Moon Soldier Revolution
A/N:Thank you again for the increasing story alerts, favorites, and now C2s! I'm happy for that! I'd sure like more reviews though, not to sound selfish. :-( But anyways, someone mentioned that this was getting a little boring. I'm sorry, but things are leading up to such climaxes and you have to climb the ladder first before you can even think about reaching the top. Hopefully, you'll be sated a little with this chapter. I was a little more eager to write this one now that most of the main characters were introduced to the heroine. I hope that you enjoy this chapter and give me feedback through reviews. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. (P. S : To answer a certain someone's question, this FF is based on both the anime and manga. Though if I do say so myself, it seems to more relate to the anime than the manga. But the manga version takes up a chunk this story too!)
X----------X
Chapter 9 - "Un-Blind to Disguised Forces"
X-----The Dark Kingdom-----X
"Damn." Beryl cursed under her breath, grasping the arms of her stony throne chair. Her anger and irritation steadily rose, burning to the roots of her fiery red hair and then to the very split ends of it. "Damn the Senshi! May they be smited by my future wrath!"
She sat in her cold, murky throne room. It was lit by eerie fires circling the entire area, excluding the very back where her loyal youmas huddled together. They did not prefer the light when they could be basking in darkness, and awaited the time they would be chosen for spreading destruction and mischief. Aside from them, everything was mostly cast in shadows. Not a single ray of natural sunlight existed in the room. The atmosphere was chilling and unfriendly, tainted with wicked malevolence. Ancient, crumbling, marble pillars supported the ceiling above, and the floor was both cracked and indistinguishable. It was all dark and ruins, her perfect kind of environment.
"Those intrusive, meddling brats!" She sneered, mentally picturing the four interferences of justice, clad in their bright and colorful uniforms. Always, they attempted to foil her plans. They won against the efforts of her generals, slowing down her invasion process. At the rate things were currently going, she could finally have the universe in another half-decade or so.
But that would not do!
She could not let this go on and on. The Senshi would have to be destroyed in the near future, very soon. Without them in the way, she could move on without any flaws. However, their powers were considerable. Perhaps she could lead them to darkness? They could be guided to serve her and the Dark Kingdom, despite how problematic the course of action would be. Surely, they would be quite stubborn. Maybe they could be just like her indoctrinated generals? The pondering went on in her head, separating the pros and cons of the idea. It was a decent self-suggestion, but questionable as well...
"Your highness," A voice interrupted her mental deliberation, another presence in the throne room.
Beryl lifted her head up at the disruption, not too happy to be interrupted. At once, she spotted her loyal, second-in-command general kneeling down on a single knee at her feet.
"Forgive my intrusion, my queen." Zoisite lowered his head apologetically. "I have an important report to you."
She nodded in acknowledgment of him. "What is it Zoisite?"
He answered, "It is...Queen Metalia. She has asked that you return to her presence."
She froze at his reply, not sure if she heard correctly. "Queen Metalia? You are sure?"
"I would not lie to thy one and only." He assured, lowering his head some more. "She awaits you, and asks that you carry the Black Crystal along as well."
Beryl looked directly at her second general, loyal and more intelligent than the last that had served her, than Nephrite. He was smart not to deceive her. "..." She waited a moment, then stood and summoned the Black Crystal from the Dark Kingdom's sub-space. "You may go, Zoisite. Your services are valued."
He stood from his kneeling place and bowed respectfully before taking his leave to the throne room. Once he was gone, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, concentrating only on the air around her. In a matter of short seconds, her senses tingled momentarily. She opened her eyes again, finding herself in the desolate chamber of Queen Metalia, who did not take a physical, human form, but whose entity was sealed into a dark orb instead, separate from her own orb.
The chamber was even more bleak and gloomy than her own throne. It was twice as uncomfortable and made her quite hesitant even. There were no youmas there, no nothing. Only the dark orb at the center of the chamber existed.
