"The Target Is Hino Rei! Deadly Yatagarasu"

Ami mopped sweat from her brow and gratefully gulped down the glass of ice water Akane handed her. "That was...more of a workout than I expected," she admitted.

"You still gotta do some cooldown exercises, but rest a minute first," Ranma said.

"You're in pretty good shape," Akane commented. "You obviously do more than just P.E. at school. What do you normally do for exercise?" *Fight giant cat monsters while wearing a sailor suit?*

"Swimming," Ami said. "I love to swim."

"That's good exercise," Ranma commented.

Ami scrubbed at her neck with her towel. "I guess I need to get proper training clothes," she said, looking down at her sweat-plastered T-shirt and shorts. "By the way, when are your normal beginner classes scheduled?"

"Anou..." Ranma and Akane glanced at one another.

Akane coughed. "Actually, uh...right now, you're our only student."

Ami blinked.

"Otousan...stopped teaching after Kaasan died," Akane explained.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Akane shrugged. "It was a long time ago. Actually, Otousan wants me to carry on the Tendou Dojo."

"Wants US t' carry on th' dojo, y'mean," Ranma said. "Uh...I mean...well, y'know, that's what him an' Oyaji want."

"Yes, that's right, it's our fathers who want that," Akane agreed, face red.

Ami looked back and forth between the two of them. "Are you saying...an arranged marriage?"

"Somethin' like that, yeah," Ranma said, looking at anything but Akane.

"Sou ka." Ami smiled. "Mako-chan's going to be very disappointed. She thinks you're cute."

Ranma grimaced. "An' that's th' last thing I need, more o' THAT," he muttered.

"Who's 'Mako-chan'?" Akane asked, glaring suspiciously at Ranma.

"Ami's friend, an' don't start THIS crap again," Ranma said.

At Ami's confused expression, Akane added, "There are quite a few girls interested in Ranma. I think this pervert actually enjoys the attention."

"Hey, for the hundred THOUSANDTH time, I. Ain't. No. Pervert!" Ranma shouted.

Ami sweatdropped. "Anou..."

Akane looked sheepish. "Sorry, we shouldn't carry on like this in front of a student. It isn't appropriate."

"Yeah...sorry 'bout that, Ami."

Ami shook her head. "I'm used to being around people who embarrass themselves by bickering about ridiculous things," she said with a completely guileless smile worthy of Kasumi.

The two of them stared at her.

Ami coughed. "So, anyway, about a regular schedule for me and the others?"

"Oh, uh...yeah. Just uh...come in anytime, we're pretty flexible here," Ranma said. "Just be sure t' call first."

Ami nodded. "Alright."

"Say, would you like to stay for dinner?" Akane asked. "It is getting rather late..." *And maybe I can get you to slip up and say something that'll help me figure out what the heck's going on around here...*

"Oh, I wouldn't want to be a bother..."

"Nah, Kasumi loves havin' more people t' cook for," Ranma said. "It's no problem, trust me."

Ami thought about what awaited her back at home: a cold sandwich and tea, and an empty apartment.

"Well...if you insist," she said, smiling.

* * * * *

"Well, Isis? Explain yourself."

Isis knelt before Thanatos' throne, head bowed subserviently. "My Lord," she said, "I have come to the conclusion that recovering the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou may prove...somewhat more difficult than expected."

Thanatos frowned. "You are aware that failure displeases me, and my punishments for failure are..."

"Yes, Lord Thanatos," Isis said. "I implore you to allow me time to fully determine the strengths and vulnerabilities of this new Sailor Moon. Saotome Ranma is...dangerous." She paused. "I thought I had found a perfect weakness to exploit, and yet somehow, he overcame that weakness...he is not to be underestimated."

Thanatos folded his hands underneath his chin. "And the other Senshi?"

"So far, I have only observed Sailor Mercury in action," Isis said. "I have yet to initiate a confrontation with any of the other Senshi."

"Mizuno Ami is a negligible factor," Thanatos said dismissively. "She has limited capabilities..."

"Do not dismiss her so easily, my Lord," Isis said. "She has considerable offensive ability, and her analytical and support capabilities make her a formidable foe."

Thanatos stroked his beard, deep in contemplation. "I had never considered Sailor Mercury to be more than a minor nuisance in the past..." he muttered. "Only Tsukino Usagi and Hino Rei posed any significant threat...especially Hino Rei."

