Compliments warm the heart......
Criticisim Strengthens the Soul.....
Flames Shall Be Used As Target Practice. :-)
****************
Disclaimer: The following was written for the enjoyment of the writer and
those who read it. No money has been or is intended to be made off of this
story and all characters are the property of their owners. You are free to
MiST, review, or post this or any of my fics so long as you E-Mail me and
tell me where on the 'net and/or web you're placing them. You are also free
to wear sunscreen, speak your mind, and (insert surrealistic activity here)
****************
"So did you learn anything new about sewage treatment?"
"I learned one more way that we penguins are superior to humans: we do our
bisnuess in the ocean-thus elimintating the middleman."
-Beakman's World
****************
Chapter 6
Molly awoke to the feel of a warm body next to her and the crackle of a fire
behind her.
Where?
Oh yeah, she and Maxfield. . .
Rolling onto her side, she studied Maxfield's face. He lay on his back, eyes
closed, an exhausted smile on his lips.
'I suppose I should take that expression as a compliment,' she thought wryly
as she kissed his forehead before standing. 'God, I need ta use the bathroom.'
#--#
It took some doing, but Molly finally found the bathroom and after using the
facilities, she washed her hands. As she did, she caught sight of herself in
the mirror and had to smile.
A few years ago, she had spent the night at Serena's house, and since her
parents and younger brother had been out of town, they had raided the liquor
cabinet and gotten horrendoulsy drunk.
While neither girl could fully recall the events of that night, they had
woken up the next morning with evidence that not only had they cut each
other's hair into horrificly short parodies of Haruka's hair, but that. .
.other things had happened between them.
Serena was letting her hair grow back out and it had since gotten long enough
that she could wear it in odangos again.
"But I didn't want my old hair back," Molly said softly. Instead, she kept
hers cut slightly shorter then Haruka's, save for a few strands that hung
down the sides of her face just in front of her ears which she then braided.
As she reached for the towel, she spotted the ring Melvin had-would have
given her if they hadn't been interrupted, still on it's chain around her
neck.
"Melvin. . ." she whispered softly, and then angrily dashed the tears away.
She was supposed to get on with her life, damnit! "So why can't I?" Muttering
a vile curse at whoever dreamed up the notion of love, she wet her fingertips
and ran them through her hair, and as she ran them down the back of her hair,
her fingertips brushed the back of her neck, causing her knees to buckle
under her as twin explosions of pain and ecstasy ran through her.
"Wha-what the hell?" She gasped out as she grabbed the sink for support. When
she could stand on her own, she probed again at that same spot, this time
braced for the twin bursts of feeling. There, just above the base of her neck
were what felt like two bumps, sort of like masses of scar tissue. "Whoa. .
." she breathed out, pulling her hand away before it got too overwhelming. "I
gotta remember those."
After finishing cleaning up, she leaned on the sink, studying her reflection.
"What do I do now?" She asked the mirror.
The mirror didn't reply.
#--#
The first thing Maxfield saw when he opened his eyes was that the spot next
to him was empty. Noting that her clothes, and his, for that matter, were
still where they had thrown them, he concluded that she was most likely using
the facilities.
As he went to sit up, he felt the cold blade of a sword touch his neck.
"Keep your head down and don't move," warned an unfamiliar female voice. "Now
stand up, slowly, and keep your hands where we can see them.
"I never refuse a lady," Maxfield replied evenly. "But might I have my pants
back first?" A moment later, the requested article of clothing smacked him in
the head.
"Now, stand up," came the order once he had covered the lower half of his
anatomy.
Maxfield complied, and when he did, he found himself facing seven teenaged
girls, all in Sailor fukus of different colors. But the fukus were different.
The ribbons appeared to be longer, and he was quite sure the epaulets hadn't
been there the last time. Four of the girls he recognized, the others he knew
by reputation.
"Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury," he greeted them. "It's been a
while."
"Not long enough," Mars growled.
"Sailor Jupiter," he adressed the fourth, receiving only an icy glare in
reply.
