four
"This," Minako said with a flourish of her arms, "is the most boring job I've ever had."
"It'll be over soon," Makoto replied without even looking at her. Minako pouted to herself, continuing to pull apart paper plates. Two hours ago, she'd nearly stomped on a little kid's face for calling her obachan. Her foot was an inch away from his face before Chibiusa popped out of nowhere and intervened.
"You," Chibiusa said scarily as the boy ran to find his mother.
"You?" Minako looked stunned. "What ever happened to 'Minako-neechan'?"
"You," Chibiusa repeated. "Makoto. Now."
Minako didn't even bother to hide her enthusiasm; she happily threw her goldfish apron over her shoulder as she skipped through the festival. Customers threw her dirty glares as she cut through the line at the fried squidball booth and slapped her hand down on the counter. "Hey there, Mako, need some help?"
Makoto stared at her. Then she stared at the next customer, as if he had all the answers. The customer shrugged. "Oh, sure, Minako, just come around back."
Fast forward to the present, where Makoto had Minako peeling paper plates and arranging them on the table.
"I can't dooooo this anymoooooore," Minako wailed dramatically. Makoto reached around her to take a plate. "Mako, let's dip out. Let's go find Chibiusa's boyfriend and make him miserable."
"Minako," Makoto said, ignoring her words and eyeing the plate. She stuck her nail at the edge and pulled out a second plate. "You need to make sure there's only one, or else we're going to run out."
"One, two, five, you know what they say, it's all a bunch of apples," Minako crowed. She caught the blank look on Makoto's face. That meant she was trying to calm herself down. She had picked it up over the years, and even though the tactic had good intentions, the results were disastrous. For Makoto, the more she bottled up, the stronger her temper came out.
"Minako—"
"I'll be over here," Minako piped up, setting down the plates and rushing to the front. She knew she was annoying Makoto to the ends of the earth, but she couldn't help it. She was bored. If she had the chance to say no to Chibiusa's puppy dog face, she would have taken it any day. Too bad everyone else had readily agreed before she could refuse.
Minako settled on a stool, gripping the seat edges. Almost instantly her thoughts went to their last two customers—Sanada Ryo and Shuu Reifang, they had introduced themselves as. Otherwise known to the Senshi as the Boys from the Roof (Plus Usagi's New Boyfriend, if Mamo-chan Never Existed). She cast her gaze down at her lap, frowning. She and Makoto had been casual enough with them (or maybe not—Minako remembered their bewildered stares as the two of them laughed really hard at a joke Makoto attempted to tell), but she was sure that the situation was still very present.
But what was the situation, exactly? That they suspected who the Sailor Senshi were? That was nothing compared to the information on them. Minako sighed, looking back up at the crowd surrounding the fortune teller's booth. Luna and Artemis had clued them in a bit on the identity of those boys. Armored fighters, or something like that. Vague details on what they did, who they fought. Not a threat, but keep an eye on them, just in case.
"Just in case what?" Usagi had asked, her fingers twisting in the folds of her skirt. She was apprehensive at the idea that her new friend could be dangerous.
"In case we're wrong," Luna had said gravely.
"Minako?"
Minako snapped her attention back to Makoto. "Yes?"
"You look worried."
She smiled wanly. "Yeah, I just can't stop thinking about—them."
"I understand." Makoto played with the stack of paper plates, her own eyes troubled. "I just don't get how we've never met them before."
"I was going to save it for the next meeting," Minako continued slowly, feeling a bit guilty for leaving her out of the loop, "but it's been eating at me."
"What is it?"
"Rei and I did some research last night, at the command center." Minako missed the fleeting, annoyed look on Makoto's face. "There was a time period, Artemis told me, where all security footage had been erased."
"Erased?" Makoto looked perplexed. "On purpose?"
"It seemed like time had just frozen, actually. It was when we were at Point D." Minako's hands gripped the stool even more tightly. Makoto noticed her knuckles were turning white. It was the memory, she supposed, of dying. Sure, they had kicked the bucket a few times after, but nothing was like the first experience. "Apparently—there was a time lapse. We thought we were there for only a few hours. In fact, we were there for a few weeks. Beryl's magic disrupted our position in time."