"Apologies, my Lord, but...I believe things are not the same now as they were before."

"Perhaps...perhaps," Thanatos admitted. He sighed. "Very well. Continue as you see fit, for now. You are one of my most loyal and competent followers; I defer to your judgement. BUT!" His cold green eyes flashed a warning. "I suggest you obtain the Ginzuishou as swiftly as possible. My patience has its limits."

Isis saluted. "Of course, my Lord."

"One other thing..."

"Yes, Lord Thanatos?"

"Hino Rei. Sailor Mars. Dispose of her."

"As you wish, my Lord."

As she vanished, Thanatos leaned back in his throne, fingertips steepled. "Sailor Mars...I look forward to seeing your broken body..."

His laughter echoed in the black haze that filled his throne room.

* * * * *

"Thank you very much," Ami said as she stepped into her shoes at the genkan. "Dinner was excellent, and I appreciate your inviting me." She bowed.

"Of course, Ami-chan," Kasumi said, smiling and returning the bow. "You're welcome anytime."

Ranma walked with Ami to the train station. "You weren't kidding about Kasumi-san's cooking," Ami said. "It's been quite some time since I ate that much at one meal. I feel like I was a bit of a glutton..."

"You didn't eat THAT much, Ami," Ranma chuckled.

"And Kasumi-san is very polite and personable as well," Ami said. "I like her."

"Yeah, me too."

Ami frowned. "I get the feeling Nabiki-san didn't care much for me."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "It ain't you. She's ticked at me 'cuz I'm teachin' you for free."

Ami paled. "Oh god. I'm sorry. I really should—"

"Ignore her," Ranma said firmly. "That's what you really should do. I'm trainin' you an' th' others 'cuz I wanna, an' 'cuz y'need it bad. Nabiki's just greedy, is all."

"But still...it IS a martial arts school, and if Tendou-san isn't taking students anymore, then..."

"Eh, I wouldn't feel right about takin' money for trainin' right now, anyway," Ranma said with a shrug. "I ain't never taught nobody th' Art before. I reckon I'm gonna be learnin' from our sessions, just like you an' th' other Senshi." He paused. "By th' way, I found out some stuff about th' enemy."

"You did?" Ami asked. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Beeeeecause we weren't exactly in th' safest place t' talk about that?" Ranma replied.

"Oh. Of course."

"Anyway, th' bitch that turned Shampoo into that...monster," he suppressed a shudder, "calls herself Isis. She's as freaky as th' bastard that killed Usagi. His name was Orpheus, by the way, an' Isis killed him after Ryouga beat th' crap outta him. So he's really dead this time. I think."

"And this...Isis...did she say anything else?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah. They're workin' for some jackass called Thanatos."

"Thanatos..." Ami repeated, brow furrowed.

"Heard of 'im?"

Ami shook her head. "No."

"One other thing," Ranma said apprehensively, "I'm pretty sure they're spyin' on us. Or me at least. Isis knew my name, knew I had th' crystal, knew about my cat problem..."

Ami's eyes widened. "That's...troubling," she said. "None of our enemies in the past have been able to target us in our everyday lives."

Ranma shrugged. "It's pretty much par for the course for me. Not that I like th' idea o' bein' spied on, mind."

"So...she turned your friend into a cat monster specifically because she thought it was your greatest weakness?"

"It IS my greatest weakness, an' you got no idea how bad it really is," Ranma replied.

Ami frowned. "Then we absolutely must conquer your fear of cats once and for all. Besides, you need to be able to tell Luna and Artemis everything you just told me, and that phone thing we did at the shrine is ridiculous."

Ranma nodded. "Y-yeah," he said shakily. "It's way past time I got rid'a th' cat thing. I just...got no idea how."

"Can you come over to Rei's place tomorrow?" Ami asked.

"Sure."

* * * * *

The angry cawing of two ravens irritated Isis as she emerged from her mirror just inside the courtyard of Hikawa Shrine at sunrise. "Infuriating birds," she muttered, drawing her angel-wing swords. "I should..."

She paused, looking up at the rising sun.

"...no. Wait. I have a better idea."

As the two ravens circled her, flapping and cawing madly, Isis withdrew a card from her poncho. She flipped it around to display an image of a three-legged crow.

"Arise...YATAGARASU!"