"It is you, Beryl." spoke Queen Metalia's wispy voice, her red and orange essence materializing in the orb.
Beryl bowed and held out the Black Crystal in her hand. "You wished for my presence, Queen Metalia. I have brought the Black Crystal, formed from stolen energy by third-command General Nephrite."
"Perfect, Beryl. I have an important commission for you to assign to your loyal generals. Step forward and give me the crystal."
She nodded without the slightest sign of hesitation. "Yes, Metalia." She went forward to the heart of the chamber, to the dark orb. She extended an arm and dropped the Black Crystal above the sphere-shaped object. It floated in place at first, then sunk low into the orb until it was no longer touchable from the outside.
Queen Metalia's essence began to change colors inside. First, it was red. Then it was orange and yellow, followed by green and the rest of the rainbow colors ordered with R-O-Y-G-B-I-V. Each of the colors flashed brightly inside the little glass ball, irritating Beryl a bit. It reminded her much of the Senshi. But with a final flash of black, the Black Crystal protruded from the dark orb again.
"Take it Beryl. I have modified the crystal."
Without an answer, she took the crystal in her hand again, now feeling an icy cold. It looked the same to her, but felt a tad different. Holding it within her palm, she distinctly felt a faint pulse of new power from the Black Crystal. "What have you done Queen Metalia?"
The entity answered to her with a delighted cackle, "Do you remember the Silver Crystal that maddening Moon queen possessed?"
A memory of Queen Serenity's image appeared in her head. She recalled the flowing, silver hair of the good queen, the twinkle in her eyes, and the cursed crescent on her pale forehead... The picture sickened her. She scorned at it. "I do."
"Good. I am sure you are aware of its immense power, then?"
She paused for thoughts about it. The Silver Crystal was an all-powerful item. It was the peace to the once abundant Moon Kingdom, the life of the Moon queen herself. Its powers were awesome to the eyes of everyone who knew about it. "...Yes. I remember it."
Queen Metalia cackled again. "Then do you know what has happened to it?"
"...No, I do not." Beryl replied without any contemplation. She never thought about it. She herself believed that it had disappeared with the death of the queen.
"...It still exists, Beryl. Its power has been restored from its last, ultimate use from the Moon queen." She said. "And if you find it, then ultimate power could belong to you. You could obtain whatever you want with it. Anything to your heart's deepest desires."
She took a step back in tad surprise at what she was hearing. "Anything? The entire universe? The rule and expanding the Dark Kingdom?"
"Yes. Only if you find it."
She frowned. "But...but how can the crystal still exist? Queen Serenity is--"
"Did you not know? The queen used much of the Silver Crystal's power to save her loved ones, but she also sealed away the Seven Great Youma, which split the crystal into seven Rainbow Crystals to seal each of them individually. And now, because she did that, your great warriors should be reborn on this Earth as disgusting humans. Within them, they carry the reincarnations of the Seven Great Youma, along with a Rainbow Crystal. If you collect all of the seven crystals together, you will be able to form the one, original Silver Crystal and obtain supreme power...the same power the Moon queen dominated."
Beryl looked back down at the Black Crystal, rendered speechless. She found herself dazed at what could await her in the future with the power of the Silver Crystal. Everything that Queen Metalia described to her took major influence on her, very effectively. It always did. Her cold eyes almost glazed over, being hypnotized with power.
"That Black Crystal, with my modification, now reacts to the human hosts of crytal holders and extracts the inner youma within the human. All you have to do is put the mission up to your loyal and trustworthy subordinates."
She looked up and nodded hypnotically under Metalia's influence, half resembling a zombie. Then she focused and summoned Zoisite, who appeared kneeling before her again.
"You summon me, my queen?" He lowered his head.
Beryl nodded, glancing down at the Black Crystal once more. Queen Metalia's essence glowed behind her encouragingly. "I want you to take the Black Crystal and start your search for the seven Rainbow Crystals."
