18Standard disclaimer here. I don't own the characters in this story, and I only wrote it for fun, for myself, and others to enjoy without any desires for compensation.
Kasumi's Bedtime Story
Chapter 3 Senshi, Meet the Meious
Setsuna stands up, turning to Tendo Soun. "Wait a minute everyone, and I will take us home my way. I just need to do something first." Kneeling down next to Soun, she kisses him on the cheek. "Get well daddy, I do still love you." Wiping her eyes, she stands up, turning to her family, waves her hand, causing a distortion to appear in the air. "Come on, everyone aboard the Pluto Express. I want to see our kids. Mother Nodoka has had four years to spoil them." After everyone else has stepped through the distortion, Setsuna takes one last look around. "Yes, there are still a lot of good memories here. Goodbye again old life." She quickly turns and steps through the distortion, which then vanishes.
Several hours later, two young woman, Haruka Tenoh, aka Sailor Uranus, and Michiru Kaioh, aka Sailor Neptune, with one teenage girl, their adopted daughter, Hotaru Tomoe, aka Sailor Saturn, open the front door of their home in Juuban. The home that they share with their fellow Sailor Senshi, Sailor Pluto, aka Setsuna Meiou. It's late, so they don't announce themselves, as they kick off their shoes, and enter the house proper. A moment later, all three of them freeze, starring at the sight of Setsuna sitting on the couch, with a young man that looks to be in his mid twenties, laying on the couch, with his head on her lap. Sitting on the floor in front of them, are two teenage girls, around Hotaru's age, one with red hair, the other with green, and both have purple eyes.
Hotaru stares for a minute, then a big smile grows on her face, as she runs and jumps on the young man, proceeding to tickle him. "Ranma-poppa! Yeah, your still ticklish."
Rolling around on the couch, Ranma finally falls onto the floor, and removes Hotaru from tickling him. "Ho-chan, you had to remember that I am ticklish." Sitting up, and putting on a pout, Ranma sniffs. "Maybe I won't remember to take you flying tomorrow."
The two teenage girls who had to move out of the way of the falling Ranma, now kneel along side of him. The redhead smacks him on the back of the head. "Baka! Mother introduce us to Hotaru's other parents, and if you won't take Hotaru flying tomorrow, we will. She's our sister, and we haven't seen her in over a year!"
Haruka, and Michiru, look at each other, ignoring everything else that was said, focus on one word, and at the same time say. "Mother?"
Ranma pushes himself up into the sitting position on the floor, and at the same time changes from 5'11", black hair Ranma, who was wearing black pants, and a red polo shirt, to 5'2" redheaded Ranma-chan, who is no larger than the teenage girls she is sitting with, and is now wearing a black skirt, and red silk blouse. With a giggle she explains. "Yea, mother, and these two pains are Setsuna's and my daughters, Yuko, and Chiyoko. The redhead is Yuko, and the green haired one is Chiyoko. They are both 13 of your years old. Oh, and I am Ranma, Setsuna's husband of..." Looking up at her wife, she see Setsuna give a nod that it okay to say. "Of 11,713 years. I was just going to say a long long time dear."
Setsuna leans forward, and begins to undo her now female husbands pigtail, reforming it into a loose ponytail. "That's okay lover. It is time to tell our story to them, as long as they keep it from the others for now."
Trying to not take their eyes off the sight in front of them, Haruka, and Michiru nod as they pull each other down into a chair across from the couch. The Senshi have always known that Setsuna, was possibly several thousand years old, but. Haruka swallows, and exclaims. "11,713 years!" Ranma, and Setsuna both nod. Then Haruka asks. "If Ranma is their mother, who is the father?"
As quick as Ranma had changed, now Setsuna changes from 5'8" woman with knee length green hair, wearing a skirt, and blouse to a 6' tall, man with short green hair, wearing dockers, and a polo shirt, who smiles at them, and answers. "Why, I am of course." After enjoying the look on her roommates' faces, she kisses Ranma-chan, and says. "Change back lover. Would you believe I used to call Ranma a pervert for being able to change genders, then I found I could do it too." And just as quick as the earlier change, Ranma is now male, and Setsuna is once more female.
Michiru pushes her lover's mouth closed, and asks. "Setsuna, what is going on? How can you two be married that long? How come we didn't even know you were married? How can you two change genders like that? How come you never did it before?"