The image on the card came to life and split in two; two insubstantial, shadowy three-legged crows flapped out of the card, infusing themselves into the two birds, whose eyes turned golden and glowed malevolently in the dim morning light. Each raven grew a third leg and became slightly larger.

Isis chuckled. "The one known as Hino Rei. Kill her." With that, she disappeared into her mirror, which vanished.

* * * * *

"Rei-chan? Your birds are quite...agitated this morning."

Rei frowned. "Yeah, you're right, Jiichan. I wonder what..."

Her phone rang. "Ugh, bad timing." She withdrew it from her robes. "Moshi-moshi?"

//Rei-chan, it's Ami. We need to have a meeting at the shrine this morning. I believe Ranma-kun is already on his way. We have new information about the enemy.//

Rei's eyes widened. "Hontou?" She peered through the open door, at where her grandfather was standing at the base of a tree, attempting to coax the two crows roosted in it down. They were cawing raucously at him, eyes shining in the early morning sunlight. "Well, tell everyone to come as soon as they can. I might have a little problem to take care of first, though."

//What's wrong?//

"I'm not sure," Rei admitted. "Phobos and Deimos are going completely crazy."

//Your crows?//

"Hai." Rei winced as one of the birds divebombed her grandfather, pecking him viciously on his bald head. "Gomen ne, Ami-chan, I need to go help Jiichan. I'll leave the rest to you."

Pocketing her phone, she raced outside. "Phobos! Deimos! What are you doing?!"

The birds' heads snapped sharply around at her voice. They let out twin avian cries of fury and shot at her in a flurry of black feathers and all-too-sharp beaks.

* * * * *

At half past nine, Ranma arrived at the Hikawa Shrine...and walked in on a scene of utter chaos.

Rei and her grandfather were being chased around the grounds by two large, angry crows. The former was pleading with the birds to behave; the latter was swatting at them with a broom, which was only agitating them further.

"Rei! Th' hell's goin' on here?" Ranma called as he dashed over, leaping into the air and swatting one of the birds to the ground.

"Don't hurt them!" Rei cried. "These crows...I've been caring for them since I was little! They're...they're not normally like this!"

"They've become as pestilent as the rest of the crows in Tokyo!" the old priest shouted, flailing angrily with his broom.

Ranma leapt up and tackled one of the birds, spinning as he descended so he'd take the brunt of the fall, while he struggled to hold the thrashing, cawing bird still. "So since when do crows have three legs?" he wondered.

"What?" Rei asked. She stared at the bird Ranma had captured, and her eyes widened. "What...what the hell?!"

The elder Hino stared. "That bird...that bird is possessed!" With that, he ran off. "Rei-chan, hold them at bay! I'll prepare a banishing ritual!" he called as he left.

The crow Ranma had captured escaped, flew after the old man, and divebombed him, sending him flying into a tree. He slid to the ground, unconscious.

"Jiichan!" Rei cried. "This has gone far enough!" She produced several ofuda from her sleeves and began forming hand seals. "Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen. AKURYOU TAISAN!" She threw the ofuda at the two circling, cawing birds. The wards sparked and smoked...and burst into flame, burning away to ash.

"Feeble," a woman's voice called. Cold laughter rang out.

"I know that voice," Ranma said, tensing warily.

A pink mirror appeared in midair, disgorging Isis. The two ravens flapped over to their new mistress, hovering in the air beside her. "Ah, so you are here as well, Saotome Ranma. This shall make things easier for me...I can kill two birds with...well...with two birds," she finished with a chuckle.

Ranma grimaced. "Th' hell'd you do t' those birds, Isis?"

"Why don't I show you?" Isis asked. She produced two fiery copper theater masks from her poncho, each featureless save for the eyeholes and the Roman numeral "XIX" engraved on the forehead. She placed one against the breast of each raven; the masks flared with brilliant light, then dissolved into the birds' feathers. The two birds tripled in size; their eyes turned blood red, their beaks became longer, sharper, and pronouncedly hooked, and thick wire collars with several magatama attached to them formed around their throats.

"Kill Saotome quickly, and take the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou," she instructed. "The girl, I want you to kill slowly. Her mangled body will make the perfect prize for my Lord." She took a step back and vanished into her mirror, which faded from view.

The birds cawed malevolently at the two teens.