X----------X
Usagi sighed to herself glumly, her head down on her desk, her cheek pressed against the hardwood surface.
It was Monday morning, her second day at her new school. But as it went with every new kid, the second day was just like the thirtieth and the fiftieth. There wasn't anymore excitement and everyone would go back to normal. It was like she'd been there with everyone since kindergarten.
But that wasn't the reason why she was so "down". She could deal with being a regular again.
Ever since that Saturday afternoon at the Hikawa Shrine, she couldn't help but be paranoid. That eerie wind seemed to follow her everywhere, and she couldn't forget it. It haunted her like a ghost and a grave, and it bothered her very much. When she went back home Saturday, she had been planning to walk. But the tension in her nerves were acting up so much on anxiety, she asked Kunzite to drive her home in their rental car instead. Throughout the rest of her weekend, meaning Sunday, she kept expecting a youma to pop out of nowhere. She couldn't shake off the feeling. It was there, but then again, it wasn't. There was just something odd about that priestess girl and her temple...
"Hey, Usagi. What's going on?" Makoto greeted, slipping into the desk just one from her own. She seemed to have just arrived, and it wasn't usual for Usagi to be at school before anyone else.
"Hrmm..." She kept her head on her desk, continuing her gaze out the window in the classroom.
Makoto frowned as she set her book bag down. "Usagi? Is there something wrong?"
"...Not really. It's nothing." She sighed, wishing that were really the case.
The brunette took a good look at her and raised a perfect eyebrow. "That's not what I see here. There's obviously something bothering you. Did something happen or something?"
Usagi shrugged. "No...it's just stress I'm trying to get over. That's all. It's not anything important."
"...Are you sure?" She asked again. "Because you don't look so--"
"Hey, did you guys here about that freak spotting last night?" the loud voice of a fellow classmate drowned out everyone else's in the classroom. Basically, he began preaching news like an anchorman on the news channel. "It was on the news report this morning! They said there was some kind of mysterious figure lurking the Sendai Hill area! It's not certain if it's a person or animal, but it's definitely not usual!"
Usagi stood up without thinking, like her mind suddenly took control on its own accord. "Did you say Sendai Hill? Like where that Hikawa Shrine is?"
The random peer whose name she didn't know nodded. "Yeah. The strange place where those ESP people live. I was guessing that maybe they summoned some kind of evil spirit of ghost to scare away people from their temple or something."
"ESP?" She repeated with a following frown. But Makoto and Ami both stood simultaneously before she could question another word.
"Hey!" Makoto jabbed a finger in the air directed at the preaching classmate, not looking too happy. "You shouldn't be jumping to conclusions like that! You don't even know those people!"
Ami agreed defensively, though timidly, as she always seemed. "For your information, the people taking care of the temple are very kind. They banish evil spirits. So why would they summon them? That wouldn't make any sense."
"Three letters," He shot back, crossing his arms in opposition to their defense. "E-S-P. If they have that kind of power, why wouldn't they use it? That's what doesn't make sense."
Makoto growled. "You don't know anything! I bet you haven't even been to the temple! You base your facts on rumors and the lies broadcasted on TV--"
"All right, that's enough." Haruna-sensei's dead tone boomed above the quarrel, giving everyone else the chills. She crossed her arms and straightened up her posture, looking the most professional in her knee-length, casual business skirt and matching hot pink blazer than she had ever been that whole year so far. "Kino-san, Hashimoto-san, your disruptive behavior in class is intolerable, even so early in the morning. That is not the kind of disrespect the schools abides. What do you have to say for yourselves?"
The two bowed in required apology. "Gomenasai, sensei."
She nodded, still looking stern. "However, regardless of your apology, you are both admitted for detention in my class after school today. Now, remain silent for the remaining class time."
Makoto knew she couldn't object, glaring at Hashimoto from across the room. She sat back down in her seat, while Usagi felt sympathetic for her. But her compassion was only semi. Her mind was busy raking in the fresh, interesting information she'd just learned.
