Children of Fire
	A Sailor Moon/Ranma Elseworld

	Chapter 12, Part 2: All The King's (Wild) Horses, and All The
King's...Men??

	http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/SMR/

	By
	John Biles

*****************


	The desk clerk was a thin, long-haired woman dressed 
in a silly looking dragon costume.  "Hi!  You're Minako's 
friends, right?"

	"You're Konatsu, right?"  Ami said.

	Konatsu blinked.  "You recognized me?"

	"Your head is showing," Tsubasa pointed out.

	"Oh yes.  Room registrations.  The rooms are all 
doubles.  Kunou-san and Chiba-san are already in their 
rooms.  Kaiou-san is already here; she's in room 304."  
Konatsu began reading off the computer screen.  "Kuonji-san 
and Kurenai-san in room 301.  Yamada-san and Hino-san in 
302.  Kikubi-san and Saotome-san in 303.  Tenou-san with 
Kaiou-san in 304.  Chiba-san and Kunou-san have already 
checked into 305.  Urawa-san and Mizuno-san in 306.  
Shampoo-san and Tsukino-san in 307.  Meiou-san and Osaka-
san in room 308.  Gosunkugi-san, you have 309 to yourself."

	For a moment, there was a deep and ominous silence.  
Then the hurricane exploded.  "You put me with HIM?...But, I 
shouldn't be in the same room as a guy...But I want to be 
with Ranma!...I'M IN THE SAME ROOM WITH THE ICE 
QUEEN?...Alright, I'm with Rei!...I have a whole room to 
myself?...Hey, Gos, you want a roomie?... This isn't 
proper!...Hey, _I_ want to be with Ranma!... Shampoo want to 
room with Mamoru!...Hey, maybe it's better I'm with someone 
who isn't interested in me, okay?...But you promised to room 
with me!...He promised WHAT?"

	Konatsu knew the prelude to a riot, and that was what 
he was seeing.  This would take rapid action.  "Anyone want 
to trade?"

	"Yes!"

	Naoko was soon being snowed under by requests, 
demands, and pleas from Ukyou, Usagi, Rei, and Setsuna to 
trade with them.  Haruka offered to trade with Naoko, citing 
her own desire to get OUT of the same room as Michiru, and 
saying that way Ranma would be on neutral ground, so no one 
would be unhappy.  

	Ami and Ryo looked nervously at each other.  "Maybe I 
should room with Gosunkugi," he said.  "Or I could trade with 
Rei."

	"No, I won't let you!  She's mine!"  Ken announced.

	"I am NOT yours!"  Rei pronounced, then turned back to 
the bidding war.  Ukyou was in the process of offering nigh-
infinite okonomiyaki in the future to Naoko.

	"That might be a good idea," Ami said.  "I mean, I know 
you wouldn't try anything, I just...you know."

	They both smiled nervously at each other, mostly 
oblivious to the heated discussion behind them.  Gosunkugi 
said, "You can stay with me, Urawa-san."

	"Okay, I'll do that, then.  And Rei can move into Ami's 
room if she wants to."

	Nearby, Naoko said, "Maybe I should just stay with 
Ranma so no one has to be mad because they lost out."

	"Well, if I stay with Haruka," Ranma began.

	"We know what happened last time you did that," Rei 
snapped.

	Ranma and Haruka both looked embarrassed at that.

	Much more horsetrading ensued, until finally, they 
worked things out, more or less avoiding maximum 
dissatisfaction, if not actually satisfying many of them.  Ken 
and Tsubasa were in 301.  Usagi and Rei ended up together in 
302.  Ranma had 303 theoretically to himself, although it 
seemed likely that everyone and their dog would try to get 
into it.  Naoko was with Michiru in 304.  Mamoru and Kunou 
occupied 305.  Ami was in 306 with Shampoo.  Ukyou and 
Haruka dwelt in 307.  Setsuna and Naru still dwelt in 308.  
Ryo was with Gosunkugi in 309.  

	"Oh, Hino-san," Konatsu said.  "Your grandfather is in 
403, with Saotome-san's father.  I believe they're here to 
keep an eye on you."

	Rei rolled her eyes.  "Delightful."

	"Your room has a courtesy kettle, Saotome-san."

	"Uh, thanks."

**************

	"I still think this is a mistake," the dark haired woman 
said to the white-haired man as they walked into the lobby of 
the hotel side of the casino.

	"I just have a feeling we should be here.  Something's 
going to happen," the man replied.  His hair was as long as 
hers, but while hers was a shower of ringlets, his was straight.  
They wore matching rising-sun headbands, but he wore a nice 
white suit, while she wore a bright yellow dress.  

	Approaching Konatsu, he said, "Hi, we'd like to get a 
room."

	Konatsu looked them up and down.  "You're hiding a 
character on your forehead, I bet."

	"..."

	"No!"  the woman said.  "We're just being stylish."

	Konatsu smiled.  "As the lady wishes.  Are you here to 
spy on Minako's friends?"

	"No!  No!"  the woman said.

	"Yes."  the man said.

	Konatsu nodded.  "Would you like a room near them or 
on another floor?"

	"Some spy you are, Arthur," the woman said.

	"Honesty can be the best policy," the man replied.  
"We'll take a room on the same floor, but around the 
corner."

	"315, then.  Very good.  Names?"

	"Arthur and Lynn," he said.

	"No last names?"

	"Ummm..."  he said.  "Dilbert."

	"Cosby," Lynn said.

	They looked at each other and frowned.

	"Arthur and Lynn Dilbert-Cosby," Konatsu said as he 
typed it in.  "Will you be paying cash, credit, or sneaking out 
in the middle of the night?"

	"Do you take coffee makers or karaoke machines as 
payment?"  Arthur asked.

	"It would have to be quite a lot of them, sir."

	"We'll be sneaking out in the middle of the night then."

	"Very good."  Type, type.

	"Arthur, you idiot!"

	"Don't worry about it.  Our boss cheats everyone out 
of their money, so I consider it my duty to ensure they have 
money to be cheated out of."

	"..."

	"I do not approve of his methods, but I am honor bound 
to serve him.  More or less."

	"Ninja?"  Arthur asked.

	"I can't answer that on-duty."

	"You wouldn't happen to know a flakey blonde who likes 
to call herself 'the goddess of love' would you?"  Arthur 
asked.

	"Looking for Minako?"

	"That could be her name.  She's..."  Arthur was swiftly 
muzzled by Lynn.

	"We'll be going to our room now.  Key, please."

	Konatsu handed them two electronic keys.  "Are you 
the parents of one of them?"

	"More or less," Lynn said as she took the keys and 
dragged Arthur away.  

***********

	Gosunkugi and Ryo headed out into the casino floor.  
"Ever played blackjack?"  Ryo asked Gosunkugi.

	"A little at home."  They came up to the slot machines, 
and Gosunkugi paused, looking at them.  "I've always wanted 
to try one of these," he said.

	"I prefer things that aren't quite so...well, it is a 
casino," Ryo said.  "Let's give it a try."

	Ryo walked up and down along the slot machines, 
waiting to see if he would get a precognitive flash of himself 
winning on one.  Instead, he got a flash of Gosunkugi winning 
big.

	Gosunkugi had walked up to the very first one he saw, 
and had paused to read the odds on the side.  "Wow, the 
highest pay off is million to one odds!"

	"I think you should...," Ryo began.

	Gosunkugi put a chip in it, then closed his eyes.  "Good 
luck in, bad luck out."  He breathed in deeply, then slowly 
expelled it.  Remembering he was being watched, he looked 
embarrassed.  "Mom always told me to do that when I was 
little."

	"I think you're gonna win on this one," Ryo said.

	Gosunkugi pulled the lever.  Five unicorn horns came 
up, and a loud bell sounded.  Chips began pouring out in a 
torrent.  "Wow!  It worked!"

	Ryo stared in double shock.  Firstly, Gosunkugi had 
gotten the maximum payoff.  Secondly, he'd only seen 
Gosunkugi getting three cherries, which was a simple twenty 
to one pay off.  For the first time in his life, one of his 
visions had been partially wrong.  They were never, ever 
wrong, so far as he had ever been able to tell.  For him, this 
was like suddenly discovering the sun was merely an optical 
illusion.  

	"Uhh...need help carrying that?"

	"I'd appreciate it."  Gosunkugi looked around.  "Let's 
find Mizuno-san.  I want...to show her."

	Ryo nodded, helped pick up the chips as a crowd of 
onlookers gathered, and wondered why Gosunkugi wanted to 
show Ami in particular.

************

	Naru found herself at a blackjack table with Setsuna.  
She looked at her two cards.  Ten of hearts and the five of 
hearts.  "Hit me."

	She got dealt the four of hearts.  "Stand."

	Setsuna had the jack of hearts showing.  "Stand."

	Two other people stood, while a young man with spikey 
hair said, "Hit me."

	He had the eight of spades up and got a four of clubs.  
"Oh man, I went over!"

	Naru boggled briefly, then it was time for everyone to 
show their cards.  The dealer had eighteen.  She had 
nineteen.  "I won!"

	"Me too.  Blackjack," Setsuna said.  She had a jack and an ace.  
She and Naru raked in their winnings, smiling.  

	"Hello again, Osaka-san," a man's voice said from 
nearby.  

	Naru started, turned, and saw the handsome man with 
long wavy hair she had met at the china shop.  "Clancy-san!  I 
didn't expect to see you here!"  

	"You look lovely in that dress," he said, and she 
blushed.  "Who's your friend?"

	"This is Meiou Setsuna," Naru said.  "We're sharing a 
room."

	He bowed to Setsuna.  "A pleasure to meet you.  I am 
Mr. Tom Clancy.  Merely an humble dealer in fine goods and 
antiquities."

	Merely a cheesy American hitting on a vulnerable young 
girl, Setsuna thought.  Although he speaks Japanese well, 
and he looks sort of familiar.  "Nice to meet you.  I'm a 
friend of Naru's from school.  We go to Juuban _High School_ 
together."

	"Mr. Clancy commissioned a silver dragon with 
gemstone eyes from Mother," Naru said.  "After I told him 
about the one she made for the Minister of Defense.  Mother 
was really excited about it."

	"She showed me a ring you'd made; I was quite 
impressed, Osaka-san," Clancy said.  "Are you planning to be 
a jeweler like your mother?"

	"I'd like to be an idol singer," Naru said.  "But I'll 
probably just do jewelry like Mom.  I love to make things."

	"Oh man, ANOTHER big jackpot!"  someone shouted 
from far across the room.

	Clancy grimaced.  "I have a bad feeling my nephew has 
been playing with the juke...the slot machines.  He likes to 
play with them, and..."  He turned to go.  "I hope I'll see you in 
the ballroom later, Osaka-san.  You too, Meiou-san."

	"I'm sure you will."  Setsuna said.  Because I'm not 
letting Naru anywhere near you without someone watching 
out for her.

	"Isn't he nice?"  Naru asked Setsuna.

	"Are you two going to play or gab?" the dealer asked.

	"Gab," Naru said.

	"Just checking."  Given those two won the last three 
times in a row, I'm probably better off this way, he 
thought.

************

	Ami watched the mouth of the man next to her twitch 
again.  He always did that when he had a good hand, she'd 
observed.  "Fold."

	The man raked in cash from everyone else when it 
finally came time to reveal his hand.  "Hah!  I win again!"

	Then Gosunkugi and Ryo came up, staggering with the 
effort it took to carry a small mountain of chips.  She 
stared at them.  "How'd you get so many?"

	Gosunkugi put a large chunk of them down in front of 
Ami.  "These are for you."

	She blushed slightly.  "I can't take so many from you."

	"My arms will fall off if I have to carry so many," he 
said.  

	"You should go get some higher denomination chips," 
she replied. 

	"You can have them," Gosunkugi said.  "I don't mind."

	"Well, if you insist."  I'll have to find some way to repay 
him, she thought.  But it's really nice of him to give away 
some of his winnings like that.

	Ryo looked at the table.  "Poker?"

	"Five card stud."

	He smiled.  "Deal me in."

************

	Ranma-chan frowned.  She'd lost half chips in under an 
hour.  She'd been turned female by some idiot spilling a drink 
on her.  And now some drunken fool was trying to flirt with 
her and telling his boring life story while she was trying to 
play blackjack.

	"So, then I had to play hardball with them during the 
negotiations.  We had to buy the company, and they didn't 
want to sell..."  Blah blah blah.  The man was middle aged, 
starting to go bald, and his only redeeming feature was that 
if you mugged him, you could make good money from selling 
his suit.

	A familiar voice said from behind her, "Has anyone 
seen Mizuno Ami?"  It was Ryouga, much to Ranma-chan's 
surprise.

	"Ryouga, what are you doing here?"

	Ryouga stared at her.  "Do I know you?"

	He can't recognize me because of the curse, Ranma-
chan realized.  "We were in school together a few years, 
when you actually managed to show up," Ranma-chan said.  
"So why are you looking for Ami?"

	"She...uh..."  Ryouga blushed, and Ranma-chan now 
spotted the bouquet he was carrying.  "We...uh...I heard she 
was here, and I wanted...umm...I mean...to say hi!  Yeah, 
that's it.  Say hi."

	Ranma-chan's evil and good impulses did battle, and for 
the moment, good won out, since Ryouga hadn't done 
anything to bug her lately.  "She's over there," she said, 
pointing.

	Ryouga immediately headed for the roulette wheels, which 
were on the far side of the room away from where Ami was, so far
as Ranma-chan knew.  She sighed.  I tried, she thought.  I guess 
I'll have to stay female until I know Ryouga's gone, so I don't 
start a riot.  

	"So, I decided we would have to get Kurata Sana to be 
our poster girl for the campaign.  We had to slow the 
soundtrack to half speed so anyone could understand her, 
but then the music sounded awful, so..."  The bore continued 
to drone on.

	Usagi came up to Ranma-chan.  "Can I play?"

	"Sure, sit down and I'll deal you in," the dealer said.  
"It's what we're here for."

	A few hands later, Usagi said to Ranma-chan, "Are we 
supposed to make faces when we play this?"

	"Eh?"

	"You keep making funny faces when you get a really 
good or bad set of cards."

	"I do not."

	Usagi shrugged.  "If you say so."  Makes it easier for 
people to beat you, though, she thought.  

