Introduction: When I first made my account here on this site, I had originally planned to write a bunch of Sailor Moon fanfics, as Sailor Moon was one of the shows that really got me into the world of anime and manga. Unfortunately those plans were derailed when I chose to write a single Pokemon story that somehow spiraled outward into a massive AU series, along with several Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfics that were just as massive and a bunch of other little projects that turned out to be not so little. Somewhere along the line my plans for doing some major Sailor Moon stories were sadly forgotten.
Well, at the moment my current Yu-Gi-Oh! GX fanfic is on hiatus due to some personal issues, and I've once again come down with writer's block with my Pokemon stories. So with all that happening, and with me having reread the Sailor Moon manga again a couple of months ago, I've decided to try and go through with my original plans to do some Sailor Moon stories. The inspiration for this first major story comes from three places. The first is from a wonderful fanfic here on this site by Bethany89 called A Scout's Wanderings, which I highly recommend. The second comes from a recently discovered book of short stories by an author named Robert W. Chambers called The King in Yellow. The third comes from a haunting dream I had back in junior high that I've never fully forgotten. So submitted for your approval here is a tale of romance in the face of unspeakable horror.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon (nor The King in Yellow).
Chapter 1: Casting Call
It was just before noon as Minako Aino looked out the window of the cab she was taking through the English countryside. Curled up asleep on the seat next to her was her talking feline companion, Artemis. Minako was quite excited about her current trip, because it meant the beginning of her career as a film star and idol. The blond still couldn't believe the twist of good fortune that had led to all this. Only three weeks ago, Minako had attended a local idol audition in the city, and when it was all over, a scout from a talent agency approached her to appear in the lead role of a new movie being made in England. Barely a year into college, and it seemed to Minako that her career was already taking off.
After another five minutes of driving through the rolling hills of the countryside, Minako's cab had made it to the village of Havenshire. It was a large village, but also seemed rather quaint in its own way; filled with brick buildings that were probably at least fifty or sixty years old, and little white houses and shops with tiled roofs colored the orange of autumn leaves. The town rested at the foot of another large hill, and as Minako looked at this hill she noticed a vast forest of trees totally leafless and colored in shades of dark-grey and black.
"Beautiful little town, ain't it Miss?" the cab driver asked Minako. "I always enjoy takin' fares 'ere. There's a nice li'l café I always like to stop at after droppin' people off called the Velvet Lily. You should check it out while you're 'ere."
"Thanks for the tip," Minako replied, not once taking her eyes off the vast dead forest on this hill. There was just something about the forest that unsettled her. "Say, what's the deal with that forest up on the hill? Was there a fire or something?"
"Oh? You mean the Blight Forest? Spookly lookin' place, ain't it? Accordin' to legend, the forest has been that way since the middle ages. The locals say that nothin' ever grows there. Why I 'eard once that someone tried to plant a new young tree on that land an' it just withered an' died right on the spot it did. They also say that the forest is full o' ghosts, though I wouldn't pay that talk no mind, Miss."
"How'd the forest get that way?"
"If you believe the locals, they say it was the doin's of the people livin' in a castle deep in the middle of the forest. They say back in the dark ages, some cult of witches an' warlocks took over the castle an' opened some kind a door to a place not meant to 'ave a door to at all. That door let some evil god come through an' poison the whole place. Like I said though, Miss. I'd pay that kind a talk no mind."
Minako nodded and turned her head back to look at the window. She tried to focus on the town of Havenshire itself, but couldn't help but turn her attention back to its rumor haunted dead forest. There was just something about the forest that didn't seem right at all. Unfortunately Minako couldn't tell if this wrongness she sensed was only an imagined danger or a real threat. The fact was that she couldn't totally discount the cab driver's story about the forest as mere legend, for she knew that there were magical dangers in the world and the galaxy as a whole, and as a Sailor Guardian she had faced such dangers many times.
