Chapter 2
Oosaka Naru knows something about Tsukino Usagi that none of her Senshi know - yet! A gift for Hallowe'en. And - definitely AU!
DISCLAIMER: Sailormoon does not belong to me! Never has, and never will.
WARNING! There WILL be character-death in this story (by the end)!
I am rewriting the mythos, I know. But? It's called "Fan-Fiction" for a reason!
NOTE: I will past a Japanese-glosssary later. As for the main-terms:
"Ookami" is Japanese for "Wolf" (actual translation is "Laughing god").
in our tory, it will mean WEREWOLF.
"Kyongshi" (or "Dancing Corpse", from the Chinese) can either be thought of as a VAMPIRE or ZOMBIE! In this story, "Kyongshi" equals "Vampire".
As Ami entered her apartment, she was surprised by her mother, Dr. Mizuno Saeko:
"How was your trip this weekend, musume?"
Ami jumped and performed a triple lutz, twisting and twisting to face her mother as she landed on the floor in a battle-stance!
And Saeko tried hard to just keep a staight-face, much less laugh, or even giggle!
"Okaasan!" Ami tried not to screech. "I did not expect you home so soon!"
"Hai. I guessed." Saeko grinned. She then turned on the radio and motioned Ami to follow her a bit deeper into their apartment.
"Come, Ami! We must talk."
"Ara..", Ami followed her mother a bit hesitantly. "Hai."
"Alright!" Seako ordered as she and Ami entered an inner-hallway after turning on another radio, and then another. "Strip!"
"Nani-yo?" Ami stared at her mother.
"Ami-musume," Saeko smiled reassuringly. "I had a talk with Tsukino Ikuko-San. She explained about you ano Usagi. About what happened. I want to see for myself if what I was told was accurate."
Ami odebiently stripped out of her clothes as Saeko turned on a hall-light. "Why did you turn the radios on, Kaasan?"
"Just making sure what we say does not find its way to the wrong people. Hai." Saeko whispered. "Ikuko said she does not trust Senshi, anymore, with her musume! Wise woman! I feel the same way! Hai!"
Ami jumped and almost felt her heart stop!
"Keep still, musume! Hai. Comparing neck and shoulders to photos and cast."
"Cast? Photos?" Ami meeped.
"Hai. taken and elivered, I was told, to Tsukinos by Oosaka Naru, the jeweler's musume. You.. know of her?"
"Hai. Not as much as I needed to demo."
Saeko giggled. "Hai! Just as Tsukino Ikuko-Sama told me of the Jeweler! Kukuku."
'When did Tsukino-Sama learn of Oosaka-Sama?' Ami asked herself.
"Kaasan?" Ami asked nervously. "How do you know.. about Sailorsenshi?"
"Disguise-power not work, totally! Not work on parents of joji who are Sailorsenshi! Iie!"
Saeko then looked carefully at the photos and the plaster-cast after examining her daughter. "Tell they were wounds demo not bites! Usagi's bite is still most-prominant! Very good! It is fading demo! Would hate to know musume was among kyonshi!"
"'Kyonshi'?" Ami gasped. "You have seen kyonshi? Kyonshi doko?"
"I remember seeing movies with friends, growing up. Never believed until lately demo. We had many cases of people dying of blood-loss from wounds like these. Hai. Blood refuses to coagulate. No matter what we do to treat the victims. Corpses of victims always seem to vanish demo. Satesate. About a week ago, I saw a person that, I was sure, I had worked on and declared dead! She looked at me. Never spoke demo. Just got up and hopped away. Vanished! Usagi's bite was somehow able to save you from becoming kyonshi."
"Gomennissai," Ami whispered to Saeko, "I did not want lie to you, about being Sailorsenshi! Luna said it would be best demo if parents did not know."
"Luna? Neko no Tsukino?" asked her daughter. "You listen to a cat?"
"She.. Belongs.. to Usagi-aneue." Ami answered, a bit awkwardly. Leave it to her mother to interrogate her when she was naked and vulnerable!
"Usagi listens to cat?" Dr. Mizuno asked.