	Thirty hands later, she said, "I'm hungry.  Wanna come 
eat with me, Ranma?"

	"I'm not leaving until I win a hand," Ranma-chan 
announced.

	Usagi gave Ranma-chan a stack of chips.  "Here, you're 
about to run out."

	"I don't need help."  Pause.  "But I'll take them anyway."

	"See ya later, Ranma."

	Four hands later, Minako came up to him.  "The boss 
wants to see you."

	"I ain't been cheating!"  Ranma-chan said.  "I lost every 
hand fair and square."

	"He wants to challenge you to a game, I think."

	"Oh, well, that's different.  Lead on."

************

	Kunou frowned at the roulette wheel.  "It's supposed to 
land on forty six."

	Michiru looked over at him.  "Why?"  

	"Not going to gamble?"  Kodachi asked Michiru.

	"I prefer poker, which has a skill element, to pure 
chance," Michiru said.

	"I can't win if it doesn't land on my numbers," Kunou 
said.
	
	"You sum it up so well, brother," Kodachi said, putting 
some chips on twenty four and forty eight.  "I agree with 
Michiru, however.  Skill plus luck is the most fun.  Perhaps 
you'd like to join me for a strip poker game later in my suite, 
Mamoru?" she asked Mamoru, turning to him.

	He scratched his head and laughed nervously.  "I'm 
probably going to turn in early."  He put a little money on 
five.  

	Setsuna walked up.  "Hello, everyone."  

	"Greetings, fair maiden," Kunou said.  "Come to joust 
with the gods of luck?"

	"Yes," Setsuna said.  She put her entire pile of chips on 
five, and Kodachi glanced at her assessingly.  

	The wheel spun, and the small metal ball landed on five.  
Setsuna raked in her winnings, as did Mamoru.  The croupier 
said to Setsuna, "You're a lucky woman."

	"One should never be afraid to gamble everything if the 
pay off is worth the risk," Setsuna said, then walked away 
again.

	"A magnificent woman," Kunou said.  "Though not so 
lovely as thee, my fair maiden who sings like the nightingale 
and plays like the wind in the trees and swims like a fish."  
He smiled at Michiru.  "Wilst thou accompany me to the baccarat 
table?"

	"Certainly," she said.   

	Kodachi latched onto Mamoru's arm.  "You'll play with me, 
won't you?"

	"Uh, sure," he said.  

	Then Shampoo came up and took Mamoru's other arm.  
"Come play poker with Shampoo."

	"He's going to come play backgammon with me," 
Kodachi said.

	"Baccarat," Michiru corrected.

	"As I said."

	"No, he's coming with ME!"  Shampoo announced.

	"Now, now, how about..."  Mamoru began.

	"Let go of him, you tiny-brained foreign dog!"  Kodachi 
bellowed.  "He's coming with me!"

	"Do something," Michiru said to Kunou.

	"Now, now, this is no way for a woman to treat a man," 
Kunou began.

	"Be quiet!"  Shampoo and Kodachi snapped in unison.  

	Kunou stepped back.  "Chiba-san, do you require 
assistance?"

	Mamoru sighed.  "Why don't you two just step outside 
and fight a duel to settle this?"

	"Good idea!"  Shampoo said.

	"Excellent suggestion, my love.  I will thrash this 
peasant and return to join you in gaming as swiftly as I can," 
Kodachi replied.

	"Hey, I was joking!"  Mamoru said, running after them as 
they departed.

	Michiru turned to Kunou, "Should you go with them?  Someone
might get hurt."

	Kunou shook his head.  "I never meddle in my sister's 
affairs unless I absolutely must.  And only a fool gets in the
middle when two women fight over a man."  He shook his head.  
"I will keep my ears open, though.  I might need to rescue Mamoru."

	Michiru nodded, but she still didn't like this.  "Let's go play, then."

	He took her arm and headed for the table; all was well
in his world.

*************

	"Good news, sir," Greed said to Nephrite.  "I've found 
Envy."

	"So he IS here," Nephrite said.  "How did you know he 
would come here?"

	"Actually, I made that up because I wanted to go 
gambling."

	Only the large number of potential witnesses kept 
Nephrite from blasting Greed through a wall.  Instead, he 
said, "Point him out to me, then get the twelve stooges 
here."

	"Your assistant youmas?"

	"Yes."

	"Perhaps you should call them 'The Dirty Dozen'.  It fits 
better, since they..."

	"Just get them!  I don't want a repeat of last time."

	"He's not a cat, sir."

	"You know what I mean."

**************

	"Here's Ranma, sir," Minako said.

	"This is a woman," the Gambling King said.  For those 
who do not know him (and a fortunate lot you are), he was a 
huge stocky man who bore a suspicious resemblance to a 
'king' off a playing card.  He sat at a table by himself at the 
far, far side of the main casino floor by the entrance.  Several 
nearby tables had various kids playing children's card games. 

	"I'm a guy!"  Ranma-chan snapped instinctively.

	*Poing!*  The Gambling King withdrew his hand.  "What 
are those, then?"

	"Don't poke me!  I can't help it if I'm under a curse!"

	"Oh, well, that's different.  I've called you here to 
settle an old gambling debt from when you were little."

	"Eh?  I've never met you!"

	The Gambling King pulled out a stack of IOUs three feet 
tall.  "You signed each and every one of these."

	Ranma-chan picked them up and began to thumb 
through them.  'IOU--Mommy's House, Ranma Saotome', 'IOU--
A Mink Coat, Ranma Saotome', 'IOU--My Shonen Sunday 
collection, Ranma Saotome', 'IOU--My First Child, Ranma 
Saotome', 'IOU--North America, Ranma Saotome, Future King 
of the Earth'.  Ranma-chan blinked at the last one.  "North 
America?"

	"You explained that one day you'd marry the Queen of 
the Earth and rule the entire planet, so I let you go ahead 
and start putting up places as part of your bets."

	"..."

	"Anyway, you basically owe me everything you have or 
ever will have.  So cough up."

	Ranma-chan paged through more of the IOUs.  "I don't 
even own most of these!"

	"Planning to welsh on your bets, then?"

	"I never welsh on my bets!"

	"Then pay up."

	Ranma-chan frowned.  "How about a few games to see 
if I can win some of these back?  I've got some chips."

	The Gambling King smiled.  "Pick your poison."

*************

	Mamoru watched Shampoo and Kodachi go at it and 
wondered why some women liked to watch men fight over 
them; he certainly wasn't enjoying seeing women fight over 
him.  Well, not very much.  There was a certain pleasure to 
be taken in watching two skillful fighters 'dance'.

	Kodachi managed to get lucky and snare Shampoo's 
arm with a ribbon, then swing Shampoo out over the pool, 
letting go of the ribbon as Shampoo tried to tug on it and 
reel her in.  Shampoo struck the water and sank out of 
sight.

	"Ho ho ho!"  Kodachi said, turning to Mamoru.  "One less 
Chinese bimbo in the world."

	"She's not a..."  Mamoru began.

	A ribbon lashed out from the water, snagging Kodachi's 
left leg.  With a nimble yank, Shampoo pulled Kodachi off 
balance and dragged her towards the water's edge.  Kodachi 
tried to take Shampoo down with a thrown ball, but this 
failed.  

	Using a second ribbon, she snared a handy pillar, and 
used it to resist the pull long enough to cut the ribbon 
Shampoo had snagged her with.  But as she got up, Shampoo 
soared out of the water and kicked her halfway across the 
pool area.  Kodachi landed face first on a deckchair which 
then folded up around her.

	By the time she was loose, Shampoo was on her, 
pounding away with bonbori.  It was more than Mamoru could 
bear.  "Stop it!"

	Shampoo ignored him and kept up the rhythm.  Kodachi 
was only good enough to parry about half the blows, and the 
impacts were keeping her from focusing enough to use her 
superior mobility.  Instead, she simply slowly gave ground, 
trying to get a breathing space and using two gymnastics 
pins to parry.

	"I said, STOP IT!"  Mamoru said, speeding up as he came 
around.  "Someone's going to get hurt!"

	Kodachi took a bonbori to the gut and folded in half, 
falling back on her butt.  Shampoo kicked her in the face, 
then pinned her right arm with a foot.  "Give up on Mamoru," 
she said.

	"Never," Kodachi said.  "I'd die first."

	"If that's how it has to be..."  Shampoo began.  She 
looked tough, but her voice was wavering.

	"NO!"  Mamoru said, looming over both of them.  "Get 
off her NOW!"  

	Shampoo looked up at him.  "She say she want to die 
instead of giving up on you."

	"Are you seriously saying you'd kill her?"

	"Shampoo do her Amazon duty!" she replied.  
"Obstacles... are for killing."  Her voice wavered again at 
that, but Mamoru was past noticing.  He was a patient man, 
but his patience had run out.

	"I won't let you kill her!" he said, instinctively 
transforming.  He held his cane like a sword.  "Not now, not 
EVER.  Do you understand that?  Your stupid Amazon laws 
don't apply here!"

	Now Shampoo got mad.  "Amazon laws NOT stupid!  
Shampoo show you she's not stupid!"  In a rage, she attacked 
him, driving him back with the sheer fury of her anger, while 
he parried desperately.

	If he hadn't transformed, she would have pounded him 
flat.  Unfortunately for her, being transformed made him 
much stronger and quicker than usual, and desperation 
opened him to old memories and old skills.  She could see him 
getting better as the fight progressed, beginning to 
anticipate her moves and strike back.

	Soon, to her shock, he was driving her back, right into 
the pool.  As she went down, she grabbed his legs and pulled 
him in after her.

	They wrestled around underwater, trying to pin each 
other's arms, until finally they had to come up for air.  
"Shampoo suggest we get out of pool."

	He nodded, and they got out.  The cold air was even 
colder to their soaked flesh, and Shampoo sneezed twice, 
ruining a feint, although she still managed to get a blow 
through to smack him in the chest, knocking him down.  
When she tried to follow up, however, he managed to sweep 
her legs.

	"Big sister, what's going on?" Usagi asked from the 
door to the pool air.  "I had a bad feeling and..."

	"She tried to kill Kodachi!"  Tuxedo Kamen announced.  
"I cannot allow that."  

	While he struck a heroic pose, Shampoo beat him down 
with a mace to the head.  As she went in for a stomp to the 
face, however, he somehow made his staff extend, hitting 
her in the stomach and knocking her back into the pool again.

	Shampoo sick of water, she thought.  "He called 
Shampoo stupid!"  

	Usagi ran over to Kodachi, who was trying to get up.  
"Are you okay?"

	Right as Shampoo climbed out of the water, she took a 
top hat to the face and toppled back in.  As she fell, she 
watched it boomerang back to Tuxedo Kamen, and wondered 
how he did that.

	"I'm...fine," Kodachi said.  "Help me to a deck chair so I 
can watch my love crush that evil Amazon."

	Usagi helped her over, then turned to face them.  
"There's no reason for you two to be fighting!"

	Ryouga walked up to her.  "Do you know where Ami is?"

	"Last I saw, she was playing baccarat."

	"Thanks."  He wandered towards the hotel side.

	I wonder who that was, she thought.

	Shampoo managed to vault out of the water this time, 
land on the diving board, then used that to launch a great 
arcing jump kick at Tuxedo Kamen that would have worked 
very well if someone had nailed his feet to the floor.  
Unfortunately for her, no one had remembered to do that, 
and instead he stepped to one side and 'helped' her crash 
into the concrete, then whacked her in the head for good 
measure.

	Shampoo finally was stunned, and she lay there in a 
state of confusion and pain.  Usagi ran over to her.  "Big 
sister!"

	Tuxedo Kamen detransformed.  "Is everyone in your 
home village like this?"

	"Mostly," Usagi said.  "Do you need any help, big 
sister?"

	Shampoo's eyes cleared, and she looked up at Mamoru.  
"Now we officially engaged, since you beat me."

	"..."

	"WHAT?  You can't marry him, you tramp!"  Kodachi 
announced, getting up.  "HE IS MINE!!!!"  She then winced and 
sat down.

	"Mamoru only man for me," she said, clinging to his leg.  
"Please help Shampoo up."

	Mamoru helped her to her feet, then turned to Usagi.  "I'm going
to go make Kodachi lie down. Can you take care of your sister?"  Mamoru
asked.

	"Sure thing, Chiba-san," Usagi said.  She took Shampoo from
Mamoru, helping Shampoo to remain standing.

	"Call me Mamoru," he said.  "Just don't tell me I have to 
marry you."

	"Ranma and Rei are the ones for me," she replied.

	He blinked.  "You're a very honest person."

	"Honesty is the best policy when it isn't a good idea to 
lie."

	"Ahh, Amazon wisdom?"

	"That's what Great-Grandmother always says," Usagi 
replied.

	"Then she say 'Put it in a bowl', but we never 
understand what she's talking about," Shampoo said, then 
shrugged.  "Let's go, Usagi."

**************

	Arthur and Lynn watched Grandpa and Genma, both in 
trenchcoats, fedoras, and sunglasses, going down the 
hallway, peeking under doors and sliding notes under them.  
Arthur grinned, then slid up to them, saying in deliberately
broken Japanese, "This Japanese custom?"

	Grandpa and Genma started.  "Yes, we slide notes 
under doors for luck," Grandpa said.

	"Ahh, good for custom.  Let me be being helping you," 
Arthur said, taking a piece of paper from Genma, and writing 
something on it.  He then slid it under one of the doors.  
"Merry Buddha day."  He took Lynn by the arm and marched 
off.

	Once they got out of sight, Lynn said, "Happy Buddha 
day?"

	"Merry Buddha day.  I was trying to sound like an idiot."

	"Comes naturally to you," she said.

	"Exact..hrmph."

***********

	Ranma-chan was trying to decide whether to bet her 
pants in order to try to avoid having to write another IOU for 
ten years of service to the Gambling King, when Naoko 
showed up.  "Hi, Ranma.  Is this a private game?"

	"Yeah, I'm trying to win back some stuff, but my luck 
ain't too good."

	"Can I play too?"  Naoko asked.

	The Gambling King looked her up and down.  "Got 
anything valuable?  Besides your body?"

	Naoko blushed a little at that.  "I have ten gold chips 
and a lot of lesser ones."

