Most Wanted
. . . . .
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police go on the hunt for those mysterious Sailor Senshi.
This story occurs a few days after 'Unexpected'.
. . . . .
Chapter 1:
"Minna, this way!"
A brightly pulsing pinpoint of light within Sailor Mercury's visor indicated the Sailor Senshi's newest threat was lurking not far off, temporarily hidden from view by the walls of a nearby commercial building.
"How many this time?" Jupiter asked in a near-yell as she caught up and sprinted alongside her running companion. The remaining three teenage warriors were following close on their heels.
"Just one cardian... so far!" Mercury replied. The five girls, clad in their brightly colored warrior fuku, rounded a corner and abruptly skidded to a halt.
This area of alien activity thankfully appeared deserted, except for the motionless bodies of two high school students of about the girls' same age. The boy and girl lay sprawled close together, laying on their sides near the middle of one of Tokyo's innumerable side streets and avenues. Not far away, a large black sedan was parked in front of a collection of small shops within the building they had just rushed past.
Their target, looming large across the street from the car, caused a gasp to slip from Mizuno Ami's lips.
"Oh dear!"
A scant ten meters from the Sailor Senshi, a huge fungus-like being was busily draining the remaining life energies from its hapless victims. Its long thick stem was a disgustingly mottled shade of grey and topped by a massive blood-red cap that throbbed slightly as though the creature were breathing.
"Ugh!" Sailor Moon gagged. "I think I'm going to be sick!"
The cardian seemed preoccupied with its task, paying no heed to the girls' arrival. As the Senshi hastily prepared to attack, a well-dressed man emerged from one of the shops, carrying a small satchel in one hand. The fungus cardian immediately emitted a long tendril from part way up its stem, directly toward the newest arrival.
"CRESCENT BEAM!"
Venus' weapon burst from her fingertip, slicing the tendril neatly in two just before it reached its intended target. Expecting the man to flee, the Senshi were stunned to hear him curse in shock and rage at first sight of the cardian. Reaching inside his jacket, he quickly produced a pistol and promptly emptied it into the monster in a rapid-fire flurry of ear-splitting shots.
The barrage of bullets had little effect on the creature. A second thin fibrous limb sprang from the being's trunk and struck the man down hard, ripping one sleeve completely off his jacket and shredding the neatly-pressed white shirt beneath. His now-empty gun and the small bag he carried clattered onto the roadway as he collapsed heavily on the sidewalk.
"Enough!" Jupiter roared, the tall brunette spoiling for a fight. Sailor Mars teamed up with her green fuku-clad comrade, and their combined attacks of scorching fire and crackling lightning bore into the monster, blasting it into vapor. As in previous encounters, a tiny card fluttered to earth before disintegrating.
From somewhere nearby, multiple sirens began to wail as the girls rushed forward to check on the three human victims.
Mercury stooped over the two teens, her pretty face grim behind her tinted visor. "They're still alive, but quite weak! Another few seconds and that thing would have finished them off!"
Moon and Mars knelt beside her. "Will they make it?" Sailor Moon asked worriedly.
"They're young and healthy. Hai, they should pull through. But they need prompt medical attention" the blue-haired Senshi told her. She then called out to Venus and Jupiter, who were attending to the armed man. "How is he?"
Before either of the girls could reply, the prone man's eyes blinked open. The hand of his injured bare arm, bruised purple and with skin badly blistered as though it had been splashed with acid, reached up to clench Makoto below the elbow.
"Arigatou" the man gasped. "I will remember this. I... we... owe you." His weak grip loosened and his hand fell away.
"Please remain still" Venus instructed him. "Help is on its way!" She looked at Jupiter as the sirens rapidly grew nearer. "Time to make tracks!"
Makoto nodded and they rejoined the three other Bishoujo Senshi, vanishing into the distance scant seconds before a bevy of police cruisers roared onto the scene.
The mysterious gunman closed his eyes against the excruciating pain, whispering to himself through clenched teeth before he relapsed into unconsciousness.
"They do exist..."
. . . . .
Finding shelter within Tokyo's maze of narrow alleyways, five Sailor Senshi quickly detransformed, becoming typical Japanese schoolgirls once again as the powers of their henshin faded.
Tsukino Usagi promptly made a sour face. "Minna, that thing was gross!"
Hino Rei chuckled, "I was half expecting you to be sick all over your boots, Usagi-chan. Nice bravery there!"
"I was brave!" the blonde miffed in her own defense. "I would have destroyed that monster too, if you and Mako-chan hadn't done it before I even got the chance!"
"Sorry, but we couldn't stand around waiting for you to throw up first."
"Quiet, Rei-chan!"
"That cardian was simply awful!" Minako agreed with the other blonde. "I'm sure they're getting stronger and more dangerous too." She asked her taller friend, "Mako-chan, did you get a good look at that guy's arm? It was completely covered in tattoos! And that gun!"
"Yakuza" Makoto replied. "Probably pressuring that store he came out of for protection money."
"Gangsters?" Minako gasped. "Here? In Tokyo?"
"Hai. I've seen them before." She shook her head in disbelief at the blonde girl's naivete. "Minako-chan, you definitely need to get out of the house more often. They're all over Japan."
"Really, Mako-chan? I had no idea!"
