NAME: Towel (5/16/03 – 5/22/03)

E-MAIL:

TITLE: More Than A Woman

NOTE: Wow, thought that last chapter was about Minako kicking that Scanner's ass. I

honestly don't know where I got that name Scanner. It's not its official name, just it's…

earthly name. Originally Nephrite and Minako were going to do battle but it was too

early. Damn, I'm telling too much of the story. Anyway, I hope people loved the last

two chapters as much as I did. I loved how the girl united. They agreed to send Minako

prayer and also to unlock the secrets of the list Rei got a message from. Rei's afraid of

being telepathic because she fears that's what made her mother's heart fail. And YES I

will be going in-depth on Rei and that problem. Rei and Minako started the prologue,

been fighting, just everything. I'll let it be known. Rei's going to play another part in the

storyline. Although I don't have an outline to work with *sniffle*.

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon 1992-2003 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha Ltd./Toei

Animation Co., Ltd. Sailor Moon, the Sailor Moon characters, and their respective

names and likenesses are trademarks of Toei Animation Co., Ltd.

THANKS: Naoko

*~*~*~*~*~*~MORE THAN A WOMAN~*~*~*~*~*~*

CHAPTER ELEVEN: The Prayer Carries On! Minako's Reprised Awakening!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" as the air drew out, blood

rushed in. It rushed toward the top of Minako's head and drowned out her screams

cutting her throat dry. Her knees were scabbed along with matching palms. Her body

trembled all over and she choked against air forcing herself to think straight. Forcing

herself to breathe but scammer away at the same time. However, she couldn't move, she

could only shake with terror dropping from her attempts. Nothing was reacting to her

demands… nothing… fear blocked all her senses. Except the sense to be afraid.

Afraid to look up into the dark melon eyes of the Scanner. Her long blond hair caught

between her eyes like a net shielding her from the darkness that stood above her like the

nemesis of her faith and hope. It shielded her and a small part of her was grateful not to

see, not to see anything but its leg. Its blue skinned, wrinkly leg that was so close to her,

so next to her ringing out the heat of it's incredible wafting body temperature. That

skinny leg, the ankle wrapped in a harsh brown leather buckle that looked as if it was

ripped straight from an insane asylum patient.

Insane…

Minako was insane. She felt insane for trying to challenge the Scanner. For trying to

walk into the situation proud and boldly. Insane for following her instincts to save

everyone.

Insane…

Insane enough to be put into an asylum. And if… she survive. That was her destination.

Her breathing became steady, and her body was haggard bracing the Scanner's first

strike. She could practically feel the muscles in it's jaw extract to devour her, she could

feel the heat of it's breath pulse inches away from her head, she could taste her own

blood in her mouth, she could smell decay. And she could hear, she could hear the

Scanner's throaty raspy intelligence and blood, she could hear it's feet patter when it

adjust an angle to sniff against her. She saw it's right foot move. It's humanoid right

foot.

Breath. Stop. Breath. Stop. Breath…

Minako closed her eyes. If she moved, maybe she was going to die. That was an option

she was afraid of trying. However, it seemed proven if she stayed still… the Scanner

hesitated.

Imagine being inches away from the gapping mouth of the devil himself. You knew

there was no way you could defy your death, but you didn't want to die. Human nature

was to fight. Minako had to fight, she had to fight in order to see results of whether she

was going to live or die. She had to fight because it was inside her to fight even when

everything looked hopeless. Yes, right now she was seconds away from getting herself

decapitated but for some strange reason… yes… there has been worse. This has

happened before.

It was an addiction to be weak. It was a sinister addiction inside of her to curl into a ball

and cry and just wait for the Scanner to have it's way with her. It was a serious addiction

and that addiction wanted to impale Minako to her death. She could feel the addiction of

weakness and it had no problem punching her in the face.

Desperate, hope, faith, that was hard to come by. But she'd always made it somehow.

Even if not facing a demon straight from hell, she'd conjured up the seeds of hope.

Was the Scanner really going to win? Was she so afraid that she'd let it win? The things

from her nightmares as a child were rising to catch up with her. But there were no covers

to duck under; there were no parents to caress away the fear of what could be inside the

darkness. There was no one, but herself…

Snap! Pro. Pro living. Inside of her the strength to live grew. Minako battled herself,

battled the fear and her fingers, her fingers curled into tight fists along the pavement and

the stain released itself.

You've done a lot these pass two days, she told herself. Nothing should compare to just

another demon in your way.

And she had to ignore everything she'd seen the Scanner in action do. She had to ignore

that it had inhuman strength to lift one with a single hand. She had to ignore that it was

vicious, deadly, and hungry. She had to ignore that it was it's appearance, it's flawed

looks that would really get her killed, if she allowed it's looks to overpower her

authenticity.

Minako panted in deep breathes. How was she going to pull this off she didn't know.

The rifle was under a tiny red car at the corner of the lot. Besides herself, that was her

only chance and she could see it. Resting, like a silent empty prop it laid there tucked

under the car.

