DISCLAIMERS:
All canon characters are (C) 1992 - whatever year it is Naoko Takeuchi and all other related parties. The Shadow senshi are (C) Wild Nature 2006. This is a fanfic based upon the anime version and all written work that this consists of is (C) 2006 Wild Nature.
Not only do the Shadows find a new Shadow, Eizou gets to meet Void and obtain a Triad Moon piece! And it seems as there's someone out there willing to give a hand. Who could it possibly be?
Episode Ten: The Water Ripples as Shadow Neptune Surfaces
It was a beautiful day as the large group lumbered down onto the long, winding beach. They settled in a moderately isolated section, other people surfing and exploring on all sides.
Henshou had also come, as well as Kakushi, Boya, and Chuukou. Eizou sighed noisily. "I can understand Henshou but why you guys?"
"Mom wanted you to have supervision and I offered. She then suggested that the twin terrors join as well and how the hell do you say no to faces like this?" Kakushi jabbed a finger at the two boys, who were playing with Kashuryoku with glee, chasing each other. Apple was hopping around, barking wildly as he chased anything that caught his eye.
"I tell you no every chance I get," Eizou said pointedly.
"Oh stop complaining. You've got your friends here, now don't ya?" Kakushi snorted before he went off to test the waters.
It was a startling blue-sky day, the sun overhead with its warmth spreading far and wide. Kaki was chasing Eizou's twin brothers because they were chasing her sister and Kakure was yelling that it was all right, they were just playing.
Usagi had settled in with Mamoru but Rei threw sand on her, getting her goat as Usagi shrieked and then promptly gave chase. Makoto and Minako were in a deep conversation about the cutest guy, of which Mamoru was trying to ignore but Kakushi piped in, wondering if he was on the list. He was assured that he was, in fact, on the list, very high indeed.
And Eizou sat down next to Ami, the only person not in motion. "The ocean is beautiful at this time of year, huh?" Eizou commented.
Ami smiled. "It always is."
It was like the world has stilled in that day, it was peaceful and bright. Eizou's gaze slowly spread across the rolling waves, taking note of the high and low rises as it swept over the sand.
She saw the surfers, dotted over the waves and smooth tides. She took note of one instantly, feeling a sort of kinship. She tilted her head, puzzled.
Apple landed at the two's feet, his tail wagging. "What's up?"
"Shuu.." Eizou shook her head. "I said you could come IF you promised not to say anything!"
"Not like you can send me home, now is it?" Apple grinned, pleased.
Eizou sighed and moved to look for that person again but the figure was lost in the sea of others.
"Thank you very much," Eizou said grouchily to Apple. "I saw someone familiar and now I can't find him.. or her.. whatever!"
Apple smiled, his tongue tasting the warm air. "It'll come back to you. After all, you're the leader of the Shadows!"
"Aye, leave me be! It's a peace day, okay?"
Apple saw a crab in the distance and his tail began to wag. "Sayyy... this looks like a lively one!" He took off after it, barking and hopping around it, trying to rile it. But the crab just continued to crawl, bored with anything that loud.
In moments, everyone had dashed away in separate directions, save for Ami, who was reading up on her English. Eizou got up and stretched. "Wanna swim?" She asked Ami.
"No thanks. I want to finish the chapter first. You go on ahead though!" Ami shooed her away.
Eizou shrugged. "I'll find Henshou."
She took to walking just off the edge, in the hordes of people. She kept moving now, not really interested in finding Henshou but rather that stranger. She watched the surfers and wondered if she should try that.
"I think I will!" She said brightly but once holding a surfboard at the edge of the water, she was having second thoughts. "Well, here goes nothing..."
She shoved herself into the water, a moment later running back onto the sand. "Cold! COLD!"
"Let's try this again!" She shouted, trying to run back in with a shriek. She bit back the secondary shock of the cold waters and pushed forward, swimming out until her feet kicked nothing but water. She tried to hop on the board but it flipped over in slow motion, taking her underwater. She sputtered up, swearing a colorful line.
"Hey there, need some help?" Another surfer pushed forward with swift, graceful movement. She wore her green hair pulled back tightly into a high bun. She has only two short bangs at the middle of her forehead. She had emerald green eyes as well. She wore a two piece, the sunlight glittering off her well developed and quite lean form.
"I'm just trying to surf," Eizou said weakly.