The resilient teens began walking together toward the center of the Minato ward, discussing how they planned to spend the remainder of the warm summer day.
. . . . .
"Konnichiwa. Is everyone enjoying the nice weather we're having?" Scattered murmurs arose from several officers in the police precinct's briefing room as their captain took his place behind the podium. "Before we begin our afternoon briefing, I must address an urgent issue passed down from the higher-ups not fifteen minutes ago." The senior officer briefly consulted the topmost page of a sheaf of paperwork he held before continuing.
"By now, all of you have heard about today's monster attack in Tokyo. It occurred not thirty minutes ago in this very ward. And, as they usually do, the Sailor Senshi made their appearance and dispatched the violent creature before our officers were able to arrive at the scene. But this time, there's a new twist to the old story."
A voice from somewhere in the middle of the group joked, "We're putting the Senshi on the payroll?"
The captain refused to crack a smile despite the laughter that followed. "No. Not exactly." He pulled out a large photograph from among his papers and held it up. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Azumano Kichiro. You may recognize him as a prominent part of our local Yakuza chapter. He's considered a kyodai, a big brother to the newer members."
Having now captured everyone's undivided attention, he went on. "During today's attack, the Sailor Senshi were directly responsible for protecting this dangerous criminal and most likely saving his life. Now that may be just a coincidence. Or... perhaps not."
A young junior detective sitting in the third row piped up. "Sir, are you suggesting the Senshi are involved with the mob? As bodyguards or such? I find that very hard to believe."
"As do I, Jinmei-san" the captain agreed. "However, many senior people on the force wish to put an end to the endless speculation about the Senshi's origins and their true motives." He told the gathered officers and detectives, "As of now, the Sailor Senshi are officially on our most wanted list. We have been ordered to locate and detain them for questioning until we are completely satisfied they have not and will not use their incredible powers to engage in criminal activity."
"Good! It's about time!" The remark was uttered by a smartly-attired young woman seated in the front row.
"I thought you in particular would feel that way." The captain cleared his throat and addressed her sharply. "Detective Maruyama!"
The twenty-nine year old snapped ramrod straight in her chair. "Hai!"
"Detective Kinjo!"
A considerably less enthusiastic reply issued from a middle-aged male sitting in a rumpled brown suit near the back of the room. "Hai."
"I'm putting you two in charge of this assignment. Your task is to discover the whereabouts and true identities of the Sailor Senshi. You will then take them into custody until we can evaluate their threat level, and if necessary, prevent them from performing any further heroics. For the well-being of our citizens, of course."
The woman's lips twisted into a venomous smile. "Arigatou, Captain. It would be my honour and pleasure to get to the bottom of this troublesome issue. I'm also completely confident we can deal with any further appearance of those monsters which seem to be plaguing our city once again. We certainly do not need a gang of young loose cannons running around in our midst to add to our burden. Even more so if they have ties to the Yakuza."
"Excellent" the police captain nodded. "How do you propose to proceed with this investigation?"
"By baiting a trap, sir. We simply stage our own 'monster' attack to lure the Sailor Senshi out of hiding, then track them back to their lair" Detective Maruyama stated confidently. "They will then be easily identified, thoroughly questioned, and with any luck... arrested."
"Arrested? On what charge?"
The woman chuckled evilly. "We'll think of something."
. . . . .
Chapter 2:
With this latest crisis now behind them, five teenage girls whose deep bonds of friendship were forged long in the distant past of the Silver Millenium, made their way toward home. Eventually they arrived at a park they often frequented, not far from the unmistakable outline of the Tokyo Tower.
"So..." Usagi asked as they walked along, "what's everyone planning on doing this evening?" Her hopeful tone and rapidly shifting gaze brought a chuckle from Makoto.
"Let me guess. You're bored to death because Mamoru is still stuck at the university."
"Hai" the blonde admitted. "He leaves for school at sunrise and works there until really late, Mako-chan. And even worse," she groaned, "when he finally gets home he goes straight to bed!"
"I don't see a problem with that, Usagi-chan!" Minako giggled.
"You wouldn't" Rei muttered.
"Then he falls asleep right away because he's so exhausted, Minako-chan" Usagi lamented. "And he'll be doing the same thing for another whole week! Poor Mamo-chan!" She sighed, "I really miss our special time together."
Minako patted her friend's shoulder. "I completely understand how you feel, Usagi-chan. You know the old saying, mystery loves company. I can't see my Taro-love for another two whole days either."
"That's misery, not mystery, Minako-chan" Rei corrected her.
"And who's fault is that?" Makoto grumbled. "If you hadn't dragged the boys to Tokyo with that ridiculous pregnancy scare of yours, maybe my Yuji and your Taro would've had time to be with us today. But now they have lots of extra work to catch up on for their parents."
"Gomen." Minako breathed a deep sigh of longing. "Hai... I miss my honey-love so."
"Trust me, Minako-chan. Your fiancee probably needs a good rest." The group stopped near the lake and Rei sat on a nearby park bench, stretching out her long slender legs. "How about you, Ami-chan?" She winked slyly at the blue-haired girl. "Having another romantic evening with your Ryo, I suppose. What is it tonight? Soft music and dinner by candlelight?"