"Cat was Usagi's advisor. One thousand years ago. When Usagi was.. Princess of Moon?"
"'Princes of Moon'. Hai. So? Usagi listened to cat? As advisor?" Dr. Mizuno asked.
"Iie. Not.. all the time?" Ami started to fidget.
"Half the time?" Saeko continued the questioning.
"Iyaa." Ami admitted.
"More than half the time?" Saeko circled her quarry. "Less than half the time?"
"Less than half." Ami answered quickly.
"'Less than half'?" Saeko asked. "Naze?"
"Luna was palace-advisor of Queen Serenity the 7th nazenara." Ami bowed.
"Ara.. Luna was palace-advisor!" Saeko was getting a picture in her mind. "You and other Sailorsenshi were..?"
"In-training!" Ami answered, "to be Usagi's royal-court when her time came to be Queen! Hai! We were much the same age."
"Ara.. raised with Princess? Good!" Saeko smiled. "Little wonder you think of Tsukino-
chan as aneue!"
"Usagi has always thought of us as sisters!" Ami smiled, and blushed a bit.
"That.. is good!" Saeko snapped out. "For? You will have to guard aneue! Hai. Tsukino Ikuko fears someone has told Senshi that attacks in Prefecture the work of Ookami! Senshi on ookami-hunt dano."
"Hai. We were told that deaths were caused by Ookami! By Prince-of-Earth!"
"'Prince-of-Earth'?" Saeko asked her daughter. "How would Prince-of-Earth know of attacks being Ookami?"
"I have asked the same thing," Ami admitted, "Almost from the start of this."
Mizuno Saeko took her naked daughter in her arms, sat down in Ami's bedroom, and rocked and caressed her.
"Remember this, my Ami!" Saeko whispered. "You were Senshi, before? You will be Ookami, soon? You are musume, now! Have been musume. Will always be musume. Aishiteru!"
Ami wrapped her body as tightly as she could around her mom:
"Aishiteru!"
That night, Mizuno Saeko came to her daughter's room, responding to Ami's whimpers. She slowly stripped, slid into her daughter's bed, cradled Ami to her breasts, letting Ami feel the protective-warmth of her body, and softly rocked and caressed her. Then, picked up the book she had started to read the night before on Werewolves, a gift from Tsukino Ikuko.
"Ami-mesume.." Saeko softly whispered as tears formed in fer eyes. "Bad-dreams, again! Dreams of loneliness. Hai. Loneliness remembered. Dreams I knew I helped form. Hai. Baka to divorce your otousan! More baka to not run back to him. Now? You have found second family. Hai. That family is being treatened demo. Will not leave you demo. I will stay. Watch over you."
Half-conscious of her mother, Ami softly whimpered into Saeko's neck and licked it with the tip of tongue.
The next day, Ami helped Naru shadow Usagi as much as she could at school! And, she kept a close eye on Makoto and Minako. While she did not trust the Sailorsenshi as a whole, anymore - remembering her mother's words from last night - she felt a certain ambivalnce to the Senshi of Jupiter! While it was true that Kino Makoto was, physically, the most-
threatening of them all, she did not seem to readiate any ill-will!
She just wished the same could have been said for Aino Minako!
Something seemed - off - about the Senshi of Venus. Some things just didn't seem to be adding up to the Aino Minako that Ami was used to! Maybe it was the way that Minako's attention was drifting-away. Whil it was true that Aino-san was always having to be brought back to a given-subject - and moreso than even Usagi - Minako's mind would usually drift from Point A to Point B. Then C, D, and so on down the alphabet! But, now? Minako seemed to drift in a straight line, far from shore, and anchor herself there!
Also? Venus was staying silent! Where Minako used to chat about anything and everything, especially if it gravitated toward boys, movies, or music, now? She was as talkative as a statue, just staring out at - what? At something! Ami was never sure at what, however. And, when Minako did talk, the topics, and her voice, always seemed to hold a dark edge. An edge that made Ami want to back away safely, lest she get cut by it!