"You're a bit too close in still," the other girl stated. "If you follow me..." She started to swim away, farther out of the sea and Eizou tried to follow. But once more, the board flipped, this time forward as Eizou shrieked.
"Do you know HOW to surf?" She asked finally, after Eizou sprouted up again.
"I thought I could watch and learn.." Eizou answered sheepishly.
"Kind of be better if a professional taught you. Here, first, find your balance."
Eizou struggled and any time there was a sign of the board to flip, she moved in the opposite direction until she was balanced. "Hee.. Um, I'm Ginbano Eizou."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kinbaginbano Kaiki."
"Hey! Your last name's like mine!" Eizou grinned.
"Yea, it is!"
"Um.. wanna get some ice cream?" Eizou asked hopefully.
Kaiki smiled. "Sure, I can always swim any other time."
Eizou tried to lead the way but ended up falling more times than she could count. Kaiki merely smiled as she waited patiently.
"So, are you here alone?" Kaiki asked as she stepped onto the sand, shaking herself free of droplets.
Eizou staggered onto the sand, a lot less graceful than the other girl. "Oh God, land!...I mean, yes, I did. A lot of people, in fact."
"Really?"
"Yep! My brothers, my dog, my boyfriend, my friends... uh.. all twelve, I think."
"Hell, that's a load right there!" Kaiki smiled. "I came alone."
"Really? Why?"
"I always do," Kaiki shrugged. "My parents are always busy."
"I'm sorry."
Kaiki smiled. "It's all right. Now, about that ice cream.."
Apple soon found them and he kept nosing Eizou. "Stop that!" Eizou snapped, not for the first time.
"He's really cute and big! I mean, he's like a wolf!"
"He's a big baby, that's all he is," Eizou said with a smirk. She jumped as Apple barked extra loud.
"I'm going to go get some napkins," Kaiki said as she watched the ice cream slowly dripping down her arm.
Once gone, Apple spoke. "She's an ally! She is ..."
"Really? No wonder I felt something! Hey! I'm getting better at this!" Eizou grinned.
"Are you listening! Here," He shook his head, a aqua gem falling off. "Give this to her."
Eizou picked it up. "It's already on a chain."
"Well, that's what you all are doing, right?"
"Well, yea.."
"Just give it to her!" Apple ducked behind Eizou as Kaiki reappeared..
"Sorry it took so long. I went to the restroom to wash off the stickiness. Hey, that's really pretty. Just like what you're wearing."
"Um... I wanted to give it to you. For, you know, helping me and all..." Eizou said weakly.
Kaiki picked it up and studied it. "It seems... almost magical..."
"Hey, um, you wanna get together again? You know, you, me, and others, to hang out, be friends with?" Eizou beamed.
"Oh...Well, sure, why not?"
Eizou watched as the car drove by, the scene passing by dizzyingly. Henshou was quiet as Apple thrust his head out the other window. He caught sight of the partial moon, beginning to form in the slowly darkening skies. The others had gotten rides from each other, leaving Eizou and Henshou alone for the ride at least.
"It was a fun day, huh?" Henshou stilled the car at a stoplight, watching her through the corners of his eyes.
"Yea..." She smiled at him. "You were certainly busy."
"Well, I was hoping for some us time, you know," He said quietly, watching the road as the light turned green. "Cause you've been pretty busy."
"Henshou.. you knew of my identity, right?"
He blinked. "Well, that was out of the blue. But yes, I did."
"How?"
He was quiet as he stared at the road, his eyes unreadable.
"Henshou..."
He pulled over to a secluded part of the road. "Because I could. I've... always been able to sense something.. extra."
"You get it from your father, don't you?"
"I don't know..."
Eizou unlatched her belt and stepped out of the car. Apple jumped out of the window to follow her.
"Eizou!"
Eizou stood in a small grove of tiny trees, barely grown. "It's him, isn't it? He's Void."
"I don't know that..."
"No, you do!" Eizou turned. "Can't.. can't you help him?"
"Once my mother died, he became... lost, a desperate man," Henshou said thickly. "I can't help him!"
"But you're his son."
"All he sees is the one who was the fault of her death," Henshou said bitterly.
"Why.. would he think that?"
"Because... I was only three and I ran into the street, where traffic was coming too fast for me to get out of the way. She saved me, at the expense of her own life."
