*DISCLAIMER*

Warning: Java compilation error. Insufficient coffee. Due to this, none of the characters, situations and sites belong to the authors of this story. They are currently just used to explore the effects of sleep deprivation.

"It was nice having a break; some time away from the other girls, some time with my father...some time with Akito. And with the spring break here, there'll be no school for two weeks.

"I'm not entirely sure that I wish to return home. I like being a normal teenager for once. But it is a pity that a normal teenager's life includes chores."

Tail Kinker and Kitsy present

Magical Girl Pretty Ruri

Episode Nineteen:

Shattered Crystal

Ruri sat back on her heels and scowled at the furo.

"You done in there yet, Ruri?"

"No." She stood up and tossed the sponge into the tub. "Whatever that stain is, it isn't coming out. What happened while I was gone?"

"Bath beads."

Ruri blinked. "Bath beads did this?"

Usagi sighed. "I picked them up on sale. Only five hundred yen. Imported from America."

"Where are the rest?"

"That was the rest. I accidentally dropped the whole bottle into the furo."

Ruri rolled her eyes.

A soft comment drifted down from the bathroom window ledge. "Wow...clumsiness is hereditary."

Ruri picked the sponge back up, rinsed it thoroughly, and launched it at the cat.

* * * * *

The room was dark, the walls lined with shelves of books. Against one wall was a massive oaken desk with a single lantern casting feeble illumination. Genichiro sat at the desk, perusing a massive tome of mystical knowledge.

Genichiro slammed the book shut, jumped to his feet, and began to pace. "This isn't working fast enough. I haven't found anyone powerful enough to capture the required ki...not to mention the Martian Successors."

"Problems, dear?"

Genichiro stopped pacing long enough to scowl at Mie. "Don't you have better things to do, rather than tormenting me?"

"Better, possibly. More entertaining? No." She smiled. "Besides, I've been studying--"

"Not again."

"--your failures."

Genichiro looked away. "Hmph."

"It's not as if you've had any successes for me to study."

"And you?" Genichiro whirled on her, eyes blazing. "What have you done to further our cause? Nothing! You've not run even a single op, not brought back even a single dram of ki, and generally done nothing but annoy your betters."

"Oh?" She tilted her head and smiled. "At least Akara is still impressed with me."

"Certainly it is not for your tactical knowledge."

"Depends on your breed of tactics. Needless to say." She smirked evilly. "During every one of your failed attempts to destroy the Martian Successors, it has been me who brought the ki to our reservoirs. When your precious Paragons go boom, it is I who gathers the energy released by their destruction." She sauntered forward and sat down on the desk. "So as far as Akara can see, it is I who have done the most for our cause...and you are just a bumbling idiot."

Genichiro stared at her. "Do you mean to tell me...that every op I've run has actually been a success?"

"Sort of. I've just been taking all the credit."

* * * * *

"Hoshino Ruri! Front and center!"

Ruri sighed, and tossed the rag back into the bucket. "Just a minute." She struggled to her feet - the furo room wasn't the biggest in the world - and walked downstairs.

Usagi looked down at her sternly. "Did you finish the bathroom?"

"Yes. Except for that stain in the furo, which is simply not coming out."

"That's acceptable. Did you feed the cat?"

"Yes." She smiled. "I also gave him some water."

"Have you cleaned the litter box?"

"Um...no."

"Why not?"

"We have no clean litter. We are also officially out of cat food." Ruri pulled out a notebook and hunted through it until she found the scribbled reminder. "Also, he'd appreciate a catnip mouse."

Usagi blinked.

"At least, I'd assume that he would appreciate it."

"Kids and their imaginations." Usagi shook her head. "Grab your jacket; here's your allowance. You'll need it to get the cat litter and cat food, at least. I know there's no chance you have any left over from last week..."

Ruri shrugged. "Remember? We took Megumi shopping. For clothes, no less. I didn't make it to the end of the day with any cash left, let alone the end of the week."

* * * * *

The champagne flute tumbled end over end. Sunlight refracted off the lead crystal, cascading rainbows on the walls and floor. It slipped into shadow, and the rainbows were gone, and only the glass remained, falling down towards the tiled floor. It stuck on its edge, and exploded into a million gemlike crystal fragments. The fragments, glittering in the morning sunlight, scattered across the floor, and lay, glinting, iridescent, beautiful, sharp. The petals of a flower, a tulip blooming--

Akito shook his head to clear it. He realized that he was standing in the middle of a small crowd of people, applauding.