The Scanner made a tiny move. It was still reading her as its foot shifted. Minako knew

it was waiting, waiting for her to turn around so it could see her face. Faces. It went by

faces. Wrong face, death, right face, death. Or like a dog it'd drag it's prize back to its

master and that's what fueled her. Being in the hands of Kunzite and Nephrite again.

However…

Minako wasn't the first to react. Her name was screamed by Ace. All options aside she

craned her head toward him as he exited the general store in a rush. Minako could just

barely see the other survivors inside through the glass, standing, watching, and

addressing the enemy! No, and Ace! Their faces! Don't let it see your face!

Her mouth opened to scream for Ace to run away. But Ace was determined and the

people, foolishly peering through the glass to watch weren't aware. Time seem to

simmer and Ace held a steel baseball bat up high as he came charging. His face was red

with anger and dedication to fight, but time seemed to slow for Minako to see. To see the

shadow come from above her that belonged to the Scanner and took its blood lust toward

Ace. Toward Ace's face!

Minako caught a glimpse of the Scanner's silver claws, as they seem to extract from the

three stubby fingers it owned. The Scanner hissed as it arched it's back like a cat, a

dribble of yellowy saliva drummed against Minako's boot. It seemed to echo, it seemed

to rupture her brain with vibrations.

And the Scanner was howling pinching the air with its foul triumphing cry. Minako's

world became dizzy for a second but quickly adjusted.

She had to do something, and she was…

Ace verses the Scanner. Both charging toward one another. Minako screamed for Ace to

run the other way, but Ace, always there, always helping, was indomitable to help her.

Her friend. He'd seen her falling from the Scanner, he'd witnessed her flying nearly

across the parking lot dropping the rifle, and he'd observed the Scanner sniff against her.

Minako was hopeless now, his brain fired. Now it's your turn.

Minako was up as the clash began. "NO!" she cried blinded by the swinging reflective

steel of Ace's bat as it arched down, down, down, down…

He's going to get killed, Minako's mind screamed.

Down, down, down, like slow motion the bat went, the Scanner was ever so close, and

the bat connected just against it's left shoulder and sent out a pulse of vibrations.

Everything seemed to stop.

Minako breathing, wishing, believing that Ace was okay. That he'd made the right shot.

Her blue eyes looked with hope for the Scanner to crumble and die from the connection.

Ace was panting with his powered strength. His face was glowing with sweat and the bat

seemed to wither in his grasp.

The Scanner… well Minako couldn't read the Scanner but she'd asserted that it was

somewhat aggravated. And why…

"No," her mouth hissed horrid and transcend as she saw the bat. The steel bat make

formation and bent itself along with the Scanner's shoulder. Harmlessly…

Then time seem to catch up in a snap.

"ARGGGGGG!" the Scanner wailed. All Minako saw was one of it's bony, wrinkly,

arms lift and suddenly Ace was airborne.

Ace's doll-like body was flying through the air to the point where Minako couldn't

believe, she just couldn't believe what she was seeing was real. Ace was wheeling

through the air and over the brick wall that separated the general store from the evacuated

restaurant. Over, over, over, over, the wall and all Minako could catch was watching him

fly never to see where exactly did he land beyond the wall.

How was she going to fight that thing? She looked at the bent steel bat that was curved

to comfort the Scanner's left shoulder. That could be her… only… bruised and broken.

How was she going to fight it? How? How? What did she get herself into?

Air sucked into her lungs as her eyes craned dismayed from the bat, dead on the asphalt,

and the screams, the rushing sound, the faces…

Shattering glass cut the air and the Scanner screeched as it plowed itself inside the

general store. All those faces, pressed against the glass door, doomed. Darkness seemed

to cover the store and blood began to spill and lives began to end. If only they'd stayed

down, it was looking for her… for Minako…! If only they'd stayed down.

The air she held inside she let loose. This thing was going to die! And die now! Before

it moved further into the dimness of the store. Before it moved from her sight. Before

she could hear the sound of ripping flesh and blood-curdling screams any longer.

And Ace…

No… Ace was dead… no one could survive that… no one…

Tears wanted to burn her eyes but that was all they could do, better yet… sting. Afraid to

get any closer to what few deaths spewing the front of the door Minako screamed

watching the last bit of the Scanner move into the store for whoever remained. She

screamed loud and hard, anything, anything. Provoked the Scanner. Cursed it.

Whatever it took to draw away it's bloody attention and focus. She was the item. She

was the prize.

And it worked…

Only it's face seemed to come from the dimness of the store. It's eyes; she could see

them watching her, zooming in on her. Zooming so close. Scoring her face. And she

saw the glimmer of realization in those dark pools of eyes.

Eyes…

The Scanner shifted around in her direction and immediately opened its fangs, as it took

charged.

Minako couldn't just stand there. Something pushed her and she was off, like a missile,

toward the rifle remembering what she'd just realized. Remembering what she'd just saw

in that instant when the Scanner finally saw her face. She remembered and she was

prepared.

WHAM!

Too fast. Into the car, down, down, down, under!

Reach! Clutch! No grasp! Air!

