Cosmic Warriors
Disclaimer: All non-original characters in this story are copyrighted to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei, respectively. I also do not own the mythological beings you'll read about.
Note: I haven't posted a ton of lengthy things yet, but I just realized CW has become my longest story by over 50k words. Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed, or given feedback in other ways and for supporting the story, it really does mean a lot. Additional thanks to SadieSwirl for beta'ing this chapter. Hope you enjoy.
Review Notes - DonovanX: Thanks, that chapter was sort of like a necessary evil for CW. There's a lot of history to be told with this anime, and adding a new batch of characters who need their own history adds more to be explained. I felt like the description of the school was getting tedious in places, but in the end I'm pleased with it. Thanks always for updating the tropes page.
- Lunary: I can't imagine how long or confusing it could have been if I included the rest of the Guard. Yeah, there will be more chapters about the Silver Guard, but they shouldn't be filled with just information like 9. The idea of the Guard and Protectors came from an anime called Blood+, their groups called the Red Shield and The Schiff were like building blocks for me. But originally the Silver Guard was only going to be made up of 12 people. I decided to add one more person and make those 13 a separate group called Protectors, and make the Guard more of an institution with lots of Divisions.
- avesiji: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you enjoy the story so far and how I have worked with the episode plots and the character introductions. :)
CHAPTER TEN - The Warrior of Storms
Saturday, September 26th
"And so it is with absolute certainty I can say the serial killer, known by the public as Hannibal, has been eliminated and is no longer a threat to anyone." The moment Superintendent Sakurada stopped the clamor of reporters started up again.
This impromptu conference needed to be done, but she was still uneasily having microphones shoved in her face, and a million flashing bulbs directed at her.
"Is it true no body was recovered from the scene?"
"Is it true Hannibal was actually a woman?"
"What about the bodies of the children from the spring of 1990?"
"Superintendent, Superintendent!"
"That is all I have to say for now, thank you." Sakurada bowed her head to the crowd of reporters before heading back up the steps into the Metropolitan's office building.
Waiting at the door, Kalla stood poised with a pleasant smile on his face. Sakurada's pleased expression shifted to discomfort as she passed the man. "You better be right about this."
"Three, two, one, begin!"
Warrior Moon felt herself tense up hearing Luna shout again. It had been like that for several hours now throughout this training session with Venus. They started with physical combat this morning at eight in the matted room, after that was evasion training with Rei who fired arrows at the girls. After a while she started lighting the arrows on fire. After that it was strength training followed by live battle experience. The Guard had supplied Luna with creatures called Spores, which were used by the Protectors for combat training.
"You sure they're harmless?" Moon whimpered and looked over the room they were in. It was a wide open space with white square tiles covering the entire floor, walls, and even the ceiling. Fixed into the tiles above were circular lights.
"Harmless enough." Luna shrugged off her question and tapped away at the controls in front of her. Behind the two girls in a sub-room outside the training room Luna was selecting the type of Spores she wanted while Losna and Jarilo watched.
Spores had been a personal creation of Losna's, and the girl was eager to see how they worked in live combat.
"Remember; put what you learned in training this morning into use here." Luna said, speaking into a small microphone that made her voice echo through the tiled room from an unseen speaker.
Venus took in a deep breath as six spaces in the floor ahead of them opened up, revealing dark holes underneath the tiles. From the holes emerged wide grey tanks with glass walls; inside each were what Moon figured to be the Spores.
"Remember what we practiced Moon?" Warrior Venus reminded. Moon nodded and watched as Venus opened her heart disc and then fastened the halves onto her wrists. The chain connecting them dangled between.
The girls were fortunate enough to have weapons that allowed them to attack both from long and close range. Luna suggested they work on their timing to allow one to do strictly melee moves, while the other prepared a finishing blow from a distance.
While Luna typed on the control panel ahead of her, the tanks in the room activated, each one unlocked and the glass walls rolled open.
Out stumbled the Spores, creatures of the male gender with skin white like the tiles in the room. They all wore brown cloaks with the front open, exposing deep groves and scars on their chests. Their faces were completely black, with wide yellow eyes and a dangerous smile. Whatever they were, Spores weren't pretty to look at.
Warrior Venus took off first, sprinting in front of Moon as she headed for the Spore that was stepping ahead of the group. To Moon she looked like a blur of orange zipping from left to right as she came within striking zone. Before the Spore had a chance to react, Venus made a large slice down its torso. The creature instantly burst into a thick collection of green particles.
"Ah! What is that?" Moon called out and looked back to Luna as she tried to fan away the particles.
"This is the form they take after they've taken a certain amount of damage. Nice work Warrior Venus."
Venus grinned behind her mask before she huffed air onto her nails and rubbed them on her suit.
"On your left!" Moon called out, clutching her lance tightly as a Spore was charging for Venus. As it came in close the Spore swung one of its arms at her, at the end of which she could see long claws.
Effortlessly, Venus cartwheeled to the side, smashing another Spore in the face. With her feet back on the ground she held out her arms before knocking her knuckles up against the discs. On the top of each disc a small section opened and from them flew silver chains with sharp metallic cylinders at the end.
Moon gripped her lance tight as she watched Venus rise to her feet and yank on the chains that were now embedded into the body of her Spore victim.
"Too easy..." Venus said and started walking back, tugging on the chains and forcing the groaning Spore to walk with her. "Ready Mooooo-"
Before she knew it. Venus was yanked forward by her chains and was forced against the body of the Spore. In his hands were the chains and Venus stared up at him with wide eyes as he grinned.
"Shit..." Luna said, her voice coming through the intercom as a grainy hiss.
"What?" Moon asked back to Luna again, that wasn't something she wanted to hear. "They're harmless right?"
"Sort of, they're not real monsters, but they were born to fight and will do damage if given the chance." Ilagri answered.
When Moon looked back to the Spore it had its arms wrapped around Venus, too tight for comfort and the remaining four were swarming in on her. Meanwhile the collection of green particles were floating around above them all, slowly heading back into the tank the Spore had come from.
"Uhhh!" Moon hopped from foot to foot, unsure of what to do when she heard Venus cough hard.
"You're running out of time." Losna said coyly.
Moon whined and whipped her lance up in front of her, forcing her energy into the weapon she watched as the tip began to glow. She thought back to the pet shop when the same thing had happened and Iguara's head was lopped off.
"Hoping for a miracle here!" Moon thrust herself forward and felt something shoot from the blade, looking up she saw a pointed ray of light firing from the tip and pierce through each of the incoming Spores. Slowly they stopped moving and began to twitch before their bodies exploded into masses of the same green specs.
Through the haze Moon saw the Spore attached to Venus twitching as her beam had sliced through part of its back. Slipping her arms around the creature's back Venus sliced through its neck and leapt away as it burst apart.