"Why wasn't this ever brought up before?" Makoto shook her head, unable to believe it. A few weeks? Why did no one realize that they were gone?
"Artemis and Luna, they were there," Minako said. She released the stool with one hand, touching her lip thoughtfully. "I'm not sure why they never told us before. They probably didn't think it was a threat to us—or maybe those guys took care of it well enough. But I guess when we were gone, there was an ancient evil that took over Shinjuku."
"Shinjuku." Makoto stared at her, a billion questions already flying through her mind. "How on earth did Shinjuku get taken over and we didn't notice? Or why did no one say anything, for that matter?"
"I guess it's like how no one remembers getting their hostes stolen," Minako mumbled, chewing on the nail of her thumb. "When we got back, the ancient evil was already gone."
"Gone," Makoto echoed. "Unless—Minako, you don't think—"
"I can't be sure," Minako confessed. She met Makoto's gaze evenly. "I don't know what kind of evil it was. Artemis and Luna said they had no idea either, since they were at the command center the whole time. But do you remember, before the Black Moon family came, how Ami was getting random energy spikes on her computer?"
"Barely," Makoto said grimly. The hustle and bustle of the festival was far from her mind now. She focused completely on Minako's words, absorbing everything in.
"I think that might have had to do with these Roof Boys." Minako sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I honestly think we just have too many pieces and no glue."
"Good one," Makoto said absently. Minako beamed.
"Came up with it myself!"
Makoto took in a deep breath, glancing out at the crowd. Things had just become a new level of complicated. Time lapses and ancient evils? She still wasn't sure she could trust those boys; in her experience, all the good looking ones meant trouble. But what if those guys really had been left to fight that ancient evil themselves? What if, while the Senshi had been at Point D, they had gone through worse things? "Maybe we should just confront them."
But before Minako could answer, a gaping hole stretched across the sky, and out piled cold, metal soldiers with black eyes. The two of them stood grimly, hesitating only for a second.
"Let's go."
"Already ahead of you," Makoto said, rushing against the flow of the crowd and into the fray of chaos. Minako was only a step behind.
x
"Gee," Rei said flatly to the kid who was staring right at her boobs, "looks like you're going to drown tomorrow at the swimming pool. Next!"
"C—can she say that?" Usagi gaped, her arm hanging limply in Mamoru's. Mamoru scrunched up his face, just as the kid was pushed aside. He was replaced by a drooling teenager with acne.
"What's my fortune, baby?" the teenager asked, leaning forward on his elbow and winking at her.
"You're going to drop your toaster in the bath tub," Rei replied without even looking at the crystal ball prop in front of her. "Next!"
"W—what?!" The teenager flailed as the next person in line kicked him out of the chair. Rei blew her bangs out of her face, thankful for the mother and her cute little daughter who just wanted to know if they were going to have any luck the following day.
"Honestly, I have no idea," Mamoru said. He and Usagi tilted their heads, watching from a distance as Rei pleasantly told the little girl that she was going to catch a goldfish. The little girl clapped her hands and immediately asked her mother to take her to the goldfish booth. The second the next customer sat down, however, Rei's face snapped back into a glare. "Usa, your friend is scary."
"Agreed," Usagi said, shuddering as the middle-aged man teared up at Rei's blunt words ("Wow, you're going to get hit by a bus tomorrow. Next!).
Mamoru slipped his arm around Usagi's waist, not minding the stares he was getting from traditional mothers and fathers. It had taken him awhile to get used to it (this whole idea of a wonderful life with a wonderful woman by his side), but he eventually warmed up to public displays of affection. Usagi was a warm girl, and he knew that he had to melt a bit of his cold self into to match with her. And over the years, he had noticed she herself had cooled off—to match with him.
"She sure is handling this well."
The two of them turned to see Haruka and Michiru, standing side-by-side.
