Chapter 14: Omaphacite's Hunt Begins
Queen Beryl was not happy. She had lost two generals so far and was no where near either goal of destroying the senshi or obtaining the Ginzushou. "Omaphacite! You are to start searching for the Shadow warriors, I believe the crystal may be within them."
"As you wish my Queen." Omaphacite bowed low to her blood red haired Queen. "I will not disappoint you." In a swirl of flower petals Omaphacite was gone.
Back on earth it had been almost a week since Neflite's disappearance and the Generals and Senshi were now training together. Tsukia now transformed into Sailor Moon with a blue skirt and red bows but still went by Tsukia. (will be Tsukia(sm)/Moon for this outfit and just Tsukia for her other one). The past week was just the two groups training together, today they were being paired up and battling 2 vs 2.
Moon stood in front of the group. "Today is two against two. Teams are as followed: Mars and Sol; Mercury and Glacius; Pheobe and Adranos; Tepeu and Jupiter; Kaze with Venus. We will start with Sol and Mars V.S Pheobe and Adranos. Any questions?" No one said anything. "Then lets begin."
The two teams lined up across from each other. "Halt!" Terran called. "Generals take on your General suits. No armor."
The five generals went to attention, "Yes, Sire!" chorused through the ranks as the armor melted away. Each general stood in a tai chi outfits of the same color as their armor. The senshi minus Pheobe looked shocked at the discipline that the generals showed. Battle poses were taken and began training. It was a grueling day and everyone including Moon and Terran were ready to go home afterwards.
The group collapsed into the booths at the Crown arcade. Large orders were had all around as the group replenished spent nutrients. "Today was a good day. I am proud of all of you this week . We are making good progress." Usagi told the group with a smile.
"Thank you," chorused around the table. "Hey, who is that?" Makoto asked pointing to a young man playing the crane game.
"Oh, that is Game Machine' Joe. He comes in once a few weeks and wins a ton of toys and gives them to the local orphanage." Motoki explained.
Usagi's eyes glazed over as she watched Joe. /Something is different about him./ "Time to try out our teams. Mokoto and Kenji follow him, I think he might be a dark kingdom target. Ami and Ryo track them and him in case they need back up. Rei and Masaki go to the temple and do a reading to see what you can find out about Joe. The Mina and Motoki, you're with Mamoru and I. Go, don't ask questions right now."
"Understood," The generals answered pulling their senshi partners off to their assignments.
"Keep communications open at all times." Mamoru added. The groups nodded as the door dinged.
The remaining warriors faced Usagi, "What is going on, Usagi-sama?"
"First off: Eros you need not deal with formalities, you're family; secondly: there is just something about him and I want the first in commands with me." No one argued or said anything further when Usagi got up the other three followed.
Leading them to an alley and called out, "Moonlit Guardian!" Calling forth the beam of light that changed her into Tsukia, and in a wash of stardust and moonlight, Usagi's clothing faded into a sailor fuku with a golden skirt and silver bows, a jet black sailor scarf and black boots lined with gold. On her brow, the circlet flared with light landing to cover the birthmark of the royal lunarian line, and a mask of gold appeared around her eyes. Her hair was pulled up in to a high bun with a topsitail coming out the back, and in her hands was a staff with a crescent moon at the top and a circle of stars floating around it. Tsukia removed the mask and it turned to dust, "Transform, it is time to go to action." She commanded taking to the rooftops.
The trio quickly followed and soon ended up at the park where the arrived in time to watch the youth from the arcade be changed into a youma. "Oh,my lord!" Venus said stumbling back and putting a hand over her mouth. Joe soon became a mechanical warrior and turned to attack the unprepared Makoto and Kenji.
"Mako-chan!" Kenji screamed pushing her out of the way of an electrical attack.
"Luna, guardian of mau, I your true master call. Appear!" With a wave of her staff Luna appeared in human form with Artemis beside her. "The wand." Luna nodded and did a back flip revealing a wand in the shape of a crescent moon. "Venus, if ever I cannot make it to a battle you are the only other of lunar blood. Use the crescent moon wand to heal them."
"What do we do tonight?" Kaze asked.
"Armor up and weaken it enough for us to heal him." Tsukia commanded. "Terran,"
"I already contacted the others everyone is on route." Tsukia nodded.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" "Tornado Strike!" The two attacks combined to create a golden tornado that knocked the youma into a tree.
"Jupiter Thunder Clap Zap!" "Zeus' Lightning Stab!" The two lightning attacks merged and created a lasting shock.
"Moon Healing Activation!" Tsukia called out. The youma fell to his knees and reverted to his former form of Joe. After Mercury confirmed he would be ok and Mars called the ambulance the warriors retreated to the trees.
In Mamoru's apartment over tea the ten warriors were assaulting their leaders with questions over the new attack. "Silence!" commanded Usagi as her crescent moon flared into existence. "First off I don't have all your answers! Secondly, one at a time."