"My Ryo-kun has gone out of town with his parents for several days due to a pressing family matter, Rei-chan" Ami replied glumly. "He won't be home until Saturday."
"How will you cope?" the miko teased, causing another satisfying blush to appear on her friend's cheeks.
"I have an idea!" Usagi suddenly blurted.
"Nani? That's a first" Rei scoffed.
"Be quiet, you! Minna, how about we all do something fun together? We haven't spent nearly as much quality time like that since the boys came into everyone's lives."
"I suppose we could" Rei mused. "What do you have in mind, Usagi-chan?"
"I don't know... anything is better than wasting the whole day being lonely and bored." The blonde thought for a moment. "Hmm... I know! Minna, let's have a game night!"
"Too predictable" Makoto waved the suggestion away. "Every time we play, no matter what game it is, Ami always wins." She chuckled at her shy, petite friend. "That's what happens when we regular girls try to compete against a genius like you, Ami-chan!"
"Not... necessarily, Mako-chan." A gleam appeared in the raven-haired miko's violet eyes. "I know a game we may actually have a good chance of winning." She stood and faced the group. "Poker. We can play on the study table at the shrine."
"Poker? That's a gambling game, Rei-chan!" Usagi exclaimed. She hesitated. "I'm not very good with cards, Rei-chan. Or with money either! And isn't it kind of wrong to do things like that in a sacred place like the Hikawa Jinja?"
"Usagi-chan, must you always act so prude? Try living a little!" Rei urged. "Do something new for once besides boring kids stuff. Besides, there's nothing anywhere in the tenants of Shinto that forbids a friendly little game of cards among close friends. We certainly don't condone professional gambling, but this is just for fun."
"But... I don't even know how to play poker!" the blonde protested.
'That's even better!' Rei thought while hiding her smile. "Well? How about it?"
"Will we have snacks?"
"Hai" the miko sighed. "We can have snacks."
"Then I'll do it!" Usagi decided.
"I'm in too, Rei-chan" Makoto nodded. "If we all promise to keep the bets low. I don't have a whole lot of extra spending money I can spare."
"And me!" Minako agreed excitedly. "Maybe I'll get lucky and win enough for that new designer bag I have my eye on!"
Everyone looked expectantly at Ami, who found herself wilting under her companions' unblinking stares.
"Uh... card games aren't exactly my forte..." She hesitated a moment before reluctantly throwing caution to the wind and agreeing. "Ok. I'll play. It's always good to learn something new."
"Great! Then it's settled" Rei said, scarcely hiding her glee at the thought of pocketing a little extra spending cash, especially from Usagi. "Minna, we'll meet up at the study room after dinner." She added with a wink, "And don't forget to bring your purses!"
"Rei-chan, excuse me for asking, but where did you learn to play poker?" Makoto wondered.
"At school. No need to worry, Mako-chan" she fibbed. "I'm not very good at it."
The brunette was stunned. "You, a Shinto shrine maiden? Gambling over cards at... the T.A. girls' catholic school?"
"Sure, most of us do, if our sensei aren't watching" Rei shrugged. "It helps to pass the time during our lunch breaks."
Makoto chuckled, "Just when you think you really know someone... wow!"
Usagi frowned deeply. "Ohh! Why do I have the feeling I just made a terrible mistake?"
Before anyone else could voice second thoughts, Kumada Yuuichirou came walking briskly down the path toward them. Still dressed in his Shinto garb , he strode up to his fiancee and slipped his arms snugly around her slender waist. The young lovers kissed deeply, eliciting a soft moan of pleasure from Rei and a wistful sigh from nearby Minako.
"See what Yuji and I are missing out on because of you and your upset stomach?" Makoto muttered to the blonde. "Pregnant! Ha!"
"I was hoping I'd find everyone here" the young apprentice said with considerable relief. "How did it go this time, darling?"
Rei smiled sweetly at her man. "Were you worrying about me again, Yuuichirou honey?"
"Of course I was" the teen admitted. "Why wouldn't I worry about the safety of the woman I love? And of our best friends?"
"Please don't. We took care of that cardian. As we always do" the raven-haired girl in his embrace soothingly reassurred him. She took one of his strong hands in hers. "Let's go home. I have a really fun evening planned."
"I like the sound of that!" Yuuichirou grinned.
"Just for us girls at first though" Rei told him. She cooed, "Our fun happens later tonight, lover boy. When it's just... you and me."
As she watched the couple stroll away, Makoto thought of her Yuji's sweet lips and his gentle, passionate touch. She gave her future sister-in-law a final long, scathing glare.
"Baka!"
. . . . .
Detective Kinjo stood idly munching his way through a sandwich and sipping lukewarm coffee. He watched with utter disinterest as his partner carefully placed a final red sticky dot on a large map of Tokyo that lay draped over her desk. The woman sat back and regarded her handiwork with satisfaction.
"It's finished."
"Very pretty."
"Do you see it?" Detective Maruyama Suzu asked. "There's a peculiar layout to those youma attacks. Many of the more recent ones occurred in this area" she pointed. "I'm beginning to see a pattern."
"I don't. It's too random." Kinjo nonchalantly took another bite of his sandwich.
"Do you mind? You're getting crumbs all over my work."
"Gomen."