"Well, 'ere we are, Miss," the cab driver spoke as he made another turn. "The lot of Eclipse View Studios."
The news that they had reached their destination allowed Minako to put the unsettling Blight Forest out of her mind. The location of the Studios was rather unimpressive; just a dirt lot with a bunch of sheds and trailers erected on it. Of course Minako admittedly wasn't expecting much. From what she had read, Eclipse View Studios was a fairly low-budget operation, though she had been assured repeatedly that the movie she would be starring in would be a smash hit. The cab stopped in front of a blue wooden trailer with white trim.
As Minako got out of the cab she picked up Artemis, waking the feline from his deep slumber. The cab driver had already gotten Minako's bags out of the trunk.
"You sure I can't drop you off at a hotel, Miss?" the driver asked as he set the bags on the ground next to Minako.
"The people running this place said to come straight here," Minako answered. "They already booked me a room at an inn and said they'd drive me there after I met with the director."
"Right then. Well, it was nice meetin' ya," the cab driver responded as he tipped his hat to her. "Good luck in this picture of yours."
With that, the driver got back in his cab and drove off. Minako watched as the cab left the lot.
Still clutched in Minako's arms, Artemis looked up at her. "I'm still not sure starring in this movie is a good idea. There's just something shady about the whole thing."
"Always have to be a stick in the mud, don't you?" Minako asked with a heavy sigh.
"Well you haven't had the best track record with this sort of thing. Remember the last big movie you were supposed to star in back in China?"
"Did you really have to bring that up? The last thing I want to think about is what happened with Ace! Besides, we know that this isn't a Dark Kingdom trap, since they're no longer around."
"True, but there's something fishy about all this. For one thing, that talent agent who scouted you seemed less than reliable. Plus there's the script for this movie they've given you. How come it's not finished?"
Minako had to admit that Artemis had a point. The movie that she was starring in was called Bride of the Yellow King. It was about a princess trapped in an arranged marriage to a mysterious king who was said not to be human, and of the princess's secret love affair with a common soldier. What was odd about the whole thing though was that it seemed Minako had only been given half the script for the movie.
Minako let out a heavy sigh. "You make some good points, Art. But I'm sure this thing about the script can be explained. Honestly, I think you're just being paranoid."
"I hope you're right, but I can't help but worry that we may have fallen into some sort of trap," Artemis insisted. "The Dark Kingdom may be long gone, along with Black Moon, the Death Busters, Dead Moon and Galaxia. But that doesn't mean that some brand new enemy hasn't shown up to take their place."
Once again, Minako had to admit that Artemis made a good point. Things had been very peaceful since they returned to their normal lives after Usagi had defeated Sailor Galaxia and the entity known as Chaos. In the few years that followed, Minako and the others had only transformed into Sailor Guardians to deal with the occasional human criminal that threatened the city. The sad truth was though that such a peace probably couldn't last forever. Minako once again began thinking of Blight Forest and wondered if the wrongness she sensed about it was indeed a true threat.
The door to the trailer opened, stirring Minako from her thoughts. Walking down the steps to greet her was a man with well-cut wavy brown hair. He was dressed in a suit with a red paisley tie, a green and brown sport coat that looked as though it had been made from the seat covers of a car built in the 1970s, and navy-blue slacks. On the man's face was the type of grin one might see on the face of a game show host or a used car salesman. This man was the agent that had scouted Minako for her new film role, Lyle Worthy.
"Aino, baby!" Lyle spoke enthusiastically as he came down the steps. "Glad you finally made it. Have a nice trip?"
"Um, yeah," Minako answered. "This is a beautiful town we're filming in."
"Sure is, sure is." Lyle raised his eyebrow when he saw Artemis still clutched in Minako's arms. "Hey, you brought your cat with you? Wait, what am I saying? You're young and talented! You have a right to be a little eccentric!" He patted Minako lightly on the back. "Come, come. The director of this picture is just anxious to see you."
