Like an iridescent soap bubble, a realm floated in the strange reality
of the Beyond Realm. The Realm was in the flux between existence and
nothingness. Life existed there, a testimony to its adaptability if
nothing else, but, it was strange and abhorrent by anyone's standards.
Born of substance and nothing, forever torn between them, the crazed native
life lashed out blindly to end its pain. Some possessed great powers and
others possessed great intelligence. The worst had both.
Inside this realm, substance held sway. It was a dark world of
labyrinthine tunnels that endlessly twisted and curved around and between
great chambers. It was like a dark heart, frozen in mid-beat but not dead,
waiting to start again.
In one chamber, a man in white appeared without theatrics, no display
of light and magic. He was simply there.
YOU'VE LOST YOUR TOUCH, 'OLD FRIEND,' the Entity observed.
The man buffed his fingers across the front of his uniform. "Perhaps
I'm finally maturing. I find it silly to keep expending energy just for
the sake of appearance. Don't you sometimes think of just telling the
world, 'This is me, take me for what I am?' Oh, I forgot. They'd probably
take you for a hunk of jewelry."
YOUR ATTEMPTS AT HUMOR ARE NOT APPRECIATED.
"Anyway," the man continued, apparently unruffled, "I thought I would
stop by and play the audience for you. After all, you really don't have
any equals here to talk with."
YOU WERE NEVER MY EQUAL.
"Careful, you might start talking in the third person, like Beryl did
toward the end."
THIS SHOULD TAKE AWAY SOME OF YOUR ARROGANCE, the Entity said smugly.
In the background, they could hear a sound. It was faint at first, but
grew in intensity. It sounded like nonsense spouted by lunatics mixed with
the talk of epileptic babies and the cries of tormented animals.
The man grew pale until his skin almost matched the color of his
uniform. "You're mad! Not even Beryl at her worst released the
Gibberlings! They're too uncontrollable!"
NOT FOR MY POWER, NOT NOW. THE CRYSTALS IN TOKYO HAVE ALREADY BEGUN
TO TAP THE FEAR AND HATE OF THE PATHETIC HUMANS. NOW, THE GIBBERLINGS WILL
SEND THEM TO NEW HEIGHTS OF TERROR.
The man in uniform could see the Gibberlings now. Freakish parodies
of humans, some had many limbs while others had none, moving like slugs
over all available surfaces. Eyes sprouted at random over their bodies,
some large and cat-like, others small and human. Faces, twisted and
normal, were visible. The worst Gibberlings were those that appeared
nearly human, for their deformities were the most noticeable. He looked
away in disgust.
The Gibberlings had been an experiment in youma technology that Queen
Beryl had played with and later abandoned. The "art" of crafting youma
through Metallica's dark power was not an exact science. Beryl had used
over half a dozen sick and twisted geniuses to mold living beings into
youma. The Gibberlings had been their last and most warped creation.
Or rather, the Gibberlings were the offshoots of that creation. The
madmen had made what they dubbed a "youma virus." It infected healthy
organisms with Metallica's power and mutated them into warped parodies of
youmas. It then linked the victims into a giant collective intelligence.
The virus had infected its creators and ran rampant through the Dark
Kingdom before being bound by magic.
It was a slow process in youma, but frighteningly quick in normal
creatures, those lacking any type of magical resistance. First, were the
minor mutations, like changes in blood chemistry or minor physiological
transformations. Beryl and her generals had suffered from that stage of
the disease. The victims changed into youmas, some with great power. More
serious changes then took place, the agonies of which often unhinged the
minds of the victims. Finally, the communal mind would link itself with
its mad puppet. One could stop the virus in the early stages, but no one
in the Dark Kingdom could reverse its changes. Queen Beryl had been
furious and locked the Gibberlings in the deepest hole she could find.
They remained there until this madman let them out.
"The disease will run rampant through the city. How will you collect
any energy from a mass of gibbering youma?"
SOME WILL SURVIVE, AND THEIR MEDICINE WILL CONTAIN IT. ITS VICTIMS,
HOWEVER, WILL FRIGHTEN THEM SO MUCH THAT MY CRYSTALS WILL GROW STRONG.
THEN I WILL HAVE ALL THE ENERGY I NEED!
"Well," the man said, regaining some of his smugness, although he
refused to look at the Gibberlings. "I'd be really worried if I didn't
think the Senshi could take them out."
The Entity just laughed as the man stepped between and vanished, which
disturbed him more than he liked. He moved through the Beyond to his post
when he suddenly arrived . . . somewhere else.
Three beings in cowled robes confronted him. "What have you seen?"
came a female voice from the one in a yellow robe.
"He will unleash the Gibberlings on Earth," the man in white replied.
The being in the purple robe bowed its head. "It is as I foresaw,
then." The voice was male.
The taller being in the green robe then spoke. "You must make our
agent on Earth aware of this. You will speak to her."
The man in white protested. "I have my own job, guarding the Great
Shield. I can't just--"
"She will come to you," the man in purple robes said. "Do not worry."
With that, the three beings disappeared and the man in white resumed his
journey. Disquieted, he appeared in his place of power, to find that the
Three had again spoken the truth.
"I thought you might have news for me," said a dulcet voice. She
stood there, in a white and black sailor fuku, her long green hair trailing
to her waist.
"Lady Pluto," he said, giving a little bow.
She smiled. "I always wonder if you do that because you mean it or
just out of a sense of theatrics."
*****
Naru: I'm tired of always running
I've grown tired of the night
I wish I had some cunning,
Had some power, had some might.
We see a collage of Naru running from monsters, grabbed by monsters,
trapped inside big moss balls by monsters, etc.
Sailors: You don't need to keep on running.
You don't need to fear the night.
We can save you with our cunning,
With our power, with our might.
We see a collage of images of Usagi and the other Sailors saving Naru
and many other people from monster attacks.
Naru: I don't want someone to save me;
I'd just like to save myself
I don't want to be a helpless doll
That must sit upon the shelf.
We see Naru sitting at her window, looking out on the starry night sky
of the city. One by one, lines trace the constellations.
Pluto: If you want to have the power
You must reach into your heart
Look inside to find your strength
For that's where power starts
We see Pluto holding out an eight-pointed star, which hovers just
above her hand.
*****
Sailor Moon Z:
Series Concept by Jeff Hosmer and John Biles
Primary Writer this Episode: Jeff Hosmer
Based on the Series Sailor Moon, copyrighted by a whole lot of people who
aren't us.
Episode 6
"Night of the Youma!
The Outer Senshi Take Charge."
*****
The silver knights mounted the hill, undaunted. Before them, a sea of
darkness moved as dozens of enemy units clad in black armor began to march.
"OK, Naru-chan. . . . This time your castle is going to fall!" Umino
said.
Naru smiled. She and Umino were sitting in his room, playing one of
his strategy games. It was based on a fantasy setting and had very
complicated rules, but Naru was a quick learner.
"I move my knights back from the border," she said. She moved the
silver knight piece into the small valley that led to her castle.
Umino began moving the pieces of his vast army to chase her. She knew
that she couldn't avoid the fight. Secretly, she didn't want to avoid it.
"Aha! Your castle is doomed!"
Naru just smiled as he moved his army into the valley. She began to
lay out several cards from her hand. "I call in the troops the other
kingdoms have lent me under our secret alliances. . . ." She lay down some
other cards, representing mercenary forces. "These mercenaries I bought
will join them in attacking you from the rear." Umino's face began to
drop. "Finally, I have my army sortie out from the castle on your front.
You're boxed in a valley, Gurio-kun."
Umino stared at the map. She had tricked him again into massing his
forces and ignoring the terrain. Their games used to be more evenly
matched, but recently Naru's strategic ability had increased dramatically.
"How did you manage that, Naru-chan? I didn't even see it coming. . . ."
"Oh, it wasn't too hard," she said glibly. "Marshal Temperance used a
similar tactic during the Fourth Uranus Campaign at the Battle of the
Silver Falls."
Umino stared at her. "What?"
Naru put one hand to her mouth, wishing she could take back her words.
Back in the Silver Millennium, Lady Patience had not only studied history,
politics, and magic but military strategy as well. After all, with Queens
like Serenity and Ariadhne of Venus, war was not just for men. While
playing, Patience's memories had come a bit too much to the fore.
"I'm sorry, Umino-kun. . . . It was in a sci-fi book I read. I
think." She nervously looked away, hoping he would by that flimsy excuse.
"Oh? Which one? I don't remember that and I've read HUNDREDS of
science fiction books."
That was certainly true. Books of every size and shape filled Umino's
room was to overflowing. A few bookcases struggled to contain them, but it
was a lost cause. The two of them had been playing on Umino's bed because
of the lack of floor space.
"I forget which one, sorry." She hated lying to him, but what else
could she do? She had spoken to the Senshi after she had regained her
memories. They had decided that it was best that they not tell Umino their
secret.
*****
"But Usagi, how can I keep a secret like THIS from Umino? I mean, I
can't just lie to him all the time."
"But Naru-chan, he's the school's biggest gossip! I haven't known him
to keep a secret since we were six!"
"It's not that we think he'd tell on purpose," Rei added hastily. She
shot Usagi an angry glance for her lack of tact. "Still, Umino . . .
blurts things out at the wrong times."
"Yeah, and we have some enemies, you know," Makoto said. "If anyone
thought he was a friend of the Sailor Senshi, they'd do almost anything to
get what he knows."
"Like Zoisite?" Naru asked, her throat catching. The memory of
Nephrite heroically saving her from Zoisite's youmas was still too raw for
her to remember without tears.
"Exactly. It's for his own good and ours," Minako said.
"But what if knowing too little is what gets him in trouble?" Naru
spat bitterly. "What if someone thinks he knows who you are and doesn't
believe him?"
None of them wanted to answer that, but in the end it was Ami who
spoke. "Then whatever happens to him will be on our consciences," she
said. "However, we'll die ourselves before we let it come to that."
*****
The memory shook Naru. To speak so easily about dying. . . .
However, they'd already died once, hadn't they? They were her friends, but
they were also heroes who had fought to save the earth several times.
"Are you OK, Naru-chan?" Umino's voice intruded on her reverie. She
shook her head and focused on the present.
"I'm fine, Gurio-kun." I just wish I could tell you the truth about
the others. Or tell you about what I've found out about myself. My
world's changed so much since the beginning of the year. Can't I find a
place for you in it?
"I've been meaning to ask you, Naru-chan . . . do you think Usagi-san
had changed recently?"
"Changed? What do you mean, changed?" Naru asked, startled.
"Well, the trip to the hot springs got me thinking. We both knew
Usagi throughout grade school. You were her best friend for all that time.
Then two years ago she suddenly picked up four new friends and almost
stopped seeing us, except in school."
"Well, she's seeing us now, right?" Naru said, uneasily.
"Yeah, but that's strange too . . . ," he said, in a glum tone.
"What's wrong, Gurio-kun?" Naru asked, growing worried about him
instead of just his suspicions.
"Us," he began.
Naru stiffened in fear. Was . . . Was he dumping her?
"I thought about celebrating the anniversary of us going out for the
first time. So I looked through my journal on my computer." He pointed to
his little laptop PC buried in all the books, models, and old toys that
swamped his desk. "I record EVERYTHING that happens to me on that, you
know, Naru-chan. I did a text search to find out when I decided to ask you
out and I couldn't find it."
"What? But I remember our first date, Gurio-kun. We went out for ice
cream after school."