"Where's the girl?" Sailor Moon demanded, stepping forward. Her costume was
the most distinctively different, particularly, the large white wings. Her
hair was still the same style as it was, but the pigtails were much shorter.
"Where's Molly?" Sailor Moon demanded again, her eyes cold and angry.
"I don't know," Maxfield replied, and winced as he felt the sword blade press
harder against his neck and mentally revised his total number. Eight. "I
honestly don't know. Wandering around the house somewhere, I imagine." Sailor
Moon stared at him for a moment, and Maxfield did the same. Sailor Moon had
changed, and it seemed to be for the better. As a warrior, he approved of the
difference, it suited her.
"I'll go look for her," The Senshi in orange volunteered before running out.
"So help me, Nephrite," Sailor Moon said, "if you've hurt her in any way. . ."
"I couldn't do that, your highness," Maxfield replied gravely.
"I-what?" Sailor Moon exclaimed.
"A thousand years ago, I served the Moon Kingdom, until I allowed myself to
be lured away by ambition, and until I met Molly, I never questioned that
decision." He dropped to one knee, bowing his head. "My Queen, I ask-no-beg
of you to allow me the chance to atone for that dreadful mistake."
"Queen? But I-" she broke off as understanding hit her. As far as he was
concerned, she was heir to the Moon Kingdom throne, which made her the Queen
of that place. 'And when I found Crystal Tokyo, I'll be Queen there too,' she
thought. 'But he doesn't know about that.'
"All right, Nephrite," she said, crossing her arms. "You can start by telling
me how you're alive after Zoisite killed you."
"I wish, I could, your Highness," Maxfield replied, raising his head. But I'm
as mystified as you are. The last thing I remember, was lying on the grass,
feeling my blood flow out of me. The next thing I know, I'm back in the
throne room of Beryl's palace, back in the Negaverse, along with everyone
else."
"Everyone else?" Mars repeated.
"Yes," Maxfield confirmed. "Malachite, Zoisite, Jeddite, even Beryl was
there."
"So what happened next?"
"We received unexpected visitors."
#--#
If nothing else, Venus had to admit that this Nephrite guy had good taste in
decor. The interior of the house was spartanly furnished, in such a way that
it made the house seem larger, rather then empty.
'Of course, how much furniture do you need when your house is just a base
camp for world conquest?' She asked herself acidly, tracing a white gloved
finger along a ornately carved doorframe. It was, she noted, dust free.
'Jeez, the Memorials could play the All-star game in some of these rooms.'
As she continued her wanderings, she heard what sounded like crying.
Following her ears, she came upon Molly, naked as the day she was born,
sitting in an empty furo, knees pulled up to her chest, shoulders shaking
slightly.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Molly's head jerked up, eyes wide as her hands darted to cover herself.
"Hey, relax, we're both girls here. You aint got nothing I haven't seen
before." Venus said as she perched on the edge of the furo before raising an
eyebrow and giving Molly a wide smile. "Right?" Molly shot her a look and
then relaxed somewhat. "So come on, talk to Dr. Mina. What's wrong?"
"What Doctor? You're pre-law!"
"Same diff. C'mon, why you crying?"
"I-" Molly started and then broke off, one hand playing with the ring on it's
chain around her neck.
"Ah, thinking of Melvin again."
"Well, no. . .yes. . .kinda." Venus said nothing, just waited. "I'm such a
slut!" Molly burst out a moment later "Melvin isn't even cold in his grave
and I'm hopping into the arms of another guy!" Her fist clenched and slammed
into the side of the furo. "I go give into my physical urges before I'm even
finished mourning!"
"There's nothing wrong with that," Venus pointed out. Molly shot her a "you
would know" look. That hurt Venus a little, but she didn't let it show. "Look
at it this way," she said, deciding to be blunt. "When Melvin were alive how
often were you and he intimate?" Molly didn't answer, but she did blush a
bit. 'More then once or twice a week. Almost nightly, I bet,' Venus thought,
but didn't say it aloud. "Right, so your body just became used to it. It
became another need, like a good book, and sooner or later, a need has to be
satisfied."