"What--?"

"Way to go, butterfingers."

"That's coming out of your pay."

"You feeling okay, kid?"

Houmei walked up to Akito. "I'll take care of this, Tenkawa. You sit down. You look dizzy."

Akito nodded. He felt like everything between his ears was well padded with cotton batting--everything still there, just well and truly snarled.

Houmei sighed. "Thought you were over your cold, or whatever it was."

"I thought I was too. Just..." He shook his head again. Nope, no good--the batting was just wedged in there too tightly. "I dunno. A sudden dizzy spell."

Houmei sighed. "Are you going to drop anything else."

"No." He stood up. "I'm all right. Really."

"Well...I suppose I can trust you." She handed him the broom. "Finish with this. I'll finish emptying the dishwasher."

Akito took the broom, and began sweeping mechanically. His eyes swept across the restaurant's dining room, and came to rest on a sundae. Or rather, a picture of a sundae, one of the restaurant's advertising poster. A multi-layered sundae, caramel and vanilla, with a cherry lodged halfway down, the red spot clearly visible in the flower-shaped vessel...

* * * * *

"Ruri!"

Ruri paused. "Hi, Yukina."

"Hey! Run, run, run..."

Ruri rolled her eyes.

"Hey! I haven't seen you for a really, really long time!"

"Yes, almost five days."

"Yeah. Oh, wait. Blink. That's not that long a time."

*Maybe ditziness is just an environmental thing in this part of the city...*

"So where are we going?"

"I need to go to the pet store, to get supplies for my cat."

"Not to the ice cream store?"

Ruri blinked. "No."

"I don't believe you. It's Sunday, so you got your allowance. And at the ice cream store, you've got sweet stuff and Akito, both under one roof." She frowned. "You're not gonna try and tell me you're not hungry, are you?"

"I'm not hungry."

*growl*

"So what was that, huh? Maybe there's an earthquake coming?"

Ruri scowled down at her stomach. "Traitor."

"Grab. Come on, let's go. Pull, pull, pull..."

* * * * *

The walls were hung with red tapestries, each bearing a silhouette of an insect. Mie knelt before a massive marble scarab, carved to accomodate a person, as a throne. On either side of the throne was a brazier, and in front of it, a low-set crystal ball.

"I have detected a harmonic convergence."

Akara simply nodded. "Yes, my Lord?"

"There is a chance that we may be able to acquire a new ally. But it will take both cunning and skill."

"Your will, my Lord." Akara stood and laid a hand on Mie's head. "It will be your task to bring him here."

"And?"

Akara blinked. "You are quite lucky that your competence forgives your attitude. If this person must be seduced to the Dark World..." He smirked. "Certainly you're the best choice. If you think you're capable."

"Oh, don't worry, my Lord. I'm quite certain I can handle this mortal."

* * * * *

"How can you eat that?"

Yukina looked up, surprised. "What's wrong with it."

"It's...frilly."

Yukina pointed at Ruri's mostly-demolished banana split. "And that isn't?"

Well, she had a point. Three scoops of neapolitan ice cream, nuts, chocolate and caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry...but at least it didn't have cinnamon hearts, chocolate bunnies, and all sorts of other silliness sprinkled all over it. Like Yukina's sundae.

"I can't figure out how you can eat all that and still be so small."

Ruri shrugged. "I work most of it off."

"Snoring?"

"Baka."

The door slammed open, the bell jangling wildly, and a concentrated force of cheerfulness and hyperactivity flew in. Ruri winced.

"Good morning, Yurika."

"I'm so happy! My Akito is back!" She paused, and glared at Ruri.

Ruri squirmed. "What?"

"Where is he?"

Ruri looked around. Sure enough, there was no sign of Akito in the ice cream shop. She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well...I'm sure he's just dying to see me! He'll be here. He knows I always come here at this time."

"No doubt that's why he's not here now."

Yukina snorted. "Ruri, you're mean."

"Am I?"

Yurika leaned over to Ruri. "By the way, Inez wants to see you, real soon. Has to do with...you know..."

"I don't care. I quit that job, remember? Besides, I need to do some shopping" Ruri sighed. "I've got more things to do today than time to do them in..."

"Then how come you're sitting here eating ice cream?"

"I was hungry." She finished off the banana split and stood. "Tell Ai that if she wants to see me, to meet me at the pet store."

