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Sailor Ranko: The Harder They Fall: Chapter 14, Calm Before The Storm.
by
Rebecca Ann Heineman

Ranma 1/2 and the characters therein are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Duncan Zillman and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel.

I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make earn a degree in the Saotome School of Anything Goes Flower Arranging.



Ukyou awoke to the sound of a motorcycle engine roaring to life and speeding away. She bolted upright and grabbed her spatula which lay next to her and ran to the broken store window to see what had caused the noise.

Silence greeted her and she gazed out into the empty street. Ukyou's head was spinning from the sudden exertion and she leaned against the windowsill carefully avoiding the broken glass. She thought about a dream that felt very real, "What happened? What did I just do?" Her memory was fuzzy from the last hour and she tried to piece together the images that seemed to be like someone else's life in her mind. She froze as she felt a shiver down her back as she sensed someone nearby.

Ukyou reached into her bandoleer and extracted a small throwing peel and held it in her hand. The tiny spatula was usually used by her customers to eat okonomiyaki, but Ukyou had mastered the art of using them as throwing weapons. Ukyou smiled as she felt she knew who was watching her. She spun around and threw the utensil into a dark corner.

"Ouch!" Came the high-pitched Chinese voice from the shadows. "Why spatula girl get violent all sudden?"

Ukyou was surprised. She was sure that it was Konatsu who had followed her and was hiding like he always did to watch over her. "Shampoo?"

Shampoo's cover was blown. She simply stepped into the dim light of the store so that Ukyou could see her. She rubbed her left arm where the spatula hit her and held the metal spatula in her left hand. "Yes, Shampoo here. Shampoo not happy Ukyou hit Shampoo with tool for cooking." She stopped rubbing her arm and tossed the item back to Ukyou. Ukyou caught it effortlessly and slid it back into her shoulder belt.

Ukyou turned up an eyebrow as she pondered the presence of the Amazon warrior. "So sugar, whatcha doing spying on me?"

Shampoo was indignant, she had seen what happened moments ago. "What Ukyou do with Senshi? How Ukyou use Senshi weapon?"

Ukyou gasped at the realization that her memories weren't a dream and that she had indeed used the Silence Glaive. The memory rushed back into her head and she played out the whole incident in her mind. Sailor Saturn had grabbed Ukyou and the chef felt a warm energy flow into her body. The little Senshi pointed at her weapon and had said, "Say 'Silence Glaive Surprise' to use it to protect us."

Ukyou remembered the terrible roar and magical blasts that had happened outside and she had run to see what had caused that racket. She saw Sailor Sun running around the monster and a Senshi on a motorcycle driving by. Ukyou saw the creature glow blue and knew she had to do something. She called out the magic words to invoke Saturn's spell and felt the Senshi magic flow through her like nothing she had ever felt before. Ukyou stood her ground as the energy flew from the tip of the Glaive into the giant creature slicing it like a massive cabbage. The scream the creature uttered would haunt Ukyou's dreams for years to come. Blood and gore covered the street, but Ukyou couldn't budge a centimeter as she slowly cut the beast in half.

The magic was too much to bear in her human body. Ukyou didn't have the magical protection of a Sailor Senshi since she wasn't one. She was only given the power by a link that the little Senshi created and Saturn was tiring quickly in the bed. The moment Saturn gave out was the moment that Ukyou collapsed on the ground. Everything that happened was all crystal clear to Ukyou now.

Ukyou stood tall before the Amazon maiden. "I..." Ukyou rethought what she was about to say. "I don't know what you're talking about Sugar."

"Hmmm... Is that so Ukyou?" Shampoo walked over to the bed and Ukyou raced to intercept her.

"Hey! What'd you think you're doing?" Ukyou stood between Shampoo and the tired Senshi.

"Simple. You no talk Shampoo, Shampoo talk Senshi." Shampoo jumped in the air over Ukyou and landed on the far side of the bed. She reached down and picked up the Silence Glaive. She held it accusingly at Ukyou. "Now you know what Shampoo talk about?"

Ukyou clenched her fists in anger. "That's not yours! Put that down Shampoo." She jumped over the bed and stood two meters in front of the Amazon.