	"Oh sure, why not," the Gambling King said.  "About all 
Ranma here had left was her clothing and...any children after 
the fifteenth."

	"What's the game?"  she asked.

	"High stakes Old Maid."

	"..."

	"It is the game of Kings!"  the Gambling King 
pronounced.  "Well, of Queens, anyway."

	"Can you get me something to drink, Ranma?"  Naoko 
asked.  "I'm really thirsty."

	"Sure," Ranma-chan said.

	By the time she got back, Naoko had half the IOUs 
stacked up next to her and had doubled the number of chips 
she had as well.  The Gambling King's hat was on the ante 
pile.  

	Ranma-chan looked over Naoko's shoulder.  Naoko had 
the Queen of Spades four cards over from the leftmost 
card.  The Gambling King was about to take it, so Ranma-
chan grinned.  His hand slid over and took the four of clubs 
instead.  "Feh," Ranma-chan said.

	Naoko looked up at Ranma-chan.  "Now I know why you 
were losing so badly."

	"What?"

	She pulled out a chair for Ranma-chan with her foot.  
"Here."  She took the drink.  "Thanks a lot, Ranma."

	"You're welcome."  Ranma-chan thought for a moment.  
"I'm gonna go get changed, okay?"

	"Okay, I'll be here," Naoko said.

*************

	Naru watched Rei dance with Ken and wondered how 
exactly he'd managed to convince Rei to dance with him.  
Maybe it was just to make him shut up.  Ryo and Ami were 
dancing as well, while she and Gosunkugi stood and watched 
them.  Finally, she decided there was no good reason to just 
watch.  "You want to dance, Gosunkugi?"

	He had his eyes glued on Ami, and he didn't seem too 
happy about what was going on, she realized.  He turned to 
her.  "What?"

	"Dance?"

	"Sure," he said, taking her by the hand.  

	Neither of them really knew what they were doing, so 
they just sort of shuffled around the floor.  "So why did you 
leave Juuban to go to Blue Sky?"  Naru asked.

	"Oh, my folks decided I needed to go somewhere that 
would have more emphasis on athletics," he said.  "So I would 
toughen up."

	"Did it work?" she asked.

	"I've been hit by every sort of thrown sports object 
there is," Gosunkugi said.  "I managed to knock out Coach 
Amano with a shotput.  However, I have mastered the game 
of darts."

	"Well, that's good," she said.  "Anything exciting 
happen to you in the last few years?"

	"I won the top jackpot a few hours ago," he said.  "I 
stashed enough of it to pay for college and set me up pretty 
well when I get out.  Won it on the slot machine.  And I won 
another 500,000 yen at the poker tables.  And I win our 
dorm poker tournament every semester.  Dad thinks I ought 
to become a professional gambler, but I don't trust my luck."

	"Sounds like you're incredibly lucky," Naru said.

"Every time I have a run of really good luck, really bad luck 
also starts happening," Gosunkugi said.  "Like, I think one of 
the people I beat at Poker might be Yakuza."

	Naru laughed.  "You always had a big imagination," she 
said.

	"And bad health."  

	The music changed, and Ami and Ryo came over.  
"Want to switch partners?"  Ami asked.

	"Sure," Naru said.

	Rei suddenly swooped down and took Gosunkugi by the 
hand, passing Ken to Ami.  "Come dance with me, Gosunkugi!"  
Before he could say anything, she whirled him away from the 
other four.

	"But..." he protested feebly.

	"Ken's hand was getting too far down my back," Rei 
said.  "But I know you won't do that."

	My hand will slip, and then I will die, Gosunkugi thought.  

	Much to his surprise, nothing bad happened.  In fact, he 
had a pleasant chat with Rei.  When the couples came 
together again, this time a tall handsome man with wavy 
brown hair swept in and carried Naru off for a dance, and he 
finally got his chance to dance with Ami, while Rei danced 
with Ryo, and Ken was left to stare.

	"Do you go dancing often?"  Ami asked Gosunkugi.

	He attempted to speak but only the letter 'A' would 
come out.  Finally, he managed to say, "Not really."

	"Are you sure it's okay if I..." she began.

	"Keep the chips," he said faintly.  "I have a feeling you 
might need them."

	"I can make good use of them," she said, "But I just..."

	"They're yours," he said.

	"Thanks," she replied, smiling at him.  He felt like he 
would melt.

	Meanwhile, Naru danced with Mr. Clancy.  He whirled her 
about much more impressively than the others had.  To her 
surprise, it was very easy to keep up with him; he was a 
good leader.  "You dance really well, Mr. Clancy."

	"Call me Tom," he said.  "Enjoying your evening out?"

	"Very much," she said, blushing.  He's so handsome, 
she thought.  I hope he comes up with more work for Mom to 
do so I can see him more often.  "Mom's really enjoying the 
commission work."

	"Good.  I may have some other work for her," he said, 
spinning Naru out until only a single finger linked them, then 
drawing her back in.  "You dance well."

	"Not really," she said.
	
	"No, really, you do," he said, smiling.  There's 
something about this girl, he thought.  I feel like I know her 
from somewhere...could she be the Princess?

	He glanced over at Gosunkugi.  I've seen that boy 
before too, he thought.  In fact, most of these kids look 
familiar.  He shook his head.  I must be imagining things, he 
thought.

	Emerald slapped one of the kids, some teen who'd 
apparently gotten stuck by himself without a partner and tried
to hit on her, then made her way over to him, looking quite 
fetching in a long jade colored Chinese dress.  She didn't 
know how to walk in it very well, though, and kept nearly 
tripping.  "Ne..." she began.

	"Excuse me, Naru," Tom said.  "My sister, Esmerelda, 
needs me, it seems."  

	"I'm not..."  Emerald began.

	Naru let go.  "Um, okay."

	"I'll be right back," he said.  He grabbed Emerald and 
dragged her away.  "Don't call me Nephrite when humans are 
listening," he hissed.  "What is it?"
	
	"You like 'em young, eh?"  Emerald said.

	"WHAT is it?"

	"We've determined that Envy seems to be wandering 
around here, getting lost due to subconscious teleportation 
and a total lack of direction.  I'm trying to organize some 
sort of observation pattern that should help us spot him the 
next time he turns up and hold him for you."

	"Good, get to it.  And keep Greed away from the slot 
machines."

	"While you indulge your fleshly desires?"

	He frowned.  "Emerald, if you take that tone of voice 
with me again..."

	She bowed.  "I live to serve, my lord Nephrite.  I shall 
not question your choice of female companionship again, and 
I will give thanks it does not include me."  She turned and 
left.

	If she wasn't so competent, I would kill her, Nephrite 
thought.  But she acts like she's Beryl instead of a 
subordinate.  For a moment, he wondered if she might be 
Beryl in disguise, but he dismissed the thought.  Some people 
are just naturally arrogant, he concluded.  

**************

	Ranma was regretting rejoining the Old Maid game.  He 
now owed Naoko about 10,000 years of service, roughly two 
hundred children, and half the planet.  The Gambling King 
wasn't doing much better, having lost all his IOUs from 
Ranma, and several dozen from other customers.  He'd also 
lost a fifty percent interest in the casino to Naoko.

	Naoko got up and yawned.  "Let's go, Ranma.  That's 
enough Old Maid for me."

	"Uh...about all these IOUs," he said.  "I, like, don't own 
North America."

	She went through the stack, tearing up the utterly 
impossible ones.  Then she gave Ranma a large stack of 
chips.  "You can use these tomorrow.  I have an idea for how 
you can settle these other ones."

	"How about double or nothing?" the Gambling King 
asked desperately.

	Naoko looked contemplative.  "How about if you put 
Minako and Konatsu up for this one?"

	"But..."

	"If you win, you get me and Ranma.  I win, I get them."

	"Hey!"

	"Right," he said.  "Blackjack?"

	"Sure," she said.

	He's going to cheat, Ranma realized in a flash of 
insight.  

	Naoko sent Minako for a sealed deck.  Minako brought 
one.  "Since you challenged me, I'll deal," Naoko said.

	"But..." the Gambling King began.

	"Well, it is a sealed deck," she said.  "Here, you deal."  
She passed it to him.

	She got an eight of hearts for the face up card.  
Nervously, she peeped at her hole card, then showed it to 
Ranma.  It was the seven of hearts.  The Gambling King had a 
ten of clubs face up.  "Hit me," Naoko said.

	"Are you SURE that's a good idea?"  Ranma asked.

	"Trust me," she said.

	The Gambling King dealt her a six of hearts.  "I stand," 
he said, grinning.  "I'm afraid you've lost this one."  He 
flipped his hole card, the ten of diamonds.  "Twenty for me, 
which I'm sure you can't beat."

	"Oh really?" she said, showing her perfect 21 hand.  
"Looks like two ninjas for me."

	"But...I dealt you the ten of hearts down!" he said.  "I 
spent hours stacking and resealing that deck!"  Then he 
realized what he had just said.  

	Ranma growled.  "You stacked the DECK?"

	"The duck," he said feebly.  "My flock of ducks 
gets...um... rancid, if you don't stack them periodically.  And 
they leak, so you have to reseal them."

	Minako hugged Naoko and Ranma.  "I'm finally FREE!  I'm 
gonna go find Konatsu and party!  I'll come find you tomorrow 
to start my term of service with you!"

	She threw down an eggshell grenade, which simply 
sprayed confetti.  "Not again," she said, then simply 
backflipped away.

	Naoko got up.  "And that's that.  Come with me, 
Ranma."  She gulped.  "I have a way for you to repay what 
you owe me."

	"Need me to move some furniture for you or 
something?" he asked.

	"Something like that."

************

	Rei found herself dancing with Tsubasa while Ukyou 
danced with Ken.  Ken's rather persistent, Rei thought.

	"You look lovely tonight," Tsubasa said.  "Having any 
luck with Ranma?"

	"He's vanished," she said.  "Don't know where he went."  
She frowned.  "None of the others know either."

	"Oh, I'm sure he's okay," Tsubasa said.  "You should ask 
the spirits to check on him."

	Her eyes widened.  "What?"

	"You talk to them too, right?  I can see it in your eyes."  
He moved her into a four corners step.  "You also dance 
well."

	'She'd rather be dancing with Ranma, though,' her 
dress said.

	"I know," he replied to it.  "But I'm sure I dance better 
than he does."

	"You...could hear it?"

	"Usually, I wear disguises so they can't find me and ask 
me to solve all their problems.  Spirits will eat up your entire 
life if you let them," Tsubasa said matter of factly.  "But I 
think Ukyou likes it better when I don't, so I wore this suit to 
try to impress her."

	"I can't see why she doesn't like you."

	"I think I talked to her pants one too many times in our 
last life," Tsubasa said.  "I couldn't help it.  Diamond had 
pants that just wouldn't shut up."

	Rei stumbled.  "You...remember...that?"

	"Bits and pieces.  A lot came back when I finally found 
her.  Although I hadn't been expecting Diamond to be a 
woman.  I guess he decided to switch so his chances with 
Ruby would be better.  Doesn't look like it worked."

	"So, how would I...go about summoning a spirit to go 
find Ranma?"

	"I don't know; I never studied how women do it."

	Rei ground her teeth.  "That isn't much help."

	"It's like asking a guy how to use a tampon.  We could 
learn, but there's usually no point."

	"Well, I'll just go find him the hard way," she said.  "See 
you later, Tsubasa."

	"Bye!"

***************

	Michiru watched Kunou lose yet more money.  He's too 
bold for his own good at times, she thought.  "Well, I'm going 
to bed," she said, yawning.  "You'd best go to bed or you..."

	"Woo woo woo woo woo woo woo..."  Minako backflipped 
past them.

	She watched Minako go by, scratched her head, then 
continued.  "Won't have anything left to gamble with 
tomorrow."

	"My luck seems fled tonight," Kunou said, getting up.  
"Let me escort you back to your room."

	She let Kunou take her arm, and lost herself in her 
thoughts, nodding and making appreciative noises to 
whatever exactly he was talking about as they headed over 
to the hotel side.  How am I ever going to get out of this, she 
asked herself.  He's a nice enough man, but I don't want a 
man, and I don't want to marry any time soon, even if I did 
want a man.  And if I was after a man, he's not the sort I'd 
be after.  

	As they reached the third floor hallway, she saw Ukyou 
and Haruka going into their room and frowned.  Poor girl 
stuck with that Haruka punk, Michiru thought.  On the other 
hand, I see them together quite a bit, so I suppose she must 
like Haruka.  I wonder if they...  She shook her head.  No 
one's taste could be that bad. 

	Kunou's voice finally sunk in.  "You're in 304, right?"

	"Yes."

	"We're here."

	She noticed Haruka and Ukyou were watching her and 
Kunou.  Haruka said, "Gonna kiss your boyfriend goodnight?  
Won't your other one get jealous?"

	Michiru ground her teeth for a few seconds, then 
turned and smiled brightly.  "At least it doesn't take a love 
potion for someone to like ME."

	Haruka frowned deeply.  "At least I've got taste!"

	"C'mon, Haruka," Ukyou said.  "She's not worth it."

	Kunou finally said slowly, "Other boyfriend?"

	Michiru said, "They have the delusion I'm dating 
Mamoru, when everyone knows he's seeing your sister."  
Sort of dating your sister anyway, she thought.  If 
he was a woman, I might date him.  And if I didn't 
have this engagement hanging over me.  

	"Sounds inces..."  Haruka began, only to have Ukyou 
clamp a hand over her mouth and drag her out of the hallway 
into their room.

	"Speaking of them, have you seen them since Mamoru 
left to deal with that fight?"

	She shook her head.  "Perhaps we should go find 
them."

	"I'll go find them.  You sleep."  He bent down and closed 
his eyes, clearly hoping for a kiss.

	She sighed and kissed his cheek.  "Goodnight, Kunou."

	"Goodnight, my aqua-tressed maiden."

	She stepped into her empty room and thanked the 
heavens that apparently the rooms had been reshuffled so 
she wouldn't have to sleep in the same room as Haruka.  I've 
never met such an arrogant, loud-mouthed, rude woman in 
my life, Michiru thought as she began to undress.  

	Her brain drifted as she changed into her pajamas, 
constructing various romantic scenarios with the other 
guests, and wondering how many of them would actually play 
out.  To her surprise, she felt a little jealous that she 
wouldn't have such a chance.  Or more precisely that her 
opportunity for romance was with a guy she didn't love, 
rather than someone that she could.  