The group sat quietly waiting on their Princess. Usagi took a drink of tea and several deep breaths, Mamoru sat comfortingly beside her on the love seat. The others scattered on the floor and on the little bit of furniture. "Alright, Eros."
"How do I use this wand thingy to do what you did with your staff?"
"We will do one on one training with that. Kunzite."
"How did you know?"
"Know that Joe was going to be targeted? I have many abilities that you don't know about and I just used one. Ami."
"I didn't think the dark kingdom could turn humans against us, how is that possible?"
Usagi sighed, "Just like we were recreated so were Beryl's soldiers from the war. Although not completely evil they are predisposed and almost drawn to it." Usagi paused to drink some tea. "In Joe's case, he was high ranking youma called a shadow warrior. There were seven in total of shadow warriors."
Mamoru whispered to Usagi, "Take your time. They aren't blaming you they just need to know what we are dealing with. Relax, I am here." Usagi smiled as Mamoru rubbed her shoulders.
"The war was long and drawn out and we were winning... until Beryl sent out her strongest warriors: the shadows. They were ruthless and took our forces by storm. Mother let the battle go on for seven days before she couldn't watch it any more and used the crystal to seal them away. But parts of the crystal were broken off in the effort, which is why she didn't survive sealing Beryl." Usagi said falling to sob on Mamoru's shoulder.
"I think that is all for tonight. Please show yourselves out we will continue tomorrow at training." Mamoru commanded. The group nodded and slowly made their way to the door, leaving the couple to deal with the emotions of the war a millennium ago.
Mamoru held Usagi close to him and let her cry all she could. He felt helpless as she continued crying and whispering for those lost in that long ago war. It was dark when Mamoru carried Usagi to bed, she had cried herself to sleep. Mamoru watched his angel sleep for a while before falling asleep next to her with her wrapped tightly within his arms.
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After leaving the couple in Mamoru's apartment the group broke into couples and went separate ways. Nathan and Naru went back to her place to talk. Naru cuddled up close to Nathan in the living room, "I feel so helpless, Nate. She is my best friend and I am not able to help her."
"Oh, Naru. You are helping her you have been helping her all this time and that is what? Close to six months. I don't know where she would be if you hadn't been there." Naru looked at her boyfriend teary eyed. "Oh, Nara. Sometimes BFFs can't do everything sometimes SMs have to take the load. Mamoru-sama isn't replacing you he is a partner to help you help her."
"You really believe that?"
"Of course, if I didn't meet her then I never would have met you." Naru stared up into his crystal blue eyes and laughed as she ruffled his chestnut brown hair,styled the same as Mamoru's.
"Is the hair style a pre-requisite?"
"No but we co-ordinate better if we match," laughed Nathan.
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Rei wasn't in the mood for company but Masaki insisted on walking her home. All the way to the temple he told her his life story and how he had met Usagi. How he had never met anyone like Rei or Usagi. Finally with the temple in view Rei lost it, "You're not Jadeite! And Jadeite chose another over me!" She screamed as she ran the rest of the way tears streaming down her cheeks.
Masaki watched shocked as Rei ran from him. What had he said? What did he do wrong? Masaki watched Rei until she was up the steps of the temple before turning and heading home himself.
Rei stumbled toward the door of the temple, tripping the whole way, until finally collapsing at the door. "Why is this so hard? I should be used to rejection. My own parents didn't want me!"
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Ami and Ryo weren't exactly strangers, they had met up when he was last in Tokyo with his twin brother back in elementary school. So they spent the evening catching up and watching a documentary on astronomy.
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Mokoto and Kenji walked around after leaving the group. The two were having fun getting to know each other, "So, Mamoru did most of the cooking but I loved helping him and am pretty good at it myself, if I dare say so."
"What is the type of food do you like?"
Kenji laughed, "Isn't it my turn to ask you something? Why so bad a rep?"
Makoto looked down at her feet stopping dead in her tracks. "Normally they started it." Kenji could hear the anger in her voice. "My parents died when I was twelve... in a plane wreck, I was the sole survivor. Rumors say that it is because I am a witch. Other times people just harass me because I am an unwanted orphan that lives on their own because the orphanage kicked me out."
"That isn't fair, Mako-chan. I am sorry for asking." Kenji said offering her his hand. "It isn't easy I know that. I'll tell you a secret," Kenji looked around as if checking no one was listening. "Rei and I are siblings blood and all but Mamoru and our parents aren't related. Our parents adopted us when Rei was two and she doesn't know any different Mamoru joined the family when she was five."
"But you all seem so close..."
"We are because family isn't made of blood it is made of love." Kenji blushed. "That is what mom always told me."
Makoto laughed and hugged Kenji, "Thank you, you made me remember why I want friends."
Kenji looked up at her with a curious eye, "Even a boy'friend?"
"Yes, one of those is always nice. But most guys don't stick around." Makoto said sadly.
"I will," Kenji offered.