Shampoo twirled the weapon in her arms. "Shampoo like this weapon." She spun her body around and started on a pole arm kata with the two and a half meter long Glaive. "Well balanced."

"That's not a plaything Shampoo. Put it down before someone gets hurt." Ukyou took a step back to avoid the tip of the Glaive from reaching her in the event Shampoo got hostile.

"So you know how use this? Shampoo think so. Shampoo see everything." Shampoo spun the weapon over her head and held it out across her chest and stretched both arms outward in a gesture to give the weapon back to Ukyou. "Show Shampoo."

Ukyou took the Glaive back. "Sorry Sugar. I can't use this like that anymore." She glanced at the sleeping Sailor Saturn. "She's the one who can use this. Not me."

The Amazon pointed outside. "Then how you use on big lizard?"

Ukyou shrugged. "She gave me the power to help the Senshi." She tightened her grip on the weapon. "But it was a one time thing." Ukyou sighed. "I don't feel the power anymore." Ukyou stepped alongside the purple haired girl and kneeled down and gently put the weapon back down on the floor next to its owner. "I'm just here to watch over these two. Nothing more." She turned to look at Shampoo. "Now, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be belittling Mousse right now?"

Shampoo crossed her arms and turned her nose to the sky. "Not care about Mousse. Shampoo here to fight with Ranma!"

Ukyou twitched her eyebrows. "I think even he's out of his league on this one honey. But knowing him, he's out there getting the stuffing kicked out of him." Ukyou added in her mind, "And he's wearing a mini-skirt while doing it." Ukyou let out a laugh at her thought.

"What so funny spatula girl? Ranma great warrior. Ukyou show respect for Ranma."

"Oh nothing, just thinking about something funny." Ukyou flashed an image of Sailor Sun in her mind and remembered how the Ranma she knew would complain endlessly about wearing anything feminine. The Senshi uniform was about as feminine as they come. She gave out another small laugh and then controlled herself.

"Care to share joke with Shampoo? Joke seems to be very funny." Shampoo stood steadfast and produced a bonbori as she shot a glance to her left.

Ukyou gripped a throwing spatula and glanced to her right. "Well the joke is OVER THERE!" She pointed at the back of the store and both girls threw their weapons at the shadow they spotted. The shadow darted around the girls and clung to the ceiling.

"Mistress?" Konatsu called out.

Ukyou groaned as she rolled her eyes. "What's going on? A reunion?" She stuffed the two other throwing spatulas she had in her hand back into her bandolier. Konatsu tossed her spatula back to her and Shampoo's bonbori back to the Amazon.

Konatsu dropped from the ceiling and bowed to his mistress. "Ukyou, I was worried for you since you have been gone for so long. It took me many hours to find you. I'm glad you're well." Konatsu gave a cute smile that put Ranko-chan to shame in its sweetness.

Shampoo looked at Ukyou. "You sure he no fall in Nyannichuan?"

Ukyou muttered. "Sometimes I wonder."

"This is the only life I've known my mistress." Konatsu bowed down to his love. He only knew the life of a female ninja. He acted like a girl, he dressed as a girl and he talked like a girl. He was born a man yet had the soul of a woman. However his preference in mates matched his real gender since he was hopelessly in love with Ukyou. "Please forgive me."

"It's ok Konatsu-chan." Ukyou hated when her kunoichi groveled at her feet. "C'mon, get up."

"Oh, thank you Ukyou!" He held his hands together and cried tears of joy.

Shampoo shook her head. "You REALLY sure he no fall in Nyannichuan?"


========================================


Sailor Neo Moon was lying on top of a miffed Sailor Jupiter. Jupiter was very uncomfortable with the young Senshi on top of her. "Uh... Why are we ducking?"

"Just wait." Neo Moon checked her wristwatch as it was counting down. "We've got twenty-two seconds to go."

"Twenty-two seconds for what?" Jupiter was very bored from being pinned down. Neo Moon had them on the ground for over two minutes.