"You're kidding," Usagi grumbled, watching as cherry blossom petals scurried in the air around them. Was that a violin playing in the background? "You guys are still doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"That—that graceful painting kind of look!" Usagi sniffed at their blank stares. "Elegance is way overrated."
"Funny, Minako said the same thing when we ran into her at the mall the other day," Michiru replied. She and Haruka shared an amused glance, as if fondly remembering something that no one else would (or could) understand. Usagi huffed again. If only Minako were there to share her jealousy...
Mamoru ignored the flower petals. "Chibiusa got to you as well?"
"Of course," Haruka said, absently playing with her fan. "What better do we have to do than spend our riches to support the school?"
"Dear," Michiru said with a pleasant smile, all the while stomping down on Haruka's foot, "you're embarrassing me."
"Ow! What the bleep did you do that for?"
"Bleep?" Usagi repeated cluelessly. Michiru just rolled her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"We're trying not to swear in front of Hotaru," she explained, ignoring Haruka's scowl. "Good parenting and all."
"Hotaru's seventeen," Mamoru pointed out. Michiru blinked politely.
"Yes, so?"
"Nevermind," Mamoru said, covering Usagi's mouth before she could elaborate. "So, anything interesting catch your eye?"
"Plenty," Michiru said, her smile suddenly coy. She was looking at him under her eyelashes, he realized with a panic. Haruka didn't notice; she was too busy nursing her own foot.
"Plenty?" Usagi repeated excitedly, falling right for the bait. Mamoru braced himself for the impact; this happened routinely with the two couples. "Like what? Mamo-chan and I have only been to the food booth, we haven't had much time to explore yet! So, what's interesting?"
"Oh, just some fireworks." Michiru paused for effect, turning her gaze upwards. "And your handsome fiancé gazing back at me, that's all."
"Excuse me," Usagi and Haruka said in unison, both turning to their respective partners. Michiru laughed, waving their concern away gently as Mamoru tried to pry Usagi's death-grip off his arm.
"Just kidding," Michiru said, putting her palm to Haruka's face and shoving it away. "Usagi, would you like to see Setsuna? She just messaged us that she's just arrived. I think she might be selling fireworks with Hotaru."
"Yeah, you can ask her all about her hot date," Haruka put in, swatting Michiru's hand away.
"Don't be ridiculous, it wasn't a date," Michiru said, flicking Haruka on the side. "He was just a friend's younger brother, wasn't he?"
"Setsuna had a date?" Usagi's mouth fell open as Mamoru's eyes widened. "Wow, that's great!"
Michiru rounded on Haruka. "See? Look at the rumors you're starting—"
"He brought her flowers," Haruka said. "If she didn't think it was a date, then he obviously did."
Michiru sighed, shaking her head. She turned back to Usagi. "So, what do you say?"
"Sure, let's go! But Mamo-chan is most certainly not invited," Usagi added in childishly.
"I didn't even do anything!" Mamoru protested. He had thought that the subject had been dropped.
"You're seducing women left and right, how is that not anything?" Usagi retorted. She squealed when Mamoru grabbed one of her buns.
"You are so troublesome," he said, rolling his eyes.
"At least I'm not a super seducer," Usagi shot back. Mamoru wondered whether or not he should mention that boy from the pastry shop. He watched as she flailed her arm away from his, clinging instead to Michiru's. "Let's go, Michiru!"
"Don't get into any trouble, now, boys!" Michiru fluttered her fingers at them as the two departed. Haruka heaved a huge sigh of relief.
"Oh my god she has been such a pain in the ass."
"Pardon?" Mamoru asked, eyebrows drawn close. As long as he had known them, Michiru and Haruka had always bickered. It was a part of their dynamic, their relationship—fun, cool, comfortable. He had never actually known one to be upset at the other. Haruka, however, seemed to be grateful that Michiru had left.
"She's pregnant, you know, hormones do that kind of bleep to a girl."