Hotaru is grinning like it's Santa Day. "Setsuna-momma, does this mean that I can finally tell your secret to them?"
Hotaru sees Setsuna nod, and she runs over to stand in front of Haruka, and Michiru. With a big smile, and a small bow, she addresses them. Haruka-poppa, Michiru-momma, you know Setsuna-momma as Sailor Pluto, the Senshi of Time, Guardian of the Time Gates. Let me introduce you to the Goddess Setsuna, Goddess of Time, Guardian of the Gates of Time, Goddess, and God 1st Class, 1st Category, Unlimited License. Her husband, the God Ranma, God of Martial Arts, God, and Goddess 1st Class, 1st Category, Unlimited License. Ranma-poppa has been on assignment for Kami-sama, with his sisters for the past four years."
Haruka looks at her adopted daughter like she has grown two balloon heads, and sneers at Ranma. "Setsuna is a goddess, and he is the god of martial arts working for Kami-sama. Yeah, right. What kind of nonsense are you telling our daughter Setsuna?"
"Ranma, don't take the bait. I prefer everyone stays friends, and family here." Setsuna says, while placing a hand gently on Ranma's shoulder. She then stands, pulling her husband to his feet with her. "Well, I can see that we are going to have to show you some credentials. Ho-chan, since this includes you daughter, stand with your sisters." She waits for Hotaru to stand with the other teens, then says. "Ranma, girls, Wings!"
Haruka faints, and her partner Michiru stares with her mouth open, and eyes as big as saucers, for before her now stand five people that are obviously kami. They are all standing, but their feet don't reach the floor. At the same time, their street clothes have changed to flowing robes, they each have a pair of pure white wings extended out from their backs, strange tattoo like marks have appeared on their foreheads, and cheeks, and their bodies glow faintly with divine power.
Setsuna smiles serenely at Michiru, and asks. "So, Michiru, how was your concert tonight?" After watching her roommate facefault, Setsuna giggles, and then says. "Alright family, we have messed with their minds enough. Change back, and Ranma, lets take a page from Kasumi's rules, and go get some tea ready for everyone. Thank you lover. Michiru, could you revive your spouse, and bring her to the table please?" Seeing Michiru slowly nod, Setsuna directs her kids to the table in the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Michiru, guides a shaky Haruka into the kitchen, and sits her at the table. Taking a seat herself, she looks at her adopted daughter. "Ho-chan, your a goddess also?"
Hotaru runs around the table to hug Michiru. "I'm sorry Michiru-momma, but I wasn't allowed to tell you. Setsuna-momma told me that I had to protect our timeline. I guess the danger is over now." She looks at Setsuna, and sees another nod, and smile.
Setsuna sets her tea cup down, reaches over to brush Hotaru's bangs out of her face, exposing the goddess mark on her daughter's forehead, and explains. "These marks are not tattoos, they are our connections with Yggdrasil in Asgard, and they identify us to each other. We normally hide our marks with the same kind of magic as our Senshi disguises. Now that you have seen them on us, you always will." Kissing Hotaru above her mark on her forehead, and then she smiles warmly as she lets the young goddess join her sisters at the other end of the table. Turning back to the young couple, Setsuna continues. "You already know that Ho-chan didn't survive Mistress Nine. You believed that she was saved at the time gates. She wasn't. There was nothing I could do for her, so I took her to Asgard. Because of her pure soul, and self sacrifice, Kami-sama ascended her, making her a goddess. Well, a goddess in training right now. That's why she has to have another god, or goddess go with her when she flies. She only has a learner permit." She sees her adopted daughter blush, and then continues. "She was put in Ranma's and my care to raise her. Now since we Kami don't have that many, if any, our children age much slower, both physically, and emotionally. Our children, which includes Hotaru, age about one year for every ten years that pass, until they reach about 13 years of mortal growth. The growth spurts that Hotaru has had, have been the times, that my sister Urd, has taken her to the past, where the Ranma, and I of the past, raised her with our own daughters. Now the Ranma, and I of a 130 years ago, did not know who Hotaru was. Only that she was an infant that Kami-sama told us to raise as our own daughter, and that I was not allowed to use the gates to see who she was. Ho-chan was with us 80 years when Kami-sama sent Urd to take her for a few days. Then we had her another 50 years, until I caught up with the present when I brought the dieing Sailor Saturn to Asgard, and then knew who our daughter was. Kami-sama told me to wait until Urd took Ho-chan to the past the second time, and then to bring our daughter of now, the present here."