"Oh.. I'm so.. sorry.." Eizou's eyes watered.
"I am too. He was all right, for a while. But then around my ninth birthday, I was really growing, you know and he saw how much I would look like her. His hidden resentment began to show then. But he also began to teach me.. things that I couldn't understand. Things that he shouldn't have known."
"And then when you left..."
"I was fifteen when I did. I couldn't take him anymore. He had gotten so unfamiliar, as if another self had surfaced. I knew that it was still him though, because I saw him in his eyes."
"And I was gone until sometime last year. I decided to visit him, just to see how he was doing. The house was still there, full of our stuff but he wasn't there. The neighbors said he hadn't been around for a long while. It was as if he disappeared into nothing."
"So you can't find him."
"I haven't exactly tried," Henshou said dryly.
"But if he's.."
"What makes you so sure?" Henshou nearly shouted. Anger flashed in his pupils as he glared at her.
"Because.. it's just.. I.. don't have proof, I know but..."
"Just leave it, okay!" He turned away. "Get in the car."
"Henshou..." Eizou whispered. Apple had remained silent but his ears pricked up, picking up on a soft cracking sound. He growled before a large shadow loomed over Eizou.
"EIZOU!" Apple lunged and felt himself be thrown back against the car, falling unconscious. Henshou shouted something incoherent as Eizou felt the world turned black.
She awoke in a soft bed, her body feeling rather light. She pressed herself to a sitting position, blinking bleary-eyed. "What happened?"
"Hello," A tall man, with black hair pulled tightly back into a braid, his bangs nearly hiding his eyes, smiled, his silver eyes gleaming even in the shadow. "Quite a frightening experience, no? I'm surprised you've survived. Or that any of you had."
He turned away and she noted the clothes. He wore a silver tunic, sleeveless and loose. He wore black pants, tied with a thick sash at the waist, the tails following him by a few good feet. His pants ended at his feet, much like a scrunchie.
"You're.. Void, aren't you? But you're so young."
"When you have magic at your beck and call, it makes it really easy to change things," Void smiled.
Eizou started to stand up.
"I'd stay down. You didn't quite take to the shadows very well."
"What.. shadows?"
"You're incomplete," Void kept smiling but Eizou had a very bad feeling sinking into her belly. "I need to fix you."
"But.. there's nothing wrong with me," Eizou began weakly.
"But that human side is polluting you. In order to become a true Shadow, you must give it up. So I'll do it for you!" He beamed.
Eizou started, jumping out of the bed. She scampered to get around him but only felt his hand grip her shoulder hard as he seemed to just push her. But she hit the wall with a sickening thud.
"You're incomplete," he breathed. "I failed in the previous life but this time, I will do it much more properly!"
"Stop.. please. What about your own humanity!" Eizou cried.
"That self has long since died," Void said evenly. "Once his love died, he had no reason to live."
"But his son..."
"I'll be getting to him quite soon," Void's smile was strained.
"I knew that it was still him though, because I saw him in his eyes."
"You're still him..." Eizou grasped her chest and realized her necklace was gone. "No.."
He held his hand out, the necklace dangling in his hand. "You won't be needing this." His fingers closed over it and it cracked before shattering into a thousand pieces.
Eizou bit her lip as he neared her, his eyes too dark and empty for her to stand. "Nepheline Shadowed Light, Make Up!" She shouted.
He burst out laughing. "I'm afraid that without tapping into your element, you're about as useful as a bug."
She lunged at him, hitting him with her good shoulder. He fell back a few feet, enough for her to dodge around him.
'Note to self, if I survive, continue training with the girls,' Eizou told herself.
She ran but seemed to go nowhere. Everything looked the same and she was fast confused. She went to a window and peered out, seeing only an abyss.
"Like it? This is my Holy Land, my power of Nothingness..." Void breathed. "Now, come to me, Shadow."
"I'm not just a Shadow!" Eizou began.
"You were born to serve the elements! To become a pillar of light! To reach that level of purity, you must cleanse yourself of this filthy self."
"As if!" She pushed the window open, struggling to climb. He took to her and she attempted to kick him, the second kick catching his nose. She then swallowed, stood and then jumped, her arms spread out as she felt the nothingness hit her.
It was freezing, her body becoming numb to the touch as she fell deeper into the Void. She was blinded by darkness and felt her chest constrict, the air sucking from her lips.