"Me?" Yurika frowned. "I have to stay here and wait for Akito."

* * * * *

Four red lights, glowing dimly. The sound of the small vehicle's engine growling. One of the lights shattered, flickering into darkness. Behind him, somewhere, a little girl screamed. A flash of light, blinding him momentarily.

Akito blinked.

A little girl, her hair in short pigtails, ran down the playground path, chasing an orange plastic ball. A woman-- her mother?--called after her to slow down, she could fall and break her neck. He could hear the swings, chains squeaking in the background. The sun was in his eyes, and he closed them, to block out the glare.

The squeaking. The grinding of gears, the screech of rubber tires on metal deck plates. The claw slamming down--

"Hey, Akito. You okay?"

"AIEEE!"

Inez ducked, as Akito took a wild swing in her direction. She frowned at him. "You better have a good explanation for this."

"Ah...Sorry, Ai. You startled me."

"You look like you'd just seen a ghost."

He looked at her oddly. "I think maybe I did. I just don't know where the ghost comes from."

Ai nodded. "Would you like to walk with me? I'm going to meet Ruri."

"Yeah...Think I will." He looked around the park. "This place is full of bad memories."

* * * * *

Genichiro materialized in a spray of golden light. Unfortunately, his transporter special effect was the only light source available in the storage room.

"Damn...should have brought a flashlight." He grinned, then raised the Eye of Jinchi.

The Eye began to glow faintly, shedding enough light for Genichiro to see his surroundings. He nodded. "Close enough. Now then...where is our Paragon?"

* * * * *

"Cat food, cat litter and something with catnip in it."

"Nod."

Ruri snapped the notebook shut. "I think that's all that he needs."

"How about a rubber mouse?"

Ruri tried to picture Omoikane playing with a rubber mouse. "How about no?"

"Hey, Ruri! Isn't that Akito?"

Ruri glanced up. Sure enough, approaching the pet shop was Ai and Akito. She smiled, and broke into a run.

"Oh, good. She made it here on time." Ai waved at Ruri.

Akito looked at Ai in puzzlement. "Ruri? Since when has she ever been late for anything?"

Ai chuckled. "You've really been out of it for the last while."

Akito nodded, somewhat confused. "I remember a lot more now...But it's like I have two sets of memories."

Ai stopped, and looked at Akito. "Two sets?"

"Yes, one from here and one from the Nadesico."

Ai smirked. "How much of this set do you recall? Especially about Ruri?"

"Ruri? Well, she...her mother...oh, no..."

*GLOMP*

"Akito-kun!"

It immediately came to Akito's attention that Ruri was quite a few years older than he remembered her. Also, a few years more...developed. He blushed a deep crimson. "Ah..." He glanced over at Ai. "Now would be a good time for an explanation."

Ai pointedly said nothing.

Ruri let go of Akito and took a step back. She smiled up at him, and tilted her head. "I need to do some shopping...After that, would you like to go to the movies?"

Akito scratched his head. It seemed to him that Ruri was considerably more...open. Forthcoming. Hell, friendly! - he'd never seen her smile like that. "Sure, I guess..."

"Good!" Ruri grabbed Akito's hand and dragged him into the pet shop.

"Wow." Yukina giggled. "I've never seen her so excited."

Ai sighed. "Don't worry. She'll be back to normal soon."

* * * * *

Life did not treat Akito fairly.

After two weeks of struggling, he'd finally managed to piece together the memories of his past that had been plaguing him. But it seemed to be at the cost of the last couple of weeks' memories. Not that they were gone, but the clarity and intensity of the memories were reduced - as if they were something that had happened years ago, rather than yesterday. Somehow, it didn't seem to be a fair trade.

Right at the moment, he was trying to deal with an overly affectionate Ruri. Not that she was hanging off of him constantly. But for Ruri...

A year ago, he would have sworn that had Ruri smiled, her face would have shattered. Now, she was beaming at him constantly.

Ruri tapped a cage. "Aren't these bunnies cute, Akito?"

"Yeah..." He glanced down at the animals. "They look kinda tired, though."

"I suppose. Well, it is very hot in here." She stood up and walked over to the next cage. "Kittens!" She smiled. Again. "But I already have a cat." She looked up at him. "Meow?"

Akito laughed. But he also felt a chill.

"Maybe you should get a cat, Akito."

"No..." Akito glanced over at the fish tanks. "But perhaps...I always thought it'd be nice to have a koi..."