Minako followed Lyle into the trailer. Sitting behind a small wooden desk inside was a short and very thin man with very pale skin wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck shirt. His dark hair was thinning and had greyed on the sides. He had a hooked nose, and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses with thin round frames.
"Ms. Aino, I'd like you to meet our director, Mason Hughes," Lyle introduced as Minako took a seat. "Mr. Hughes, I'd like to present you with our star."
"So… this is the young woman who will be playing our Princess Cassilda," Mason spoke as he tented his fingers. "Yes, yes… she's perfect! Just as I knew she would be. Tell me Ms. Aino, have you read the script?"
"What I have of the script anyway," Minako confirmed. "From what Mr. Worthy told me, I'll be playing Cassilda, a princess who's arranged to marry the mysterious King in Yellow. But the thing is, the script seems like it's only half finished."
"Indeed it is. Our head writer is still working on the second half. He wants it to be perfect, and perfect it must be. It is after all based upon a rather legendary play, and this movie must live up with that legend."
"And just what play is this movie based on?"
Mason leaned back in his chair. "Have you ever heard of The King in Yellow?"
"Um, that's one of the major characters in the movie. The one my character is supposed to marry."
"It's also the title of the play I'm speaking of, featuring the same character you speak of. Of course I'm not the least bit surprised that you haven't heard of it. Barely anyone remembers that the play exists in this day and age, and perhaps that is best so."
"How come?"
"Because they say anyone who reads the script for that play from beginning to end goes totally nuts," Lyle interjected as he moved to lean against the corner of Mason's desk. "It was written by some psycho a few hundred years ago."
"And… I'm supposed to star in a movie based on some cursed play?" Minako asked as a wave of uneasiness swept over her.
"Well we're not doing the actual play itself. That would be playing with fire," Lyle assured her. "A few other studios around the world once tried doing movie versions of this play and they all ended up getting ruined. But a movie only based on The King in Yellow, that'll draw in big bucks!"
"Oh… well then, I hope that whatever ending your writer comes up with for this script will be a happy one," Minako declared. "From what I've read so far, this movie is turning out to be kind of a downer."
"Ah, but Ms. Aino… tragedy is a much higher art form than comedy," Mason told her. "Besides, this movie is meant to tell how sometimes love must be sacrificed in the name of duty and the greater good. That's a notion that's been lost on the people of this country for many years."
"Plus a downer is a sure ticket for an Oscar nomination," Lyle added.
"Now then Mr. Worthy, have you found an actor to play Cassilda's lover?" Mason asked.
"Yeah. I got a guy. Some no-name agency pushed him on me. His name's Keisuke Tenju. In fact he should be here any moment."
Almost as if on cue, the door opened, and walking in was tall and very dashing young man with long silver hair. He was dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt with the top two buttons undone, along with tight-fitting black jeans and brown shoes. Around his right wrist was a thin gold and silver bracelet decorated with some sort of odd rune-like symbols. Under different circumstances Minako would've been instantly love-struck upon seeing such a handsome young man, but in this instance she rose from her chair and moved as though ready to fend off an attack, because she recognized the face of her would-be costar. He may have been going by the name of Keisuke, but the face was that of Kunzite of the Shitennou, the generals of the Dark Kingdom.
Minako narrowed her eyes at this young man who had the same face as her old enemy from years ago. Artemis was at that moment on the ground glaring up at the young man; his back arched and his white fur standing on end. The one thing that Minako couldn't figure out was how Kunzite could be standing before her, because she and her friends had killed him years ago.
"Um, hello. I'm Keisuke Tenju," the Kunzite lookalike spoke. Minako noticed that he seemed to be a bit nervous. "I was told to report here?"
Lyle sighed and shook his head. "Oh boy. This ain't gonna work. Sorry Mr. Hughes, looks like we're gonna have to keep looking for a leading man."
