++++++++++++

Beep! Beep!

A young girl turned to look at her laptop. She frowned slightly as she read the email. There was another breakout of those annoying bugs, a cross between a spider and rabbit. This time it was serious. The bugs were already in Yggdrasil's main core. Guess it's time for the Goddess Skuld to save all humanity. She giggled silently while strapped her debugging hammer to her back and then went into her soda.

+++++++++++

Queen Serenity closed her tired eyes and sighed heavily. Usagi and her court were doing a wonderful job protecting the world but...they just weren't strong enough. Their next enemy was just too strong for them. They wouldn't be able to defeat their new enemy. If only there was a way for things to work out.

+++++++++++

"Oniisan, I'm going to miss you." A girl with long red hair styled in a braid hugged a man wearing white. "Take good care of Bell-chan, Urd-chan, and Skuld-chan okay?"

The man smiled. "Don't worry Ranko, I'll take care of them. I'm not Kami-sama for nothing." He said arrogantly after finishing the hug.

Ranko chuckled. "You're not the only Kami, Ranma. Take care."

Ranma-Kami nodded. "I will." Ranko walked away from her brother and took one last glance before exiting the huge doors. "I'll miss you."

+++++++++

Queen Serenity settled in her seat after Pluto went off. She stared out of her window at the beautiful landscapes of Pluto. Serenity blinked as a cup of wine was handed to her. She followed the cup to a smooth hand and then slender arm. The arm belonged to a young redhead who had her hair braided down to her waist. of diamond shaped blue spot on her forehead and one tear-like shape on either side of her cheek. She must be one of the servants of Pluto, Serenity thought.

The girl bowed. "A refreshment for you, your highness."

Serenity nodded and took the cup graciously. "Thank you er-um..."

The girl smiled. "Ranko."

Serenity smiled back. "Thank you Ranko. Why don't you sit down next to me." She waved her hand toward the empty seat next to her. "I need someone to talk to anyway."

Ranko sat down quietly. Ranko, not wanting to be impolite, waited patiently for Serenity to begin. She waited and waited and wa-- "Serenity is something bothering you?"

The Queen nodded solemnly. "My daughter, the future Neo-Queen Serenity, and her court are trying their best to protect the world from evil but..."

Ranko nodded in understanding. "But they're not strong enough for their next enemy."

Serenity gasped in shock but kept quiet. She should have known. A servant of Pluto's was not an ordinary servant indeed.

"Ahh..." Serenity digested this information and looked at Ranko with a deep respect. Not many girls were this understanding and mature.

Ranko took on a face of concentration before asking her next question. "Serenity?"

The Queen snapped out of her daze when she heard her name. "Yes."

"Ummm... If you were to be granted a wish what would you have wished for?"

Serenity thought over the question before answering. "That's an interesting question. Hmm... If I were granted a wish I would have wished for a talented daughter like you. Then you would be able to help Usagi and her court pro-" Serenity stopped speaking when she saw a bright light.

The facial markings on the Ranko's face glowed brightly and everything around her started to circle her. The bright light immediately subsided. She smiled. "Wish granted."

+++++++++

"Oh! There are so many. Come back HERE!!!" Skuld, Goddess of the Future, screamed furiously. She tucked a strand of her raven hair behind her ear in frustration. Her deep brown eyes flashed angrily as she took another shot at the bugs. She had been going at it for hours! Why won't they just die! WHAM!!!! "Ha! Got y-y-you... uh, oh." She looked at the main computer and saw electricity coming out of the wires.

+++++++++++

"It's all my fault. I should have been careful of where I hit. Now because of me Auntie is gone." Skuld sobbed uncontrollably while her sisters comforted her.

"Skuld, it was just an accident. Ranko is just going to be on an extended contract. She'll be back." Kami-sama explained, trying to soothe the young goddess.

Skuld sniffed. "Really?"

"See, Auntie isn't really gone forever. She'll be back in no time and we'll throw her a party, okay?" Belldandy told Skuld.

Skuld stopped crying and wiped away her tears. Belldandy smiled. "There, there. I'm sure Auntie will be back."

Kami-sama smiled at Belldandy. She always seemed to be able to make anyone stop being sad. "Why don't you all go rest." The Norn Goddesses nodded and headed out of the room. When he was sure they were out of his office, Ranma slumped in his chair. What he had told Skuld was only part of the truth. Ranko was suppose to be gone for a while but not that long. The contract was suppose to only be after the fall of the Silver Millennium but now it seemed to have been extended. He sighed. Now he really won't be able to see Ranko for a long time.

End Prologue.