"Nice thinking Warrior Moon." Luna complimented before tapping on the control panel.
"We did it!" Moon cheered, running to Venus.
"Don't celebrate yet!" Jarilo stepped up to the panel and leaned close to the microphone. "Spores are very persistent." Stretching out his hands he went to work, tapping and clicking away on the panel. The tanks opened and began to suck up the rest of the green dust before they closed and inside the mixture began to swirl around. "Hehe, hope you can handle it girls!"
Behind the girls more tiles began to move and from the holes emerged more tanks, this time ten and in the tanks ahead of them the dust took the shape of Spores, this time two had formed in each tank.
Moon spun around and held her lance up as the Spores began to exit their tanks and Venus readied herself for the next wave as well.
"They can multiply?" Moon asked shocked, striking down one as it lunged at her. Moon changed her hand positions, holding the lance upside down and swung it upwards as she danced between two Spores, like she would between hanging laundry, and made long slashes along their chests.
Standing at the ready Moon counted the remaining ones as they began to surround her before the rustling of fabric filled her ears and a thick arm was brought across her throat. The force of impact sent her flying across the room before her body slammed against the wall.
Coughing hard Moon slumped to the floor and rubbed her throat. "No fair!" she rasped. Looking ahead she saw three of the Spores were coming for her, but after a flash of silver the leader was yanked out of line. Glancing to the right she saw Venus surrounded by a large collection of the green haze and was pulling back on the Spore she'd stuck with her chains.
Scrambling to her feet Moon swung her lance wildly, slicing into the two progressing Spores and flew through their green aftermath to stab into another. Moon rashly tugged on her lance to free it as three other Spores were rushing in towards her. Quickly she hit the ground and tossed her lance out ahead of her but before she could crawl away a thick hand wrapped around her handle and began to drag her back into the crowd.
"No no no no no!" She screamed, clawing at the floor and managing to get hold of the lance grip before she was out of reach. Before she could follow what was happening she was held upside down by one of the Spores. "Put me down!" she fidgeted before waving the lance at it, managing with some luck to strike through his thighs. Moon then fell to the ground in a heap of green dust before another Spore hovered over her.
"Moon Blade-" She held the lance above her, charging energy inside the blade before a chain wrapped around the neck of the Spore. The Spore began to hiss and struggle to free itself before half of Venus's heart disc embedded itself into the crown of its head.
"Stay on your guard okay?" Venus reminded as the Spore vanished.
"No problem..." Moon muttered getting to her feet and backing out of the crowd that didn't seem to be getting any smaller. Between two of them Moon could see the orange of Venus's suit charging in and before she knew it the other blonde had landed on the shoulders of a Spore. With ease Venus ran her disc edge along its neck, causing the creature to vanish before she took down two more just as easily.
"She's amazing." Moon muttered before taking down one of her own with a deep stab to the chest.
"Four left, keep going girls." Luna said through the speakers and Moon swung her blade wildly, dispelling two more.
"Venus Heart Attack!" Venus smashed her wrists together, her heart disc reforming into one piece before she hurled it out at the last two targets. The disc broke apart as it flew in close, revealing the razor chain inside. Upon reaching the Spores the chain began to wrap around them. Before her disc tops could connect Venus crouched down and extended her hand, the chain and disc glowing bright orange before disappearing and reforming in her hands.
From behind the staggering Spores Moon spun around with her lance extended, lopping their heads off easily and causing the room to fill with even more green dust.
"We did it!" Moon cheered, looking through the window at Luna for approval. The raven-haired woman only smiled before Jarilo nudged her out of the way.
From the few days Moon had spent with the Protectors, Jarilo was easily among her favorites. After a day of training on Friday the two of them managed to sneak away from HQ and make it to the arcade. Jarilo had brought enough money for them each to play about a hundred games if they wanted to. He even treated her to ice cream sundaes this morning before they got to work. However, if the Protector continued to send more Spores at her it was going to put a damper on their friendship.
As Jarilo finished typing in on the panel the tanks came alive soon after. Each of them drew in the green dust that then reformed into more Spores. Now three were struggling to fit into each tank.
"You're kidding me right?" Venus deadpanned, fastening the disc halves to her wrists again.
"Have fun ladies." Jarilo said.
"They just keep multiplying, how are we supposed to beat them?" Venus asked back to the window only to have the three Protectors shrug at her.
"The tanks." Moon muttered and Venus looked over to her.
"The what? Tanks?"
"That's how those uglies are coming back, if we get rid of them then they can't make any more!" Moon stepped away from Venus and held her lance to the side, charging her energy inside the blade.
"Moon Blade Slash!" With a large swing Moon went spinning around and a white disc of light flew from her blade at the end of its arc and sliced through the tanks. The metallic tops of the tanks hit the ground clattering and the glass shattered, freeing the rest of the Spores.
Venus nodded at Moon's example before turning to the rest of the tanks behind them, watching some Spores struggle to free themselves she hit her wrists together before grabbing the disc as a whole.
"Venus Love Shot." She said sweetly, before hurling the disc out sideways like a Frisbee and as it flew the disc turned into a bright white with an orange outer glow that sliced through the tanks and Spores at a diagonal.
"Excellent job ladies, very quick thinking on your part Miss Moon." Jarilo complimented and the door of room opened, the three Protectors filing in as the holes in the floor opened and the remains of the Spores and tanks fell into them.
"I was getting worried there for a second." Venus admitted as she exited the room with Losna, and Jarilo on her heels. "We would have suffocated in there if they kept multiplying."
"You okay Moon?" Luna asked as she watched the girl seemingly drag herself to the door.
The blonde lifted her mask from her face, exposing a frown and a long face. "She's stronger than me and she's quicker." she grumbled.
"Venus? Well she's been doing this a lot longer than you," Luna assured. "and as far as speed I'm sure you'll catch up."
"No, I mean she's faster at attacking! She had no problem taking off that thing's head." Usagi ran her thumb against her neck and gave a cutting noise her best try.
"Like I said, she's been at this a lot longer, you'll get used to it..."
The girls headed out through the sub-room and into a dim hallway. Minako had reverted back into her civilian clothes, and was trying to hip Losna to some new kind of eye shadow.
"How'd you like training with us, Usagi?" Jarilo asked.
"It's been fun, for the most part." she rubbed her throat where she'd been clothes-lined. "But I have a question, how come Minako can do all kinds of stuff with her weapons. I mean the whip, the disc, the chains, razors. She's got everything in there but the kitchen sink!"
"As you get stronger you'll unlock more abilities and your weapon will change too." Luna answered with a smile. "I told you this already."