Haruka, and Michiru stare at their daughter, and the twins next to her. Images of Hotaru after Mistress Nine, an infant in diapers for a couple of days, then all of a sudden she was eight years old. She was eight for only a few days, then she changed into the thirteen year old that she appears today. But, that has been over a year ago, and she still looks the same. Michiru finally voices their questions. "How old is my daughter really, and are we going to wake up to find a mature woman in her place?"
Pulling the three teens together in front of her, so they are all facing Michiru, where the other woman can see that the three teens are just that, teenagers. Setsuna then answers. "Ho-chan, as well as our twins, are over 130 years old chronologically. But, they are only 13 years old emotionally, and in physical development. Kami-sama said there will be no more trips for her to the past, so she will age her normal immortal rate from now on. Girls go play, parents need some privacy. Ho-chan, the twins have brought some of theirs, and your stuff from Asgard with them, including some holocrystals of your favorite shows."
Watching the three young goddesses run out of the kitchen, like any other teenagers, Michiru picks up her tea, and takes a long sip. Setting her cup down she asks. "So, every time Ho-chan had a growth spurt, you had sent her to the past, where she would live for years being raised by you, without any consideration of Haruka, or my feelings. Then you would return her to the exact time she left here. You are gods, and you didn't care about us before! How do we trust you, and why are you telling us now?"
Setsuna closes her eyes, and sighs. After a moment she begins. "Michiru, because we are gods, we can not lie, and we can do nothing but care. It is in our very being to care. Kami-sama, our Father, gave mortals free will. He did not give it to us immortals, be us gods, or senshi." She opens her eyes to the shocked face of her roommates, and continues. "It is the price of our immortality, and our power. Oh, we have a lot of freedom of choice in our day to day lives. But we will always put the good of everyone else before ourselves, and when Kami-sama, our Father, tells us to do something, we do it. If we decide we want to go against our nature, well, my Aunt Hild is the Queen of Demons, and she is always looking for new recruits."
Haruka is incensed by this. Turning red, she jumps to her feet, all but yelling. "I have free will, I am not a puppet of anyone, not even Kami-sama!"
"Try it." Setsuna says closing her eyes again, and continues. "Try to turn your back on anyone that needs your help. Once you find out that I am telling the truth, if you decide you want free will, tell me. It is within my power to take away your immortality, and powers, to bestow them upon another. Better that, than for you to become a demon." Her eyes snap open. "Better yet!" Before anyone can blink, Setsuna jumps over the table, wrapping an arm around Haruka's waist, spins on her heel, waving her other hand opening a portal, that both woman vanish into.
Michiru looks at Ranma who is still just calmly drinking his tea. He looks up, smiles at her, and says. "I am so glad Sets-chan got over her anger issues. She used to beat people, including me senseless. Now she works at always being calm, and discussing issues."
Michiru blinks, her panic momentarily disarmed by Ranma's comment, asks. "But your the god of martial arts. How could she beat you?"
Ranma's smile grows, and he answers. "Because I love her. I could never raise a hand to her, not even in self defense. It took a long time for me to get over that enough to teach her martial arts."
Michiru after another long minute, begins to worry about her partner asks. "Do you know where they went, and if they will be gone long?"
Ranma comes around the table, changing to Ranma-chan, she pours Michiru another cup of tea, and sits next to the distraught woman. The change is not lost on Michiru. Ranma is a man, the husband of Setsuna, but she is also a woman, and a mother. Noticing Michiru relax a little more, Ranma-chan answers. "As Sets-chan said, we care. She cares way too much to allow you, or Haruka to be hurt. She has taken Haruka on a little trip, maybe a tour, maybe an adventure, or two. No matter what, she won't return until she knows that she has done all she can for her. They may be gone minutes, or years."
Michiru's eyes get large, her mouth falls open as she utters a single word. "Years?"
Ranma-chan puts a hand gently on the other woman's hand. "Their time Michiru. But in our time, they should be back any minute now."
As if on cue, there is a distortion in the air, and the two missing woman step through, laughing. When they had left, Haruka had a short man style hair cut, and was wearing a man's suit, complete with men style house slippers. Now her hair is long, tied in a ponytail, and she is wearing rust colored leather pants, and vest over a t-shirt, with calf high boots on her feet. Setsuna is similarly clad, but her leathers are brown.