"What? Why? I was told that this part was a sure thing!" Keisuke exclaimed. Minako couldn't help but question if she was really looking at Kunzite, as the dark general she knew was usually more calm and collected.
"Look kid, you're just not what we're looking for," Lyle told him.
"How the hell can you idiots say that?" a voice shouted from outside.
Storming into the trailer was a young-looking and extremely tall woman with long wavy red hair. Minako couldn't help but noticed how the redhead stood at least a foot taller than her friend, Makoto. She had on a red blazer with a white blouse and a red skirt that ended just above the knee. Covering her eyes was a pair of aviator sunglasses.
"Who the hell are you?" Lyle asked.
"Hilda Rasmussen, Valhalla Talent Agency," the redhead answered as she thrust a business card in Lyle's face. "I represent Mr. Tenju, and I have to say that I'm outraged that you think he isn't right for this part! I've read over your partial script for this movie, and it's clear to even a five-year-old that he's perfect! You want the guy playing the part of Cassilda's lover to be as handsome as she's beautiful. You want a forbidden romance with sex appeal, something that the fans will obsess over and write trashy fanfics about! These two have what you're looking for!"
"Ms. Rasmussen does have a point," Mason admitted. "Still, it seems from Ms. Aino's reaction that she may have a problem performing with Mr. Tenju."
"Oh… um, actually I think I might be able to work with him," Minako spoke. Her comment earned a raised eyebrow from Artemis. "I was just started because he looks so much like this guy I used to know. Bad ex-boyfriend. I can get past it though."
"Well then… since we're supposed to begin filming first thing tomorrow morning, I suppose we have no choice," Mason decided as he rose from his chair. "You have the part Mr. Tenju, but only on a trial basis. Now then Ms. Aino, Mr. Worthy has already arranged for transportation to take you back to your hotel. We begin shooting one of the first scenes tomorrow morning at 8:00, so I suggest you both spend the night rehearsing your lines."
With that, Keisuke and Hilda left the trailer. Minako followed soon after with Artemis walking close at her side.
"Mina! How can you even think of acting in a film with that guy?" Artemis whispered.
"I know, but… think about it Artemis. How can this be Kunzite?" Minako whispered back. "He's been dead for years now!"
Artemis sighed. "Good point. Still, I'm liking this movie role of yours less and less."
Minako saw Keisuke standing a few feet away with his arms crossed, looking out towards Blight Forest. "I think I better apologize to him for how I reacted. This movie will be a lot easier to do if the guy playing my boyfriend didn't think I was nuts."
The blond approached Keisuke with Artemis following close behind. "Hi. Look, I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot. I'm Minako Aino. I'm sorry for how I reacted before, but you looked so much like me, uh… ex that I couldn't help but be startled." She bowed to Keisuke, who now gave her his full attention. "I look forward to working with you."
Keisuke smirked and bowed back. "And I look forward to working with you as well… Sailor Venus."
Letting out a startled gasp, Minako jumped back and glared at Keisuke. "It can't be… Kunzite!"
"I'm afraid so," Keisuke confirmed as his expression became more somber. He raised his hands in a show of surrender. "I perfectly understand your reaction, but I am not here as an enemy. The dark general you faced years ago no longer exists. I am the man I was before Queen Beryl corrupted my mind and altered my body."
"And we're just supposed to take your word for it?" Artemis asked. "How did you even come back from the dead anyway?"
"You can thank me for that," Hilda spoke as she suddenly stepped forward. She sighed and removed her sunglasses, revealing her dark cobalt eyes. "I knew this little reunion would be a bitch."
"Who are you?" Minako asked.
"That's… classified for right now. I can't risk revealing my true identity to the enemy I'm up against too soon, and this is an enemy you're up against too. This may be hard for the two of you to believe, but the four of us are on the same side."
Minako relaxed slightly. It seemed that neither Keisuke nor Hilda were going to start a fight, but she didn't trust either of them. "Start talking. First of all, how the hell is Kunzite of the four Shitennou here?"