X----------X
"Sorry, Usagi." the blunette girl apologized, holding her mathematics textbook close to her chest. "I won't be able to go to the arcade with you today. I promised Mako-chan that I would wait out her detention."
Usagi nodded, not as much affected as she would've usually been. "That's okay Ami-chan. I have something to do today anyway."
She smiled. "I hope so. I wouldn't want you to be lonely without us to hang out with you."
"Yeah. See ya tomorrow then, Ami!" She grinned and saluted before leaving her alone to stand by Haruna-sensei's classroom.
Usagi went down the halls and walked along until she found herself outside in the fresh air and bright, afternoon sun. It seemed to be a nice day out.
Too bad she couldn't enjoy it the way she would've preferred.
She gripped the handle of her book bag and continued on to her already-planned destination. The whole day, she had been setting up her future actions in her head, rather than pay attention to her lessons. It was actually a shame that the teachers wasted their breath every week, believing that even half their students gave a care for their lectures.
Aside from that, however, she had decided that she would do a bit of "Sailor" business for the afternoon. It was the only way she was going to cure her severe case of paranoia, which was just eating her alive from the inside. She still could not handle being so insecure, barely able to hold up the responsibilities of Sailor Moon. Yet, it had already been nearly a year since her heroine "awakening", and she was still standing on her two feet, even if her legs shook and wobbled every now and then.
"Meow..."
Usagi stopped in her tracks, close to reaching the road that she would have to cross to leave the school campus.
"Meow?"
She whipped her head around at the familiar sound of the domestic, feline animal. She was right too, finding the little critter sitting down on the concrete a single American-metric foot behind her--which was pretty close in a viewing sense. It was a grown cat, having a coal black coat of fur that attracted the sunlight and also unusual, deep, crimson red eyes. It was all the norm of an average cat--except for the odd, yellow, crescent moon above its eyes. It looked as if it were some strange tattoo burned onto it.
"Meow?" The cat cocked its head, staring at her directly.
Usagi smiled and bent down to squat, getting a better perspective on the animal. "Hello little kitty. You look so cute!"
It stared at her, then straightened up and stood on all fours, nearing closer to her until she could act on physical contact.
"Aww, you're sweet. My name's Usagi." She lifted a small hand and ran it against the cat's soft back. Repeatedly, she pet the little animal with her own hand for a minute or so. The cat purred affectionatley in response, leaning closer and rubbing its head against her knee. "What's your name, kitty?"
It only purred at her gentle touch. "Meow..."
She smiled and pulled her hand back after another few seconds. She stood up from her crouch and turned her back on the animal, continuing on her way. "See ya, kitty. I've got some business to take care of."
It was off to Sendai Hill, Hikawa Shrine.
X----------X
"So where are those new guys?" asked his blonde-headed best friend, glowing in good spirits as usual.
Mamoru stared down at the warm boat of french fries he had ordered earlier. He wasn't even sure he was hungry anymore. "I don't know. I think that Zoisite went to go check out the local library, maybe."
"Well aren't they new friends of yours?" Motoki raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.
He shrugged, deciding to take a bite of a small, crisp fry.
The arcade was the same as ever. The same old kids and teens hung around, the same atmosphere settled for a hang out environment...it was the same as when he had first set foot in the place. Now, at least twice a week he would visit the Game Center Arcade. Today was one of those days. He needed a good break cool-off anyway, after the dream he had had last night.
Motoki grabbed his attention again before he could further mull over it. "How was school today then? The same old studies and everything? Good grades?" He appeared so optimistic, the carefree blonde.
"Yeah. Physics and Algebra." He nodded. Motoki seemed to know him so well, and yet he knew so little. The truth was that Motoki only knew the surface of him, the outside, the facade he created to mask the dangers of what was within him. He did, however, know a little of his true colors, but not much. Motoki was his first real friend in a good while, but he couldn't even confide in him for his most significant problems and issues, which led him to lean towards the thought that he didn't have a single friend in the world sometimes. "Same old, same old."