"Oh, THAT's there. But normally," he said, his cheeks growing red, "I
would have been working up my nerve WEEKS ahead of time. In one entry I'm
just talking about you like a friend. In the next, we're an item. It just
couldn't have happened that fast. It's like a year disappeared on me, but
the file time stamps match up!"
That's because a year did disappear, she thought. She knew what
happened now, but she had never thought about it before. She and Umino had
started dating during the year that the Sailors had fought the Dark
Kingdom. Nephrite's death, in fact, had played a big part in bringing them
together. However, Usagi had turned back the clock, making them all forget
it ever happened. . . . Somehow, their relationship had remained. They
didn't consciously remember starting it, but it had become a fact of their
lives.
"Calm down, Gurio-kun. . . ." Naru said, wrapping her arms around him.
"Maybe we were just meant to be, like it was written in the stars or
something. Sometimes these things sneak up on us."
"Not on me," he said, glumly. "I feel like a corrupted file on a bad
hard drive. It shook me up a lot, Naru-chan, but I do love you, you know.
You're the best thing that ever happened to me. I'd die to protect you."
His words were earnest and came from his heart, but they chilled Naru
to the bone. Something terrible was going to happen to Umino, she suddenly
knew. She didn't know HOW she knew, but she could feel it.
*****
Usagi propped her book up on her desk and glanced around. Everyone
was still filing into her Earth Science class and the teacher was not in
yet. Still, he always came in at the last moment. She slyly picked up her
lunch and dug in, using the book as a shield.
"Usagi! Stop that! You're going to be hungry this afternoon if you
eat your lunch now!" Makoto hissed from her seat to the right of the ever-
hungry blonde.
"I can't help it," Usagi whined. "I didn't eat breakfast this morning
because Luna didn't get me up in time. I need to keep up my strength. I'm
a growing girl, after all."
Makoto just shook her head at the litany of excuses. "Girl, the only
way you're going to grow is out if you keep eating like that."
Usagi began to cry. "Why are you being so mean to me, Mako-chan?"
Behind Usagi, Noriko tried to calm her. "I'm sure 'Ko-chan didn't
mean it like that, 'Sa-chan." The blue-haired girl was wearing the green
and white school uniform in her own unique way. Dozens of buttons with
silly phrases from movies and books covered her vest. Somehow, the
teachers never seemed to make a point of it. She always positioned one
button, a big yellow smiley-face, over her heart.
"But Makoto is right, Usagi," Ami said, from Usagi's left, where she
was studying for her Advanced Calculus class. Earth Science was one of
those required classes that was too easy for her. "You'll just be hungry
later, and then you won't have any food. I'll bet you didn't bring any
money for the vending machines or the school store."
Rei, who showed up just in time to hear that, nodded as she took her
seat in front of Ami. "I'm not lending you any more until you pay me back
for the last dozen times, Usagi," she scolded.
Usagi just humphed and went back to eating. The rest of the girls
fell to discussing the local gossip, having attempted to reform Usagi's
habits. Naru and Umino came in and sat, Naru sitting in front of Usagi.
Umino sat in front of Makoto.
Naru looked over her shoulder at Usagi and sighed. Talking to her
when she was eating wouldn't be possible. Nothing distracted Usagi from
food easily. She liked it too much. Well, I couldn't really talk to her
about it in class. An idea struck her, and she scribbled a note to pass to
her friend.
While she was writing it, their teacher walked in. He was tall and
gangly, with a long white beard and almost completely bald head. Everyone
joked that he really was a mad scientist and only worked part time as a
teacher. Still, his classes were considered a lot of fun, because they
were almost never dull. He was known to them as Sensei.
"Good morning, class" he said, putting his briefcase down on his desk.
Behind him, a small self-propelled cart with an unidentified piece of
equipment on it puttered along. When he stopped, it bumped into him.
Scooting back, it tried again and again to butt its way through the
teacher, who scowled and cursed it while trying to turn it off. The class
giggled.
Naru glanced at Umino as the teacher struggled with his device. Umino
was just glumly staring at the desk. He was still trying to puzzle out
what he thought was wrong with their relationship. Umino was always
worrying at the whys of life. He wanted to know the reasons behind
everything and everyone. Naru could understand that. She had been as
curious once. However, she now knew the answers to many questions he was
asking, and couldn't share them.
Sometimes, she thought the guilt she felt over not telling him was
blatantly apparent on her face. He'd look at her like he was about to say
or ask something, then he'd stop himself. Did he think she was holding out
on him in some way?
She couldn't bear it. Quietly, she slipped Usagi the note: "Umino
knows something is wrong. We need to talk." Now, if Usagi would only stop
stuffing her face and read it!
"Today, class, we're going to study the earth's magnetic field and how
it can affect your Kirilian aura." Blank looks answered his announcement.
"Didn't anyone read the supplement I handed out last class?" Ami raised
her hand, along with a few others. Sensei sighed. Looking at his class
book, he suddenly snapped, "Tsukino Usagi!"
Usagi whipped up her head. "H-Hai!" she said, trying to
inconspicuously wipe the rice off her chin.
If Sensei noticed it, he made no indication. "Please come up here,
Tsukino-san," he said.
Usagi stood up, whispering to Naru, "Oops, busted." She didn't seem
very concerned.
"Now, class, what we're going to do today deals with a very
interesting and largely unexplained phenomenon. Every living creature has
an aura of some kind of energy surrounding them. We're not sure what
produces this aura, exactly, but a man named Kirilian did manage to detect
it. That's what this device is for," Sensei said, patting the device on
the cart. It resembled a large TV, with some sort of sensor attachment.
"Tsukino-san, if you would just stand here, by the machine."
Usagi held back slightly. "Um, it won't fry me or anything, will it?"
Sensei glared at her. "Are you implying something about my machine?
There is nothing wrong with any of my devices!" Sensei thumped the top of
the console. The self-propelled cart whirred back into motion, bumping
into the teacher's legs. He whirled around and tried to shut it down again
while the class tittered.
"Now!" Sensei said, once he had regained control of the wayward
automaton. "Stand right there," he said, pointing to a spot near the
device.
Usagi did as she was told, looking extremely nervous. Sensei took the
sensor attachment, a long rod attached to the monitor by a cord, and ran it
up and down her body, coming close to her but not touching. Then he turned
to the device and fiddled a few knobs. "Now, on the screen, you'll be able
to see a normal--what the hell?"
The class stared at the screen. It showed a glowing outline of
Usagi's body, with a rainbow of colors surrounding her and extending
outward to fill the screen. The aura was bright and strong.
"Is something wrong, sensei?" came a voice from the door. Sensei
turned toward it.
It was the school counselor. Setsuna stood in the door, wearing a
dark blazer with a short, black skirt. She had her green hair hanging
freely, eschewing the standard school teacher's bun. Her blazer was open
around the neck and the boys began to drool.
This surprised, but did not shock, Sensei. "Meiou-san, what can I do
for you?" he asked, pausing to thump the side of the device.
"Oh, I just need to 'borrow' a few of your students," Setsuna said
with a small smile.
Most of the boys in the class immediately leaped to their feet.
"Me!"
"I volunteer!"
"Let me help!"
"You can borrow me anytime!"
"Pipe down!" Sensei thundered, making them all sit in their seats.
Setsuna looked a little taken aback. "Actually, I need to see Hino,
Rei, Kino Makoto, Mizuno Ami, and Tsukino Usagi. They all have a family
emergency."
The boys groaned. Sensei said, "Certainly, if that's the case.
Girls, go with Setsuna-san. I'll make sure someone takes down your
assignments for you. Tsukino-san, I'll want to see you later," he added.
The four Sailor Senshi looked up at Setsuna. They immediately knew
this was not a good thing. Umino looked up as well, and carefully watched
the four as they got up to leave, Naru saw. Ami stopped to thank Sensei
for getting their assignments.
"Bye, Naru!" Usagi whispered as she gathered up her books. "I'll see
you after classes. Whee, a day off!"
Naru nodded. "I hope the emergency is nothing serious, Usagi."
Usagi just waved and everyone marched out. It was then that Naru saw
her note on Usagi's desk, unopened, and sighed.
*****
In the shadow of Tokyo Tower, a back alley suddenly grew much darker
and colder than it should. Had anyone been there to listen, they would
have heard a low murmuring filling the street. The sound peaked and faded
in ever louder cycles until the first Gibberling stepped out into reality.
The misshapen monstrosity raised its snout carefully, sniffing the
air. Its slit-like mouth cackled and gibbered without pause. Behind the
first beast, several more walked, crawled, and slithered out of the shadow,
scampering around the alley.
A sharp click silenced them. A second click followed in the silence,
the sound of a boot heel hitting the pavement as a man had joined them in
the alley. Tall and powerfully built, he wore a black, tunic-like uniform
with silver piping running along the seams and edges. His hair, jet black
and cut short, and an immaculately trimmed beard framed his square cut
face. An old, puckered scar ran down over his right eye. A sword in a
black and silver scabbard hung at his side.
The man scowled at the Gibberlings and they shrank back from him. The
shadows lightened as the portal closed, but a dark nimbus remained around
this man that no light could dispel.
"Go now," the man spoke in even measured tones, "go and infect the
peasants of this town with your touch." The Gibberlings scampered away
from him, almost running. "Go!" he shouted, laughing as they ran.
* * *
Rei sat by herself under the old cherry tree, digging aimlessly in the
dirt with a stick. The tree was behind Tsunami High's dormitories and was
slowly moving past its prime. Rei didn't mind. She had always liked
cherry trees, especially when they were in bloom. This one had already
lost most of its blossoms, but the smell of it was all around her.
It wasn't fair, she thought bitterly, stabbing the ground with the
stick. So my powers are gone. That doesn't mean that I can't contribute
to the Sailor Senshi!
After Setsuna had pulled them out of class, she took them to her
office. The school's Counseling Office was a small room off an unused,
dimly lit back hallway. The office itself was brighter and well kept. It
did not fit in at all with the building. The walls were bare, except a
framed diploma from a prestigious college. Setsuna had a desk, a computer,
a filing cabinet, and several chairs for students. The only other item of
note was a terrarium. A turtle dozed sleepily in the water and some grey
moss grew abundantly. The moss moved slightly in the breeze from the air
vent overhead.
Setsuna, or Sailor Pluto, had begun to explain some new threat that
was going to come. She had not revealed her sources and refused to
speculate on where this threat was coming from. Rei felt her anger
building. She had been openly insulting about it, too.
"I don't have to explain anything to you, girls," Pluto had said.
"You should already know all about this. I don't have time hold your
hands."
"But where are these Gibberlings going to attack?" Ami has asked.
"What is their objective?"
"They don't have one, as such," Pluto had laughed. "They're just here
to cause havoc. If Uranus, Neptune, and I could guess where they'd be,
we'd have handled it already."
It was her tone that had infuriated Rei so much. It was so . . .
dismissive. Like none of their accomplishments mattered at all to Pluto.
They would always be little girls playing with things they couldn't
understand. To make it worse, Rei saw that Pluto was watching HER closely
throughout the meeting. She was expecting something. Rei had clamped down
on her temper, determined not to show any sort of response.
Usagi, of course, had ruined it. Innocently, she brought up Rei's
problem. "Is there anything you can do?" she had asked.
"No. It's not my problem. If Rei can't call upon her power, she's
useless," Pluto had stated baldly.
It had all gone downhill from there. Rei curled her legs up in front
of her and hugged them to her chest. It just wasn't fair! She hadn't done
anything to deserve this. Why hadn't Minako or Ami lost their power
instead? Or Usagi?