"Like I said, I brought him back," Hilda answered. "It's a talent I share with the rest of the team I'm a part of. My comrades and I broke into your prince's apartment and swiped the stones of the Shitennou. Those stones, by the way, were essentially their star seeds. I'm surprised you and your comrades didn't realize that after the experience you had with that psycho bitch, Galaxia. Anyway, with my power, I was able to use Kunzite's star seed to revive him as the human he was before your Queen Beryl found and corrupted him a second time."
"You said your comrades took the stones for the other three Shitennou too," Artemis recalled. "Does that mean they've been revived as well?"
"Correct. And right now, each of them is on a different mission with the other members of my team around the world," Hilda revealed.
"And just what is the purpose of these missions?" Minako asked. "Or is that classified too?"
"A little bit. What I can tell you right now is that the stars are aligned in a way that makes it possible for some very bad things to come to this planet. If these entities have their way, they'll plunge this whole galaxy into chaos. My comrades and I are fighting like hell to prevent that from happening."
"Before you try asking me what this whole thing is about, Hilda has hardly told me anything about her mission either," Keisuke interjected. "I also haven't had any contact with the other Shitennou since being revived."
"How come you're working for her?" Minako asked him.
"Because I don't have a choice." Keisuke held up his hand to display the bracelet Minako had noticed earlier. "This bracelet binds me to Hilda's command. As she explained to me, this bracelet will reduce me back to a star seed should I fail in my mission. It will not be removed until that mission is completed."
"Until then, his ass is mine," Hilda interjected. "The other three Shitennou are bound by the same rules. This is the penance they must pay for what they did as generals of the Dark Kingdom. If you like, you can think of me as his parole officer."
Arms crossed, Minako walked up to look Keisuke in the eye. "So if Kunzite's mission fails, he goes back to being a harmless rock? Then maybe I should do my best to screw it up."
"That'd be a very bad idea, blondie," Hilda told her. "If our mission fails, Earth and your entire solar system is toast. If our mission here is foiled, I don't think even your brave princess can stop the unspeakable horror we're up against from plunging the whole galaxy into a sea of madness."
"Says you," Minako responded, not once taking her eyes of Keisuke. "Neither of you has given me and Artemis any proof that what're you're saying is true. I have no reason to true any of you, especially not this man who years ago did everything in his power to kill me and my friends."
"As I told you, I am no longer that man!" Keisuke insisted. "Furthermore, I don't trust Hilda anymore than you do, Venus. However I have no choice but to help her. Besides, if what she's saying is the truth, then I'm going to do all I can to protect Earth and my Prince. You do remember that my original duty was to protect Prince Endymion with my life."
Minako did remember that Kunzite and the other three Shitennou were originally the protectors of Endymion; or rather Mamoru, just as she and her fellow Inners had the duty of protecting Usagi. She even had memories of working with Kunzite in that capacity in their past lives, though those memories were quite faint. Minako had never been able to totally recall everything from her previous life.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Minako finally backed down. "Okay, okay! Well then Ms. Hilda, or whatever you name is, answer me this. Why does this mission you're supposedly on involve reviving the Shitennou, or is that classified too?"
"It kind of is," Hilda answered. "And if I could tell you at this time, neither of you would like the answered. I can tell you that part of the reason is because they were also originally protectors of the Earth before they screwed up royal and let themselves become pawns of a redheaded demon bitch. This planet needs their protection especially now."
Minako threw her head back and let out an irritated groan. "Then at least tell me why you have Kunzite starring in this damn movie!"
"This movie role my mission," Kunzite revealed.
"The movie is part of our mutual enemy's plot," Hilda revealed.
"I knew it. I knew it!" Artemis grumbled through gritted teeth.
"Quiet you," Minako told the feline.