The counter-worker smiled at him, wiping off the cash register beside him with a fresh rag. "Just think. You'll be going to college next school year, just like me. And one day, you're gonna be successful. I'm gonna be a medical doctor, and you..."
"A lonely, confused man." Mamoru finished for him with apathy. "Believe me. That's how I see myself. That, or death."
He frowned at his negative response. "You talk like the first time me and you both met, distant and depressed. What's wrong with you today?"
"..." He didn't know how to answer, because he didn't know the answer either. "It's nothing. I'm sure it's nothing."
Motoki looked at him with clear doubt and suspicion on his face. But before he could question him further on his matters, Mamoru changed the topic. "So how's it hitting off with Reika-san lately?"
He didn't take the subject-switch too easily, but he went along with it anyway. Damn was he sharp. "She's good. Her studies in Nairobi are going well. She mentioned it in the last letter."
"Is she coming to visit any time soon?"
"...I don't know. She never really brings that up unless she's certain, so I guess not."
He looked at him, seeing his innocent green eyes. Always, he envied the lightheartedness of him. "Aren't you missing her, Motoki? Are you really standing through it well?"
"...Frankly, I miss her more than anything." He replied with utmost honesty, flicking away a tiny, crisp fry hidden at the corner of the counter. But his expression did not morph into any extreme form of sadness. Maybe it was a little, but not enough to express his confession. "But I vowed that I would always wait for her and my feelings would never waver. So I'm always able to stand up confidently on that. Why do you ask?"
Mamoru, not really surprised by his answer, yet touched, shook his head. "Nothing. I was just...nothing."
The blonde raised an eyebrow curiously, almost as if mentally egging him on with what he was going to say.
But he only shook his head, pushing his boat of untouched fries away from him and slipping off the stool seat at the counter. "I'm gonna go. I'll just head off home early."
"...All right then." Motoki nodded without objection or protest. He had been around Mamoru long enough to tell when he should be best left alone. Today must've not been his day, not a very good one at least.
"See you around." He waved a hand, taking his book bag from another stool seat before heading to the front, glass doors of the arcade game center. As he left, he wondered if he had been a little uncouth just getting up and leaving like that. Should he have divulged a little something after all? Maybe Motoki was disappointed that he didn't spill a single thing, when obviously there was something bothering him written all over his face? Maybe...maybe he just regretted everything he did like some kind of drama queen? His thoughts were suspended just as he made it outside to the pedestrian pavement and someone ran into him, slamming right into his chest.
"O-Oh! I'm so sorry!" came a feminine voice, oddly familiar straight off the bat.
He stepped back just as a blonde head retreated from his personal space--only to recognize the blonde head as quickly as it had come to mind. It stood out so obviously, it sounded like he were lashing her out. But then and there, he felt the words escape his lips before anything else could happen. "Fancy bumping into you here, cow-tails. Or rather, not."
"Huh?" The girl's head shot up faster than lightning, eyes widening when she realized that it was he who she'd ran into.
"You still haven't changed that tacky hairstyle of yours?" He made a face of disapproval. "Do you know how much your standing out? I bet I could see you a hundred miles away."
Her eyes went from huge to narrowed in a split second. "Urgh! Why do I have to see your face today?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You tell me. I was here first."
"You..." She growled at him, blue eyes flaring in quick vexation. But after another second, she only grumbled under her breath and took a step forward, walking around him without another glance. "I don't have time to be wasting time talking to jerk wads like you today! I'm busy enough as it is, so there isn't any use to waste breath!"
"Hm?" Mamoru watched as she stalked off. For a moment, he wondered what could she be busy with? But as randomly as it had slipped into his mind, it slipped out again. He stood there observing, the new girl soon disappearing from sight as she rounded the nearest corner ten yards away.
