>From the Files of the Goddess Review Office:

[Christopher Angel, God of Moments, comes running unti the theatre,
followed by Urd, Belldandy, and Skuld.]

Chris: [Hiding behind a pillar] Aww come on, it was just a joke!
Belldandy: It wasn't funny.
Skuld: [takes a swipe at him with her hammer] Stand still!
Urd: [tosses a force bolt] BAKA!
Chris: [roars] STOP BLOWING UP THE THEATRE!

So I hope you enjoy and (if God-Boy and Lurker are reading this) MST 
this flashback to my early attempts to write this story (before I had 
any idea it would turn into an epic).

[The carnage pauses]

Chris: Ladies, I believe we've been challenged.
Urd: He asked for it...

Hi.  This is the Flashman.  You are going to a place where the normal 
rules of right and wrong no longer apply.  A place where the light 
enters but it looks all technicolory.  A place known only as MY MIND. 
 Welcome and enjoy.

Chris: ^_^;
Belldandy: <giggles>
Urd: <snickers>
Skuld: <giggles>
Chris: The TWILIGHT ZONE?  [whining] Flashman....

					TRIO
				   How it began:
				   Lost Memories

Urd: [pointing at the title] Take note.
Chris: What's that supposed to mean?
Bell: YOu have to admit, Oniichan, you aren't very good at coming up with
titles.
Skuld: You suck at this game!
Chris/Urd/Bell: ^_^;
Chris: [muttered under his breath] Note to self, no more Total Carnage for
Skuld.
[to the others] Why do you think I have prereaders?

	The moon hung full in the sky.  The figure threw several curses in 
its direction because it made his stealth mission that much more 
difficult with the extra light it was giving off.  The figure was hit 
by a sudden shaft of moonlight and was briefly illuminated before it, 
no, he ducked back into the shadows.

Skuld: BATMAN!
Chris: [groaning] Here it comes...
Skuld: He's so KAWAI! [Chris facefaults]
Chris: [picking himself off the floor] Bruce Wayne or Batman?
Skuld: [blushes] Yes.
Chris: [points to Skuld] See...she picks guys I like!
Urd: He's such a goth, though!
Skuld: But..[pauses]..he has the coolest toys!

[Chris/Urd/Belldandy facefault]

	In that short period, if ones eyes were fast enough, they would have 
almost instantly noticed that the figure was not completely human.  
He was dressed in camouflage armor from head to toe.  His eyes burned 
with an inner molten red fire.  He was covered with layers and layers 
of rock hard muscle.  However, he seemed to carry his weight in a way 
that suggested that he was very fast as well as strong.

Chris: Translation: He wore a big neon sigh that flashed "Mean
Mother<bleep>"
Bell: [disapproving] Christopher James Angel, watch your language.
Skuld: Ooohhh...you're in trouble!
Chris: Yes, mother.

	The sound of displacing air behind him, made him turn and face the 
new being that suddenly appeared.  This figure was not so careful 
about hiding itself.  It was hard to, when you entered from a portal 
that gave off a glaring yellow light.  The first figure growled at 
the second, "You're late Warp."

Chris: [sniffs] Showoff.

	"Sorry," Warp replied as she straightened her pink bodied, yellow 
masked, green gloved, red caped and blue booted spandex costume. 
(Don't worry folks.  Those convulsions are a normal reaction.)  "So," 
Warp continued as she looked in the same direction the first figure 
was looking, "Is that where we strike Snatcher?"

Chris:...
Skuld: <giggles> She looks like a clown!
Urd: She's gotta be color blind.
Bell: [shakes her head in dismay]
Chris: I will NEVER, EVER say anything about your three's fashion sense
again.

	Snatcher nodded once and replied, "Yes.  We move on three, you know 
what to do?"
	Warp laughed and said, "Of course.  Though I may dress like it, I'm 
not a complete fool you know."

Chris: The burning question being...
Urd: ...why do you dress like that then?

	Snatcher grumbled, "Could have fooled me."

Skuld: You said it!

	"Eh?"
	"Never mind.  One.. two... three!  GO!"
	Warp opened another portal and stepped through.  Snatcher stood and 
brought out a HUGE gun.  (Think of the Proton Cannon Iron Man used in 
Marvel Super Heroes and you'll get the basic idea.)  He fired at the 
gates to the research facility, unleashing the weapons purple laser 
beam and naturally, a big BOOM resounded as the gate collapsed.  This 
brought a whole platoon of specially armored guards to the front gate.