	Envy is bad for you, she thought to herself.  So stop 
it.

***********

	Minako danced around the lobby with Konatsu.  "We're 
free!  We're free!"

	"Eh?"

	"Well, sort of free.  Free of the Gambling King!  He lost 
us to Naoko!"  She hugged Konatsu tightly.  "No more working 
for a fat, ugly, evil man!  I'm so happy I could die!"

	"He'll probably find some way to get us back," Konatsu 
said, remembering several other times the Gambling King had 
used them as betting tokens.

	"Not if I can help it!  Let's go pack so we'll be ready to 
go."

	He nodded.  "Let me shut down here, and then I'll go 
pack my stuff."

	Minako bounced off down the hallway, only to run into 
someone who looked somewhat familiar.  He was tall and 
handsome, with long white hair tied in place with a rising sun 
bandana that looked out of place with his suit.  She fell down 
on top of him when they collided.  "Do I know you?" she 
asked.

	"You!  You're the one!" he said.  "Venus!  I finally found 
you!"

	Blushing, she jumped back.  "Well, I know I am beautiful, 
but..."

	"You're Sailor Venus!  I've been looking for you for 
years!"

	"You must have me confused with someone else.  
There's no Sailor Venus.  I'm just a ninja named Minako."

	The dark haired woman with him sighed.  "Don't mind 
Arthur.  You're the third woman he's said that to today."

	"But this time I am RIGHT!"  he announced, pulling a 
bronze pen with gold trim out of his pocket.  It had a large 
red heart on the top of the cap.  "This is yours," he said, 
handing to Minako.  "Say, Venus Ninja Magic!"

	"Shouldn't that be Venus Power, Make Up?"  the woman 
began.

	"Shhh."

	Minako looked at it.  "Venus Ninja Magic?"

	The world blurred, and suddenly Minako was 
everywhere at once, bouncing around like a rubber ball, 
hitting everything in sight, breaking six doors and knocking 
the man and woman out stone cold.  They both turned into 
cats, surprising Minako very much.  She nearly passed out 
herself, falling to her knees.  "Geez, just like that video 
game.  Except for people turning into cats.  Good thing I 
didn't say Venus Power, Make Up.  Oh wait..."

	 The transformation rushed over her like a wave, 
awakening old memories and raising her up into the air to 
pirouette around in a fairly risque manner as she lost her old 
clothing and gained a new uniform.  She struck a pose as it 
finished, raising her right hand to the sky and looking like 
she'd just finished tossing a bowling ball.  

	She gave a sigh of relief.  "Note to self--read the 
manual first in future."  Now how do I turn these cats back 
to normal?  She tried pointing the magic pen-wand at them.  
"Cat to Human, Venus Transform!"  That didn't work.  

	"!snamuh ot kcab stac eseht nruT"  Still no luck.

	"Flow Break!  RECOVERY!!!!"  Nothing.  "DRAGON SLAVE!"  
After a moment of silence, she said, "Okay, bad idea.  Let's 
see..."
 
	She knelt down and tried slamming their paws 
together.  "Form of a male human!  Shape of a female 
human!"  This didn't do anything either, except to wake them 
up.

	"Oww," the male, white cat said.  "Ahah!  I was right!  
She is Venus!"  He got up on four feet, then suddenly grew 
into his human form.  "I told you, Luna."

	Luna got up and transformed to her human form.  
"Okay, THIS time you were right."

	"Oh wow, are you Bastet?"  Minako asked.  "Does this 
mean I'm a werecat too?"

	"Nope.  It all started in the Moon Kingdom, thousands 
of years ago..."

************

	Ken, Naru, Umino, and Feldspar sat by the pool and 
talked.  Ken said, "He was big into sports when he was at 
Blue Sky, but I guess he's too busy teaching martial arts to 
do them now."

	Naru nodded.  "He's a good teacher."  She got up and 
ran through a kata, feeling the urge to show off, and hoping 
she didn't miss any of the moves.  Many non-existent thugs 
fell down in her imagination.

	Feldspar got up and came over.  "The kick needs to be 
like this," she said, demonstrating it with a quick spin.  
"Otherwise you're going to hit NEAR them, not on them."  She 
got behind Naru.  "Do it again."

	"But I'll hit you!"

	"I've been learning martial arts since I was six.  I can 
take it."

	Naru executed the spinning kick, which struck 
accurately at Feldspar's stomach, then nearly fell down when 
Feldspar blocked it.  Feldspar restrained her instinct to 
follow up by knocking Naru into the pool.  Too much combat 
training is occasionally bad, Feldspar thought.  "Kicks have 
more power than a punch, but you risk a loss of balance.  
Especially when you won't see your foe until the blow 
strikes."

	How'd a geek like Umino get a butt-kicking girlfriend 
like that?  Ken asked himself.  And I can't even get Rei to 
dance with me.  What am I doing wrong?

	"Can you break bricks?"  Umino asked Feldspar.

	"I broke a three inch thick jade slab once,"  Feldspar 
said.  "But I don't think I've ever struck a brick."

	"You broke a three inch slab of JADE, Akiko?"  Naru 
asked.  "I could...probably buy this hotel with that!"

	I keep forgetting gemstones are actually valuable 
instead of annoying in this world, Feldspar thought.  "Well, 
Dad claimed it was jade.  He wasn't very happy with me."

	An irritated looking green haired woman stormed 
through the pool area, grumbling about people getting lost.  
Feldspar could feel the power radiating from her; she was 
quite strong in magic.

	Is she one of ours?  Feldspar wondered.  Are there 
more of us around?  Maybe this place is some sort of energy 
collection center.  Maybe I should call Margaret or try to find 
Tourmaline.  I know she's around here somewhere...

**********

	Ranma put his chips on the table and took off his tie 
and jacket.  "So what is it you want me to do?"

	His room was fairly empty except for a large bed, a 
dresser-drawers with a TV on top of it, a small table with 
four chairs, and the door to the bathroom.  Naoko put her 
purse, stuffed full of IOUs on the table, then very nervously 
sat down on the bed.  

	"I need you to...come over here."  Her voice quavered,
and her knees kept knocking together in a way that made Ranma
wonder at first if she was too cold.  Given how she was dressed,
that wouldn't surprise him.

	Ranma came over and sat down by her, then his brain 
finally kicked in enough to enable him to realize what she was 
going to do.  He was too late in realizing this, however.

	Before he could do anything, she was leaning on him 
and pressing her lips to his.  He was enough of a teenage 
male not to fight back at first due to enjoying it.  He'd been 
fighting his instincts, trying to be a gentleman, but he'd 
reached his breaking point, at least briefly.  

	After a few seconds, he managed to pull back.  "Naoko, 
what are you DOING?"

	"I'm so lonely, Ranma," she said.  "I lost someone very 
dear to me a while back, someone I hadn't even realized how 
much I cared about him.  Now there's this void in my heart, 
sometimes I just feel like I'm plunging into darkness.  I want 
you to fill it."  Her voice ached with pain.  "I know you don't 
love me, but I need you to pretend.  I need what only a man 
can give me."  

	This is NOT happening, Ranma told himself.  Naoko's 
not this kind of girl.  But she sounds so unhappy, he thought.  
I'd feel awful saying no to her; I bet she'll cry.  But there has 
to be some other guy who can do this.  "I think Ken knows 
more about this than I do.  I've..."  He gulped.  "Never had 
sex."

	"But you have four girlfriends."  Her expression was hard 
to read; she looked desperate and also scared at the same time.

	He took her hands.  "Until I can pick one, I'm trying to 
not go too far with any of them.  And I...I mean...they'd kill 
me, if we..."

	She began to cry.  "I wore this just for you.  I was 
hoping you'd look at me, and...and...  I...you don't think I'm a 
tramp, do you?"  

	"Don't cry," he said.  No, I have to do better than that.  
He tried to wipe her tears with his sleeve, but she kept 
crying.  "There's gotta be some guy who can do this better 
than me."

	"But you're the one I...I...want," she said, burying her 
face in her hands and folding up on herself.  

	He patted her back feebly.  "You look really sexy in 
that, but I..."

	Her head bobbed up.  "You think I'm sexy?" she asked, 
half hopefully, but still shaking from sobs.

	"That's a damn sexy outfit," he said.  "And you've got a 
very nice body."

	"Can't we...I mean...just once?  I promise I won't tell 
anyone," she said.  "I'll give you all the IOUs you owe me and 
go back to my room afterward so no one will know, and..."  He'd
rarely seen a woman look so desperate.

	He shook his head.  "Throwing a woman out after you 
had sex with her is so low class even Pop wouldn't ever do 
it."  Geez, she's determined, he thought.

	"Then..."  she began somewhat hopefully.

	"I can't!"

	"You...you're not really gay are you?"

	Ranma broke a chair over his own head to avoid having 
to break Naoko instead.  "I AM NOT GAY!"

	"Prove it."  She closed her eyes and puckered up.  Her legs
started shaking again as she did so.

	To her surprise, Ranma sprung to his feet.  "I give up!  
You want proof?  I'll give you proof!  I'll go sleep with ALL OF 
THEM!  Just to be fair and prove I'm not gay at the same 
time!  JUST WATCH ME!"

	He stormed out the door, with Naoko trailing after him 
in a mild state of shock.  "No, Ranma, I didn't mean..."

	Ranma banged on Usagi and Rei's room door, but no 
one was home.  Naoko tried to grab him, but he simply 
strode down the hallway.  "Dammit, if no one is home, I'm 
gonna get pissed!"

	"Ranma, you can..."  Naoko began.

	Ranma barged into 307 when the door opened at his 
knock.  "Hey, Ucchan?  Haruka?  Anyone home?"

	The shower was running, while Ukyou was seated on 
the large double bed, watching late night TV.  From the TV, 
an announcer said, "Now, in order to get the 100,000 yen 
prize, you have to swim through this vat of pudding while 
dressed as Tinky-Winky.  And you have to do it in three 
minutes."  

	Ukyou was dressed simply in a City Hunter T-shirt and 
boxer shorts.  "Ranchan?  You wanna watch some TV with 
me?"

	He strode over to her, picked her up, sat down with 
her in his lap, then kissed her fiercely.  Naoko stood in the 
doorway and stared dumbly, not sure what to do with her 
plan having slid down the tubes and into the trash 
compactor.  

	Finally, he broke off the kiss, and stared at her, 
determined to go on, but also scared to do so.  He expected 
Ruby to start screaming at him to stop, but Ruby was 
strangely silent.  Ukyou stared back, a mixture of shock and 
passion on her face.  "Ranchan..."

	He kissed her again, and this time she wrapped her 
arms around him.  Their tongues clumsily quested inside 
each other's mouth, then he pulled out when she accidentally 
bit down on his.  "I'm sorry!" she said.  "I just...I...Haruka's in 
the bathroom..."  She said nervously.

	"Well, she can just join in if she minds watching," 
Ranma said boldly.  "Because I want to..."

	Usagi chose this moment to cross the hall and stick 
her head in the door, and Rei's search, in the way of such 
things, brought her to the end of the hallway at that time.  
"Hey, Ranma, what you...urk."  Usagi stared in shock.

	Curse me and the horse I rode in on, Ranma thought.

*************

	Far across the hotel/casino, Ryo and Ami were still 
dancing as the band played on, but wished they didn't have 
to.  The bandleader tried yawning loudly, but the couple didn't 
notice.  Gosunkugi noticed, but no one noticed him.  He got 
another Coke from the bartender and glumly watched them.  
They're going to kiss, he thought.  And then I'll TOTALLY be 
in hell.

	Much to his surprise, Setsuna said to him, "Hey, 
Gosunkugi, want to dance?"

	"Me?"  He checked to make sure there wasn't some 
other Gosunkugi hanging around.

	"C'mon.  One round before I go to bed.  I was hoping I'd 
find Ranma here, but I should have known better."

	As they danced, Gosunkugi felt the hairs on his arm 
begin to stand up, which he'd long ago learned meant 
something really bad was going to happen, usually to himself.  
I'll probably somehow fall off the balcony with her, he 
thought.  Then she'll drown and Ranma will kill me.  

	When the doors opened and a boy clad in a yellow and 
black tunic with brown pants and a large umbrella barged in, 
Gosunkugi's arms chilled to the point his teeth chattered.  
The boy looked around, then looked right at Ami.  "Ami!  I 
finally..." he began.

	Gosunkugi looked at Ami, as did Setsuna.  Ami and Ryo 
were leaning close to each other.  Closer.  Lip lock was 
established, and it seemed to last forever.  Then Setsuna 
said, "Chronos' Liver!"  She grabbed him and dived towards 
the bandstand, sending band members flying.

	Ryouga screamed.  "NO!  NO!!!  YOU CAN'T HAVE HER!  
NOOOO!!!!!"  And then he exploded.  A wave of black energy 
that was probably the younger brother of the explosion from 
Akira flooded through the room flinging Ami, Ryo, and 
various unlucky band members crashing into the walls.  

	When the explosion cleared, Ryouga was gone or 
perhaps transformed, replaced by a ten foot tall humanoid 
with green skin, solid green eyes, long green-black claws, and 
black flame coming from his mouth.  The umbrella was now a 
scythe of black metal with a bamboo hilt.  He continued to 
scream, and now a wave of green energy rushed forth from 
him.  

	"PLUTO POWER, MAKE UP!"  Setsuna shouted.  She 
transformed, leaving Gosunkugi staring in shock.  The power 
of her transformation deflected the green energy from 
immediately around herself, shielding Gosunkugi and two of 
the band members.

	Envy turned and stared at her.  "You...you're one of 
the Sailors!"

	Gosunkugi stared at her.  Setsuna is a Sailor Senshi?  
Wow!  It was enough to distract him from all the 'Run for 
your life, run now, never come back' signals his body was 
giving him.

	"Invited by a ditzy ninja, I am the harbringer of the 
twenty first century, Sailor Pluto!  This is my life, and I 
intend you to have NO part of it!  Blowing up a ballroom just 
because you hate love is no good at all!"  

	As Sailor Pluto rambled on, Envy began to tap his foot, 
getting impatient.  Gosunkugi, on the other hand, felt 
something stir in his mind.  Something about 'Pluto'.  He'd 
known a Pluto or something.  Maybe I'm just remembering 
Disney cartoons, he thought.  But there had been a palace or 
something, and...