Suzu carefully brushed away the debris. "Here, look at this, Kinjo-san. If we draw lines between this corner, at Juuban Junior High School, to here at... let's use the Hikawa Jinja, and finally across to this point at the Tokyo Tower, we get..."
"A triangle?" Kinjo offered.
Detective Maruyama frowned but held her tongue. "We get the approximate center of all the combined youma attacks in the past three months."
"That's still a big area, Maruyama-san. Lots of ground to cover."
"It's a good start." She decided, "We'll choose a suitable time and location, with minimal civilian foot traffic. That's where we set our trap." Her wicked smile returned. "I'll catch those damned Senshi if it's the last thing I do!"
"Uh... about this trap business..." He paused to take a swig from his styrofoam cup. "What do you have in mind?"
"A few things" Suzu replied. "The first step is to obtain a suitable disguise. There's a movie studio three blocks from this precinct. I'm sure their costume and prop department will have something to fit you."
"Me?" Kinjo blurted.
"That is correct, Detective Kinjo" she smiled. "You are about to start a brand new career... as a youma."
"But-"
She pushed back her chair and stood. "Time to get the ball rolling. Who knows what kind of trouble those Sailor Senshi may be plotting at their hideout. Let's go check out that movie studio, Kinjo-san. I'll drive."
Tossing his empty cup in a waste bin, he reluctantly followed her from the room, muttering "This is not going to end well!"
. . . . .
Chapter 3:
Three girls had settled themselves once again around a low walnut table inside the Hikawa shrine's living quarters. Ami appeared somewhat nervous about the upcoming game, while Minako sat babbling happily away to her and Makoto about a love song her fiancee had recently performed for her on his guitar.
"My honey-muffin is such a good singer too!" the blonde boasted. "Having him play and sing to me gives me goosebumps all over! He's just so good at it!" She added with a wink, "And even better at certain other things! If you know what I mean!"
"Hai. We know." Makoto rolled her eyes at Ami. "It never ends."
The door to the study room was awkwardly elbowed open and Rei appeared, her arms laden with assorted bags of chips and a case of soda. The miko deposited her collection of snacks beside the table, muttering "I'm going to have to win big from Usagi tonight just to break even! Speaking of whom, where is that odango-atama?"
The missing girl in question hurried through the open door an instant later. "Minna, sorry I'm late! I was just talking to Mamo-chan on the phone. He called me from the university."
"Are his studies going well?" Ami asked.
"Hai! So well that he won't need another week to finish his big assignment!" Usagi replied with a huge smile. "Just one more day and then we can be together like a normal couple again!" She noticed the small mountain of snacks and her smile grew even wider. "Arigatou, Rei-chan!"
"They're not all for you. Don't be greedy!" Rei produced a brand new deck of cards and tore off their wrapper. "Minna, these cards will be slippery for a while until they get worn in. Try not to give away your hand by dropping any." She glared at Usagi, who was already well into her first bag of chips. "And don't go making them all greasy, either!"
"I'll be careful" the blonde promised. "But someone has to show me how to play!"
"Let me scuff those in for you, Rei-chan" Makoto offered. "They need a good shuffling anyway."
"Uh... sure, Mako-chan."
The brunette took the cards, then paused. "Just a second. I almost forgot something."
Reaching into her purse, Makoto extracted a small stack of coins, followed by a green visor. She slipped its strap past her ponytail and pulled it on. "That's better."
"You look like one of those dealers at a Las Vegas casino, Mako-chan!" Minako laughed.
Rei's eyes bulged as the brunette expertly riffled the cards. A fast shuffle followed, so rapid that the astonished miko could see only a blur. Makoto handed the deck of cards back with a confident smile. "That should do it. Let's play some poker."
"Very fancy, Mako-chan!" Minako exclaimed.
Speechless, the raven-haired girl took the cards and slowly began to deal the first hand.
. . . . .
"Is that the best thing you have?" Detective Maruyama regarded the rubber dinosaur suit with considerable skepticism. "It looks like something from a bad Godzilla remake."
The costume director shrugged. "I'm sorry, Maruyama-san. You've seen nearly everything we have in stock. Uh... there is one other costume somewhere in the back, it was made for a low-budget horror movie that got cancelled."
"Find it" the woman ordered.
"Hai. I'll go take a look."
After the studio worker had disappeared, Kinjo chuckled "You wouldn't fool a small child with that garbage. Even the zipper is visible."
"It doesn't have to be perfect" Suzu replied. "Besides, the seams won't be nearly as obvious in the dark."
"We're doing this at night?" Kinjo asked in surprise. "Won't that make it more difficult to trail the Senshi back to their home base?"
"We have to at least try to be convincing" Suzu grumbled. "Do you have a better idea?"
"No."
"I want fast results on this assignment, Kinjo-san. If this last costume is good enough, we're setting our little trap tonight." She added, "That new twenty-four hour shopping center in Azabu is near the center of the area I mapped out. I'm bringing in more officers and setting up our stake-out there."
"Great" Kinjo muttered. I'm going to miss my sumo wrestling because of this crazy stunt." Growing increasingly bored, he picked up a long wooden sword and began waving the fake weapon around. "I always wondered what it'd be like to be a samurai."
Detective Maruyama ignored her partner's uncoordinated display of swordsmanship, waiting with growing impatience for the worker's return.