X----------X
"Stupid, baka, jerk..." Usagi couldn't stop her resentful mumbling. Having run into a certain "jerk" was not planned, and it did not make her afternoon any better.
Still, she ceased the bitter thoughts of him about a good ten minutes later. She didn't have it in her mind to be mentally complaining over him when there might be more serious matters to be mulling over. As soon as she found the numerous, concrete steps of the Hikawa Shrine, just as she had seen it two days before, she had her mindset towards Sailor business. And how could she not? That same, eerie feeling attacked her senses at the same time she set foot on the first step up.
But unexpectedly, there seemed to be a difference from before. It seemed colder. It was more uncomfortable and felt...darker in a sense. The only thing that felt to be the same was her suspicion. But even that increased as she continued up the flight.
She reached the top before long, finding the temple area occupied with a few handfuls of people more than her last "visit". There were a few kids running around and sticking with their parents, while some middle school and a few high school students were just randomly hanging out. Observing the scene, she suddenly remembered what that priestess, Rei, had said Saturday.
"Oh yeah, what would you be doing around the temple anyway? Visits aren't available today. It's a resting day."
She raised a slightly curious eyebrow. So today was an allowed visiting day? At the thought, she realized how convenient it was, rather than a problem. With some other people around, she wouldn't look that much suspicious sneaking around. It was a benefit, as opposed to a flaw in the plan--if there really was one. She'd pretty much played it by ear just by going there.
"Oh, wow. It's Hino-san!"
"I wish she'd look this way. She's totally my type!"
Usagi whipped her head around at the voices, finding a group of school-student guys gazing over in one direction. She followed their line of sight and realized that it was Rei they were staring at. Rei looked just the same as she did on Saturday, wearing those long, loose miko robes. But today, she was holding a stack of pamphlets and handing them out to the visitors. Another guy, wearing the same robes in a sky blue and white, seemed to be her partner in passing out pamphlets. He had slightly long, shaggy, brown hair and an averagely-handsome face. There was a stubble on his chin, giving his appearance a boost up on his age, and his skin was a light shade of tan.
"Hm? Is that you Usagi-san?" Rei "the lovely temple maiden" seemed to have spotted her before she could begin her "snooping" around the place.
She waved as the priestess girl walked towards her, seeming to purposely ignore the group of male "fans" who were trying to get her attention on her way over.
"Uh, Rei-chan, you know..." Usagi frowned and jerked a thumb over at the somewhat creepy guys.
Rei rolled her eyes. "They're just a bunch of no-good idiots. I have to deal with getting them to leave every visiting day."
She looked over as the guy with the shaggy hair stalked his way towards the "fan" group in annoyance. "Who's that guy?"
She glanced in the same direction for a split second, then turned back. "He's a recent trainee here at the temple. But ever since he got here, he's been shooing those idiots away for me." She paused to move a lock of hair behind her ear and then asked, "So what are you doing here anyway Usagi-san? I knew I felt your weird prescence just a moment ago."
"Uh..." Usagi gulped. Nephrite wasn't here to make excuses for her now. "Well, I..."
"Did you want a tour or were you going to make a donation?" She asked, handing a pamphlet to her from her stack. "Some healthy info?"
"A tour?" She shook her head at the pamphlet.
Rei nodded. "Uh, yeah. I guess I could give you a tour around since you're new and everything."
Maybe the tour could be to my advantage in investigation? She nodded in response, grinning as a masked impression. "Of course! I need a tour!"
She raised an eyebrow at the sudden "eagerness", but agreed to it. "Okay. Just go wait for me, and I'll get you. I have to finish passing out these pamphlets before closing time in about an hour. We're closing up early today because of all those weird reports about mysterious figures around the premises of the shrine, so I hope you can wait."
Usagi froze, recalling the event from earlier that morning. The unnerving feeling was really getting to her. "Are those mysterious figures really real?"
