Shinjitsu to Seigi no Tameni
By Kathryn
DISCLAIMER: This was written to see if I could – Watch for more stories involving Audrea – I think she's kind of fun – an FBI agent with a sense of humor?? Who'd have thought?? Anyway Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Kirsch, Spender and Fowley belong to CC and 1013, and Sailor Pluto and her phrases are property of Kodansha Comics and Naoko Takeuchi. Have fun and PLEASE send feedback!!
Part 1
Tuesday
10:55 AM
FBI Headquarters
Scully looked at Mulder across the couch. How many times had they been sitting here on the couch waiting for the assistant director? She looked up as Kirsch came out. "Agents, We're ready for you."
When Mulder and Scully entered the AD's office they were treated to quite a shock. Spender and Fowley, flanking AD Skinner waited for them at the conference table, along with a young female agent. "Agents, you already know Spender and Fowley. And this is –"
"Agent Audrea Morgan, late of Computer Crime now doing Domestic Terrorism. I guess we can get started now?" She asked with a hopeful look towards Kirsch.
"Yes. Now, Agent Morgan specifically requested you," Kirsch said with a nod to Mulder and Scully, "and she made a very good case unfortunately. This case also falls under the jurisdiction of the X-Files," Skinner added. "So you are all going to have to work together. Agent Morgan?"
The agent pushed a lock of blond hair behind her ear. "Okay here's how it is." She dropped into a chair. "There has been a recent rash of terrorist attacks. . .at various anime conventions."
Spender sneered. "What? Anime?" He looked at Mulder. "Isn't that Japanese Porn?"
Morgan looked at him icily. "No. You'll be getting a crash course in Anime later. There's a convention next weekend here , well actually in Arlington. We are going to be there to stopwhatever is going on. I personally think that it's just some crackpot who thinks she's Queen Beryl – that's a character you'll learn about – but the eyewitness acoountswell read for yourself."
Mulder accepted the proffered file folder and read it. "LightningDisappearing what?" Spender snapped the file away from him and turned to Skinner. "Sir I don't believe that Agents Mulder and Scully should be assigned to this case."
Kirsch gave Spender the eye. "Agent Spender."
Morgan looked at them. "Can we all get along boys? Please?" She looked at Fowley and Scully. "You're both very quiet."
Fowley looked at Spender. "I agree with agent Spender. This is clearly an X-File."
Morgan looked at her. "Now I have roles for all of us. I'm going in costumeI guess the reason they put me on this case is that I'm a great big otaku, or anime fan. Now I have one person who will be posing as a con worker – uhh Spender that's you," Morgan handed him a folder. "Fowley you'll be in costume also, and so will Mulder and Scully." She paused. "I know it sounds strange but anime people are a little touchy about government types due to the immerse amount of bootlegging from Japan – whose copyright laws are significantly different than ours I might add. By dressing in costume no one will suspect us of being government agents. Fowley you are going as Lynn Minmay from Macross, and Scully and Mulder are going to be Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion from Sailormoon. Oh year – I'm going as Pluto from that same show. Now I have a whole stack of tapes for your perusal, Sailormoon for Mulder and Scully, and Macross for Fowley plus some other stuff you should be familiar with and be able to pass for newbies. Costume fittings at my place Wednesday night – I have a whole lot of stuff I just have to hem a few things. That's about it any questions?"
Four agents sat in stunned silence looking over the Character Files that Morgan had given them. Scully looked at Mulder when she read the line "Princess Serenity was in love with Prince Endymion of Earth." Her file, as well as Mulder's, was massive. Scully noticed that Fowley's file was a lot smaller. A whole lot smaller. What was Morgan up to?
Mulder flipped through the file, planing to peruse it later. This Endymion guy sounded like a real dripbut he did get to be Scully's date, sort of. Morgan looked like she was trying not to laugh. What was going on here?
Spender was just plain mad. He had to spend time catering to freaky fanboys while Mulder and Scully He planned to have a little chat with Agent Morgan.