After playing with the prop for a time, Kinjo tossed it back on a shelf. "What is it with you and the Sailor Senshi anyway, Marayuma-san? Why all the hostility? They haven't done anything illegal, not that we know of. And they have saved a lot of people from those weird monsters. Why the huge grudge?"
Suzu quickly became agitated at Kinjo's praise for the mysterious young warriors. "I believe they're nothing more than criminals. The general public aren't allowed to own guns, but they flaunt their far more dangerous powers everywhere they go. They should be taken off the street before someone gets seriously injured or killed."
"Is that all?"
"No." Suzu continued, "They make us look bad, Kinjo-san. Here we are, one of the world's finest police forces, and we have to rely on a bunch of kids to do our dirty work for us." She snarled, "I haven't invested my life on the force only to be upstaged by a gang of teenage girls!"
"But their powers-" her partner tried to object.
"Damn their powers!" Suzu spat. "We're supposed to be trained professionals! Have you no pride in your work? Or the department and the country you serve? Well I do! I'm tired of picking up the morning newspaper and reading about how the Sailor-"
The costume manager interrupted her diatribe with his return. "Found it!" He presented the police officers with yet another rubber body suit, this one in the form of a bizarre lizard-like being. Its greenish-brown body was topped by a massive scaly head containing two huge black plastic eyes. A long removable tail completed the effect.
Kinjo laughed, "That's even worse than-"
Suzu cut him off. "Try it on!"
"You're joking, right?" Her steely glare said otherwise, and the male detective soon found himself struggling into the garment.
"That will have to do" Suzu decided after a brief appraisal. "Kinjo-san, can you see well enough from in there? How do you feel?"
"Like a damned fool."
. . . . .
Much to Rei's dismay, things were not going nearly as well as she'd hoped at the card game.
She dropped a final one-yen coin on the small pile in the center of the table. "I call."
Makoto tossed her cards on the table. "Pair of tens, Rei-chan. What've you got?"
"A pair of nines" the miko grumbled.
Ami and Minako, now both considerably poorer, had already folded. The raven-haired girl muttered, "You win again, Mako-chan. Where on earth did you learn to play like that?"
"It's a long story." Makoto reached for the small collection of coins to add them to her growing winnings.
"Wait!" Usagi blurted. "I think I finally won a hand this time! I have a... straight!" She asked Makoto, "Isn't that what you call it when you have a bunch of numbers all in a row?"
"That's right, Usagi-chan" the brunette nodded.
"Ha! I finally won!" The gloating blonde placed her cards on the table one by one. "See? I have a two, a three, a four, a five, and a six!"
"Baka!" Rei snorted. "That last card isn't a six! It's an eight! Are you trying to cheat?"
"Nani?" Usagi looked again. "It is an eight!" She groaned in despair, "But it looked like a six in my hand!"
"Nice try" Makoto chuckled.
"Ohh! I'm nearly broke now!" She glared evilly at Rei. "This is a really stupid game, Rei-chan! I was going to use that money to buy a new manga tomorrow."
"Don't feel bad, Usagi-chan" Minako sighed. "I'm down to my last five yen too." Visions of her new bag had become decidedly dimmer as the evening progressed.
Even Ami had found Makoto's bluffing skills hard to counter. "You're quite good at this, Mako-chan. How are you planning on spending your money?"
"Our money" Rei added in disgust.
"I'm going shopping, Ami-chan" the brunette told her. "Right after this game is over, I'm going down to that big new all-night shopping center and buying my Yuji a nice present."
Minako's ears instantly perked up. "Shopping? Mako-chan, I want to come with you!"
"I thought you said you were broke?" Rei asked.
"Window shopping is free, Rei-chan!"
"You're incredible, Minako-chan. Absolutely, unbelievingly incredible."
"I know!" the blonde beamed.
. . . . .
Chapter 4:
It took Makoto another five minutes. By then, even her formidable raven-haired opponent, known privately by her fellow card-playing classmates as 'the terror of T.A.' Private Girls Academy, had completely run out of cash.
"Congratulations, Mako-chan" Rei said. "You just won my last yen." She watched Makoto scoop the money into her purse, deeply impressed by the brunette's skill at the game. 'Mako-chan must be lucky tonight' the young miko consoled herself. 'She can't always be that good!"
"Minna, I really appreciate everyone's generous donations" Makoto grinned. "I'll be sure to think of you when I'm at the shopping center picking out Yuji's present later."
Usagi's wide eyes followed the coins until the last one disappeared from sight into the brunette's now-bulging purse. "My spending money!" the blonde wailed. "It's... all gone!"
"I have to admit, I do feel kind of bad about taking your very last yen, Usagi-chan." A devilish smile appeared on Makoto's lips as she reached back into her purse, pulled out a single coin and offered it to the blonde. "Here, I want you to have this."
"What's that for?"
"Now you can honestly say you didn't go home empty-handed."
Usagi took the coin and stared forlornly at it, her lower lip stuck out in a massive pout.
Ami too had sacrificed all her spare change to the tall brunette. Gracious despite the unaccustomed defeat, she admitted "I thought it would be fun to learn something new tonight, and I certainly have learned a valuable lesson. Arigatou, Mako-chan."