Ranma and Rei glanced at one another and nodded. Rei pulled out her henshin wand; Ranma pulled a bottle of water out of his pocket. After he splashed himself, the two Senshi transformed and engaged their feathery foes in combat.

* * * * *

"So, Senpai," Kunou Tatewaki said as he assumed a stance across from Mamoru; both were dressed in hakama and uwagi and wielding shinai. "What manner of stain has been wrought upon your honor, that you seek once again to take sword in hand? I had truly never expected to meet you again in this life."

"My girlfriend was murdered," Mamoru said simply, tersely.

Tatewaki's eyes widened. "Unforgiveable!"

"Yes. It is something I can never forgive." Mamoru's eyes were full of pain and rage.

"Then on my honor, on the very name of the noble house of Kunou, I swear that I will see to it you attain your righteous vengeance."

The two bowed, then began to spar.

"Tell me," Tatewaki said as he pressed an attack which drove Mamoru across the training hall, shinai rattling in his grip as he desperately guarded, "of the love you have lost, and of the dishonorable fiend who has stolen her from you."

"I wasn't there when it happened," Mamoru said roughly. "Usako...she was with her friends, right here in Fuurinkan-cho."

Tatewaki paused in his assault. "This...did it occur two days ago, in the afternoon?"

"That's right," Mamoru nodded.

"News of murder most foul did indeed reach mine ears," Tatewaki nodded thoughtfully. "Perchance was an ignoble cur by the name of Saotome Ranma involved at all?"

"Hai. He...he tried to protect her. He escorted her friends home, and was there when...when they told me what happened." His voice became thick and hoarse.

"So, Saotome has yet again extended his influence and expanded his wretched harem to sate his vile lusts," Tatewaki said, scowling.

"...Excuse me?" Mamoru asked.

"Tis folly enough that the brigand has ensorcelled the two most joyous loves of my life, as well as the attentions of no fewer than three other nubile maidens—my own wretched sister among them! But even this is not enough to satisfy him?!"

Mamoru stared at him. "I think you're grossly mistaken," he said. "I met Ranma-kun. He seemed decent enough to me. He was upset that he failed to protect Usako, but he risked his life to protect the others, and as I hear it, defeated her killer."

"Doubtless the murderer was a minion of Saotome himself, and was dispatched before he could expose the true fiend in this infamy," Tatewaki retorted.

"...Kunou-kun?" Mamoru asked.

"Hai, Senpai?"

"When exactly did you go insane?"

"Insane?" Tatewaki asked, tilting his head. "My sanity has not failed me, Senpai. Rest assured, I alone see the truth of the evils perpetrated by Saotome..."

Mamoru heard a cough from behind him, and turned. His gaze landed on the diminuitive ninja, Sasuke, who whispered, "One of the two girls Tatewaki-dono is infatuated with is betrothed to Saotome Ranma, and the other girl IS Saotome Ranma. Neither Tatewaki-dono nor Kodachi-hime have quite managed to realize that the man named Saotome Ranma and the girl who shares the same name are the same person."

Mamoru glanced at Tatewaki, who was still ranting in the middle of the room and had entirely failed to notice this exchange. "Sou ka," he whispered. "And how exactly did you know I'm already aware of Ranma-kun's curse?"

"You've met him," Sasuke said simply. "It's almost impossible to not find out about it."

Mamoru let out a snort of laughter.

"If you want him to stop ranting and keep training you, it's best just to go along with his delusions," Sasuke whispered. "Otherwise this will go on until well past sunset. And you really don't want to be here when Kodachi-hime returns."

Mamoru shuddered. He had only had the misfortune to meet Tatewaki's younger sister once. Once was quite enough. "Arigatou," he whispered to the ninja, who promptly vanished.

Sighing, Mamoru shouldered his shinai and walked back to the center of the room. "Kunou-kun," he called sharply.

"Aa...pardon me, Senpai," Tatewaki said, nodding and resuming his place across from Mamoru. "The mere mention of Saotome's name is enough to set my blood aflame with righteous fury."

"So I'd noticed," Mamoru said dryly. "Well, if it does so happen that Saotome Ranma is responsible for Usako's death, rest assured, I will kill him myself."

"Then you will need the full benefit of all of my unfathomable skills, to overcome his treachery," Tatewaki said, nodding. "Let us resume."