'I'm... sorry Henshou...I just wish... I could've done.. more...' She felt as if she was breaking into shards of glass. She melted into the nothingness and seemed to disappear completely.
Duchess Nerthus was watching the Solar Cross, her eyes far away. It was the strange surge of energy that brought her back to the present.
"Who is summoning the Solar Cross?" She gasped and watched the beam of light spread out to become a impossibly bright pillar of white hotness. "Oh dear God!" She covered her face as the light erupted like a sunburst, the light shining on the glass, intensifying as it shot out over the ceiling and walls to spread across the dark side of the moon.
"Duchess!" Njord shouted.
"Oh my!" Duchess Nerthus's body was shaking. "This power... Could it be.. A Triad Moon piece has been revealed?"
She turned to look at the Solar Cross, the light ebbing away. But the heat was stifling in the room and she had to leave lest she be suffocated.
"Eizou..." Duchess Nerthus covered her face. "Please, be all right..."
Eizou's eyes opened, seeing a scene unfamiliar to her. There was a crowd, rowdy and anxious.
"Excuse me!" She reached out to a man but watched her hand drift through him. She looked around and saw it, the castle to the far side. She was in the Dead Moon Realm. But she turned and saw the podium, a man standing there, speaking.
She started to push forward but her body seemed to be glued. She knew, without a doubt, that it was Void. Even then, his eyes seemed to be off, glaring on something that wasn't there.
'It started here...It claimed the Void...' A voice spoke, whispering to Eizou. She recognized it as the one that spoke to her about her allies. 'It will claim everything..'
"I have to stop him," Eizou felt weight press her down. "Please..."
'Time cannot be undone, the past rewritten. The shadows saved us once and now, it is time for us to rise...' Eizou started. The voice had become female, a soft, gentle voice. Then she realized what the girl said.
"You.. who are you? You're a Shadow too! Right!"
'Find the other two pieces... Please...I will arrive shortly...' The voice was drifting away as Eizou watched numerous pillars erupt from the podium, Void disintegrating into nothing.
She came to, her body shaking hard. She was on solid ground.
"How dare you!" Void raged, his voice dripping in venomous loathing. "I must perfect..."
"Perfect this!" She turned, looking over her shoulder angrily. "How dare you hurt others! Get out of Void and give Henshou his father back!" She felt something erupt from her chest, shards of violet forming into the Moon Nepheline stone. She grasped it in her fist, grinning. "Hah! Try to beat this! Nepheline Shadowed Light, Make Up!"
She felt the gem light up as she transformed into Shadow Moon.
"You can't... you tapped into the Shadows!"
"I'm not just a Shadow! I'm GINBANO EIZOU!" She turned, looking for a light source. She saw it then, in the dark sky like a pillar. She summoned her Triad Moon Staff, the handle elongated as she shouted. "Shadowed Illumination!"
The violet gem was erupted in the gathering light and the three beams shot out, burning like the sun. Void tried to cover himself as all of the darkness around him shattered. In the light, he screamed, his body seemed to convulse.
'He can't take light!' Shadow Moon made a mental note of that fact. "Now, to get out of her..." She felt herself seem to teleport into nothingness before she gasped and her vision returned, Henshou holding her tightly in his arms.
"Ouch..."
"OH THANK YOU GOD!" Henshou's arms only tightened around her. "I'm so sorry! I'm.. I just..."
"He's not evil. That's what you were trying to tell me," Shadow Moon smiled. "I feel like I've been hit by a bus and then ran over by a steamroller."
Apple whimpered. "Are you all right?"
"I will be after a good night's slee..." She trailed off, falling asleep as she was trying to finish her sentence.
Duchess Nerthus stared at the Solar Cross, trying to feel something. The light hit her so hard, her body would be numb for a while. Save for the periodic throbs of power ebbing away even as she stood there.
"So much power," Njord breathed. "Even the skies turned to sky blue!"
"Yes but it wasn't Eizou. Not this time, at least," Duchess Nerthus pulled away. "Someone else tapped into it."
"But how!" Njord frowned. "Only royalty can!"
"Yes but someone might have been able to lend a hand..." Duchess Nerthus sighed tiredly. "Let's get some sleep. It's been a rather stressful day," She smiled ruefully at Njord. "Come on."
They left the room and for a moment, a Shadow glittered dimly on the walls before it dissipated into the light.