"Ok. Look away from the bay. Now!" A bright flash came from the middle of the bay and disappeared. The pink haired Senshi started counting upward. "Ten. Eleven. Twelve." A rush of wind rustled over them and a muffled sound of a low-pitched rumble was heard. Usa sighed, "Finally!" She got off of her green-skirted friend and stood in awe at the rising steam cloud that illuminated the predawn sky.

Jupiter slowly got up as well and watched the white cloud dissipate over the harbor. "Don't tell me that Sailor Sun learned another spell?"

Neo Moon snickered at the remark. She shook her head and replied, "Nah, she just screwed up again. Typical." She waved to her brown haired companion to follow her. "Let's go get her." She ran to a small dock with Sailor Jupiter in tow and located a small motorboat that looked like it had some guts under the hood. Neo Moon gave the craft a simple once over. "This will do." She clapped her hands twice and Luna-P flew in from nowhere. The cat head shaped balloon hovered over its master awaiting her command. "Luna-P key!"

Luna-P shook a little and then opened a small hatch with metal ignition key resting inside. Neo Moon grabbed it and stuck it in the ignition of the boat and turned it on. The motor came to life. Neo Moon asked Jupiter, "Could you untie the boat?"

Jupiter stared at Luna-P. "I've got to get me one of those." She pulled the ropes off the boat and tossed them back to the dock. One of the ropes was actually a chain that was locked to prevent the boat from being stolen. She cast "Supreme Thunder" to cut the chain.

Neo Moon's face contained the smile of evil. She set the throttle to reverse and pulled the boat out of the slip. She turned the wheel and pushed the throttle forward. "Wheeee!"

Jupiter lunged for the passenger seat and held on. "You're having way too much fun doing this you know!"

"Yeehaw!" Neo Moon threw a fist in the air and let the ocean breeze pull her ponytails behind her. "You betcha!"

Sailor Jupiter watched her pink haired friend enjoy herself. "You sure have changed Chibi Usa. You talk like Sailor Sun."

The grown up Chibi Usa just kept on smiling and turned the boat to where she knew the helicopter went down. She hummed a popular tune from one of the bands she remembered from the 30th century and kept the boat on a steady course to rescue her future martial arts teacher.


========================================


The lead pilot of the Alpha flight led his group of four jets on a low approach to the pit in the center of Shiba Park. "We have a good lock. Base, we're requesting permission to deploy on primary target."

The commander back at the base checked with his commanding officer. "Is everyone out of the park?"

The general answered back. "The Senshi have left the area and all troops have fallen back three blocks. You can clear them to destroy the nest."

The commander nodded. "Clear them."

The radio operator hit the transmit button. "Alpha flight, you are cleared to deploy on Shiba Park. Repeat, you are cleared to deploy on Shiba Park."

"Acknowledge. Alpha flight, follow my lead and deploy on target." The leader achieved a laser lock and dropped the giant fire bomb from the undercarriage of his F15-J. The plane lifted slightly from the quick loss of weight. In seconds, four large bombs from the four planes were falling from the sky.

The pit was filled with dirt and had a very narrow hole that plunged into darkness. The tunnel was filled with an intense orange glow as the bomb exploded showering the entire area with superheated flame. A stream of burning fuel bathed the inner chamber in heat and fire.

Several four-meter tall eggs exploded as they were embraced by the inferno. The fire heated the egg chamber but most of the eggs were not harmed since they were covered in a layer of dirt and crushed rock. The heat collapsed the main entrance of the nest and cut off the supply of napalm from the weapon.

The park shuddered from three more fireballs, each larger than the one before as they fed on the residual fuel from the previous bombs. In all, the entire central area of the park became a massive cauldron of fire heating the area to the point of steel poles and cars melting in witness to the flames.

"Base, this is Alpha leader. We have deployed primary weapons and target was hit. Repeat, the target was hit."

The men in the room cheered. The general shared in the optimism of his men. "Call the planes back. Send in ground troops to secure the area and have them arm with light anti-tank weapons and explosive rounds for the rifles to take out the stragglers. Have the attack helicopters ready to give air support in case something else shows up."

The orders were relayed to the troops. The general slouched in a large chair. He wanted a strong drink right now.