Rei clamped down on those thoughts. She was being low and petty about
it again. All of the Sailor Senshi had been helping her since she told
Usagi. Usagi had been helping most of all. It had startled Rei to see
that she and the little meatball head were actually getting along.
Still, Pluto is right, Rei thought. I'm not much use to anyone like
this, and it IS my problem. If only the sacred fire would tell me how to
put this right. Maybe it's hopeless.
"Something the matter, Miss Hino?" came an accented voice from behind
the tree. It was an arrogant voice, which raised Rei's hackles. She stood
up and turned around.
A boy about her age or a little older stood there, smirking at her.
His right hand was stuck in his jacket pocket, playing with something, as
he spoke. He had red hair and a thin, androgynous build. She couldn't
shake the thought that she had seen him somewhere before.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"My name isn't important, though I expect you'll be hearing it soon
enough," the boy said. "I find your name much more interesting . . .
Sailor Mars."
Rei froze for a moment, then tried to deny the accusation. "What are
you talking about? I'm not Sailor Mars! That's ridiculous!"
The boy just smiled, as if Rei had given everything away already.
"Perhaps this will help you remember," he said, pulling his hand out of his
pocket. He held a large, faceted blue gem of some kind. "Show me Sailor
Mars," he said, speaking to the gem.
The gem began to glow, pulsing slightly. Then the glow gathered on
the edge of the crystal pointing to Rei, like the arrow of a compass.
Above the crystal a glowing image appeared, showing Aries and Sailor Mars
facing each other. With a gesture from Aries, Sailor Mars suddenly fades
away, leaving Rei behind. The scene began to loop, replaying itself
endlessly.
Rei wished she could transform right then. This boy had to be
connected to the Zodiac and they knew who she was! All of the Sailor
Senshi were in trouble if someone didn't stop them. "What do you want of
me?" she asked, buying time to think of a plan.
"My superiors are interested in the Princess," the boy said, "but I
think there are some other opportunities here." He stepped closer to her.
"I think it would be very useful for me to have the Sailor Senshi on . . .
retainer, so to speak. I can think of quite a few people who would give a
lot to know who the Sailors are. Your families, your adoring fans, the
authorities. How much is my silence worth to you, hmm?" He laughed. "I
also find you attractive in . . . other ways."
"I don't make deals with scum!"
"I don't think you have much choice," the boy said, smirking quite
openly. "It would be SUCH a shame to have to--URK!"
Rei's punch took him by surprise and he reeled backward, dropping the
crystal as his hand flew to his bruised cheek. He looked back at her in
amazement, just in time to receive a very strong kick to the groin. Pain
exploded throughout his body as he learned the hard way that Rei wore
pointed shoes. He keeled over onto the ground, curled up in a ball and
vomiting.
Rei took hold of his hair and yanked his head back, staring him in the
face. "You sure talk big for someone without the power to back it up,
slimeball!" she spat. "Stay away from me and my friends, or I'll REALLY
make you pay!" With that, she effortlessly picked him up and tossed him
against the trunk of the tree. He hit headfirst and collapsed to the
ground, spitting out a tooth or two.
Rei considered hurting him some more, to make sure he got the message,
but decided she had done enough. If the guy refused to take the hint and
bothered her again. . . . That would be too bad for him, wouldn't it? She
kneeled and picked up the crystal from where it fell. It was very light
and looked fragile, but she suddenly didn't want to break it. Maybe Ami
could find a use for it, she thought. Yeah, I'll keep it for Ami to
examine.
She stalked away, leaving Chester to moan feebly and hope that he
could still father children. Any more coherent thoughts would have to
wait.
Rei was pleased with herself. Not for beating the boy up, but for
showing she could still take care of herself. Easily, it seemed. The
strength and speed she had as a Senshi was still there. It gave her hope
that the rest would return. She wondered if she had ever before been so
uncertain about life. . . .
* * *
Lighter than a feather, the great ship set down in the Sea of
Serenity, barely disturbing its silver waters. Despite its size, the water
was as still as a lake. Looking over the side, Princess Aurora could see
herself reflected perfectly on its surface.
"Tis not natural," she muttered.
Beside her, Lady Athena giggled. "What offends thee now, cousin?"
"This. All of this . . . water. How do the Serenites stand it?"
Athena tsk-ed. "Thou art letting thy provincialism show, cousin.
Surely thou read about seas and oceans. Or didst thou sleep through thy
tutoring sessions?"
"I am a princess," Aurora stated loftily, with all the dignity she
could muster. With her beauty and long dark hair she could muster quite a
bit of it. "Of course I learned about it. I just did not expect so . . .
much."
"Poor Ari," Lady Athena said with mock-sympathy, using Aurora's
childhood nickname. The same age, sixteen, as her cousin, she was no less
a beauty. Short, blue-black hair framed her face and her eyes gleamed with
quick intelligence. She sighed. "I know what thou mean, though. The dust
basins of home seem much . . . safer than this, do they not?"
"What keeps all this so calm? Magic?" The princess's voice was tight
with disapproval. Vulcanites did not like the Olde Magick. It was so
sloppy next to the techniques and practices of Technomagic.
"Yes. An ancient spell laid by the first Serenity. See how we barely
leave any wake?" Athena pointed behind them. The ship was spindle-shaped,
with one side flattened to provide a "deck" to mount the etheric sails.
The sails were down now, no longer needed after landing. The ship moved
swiftly across the water by more conventional means, but the surface of the
sea seemed to swallow the signs of its passage.
Aurora shuddered. Why did I have to come all this way? I would have
preferred to stay on Mars, she thought.
It wasn't that she was afraid of the Olde Magick, she told herself
firmly. It just didn't seem right for things to happen without a logical
reason for it. She liked her life orderly, simple. She did not like the
sudden complications she had to endure.
Lady Athena touched her arm. "Cheer up, Ari. Tis not like we did not
know this was coming."
That was certainly true, Aurora thought sourly. At the moment of her
birth, a red star had appeared in the night sky. An omen of some
consequence, astrologers from the Star Kingdom had hastened to learn its
meaning. When they were told about the birth of a Princess of Mars, they
found it. A new Senshi Mars had been born. Further interpretation of the
stars had found Lady Athena, born under the sign of Mercury.
Now, in their sixteenth year, the two of them had to go to the Moon
for formal training in their powers. The Vulcan government had held onto
them for as long as they could, out of a desire to study the Senshi powers
and not let their royal heiress leave. In the end, Queen Serenity's
government had to be firm. The other young Senshi had been found and there
could be no delaying the training.
The spires of the Moon Palace could be seen now, rising over the
horizon as the great ship entered the mouth of the Bay of Serenity. The
water here was even calmer than the sea, Aurora noted with a shudder.
"We shall probably like it here," Athena said, comfortingly.
"Besides, mayhap we shall see some handsome gentlemen." The noblewoman
sported a most undignified smile at that thought. She bestowed it on a
passing officer who, despite his training and years of service, suddenly
blushed.
"Teena! Stop that!" Aurora snapped, trying not to giggle. Princesses
do not giggle.
"Oh, thou art so prudish, cousin," Athena laughed. "The good
commander is a married man and not willing to jeopardize it," she said with
a little sigh. Aurora refrained from asking how Athena knew that.
The crew suddenly bustled forth as the docks came into view. Shading
her eyes with one hand, Aurora could see an official reception party
gathered there and beckoned one of her ladies-in-waiting over to check her
dress. It was red and white and cut in Serenite fashion, long on ruffles
and breath-taking (literally) corsets. Athena had a similar blue and white
dress, except for a much lower bodice (almost disgracefully so) and a
differently cut skirt that let a bit too much leg flash every now and then.
The ship pulled up to the dock and the crew hastened to tie it down.
With a slight shudder, the great engines that had propelled the ship shut
down. A horn blew, and the royal bodyguards formed up around the Princess
and her cousin. With great dignity, Aurora started down the plank.
Three girls waited for her at the bottom. One, wearing a silver dress
and with long blonde hair, must be Princess Serenity. The other blonde, in
an orange and white dress similar to Aurora's own, was unknown to her. The
last girl had long brown hair in a pony-tail and was dressed . . . most
peculiarly. She wore grey pants -- the cast offs of some member of the
royal guard -- with the cuffs rolled up. A white man's tunic that was too
large even for a girl of her height hung loosely from her shoulders. She
had a sullen look on her face.
Aurora's herald had barely begun to announce her when Princess
Serenity ran forward. The Moon Princess grabbed Aurora's hand and shook
it, earth-style.
"Oh, Mars, Mercury, we're so happy you're finally here!" Serenity
gushed. Aurora reeled slightly under the enthusiastic attack. Princesses
did not gush, she thought, but it seemed Serenity was an exception.
"The pleasure is ours, Princess Serenity," Athena covered for her
cousin. She was greeted by a hug that startled her, but was not . . .
unpleasant.
"These are Venus and Jupiter," Serenity said, dragging them down the
ramp. "I'm sure we're going to be great friends!"
Venus, the other blonde, curtsied properly. Aurora noted that the
girl's dress was more expensive than her own, which must mean the girl had
come from a merchant family. How plebeian. Her father had more than once
wanted to rid himself of such money-gougers, especially when loans came
due.
"Yo," Jupiter said, hands stuck in her pockets. Even in that one
syllable, her Outer System accent was strong. As Aurora watched, Jupiter
wiped her nose on her sleeve, to the obvious shock of the nobles gathered
around the Senshi.
"You'll have to forgive Jupiter," Serenity whispered. "She has some
. . . strong feelings about being here." Serenity's blush led Aurora to
believe that bad manners were the least of Jupiter's offenses.
"We did not expect so . . . grand a greeting, Princess Serenity,"
Aurora began.
"Oh, this? It's nothing. Wait till you see the party we're having
for you tonight!"
Athena's eyes lit up at that and Aurora moaned inwardly at the thought
of the consequences.
*****
"I have a reading, Sensei."
"Thank you, Horus. Can you pin down the locus?" Sensei turned to
face a large monitor showing a map of Tokyo. A large circle, centered on
the Tokyo Tower, was shaded red. The old man ran his fingers through what
was left of his hair, further messing it up. His lab coat hung off his
scarecrow-like frame, as usual, and sported a new coffee stain.
"Negative. There is insufficient data for me to define it any
further," Horus, his AI assistant replied.
"Damn!" Sensei said, walking over to the screen. "If only they'd DO
something, we could find out exactly where they are."
"We know the general area, at least," another man said. He was
younger than Sensei, but had prematurely white hair that made him look
older than he was. Like the older man, he wore a lab coat, though a much
cleaner one. "I should have guessed it'd be the Tokyo Tower. All the ley
lines meet there."
Sensei shot the man a look. "Don't start in on that garbage,
Souichi-kun."
"Sensei, I don't see how you can believe in ancient civilizations on
the Moon, but cannot accept the theory of ley lines. My studies--"
"All your studies have shown is that three young girls were kidnaped
from the Tower! Hardly evidence of ley lines!"
"What about the 1970 incident?"
"That was a lightning strike, intensified by the strange magnetic
effects caused by--"
"Alert! New readings coming in," Horus said, breaking up the
argument. The two men had studied strange phenomena for years. Tomoe
Souichi was a professor in his own right, one of Sensei's brightest pupils.
Given the eccentric nature of their field of study, it was inevitable that
they would disagree on some matters. Most matters, actually, though ley
lines and Tomoe's theories on teleportation were their favorite subjects.
