Chapter Eleven

To Catch An Ace

Word quickly spread about Rei's miraculous recovery, and when it was discovered that a flower not only caused the fever, but that its nectar served as the anti-venom, scientists began scouring the city and collecting samples. In the span of a few days, the nectar was administered to people all across Tokyo, and thousands were saved. This news was not welcome to all, however, for in a dark palace well hidden from view, Cassandra watched it all unfold, her eyes burning with rage.

"Damnit!"

Prince Diamond ducked as a clay pot sailed over his head, shattering against the wall. He gave a low whistle.

"Has the war started?"

"Shut up!" she yelled, infuriated further by her partner's sarcasm. She spun around from the looking glass, casting a murderous glare at him.

"Please Diamond, do tell me why, even though our fool-proof plan is crumbling, you still manage to be so damn smug!"

Amused at her anger, he lounged at the table in the center of the room, propping his legs on top of it.

"Cool down, princess," he said casually. "The Sailor Scouts have an uncanny habit of foiling our plans. We bring Earth to the brink of destruction, and they almost always pull a supernatural rabbit out of the hat. Happens all the time."

Cassandra's lip curled derisively. "And why is that, I wonder?" she sneered. "Have you become so outdated in your methods that you settle for being out-witted by a group of sniveling girls and a man in a red cape? Honestly, Diamond, you disappoint me."

Diamond straightened at her mockery and stood to face her. "You're not so clever yourself, princess," he growled. " I seem to recall a certain someone promising that this scheme would work and we'd be throwing five dead scouts at Wiseman's feet, and what do we have to show for it?" He snapped his fingers. "Nothing. I hope you enjoy eternal damnation, 'cause that's where you're headed. It's been nice knowing you."

Enraged, she strode up to him, her face mere inches from his.

"I'm warning you, you arrogant imbecile. Don't you dare test me again or I'll…I'll…"

Diamond's lip curled. "You'll what? Take advantage of me again, because I'd love to regale Wiseman with your seduction tactics. Perhaps we can discuss them over afternoon tea!"

With a furious scream, she raised her hand to strike him, but she wasn't quick enough. He grabbed her wrist and pinned it behind her back, pressing tight despite her protests.

"Try that again, I dare you," he whispered fiercely. "I'll kill you before you have the chance to blink."

"Now, now, Diamond," soothed a voice from the shadows. "We wouldn't want to waste such a beautiful commodity. She may still yet prove useful to us."

As Wiseman appeared, Diamond lessened his grip and she yanked her hand away, angry tears sending streaks of mascara down her face. She trembled in her master's presence, and suddenly Diamond's threat became a very real possibility. She sank to the floor, keeping her eyes fixed on the dark marble. She was certain this was it, that he would deliver the blow that would send her into oblivion, so his next words surprised her.

"It is not Cassandra's fault, really," Wiseman said.

Diamond blinked. "Sir?"

Wiseman's orb began to glow, casting an image onto the looking glass. It showed the dark crystal, the Valerian blossom glowing nearby. It was a security camera of sorts, and it displayed a surprising sight. The lean body of Kaitou Ace stepped into the frame, conquering the youma he found there, and disappearing with the flower in hand.

"So you see," Wiseman continued. "We have a new enemy to contend with, however insignificant he may be. With him lurking around, any plan we try to conjure will be thwarted. I want you two to capture him."

"Gladly," Cassandra growled as she rose to her feet. "That insolent boy will pay dearly for this. He will not escape me this time."

"See that he doesn't," Wiseman told her. "For if you fail again, I may be less inclined to be merciful. I expect to see his head, as well as the scouts, on a spike by the time I get back."

The pair bowed their heads solemnly as Wiseman faded from sight. Cassandra clenched her hands and glared at the image of Kaitou Ace. He was a hero, like any other, and he was bound to have a weakness. He seemed to make an impression on the ladies, and it was from there that she hatched her plan.

You want a damsel to rescue? Well then, I'll just have to give you one.

The next few days passed without incident, much to Andrew's relief. His strength had returned, and the visions had all but disappeared. Even things at the hospital had stabilized, shifting back to the normal routine of everyday life, and he was convinced that the weirdness of the past week was finally behind him.

If only he could be so lucky.