Skuld: [points at the gun, tries to speak] I...I...want one!
Chris/Urd/Bell: NO.
Skuld: [pouting] Nobody lets me have any fun.
Chris: You can have fun without weapons that violate arms reduction
treaties.
 

	They fired their weapons at Snatcher to no avail.  He simply was too 
fast for them to hit.  They however, were easy pray for him as he 
mercilessly shot them one after another after another.  Suddenly, a 
young womans voice cried out, "HOLD IT PAL!"

Urd: "Hold it pal?"
Chris: Aside from the fact there should be a comma after 'it', this is NOT
usual Sailor Moon.  They just say "Hold it."
Bell: That was really petty, Chris.

	"There they are," Snatcher thought, "the boss figured this out 
pretty well.  Lets just hope that Warp doesn't screw up."

	Snatcher looked at the source of the voice and saw five figures 
silhouetted against the moon.  The middle figure started a whole 
routine of complex arm motions as she said, "I am Sailor Moon the 
champion of..... eep!"

Chris: Saw that coming? [Four hands go up] 

	She and the others were cut off as Snatcher brought his weapon up 
and with a cry of, "Yak, yak, yak," fired.

All: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

	All five Senshi scattered at the blast and were sent sprawling.  
"Owwwwww," Sailor Moon complained, "No fair!  He's not supposed to 
fire until after my speech!"
	"Quit whining Sailor Moon," Sailor Mars snapped, "Let's just get 
this creep!"

Chris: Saw that coming? [Four hands go up]
 

	"Think you can?" Snatcher said, "The name is Snatcher and there's no 
way you little girls will ever beat me."
	"We'll see about that," Sailor Jupiter thundered (Sorry), "SPARKLING 
WIDE PRESSURE!!!!"
	A concentrated ball of electricity formed in the green highlighted 
Senshi's hand and she flung it at Snatcher with all her might.  
Snatcher dodged quickly and fired again.  To make a long battle short,
 every time the Senshi tried to hit Snatcher, he dodged and returned 
fire with his gun.

Chris: In other words, he was doing a marvelous job of being a diversion.
Yes, it was obvious at this point.

	This kept on going for a while until Sailor Mercury saw a flash of 
pink spandex from an open iron door.  "Sailor Moon," she whispered, 
"I thought I saw something over there," she pointed to the door, 
"this guy might not be alone."
	Sailor Moon nodded and she said to the others, "Keep this guy busy.  
Mercury and I have to check something out."
	"Right!" the others said.
	Snatcher was worried.  Had they seen Warp?  If they had, the plan 
could be ruined.  He aimed for Sailor Moon and..... suddenly his arm 
was hit by a red rose and he dropped his gun.  He looked up and saw 
Tuxedo Kamen standing on one of the outer walls of the facility and 
leaning on his cane.  "Go Sailor Moon," Tux said, "the other Senshi 
and I will make sure this miscreant does not bar your way."

Chris: 'Miscreant'?
Urd: Since when does Tux-boy talk like Kuno?
Bell: I think he's sweet.
Skuld: [scowling] You would.

	"What is it with you super hero types and corny lines?" Snatcher 
quipped.

Bell: It's in the code.
 

	Snatcher reached for his gun but Sailors Mars and Venus jumped 
forward and......
	"FIRE SOUL!"
	"CRESCENT BEAM!"
	The two attacks merged and they hit the gun, blowing it into a 
million pieces.  Snatcher leaped back, away from the explosion, then 
thrust out his hand and a long chain, hidden under his armor by the 
left wrist, shot out and wrapped around Tuxedo Kamens cane.  Snatcher 
pulled and Tuxedo Kamen went flying forward because he had neglected 
to let go of the previously mentioned cane.

Chris: To quote Elmer Fudd: "No more buwwets!"
Urd: [sighs] 'Niichan, please stop quoting Looney Tunes.

	Tux flipped in mid air and landed on his feet in front of Snatcher.  
They both pulled on opposite ends of the chain with all their might 
as they tried to disarm each other.  Snatcher chuckled and said, "Now 
THIS is what I call, 'the ol' ball and chain'!"
	"And you call MY lines corny?" Tuxedo Kamen remarked wryly
	"So sue me, I was raised on Spider-Man comics."

Chris: <ROFTL>
Urd/Bell/Skuld: ^_^;
Chris: YOu'd have to read Spiderman to understand.