"Believe me, I'm not enjoying this any more than you are," Keisuke declared as he looked down to the left and put his hands in his pockets. "I'm… hardly an actor. In fact I find this aspect of this undercover mission of Hilda's… unnerving."
"You should've seen this guy as he was making his way towards the trailer," Hilda spoke with a huge grin as he came over and patted Keisuke hard on the back. "He's got a good poker face, but I could tell he was super nervous."
Minako couldn't help but notice the slight blush that had formed on Keisuke's face. Not only did she find the sight amusing, but also… cute. She never imagined that the calm and stoic Kunzite could be nervous about anything.
"Anyway, our goal is to infiltrate this film project in order to unmask the enemy and foil its plan," Hilda continued. "Sailor Venus, it's in the best interest of everyone for you to cooperate with us."
"It doesn't feel like I have much of a choice," Minako realized.
"Super. Well, I better get this guy back to our hotel so I can help him learn his lines and get over his stage fright," Hilda spoke as she began to push Keisuke towards the studio gates. "By Odin's beard, I'm going to turn him into an actor even if it kills him… again… which it probably will."
Minako and Artemis watched closely as Keisuke and Hilda left. As soon as they were out of sight, Minako fell to her knees and let out a heavy sigh.
"Mina…" Artemis began.
Minako clutched the top of the feline's head with a vice-like grip. "Artemis, if you even think of saying 'I told you so,' I am going to crush you into a little furry ball and hurl you towards the sun."
The sun was just starting to set as Mason and Lyle drove out of town towards Blight Forest. Lyle had been working with Mason's production company for only four months, and he had always felt that something was off about the eccentric director, something that bordered on that thin line between harmless eccentricity and sheer insanity. Now that they were going into Blight Forest, Lyle was now definitely sure that Mason was off his rocker. He had heard many of the stories concerning the forest and its haunted nature, and being a superstitious man he had made it a point to avoid traveling to such places.
"Hey Hughes, you sure we gotta go all the way into this creepy forest just to meet with this hotshot writer of yours?" Lyle asked, as the forest loomed ever closer. "I mean can't we just meet with him for lunch somewhere in town?"
"Mr. Worthy… the man we are to meet with does not go into public unless absolutely necessary," Mason told him, his eyes not once looking away from the old dirt road they were traveling on. "That is his right as the brilliant artistic genius that he is. Besides, you should be honored. The Maestro does not often invite people to visit his home at Hellmouth Castle."
At last the old black car that Mason drove entered the vast forest of dead trees. Lyle found that he was overwhelmed by just how desolate the place truly was. From his open window he could see that even the grass on the forest floor was as grey and brittle as the trees. The whole place had a sort of acrid smell to it, the kind of smell one might get from an open grave. What unsettled Lyle most about the forest was the lack of any sound beyond the car's engine. He did not hear the chirping of birds or the sounds of insects; not even the noise of a gently flowing stream.
The utter silence of the whole forest made it seem even more like a giant tomb. Lyle tried to turn on the car's radio to banish that silence, only to find it didn't work. All he could do was sit and endure the silence. As the car continued down that winding dirt road, Lyle couldn't help but continue to look out the window and scan for signs of any life at all. Not surprisingly he found nothing, but Lyle was actually glad about that because it seemed that anything that could live in such a forest would be an abomination that he would not wish to lay eyes upon.
After a few minutes that seemed like an eternity to Lyle, the car finally pulled up in front of a giant castle made of grey brick that had been eroded by mold, rain and wind. Thin brittle black vines clung to the castle's walls, making it look as though it had diseased veins. Just beyond the castle Lyle could see a massive gorge in the hill that seemed to go down into endless darkness. Lyle had heard a few times that such a landmark existed deep at the forest's edge, but that was just one of many rumors that he had hoped were not true.
"So… this is Hellmouth Castle, huh?" Lyle remarked as he and Mason exited the car. "It's, uh… pretty quaint."