"You're not helping," Molly grumbled.
"Okay, let's put it another way. You were lonely. You have, or had feelings
for Nephrite."
"Maxfield."
"Maxfield. You had feelings for Maxfield. Then he upped and died, and you set
them aside. Then, Melvin died, you heard Neph-er, Maxfield was alive, and all
those feelings came rushing back. There's nothing wrong with that, and I
think Melvin would understand. He wouldn't want you to be lonely."
"I know that, it's just. . ."
"You feel it's too soon," Venus said quietly. "Well, just chalk it up as a
moment of weakness and leave it at that, there's not much you can do it about
now except put it behind you and-" she broke off as the house shook.
"Mars to Venus! Venus! Come in damnit!" Venus' wrist communicator screamed.
"Venus here. What is it, Mars?"
"Zoisite dropped by with a few friends! Get back here!"
"On my way," Venus said, jumping to her feet. "Stay here," she told Molly
before running out.
"As the sound of Venus's feet faded, Molly stood and exited the furo. For a
moment, she stood and stared at her reflection, then taking the ring, she
kissed it before letting it fall back into place. "For you," she softly told
it and then raised her eyes back to the mirror. "Guyver."
#--#
"Beryl will reward me when I bring her your head!" Zoisite screamed, not so
much wielding her sword as she was swinging it wildly. The blonde's eyes were
mad with rage, and when she spoke, froth flew forth from her lips. "I was
watching you, Nephrite. I saw you rutting like a pig in heat with that girl
and then you go and betray the Queen! Treason is punishable by death!"
"Sailor Moon is the Queen, you brain-sick whore!" Nephrite shot back, hard
pressed to keep her from penetrating his defense.
"She's nothing! Nothing! Beryl gave us more then Serenity ever could. I'm
proud to serve her!"
'So was I, once,' Nephrite thought silently as he redoubled his efforts.
#--#
Zoisite couldn't help it, she laughed. She had done it, she had the Sailor
Senshi in her grasp.
"At last! I've done what no one else could do. I, Zoisite, have captured the
Sailor Senshi! Turning, she gave Sailor Moon a swift kick in the ribs. "How
does it feel, Sailor Moon? Tied up like a dog," she paused to give her
another kick. "Humiliated beyond all belief. . .beaten."
"I am merely a representation," Sailor Moon replied in that strange tone that
indicated it wasn't Serena talking, but the Moon Princess. "As are we all
representations of that which you fear, and so long as one of us lives, you,
will never win."
"You mean Tuxedo Mask?" Zoisite burst into laughter. "He's only one half of
the equation. Without Sailor Moon, there can be no Crystal Tokyo, and without
Crystal Tokyo. . ." she trailed off and smiled. "Well, I'm sure you can work
out the rest for yourself." After giving Sailor Moon one last kick, she
turned to the Doom N' Gloom girls. "Start opening a portal," she ordered.
"Make it big enough to take this entire house and most of the surrounding
property, I don't want any spells to be activated that might interfere with
the transport."
"Yes, sir!" They chorused. Nodding, Zoisite started to turn back to Sailor
Moon to gloat some more when she noticed the youma she had dispatched to
apprehend Nephrite's girlfriend was standing in the doorway swaying slightly,
as though drunk.
"Well? Did you find her?" There was no response. "Well? Answer me blast you!"
The youma fell forward and by the time it hit the floor, it was dust. For a
moment, Zoisite stared at the dust and then raised her eyes back to the
doorway. A pair of glowing yellow eyes stared back. "And who are you? Come
out where I can see you." For a moment, nothing happened, and then the figure
stepped forward into the light.
"Let them go," it said flatly.
"Well, well, Nephrite," Zoisite chortled. "It seems you've been keeping
secrets."
"What are you talking about?" Nephrite demanded.