"Oh my God, please, please, please, please," Minako plea as her right arm went hurdling

under the car for the skidded rifle. She made desperate grasp but got only air. She was

sweating, panicking this had to work. This had to work! It had to work!

Her cheek pressed against the steel of the car, more room, MORE!

And it came! For a fraction of a second she saw the Scanner exit the store and was

completely darned toward her, it's eyes did the thing she noticed before. It glimmered!

It realized! It scoped! It knew! It…

Spoke!

But Minako didn't hear it too clearly. More maybe she had.

Her hair whisked away, either way, it had to die! Die! Die! No time! Get the goddamn

rifle and shoot it! Get it!

She reached, clinging herself tight, pushing herself.

"Princess," a nasty cloggy voice spoke.

Ignore! Ignore! You have to kill that thing or it'll kill you! It's coming!

Minako's palm slammed down. Three of her fingers hit pavement, the remaining two

gained a fix on the butt of the rifle. That was enough for her. Minako swung her fingers

around and out the rifle slid. Her focused turned toward the Scanner. She narrowed her

eyes while her hands controlled the pose and grip of sliding the gun into firing place.

It was walking, or, bent over walking. Ape-like but coming her way. The Scanner.

Nowhere else to run. Nowhere else to hide. Her butt hit the pavement and she drew the

rifle forward that's when instinct took over. The weakness was the eyes. That was all

she reminded herself of as she took the rifle, peered open one eye aligning as best she

could knowing she knew NOTHING about what she was doing. However, she tried and

it worked.

Zoomed in! Target! The Scanner was walking on its knuckles.

"Princess," it croaked.

And Minako fired…

BLAM! The rifle recoiled in her grasp and the bullet's wheezing rang her ears but she

remained steady and watched the bullet fly slamming through the wind. There came a

sickening SPLAT as the Scanner's left dark black pool of an eye erupted a yellow gooey

substance that immediately spread upon the remains of the eye like wildfire blinding it.

And the Scanner shrieked! A shriek so power Minako's muscles vibrated and the rifle

slipped from her hands clattering between her legs as she clutched her ears against falling

against the pavement. It was a horrible out of this world shriek; nevertheless, the damage

was done. She was right in choosing its eyes as its weakness. She was so right.

Minako looked not knowing how long the Scanner could look up into the sky and wail

for salvation for it's blown eye. It seemed like forever but then focus was brought back

upon her and the Scanner snarled, saliva drenched its flashing fangs. The Scanner's pain

resided and it forced itself upon Minako.

Safe from the shrieks she grabbed the rifle, tried to aim again but the Scanner wasn't

having it. It was no longer "calm" it was full out charging straight for her knuckles

scrapping the pavement, claws extended, fangs at the ready. She couldn't focus; she

couldn't focus! There was nothing left she could do… there was nowhere she could go…

Cock.

Fire!

BLAM!

SPLAT! The bullet busted through the other side of the Scanner's head and it sprung

wildly through the air from impact and crumbled to the pavement as yellowy goop seeped

from its right eye. The blue wrinkly body of the Scanner was dead. Lifeless on the

pavement. It's reasoning, it's weakness, everything gone for it now. It was dead and in a

blind fit of faith Minako made the final shot, her best.

She did it. She killed the viciousness of the Scanner.

Minako lowered the rifle and closed her eyes wiping her brow. Was it okay to scream for

joy? Was it okay to be relieved that she was alive when so many others were probably

dead? Was it okay to once again slip through death's grasp and come out alive and

stronger? Was it okay? No, nothing was okay.

Minako thought for a second where she learned to aim like she did. Nothing matched up

and looking at the Scanner's body let her know that there was no need to question

anything. Like Ace said, she just knew things.

Ace…

"ACE!" Minako pulled up just as a torn hand came over the brick wall that separated her

from the fast food place. It was a banged hand with red cuts; it was Ace's hand. His

unruly blond hair followed but Minako was already by his side. He was a mess and yet

when he looked up at her. He smiled throughout his cut face.

Minako could do nothing more than cry and throw him into a rewarding huge even as he

grimaced from the pain in his side. Nothing mattered. Ace was alive. Minako hung

inside the pleasure. She cared about him.

"Okay, okay," Ace alarmed in a hurting voice but wanting to sound sporty about his

situation. "You can let me go now and help me over this wall."

Minako blinked and looked only to find him standing on the other side of the wall. She

almost laughed wiping away her tears. "Guess I'm just so happy you're okay."

"You call this okay?" Ace looked over himself smirking. Looking pass Minako he saw

the Scanner… dead, and gave Minako a "wowing" look as she helped pull his remaining

leg over the wall. Ace clung to her, his and her arms wrapped around one another as they

headed toward the general store where the manager poked his head out with fear

scrawling his face looking at the dead mass that once was the Scanner. The manager was

cut and blood covered his shirt.

"Hey," Minako called for his help. Minako, the manager and Ace staggered their way

into the store. The store where people were piled into the men's washrooms. Almost

everyone, cut and bruised, crying and shaking with inner abuse as they cling to

themselves. Those that were fine helped those that weren't and Minako counted off that

only three had died. But did that mean anything? Did that mean she still protected them?