	And there was a green gem on the floor near where 
Envy stood.  It glittered in the light of the ceiling lamps, 
drawing his attention.  Maybe he'll lose his power if I get it 
away from him, Gosunkugi thought.  But how?

	"And I should be with my boyfriend, but nooooo, you 
had to show up," Pluto rambled on.  

	Envy finally got fed up and charged her, swinging his 
scythe wildly.  She leaped to one side, and Gosunkugi leaped 
to the other.  As Envy chased Pluto around the room, 
Gosunkugi scampered forward and grabbed the gem.  Maybe 
if I break it, he dies, Gosunkugi thought.

	"Give me that," a man demanded.  He was handsome, 
with wavy brown hair, and he was wearing a grey uniform 
that Gosunkugi found familiar.  To Gosunkugi's surprise, he 
knew the man's name.  "Nephrite."

	"I see my reputation precedes me," Nephrite said.  He 
held out a hand.  "Give me the gem, and I won't hurt you."

	Gosunkugi was about to give it to him, but as his hand 
started to move, the feeling of impending doom grew even 
stronger.  When he stopped moving his hand, the feeling 
retreated.  Gosunkugi had long learned to trust these 
feelings.  "No," he said faintly.  "You'll do something bad 
with it."

	Nephrite advanced on him.  "I'll do something worse if 
you don't give it to me."

	"No," he said a little more strongly.  "You used this to 
turn that boy into a monster."  He began to back up.

	"There's a monster inside everyone," Nephrite said.  
"Some fight it, others embrace it.  Suppress it, and you 
become weak.  Let it rule you and you become a beast.  
Properly used, it's a tool.  He only does now what he wanted 
to do all along.  He but follows the destiny mapped out for 
him by the stars.  Give me the gem, or I will destroy you and 
take it anyway."
	 
	Envy drove Pluto back towards the balcony.  She 
grabbed a handy chair to parry his scythe, but he sliced it in 
twain.  "DEAD SCREAM!"  Even shouted, Dead Scream only 
annoyed him.  Then he struck her in the gut with the butt 
end of the scythe and sent her toppling over the edge of the 
balcony.  He gave a shout of triumph, and another wave of 
green energy flooded across the room, sparing only 
Gosunkugi, who was shielded by the gem he held.  It shone 
now with a faint green nimbus, and he could smell the scent 
of pine coming from it.  

	"Envy, kill the boy and give me the gem," Nephrite said.  
"And hurry!  The other generals will be coming to take it 
soon!  They'll brag they're better than me if we screw up this 
time."

	Envy turned and advanced relentlessly on Gosunkugi, 
who could feel the level of doom increasing exponentially 
every second.  "Magic stone...DO SOMETHING!"  Gosunkugi 
shouted in a panic.

	And it did.  Green bolts exploded from the gem, flying 
off in many different directions, including one which went 
right off the balcony the same way Pluto had fallen.  
Unfortunately, this didn't seem to accomplish very much.

	Envy raised his scythe, and Gosunkugi cowered.  Right 
as it started to fall, he suddenly wondered why Nephrite had 
ordered Envy to seize the gem.  Then a hurled rose 
shattered the blade of the scythe.

	"I am Tuxedo Kamen, defender of the innocent!  Just 
because he's spooky looking is no reason to chop him into 
giblets!"  He paused.  "Can I start that speech over?"  Kunou 
stood alongside him, bokken held high, patiently waiting for
his turn to pontificate.  They stood in the open double doors 
on the northern side of the ballroom.

	"I see you are as wrapped in your delusions about truth 
and justice as ever," Nephrite said.  "So long as you deny 
that the only truth is the power of the stars, and that we 
cannot escape their will however hard we struggle, you will 
know only futility and failure.  I'm also more handsome than 
you, still."

	"But I am more handsome than him," Kunou announced.  
"You cannot possibly match me."  He got into a fighting 
stance.  "I will handle the green fellow, if you deal with his 
sorcerer minion, Mamoru."

	As he rambled on, Silicon slipped up invisibly behind 
Kunou, preparing to strike.

	"MINION?"  Nephrite spat out.  "He is MY minion!"

	"Clearly he is larger and stronger than you," Kunou 
said, "While you are a spindly bishonen sorcerer.  And 
everyone knows bishonen are pathetic weaklings and 
posers."

	"Oh?  And who are YOU?"

	"I am Kunou Tatewaki..."  His bokken went up like a 
lightning rod.  Silicon reared up on her feet to strike him 
down from behind.  "THE BLUE THUNDER OF FURINKAN HIGH!"  
Lightning struck down behind him, pounding Silicon invisibly 
into the floor.  She passed out.  He looked at Nephrite again.  
"Hmm, do all sorcerers dress like you these days?"

	"Can I get to finish my speech now?  Or are you going 
to ramble on all day?"  Tuxedo Kamen snapped.

	Emerald rushed in, along with Iron and Platinum.  "The 
Rainbow Crystal!"

	"Take it and bring it to me!" Nephrite commanded.

	"We're sick of taking orders from you!"  Iron said.  "I'm 
sick of how you mistreat us and then take all the glory for 
yourself!"  He punched Nephrite across the room.

	An all out brawl erupted between cranky youma, one 
general, and two heroes.  Gosunkugi took the opportunity to 
run for his life.

**************

	When the explosion went off in the ballroom, Feldspar 
said to the others, "Run!"  They were running when the green 
wave struck them.  Ken stopped running and announced, "I'm 
sick of Ranma having four girlfriends, and me having none!  
I'm going to go take Rei away from him NOW!"

	"Do it!"  Naru shouted.  "She doesn't deserve him, the 
tramp!"

	"I wish I was as popular as him," Umino muttered.

	Feldspar struggled to fight off the impulse to go find 
Tourmaline and kick her butt for always acting so superior 
just because she was smart.  If she hadn't seen the green 
wave and recognized its source, she would likely have given 
in, but it had been just enough to clue her in that Envy was 
likely involved in this.  Instead, she took Umino's hand.  "You 
have to fight it," she said.  "You're being influenced by 
magic."  

	Naru and Ken ran off together towards the hotel, while 
Feldspar kept him from following them.  "I have to kick 
Ranma's ass," Umino muttered.  "Or get some good juicy dirt 
on him to destroy him."

	"Snap out of it!"  she shook him, trying to remember 
how to undo brainwashing, then realizing she had never been 
taught how.  "How can you be thinking about Ranma when 
you're here with me?"

	He stared at her.  "I just...he's so..."

	"Stupid compared to you."

	His eyes widened.  "You really think so?"

	"I know so.  C'mon, we have to get out of here."

	They left, but she kept a firm grip on him, just to be 
sure.

*************

	Rei's incoherent shouts of rage managed to attract 
just about everyone, including Grandpa and Genma, who had 
been peeping around the end of the corridor.  Except for 
Haruka, who paused to put on a towel before she came out.

	"Ranma!  How can you...WITH HER?"  Rei's face was 
beet red with anger.

	The first pulse of Envy energy chose this moment to 
flood through the area, just as Michiru stepped out into the 
hallway and Haruka came out of the bathroom.  Michiru 
stared at them.  "And you dare to yell at me for having two 
boyfriends?"  Michiru screeched at Haruka.  "You're half 
naked with a woman and a man in your room!"

	"Ranma, you've betrayed me!"  Usagi and Rei both 
shouted.

	"Why are you paying attention to them when I'm here?"  
Ukyou demanded of Ranma.

	"Hey, I WAS TRYING TO SEDUCE HIM FIRST!  Take a 
number!"  Naoko shouted.

	"Ukyou, how can you be with him when you could have 
me?"  Tsubasa shouted.

	"Shampoo tell you Ranma is BAD NEWS!"  Shampoo 
announced.

	"Oh, like I haven't seen you two smooching each other!  
I know you were lovers before and you took the Oath of 
Bronze!!!  How am I supposed to compete with that!"  Ranma 
snapped back at Rei and Usagi.  "First you call me gay, then 
you get mad when I try to prove I'm not!"

	"Damn you, boy!"  Genma shouted.  "I never had this 
many women when I was your age, and I'm sick and tired of 
you pussyfooting around!  So I'm gonna punt you to the 
MOON!"  He charged down the hallway.

	Grandpa, whose mystical abilities had shielded him, 
tried to figure out what was going on.

	"Well, if you're going to be a jealous twit, we might as 
well give you something to be jealous of!"  Rei shouted, then 
hefted Usagi.  "C'mon, let's do it, Diana!"

	Usagi stuck out her tongue at Ranma as Rei carried 
her off.  Ranma tried to run after her, but Shampoo blocked 
his path, and Ukyou dragged him back to the bed.  "Oh no you 
don't run out on me THIS time!"  Ukyou said.

	"Shampoo has had enough of you!"  She started trying 
to beat Ranma down, as did Tsubasa.  Naoko tried to join in, 
but Ukyou grabbed a handy chair and took her down, then 
started going at it with Shampoo, chair vs. maces, while 
Ranma put Tsubasa in a headlock.  Then Genma charged in 
and dived onto Ranma and Tsubasa, knocking them to the 
floor.

	Out in the hallway, Haruka and Michiru had the nastiest 
sort of fight, with pulling of hair and knees to the stomach.  
Haruka soon started getting the better of it.  Grandpa 
charged in and pulled them apart, but he was hard pressed 
to do anything more than that.  "Stop fighting!  It's 
unfeminine!"

	"Leggo of me, you withered troll!"  Haruka shouted.

	"Ugly, senile old man, let me AT HER!"  Michiru snarled.

	He decided to let them kill each other, while he 
concentrated on saving his granddaughter.  Rei and Usagi 
had locked the door behind them, however, so he began 
pounding on it.  "Don't do it!"  He shouted.  "You should be 
trying to get Ranma away from that woman, not betraying 
him with the Amazon!"  This had no obvious effect.

	In Ukyou and Haruka's room, everyone had briefly 
teamed up to beat Genma down, as they all had reasons to 
be irritated with him.  "Looks like YOU'RE the one who needs 
to practice harder!"  Ranma announced as they tied him up 
with the bedsheets.

	He paused, getting the feeling that something horrible 
had happened to Setsuna.  She's in danger, he thought.  
"Setsuna's in danger!"  he announced.  

	"Shampoo sick of smart people who think she's stupid!  
Shampoo say let her die!"

	Then bolts of green energy arced around various 
corners and struck everyone present except Genma and 
Grandpa.  Two bolts wiggled under Rei and Usagi's door.  
Everyone froze in place as the effects of Envy's power  
faded, and they felt Gosunkugi's desperate plea for help.

	They all paused and stared at each other, not knowing 
what to say.  Then Ranma said, "We've got to go save him!"

	Rei and Usagi's door flew open and they trampled over 
Grandpa, while most of the others trampled Genma on their 
way out.  Grandpa got up once they were gone, and 
staggered over to untie Genma.

	"My brain hurts," Genma said.

	"Me too," Grandpa said.

***********

	Gosunkugi ran and ran and ran, although he didn't really 
know where he was running.  Anywhere but his current 
location sounded good to him.  He was fairly certain that 
several monsters had attacked him, but if there was 
anything Gosunkugi had learned to do in sixteen years of life, 
running away was it (along with playing poker).  

	He ran to the end of the hallway, and tried to open the 
stairwell door, but it was locked.  Turning, he found himself 
confronted by a green haired woman in a green Chinese 
dress.  "I'm afraid you won't get away from me,"  she said.  
"My name is Emerald.  Give me the Rainbow Crystal."

	"No!  I can't let you have it!"

	She advanced on him.  "Why are you so determined to 
keep it, boy?  You could accidentally kill yourself with it, the 
way Queen Serenity died.  It's extremely dangerous for 
someone who lacks training.  Do you even know what it is?"

	"You're not worthy of it."

	"No one is worthy of it but me," Emerald said.  "For I 
am the best of Beryl's servants.  Certainly that fool 
Nephrite doesn't deserve to be in command over me.  Give it 
to me, and I'll let you go.  You are no warrior, and this is not 
your battle."  She thrust out her hand.  "Give it to me."

	He was about to break down and hand it over when a 
question answered his mind.  They have to know I can't 
possibly fight them.  So why do they keep asking me to GIVE 
it to them?  Unless they're afraid I can do something horrible 
to them...

	He stared at the gem, which glowed with the green of 
grass and trees and flowers, and gave forth sweet scents of 
nature.  Maybe it has power over plants, he thought.  There 
was a potted plant nearby, right by the door; the building had 
plants all over it, now that he thought about it.  Plant, kick 
her ass! he told it.

	He felt a sudden rush, then sagged, as green light 
erupted from the crystal, striking the plant, which grew to 
tremendous size, shooting forth vines which entangled 
Emerald, holding her trapped in the air.  "It worked!"

	"And how good do you feel now?"  Emerald asked, 
watching him wobble.  Then a green glow flowed from her 
into the plants, which wilted.  She continued to float in the 
air.  "An interesting try, but I'm not so easily beaten by a 
fern.  This is your last chance.  Give me the gem."

	"Back off, two dollar woman!  This boy's under MY 
protection!"  Sailor Venus had arrived.

	Emerald spun.  "Who are...oh great, ANOTHER one."

	"That's right!  Now, come out with your hands behind 
your back in plain sight!"

	There was a brief silence.  "Do what?"

	"Drop the gun!"

	"I don't have a gun!"

	"Drop your powers!"

	Emerald put her hands on her hips.  "How am I 
supposed to drop my powers?"

	"Umm...you have the right to remain silent.  Any effort 
to...um...incant magic phrases will result in a beating.  You 
have the right to arm bears...no, that's not right.  Um, hold 
on..."  Venus turned to shout down the hallway, "Hey, what 
rights do invaders from other dimensions have?"

	A foot wide green beam of energy slammed into 
Venus, sending her tumbling down the hallway, although she 
quickly rolled to her feet, then leaped into the air, spinning 
to face Emerald and shouting, "CRESCENT BEAM!"

	Pure yellow light erupted from her finger, straight at 
Emerald, who countered with a beam of green energy that 
began to push Venus' beam back towards her.  "Hey, that's 
not fair!"

	Emerald smirked.  "All's fair in love and war, Venus."