"Don't toy with me!" Zoisite screamed, whipping around and backhanding
Nephrite. "You've been hiding the Guyver unit!"
"What?"
"Silence!" Zoisite screamed, slapping him again. "You are nothing! Do not lie
to me! I will not permit it! Twice you have betrayed our Queen! Twice you
have allowed some stupid human to distract you!" She was raving now, spittle
flying every time she talked as her fists pummeled Nephrite, punctuating her
words. "I am your mistress, Mettalia is your God! Say it! Say it damn you!"
"Go to hell," Nephrite snarled back.
"It was too much. Zoisite had never been the most mentally stable of people
and Nephrite's defiance was too much. Letting out a primal scream of rage,
she conjured a dagger and rammed it into Nephrite's heart. "Die!" she
screamed.
"Noooooo!" Warrior screamed and leapt forward, one hand outstretched as it
began to glow. Zoisite turned and gasped as Warrior's hand punctured her
abdomen. She stared at Warrior for a minute, and then her eyes rolled back in
her head and she fell backwards, her entrails still clutched in Warrior's
hand, creating a bloody leash that connected the two. Then, almost as though
she was dropping a Styrofoam cup into the trash, Warrior dropped the
intestines on top of the now dead Lord General and just stood there, watching
as her body dissolved into energy.
For about a minute or so, nothing happened, but then, one of the Doom and
Gloom Girls, the blue one, in fact, shifted, her foot scraping on the stone
floor. Immediately, one of the sliver spheres set into the side of Warriors
helmet moved along the groove it was set in. The Girls froze. Slowly, Warrior
straightened and then turned her head to look at them. Then, purposefully,
she held up her left hand and clenched her fist, the blade sliding out of
it's forearm slot with an ugly scraping sound.
"You helped," Warrior said to them.
What happened next was an act of violence so horrific, and so terrible, that
decorum prevents it being described in this account.
#--#
By the time the Senshi managed to free themselves, the sun was beginning to
peek over the hills and Warrior had disappeared.
Guided by Venus, Sailor Moon, Jupiter and Mars found Molly where the Senshi
of Love had left her, huddled in the furo. Afterwards, they returned to the
main room, where Mercury was attempting to save Nephrite.
While Molly got dressed, Sailor Moon met Mercury's eyes, silently asking a
question. Mercury shook her head.
"How long?" Molly asked as she knelt next to Nephrite and took his hand.
"Minutes, hours, perhaps even days," Mercury said quietly. "There's no way to
tell. All we can do is make him comfortable."
"I see," Molly said quietly. Nodding, Mercury continued tapping at her
computer and frowning.
"You got something Mercury?" Venus asked, peeking over her friend's shoulder.
"I don't know," Mercury replied. "Nephrite's body is showing trace amounts of
the energy the Imperium Silver Crystal used when it resurrected us after
Beryl."
"What? You mean the Crystal brought him back? Why?" Mercury only shrugged.
"I don't know," was Mercury's only reply.
#--#
"I have something for you," Molly told Nephrite some time later.
"Oh?" Nephrite asked. Molly nodded and took out a wrapped object from her
jacket pocket.
"A chocolate parfait," she said, breaking it in half and handing one of the
pieces to him. "You did promise we'd share one."
"So I did," Nephrite said, taking the proffered piece and biting into it. For
the next few minutes, neither one said anything as they ate.
Outside, the sun continued to climb into the sky.
"Molly," Nephrite said.
"Yes?"
"I think, I'm going to have to leave now."
"I know."
"Don't look so sad," he said, giving her a weak grin. "If the Crystal brought
me back once, maybe it will do it again." He closed his hand around hers,
gripping it tightly. "And if it does, I promise, I will find you."
"I'll be waiting," she said softly, and then she sat there, watching has he
faded away, the only sign of her sorrow, a single tear trailing down her
cheek.
**********************
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Keep/5268/Fanfic/fanfic.html
Agreeable Komodo
(Otakus Nodateus)
He who buys it, uses it.
Just say yes to prophylactics.