Fowley looked at Morgan. "Why do Mulder and Scully have so much more than me?"
Morgan sighed. "Well there were like 200 episodes of Sailormoon and Macross is like a movie – 2 hours at the most. It's just volume. No biggie."
Kirsch looked at the collection of agents. "You all have your assignments – watch those videos and remember – We are going in Saturday afternoon – be ready agents.
Mulder and Scully wound their way through the maze of cubicles that was the computer crime department, and came in on an interesting sight. Agent Morgan had her head down on her desk laughing quietly. Scully cleared her throat and Morgan jumped up "Oh it's you. I thought you were that weenie Spender. He came in asking why he had to do all the work. I told him the only costume I could think of was to dress him in drag – he'd make a way cool Sailor Uranus, really. He kinda got mad and stormed out. What's up?"
Mulder looked at the fireball in front of him. "How did you get us on this case? It's not exactly what we're supposed to be doing now."
"Simple. I asked. I said that the thing was BS and that it was clearly blah blah blah" She lowered her voice. "Ya know what? I would like nothing better than if it really was Queen Beryl cause that would mean the Sailor Senshi existed too. But if it IS really Beryl, than Spender is going to be all about covering it up. And I don't want that—that's why I asked for you two."
Mulder looked at her in disbelief. "I think it's a shame what they've done to you two – you really cared about your work, the X-Files and all – all that stuff I did in his office was just a lot of song and dance for Kirsch. He's an ass. But really – When you get reassigned to the X-Files it'll be a day to celebrate. I mean come on – I heard all the rumors and if even part of them are true then holy hell's gonna break loose and no one will know cause someone out there has the FBI by the balls."
"Morgan, why? Why don't you get assigned to the X-Files if you care so much?" Scully asked.
"Well first off if I had to be in the same room with weenie boy and his lapdog I would yak. Second of all I think that Spender is part of whatever. One person can't fight an army."
Scully looked at Mulder, thinking if the "roles" they had been assigned. What else had Audrea Morgan picked up through the grapevine?
Spender was in his office fuming, watching Fowley scour the Internet for more information on Lynn Minmei. It seemed that Morgan had made the file small on purpose. "What is she trying to pull? Who does she think she is pushing us around like that? And she sure didn't do you any favors."
Fowley looked upset. "It's like no one likes this character – I'm finding a lot of I hate Minmei' sites. Maybe we should talk to Skinner. I'm going up there right now." Fowley left the office before Spender could object. Spender fumed, looking at the file which told him where to be for training when he hard footsteps in the corridor. "Fowley is that you?"
A figure in a black suit appeared in the doorway, lit cigarette in one hand. "No."
"I told you never to come here!"
"You have a problem – Her name is Audrea Morgan. She has given you an even bigger problem, Mulder and Scully. Make sure they are, shall we say, properly contained." The man left the office, smoke wafting after him.
End part 1
Part 2
Saturday
7:00 AM
FBI Headquarters
"Good Morning!" Morgan looked entirely too cheerful for 7 AM Mulder decided. "Don't mind me – I got like 4 hours of sleep last night and am running on pure caffeine – went to the con and had a great time so I could work today. Are you guys ready for your skit with me?" Morgan had written a shot skit for the 3 agents to perform in the costume contest, when the perpetrator was expected to strike. Serenity, Endymion and Pluto in the final moments of Crystal Tokyo.
Scully thought it was absolute cheese. Mulder was more interested in the La Blue Girl and Urotsukidoji tapes Morgan had loaned him. Animated porn – who would have thought?
When the agents got to the conference room, a stone-faced Fowley in kimono with her hair up greeted them. She lookedbad. Spender just looked pissed in his con-issue T-shirt. Morgan had managed to humiliate them both.
Morgan thumper her silver staff on the floor. "Let's get going! We want to beat the lines, trust me – it was nuts last night!" Spender looked pained.