*If he wasn't the best swordsman I know...* Mamoru returned the nod, mouth tightened grimly, and soon he found himself once more on the defensive.

* * * * *

"This...ain't goin' so good," Sailor Moon said, grimacing. She was crouched in a tree; her arms and legs were covered in scratches from the birds' beaks and claws.

"We...can't stop...now," Sailor Mars heaved. She pressed her index fingers together and closed her eyes. "FIRE...SOUL!" She unleashed a spiralling flame attack at the nearest crow.

It opened its beak and issued a sharp gust of wind, which turned the fireball away. It slammed into the base of the tree where Sailor Moon was resting, gouging out a chunk of smoldering bark.

"Kuso...!" Sailor Moon hissed. "That stupid wind attack's gotta go!"

"I don't see any way of getting around it," Mars replied, leaping to the side as the crow followed through with a vicious diving peck.

"Man...I never thought I'd be losin' a fight t' two freakin' crows," Sailor Moon muttered.

"We're...not...losing!" Mars replied between pants as she dodged the birds, which were now double-teaming her. "We're just...not...winning!"

Sailor Moon snorted. "Tell me about it." She removed her tiara, which expanded into a shining disc of light. "Yo, birdbrains! Got somethin' shiny for ya! MOON TIARA ACTION!"

She threw the tiara, which glided gracefully through the air toward another tree; the two crows chased after it, cawing. At the last possible second, Sailor Moon made a gesture with her hand; the tiara angled sharply upwards and skimmed along the trunk of the tree. The two crows were less agile, and slammed forcefully into the trunk.

The tiara arced back around and smacked them both in the back of the head, stunning them, before returning to its owner.

"Y'had enough?" Sailor Moon asked as she returned the tiara to her brow. Her brooch split open, shedding the brilliant light of the Ginzuishou. She brought her hands together in front of the crystal, forming a circle with her fingertips.

"MOON SHADOW ILLUMINATION!"

A brilliant beam of silver light exploded from the Ginzuishou, focused by Sailor Moon's hands; it struck the crows, who beat their wings against the ground and screeched. Smoky silhouettes rose out of their bodies, screaming as they dissipated. When the light faded, Rei's crows lay blissfully unconscious on the ground, returned to normal. The copper theater masks fell unceremoniously to the ground and shattered, the pieces fading into nothingness.

Mars heaved a weary sigh. "Thank you," she said.

"I will NOT fail Lord Thanatos!" Isis' voice suddenly screeched. She appeared directly above and behind Sailor Mars, swords raised to strike.

"Rei! Look out!" Sailor Moon cried. She was already on the move, but she knew she'd never get there in time...she was just too far away...

The serrated angel-wing blades descended, on a trajectory to cleave Sailor Mars' head from her shoulders...

"Yamero," a soft male voice said.

A silver-and-black blade intercepted Isis' swords. Sailor Mars yelped as she rolled clear, rising to her feet and turning to face her would-be assassin and her rescuer.

Isis' masked face turned toward the interloper. "Who dares...?"

She was forced to defend herself as the new arrival dashed toward her, weapon spinning; she barely parried a blow which would have cleaved her in two, then was driven back to slam into the boundary wall by a jolt of electricity which erupted from her opponent's hand. She slid to the ground, stunned.

The interloper stalked toward her, weapon raised to strike a killing blow. "Sokomade," he intoned coldly.

A pink mirror formed underneath Isis, and she sank into it; it quickly faded from existence.

"Che," the warrior spat. He turned and strode toward the two Senshi, who were staring warily at him. "Oi, kimi. Daijoubu ka?"

"H-hai...arigatou," Mars said. "Who...are you...?"

The man was tall, with a slender yet powerful build. He wore tight black leather pants and knee-length black boots with steel soles, a black metal mesh shirt, and a black longcoat which flapped open around his legs; seven unbuckled leather belts with brass buckles extended along the open coat from calf to groin. He wore black fingerless gloves; in his right hand he held a massive black halberd with a wickedly sharp, meter-long, silver-edged blade.

Eyes that were the same cold steel color as his short hair studied them from behind the lenses of glasses with angular black frames. "Izanagi," he said in his soft, rough voice, before turning and vaulting the boundary wall.

The two Senshi stared after him, then turned to one another.

"Ho-kay, that was weird," Sailor Moon said.

"You get used to it," Mars replied.

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Since 11/24/12