It was yet another normal day at the arcade, and he had stopped at the bathroom just after his lunch break. Upon his approach to the sink, something flickered against the mirror, causing him to take a second look. In the shadow of his bangs, almost unnoticeable, was an unusual marking, or at least the fragment of one. It seemed to glow under his fingers, a faint gold against his skin. Despite his attempts to wash it off, the mark remained. He shook his head and pushed his hair over it.

It's nothing he concluded. It's just a weird freckle or something. The light in here is playing tricks on you. Don't worry about it.

With a determined nod to his reflection, he walked briskly out of the room, praying with all he had that it was just that. Nothing.

Eventually, the events of the day once again occupied his thoughts and the strange marking was forgotten. As the sun began to set, he hung up his apron, happy with his work and eager to head home and into Mina's arms. As he closed the arcade for the day, he shielded his eyes from the sun, dismissing the brightness as the result of being inside all day. When his vision cleared, he gasped and his keys dropped to the ground. The skyline blurred and shifted, forming a hologram of a beautiful woman, her gaze fierce and threatening.

"KAITOU ACE," she announced. "I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL. MEET ME AT CROSSROADS PARK BY NIGHTFALL. IF YOU ARE NOT MAN ENOUGH TO FACE ME, THEN THIS INNOCENT WOMAN'S BLOOD WILL BE ON YOUR HANDS!"

The image shifted again, and to Andrew's horror, Mina hung suspended from a cable, her school uniform tattered and bloody. She lifted her head, her blue eyes beseeching him.

"PLEASE ACE," she begged. "PLEASE HELP ME."

Her head fell to the side as she fell unconscious and the image of the woman returned, and Andrew could barely keep it together. His heart raced and heat surged through him, and he wanted nothing more than to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off her face.

"YOU HAVE UNTIL NIGHTFALL," she told him. "OR THIS GIRL DIES. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THEN. TA TA!"

She gave an evil cackle, and in the next moment, she was gone.

Andres stood stunned on the sidewalk, his mind reeling. Did that really just happen? Could this be more than an illusion brought on by too many hours at work?

Yes. The thought came to him clear as a bell. Mina's in danger, and whoever this Kaitou Ace character is, I'm not going to just stand by and let her die.

There was no nausea, no weakness in his legs or weird feeling lancing up his spine. All he felt was calm assurance, an urge to defend those who needed his help. In one fluid motion he swiped the keys from the ground and took off down the street. He was fully conscious of his surroundings, the fire in his lungs, the blinding sun flashing through the trees. As he ran, he came upon a startling revelation. He was Kaitou Ace, and had been all along. The release of it made him almost smile. As the familiar presence settled over him, he caught his second wind and picked up his pace, desperation spurring him onward.

Hang on Mina he thought as he ran. I'm on my way. Just hang on.

Unbeknownst to the white-masked hero, Mina was safe and far from harm. She and the other scouts were gathered at the temple, along with Darien, bringing Rei up to speed when the hologram appeared. Now they stood in the courtyard, speculating.

"Talk about déjà vu," Rei muttered up at the darkening sky. "That brought me back to the good old days, when we defeated Jadeite. But why would they be going after Ace?"

"They must think he poses a threat," Amy suggested. "He came to our rescue last time, so maybe they want to make sure they can beat him."

Darien shook his head, gazing the sky where Cassandra's form had been an hour ago.

"He doesn't stand a chance against them," he said grimly. "I was lured in a similar fashion, and I paid dearly for it."

"But what can we do?" Lita asked. "He said he wants to fight alone, so who are we to stop him?"

"That kind of attitude is going to get him killed," Darien replied. "And as much as I dislike him, he's going to need our help."

"Then why are we still standing here?"

The sharp inquiry came from Mina, drawing more than a few curious glances. She blushed.

"This woman has had me on her hit list ever since we've met her, and now she's trying to lure our unsuspecting ally with some chick who looks like me? I'm not having it, and I think it's time we end this once and for all."

Serena tried to hide a smile as she stepped forward. "Mina's right, scouts," she said. "Kaitou Ace saved us last time. Now it's time we return the favor. Who's with me?"

Each of the girls yelled their assent and put their arms in. Serena looked at each of them in turn, pausing at Rei.

"Are you up for this?"

The priestess gave an indignant jerk of the head, her eyes ablaze.

"I've been cooped up in a hospital bed for days and you have the nerve to ask me if I'm ready to kick some Negamoon ass? I've never been more ready in my life."

And with that, thrilled and inspired by the passionate words of Sailor Mars, the girls transformed.