"You're thanking me?" Makoto puzzled. "Did I actually teach you something, Ami-chan?"
"Hai" she giggled. "You taught me never to play poker with you ever again!"
"Ah, well" Minako sighed. "Easy come, easy go. Like they say... that's the way the cookie bounces." Ignoring groans from Rei and Ami, the blonde's bright smile and bubbly mood sprang back to life. "Minna! Does anyone know what time it is? Wait, I'll tell you!" She raised her small stylish purse high in the air as though she were trying to henshin with it. "It's shopping time!"
"Maybe for some people it is" a despondent Tsukino Usagi muttered. "This game night was a really dumb idea! Why do I keep listening to myself?" She abruptly stood up and announced, "Konnichiwa. I'm going home to bed."
Usagi quietly sulked away with the last unopened bag of chips clenched tightly in one hand. Ami soon followed her through the door after wishing her friends a good evening.
The remaining three teens had just left the study table when Yuuichirou's smiling face suddenly popped around the corner. "Looks like the big game is over. How did it go, Rei darling?"
"I'd rather not talk about it, honey."
The miko watched Minako latch onto Makoto's arm and half-lead, half-drag her away, all the while chatting excitedly with the victorious brunette.
"You haven't been there yet? Mako-chan, this new shopping center has everything!" Minako enthused. "Remember that body oil I bought for my honey-love during our ocean cruise? They sell that too!"
"Oh?" Makoto was intrigued. "Do they have any other flavors besides strawberry?"
"Hai! They have lots! Cherry and caramel and..." Their voices faded as the pair walked down the hall and left the shrine.
Rei slowly shook her head in disbelief after the girls had left. "In the beginning, I thought Ami and Ryo were bad with their constant 'studying', Yuuichirou-chan" she told her fiancee. "Then I was sure Minako had to be the worst sex maniac in our group, with that one-track mind of hers. But now... I'm not sure about anyone any more."
. . . . .
Leaving their patrol car parked half a block away from the stakeout point, Detective Maruyama Suzu watched her partner struggle to lift a large cardboard box from the back of the vehicle. "This rubber suit is heavy!" Kinjo complained. "My back isn't what it used to be."
"You just need more exercise" Suzu replied curtly. "A lot more." She thumbed the transmit button on the hand-held radio she carried. "All units, we're setting up at the center now. The operation will commence in approximately fifteen minutes. Stand by."
"How am I supposed to put this ridiculous thing on without anyone noticing?" Kinjo wheezed from behind the large heavy box.
"That's taken care of" Suzu explained. "There's a private service door near the far end of the shopping center where there's bound to be less foot traffic. I have the key. You can change inside and make your appearance when I give the signal. And Kinjo-san, try not to overdo it. It's a complete unknown how the Senshi determine when there's a monster around, so all we can do is to try startling a few people and allow them to spread the word. I don't want to be held responsible for instigating a mass panic among the general population."
"No fear of that happening" Kinjo muttered. "This thing wouldn't scare my own grandmother."
The detectives reached the door and disappeared inside. Kinjo removed his jacket and began squeezing his way into the lizard costume. "Maruyama-san, would you mind attaching the tail for me? I can hardly move inside this damn thing."
"Hai. I'll do it."
As Suzu zipped the long tail in place, Kinjo chuckled, "Being a detective, I guess this isn't the first time you've had to tail someone, is it? Haha!"
"That wasn't the least bit funny." Suzu next passed him the bulbous head.
"You want my honest opinion?" Kinjo asked her before pulling it on. "This little scheme of yours isn't going to work. Not a chance."
"It will work, if you're convincing enough."
The man's muffled voice came through a small opening behind two rows of yellow plastic teeth. "You're real sure of yourself, aren't you? Let's find out now. It's time for a test run." He reached for the door hande and pulled it open with an oversized green claw.
"Get back in here!" Suzu hissed. "I haven't given everyone the signal yet!"
Ignoring her command, Kinjo took a few shuffling steps out onto the dimly-lit street, appearing from the shadows just as a middle aged female shopper was passing by. He raised his arms threateningy and wiggled his claws at her. "Rrawwr!"
The woman gasped, frowned, and swung her bag hard, whacking him on the snout.
"Ow!"
"Baka otaku!" She glared angrily at him then stormed away, giving the giant fake lizard not even a backward glance.
Kinjo staggered inside the building and shut the door. "See? It didn't work, Maruyama-san." He pulled off the oversized head. "And now my nose hurts!"
"Don't go out there again until our assets are fully in place and I give the signal!" Suzu fumed. "You're going to jeopardize the entire operation!" She reached back into the box and produced a small metal canister. "When we try it again, we'll use this. Maybe it will help hide that tacky costume and your dreadful acting ability."
"What's that? Youma-in-a-can?"
"It's artificial fog, smart guy" she explained testily. "Similar to the stuff they use on stage. I'll open it and toss it beside you when you go back outside."
. . . . .
Unbeknownst to the officers, two very special schoolgirls were approaching the opposite end of the shopping centre at that same time.
"Mako-chan, new gardening tools are sooo boring!" Minako groaned, objecting strongly to her friend's practical gift idea. "Poor Yuji will think you're trying to keep him slaving away in the garden every summer! Where's the romance in that? The fun?" She batted her big blue eyes and swooned, "The love-love?"