Usagi pouted and dropped back against a wall and Minako came over beside her, resting her head on her shoulders. "Don't sweat the small stuff Usagi, your slash attack is really cool and you took down like three of them all at once with that beam." The girls laced their fingers and Usagi smiled before a ringing in her pocket interrupted the moment.
"Oh, whoops." Using her free hand she dug out a small black phone Mani had given her and checked the screen. Makoto's blocky name was flashing across it along with the tiny icon of a phone. "Hey Mako!" She chirped into the device.
"Usagi! I told you the phone is for emergencies!" Luna barked, jaw agape.
Usagi pursed her lips, rolled her eyes, and waved a hand at Luna before heading off down the hall. "No I'm not busy, so what's up?"
"You know how Naru and I went to breakfast this morning?" Her brawny friend said.
"WHAT? Why didn't you invite me?!" The blonde whined.
"Well... I did, but you told me you had other plans."
"Oh yeah." Usagi said absently looking back to the Protectors behind her. "So what about breakfast?"
"She was acting weird. Every guy that came by us she was scared of, even the waiter gave her the creeps." Makoto continued.
"Oh... I guess she's still, you know weirded out by everything." Never before did she think she'd be dealing with something like this, she had no clue how long it would take before Naru was okay, if she would ever be.
"I came up with an idea to help her. I think she needs to learn how to protect herself, plus I know working out and being at the dojo always makes me feel better!"
"The dojo eh? That's the place where people... sweat and stuff?" Usagi said while she nibbled at a hangnail.
"Yeah, but that might be a bit too much. I saw an ad about a new gym called Shapely, thought maybe we could all head over later if you're done with your other thing."
"A gym?" Usagi groaned. The last thing she wanted after spending hours doing Warrior training was to go and workout again.
"C'mon Usagi, do it for Naru."
Usagi's jaw fell open and her head dropped back before she regained composer and sighed into the phone.
"Fine, Shapely it is..." Usagi slid the phone back into her pocket and with heavy shoulders stomped back towards the group. "I need a ride into town."
"I'll take you; I'm meeting Artemis soon anyway." Luna offered and checked her watch. Minako raised her eyebrows in a crazy way with a smile on her face. The two girls had numerous theories on why she and Artemis were so close. "Oh be quiet before I send the Spores after you." Luna grabbed Usagi's wrist and pulled her away and as the blondes passed each other they shared a cunning smile.
After a short trip back through the city Usagi was dropped off at her house where she proceeded to freshen up and change out the clothes she had donned for training.
In a hurry she down a few bowls of a cereal, said her good-byes to her family and set off through the streets towards Shapely, a new gym she hadn't known existed until today.
After wandering around aimlessly and making several calls to Makoto she finally managed to locate the gym, a large four story building near the edge of town. Upon arriving she spotted the faces of her friends through the windows and rushed inside.
"Mako! Naru!" She called out, waving to them as she ran through the sliding doors and stopping at a registration counter.
"You made it!" Makoto said with a smile as they approached her.
"Yeah but... Are you sure we should be here? This gym looks really fancy and expensive." Usagi groaned and looked around, ahead of her was a long counter behind which several employees were working on something. Beyond them was a wall of glass windows through which Usagi could see a private room where a man was doing jumping jacks with a woman. Off to the right monochrome exercise machines were set up in lines that extended to the far wall. Out of line of sight was another part of the room filled with more machines and the elevator and stairs that would lead to the upper floors.
"That's the best part, it's free!" Naru beamed. Usagi raised her eyebrows at her cautiously; Naru didn't seem troubled like Makoto claimed she was.
"I guess you can't beat free." Usagi mumbled to herself as she looked around at the others in the gym, they all looked perfectly in shape to her, not like the people she thought needed to be working out.
"Let's go get changed and then hit the machines!" Makoto said before she led Usagi and Naru across the room and through the collection of machines. On the far wall there were several doors beside each other; above one was the label for the woman's restroom.
While the girls left the room they passed a man on a bench press, dabbing his forehead with a rag. He was dressed in a purple and green track suit as the girls filed out of the room a grin crossed his face. Cupping his face with his hand he tried hard to suppress his laughter. "More prey... Stupid humans, when will they learn nothing costs more than something that's free."
Once the girls had changed into workout clothes, light grey tank tops and blue shorts, they headed out into the main area where they were greeted by the same man in purple.
"Who's he?" Naru asked, cowering behind Makoto who was googly-eyed over the man.
"I'm Jed, nice to meet you. Welcome to Shapely."
"He's gorgeous..." Makoto cooed.
"Come with me ladies, and I'll show you where our beginners can work out." Jed waved a hand at them for them to follow as he headed back across the room and towards an elevator.
Usagi jabbed the elevator up button and waited patiently until the doors slid open for them before filing in.
"You'll be on the second floor, and it's the first room you'll see when the doors open." Jed reached a hand inside and tapped the corresponding button. "Enjoy."
Once Jed was out of sight Makoto fell back against the elevator and caused Usagi and Naru to jump in surprise.
"You okay Mako?"
"He was so dreamy!" The brunette placed her hands on her cheeks and stared off into space.
"Oh please Mako, you think everyone is good looking." Usagi waved her off and waited for the metal box to stop moving before the doors parted. Ahead of them was an empty hallway and directly across was the room Jed spoke of. Each of the girls filed out of the elevator and into the room, noticing the size of it.
"It's huge in here..." Naru whispered, taking in everything.
The room indeed was large; all of the equipment like chin-up bars, bicycles, sets of weights, and other machines were all pushed against the wall. The rest of the room was filled with other people working out. Many were stationed in front of mirrors to watch themselves as they pumped iron, some had taken jump ropes and were in a corner by themselves while others did stretches on the ground.
"Looks legit." Makoto nodded in approval before heading off towards the opposite wall where a punching bag was hanging from the ceiling. "This is my kinda place!"
"What do you want to do first Usagi?" Naru asked hopefully.
Usagi took in a deep breath before dropping her shoulders. "Something easy, I'm pooped."
"I think I'll do... The chin-up bars!" Naru snapped her fingers before she walked off to the equipment, stepping onto a stool before hanging from the bar.
Usagi looked around the room before she dragged herself towards the bikes and hopped onto one. She began peddling slowly as she watched Naru struggle to pull herself up and Makoto give the bag hell.
After spending twenty minutes of fake peddling Usagi gave up the bike for the treadmill, thinking walking would require less work and be less painful on her bottom.
Meanwhile Naru was still working the bar and Makoto was onto sparring with someone. Usagi was busy adjusting her speed when in stormed three large men who looked to be in their thirties. They broke the steady hum in the room with booming claps and shouts.
"Alright! Alright! Alright! Time to kick it up a notch!" The first man shouted, he had dark skin and wore a black and orange one piece like a wrestler would. On his head was a thick golden circlet with a gem placed in the center.