	The other three Senshi watched the duel and wanted to help, but held 
their fire for fear of hitting Cape Boy.  "We've got to DO something,
" Jupiter said.

Chris: Get Uranus here.  She never cares about friendly fire.
Skuld: That's your interpretation.
Chris: Sue me, she doesn't seem like the type.

	"Leave it to me," a new person said.
	The three Senshi turned and saw a young man dressed in a red Chinese 
shirt, blue silk pants and having black hair done with a short 
pigtail in the back, rush into the yard, leap up into the air and 
deliver a picture perfect drop kick to Snatchers head.

[Chris holds up a placard with an 9.4 on it.  Bell had a 9.2, Urd has an
8.4, Skuld a 8.9]
Chris: Nice entrance.

	It was a bad day to be Ranma Saotome.  

Chris: Is it EVER a good day to be Ranma?

He had already argued with 
Akane 15 times in two hours, had fought with Mousse, Ryoga and Kuno, 
and to top it all off, he had gone up against a perverted Wind 
Elemental (Don't ask.)  So, when he had seen the fight he decided 
that...

Urd: Perverted Wind Elemental?
Chris: [shaking his head] Don't ask.  Trust me, just don't ask.

1) It was his duty as a martial artist to help stop crime when he 
could.
2) He could blow off some steam by pounding this loser.
&
3) Showing up the semi-famous Sailor Senshi would make him feel 
better.

Skuld: <snicker> Classic Ranma.

	Snatcher rolled on the ground and stood, only to be thrown a second 
later by Tuxedo Kamen, as the distraction had allowed him to get a 
better grip on the chain.  Snatcher flipped in mid air and he scored 
a perfect two point landing.  He turned towards Ranma and said, "Oh, 
did you make a mistake boy."
	"I don't think so."
	"Confident aren't you?  'Scuse me while I dump this guy."

Chris: This should be fun.

	Snatcher hit a button on the side of his armors left arm and the 
chain released.  The sudden end to the resistance made Tux fall 
backwards as his momentum made him lose his balance.  Then Snatcher 
got into a fighting stance and said, "Let's dance!"

Chris: [singing] YMCA! [gets pounded by Skuld]
Bell: [disapprovingly] Skuld?
Skuld: [blushes] Sorry Oneesama.
Bell: [smiles kindly] Ask me first, I wanted to hit him.
Chris: Owww.....

	Meanwhile, inside the facility....
	Sailor Moon looked around nervously.  "Are you sure you saw 
something Mercury?" she asked, "We have to get back out there and 
help Mamo-ch... the others."
	Mercury giggled slightly and replied, "I'm pretty sure.  Just a 
little longer."

Chris: [frowns] A little ditzy for Mercury.

	Then they heard a voice say, "All right egg head!  This had better 
be the right place."
	"Yes. Yes," A nasally voice replied, "It's in there.  Please, don't 
kill me!"
	"Awww.  I won't kill you.  I'm just gonna send you on a little trip. 
 To the top of Niagara Falls that is. Yee hee ha ha!"

Urd: Her maniacal laughter needs work.
Skuld: <nods> Definitely.
Chris: Indeed.  Something along these lines. [throws back his head and
does a classic mad scientist laugh] Would have been much better.
Bell/Urd/Skuld: ^_^;
Urd: Does does he do that?

	The two Senshi turned the corner and saw Warp as she threw a man 
that looked like a real techie type, into a yellow portal and he 
disappeared with a pop.  "Hold it!" Sailor Moon shouted, "You shall 
pay for your cold blooded actions and your color blind fashion sense! 
 I am Sailor Moon the Champion of Justice!"  (Insert the rest of the 
speech here, I'm feeling lazy tonight.)

Chris: Cop out.
Bell: You did several times in Shieldsman...
Chris: Yeah, but...but...I never would for Sailor Moon...that's just
WRONG.

	Warp suddenly disappeared in a blink of the eye and reappeared 
inside the room the scientist had led her to.  She grabbed a small 
device with a red ball on top off a table and said, "Now you see why 
I'm called Warp.  I'll just take this little baby and....."

Chris: HEY! That's my trick!
Urd: She had it first.
Chris: [grumbles]

	"SHABON SPRAY!!!"
	The bubbles that Mercury fired, spread out and became a mist that 
blinded Warp and so she was caught completely off guard as Sailor 
Moon pulled out her scepter and fired the crescent moon shaped bolt 
of energy with a cry of, "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!!!!"
	The blast hit Warp right in the stomach and she screamed in pain.  
Fortunately for her, Sailor Moon had known she had been a regular 
human and not a Yoma, so she had lowered the power level of the 
scepter and it had only been meant to incapacitate not disintegrate.  
However, none of them, even Warp herself, were prepared for what 
happened next.  Three little yellow portals flew from Warps body.  
The first hit Sailor Moon and she disappeared in a flash of light.  
"USAGI!" Mercury yelled in shock.

