Chapter 12
The Amanojaku


Day 6


Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon were on surveillance of the mysterious man from the drug store. The strange almost glow to his eyes, and the way that he had made Mamoru want to fulfill his darkest fantasies with one look did not bode well. They were certain something was going on. It felt like they had lived a year in the past week, and they were both exhausted, but they couldn't call in the others yet. Both of them knew what the song and glow meant. Soul Bonding. All four Senshi had bonded with their former husbands, and that strengthened them.

Sailor Moon wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed. Tuxedo Kamen couldn't agree more, though for an entirely different reason. Actually, they didn't really need a bed, now that he thought of it. He could just slip her fuku bottoms to one side and hold her over his cock, then slam her down onto him again and again until she was scre-

"Hello... Mamo!"

"What? Huh?"

"I said, bogey man at 9 o'clock." He looked over and sure enough the strange man was staring into the face of an old man, who immediately got up and started attacking jaywalkers with his cane. "I'll get the old man... You keep an eye on the freakazoid."

Mamoru cleared his mind and followed the 'man.'


Sailor Moon went to stop the old man, getting hit several times in the process. She took his cane and helped him sit on a bench. After a moment she pulled out the moon wand. "Moon Healing Escalation!"

It looked almost as though the man had come out of a trance. He stared around, unsure what had happened. She handed him back his cane and helped him home. This is going to be bad, she thought. She focused inward and felt no more glow from the Senshi or Shittenou, so she called them on broadcast. They could all see her at once, but they couldn't reply this way, which was frustrating.

"Guys, we have a situation... Or possible situations... Hold on." She turned to take the knife away from a woman chasing what must have been her husband down the street. She put the knife in her subspace pocket, held up the wand, shouted "Moon Healing Escalation" again, and released her. Puffing a little she started talking again. "Sorry about that. And sorry I had to call you all so soon after your Soul-Bonding. By the way congrats. But we've got something big going on. HEY, PUT HIM DOWN!" She simply lifted her wand and screamed the incantation this time, the light flooding the street.

"Ami and Zoicite, go to the police. Tell them something is making people act strange. Round them up if they can... don't press charges unless its really bad, and call me when they have a good sized group... Unless whoever they have is really dangerous and I'll get there as soon as I can.

"The rest of you are on watch starting now. I need you and your soulmate out on the streets. Gather people if they are dangerous, but if they aren't I'll heal them later. Be on the lookout for anyone who looks straight into someone's eyes just before they start acting out their biggest baddest desire. I'm talking really bad in some cases. Hey! Don't do that! LET HER GO! Moon Healing Escalation!

'Tuxedo Kamen and I have one we're following now who tried to put the whammy on my man. I don't know how to fight them because I don't know what they are, so we just have to do our best. Use your combined attacks, but if it gets really bad fall back and follow the thing. Ami, as soon as you're done with the police I want you on that computer looking for the bad guys' weaknesses. Locate them if you can, and let us know.

'Be safe, and don't forget you can talk with you soulmate in your head, which can help maintain stealth. MOON HEALING ESCALATION! Damn, I'm getting worn out. I have to find Tuxedo Kamen. Check in!"


Ami and Zoicite reached the police station closest to her apartment within five minutes of Sailor Moon making her broadcast. She really needed to fix the bugs on the communicator text program so people could respond. Ami was usually the one sent to the police (as Mercury of course) and she and Zoicite henshined before going in.

"Oh thank god!" The receptionist actually clapped when she saw Mercury and Zoicite. "I'll get the chief!" She pressed a button on her phone and a moment later led them back to his office. Mercury laid out what they knew and asked that a special bulletin go out informing people it was safest to stay in their homes. They had to set up a city-wide grid to collect people and Ami set up a time table for Sailor Moon to come by and heal the infected. She was promised the worst would be held in solitary, or at least be cuffed in such a way that they could not hurt themselves or others.

"Whatever this new creature is, it seems to be moving rapidly, or there's more than one. We don't know the exact nature of the creature, but it appears human so people don't automatically back away screaming. I have to get back out there so I can meet Moon and Kamen, and study one of these things so I can find a weakness."

"Is there anything people can do to avoid having this thing mind control them?" The chief asked quietly.

"It appears to need eye contact, so I guess have them keep their eyes away from anyone they don't know."


Sailor Moon was about to faint. She still hadn't reached Tuxedo Kamen after twenty minutes, and after stopping four rapes, two potential homicides, the murder of a cat, and a mother trying to stuff her children in a trash can, and dozens of more minor activities she needed help. Her Moon Wand could heal in large groups. She'd done it before, but with her having no energy left, if she didn't reach him soon she would be no help to anybody, and worse, could be another potential victim.

So she took to the roofs. She felt guilty for not stopping every crime, so she stopped letting herself see them. She could feel herself getting closer to Tuxedo Kamen, but she ran into trouble even on the roofs. About three minutes after she left the ground she was surrounded by a group of men, seven in all. She tried to go around them, but was blocked, so she tried to jump over them, but couldn't seem to gather the strength. She was careful not to meet their eyes, but she was afraid.