"I would not get too close to Aino-San, Ami-chan." Naru warned in a low voice after P.E.
in the shower. "After I started watching Usagi, kaasan suggested I read of Ojiisan's dairies to learn more of Ookami. Ojiisan write of many things as Watcher! Ookami. Mahoutsukai. Kyonshi dano. Wrote that Kyonshi were most-dangeous of all! Hai! Always danger to mortals. Wrote of Kyonshi as 'blood-farmers'. Especially older-ones. Hai. Of many centuries. Use mortals for slaves and food! Ssometimes, used for both. Also used as lured to trap others."
The two girls went to redress as Naru continued:
"Ojiisan Wrote of victims falling under spell of 'Kyonshi kiss'! Willing slaves. Aino-San acts as if she is under kyonshi-kiss. Ojiisan wrote Ookami are alive even when dead, kyonshi dead even as they live demo! Dare not get close enough to tell demo. Not without a means to fight her off if I need to. Iie."
"Hai." Ami whispered softly. "I - thought - I smelled a strangeness to Minako." She then growled low. "Kyonshi in Tokyo. Kuso!"
Naru raised an eyebrow. "You 'smelled' something, Ami-chan? Ookami is coming-out quickly! Sense-of smell starts to develope in a week, usually! This is good!"
After school, Usagi and Ami, with Makoto, went to the Hikawa Shrine to make the Senshi-
meeting. And, Usagi started to ring the bells when a familiar voice called to the girls.
"Konnichi-wa, kodomo!" The old shrine-keeper spoke up.
"Konnichi-wa!, Ojiisan!" The girls chorused.
"How is Rei, Ojiisan? We are here to see her! Hai! Where is she?"
"Magomusume is.. not well.. Tsukino-chan.. iyaa.." The old priest confided. "What from? I do know. Rei-chan stares at fire as if at stranger. Fire no longer answers dano. Something has taken magomusume's mind! What? I do not know! I have searched scrolls in jinja for help dano! Find nothing."
"I will try to help, Ojiisan!" Usagi held the old man. "We will help."
The girls took off their shoesand went to the shrine's fire-room. The room seemed darker than usual, asthe fire seemed to be nothing but dying embers. And, in the darkest corner of the gloom, sitting quite still, was Hino Rei. To normal eyes, if they could have seen her at all, Rei would have appeared dead! "Appeared. "For, even in the unnatural darkness, Usagi could see that the miko was still breathing as in meditation. However, Rei's skin seemed to take a strange bluish-tinge as if death was ready to claim her, and bits of dirt could be seen on the bare skin of the usually ceremonially-clean priestess!
Silently, Usagi crept nearer to the sitting women-child, and whispered:
"Rei-chan?"
Suddenly, the fire seemed to pop to life as three flames shot toward to ceiling!
And, Rei let out a low, evil hiss, and proceded to withdraw into a corner.
Usagi swiftly and silently backed up to Ami and Makoto, and swiftly bowed to the Fire-
Spirits, thanking them.
"Come!", Usagi urged her friends, "We must leave here. At once!"
And Ami gave a soft, but threatening, growl.
"Usagi-chan?" Jupiter asked, irritatedly, "What isgoing on?"
"Answer,later! Once we are AWAY from jinja!" Usagi growled. "Hai!"
"Usagi-Hime..!" Makoto grew impatient. "What is.. wrong with..?!" She tightend her fingers around her shoes.
"We fight over this later, Mako-chan!" Usagi snapped out. "Right now? RUN! Outside!"
Soon,the three companions were outside theshrine-building.
"Ojiisan!" Usagi spoke. "Where is Yuuichirou-kun?"
"I sent my student away for the week! Hai! I did not wish to see what was infecting Rei to infect him!"
"Hai!" Usagi smiled. "You are a good man, Ojiisan! A wise man. Hai! I wish you to leave this place dano! We will do what we can for Rei-chan. Demo! If we cannot help her! Burn jinja to ground! Hai! Sprinkle salt in ashes dano!"
"Usagi!" Makoto looked in shock at her Princess. "What is happening?!"