Did that mean she did a good job?

No, three people were dead. It was about them, not Minako's "job" at stopping the

Scanner. She'd done her best; there was no one to blame.

Ace laid on one of the blankets on the floor with the other injured victims. He pouted

that he was fine but at Minako's insistent he laid still as a woman medicated his wounds.

Minako left Ace and turned from the party. She couldn't look any longer. That Scanner

had ripped through half the people who were screaming and crying out. She guessed

immediately once they saw her kill the bastard that that was their chance to set up and

start treating each other. Everything was fresh.

"Help is on the way."

It was the manager. By her side giving her a tense look. He was suspicious of her.

She'd saw some of the looks of the people when she'd entered. They were afraid of her.

Probably not as much as she was afraid of herself. Minako thought she knew herself.

She thought she knew who she was but these pass two days proved she knew nothing.

Not a drop.

"Great," Minako obligated a smile. She didn't feel like smiling. She felt like crying.

She felt like sleeping. She felt just plain… icky inside. She'd beat the Scanner and now

it was inside her head along with a lot of other shit that just wouldn't go away. Zoicite,

Jadeite's evil transformation… everything. What was next? Honestly, what now was

going to come and turn her life upside down?

"You knew what that thing was didn't you?"

Minako shook her head. There was no way explaining what she thought she knew, or

what she thought she didn't know. No way to explain. She didn't understand it herself.

She couldn't explain it to herself. She just… knew…

Her right hand cupped the back of her neck tiredly trying not to look at the interrogative

manager. Help was on the way. That meant police. Police equaled the end of this

nightmare. Kunzite and Nephrite were hitting death row. The innocent were having their

respective funerals. The Scanner was going into a museum. Ace was going back to his

normal life. And Minako… well she figured she'd have other options. Jail, old life, or

that insane asylum. Home was the better choice but as far as she was concern, not the

likeliest.

If she went home she didn't want to be considered a hero. There was nothing heroic to

her about any of this. She never thought of any of it heroic. Not once. Not until…

now… anyway.

Minako ignored the manager and looked toward those that were wounded, crying, and

trying to remain calm. They were alive lessen by three others she couldn't save and

everyone at the fast food place that were killed in the initial attack. They were alive…

Because of me, her mind offered. It felt warm to think so. They were alive because I

made a decision to keep them alive. I made a decision to put my life ahead of theirs.

Her mistakes from the yacht seemed to become "repaid." That was probably what was

driving her to protect those people. The incident on the yacht.

That wasn't my fault, she proclaimed FINALLY accepting it. It wasn't my fault.

A smile spread across her face.

"You think this is funny!?" the manager went postal gesturing his hands toward the

wounded. He'd caught her smile and was angered.

Minako was stunned for words, her smile fading into nothingness.

"You could have gotten us all killed!" he continued to scream. "Not to mention yourself!

Taking my rifle like that! What were you thinking!?"

She had to defend herself. Looking at him she just knew, she HAD to defend herself.

Defend her happiness. The happiness that people kept wanting to take away from her.

Defend what little recognition she could get. Wandering out there trying to fight a

monster she KNEW was meant for her. She had been brave facing what seemed like the

impossible. She had found the monster's weakness and ended it! And now… all that

seemed… so nothing. It felt good for a second to be thought of as a hero but, Minako

felt, how could see be a hero when those she saved didn't feel her as one. Why is my

happiness being taken away from me? After all I've been through… nobody was there to

save me! I had to save myself time and time again! So what gave them the right to

judge!?

People's sense of her proved more overpowering than her own bravado. She was being

taken down in spirit no matter how much she reasoned with herself… and herself alone.

The crowd was stronger than her, so she thought.

"I…" a meek wording came from her nervous lips. He was so fuming, she could see it

like the vein popping from his forehead, and there was nothing she felt she could say. Or

the words to stand up to him weren't coming out. She'd hoped for Ace, but Ace wasn't

there. He shouldn't be there to help her. This was her right, her time and yet, nothing

was coming forth. She didn't feel like cursing him out. It was just, with all the people

alive, did they feel the same as he felt? If she were to curse him out, she'd have to curse

out all those who felt the same way in a sense. And there was just too many of them.

They overpowered her. They intimidated her.

"People are dead because of you!" he continued to scream, to pound, to hurt her adding

the weight. Heaviness settled into the pit of her stomach and her belief was completely

snatched away. She thought she'd done right by protecting everyone and now… now it

seemed indifferent. Or… wrong. The manager was pointing his perspective; Minako

assumed the others who were alive matched it.

Happiness swept away in an instant…

"Stupid little girl!"

That's right… I'm stupid; Minako shunned his eyes. I was foolish! Everyone here thinks

so and it's true. I should have kept everyone inside and out of the monster's eye. I didn't

think about the others! If we would have all laid down and together in the darkness

nobody would have gotten killed! If I'd only gave Mr. Shinohara the drug nobody would

have gotten killed…

And it sunk on her like 1000 tons of metal.

It's my fault! No matter how many ways I try to put it. Everything really is my fault!