========================================


Sailor Mars yelped in pain as Sailor Uranus placed the princess of the planet of fire face down on a stretcher. The Senshi stopped among a small group of soldiers who had created a makeshift base on the far side of Tokyo Tower. Sailor Moon raised her healing wand and cast "Moon Healing Activation" on the girl who risked her life to save hers.

The raven haired Senshi moaned as the magic took effect. It closed up the wounds on her back and stopped all the bleeding.

Sailor Venus breathed a sigh of relief. "Hang in there Mars."

Mars tried to get up. She gritted her teeth and fell back down. She muttered something unintelligible. Sailor Neptune came with a blanket and covered up Mars' backside since her dress was burned completely off giving anyone a free show of her backside. Mars muttered again, "Thanks."

Neptune smiled. "You're welcome."

Sailor Moon stopped shaking from the whole ordeal. She kneeled down to her protector. She spoke at a level above a whisper to her dear friend. "Mars, thank you for saving me."

Mars whispered back. "Anytime, meatball head."


========================================


Sailor Mercury watched the bombs fall and hit the park. "Now that's impressive. Wish we had a spell like that."

Sailor Io shook her head. "Are you sure that wasn't Sun showing off again?"

Mercury shuddered at the thought. "We'd better join the others." She hit her Sailor wristwatch. "Sailor Moon, you there?"

Sailor Moon heard her communicator beep. "Moon here."

Mercury was visible in the little screen. "Io and I are by a dead Godzilla. Where are you?"

"We're near the base of Tokyo Tower with some soldiers. Mars is hurt pretty bad. Could you come over here to see if she'll be ok?"

"Sure thing. Mercury out." She turned off her watch. "Io, they're not that far from here. Let's go."

Sailor Io looked to the giant body in front of her. "Ok. Let's go." The two Senshi ran down the street to rejoin their friends. Io turned to look behind her as she ran. She could have sworn that she saw something moving in that mess. She dismissed the idea since the monster was clearly dead. There was no chance the creature could be alive in any way.

As the two girls ran to meet the rest of the team, Mercury dialed Neo Moon's number. It answered, "Neo Moon here."

The Senshi of the innermost planet held her watch to her face while avoiding debris as she ran. "Where's the last Godzilla?"

Neo Moon had to shout to drown out the sound of the speedboat's motor. "It's fish food. Sailor Sun blew it up in the bay. It was a spectacular explosion. They'll probably play it on the Fox network for weeks."

The computer whiz shook her head. "Ok. We're regrouping at the base of Tokyo Tower. Can you get Sun and Jupiter to meet us there?"

Neo Moon began to slow down the boat as she was getting close to where the helicopter debris field was. "It's going to take a little time. We're on a boat on our way to pick up Sun." She paused for a moment. "It's a long story."

Io and Mercury shot glances at each other. Io put her hand to her forehead to wave off an incoming headache induced by her husband just being herself. "Oh, I can't wait to hear about this one at school tomorrow."

Mercury agreed with Io. She couldn't wait to hear what really happened in the bay too. "All right, meet us after you pick Sun up. Mercury out."

A few minutes of running had the two Senshi face to face with their teammates. Sailor Moon asked her newly arrived warriors, "I know that two of those things are dead. What happened to the third one?"

Sailor Mercury had the answer. "Neo Moon said on the radio that it was killed in the bay. She thinks that Sailor Sun took it out in a blaze of glory."

Sailor Io groaned, she was tired of her husband always showing off. "Go figure."

"At least it's gone." Mercury bent down to examine her injured friend on the stretcher. She lifted the blanket and recoiled at what she saw. "She's covered in first and second degree burns. There's nothing that I see that her Senshi powers won't be able to cure. Her healing magic will have her up and about in a few days."

Mars gave a hint of a smile. "I don't have to go to school tomorrow. I can get some sleep."


========================================


Mr. Tanaka's cell phone rang. He opened the tiny phone and held it close so that no one else could hear. "Yes? Uh huh. You sure? Report back when you have confirmed the cleansing was complete." He closed his phone and turned to Nick 'The Worm Guy' Tatopoulos who was munching on a small tuna roll. "It appears that the Senshi have destroyed the last Godzilla and we've successfully bombed the nest."