"Cannot explain now, not yet!" Usagi calmed down as much as she could. "Youma have taken control of Rei-chan! We cannot help her, here and now! We will help dano! Right now, Mako-
chan? I ORDER you to get home, lock doors and windows, and do not answer door for ANYONE! Not without handful of poppy-seeds, anyway! To toss beyond intruder. Hai."
A minute later, Usagi whispered to Ami:
"You and Mizuno-Sensei will join my family for dinner in two hours. Naru and her okaasan will be there, hai!"
As soon as they were sure Makoto was out of sight- and hearing-range, two young Ookami sprinted their seperate ways. Usagi went home. Ami went to Tokyo General Hospital.
"Komban-wa." Ami bowed to her mother. "Usagi told me we are expected at the Tsukino-house in ninety minutes, okaasan!"
"I have just enough time to finish me reports, then!" Saeko looked up at her daughter. "You are tense, musume! I see it in your face and stance! What is wrong? Tell me when we leave! Right now? Here are keys and my card to hospital gym! Try to loosen up."
After a couple of laps around the track and trying to tear the punching bag from its tethers, Ami and Saeko were on their way to the Tsukinos.
"Alright, Ami, you may speak, now! Only audience in car is me! What happened, today? You have been on gaurd since you came into hospital. What is wrong?"
"Two of the Senshi have fallen victim to kiss-no-kyonshi! They still live, but act as though they are kyonshi inside! Hai."
Saeko watched the road, ahead. "Does Usagi know about them?"
"One of them. Hai." Ami answered. "Usagi warned us away from her! Hino Rei!
Miko of Seven-Hills Shrine. Hai! Usagi-Sama warned us to get out as fast as we could run,
me and Kino Makoto-chan! Hai. Tell Makoto-chan to go home. Stay there dano!"
"Hino-chan. Miko." Saeko added the clues. "She is Sailormars! Hai?"
"Hai!" Ami chirped. "She is! Or, was! Now? Almost kyonshi!" The bluenette growled.
"Kino-chan dano? Tall girl I have seen you with, at times? Pony-tail?"
"Hai! Sailorjupiter!" Ami chirped, again. "Only one in fire-room who smelled totally like Ningen! Hai!"
"Good to know." Saeko noted. "Ookami keep her that way moshikashitara. What of other Senshi? Blonde?"
"Aino Minako-chan. Sailorvenus. Other victim of kiss-no-kyonshi. Not quite kyonshi. Almost as bad as Rei! Saw her at school. Hai. Totally withdrawn. Not like old Minako!" Ami tried to sniff away a forming tear. "Smell death coming for her. Hai."
"We are here!" Saeko handed Ami a handkerchief. "We will continue talk, later! Musume has much grief to share! Hai! Too much to carry alone."
"Ara.. someone else is here?" Saeko asked Ami.
"Oosaka-Sama kedashi?" Ami replied. "Usagi said that Naru and okaasan would be here!"
As the Mizunos entered the Tsukino-house, Tsukino Ikuko met them at the door.
"Komban-wa, Mizuno-Sensai! Komban-wa, Ami-chan!" Ikuko smiled. "Come! The table is this way. Hai."
As introductions were made, noticed the rifles layed down along the wall.
"Are firearms permissable in Nippon, again?" Saeko asked.
"A Watcher never goes unarmed, Dr. Mizuno!" Mrs. Oosaka answered.
"Especially, when and where trouble is expected." Naru added.
"So?" Ikuko searched the eyes of Mrs. Oosaka. "You have been watching over me, Kana-imouto?"
"How long have we known each other, Ikuko-aneue?" Oosaka Kana replied. "And father's fathers had known each other since.. when? only Kami know for sure!"
"All that time dano?" Ikuko asked.
"Ever since tousan teach me about Ookami! Hai." Oosaka Kana replied. "What tousan told me.. help me make sense of you, hai. Always shy! Beyond shy! Scared of strangers. Always stay close to family. Hai. Demo. Always in front, protecting family when threatened! Even me! After the story? Always watch out for you. Hai. Like you watch over me. What imouto is supposed to do! Hai!"