She lifted the wand. "Moon Healing Escalation!" She shouted again. Six of the men came to their senses, but the seventh was still coming after her. She backed up, tripped and fell. She instantly cried for help through the link with Mamoru.

"What are you?" She asked.

"We are the Amanojaku" it replied, changing forms to become a much bigger man.

"Why are you here?

"To do what is required of us by our Queen, Beryl."

"You aren't a Youma."

"No, we are demons."

"Oh, okay then." Sailor Moon carefully stood and pulled off her tiara. "Well, I need to go now." She said a little nervously.

"Oh no. I will have you face your darkest fantasies and fulfill them."

As quick as the strike of a snake it was on her, lifting her chin and staring into her eyes. Then it backed away. She hadn't felt anything and she wondered what her darkest desire was. The only thing she'd ever really obsessed over was loving Mamoru from afar.

A moment later Mamoru was behind her, and the Amanojaku turned it's eyes on him. For one brief moment he stepped towards it and then shook his head and moved back.

"Gah! Bonded soulmates!" The creature spat. "And you. No bad desires. Something is wrong with you," he pointed at Sailor Moon. "Well, I can't turn you against each other, so goodbye." And with that the creature disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Well, we've learned one thing... They can't turn people against their soul mates."

"That's why I was so freaked out!" Shouted sailor Venus, appearing on the roof. "Can you imagine if we hadn't done the soul bond last night Kunzite? That thing we ran into could have had us kill each other."

"Actually," Tuxedo Kamen interjected, "only if that's your 'darkest desire.' Mine could have been potentially bad, but the thought of actually hurting Usako stopped me as soon as the first one turned away." He moved over to Sailor Moon and put his hands on her shoulders. "Here.." and he filled her with fresh energy and healed her aches and pains.

Mercury and Zoicite landed on the roof. The six men who she had healed were edging towards the door, carefully not looking at them.

"Wait!" Sailor Moon walked over, motioning the others to stay back.

"Go home, and don't meet the eyes of any strangers. Get your families home too, okay?" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "I'm not mad at any of you. Its okay." she motioned them to go.

Mars and Jadeite had arrived when she was taking to the men, and now Jupiter and Nephrite were arriving. She walked over to hear Tuxedo Kamen explaining why his darkest desire had been a problem.

"... nothing I would actually ever do, but... I've had thoughts about Usagi for a long time. Especially about getting her pregnant. We ran out of condoms last night so she put the kibosh on any more sex and I was frustrated. Just for a fraction of a second I thought about forcing myself on her. It was gone as soon as it came, but when that Amanojaku looked at me it came back for just a second. As soon as I shook my head the thought was gone. But in that brief time I must have pictured about fifty different ways to... It was a second, but it felt like a year. I think I'm going to have nightmares about it."

"Wow!" Kunzite gave him a 'look.'

"I've stopped at least four rapes already today, and I think maybe two homicides." Sailor Moon told them.

"Well we just took a bunch of guys to the police station," said Mars. They were trying to hurt a bunch of kids, so we tied them up and took them in. I actually had to threaten them with fire to stop them.'

"So, Usagi has no dark desires huh? asked Ami. "Somehow I can see that."

"Amanojaku," Sailor Moon whispered. "It said it was some kind of demon."

Nephrite rubbed the back of his neck, frustrated. "Look, Makoto and I saw one of those things, but it disappeared as soon as we saw it. I think they know to avoid us now. Somehow they can talk to each other. Maybe some form of telepathy. Can it be traced?" He looked towards Mercury.

"I'm not sure. And even if we do trace them, how do we destroy them? I mean, we've been at this, what, half an hour? It's had a few hours on us, and a whole city to work with."

"I'll look it up," said Mercury, pulling out the little computer and pressing her earring to open her visor screen. She was quiet for several minutes, but Zoicite was quietly nodding as though listening. Finally, Ami laughed. "You guys aren't going to believe this one!"

"What?" Asked Sailor Mars.

"Well, Buddist teachings say that the Shitennou destroy it, using the antithesis of their purpose, which is the desire to do good." She laughed again and pointed at Sailor Moon. "We literally were just handed a bunch of demons we have to think at to destroy!"

"I don't understand." Moon was a bit confused, but no more so than Tuxedo Kamen, who was wondering why the new enemy could possibly be one the Shittenou were meant to destroy.

"Wait... I remember this!" Shouted Nephrite. "That little town in the European continent that went mad. Endymion sent us out, and we were angry because we didn't want to leave..."

"The little girl! The one who wanted to heal everyone and wished for us. It was her pure heart that gave us what we needed. But we had to heal the town first, and Endymion came and used the crystal." Zoicite sounded excited.

"It was the little girl who destroyed it though. She wished for it to go away and stop hurting everyone and it turned into a jade coin." Jadeite added.

"We put the coin in the temple. It was buried in the rubble during the attacks." Kunzite rubbed his chin. "What we need it a high place where we can heal everyone, and then someone with a pure heart and a wish to help," he looked at Sailor Moon, "to wish them all into jade coins."