Usagi raised her eyebrows skeptically at him as he headed over to Makoto. "Geez, could he be more obnoxious?
"C'mon spar with me!" The man boomed at Makoto.
"Fine, put on some gloves dude." Makoto said stretching her arms as her previous partner was forced away by the larger man.
"Not gonna need 'em!"
"Oh brother..." Usagi said with a huff as the two began to throw punches at each other, over the sound of her machine and the others in the room occasionally she heard the man yelling for Makoto to punch harder.
"You on the bar!" Usagi turned her attention to Naru and the man that was now yelling at her, he had olive coloured skin and wore a green muscle shirt with red bottoms. Usagi could also see a gold band fastened around his head. "Faster! Go faster! You call that a pull-up?" He continued to bark orders at Naru who was trembling not only from the exhaustion, but from having a man like that in her face.
"Hey, leave her alone!" Usagi screamed, ready to hop off the treadmill before a man stepped into her path. He wore a blue one piece and red compression pants, Usagi stared up at the gold band circling his head as well. "What is with guys and their fashion choices now-a-days?"
"No one said you could stop! Get back on that 'mill and sweat!" He leaned over and barked into her face.
"Who do you think you are?" Usagi demanded, slapping her hands onto her hips.
"I think I'm someone telling you get back on the treadmill!"
Usagi furrowed her brow before glancing around the room. "H-Hey look that guy is doing girl push-ups!" She pointed quickly out to another corner of the room and the man whipped around to find the culprit.
"We DO NOT allow girly push-ups in this gym!" He hollered, gaining the attention of the rest of the room. In the middle of his tirade Usagi managed to slip out of the room.
"That was close..." Usagi pressed herself against the wall outside the room and wiped her brow for sweat. "What a tool, yelling at Naru and me like that!" From the bend in the hallway to her left Usagi heard slow approaching footsteps and quickly ran off in the opposite direction, turning down another hall out of sight.
"Usagi!" Behind the girl came a harsh whisper that made the girl jump and scream. Before she knew it a hand was clamped over her mouth and she was being dragged backwards.
"Stop screaming, it's me." The hand over her mouth fell away and Usagi looked back, Luna was holding a finger over her own lips signaling for her to keep quiet.
"Why are you here?" Usagi asked. "Don't tell me you want to work out." Luna had spent the last few nights at her house and she'd been unlucky enough to walk in on the woman changing in the bathroom. With a toned stomach that would make Makoto jealous, Usagi saw no reason for Luna to ever step foot into a gym again.
"No, I did some looking into the gym. Taking you back home you said you'd never heard of it before and after what happened with the House of Fortune and Stack Attack I'm skeptical of any new buildings in the area."
"And?"
"There's definitely dark energy surrounding this place..." Luna said coldly, looking around them.
Usagi scrunched up her face is disgust; even on her day off she was going to be working.
"Where are your friends?"
"Still in the workout room." Usagi pointed to the wall beside them.
"Get them out now!" Luna rasped.
"Why what's wrong?"
"That room is a room within a room." Luna placed a hand on the wall and began to tap around on it. "I was looking through the ceiling tiles and found strange tubes leading from that area to the basement." She continued tapping before she seemed to find what she was looking for; with a swift punch she threw her arm through the wall.
"Luna! Are you nuts?" Usagi tried to pull her arm out while she looked around. "Someone is gonna hear you!"
"Take a look Usagi." Luna pulled her arm out and began to tear away the pieces of wall around the hole; Usagi glanced inside and gasped at was there. It was a small dark space, big enough for only one person to walk through with ease. Across from her was another wall and attached to it were tall blue panels that seemed to pulse with waves of a brighter blue.
"What are they?"
"They look like energy draining panels; they suck the energy out of the people in the other room Usagi." Luna dusted off her arm and looked back inside to the panels. "I'm guessing they're lined around all four walls."
"Very good deduction." From down the hall came Jed's voice, slowly he slid the glasses from his face and began to unzip his jacket, exposing his dark grey uniform underneath.
Luna whipped around behind Usagi and slapped a hand onto the back of the girl's head. "Stay down." she whispered. "Not surprised to see you here Jadeite, is there anything you won't do for energy?"
"No." He retorted coldly before flying forward at her, Luna shoved Usagi off to the side and the girl covered her head as she hit the ground.
Jadeite collided with Luna, but the woman was strong enough not to be thrown back by the impact. Instead the two of the skidded across the floor before she was pinned against the wall.
Jadeite, Usagi thought, the name rang a bell instantly. Back in the Guard HQ after her training with Rei, Usagi had been briefed on the Dark Kingdom and its associates.
"Who are all of these people?" Usagi asked as she spun around in a chair inside another meeting room. She sat around a small square table with Luna and Ian while Ian operated an overhead projector; currently it projected a medley of unknown faces on a screen before Usagi.
"Known associates of the Dark Kingdom, past and present." Ian answered.
"And apparently future..." Usagi groaned gesturing to a picture in the bottom right, Ami Mizuno's picture.
"We can't take any chances Usagi; you should know that by now." Luna offered, trying to make it sound bearable. Usagi nodded in understanding as Ian began to categorize them.
"These people on the left are a part of a sub-section of the Dark Kingdom called the Dark Agency. Sailor V dealt with them for the most part, they weren't a big threat to us, or anyone really."
"How come some of them have red and others have green?" Usagi asked pointing to a group of the pictures with red outline borders.
"Red means they've been terminated, green means they are still active." Ian pulled out a small laser pointer and began to draw a red circle around a group of green people. "As you can see we have some unfinished business with them."
"Yikes." Usagi said, biting her lip as she looked into another category that was labeled for the Dark Kingdom, it had a large number of faces, all of which were green.
"Yes, there's quite a few of them isn't there." Ian responded calmly, smiling at the screen while the light of the overhead reflected in his glasses.
"I only want you worrying about one for now though. Minako has already had this briefing; however, her list is a bit longer. Anyway." He nodded to Luna who typed away on a small keyboard and a picture of a young blonde man enlarged. "This is Jadeite; he is stationed here in the far-east and is our only current threat."
"He's been surprisingly less aggressive than I imagined." Luna commented.
"Hm?" Usagi asked as she sat up in her chair.
"I vaguely remember fighting him during the Silver Millennium, he was vicious and proud. He refused to believe a woman deserved the right to face him in combat." Luna added with a sigh. "Not that I'm complaining, but all of his attacks seem less severe then back then."
"He's wounded." Ian announced with a smile.
"He seemed fine to me when I met him in the House of Fortune." Usagi said.
"Luna wasn't the only one to fight him during the attack on the Moon Kingdom." Ian said and Luna glanced to him, unsure where he was going with that. "Do you remember Soma, Usagi?"