And, Usagi squeezed Naru's hand, and - then - Ami's hand.
As dinner was winding down - and the girl's recap of the day's events were wrapped-up -
there seemed to be a weak but incessent mewling that come from the back door.
"I will get it!" Shingo said.
A minute later, there was a frantic screaming coming from the kitcken:
"Usagi-Ane! Come quick! It is Luna-neko! She and another neko seem near-DEATH!"
Usagi, Naru, and Ami ran into the kitchen!
"Luna! Artimis! Nani-yo?!"
"Usa..gi.. Hime?" Luna muttered. "Gomennissai? Tried.. to stop them.. could not..."
"Luna goshenpainaku," Usagi whispered, "just get rest. Hai." She then handed the black cat to Ami.
"Who.. would DO this?" Saeko gasped seeing the mangled cats.
"Two guesses who!" Ami growled.
Artemis then opened his eyes, saw Ami holding Luna, and went feral!
"Get aweay from Luna, hitogoroshi!" Artimis tried to lunge at Ami. "Hangyakunin! AGH!"
Artimis froze, his muscles twisted against him will and his face a mask of feline-rage!
"Hangyakunin?" Saeko repeated. "Hitogoroshi?" She looked at Ami.
"Guilt by association?" Ami answered.
"Ami? Naru? Help me prepare places for Luna and artemis in the kitchen!" Usagi ordered. "Kaasan? Shingo-itouto? Prepare food and water! We need to know what happened!"
Fifteen minutes later, two advisors were trying to speak:
"I am glad..you are here.. Ami-chan!" Artemis spoke. "Gomennissai."
"It was horrible, Usagi-chan!" Luna said. "What we heard. What they said. Rei.. Minako dano.. said they would.. bring you back.. to them! Said.. you fought.. on wrong side.. too long! Said.. show you right side.. or drain you.. leave to crows.. Gomen."
"Drain aneue? Leave to crows?" Shingo went ballistic:
"They.. will.. DIE!"
"SHINGO!" Usagi screamed. "Itouto! Koinu! Osawari! You will not go ANYWHERE! If you leave, you will become kyonshi! Hai! Stay here with kaasan and tousan. No one goes ANYWHERE alone, tonight! Iiede! Me and Ami will patrol city, hai! Be back at sunrise!"
"Kaasan?" Ami turned pleading eyes to Dr. Mizuno. "Stay here with Tsukinos? Onegai?
usagi-ane is right! Being alone is too dangerous!"
"I will stay." Saeko hugged her daughter. "Bought supplies from hospital in case of emergancy like this. Hai. Colloidal Silver. And Silver Iodide. Hai. In case of attack by kyonshi. Just, come back, soon!" A thought then struck her. "What of Kino Makoto-chan?"
"Do not worry of Kino-san!" Naru said. "Okaasan and I will gaurd her! Hai! Keep her safe until morning! And, be back here!"
Soon, the patrols and pickets were set for the night and pre-dawn watch. Fortunately,
the kyonshi did not choose that night to rampage, and the patrols and pickets were able to make it back to the Tsukinos. But, not before Naru left a gift for makoto.
That morning, as she left for school, Makoto found an object in her mailbox, wrapped firmly in paper and tied in string, with a note attached. She unwrapped the paper, and revealed a dagger of worked-silver blade and handle! Then she read the unsigned note:
"Silver of the moon
Flash red against night-demons
Sleep at morning-sun."
After school, Ami went straight to her and her mother's apartment to pack a couple of travel-bags. When she opened the door, what met her eyes made her want to cry! What she smelled made here wish to curse! There was blood in spots on the floor, and blood-drawn writing on the wall. The blood, fortunately, did not smell human, or fresh, so Ami felt sure it was not her mother's! But, the messege left was plain to read:
"We will get you."
After looking at the living-room, Ami closed her eyes and sniffed deeply. She might not have the full-senses of the Ookami, but she remembered what shehad smelled, before!
She smell the scent of kyonshi! No. Part-Kyonshi. Two former-friends,who had been closer than sisters.