And I never asked for this! I never asked to be snatched away from my home to face all

this! I'm not ready for all this! People dying when all I'm trying to do is protect them

and myself. This isn't supposed to be life. Not for me…

Minako was near tears feeling the glazing eyes of the people upon her. Until…

"How can you say that!?" a bandaged woman stood up fervently. "I'll admit I was scared

and angry as hell. I have a broken arm because that monster decided to bite it! But

you… look at you… nothing but a little scar and someone else's blood! You were the

first to run while she took your gun and went out there to fight!" The woman jabbed her

operating finger at Minako. "She's not stupid you moron! She's brave and if she hadn't

done what she'd done there would have been a hell of a lot more bodies to be take to their

graves today! For that I'm VERY grateful!"

Grateful… it echoed inside Minako's head. Someone's grateful? Of me? Of what I've

done? Of how I've tried to make things better when I've been given the worst?

Someone felt… grateful?

A light seemed to shine within her heart.

Ace coughed then spoke grinning. "You really did great Minako," he commented

warmly. "I'm alive and I'm grateful. If anybody done something foolish it was me

running out there like I was superhuman." Ace giggled, stinging pain ripped his side and

he laid down slowly giving Minako a hard thumbs-up.

Minako didn't tell him but HE was the reason she won. As twisted as it seemed Ace

distracted the Scanner enough for her to get away without her face being scored. What

would have happened if the tables were turned… Minako kept those visions to her private

self. But now… to have Ace reward her. It meant everything in the world for her to

know that people did care. People cared that she was doing her best, people cared that

she laid down her life for them. People cared! She was brave, not foolish!

And it made so much sense to her now. She wasn't the same Minako that was boy-crazy

and immature and dramatic about the stupid simple things. She used to cry when she

broke a nail, now she was crying because she saved lives. It was like, her past, nothing

mattered then. Nothing in life mattered, but now, everything matters. She had the ability

to find within her the strength to make a difference. And she done it. She made a

difference… a difference that MATTERED. No changing clothes to attract a cute guy,

but

changed peoples lives. Saved lives!

The manager grew quiet and the woman settled down at the persistence of another.

Minako relished of her belief looked him squarely in the eye and he, in a heat, sauntered

away outside of the washroom door. No… they didn't match. Everyone was hurting but

they didn't match what he was feeling. His resentment for Minako, his resentment for

her turning up the notches and doing what she had to do to keep people and herself alive.

People are alive because of me, she thought. That DOES make me a hero in every right!

I'm a hero.

It was the same thing the reporter told her the day she'd stopped the robbery. It was a

feeling inside her when she knew that word was close to her presence. It lead to disaster

before but… now… it felt rightfully hers. She didn't know she had it in her to save lives

and become a hero. All these years of being a ditz to people. An air-headed without a

cause. Life mattered. SHE mattered.

I'm a hero.

And she smiled. She hid it, but she smiled.

Minako.

Minako shuddered. That voice again. Reception far more powerful than before.

Distinction that she'd found herself in earlier. Ace! She remembered; it was Ace talking

to her inside her head. It really was Ace! But how? Or was this really real? Minako

found herself looking at Ace across the room but Ace didn't seem responsive or

responsible for the voice. He was busy whining as woman applied alcohol to one of his

cuts.

Should I ask him? Minako pondered. Should I ask is that him sending me these voices?

How can I believe…?

How can I believe…?

Believe…

A monster that crawled out of a pit in hell has just nearly slaughtered me. Was it so far-

fetch to believe that someone was sending me telepathic messages? Someone who

sounded like Ace?

Minako shook her head. No, I still can't believe it.

Maybe if I listen…

All was silent for her inside her head. She'd walked out of the washroom to be alone

from the injured voices. She walked all the way toward the shattered glass of the

entrance and listened. Tried to listen to the voice, tried to find it closing her eyes and

listening.

Talk to me, she tried to telepath not sure how to operate it but believing it was within her

to do so. Speak to me. Who are you? Are you Ace? Tell me. What do you know?

Minako looked into the sky trying not to view the crumbled Scanner who was now

collecting flies.

Who are you?

"Nothing," she flung her hands to her side bothered. "I'm not getting anything at all."

She sighed away her hope. "This is dumb. I'm just kidding myself. Nobody's speaking

to me inside my head." She chuckled and steered around coming to a halt.

There came a sound. Minako listened closely. It was in the distance, most likely on the

road. It sounded like… brakes. The common sounds of brakes slicing the air in a rush or

approaching accident. Minako aimed to listen. There was more than one pair of brakes.

Her reception grew.

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Was the sound that rocked the trees on the road leading into

town? She could hear it. Shrieking and crying out.

Her hair whisked around along with her head looking outside, that's when the ground

shook as something exploded in the distance. A flaming ball of fire spread above the

trees, a flash of the exploding yacht came into Minako's head the packed itself away.

The flaming ball billowed and stretched up until it vanished into the air. For a second she

thought the trees were on fire, the thought the ear was at its doom but nothing remained

burning. The trees were fine and the earth wasn't awaking.

Something was happening on the main road that simply HAD to do with vehicles. And a

crash. Did she have to be a hero and pull someone from a burning car? She hoped not.