"Soma..." Usagi tapped her chin and thought back to the introduction she'd received with everyone. "Oh yeah, long face, brown hair and glasses." she snapped her fingers at Ian.
"Yes, him. Soma is a master of poison and gas. During the attack on our kingdom, he and Jadeite crossed paths. Soma told me he had poisoned Jadeite back then and when we received word that he was still alive, we were shocked."
"No one's ever lived after being affected by it." Luna added.
"I can guess that although the poison hasn't killed him, he is considerably weaker than before. Of course it's not much of a surprise; the Dark Kingdom has ways of healing that probably rival our own."
Usagi nodded before Luna began typing again. "Enough about the past." Soon several boxes of text appeared on each side of Jadeite's picture.
Ian watched Usagi's eyes dart around the screen trying to absorb the text. "Don't worry, we'll print you off his file for your perusal."
"Great more homework...
Usagi sat up on the ground and clutched her moon charm before glancing back. Luna and Jadeite were gone but she could hear their weapons clashing down the other hall. As she began to focus on her transformation the sound of girls screaming came from the workout room.
"Naru!" Usagi scrambled to her feet and tore off down the hall. "Mako!" Stopping in the doorway she observed the scene inside. The three men who had stormed in earlier and began to bark orders were all surrounding Makoto, who Usagi could see was protecting Naru.
"You're gonna regret not doing as we said!" The dark skin male slapped a hand down onto her shoulder before Makoto stood stoically and simply formed a vice-like grip on his wrist. "Hey wha-"
Usagi couldn't believe it, but Makoto managed to flip the man over her shoulder, slamming him down off to the side. As the second man lunged at her sidestepped before lodging her knee into his abdomen. He fell quickly and the last man cracked his knuckles before attempting to take her down.
Makoto emitted a battle cry before charging to meet him, slamming her hands down onto his arms before they connected and sent the man down to the ground. As he fell she rammed her knee up into his jaw before roundhouse kicking him to the side of the head.
"M-Mako..." Usagi stuttered after watching her friend single-handedly take down three grown men.
Makoto clapped her hands together before looking down at the men with disgust. "Serves them right, putting their hands on me like that."
"Naru, are you okay?" Usagi rushed into the room and to her friend who was shaking. Upon reaching her, Naru jerked away from her grasp.
"Don't touch me!"
Usagi took a step back, shocked and watched her with a blank expression. "Naru...?"
"This is your fault!" Naru screamed at her and Makoto looked back at the girls shocked to hear Naru saying something like that. "It's always your fault Usagi!"
"I don't - I don't understand."
"You gave me that stupid chanela that was making me so weak and crazy! You were the one that suggested Stack Attack the first time! And when I found that monster you totally bailed on us and then showed up with some lame excuse about using the bathroom, and then ignored me all day at school! You've been dodging calls and canceling plans all last week!" Naru's voice grew hoarse and Usagi watched her eyes gloss over. "You weren't there when I needed you!"
Usagi stepped closer, arms spreading for a hug. She knew where it was coming from, her mind flashed back to Diarmuid, she'd arrived too late then. As she tried to wrap her arms around her friend, Naru shoved her away.
"NO! Leave me alone! You're a terrible friend, I hate you!" The words stung Usagi and the pain lasted even after Naru stormed out of the room.
As Naru disappeared from sight Luna came into the doorway, out of breath. "Jadeite escaped with the energy!" Luna quickly opened her eyes wide, realizing what she had just shouted to a room full of civilians.
"I have to go after her." Usagi said ardently, ready to pursue her, but was stopped as Makoto gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Just give her some time, okay?"
"No Mako, I have to go!"
"No, look, she just needs time." Makoto continued to persuade her.
"You don't understand!" Usagi shrugged the girl's hand off and rushed out of the room, and down the hallway she guessed Naru had taken. She followed the hall until she found the stairwell and began to race down it, calling out Naru's name until she reached the bottom.
With no sign of her friend Usagi ran through the room, between the machines and to the exit. Once she was outside she glanced around on the street until she saw Naru disappearing off to the left. "Naru, wait!"
Hurrying after her Usagi ran to the edge of the street and stopped in the entrance to an alleyway and froze at what she saw. Leaning against the wall was Jadeite, clutching the energy ball to his chest and glaring down at Naru as she too froze in her spot. Usagi threw herself out of sight and back up against the wall. "Crap!"
From the alleyway Usagi heard Naru's scream and bit onto her lip, clutching her moon charm tightly. To her left she heard the door to the gym swing open and out came Makoto.
"What's wrong with you Usagi? I know you heard that!" Makoto shouted as she flew past her, not even stopping before she dove into the alleyway.
Usagi gave the alley entrance a fleeting glance before she tore herself away from the wall and rushed back inside the gym, clutching her charm she dropped down on the ground and shut her eyes tight.
In the alley Makoto was trying to keep Naru safe behind her while Jadeite began to float above them, a murky dark aura forming around him.
"What is this...?" Makoto breathed, her strong arms trembling in the presence of the man while Naru whimpered behind her.
"I'll teach you brats to meddle in the business of the Dark Kingdom!" He shouted and held a hand out, forming in his palm was a collection of dark energy that expanded into the shape of a flame blade sword.
"Stay behind me Naru!" Makoto commanded uneasily, while she looked around for any kind of weapon, spotting a pipe leaning against a dumpster to her left. After shifting her attention between it and Jadeite she tried to reach for it. Jadeite jutted his hand out and a wave of dark energy slammed into Makoto, forcing her and Naru back onto the ground.
Before Makoto had a chance to sit up Jadeite had closed the distance between them, prodding at her jugular with his blade tip. "Nice try, wench." Makoto growled and forced her knee upwards, slamming it into his abdomen and forced the man to buckle over.
Staggering back he felt the pain radiate through his body before pointing the sword at Makoto. Dark energy shot from his hand and wrapped around the sword, coating it and changing its shape into that of a claymore.
Suddenly the wall beside him exploded, spraying the alley with brick, soon after a brilliant white slash broke through the rest of the wall and through the space between the two parties in the alley. Jadeite flew back and cursed the intrusion, looking at the ball of energy in his hand before it vanished.
"I'm getting real tired of seeing you, you Dark Kingdom scum!" From the hole in the gym's wall emerged Warrior Moon. She leapt from the pile of bricks into the alleyway and held the lance outstretched to him, as he did the same with his sword.
"Cosmic Warrior..."
"Makoto!" Moon yelled. "Protect that girl with your life!"
"Who are you...?" Makoto asked.
"I am a warrior of Cosmos, Warrior Moon, the guardian of love and justice!" she stated proudly. "And don't you forget it." Moon gripped the lance with both hands and began to charge it with her energy. "It's time for you to face punishment, on behalf of the moon!"