Skinner and Kirsch looked at the agents, Scully adjusted the long dress she wore and added a few more hairpins to the blonde wig with long ponytails that Morgan called "odango." Mulder adjusted his sword. Fowley fussed in the kimono, which showed her less than svelte figure. Morgan absently twirled the Key of Time/Garnet Orb around her body. Skinner cleared his throat. "Agents. At some point it may become. necessary for Spender and Fowley to take over. When that happens," Skinner looked directly at Mulder, Scully and Morgan, "You will be expected to do what you are told. Is that clear agents?"
"Yes." Came the dulled answer form Mulder and Scully. "Crystal." Morgan added dryly.
"Well then, you appear to have some work to do. Good luck."
At the Convention, the agents split up, Mulder and Scully, Morgan and Fowley, and Spender, working separately in the various rooms. Morgan laughed inside as she watched him try to deal with the fanboys, fanatics and general chaos. Morgan quickly tried to ditch Fowley, promising to "keep in radio contact. Really."
It didn't work. Fowley was insistent on playing "by the book." Morgan scowled. "Is that how you managed to screw over never mind. Let's go trolling in the dealer's room."
Fowley looked at her. Was she thinking of Mulder and Scully? Was that why she Morgan had her dressed in this ridiculous outfit and Spender was spending the day calming down overexcited fanatics?
Could Morgan be trusted? There was something about her that Fowley did not like.
Mulder and Scully looked around. Their costumes were drawing not a little attention, but none of it suspicious – apparently the disguises were good enough to make several people with cameras take note, usually with flashbulbs, and several asked for their names to be put on web pages. Others asked if they were participating in the masquerade later. "Well my princess," He whispered to Scully when the general commotion passed, "where may I escort you now?"
"Mulder," she groaned. "I think you're taking this a little too far."
"Come on Scully, we have to get into character. This is kinda fun, if you think about it. Spender just went by and boy does he look pissed."
"I think Agent Audrea Morgan is going to have a lot to answer for later."
The rest of the afternoon passed. Morgan had narrowed the list of suspects down, by the quality of costumes, to 2 Queen Beryls, an Esmeralude, a Zoicite/Malachite pair, and a Kalonite. Relaying her suspicions to the other agents, she took her place backstage as the cosplay began. Mulder, Scully and Morgan ran through the skit one more time. Spender shot them dirty looks from his position as ersatz security guard, and Fowley was out in the audience. One by one, the acts went on, until "Crystal Tokyo?"
"Right here," Scully sighed with her partner and Morgan in tow. They stood in the wings, as the applause died down for the last act – a Sharon Apple, whoever that was, Scully thought looking at the scantily clad woman exiting off the other side of the stage, before taking their places on the stage. Morgan started the dialogue.
"You majesties, you must leave Crystal Tokyo! It's the only way!'
Boy is she hamming it up, Scully thought, saying her lines "We cannot! It is our city and we must protect it!"
"But how?" Mulder as Endymion, was utterly appalled that he was doing this.
"Only I can use the Silver Crystal!"
Morgan opened her mouth to deliver the next line but was cut short by a screech from the audience "You will never use the Silver Crystal, it is mine!" One of the "Queen Beryl" performers advanced toward the stage, and fired a blast of energy at the agents, who dove out of the way.
Spender and Fowley looked at each other across the room.
Scully drew her gun. Mulder looked at Beryl with equal disbelief and excitement – here was a live alien!
Morgan looked at Beryl – it was all true – but where were the real Senshi?
"Federal agents!" Came a shout. Spender, waving his Sig 9mm at the Queen of the Negaverse, fighting the crowd streaming out of the building. Morgan went for her gun, knowing in her heart that it would be useless. Spender continued, "Stop or I'll shoot!"
"Fool! Do you think you can harm the mighty Negaforce!" Beryl shouted, throwing Dark Energy at Spender, who fired. Morgan winced as he dumped the entire 10-round magazine into to Queen, watched the rounds bounce harmlessly off of the violet gown. Beryl only laughed harder and disappeared.