Ranma-chan looks at the two woman, and then turns back to Michiru, and says. "I was right, they were gone years. From the looks, they have had a few adventures, that I am sure they will be sharing with us for a long time."
Haruka walks over to Michiru, pulling her lover to her feet, she wraps her arms around her, and kisses her deeply. After several minutes, she breaks the kiss, but doesn't loosen her grip. Looking her in the eyes, she smiles. "I have missed you so very much my Mich-chan. Kami how I have missed you. Now I understand how Ranma, and Setsuna feel when they have to go on assignments away from each other. That's what we have been doing. Working on assignments given by Kami-sama for over five years. Our last stops were Father's office, and then the time gates where she let me see a replay of the last hour here, so that I would remember what we were talking about, before I went on my five year journey. Michiru my love, she didn't lie to us. The gods, and we senshi don't have free will, and I don't care, I am happy with who, and what I am."
Michiru reaches a trembling hand up, touching the corner of the taller woman's lips. She can feel the difference in the taller woman's whole being. She seems so alive now. It radiates from her, love, life, happiness. The anger that has haunted her for years is gone. She can't help but smile back at her partner. Finally she has to ask. "Who are you, and what have you done with Haruka?"
Haruka laughs as she sits down, pulling Michiru onto her lap. Kissing her partner one more time, she then answers. "Oh, I am Haruka. The same one that left here a few minutes ago your time. I just grew up, when I found out that I am not the center of the universe. A trip to Asgard, many other worlds, and of course Hell will do that to you. You know Setsuna is one of the few gods that can pop in and out of places she is not supposed to be, like Hell. It really upset her Aunt Hild when we appeared in her office in Niflheim, though Father was laughing like crazy when we got back to Asgard. Worse then going to Hell. I have seen hell in the lives of mortals all over the universe. We the senshi, and the gods can never turn our backs on them. Just as Setsuna couldn't turn her back on me. She saw the pain in me, and even though she has been away from Ranma for the past four years, she gave up another year, before she picked up Ranma to join us on our journeys to heal me."
Michiru feels overwhelmed, only the joy radiating from her partner keeping her from hysterics. "You've been to Hell, other worlds, and Asgard, the home of the gods?" Haruka still smiling nods her head. Michiru then continues. "You say Father. Do you mean Kami-sama?" Haruka nods again, her smile growing. Michiru deep blue eyes prove they could get even larger. "You talked with Kami-sama?"
Haruka her eyes sparkling, hugs Michiru tight to herself for a moment, then says. "Kami I have missed you. Relax love, your eyes are so wide now, if Father didn't already know their color, he could see them all way in Asgard. Yes, I have seen, and talked with Kami-sama, though he prefers for us to just call him Father. Before I met him for the first time, Setsuna told me to quit worrying. That he was just like the greatest parent, and best friend rolled in one, and that is exactly what he is like. I have been to his office many times over the past five years, and we just left his office before coming here. You know what he did this time. He sat me on his lap, like you are sitting on mine. He called me daughter, told me that he loved me. Then he brushed my hair out, and retied it in a ponytail. He said I needed to look good for you Michiru. Then he did something that he never does. He explained his actions. He explained as one of Ho-chan's parents to another, why our daughter had to be raised the way she was. He said that because of the power she carries, a power of destruction greater than most gods, and because of what she suffered from Mistress Nine, her birth father, and others, that our daughter needed a lot of healing. It wasn't Ranma, and Setsuna that was needed for her healing. It was their daughters, Yuko, and Chiyoko. More than loving parents which Ranma, and Setsuna have been, Ho-chan needed something she has always been denied, friends, and sisters. Yuko, and Chiyoko, are her sisters in every way but blood. The three of them will be sisters, and friends for their whole immortal lives. While the four of us, and Father are only her parents."
"I guess we can't compete with that." Michiru says with a mock sniff. Then faces Setsuna, and ask."But why couldn't you tell us when you first found out who she was, and why are you telling us now?" After the words are out of her mouth, she realizes that Setsuna is in no condition to reply. Her face turns red, as she waits for her roommates to quit kissing, and thinks. 'Well, I will never think Setsuna is judging Haruka's and my relationship again.'