"What do we have now, Horus?" Sensei asked, eagerly.
"I have quantified the energy signature of the invaders, Sensei. You
should be able to track it down with the portable sensors now. I am also
reading a single point energy source, very strong. No conclusions on it at
the moment."
"Good," said a female voice. Setsuna stepped out of the shadows and
closer to the monitor. She shot a quick smile at Tomoe and then turned to
Sensei. "I can get word to my friends, then."
Sensei turned to her, smiling. "I was happy to be of help to you and
Tomoe, my dear. I would give a lot to meet your friends."
"I'm sure something can be arranged . . . sometime, Sensei," she said
smoothly. "Souichi-chan, if you would get your gear, we can get going."
"Right away," Tomoe said.
Sensei turned to the younger man. "Some day, you'll have to tell me
how you and your lady friend got mixed up with the Sailor Senshi, my boy.
And I want your opinion later on a Kirilian I took earlier today."
My daughter was one of them, Tomoe didn't say. Instead, he mustered a
weak smile. "I will, Sensei. But right now we have a bigger problem to
take care of."
*****
"Are you sure that you didn't recognize him, Rei?" Ami asked
anxiously. The Sailors were gathered in the Sacred Fire room, discussing
Rei's run in with the would-be blackmailer. Rei, in her ceremonial
vestments, had just tried to call up an image of the boy, but nothing had
happened.
"I think I may have seen him around, Ami, but I don't know who he is.
I'm sorry. He was wearing a Tsunami uniform, though."
"Does anyone else know who he might be?"
Minako shook her head as she petted a very contented Artemis in her
lap. "Sorry, Ami-chan. The only redhead who's been under my skin is that
Polly girl. I swear, if she tries to steal MY Steven-kun again. . . ."
Her fingers dug into Artemis's back, making him yowl. Minako paid him no
mind. "What Rei did to him will be nothing compared to what I'll do to
her."
"Geez, Minako, lighten up," Artemis complained, earning a sharp look
from the blonde.
Usagi looked up from where she was reading another of Rei's manga.
"Rei-chan beat him up, so what does it matter? He's taken care of."
"Usagi, you can be so dense sometimes," Luna said from a window sill
where she was sunning herself. "He still knows who Rei is. If he found
out about the rest of us, he could tell the police, or your families, just
like he threatened Rei."
"How would he prove it, Luna? We have his doohickey."
Luna opened her mouth, then shut it.
"Ha! I got you there, didn't I, Luna!" Usagi said loudly, leaping to
her feet and pointing a finger at the cat.
"Actually, I was just amazed to see that your brain hasn't entirely
rotted away from all that manga," Luna said acidly.
"Whose brain is rotting? Who just forgot that Rei stole his crystal?
Hmm?"
"I didn't STEAL it," Rei said quietly, sure she would be ignored.
She was right. "I did NOT forget, Usagi!" Luna said loudly. "He was
hardly likely to use that as evidence, anyway. It would have raised too
many questions."
"You're just trying to cover the fact that you're getting old, Luna!
Have you been dying your fur to conceal your age?" Usagi asked with a
mischievous grin on her face. Luna hmphed and turned over on her side away
from Usagi, ignoring her. Usagi took this as a victory, of course.
"What has your computer told you about the crystal, Ami-chan?" Rei
asked as Minako and Makoto tried to quiet Usagi down before Luna really
lost her temper.
"It seems to be a storage device of some kind for visual and audio
data, like a CD-ROM, only much more efficient. It's very old, too. It
might date back to the Moon Kingdom, in fact." Ami turned the blue gem
over in her hands, examining it. "You say he just told it to show you
something and it did? I wish it had a directory. . . ."
"Here," Rei said, reaching for the gem. She took it and held it in
her palm. "He held it like this, and then just said something like, 'Show
me Senshi Mars,' and--"
The gem suddenly glowed, far more brilliantly than it had earlier.
Everyone turned and looked in surprise as an image appeared in the air
above it. The crystal vibrated softly with the music that filled the room
as two voices joined in song.
*****
The singers sat on a bench, their hands joined as their voices were
joined, a man and a woman. The man had short blonde hair, while her hair
was black and ran down to her waist. He was clad in grey, while she wore a
white dress with red trim. They sang for themselves alone; no one else
was present.
"My road leads me far away.
Though my heart tells me to stay,
When my duty calls, I must go
'Twixt worlds of fire and worlds of snow."
"The road I travel will be long
To set things right, to end the wrongs.
But this message will I send,
Wait for me at Journey's End."
"Do not forget the love we share
Though I must leave, my heart will stay.
Do not think I ceased to care
When my duty took me away."
"The road I travel will be long
To set things right, to end the wrongs.
But this message will I send,
Wait for me at Journey's End."
"I have only my heart to give
For my life is not my own.
It is for others that I must live
But it is for you that I come home."
"The road I travel will be long
To set things right, to end the wrongs.
But this message will I send,
Wait for me at Journey's End."
The music quietly faded away as the two voices sang the final line of
the refrain. The man reached out to the nearby table and picked up a large
blue crystal from a pile of similar stones, then handed it to the woman.
"This is a memory crystal. I... borrowed it from the palace." The woman
smiled and laughed faintly.
"I'm sure Prince Endymion doesn't mind. Are they rare or something?"
"They're very new, but they should soon be common, now that we know
how to use them. I think I've attuned this one so that only the two of us
can use it. They start out empty, but you can touch them and command them
to start recording. Then they remember everything they hear and see until
you tell them to stop. Actually, I guess this one is still recording
. . ." He trailed off, looking faintly embarrassed. "We didn't really
need to record my explanation on this, but we're still trying to figure out
how much they can hold and--"
The woman smiled. "Well, I have something to record then. I love you
and I always will, until the four worlds themselves come to an end."
The man smiled and put down the crystal, then leaned over to the woman
he loved. "And I shall always love you, though heaven and hell stand
against us. Though we be separated by fire and ice, though one of us may
have to leave for ten thousand years, our love will not falter." Before he
could say more, her lips met his.
*****
"Rei-chan, that was you and JADEITE!" Usagi said, looking horrified.
Then she got a hold of herself and adopted a more normal demeanor. "Though
you did make a cute couple."
"USAGI!"
"Don't tease Rei-chan, Usagi," Ami said reprovingly. "That was
obviously her past life. Naru told us that we -- our past selves -- were
all engaged to the Generals. This should come as no surprise."
"But JADEITE? He's so . . . GROSS!" Usagi made spitting motions, but
was careful not to actually spit on the floor of the shrine. "I mean, he's
. . . it's . . . just LOOK at him!"
"That's Jadeite?" Makoto asked. "He kinda reminds me of my old
boyfriend." Everyone looked pained.
"Rei-chan? Usagi-chan?" came a voice from outside.
"That's Naru-chan," Rei said. "I wonder what she's doing here?" Rei
covered the crystal hurriedly, shutting out the image. The gem was cool to
the touch and stopped glowing after several seconds. Rei stuck it in her
robes.
"Um, well, I sorta invited her over," Usagi said. Everyone stared at
her. "Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not like Rei-chan said this
was a Sailor Meeting --"
"That's because you were talking to Noriko and wouldn't stop for me to
get you alone."
"-- so I thought it was a party or something."
Luna sighed. "Honestly, Usagi, you have all the -- meow," Luna
finished as Naru and Umino came inside. Everyone looked at them
innocently, or tried as best they could. Actually, they looked much like
they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
"There you all are!" Umino said, peering around through his glasses.
Rei fidgeted and tried to keep the gem from falling out. Ami sat on her
computer, hiding it from sight and Makoto and Minako tried to look
nonchalant. Usagi put her hand on the back of her head and laughed out
loud, drawing looks from both cats in the room (and the humans as well).
"Of course we're here, where else would we be?" Usagi asked nervously.
Umino shot Naru a "See? She is acting weird" look.
"Hey, did you hear the news?" Naru said, trying to change the subject.
"Someone was saying there was some kind of riot or fight happening around
the Tokyo Tower. No one seems to know what's going on or anything."
"A riot?" Ami asked. "Near the Tokyo Tower?" Could this be what
Pluto warned us about? she thought.
"That can't be happening," Usagi said. Then she looked scared. "What
if it should spread here? Where's Mamo-chan when I need him?"
A knock came at the door. "Are we interrupting?" came a new voice.
Everyone turned to look. A young couple stood there with a baby stroller,
looking for all the world like they had just come to the shrine for a
blessing. Most present knew better. The tall, blond 'man' was actually
Ten'ou Haruka, Sailor Uranus, while the shorter, green-haired girl with a
quiet, serious expression, was Kaiou Michiru, Sailor Neptune.
Rei stepped forward. "No, not at all, please come in."
Haruka frowned. "We don't have time at the moment, I'm afraid.
Actually, Michiru and I are in a bit of a hurry, and we wondering if you
could help us out. Would you five --?"
Usagi ran forward. "Of course! We'd be glad to help you guys!"
Finally, these snobs are accepting us as part of the team!
"-- watch Hotaru-chan for us?" Michiru picked the dark-haired baby
out of the stroller. Tomoe Hotaru, Sailor Saturn, looked around with
large, intelligent eyes.
"Thank you, Tsukino-san," Michiru said, handing the baby over.
"Everything she needs is right here. We'll be back to pick her up when
we're done with our business."
"Yeah, thanks!" Haruka said with a mocking grin, before she and
Michiru ran out the door.
Usagi held Hotaru for a long second. Then she yelled out, "Thanks for
nothing, you conceited --!" Hotaru began to cry and Usagi had to try and
quiet her, shaking the toddler back and forth like she was mixing drinks.
"For goodness sakes, Usagi, give her here," Naru said, taking the baby
away from the blonde teen. Naru cradled Hotaru to her chest and rocked her
gently. "There, there, little one, it's okay," she crooned, until Hotaru
quieted.
"Who were they?" Umino asked. "More friends of yours, Usagi?"
"Um, well, sorta."
"What's with the inquisition all of the sudden, Umino?" Makoto asked,
crossly. "They're just a young couple we know. Haruka and Michiru."
"Oh, so that's them?" Umino asked, with newfound interest. He looked
over the way the couple left. "I heard some gossip about them at school."
"Gossip? At Tsunami? Why?" Ami asked.
"They're upperclassmen there, didn't you know?" Umino asked
innocently. Ami peered at him, trying to discern if he was being
sarcastic, but with those coke-bottle lenses, she couldn't tell. He
sounded innocent enough.
Meanwhile, Usagi was 'helping' Naru with Hotaru. After she had to
calm down Hotaru a third time because of the awful funny faces Usagi was
making, she asked Usagi to stop.
"You're just making her cry, Usagi! Stop it, right now."
"Okay, okay, it was just a joke," Usagi said. Leaning over, she
whispered, "What's with Umino today, anyway? He's acting weird, even for
him. I haven't heard him mention earthworms once."
"Sh! You want him to hear you?" Naru lowered her voice still
further, "He's suspicious of you guys, because of all the weird stuff you
do as Sailor Senshi. He wants some answers, Usagi, and I don't know what
to tell him." Naru sniffled slightly, dropping her head as she cuddled
Hotaru desperately.
"Um, it'll be OK, really, Naru-chan. Just wait and see," Usagi tried
to comfort her friend. "I've got a feeling that something special is going
to come our way."