Three things ran through Mamoru's mind. He did not know which to comment on. First, Hotaru was nowhere around, so there was no point in censoring oneself. Second, did Haruka just discuss a woman's hormones with him? And third—
"She's pregnant?"
Haruka's grin was wicked. "Did I not mention it before? I'm having a baby!"
"Who's having a baby?" Rei, having left the fortune telling booth in a fit of frustration (she had practically shoved the crystal ball prop to the girl replacing her), stared as Mamoru's mouth flapped open and closed. "You are so weird."
"I am," Haruka said smugly. Rei turned her bemused stare from Mamoru to Haruka. "Don't give me that look! Science works wonders."
"Oh, well. Congratulations."
Haruka seemed to deflate. She adored Rei and all, but really, she wondered if the priestess needed to get out of the shrine. "Thank you," she said back with a pout.
"You're having a baby," Mamoru repeated, shaking his head and running a hand over his face. "I can't believe it. I mean, not saying it's improbable, but considering you two—not saying that means anything! Well, I mean, you two mean everything to us, you know."
"You are so weird," Rei repeated, wondering if Usagi had finally gotten to him.
"Congratulations," Mamoru finally said, grabbing Haruka's hand and pumping it. "You really deserve it."
"You bet I bleeping do!" Haruka said, thumping him on the back. "Let's go for drinks, yeah? Your treat!"
"My treat," Mamoru agreed, grinning at her. Haruka nudged Rei, who was looking at the both of them as if she couldn't properly understand what they were saying.
"Come on, pretty girl. You wanna ditch this place and that snobby attitude and come get something to sip on?"
Mamoru only knew of a handful of people who could call Rei a snob to her face and get away with it. He made a mental note to add Haruka to the list, as Rei only laughed. "You sure your pregnant girlfriend won't be jealous?"
"My pregnant girlfriend is probably out and about seducing unknowing men," Haruka said pointedly. "Let's grab Mako, too, and I'm sure Setsuna wouldn't say no."
"There's something I wanted to ask you," Rei started to say as the three of them made their way through the festival. It really was a success, Mamoru thought. Chibiusa had taken part in the planning committee, spending almost every day after school to help organize the event. He cast his eyes around, not surprised to see high school kids in their uniforms from other districts. There were parents with their children, siblings of the junior high students, girlfriends and boyfriends—it seemed almost as if it were an actual festival the city was throwing.
"What's that?" Haruka was momentarily distracted by a booth selling wind chimes. A breeze ran through and they tinkered away. Something felt odd about the melody, though.
"The talismans," Rei said quietly. Haruka tore her gaze away from the booth, eyebrows raised. It had been how many years since they had been discovered, and she only had an epiphany about them now?
"What about them?"
"Oh my god," Rei said suddenly, her calm disposition turning into mild irritation as she looked past Mamoru's shoulder. "This really can't be coincidence anymore."
Haruka and Mamoru curiously turned. They both immediately gaped.
"Is that Ami with boys?"
"Who is that kid with Chibiusa?!"
"Not saying that she can't roll with the guys," Haruka said, standing up straight with her hands on her hips, "but they all look like, well, I mean, that's obviously not the computer club."
Mamoru didn't even say anything as he hurried over to the goldfish scooping booth. He recognized two of the young men from the pastry shop. That would explain why Ami was with them, of course, to play friends or whatever Minako's plan was. It did not, however, explain the delinquent who had his arm around Chibiusa.
Four years ago, Mamoru would not have cared. Having died twice, however, made him realize that he could no longer dwell on his past and instead live for the future. That was what drove him—usually cool, calm, and collected—to approach the group and outright grab Chibiusa in a wind-knocking hug. "Chibiusa, there you are!"
Chibiusa gaped. "Ma—mamo-chan, what are you—"
Mamoru spun around for good measure. Ami buried her face in her hands as the party she was with could only stare. "Oh dear," she said, second-hand embarrassed.
"Mamo-chan, put me down," Chibiusa hissed, trying to push her future father away. Mamoru set her down and patted her head fondly.