"Damn them!" She swore. "Damn them to the deepest Hell that awaits their kind!"
After packing what she and her mother would need with incredable swiftness, Ami caught the bus to Tokyo General Hospital. From there, she and her mom would stay with the Tsukinos.
It was still best to stay together. Especially with what Ami had just seen.
When Ami got to the hospital, the Cheif of the Medical-Staff met her and ushered her into his office:
"Mizuno Ami-chan?" The doctor spoke. "There has been an - incident - with Mizuno Saeko-
san, today! She is on watch, now, and doing better. We wouldlike to kep her for observation demo. For the next 24 hours. Hai."
"Observation? Twenty-four hours?" Ami meeped. "What happened?"
"We do not know the why of it! She was found - about 12:30pm, today - unconscious! There were 50cc of morphine in her system! Only one needle-mark demo! Not well-hidden damo! We screen staff for drug-abuse! Saeko has always tested 'clean'! Do you know what may have happened to her?"
"I do not know, yet, Ishikawa-Sensei," Ami spoke trying her best to hide her fears,
"I will find out demo! First? I need to make a phone-call! Is kaasan in ICU?"
"Hai." Dr. Ishikawa answered. "You may use my phone."
"Arigatou." Ami responded with a bow.
Ami then dialed the Tsukino-residence:
"Usagi-aneue! Hai. Listen! Get over to the Hospital! Hai! And bring Naru and Oosaka-
Sensei! They are there? Good! Okaasan tried to kill herself, today! Hai. She is in ICU! Staff want to keep her for observation. Iie. We need to be with her. Hai! Especially if what I think happened happened! See you soon. Sayonara."
As soon as Ami hung up the phone, she took the travel-bags down to ICU:
"Dr. Shinobi? Is kaasan awake? Can I speak to her?"
"She is awake," the old doctor said, "but I do not think she should.."
"Ami-chan?" Saeko weakly cried,"musume?"
"Kaasan?" Ami rushed to the bed.
"Let her REST!" The old doctor shouted! "All she speaks is nonsense, anyway! So incoherent, I would not be surprised if she loses her licence! Keeps mumbling about 'Kyonshi' and 'Ookami', and 'Senshi'. Hai! Morphine has affected her mind! Complete nonsense!"
"Leave, old fool, now!" Ami growled out. "Or? You shall see just how much of kaasan's 'nonsense' is true!" She suddenly snapped at the physician, already beginning to transform. "For your sanity, old one, forget what you have seen and heard these past two minutes! If there is something you should know, I will tell you and Ishikawa. Now.. GO!"
After Dr. Shinobi ran out of the room, Ami tried to calm down enough to comfort her mother:
"Kaasan? What happened, today?"
"Kyonshi come. Kyonshi try to take me! Make me hurt you! Not hurt my joji."
The older woman clung to Ami's shoulders and cried into her breasts.
And, Ami cradled her mother as tightly as she could without suffocating her!
"They.. come by.. at 11am? Rei and Minako? Say they want to talk. Ask where you are.
I tell them musume at school! Hai. They say they see me, later? Say they wish to.. get to know me? Never say it, I can see in their eyes demo. Want me to give you up.. to them! Make you Kyonshi! No.. no kyonshi! Musume is Ookami, not Kyonshi! But, they make me kyonshi. Make you Kyonshi. No kyonshi! Better to die ningen. Take morphine.. No Kyonshi.."
"It will be alright, kaasan!" Ami cooed and cradled her mother. "I am here, now. You are with me. Hai!"
"Mizuno-chan?" Dr. Ishikawa came into the ICU. "Tsukino Ikuko-Sama and Oosaka Kana-Sama are here to release Mizuno-Sensei? I told them it is the Hospital's procedure to keep 24-hour watch on all possible-potential-suicides! It is your decision demo. Since you are her family."
"Hai." Ami bowed. "Kaasan will come with us, hai! With me and Tsukino-Sama and Oosaka-
Sama! We will keep close-watch on her. Hai."
"It shall be as you wish, Mizuno-san!" Ishikawa bowed. "If you can wait an hour while we handle the paperwork?"