Setsuna, who was busy kissing, and being kissed by Ranma-chan, mumbles something about interruptions while still being kissed. As she and Ranma-chan giggle, they break apart, to turn to their roommates. Setsuna sits with her eyes closed for a minute, then when she opens them, she takes a deep breath, serious again, she explains. "I couldn't tell you before, because I was protecting the timeline, and that danger passed today. I am telling you now, because Ho-chan has been waiting for this day, so that she could return to Asgard to finish her training, get her domain, and license. All her other training has been done in the past. But now she is caught up with her present, so her domain training, and getting her licenses, must be done in the present. To do this, she needs to go to Asgard for about six months. Which she would have already done with her sisters, but she needed to be here for the Senshi, and to protect the timeline. Also she loves you two, so she won't leave without your blessings." Setsuna then giggles. "But don't worry about loosing our baby. The aging of immortal children after reaching the physical mortal equivalent age of 13, slows way down until it stops altogether at the mortal equivalent of 25. The four of us have about 700 years to enjoy her teenage years, along with the twins."
Haruka rolls her eyes. "Oh my, 700 more years of teenage emotions! I wonder if Father has some more missions he can send me out on."
Michiru surprises herself, she smacks her lover in the back of her head, then putting on a pout, whines. "Not without me Haruka. You are not going to go running around the universe with Ranma, and Setsuna again, leaving me at home like some housewife. Especially to deal with our daughter's teenage emotions by myself. And how was Ranma with you, when she has been here with me the whole time?"
Ranma-chan smiles at Setsuna, then explains. "Knowing Sets-chan, she probably picks me up later tonight from our bed, and then drops me back before the Sets-chan of now wakes. And you couldn't go with us this time, since the whole trip was for Haruka's benefit. She needed to be away from you to be able to grow." Setsuna nods, earning her a kiss. Then Ranma starts laughing, finally she composes herself, and explains what was so funny. "Sorry about that...Thinking of personal growth, and teenagers. You and the rest of the Senshi need to get used to long childhoods. While your not gods..'yet', you are immortals, and any kids you have will age at the same slow rate as ours. This goes for Usagi, and the other Senshi personal growth. You two missed being teenagers for centuries, because you were both young adults when you became Senshi. The other Senshi are going to be teenagers for a very, very long time."
Haruka, and Michiru both facefault onto the table. Then with her face still planted against the table, Michiru sighs, and says. "I guess Ho-chan has to go, but I don't want her to be away from me for 6 months, even if I am going to have her as a teenager for 700 more years."
"Well then, can you two get 6 month vacations, or leaves of absences?" Setsuna asks, and then to the questioning looks answers. "Since you are both immortals, and as Haruka already knows, you are allowed to come to Asgard with us."
Michiru, and Haruka look at each other, and then nod, while grins spread across their faces. Haruka voices their thoughts. "We both can get leaves for longer than that if needed, or we will quit our jobs for our daughter. But I, we would still like to know how come you are only telling us about our daughter, and you now. What was the danger to the timeline?"
Setsuna calls their daughters back into the kitchen, then says."I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before. Today was the nexus of several events, all starting with a wish that the gods gave to a nineteen year old mortal girl, one Tendo Akane. She thought when she made that wish, that it only involved herself. She had no way of knowing how many lives that one wish touched." Setsuna pours herself some more tea, then continues. "Let me tell you her story. It is the story I used to tell Ranma's baby sister Kasumi, when I tucked her into bed at night. It is my story."
Kasumi's Bedtime Story
Shannon Dee 11-07-2009
Author's Notes
11-07-2009
I wrote the dream sequence first, just a funny thought that passed through my head, while sitting in my car waiting for my family. Then I thought, what if Akane did get a wish for real. I pretty much wrote the whole story while waiting for my family, and then spent an evening correcting my grammar, and spelling. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did telling it.
11-09-2009
A slight rewrite. Reading the story, I didn't like the sentence structure in a few places, so I corrected that. Also I have some ideas for some side stories, and other future stories spawned from this story. So I needed to add a little to Setsuna's dealings with Haruka, and Michiru.
11-10-2009
Another slight rewrite. Fixed a few more typos, and expanded some parts to make sure the side stories that will come later fit.
11-13-2009
Broke the story back into the chapters as I originally wrote it, so that I can made additions to the middle of the story.