"But you look so beautiful, Chibiusa!" He added in a wink. Haruka and Rei, seeing the wink, abruptly turned around and made for the other direction. "Haruka and Rei are here, too!"
The two of them cringed before they plastered on smiles and whipped around.
"Hi, Chibiusa."
"Hey kid, lookin' cute!"
"So," Mamoru said too cheerfully as he turned his grin onto Jun (all the while completely ignoring Shuu, Touma and Ryo, as they were not the ones who had their arms around his future daughter), "who's your friend?"
"Oh, hey," Shuu said, daring to speak up before Jun could say anything damaging. This man was completely different from the charismatic guy he and Touma had met at the pastry shop. "Chiba, right?"
"Oh, hello, Shuu, Hashiba!" Mamoru's hand continued to mess up Chibiusa's hair as he exuberantly waved with the other. Ryo wondered who the hell he was. "You two know Ami as well?"
"We did meet at the recital," Touma said unhelpfully as he caught Rei's eye. He gave her half a smile, one she either ignored or didn't see. He wanted to think it was the latter.
"The recital?" Haruka raised her eyebrows. So these were the goons? Darn, she had been hoping that Ami had been caught in the act of secretly flirting with all the boys. That was still on her bucket list of things to do before her baby was born—Catch Mizuno in the Act. "As in my recital?"
"Oh," Shuu said, lifting a finger as he recognized her. Ryo tilted his head and Touma blinked. "Yeah, your recital."
"Wow, what a small world!" Mamoru said over enthusiastically. "How about this fella, your friend, who's he again, Chibiusa?"
Jun had no idea who the strange old man assaulting his girlfriend was. He scowled, taking Chibiusa by the hand and pulling her near him. "She's my girlfriend, you pervert."
Five seconds passed, in which Ryo, Touma and Shuu dearly wished that Shin, Nasuti and Seiji hadn't gone to buy more tokens for the goldfish game, just so they could see Jun's life go down the drain—especially when Mamoru turned whiter than the moon hanging in the sky.
"I can't tell if he's mad about the girlfriend thing," Haruka said to Rei in a hushed voice, "or the pervert thing."
"Why not both?"
"I don't think he has the capacity to handle both."
The two of them turned to see Mamoru's hands twitch.
"Good thing they don't sell roses here," Rei said, holding her hand out. Haruka slapped her a subtle high five.
"Mamoru," Ami finally decided to intervene, feeling sorry for the kid who had no idea what was going on. "This is Yamano Jun, Chibiusa's boyfriend."
Mamoru turned to Chibiusa, whose eyes were fixed on her feet. "Chibiusa, is this true?"
"Yes," Chibiusa said very quietly, seeming to shrink in her yukata.
"Whose business is it anyway who she dates?"
Touma, Ryo and Shuu all wondered how Jun became such a dumb kid.
"Jun, cut it out," Chibiusa mumbled, pulling on his sleeve. "Leave it alone."
"What? Chibi, who is this guy?"
"My—brother," Chibiusa said weakly. "My sister's boyfriend, but basically my brother."
Damn right, Mamoru's face seemed to say. "Does Usagi know you have a boyfriend?"
Panic instantly seized Chibiusa as Ryo mused over how much smaller the world was going to get. "No, and you're not going to tell her!"
"She'll find out eventually, Chibiusa," Rei piped up. All eyes turned to her.
"Oh, hey," Jun suddenly said, his expression clearing into a smarmy grin at Rei. He winked at her. "You're that hot fortune teller!"
Ami looked up to the night sky. She had done what was in her power to help the boy from a great deal of suffering, but apparently some could just not be helped. She pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head regretfully. Shuu noticed her expression of despair. Then he noticed Rei's expression of murderous intent and, even though it would have been entirely amusing to see, took pity on Jun.
"So, hey," Shuu swiftly interjected before Rei could wrap her fingers around Jun's neck, "is Ami here single? Because she's refusing Touma's each and every compliment."