"Hai! I can wait! I will be in the gym when you are ready!" Ami replied crisply."Usagi-
chan? Naru-chan? Come!"
In hospital-gym, a frustrated Mizuno-Ami proceded to rip through a punching-bag!
"DAMN THEM!" Ami screamed! "Why? Why did Hino-baka and Aino-baka have to DO THIS? What did Kaasan ever do to them? What did I ever do to them? only stand by Usagi-aneue! What did SERENITY ever do to them?! NOTHING! Nothing but give us HOME when we had no home! That is what she did!" After tearing the bag from its moorings, Ami collapsed on the floor. "Damn them both to Hell!" She cried weakly."I want kaasan!"
Usagi then cradled the little bluenette in her lap and slowly petted her as she trembled.
"She is rembering, Usagi?" Naru asked.
"Hai. Remembering." Usagi sighed. "Too much. Moon Kingdom not as happy place as Luna likes to remember. Iyaa. Not even by half. Mercury brought to moon, early Hai! Torn from family. Too soon, I think! Never know why! Just know, I have to be aneue. Kaasan dano."
"Hai." Naru responded. "I was going to ask if 'Serenity' was okaasan or you?"
"VERY strange. Hai." Usagi sat staring at her Ami. "Always play two roles! Even then. Hai!
Okaasan there not there demo! Always.. distant. Hai. So? I was imouto one moment, okaasan the next. Hai. Become .. less-intelligant.. as Ami begin to show her intelligance. Hai! Become less-brave when needed. More devious. Hai! Always keep love demo. Joji need.. whatever I be! Hai! So? I be me! Stay me!"
Naru smiled in wonder at her best-friend! Even with what she had learned of Ookami, Naru realized that Tsukino Usagi was a very-rare exception!
And, from somewhere deep within her, an unwanted-question came to the young Watcher:
Why would Queen Serenity be so distant?
"Ami-chan?" Oosaka Kana entered the gym. "We have gathered the paperwork as witnesses, hai! Along with doctors. All that is needed is for you and us to sign!"
"Hai." Ami chirped.
As soon as the needed paperwork was signed, Six women and two doctors walked out into the parking-lot - and, right into the middle of an ambush!
Five kyonshi danced in circles around the party, like vultures circling in air, while three more stood upon the rooftops, waiting for the feast to start.
"Hai, my itouto and imouto!" The leader seemed to speak. "It is as I said! We need not waste our time hunting, the food will come to us!"
"Nani-yo?" Dr. Shinobi cried out. "How can this be? I recognize some of these! They are DEAD!?"
"They are part of kaasan's 'nonsence', Shinobi-Sensei!" Ami called out as she started to transform. "They are kyonshi! Usagi! We need to protect everyone!"
"Hai!" Usagi called out as she, too, transformed. "Oosaka-Sama! Mizuno-Sensei! Get to the car! Ishikawa-Sensei! Shinobi-Sensei! Back inside hospital! Hai!"
"You heard musume!" Tsukino Ikuko growled. "Back inside! NOW!" She shoved the doctors back inside the hospital-doors, than transformed to join the fight.
Soon, the fight became, as Naru had warned Ami, fang and claw, as Ami gave her all! Not only was she defending her friend's lives, but also their mothers' - her mother's! Ami savagely attacked every opening and vital point her half-lupine form could get to!
Unfortunately, the undead kyonshi had the same ideas.
Suddenly - too suddenly - Ami found herself on the defensive, fighting off a female kyonshi:
"Very pretty." The kyonshi purred, with hypnotic eyes, at a heavily-breathing Ami. "Maybe.. I shall play with my food.. before I eat it. Kukuku."
The kyonshi tried to bite and lick Ami's neck and shoulder. And all Ami could do was wiggle and pray. Then, as Ami was about to panic:
"AMI! MUSUME!" Seako screamed."CATCH!"
The young ookami found her left hand gripping a bottle, and opening it, as she mentally thanked her mother. Then, she turned to her attacker:
"EAT THIS, KYONGSHI!" She shouted in defience as she forced the bottle's contents down a surprised throat. "Eat every damned piece. CHOKE ON IT!"