"Cute speeches won't save you!" Jadeite made one mighty swing with his sword and Moon felt harsh winds crash against her, as if a tornado had formed into the alley. While it threatened to knock her over, she stood her ground, charging energy into the blade and with some difficulty managed to aim the tip at the man.
"Ahh!" With a scream Moon felt the energy in her blade get pushed out, firing at Jadeite in the form of a beam that grazed his right shoulder, forcing him to drop the sword and for the wind to die instantly.
"Moon!"
From above Moon heard the voice of Luna and before she had a chance to find where exactly it had come from the woman had dropped down beside her, a sword in her hand.
"Luna." Moon nodded to her as the woman stood tall, keeping an eye on Jadeite before glancing back at the other two. Upon seeing Makoto she did a double take and watched the girl intently.
"Something wrong?" Moon asked, wanting to look at Makoto but afraid of letting Jadeite get away or make a sneak attack.
"She's... Nothing. Moon we have to finish him before he gets away!" Luna snapped at her and charged in first to Jadeite who was clutching his shoulder, swearing at the girls as he stood.
"Who are you yelling at Luna? I already knew that!" Following after Luna, Moon kept her lance at her side, ready to plunge more energy into it as Luna made the initial attack against the man: several long slashes at him that all missed.
Luna dropped back and Moon charged in, stabbing at him repeatedly, each one just barely missing. From along the wall came Luna who slashed down at him, only for the Shitennou to avoid the rapier blade.
"Luna, there's something different about him!" Moon shouted before Luna moved in for another attack. "Whenever he dodges, it's like there's more of him or something..."
"Afterimage." Luna stated.
"After who?"
"He's speeding up his movements and creating false copies of himself to avoid the attacks." Instantly Luna pointed her blade at him. "Spinta!" From the tip erupted a pale blue light and the alley was filled with the sound of a rushing wind that threw Jadeite back several feet. "Now Moon!"
"Right." Moon nodded and charged in, forcing more energy into her blade before slashing at him. As expected he managed to dodge each one.
"Moon Blade Slash!" She felt the lance getting heavier, the blade increasing and its size changing before she made another slash at him. The blade size threw him off and Moon could see the surprise in his eyes as the white blade sliced into him, cutting down his chest.
"Gah!" Jadeite yelped and Moon spun around before swinging the blade down onto the ground. As the blade touched down an explosion echoed out through the alleyway and a flash of white energy collided against Jadeite.
"Yes!" Luna cheered and Moon leapt back from the man after seeing the attack hadn't done the damage she was expecting. Between Jadeite and the disc was his blade, grinding against the attack before he forced the sword up and deflected the disc, sending it flying into the sky.
"No..." Moon whined as her lance shrunk again.
"You'll pay for that!" Jadeite barked, blood leaking from the gash on his torso as he slowly reached into his pocket. Raising an arm above his head he threw it back down a moment later, releasing something that exploded in a puff of purple smoke on the ground.
"He'll escape!" Moon shouted and began to charge forward but Luna gripped her arm tightly.
"No wait! It could be a trap." Luna forced her back into position as the smoke began to clear, two figures standing tall through it.
"It's not a trap." One familiar voice said through the smoke.
"It's called a diversion." The same voice said; however, it didn't come from the part of the smoke the first had.
Through the purple haze emerged two clones of Experiment-D-U-D, golden spears clutched in their hands. Moon's eyes went wide once she saw them, and her hands involuntarily clutched her lance tighter. Behind her the sound of Naru's terrified scream alerted her to her presence again, she glanced back only for a second to see Makoto trying to calm her.
"This is him Luna, the one who did it!"
"I don't understand anything..." Makoto mumbled, but Moon still heard it.
"These men, they raped Naru!" Moon screeched, feeling adrenaline rush through her body she felt as if she could tear the men apart with her bare hands.
"What?!" Makoto asked exasperatedly, rubbing Naru's head who was having trouble breathing now. "I don't know who you, are but you better teach these scum a lesson! Or I will!"
"Count on it!" Moon shouted as she lowered herself into a battle position and the clones did the same.
"Makoto was it?" Luna called back to the girl, she looked up to Luna and nodded and the woman rushed to her. Taking hold of her wrists and slapping her hands over them before chanting something quietly.
"What're you doing?!" Makoto tried to break free, but Luna's grasp as far too strong.
"Hush." Luna pulled her hands away and fastened around Makoto's wrists were two silver bands, one on each. "I hope I'm right about you." Luna turned back to Moon who already begun to engage the clones in the battle, but was failing at dueling two on one.
Makoto looked back to Naru in her arms, the girl was shaking and mumbling gibberish. The sight of it made her frustrated and a slew of other emotions she couldn't explain.
Moon yelped at one of the clones slammed her against the brick wall and the other sliced her arm with a small sword from his back. Luna emerged into her view and brought a fist into the jaw of the clone pinning her.
While the Protector began to handle him Moon fell to the ground and cupped her wound and the first clone rose to his feet again. Grabbing her fallen lance she rose to her feet and stood uneasily back to back with Luna.
"Maybe we should call the Guard or something?" Moon offered weakly. "I forgot how strong he was..."
"They won't make it in time, Artemis isn't fit for battle really and Warrior Venus is on a case." Luna parried a blow from one clone and jabbed at him before calling out 'Spinta' which forced him back.
In the skies above the clouds began to darken and the wind started to grow cold. Moon used the thick base of her lance to avoid the spear jabs before slashing out at him, managing to cut one clone on his abdomen.
The females regrouped, standing back to back, parrying blows while dishing out their own. It was their best plan to ensure one wasn't overwhelmed, however it left them with not much room for attacking.
After landing a cut on the clone's leg Luna glanced to the sky as she felt the cold becoming more noticeable. The afternoon sun was completely blocked now by dark clouds and her hair was being blow back by a biting wind. With a smile she parried another blow and thrust the clone back.
"This weather is crazy..." Moon held her lance out straight and charged energy into the tip before releasing it; however, the clone being agile managed to run up the wall and avoid it, much to Moon's chagrin.
"It's not mother nature's fault." Luna said happily as she rushed the clone, slipping past him and slamming a foot into his back.
"Makoto, how are you feeling?" Luna asked sweetly as she crouched down beside the girl, she looked enraged, like a storm was brewing in her chest.
"Alive..." She brunette mumbled, looking towards her new bracelets.
"Do as I say." Luna leaned in close to Makoto and whispered into her ear. The girl looked back at her like she had three noses, but Luna simply nodded before taking hold of the quivering Naru.
Makoto rose to her feet and headed over to Moon who was holding off the clones, who weren't going to risk getting into her swing radius.
"Get out of here it's not safe!" Moon shouted, shooing her friend off.
With a deep breath and a furrowed brow Makoto crossed her arms in front of her chest, tapping the bracelets together. "Cosmic Embodiment: Jupiter!"