"Really?" She tilted her head.

Akito paused. "Uh, Ruri..." He stepped towards the fish tank, and pointed. "That's not normal for this place, is it?"

Ruri blinked, and looked closer at the tank. All of the fish were floating belly up.

"I don't think koi normally do the back stroke...Ummm...I'm gonna talk to the owner, okay?"

"Sure."

* * * * *

Ai tapped her computer's console. "Definitely a shortage of ki here," she mused. She snapped the computer shut, and looked over to Yukina. "Go get Akito. Get him out of here. It's not safe for you two in here."

"Frown. Why not?"

"No time to explain. Just go." Ai shoved Yukina, then reached into her pocket for her henshin.

"Ai! Something's wrong here!"

"I know, Ruri. Detected it on my computer. I sent Yukina to get Akito out of here before the firefight." She raised her Henshin. "Mars Vanguard, Make-UP!"

Thunder crashed, and the Henshin exploded into a stream of electricity. The lightning bolts encircled and encased her body, forming into low golden boots, golden gloves, white jumpsuit and dark golden skirt. The tiara, with its topaz gem, formed on her brow, and the Henshin swelled to a golden hammer, two feet long.

Ai glanced over at Ruri. "What are you waiting for?"

"No." Ruri shook her head. "You can deal with it. I told you, I quit."

There was a high-pitched scream from outside.

Ruri blanched.

Ai cleared her throat. "It sounds like it's chasing Yukina."

"I..."

Ai glared at Ruri. "Well?"

"I...Oh, damn it." Ruri's eyes teared. "I have to...I can't avoid it. Gotta protect Yukina." She bit her lip, and raised the Kasei no Henshin. "Mars Guardian, Make-UP!"

The light seared her eyes, all blue and gold. The air around her rippled, and she felt waves of incredible heat pounding her. Her clothes shredded and re-formed into the blue skirt, tight-fitting golden bodysuit and long blue boots and gloves. The tiara formed on her brow, and the Henshin lengthened to quarterstaff proportions.

"Okay, where is it? Outside?"

"Yes. It's--"

Another scream. Ruri glanced around quicly, and froze.

"That was Megumi." She jerked a thumb behind her. "Yukina and Akito are right behind us."

"Oh, hell." Ai rubbed her forehead.

The exterior window shattered, and Megumi came flying into the shop. She slammed into Yukina, knocking both out cold. Ruri turned, and looked outside the shop.

The shop owner had been transformed into a massive, hulking, ultra-strong brute. Ruri paused. Well, actually, that wasn't much of a change. What was different was the green armour, dome-like helmet, the shoulder-mounted cannon and the stylized V on one side of his chest.

She sighed. "Ai. Let's go. We gotta stop that thing before it totals the area."

"What about him?"

Ruri turned to Akito. "You need to get somewhere safe. Oh, and try to forget you saw this."

"Shouldn't be much of a problem."

Ai smirked. "Besides, I think the sparkles covered anything he shouldn't have seen..."

Ruri made a mental note to thump Ai later, then leapt into the street.

Without Yurika present, she was able to immediately launch an attack--no stupid speeches to hold her up. She drew her plasma pistol and fired three shots into the Golem.

About all she succeeded in doing was getting its attention. And as it turned, and unleashed its own plasma fire from the shoulder cannon, Ruri decided that getting its attention was a bad plan. "Distortion Field!" Ruri spun the staff in front of her. A glowing blue cloud formed all around her, then stabilized into a light blue sphere. The plasma beam distorted, and splashed harmlessly off the shield.

"Let's try a tag-team attack!"

"Got it. Particle Blast!" Ai swung the hammer, as though to throw it, and it blazed a bright golden. A crescent-shaped beam of energy formed, and flew across the street to slam into the Golem.

At the same time, Ruri fired another shot from the plasma pistol at it. But again, the creature merely staggered under the barrage, then returned fire. This time, the plasma bolt slammed into Ai, knocking her back and burning her badly.

"Ai!"

"I'm okay." Ai staggered to her feet. "But we've gotta find some way to crack this clown."

"Is he one of the old OverGolems?"

"No. Another possessed person. But with that armour, the only way we could defeat him is to blow him in half."

Ruri scowled. "We beat the Mechanical Paragon. It had armour."

"Not the same situation. The human inside this armour is frightfully huge. Even normally. The armour is form fitting - you can't just peel it off with a Distortion Beam."