As darkness fell, Kaitou Ace approached the park, casting anxious glances at every shadow. He searched the grounds earnestly, his nerves stretched like a taut bowstring. The sooner he found Mina the better. He eventually came to a clearing with a large baseball field, and there, hanging from the fence above home plate, was Mina. She hung limp against the bonds that held her, her face ashen and her body covered with scrapes and bruises. Desperate to save her, he made the mistake of leaving the shelter of the trees. The spotlights around the field blazed to life, and he froze. A familiar laugh resounded over the open space and he spun around, coming face-to-face with the woman who had lured him here.

"Impeccable timing, cape boy," Cassandra sneered from the pitcher's mound. "I knew I could count on you to show up."

Diamond hovered behind her, a long silver baseball bat propped against his shoulder. Ace straightened, trying to appear nonchalant.

"As much as I appreciate your invitation," he said coolly, pleased that his voice barely trembled. "I only came for the girl. So you can just hand her over and I won't have to kill you. What do you say?"

"Such confidence," she observed with something like admiration. "I must say I'm impressed. Not only did you have the guts to show up here, but you come with such determination and courage. That kind of caliber certainly demands consideration."

She cast a glance over her shoulder, as if to deliberate with her partner. Diamond gave a small nod and she turned back to her opponent.

"I suppose it is enough," she conceded. "We have nothing to compare with the desires of a valiant heart. Take your prize and go in peace."

At her words, Mina's bonds snapped loose and she fell from the fence. Ace leapt to catch her, rolling to break her fall. She was dead weight in his arms, and he could barely keep himself from panicking. Now that Andrew was aware of his own actions, he cared about nothing but getting Mina away from this place.

"Mina," he whispered, caressing her face frantically. "Mina, please wake up. Please, just open your eyes."

She did, and he realized his mistake too late. Her eyes were blood red, and she smiled with razor sharp teeth. Her arms became a web of vines, entangling him and forcing the breath from his lungs.

"You double-crossed me!" he panted. "Why?"

"I guess you forgot to read the fine print," Cassandra drawled. The youma disengaged herself from him, leaving him bound as she moved to stand next to her mistress. Cassandra caressed her hair absently.

"We decided to kill you after all. You see, you got in the way of our plan to conquer the universe, and we can't have that. So we lured you here, certain that a pretty young captive would tug at your heartstrings. I'd say it was a complete success, wouldn't you say, Diamond?"

"Quite," Diamond agreed. He walked over to where Ace laid, the bat still in his hand. He leaned over him, pulling him up by his hair. Ace gasped in pain.

"You know what they say," Diamond hissed in his ear. "Pride comes before the fall. I'd say you qualify, eh, street rat? Your arrogance will be your undoing, and I'm only too happy to show you the error of your ways."

He kicked him savagely, and Ace could not help the cry that burst from his lips. The abuse continued for what seemed like forever, and just when the Dark prince was about to strike him with the bat, something hit him in the back of the head, nearly knocking him over. Cursing furiously, he whirled to address his attacker. He scanned the field, his eyes sparking with fury.

"Who threw that?" he snarled. "Show yourself!"

A calm voice came from the dark dugout, his silhouette tossing a baseball.

"Only a coward would take advantage of those weaker than him," Tuxedo Mask said casually as he stepped from the shadows. "Such vile actions no doubt come from a wicked heart, and-"

"Can we just stop with the long winded speeches?" Diamond huffed in exasperation. "Honestly, if you didn't spend so much time reciting your lines, I'd be dead already."

"Perhaps," the masked man allowed. "But three to one hardly seems fair. Would do you say we level the playing field a bit."

At his cue, five figures emerged from the tree line.

"Well, well," Cassandra purred as the Sailor Scouts joined the fight. "Isn't this a pretty picture? The whole planetary band is back together again. I think I'm going to hurl."

"Can it, witch!" Mars spat, flames flickering from her fingers. "Or I'll incinerate you to cinders."

"Can't say I've missed you, firefly," Cassandra said dryly. "But it's bound to make things interesting." She turned to the creature at her feet. "Kill them!"

At her command, the youma lunged for them, claws outstretched. Rei dodged her, and fueled by anger and adrenaline, she unleashed her first attack.

"Mars Celestial Fire Surround!"

Rings of flame burst from her outstretched palms, and to her satisfaction, some of them singed the creature's hair, and she shrieked in rage.