"..." Rei stared down at the ground and shrugged. "I doubted it at first, but I changed my views on it. I only thought it was some asinine prank, but there could be a possibility..." She trailed off, unfortunately. Usagi was hoping to hear more on it as much as she could. But then she jerked her head up with a more solemn expression on her face. "Look, don't tell anybody who doesn't already know about this. My grandfather is already frustrated with the drastic decrease in visitors today. There are usually more around, but with the latest rumors..." She sighed and went off, returning to her work with the pamphlets without another word.
Usagi didn't stick around to waste time, but Rei seemed to be more stressed than she made her grandfather sound. It was something to be concerned about, but she remembered the fact that there was a youma-like presence there at the temple area somewhere. It was somewhere, and unfortunately, everyone was a suspect. There had to be a source, and she couldn't be wrong, even is she was beginning to feel like it was all nothing. She could sense it...and it was starting to feel more malicious.
X----------X
Zoisite couldn't help but feel so smug of himself.
Ahead of Nephrite, ahead of that useless Jadeite, it was he Queen Beryl had chosen for a vitally important task. It was he who was entrusted with such a mission involving the legendary, famous Imperium Silver Crystal. Yes. Of course, who would be in charge? None other than Second-command General Zoisite himself?
He stood at the bottom of a very long flight of plain, concrete steps, located at the main source of the current world's energy--Japan. They led up to a pathetic temple at the top, where people would go respect and donate their currency just to keep the useless sanctum up and running. He knew this quite knowledgeably for someone who did not give a single care for a temple. The only one he would ever worship and serve was his queen, the queen of the Dark Kingdom--Queen Beryl.
For a few days had he been observing, watching over the little area called "Sendai Hill" that seemed to discharge so much energy. Ever since he was granted his new mission, he had been on it like a hound and its sharp nose. He had started off his search for a Rainbow Crystal host by looking in a place where much energy was floating around. This very temple had come up detected first, which was both convincing and unbelievable at the same time. But believable or not, he had to do all he could to locate and retrieve all seven of the Rainbow Crystals he was instructed to.
At the moment, he had had no choice but to wear a disguise out of his normal, general attire. If not, then he would be standing out. Enemies could show up anytime to recognize him and foil his first attempt on his new mission, not that he couldn't defeat the infuriating Sailor Senshi--so far the greatest threat to the Dark Kingdom, but not for long. He awaited the day that those pestering brats would finally be annihilated. It would be very soon.
Zoisite looked up at the sky above, mentally noting that it was soon to dusk in human intervals. He smiled wickedly to himself. "Time for investigations again."
He didn't waste time to physically walk all the way up the steps to the temple beyond, using teleportation through a sub-space dimension instead. In only a few seconds, he appeared at the top, deserted from the regular visitors at "closing time", or so it was called by the charming priestess that cared for and lived at the temple area. There was no one there, aside from the temple's keepers.
He didn't hesitate to teleport again, inside the temple this time. It was sure to be empty, as it had been for the past few days, but there was so much energy that was collected there. He couldn't help but be hopeful and check anyway. Once inside, he was not surprised to find it was just the same as ever. There wasn't anything new, not a thi--
"Urgh..."
What? His head shot up, spotting another human figure standing at the end of the temple. It was a single girl, young and youthful. But she was not the familiar temple maiden that he had seen before. It was someone else, with long blonde hair in strange pigtails and big blue eyes, clad in the recognizable school uniform he'd seen other female visitors wear. She was another visitor. But it was closing time. What is she--? He didn't bother to continue uselessly asking himself questions. It wasn't safe to be sneaking around if there were still visitors around, and especially if it were that priestess girl alone. She had strange psychic talents that could detect his alien presence.
He took a last look at the unknown girl, who seemed to be having a fit with herself. Strange. She was clutching her chest for some reason. But he didn't stay to watch further on. He teleported out of there before she could notice him, before anyone else could notice him.