Ruri stepped closer to Ai, enveloping her in the Distortion Field, just as another plasma bolt slammed into it. "Well then?"

"Try another combo attack. Heavier guns this time." Ai leaped straight up. "Static Haze!" The ground under the target's feet exploded upward, dust and soil rising up all around him and obscuring his vision.

Ruri held the quarterstaff in front of her, eyes closed. A wind began to swirl around her, and her hair fluttered, drawn out to its full length. She opened her eyes, swept the staff around her and brought it to rest, pointing directly at the Golem.

"Gravity Blast!"

A black field of energy formed around the tip of the staff, then flowed down to encompass Ruri completely. It swelled outward, and exploded into a cone of black energy.

The air in the target area slowly cleared...to reveal nothing.

"What happened? Did we disintegrate it?"

Ai checked her computer. "No. Got a target track...right above us?"

The Golem slammed into Ruri's Distortion Field, knocking her flying. The force of its impact drove it to its knees, but it slapped a hand down and pivoted on it, kicking Ai's legs out from underneath her. It snapped back to its feet, and kicked Ai, launching her across the street.

Ruri picked herself out of the Senshi-shaped hole in the pet store and shook her head. "This is not good. How can something that big move that fast?"

"I don't know." Ai climbed back to her feet, shaking her head to try and stop the ringing. "That last combo might have stripped the armour...but we'll never know."

"It can dodge our strong attacks, and ignore the weaker ones...Where's Yurika when we need her?"

* * * * *

"Where is my Akito? WAAAHHHHH!"

* * * * *

The Golem had produced a smaller pistol, and was firing energy blasts at Ruri. After the first one had gone through her Distortion Field like it wasn't even there, Ruri had decided that dodging was a good skill to have.

Ai fired another Particle Blast at the Golem, and it turned to face her. It leveled the plasma cannon at her, and launched another blast...

There was a solid *thunk*, as a massive blue form slammed into the back of the Golem. The plasma cannon's muzzle was forced down, and the shot exploded harmlessly into the ground. The armoured form drew a massive sword, and took a step away from the Golem.

"Blazing Slash!" The massive sword glowed a dull red, and as Tuxedo Ken swung it, it left a trail of fire in the air. It carved through the back fo the Golem's armour, and Tuxedo Ken peeled it off, leaving the person inside exposed. Ruri noted that the only significant change in the pet shop owner was the fact that his hair was now a dull green.

Tuxedo Ken took a step back, and his armour dissolved. "He's open, Princess. Finish him off."

Ruri moved quickly, placing the stunned Golem between herself and Ai. "Ready."

"Particle Blast!" Ai swung the hammer, as though to throw it, and it blazed a bright golden. A crescent-shaped beam of energy formed, and flew across the room to slam into the Golem.

The Golem was hurled backward, and bounced off of Ruri's Distortion Field. A small yellow Batto tumbled, and came to rest at Ruri's feet. Ruri smiled, aimed her plasma pistol, and pulled the trigger.

* * * * *

Ruri's mother hadn't complained too strenuously about Akito accompanying Ruri to her bedroom. As she put it, "Ai's there to keep you two honest."

More than likely, Ruri mused, she wouldn't complain anyway.

At the moment, Akito was sitting in the beanbag chair with Ruri sitting in his lap. Ai was perched on the computer desk, grinning.

Omoikane had the bed all to himself for once. However, he was pacing it, grumbling.

"No cat litter. Sand in the box sucks. No cat food. And worst of all, no catnip toy."

"Shut up, you." Ruri turned to Akito. "Look, it's very important that you never tell anyone what you saw today."

Akito grinned. "Don't worry, I won't."

"What about Yukina?"

"You don't have to worry about her." Ai looked up from her pocket computer. "She was knocked unconscious. I questioned her afterward, and it seems that the last five minutes of her memory was never laid down." She snapped the computer closed. "It's a common occurrence when someone's knocked out. Right, Akito?"

"Well, I guess I'd know."

Ruri bit her lip. "I still think we've forgotten something else..."

* * * * *

"Miss, the store's closing. You'll have to leave."

"No! I haven't seen my Akito yet! Where is he? Akitoooooo...!"

* * * * *

Our apologies to: Sunrise Entertainment, Gainax, Nijisseiki Kitsune, LucasArts, Unix setserial, Big West, the District of Nerima. DiC, on the other hand, owes us an apology. :)

#include <std-cnc.h>

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Ja ne!