*****
Around the Tokyo Tower, dark storm clouds had gathered and cold,
stinging rain began to pelt the people running and screaming on the
streets. The Gibberlings had attacked en masse, terrorizing and infecting
everyone they came across. The police and the Self Defense Force tried to
hold them in the streets, but the malformed oddities simply went over or
through the troops.
"What a mess," Sailor Uranus said, looking over the scene from the top
of a nearby building.
"We can handle it," Sailor Neptune replied. "Still, it's just as well
the Inner Scouts are watching Hotaru-chan. It'll keep them out of
trouble."
Sailor Uranus winced slightly as a wave of Gibberling smashed up
against a large mass of riot troops. The troops held their ground behind
their clear plastic shields for a moment, then crumbled, shoved back by the
youma. "That's got to hurt. Where is Pluto, anyway? She said not to do
anything before she arrived, but this is getting worse all the time."
"I'm here," a quiet voice said. Turning, they saw Sailor Pluto
crouched on the roof with Tomoe-sensei in her arms. The green-haired
Senshi had just jumped across the space between this building and the next
one over. She straightened up, letting the professor down gently. "We
need to contain the Gibberlings and destroy them. Fortunately, they seem
to be spreading outward from the Tokyo Tower instead of multiple outbreaks.
Uranus, use your World Shaking to create a barrier. Neptune, use Deep
Submerge to flood them out." Pluto paused a moment and looked at Tomoe.
"Try not to catch any civilians in the mess if possible."
"I'm on it," Uranus said, turning to leap off the roof. Neptune
nodded and followed.
Pluto turned to go as well, but Tomoe placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Be careful, Setsuna-chan."
Pluto smiled and nodded before disappearing down the side of the
building. Tomoe-sensei looked over the edge to watch her, unaware of the
glowing red eyes peering at him from the nearby shadows.
* * *
The man in the black uniform frowned as his "troops" spread out from
the Tokyo Tower. He had chosen the observation deck as the best place for
controlling (though herding was a better word) the Gibberlings. The group
mind that infected the Gibberlings was not very intelligent, but it had
learned fear. The man in the black uniform was very adept at using that.
A little nudge in the group mind and it was sent scurrying. His master
would be pleased.
But now a new complication had set in. His lips curled as he looked
on the Sailor Senshi. They were hardly worthy of the title, ignorant of
the powers they were heirs to. One of them was using truly wasteful bursts
of power to build an earthen wall the Gibberlings smashed themselves
against in blind panic. Hundreds of them (and a few humans) died beneath
that crushing wave. The encirclement was not yet complete, but it would be
soon. The man decided it was time to take things into his own hands.
* * *
Uranus swung the Space Sword as hard as she could, decapitating
another of the horrors that came too close to her as she prepared for
another use of her power. It had been a long time since she had used her
power so much, and the effort was draining her. Still, she managed another
"WORLD SHAKING!" that sent a wave of earth rolling forward, pushing the
Gibberlings back until it met with the rest of her earthen dike. A ten-
foot wall of crushed asphalt, earth, rock, and the occasional car now
encircled the Tokyo Tower. Then she sank to her knees.
Neptune was by her side in a moment. "Uranus, are you OK?" she asked
worriedly.
"I'm fine," Uranus replied, standing up. "Just not used to using my
power so much or so precisely, that's all. Let me just catch my breath."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm fine, I tell you! Where's Pluto?"
Inside the encirclement, they could hear the roaring of a gale force
wind, followed by the screams of the Gibberlings. "She's mopping them up.
I better go help her." Neptune started to leave, then turned back. "If
you're sure you're fine?"
Before Uranus could reply, another voice answered her. "She won't be
fine in a moment, girl." Turning, they saw a man in a disturbingly
familiar black uniform standing on top of the wall. In his hand, he held a
gleaming sword, which he pointed at Uranus. "Pick up that sword and use it
if you can, or I'll cut you down where you stand."
Neptune raised her arms, "DEEP SUB--" The man's gaze flickered toward
her in annoyance and Neptune's voice cut off in mid-attack. She stared at
the man for a moment, her eyes widening. She took a step back. "NOOOOOO!"
she screamed, dropping to her knees and curling up into a ball on the
street.
"You bastard! What did you do to her?" Uranus yelled, holding her
sword up.
"Just showed her some things she was afraid to see," the man chuckled,
his dark eyes now focused on Uranus. "Ready to fight now, I see. Before
we begin, I would ask which 'Sailor' Senshi you are."
"I'm Sailor Uranus! Who the hell are you?" She asked as she ran
toward the wall. She leapt up, her sword held in both hands above her
head. The man merely parried her blade aside as she tried to bring it down
on his head.
"Uranus?" the man asked, more to himself than to the Senshi. "My, how
you've changed, Prince Marduk." Uranus took a step backward in surprise.
The name was familiar, somehow. Then she shook herself and charged the man
again.
"I," the man answered, "am Anthracite, a General of the Dark Kingdom."
He sidestepped her charge, and when she overextended herself, his foot
caught her in the midsection. Gasping for breath, she staggered backward,
trying to keep her sword up. "Pathetic," Anthracite muttered. "Tell me
this before I kill you, Uranus," he sneered. "Where is Endymion? Answer
truthfully and I may make your end painless."
Suddenly, a metal staff crossed Anthracite's sword, moving almost
faster than the eye could follow. "I think that you won't be killing
anyone today, Anthracite," Pluto said calmly.
Anthracite leapt away, out of staff range. "Pluto! You dare take an
open hand with this?"
"When some madman chooses to change the way things are meant to be, I
have no choice. You should know that." Pluto's gaze narrowed as
Anthracite's dark eyes met her own. "And don't try your parlor trick on
me. I have no fears you can exploit."
"No? What if I told you that I had free Gibberlings still? Did you
think I would have no reserve? They lie hidden, in the surrounding
buildings, in the cellars and rooftops, waiting to sneak out unseen and
infect this pathetic town."
Pluto paled. "Souichi-chan!"
Anthracite laughed, cruel, mocking laughter. "We shall meet again,
Lady Pluto," he sneered. A dark portal opened near the General and he was
sucked into it and away.
Pluto turned and ran for the building where she had left Tomoe-sensei.
*****
At Tsunami High, the Gibberling advanced easily toward the grounds.
They ran, loped, slithered, crawled and rolled in a massive wave, driven by
the fear planted in their mind.
They almost reached the gate when a massive yell reached their ears.
"OK, let them have it!" Sensei yelled from his post overseeing the
defenses. After Setsuna and Tomoe-sensei had left, Sensei had seen it as
his duty to prepare the school for what may come as best he could. To that
end, he had roused the entire Trans-Dimensional Defense Club. (The Occult
Studies Club had offered to help as well, but Sensei still remembered their
little 'accident' at the club fair when school opened.)
The members of the TDDC turned on the fire hoses they had "liberated"
and several massive sprays of water shoots out at the approaching horde.
"Yes!" Kobayashi Daichi, vice president of the TDDC said as he helped
several of the club members move a hose around. In the back, Koishikawa
Yuu, the rich super-otaku, adjusted his MegaSpeakers to blare Minmay music
(not Minmei, which is Robotech, and wouldn't help) over the crowd.
"Wow, you're SO cool, Daichi-san!" Hibino Hikaru cooed as she trained
her small camcorder on the vice president, She made sure to get a close up
of his muscles bulging beneath his leather jacket as he helped his
classmates wrestle with the hose.
"Hibino-san! Get out of the way--"
*SPLASH* The jet of water sent the young girl flying backward . . .
but not with as much force as it might have. Even as it hit her, the water
began to lose its force. The water pressure dropped quickly after that,
leaving the club facing the army of Gibberlings without any defense.
"Um, oops?" Daichi said.
"Horus! I thought I told you to make sure the water pressure was high
enough!" Sensei yelled into his pocket radio.
"You didn't, Sensei," his computer responded. "Had you remembered to,
I would have informed you that the fires started by this invasion have
placed a serious load on the municipal water supply--"
The Gibberlings, hesitantly at first, began to surge forward again as
no more jets of water met them. But if they thought that they were home
free, they were sadly mistaken. For, just as they were to cross the
threshold of the school gate, a slim figure leapt out of the shadows to
land in front of them.
The figure was female, with long blonde hair and wearing a dark blue
skirt, white shirt topped by a large red bow, and a red mask obscuring her
features. Startled, the Gibberlings stopped short again.
"Stop!" the figure said, rather unnecessarily. "In the name of
justice. . . ." The figure paused. Both sides waited expectantly for her
to continue. "Um, waitta sec . . . For love . . . no. Can I start over?"
The Gibberlings thought about it and decided they were tired of
waiting. They surged forward.
*****
At the Hikawa Temple, everyone was listening to the radio as reports
trickled in from all over the city.
"Rei, feed the sacred fire while Yuuichiro and I prepare the
defenses," her Grandpa said, once she told him what was going on.
"Yes, Grandpa."
He then turned to the disheveled young man and handed him a bunch of
prayer strips. "Here, post these at all the entrances, while I write up
some more."
"Sure thing!"
"And don't put them up upside down!" Grandpa yelled after him. He
turned to the others. "You young people stay with Rei. I'm sure nothing
will get through anything backed with my spiritual power, but better to be
safe than sorry!" He smiled at them, but quickly headed for his study.
Minako followed Rei to help her with the fire. Naru cradled Hotaru-
chan carefully and sang a small lullaby that the toddler listened to with
wide-opened eyes. Usagi pulled Ami aside.
"Hey, what do you think we should do, Ami?" Usagi whispered to her
friend.
Ami frowned in thought. "We can't just leave to fight these
monsters," she said. "Grandpa and Umino will ask all sorts of questions
about where we went."
Makoto leaned forward, adding herself to the impromptu huddle. "I say
we go anyway. These things are invading our city, and we have to protect
people!"
"But Naru-chan told me Umino is suspicious about us! If we go, he
might find out about our secret!" Usagi said, her voice rising to a high-
pitched wail.
"Hi, girls!" Umino said, popping up from nowhere. Everyone leaped back
in surprise. "What are we talking about?"
"Um, nothing!" Usagi said, too quickly.
"We were worried about our families with everything that is going on,"
Ami was quick to put in.
"What gossip are you snooping for now, Umino?" Makoto said, irritated.
His glasses made it utterly impossible to tell what he was up to, but she
didn't like snoops. It reminded her too much of one of her ex-boyfriends,
who hadn't trusted her a bit. Even after she dumped him, he had followed
her around, trying to see what she was doing and bothering any boy she
spoke to . . . at least until she gave him a black eye, the creep! She
didn't want to do that to Umino, because she knew that he was basically a
good guy and she liked him, even if he was weird.
Umino adjusted his glasses, seemingly unconcerned. "Hey, Usagi, I was
wondering if you could tell me something . . . do you remember how Naru and
I started dating?"
"Oh, that's easy! It was right after you two were attacked in that
graveyard and -- OW! What was that for, Ami?" Ami just dug her elbow into
her friend's side.
"What graveyard?" Umino asked innocently.
Usagi opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't think of anything to
say. She glanced at her friends, but they were shaking their heads in
resignation. Fortunately (depending on your point of view) the temple bell
interrupted them before anything more could be said.
Rei looked up, startled. "Grandpa made that bell to ring when evil
approaches!"
The Sailor Senshi in the room reached for their transformation pens,
then stopped. How could they transform with Umino in the room? He was
looking to Naru, so he hadn't noticed their movement, fortunately. The
problem was compounded when Grandpa and Yuuichiro ran in a moment later.