"Man, that felt good!" the priestess cried, but her celebration was short lived, for the creature made another pass at her, and Jupiter was forced to step in before Rei was overtaken. On the other side of the field, Mercury and Venus were having troubles of their own, for Cassandra began assaulting them with spheres of dark energy, and they were forced to go on the defensive. Mina's Crescent Beam deflected one while Ami's Aqua Allusion froze another. Their enemy laughed gleefully from her position in the air.

"Oh I do love target practice!" she chuckled. "Let's give in another round, shall we?"

As the throes of battle continued, Tuxedo Mask snuck unnoticed to where Ace laid, crossing his arms as the younger man glared up at him.

"Looks like somebody got into a little trouble," he observed, kneeling.

Ace spat into the dirt. "I don't need your help. I was doing just fine when you showed up."

"Clearly," Darien sighed, reaching for the knife at Ace's waist. The blonde shifted away from him, and he frowned.

"Fine," Darien muttered, straightening. "You want to be an arrogant punk, be my guest. But Diamond would've killed you had I not clocked him. We don't have to be friends, but at least we can work together. Truce?"

Ace gritted his teeth, but nodded. Tuxedo Mask retrieved the knife and within moments, Ace was free. Darien held out his hand to help him up, rolling his eyes when the youth hesitated. Something flashed between them as they grasped hands, but Darien shrugged it off, taking for the aura of pride that still lingered around him. As the pair straightened, a cry rang out from across the field, and Darien's eyes widened as he saw Serena fall.

"Go," Ace told him. "I'll be fine. They need you more than I do."

Darien nodded his thanks and raced to Serena's aid, leaving Ace alone at home plate. He watched the battle unfold, gratitude welling within him. Tuxedo Mask and his friends cared enough to put themselves in danger, for him. His reverie was broken when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Well, this was unexpected," Diamond said as he crossed the field. "Two men transforming from bitter rivals to brothers-in arms. I'm touched."

"Touched in the head maybe," Ace replied, smirking. "Tell me, how bad did that really hurt? Be honest now."

Diamond's teeth clenched and he picked up the bat from the dirt. "It seems I was too gentle with you earlier. Let's raise the stakes, shall we?"

With a wave of his hand, the bat became a gleaming sword, sharp and deadly. Ace stared at it, unfazed.

"So you want to play with the big-boy toys now, huh? I guess I can work with that."

With a flourish, he produced a single card, a jack, and tossed it into the air, and as it flipped, a sword was released and he caught the hilt before pointing it at his adversary.

"Your move, hotshot."

Diamond lunged, and the duel began. The two were equally matched, though Andrew had never touched a sword in his life. The motions came naturally to him, like he had done this every day. The prince was strong, however, and it took a great deal of effort to keep him guessing. They parried and dodged in a series of fluid arcs, and one wrong move meant death for either of them. Diamond watched his opponent with a secret smirk. Ace was looking winded, though he tried to hide it. The kicks he received earlier were taking their toll on him; no doubt he had a couple of broken ribs, and Diamond was sure his victory was close at hand. In a moment of distraction, he slashed him along his torso, a movement too quick to see. Snarling, Ace lunged at him, adrenaline coursing through his veins. The energy of the attack forced the prince back, moving them to the center of the field. A few yards away, Mina lurched to her feet after evading another of Cassandra's attacks. She watched the duel between Ace and Diamond, certain she had seen moves like that before. Shaking the thought away, she ran towards them just as Ace struck Diamond with the flat of his blade, knocking the sword from his hand. Startled, he fell, and Ace pinned him to the ground, his sword at this throat.

"He's all yours," he grunted to the woman standing next to him. "It was nice sparring with you, princeling. I hope we can do it again sometime, if you survive the night, that is."

Without another word, Ace walked away, and as much as Mina wanted to stop him, there were more pressing matters at hand. Her friends had regrouped and now joined her, and before she could grab him, Diamond teleported from sight and appeared next to his partner.

"I think we have them beaten," Lita said. "One more big attack should finish them off."

The girls agreed and joined hands, the energies from their respective planets joining together to form one gigantic ball of light. The wind kicked up, sending dust swirling around them, but they did not waver.

"Ready?" Serena shouted. As the wind whipped at their hair and skirts, they unleashed their power on their enemies.

"SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!"

The sphere shot into the air, and as hard as they tried to defend themselves, the ball careened into them with an explosion of epic proportions. When the light faded at last, nothing remained of Cassandra and Diamond.

The battle was over. They had won.