Skuld: That's one.

	The other two portals flew out the window......

<*crack*boom*ominous thunder*>

	Back outside......

Bell: he does the whole TV feel very well, doesn't he?

	Snatcher and Ranma were going at it tooth and nail.  Ranma hit 
Snatcher with a spin kick to the side of the head and Snatcher 
answered with a punch to the face.  At that moment the two portals 
blasted out of the building.  One flew high into the night sky and 
the other ran into Ranma and he also disappeared in a flash of light.
	"Wha...." All of the remaining participants said.
	A yellow portal opened and Warp, still holding her chest, walked out 
and gasped, "Got... what... we... need.... go.... now..... can... we?
"

Chris: [frowns] That seems a little wordy.  Try "Got it, we go now?"

	Snatcher looked at her with concern and said to the Senshi, "Time 
for me to go.  I'll definitely want a rematch someday.  See ya!"
	He jumped into the portal with Warp and the two of them disappeared. 
 Mercury ran out in tears and the others quickly noticed the absence 
of their Dumpling Headed friend.  "Where's Sailor Moon?" Mars asked.
	"Gone," Mercury said in a grief stricken whisper, "The woman... Warp.
  Did something with one of her portals and.... Usagi.. she... she's..
.. gone."
	Meanwhile......

Urd: [frowns] This was kind of irritating at this point.  A little more on
the Senshi's reactions would have been nice.
Chris: [suprised] You LIKE angst?
Urd: [shrugs] Not really, but it would have been a nice touch.

	The third mini portal that had unconsciously fired from Warp 
traversed space and time.  So the third person who would be taken 
would be very different.

Chris: This was my main point of complaint with this series.  WHY did it
pick those people?  WHY did two portals stay in one time and the third one
go far off into space?
Urd: WHY do you care?
Bell: It doesn't really make a difference, does it?
Skuld: It bothered me too.
Urd/Belldandy: [exchanging a look] Engineers.

	In the future, in a wild jungle.....
	The man looked around for his opponent warily.  He knew his opponent 
was very crafty and could strike from anywhere.  He was a man in his 
late teens.  He wore a black karate uniform that was an amalgamation 
between his fathers and his first teachers.  His opponent was the 
latter.
	A voice from the south said, "Gohan," and he turned.
	The attack came from the north.  Gohan had expected this and he 
blocked the incoming blow.  He reached deep inside himself and called 
forth his ki.  His black hair turned blond and he felt his power grow.
  The golden flame that represented his ki flared around him.

Skuld: KAWAI!
Chris: Gohan?  You're kidding me.
Urd: What's wrong with him?
Bell: He seems like a nice boy.
Chris: HE CAN DESTROY PLANETS!
Skuld/Urd/Bell: [exchaning a look] So?

	His opponent also flared his ki.  However, his hair did not turn 
blond.  That was because he had no hair.  He was green skinned, with 
a black uniform and a turban and cape that gave him an "Alien of 
Arabia" look.  "Nice try Piccolo," Gohan said with a grin, "but I 
haven't fallen for that trick since I was little."

Urd: [sighs] He is so...dreamy..
Chris: Look, I've said it before, Piccolo is a definite NO.
Urd: [scowls] He's a nice guy!
Chris: This is the same guy who was the villain all through Dragon Ball!
Bell: He did reform himself.
Chris: Not enough for me!
Urd: [slyly] I could go for Raditz....
Chris: [veins shoing up on his forehead] NOT ON YOUR LIFE!  I'd rather see
you date Piccolo!
Urd: [hugs Chris] Thank you, 'Niichan, I knew you'd say yes!
Chris: [confused] What the...[scowls] HEY!
Urd/Skuld/Bell: <giggle>

	Piccolo also grinned and replied, "Good.  Now let us see if you can 
fight better than you did when you were a kid."
	"OK!"
	The two flew into the air and clashed.  They threw punches and kicks 
with a speed that no human eye could have kept up with.  The best a 
watcher could have hoped for was streaks representing the 
participants and ripples representing where they collided.  They 
seemed to be equal but both of them knew better.  "Show me," Piccolo 
ordered, "show me more than just a small portion of what you can 
do!"