"W—what?" Touma choked out, eyes wide. He hadn't even spoken to the girl all night! He turned to share with Ami an exasperated look, only to find her bright pink and burying her face behind her hands again. Great. Ryo, very helpfully, started laughing, knowing that Touma had no idea how to handle the situation (hell, he had no idea how he would handle it if he himself were in that position). "Mizuno, that's not true at all, I wasn't hitting on you—"
"You have no taste, then," Haruka said smoothly, pulling Ami into her grasp in one motion. Ami thought that she would have been used to Haruka's shameless charm—except for the fact that she really wasn't. She yelped, grabbing onto Rei's sleeve. "More for me, I suppose."
"How does Michiru stand you?" Rei asked, pulling her sleeve away from Ami, who flailed a bit in Haruka's arms.
"Ha—haruka—"
"Oh, Michiru and I don't stand when we're together, we—"
Haruka suddenly stopped talking. At first, Mamoru thought that she had remembered there were children (his little girl and that demon child) around. Then, as he felt the wind blow a chill through his spine, he realized what caused her to stiffen. He let a small smile warm his expression as he sucked in a breath. "Come on, Chibiusa, let me treat you and your boyfriend to a snack."
Chibiusa stared up at Mamoru. It was that look in his eyes, again, that made her remember why she always wanted to visit the past. Mamoru had always been polite (albeit a little cold), but she had been taken in by his hidden instinct to care for those close to him. She smiled back at him, knowing full well that the abrupt change in his mood was due to Something Else—but she was thankful nonetheless, even if Jun looked like he would rather swallow a goldfish live. "Okay. Touma, Shuu, Ryo, are you guys coming?"
"Oh, we're fine, thank you."
A very diplomatic answer—one that had Haruka give the three of them a glance-over. Mamoru nodded at them before sighing at the two teenagers. "Let's go."
Touma watched them head towards the fried banana stand. He was not blind; he saw the way Haruka and Mamoru both had grown tense, just as he had felt a chill run down his own spine. He also noticed Haruka scanning the crowd with perceptive eyes. Was she a Sailor Senshi as well? It would explain her acquaintance with those other girls, as well as Kai'ou Michiru's involvement on the roof of the theater. He decided to act. "Is something wrong?"
"No, why do you ask?"
That was Ami. Touma was almost surprised by the thoughtful look in her eyes as she smiled at him. He had seen that look when she was reading Shuu's palm, and also when she and Shin were bonding over palm analysis. "You just seem tense, that's all."
"So do you."
A small, innate part of Touma also realized that he saw the same gaze when he looked into the mirror. Maybe he should have been hitting on her, he thought dumbly as he glanced away. It was Ryo, however, who answered her challenge. "We felt it, too, we know you guys are—"
"Oh WOW isn't that great," Shuu interrupted loudly, pointing at the sky. Someone had launched a lantern into the sky; it floated, lonely, bright against the cold backdrop it flew in.
Rei, despite herself, looked. She watched as the lantern pittered on its path to the full moon. She tuned the world out, ignoring Haruka accusing Ryo of, well, accusing them of lying (and if Ryo had known that Haruka was a woman, he probably would have gracefully backed down from a fight). Instead, she wondered—when was the last time she did a fire reading? Two years ago, that would have been her first instinct. The instant they encountered a new enemy, she would have been in the prayer room until her eyes could no longer stay open. The very second she woke up from her recurring dreams (premonitions—nightmares?), she would have rushed to the scared fire for guidance.
But now... Peace had led her intuition to believe in false hope.
The lantern was now nothing more than a faint speckle in the sky. Rei turned her attention back to the group, not at all surprised to see Haruka in Ryo's face. "You want to take me on, pretty boy?" she was saying.
Ryo glared right back, tilting his chin up. "You really want to fight over something this petty?"
"Petty or not, I can make you cry."
"Step away from me."
And, very predictably to Ami and Rei, Haruka pressed her hands on Ryo's chest and shoved. Ryo stumbled back, barely, before he sprung back up and shoved her right back. Touma and Shuu both grimaced, but they couldn't blame him; if they had been in his position, they would have done the same.