Nick was downtrodden at the news. He was both happy that the threat was over but was saddened that a unique form of life had to be wiped out before anyone could have a chance to study and learn from it. He thought about the situation at hand and needed to be sure the nightmare was over. "You need to send in men to make sure that each and every egg is destroyed. We don't want to repeat the mistake that happened in New York City."

The Japanese special agent looked smug. "We are very good at what we do. We have troops moving in as we speak. They'll be able to verify that the threat is over once and for all."

Nick slumped on the bench he was sitting on. "I hope for your sake you're right. We bombed the last nest and four babies still survived." He waved his hand in a gesture of presentation in the direction of the mayhem and destruction. "This is what those four were able to do."

The agent raised an eyebrow. "Four? We only counted three."

Nick realized he screwed up. The fourth was killed by the French in the deep water nuclear explosion and they didn't want anyone to know about their involvement. "Uh... Well, one died in the ocean from uh..."

The agent smiled and looked Nick in the eye. "You're new at this aren't you?" Nick nodded. Mr. Tanaka spoke slowly. "There was an undersea volcanic eruption yesterday that was unrelated to our little problem. There were only three Godzillas. Right?"

Nick nodded in agreement as he purchased a clue in his mind. "Yes, there were only three Godzillas."

"Good. It appears that you Americans are indeed wise in the ways of the world." He turned to the communications truck and looked at the monitors showing scenes from the park and surrounding areas. "Well the troops are moving in. We should know shortly about the real state of the nest. Oh..."

Nick got a little worried. "Oh?"

"Nothing to worry about. The Senshi are also helping the troops. There should be no problems now."

"Can you tell me anything about those 'Senshi'?"

Mr. Tanaka smirked and handed him another tuna roll. "Eat and regain your strength."

Nick took the food and uttered in disbelief. "I'll take that as a no."


========================================


The soldiers near the Sailor Senshi got their orders. "We're moving out!" The men jumped into a troop transport and checked their weapons.

Sailor Moon stood up and asked a nearby sergeant. "Where are you going?"

"We've been sent to the park to check if the nest was destroyed."

"Nest? There was a nest?"

"Yes, a nest with eggs." The sergeant opened the passenger door to the truck and got in. He banged on the door to signal the troops and waved his arm forward. "Move out!" The truck lurched forward and the convoy drove away.

Mercury remembered what she had heard from her conversation with Nick Tatopoulos. "Oh no. A Godzilla nest could have as many as two hundred eggs in it."

Sailor Venus stood up and made a pose. "Let's dust them! They're only going to be eggs right?"

Sailor Uranus stood alongside her companion Sailor Neptune. "Neptune and I are ready."

Moon looked at her friend Sailor Mars. "Let's get rid of these things. Mercury, could you take care of Mars while we're making omelets?"

"Sure thing Moon. I'm kind of bushed anyways, what with a building falling on me and Io having to dig me out."

Sailor Io blushed and pretended to be innocent. "It was nothing."

Moon charged into battle. "Let's go get them. How hard could this be? They're just eggs."

Mercury shouted at the group as they ran away back to the park. "They're four-meter tall eggs!"


========================================


Deep underground, the caches of eggs were feeling the heat coming from the roof above. The eggs started to shake and crack. A snout broke through the leathery skin of an egg and it cried out as it took its first breath of air. The baby bit away the edge of the egg and discarded the bad tasting material. It widened the opening until it was able to take a step out of its black womb. The baby Godzilla shook its three-meter tall body and wagged its tail to free itself from the egg. It was very hungry and sniffed around the dark chamber looking for food.

It heard the cries of other Godzillas and walked to meet with them. A few minutes later it was in a sewer junction with twenty more of its kind and they all growled at each other as they all examined the room for any sign of breakfast.

There was a smell coming from the south in a sewer tunnel. A smell of rotting meat was coming from the south. A smell of a lot of tasty meat was filling the babies nostrils. The Godzillas began to walk toward the smell in search of nourishment.



Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and keeps me from posting your email address to thousands of spammers. Hmm... Judging from your inbox, I think that might be an empty threat.

Last edited on January 25th, 2007



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