	"It's only fair if I win!"

	"My sentiments exactly."  The beam broke through and 
slammed Venus most of the way down the hallway, briefly 
stunning her.  Emerald formed a blade of green energy and 
began to zoom down the hallway towards Venus, only to have 
a ninja drop down from the ceiling on her, raking her torso 
with a nasty sword cut from collarbone to belly button.  It 
should have slit her open.  Instead, it only cut her dress open 
and the blade broke at her navel.

	Konatsu stared at the blade.  "What the..."  Then the 
energy blade came down at him, and only his reflexes, which 
sent him tumbling through a door, saved him.  A tossed 
energy bolt took him out of commission for the moment.

	This, however, distracted Emerald enough for Venus to 
get back up.  "CRESCENT BEAM!"

	Emerald took it in the stomach, and fell to the ground, 
winded briefly.  She snarled.  "I don't have time for this!"  
This time the green energy was a five foot across torrent, 
and Venus tumbled the rest of the way down the hallway, 
through the end doors, and down the stairs out of sight.

	Fear paralyzed Gosunkugi as he watched these events 
unfold.  He stood by the door, unable to move, unable to cry 
out, able only to watch in horror.  She must be dead, he 
thought.  And I'm next.  I don't want to die.  Do something!  
he shouted at the gem.  Make me able to fight her or unlock 
the door or something!  I don't want to die!

	'Sometimes you must die in order to live,' a voice told 
him.  It was the voice of an old man, one he hadn't heard in a 
very long time.  'But dying can hurt.  Are you sure you want 
to do this?'

	'Not at all,' his own voice replied.  'But sometimes we 
have no choice.'

	'There are always choices, even if the only choice is to 
die with dignity instead of terror,' the old man said.  'If you 
are to have power over destiny and chance, you must 
triumph over both.  You must control yourself to control 
anything else.'

	"Give me the gem," Emerald said, advancing with the 
green blade still in her hands.  "This is your last chance."

	'I embrace my destiny for her sake,' the voice that 
was him and yet not him said.

	Whose sake, Gosunkugi wondered.  What woman...Ami, 
Gosunkugi thought.  These people hurt her!  His fear began 
to fade, and the sort of rage he rarely manifested began to 
build within his heart.  "No," he said.  "You bastards hurt the 
woman I...I...I like!  And you're going to pay!"

	For a moment, Emerald hesitated, then frowned.  "I 
see I have no choice.  So be it."  In an instant, she closed the 
gap between them, and her sword struck home, piercing 
Gosunkugi's heart...and stuck there.

	Even as she struck home, his lips moved, "Plutonian 
REBIRTH!"  The crystal flared brightly, and the energy of her 
sword and its light entwined themselves about herself and 
Gosunkugi.  

	She swore loudly, feeling the crystal suck the energy 
out of her to feed its magic.  "No...you can't..."

	The green grew brighter and larger, encompassing 
both of them.  Black and white swirled about Gosunkugi, who 
she could barely see despite him being inches away.  The 
sword in her hands dissolved away and her energy reserves 
dwindled.  She tried by sheer willpower to control the 
Rainbow Crystal through her link to it created by the draining
of her power, but to her horror, it batted her attempt aside.  
Or worse, perhaps it was the boy who did it.

	Then she thought about what he said, and her blood 
ran cold.  The Guardian of Pluto, she thought, holding the 
Crystal of Life, which has exactly the power he's worst at, 
thus removing his greatest weakness.  Time to leave, she 
thought, and tried to teleport away.  No such luck.  She
was trapped until the transformation was over.  The only way 
this could be worse would be if Sailor Saturn showed up and 
they combined their powers.

	And then the light faded, and she fell to the ground like 
a limp rag.  For this to happen to me of all people, she 
thought, is a humiliation beyond measure.  

	Guardian Pluto stood before her, clad in his grey 
uniform with black trim, a pair of white dice worked into the 
design just above his left breast.  In his right gloved hand, he 
held the still pulsing green Rainbow Crystal.  He still looked 
pale and weak, but now she could feel his power.  

	To make matters worse, the doors at the far end of 
the hallway opened and Sailor Venus came charging in.  "Hah!  
I was tumbling out of bed since before I learned to fall down 
the stairs!  Just call me B'rer Fox and throw me in the briar 
patch again!"

	"Don't mind me," Emerald said.  "I'll just be running 
away now."  She focused desperately, and this time, her power 
worked just barely.  There was a flash of light, and then she 
was gone.

	Venus ran down the hallway, then spun on one foot to 
check on Konatsu.  "Hey, you okay?"

	He sat up.  "No."

	"Are you dying?"

	"No."

	She dragged him to his feet.  "Let's go kick some butt, 
then."

	Guardian Pluto came down the hallway to them.  "I 
think the brawl is on in the ballroom."

	"Right.  Then let's chew some as...I mean kick some
ass and chew some gum."  Venus sighed.  "C'mon!"

**************

	The ballroom was going to be in serious need of 
renovations.  The band had mostly escaped, and the rest 
were unconscious.  Their equipment was melted to slag.  
Energy tossing Senshi were everywhere, including a very 
waterlogged and irritable Pluto.  Kunou and Aluminum were 
both hanging from chandeliers.  Envy was standing by the 
balcony, using Kodachi and one of her ribbons as a yo-yo 
over the edge.

	And Tuxedo Kamen and Nephrite were going at it full 
force in the center of the room, energy sword vs. cane.  
Tuxedo Kamen fought desperately, for Nephrite was simply 
more skilled at hand to hand combat, probably due to a lot 
more experience.  His hand fumbled his grip slightly at 
Nephrite swung low, and the blow glanced off his leg, leaving 
a small cut.  He could feel blood begin to drip down inside his 
right sock into the shoes.  

	Envy yo-yoed Kodachi up, only to get a facefull of 
flowers. He suddenly froze up, and she managed to grab onto 
the railing and vault over it.  "Kodachi triumphs again!"

	"Let me down, you cowards!"  Kunou shouted.  "Fight 
me like men!"

	"Shatter," a male voice said faintly, and the pins 
holding up the chandelier broke, sending it crashing down 
onto Iron and Guardian Uranus, who were going at it, staff 
vs. spatula.  "Umm, sorry about that," Guardian Pluto said.  
"I'm still getting the hang of this."  Venus leaped past him, 
kicking another youma from behind.

	"Greed!  Now!"  Nephrite shouted.

	Greed gestured and the green Rainbow Crystal 
suddenly flew out of Pluto's hands while he was distracted by 
what he had just done.  "Got it, sir!"

	"Everyone, RETREAT!"  Nephrite barked.  "We got what 
we came for."

	Many lights flashed, and the youma all vanished, leaving 
Envy behind and paralyzed.  Iron took a few seconds longer 
to vanish, giving Uranus just enough time to throw off the 
chandelier and whack him goodbye.

	"We have to cure him," Moon said, pulling out the yellow 
Rainbow crystal.  "MOON HEALING ESCALATION!"  Yellow 
energy washed over the giant green man, who turned back 
into Ryouga, then collapsed.  

	Guardian Saturn hobbled over.  "Ryouga?  Geez, this is 
even more trouble than you usually are."

	Guardian Pluto rushed over to the still unconscious 
Ami.  He managed to shake her awake.  "Ami?  Are you 
okay?"

	She blinked.  "Who are you?"

	"It's me...do you have amnesia?"

	"Are you a new Guardian?"

	"I'm the Guardian of Pluto."

	Ami quickly surveyed the devastation, then quickly 
checked Ryo's pulse.  She gave a sigh of relief.  "I'm not sure 
if I should wake him or let him sleep."

	"Best that he rest," Sailor Pluto said.  

	Tsubasa stuck his head in the nearby door.  "Is the 
Apocalypse over?  Oh man, what happened to Ryo?"

	"I suggest you take him back to his room,"  Sailor Pluto 
said.  "He needs rest."

	"I'll take him back to his room," Tsubasa said.  "He 
needs rest."  He picked up Ryo in a fireman's carry.

	"I'll help you," Ami said, going along with him as he left.

	Guardian Pluto turned to Sailor Pluto.  "Jedi mind 
trick?"

	"Quirky sense of humor," Sailor Pluto replied.  "Ready 
to fix this mess?"

	"I don't know how, and I'm really tired," he said.

	"If we all pool our strength, we can do it," Sailor Pluto 
said.  "Because I know that I can't afford to pay for this."

	Guardian Pluto found watching everything reassemble 
itself to be incredibly cool, and having everyone's combined 
power surging through him was also pretty neat.  Passing 
out and falling down afterwards, however, was not so neat.  
Nor was it very neat for the handful of still conscious people 
who had to haul everyone who had passed out home 
afterwards.

****************

	Ranma tried to go into his room, but couldn't quite get 
the key to work right, mostly because he was exhausted and 
his brain was mush.  At least Grandpa and Genma are 
probably in bed somewhere else by now, he thought.  And if 
anyone is in my bed, I will kill them.  

	He finally got the door open, and staggered into his 
bathroom, taking a shower, which woke him up a little.  
Letting hot water flow over him, he thought about what he 
had nearly done earlier.  Geez, I shouldn't have let Naoko get 
to me like that, he thought.  And what was with her?  I hope 
that was just some love potion or something, because I can't 
afford no fifth woman after me, and I don't want to have to 
hurt her feelings.

	I shouldn't get so spastic just because someone thinks 
I'm gay for not acting like a horndog.  I just can't jump into 
bed with someone to prove it.  I don't need to, he thought.  I 
know I'm not gay.  I'm gonna start getting as spastic as Ken 
if I'm not careful.  

	I gotta get my head straight on this.  I can't sleep with 
nobody, much as I wish I could, until I know for sure what's 
me and what isn't.  That means you gotta bugger off, Ruby.

	Ruby made no reply.

	Oh, now you decide to leave, he thought.  But you won't 
stay gone, I bet.

	Still no reply.

	I'm gonna go sleep with everyone EXCEPT Cassandra! 
he shouted inside his mind.

	This didn't provoke a response.

	I guess even past selves have to sleep, Ranma 
thought.  That's probably a hint.  He got out of the shower, 
turned it off, and began to towel himself dry.  Finally get to 
sleep as a guy for once, he thought.

	Then he heard movement in the main room.  

	Curse me, he thought.  It's probably...wait, did I even 
go in the right room?  And how did they get in?  I thought I 
closed the front door.

	He gave up and came out.  "Okay, look," he began.

	Setsuna was sitting on the bed, clad in garnet colored 
pajamas.  "Don't forget, you promised I could stay in your 
room," she said faintly, then yawned.  "I think teleporting in 
was a mistake."  She flopped backwards.  "See you in the 
morning, Ranma."

	He sighed.  I'm too tired to argue, he thought.  "See 
you in the morning."

***************

	"I hope Naru's okay," Umino said as he was about to get 
out of the car.

	"I'm sure she is," Feldspar lied.  "I'm glad you didn't get 
hurt."

	"And I'm glad you got out okay.  All those 
explosions...must have been a big battle."

	"See you later, okay?"

	"Okay."  He looked at her with the look of someone who 
wants to kiss someone else, but lacks the courage.  Then he 
got out and bowed.  "I had fun!"

	"Me too.  See you later, Umino."

	"See you later, Akiko."

	She waved to him as Margaret pulled out.  Margaret 
said, "Thank you for getting him out okay."

	"No problem," Feldspar replied.  "Hopefully, things won't 
get so messy next time."

	Margaret gave her a look, then smiled and kept driving.

*************

	Haruka was taking a shower when Ukyou woke up.  A 
few minutes later, she emerged, clad in a towel and began 
rooting through her suitcase.  "Morning."

	"Didn't you already take a shower last night?  Was 
there dirt on your side of the bed?"

	Haruka laughed.  "I just like water.  Seriously, I woke up 
early, couldn't sleep, went jogging, just got back."  She dug 
out some clothing.  "Get dressed; let's get some breakfast 
before the Gambling King figures out we're connected to his 
property damage."

	"I need to find some way to get Ranchan alone," Ukyou 
said.  "Do you think last night he would have..."

	"I think he was just spiting Naoko for some reason.  
Maybe she wants to become would-be girlfriend number five."

	Ukyou frowned at the thought.  "She did say something 
about seducing him, but that was when we all went kinda 
nuts."

	"I gotta tell you that I wouldn't wait for him like you're 
doing.  If he really loved you, you wouldn't have to be fighting 
the others for him.  I'd never do that to someone I cared 
about."

	"He does care for me!  No one could kiss me like he did 
if they didn't."  Ukyou got out of bed and began digging for 
clothing.  "That was serious passion."

	"How do you know?  Ever been kissed by anyone else?"  
Haruka began getting dressed.

	"Well, no, but..."

	"You ain't got no way to compare it.  I could probably 
kiss you more passionately."

	"I doubt it."

	Haruka was suddenly RIGHT next to her.  "Shall I prove 
it?"

	Ukyou turned beet red, almost as red as the dress she 
was holding.  "Haruka, don't tease me."

	"I'll happily do it to prove my point."  
	
	"Do you think Ranchan will like this?"  Ukyou asked 
feebly, holding up the long red dress, which had short 
sleeves, a v neckline, and a knee-length skirt.

	"I would, but don't change the subject."  

	Ukyou said nothing while she switched from her bed 
clothes to the dress.  Once everything was in place and she 
felt more feminine, she replied, "Do you think Ranchan could 
fake passion?"

	"Hmm.  Good question.  He doesn't seem to be much 
good at tricking people, but...  He might be able to do it to 
make a point.  Although it does seem he must like you more 
than Naoko.  Ready to go?"

	Ukyou nodded.  "Let's get some food."

**************

	Ranma woke up feeling strange.  He had the vague 
nagging feeling something was wrong about his body, but he 
wasn't sure what.  Nothing hurt, none of his limbs had 'gone 
to sleep', he wasn't itching...there was something on his 
back, though.  A quick check revealed it was Setsuna's arm.  
She was cuddled up to his right side, still asleep.  

	Kiss her, Ruby instructed him.

	He ignored Ruby and tried to think about why he felt 
strange.  It wasn't arousal; it was just a sort of unfocused 
sense of wrongness.  He finally gave up, deciding not to 
worry about it.  He dragged himself out of bed and 
stretched.