"You really think Yuji wouldn't like tools?" Makoto pondered. "His old ones are badly worn."
"Trust me, Mako-chan! Who else could possibly be more qualified to give you this kind of important advice than the Goddess of Love herself? And that's me!"
The brunette hesitated. "I don't know..."
"Just go with the body oil, silly!" the blonde insisted. She added with a sly wink, "You'll both thank me later!"
Makoto thought of the possibilities and smiled. "It is very tempting."
A burst of commotion off in the distance instantly attracted the girls' attention. A half-dozen shoppers suddenly ran into the street for no apparent reason, with one man leaping in the air and sliding across the hood of a stopped taxi before running away. Several more people who were moments earlier casually strolling along the sidewalk, also witnessed the chaos and they too spun around and ran. It wasn't long before a small stampede thundered past the two teens, some of the faces panic-stricken but many others utterly confused.
"Either there's a really big sale happening at a different store, or another you-know-what is on the loose!" Minako yelled above the screaming crowd. The girls hastily searched for a place to transform and soon activated their henshin wands near a deserted loading dock.
The commands "Venus power, make up!" and "Jupiter power, make up!" were quickly spoken and two Sailor Senshi came charging onto the scene, ready to do battle.
. . . . .
Chapter 5:
The girls bravely sprinted onward, past the last fleeing shopper and toward what they assumed would be another dangerous otherworldly creature. "The nerve of that cardian! Spoiling our shopping trip!" Venus fumed. "I'm going to blast that thing into a million pieces!"
She and Jupiter stopped short as they reached the source of the disturbance. From out of a thick swirling mist, two large sinister black eyes appeared, then a grotesque reptilian face. Sailor Jupiter angrily crossed her arms.
"SUPREME-"
Sailor Venus joined in, pointing her index finger at the monster.
"CRESCENT-"
Kinjo froze in his tracks, stunned by the sudden appearance of two genuine and very angry Sailor Senshi. "Aagh! I'm going to die!"
Jupiter abruptly broke off her attack at the sound of the man's terrified voice. "Venus, wait! This isn't a cardian! It's just some idiot in a costume scaring people!"
Minako dropped her finger. "Hai." She scolded the man in the lizard suit. "How dare you frighten innocent shoppers like that? Baka!"
Behind the door, the female detective blurted into her radio, "Suspects are in sight! All units converge!"
Venus and Jupiter looked wide-eyed at each other. "Suspects?"
A strange woman burst through the door. "Nobody move! You're both under arrest!"
"Nani?" Venus gasped.
"We've been set up!" Jupiter yelled at the confused blonde. "Let's get out of here!"
"Freeze!" Suzu ordered.
The two Senshi turned and fled, only to hear the shrill sound of police whistles all around them.
"What's going on?" Venus wondered aloud as they ran. "Why would the police be after us?"
"I'm not sticking around to find out!" Jupiter blurted back. "This way!" She increased her speed and dodged into a narrow alleyway.
Detective Maruyama bolted after them, but didn't spot Kinjo's long tail in the mist until her foot tripped over it. She fell sprawling onto the sidewalk, skinning her elbow. "Get out of my way, you oaf! They're escaping!"
"Gomen!" Kinjo apologized. He yanked his rubber head off and helped her to her feet. "I can't believe it actually worked!"
Jupiter spotted a dark blue uniform in the distant gloom and grabbed Venus' shoulder. "Turn around, there's another cop down there!" They reversed direction and ran back onto the street. Flashing lights from a fast-approaching police car added to the pandemonium.
Several more uniformed officers were now visible and doggedly pursuing the beleaguered Sailor Senshi. "We can't outrun them all!" Venus realized. "They're everywhere! Where's Mercury and her Shabon Spray when we need it?"
With the girls' luck rapidly running out, they neared Maruyama's squad car. Glancing inside to be sure it was empty, Minako spotted a set of keys in the ignition. She grinned wickedly as an idea popped into her head.
"Jupiter, get in the car!"
Makoto was astonished at what her friend was suggesting. "Are you crazy?"
"Do it!" Venus urged. "It's our only chance!" She flung open the right side door and slid behind the wheel. "Come on!"
With the police rapidly closing in and no better option in sight, Makoto reluctantly joined her in the passenger seat. "I can't believe we're doing this! Stealing a police car!"
Minako gunned the engine to life. "Hang on!" With a loud screech of spinning tires she sped away.
Suzu stood watching helplessly as they roared past. "Kinjo you fool! You left the keys in our car!" Determined to capture the Sailor Senshi at any cost, she ran into the street and flagged down the second patrol car as it was passing, flashing her badge at the patrolman. "I'm comandeering your vehicle!"
The officer obiediently clambered out and Suzu took his place, speeding after her prey.
"Minako-chan! Do you realize what we just did?" Makoto sadly pictured her Yuji visiting her in prison. "This is really serious business!"
Minako's expression was grim, but she remained optimistic. "We're getting away, aren't we?" She spun the wheel hard and weaved around a slow-moving scooter, temporarily pinning her friend against the passenger door. "Mako-chan, I can't see! Help me turn on the headlights!"
Sailor Jupiter looked in utter confusion at the police radio and myraid switches on the dashboard. "How?"