Minako was always weary of fine lines and going overboard. She didn't want to press

the uncertainties of saving lives. She knew she wasn't invincible.

Minako was off. Praying that there wasn't another Scanner. Praying it was nothing

inhuman causing this. Causing such and explosion. Praying that the manager of the store

jogging suddenly behind her wasn't going to give her trouble. She let him come along

but her drive to find out what was happening was stronger as she cut across the parking

lot, over the gravel separating the parking, and onto the pavement of the main road.

Immediately to her left she turned where she'd witness the flame, she saw nothing, a

whisk of fire but the bend was too burly and whatever it was going on down there was

beyond the bend of trees and pavement.

"What is it?" the manager asked at her side but Minako was gone. She flew toward the

scene. Fearfully ahead of herself as she squinted to see what was going on.

Her feet slapped against the darkness below and her eyes cornered toward three police

vehicles erupted upside down in flames and she could just barely squeeze out the image

of an ambulance safely in the distance on the other side. Blocked off by the wreckage of

flaming police cars.

"Impossible," her voice croaked in disbelief. There wasn't any sign of anyone but… just

looking at this made her know. Made her feel the danger that someone had caused all

this. Someone had done this. Literally blocked the ambulance off by rupturing the police

cars into a row blocking the road. It was too perfect… just too perfect. And why? Why

was the ambulance safe on the other side, unharmed, settled like a toy? Taunting

Minako, wanting her to try to spread herself over the fire to get it to save the people.

Toying with her! Someone was toying with her! Testing her in a game! Playing with

people's lives!

"Who could have done this?" Minako almost forgot the manager was right beside her.

She didn't plan on taking another step toward the wreckage; she felt close enough

looking around for the culprit. Her face red and burning, her lungs wheezing as she

panted, the girl stopped bent over slightly.

"I don't know for sure," she shook her head never taking her eyes away. "But I got a

pretty good idea as to who."

One thing after another.

Minako choked up her voice and looked toward the sky. Enough… was enough.

"COME OUT!" she cried as strongly as she could. "I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE

SO COME OUT!"

It was either Nephrite or Kunzite's doing. They were toying with her and her faith. The

ambulance was RIGHT there, unharmed although she could see no passengers from the

distance. People needed that help and there was no time for games.

Who was it going to be? Nephrite or Kunzite?

A flash, through the flames, a figure, walking, moving, THROUGH THE FLAMES!

Minako squinted her eyes as the manly body moved forward toward her direction. Closer

and closer out of the fire unharmed and clapping his hands sinisterly, sarcastically,

proudly.

And there he was.

"Nephrite," she spoke lowly. Nephrite stepped from the flames untouched, unharmed,

and inhumane. Not a single singe, burnt, or bruise. The manager behind Minako

swallowed, and swallowed hard and suddenly dropped into a faint. Minako stood her

ground. This was no surprise to her. Not a bit. Jadeite proved that her enemies were

more than human. Nephrite included.

And that joyful look on Nephrite's face. Happy. Not the insane look of Jadeite's

happiness, but that of cleverness. Smirk cleverness.

Nephrite stopped outside the flames and opened his arms out. His wave of chestnut

colored hair swung at the cracking of his neck as if he was preparing to fight her.

"Surprised?" he asked mockingly.

Minako said not a word; she just clenched her teeth ready to guard herself. She should be

surprise, there was no telling what Nephrite could do to her but she couldn't show that

part of her. She had to let him see that she was determined no matter what trick he had

up his sleeve. But yes, she was surprised in another way. Surprise that it was only

Nephrite, alone. The one she ALWAYS feared the most was Kunzite. Although that

shouldn't matter.

Nephrite folded his arms. Minako was reminded of how much she thought of him when

she first saw him. How he seemed like the quiet one. The one with direction. The one…

no… it didn't matter. A killer was… a killer.

"You give up running yet?" Nephrite spoke in that same mocking voice. "You killed my

Scutarus, bet you think you're just bad as hell now huh? So, are you done running?

You've caused us a lot of set backs, now it's time to get back to business."

No words. No reply.

Nephrite tilted his head and raised his right hand, motioned a finger for Minako to come

forth.

It was like a lock pulled her legs together and suddenly a force pushed against her

throwing her teetering onto her heels. Minako's mouth opened to fight it but the force

was too strong and she moved involuntarily by some power toward Nephrite and stopped

just a foot in front of him at a skid. The locked moved, this time against her arms. She

was pinned; only thing moving was her mouth as she finally bubbled the words out to be

set free. Then suddenly, she couldn't speak. Magic, dark magic. There was no telling

what he could do to her and Minako looked at him as if she knew. She couldn't let

Nephrite see fear. The demon inside him.

Nephrite smirked and rose up her chin gently looking over her face. Minako was pinned,

stuck inside the shell of her body. "You sure are beautiful," Nephrite commented with a

small grin. Flattered or not, Minako wanted to spit into his face and she could feel her

tongue at work. "Just as Princess Venus should be. Do you know who she is? No, of

course not."