"All right!" Morgan cried taking off after Beryl.
"Where'd she go?" Mulder asked looking around. A scream from outside came as the answer. Five agents rushed outside where police struggled to keep the crowd under control with barriers and tape. Beryl stood in a clearing that was rapidly being masked off. Spender looked at Mulder and Sully. "Well I guess we can take it from here. You three stay here – this is not your business any more."
Mulder looked at Spender in open disbelief. "Spender are you crazy?"
"Agent Mulder, you and Agent Scully are to have no contact with the X-Files. This is clearly an X-File; therefore you will stay here as per AD Skinner's orders. If I find you too close OPR WILL hear about it." He looked at the green-haired agent. "Agent Morgan, if you would,"
"I would not. I am NOT going to be a party to your little – whatever, cover up, containment, whatever you call it. This is too cool for the otaku of the world NOT to know about." She looked at Spender coldly. "I much prefer to stay here."
"Good. That's what I was asking you to do. Stay here and out of our way – you're a little geek, not a real agent." He paused. "And I do not intend to cover up anything." He led Fowley away.
Morgan's cheeks grow red as tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. She followed Mulder and Scully up to the edge of the crowd, trying to et a better view, but their view was blocked by a news van trying to film the proceedings, under Fowley's protests.
"How dare he—that—why I—What—who does he think he is? He has no idea what he's dealing with! Bullets and clubs aren't going to do anything the her—somehow she really is the queen of the Negaverse – Arrgh!" As Morgan vented, Mulder looked at her sympathetically. How often had he been there, frustrated?
As she vented, Morgan grew angrier and angrier – she was supposed to be there—there had to be something she could do – if only if only
Mulder and Scully's attention was drawn from Spender trying to, and failing at, getting the "Beryl" to calm down by light at the edge of their perception.
A strange light glowed in the jewel of Morgan's "tiara". As the amazed agents watched, the light spread to the tips of her hair, to the top of the staff to the bottom of her feet. Mulder realized that the costume now seemed to fit better and the hair – where were the telltale blonde wisps? Mulder looked closer and realized that Morgan's green eyes were now a strange shade of Red?
"Protected by the planet of time, I am the reformation Warrior, Sailorpluto!"
End Part 2
Part 3
Morgan/Pluto looked around, gazing at Mulder and Scully. She then leaped about five feet in the air, over the heads of the crowd, and landed on the top of the news van. Mulder and Scully pushed through the crowd to see what was going on.
"Dead Scream." A pink ball of energy flared from the end of Pluto's Staff and plowed into Beryl. Spender, Fowley and Beryl all looked for the source of the blast.
"Agent Morgan I ordered you to stay back there! I'll have you on report!"
"I am the one who controls time, Sailorpluto, I will not allow you to do what you wish with this love filled earth!" This was directed not to the Beryl, but to Spender, who was taken aback.
"What the hell do you mean?"
"I am Sailorpluto, the senshi of time. In the name of Time I will protect this Earth." She raised the Key of Time. "Chronos Typhoon!" This was directed at Beryl, who deflected it with a blast of Dark Energy.
Mulder looked at Scully. "This is crazy! She's Sailor Pluto and – what's going on here!"
"There's no rational explanation for this!"
"Mulder what did you put her up to?"
"Please, everyone get back!"
Four agents looked up at Audrea, who stood, hair waving in non-existent wind. She leaped down, kicking Beryl, knocking her over. Spender grabbed Morgan's arm. "Will you get out of here – this is business for real FBI agents not wannabe nerds!"
Morgan's response was to push past Spender in time to dodge another blast of dark energy, a move that sent her rolling across the ground to end up at Mulder and Scully's feet. Pluto/Morgan looked up at them. "I have a plan. I need your help."
"What can we do?" Mulder asked.
"It's not without danger. I have the ability to stop time, selectively – if you hold on to me, you will be unaffected. I think that she will be vulnerable to conventional weapons while time is stopped"
"But what?" Mulder asked.