"The place was originally called Cliffside Castle according to legend, but the Maestro decided to rename it Hellmouth Castle when he took possession of the property. A much more appropriate name, don't you think?"
"Yeah. It sure fits alright." Lyle nervously tugged at the collar of his shirt and looked back down the dirt road they had traveled down, wondering how long it would take him to get back to town on foot. As much as he didn't want to be in the forest, he wanted to be in the castle even less.
"Come!" Mason spoke as he headed for the door. "It would be rude to keep the Maestro waiting."
After a moment's more of hesitation, Lyle followed after Mason through the open gate of the castle. The large entry chamber beyond the gate was incredibly dark and must. In what little light that filtered through the windows, Lyle could see that the walls and little furniture in the room were covered in cobwebs. He was about to make some smart remark about how Mason's genius writer needed to higher a new maid when a loud noise caused him to nearly jump out of his skin. The sound was that of a pipe organ playing.
Mason walked further into the castle, forcing Lyle to tag along behind him. As they traveled down the halls towards the sound of the organ, Lyle realized that the only person living in the castle was probably their organ player. If that was the case, than Mason's genius writer was even crazier than he was. Eventually the two came to a large chamber dimly lit by torches lining the walls. At the far side of the room on a platform was a gigantic organ that seemed in much better shape than the castle that housed it.
In the dim light, Mason could just barely make out the man sitting at the organ. He tried to go up to him, but Mason held up his arm to block his path. "It would be very rude to disturb the Maestro during his performance."
Thus Lyle was forced to wait and listen as the musician's performance played out. As he finally took the time to listen, the talent scout finally realized just how strange this musical composition was. The piece was a cacophony of chaos, yet when listened to closely a sort of order and beauty could be detected in that chaos, the kind of beauty that could shake a person's soul. Lyle somehow became so wrapped up in listening to the piece that he barely noticed when it finally ended. The only thing that let him know it was over when Mason started clapping.
At this, the organist got up and bowed to Mason and Lyle before descending the steps leading off the platform. "I thank you for your high praise of my newest work, Mr. Mason. I'm calling it, 'Ecstasy in Purgatory'. It's still a bit rough, but it's coming along."
It was when the organist reached the bottom of the steps that Lyle finally got a good look at him. The man stood at about five feet tall, though he would've been taller if he weren't hunched forward. His arms were incredibly slender and long for his body, ending in unusually big hands that looked more like they belonged on some sort of ape. The man was dressed in some sort of tattered brown and black Victorian costume, complete with a ruffled shirt that had once been white but had yellowed with age. The thought occurred to Lyle that perhaps the man had stolen the outfit off of a dead body.
The most disturbing feature of this man though was his face, and Lyle no longer questions why he didn't like to go out in public unless absolutely necessary. His head was topped by somewhat long and incredibly wild black hair. His nose was quite small, while his mouth was unusually big and wide, showing off a set of crooked yellow teeth as he grinned at his two guests. A black eye patch covered his right eye, while his left eye was strangely large and seemed to almost bulge from its socket. More disturbing than all of that though was the man's skin, which seemed to be as grey as the skin of a corpse, yet also had a sort of greenish tint to it.
Lyle wondered if perhaps the one-eyed organist's complexion was merely a trick of the castle's poor lighting. Then again, maybe what he was seeing was nothing more than a Halloween costume. It was clear that Mason's Maestro was merely trying to project some sort of macabre image; just another eccentric artist. Lyle had been dealing with such people in his line of work for years. Even the organ was just a part of his act, something he probably picked up from watching too many B-movies.
"Mr. Worthy, I'd to introduce you to our film's writer, Peter Cromwell," Mason introduced.
"Delighted to finally meet you, Mr. Worthy," the one-eyed man spoke as he offered his hand to Lyle. "But please, call me One-Eyed Pete."