Before Haruka could retaliate, however, Rei grabbed the back of her yukata. "Is now really the time to be picking fights? There's an evil presence nearby."
"Evil presence?" Shuu smiled uncertainly. Sure, he had also felt that foreboding feeling, but he had no idea how much she knew. "You know that you were a fake fortune teller, right?"
"She's a priestess," Ami said hurriedly, playing with the cord of her purse. So much for pretending to be normal, she thought. Still, she tried one last ditch effort to save their secret. "It's probably nothing, Rei—"
But Rei had enough of pretending that Crystal Tokyo was right around the corner. She had enough of ignoring her nightmares, of playing ignorant to her foresight. She tightened her grip on Haruka. "Ami, you know it's not nothing."
"Quit scolding me, Hino," Haruka finally grumbled as Ami sighed in defeat. She shrugged easily out of Rei's grip, casting Ryo an annoyed glance and cracking her knuckles. "I won't hurt the poor guy."
Ryo's lips tightened, but he looked at Rei as he spoke. His fingers gripped the yoroi ball he had in the fold of his obi. Her gaze seemed too serious for him to believe that the priestess's instinct was nothing. "What are you—sensing?"
For the moment, the two of them forgot about the game their parties were playing. Ryo didn't care if she was a Sailor Senshi, and Rei didn't care if he suspected them. There was something amiss in the air; how could they be concerned with secret identities when it felt as if evil were breathing right on their necks?
But before she could answer—a firework burst into the air, right where a gaping hole suddenly appeared. The lights glimmered, playing off the metal armor of the youja soldiers that piled out of it. No one seemed to notice at first, until a youja soldier grabbed a little boy and threw him into a stand. At once chaos ensued; civilians started screaming, pushing each other as they tried to run from the growing crowd of youja soldiers.
"Shit," Ami said, fumbling with her purse; Haruka almost choked. "We need to help everyone evacuate."
"A—Ami, you have to—it's bleep—"
"You should get to safety yourself," Ryo said, pulling out the yoroi ball. He saw Touma and Shuu do the same. Ami didn't even bother arguing with him as her eyes zoned in on their hands; she took Rei by the arm.
"Come on, we need to make sure Usagi's alright."
"That's my only request," Shuu said playfully, nodding his head at them. Touma said nothing as he focused on the hole in the sky.
"Right." Rei swallowed as she turned on her heel. Her eyes held onto Ryo's for another second. "Be careful."
He didn't say anything back, but he didn't need to—for some reason, they trusted each other. The moment was quickly lost as Ami tugged on her arm again. The Troopers didn't wait to watch the two join the fleeing crowd; Ryo leapt in the air, throwing his yoroi ball. His subarmor swallowed him warmly before he held out his arms. "Buso Rekka!"
"Buso Kongo!"
"Buso Tenkuu!"
And there it was. Familiar and unfamiliar—their armors, old and at the same time new. It hadn't even been a year since they received the armors, but the memory of Suzunagi was bitter, sweet—and fading. Ryo paused only to flex his fingers before he glanced at Shuu and Touma. "Let's go."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Shuu said, springing into the foray before Touma could even respond.
"Well, bleep," Haruka said, watching them as they openly charged into battle. Touma was firing off arrow after arrow as the other two slashed and smashed away. She scratched the back of her head, staring at the big gaping hole. It hung over the festival, ominous, foreboding. It was also a few fifty feet in the sky. "How the bleep am I going to close that up?"
an and so the plot unfolds! sort of. anybody confused yet? haha ;;
for the record… i am not a big fan of the message ova, and while i would like to pretend it doesn't exist, I do think the new armors look pretty badass. also! i do realize that if timelines were consistent, the troopers would be 5 years older than the senshi. let's say, for the sake of my sanity in keeping track of all of this, that they're all the same age, and that arago taking over shinjuku happened when the inner senshi went to go have tea time with the D&G girls and beryl.
thanks for reading!