"It is forbidden for me to stop time in this way. For me the consequences would be death."
Scully looked at her in disbelief. "What do you mean your death? Do you mean Agent Morgan's body would die, or just this personality?"
"I do not know. But if I die, in that way, it will have been to save the world from this creature. Will you help me?"
"Yes." Mulder answered for both of them.
Spender came running over. "All three of you – get out of here – the is official FBI business!" Morgan looked at him sadly. "It is a pity, really, that you will not remember."
"Remember what?"
Mulder and Scully each grabbed a fold of fabric.
Morgan/Pluto raised the Key of Time in that air. "Dark Dome Close!"
End part 3
Part 4
Mulder almost had to laugh – the Key of Time flared and all the commotion, all the motion stopped dead. Spender stopped with his mouth open in mid-tirade. Mulder looked at Morgan, and was shocked.
Morgan looked horrible – her face and skin were pale and a sheen of sweat had broken out on her face – "Hurry – please!" She gasped, fighting an invisible force. Mulder aped at her in shock. "What's wrong?"
"Please—Do what you must, before my sacrifice is in vain!"
Mulder and Scully looked at each other – how were they going to explain this? Scully took aim and fired at the "Beryl" character, hitting her in the shoulder, a disabling blow but not fatal. Morgan/Pluto nodded at her in approval. "Well done." She wavered, then collapsed onto the ground, the Time Key smacking against the pavement with a hollow sound. The world immediately came back to motion. "And furthermore – what's happened?" Spender cried, breaking of in mid sentence as he took in Morgan on the ground and Beryl, now clearly a woman in costume, bleeding. "Get the paramedics!"
Scully immediately knelt down to check on Agent Morgan. Her green wig had fallen off, and the heart shaped top was bent out of shape. Scully pried open n eye to see a green eye underneath. Mulder – It's Morgan.." she checked for a pulse. "And she's alive – Barely." The medics swarmed in to take care of the wounded agent and the wounded suspect.
"Huh – Eh – What?" Morgan woke up in the hospital to find Skinner and Kirsch waiting for her. "What happened?"
Skinner cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "Well, as near as we can figure, you passed out, and Mulder was able to subdue the suspect." He stopped.
"What else?"
Kirsch glared at her. According to Agent Spender, you defied him, and tried to go in when he explicitly asked you to stay back. "
"Yeah I remember that. I remember being really angry, and then I woke up on the pavement. That's all I remember."
Kirsch did not look happy. "Well, Agent, If you want to keep your career, I suggest you try harder to remember. Spender seems to suffer from a memory problem also. He has a different recollection of events." He stalked out.
Morgan looked over to AD Skinner. "Can I see Mulder and Scully?"
"They're outside. I'll send them in." He left, and Mulder and Scully appeared a few minutes later. "Hey kid, how are you?" Mulder asked.
"Mulder, what happened to me?"
Mulder and Scully exchanged a glance. What had happened was a mater of much debate in the Bureau. Scully explained to Morgan that Spender maintained that Morgan was in need of psychiatric help, as she had run around embarrassing herself, and the Bureau. Mulder believed that Morgan rally had become Sailorpluto, just as their suspect, who had no memory of her actions at the convention from the beginning of the masquerade. Morgan's similar story had prompted Mulder to file the case as an X-File, much to Spender's chagrin.
Morgan sighed. I guess we'll never know, huh?"
"Probably not." Mulder agreed. Oh by the way," he pulled a small paper-wrapped package. "The convention workers found this – they figured it belonged to you. Most of the people there thought it was all part of the convention entertainment, if you can believe that."
"I can. See you guys at work?"
"Sure," Scully answered. "Bye." The two agents left Morgan alone. She picked up the package that Mulder had left, and unwrapped it. It was a very well done casting of a Pluto henshin stick?
"But I never had one . . ." she said out loud. "I don't believe it – it's not possible."
The End