	Behind him, Setsuna stirred and mumbled, "Wake?"

	"I'm awake," Ranma said.

	She sat up and smiled at him, although he couldn't see 
it until he turned around.  "Come over here," she said.

	Mostly on autopilot, he came over, and then she 
grabbed him, pulling him down on top of her and kissing him 
firmly.  After a few seconds resistance, he joined in 
enthusiastically.  It feels right, he thought, but...  But he felt 
like something horrible was going to happen next.  

	Setsuna failed to sprout tentacles and eat him.  
Instead, she said, "You're worried about something."

	"I dunno.  It's just this feeling like...something bad is 
going to happen."

	"Well, not in the next few seconds," she said.  
"Although I suppose Nephrite might come back."

	"I just have this feeling like...if we do anything, it'll 
have bad results."

	She thought for a moment.  "Now that I think about it, 
I suppose I could get pregnant.  Do you have any..."  She 
struggled to think of the word.  "Condoms?"

	"No, I wasn't planning on having sex."  That must be it, 
he thought.  Probably my time magic trying to warn me.  

	"Bah.  Well maybe tonight, once we can buy you some."  
I never even thought about pregnancy, Setsuna thought.  
And I don't know where to find the herbs for that birth 
control spell...I'm not sure I even remember all of them.  She 
sighed.  "Well, we can still kiss, can't we?"

	He obeyed his instincts and kissed her gently, then his 
stomach grumbled.  "Foooood."

	She rolled her eyes.  "How romantic you are."

	"I ain't never learned Martial Arts Romance."

	"Where you always hurt the one you love?"

	"Exactly."

**************

	Naoko found herself eating breakfast with Michiru, 
Kunou, Kodachi, and Mamoru.  She'd switched to a demure 
blue blouse and skirt, and felt thoroughly embarrassed, 
though thankfully they said nothing of what had happened 
the previous night.  "Are you going to stay the entire 
weekend?" she asked.

	"Yes," Kunou said.  "Although if my luck doesn't 
improve soon, I may not be able to gamble the rest of it."

	"Probably," Mamoru said, glancing over at Kodachi.

	"I think I will stay," Kodachi said.  "Although it means 
dealing with that dreadful Chinese peasant."

	"Technically, she's closer to being a Chinese samurai," 
Mamoru pointed out.

	"I've never liked Chinese samurai, either," Kodachi 
replied.  "Although I did have a dream about Jackie Chan 
once, and..."  Realizing she had said that out loud, she shut 
up.

	"There you are!"  Minako said.  "We meant to bring you 
breakfast, but you'd already left."

	Naoko blinked.  "What?"

	Konatsu came over and bowed.  "We seek ever to 
serve."

	"Why...oh yeah, I won you from the Gambling King.  Do 
you think he's likely to retaliate?"

	"I think he's still hiding for fear you'll find him and beat 
him again," Konatsu said.  "How may we be of service?"

	"Um, I don't need much ninja service right now," Naoko 
said.  "But you can hang out with me until I need you, I 
guess."

	"Okay.  We'll get some food and be right back."

*************

	"C'mon, Ranma, let's go swimming,"  Ukyou said.  "It'll 
be fun like in the old days."

	"I can't go swimming," Ranma said.

	They had run into each other after breakfast while 
wandering around trying to decide what to do next.

	"Don't tell me the great athlete can't swim," Haruka 
said.

	Ranma said, "My curse!"

	"Prevents you swi...oh," Ukyou said.

	"I can loan you a suit," Setsuna said.

	"Which wouldn't fit, given you're about five inches 
taller than Ranma's girl body," Ukyou said.  

	Haruka grinned.  "I can solve the problem."  She 
grabbed Ranma's hand and began to drag him.  "Follow me."

	"Hey, where are you taking me?"

	"To dress you up with my love," Haruka said, then 
started laughing so hard she nearly fell down.  "Sorry, had to 
say that."

	Ukyou and Setsuna watched them go, then Ukyou 
asked Setsuna, "Should I be afraid?"

	"Probably."

***************

	Ukyou bounced up and down on the diving board, then 
leaped upwards and down into the water with more 
enthusiasm than skill.  Her modest yellow one-piece made 
her look like an underwater lightning bolt as she then 
rocketed most of the length of the pool, breaking the 
surface in the shallows.  "I used to have to sneak off to 
another town every time I wanted to go swimming."

	Setsuna paused on top of the diving board, brushing 
her long hair back.  "Why?"  She paused to adjust her purple 
bikini top.  It had been designed for sexiness rather than 
support or even staying on, as it concealed only the lowest 
third of her breasts, and seemed made of some magical 
substance which refused to stay knotted in back properly.  

	"I was trying to live as a man, and it's hard to conceal 
these," she poked her own left breast, "When one is 
swimming.  No bathhouses for me, either."  

	Setsuna nodded, then dived into the water more 
gracefully  than Ukyou had.  She didn't get as far before she 
came up for air, then rolled over to do the backstroke on the 
surface.  "I'm glad you don't have to do that now."

	"Me too.  Although getting used to being a girl again is 
weird sometimes."  Ukyou began swimming towards the 
diving board and fell silent.

	"I guess it must be pretty strange for Ranma, having 
to be both."

	When Ukyou reached the far side and climbed out, she 
said, "He never thinks of himself as a girl, though, even when 
he's in a girl body."

	Haruka and Ranma-chan emerged from the hotel side 
of the pool area.  Haruka wore a plain black one-piece 
suitable for an athletic swimmer.  Ranma-chan, on the other 
hand, looked rather nervous in a green bikini that almost 
exactly matched Setsuna's for skimpiness.  "You sure this 
thing isn't going to come off?"

	"Trust me," Haruka said, grinning as Setsuna and 
Ukyou both stared at Ranma-chan.  "How does she look?"

	"Nice choice," Setsuna said.

	"Where'd you get it?"  Ukyou asked from the top of the 
diving board.

	"They have a little store here," Haruka said.  "It cost 
too much, but I'm loaded."  She started heading for the 
diving board.  "I'm after you."

	Gradually, more and more of their group drifted out to 
the pool, along with various other guests who either hadn't 
fled after hearing explosions the previous night or who had 
just arrived today.  Rei, Usagi, Ken, and Tsubasa were the 
last four to arrive, drifting in together.  Rei wore a red one-
piece, quite modest except for a moderately plunging 
neckline which revealed a hint of cleavage.  Usagi, on the 
other hand, wore a green bikini with little watermelon slices 
all over it.  Ken had on a set of blue Speedos.  For most of 
them, it was the first time they'd really realized that he was 
in pretty good shape.  Tsubasa was simply wearing a set of 
boxers and a pale green muscle shirt.  He looked fairly 
nervous.

	"You sure this is a good idea, Ken?" he asked Ken for 
the sixth time.

	"Did a pool bite you some time or what?"  Ken asked.

	"Something like that," he muttered.

	Ranma-chan waved to them, and Usagi sped up, then 
leaped into the air as she reached the edge of the pool.  
"Banzai!"

	"No, wait, it's the..."

	She plunged down through the water and quickly struck 
bottom.  Fortunately, she hadn't dived headfirst.  

	"...shallow end."

	Rei walked over to the edge of the pool and looked down into
it.  "Baka."

	Usagi popped up.  "Owwwie!!!!"

	Rei shook her head.  "That was your own fault."

	As they talked, Tsubasa went over to where 
Gosunkugi was futilely trying to sunbathe, even though he 
couldn't even get a burn, let alone a tan.  "Not much of a 
swimmer, either?"

	"Nope.  I didn't bring any swim trunks, either."

	"Me, I have trouble with pools because the water and 
chlorine spirits start complaining about being mixed 
together, and it gets irritating to put up with."

	You're the only person who can always make me feel 
normal, Gosunkugi thought.

*************

	Later in the day, Ranma sat at one of the blackjack 
tables and smiled.  His luck had turned, and today he seemed 
to be winning more than he lost, which pleased him.  His 
father sat down beside him.  "How's it going, son?" he asked.

	"Better," Ranma said.  "I've nearly doubled my money in 
the last few hours."

	"Good," Genma said.  "You should be with your fiancee."

	"She wandered off after lunch," Ranma said.  "And I 
felt like I needed a little time alone, anyway."

	"Alone in a room full of people?"

	"You know what I mean.  Decided not to bother 
sneaking around?"

	"Boy, what were you doing with Ukyou last night?"

	"Trying to convince Naoko not to join my crowd of 
would-be wives."  

	Genma nodded.  "Did it work?"

	"I hope so.  She's been kinda avoiding me."

	"Ranma, you've got to convince the rest to give up as 
well."

	Ranma turned all the way to face his father.  "So what 
would you do if I ran away with...I dunno...Setsuna?"

	"You wouldn't dare!"

	"I might if you push me too hard."

	"That would be dishonorable!"

	"But what would you DO?"  Ranma asked. 

	"I'd MAKE you marry Rei!  I wouldn't let you run away 
from your duties."

	"And if you couldn't catch me?"

	"I'd devote the rest of my life to finding you."

	"What if Rei married someone else?"

	"Impossible.  Grandpa wouldn't allow it."

	"What if...she ran away with Usagi?"

	Genma frowned.  "Are you saying she will?"

	"I dunno.  Just thinking about stuff."  Ranma frowned.  
I suppose I ain't in no position to complain about it, he 
thought.  But it bothered him anyway.  Might they run off 
together and leave him behind?  It made him feel just a little 
jealous.

	"Well, I'll have to tell Grandpa about this.  We'll get any 
silly notions out of her head."  Genma got up.  "Good luck, 
Ranma."

	"Thanks, Pop," he said.

	He turned back to the game, then tired of it after 
winning a few more rounds.  He found Ukyou at one of the 
poker tables, laying waste to the other players.  She got up 
when she saw him, collected her chips, and walked to him.  
"Hey, Ranchan, come with me."

	"Uh, okay."

	He followed her out of the room and into the hotel.  
"Where are we going?" he asked.

	"I have a surprise for you," she said.

	They chatted and he wondered what she had in mind.  
Finally, they ended up in her room.  "So what is it?" he asked.

	She closed the door, then took his hand and dragged 
him over to the bed.  He realized what was coming next just 
before she kissed him.  He leaned into it, since he enjoyed it, 
although he knew it was a bad idea.

	Or was it?  Rei and Usagi had probably been smooching 
the previous night.  Usagi had been trying for a while to 
snuggle up to Rei, and last night would have been the perfect 
opportunity.  If they were going to go off kissing without me, 
then it's okay if I kiss someone without them, he 
rationalized.  

	Ukyou broke off the kiss, and said, "I'm sorry I yelled 
at you last night."

	"I'm sorry I got you into the middle of a riot like 
that.  I was trying to convince Naoko not to...try to 
come after me, and..."

	"She's after you now?"  Ukyou asked in disbelief.

	"I think she changed her mind.  But now I owe her about 
a million years of servitude and several children."  He 
frowned.  "At least I don't owe the Gambling King anything 
now."

	"Okay, tell me the whole thing from the start."

	Ranma explained everything as best he could, concluding 
with, "I'm just sick of people saying I'm gay 'cause I won't 
just sleep with all of you."

	"I wonder if gay men accuse each other of being 
straight if they don't sleep with another man every night," 
Ukyou pondered.  "I can't remember if that was the case.  
But Diamond didn't know too many gay guys."

	Ranma laughed.  "I shouldn't let it bug me, but I just 
don't like people saying crazy stuff about me."

	"Well," Ukyou said slowly and incredibly nervously, "We 
could...you know.  And then no one could say it."  Her left 
hand roamed up and down his back as she leaned up against 
him.

	Ranma would have said something, if this hadn't sent 
him into total paralysis mode.  One of his hands started 
doing the same to her back, operating without any direct 
order from him.  He hung suspended between common sense, 
fear, desire, and an unwillingness to admit he wasn't entirely 
sure what to do if he did go all the way with someone.

	Desire started to win, and his head started to lean 
towards hers.  She took the hint, closed her eyes, and 
puckered up.  Then Ruby decided to jump in.  NO WAY!!!! he 
shouted.  

	You want proof I'm not gay?  Well, here it is, Ranma 
thought at him.  I'm gonna kiss Ukyou.

	I won't let you betray Cassandra!  If you try anything, 
I'll make you impotent!  Ruby thundered.

	You can't do that!  Ranma snapped back.

	Try me, Ruby replied.

	"Ranchan, what's wrong?"  Ukyou asked, opening her 
eyes and seeing Ranma's fists were clenched, his eyes shut, 
and his mouth locked in a snarl.  
	
	"Ain't your fault, Ucchan," Ranma said.  "I just...Ruby's 
making threats if we do anything.  I just...I'm sick and tired 
of having my own personal critic in my head.  I could change 
to my girl form, which would shut him up, but I don't think 
you'd want to do it like that."  And it probably wouldn't be a 
good idea to do it anyway, he thought.  Even though right 
now, I really want to...then again, I seem to want to with 
everyone who comes on to me.  Geez, now I feel like I'm easy.

	Ukyou's desire to not let him go while she had him 
warred with the fact that she had rarely ever felt any 
particular attraction to a woman physically.  The few times 
she had, she'd written off as the random fluff that assails 
every mind at times, like the time she'd found herself 
wondering what being hit by a car felt like, or the time she'd 
briefly been curious about what motor oil would taste like.  
"Go douse yourself," she said.

	His eyes widened.  "You mean you..."

	"I just want to talk to you without Ruby butting in," 
Ukyou replied.

	Ranma nodded.  He went into the bathroom and closed 
the door.  Several minutes passed, including splashing 
noises.  A mostly dry Ranma-chan emerged, still toweling her 
hair.  "Took off my clothing, so I wouldn't have to drip all 
over your room."

	"Good idea," Ukyou said.  "Ranchan, can you remember 
when Ruby and Diamond took the Oath of Bronze?"

	"Maybe you should have asked me that before I doused 
myself, because he'd know.  I can't remember."  She came 
over and sat down on the bed by Ukyou.  

	"I have the dim memory that we'd had some sort of 
massive fight, and then after we made up, we took the 
oath."  Ukyou frowned and scratched her forehead.

	"Could be.  I can hardly remember anything about the 
past when I'm like this.  But it keeps Ruby away."