"Get the fire going really hot, Rei!" Grandpa shouted. "I don't think
the wards are going to hold!"
"Grandpa, what's wrong?" Rei tried to look past them to the temple
yard, but her Grandpa slammed the door shut and bolted it.
"No, Rei-chan, don't look! It's better that way. Whatever they are,
they're definitely not natural."
"I think I'm going to be sick," Yuuichiro groaned, trying to put his
head between his knees.
"How bad could they be?" Makoto wanted to know, looking out one of the
windows. The sight of one of the pale, scabrous Gibberlings wriggling its
way over the temple fence made her turn green. "Oh."
"Grandpa," Yuuichiro said, "Let me go for help before they get here!
There's no way we can hold out in here alone."
"Yuuichiro, no!" Rei said, aghast.
"No, Rei, he's right," Grandpa said, looking at his granddaughter.
"But I'll go. You're a young man, Yuuichiro-san, and you have much
potential."
Ami had her computer out by now, not caring if the others saw it. "I
think the west wall is still clear, if one of you hurries."
Grandpa looked a little startled. "But we don't have a west gate."
"Let me go, Grandpa! I can climb the wall, no problem!" Rei said.
"No, I'm going!" Yuuichiro said, iron in his voice for once,
surprising everyone. "I'm the best choice for this and I'm going." He met
each of their gazes, then turned to go when no one had anything else to
say.
As he reached the door, Rei stretched out one hand toward him, as if
reaching to stop him. She dropped her arm after a moment. Yuuichiro never
turned back to see it.
Grandpa bolted the door behind the young wannabe priest and then stood
on a stool to look out the window. "He's reached the trees by the west
wall," he reported for a moment. "If Ami-chan is right, he'll be okay."
"He better be, the idiot," Rei muttered beneath her breath. Usagi
hugged her friend gently for a moment, then the young priestess broke away
to put another log on the fire.
"Looks like the wall slowed them a bit, Grandpa," Makoto reported from
her window. She still looked a little green, and the way one of the
monster's joints . . . flopped wasn't helping. She looked away, only to be
nauseated anew by a creature that looked like an exploded stomach. A
bloody exploded stomach. It was leaving a trail behind it . . . She
squatted down, trying to keep bile from flooding her mouth. It would help
no one to be sick now. She wished they would stop with that infernal
gibbering. She could hear it now and what she could understand made her
feel even worse.
Minako kept one hand inside her pocket, on her transformation pen. If
worst came to worse, she would sacrifice her secret to keep her friends
safe. She had glanced out a window once, but had quickly turned away. She
didn't notice the others also had their hands near their pens, but it made
little difference.
Umino crouched by Naru, who was cradling Hotaru protectively. She
flinched as a crashing sound came from the direction of the house, over the
sound of the still ringing bell. Umino, his suspicions forgotten, put one
arm protectively over her shoulder.
"They're in the house now . . . tearing their way through the windows.
I think they're too stupid to use the door," Makoto reported.
"This can't be happening! Where's Mamo-chan when I really need him?"
Usagi wailed.
A low thud shook one of the walls. Usagi screamed and jumped away
from it. Another thud soon shook the little shrine again. Grandpa took
out his prayer rod and held it grimly in his hand. A third thud came from
the adjoining wall, and the sound of wood cracking. The gibbering nonsense
was louder now, and they could make out a whispering undertone, clearer
sentiments that made Naru want to cover her ears. Hotaru began to cry,
adding to the din.
"Why don't they just shut UP?!" Usagi wailed, her hands over her ears.
Her scream reached ear-piercing proportion quickly, almost drowning out the
creatures outside. The Gibberlings paused, falling quiet and even backing
away from that annoying sound.
"Usagi, please!" Rei cried, wincing. However the monsters were taking
it, it was much worse for them inside the building.
Usagi, looked abashed and frightened, managed to get control of
herself. We have to transform, her mind yammered, we have to become the
Sailor Senshi and fight, or we're all going to die!
Not yet, said a quiet, dignified voice inside her mind. Unbidden, she
felt the Silver Crystal throb inside her brooch. For a moment, she could
see herself in the Moon Palace, staring regally across the divide in her
soul. If you want to do what's right, you must wait. It is not you who
will decide this event, but one of your friends. And what they decide will
decide the future.
Usagi looked at Princess Serenity, the two of them now alone,
somewhere in her mind. The real world faded back into the distance. Why
can't you leave me alone? Usagi cried soundlessly. I'll do what needs to
be done, but can't you just let me be a normal girl in the meantime?
Princess Serenity heard the silent entreaty -- how, Usagi could not
tell -- and looked back at her other self with love and understanding.
You might as well ask your hand or foot to leave you alone, Usagi-
chan. We are each other. I know this, because you will do what needs to
be done, even as I did. But through you, I get what was always my fondest
wish, to be a normal girl. I make you a princess, which you once wished to
be, and you make me normal. Thank you, sister.
Somehow, Serenity crossed the gulf between them and planted a ghostly
kiss on Usagi's forehead, then vanished. The shrine reappeared, with Rei
standing in front of Usagi. The thumping was louder, as more of the
Gibberlings pounded on the walls with their misshapen appendages. Grandpa
and Minako had their backs against the door, trying to hold it back while
Makoto brandished a heavy log and smached anything that came through the
windows.
"Hey, meatball head! Wake up and help us out here!" Rei said
irritably as she shook the blonde girl.
"Rei?" Usagi asked, dazed. Then she came back to her surroundings.
"Rei! Why can't she leave me alone? Why?" She grabbed hold of the
priestess and almost cried.
"What? Usagi, go crazy on your own time, we have a problem here!"
Even as she spoke, Rei pulled a prayer strip out of her robe and threw it
at a white tentacle topped by a human hand with eyeballs for fingers. The
strip burst into flame as it struck the vile thing, and a high-pitched wail
burst forth from the monster as it pulled back.
"Eeee!" Usagi screamed, finally taking it what was happening.
"They're breaking in!"
"No -- ugh! --duh!" Makoto grunted, smacking another limb away from
the window. "I hope Yuuichiro can bring help!"
"Don't worry, Naru-chan!" Umino said, hovering over her. "I'll
protect you!"
"No!" Naru cried. "Umino, you have to take care of yourself!
Something terrible is going to happen if you don't!" All her fears and
guilt hammered at her, and with them the certainty that something bad was
going to happen to him.
Umino looked at her with an unusually serious expression. "The worst
thing that could happen to me, Naru-chan, is if you got hurt."
Naru didn't know what to say to that. She just clutched Hotaru-chan
to her and tried to keep the crying baby calm.
"The door isn't going to hold much longer, Grandpa!" Minako yelled.
Indeed, the door shook again from another mighty blow from the thing
outside.
"Maybe we all should have gone with Yuuichiro," Grandpa said, throwing
his almost negligible weight against the weakening barrier.
Ami, from where she was typing furiously on her computer, replied.
"Not possible, Grandpa. If we had all tried, they would have swarmed after
us. My computer gives Yuuichiro a 90% chance of making it. All of us
. . . well, it drops so close to zero, it makes no difference."
Grandpa nodded. "You're a smart girl, Ami. I'll treat you to a cup
of my special tea when this is all over." Another crash almost sent him
flying. "Rei, hand me some wards!"
Rei was turning to face her grandfather when the door finally gave.
Something resembling a cross between an octopus and a porcupine blew the
door inward. Minako went flying, but managed to get out of the path of the
door. Grandpa tumbled end over end, propelled by the door as it flew into
the room, until he and it hit the far wall. He collapsed, groaning.
Makoto, seeing the thing at the door, grabbed the end of one of the logs
burning in the sacred fire and used it as a torch, thrusting it into the
monster's face. It screamed at the touch of the holy fire and fell
backwards.
"Grandpa!" Rei screamed. Everything slowed for the young priestess.
She paid no mind to the monsters as she ran to her grandpa's side. He had
a cut on his forehead and the blood kept her from seeing how bad it was.
"Grandpa," she said again helplessly.
He coughed and tried to rise, but grimaced in pain. "I'm sorry, Rei
. . ." he gasped. "I should . . . made you girls . . . leave. Forgive
. . . an old man's pride. Now there's nothing we can do . . ." He
slumped, falling unconscious.
Rei reached inside her robe, a righteous anger filling her soul.
There's something I can do, Grandpa. Without a thought of it failing, she
pulled out her transformation wand and held it high. New words entered her
mind and she said them without thinking. "MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
she yelled.
Flame surrounded her. Umino looked up in amazement as a bright white
flame which gave off no heat seemed to burn away Hino Rei, leaving Sailor
Mars behind. But not the normal Sailor Mars. Her usually red skirt was
white with yellow and red bands on the hem and a belt marked with the
symbol of her planet. Super Sailor Mars faced the abominations approaching
the door and raised her hands. "MARS FLAME SNIPER!" A bow made of flame
sprang into being and Super Sailor Mars fired a bolt of flame at the
monster. It screamed and ran away, flailing its burning limbs as it did.
"Yes!" Makoto yelled. "Enough of this shit! JUPITER STAR POWER, MAKE
UP!" The others were quick to follow suit.
"VENUS STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"
"MERCURY STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"
Usagi took a minute to look over at Umino, who was so stunned his
glasses had slipped from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Umino-kun," was all she
said. "MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
The Sailor Senshi burst out of the shrine. Umino turned toward Naru,
who looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "I . . . couldn't tell you,
Gurio-chan. It wasn't my secret to tell. We forgot how we met because of
something the Sailors did. Usagi . . . Sailor Moon told me her secret and
helped me remember what happened," she said, heartbroken, looking away from
him.
For a long moment, there was silence (except for the Sailors' shouts
from outside and the sounds of monsters being blasted, frozen, fried,
electrocuted, and smashed :). Then Umino said, "Don't cry, Naru-chan . . .
it's okay, really."
Naru looked up. Umino had managed to summon up his goofy smile, which
was just TOO nerdy, but Naru liked it anyway. "It's OK?"
"Yeah, I understand why they'd want to keep you from telling me. I'm
just glad to finally know what's going on."
"You don't hate me for not telling you?"
"I could never hate you, Naru," Umino said. "No matter what you do.
I love you."
"Gurio-chan, I l--"
Naru's words were cut off by a mighty crash. One of the walls to the
shrine burst inward in a shower of wood. She screamed, protecting Hotaru
as best she could. The roof of the Shrine began to collapse and the sacred
fire crackled loudly as it ignited the aged timbers. Naru saw a shadow
move over her and the next thing she knew someone shoved her away. She
tumbled, protecting Hotaru as best she could and came to rest by Grandpa.
Looking up, she had time to see Umino be buried by a mass of flaming
timber. "GURIO!" she screamed.
Naru looked around, trying to spot any help. The Sailors were all
busily fighting unspeakably hideous monsters, and not doing very well by
the looks of it. Several monsters were down, but at least three faced each
Sailor Senshi, keeping them from working together, and more could be seen
approaching. A few of the more humanoid ones wore the remains of human
clothes and Naru suddenly realized where some of the monsters came from.
"SOMEBODY, HELP US!" she screamed.
At first, there was no answer, Everyone was too busy. Then, in the
distance, hoofbeat could be heard. The white knight, clad as always in his
gleaming armor, rode through the swarm of monsters. His sword sliced one
of the monsters in twain as he charged, and the rest scattered away from
him. He avoided the monsters wearing human clothing, though. "Let
monsters everywhere beware!" he shouted, "for I am the White Knight,
defender of the innocent! Sailors! Some of these monsters were human! Be
careful whom you attack!"