"Push something! Anything!" Venus begged. With traffic building in front of her and flashing blue lights in her rear-view mirror, Minako turned sharply again, heading down a less-travelled road toward the park.
"Seat belts!" Makoto gasped. She grimaced as Minako sideswiped a huge delivery truck, leaving a deep gouge down the length of the car.
"Ohh! That sounded expensive!" the blonde exclaimed.
Makoto pressed a random button and the siren blared loudly.
"Not that one, Mako-chan! On second thought, leave it on!"
Less than a block behind the girls, Suzu cackled "I've got you now! Vehicle theft, evading arrest... so deliciously perfect!"
"We're going to crash" the brunette groaned. "Minako-chan, if we live through this I'm finally going to kill you!"
"Shhh!" Sailor Venus hissed. "I'm trying to concentrate!"
The duo careened through a busy intersection, leaving chaos in their wake as other drivers jammed on their brakes. The pursuing detective became trapped behind a massive moving van that lurched to a halt directly in front of her, completely blocking the road. Enraged, she rolled down the window and stuck her head out, screaming at its dazed driver. "You! Move that thing immediately or I'll have you arrested!"
Venus took yet another route, but the road she chose had been closed for repairs. Flooring it, she drove straight through the warning barricade, sending pieces of wood flying through the air. "I always wanted to do that!" Minako laughed maniacally.
"You're completely insane!" the brunette screamed above the roar of their engine. "Did you know that?"
"Relax, silly! We're almost at the park!"
Makoto stared incredulously at her. "Relax?"
Their car struck a large bump and became airborne for an instant. "Whee! This is fun!" The laughing girl behind the wheel sped on.
"My poor Yuji" Makoto groaned as she bounced in her seat. "All I wanted was to buy him a nice- Venus, watch out for that other sign!"
Too late to turn, they plowed headlong into the large obstacle. The siren abruptly stopped its strident tone and the windshield cracked, but Minako determinedly kept on going. "Just a little further, Mako-chan. Have faith!"
"I'm going to have a heart attack if this doesn't end soon!"
The girls arrived at the park seconds later and Minako skidded to a sudden stop, aided greatly by the thick tree trunk she collided with. Clouds of steam billowed from beneath the car as the Senshi leapt out and disappeared into the treeline. Nearly thirty more seconds passed before Detective Maruyama arrived. "All units to Juuban Park!" she yelled into her radio. Not waiting for reinforcements to arrive, she grabbed a flashlight and began playing the beam around.
"Sailor Senshi! Surrender now or face the consequences!" Receiving no reply, Suzu bolted down the nearest footpath in hot pursuit.
The woman soon ran into a clearing near a small tranquil lake. Two teenage girls were quietly sitting together on a park bench, and she hurried up to them and pulled out her badge. "I'm Detective Maruyama."
The taller of the pair, a brunette with her hair tied back in an oddly-familiar ponytail, smiled innocently at the detective. "Konnichiwa, Officer. Lovely evening, isn't it? Are you looking for something?"
"Senshi!" Suzu growled. "Have you seen the Sailor Senshi here tonight?"
"No" the blonde answered with a mischevious smile of her own. "Nothing like that! But we did see a flock of ducks swim past just now. Right over there" she pointed, "in the water."
"Ducks? I don't give a damn about any ducks!" Suzu stormed away to continue her now fruitless search.
After she had gone, Minako giggled at her future sister-in-law. "Quack quack!"
Both girls broke into peals of laughter.
. . . . .
Detectives Maruyama and Kinjo slumped despondently in their chairs while their captain finished reading the final report. He dropped the page onto his desk and glared angrily at them as he spoke.
"One patrol car nearly destroyed, a damaged delivery truck, two demolished road signs, panic in the streets... am I leaving anything out?"
"Uhh... I lost my jacket" Kinjo added. "I forgot it when I left the shopping center."
"You lost your jacket? Well! That's certainly serious enough to call out the entire Japanese Self Defense Force, isn't it?" The captain scowled at his subordinates and both detectives averted their eyes, staring sheepishly at the floor.
"You're both off the case!" he ordered. "In fact, after that debacle last night, there is no more case! Our superiors have decided to suspend their search for the Sailor Senshi, at least for the time being." He sat back and gave the officers a sarcastic round of applause. "Well done, the pair of you."
"But... I nearly had them, sir!" Suzu pleaded. "We can't give up now!"
"Our department has lost more than enough face over this unfortunate incident. It's over, Maruyama-san. Just be thankful your career isn't."
"Yes sir."
. . . . .
Early the next morning, Kino Makoto slipped into the passenger seat of Aino Minako's bright orange hatchback.
"We're off to see our lover boys again!" Minako cheered. "Nerima, here we come!" She asked as she started her car, "Mako-chan, did you remember to bring the body oil?"
"Hai. I have it."
"What kind did you get?"
"That's personal."
"Tell me! Is it banana? Or maybe... chocolate?"
The brunette relented with a grin. "Cherry. It's my Yuji's favorite flavor."
"Really? I thought you were, Mako-chan" Minako teased.
Blushing, Makoto sighed happily. "Yuji and Taro are waiting for us, Minako-chan. Let's go."
. . . . . . . . . .
Note: the next story in the series is ''Someone to Watch Over Me'.