Lyle hesitated for a moment before shaking the man's unusually large hand. "Nice to meet ya, Pete. Say, that was quite the performance you gave us with that organ. So you're a screenwriter and a musician, huh?"
"Musician, playwright, painter… I am what you might call in modern parlance, a triple threat."
"So you paint too, huh?" A nervous laugh slipped from his mouth. "Guess Hughes wasn't kidding when he called out a genius."
Pete ignored Lyle's comment and turned his attention to Mason. "So, I trust you've arrived to deliver good news? Do we have our Cassilda?"
Mason bowed and nodded. "Ms. Aino arrived this morning. She is perfect a perfect fit for the role."
"But of course. We were guided to her by a higher power."
"I guess so. You know, I was skeptical when Hughes handed me the picture of some nobody in Japan and told me to pick her up," Lyle interjected. "But she does seem like the perfect fit for the role. I just wish I could say the same about the guy who's been cast as her boyfriend."
"What is this uncultured fool talking about?" Pete asked Mason.
"The role of Cassila's lover is being played by a young man brought to us by an unknown and rather unusual talent agency," Mason explained. "While this actor seems like he might be a good fit for the role, his arrival may be part of this disturbance you sensed by be coming."
Pete waved his hand dismissively to the two before turning to head over to a bookcase against the chamber's right-side wall. "It matters not. If this young man is indeed part of the disturbance, he is as powerless to stop what is to come as his character. Still, caution is likely advised. What matters now though is that we better prepare Ms. Aino for her role. Later I shall enlist an agent to deliver unto her the Yellow Sign."
"Um… when the heck are you guys talking about?" Lyle asked.
"Mr. Worthy, it occurs to me that you are woefully unenlightened about what this project of ours is truly about," Pete spoke as he took a particular book off the shelf. "That is why it seems necessary to educate you."
With that, Pete walked back over to Lyle and handed him the book. The book in question was bound in green snakeskin, and Lyle couldn't help but let out a gasp when he saw the book's title on the front cover etched in gold, The King in Yellow.
"Hey! Wait just a minute here," Lyle told them. "I know that this is the play that our movie is based on, but why do I have to read it? Especially when… you know, everyone who reads it goes… a bit nuts?"
Pete shook his head. "Mr. Worthy, you may not be aware of this, but I am the true owner of Eclipse View Studios. And if you wish to continue your relationship with us, you will go into the study across the hall and read that book from beginning to end. Afterwards, you will fully understand my creative vision."
After a moment, Lyle finally did as he was told and went across the hall to the room that Pete had indicated. As much as he didn't want to read the supposedly cursed play or even be in that castle, he also didn't want to lose his job. A large fireplace provided the only source of light study that had been set up in the small chamber, yet oddly the fire seemed like it gave off no heat. Lyle sat down in a large leather armchair by the fireplace with split seams and looked at the book on his lap. He debated with himself about whether or not to actually start reading, and in the end decided that the story about the play driving people insane was just that, a story; in reality an old play written hundred of years ago couldn't possible harm anyone.
Lyle took a deep breath, and after another moment of hesitation opened the book and began reading the first page.
Author's Note: Well, I hope this first chapter has at least gotten everyone's attention. Credit for Kunzite's human name, Keisuke goes to Bethany89, though I had to come up with the surname myself. Before anyone asks: yes, there will be other stories focusing on the other the missions that the other three Shitennou are on during the events of this story. And yes, the other three Inners will be involved in each one. For now though, I'm going to focus on getting this story finished.
Obviously I'm borrowing certain elements from original short story collection by Chambers, but One-Eyed Pete, Blight Forest, Hellmouth Castle and the gorge it sits before are from that dream I mentioned in the introduction. One-Eyed Pete I guess is one of my very first OCs, but I've never tried using him in a story until now. Well, it'll probably be two or three weeks before I can put up the next chapter, what with Thanksgiving just around the corner. I'll try and get it up as soon as I can though.
Until next time, please review and let me know what you think.