"Tell THEM that!" Sailor Venus shouted back. "VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"
she yelled, binding a pair of monsters to a stout tree.
The White Knight made no answer, but galloped over to Naru. Leaping
off his horse, he seemed to know exactly what she wanted and tried to
approach the flaming rubble of the shrine. The fires burned high now,
however, and the heat drove him back. Then, gathering his resolve, he
plunged into the mass of flame and debris.
Naru squinted through the smoke, unmindful of anything else. Umino
had to be alive. He HAD to be! She kept chanting this to herself over and
over again. When the White Knight finally reemerged, his shoulders
slumped, and carrying a burnt and broken body, something snapped inside
her. Osaka Naru fled screaming into darkness.
The white Knight gently put Umino's body down and tried to get Naru to
move away from the fire. She didn't move. Her eyes were wide and staring
at nothing. Her mouth kept opening and closing, but nothing came out, not
even a whisper. The Knight moved to pick her up and carry her away when a
shuffling step behind him made him whirl around to meet another monster's
attack. The creature was an armored nightmare with several arms and a face
like an open wound. The Knight brought up his sword to attack.
Super Sailor Mars let her fire bow dissolve and a moment later her
costume faded back to her normal Sailor Mars mode. Her new transformation
was awesome, but tiring, and it had become apparent to her that these
things were going to go the distance. If she tired herself out, she would
be of no use to the Sailor Senshi. Still, it was great to be back in the
action. Screw Setsuna and all her nay-saying!
"BURNING MANDALA!" she shouted, frying another monster where it stood
(after first making sure it was not wearing anything to show it was a
former Tokyo denizen). Unfortunately, the number of "safe" targets was
diminishing and the number of former Tokyo-ites was growing. She glanced
around for another target. Sailor Moon was unleashing a Moon Healing
Escalation on a bunch of transformed people, healing them. The effort was
exhausting her and was barely making a dent in their foes. Sailor Moon had
dark circles under her eyes as she raised the Silver Crystal to do it
again. Makoto and Minako were trouncing monsters, trying to keep Sailor
Moon safe. One monster broke through their defenses. . . .
. . . and was stopped by a thrown rose. Tuxedo Kamen had finally made
the scene. Sailor Mars nodded and turned to fry another monster. She
spotted the White Knight keeping three of the creatures at bay. Then she
saw a fourth sneaking up on Naru, who seemed to be in shock, and Grandpa.
She readied an attack, then realized the range was too great. She started
to run toward them, hoping to get to close enough before it was too late,
when another monster made a shuffling charge toward her. Was there no end
of these things? She dodged aside, not having time to fight this thing.
She HAD to get to Naru and Grandpa!
Suddenly, Sailor Mars vanished in a burst of flame, reappearing no
more than a foot away from Naru. The girl didn't even blink. Sailor Mars
gasped and faced the monster. "FIRE SOUL!" she shouted, spearing it with a
bolt of flame. She then bent over and vomited. What was that? her mind
screamed at her. A moment later, she didn't have time to think as the
monster she had just attacked slammed a tentacle into her side.
Why didn't my attack finish it off? she wondered dazedly as she
struggled to get to her feet. She knew why almost immediately. That
teleportation trick, if she was truly responsible for it, had left her as
weak as a kitten. She looked up in time to see the monster raise a
tentacle to flail Naru and Hotaru-chan. "No!" Rei screamed as the tentacle
came down.
Hotaru-chan screamed.
It was no ordinary baby scream. It seemed to echo back and forth
across the Hikawa Temple grounds, bringing everything to a halt. Even the
monster attacking her and Naru froze, a stupid look on what passed for its
face. A dark light surrounded Hotaru-chan, bursting outward, like shadows
but without a light source to create them. A strange voice whispered,
"Saturn Planet Power, Make up."
There was a small explosion of light and sound and suddenly Sailor
Saturn stood between Naru and the monster, the Silence Glaive held high.
Saturn appeared now to be eighteen years old, with pale skin, long dark
hair, and a slim, but appealing figure. Her face was utterly emotionless,
a cold mask that spelled doom for any who stood in her way.
"DEATH RIBBON REVOLUTION!" Saturn said in a strangely hollow voice.
The monster before her did not even have time to scream as thousands of
black ribbons surrounded and sliced it to bits. Sailor Saturn then turned
toward the rest of the battlefield.
Sailor Mars thought she was the only one who truly saw what happened
next. Sailor Saturn began to glow, crackling with power. Her sailor skirt
turned white, with yellow and black bands on its hem, and a pair of black
wings, like those of a crow, sprouted from her back. With a mighty beat of
those wings, Saturn took to the air. Hovering over the Shrine, she held up
her Glaive. "Silence," she said.
It was horrible to watch. Every monster, whether transformed or
natural, suddenly seemed to age a thousand years over night, their bodies
shrivelling and decaying even as they fought on, until nothing but dust
remained. The other Sailors turned in shock.
"H-hotaru?" Sailor Moon stammered.
Sailor Saturn landed before Sailor Moon and folded her wings behind
her back. "Not really," she answered in the same hollow voice, her eyes
staring blindly at Sailor Moon. "But part of us is."
"What did you do?" Minako yelled. "Some of those things were people!"
"I destroyed the infection. It is my Purpose. I shall now cleanse
the rest of this city . . . or destroy it."
Everyone stared at her in shock. "What do you mean, 'destroy it?'"
Makoto asked. "Damnit, you can't do that!"
"Yes, I can." Saturn's wings snapped out and she took to the air
again. "It is my Purpose," she said again.
"STOP!" rang out a commanding voice.
Everyone, including Saturn, turned to look. Sailor Pluto stood at the
entrance of the Shrine, carrying one of the Gibberlings, it seemed, in her
arms. Behind her, Sailor Uranus was helping Sailor Neptune, who seemed
shaky on her feet.
"Pluto, this is my Purpose. Do not think to stand against me. Even
Time will die in the end."
"I know about your 'Purpose,'" Pluto said, ignoring everyone else in
the courtyard. "And you know what I think about it. But that is not why I
am here. I wanted you to see the lives you would be so casually snuffing
out. Here," she said, placing the unconscious Gibberling down on the
ground, "take a good look."
Everyone looked at the foul, misshapen thing and then looked away. It
looked only vaguely human, with large, pus-filled sores covering its
exposed skin. Fortunately, it had on a white lab coat that covered some of
it from sight.
Sailor Saturn looked disdainfully, then froze. Her mouth worked and a
real emotion entered her eyes. Anguish. She gave a little scream and
dropped the Silence Glaive. It fell with a clatter on the paving stones.
"POPPA!" Saturn screamed, picking up the Gibberling and clutching it
to herself. "No, no, Poppa!"
"You can help him, Hotaru-chan," Pluto said quietly, laying a hand on
the girl's shoulder. "You can use the power for that. Not to kill, but to
heal. You know how."
Sailor Saturn looked up and nodded. She ran over to pick up the
Glaive and, with a look of fixed determination on her face, took to the
sky. Up and up she flew, until she was no more than a black speck.
Then there was light.
Soft, white light filled the sky, pouring down on the beleaguered
city. It fell on everyone, no matter where they were. Normal humans felt
refreshed and invigorated by it, but the light eradicated the youma where
they stood. Humans infected by the Gibberlings underwent wracking
transformations, but returned to normal. Patients in hospitals were
suddenly healed of their afflictions, no matter how grave. The radio was
soon full of people announcing a miracle as Sailor Saturn floated down to
earth. Her costume and wings were completely white now, and she smiled as
she looked down upon the sleeping face of a completely human Tomoe-sensei.
Then, she transformed. An eighteen-year-old Tomoe Hotaru stood naked
before them, then collapsed, utterly exhausted.
"What happened?" Sailor Moon whispered in awe.
"Hotaru used the power of Saturn to heal the city," Pluto said,
producing a blanket from somewhere to cover the girl. .She touched the
girl's face gently. "Poor girl. Any chance of a normal childhood is lost
to her now."
"I'm not getting any youma readings at all," Ami said, looking up from
her computer and retracting her visor. "Somehow, she affected the entire
city in a matter of seconds."
"Didn't Pluto just say that?" Uranus asked sarcastically. Ami blushed
and buried her head in her computer.
"Are we all OK?" Venus asked. "Where's Mars?"
"Over with Grandpa," Makoto said, pointing. They all looked over and
saw Rei trying to talk to Naru. The White Knight stood over them both,
helplessly. Umino's body and face were inadequately covered by Hotaru's
baby blanket beside him. The Inner Senshi turned white as they realized
what that meant.
"Umino!" Sailor Moon yelled, running over. The others followed,
leaving the Outer Senshi alone with Hotaru. Tuxedo Kamen moved to follow,
but Uranus laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Hold on, there's something you need to know, Prince Endymion." In
short, crisp sentences, she described her encounter with Anthracite. Her
face grew tight with anger as she described the attack on Neptune, but she
managed to complete her story. "Why does this guy have a particular hate
for you, anyway?"
Tuxedo Kamen thought for a moment. He had a vague memory, from the
battle for the Moon Kingdom, of facing a man matching Uranus' description,
but he couldn't be sure. "I don't know. I'll ask him when I see him," he
said, then hurried over to the others.
The Sailors were standing helplessly around Umino's body, tears
running down their faces. Sailor Moon was clutching him in her arms,
begging him to wake up.
"A falling beam crushed his spine. Death must have been almost
instantaneous," the White Knight said in a quiet voice. Tuxedo Kamen
turned and stared at their mysterious comrade. This was the first time the
Knight had remained behind after a battle. Was this Knight another part of
himself, like the Moonlight Knight? He felt no connection, but he hadn't
with the first Knight either.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, avoiding the issue of
Umino for the moment. The other Sailors were helping Sailor Moon, making
her put down the body, and he didn't trust this new ally totally yet.
"An innocent is still in danger," the Knight replied, pointing at Naru
with his sword. Rei was still trying to get some sort of response out of
the girl, but with no luck. Tuxedo Kamen forgot about the Knight for the
moment and hurried over.
"What's wrong with Naru, Sailor Mars?"
"I don't know. She doesn't seem hurt, but she won't answer me! She
just stares at nothing." Sailor Mars bit her lip in frustration. Losing
Umino was bad enough. Only the fact that Naru needed someone kept her
grief at bay.
"Maybe Sailor Moon can do something ." Tuxedo Kamen turned towards
the others. "Sailor Moon! Naru needs you." His heart melted with
sympathy as he saw her raise her grief-stricken face, but he felt a fierce
pride as she nevertheless got up and hurried over to help. Usa-ko may seem
selfish at times, Tuxedo Kamen thought, but she has such an infinite
capacity to love. She'll make a fine Queen someday, if that is our future.
"Naru? Naru-chan?" Sailor Moon said, kneeling before the stricken
girl. "Can you hear me, Naru-chan?" Sailor Moon took her friend by the
shoulders and shook her. "Come on, Naru-chan! This isn't funny! You're
scaring me!"
Naru's eyes focused slowly on Sailor Moon. "Princess! Thank Serenity
you're here!" she said, with a strange accent that none of them could
place.
"Huh?" Sailor Moon said. Naru grabbed hold of her wrist and stood,
pulling Sailor Moon along with you. "Hurry," Naru said, still in the
strangely accented speech. "Turquoise is badly hurt and needs the
Crystal!"
"Wait! What are you talking about, Naru-chan? And when did your
voice get all funny?"