Princess, Minako's mind motioned. Is he talking about me?

Nephrite searched her eyes back and forth. "You really don't know anything do you?"

"I know you're a killer." The spell binding of her mouth lifted away before Minako

knew it. That was enough for her and she spat, she'd pulled it up so clear and crisp in her

mouth and launched it into Nephrite's startled face!

Her arms and legs unlatched and she prepared to fight.

Nephrite laughed wiping his face peeking up at her beyond the hair that covered his bent

face. "Like I said. Think you're just bad as hell now. Well the games are over!"

"We'll find out," Minako countered. Nephrite had magic, she had herself. Was that

enough?

Nephrite shook his head as always and chuckled gaining correct foot. "The stars girl!" he

suddenly roared with a wild encouraging look in his eyes that backed Minako up.

"EVERYTHING is ruled by the stars, challenge them, and you'll die."

Minako thought for a moment making out nothing. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"I means you're not ready to fight me and win," he scoffed. "You have little to go before

I accept you as a challenge."

Like now, Nephrite's voice sprang into Minako's head. She dared not waver. She

didn't look for a source because it was right there. She didn't show fear, or surprise, she

showed blankest. If he could voice inside her mind, could he read it? Build a wall is

what Minako did. She quickly built a brick wall inside her head blocking away all the

doubts and fears and anxieties that were possible for Nephrite to read. IF he could read

her mind. You can hear me, but you can't respond. And YES, it has been me speaking

to you this whole time. At least most of the time. There were times when someone else

was blocking me.

Minako's eyes grew. Not Ace, Nephrite. But… "most of the time." Did that really

mean someone else was also in her head? It was strenuous to think how much she could

be invaded now. It wasn't ever her imagination, people – Nephrite – was really speaking

into her head back then, back when the first Scanner – Scutarus showed up. The

warning? But Nephrite was the enemy! Why would the enemy warn her? Tell her to

beware that evil was near! No, Ace. She was right, it HAD to be Ace who could also

project into her mind. Not only Nephrite, but Ace also. Nephrite said it himself "most of

the time." The other times within him inside her, were Ace's time. Ace! Was it just

wishful thinking that the enemy couldn't be inside her head… alone? Minako didn't

know, but she knew Ace had to be apart of it. Her conscious figured it out earlier, before

she had, and it was true. Ace could telepath to her just as Nephrite could. Ace had

warned her before… she had this strange feeling however that Ace didn't exactly know

what he was capable of. Ace and Nephrite were telepaths. Nephrite used darkness to do

so and Ace… she didn't know about Ace.

And someone else in her life was somewhat telepathic as Minako could sum to her

thinking. Someone natural to it. Someone fearful of doing it. Why couldn't she placed

the face onto it.

Everything felt like a circus now! An insane circus!

You're just not ready. But you're fun to challenge and before I tell you what you need

to know in order to get to me, I give you one more challenge. Nephrite threw out his

hands and blackness seemed to surround and suck into all sides of him and Minako until

they were inside a box of darkness where Minako looked around and saw nothing but the

twilight of stars. The trees were gone, the air was gone, the fire was gone, atmosphere

Earth was gone completely. Just darkness, the darkness of swallowing space clipped by

bright stars. A hologram, an illusion, a simulation, Minako didn't know what it was but it

surrounded her. She was drawn however to one star shown golden standing out the

brightest, Nephrite reached out a hand, snatched it and the box instantly vanished

replaced by trees, pavement, fire, atmosphere Earth… home, no longer the illusional

vacuum of space. No longer the heaven of stars. He held the star up in his palms.

"This is you," his voice came forth. "Who you used to be."

Nothing but a speck of glimmering gold in his hands. She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

"If you want answers," Nephrite tossed the fleck over Minako's head. Minako figured it

vanished from the dark magic within Nephrite. Her eyes didn't bother tracking it down.

Besides, she risked losing contact with Nephrite. She risked turning her back for an

attack, as if it mattered with such a power superhuman as Nephrite. Minako kept in mind

that she could stand one inch from his face watching his every move and he could kill her

with one look. Jadeite almost had. "Then seek them. Everything you need to know is

within yourself and the stars."

Was he helping, or luring her into danger? Why did something seem so profound in

Nephrite's speech. Why did his face turn so cold and subtle? So… comprehensive.

Everything. Now turn around.

Minako asked no questions. She pulled into Nephrite's rapture and slowly she turned.

Expecting to find the manager awake and safe Minako was looking into the eyes of…

"That's me," her voice hissed and her eyes grew like saucers and it was. A mirror image

of herself or another girl? Not her. Same size, weight, hair color, eye color, lips, nose.

The girl was dressed in a shimmering gown. Long, weightless, almost translucent, and

silkily but still glittering gold. She wore a gold chain around her waist with each link

centered with blood red rubies. And in her left hand was a small crescent shaped gold

compact, centered with a pink jewel. The girl clutched the compact tight, as if for her

safety.

Too taken aback to even lift a word from her lips.

Minako snatched her eyes away from the compact and back toward the girl's eyes. Fright

grew, Minako grew, wanted to cry, scream fight the image before her that didn't belong.

