Disclaimer: I sniffle from behind bars since Grumpy Police Officer is making me stay here...

A/N: Yay, what awesome reviewers I have! Thank you so much to: rogueishLeia, lifestream aerith, Double G, Amber, Jay-z, SailorMia, LilyFlower0769, Lady Razeli, Piwi, jasmineflower001, and merangelgal.

Saving Bonds of Love

Rated T

Part 7: "Sea My Pain"


Looming out of the darkness, three youmas were pulling themselves out of the ocean and heading up to shore. They were the ugliest, most vile and grotesque creatures Michiru had ever seen. The youma were a scaly gray color, almost gleaming with some sort of slime like a fish out of water. They bore no eyes, just sockets, and blood was dribbled over it like the youma had been slashed in many places. Tatters for rags hung from them like second skin, the same disgusting gray. Michiru cried out, hand over her mouth. She pulled out her communicator.

"Everyone! Three youmas are heading up the shore; get down here, quick!" Michiru nearly screamed into the frequency transmitter.

If any of them sleeps through this, I'll kill them! the blue-haired warrior thought. She clicked the communicator's clasp shut, then pulled out her Henshin Rod.

Destiny has caught up with us again; this vacation is officially no longer a vacation, Michiru's inner voice told her sadly. We may try to run, but our true duty is always a Sailor Senshi's first and foremost priority.

Then, she called out the words so familar to her, that she hadn't had to use since what seemed so long ago- the confrontation with Galaxia...

"Neptune Planet Power!"

Swirls of aquamarine hued water swirled up around its diety, casting a light blue glow. It took place in only a matter of seconds, wrapping itself around the girl; morphing her with its power...

Then, in Michiru's place stood Sailor Neptune, Sailor Warrior of the Sea. Neptune climbed up on the balcony railing, and took a great leap. She flew down story after story, hair swishing out behind her until the rough pavement came up to greet her.

"Oof!"

The ocean-diety fighter landed on solid ground unsteadily, gathering up her footing then taking off to the shoreline like a bullet. Her breath came in searing gasps, and the only prominent thought racing through her brain was: Please don't let them be gone; don't let the youmas get to the hotel!.

Fate smiled upon her, for Neptune's prayer was answered- the youmas were only just walking up the sand. Neptune wasted no time in gathering her power into her gloved hands to fire with deadly precision.

"DEEP SUBMERGE!" she screamed, throwing the attack dead-on at the revolting monsters. The three scattered, moving out of the way of the attack. In a burst of teal blue light, the water based attack lodged itself in the sand and exploded furiously.

"Dammit!" Neptune cried as the trio of youma surrounded her. Neptune pulled out her mirror quickly.

If only Uranus were here, we fight better as a team...

"Submarine Reflection!"

The youma froze from the beams, turning white and ummoving. Neptune gathered up her attack.

"Deep Submerge!" she cried, throwing her power at all three with a gasp from the collective energy she'd lost from putting it into her attack. The youma broke apart and in a burst of water, disappeared. Neptune lost no time in noticing this.

"Water again…"

Suddenly, Neptune choked. Hands were enclosed around her neck tightly; slimy ones with blood dripping off them… The red liquid stained Neptune's collar, running down sickeningly and onto her arms. The Senshi pulled on the hands desperately, feeling her breath escaping rapidly as she began to gasp for oxygen.

"Get…off…" she panted, cursing her own stupidity for not seeing the fourth youma. It had probably been ahead of the three she'd seen, or still in the water when she saw the first few. Whichever one, it didn't matter now. All air was slowly leaving her, she couldn't hold out much longer…

"WORLD SHAKING!!"

The golden ball of shocking pressure flew at the youma behind Neptune, who shrieked was flung into the water, dissolving with the sheer force thrown at it. Neptune gave a great sigh, gulping in breaths of cool night air. She turned, and her partner flew down. Sailor Uranus immediately ran at her in worry, the rest of the Senshi trailing down, some a bit more sleepily than others.

"Are you alright?" the sandy blonde asked. Neptune nodded in response, feeling revulsion at the blood running down her collar and dripping to the ground. She de-transformed, and the others followed suit. All gathered around in a wary circle, constantly glancing at the turbulent tides of the ocean. The once placid waters now raged with unseen and inexorable fury, but no new youma rose from its depths.

"What happened, Michiru-san?" Minako inquired nervously, eyes darting to the sea fearfully. Those monsters had been freaky!

Michiru looked up at the hotel before answering. "I had been having a weird dream, perhaps even a premonition, about the ocean. Something evil contaminated it, and when I woke up I decided to get some fresh air and went out onto the balcony. That was when I saw those… those things. I started to fight them…and, well, you know the rest."

She shivered, still feeling the youma's claws upon her neck, deathly cold and dripping with blood.