"Time to go to sleep for a bit..." Luna said quietly to Naru and placed a hand over her eyes. The girl's pupils dilated rapidly before she went limp in the woman's arms.
Moon knew and looked to Makoto before she turned away and snapped her eyes shut. Instantly the alley exploded with heat and light, an unseen force shoved her over onto the ground. Luna smiled while squinting into the blinding light and the clones swore under their breaths as they switched weapons, each of them pulling out their golden spears again.
Unconsciously she raised her arms above her head and Makoto was struck by a jagged bolt of rouge lightning. The energy from it formed a circuit around her wrists that then covered her hands with light before encasing her entire body.
As the light covered her, electricity began to crack and spark around her before the light broke away, leaving the girl standing in a light green skintight streamline jumpsuit with darker portions on her feet, giving the impression of boots. The same green was found on her forearms, the insides of her thighs and the sides of her torso.
Sparks of electricity raced down the suit, creating dark green lines started at her shoulders and looped under her arms as well as formed a line around her waist. From there they ran down, creating vertical lines down to her shins, and running down her backside and stopping at her calves.
A concentration of light formed on her back before taking the shape of a pink symbol of Jupiter, and on her hands the electricity broke free, revealing metal gauntlets with the symbol of Jupiter formed on the back in green enamel. On her forehead a spark of electricity gathered before she touched it. Light burst from the spot and formed a white lozenge-shaped mask with two slashes on it, one for breathing and the other gave her a line to see through.
"Warrior Jupiter..." Luna muttered.
Jupiter looked at her hands and at the rest of her body with wide questioning eyes. "What is all this?"
Moon slid into view and intercepted the attack by both of the clones. "We can explain it all later, but help me take these creeps down please!" She rasped, forcing them both back.
"Uh how?" Jupiter asked carelessly.
"You control lightning and thunder now Warrior Jupiter, harness that power in your gauntlets and unleash the fury of the heavens with each punch!" Luna shouted.
"Jupiter. Is that me?"
"Moon Blade Slash!" Moon shouted and swung the blade sideways. Both clones leapt into the air to avoid the disc that came their way.
Jupiter stretched her hands several times, watching how the electricity circling her hands seemed to react when she moved certain fingers. She also took note of how much energy she felt in her hands when she clenched her fists. "Well I don't know what's happening, but if I can cobbler these jerks then I'll do whatever I can!" With that Jupiter bumped her fists together and a stream of lightning broke free and struck the building beside her.
"This is bad." One of the clones stated, twirling his golden spear around. His partner nodded in agreement before hurling his own spear out at the girls, but it was instantly forced back as Luna emerged between them with her rapier present. The gilded weapon's rotation was immediately reversed and came spiraling back to the owner, sticking him in the stomach.
"Shit, get it out!" He groaned, trying to free himself.
Ignoring the request of his clone, Diarmuid sprinted past him and towards Jupiter who was still forming fists when she noticed him. Jupiter readied herself for an attack when she listened to something echo in her mind. Words, a phrase. She listened intently as it echoed what seemed like a thousand times in just a second before she clenched her fist at her side.
"My guardian Jupiter! Brew a storm! Call the clouds! Bring down the lightning!" Jupiter pulled back her arm before a mass amount of electricity ran around her fist as she landed a direct punch into Diarmuid's chest.
Behind her punch she felt another force adding pressure to it and as she completed the swing of her arm an explosion of thunder boomed throughout the alley. The clone was hurled back down the alley and crashed into the wall before skidding across the ground.
"Girls together now!" Luna commanded and looked back to Naru who was face down in the alley. The blast from Jupiter's punch had knocked her out of the sitting position Luna had left her in.
Moon held her lance out and began to charge energy in it, the tip glowed bright as she focused all of her power inside.
"Jupiter, put your hand over hers!" Luna commanded.
"Uh sure, whatever." Slowly Jupiter gripped Moon's hand and felt the energy in her hands being sucked out, she could feel the other girl's power within the blade, and then could feel her own meshing with hers.
The tip of the lance slowly began to change, from its smooth white form the blade came alive cracking with electricity a green outer glow. The girls nodded to each other before pushing all of their power inside before feeling it burst free.
The explosion echoed through the streets of Azabu-Juban and the power forced the girls back a few feet as an energy beam infused with electricity shot through the alley. The blast pierced through the clones and through a building across the street as well. As the girls felt their energy being pushed through the blade the girls lost themselves in the booming noise and the blinding light of their attack.
Moon awoke first, close to an hour later, with a hazy mind and pounding head. With ringing ears she rose to her feet and teetered around before Luna helped her by leaning her against the wall. "Take it easy... You put a lot into that attack." she gave a soft chuckle. "More than I thought possible at this point."
"What – happened?" she grabbed Luna's shoulders, she was seeing three of the same woman and wanted to get a hold on which was real.
"You won Moon, you and Warrior Jupiter won." Luna said as she looked back to the other Warrior who was still out cold, with several people in white coats surrounding her. "But you put a lot into your last attack, a little too much in fact."
"I – I just wanted to protect Naru, and I felt so angry at him..."
"Well you did protect her, she's fine now." Moon shook her head, trying to rid herself of the hazy feeling and caught sight of Naru, leaning against the wall and staring at her feet.
"What about Diarmuid? Did he escape like Jadeite?"
"Heavens no..." Luna said seriously and looked to the side where what remained of the bodies lay.
"I wanna talk to them." Moon forced herself off from the wall and Luna supported her as she headed over.
"Okay okay, take it slow." Luna helped her ease down on the ground in front of the bodies before backing away slowly to check on Jupiter.
Moon placed her hands on her knees before removing her mask to get a better look at what lay before her.
Only about thirty percent of the original clones remained behind. The attack had blasted a whole through both of them and destroyed most of their bodies. From the top of their torso to their hips were gone, nothing but a large gaping hole was left in place. And only a curved strip of "flesh" connected their bodies, placed around them were blue devices that resembled lanterns that pegged Usagi's interest.
"Congratulations." One of the clones sputtered, upon closer inspection Usagi could see he had more of his body remaining than the other. The area damaged was the same, but perhaps the blast had missed whatever he still needed to communicate.
Moon hugged her knees and looked at the ground sadly. "Why?"
Diarmuid let out a mixture of a cough and a laugh and rolled his eyes.
"Why?" she asked again.
"Why what?" He asked back sharply.
"Why my friend?"
Diarmuid's face turned soft in that moment and his eyes became glassy as if tears might soon show themselves. At this point not even crying would make him seem human to her.