"I need to get to Tokyo Skytree," mused Sailor Moon. "Maybe, if you guys could send me some energy I could fix everyone at once."

"I really wish I could teleport." muttered Tuxedo Kamen. "These guys probably can't take more than one at a time."

"We actually have a version of it ourselves." Jupiter told him. "Everyone gather together in a circle and hold hands. Ready Moon?"

"SAILOR TELEPORT!" shouted the Senshi, and as one the group appeared about four feet above the top of the tower in a bright silver and gold bubble.

"How do send her your energy?" asked Jadeite quietly.

"I don't really understand how it happened the last time. I remember feeling like I was about to fall... and then I could feel Ami and Rei... their voices in my head, and Tuxedo Kamen telling me I could do it like he always does." Sailor Moon looked to the three who had been there the last time.

"Basically I felt her need," Rei said, "and when I felt it but couldn't get to her, I just wished I could help her, and it was like I was right behind her and I reached out and put my hand on her. I could sense the others, but not see them." The group tried, and Moon felt the outpouring of their energy and nodded.


From a distance, hidden in the darkness of the path of time, Setsuna watched. Her death was approaching, and she was sad, though not frightened. Her lonely existence would be passed to the next guardian. She had dreamt of this long ago. The path of time felt strange to her, as though it were in constant flux. Perhaps she was not the best guardian, because sometimes she would meddle. Sometimes she would glimpse alternate versions of reality and steer the course of events away from the worst.

If Usagi died and Mamoru was left alone, the planet would soon be fading into cold, the beginnings of a new ice-age until he took his own life. She shuddered. And that's why she had made this choice. If she didn't save Usagi today, the planet and the people on it would suffer because he would forget them in his misery. It was an easy decision. The moment she died she would be reborn, as was always true for a keeper of time.

She just wished that once in her life she had been loved, known, and wanted. This lonely existence was a curse. At least since the Senshi had begun learning their skills she had been able to pour all her love into them. Into bright hopes for their future. Did any of them remember her?


Hotaru was confused. For some reason she wanted to go to the Tokyo Skytree... She didn't understand it. She wasn't feeling very well. she'd had another operation only a few days before. But when the feeling came over her, she couldn't ignore it. It wasn't like her blackouts. She knew where she was, and where she was going. She just felt powerless to stop it.


Michiru took Haruka's hand and they walked out of their apartment. Something was terribly wrong in the city, and they were being drawn to the Skytree by an urgent feeling of need. Something bad was about to happen, and if they weren't there...

Haruka gave her hand a gentle squeeze, reassuring her without words that she was there. Michiru knew her girlfriend was excited. It had been her favorite topic of conversation since their memories returned. Meeting Sailor Moon. Their princess. Michiru hoped Haruka wouldn't be too severely disappointed. After all, Sailor Moon was hardly more than a child in this lifetime. How had she already performed the Soul-Bonding?

The streets were filled with people performing terrible acts, so they took to the rooftops, hoping to avoid conflict. At least she and her soulmate would not be turned on each other according to the research she had done on these vile creatures. She pulled Haruka closer and gave her a fierce kiss. They had been together through so much, and she was worried that something would happen to her now.


The Amanojaku were waiting and watching. Queen Beryl had planned this perfectly. The moment the Moon Brat was finished healing the people, she would collapse in exhaustion. Then, with her weak and unable to protect the prince, (had they ever been so stupid as to think Beryl wouldn't know?) she would swoop in and take him. It was a wonderful plan. With them to distract the other Senshi and those traitorous Shitennou she would have unfettered access to him. Once he was evil, the Shittenou would follow...

Slowly the seven demons made their way closer and closer to the Skytree.


Sailor Moon cried out to her mother Queen Serenity for aid, and pulled on the power of the Senshi and the Shitennou. Tuxedo Kamen pushed his energy towards her in great warm waves that reminded her of summer grass. She drew on the crystal in her chest, still not revealing it for fear that Queen Beryl would come into the city to claim it, and held up her wand.

"MOON HEALING ESCALATION!"

A wave of silver light, shot through with streaks of gold, blue, green, red, orange, white, yellow, violet, and burgundy formed above their heads and like a sunburst flared out over the city. Nothing could be hidden from that light. It grew and grew, reaching every corner of every room in every home. It found cracks in stone, and caves hidden beyond waterfalls, it flared into sewers and tunnels and it spread.

And everyone it touched was healed and renewed. More and more power she spread until her knees were weak and she fell to the floor of the bubble suspending them over the tower. With a final cry and a last small surge outward, she collapsed.

"Sailor MOON!" Nine voices screamed her name in panic. They had given her their energy, but she had used her own first, and was utterly spent. They would have to wait to face the...

The Amanojaku arrived, now in demon mist form, and floated outside their bubble.

In the sky above them, the laughing red-haired Queen Beryl appeared, holding her staff with it's orb at the top reflecting the light of the afternoon light. She smiled, and reached for Endymion, Prince of the Earth.