Ami asked Michiru for the exact details of her dream, recording it into her mini-computer for future reference. Rei was looking pensively out over the ocean, a meditative look gracing her fiery features.

"I wonder… what this connection with the sea and the youma? Surely our new enemy hasn't situated their base out in the sea?" she pondered aloud. Then the raven-haired miko turned to Ami as if for confirmation. The blue-haired pedantic shrugged.

"It's entirely plausible," was her response. Then Usagi let out the famous question:

"But why are they here? What's their motive?"

No one could give a reply.

Makoto yawned.

"I don't think there's going to be anymore youma tonight, and we can't solve it when there's no problem. It wouldn't be good to enter into a fight sleepless!" she put in. The others agreed; there was nothing else they could do.

oOo

The next morning, the Senshi headed down to the beach, this time not for play but for observing. One of the old beach caretakers approached the eleven friends as they reached the edge of the white sand.

"Hello, all. Out for a swim?" he questioned cordially, the face that was wrinkled with age pleasant under the soft blue orbs.

Setsuna shook her head for the others. "No, just here to take it all in. This place is very beauitful."

The man nodded with obvious relief on his old, lined face.

"Thank goodness. A lot of the people who came for an early swim have been taken ill. And other reports are saying that it's when they swallowed the water that it happened. Everyone who's been contaminated just seem to stare into space, like in a trance. It's like they don't see anything at all..."

The Senshi shared knowing, suspicious looks. The man continued on.

"I just don't see how it could have happened! This here is one of the finest, purest parts of the ocean, and now suddenly people are getting sick? Bad business, that's what. I don't know what's got into the water, but I'll be doing a heavy investigation, yes I will!" He gave them all a serious glance. "I wouldn't suggest swimming today. In fact, I'm debating whether to just close the beach today outright!"

"Could we still just walk around here?" Haruka questioned, with the merest hint of impatience deep in her voice. The old caretaker cast them a dubious look, eyes sweeping over each one in turn.

"I suppose," was his thought-out response. Usagi smiled sweetly.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed happily, the first to move forward. The caretaker left the Senshi and all followed their leader. Rei's narrowed onyx eyes expressed concern as she regarded her bubbly friend. After a time, she finally spoke up.

"Usagi, are you alright?" she prompted softly. Everyone turned to look at the fire priestess in disbelief, even Usagi.

"Why, Rei-chan?"

Rei squinted at her a bit, as if trying to detect something.

"You seem… hurt, somehow. You're wincing," her best friend stated, using her psychic power to pick up the changes she felt, most especially in Usagi's aura. "And you look a bit pale."

Usagi laughed it off convincingly.

"I'm alright, really! I just stubbed my toe on the way here, and it really hurts!" she whined. Rei let the subject drop, but knew Usagi was not being entirely truthful. Something seemed out of place with the girl, and not just physically, but Rei couldn't put her finger on it. Even her special abilities could not discover the root.

But something was definitely different.

Michiru bent over at the edge of the shoreline where the water began, splashing some water around with her hands pensively. Immediately, her eye burned and pain pounded in her head like someone was hitting her mind with a sledgehammer. She fell forward, sloshing into the wet depths.

"MICHIRU!" Haruka exclaimed, rushing forward and pulling the weak woman up. Sopping wet, she coughed. The other Senshi ran forward as well, horrified looks on every face.

"Michiru-san! What on earth happened?" ChibiUsa demanded fearfully. Michiru didn't answer for a second, regaining her composure before speaking.

"Once my hands touched the water, my mind felt pervaded with darkness. It hurt so much, especially my eye… Something evil is lurking in the depths of the ocean, and it's contaminating all who drink it," Michiru informed, whispering and panting. "I think I can feel it the most because of my connection with the Ocean. The waters are calling out to me, desperately; they do not wish to be a conduit for evil, a place of sanctuary for the bad. I feel the enemy is deep inside, protected with barriers of upmost protection."

They all shared a worried glance.

Mamoru was looking thoughtful. "Your eye hurt you…? It sounds a lot like Nehelenia's curse."

Usagi shook her head obstinately. "We defeated her, she's not a threat anymore… is she?"

The question hung in the air, until Hotaru finally broke the worried silence.

"Should we…go back now?" she softly inquired, lavender eyes full of concern for her Michiru-mama. They all looked at each other and nodded, and Haruka supported Michiru all the way back up to the hotel.

No one spoke on the slow-going trip; everyone was drowning in their morose thoughts of what this mystery would lead up to.

What was happening to this place of peace?


A/N: Sorry it took me a little while to update, but I'm afraid that starting now, I will have to actually type the chapters. Everything up until now was pre-written. Anyways, thank you so much for reading and the more who review, the faster I update!

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