"She reminded me so much, of a woman I once loved, that loved me." He started and Usagi opened her eyes wide to look at him. "When I realized I had been revived, I assumed she had been revived as well and planned to find her. Soon after I was awakened I was informed about my job, about what might happen, but I was too focused on finding her. Shortly after I was put back to sleep and when I awoke again I was in that girl's room. I figured it had to have been fate that brought us together." His voice suddenly turned cold, Usagi could hear it in each word, the disdain he felt. "But she denied my love, said she didn't know me and threatened to throw me out! ME!"
"So you force yourself on her?!" Usagi rasped, tears dropping from her eyes.
"Not intentionally." He replied weakly. "I wanted, to remind her of the love we once had... However it seems she was not my Gráinn after all..." Usagi closed her eyes and more tears spilled over, falling to the ground like rain drops. "Do me a favor Warrior. They are keeping us alive with these lanterns in hopes to experiment on us further..."
Usagi looked to the blue lanterns again before observing the clones.
"It seems cruel, to experiment on an Experiment." Diarmuid tried to laugh at his own joke, but the noise he made didn't sound like any laugh Usagi had ever heard. "It seems death is the only way one may be free in this world. I do not wish to be a servant, or a lab rat any longer, for anyone."
Usagi bit her lip and nodded and began to crawl around the area, clicking off the lanterns one by one before reaching the final one between each of the bodies.
"Before we lose physical form, allow me to share some information with you." Diarmuid started, looking to his clone that looked to be far gone. Usagi's hand stopped in front of the lantern. "They created an Experiment of Sailor V."
"What?!" Usagi hissed at him.
Diarmuid smiled and tried to stifle a laugh, he paused and tilted his head as a heavy flow of blood began to leak from his mouth. "Do not fret. Experiment's cannot be made of still living beings, their test failed."
Usagi placed a hand over her heart and exhaled heavily. "I don't understand, why make an Experiment out of her?"
"Mainly to reveal her identity to them."
"Do they know? Do you know?!"
"I do, they do not."
Usagi paused and began to mull over what he said. "So you know, but never told? And the Experiment failed so they never found out."
"Yes."
Carefully Usagi reached to him and slid her nimble fingers over his hand, gripping it tightly. "Thank you." She whimpered, tears gathering on her lids ready to spill over.
"Farewell Cosmic Warrior." Diarmuid said with a bloody smile before Usagi clicked off the last lantern. Instantly the bodies blackened before they exploded into mounts of dark dust and particles that floated around her.
In her hand she held a clump of the dust before she spread her fingers, letting it seep through. In the distance she heard an angry scream and several men rushed over to her, yanking her away and shoving her off into a wall.
"Hey, it's you!" That was Jupiter's voice, Usagi tore her eyes away from the dust and noticed her friend was stretching her arms while she leaned on the wall. "I had no clue it was you in that suit, that's so cool what we did, even if I don't know how it's possible!"
"Excuse me." Usagi's eyes opened wide as she heard Naru's voice, instantly she slapped on her mask and began tapping her foot. From a crowd of what she guessed to be Guard members came Naru, glancing between Jupiter and the now masked Warrior Moon.
"I can't believe it..." Naru muttered, both of the girls turned to look at her as she looked at her hands. "You always come!" Naru rushed to Moon and grabbed her hand. "You always save me!"
"Err what?" Moon asked.
"That man you fought, he broke into my house a while ago, and you were there. I saw you!" She gripped the Warrior's hands tighter as she became more excited. "I remember passing out a few times, but when I came to I remember seeing a girl in blue suit with a mask fighting him! And someone said a girl in a blue suit was fighting against a monster from the pet shop too! It was you! And now you're here, you've saved me again, thank you..." Tears swelled in Naru's eyes as she wrapped her arms around Moon and the blonde smiled sweetly before prying Naru off.
"I'll never stop fighting to protect you Naru..." The girl stepped back from the Warrior as she reached a hand up to grab the bottom of her mask. "I'll never turn my back on a friend." Mentally reassuring herself it was the right choice, Usagi lifted the mask up over her face before she pulled it off completely. "I promise."
The blonde felt the weight of her friend fall on her as she rushed her and wrapped her arms back around her body. As she began to weep heavily into her shoulder Usagi rested her head against Naru's and rubbed her back.
"Usagi!"
Standing only a few feet away Jupiter scrunched up her face behind her mask, trying to hold back tears. "You guys..." She whined, feeling the tears spill over she rushed to the other two and embraced both of them in a large bear hug.
"You were forced to abandon the plan much sooner than anticipated. Jadeite... I'm very disappointed, how is it we were discovered?" Beryl asked to a bowing Jadeite, behind him was a court of monsters that were looking at the wounded man like a piece of meat.
"A Cosmic Warrior my Queen, and her Protector showed up. I sent the energy collected my Queen, to assure how plan did not fail." Jadeite answered with a faint smile, trying desperately to prove he was still capable.
"Really?" Beryl asked childishly. "Jadeite, do you see me looking over any kind of energy?"
"No my Queen."
"Because it was never received!" Beryl slammed her hands down onto the sides of the throne. "Because of your incompetence we have lost ALL of the energy collected from the absurd gym plan of yours! And where are those useless Experiment lackeys of yours?"
"I dispatched them so I could make my escape my Queen..." He retorted pitifully.
"And what a poor escape it was." From the crowd of monsters came a voice Jadeite despised, breaking through the crowd came a man with thick shiny brown hair and a build much for suitable for battle than Jadeite's boyish frame.
"So glad you could join us, Nephrite." Beryl said calmly, pleased to see him.
"My pleasure my Queen." Before reaching them he bowed and when he rose began to circle Jadeite. "You don't look so good, perhaps you ought to retire your position now? Leave Queen Beryl's plan up to someone more, capable."
"I'm perfectly capable!" Jadeite spat.
"Then prove it." Beryl challenged.
"I will my Queen, I swear on my life. I will not disappoint you."
Later that evening as the clocks in Tokyo were about to hit midnight, a woman dressed in a green suit paced back and forth across an office floor. She checked her watch again, the fifth time in the past ten minutes.
"He's not coming, Bikuta, get in the booth and start." She ordered to a large man of seven feet who stood patiently by the door. He entered a small room with only a table, a chair, and a microphone inside and eased himself into the seat.
The man then leaned forward, resting his large lanky arms on the table, his lips stopping in front of the microphone.
"Good evening all you night owls, it's the midnight hour and you know what that means. Time for, the love line. Tonight's letter comes from..."
End of Chapter Ten
Next, Usagi's commitment to study harder has left her with little free time, leaving Warrior Venus and Warrior Jupiter to take care of things. A faux radio show, an Experiment-Youma hybrid, just what is the Dark Kingdom up to? And when the newest Warrior comes face to face with the notorious jewel thief, who will come out on top? Find out next time.
Chapter Eleven - Savage Love, Dearest Storm