	"Well, I was just thinking...if being in that body makes 
Ruby shut up, wouldn't it be easier to tell how you really feel 
about all of us when you're in your girl body?"  Ukyou said.

	Ranma-chan slapped her forehead.  "I never thought of 
that.  Then again, I don't know why it makes Ruby go away 
either."  She flopped back on the bed.  "I guess maybe the 
shock of the transformation knocks him out.  Or he can't 
deal with having breasts."

	Ukyou flopped back as well.  "So how do you feel?"

	"I think Haruka's hot for my girl body."

	She smacked Ranma-chan with a pillow.  "Ranchan!"

	Ranma-chan grabbed the other pillow and struck back, 
only to have Ukyou parry her blow.  Soon, they were wailing 
away at high speed.  She was faster, while Ukyou was 
superior with weapons.  Pillows, however, are not weapons 
which lend themselves to precision and skill.  Ranma-chan 
managed to disarm Ukyou, only to have Ukyou grapple her.

	In a pure grappling contest, however, Ukyou was really 
doomed.  Ranma-chan soon had her pinned down on the bed, 
and they both laughed at each other.  "Should have conjured 
up another pillow with your powers," Ranma-chan said.

	"I'm not that good yet," Ukyou said.  "Bu..."  she began.

	Haruka walked in, sweating heavily.  "You know, Ukyou, 
Naru doesn't look like much, but she's a pretty good tennis 
player.  I won, of course, but...oh, you two busy?"

	"Uhh..."  Ranma-chan said, realizing what it looked like.

	"Is it too late for me to cut in?"  Haruka asked, 
grinning.  "Or would you rather I take a shower first?  Or 
maybe you'd like to shower with me?"

	Ukyou babbled something incoherent.  Ranma-chan 
looked thoughtfully at Haruka, then said, "Sure, bring it on."

	"What?"  Ukyou said.

	Haruka stared at her.  "What?"

	"Think you're woman enough for the two of us?"

	Haruka's jaw dropped.  "You're serious?"

	"No, I'm Saturn," Ranma-chan said.  "We don't have a 
Sirius, yet."

	"Ranchan, I...uh..."  Ukyou said.  I want Ranchan, she 
thought.  But do I want Ranchan this much?  I mean, I've been 
wanting him to be more assertive about who he wants, but...

	Haruka began bouncing back and forth between leaning 
on her left and right legs.  "Right now?  I mean...you're 
serious?"  Her usual confident expression had fled, replaced 
by a look of nervousness.

	"Let's get it on," Ranma-chan said with an utterly calm 
voice.

	"I...umm...I think I left something on the tennis 
court..."  Haruka started to back up.

	"Ranchan, you shouldn't tease Haruka," Ukyou said, 
finally catching on.  

	"Well, if she's going to tease us..."  Ranma-chan began.  
Then it's only fair to tease her, she thought.

	"I mean..."  Haruka pulled herself together.  "If you're 
serious, then yes, I'll do it.  You're both pretty attractive, 
and I could use some sex with people I know aren't bastards.  
But..."  She gulped.  "I don't have a lot of experience.  And I 
know Ukyou's...I mean... I thought you didn't like it like that, 
Ukyou."

	"I don't," she said.  "But dammit, you're making me 
wish I did."  She clenched her fists in aggravation.  My chance 
with Ranchan, and I lose it because he can't do it as a boy, 
and I can't as a girl.  Well, maybe I should try it anyway, just 
to see if I maybe I would like it.  

	"Want me to clear out so Ranma can change and you 
two can do it the way you both like it?"  Haruka asked, 
sighing.

	"Ruby's being worse than usual," Ranma-chan said.  "I 
wouldn't be able to focus enough to have sex even if I was 
under another love potion."  And it wouldn't be a good idea, 
even if I didn't have Ruby to contend with, she thought.  Even 
though Ucchan can be pretty sexy, but...

	Ukyou looked contemplative for a second, then decided 
asking Minako for one would be too dangerous.  "Are you 
sure you can't manage it, Ranchan?"

	"Could you have sex with someone while a voice was 
calling you an evil traitorous bastard the whole time?"

	"No."

	"Well, there we are."

	Haruka said, "Well, I'm going to take a shower before I 
stink up the room more.  If you've figured out how we can 
have mad passionate sex by the time I get out, let me know."  
She went into the shower.

	"I hope you're not mad at me, Ranchan," Ukyou said.

	"Naah.  If you turned into a boy and could only have sex 
with me that way, I wouldn't do it.  And it's better I not do it 
with anyone until I get rid of Ruby.  Somehow.  But even 
Mamoru couldn't figure out what to do about him.  And 
Setsuna can't remember much about mind magic."

	Ukyou sighed.  "Let's go play Tennis or something.  If 
we stay here, I'm just going to get more frustrated."

	"Okay," Ranma-chan said.  "Just lemme go to my room 
and change."

	"See you in a few."

**************

	Tsubasa, Ken, Ryo, Ami, and Gosunkugi were all at the 
same poker table.  Gosunkugi had sweat running down his 
face, despite the fact that his cards were telling Tsubasa he 
had a king high straight.  Ryo's cards were complaining 
because he was about to discard two of them, and they felt 
insulted.  Ami's two pair (sixes and fours) were quite 
content.  Ken was smirking visibly, despite the fact that he 
only had a pair of kings; Tsubasa assumed he was bluffing.  
Tsubasa himself had what was almost a straight, ace high.  
He just needed a jack, but the top of the draw deck was 
being an honest card and wouldn't say what it was. 

	I would meet the only honest card in a casino, he 
thought.  

	He discarded his two.  "One card."

	He got a six of clubs, and frowned.  Bastard, he 
thought.

	'I can't help it if you want to cheat,' the card replied.  
'But I won't be party to any such thing.'

	Ryo sighed.  "I can't win this one.  Fold."

	"But you haven't even tried to get new cards," Ami 
said.

	"I just had a feeling."

	Hmm, maybe he talks to things too, Tsubasa thought.  
I'll have to ask him later.

*************

	"You want me to WHAT?"  Mamoru asked Ukyou.

	"You do mind magic, right?  Can't you make me able 
to...want to...you know, with Ranchan when he's a girl?"

	"I don't know what I'm doing with magic enough to risk 
it.  I'd probably end up with you developing some sort of 
weird Okonomiyaki fetish or something.  And from what little 
I remember, making that sort of change was very hard, 
because it's such a fundamental thing."  He frowned.  "I could 
try, but I think it would be a bad idea."

	"Can you shut Ruby up?"

	"I'm afraid I might shut Ranma up by accident.  But 
really, from what I learned inside his head, if he'd just accept 
how he feels about Setsuna, he could probably lay Ruby to 
rest for the most part."

	Ukyou frowned.  "I want him to love me!"

	"We can't always get what we want," Mamoru said.  
"But you'll always have something the others can never have 
of him.  You have the Oath of Bronze."

	"Hasn't done me much good so far," Ukyou muttered.

	"When you most need him, he will come, though he may 
not know why.  Across the ages, you'll be reborn together in 
every life.  I was never close enough to another man to take 
it myself, but I heard quite a few stories about it."

	"Is it true that those who take the Oath always 
eventually end up as lovers at some point?  Somewhere down 
the chain?"

	"I don't know how anyone could tell," Mamoru said.  
"Reincarnations such as ours where you don't have complete 
forgetfulness come only from unnatural events, for the 
most part.  The Oath cannot compel love or faithfulness, but 
it strengthens them the longer you live and hold to it.  And in 
such a case as yours, I could see how it could lead to love.  
So Diamond did love Ruby?"

	Ukyou nodded.

	"I always suspected it, but never had proof," he said.  
"A few people assumed you two were lovers, but that 
Cassandra came between you."

	Ukyou blushed.  "She did, but we were never lovers.  
Except in my dreams."

	"That's because you were really waiting for me!"  
Tsubasa said, popping up behind her.

	"Don't make me kill you," she said.  "Go away.  Private 
conversation."

	"You're going to the concert tonight, right?"  Tsubasa 
asked.

	"That lounge singer?"

	"Yeah."

	"I think so.  I've done enough card playing and losing 
money at roulette to satisfy me."

	"Good!  See you there!"  Tsubasa bounded off.

	"He never gives up," Ukyou said.

	"Neither do you," Mamoru observed.

	"Yes, but I'm..."

	"Frustrated."

	"I can't believe he keeps trying when I never encourage 
him."

	Mamoru nodded.  "Some people are quite stubborn like that."

***********

	Dinner had come and gone, along with a concert Ranma 
considered to have been fairly mediocre, although Tsubasa 
and most of the ladies had loved it.  It was nearly time for 
bed, so Ranma was taking a shower before going to sleep.  

	Ranma tried to focus on his shower, but his brain kept 
going round in circles.  He'd simply reached the point where 
he knew his desire to be noble wasn't going to hold out much 
longer if so many women kept coming on to him.  He couldn't 
sleep with all of them without starting World War III, but so 
long as Ruby was running around in his head, he couldn't even 
choose for himself.  He refused to let his past self dictate 
to him, but if Ruby really could carry out his threats, he 
wasn't going to have much of a choice.

	You should be with Setsuna, Ruby said.

	Ranma got up and went to the bathroom and stuck his 
head in the sink.  The change rushed over him, and Ruby was 
silenced.  I gotta figure out what about my curse shuts him 
up, Ranma-chan thought.  She put on a clean shirt and lay  
down on the bed.

	So who do I really want, she asked herself.  They were 
all pretty sexy, although Setsuna had a slight edge on that.  
Ukyou was the one he felt most generally comfortable with, 
but at the same time, it was hard to imagine being married 
to her, any more than he could marry Ken.  Still, Ranma-chan 
felt a bond to her that wasn't like his relationship with any of 
the others; maybe it was the Oath of Bronze.  Usagi and Rei 
did offer the possibility of marrying both of them...except 
that would require going to Amazon land, and she would be 
dammed before she did that.

	Her brain lingered on a mental image of Usagi and Rei 
kissing each other, and she found it to be both a turn-on and 
a source of jealousy.  Could I really marry both of them?  Or 
would I just end up as a sort of sideshow to their main 
event?  Plus, how could I do it legally?

	Ranma-chan tried thinking carefully about Setsuna.  
She felt a strong attraction, but at the same time knew she 
didn't really know Setsuna very well.  She'd had many late 
nights with Rei talking about things, but she hadn't gotten to 
spend so much time with Setsuna.  I'm not even sure what 
sort of music she likes, Ranma-chan thought.  Yet, being 
with Setsuna felt utterly natural.  When we dance, or skate, 
or fight, it's just natural to be her partner, she thought.

	Still, the attraction felt weaker than when she was a 
boy.  It was still strong, but not so overwhelming as it 
sometimes got in her boyform.  I wonder if this means I do 
like Setsuna like that, but Ruby makes it stronger, Ranma-
chan thought.  Or if it's all just Ruby, but Ruby's influence is 
weaker like this.

	She sat up and tried to think about whatever scraps of 
magical lore she could remember, which wasn't much.  Her 
past life seemed harder to touch in general in this form.  
And yet, I'm still a guy, and I can still transform and use a 
guy power in this body, Ranma-chan thought.  I still like girls, 
I still think of myself the same...what is driving Ruby off?  
Something about this body being magical?  Or is it all in my 
head?  No answers came to mind.

*****************

	Rei woke up with a mostly-naked Usagi sprawled across 
her diagonally, her head resting on Rei's right shoulder as Rei 
lay on her back.  Rei felt somewhat hot in her green pajamas, 
due to having a source of body heat piled on top of her.  This 
didn't surprise Rei too much, as Usagi had done this the 
previous night as well.  She'd been too exhausted herself after
the fight to even notice it very much.  But now she was 
feeling herself to be very aware of Usagi, and thoughts that
might have been fantasies, or possibly memories, were beginning
to stir.

	Usagi kissed her on the cheek.  "Good morning, 
Rei-chan," she murmured.  "You're nice and warm."

	"That's because you're making me overheat.  You, on 
the other hand, are not overheating because you forgot to 
wear any clothing."  Rei tried to get out from under Usagi 
and failed.  Princess Serenity had tended to do this quite
a bit, she remembered.  She also tended to hit you in the 
head while she slept, but apparently she'd lost the habit, 
or else Rei simply had a thicker skull than Eowyn had.

	"I got too hot, woke up, and took off my t-shirt," Usagi 
said, not moving.  "You shouldn't wear so much clothing when 
you sleep with someone, or you'll have to sweat a lot.  You 
make a good pillow."  She smiled brightly at Rei.

	"A very hot pillow," Rei replied.  "I'm used to being the 
only hot thing in the bed, but not this hot."  Her nerves were
jangling, and she remembered a hot springs she'd gone to with 
Diana.  It had been the first time they...  She shook off the
memory.  That was another life, but...

	"I can fix that," Usagi said, lifting herself up and 
kneeling over Rei, starting to undo Rei's pajama top.  Rei 
could now see her small, firm breasts; Usagi's figure was
athletic, rather than lush.  Rei liked athletic figures.

	"Are all Amazons this forward?"  Rei asked, half-
wanting to run, and half-wanting Usagi to finish.  In the 
meantime, she half-tried to stop Usagi, her hands fumbling 
around in a manner unlikely to actually prevent Usagi doing 
anything.

	"Most Amazons would have been a lot more forward
than I am," she said nervously.  "In fact, a lot of them 
would have...had your top off when you woke up.  But I 
couldn't do something like that.  I mean...it's just not
right.  Now when we haven't done it before.  If we had done
something like that, so I knew it was okay.  Um, I mean I kept 
wanting to wake you, but I thought you needed your sleep, 
and..."  She paused at the button just below Rei's breasts, 
then stared silently at Rei's face for a few seconds.  Her 
voice shook when she continued.  "Do you want me to stop?"

	Part of Rei prayed for someone to interrupt them, but 
her allotments of dodging the issue had apparently run out.  
A second part of Rei started trying to move her right hand 
up to cup Usagi's left breast, although it was moving at 
roughly the speed of a glacier in heat.  Her body was getting 
more aroused with every moment that passed.  There was 
no more dodging this issue.

	Do I really want to do this? she asked herself.  Her 
body screamed yes, drowning out the more sensible parts of 
her brain that tried to call a time out.  

	No more playing around, Rei thought.  She 
answered Usagi with a kiss.