The image that was her, it was really truly HER! A mirror image of her dressed like

some sort of… queen… princess… something royal and not from this world. But it was

defiantly her ripping the rules and laws of time. Minako stood before… Minako!

IMPOSSIBLE! How is this happening? A trick of light? Dark magic!? She'd soon

forgotten about Nephrite who was already disporting into a dark vacuuming void behind

Minako with a satisfied grin on his clever face.

The girls were eye to eye, toe to toe, curiosity to death. While Minako looked afraid and

curiously, her twin looked… passively angry, possessively deadly. It was Minako, but, it

WASN'T Minako. It was someone who looked like her, someone not of this world and

shouldn't belong to his world. The real Minako could feel the awful vibes of death

surrounding her twin. She could feel hatred and jealousy and bitterness and a mixing

smell of decay that matched that of the Scutarus demon. Her twin wasn't human, no, she

wasn't human. Or was she? Hard to decide, hard to depict. The situation was too

delicate and proved the most extreme than anything Minako had been through since

Kunzite decided to turn her life upside down. Too extreme and it only got worst…

The twin lifted her free hand into the air. The hand seemed to soar toward the heavens

and she spoke. The twin spoke in a voice echoed with familiarity, chimes, and shadows.

A voice booming and loud with dedication and determination. A voice of a warrior. The

double opened up her hand. "Sword of the Moon," the double whisked about her

strengthened voice calmly. "Holy blade that protects thy princess!"

For a second Minako wondered what was her double talking about. What was she

summoning and calling and wondering should she really be afraid. But those thoughts

were cut short as dark clouds floated into the sky over head. It was as if the white clouds

slipped away in fear and the blue sky dosed itself in the color black to disguise itself as

one with the ominous spreading of the charred looking clouds. The wind picked up and

both girl's hair intertwined within although the double looked toward the darkness

channeling and summoning up the lightening that blazed before Minako's started eyes.

Before long Minako was scraped down against the pavement. She thought she was

paralyzed as the storm surrounded them, but she was moving. Trying her hardest to

scuttle away as thin sheets of lightening harmlessly collected around her double's rose

hand. Minako was afraid, more darkness, more magic was swallowing away her reality.

Impossible! Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE! But happening!

And the double laughed sinisterly in a deep troubled, throaty voice and looked down

upon the cowering Minako. Her eyes pass the blaze of her golden blond hair Minako could see

the whiteness, the bolts, the power surging through her double's eyes. Iris gone, pupils

gone, just whites mixed with the power of lightening and the doubled just laugh supplely

then rounded out her laughter with the final piece of her poisonous beckoning…

"COME TO MY HANDS!" the wicked double dawned out. Minako was blinded, she

moaned and cried out as a bolt slashed through the sky and into the palms of her double's

hand. But taken in too much had happened and Minako covered her eyes, her ears caked

with numbness, her hair floating on end, her body quivering with fear as she felt this was

her last match. This was the last time she'd see anything before death. Her double was a

demon, not an angel sent to protect her, a demon summoned by Nephrite and with her

demonic powers, Minako knew, death wasn't near. Minako refused to fight this time.

She couldn't fight that bastard of a demon who portrayed herself as herself. There was

no way.

Nothing. There was nothing in her mind. Nothing in her thoughts. Nothing. Just silence

as she tried to regain foot only to fall back down. Only to grunt and take in the shock

struggling to find somewhere to hide. But there was nowhere to hide as she tried to crawl

away and as she crawled the world… the world above was shifting back to before. The

darkness was lingering away quietly and the sun was no longer hidden under the charred

clouds. Before, everything was back to before. Still burning cars, still hot pavement, still

trees, before… everything was before and it was the last Minako would see.

Minako's feet and hands operated together correctly and she was up, up and turning

violently at a brace to face her new enemy. To face… herself. To be prepared to be

sucked into the darkness that led her so far astray from her real life. From where she

belonged.

"So this is the other me," the familiar girl spoke. Same voice, only… darker. The girl

smirked and lifted up a sword. A powerful enormous sword that no girl her size should be

able to lift with one hand. However, the sword seemed oddly wrong to Minako. It

looked as if it was made of stone, not as in a blade. Like an innocent rock carved into

that of a sword's shape. And yet, it was beautiful, covered in darkness, but beautiful.

"You feel like dying you pathetic excuse for a warrior?"

Minako was speechless. Her foot stumbled backing up while the sword rose high.

"No answer?" the twin crooned. "Then let us die!" Her fangs flashed forth and the great

sword of the Moon came gashing down aimed at Minako's neck…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Continued in…

CHAPTER 12: An Unwarranted Twin's Will! Minako Shape Within the Stars!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Whew! Man, I had to rewrite that last bit over and over again until it felt right to me.

And to think, I was about to cut apart one of the best chapters *sigh* it turned out great to

me. I hope you guys are liking my story so far and YES I quoted Sailor Venus from the

manga book three. But don't let that tell you the story. This story is farrrrrrrr different

(as you may or may not know) than the manga. I need a break, so the next chapter might not be around next week... MIGHT. PEACE.