The kyonshi, so cocky a mere moment ago, now found herself strangling on the colloidal silver!
Ami then heard Oosaka Naru:
"MOVE AWAY, MIZUNO-SAN!" The redhead yelled. "I need you out of the way of bolt!"
Ami pirouetted out of the way - a second before a crossbow bolt pierced the heart of the kyongshi!
"Bolt as good as stake! Hai!" Naru shouted. "Especially, when made of silver!"
Soon, the tide of the battle was turning.
"I have you, NOW, Ookami!" Usagi's current-nemesis wheezed at her. "Should have found ANOTHER hunting-ground! This belongs to kyongshi! Hai!"
As she circled her foe, Usagi spied the target on her target.
"I do not hunt Ningen!" She then kicked her opponent right below and into the chest, dislodging the heart! The kyongshi then fell against an open trash-dumpster. And, as he lay there, paralyzed temporarily, Usagi slammed the lid on his neck with great force - decapitating him!
at the same time, Saeko was tossing open bottles of silver iodide and colloidal silver into the open mouthes and eyes of any kyongshi stupid enough to get close enough to her!
Meanwhile, Naru and Kana were staking every kyongshi that came into their sights! If one bolt from the crossbows did not paralyse their prey, they added one or teo more silver bolts to finish the job!
Soon, the women-warriors surveyed the battlefield.
"Kyongshi are paralyzed, not dead demo!" Naru noted. "Sunrise is still a few hours away demo! Need to decapitate kyongshi, so they never rise again! Hai! Okaasan? Get axe out of car! We must finish job."
"This may help!" Usagi answered. "Leader was carrying katana. After I retrieved head from trash-can? Removed some heads of kyongshi. Hai."
"Who.. needs.. sword?" Ami huffed. "Hubcap work.. just as well. Hai! Like guillotine!"
"Step two.. COMPLETED!" Naru said as she swung the axe against the last kyongshi. "Now?" She huffed. "On to step three! We need incenerator!"
Saeko went back into the hospital:
"Ishikawa-Sensei!" Saeko called out. "SHINOBI-BAKAYAROU! This hospital has incenerators to burn contaminated-articals, hai! Hi-jacking them for service! Need to burn kyongshi-contamination!"
"'Bakayarou'?" Shinobi growled."Now, see here! I am your superior! You are on leave, for now! Can be fired demo." He smirked, then pulled himself up to try to tower over Saeko.
"Good growl. Not as scary as musume demo!" Saeko grinned.
And, Ami giggled.
"SHINOBI! Stand down! You ARE bakayarou!" Ishikawa snapped to attention. "What are we to do, Mizuno-Sensei?"
"Naru-Sensei will give you instructions to despose of kyongshi!" Saeko said. "Follow them!"
"We cannot wait for sunlight to burn kyongshi!" The redhead spoke. "So! FIRST! Gather the heads together, and place them in one incenerator, and burn them to ashes! Then, take the bodies and burn them in another incenerator! Must never take the chanse of head and body getting back together! Stories are told of burned kyongshi coming back centuries after being turned to ashes. Dead should stay dead! Hai!"
"Rising after being burned to ash?!" Shinobi scoffed. "Otome! What you speak is nonsence!"
"As much nonsense as dead rising and walking as though alive!" Naru countered. "Hai!"
"Shinobi-bakayarou," Ishikawa growled, "keep quiet, listen, and learn!"
"Purify all that was touched by kyongshi with fire dano!" Usagi added. "All metal used in bringing second-death. Hai! Make sure every part of kyongshi is burned! In case some follower of kyongshi tries to use magic to resurect them!"
After the battlefield was cleared of corpses, Oosaka Kana spoke before everyone left for rooms above the Osa-P jewelers:
"Naru? Usagi? Ami? Me and Ikuko and Saeko think it would be best if we all stay together from now on! So! We will join you - with Tsukino Kenji and Tsukino Shingo, when you train this weekend! Hai!"
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