Naru turned and faced Sailor Moon, glowering slightly. "This is no
time for games, Serenity."
"Who's playing games? You're not making any sense!"
Naru turned to Tuxedo Kamen. "Prince Endymion, I beseech you,
convince the Princess to stop her foolishness."
"What's with Naru?" Makoto whispered to Ami.
"I think that Umino's death has shocked her so badly, her mind has
shut down. This must be Lady Patience, from the Moon Kingdom."
"What does she expect Usagi to do? The Silver Crystal can't bring the
dead back to life."
"It did once," was all Ami said in reply. Makoto blanched and looked
away.
Naru, or Lady Patience, was rapidly running out of her namesake.
"Enough foolishness!" she snapped. "Turquoise needs magickal healing NOW!
Will you help him or will I have to drag you there?"
"But . . . he's dead. I can't do anything about that . . ." Sailor
Moon said.
"Fine!" Naru spat. She began making arcane gestures with her hands,
which began to glow. The sailors gathered there felt a sudden tingling and
started toward Naru, to stop her from doing whatever she was attempting.
They were too late. "WIND!" Naru shouted. A powerful blast of air struck
Sailor Moon, sending her flying.
"Yaaaaah!" Sailor Moon yelled, dodging a second blast.
"Hold on, Naru! That's going too far! VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!" Minako
shouted, sending a chain of hearts at bereaved girl.
But Lady Patience was prepared. "SHIELD!" she said, still making
gestures. A glowing barrier winked into place around her. The Venus Love
Me Chain shattered against it.
Maybe I can blind her, Mercury thought. "SHABON SPRAY!" A cloud of
fog swept over the courtyard.
But Naru/Lady Patience had a counter for that, too. "CYCLONE!" she
shouted and a funnel cloud dropped from the night skies and swept the fog
away. The Sailors braced themselves against the wind as it tore at them.
"Pathetic," Naru said. "You were all better than this at age sixteen.
COME!" she said. Sailor Moon's transformation brooch flew off her costume,
causing her to suddenly transform into Usagi. The brooch landed in Naru's
outstretched hand. She flipped it open with ease, not even looking at the
Sailors caught in her windstorm. "Why hide this in such a tacky piece of
jewelry, Serenity? It's not like it can't defend itself--"
With a flash of white light, the Crystal did just that. Naru rocked
back on her heels, dropping the brooch, and looked around in alarm.
"Usagi? What's going on? What's happening!" she screamed.
"You did it, Naru!" Makoto yelled. "You have to stop it!" The
cyclone began to weave back and forth, churning up the ground beneath it as
it spun faster and faster.
"I don't know how!"
"Concentrate, Osaka Naru!" the White Knight yelled, audible even above
the scream of the wind. "Imagine the cyclone dying out and then say the
word!"
"What word? I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Tell it to stop!
Naru looked at the dark funnel of the cyclone, her cyclone, tearing
its way through the once peaceful Hikawa Temple and screamed "STOP!" with
all her might.
The winds stopped. The sky grew calm. Everyone looked around in
amazement.
"Words are conveyances for power, Osaka Naru," the White Knight said.
"Gather your power, then release it with a word. That is all you need to
do." He let a shrill whistle, which was answered by a neigh from his
stallion. "Farewell." His mount galloped up and, without missing a beat,
the White Knight grabbed its saddle as it charged by and pulled himself up
onto it, armor and all. They charged out of sight before anyone could say
anything more.
Naru sank to her knees. It was all too much. First Umino was gone,
just like that, saving her and then her other self takes control of her
body and throws a tantrum that destroyed much of what was left standing by
the Gibberlings. She didn't want to go on.
A white glow caught her eye. Looking at it, she saw the Silver
Crystal, still lying in Usagi's brooch on the ground. It was throbbing
with a silvery light.
"Wow, why's it doing that?" Usagi asked, coming up behind Naru.
"How should I know? It's your Crystal," Naru said.
"It's not like I got an Instruction Manual with the thing, you know."
"She would have lost it if she had," Mars muttered under her breath,
earning her a poke in the ribs from Mercury.
"The Crystal is responding to your needs, Tsukino Usagi," Pluto said
suddenly from behind the Sailors. They all gave a start and turned around
to face the Outer Senshi. Uranus was helping Neptune and Saturn stand, and
they both looked tired but okay. "Pick up the brooch," Pluto continued.
Usagi did so. "Now, take it over to your friend." With a questioning
glance that Pluto did not answer, Usagi carried the brooch and glowing
crystal over to Umino, placing it on his burnt chest. "Very good," Pluto
said approvingly. "Now, the last step requires you, Osaka Naru. Do you
want your lover to live?"
Naru blushed, despite the circumstances. "We're not like THAT. . . ."
"Just answer the question!" Pluto snapped. Really, these children
tried her patience.
"Yes," Naru said. "More than anything," she sobbed. The grief
threatened to crash down on her again and with it the urge to smash and
destroy something, hurt someone, just to let it out.
"Then you know what you must do. Do it quickly, before the moment
passes." Pluto turned away, walking toward the sleeping Tomoe-sensei.
"Wait! I don't know what to do!" Naru called after her. How can I
help Umino? It's not possible! Something inside her ebbed at that
statement, and the grief grew stronger. She was going to fail, a little
voice whispered. Why not just lie down and accept the inevitable?
No! She thought, pushing such thoughts away. Umino died saving me!
I owe it to him to try and do the same. Gathering her resolve and pushing
all doubts away, she turned to Umino. She made herself look at his fire
ravaged features and said, "LIVE."
The Silver Crystal let out a burst of radiance that filled the
courtyard. Everyone was forced to look away, shielding their eyes with
their arms and hands. Even then, it did little good, as the light
permeated everything. Then it was gone.
Naru looked up hopefully, but only saw Umino's blackened body. It
didn't work, she thought, tears welling up in her eyes. It didn't work
after all.
Then Umino coughed.
"Umino!!" Naru yelled, running over to him. She picked him up and
hugged him tight. He was covered with soot and ash, but there didn't seem
to be any serious wounds on his body any longer.
"Ouch! Careful, Naru-chan," Umino muttered weakly. "Those beams
bruised me pretty badly, you know."
Everyone else crowded close, trying to hug the resurrected boy. "What
beams, Umino?" Ami asked, hearing his statement.
"The Shrine's beams. They fell on top of me, burying me, of course.
Until the White Knight dug me out. I think. Or did I dig myself out. I
think I remember him. . . ." He shook his head. "I can't quite remember."
"It's alright, Gurio-chan," Naru said, tears of happiness now flowing
freely. "We don't need the answers for some questions."
Umino looked around at the Sailor Senshi and smiled. "I think -- I
HOPE, that is -- I'll be getting enough answers about other things."
Everyone laughed and transformed back to their civilian identities and
began to tell him about their dual existence. The Outer Senshi contributed
little, except when necessary, and instead helped Rei get Grandpa
comfortable (he had been healed by Saturn's power, but would be asleep for
a few more hours, according to Ami's computer) and find some clothes that
would fit Hotaru.
"Well, now we know for certain the Dark Kingdom is behind this," Rei
said, hearing Uranus describe Anthracite's boasts. "The question now is
what other surprises can we expect from them?"
*****
Somewhere, out in the Beyond Realm, dark energies pulsed and
coruscated over crystalline surfaces.
AT LAST! The Entity exulted as the fear and terror in Tokyo reached
its peak. A sharp crack, followed by the tinkling of broken crystal,
punctuated its remark. FREEDOM!
A giant yellow crystal had cracked from top to bottom. Eight
uniformed figures kneeled before it as a pair of white-gloved hands reached
out from inside it to pry the two halves apart. With a mighty heave, they
fell away, leaving only a man who cloaked himself in the dark energies. He
threw back his head and laughed. "Free at last!"
Suddenly, massive feedback tore through his body, some sort of
positive energy backlash. Hope and courage had been rekindled in the
citizens of Tokyo, everywhere at once. The Gibberlings had failed, and the
backlash tore through their leader's body. Falling to the ground, he
gasped, "Healing . . . chamber!" to his loyal subordinates. Hurrying, they
carried Jadeite, last of Queen Beryl's Generals, away.
*****
Luna Says:
Luna: Today, Sailor Moon Z was all about--
Usagi: Not you TOO! This is MY segment!
Luna: Now, Usagi, don't be selfish. Everyone should get a turn.
Usagi: I don't wanna! I'm the star!
Artemis: I'm going to do the next one, since it's about Mina-chan.
Finally I can air my grievances about--
Minako: About WHAT, short, furry, and about-to-die?
Artemis: Help!
Luna: Ahem. Anyway, today's episode was--
Usagi: Hey, Luna! Who was that strange Sailor that helped out at Tsunami?
Luna: That's not important right now, Usagi.
Usagi: I bet it was Sailor Sun!
Luna: THERE IS NO SAILOR SUN! THERE ISN'T! THERE ISN'T! GET THAT
THROUGH YOUR MEATBALL BRAIN!
Usagi: Don't have a cow, Luna.
Luna: Have you been watching those awful American cartoons again?
Serena: No.
Luna: Aha! Your name switched! You have!
Usagi: I still say you're going senile . . .
Luna: What was that?!
Chibi-Usa: Hi! I'm back!
Usagi: GET OFF ME! Why do you always have to land on my head, you
annoying vermin?
Chibi-Usa: Because of all the empty space?
Usagi: That's it! I'm going to pulverize you!
Pluto: Small Lady! What are you doing back here? I told you, no more
gallivanting around in the past! It's bad enough you hung around for that
S series! Now it's back to the future for you young lady! And don't make
me have to hunt you down and pull you back again!!
Luna: Oh, bugger it... the lesson for today is this: Tape your end-of-
show speeches in the privacy of your home and mail them in. I'm going to
go take a nap.
Usagi: Psst . . . she sleeps so much because she's getting OLD. :)
Luna: USAGI!!!
End
Author's Note:
Well, another episode done, and the onus passes to my co-writer, who
will be documenting the more of Minako's academic career at the Moon Hill
School. This episode has been slow to write for many reasons, but towards
the end it really took off on me, and I hope you agree. I wasn't entirely
comfortable writing the Outer Senshi, since I lack a lot of information on
them. (Pluto is the only one I have seen in an episode (un-subtitled)) so
I had to rely on my co-author's opinions and what could be culled off the
WWW.
I guess you could call this series an Elseworlds now, since the
changes we've made to the series just keep mounting. The more I hear of SS
and Sailor Stars, the more relieved I am we cut those parts out of our
continuity. The Sailor Stars, in fact, have convinced me that the anime
writers in Japan CAN be weirder than we fanfic writers. :) Boys who turn
into girls to be senshi? (And not very attractive girls, IMHO.) And I
don't care what anyone else might say, but I would not call the Stars'
costumes sailor suits.
Sorry, rant mode off. :) One more thing while I have your attention.
So far, no one has commented on the disappearance of Chibi-Usa from this
series. If anyone cares, we do have some plans to have her show up much
later, but for the moment she is in the future, where she belongs. Pluto
came back and dragged her forward, kicking and screaming. I'm just
mentioning this in passing, since no one particularly seems to want her in
the series (especially the authors ;).
Well, I can't think of anything else to add to this, so, until Z8,
when I -might- clear up the mystery of the strange Sailor at Tsunami. ;)
Ja ne!
Jeff Hosmer 01 Oct 96
jhosmer@ix.netcom.com <= NOTE! New Address
rogue1@netcom.com (Still good for the moment)