Chris: [Piccolo voice] Trounce me completely!

	Gohan shrugged and replied, "Whatever you say."
	His aura flared even larger and he moved so fast, that Piccolo had 
no hope of blocking.  Gohan hit Piccolo with several punches to the 
stomach and followed up with a snap kick to the jaw that sent Piccolo 
spiraling down to the ground with a crash.  Gohan lost his smug grin 
and flew down to the ground.  He looked in the small crater Piccolos 
crash had created and he called out, "You okay?  I didn't hit you 
THAT hard did I?"
	Piccolo shot out of the crater and hit Gohan with a strong chop to 
the jaw.  "Guess not," Gohan mentally noted.
	Piccolo moved in and tried to chop him again but Gohan moved and 
flashed out his foot into Piccolos midsection.  Then a forearm blow 
sent Piccolo to the ground.  Piccolo stood and wiped green blood from 
his lip as he said, "First blood goes to you.  You win.... again."
	Gohan smiled and turned off his ki, his hair turning back to its 
natural black color.  He replied, "Your still awesome Piccolo, and 
one of the best friends I've ever had."

Chris: [sneer] Awwww...isn't that sweet.
Urd: [whappig him] Stop that!

	Piccolo grimaced slightly and said, "Yeah, well, don't start getting 
all mushy on me."
	Both of them turned as they sensed a tearing in the natural order of 
space and time.  They saw a little yellow portal appear in the sky 
and before they could move, it rushed forward and hit Gohan, sending 
him to points unknown.  "GOHAN!" Piccolo cried out.
	"I can't feel his ki anymore," Piccolo thought, "No.... my friend.  
It's a good thing Goku is already dead.  This would have killed him 
for sure.  How am I going to tell Chi-Chi?"

Urd/Skuld/Bell: <sniffle>
Chris: You know, it just occurred to me that in two of the cases the
person was just swallowed up.  Not pleasant for their friends, I must say.
<sniffles>

	Office Carlos Molaris (Carl to his friends) was bored.  He had been 
on duty for 12 hours and not a single thing had happened.  Not that 
he was complaining, it was just that he knew this was too quiet to 
last.

<*crack*boom*ominous thunder>
 

	Suddenly, he saw three little yellow portals float in the sky and 
then combine into one giant sized version that spit out three figures 
and vanished.  "Whoa," Carl thought, "I knew it."

Chris: T2 entrance.

	He drove his patrol car over to where the three rather dazed looking 
figures stood.  He got out of his car and walked in front of them and 
he noticed right away that none of them noticed him.  They just 
continued to stare ahead in a daze.  He walked up to the nearest 
figure, a young girl with blue eyes, and blonde hair done up in a 
bizarre style of two buns with ponytails.  She was dressed in a white 
shirt and a knee length blue dress.  (Authors note: This is her 
regular school uniform and not her Senshi outfit.)  Carl waved a hand 
in front of her face and for a second she ignored him but then her 
eyes focused and she started following his hand.
	The other two boys also seemed to be coming out of it and when they 
noticed the police officer they jumped back in surprise.  Carl held 
up his hands and said, "It's okay.  I'm not going to hurt you.  Are 
you three okay?"
	The three of them nodded and Carl asked, "Who are you?"
	The girl said, "Tsukino, Usagi," and Carl noticed the Japanese 
accent in her voice.
	The first boy said with the same accent, "Saotome, Ranma."
	The other boy, "Son, Gohan."
	Carl continued the questioning with, "Where did you come from?  Do 
you have any family I can contact?"
	Dead silence.  All three of them looked at each other, then looked 
at Officer Molaris and said together, "I don't remember."

<*crack*boom*ominous thunder*>

Urd: [wrestles a tape recorder from Chris] Give me that!
Chris: HEY!  I went through a lot of trouble to get that!
Urd: [takes out the tape] DELETE! [the tape disappears]
Chris: [angrilly] What the hell did you do that for?
Skuld: it was getting annoying, Oniichan.
Bell: Yes, it was.
Chris: [evil grin] That's OK.  [Pulls open a panel on his armrest.] I
wired it into the threatre.
Urd/Bell/Skuld: O_O
Chris: [smirk] It's good to be the author!
Urd: <sigh>
Chris: Anyway, there you go, Flashman!

__
Christopher 'God-boy' Angel
cja124@mail.usask.ca
http://www.engr.usask.ca/~cja124