a moment with a stunned
expression on her face.  Then, she grinned at Usagi.  "You
got it!"
	Chibi-Usa scooped up a bucket of cold water from the
pond and approached Genma.  She poured it on him, changing
him into the panda.  "Gomen nasai, Saotome-san," she said,
with a wink.  "But it's the last time."
	The panda produced a sign that said, "No problem."
Ranma-chan and the panda stood next to each other 
against the dojo wall.  Usagi approached them and opened 
her brooch.  She closed her eyes and concentrated on the 
ginzuishou.  Chibi-Usa walked back over to Mamoru and 
slipped her hand in his.
	"Usagi will be okay, won't she?" she asked him.
He nodded.  "She's used to the power of the 
ginzuishou by now," Mamoru said.
	"Chibi?" Chibi Chibi said from Kasumi's arms.  Kasumi 
smiled at her and stroked her back.
	The light of the ginzuishou shot out and bathed the 
two in silver light.  Mamoru closed his eyes and a glow 
started to form around him again.  Chibi-Usa gasped.  
	"Mamo-chan?  What's happening?"
	He stepped forward, placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder, 
and concentrated.  Chibi-Usa looked on in awe.
	Slowly, the power of the ginzuishou and whatever 
added power Mamoru was giving to it had an effect.  Ranma-
chan changed back into male form and the panda turned back
into Genma.
	The light of the crystal died down, and Usagi opened 
her eyes.  The glow died from around Mamoru and he suddenly
knelt on the ground as a wave of dizziness washed over him.
Usagi and Chibi-Usa immediately knelt down by him.
	"It worked!  It worked!  It worked!" Ranma and Genma 
cried.
	"Yay, it worked!  It worked!" Chibi-Usa cheered.
	Everyone cheered and celebrated.  Hours later, the 
Tendo and Saotome families stood and waved after Usagi, 
Mamoru, Chibi-Usa, and Chibi Chibi as they left for Juuban.
	Genma and Ranma took turns pouring buckets of cold 
water on each other, laughing joyfully when neither of them
reverted back to their cursed forms.  Nabiki leaned in the 
doorway of the Tendo dojo.
	"Something tells me that we forgot something," she said.
	Soun glanced at her.  "Whatever do you mean, Nabiki?"
	"Ranma marry Shampoo!" Suddenly, a blue-haired girl
appeared over the hill with a long black-haired man chasing 
after her.
	"Over my dead body, Saotome!" the man screamed.
	"No, I will win the love of my Akane and my pig-tailed 
goddess!" Kuno suddenly appeared, running toward them with 
bokken in hand.
	"RANMA NO BAKA!" Akane suddenly whipped out a mallet 
and bashed Ranma over the head. So much for forgiveness 
with his other fianc饳 around again, she thought.
	"OW!  Hey, I didn't ask for them to come here!"
Ranma yelled as Cologne appeared, balanced on her staff.  
She held up a large pot.
	"A present for you, son-in-law," she said, jumping over  
Ranma and Genma, dumping the contents on them.  She
threw the pot away around the corner, where the last drops
of the water flew onto Ryoga, turning him back into P-Chan.  
"For failing to cure my Shampoo before yourself, I figured
you were still entitled to have a little fun."
	"Nani?" Ranma-chan screamed.  The Panda and Soun both
fainted.  "What is this, you old hag??"
	"It a vat of water from an ancient Chinese spell,
designed to bring back both of your curses," Cologne said.  
"Next time, you will remember to put my great-granddaughter 
before yourself."
	"You baka!!" Ranma-chan cried just as Nabiki snapped 
her fingers.
	"Oh yes!  The sprinkler system should be fixed in a 
moment!" she said just as it went off.
	Ranma-chan and the panda stood there for a moment 
stunned.  P-Chan raced around the corner, squealing as loud
as he could.  Ranma-chan snatched him up and raced around 
the corner with him.  He ran in the back door of the dojo
into the kitchen and snatched a pot of hot water off
of the stove and poured it on P-Chan.  Moments later, 
Ryoga stood before her, sputtering out the water that had
gotten in his mouth.  He grabbed the tablecloth off the 
nearby table to cover his nakedness.
	"You know where to find Usagi-san, don't you?"
Ranma-chan cried desperately.  "Onegai, Ryoga, I beg of
you!"
	"I am going back for her, but I go alone," Ryoga
said.
	"Fine, then I have something to tell Akane." 
Ranma-chan turned around and started to go back outside.
	"Wait!" Ryoga cried.  "I know exactly where we need
to go!"

**********
Two Weeks Later...

	"We have been wandering around here for two weeks,"
Ranma growled to Ryoga.  "Let's go home."
	"I'm positive we'll reach it sooner or later!" Ryoga
walked down the sidewalk that intersected the Quad at Azabu
University.  For once, he was not that far off.  He stopped
and looked around.  His eyes widened with recognition.  
"Yes!  This is it!  This is...," his voice died away as the
sprinklers cut on and he turned into a pig.  Ranma groaned
as he turned into a girl.
	Ukari looked out the window of Azabu Sandwiches and
Snacks.  "Say, look Minako-chan.  There's a girl and a pig
fighting out on the Quad."
	"Well would you look at that?" Minako walked over 
next to Ukari and stared outside with her.  "You can see 
the strangest things these days.  Oh well, let's go home."
	"Hai." Ukari lowered the window shade.




AUTHOR'S NOTES:
1) I know it's confusing to drop everyone into the Ranma
1/2 world for an episode, especially if you are not 
familiar with it.  The basic storyline is explained in the
episode.  As for the use of the ginzuishou, it would had
been for Usagi not to be able to cure the curse due to the
ginzuishou because of its power.  However, because I 
wanted to leave everything the way it was, that's why
Cologne has the vat of reversing water.

2) I made a boo-boo.  I wrote episode 9 before I bothered 
to look for either Nerima and Juuban on a Japanese map.
Both are part of the city of Tokyo.  I was not able to 
locate Juuban, but found Nerima quite easily in the north-
east part of the city.  So, in order to give Usagi and 
Mamoru an excuse to stay overnight, you can just say the
two are separate areas entirely for the sake of this story,
or just combine Ryoga's directionless sense with Usagi's
map-reading abilities and it will really take an entire
day to get from one part of Tokyo to the other!

3) Thank you so much to my editor, Meara, and to Shana from
the SMRFF list who came through for me at the last moment! 
And special thanks goes to Sailor Chibi Crow for creating a
piece of fanart that fits with this episode.  Check it out
at http://www.geocities.com/collegesenshi/episodes.html